New STO President Edmond Leclerc takes up the challenge

Mélissa Gélinas

Gatineau Mayor Maude Marquis-Bissonnette has appointed Edmond Leclerc, city councillor for the Buckingham district, as the new president of the board of directors of the Société de transport de l’Outaouais (STO). Councillors unanimously voted in favour of this appointment at the city council meeting on November 25. Leclerc is very committed to public transit and welcomes this excellent news.

Having previously served as vice-president of the STO and having studied finance, he is confident he has the necessary skills to deliver positive results. “When I joined the STO board of directors, I took the time, with a very open approach, to meet with the project team, where I learned a great deal about the financial workings of transportation operations,” he explained.

Public transit was also one of his main motivations for entering municipal politics. He found it a significant challenge to have to take the bus to Cégep Gabrielle-Roy in Hull every morning at 5:45. “That’s when I realized I should improve STO services,” he said.

According to him, it is in the city’s best interest to invest more in the transit authority, particularly with regard to the tramway project. “[…] this will meet the anticipated needs of a sector and, at the same time, will allow us to optimize our human resources,” he noted. Despite the differing opinions surrounding the tramway, Leclerc affirms that he will be transparent in getting answers to the questions the public is asking, particularly regarding finances. “To date, we haven’t reached the stage of obtaining clear figures,” he explained. According to him, it will be necessary to wait for the analyses of professionals and monitor the project’s progress.

He said he was confident in the government’s commitment to funding it. He considers it one of the projects that has generated the most subsidies for Gatineau.

On the other hand, Leclerc is aware of the geographical realities that separate the east and west ends of the city. “I believe the challenges are significant, but we have a team at the STO made up of drivers, maintenance workers, and administrative staff who are truly dedicated to their work,” he stated. Although Buckingham residents cannot use the tramway, the on-demand transit option is among the choices with the highest satisfaction rate of all the STO's services. "For my part, I'm not at all embarrassed to tell Buckingham residents that we have a service that meets their needs and that we can still improve it."

As Chair of the STO, Leclerc will be responsible for:

• Chairing Board of Directors meetings and ensuring its smooth operation,

• Collaborating with other directors and senior management,

• Actively participating in the development of the STO's long-term strategies and objectives,

• Overseeing risk management and ensuring regulatory compliance, while safeguarding the organization's legitimacy,

• Coordinating the work of the Board and senior management, and

• Ensuring that the STO fulfills its mission of providing reliable service that meets the needs of Gatineau residents.