MINUTES – PUBLIC – SENIORS COMMISSION (SC) – 1st meeting – February 2, 2026 – 1:31 p.m. to 4:21 p.m.

2026 Work Plan of the Seniors Commission – Presentation

Mychelle Vaive, Head of Planning and Community Development (PDC) at the Service for Recreation, Sports and Community Development (SLSDC), presents the proposed 2026 work plan for the Commission to the members, with a view to obtaining a recommendation. The work plan is presented on the spot and will be sent to members by correspondence. The Department reminds that the proposed work plan covers only the year 2026. It is envisaged that in the fall, the Department will return before the Commission to discuss the next work plan and to integrate, if necessary, additional elements or files of interest to the members. It is also indicated that the next plan could extend over two years, subject to conditions. The current proposal takes into account organizational priorities, the continuity of certain priority files, the capacity of the teams, as well as topics of interest identified for the Commission. A workshop with elected officials also made it possible to gather certain comments that are part of one of the files or that will be useful for the planning of the next work plan.

The plan presented on gatineau.ca is based on a planning of six meetings for the year 2026. Three major files, as well as the Commission's objective for each, are presented to the members:

1- Integrated Action Plan for Families, Seniors and People with Disabilities Commission Objective: Contribute to the reflection on the orientations of the next Integrated Action Plan – Families, Seniors and People with Disabilities.

2- Social Participation Commission Objective: Ensure a watch on social files and issues that affect seniors and formulate recommendations to the municipal council from a perspective of inclusion and social participation. It is specified that this major file "social participation" also appears in the work plans of other commissions reporting to the SLSDC for 2026. This file will allow addressing various topics throughout the year. Two inter-commission meetings will be proposed to the members of the Seniors Commission in 2026 as well as to other commission members, probably in the spring and autumn. If an organization wishes to address a particular theme, within the framework of this file, a discussion with the teams could take place in order to consider the integration of a subject in the Commission.

3- New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP) – Pan-Canadian component Commission Objective: Ensure a strategic watch on the implementation of the Collective Impact Plan, monitor the evolution of issues related to vulnerable seniors, analyze opportunities for improvement and contribute to municipal orientations favoring social inclusion, participation and the well-being of seniors.

Exchange period

General comments The Department specifies that certain improvements could be made to the work plan before its adoption by the Municipal Council and the official receipt of the mandate by the Chair. If applicable, members will be duly informed. The Chair explains that certain elements raised could be integrated into the work plan, particularly within the framework of file 2, or be taken into consideration during the planning of the next work plan. It is recalled that file 2, Social Participation, offers the necessary flexibility to address, at the appropriate time, various subjects affecting seniors. A member expresses enthusiasm for the proposed work plan.

Recommendation CA-2026-01

The Seniors Commission (CA), during its regular meeting of February 2, 2026, recommends to the municipal council:

To adopt the 2026 work plan of the Seniors Commission as presented.

It is proposed by Monique Guindon Supported by Marc St-Amour Adopted

Collective Impact Plan - New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP) – Gatineau, an inclusive city for vulnerable seniors at risk of exclusion – Presentation

Karina Deliencourt Desjardins, Coordinator – PDC - SLSDC, presents the Collective Impact Plan of the New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP), entitled Gatineau, une ville inclusive pour les aînés vulnérables et à risque d’exclusion. The presentation, of an informative nature, aims to provide an update on the program. The program aims to improve the quality of life of seniors and strengthen their social inclusion. It is mentioned that Gatineau has 19 vulnerable communities, according to the portrait of the Observatoire de développement de l’Outaouais (ODO), and that the project aims at the implementation of 15 sub-projects, reaching approximately 7,000 vulnerable seniors (55 years and older) and mobilizing 550 volunteers. Several annual accountabilities are planned. It is recalled that a collaboration day, held on October 6, 2025, brought together 39 partners and allowed for the co-construction of the common vision and priority issues. Other meetings followed in November, including one specifically on universal accessibility, in collaboration with the Regroupement des personnes handicapées de l’Outaouais (RAPHO). The stages of the Collective Impact Plan are explained. The distinction between collaborating organizations, responsible for piloting the actions, and accomplice organizations, in support of their implementation, is specified. It is mentioned that the City is awaiting government confirmation to officialize the collaborating organizations. To date, the Table des aînés de Gatineau (TAG) is the only officially recognized collaborating organization. The TAG will pilot four major actions. It is explained that an innovation laboratory will be set up to support the collaborating organizations and that an action-research process is underway, under the responsibility of the ODO, which aims to monitor the evolution of the actions and measure the impacts of the NHSP Collective Impact Plan. The main themes of the Collective Impact Plan are listed, covering in particular social participation, popular education, citizen involvement, dissemination and accessibility of information, digital inclusion, well-being, local support and universal accessibility. The next steps concern the officialization of the collaborating organizations, the start of the innovation laboratory and the deployment of actions and sub-projects.

