Saint-Laurent 2021-2030 Climate Emergency Plan

Last updated March 21, 2023

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With its Climate Emergency Plan, Saint-Laurent aims to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030. The Plan also aims to protect biodiversity and prepare for climate change.

Several actions are already in place and many more are to come.

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10,834 large trees planted between 2008 and 2021
9 community gardens
47 parks and green spaces, including the parc Marcel-Laurin woodland protected in perpetuity
55 km of bicycle paths and 16 BIXI bike-sharing stations
1,578 LEED-certified buildings on the territory
1st municipal authority to receive ISO 14001 certification for its Environmental Management System
Eliminated fuel oil as an energy source in all municipal buildings
Converting street lights to LEDs
Energy conservation project at Raymond-Bourque arena
Purchase of electric vehicles and installation of engine cut-offs on municipal fuel vehicles
Monarch Friendly City and Bee Friendly City certification
Allowed herbaceous vegetation on residential and vacant lots
Sale of rain barrels at low cost
Development of parking lots for electric cars and Communauto
Installation of public charging stations for electric vehicles
Green roofs on six municipal buildings
Three-way collection in municipal buildings and buildings with 20 units or less
Zero waste camp in day camps
First phase of the “Saint-Laurent Biodiversity Corridor” completed

Increasing the fleet of electric and hybrid vehicles
Reducing fugitive refrigerant emissions
Optimizing the energy performance of municipal buildings
Eco-responsible procurement and consumption policy
Eco-responsible events and activities offered to the public
Energy reduction programs for industries, businesses and institutions
Reduction of residual materials generated on the territory and continued implementation of the collection of recyclable and organic materials
Regulations favouring sustainable construction and renovation of buildings
Creation of low emission zones
Protection and restoration of natural environments
Implementation of the Saint-Laurent Biodiversity Corridor Action Plan
Preparing for climate change and extreme weather events

The objectives of the Plan

Reduce corporate greenhouse gas emissions

Corporate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions come from day-to-day operations over which the borough has some control, such as municipal buildings and facilities, rolling stock, landfill, street lighting and traffic signals. This objective aims to implement various tactics to minimize greenhouse gas emissions from these operations.

Reduce collective greenhouse gas emissions

The community’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions include those generated within the municipality and related to energy consumption in the residential, commercial, institutional and industrial sectors, waste management (landfill and composting) and transportation. This objective presents actions that allow all community actors, citizens and businesses alike, to take part in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions through the implementation of various measures or participation in programs.

Protecting biodiversity and ensuring adaptation to climate change

This objective of the Climate Emergency Plan defines the actions that Saint-Laurent will carry out over the next 10 years in order to increase its resilience to climate conditions, which are increasingly changing and even extreme. The borough is counting on increasing the number of protected natural environments, greening, reducing its vulnerability to climate hazards and reducing heat islands in order to increase its resilience.

It is therefore committed to continuing its efforts to green and protect biodiversity by carrying out sustainable development that respects the environment, both for neighbourhood projects and large-scale projects, as well as to raising awareness and mobilizing the population around these issues. In order to evaluate the impacts of the actions taken by Saint-Laurent in terms of adapting to climate change and protecting urban biodiversity, a study will be conducted to create an inventory of greenhouse gas emissions offsets in which the ecosystem services rendered, i.e. the ecosystem functions that benefit humans, will also be identified. This new practice will make it possible to measure the situation of the borough in a punctual manner at various stages of the implementation of the measures.