[00:00:01]
>> I'LL CALL OUR GOVERNANCE AND PRIORITIES COMMITTEE MEETING FOR MONDAY,
[1. Opening Statement]
JULY 26, 2021 TO ORDER.I'D LIKE TO BEGIN BY ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE IS LOCATED IN CHIEF DRYGEESE TERRITORY.
FROM TIME IMMEMORIAL, IT'S BEEN THE TRADITIONAL LAND OF THE YELLOWKNIVES DENE FIRST NATION.
WE RESPECT THE HISTORIES, LANGUAGES, AND CULTURES OF ALL OTHER INDIGENOUS PEOPLES, INCLUDING THE NORTH SLAVE METIS, AND ALL FIRST NATIONS, METIS, AND INUIT WHOSE PRESENCE CONTINUES TO ENRICH OUR VIBRANT COMMUNITY.
[2. Approval of the agenda]
NEXT, WE HAVE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.ANYTHING TO ADD, MS. BASSI-KELLETT?
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR.
YES, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD AN IN CAMERA MATTER, A MATTER UNDER NEGOTIATION. THANK YOU.
[3. Disclosure of pecuniary interest and the general nature thereof]
WE HAVE DISCLOSURE PECUNIARY INTEREST AND THE GENERAL NATURE THERE OF.DOES ANY MEMBER HAVE A PECUNIARY INTEREST? JUST TO NOTE FOR THE AGENDA, I DID RECEIVE TWO TICKETS FROM CANADIAN NORTH TO ATTEND [INAUDIBLE], AND SO THAT'S A GIFT OVER $100.
I DID STILL VOLUNTEER, BUT TO MARK IT DOWN FOR THE AGENDA.
NEXT, WE HAVE A MEMORANDUM REGARDING WHETHER TO DEVELOP AN ACCESSIBILITY POLICY.
[4. A memorandum regarding whether to develop an Accessibility Policy]
MS. BASSI-KELLETT, IF YOU'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE ITEM.>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR. WITH PLEASURE.
ACCESSIBILITY IS A VERY IMPORTANT PRINCIPLE FOR THE CITY SO THAT WE CAN ENSURE THAT RESIDENTS OF ALL ABILITIES ARE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN CIVIC LIFE IN A RESPECTFUL AND INCLUSIVE MANNER WITHOUT BARRIERS.
EVERYTHING FROM ACCESSIBLE TRANSIT, TO THE DESIGN OF OUR FACILITIES, TO THE VISIBILITY CONTRAST ON OUR WEBSITE ARE PART OF WHAT ENABLES ALL RESIDENTS TO BE ABLE TO ENGAGE MEANINGFULLY.
THE CITY WORKS TO BE ACCESSIBLE, BUT AT THIS TIME, WE DO SO ON AN AD HOC BASIS.
THEREFORE, ADMINISTRATION IS PRESENTING A DRAFT ACCESSIBILITY POLICY OR GPC AND COUNCIL TO APPROVE AS A PUBLIC COMMITMENT THAT THE CITY WILL WORK TO ENSURE THAT OUR PROGRAMS, OUR FACILITIES, OUR COMMUNICATIONS, AND OUR INITIATIVES ARE AS INCLUSIVE TO ALL PEOPLE OF ALL ABILITIES.
NOT ONLY IS THIS THE RIGHT THING TO DO, IT'S ALSO THE RIGHT TIME IN ADMINISTRATION'S OPINION BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME MASSIVE WORK UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW INCLUDING, OF COURSE, THE PROPOSED AQUATIC CENTER AND WORK THAT'S UNDERWAY ON OUR DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENTAL STANDARDS AS WELL.
ADMINISTRATION DOES PROPOSE THAT AS PART OF THIS, YOU WILL SEE THAT WE PROPOSED THAT THERE BE AN OPERATIONAL ACCESSIBILITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE THAT IS FORMED TO ADVISE ON THE DRAFT POLICY AND THEN TO PROVIDE ONGOING OPERATIONAL ADVICE TO ADMINISTRATION ON DIFFERENT ISSUES AS THEY COME UP UNDER DEVELOPMENT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL?COUNCIL MORGAN.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MY QUESTION WAS JUST AROUND THE PROPOSED COMMITTEE, THE ACCESSIBILITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
IS THE IDEA THAT THE TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR THIS COMMITTEE, WOULD THAT COME TO COUNCIL AT A LATER POINT, AND IS THAT ENVISIONED TO BE SIMILAR TO THE OTHER ONGOING COMMITTEES THAT WE HAVE THAT WOULD MEET AT DESIGNATED INTERVALS, OR WOULD IT JUST BE ESTABLISHED FOR SPECIFIC TASKS LIKE REVIEWING THE AQUATIC CENTER DESIGN FOR EXAMPLE?
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION. IT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
WE WOULD PROPOSE THAT THIS WOULD NOT BE A COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL AS SET UP UNDER THE COUNCIL PROCEDURES BY-LAW.
WE WOULD PROPOSE THAT WE WOULD GET A CROSS SECTION OF REPRESENTATION FROM ORGANIZATIONS AND PERSONS THAT HAVE AN INTEREST OR HAVE AN INTEREST IN EXPRESSING THEIR IDEAS AND THOUGHTS ON EVERYTHING FROM WHAT ACCESSIBILITY IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE IN DETAIL WITH THE PROPOSED AQUATIC CENTER BECAUSE THAT'S CERTAINLY A BIG PART OF WHAT OUR REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL LAYS OUT.
IT COULD BE GIVING US ADVICE ON WEBSITE REDESIGN.
MUCH OF THE WORK IS QUITE OPERATIONAL, AND SO WE SEE IT AS AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE THAT ADMINISTRATION WOULD DRAW UPON.
WE'VE HAD DISCUSSION, HAVEN'T YET REACHED A DECISION ON WHETHER OR NOT IT SHOULD BE CALLED AS NEEDED.
IF IT SHOULD BE THE THING THAT'S CALLED MONTHLY, BI-MONTHLY, WE DO WANT TO GET TO THAT LEVEL OF DETAIL.
WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN THERE YET THOUGH, ENDING GPC AND COUNSEL REVIEW OF THE POLICY ITSELF.
BUT WE SEE THAT COMMITTEE AS REALLY PROVIDING TANGIBLE INPUT INTO THE WORK SO THAT WHEN THINGS COME FORWARD PUBLICLY, THEY HAVE BEEN SCREENED, THEY HAVE BEEN SUGGESTIONS AND IDEAS TO INCORPORATE TO MAXIMIZE ACCESSIBILITY HAVE BEEN INCLUDED BY
[00:05:01]
THE PEOPLE WHO WOULD BE THE MOST IMPACTED BY THAT. THANK YOU.>> THANKS FOR THAT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
IF IT'S NOT A COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL, WOULD THERE STILL BE PUBLIC ADVERTISEMENTS FOR PEOPLE TO PUT THEIR NAMES FORWARD OR APPLY TO BE ON THE COMMITTEE, OR WOULD ADMINISTRATION JUST REACH OUT TO STAKE HOLDERS AND PEOPLE OR ORGANIZATIONS WE ALREADY HAVE CONNECTIONS WITH WHO WE KNOW HAVE EXPERIENCE OR INTEREST? WHAT WOULD BE THE PROCESS FOR SETTING UP THE COMMITTEE?
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR. ANOTHER GOOD QUESTION.
WE DEFINITELY WOULD SEE THAT THERE WOULD BE STAKEHOLDER, ORGANIZATIONS, AND GROUPS THAT WE WOULD WANT TO REACH OUT TO.
WE WOULD ALSO WANT TO HAVE A PUBLIC COMPONENT BECAUSE THERE COULD BE INDIVIDUALS THAT FEEL QUITE PASSIONATELY, THAT HAVE PERSPECTIVES THAT ARE VALUABLE THAT COULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE DIALOGUE IN A MEANINGFUL WAY.
WE WOULD CONCEIVE THAT THERE WOULD BE AN INVITATION TO STAKEHOLDER GROUPS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THIS PLUS WE WOULD ALSO SEE THAT THERE WOULD LIKELY BE AN ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A BROADER PUBLIC INPUT AS WELL. THANK YOU.
>> I'M CERTAINLY SUPPORTIVE OF ADMINISTRATION'S RECOMMENDATIONS HERE AND I ALSO APPRECIATED THE OPPORTUNITY TO READ THROUGH ALL OF THE DIFFERENT HUMAN RIGHTS LEGISLATION, BOTH AT THE FEDERAL AND TERRITORIAL LEVELS JUST TO REMIND US OF THE EXTENSIVE LEGISLATION THAT'S ON THE BOOKS AND THE THOUGHT THAT'S BEEN PUT INTO WHAT DO HUMAN RIGHTS MEAN, WHAT DOES INCLUSION MEAN IN TERMS OF MAKING OUR COMMUNITY ACCESSIBLE.
IT JUST WAS A GOOD REMINDER OF HOW IMPORTANT IT IS THAT WE WORK TOWARDS THIS AND I DO SUPPORT THE IDEA OF FULLY ENGAGING MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, PEOPLE WITH ACCESSIBILITY ISSUES, EXPERIENCE WITH DISABILITIES IN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING THE POLICIES AND MAKING THE DECISION.
I DO LOOK FORWARD TO MORE UPDATES AND MORE COUNCIL INPUT AS WE GO FORWARD INTO HOW THE COMMITTEE IS SET UP.
I THINK IT'S FINE IF IT'S NOT JUST A REGULAR COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL, BUT I'M NOT SURE IF THERE'S OTHER.
WELL, MAYBE I'LL ASK NOW TOO, ARE THERE PRECEDENCE OF OTHER COMMITTEES THAT ARE ESTABLISHED BY ADMINISTRATION THAT ARE NOT COMMITTEES OF COUNCIL THAT MAY MEET ON AN ONGOING BASIS TO ADVISE ADMINISTRATION OF AN ISSUE LIKE THIS?
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.
CERTAINLY WE DID DEBATE BACK AND FORTH WHETHER OR NOT IT SHOULD BE A COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL OR NOT AN ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE.
WE DID LOOK AT THE PRECEDENT OF THE CAPILLARY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE AS A PRECEDENT FOR THIS, WHERE IT'S LOOKING AT OPERATIONAL ISSUES AND HOW WE ARE DELIVERING THE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT THE CITY IS MANDATED TO DELIVER, HOW WE'RE MAKING SURE ACCESSIBILITY WEIGHS IN.
THAT HAS BEEN A BIG DRIVER FOR ADMINISTRATION AND LOOKING AT THE NATURE OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE'LL BE GETTING, WHICH WILL REALLY BE OPERATIONAL ONCE WE HAVE CONSULTED FORMALLY ON THE POLICY ITSELF.
THAT WOULD CERTAINLY BE THE FIRST ROLE THAT WE WOULD SEE AND THAT CERTAINLY DOES HAVE A POLITICAL LENS AND POLITICAL PERSPECTIVE ON IT THAT WE WOULD REALLY WANT COUNCIL TO BE INVOLVED IN.
BUT FROM THAT POINT FORWARD, DESIGN OF THE WEBSITE AND THE CONTRAST, THINGS AROUND THE SPECIFICS OF OUR LOW FLOOR BUSES VERSUS OUR FULLY ACCESSIBLE FLEET, THOSE ARE QUITE OPERATIONAL IN NATURE IN TERMS OF HOW THEY ARE USED.