Exchange period

General comments Thanks are addressed to the SLSDC as well as to all the teams that contributed to the project, from the submission of the City of Gatineau's application for the grant to the current implementation stages. The co-construction dimension of the project is highlighted. It is also mentioned that the alignment of this approach with the Municipalité amie des aînés (Age-Friendly Municipality) certification is relevant.

Updating data A question is asked regarding the origin and updating of the data. The Department specifies that the data currently used comes from the 2021 census and that an update of these is to come, linked to the new data cycle of Statistics Canada.

Partners A clarification is requested regarding the project partners. It is recalled that to date, only the Table des aînés de Gatineau is officially recognized as a collaborating organization. About forty partners are called upon to play a role within the framework of the program: some will be officialized as collaborating organizations and others will be involved as accomplice/partner organizations. It is specified that the partners can notably be non-profit organizations or other partners (e.g., CISSSO). The term "partner" is not used in federal terminology.

Access to information technology A member positively highlights the offer of computer courses, including the use of the Internet, as well as the implementation of liaison agents, acting as a reference point between seniors, community organizations and other partners. It is mentioned that these initiatives should be deployed across the territory and be well disseminated, as access to information technologies is considered essential. It is explained that some stakeholders do not always seem informed of these services, particularly when they make friendship visits. The Department specifies that some projects already in place in certain sectors could be reproduced elsewhere.

Micro-actions (micro-project) Questions are asked regarding the future funding of micro-actions. The Department specifies that existing actions are not eligible and that the fixed amount of $1,000 is aimed exclusively at the implementation of new one-off actions intended for vulnerable seniors and those at risk of exclusion. This amount covers in particular costs related to transport, material resources and human resources. It is also indicated that the Table des aînés de Gatineau will be responsible for receiving requests and ensuring the promotion of this funding opportunity in the communities.

Innovation Laboratory A member wishes to obtain clarifications regarding the Innovation Laboratory, in particular if it is linked to the Scientific Committee. The Department specifies that this is a new formula, for which a call for tenders has been launched. Once constituted, the laboratory will meet approximately four times per year and will work in collaboration with the Observatoire de développement de l’Outaouais (ODO). It is recalled that this is a first for the City to pilot a Collective Impact Plan of such magnitude. The laboratory will take the form of a bank of consulting hours, aiming to ensure an external watch, to accompany projects, to support their progress and to integrate an innovation dimension into them.

Consultation by the ODO A member mentions that the Observatoire de développement de l’Outaouais (ODO) is currently engaged in a new data collection process. Given the importance of this data to support various ongoing projects, members are invited, as far as possible, to actively participate in the consultations and to encourage the participation of the community when the opportunity arises.

Social Economy An elected member highlights that the City of Gatineau has an action plan in social economy and mentions that links could be established between the Economic Development Department team and the SLSDC team for the NHSP project. It is indicated that, from a perspective of social participation and contribution to concrete projects in the communities, the social economy dimension represents an interesting avenue. The importance of the involvement of seniors in the implementation of several social economy initiatives in the territory is also highlighted.

Digital dependency A discussion focuses on digital dependency, in connection with efforts to accompany seniors towards digital technology without excess. It is mentioned that this theme could be integrated into the training offer intended for vulnerable seniors. The spectrum of training being broad, digital dependency is part of it. It is also noted that several partners wish to get involved in the training and popular education components.

Thank you Thanks are again addressed to the City for the submission of the grant application as well as for the coordination and implementation of the project. The community partners reiterate their willingness to get actively involved in order to support seniors.

