Quebec and Montreal create new working group to speed up Namur-Hippodrome development project

The city of Montreal and the Quebec government are joining forces to accelerate the Namur-Hippodrome project.

On Monday they announced the creation of a new working group called GALOPH: Groupe d’Accélération pour l’Optimisation du Projet de l’Hippodrome, which will bring together 15 experts from business, community, real-estate, and financing partners.

“What we’re putting in place today is a new way of revitalizing Blue Bonnets, a strategic sector. It’s the kind of approach that could be replicated elsewhere, for example in the east end of Montreal. It’s excellent news that the private sector is on board; developers want and need to be part of the solution,” said Pierre Fitzgibbon, the Minister responsible for Regional Economic Development and the Minister responsible for the Metropolis and the Montreal Region.

Pierre Boivin, president of Claridge inc and Janie Béïque, president of the Fonds de solidarité FTQ will head the new working group.

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The group is targeting 2025 for the creation of an eco-neighbourhood on the old site of the Hippodrome, that will generate 6000 affordable housing and ensure they’re accessible via public transit, connecting residents to the Namur metro station.

“The development of affordable housing is a major challenge, and I welcome the willingness of the City of Montreal and the Quebec government to bring together local players to take concrete action on the situation. The Fund is committed to investing in sustainable real estate projects, including social and community housing, while aiming for a reasonable return thanks to a diversified portfolio of projects. I’m optimistic that the work of the next few months will lay a solid foundation for the development of the Namur-Hippodrome sector. As co-chair of the GALOPH acceleration group, I will make it my duty to encourage the creation and success of this structuring project for the community,” said Janie Béïque, President and CEO of the Fonds de solidarité, FTQ and co-chair of GALOPH.

The new working group has eight months to present a business plan.

“The hippodrome site has the potential to become an eco-district that will inspire future generations and other major cities around the world. As an administration, we have the advantage of both owning and developing this land. An opportunity like this comes along only once in a generation. And to achieve our goal, we need a solid business plan. That’s why we’ve set up GALOPH, a group of experts from different backgrounds whose work will be critical to the way forward. Within the next eight months, we’ll have a business plan that will enable us to innovate in terms of the financial model and partnerships to be put in place. This is a pivotal moment in the site’s development, and we’re seizing it fully,” said Valérie Plante, the Mayor of Montréal.

The new Namur-Hippodrome development will run on both sides of the Décarie expressway, along the Jean-Talon axis. It aims to create 12 500 housing units, include green spaces and infrastructure, as well as offer services nearby, including schools.

The official opposition at Montreal city hall reacted to the news Monday.

“While we applaud the initiative to get everyone around the same table, the overall vision and investments for the development of the Hippodrome are still lacking six years after the agreement was signed. The discussion tables are multiplied without any response to the housing players’ criticisms. The arrival of the Quebec government, the Government of Canada and the partners augurs well for assuming the leadership sorely lacking in the sector’s development, although their assumption of responsibility constitutes a return to the starting line,” said Alan DeSousa, Official Opposition Infrastructure Critic.