Montreal West Island residential tower project causing concern for some in the community
A controversial development project on Montreal's West Island is one step closer to becoming a reality, which could mean three nearly 30-storey towers going up this fall.
The Pointe-Claire council recently excluded a 900-car parking lot from a freeze on zoning, meaning the lot in question could look a lot different, concerning some residents.
"This is the biggest project the West Island’s ever seen before, and it needs to be done properly, with a lot of questions answered," said Genevieve Lussier of Save Fairview Forest.
Some Pointe-Claire councillors say a semi-formal agreement has been in the works since 2018.
"As I explained at the meeting, the city had been involved with discussions with Cadillac Fairview for years," said Coun. Brent Cowan.
Cowan said there could be legal ramifications if the project gets blocked even though Cowan said the city council was in the dark about the agreement.
"Council was unaware of the involvement of the City of Pointe-Claire and Cadillac Fairview until we passed the control resolution in February," said Cowan, who is one of the councillors who voted to exclude the project from the development freeze.
Some opponents of the construction say that it isn't clear what, if any, legal ramifications would exist should council vote to block the project.
"Our understanding was that Cadillac Fairview wouldn’t take us to court, that they wouldn’t have a legal case," said Lussier. "That was our understanding."
Cadillac Fairview did not respond to CTV News requests for comment.
Meanwhile, opponents want more consultation before it's finally greenlit.
"It gives us the time to do a number of things — traffic studies, economic impact studies, environmental studies," said city councillor Bruno Tremblay, who wants more time to discuss the project before going ahead.
Cadillac Fairview also owns the woods next to the mall, but those woods, for now, are protected because they are part of the zoning freeze.
"For certain people, it’s just a good place to get out of the house and get away during a COVID pandemic for instance and have a place to walk and relax," said Tremblay.
He said development at the mall would have a dramatic effect on nearby residents.
There will be a town hall meeting to discuss the project on Saturday.
If approved, construction could start in September.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Being harassed at work? What to consider when deciding what to do next
If you've been the victim of workplace harassment, it can be difficult to feel you're not alone - and even more difficult to know where to go with a complaint.
Ontario urges mpox testing amid spike in cases
Ontario health officials are urging public health units to test for mpox, the viral disease formerly known as monkeypox, amid a spike of confirmed cases in the province.
More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.