THE IMAGINE NDG CHARTER

Creating a Better Community — One Day and One Person at a Time

A Declaration of Vision, Values, Principles, and Commitment

Our Declaration

We believe that a better world is possible.

We believe that it begins not with governments, institutions, or extraordinary wealth, but with ordinary people choosing to care for one another.

We believe that every human being deserves to live with dignity, security, opportunity, purpose, and love.

And we believe that our own community of Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, Montreal, can become an extraordinary example of what is possible when people come together with a shared vision of a better way of life.

Imagine NDG is our invitation to turn that belief into reality.

Not someday. Not somewhere else.

Here. Now. Together.

Article 1 — Our Vision

To transform Notre-Dame-de-Grâce into one of the most caring, connected, healthy, prosperous, inclusive, and extraordinary communities in the world.

We envision an NDG where every resident matters, every individual has something valuable to contribute, and no one is forgotten or left behind.

A community where abundance is shared, neighbours become friends, and cooperation gradually replaces competition for life's basic necessities.

Our ultimate vision is to establish NDG as the world's first A NuVo World Community — demonstrating how a society can progressively evolve toward a way of life in which everyone has access to what they need to thrive, regardless of their financial circumstances.

Article 2 — Our Mission

To bring together the people, organizations, institutions, businesses, and resources of NDG in a coordinated, collaborative effort to improve every meaningful aspect of community life.

We will begin with what we have, where we are, and with those who wish to participate.

We will build upon the extraordinary strengths already present in NDG while identifying opportunities to serve those whose needs remain unmet.

We will transform ideas into initiatives, initiatives into lasting programs, and individual acts of kindness into a community-wide culture of caring.

Article 3 — Our Guiding Principles

1. Every Person Matters

Every resident of NDG has inherent worth and deserves to be treated with kindness, dignity, compassion, and respect.

2. Everyone Belongs

Our community welcomes people of every age, background, culture, faith, identity, ability, and economic circumstance.

3. Love in Action

We believe that love is demonstrated through what we do for one another. Kindness, generosity, understanding, and service will guide our actions.

4. Cooperation Over Competition

We seek opportunities to work together, share resources, eliminate unnecessary duplication, and accomplish collectively what might be impossible individually.

5. Abundance Through Sharing

We recognize that our community possesses enormous human, material, intellectual, and financial resources. Our challenge is to connect those resources with the people who need them.

6. Empowerment Rather Than Dependency

We seek not merely to provide assistance but to help every person discover their abilities, develop their potential, and contribute meaningfully to the community.

7. Progress Through Practical Action

We will not wait for perfect circumstances. We will begin with achievable improvements, learn from experience, and build upon our successes.

8. Freedom of Participation

Participation in Imagine NDG is entirely voluntary. No individual or organization is required to adopt any particular religious, political, philosophical, or economic belief.

Article 4 — Our Community Priorities

Imagine NDG will seek to advance progress across every major dimension of community life, including:

  • Food Security: Working toward a community where no resident goes hungry and nutritious food is accessible to everyone.

  • Housing and Basic Needs: Supporting efforts to ensure that residents have safe, secure housing and access to life's essentials.

  • Health and Well-Being: Promoting physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being for people of every age.

  • Children and Youth: Helping young people grow up in an environment of safety, encouragement, education, recreation, and opportunity.

  • Seniors and Social Connection: Reducing loneliness and isolation while honouring the experience and contributions of older residents.

  • Education and Lifelong Learning: Expanding opportunities for residents to discover, learn, teach, and grow throughout their lives.

  • Employment, Enterprise, and Economic Opportunity: Encouraging meaningful work, entrepreneurship, innovation, and new ways of creating and sharing prosperity.

  • Sports, Recreation, Arts, and Culture: Making opportunities for play, creativity, fitness, and cultural expression more accessible.

  • Environment and Sustainability: Caring for our parks, green spaces, streets, buildings, and natural environment.

  • Community Relationships: Creating opportunities for neighbours to meet, build friendships, share experiences, and support one another.

These priorities are interconnected. Lasting community transformation requires us to consider the whole person and the whole community.

Article 5 — Our Commitment to Collaboration

NDG already has a remarkable network of nonprofit organizations, community groups, schools, businesses, faith communities, public institutions, and dedicated individuals.

Imagine NDG does not seek to replace, control, or compete with them.

We seek to connect, celebrate, strengthen, and support them.

We envision a community in which organizations communicate openly, share knowledge, coordinate their efforts, and identify opportunities to work together.

