Montreal to construct more parks, 'sponge' roads to withstand rain

Over the next two years, the City of Montreal says it plans to construct almost 30 parks and 400 "sponge" pavements to make them more resistant to heavy rainfall.

Over the next two years, the City of Montreal says it plans to construct almost 30 parks and 400 "sponge" pavements to make them more resistant to heavy rainfall.

The city made the announcement just hours before the start of the Adaptation Futures international conference on climate change, which begins Tuesday at the Palais des congrès.

Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante, as well as Environment Ministers Steven Guilbeault and Benoit Charette, are expected to attend.

Since 2022, the City of Montreal has created seven sponge parks and 800 sponge roads.

It says it hopes to add 30 more parks and 400 additional pavements of this kind in 2024 and 2025 to slow water running into the sewer system during heavy rains.

"Depending on the various arrangements, the impact of heavy rainfall will be reduced by redirecting the water towards the river, retaining it completely until the sewer system is available, or gradually draining it through the ground," the city stated in a press release. "These include vegetated plains, sunken play areas and multi-purpose in-ground basins."

Officials note torrential rain is increasingly overloading Montreal's sewers and putting a strain on the city's infrastructure -- as was the case during the torrential rainstorm at the beginning of July.