WE WOULD SEE THAT THAT WOULD BE BEST MANAGED AT AN ADMINISTRATIVE LEVEL.
I WILL ASK MS.THISTLE IF SHE HAS ANYTHING TO ADD, SHE HAS BEEN THE AUTHOR ON THIS IMPORTANT PIECE OF WORK.
MS. BASSI-KELLETT COVERED IT COMPREHENSIVELY.
WE JUST FELT LIKE THIS COMMITTEE WAS GOING TO BE THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND WORK AND COUNCIL WILL RECEIVE UPDATES IN THE WAY OF WHEN THE POLICY IS REFINED AND COMES FORWARD FOR ADOPTION TO BE PUT ON THE WEBSITE.
IF THERE'S ANY BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS OF SOME OF THE ACCESSIBILITY WORK MOVING FORWARD, SO COUNCIL WILL RECEIVE UPDATES IN THAT RESPECT.
SIMILAR, WE ALSO INCLUDED IN THIS THAT WE WOULD DO A REVIEW OF THE POLICY WITHIN THREE YEARS AND THAT'S BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S CURRENT AND UP-TO-DATE, AND THAT WILL BE ANOTHER TIME WHERE COUNCIL WILL RECEIVE A REALLY FORMAL UPDATE ON HOW THE POLICY WORKED AND ANY CHANGES THAT WE PROPOSE MOVING FORWARD.
[00:10:09]
>> I KNOW I DO AGREE AND SEE YOUR POINT THAT THE COMMITTEE WOULD BE ADVISING ADMINISTRATION ON THE DETAILS OF OPERATIONS RATHER THAN ADVISING COUNCIL ON BIG PICTURE STUFF, SO THAT MAKES SENSE.
I JUST HOPE THAT THE TERMS OF REFERENCE OF THE COMMITTEE AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMITTEE CAN BE WORKED OUT IN A WAY THAT MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE KNOW ABOUT IT AND FEEL THAT THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE OR PROVIDE EXPERTISE.
WE JUST DON'T WANT TO GET IN A SITUATION WHERE ADMINISTRATION MAY REACH OUT TO PEOPLE WE KNOW, ORGANIZATIONS WE KNOW, AND GREAT, WE GET OUR COMMITTEE ESTABLISHED, AND THEN WE LEAVE OUT WHOLE SEGMENTS OR PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO DIDN'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT IT AND DIDN'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE.
AS LONG AS SOME THOUGHT IS PUT INTO HOW WE CAN GET THE WORD OUT AND REACH OUT TO DIVERSE STAKEHOLDERS IN THE COMMUNITY, THAT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE HAD THAT UP AND RUNNING TO ADVICE ADMINISTRATION. THANKS.
>> I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS ONE.
I WAS LOOKING THROUGH IT AND DEVELOPING SOME QUESTIONS AND HAVE TO ADMIT THAT AFTER LOOKING THROUGH IT, ALL OF MY QUESTIONS WERE ANSWERED, SO I WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT WHICHEVER TEAM WAS WORKING ON THIS I THINK DID AN EXCELLENT JOB GETTING EVERYTHING TOGETHER.
MY MAIN QUESTION WAS ABOUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND WHETHER RELEVANT MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WOULD BE ENGAGED, AND, OF COURSE, THAT'S PART OF THE PLAN.
WANTED TO EXPRESS MY SUPPORT FOR THIS AND I THINK IT'S ANOTHER GOOD STEP FORWARD IN OUR ROAD TO MAKING YELLOWKNIFE AS ACCESSIBLE AS POSSIBLE, AND DO HOPE THAT THIS POLICY HELPS US TAKE ANOTHER STEP TOWARDS IT IN CONJUNCTION WITH IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ACCESSIBILITY AUDIT.
THANKS VERY MUCH TO ADMINISTRATION FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
IT'S EXCELLENT WORK AND I'M SUPPORTIVE OF IT.
>> THANK YOU. ANYTHING FURTHER FROM COUNCIL? SEEING NONE.
SORRY, THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING ISN'T FOR A WHILE.
[NOISE] THIS WILL COME FORWARD AT OUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING, WHICH IS MONDAY, AUGUST 23RD.
[5. A memorandum regarding whether to accept the proposed Implementation Plan for recommendations in the City of Yellowknife Wayfinding Strategy]
WE HAVE A MEMORANDUM REGARDING WHETHER TO ACCEPT THE PROPOSED IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE, WAY FINDING STRATEGY.MISS BASSI-KELLETT, IF YOU LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE ITEM.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR.
ABSOLUTELY. BEFORE I DO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCILOR MORRIS, FOR THOSE KUDOS AND AGGRESSIVELY WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND STRATEGY TEAM, WITH MISS THISTLE AND HER TEAM WHO DID THAT WORK ON THE ACCESSIBILITY POLICY.
THE WAY FINDING STRATEGY, COUNCIL MEMBERS MAY RECALL, ALTHOUGH IT FEELS LIKE A LIFETIME AGO, THAT IN SEPTEMBER 2019, COUNCIL HAD APPROVED THE WAY FINDING STRATEGY, WHICH PROVIDES COMPREHENSIVE RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW TO IMPROVE RESIDENT AND VISITOR EXPERIENCES IN YELLOWKNIFE WITH SIGN AGE AND INFO GRAPHICS THAT ENABLE THEM TO CONNECT TO PLACES ACROSS OUR CITY.
WE WERE RARING TO GO ON THIS WORK, AND THEN OF COURSE WE'VE GOTTEN SIDELINED BY A COUPLE OF OTHER LITTLE THINGS WHICH HIT US ON THE HEAD IN 2020, BUT TODAY WE'RE REALLY PLEASED TO PRESENT THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN ITSELF FOR HOW WE'RE GOING TO ROLL OUT AND PHASED IN THE WORK THAT'S NEEDED TO ENHANCE WAY FINDING SIGNAGE, AND SO WE CAN IMPLEMENT THE LOOK AND FEEL THAT'S INCLUDED IN THE STRATEGY.
PRIORITIES THAT WE'VE SAID IN THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, HAVE BEEN SAID BY ADMINISTRATION BASED ON OUR CAPACITY AND ON COMPLEMENTARY WORK THAT'S UNDERWAY.
I THINK GPC MEMBERS WILL RECALL THAT WE HAVE TRIED TO ALIGN THIS WITH OTHER MEANINGFUL PROJECTS LIKE THE INTERCULTURAL AND PLACE MAKING PLAN, WHERE THAT'S BEEN POSSIBLE.
TODAY WE BRING THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FORWARD FOR THE WAY FINDING STRATEGY AND REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING A GREAT EXPERIENCE ON THE GROUND FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND ALSO FOR WHEN VISITORS START TO RETURN TO YELLOWKNIFE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COUNCILOR MORGAN.
>> THANKS. OVERALL, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN AND I APPRECIATE THAT [NOISE] ADMINISTRATION HAS RECOGNIZED THAT WE'RE IN A DIFFERENT CONTEXT NOW WITH THE PANDEMIC THAN WHEN THIS STRATEGY WAS COMPLETED IN THE FIRST PLACE,
[00:15:03]
SO THAT DEFINITELY INFLUENCES PRIORITIES AND TIMELINES, AND I APPRECIATE THAT ON MANY ITEMS IT RECOGNIZES THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE THIS INTO CONSIDERATION WITH OTHER BUDGET PRIORITIES AND CHANGE TIMELINES, BUT I ALSO DO APPRECIATE THAT SOME WORK HAS ALREADY BEEN STARTED LAST YEAR WITH SOME TANGIBLE RESULTS WITH THE KIOSKS, AND THAT MUCH OF IT CAN BE DONE WITHIN EXISTING BUDGETS.MY ONE QUESTION, THERE'S A SECTION ABOUT THE VISITOR CENTER RELOCATION AND MENTIONED THAT THE UPDATED WEBSITE SHOULD COINCIDE WITH THE COMPLETION OF THE RELOCATION.
I JUST WONDERED IF THERE WAS ANY NEW UPDATE ON WHEN THE RELOCATION OF THE VISITOR CENTER WOULD BE COMPLETE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE'RE ALL VERY ANXIOUSLY AWAITING THAT.
ETA BY THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR, BUT I'LL ASK MS. THISTLE IF SHE COULD SPEAK TO SOME OF THE SPECIFICS.
>> WE'RE ESTIMATING IN OUR PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND APPROVAL THROUGH OUR [INAUDIBLE] FUNDING.
WE'RE STILL ON TRACK FOR THAT COMPLETION OF CONSTRUCTION.
WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING WITH OUR CONSULTANTS TO FINALIZE THE DOCUMENTS NECESSARY TO GO OUT THROUGH OUR PROCUREMENT PROCESS TO SECURE OUR CONTRACTOR THAT WILL COMPLETE THE WORK.
YOU'LL PROBABLY SEE SOME MORE PUBLIC-FACING THINGS MOVING FORWARD WITHIN THE NEXT FOUR WEEKS, WITH CONSTRUCTION TO START IN THE FALL AND THE CHANGES.
>> I MAY HAVE MISSED THIS IN THE PAST, BUT HAVE WE STARTED OUT THE MODEL FOR RUNNING THE NEW VISITOR CENTER? WHO'S GOING TO BE RUNNING IT OR DO WE HAVE A CONTRACTOR OR A PROCESS IN PLACE FOR SETTING THAT UP?
>> NOT YET, BUT MISS BASSI-KELLETT.
>> THANKS VERY MUCH. NO, THAT'S EXACTLY IT. NOT YET.
COUNCILOR MORGAN WILL RECALL AS A RETURNING COUNCILOR THAT WE HAD DONE SIGNIFICANT WORK ON THIS WITH THE CONSULTANT IN THE SUMMER OF 2018.
THERE WERE SOME CONCERNS THAT COUNCIL HAVE HAD AT THE TIME WITH THAT, AND WE ARE TYING THIS IN TOGETHER WITH OUR STRATEGY ON THE VISITOR INFORMATION CENTER RELOCATION, ON OUR WORK ON THE ACCOMMODATION LEVY, AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT OUR DESTINATION MARKETING ORGANIZATION.
WE DO HAVE SOME WORK TO DO ON THAT AND WE WILL BE RETURNING TO GPC AND COUNCIL WITH A MORE FULSOME PROPOSAL FOR HOW THIS WILL ROLL OUT, BUT IT'S ON OUR RADAR, BUT IT MAY BE A MATTER THAT WE NEED TO BE A VERY INTERIM BASIS.
THE CITY NEEDS TO CONTINUE IF WE ARE GETTING THINGS UP AND OFF THE GROUND IN DECEMBER. THANK YOU.
>> I APPRECIATE THAT QUESTION DIDN'T RELATE DIRECTLY TO WAY FINDING.
[LAUGHTER] [INAUDIBLE] WHAT YOU GOT THERE IT'S JUST A LINK IN THE PLAN, BUT NO, I AM SUPPORTIVE OF THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, SO THANKS FOR YOUR WORK ON THAT.
>> THANK YOU. COUNCILOR MORRIS?
