Mayor Denis Coderre said a final decision on how the city will replace 132,000 incandescent street lamp bulbs is coming, but would not tip his hat as to what the decision will be.
The city had originally planned to use more energy-efficient LED lights. They're cheaper and emit a colour-temperature of 4,000 Kelvin, which is a bright light on the cool, blue end of the spectrum.
The current lights are warm or yellowish white.
There has been serious opposition to the idea of 4K lights, with some saying the brighter bulbs produce excessive light pollution, don't look as nice and can even have negative health effects.
Multiple studies, including one by Toronto's Public Health Department, have pointed to possible links between blue-tinted lights and anxiety, stress, obesity and a list of other health issues. The reported recommended the city use 3,000 Kelvin lights, which are on the warmer side of the spectrum.
3K lights are not as energy-efficient and are more expensive than the 4K solution.
Montreal's public health agency released its own report in December that determined 4K lights were no more dangerous than regular lights used to brighten up the city.
Coderre said all the data will be examined, and the final decision will be made sometime next week.