Suspicious fires: citizens of downtown Montreal worried

A homelessness verbally attacked the candidate for the town hall of Montreal, Soraya Martinez Ferrada, who had summoned the media on Wednesday near Boulevard Saint-Laurent, between De Maisonneuve and Ontario, theater of three suspicious fires in the last 18 months.

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Gathered behind a building partially destroyed by the flames on April 7, traders have in turn made their fears heard. They suspect squatters of having accidentally lit fires. Nothing makes it possible to establish that these are criminal fires, but it is not uncommon to see itinerants find refuge in vacant buildings. The city center alone has around thirty.

Buildings threatening to be burned or collapsing, vermin, drug addiction and crime issues: the police are struggling to meet the needs as many, reports Ms. Martinez Ferrada.

The statistical assessment of the district 21 station demonstrates that the number of criminal fires in this Ville-Marie sector experienced an increase of 160 % for the last quarter of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.

Plant administration cabinet reaction

For her part, the administration of the mayor Valérie Plante assured that her team was making downtown security “a priority”. She also said herself listening to the proposals of the opposition head.

“If the opposition candidate shares our desire to prioritize the security of the city center, he is invited to offer additional actions instead of mentioning gestures that are already underway,” replied Alia Hassan Cournol, associated advisor in Ville-Marie, in a message sent to TVA Nouvelles on Wednesday.

The city claims to have redeployed the workforce of neighborhood posts 21 and 22 to increase the presence on foot of patrollers and inspectors. More than thirty police officers are deployed to patrol the streets on foot.

“We took very seriously and with heart the concerns of citizens and traders who came to advice yesterday, who must be reassured: all the work is underway to ensure a security and dynamic city center,” said the city representative. Rue Saint-Laurent is the subject of particular attention from the district and there are many initiatives, in collaboration with our partners, to increase the feeling of security and facilitate cohabitation in the city center. ”

Ms. Hassan Cournol stresses that nearly a million dollars have been invested for “new social cohabitation brigades” in order to work in the city center, and more particularly in the Spectacles district and the Chinese district.

As for the burned building, it was demolished immediately after the event, it was said.

“Nine inspections were carried out in the neighboring building and two offense notices were given to the owner,” added the advisor. A new inspection report is being analyzed and the teams will issue an immediate demolition notice if an imminent risk is noted. ”