Social cohabitation and the creation of affordable housing are at the heart of the City of Montreal’s new plan to enhance the Village, which was unveiled in Parc de l’Espoir by Mayor Valérie Plante.
Mme Plante wants to collectively respond to the issues affecting the Village, including homelessness, mental health and the opioid crisis. The City has been working on the plan for more than a year in partnership with the Government of Quebec, the Montreal Police Department, and the Montreal Health Information Center.
The Mayor welcomes the participation of several organizations. “The fact that everyone is around the table is really important,” she said.
“I want us to be a model in Montreal. To find innovative solutions to really facilitate this cohabitation, ”she continued.
The cohabitation between the homeless, merchants and passers-by is an issue on Sainte-Catherine Street East. Merchants are thinking of closing their terraces due to a drop in customers, caused by problems related to homelessness, vandalism and violence.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Merchants are thinking of closing their terraces due to a drop in customers, caused by problems related to homelessness, vandalism and violence.
Record traffic in the Village
Traffic increased by 150% for the first month of the pedestrian opening of Sainte-Catherine Street East, indicated the general manager of the Commercial Development Company (SDC) of the Village, Gabrielle Rondy.
Sensors identified 600,000 pedestrians in a single month.
Mme Rondy encourages merchants “to keep their terrace open” to maintain “good energy” in the sector.