Group fears Notre-Dame-de-Ile-Perrot housing developments will take a devastating ecological toll

SOS Boise des chenes blancs wants the municipality in Ile Perot to put a moratorium on development plans that would create dozens of houses in green spaces. (Billy Shields/CTV News)

MONTREAL — A citizens group in Notre-Dame-de-Ile-Perrot is asking the municipality to stop cutting down trees and do more consultation to develop a long-term plan to protect ecological areas in the area before further construction on housing projects continues.

"The White Oaks forest in Notre-Dame-de-l'Ile-Perrot has been officially evaluated and documented as being of both ecological and archeological value," said Amanda Shaw-Yagoub.

The group SOS Boisé des chênes blancs organized Sunday's protest and set up at one of six sites being developed on the island.

"Federally protected species, such as the Western Chorus Frog, live there, and it is a mature white oak forest, which is very rare in Quebec," she said.

The municipality unveiled its housing project vision Feb. 4 that it says will develop and improve green spaces and minimize environmental impacts while developing seven sites for housing projects.

The demonstrators assembled on the 64th Ave. site where construction has already begun on a development that will create 17 residences and impact 1,255 square metres, according to the municipality's PowerPoint presentation.

There are six other development sites highlighted throughout the island.

"The city council issued a permit to a developer during COVID times when it was difficult or impossible for residents to participate in city council meetings," said Shaw-Yagoub.

The release from the municipality claims that the development will bring in over half-a-million dollars in taxes ($567,621) annually, and over a million dollars in tax transfers.

Notre-Dame-de-Ile-Perrot Mayor Danie Deschenes said the city would not comment on the demonstrators' demands or the development.

"Everything has been said," she told CTV News.