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Some urban spots noticeably hotter than others

Highway 40, between St. John's and Sources is one

Brett Bundale
The Gazette
Thursday, August 14, 2008

Brett Bundale
The Gazette
As global warming threatens to raise temperatures around the world, a phenomenon known as urban heat islands might jack the mercury up even higher across Montreal and especially in the West Island.
Heat islands, or hot spots, are areas where the temperature is five to 10 degrees warmer because of sprawling asphalt and concrete buildings with dark, heat absorbent building materials.
The hotter temperatures can have negative effects on the environment as well as the quality of life and health of residents, especially the young and the elderly.
In response, the city of Montreal developed a plan along with the Conseil régional de l’environnement de Montréal, an environmental organization, and the Conférence régionale des élus, a regional development group, to increase green space and counter the effects of hot spots.
In order to create more green spaces, includes asking concerned residents and businesses for help. So far, there are more than 30 participants, including Alcoa, Hydro-Québec and the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Airport.
But despite efforts to combat heat islands, many residents think the plan is just a public relations move to appear greener and say more needs to be done.
“It’s total hypocrisy,” said Gianna Paska, a Dorval resident.
“The airport already took away millions of square feet of beautiful green space from the Dorval golf course, which was a natural habitat to many animals and birds,” Paska said.
“Now, they say they want to help combat heat islands. My reaction is complete shock. This is hypocrisy at its highest.”
Looking at a heat map of Montreal, the hottest areas in the West Island are the St. Laurent industrial park and the area along Highway 40 between the Fairview Pointe Claire shopping centre and Galeries des Sources in Dollard des Ormeaux.
To cool temperatures in these hot spots, the plan recommends planting trees, shrubs and other plants around businesses and homes.
“But the first step in fighting hot spots is to protect what’s left of our green space, especially in areas where there are wetlands and patches of old forest,” said André Porlier, director of the Conseil régional de l’environnement de Montréal.
“If you cut one old-growth tree, you would have to plant 72 new ones to create the same cooling effect,” Porlier said, adding that in the last five years Montreal has lost 18 per cent of its tree coverage.
Paul Wilkinson, a Dorval resident and spokesperson for the environmental organization Green Coalition, said the plan was a step in the right direction but more should be done to protect areas like the Dorval golf course.
“The airport plans to develop the golf course even though it’s one of the few areas where there is still wildlife running around and lots of old trees,” Wilkinson said.
“But then they turn around and sign up to be a participant to help eliminate heat islands. It’s as if the left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing.”
Another area that should be protected is the Meadowbrook golf course in Montreal West, said Jo Ann Goldwater,  spokesperson for Les Amis de Meadowbrook.
“If the city really wants to keep summer temperatures down, existing green spaces like Meadowbrook must be preserved as an eco-territory.”
Only 3.4 per cent of the island is protected, Porlier said. Even though the objective is six per cent, it should be closer to 10 per cent, he said.