After a 16-year reign by William Steinberg running Hampstead, the town has elected a new mayor and Jeremy Levi says he’s ready to serve.
This is the first political job held by the CPA but Levi tells Global News he has hit the ground running since winning the Nov. 7, 2021 election.
“It’s been tremendous. The administration, the team, the staff, they’ve all been very helpful with the transition,” Levi said.
Levi has an ambitious agenda to govern the city of 8,000 during the next four years.
His top priority: delivering a new recreation centre with a publicly funded daycare that can accommodate up to 100 children.
“What can we offer in terms of sports and athletics and recreation to all residents of Hampstead?” he said.
Levi says the existing community centre is out of date and doesn’t represent the current and future demands of its residents.
The accountant by profession has already held two council meetings since his election win and he’s signed many resolutions.
One of the other tasks the mayor wants to accomplish is upgrading some of the town’s ailing infrastructure, including rebuilding part of Ellerdale Road.
- Canadian man dies during Texas Ironman event. His widow wants answers as to why
- On the ‘frontline’: Toronto-area residents hiring security firms to fight auto theft
- Honda’s $15B Ontario EV plant marks ‘historic day,’ Trudeau says
- Canadians more likely to eat food past best-before date. What are the risks?
The road is riddled with holes and cracks and is a patchwork of repairs. But overhauling the street will first require the City of Montreal to repair an existing water main that is below the surface.
Most water infrastructure work falls under Montreal’s jurisdiction and Levi has to wait until that job is done first.
“It’s in very frail, delicate condition,” Levi said.
Levi is one of four newly elected mayors on the island who will also be dealing with the mayor of Montreal and the agglomeration council, which governs the entire island.
The Hampstead mayor says his town currently sends more than 50 per cent of its budget to the agglomeration council to pay for commonly shared services, like public transit.
He argues that maybe it’s time residents in Hampstead had a right to vote for the mayor of Montreal.
“Should it have the same weight as the borough municipalities? Maybe not, but as long as it can be impactful, that’s what matters,” he said.
It’s among many ambitions for the first-time mayor.
Comments