Pierrefonds development project comes under fire by public consultation body

A controversial housing project in Montreal's Pierrefonds borough has hit a roadblock.

The l'Anse-a-l'Orme residential project has drawn criticism from Montreal's public consultation body, the OCPM.

If erected, the city-backed project would include 5,000 residential units. The proposed project site is located in western Pierrefonds, an area that is home to a variety of wildlife and green space.

The OCPM published a report on Friday, criticizing the project's lack of transparency in terms of planning, and pointing out an overall lack of public consensus.

"This majority opinion needs to be taken into account," said Dominique Ollivier, the head of the agency.

• Opposition joins to fight housing project in Pierrefonds park

Fogginess on issues like transportation, flooding risk, and the impact of future transportation projects also contributed to the agency's stance.

Ollivier added that the OCPM is not shutting the door on this project's development as a whole — only the current plan.

For environmental activists like Sue Stacho, this is a small victory.

"[The report] echoes what we were most concerned about in terms of transparency and making sure that the public has a chance give their opinion on conservation," Stachotold CBC.

The OCPM's recommendations are not legally binding, but incumbent mayor Jim Beis said he will respect the recommendations