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A Critical Evaluation of the Public Consultation Process in Sustainable

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A Critical Evaluation of the Public Consultation Process in Sustainable A critical evaluation of the public consultation process in sustainable urban development A Case Study of the Public Consultation on the Urban, Economic and Social Development Plan (PDUES) for areas surrounding the Turcot interchange in Montreal, Canada. Audrée Paquette Department of Human Geography, Stockholm University Master’s Thesis in Urban and Regional Planning, 30 HECs Spring term 2020 Supervisor: Andrew Byerley 0 Abstract The purpose of this study is to critically analyse how existing structures of public consultation articulate with the aim of achieving sustainable city development. Empirically, this study analysed the impact of public consultation on decision-making of the Urban, Economic and Social Development Plan (PDUES) for areas surrounding the Turcot interchange in the city of Montréal. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with people involved in this project and the perceptions and experiences of both processes expressed by the interviewees constitute the results of this study. The research further draws on theories of participatory democracy and urban political ecology. The study shows that the consultation process was transparent, flexible and open as there was a real willingness from all actors involved to get the best outcomes possible for the area. There was also a shared vision and agreement on what sustainability would mean and implicate for the neighborhood. However, once the consultations were over, communication between the South West borough and the population in regard to the project’s development seemed to have gradually diminished to nothing. As there is a clear imbalance between the first and the final stage of the public consultation process in term of collaboration and interaction, perhaps considering a legally-binding agreement that would cover the entire process could be a pertinent solution. This paper fulfils a societal and academic function as it add some clarity and contribute to further discussion on the impact that public participation might have on public decision- making and on sustainable development. Keywords Public consultation, consultation process, sustainability, sustainable development, participatory democracy, participation, local knowledge, citizen expertise. 1 Acknowledgements I would like to take the opportunity to thank every person who agreed to participate in this project. The engagement and commitment of the residents and local organisations of the areas of St-Henri, Ville Émard and Côte St-Paul, as well as the representatives from the South West borough, truly amazed me. I am very grateful to all those who took the time to share their views and opinions on the process of the public consultation during the PDUES-Turcot although it occurred a few years ago. I would also like to thank my supervisor Andrew Byerley at the Stockholm University for agreeing to supervise this project and for giving me important and much appreciated advice and feedback throughout this process. Finally, a special thank you goes to Élise Naud, Luc Doray and Dominique Ollivier as well as all the incredible personnel from the OCPM in Montreal whose warm welcoming and hospitality allowed for this project to happen. I would like to thank you for the generosity of your time in thoroughly explaining how public consultation works, I really have learned a lot during this short stay. Merci! 2 Table of Contents Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 4 Problem......................................................................................................................................... 5 Aim of the study ............................................................................................................................ 7 Research questions ........................................................................................................................ 7 Limitations of the Study ................................................................................................................. 8 The Case ........................................................................................................................................ 8 Theoretical framework ...................................................................................................................... 9 Participatory Democracy ............................................................................................................... 9 Urban Political Ecology ................................................................................................................ 11 Literature review ............................................................................................................................. 13 Public Participation ...................................................................................................................... 13 Sustainable development ............................................................................................................ 16 Methodology ................................................................................................................................... 19 Case study ................................................................................................................................... 19 Data Collection ............................................................................................................................ 20 Data Transcription ....................................................................................................................... 22 Ethical considerations .................................................................................................................. 22 Contextual background ................................................................................................................... 23 Public consultation in Montreal ................................................................................................... 23 The Office de Consultation Publique de Montréal (OCPM) ........................................................... 24 The planning area for the PDUES-Turcot ...................................................................................... 25 Design of the consultations for the PDUES-Turcot ........................................................................ 28 Results ............................................................................................................................................ 35 Consultation process ................................................................................................................... 35 Project implementation process .................................................................................................. 38 Analysis and discussion.................................................................................................................... 43 Citizen expert .............................................................................................................................. 43 Political strategy .......................................................................................................................... 45 Sustainability and Sustainable Development ................................................................................ 46 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................... 49 Litterature ....................................................................................................................................... 51 Appendix ......................................................................................................................................... 58 List interviewee ........................................................................................................................... 58 Interview Guide ........................................................................................................................... 59 3 Introduction This chapter begins with an overview of the rise of sustainable cities and the role of public consultations in sustainable city development. It is followed by a discussion of the problem in question and the purpose of this study. Finally, the limitations of the study will be mentioned and explained briefly. Sustainability, which includes challenges of how to minimize the ecological footprint of humanity and how to promote citizens well-being is currently one of the most important global issues. Since the number of people living within cities is projected to rise to 5 billion people by 2030, it is important that efficient urban planning and management practices are in place to deal with the challenges brought by urbanization (United Nations 2020). There needs to be a future in which cities provide opportunities for everyone in a way that continues to create jobs and prosperity without straining land and resources (Ibid). The concept of sustainability is somewhat complex and although the definition of sustainability varies, it is often divided into three dimensions; social, environmental and economical. Previous research in the field has highlighted the challenges in treating all dimensions equally and the complexity in creating a perfect balance. One of the most widespread definitions of sustainable development was made by the World Commission on Environment
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