Le Groupe Brigil Construction has protected an area of some 20 acres, almost one third of the Symmes project, in order to preserve in their natural state a large marsh, two watercourses and an island on which the municipality will create a four-acre park. Le Groupe Brigil is fencing off the green spaces to prevent humans from entering, in addition to entering the riverbank buffer strips in the cadastre (land register) and transferring ownership to the City of Gatineau.

Brigil has modified its storm drains to ensure the survival of a stream in the Symmes project.

In the Plateau du Parc project, Le Groupe Brigil Construction is protecting the buffer strips to provide an uninterrupted connection with Gatineau Park, thereby allowing deer and other animals to circulate along the watercourses inside the residential projects.

Le Groupe Brigil has landscaped a wetland area inside the Domaine Lorrain project to extend the habitat of the striped chorus frog, a protected species that is present in a neighboring marsh.

Le Groupe Brigil has a policy of “minimum clearance” of land it acquires for residential projects. Quality trees that do not impede the construction of houses are conserved, enhancing both the value of the project and the quality of life of residents.

Brigil amply exceeds municipal requirements to plant one tree of at least 50 cm on each plot. For single-family homes, Brigil plants one tree in front and two behind. For corner houses, three trees are added on the side. For semidetached or row houses, one tree is provided in front of and one behind each unit, plus the additional trees for corner units.

In the Walters project (between Aylmer and McConnell), these trees must be oaks, and self-builders must meet Brigil’s standards.

Brigil: integrating to protect the environment

To talk about the environment is good. To take action is better. This is how Le Groupe Brigil Construction sees the delicate issue of environmental protection in its many residential projects. “Being the biggest residential builder in Quebec brings major responsibilities towards the community, including the duty to play a leading role on the environmental front,” says Gilles Desjardins, president of Groupe Brigil Construction.

This duty translates into a day-to-day concern to go beyond municipal and provincial environmental standards, and is enshrined in a policy of integrating residential projects into the existing physical environment, rather than brutally adapting natural physical environments to construction imperatives. The new Plateau Symmes project, in the Aylmer sector, provides a shining example of this policy.

Here, the Groupe Brigil has decided to protect an area of about 20 acres – almost a third of the project – to preserve in their natural state a large marsh, two watercourses and an island on which the municipality will create a four-acre park. “This park, unique in the city of Gatineau, will be surrounded by water and will give residents a superb view of the marsh, which is home to abundant fauna and flora,” explains Louis-Claude Boulard, Groupe Brigil Construction’s Marketing Director.

“This large green space and the watercourses will be protected for future generations,” adds Pierrot Barrette, Development Director. Brigil is doing much more than simply not building there: fencing off the green spaces to prevent people from entering, in addition to registering buffer strips (10 meters from the high-water level) in the cadastre (land register) and handing over ownership to the City of Gatineau.

“Nobody will be able to build a cabin in the marsh in ten years’ time. There was nothing to stop us from selling off the riverbank buffer strips, even though they are protected by law. But we moved the entire project away from them, put a fence around them, registered them and transferred ownership to the City,” adds Mr. Barrette. He also points out that Brigil modified its storm drains to ensure the survival of a stream in the project.

In the Plateau du Parc project (extension of Boulevard des Grives between Pink Road and De la Montagne Road), protection of the riverbank buffer strips will provide an uninterrupted link with Gatineau Park, allowing deer and other species to circulate along the watercourses inside the residential projects. In the Domaine Lorrain project, close to De La Vérendrye and Lorrain, Le Groupe Brigil has even landscaped a wetland area inside the project to extend the habitat of the striped chorus frog, a protected species that is present in a neighboring marsh.

Le Groupe Brigil also has a policy of “minimum clearance” of land it acquires for residential projects. Quality trees that do not impede the construction of houses are conserved, enhancing both the value of the project and the quality of life of residents. Moreover, on sites without trees, Brigil amply exceeds municipal requirements to plant one tree of at least 50 cm on each plot.

For single-family homes, Brigil plants one tree in the front and two behind. For corner houses, three trees are added on the side. For semidetached or row houses, one tree is provided in front of and one behind each unit, plus the additional trees for corner units. In the Walters project (between Aylmer and McConnell), these trees must be oaks, and self-builders must meet Brigil’s standards.

“Our projects’ integration into the natural physical environments and our almost systematic surpassing of standards are not imposed upon us,” concludes Gilles Desjardins. “Nobody is forcing us. But we see this policy as a winning formula both for ourselves and the residents of Brigil communities. We see it as bettering the quality of life.”

Concrete measures taken:

Plateau Symmes :

• Integration and transfer of ownership of marsh
• Creation of an island park
• Building of a fence to protect the marsh
• Protection of a wooded area adjacent to the marsh
• Ecological development of the retention basin
• Wildlife protection

Plateau du Parc

• Development of a green urban corridor linking Gatineau Park to a stream on Pink Road.
• Integration of wetlands and a park in the green corridor
• Building of a fence to protect the green corridor
• Ecological development of the retention basin
• Wildlife protection
• Integration and protection of 2 streams in the northern sector

Ruisseau Desjardins

• Planting of trees and shrubs to protection river banks and endangered wildlife

Domaine Lorrain

• Creation of wetland area to protect the striped chorus frog
• Use of replanting techniques for stabilization and naturalization of stream banks

Château Golf

• Major engineering changes for minimum cutting of trees
• Installation of a diffuser plate for natural filtration of run-off water

Condos du Plateau

• Temporary fence to protect a waterway