MINUTES – PUBLIC – GATINEAU, HEALTHY CITY COMMISSION (CGVS) – 4th meeting – September 26, 2025 – 9:02 a.m. to 11:23 a.m.

5. Roundtable of partners

A roundtable is held to allow members and partners to share their successes and issues.

1. For the OHO (Office d'habitation de l'Outaouais), it is highlighted that there are 3 projects currently under construction. First, 395 doors will be delivered in February. Two real estate complexes are located in Vieux-Hull. Regarding the Champlain project, 199 units will be available, of which two-thirds will be subsidized housing for low-income individuals on the OHO waiting list and one-third will be affordable housing offered to modest-income individuals. As for the Wright project, also located in Vieux-Hull, it includes 62 housing units. The third is located in Gatineau on boulevard St-René Est and will have 134 housing units. A campaign will be conducted to inform the population and offer everyone a fair chance to obtain affordable housing at gatineau.ca. She also mentions that the waiting list for social housing is full. The real estate arm, Habitation de l'Outaouais Métropolitain (HOM), is preparing a new brand identity for its 25th anniversary. This will be presented shortly (names and brand identity).

Regarding the Champlain project, the chair asks for clarification regarding the advertisements launched by the organization. It is then mentioned that to access the two types of housing, one must register on the waiting list. For subsidized housing, there are currently more than 1,500 households on the waiting list. For affordable housing, priority is given to people already registered. However, registrations on this list may change due to needs that have evolved since registration. An update of the lists is therefore necessary. For the Champlain project, it is mentioned that the building is not designed by HOM, but by a private builder. Steve Moran emphasizes that for welcoming a community that is settling in, these are important services. He wishes to know the actions that can be taken by the City to facilitate the integration of services. It is then specified that the building includes a community hall and parking on 2 floors. There is work to be done with community services for tenants, such as setting up a tenants' association. Work is being done to support tenants in this regard. As much as possible, community halls and projects are put forward to create a living environment. Ideas are welcome on this subject.

The administration specifies that a meeting took place with the CISSSO in connection with the Accès Coordonné (Coordinated Access). Under the theme of Accès Coordonné, community organizations and the CISSSO are reflecting on ways to counter and prevent homelessness by ensuring that the available housing and accommodation offer is known. It is also necessary to ensure that the offer of housing and accommodation is known. In the Champlain project, there is a community hall and a room for organizations that would like to carry out interventions. The CISSSO is collaborating with HOM to ensure that the integration goes well and to be able to intervene quickly if necessary. In future projects with HOM, discussions will be held upstream to ensure cohabitation both with the sector and within the building itself.

At the Public Health Department level, it is indicated that the national public health plan will be deployed in the coming weeks or months. There will also be a regional action plan 25-35 coming shortly. In another vein, it is mentioned that a vaccination campaign (influenza-COVID) will begin shortly. Press releases will be sent out immediately. The COVID vaccine is no longer available to the general population and is reserved for the vulnerable population.

At the CISSSO level, the implementation of a new program for re-affiliation in homelessness and mental health (PRISM) is highlighted. This is a program that has existed since 2012 in Montreal and in Quebec City since last year. It is a great initiative for people experiencing homelessness with a serious mental health problem. The project aims to open hospital beds directly at Gîte-Ami, in partnership with Maison Réalité. Thus, the psychiatrist and medical teams (for a period of 8 to 12 weeks) will travel to Gîte-Ami. The needs are multiple and the responses will thus be adapted to the individual. The beds are at Gîte-Ami. It is not an addition of beds, but a transformation of individual rooms in a separate section. The adaptations to the building are minimal at the building level. Participation is voluntary and not mandatory. Depending on receptivity and turnover, there may be an adjustment of the offer. Maison Réalité follows up on housing throughout the territory and offers mental health support.

7. Statutory item: Homelessness file

Ms. Jeneviève Caron takes the floor. She indicates that regarding the homelessness file, the CISSSO is currently in a call for projects that will end on September 30. This includes the winter measures component for the Gatineau sector (Sanscartier), while on the Hull sector side, work is underway to continue the warming center which is open year-round. There are discussions for a permanent structure. This would be at Parc Sanscartier and other alternatives to the building on site are being analyzed. There is currently no issue and an announcement will follow in October.

At the City level, work in collaboration with all stakeholders continues for a proximity center and sanitary block on the Guertin side. A follow-up will be done on the application of the new regulation on temporary occupation of the public domain. The permits have been granted in large part to the occupants. There is a site manager at Guertin, whose contract ends next May. The contract for the next call for tenders will begin this fall. It will be published for an approximate period of 3 months, starting from the beginning of 2026. Work also continues at the Gatineau sector stop. Clarifications are requested regarding the process underway with the CISSSO for the calls for projects.

