The benefits of active transportation in terms of health are well established: in cities where a major modal transfer to active transportation has been made, a reduction in obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, atherosclerotic heart disease, several types of cancer and anxiety and depression. There is even a lower incidence of cognitive disorders.
Active transportation also reduces GHG emissions, air pollution, exacerbations of asthma and chronic lung disease. Need we remind you that in Montreal, cars cause more than 1,500 premature deaths and more than 6,000 cases of exacerbation of infantile bronchitis per year? Near major arteries in Montreal, a higher incidence of low birth weight in babies has also been demonstrated.
In addition, the automobile participates in the intensification of heat islands, particularly in the city center — islands which are responsible for increasingly high morbidity and mortality. Extensive data on air pollution associated with automobile traffic are listed in the report Mobilize evidencepublished by the Canadian Association of Environmental Physicians.
By positioning itself against the securing of an existing bicycle path on rue Viger, the CHUM is unfortunately doing a very poor job in this necessary transformation of our city. Put the track elsewhere? The presence of bicycles on the south side would be absolute nonsense: there is a ramp a few dozen meters further on towards the Ville-Marie highway, and the very entrance to the CHUM bicycle parking lot would no longer be accessible. René-Lévesque Boulevard also has a crying need for cyclist safety, but this need is complementary and not concurrent with that of securing Rue Viger.
Moreover, the example of the Vancouver General Hospital — where there are as many ambulances (cars and taxis also use the entrance) — shows us that there can be a bicycle path that borders a hospital without accidents between bicycles and ambulances. In addition, the reports filled out in the ambulances could very well be written on rue Sanguinet or elsewhere. Finally, the bicycle appears to be an excellent way to reduce road congestion: by consolidating the bicycle lane, the sector is calmed down by encouraging a reduction in the number of cars and by sharing the road between all its users.
It is high time to think and plan the city by ceasing to systematically favor cars on our streets. An innovative health center attentive to the climate challenges that concern us collectively, like the CHUM, must do everything to promote active and public transport, and reduce car use. It is a matter of public health, access to services, and fundamental democracy.
At AQME, we hope that the CHUM — in line with its sustainable development and carbon neutrality objectives — will reconsider its position and demonstrate better collaboration with the City of Montreal so that it can secure existing cycling infrastructures. of the area and create new ones, which would benefit all CHUM users and all those passing through downtown.