Now that it’s possible to work from home, why live in Montreal, endure the traffic and overpay for a house? This is the reflection that the mayors of Victoriaville and Drummondville will be proposing to Montrealers in the coming days through a unique advertising campaign.
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“We also have cones. But a lot more conifers” or “We also have traffic jams… in the bathroom” are advertisements that Montreal drivers will see from their cars as they drive across the Champlain, Victoria and Jacques-Cartier bridges in Louis-Hippolyte-La Fontaine Bridge Tunnel or if you take the Metro Longueuil, starting today.
The mayors of Victoriaville and Drummondville have decided to take the bull by the horns to lure workers into their homes. And suddenly the Mayor of Montreal, Valérie Plante, snubbed.
“It’s a helping hand for Quebecers. The opportunity couldn’t be better for establishing yourself in Victoriaville or Drummondville. For those thinking of taking the plunge, now is the time! jointly said Victoriaville Mayor Antoine Tardif and Drummondville Mayor Stéphanie Lacoste.
A war also in the region
The mayor of Victoriaville is making it clear his city needs workers.
“Like everywhere in Quebec, we have a labor shortage and we saw a great opportunity in the work beginning in the tunnel,” says Mr. Tardif.
Photo courtesy of the Municipality of Victoriaville
Antoine Tardif, Mayor of Victoriaville.
Especially since the battery industry is settling in this region, in Bécancour.
“In Bécancour we are talking about a need for 10,000 to 15,000 workers in the next five to ten years. We also don’t want all employees from Victoriaville or Drummondville to go to Bécancour,” he explains.
Aside from avoiding traffic, he says the Center-du-Québec region has a lot to offer.
“We talk about inflation all the time. However, an average house in Victoriaville costs $275,000 while in Montreal it goes for over $500,000. There is definitely an advantage in selling your home in Montreal for a good price, then moving here and putting money in your pocket,” says Antoine Tardif.
“And if it takes you five minutes to get to work instead of an hour, you can use that time to spend more time with your family, skiing, swimming or other sports,” he adds.
A snub in Montreal?
The two cities spent about $100,000 on their ad campaign. Are you afraid that Mayor Valérie Plante will take offense?
“I don’t think Mayor Plante or the Mayor of Longueuil will take offense. On the contrary, it’s just a way of presenting our cities and we do it with humor,” says Antoine Tardif.
The rules of the game have changed since the pandemic. Teleworking comes with borders and traffic issues for many types of workers, and cities intend to capitalize on this.
population explodes
“There is a trend that has clearly emerged since the pandemic. We have seen it in our country for two years, the population growth is exponential and twice as high as expected. Many come from Montreal and Quebec. In some cases, they still work one day a week, sometimes twice, in Montreal, and they have no problem getting around,” the Victoriaville Mayor said.
“We are 1 hour from Montreal, 1 hour 45 minutes from Quebec City, 45 minutes from Trois-Rivières and 50 minutes from Sherbrooke. We are central. If your house costs you half as much, you have that money to go to a show in Montreal or spend a weekend in Quebec City in a 1-day round trip! adds Stéphanie Lacoste, Mayor of Drummondville.
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