MINUTES – PUBLIC – GATINEAU, HEALTHY CITY COMMISSION (CGVS) – 2nd meeting – May 4, 2025 – 9:02 a.m. to 12:12 p.m.

5. Roundtable of Partners

A roundtable is held to allow partners to introduce themselves and share recent information or upcoming events.

Stéphanie Ayotte announces the upcoming closing of the Centraide campaign scheduled for May 12. She proposes to officially send the invitation to the members of the Commission.

Kevin Saint-Jacques raises an issue regarding vandalism of bike racks belonging to the STO as well as thefts of bicycles and electric scooters. He mentions that the STO is currently working to review and secure the facilities.

Jeanie Pinard-Duhaime indicates that no funding announcement from the Ministry of Education has yet been made regarding mission funding and support for community initiatives. She specifies that several agreements expire on June 30, 2026.

Sonia Ben-Arfa mentions her recent participation in a meeting of the board of directors of the Centre d’études et d’actions en santé de l’Outaouais. She highlights the relevance of the exchanges and her intention to share information throughout the mandate.

Karina Osiecka informs of the recent delivery of nearly 400 units of affordable and subsidized housing. She mentions ongoing inaugurations, including the Champlain project, as well as an inauguration scheduled this month for the Habiter chez soi project, in collaboration with the Société d’habitation du Québec, the City of Gatineau, and other partners.

François Rodrigue mentions that the Université du Québec en Outaouais plans to offer a new bachelor's degree in physical education in the fall of 2027.

Sylvie Lafontaine announces the holding of consultations with partners, between May and September 2026, regarding the Regional Public Health Action Plan, stemming from the 2025-2035 National Public Health Plan, and shares her intention to consult the members of the Commission Gatineau, Ville en santé.

6. Public Question Period

Ginette Langevin, member of the Collectif Santé sans produits parfumés, presents an intervention regarding Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS), also referred to in relation to multiple chemical factors (MCF). She explains the impacts of this condition on the health and quality of life of those affected, particularly in relation to the use of fragrance products in public spaces.

Ms. Langevin proceeds to read the proclamation highlighting the month and day of awareness for multiple chemical sensitivity and invites the decision-makers and partners present to show consideration and inclusion towards the people concerned. She asks the Chair to proceed with the reading of the proclamation at the municipal council, scheduled for the month of May, considering that May 12, 2026, is the Awareness Day for Environmental Sensitivities and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity.

Christian Laforest arrives at 9:30 a.m.

7. Statutory Item: Homelessness File

Jeneviève Caron, from the CISSS de l’Outaouais, presents a report on the Interministerial Action Plan on Homelessness. She informs the members of the 2021-2026 regional funding for homelessness, as well as achievements in terms of prevention, support, and intersectorality. She concludes her presentation by outlining the work in progress, the successes achieved, and the issues encountered in the field.

A follow-up is requested regarding the City's steps related to the call for tenders in connection with the integrated management of interventions for people experiencing homelessness. It is specified that the selected model provides for the presence of an intervener 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It is also indicated that the CISSS de l’Outaouais would transfer funds to the City of Gatineau to support this measure, subject to the finalization of an agreement taking into account the terms of the contract awarded by the City of Gatineau for the management of the site Guertin.

8. Presentation – Collective Impact Plan – New Horizons for Seniors Program

Karina Desjardins, coordinator for community development at the Service des loisirs, des sports et du développement des communautés of the City of Gatineau, presents, for information purposes, the Collective Impact Plan of the New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP). She specifies that the NHSP is a pan-Canadian federal program aimed at improving the quality of life of seniors aged 55 and over, particularly through social inclusion, intersectoral collaboration, social innovation, and the sustainability of actions.

