Course: Landuse and transportation

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Abstract

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Public housing projects in Montreal tend to be dispersed around the city, with each building existing in unique circumstances within the urban fabric. Some studies have shown that a considerable number of the residents in these projects rely on walking to reach services and rarely have access to a car. This is especially true in the case of public housing dwellers, who might rely on collective services and public resources and amenities due to a low level of individual resources. In this paper, I study the level of accessibility to services and facilities by walking for public housing residents of the low-rent income category. This was done using the GIS network analyst OD cost matrix tool. The level of accessibility to resources varies based on location, with housing projects located in the central boroughs enjoying average and above mean accessibility. The majority of social housing buildings have a good level of accessibility, unlike those located on the periphery of the island. By identifying disadvantaged census tracts and recommending land use changes, this study may inform policy making regarding social housing for planners and the OMHM to provide equitable accessibility to social housing residents.