MUST WATCH: Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante suddenly COLLAPSES during press conference

Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante collapsed suddenly during a press conference on Tuesday afternoon.

Plante was taking reporters questions during a weekly news conference in city hall's Hall d’honneur, reports The Gazette, when she paused while responding to a question and then fell to the floor.

Staff rushed to her aid to provide assistance, and the conference ended early. Reporters left as Plante recovered. 

Plante reportedly declined an ambulance that was set to take her to the hospital. 

"This morning, I felt uneasy during a press conference," Plante said in a statement. "Fortunately, I'm better. Thank you very much for your kind words and support. I was able to meet a medical team and I am doing well. However, as a preventive measure and to fully get back into shape, I will have to reduce the pace of my activities in the coming days."

"I will also have to be absent from the Ville-Marie borough council meeting this evening. Exceptionally, my elected colleagues in Ville-Marie will take over."

"I want to thank you very much for your support. I feel blessed to be so well surrounded. It warms my heart," Plante concluded.

Aref Salem, who leads the opposition Ensemble Montréal, wished Plante a speedy recovery on X. 

Plante plans now to miss the Ville-Marie borough council meeting she was originally set to attend on Tuesday night and has lightened her load for the next few days as a precautionary measure.

This is not the first time a medical condition has interfered with Plante's schedule; she canceled a planned news conference appearance last summer, with an assistant saying at the time that she had suffered from a "malaise."