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---Gatineau Municipal council May meeting highlights
On May 11, Gatineau’s municipal council held its monthly public meeting virtually, going over a number of topics, including the resumption of farmers’ markets, affordable housing development and stray cat sterilization.
Mayor Maxime Pedneaud-Jobin opened the meeting stating that the city is improving its access to information procedures by creating a special unit designated to making Gatineau more transparent for the public. The unit – called the Access to information unit – will allow Gatineau Police (SPVG) officers and the Service du greffe to improve and optimize their already highly-solicited services, and create two new jobs.
The Mayor said the goal is centralizing and simplifying access to information resources and protocols by making certain municipal documents available directly on the city’s website, adding that creating the unit was in response to public demand for enhanced access to information resources. Stating that Gatineau shows a leading example in good access to information practices, Pedneaud-Jobin said creating the unit is another solid example of its leadership in that regard. For the city’s soon-to-be-created affordable housing inclusion plan, the Mayor said the city is nominating members from community organizations to Gatineau’s Partners Roundtable - Table de partenaires. Pedneaud-Jobin believes that plan is the best solution to deal with Gatineau’s housing crisis once and for all.
He explained that the framework is intended to ensure that all future private residential development projects include affordable housing units, especially for families. Stating that the provincial government announced that its Covid-19 special emergency measures would be lifted as of May 17, the Mayor reminded people to remain vigilant about the virus, considering that the region will still be in the red zone.
--Councillors’ comments
Stating that speeding remains a big issue in his district, Lucerne councillor Gilles Chagnon said he’s happy to see the Prudence sur nos rues program is set to be back in effect in June. The program, dedicated to moderating speed limits in residential areas, was postponed last year due to Covid-19. Having been a great success so far, Chagnon said he’s received plenty of positive feedback from residents about it. He added that residents will soon be able to request Prudence sur nos rues signs for their property from the city by calling 3-1-1.
Aylmer district councillor Audrey Bureau congratulated SPVG Agent Isabelle Gilbert, a former classmate of hers in police studies at the CÉGEP de l’Outaouais, who was recently honoured with the province’s Croix de bravoure for her involvement in the rescue of two people in January 2018. As the highest achievable honour for a police officer in Quebec, it recognizes any officer who risks his or her life and demonstrates exceptional courage.
Bureau reported that the city is finalizing a deal with a contractor to develop an urban outdoor-exercise area at Parc des Cèdres. She added that, starting this summer, people with valid Gatineau Accès cards will be able to freely rent non-motorized nautical and leisure equipment from the Robert-Middlemiss Pavillion at the Marina.
Bureau said the city will work to eventually provide year-round services at the Robert-Middlemiss Pavillion, and that more details should be announced when the building opens in the coming weeks.
Pointing to the city’s affordable housing inclusion plan, Plateau district councillor Maude Marquis-Bissonnette said she’s happy to see progress being made on such an important file. Along with the Partners Roundtable, the city is also detailing its composition based on recommendations from partners, including the Fédération des coopératives d’habitation du Québec (FCHQ), the Centre intégré de la santé et des services sociaux de l’Outaouais (CISSSO), and other representatives from the private and public sectors. She added that an upcoming economic study will allow the city to draft an official regulation by early next spring.
Regarding the Société de Transport de l’Outaouais’ (STO), multi-billion-dollar tramway project, Deschênes district councillor Mike Duggan said councillors received a presentation explaining the optimal routes for the project. Emphasizing that the project’s impacts on the city should be massive, Duggan encouraged residents to keep up with the STO’s operations and demand that their concerns be heard. “A number of aspects of Aylmer life will be affected and it’s important that our citizens take their place in this process,” Duggan said.
For chemin Robert-Stewart, which he has been working to keep closed to vehicle access since 2018, Duggan said the issue may be inching towards a resolution. He learned that a presentation to the Executive committee in April will be presented again to municipal council on May 18, meaning that it could potentially vote on the matter as early as June. He said the incentive to keep chemin Robert-Stewart closed is to renovate it as an official active transportation corridor.
Duggan also congratulated the people at local brewery 5e Baron for celebrating their one-year anniversary in business, and praised them for bringing such a world-class operation to Aylmer during the pandemic.
--Public question period
Municipal council received 13 questions from residents addressing a variety of subjects, including the STO’s tramway project, a recently denied minor variance request to build a home at 46 rue du Brouage, and the recently concluded call for tendering for food truck permits.
--Public markets, stray cats, and affordable housing
Municipal council approved a deal to allow the Old Aylmer, Plateau, Hull and Notre-Dame public markets to operate this summer, and to nominate members for its affordable housing inclusion plan’s Partners Roundtable.
Council also approved a deal with the Outaouais SPCA to implement a program to capture and sterilize feral cats, the building of a single-family home at 85 rue Atholl-Doune, and to invest $101,000 to support projects with the Fonds de soutien à l’animation et revitalization 2021.
Along with relocating eight holes at the The Gatineau Golf and Country Club (GGCC), Council also approved an investment of $975,000 for aqueduct renovations on promenade Lakeview between rue Calvados and chemin d’Aylmer, and to allow restaurants to install terrasses in public spaces without tariffs during times of crisis.
Council also ratified a financial assistance program dedicated to disconnecting foundation drains for properties at risk of flooding or backflow, and to implement a piloting committee dedicated to maintaining Gatineau as a provincially-recognized senior-friendly city - Municipalité amis des aînés.
Council also announced that Bureau will present a notice proposing to implement protocols to establish permanent public markets in the city during council’s meeting on June 8.
Limbour district councillor Renée Amyot announced that May 17 is International Day against homophobia and transphobia, stating that the LGBT flag will be raised at the Maison du Citoyen.
Bellevue district councillor Pierre Lanthier announced that the city was officially proclaiming May 9 to 15 Police Week. Council President and du Versant district councillor Daniel Champagne said he’s optimistic that in-person council meetings will finally resume in the coming months.
