Controversy over temporary car shelters continues in Montreal’s West Island

Charlotte Gibson is still hoping the city of Dollard-des-Ormeaux will grant her exemption to allow her and her husband the right to keep a temporary car shelter on their driveway through the winter.

“I have two doctors that state I require reasonable accommodation for a tempo,” the homeowner told Global News.

The homeowner insists she has a physical disability that precludes her from removing snow and ice from her car and that a temporary shelter is the solution.

“I don’t see the big issue of having a tempo. I’ve been told by the mayor that they’re dangerous. Then why does all of Montreal have them?” she said.

Gibson and her husband have installed a temporary car port every winter for the past several years in violation of Dollard’s bylaw.

This year, their car shelter is covered with Halloween decorations and serves as a creepy indoor area for people to visit during the Halloween season.

READ MORE: Montreal resident continues her fight to keep temporary carport for Halloween

But Gibson wants the right to keep it up in the winter. She has already received almost $15,000 in fines for violating Dollard’s ban on car shelters.

“I happen to require a tempo and I’m being denied that. I would like them to understand what that does to somebody,” she said.

But the mayor of Dollard-des-Ormeaux says he’s trying to be reasonable with Gibson.

“I remain flexible and the city of Dollard remains flexible,” Alex Bottausci, Dollard-des-Ormeaux Mayor told Global News.

Bottausci says he’s willing to rescind the fines if Gibson removes the shelter in November but he can’t grant her an exemption to keep it up in the winter because Gibson already has a garage.

“It’s a one and a half garage, if I remember out of memory. So what better respite do you have other than your garage that is personally connected to your home?” Bottausci said.

The debate over car shelters is very split in Montreal’s West Island neighbourhoods.

READ MORE: DDO residents want tempo ban lifted

In addition to Dollard-des-Ormeaux, car shelters are also prohibited in Senneville, Baie-D’Urfé, Kirkland, Beaconsfield and Pointe-Claire.

However, temporary shelters are permitted in the Montreal boroughs of Ile-Bizard-Sainte-Geneviève and Pierrefonds-Roxboro as well as the suburban municipalities of Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue and Dorval.

”They’re allowed because there are residents who would appreciate that kind of protection over their driveway during the winter time,” Dorval Mayor Marc Doret told Global News.

Doret says he won’t get involved in the conflict in Dollard, adding it’s up to each municipality to decide what’s in the best interest of their residents.