Westmount’s Planning Advisory Committee acquires three new members
On December 3rd, the municipal council appointed three expert professionals to sit on the City’s Planning Advisory Committee. The new members – 2 regular and one alternate – complement the architectural and urban planning expertise of the PAC’s current members. This expansion of the committee will allow it to better fulfill its advisory role in the revision of the Westmount Planning Programme and of future planning by-laws.
The new members are:
Brian Karasick, BES, MCP, OUQ – regular member
As a senior planner with nearly 30 years of experience in the planning and development of the McGill University campuses, Brian Karasick has extensive experience working in heritage and urban sensitive environments, subject to numerous regulatory constraints. Involved in projects with complex environmental and regulatory issues, such as the expansion of the Molson Stadium and the future reuse of the former Royal Victoria Hospital, Mr. Karasick has developed a strong expertise in consultation with the community and in coordination of multidisciplinary teams. He notably sat on the round table committee for the Mont Royal representing McGill University.
Clément Demers, OAQ, FIRAC, OUQ, ICU, PMP – regular member
Clément Demers has over 40 years of experience in urban planning and architecture. As a specialist in real estate project management and major urban development projects, he led two real estate companies, one para-municipal and one of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec’s Real Estate Group. Since 1997, he has played a key role in the creation of the Quartier international de Montréal and the Quartier des spectacles. In addition to his professional career, Clément Demers has authored many articles and about a hundred lectures, which have been published or presented in Canada and abroad. For the past few years, he has been a professor at the Faculty of Planning of the Université de Montréal and sits on the Advisory Committee on Planning, Design and Realty of the National Capital Commission in Ottawa.
Amélie Castaing, M. URB., URB. OUQ – alternate member
In 2013, Amélie Castaing joined the Vivre en Ville team as Communications Officer in Montreal, following eight years in Paris, France working in urban project communications. She was also project manager for the Tous piétons! project in partnership with Piétons Québec and is currently in charge of training for Vivre en Ville. She will provide the PAC with expert knowledge on issues of sustainable transport and the design of walkable living environments, as well as communications and social acceptability.
At the same meeting, City Council also re-appointed each of the following members for an additional two-year term:
- Julia Gersovitz, architect, Chairman of PAC
- Erik Marosi, architect, regular member
- Mehdi Ghafouri, architect, alternate member