Advertisement

Plans for old Royal Victoria Hospital get approval stamp despite opposition

Click to play video: 'Plans for old Royal Victoria Hospital get approval stamp despite opposition'
Plans for old Royal Victoria Hospital get approval stamp despite opposition
WATCH: The city of Montreal's public consultation office is giving the green light for plans to redevelop the former site of the Royal Victoria Hospital. The plan was contested in court by the Mohawk Mothers, a group of women who suspect the site could hold unmarked graves. The report highlights concerns and recommends key changes. Global’s Phil Carpenter reports – May 24, 2022

The former Royal Victoria Hospital site is one step closer to becoming a McGill University research facility, following hearings last September by the L’Office de consultation publique de Montréal (OCPM)

In its lengthy report, the office makes 31 recommendations addressing some of the concerns brought forward by various groups.

“There’s a recommendation that we keep a lot of public spaces in this site,” said Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante, saying that is very important for her.

They also noted that the possible presence of Indigenous graves be “treated with deference.”

A group called the Mohwak Mothers, however, who raised concerns about the possibility of graves of Indigenous children on the site, is not satisfied.

“That project [should] be stopped and we need to have an investigation on those lands,” group member Kwetiio told Global News.
Story continues below advertisement

The group believes the bodies may be linked to controversial psychological experiments conducted there in the ’50s and ’60s that received funding from the Canadian government and the United States’ Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

Montreal mayor Valerie Plante agrees that any graves found on the site must be treated with respect.

Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.

Get daily National news

Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

“We need to make sure,” she stressed.  “If there’s any doubts, if we think that there maybe potentially graves there, we need to do it right.”

The Mohawk Mothers say they feel insulted that the OCPM gave the the project the green light and that they and the community should be consulted more before any work is done.

Last March, the group filed a motion in Quebec Superior Court to stop the work on the site.

“We’re going to court next Monday to set the schedule for it and we will challenge everything,” Kahentinetha said.

They said they vow to keep fighting.

Sponsored content

AdChoices