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VertCité has been running the Éco-quartier program in the borough of Saint-Laurent since 2004.

Created by the City of Montréal in 1995, this environmental education program aims to help Montréalers become agents of change in their community by adopting environmental actions on a daily basis.
Outreach is done mainly through events (activities, conferences, workshops, information booths), door-to-door canvassing and citizen mobilization (cleanup activities, community gardens and programs such as Mon école écolo).

In 2014, the Éco-quartier program aligned with the Local Sustainable Development Plan of Saint-Laurent on the following actions:

Increasing the modal share of walking, cycling and public transit;
Greening, increasing biodiversity and ensuring the sustainability of resources;
Ensuring access to sustainable, human-scaled and healthy neighbourhoods;
Making the transition to a green, circular and responsible economy.

SERVICES

ACCOMPANIMENT & CONSULTATION

Through its support and consultation service, VertCité provides environmental education to Saint-Laurent residents, businesses, institutions and industries. We believe that animations must be paired with concrete actions to reach their goals and to raise awareness. We hope that our projects will result in real and lasting environmental change

Projects are grouped into the following key areas: eco-citizenship, climate changes, biodiversity, water, residual materials management, active transportation, greening, and green committees.

Most of our projects are modular and adapted to different target audiences (children in daycare, preschool and primary school students, teenagers, adults, seniors). Contact us for more information about our support service.

Our Objectives

Our service aims to help implement small or large environmental projects within your organizations.
Our main objective is to empower, develop a sense of initiative and raise public awareness about certain environmental issues.

Our support service aims to:

Promote eco-citizenship through environmental education;
Help communities bring about sustainable structural change;
Empower people in charge to become multiplying agents.

Educational Projects

All our projects have been designed to meet the skills, learning and knowledge required by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education in the Quebec Education Program.

If you have ideas that are off the beaten path, don’t hesitate to contact us so that we can work together and answer all your questions!

PATROLS

BLUE AND GREEN PATROLS

Patrols are made up of young people between the ages of 17 and 30 who patrol the streets of our boroughs during the summer to raise awareness about environmental issues. They focus mainly on forest conservation, smart waste management, responsible water consumption and rainwater management.

ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS PATROL – ORGANIC WASTE COLLECTION

Drawing from our management experience, we implemented two environmental awareness patrols to spread the word about organic waste collection in the borough of Saint-Laurent during the summer. Patrollers organize outreach activities with citizens of all ages on the benefits of composting. Whether they visit events or go door to door, patrollers always succeed in reaching a maximum number of people.

ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS PATROL – ECO-FRIENDLY EVENTS

Every event has a carbon footprint. As an environmental organization, we have the experience and expertise to help you reduce your carbon footprint. On the day of your event, we can dispatch one of our environmental awareness patrols to ensure proper waste management. You will then know how much greenhouse gases are produced.

SUBSIDIES

The borough of Saint-Laurent offers various subsidies in partnership with the Éco-quartier Saint-Laurent. These financial assistance programs encourage citizens to equip themselves responsibly by following an ecological transition approach.

For each subsidy program, you will find the procedure, the forms to be completed and the necessary documents in the following links:

DISTRIBUTION OF COMPOST

Every year, the borough of Saint-Laurent, in partnership with the Éco-quartier Saint-Laurent, gives out free compost. Collected organic matter is transformed into natural fertilizer for flower and vegetable gardens as well as cultivated and cultivable areas.

Bring your own container and a proof of residency to the Municipal Workshops located at 13001 Cavendish Blvd in Saint-Laurent to get your free compost. To find out when this event is held, visit the borough’s Facebook page, Twitter account or website.

A TREE FOR MY NEIGHBOURHOOD

Thanks to an initiative of the Regroupement des éco-quartiers (REQ) and Société de verdissement du Montréal métropolitain (Soverdi), residents may purchase one or more trees for $25 ($35 for fruit trees) in the spring or fall.

For more information, visit unarbrepourmonquartier.org.

CLEANUP ACTIVITIES

The éco-quartier Saint-Laurent organizes an annual clean-up on Earth Day, to which all residents are invited.

It also lends equipment if you wish to organize a cleanup event with friends or neighbours! Tools such as rakes, shovels and brooms are available at the éco-quartier. Contact us if you are a resident, institution, business or industry in Saint-Laurent.

RESOURCES

Here are useful resources on environmental issues if you live in the borough of Saint-Laurent.

COLLECTION SCHEDULE

For information on collection schedules in your neighbourhood, consult the collections and recycling schedule for Saint-Laurent or info-collectes.

ORGANIC WASTE COLLECTION

Organic matter accounts for 35 to 40% of the waste in our garbage bins. This includes kitchen scraps, green waste and other common biodegradable household waste. Composting makes it possible to recover this waste.

Since 2016, the collection of organic materials has been implemented in Saint-Laurent for buildings with 8 units or less.

Implementation in buildings with 9 units or more will begin in the fall of 2022. Residents will receive a small countertop bin while managers or custodians will be responsible for receiving and maintaining large brown bins on wheels similar to those for household garbage and recycling. A pilot project took place in this type of building in the fall of 2021 (see Projects section for details). Implementation will be gradual and will take place over several years.

