Mayor wants to turn Old Montreal into a 'pedestrian kingdom'

Mayor Valerie Plante took advantage of the opening of the Montreal Climate Summit to announce three measures that will contribute to the decarbonization of transport in the metropolis.

Montreal plans to make a significant part of Old Montreal vehicle free as early as 2024.

"The time to work with partners, merchants and residents" to "find solutions" and "put in place what needs to be put in place for this to be a success," said Plante said Tuesday morning.

She said that transportation is responsible for 40 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions in Quebec and that the costs of road congestion are estimated at $4 billion in Greater Montreal.

The mayor also intends to transform Henri-Bourassa Boulevard into a "sustainable mobility corridor" by increasing the space for pedestrians and integrating a rapid bus service.

The boulevard, which is eight car lanes wide over several kilometres and creates a divide in neighbourhoods, will also be integrated into the city's bike path route (REV).

Plante also wants to improve the Colibri project, which aims to reduce the negative impacts of the last kilometre of delivery, the most expensive in the logistics chain.

Listen on CJAD 800 Radio: Mennie: A car-free Old Montreal is just what the city needs, isn't it?

DOUBLE FUNDING FOR ACTIVE TRANSPORT

Quebec Environment Minister Benoit Charette spoke to participants virtually on Tuesday.

He announced that he would "double the funding for active transportation" in the next version of the Green Economy Plan (GEP).

SECOND CLIMATE SUMMIT

Montreal's business, philanthropic, political, community, environmental and citizen leaders are participating in the second edition of the Montreal Climate Summit on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The event is taking place at the Grand Quay of the Port of Montreal.

The summit "aims to accelerate climate action in the city by 2030" and the organizers, Partenariat Climat Montréal and the City of Montreal, promise "new large-scale and structuring commitments for the city."

Canada's Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault is expected to address the summit on Wednesday.

Several workshops will address themes such as decarbonization of buildings and transportation, the fight against climate change from an inequality perspective, the role of business and finance in the fight against climate change and the role of philanthropy and the health sector in the climate effort. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on May 9, 2023.