Les Amis de la montagne calls on candidates across Greater Montreal to commit to protecting Mount Royal

On November 2, residents of Greater Montreal will be called to the polls to elect their municipal representatives. As these elections approach, Les Amis de la montagne invites all candidates to make a concrete commitment to the long-term protection and enhancement of Mount Royal. 

Montreal’s iconic Mount Royal was granted the status of Heritage Site by the Quebec Government in 2005. As a living symbol of nature at the heart of the city, it inspires deep attachment, yet faces environmental pressures, urban development, and overuse that jeopardize its integrity. Protecting the mountain depends on effective governance to coordinate and oversee land use, development and preservation across the territory.

Faithful to its mission, Les Amis de la montagne endeavours to ensure that the mountain remains attractive, rich in biodiversity, accessible, safe, and inclusive. Working jointly with local stakeholders and experts in conservation, urban planning, heritage and municipal administration, Les Amis de la montagne works tirelessly to preserve the mountain’s natural, landscape, cultural, and historical heritage.

5 Priority Actions for the Sustainable Protection of Mount Royal

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.

 

Signatories

Justine Lalande-Church, Candidate - conseillère de ville, Ensemble Montréal

Julie Roy, Conseiller de ville du district Saint-Sulpice, Projet Montréal

Yvonne Nguyen, Candidate pour conseillère municipale, Ensemble Montréal

Lucilia Santos, Candidate, conseillère de ville district Jeanne-Mance, Ensemble Montréal

Alexander Roberton, Candidat conseiller de là Ville pour De Lorimier, Ensemble Montreal

Alex Norris, Conseiller municipal, conseiller associé au comité exécutif - Grands parcs et le Mont-Royal, Projet Montréal

Sebastien Corbeil, Conseiller d'arrondissement, Ensemble Montréal

Simon Castonguay, Candidat, District #8, Équipe Peter Malouf

Salih Akpinar, Candidat a la mairie d'arrondissement, Independant

Maude Choko, Candidate à titre de conseillère d'arrondissement - district Jeanne-Sauvé (avocate&scénariste), Ensemble Montréal

Laurence morel, Candidate conseillère d'arrondissement - District Robert-Bourassa, Projet Montréal

Mercedez Plante, Conseillère d'arrondissement, Ensemble Montréal

Caroline Braun, Conseillere d'arrondissement et candidate à la Mairie d'Outremont, Ensemble MTL

Isabelle Laurier, Conseillère d’arrondissement de Lorimier, Ensemble Montréal

Jocelyn Simon DAIGLE, Candidat Indépendant - District De Lorimier, Candidat Indépendant - District De Lorimier

Laurence Parent, Conseillère d’arrondissement, Projet Montréal

Marie Sterlin, Conseillère, Projet Montréal

Cathy Wong, Candidate à la mairie du Plateau Mont-Royal, Projet Montréal

Marie Plourde, conseillère de ville, Projet Montréal

Jean Beaudoin, Candidat à la mairie, Ensemble Montréal

Lemonia Strapatsas, Candidate Conseillière de ville, Ensemble Montréal

Maeva Vilain, Conseillère de Ville - De Lorimier, Projet Montréal

Gabriel Fortin, Candidat au poste de conseiller d’arrondissement, Jeanne-Mance, Projet Montréal

Sebastien Joannette, Candidat conseiller d’arrondissement, Ensemble Montréal

Ahmed HALLOULI, Conseiller, Indépendant

Alexandre Cassis, Conseiller municipal, Indépendant

Luc Rabouin, Candidat à la mairie, Projet Montréal

Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Candidate à la mairie de Montréal, Ensemble Montréal

Daniel Vaurin, Candidat conseillier de ville, Ensemble Montréal

Fang Hu, Mairie d'arrondissement Ville-Marie, Indépendant (continuer celui de Pierre Bourque et Jean Drapeau)

Claude Pinard, Candidat Conseiller de ville, district St-Jacques, Ensemble Montréal

Maryse Bouchard, Candidate dans le district de Peter-McGill avec l'équipe de Luc Rabouin, Projet Montréal, Projet Montréal

Leslie Roberts, Candidat Ensemble Montreal, conseiller dans Peter McGill, Ensemble Montreal

Lynne Casgrain, Candidate à la mairie de Westmount, Indépendante

Shawn Moss, Candidat au poste de conseiller, Indépendant