We will encourage partnerships that reduce duplication, expand services, and make better use of available resources.

Every participating organization will retain its independence, identity, leadership, and mission.

Article 6 — Our Commitment to Innovation

We believe that many of the challenges facing our communities cannot be fully resolved by continuing to do things exactly as they have always been done.

Imagine NDG will encourage fresh thinking, creative experimentation, and practical innovation.

Through A NuVo World, we will explore concepts such as:

  • Community-wide sharing and BuyNothing initiatives.

  • Expanded access to food and essential services.

  • NuVoWay LifeStyle Centres bringing multiple services and opportunities together.

  • Community-based coaching, mentorship, and personal development.

  • New approaches to transportation, recreation, housing, and sustainable living.

  • Innovative systems for distributing resources and increasing economic security.

  • The long-term possibility of a substantially moneyless community, including exploration of the proposed G3 Limitless Debit Card concept.

These are aspirations and proposals for exploration, not conditions of membership or promises of immediate implementation.

Any initiative will be evaluated according to its practicality, sustainability, fairness, transparency, and benefit to the people of NDG.

Article 7 — Our Commitment to Responsible Leadership

Imagine NDG will be guided by the principles of service, integrity, openness, accountability, and collaboration.

Leadership is not about power or personal recognition. It is about helping others succeed.

As the initiative develops, we will encourage a broad and representative group of residents and community stakeholders to participate in shaping its priorities and direction.

We will seek to make decisions transparently, communicate honestly about progress and challenges, and welcome constructive suggestions and respectful disagreement.

No person or organization will be expected to surrender its independence or judgment to participate.

Article 8 — Our Commitment to Action

Our success will not be measured by the number of meetings we hold, the documents we produce, or the promises we make.

It will be measured by the difference we make in people's lives.

We will begin with achievable goals, establish practical initiatives, invite participation, and measure progress wherever possible.

We will celebrate small victories while keeping our larger vision firmly in sight.

We recognize that transforming a community is not an event. It is an ongoing process requiring patience, perseverance, creativity, and commitment.

Every act of kindness matters. Every contribution counts. Every day presents a new opportunity.

Article 9 — Our Invitation to Participate

Imagine NDG belongs to everyone who wishes to help create a better community.

You do not need money, influence, special qualifications, or an official position to make a difference.

You may contribute your time, talents, knowledge, ideas, resources, encouragement, or simply your willingness to care about another person.

You may participate as an individual, a family, a business, a community organization, or an institution.

There is no single required level of involvement.

We ask only that participants embrace the spirit of mutual respect, kindness, cooperation, and service.

Article 10 — Our Promise to Future Generations

We recognize that the community we create today will become the inheritance of those who follow us.

Our responsibility extends beyond our immediate needs and circumstances.

We will strive to build an NDG where children can grow up with hope, where adults can live with purpose and opportunity, and where seniors can enjoy dignity, security, companionship, and peace.

We will seek to leave our community healthier, kinder, more beautiful, more inclusive, and more prosperous than we found it.

Our vision extends beyond NDG. We hope that the lessons learned here will one day inspire other communities throughout Montreal, Canada, and the world.

But our responsibility begins at home.

Our Founding Commitment

We recognize that the world we imagine will not appear overnight.

It will be created through thousands of individual decisions, countless acts of generosity, and the sustained cooperation of people who believe that something better is possible.

We do not claim to have all the answers.

We do not expect everyone to agree on every idea.

We do not believe that any single individual or organization can accomplish this transformation alone.

But we believe that together, we can accomplish extraordinary things.

We choose hope over resignation.

We choose cooperation over division.

We choose generosity over indifference.

We choose action over endless discussion.

And we choose to begin today.

Our Invitation

Imagine an NDG where nobody goes hungry.

Imagine an NDG where loneliness is replaced by friendship.

Imagine an NDG where children, adults, and seniors all have opportunities to thrive.

Imagine an NDG where businesses prosper by helping their community prosper.

Imagine an NDG where organizations work together rather than in isolation.

Imagine an NDG where people share what they have, contribute what they can, and receive what they need.

Imagine an NDG where kindness becomes our most recognizable characteristic.

Imagine a community that becomes an inspiration to the world.

Now imagine helping to create it.

Because the future of NDG is not simply something that will happen to us.

It is something we can help create together.

IMAGINE NDG

One Community. One Shared Vision. Unlimited Possibilities.

An initiative of A NuVo World

Founded by Ross Harvey — November 2026

ImagineNDG.com

Creating a NuVo, better world — one day and one person at a time.

© Copyright Imagine NDG