8. Management guide for makeshift camps and new bylaw 978-2025

Ms. Mychelle Vaive, head of service, community planning and development at the SLSDC, begins the presentation that was sent to members beforehand. She begins the presentation with a summary of the bylaw. It is important to specify that the occupation or carrying out of work on all or part of the public domain property is prohibited, except in authorized camps and conditionally upon obtaining a permit. The bylaw stipulates that recreational vehicles (RVs) currently installed are tolerated until the person holding the permit leaves the place. The permit cannot be transferred. Only tents are allowed. To obtain a permit, one must fill out a form. Nominative information is then required.

The guide is subsequently explained to the members. There are procedures for people installed at the Centre Guertin, and others for camps outside the site. The deadlines surrounding the notices are different since the support offered is not the same and the City's capacity has also been analyzed. In camps outside the Guertin site, there are more subjective criteria that are used. The danger is assessed and the deadline is determined according to the situation and the urgency of the displacement. Sylvie Lafontaine leaves the meeting at 9:46 a.m. For abandoned camps, another procedure has been established and it is explained. Other bylaws apply in addition to this one; for example, the one on safety, peace, and good order. All people experiencing homelessness have been met, both at Guertin and in the other camps. The guide will be adjusted continuously, and its application will be evaluated at all times. The objective remains the exit from homelessness. Sylvie Lafontaine resumes her seat at 9:50 a.m.

A question period follows: A member wishes to know the reception of the guide and the bylaw by people experiencing homelessness. The team specifies that there is an adaptation period and that multiple notices can create frustrations. Comments from citizens living near the camps are to the effect that they feel secured by the implementation of the bylaw. Clarifications are required regarding the links between partners, such as the NCC (National Capital Commission) for example. The administration specifies that there is an issue in communication and obtaining data due to the protection of personal information. Discussions are taking place to this effect. There is synergy with partners to arrive at the organization of services for the exit from homelessness. It is also desired to know the composition of the guide's monitoring committee. It consists of the authors of the guide (Réabex, Gîte-ami, le Bras, Cito and the City). A person experiencing homelessness cannot settle everywhere. This rule applies to the entire territory. An assessment is made when a person settles outside the organized camp, and an analysis is then made by the City's services to determine if the person can remain there or not. Break from 9:58 a.m. to 10:16 a.m.

9. 2024 Report and 2025 update of the Integrated Action Plan (PAI) for families, seniors, and people with disabilities

The presentation is made by Ms. Christelle Desforges, coordinator, community development, at the SLSDC. This presentation will lead to a recommendation. The objective is presented. The 2021-2022 action plan, the city committed to a process of renewing the integrated action plan – Family, seniors and universal accessibility and its recognition. A reminder of legal obligations is presented and followed by a context setting. Then, Ms. Desforges presents the review of the highlights of the year 2024. The strategies and objectives are broken down, each presenting the achievements and projects implemented for the year 2024. Finally, a detailed status of progress is projected and explained.

In connection with the strategies "Doing well with the community", "Knowing well" and "Informing well", 100% of the actions registered were carried out during the year 2024 or were deployed continuously. As for the "Improve accessibility" strategy which is divided into three components ("Municipal communications", "Public facilities and infrastructure" and "Events and activities") 50% of the activities registered in the PAI 2022-2026 have been completed. The other actions are planned for the years 2025-2026.

The chair reads the proposed recommendation. The Commission Gatineau, Ville en santé, recommends:

CGVS-2025-02 Accept the filing of the 2024 report and the 2025 update of the integrated action plan 2022-2026 – Families, seniors and people with disabilities 2022-2026.

It is proposed by Karina Osiecka; Seconded by Stéphanie Ayotte. Adopted.

A question period follows: Councillor Alicia Lacasse-Brunet mentions having been questioned about the Accès Gatineau card since under certain conditions it can be free. With the disability pension, it seems impossible to benefit from this option. The financial accessibility and leisure access program is currently under analysis. A survey was sent to members and can be completed until October 2. Social pricing could be reviewed at the Accès Gatineau card level. This point could be considered in these works. A member highlights seeing many advances by the City in connection with participation and accessibility. An issue remains regarding travel with the Société de Transport de l'Outaouais (STO). The costs remain, and although some organizations offer free tickets, users must go to the organization to obtain them. There is a phase shift between accessibility needs and the proposed solutions. The chair indicates having participated in several events mentioned in the presentation. During a workshop he attended, the expert mentioned that automatic doors were doors for everyone and not reserved for a particular clientele. In the case of the Maison du Citoyen, the right door has a logo that seems to reserve it only for people in wheelchairs and from an accessibility and inclusion perspective, this signage should be removed.