LET'S SEE. I DO HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS THAT I'LL ASK BEFORE I MAKE MY GENERAL COMMENTS.
THE FIRST ONE IS RELATED TO ACTION ITEM 1.1.
I NOTE THAT THERE HAS BEEN QUITE A BIT OF COMMUNICATION FROM ONE OF OUR AVIATION MINDED SOCIETIES REGARDING THE BRISTOL FREIGHTER AND THE BRISTOL MONUMENT.
I WAS JUST NOTING THAT, WELL, IF WE'RE PLANNING TO DO SOME WORK AROUND THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE SIGN THAT MAYBE WE COULD USE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO A BIT OF A TREE THINNING AND FIRESMARTING AROUND THE MONUMENT JUST TO MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE VISIBLE AND MAKE IT A MORE PROMINENT PART OF THE SELFIES AND PHOTOS THAT PEOPLE ARE TAKING AT THE WELCOMING YELLOWKNIFE SIGN.
I'M JUST WONDERING IF WE COULD MAYBE TALK TO COMMUNITY SERVICES ABOUT INCLUDING MAYBE SOME OF OUR FIRESMARTING BUDGET IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS TO DO A BIT OF WORK THERE IN CONJUNCTION WITH IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE PLANNED TO THE SIGN.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
WE'LL CERTAINLY TAKE IT UNDER ADVISEMENT.
WE'LL TAKE A LOOK INTO THAT TO SEE HOW WE CAN ALIGN THE FIRESMARTING RESPONSIBILITY THAT WE TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY WITH MAKING THIS A REALLY WELCOMED SPOT THAT'S IDENTIFIABLE AND THAT PEOPLE SEE THAT IT'S A REALLY NICE DESTINATION TO BE GOING TO IN OUR CITY. THANK YOU FOR THAT.
YEAH. I KNOW THE HERITAGE COMMITTEE HAS TALKED QUITE A BIT ABOUT THE MONUMENT AND HOW IT PLAYS INTO OVERARCHING PERIOD HERITAGE COMMITTEE PLANS.
BUT THIS JUST SEEMS LIKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ME, IT IS NOTICEABLE THAT SINCE THE MONUMENT WAS PUT IN, A LOT OF THOSE TREES HAVE MATURED AND BECOME A BIT
[00:20:01]
BIGGER AND CERTAINLY I DON'T THINK ANYONE, INCLUDING TOURISTS WHO WANT TO SEE REMOVAL OF TOO MANY TREES.BUT I THINK A LITTLE BIT OF STRATEGIC THINKING COULD MAKE THE MONUMENT A LITTLE BIT MORE PROMINENT AND HELP PEOPLE SEE IT.
I THINK PEOPLE WOULD REALLY LIKE HAVING THAT BIG PLANE IN THEIR PHOTOS WHEN THEY'RE TAKING SELFIES.
THE NEXT ONE IS RELATED TO ACTION ITEM 4.1.
IT SPEAKS TO TRAIL WAY FINDERS SIGNAGE.
I NOTED WHEN I LOOKED THROUGH THE STRATEGY ITSELF, THERE SEEMED TO BE A BUNCH OF TRAILS THAT AREN'T INCLUDED, AND I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS JUST THE IMAGE IN THE STRATEGY.
IT WAS A BIT UNCLEAR TO ME, OR WHETHER ONLY TRAILS IN THE IMMEDIATE DOWNTOWN WHERE CONSIDERED A PRIORITY FOR SIGNAGE AND WAYFINDING.
PARTICULARLY I WAS WONDERING ABOUT, AND THIS IS AN OVERARCHING COMMENT I WAS GOING TO MAKE IN A MINUTE HERE, BUT JUST HOW DOES THE WAYFINDING STRATEGY RELATE TO COMMUTER ROUTES? I'M THINKING OF ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION, COMMUTING.
PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN YELLOWKNIFE AND USE THE YELLOWKNIFE'S TRAILS FOR GETTING TO AND FROM WORK AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
WAYFINDING IS REALLY MOST SPECIFICALLY INTENDED TO REALLY ENHANCE THE EXPERIENCE THAT PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT BE AS FAMILIAR WITH AREAS OF TOWN.
THROUGH PICTOGRAPHS AND INFOGRAPHS, THERE'S THE ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE WHERE TO GO TO ACCESS CERTAIN THINGS AND HOW TO ENJOY CERTAIN AREAS THAT PEOPLE MAY NOT HAVE KNOWN ABOUT OR THINK THAT, HEY, I'VE HEARD A TOURIST BROCHURE ONLINE AND THIS IS A GOOD THING TO SEE.
WE'RE REALLY PROMINENTLY FOCUSING ON THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE, BUT IT DOES ALSO INCLUDE THAT RESIDENTS GET TO GO OUT AND EXPERIENCE TRAILS AROUND TOWN THAT THEY MAY NOT HAVE EITHER.
I THINK WE'RE LOOKING AT THOSE KINDS OF EXPERIENCES.
I WILL ASK MISS THISTLE IF SHE COULD SPEAK TO COMMUTER.
I DON'T THINK THAT WAS A VERY PROMINENT PART OF THE WORK THAT WAS DONE UNDER WAYFINDING.
ASSUMING THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE COMMUTING MAY KNOW WHERE THEY'RE GOING IF THEY'RE GOING TO WORK EVERY DAY BUT I'LL ASK HER BECAUSE THERE'S MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE THOUGHT THAT GOES INTO THAT THEN I'M IMAGINING. MISS THISTLE.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
REALLY WE WANT TO HAVE A SIMILAR LOOK AND FEEL FOR ALL THE SIGNS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
THAT'S WHY YOU CAN SEE THROUGHOUT THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, COMMUNITY SERVICES HAS A LOT OF THE LEAD IN THIS BECAUSE THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TRAILS.
I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF MR. WHITE, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE IN SOME OF THE FEEDBACK COMMENT, IT'S REALLY DOING INVENTORIES OF THE CURRENTLY EXISTING SIGNS, EXPLORING PLACING TRAIL SIGNS AT PRIORITY LOCATIONS.
AS PART OF THAT INVENTORY THAT'S BEING DONE, ANTICIPATED OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS.
I WOULD ANTICIPATE THAT THOSE PRIORITY LOCATIONS WOULD BE IDENTIFIED WHETHER THAT'S THROUGH THE WAYFINDING STRATEGY OR AS A RESULT OF COMMUTER TRAILS THAT COMMUNITY SERVICES CAN FLAG AS PART OF THAT WORK.
THEN WE WOULD LOOK AT, I WOULD IMAGINE, SIMILAR SIGNS BECAUSE THE WHOLE POINT OF A WAYFINDING STRATEGY IS TO CREATE SUCH A SIGN THAT ANYTIME ANYBODY SEES IT, THEY IDENTIFY IT WITH THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE.
REALLY THAT'S WHAT WE'RE AFTER HERE.
IF YOU GO THROUGH THE CITY ON THE TRAILS, WHETHER IT'S FRAMED LIKE TRAIL OR EVEN LIKE TRAIL RANGE-LIKE, WE WANT ALL THE SIGNS FOR PEOPLE TO IMMEDIATELY KNOW, THIS IS THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE SIGN JUST BY THE COLORS, THE FONTS, THE PICTURES.
THAT'S WHERE I WOULD SEE THESE TWO INTERCONNECTING.
THE WAYFINDING STRATEGY DID NOT FOCUS ON COMMUTER TRAILS, BUT IT'S SUPPOSED TO AS PART OF THIS PROJECT, WE SHOULD BE IDENTIFYING THE PRIORITY LOCATIONS AS PART OF THE INVENTORY THAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO DO IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS.
I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
I DON'T HAVE ANY MORE SPECIFIC INFORMATION ON COMMUTER SIGNS.
>> THANKS. YEAH. I APPRECIATE THOSE COMMENTS AND GENERALLY AGREE AS WELL.
I THINK ENSURING THAT OUR BRANDING.
I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S REALLY THE RIGHT TERM IN THIS CASE, BUT OF OUR SIGNS IS ALL CONSISTENT THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
I REALLY DO THINK THAT'LL HELP US LOOK LIKE WE'VE GOT OUR DUCKS IN A ROW WHEN IT COMES TO THINGS BECAUSE SOMETIMES WE GO DOWN THE FAMILY TRAIL, THERE'S DEFINITELY SOME SIGNS THAT ARE REALLY IN NEED OF SOME ATTENTION.
I THINK I'M VERY EXCITED THAT WE'RE GOING FOR THIS PROJECT BECAUSE IT'S A LONG TIME COMING.
I THINK FOR SOME PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT THOSE OLD SIGNS STARTING TO AGE AND SEEING GENERATIONS OF SIGNS DEVELOPING AROUND YELLOWKNIFE.
[00:25:04]
I THINK IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE ALL ONE LOOK.CERTAINLY I DO AGREE WITH ADMINISTRATION THAT I THINK WHEN LOOKING THROUGH THIS, I FELT THAT THE TOURISM ASPECT AND ITS RELATION TO TOURISTS WAS REALLY STRONG AND IT'S THE STRONGEST PART OF THIS STRATEGY AND PLAN, AND AGREE THAT NEW RESIDENTS AND VISITORS TO THE COMMUNITIES SHOULD BE THE PRIORITY FOR WAYFINDING BECAUSE OF COURSE, THEY'RE THE PEOPLE THAT USE THE SIGNAGE THE MOST.
THOSE OF US WHO HAVE LIVED HERE FOR 20 YEARS GET AROUND BY REFERRING TO THINGS NOT BY STREET NAMES, BUT BY PLACE NAMES.
REFERRING THE WINKS AS WINK SIGNAL, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVEN'T HAD A WINKS FOR 20 YEARS.
PERHAPS I DON'T EVEN ACTUALLY THINK THIS QUESTION IS RELATED TO THE WAYFINDING STRATEGY IN THAT CASE BUT I DID WANT TO DRAW ATTENTION TO OUR TRAIL AND HAS BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE STRATEGY THAT WE APPROVED IN 2018.
I WOULD JUST NOTICE THAT THERE'S A NUMBER OF ITEMS WHEN I LOOKED THROUGH THAT, THAT WE HAVEN'T REALLY ADDRESSED YET.
PERHAPS RATHER THAN ASKING ADMINISTRATION A QUESTION RELATED TO STRATEGY THAT IS BEFORE US, I WOULD JUST ASK THAT MAYBE WE CAN HAVE WITHIN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS WHEN ADMINISTRATION HAS TIME, FOR JUST AN UPDATE ON THE TRAIL AND HAS BEEN A CONNECTIVITY STRATEGY JUST TO MAKE SURE WE HAVEN'T LET THAT FALL BY THE WAYSIDE BECAUSE I DO THINK THE COMMUTER ASPECT OF OUR TRAILS AND HOW WE HELP PEOPLE GET AROUND THE CITY IS ALSO IMPORTANT.
IT MAY NOT BE THE FIRST PRIORITY OF THE WAYFINDING STRATEGY, I DO THINK THAT'S TOTALLY APPROPRIATE, BUT YEAH, JUST LOOKING AT THIS STRATEGY MADE ME THINK OF THE CONNECTIVITY STRATEGY AGAIN AND JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT BUG IN ADMINISTRATIONS YEAR TO REMIND THEM TO HAVE A LOOK AT THAT AGAIN AND SEE IF WE CAN THROW SOME PRIORITIES FOR OUR 2022 BUDGET FROM THAT STRATEGY.
