Debate sparks between local leaders over the closure of Parc Sanscartier rest stop

Jude Osmond

The Parc Sanscartier rest stop closed recently, sparking a debate. Lac Beauchamp Municipal Councillor Timmy Jutras argued that it should stay open for the summer and serve as a refreshment zone.

The matter was revisited at the city council meeting on April 15. The zone was closed due to the Centre intégré de santé et des services sociaux de l'Outaouais' refusal to fund it.

Jutras wrote a letter to Mayor Maude Marquis-Bissonnette on April 10 regarding the closure, mentioning that it's important for the citizens and people without homes. The response he received wasn’t the one he wanted.

Jutras states that the people in Vieux Gatineau who are dealing with homelessness are being discriminated against. “There are three types of discrimination: first, they don't have access to services to fulfill their needs; second, they are discriminated against by their neighbours; and third, they are discriminated against by the administrative services.”

The Collectif Régional de lutte à l’Itinérance en Outaouais (CRIO) also disagrees with the closure. They released a statement mentioning that the rest stop is important to Vieux Gatineau as it was a very busy spot for people without homes. They noted at least 50 people per day and 10 people per night use the rest stop and with the increase of homelessness in the last years, closing it down wouldn’t serve a purpose.

Jutras argues that the rest stop in Guertin receives all the support and funding needed to stay open, while the rest stop in Vieux Gatineau doesn’t receive any help, and that residents shouldn't be punished because of where they live.

‘’Why does it work for the rest stop on the Guertin property but not the one in Vieux Gatineau?’’ Jutras asked. He mentioned that he is ready to help maintain the rest stop himself.

Gatineau Ensemble, the political party, is encouraging the city to step up and fund the $350,000 needed to turn the rest stop into a cooling center. “I’m not asking for the world,” Jutras states.

A CISSS spokesperson told the Bulletin that it is more of a seasonal occurrence than a full cut, as the funding ends on April 15. They mentioned that it is not a reduction of services in any way, but noted that in the summer, people are more spread out, so they are offering many different services, including:

• Caravane Réhab (operated by Réhabex)

A new 24-hour mobile outreach unit operates seven days a week, offering clothing, food, showers, and distributing harm reduction materials. They mentioned they are going to stay in the main encampment areas.

• Gatineau Food Security Centre (CSAG): Distribution of fresh food in the form of lunchboxes to outreach workers on site.

“More than $350,000 is being invested to support services delivered by community organizations working with people experiencing homelessness, in addition to the continued presence of the CISSS de l’Outaouais teams on the ground,” CISSS told the Bulletin.

Sonia Ben-Arfa, the Municipal councillor of the Lucerne district, mentioned that she absolutely agrees that Gatineau needs a rest stop over the summer, and that she has been advocating for one for a long time. “Unfortunately, it’s not the city’s responsibility; it's more of a CISSS responsibility. "

“What I have been asking for since November is a temporary or permanent solution,” Jutras added.