Social actors and their role in metropolitan governance in Montreal: towards an inclusive coalition?

The article is about the role of civil society organizations in the governance of theMontreal metropolitan region. It identifies a high level of cooperation around metropolitan scale issues on the part of these organizations. In the Montreal region, government agencies as well as private corporations demonstrate readiness to work alongside civil society organizations on joint projects. Evidence of this type of collaboration is particularly strong in the case of economic development, neighbourhood revitalization and cultural initiatives. This form of cooperation is perceived as a manifestation of the so-called "Quebec model'' and is an asset for the Montreal metropolitan region. The article demonstrates that interventions that involve social organizations are more likely to be successful than those that turn their back on these organizations.