Tashi Farmilo
LJI Reporter

Pontiac will update its land use and development plans with the support of $427,928 from the
Quebec government, aligning local planning with environmental and sustainability goals under
the province’s Politique nationale de l’architecture et de l’aménagement du territoire (PNAAT).

The funding, announced on June 30 by Minister of Municipal Affairs Andrée Laforest and
Minister responsible for the Outaouais region Mathieu Lacombe, will help the MRC de Pontiac
and the MRC de Papineau revise their schémas d’aménagement et de développement to reflect
updated provincial guidelines.

The Conseil régional de l’environnement et du développement durable de l’Outaouais
(CREDDO) will oversee the project, facilitating communication with the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg
community to ensure that Indigenous perspectives and biodiversity priorities are integrated into
the planning process.

Funding is being distributed in stages, with an initial portion provided in 2024-2025 and
additional disbursements scheduled through 2028. The initiative is one of 21 projects selected
across eight administrative regions under the 2023-2027 PNAAT implementation plan, which will
provide a total of $8.6 million to support municipalities in balancing development goals with
environmental protection.

The very first PNAAT was launched in June 2022, followed by the 2023-2027 implementation
plan unveiled in June 2023, which outlines actions to advance Quebec’s vision for architecture
and land use planning. The projects under this plan aim to provide municipalities with practical
support for local planning, emerging from regional consultations and aligned with the ambitions
of local authorities.

For the Pontiac, the funding arrives at a time when the region faces pressures related to
housing demand, farmland preservation, and climate adaptation. The updated plans are
expected to clarify zoning and land use frameworks, preserve natural spaces, and guide
housing and development priorities while ensuring sustainable growth.

“We are proud to support this innovative project, which reflects the aspirations and needs of
local communities,” Laforest said. “Land use planning is what ensures the quality of our living
environments in the medium and long term. Each of our regions has its own palette of colours
and specific needs.”

Photo: Pontiac will update its land use plans with $427,928 in provincial funding, aiming to align
local development with sustainability and biodiversity priorities under Quebec’s planning policy.
(TF) Photo: Courtesy of Municipality of Pontiac’s Facebook page