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AnseLOrme : the planned real estate development would be on a

greengold mine

Montreal, 23 February 2016 Today, the David Suzuki Foundation unveiled the results of
two ecological studies of a large piece of land that is being sought after for a real estate
development in the area of Ansel'Orme in Pierrefonds West, the Cap Nature project.
The results of the first study revealed the presence of more than 270 wildlife and plant
species, including several species with special status under provincial and federal
legislations. Moreover, rare and endangered species were found, including one that was
believed to be extinct on the island of Montreal. The results of the second study, on the
ecological connectivity, showed the impact of land development for the entire biodiversity
of the region.

We found an important biological diversity in and around the area of that is sought after
for real estate development, in addition to having identified dozens of rare and endangered
plant and animal species. We even discovered a species that was once thought to be extinct
on the territory, the Canada sanicle. This limestone site is home to many plant species of
interest such as the soft grooveburr as well as wildlife species requiring protection such as
the brown snake, the bobolink and the complex Jefferson Salamander. It is clear that this
area is a major center for biodiversity and it would benefit from conservation measures in
order to preserve the different plant and animal species that have been recorded there
said Marieve Roy, research professional at Institut des sciences de la fort tempre de
lUniversit du Qubec en Outaouais (UQO). The work done by the research team indicates
that many uncultivated land present in the area covered by the real estate project have the
potential to develop into young forest and possibly into mature forest that would comprise
rare forest species, such as the shagbark hickory. Furthermore, more than fifty wetlands
were also listed in the inventory.

According to another study released by a group of experts in ecology and spatial planning
from the Quebec Center for Biodiversity Science, the AnselOrme project development
will decrease by 27% the ecological connectivity, the ability of species to move in the
territory, which is crucial to their survival and for the protection of regional biodiversity.
This impact will be felt locally, but also for the entire regional biodiversity. As emphasized
by professor Andrew Gonzalez from McGill University and coauthor of the study, given
that the territory of the Greater Montreal Area is interconnected, we must consider project
developments like the one in Pierrefonds West from the perspective of a regional plan for
biodiversity conservation.


In light of the results of these studies, it is clear that the project development cannot go
ahead. The agglomeration of Montreal and the borough of PierrefondsRoxboro must halt the
project and Quebec and Ottawa should issue emergency decrees under the threatened or
vulnerable species act (Quebec) and the species at risk act (Canada), if only for the brown
snake or the Canada sanicle, said JeanPatrick Toussaint, science project manager at the
David Suzuki Foundation.

With its rich biodiversity and its connectivity with the surrounding ecosystems, the territory
covered by the real estate project is an essential component of the green and blue belt of
Greater Montreal Area put forth in the metropolitan development plan (PMAD). It is
important to implement conservation measures twinned with efforts to create species
dispersal corridors. Better connectivity of natural areas would directly contribute to
preserving the biodiversity identified in our work concludes Jrme Dupras, professor in
the Department of Natural Sciences at UQO.

In 2012, the Montreal Metropolitan Community (CMM) had unanimously adopted the PMAD,
which includes the protection of 17% of the territory, as defined by the United Nations
Convention on Biological Diversity.

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Contact:

AndreLise Therrien
Communication specialist
T : 5148714932 ext 1458
Cel : 5147583618
altherrien@davidsuzuki.org