Les Amis de la montagne calls on candidates running for office to commit to supporting the following priorities to ensure the sustainable protection of Mount Royal over the 2025-2029 term.

1. Strengthen and harmonize the regulatory framework for land-use planning to protect Mount Royal 

Protecting Mount Royal by optimizing land-use and urban planning tools remains essential. It is necessary to ensure consistency among development and planning frameworks to guarantee the relevance and quality of projects led by many stakeholders, which are often difficult to align with an overarching  site protection goal. The regulatory framework must serve to reinforce  strategies and initiatives that contribute to preserving Mount Royal and maintaining its defining presence at the heart of Montreal.

2. Strengthen shared governance of Mount Royal to optimize collaboration and collective efforts

Safeguarding the mountain’s integrity through renewed governance requires increased cooperation and shared efforts. This goal relies on the effective engagement of members of the Table de concertation du Mont-Royal (TCMR), who are already mobilized and committed to fulfilling their responsibilities. A holistic, territory-wide protection strategy based on shared leadership between stakeholders and municipal authorities is essential to maximize the efficiency and impact of actions. Strengthening the mandate of the TCMR and that of the city’s Bureau du Mont-Royal, guided by a clear shared governance strategy and proper tools to evaluate development and repurposing projects as well as proposals for land use and park vocation changes, will foster improved cooperation, decision-making and outcomes. 

3. Conserve and restore Mount Royal’s green network to strengthen connectivity and ensure sustainable management

Preserving the mountain’s green network requires continuing the actions outlined in the Mount Royal Protection and Enhancement Plan and active support in implementing the Conservation Plan for Mount Royal’s Natural Habitats and Green Space. This plan aims to restore and sustainably manage the 425 hectares of natural areas within the heritage site, while strengthening ecological connectivity at the regional scale. Developed through consultation with some fifteen stakeholders, it sets the stage for future plans linked to the “humanized landscape” status sought for the Monteregian Hills, of which Mount Royal is a part.

4. Provide an optimized “mountain experience” that balances accessibility, protection, and sustainable use

Ensuring access to an enhanced“mountain experience” is essential for the millions of people who visit Mount Royal. Its quality depends on informed choices: respecting nature’s carrying capacity, ecosystem protection, land and park use compatibility, infrastructure adapted to needs and climate, improved public transit, universal accessibility, safety, inclusivity, supervision, education and environmental awareness, and cultural and heritage appreciation. These challenges, which must be addressed through a sustainable development lens, require urgent action, as current services and amenities no longer meet growing needs and  visitation.

5. Integrate the repurposing of Remembrance–Camillien Houde into the overall accessibility vision for the Mount Royal Heritage Site

Repurposing this roadway through the heart of the mountain is an opportunity to create a model project that combines landscape enhancement, optimized “mountain experience”, and nature restoration and preservation. This project must be integrated into a global accessibility vision for the Mount Royal Heritage Site and contribute to optimizing citywide mobility. Given its importance, the project must follow best practices for consultation, involving all stakeholders, starting with the communities represented at the Table de concertation du Mont-Royal.
 

I commit !