How Montreal's administration defends decision to ignore public consultation on Camillien-Houde

Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante ran on a promise to involve citizens more in city planning, but her recent decision to close Camillien-Houde Way to traffic has critics questioning her commitment to that promise.

The opposition claims ignoring the findings of one of the most contentious, heavily attended public consultations in the city's history is just one example of Plante making decisions against the will of the people.

And this isn't the only example of the mayor going against popular opinion, according to Aref Salem, leader of Ensemble Montréal.

But when it comes to Camillien-Houde way, the Plante administration contends it is following most of the recommendations made by the Office de consultation publique de Montréal (OCPM) — recommendations Mayor Plante promised she would abide by.

Plante's administration argues that closing the road is a decision made for the greater good of the community and environment — replacing a busy street with greenery, trees, a pedestrian path and bike lane while boosting public transit in the area.

"The OCPM didn't give us a game plan," said Sophie Mauzerolle, executive committee member in charge of mobility and transportation.

"There were like 17 recommendations and we are following the vast majority of them."

She described it as an ambitious but necessary decision to make to improve safety. She said the decision is backed by many key organizations and residents who see the value in expanding the park's green space in an age where climate change is a global threat.

She said the Plante administration wants people to be able to safely access and enjoy the park rather than use it as a shortcut.

And by delaying the project to 2027, there is time for the city to properly plan this project to best meet the needs of the community, she said.

While there may be some opposition to the project, the public is also demanding more action on climate change, and her administration is responding to that demand throughout the city, she said.

In this case, some 10,000 cars are passing over the mountain daily, and 80 per cent of drivers are using it as a shortcut, she said.

But that doesn't mean all those cars are going to clog surrounding streets and pump exhaust into the air, because the city is increasing access to public transit, according to Mauzerolle.

Plante's announcement in early September came as a surprise to anybody who has followed the Camillien-Houde Way drama since Clément Ouimet, an 18-year-old cyclist, died when he collided with a U-turning vehicle in 2017.