Coordonner les transports et l'urbanisme dans un contexte urbain concret : le TOD comme instrument d'action publique, le cas de Sainte-Therese, QC
The concept of transit-oriented development (TOD) is usually defined as a reproducible combination of certain physical and spacial characteristics. This definition does not however allow for a full understanding of how this general concept can be relevant for coordinating land-use and transportation in a given urban context. Our research seeks to address this issue and proposes to study TOD as an urban policy instrument, the choice, the production and the usage of which is defined by the goals, the resources and the constraints in a particular territorial context. This exploratory research is based on a case study of the TOD implementation in Sainte-Therese (Quebec). In order to understand how the different interests at play were aligned, and what resulted thereof, we consulted written sources and conducted semi-directed interviews with people who were actively involved in the TOD implementation. The results of our study confirm the relevance of this analytical approach to study TOD. One of the virtues of TOD as a policy instrument is that it allows to aggregate various, even potentially contradictory, interests at play. However, it does not offer a universally applicable formula: the TOD implementation is to a great extent conducted incrementally, according to local conditions. This process does not necessarily require the invention of a new public policy framework and can largely be done with the help of existing tools. Nevertheless, in order to fully make use of those tools in the course of TOD implementation, the organizational leadership in land-use and transportation agencies is crucial.
TOD Transit-oriented development Coordination urbanisme-transport Land-use and transportation coordination Policy instrument Montreal metropolitan region