The following types of organic waste are accepted:

Food residues
Soiled paper and cardboard
Green waste
Other types of waste (toothpicks, animal food and fur, feathers, hair, tissues, etc.)

For more information, see organic waste collection in Saint-Laurent.

Need a little help with your brown bin at home? See this list of hints and tips.

Useful links:

HOME COMPOSTING

Household composting is another way to recover organic matter. Thanks to a borough subsidy, backyard composters are available for $22. We also provide assistance to help you get started.

Useful link: Handy Guide to Home Composting

RECYCLING

Recycling consists in recovering certain types of residual materials in order to transform them industrially and give them a second life. All unsorted residual materials are collected in green bins.

What goes in the recycling bin?

Here are examples of materials that are accepted or refused by the City of Montréal in your green bin:

Accepted materials:

Paper and cardboard (newspaper, boxes, magazines)
Plastic other than number 6 (bags, containers, bottles)
Metal (cans, aluminum)
Glass (bottles, containers)

The following items are not accepted:

Number 6 plastics
Compostable plastic bags
Binders, padded envelopes
Wax paper, paper towels, plastic wrap
Chip or cereal bags
Soiled cardboard
Toothpaste tubes
Pots, pans or cake tins
Stickers
Diapers
Broken tools, screws or nails
Paint cans
Batteries
Mirrors, dishware and glassware

NUMBER 6 PLASTIC

The ecocentres in LaSalle and Saint-Laurent now recycle number 6 plastic (polystyrene). The following list shows the types of materials accepted at both sites:

Rigid Polystyrene	Expanded Polystyrene (Styrofoam)
Containers with folding lids for fruits and vegetables Single-serve yogurt containers (remove aluminum foil) CD and DVD cases Containers with transparent lids and black bases for pastries and prepared foods Single-use plates, bowls and utensils Small milk and cream containers Cups and transparent domes for beverages Plant pots	Protective packaging for electronic devices or household appliances Food trays for meat, fish or poultry Egg containers Containers with folding lids Single-use plates and bowls Containers for annual flowers and other Coolers Coffee and hot drink cups Insulation panels

HAZARDOUS HOUSEHOLD WASTE AND ELECTRONICS

Hazardous household waste (HHW) includes various common household products such as paints, used oils, solvents, batteries, pesticides, and cleaning products.

HHW, just like electronic devices (televisions, cell phones, computers, printers, etc.), must be recycled and treated separately and ecologically. To do so, simply drop off HHW and electronics at your local ecocentre, which recovers them free of charge.

Keep in mind:

Since the implementation of environmental handling fees (EHF) in 2013, electronics retailers are obligated to recover electronic devices (similar to the types sold) at the end of their service life. See the list of authorized drop-off points.
In Saint-Laurent, there are drop-off points for CDs and DVDs (including cases), cell phones and batteries in all public buildings.
You can deposit the following items in our offices for recycling: batteries, cell phones, ink cartridges and compact fluorescent lamps.

ECOCENTRE

Since 2016, there is an ecocentre located at 3535 Sartelon St. in Saint-Laurent where various types of waste can be dropped off for proper recycling.

Useful links (in French only):

RAINWATER COLLECTION

Collecting rainwater is a simple technique that allows you to:

Reduce the negative effects of rainwater runoff and sewage overflow during storms (which can result in sewer backups and surplus discharge in natural habitats)
Save water (collected water can be used for gardening)
Protect your house foundations from water leakage from roof

To encourage citizens to collect rainwater, the borough of Saint-Laurent sells rain barrels at the reduced cost of $22. Contact the éco-quartier Saint-Laurent for more information.

Note: In 2013, the City of Montréal adopted a bylaw on water use stating that watering is only permitted at certain periods. Watering paved surfaces such as asphalt (still unfortunately too common) is strictly forbidden.

Regulations concerning water use

EMERALD ASH BORER

You have probably heard about the emerald ash borer, the insect pest from Asia that is infesting ash trees across North America. The disappearance of thousands of ash trees not only impacts the landscape but also poses a risk to public health in cities exposed to heat islands.

The emerald ash borer is now unfortunately found throughout Montréal, and the City has undertaken a series of measures to contain the infestation, notably by treating trees with bio-pesticides. Saint-Laurent is a pioneer in the field as it has treated all ash trees in the public domain in the borough.

Residents are responsible for the care of ash trees on private property. It is important to take quick and efficient action. Contact us for information on caring for your ash tree.

Useful links:

Fighting the Emerald Ash Borer Homeowner’s Guide

3 simple ways to identify an ash tree

Treating or felling my ash tree

Financial aid

RAGWEED

One of the roles of the éco-quartier Saint-Laurent’s green patrol is to educate citizens about the ragweed plant whose pollen is known to cause hay fever. In order to eradicate this annual plant and lessen allergic reactions, it is recommended to uproot it as soon as it manifests itself on your property.

How to identify ragweed