AGRICULTURAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE – MINUTES – Monday, February 10, 2025 at 5:35 p.m.

It is noted that some changes were made to the presentation that was sent to members before the session. The PowerPoint document "2024 Work Plan Report" is presented to the members. The presentation is broken down into the following sub-themes:

• Objective of the presentation; • Contextualization; • Role and mandate of the Agricultural Advisory Committee (CCA); • 2024 Work Plan Report; • 2025 meeting calendar; • 2025 topics.

After the presentation, questions, answers, and comments are formulated regarding, among other things:

• It was considered more judicious to remove certain activities from the CCA 2024 work plan, to keep them only in the Agricultural Zone and Activities Development Plan (PDZAA). The PDZAA monitoring committee will adequately prioritize these activities during the work leading to the overhaul of the PDZAA. This prioritization will be presented to the CCA and must obtain its approval; • It is specified that the sessions of the Land Use and Housing Development Commission (CDTH) are usually held on Thursdays from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., and when members of other committees or commissions are invited to attend its work, they can do so in person or by videoconference. Members are asked if they have special requests, if they wish for presentations on specific actions outside the PDZAA from different municipal services, for example, the Residual Materials Management Plan (PGMR). It is answered that there is a desire for the subject of economic development to be developed further, so it is liked that it is already on the radar. Finally, it is specified that two subjects planned for 2025 were removed from the presentation between the version sent to members and the one presented during the session, namely the support for farmers at the City of Gatineau (one-stop shop) and the strategy for the use of municipal land in the agricultural zone. These two subjects were removed from the CCA 2025 work plan, as they are included in the PDZAA reflection.

The PDZAA monitoring committee held its second meeting earlier today. All actions were reviewed to assess whether other partners could get involved. The third and last meeting will take place soon, and the objective of this meeting will be to prioritize all actions. Subsequently, the revised action plan will be presented to the CCA to obtain its opinion.

It is noted that the monitoring committee includes the participation of the Regional Development Cooperative Outaouais-Laurentides (CDROL), ID Gatineau, the City of Gatineau's Economic Development Office, the Union of Agricultural Producers (UPA), the Outaouais Agri-food Table (TAO), the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food of Quebec (MAPAQ), the chair of the CCA, and members of the administration of the Urban Planning and Sustainable Development Services (SUDD) and the Recreation, Sports and Community Development Services (SLSDC). The Community Business Development Corporation (SADC) was not present at the last meeting, but a representative will join the monitoring committee.

Work remains to be done internally to assess the human and financial resources necessary for the deployment of the revised PDZAA action plan. After obtaining the opinion of the CCA, the action plan must be adopted by the municipal council. After its adoption, the monitoring committee will continue its meetings annually to ensure the implementation of the action plan and to promote a synergistic approach with regional organizations. The goal is to adopt the revised action plan in the summer of 2025 to include it in the 2026 budget process.

It is recalled that the MRCs have the power to identify territories incompatible with mining activity (TIAM), provided they modify their Land Use and Development Plan (SAD) to include these territories. A request can subsequently be made to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests for these territories to be withdrawn from mining activity. This work has been ongoing for over a year and has been presented to the CCA. However, a change to the provincial law has identified most of the territories that had already been identified by the SUDD. The administration is now reviewing whether it is possible to improve the territories covered by this change to the law. It is proposed to return to the CCA soon for the continuation and conclusion of this file.

It is added that it is possible to see on the Ministry's website the TIAMs that have been identified by the provincial government. They now cover almost the entirety of the Gatineau territory. It is estimated that this is a great step forward for the rights of cities and owners.