A new universally accessible level crossing is now open in the MIL Montréal sector, creating a direct, ground-level connection between Parc-Extension and Outremont across Canadian Pacific railway tracks, a physical barrier that has long limited easy movement between the two neighbourhoods.
The new link connects Avenue de L’Épée on the Parc-Extension side to Avenue de la Gare-de-Triage on the Outremont side, providing a shorter and more intuitive route for pedestrians and cyclists travelling between Parc-Extension, the Nouvel Outremont sector and the nearby Université de Montréal MIL campus.
City officials framed the opening as both a mobility upgrade and a response to years of community pressure. In statements reported by multiple outlets, Outremont Mayor Caroline Braun called it a “long-awaited” step, noting residents have been calling for the project since at least 2016. Jean-François Lalonde, mayor of Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension, said the new connection helps “open up” and “de-enclave” the sector and supports safer, more fluid travel between the boroughs.
Montreal Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada said the crossing reflects the city’s intent to make day-to-day life easier and aligns with a vision of mobility that is accessible, integrated and safe.
What changes for Parc-Extension residents
For Parc-Extension, the impact is practical. This part of the neighbourhood sits beside major rail infrastructure, and while the area has gained new destinations in recent years, including the fast-growing MIL Montréal campus zone, direct crossings have been limited. The new level crossing adds another option close to key walking and cycling routes, reducing detours and concentrating movement in a designed, signposted corridor rather than informal cut-throughs.
The City of Montréal describes the work as the “Aménagement d’un passage à niveau dans le prolongement de l’avenue De L’Épée”, and notes that the pedestrian and cycling link includes bollards, chicanes and new signage, and that work is now complete.
“Universally accessible” is a key detail for local users: it signals that the route is intended to work for people using wheelchairs or mobility aids, parents with strollers, and cyclists moving at low speed through a protected passage, rather than relying on stair-based infrastructure.
A piece of the larger MIL Montréal redevelopment
The crossing is also part of the long-term MIL Montréal redevelopment, one of the city’s major transformation projects in the north-central part of the island. The city’s MIL project overview describes a roughly 118-hectare redevelopment of the former Canadian Pacific railway yard and surrounding lands spanning multiple boroughs, with work that began in 2012 and is expected to unfold over about two decades.
In other words, the new crossing is not only about today’s foot traffic. It is also an enabling piece of infrastructure for a district that is adding housing, public spaces and institutions, and drawing more daily movement from Parc-Extension toward the MIL campus area and back again.
Political and community advocacy around improving access in this zone has been visible for years. Project Montréal communications from 2021, for example, described ongoing work on the linear park redevelopment of the former railway lands (later identified as Parc de la Traversée) and highlighted involvement from a citizens committee in the project’s development.
Why it matters now
Parc-Extension has been experiencing rapid change, with rising foot traffic tied to new institutional anchors and nearby construction. The area is increasingly frequented by students, workers and residents moving to and from the MIL campus. In that context, new connections are not only about convenience, but also about safety, by encouraging people to cross where infrastructure, visibility and rules are clearly defined.
The city has not presented the De L’Épée crossing as the final word on connectivity in the MIL sector. Instead, it is one milestone in an evolving network of paths and public spaces that will continue to take shape as the broader redevelopment proceeds.
