Hull Island’s Mathieu Bélanger takes helm at CIMA+

Tashi Farmilo

CIMA+, one of Quebec’s most prominent private consulting engineering firms, has appointed Hull Island resident Mathieu Bélanger as Vice-President of Environment and Earth Sciences. From the company’s Gatineau office, he will lead more than 200 specialists in environmental services, geosciences, geotechnics and urban planning, whose work spans communities across Canada.

Founded in Montreal in 1990, CIMA+ has grown from a local engineering practice into a national firm with 40 offices and more than 3,500 employees, most of whom are shareholders. The company has been recognized for its workplace culture and for award-winning infrastructure and environmental projects.

Bélanger returns to CIMA+ with more than two decades of leadership in urban planning, real estate development, public policy and infrastructure. His career includes senior roles in the federal government, Executive Director of Policy and Public Affairs at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, and Director of Planning and Sustainable Development for the City of Gatineau.

“What struck me most during my time in Gatineau was the quality, competence and dedication of municipal employees,” he said. “They work with rigour and passion, often under great pressure, to support the city’s growth while preserving its quality of life.” That experience, he added, strengthened his ability to connect political vision with community needs and the realities of development.

Bélanger described his new post as both a professional challenge and a personal commitment. “This is much more than a return. It’s a commitment to providing sustainable and innovative solutions to our public and private partners across the country.”

He succeeds Raymond McNamara, who is retiring after years of leadership but will remain as an advisor during the transition. “As a Gatineau resident and someone living on Hull Island, I want to keep getting involved in local initiatives that link environment, quality of life and local development,” Bélanger said.