Inspiring bilateral partners with sustainability and urban development projects in the Brussels-Capital Region 

These visits and bilateral meetings ‒ with the City of Terrebonne (Quebec) and Berlin, among others ‒ led to constructive exchanges, paving the way for exciting projects in the future.

Focus on sustainability with the City of Terrebonne

On 25 April 2025, a large delegation of local councillors, members of the administration, and businesses from the City of Terrebonne (Quebec) travelled to the Brussels-Capital Region (BCR). The aim of the visit was to learn more about the policies implemented in the BCR, more specifically by economic players, to facilitate the ecological transition and sustainability.

In addition to the programme for businesses, organised with the support of hub.brussels, the delegation had the opportunity to discover sustainable citizens’ initiatives as part of the ‘Inspirons le Quartier (ILQ)’ call for projects. After a general presentation of its missions and the ILQ call for projects, Bruxelles Environnement handed the floor to several members of the Carré Vert-Jean Van Lierde neighbourhood committee.

The Carré Vert community food garden project is a place for people to meet and exchange ideas, serving as a green and welcoming space for the entire neighbourhood. It is also designed to educate and raise awareness of the environment, sustainability and waste sorting, particularly among local residents and schools. The project’s volunteers treated visitors to a tour of the plot of land where they are growing vegetables together, as well as the chicken coop. The many heart-warming conversations during the visit more than made up for the freezing temperatures.

The Terrebonne delegation, and the chickens, pose in the Carré Vert community food garden.

Focus on urban development with a delegation from Berlin

On 15 and 16 May 2025, a delegation from Berlin – the CBR’s first ever bilateral partner – travelled to Brussels for a working visit on the topics of regional development and housing. Led by State Secretary Alexander Slotty, the Berlin delegation included several senior officials from the Senatsverwaltung für Stadtentwicklung, Bauen und Wohnen (the Berlin Senate Department for Urban Development, Building and Housing).

The visit and discussions highlighted the many similarities between the BCR and Berlin, in terms of strengths, opportunities and challenges, paving the way for future collaboration.

The first day was devoted mainly to European policies. The delegation then visited the office of Ans Persoons, State Secretary of the Brussels-Capital Region, responsible for Urban Planning and Heritage, European and International Relations, External Trade, and Firefighting and Emergency Medical Assistance. The meeting provided an opportunity to discuss urban development projects in the BCR and Berlin, as well as the fruitful collaboration between the two partners that has been ongoing for over thirty years.

On the second day, the guests from Berlin headed to the North district with perspective.brussels, where they visited several urban development projects. At the end of the visit, participants discussed major regional challenges during a working lunch.