Montréal, October 2, 2023 — Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce Borough will hold a hackathon on innovative waste management and the search for long-term solutions to the challenges of keeping public spaces clean. The event, which will take place on Tuesday, October 3, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., seeks to mobilize the community around the issue and encourage the creation of innovative solutions.

In an era where we must turn to waste reduction at source and better waste management, the CDN-NDG Borough is facing many challenges related to an aging built environment and a large population. Bringing together experts, researchers, and committed citizens, this meeting aims to develop avant-garde and feasible initiatives for optimizing waste management and improving cleanliness in a borough with a specific built environment and a population who wishes to take the step toward a fair and inclusive transition. 

The day will begin with a speech by the Borough Mayor, Gracia Kasoki Katahwa, which will be followed by a presentation on the current situation of the Borough’s waste management. Revolving around three themes, people, buildings and neighbourhoods, the day will be interspersed with expert presentations and group work sessions. The final workshop will focus on solutions for the future being rolled out elsewhere in the world. The day will end with a sharing of the solutions emerging during the hackathon.

Mayor Katahwa has stated that “Living in a clean and healthy environment is essential for the physical and mental health of residents, while reinforcing a sense of pride in their community. Overflowing garbage cans and illegal dumping have a considerable negative impact on our living environments, but the responsibility for maintaining cleanliness is shared between us all. Today, the people of Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-des-Grâce will think outside the box, and this innovative initiative will serve as a model for other boroughs, which are facing issues similar to ours.”

This day of activities has been organized by Arche Innovation, and hosted by its founder, Noah Redler, who is also president of Re-Innover and an expert in implementing innovation in various fields. Experts will be making presentations, including by Dr. Lara Geinoz, holder of a Ph.D. in Organizational and Industrial Psychology, a former researcher in Human Motivation at the University of Ottawa, and Change Management Advisor at Énergir; Karim Boulos, Professor at the John Molson School of Business, Real Estate Management Consultant and former advisor to the City of Montréal; as well as Benoit Proulx, Director at Stratzer, a leader in consulting services in planning, operation, characterization and optimization of waste management in Québec,.

The results of this day of collaborative work will serve as a basis for the continuous improvement of waste management in the Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce Borough.

The media are invited to join the event starting at 2 p.m. The activities will take place at 5700 Westbury Avenue.