The summer of 2025 was one of the hottest Montréal has ever recorded, and nowhere was that heat felt more acutely than in Parc-Extension. With dense construction, limited vegetation, and a high concentration of paved surfaces, the neighbourhood once again ranked among the city’s most intense urban heat islands.
Data collected by the City of Montréal through its Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension borough confirmed that surface and air temperatures in the district regularly exceeded citywide averages. Environment and Climate Change Canada noted that June 24 reached 35.6 °C, setting a new record for the month, and municipal heat-map surveys showed that areas such as Parc-Extension retained elevated temperatures well into the night.
Urban-climate specialists have long identified Parc-Extension as a zone of heightened vulnerability. A 2025 study published in the scientific journal Buildings found that Montréal’s older, densely built districts experience significantly lower thermal comfort during heat waves, primarily due to a lack of tree canopy and reflective materials. The study linked this pattern directly to social and economic conditions, noting that low-income renters are the most exposed to indoor overheating.
To mitigate these risks, Montréal has continued to expand its greening programs. The borough has begun planting additional trees, converting paved alleys into “green” corridors, and promoting reflective roofing materials to reduce surface heat. City data show that each increase of ten percent in tree canopy can lower local air temperatures by as much as one degree Celsius. These projects form part of the city’s broader Climate Plan, which seeks to adapt the urban environment to more frequent and intense heat waves.
Yet the environmental challenge intersects with a complex social reality. Parc-Extension remains one of Montréal’s most affordable neighbourhoods, but housing costs are rising steadily. According to recent rental market analyses, the average two-bedroom apartment in the area now rents for close to 1,900 dollars per month, up nearly seventy percent since 2019. Community researchers warn that environmental improvements, while vital, may unintentionally accelerate gentrification by attracting new investment and raising property values.
Municipal officials acknowledge the need to balance climate resilience with housing security. The borough’s latest strategic plan calls for equitable urban greening that includes social-housing protection and community consultation before major redevelopment. Several pilot projects, including shared gardens and shaded play areas near Saint-Roch Park, are designed to enhance livability without triggering displacement.
Public-health authorities continue to emphasize the importance of accessible cooling infrastructure. During the summer heat waves, Montréal opened air-conditioned libraries, recreation centres, and public halls as “cooling spaces,” and expanded outreach to vulnerable populations. The initiative, coordinated with the regional health agency CIUSSS du Nord-de-l’Île-de-Montréal, aims to ensure that residents in high-density neighbourhoods like Parc-Extension have safe refuges during extreme heat.
As autumn settles in, the city is already reviewing the lessons of this record-breaking summer. Parc-Extension stands at the intersection of two pressing urban challenges: adapting to a changing climate and protecting affordability in a neighbourhood where most residents rent their homes. The decisions made in the coming months about greening, zoning, and social housing will determine whether the next wave of summer heat finds the community more resilient or more divided.
