Soraya Martinez Ferrada Unveils Measures to Restore Safety Across Montreal’s Neighbourhoods

Candidate for mayor of Montreal, Soraya Martinez Ferrada, announced a series of measures aimed at strengthening safety in public spaces, preventing crime, and ensuring secure mobility across the city.

10 Actions in 100 Days: Strengthening Safety in Every Neighbourhood

In several parts of the city, residents hesitate to visit certain parks, public spaces, or metro stations at specific hours due to rising insecurity and criminal activity.

To improve safety quickly, a Martinez Ferrada administration will establish Neighbourhood Watch Committees within the first 100 days, in partnership with the SPVM.

Composed of representatives from community organizations, residents, and members of civil society, these committees will serve as platforms for dialogue and collaboration, helping to identify safety concerns and propose practical, localized solutions in neighbourhoods most affected by insecurity.

In addition, an Ensemble Montréal administration is committed to doubling the number of multidisciplinary teams present in the field to provide a more coordinated, human-centered response that combines the work of police officers and social workers.

These measures build on those already announced to strengthen the sense of safety, better equip police officers, and provide young people with more spaces to gather and thrive:

• Increase funding for youth violence prevention projects to $60 million over four years, ensuring the investment is renewable
  
• Extend opening hours at select sports and cultural facilities and introduce late-night programming for youth aged 16 to 25
  
• Improve lighting in parks and public spaces to enhance the sense of safety, especially at night
  
• Double the number of multidisciplinary teams (police officers and social workers) present in the field, offering a more human and community-based approach to safety
  
• Create a voluntary registry of private security cameras in urban areas to support police investigations
  
• Install cameras in public spaces, in collaboration with the SPVM, to identify high-priority locations
  

Promoting Safe, Inclusive Mobility

During her visit to the Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension borough, where 40% of intersections are considered dangerous or very dangerous, Soraya Martinez Ferrada pledged to make travel around the Metropolitan Highway safer. Sidewalks in the area are narrow and uneven, and many crossings are unsafe, especially for youth and people with reduced mobility.

An Ensemble Montréal administration will take advantage of the major redevelopment work on the Metropolitan Highway to secure the surrounding areas, intersections, and underpasses, in collaboration with the Government of Quebec.

It will also identify and improve the city’s most dangerous pedestrian crossings and increase the number of school crossing guards.

Quotes

“Montrealers don’t always feel safe in the metro or across the city, and I understand them. Few things matter more than feeling safe, which is why today we’re committing to doing more for Montrealers and their families. If we want things to change, we need to act starting November 2.”
— Soraya Martinez Ferrada, candidate for mayor of Montreal and leader of Ensemble Montréal

“Safety isn’t just about police presence, it’s also about proximity and trust. By working hand in hand with residents, community organizations, and the SPVM, we’ll help neighbourhoods regain their peace of mind.”
— Gabriel Retta, Ensemble Montréal spokesperson for public safety and candidate for city councillor in Saint-Léonard Ouest