St. Laurent adopts priority projects for 2023

St. Laurent council adopted at its March public meeting 96 priority projects for this year, based on the borough's 2022-2025 strategic plan, which they say will "contribute to the quality of life of the population of St. Laurent."

Mayor Alan DeSousa said the projects "are the line that will guide our actions throughout the year.

"We have identified projects that respond to the needs and concerns of the population and the community. Thus, the safety of living environments, the inclusiveness of various groups present on the territory and the responsible economy will be among our priorities this year. Not to mention, of course, all our projects in sustainable development and urban planning. Our teams are ready to take action."

The 2022-2025 strategic plan was put together with the help of 500 people, including borough staff, community partners and residents.

The new projects are grouped under five strategic planning areas. The first is "the environment and implementation of the Climate Emergency Plan.

Under this category, the borough statement says St. Laurent "intends to continue implementing its 2021-2030 Climate Emergency Plan" by "optimizing the use of electric and hybrid vehicles, converting the lighting in the sports fields of parc Saint-Laurent and parc Marcel-Laurin to LEDs and improving the management of residual materials in municipal buildings.

"In terms of reducing collective greenhouse gases, St. Laurent will continue to deploy several subsidy programs aimed at energy conservation and zero waste, implement organic waste collection in buildings with 21 to 60 units and participate in a project to guide families towards a zero waste lifestyle. The protection of biodiversity remains a priority for the borough. Therefore, several projects will be implemented throughout the year, including the continuation of the restoration of parc Marcel-Laurin woodland, a nature oasis in the heart of St. Laurent, the deployment of an urban agriculture program, the planting of 200 additional trees on the public domain and a distribution program for emergency situation kits."

Under the second focus of an inclusive living environment, "the borough plans to work on a precise assessment of the social development situation in the area, to put in place concrete mechanisms to encourage public participation, to facilitate access to culture for the entire community, to support and accompany community organizations that help newcomers and to set up a committee of partners on urban security and social cohesion to develop a concerted plan."

Under the focus of planning the urban fabric, the borough is planning "the adoption of the Bois-Franc transit-oriented development urban plan, the planning of gateway sectors located at the borough's boundaries, the development of a special urban planning program for the Technoparc ... participation in the development of the City of Montreal's urban planning and mobility plan and the inauguration of Maison Robert-Bélanger, which will add a municipal service point in the western sector of St. Laurent."

Under the focus of meeting the needs of the population in terms of sustainable mobility, projects include the "construction of vegetated projections during geometric redevelopments on the local and arterial networks, the implementation of a road safety committee, the harmonization of parking restrictions on the territory by adding new time slots for on-street parking and allowing for the safe clearance of intersections."

Under the focus of a sustainable economic recovery, and in collaboration with Excellence Industrielle Saint-Laurent, projects include "the continuation of the ECO-Maillage program, the collaboration in the realization of the Rendez-vous laurentien de l'emploi and the promotion of local businesses while encouraging local hiring."

Other projects for this year under the focus of Efficient Organization include "the continuation of the borough's participation in the pilot project for the City of Montreal's new document management system, the deployment of the CLIC citizen request management system and the optimization of geomatics (collection and analysis of geographic data) performance."

The entire list of projects can be seen, in French, at portail-m4s.s3.montreal.ca/pdf/projets-prioritaires-2023_v3_final-complet.pdf