Vanier housing tower rejected: Aylmer residents demonstrated united front at city council

Sophie Demers  

Two housing developments slated near the busy Vanier Rd and des Allumettières intersection were before city council December 10. 

595 Vanier Road is a 12-story, 289-unit maximum building. 435 Vanier Road was a 15-story, 251-unit building. Both were before councillors for multiple requests for city bylaw variance approvals. The plans for 435 Vanier were rejected by the council; however, 595 Vanier was accepted and will move forward. 

The proposed buildings are located near high-traffic areas: 595 Vanier intersects with Boulevard du Plateau, while 435 Vanier intersects with Boulevard des Allumettières. Vanier has a long-needed expansion, which the city is currently planning. In the meantime, residents are worried about the area's traffic, safety, and security.  The nearby Residents’ Association reported that vehicle accident rates in this area are elevated compared to the rest of the city, indeed with a major one just hours before council meeting. There were twenty-two accidents on Vanier Road between McConnel and des Allumettières in 2017 with forty-two in 2023.

During a public information session in November with developer Dev Meta, dozens of residents voiced their discontent with the management of road infrastructure planning and the rate of development in Aylmer as a whole. During the meeting, residents clarified that developers are not the reason for their discontent, but chronic planning mismanagement on the City's part. Attendees also pointed out they are not opposed to housing, that the crisis in affordability is critical, but the rejected site had very few affordable units.

Eleven concerned Aylmer residents addressed the council before the vote asking for the City to have a more global view of all the projects slated for Vanier before approving plans for construction.  

“When we talk about a lack of planning, we're talking about how we're going to take into account the quality of life of current residents in the area. In our sector in particular, there are very few sidewalks, there's a bike path, there's a bus, there's no alternative route in or out of our sector.  And the various real estate developers we've met over the last few years, they're talking about 6,000 new doors,” said Alexandre Vezina, representative of the Champlain Park Residents’ Association.  

Other residents highlighted that 435 Vanier will use Rue des Attikameks as the main entrance, which is already dangerous and congested with accidents happening regularly. One resident stated that the studies used to evaluate traffic in the area were out of date or done during the pandemic, and therefore reflected less traffic as many were working from home.  

“Residents are alarmed by the lack of vision for the development of their neighbourhood, by the lack of infrastructure linked to roads, sidewalks, bike lanes, traffic lights and public transport designed to support the massive densification in progress. They are very concerned about the loss of beauty, harmony and inherent history to the plan. They are very concerned about the loss of these resources, green space and the lack of community space that allows children, various members of the community and the elderly to gather,” said Nina Dani, a concerned resident, in her plea to city councillors to reject the proposed housing tower.  

The residents that organized against the development gathered 1,236 signatures on an online petition against the project and 590 signatures on a paper petition, 42 of which were from parents of children at the daycare on Rue des Attikameks.  

Plans for 435 Vanier were rejected by the council in a 12 to 8 vote while the 595 Vanier proposal was accepted. Caroline Murray, Deschênes councillor, and Anik des Marais, Mitigomijokan councillor, who have been working with residents on these files voted against the 435 Vanier project. Mayor Maude Marquis-Bissonnette also voted against the 15-storey project. The developer can propose another project for the 435 Vanier site in the future.