By Michael Boriero – Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Léo Boivin, founder of the Association contre la gentrification de Sherbrooke (AGS), wants municipal officials to consider the population’s financial reality before committing to a business development project in the Alexandre neighbourhood.
Commerce Sherbrooke, a non-profit organization that aims to evolve the city’s commercial structure through sustainable development, recently announced its Imagine le quartier Alexandre project – an area they believe will benefit from a revitalization initiative.
Boivin, however, is worried about the people living in the neighbourhood. It’s considered a historic area in Sherbrooke, according to the 19-year-old Université de Sherbrooke student, and it’s also one of the most affordable places in the downtown core.
“I’m not in the neighbourhood, but I intend to speak on their behalf and the behalf of all the working class in Sherbrooke so that their interests are heard and not only those of the owner class,” said Boivin.
