In order to reduce its environmental footprint, Ville de Laval has chosen to impose a tax on large parking spaces in the city center and to increase drinking water rates for businesses and industries starting this year.
The City therefore intends to apply a new tax to 129 commercial or industrial buildings that have a parking space in the city center. This would represent nearly 400,000 m2.
The tax will be applied gradually and with stages in order to reduce the impact on the smallest buildings.
According to the City, this decision should “encourage owners to green the facilities or modify the uses of their land” since these paved surfaces often represent major urban heat islands.
Businesses and industries located in Laval will also be subject to an increase in water rates, which will be determined according to their consumption.
“THE [commerces et industries]which consume large quantities of water, always paid below the real cost of the production and distribution of drinking water as well as the collection and treatment of wastewater,” argued the City.
“With the implementation of these concrete incentives, it is our objective to promote exemplary behavior that respects the environment,” said Laval Mayor Stéphane Boyer on Thursday.