CBC
Tue, November 14, 2023
Approximately $275 million has been earmarked in recent years for decontaminating land in eastern Montreal.
(Julie Marceau/Radio-Canada - image credit)
The Quebec government is investing $100 million in an effort to acquire industrial lands in eastern Montreal and revitalize them in an effort to stimulate the economy in an area that has stagnated for decades.
The aim is to rehabilitate contaminated lands with high economic potential, said Pierre Fitzgibbon, minister of economy, innovation, and energy, in a statement Monday.
Working with partners, a new organization, Société de mise en valeur de terrains dans l'Est de Montréal (SMTEM), will purchase lands, conduct studies and do decontamination work in collaboration with the cities of Montreal and Montréal-Est.
Fitzgibbon said municipal authorities have limited powers in dealing with companies that have polluted these lands, so that's where SMTEM comes in with its substantial financial backing — an investment that brings the Legault government's spending on decontaminating land in Montreal's east side to $275 million.
An initial sum of $75 million was allocated by the Legault government for decontamination in 2018. In 2019, another $100 million was allocated, notably for the decontamination of four million square feet of land on nine municipal sites, Radio-Canada reports.
Delays, lack of spending on decontamination
Despite these investments, many developers complain of delays, both in Quebec City and at the municipal levels, as it takes time to get projects approved, permits issued and grant money released.
According to an access to information request made by Montreal's Official Opposition, only $1 million of the $100 million obtained in 2019 has been spent by the city to date through these grants.
The city of Montreal, on the other hand, says it has committed to spending approximately $56 million even if the projects have not yet started.
The eastern part of Montreal, which became one of Quebec's main industrial zones in the early 1900s, houses refineries, petrochemical complexes and heavy industry. It also borders the Port of Montreal for much of its length.
However, the sector also includes extensive residential areas and green spaces that public authorities have promised for years to develop by transforming former industrial areas into habitable zones.
This is no easy task given the intense industrial activity in this territory for more than a century.
Deprived of a rapid and modern public transportation system east of the Honoré-Beaugrand Metro station, eastern Montreal struggles to develop, even though about 10 per cent of Quebec's population resides there.
Lower life expectancy
The life expectancy in certain neighbourhoods of eastern Montreal is up to nine years lower than that of citizens on the west side of the island, according to data published in 2016 by the local health agency, CIUSSS de l'Est-de-l'Île-de-Montréal.
On Monday, a summit was held at the Olympic Stadium, drawing politicians from all levels of government, including Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante and Anne St-Laurent, mayor of Montréal-Est.
The aim of the summit was to co-ordinate efforts between different levels of government, the private sector, the public sector, citizens and organizations to discuss how to take action.
"We know what needs to be done. We know the diagnosis. Now we need to take concrete steps," said Soraya Martinez-Ferrada.
She is the member of Parliament for the Hochelaga riding in Montreal's east end, and also Canada's tourism minister and the minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the regions of Quebec.
"Yes, there is industry. The perception of the east is that it's an area with refineries. It's grey. Maybe it's polluted, but it's also an area where you can live well with a good quality of life, and we need to develop the east with that in mind," she said.
On Friday, the federal government announced it was investing $8 million to create a linear park. And on Sunday, Montreal announced the transformation of nearly 700 hectares of wooded areas into a regional park in the east island.
The Quebec government is investing $100 million in an effort to acquire industrial lands in eastern Montreal and revitalize them in an effort to stimulate the economy in an area that has stagnated for decades.
The aim is to rehabilitate contaminated lands with high economic potential, said Pierre Fitzgibbon, minister of economy, innovation, and energy, in a statement Monday.
Working with partners, a new organization, Société de mise en valeur de terrains dans l'Est de Montréal (SMTEM), will purchase lands, conduct studies and do decontamination work in collaboration with the cities of Montreal and Montréal-Est.
Fitzgibbon said municipal authorities have limited powers in dealing with companies that have polluted these lands, so that's where SMTEM comes in with its substantial financial backing — an investment that brings the Legault government's spending on decontaminating land in Montreal's east side to $275 million.
An initial sum of $75 million was allocated by the Legault government for decontamination in 2018. In 2019, another $100 million was allocated, notably for the decontamination of four million square feet of land on nine municipal sites, Radio-Canada reports.
Delays, lack of spending on decontamination
Despite these investments, many developers complain of delays, both in Quebec City and at the municipal levels, as it takes time to get projects approved, permits issued and grant money released.
According to an access to information request made by Montreal's Official Opposition, only $1 million of the $100 million obtained in 2019 has been spent by the city to date through these grants.
The city of Montreal, on the other hand, says it has committed to spending approximately $56 million even if the projects have not yet started.
The eastern part of Montreal, which became one of Quebec's main industrial zones in the early 1900s, houses refineries, petrochemical complexes and heavy industry. It also borders the Port of Montreal for much of its length.
However, the sector also includes extensive residential areas and green spaces that public authorities have promised for years to develop by transforming former industrial areas into habitable zones.
This is no easy task given the intense industrial activity in this territory for more than a century.
Deprived of a rapid and modern public transportation system east of the Honoré-Beaugrand Metro station, eastern Montreal struggles to develop, even though about 10 per cent of Quebec's population resides there.
Lower life expectancy
The life expectancy in certain neighbourhoods of eastern Montreal is up to nine years lower than that of citizens on the west side of the island, according to data published in 2016 by the local health agency, CIUSSS de l'Est-de-l'Île-de-Montréal.
On Monday, a summit was held at the Olympic Stadium, drawing politicians from all levels of government, including Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante and Anne St-Laurent, mayor of Montréal-Est.
The aim of the summit was to co-ordinate efforts between different levels of government, the private sector, the public sector, citizens and organizations to discuss how to take action.
"We know what needs to be done. We know the diagnosis. Now we need to take concrete steps," said Soraya Martinez-Ferrada.
She is the member of Parliament for the Hochelaga riding in Montreal's east end, and also Canada's tourism minister and the minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the regions of Quebec.
"Yes, there is industry. The perception of the east is that it's an area with refineries. It's grey. Maybe it's polluted, but it's also an area where you can live well with a good quality of life, and we need to develop the east with that in mind," she said.
On Friday, the federal government announced it was investing $8 million to create a linear park. And on Sunday, Montreal announced the transformation of nearly 700 hectares of wooded areas into a regional park in the east island.
No comments:
Post a Comment