Valrie Plante promises $110M for public security plan to fight gun violence, if re-elected

Montreal mayoral candidate Valrie Planteunveiled a campaign promise to spend $110 million onpublic security if re-elected in an effort tohelp stem the rise in gun violence in the city.

The announcement comes on the heels of theQuebec government rollingout its own $90-million planto combat gun violence across the province.

Plante, the leader of Projet Montral,unveiled her party's public safety plan at a Saturdaynews conference.

"Today, we are proposing a clear game plan with a value of $110 million to continue to fight against armed violence, criminal groups and ensure the safety of Montreal neighbourhoods," she told reporters.

If re-elected, Plante says $15 millionover four years will go towarddeploying mediation and intervention teams to help de-escalate crisis situations involving marginalized and vulnerable communities. This would expand the scope of quipe mobile de mdiation et d'intervention sociale, launched earlier this month.

Other commitments include encouraging police officers to stay on at their local police station for at least three years to be closer to the community.

In recent weeks, Plantehas tried to address the increase in shootings in the city.In August,the city announced $5.5 million in funding for the SPVMto hire 42 more officers

Earlier this month, Montreal devoted $5 million for community youth groups working to prevent violence and crime.

Plan criticized amid more violence

Denis Coderre, a former Montreal mayor and one of Plante's opponents in the upcoming municipal elections,has regularlycriticized the Plante administration on the issue of public safety.

On Saturday, the public security spokesperson for his party, Ensemble Montral, echoed that criticism, saying his party would"do everything it can to bring safety back to Montreal" if elected.

"Time and time again, the Plante administration has demonstrated its lack of leadership, all the more blatantly in matters of public safety," saidAbdelhaq Sari in a statement.

"For its part, Ensemble Montral is proposing sound management, an increase in staff and the promise not to defund or disarm the police."

The leader of Mouvement Montreal Balarama Holness says his party is pushing for a community approach to the problem. He adds that while Plante's plan isa good step, it doesn't go far enough.

"We need better job training for police officers because eventually, they're going to have to intervene, and while this is one step in the right direction, it doesn't remedy the fact that the SPVM at large does not have the training necessary to deal with mental health crises," he said.

Hours before Plante laid out her plan, Montreal police were on the ground investigating yet another incident involving gun violence.

A 19 year-old man showed up to a local hospital early Saturday morning after being shot, and died shortly after. It was the 22nd homicide of the year on Montreal police's territory.

Police also responded to shots fired in the Cte-Saint-Paul neighbourhood in the Southwest borough around the same time.

The SPVM says it's not clear if the twoevents are linked.