The Request for Opinion (RFO) is your starting point for determining your eligibility for our escort service, which can lead to the conclusion of a municipal works agreement (Request for Municipal Services).

Essential for moving on to the next steps in the process, OD helps you to carry out your due diligence.

Request for opinion procedure

To submit a request for an opinion, please follow the steps below:

• Send the completed DO form to RDSM@laval.ca, together with a site plan and a power of attorney from the owner if you represent him or wish to acquire the land.
• The DO will be processed within an average of 30 days following receipt of all required documents by the Laval Economic Development team.
• A report will be sent to the applicant, presenting a summary of the site targeted by the project, prepared by the environment, urban planning and engineering departments. This report will include :
  • The challenges
  • The opportunities
  • Known site constraints
  • Confirmation of the City's ability to study the project in the short term through a request for municipal services.

Further information

• The applicant must be the owner of the lots concerned. Otherwise, he must obtain a power of attorney from each owner and attach it to his application.
• Certain territorial components (cost-sharing, social acceptability or safety issues, etc.) or certain municipal issues (resources, etc.) may result in a request for an opinion not being accepted.
• The Town reserves the right, at its discretion, to accept or refuse any request for the establishment of infrastructures or the execution of work on its territory.
• Please note: If the site targeted by your project is located in a deferred zoning zone (SZD), you will need to follow the overall development plan (PAE) procedure before developing the site. The Laval Economic Development team also assists developers who wish to develop land with this type of zoning. However, a request for an opinion specific to this procedure must be submitted before support can begin.

When the City, following the request for an opinion, confirms its willingness to support the municipal services project, the request for service conditions can be initiated. This takes the form of a request sent by e-mail by the applicant to the Development team. This e-mail must clearly specify your intention to receive the forms required to obtain the conditions of service and the development guidelines applicable to your project.

Procedure for requesting service conditions

1. The applicant sends an e-mail of intent to the Development team.
2. The Development team forwards the official municipal services request form to the applicant.
3. The duly completed form is sent by the applicant.
4. Request for preparation of service conditions and layout guidelines by the Development team to the City's various technical departments (preparation time is approximately 2 months).
5. Development team sends service conditions to applicant.

Following receipt of the service conditions and development guidelines, the applicant must have them produced by consultants appointed by him at his own expense:

• Site characterization studies
• Technical documents
• Plans needed to analyze your project in terms of municipal requirements and applicable laws and regulations.

Everything must be deposited on a dedicated SharePoint platform, reserved exclusively for the applicant. Secure access to this platform is provided by the Development team.

Production of studies and technical documents (PRÉ-DSM)

To simplify the study transmission process and optimize project design, the Development team has set up a two-stage sequence:

Step 1

As a first step, the applicant must submit studies aimed at defining the site's environmental characteristics, in order to identify its development potential and related constraints.
Following analysis of these studies, certain components of the servicing conditions and development guidelines will be updated, in order to better define the developable area and guide the design of the project in line with the City's expectations. The following documents must be produced and submitted first:

• Biological environmental characterization studies in compliance with MELCCFP requirements, including geomatic data
• Soil characterization study (phase I and phase II depending on phase I results)
• Acoustic impact study (if required)
• Urban forestry study
• Preliminary development concept plan
• Categorization sheet (see Appendix 2 of the Travel Impact Assessment Guide).

Step 2

Secondly, the applicant must produce technical documents in accordance with the updated service conditions and development guidelines. An urban development coordinator from the Development team will advise the applicant when it is time to submit the following documents:

• Travel impact study (if required)
• Preliminary design including all elements required to produce engineering plans and specifications
• Draft site plan prepared by a land surveyor
• Landscaping plan
• Summary estimate

These studies and technical documents must comply with a specific nomenclature and be produced in accordance with Ville de Laval's current standards and design guides. Here is a list of useful guides and references to help you design your project and meet the City's expectations:

Guides and references

Nomenclature : Nomenclature

Environment

• Applicant's guide - Biological environmental study
• Geomatics data standardization procedure - Environmental study
• Geomatic data model
• Environmental soil characterization study in accordance with the Guide de caractérisation des terrains du MELCCFP
• Guide - Preliminary acoustic study

Public works - Urban forestry : Applicant's guide - Urban forestry study

Urban planning

• Urban planning and design guide
• Project layout plan
• Landscaping plan in accordance with the requirements of the Urban Planning Code (see article 2113 of Title 10, section 2, subsection 6)

Engineering

• Guide to travel impact studies
• Geometric design guide and application procedure - street templates
• Preliminary engineering design( contains all the elements required to produce engineering plans and specifications)
• Drawing standards guide
• Guide to engineering and design standards
• Guide to standards for soil reconnaissance and characterization studies

