Côte-Vertu garage project awarded the highest distinction in sustainable development for major infrastructure projects

Press release

The Société de transport de Montréal (STM) was awarded a Platinum Envision recognition for the Côte-Vertu garage project, a first in Canada for a public transit project.

“Today, communities request that infrastructure be built with a view to protect the environment and to promote the well-being of society, while stimulating the economy. The Platinum Award—the first in Canada for a public transit project—demonstrates that the STM has the expertise to deliver large-scale projects with maximum benefits to the community,” said Luc Tremblay, Chief Executive Officer of the STM.

Some aspects of the project that were instrumental in achieving this recognition include:

Mobility and urban planning:

  • Conversion of a contaminated wastelot into a new public area, with a future development opportunity on the southern side of the main site
  • Architectural quality and urban integration facilitating the connectivity between sectors and improving community travel

Worksite impact management:

The choice of materials resulted in:

  • A 26% reduction of the materials carbon footprint
  • A recycled materials threshold of 41%
  • 87% of materials meeting responsible procurement criteria

Environmental footprint:

  • LED lights and heating, ventilation, air conditioning and lighting systems designed to attain 49% in energy savings compared to conventional designs
  • Implementation of bioretention systems and a green roof
  • Species selected for the various landscaping projects for being resilient, pesticide and fertilizer-free, and conducive to biodiversity

“Receiving the Envision recognition is a great accomplishment for the project team, as all sustainability aspects of the project were analyzed to integrate best practices and to follow them meticulously during design and construction. The project required a lot of effort and rigour   and I congratulate my team for their hard work,” said Sylvain Paquet, Senior Project Director.

About Envision

The platinum recognition is the highest distinction awarded by the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI). Envision is the top sustainable development tool in North America for major infrastructure projects.

About the Côte-Vertu garage project

Launched in 2017, the Côte-Vertu garage project involves building an underground garage to house ten additional métro trains, as well as three above-ground buildings needed to operate the garage.

The balancing out of the number of train storage spaces at each end of the Orange line will provide operational flexibility for adding trains (up to 25% improved frequency on the Orange line at peak periods), support the expected growth in ridership in the coming years and increase the offer of service to keep pace with the extension of the Blue line.

The garage commissioning is planned for 2022. This major project is funded by the governments of Québec and Canada.

Project details: https://www.stm.info/en/about/major_projects/major-metro-projects/cote-vertu-garage