Developers of the Cap Nature Pierrefonds West housing project are still considering legal action against the City of Montreal over its plans to build Canada’s largest urban park.
“We live in a society with a rule of law and you can’t simply confiscate people’s property and not indemnify them,” said lawyer Ali Argun, who is representing the three developers.
Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante announced the creation of the park in early August. At 15 times the size of Mount Royal park, the 3,000 hectare park would encompass five existing green spaces in the West Island, spanning across Pierrefonds-Roxboro, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue and Ile-Bizard.
At the time, Plante said the city was abandoning an agreement to develop the land, saying green space on the island needs to be conserved.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also pledged $50 million toward the project earlier this week, saying the federal government believes in “the protection of the environment and protecting the future for us all.”
READ MORE: Ottawa pledges $50M to build sprawling urban park in Montreal’s West Island
However, developers complain the city hasn’t communicated with them and they are worried for the millions of dollars they have already spent on the project.
Their vision was to build 5,500 homes on the land near Cap Saint-Jacques — of which one third would be dedicated to low-income housing. They also planned on building schools, playgrounds, shopping and business districts.
As part of the project, they had also planned to give 180 hectares of the 360 hectares they own to the city for conservation purposes. It took the promoters almost 15 years to conceive the project.
The developers say they aren’t ready to abandon it in favour of an urban park. Argun sent a legal notice to Plante last week, asking for a meeting. Other than an acknowledging receipt, he says he has heard nothing from the city.
His clients developed their project with the help of the city and former mayor Denis Coderre had endorsed the plans.
READ MORE: Montreal planning to create largest urban park in Canada
Argun says they are now worried about their multi-million dollar investment.
“There has not been any transparency with the city,” Argun said.
“I think it’s correct to say they are frustrated and I think it’s correct to say their patience has run out.”
Earlier this month, Plante announced she was stopping development plans in favour of the park.
“Such a project was simply unacceptable,” she said on Aug. 8.
READ MORE: Urban park on West Island welcomed news, but environmentalists call for more
The developers warn they are ready for a fight. The city has a total budget of $125 million to develop the park — but the promoters say compensating them could cost much more.
“I can tell you that it is in the hundreds of millions of dollars and the city knows this to be true,” Argun said.
For her part, Plante said earlier this week she would meet with developers. She just didn’t say when.
“They did ask for a meeting. Of course we will be meeting with them,” Plante said. “We hope they will be partners, so we will meet with them and from there we will see how it goes.”
The developers have given the city until the end of August to respond to their request to sit down and have a conversation.
If a meeting isn’t scheduled soon, they say they will consider all of their options, which could include a lawsuit.
WATCH BELOW: West Island developers demand compensation for Montreal’s urban park plans