Businesses in the Latin Quarter denounce having been informed very recently that work was going to begin this week on Ontario Street and therefore fear that the end of the terrace season will fall through the cracks.
“The busiest period is now and the next few weeks […] Inflation, the start of the school year, we tried to add new products to increase sales a little, and at the same time as we made efforts, the work began,” says the director of Délices Sirar, located in Ontario. , Sirar Charba.
His business, restaurant and grocery store selling oriental products, is one of 3,600 places that recently received a notice informing them that construction would begin shortly after the letter was sent, i.e. from September 23. The document in question mentions that the work will first be located in Ontario between Berri and Atateken before continuing further west for an approximate duration of eight months.
Photo Agence QMI, MARIE-LAURENCE DELAINEY
“Already, the majority of customers are complaining that there is no parking. And what’s more, the work will further reduce the places,” fears Mme Chariot.
According to our information, the project in question aims to renovate the century-old sewer collector under Ontario Street to avoid a water main break like the one that occurred in the Centre-Sud, more than a month ago, which had generated an impressive geyser.
“We understand that there is a need to carry out work, we are not tempted to be flooded,” admits the general director of the Latin Quarter Commercial Development Company, Julien Vaillancourt Laliberté, who would however have preferred to be consulted.
“Be informed first, so that we can inform the members […] like we’re supposed to be partners. Unfortunately, that’s not the impression it gives,” he said.
Most of the traders met also understand the urgency of the work, but deplore not having been informed of any mitigation or financial measures.
“To learn like that, three days in advance, that they are still going to do work […] It’s a lack of respect for traders,” said the owner of Saint-Bock, in Saint-Denis, Martin Guimond.
Photo Agence QMI, MARIE-LAURENCE DELAINEY
The Second Cup on Saint-Denis, which has just passed through the work of the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) at the Berri-UQAM station, says it has seen a 30% reduction in its customer base since the start of this project. in 2022.
“Construction non-stop, the City, the STM, etc. I’ve only just seen the asphalt. Nobody wants to come to the Latin Quarter. There are no parking lots, too much dust and noise. Nobody wants to drink coffee or read a newspaper on the terrace […] There, you add yet another tick,” explains the owner of the Second Cup, Ali Abdalla.
For his part, the spokesperson for the City of Montreal, Hugo Bourgoin, recalls that a “liaison agent has been assigned to the file” for merchants who have “questions” or “concerns”. He adds that details related to financial assistance are available on the City’s website.
