MINUTES – PUBLIC – TERRITORY AND HOUSING DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION – 3rd meeting – June 22, 2026 – 9:03 a.m. to 10:12 a.m.

Special Planning Program (PPU) for the Buckingham urban core – Presentation

Guillaume St‑Jean, project coordinator for the territory planning and development team (SUDD), accompanied by Mathieu Boissinot, service head, and Marco Pilon, assistant director, presents the draft Plan particulier d’urbanisme (PPU) for the urban core of Buckingham, in connection with file 5 of the 2026 work plan of the CDTH.

The presentation aims to mobilize the members of the Commission upstream of the process, in order to collect their analysis and orientations regarding the issues and major structuring orientations of the project. To this end, questions are submitted to fuel the exchanges and guide the future mandate. It is specified that the City has chosen to advance this step to involve the CDTH before the diagnostic is carried out, with a view to better defining the mandate and aligning the work. The Service wishes to integrate the members' perspectives from this initial phase.

The PPU is recalled as a strategic planning tool provided for by the Loi sur l’aménagement et l’urbanisme and integrated into the Urban Plan. It allows for the definition of a future vision, planning orientations, and implementation methods for a targeted sector, based on a territorial diagnostic. It notably regulates uses, density, urban forms, as well as future public and private interventions.

The planning framework is presented by situating the PPU in the hierarchy of planning tools, namely government orientations, the development and planning scheme, the urban plan, and then municipal regulatory tools.

A portrait of the territory is drawn. The Buckingham sector, located in the east of Gatineau, constitutes a historic urban core marked by an industrial past and the presence of regional institutional facilities. Its development was initially structured on the east bank of the rivière du Lièvre before extending to the west bank. Although the core retains a strong heritage and identity character, it faces several challenges linked to its evolution. In the absence of a formal diagnostic at this stage, certain issues are nevertheless identified, notably the loss of commercial vitality and competition from other hubs, the weak connection with the river and the under-exploited potential of its banks, the presence of vacant or under-utilized land and physical constraints, the lack of structuring public spaces, as well as certain socioeconomic fragilities. These findings demonstrate the need for a planned intervention to strengthen the coherence, vitality, and attractiveness of the urban core.

The objectives of the PPU consist of reviving the vitality of the urban heart, strengthening its attractiveness and its role as a central hub, enhancing its identity assets, notably the river and heritage, regulating real estate development and densification in a manner adapted to the local context, and implementing a concerted approach involving stakeholders. gatineau.ca

The proposed study territory focuses on the mixed-use and institutional sectors of the urban core. It notably includes avenue de Buckingham, parc R.-W.-Scullion, rue Maclaren Est (between the bridge and rue Bélanger), as well as rue Joseph (between avenue de Buckingham and the railway).

The PPU development process includes a territorial diagnostic, the development of a vision and planning orientations, and then the definition of an implementation plan. The process will be carried out with the support of a consultant and will include citizen participation activities at different stages. The schedule provides for the launch of the mandate in the fall of 2026 or winter 2027, the completion of the work during the year 2027, and an adoption of the PPU in the winter of 2028. The document will aim for a planning horizon of approximately 15 years.

The role of stakeholders is specified, notably that of the CDTH, which will be called upon to formulate feedback on the vision, orientations, and implementation measures, as well as to issue recommendations to the municipal council at key stages. Finally, the next steps consist of proceeding with the call for tenders and the awarding of the professional mandate, constituting the advisory and technical committees, and then starting the diagnostic and public consultation activities.

Discussion period

The Service opens the discussion by proposing these themes for analysis and orientation:

1. Based on your knowledge of the territory, how do you position yourself regarding the proposed limits for the PPU?
2. Do you raise important issues to be identified via the diagnostic component?
3. Do you agree with the major objectives to be achieved?
4. Do you identify other stakeholders to involve?

Management of prioritization and territorial coherence

The exchanges highlight the importance of situating the Buckingham PPU in the global logic of development prioritization at the city scale. A member highlights the presence of a tension in the discourse sometimes between the "main" city center and peripheral hubs, while indicating that the proposed positioning for the PPU seems coherent with the planning priorities and the existing territorial structure.

