Port of Montreal launches working group to strengthen cohabitation with nearby neighbourhoods

The Montreal Port Authority (MPA), alongside officials from all levels of government, has launched a working group aimed at improving the relationship between port operations and nearby communities.

The initiative brings together municipal, provincial and federal representatives with a shared goal of fostering better cohabitation between the Port of Montreal and the surrounding boroughs.

“This project is a shared pledge to attune port activities and city life,” the MPA said in a statement.

The working group’s mandate is to ensure the needs and concerns of residents living near the port are at the centre of future planning. Its members will focus on proactive collaboration when it comes to infrastructure development, disturbance management and urban planning adjacent to port territory.

“Members will pay particular attention to the importance of upstream collaboration on projects and initiatives aimed at improving cohabitation between the port and the city, whether in terms of infrastructure or facilities, managing disturbances or urban planning adjacent to port territory,” the statement read.

The committee held its first meeting March 10 and discussed several potential projects. The MPA said it wants the group to serve as a forum where community-based improvement ideas can be shared and acted upon.

“This means that the main objective for all stakeholders involved is to engage in proactive and ongoing dialogue in the interest of prioritizing and planning future projects and initiatives together.”

The working group includes representatives from the borough of Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, the Ville de Montréal-Est and Montreal’s economic development team at the municipal level; the electoral districts of Pointe-aux-Trembles and Camille-Laurin provincially; and the federal ridings of Laurier–Sainte-Marie, Hochelaga and Pointe-de-l’Île.

Meetings will continue with a focus on identifying new opportunities, responding to residents’ concerns and ensuring what the MPA describes as “harmonious cohabitation.”

“This forum will also serve as a platform to act on opportunities for improvement stemming from the community.”