Municipality of Lac-des-Plages - Sustainable Development Plan

In order to ensure the long-term preservation and sustainable development of the territory’s natural resources, in general, and of its waterways, in particular, the Municipality of Lac-des-Plages embarked on a continuous improvement process for sustainable development. The municipality sought to increase partnership opportunities among its organization, the community and regional players. It also wanted to establish a framework to stimulate the municipality’s economic, tourist and recreational development following the logic of sustainable development and community outreach. A multi-sectoral roundtable committee, made up of representatives from the municipal, community, business and government sectors, identified a common vision and principles of sustainable development and enlisted the services of a consultant to develop a portrait and diagnosis of the territory. The project team identified the municipality’s priority issues such as water, lakes, waterways, residual materials, energy, transportation, brownfields, forestry, quality of life, public health and development of vacation areas, tourism and recreation. It developed a planning strategy that included specific, measurable objectives and targets, a detailed action plan to meet those objectives and targets, and a follow-up program (a comprehensive performance measurement framework). The latter aimed to provide the roundtable committee with the necessary tools to monitor the plan’s results. The municipality expected to use this new planning and management approach to tackle its future issues with increased flexibility and integration, while considering environmental, social and economic impacts.

(Project description from original funding application)