COVID19-Montréal greatly welcomes the report of the economic experts committee
2 juin 2020
Montréal, june 2, 2020 - Montréal greatly welcomes the report issued by the economic experts committee on the city's economic recovery during the COVID-19 pandemic. The report titled Du confinement à la relance : pour une métropole résiliente was released to the public today by Montréal Mayor Valérie Plante and the committee's chair Luc Godbout, who is Chair in Taxation and Public Finance at Université de Sherbrooke. The report is in line with the city's approach for developing its economic recovery plan.
“The report provided by the economic experts committee was very well received by the city. I would like to thank the committee for its expertise and the quality of the content provided. Before presenting the city's economic plan, it was important for our administration to have a thorough analysis of the current situation. We are experiencing an unprecedented economic and health crisis, full of uncertainty. The report was issued at the right time to highlight the impact of the crisis on the economy and provide recommendations. As a basis for our economic recovery approach, it is consistent with the values we promote for the community and the Montréal of tomorrow,” said Montréal Mayor Valérie Plante.
“In the current situation, we have to take simultaneous action to support the economy in the short term, specifically to help the most vulnerable sectors and actors, while laying the groundwork for the city to undergo a transformation to become more resilient in the event of other pandemic or crisis waves. Hopefully, our report will inform decision-making, not only to assist in the preparation of the city's major economic recovery plan, but also to support the gradual easing of lockdown restrictions and to better prepare for a second COVID-19 wave,” said Luc Godbout.
The report presents a picture of the current situation, provides an overview of the scope of anticipated economic changes related to the COVID-19 pandemic and proposes 16 recommendations. It also covers key projects for Montréal, including the workforce, businesses and retail outlets, transportation and urban planning, as well as the cultural industry.
Economic recovery plan
Montréal has taken a major step in the development of its economic recovery plan. The city implemented an economic experts committee, an advisory committee, as well as several working groups with external stakeholders to establish recovery measures. The city is working hard, coordinating with other levels of government and consulting with experts and stakeholders in various fields. It also plans to analyze and incorporate the report's recommendations in its economic recover plan, which it intends to release in the coming weeks.
The economic experts committee is composed of:
Chair:
● Luc Godbout, Chair in Taxation and Public Finance at Université de Sherbrooke
External members:
● Matthieu Arseneau, Assistant Chief Economist, National Bank
