Nov 08, 2021 Governance & Priorities Committee

[1. Opening Statement]

[00:00:05]

AND I'LL CALL OUR GOVERNANCE AND PRIORITIES COMMITTEE MEETING FOR MONDAY, NOVEMBER 8TH, 2021 TO ORDER.

AND I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE ARE LOCATED IN CHIEF DRYGEESE TERRITORY FROM TIME IMMEMORIAL.

IT'S BEEN THE TRADITIONAL LAND OF THE ALMOST ANY FIRST NATION.

WE RESPECT THE HISTORIES, LANGUAGES AND CULTURES OF ALL OTHER INDIGENOUS PEOPLES, INCLUDING THE NORTH SLAVE METIS AND ALL FIRST NATION AND INUIT, WHOSE PRESENCE CONTINUES TO ENRICH OUR VIBRANT COMMUNITY.

NEXT, WE HAVE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.

[2. Approval of the agenda]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR.

NO, NOTHING ELSE TO ADD.

THANK YOU.

NEXT, WE HAVE DISCLOSURE OF PECUNIARY INTEREST IN THE GENERAL NATURE THEREOF.

DOES ANY MEMBER HAVE A PECUNIARY INTEREST TODAY? SEEING, NONE.

NEXT, WE HAVE A PRESENTATION REGARDING THE 2022 BUDGET.

[4. A presentation regarding the 2022 Budget]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR.

IT IS SHOCKING TO ME THAT A YEAR HAS GONE BY SINCE THE LAST TIME WE WERE DOING THIS, BUT HERE WE ARE ONCE AGAIN AT THIS KEY MILESTONE IN THE ANNUAL BUDGET PLANNING CYCLE.

PRESENTING THE PROPOSED DRAFT TWENTY TWENTY TWO BUDGET COUNCIL MEMBERS TODAY, THE BUDGET IS ONE OF COUNCIL'S MOST SIGNIFICANT POLICY DOCUMENTS AND IT REALLY CONFIRMS HOW PRIORITIES ARE RESOURCED ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION AS WE CONTINUE TO SEEK TO MANAGE OUR RESOURCES AS EFFECTIVELY AS POSSIBLE DURING COVID AND ALL THE VOLATILITY THAT THAT BRINGS.

WE ARE READY TO PRESENT THE NEEDS AND PRESSURES FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR, SO I WILL TURN THINGS OVER TO MS. WOODWARD, WHO WILL WALK THROUGH THE HIGHLIGHTS OF WHAT ADMINISTRATION IS PROPOSING FOR BUDGET 2022.

AND OF COURSE, THEN WE LOOK FORWARD TO DELIBERATIONS BEGINNING IN DECEMBER WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS.

THANK YOU.

OVER TO YOU, SHERRILYN.

THANK YOU, MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE YOU TO BUDGET 2022.

AS IT IS EVERY YEAR, THE DOCUMENT THAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU IS THE TANGIBLE EVIDENCE OF A GREAT DEAL OF WORK BY A VERY DEDICATED TEAM.

THE BUDGET PROCESS ITSELF IS ALWAYS CHALLENGING, AND ADMINISTRATION ALWAYS WORKS DILIGENTLY TO PULL TOGETHER A SOLID FISCAL PLAN, A PLAN TO SUPPORT THE DELIVERY OF THE BEST POSSIBLE SERVICES AND PROGRAMS, AND A PLAN THAT IS BASED ON WHAT IS KNOWN AND WHAT IS EXPECTED TO HAPPEN.

BUT COULD ANYONE HAVE EXPECTED THE ROLLER COASTER RIDE THAT COVID 19 PROVIDED THIS PAST YEAR? WELL, IT SEEMED AT THE TIME THAT LAST YEAR'S BUDGET PROCESS WAS RIFE WITH UNKNOWNS.

BUDGET 2022 PROVED EVEN MORE CHALLENGING AS THE DELTA VARIANT ESTABLISHED ITSELF IN THE N.W.T., DEMOLISHING ANY PRETENSE YELLOWKNIFERS MIGHT HAVE HAD OF ESCAPING COVID CLUTCHES AND LEADING BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS THROUGH A SERIES OF EVER CHANGING RESTRICTIONS.

NEVERTHELESS, ADMINISTRATION HAS ASSEMBLED THE BEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATIONS INTO BUDGET 2022, WHICH AS COUNCIL'S MOST IMPORTANT ANNUAL POLICY DOCUMENT, PROPOSES PLANS THAT ARE DESIGNED TO ACHIEVE COUNCIL'S STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME ENSURING THAT CORE AND ESSENTIAL SERVICES CAN BE DELIVERED IN A RELIABLE, COST EFFECTIVE MANNER, NOW AND IN THE FUTURE.

TODAY'S PRESENTATION WILL RECAP THE BACKGROUND FACTORS THAT INFLUENCED BUDGET 2022, LOOK AT THE CAPITAL INVESTMENTS RECOMMENDED FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS IDENTIFIES SOME OF THE O&M HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET.

PRESENT PRIORITY STAFFING REQUIREMENTS PROVIDE THAT 30000 FOOT VIEW OF REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES AND SUMMARIZE THE IMPACTS THAT THE PLAN'S INHERENT IN BUDGET TWENTY TWO WILL HAVE ON RATEPAYERS.

LET'S START WITH A BIT OF BACKGROUND.

MANY WILL RECALL BUDGET 2022 HAS BEEN BUILT ON FOUR PILLARS ADHERING TO THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD BUDGET PROCESS IS DEFINED BY THE GFOA FOLLOWING THE KEY PLANNING PRINCIPLES THAT COUNCIL ADOPTED TO GUIDE FISCAL DECISION MAKING IN THE CONTEXT OF THE COVID PANDEMIC, ADDRESSING THE FUNDAMENTALS THAT PRIORITIZE CORE SERVICES AND CONSULTING WITH STAKEHOLDERS.

THESE PILLARS CREATED A FOUNDATION FOR THE BUDGET PROCESS AND A CONTEXT FOR DEALING WITH THE NUMEROUS FACTORS THAT IMPACTED MUCH OF 2022.

TURNING NOW TO SOME OF THOSE FACTORS, AND THERE WERE QUITE A FEW OF THEM, INCLUDING UNCERTAINTY.

WE ARE STILL RIDING THE COVID 19 ROLLER COASTER.

AND IN ADDITION TO THE ONGOING AND TIME CONSUMING ADAPTATIONS THIS REQUIRES ON THE PART OF CITY STAFF, RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES.

THERE'S STILL A GREAT DEAL OF UNCERTAINTY SURROUNDING COVID'S CURRENT AND FUTURE

[00:05:01]

THEN THERE'S THE GROWTH THAT WE HAVE SEEN IN RECENT YEARS AND ITS INHERENT PARADOX.

YELLOWKNIFE'S POPULATION HASN'T INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY, BUT ITS INFRASTRUCTURE, SERVICES AND PROGRAMS CERTAINLY HAVE, LIKEWISE INCREASINGLY STRINGENT REQUIREMENTS BEING IMPOSED BY EXTERNAL ENTITIES LIKE THE WSCC AND PROJECTS LIKE THE GIANT MINE REMEDIATION AND THE ONGOING WORK TO MAINTAIN THE CITY'S WATER LICENSE ARE ALL A FORM OF GROWTH.

AND CITIZEN EXPECTATIONS ARE EXPANDING, ESPECIALLY AROUND THINGS LIKE ACCESSIBILITY, RECONCILIATION AND SOCIAL ISSUES.

THERE'S A NEED TO LOOK AFTER WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE MAINTENANCE, WHICH IS COMPLICATED BY THIS GROWTH AND BY AGING INFRASTRUCTURE.

WE ALSO NEED TO CONSIDER WHAT LIES AHEAD.

IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS FOR NEXT MONTH OR EVEN NEXT YEAR.

WE NEED TO PROTECT THE FISCAL SUSTAINABILITY OF THE CITY.

ALL OF THIS, WHILE WE ARE COPING WITH SIGNIFICANT SHORTFALLS OVER 10 MILLION DOLLARS IN FUNDING FROM THE GNWT, WHILE 2021 DID SEE AN INCREASE OF EIGHT HUNDRED FIFTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS IN FUNDING.

THERE'S STILL A LONG WAY TO GO TO CLOSE THIS GAP.

THEN THERE ARE THE IMPLICATIONS OF A NEARLY STAGNANT ASSESSMENT BASE.

IT GREW BY A MERE ZERO POINT FIVE ONE PERCENT OVER THIS PAST YEAR, MEANING THERE WILL BE NEXT TO NO NATURAL GROWTH IN TAXATION REVENUE.

THIS AT A TIME WHEN THE CITY IS FACING ONGOING PRESSURES FROM INFLATION.

THE CITY IS MANAGING HEAVILY BURDENED STAFF RESOURCES AMONG TEAMS THAT ARE THEMSELVES DEALING WITH MANY MONTHS OF COVID IMPACT ON THEIR WORK AND HOME LIVES, AND THE CITY NEEDS TO FULFILL ITS LEGISLATIVE REQUIREMENT TO DEVELOP A BALANCED BUDGET.

AND OF COURSE, WE NEED TO CONTINUE SAFELY DELIVERING CORE AND ESSENTIAL SERVICES, ALL WHILE WORKING TOWARDS COUNCIL'S GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.

NOW THAT WE'VE SET THE STAGE BY LOOKING AT HOW WE GOT TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY, LET'S TURN TO THE CONTENTS OF THE DRAFT BUDGET 2022 DOCUMENT STARTING WITH THE CAPITAL PROJECTS.

HERE WE SEE AN ANNUAL SUMMARY OF THE RECOMMENDED INVESTMENTS FOR THE TERM OF THIS BUDGET.

THE NUMBERS ARE, OF COURSE, LARGER THAN NORMAL DUE TO THE PROPOSED AQUATIC CENTER.

THE NUMBERS ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE QUANTIFY THE INVESTMENTS RECOMMENDED IN BUDGET 2020 TO TO SUPPORT CITIES FOCUS ON FUNDAMENTALS.

INVESTMENTS TO MAINTAIN ASSETS USED TO PROVIDE CORE SERVICES THAT PROTECT THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR CITIZENS.

INVESTMENTS TO SUSTAIN THE FACILITIES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE YELLOWKNIFERS HAVE COME TO VALUE AND THE INVESTMENTS IN A RANGE OF ASSETS USED TO DELIVER PROGRAMS THAT OFFER A RANGE OF ACTIVITIES FOR OUR DIVERSE POPULATION.

SO LET'S LOOK AT THE RECOMMENDED PROJECTS NEEDED TO DO THIS.

STARTING WITH CORE SERVICES.

THIS COMMITTEE WILL RECALL FROM OCTOBER'S BUDGET UPDATE PRESENTATION, CORE SERVICES CAN BE CONSIDERED TO INCLUDE WATER AND SEWER ROADS AND SIDEWALKS, FIRE AND AMBULANCE, SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT AND ASSET MANAGEMENT.

INVESTMENT RECOMMENDATIONS TO SUPPORT THE PROVISION OF SAFE WATER AND SEWERS SERVICES INCLUDE AN ALLOCATION NEXT YEAR TO COMPLETE THE PUMP HOUSE NUMBER FOUR WATER TRUCK RAIL SAFETY PROJECT AND FUNDING NEXT YEAR TO COMPLETE THE WORK REQUIRED TO REPLACE FAILING CONTROL STRUCTURES ON TRAPPER'S LAKE AND ANNUAL INVESTMENTS FOR LAGOON SLUDGE REMOVAL, BOTH OF WHICH ARE REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN COMPLIANCE WITH THE CITY'S WATER LICENSE.

AND INVESTMENT IN 2022 TO IMPROVE THE CONDITION OF THE FORESEEN PIPELINE, THE ONE THAT TRANSPORTS SEWAGE TO THE [INAUDIBLE] LAGOON TREATMENT SYSTEM.

FURTHER INSTALLMENTS FOR THE SUBMARINE WATER INTAKE LINE, REPLACEMENT AND ANNUAL ALLOCATIONS TO REPLACE FEELING UNDERGROUND WATER AND SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE AND TO COMPLETE THE ASSOCIATED PAVING.

EXPENDITURE RECOMMENDATIONS TO SUPPORT ROADS AND SIDEWALKS ARE IN THE FORM OF THE ANNUAL PAVING PROGRAM INVESTMENTS, WHICH NOW INCLUDE PATCHING AND ANNUAL ALLOCATIONS TO IMPROVE TRAFFIC LIGHTS AT SIGNALIZED INTERSECTIONS.

INVESTMENT RECOMMENDATIONS TO SUPPORT THE PROVISION OF FIRE AND AMBULANCE SERVICES INCLUDE AN ALLOCATION IN 2022 TO TO ADD TO THE MONEY CARRIED FORWARD FROM THIS YEAR TO FINALIZE THE DESIGN OF THE FIRE HALL EXTENSION AND AN INVESTMENT THE FOLLOWING YEAR TO PROCEED WITH ITS CONSTRUCTION.

THERE'S ALSO A ONE TIME EXPENDITURE NEXT YEAR TO ACQUIRE AND DEPLOY SOFTWARE

[00:10:03]

BUDGET 2022 ALSO CONTAINS RECOMMENDATIONS FOR INVESTMENTS IN THE CITY'S SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT SERVICES.

THESE ARE AN INVESTMENT IN 2023 TO DEVELOP A NEW LANDFILL CELL DESIGN AND AN ALLOCATION THE FOLLOWING YEAR TO DEVELOP A LANDFILL CLOSURE.

AS COMMITTEE IS AWARE, THE DELIVERY OF EVERY CITY PROGRAM AND SERVICES DEPENDS ON ASSETS, AND SO IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THESE ASSETS BE MANAGED PROPERLY.

THEREFORE, BUDGET 2022 INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATIONS.

ANNUAL ALLOCATIONS IN SUPPORT OF BIG PICTURE WORK TO FORMALIZE AND ADVANCE ASSET MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AT THE CITY.

AUGMENTED BY ONGOING, PREDICTABLE AND SUSTAINABLE ALLOCATIONS TO MAINTAIN AND RENEW MAJOR ASSET GROUPS, INCLUDING ANNUAL INVESTMENTS, TO RENEW FIRE HALL EQUIPMENT.

NEXT YEAR THE [INAUDIBLE] SYSTEM THAT PROVIDES FIRST RESPONDER ACCESS TO BUILDINGS AND THE HYDRAULIC TOOLS USED BY EMERGENCY RESCUE PERSONNEL WILL BE REPLACED.

ANNUAL INVESTMENTS TO REPLACE AND REDEPLOY FLEET UNITS, ACCORDING TO THE CITY'S FLEET MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND ANNUAL INVESTMENTS IN THE CITY'S INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE.

BUDGET 2022 ALSO CONTAINS RECOMMENDATIONS THAT FOCUS ON THE CITY'S FACILITIES.

BIG TICKET ITEM OF THE PLAN IS, OF COURSE, THE PROPOSED AQUATIC CENTER.

THERE WON'T BE CERTAINTY ON THIS PROJECT UNTIL THE RESULTS OF THE NOVEMBER 23RD REFERENDUM ARE KNOWN AS THE REQUIREMENT TO BORROW UP TO $10 MILLION MEANS VOTER APPROVAL IS NEEDED BEFORE THE INITIATIVE COULD PROCEED.

ASSUMING IT DOES, BUDGET 2022 INCLUDES ALLOCATION FOR ITS CONSTRUCTION.

BUDGET 2022 ALSO INCLUDES A RECOMMENDATION TO CONTINUE INVESTMENTS IN THE COMMUNITY ENERGY FUND INITIATIVES, INCLUDING AN ALLOCATION NEXT YEAR TO INSTALL A PELLET BOILER AT THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT AND ONGOING ALLOTMENTS TO SUPPORT THE WORK OF THE SUSTAINABILITY COORDINATOR.

THERE ARE ALSO RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EXTERNAL EXPERTISE TO CONDUCT A HIGH WATER LEVEL IMPACT STUDY TO ASSESS ITS EFFECT ON MUNICIPAL INFRASTRUCTURE.

MUNICIPAL PROPERTY AND PUBLIC ACCESS TO THE WATER.

BUDGET 2022 ALSO INCLUDES RECOMMENDATIONS FOR INVESTMENTS FOR PUBLIC FACING IMPROVEMENTS, INCLUDING REPLACING THE CURLING CLUB ROOF NEXT YEAR AND THE ROTARY WATERFRONT AND [INAUDIBLE] DOCKS IN TWENTY TWENTY FOUR.

HATING THE NORTHERN LIGHT TRAIL IN 23 AND 24.

ANNUALLY, INVESTING IN THE MAINTENANCE AND ENHANCEMENT OF THE CITY'S PARKS AND THE REFURBISHMENT AND REPLACEMENT OF PARK AND PLAYGROUND AMENITIES.

AND UPGRADING FORENSIC TRAIL IN 2022 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ROTARY CLUB.

AND OF COURSE, NONE OF THE FACILITIES ARE ANY GROWTH OR DEVELOPMENT WOULD BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT LAND AS USUAL.

BUDGET 2022 INCLUDES RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ANNUAL EXPENDITURES FROM THE LAND FUND FOR THE CREATION OF AREA DEVELOPMENT FUNDS, LAND ACQUISITION, LAND SURVEYING AND INITIAL LAND DEVELOPMENT.

AS WELL.

BUDGET 2022 CONTAINS ANNUAL RECOMMENDATIONS TO USE CAPITAL FUNDS TO TACKLE THE SURVEY AND ASSOCIATED WITH COMMISSIONERS LAND TRANSFER TO THE CITY FOR THE CITY'S OWN PURPOSES.

BUDGET 2022 ALSO CONTAINS RECOMMENDATIONS THAT FOCUS ON SUPPORTING THE DELIVERY OF CITY PROGRAMS. THESE INCLUDE ANNUAL ALLOCATIONS FOR IMPLEMENTING THE ACCESSIBILITY AUDIT RECOMMENDATIONS.

AN IMPORTANT PIECE IN FULFILLING THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO CREATE AN ACCESSIBLE AND INCLUSIVE CITY.

AND FUNDING TO CONDUCT A STRUCTURAL ASSESSMENT OF THE RUTH LYNCH MEMORIAL POOL BUILDING AND TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL USES FOR THE BUILDING, SHOULD COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC DECIDE TO PROCEED WITH THE NEW AQUATIC CENTER.

BUT WHAT IF THE NOVEMBER 23RD REFERENDUM RETURNS A NO VOTE? I'LL NOW TURN THINGS OVER TO MR. WHITE TO SPEAK TO THAT POSSIBILITY.

THANK YOU, MISS WOODWARD.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

SO A YES VOTE ON NOVEMBER 23RD WILL BASICALLY KEEP THE PROJECT ON THE CURRENT TRACK THAT WE'RE ON.

SECOND READING WILL BE PRESENTED WITHIN THE FIRST TWO WEEKS TO COUNCIL FOR THE BORING BYLAW.

THIS WOULD BE FOLLOWED BY SEEKING MINISTERIAL APPROVAL TO BORROW THE FUNDS THAT WE'VE BEEN ADVISED THAT THERE SHOULDN'T BE ANY ISSUES WITH THAT, AND THAT

[00:15:03]

COUNCIL WILL THEN BE PRESENTED WITH THIRD READING OF THE BYLAW IN EARLY JANUARY.

SO THROUGHOUT THAT TIME FRAME AND UP UNTIL THE SIGNING OF THE CONTRACT, THERE'S A SEVERAL OTHER ISSUES OR ACTIVITIES WILL BE UNDERWAY, INCLUDING THE VALUE ENGINEERING FEES THAT WE TALKED ABOUT WHEN I PRESENTED A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.

WE PRESENTED A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO AND THEN SOME FINALIZING OF THE CONTRACT BEFORE SIGNING AT THE END OF JANUARY.

AND OF COURSE, THIS WILL KEEP THE PROJECT ON SCHEDULE FOR COMPLETION IN THE THIRD QUARTER OF 2020 FOR.

NOW, A NO VOTE COULD GENERATE VARIOUS OPTIONS, I HAVE A FEW LISTED HERE, AND OF COURSE THERE MAY BE THERE MAY BE MORE, BUT ONE OPTION WOULD BE FOR COUNCIL TO GIVE DIRECTION TO CONSIDER REDESIGNING OF THE AQUATIC CENTER TO REDUCE THE SCOPE TO ELIMINATE THE NEED TO BORROW.

