Land use planning is directly linked to so many aspects of our lives. Sometimes without even realizing it, countless actors are planning, from ministries to chambers of commerce. By building transportation networks, schools, theaters, SAQ. By opening businesses, offices, factories, etc.
Posted at 12:00 p.m.
Sustainable land use planning is the key to achieving our collective goals, whether in terms of health, culture, the environment or the economy. The Quebec of tomorrow, which we hope will be more prosperous, greener, more united, will arrive today if we make the right decisions quickly.
This is why 500 people, from all regions of Quebec and multiple sectors of activity, came together virtually a few weeks ago to demand an ambitious and visionary National Policy on Architecture and Land Use Planning, during the “Courage to Act” summit, organized by members of the G15+ and the ARIANE alliance.
It takes courage to question our habits, to upset the status quo, to give life to initiatives that are sometimes challenging, but which, in the end, will make a difference.
We agree on this: the fruit is ripe and we must act. The solutions are within our reach.
One of the keys to more sustainable development is the strengthening of our town centers and our village cores. They are not only part of the history of Quebec, but also of its future. The pandemic has highlighted the importance of preserving, at the heart of our living environments, a high concentration of our local merchants, our restaurants, our cultural institutions, all in a common effort to develop a plural economy.
The success of the buy local campaigns has shown that the interest is there: people are keen to encourage local agricultural producers and artisans. But it is still necessary to create the right conditions to promote them. In particular by ensuring a sufficiently large pool of potential customers – why not, when possible, on foot or by public transport!
Which brings us to the question of housing. We must take into account the evolution of our collective and individual needs, and in particular the impact of the aging of the population on housing needs. We also need more resources in social and community housing.
Several large and small municipalities are unable to accommodate the workers and families who would like to settle there. A major obstacle to labor mobility, the issue of housing affordability and quality is not only a fundamental societal challenge, but also an obstacle to the vitality of several regions. The same goes for access, which is necessary and too often lacking, to local services.
International climate experts are also crystal clear: our cities and towns have a lot to do to meet what is the greatest challenge of our time. It will therefore be necessary to respond simultaneously to the lack of housing and to the climate crisis by changing our model of urban development.
We need a national policy that establishes common rules. Does this mean that everything should be done the same way everywhere? No. It’s even quite the opposite. It is precisely to guarantee the maintenance of the identity of our cities and our villages, the specificities of our landscapes and our regions, that we must have a development vision.
If we do not want to leave the generations that follow us with a huge bill, we must change our mode of development. Think more about consolidation. Think sustainable and electric mobility. Think greening. Think sobriety. Think quality. Think inclusion.
Rehabilitate and enhance our built heritage, both remarkable and modest. Strengthen ties and recognize our interdependencies, and in particular the need to protect our agricultural territory, collective pantry, and our natural environments, which are essential to biodiversity and provide us with so many ecosystem services.
A concrete example, to achieve this shift: locate all new public buildings in an exemplary and eco-responsible manner.
To achieve this, all stakeholders must be mobilized around development issues. Engage and maintain dialogue with First Nations and Inuit. We must listen to our scientists, our specialists, our citizens and involve our entrepreneurs, individuals and groups.
Habits being tenacious, it is sometimes complex to stay the course of sustainable development. Getting us out of our ruts will take courage and leadership at the highest level of government.
A little over 40 years ago, a government put in place a framework for the development and protection of agricultural land that no one has forgotten, because it was a historic gesture. With the National Architecture and Regional Planning Policy, the current government can once again mark the history of planning, architecture and town planning. This is our call.
*Co-signers: Sabaa Khan, Executive Director, Quebec and Atlantic, of the David Suzuki Foundation; Marc-André Viau, Director of Government Relations at Équiterre; Alain Marcoux, President of the Association of Technical Resource Groups of Quebec (AGRTQ); Sylvain Gariépy, President of the Order of Urban Planners of Quebec; Catherine Fernet, President of the Association of Landscape Architects of Quebec; Alexandre Racicot, President of the Association of Regional Planners of Quebec; Christian Savard, Managing Director of Vivre en Ville; Karl Blackburn, President and CEO of the Conseil du patronat du Québec; Martin Vaillancourt, Director General of the National Grouping of Regional Environmental Councils of Quebec; Renée Genest, Executive Director of Action Patrimoine; Leïla Copti, President of COPTICOM, Strategies & Public Relations; Pierre Corriveau, president of the Order of Architects of Quebec; Denis Leclerc, President and CEO of Écotech Québec; Béatrice Alain, Director General of the Chantier de l’économie sociale; Martin Caron, General President of the Union of Agricultural Producers; Dinu Bumbaru, Policy Director of Heritage Montreal; Geneviève Morin, President and CEO of Fondaction; Sarah Houde, President and CEO of Propulsion Québec; Denis Bolduc, general secretary of the FTQ; Daniel Baril, President of the Coalition of Community Organizations for Workforce Development