As Montreal grapples with an escalating housing crisis, a deeper question has emerged: where, and how, should the city grow? From forested plots on the West Island to densely packed blocks in Park Extension, the debate over land use has become a defining issue of our time.
A Crisis That Touches Every Borough
Virtually everyone agrees that Montreal needs more housing. Vacancy rates are at record lows, prices are pushing young families to the suburbs, and waiting lists for affordable units are years long. Yet almost every new project—no matter its scale or location—faces resistance from residents worried about losing green space, community character, or livability.
In Pointe-Claire, activists are fighting to protect a 16-hectare woodland near the Fairview shopping centre and a future REM station. The citizen group Save Fairview Forest, represented by Sandra Maki, wants construction redirected to the mall’s existing asphalt lots rather than the adjacent forest. Similar battles are playing out on Nun’s Island, in Westmount, and across the South Shore, where proposed developments threaten to replace trees with towers.
The Local Dimension: Park Extension’s Dilemma
In Park Extension, the dynamics are different but the tension is familiar. Here, the issue is not untouched forest but the relentless pressure on an already built-out neighbourhood. Developers eye older duplexes for demolition and replacement with micro-apartments, while residents fear displacement and the loss of what little communal green space remains.
For many families, the patchwork of small parks—Jarry, Bloomfield, and Howard among them—represents the only open air their children can access daily. Projects that add height without adding parks risk pushing the district beyond its breaking point.
Urban sociologists note that the same planning logic applies at both extremes: the suburbs fight densification to preserve trees, while inner-city districts struggle to preserve community as density increases. Both, however, reflect a single metropolitan challenge—how to balance housing necessity with environmental and social well-being.
The Democratic Gridlock
“Democracy is essential, but it can also slow down urgent solutions,” says Kevin Manaugh, associate professor of geography and environment at McGill University, who studies the intersection of housing and sustainability. Citizen consultations and local referendums, he explains, ensure transparency but often delay projects for years.
The Quebec government has explored loosening those procedural requirements to accelerate construction, yet that idea itself provokes controversy. Critics warn that weakening public input would erode trust and sideline community voices, especially in neighbourhoods like Park Extension where residents already feel unheard.
Toward Smarter Density
Experts increasingly argue that the answer lies in “smart density”—focusing new housing near public-transit hubs while preserving vital ecological corridors. For Montreal, that means encouraging mid-rise and family-friendly apartments around the REM and Metro lines rather than sprawling subdivisions on the city’s periphery.
Such policies could relieve pressure on older central districts while allowing suburban zones to grow without destroying natural areas. “It’s not about choosing between roofs and roots,” as one urban planner quipped, “but learning how they can coexist.”
Data-Driven Decisions
Initiatives like the Canadian Housing Observatory (CHO) are helping policymakers ground these debates in real data rather than emotion. By mapping housing availability, affordability, and transit access, the CHO aims to make the trade-offs clearer—and the decisions fairer.
For residents of Park Extension and beyond, this data can’t come soon enough. Montreal’s next municipal elections will determine who sets the rules for how and where the city builds. The leaders chosen this fall won’t just decide where the next condo rises or forest falls—they will define what kind of Montreal we leave for the next generation.
