Saint-Laurent Declares Itself a "Sustainable Municipal Territory"

SAINT-LAURENT, QC, Jan. 9, 2019 /CNW Telbec/ - At the first general meeting of the year held on January 8, 2019, Saint-Laurent Council declared the Borough a "sustainable municipal territory". Since 2004, Saint-Laurent has been transitioning toward a major environmental reorientation. This declaration is based on a new Sustainable Development Policy for residents, industrial and commercial establishments, institutions (ICIs) and organizations as well as Saint-Laurent's employees and municipal partners. This new policy replaces the present environmental policy that has been in place since 2012 and that has been regularly revised to take into account the Borough's new realities.

"This declaration and this new policy further position Saint-Laurent as a municipal leader in sustainable development," commented Saint-Laurent Mayor Alan DeSousa. "To mobilize the entire Saint-Laurent community around this vision, a major event will moreover be organized in October on safety and climate. For several years now, and even more so in recent months, the climate emergency has become an absolute priority in the world. Residents are ready to mobilize, as evidenced by the initiative of the Pact for Transition or the tremendous success of the 2nd edition of the Montréal Zero Waste Festival. In Saint-Laurent, we are already taking action with the six local plans adopted in 2017 that respond to the challenges of sustainable development. From now on, by becoming a sustainable municipal territory, we are taking our commitments?and the concrete actions resulting from them?one step further!"

More specifically, under this new Policy, all members of the Saint-Laurent community can contribute to the sustainable development of their living environment through actions in 20 areas of activity, divided into 6 main focuses:

• Combatting climate change
• Protection and enhancement of biodiversity
• Sustainability of resources
• Vitality, safety and resilience of the Borough's sectors
• Socio-cultural development
• Green, circular, inclusive economy

For each of the 20 areas of activity, the Borough has identified useful links to involve ICIs and organizations in taking concrete actions in support of sustainable development. The declaration,  the new policy and these useful links are available on the Borough's website through the button "a sustainable municipal territory" on the homepage.

In short, the Saint-Laurent Administration wants to meet the needs of its residents who would like to have an attractive living space where they are proud to live. It is therefore striving to provide a healthy, safe environment, at the very heart of a vibrant economy and an accessible socio-cultural heritage.

About sustainable development in Saint-Laurent

Since 2004, Saint-Laurent has established a vision for sustainable development, which has been written into ever more ambitious three-year plans:

• In 2011, Saint-Laurent adopted its first Local Sustainable Development Plan for 2011-2015, along with a new tool to monitor its environmental performance: the Environmental Management System (EMS).
• In 2013, an Environmental Policy was adopted and the Borough obtained ISO 14001 environmental certification for its EMS, thereby becoming the first municipal authority in Québec to meet the criteria of this international standard.
• Also in 2013, the Borough made a concrete commitment to combat climate change, by integrating the Federation of Canadian Municipalities' (FCM) Partners for Climate Protection (PCP) program.
• And in 2013 as well, three buildings were certified ISO 14001: the Centre des loisirs, Borough Hall and the municipal workshops
• In 2016, the Bibliothèque du Boisé and the Bibliothèque du Vieux-Saint-Laurent were integrated into this policy.
• In August 2017, the Borough adopted a Local Sustainable Development Plan for 2017-2020.
• In 2017 and 2018, Aréna Raymond-Bourque and the Sports Complex were ISO 14001 certified.
• In 2018, Saint-Laurent became the first municipal entity with a population of over 100,000 to complete the final phase of the PCP program, which enabled it to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 21% between 1990 and 2017.

SOURCE Ville de Montréal - Arrondissement de Saint-Laurent