Celebrating the past, ensuring the future

Projects for 375th will yield lasting benefits, France Chrétien Desmarais and Monique F. Leroux say.

This is a special year as we celebrate the 375th anniversary of our city.

While it’s a festive occasion, the anniversary also presents a prime opportunity to develop and implement major socio-economic projects that will yield durable benefits for our community.

In 2010, extensive consultations by the City of Montreal sent a strong message: More than 2,000 participants agreed that Montreal should take advantage of this anniversary to boost our city’s competitiveness over the longer term.

In response, the Society for the Celebration of Montréal’s 375th Anniversary was born. In addition to its mandate to organize festivities to promote and celebrate Montreal, here and abroad, the society created a board of governors to identify and co-ordinate socio-economic projects for 2017 — and beyond.

In many economic sectors, Montreal already has immense strengths that set the city apart. By building on our current capabilities and consolidating key collaborations, we believe we can create a ripple effect throughout our economy.

To follow up on the report Pour une métropole prospère et inclusive pour un développement durable, the board of governors focused on eight socio-economic areas that are grouped into three key themes: youth and the next generation; leadership and innovation; and solidarity.

True to its guiding principle, “building bridges,” the board, which draws from 22 major Montreal institutions and businesses, is leading new collaborations among key partners.

Some of the projects are already underway, and others will begin over the next few years. The momentum is already in place.

These projects include: Design 375, a volunteerbased program to improve 25 schoolyards; the International Student MTL Passport, a cultural integration program to increase foreign-students retention; 375 Ideas, a new micro-credit fund for young entrepreneurs; the Maison de l’innovation sociale in collaboration with Amplifier Montréal, a program to identify our youth’s aspirations for Montreal; and to help food banks in Montreal, we’re looking at a project designed to extend food products’ shelf-life.

Looking to the long term, we also believe that Montreal can enhance its leadership position through innovation. Examples of initiatives already underway include: the creation of a working group to look at how to apply and commercialize artificial intelligence in our economy; an initiative to bring together key strategic partners in the new-media sector; and the development of an international exchange and e-commerce platform that would link co-operative federations and organizations around the world.

These niche projects are strategic initiatives to enhance our city’s future.

Today, Montreal is in a position of strength to capitalize on its many assets. With the creativity that is entrenched in all sectors of our economy, our future looks bright. It’s up to us Montrealers to all work together to shape the future of our city. Let’s do it.

Montrea live! Vive Montréal!