10. PRIMA project and Belmont Park

The presentation is made jointly by Christelle Desforges, coordinator, community development and Marie-Josée Larocque, coordinator, infrastructure and public spaces and concerns two (2) projects in progress that promote universal accessibility:

• Accessible exercise trail for seniors; • Development of an accessible playground at Parc Belmont.

Christelle Desforges begins the presentation by asking members what percentage of the population will one day experience a disability. She indicates that 100% of the population will experience it in different forms: mobility, hearing, vision, cognitive, manipulation, and this, temporarily or permanently. Definitions of terms, such as universal accessibility, inclusions and universal projects are explained. Martine Potvin leaves at 10:46 a.m.

Project 1 – PRIMA – Accessible exercise trail for seniors A PRIMA grant application allowed for the obtaining of $100,000 in financial aid for the realization of this project. This program allows for the addition or modification of leisure infrastructure. Work has been underway since the spring and the inauguration is planned for the fall. The project required a budget of $230,000. It includes the improvement of an existing trail, the addition of benches, small houses, exercise stations. The trail starts near the Donalda-Charron library on a 3.6 KM loop. Community partners were consulted and 6 of them spoke out by making recommendations regarding the project. An exploratory walk took place in May 2025 with the Table des aînés de Gatineau. The suggestions collected concerned the following elements:

• Promotion of the trail to seniors; • Signage and marking of the route; • Location of planned developments and urban furniture; • Accessibility, public transport, sidewalk correction, accessibility heights and ergonomics, and tree planting and bird interpretation panels to increase public appeal.

Several improvements were included in the project. The route is shared with members. Starting at the Donalda-Charron library, the distances between the facilities are displayed. There are also shortcuts to reduce the duration of the route, and it is possible to access and exit it at different places. There will be 13 exercise panels displayed along the route.

Project 2 – Accessible playground at Parc Belmont Parc Belmont will be the first accessible park in the City. During a visit to the site, there were discussions with teachers from Euclide-Lanthier school. They explained that part of the school's clientele does not have access to facilities that are not accessible for children in wheelchairs. It was planned to change the structure in this park, and thus it was decided to make it an accessible area including a poured rubber surface. Children in wheelchairs will be able to move on their own without assistance. There is also a sand section, which is favorable to the motor development of toddlers. A shelter will be added to offer a shaded area with a large table interspersed allowing a wheelchair to have access. There will be vegetation, stones to return to calm, pedestrian paths will be laid out to allow the link. The water outlet for the skating rink will be moved since it is currently in the middle of the playground. There will also be the addition of lighting in the park.

The City was accompanied in this project by the firm Idéaux. The school and stakeholders were consulted. They wanted the installed structures to be able to promote autonomous movement of children, thus avoiding their isolation. Proposals were made by the firm, for example for the addition of urban furniture for parents. There are 250 parks in the City. Future parks will be served equitably by promoting accessibility. Parc Belmont will be able to help in future reflections to verify if the proposals meet the necessary accessibility components. There will be a play of color contrasts with the furniture. The module itself must be accessible to a large number of children. There is a path that also connects to the pétanque court. The needs of all are therefore integrated into the project. The park will include a structure for 18 months to 5 years. Another section will be reserved for 5 to 12 years. All components are considered accessible. The play structures are being installed and everything should be completed within the next two weeks if the temperature is adequate.

A question period follows. First, it is desired to know if these projects will be deployed to other municipal infrastructure. The administration specifies that other strategically placed projects allowing for the needs of clienteles to be met could eventually see the light of day. The investments are substantial and assessments must be carried out. As for the PRIMA project, it is the longest structured exercise route put in place at the present time. The reception of the population is awaited and a re-evaluation will take place in order to consider other deployments. A member wishes to know if a diagnosis has been produced for the parks located on the territory of the City of Gatineau. The master plan provided a diagnosis regarding the state of the parks and play structures, on what needed to be improved or enhanced. Corrections are generally made, such as the removal of certain fences. There were enough canopies in the city of Gatineau, but for some parks in the Gatineau sector, there is a lack. There have been additions since the master plan. At the PRIMA project level, there is little signage for the infrastructure. The panels containing exercise suggestions will be located with the urban furniture.