Le Droit – Jessy Desjardins: An ecological future

Forget the stereotype of a real estate developer focused solely on building as fast as possible, with little regard for urban planning or the environment. Jessy Desjardins, the new Vice-President of Development at Brigil, intends to lead the company into the 21st century.

At just 27 years old, Jessy Desjardins is part of the leadership team of one of the largest real estate companies in the Gatineau-Ottawa region. He follows in the footsteps of his father, Gilles Desjardins, who founded Brigil in 1985 and remains its president and CEO. Jessy began his career at the family business in customer service while studying, gradually rising through the ranks to the vice-presidency a little over a year ago.

His plans for Brigil have a green focus. A vegetarian for several years, he aims to infuse his environmental convictions into the real estate development sector, one of Quebec’s largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions. “Since we are an integrated company, we can act on multiple levels to reduce our environmental footprint,” he explains. To make a real impact, it is necessary not only to rethink construction techniques but also to plan efficient transportation options and ways to reduce energy consumption.

In terms of construction, Brigil already builds all buildings of four stories or less in wood, with plans to extend this approach to taller buildings. “We are still in the research phase, but we hope to construct buildings up to ten stories using wood.” Another ongoing goal at Brigil is to create communities where design is no longer centered on the automobile.

“Instead of making a four-lane boulevard, for example, we might create a two-lane boulevard with more space for cyclists and pedestrians. We also place more services near communities—banks, grocery stores, pharmacies, shops—so people can walk rather than drive. Reducing car dependency is crucial, both environmentally and economically.”

Although ecology is a personal priority, Jessy acknowledges that the company has been aware of these issues long before his arrival. “These reflections have been ongoing for a long time. Between 1985 and 2000, the focus was mostly the classic suburban dream: car, house, yard, barbecue. It was normal for companies to meet those demands,” he recalls. Since then, client expectations have evolved, and Brigil has naturally adapted.

Adapting to change

Despite the challenges of remote work, Brigil fared very well during the pandemic, outperforming most companies, according to Jessy. “Due to the housing shortage and the fact that we were an essential service, we never lacked work.”

He looks forward to the coming year with great enthusiasm. “Being able to return to the office and collaborate in person is incredible,” he says. “We are a very social company. We often meet for coffee to talk about projects, discuss, and challenge ideas. That was difficult during remote work, and we’re glad it’s back.”

Nevertheless, the company will face some challenges. “Supply chains were hit hard during construction, causing significant delays that we will need to catch up on,” Jessy notes. He is also concerned about the impact of inflation on consumers, which he expects could persist “for several months, or even years.” “If there was a silver lining to the pandemic, it showed people that they could come together to solve major global problems,” he adds. “Now it’s time to tackle climate change.”

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