From collaborative urban planning to implementing Gatineau’s land use and development plan: Progress and setbacks of a promising process
By analyzing Gatineau’s revision process for land use and development plan, this article evaluates the impact of a collaborative planning approach on moving sustainable urban development forward. Our hypothesis is that deploying transparent, inclusive decision-making mechanisms based on dialogue and the pursuit of shared objectives in a climate of trust will foster a renewal of urban planning practices leading up to a more sustainable development of our communities. By focussing more specifically on the substantive outcomes of Gatineau’s experience with a collaborative approach in revising its land use and development plan, this article highlights the expectations that exist in regard to implementing the development options written into the revised plan and the setbacks awaiting any developments that would turn the plan’s vision into reality in the field.