IF THERE'S A LOW HANGING FRUIT THAT HAPPENS TO COME UP.
THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS ON THAT, THAT COULD BE NOTED, AND I THINK THAT'S ALL MY COMMENTS ON THE WAYFINDING STRATEGY.
AGAIN, THANKS TO ADMINISTRATION FOR THE GOOD WORK, I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING MORE OF THESE SIGNS GET UPDATED AND POPPING UP AROUND TOWN.
I THINK THIS IS A GREAT INITIATIVE FOR THE CITY TO BE DOING AND REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING OUR TOURISTS BACK AND USING THESE SIGNS.
>> THANK YOU FOR SURE. COUNSELORS.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I'M HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF DIFFICULTIES.
IF I HAPPEN TO SHORT OUT, MY INTERNET IS REALLY, REALLY CHOPPY TODAY.
I REALLY ENJOYED DOING THE READING FOR FURTHER SIGNAGE AND WAY-FINDING.
REALLY, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR, JUST MORE COMMENTS.
I THINK THE COLORING FOR OUR BRANDING, IT'S VERY DELICIOUS TO MY EYES AND I LOVE THE COLORS.
IT JUST LOOKS [LAUGHTER] DELICIOUS. DON'T JUDGE ME.
[LAUGHTER] I JUST ACTUALLY CAME BACK FROM HAY RIVER GOING CAMPING WITH MY KIDS THIS WEEKEND, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE REALLY NOTICED IS A LOT OF THE WORK THAT HAY RIVER HAS DONE.
I LIVED IN HAY RIVER FOR A FEW MONTHS BACK IN THE '90S.
COMPARED TO, LIKE THIS IS 20 PLUS YEARS AGO.
NO, THIS IS ALMOST 30 YEARS AGO.
THIRTY PLUS YEARS AGO THEY DIDN'T HAVE WHAT THEY HAVE NOW.
THEY'VE REALLY DONE A GREAT JOB ON JUST THE PRESENTATION OF THEIR TRAILS.
THEY'RE LUSH, THEY'RE GREEN, THEY'RE WELL KEPT.
EVEN DOWN TO THEIR TERRITORIAL PARK, WHICH AS A CITY, WE DON'T REALLY DEAL WITH THE TERRITORIAL PARKS AND TERRITORIES DEALS WITH THAT, BUT WE WORK TOGETHER.
BUT YEAH, MY KIDS REALLY ENJOYED THE SIGNAGE.
THEY LOVED BEING ABLE TO SEE WHERE TO GO, WHERE TO FIND THE FISHERMAN'S, WHEREAS THE MUSEUM WAS AWESOME.
I'M SURE THE NEXT THING THAT THEY'RE GOING TO TRY AND DO IS PUT UP SOME WAY-FINDING SIGNS FOR THE FOSSILS.
WE DID SOME FOSSIL HUNTING AND MY KIDS LOVED IT.
LOOKING AT IT FROM A CHILD'S PERSPECTIVE, THEY HONESTLY DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE.
I'M LIKE, "I'M SORRY KIDS, I HAVE TO COME HOME.
I GOT TO GO TO WORK." BUT THEY LOVED IT.
THEY LIKED BEING ABLE TO SEE WHERE THEY WERE GOING, WHAT THERE WAS TO SEE, WHAT THERE WAS TO DO, AND THEY HAD A GREAT EXPERIENCE.
I'M REALLY HOPING WITH WHAT WE'RE IMPLEMENTING HERE, WE'RE GOING DOWN THAT AVENUE AND I KNOW WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY, VERY HARD AND I'M HOPING BY THE TIME WE DO GET ALL THOSE TOURISTS BACK THAT WE'LL HAVE DONE SO MUCH LEG WORK.
[00:30:04]
THIS IS THE ICING ON THE CAKE AND I'M GOING BACK TO THAT BUTTER BECAUSE ICING INCLUDES BUTTER.THERE'S THE ICING [LAUGHTER] ON THE CAKE THERE.
I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING HOW THIS ALL LAYS OUT FOR US. THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS.
>> THANK YOU. ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? SEEING NONE.
WE WILL BRING THIS FORWARD TO OUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING, WHICH IS MONDAY, AUGUST 23RD.
NEXT, WE HAVE A MEMORANDUM REGARDING WHETHER TO
[6. A memorandum regarding whether to approve the recommendations of the City of Yellowknife Community Advisory Board on Homelessness to allocate Federal Reaching Home funding for COVID‐19]
APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD ON HOMELESSNESS TO ALLOCATE FEDERAL REACHING HOME FUNDING FOR COVID-19.MS. BASSI-KELLETT, IF YOU'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE ITEM.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR.
I THINK ONE THING WE CAN ALL AGREE ON IS THAT THERE HAS BEEN A BIT OF A SILVER LINING ON A FEW FRONTS BECAUSE OF COVID.
CERTAINLY, IN TERMS OF FUNDING FOR CAB AND FOR HOMELESSNESS, WE ARE SEEING THAT THERE'S BEEN AN INCREASED INVESTMENT IN ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS ISSUES FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, INCLUDING THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAT WE'VE RECEIVED IN 2021 OF $1.2 MILLION THAT COMES TO US UNDER THE FEDERAL REACHING HOME COVID FUNDS.
THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD HAS SPENT A NUMBER OF MEETINGS REALLY WORKING HARD TO CONSIDER A RANGE OF OPTIONS FOR ALLOCATING THESE FUNDS AND THEY'VE RECOMMENDED ALLOCATIONS TOWARDS THE ARCTIC INDIGENOUS WELLNESS FOUNDATION'S PROGRAMMING, SOME FOR FRONTLINE STAFF TRAINING, AND SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF THAT AMOUNT OF THE $1.2 MILLION TO GO TOWARDS THE PURCHASE OF A BUILDING THAT CAN HELP ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THERE ARE TWO ADDITIONAL MOTIONS FROM CAB AT IT'S JULY 19TH MEETING AND I THINK THAT THERE'LL BE SOME OF THE PARTICIPANTS WHO CAN SPEAK TO THAT IN MORE DETAIL AS THE DISCUSSION AROUND THESE RECOMMENDATIONS COME FORWARD.
THEY WEREN'T IMPACTING THIS FUNDING AT ALL, BUT THEY WERE RELATED TO HOW WE COLLABORATE WITH OTHER ORDERS OF GOVERNMENT ON ADDRESSING TEMPORARY DAY SHELTERS AND HOW THE ISSUES AROUND HOMELESSNESS ARE ADDRESSED WITHIN THE CITY ITSELF.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU. YES, AND AS MS. BASSI-KELLETT NOTED, CAB DID MAKE TWO PHILOSOPHICAL, I GUESS, RECOMMENDATIONS TO ACCOMPANY THESE THREE FINANCIAL RECOMMENDATIONS.
THE OTHER TWO ARE, ONE, THAT TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR YELLOWKNIFE HOMELESSNESS WORKING GROUP BE DEVELOPED AND REVIEWED BY THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD ON HOMELESSNESS, AND THE TERMS OF REFERENCE, THE TOURS SHOULD INCLUDE MEMBERSHIP, ROLES, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND DELIVERABLES.
BULLET POINT TWO IS THAT CAB RECOGNIZES THE NEED FOR A SECOND TEMPORARY DAY SHELTER AND IS SUPPORTIVE OF THE ESTABLISHMENT.
THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION WHEN WE WERE DISCUSSING HOW TO USE THE FUNDING, AND SO WE DID WANT TO NOTE THAT THESE ARE THE THREE AREAS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO FOCUS THE REACHING HOME FUNDING.
HOWEVER, ALSO WANTED TO DEVELOP A WORKING GROUP TO DEAL WITH MORE ISSUE SINCE CAB IS REALLY ABOUT ALLOCATING FUNDING.
WHEREAS THE WORKING GROUP CAN DEAL WITH ISSUES OUTSIDE OF JUST FUNDING.
TO NOTE AS WELL FOR THE NEED TO UPDATE THE MINUTES FROM THE MEETING OF JULY 19TH.
THAT'S PAGE 87 OF OUR PACKAGE.
REMOVING THOSE THREE BULLETS AND ADDING THESE TWO BULLETS.
THE THREE BULLETS THAT WERE ADDED WERE ITERATIONS THAT LANDED US ON THESE TWO BULLETS.
JUST AMENDING THE MINUTES TO ACTUALLY STRIKE THOSE THREE AND ADD THESE TWO.
OPENING IT UP TO QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL. COUNCILOR WILLIAMS.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I NOTICED ON THERE, A LOT OF WAGE TOP-UPS WAS THE USAGE OF THIS FUNDING.
JUST CURIOUS HOW THAT CHECK THE BOXES FOR THE FEDERAL FUNDING AND MAYBE JUST TO HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHAT SOME OF THE PARAMETERS WERE AROUND THAT FUNDING.
JUST SURPRISED ME THAT THEY WOULDN'T HAVE CHOSEN THINGS THAT WOULD POSSIBLY STICK IN THE COMMUNITY A LITTLE BIT LONGER.
CURIOUS WHAT SOME OF THAT DISCUSSION WAS ABOUT WAGE TOP-UPS AND HOW IT FIT INTO THAT PROGRAM.
>> THAT BIG LIST IS ACTUALLY WHAT WE USED LAST YEAR'S FUNDING FOR.
WE RECEIVED SOME COVID FUNDING AT THE END OF OCTOBER 2020,
[00:35:02]
THAT HAD TO BE SPENT BY MARCH 31ST.WITH THE TIGHT TIMELINE, THAT WAS DEEMED AS ONE OF THE THE MOST SUITABLE PROJECTS TO SUPPORT AND RECOGNIZING HOW MUCH FRONTLINE WORKERS OF HOUSING NGOS DID DURING COVID, THIS WAS A BIT LIKE GROCERY STORE WORKERS RECEIVED THE COVID WAGE TOP-UP.
THIS IS THE EQUIVALENT FOR HOUSING NGO STAFF.
FOR OUR 2021/ 2022, ARE EITHER THE FUNDING THAT WE JUST RECEIVED FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN JULY, WHICH HAS TO BE SPENT BY MARCH 31ST, 2022.
THE THREE ITEMS THAT CAB IS RECOMMENDING IS THAT FUNDING FOR ARCTIC INDIGENOUS WELLNESS FOUNDATION, SO THAT'S JUST OVER 347, $10,000.
IT SHOULD ACTUALLY SAVE FRONTLINE TRAINING AND FIRST AID.
THERE WAS A RECOGNITION THAT FRONTLINE STAFF CAN USE A BIT MORE TRAINING.
THEN THE THIRD ONE IS, IT'LL GO OUT TO AN RFP BECAUSE IT IS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY.
BUT FOR OUR LOCAL NGOS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN PURCHASING, THEN SOME OF THAT FUNDING CAN ALSO GO TO RENOVATE A BUILDING TO END HOMELESSNESS.
THOSE ARE REALLY THE THREE PROJECTS THAT CAB'S LOOKING TO USE THE MONEY FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR.
