With less than three weeks until Montrealers vote for their next mayor, the three big candidates hit the campaign trail making promises and predicting a brighter future for the city.
Projet Montreal leader Valerie Plante spent the day on Bishop St. where business owners have been dealing with major construction for more than a year.
The work is being done so the STM can install a new ventilation system, with a projected end to it all in 2020.
Current small business owners say they may not survive.
"We've lost $70,000 in the first six months of this year," said Mike Cloghesy, co-owners of Mexican restaurant Mesa 14.
By his side was Plante, who promised to help Cloghesy and other business owners being hurt by construction.
"We need to give a tax break to businesses that have a big construction site that's a huge impact" she said.
"The question I want to raise today is if the administration, the past administration was able to invest $24 million in the Formula E saying it would be good for businesses, how come we cannot find money to support our small businesses, here downtown and elsewhere in the city."
Plante pointed out the city has a $7.5 million program in place to support small businesses, but said it's not being used properly.
"It's mostly to improve their facades, but that's not what they want. They don't want to improve their façade; they want to make sure they can cover their bases, so they don't have to close down. That's the bottom line, that's what they want and we have to hear them," she said.
Businesses on Bishop St. have taken the city to court over compensation, but so far have been unsuccessful.
Denis Coderre responded to the criticism, saying it's not that he didn't want to help the owners, but until recently he couldn't.
Last month when the National Assembly passed Bill 121 giving Montreal metropolis status, City Hall obtained more control of its finances and it also gave the Mayor the ability to grant tax breaks, something he says he's always wanted to do.
"How we can help them retroactively -- because there's a situation, but I think we will be able to do so," he said.
Coderre spent his day at IBM's Montreal headquarters where the new Client Innovation Centre was officially inaugurated. The technology company currently employs close to 120 people, with plans to grow to 250 by the end of 2018 and hopes to create more than 500 high-level jobs over the next four years.
"The image of Montreal is changing, and for the better. We have succeeded in positioning ourselves as a leader in many sectors, such as artificial intelligence or aerospace, while retaining neighbourhoods on a human scale, where it is great to live and work", he said.
The Mayor also talked about landing one of the biggest fish in the online and technology sector, Amazon, who are looking to setup a second headquarters.
"Outside of the United States I think that Montreal is the place to be. We have the schools, the universities, the man and woman power ... the relationship with the strategy we have with other levels of governments I think this is a truly wonderful hub for the future of Amazon because this is also a place for start-ups" Coderre told CTV Montreal.
Jean Fortier, Coalition Montreal's candidate in the mayoral race, was talking about the environment Monday.
He said if elected mayor all municipal projects would be evaluated on their carbon footprint on top of current measures. Fortier said that by caring more about the environment it would benefit everyone.
"Purchasing municipal vehicles that are more fuel-efficient invariably also means purchasing vehicles that are better-designed and will likely need less maintenance," Fortier said in a statement. "This should translate as lower costs to taxpayers over the vehicle's life cycle. It's the same thing with infrastructure where a climate test will help us detect over-designed projects."
Montrealers make their choice for mayor on Sunday, November 5.