Montreal is launching a citizens’ consultation to find out whether the Ville-Marie borough could have its own mayor instead of the one designated to be the city’s head.
Downtown residents have until March 31 to discuss it during a town hall meeting on March 18 or to fill out an online questionnaire, the city announced in a video released Friday.
Currently, each Montreal borough has its own mayor, with the exception of Ville-Marie, who automatically receives this responsibility if elected.
The mayor can also appoint two councilors from within the city, so they are not directly elected by downtown voters.
However, this situation is sometimes criticized as local concerns would be given less priority under these conditions.
Experts are therefore considering three possible scenarios: nothing will change if the mayor of the metropolis elects a local mayor from the elected city councillors, or if the citizens choose their own mayor as in the other districts.