Over a Hundred People Gather in Laval to Debate Housing, Food Security and Mental Health
With the municipal election just weeks away, the Corporation de développement communautaire (CDC) de Laval hosted a non-partisan political debate on October 8 at the Palace Convention Centre, bringing together two leading mayoral candidates: incumbent mayor Stéphane Boyer of Mouvement Lavallois – Équipe Stéphane Boyer and Claude Larochelle, leader of Parti Laval – Équipe Larochelle.
The event drew over one hundred participants, including residents, community organizations, municipal officials and institutional representatives. Moderated by Antonine Yaccarini, the discussion focused on three pressing local issues: housing, food security and mental health.
Grounded Dialogue on Local Realities
Both candidates outlined their visions and policy priorities related to social development, responding directly to concerns raised by the community. The debate was marked by a respectful, constructive tone and a shared desire to address concrete challenges faced by Laval residents.
Housing
Mayor Stéphane Boyer distinguished between social housing—subsidized by governments—and affordable housing developed by non-profit organizations. He emphasized that Laval has created a startup fund to help community housing projects and has reserved municipal land for non-profits seeking to build affordable units.
“Subsidized social housing is part of our strategy. We’ve supported all submitted projects, and 1,078 units are being or will be completed, 68% of which are social housing,” he said.
Claude Larochelle, meanwhile, described social housing as “the real priority”:
“Even middle-class couples can no longer afford so-called affordable housing. We need social housing that truly reflects people’s ability to pay,” he stated.
His party proposes to increase the social-housing startup fund from $300,000 to $500,000 per year and to raise the non-repayable grant per project from $50,000 to $75,000 to strengthen the capacity of non-profit and cooperative developers.
Asked about Québec’s special fast-track approval powers for certain housing projects, Larochelle called for transparent, social-housing-focused criteria, while Boyer stressed that these powers are “strictly limited to community-oriented projects.”
Mental Health: A Cross-Cutting Issue
Both candidates agreed that, while mental-health services fall under provincial jurisdiction, the City can play a key supporting role.
Boyer highlighted Laval’s Regional Social Development Policy (PRDS), which brings together health, community, public-safety and education actors. He also noted a $3-million social-development fund to help organizations expand, modernize and equip their facilities.
Larochelle emphasized proximity and prevention:
“Mental health is everyone’s business. The City must raise awareness, train its employees and act as a coordinator in neighbourhoods,” he said, underscoring the importance of community groups in prevention.
Food Security: Building “Nourishing Neighbourhoods”
Food security also sparked extensive discussion.
For Boyer, the solution lies in mixed urban planning that combines residential, commercial and employment zones:
“Laval is adopting urban-agriculture and food-sovereignty policies. We now allow front-yard gardens and promote farmland protection,” he explained, adding that industrial projects could soon be required to include green or agricultural rooftops.
Larochelle advocated for neighbourhood-based food planning:
“No one should need to take a bus just to buy fruits and vegetables. Every district should offer accessible local food options,” he argued, calling for more support for pop-up markets, short-supply chains and stable funding for food-security organizations.
Boyer also cited several community initiatives supported by the City, such as Meals-on-Wheels programs, Le Panier de Chomedey, Relais communautaire, Enfant d’Abord, and Le Marigot Café and Marigot Agricole, which produced 3.5 tons of vegetables redistributed locally.
Both candidates thanked the CDC de Laval for organizing the event and creating space for civic dialogue.
“As an actor in Laval’s social development, the CDC is proud to have fostered this exchange between candidates and the public,” said Marc Longchamps, Executive Director of the CDC de Laval. “Events like this strengthen democratic dialogue, help align political action with local realities and encourage voter participation ahead of the November 2 election.”
A Mission Rooted in Social Development
The CDC de Laval thanked the candidates and attendees for their participation and reaffirmed its commitment to promoting citizen engagement and bringing social issues to the forefront of public debate.
As a recognized umbrella organization, the CDC unites Laval’s community groups working in various sectors. Its mission is to ensure active participation of the popular and community movement in the region’s social and economic development.
