Montreal seniors can expect financial relief from the next municipal administration: the two main mayoral candidates, Valérie Plante and Denis Coderre, have both pledged free public transit as well as a postponement municipal tax increases for seniors.
The two candidates made similar promises an hour apart on Friday morning. Mayor Valérie Plante, head of Projet Montréal, was in the courtyard of a retirement home in the Ahuntsic-Cartierville district, while Denis Coderre, who heads Ensemble Montréal, gave a press conference in front of city hall. .
The two parties also make a commitment to add benches in the parks, as well as other amenities that make life easier for the elderly, and to create an organization where the elderly can be heard by municipal authorities – called “Conseil of the deans of Montreal ”on the side of Valérie Plante and“ Council of the elderly ”at Denis Coderre.
The leader of Ensemble Montréal also says that he will speed up the construction of elevators in metro stations and that he will provide 10,000 air conditioners to seniors who live in low-rental housing (HLM).
These devices will become more and more essential with climate change, according to Mr. Coderre. “We want to give them a living environment,” said the mayoral candidate. “It’s going to cost 37.5 million. ”
1is Last July, the public transit fare for people aged 65 was reduced by 50%: the monthly card now costs them $ 27 per month.
Valérie Plante indicated that seniors would benefit from free education from 2023 – a measure that will cost 17 million. As for Denis Coderre, he intends to implement this measure more quickly.
Ensemble Montréal would also reactivate the “Gold Shuttles” of the Société de transport de Montréal (STM), which connect the main seniors’ residences in certain Montreal neighborhoods with nearby shopping centers.
” It’s essential. It’s a file that is very easy, ”he said, saying he did not accept the argument of budget cuts linked to COVID-19. “Those who need it most are our seniors. ”
As for the postponement of municipal tax increases, it will allow people 65 years of age and over to pay the same property tax bill as long as they live in their home. The increases will be payable to the City only at the time of the sale of the house.
“The idea is to minimize the impact of the tax increase due to real estate pressure and the gentrification of certain neighborhoods,” explained Mme Plant. We don’t want seniors to have to leave the house they have lived in for years, in a neighborhood they love, that they have to leave because they are no longer able to pay [leur compte de taxes]. »