Letters: Bylaws in the way of roadwork? Change them
Re: “Pull out stops on roadwork: business owner” (The Gazette, April 30)
I agree with Feigang Fei, whose restaurant is being disrupted by the endless city work on Ste-Catherine St. The city must speed up roadwork on what is one of Montreal’s main shopping streets.
We live downtown and walk Ste-Catherine every day. We have to jam ourselves into a tight passage between the buildings and a high wire fence blocking the construction zone where the street used to be. It is now a deep hole in the ground, sometimes with workers using heavy equipment shoving earth around.
On a recent day there was hyperactivity. But most days when we walk there around 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., there seems to be absolutely nothing going on in those deep holes.
Councillor Leslie Roberts’s explanation that laws make it impossible to extend construction hours into the evening and on weekends — “It would be disturbing the neighbourhood” — doesn’t make sense to me.
The endless construction is disturbing the neighbourhood!” If bylaws need to be changed, get it done.
Charles Cole, Montreal
Higher income brewing for some
Re: “Minimum-wage increase will keep workers in poverty, study finds” (The Gazette, May 1)
I see where the minimum wage will be increased by 50 cents an hour.
I calculate that an average work week is 40 hours, so this will result in a monthly increase of about $80.
I received my Old Age Security this week and there was an increase of 84 cents. This is less than one cent an hour.
If I combine this increase with the one that my wife received, I can buy her a coffee. Maybe I can have the free refill.
Next month we will receive the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit. We can each buy our own coffee.
John Paquette, Pointe-Claire
Wealth tax could help fund plan
Re: “Behold Carney’s new corporate welfare fund” (Tasha Kheiriddin, April 30)
With questions arising over the funding of Canada’s proposed sovereign wealth fund, it might be worth considering a one-time wealth tax.
Those for whom Canada’s tax system has enabled the accumulation of their wealth should hardly object to contributing to the prime minister’s plan to support further growth in this country, from which they will continue to benefit.
John Hall, Montreal
Emissions only part of the problem
Re: “Coming back to Earth on the climate crisis” (Allison Hanes, April 22)
I want to add to Allison Hanes’s list of how we are failing our planet and its inhabitants: building housing projects on wetlands and fields near bodies of water.
The vegetation in these areas acts as a natural sponge that stores, absorbs and slows down water from nearby lakes and rivers.
It is time for our governments to put their money where their mouths are — and not just in terms of emissions.
Vicky Welch, Pierrefonds
Editor’s Picks
Submitting a letter to the editor
Letters should be sent by email to letters@montrealgazette.com
We prioritize letters that respond to, or are inspired by, articles published by The Gazette.
If you are responding to a specific article, let us know which one.
Letters should be sent uniquely to us. The shorter they are — ideally, fewer than 200 words — the greater the chance of publication.
Timing, clarity, factual accuracy and tone are all important, as is whether the writer has something new to add to the conversation.
We reserve the right to edit and condense all letters. Care is taken to preserve the core of the writer’s argument.
Our policy is not to publish anonymous letters, those with pseudonyms or “open letters” addressed to third parties.
Letters are published with the author’s full name and city or neighbourhood/borough of residence. Include a phone number and address to help verify identity; these will not be published.
We will not indicate to you whether your letter will be published. If it has not been published within 10 days or so, it is not likely to be.
Please send the letter in the body of an email, not as an attachment.
The post Letters: Bylaws in the way of roadwork? Change them appeared first on Montreal Gazette.