THERE WOULD BE FURTHER DISCUSSIONS WITH OUR CURRENT CONTRACT HOLDERS AS THIS IS NOT WITHIN ANYBODY'S SCOPE OF WORK RIGHT NOW.

A SECOND OPTION, COUNCIL COULD RECONSIDER THE AQUATIC CENTER ADVISORY COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION ON THE PRE-DESIGNED STUDY.

IF YOU RECALL, THE STUDY INDICATED A COST OF 41 APPROXIMATELY $41 MILLION IN 2018 TO RENOVATE THE EXISTING RIM TO INCLUDE A LAP POOL, UPGRADED CHANGEROOMS AND SOME ADDITIONAL MULTI-USE AREAS AND A FEW OTHER THINGS TO ADDRESS THE ACCESSIBILITY ISSUES.

THIS WOULD INVOLVE CLOSING THE FACILITY FOR A TWO YEAR PERIOD, SO BASICALLY NO INDOOR SWIMMING FOR FREE ELEVATORS FOR THAT PERIOD.

AND IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE TWELVE POINT NINE MILLION DOLLARS THAT THE CITY HAS RECEIVED IN FEDERAL FUNDING, JUST NOT QUALIFYING A RENOVATION DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR THAT MONEY, SO THAT COULD NOT BE INCLUDED IN ANY OF THE CALCULATIONS GOING FORWARD.

AND A THIRD OPTION IS, YOU KNOW, THE PROJECT COULD JUST STOP, SO NO FURTHER WORK WOULD BE CARRIED OUT.

CURRENT CONTRACTS WILL BE TERMINATED.

THAT WOULD BE LAWYERS FOR THE PROJECT MANAGER TAKE FOR THE OWNERS.

CONSULTANT AND PLAQUE BUILDERS WOULD BE PROVIDED THE SAME STIPEND THAT WAS PROVIDED TO THE TWO UNSUCCESSFUL PROPONENTS.

FUNDING HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED IN THE 2022 BUDGET TO CARRY OUT A STRUCTURAL ASSESSMENT OF THE RUTH INUIT MEMORIAL POOL, SO ADDITIONAL FUNDING WOULD BE REQUIRED ON TOP OF THAT TO CARRY OUT BOTH MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL COMPONENT INVESTIGATION AS WELL.

AND ADDITIONAL FUNDING IN 22 WILL ALSO BE REQUIRED TO IMMEDIATELY ADDRESS THE ACCESSIBILITY REQUIREMENTS OF THE FACILITY TO ENSURE THAT THE CITY COMPLIES WITH THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION'S DIRECTIONS.

SO, SO THOSE ARE OUR THREE OPTIONS FOR CONSIDERATION.

OF COURSE, THERE MAY BE A FEW MORE THAT COME OUT THAT WE'D BE HAPPY TO INVESTIGATE AND DISCUSS.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MR. WHITE.

SO THOSE ARE THE MAJOR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR INVESTMENTS IN BUDGET 2022.

BUT THERE'S ALSO A LOT HAPPENING ON THE OPERATIONAL FRONT.

SO LET'S TURN NOW TO SOME OF THE O&M ITEMS OF NOTE.

ALL EXPENDITURES ARE, OF COURSE, NEEDED TO SUPPORT THE PROVISION OF PROGRAMS AND SERVICES TO YELLOWKNIFE FIRST AND TO WORK TOWARDS THE ATTAINMENT OF COUNCIL'S VISION GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.

SOME YEARS THERE ARE ONE TIME OR LARGER THAN USUAL ALLOCATIONS FOR SPECIFIC WORK TOWARDS THESE SERVICES AND ASPIRATIONS, AND AT TIMES THERE IS THE NEED TO INTRODUCE NEW EXPENDITURES TO PROPERLY RESOURCE THE EFFORTS.

LET'S LOOK NOW AT THE NOTEWORTHY ONES THAT ARE RECOMMENDED IN BUDGET 2022.

STARTING WITH COUNCIL'S FIRST VALUE OF RECONCILIATION, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT TWO NEW ONGOING ALLOCATIONS BEGIN IN 2022.

THE FIRST IS TO ACKNOWLEDGE FUNDS DEDICATED TO RECONCILIATION EFFORTS AND INCLUDES MONEY FOR EDUCATION RELATED TO THIS TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STAFF.

AND THE SECOND IS IN SUPPORT OF THE ELDER IN RESIDENCE PROGRAM AT THE LIBRARY.

MOVING ON TO COUNCIL'S GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.

GOAL NUMBER ONE.

GROWING AND DIVERSIFYING OUR ECONOMY.

THE CORPORATE REBRANDING ALLOCATION IN 2022 BUILD ON THE WORK BEING DONE FOR TRANSIT AND THE CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP ALLOCATION IN 2024 FOR THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS CONFERENCE ARE IN DIRECT SUPPORT OF THIS GOAL.

THE ALLOCATION FOR THE CAPITAL AREA COMMITTEE OPERATIONS COULD ALSO BE SEEN AS WORKING TOWARDS THIS GOAL, ESPECIALLY IF IT HELPS INCREASE THE CITY'S TOURISM POTENTIAL.

GOAL NUMBER TWO, DELIVERING EFFICIENT AND ACCOUNTABLE GOVERNMENT IS THE REASON

[00:20:01]

THE PERIODIC BUMP UP IN THE ASSESSMENT SERVICES CONTRACT ALLOCATION FOR THE ADDITIONAL WORK ASSOCIATED WITH THE GENERAL ASSESSMENT NEXT APPEARS IN 2022 AND ADDRESSES BOTH GOAL NUMBER TWO AND COUNCIL'S SPECIFIC DIRECTION TO CONDUCT A GENERAL ASSESSMENT EVERY FIVE YEARS.

THE ONE TIME ALLOCATION TO MIGRATE THE CITY'S CORE FINANCIAL SERVICES FOR CORE FINANCIAL SOFTWARE TO THE CLOUD BECAUSE THE VENDOR IS RETIRING, THE CURRENT PLATFORM SPEAKS TO THIS GOAL IN THAT IT IS AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF PROVIDING STAFF WITH THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO DO THEIR JOB EFFICIENTLY.

SIMILARLY, THE RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDE A ONE TIME BOOST IN THE OFFICE EQUIPMENT ALLOCATION IN 2022 TO REPURPOSE AND REFURNISH THE LARGE DOWNSTAIRS BOARDROOM AT CITY HALL, MOST LIKELY TO CONVERT THE AREA TO MUCH NEEDED OFFICE SPACE.

THUS, AGAIN WORKING TOWARDS GOAL NUMBER TWO BECAUSE IT HELPS PROVIDE STAFF WITH THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO DO THEIR JOBS.

AND A VERY IMPORTANT EXAMPLE OF PROVIDING STAFF WITH WHAT THEY NEED TO DO THEIR JOBS IS THE ONE TIME RECOMMENDED IN 2022 TO OUTFIT THE NEW FIREFIGHTERS WITH TURN OUT HERE.

COUNCIL'S GOAL NUMBER THREE, ENSURING A HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL, INCLUDING FUTURE GENERATIONS.

IT'S ALSO THE FOCUS OF SEVERAL ALLOCATIONS, INCLUDING INCREASES IN CONTRACTED COSTS OVER 22 AND 23 TO BETTER SUPPORT ACCESSIBLE TRANSIT.

A SMALL BUT SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN 2022 FOR EXTERNAL RESOURCES TO HELP ALLEVIATE THE CITY'S GROWING ENERGY REQUIREMENTS VIS-A-VIS THE 2020 NATIONAL BUILDING CODE.

AND HIGHER TRANSIT COSTS FOR NEW ROADS STARTING IN 2024.

AND THEN SOMETIMES THERE ARE EXPENDITURES THAT JUST HAVE TO BE MADE.

IN BUDGET 2022, THESE INCLUDE THE ONE TIME SET ASIDE TO COVER UNEXPECTED COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE COVID PANDEMIC, AS THE GNWT HAS ADVISED COMMUNITIES THAT THERE WILL BE NO FURTHER FUNDING COMING FOR THIS.

A ONE TIME SPIKE IN STORM WATER TESTING COSTS TO COMPLETE REQUIREMENTS UNDER OUR CURRENT WATER LICENSE WITH RESPECT TO STORM WATER MANAGEMENT AND A ONE TIME EXPENDITURE NEEDED TO RUN THE 2022 MUNICIPAL ELECTION.

THERE ARE, OF COURSE, A GREAT MANY OTHER EXPENDITURES IN BUDGET 2022.

THE ESSENTIAL ITEMS LIKE WAGES AND BENEFIT FUEL, UTILITIES, SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS WITHOUT WHICH THE CITY WOULD SIMPLY NOT BE ABLE TO PROVIDE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES.

NOW, LET'S TAKE A BRIEF LOOK AT THE PRIORITY STAFFING REQUIREMENTS ADDRESSED IN BUDGET 2022.

LAST YEAR, AT THIS TIME, ADMINISTRATION IDENTIFIED THE NEED FOR THE EQUIVALENT OF SEVEN AND A HALF ADDITIONAL POSITIONS TO HELP BRING STAFFING LEVELS CLOSER TO WHERE THEY NEEDED TO BE TO MEET THE DEMANDS CREATED BY THE GROWTH THE CITY HAS EXPERIENCED.

HOWEVER, GIVEN THE ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY SURROUNDING THE PANDEMIC, THESE POSITIONS WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET.

DURING DELIBERATIONS, COUNCIL DID DIRECT ADMINISTRATION, HOWEVER, TO PROCEED WITH THE SAFETY OFFICER POSITION.

BUT JUST BECAUSE THE POSITIONS WEREN'T INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET DOCUMENT LAST YEAR DOESN'T MEAN THE NEEDS WENT AWAY.

SO FOR BUDGET 2022, AS IN RECENT YEARS, THE SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM CAREFULLY REVIEWED THE IDENTIFIED NEEDS FOR EVALUATION STAFF AND EVALUATED THEM USING A STRUCTURED MATRIX THAT LOOKED AT HOW THE RULES ALIGN WITH THE CITY'S MANDATE AND COUNCIL'S PRIORITIES, AND CONSIDERED ASPECTS LIKE IMPACT AND STAKEHOLDER PRIORITY, AS WELL AS RISK AND ASSET MANAGEMENT FACTORS.

THE RESULTS OF THIS THOROUGH EVALUATION REVEALED THAT THE ASSET MANAGEMENT LANDS AND FIRE HALL ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED LAST YEAR HAVE BEEN REITERATED.

A TERM ASSET MANAGEMENT POSITION IS RECOMMENDED TO ENSURE THE CITY CONTINUES TO ADVANCE ALONG ITS ASSET MANAGEMENT ROADMAP AND MAKE PROGRESS TOWARDS COUNCIL'S OBJECTIVE 2.1, WHICH INCLUDES THE REQUIREMENT TO DEVELOP AND RESOURCE AN ASSET MANAGEMENT PLAN TO GUIDE LONG TERM DECISION MAKING.

THE TERM DEVELOPMENT LANDS OFFICER WILL BE KEY TO HELPING THE CITY KEEP PACE WITH INCREASED WORKLOADS ARISING FROM THE LAND TRANSFER OF AVAILABLE COMMISSIONERS

[00:25:04]

THE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT RECOMMENDATION WILL EXPAND THE HALF TIME SUPPORT POSITION ARE TO FULL TIME I NEED IDENTIFIED AS A HIGH PRIORITY IN THE 2016 FIRE MASTER.

THE RESULTS ALSO REVEALED THAT CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES MEAN ADDITIONAL FIREFIGHTERS HAVE BECOME A HIGH PRIORITY.

THE FIRE DIVISION'S EMERGENCY CALL VOLUME HAS STEADILY INCREASED IN RECENT YEARS, AND THIS GROWTH IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE.

FOUR ADDITIONAL FIREFIGHTERS ARE REQUIRED NOW TO MOVE THE CITY TOWARD STANDARD STAFFING LEVELS TO ENABLE SAFE AND TIMELY RESPONSE TO EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.

THE REVIEW ALSO CONFIRMED THAT ONGOING INFRASTRUCTURE GROWTH NECESSITATES ADDITIONAL MAINTAINERS.

THE WORKS MAINTAIN A POSITION WITHIN ROADS AND SIDEWALKS, IS NEEDED TO HELP COPE WITH BOTH THE GROWTH AND INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE INCREASINGLY STRINGENT AND TIME-CONSUMING SAFETY REQUIREMENTS BEING IMPOSED BY THE WSCC.

SIMILARLY, THE WATER AND SEWER MAINTAIN HER POSITION WILL HELP ADDRESS INCREASED WORKLOADS ASSOCIATED WITH EXPANDING INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENHANCE SAFETY STANDARDS.

THE EVALUATION ALSO IDENTIFIED THE NEED FOR AN ADDITIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE POSITION AT THE SOLID WASTE FACILITY.

THE NEW WAY OUT SCALE WILL ENABLE THE CAPTURE OF DATA TO BETTER INFORM ON FIELD DECISION MAKING, BUT WILL REQUIRE BOTH IN AND OUT ON IT.

THEREFORE, IT'S RECOMMENDED THAT A NEW POSITION BE CREATED TO SUPPORT THIS INCREASED WORKLOAD.

AND LASTLY, THE REVIEW LED TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THE TERM POLICY AND ENGINEERING DECISIONS BOTH BE MADE PERMANENT.

MANY WILL RECALL THAT THE POLICY AND LEGISLATIVE FUNCTION WAS SUPPORTED WITH COVID SAFE RESTART FUNDING IN MID-2021.

IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THIS BECOME A PERMANENT POSITION TO HELP SUPPORT INCREASED REQUIREMENTS FOR POLICY REVIEW AND BILATERAL.

WORKLOADS IN ENGINEERING HAVE BEEN STEADILY INCREASING DUE TO GROWTH IN CAPITAL PROJECTS, WATER LICENSE REQUIREMENTS, TRANSIT MANAGEMENT AND TRAFFIC LIGHT MAINTENANCE.

THE THREE YEAR TERM ESTABLISHED IN 2019 WILL CONCLUDE AT THE END OF THIS YEAR, BUT THE REQUIREMENTS WON'T, SO IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE POSITION BE MADE PERMANENT.

OTHER NEEDS WERE CONSIDERED, INCLUDING HOW TO COPE WITH THE SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN WORKLOAD THAT WILL BE CREATED WHEN THE GNWT MANDATES THAT MUNICIPALITIES ARE SUBJECT TO THE PROVISIONS OF CREATIVE.

HOWEVER, THIS WAS NOT PUT FORWARD IN BUDGET 2022, AS THE GNWT HAS NOT YET CLARIFIED HOW IT WILL BE SUPPORTING MUNICIPALITIES AS THEY UNDERTAKE THIS ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITY.

NEXT UP, A LOOK AT WHAT THESE CAPITAL, O&M AND STAFFING PLANS ALL ADD UP TO THE TOTAL REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES.

WHEN WE ROLL ALL OF THIS INFORMATION UP, THE CITY'S TOTAL REVENUES ACROSS ALL FUNDS IN 2022 ARE EXPECTED TO BE ALMOST 99 MILLION DOLLARS.

AS USUAL, THE TOP THREE CONTRIBUTORS ARE PROPERTY TAX USER CHARGES AND GOVERNMENT GRANTS.

HOWEVER, THESE ARE NOT USUAL TIMES, AND DURING THE DEVELOPMENT OF BUDGET 2022 ADMINISTRATION HAD TO MAKE SENSE OF THE ASSUMPTIONS IN THE LIGHT OF THE UNCERTAINTY SURROUNDING COVID.

THESE INCLUDED VERY CONSERVATIVE PROJECTIONS FOR REVENUES, ESPECIALLY THOSE FROM FACILITIES AND PROGRAMS AND THE USE OF CHARGES, PIECE OF THE PIE IS A BIT SMALLER THAN USUAL.

IF ALL OF THE RECOMMENDED OUTCOMES ARE PURSUED, 2022 EXPENDITURES ACROSS ALL FUNDS ARE EXPECTED TO TOTAL JUST OVER 120 MILLION DOLLARS.

THE DISTRIBUTION OF THESE EXPENDITURES IS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT THAN NORMAL, WITH CAPITAL ACCOUNTING FOR OVER A THIRD OF THE TOTAL DUE IN LARGE PART TO THE SIGNIFICANT ALLOCATION FOR THE PROPOSED AQUATIC CENTER.

WHILE THIS MAY NOT APPEAR TO BE A BALANCED BUDGET, AS THESE EXPENDITURES LOOK HIGHER THAN THE REVENUES ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, WHEN AMORTIZATION IS FACTORED OUT AND DEBENTURE PROCEEDS AND DEBT REPAYMENTS ARE CONSIDERED, THE OVERALL CHANGE IN FUND BALANCES IS EXPECTED TO BE JUST UNDER EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, WHICH IS CONSIDERED A BALANCED BUDGET IN THE CONTEXT OF COUNCIL'S BUDGET POLICY.

BUT WHAT DO THESE NUMBERS MEAN TO THE AVERAGE RATEPAYER? LET'S LOOK AT SOME POTENTIAL IMPACTS.

STARTING WITH USER FEES.

[00:30:02]

BUDGET 2022 RECOMMENDS A 10 PERCENT INCREASE IN THESE FEES IN EACH OF THE NEXT THREE YEARS, LARGELY DUE TO THE RISING [INAUDIBLE] RELIABILITY.

THE WATER AND SEWER FUND FINANCES, THE WATER AND SEWER SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE CITY, MOST OF ITS REVENUES COME FROM USER CHARGES REFLECTED ON MONTHLY WATER BILLS.

BUDGET 2022 ASSUMES THESE FEES REMAIN AT 2021 LEVELS OVER THE TERM OF THE BUDGET.

FACILITIES AND PROGRAMS ARE LOOSELY FUNDED ON A USER PAY BASIS, AS HAS BEEN THE CASE FOR SEVERAL YEARS, BUDGET 2022 RECOMMENDS ANNUAL THREE PERCENT INCREASES IN THESE FEES.

NOW TURNING TO PROPERTY TAX.

COMMITTEE MAY RECALL THAT WHEN BUDGET 2020 CAME FORWARD, THE INITIAL TAX RATE INCREASE WAS 8.48 PERCENT.

BY UNFLATTERING ONE POINT ONE, TWO MILLION IN CAPITAL MONEY AND ELIMINATING THE TRANSFER TO CAPITAL, COUNCIL REDUCE THIS TO 1.63 PERCENT.

HOWEVER, THESE WERE ONE TIME MOVERS.

THERE IS NO MORE CAPITAL CLEANUP TO BE DONE WITHOUT IMPACTING SERVICE DELIVERY AND FAILING TO TRANSFER MONEY TO THE CAPITAL FUND IS NOT A SUSTAINABLE PRACTICE.

THIS TIME LAST YEAR, WHEN BUDGET 2021 CAME FORWARD, THE INITIAL TAX RATE INCREASE WAS PROJECTED TO BE 11.92 PERCENT, REFLECTING THE ACCUMULATED ACCUMULATED IMPACTS OF COVID 19 AND GENERAL INFLATIONARY PRESSURES, BUT NO NEW STOCK POSITIONS.

DURING DELIBERATIONS, COUNCIL OPTED TO ASSUME THE POTENTIAL FUNDING WOULD COME TO FRUITION AND DECIDED TO REDUCE THE TRANSFER TO CAPITAL TO BRING THE 2021 TAX RATE INCREASE TO 2.5 PERCENT.

THIS, TOO, WAS A ONE TIME SOLUTION, AS NO FURTHER COVID FUNDING WILL BE FORTHCOMING AND A SUBSEQUENT INCREASE IN MANDATE FUNDING IS UNLIKELY TO COME SO CLOSELY ON THE HEELS OF THE LATEST ONE.

AS WE APPROACH, 2022 INFLATIONARY PRESSURES HAVE INCREASED.

AS RECENTLY AS OCTOBER 21ST, CABIN RADIO REPORTED THAT THE YELLOWKNIFE PRICE INDEX SAW ITS BIGGEST LEAP IN A DECADE 4.8 PERCENT.

AS WELL, COVID CONCERNS AND IMPACTS REMAIN, AND THE ORGANIZATION REQUIRES SEVERAL STAFF POSITIONS TO SAFELY MAINTAIN CURRENT LEVELS OF SERVICE.

FROM THIS PERSPECTIVE, IT IS A TESTAMENT TO THE ADMINISTRATION'S DETERMINATION TO OPERATE CLEANLY AND EFFICIENTLY THAT THE PROJECTED PROPERTY TAX RATE INCREASE FOR 2022 COMES IN AT 13.44 PERCENT.

