Montreal wants to ensure the future of its most popular pedestrian streets. The city will inject $12 million to guarantee the return of about ten of them until 2027. At least.
Of the 12 million planned over three years, a sum of 10 million will be reserved for the nine most popular pedestrianizations which will be renewed each year, namely Mont-Royal, Duluth, De Castelnau, Wellington, Ontario, Saint-Denis, Sainte-Catherine Est, Saint-Hubert and Bernard.
In other words, these streets “will no longer have to be requalified annually, their success having now been demonstrated,” indicates the Plante administration.
“It is this idea of lack of predictability that we are mainly trying to correct,” says associate advisor Alia Hassan-Cournol. Year after year, the SDCs [Sociétés de développement commercial] quickly found themselves having to call on a supplier who cost them more in terms of fitting out.”
An envelope of 1.1 million will also be provided for “new pedestrian streets” projects in the coming years.
The municipality also announced that it is raising the funding ceiling for pedestrian streets, increasing it from $375,000 to $700,000. The effect will be immediate for Mont-Royal Avenue and Wellington and Ontario streets, which will see their budgets increase starting next year.
At the Montreal SDC Association, general manager Sébastien Ridoin believes that this will allow merchants to “adapt their business model more permanently.” “The renewal every year, too, could lead to a certain fear among members. Now, with a long-term vision, we will be able to better prepare.”
Delays expected in Old Montreal
That said, the “pedestrian kingdom” that Valérie Plante’s administration wants to create in Old Montreal will be delayed. Of the first four busy areas that were to be pedestrianized this summer, Place d’Armes, Place Jacques-Cartier, Rue Saint-Paul and Rue de la Commune, only one zone is ready.
“We had architectural discoveries on rue Saint-Paul, with arrowheads identified, so that delayed the work a little. But we are moving forward,” explains the mobility manager, Sophie Mauzerolle.
She promises that the end of the construction site on Saint-Paul Street is “imminent”, after which a one-way system will be quickly put in place on the Saint-Sulpice axis, as planned. Place d’Armes is finished, but the Montreal marathon will postpone its opening.
As for the rue de la Commune, “we’re keeping our fingers crossed,” whispers M.me Mauzerolle. New discussions must take place with the Old Port of Montreal Corporation, which owns part of the causeway, to reach an agreement.
“The city is moving as quickly as possible, sincerely,” emphasizes M.me Mauzerolle, who says he is looking forward to presenting the “subsequent stages” of the Old Montreal pedestrianization plan.