>> THAT CLARIFIES IT FOR ME. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
>> NOT A PROBLEM. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COUNCIL MORSE.
THIS ONE BECAME A LITTLE BIT CONFUSING FOR ME.
FORGIVE ME AS I ASK SOME BASIC QUESTIONS ABOUT IT.
I READ THROUGH THE MINUTES OF THE CAB.
THEY ARE A LITTLE BIT SPARSE IN TERMS OF DETAILS.
THERE WAS A LOT OF TALK IN THE MINUTES ABOUT THE NEED FOR A TEMPORARY D SHELTER.
THERE WAS MOTIONS IN THE MINUTES RELATED TO DOING A TEMPORARY SHELTER AND MY FEELING, OR NOT FEELING, BUT MY READING OF THE MINUTES AFTER LOOKING THROUGH THEM IS THAT MOTION ENDED UP BEING RECUSED.
OR OH SORRY, PULLED BACK, AND THEN THIS NEW RECOMMENDATION CAME FORWARD.
WHAT'S NOT ENTIRELY CLEAR TO ME IS THE CAB IS LOOKING FOR APPROVAL FROM COUNCIL TO SPEND $800,000 ON ACQUISITION OF A BUILDING TO HOPEFULLY HOUSE UP TO NINE UNITS OF SUPPORTED HOUSING.
BUT THERE ISN'T VERY MUCH DETAIL AS TO WHAT THIS MIGHT ACTUALLY ENTAIL.
IS THERE ANY WAY WE CAN GET SOME MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT EXACTLY IS BEING PROPOSED HERE? ARE WE TALKING ABOUT TEMPORARY HOUSING? IS THIS GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT PROVIDES HOUSING FOR A YEAR? IS IT GOING TO BE PERMANENT HOUSING, WHERE PEOPLE END UP IN HOUSING AND IT WILL BE ONGOING WITHOUT BEING PULLED BACK? ANY INFORMATION WE CAN HAVE ABOUT WHO'S GOING TO RUN THE SUPPORTED HOUSING.
ALL OF THAT INFORMATION IS UNCLEAR TO ME HERE.
I'M JUST LOOKING FOR SOME MORE DETAILS ON WHAT'S BEING ASKED.
>> YEAH. I'LL ZOOM OUT AND DO A BIT MORE OF THE BACKGROUND.
IN APRIL, WE RECEIVED VERBAL INDICATION FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT THEY WERE GOING TO BUMP UP OUR REACHING HOME FUNDING AGAIN THIS YEAR.
BUT FIRST, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAD TO APPROVE THE BUDGET, WHICH HAPPENS ABOUT, END OF JUNE.
THEY GAVE US ADVANCED WARNING, WHICH WAS GREAT BECAUSE THEN WE WERE ABLE TO SPEND A FEW MONTHS BEFORE WE ACTUALLY RECEIVE THE FUNDING, GENERATING IDEAS ON HOW TO SPEND IT.
VERSUS LAST YEAR'S FUNDING WHERE THE END OF OCTOBER IS LIKE, BOOM, HERE'S SOME MONEY AND IT HAS TO BE SPENT IN FIVE MONTHS.
WHEN WE FOUND OUT IN APRIL THAT WE WERE GOING TO RECEIVE SOME EXTRA FUNDING.
IN MAY WE WENT OUT TO AN EXPRESSION OF INTEREST.
WE SAID TO ANY NGO, TO ANY BUSINESS, ANYBODY IN YOUR LIFE, WE'VE RECEIVED JUST OVER $1 MILLION, AND THESE ARE THE PARAMETERS.
IT'S BASICALLY ENDING OR PREVENTING HOMELESSNESS, AND WHAT WOULD YOUR IDEAS BE.
WE RECEIVED A FEW DIFFERENT PROPOSALS FROM NGOS, RANGING FROM THE ARCTIC INDIGENOUS WELLNESS FOUNDATION, PROVIDING A BREAKFAST AND LUNCH PROGRAM AND AN EXTRA STAFF MEMBER WHO CAN PROVIDE CHILDCARE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING THERE WITH THEIR KIDS TO GET TREATMENT.
[00:40:03]
[NOISE]. ALL THE WAY TO, ONE NGO PROPOSED BUYING A BUILDING AND THEY'LL OPERATE IT AND IT WILL END HOMELESSNESS.FOR ABOUT SEVEN PEOPLE WAS OR SEVEN UNITS.
THAT COULD ALSO, I GUESS HAVE COUPLES IN THERE.
IN THE END, CAB CHOSE TO ALLOCATE THE FUNDING FOR THESE THREE.
AFTER WE MADE THAT MOTION AT THE END OF JUNE, HOWEVER, THE GNWT CAME FORWARD TO SEE IF THERE WOULD BE ANY FUNDING TO HELP SET UP A SECOND TEMPORARY DAY SHELTER.
THAT'S WHY CAB RECONVENED ON JULY, 19TH TO DECIDE IF WE WANTED TO ALTER OUR MOTION THAT WE MADE AT THE END OF JUNE, WHICH IS THE MOTION THAT THE COUNCIL SEES IN FRONT OF US.
CAB HEARD THE GNWT PROPOSAL ABOUT SETTING UP A SECONDARY DAY SHELTER.
HOWEVER, DECIDED TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THESE THREE, WHICH IS A BUILDING THAT NGO CAN ACQUIRE AND THEN ACTUALLY OPERATE IT AND END HOMELESSNESS.
THE GNWT IS STILL GOING FORWARD WITH THE SECOND TEMPORARY DAY SHELTER.
THAT WAS WHERE CAB WAS JUST REITERATING OUR SUPPORT FOR A SECOND TEMPORARY DAY SHELTER.
HOWEVER, AT THE TIME FELT THAT THE REACHING HOME FUNDING WOULD BE BETTER SPENT ON THESE THREE PROPOSALS.
ALSO, MORGAN, DO WANT TO ADD ANY EXTRA DETAIL THERE? YEAH. I WAS JUST GOING TO HELP EXPLAIN TOO THAT WE GOT A SPECIFIC PROPOSAL AS PART OF THE EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST, FOR AN ORGANIZATION THAT WANTS TO PURCHASE A SPECIFIC BUILDING AND HAVE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF UNITS IN THERE.
SPECIFICALLY FOR YOUTH WHO ARE HOMELESS, AND THAT WOULD BE PERMANENT SUPPORTED HOUSING.
HOWEVER, WE REALIZED IN OUR DELIBERATIONS WITH THE COMMITTEE WITH ASSISTANCE FROM ADMINISTRATION THAT THE COMMITTEE CAN'T JUST ACCEPT THAT PROPOSAL AND ALLOCATE THE FUNDS DIRECTLY TO THAT NGO.
THAT FIRST, WE WOULD HAVE TO PUT OUT AN RFP JUST TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS IN TOWN THAT HAVE A SIMILAR IDEA, OR MAYBE SOMEBODY ELSE WANTS TO PURCHASE THAT SAME BUILDING AND RUN IT AS SUPPORTED HOUSING OR HAS A DIFFERENT IDEA.
WHILE WE DO HAVE ONE SPECIFIC IDEA OF WHAT COULD BE DONE WITH THAT FUNDING BECAUSE THERE IS ONE NGO WHO IS READY AND WILLING TO DO THAT.
WE JUST FIRST WANTED TO PUT OUT THE RFP ONCE APPROVAL FROM COUNCIL, IF APPROVAL FROM COUNCIL IS OBTAINED.
THEN WE WILL PUT THE RFP JUST TO CHECK AND SEE WHO ELSE OUT THERE MIGHT WANT TO DO SOMETHING SIMILAR OR HAS ANOTHER IDEA SO THAT THERE'S AN OPEN AND TRANSPARENT AND COMPETITIVE PROCESS.
THAT'S WHY WE, IN THIS MOTION, CAN'T GIVE VERY DETAILED SPECIFICS AS TO, WHAT'S THE BUILDING? HOW'S IT GOING TO BE RUN? WHO'S GOING TO RUN IT? BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE TO GO TO THE NEXT STEP OF ISSUING THE RFP JUST TO MAKE SURE, WHO ELSE OUT THERE MIGHT WANT TO DO SOMETHING SIMILAR, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE SOME ASSURANCE THAT AT LEAST ONE ORGANIZATION IS WILLING AND PREPARED TO DO THAT.
>> YEAH. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MORGAN.
JUST HAVING AN EXPRESSION OF INTEREST WASN'T SUFFICIENT FROM A PROCUREMENT PERSPECTIVE TO SPEND OVER $800,000, WE HAVE TO GO TO THE RFP PROCESS.
>> THANK YOU TO THE MAYOR AND THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE FOR THOSE CLARIFICATIONS.
YEAH, CERTAINLY, I DON'T WANT TO BE THE COG IN THE WHEEL THAT HOLDS THIS UP AND WANT TO SEE US GETTING SOLUTIONS IN PLACE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
I MIGHT SUGGEST THAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE TO SEE SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES OF A DRAFTED RFP OR AT LEAST SOMETHING TO GIVE US AN IDEA OF THE PARAMETERS.
BUT I THINK IF I CAN JUST VERBALIZE THOSE AND GET CONFIRMATION THAT IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE THESE $800,000 IS GOING TO BE USED FOR ESTABLISHING PERMANENT HOUSING FOR 10 OR LESS PEOPLE.
THE HOPE IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO GO OUT WITH AN RFP TO SEE IF THERE'S AN ORGANIZATION IN TOWN THAT CAN DO THAT.
DOES THAT SOUND ABOUT CLOSE TO WHAT'S BEING DONE HERE?
>> YEAH. WE'RE MOVING AT, QUOTE-UNQUOTE, BREAKNECK SPEED, HAVING THE RFP WRITTEN.
IT STILL HAS TO BE REVIEWED BY BOTH CITY'S TEAM TO MAKE SURE WE'RE FOLLOWING OUR PROCUREMENT PROCESS BUT ALSO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING THEIR PROCESS.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S OUTLINES THAT WE NEED TO
[00:45:01]
DO X NUMBER OF BUILDING ASSESSMENTS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.THE RFP IS ABOUT PURCHASING AND RENOVATING A BUILDING TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS, WHICH IS HOUSING.
WE DIDN'T GO INTO SUCH MINUTIAE AS HOW MANY PEOPLE IT HAS TO HOUSE.
IF IN THE RFP PROCESS, YOU WOULD GET MORE POINTS FOR HOUSING MORE PEOPLE.
WE WOULDN'T WANT TO GET INTO THE WEEDS ON DICTATING WHAT'S IN THE RFP.
REALLY, IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO FOLLOW WHAT THE FEDS REACHING HOME FUNDING CRITERIA.
MS. BESSIE KELLARD, ANYTHING TO ADD FROM A STAFF PERSPECTIVE?
>> I THINK YOU'VE NAILED IT THERE.
I'LL SEE IF MR. WHITE HAS ANYTHING SPECIFICALLY ON THIS.
>> THANK YOU. MISS BESSIE KELLARD. I GUESS THEY WOULD ADD [INAUDIBLE] IN TERMS OF LONGEVITY.
