The development of the Assomption-Sud-Longue-Pointe sector, in the Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve district of Montreal, has caused much ink to flow in recent years and is still regularly in the news. Several large-scale projects are currently on the table and some have already begun. However, there are still many unknowns as to the pace that the sector will take in the coming years. It is therefore entirely legitimate for citizens to wonder about the impact that these projects will have on the quality of their living environment.
The Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve district, one of the most populous in the city of Montreal, is already struggling with various problems, particularly in terms of health and quality of life, financial precariousness for many and the historical deficit in green spaces. The planned industrial development in this sector must not exacerbate the situation.
Limited access to nature, the low canopy index, heat islands and high noise levels are elements that are an integral part of the reality of the sector’s citizens and which, by extension, contribute to vulnerability. populations. Moreover, it is estimated that the life expectancy of residents of certain neighborhoods in the east of Montreal can be up to nine years lower than that of residents of the west of the island. It is a sword of Damocles that weighs on the populations of this sector characterized by its social mix, and it is the most vulnerable people who will pay the highest price.
The environmental and health impacts and nuisances anticipated for these projects are numerous: visual and atmospheric pollution, deforestation and soil sealing, noise and vibrations, vermin, to name a few. The consequences of such disturbances on public health are known and widely documented. Depending on the nature and intensity of the latter, their consequences may include, for example, sleep disorders, increased risk of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, high blood pressure, mental health issues, death, more than gradually leading to a devitalization of the neighboring residential sectors.
However, there is a structured approach that makes it possible to document and anticipate the health risks associated with projects and initiatives that influence land use planning: the health impact assessment (HIA).
This approach, advocated by the Government’s Health Prevention Policy and recognized by the Public Health Act, would allow the City of Montreal to plan and develop this sector while taking into consideration the cumulative effects of multiple projects on health. and the well-being of its residents. Since land use planning is one of the determinants that influence the state of health of the population, the decisions made by the City in this regard are crucial for the creation and maintenance of healthy and safe living environments.
The HIA makes it possible to have an overview of the impacts of projects on health, both physical and mental, to find concrete solutions based on science in order to maximize the positive spin-offs of projects for the population, and above all to avoid, mitigate or compensate for the anticipated negative impacts on all health determinants. HIA thus makes it possible to counteract the increase in social inequalities that these projects could cause. Finally, this approach encourages the participation of the local community in the decision-making process, an essential implication considering the social acceptability issues encountered so far.
Equitable resilience in the face of the climate crisis must be at the heart of territorial planning, this is an issue of environmental justice. This is why the City of Montreal should work now with the regional public health department to initiate an HIA process for the Assomption-Sud–Longue-Pointe sector.