Bon-Pasteur: no work has been done
The fire at the monastère du Bon-Pasteur on Sherbrooke Street was two years ago, but no restoration has been done as the situation is tied up in court cases. La Presse talks to some older people who were living there and can’t go home.
Taylor C. Noakes 13:32 on 2025-05-23 Permalink
You’d think this city would have already worked out the legal framework and funding for some kind of program where they could intervene to repair or restore old buildings of historic or architectural value to a minimum standard (e.g. preventing further degradation) while these court cases get worked out.
For a city that supposedly cherishes its distinct architecture and its history, it just doesn’t do much to save it
Kate 15:11 on 2025-05-23 Permalink
Agreed.
H. John 00:04 on 2025-05-24 Permalink
Luc Ferrandez discussed the problem Friday morning on Patrick Legacé’s radio show:
https://www.985fm.ca/audio/700886/restaurer-les-batiments-patrimonaux-ces-projets-la-sont-juste-trop-chers
Ian 10:43 on 2025-05-24 Permalink
Trop cher, lol, maybe if we didn’t have an $824 million police budget we’d have a couple million left over for housing. Or maybe instead of turning the mountqain into a MAMIL piste. Or the 100 million for a “pré”.
There’s lots of money, it’s just been allocated to other projects that our elected officials consider more important. That they consider those projects more important than housing tells you a lot.
This is just like how the city’s hands were tied over AirBnb until suddenly they weren’t. It’s all about poolitical will.
Chris 12:09 on 2025-05-24 Permalink
> There’s lots of money, it’s just been allocated to other projects that our elected officials consider more important.
And we elected them, not you. Your pet priorities of defunding the police is not shared by most. So sure, we could stop spending on x and spend on y instead, but money is finite and we have to chose.
Ian 13:04 on 2025-05-24 Permalink
Ok so I guess you’re ok with hundreds of millions on vanity projects and an inflated police budgets instead of dealing with homelessness and the housing crisis. At least you’re willing to admit it, unlike city hall.
Ian 23:27 on 2025-05-24 Permalink
Addendum:
I am not alone in thinking that the police budget is overinflated. For example, see this fairly in-depth CBC article from just last year:
“In the wake of George Floyd’s murder by a Minneapolis police officer, demonstrators took to the streets of Montreal and other cities across Canada, chanting “defund the police.” Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante said there was a “conversation” to be had about police funding, with “plenty of good ideas” around.
Fast forward to four years later. Police critics and those calling for change say the city and its police force aren’t being held accountable for police spending, leaving little left over for cost-effective, community-centred alternatives.”
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/montreal-police-budget-canadian-cities-1.7062604
The thing is, if you think that just voting is all it takes to be an involved citizen, you’re wrong.