Montreal to invest $2-million in security, development and entertainment in the Village

The City of Montreal has announced a new investment of $2-million in security, economic development and entertainment in the Village. This news comes just ahead of the Village’s 18th summer season on Friday, when the strip of Ste-Catherine East that lies at the heart of the LGBTQ2IA+ quarter will be closed to traffic and terrasses will open.

Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante said that the new investment aims to “improve the dynamism and feeling of security in the Village.” Particular attention will be paid to Place Emilie-Gamelin.

The city, via the PME, has also put out a call for projects, and plans to spend $500,000 on pitches aimed at “improving the feeling of security and the attractiveness of the Village.”

Today’s announcement follows an investment of $150-million in the redevelopment of Ste-Catherine in 2023. Last year, the city also pledged 40 additional resources from Montreal police, supported by dedicated social workers trained to support the homeless and the mentally ill.

In today’s statement, Plante addressed the Village’s vulnerable population, noting that despite the city’s ongoing efforts to address homelessness and mental health challenges — via emergency shelters and joint social worker and police brigades — it’s clear that more needs to be done.

“The street is neither a hospital, nor social housing, nor a mental health clinic. In the Village, there are too many vulnerable people who do not have a roof over their heads and who do not have access to the care they need. As long as we cannot collectively provide vulnerable people with shelter and the necessary health care, vulnerability will continue to exist on the streets. While social housing projects are emerging and services are developing, the city must act in the Village by virtue of its powers, and that is what we are doing.”

On ne baissera pas les bras devant les défis du Village et de ses commerçants. Aujourd’hui, on annonce de nouveaux investissements de 2 M$ pour améliorer le dynamisme et le sentiment de sécurité dans le Village.

🧵⬇️ pic.twitter.com/zeAyPPqDAW

— Valérie Plante (@Val_Plante) May 16, 2024

City officials also inaugurated the new Village Square today, launching a space for events and informal gatherings, with a terrasse café.

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