As elsewhere in the country, light trucks are gaining ground in Montreal. But why drive an SUV (sport utility vehicle) or minivan in the metropolis when parking spaces are limited and the urban lifestyle does not generally require hauling cords of wood or confronting hostile environments? The duty spoke with several city dwellers who own large vehicles.
In 2022, the island of Montreal had just over a million registered vehicles, all categories combined, indicates data from the Automobile Insurance Company (SAAQ). This is almost 38,000 more vehicles than in 2017, but still a drop of 1,258 vehicles compared to 2021.
It is in light trucks that the increase is most marked. Between 2017 and 2022, in the category of passenger vehicles, their number increased from 266,615 to 336,158 in the metropolis, while the number of automobiles continued to decline.
On the island of Montreal, light trucks have not yet overtaken automobiles. In many regions, however, their number now exceeds that of cars. This is the case on the North Shore, in Nord-du-Québec, in Gaspésie, in Bas-Saint-Laurent, in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean and in Abitibi-Témiscamingue.
Small family
In 2015, Delphine Provençal and her partner purchased a minivan, a used Honda Odyssey, with room for eight passengers. But why such a vehicle in an urbanized neighborhood like Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie? “Our three boys play hockey. So, we chose a car that allowed us to travel with our three children with their hockey pockets, she explains. We also found it important to be able to bring friends and teammates. So, we have no choice but to have a large vehicle. »
What complicates matters is that matches sometimes take place simultaneously in different arenas across the city. Still, sometimes the minivan remains parked. “Now, as the children are older, we sometimes go to the arena by bike with the hockey bag. “It’s something we wouldn’t have considered before,” she says.
Josée Laterreur recently purchased a Toyota RAV4 SUV and couldn’t live without it. “Of course, in absolute terms, I would like to be vegetarian, not have a car and do everything on foot, but hey, I lack a little time and organization. And cycling in Montreal, even in the summer, I find it quite dangerous,” explains the woman who, for professional reasons, has to make a lot of trips around town.
Snowbanks and potholes
Although Montrealers do not seem, at first glance, to face extreme road conditions when traveling, they are not always easy. They have to deal with potholes, patches of ice and mounds of snow which sometimes put a strain on the mechanics. “I used to have a Honda Civic and I damaged the underside of the car. It’s good that the City doesn’t systematically clear snow, but in the city, there isn’t much space for snow. […] Having a taller vehicle allows you to get around town better. »
Josée Laterreur considered taking public transport, but she quickly gave up on this option given the travel times were too long for her. In addition, the subway and crowded buses do not seem very attractive to him.
Real estate broker, Chantal Gobeil has also opted for an SUV. Like others, she talks about the state of the streets in Montreal. The smaller car she had before was causing her a lot of headaches. “That’s how I knew all my neighbors. They had to come and push me,” she relates. His Nissan Rogue allows him to maneuver more easily in poorly plowed parking spaces. “I need it for my work and I have family in Abitibi and Lac-Saint-Jean. »
Mélissa Jourdain and her partner are big fans of cycling, even in winter, but their vehicle is very useful for the growing family, with a third child on the way, she points out. “Shame on us — it really was a big discussion in the house — but we ended up with an SUV because we [bientôt] three children. But it’s a hybrid. It eases my conscience a little, but not much. »
Even if Montreal encourages active mobility and increases the number of cycle paths, the city remains very focused on car travel, according to her. “I find that in Quebec, everything is done so that we have a car. Near us, there are large-scale stores with huge parking lots. It’s not pleasant on foot. But I would be the first to want to do everything on foot. »
The advertisement
The growing popularity of light trucks, both in Montreal and throughout Quebec, concerns Catherine Morency, professor at Polytechnique Montréal and specialist in urban mobility. “I think the dealerships and the car manufacturers have done a good job of convincing everyone of the need for a large vehicle,” she says.
She points to ubiquitous advertising and financing plans that allow buyers to spread their payments over 60 months. “It gives people the impression that they can afford this type of vehicle. »
According to her, automobile advertising should be regulated – or even banned – so that its content is better regulated. “Advertising is not going to show facts. She will even go so far as to show illegal behavior,” she says, referring to images of vehicles driving at high speed in streams.
The authorities are not giving any clear signal to counter the increase in the number of large vehicles, according to her. If he takes the plane, the traveler will have to pay a rate established according to the size of his suitcase and respect a certain limit. “On the roads, there is no such thing. It’s a public service. If my car is so big that it takes up other parking spaces, I don’t pay more. » In this regard, the boroughs of Plateau-Mont-Royal and Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie now impose stickers whose cost varies depending on the weight of the vehicles, a promising option according to her.
The size of vehicles can have unsuspected consequences. In the United Kingdom, the British Parking Association even concluded that SUVs and electric cars could represent a potential danger due to their weight to the integrity of parking lots designed in another era for lighter vehicles.