THIS IS THE NUMBER NEEDED TO RAISE THE REQUIRED REVENUES TO PROCEED WITH THE SERVICE SERVICE DELIVERY PLANS INHERENT IN THE CURRENT BUDGET 2022 DOCUMENTS.

ADMINISTRATION IS BRINGING IT FORWARD BECAUSE IT IS A REALISTIC AND TRANSPARENT REFLECTION OF WHAT IT WILL TAKE TO SUSTAIN THE CURRENT LEVELS OF SERVICE AND WORK TOWARDS COUNCIL'S GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.

WHAT THIS TRANSLATES TO FOR INDIVIDUAL HOMEOWNERS DEPENDS, OF COURSE, ON THE ASSESSED VALUE OF THE PROPERTY.

THIS TABLE SHOWS EXAMPLES FOR THREE DIFFERENT SAMPLE ASSESSED VALUES.

YOU CAN SEE HERE THAT THE MONTHLY CHANGES FOR THESE EXAMPLES RANGE FROM FIFTEEN DOLLARS TO FORTY DOLLARS A MONTH.

THE IMPACT FOR COMMERCIAL PROPERTY OWNERS WILL, OF COURSE, BE DIFFERENT BECAUSE COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES TEND TO HAVE HIGHER ASSESSED VALUES AND BECAUSE OF DIFFERENT NIL RATE APPLIES.

THAT COVERS THE LAST OF TODAY'S AGENDA ITEMS. WHAT'S NEXT? FROM NOW UNTIL NOVEMBER 20, SIX COUNCILORS ARE INVITED TO SUBMIT THEIR WRITTEN QUESTIONS TO ADMINISTRATION, WHO WILL COMPILE ANSWERS AND POST THEM TO THE WEBSITE.

ON NOVEMBER 22ND, CITIZENS WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE COUNCIL WITH THEIR THOUGHTS AND FEEDBACK ON THE DRAFT BUDGET DOCUMENT.

DELIBERATIONS ARE SLATED FOR THE EVENING OF DECEMBER 6TH, 7TH, AND 8TH, WITH DECEMBER 9TH BEING SET ASIDE JUST IN CASE EXTRA TIME IS REQUIRED.

AND ADOPTION IS SCHEDULED FOR DECEMBER 13TH.

I'LL OPEN IT UP NOW TO QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MS. WOODWARD, AND MY APOLOGIES, BUT IN THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA, THERE WAS ONE IN-CAMERA ITEM TO ADD, WHICH IS A MATTER STILL UNDER CONSIDERATION.

ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL?

[00:35:04]

SINCE THE RELEASE, AND THEREFORE.

AND THE BIG QUESTIONS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN THE WEEK OF DECEMBER 6TH.

YOU KNOW, SEEING.

COUNCILLOR WILLIAMS, DO YOU WANT TO COMMENT OR QUESTION? WOW.

IT IS BIG, AND IT'S DEFINITELY A MIX BETWEEN COVID AND OTHER HEALTH AND SAFETY AS WELL AS OTHER SERVICES.

SO IT WILL BE A TOUGH WEEK AND TOUGH MONTH.

I KNOW FOR FOLKS REVIEWING ALL THIS INFORMATION.

COUNCILLOR MORSE, DID YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP FIRST? YEAH, NO, JUST MY ANNUAL COMMENT OF YEAH, IT'S ALWAYS A BIT JARRING FOR CITIZENS TO SEE THAT KIND OF PROPOSED TAX RAISE, BUT AS ALWAYS, I TRY TO EMPHASIZE THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE BRINGING FORWARD A PROPOSAL FOR US, OF WHICH SOME OF THE OPTIONS WE'RE GOING TO TAKE IN, SOME OF THEM WE WON'T.

AND YOU KNOW, IN MY SIX YEARS SO FAR, I HAVE NOT SEEN COUNCIL GOING ANYWHERE CLOSE TO THE KIND OF DRAFT BUDGET TAX RATES.

SO IT JUST ANNUALLY TRIED TO REMIND PEOPLE TO NOT GET TOO PANICKED ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT'S QUITE DIFFERENT FROM THE NUMBER THAT WE'RE LIKELY GOING TO LAND ON.

AND THAT'S ALL I'LL SAY FOR NOW.

THANKS TO ALLAN FOR A GREAT PRESENTATION, AND I'M SURE WE'LL HAVE TONS OF QUESTIONS ONCE WE'VE HAD TIME TO GO THROUGH IT IN DETAIL.

GREAT, THANK YOU.

YEAH, I THINK IT'S ALWAYS HELPFUL IF FOLKS CAN, YOU KNOW, IN HAVING DISCUSSIONS WITH COUNCIL, YOU CAN OUTLINE WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT THE SERVICES THAT YOU ENJOY.

AND I KNOW WE GET A LOT OF EMAILS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR THAT ARE REQUESTING MORE GARBAGE CANS ON TRAILS AND ON RESIDENTIAL ROADS.

PEOPLE ASKING FOR MORE DOG PARKS, PEOPLE ASKING FOR A LOT OF THOSE.

MORE AND MORE AND MORE SERVICES.

SO THOSE DO HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE BUDGET.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, IF THERE ARE ITEMS THAT YOU.

YOU SHOULD BE SCALED BACK THAT PERHAPS THE LEVEL IS BEING DELIVERED TOO HIGH.

AND THEN ALSO RECOGNIZING THERE'S ALSO HEALTH AND SAFETY REGULATIONS THAT WE DO HAVE TO FOLLOW AND ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS LIKE MS., WOODWARD SAID ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE STORM WATER SEWER TESTING WE NEED TO DO FOR OUR WATER LICENSE TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING A HEALTH AND SAFETY, HEALTH AND SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR THE LAND.

UM, I GUESS, MS. WOODWARD, THE BUDGET WILL BE POSTED ONLINE LATER TODAY OR TOMORROW.

THANK YOU.

YES, IT WILL BE UP LATE THIS AFTERNOON ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE.

OK, THANK YOU.

SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR NOW, I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING EVERYBODY'S QUESTIONS AND STARTING THAT DELIBERATION THE EVENING OF MONDAY, DECEMBER 6TH AT 5:30.

MS. BASSI-KELLETT, THE NEXT ONE WE HAVE ON THE AGENDA IS A PRESENTATION FROM

[5. A presentation from Administration regarding implications of not proceeding with a Proof of Vaccine Policy]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR, I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT, AND THANKS VERY MUCH TO PAULA, WHO WILL BE OPERATING THE POLICY BECAUSE CLEARLY I AM INCAPABLE OF SPEAKING AND CHEWING GUM AT THE SAME TIME.

SO THANK YOU, PAULA.

SO TODAY, WHAT I WANTED TO BE ABLE TO DO IS PROVIDE FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF ADMINISTRATION, A FOLLOW UP TO THE MEMO AND THE DRAFT PROPOSED POLICY THAT WERE PRESENTED TO GPC LAST WEEK.

GIVEN THE DISCUSSION LAST WEEK, ADMINISTRATION WE I WAS REMISS IN PROVIDING ADDITIONAL CONTEXT THAT WILL ENABLE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO HAVE INFORMATION THAT WE HAD NOT FULLY INCLUDED IN THE MEMO.

SO MORE CONTEXT AND BACKGROUND AS YOU PREPARE TO MAKE A DECISION THIS EVENING.

SO NEXT SLIDE, THANK YOU, PAULA.

SO JUST TO SUMMARIZE, OCTOBER 22ND, THE CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER'S OFFICE ISSUED THE PUBLIC HEALTH ORDER, ALLOWING APPLICATIONS FOR GATHERINGS GREATER THAN 25 INDOOR 50 OUTDOOR, WITH CERTAIN PROVISIONS TO BE MET, INCLUDING THE PROOF OF VACCINATION AND AN APPLICATION TO THE.

SO THE CITY APPLIED RIGHT AWAY TO BE ABLE TO MAX OUT THE CAP THAT'S ESTABLISHED RIGHT AWAY.

TWENTY FIVE AND MOST OF OUR CITY FACILITIES, SOME FACILITIES JUST DID NOT MEET THE TEST WITH THE SHOW.

AND SO WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO USE THEM, BUT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET TWENTY FIVE IN MOST OF OUR FACILITIES.

AND AT THE SAME TIME, WE KNOW USER GROUPS HAVE BEEN IN LINE AS WELL TO PRESENT TO THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER.

SOME OF THE PARAMETERS THAT THEY'RE PROPOSING TO HAVE IN PLACE THAT ARE ALIGNED WITH

[00:40:03]

AND SO MANY OF THOSE ARE IN PLACE AND HAVE BEEN.

SO MANY OF THOSE USER GROUPS ARE IN FACILITIES USING THOSE FACILITIES AND HAVING UP TO 100 PEOPLE, DEPENDING ON THE KIND OF SPORTING EVENT THAT THEY'RE DOING.

NEXT SLIDE, PAULA.

THANK YOU.

SO I GUESS, FIRST OF ALL, WHAT I REALLY WANT TO SAY IS I AM HUGELY RESPECTFUL OF WHERE COUNCILLORS ARE COMING FROM, AND I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS HAS BEEN A REALLY CHALLENGING ISSUE GIVEN HOW STRONGLY PEOPLE FEEL ABOUT THE ISSUE.

AND SO WE KNOW THAT SINCE LAST MONDAY, THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF EMAILS TO COUNCIL.

MANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN REACHING OUT.

MANY SAYING, GOSH, I'VE NEVER WRITTEN TO COUNSEL BEFORE, BUT HERE GOES ON COMPELLED TO SPEAK ON THIS ISSUE.

AND I KNOW THAT AS ELECTED LEADERS, YOU ARE FACED WITH ISSUES THAT ARE NOT BLACK AND WHITE, AND THIS IS A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF ONE OF THOSE WE WE DIDN'T IN THE GPC MEMO LAST WEEK, WE DIDN'T HAVE IMPLICATIONS OF HAVING NO POLICY AND THE OPTIONS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THAT.

SO THAT IS THE POINT TODAY TO BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU SOME INFORMATION BEFORE THE DECISION THIS EVENING.

THANK YOU, PAULA, NEXT SLIDE.

SO WHAT WE KNOW FROM THAT CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER IS PUBLIC HEALTH ORDER THAT THERE ARE OPTIONS.

SO ONE OPTION IS TO STAY WITH THE CAP, THE STATUS QUO CAP OF TWENTY FIVE INDOORS, 50 OUTDOORS WITHOUT ANY VACCINE REQUIREMENT.

WE DON'T TEST.

WE DON'T ASK.

WE WILL LEAVE IT TO BE THAT WAY.

THE SECOND OPTION, OF COURSE, IS THAT WE CAN INCREASE THE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE IN CITY FACILITIES FOR CITY PROGRAMS IF WE HAVE A PROOF OF VACCINATION POLICY.

AND THE THIRD OPTION IS THAT WE CAN SEEK TO APPLY ONE OFF FOR VARIOUS FACILITIES, VARIOUS PROGRAMS PER EVENTS, WHATEVER IS GOING ON WITH INDIVIDUALIZED PLANS FOR EACH FACILITY OR PROGRAM.

AND WE KNOW THAT THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER WILL REVIEW APPLICATIONS AND THEY WILL CONDUCT A RISK ASSESSMENT TO GAUGE THE PUBLIC HEALTH RISKS OF WHAT WE PROPOSED.

THE CITY HAS BEEN ADVISED THAT WRECKED FACILITIES WILL TYPICALLY CANNOT EXPECT TO SEE AN INCREASE BEYOND THIRTY FIVE INSTEAD OF THE TWENTY FIVE THAT IS CURRENTLY ALLOWED WITHOUT ANY KIND OF A VACCINE CHECK.

GIVEN THE CLOSE CONTACT, THE LEVELS OF EXERTION AND THE HEAVY BREATHING THAT GOES ON WHEN PEOPLE ARE DOING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.

SO WE'LL NEED TO DO APPLICATIONS FOR EACH FACILITY AND WE'LL NEED TO THINK IT THROUGH.

THINK ABOUT WHAT ACTIONS THAT WE WOULD TAKE THAT WOULD BE MITIGATING FACTORS AND THAT WILL TAKE US SOME TIME TO COMPLETE.

NEXT SLIDE, PAULA, THANK YOU.

SO THE BASIS OF THE RECOMMENDATION THAT CAME FROM ADMINISTRATION, WE THOUGHT LONG AND HARD ABOUT THIS AND THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION AND DISCOURSE AROUND THIS COLLECTIVELY AS THIS CAME FORWARD WITHIN THE SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM.

SO THE RECOMMENDATIONS CAME FORWARD BASED ON REALLY THE PUBLIC HEALTH ORDER IS DRIVING THIS.

SO THE POLICY IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE DOING THAT RESPONSE TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH ORDER.

AND WE WOULD SEE THAT, OF COURSE, WOULD BE IN PLACE FOR THE DURATION OF THE TIMING OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH ORDER.

WE KNOW THE COUNCIL HAS BEEN VERY THOUGHTFUL AND PROVIDED REALLY GREAT LEADERSHIP ON PRINCIPLES AROUND HOW WE WILL ADHERE TO A PATH FORWARD IN THE CONTEXT OF COVID.

AND SO WE'RE VERY MINDFUL OF THAT WHEN THERE WAS FINANCIAL DECISION MAKING TO BE DONE.

COUNCIL DID REAFFIRM AND UPHOLD PRINCIPLES, AND THEY'RE LISTED HERE IN SMALL PRINT, BUT THAT YOU CAN SEE.

WE'RE ALSO VERY MINDFUL OF HUMAN RIGHTS, AND WE DO NOT WANT TO DO ANYTHING THAT IS IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM, PUTTING PEOPLE IN A SITUATION WHERE THEIR RIGHTS ARE NOT BEING UPHELD OR THAT IT WOULD NOT MEET THE TEST OF WHAT THE GNWT HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION HAS SAID PUBLICLY IN THE STATEMENTS THAT THEY'VE MADE, AS WELL AS THE PRINCIPLES THAT THEY UPHOLD.

AND AGAIN, WE'VE LOOKED AT WHAT'S GOING ON IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS, AND WE SEE OTHER PROVINCES ARE DOING THINGS.

MUNICIPALITIES ARE DOING THINGS.

THERE ARE CITIES ACROSS CANADA THAT ARE IMPLEMENTING PROGRAMS THAT COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENT TO PROVIDE PROOF OF VACCINATION, TO ACCESS MUNICIPAL SERVICES AND FACILITIES IN DIFFERENT WAYS.

AND SO WE KNOW THAT THE CITY OF EDMONTON, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS ADOPTED THEIR ALBERTA RESTRICTION EXEMPTION PROGRAM SO IT CAN OPERATE WITHOUT MOST PUBLIC HEALTH RESTRICTIONS.

AND THE CITY OF CALGARY THEN WENT IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.

THEY PUT A VACCINE PASSPORT BYLAW IN PLACE FOR BUSINESSES TO REQUIRE CERTAIN VACCINATIONS, DIFFERENT APPROACHES AND DIFFERENT ISSUES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

NOW, WHEN IT COMES TO IMPLICATIONS FOR CITY PROGRAMS, THIS IS REALLY IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE SO THE CITY PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE, THE RECREATION PROGRAMS WOULD REMAIN CAPPED IF WE DON'T GO FORWARD WITH ONE OF THE OPTIONS THAT GOES WITH AN EXPANDED CAPACITY.

SO WE KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT ARE ARENAS WELL, WE'VE GOT LOTS OF RENTAL AGREEMENTS WITH

[00:45:01]

WE KNOW THE PUBLIC SKATING IS REALLY POPULAR AND PEOPLE LIKE TO GET ON THE ICE THAT WAY TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS JUST HANGING OUT AND DOING SOME GOOD PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.

WE KNOW THE FIELDHOUSE, IN ADDITION TO ORGANIZED SOCCER GROUPS, THERE ARE ALSO OTHER GROUPS PEOPLE PLAY TENNIS.

WE HAVE PLAY GROUPS THAT COME TOGETHER REGULARLY TO USE THAT SPACE AS WELL, AND SO THERE WOULD BE IMPLICATIONS FOR THEM.

RUTH INCH IS A BIG ONE, AND SO THE PUBLIC SWIMS, THE LESSONS, THE PROGRAMS LIKE AQUAVIT AND OTHERS, THE RENTALS, THE STEAM ROOM, THE HOT TUB, THOSE ARE ALL FACTORS THAT WE WOULD CONTINUE TO HAVE TO CAP.

AND THIS IS AN INTERESTING ONE BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THE POOL, TYPICALLY THE RENTALS ARE ABOUT 20 PERCENT OF THE USE AND ABOUT 80 PERCENT OF THE USE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WANT TO COME TO THE POOL AND ACCESS IT TO BE ABLE TO COME FOR A SWIM OR LANE SWIM, FAMILY SWIM, ET CETERA.

THE BIG IMPACT WE'D SEE HERE WOULD BE FOR THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE NOT PART OF A CLUB WHO ARE NOT PART OF AN ORGANIZED SPORTING ORGANIZATION THAT COMES TO PLAY SOCCER OR PLAY HOCKEY, BE PART OF A SWIM CLUB.

THESE WOULD BE THE ONES THAT WOULD BE CHALLENGED IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO ACCESS OUR FACILITIES AND CERTAINLY OUR ACCESS FOR ALL USERS ARE INCLUDED IN THERE AS WELL.

SO THE MEMBERS OF CLUBS, THEY CAN HAVE LARGER NUMBERS PENDING THEIR OWN CLUBS, MANDATORY VACCINE RULES AND THE APPLICATIONS THAT THEY EACH BRING FORWARD TO THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER.

SO IMPLICATIONS FOR OUR FACILITIES THEN, SO YELLOWKNIFE PUBLIC LIBRARY MUCH LOVED AND CURRENTLY WHAT WE'RE ALLOWING IS UP TO 25 AND WE DO THAT BY APPOINTMENT.

PEOPLE CAN SIGN UP FOR ONE HOUR TIME SLOTS FOR THEIR APPOINTMENT THAT THEY CAN COME IN, THEY CAN USE THE FACILITIES THEY CAN GET ON THE THE INTERNET.

THEY CAN BROWSE, THEY CAN DO OTHER THINGS THAT THEY CAN DO AT THE LIBRARY.

BUT FOR THOSE ONE HOUR TIME PERIODS, AND THAT'S TO ENSURE BECAUSE QUITE OFTEN WE HAVE A LOT OF PATRONS WHO LOVE THE LIBRARY AND WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO COME AND SPEND HOURS THERE.

AND WE JUST CAN'T DO THAT RIGHT NOW.

IF THERE IS THIS CAP SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT MORE PEOPLE CAN GET IN AND ACCESS THE PROGRAMS AND THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE THERE, THE WALKING TRACK, THE CLIMBING WALL AND THE INDOOR PLAYGROUND, THESE ONES HAVE BEEN INTERESTING, SO WE'RE CAPPED RIGHT NOW FOR THE REMAIN CAP, FOR THE WALKING TRACK.

THE CLIMBING WALL IN THE INDOOR PLAYGROUNDS.

WE HAVE STILL HAD SOME RELUCTANCE FROM THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER ABOUT BEING ABLE TO HAVE THOSE IN USE.

THE CLIMBING WALL IS PART OF THE FOYER OF THE FIELDHOUSE, SO IT GETS INCLUDED IN THERE.

THERE HAVE BEEN CONCERNS AROUND THAT BECAUSE OF THE CLOSE CONTACT AND THE SAME WITH THE INDOOR PLAYGROUND.

THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER HAS BEEN RELUCTANT TO ALLOW 25 IN THOSE SPACES.

IN CITY HALL, WE REMAIN CAPPED HERE AT 25 PERSONS PER FLOOR.

THAT'S A BIT OF A CHALLENGE FOR US THAT MEANS THAT NOT ALL OF OUR STAFF ARE BACK TO WORK, AND THAT MEANS THAT SOME OF THEM CONTINUE TO HAVE TO WORK REMOTELY SO THAT WE CAN HAVE 25 FIVE PER FLOOR.

AND AFTER WE WERE, AFTER THE CIRCUIT BREAKER WHERE WE WERE EXCEEDINGLY LIMITED ON THE NUMBERS OF STAFF THAT WE COULD HAVE HERE.

