The county government’s claim for a sustainable and responsible location for the new health institution is the mandate given to management by elected officials at the end of Tuesday night’s hearing.
this project […] It will undoubtedly be the most important decision, regardless of the tram topic that will be taken during our term. We have a primary interest in taking care of it
, argued Hull-Wright District Councilor and Labor Gatineau spokesperson, Steve Moran. We’re talking about a potentially multi-billion dollar infrastructure that will have a very big impact on our development plan, on our movements and especially on access to health care.
Steve Moran, Hal Wright County Councilor (from the files)
Photo: Radio Canada / Hugo Belanger
The priority of elected officials is to maintain an adequate supply of health care services, At the height of Western Quebec City
-Can we read the press release.
This position is in line with the position of mayor, Frans Bellel, who wants the government to provide health care services while taking into account the effects of such infrastructure on urban sprawl, transport hubs and city development.
What is being presented to us today is not telling the Quebec government what to do and telling the Quebec government that they should choose location A, B, C, or D
The mayor explained. What we ask him is to think of the ABC or D sites. And to come back to us if there are obstacles.
It asks for priority to be given to the city center and for the municipality to analyze an obstacle that leads to the exclusion of a site, the aim being to be able to mitigate it before the final decision is made.
Mayor of Gatineau, France Bellel (archive)
Photo: Radio Canada / Jonathan Dupaul
The City of Gatineau has every right, on behalf of its citizens, to demand answers, to demand that you be a respected partner and to have information shared by its government for their perusal. […] If this historical infrastructure is to be built on our lands, how will it make a difference in the quality of life
Mrs. Pelissell argued.
« Elected officials want the government of Quebec to commit to the people of Gatineau to fund the additional infrastructure needed to have a hospital on its soil. »
The decision was passed as some elected officials said the location of the new hospital should take into account growth in the western edge of the city, the only area where there is currently no hospital.
This is the case of Jill Chagnon, Lucerne County Councilor. I have always campaigned for a position in the Elmer sector. This is the sector with the strongest population growth without a hospital
He said, although he did not oppose the decision.
Others, such as Olive Camanyana, a Carrefour de L’Hopital district councillor, said they did not have enough information to take a stand.
The part that makes me uncomfortable is being asked as a board member to decide a hospital to be a regional hospital for all oases, and to decide its location.
, indicated. As a councilman, to say that downtown should be prioritized, I have no ability in terms of information.
She and Chancellor Mike Duggan voted against the resolution.
The Quebec government initially planned to announce the location of the future hospital before the holiday season. The minister in charge of the Ottawa region, Matthew Lacombe, said the outcome of this case was finally postponed to the beginning of 2022.
In the fall, various regional groups, such as the Gatineau Chamber of Commerce, the Vision-Ville Center and the Ottawa Regional Council on Environment and Sustainable Development (CREDDO), questioned the process of selecting the land for the new hospital. They joined forces to form a coalition, demanding more transparency on the file.
Minister of Families of Quebec, Mathieu Lacombe (archive)
Photo: The Canadian Press / Jacques Boasino
Then Mr. Lacombe, in December, qualified this mobilization for the last moment
. Then he said that the process of analyzing the land has been going on for more than nine months. However, the Minister has specified that he wants to work with Gatineau City to choose The best possible ground
.
On Monday, former Minister and former Ambassador Lawrence Cannon, based in Gatineau, made a public statement on the matter, To express [sa] Prefer a location that will be part of Old Town Hull
.
In his letter, he called on the government of François Legault to have further discussions with the people of Gatineau.
Building a new hospital in Ottawa is an electoral promise of the Avenir Quebec Alliance (A new window)(CAQ). Coming to making this investment, in 2018, François Legault said he wanted to address the fact that this region is the “weak relationship” in terms of health.
With information from Natalie Tremblay
