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, February 25, 2025, at 9:03 a.m., at which were present:

Major decisions

CP-Comité de travail de réactualisation-2025-002 #

Proceed with the creation of a Public Participation Office in Gatineau

The committee recommends establishing a new Public Participation Office to act as a neutral, independent body for managing public consultations, similar to models in other major cities.

Read full translation

CP-Comité de travail de réactualisation-2025-002

Proceed with the creation of an Office de participation publique (Public Participation Office) in Gatineau, including its legal structure, operating mechanisms, and other elements necessary for its implementation.

governance adopted Public Participation Office consultation governance

Notable items

CP-Comité de travail de réactualisation-2025-001 #

Adopt the draft Public Participation Policy to replace the Reference Framework for Citizen Participation in Municipal Affairs

The committee recommends replacing the existing municipal citizen participation framework with a new, updated Public Participation Policy to modernize how the city engages with residents.

Read full translation

CP-Comité de travail de réactualisation-2025-001

Adopt the draft Politique de participation publique (Public Participation Policy) to replace the Cadre de référence en matière de participation des citoyens aux affaires municipales (Reference Framework for Citizen Participation in Municipal Affairs).

governance adopted public participation policy governance

CP-Comité de travail de réactualisation-2025-003 #

Implement a bylaw regarding the right of initiative

The committee recommends creating a new bylaw that would allow citizens to exercise a 'right of initiative,' enabling them to formally propose topics for municipal consultation.

Read full translation

CP-Comité de travail de réactualisation-2025-003

Implement a bylaw regarding the droit d’initiative (right of initiative).

governance adopted right of initiative bylaw democracy

CP-Comité de travail de réactualisation-2025-004 #

Study the possibility of creating sector assemblies

The committee recommends exploring the creation of local 'sector assemblies' modeled after neighborhood councils in Quebec City and Laval to improve local representation.

Read full translation

CP-Comité de travail de réactualisation-2025-004

Study the possibility of creating assemblées de secteurs (sector assemblies) according to the model of the conseils de quartier (neighborhood councils) of the Ville de Québec and the projet pilote d’assemblée de quartier (neighborhood assembly pilot project) of the Ville de Laval.

governance adopted sector assembliesneighborhood councilslocal representation

CP-SIC-2025-001 #

Mandate the administration to present an action plan for the Public Participation Office by June 2025

The administration is tasked with returning to the committee by June 2025 with a detailed action plan, budget, and timeline for establishing the Public Participation Office.

Read full translation

CP-SIC-2025-001

Mandate the administration to return to the committee of the whole to present the steps as well as an action plan, including a financial framework and a timeline, aimed at the creation of an Office de participation publique, no later than June 2025.

governance budget adopted Public Participation Office action plan timeline

CP-SIC-2025-002 #

Mandate the administration to present a plan for implementing the right of initiative by June 2025

The administration must return to council by June 2025 with a strategy and resource requirements to implement the right of initiative for public consultations.

Read full translation

CP-SIC-2025-002

Mandate the administration to return to council with a process as well as the necessary resources to implement the droit d’initiative (right of initiative) regarding public consultation, no later than June 2025.

governance adopted right of initiative consultation resources

CP-SIC-2025-003 #

Mandate the administration to develop a plan for sector assemblies by June 2025

The administration is directed to develop a strategy and identify resources for deploying sector assemblies by June 2025, following models used in Quebec City and Laval.

Read full translation

CP-SIC-2025-003

Mandate the administration to develop a process as well as the necessary resources to deploy assemblées de secteurs (sector assemblies) according to the model of the conseils de quartier of the Ville de Québec and the projet pilote d’assemblée de quartier of the Ville de Laval, no later than June 2025.

governance adopted sector assemblies resourcesdeployment

All items

CP-Comité de travail de réactualisation-2025-005 #

Strengthen the Citizen Interaction Service as an internal center of expertise

The committee recommends reinforcing the existing Citizen Interaction Service (SIC) to act as an internal expert hub that supports municipal departments in conducting participatory projects.

Read full translation

CP-Comité de travail de réactualisation-2025-005

Reinforce the Service d’interaction citoyenne (SIC - Citizen Interaction Service) as an internal center of expertise in public participation, notably by ensuring the proper application of the new Politique de participation publique and by supporting all municipal departments in the conduct of their participatory projects, thereby allowing the growth of the City of Gatineau's practices and culture of public participation. This is to be done in emulation with the new Office de participation publique.

governance adopted SICcitizen interactionexpertise