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A construction site on the corner of Island St. and Augustin-Cantin St. in Pointe-St-Charles is emanating a foul odour, leading to numerous complaints from local residents Montreal, on Tuesday, July 21, 2026. Tim Snow \/ Montreal Gazette<\/p>\nWhen summer winds gust through a Pointe-St-Charles construction site, a foul smell emanating from it overpowers the area surrounding Augustin-Cantin and Island Sts.<\/p>\n
One resident called the smell \u201cchemical.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a smell I\u2019ve never smelled in my life, so I can\u2019t really describe it,\u201d said Katherine Scribner, who lives nearby.<\/p>\n
Another resident compared the smell to creosote, a byproduct of coal tar.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Several people living nearby are concerned the smell coming from the construction site is toxic or unsafe and allege the city could be offering more information about the public health risks of the site. Some have complained of side-effects, including dizziness, headaches and nausea. While the smell doesn\u2019t travel farther than the surrounding block, Gazette reporters visiting the site on Thursday also smelled a strong chemical odour and experienced a headache after prolonged exposure.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe city said, \u2018it\u2019s safe. It\u2019s fine.\u2019 But I just find that hard to believe. It\u2019s such a strong chemical smell,\u201d Scribner added.<\/p>\n
At the construction site, the churned soil is damp and dark. <\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s also a constant flow of liquid there. So, frankly, it\u2019s concerning,\u201d said resident Manon Gemme. <\/p>\n
She said the smell has been noticeable since May but has grown stronger in the past two weeks.<\/p>\n
\u201cI filed complaints with the city, and they were very slow to even acknowledge receipt of my message. It took weeks, and then all of a sudden, samples are being taken this week. It seems to me that if they were absolutely certain it wasn\u2019t toxic or harmful, they wouldn\u2019t be doing this all week,\u201d Gemme said.<\/p>\n
A construction site on the corner of Island St. and Augustin-Cantin St. in Pointe-St-Charles is emanating a foul odour, leading to numerous complaints from local residents Montreal, on Tuesday, July 21, 2026. Tim Snow \/ Montreal Gazette<\/p>\n
A city spokesperson told The Gazette \u201cthe information currently available to the city indicates that the odours are coming from soil excavated as part of the site\u2019s decontamination work.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cInspectors from the City of Montreal have visited the site to document the situation and are maintaining contact with the relevant authorities. The borough is also closely monitoring the situation in light of the concerns raised by residents in the area,\u201d the spokesperson added.<\/p>\n
The site was bought by Centre de la Petite Enfance (CPE) les Enfants de l\u2019Avenir Inc. in 2024. It is currently being decontaminated with the plan to eventually turn it into a public daycare with 200 spots.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe knew the site was contaminated, but not to this extent,\u201d the general director for the daycare, Emmanuelle Speer, wrote to The Gazette. <\/p>\n
More than two weeks ago, she says they discovered contaminants emitting strong odours.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe contractor hired a specialized firm to test these materials throughout last week, and the results came in on Friday: they are below the hazard threshold. The contractor and subcontractors met with all relevant authorities last week and are continuing to work with them this week to implement odour-mitigation measures and conduct tests (City of Montreal, Public Health, Environmental Emergency Services, among others). All protocols are being followed to the letter,\u201d Speer added, noting they understand that it\u2019s significantly disrupting residents\u2019 quality of life.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOur goal is to ensure that the work proceeds smoothly, complies with regulations and poses no danger to the public.\u201d<\/p>\n
Caroline Smisek and Tom Vanger, who live just 200 metres away from the construction site with their newborn boy, say they would not send their child to the eventual daycare. Currently, they won\u2019t even walk past the area.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m already anxious about having to put him on wait-lists because the wait-lists for CPEs are insane. I don\u2019t think I\u2019ll even get a spot by the time I have to get back to work. But even if that (daycare) opens up, let\u2019s say, 60 spots, I\u2019m not putting my kid there. And it\u2019s a block away,\u201d Smisek said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve smelled it. I\u2019ve seen it. I know what\u2019s there. I\u2019m not putting my kid, who\u2019s going to spend the majority of his day there, five days a week. Not happening.\u201d<\/p>\n
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