Connecting Côte Saint-Luc to the hospital district

The City of Côte Saint-Luc and the Jewish General Hospital, in collaboration with Mobiligo and the Centre de gestion des déplacements de developpement économique Saint-Laurent (CGD DESTL) announced today a project to improve commuting to medical facilities in the Côte-des-Neiges district for the residents, workers and users. The goal of the project is to encourage single occupancy vehicle users to shift to environmentally-friendly transport practices, such as public transit, carpooling, walking and biking.

A survey of hospital employees is currently underway concerning their transportation needs to identify convenient options that could be offered to them, other than traveling alone in their car. Access to healthcare is more than having a family doctor; it is also being able to get to the doctor’s office without causing an impact on our health and our community environment.

Councillor Dida Berku and her mother are both eager for a shuttle between Cote saint-Luc and the hospital district in Cote des Neiges

In a context where the Jewish General Hospital is building new facilities, which will require more staff at a time when less parking spots are available due to construction, and since the hospital will be in a position to offer more healthcare services to the population, looking into the means of transportation used by the employees as well as the users seemed the right thing to do for the two partners involved in the project.

Mobiligo and CGD DESTL, will conduct a survey in order to identify the transportation needs of the employees and users commuting between Côte Saint-Luc and the medical facilities located in the Côte-des-Neiges district, such as the Jewish General Hospital, CHU Sainte-Justine and St. Mary’s Hospital Centre.

The Montreal Steering Committee on Seniors welcomes this initiative which will help support the needs of the ageing population in terms of transportation to and from the various healthcare services provided in the area.

“This project is an important initiative which will benefit the whole community, by providing much relief in a very congested area”, says Anthony Housefather, Mayor of Côte Saint-Luc. “It is an important step towards developing and offering sustainable options of transport to our residents.”

“The Jewish General Hospital is pleased to support this initiative, which will provide sustainable transport to the Côte-des-Neiges community,” says Glenn J. Nashen, Director of Communications at the Jewish General Hospital. “By promoting this shift from private to public transport, we hope to relieve some of the stress caused by congestion in the area, as well as aim to improve air quality, reduce noise pollution and limit greenhouse gas emissions for the betterment of the neighborhood.”

Alternative transportation advocates at the press conference to launch a city wide survey

Read more in the Suburban

CSL promoting ‘alternative transport

 

CSL promoting ‘alternative transport

Joel Goldenberg, July 18, 2012

The Suburban

 

Côte St. Luc council passed a resolution last week to promote alternative and active means of transport, such as public transit and walking for exercise, specifically on Sept. 21 or 22 through a special event to be organized by city staff.

The City of Montreal has a car-free day on Sept. 22, but Côte St. Luc is not going as far as that.

The Côte St. Luc resolution was introduced by Councillor Dida Berku, and seconded by Councillors Glenn Nashen and Steven Erdelyi, and points out that on Aug. 1, the Eleanor London Library will be hosting a lecture called “Leave the car at home: Get walking. Get healthy.”

The city has also resolved to “actively support public transit solutions when and if they are available and meet residents’ needs.”

Côte St. Luc is also asking Montreal’s bus service to “move forward with a shuttle service” to the very busy Côte des Neiges hospital district, which includes the Jewish General and St. Mary’s hospitals, and numerous medical buildings along Côte des Neiges Road.

Côte St. Luc’s resolution also asks the Metropolitan Transport Agency (AMT) and Montreal agglomeration to support a train station within the municipality, and authorizes the city to participate in the AMT’s blog, “which is offered in order to promote the interests of the citizens of Côte St. Luc for more access to AMT train and bus services, which will encourage and allow our residents to benefit from these public services which they support financially.”