agglomeration

By Joel Goldenberg
The Suburban

Nothing is off the table when it comes to the island-wide agglomeration, including some sort of legal action or Hampstead Mayor Jeremy Levi’s recently revealed proposal for all 16 demerged municipalities to withhold their portions of the agglomeration bill, Montreal West Mayor Beny Masella told The Suburban.

Masella is also head of the Association of Suburban Municipalities, which represents the 16 demerged municipalities. The ASM recently announced that it would systematically oppose any island-wide agglomeration expenditure or financial measure it deems to be inequitable, unless there is a clear benefit for one or more cities.

Levi had said to his fellow Mayors that while Quebec could place individual cities under trusteeship if they do not pay their portions for such services as public transit, fire and police services, the province would likely not be able to place 16 municipalities under trusteeship.

“I don’t know that I agree that the province couldn’t put us all under trusteeship,” Masella told The Suburban after the March town council meeting. “In my mind, we need the provincial government to step up. By taking that path [of withholding the funds], I don’t know if it’s the best path to get to where we need to get to.”

“But you didn’t completely rule it out?” we asked, referring to his response on the issue during the council meeting to resident Ian Robinson.

“Absolutely,” Masella responded. “It’s not the path I think would be the right one, but we’re going to have all the discussions now, because I think everything still needs to be on the table.”

Earlier in the meeting, the Mayor, as part of his monthly report, said that “as we mentioned last month, we have taken a firmer position with the City of Montreal. We are ensuring that for every motion, we will raise the issue and vote ‘against’ every time we cannot justify the benefit to the demerged towns.

“To ensure that we can never be perceived as being uncooperative, along with the Mayor of Senneville, I will be meeting [March 26] with the new president of the City of Montreal Executive Committee. Though I am having trouble maintaining my optimism, I will undertake this last-ditch effort. Rest assured though that by the end of that meeting, they will know that the status quo is not an option.”

Robinson asked if Montreal West would be involved with Beaconsfield’s $15 million lawsuit against Montreal that alleges a breach in the 2008 agreement of expense sharing that was set up by the provincial government, or Levi’s proposal.

Masella responded that regarding the path Beaconsfield has chosen, “I’m not sure that it would be fruitful, just the way they’re framing their legal action. I’m not sure they’re going to have success. “That’s not to say we’re closing the door on any legal action. Something needs to be done. All options are on the table.” n