Developers are teaming up to accelerate real estate development in Sorel-Tracy, where the protection of natural wooded environments threatened by urban sprawl is becoming the major issue in the race for mayor scheduled for this fall, noted The duty.
A group of real estate developers registered with the Register of Quebec lobbyists on Thursday afternoon with the aim of taking “steps” with this city of Montérégie to develop “a better common and predictable understanding in sustainable housing development. “. Several residential projects are planned on wooded land in Sorel-Tracy acquired by investors.
“We want to set up a discussion table with the City to discuss the issues, our findings of the situation and find the best possible and practical tools, while taking into account the regional reality”, adds the inscription, which specifies that the group of promoters wishes to be able to develop “a guide, orientations or other practices” in order to “promote harmonious real estate development” in Sorel-Tracy.
The lobbyist of the group did not want to specify who are the promoters behind this rally, whose members met for the first time this week. Another meeting will take place next Tuesday, according to our information.
In all, “seven or eight promoters” would be part of this alliance, learned The dutyfrom a reliable source.
This is taking shape at a time when Sorel-Tracy is on its way to becoming the next hot sector for real estate development in Montérégie, with a lack of sites to develop being felt in the city of Contrecoeur, closer to Montreal, note several promoters. of the region. It also comes a little over two months after the dismissal of former mayor Serge Péloquin, who will be replaced on November 20 after a new race for mayor.
Guideline
“We want to put pressure because it seems that the City has no guideline in housing development”, launches the To have to one of the property developers who are members of this group, the CEO of AJL Construction, Alain Bourgeois. The latter is one of the businessmen behind the acquisition of huge wooded lots in Sorel-Tracy in recent years.
Under the previous administration, building permits were often approved “piecemeal” and expedited by the City, several sources indicate. However, currently, “housing development is slowing down and demand is very strong,” laments Mr. Bourgeois. “It’s not progressing at all! Town planners want to move forward, but politicians are slowing them down,” adds the promoter, who deplores that “for nonsense, permits are delayed.”
However, the real estate projects on the ice today could bring in significant property income in Sorel-Tracy, he says. “If we have the agreement and the endorsement of the City, we will go ahead and we will inject 500 million investments in the service budget of the City of Sorel-Tracy”, insists Mr. Bourgeois, which thus adds up the value of all the real estate projects put forward by the promoters who are members of the group.
Tree Policy
It is not currently known when this group of promoters will meet with representatives of the City, who learned of the proceedings before the Quebec Lobbyists Registry after being contacted by The duty.
One thing is certain, the City of Sorel-Tracy wishes to review the supervision of real estate development on its territory to prevent urban sprawl from ravaging its green spaces. A Tree Policy was notably adopted last July by elected municipal officials: it gives the City targets for increasing the canopy and reducing heat islands.
An action plan will follow this fall, and it could provide for the imposition of hefty fines on promoters who violate this policy, foresees the acting mayor, Martin Lajeunesse. “We are aware that there is a great demand in the region for housing, he notes in an interview, but we want there to be respect for the environment. »
Promoter Alain Bourgeois strongly criticizes this policy. He does not rule out initiating “legal proceedings” against the City to advance some of his projects.
“The rest of us bought land which is in white zones, which are zoned residential. When we bought this land, we met with the City to be sure that the development was possible. Everything was fine, everything was correct. […] And there, it is made that we file investment plans and it is refused because there are mature trees. At some point, trees, we can replant others! »
Mayoral race
The two aspirants to the mayor of Sorel-Tracy already in the ranks see for their part a good eye the idea of improving communication between the City and the real estate developers, provided that the protection of the environment is ensured. .
“It’s not true that we can negotiate with the City only on the concept of land value,” says former municipal councilor Corina Bastiani, who intends to try her luck to succeed Serge Péloquin. “We need green spaces in new developments. We must stop considering everything as wasteland, ”she insists.
“We must inventory, protect and maintain natural environments in the city of Sorel-Tracy, it’s obvious,” also assures the other aspiring mayor, Patrick Péloquin. To do this, better supervision of real estate development is needed, he believes. “We want housing. We want development. But not at any price. »