Cadillac Fairview’s history as a builder is rooted in developing lively and diverse communities. We are proud of our past and confident in our future.

Ultimately, Cadillac Fairview is a community builder. Public interest lies at the heart of every project we do. In Pointe-Claire, we want to continue contributing sustainably to the city’s development in collaboration with the municipality, as we have always done.

It’s important to know that the project at CF Fairview Pointe Claire does not involve the land located west of Fairview Avenue. This property, known as the land originally intended for John Abbott College, was acquired by CF from SmartCentres in 2013 and has been of great interest to citizens — several of whom instead suggested we develop the shopping centre parking lot. We listened to them!

A rigorous approach

The parking lot transformation project has undergone a rigorous, thoughtful planning process by CF in consultation with top urban planning experts. It is based on a controlled densification plan that would optimize our shopping centre’s land without impacting existing residential districts. Given its proximity to Autoroute 40, it is not close to other residential areas.

The City of Pointe-Claire has had many in-depth discussions related to TOD (transit-oriented development) projects in recent years. Our project complies with the 2018 Pointe-Claire Special Planning Program (SPU) and all zoning by-laws. In addition, it meets the requirements of the Montreal Metropolitan Community’s Metropolitan Land Use and Development Plan (MLUDP).

Cadillac Fairview is honoured to have contributed to the vitality and prosperity of Pointe-Claire for more than 50 years, and we look forward to continuing our legacy with its residents.

The City hasn’t given us choice: we must go to court

For six (6) years now, we have been working with municipal services and representatives from the City of Pointe-Claire to redevelop a significant portion of the parking lot at our CF Fairview Pointe Claire shopping centre into a unique, dynamic and attractive living environment.

Despite a request for the approval of site planning and architectural integration plans (SPAIP) submitted in July 2021, the City adopted, in February 2022, an interim control resolution that freezes construction of our project.

The submission was in accordance with the existing guidelines of the special urban planning program (SUP) on the city’s downtown that came into force in 2018 as well as municipal planning regulations and should have been presented to the urban planning advisory committee (Comité consultatif d’urbanisme, CCU) in March 2022.

This about-face by the City is highly detrimental and fraught with consequences. Unfortunately, our meeting requests to discuss this situation openly and transparently have gone unanswered.

Continuing with the way we have done things in the community since our arrival 57 years ago now, we have tried on many occasions - and still try - to speak to and collaborate with municipal authorities. Despite our initiatives and the absence of any possibility of interaction with municipal authorities, we have no choice but to take measures to protect our rights.

We were therefore forced to seek relief from the Quebec Superior Court in order to file a motion for judicial review in which we ask that one article of the interim control resolution be declared unenforceable against the project, that another be canceled and that the City be forced to resume the process of approving it.

This project pays particular attention to all development aspects, and we made sure, with the help of our seasoned experts, to manage the issues they raise.

Traffic

Focus on mobility

The project emphasizes sustainable transportation, i.e. walking, cycling, public transportation (REM and bus), an essential characteristic of a TOD-type developments, as required by the Metropolitan Land Use and Development Plan (MLUDP) of the Montreal Metropolitan Community.
The project would be carried out near Highway 40 and very far from residential neighborhoods and therefore would have little to no impact on them.

Conducive to an interesting community life, this living environment would include:

friendly spaces open to the entire population and emphasizing the pedestrian experience:
Large sidewalks;
Bike paths;
Parking for bikes;
self-serve bicycle service.

Densification

Based on adequate and controlled densification, also required by the Metropolitan Land Use and Development Plan (MLUDP) of the Montreal Metropolitan Community, the project was designed for the entire community.

For the project to be economically viable, there must be minimum benchmarks allowing everyone to benefit from it:

The city;
Future residents;
The Shopping Centre’s current tenants;
The new tenants around the public square;
The proponent, Cadillac Fairview.

This economic viability is conditional on buildings being constructed at varying heights (up to 25 stories) so that the housing units are not too expensive for:

young couples;
seniors;
Commercial tenants.

Buildings

Seniors’ residences
20 storeys
Underground parking – 2 storeys
Building 1
Rental– 25 storeys
Underground parking – 2 storeys
Building 2
Rental– 25 storeys
Underground parking – 2 storeys
Shopping Centre Parking Deck– 4 storeys

These new buildings would ensure a remarkable quality of life:

by providing access to local services:
An organic grocery;
restaurants;
etc.
by facilitating pedestrian movements and interactions between people:
In a magnificent public square open to the public that will connect to the future REM station, the shopping centre and the living space to be developed.

Cost of the infrastructure

The project would connect to the city's existing network and CF would cover the costs.