MINUTES - PUBLIC - ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE COMMITTEE

4. Public question period

Alain Pilon, vice-president of the Association des résidents du Plateau, and Marie-Ève Charlebois, president of the Environment Committee, share a situation that occurred in April 2024 regarding the cutting of trees at parc des Quatre-saisons in the Plateau district. Alain Pilon reads the letter transmitted to the members of the Commission. In short, here are the questions addressed to the Commission:

• Does the City of Gatineau have a policy to protect trees in parks, or is this left freely to anyone in the maintenance and lawn-mowing services?
• How can we ensure that this practice does not happen again in the future in any of the other parks in the Plateau?
• Can the Environment and Climate Change Commission of the City of Gatineau play a role? If so, which one?

It is answered that the tree cutting was planned and is done so as not to damage the trees. Engineers and urban forestry technicians were hired by the City. They respect established standards related to tree pruning and take into account maintenance parameters for each type of tree. The Service de la transition écologique works in collaboration with the Service des travaux publics for the maintenance of trees in parks and green spaces belonging to the City throughout the territory. The contract for cutting branches of certain trees was awarded for health and safety reasons related to lawn mowing. This pruning of low branches also aims to create space for passersby as well as for the health of the trees.

It is added that the Service de la transition écologique is evaluating the possibility of implementing a pilot project for non-mowing of grass around the base of trees. It is mentioned that a verification will be done to see the possibility of including parc des Quatre-Saisons in the pilot project, and members of the Association des résidents du Plateau are invited to work in collaboration with the Service.

Marie-Ève Charlebois adds the following questions:

• Is it possible not to denature certain retention basins and unused green spaces by consulting neighborhood residents?
• Have studies been done regarding the impacts of the No Mow May movement that has existed for several years?

It is answered that the impacts of the movement are still under analysis and that the City is still participating this year. The campaign titled Défi Pissenlits (Dandelion Challenge) has been launched. The Service is trying to see how to improve the biodiversity of flower beds in order to reduce the area of grass. Regarding retention basins, actions are planned in the climate plan, such as identifying approaches to optimize the layout of retention basins. The Association de quartier du Plateau expresses its interest in working with the City.

Frédéric Vandal reads a question he received by email from the citizen group Gatineau sans pesticides, which wants to know where the white list is found and if dicamba is authorized. Gatineau sans pesticides requests an amendment to list only the white list. Frédéric Vandal recalls that when applying regulatory provisions related to the spraying of pesticides outdoors, the bylaw aligns with the requirements and appendices of the Code de gestion des pesticides du Québec including Appendix 2. The principle of a white list is not provided for in the Code de gestion des pesticides du Québec. After a careful re-reading of the bylaw, he mentions that indeed, it is not possible to state beyond any doubt that dicamba is part of the prohibited active ingredients, since it is not explicitly named in the prohibitions nor in the authorizations of the Code de gestion des pesticides du Québec. The Service takes note, and the whole thing will be modified in the next bylaw.

Benoit Delage leaves the meeting at 3:52 p.m. The quorum is maintained.

6. Presentation: Progress report on the 2023-2030 Urban Forestry Plan

The objective of the presentation is to inform the members of the progress of the first year of implementation of the 2023-2030 urban forestry plan. The objectives of the plan as well as the various targets and success indicators targeted for the year 2023 are presented. A summary of the main actions as well as the successes and points for improvement are exposed. A document detailing the results was sent to members before the meeting. In closing, the members are informed of the actions and measures planned for the year 2024.

The effort to reach the population that does not participate and the general public is praised. Some question how tree maintenance in relation to lawn mowing can be considered as discussed during the public comment period. It is answered that pruning is cyclical and that the Service will see how to include measures in the plan to review elements related to lawn mowing.

It is asked if a follow-up is carried out with citizens who received trees for free from the City to know if the tree provided survived or not. It is answered that unfortunately, due to operational and logistical constraints, no follow-up is done. It is suggested to involve elected officials in the donation of trees, because some people do not have means of transport to go get them. The Service takes note. It is added that there is a reflection underway to set up a reservation list as well as means to involve the population and local organizations more.

