This document discusses a qualitative study examining how residents of Montreal perceive and experience urban change. The study utilized interviews with 32 residents to understand the emotional responses to various reported changes in their neighborhoods over time. The interviews found that residents reported feelings of fear, disappointment, and irritation in response to changes like increased housing density, new transit infrastructure, and loss of green spaces. Residents expressed concerns about impacts to traffic, parking, and their sense of community from urban growth and redevelopment in their areas.

1. How do people perceive urban
change, and why does this matter?
A qualitative investigation of
sustainability initiatives in Montreal
June 25th 2020
Karmann J, Najjar M, Vanier F, Ottoni C, Lord S, Winters M, Fuller D
and Kestens Y.

2. INTERACT STUDY
• Pan-Canadian research study on
the impact of urban change on
social participation, physical
activity and well-being
• Mixed-methods approach

3. Research Problem
Need to understand what is an « urban change » for people, how they
experience it and why?

4. How do people perceive urban change and why does this
matter?
Well-being
Emotion

5. Conceptual framework
Sell, James L., and Ervin H. Zube. "Perception of and response to environmental change." Journal of architectural and planning research (1986): 33-54.

6. What are the emotional responses to urban
change?
• What are the reported urban changes?
• What are the emotional responses to these
changes?
• Why?

7. Adapted conceptual framework

8. Sampling
Island of Montreal Suburb
Age
6 between 20 - 39
4 between 40 - 59
6 60 +
3 between 20 - 39
9 between 40 - 59
4 60 +
Gender 8 men
8 women
7 men
9 women
Total 32 participants

9. Methodology: Analysis
• QDA Miner
• Thematic analysis: urban change
and emotion
Clark et Tellegen (1988)

10. Reported changes
0 20 40 60 80
Belonging
Animation
Social composition
Housing
Commerce
Gentrification
Cultural service
Educational services
Green spaces
Road
Public spaces
Sidewalk
Traffic
Transit infrastructure
Parking
BIXI infrastructure
Sport services
Health services
Cases
Count

11. Achieved
Actual ongoing changes
cyclical changes
Future unexpected outcomes /
unintended consequences
expected changes (REM)
Definitive/temporal
Slow/fast
Scale
Intensity
Reported changes

12. Enthusiasm
Fear
Disappointment
Irritation
Fulfillment
Relief
Reported emotions

13. Housing change

14. “And I’m sure the tax money was very attractive when they
looked at the proposal.It’s…there is too much.There is too much.
They didn’t have to build that much.And there is a lot of traffic
as a result,because all those condo owners bought cars or have
cars.And so,the little quiet side street around there ….is just
choked with cars now.” (man,52)
“Like some of these existing housing stock has been turning into condos.Some of…like
they’ve built smaller condo developments in between existing places.So that’s worrisome
for some people”
- man,36

15. Transit Infrastructure change

16. “Ça va vraiment changer des choses dans mon quartier.Est-ce
que les gens vont venir stationner dans le quartier […]? Est-ce
qu’on va se retrouver avec les rues pleines d’autos,parce qu’ils
viennent de La Prairie […]?” (woman,60)
Translation
“It’s really going to change a lot of things in my neighborhood.Will people park in the
neighborhood […]? Will we find ourselves with our streets filled with cars,because they
are coming from La Prairie […]?

17. Green Space change

18. “C’est à cause de l’agrile du frêne,c’est qu’il y a moins d’arbres.
Nous,devant chez nous,on a perdu notre arbre.Ça paraît rien,
mais c’est vraiment poche […].Maintenant,on est vis-à-vis
direct avec notre voisin.” (man,32)
“It’s because of the emerald ash borer,there are fewer trees.We,in front of our house,we
lost our tree.It sounds like nothing,but it's really sad[…].Now,we are directly facing our
neighbour.”

19. ● Rapidity
● Intensity
● Type of
change
● Good/bad
● Important/unimportant
● Cost/benefit
● fear
● disappointment
● irritation
● enthusiasm
● fulfillment
● relief
Conclusion
Rural
Urban:
urban growth, renewal
historic preservation
neighbourhood preservation
gentrification
mobility, relocation
Public facilities (sport, education, culture,
health)
Parking – road - traffic
Transit infra
Green, Public spaces
Housing, Commerce
Construction
Social composition
Neighbourhood belonging
Animation change
● Safety
● Efficiency
● Predictability
● Walkability
● Intimacy
● Atmosphere change
● Residential mobility
● Sense of community
● Independency
● Comfortability
● Resistance
● Acceptance
● Ignorance
● Adaptation
● Beneficial
● Personal relocation
● Past/present/future
● Length
● Scale

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