THERE WERE A LOT OF STAFF THAT WHEN THE CAP WAS INCREASED TO TWENTY FIVE, THERE WERE SOME VERY I DON'T WANT TO BE DRAMATIC ABOUT IT, BUT SOME STAFF THAT WERE SAYING, PLEASE, CAN I BE ON THAT LIST TO COME BACK BECAUSE I'M GOING BANANAS AT HOME.

I DON'T KNOW THE WORK SET UP.

I DON'T HAVE AN ERGONOMIC WORKSTATION.

I AM MISSING THAT SEPARATION BETWEEN WORK AND HOME.

SO PLEASE CAN I COME BACK.

SO WE KNOW THERE'S A PRESSURE POINT FOR STAFF, BUT WE DO STILL HAVE A NUMBER OF STAFF WHO ARE WORKING REMOTELY AND WE'RE CLOSE TO THE PUBLIC STILL SO THAT WE CAN MAX OUT ON HAVING 25 PER FLOOR.

NOW, IMPLICATIONS FOR MEETINGS AND EVENTS, WE'RE NOT HAVING MEETINGS WITH OUTSIDE PARTNERS IN CITY HALL OR IN FACILITIES FOR AT THE MAXIMUM.

THAT, OF COURSE, DOES INCLUDE COMMITTEE AND COUNCIL MEETINGS AS WELL.

WE KNOW THAT THE AQUATIC REFERENDUM, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO VOTER ASSISTANCE LOCATIONS OF THE TREE OF PEACE AND THE MULTIPLEX.

WE ARE VERY AWARE THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO LOOK AT HOW WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN IF WE WANT TO HAVE MORE THAN 25 PEOPLE IN THERE.

IT'S GOING TO BE WINTER AND WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE PEOPLE LINING UP, FOR EXAMPLE, OUTSIDE OF THE TREE OF PEACE, IF THEY NEED TO COME IN AND CAST THEIR BALLOTS OR MAKE SURE THAT THEIR BALLOT IS CORRECT.

THE STATUTORY PUBLIC HEARING IS COMING UP ON THE ZONING BYLAW.

I BELIEVE THAT'S COMING UP ON NOVEMBER 27TH.

WE WOULD REALLY, REALLY LIKE TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS IN PERSON.

WE FOUND THAT EVEN DURING COVID, WHEN WE'VE HAD THE ABILITY TO ENGAGE DIRECTLY WITH MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, IT IS MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE FOR PEOPLE BEING ABLE TO ENGAGE TO OCCURRED.

WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF DEVELOPMENT APPEAL BOARD HEARINGS THAT WERE DONE IN COVID IN A COVID COMPLIANT WAY IN PERSON.

WE'D LOVE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT AGAIN.

IT MAY BE A CHALLENGE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO, DEPENDING ON THE NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE, WHO WANT TO SPEAK TO COUNCIL ON THAT TOPIC.

AND AGAIN, WE'RE CHALLENGED TO HAVE ANY LARGE CITY EVENTS, SO THINGS LIKE THAT INDOOR GARAGE SALE, THE COMMUNITY SHOWCASE THE VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION.

THOSE EVENTS ARE CHALLENGED AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE VERY HARD FOR THOSE TO GO AHEAD IF WE HAVE A CAP OF 25.

SO IMPLICATIONS FOR CITY STAFF, WE ARE OBLIGED TO ENSURE A SAFE WORK

[00:50:05]

AND IT'S HARD TO DO THAT WHEN REMOTE WORKING CONTINUES.

APART FROM THE FACT THAT HAVING SOME STAFF WORK REMOTELY IN SOME STAFF, NOT HAVING THE ABILITY TO WORK REMOTELY, THAT CAN BE A DIVISIVE THING IN AND OF ITSELF.

BUT WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE SUPPORTING STAFF, THAT WE CAN GUARANTEE THEIR SAFETY.

AND THAT'S A REALLY HARD THING TO DO WHEN PEOPLE ARE WORKING IN PRIVATE WORKSPACES.

ALL RIGHT, SO THEN THE IMPLICATION FOR FEES AND REVENUES.

THIS IS A TOUGH ONE FOR US, AND SO WE ARE LOOKING TO QUANTIFY WHAT THOSE IMPACTS ARE, AND SO IF WE ARE CAPPED AT TWENTY FIVE FOR THE CITY PROGRAMS, THE PUBLIC SKATES, PUBLIC SWIMS, THAT'S A BIG HIT FOR US.

AND SO WHEN WE LOOK AT COMPARING THE CAP OF TWENTY FIVE VERSUS WHAT WE WOULD GET IN MORE NORMAL ACTIVITIES, WE SEE THAT OVER AN ANNUAL PERIOD THAT WOULD MEAN A REDUCTION OF TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTEEN THOUSAND.

WHAT ARE OUR CALCULATIONS HAVE COME WITH? IF WE COULD HAVE UP TO ONE HUNDRED ALLOWED AS MANY OF THE SPORT ORGANIZATIONS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET AN EXEMPTION THAT WOULD PUT US CLOSE TO NORMAL.

AND OF COURSE, IF WE WERE JUST TO SEEK TO HAVE AN INCREASE CAP WITH NO PROOF OF VACCINATION POLICY, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT THIRD OPTION, WE WILL HAVE A REVENUE LOSS.

BUT IT WOULD BE SMALLER, OF COURSE, THAN STICKING WITH THE CAP OF TWENTY FIVE.

AND THE DAUNTING THING, AND I CRINGE EVEN RAISING THIS AFTER THE PRESENTATION ON THE BUDGET IS THAT IF WE DO HAVE A REDUCTION IN FEES AND CHARGES AND WE HAVE PLANNED AND ANTICIPATED A REDUCTION IN FEES AND CHARGES FOR THE UPCOMING BUDGET 2020 TO CYCLE, IT DOES MEAN THE GAP NEEDS TO BE FILLED ELSEWHERE, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH REDUCTION IN SERVICES OR THROUGH TAXES.

SO NEXT STEPS ARE, OF COURSE, PENDING THE DECISION THAT COUNCIL MAKES, CITY ADMINISTRATION WILL FOLLOW UP AS APPROPRIATE.

SO WE WILL EITHER LOOK AT CONTINUING WITH THE CAP OF TWENTY FIVE AND WE'LL WORK WITH, OF COURSE, WITH THOSE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE APPLYING TO SET HIGHER LIMITS.

IF THERE IS A PROOF OF VACCINE POLICY APPROVED, WE WILL GET THE EXEMPTIONS FROM THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER TO INCREASE OUR NUMBERS IDEALLY UP TO ONE HUNDRED, WHICH IS WHAT THE PRECEDENT IS THAT WE'VE SEEN WITH OTHER SPORTING GROUPS.

WE HAVE, OF COURSE, BEEN CONFIRMED FROM THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER THAT NUMBERS DEPEND ON THE KIND OF ACTIVITY, SO THAT'S A BIG, BIG FACTOR FOR THEM IN MAKING A DETERMINATION ON THIS.

AND OF COURSE, IF COUNCIL DECIDES, NO, LET'S NOT DO THIS AND WE WANT YOU TO MAKE SOME APPLICATIONS BASED ON WHAT THE PROGRAMING IS BASED ON, WHAT THE EVENT IS, BASED ON, WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE FACILITY, WE WOULD DEVELOP INDIVIDUALIZED APPLICATIONS TO VARY FOR EACH THING THAT WE NEEDED TO DO.

THAT WOULD BE A.

BIT OF A TIME DEMAND, AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SETTING ASIDE THE TIME TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS IN A WAY THAT WOULD BE MEETING ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS THAT THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER WOULD BE LOOKING FOR IN APPLICATIONS LIKE THIS.

SO A BIT MORE TIME CONSUMING ON STAFF'S FRONT END THERE.

BUT IF THAT'S THE WILL OF COUNCIL, THAT IS THE WILL OF COUNCIL.

ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS.

IT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND CONTEXT BEFORE YOU HAVE YOUR DISCUSSIONS, DELIBERATIONS AND DECISION TONIGHT.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

OPENING IT UP TO QUESTIONS.

COUNCILLOR KONGE? THANK YOU.

SO ON THE STAFF SAFETY SIDE OF THINGS, HOW ARE WE GOING TO DEAL WITH THE BREAKTHROUGH? I MEAN, COVID, JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE VACCINATED DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU DON'T HAVE COVID, YOU CAN STILL GET COVID EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE FULLY VACCINATED.

SO.

IN THAT CONTEXT, HOW AS AN EMPLOYER, IF WE'RE SAYING EVERYBODY WHO COMES INTO THE BUILDING NEEDS TO BE VACCINATED, THAT THAT DOESN'T INSURE SAFETY AGAINST COVID? SO HOW ARE WE PLANNING ON DEALING WITH THAT? MS. BASSI-KELLETT? THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.

IT'S A REALLY GOOD POINT; RIGHT? I MEAN, THERE IS NO 100 PERCENT GUARANTEE THAT I'M AWARE OF AT THIS POINT IN TIME AND CERTAINLY NOT THE DOCTOR ON THIS ONE.

SO I SHOULD STOP MYSELF THERE.

BUT THE FACT IS THAT WE ARE SEEKING TO TAKE ALL REASONABLE PRECAUTIONS, AND THAT'S CERTAINLY THE DIRECT WORDS THAT ARE IN THE SAFETY ACT.

WE TAKE ALL REASONABLE PRECAUTIONS TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO UPHOLD THE SAFETY OF OUR STAFF.

SO AT THIS POINT IN TIME, WE HAVE SAFE WORK PRACTICES ACROSS ALL OUR WORK SITES IN OUR WORK CONTEXT.

BUT A PROOF OF VACCINE POLICY WOULD BE A PROACTIVE ACTION THAT WOULD SEEK TO ENHANCE THAT MORE.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

COUNCILLOR MORSE? THANKS.

MY FIRST QUESTION IS, I GUESS, WELL, I'M KIND OF REALIZING AS I ASK THIS, THAT YOU'RE PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER IT, BUT IF WE DO IMPLEMENT THE POLICY, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT WE COULD GET EVEN LARGER EXEMPTIONS THAN ONE HUNDRED FOR SOME OF OUR LARGER FACILITIES OF THE ANY CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CPHO ABOUT THAT? I MEAN, IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE SOME OF THE BIGGER FACILITIES, LIKE THE MULTIPLEX ARENAS.

[00:55:01]

THEY HAVE BROKEN UP EACH FACILITY INTO DIFFERENT AREAS, SO IT WOULDN'T BE JUST LIKE MULTIPLEX GETS A HUNDRED, IT'S LIKE THE GYM.

THE ICE SURFACE IS GYMNASTICS CLUBS, SO MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR.

YEAH, THAT'S THAT'S IT.

SO RIGHT NOW, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE THE SHORTIE BROWN ARENA HAS 25 [INAUDIBLE] THE STANDS HAVE 25.

SO IT HAS BEEN BROKEN UP TO SOME DEGREE.

BUT CERTAINLY WHEN ALL OF OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER, WHAT THEY'VE SAID IS LAY OUT WHAT IT IS YOU'RE GOING TO DO AND WE WILL LOOK AT MAKING OF GIVING PROVIDING DIRECTION BASED ON THE RISK ASSESSMENT THAT THEY DO.

AND SOME THINGS ARE RISKIER THAN OTHERS.

SOME THINGS ARE MORE CHALLENGING AGAIN, THEY ARE TAKING.

ANYTHING WHERE THERE IS PHYSICAL EXERTION, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT AND CONTACT SO SOCCER, HOCKEY, THINGS LIKE THAT, THINGS WHERE THERE IS THE ABILITY TO BE SPREADING MORE AIRBORNE ISSUES.

AND AGAIN, I SHOULD NOT EVEN WADE INTO THIS KIND OF DELIBERATION BECAUSE IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS TO DO, BUT THEY'RE MAKING DELIBERATIONS BASED ON THE RISK ASSESSMENT THAT THEY SEE AS PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS.

THANK YOU.

OK, THANKS.

MY OTHER QUESTION.

IT'S JUST WHETHER WE ARE CONSIDERING WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO DO IN-PERSON MEETINGS FOR COUNCIL AGAIN, IF THE POLICY WAS IMPLEMENTED.

SO IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE BRINGING BACK OR IS THAT BASED ON KIND OF BUDGET BECAUSE WE HADN'T ACTUALLY BUDGETED FOR IN-PERSON MEETINGS? SO JUST CURIOUS, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE GOING TO DO SOME MEETINGS IN PERSON, AT LEAST, WHICH I THINK A MIX WOULD ACTUALLY BE GREAT BECAUSE SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO GO TO A CITY HALL JUST FOR A 15 MINUTE MEETING, BUT IF IT'S GOING TO BE A LONGER ONE, IT CERTAINLY HELPS ME TO BE THERE.

CURIOUS ABOUT THAT.

YEAH, DEFINITELY.

DEPENDING ON HOW COUNCIL VOTES ON THE VACCINE POLICY, BECAUSE IF WE'RE LIMITED AT TWENTY FIVE, WE STICK TO TELECOM FOR USE ONLINE ONES.

MS. BASSI-KELLETT? THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR.

YEAH, THAT'S EXACTLY IT.

I MEAN, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW IS WE WOULD LOVE TO COME BACK TO IN PERSON.

WE WERE DELAYED FOR A WHILE BECAUSE TODAY YOU WILL SEE SOME SLIGHT CHANGES TO COUNCIL CHAMBERS.

THEY'VE BEEN MADE MORE ACCESSIBLE AND WE'VE ALSO HAD REPLACEMENT OF OUR WEBCASTING EQUIPMENT THAT WAS JUST COMPLETED AT THE END OF OCTOBER.

SO WE WERE REALLY HOPING TO NOT GO BACK IN PERSON BEFORE THE END OF OCTOBER.

WE'RE AT THE POINT NOW WHERE THAT COULD BE POSSIBLE, BUT OF COURSE, RECOGNIZING THAT IF THERE ARE COUNCIL OR COMMITTEE MEETINGS THAT HAPPEN IN PERSON, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC OFTEN WANT TO COME AND PRESENT AND OR WATCH OR OBSERVE WHAT'S GOING ON.

AND SO WE WOULD WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IF THERE IS, WE NEED TO THINK THROUGH HOW WE WOULD DO THAT IF WE STILL HAD A CAP ON OF ANY SORT.

RIGHT NOW, IT'S VERY HARD TO COME BACK IF WE HAVE A CAP OF TWENTY FIVE BECAUSE WE SIMPLY HAVE STAFF IN THE BUILDING, EVEN OVER LUNCH HOURS, STAFF STAY.

SO IT IS VERY CHALLENGING TO COME BACK TO IN-PERSON WHILE WE HAVE A CAP ON.

THANK YOU.

ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS, COUNCILLOR MORSE? NOPE, THAT'S IT, THANKS.

THANK YOU.

I HAVE A COUNCILLOR PAYNE AND COUNCILLOR WILLIAMS AND COUNCILLOR MUFANDAEDZA.

SO COUNCILLOR PAYNE? THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

JUST A FEW QUESTIONS HERE.

WHY WEREN'T, BEFORE WE STARTED HAVING THIS CONVERSATION, AND I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS IF WE HAD TRIED OR NOT, BUT WHY WASN'T THE EXEMPTIONS NOT LOOKED AT FIRST TO SEE WHAT WE WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET BASED ON? LIKE I KNOW, LIKE YOU SAID, JUST SAID WE CAN HAVE TWENTY FIVE IN THE STANDS.

I MEAN, THERE'S FOUR SETS OF BLEACHERS THERE AND IT'S A PRETTY LARGE AREA.

SO COMMON SENSE WOULD TELL ME THAT WE COULD HAVE MORE THAN TWENTY FIVE PEOPLE IN THE STANDS.

EASILY, WE COULD HAVE TWENTY FIVE PEOPLE IN EACH OF THOSE STANDS AND STILL BE ABLE TO CARRY OUT OUR SOCIAL DISTANCING AND.

YOU KNOW THAT ALONG WITH MASKS AND HAND SANITIZING, BECAUSE WHAT I'M HEARING A LOT, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO HOCKEY, IS THAT PARENTS WANT TO GET BACK TO SOMEWHAT NORMAL BEHAVIOR OF BEING ABLE TO GO AND WATCH THE KIDS PLAY HOCKEY.

I'M NOT HEARING A LOT OF SAFETY TALK ABOUT, I'M HEARING WE WANT TO GET BACK TO NORMAL.

SO WHY? WHY DIDN'T WE DO THAT FIRST? THAT'S MY FIRST QUESTION.

YES, STAFF DID WORK TO GET THE FACILITIES DIVIDED BECAUSE SO THAT MULTIPLEX WASN'T CONSIDERED JUST 25.

MS. BASSI-KELLETT, IF YOU CAN EXPLAIN THAT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR, AND THANKS FOR THE QUESTION, COUNCILLOR PAYNE.

SO WHEN WE GOT THE HEADS UP THAT THIS PUBLIC HEALTH ORDER WOULD BE COMING, WE STARTED

[01:00:01]

AND SO WE PUSH HARD KNOWING FULL WELL THAT THE ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE OCTOBER 22ND.

WE DID GET A HEADS UP A COUPLE OF DAYS BEFORE THAT.

SO WE HAD OUR APPLICATIONS READY TO GO AHEAD RIGHT AWAY AS OF SATURDAY FOR THE ONLY PUBLIC LIBRARY AND THEN IMMEDIATELY FOR OTHER FACILITIES ON MONDAY THE 25TH.

SO THERE WAS A LOT OF WORK THAT WENT INTO LIKE, LET'S GET TWENTY FIVE IN THE BUILDING.

LET'S MAKE SURE WE CAN DO THAT ACROSS CITY HALL, UPSTAIRS AND DOWNSTAIRS, ACROSS THE FIELDHOUSE, ACROSS THE MULTIPLEX.

WE WERE ABLE TO GET THOSE IN PLACE RECOGNIZING THEN THAT WE HAD A BROADER DISCUSSION TO HAVE WITH COUNCIL ON WHETHER OR NOT COUNCIL SUPPORTS A PROOF OF VACCINATION POLICY.

SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE LET'S GET IN THE DOOR FIRST FOR THE TWENTY FIFTH AND THEN OF THE BROADER PHILOSOPHICAL CONVERSATION.

THANK YOU.

OK, THANK YOU.

AND WAS THERE A REASON GIVEN WHY? WHY 25 WAS THE NUMBER? IT SEEMS LIKE A PRETTY LIKE ARBITRARY NUMBER.

I WOULD I MEAN, COMMON SENSE WOULD TELL ME THAT SOME THINGS WOULD BE BASED ON NORMAL OCCUPANCY AND MAYBE A PERCENTAGE OF THAT NORMAL OCCUPANCY.

SO THE BIGGER THE SPACE, THE YOUR YOUR PERCENTAGE WOULD GO UP.

I MEAN, I KNOW THAT THERE'S SMALL RESTAURANTS IN TOWN THAT CAN HAVE 25 PEOPLE INSIDE, BUT EVERYTHING IS BEING TREATED THE SAME AND NOT BEING TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION HOW BIG THE SPACES.

BASED ON MY DISCUSSIONS WITH CPHO, IT'S ABOUT THE SPREAD, SO IF YOU HAVE TWENTY FIVE, YOU'RE CONTAINING IT AND IT'S GOT A SMALLER CIRCLE.

SO THE BIGGER YOU GO, IF YOU'VE GOT TWO HUNDRED, THEN THE BIGGER LIKE.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE END BREAK, THAT ONE ENDED UP A THOUSAND PEOPLE WERE SELF-ISOLATING.

SO I THINK THE NUMBER.

I'M NOT SURE WHY EXACTLY.

TWENTY FIVE, BUT I KNOW IN DISCUSSIONS WITH SHOW, IT'S ABOUT KEEPING THE CONTACTS AND THEREFORE THE TRANSMISSION OF THIS SMALLER RATE.

MS. BASSI-KELLETT, ANYTHING FURTHER AT THE STAFF LEVEL? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I KNOW THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WAS CONTAINED IN THE ORDER ITSELF.

I'M WONDERING MS. THISTLE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY CONTEXT THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD ON THIS ONE.

THANKS.

THE 25 LIMIT PER PERSON LIMIT FOR INDOOR GATHERING WAS SPECIFICALLY STATED IN THE GATHERING ORDER THAT THE CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER ISSUED THE YOUNGER PERSON LIMIT IS ACTUALLY CONTAINED IN THE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WITH RESPECT TO THAT ORDER.

AND IT SPECIFICALLY SAYS THAT FOR BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS AND EVENTS.

THE NEW GATHERING LIMIT FOR INDOORS IS TWENTY FIVE PERSON LIMIT.

