Montreal Mayor Gerald Tremblay plans to spend the end of his second term tackling poverty and job creation. (Canadian Press) Montreal's mayor says the fight against poverty will be one of his main priorities for 2009.

Mayor Gerald Tremblay leaves 2008 with a promise of more provincial money to help Montreal deal with its poorest citizens.

Next year, he said, will be all about putting that money to good use.

"We are talking more and more about our homeless people, our poverty," Tremblay told CBC News in a year-end interview.

Just before Christmas, the city and the Quebec government signed a three-year agreement worth $24 million, a $9-million increase over the past three years.

Most of the new money will go towards food banks and community groups.

The city's homeless shelters will also receive some of the new cash, but likely less than the shelters had asked for.

"We will continue to have more discussions with the provincial government," Tremblay promised.

A 1996 study by the Quebec Health Department found that 12,000 people in Montreal had no fixed address at some point during the year.

Mayor hopes jobs will stabilize communities

Tremblay hopes he'll be able to tackle the issues of poverty and crime by helping more Montrealers find jobs.

"I think that the best way to answer the needs of people who are either poor or don't have a job is to help them find a job. If people have a job, they'll raise children and they'll be happy," said Tremblay.

'Our youth are angry in some sense. They want to be listened to.'—Montreal Mayor Gerald Tremblay

That's one of his strategies as the city tries to build stronger ties with the community, especially in Montreal North. Riots broke out there last summer after police shot and killed a teenager, Fredy Villanueva.

"We have had some tragedies," he said. "So it sends us a very clear message that our youth are angry in some sense. They want to be listened to, and they want to be respected."

Mayor up for re-election in 2009

In the coming year, Tremblay also pledged to improve Montreal's deteriorating roads and sewer systems. He said $609 million will be spent in 2009 on infrastructure.

He is also looking ahead to the official opening of the Quartier des Spectacles, the city's new entertainment district, for the Montreal International Jazz Festival in June.

Tremblay is serving in his second term as mayor of Montreal.

He has not announced if he will run again during municipal elections set for November.