Piétons Québec Training – Presentation

The presentation is provided by Évelyne Schingh Massé, Social and Community Development Officer, and Christelle Desforges, Community Development Coordinator, PDC – SLSDC, as well as by Olivier Viger Beaudin, Coordinator at the Mobility Department. Of an informative nature, it aims to provide a review of a training held in November 2025 with several municipal departments to develop skills in urban planning favorable to seniors. A context is presented, including the results and feedback following the training. It is recalled that the findings from the public consultations conducted within the framework of the Integrated Action Plan for Families, Seniors and People with Disabilities were used during the Piétons Québec training, particularly regarding obstacle-free paths, access to benches and outdoor toilets, and universal accessibility. It is emphasized that senior pedestrians are among the most vulnerable users. The training made it possible to identify the elements making environments unfavorable to walking (vehicle speed, traffic volume, signage difficult to spot, etc.). A link is established with the Municipalité amie des aînés (Age-Friendly Municipality) approach. An inter-departmental exploratory walk was carried out, allowing for the identification of challenges and potential solutions (alternatives favorable to the mobility of seniors). The importance of reporting mobility issues to the non-emergency call center (311) is recalled in order to allow municipal teams to intervene to reduce risks when possible. Among the main findings, we note a strong interest in inter-departmental collaboration, as well as the importance of support to develop and integrate reflexes related to universal accessibility.

Exchange period

General comments Thanks are addressed to the presenters for the presentation and the initiative of the inter-departmental exploratory walk.

Traffic near sidewalks – mobility issue A question is asked regarding the safety of pedestrians on sidewalks along heavy car traffic, particularly when vehicles circulate in immediate proximity. The question concerns planning or calming measures that could reduce the feeling of insecurity and the risks for seniors. In response, the Mobility Department explains that pedestrian safety relies on a combination of measures, including infrastructure planning and the adaptation of behaviors. It is notably mentioned the importance of speed reduction, the improvement of the readability of developments and, when possible, the creation of buffer zones between traffic and sidewalks. It is specified that these interventions must be adapted to the context and implemented progressively.

Other rights-of-way Following a question regarding places not directly under the responsibility of the City, such as hospitals, it is mentioned that there are mechanisms to report mobility issues to the responsible parties. It is specified that the CISSSO is also subject to an action plan for people with disabilities, in which these issues are taken into consideration. A discussion follows, illustrated by the example of the difficulty of access to the Hull Hospital for seniors in wheelchairs without accompaniment.

Motorists A comment is made regarding the need for a culture change among motorists with regard to more vulnerable road users, particularly pedestrians. The Chair shares a personal experience lived during an exploratory walk, made difficult by winter conditions, where the speed of vehicles and the presence of snowbanks strongly accentuated the feeling of stress, particularly in a context of blindness simulation. It is also mentioned that cohabitation with bicycles on multi-use paths represents an issue for the mobility of seniors. The implementation of separated paths in certain busy sectors is identified as an avenue for improvement to strengthen the feeling of safety.

Next steps and alignment An elected member inquires about the concrete follow-ups to be given to the training, particularly regarding awareness, consciousness-raising and the influence of these learnings on municipal bylaws and practices, in order to favor safe travel for seniors. The Mobility Department indicates that the intention is to continue the training ideally on an annual basis with the main municipal departments involved. It is specified that the City already has a structure in terms of infrastructure, and that work is underway with the Commission on Transport, Sustainable Travel and Safety (CTDDS), from a long-term perspective, in order to adopt guidelines that will guide urban planning in a more inclusive way. It is mentioned that certain recommendations are already applied, notably through the rues conviviales (complete streets) policy, mandatory for major projects, although private real estate projects are not always forced to apply them. The SLSDC completes by emphasizing that the Integrated Action Plan for Families, Seniors and People with Disabilities (PAI) also contributes to these objectives and recalls that universal accessibility is the responsibility of all municipal services, and not just one service. Significant improvements have been made over the years and work continues so that these principles are reflected in the City's projects and actions. Discussing accessibility is necessary and other commissions must take it into account in their work, this approach being transversal. It is also mentioned that the training helped break down silos between departments, favoring the development of reflexes of empathy and collaboration in terms of planning for seniors. The SLSDC indicates that a call for tenders is underway in universal accessibility, notably for the development of tools related to sidewalk planning. The management specifies that, although the City has made significant progress, the transformation of existing infrastructure remains limited by financial and human resources. Efforts are therefore mainly focused on new projects, the progressive standardization of practices, the continuation of inter-departmental work and the optimal use of available resources in order to better design future developments.