AND THEN THE NEXT THING IT SAYS IS WITH APPROVED APPLICATIONS TO VARY AND PVC.

SO A PROOF OF VACCINATION CERTIFICATE PROGRAM IN PLACE, YOU CAN HAVE UP TO ONE HUNDRED PERSON LIMIT INDOORS AND FOR OUTDOOR VENUES.

IT SAYS THAT IT'S A 50 PERSON LIMIT PURSUANT TO THE ORDER AND THAT WITH AN APPROVED APPLICATION TO VARY IN A PVC PROGRAM IN PLACE UP TO TWO HUNDRED PERSON LIMIT, AND I'D BE HAPPY TO SHARE THAT LINK.

OK, THANK YOU.

MY NEXT QUESTION.

HAVE WE TRIED TO GET OUR FACILITIES DEEMED ESSENTIAL? I MEAN, RIGHT NOW WE'RE TRYING TO IMPLEMENT A POV AND TO PUT IN PLACE AND BUT WE CAN STILL ALL OF US TOGETHER CAN STILL GO TO WAL-MART OR CANADIAN TIRE AND A GROCERY STORE OR THE LIQUOR STORE.

AND THERE'S NO PROOF OF VACCINATION REQUIRED.

SO, YOU KNOW.

WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR FACILITIES THAT GET TO, THEY GET THE TICK OFF A LOT OF BOXES FOR PEOPLE, THEY GET TO ADDRESS PHYSICAL HEALTH, TO GET THAT ADDRESSED MENTAL HEALTH, THEY GET TO ADDRESS A LOT AND GOING INTO THE WORST TIME OF YEAR RIGHT NOW FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE.

YOU KNOW, THESE FACILITIES ARE PRETTY IMPORTANT.

SO HOW HAVE WE TRIED TO GET OUR FACILITIES DEEMED ESSENTIAL? YOU KNOW, AND TO HAVE THE SAME RULES IN PLACE AS SOME OF THE BIGGER BOX STORES AND THE LIQUOR STORE, PLACES LIKE THAT? YEAH, THE SPEECH WAS DISCUSSED.

THERE'S A MEETING WITH MAYORS AND CHIEFS ACROSS THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES ONCE A WEEK, AND WHEN SHE'S ADDRESSED THAT QUESTION, IT'S IT'S NOT MINIMIZING THE FACT THAT WRECKED FACILITIES ARE IMPORTANT, HOWEVER, TO MITIGATING THE MITIGATIONS THAT CAN BE DONE FOR THE WAL-MARTS.

I MEAN CAN'T BE DONE FOR REC FACILITIES.

SO NO MASKS, PEOPLE AREN'T SIX FEET AWAY.

THEY'RE IN CONTACT FOR LONGER PERIODS OF TIME.

[01:05:02]

VERSUS REC FACILITIES WHERE PEOPLE ARE STAYING IN AND IN CLOSER CONTACT.

MS. BASSI-KELLETT, ANY DISCUSSION AT THE STAFF LEVEL REGARDING THAT? THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR, AND WE GET IT RIGHT, WE KNOW THAT GOING INTO WINTER, WE HAVE HEARD FROM RESIDENTS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IF I CAN'T GET INTO THE POOL, IF I CAN'T GET MY KIDS IN, OH MY GOD, I'M GOING TO FEEL I'M GOING TO GO BANANAS.

IT'S A TOUGH THING AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT COMPLETELY.

SO WE HAVE HAD DISCUSSIONS, BUT SIMILAR TO WHAT MAYOR ALTY HAS SAID TO OUR.

CHAIR ALTY HAS SAID.

THE ISSUE THAT WE KNOW THAT THE THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER LOOKS AT IS THE RISK.

WHAT IS THE RISK, THE PUBLIC HEALTH RISK? AND SO THEY HAVE SPELLED OUT IN THE ORDER.

WE DON'T QUESTION THE ORDER BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THAT'S SIMILAR TO A LAW, BUT WE HAVE ASKED WHAT CAN WE DO BECAUSE THESE ARE SO IMPORTANT TO RESIDENTS? THE REAFFIRMATION THAT WE'VE GOTTEN FROM THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER IS AROUND THE PUBLIC HEALTH RISK BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE EXERTING THEMSELVES.

THEY'RE IN CONTACT.

IF THEY'RE PLAYING SOCCER OR HOCKEY, THEY'RE IN CLOSE CONTACT, IF THEY'RE GETTING SWIMMING LESSONS OR DOING LANE SWIMS OR PUBLIC SWIM.

SO IT'S ABOUT THE PUBLIC HEALTH RISK.

THANK YOU.

SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I UNDERSTAND LIKE ON ICE OR ON FIELD, WE HAVE DIFFERENT NUMBERS IN PLACE, ESPECIALLY FOR THE ORGANIZED GROUPS, SO WE CAN IMPOSE SAFETY MEASURES LIKE YOU JUST MENTIONED THAT WAL-MART TOWARDS SPECTATORS.

WE CAN DO SOCIAL DISTANCING.

WE CAN DO MASK WEARING.

WE CAN DO HAND SANITIZING.

SO THAT WOULD GIVE US, I GUESS A CASE TO GET OUR NUMBERS INCREASED IN FOR THE SPECTATORS, SO PEOPLE CAN HAVE AT LEAST THAT AS A PART OF THEIR NORMAL LIFE.

BE ABLE TO WATCH THE KIDS PLAY HOCKEY AND SOCCER AND OR WHATNOT BECAUSE WE CAN IMPLEMENT THOSE SAFETY THINGS.

IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH, IF WE WENT WITH [INAUDIBLE] TO PUT EXEMPTIONS IN FOR EVERYTHING, BUT NO PROOF OF VACCINE.

IT'S PROBABLY LIKELY THAT WE CAN GET HIGHER NUMBERS BECAUSE PEOPLE CAN WEAR THE MASK, BUT AGAIN, THE CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER WILL DO THE RISK ASSESSMENT AND THEN PROVIDE THE MAXIMUM NUMBER.

MS. BASSI-KELLETT, ANY DISCUSSION AT THE ADMINISTRATIVE LEVEL ON THAT ONE? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

YEAH, REALLY APPRECIATE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO FIND A GOOD PATH FORWARD HERE.

AND I GUESS WHAT I THINK IS INTERESTING IS THAT INDOOR SWIMMING AND INDOOR WINTER SPORTS WEREN'T EVEN ALLOWED AT FIRST.

SO I THINK IT'S SEEN AS A BIT OF A CONCESSION FROM PUBLIC HEALTH TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT GOING FORWARD.

BUT AGAIN, PENDING WHAT THE DISCUSSION AND THE DECISION IS THE COUNCIL MAKES, WE WILL LOOK AT DOING THE APPROPRIATE PUBLIC HEALTH EXEMPTIONS PURSUANT TO THE ORDER.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

YEAH, I WOULD THINK THAT I MEAN, THIS IS EVER EVOLVING AND IT'S A DIFFERENT SITUATION THIS WEEK OVER WHAT IT WAS LAST WEEK.

I MEAN, THERE'S NEWS COMING OUT EVERY DAY.

SO I WOULD THINK THAT IT WOULD BE THE CPHO MOVING WITH CHANGING TIMES, SO THAT'S GOOD TO SEE.

ANOTHER ONE.

WE HAVE THE 213 THOUSAND THAT WERE A LOSS.

IF WE IMPLEMENT THIS AND THAT'S BASED ON CAPACITY OF CLOSE TO ONE HUNDRED, LIKE THAT WOULD BE OUR NEW FULL CAPACITY.

SO DO WE HAVE ANY NUMBERS ABOUT WATER? ACTUAL CAPACITY WOULD BE IN NORMAL YEARS.

YOU KNOW, I'VE GONE TO PUBLIC SKATES AND WITH THE EXCEPTION OF HALLOWEEN SKATE WITH CHRISTMAS SKATING, THERE'S A FEW THROUGHOUT THE YEAR THAT ARE REALLY BUSY AND THEY ARE AT FULL CAPACITY, WHICH WAS REALLY NICE TO SEE.

WHAT AVERAGE CAPACITY ARE WE LOOKING AT AND KEEPING IN MIND THAT THIS IS BASED ON A FULL YEAR? AND I'VE HEARD THAT, YOU KNOW, WE COULD BE AND I'VE HEARD FROM SOME HEALTH OFFICIALS THAT WE COULD BE OUT OF THIS SITUATION AS EARLY AS JANUARY.

SO THIS IS BASED ON A FULL YEAR, BUT, LIKE THE 213 THOUSAND, I THINK THAT WOULD THAT BE THE HIGHEST NUMBER THAT WE'D BE LOOKING AT? AND THE TRUTH WOULD BE NOT THE TRUTH, BUT THE ACTUAL DEFICIT, I GUESS DEFICIT AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE'D BE BRINGING IN ON OUR FACILITIES WOULD BE PROBABLY QUITE A BIT LOWER.

I KNOW FOR PUBLIC SWIMS, THE AVERAGE PRE-COVID WAS 100 TO 150, BUT I DON'T KNOW THE SKATE .

[01:10:01]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

YEAH, IT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION, SO THE SWIMMING POOL IS AT LEAST ONE HUNDRED FOR PUBLIC SWIMS, FAMILY SWIMS, WE SEE AT LEAST THOSE NUMBERS.

ARENAS WHEN WE HAVE PUBLIC SKATES WERE PROBABLY BALLPARK AROUND SEVENTY FIVE AND SO GOING TO ONE HUNDRED IS SOMETHING THAT IF WE COULD GET THERE, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

THE AMOUNT THAT HA BEEN PUT HERE, QUANTIFYING THE AMOUNT OF THE REVENUE LOST IS LOOKING AT IF WE STICK AT TWENTY FIVE.

COMPARE THAT TO WHAT WOULD OUR REVENUES BE IF WE WERE BACK TO CLOSE TO NORMAL? AND SO OF COURSE, IF WE CAN HAVE UP TO CLOSE TO NORMAL NUMBERS, SEVENTY FIVE TO ONE HUNDRED, THAT AMOUNT OF LOST REVENUE WOULD BE MUCH, MUCH LESS IF ANYTHING AND OF COURSE, IF WE GO FROM TWENTY FIVE TO THIRTY FIVE, IF WE CAN SEE MORE REVENUES THAT WAY, WE'LL STILL HAVE A REVENUE LOSS, BUT IT WON'T BE AS HIGH AS TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTEEN.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU AND I KNOW THAT WE GOT SOME CORRESPONDENCE HERE, MAYBE A WEEK AGO, WEEK AND A HALF AGO THAT WITHOUT MUCH EFFORT, WE COULD GET UP TO THIRTY FIVE PEOPLE.

IS THAT CORRECT? MS. BASSI-KELLETT, NO, NO, THAT IS WE WOULD NEED TO BE APPLYING TO THE CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER FOR EVERY FACILITY, FOR EVERY USE TO SAY, OK, IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A PROOF OF VACCINE POLICY, HERE ARE ALL THE MITIGATING ACTIONS WE AS A CITY WILL TAKE TO SEEK TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE.

AND WE'LL HAVE TO SPELL THAT OUT IN EACH FACILITY AND THEN IT WILL BE UP TO THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER TO MAKE A DETERMINATION AND THEY LOOK AT THE RISK ASSESSMENT, WHILE WE WERE TOLD, WAS THAT FOR SPORTS FACILITIES BECAUSE THERE IS THIS RISK THAT WE COULD ANTICIPATE THAT WE WOULD GO FROM 25 TO PROBABLY 35 AT THE OUTSIDE FOR AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE.

THANK YOU.

SO I WASN'T COMPLETELY RIGHT, BUT I WAS A LITTLE BIT RIGHT.

OK.

RIGHT NOW, THAT'S ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAVE, AND I THANK YOU FOR, I KNOW THIS HASN'T BEEN THE BEST WEEK FOR EVERYBODY, AND I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE INTO THIS AND I THINK THAT OVERALL, WE NEED TO KEEP IN MIND THAT THIS IS HARD FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE ON BOTH SIDES AND YOU KNOW, SO TO KEEP KINDNESS AND COMPASSION IN ALL OF OUR DECISIONS RIGHT NOW.

THANK YOU.

FOR SURE, IT'S DEFINITELY BEEN A YEAR OF LOT OF FEAR, UNCERTAINTY NOT ONLY IN COVID, BUT A LOT OF DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES AND SO I KNOW WE'RE ALL FEELING A LOT OF LOW-LEVEL AND SOMETIMES QUITE ELEVATED STRESS, AND THIS IS VERY DIFFICULT ON EVERYBODY.

COUNCILLOR WILLIAMS. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

DURING THE PRESENTATION, THERE WAS WAS A COMMENT ABOUT THE PATH THAT THE CITY OF EDMONTON HAD TAKEN AND HOW IT DIFFERED FROM CALGARY.

I HEARD THE ASPECT OF CALGARY HAD IMPLEMENTED THE PROOF OF VACCINATION.

I'M JUST CURIOUS IF THERE WAS SOME ELABORATION ON EDMONTON'S TACTIC.

TOOK A LOOK AT BOTH OF THEM THIS MORNING, AND EDMONTON'S IS PROOF OF VACCINE AND CALGARY DOES PROOF OF VACCINE OR A TEST WITHIN SEVENTY TWO HOURS.

THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT HERE IN THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES, THE TEST ISN'T AN OPTION THROUGH THE CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER'S PUBLIC HEALTH ORDER AROUND THE PROOF OF VACCINE SYSTEM .

MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I'VE JUST PROVIDED THE LINKS TO BOTH EDMONTON AND CALGARY IN THE CHAT.

WE'VE LOOKED AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL, I'LL ASK MS. THISTLE IF SHE HAS ANYTHING THAT SHE WOULD LIKE TO ADD, SHE'S DONE A LOT OF THE BACKGROUND RESEARCH ON THIS FOR US WITH HER TEAM.

BUT CERTAINLY WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT IS GOING ON IN OTHER CITIES AND HOW THEY'RE OPTING TO BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT.

SO I'LL SEE IF MS. THISTLE WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT.

SURE THING.

THE MAIN DIFFERENCE IS THAT IN ALBERTA IT WAS PROVINCIAL, SO THE CITY OF EDMONTON ESSENTIALLY BROUGHT IN PROOF OF VACCINATION POLICIES PURSUANT TO THE PROVINCIAL DIRECTION AND IN CALGARY, THEY ACTUALLY WENT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER AND ADOPTED A BYLAW SO THEY HAVE PROOF OF VACCINE BYLAW AND IT REQUIRES BUSINESSES TO HAVE PROOF OF VACCINATION.

SO THAT WAS THE DIFFERENCE.

THEY BOTH REQUIRE PROOF OF VACCINATION, JUST APPROACH IT IN DIFFERENT WAYS.

LIKE I SAID, CALGARY BROUGHT IN A BYLAW SPECIFICALLY.

I GUESS HERE.

WHAT THAT WOULD BE AKIN TO IS IF THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE BROUGHT IN A BYLAW TO MAKE IT MANDATORY FOR EVERYBODY TO BRING IN A PROOF OF VACCINE POLICY AND THAT'S NOT ANYTHING THAT WE'VE CONTEMPLATED.

SO THAT'S THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE IN HOW THEY APPROACHED IT POLICY WISE.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

[01:15:01]

WHERE I START TO SCRATCH MY HEAD IN THAT PARTICULAR LINE OF THINKING IS WHEN IT COMES TO SCHOOLS LIKE WE ALL KNOW THAT SCHOOLS ARE BACK AT FULL CAPACITY, THERE'S NOT PROOF OF VACCINATION THAT'S REQUIRED FOR THOSE, AND THERE MUST HAVE BEEN SOME EXCEPTION OR EXEMPTION THAT WAS MADE OR GRANTED TO SCHOOLS.

SO JUST CURIOUS IF ADMINISTRATION HAD PURSUED HOW THE SCHOOL BOARDS ENDED UP GETTING THEIR APPROVAL FOR CAPACITY LIMITS.

YOU KNOW, I TALKED TO THE CPHO ABOUT THAT ONE, TOO.

SCHOOLS VERSUS THE RECREATION FACILITIES IS THAT SCHOOLS ARE MANDATORY AND RECREATION FACILITIES ARE OPTIONAL AGAIN, NOT TO MINIMIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF IT, BUT THOSE ARE TWO DIFFERENCES.

THE OTHER THING IS THAT SCHOOLS ARE BUBBLES, WHEREAS REC FACILITIES ARE MIXTURES OF KIDS, FROM ALL DIFFERENT SCHOOLS.

SO THEN YOU HAVE A SOCIAL NETWORK FOR KIDS THAT'S QUITE EXTENSIVE.

YOU'VE GOT MULTIPLE CIRCLES.

SO AGAIN.

IT'S INCREASING THE EXPOSURE BETWEEN THE BUBBLES MS. BASSI-KELLETT ANYTHING FURTHER THAT [INAUDIBLE] HAD A CHAT WITH CPHO ON? THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR, AND THANKS FOR THE QUESTION, COUNCILLOR WILLIAMS. I'M JUST TRYING TO CHECK HERE IF IT IS IN THE ORDER ITSELF.

I'LL SEE IF MS. THISTLE CAN REACH THIS.

OTHER EXEMPTIONS EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, DAYCARES AND DAY HOMES ARE EXEMPT FROM THIS ORDER, AND THEY OPERATE PROVIDED THEY CONTINUE TO ADHERE TO EXISTING PLANS, AS APPROVED BY THE CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER.

SO SECTION TWO OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH ORDER PLACES SOUTH.

BOY, WOULDN'T IT BE GREAT TO HAVE RECREATION FACILITIES IN SECTION 2IA? THAT WOULD BE AN EASY SOLUTION FOR ALL OF THIS.

SO IT SORT OF JUST SEEMS LIKE IT'S A CALL THAT'S MADE FROM ANOTHER LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT THAT THERE'S JUST NO ABILITY FOR US TO HAVE ANY INPUT IN, I GUESS IS THAT HOW I'M UNDERSTANDING IT? YEAH, AND I THINK THEY DID THE RISK ASSESSMENT, SO AGAIN, DETERMINING WHAT'S MANDATORY VERSUS WHAT'S OPTIONAL AND AGAIN, NOT TO MINIMIZE THE HEALTH AND BENEFITS, BUT THAT IS ONE OF THE BIG ONES AND THEN AGAIN, THE MIXTURES OF BUBBLES WHERE THE KIDS STAY WITH THAT SAME CLASS THE WHOLE DAY VERSUS REC FACILITIES IS MIXING OF SCHOOLS AND DIFFERENT CIRCLES.

THAT WAS BASED ON MY CONVERSATION WITH THE CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER ONE OF THE WAYS THAT THEY BE DIFFERENTIATED BETWEEN THE TWO AND THAT'S WHAT YOU WOULD SEE REFLECTING IN THE PUBLIC HEALTH ORDERS.

ALL RIGHT, WELL, THANK YOU FOR THAT.

I GUESS THERE'S YOU KNOW, I THINK IF COUNCILLORS HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SPECIFICALLY ABOUT SHEILA'S PRESENTATION, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY I THINK THAT POSSIBLY IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A CONVERSATION JUST ABOUT SOME OF THE WEEK.

WE HAVE A BIG VOTE COMING UP.

I GUESS MY NEXT QUESTION TO MADAM CHAIR IS, IS IT AN APPROPRIATE TIME TO SORT OF REFLECT UPON SOME OF THE GOINGS ON OF THE OF THE WEEK AND HOW IT MAY RELATE TO THE VOTE THIS EVENING? IF FOLKS WANT TOUCH ON ANY POINTS THAT THEY WANT TO CONSIDER MAKING AMENDMENTS, BUT I WOULDN'T SAY WE NEED TO DO ANY MONOLOGUES ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO VOTE TONIGHT, BUT IF THERE'S STUFF LIKE AND TONIGHT, I'D LIKE TO CONSIDER MAKING AN AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION OR AN AMENDMENT TO THE POLICY.

I THINK THAT DISCUSSION, BUT LET'S TRY NOT TO DO OUR WHOLE MONOLOGUES RIGHT NOW.

COUNCILLOR WILLIAMS. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

YEAH, THAT'S I GUESS THE POINT THAT I'M CURIOUS ABOUT IS BECAUSE, OF COURSE, THE RECOMMENDATION THIS EVENING IS TO DENY THE PROOF OF VACCINATION.

