MINUTES - PUBLIC - ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE COMMITTEE

2023 Commission Report

The 2023 report was sent to Commission members for filing. Filing with the municipal council is scheduled for March 2024.

It is suggested by some members that the Commission include the supervision of the climate plan in its next work plan, as inscribed in the statutes and regulations. To do this, monitoring tools should be developed to equip members to ensure this follow-up. A modification is requested on page 7 of the report – member composition: Claude Fortin is a member of the organization Action Climat Outaouais and not a citizen member. Some members mention that the report is more of a statistical report where a summary of the content of the discussions is not present. It is suggested that the next report be more substantial so that it better reflects the efforts and the richness of the work accomplished.

Jean Lessard joins the meeting at 4:28 p.m.

2024-2025 Commission Work Plan

Members are informed of the steps for developing commission work plans. In short, the actions included in the work plan take into account the mandates granted by the municipal council as well as the priorities and action plans of the department responsible for the Commission, while taking into account the capacity of the administrative teams. Subsequently, the chairs issue their comments and additions. The work plan proposals are submitted to the General Management. A first exercise of planning the subjects is then carried out according to the meeting calendar. The proposed plan is presented to members for comments and improvement so that the Commission recommends its adoption to the municipal council. All work plans of the City's committees and commissions will be adopted at the municipal council meeting next March.

It is added that to avoid duplication, transversal subjects are included in a single work plan. However, other commissions may be called upon and consulted as needed.

Members are invited to formulate their comments on the proposed work plan.

General comments

• Do not present studies for information only if the Commission is not in a position to contribute to them;
• Better target issues so that the Commission can participate in changing the City's vision and not be in management;
• Clarify the role and what is expected of the Commission;
• Importance of not overloading the plan to reserve time for other environmental subjects and issues. As an example, it is mentioned that the Université du Québec en Outaouais offers training dealing with the climate emergency as well as biodiversity crises and how we can act now;
• That the Commission issue more recommendations. The proposed plan is currently more at the level of analysis and reflection.

It is answered that the priorities and actions of the Service de la transition écologique (Ecological Transition Department), for the next two years, are more in the deployment and implementation of the various plans falling under the Service. The Commission will, however, be able to contribute to the improvement of the deployment of planned projects by providing their comments.

Some members add that they could contribute to the identification of good behaviors to adopt in order to change habits based on prevention, protection, and transformation. The Commission could play an ambassador role as citizens and with their organization. It is added that other municipal services can also call upon the Commission and it wishes to be able to contribute to other work.

Proposed addition to the work plan In summary, members wish to add the following elements:

• Add an indicator related to the funding granted, in the implementation of projects falling under the Service de la transition écologique, so that the Commission can have a better picture of the projects and priorities of the Service's management. It is answered that a new tool is in development which will include performance indicators to frame all plans falling under the Service de la transition écologique like the one used by the City of Victoria. Funding sources will be part of one of the indicators. It is added that the municipal council has mandated the Service de la transition écologique to develop a greenhouse gas measurement tool. Members will be informed of the progress of the indicators.
• Contribute to the Regional Plan for Wetlands and Hydric Environments, the overhaul of the Plans d’implantation et d’intégration architecturale (PIIA), as well as the monitoring of the Land Use and Development Plan. Some mention that it is not duplication to add these actions already planned in the work plan of the Commission du développement du territoire et de l’habitation (CDTH) and question the reasons that justify that it is not under the responsibility of the CELCC. It is answered that it is the municipal council that mandated the Service de l’urbanisme et du développement durable for the development, implementation, and monitoring of these plans. However, the services involved are included, including the Service de la transition écologique. It is added that the CELCC could also be called upon by the CDTH as it did last November where the CELCC was invited to participate in the presentation on the Regional Plan for Wetlands and Hydric Environments.

Anik Des Marais, chair of the City's Finance Committee, wishes to call upon members regarding various ecofiscal measures. She proposes to consult the members of the CELCC as the Finance Committee's work progresses on this subject.

Members ask clarifying questions about the Commission's work and the planned schedule.

• What are the City's intentions regarding the update of the Environmental Policy? It is answered that the objective is to reflect on the relevance of updating the Environmental Policy. The role of the Commission will be to issue a recommendation regarding the renewal of the Policy. This element will be added to the work plan.
• It is asked if members will be seized of the progress of the work related to waste management, more particularly that concerning the sectors of industries, businesses, and institutions (ICI) as well as construction waste. It is answered that these elements will be treated in the report of the Residual Materials Management Plan.

Some question the contribution of the Commission in relation to the Climate Plan and raise the importance of partnership in its implementation. In this context, it is suggested to set up a monitoring committee. It is also suggested to include two actions in the Climate Plan instead of labeling it in a single action:

• Take note of the City's approach regarding the decarbonization of municipal buildings of the city of Gatineau;
• Be informed of relevant studies regarding the challenges faced by Cities in terms of climate.

It is agreed that a new version of the work plan will be sent to members so that they can share their comments before the next meeting scheduled for February 15, 2024.