Press release
Plans to modernize Notre Dame Street:
The long-awaited announcement of a crucial projectl
Montreal, July 6, 2005 On behalf of its members, the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal welcomes with satisfaction the new plan to modernize Notre Dame Street presented today by the Quebec government and the city of Montreal. This trunk road is vital to the economic and urban development of the east half of Montreal and the competitiveness of the metropolitan area because, in particular, aside from the Metropolitan Highway, it is the only east-west road link on the island of Montreal bringing people into the downtown core and facilitating the road transport of goods.
The existence of reserved public transit lanes on both sides of the future Notre Dame Street is one of the characteristics of this project we appreciate most. We believe, in fact, that it is important to take advantage of this development to try to increase the market share of public transit by, among other things, improving the public transit routes available to residents of the city's east end and those coming from off the island of Montreal. Public transit is economically beneficial to the community, and an efficient, attractive public transit offer contributes directly to the free flow of goods, one of the needs Notre Dame Street is currently unable to meet, declared Isabelle Hudon, president and CEO of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal.
The modernization of Notre-Dame Street will contribute to sustainable urban development and have a positive impact on the redevelopment and revitalization of many residential areas in eastern Montreal. In particular, the channelling of through traffic to Notre Dame Street will have a positive impact on the quality of life of residents in these sectors and increase their safety, continued Hudon.
The plan to modernize Notre-Dame Street an issue the Board of Trade has been monitoring for quite some time is a critical priority for the economic competitiveness of Montreal insofar as Notre-Dame Street is the major throughway serving the industrial districts and the Port of Montreal a major economic player for the metropolis. This is a project Montreal cannot afford to postpone any longer, concluded Hudon.
The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal has some 7,000 members. Its primary mission is to represent the interests of the business community of Greater Montreal and to provide individuals, merchants and businesses of all sizes with a variety of specialized services to help them achieve their full potential in terms of innovation, productivity and competitiveness. The Board of Trade is Quebec's leading private economic development organization.
-30-
Source:
Sylvie Paquette
Coordinator, Media relations
Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
Tel.: (514) 871-4000, ext. 4015
sylvie.paquette@ccmm.qc.ca