The City of Montreal’s Green Infrastructure Team is dedicated to the systematic implementation of green stormwater infrastructure across public property, including streets and parks. Through innovation, standardization, research, and training, the team of experts supports urban designers, engineers, and project managers in integrating GSI into municipal projects. Their recent work includes implementing approximately 800 street-based GSIs with more than 2,000 in planning, along with 17 sponge parks and 40 more underway. A notable project is the new Pierre-Bédard sponge park, designed to manage 5,700 m³ of stormwater through infiltration and temporary water surface retention in a neighborhood vulnerable to urban flooding. Their collaborative approach brings together municipal colleagues across disciplines, partnerships with other municipalities, government agencies, and universities, as well as contracted external firms in engineering, urban design and horticulture.
As members of the Exchange, the team looks forward to joining a community of GSI practitioners to both learn from and contribute to shared knowledge and best practices. Their future focus areas include optimizing maintenance, evaluating co-benefits, and refining stormwater management approaches at the city scale—such as floodable parks, runoff redirection, and integration within combined sewer contexts. They are also advancing research on issues like groundwater impacts, snow removal cohabitation, and vegetation resilience in winter conditions. The Green Infrastructure Team is led by Ikram Abdeljelil, with civil engineer David Courchesne serving as their expert in GSI design, ensuring that innovation and technical rigor remain at the core of Montreal’s GSI efforts. To connect with this Montreal team, consider joining the Exchange today! Pictured from left to right: Ikram Abdeljelil, Sophie Bérard, Mélanie Beaudoin, Anik Nigella Blondin, Nancy Meilleur and David Courschesne.
