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Despite claims that they only “informed” the population of registers being held on three local issues that might have had far-reaching impacts, opposition members at Two Mountains city hall are scarcely concealing their satisfaction after two of the projects proposed by Mayor Marc Lauzon’s administration were decisively rejected.
Plans struck down
In an attempt to breathe new life into the stagnant local economy of Two Mountains, which can no longer rely on expanding residential development to increase its tax base, the Lauzon administration, which received a new mandate in last November’s election, launched a sweeping new initiative in December to encourage the growth of Two Mountains’s commercial sector through several economic stimulus projects.
In a register held at city hall on Feb. 1, residents said no to one of the fundamental pieces of the mayor’s plan — his proposal for an elaborate entertainment venue to be developed in the auditorium of the Polyvalente Deux-Montagnes. While 500 signatures were needed to trigger a referendum, that number was exceeded by 104.
A hefty price
Based on the premise that similar projects in other cities like Laval have borne fruit, Lauzon’s idea was that the venue would attract theatre-goers not only from Two Mountains, but from all over the region, and local businesses would benefit. However, the project carried a $550,000 price tag, although it would have been paid off through long-term debt. In a second register held simultaneously at city hall, residents were even more assertive in rejecting the Lauzon’s proposal to encourage local tourism, by upgrading facilities and creating a significant number of new parking spaces at Moir Park.
The bylaw was rejected by 185 signatures above the 500 mark. In a third register on a Master Plan for evaluating the municipality’s wastewater and waterworks repairs, opponents were able to muster only 414 signatures. As such, according to the province’s law on referendums, that project is considered to have been accepted. On that matter, Lauzon said on the day after the registers that he is indeed moving ahead.
‘Misinformation,’ says mayor
In a statement the mayor issued on Feb. 2, he announced that his administration would not be pursuing the Polyvalente Deux-Montagnes or Moir Park projects. “In spite of a misinformation campaign waged by opposition members, we must take the results of the register seriously,” he said. “It seems clear to us that a large segment of the population is concerned about the city’s future.” Lauzon said the administration saw the large register turnout, just a few months after the election, as a sign of the interest shown by citizens in their city’s governance. “This also indicates that we were not able to get our vision across regarding the city’s future.”
In response to the outcome, he said the administration intends to launch a consultation and information process in the coming months to gather citizen feedback on future projects and on measures that can be taken. “We have to work together in a non-partisan way,” he said. “Our city’s future depends on it.” As for the third project, Lauzon noted that the administration was only fulfilling an obligation expected by the provincial government.
Amazed by rejection
The wastewater and waterworks evaluation project would provide a detailed view of Two Mountains’s underground infrastructure and would indicate which repairs need to be done first. Going ahead with it would also give access to government subsidies. As such, Lauzon said he didn’t understand why there was opposition to it. “I find it amazing that opposition councillors signed the register to object to this project. They obviously do not grasp the importance of this legal and essential tool and the serious consequences that could result from putting it off.”
In an interview with the North Shore News, the de facto leader of the opposition, Robert Landry who ran for mayor against Lauzon last November, denied the mayor’s assertion that the opposition was also against the wastewater and waterworks project. “We are totally aware that that project would have to be done,” he said, while adding that they were more concerned about the six-figure cost for the project, “which is way too much money,” for work he said is essentially just an estimate.
Opponents were active
Landry acknowledged that he and the three opposition councillors were active in the weeks leading up to the registers, informing residents of the bylaws on which they were about to be consulted and the process that would be taking place. But he denied that the opposition took any special pleasure in helping to defeat the administration’s plans. “For the opposition, for us, we are very happy to see that people are standing up for what they believe, and if they did vote differently I would respect that also,” Landry said.
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