THE REACHING HOME DIRECTIVES CLEARLY INDICATE THAT THIS FACILITY HAS TO BE OPERATING FOR A MINIMUM OF FIVE YEARS. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU TO THE MAYOR MS. REBECCA ALTY ADMINISTRATION FOR THOSE FURTHER CLARIFYING ANSWERS.
I THINK THAT REALLY IS HELPFUL FOR ME, AND I AGREE WITH THE MAYOR THAT CERTAINLY WE DON'T WANT TO BE LIMITING THE AMOUNT OF HOUSING IF PEOPLE CAN MANAGE TO HOUSE MORE INDIVIDUALS WITH MONEY PROVIDED THROUGH THIS FUNDING.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE COULD SEE EVEN MORE THAN PEOPLE THAT'D BE WONDERFUL.
YEAH, MY OVERALL FEELING IS GENERALLY I AM SUPPORTIVE OF THAT SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATION, THE 800,000.
I'LL ASK A QUESTION BEFORE I MAKE THEM.
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME COUNCIL WAS GIVEN A FULSOME UPDATE ON PROGRESS REPORT RELATED TO THE 10-YEAR PLAN ITSELF? HAVE WE DONE [OVERLAPPING] PROGRESS REPORTING ON IT?
>> LAST UBC. YOU AND I MISSED IT.
>> OH, DONE. WELL, I'LL LOOK BACK THROUGH THAT.
I DIDN'T LOOK AT THOSE MINUTES YET, BUT I'LL HAVE A LOOK.
I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS THAT I THINK ARE STILL APPLICABLE, AND THE CAB AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT ENDING HOMELESSNESS IS DEFINITELY A COMPLEX, NUANCED ISSUE.
IT'S GOING TO INVOLVE MORE THAN JUST PERMANENT HOUSING. I DO GET THAT.
THERE'S A LOT OF SOCIAL ISSUES RELATED TO HOMELESSNESS, SO I THINK ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE ARCTIC INDIGENOUS WELLNESS FOUNDATION ARE INTEGRAL TO THE PLAN, BUT WHAT REMAINS UNCLEAR TO ME AND MAYBE THESE QUESTIONS WOULD BE ANSWERED THROUGH THE UPDATE AND I WILL OBVIOUSLY GO BACK AND READ THAT, BUT IT'S UNCLEAR TO ME HOW SUCH SERVICES FALL UNDER THE CITY UMBRELLA AND RELATE DIRECTLY TO THE 10-YEAR PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS.
I THINK THAT THE DIFFICULTY FOR ME IS THAT RECOMMENDATIONS COMING FROM THE CAB DON'T NECESSARILY OR AT LEAST IT'S NOT CLEAR TO ME HOW THEY DRAW A DIRECT LINK TO OUR 10-YEAR PLAN.
IT HAS FELT AND I THINK A FEW OF US COUNSELORS AND MAKE COMMENTS LIKE THIS AT SOME OF THE PREVIOUS RECOMMENDATIONS THAT SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS COMING FROM THE CAB FEEL LIKE THEY'RE A BIT AD HOC, AND BASED ON IMMEDIATE NEEDS OF DIFFERENT HELPING ORGANIZATIONS IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT THEY DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE A DIRECT CONNECTION TO THE REACHING HOME FUNDING.
WELL, THEY DO HAVE A DIRECT CONNECTION TO THE FUNDING AS THEY'RE USING IT, BUT THEY DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE A DIRECT CONNECTION TO THE 10-YEAR PLAN, SO THAT'S WHERE I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF DIFFICULTY WITH THOSE KINDS OF RECOMMENDATIONS.
IT SEEMS TO ME THAT FUNDING TO THE AIWF IS THAT REALLY PART OF THE CABS MANDATE AND WHAT WE NEED TO BE DOING AS PART OF OUR 10-YEAR PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS, OR IS THAT A SERVICE WHICH MORE APPROPRIATELY FALLS UNDER HEALTH AND SHOULD BE FUNDED BY GNWT.
THAT'S CURRENTLY HAS AN MCUNIC RECOMMENDATIONS LIKE THAT.
I THINK IF THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE TIED TO THE 10-YEAR PLAN, IF THE HELPING SERVICES PROVIDED BY THAT ORGANIZATION ARE DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE PLAN, DIRECTLY RELATED TO ENDING HOMELESSNESS, IT'S EASIER FOR ME TO APPROVE THAT FUNDING, BUT IT DOES SEEM TO ME IN SOME CASES THAT THE REACHING HOME FUNDING IS BEING USED, AND I DON'T BLAME THEM AND I'M NOT MEANING THIS AS A CRITICISM,
[00:50:01]
BUT IT SEEMS THAT IT'S BEING TAKEN OUT OPPORTUNISTICALLY BY ORGANIZATIONS THAT ALWAYS NEED FUNDING.I MEAN, ANY OF THESE NGOS PROVIDING HELPING SERVICES, OF COURSE, ANY AMOUNT OF FUNDING THAT THEY CAN OBTAIN FROM ANY SOURCE THEY'RE GOING TO USE IT AND THEY'RE GOING TO NEED IT AND THEY PROVIDE EXCELLENT SERVICE.
BUT THE LACK OF CLARITY AS TO THEIR DIRECT CONNECTION TO THE 10-YEAR PLAN IS THE ONLY THING THAT'S MISSING FOR ME.
PERHAPS THIS IS A QUESTION THAT CAN BE EASILY ANSWERED.
I GUESS THAT IS MY OVERARCHING QUESTION IS, HOW DOES THE RECOMMENDATION TO ALLOCATE A FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF MONEY TO AIWF RELATE DIRECTLY BACK TO THE 10-YEAR PLAN AND THE INTENTION OF THE REACHING HOME FUNDING? THANKS.
>> SURE THING. ON PAGE 55 OF THE 10-YEAR PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS IS SUPPOSED TO BE 2018 ACTION, BUT UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF RECONCILIATION, THE ACTION IS SUPPORT EFFORTS FOR THE INDIGENOUS WELLNESS CENTER TO BEGIN OPERATIONS.
SO THE 10-YEAR PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS SEES THE ARCTIC INDIGENOUS WELLNESS FOUNDATION AS A KEY ELEMENT IN THE ENDING HOMELESSNESS, AND ENDING HOMELESSNESS INVOLVES SUPPORTS AND TRAUMA HEALING.
IT IS A DIRECT ACTION IN OUR 10-YEAR PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS.
ALONG WITH ACTUALLY GETTING HOUSING AND A LOT OF OTHER, LIKE 2019, AGAIN IN REFERENCES SUPPORT THE INDIGENOUS WELLNESS CENTERS ACTIVITIES AND THE HANDS ACCESS TO CAPITAL AND OPERATION RESOURCE NEEDS.
IT IS REFERENCED A FAIR AMOUNT IN OUR 10-YEAR PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS.
>> OKAY. THANKS. I APPRECIATE THAT.
[LAUGHTER] ENCYCLOPEDIC KNOWLEDGE OF THE MAYOR WHO'S ALWAYS ABLE TO REFERENCE BY PAGE NUMBER, DIFFERENT PLANS AND THEIR RESOURCES BETTER THAN I CAN.
IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE IS A CONNECTION.
THAT DEFINITELY ANSWERS MY QUESTION THERE.
GOING BACK TO THE $800,000 RECOMMENDATION, I DO REALIZE I WAS ASKING A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT IT, BUT I DO WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT I'M VERY EXCITED TO SEE A RECOMMENDATION THAT TALKS ABOUT BRICKS AND MORTAR HOUSING COMING FROM THE CAB.
I THINK COUNCIL WAS EXPRESSING A LOT OF RESERVATIONS ABOUT HOW WE WEREN'T NECESSARILY USING THE FUNDING TO REALLY PUT ROOFS OVER PEOPLE'S HEADS, AND I THINK THAT IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THIS.
IT'S VERY EXCITING TO SEE SOMETHING COME FORWARD FROM THE CAB.
CERTAINLY, HOUSING IS A BIG ISSUE.
THERE'S A LOT MORE PEOPLE THAT NEED HOUSES THAN 10, BUT EVERY 10 UNITS, WE CAN PUT TO GOOD USE AND PUTTING ROOFS OVER PEOPLE'S HEADS IS A STEP FORWARD.
I'M VERY EXCITED TO SEE THIS RECOMMENDATION COMING FROM THE CAB ALL ENTHUSIASTICALLY SUPPORTED AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THIS RFP GO OUT AND SEE WHAT COMES BACK IN TERMS OF PROPOSALS FOR WHAT PEOPLE CAN EITHER BUILD OR UTILIZE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT EXISTS. THANKS.
>> THANK YOU. YEAH. THIS IS THE EXACT CONVERSATION THAT CAB WAS HAVING, WAS THAT THAT BALANCE BETWEEN HAVING THE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT ARE NEEDED TO END HOMELESSNESS WITH THE ACTUAL HOUSING STOCK TO END HOMELESSNESS.
TOOK ABOUT 12 HOURS OF DELIBERATIONS, BUT WE GOT THERE AND THOUGHT THAT THIS STRUCK THE BALANCE BETWEEN THE TWO.
LIKE YOU SAY, IT'S NOT A LOT OF MONEY, THE 806 IS GOING TO HELP SOME PEOPLE END HOMELESSNESS.
FOR YEARS TO COME, AS MR. WADE SAID, WHATEVER BUILDING IS PURCHASED AT THE MINIMUM HAS TO BE FOR FIVE YEARS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COUNSEL? COUNSEL MORGAN?
>> THANKS. I JUST WANTED TO ADD TO CERTAINLY THE COMMITTEE MET MANY TIMES AND HAD SOME REALLY INTENSE DELIBERATIONS OVER THIS.
I'M REALLY PLEASED WITH THE EXPANDED CAB COMMITTEE THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO EXPAND MEMBERSHIP INCLUDES MEMBERS WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE ON THE COMMITTEE AND HAVE BROADER SEGMENTS OF THE COMMUNITY REPRESENTED.
AS MALTE SAID, WE DID DEBATE A LOT, HOW DO WE BALANCE THE NEED TO ADDRESS IMMEDIATE PROBLEMS AND CONCERNS ABOUT JUST THE DAY-TO-DAY, HOW ARE PEOPLE SURVIVING AND HOW CAN WE SUPPORT THEM IN
[00:55:02]
SURVIVING WITH LOOKING TO THE LONGER-TERM, MORE PERMANENT SOLUTIONS.WE'RE TRYING TO CHIP AWAY AT THE LONGER-TERM SOLUTIONS AND ALSO PROVIDE SOME SERVICES THAT CAN HAVE AN IMPACT IMMEDIATELY IN DAY AFTER DAY.
I ALSO JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY, THERE IS A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THE SECOND TEMPORARY DAY SHELTER THAT CAME UP DURING OUR INITIAL DISCUSSIONS WITH CAB AS WE'RE TRYING TO CHOOSE BETWEEN DIFFERENT OPTIONS THAT WERE ON THE TABLE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH NOT ENOUGH DAY SHELTER SPACE CURRENTLY.
EVEN BEFORE COVID, I THINK THAT THE DAY SHELTER AND SOBERING CENTRE WAS QUITE CROWDED AND CAPACITY NOT QUITE ADEQUATE.
CERTAINLY WITH COVID, IT'S NOT ADEQUATE.
WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THESE DISCUSSIONS IN COUNCIL LAST YEAR.
THE QUESTION IS ABOUT, IS THERE ANYTHING THE CAB MIGHT RECOMMEND THAT COULD HELP THAT SITUATION? WE DELIBERATED ABOUT, AGAIN, THIS IDEA OF THE TEMPORARY STRUCTURE, THE SPRUNG STRUCTURE AND THEN GOT SOME MORE INFORMATION FROM ADMINISTRATION AND DECIDED, "OH, GOSH, I DON'T THINK THAT THE TIMELINES WORK IT WOULDN'T BE READY IN TIME FOR THIS WINTER AND THERE WASN'T THE BEST ALLOCATION OF FUNDS." THEN WENT WITH THE RECOMMENDATION FOR PURCHASE OF A PERMANENT BUILDING THAT COULD HOUSE PEOPLE.
THEN REVISITED THAT BECAUSE GNWT REACHED OUT TO US SAYING THEY'RE REALLY STRUGGLING WITH HOW TO ESTABLISH THIS SECOND TEMPORARY DAY SHELTER AND COULD CAB ALLOCATE OUR FUNDS TO REALLY PARTNER WITH THEM AND HELP THEM OUT.
THEN WE REVISITED THE MOTION, REVISITED THAT DISCUSSION WITH THE PRESENTATION FROM THE GNWT.
GNWT WAS REALLY APPEALING TO US THAT WE SHOULD BE PARTNERS IN THIS WITH THE CITY AND WITH CAB.
THE COMMITTEE WANTED TO SHOW THAT WE AGREE THAT THE CITY AND GNWT NEED TO PARTNER ON THIS ISSUE.
WE DIDN'T AGREE THAT THE BEST USE OF THESE REACHING HOME FUNDS WAS TO THROW IN WITH THE GNWT PART OF MONEY THAT THEY HAVE AT THIS TIME BECAUSE AS GNWT WAS PRESENTING, IT SEEMS THAT THEY DON'T REALLY HAVE A CLEAR IDEA RIGHT NOW AS TO WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO ABOUT A SECOND TEMPORARY DAY SHELTER.
THEY'VE BACKED AWAY FROM THE IDEA OF THE SPRUNG STRUCTURE, SAYING IT'S NOT GOING TO BE READY IN TIME.
IT'S MORE COMPLICATED THAN I THOUGHT.
THEN SAID THEY HAVE A COUPLE IDEAS ON THE TABLE, BUT NOT SURE HOW MUCH ANYTHING WOULD COST TO RENOVATE OR WHAT THEY WOULD DO OR TIMELINES OR ANY DETAILS WHATSOEVER.
THE COMMITTEE FELT THAT IT WOULDN'T BE APPROPRIATE TO TOSS OUR MONEY IN WITH THEIR POT, NOT REALLY KNOWING WHAT IT WILL BE USED FOR OR WHEN.
WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY DETAILS WHATSOEVER.
WE THOUGHT WE SHOULD GO WITH SOMETHING THAT WE KNOW CAN WORK, THERE'S AN ORGANIZATION READY TO DO THIS, HOUSE PEOPLE.
BUT THE COMMITTEE STILL WANTED TO EMPHASIZE THAT, YES, OF COURSE WE NEED TO PARTNER WITH THE GNWT AND THAT'S NOT JUST ABOUT OFFERING THIS ONETIME FUNDING AMOUNT, BUT THAT WE NEED AN ON-GOING WORKING GROUP, WE NEED TO HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ARE BETWEEN THE TWO PARTNERS.
WHAT EACH IS ACTUALLY BRINGING TO THE TABLE.
THE COMMITTEE WANTED TO EMPHASIZE, YEAH, OF COURSE, WE NEED A SECOND TEMPORARY DAY SHELTER.
WE'RE NOT SAYING WE DON'T, WE SUPPORT THIS, IT'S JUST THAT THE COMMITTEE FELT THAT IT'S NOT A GOOD IDEA TO USE THIS PARTICULAR FUNDING TO THROW IT INTO THE GNWT POT WHEN THERE'S SO MUCH UNCERTAINTY AND DIDN'T REALLY FEEL LIKE IT WOULD MAKE THE BEST USE OF THESE FUNDS.
THAT'S THE REASON WHY THERE'S THESE EXTRA BULLETS ATTACHED TO THE CAB RECOMMENDATION.
A BIT MORE OF THE TIMELINE OF HOW THAT ALL CAME ABOUT AND HOW THAT PROGRESS.
THE HOPE IS THAT WE CAN DO BETTER WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE GNWT MOVING FORWARD.
I KNOW ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN SPENDING TONS OF TIME AND ENERGY WORKING AT THE STAFF LEVEL WITH GNWT STAFF.
THAT HAS CERTAINLY BEEN IN PLACE.
BUT I THINK PERHAPS WHAT'S BEEN MISSING IS WHAT ARE THE GROUND RULES? INSTEAD OF JUST SCRAMBLING ALL THE TIME AT THE STAFF LEVEL TO DO OUR BEST TO FIGURE OUT SOLUTIONS AT A HIGHER LEVEL, WHAT ACTUALLY ARE THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF GNWT AND THE CITY? BE MORE REALISTIC ABOUT WHAT WE EACH HAVE TO BRING AND THEN WHAT'S THE PLAN GOING FORWARD SO THAT IT'S NOT JUST ALWAYS STAFF SCRAMBLING AT
[01:00:03]
THE LAST MINUTE BEHIND THE SCENES TO TRY TO FIGURE STUFF OUT.THAT WAS THE HOPE THAT WE CAN DO BETTER MOVING FORWARD, WORK SMARTER TOGETHER INSTEAD OF JUST PUTTING ALL THIS PRESSURE ON STAFF TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN.
>> IT ALSO BRING NGOS TO THE TABLE TOO, SINCE THERE ARE A LOT OF THE FRONT LINE PROVIDERS AND SO THEY CAN IDENTIFY UPCOMING ISSUES BEFORE IT BECOMES A BIG ISSUE.
REALLY HAVING ALL OF THE DIFFERENT PLAYERS AT THE TABLE, WHICH HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED IN THE 10-YEAR PLANS AND HOMELESSNESS, IT'S ACTUALLY WORKING TO GET THAT GOING.
THAT WAS ALSO PART OF THE MOTION.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL? JUST RECOGNIZING THAT WE DO WANT TO MOVE PRETTY QUICKLY WITH GETTING THAT OUR POS BECAUSE THE MONEY DOES HAVE TO BE SPENT BY THE END OF MARCH AND THERE'S A BIT MORE DUE DILIGENCE THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
OUR POS TO GO OUT AND SOME OTHER CONDITIONS WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
WE WOULD LIKE TO BRING THIS TO COUNCIL TONIGHT AT 7:00 O'CLOCK.
JUST TO CONFIRM, THE MOTION COMING FORWARD WILL BE THE FUNDING FOR THE ARCTIC INDIGENOUS WELLNESS FOUNDATION, FRONTLINE AND FIRST AID TRAINING.
THE POINT OF VOTES PURCHASING THE BUILDING, SORRY, SOMEHOW THAT DOLLAR FIGURE GOT CUTOFF IN MY CHAT FUNCTION, BUT THAT 806.
THE TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR YELLOWKNIFE HOMELESSNESS WORKING GROUP BE DEVELOPED AND REVIEWED BY CAB.
THE TERM SHOULD INCLUDE MEMBERSHIP ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES AND DELIVERABLES, AND THE CAB RECOGNIZES THE NEED FOR A SECOND TEMPORARY DAY SHELTER AND IS SUPPORTIVE OF THE ESTABLISHMENT.
THAT WILL COME TONIGHT AT 7:00 P.M. WITH THAT,
[7. A memorandum regarding the minutes of the Community Advisory Board on Homelessness meeting of April 29, 2021, June 10, 2021, June 11, June 18, 2021, June 25, 2021 and July 19, 2021]
NEXT ITEM IS A MEMORANDUM REGARDING THE MINUTES OF THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD ON HOMELESSNESS THAT MET APRIL 29TH, JUNE 10TH, JUNE 11TH, JUNE 18TH, JUNE 25TH, AND JULY 19.ANY QUESTIONS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN CAPTURED YET? COUNCILOR WILLIAMS?
>> JUST A COMMENTS, I KNOW THAT THAT'S A LOT OF WORK, SO HATS OFF TO THE CHAIR FOR MAKING ALL THOSE MEETINGS AND HATS OFF TO THE FULL COMMITTEE FOR THE COMMITMENT TO THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. SOME GOOD DISCUSSIONS.
ALWAYS APPRECIATE THE FUNDING, BUT IT DEFINITELY COMES WITH SOME WORK.
WITH THAT, THE NEXT ONE IS A MEMORANDUM REGARDING AN UPDATE
[8. A memorandum regarding an update to Council on the Aquatic Centre Project]
TO COUNCIL ON THE AQUATIC CENTER, MS. BASSI-KELLETT.>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR.
THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE PLEASURE TO BRING FORWARD TO COUNCIL MEMBERS AT THIS TIME.
AS YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF WORK UNDERWAY TOWARDS THE PROPOSED AQUATIC CENTER, AND THIS HAS BEEN ONGOING SINCE THE LAST TIME IT CAME BEFORE GPC AND COUNCIL AND SO WE DID WANT TO COME BACK WITH AN UPDATE SO THAT YOU'RE AWARE OF WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING AND THE CURRENT STATUS AND THE NEXT STEPS GOING FORWARD.
LAST WEEK WE REACHED A KEY MILESTONE WITH THE CONFORMATION OF THE THREE PROPONENTS WHO WILL BE SUBMITTING BIDS. THEY DID SO.
WE DID THIS THROUGH A REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATION PROCESS.
THE THREE PROPONENTS ARE BIRD, BLOCK BUILDERS, AND PCL.
THEY ALL COME WITH A SERIES OF DIFFERENT PARTNERS IN THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION ANGLES.
THEY'VE ALL NOW BEEN INVITED TO SUBMIT PROPOSAL IN RESPONSE TO OUR DESIGN BUILD OUR FP.
THE PROPONENTS WILL HAVE UNTIL EARLY SEPTEMBER TO DO SO.
THAT'S GOING TO INCLUDE, OF COURSE, SUBMITTING THEIR DESIGN AND THE FULL PROJECT COSTS.
THAT'S WHEN WE'RE GOING TO KNOW WHAT THE FULL PROPOSED COST OF THE AQUATIC CENTER WOULD LOOK LIKE.
THE RIGOROUS REVIEW OF THOSE THREE PROPOSALS, THE ANALYSIS AND THEN THE ULTIMATE SELECTION PROCESS WILL TAKE PLACE THROUGH SEPTEMBER.
SUBSEQUENTLY COUNCIL WILL BE RECEIVING THE WINNING PROPOSAL AND THEN HAVE THE ABILITY TO SET DIRECTIONS GOING FORWARD.
IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT WE ARE GOING TO NEED TO BORROW PART OF THE FUNDS THAT WILL BE REQUIRED TO CONSTRUCT THE AQUATIC CENTER AND BORROWING REQUIRES VOTER APPROVAL.