Issues related to context and development

The discussions confirm certain issues already identified, notably the impact of development around autoroute 50, perceived as an important challenge for the attractiveness of the core. The participants reiterate the need to strengthen this central sector, notably in a context where Buckingham acts as a hub for the East of the territory, despite its relative distance from the Gatineau city center. It is however emphasized that Buckingham must be recognized as a centrality, a "chief town" for the East of the territory, and that its enhancement must take into account this structuring role. gatineau.ca

Stakeholders to involve

It is mentioned that the process should include, if possible, the surrounding municipalities and regional partners, due to their influence on the service offer at the scale of the east of Gatineau. The importance of directly involving entrepreneurs and investors is noted, in addition to existing organizations, as well as specialized actors like the Observatoire du développement de l’Outaouais, in order to support reflections with concrete data.

Mobility and transport

The exchanges address the question of mobility, notably the wish to improve public transport service. It is recalled that the regulation of development and densification will have to be accompanied by adequate communication with the population, specifying that densification can take forms adapted to the environment. The importance of ensuring coherence with municipal objectives regarding mobility is emphasized.

Densification and redevelopment potential

A reflection focuses on the potential for densification and redevelopment of vacant land, brownfields, or under-utilized land. The Service specifies that certain sites present potential but remain constrained, notably due to the absence of recent projects. The reflection on densification is part of the broader framework of urbanization management and the revision of the development scheme, and will be the subject of subsequent analyses and decisions.

Commercial vitality and attractiveness

The discussions highlight the importance of well-aligning the commercial offer with the needs of the environment. It is suggested to involve entrepreneurs more in the process in order to ensure a better adequacy between planning orientations and market reality, as well as to avoid certain errors observed in other sectors like that of the Plateau where the neighborhood grew very quickly and it seems, with all reservations, that the involvement of entrepreneurs could have been done much further upstream. The importance of relying on data and fine knowledge of the territory is also emphasized. Regarding entrepreneurs, the Service responds that they will be involved in the advisory committee. In addition, the vice-presidency reiterates that the investor's point of view is important to consider. Furthermore, the importance of working in collaboration with the Observatoire de développement de l’Outaouais (ODO) is noted, having fine knowledge of the territory.

Enhancement of the river, heritage, and local identity

The structuring potential of the river and built heritage, notably as a lever for attractiveness, is emphasized. It is proposed to orient planning around these distinctive elements, drawing inspiration from comparable examples, in order to strengthen the identity of the sector and make it a destination in its own right. The role of the river in this sector is important and can serve as an attraction. The development of elements of pride and individuality is mentioned as being important.

Collaboration and openness of the process

The importance of working in collaboration with other municipal commissions and services is emphasized, notably with the Commission des loisirs, des sports et du développement communautaire as well as the Commission de développement économique. The necessity of an integrated approach with commissions and services to break down silos in reflections is noted since land use planning is transversal. The Service mentions having this reflex, among others, with the various internal services, notably at the level of economic development and the Service des loisirs, des sports et du développement des communautés. Regarding collaborations between commissions, it will be possible to evaluate everything in order to involve interested parties during the progress of the file at the appropriate time. In the context of another previous PPU, the Service indicates that the Commission jeunesse had even been consulted, as an example.

Best practices and external examples

It is suggested to draw inspiration from comparable examples in order to enrich the process, notably by analyzing successful revitalization cases elsewhere. It is mentioned that these comparisons can allow avoiding certain limits observed in other projects and improving the proposed orientations. The example of the village of Almonte in Ontario is brought up where one finds shops, antique shops, restaurants as well as a river as an attraction.

Nature, landscape, and quality of living environment

The enhancement of natural assets is identified as an important distinctive element. In Gatineau, nature constitutes a factor of attractiveness and should be more integrated into the planning of the sector.

Social, demographic, and inclusion issues

The discussions highlight the diversity of the population of the sector, including seniors and young families, and the challenges associated with this reality. The importance of maintaining a balance in interventions and responding to the varied needs of the population is raised, notably by the presence of adapted community facilities and a better understanding of local needs. It is important to question oneself about the living environment, beyond the affordability of houses, experiences, involvement in the community, etc. The understanding of the needs of the population is also necessary, with regard to the ability to pay of the people around, having a balance.

Valorization of constraints as opportunities

Finally, certain members emphasize the possibility of transforming certain constraints of the territory into opportunities, notably in connection with the river or certain under-utilized spaces, in order to strengthen the identity and attractiveness of the sector. In conclusion, the chair thanks the services for the presentation and highlights the interest of having been solicited upstream of the process, allowing the Commission to formulate general orientations from the first stages of the project.