Montreal, Toronto sign 'historic' partnership agreement

Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre met with his Toronto counterpart John Tory on Saturday to announce the signing of a major co-operation and partnership agreement between Toronto and Montreal.

"Large cities have become key players in governing communities across the world," said Coderre at Montreal's city hall. "By uniting our efforts, we will increase awareness of this point."

• Toronto, Montreal mayors to join forces on politics, business and security

The agreement, which Coderre's office describes as "historic," will focus on five specific areas: governance, economic vitality, the environment, living together and social development.

"As the two largest urban centres in the country, Montreal and Toronto face similar opportunities and challenges," said Tory.

"By formally working together through this agreement, we can learn from each other and compare notes on how to deal with these issues."

Partnerships of this kind are beneficial to both cities and the entire country," Tory said on Twitter. "We're all for building up Canada."

"We can learn from each other and compare notes on how to deal with issues such as affordable housing and attracting foreign investment," he said.

Baseball clause

This being baseball weekend in Montreal, the new partnership agreement also includes a section on baseball. 

• Montreal unveils Baseball Action Plan before exhibition games

Coderre said the section will focus on creating another "friendly sports rivalry" between the two cities.

"Maybe one day we can talk about basketball," Coderre quipped.

Montreal was chosen as host city for the third consecutive year for a pair of exhibition baseball games for the Toronto Blue Jays.

The two mayors will be attending this year's sold-out match on Saturday afternoon between the Jays and the Boston Red Sox at Olympic Stadium, the second part of a doubleheader.