EJQ3 - Winter 2025 - Journal - Page 3
Trash to Treasure
Connie Vitello
is editor of
Environment
Journal.
WHO DOESN’T LOVE a before-and-after show? There’s something so satisfying about
the state of a cluttered and dilapidated home getting cleaned up and turned into something that serves its homeowners better and leaves them beaming with gratitude.
While brown昀椀eld redevelopment projects may take a bit longer, they deliver unparalleled satisfaction by tackling contaminated or under-utilized sites and transforming
private and public spaces into revitalized residences, important infrastructure and
vibrant, multi-purpose communities that increase property values and tax revenues
for municipalities.
Think about Toronto’s waterfront development and the Distillery District, which is
where my husband and I opted to host our wedding ceremony many moons ago. Or
the evolving LeBreton Flats community by the
Ottawa River. Or the Cartier-Brébeuf National Historic Site of Canada in Quebec City. Or the
Esquimalt Harbour in Victoria.
Often steeped in history, these brown昀椀eld gems
are truly remarkable — and there are so many
more to be discovered. According to the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan (FCSAP), there
are tens of thousands of sites on the to-do list.
CHEERS TO BROWNFIELD DEVELOPMENT:
INDUSTRIAL DECAY TO DISTILLERY DISTRICT
E N V I RON M E N T J OURN A L QUA RT E RLY RE PORT • W I N T ER 2 02 5 • P AGE 3
