Extension of a boulevard in Longueuil | Subdivision projects in the habitat of the Chorus Frog

While the extension of a boulevard in Longueuil is the subject of a battle to protect an endangered species, the City has in its boxes residential subdivision projects in the area, has learned The Press.

Eric-Pierre Champagne
Press

Remember that the City of Longueuil is currently carrying out work to extend Boulevard Béliveau in the borough of Saint-Hubert. This work led to the destruction of part of the critical habitat of the Chorus Frog, an amphibian measuring less than 3 cm which has the status of threatened species in Canada and vulnerable in Quebec.

This work was authorized by the Quebec Ministry of the Environment by virtue of simple “declarations of conformity”, a less restrictive procedure than a request for ministerial authorization.

The Quebec Environmental Law Center (CQDE) and the Société pour la nature et des parcs (SNAP) have asked Ottawa to intervene to protect the species’ critical habitat under the Species at Risk Act. The two organizations could file a lawsuit as early as Thursday to force the federal Minister of the Environment, Jonathan Wilkinson, to recommend an emergency order.

For his part, the spokesperson for the City of Longueuil, Hans Brouillette, repeated Tuesday to Press that “there is no concrete project or requests received”. “We are building a boulevard. ”

Units of 6 to 16 apartments

However, a certificate of authorization issued in Longueuil by the Quebec Ministry of the Environment provides for the backfilling of 0.77 hectares of marshes and 2.09 hectares of wetlands for the construction of a residential “development”. The submitted project then provided for the construction of 665 housing units.

On December 7, the Saint-Hubert borough council adopted two bylaws “in order to authorize only multi-family dwellings of 6 to 16 units along the extension of Boulevard Béliveau”. A source well aware of the matter has also confirmed to Press that a project of several residential units was on the program.

In its new urban plan, adopted on August 21, the City also specifies that it wants to increase residential density in this sector.

A wildlife notice produced by the Ministry of Forests, Wildlife and Parks (MFFP) in December 2020 also indicates that the project plans provide for “residential buildings on either side of the boulevard”.

Finally, a recent city map shows a detailed subdivision plan for the area south of the current extension. But according to Hans Brouillette, an environmental characterization will however be required before authorizing any project.

“This is insane! ”

An assertion that makes the director of the CQDE, Geneviève Paul, jump. “If a characterization study is necessary, why then this haste to launch the work to extend the boulevard? This work could affect the hydrology of the entire sector and the wetlands there. This is insane! ”

The City also has an ecological study completed in January 2020 for this sector. The document obtained by Press In particular, identifies the wetlands that are present and makes an inventory of the populations of chorus frogs. A map produced by the City also indicates precisely where these small amphibians are found to the south and north of Boulevard Béliveau.

“What we would characterize is the destruction of the tree frog’s habitat over the past 20 years,” says Tommy Montpetit, director of the Ciel et Terre organization. At this rate, there will not be much left to characterize when the City decides. ”

A controversial corridor

Last week, the City of Longueuil had a concrete structure installed that would serve as a tunnel to allow the passage of chorus frogs under the extension of Boulevard Béliveau. The cost of this work is estimated at $ 1 million.

In principle, this “wildlife corridor” would connect populations located to the north and south of the extension of Boulevard Béliveau, provided that sufficient wetlands remain to allow the Chorus Frog to reproduce there.

According to him, immediate intervention by the federal government is required in this matter.

The City retorts that it has obtained the support of Environment Canada for its wildlife corridor project. In a letter dated February 2, the Ministry indicates to the municipality that “the establishment of a biodiversity corridor under Boulevard Béliveau is a particularly interesting mitigation measure in the context of the extension of the boulevard”.

However, there is no reason to believe that Ottawa has spoken on a detailed project since the missive is a simple response to a telephone conversation between a city official and a federal representative.