Lachine-Est: Eco-district and fight against climate change

The borough of Lachine has a population of approximately 45,000 residents, which represents 2.5% of the total population of the City of Montréal. The eastern part of the borough includes an industrial park occupying a little over 60 hectares. This neighbourhood is part of a project that is aligned with the City of Montréal’s general plan and that involves building an eco-district that would meet the following sustainable development objectives:

• Low-carbon footprint – 80% decrease in GHG emissions by 2050
• Improved access to services and infrastructure
• Adoption of sustainable development best practices

This project, which is anticipated to welcome approximately 4,500 new households, benefits from the explicit support of citizens, community groups, as well as businesses and institutions that have been involved for several years in shaping the future of this former industrial zone in eastern Lachine.

The future development plan will be articulated around four components:

• Consultation process
• Energy potential study for the implementation of an urban heating and cooling system
• Study for the development of a structured local mobility plan
• Feasibility study for the optimization of the collection and sorting system, and local waste diversion

Innovative aspects:

• Governance with a consultation process conducted ahead of the project, instead of after the fact
• Large scale of the project, i.e., approximately 60 hectares and 10,000 new residents
• Management method that will enable municipalities to take advantage of community geothermal systems
• Incentive to make legislative changes for the government of Quebec and the Régie de l’énergie (self-producers of electricity)

Replicability:

• The project will provide a guide for the implementation of a genuine large-scale TOD (transit-oriented development) neighbourhood that is focused on reinstating the tramway system.
• New technologies and technology combinations for urban heating systems will be brought to an unparalleled level in Canada.
• The adaptation of current legislation will encourage these initiatives in other municipalities.
• The outcomes and lessons learned about the new technologies will help to implement these techniques in other municipalities.