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
India's foreign minister reacts to murder charges, claims Canada welcomes criminals
India's Foreign Affairs Minister accused Canada of welcoming criminals from his country in response to the RCMP's recent arrests in a homicide that has roiled tensions between the two countries.
15-year-old boy stabbed in Ottawa on Thursday dies
A 15-year old boy who was critically injured after a stabbing in Nepean on Thursday has died of his injuries, Ottawa's English public school board said Sunday.
Dash cam catches moment suspected drunk driver hits parked car, sends it careening into North Shore flower shop
Police say it’s fortunate no one was injured or killed in a collision at North Vancouver’s Park and Tilford shopping centre Saturday evening that sent one vehicle careening into a flower shop and another into a set of concrete barriers outside a Winners store.
Actor Bernard Hill, of 'Titanic' and 'Lord of the Rings,' has died at 79
Actor Bernard Hill, who delivered a rousing cry before leading his people into battle in 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King' and went down with the ship as the captain in 'Titanic,' has died.
'A tiny city:' Pro-Palestinian campus protesters organize for another week
Pro-Palestinian activists have set up tents at universities in Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver and Montreal, following a wave of similar protests at campuses in the United States linked to the Israel-Hamas war.
Lawsuit against Meta asks if Facebook users have right to control their feeds using external tools
Do social media users have the right to control what they see — or don't see — on their feeds?
A Holocaust survivor will mark that history differently after the horrors of Oct. 7
This year's Holocaust Remembrance Day, which begins on Sunday evening in Israel, carries a heavier weight than usual for many Jews around the world.
Princess Anne lays wreath at Battle of Atlantic ceremony; honours late Queen
Princess Anne saluted Canadian veterans and current forces members and honoured her late mother during separate ceremonies Sunday in Victoria as she wrapped up a three-day British Columbia West Coast royal visit.
El Nino weakening doesn't mean cooler temperatures this summer, forecasters say
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.