Multi-criteria analysis of the impact of densification on municipal infrastructure

Urban densification is an essential lever for more sustainable land use planning and for responding to the housing crisis. However, it puts significant pressure on often aging municipal infrastructure, particularly water networks, in a context of climate change and budgetary constraints. In Quebec, water infrastructure limitations are currently hampering the construction of thousands of homes, forcing municipalities to make strategic choices from a wide range of possible actions in order to maintain an adequate level of service.

This project aims to support municipalities in this complex decision-making process by developing a multi-criteria decision-making tool to prioritize actions to mitigate the impacts of densification on municipal infrastructure. The proposed approach integrates technical, environmental, economic, and social dimensions, while taking into account the effects of climate change and different budget scenarios.

Case study / Use case

The project will be applied to two concrete case studies: a medium-sized municipality and a large municipality that are partners of the CERIU Observatory. For each, a list of potential actions (measures, interventions, or projects) will be evaluated using the tool developed in order to propose a scenario for prioritizing and programming investments according to different budgetary contexts. The results will be validated and refined during workshops with municipal professionals, then compared to assess the tool’s adaptability to other Quebec municipalities.