Robert Beaudry

For Robert Beaudry, coexistence between people who live downtown and those who pass through is possible. And he knows something about it: as coordinator of the TAPAJ program and then as executive director of PAS de la rue, he has supported people of all ages in situations of extreme poverty or homelessness. Wishing to continue his social involvement and the work already begun, Robert was elected city councilor for the Saint-Jacques district, in the Ville-Marie borough, in 2017.

Upon his arrival, the newly elected official made an effort to understand the inner workings of the administrative machinery and realized that his responsibilities complement those of public service. Curious, humble, and unafraid to ask questions, he quickly felt at home. Obviously, the Saint-Jacques councilor has a major challenge ahead of him: revitalizing the Village and Chinatown areas. Before making decisions, Robert makes sure to meet with all the stakeholders in a given ecosystem, which helps him better understand the issues and sensitivities at hand. He makes every effort to support local community projects, such as the redevelopment of the Miséricorde site led by the Quadrilatère de la Miséricorde or by supporting the organizations leading the Faubourgs Saint-Laurent Community Hub project.

Initially responsible for economic and commercial development for the entire city, Robert was later responsible, on the executive committee, for the Jean-Drapeau Park, major parks, real estate management and planning, and housing. He is now responsible for urban planning, the OCPM, and homelessness.

During his last term, Robert was extremely proud to have contributed to the adoption of the brand new Urban Planning and Mobility Plan for the City of Montreal (PUM) as well as several structural regulations that will contribute to the development of our metropolis, such as the one for a mixed metropolis or the one on vacant buildings. At the borough level, he initiated major citizen initiatives such as the consultations on the future of Chinatown and the Village forums, which led to concrete actions for the improvement of these key sectors of the Saint-Jacques district: the local initiative fund for the Village, the Ste-Catherine Street East redevelopment project, preservation and designation work to protect buildings of interest in Chinatown, and the deployment of multidisciplinary intervention and mediation teams in these two sectors are just a few examples. Also close to his heart are the numerous initiatives in the Latin Quarter and Old Montreal, all driven by the same goal of contributing to improving the quality of life of the district's residents.

What drives Robert above all is human work. This is the common thread running through his unusual career path and his work with the residents of Saint-Jacques. A father of two young daughters, he wants the city center to remain a true living environment and not just a place of passage. For him, every transformative action must be based on an overall vision, which he rigorously applies to each of the projects he oversees.