Lou Mantien, Montreal
8657309 this_didn’t_exist_yet@gmail.com
City of Montreal begins the process of urban renewal, angering some residents
The residents have organized into a citizens committee to better voice their concerns and demands to the city.
Montreal, Quebec – May 9, 1966
As the city of Montreal begins the process of urban revitalization a group of concerned citizens have come forth to protest the proposals put forth by the city. A number of citizens living within neighborhood located within the south west borough of the city known as Little Burgundy have organized into a citizens committee to have their voices heard.
The area is slated to be re-developed into a block of low-income housing. The city has begun the process of expropriation and has displaced a number of citizens within the area. The city maintains that this is for the betterment of the community, but families within the area have been less receptive of the idea. The committee puts forth that the new rent and taxation models put forth by the city would be unlivable for many of the families that call this place home, in addition the community is troubled on the basis of losing their existing homes, with many feeling like what they have now is good enough. Many citizens have raised issues finding appropriate temporary housing in other neighborhoods throughout the city and others still do not have the capital required to simply uproot and move.
“So we got out of there when they gave us a few hundred dollars, one-hundred dollars, two-hundred dollars. Maybe some of them got more but people were lucky enough to get enough to get out of there you know?” – Noël Duadlien. resident of Little Burgundy and member of the citizens committee.
The requests of the citizens community include a majority say in the control of the redevelopment, a more agreeable rental rate based on the income of the highest earner in the house. Along with this the committee asks that they are present at the ratification of the new lease at the conclusion of the development. The committee declares this based on the recent redevelopment of other local neighborhoods which have been criticized by citizens. These criticisms include heightened rental rates and intrusive supervision by the city. The committee also raises various other issues to the city, including “unfortunate” segregation and various evictions.
The city has declared that while the issues highlighted in other neighborhoods are unfortunate, they are merely the result of of the due process involving local administration and laws dictating these actions. Despite these assurances the committee has made the demand that they are fully included in the debates involving their community as to avoid the issues that beset other neighborhoods.
John Doe, A member of the committee can be quoted as saying “What we want in our homes is freedom, freedom to be there, freedom to live. When you go home you wanna feel home”. The City has been in conact with the committee, with the issues and concerns of the community being raised to the planning board at city hall.
Montreal is currently undergoing the process of urban revitalization, tearing down many old and dilapidated dwellings to be replaced with new low-rent housing. The neighborhood of Little Burgundy is the first facing the issues that arise from this situation, nearly 14,000 thousand individuals call the neighborhood their home and are facing eviction from longtime dwellings.