Territory and mobility profile


One of the first steps in preparing the opportunity file for the Grand Sud-Ouest project is to analyze the territory and its mobility needs. The findings during this initial phase were presented to elected municipal officials in the study area in autumn 2022 and to nearly 40 diverse civil society organizations in spring 2023.

Learn about the main findings on the territory

Montréal’s Grand Sud-Ouest territory:

  • Is home to nearly 20% of the population of the agglomeration of Montréal and is expected to grow significantly over the next few years. 
  • Is a booming area in terms of employment, with a wide variety of uses.
  • Comprises several sectors with development or redevelopment potential.
  • Has many natural and human-made barriers.

Discover the main findings on mobility in the area:

  1. The major trip-generating hubs are concentrated in particular areas and along particular roads.
  2. A large proportion of trips are made toward downtown (not the majority). This number decreases the farther away you are from downtown.
  3. A significant proportion of trips are made within the study area itself, between its different sectors.
  4. There is little movement between the area north of the Saint-Jacques escarpment and other parts of the study area. The needs on this side are mainly focused on other areas in the centre of the island and downtown.
  5. The use of public transit is higher in the eastern part of the region, while the number of car journeys increases the farther away from downtown.
  6. The choices for public transit offer are diversified, but unevenly distributed, and offer potential for improvement to make travel easier within the study area.
  7. The road network presents traffic challenges, and major works are planned.


Review of meetings with local stakeholders

The elected municipal officials and civil society representatives we met with were almost unanimous in their appreciation of the discussions and their affirmation of the importance of a structuring transportation project to meet the region’s mobility needs.

Among the topics discussed by stakeholders at the meetings were: 

  • Collaboration between the players involved in the project
  • Intermodality between the sustainable modes of transportation available in the area; 
  • Accessibility for people with reduced mobility and low-income populations 
  • The impact of a structuring transportation mode on host communities  


Learn more about the process

Consult the visual aids presented during the meetings on the subject of:

  1. Opportunity file preparation for an electric public transit structuring project
  2. Public transit system planning
  3. Montréal’s Grand Sud-Ouest territory profile
  4. Overview of mobility in the study area.