MINUTES – PUBLIC – TERRITORY AND HOUSING DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION (CDTH) – 4th meeting – September 17, 2026 - 3:05 p.m. to 5:15 p.m.
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PPU de l’Île de Hull et Zonage incitatif (ZI) – Présentation
Mathieu Boissinot, Division Head – Territory Planning and Development, accompanied by Philippe Cadieux, Director of the Planning and Sustainable Development Department (Service de l’urbanisme et du développement durable - SUDD), presented the progress of the work surrounding the revision of the Special Planning Program (Plan particulier d’urbanisme - PPU) for the Île de Hull, as well as the preliminary orientations regarding incentive zoning.
The presentation is part of file 1 of the 2026 work plan of the Commission and aims to obtain a recommendation to continue the work.
The Department first recalled the project's progress. The currently active PPU dates from 2010 and was developed in a context very different from today's. Since its adoption, a new Urban Plan was adopted in 2020, and several issues have emerged or intensified, notably the housing crisis, climate change, the evolution of the real estate market, mobility needs, as well as new expectations regarding quality of life and land use planning.
Proposed Orientations
The vision proposed for 2041 is that of a dynamic, accessible, and sustainable downtown, leveraging its heritage, waterways, public spaces, and its function as the capital's urban heart. The Department explained that the new PPU would focus more on the territory of the Île de Hull to target interventions. Sectors located outside the main perimeter would be treated through areas of influence and other planning exercises integrated into the Urban Plan.
Concerns collected from the public and partners were grouped around six major themes: proximity of services, housing supply and affordability, quality of the built environment and heritage, sustainable mobility, environment and climate resilience, and social and economic vitality.
To address these issues, the PPU is based on four major thematic orientations (vocation, built environment and design, mobility, and environment) as well as three axes of intervention.
Densification and Incentive Zoning
The Department addressed the issue of densification, explaining that it is envisioned as a means to support urban vitality, housing supply, local businesses, and public transit, while limiting urban sprawl. The proposed approach is based on a gradation of heights and a harmonious integration of new buildings into the existing environment.
The second part of the presentation focused on incentive zoning (ZI). The Department explained that this is a tool introduced to the Loi sur l’aménagement et l’urbanisme, allowing a municipality to offer additional development rights in exchange for contributions or services offering collective benefits. These bonuses may notably concern height or density.
The model proposed for Gatineau would be based on a two-tier system:
- Right-of-way zoning (zonage de plein droit): The basic regulatory framework applicable to the entire territory.
- Incentive zoning: Offered only in targeted sectors, including predefined additional rights and known counterparts.
The Projet Particulier de Construction, de Modification ou d’Occupation d’un Immeuble (PPCMOI) would remain in the regulatory toolbox but would be reserved for exceptional projects or strategic sites.
Recommendation
Considering that:
- The PPU for the Île de Hull identifies sectors where targeted densification is desired to support urban vitality, housing supply, and the creation of complete living environments;
- Consultations held with citizens and partners demonstrate an interest in densification when it is well-regulated, predictable, and accompanied by tangible collective benefits;
- The economic viability study concludes that incentive zoning can be a relevant lever in Gatineau provided it is targeted, flexible, and adapted to market reality.
CDTH-2026-02
The Commission for Territory Development and Housing, during its regular meeting on September 17, 2026, recommends that the municipal council:
Continue the work and decline the orientations regarding incentive zoning according to an approach deploying in two levels of evaluation, namely right-of-way zoning and targeted incentive zoning, while favoring the use of the PPCMOI for exceptional projects and strategic sites requiring particular analysis, and to submit a final recommendation to the CDTH for its progression to the City's decision-making bodies.
Proposed by Benoit Delage Supported by Stanley Brike Adopted unanimously