The Arrival Of TOD On Metro Montreal's Fringe

"...Le Village de la Gare ... owes its existence to the reopening of the rail line. In 2003, developer Cooke, Bombardier, Lesage Inc. broke earth on the ambitious 73-hectare project, built on what once were the grounds of a Lantic sugar refinery. The train station is the hub of the community, located within easy walking distance of the residential sector.This concept, first piloted in the U.S. and Europe about 15 years ago, is called transit-oriented development. By placing homes near public-transit points and promoting densified development, narrower streets, wider sidewalks and large green spaces, such communities wean residents from relying on their cars. Some families, like Bedard's, give up their second vehicle altogether.Right now, Le Village de la Gare looks mostly like open fields and unpaved roads dotted with townhouses, small condominium buildings and single-family homes. The promoters expect to build a thousand units over the next 10 years."

Thanks to Craig Townsend