Is Montreal becoming the next GTA?

Ask anyone from either Toronto or Montreal if the cities are similar and you’ll get a resounding “NO.” The culture, the people, the buildings… they’re just all too different.

Recently, the leaders across the 82 municipalities in the Montreal area have met in order to bring cities together for sustainability and economic development. Looking closely at Canada’s second largest metropolitan area as it continues to grow and thrive, is Montreal becoming the next GTA?

The concept of “Greater Montreal” hasn’t always been a popular one. In fact many had a skewed concept of it until recently. Much like Toronto, many think of the Montreal area as the downtown core, with its skyscrapers and a few surrounding communities that don’t have all that much in common with the suburbs. In reality, there are many municipalities on the south and north shores of the island in what is known as the Montreal Metropolitan Community (MMC). Through the MMC, the region’s mayors started working on the first-ever regional development strategy for the Montreal metro area.

The biannual agora held earlier this month brought together mayors from the 82 municipalities in the MMC. While their opinions differed on some points, they aligned their vision for sustainable development, infrastructure, and transport, including public transit. Public transit is pivotal for the proper functioning of a metropolitan area. In the past, it has been difficult for communities to come together and agree on funding for transportation, which is what led to the closure of the Mirabel Airport. Even getting to the Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, on the island, is challenging without a car. A unified transit system throughout Montreal would allow citizens to cross the metropolis without the use of a car.

New reforms led by the provincial government could further boost Greater Montreal’s plans in years to come. The government would like to see more autonomy given to individual municipalities to manage spending and governance. The reforms would also allow the City of Montreal to make decisions when it comes to the environment, immigration, economic development and public transportation. As Mayor Denis Coderre would put it: “A real metropolis should have the autonomy to decide on its priorities.”

The underlying goal is to turn Montreal into a thriving and sustainable urban centre, and looking to adopt best practices for regional governance throughout its municipalities – what works for the city. While there are some resemblances with the GTA, the Montreal Metropolitan area still has a long way to go before being on the same scale as Canada’s largest city.

Cover photo by abdallahh via Flickr Creative Commons License