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Some of the projects selected through the first three editions of the participatory budget included micro-forests, the “greening” of streets, outdoor gyms, and accessible, self-cleaning public washrooms in various boroughs.
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“This kind of process, it creates an environment where people feel welcome to share their ideas in the city and then where there’s this collaboration between cities and … the population,” Fournier said.
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The 2026-2035 capital works program sets aside just $64 million over 10 years.
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Martin Danyluk, an assistant professor at Concordia University in the department of geography, planning and environment, said studies on participatory budgets at the city level around the world have shown that when the amount of available funds is low, people don’t engage.
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“Instead, the participatory budgeting process ends up being dominated by kind of middle class white homeowners who are interested in things like better playgrounds,” he said. “Where participatory budgeting can be most effective and meaningful is if there’s a significant amount of money on the table that actually has the potential to improve the lives of lower-income and working people in the city.”
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By cutting the participatory budget, “they’re going to kind of foster less engagement with government, a sense that people have less ownership over City Hall and over their local government,” Danyluk said. “And probably greater alienation from the political process, more broadly speaking.”
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The welcome box for babies, meanwhile, was more than just a collection of helpful items when welcoming a newborn, Fournier said. It also introduced people to local libraries, which provide access to culture and a variety of services ranging from breastfeeding drop-ins for new parents to events for babies and children.
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Danyluk agreed.
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“It creates an initial link with a crucial public institution,” he said. “But it also affects how people understand their government and how people see their government. If people see their government as something that is only there to enforce contracts and enforce law and promote real estate development, they may not be as favourable to government in the future. If people also see that their government is providing services that they need and helping to improve their quality of life and their well-being and their health, that’s going foster a more positive view of government and a more positive relationship with government.”
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The abrupt decision to end the initiative — which took local suppliers and citizens alike by surprise last week — also sends a signal about the new administration’s priorities, Danyluk said.
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In response to Projet Montréal’s petition, Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada’s cabinet said: “making a budget means making choices.”
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“Montrealers have asked us to refocus the city’s priorities on their needs — homelessness, housing, and safety, to name a few,” it said in an email. “Many families tell us that they are afraid for their children: school routes to avoid, syringes in daycare centres, strollers being stolen, neighbourhoods falling into disrepair. This is not normal. And it is not worthy of Montreal. Montreal has fallen behind. We’re on it. The budget rebalancing is specifically aimed at responding to these emergencies, while continuing to invest responsibly in quality of life.”
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While presenting the budget, Martinez Ferrada said a top priority was to reimburse the city’s debt — but Fournier argues that was going to happen in 2027 either way.
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“There was not any kind of emergency to reach it one year before it was planned,” Fournier said.
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“A budget is not only balancing the books, it’s about priorities and vision.”
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