She indicates that the City of Gatineau is the only municipality in Canada to have obtained this funding, for an envelope that could reach $5M until February 2030. Ms. Desjardins then presents the context and the steps that led to the development of the plan, then concludes with the planned actions, structured around several axes. She mentions that the plan will be subject to an annual evaluation, allowing for adjustments according to emerging needs, and that an action-research component, in collaboration with university partners, will accompany the process to measure its impact.

Following the presentation, discussions focus on the duration of the Collective Impact Plan, its governance, and its implementation methods. Clarifications are provided regarding the multi-year nature of the plan, which is subject to an annual evaluation allowing for adjustments based on emerging needs. The discussions also make it possible to clarify the roles of the various actors involved, in particular the distinction between trustees, collaborating organizations, and accomplice organizations, as well as their respective responsibilities.

Interventions highlight the importance of aligning actions with health issues, the administrative capacity required to manage large-scale federal funding, and intersectoral consultation. Questions also concern the amount of money invested and the distribution of funding. The discussions also focus on aligning actions with the sector development tables (TDS), by integrating cultural diversity, the intergenerational dimension, as well as social determinants. They also emphasize the importance of putting in place mechanisms to ensure an equitable deployment of actions across all communities in the territory. It is recalled that the approach is based on a collaborative and evolving approach, supported by the coordination role of the City of Gatineau and the voluntary participation of partner organizations, in order to adapt actions to local realities.

BREAK from 10:46 a.m. to 10:58 a.m. Jeneviève Caron and Sylvie Lafontaine leave at 10:50 a.m. Quorum is maintained. Timmy Jutras leaves the meeting at the break and joins the meeting via videoconference.

9. Presentation – Let's Move for Life in Gatineau!

Jean-Christophe Gandubert presents the objectives of the approach aimed at informing members of the findings from the Report on the Future of Sport in Canada and possible solutions to consider. The members take note of the main findings, particularly in relation to citizen participation, infrastructure, safe sport, governance, the service model, and funding. Demographic issues, particularly those related to the aging of the population, are addressed, as well as issues of equity and inclusion.

The presentation concludes with the presentation of the proposed scenario, structured in four phases (training, collaborative workshops, À Gatineau, on bouge ! summit, and the Déclaration de Gatineau), as well as points of vigilance, planned actions, and timelines extending until the spring of 2027.

Following the presentation, a question is raised regarding the involvement of the Youth Commission as part of the process. Discussions also focus on the possibility of concluding adapted agreements to better support people living with multiple issues, as well as on implementation methods, particularly in relation to federated sports. It is expressed that the City of Gatineau wishes to position itself as a leading municipality in terms of physical activity in Quebec, while recognizing that the cultural change required to achieve this objective is part of a longer-term process.

Comments are made regarding the evolution of certain gathering events, as well as the holding of the Summit, for which university support is offered if needed, given the expertise available. It is specified that the event was not canceled, but rather repositioned, and that the information was nevertheless relayed at the political level. Finally, it is mentioned that it would be relevant for Gatineau to play a regional leadership role in the talks and discussions in the Outaouais. It is however emphasized that this orientation involves challenges in the current socioeconomic context.

10. Miscellaneous

10.1 Follow-up on recommendations

It is mentioned that the 2026 Work Plan of the Commission was adopted by the municipal council on March 17, 2026, following the recommendation of the Commission.

10.2 Follow-up on the request of the Collectif Santé sans produits parfumés

The presidency informs the members that she will read the proclamation at the municipal council scheduled for May 12.

10.3 Request for support from the Table intersectorielle régionale pour les saines habitudes de vie

A request for support from the Table intersectorielle régionale pour les saines habitudes de vie is brought to the attention of the members. It is indicated that the Ministry of Health and Social Services will not renew the funding granted to intersectoral tables, which will lead to significant impacts for the Outaouais and Gatineau, including the reduction or cessation of projects, the loss of positions and expertise, as well as a weakening of the intersectoral collaboration network. The members wish to obtain more details regarding the request for support. A closed session is requested by the presidency to continue the discussion.

Return to public session at 12:10 p.m.