PUBLIC – Minutes of the meeting of the Gatineau City Council Committee of the Whole 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 are present,
⭐ Notable items (7)
This item proposes replacing the existing municipal framework for citizen participation with a new, updated Public Participation Policy. This policy aims to modernize how the city engages with residents on municipal issues.
The committee recommends establishing a Public Participation Office to act as a neutral, independent body for managing public consultations. This office would help professionalize the consultation process, increase transparency, and ensure that diverse voices are heard on major or sensitive city projects.
This item proposes creating a formal mechanism that would allow citizens to trigger public consultations on specific issues, granting them a greater role in setting the municipal agenda.
The city is exploring the creation of local 'sector assemblies' to bring municipal decision-making closer to residents. This initiative draws inspiration from existing neighborhood council models in other Quebec cities to improve local representation.
This procedural step requires city staff to return by June 2025 with a concrete plan, budget, and timeline for establishing the new Public Participation Office, addressing concerns raised by councillors regarding costs and operational structure.
City staff are tasked with creating a roadmap and identifying the resources needed to implement the 'right of initiative,' which allows citizens to request public consultations, with a report due by June 2025.
City staff must prepare a plan and budget for implementing sector-based assemblies, similar to those in Quebec City and Laval, to be presented to council by June 2025.
This item proposes replacing the existing municipal framework for citizen participation with a new, updated Public Participation Policy. This policy aims to modernize how the city engages with residents on municipal issues.
The committee recommends establishing a Public Participation Office to act as a neutral, independent body for managing public consultations. This office would help professionalize the consultation process, increase transparency, and ensure that diverse voices are heard on major or sensitive city projects.
This item proposes creating a formal mechanism that would allow citizens to trigger public consultations on specific issues, granting them a greater role in setting the municipal agenda.
The city is exploring the creation of local 'sector assemblies' to bring municipal decision-making closer to residents. This initiative draws inspiration from existing neighborhood council models in other Quebec cities to improve local representation.
This item aims to bolster the internal Citizen Interaction Service (SIC) to better support municipal departments in conducting participatory projects. It ensures the SIC works in tandem with the proposed Public Participation Office to foster a culture of engagement across the city.
This procedural step requires city staff to return by June 2025 with a concrete plan, budget, and timeline for establishing the new Public Participation Office, addressing concerns raised by councillors regarding costs and operational structure.
City staff are tasked with creating a roadmap and identifying the resources needed to implement the 'right of initiative,' which allows citizens to request public consultations, with a report due by June 2025.
City staff must prepare a plan and budget for implementing sector-based assemblies, similar to those in Quebec City and Laval, to be presented to council by June 2025.