Montreal’s long-awaited plan to transform McGill College Avenue into a major pedestrian square has been delayed for at least two years as the city’s new administration reviews the project.
Originally announced in 2018, the redevelopment would turn the downtown street into a linear park featuring hundreds of trees, public gathering spaces and a square honouring legendary jazz pianist Oscar Peterson.
The new Ensemble Montréal administration moved work planned for this spring to 2028 in the city’s latest budget, while officials reassess the project’s scope and costs.
Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada has said she still supports revitalizing the street but raised concerns about the long-term operational costs of maintaining a downtown park of that scale, including upkeep and garbage collection.
The delay has prompted questions from some residents and community groups about whether the project will proceed as originally envisioned after years of planning, consultations and an international design competition.
The redesign, first developed under the previous Projet Montréal administration, was also delayed by construction linked to the downtown REM station.
Despite the postponement, city officials say plans still include a public square dedicated to Peterson, whose centennial would have been marked in 2025 under the original timeline.
