Montreal, April 27, 2023 - Les Amis de la montagne is announcing its recommendations to the City of Montréal in anticipation of the City’s 2024 budget. Given the significant stresses being exerted on the city’s natural environments and green spaces, the City of Montréal must either use the tools at its disposal or develop new ones in its budget to reverse the trend and strengthen the territory’s resilience.
“COP15 was a significant moment in the mobilization of Montreal's stakeholders in favour of protecting biodiversity. The City has clearly demonstrated its commitment in this regard with a number of actions, including the planned expansion of Mount Royal Park. It is our hope that the City will use its budget and ten-year capital program to continue to improve the territory’s natural environments.. Stakeholders on the ground, including Les Amis de la montagne, are carrying out major conservation, restoration and maintenance and environmental education programs, all of which are in urgent need of funding. Supporting these projects will benefit not only our woodlands and green spaces, but also the Montreal population, which benefits from a connection with nature,” says Hélène Panaïoti, Executive Director of Les Amis de la montagne.
Our natural areas are cherished, yet fragile
From 2019 to 2022, the public's attachment to green spaces resulted in a cumulative growth of 129% in visits to Montreal's major parks. This sharp increase in visitorship, along with the proliferation of invasive species and extreme weather events brought about by climate change, is causing irreversible damage to green spaces and parklands.. The April ice storm is just the most recent example.
Protecting the integrity of these environments and improving the quality of the green spaces dear to Montréal communities must be priorities. The City of Montréal's budget has several levers to achieve this.
Les Amis de la montagne submits the following recommendations:
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Make the protection, restoration and enhancement of Montreal’s major parks, green spaces and Mount Royal a priority in the budget and the IDP.
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Provide the necessary budgets to financially support the non-profit organizations committed to working alongside the City of Montréal on the ecological transition and the conservation of natural environments and green spaces.
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Include recurrent amounts in the operating budget to ensure the maintenance and management of natural environments and green spaces.
Click here to read the brief submitted by Les Amis de la montagne (in French only).
About Les Amis de la montagne
Founded in 1986, Les Amis de la montagne is a non-profit organization with the mission to protect and enhance Mount Royal through advocacy, community involvement, environmental education and stewardship. Through our actions, we aim to promote informed decision-making in regard to Mount Royal’s ongoing sustainability and ensure that the protection of every aspect of the mountain is at the centre of discussions surrounding urban development in Montreal.
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Source:
Anaïs Légaré Morasse
Les Amis de la montagne
almorasse@lemontroyal.qc.ca
514 843-8240, ext. 241
