Coderre or Plante? Business owners eager to weigh in on Nov. 5

As part of CBC Montreal Daybreak's coverage of Quebec's municipal elections, Shari Okeke met business owners to find out what issues matter most to them in Montreal's mayoral race — and how they plan to vote.

Déborah Cherenfant, owner of Atelier Coloré 

Entrepreneur Déborah Cherenfant moved to Montreal 12 years ago to study business. She became a Canadian citizen two years ago, and now she's eager to vote in a municipal election for the first time.  

"When I left Haiti I wasn't able to vote, so it's really important to me," she said.

However, Cherenfant is torn over who she wants to see as Montreal's next mayor.

"As a feminist, as a woman, as a citizen, I am leaning more toward Project Montréal and Valérie Plante," she said.

But as the founder and creative designer of a young company, Atelier Coloré, "I'm totally leaning with the administration of Coderre."

Montreal 'on the map'

Cherenfant says prior to focusing full-time on her company, she worked in the public sector where she saw how Coderre's administration supports entrepreneurs.

She also appreciates the high-profile events he's brought to Montreal, including the Formula E. 

"I love that Montreal has been put on the map internationally," she said, but she's not ready to commit to voting for Coderre.

Her mission this week is to review the debates and really study the platforms of the main candidates, she said.

Sotiris (Sam) Papoutsis, owner of Mile End Kicks 

Sotiris (Sam) Papoutsis has spent his career in the shoe business and opened Mile End Kicks on Parc Avenue in 2009.

He says his business taxes have increased from about $1,200 per year to more than $5,000, and his concern is how that money is spent.

"Obviously, I don't want my tax money to conduct rodeos in Montreal," he said.

"I don't want my money used to pay people who don't perform and take forever to make repairs on a sidewalk or street," he said, pointing out orange cones and broken concrete along the sidewalk outside his shop, on Parc Avenue between St. Viateur Street and Fairmont Avenue.

Papoutsis is frustrated with both Coderre and Projet Montréal in the Plateau–Mont-Royal borough. But he lives in Saint-Laurent, and he says when he casts his ballot there, he will take a chance on Projet Montréal.

"[Montreal's] a beautiful place but it needs to be managed better. and I'm hoping Valérie Plante will be able to do that."

Charles Abitbol, owner of Olam, Mousseline boutiques

Charles Abitbol has worked in retail for more than 20 years. He owns Olam and Mousseline, with boutiques downtown on Sainte-Catherine Street, on Saint-Denis Street in the Plateau neighbourhood and on Laurier Street West in Mile End.

He won't say how he'll vote Nov. 5, but it's clear which way he is leaning.

"I see that what Projet Montréal does, it's not really for businesses," he said.

'Feeling of optimism'

Abitbol says despite some challenges, including major construction on Saint-Denis Street, Montreal is better off now than it was four years ago, and Coderre is "present everywhere."

"We see things accomplished, and we see movement in Montreal, we see growth in tourism," he said.

"We have, as business owners, a feeling of optimism."

Adam Steinberg, commercial real estate developer

As a commercial real estate developer in the Plateau and Little Italy, Adam Steinberg says his business also feels the burden of high taxes.

His tenants, mostly tech start-up companies, feel it too, he said.

"We have to pass it on to them, and it limits our ability to raise rent over time for inflation," he said.

"It makes us, in this neighbourhood, less competitive than say other parts of the city or off the island where taxes substantially lower."

Steinberg also has concerns about challenges small businesses face in the Plateau neighbourhood and says he dislikes current Plateau–Mont-Royal borough mayor Luc Ferrandez.

"I feel like he is really hurting the small business, which is the lifeline of any city," Steinberg said.

'So disappointed'

"Retail is tough enough as it is, and then to pay so much in tax ... it's really tough to make any money," he said.

At the same time, Steinberg said he is frustrated by Coderre's spending.

"That E race thing just sent me over the edge. It just seemed so frivolous in terms of spending the public's money," he said.

Although he voted for Coderre last time and despite his feelings about Projet Montréal at the borough level, Steinberg is leaning toward voting for Projet Montréal's Plante for mayor, "just because I'm so disappointed in Coderre."

"I'm hoping because she will be mayor of the city that her influence and power will supercede that of Ferrandez."

More on Daybreak: Candidates debate small business issues 

 Zach Macklovitch, who is running for borough mayor in Plateau–Mont-Royal with Équipe Denis Coderre and Jabiz Sharifian, who is running for city councillor in Peter-McGill in the Ville-Marie borough with Projet Montreal, were on Daybreak Tuesday debating how best to support small businesses.