Montreal businesses in the Village criticize city over timing of terrace plant regulations
Posted September 10, 2024 2:51 pm.
Last Updated September 10, 2024 6:52 pm.
During Montreal’s Pride Festival in August, some businesses on Sainte-Catherine Street in the Village received notification from the city that their terrace plants were too tall, following an inspection.
Local business owners feel that the timing was particularly inconvenient, as it fell during one of the busiest weeks of the year.
“I said to myself, ‘This is ridiculous’ receiving such an email during the gay pride,” said Luc Généreux, co-owner of Bar Le Cocktail.
The inspection took place on Aug. 8, during the Pride Festival, which ran from Aug. 1 to Aug. 11.
“The place was very busy because we have drag queen shows and karaoke and this is very popular,” said Généreux. “The downside of it is the terrace is always empty because of all the problems on the street.”
Généreux explained that he added the plants to make the bar more inviting, especially given the challenges in the neighbourhood, such as addiction issues and homelessness.
He says he was shocked when he received the email from the city.
“I find it shocking…how come they’re not able to do anything that works for those people that need help on the street, but they have resources to deal with small things like this,” said Généreux.
The email sent by the city on Aug.16 indicates that the terrace does not fully comply with the regulations. The plants exceed the maximum height requirement of 1.07 metres.
“They sent me a couple of pictures of the one on the corners and this one, the tree here, which is high but pretty slim. So I don’t really see a security [issue] I don’t really see that,” Généreux noted.
While the city will permit the setup for the remainder of the year, Bar Le Cocktail will need to make the necessary adjustments starting next year.
Généreux says his business isn’t the only one facing difficulties. Just down the street, the District Video Lounge received a similar notice.
“My first thought was, how come they don’t do much to help us in the Village but they have time, they have staff, they have resources to inspect the terraces and inspect and check things that are not so important,” said Généreux.
A statement from the Société de développement commercial du Village reads, “As soon the first merchant contacted the SDC to inform us that an inspector from the Ville-Marie borough was making rounds of the terraces, just before our biggest weekend of the year, we immediately called the concerned teams who quickly collaborated with us to resolve the situation. Although our members, the merchants of the Village, did not receive any statement of offence from the borough, only warnings, several weeks after the visit, certain regulations, such as the height of plants, absolutely need to be reconsidered, especially in a neighbourhood where vegetation helps improve customers’ sense of safety on the terraces.”
The Village is the heart of the 2SLGBTQ+ community in the city, but it’s also been facing safety concerns due to homelessness, drug use, and mental health issues in the area.
In May, Mayor Valérie Plante announced $2 million in funding to support social and economic initiatives in the neighbourhood.
This is not the first time the city has faced criticism for how it handles such situations. Earlier in the summer, the city received backlash for shutting down terraces on Peel Street during the Grand Prix weekend in June.
Restaurants in the area were forced to close their terraces due to ‘dangerous conditions’ and were reportedly asked to add fireproof tents or face a $2,000 fine.
The incident resulted in the suspension of two fire safety workers from the Montreal fire department.
In a statement to CityNews, the City of Montreal writes, “The height of plants is mentioned for road safety reasons, to ensure the safety of all users, including drivers and pedestrians. The goal of the inspectors is to enforce the regulations while maintaining a collaborative and supportive approach. That’s why the notice you mentioned does not include any penalties or immediate demands for this year; it is intended as a pedagogical and preventive measure to be corrected for next year.”
However, Généreux says that the section of Sainte-Catherine Street where his bar is located is closed off to vehicles.
“Change the law, change the rules. Let us make something attractive,” said Généreux.
