VertCite supports citizens in their ecological transition by managing several environmental projects in relation to food security, accompaniment of citizens and the creation of green spaces.

CULTURES URBAINES

As part of the Programme de soutien à l’amélioration de l’accès aux fruits et légumes à Montréal 2018-2021, the Cultures Urbaines project aims to eliminate food deserts and food waste in Saint-Laurent.

To this end, VertCité and its partners are implementing a project to distribute surplus production from urban agriculture. Fresh food will be collected on the territory and transported by bicycle to sales points located in food deserts.

Combining healthy eating, active transportation and urban agriculture, this project complements several other VertCité initiatives in Saint-Laurent. Cultures Urbaines thus hopes to improve the food system in Saint-Laurent, which already encourages initiatives in local food production, community kitchens, food processing and food banks. VertCité intends to create a local distribution network and market to showcase our products.

MARCHÉ DU COLLÈGE

The Marché Du Collège is a solidarity market that is an integral part of the Cultures Urbaines project. According to a study on food access, Saint-Laurent is the second largest territory in Montreal in terms of the number of people (47,732) and the percentage of people (51%) without access to grocery stores on foot. In terms of the number of people who do not have access to fresh fruits and vegetables and live below the low-income cut-off, Saint-Laurent ranks first with 10,961 people.

The Marché Du Collège offers a selection of low-cost fruits and vegetables to improve the food supply in the Saint-Laurent area. It prioritizes the sale of local products on a short circuit. The Marché Du Collège began its activities in the summer of 2020. It is located in Beaudet Park 4 days a week from 2pm to 6pm.

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MAGASIN-PARTAGE DE NOËL

The Magasin-Partage de Noël à Saint-Laurent (Saint-Laurent Christmas Sharing-store) consists of setting up a temporary two-day grocery store during which low-income households in the neighbourhood come and put together a basket of perishable and non-perishable food items of their choice. This initiative is the result of the efforts of local organizations including the borough of Saint-Laurent, the COSSL, the CIUSSS du Nord-de-l’île de Montréal, the Centre ABC de Saint-Laurent and VertCité, which together carry out the event in collaboration with the Regroupement Partage.

For the 2021 edition, 600 Laurentian households, including 1,139 adults and 1,277 children, were able to benefit from a Christmas basket during the holiday season. More than 87 volunteers were involved, generously giving a total of 350 hours of their time.

SOS DÉPANNAGE SAINT-LAURENT (COVID-19)

SOS Dépannage alimentaire Saint-Laurent is a temporary cooperative food assistance project aimed at addressing the increased demand for emergency food assistance during the COVID-19 crisis. This project was designed to complement the services offered by Saint-Laurent food banks.

In partnership with the YMCA, the borough of Saint-Laurent, the CIUSSS du Nord-de-l’île and the Centre l’Unité, this project delivered 160 weekly food baskets worth $50 to Laurentians in need from April to June 2020.

FÊTE DES RÉCOLTES (Harvest Fest)

The Fête des récoltes is a festive event that we organize in September. It brings together everyone involved in urban agriculture projects in Saint-Laurent and gives them the opportunity to present their initiatives to the general public. The event is a great place for exchanging, sharing ideas and generating inspiration.

It is also an occasion to celebrate the end of the summer season with a farmers’ market, artisan kiosks, conferences and workshops, a seed exchange, a corn shucker, music and other activities.

The first edition in 2019 gathered nearly 800 people. Unfortunately, the situation in 2020 did not allow us to reproduce this beautiful event, but in September 2021, the very awaited second edition took place, always as festive!

CULTIVONS SAINT-LAURENT

Every May, the festival Cultiver Montréal, sponsored by Cultiver Montréal, is held. This festival invites citizens to celebrate the beginning of the agricultural season in Montreal by visiting urban agriculture kiosks in 14 boroughs.

Since 2018, VertCité has been organizing the Cultivons Saint-Laurent fair as part of the festival. This event allows citizens to learn gardening tips and to equip themselves with seeds, seedlings and tools for gardening throughout the season.

SOUS LES PAVÉS

By 2020, a dozen sites have been completed throughout Quebec with the help of various local partners including VertCité. In a second phase of the project, that will stretch from 2021 to 2023, 18 more public spaces will be demineralized in a dozen regions of Quebec. This innovative initiative seeks to draw the attention of residents and decision makers on issues such as climate change and stormwater management. It is a unique opportunity for citizens to get involved in the process of adapting cities to extreme weather conditions, a first in Saint-Laurent!

Through this project, 105 square meters of asphalt were removed from Jonathan primary school’s yard on june 1st 2019, with the help of almost 70 volunteers.

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CYCLISTE AVERTI

Since 2018, VertCité has been running the Cycliste averti program in various Saint-Laurent and Pierrefonds-Roxboro schools. Developed by Vélo Québec, this program teaches elementary students in grades 5 and 6 to bike in a safe and independent manner.

The program combines theoretical and practical lessons that allow students to cycle safely on the road.

ÉRABLIÈRE URBAINE

Over 10 years ago, a local resident decided to share his love of trees and maple syrup with the multicultural community of Saint-Laurent.

This is why Mario Bonenfant, known as Capitaine Sirop, began tapping the maple trees in Beaudet Park every March and bringing together hundreds of children, newcomers, volunteers and locals to celebrate the sugaring-off season.

This is how the Érablière urbaine was created. Featuring educational, cultural and traditional activities, this annual event takes place every spring in Beaudet Park in Saint-Laurent. Over the years, the event has grown to gather thousands of visitors around this central theme.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COLLECTION OF ORGANIC MATTER (OM)

In the fall of 2021, the borough of Saint-Laurent set up a pilot project to implement the collection of organic materials in certain buildings with 9 or more dwellings, as well as in certain industries, businesses and institutions (ICI) that volunteered for this first test phase.

As part of this project, the OM Patrol answered the questions and concerns of the managers and explained the operation of the new collection. The OM Patrol also distributed a start-up kit and conducted outreach to residents in 24 buildings with 9 or more units.

The goal of this project is to test the OM collection system implemented by the borough and to evaluate the participation rate of residents in view of a general deployment to all buildings in Saint-Laurent in the coming years.

LES ATELIERS PHÉNIX

This project, which ended in March 2020, created a network of circular economy, solidarity and sharing. Through the recycling and transformation of residual materials from Laurentian businesses, and the marketing of their creations, Ateliers Phénix has contributed to the empowerment of marginalized populations.

This project is articulated around three axes: the collection of residual materials, the management of transformation workshops and the management of product distribution sites (online, in public markets and in the ecoboutique of the Saint-Laurent eco-neighborhood). Nothing will be lost, nothing will be created, but everything will be transformed!

The Phénix workshops allowed participants to acquire basic sewing skills, to develop their creativity and their entrepreneurial spirit while reducing their ecological footprint.

This project is articulated around three axes: the collection of residual materials, the management of transformation workshops and the management of product distribution sites (online, in public markets and in the eco-boutique of the Saint-Laurent eco-quartier). Nothing will be lost, nothing will be created, but everything will be transformed!