Both mayoral candidates continue their push to get the vote out ahead of Sunday's municipal election.
Valerie Plante took an early morning metro ride Friday, and campaigned in the Southwest borough before speaking to CJAD 800's Aaron Rand on a multitude of topics, including social housing and traffic.
Plante spoke about Projet Montreal's plan to add 12,000 social housing units, and says future major complexes will be able to have affordable social housing under Montreal's status as a metropolis, something incumbent mayor Denis Coderre was able to get during his first term as mayor.
When asked about a metro extension to the West Island, Plante sidestepped the question, saying Projet Montreal's proposed "Pink Line", which would end in Lachine, would service many dense areas in the northeast and southwest portions of Montreal.
Plante also addressed criticism over her lack of political experience. She acknowledges that while she has not spent as much time as a politician compared to others, she says she's surrounded by a strong team, something the Projet Montreal leader says matters most.
Meanwhile, Denis Coderre visited the editorial team of Le Devoir as well as several places of worship on Friday. He didn't say much to the media, but several members of his team went on the offensive.
Villeray-Saint-Michel-Park Extension borough mayor Anie Samson criticized Projet Montreal's campaign promises. She says just five of their over 400 promises would cost around $800 million, and wondered who would wind up paying for them.
City of Montreal Executive Committee Vice-President Harout Chitilian says Equip Coderre believes if elected, Projet Montreal would create around 900 new positions, which he says would total over $100 million.
Plateau not a one-sized-fits-all solution
Plateau Mont-Royal borough mayor Luc Ferrandez has responded to criticism his party Projet Montreal plans to "plateau-ize" the rest of the city.
Ferrandez tells CTV if elected, Valerie Plante and Projet Montreal would create policies that would be in accordance to the needs of each of Montreal's boroughs.
He uses Pierrefonds-Roxboro as an example and says it's too easy for incumbent mayor Denis Coderre to scare those residents by saying all boroughs would follow the same policies. He says there aren't metro stations in Pierrefonds nor are there 50,000 people without cars, therefore a different plan is needed.
Many Plateau merchants tell CTV that while there are certain challenges, their businesses are for the most part doing well and some are throwing their support behind Coderre because he was able to obtain new taxation powers for Montreal. Ferrandez says that as well as the lowering of taxes in the central district in order to adapt taxes to small businesses were originally his ideas.
Ferrandez doesn't believe his borough should be used as a model for Montreal as a whole, and acknowledges there are still issues that need to be addressed.
CJAD 800 has Election Night coverage for the Montreal municipal campaign as well as those from the surrounding area Sunday evening beginning at 8:00.