A Brief on Energy Policy

Year Published:  1977   First Published:  1977
Pages:  6pp  
Resource Type:  Article/Report/Letter
Cx Number:  CX302

Abstract:  This brief outlines the relationship of urban development to energy, a "development" based on planned obsolescence, waste and over-consumption. It points out that 50% of the downtown area of Montreal is devoted to automobiles. Government and business policy have catered to the "dream of the suburb", pushing residents out of the core of the city, and necessitating the use of automobiles. Destruction and construction of buildings are done without thought of the energy wasted.
Steps proposed to the government are:

(1) Launching a campaign against privatisation and over-consumption;
(2) Giving the power to the city of Montreal to stop the demolition of downtown housing;
(3) Insistence that new buildings, if they must be constructed, be done with energy-consuming, long-lasting materials;
(4) Encouragement of public transport, partially through taxation of parking lots, gas, and automobiles;
(5) Integration of transport planning into the first stage of any urban planning;
(6) Stopping the demolition of the Laurentian Hotel;
(7) Stopping land speculation and foreign investments
(8)Renovation of housing, including insulation to diminish energy consumption.

Subject Headings

• Energy Policy