For the first time in four years, Saint-Denis Street in Montreal’s Quartier Latin will remain open to traffic this summer — a decision that sparked mixed reactions from merchants in the area. The City of Montreal said ongoing construction around the Berri-UQAM metro station made it necessary to keep the corridor accessible to emergency vehicles. In a statement to CTV News, a spokesperson for the mayor’s office acknowledged the major impact the construction project is having on the neighbourhood. “However, Saint-Denis is a direct route for ambulances transporting patients to the CHUM,” the statement read. The city added that it was trying to offset the impact on local businesses by authorizing two temporary pedestrianization events this summer, including Montreal’s board game festival [le Festival Ludique International de Montréal] in July. It also said the $330,000 originally planned for the street’s pedestrianization had instead been allocated to the SDC Quartier Latin to help develop and improve public spaces in the area. Still, some merchants worried the return of cars will hurt the summer mood. At wine and cheese bar Le Psy, co-owner Jean-Yves Mas said pedestrian-only streets help draw customers. “I think tourists will go to those streets instead of ours. It’s really a problem for us,” he said. “If people want to get a drink or eat something on the patio, there’s going to be a lot of cars — it’s noisy, it smells of gas — it’s really not pleasant.” He also called on the city to communicate more directly with merchants in the future before making major decisions affecting the local businesses. At nearby Pizzeria Dei Compari, manager Francesco Scavella said customers have come to expect a car-free atmosphere. “It makes it more relaxing for customers,” he said. “They don’t hear cars or honking. It’s a quieter street.” However, not all business owners opposed the change. Victor Boko, co-owner of Café Gitana, said keeping the street open could make access easier for some. “Most of my customers are elderly, so they mostly come by car,” he said. “Having the streets closed [to vehicles] doesn’t really help.” Despite the decision, some summer programming along the street will continue. Julien Vaillancourt Laliberté, executive director of the SDC Quartier Latin, said they are still planning to bring back events including Montreal’s board game festival [Festival Ludique International de Montréal] and Montréal Complètement Cirque performances. “We’re discussing with merchants how we can really bring the community together and still have a program of great events throughout the summer,” Vaillancourt Laliberté said. “We don’t have a lot of time to plan it since summer is starting now, but everyone is ready to work.” While he said he understood the city’s reasoning, he also criticized the lack of coordination between those involved in the project. “The communication and collaboration between the city, the STM and the borough wasn’t exactly perfect,” he said. “Every week, there was something different.” Vaillancourt Laliberté said a survey conducted with merchants after last summer’s pedestrianization showed Saint-Denis had been especially popular. “We were one of the streets with the highest rate of satisfaction from the merchants,” he said. As of now, Saint-Denis Street isn’t set to have a car-free summer until at least summer 2028.
