Entitled Montréal inclusive, the 3-year action plan unveiled on 5 December by the mayor of Montreal Valérie Plante, together with Magda Popeanu, Vice-Chair of the Executive Committee of the City of Montreal, came about following consultations with immigrants and those who work with immigrants, and draws on best practice from around the world.

The action plan aims to integrate newcomers over the 2018-2021 period, with around thirty measures divided into four main strands. The first strand is about making the municipal administration an example of openness, safety and inclusiveness. The second strand focuses on integrated and accessible service provision while the third is aimed at those involved in the employment process and civil society and seeks to improve their reception and inclusion capacities. The last strand is about ensuring protection and access to services for migrants without legal status or whose status is uncertain. Ultimately, the municipal administration wants to boost the participation of newcomers in the economy, ensure that their rights are observed, reduce the gap between immigrant and Canadian-born unemployment levels, and make it easier for immigrants to find decent, affordable housing.

Montreal has decided to stop calling itself a “sanctuary city”, explained Ms Popeanu, and to describe itself instead as “a responsible and committed city with an emphasis on actions on the ground to protect the entire population of Montreal, regardless of status, without fear.”

Mayor Plante said she firmly believed that immigration enriched the city by broadening its horizons and creating dynamic communities within each neighbourhood and that “with the implementation of this plan, the municipal administration has met the winning conditions that will accelerate the process of integrating newcomers in order to maximise their full participation in Montreal life.”

The mayor went on to say that Montreal’s goal was to show the way and inspire others. “With this new action plan, we will deploy the best initiatives and the most appropriate tools so that all immigrants, male and female, can achieve their full potential and get the welcome they dreamed of when they arrived in our beautiful and great city.”

Grassroots action

For more than 25 years, Montreal has been putting in place guidelines, policies and practices to ensure that people from diverse backgrounds are included and involved in every area of municipal life. The action plan Montréal inclusive 2018-2021 ties in with the decision to grant Montreal metropolis status, in recognition of its key role in immigration, inclusion and integration as well as its capacity for action at grassroots level.

To learn more about the Montréal inclusive 2018-2021 action plan, visit the City of Montreal's website.