Recently, world leaders have discussed at length to try to find solutions to plastic pollution… and they have not yet managed to agree. That doesn’t stop Prévost, a small town in the Laurentians, from taking action now to help the planet! I met its mayor, Paul Germain, so that he could tell me about his green initiatives, which affect young people like you.
Bye bye gas!
Prévost is a small municipality of 13,300 inhabitants, but its ideas for protecting the environment are gigantic. It is, for example, the first city in Quebec to ban the use of gas in new buildings. The goal ? Reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This is an important regulation, since many people still use gas for heating.
Since then, other municipalities have decided to copy Prévost. And the mayor is delighted! “We have reached 82 cities in Quebec that will implement a regulation like this,” Paul Germain proudly told me. That represents more than four million people, more than half of Quebec. I’m glad it’s snowballing. »
Reduce waste
Another first, this time across Canada: in Prévost, all restaurants give customers the choice of paying for a disposable container or opting for a reusable container. This regulation concerns coffee glasses, water bottles, disposable tablecloths and utensils. The City even managed to convince giants like McDonald’s and Tim Hortons to get on board with the project!
Have you noticed that when you order restaurant meals at home, the waste is numerous and bulky? Paul Germain also wants to tackle this problem. His team is creating a deposit system for takeaway meals. Customers will have to pay a small amount in exchange for a reusable dish. When they return it to the store, they will be refunded their money.
Move for the environment!
Prévost will have its first high school at the start of the 2027 school year. And the mayor is putting everything in place so that it is easily accessible without having to use the car. “We want young people to walk or cycle to school. On Route 117, sidewalks are added. We already have cycle paths. We start with schools to establish good habits. »
The final word
“We would like other cities to imitate us,” says Paul Germain. This is our motto: we want to be copied! »
In your opinion, what environmental initiative could your city copy to become greener?
Lysiane Alexandre