Montreal, 18 June 2024 - An initial scan by Les Amis de la montagne of the draft Urban Planning and Mobility Plan 2050 (PUM) released by the City of Montréal earlier this month reveals specific intentions for Mount Royal. The chapter on ‘’emblematic territories", in which Mount Royal is discussed in more detail, as well as other sections of the document, offers perspectives that require careful analysis to ensure that the PUM provides conditions necessary for the mountain to remain a leading contributor to Montrealers’ quality of life and greenspace connectivity.

What Les Amis is Looking For in the PUM
In examining the draft of the Plan in the coming weeks to prepare for the upcoming Office de la consultation publique de Montréal (OCPM) consultation, Les Amis will focus on the following angles of analysis:  

• Governance, civic involvement in decision-making, and monitoring progress in achieving targets identified in the PUM. The new Plan must include specific provisions for Mount Royal’s public, institutional and private stakeholders to implement a holistic management strategy (including specifications for managing water, open space, woodlands, infrastructure development, etc.) to preserve the mountain’s cultural and nature heritage.

• Preserving and improving the iconic landmark presence of the Mount Royal and its predominance in Montreal’s urban landscape, including the protection of views to and from the mountain. Special attention will be paid to the Plan’s guidelines for land use, building heights and ground coverage and other key urban density factors along the entire periphery of the mountain, as well as in certain sectors of the city that offer exceptional views of Mount Royal.

• Linkage and corridor development between the mountain and the city. The plan must provide for the enhancement of ecological connectivity through the urban fabric and of walkways to and on Mount Royal must be carefully outlined.

• With regard to mobility to, from and on the mountain, the Plan must demonstrate continued commitment to territorial equity and to the availability of access for all to Mount Royal’s various destinations.

• The ‘’carrying capacity‘’ of Mount Royal. It will be important for the PUM to guide all stakeholders of the future of the mountain in developing and applying a common understanding of the maximum number of people, vehicles, built infrastructure and services that the mountain (its natural habitats, open spaces and biodiversity) can sustainably support. 

First Impressions and Expectations
Although it is too early to comment on the scope and provisions of the draft MUP in relation to Les Amis’ expectations, the following points arouse our interest:

• The decision to include Mount Royal in a chapter on "emblematic territories" in the PUM is a step towards giving the mountain the consideration and provisions for its protection that are representative of its importance to Montrealers. 

• The Plan reveals a basic level of recognition of the active involvement of community and institutional stakeholders in the protection of the Mount Royal Heritage Site.

• The document communicates intentions about enhancing visitor experience on Mount Royal, improving the quality and distribution of entrances to the territory as well as universal access to public infrastructure, and developing active and public transportation throughout the territory.

• Ambitions outlined for preserving and enhancing natural habitats and biodiversity—namely through revisiting the regulatory framework, increasing awareness-raising, expanding protected areas, nature restoration and invasive alien species control—open up interesting prospects for the protection and enhancement of the mountain's network of woodlands and open spaces.

The OCPM's Public Consultation: An Opportunity Not To Be Missed!
Les Amis de la montagne urges those who enjoy the mountain or are involved in keeping it vibrant, verdant and safe, to seize the opportunity to comment on the draft MUP. If Les Amis’ initial response seems relevant, they should feel free to adopt it as a source of inspiration.

The draft PUM and supporting documents available on the OCPM website are voluminous. Given the short 3-month period provided over the summer months, Les Amis is currently working on a strategy for consulting its partners in order to combine analysis efforts and preparing the most thorough and insightful brief possible in the time we have.

Les Amis de la montagne wishes their fellow mountain stakeholders a fruitful analysis and looks forward to working with them to advocate for the best possible outcomes for Mount Royal and Montreal in the upcoming OCPM consultation on the City’s Urban Planning and Mobility Plan 2050.

Les Amis de la montagne
Founded in 1986, Les Amis de la montagne is a non-profit organization that protects, improves and promotes the sustainability of Montréal’s Mount Royal through advocacy, community involvement, environmental education and stewardship. Our goal is to promote informed decision-making in support of the sustainable development of Mount Royal, and to ensure that the mountain's integrity is at the heart of discussions about the future of Montreal.

Information:

Charles Bergeron
Director of Advocacy
Les Amis de la montagne
cbergeron@lemontroyal.qc.ca 
(514) 843.8240, ext. 204