SO IF THAT VOTE DOESN'T SUCCEED, WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS? DOES IT JUST GO? IS THERE A NEW MEMO THAT GETS CREATED A WEEK'S TIME THAT THEN COMES TO COUNCIL FOR DEBATE? OR IS IT JUST DEAD IN THE WATER? LIKE, I GUESS THE HESITATION THAT I HAD IS THAT, YOU KNOW, MUCH LIKE WHAT WAS ACKNOWLEDGED HERE AT, YOU KNOW, VERSUS FROM SHEILA'S PRESENTATION IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE MEMO WAS PRESENTED LAST WEEK, IT CERTAINLY WE DIDN'T HAVE ALL OF THE INFORMATION

[01:20:03]

SO I'M GUESS I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IF THE VOTE DOESN'T GO THIS EVENING, WHAT HAPPENS? AND IS IT MORE APPROPRIATE TO HAVE A DISCUSSION AND ENSURE THAT THE RECOMMENDATION THAT'S COMING BEFORE COUNCIL THIS EVENING IS INDEED THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE MAJORITY? YEAH, AND IT IS TRICKY WITH COUNCIL PROCEDURES, BECAUSE WITH THE MOTION TO AMEND, YOU CAN'T AMEND IT TO CREATE A DIRECT NEGATIVE, WHICH IN MOST CASES YOU WOULDN'T NEED TO DO THAT.

SO FOR A DEVELOPMENT PERMIT, IF YOU SAY YOU WOULDN'T AMEND IT TO SAY I'M NOT SUPPORTING YOU WOULD JUST VOTE AGAINST IT AND THEN IT'S DEFEATED AND THEREFORE, BUT IN THIS CASE, VOTING AGAINST THE MOTION, WHICH IS TO NOT APPROVE THE POLICY, DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT THE POLICY IS AMENDED.

SO THE ONE THING THAT WE CAN DO IF THERE IS APPETITE TO CONSIDER THE POLICY AND TO MAKE ANY AMENDMENTS TO THE POLICY TO ENSURE THAT COUNCILLORS ARE IN SUPPORT OF IT, IS PURSUANT TO SECTION 108 OF COUNCIL PROCEDURES BYLAW, WE CAN DO A MOTION TO MOVE TO COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE, WHICH JUST REQUIRES A SIMPLE MAJORITY OF COUNCIL.

ONCE WE'RE IN COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE, WE CAN AMEND OUR RECOMMENDATION OF THE NOVEMBER 1ST GPC REPORT, WHICH AGAIN IS A SIMPLE MAJORITY.

THEN WHEN WE RISE, GO BACK INTO OUR COUNCIL MEETING, WE WOULD DEBATE THE MOTION THAT WE JUST DISCUSSED IN COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE AND THEN WE WOULD VOTE ON THAT.

SO I JUST KIND OF PUT IT IN THE CHART SO FOLKS CAN REFERENCE IT LATER.

BUT IF THERE WAS AN APPETITE TO CONSIDER VOTING FOR THE POLICY, YOU WOULD DO THE SECTION 108, GO INTO COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE.

DISCUSS IT AND THEN BRING FORWARD A MOTION TO SUPPORT THE POLICY.

AT THAT TIME, COUNCILLORS COULD THEN VOTE AGAINST IT AND BY VOTING AGAINST IT, YOU'RE DEFEATING THE POLICY AND IT WOULDN'T GO IN PLACE IF THAT MAKES SENSE.

SO IF THERE WAS GENERAL SUPPORT RIGHT NOW, WE COULD CONSIDER THAT OPTION OF DOING A COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE IN THE MIDST OF COUNCIL TONIGHT.

YEAH, WELL, I GUESS THAT REALLY KIND OF A LOT TO TAKE IN.

YEAH, WELL, I GUESS THAT'S A GOOD PLACE FOR ME TO START, I GUESS THEN AND POSSIBLY, I GUESS SOME OF MY STATEMENTS MAY, YOU KNOW, SPUR SOME DISCUSSION.

SO CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, OVER THE LAST WEEK, I'VE READ THE VAST MAJORITY OF ALL OF THE EMAILS THAT HAVE COME BACK AND FORTH THROUGH THE COUNCIL EMAIL, IT WAS, YOU KNOW, A CHALLENGING WEEK, BUT CERTAINLY HAPPY TO HEAR FROM ALL OF THE RESIDENTS AND THERE CERTAINLY IS A LOT OF PASSION ON EITHER SIDE.

A SURPRISING AMOUNT OF PASSION WHEN WE DISCUSS THE MEMO LAST WEEK.

IT SORT OF, YOU KNOW, SEEMED A BIT RUSHED TO ME.

THERE WASN'T A TON OF DISCUSSION AND OF COURSE, IT WAS AN EASY SORT OF NO FOR THAT PARTICULAR POLICY.

I THINK ALSO THAT IT DIDN'T MEET SOME CERTAIN CRITERIA, LIKE HAVING A DEFINED TIMELINE THAT IT WAS SORT OF OPEN FOR, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THOSE THAT WERE ABLE TO TAKE THE VACCINATION.

SO CERTAINLY THROUGHOUT THE WEEK, LISTENING TO PEOPLE TRYING TO COME UP WITH A COMPROMISE THAT POSSIBLY COULD BE PALATABLE TO MOST WHERE WHILE AT THE SAME TIME, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT WE MAKE GOOD USE OF OUR FACILITIES OVER THE WINTER MONTHS AND GIVE PEOPLE SOME OF THAT ACCESS AND RESPITE THAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR.

YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SORT OF HAVE LEFT ME AT A LOSS IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE AS A COUNCIL AREN'T HERE TO MAKE PUBLIC HEALTH DECISIONS THAT SORT OF MANDATE OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER AND THAT GRANTED SHE HAS CHIMED IN, SAYING THAT PROOF OF VACCINATION WOULD GET US TO THE HIGHER AMOUNTS.

BUT, YOU KNOW, FOR ME, I HAD TO LOOK TO SOMETHING THAT ACTUALLY SPECIFICALLY TALKED ABOUT, WHICH WE KIND OF TOOK THE CONVERSATION TO, WHICH IS FAIRNESS AND YOU KNOW, WHETHER OR NOT POLICY LIKE THIS IS DISCRIMINATORY TO CERTAIN GROUPS OF PEOPLE OR THINGS

[01:25:04]

SO, YOU KNOW, MUCH LIKE IT WAS MENTIONED AT THE BEGINNING PART OF THIS MEETING, YOU KNOW, WE DO LOOK AT THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION AND END UP AT THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION HAS, YOU KNOW, PUT A STATEMENT OUT TO HELP BUSINESSES, ORGANIZATIONS, GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS LIKE OURSELVES TO HELP GUIDE SOME OF OUR THINKING WHEN THERE'S, YOU KNOW, A LACK OF LEADERSHIP FROM OUR TERRITORIAL PARTNERS, YOU KNOW, IN THIS CASE.

YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT POINTS THAT THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION PUT OUT IN THEIR STATEMENT.

YOU KNOW, THEY GO INTO THE DETAILS OF THAT IT MUST BE EVIDENCE BASED.

SO I CERTAINLY FEEL WHAT ADMINISTRATION HAD PUT THROUGH WAS EVIDENCE BASED.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO ARGUING THAT VACCINES ARE EFFECTIVE IN SOME WAY, SHAPE OR FORM.

THEY TALK ABOUT POLICY NEEDING TO BE NECESSARY.

SO CERTAINLY I SEE THAT THE, YOU KNOW, STICKING SWABS UP PEOPLE'S NOSES AND HAVING A LARGE QUEUE AT THE ENTRANCE AND EXITS AT FACILITIES SORT OF WOULD BE CHALLENGING TO ALSO AND COSTLY TO IMPLEMENT.

SO I COULD SEE THIS AS BEING NECESSARY.

THEY TALK ABOUT PRIVACY, WHICH I'M SURE, YOU KNOW, ADMINISTRATION WOULD BE RESPECTFUL OF PRIVACY.

THE BIG GAP FOR ME, WHERE WE'RE LEFT IN WAS THE TIMELINES.

SO THAT WAS KIND OF MY FIRST QUESTION AT GPC LAST WEEK AS WELL, WHICH IS JUST THAT IT DIDN'T SEEM THAT THIS POLICY WAS TIME BASED AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, AFTER HEARING AND LISTENING TO THE RESIDENTS OF YELLOWKNIFE, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A STRONG SUPPORT FOR THIS, AND I TRY TO TAKE SOME OF THE POLITICS AWAY, SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, IT WAS A MORE SIMPLIFIED BOAT ON, SAY, A NEW PARK OR A SIDEWALK DESIGN FEATURE.

YOU KNOW, IF WE HAD THAT MUCH FEEDBACK COME TOWARDS US, I WOULD CERTAINLY BE CONSIDERING IT.

SO I'M TRYING TO, OF COURSE, TAKE SOME OF THE POLITICS OUT OF THIS.

THE I'M ON THIS SIDE OR YOU'RE ON THAT SIDE.

SO A COUPLE OF IDEAS THAT JUST, YOU KNOW, FOR ME, THAT WOULD THAT WOULD HELP ME COME AROUND, POSSIBLY TO THE YES SIDE WOULD BE SOME DISCUSSION ON IMPLEMENTING A TIMELINE TO THIS PARTICULAR POLICY.

I ALSO THINK THAT BECAUSE OF COURSE, THE NARRATIVE IN THE PUBLIC AND IN MEDIA HAS IS VERY MUCH THAT THIS IS A PUBLIC HEALTH CONSIDERATION.

I THINK THE MOST APPROPRIATE THING WOULD BE TO PIN THIS POLICY BACK ON SOME OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH ORDERS THAT HAVE COME FROM THAT HIGHER LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT THAT WAY LINKING THEM DIRECTLY TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH ORDER AND HAVING THEM EXPIRE, OF COURSE, WHEN THE PUBLIC HEALTH ORDER EXPIRES, SO.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S POINT NUMBER ONE THAT I FEEL REALLY STRONGLY ABOUT AND COULD POSSIBLY GET ME TO CHANGE SOME OF MY PERSPECTIVE.

THE NEXT PART IS SOME OF THE WORDING AS FAR AS WHO IN THE POLICY.

IT SAYS IT IS THE POLICY OF THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE THAT PERSONS WHO ARE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE COVID 19 VACCINE MUST BE FULLY VACCINATED PRIOR TO ENTERING CITY OWNED FACILITIES.

NOW, OF COURSE, WE'VE GOT MOST GROUPS PART OF THAT.

WE'VE GOT THE RECENT INTRODUCTION OF THE 12 TO 18 YEAR-OLDS THAT ARE NOW PART OF THAT GROUP.

THEN THERE'S, OF COURSE, THE ADULT POPULATION THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN PART OF THAT GROUP, PART OF PART OF MY CONCERN AND HESITANCY AS WELL AS WELL WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT ANYBODY THAT'S 12 AND LESS AND YOU KNOW, HAVING A CITY POLICY THAT DICTATES PARENTAL DECISIONS FOR ONE THROUGH 12 YEAR OLDS IS SOMETHING THAT I'M NOT VERY INTERESTED IN IN PURSUING, I STILL THINK THAT FAMILIES NEED TO BE ABLE TO MAKE DECISIONS FOR THEIR OWN FAMILIES.

I THINK THAT I TOOK TO HEART COUNCILLOR KONGE'S COMMENTS AS WELL ABOUT, YOU KNOW, A CLASS THAT'S COMING.

AND YOU KNOW, ONE STUDENT AT THAT CLASS MAYBE HAS PARENTS THAT AREN'T IN SUPPORT OF SUCH THINGS AND HAVING THAT INDIVIDUAL STUDENT BE CALLED OUT.

THAT'S CERTAINLY A CONCERN FOR ME AND I KNOW THAT MAYBE THAT'S NOT MY MANDATE OR TO BE CONCERNED, BUT JUST MY HEART IS CONCERNED ABOUT THAT KIND OF STUFF AND SO I GUESS THAT'S A LONG WAY OF SAYING THAT KIND OF THE NEXT THING THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE CHANGE IN THE POLICY IS INSTEAD OF IT JUST BEING SORT OF BLANKET FOR ANYBODY WHO'S ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE COVID 19 VACCINE, I THINK RIGHT NOW WE KNOW THAT IT'S 12+, SO WHY DON'T WE JUST CALL IT 12+ IN THE POLICY? AND THEN IF YOU KNOW THE PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER APPROVES IT FOR THE OTHER

[01:30:08]

HAVE THE POLICY COME BACK AND SAY, ARE WE GOING TO INCLUDE THIS GROUP? BECAUSE I THINK THAT SOME OF THE CONCERNS FOR THAT GROUP COULD BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FROM SOME OF THE OTHER GROUPS.

IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT I AM HEARING FROM PARENTS AND SOMETHING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THERE.

SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S KIND OF WHERE I'M AT.

I WAS KIND OF INTERESTED TO SEE WHERE SOME OTHER COUNCILLORS AND WHERE THAT MIGHT PUT THEM.

BUT AGAIN, I WAS JUST TRYING TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY I SEE THIS AS THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS, WHEREAS THAT IF WE PUT A TIMELINE ON THIS POLICY THAT WE CAN DEAL WITH THE IMMEDIATE HEALTH REQUIREMENTS THAT COVID 19 HAS PRESENTED THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE WHILE STILL PRESERVING SOME OF THE LONG TERM LIBERTY AND PERSONAL RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS OF THE INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTS FOR THE LONG TERM.

YOU KNOW, I'M NOT HERE TO SHIFT THE COVID POLICY ACROSS, YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE TERRITORY, AND I DON'T THINK THAT THIS ONE VOTE WILL, BUT CERTAINLY, I THINK HAVING A BIT OF COMPROMISE ON THE POLICY AND MAKING THE POLICY ARE JUST A LITTLE CLEARER COULD ASSIST IN GETTING ME ON BOARD WITH THAT.

THANK YOU.

YEAH, THREE ITEMS THAT I WAS GOING TO RECOMMEND THAT WE UPDATE IN THE POLICY STORY WAS KIND OF TWO THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED THAT IT'S ONLY FOR 12 AND UP.

SO BEING CLEAR THAT EVEN WHEN THE UNDER 12S ARE ELIGIBLE, THAT THE POLICY DOESN'T RELATE TO THEM AND THAT THERE'S A CLAUSE ON WHEN THE POLICY IS RESCINDED AND THE THIRD ONE WAS THAT JUST TO BE EXTRA CLEAR, THAT IT'S ONLY RELATED TO OUR INDOOR FACILITIES.

SO FOR OUR OUTDOOR SKATING RINKS AND PARKS THAT YOU KNOW THAT WE DO HAVE THAT HIGHER CAPACITY ALREADY OF 50 PEOPLE THAT CAN BE ON AN OUTDOOR RINK.

SO THE POLICY ISN'T RELATED TO THAT.

IF THERE IS APPETITE FROM COUNCIL TO CONSIDER MAKING THOSE AMENDMENTS TO THE POLICIES, AS I MENTIONED, WE CAN DO THAT AT SECTION 108 IS THERE GENERAL SUPPORT OF CONSIDERING DOING AMENDMENTS TO THE POLICY? OK, IF WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS THAT, WE'VE HIT OUR 90 MINUTE MARK, SO LET'S TAKE A 10 MINUTE BREAK AND LET'S COME BACK AT 1:38 PM AND WE'LL GO WITH COUNCILLOR MORSE AND THEN COUNCILLOR KONGE.

LET ME TRY TO EXPLAIN THIS ONE MORE TIME.

SO IF THERE'S AN APPETITE TO DISCUSS AND AMEND THE POLICY TONIGHT BETWEEN ITEM NUMBER 19, WHICH IS THE MOTION ABOUT THE APPLICATION FOR LAND AND NUMBER 20, WHICH IS THE MOTION ABOUT THE PROOF OF VACCINE POLICY, SO BETWEEN THOSE TWO ITEMS, WE'LL MOVE INTO COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE AND CHANGED THE MOTION, WHICH WOULD BE MOTION NUMBER 20 TO SAY THAT COUNCIL ADOPTS THE PROOF OF VACCINE POLICY AS OPPOSED TO THE COUNCIL NOT ADOPT AND DIRECT AMEND.

THEN, WE'LL RETURN TO COUNCIL AND WE'LL MOVE IN SECOND, A MOTION THAT SAYS THE COUNCIL ADOPTS THE PROOF OF VACCINE POLICY AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO DEBATE AND AMEND THE MOTION AND SO IT.

IF YOU'RE NOT IN FAVOR OF THE PROOF OF VACCINE POLICY, YOU VOTE AGAINST THE MOTION AND THEN THE POLICY WOULD BE DEFEATED IF YOU'RE IN SUPPORT BUT WANT TO AMEND THE POLICY.

WE CAN DO THAT AND IF YOU'RE FULLY IN SUPPORT OF THE POLICY, YOU CAN VOTE.

DOES THAT HELP PROVIDE MORE CLARITY ON WHAT I WAS DISCUSSING BETWEEN? SO JUST WONDERING IF THERE'S AN BETWEEN ITEM NUMBER 19 AND 20 TONIGHT TO MOVE INTO COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE TO CHANGE THE MOTION, TO SAY THE COUNCIL [INAUDIBLE].

ABLE TO DISCUSS DEBATE AND AMEND THE POLICY, SO COUNCILLOR MORSE.

THANKS.

UM.

YEAH, ACTUALLY, NEVER MIND.

YOU'VE EXPLAINED IT.

IF COUNCILLORS WANT TO DISCUSS IT.

THEY CAN.

I'LL SHARE MY THOUGHTS AT THAT TIME.

I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO THE DEBATE RIGHT NOW, SO I'LL JUST SAVE MY THOUGHTS.

OKAY, BUT YOUR SUPPORTIVE OF MOVING INTO THE WHOLE HAVING THE DISCUSSION TO CHANGE THE MOTION [INAUDIBLE].

[01:35:03]

UM, THEN IT WOULD COME BACK TO COUNCIL ON NOVEMBER 22ND FOR ANOTHER DISCUSSION.

OK, IN THAT CASE, I AM VERY MUCH IN FAVOR BECAUSE I'D LIKE TO GET TO A PLACE WHERE WE CAN IMPROVE THE POLICY IF THAT'S POSSIBLE, SO IF THAT'S [INAUDIBLE], THEN I'M IN FAVOR.

AND NOT TO SAY THAT IT'S SWAYING EITHER WAY, IT'S JUST ALLOWING US TO BASICALLY, EITHER ADOPT THE POLICY OR NOT TONIGHT.

COUNCILLOR KONGE.

YEAH, THANKS.

THAT PROVIDED THE CLARITY THAT I THOUGHT THAT I NEEDED ON THAT.

THANK YOU AND I ASSUME THAT WE CAN MAKE THAT DECISION BETWEEN ITEM 19 AND 20.

WE DON'T NEED TO MAKE IT NOW.

CORRECT, IT'S JUST INSTEAD OF WHEN I COME TO THE COUNCILLOR MORGAN TONIGHT AFTER WE DO NUMBER 19, INSTEAD OF MOVING RIGHT TO ITEM 20, I'LL SAY IF I CAN GET A MOTION TO MOVE TO COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE.

WE'LL DO THAT.

SO THAT REQUIRES JUST A SIMPLE MAJORITY.

YEAH.

OK, THANK YOU.

OK, COUNCILLOR MORGAN AND MUFANDAEDZA ARE IN SUPPORT OF MOVING TO COMMITTEE TONIGHT.

COUNCILLOR WILLIAMS, I ASSUME YOU ARE TOO, SO YOU CAN DO THE AMENDMENTS.

SO, YEAH.

COUNCILLOR PAYNE? SO THIS IS JUST SO WE CAN HAVE MORE CONVERSATION ON THIS TOPIC? CORRECT, YEAH, SO THE WAY THAT THE MOTION IS WORDED ON COUNCIL'S AGENDA TONIGHT IS TO NOT SUPPORT THE PROOF OF VACCINE POLICY.

SO IF IT FAILS, COUNCIL MAY BE SAYING THEY'RE IN SUPPORT OF THE POLICY, OR THEY MAY BE SAYING THEY'D BE IN SUPPORT OF AN AMENDMENT.

SO IT'S JUST ABOUT HAVING FURTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT THE POLICY, BUT JUST GOING INTO COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE DOESN'T CHANGE IT ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.

I'LL TRY TO WRITE THIS ALL IN AN EMAIL.

MAKE IT A LITTLE MORE CLEARER THAN THE CURRENT, PERHAPS [INAUDIBLE].

