Press releases published by Projet Montréal

Montreal, October 22, 2009-  Richard Bergeron, Projet Montréal's leader and candidate for Mayor of Montreal joined in today with party members from Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve Ann Julie Fortier, Éric Alan Caldwell, Michel Bouchard, Suzie Miron and Carl Bégin to announce that Projet Montréal's administration would build its first Metro District in the area near Prefontaine and Joliette metro stations.  A Metro District is an area where the density of population is sufficient to bring together businesses at a walking distance while the metro station remains easily accessible to commuters.  According to Projet Montréal's leader, this is truly a 21st.century concept in which quality of life, environment and economic development are all allied on a more human scale.  Laid out in Metro Districts, Station Districts and New Tramway Districts, this concept should gradually transform the city during the next decade.

"Beside Park Raymond-Préfontaine and low density housing, the area surrounding Préfontaine and Joliette metro stations are inefficiently used and made of vacant lots, parking lots and businesses related to automobiles" said Mr. Bergeron.  "This is the perfect example of an environment that doesn't take advantage of the metro station to maximize people's quality of life".  Projet Montréal's Metro Districts concept will bring about new housing and new green spaces while preserving or adding shops and businesses that people need every day.  We'll see less cars used for daily life, for it won't be necessary so much.  "Residents will enjoy a green, secure and peaceful environment while living few minutes from downtown, thanks to the metro" said Eric Caldwell, Hochelaga's candidate for city counsellor.

After consulting with residents, the City of Montreal will lead the planning of this project and will take charge of developing public spaces included in the project.  The construction itself, which will take 5 years, will be assigned to private contractors in conformity with Projet Montréal's strict norms and guidelines concerning outsourcing contracts.

Financial help from the City

The Metro Districts, Station Districts and New Tramway Districts are at the core of Projet Montréal's housing strategy.  Therefore, it is in those districts that Projet Montréal's administration will concentrate the major part of its financial assistance to new housing.  Those districts will count around 16 000 apartments from the 50 000 apartments of all types that will be built by the City in 4 years, including 12 000 subsidized apartments from the 20 000 that will be built.  Among the 12 000 subsidized apartments located in a Metro District, a Station District or a New Tramway District, 8 000 will be apartments for families (3 bedrooms or more) and 4 000 apartments for low-income housing.  Subject to admissibility criteria, those family or affordable or social apartments will be admissible to Projet Montreal's subsidy of 25 000$ per family or social apartment and 10 000$ per affordable apartment.  In addition, a monthly metro pass will be offer, free of charge, for two years for each and everyone inhabiting a new apartment built within a Metro District, Station District or New Tramway District.  "Thanks to those financial incentives, coupled with a variety of interventions in public spaces such as planting trees, building secure crossroads and bike paths, etc., families will have the choice to stay in Montreal because they'll be able to afford an environment and a quality of life far more enjoyable which will have nothing to envy to suburbs, on the contrary" concluded Mr. Bergeron.