For more than six years, we have been raising the alarm about this situation: the Peter-McGill neighborhood, right in the heart of downtown Montreal, does not have a single public elementary school.
And yet, the children are here. So are the families. Hundreds of them live in often small apartments, in a dense urban environment with few green spaces… but most importantly, with no neighborhood school.
Since 2018, citizens, parents, organizations, and elected officials have been mobilizing. Actions have been taken, promises have been made. And yet, nothing has tangibly changed.
It is unthinkable that in such a central neighborhood, a child must take a bus or the metro to go to school—often far from their living environment. This affects families’ quality of life, creates inequalities, and increases educational vulnerability.
We repeat: a school in the neighborhood is not a luxury. It is a right.
A school is more than a building. It is a gathering place, a community anchor, a reference point for an entire neighborhood. It is an essential service that helps make our living environments complete, vibrant, and inclusive.
Today, we need your support.
We ask you to sign and widely share the petition before it is submitted to the National Assembly on May 23, to demand the construction of a public elementary school in Peter-McGill:
https://www.assnat.qc.ca/en/exprimez-votre-opinion/petition/Petition-11327/index.html
Let’s make our voices heard.
In solidarity,
Stéphane Febbrari
Director, Table de quartier Peter-McGill