Le Bureau d’audiences publiques sur l’environnement (BAPE) a adopté un mode hybride, faisant évoluer un modèle de participation publique qui s’appuyait auparavant sur la télévision communautaire, la télévision universitaire ou la diffusion audio sur le Web, selon bape.gouv.qc.ca. Around the 2000s, IT technician Pierre Dufour, now an advisor and head of information technology, proposed a web broadcasting method using the Winamp music streaming site to capture and transmit audio from sessions via telephone lines for free. Following that period, the BAPE installed satellite rooms equipped with cameras, microphones, and speakers in municipalities across various regions, allowing participants to interact live with commissioners sitting in another room, though physical attendance remained the standard.
Pandemic Disruptions Force Digital Adaptation
In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted in-person operations, forcing the organization to quickly adapt its interactive public sessions. The information technology team turned to Microsoft Teams, a platform the agency already used.
To establish the new architecture, IT advisor Pierre Dufour and IT technician Raphael Sioui hand-drew a system schematic on paper. Dufour noted that the informal sketch served as the foundational premise for the agency’s subsequent digital operations.
By the summer of 2020, the BAPE broadcast its first live online session. Early hybrid proceedings presented logistical hurdles. Administrative assistant Marie-Eve Gendron received short notice to manage the webcasts, recalling, I received a call on a Monday afternoon to learn control room operations urgently.
Hybrid Infrastructure and Technical Coordination
Running hybrid sessions requires a dedicated backstage crew. Cartographer Karine Fortier, Gendron, and Sioui manage a mini-control room that coordinates video framing, audio clarity, and slide presentations.
Participants connecting remotely must pass through a virtual waiting room before sessions begin. Technicians evaluate their connections, lighting, and audio feeds. If connection speeds falter, operators can disable video feeds to prioritize audio or transition participants to telephone connections. A digital registry tracks citizens who request to speak, organizing their turn to address commissioners.
Future Technological Expansions
The hybrid framework allows the agency to maximize its resources, occasionally running two simultaneous sessions when necessary. Dufour stated that the agency aims to move beyond Microsoft Teams by developing a custom internal platform, potentially incorporating artificial intelligence or automated systems to streamline future public hearings.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did the BAPE broadcast public consultations before the internet?
Prior to the internet, the BAPE transmitted select public consultations through community television or university television networks.
What unusual incidents occurred during early hybrid sessions?
During a public hearing on the GNL Québec project, one citizen presented a brief by singing and playing the guitar, while another played whale sounds for approximately ten minutes.
Who manages the technical operations during hybrid hearings?
IT technician Raphael Sioui, administrative assistant Marie-Eve Gendron, and cartographer Karine Fortier operate the backstage control room to coordinate remote and in-person participants.
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