MINUTES — PUBLIC — JOINT COMMITTEES — 1st meeting — May 30, 2025 — 9:01 a.m. to 11:48 a.m.

5. Integration of the policies of the Recreation, Sports and Community Development Department — Recommendations

The document Une nouvelle politique en loisirs, sports et développement des communautés — Du cœur à l’action is presented. The members of the various commissions received it before the meeting. The objective is to recommend the adoption by the municipal council of an integrated policy for recreation, sports, and community development for the City of Gatineau aimed at improving the quality of life of citizens. The presentation is given by Mr. Alex Guindon and Mr. Alexandre Pirsch, both from the Service des loisirs, des sports et du développement des communautés (SLSDC).

Bettyna Bélizaire joins the meeting at 9:19 a.m.

The presentation is an opportunity to explain the context surrounding the proposal for a new policy and the various steps that led to it (analysis of existing policies; update of the sociodemographic profile; analysis of the municipal service offer in sports facilities; analysis of the support framework and profile of organizations; analysis of the results of the various public consultation processes). These steps made it possible to draw various conclusions regarding the changes that have occurred in recent years. These are shared with the members.

Stéphanie Ayotte joins the meeting at 9:24 a.m.

The proposed policy offers better coherence, from which an improved citizen experience follows. This policy is part of a long-term vision to ensure coherent, sustainable, and structured development. Its horizon is about twenty years.

The transversal principles driving this policy are: inclusion; equity; safety; resilience; sustainability and living together (vivre-ensemble). The orientations as well as the strategic objectives attached to each of these principles are presented. The collaboration that this policy will give rise to with the Centre intégré de santé et services sociaux de l’Outaouais (CISSSO) is highlighted.

Steve Moran leaves the meeting at 9:45 a.m. Quorum is maintained for the CGVS. Jocelyn Blondin leaves the meeting at 9:45 a.m. Quorum is lost for the CA.

Four frameworks will preside over the implementation of the policy, namely: recreation framework; Active Living, Sport, Outdoor framework; social development framework; recreational, sports, and community infrastructure framework. These frameworks will lead to the development of action plans, procedures, master plans, or programs.

Annie Lapointe leaves the meeting at 9:52 a.m. and resumes her seat at 9:55 a.m. Quorum is maintained for the CLSDC.

The next steps and their timelines consist of:

• Adoption of the new policy — January 2026;
• Preparation of the frameworks — January to December 2026;
• Revision and alignment of action plans — 2026-2030.

Isabelle N. Miron leaves the meeting at 10:02 a.m. and resumes her seat at 10:07 a.m. It is specified that the recommendation requested from members at this stage concerns the principles, orientations, and strategic objectives of the policy.

At the end of the presentation, the discussions highlight the following elements:

• Although this is an SLSDC policy, clarifications are requested regarding the deployment of the culture accompanying it to the entire municipal apparatus. It is desired to know how the alignments will be made with other municipal administration services that will be involved. In response, the presenter indicates that the issue of homelessness has proven to be an experience that has given rise to inter-service collaborations. This issue testifies to the teams' willingness to collaborate. The frameworks will specify the types of collaboration and contribution expected from other services. Furthermore, the policy is part of the City's vision and strategic objectives; it follows its objectives as well as its strategic orientations.
• The policy having a twenty-year horizon, its implementation must allow for agility ensuring its adaptation to any possible evolution by this deadline. The presenter indicates that the frameworks are detached from the policy and that they will have a duration of eight to ten years, which will make their adaptation to the dynamism of the environment possible. They will allow for the development of tools to ensure constant monitoring.
• The wording of the policy should explicitly mention the place of First Nations. The Indigenous population has doubled in Gatineau in recent years. The City of Gatineau is committed to recognition and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, and the concept of vivre-ensemble includes Indigenous communities.
• The approach including social determinants and transversal values is considered interesting and relevant.
• To the question of specifying the steps, it is emphasized that today it is a matter of recommending the policy with a view to its presentation and adoption by the municipal council, at the beginning of 2026. By then, work will begin on the development of the frameworks. The alignment with the various action plans will be done as they are renewed until approximately the year 2030.
• Given the increase in the City's responsibilities, it is asked how the policy will identify the various elements for which it is directly responsible. It would be important to clearly define the City's commitments in order to respect its capacities. The term 'equity' requires clarification regarding the allocation of resources meeting more special needs. Is the City's role to provide services or to ensure coordination? It is mentioned that the SLSDC is also reflecting on these questions. It takes into consideration the objectives of its mission as well as the results of consultations with citizens. Everything is integrated into the proposed policy. The guiding principles are global and the levels of service will be defined by the frameworks and action plans.
• Clarifications regarding the recommendations are requested: do they concern the adoption of the policy or a request to give a mandate to move forward with the elements presented? Some members would have liked to see the policy before the meeting. It is indicated that this is the adoption of the policy and that it is summarized in the presentation at the global level, through the principles, orientations, and objectives to be achieved. The frameworks develop the actions to be deployed in line with the orientations.
• The vision and the transversality with other services proposed in the policy are appreciated. Presentations should take place at other commissions.

A deliberation period followed by a break takes place from 10:16 a.m. to 10:50 a.m. At the end of the deliberations, the commissions having quorum are ready to formulate a recommendation regarding the adoption of the policy.

Recommendations

CLSDC INTER-CLSDC-2025-01 The Commission des loisirs, des sports et du développement communautaire, during an inter-commission meeting on May 30, 2025, recommends to the municipal council:

• to adopt the Politique intégrée des loisirs, des sports et du développement des communautés de la Ville de Gatineau, aimed at improving the quality of life of citizens;
• to mandate the Service des loisirs, des sports et du développement des communautés to continue the creation of the frameworks and action plans that will result from it;
• to ensure that the commissions are consulted in the development of the frameworks and action plans. Proposed by Benjamin Dumont Seconded by Julie DeCourval Adopted

CGVS INTER-CGVS-2025-01 The Commission Gatineau, Ville en santé, during an inter-commission meeting on May 30, 2025, recommends to the municipal council:

• to adopt the Politique intégrée des loisirs, des sports et du développement des communautés de la Ville de Gatineau, aimed at improving the quality of life of citizens by taking into account the reality and needs of Indigenous communities and by explicitly integrating the concept of reconciliation with the First Peoples into the principle of equity;
• to mandate the Service des loisirs, des sports et du développement des communautés to continue the creation of the frameworks and action plans that will result from it. Proposed by Martine Potvin Seconded by Alicia Lacasse-Brunet Adopted

CVE INTER-CVE-2025-01 The Commission du vivre-ensemble, during an inter-commission meeting on May 30, 2025, recommends to the municipal council:

• to adopt the Politique intégrée des loisirs, des sports et du développement des communautés de la Ville de Gatineau, aimed at improving the quality of life of citizens by taking into account the reality and needs of Indigenous communities and by explicitly integrating the concept of reconciliation with the First Peoples into the principle of equity;
• to mandate the Service des loisirs, des sports et du développement des communautés to continue the creation of the frameworks and action plans that will result from it. Proposed by Karen Smith Seconded by Eugenine Sfeir Adopted

Due to a lack of quorum, the CA's recommendation will have to be adopted at a later meeting. The chair, however, highlights the support of the members present at the inter-commission.