Making Mont-Royal Avenue a year-round pedestrian-only street a long way off

Mont Royal Avenue is one of Montreal's most popular pedestrian-only streets during the summer, but cars have returned this week.

However, there is a movement to keep the car ban year-round, but Project Montreal City Councillor Marianne Giguere said it's not ready to go there yet.

"Nobody's ready for that right now," she said. The bus issue is complex and we need answers to this."

City buses typically run along Mont-Royal, but are moved to Saint-Joseph Boulevard during the summer.

Moving bus routes permanently is a tall order, Giguere said.

Opinion is divided from the merchants and residents on the avenue about keeping cars away.

In a pilot project, the borough is keeping the span between Saint-Laurent Boulevard and Saint-Denis Street closed until Thanksgiving weekend.

Giguere said keeping the entire street closed year-round would take at least a year to organize.

"I would love to try it at least at one point but if we are going to try, I really want to know that people are on board," she said.