City of Montreal protects Boisé Steinberg wooded area from new developments

The city of Montreal announced that the wooded area of Boisé Steinberg will officially be preserved in the Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve borough.

The city recently acquired a portion of the CN’s Longue-Pointe land – Boisé Vimont – in the Assomption Sud–Longue-Pointe sector.

These two areas will eventually be connected by a green corridor, which will create a buffer zone between industrial work and residential neighbourhoods, including Viauville. 

At press conference on Thursday, the city said this decision comes after citizens expressed their concerns about the impacts from industrial developments in the area.

“We worked a lot for almost seven years, and now we’re very proud to announce the creation of these green spaces in the area,” said Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve borough mayor Pierre Lessard-Blais. “We want to reduce the nuisances as well as industrial activities in the sector. So, by protecting the whole Boisé Steinberg and creating that green corridor, that’s what we’re doing. We’re doing what we said we would, and we were very proud of it.”

According to the City of Montreal, only multifunctional trails and bike paths will be able to cross the wooded area.

Boisé Steinberg has around 39,000 square metres of green space and Boisé Vimont measures 34,000 square metres between Viauville and the Ray-Mont Logistique site.

The city wants to minimize neighbourhood traffic and redirect construction trucks out of residential areas.

“We have always made the preservation of green spaces a priority, particularly in this area of eastern Montreal, where industrial activities increase the need,” said Projet Montréal member Sophie Mauzerolle. “By preserving these two important green islands, residents will be able to enjoy a green and peaceful environment for generations to come.”

Montreal reached a deal in 2022 with Hydro-Québec to exchange land so that construction work would be carried out on the north side of Hochelaga Street, rather than in the woodlot.

The city agreed to pay $27 million to Hydro-Québec for 40 per cent of Boisé Steinberg to preserve the green space.

“Starting today, citizens will have the certainty of being able to enjoy this magnificent green space in complete peace and quiet in the years to come,” explained Maisonneuve-Longue-Pointe councillor Alia Hassan-Cournol. “The development of the wasteland into a linear park, for which we will propose a co-creation process to citizens, will aim to enhance this biodiversity landmark.”

Alexandre Leduc, Québec solidaire member for Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, called this “excellent news.”

“The full preservation of the Steinberg woodland, the green strip connecting the woodlands, [..] are all elements that I’ve been calling for for years and that will be good for the neighbourhood. I’d also like to mention the sustained involvement of residents, the Mob6600 group and the Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve borough! Even though a huge step forward has been taken today, this is not the end of the matter. I will continue to put pressure on the Ministry of the Environment to ensure that Ray-Mont Logistics respects its hours of operation as well as its obligations in terms of air quality and noise pollution,” said Leduc in a statement.