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.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Air quality advisories issued in 5 provinces, 1 territory
Air quality advisories are in effect across Western Canada as smoky conditions plague some areas, according to the latest forecasts. Here's where.
'Oh my God, you're my brother': Man in his 70s discovers 6 unknown siblings
After receiving a DNA kit one Christmas from his son-in-law, Hugh McCormick soon discovered that he had six unknown siblings, with whom he shared the same birth parents.
No refund for travellers who cancelled flight already scrapped by airline: regulator
Four years on, the controversy over whether airlines owed refunds to passengers after cancelling hundreds of thousands of flights during the pandemic continues to simmer, aggravated by a sluggish, opaque complaints process.
Just how bad are ultraprocessed foods? Here are 5 things to know
Many foods fall under the category of ultraprocessed foods, depending on their exact ingredients. This type of food has been studied a lot lately, and the results aren’t great.
'My family doctor just fired me': Ontario patients frustrated with de-rostering
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
Rates of cancer declining in Canada, but more work needed to save lives: projections
A new study projecting declining rates of cancer cases and deaths in Canada demonstrates the success of prevention and early detection programs, but also highlights areas where more work is needed to save and prolong lives, researchers say.
DEVELOPING Trump trial arrives at a pivotal moment: Star witness Michael Cohen is poised to take the stand
The star prosecution witness in Donald Trump's hush money trial is set to take the stand Monday with testimony that could help shape the outcome of the first criminal case against an American president.
India's mammoth election is more than halfway done as millions begin voting in fourth round
Millions of Indians across 96 constituencies began casting their ballots on Monday as the country's gigantic, six-week-long election edges past its halfway mark. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking a third straight term with an eye on winning a supermajority in Parliament.
Ottawa pizzeria places among top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world at international competition
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.