Djeneba Dosso

LJI Reporter

Last Tuesday, the City of Gatineau’s Scientific Council listed artificial intelligence, climate change, roaming and sustainable mobility as the four priorities that will guide their research. Over the next year, the team of researchers, made up of six scholars from the UQO, will use their findings to make recommendations to the city on various issues. 

While the concept of chief scientists isn’t new in Quebec, this type of advisory board, made up of experts who can analyze topics and propose suggestions to elected officials, is a first. The Scientific Council is required to propose a list of priorities to city officials, as they have recently done, and their proposals will be reviewed for approval by city council on September 24. 

In the meantime, the Scientific Council, a relatively new player in the field, is taking into consideration potential challenges, risks and opportunities they may face. Ana Flavia Alves, director of the Organizational Performance and Business Intelligence and Scientific Department of the City of Gatineau, told CBC News Ottawa-Gatineau that this year, their goal is to better define the roles of stakeholders. “We have tried to clarify the roles and responsibilities as much as possible, but we may have to adjust in this first year of operation,” she said. “One of the objectives of the Council is to keep the municipal council informed of the progress in research, while recalling that the Council aims to support decisions of the elected representatives of Gatineau.”

Now that the Scientific Council has chosen its priorities, they are in the process of reflecting on effective ways to share information with citizens and the municipal council. Hiccups and bumps in the road are expected, as this is the first time a scientific council has been adopted in Quebec. However, the response from city officials and residents has been overwhelmingly positive and welcoming, which must be encouraging for the six researchers tasked with making suggestions that will affect the whole of Gatineau.