Residents living near a daycare construction site in Montreal’s Pointe-Saint-Charles neighbourhood have been notified about soil contamination after excavation work uncovered extensive contamination, prompting air quality monitoring and plans for further site cleanup.
Santé Québec has been distributing notices to nearby residents following odour complaints and reports of symptoms, including headaches and nausea, during construction activities at the site, which have been halted indefinitely.
According to Montreal’s public health authority, the Direction régionale de santé publique, (DRSP), soil excavation revealed contamination from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), petroleum hydrocarbons and metals that was “more extensive than anticipated.” The contamination was identified through analysis conducted by a specialized environmental consulting firm.
Health officials said the project developer is carrying out air quality monitoring in the surrounding neighbourhood in collaboration with government agencies. The developer will also complete additional decontamination work before construction of the daycare resumes.
Subscribe to our Newsletter!
The latest environmental engineering news direct to your inbox. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Environmental health experts have speculated that the level of contamination observed at the site may have resulted from a significant fuel or oil leak that occurred over an extended period.
The property was purchased in 2024 by Centre de la Petite Enfance (CPE) Les Enfants de l’Avenir Inc., which plans to develop a public daycare with space for approximately 200 children. The site is undergoing environmental remediation before construction can proceed.