Other useful references (external organizations) :

• To predict the location of post office boxes with Canada Post: See PDF
• To plan the extension of the electrical network with Hydro-Québec: Consult the page 
• Energir, if you wish to submit a natural gas service request: https://www.energir.com/fr/constructeurs/ and conditionsservicetarif_en.pdf (energir.com)

Environment

Applicant's guide - Biological environmental study

Geomatics data standardization procedure - Environmental study

Once the studies and technical documents have been progressively received, discussions between the applicant, his professionals and those of the municipality will enable the project to be adjusted and fine-tuned according to the constraints and opportunities identified. The applicant must ensure consistency between the various documents submitted.
Once all studies and technical documents comply with requirements, the process of obtaining municipal authorizations can begin, and the DSM will be officially launched.

Important information

Zoning modification

If your project requires a zoning amendment, processing of the application can begin. No municipal works agreement will be concluded until the zoning required for the project comes into effect.

New housing estate

It is important to note that any development project requiring a new subdivision for the opening or extension of a public street will be subject to the Site Planning and Architectural Integration Program (SPAIP) procedure for the eco-design of subdivision projects.

The provisions relating to this PIIA are designed to provide a framework for subdivision or siting projects in order to better integrate the city with a finer, better-connected mesh, while respecting natural environments and promoting the creation of living environments on a human scale, thus contributing to sustainable mobility.

Once the PIIA approval process has been completed for your project, it will be submitted to the City's Executive Committee for authorization to launch the first stage of the formal agreement.

Once the request for municipal services (DSM) has been approved by the Executive Committee, the Development team will prepare the first stage of the agreement. At this point, the applicant must provide certain administrative documents and assume the management and administration fees stipulated in by-law L-12400.

The applicant is then invited to sign the first stage of the agreement, which then proceeds to the formal administrative process of municipal approval.

Once the Executive Committee has approved the first stage of the agreement, the applicant can begin preparing plans and specifications.

Procedure for preparing plans and specifications

1. The applicant must upload plans, specifications and all related documents (earthwork plan, preliminary estimate, geotechnical study, winning bid, etc.) to the SharePoint platform.
2. The City analyzes and approves the documents submitted.
3. The Town adopts a resolution confirming the takeover of the infrastructures and its commitment to maintain them after construction. This resolution is required to apply for authorization from the Ministère de l'Environnement et de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs (MELCCFP). Please note Certain infrastructure extensions or additions may require ministerial authorization.
4. Once the plans and specifications have been approved by the City, the applicant must :
   1. Submit your request for ministerial authorization
   2. Submit PIIA applications (if applicable for proposed buildings)
   3. Submitting an application for a subdivision permit allowing for the processing of park fees (if applicable) and showing on a cadastral plan the lots to be transferred to the Town.
5. After receiving ministerial authorization, the applicant must make final adjustments to his plans and specifications.
6. The tendering process can begin. Tender reports and work schedule must be submitted.
7. The applicant will be billed for management and administration fees as well as professional service fees (monitoring and laboratory), in accordance with regulation L-12400.

Following payment of the invoice, the City begins the process of awarding the mandate for monitoring and laboratory analysis of site materials. The Development team then prepares the second stage of the agreement.

How to sign the second stage

The applicant must provide certain administrative documents, as well as the letter of financial guarantee. The City then invites the applicant to sign this second stage of the agreement, which is then subject to the official municipal approval process. The purpose of this stage is to provide a framework for the work to be carried out.

Once the second stage has been approved, subdivision and building permits can be issued. Infrastructure work can begin upon receipt of written authorization from the Engineering Department.

The applicant carries out the studies required to submit the application for municipal services. Subsequently, should the project go ahead, he will draw up the plans and specifications once the first stage of the agreement has been signed, and will carry out the work once the second stage of the agreement has been signed, in accordance with Appendix I of By-law L-12400.

The City is responsible for preparing the studies, plans and specifications, as well as carrying out the work on the lots that will become public, i.e. the rights-of-way for streets, parks, etc. The costs inherent in these are charged to the owners according to their respective quotas. The inherent costs are charged to the owners according to their respective shares. On the other hand, for work on lots of private interest, the applicant is responsible for the preparation of studies, plans and specifications, as well as for carrying out the work on these lots, which will remain private.

The signing sequence for the first and second stages of the agreement remains the same, i.e. the first stage of the agreement for the preparation of plans and specifications, and the second stage of the agreement authorizing the execution of the work.
It should be noted that the approval of the request for municipal services and the authorizations to sign the agreement are subject to approval by the Executive Committee and the Municipal Council, as the case may be.

• Regulation L-12400
• Guide to the management and administration of private-sector projects, 906 ko