The fine line between development and protecting green space

It’s a déjà vu scenario as we learn of the development of another housing project that will be advantageous for many, but may come at a significant cost in terms of loss of green space.

With many wooded areas disappearing to make way for construction and housing projects in the Île-Perrot area, locals have a right to be concerned as bulldozers clear swaths of land to make way for condos and high-density housing initiatives of all kinds.

Municipal, provincial and federal elected officials assembled for a photo opportunity at a recent groundbreaking ceremony in Pincourt to announce and promote the construction of an 80-unit co-operative project that will provide affordable (and subsidized) housing for semi-independent seniors. On the surface, we can take this to be good news.

Pincourt town manager Michel Perrier said the project was initially promoted by local citizens some 10 years ago and is now being acted upon because “there is a clear need for housing and resources for seniors who want to remain in the community near their children, grandchildren and friends, and that there’s a need for senior citizens to be able to remain in their community.” He adds “even if they’re still mobile and in relatively good health, not all of them have the strength and the energy to keep a house and maintain it.” Perrier noted that this would be the first seniors housing co-operative to be built on Île-Perrot.

Unlike a typical rental building with a landlord, tenants in a housing co-operative all contribute to the maintenance and administration of the complex to keep costs down. Tenants in the building will also benefit from the Société d’habitation du Québec’s (SHQ) Rent Supplement Program, which provides subsidies to ensure residents won’t spend more than 25 per cent of their income on housing.

While we can applaud initiatives that benefit a specific segment of the Île-Perrot region and an aging population, we must not forget that explosive growth is a

genuine concern and a source of controversy due to impacts on local green spaces and wildlife. We know that significant revenues can help fill town coffers via property taxes as a result of these new housing developments, whether they are condos, single-family homes or multiunit residences.

Again, what is good news for some in terms of the creation of affordable housing may not be good news for local wildlife. As the co-operative is built along with necessary accesses and exit routes, what will become of endangered species that live in these areas? With a continued decline of green spaces across the island for them to live in, where will they find protection?