The newly elected leaders of Montreal, Laval, and Longueuil have forged a formal partnership, committing to a united front against the most pressing issues facing the Greater Montreal region. In their first joint meeting at Montreal City Hall on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, the three mayors outlined a shared agenda focused on mobility, housing, and the homelessness crisis.
A New Era of Metropolitan Cooperation
Montreal Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada, flanked by Laval Mayor Stéphane Boyer and Longueuil Mayor Catherine Fournier, emphasized the collective weight of their cities. "Laval, Longueuil and Montreal represent more than 50 per cent of the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal, and we share the same issues," Martinez Ferrada stated. She expressed confidence that the trio would work in a "very pragmatic, solution-oriented way."
The summit marks a significant step in inter-municipal relations. While Martinez Ferrada is beginning her first term as mayor, both Boyer and Fournier were decisively re-elected for second terms on November 2. The meeting followed Martinez Ferrada's recent discussions with other officials, including Quebec Premier François Legault, signaling her intent to build bridges at all levels of government.
Building on Existing Relationships
The foundation for this collaboration appears strong. Mayor Fournier highlighted her productive working relationship with Boyer over the past four years and noted her prior experience collaborating with Martinez Ferrada during the latter's tenure as a federal minister. "We know we can work well together … and that’s what the public expects," Fournier said. "Citizens have high expectations of their elected officials, and the first expectation is that we can work together, collaborate on different issues, pool solutions and advance the public interest."
Boyer echoed the sentiment, stressing that the complex challenges of the metropolitan area cannot be confined by city borders. "And it’s very important to have this collaboration if we want to have a coherent vision for the development of our cities and the development of Greater Montreal," he added.
Aligning Priorities for Concrete Action
Each mayor brings a distinct immediate focus to the table, which they now aim to align under the common banner of regional improvement. Martinez Ferrada has identified the homelessness crisis as her top priority, a commitment she acted on just one day before the meeting by announcing 500 new spots in warming centres, a dedicated crisis unit, and a new protocol for encampments.
For her part, Fournier has consistently emphasized housing as a critical issue, while Boyer has pointed to modernizing Laval's infrastructure as a key goal. The new alliance seeks to find synergies between these priorities, recognizing that housing availability, transportation networks, and social support systems are deeply interconnected across the region.
The mayors presented a united front to reporters but did not take questions, indicating that their collaborative framework is in its early stages. The commitment, however, signals a potential shift toward a more integrated and strategic approach to governing the Greater Montreal area, with its three largest cities pledging to move in lockstep on the issues that matter most to their combined populace.
