MONTREAL -- A Montreal neighbourhood on the east edge of downtown has been singled out for attention by a city office, which says it needs to make more room for public housing, and less for businesses.
The public consultation office says Des Faubourgs also needs to create more space for pedestrians and cyclists.
The area, 236 hectares in total, lies from St. Hubert St. to Fullum St., and below Sherbrooke St.
It includes some huge offices and other industrial buildings: the Molson Coors building, the old Radio-Canada tower, and Bell Media, including CTV’s Montreal offices. It also has the on-ramp to the Jacques-Cartier Bridge.
The report from the public consultation says this area is now at a high risk for gentrification because of new housing that’s being built in some of those landmarks, namely the Molson and Radio-Canada buildings.
It recommended the city should buy more of its own property to guarantee its own target of having 20 per cent social housing.
It says the neighbourhood should add 7,500 more affordable housing units in the next two decades, and 500 for families.
Among the report’s 42 total recommendations, it also writes in favour of limiting the number of new businesses, and favouring low-rise buildings overall, to keep a balance between residential and commercial property.
However, it also suggests creating two new commercial streets, along de la Gauchetiere St. and Alexandre de Seve.
It also says that compared to the rest of the city, the area is lagging in pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure, while cars’ presence looms large. Aside from basic infructure to balance that out, it calls for a park space near the foot of the bridge.
Finally, the office weighed in on one controversial issue, saying it doesn't want the eastern and northern elevated extensions of the planned REM light rail line to rupture the north and southern sector of the district.
Mayor Valerie Plante, when asked for her reaction to the report, said it didn’t surprise her—nor is it out of line with her administration’s goals for the area, she said.
