ocpm.qc.ca

ecocity ● écocité Montreal 2011

Building sustainable cities through citizen participation

ocpm.qc.ca

Questions?????

• Are citizens sustainable-city builders?

• How do we foster issue-conscious contribution?

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The OCPM A municipal institution devoted to public consultation

•  A neutral, independent third party –  A President and 28 commissioners appointed by a 2/3 majority of votes cast

by city council –  Subject to a public code of ethics

•  A public consultation producer –  On major urban projects, revitalization plans and public policies –  Conciliation, arbitration identification, pursuit of optimum results and the

common good, help with elected officials’ decision-making

•  Public report, submitted to city council •  The Office has been in existence for almost 10 years

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The urban context

•  Cities are vulnerable to development problems owing to population density

–  The city is broken up into multiple communities –  No common agreement on vision implementation methods;

multiplicity of points of view –  Generating common approaches, fostering community spirit –  Democracy should be a SD factor. Is it?

•  Urbanism consisting of planning and negotiation –  The development processes become as important as the norms –  Can the processes generate SD?

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Sustainable development in the city

•  Agreement on the objectives –  Making the urban environment more resource thrifty –  More conductive to social integration and economic development –  More equitable in terms of housing, mobility and access to public

services

•  Very hands-on experience in public-right-of-action arbitration and hierarchization

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Participatory planning

•  An interactive process –  To share and further develop a diagnosis, knowledge, and integrate

common knowledge –  To identify common values –  To generate development guidelines –  To discuss community choices –  To give meaning and direction to SD through reflection and

discussion •  Revitalization of industrial land; redevelopment of

destructured neighbourhoods; development planning of urban areas

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Site to be redeveloped Namur–Jean-Talon

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The follow-up committee: new players

Representatives of: –  Community groups –  Economic groups (CEDC) –  The health community (DSP) –  The school community (School Board and École des Nations) –  The borough

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The approach

•  A follow-up committee interacts, validates, goes beyond –  Outlining the development context of the area –  Discussions on development problems and opportunities –  Discussions on development biases

•  5 forums with target publics –  Presentation and discussion of preliminary orientations by the borough

•  With residents of the Namur – Jean-Talon ouest site •  With all the members of the CDN Community Council •  With the residents of the Victoria area •  With store and office building owners doing business on the site

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The approach (Cont’d.)

•  Convergences/divergences – Follow-up committee –  Review of discussions with target publics –  Identification of convergences and divergences –  Problems and opportunities

•  Open house and public forum •  Hearing of briefs •  OCPM report

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Topic of discussion

•  Identity and densification of the area •  The place of social housing •  The place of families •  The place of the automobile •  Access to the site and parking for stores and office buildings •  Interaction and interdependence of uses •  Quality of the urban environment and safety •  The special case of Mountain Sights Avenue

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New ways of doing things

•  Inclusive processes with the contribution of the general public –  Targeting collective interest –  Taking into account all individual interests

•  Complete transparency

•  Citizens have an influence on –  Development orientations –  Local issues and the configuration of concrete projects

•  A detailed report serving as a memorandum to all –  On the vision and future of the site and development orientations –  On the participants’ suggestions

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The 2006 ‒ 2009 Report

•  The Montreal Master Plan is biaised in favour of sustainable development

–  A balanced approach in terms of: •  Economic vitality •  Social equity •  Environmental preservation •  And respect for the needs of future generations

•  How do debates held by the OCPM contribute to giving shape to Montrealers’ values in the city?

–  Solidarity –  Coherence –  Conviviality

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Solidarity Inclusion of affordable housing

•  Increasingly pressing demand for the inclusion of affordable and social housing units in residential complexes

–  Battle against gentrification; social mix •  Openness of developers, resulting exclusively

from the existence of formal public debate –  Upstream –  Adjustment and sometimes increase in % –  Amounts in reserve to build off site –  Qualitative aspects of inclusion

•  The public debate: a spokesperson; a monitor

–  For the application of the municipal strategy

Ateliers Rosemont (Quartier 54)

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Solidarity Local hiring

•  An emerging issue, benefiting local communities •  Public debate has contributed to

–  The visibility of issues –  The identification of commitment possibilities by the developers

•  Discussion/joint action with local follow-up committees •  Collaboration in the drawing up of a local hiring strategy •  A place for social economy organizations

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Coherence

•  Strong demand for an area-wide development vision

•  Densification of the territory –  Building heights and envelopes are views as

blots on the urban landscape –  Desire for complexes that provide

continuity with the area rather than fracturing it

1475 boul. René-Lévesque

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Coherence

•  Public debate has served to improve integration into the neighbourhood to preserve its identity

–  Softening of fractures; transition elements; design adjustments

–  Taking into account of the spirit of the area –  Control of negative impacts: sunlighting,

traffic, etc. –  Protection of views –  Reconciliation: making public transit

infrastructures profitable while consolidating neighbourhood identities

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Conviviality The place accorded to pedestrians

•  Concerns regarding parking space reductions –  Increased public transit offering –  Fear of automobiles spilling over onto neighbourhood streets –  Access problems for stores

•  Every area has its own distinctive transportation dynamics – there is no universal solution

•  Public debate does not seen to have a substantial effect on the reduction of parking spaces

–  3/8 of recommendations have led to partial reductions

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Conviviality Travelling conditions

•  Through-traffic is viewed as a menace to tranquility and safety

•  Public debate improves travelling conditions in the area

–  Vehicle access and safe passenger drop-off areas –  Indoor parking garages –  Better bus service –  Car-sharing and bicycle-rental spaces –  Financing of part of the monthly public transit card for

new residents

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Conviviality The development of green spaces

•  Strong demand for everything green

•  Many developers would like their projects to better correspond with the citizens’ idea of a welcoming place

–  LEED certification approaches, Quartiers verts, Villes et villages en santé –  Fighting heat islands, white/green roofs –  Community gardens

•  Public debate has allowed us to: –  Increase public access to green spaces with the establishment of pedestrian

and bicycle paths –  To reflect on the role of green spaces in day-to-day life

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QUESTION AND COMMENTS