It is asked if the new bylaw is working well as well as the level of appreciation of the teams regarding the implementation of this bylaw. It is answered that, following the significant modifications made to it in 2012, the bylaw has ensured the protection of several trees; the refusal rate still standing at 20% to 25%. Improvements could be made regarding woodlands such as certain conservation percentages that should be adjusted upwards as well as the rate of area to be preserved in a corridor. Collaborative work is done with the Service de l’urbanisme et du développement durable (SUDD), the comments made are taken into consideration, but the fact of including, in the bylaw, the notion of connectivity would favor the conservation of corridors. Questions related to the involvement of real estate developers, as well as more disadvantaged sectors are taken into account. It is answered that since 2022 several actions have been put in place to better support developers and that efforts are also being made so that there is territorial equity of the canopy.

Benoit Delage joins the meeting virtually at 4:41 p.m. It is added that the Service is working to improve the plan's accountability indicators while taking into account other plans, such as the biodiversity plan. A monitoring platform is under development.

Break from 4:53 p.m. to 5:07 p.m. Items 7 and 8 scheduled on the agenda are swapped.

7. Pilot project for ecological neighborhoods regarding de-icing salt

A summary document of the pilot project was sent to members by email. This document sets out the context of the project as well as the approach initiated by the Service de transition écologique. The latter collaborated with the Service des travaux publics for the identification of ecological neighborhoods in the winter of 2024-2025 where the City of Gatineau will cease the spreading of road salts as provided for in the Winter Viability Policy. The policy aligns with action 4 and measure 4.1 of the 2024-2029 Water Management Plan (PGE).

A financial amount is provided to carry out sampling and laboratory analyses. A follow-up of water quality over several years is planned in order to visualize the effect of the implementation of these ecological neighborhoods. It is added that as part of the public consultation relating to the Biodiversity Action Plan which took place from May 17 to June 7, 2023, a vote on various neighborhood proposals in each of the city's sectors was proposed. The limits of the ecological neighborhoods identified for the winter of 2024-2025 are presented in the appendix to the document.

Members agree that it will be essential to properly inform the people concerned in the targeted neighborhoods in order to avoid complaints as well as to reassure the population regarding safety and to focus on the importance of respecting the environment. It is answered that a communication plan is planned for this purpose. Questions about alternative means and ways of doing things are asked.

8. Project on banning plastic in City of Gatineau municipal buildings

It is mentioned that action 20 of the 2024-2029 Water Management Plan (PGE) aims to promote the refilling of reusable bottles in City buildings and events and that the action of the 2023-2029 Residual Materials Management Plan (PGMR) aims to regulate the sale and distribution of certain single-use products. Certain measures provided for in the PGE and the PGMR are presented and are summarized as follows:

• Measures of the PGE: Prohibit the sale and distribution of single-use plastic bottles in corporate events or events supported by the City and prohibit the purchase, sale, and distribution of single-use plastic water bottles in municipal buildings;
• Measure of the PGMR: Adopt an internal policy to prohibit the purchase and distribution of certain single-use products in the context of municipal activities.

Members are informed of a summary portrait of plastic pollution in Quebec as well as the prohibition of the sale and distribution of certain single-use plastics in Canada as regulated by the federal government. The provincial government is finalizing its 2024-2029 strategy for the reduction and responsible management of plastics in Quebec, and this will allow municipalities that have a PGMR to align with it. By the end of 2024, three measures will be deployed. For each measure, examples of what will be permitted and not permitted are presented as well as some issues and challenges in their implementation.

Planned measures: 1- Prohibition of the sale of single-use plastic water bottles in municipal buildings; 2- Prohibition of single-use plastics targeted by the federal regulation in municipal buildings; 3- Prohibition of selling or distributing single-use plastic water bottles in corporate events or events supported by the City.

Members ask clarifying questions. Members will be informed of the progress of the measures.