The leader of Projet Montréal, Valérie Plante, accompanied by architect emeritus Phyllis Lambert, has committed to respecting the consensus established in 1992, when the Urban Plan was adopted, regarding the maximum height of Montréal's buildings and to continue to protect the views from and towards Mount Royal.
For the past 30 years, Montreal's development has respected the views towards Mount Royal, which are not permitted to be obscured by buildings that are more than 232 metres above sea level. This consensus has allowed Montreal to develop in a unique way, and even to acquire, in 2006, the status of UNESCO City of Design. Montreal was the first North American city to join UNESCO's Creative Cities Network, demonstrating the international organization's confidence in the City of Montreal's commitment and determination to build on its strength to improve the quality of life of Montrealers. This designation, as well as Montreal's natural and built heritage, are now threatened by the ambivalence of candidate Denis Coderre.
Quotes
"Candidate Coderre's promise, written in his program book and reiterated in media interviews, puts our status as a UNESCO City of Design at risk, in addition to opening the door to a privatization of the views of the Mountain. We will never follow this path, which would not benefit the people of Montreal. The development of Montreal, organized around the preservation of the views to and from Mount Royal, is part of the qualities that have allowed the city to distinguish itself. Our administration will never question the consensus regarding the heights of Montreal's buildings and the protection of views towards Mount Royal. Our administration will never undermine Montreal's built and natural heritage. - Valérie Plante
"A second mandate for Mayor Valérie Plante is necessary to protect the cultural and environmental heritage that Mount Royal represents, as well as the daily quality of life for all Montrealers. Limiting the height of buildings in the downtown core is a fundamental commitment to the future of Montreal and to a sustainable economic recovery that is fair to everyone. Mount Royal is the physical, historical, emotional and ecological heart of our city. Protecting the views to and from the mountain ensures that all Montrealers, of all origins, orientations, languages, and political, social, and philosophical orientations, have access to this jewel. The questioning of the height limits of towers downtown is unacceptable and constitutes a risk for the DNA of Montreal and its uniqueness, represented by the Mountain and the River. - Phyllis Lambert
