Taylor Clark

LJI Reporter

Despite no word from the Ministère de la Culture et des Communications on a subsidy, the Ville de Gatineau administration recommended moving forward with the overdue Guy-Sanche Library expansion.

Gatineau submitted a financing request to the Ministère back in September 2023 to pick up $11.5 million of the total $45.9 million cost. Seven months later, the City was still awaiting an official response.

To steer away from even longer delays, on April 9, the administration presented to the Comité plénier three options to continue the project. Of the options presented, the administration favoured the third, which would launch an architectural competition and get a head start on the call for tenders while the City awaits a response.

In this scenario, the City would be on the hook to cover the remaining $34.4 million but would exercise less control over the rigid process. The building was scheduled to be completed by November 2028 but the City will wait for the Ministère’s response before proceeding with any other steps. If Gatineau does not receive the grant, it would be out $40,000 to cover the cost of hiring the professional competition advisor.

“I have confidence that our minister responsible for Outaouais and for Culture (Mathieu Lacombe) shares our ambition and that he will make all the necessary efforts to come and confirm the amounts for us as quickly as possible,” said acting mayor Daniel Champagne.

Buckingham district councillor Edmond Leclerc did not share the same optimism. “When we advance at this speed in a project and the financing is not yet sealed, is not yet secured, because we do not know if we are going to have a grant or not, it is there where I keep a small reservation. Because for me, $11 million is not peanuts. It is an amount that is substantial, and that will be decisive in knowing whether I support the investment,” Leclerc told reporters during a press briefing.

The matter was expected to make its way to the municipal council table for the final say.

Photo caption: While the Ville de Gatineau has yet to hear about the status of financial assistance from the Ministère de la Culture et des Communications, the City’s administration recommends the Guy-Sanche Library expansion project proceed.

Photo credit: Ville de Gatineau Facebook