Press release
Appointment of Robert Pilon as secretary general of the
Steering committee for Montréal, cultural metropolis:
New impetus for the 2007-2017 Action Plan
Montréal, March 13, 2009 In the wake of the one-year anniversary of the launch of the 2007-2017 Action Plan formulated during Rendez-vous November 2007 Montréal, cultural metropolis, the members of the steering committee have named a secretary-general, Robert Pilon, whose mandate will be to accelerate the accomplishment of the projects.
The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal is delighted that the partners responsible for implementing the 2007-2017 Action Plan have agreed to hire a high-level coordinator, Mr. Robert Pilon. The Action Plan is ambitious and requires a real commitment from all public- and private-sector players. Already, several projects have been accomplished or are under way. Nevertheless, there are many challenges involved in the simultaneous implementation of numerous initiatives. Mr. Pilon has the expertise and energy needed to quickly move these projects forward, declared Michel Leblanc, President and CEO of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal.
Robert Pilon is the ideal person to efficiently coordinate the efforts of the many collaborators involved in carrying out the various projects proposed during Rendez-vous November 2007 Montréal, cultural metropolis. His in-depth knowledge of the cultural milieu and his expertise, combined with that of the members of the steering committee, will certainly help accelerate the implementation of the 2007-2017 Action Plan. The arrival of Mr. Pilon will no doubt give fresh impetus to the pooling of our collective strengths for the greater benefit of our metropolis and the full development of its cultural vitality, added Simon Brault, President of Culture Montréal and Chair of the steering committee.
As both a member of the steering committee and a representative of the business community, I would like to assure Mr. Pilon of my full cooperation. Culture and the economy are part of the same equation for anyone committed to the prosperity of Montréal. I am firmly convinced that supporting the development of our city's cultural vitality will necessarily strengthen the cornerstones of our economy: talent, creativity, and innovation, added Leblanc.
A number of influential business leaders have agreed to work closely on the implementation of the Action Plan: Diane Giard, of Scotiabank, Jacques Parisien, of Astral Media Radio and Astral Media Outdoor, and Javier San Juan, of L'Oréal Canada. I am very proud to team with them on this initiative, particularly given today's difficult economic situation, when we must redouble our efforts, concluded Leblanc.
About Rendez-vous November 2007 Montréal, cultural metropolis
In November 2007, the City of Montréal, the governments of Canada and Quebec, the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal, and Culture Montréal brought the business and cultural sectors together for a two-day meeting. With the goal of accelerating the development of Montréal as a world-class cultural metropolis, some 1,300 Montrealers generated a 10-year action plan organized around five major objectives: improve access to culture, invest in culture and the arts, enrich the cultural quality of the living environment, enhance Montréal's reputation in Canada and internationally, and provide Montréal with the means of a cultural metropolis.
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Source:
Sylvie Paquette
Coordinator, Media relations
Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
Tel.: 514 871-4000, ext. 4015
sylvie.paquette@ccmm.qc.ca