Montreal to apply a “climate test” to all city decisions
Montreal’s new climate plan to 2030 outlines 46 actions around cleaner transport, urban greening and more energy-efficient buildings.
It includes a commitment to apply a ‘climate test’ to all city decisions, from finance and infrastructure to public policy. The city will also allocate 10 to 15 percent of the ten-year capital expenditures programme budget to climate change adaptation.
The Climate Plan 2020-2030 aims to support the city to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 55 percent (from 1990 levels) within ten years and become carbon neutral by 2050.
The plan states: “The health crisis triggered by COVID-19 has highlighted the importance of resilience to ensure the wellbeing of cities’ residents and the vitality of businesses and infrastructure.
“The ultimate goal of this plan is to increase the community’s resilience and capacity to adapt to climate hazards, environmental disruptions and potential pandemics that could once again cause havoc in our society.”
Mobility and buildings
Road transportation is the largest source of GHG emissions in Montreal, accounting for around 30 percent.
According to the city, integrating the Climate Plan’s targets into urban and mobility planning to inform neighbourhood policy decisions could contribute to a 50 percent reduction in GHG emissions from road transportation.
Plans include converting parking lots in some areas into open spaces and planting 500,000 trees.
To meet the goal of reducing the share of solo car trips by 25 percent, Montreal will develop public and active transport in all districts and promote car-sharing, taxi use and carpooling. It has also proposed a zero-emissions zone downtown.
Buildings generate 28 percent of the emissions in Montreal. To reduce this, the city will shift to renewable energy sources and eliminate the use of heating oil in buildings, which it says would reduce emissions by five percent.
Other measures include: adapting bylaws and support programmes to boost the energy efficiency of buildings; designing a funding programme for property owners to support environmentally friendly renovation work; and bringing in a system of rating and disclosure for the energy consumption and GHG emissions of buildings.