Les Amis de la montagne welcomes City of Montréal plan for an expanded, greener Mount Royal Park

December 13 2022

Montreal, December 13, 2022 - Les Amis de la montagne welcomes the City of Montréal's announcement of historic measures to be taken to expand and “green” up Mount Royal Park. Les Amis is pleased to note that some of its recommendations will be implemented as part of the plan, such as the reduction of parking spaces in the Smith House area, the expansion of Mount Royal Park through the incorporation of three hectares of the former Royal Victoria Hospital property, and greater efforts to control invasive plants. These measures demonstrate the City's commitment to protecting the biodiversity of our iconic green lung in the heart of Montreal. However, such a legacy must also be accompanied by ongoing mechanisms to ensure the sustainable management of the mountain's natural habitats.

Every year, millions of people visit Mount Royal’s vast green spaces and forests to enjoy the benefits of nature. However, it is alarming to note the devastating impact on the mountain's biodiversity of natural phenomena like the uncontrolled proliferation of non-native invasive species, and of certain development choices and behaviours that are harmful to nature. For the upcoming actions announced by the City to have a lasting, positive impact on the integrity of the mountain's natural parklands, resources must be allocated to optimize their long-term maintenance and ensure that their use is properly managed. According to Les Amis, supporting nature throughout the Mount Royal Heritage Site's ecological network (approximately twice the size of the mountain's parks) will require the development and ongoing implementation of a conservation plan with the participation of all the territory’s stakeholders.

Les Amis de la montagne applauds the City of Montréal’s plan to protect this precious island of biodiversity. The organization is pursuing its efforts to mobilize the community around a unifying vision to conserve Mount Royal and protect its biodiversity, so that we may take collective, concerted action to maintain the integrity of its natural habitats for present and future generations. In addition, Les Amis offers a brief guide to the good behaviours we can adopt to support nature, at conservation.lemontroyal.qc.ca/en.

About Les Amis de la montagne

Les Amis de la montagne is a non-profit organization that protects, improves and promotes the sustainability of Montréal’s Mount Royal through advocacy, community involvement, environmental education and stewardship.

Additional information