Plans take shape for major redevelopment of Montreal's Wellington Basin

A large industrial sector sandwiched between Griffintown and Pointe-Saint-Charles could soon look a lot different.

The Canada Lands Company (CLC) has plans to develop a portion of the sector referred to as the Wellington Basin.

A rendering of new development project in Montreal's Wellington Basin. (Source: Canada Lands Company)

"We view that these lands have the opportunity to really create a focal point and be a special place and give an identity to the whole neighbourhood," said Christopher Sweetnam-Holmes, the federal Crown corporation's senior director of real estate for Quebec.

The vision is to turn old industrial sites into housing. They want 2,800 new homes built with 1,000 units dedicated to affordable and social housing.

A rendering of new development project in Montreal's Wellington Basin. (Source: Canada Lands Company)

"What we're presenting today is the vision for the site," said Marcelo Gomez-Wiuckstern, the CLC's vice-president of corporate communications and public affairs. "Then, we work with the city for approvals to obtain zoning, and then we sell the lot to different developers, but they need to respect the vision."

The Wellington Basin project would also include an urban beach, three new parks and a sector dedicated to artists.

A rendering of new development project in Montreal's Wellington Basin. (Source: Canada Lands Company)

The plan will need approval from the City of Montreal, which already has a vision for the area.

"This is public land managed by the Government of Canada," said Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante. "Of course, we have high expectations in terms of housing, but it's also in terms of a mixed city, in terms of access to the water."

Housing advocates are glad to see more homes being built, but they are concerned about the cost of affordable units.

A rendering of new development project in Montreal's Wellington Basin. (Source: Canada Lands Company)

"The definition of affordable housing and social housing can be somewhat vague, and we really don't know if these new units are going to meet the needs of Montrealers who need affordable housing," said Margaret Van Nooten, a member of Project Genesis.

The Canada Lands Company will have to decontaminate the land and then sell individual lots to developers.

"We have significant decontamination costs that we plan to spend at least $77 million in decontamination costs, which is not inconsequential," Sweetnam-Holmes said.

The plan could take 10 to 15 years to complete and the Crown corporation hopes to get shovels in the ground by 2025.