According to our information, the national architecture and development policy of the region takes more than thirty pages.

Although the expression urban sprawlthe subject of lively debate in the National Assembly these days, is almost absent in the document, this question is actually addressed, but from the angle of densification.

The policy creates the need to create more compact neighborhoods and to make smarter use of territory, while respecting the way citizens live.

Described as the initial stage of a major collective businessgovernment policy is based on four main areas:

• quality of living environment that meets the needs of citizens;
• development that maintains and enhances natural environments and agricultural land;
• dynamic and authentic communities throughout Quebec;
• greater concern for territory and architecture in public action.

patience

Not surprisingly, the government does not plan to immediately detail how these big ideas will come to concrete.

According to our information, it will be necessary to wait until 2023, therefore after the general election next autumn, before adopting an implementation plan for this policy, if the power of the Coalition avenir Québec remains.

Quebec also seems to have to wait before presenting new government guidelines for land use planning (OGAT).

However, these orientations are fundamental because they guide MRCs specifically in developing their development plans as well as municipalities in the elaboration of their urban plans.

Aside from some specific additions made over the past 20 years, the OGATs currently in effect in Quebec were adopted in the mid -1990s and are therefore considered obsolete by many observers.

High expectations

The result of an extensive consultation process, national architectural policy and land use planning is eagerly awaited in the environment and municipalities, among others.

Having sat on the advisory committee during the development of this policy, the head of the planning committee of the National Regrouping of the Regional Environmental Councils of Quebec, Alexandre Turgeon, is expected a clear vision.

What we expect with regard to politics is that it gives way, which we can say: “From now on, we will go in that direction and we will stop. scrap our territory because we are destroying our landscapes. “

” Many cities are saying this, elected officials have been more strongly saying for some time that it was a disaster, in the way they were building their own territory. “

Mr. Turgeon does not believe the truth of limitations urban sprawl is enough. The urban sprawl needs to stop, he says. According to him, Quebec will be able to meet its urbanization needs in the next 25 years only by re -qualifying the land instead of developing new ones.

We need to make choices: what are the strategic areas we want to organize in our territory to improve the quality of life of citizens? he said.

“Give an example”

The president of the Ordre des urbanistes du Québec, Sylvain Gariépy, who also sits on this advisory committee, also believes that one of the key principles should be the role model of the State.

We strongly believe that the State should set an example, i.e., change its standard for the location of its public infrastructures to prevent the spread in the territory.he says.

” When we build a hospital in such an area, do we have public transport, adequate motorway service? “

According to Mr. Gariépy, in order to have concrete effects, the policy needs to focus on reviewing all laws affecting land use planning, on a better agreement with Aboriginal people for the use of the territory and on better funding mechanisms for municipalities.

Alexandre Turgeon, for his part, wants the change to take place as soon as possible after the policy is unveiled.

Personally, I wish the policy had been filed, the implementation plan had been filed, the new government guidelines for development had been adopted.he admits.

In his opinion, Quebec is on the wrong path every year by creating vehicle-dependent living environments and which, in addition to environmental problems, are at risk of having unpleasant surprises soon.

One of the dangers is that in neighborhoods that have emerged in the last 10 years, no one wants to go and live in a place like that for 15 or 20 years, because these are places that are so ugly, and this is the people who find it difficult to sell their assetshe recalled.

In collaboration with Martine Biron