Converting abandoned buildings into eco-friendly housing

Given that, for any new construction, a municipality must undertake work to connect them to water and electricity distribution, and that these highly specialized buildings are often subsequently abandoned due to bankruptcy, uglifying the urban landscape;

Given that there are numerous factories and shopping centers left to decay in the heart of cities, while the housing crisis worsens;

It is proposed that:

• Canada will amend theNational Building Codeto incorporate standards for the construction of large stores, factories or warehouses, standards designed to facilitate their subsequent conversion into eco-friendly housing and cooperatives.

• These standards will help any new mall/warehouse/warehouse development to achieve a zero-carbon budget, and establish a plan for re-conversion into housing and cooperatives

• Any investor-developer will have to pay a reserve amount into a trust account, which will be used to convert buildings back into housing.

• In the event of abandonment and non-response, the municipality will be able to take ownership of the site after a one-year period of non-occupation, and will have access to the reserve amount held in trust.

A similar approach including remediation of contaminated soil and conversion to public green space will be undertaken in the case of abandoned service stations.

Type of proposal

Public policy the party would represent

Objective/Benefit

Facilitate the conversion of abandoned buildings into environmentally friendly and accessible housing units.

If your proposal replaces one or more existing policies, which one does it replace?

It complements proposals G06-P005: Sustainable Urban Development and

G06-P035: National Affordable Housing Program

List any facts in support of your proposal

• IDverde (2022) Brownfield redevelopment: a major challenge for sustainable urban development. link: https://idverde.fr/actualites/reconversion-des-friches-industrielles-un-enjeu-de-taille-pour-lamenagement-urbain-durable/
  EXTRAIT : "The reconversion and rehabilitation of brownfield sites is one of the major challenges for sustainable urban planning in the years to come. Indeed, these abandoned sites on the outskirts of major cities are the main levers for urban renewal. They offer a solution to the land shortage and can meet many needs."

• Groupe sur l'urbanisme écologique, (2022) Réinventer la ville avec l'écologie, collection Écologie urbaine, éditions Apogée ISBN: 9782843987441. link: https://www.editions-apogee.com/architecture-urbanisme/648-reinventer-la-ville-avec-l-ecologie.html

• Paul Smith, (2015) La reconversion des sites et des bâtiments industriels / link: https://journals.openedition.org/insitu/11802. According to him, some vacant or abandoned buildings also have heritage interest. One may want to keep the structure and redevelop the interior.

• Neighborhood Renaissance in Montreal - Converting factories while guaranteeing local employment. Link: https://www.ledevoir.com/politics/regions/1162/renaissance-des-quartiers-a-montreal-reconvertir-les-usines-en-garantissant-l'-emploi-local
  EXTRAIT " While most development takes place on large vacant lots, close to highways, industrial reconversion takes place instead on a contaminated site, located right in the heart of the city." 

• Canada has its vacant homes - all 1.3 million of them, according to the OECD. LINK: https://betterdwelling.com/canadas-vacant-real-estate-is-getting-the-viral-treatment-on-social-media/ (2022)

Does the proposal affect any particular group and what efforts have been made to consult with that group or those groups?

N/A

Jurisdiction: Is this proposal under federal jurisdiction?

Construction code: yes

Please indicate the language in which the proposal is submitted.

In French