Dear readers,
An important election looms. Montrealers have made clear a desire for change at city hall.
With an increasing apathy for municipal politics threatening voter turnout — Gazette reporter Leora Schertzer recently wrote about fewer people under 35 registered in this year's municipal election than in any election over the last decade — and a growing cynicism about politicians in general, Montrealers need strong municipal leadership to serve as a reminder that democracy still works best when it's closest to home.
Polling strongly suggests a change of party will happen at city hall. It also tells us that Montrealers, although largely dissatisfied with Projet Montréal, aren't feeling 100 per cent certain about their other options.
Over the last month, we’ve published letters to the editor, community opinion pieces, in-depth interviews, and invited Montrealers to a live discussion with mayoral candidates to make city politics feel closer, more tangible and — hopefully — a little clearer.
Now that we're in the home stretch of the campaign, Gazette journalists will be right there with you on Sunday to report up-to-the-minute results and break down the vote for Montreal’s next mayor. We’ll have all the news out of ridings important to our readership on and off island. Analysis, key takeaways and columns about the vote will appear in Tuesday's print edition, but will be reported in real time online starting Sunday afternoon.
As your trusted local newsroom and primary source on city hall, we've prioritized connecting present-day proposals to past decisions to help readers understand not just what candidates are promising, but why it matters. Whoever wins, you can be sure we'll be keeping track of what our next mayor has promised versus what they actually deliver — much like what we did with reporter Sara Mizannojehdehi's promise tracker on outgoing mayor Valérie Plante's record. The Gazette isn’t just here to report the news, but to hold our next leaders to account and empower voters to make meaningful choices about Montreal's future.
Mayors put in place policies and initiatives that impact residents immediately — from snow removal to public transit schedules, from green spaces to housing affordability.
A good mayor can make a difference in people’s daily lives. A good mayor might also re-inspire skeptical voters, reminding them that change is possible and all our voices matter. A good mayor will stand up for Montreal's unique position in Quebec and protect our vibrant bilingual ecosystem while ensuring our interests are represented in provincial decisions.
Once a new mayor is elected, we want to know what questions you have and what you'd like to see us follow up on throughout their four-year term. You can email us at letters@montrealgazette.com with "Question for the mayor" in the subject line.
Montreal, this is your election. Go out and vote Sunday.
-Lenie Lucci, Editor-in-chief
