Quebec softens its rules for development near railways

The Legault government lightens its requirements for the construction of new dwellings along the railways. Tags in force last year had the effect of prohibiting residential projects within 300 meters from the railways, which nevertheless cross many municipalities in Quebec.

These new standards appeared in an eight -page document intended to limit nuisance and risks near railways.

In its initial version, published last fall, we asked MRC prohibit any new sensitive use less than 300 meters from a railway. This includes housing, schools or health establishments, for example.

These government guidelines had raised an uproar in the municipal political class. Several elected officials accused Quebec of slowing down the development of residential projects with too rigid orientations. With these beacons, the government wanted to limit nuisance near the railways, such as noise and vibrations.

After months of criticism, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs published last week a new much more permissive normative framework. The restriction area has gone from 300 m to 30 meters for railroad tracks, and from 1000 m to 300 meters for sorting stations.

By email, the Mamh explains that it has changed its normative framework after hearing the concerns of the municipalities as to these requirements.

The new guidelines thus leave more flexibility in the MRCs In the choice of means to supervise sensitive uses and set up mitigation measures, while taking into account health and safety near the railways.

In fact, the MRC could derogate from these restrictions, but provided that you have protective works. Ultimately, the last word will return to MRCwho will be responsible for including these guidelines in their development plan.

Relief in the municipal world

In Trois-Pistoles, the mayor Philippe Guilbert calculates that the third of his city could have been limited in his subdivision projects.

We already have a residential development project that is in this area. We could have had serious consequences on our residential developmentbelieves the one who is delighted with the changes made by Quebec.

For months, both the regional table of municipal elected officials from Bas-Saint-Laurent and the Union of Municipalities of Quebec have put pressure on the government to go back.

I think that today, we arrive at a compromise that is super interesting. Yes for public health, but also for the economic vitality of our regionsunderlines the president of theUmbq And mayor of Mascouche, Guillaume Tremblay.