A $2-billion mega mall project will now include up to 6,000 housing units, according to the developer of the project.
The public asked questions regarding the massive project at a public consultation meeting held by the economic and urban development, and housing commission of the City of Montreal Tuesday.
City of Montreal's economical and urban development commission is holding a public consultation meeting about the new mega mall that's being planned at the intersection of Autoroute 15 and 40. #CJAD800 pic.twitter.com/xilVb8d0Ey
— Saif Kaisar (@StaySaif) November 28, 2018
Carbonleo, the developer of the project, held a presentation of what the planned mega mall would do for the city. Then the city followed with an evaluation of the project.
The developer kept referring to the project as a multi-use complex instead of a mega mall. Pointing out the project would include millions of square feet of stores, restaurants, office space, theaters, a water park, sports recreational area, and more.
The city's evaluation stated the traffic impact studies, which were released earlier this year, would need to be updated as they did not previously consider the 6,000 housing units the developer now wishes to implement.
The traffic impact study, which was released earlier this year, showed the Royalmount mega mall would add more traffic to the area and increase travel time during the afternoon rush hour. Cars taking Hwy. 40 East would experience a 20-30 minute delay. Cars taking Décarie from Côte-de-Liesse would be delayed by 15-25 minutes.
The developer reaffirmed the city misunderstood the study, and said the project would only add two to five minutes to a commute.
Many questions asked had to do with traffic and how the city and developer would work to ensure that traffic would not worsen in those areas.
"It's a privilege to be a part of this commission. It's a chance for Carbonleo to present the project. It's a privilege to have this project in Montreal, it's amazing," said Carbonleo executive vice-president, Claude Marcotte. "We're very proud of this, and I'm sure the commission will appreciate the quality of what we're proposing on the Royalmount site."
Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve Hochelaga Councilor Éric Alan Caldwell restated the project's impact on traffic. He said if the developer decides to add those 6,000 housing units, it "could change the impacts."
When asked if it would change the impacts for better or for worse, he said, "that's what we have to evaluate."