Société de transport de l’Outaouais (STO) and the Tramway project An elected member highlights that the eventual arrival of the tramway represents a major opportunity for the requalification of the streets concerned, by systematically integrating the principles of universal accessibility, particularly at problematic intersections and near places and residences frequented by seniors. It is mentioned that this reflection should be integrated into the work of the project office, this approach being perceived as an important opportunity to improve accessible urban planning. The Chair indicates having met the STO recently and mentions having suggested they come to present the question of adapted transport to the Seniors Commission. He emphasizes that, during service changes, better integration into municipal processes would be desirable and that the STO could play a more active role in this regard.

Renewal process for the Integrated Action Plan (PAI) for Families, Seniors, and People with Disabilities – Presentation

The renewal process for the PAI for Families, Seniors and People with Disabilities is presented by Christelle Desforges, Coordinator – PDC at the SLSDC. Of an informative nature, the presentation aims to expose the renewal process, legal obligations and stakeholders. A context is recalled, notably the City's obligations under the Loi assurant l’exercice des droits des personnes handicapées (Act to secure handicapped persons in the exercise of their rights), as well as the deadline of the PAI in 2026 and the Municipalité amie des aînés (MADA) recognition. It is specified that the renewal of the plan is required to maintain this recognition, which relies among other things on the realization of a social diagnosis, and that the Seniors Commission acts as a monitoring committee.

The Department indicates that a steering committee will be set up shortly and presents the internal and external partners called upon to be mobilized. For the year 2026, the process provides for the mobilization of partners, the identification of needs and obstacles, as well as the development of the new PAI, notably during the months of May and June. It is recalled that citizens have already been widely consulted in the past and that a synthesis of the needs expressed during these consultations will be used in order to consolidate existing actions and to update those that require it. Targeted consultations may be held, if necessary, in order to complete the portrait. The PAI must also be part of the integration process of the SLSDC's policies. The objective is to recommend the 2027-2029 PAI to the Seniors Commission in November 2026, with a view to its adoption by the municipal council in January 2027.

Exchange period

General comments and alignment The exchanges highlight the desire for close alignment with other ongoing projects, notably the NHSP, in order to optimize organizational efforts, avoid duplication and favor a concerted approach. It is recognized that the proposed vision is clear and coherent, which reinforces the credibility of the process. A question is raised regarding the alignment with the STO, beyond municipal services. The Department indicates that collaborations have already been established, notably within the framework of the STO's universal accessibility action plan, and that these links will continue. The discussions broaden the reflection to other possible alignments, notably with the Finance, Infrastructure and Economic Development Departments, as well as to the issues of the financial reality of seniors and affordable housing. Several avenues for collaboration are identified. The Department thanks the members for these proposals.

Consultations A discussion focuses on the need to limit the multiplication of public consultations, taking into account the capacity of organizations and their volunteers to participate. It is specified that, within the framework of the renewal of the action plan, the process will favor the use of information already available from previous consultations, and that targeted consultations will be conducted only to fill in missing information. The management emphasizes the importance of finding a balance between existing data and expertise and the use of consultations. The Chair mentions that participation in activities already existing in the communities, notably in collaboration with the Citizen Interaction Department and neighborhood associations, could constitute a more effective approach to exchange with citizens and address several issues at once.

Duration of the PAI A question is raised regarding the three-year duration proposed for the next Integrated Action Plan and its link with MADA compliance. It is explained that the previous plan benefited from more significant financial resources and that, in the current context, the City is moving forward with an accelerated internal process, notably in the absence of a call for projects. It is mentioned that a reflection remains open, however, regarding the ideal duration of this type of plan, i.e., three years or a longer period, this question being recognized as relevant and deserving of being deepened.

Non-emergency call center (311) A question is raised regarding the processing of requests made by citizens via 311. It is explained that the requests are directed to the concerned municipal services according to an established template and can be grouped by theme, which allows for the analysis of trends. It is mentioned that the 311 database could constitute a relevant source of information within the framework of the development of the PAI, although the sociodemographic data of the requesters (e.g., age) are generally not available due to limits related to the protection of personal information. Several members highlight the usefulness of 311 and the interest in using it fully as an information and analysis tool.