Young people get heard

This roving consultation, the second of three, is an initiative of the Commission du conseil municipal on services to citizens and the Montreal Youth Council, the "voice of young people" at city hall.

"We will give an opinion to the City of Montreal in September when we will put forward concrete measures with the mayor to develop the feeling of belonging of the young people to Montreal," said Youth Council President Marilou Filiatreault, who notes that fitting in improves the quality of life and slows down the exodus towards the suburbs.

To appeal to young people, the city must offer services more adapted to their needs and their means. "The young people do not want to play games," said the dynamic president. "What came from the consultations is that they would like, in particular, places to partake in extreme sports and where to listen to music. All at an affordable price, obviously."

Safety in the streets also worries young people of all the ages. "I adore Montreal, but I don’t see myself raising a family here,” said one speaker from Ville-Marie. “In the parks of my district, it is full of syringes on the ground."

Among the older youth, the question of cleanliness is also an important worry. "People of my age want to become property owners, but the price of condos in Montreal makes them flee," said Sebastien Tétreault, a former candidate for Projet Montreal.

For him, the small luxury condos which abound a little everywhere on the island does not meet the needs of young people wishing to start a family.

The lack of communication between the city and young people was discussed many times during the meeting. "We want to join you and we want to work with you, but we do not know how," said one commissioner with sincerity and good intentions.

However, the Commission du conseil municipal on services to citizens, with its formalities and adopted agendas, may not have been the ideal way to address local youth. (Translated by Michael Beigleman)