FINANCE COMMITTEE – 6th meeting – September 4, 2026 – 8:01 a.m. to 9:54 a.m. – Lafontaine Room, 1st floor

6. Update on the 2026 Finance Committee work plan – Information item

Mr. Richard Kouamé, Director of the Finance Department, presents the progress status of the main files included in the Finance Committee's work plan.

Completed files (7 to 11 of the work plan):

• Tax exemption for buildings linked to religious institutions (#7);
• Use of debt (#8);
• Obtaining a credit rating (#9);
• Increased use of grants (#10);
• Spreading the payment of transfer duties and property taxes (#11).

File in progress, partially completed (1 of the work plan):

• Revenue diversification (#1) This file is in progress and partially completed. The Department mentions that the report on revenue diversification was substantial and already included several elements of analysis and precision. The Finance Department has taken these elements into consideration and plans to return to the Finance Committee in October 2026 with orientations, recommendations, as well as a follow-up and implementation plan.

Files in progress whose full completion is planned for 2026: (2, 3, 5, and 6 of the work plan): The Department explains that the work is progressing according to the planned schedules and will be the subject of subsequent presentations to the Finance Committee.

• Budget optimization exercise – budget projects (#2); It is planned that this file will be presented in October 2026.
• Pricing review (#3); It is planned that this file will also be presented in October, as it is part of the value chains. Discussions are underway with the General Management on this subject and are the subject of exchanges with the executive committee.
• Update of the Long-Term Financial Plan (#5) gatineau.ca The progress status has been presented and the path continues for October 2026.
• Optimization of the finance function (#6) It is specified that an initial organizational structure has been developed and discussed with the General Management. The project is currently in the refinement phase, particularly regarding the structure and size of the teams from an optimization perspective. A presentation could be made to the Finance Committee in October or November to take stock of the progress of the work. The project is expected to be completed by June 2027.

Comments regarding file 6 A member emphasizes that this file responds to a concern expressed by the municipal council, namely that of promoting greater integration of work between departments (breaking down silos) and implementing a more centralized finance function oriented towards the advisory role. This optimization would notably allow for the harmonization of practices, ensuring greater consistency in ways of doing things, and reducing the risk of errors. It is estimated that this project will provide answers to several questions raised in this regard. In response, the General Management indicates that this is indeed one of the objectives sought. It is specified that reflections are underway to address certain organizational capacity issues, both in terms of structure and resources. At this stage, no final document is yet available to support decision-making. Work continues within the framework of the various internal governance mechanisms, notably the concerned committees, to define the vision, the required resources, and the implementation modalities. The General Management also mentions that the scale of the necessary resources currently exceeds the planned staff. Different deployment scenarios are therefore under study, while recalling that the municipal council retains the latitude to allocate additional resources, if it wishes.

File postponed to 2027 (4 of the work plan):

• Generalization of cost evaluation practices (#4) The Finance Department recommends postponing its implementation to 2027. It is indicated that the scope of the mandate and the resources required for its realization currently exceed the capacity of the Department. The analyses carried out to date show that the workload associated with this project is considerable. In this context, the use of an external firm is currently being evaluated to support the realization of this process.

Comments regarding this file The Chair emphasizes the importance of this file given its potential scope across the entire municipal administration. It is recalled that this process is strategic in nature, as it will influence the City's ability to offer the most appropriate services to citizens. She invites the administration to keep the Finance Committee informed of the progress of the file and to present periodic follow-ups. gatineau.ca In response, the General Management indicates that the scale of the project will require significant investments and that the current capacity of the Finance Department alone does not allow for its realization. Reflections are underway regarding the organizational structure and the required resources, and a global portrait of the situation will be developed to guide the next steps. It is specified that the currently envisaged organizational chart will not, by itself, be able to address all the issues raised. The Chair mentions that it would be desirable to have a diagnosis as quickly as possible to allow for adequate planning of future needs. The members emphasize the strategic importance of this file and ask to be kept informed of its evolution.

