Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Leader of Ensemble Montréal and candidate for Mayor of the metropolis, presented on Tuesday a series of major commitments on public safety — several of which directly concern Montréal’s downtown core.
This comes at a time when the sense of safety in Montréal is at its lowest point in years. Recent surveys show that one in four residents no longer feels safe downtown, and nearly half of business owners face conflictual situations every month.
In addition, close to 74% of downtown workers believe safety has deteriorated in public transit.
Ensemble Montréal therefore intends to implement measures that will help Montrealers feel safe again in their city — while providing better support for police officers who are increasingly overextended.
Public Safety Commitments
To achieve this, an administration led by Ensemble Montréal would focus on these key measures:
- Create local safety monitoring committees bringing together police officers, community organizations, and local leaders.
- Equip police officers with body cameras, in collaboration with the Government of Québec.
- Install cameras in public spaces, in partnership with the SPVM, to determine appropriate locations.
- Establish a voluntary Montréal registry of private surveillance cameras.
- Double the number of multidisciplinary teams — composed of police officers and social workers — active in the field.
- Hire special constables, up to a total of 230, to ensure adequate coverage throughout the STM network.
Ensemble Montréal would also introduce several measures to better equip Montréal’s Fire Safety Service:
- Prioritize firefighters’ health and safety by ensuring access to clean, well-maintained equipment, with an investment of $12.5 million in 2026, followed by $3 million annually thereafter.
- Resolve inventory shortages to ensure every firefighter has the right equipment at the right time.
- Modernize vehicles and equipment to reduce response times and save lives, through investments totaling $110 million by 2029.
These measures build upon Ensemble Montréal’s previously announced commitments — including strengthening SPVM units dedicated to monitoring social media activity and developing local public safety teams in every neighbourhood.
Quotes
“It’s time for a municipal administration to restore a true sense of safety across our metropolis. We can only achieve this by working together — responsibility is everyone’s business.”
— Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Leader of Ensemble Montréal and candidate for Mayor of Montréal
“Our firefighters and police officers work every day to keep us safe, often in challenging conditions. Their role is essential, and it is our duty to provide them with the tools and support they need to fulfill their mission.”
— Gabriel Retta, Ensemble Montréal spokesperson for public safety and candidate for City Councillor in Saint-Léonard–Ouest
