Action Plan for Redeveloping Beaupré’s AIM’s Brownfield Site

Being required to decontaminate the former Abitibi-Bowater pulp and paper mill site, the City of Beaupré would like to take advantage of this unique opportunity to redevelop the site on the banks of the St. Lawrence River in a sustainable and integrated manner. The City therefore decided to consult local residents on developing an action plan to reclaim the site. The presence of essential services—water supply and sewer systems, electricity, and nearby rail line—makes it an ideal location for a modern industrial park. In addition, access to the river and Mont-Sainte-Anne are major assets for residential and commercial development. The action plan developed to reclaim the site of the former mill will include an analysis of available data and information in addition to the development of urban, marketing and communications plans. It will be used to identify rehabilitation work, design a sustainable neighbourhood and create new jobs to replace those lost when the mill shut down in 2009. This initiative will therefore result in social and economic benefits for the community in the medium and long term. Used as a tool for designing and developing a major historical project, the action plan will outline strategies and present options for redeveloping the contaminated site, meet the City’s objectives and directions, and give residents once again access to the banks of the St. Lawrence. The action plan is in compliance with the Quebec Metropolitan Community’s metropolitan development plan and Côte-de-Beaupré RCM’s strategic sustainable development plan. Rehabilitating the site of the former Abitibi-Bowater mill is part of an extensive systematic approach that includes a multisport complex project and a city hall projecs, both built to ecological standards. Being one of the first brownfield reclamation action plans presented to the Green Municipal Fund, the City of Beaupré’s project will serve as an example to other municipalities having to deal with a major contaminated site near the water. (Project description from original funding application)