With the amendment of zoning bylaw RCA08-08-0001 through bylaw RCA08-08-0001-161, many exemplary standards have been created and a number of requirements have been raised, particularly with regard to the following five areas: 

• update the eco-responsible parking standards established in 2009 and already improved in 2015
• promote the sustainable construction and renovation of buildings
• increase green spaces and biodiversity on the territory
• facilitate tree planting and growth
• expand access to urban agriculture, particularly in yards and on rooftops, thereby enabling the development of a local food supply.

All sectors are involved, from residential to commercial and industrial. The principle is to conserve and enhance existing natural environments, woodlands and trees, and to increase the amount of green space everywhere, particularly in outdoor parking lots and industrial areas. 

In addition, the carbon impact of buildings is reduced through the use of ecological materials or the reuse of materials. 

In terms of transportation, these changes help to reduce the role of the automobile in cutting down on greenhouse gases. They also encourage the use of alternatives to having single-occupancy vehicles on the road, in a context where this practice is historically very prevalent in Saint-Laurent. And lastly, this series of new standards contributes to the electrification of transportation by requiring the installation of charging stations for electric and hybrid vehicles. 

These new bylaw provisions have also been designed to adapt territorial development to the start-up of the Réseau express métropolitain (REM) and the five stations planned on Saint-Laurent territory. This is particularly the case of the parking requirements in the bylaw. 

This extensive revision of our bylaws is helping to create a quality living environment not only for our residents, but also for our businesses and their employees. It is a matter of pursuing the dynamic initiative begun more than 20 years ago in Saint-Laurent, a sustainable municipal territory, in order to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 55% between now and 2030, protect biodiversity and prepare for climate change. Our sustainable development approach is making it possible to reconcile economic and land-use issues with the climate emergency and social cohesion.

The best example of this is the easier access to urban agriculture so as to meet a demand from Saint-Laurent residents, while at the same time developing a local food supply.

Act locally and think globally: that's the road to follow!