According to this by-law, the promoters would be responsible for certain costs that were previously assumed by the City.
Draft by-law 1204 does not hold up at all, because it costs us. There are certain costs that we agree with […] But there are two points that hang a lot, they want us to pay fees on the remote network between our project and the treatment plant. For example, if pipes have to be enlarged in existing streets, they want to pass on the bill to us. If pumps have to be changed in pumping stations, they want to pass the bill on to us. It goes as far as drinking water
laments promoter Roland Mongeau.
He also believes that the regulations could add significant delays for promoters.
To study these costs, we are talking about a study that will last 24 months, 24 months to study the costs. Afterwards, if there is work to be done on the existing network, who will do it? We, the City? We are talking about another 36 months to carry out the work before knowing the costs. Once we know these costs, it will be up to us to decide if the project is viable, if we do it or not. […] It is a moratorium in disguise. It’s a way of saying “we have studies, it will take five years before we file a request to do a construction”
he says.
Mr. Mongeau also denounces what he describes as a lack of communication between the City and developers.
The director general of the Association of Construction and Housing Professionals of Quebec (APCHQ) – Estrie, Sylvain Mathieu, even believes that the regulation could harm the development of the City and worsen the housing crisis.
We’re creating the perfect storm. There is no affordability in Sherbrooke, there is no availability, there we are shoveling costs into the court of developers which will be passed on to tenants
he argues.
” It has become almost impossible to develop in Sherbrooke. »
Those who will be able to find housing are lucky, but they will pay dearly for it. It creates urban sprawl […] We can clearly see that residential development is moving to the outskirts. More cars on the road, more pollution
he adds.
He indicates that the promoters and the City of Sherbrooke do not have the same vision of development and therefore find themselves at an impasse. For the moment, nothing is developing anymore, we are all walking on the old won, the projects that have been submitted for several years. That means that there, we’re going to have a severe housing crisis, but next year it’s going to be worse, and the year after that it’s going to be even worse than this year. There’s nothing growing, and the population keeps growing
he argues.
A necessary regulation, according to the mayor
In committee of the whole on Monday afternoon, Mayor Évelyne Beaudin stressed, however, that such a regulation was necessary.
The truth is that if we remember the fiscal year […] It was with difficulty that we were able to complete our budget exercise, and there is currently no more money to continue with the old 1204
she hammered.
” For those who will vote against the adoption of by-law 1204 this evening, you can tell me where to go to find the necessary millions to succeed in continuing to subsidize urban sprawl as we were doing, because currently, it will require additional requests if we want to succeed in continuing to offer these subsidies. »
According to a comparative study, the City was able to to see that Sherbrooke is an excessively generous city, that is to say that we paid a lot compared to other cities, so that we were in […] the most generous in most aspects
added the director of the Urban Infrastructure Department at the City of Sherbrooke, Caroline Gravel.
With information from Thomas Deshaies
Reference-ici.radio-canada.ca