Montreal West approves $39M sports complex in close-call referendum

Montreal West vote in favour of $39 million sports complex Montreal West voted in favour of building a $39 million sports complex on June 18, 2023.

Montreal West residents voted in favour of building a $39 million sports complex in a referendum on Sunday.

About 57 per cent of voters approved the project, and 43 per cent opposed it.

The town’s current sports facility is outdated and riddled with mould and asbestos, and the arena is “beyond repair,” the town’s mayor told CTV News on Saturday.

This project would put everything under one roof—including a gym, arena, pool and other facilities.

Some residents have pushed back against the project’s price tag, which increased by $7 million from previous estimates.

The city received a government grant, but the amount it has to borrow will cost the average homeowner $450 a year over the next forty years.

About 2,100 people voted in the referendum, representing a 58 per cent participation rate, according to Montreal West’s website.

-With files from CTV's Stephane Giroux.