“As local governments, cities are on the front line when it comes to ensuring the sustainable, social, cultural, and economic development of our living environments. Québec wishes to learn and draw inspiration from cities around the world to achieve the five objectives of its sustainable development policy: social cohesion, global health, decarbonization, resilience, and energy transition. We don’t have the luxury of time, so let’s act now.”
Bruno Marchand is the 38th mayor of Québec City and President of Metropolitan Community of Québec.
Mr. Marchand is also President of the Board of the Organization of World Heritage Cities and Vice-President of the Bureau of the International Association of Francophone Mayors.
Actively involved in his community and committed to the well-being of Québec City residents, Mr. Marchand was President and CEO of United Way Centraide in the Québec City, Chaudière-Appalaches, and Bas-Saint-Laurent regions from 2014 to 2021. He also sat on the organization’s Board of Directors as a member and president from 2003 to 2013.
As President and CEO, Mr. Marchand received several awards, including the 2017 United Way Centraide President’s Award for Innovation.
Previously, from 2008 to 2014, he worked for the Quebec Suicide Prevention Association, where he was awarded the 2014 Tribute Award and the 2014 Michael Sheehan Award from the Quebec Suicide Prevention Center.
Mr. Marchand was born and raised in Limoilou. He spent his childhood around Choquette Street, the neighbourhood’s lanes, and the Patro Roc-Amador. From early on, he has valued mutual aid, the capacity to listen and respect others regardless of where they come from, integrity, and a deep-seated desire to surpass himself.
Since June 2021, the City of Québec has embarked on a strategic and consultative process to give weight to the sustainable development principles in its actions and projects. Its Sustainable Development Strategy is based on the United Nations 2030 Agenda. As part of this strategy and its 2020–2030 Housing Vision, the City of Québec is committed to creating 2,600 new social and affordable housing units by 2025, 20% of which will be dedicated to vulnerable and disaffiliated people.
In 2022, four social and affordable housing projects were launched. Once completed, 93% of the more than 300 units will be accessible and adaptable, and 44% of those units will be adapted for people with disabilities.
Read more about the Sustainable Development Strategy (in French)
Read more about the 2020–2030 Housing Vision (in French)
The City of Québec is determined to take a leadership role in putting an end to homelessness. Mayor Marchand has set an ambitious goal of zero homelessness, an ideal that will guide the actions of the City’s teams and its partners. Through a consultative process, the City is currently developing a Common Vision for Homelessness, which calls for long-term action on several major fronts, including prevention of situations leading to homelessness, support for people experiencing social marginalization, and services aimed at getting people off the street.
The Mayor of Québec City is also working with other municipalities in the province of Québec to find solutions to homelessness. Mr. Marchand chairs the Homelessness Union of municipalities of Québec Comity, a collaborative body of elected municipal officials that promotes the sharing of best practices.
Active modes of transportation, such as walking and cycling, are increasingly prevalent in the daily lives of Québec City residents. To promote a comprehensive approach to sustainable mobility and ensure effective coexistence of various transportation methods within its territory, the City of Québec has adopted a Vision of Active Mobility. This plan, developed through an ongoing consultative process, aims to address current social and environmental issues while providing a wide range of active mobility benefits to citizens of all ages and abilities. The implementation of the Vision is based on four pillars: accelerating the development of active mobility networks, optimizing efficiency in active travel, fostering a sense of comfort and inclusivity in service utilization, and leading and facilitating the development of a culture that encourages active mobility and intermodality.
Several initiatives have already been launched, including the introduction of a bicycle-sharing service. Moreover, the deployment of “Vélo cité” corridors, which are dedicated lanes exclusively for cyclists, is planned for the upcoming years.
The City of Québec is actively working towards fostering a more inclusive economy by implementing targeted agreements and funding programs. These initiatives, led by the City’s Economic Development and Major Projects Department, aim to cultivate a thriving business environment that embraces diversity and inclusivity. In recent years, the City of Québec has achieved significant milestones, including signing an economic development agreement with the Huron-Wendat Nation under the Government of Canada’s Community Economic Development Initiative (CEDI). Additionally, they have launched Plan Talents, a call for projects aimed at assisting employers in the agglomeration in meeting their workforce challenges. The City has also provided funding for various social economy projects that raise awareness of diversity, equity, and inclusion challenges. Moreover, they have extended support to Fonds d’emprunt Québec, a social economy enterprise that offers microcredit to small businesses, helping them thrive. These collective efforts contribute to creating an inclusive and dynamic economic landscape in the City of Québec.