OK, SO BACK TO THE DISCUSSION, I HAVE COUNCILLOR MUFANDAEDZA AND THEN I HAVE COUNCILLOR MORGAN.

HMM.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR.

I THINK MY QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED SOMEWHERE IN THERE.

ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAD WAS CLARIFICATION ON THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HOW THE CITY OF EDMONTON AND THE CITY OF CALGARY WERE ACHIEVING THE PROOF OF VACCINATION.

SO ADMINISTRATION DID ANSWER IT FOR ME.

ONE OF THE OTHER QUESTIONS I HAVE, AND I THINK IT HAS BEEN ANSWERED, BUT JUST A QUICK CLARIFICATION WAS WITH REGARDS TO USER GROUPS.

SO WHEN WE COME TO USER GROUPS, SO AN EXAMPLE WOULD BE THE SOCCER FIELD.

I DID UNDERSTAND FROM THE WEBCAST LAST WEEK THAT THE DIFFERENT USER GROUPS WOULD BE SUBMITTING, SAY, THE APPLICATION TO THE CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER.

NOW, DOES THAT APPLICATION ALSO INCLUDE THE AUDIENCE IN THE STANDS OR WOULD THAT BE SOMETHING THE CITY WOULD HAVE TO ADDRESS? THANK YOU.

I BELIEVE THOSE APPLICANTS HAVE IT LIKE THEY DID LAST YEAR, AND SO THEN THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT PART OF IT, I DON'T KNOW, MS. BASSI-KELLETT IF YOU'VE SEEN ANY OF THE USER GROUPS APPLICATIONS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR, AND THANKS FOR THE QUESTION, COUNCILLOR MUFANDAEDZA, I'M NOT SURE.

I'M GOING TO SEE IF MR. WHITE OR MS. THISTLE HAVE ANY INSIGHTS ON THIS ONE.

THANK MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

SO I HAVE NOT SEEN THE SPECIFIC EXEMPTIONS FOR THE SUPPORT GROUPS.

BUT LAST YEAR, WHEN WE'RE GOING THROUGH THIS, IT WAS EACH OF THE SPORT GROUPS AND YOUTH GROUPS UNDERTOOK THEIR OWN [INAUDIBLE] TO ADDRESS THEIR FANS AS WELL.

SO IT WAS ALL INCLUDED IN ONE EXEMPTION.

THANKS.

YEAH AND I WOULD JUST ADD THAT IT WOULD DEPEND ON WHAT EXEMPTION REQUESTS THEY SUBMITTED AND WERE APPROVED FOR.

SOME GROUPS MIGHT HAVE SUBMITTED EXEMPTION REQUESTS TO INCLUDE AUDIENCES.

SOME MIGHT NOT.

SO IF A SOCCER GROUP DIDN'T AND PEOPLE WERE COMING IN THE FACILITY, THEN THEY WOULD BE SUBJECT TO THE CITY'S POLICY BECAUSE THEY WOULDN'T BE A PERSON UNDER 18 ATTENDING AS

[01:40:04]

SO IT WOULD DEPEND ON EACH GROUP AND THE SPECIFICS OF WHAT THEY WERE APPROVED FOR AND WE'RE NOT COPIED ON THAT.

SOMETIMES WE HAVE THEM AS A COURTESY, BUT THAT'S WHY OUR USER GROUP AGREEMENTS HAVE BEEN AMENDED TO ACCOUNT FOR THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE THEIR OWN APPROVED PLANS.

OK, WELL, HEY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT CLARIFICATION, BECAUSE FOR ME, I THINK THE QUESTION WAS MORE AND YOU DID REALLY ANSWER IT FOR ME WAS ON WHERE DOES THE CITY STOP? LIKE, WHEN DO WE STOP TO SAY THIS IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY AND THIS IS THE USER GROUP'S RESPONSIBILITY? AND I THINK YOU DID CAPTURE IT.

ANYBODY UNDER 18, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

I CAN'T SUMMARIZE WHAT YOU SAID, BUT I TOTALLY GET IT.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

COUNCILLOR MORGAN AND THEN COUNCILLOR PAYNE.

OK, THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, AND THANKS TO ADMINISTRATION FOR THE ADDITIONAL WORK, THE ADDITIONAL LEGWORK TO TRY TO GIVE US EVEN MORE INFORMATION TO BASE OUR DECISIONS ON.

I JUST WANTED CLARIFICATION.

YOU WENT THROUGH EACH OF THE DIFFERENT FACILITIES AND IMPLICATIONS, IF WE DON'T IMPLEMENT THE PROOF OF VACCINE MANDATE.

I WONDERED IF THERE WERE ANY FACILITIES THAT EVEN IF WE PUT IN PLACE THE PROOF OF VACCINE MANDATE.

ARE THERE STILL FACILITIES THAT WON'T BE ABLE TO RETURN TO NEAR NORMAL CAPACITY? I JUST WASN'T CLEAR FROM THE PRESENTATION.

LIKE, WILL WE BE ABLE TO OPEN UP THE CLIMBING WALL AGAIN IF WE HAVE A PROOF OF VACCINATION MANDATE? OR IS THAT STILL JUST SORT OF OFF LIMITS ACCORDING TO PUBLIC HEALTH ORDERS, FOR EXAMPLE? MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

IT'S A GREAT QUESTION, SO RIGHT NOW, WE KNOW THE CLIMBING WALL IN THE INDOOR PLAYGROUND ARE ONES THAT THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER COULD NOT SEE A WAY FORWARD.

SO I THINK IT'S INCUMBENT ON US THAN TO SEE, IS THERE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN SEEK TO PUT INTO AN APPLICATION THAT COULD HELP MITIGATE SOME OF THE RISKS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THE ORDER? THEY WERE NOT WILLING WHEN WE WERE BACK AND FORTH WITH THEM AFTER THE OCTOBER 20 SECOND ORDER CAME OUT.

THEY JUST COULD NOT SEE IT.

BUT NOW WE'LL HAVE TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE CAN BE CREATIVE ON AND COME UP WITH.

THANK YOU.

IS THAT AFFECTED, THOUGH, BY THE PROOF OF VACCINE POLICY? MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

WE LIKE TO THINK IT WILL BE BECAUSE THE ISSUE WITH THE CLIMBING WALL WAS THAT IT IS PART OF THE OVERALL NUMBERS IN THE FOYER OF THE FIELDHOUSE.

SO THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED THERE.

THE INDOOR PLAYGROUND, WE WILL WANT TO SEE IF THERE IS SOMETHING THAT'S SPECIAL FOR THAT, BUT I AM IMAGINING THAT THERE SHOULDN'T EVEN I'M NOT EVEN GOING TO IMAGINE WHAT THEIR ASSESSMENT OF RISK IS.

I AM NOT A PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIAL, SO WE WOULD WANT TO SPELL OUT WHAT WE THINK WOULD BE ACTIONS THAT WE CAN TAKE TO MAKE THAT WORKABLE FOR FAMILIES.

THANK YOU.

OK.

I KNOW THAT THE IDEA HAD BEEN FLOATING AROUND FROM SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT COULD WE SET ASIDE, YOU KNOW, A CERTAIN TIME SLOT AND.

I DON'T KNOW FOR EACH FACILITY, FOR SOME OF THE FACILITIES, I'M NOT SURE HOW THIS WOULD WORK OUT, THAT WOULD NOT REQUIRE PROOF OF VACCINATION OR THAT COULD SOMEHOW BE EXEMPT FROM OUR OWN POLICY.

HAS THE ADMINISTRATION CONSIDERED WHETHER IT IS EVEN POSSIBLE TO HAVE A POLICY THAT SAYS WE REQUIRE PROOF OF VACCINATION, EXCEPT FOR, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN TIME SLOTS BETWEEN THREE AND FOUR P.M.

ON THURSDAYS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S EVEN WILDLY FEASIBLE? HAS THIS BEEN FLOATED WITH THE CPHO OR EVEN LOGISTICALLY FEASIBLE FOR CITY STAFF? MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, WE HAVEN'T FLOATED ANYTHING THAT WE WOULD PROPOSE BEYOND WHAT'S CURRENTLY IN PLACE WITH THE CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER AT THIS POINT IN TIME FORMALLY.

WE'RE JUST TRYING TO WRAP OUR HEADS AROUND A COUPLE OF THINGS AROUND THIS BECAUSE WE DID HEAR THAT AS WELL AND SO WHAT WE WERE STRUGGLING WITH IS HOW TO UPHOLD THE SAFETY OF OUR OWN STAFF DURING SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

IF WE'RE SAYING WE ARE PUTTING IN PART OF THE REASON WE'RE DOING THIS IS SAFETY ACT, MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE AS SUPPORTIVE AS POSSIBLE OF PROVIDING AS MUCH.

THE SAFE WORK EXPERIENCE FOR OUR STAFF, IF WE MAKE EXEMPTIONS OR EXCEPTIONS TO THAT, THAT'S A BIT OF A CHALLENGE FOR US PHILOSOPHICALLY.

THE SAFETY ARGUMENT THEN, ISN'T THERE.

LOGISTICALLY, WE HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT HOW THAT WOULD WORK AS WELL AND PERHAPS I'LL ASK MR. WHITE OR MS. THISTLE IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO WEIGH IN WITH FURTHER COMMENTS ON HAVING SOME SORT

[01:45:05]

THANKS FOR THE QUESTION.

YES, IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO ADOPT A POLICY THAT SAYS BASED ON THE PUBLIC HEALTH ORDER AND SAFETY, WE'RE BRINGING A PROOF OF VACCINATION POLICY INTO PLACE, BUT THAT FOR CERTAIN PERIODS AND CERTAIN IT WOULDN'T BE IN PLACE, AS MS. BASSI-KELLETT ALLUDED TO, THE CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER HAS SAID THAT THE BEST PROTECTION IS VACCINATION, AND SHE'S ISSUED THIS ORDER TO INCREASE OR MAINTAIN VACCINATION RATES AND SO WE COULD SUBMIT A PROOF OF VACCINATION POLICY THAT CONTAINED SUCH AN EXEMPTION.

I'M NOT SURE THAT IT WOULD BE APPROVED.

THE ORDER DOESN'T ALLOW FOR THAT.

SIMILAR TO THE ORDER DOESN'T ALLOW FOR A NEGATIVE COVID TEST.

IT ACTUALLY REQUIRES A PROOF OF VACCINATION SO THAT ONE WOULD BE VERY TRICKY AND COMPLICATED TO WORK.

IT WOULD REQUIRE I THINK IT WOULD BE MORE LIKE YOU'RE SUGGESTING OPTION C, WHICH IS THAT STAFF HAVE TO SUBMIT EXEMPTION PLANS FOR EVERY ACTIVITY VERSUS THE OVERARCHING PROOF OF VACCINE POLICY.

WOULD THAT BE MS. BASSI-KELLETT THE WAY THAT COUNCIL WANTED TO DO THAT? UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR, I THINK THAT WOULD BE THE WAY.

THANK YOU.

OK.

I WONDERED I KNOW THIS IS ALL STILL.

SORT OF.

BEING SORTED OUT AS IT'S BEING PUT INTO PLACE, BUT IN TERMS OF USER GROUPS HAVING THEIR OWN PLANS WITH THE CPHO AND MANY USER GROUPS REQUIRING PROOF OF VACCINATION.

I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES BETWEEN THE PEOPLE IN CHARGE OF THOSE USER GROUPS, THE COACHES, THE VOLUNTEERS, WHOEVER AND THEN OUR CITY STAFF AND DO WE KNOW HOW THAT'S AFFECTED BY A PROOF OF VACCINE MANDATE.

DO THOSE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES STILL TO STAY THE EXACT SAME? SAY WE HAD A CONSISTENCY BETWEEN, SAY, A CITY PROOF OF VACCINE POLICY AND USER GROUPS OWN POLICIES, DOES THAT TAKE THE BURDEN OFF EITHER STAFF OR USER GROUPS OR DO PROCEDURES STAY EXACTLY THE SAME? DO WE HAVE ANY SENSE OF HOW A PROOF OF VACCINE POLICY MIGHT AFFECT USER GROUPS OR HOW THE CITY FACILITIES PROCEDURES WORK VIA THE USER GROUPS, IF THAT'S AT ALL CLEAR.

MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I THINK I UNDERSTAND WHERE COUNCILLOR MORGAN IS GOING WITH THIS, SO EACH SPORT ORGANIZATION, EACH USER GROUP, TYPICALLY TOGETHER WITH THEIR TERRITORIAL OR NATIONAL SPORT ORGANIZATION, WOULD LOOK AT PUTTING THEIR OWN EXEMPTION ORDER.

SORRY, THEY'RE PROOF OF WHAT IT'S EVEN CALLED, I THINK, A RETURN TO PLAY, HOW THEY WERE GOING TO ORGANIZE, HOW THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE CARE OF HOW THEY WERE GOING TO MAINTAIN SAFETY.

MINIMIZE RISK.

THEY EACH WERE IN A POSITION TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

SO THEY'VE SET THOSE UP AND THEY WILL COMPLY WITH THEM.

SO THEY WILL MAKE SURE THAT IF YOU'RE IF IT'S MINOR HOCKEY, IF IT'S SOCCER, IF IT'S THE SWIM CLUB, THEY'RE CHECKING TO MAKE SURE THAT ANY OF THEIR MEMBERS ARE MEETING THE TEST AND IF IT IS A MANDATORY VACCINATION THAT THEY'VE INCLUDED, THEN SO BE IT.

THAT'S THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT THE SPORT ORGANIZATION ITSELF IS MONITORING FOR.

WE'RE LOOKING MORE AT THE USE AND THE FACILITIES, SO SOMEONE COMES IN AND WANTS TO SKATE OR SWIM, CERTAINLY THAT IS 100 PERCENT ON THE CITY.

I WILL ASK MR. WHITE IF HE'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO DETAIL AROUND THIS ABOUT WHERE THE LINE IS .

SURE.

THANKS, MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

SO IF YOU LOOK AT OUR USER GROUPS, I'M PRETTY I'M SURE RIGHT NOW THAT 100 PERCENT OF USER GROUPS NOW HAVE EXEMPTIONS IN PLACE.

WHEN THEY RENT THE FACILITY AND THEY FILL OUT THEIR CONTRACTS, THERE IS A PORTION OF THE CONTRACTS THAT INDICATES THAT THEY DO OR THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEY DO HAVE THESE CPHO EXEMPTIONS IN PLACE, AND THAT TAKES IT AWAY FROM THE CITY STAFF HAVING TO MONITOR IT.

SO AS MS. BASSI-KELLETT MENTIONED GOING FORWARD, OUR PROOF OF VACCINATION WOULD SIMPLY BE FOR OUR

[01:50:01]

THANKS.

OK AND THEN I ALSO JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY HOW A PROOF OF VACCINE.

POLICY MIGHT BE ENFORCED OR IMPLEMENTED IN THAT; ARE WE ENVISIONING WE HAVE CITY STAFF LIKE STANDING AT THE DOOR OF EACH FACILITY? CHECKING PEOPLE BEFORE THEY WALK IN A DOOR, THEREFORE MAYBE CREATING LONG LINEUPS OF PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY IF THERE'S A SOCCER GAME OR, YOU KNOW, THERE'S AN EVENT OR SOMETHING GOING ON.

OR WOULD THIS BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE CHECKED, YOU KNOW, AT THE FRONT DESK BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE GOING IN TO PAY FOR THEIR ADMISSION OR GET THEIR CARD SWIPED OR SOMETHING? AND THEN SECONDLY, WOULD THIS? NOT SURE IF WE KNOW YET, BUT FOR EXAMPLE, AT THE LIBRARY, IF SOMEONE WANTED TO JUST PICK UP A BOOK, IF THEY JUST WANTED TO COME AND PICK IT UP, BUT THEY DIDN'T WANT TO STAY AND SIT FOR AN HOUR OR WHATEVER; WOULD THAT PERSON REQUIRE GETTING THE PROOF OF VACCINE CHECKED IF THEY WERE JUST PICKING SOMETHING UP AND COMING RIGHT BACK OUT? OR IF SOMEONE WANTED TO SAY, USE THE BATHROOM IN THE FIELD HOUSE? ARE THEY GOING TO BE? IS THERE GOING TO BE SOMEONE GUARDING LIKE THE FRONT ENTRANCE OR IS IT MAINLY TO CONTROL WHO IS USING THE FACILITIES IN TERMS OF, LIKE YOU'RE SAYING, STING DOING RECREATION, SWIMMING, SKATING, DOING THESE THINGS LIKE HOW, HOW WOULD IT BE ENFORCED? MS. BASSI-KELLETT? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I'LL SEE IF I CAN PROVIDE ANSWERS BECAUSE THERE IS A FAIR BIT THERE.

SO IN TERMS OF SAY, LIKE WILL WE HAVE THE PROCESS WOULD BE DIFFERENT SETUPS AND DIFFERENT FACILITIES.

SO IF YOU WANTED TO COME IN TO THE POOL? OH, I ALMOST AQUATICS IF YOU WANTED TO COME OUT OF THE POOL AND SWIM.

OK, SO COME ON IN.

SHOW THAT YOU'VE GOT THE QR CODE.

WE DON'T, WE ARE NOT PLANNING ON SCANNING.

SHOW US THAT YOU HAVE IT.

SHOW US THE PICTURE ID OR SORRY.

SHOW US THE ID.

WE'RE EVEN NOT EVEN INSISTING ON A PICTURE I.D AND A WAY YOU GO.

YOU'RE IN AND YOU'RE IN.

YOU'RE GOOD.

WE DON'T ANTICIPATE HAVING, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE AT THE DOORS CHECKING THAT'S QUITE ONEROUS FOR SO WE DON'T HAVE STAFF TO DO THAT.

SO THAT WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL COST.

SO WE'D HAVE TO FIND.

BUT THERE'S MANY OF THE FACILITIES ARE SET UP THAT IT'S GOING TO MAKE IT VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD AND VERY EASY FOR PEOPLE WHEN THEY COME IN THAT YOU'VE GOT TO SHOW THAT AT THE DESK, YOU'VE GOT TO SHOW THAT TO GET YOUR ADMISSION AND OFF YOU GO.

BATHROOM IS AN INTERESTING ONE.

WE DID TALK ABOUT THIS IN A LITTLE BIT OF DETAIL AT THE ADMINISTRATIVE LEVEL.

IT IS HARD BECAUSE I'M GUILTY OF THIS LIKE, OH, I'M JUST GOING TO POP IN.

OH, LOOK IT, OH, I'M GOING TO JUST GO HERE AND TAKE A LOOK AT THIS.

OR THEY GOT THIS INTERESTING SIGN UP WHERE I SEE SOMEONE OVER THERE THAT I KNOW I'M GOING TO GO HAVE A CHAT.

SO IT'S A SLIPPERY SLOPE.

I MEAN, WE COULD MAKE EXCEPTIONS FOR BATHROOM ON THE BASIS OF HEALTH AND SAFETY.

I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT DOING SO, THOUGH, BECAUSE IT DOES.

YOU JUST INADVERTENTLY YOU GO IN AND THEN YOU'RE IN AND YOU'RE TALKING TO PEOPLE AND YOU'RE DOING STUFF.

SO THAT CAN BE A BIT OF AN ISSUE WITH THAT ONE.

SORRY, I'M TRYING TO THINK OF THE OTHER QUESTION THAT YOU POSED AROUND THIS A LOT.

I JUST WANTED TO POP INTO THE LIBRARY AGAIN.

WE'RE BOOKING THOSE APPOINTMENTS JUST SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT SO IF I JUST WANT TO GO IN AND I WANT A SPECIFIC BOOK.

I THINK YOU CAN DO A LOT TO CHECK ONLINE.

WITH THAT, I TURN IT OVER TO MR. WHITE TO SEE, BUT TYPICALLY WE DO HAVE THOSE APPOINTMENTS BECAUSE PEOPLE GO IN AND I'M GUILTY OF THIS AS WELL.

I JUST WANT TO GET A SPECIFIC HISTORY BOOK IN THE LIBRARY AND THEN I FIND, OH, LOOK AT THIS INTERESTING TITLE THAT'S ON DISPLAY AND I GO DOWN A RABBIT HOLE OF ALL KINDS OF OTHER THINGS.

SO, MR. WHITE, IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD ON WHAT WE WOULD DO FOR THE LIBRARY, THE APPOINTMENT SYSTEM HAS BEEN WORKING AND HAS BEEN KEEPING OUR NUMBERS AT 25 BECAUSE PEOPLE DO LOVE THE LIBRARY AND REALLY LOVE TO LINGER OVER TO YOU, MR. WHITE.

