Montreal On A 'Seattle' Or 'New York' Trajectory

Montreal under Mayor Valerie Plante has struggled.

When the pandemic hit thus freezing countries and cities in a 'moment in time' freeze-frame, you had to hope there was a good government in place.

The pandemic did flush out the good and bad leaders across the continent.

Prior to the pandemic, Plante had charted an pro-green course for the city. Her fetish for bike lanes became a civic obsession. Suddenly, bike lanes sprouted up confusing the configuration of Montreal streets. 

Cars out; bikes in.

Like many cities looking to capitalize on the pandemic to reshape their urban landscapes, Plante attempted to position herself as a 'visionary' environmental Mayor. 

And the casualty of such initiatives is usually growth and businesses. 

Her plans included eradicating cars in the downtown core thus essentially killing off foot traffic for retail shops and restaurants. It has become impossible to park downtown in a city once fairly accommodating for such things. 

While economic growth stagnates, taxes continue to go up thus almost ensuring businesses close.

Slowly, this is how we hollow out a city.

It's not normal the only projects in Montreal that seem to go up are condos. If a commercial building is sold, it usually gets knocked down for housing.

You can feel the 'vibe' of Montreal completely sucked out.

Slowly all these landmark retail shops and restaurants are closing up. Soon, we'll be left with less unique cafes and more big box variants. I'm not against those but not if they're the only option.

We're losing are charms and the pandemic is all but ensuing these places call it quits.

Worse, to go along with her 'urban-granola' policies, the pandemic where she masked the city up (surprise. Left-wingers love masks because they can't be bothered to look past their shitty faux-virtuousness and actually inform themselves about its usefulness. It's all about the appearance) put enormous pressure on people, she then blanketed the city under a disorganized and confused deluge of orange construction signs and work.

You can't turn anywhere without meeting up with a road block or detour.

Literally. That's how ridiculous it is.

Plante makes me think of cities like Portland, Seattle, and NYC, where Mayors run their cities aground for  social justice, socialist policies and other left-wing initiatives.

How do those cities look at the moment?

Beset by riots and violence, they have the extra misery of having incompetent and irresponsible psychopath politicians gripped by the intoxication of naked power making, gulp, important deacons. 

And the results are what you'd expect: Chaos and mayhem.

Montreal at the moment is not an alpha-male city. It has cowered before a virus as its charming boutiques disappear. I just heard of a long-time cafe close for good. Soon, family owned restaurants and cafes that had been in a family fo generations will be gone.

All self-inflicted and a result of poor planning and thinking. 

Plante doesn't seem to get it just like her left-wing socialist brethren in the USA. Riots? What riots? Hey rich people! You can't leave! You OWE us! Baby come back! 

She extolls the virtue of riding bikes but seems to not comprehend we're a winter city for at least four solid months. And it's a brutal winter. How can this city possibly become a bike centre? I get San Diego or Phoenix. But cold, snowy, cold Montreal? It's not feasible. 

If Montrealers don't wake up, they an easily find this city in a long-term rut set by the current Mayor.

It's a shame. Hopefully the city will bounce back and get its vibe and groove back.