PUBLIC – Minutes of the Gatineau City Council committee of the whole meeting held in the committee room of the Maison du citoyen, 25 Laurier Street, Gatineau, on Tuesday, June 4, 2024, at 9:30 a.m., at which were present, Mr.
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Recommendation: CP-ACL-2024-11
Accept an increase of $568,367 in recurring operating expenses for the Lucy-Faris library starting in 2025, and an additional $553,215 in 2026 (the increase in maintenance costs will be linear, reaching 100% of costs in 2031). These increases must be provided for within the service improvement budgets of the relevant fiscal years.
A question and comment period took place.
Councillor Anik Des Marais asked about costs related to LEED certification and mentioned that this certification should be viewed as an investment rather than an expense.
Mayor Daniel Champagne noted that the library service is the most used service in the City and that it is important to respond positively to the investment needs presented to allow for the improvement of services. He thanked the teams for the work accomplished.
Councillor Mike Duggan provided a clarification regarding the name of the building where the library is located: Constance Provost.
Councillor Louis Sabourin asked what services could be offered to marginalized clients and the aging population. Noëlle Gratton-Tétreault explained that outdoor visits and a personalized service would be required, necessitating additional resources to do so. Sonia Blouin also provided examples of services offered to these clienteles.
Councillor Steven Boivin expressed happiness regarding this new infrastructure and the services that will be offered there, with reference in particular to the Politique culturelle (Cultural Policy). A library must become a living environment, notably to break isolation; it goes beyond just reading books. He understands that an additional budget is required for a new library.
The recommendation will be submitted during the budget proceedings in the fall of 2025.
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CP20240604-P2 2023-2024 WINTER OPERATIONS REVIEW
Presentation by Yess Gacem, Yvon Desjardins, and Donald Lapointe.
The objectives of the presentation are to:
- Present the review of snow removal operations for the 2023-2024 season;
- Report on the progress of the implementation of the Politique de viabilité hivernale (Winter Viability Policy): i. Bicycle path routes; ii. Sidewalk service level; iii. Implementation of the citizen platform; iv. Municipal parking pilot project; v. 2024-2025 Ecological neighborhood pilot project; vi. 2024-2025 Winter parking pilot project (one side); vii. 2025-2026 Sidewalk route reorganization.
Presentation plan:
- Context;
- Review of 2023-2024 snow removal operations;
- Progress status of the Politique de viabilité hivernale.
A question and comment period took place. Councillor Mike Duggan asked if the changes made to sidewalk snow removal went well and if there were any incidents/complaints associated with these changes. Donald Lapointe mentioned that, as a general rule, everything went well. Duggan asked if there were savings, considering there was less precipitation last winter. Yvon Desjardins mentioned that there are fixed costs regardless of the weather. Savings rely on salt, sand, and overtime; invoices are still to be received to know the exact costs.
Councillor Louis Sabourin mentioned that the map may not be reliable due to certain difficulties with GPS. He added that people also compare from sector to sector and propose modifications to the tool. Sabourin asked if there are conclusions following a first year of use and for what purposes the data was useful (citizens or contractors). Clarifications were provided by Desjardins on the technological issues experienced and the importance of the information obtained.
Regarding the ecological pilot project, Councillor Caroline Murray asked a question regarding speed. Desjardins mentioned that everything is done with safety in mind. Lapointe confirmed that safety is the first criterion taken into account in determining ecological neighborhoods.
Councillor Mario Aubé wished for the teams to be thanked for the work done last winter. Regarding the double-pass visits, he mentioned that streets are sometimes not done completely due to the presence of vehicles. He asked if teams return in the event of further bad weather. Aubé also asked for specific follow-ups to be done next winter following the change in the method of waste collection. He finally asked if it would be possible to have a banner on the website to inform the population of the start of snow removal activities, to limit 311 requests.
Desjardins mentioned that the distribution of teams is a major challenge and that follow-ups are carried out to redo certain routes. Regarding the added sidewalks, they are now part of the route. Regarding collection, bins must be bypassed. Checks will be made regarding the new location of the bins. Desjardins provided details on the information transmitted to the CANU and heard the proposal to make it even more available to citizens. Details on communication tools were presented by Rachel Rivard.
Councillor Jean Lessard asked if improvements could be made for the de-icing of certain sidewalks. He also asked if specific follow-ups could be done for repeat offenders (e.g., ticket). Desjardins confirmed that these are two excellent suggestions, adding that sidewalks will be maintained at night (new winter viability policy). Regarding tickets, the team also wishes to proceed with such an action.
Mayor Daniel Champagne highlighted the quality of the collaborative work between the different services in the presentation. He also asked if the quality of the requesters could be known and would like to have statistics on the sidewalk snow removal delay, considering the funds invested to improve this service. On slide 31, the mayor said he was satisfied with the snow removal of the cycling network, wishing for an increase in the number of cyclists using active transport during the winter. He also specified that routes are also cleared in Gatineau.
Councillor Gilles Chagnon wished to congratulate the teams on the work done, noting there were few complaints in his sector. On page 37, regarding the pilot project, he asked why the councillors were not met to verify if there were any issues. Desjardins mentioned that the ecological neighborhoods project was carried by the service de transition écologique (Ecological Transition Department), following certain criteria determined by the Public Works department. Chagnon asked how the streets part of this project were analyzed; Lapointe mentioned that feasibility criteria were determined by the Public Works department, but that the service de transition écologique could provide more details. André Turgeon proposed that a meeting be held with Chagnon and that adjustments be made as needed. Chagnon also addressed a question about the maintenance of icy sidewalks in his sector and the presence of de-icing products on private land.