General comments In conclusion, it is requested that files 4, Generalization of cost evaluation practices, and 6, Optimization of the finance function, be presented to the municipal council before decisions are submitted for approval. The members believe that it would be relevant to present the steps already taken, the orientations adopted, as well as the philosophy underlying these projects, particularly in the context of the recommendations made by the Auditor General. Such a presentation would demonstrate the progress of the work and the actions put in place. In response, the Department takes note of the request and confirms that a follow-up will be carried out accordingly.

7. Increased use of grants: tool - Presentation

Ms. Andrée Loyer, Executive Director, and Ms. Séléna Beaumont-Demers, Head of the Committees and Commissions Service, present the Municipal Grant Platform (PSM), as part of file 10 of the 2026 Finance Committee Work Plan. This presentation is for information purposes.

It is explained that this project aims to centralize the management and tracking of the City's grant applications in order to offer an overview of available programs, submitted applications, and funding opportunities. There is currently no centralized tool to quickly obtain a global picture of grant applications or to easily produce accountability reports. The chosen solution is a SharePoint platform acquired from the City of Laval and adapted to the needs of the City of Gatineau. The PSM includes a directory of grant programs updated regularly as well as a system to document the entire process, from the identification of a program to the final decision of the funder. The tool promotes collaboration between departments, improves the tracking of applications through automated notifications, and allows for the extraction of data necessary for the production of reports and accountability.

The advantages, limitations, and roles of the various stakeholders are presented. It is notably specified that the Finance Department will play a central role in supporting departments and validating information, while the requesting departments will remain responsible for their respective files. The use of the platform will require rigorous practices and sustained collaboration between teams. The platform will cover only future applications. The schedule gatineau.ca provides for a testing period with certain departments from mid-September to mid-October 2026, followed by user training in October and November 2026 and a full deployment in December 2026.

Exchange period The members welcome the Municipal Grant Platform (PSM) project, considered a relevant tool in the current financial context and likely to increase the City's ability to obtain more funding from the provincial and federal governments. It is highlighted that some Quebec municipalities, notably Laval, Longueuil, and Sherbrooke, obtain more grants than Gatineau, which demonstrates the importance of equipping oneself with tools that promote better coordination of efforts. A member recalls the importance of maintaining an alignment between grant applications and municipal priorities to avoid developing projects solely to respond to funding programs. The Administration is also invited to further examine the possibilities of collaboration with local organizations and associations that can themselves obtain grants to carry out projects meeting community needs.

In response, it is confirmed that one of the objectives of the platform is precisely to improve the planning and coordination of funding applications in order to support projects already planned by the City, to better prioritize initiatives, and to maximize available funding opportunities. The tool will also allow for better tracking of submitted applications, refusals obtained, and associated reasons, with a view to continuous improvement.

The members highlight the interest in making certain information related to grant programs more accessible to elected officials in order to better publicize available funding opportunities. It is mentioned that this information could support local initiatives as well as the efforts of neighborhood organizations and associations wishing to meet local needs. It is also proposed that a follow-up be carried out regarding the accessibility of information, the preservation of a history of grants, as well as the measures planned to support change management related to the implementation of the platform.

In response, the Administration indicates that it would be possible to make the directory of grant programs accessible to a greater number of users, notably as visitors. The platform presents, for each program, a summary, the applicable schedule, as well as a link to the detailed information of the concerned ministry. Expanded access to this information would promote the detection of funding opportunities and the submission of a greater number of applications. The possibility of documenting previous or ongoing grants could be examined with the Finance Department, with all reservations.

Regarding change management, it is highlighted that the consulted departments are generally favorable to the implementation of the platform. Sustained support will be provided and follow-up mechanisms will allow for verifying the use of the tool and supporting teams when necessary. Each department will designate "champions" responsible for the use of the platform and gatineau.ca that periodic meetings will be held to ensure compliance with procedures, identify issues, and support users. It is also mentioned that an accountability process will be put in place to transmit information to different bodies. The presenters indicate that the platform will allow for better documentation of funding applications, sums obtained, refusals and their reasons, as well as the reasons justifying the absence of submission in certain programs, thus contributing to better planning and continuous improvement of funding efforts.