April 27, 2020
Hello everyone,
I would like to commend the efforts of the various leadership groups for their proposals to kick-start Quebec’s economy and the proposal by the Gatineau Chamber of Commerce to establish ties with our Outaouais MNAs.
It is imperative that our government be able to put in place measures that will help our economy recover quickly.
In this respect, please allow me to put forth measures I believe would quickly re-establish our economy that has been so hard hit by COVID-19 and by the collective prevention measures that although highly necessary have been sorely felt as well.
First of all, we would like to congratulate the Government of Quebec on the partial re-opening of the construction industry and we hope to see housing construction projects quickly and safely reopened and major construction projects launched in the Outaouais region. As the old saying goes, and this is even more relevant today, When construction rolls, everything rolls!
The proposals are as follows:
- Substantially increase funding and ensure the expansion of the Université du Québec en Outaouais campus, so that it can reach a level of enrolment that corresponds to the size of cities and regions comparable to the City of Gatineau and the Outaouais region. In similar regions of 400,000 or more people, the student population easily reaches 30,000 students instead of the 7,500 currently in the Outaouais region. That is a significant gap that must be remedied. There is no question that the knowledge economy ensures the drawing power and growth of a region with an educated, young and dynamic new generation;
- Develop light rail, or streetcars, for urban transit in the western part of Gatineau;
- Begin construction on the 170 additional beds in the Outaouais hospital system, either through expansion or new construction;
- Announce the widening of Highway 50 to four lanes to support the transportation of goods;
- Develop world-class tourism infrastructure so that Gatineau can fully assume its role as one of Quebec’s three main tourism gateways.
We are fortunate to live in a border community, in the capital of Canada, with a population of over a million people, many of whom have good-paying jobs in the federal public service. Our government must be innovative and implement measures that will make the Outaouais region even more attractive. Regardless of the place of employment, it is the place of residence that ensures the greatest tax revenue.
Thus, the following tax measures would allow us to increase the appeal of the Outaouais region and its economic vitality:
- Abolish the QST in restaurants and on clothing;
- Harmonize the QST with the Ontario HST for home construction;
- Provide access to hospital care that is on par with other major urban centres.
We also propose that the Government of Quebec include in its plan for a green economy by 2030 the following recommendations:
- Support entrepreneurs in developing expertise in environmentally-responsible projects;
- Create a fund with a return on investment in the form of a repayable loan, including an interest rate of 1 to 3% to finance the fund’s management;
- Create a grant fund to support major projects for revitalization, the removal of large heat islands and urban densification.
Of course, these are not the only options available to our government, but they would certainly enable us to effectively compete and stand out.
In this regard, the Government of Quebec is not the only player with an important role to play. Gatineau City Council and the Government of Canada will also have their share of responsibility in implementing innovative measures.
Gatineau must demonstrate leadership and ensure a presence in the electrification and intermodality of freight transportation, particularly within the Quebec City/Montreal/Gatineau/Toronto/USA corridor. The Outaouais region can generate billions in potential economic revenue while developing the full potential of the Gatineau-Ottawa Executive Airport its business park.
We are pleased to see that the various socio-economic stakeholders in Quebec are joining together to propose concrete solutions, not just to stimulate economic development following COVID-19, but also to accelerate the transformation of our vision of Quebec’s future.
Brigil is committed to playing a leadership role in the development of environmentally-friendly communities that promote local economies, food self-reliance, sustainable mobility and energy efficiency.
These are just a few ideas, presented humbly, that could kick-start our economy and stimulate employment and income growth in our hard-hit businesses.
Let’s be proactive,
Let’s get this done!
Gilles Desjardins
President of BRIGIL