PHASE 3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Objectives

Objectives of the plan are as follows:

• Promoting healthy growth at Concordia from now until 2030 to 2035.
• Updating the physical space program to reflect evolving teaching and research needs.
• Preserving the distinctive values and elements of large institutional properties.
• Redeveloping and optimizing the institutional property at Loyola in coexistence with the residential environment.
• Redeveloping and optimizing the built environment at the Sir George Williams Campus in Quartier Concordia.
• Engagement for the Campus Master Plan from the university, local residents and the Montreal community.

Working approach

The elaboration of the Campus Master Plan is rooted in a strategic, integrated process that aligns with the City of Montreal's regulatory frameworks.

Collaborative efforts with the city began early to ensure Concordia's strategies are in harmony with municipal development policies. An ongoing consultation process will support the Campus Master Plan to align with the collective vision of the Concordia community.

The development process is structured in four phases, the third of which was recently completed:

Phase 1: Portrait of the campuses today

(August 2020 to March 2021)

• Conducted a thorough assessment of the university's two campuses.
• Organized consultations with borough representatives and city departments to validate findings.
• Engaged internal partners in an Integrated Design Process (IDP).

Phase 2: Planning and development orientations

(March to August 2021)

• Established the master plan framework, including vision, guiding principles, filters and planning guidelines.
• Defined development directions to clarify the development intentions.
• Conducted ideation sessions to foster collaboration and create a unified vision.
• Launched a website and public consultation platform and formed a multidisciplinary working group.

Phase 3: Campus development scenarios

(August 2021 to August 2024)

• Exploratory development scenarios were presented for each campus to evaluate different options. A preferred scenario was selected, and development criteria were established.
• This phase involved 3 IDP² workshops, including one with internal experts and two with the multidisciplinary working group with the City of Montreal. Three participatory activities were conducted on the online public consultation platform. During these activities, the project team presented various aspects of the preferred scenario and gathered the opinions of participants to ensure the final Campus Master Plan scenario would meet their needs.
• The Loyola Campus Master Plan scenario was presented in person and online at a public information session to more than 260 participants.
• Meetings with the city helped to refine the phase 4 work plan to develop the management framework for implementing the university's master plan.

In collaboration with the City of Montreal and the Ville-Marie Borough, the work explored various development and densification options for the Sir George Williams Campus.

Following these discussions, Concordia and the City of Montreal agreed not to pursue the campus’ development through a regulatory framework stemming from the master plan. Instead, the preferred approach will assess individual projects based on heritage, the quality of replacement projects and other factors.

Concordia will create a master plan for the Sir George Williams Campus that does not rely on the development of a management framework with the city.

2. IDP: Integrated Design Process

Phase 4: Release of the Campus Master Plan

• This phase will focus on adopting the final Campus Master Plan. This step will aim for unity with the necessary regulatory standards outlined in the new 2050 Land Use and Mobility Plan and the by-laws of the Côte-des-Neiges-Notre-Dame-de-Grâce Borough.
• This phase will include ad hoc meetings with assessment bodies such as the Comité Consultatif d'Urbanisme to unveil the final version of the master plan. This will incorporate feedback from project in announcing the final version of the plan.

Results

Phase 3 of the Concordia Campus Master Plan defined a scenario for the Loyola Campus through an exploratory process that consisted of various consultation activities with project partners.

Exploratory approach

The exploratory approach evaluated options for future development zones on the Loyola Campus.

The scenario for discussion — the synthesis of this process — was then presented to the city and borough (IDP 4). After incorporating the city and borough working group’s comments, a preferred scenario (IDP 5) was drawn up, serving as the basis for the master plan scenario.

Master plan scenario

The master plan scenario develops guidelines and actions that will enable the sustainable development of the Loyola Campus according to the following themes:

• Built environment and heritage
• Sustainable mobility
• Outdoor spaces
• Design of outdoor and indoor spaces

General planning criteria

The general planning criteria also provided qualitative guidelines, which ensured how well the various projects would integrate with the existing built and landscape heritage. These criteria were also designed to meet guiding principles and filters identified in phase 2:

• Health and well-being
• Sustainability
• Inclusivity
• Indigenous Decolonization
• Concordia identity

Implementation of the master plan and further studies

Implementing the master plan will allow the university to concretely express its development goals.

A monitoring committee should be established to guide project partners, monitor progress and address any challenges. This committee will regularly update the plan and promote its use within the university community to ensure ongoing commitment to its implementation and funding.