In a move designed to protect more green space on the Island of Montreal, the city’s executive committee signed a deal with Hydro-Québec to protect a 29,000 square metre parcel of wooded land in the Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve borough.
The property, known as le Boisé Steinberg, was set to be developed by the public utility company to build a new power substation. But a public outcry led to a $27 million deal between Montreal and Hydro-Quebec to keep it green.
“One thing that we will do for sure is to protect this area and make sure it remains green,” Marie-Andrée Mauger, Montreal executive committee member told Global News.
Hydro-Québec plans to build its substation across the street on industrial land that is mostly made of gravel.
The public utility company admits it’s in everyone’s interest to keep the green space undeveloped, but officials insist a new substation in the area is needed, the current one dates back to the 1950s and demand has grown.
“Demand for electricity have increased a lot so we really need to build a new substation to make sure we can bring the electricity,” Julie Boucher, the Hydro-Québec Sustainable Development vp told Global News.
Residents in the area are thrilled with the decision.
“There’s a wetland, there’s beautiful trees, it smells good,” Anaïse Houde, a local resident who supports green space protection, told Global News.
The latest purchase of the land by Montreal is part of its island wide conservation efforts to increase bio diversity and fight climate change.
“We aim to protect ten percent of the territory of Montreal. So far, we’re about six per cent close to our goal,” Mauger said.
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But not all the land at the Boisé Steinberg is protected.
A portion is owned by Transports-Québec and some fear the government may eventually build a new road on their property.
“That’s the really, really bad news,” Houde said.
Conservationists promise to maintain their battle of protecting more green space for themselves and future generations.
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