This text is part of the special section Municipalities
The 2023 Conference of the Union of Quebec Municipalities (UMQ) will be held from May 3 to 5 in Gatineau, on the theme “The essential local government”. Conferences, workshops, exhibitors’ lounge, networking activities: no less than 1,500 delegates are expected, including approximately 1,000 mayors. Taste.
“It’s extraordinary to host an event of this size in Gatineau, which is helping to relaunch business tourism after the pandemic, with the convention center at maximum capacity and the hotels also fully booked. But above all, we feel that colleagues from different cities in Quebec need to come together to show solidarity at this pivotal moment,” says France Bélisle, Mayor of Gatineau and former President and CEO of Tourisme Outaouais.
The one who is also a member of the UMQ Foundation Commission has in mind the renewal of the tax pact with the Quebec government for next year. ” THE timing is excellent, she says. The mayors of Quebec must work together, and in the program of the Assises 2023, several points of discussion will lead to an essential reflection in the context of the negotiation of the fiscal pact. »
She is thinking, for example, of climate change, homelessness, municipal infrastructure and labor challenges. “Several responsibilities fall on the cities, which form frontline local governments, but which do not necessarily have the money to act,” she laments.
Julie Bourdon, mayoress of Granby and co-chair of the UMQ Foundation Commission, also notes the extent to which municipalities play an important local government role on various major challenges. “For example, there is the issue of the climate, but behind it, there are several fields of action that involve municipalities, such as mobility,” she specifies. We will therefore talk, at the Assises, about public and active transport. “But it is obvious that the reality is very different if you are in a small municipality or in a big city, nuance Julie Bourdon. It’s interesting to hear people talk about their experiences and share their best practices. »
For the mayoress of Granby, the Assises de l’UMQ are also an important event to allow elected officials to train. “Several workshops are taking place at the same time, so several of our elected officials in Granby will be present and will take part in various workshops and conferences,” she says. Then we will meet to share what we have learned. »
Julie Bourdon is also delighted with the presence of François Legault, Premier of Quebec, and Andrée Laforest, Minister of Municipal Affairs. “It’s a moment to talk to them and I look forward to hearing their point of view,” she says.
Science at the service of municipalities
For its Assises 2023, the UMQ will also have the visit of Rémi Quirion, chief scientist of Quebec. This visit is particularly enthusiastic about Xavier-Antoine Lalande, mayor of Saint-Colomban and co-president of the UMQ Foundation Commission.
“Science can have a big impact on cities and municipalities by providing data that will enable better and faster decisions on the territory, so I can’t wait to hear it,” he says.
He thinks in particular of the floods. “In fact, we also managed to get someone from the Canadian Space Agency to come and show us new satellite tools that generate data in real time,” says Xavier-Antoine Lalande. This can be important in decision making. I have already seen this presentation in the fall and I can’t wait to see the reaction of my colleagues. »
At 40, the mayor of Saint-Colomban is delighted to see that several young elected officials have recently made the leap into municipal politics and he believes that this is a great opportunity to integrate more innovation and science into decision-making. decision. “We have seen, for example, the City of Victoriaville (the mayor, Antoine Tardif, is 33 years old) get a chief scientist and the City of Longueuil (the mayoress, Catherine Fournier, is 31 years old ) is looking for one, he says. We will be increasingly better equipped to make decisions. »
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