City plans to crack down on vacant storefronts along Montreal's St-Laurent Blvd.
The City of Montreal wants to do something about all the empty buildings and vacant lots along St-Laurent Blvd. with a new bylaw to crack down on building owners.
"The Main," as it's known, has long been a mishmash of cultures. These days, it's also a patchwork of another sort: new buildings are mixed with the old alongside vacant lots and boarded-up buildings.
The street's vacant and abandoned buildings are unacceptable, said Montreal city councillor and executive committee member Robert Beaudry, who is responsible for urban planning.
"It gives more insecurity. It also could be dangerous," he said.
He wants to ensure these empty buildings are used as cultural, commercial or residential spaces.
"There's a lot of opportunity right now to rent this kind of building, and it's empty. There's a demand for it," he said.
According to Beaudry, the city plans to introduce a new bylaw in the coming months that would pressure owners to use their properties. Some that sit empty aren't even on the market.
Real estate speculation is a growing problem, said Cedric Dussault, spokesperson for housing advocacy group RCLALQ.
"Right now, we're seeing an open market on real estate and it's having devastating effects on renters, on homeowners," he said. "This kind of situation is more problematic at the context of a major housing crisis."
There are some residential developments in the works.
Student housing is planned at the site of the former Katacombes Bar, at the corner of Ontario St.
The former Katacombes Bar will be turned into student housing.
Other spaces could be rented out, said Beaudry.
He wants real estate owners to ensure buildings don't fall into disrepair.
"We invest a lot as a city to promote this boulevard, but we also want to be sure that those who are private owners take care of those buildings. Some are still heritage buildings," he said.
Beaudry wouldn't say exactly what the new regulations will entail but did say it will affect all of the city's commercial streets.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Average hourly wage in Canada now $34.95: StatCan
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.
Magnitude 4.2 earthquake reported off Vancouver Island's west coast
A 4.2-magnitude earthquake was recorded west of Vancouver Island early Friday morning.
This iconic Canadian song is turning 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Her SUV was stolen in Montreal. A Good Samaritan on Facebook helped her get it back
Just as she had feared, a restaurant owner from eastern Quebec who visited Montreal had her SUV stolen, but says it was all thanks to the kindness of strangers on the internet — not the police — that she got it back.
Oprah Winfrey: I set an unrealistic standard for dieting
Oprah Winfrey said on Thursday evening that she has long played a role in promoting unhealthy and unrealistic diets.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Toronto police called to Drake's Bridle Path mansion for another alleged intruder on Thursday
Toronto police say a man who allegedly attempted to access Drake’s Bridle Path property was taken to hospital on Thursday after an altercation with security guards.
Flat tire on a highway? Here's why you shouldn't try to fix it
If you're cruising down a highway and realize you have a flat tire, you may want to think twice before stopping to fix it on the side of the road.