Former philosophy seminary: the Ville is abdicating its responsibilities
The municipal administration is abdicating its responsibilities and turning a blind eye to the flaws in the Mount Royal Protection and Enhancement Plan
Project on the former site of the Sulpicians’ philosophy seminary
Montreal, August 26, 2009 – Following the participation of the President of Les amis de la montagne in the municipal council’s question period on August 25, the organization concludes that our elected officials have abdicated their responsibilities in ensuring the transparent and rigorous management of the Mount Royal Historic and Natural District and continue to turn a blind eye to the hard-hitting conclusions of the Office de consultation publique de Montréal regarding the faults in the Mount Royal Protection and Enhancement Plan and the project proposed for the former site of the Sulpicians’ philosophy seminary.
Les amis de la montagne are astonished to learn from Helen Fotopulos, member of the executive committee responsible for Mount Royal, that the Ville de Montréal went ahead with the public consultation on the proposed residential project for the former seminary property earlier than the municipal administration would have liked based upon a preliminary favourable recommendation – a highly unorthodox gesture – issued by the Commission des biens culturels du Québec on February 12, 2009.
Moreover, Les amis de la montagne are astounded with Ms. Fotopulos’ judgement that the project proposed for the former seminary property respects the heritage of the site, as well as the Protection Plan, despite the projects’ many violations of the city’s urban plan. The project calls for 325 residential units, the construction of 17 new buildings and 671 parking spaces on a site with institutional zoning, which violates the city’s urban plan in terms of its use, density, height, volume, number of parking spaces and construction on the site. The organization also deplores the city’s unwillingness to provide a clear definition of the mountain’s “limited capacity” to receive new construction.
Les amis de la montagne submitted a letter to the municipal council during question period, which asks the following question: “Who truly stands to gain from the $300M development project proposed for the former site of the Sulpicians’ philosophy seminary?” (
PDF version available here, in French).
While Les amis de la montagne understand that a $300M investment will provide the city with revenues from property tax, how does the Government of Quebec stand to benefit by forcing such a project on Montreal? And who is listening to the citizens of Montreal, who have repeated in survey after survey and public consultation after public consultation that green spaces on the mountain must be protected and restrictions imposed upon any new construction?
The project proposed for the former site of the philosophy seminary is unacceptable and must be reviewed in its entirety. The Mount Royal Protection and Enhancement Plan does not provide sufficiently clear guidelines and the rules governing development projects on the mountain’s periphery, which is largely comprised of institutional properties, must be clarified. This crucial exercise should be undertaken before the project on the former seminary property receives any form of authorisation. Need this matter become an electoral issue?
About Les amis de la montagne
Les amis de la montagne is an independent charitable organization founded in 1986 that works to protect and enhance Mount Royal through community involvement and environmental education.
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Information:
Gabrielle Korn
Director of Communications
Les amis de la montagne
T: 514 843-8240 ext. 237
