The City of Montreal has refused to give the green light for the construction of an additional school in the Parc‑Extension neighbourhood, pending verification of projected student enrollment, officials said on Monday. The decision was announced by city representatives, including Martinez Ferrada, and involves the Centre de services scolaire de Montréal (CSSDM), which had put forward the proposal.
According to the city administration, the approval is being held back until the anticipated growth in the school‑age population can be confirmed. Officials stressed that confirming these enrollment projections is a prerequisite before any expansion of school capacity can move forward in the area.
The CSSDM has recently presented new analyses that suggest a need for additional school space in Parc‑Extension. Despite these findings, the municipal authorities remain cautious, opting to await further validation of the data before committing resources to the project. The city’s approach reflects a broader policy of ensuring that infrastructure investments align with demonstrable demographic trends.
The postponement means that the construction timeline for the new school will be delayed until the city is satisfied with the enrollment forecasts. Both the school board and city officials indicated that the matter will be revisited once the necessary validation is completed, though no specific date for a re‑evaluation was provided.
Stakeholders in the community have been informed of the city’s stance, and the CSSDM is expected to continue its monitoring of population trends in the neighbourhood. The outcome of this review will determine whether the proposed school can proceed, aligning municipal planning with the projected needs of local families.
The situation underscores the coordination required between municipal authorities and educational bodies when addressing infrastructure needs in rapidly evolving neighbourhoods.