Montreal mayoral candidates Soraya Martinez Ferrada of Ensemble Montréal and Luc Rabouin of Projet Montréal debated tourism Monday morning at Place des Arts.

They discussed plans for festivals, public spaces, and major venues, while also addressing safety and cleanliness, issues that both visitors and residents say affect the city’s appeal.

Martinez Ferrada said she had reviewed reports on visitors’ experiences and found recurring concerns about cleanliness, signage, and poorly managed roads. She argued Montreal lacks ambition compared with other Canadian cities.

“We have to look forward 10 years,” she said. “Other cities are investing to attract more people and events. It’s not normal for Montreal to be behind Calgary.”

She added that tourism should be seen as a lever for economic and

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