LJI Reporter
Tashi Farmilo

Culture Outaouais and the Université du Québec en Outaouais (UQO) are celebrating a
significant milestone for the Outaouais Regional Museum (MRO) project, as the Quebec
government announces a $1.2 million grant for its development. This funding marks an
important step in the establishment of a museum entity that aims to enhance the cultural
landscape of the region.

During a visit to the Alexandre-Taché pavilion at UQO in Gatineau, Minister of Culture and
Communications, Minister responsible for Youth, and Minister responsible for the Outaouais
region, Mathieu Lacombe, confirmed the grant. He was accompanied by Suzanne Tremblay,
Member of Parliament for Hull, Jean-Marc Blais, president of the board of directors of the MRO,
and Murielle Laberge, rector of UQO.

“Museums are major anchors in the quality of life of citizens,” declared Minister Lacombe. “This
financial assistance will help structure the electoral promise I made when I took office: I would
like to see the Outaouais Regional Museum project come to fruition and thus improve the
museum offering in the region. For our government, it is crucial to invest in promoting our
culture and our history to make it better known to future generations.”

The MRO aims to provide the region with state-of-the-art museum equipment to support existing
and future museum institutions. UQO will host the museum project office on its Gatineau
campus, offering an unprecedented opportunity for students in museology and heritage
programs to contribute to the design, creation, and implementation of a brand new museum.
Rector Murielle Laberge expressed her enthusiasm for the collaboration, stating, “This close link
between the Outaouais Regional Museum and UQO is completely natural and essential. Our
activities linked to the arts, museology, and heritage are an integral part of our DNA.”

The financial assistance from Quebec will be used to carry out a feasibility study for the
development of the museum, develop a functional plan, identify the required financial and
human resources, and determine its final location. An amount of $800,000 comes from the
Other Specific Initiatives in Culture and Communication program, and $400,000 comes from the
Region and Rurality Fund.

Stephen Quick, Director General of the MRO, highlighted the importance of the partnership with
UQO and the museum’s role as a cultural hub. He also emphasized the historical significance of
the potential site at Zibi along Taché Boulevard and Eddy Street: “The site itself holds so much
history. It was a spiritual place for the First Nations, with history going back almost 7,000 years.
It was a meeting place before they headed out on the Ottawa River. The whole idea of it, with
the waterway being a highway for the First Nations and then for the early settlers as well, was a
place to be able to access the interior of the country.”

The MRO aims not only to preserve and celebrate the region’s heritage but also to showcase its​
contemporary cultural offerings, including music, writing, theater, and events. This institution will
play a crucial role in connecting the past, present, and future of the Outaouais region, enriching
the national museum landscape and providing a unique cultural experience for residents and
visitors alike.

Photo: Murielle Laberge, the rector of UQO, expressed her enthusiasm for the ongoing
collaboration with the Outaouais Regional Museum, highlighting the significance of hosting the
museum’s project office on the university campus. She emphasized that the close relationship
between the museum and UQO is not only natural but also essential. (TF) Photo courtesy of the
UQO