Little Burgundy Residents advocate against the demolition of their cultural heritage.
Little Burgundy Residents have faced the imminent danger of their communities being destroyed through demolitions. The residents have been advocating against demolitions that have been going on since 1968. Little Burgundy is a historically black neighbourhood in Montreal, Quebec; thus, it holds cultural significance for black people. City developers have built highways and commercial developments, disregarding how they had scattered the black community through forced relocation. The neighbourhood was where Black people shared their culture for many years.
On the 7th of April, residents will host an event about the impacts of demolition on the community and select a committee to represent them to the Municipality. The event will occur from 11 am to 4 pm at the Le Salon Richmond 1861. “What happened in Little Burgundy was not just development — it was displacement by design,” said Joanne Bell, a third-generation resident and spokesperson for Citizens for Little Burgundy. “We’re still living with the consequences of policies that targeted our homes, music, and livelihoods.”The residents argue that the continuous plans of demolition of the Little Burgundy is a way of destroying Black culture. This can be regarded as a part of systemic racism. The residents want Little Burgundy to be recognized as a heritage site and legally protected from demolition. This means the municipality must grant special permission to demolish and significant renovations. The residents want to be counselled beforehand on any further developmental projects so they can give their opinions. The residents want financial compensation for people forced to relocate due to demolition. The residents want Municalipity to create a program where people can come and learn about the history and culture of Little Burgundy.
During the event, the citizen of Little Burgundy will come together to advocate for their communities. They will discuss the impacts of demolitions on them both socially and economically. The citizens will discuss the most effective strategies for recognizing Little Burgundy as a heritage site. The residents must participate in a survey about their opinions on how they should attain their goals. Community members will discuss strategies to help those needing assistance if demolition happens. The residents will have lawyers explain to us what legal procedures they can employ to stop the demolition and what we can do after it to get compensation.
We urge all community members to come to our event so we can work together to prevent losing our business and properties. For more contact information, please contact Mutsa Madzivire at mutsaa73@gmail.com.
About Little Burgundy:
In 1966, the City of Montreal launched a large urban renewal project in Little Burgundy by demolishing countless residential and commercial buildings and replacing them with public housing. The program failed to attract the amount of investment it needed to be successful.Between 1961 and 1971, the proportion of welfare recipients grew dramatically from 10% to 40%. The population dropped due to the demolition, resulting in 70% of the Black community being displaced. The program faced criticism, with some people calling it part of systemic racism as it mainly impacted Black businesses and the middle class. Due to population displacement, businesses with fewer customers were left, and they relocated. This resulted in Little Burgundy becoming an area of concentrated poverty and was publicly associated with drug use, crime, and youth gangs.