Published January 20, 2025

Tashi Farmilo
LJI Reporter

The City of Gatineau held its first Executive Committee meeting of the year on January 15,

2025. The meeting focused on reviewing agenda items, including housing developments,

infrastructure projects, and budget approvals. While the session itself followed procedural

formalities, broader issues were addressed during the subsequent press conference, which

featured discussions on key municipal challenges such as housing affordability, homelessness,

public transit, and the Gatineau tramway project.

Councillor Steve Moran of Hull–Wright (7) opened the press conference by discussing

homelessness. He emphasised the growing need for strengthened support systems and

collaboration with community organisations to address the challenges faced by the city’s most

vulnerable residents.

Former interim mayor Daniel Champagne followed by focusing on housing affordability,

particularly for units priced under $1,500 per month. He highlighted a 26% increase in new

housing starts in November 2024 compared to the previous year but acknowledged that

vacancy rates for affordable housing remain critically low. Champagne stressed the need for

continued efforts to address the affordability gap in Gatineau’s housing market.

Mayor Maude Marquis-Bissonnette addressed three key topics during her remarks: Société de

transport de l’Outaouais (STO) investments, municipal taxation, and the Gatineau tramway

project.

The mayor began by outlining plans for reinvesting STO surplus funds to improve public transit

services. She highlighted priorities such as increasing transit frequency, enhancing accessibility,

and expanding service coverage to better serve Gatineau residents.

She then turned to the topic of municipal taxation, explaining that while the surplus funds are

valuable for short-term transit improvements, they are not a sustainable solution for long-term

funding. She defended the city’s decision to maintain certain levies to ensure consistent service

delivery and support larger infrastructure projects.

Finally, Marquis-Bissonnette concluded with comments on the Gatineau tramway project. She

reaffirmed the city’s commitment to this transformative initiative, which remains a cornerstone of

Gatineau’s long-term transportation strategy. While acknowledging the political uncertainty

following Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s departure and the Liberal government’s leadership

changes, the mayor expressed optimism that federal and provincial partnerships would continue

to support the tramway’s advancement.

Photo: Mayor Maude Marquis-Bissonnette discussed public transit improvements, taxation

strategies, and the advancement of the transformative tramway project during the subsequent

press conference following Gatineau’s first Executive Committee meeting of 2025. (TF) Photo

screenshot of the Mêlée de presse du 15 janvier 2025 – Comité exécutif on Youtube

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