The diversity of the businesses established in the employment areas surrounding the Centre contributes to the vitality of these urban environments. Whether the structures involved are industrial, office or retail buildings, these areas encompass a wide variety of employment sectors.

The Master Plan proposes to reinforce employment activities in the areas surrounding the Centre, in particular in order to reduce the distance between homes and workplaces. In accordance with the principles of sustainable development, the City wants to increase the cost-effectiveness of its infrastructure by promoting the consolidation of employment areas already served with infrastructure.

The challenge is to realize the full development potential of these employment areas in order to maintain and increase employment near densely populated neighbourhoods that can be reached by public transportation. Public and private reinvestment in these already-developed economic areas will contribute to covering the cost of rehabilitating their older infrastructure.

From an urban redevelopment perspective, the Plan also provides for the conversion of some portions of these areas to new economic forms and functions, in some cases in combination with housing.

The Plan sets forth two actions relative to activities at the Centre’s periphery in order to support the more intensive use of existing infrastructure:

9.1

Support the transformation of the employment structure within the existing industrial fabric See this action

9.2

Convert, to a mixed-use function, changing industrial sites that could be integrated into the residential fabric See this action