Liberal leader repeats pledge: no tolls on Champlain Bridge

CTV Montreal: Trudeau and Coderre meet The Liberal Leader and Montreal's mayor say they see eye-to-eye on many Denis Coderre's Montreal wish list items.

Justin Trudeau has repeated his promise that a Liberal government will not impose tolls on the replacement for the Champlain Bridge.

He first made the promise in spring of 2014, and it's one of the items on Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre's wishlist for federal leaders.

Trudeau said during a campaign rally on Thursday in Brossard that the Champlain Bridge is an essential span not just for Montreal, but for Canadian transportation. If elected, the Liberals would help build a light rail line on the bridge, he said.

During a morning meeting with Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre, Trudeau also agreed there should be more federal money for social housing, infrastructure, and public transit -- all items on Coderre's wish list for federal leaders.

Trudeau arrived at Montreal city hall Thursday morning to a warm welcome.

He and Coderre, a longtime Liberal MP, met at city hall to go over Coderre's wish list. Trudeau largely seemed to agree with the demands and says he'll make come true, if he's elected.

"I think that it was a good meeting. I think Mr. Trudeau understands the new way that we should work and proceed with municipalities," said Coderre.

The two said they see eye to eye on many things, including the need for a new relationship between Ottawa and Montreal.

“Whatever the level of government, we serve the same citizens,” Trudeau said.

As for Canada Post and the mayor's vehement opposition to the end of door-to-door mail delivery, exemplified by his taking a jackhammer to a concrete slab of one community mailbox in Pierrefonds, Trudeau said people are rightly frustrated about the decision.

“Denis is Denis, and he always is passionate and strong reflects the outrage that many Canadians feel about changes this government made that quite frankly disrespect the reality that many Canadians live in,” he said.

The politicians also agreed that safe injection sites for IV drug users should be created in Montreal.

Coderre promised he would go ahead with them no matter what. “The next move is to make the announcement,” he said.

The pair also announced a new partnership for the Old Port between Ottawa and Montreal and money for the city's 375th birthday, which will coincide with the 150th anniversary of Confederation.

The Liberal leader has spent much of this week in Quebec in an effort to win votes in a province that swung to the NDP in 2011.

It will be Green Party Leader Elizabeth May’s turn to visit with the mayor Friday, followed by Gilles Duceppe Sept. 14. Tom Mulcair has said he'll meet with the mayor but no date has been set yet, and Stephen Harper still hasn’t responded to the mayor's invitation.