Opposition not enough to change Montreals 6.3 billion capitalworks program

The city of Montreal's ambitious three-year, $6.3 billion spending plan was approved by city council Monday, but not without some opposition.

Announced earlier this month, the city would use 60 per cent of the capital-works budget to repair crumbling roads and leaking pipes, both water and sewage.

While fixing Montreal's roads would usually be a good thing, the city's official opposition said the problem is with the way the work will be done.

Of the $2 billion budgeted for roadwork, $415 million will be used to add a new layer of asphalt over the many potholes and cracks motorists complain about on a daily basis.

According to Projet Montreal, the plan is simply a quick-fix road resurfacing that will require additional work in two years, compared to a complete overhaul that would last 10.

The opposition submitted several amendment proposals, including cutting the resurfacing budget in half and using a little more than $200 million for longer-lasting roadwork on major arteries, while the rest of the money could be used for a better quality patch job on side streets.

Projet Montreal also requested the city shift money from a $67 million amphitheatre project for Parc Jean-Drapeau to the planned budget to purchase more land for social housing.

A similar proposal called on the city to use some of the nearly $18 million set aside to renovate baseball diamonds to fix up other outdoor sports fields for soccer, football or tennis.

All of Projet Montreal's amendment proposals were rejected.