GATINEAU – APRIL 28, 2023. Since 1985, Brigil has had a long-term development vision and has worked closely with the City of Gatineau and key community stakeholders to make it a reality.
Along with the protection and enhancement of our built and cultural heritage, the importance of environmental protection is at the heart of our thinking and emerges from our corporate values. The Brigil team is inspired by the desire to create "complete neighbourhoods" that promote active transportation, local purchasing, and a vibrant culture, while reducing dependence on the automobile. It is this evolving vision of community well-being that leads us to build with purpose.
Brigil's new Champlain Urban Village: an innovative and sustainable community
In the same vein, Brigil recently launched the large-scale Champlain Urban Village project in the Aylmer sector. This innovative residential project is in line with modern urban planning trends and takes advantage of the best principles in terms of densification, environment, design and lifestyle improvement. The result: a housing stock adapted to the area's strong demographic growth.
In the 1990s, Brigil's founding president, Gilles Desjardins, surveyed the land and immediately fell in love with its topography and natural setting. The businessman quickly saw the enormous potential of the lot, which was once destined for embassy construction. Bordered by 3 golf courses, the Ottawa River and connected to a variety of nature trails and bike paths, the land enjoys an enviable location. It is also less than 2 km from the Champlain Bridge, 6.5 km from downtown Hull and only 8 km from the Ottawa Parliament.
Between 1996 and 2000, Brigil was already on the lookout for future trends, thanks to expert reports commissioned by the company, which identified the need to densify the area to accommodate future population growth.
In 2001, during the planning process for the sale of the approximately 460,000 sq. m. land, an ecological corridor of over 100,000 sq. m. was identified and protected, as well as a parcel of land that will later be dedicated to public infrastructure such as a school or park. This leaves approximately 340,000 sq. m. for the realization of Brigil's vision, a beautiful complete neighbourhood including housing, bike paths, public gathering places and many additional green spaces, such as two greenways and a central park.
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The ABCs of the "complete neighbourhood”
Between 2002 and 2005, Brigil was a pioneer in meeting with various key stakeholders to present its vision of a "complete neighbourhood" – a neighbourhood where people can live, work and play, all within a 15-minute walk or bike ride from their homes. With the goal of reducing automobile dependency and promoting a sustainable and friendly lifestyle, Brigil is implementing an approach that promotes public transportation in a safe and secure manner.
The Champlain Urban Village project is designed around the principles of transit-oriented and pedestrian-oriented development. These concepts increase the use of alternative transportation and facilitate access to transit stations, particularly the future Tramway in the west, as well as to the commercial core on foot.
This land is a jewel, due to its location and its many development possibilities. That's why Brigil's president took the time to carefully analyze the various options available to him to present a flagship project that would live up to the full potential of this exceptional site. Far be it from him to "waste" a site of this calibre by developing it exclusively at low density.
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A collaborative project
Brigil held a public consultation in 2020 to discuss its vision and directions for the project, which was very well received. Offering the perfect balance between nature and the city, this "complete neighbourhood" includes a range of services and activities nearby, including local merchants and cafés, telecommuting facilities, as well as numerous green spaces and parks.
Brigil is committed to collaborating and responding to any concerns about the project. In addition to discussions with the "Friends of the Champlain Corridor Forest", we are very pleased that representatives of the "Mothers on the Front Lines" group accepted our invitation on April 24 to discuss our common environmental objectives.
This meeting allowed us to start a dialogue on climate change. As citizen builders, we appreciated learning more about the concerns and objectives of Mothers on the Front. We have heard the group's demands and are analyzing, with the help of many experts, their requests as well as the content of the environmental report produced by Capital Nature.
A new way to imagine urban development
An original master plan was already adopted by the city council in 2016. The first phase, totaling two buildings and approximately 100 rental units, was launched in the fall of 2021 and is already 100% leased. Brigil has received all approvals for the second phase of the project, which will offer 329 units as well as a community building and pool.
Champlain Urban Village will ultimately be comprised of high-end rental units, single-family homes (for sale), commercial space and public gathering spaces. Subsequent phases will follow over the next few years to complete an urban village project of several thousand housing units.
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The result of careful work that takes into account sustainable development and a reduced ecological footprint
The Brigil team worked meticulously to plan the harmonious integration of the various types of buildings, taking into account sunlight and wind. Safety is also a primary concern, so sidewalks and pathways will be adapted for everyone, including people with reduced mobility. This thoughtful design will promote well-being while reducing automobile dependency and toxic emissions. In addition, from a social perspective, the complete neighbourhood has been shown to foster equity, social connections, and a sense of community.
Taking full advantage of the surrounding natural spaces, the project is built while respecting and preserving the ponds and wooded areas of the site, including a 14,000 sq. m area in the heart of the project, where majestic mature oak trees stand. These efforts are essential to maintain the ecological integrity of the Ottawa River and Gatineau Park. In addition, local biodiversity will be further supported through the addition of native flowers and plants that do not require fertilization and through the creation of community gardens and a rainwater harvesting system, so that water does not enter the sewers and gradually drains into the ground. Finally, the creation of a network of extensively vegetated paths will ensure connectivity between natural environments (creation of ecological corridors) where wildlife and plant components can circulate and preserve regional biodiversity.
To learn more, visit villagechamplain.ca
Quotes
"We are committed to contributing to the area we all live in. The city belongs to people, to be a social network and create opportunities for people. Therefore, densification and social diversity are the cornerstones of sustainable urban growth and the only way forward to remain relevant as a city. This is a very exciting and significant moment for Brigil." – Jessy Desjardins, Vice President of Development and Design at Brigil.
"Since the project's inception, several challenges have affected our ability to help address the housing crisis in Gatineau, including the global pandemic, labour shortages, rising inflation and soaring interest rates. However, the Brigil team is staying the course and mobilizing to continue offering complete living environments to the residents of the national capital. – Jessy Desjardins, vice president of development and design at Brigil.
"We want to provide residents with an environment where they can live a fulfilling life while reducing their environmental footprint. As an ethical and environmentally responsible developer, our responsibility goes beyond construction. The development of a community in this area serves to protect the urban perimeter, and the conservation of the area's natural environment remains at the forefront of this project." – Jessy Desjardins, vice president of development and design at Brigil.
About Brigil
Brigil is a leading real estate company in Canada's National Capital Region. Since 1985, it has built more than 14,000 housing units and owns nearly 4,000 rental units, plus 2,000 which are currently under construction. With an impressive collection of landholdings, Brigil intends to build more than 44,000 housing units within the next 20 years, strategically located in forty communities on both sides of the Ottawa River. Brigil is helping to alleviate the housing crisis while creating vibrant, sustainable and inclusive communities. Its founding president, Gilles Desjardins, is at the head of the family business, accompanied by his two sons, Jessy and Kevin. They are supported by a solid team of 300 professionals. Gilles Desjardins was awarded the Grand Bâtisseur (Great Builder) Award by the APCHQ Outaouais for his lifetime achievements. Committed to his community, he is recognized as one of Quebec's greatest patrons and received the Meritorious Service Medal of Canada from the Governor General in 2018. This is why the company’s mission goes beyond that of the builder. Brigil builds with purpose. For more information, please visit dev.brigil.prosomo.hosting
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For more information
Sylvie Carbonneau
Director, Communication and Marketing
Brigil
scarbonneau@dev.brigil.prosomo.hosting
819 664-4118
