A strong odour coming from a construction site in Montreal’s Pointe-St-Charles neighbourhood has left some residents concerned about potential health impacts and questioning whether enough information has been provided about the situation. The smell is pungent around the corner of Island and Augustin-Cantin streets, where work is underway on a future 200-space public daycare operated by CPE Les enfants de l’avenir. Saadia Khalid, who lives nearby and is the mother of a toddler, said the odour has occasionally reached her balcony for several weeks. She described the smell as a mix of sulphur, cold ash, gasoline and burned petroleum. “Sometimes it’s unbearable to go through that area, so I have to take a detour,” she said. Khalid said she has experienced eye irritation and recently noticed a rash on her arm, though she said she could not be certain the symptoms were connected to the site. Nonetheless, she is uneasy and particularly worried about her daughter. “When we go by here, even if I walk quickly, she coughs a little,” she said. “It’s been going on for a while now, so it’s going to start getting worrisome if it keeps up all summer.” Another resident, Shauna McGinn, said she has started crossing to the other side of the street when walking nearby because the smell has become stronger in recent weeks. “It’s really sharp — almost like fuel or like asphalt when it’s being laid down,” she said. “It’s pretty bad.” While McGinn noted that remediation work is common in older neighbourhoods with a long industrial history, like Pointe-St-Charles, she said residents still deserve reassurance. “Hopefully, there’s some checks and balances to verify that it’s decontaminated enough to have kids there — or just anyone, really,” she added. Authorities monitoring the situation In a statement to CTV News, the City of Montreal said the odours appear to be coming from soil excavated during cleanup work at the site. “City inspectors have visited the site to document the situation and remain in contact with the competent authorities,” said spokesperson Nicky Cayer. “The borough is also closely monitoring the file given the concerns raised by residents in the area.” For its part, Montreal’s regional public health authority (DRSP) said it does not yet have enough information to determine whether the site poses health risks to nearby residents but noted that the employer has been collaborating with public health officials, the city and the environment ministry. “The initial results of ambient air tests shared with the DRSP do not suggest an immediate health risk to the public,” said spokesperson Geneviève Paradis. “[We are] still awaiting test results before assessing the health risks associated with long-term exposure that may be linked to the construction site.” She also noted that the construction site is currently closed at the developer’s request while additional data is reviewed and recommendations are established. When asked whether additional testing, including soil analyses, had been conducted or planned, public health officials referred CTV News to the environment ministry. CTV News contacted Quebec’s environment ministry, but a response had not been received by publication time. From industrial warehouse to daycare The property was purchased by CPE Les enfants de l’avenir in 2024 and is being prepared for the future daycare. Executive director Emmanuelle Speer said the organization was aware the land was contaminated when it acquired the site. “But not to that extent,” she said. Speer said contaminants producing strong odours were discovered roughly two weeks ago. “The contractor hired a specialized firm to test these contaminants throughout last week, and the results came in last Friday: they are below the danger threshold,” reads a statement to CTV News. She said the contractor and subcontractors have been working with public health officials, the city and other authorities to implement odour mitigation measures and continue testing. Speer added that all required protocols are being followed and acknowledged the disruption the situation has caused nearby residents. “Our goal is to ensure that the work proceeds smoothly, complies with regulations, and does not pose a danger to the public,” Speer concluded.
