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For almost five years, we, advocates of Save Fairview Forest, have been at Fairview Forest protesting every Saturday, attending council and regional meetings, lobbying various levels of government, creating letter-writing campaigns, launching petitions, speaking to the media, and connecting with other groups whose missions align with ours.

Our hard work has led to some very positive outcomes.

In June, we received confirmation that the forest appears, in its entirety, as a “Milieu Naturel d'intérêt écologique” in the revised PMAD (Plan Métropolitain d'aménagement et de développement). While this doesn’t mean the forest is outright protected, it sends a very strong message to our municipal administration that the biodiversity of the forest is very important, as are its environmental contributions.

In November 2024, and again in early 2025, Pointe-Claire hired two businesses to complete both an ecosystem services study of the natural spaces in the city, including Fairview Forest, and an ecological assessment of the natural spaces in Pointe-Claire, including the forest. These are both great developments, and we are tentatively hopeful that these reports will lead to positive action being taken towards protecting the forest.

David Suzuki shocked many, including us, by stating in a recent interview that it is now too late to reverse climate change. He continued by saying that what we must do now is focus on climate resiliency. If it is too late to reverse climate change because of failures on the part of businesses and government, protecting Fairview Forest will be an important step in mitigating the worst of it, making our own contribution to dealing with extreme weather, including acute heat events and heavy rainfalls, worsening air pollution, and loss of biodiversity. Failing to take action will also be more costly for taxpayers than any of us can anticipate.

Within the context of the new reality we are faced with, we will continue to protest until we know the forest will be protected in perpetuity; on August 30th, we will be celebrating our 250th consecutive week. We will be celebrating by inviting friends and supporters to come picnic with us between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. at the corner of Brunswick Blvd. and Fairview Ave. in Pointe-Claire.

We’re also very excited to be holding our first-ever movie screening in honour of this milestone. On Saturday, September 6th, at 7 p.m., we invite you to join us at Cedar Park United Church for a viewing of “Forêts Urbaines,” a documentary film co-produced by the National Film Board and directed by Anne-Marie Rocher.

Come and share in our vision of a nature park, a vibrant oasis in downtown Pointe-Claire. Join us on both Saturday, August 30th and September 6th, at 7 p.m. Come support our movement and our mission, and share in this fun milestone event with us!

We will end with this quote by Vinisha Umashankar, 15, who spoke at the COP26 climate summit: “You are deciding whether or not we will have a chance to live in a habitable world. You are deciding whether or not we are worth fighting for.

To learn more about Save Fairview Forest please visit their website at https://sauvonslaforetfairview.org/ or check out their Facebook page to get the latest updates.

Geneviève Lussier is a dedicated educator with a B. Ed. in elementary childhood education, who is not only shaping young minds but also leading the charge for environmental stewardship and community activism. She is president of Sauvons la Forêt Fairview / Save Fairview Forest.