New restaurants in Ahuntsic-Cartierville will not be allowed to have wood-burning ovens, as the city keeps up its fight to reduce air pollution.
A grandfather clause protects existing businesses, but new restaurants will have to abide by the bylaw, passed at the borough’s council meeting on Monday.
“People complain at the municipal council they can't open the window during the summer, they can't put some laundry outside,” said Ahuntsic-Cartierville Mayor Emilie Thullier.
Thullier said the borough wants to encourage cooking methods better suited to an urban environment.
The Plateau Mont-Royal borough wants to pass a similar bylaw.
The city has already banned wood-burning stoves and fireplaces in homes – it's looking to extend the ban to commercial establishments next.
Boroughs should focus on big industry, said restaurant owner Blaise Comerci, who serves up chicken and ribs on the grill at Grill N Go on Fleury St.
“I do agree for the environmental yes, but I do believe there's more out there than a few restaurants polluting, there's more important stuff out there especially big companies polluting,” he said.
Ahuntsic-Cartierville is looking to reduce air pollution in all its forms, said Thullier.
“This is a different problem. It's a problem of smell and smoke for the quality of life for some residents,” she said.
Montreal public health is studying businesses that use wood-burning ovens downtown and on the Plateau.
It's expected to release a report before the year is over.
