Route 132 project officially relaunched
MCK grand chief Cody Diabo addresses media after a meeting with Quebec premier Christine Fréchette last weekend. Courtesy Mohawk Council of Kahnawake
Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK) grand chief Cody Diabo reiterated to Quebec premier Christine Fréchette that Kahnawake must be consulted in future planning of the Route 132 revamp project, which will see the redevelopment of a five-kilometre section of the highway between Kahnawake and neighbouring areas.
The relaunch of the project was announced last weekend and will see the area between Kahnawake’s eastern boundary and the municipalities of St. Constant, Sainte Catherine, and Delson transformed into an urban boulevard, with the goal of improving traffic flow.
The project is currently in the planning phase as part of the province’s 2026-2036 infrastructure plan, and analysis will be undertaken to determine the effectiveness of multiple traffic options, including bike paths and the creation of two lanes in each direction.
The project itself dates back to 2017, but planning had come to a halt in the spring of last year, with the MCK citing concerns that their participation in the planning process would be seen as consent for the project moving ahead, whether or not they agreed with the proposed work.
Diabo said that the MCK will move ahead with participating in the planning process, and that he emphasized in his meeting with Fréchette last weekend that the community would be firm in prioritizing their rights throughout the consultations.
“We were firm in our stance that there’s not one more inch being taken from Kahnawake,” he said. “We’re at a point where Kahnawake needs to be more active and a part of these conversations so that we have the forum to address our concerns now.”
He said that participating in the planning will allow Kahnawake to make clear from the outset their needs while the infrastructure is modernized.
“At least now we’re able to address those early on, and see what can be worked out,” he said.
He said that Kahnawake was “pretty much offered a seat in the project office,” which he described as a good step going forward, and added that there will be at least a year of engagement before the project transitions from planning and consulting to implementation.
“We support things being done for public safety and for road users, and of course for our community members who use that road frequently,” he said. “There’s potholes, there’s almost no more lines on the road, so obviously there’s work that needs to be done.”
At a press conference announcing the plans, Fréchette emphasized that the relaunch of the project marks a new strategy in planning.
“We’re able to carry out this project today because our government has chosen a different approach,” she said. “We’re prioritizing dialogue, as well as respect and collaboration with all partners.”
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The meeting was the first time Diabo had met Fréchette in person since she was sworn in as Quebec’s new premier in April, having previously spoken with her over the phone.
“She’s been very open to meeting with me,” Diabo said, adding that he talked about issues community members may face when navigating legislation surrounding French language laws. “She seemed very open to that too, I was surprised, so hopefully that’s something we can work on.”
