In Laval, we are witnessing a return to the past as the municipality plans to reallocate historic land dedicated to agriculture to establish a new industrial zone. The objective is to build a cinema complex in the Saint-François district. The land in question, owned by the City and nestled in a bucolic agricultural landscape on the edge of a residential neighborhood, could sell at an advantageous price of approximately $14.60 per square foot, without requiring any call for tenders.
Since the announcement of this controversial project in May 2022, it has sparked heated discussions around its planned site, and has experienced several notable reversals. Among these, a damning report published in June 2022 by the Laval Urban Planning Department, which suggested rejecting the request for a zoning change. This project also raised questions about social acceptability and experienced a twist with the cancellation, by the promoter, of the opening of a register for a referendum. This series of events led to the abandonment of the first project. In 2023, it was reintroduced with modifications, including the elimination of the originally planned training center. A written public consultation has been scheduled during the end-of-year holidays, adding another chapter to the turbulent history of this project.
Although the land lost its official status as permanent agricultural land in the 1990s during the era of former mayor Vaillancourt, it continued to be cultivated until recently. The future of this land, which was initially intended to become an eco-district, remains uncertain, and several possibilities can be considered. It could remain an agricultural area, be transformed into a residential sector or, as recently proposed, be converted into a new industrial zone.
It is surprising to note that, on the one hand, our mayor displays a commitment to sustainable development, promoting environmental initiatives, car-free neighborhoods and exemplary regulations. And that, on the other hand, in 2022, it is ready to prioritize development quickly, quickly, quickly, in the name of the economy, at the risk of neglecting the recommendations of its own town planning department. This duality raises questions, particularly about the balance between economic growth and environmental preservation.
Although the project has economic benefits, it is essential to reconsider its location with a view to sustainable development. Taking into account the directives of the Sustainable Development Act (art. 6), government orientations and the Metropolitan Land Use and Development Plan, it seems wise to think about another site for the cinema industry.
With this in mind, why not consider the old drive-in theater site or another similar location? This choice would not only be symbolic, by reconnecting with the cinematographic history of Laval, but also practical, by reusing a space already associated with cinema. This proposal would preserve our precious fertile agricultural land, which only represents approximately 2% of the territory in Quebec, while reintegrating a historic site into the contemporary cultural fabric of the city. This long-term approach would provide a balance between industrial development and environmental protection, thus reflecting the values and aspirations of the Laval community in this controversial project.
Today, citizens remain waiting for the answers promised by the municipality concerning the questions raised during the consultation of December 13, 2023, and it is now impossible for them to participate democratically by opening a referendum approval register. This situation perfectly illustrates the shortcomings of a municipal project marked by a chaotic approach from start to finish, in blatant contradiction with the image of “Laval, a city with inspiring practices” promoted in its public consultation and citizen participation policy. adopted in 2021.
Perhaps we have forgotten, at the start of 2024, the urgency to act quickly, quickly, quickly, with the speed and determination of a dashing cowboy, for a sustainable future that resonates in song for our future generations.