Supporting climate resilience in La Prairie
Project overview
- Project type: Municipal climate adaptation strategy (SATCC)
- Client: City of La Prairie
- Team: Englobe, in collaboration with urban planning firm Rousseau Lefebvre
- Location: La Prairie, Québec
- Services: climate risk, spatial analysis (heat and intense rainfall), mapping and geospatial analysis, identification and prioritization of intervention sites, support for green infrastructure planning, contribution to cost-benefit analysis and implementation planning, participation in consultation activities
- Scope: Entire municipal territory
A city impacted by extreme heat and intense rainfall
In urban areas, heat islands intensify the impacts of heatwaves. These areas can experience meaningful temperature differences compared with surrounding areas, largely due to surface impermeability, dense built form, and vegetation loss. Urban heat islands represent a significant public‑health risk and can deepen social inequities, particularly in more vulnerable neighbourhoods.
At the same time, the increase in heavy rainfall associated with global warming is exacerbating the strain on infrastructure, raising the risks of flooding and sewer network overflow.
A well-structured adaptation strategy
To strengthen the resilience of its territory, the City of La Prairie, located southwest of Montréal in the Montérégie region, called on Englobe and its team’s leading expertise to develop a Regional Climate Change Adaptation Strategy (Stratégie d’adaptation du territoire aux changements climatiques - SATCC), in accordance with the principles of the OASIS program, which is designed to help Québec communities develop climate-related adaptation strategies and better prepare for future challenges.
The approach focuses on adaptation by reducing vulnerabilities and strengthening resilience. This is in contrast with mitigation approaches, which are centred on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
In recent years, the City of La Prairie has experienced several impactful climate events, including an extended heatwave in 2021 (more than seven days above 30°C, with a reported high of 35.6°C), as well as floods in April 2019 and an extreme rainfall and flooding event in September 2022.
Urban heat islands and a rise in heavy rainfall events are increasing pressure on public health and on municipal infrastructures.
noted Myriam Goulet, M. Sc., Project Manager, Environmental Studies and Climate Change at Englobe.
Englobe’s contribution: analysis, mapping, prioritization and decision-support tools
At the heart of the SATCC, Englobe played a decisive role in producing spatial data to effectively guide municipal action and decision-making. Englobe’s team of seasoned experts carried out a rigorous spatial analysis of the risks associated with heatwaves and intense rainfall, taking into account both current and projected climate conditions as well as vulnerable populations.
To determine intervention priorities, Englobe established three levels of risk with the support of OASIS matrices:
- Heat-related risk
- Flash-flooding risk due to rainfall, and
- Combined risks
By overlaying vulnerability data, we were able to identify the risks associated with heatwaves, flash floods, and combined risks — and thus prioritize our response.
mentioned Myriam Goulet.
The mandate also involved a significant technical challenge, as several key data inputs required for the analysis were unavailable. The Englobe team therefore developed its own spatial analysis methods to accurately identify intervention sites. The team’s ability to generate a custom methodology ensured the rigour of the process while delivering actionable results for the City.
Working collaboratively: urban planning, regulations and implementation
Englobe collaborated with Rousseau Lefebvre, an urban planning firm, to carry out the mandate. The Englobe team conducted the spatial analysis and identified 12 intervention sites, while Rousseau Lefebvre established the most appropriate development measures for these sites and contributed to reviewing the regulatory framework.
The two firms also collaborated on the cost-benefit analysis, as well as on the criteria for implementation and ongoing monitoring.
Public participation and engagement: a strategy built with the community
To support both the relevance and acceptability of the proposed measures, the initiative incorporated several strategic advisory activities. The objectives were to prioritize physical and regulatory interventions, enable citizens to express a variety of diverse perspectives, foster the creation of key partnerships, and integrate findings into the refinement of proposed actions.
A variety of activities were carried out, including:
- three meetings with employees from various municipal departments and elected officials
- three consultation workshops with stakeholders (organizations, industries, businesses and institutions)
- one workshop with the youth committee, and
- a public consultation open to the entire population
Concrete solutions: 12 sites, green infrastructure and an action plan
The proposed intervention strategy is structured around three key pillars:
- maximizing green infrastructure within the public right-of-way
- ensuring the resilience of infrastructure and populations in the face of flash-flooding and extreme heat events, and
- providing forward-looking guidance on land-use planning and economic development.
To support implementation, 12 intervention sites were meticulously documented through individual fact sheets outlining their location, prioritization characteristics, site descriptions, potential interventions, selected physical measures, and concept plans. All sites were prioritized equally, offering the City greater latitude regarding the order of deployment of the various activities.
In addition, several potential types of vegetative green infrastructure were considered, but only those that aligned with the strategic priorities were selected. These included drainage plant beds, bioretention areas, rain gardens, permeable surfacing, and extended retention basins, were also proposed.
The Englobe team subsequently developed a deployment plan for each site that identified a range of elements including physical and regulatory measures, the municipal departments involved, external collaborators, potential challenges, next steps, and total costs.
By providing the City with site-specific profiles, a cost-benefit analysis, and an implementation plan, the SATCC becomes a concrete driver of regional resilience.
Myriam Goulet concluded.
Strengthening action through regulation and support tools
The SATCC identifies avenues for regulatory improvement, notably to enhance stormwater management and reduce heat islands, to integrate standards aligned with best practices, to promote sustainable urban development, and to require provisions for tree canopy and green infrastructure.
A variety of support tools were also suggested, including a dedicated budget and permanent resource person, “green tax” tools, training and long-term planning, increased use of geospatial data (Lidar, ArcGIS), citizen engagement, and SMART objectives.
A resilience-driven approach rooted in governance and equity
It was clear that the City of La Prairie wished to adopt a proactive stance, recognizing that climate adaptation is closely tied to urban planning, the sustainable and effective management of resources, and collective well-being. The City also plans to establish performance indicators, assign responsibilities and regular monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, while embedding principles of equity, sustainability, and citizen participation.
The Englobe team is proud to have brought its leading expertise to this major initiative, and to have contributed to strengthening the City of La Prairie’s climate resilience and sustainable development.