City of Montreal unveils redevelopment plan for Quartier des Faubourgs

The City of Montreal has unveiled its redevelopment plan (PPU) for the area around the old Molson brewery in the Ville-Marie borough, known as the Quartier des Faubourgs.

Montreal mayor Valérie Plante says the focus will be on creating an area with green spaces and social and affordable housing.

“We are proud to announce the fruit of this labour, a true springboard to developing inclusive, greener, dynamic neighborhoods, which are appropriate for active and collective transportation and will attract a diverse population as well as thousands of jobs,” Plante said in a statement.

Some of the highlights include six new parks spanning nine hectares in total, as well as creating access to the water with a promenade along the Saint-Lawrence river. 

Several buildings and lots will be transformed including the Molson site, which will become housing, commercial space and parks.

The old Radio-Canada tower on René-Lévesque Boulevard will become condos, for which the city just sealed a deal with the developer, Groupe Mach, in order to integrate social housing (20 per cent) and affordable housing (10 per cent).

The area is being branded as the Quartier des Lumières.

Finally, the site east of the Jacques-Cartier bridge will house a condo development called Esplanade Cartier.

The site will feature 100 social housing units in its first phase and will also include community spaces such as the Y des Femmes.

The city says it came up with the plan following two citizen consultations in which more than 1,000 people and groups participated and gave their opinions.

“It was very important for our administration to not repeat mistakes that have happened elsewhere. I’m thinking about Griffintown and the old Children’s Hospital,” said Plante.

The plan still needs to be submitted to city council for approval.