Plaza Saint-Hubert will be Montreal's newest pedestrian zone this summer – Montreal

For the first time this summer, the Plaza Saint-Hubert will become a pedestrian street between rue Bellechasse and rue Jean-Talon.

About a dozen of Montreal's commercial arteries go car-free every summer, and the Plaza will be the newest addition to the project. About 400 enterprises work in this region.

This year, city officials say more than nine kilometers of Montreal streets will be pedestrianized across the city and 2,100 businesses will be within walking distance.

“Pedestrian streets are good, but it also brings more people to enjoy the streets and see the city in a different way during the summer,” said Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante.

Parking access is a factor in determining a pedestrian zone. Plante said there are 500 parking spaces near St. Hubert Plaza, as well as three subway stations nearby.

Paola Pabol, owner of Sabor Latino in St. Hubert, advocates for a pedestrianized street.

“I think it will be good for us as owners because we will see more customers,” Pabol said. “With no cars, I think we have the freedom to walk.”

Kimberly Aimee shops and gets her hair and nails done at the Plaza every month. It also supports car-free travel in the summer.

“You can do anything here,” he said.

The city will invest $12 million in the pedestrian zone initiative over the next three years with financial assistance from the Quebec government.

Montreal Ensemble opposition leader Aref Salem asked how the new pedestrian zone would be implemented.

“The funding envelope for pedestrian projects has not increased, but the Plante administration is announcing the addition of a pedestrian street,” Salem said in a statement.

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He also criticized the fact that the Plaza pedestrian zone was different from what was originally promised. “Mayor Plante has said in recent months that Old Montreal will be a pedestrian kingdom in the summer of 2024, but still radio silence,” Salem said.

Montreal's pedestrianized streets for 2024 include:

• Bernard Avenue between Wiseman and Bloomfield Avenues
  From May 20 to September 30
• East of Duluth Ave
  Between Boulevard Saint-Laurent and Rue Saint-Hubert
  From May 14 to October 15
• Mont-Royal Ave
  Between Boulevard Saint-Laurent and Rue Saint-Denis: from June 5 to October 14
  Between rue Saint-Denis and rue de Lorimier: from June 5 to August 26
• Place Marche du Nord (Jean Talon Market) between avenues Casgrain and avenues Henri-Julien
  From June 6 to October 13
• Place Saint-Hubert between rue Bellechasse and rue Jean-Talon
  From July 4 to August 25
• East of rue de Castelnau between rue Saint-Denis and rue de Gaspé
  From May 15 to October 15
• East of Ontario Street between Pi-IX Boulevard and Darling Street
  From June 17 to September 7
• Rue Saint-Denis (and Emery) between Rue Sherbrooke East and Boulevard des Maisonneuve East
  From June 18 to September 17
• East of Rue Ste-Catherine between Rue Saint-Hubert and Avenue Papineau
  From May 17 to October 17
• West Ste-Catherine Street (and part of Balmoral and Clark Streets) between Rue De Blairie and Boulevard Saint-Laurent
  From May 1 to October 31
• Wellington Street between 6th Avenue and Regina Street
  From June 3 to September 15

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