Montreal will redo more of Ste-Catherine Street to fix aging pipes, install 2 pedestrian squares

The City of Montreal will completely tear up even more of Ste-Catherine Street West next summer to repair aging pipes — and, while they're at it, make it more pedestrian-friendly, and even pedestrian-only, in some areas.

Mayor Valérie Plante announced the plan on Wednesday at an afternoon press conference. Much of the stretch of Ste-Catherine between Peel and St-Marc streets has to be redone, she said. Some of that work has already begun, but the city said the next stage is scheduled to start in the summer of 2025.

Underground infrastructure in that area, including pipes, was installed in the 1800s and hasn't been updated.

"To avoid burst pipes in the city centre, we must shoulder our responsibilities and quickly replace the underground infrastructure," she said in a statement. "Every time we are forced to carry out work, particularly to change the pipes, we must seize the opportunity to improve the street for businesses, residents and visitors alike."

Plante said the work would turn the stretch of Ste-Catherine into a "dynamic" and "welcoming" locale. A city news release said the work would include widened sidewalks, bollards and greenery — all intended to make it more pleasant for pedestrians and encourage people to take public transit to the area, instead of driving. 

The city will also install pedestrian-only areas on two blocks of Ste-Catherine. One of them, Place McGill, will be between Robert-Bourassa Boulevard and Mansfield Street, the other, Place Concordia, between Bishop and Guy streets. 

WATCH | Construction on Ste-Catherine street is on pause for winter:

Construction barriers come down as Ste-Catherine Street revamp takes a pause

9 days ago

Duration 2:16

While a multi-year project to redesign Montreal's famous downtown boulevard into a haven for pedestrians still has much left to accomplish, some of the progress made during the second phase will be visible and accessible this winter.

The work will be painful, the city acknowledged, for businesses in the area. It will make driving and parking more difficult and impede pedestrian traffic, too.

The city plans to spend $700,000 on mitigation measures in 2025. Those measures include maintaining access to businesses in the area at all times, hiring a full-time employee to act as a liaison and reducing the impact of the construction on those businesses.

Business owners can also apply for up to $45,000 in financial aid.

The work will take a long time, however, and may only be fully completed by 2030, Plante said.

The city has nearly completed work on the section of Ste-Catherine between Mansfield and Peel streets. Construction in that area widened sidewalks and reduced car traffic down to one lane. The city called it a more "welcoming" layout for pedestrians, but businesses in the area decried a lack of customers during the work. 

Lack of consultation criticized

Glenn Castanheira, the executive director of the SDC Montréal Centre-Ville, which represents downtown merchants, said the city failed to consult with business owners before announcing its plan.

He urged the city to postpone the work until after the next municipal election, which is set to be held next year. 

In the meantime, he said, the city could conduct a pilot project to see if turning parts of Ste-Catherine West into pedestrian-only zones is actually a good idea.