The first residences in the history of Cégep de l’Outaouais in 2027

The Law learned that after eight months of planning and discussions, a major financial contribution of $1.2 million from the Jocelyne and Gilles Ouimet Foundation – a local couple who want to give back to the community – will allow a project to construction of a 24-place student residence to become a reality by 2027. This is also the largest single donation ever received in the history of the establishment.

Regardless of the size, this will be a first in 58 years of history for the Cégep, one of the only ones across the province not to have such a range of accommodation for its students. So far, despite requests in recent years, the Ministry of Higher Education (MEES) has closed the door to granting funding for a larger project.

The Cégep de l’Outaouais Foundation, which will act as project manager for the project, the total cost of which is around four million, acquired at the end of the fall a vacant lot located at the corner of des Oliviers and Joffre streets. , in the Hull sector, three kilometers from the Gabrielle-Roy campus.

It is the organization which will be the client and owner of the premises, while the management of the building and student services will be assumed by the college institution.

“If the Cégep de l’Outaouais had wanted to acquire land, it would have taken very long ministerial authorizations to obtain, so to make the project more agile and simpler, it is the Foundation [du Cégep] who acquired it, but will also be responsible for the construction, with our collaboration, says Steve Brabant, general director of the establishment. We found a way of doing things that made our work a lot easier.”

The Ouimet residences, as they have been named, will be dedicated specifically to students from MRCs other than Gatineau, including Vallée-de-la-Gatineau, a place that is close to the heart of the patron couple since they have a foothold -on land in Gracefield, where Ms. Ouimet is from. The primary goal is to facilitate access to college studies for young people in rural areas and to promote academic perseverance.

A common vision

For the Ouimet couple, this gesture was completely natural, saying they believe that education is a strong driver of regional development after having collaborated with the Cégep for the first time last year by donating $100,000 for a scholarship program targeting young people. of Haute-Gatineau.

“Our mission with the foundation is to try to help young people in terms of education, especially in the Haute-Gatineau environment, which is quite difficult. This is where the driving force behind our vision lies. I think it was a natural evolution to consider the possibility [de contribuer à un projet de résidences]. It was a spark plug.”

— Gilles Ouimet

His wife adds that she wanted to give back, because having herself had the opportunity to have a college education a few decades ago, she hopes that “all our young people in the region can receive at least a final diploma. of studies [au collégial]».

While the territory served by the Cégep de l’Outaouais extends over more than 30,000 square kilometers – an area equivalent to that of all of Belgium, its general director broadly emphasizes – more than 500 students from the Cégep de l’Outaouais The Outaouais live more than 60 kilometers from their home campus. A factor that constitutes a barrier for many.

“What is even more worrying is that we have the lowest rates of accessibility to college studies in the province. We are at 30.7% while the provincial average is 63.7%. It’s half,” said Mr. Brabant.

“These are young people who, instead of going to college, either go to [diplôme d’études] professional or in business, but there are others whose life project stops there because they do not have the means, there are obstacles, both distance and socio-economic or others.

— Steve Brabant, general director of the Cégep

In the MRC of Pontiac, for example, the rate of accessibility to college studies is just over 22%, or less than one in four young people.

“Get off the beaten track”

Gilles Ouimet welcomes the fact that the Cégep dared to “think outside the box administratively” for this project, speaking of collaborative work from start to finish.

“If you try to do this in a normal way, nothing will happen because there are too many pitfalls, too many delays, whereas the ability to work together seems to make the difference. job. And from our point of view, it’s a great honor to be able to participate. It makes us proud,” he said.

A sum of $500,000 was injected by Quebec into the project, through Support for the Outreach of the Fonda Regions and Rurality, managed by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MAMH).

“Across Quebec, our government supports projects that promote the vitality of territories through the collaboration of municipal and regional stakeholders committed to their region,” said Minister Andrée Laforest. I am very proud that our government is contributing to this affordable student residence project which will strengthen equal opportunities and the retention of local talent in the Outaouais. Thank you to everyone involved in this structuring initiative!”

Steve Brabant recalls that the addition of student residences is crucial for the region given both the very low housing vacancy rate (around 0.3% for affordable housing) and the average rent which is among the lowest expensive throughout the province in Gatineau.

“We’ve been waiting for them for 58 years,” he exclaims, recalling that the students are “incredibly scattered” geographically.

For Jocelyne Ouimet, who thinks like her partner “that we have the right to dream” and that Quebec will have to act sooner or later, it is “absolutely abnormal” that a region like Outaouais does not have student residences in college.

“There are certainly many parents [dans les MRC] who want their children to continue their studies, but they cannot afford an apartment. In fact, a lady called me this week to tell me that she would like her daughter to continue but that she cannot afford to pay rent. [à Gatineau]it is impossible even if both parents work. They don’t have exorbitant income,” she says.

Mr. Ouimet thinks that it is by removing one obstacle at a time that we will eventually see progress in terms of accessibility.

“If we can allow a handful of young people each year to continue even though they would not have been able to, it will be mission accomplished,” he confides.

The future building should have eight apartments, each with three bedrooms. The current goal is for the monthly rent to be below $700.

An architectural firm is working on the file with a view to launching a call for tenders within a few months.

“We are open to prefabricated products, it’s the era at the moment. We want to have the best proposal adopted to the needs of our young people, it’s not just a residence, it’s a living environment,” maintains Mr. Brabant, who specifies that no parking will be provided there for the purpose of encourage public transportation – the Cam Puce pass will be provided to students.

Financial arrangement

For the moment, as the financial package for the project is not complete – it is around 40% of the total sum – talks are continuing with other partners, and improvements will be announced in subsequent updates. Entrepreneurs who would like to support the initiative can contribute through donations, in kind or in cash. The rest of the bill will be covered by both the Cégep and the Foundation according to options that remain to be determined.

Certain government measures will strengthen the viability of the project, underlines the Cégep, including the rental guarantee, created by the Ministry of Higher Education and which makes it possible to offer compensation for a certain ratio (up to 15%) of vacant rooms. in a student residence.

If everything goes as planned, delivery of the building will take place in 2027.