As La Presse has learned, Montreal recently refused to replace burnt-out light bulbs in one of its buildings, citing the budget constraints it imposed on itself to complete its 2023 fiscal year.
Published at 1:27 am. Updated at 5:00 am.
“Due to budget constraints, we had to cancel your non-urgent request. Please reapply in 2024,” the building authority wrote to leaders of the community group L’Atelier, a mental health facility specializing in arts and crafts, following a trivial request to replace light bulbs.
People with depression, bipolar disorder or schizophrenia who attend the community group, some of which are dark, must also wash their hands with cold water when leaving the toilet. The water heater broke at the end of October and was not replaced by the city.
“I find it a little disrespectful,” argued Céline Perraud, general director of L’Atelier. His group pays $11,000 a month in rent at the Strathearn Center, rue Jeanne-Mance, a municipal building.
PHOTO FRANÇOIS ROY, THE PRESS
Céline Perraud, General Director of L’Atelier
Clearly, the City of Montreal is putting the unusual needs of a handful of employees well above basic needs.
Céline Perraud, General Director of L’Atelier
It was the expenses scandal at the Office de Consultation Publique de Montréal (OCPM) that prompted Ms. Perraud to contact La Presse.
“This story makes no sense,” says the opposition
Our contact with the City of Montreal quickly got things put into action. “Regarding the replacement of burnt out light bulbs, the situation should be resolved shortly,” said public relations officer Sara-Eve Tremblay earlier in the evening.
PHOTO FRANÇOIS ROY, THE PRESS
The general director of L’Atelier, Céline Perraud, shows the broken water heater in the organization’s premises
“For the water heater replacement, the request was not canceled and was sent to an external supplier on November 6,” it added. We are waiting for availability and the work will be carried out in the coming days. » According to Ms. Perraud, a city representative still verbally rejected her request, citing budget constraints. She would have contacted him again and pointed out that there was no hot water in her kitchen either and wouldn’t have heard from him again.
PHOTO PHILIPPE BOIVIN, LA PRESSE ARCHIVE
Aref Salem, opposition leader at Montreal City Hall
“This story simply makes no sense,” complained Aref Salem, opposition leader at City Hall, in a written statement. “The city would like to introduce a regulation for the certification of responsible owners [alors] that Montreal doesn’t even respect good practices when it owns property. For a city with an operating budget of $7 billion, citing a budget shortfall because a water heater and light bulbs in outdoor corridors aren’t replaced is unacceptable. »
A light garland to illuminate
The workshop itself takes care of the maintenance of its huge premises, which are visited by dozens of people with mental health problems every day. It’s more about lighting the common areas on the floor (hallway, changing room, kitchenette and toilet). When La Presse visited, a dozen or so bulbs and neon lights were out of order.
The main corridor remains well lit thanks to a light garland installed by the organization. “Without the garland we are almost 100% in the dark now,” Ms Perraud said. “The garland was around before the neon lights were on, but it has been more important than ever for some time. » The changing room used by the organization is plunged into darkness: only one in six lighting devices still works. A secondary corridor is in the same situation.
PHOTO FRANÇOIS ROY, THE PRESS
L’Atelier’s main corridor remains well lit thanks to an illuminated garland installed by the community group.
As for the city’s 18-year-old water heater, water damage on Halloween meant the end of its life. This is a small, residential size device. The request to have it changed achieved nothing.
“The city tells us there is no money for this,” complained Ms. Perraud.
I’ve had it said to my face in person: it’s only for washing your hands. So it’s okay to go without hot water for three months in the winter?
Céline Perraud, General Director of L’Atelier
Right next to it, the faucet that regulates the hot water only lets a thin stream of cold water flow.
Slimming diet of 115 million
Even though the Plante administration presented a $7 billion budget for next year on Wednesday, its budget cuts plan is still in effect until the end of the year.
Goal: save 115 million to end the year. Since the plan was announced in mid-October, Montreal city managers no longer have the right to fill non-essential vacancies and have lost control of some of the funds allocated to their department without a formal commitment.
However, the costs incurred before this slimming diet made headlines. In particular, the mayor and her team granted the city’s 1,800 managers a double bonus to compensate for bonuses not paid out in 2020. Additionally, a collective bargaining agreement that provided for “a 20% increase in total police pay over five years” was signed last spring. These increases are almost double those planned at the start of negotiations.