Gatineau now has the pick of seven candidates for mayor
Taylor Clark
Two more candidates have entered the running for Gatineau’s next mayor. Former Gatineau mayor Yves Ducharme and Rémi Bergeron, candidate in the last two municipal elections, will join the five other candidates on the ballot for the by-election on June 9.
After being approached by citizens, Ducharme decided to announce his candidacy at a press conference on April 15.
“I concluded that I could not watch the train go by. We are at a crucial stage in the history of our city. We are approaching a quarter of a century of existence, and we need experience and stability to move several sensitive issues forward at Gatineau City Hall,” Ducharme wrote in a press release.
Ducharme served as mayor of Hull from 1992 to 2001 and was the first mayor of the newly merged Gatineau from 2001 to 2005. He was later defeated by Marc Bureau in a landslide victory, who won 68 per cent of the vote.
“My electoral setback in 2005 made me think a lot. Municipal politics is the one that is closest to the people. With the creation of the new Ville de Gatineau and my eagerness to make it a success, I moved away from the daily concerns of citizens. I recognized it straight away and I regret it.”
With only 17 months between the by-election and the general election, Ducharme said he will prioritize quality municipal services, public finances that respect taxpayers' ability to pay, and access to more housing during his mandate.
After receiving 2.37 per cent of the votes in 2017 and only 1.05 per cent in 2021, Rémi Bergeron hoped the third try would be the charm. He officially declared his candidacy in a press release on April 15.
Among Bergeron’s priorities was public transportation and the location of Gatineau’s future hospital. Despite the fact that it would fall under provincial jurisdiction, Bergeron would like to see the Centre Asticou become home to the hospital.
Bergeron argued that the rue d’Edmonton site would lead to “one of the worst environmental disasters in terms of sustainable development” with the demolition of buildings, “mostly all in good condition,” and a great loss of property taxes.
Bergeron said he would like to see electric Nova Buses added to the Société de transport de l’Outaouais on reserved lanes along with electric minibuses and taxi buses operating during off-peak hours.
He added that he would also not impose the $90 vehicle registration tax being recommended by the Société de transport de l’Outaouais and suggested the transit service apply to the Prix performance Québec to find other avenues for improvement in their management.
Photo caption: Former Gatineau mayor Yves Ducharme and former municipal elections candidate Rémi Bergeron have thrown their hats in the ring for the upcoming mayoral by-election.
Photo credit: Courtesy of candidates