Barricade dismantled at Ray-Mont container yard in Montreal
In 2017, Montreal initially denied Ray-Mont's permit request for the container yard.
Protesters blocked access to the Ray-Mont Logistics container yard in Montreal's Hochelaga-Maisonneuve borough early Thursday morning.
The container yard, situated on the north side of Notre-Dame Street East, has faced scrutiny since 2017 due to its location only 100 meters from a residential neighborhood and the Boisé Steinberg green space.
Protesters set up barricades at the entrance around 6:30 a.m., and Montreal police (SPVM) arrived just before 7 a.m. Police began dismantling the barricades with bolt cutters shortly after 8 a.m.
Members of Les soulèvements du fleuve and the activist group Mobilisation 6600 marched nearby with a banner before police intervened.
In 2017, Montreal initially denied Ray-Mont's permit request for the container yard.
However, in 2018, Quebec's Superior Court ruled in favor of Ray-Mont, allowing the project, a decision later upheld by the Court of Appeal.
Following the ruling, Ray-Mont sued the city for $343 million, eventually reaching a $17 million settlement.
Public consultations on the issue are set for Nov. 12.