WE ARE PLANNING FOR A REFERENDUM TO TAKE PLACE SOMETIME IN MID NOVEMBER.
THAT OF COURSE, WILL BE A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THIS AS WELL.
BECAUSE OF COURSE THERE WILL BE A REFERENDUM, WE DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YELLOWKNIFERS WILL BE ASKED TO VOTE AT THAT TIME ARE AS INFORMED AS POSSIBLE.
THIS UPDATE TODAY IS THE START OF WHAT WILL BE AN INFORMATION CAMPAIGN THAT WILL BE MADE PUBLIC OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS TO MAKE SURE THAT RESIDENTS ARE INFORMED BEFORE THEY DECIDE ON WHICH WAY THEY WANT TO VOTE FOR THE REFERENDUM.
WE WELCOME ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON THIS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? COUNCILOR KONGE.
[01:05:03]
>> THANK YOU. I'M JUST WONDERING, IT MIGHT NOT EVEN BE PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE, I DON'T KNOW, BUT WHAT IS THE FEE TO EACH COMPANY FOR PUTTING THEIR PROPOSAL TOGETHER FOR US?
>> SORRY, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I HEAR. WHAT IS THE FEE?
>> YEAH. OFTEN NOT ALL THE TIME, BUT OFTEN WHEN PEOPLE PUT A PROPOSAL TOGETHER LIKE THIS WHERE THEY'D BEEN INVITED TO BID, THERE IS A DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT WE PAY THEM FOR THEIR PROPOSAL. ARE WE DOING THAT?
>> MR. WHITE, I'LL ASK YOU TO RESPOND.
>> THANK YOU MS. BASSI-KELLETT.
WE'VE BEEN QUITE CLEAR RIGHT FROM THE START WITH COUNCIL ON MEMORANDUMS TO COMMITTEE AND THROUGH THE FP PROCESS THAT THERE'S A $140,000 STIPEND TO THE TWO FIRMS THAT ARE NOT SELECTED WITHIN THE PROCESS. THANK YOU.
>> OKAY. THE THREE THAT HAD BEEN ASKED, WAS IT ONLY THOSE THREE THAT PUT IN WHATEVER IT'S CALLED, WEREN'T QUALIFIED OR DID WE NARROW IT DOWN TO THREE?
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR.
WE HAD THREE COMPREHENSIVE AND COMPLIANT PROPOSALS AND ONE NON-COMPLIANT PROPOSAL.
AS WE WENT THROUGH, WE DID A VERY RIGOROUS RATING OF THE THREE THAT WERE COMPLIANT AND HAD A FOLLOW UP DISCUSSION WITH THE NON-COMPLIANT SUBMITTER. THANK YOU.
>> PERFECT. THAT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S LOTS OF GOOD INTERESTS THEN.
I'M HAPPY TO HEAR THAT BECAUSE THAT MEANS THAT WE, AS A CITY SHOULD SEE SOME PROPOSALS WITH GOOD VALUE.
WHAT HAPPENS IF WE GO THROUGH THIS WHOLE PROCESS NOW AND WE GET A DESIGN AND OUR COMMUNITY VOTES NO ON THE REFERENDUM TO BORROW MONEY.
WHAT DOES IT COST US THEN FROM THAT FIRM FOR ALL THE WORK THAT THEY HAVE DONE?
>> I WISH I HAD A CRYSTAL BALL, THAT'S A VERY GOOD POINT THAT COUNCILLOR CONGA IS RACING ON THIS.
WE CERTAINLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT RESIDENTS ARE AS INFORMED AS POSSIBLE AROUND THE ENTIRE IMPLICATIONS OF THE PROJECT AND IMPLICATIONS OF NOT PROCEEDING AS WELL.
WE KNOW THE VOLATILITY OF THE MARKETS RIGHT NOW THAT WE HAVE ASKED AND THE PROPONENTS WILL BE CONFIRMING THEIR PRICE UP TO AND INCLUDING JANUARY 31ST.
THEY WILL BE FIRM ON THAT PRICE SO WE'LL NEED TO HAVE A DECISION MADE BY THAT TIME, IF THERE IS AN OVAL FROM YELLOWKNIFERS WE'LL NEED TO SEE IF THERE ARE OTHER ALTERNATE OPTIONS AVAILABLE.
IT WILL BE A DISCUSSION POINT OF COURSE, BECAUSE NOT ONLY IS IT THE CAPITAL COSTS, BUT IT'S ALSO THE ONGOING OPERATING COSTS THAT WILL BE A FACTOR FOR THE CITY TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE NOW AND INTO THE FUTURE.
WE'RE VERY OPTIMISTIC WE CONTINUE TO SEEK OUT OTHER ALTERNATE POTENTIAL FUNDING SOURCES AS WELL.
WE PUT AN APPLICATION IN EARLY JULY TO A NEW FEDERAL FUND THAT WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT COULD BE POTENTIALLY ANOTHER SOURCE OF REVENUE THAT WOULD GO TOWARDS THIS PROJECT SO THERE ARE A LOT OF PIECES TO THIS THAT ARE ONGOING AND MOVING.
WE'RE VERY HOPEFUL THAT WE CAN BRING FORWARD A DESIGN THAT IS A COST THAT YELLOWKNIFERS CAN SUPPORT FROM A CAPITAL NONM POINT OF VIEW WITH AS MUCH REVENUE COMING FROM ELSEWHERE AS POSSIBLE.
>> IF WE VOTE NO AND THE OTHER TWO FIRMS GO AT 140,000, I ASSUME THERE IS A COST ASSOCIATED WITH TO THE SUCCESSFUL FIRM FOR A NO VOTE.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD THING FOR THE PUBLIC TO KNOW.
I MEAN, WE COUNCIL HAVE AS ADMINISTRATION TO GO DOWN THIS ROAD AND IT DOES COST MONEY.
IT COSTS MONEY TO SAY YES AND IT COSTS MONEY TO SAY NO.
REGARDLESS, WE ARE SPENDING SOME MONEY.
I CERTAINLY LOOK FORWARD TO IT I THINK IT'S VERY EXCITING.
I KNOW WHEN HE STARTED THIS LOTS OF PEOPLE TOLD ME THAT I ONLY WANTED TO SUPPORT A POOL BECAUSE MY KIDS WERE GOING TO BE SWIMMING IN THE POOL, BUT BY THE TIME THIS POOL OPENS, MY KIDS WILL BE GRADUATED AND WILL NOT BE SWIMMING WITH THE LOCAL SWIM CLUB.
EVEN THOUGH THAT IS HAPPENING, I AM STILL VERY MUCH IN SUPPORT OF A NEW POOL FACILITY BECAUSE I THINK IT BRINGS PRIDE TO THE COMMUNITY.
THE COMMUNITY LIKE YELLOWKNIFE WHERE WE HAVE LONG COLD WINTERS I THINK IT IS A FACILITY THAT IS ENJOYED BY EVERYBODY FROM LITERALLY NEWBORNS ALL THE WAY UP TO SENIORS AND EVERYBODY IN BETWEEN.
WE DON'T QUITE HAVE IN MY TIME IN YELLOWKNIFE LAST 20 YEARS,
[01:10:01]
SPENT A LOT OF TIME AT THE POOL AND SEE HOW IT IS USED.IT'S OUR POOL IS A LOCKED FACILITY AND I THINK THAT CERTAINLY MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT I TALKED TO LOOK FORWARD TO A NEW, BIGGER FACILITY.
I'M VERY EXCITED THAT THIS IS CONTINUOUSLY MOVING FORWARD AND I ANTICIPATE THE NEXT UPDATES. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. DEFINITELY, A RECREATION FOR LIFE FACILITY. COUNCILLOR PAYNE.
>> NO, HIS MICROPHONE'S BROKEN.
IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR EVEN A COMMENT, I WILL READ IT OUT FOR THE RECORD.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS WHILE WE'RE WAITING FOR COUNCILLOR PAYNE? COUNCILOR WILLIAMS.
>> COUNCILLOR PAYNE, YOU CAN COME ON DOWN AND SEE ME ANYTIME.
>> THERE WE GO. COUNCILLOR PAYNE ASKS, "CHANGE ORDERS HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO INCREASE PRICES.
WHAT ARE THE STEPS THAT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE TO TRY TO REDUCE CHANGE ORDERS AND KEEP THE PRICE AS IS?" MS. BASSI-KELLETT.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, THAT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IN THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL PROCESS IS THE TOTAL DOLLAR VALUE ALL IN, TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH EVERYTHING THAT'S INCLUDED IN OUR RFP.
WE SEEK A GUARANTEE FROM THE PROPONENTS THAT THEY WILL HOLD THAT PRICE TO JANUARY 31ST.
THAT WOULD GIVE US TIME TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT TO DO SO.
I'LL ASK MR. WHITE I KNOW HE'S BEEN INTEGRALLY INVOLVED WITH THE DESIGN OF THE RFP AND HE CAN SPEAK TO SOME OF THE DETAILS IN THERE TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE GETTING BEST VALUE FOR MONEY.
WE HAVE A TECHNICAL TEAM [INAUDIBLE] TEAM OF VARIOUS ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF, WE ALSO HAVE THE BRIDGING CONSULTANTS TAG, AND WE HAVE THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT TEAM, WHICH HAS COLORS.
OVER THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY HARD ON ROOM DATA SHEETS AND A ROOM DATA SHEET IS EXACTLY WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE.
IT IS A ONE-ROOM, EACH OF THE ROOMS OF THE FACILITY HAVE VERY SPECIFIC NEEDS AND THEY'RE ALL IDENTIFIED ON THE SHEET.
THERE IS AN INDICATIVE DESIGN ON THE CONCEPTUAL DESIGN, WHICH AGAIN IS VERY DETAILED AND IT LAYS OUT THE SPECIFICATION OF THE ENTIRE FACILITY.
EACH OF THOSE IS WHAT THE DESIGN-BUILD TEAM WILL BE RESPONDING TO.
OF COURSE, WE ARE CHAIRING A CONTINGENCY IN THE BUDGET AND THAT WILL BE FINALIZED AT THE END OF THE DESIGN-BUILD RFP PROCESS.
JUST TO HIT THE QUESTION RIGHT ON THE HEAD IS THAT THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF WORK THAT DETAILS, EACH AND EVERY ASPECT OF THE FACILITY.
OF COURSE, WE KNOW THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME CHANGES THAT ARE GOING TO COME UP AND LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE A CONTINGENCY TO COVER THOSE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU AND COUNCILLOR PAYNE SAYS THANK YOU.
ANYTHING FURTHER FROM COUNCIL? SEEING NONE, THANKS AGAIN TO ADMIN FOR THE WORK THAT'S BROUGHT US UP TO THIS POINT AND WE'RE IN FOR A PRETTY BUSY ALL THE WAY UP TO THE REFERENDUM.
THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR ALL YOUR WORK GOING FORWARD.
WITH THAT WE'VE GOT ONE ITEM MATTER UNDER CONSIDERATION IN CAMERA, IF I CAN GET A MOTION TO MOVING CAMERA, MOVE BY COUNCILLOR PAYNE, SECOND BY COUNCILOR WILLIAMS. ANYBODY OPPOSE? SEEING NONE, WE CAN MOVE IN CAMERA, SEE YOU IN TWO SECONDS.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.