City of Montreal approves Cavendish extension

The City of Montreal has approved the extension of the Cavendish project, confirming it has acquired three parcels of land needed to do so.

The lands, which were acquired via expropriation, are located in the Town of Mount Royal and are needed to connect Royalmount to the intersection of Dalton Road and Cavendish Boulevard in Saint-Laurent.

According to a Cavendish–Business Alliance press release, a first notice of reserve was registered on the properties in 2022 and renewed two years later. The notice was set to expire next month, leading the city to acquire the land.

Rick Leckner, a Montreal traffic expert, told CJAD 800 Radio that this is a positive step forward.

“This is a first major step in finally starting this process. There’s still a long way to go, but this is the first time in decades that something positive is being done,” he said.

• Listen on CJAD 800 Radio: Is there finally movement on the Cavendish expansion file?

The city says the expropriation process will allow it to obtain the properties it needs and allocate approximately $3.9 million to buy them through expropriation or negotiated agreement.

“Under the adopted resolution, the city’s legal affairs department is mandated to undertake all necessary proceedings, while the chief surveyor and head of the geomatics division are authorized to execute the required cadastral documentation on behalf of the city,” the press release reads.

The Royalmount-Cavendish connection represents the first phase of the entire Cavendish Boulevard extension, the press release noted.

This extension is needed for the Namur–De la Savane (NDLS) sector, including the redevelopment of the former Hippodrome site.

The coalition says the project aims to improve mobility in this area of Montreal, reduce chronic traffic congestion, support economic growth, address environmental challenges, and enhance public safety.