THANK MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

SO THE CURRENT METHOD IS QUITE, I GUESS, EFFICIENT WHERE WHERE WE HAVE OUR BLOCKS, PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO COME IN, BOOK THEIR HOUR, BROWSE FOR THAT TIME AND THEN LEAVE.

WE REALLY HAVEN'T CONTEMPLATED, UNDER A VACCINE POLICY, SOMEBODY RUNNING IN GRABBING A BOOK AND LEAVING.

I GUESS IF WE HAD A POLICY, IT WOULD BE IN ORDER TO ACCESS A FACILITY YOU HAVE TO SHOW.

SHOW YOUR PROOF OF VACCINATION.

IT'D BE VERY HARD TO LIMIT SOME AND NOT LIMIT OTHERS.

SO WE'D BE FAIR ACROSS THE BOARD AND HAVE A EFFICIENT POLICY IN PLACE THEN YOU AFTER YOUR VACCINATION POLICY TO GET THE FACILITY.

THANK YOU.

OK, DEFINITELY THINGS TO THINK ABOUT, BUT WE CAN CONTINUE THIS COUNCILLOR

[01:55:01]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR.

I'M THINKING ABOUT THIS AS I AM READING A VIRTUAL BOOK FROM THE LIBRARY RIGHT NOW ON MY IPAD AT HOME, SO WE'VE GOT A LOT OF ONLINE RESOURCES THAT WERE REALLY PROMOTING WITH PEOPLE TO GET A LOT OF BOOKS THAT WAY.

WE CERTAINLY SPEND A FAIR BIT OF MONEY ON THE VIRTUAL COLLECTION, SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S AVAILABLE THERE AND I DO BELIEVE THAT IT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE TO BE ABLE TO CHECK IN TO EMAIL THE LIBRARY AND SAY, HEY, DO YOU HAVE? LOOK, I REALLY WANT IT.

CAN I JUST, YOU KNOW, IS IT AVAILABLE FOR ME TO DO A QUICK PICKUP? AND CERTAINLY THAT WILL BE THE KIND OF THING THAT WE WOULD WANT TO BUILD INTO A POLICY IF WE WERE TO GO AHEAD IN THAT WAY.

THANK YOU.

OK.

OK, THANK YOU FOR THAT, AND CERTAINLY WE'LL HAVE LOTS MORE DISCUSSION TONIGHT, I BELIEVE, ABOUT IMPLICATIONS OF THIS.

THANK YOU.

COUNCILLOR PAYNE? THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS SURROUNDING NUMBERS IN OUR FACILITIES BECAUSE I'M STILL THINKING THAT THERE'S SOMETHING MISSING.

IF WE IMPLEMENT THIS VACCINATION PROOF OF VACCINATION.

LIKE, JUST AS AN EXAMPLE, THE HOCKEY ARENAS.

RIGHT NOW, THEY HAVE APPROVAL FOR ONE HUNDRED; RIGHT? WILL THAT CHANGE? WILL THAT CHANGE THEIR NUMBERS? RIGHT NOW, THEY'VE GOT 50 IN THE STANDS AND 50 ON THE ICE.

SO WILL THAT CHANGE WILL IF THEY WANTED TO HAVE 25 ON THE ICE, IS IT GOING TO BE 75 IN THE STANDS AND IS THAT 100 PERSON LIMIT WHERE IT'S AT? ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT HOCKEY? YEAH, I'M TALKING ABOUT HOCKEY.

HOCKEY HAS TO ADHERE TO THEIR PLAN, SO THEY HAVE ONE HUNDRED AND THAT'S THERE RIGHT NOW.

THEY DID HAVE 75, 50 ON THE ICE, 25 IN THE STANDS, AND THEY JUST GOT AN EXEMPTION.

I BELIEVE TWO DAYS AGO, WHERE THEY CAN HAVE 50 IN THE STANDS AND 50 ON THE ICE.

SO WILL, IF WE IMPLEMENT THE POV, WILL WILL THAT INCREASE THEIR NUMBERS THAT THEY CAN HAVE IN THE STANDS? THEY HAVE TO ADHERE TO THEIR PLANS, SO FOR EXAMPLE, LAST YEAR, THE SWIM CLUB HAD A HIGHER CAPACITY LIMIT THAN THE PUBLIC SWIM.

SO WHATEVER HOCKEY HAS FOR APPROVAL WITH THE CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER, REGARDLESS OF THE CITY'S PLANS, THEY'LL GET THOSE NUMBERS.

SO IT'S THE USER GROUPS HAVE WILL HAVE HIGHER CAPACITY THAN WHAT WE DO.

SO POTENTIALLY, COULD THEY PUT THEIR PLANS IN THE CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER, REVIEWS THEM AND THEN DETERMINES THE NUMBERS? YEAH AND THIS IS THE THING THROUGHOUT THE LAST WHILE LIKE IT SEEMS LIKE WHOEVER'S WRITING THAT PROPOSAL AND PUTTING IN THAT APPLICATION AND HOW THEY CAN DESCRIBE IT.

SO THERE'S NOTHING UNIFORM ACROSS ACROSS THE CITY HERE.

YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THE CURLING CLUB HAS QUITE HIGH CAPACITY.

I BELIEVE IT WAS ONE HUNDRED UPSTAIRS AND ANOTHER.

I COULD BE WRONG.

SEVENTY FIVE DOWNSTAIRS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

BUT I COULD BE WRONG ON THAT.

NOW THE CURLING CLUB, THEY'RE GOING TO BE ASKING FOR VACCINATION STATUS, AND THAT'S FINE.

THAT'S THEIR THING.

NOW, WHEN IT COMES TO, I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF PLAYGROUP.

A PLAYGROUP PEOPLE IN TOWN WHERE THEY RENT THE FIELD HOUSE.

NOW IF THEY CAN COME TOGETHER, ARE THEY GOING TO BE CONSIDERED A USER GROUP AND THEY CAN GET HIGHER CAPACITY THAN WHAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO GIVE THEM IN LIKE IF WE DIDN'T IMPLEMENT THE POV? IF THEY'RE OPERATING A PROGRAM OUTSIDE OF.

LIKE THE OUR POLICY RELATES TO OUR PROGRAMING, SO IF ANOTHER USER GROUP APPLIES TO THE CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER, THEY HAVE TO ADHERE TO THEIR PLANS AND THEN WHEN THEY BOOK WITH US, THE USER AGREEMENT SAYS, YOU HAVE TO ADHERE TO YOUR CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER.

MS. BASSI-KELLETT? TO ADD ON THAT? THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR, I THINK YOU'VE NAILED IT THERE, AND I MEAN, WE ALWAYS GO BACK TO THE ORDER TO SEE WHAT IT SAYS ON SOME OF THE SPECIFICS AND THE THINGS THAT WE SEE IN THAT OCTOBER 20 SECOND ORDERS WHEN THEY SPEAK TO ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS ON INDOOR DANCING, SINGING, PLAYING WIND AND BRASS INSTRUMENTS AND GAMES, INDOOR CONTACT SPORTS, INDOOR HIGH INTENSITY FITNESS, INDOOR WINTER SPORTS, INDOOR SWIMMING EXCEPT IN ACCORDANCE

[02:00:01]

AN APPLICATION TO VARY.

SO THEY'RE PRETTY HARDCORE ON THOSE KINDS OF ACTIVITIES, WHICH IS A LOT OF WHAT OUR FACILITIES ARE PROVIDING.

BUT USER GROUPS THAT APPLIED TO THE CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER FOR THEIR OWN EXEMPTIONS.

GOOD ON THEM.

THEY'RE DOING THAT.

THAT'S GREAT.

THEY THEY DO WHAT THEY THINK IS RIGHT FOR THEIR ORGANIZATION WITHIN THE PARAMETERS OF THE TERRITORIAL AND NATIONAL SPORT ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE SUPPORTING THEM IN DOING SO WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE DOING THAT DIRECTLY WITH THE CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER.

THANK YOU.

A PART OF ME BRINGING THIS UP, WE'RE NOT NORMAL TIMES AT ALL AND I'M JUST A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED ABOUT THE LACK OF CERTAINTY AROUND ANY OF THIS.

WE DON'T REALLY HAVE, LIKE EVERYTHING IS SORT OF ALL OVER THE PLACE AND DEFINITELY THE LACK OF OPTIONS THAT WERE BROUGHT FORWARD TO US BEFORE WE THERE WAS NO OPTIONS.

IT WAS EITHER WE'RE GOING TO IMPLEMENT A PROOF OF VACCINATION PLAN OR NOT.

IT WAS NEVER LOOKED AT AND THE INFORMATION WASN'T REALLY GIVEN OR MAYBE WAS GIVEN, BUT IT WASN'T REALLY CLEAR ABOUT THE IMPACTS OF THIS ON BIG USER GROUPS COMPARED TO PUBLIC SWIMS, PUBLIC SKATES AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

PEOPLE STILL THINK THAT OUT THERE THAT OUR DECISION ON THIS WILL IMPACT THEIR HOCKEY AND THEIR SOCCER AND STUFF LIKE THAT, WHICH IS WHICH IS NOT THE CASE AND.

RIGHT NOW, IT FEELS LIKE WE'VE ALREADY HEADED DOWN A DANGEROUS PATH LIKE WE'RE ALREADY TREATING NON-VACCINATED PEOPLE AS IF THEY'RE INFECTED.

AND WE HAVE POLICIES IN PLACE THAT IF YOU'RE SYMPTOMATIC, WHETHER YOU'RE VACCINATED OR NON-VACCINATED, THEN YOU HAVE A PROCEDURE AND A PROTOCOL THAT YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW.

RIGHT.

SO RIGHT NOW, WE'RE TREATING EVERYBODY AS IF THEY'RE LIKE DIRTY, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE CLEAN AND THE UNCLEAN IN THIS TOWN AND THAT'S THE PROBLEM THAT I HAVE AND THE BIGGEST QUESTION.

HOW ARE WE GOING TO ENFORCE IT? ARE WE GOING TO HIRE MORE PEOPLE BECAUSE THEN THERE'S A LOT BIGGER BUDGET IMPLICATIONS.

SO HOW HOW ARE WE ACTUALLY GOING TO ENFORCE THIS? BUT ARE WE GOING TO HAVE SOMEBODY ON THE DOOR LIKE ROBIN SAID, ARE WE GOING TO? IS IT GOING TO BE AN HONOR SYSTEM? YOU KNOW, SHAUNA JUST SAID THAT SHE MENTIONED GUARDS ON THE DOOR.

YOU KNOW, THE THOUGHT OF GUARDS PROTECTING OUR FACILITIES DOESN'T SEEM TO BE A COMFORTING THOUGHT AND I KNOW THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU MEANT, JOHN, IN HAVING GUARDS THERE, BUT IT'S SOMETIMES IT'S AMAZING HOW COMMENTS CAN BE MISCONSTRUED.

SO THIS IS WHERE I'M AT RIGHT NOW, LIKE, HOW ARE WE GOING TO ENFORCE IT? AND, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK THE IMPACTS OF THIS ARE AS GOING TO BE AS WIDESPREAD AS WHAT PEOPLE INITIALLY THOUGHT.

CAN I GET A FEW COMMENTS ON WHAT I JUST SAID? HMM.

YEAH.

SO USER GROUPS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING THAT THEY'RE IN COMPLIANCE.

SO THEN WHEN IT COMES TO CITY, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GO TO A PUBLIC SWIM, YOU GO TO THE CASHIER BEFORE ACCEPTING THEIR PAYMENTS.

IT'LL BE LIKE, YOU VACCINATED.

YEP, HERE'S MY PROOF.

OK, HERE'S THE X DOLLARS AND YOU GO FOR A SWIM PUBLIC SKATE.

YOU'VE GOT TO PAY THE CASHIER TO.

OK, HERE'S YOUR PROOF OF VACCINE.

YEP, HERE'S YOUR MONEY YOU CAN GO IN.

SO HOCKEY'S RESPONSIBLE, SOCCER'S RESPONSIBLE.

THEY HAVE TO BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THEIR PLANS AND YES, THERE WAS CONFUSION FROM THE PUBLIC.

I KNOW FOLKS DIDN'T READ THE MEMO OR THE POLICY AND, YOU KNOW, FOLKS THOUGHT THAT WE WERE GOING TO REGULATE CHURCHES.

IT'S LIKE, NOPE, THIS IS JUST CITY FACILITIES FOR CITY PROGRAMS. PEOPLE THOUGHT WE WERE REGULATING BUSINESSES.

NO.

THIS IS CITY FACILITIES.

SO IT IS REALLY PUBLIC SWIMS, PUBLIC SKATES WHERE ALREADY YOU'VE GOT THE CASHIER AND YOU DON'T GO ON TO THE TRACK BEFORE YOU, YOU PAY.

ANYTHING ELSE? MS. BASSI-KELLETT? THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR.

NO, YOU NAILED IT, THIS IS THE POINT OF THE CITY PROGRAMS WE'RE WANTING.

I MEAN, IN A PERFECT WORLD, I THINK YOU NAILED IT.

COUNCILLOR PAYNE? THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERN ABOUT A LOT OF DISCREPANCY, SO USER GROUPS CAN HAVE THIS MANY, BUT THEN CITY PROGRAMS ARE SMALLER.

THAT'S TOUGH.

I MEAN, I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, THERE'S NO WAY AROUND THAT WITH THE WAY THE ORDER HAS BEEN SET UP.

IN A PERFECT WORLD, WE'D BE AS ALIGNED AS POSSIBLE SO THAT IF USER GROUPS HAVE ONE HUNDRED, WE HAVE A HUNDRED.

THAT WOULD BE REALLY IDEAL IF WE CAN, BUT WE WANT TO BE REALISTIC ABOUT THIS AS WELL, AND IT'S HARD TO GET EVERYBODY ON THE SAME PAGE.

[02:05:01]

WE BUILD IT INTO OUR CONTRACTS FOR THE RENTAL CONTRACTS, AND IT IS THE USER GROUPS THEMSELVES THAT MONITOR AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE COMPLYING WITH WHAT THEY'VE PUT INTO THE CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER.

THANK YOU.

SO WHAT ABOUT I MEAN, WE HAVE ACCESS TO RENT THE SCHOOL GYMNASIUMS THROUGHOUT THE CITY AFTER SCHOOL HOURS AND LIKE PRETTY MUCH AFTER SUPPER.

SO WILL PRIVATE GROUPS BE ABLE TO RENT THE GYMS OR ARE WE GOING TO PUT THAT OFF TO SOMEBODY ELSE? AND SECOND QUESTION, WHILE I'M AT IT.

SOMEBODY MENTIONED HERE BEFORE THAT WE'RE NOT HEALTH OFFICIALS, BUT WE'VE WE'VE, YOU KNOW, I'LL JUST LEAVE THAT, NEVERMIND.

YES, SCHOOL GYMNASIUMS AREN'T CITY FACILITIES, SO WE WOULDN'T RULE THAT, BUT MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

I KNOW SCHOOL BOARDS HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT WHETHER IT WILL RUN TO GROUPS AND UNDER WHAT CONDITIONS, BUT IT'S NOT A CITY FACILITY.

I'M NOT AWARE OF THEIR POLICY OR WHETHER THEY'VE RELEASED IT YET.

MS. BASSI-KELLETT? THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR.

THAT'S EXACTLY IT, SO SCHOOL BOARDS ARE MAKING THEIR OWN DECISIONS AROUND GYMNASIUMS RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE DECIDING IF THEY WANT TO GO FOR AN EXEMPTION IF THEY WANT TO BE OPEN TO AFTER SCHOOL USE.

WE SAW THAT IN ONE CASE, WE DID NOT HAVE THAT GOING ON EARLIER THIS FALL.

SO THEY KEEP THEIR NUMBERS AT 25 OR THEY APPLY FOR AN EXEMPTION.

THANK YOU.

OK, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, COUNCILLOR WILLIAMS, DID YOU STILL HAVE A QUESTION? I SAW A HAND, BUT OKAY.

COUNCILLOR KONGE? COUNCILLOR WILLIAMS. I HAVE SLOW INTERNET.

APOLOGIES FOR BOTH MY SLOW INTERNET AND MY SLOW [INAUDIBLE], I WAS ACTUALLY JUST THE EMAILS.

I KNOW THAT ADMINISTRATION WAS WORKING ON SORT OF THE FOR AND AGAINST, YOU KNOW WHAT SORT OF WHERE THAT'S LAID OUT TO? THE BARRAGE OF EMAILS THAT WE RECEIVED YESTERDAY AND TODAY, I'M NOT SURE THAT STAFF HAD DONE A CALCULATION.

I KNOW I'M COMMENTED IN CBC STORY AND THAT WAS FROM FRIDAY MORNING WHERE THERE WAS MORE WHO ARE IN FAVOR AND AGAINST, BUT WE DEFINITELY SAW A LOT OF EMAILS COME IN OVER THE WEEKEND.

MS. BASSI-KELLETT? THAT'S ACTUALLY WHAT WAS MY POINT OF CLARITY THERE.

AS FOR YOUR COMMENTS ON CBC.

YEAH, THAT WOULD THAT COMMENT WAS FROM FRIDAY AT 11 A.M., BUT PUBLISHED THIS MORNING AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND SINCE FRIDAY, AT 11, THERE'S BEEN, AS COUNCILLORS WELL KNOW, A TON OF EMAILS HAVE COME IN AND SO WE'RE ABOUT 50-50 RIGHT NOW.

THANK YOU.

ANYTHING FURTHER, COUNCILLOR WILLIAMS? NO GOOD.

COUNCILLOR KONGE? THANK YOU.

SO I MEAN, I THINK WE ALL KNOW THE NUMBERS ARE TELLING US THE SCIENCE SAYS THAT EVEN IF YOU'RE VACCINATED, YOU CAN GET COVID, YOU CAN GET COVID AND HAVE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE PEOPLE.

THANKFULLY, WHO ARE VACCINATED DON'T GET SYMPTOMS AS BADLY AS PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT VACCINATED.

BUT THE REALITY IS IS YOU CAN BE FULLY VACCINATED, YOU CAN STILL GET COVID, YOU CAN STILL TRANSMIT COVID, YOU CAN STILL GET SICK.

YOU CAN STILL UNFORTUNATELY SUCCUMB TO COVID EVEN IF YOU'RE VACCINATED.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE SAYING WE WANT PEOPLE TO BE VACCINATED COMING INTO OUR FACILITIES IS THE ASSUMPTION THERE THEN THAT OUR STAFF IS MORE SAFE THAN IF WE JUST HAVE AN OPEN LIKE I'M HEARING SOME COMMENTS FROM ADMINISTRATION AND IT'S NOT CLEAR TO ME.

WHETHER WE'RE, YOU KNOW, LIKE.

HOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OUR STAFF DEAL WITH MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC COMING INTO OUR FACILITIES BECAUSE YOU CAN'T JUST LOOK AT SOMEBODY AND GO, OH, THAT PERSON, YOU KNOW, HAS COVID, YOU CAN'T AND I THINK THAT.

YOU KNOW, I TOLD MYSELF, JUST ASSUME EVERYBODY HAS IT.

BUT WHAT I'M SEEING WITH THIS POLICY IS WE'RE JUST GOING TO OPEN IT UP, IF YOU'RE VACCINATED, YOU GET A PASS.

GOOD TO GO AND WE'RE JUST GOING TO FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE VACCINATED, CARRY ON LIKE WE USED TO.

IS THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING OR AM I READING THIS WRONG FROM ADMINISTRATION? THIS IS BASED ON THE PUBLIC HEALTH ORDER, SO AGAIN, COUNCIL HAS THE CHOICE OF

[02:10:04]

SO YES, EVERYBODY SHOULD, REGARDLESS OF THIS.

I THINK THE CPHO STILL RECOMMENDS THAT YOU FOLLOW ALL OTHER WASHING YOUR HANDS, STAYING HOME IF YOU'RE SICK, WEARING A MASK AND TAKING ALL THOSE PRECAUTIONS.

BUT IN REGARDS TO CAPACITY, IF YOU WANT A DIFFERENT NUMBER, THERE'S KIND OF A, B, OR C THAT YOU CAN CHOOSE.

MS. BASSI-KELLETT, THOUGHTS FROM THE STAFF SAFETY PERSPECTIVE? THANKS VERY MUCH, AND, YOU KNOW.

ABSOLUTELY AND SO AGAIN, NONE OF US ARE PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS.

WE SEE THE NEWS AND WE SEE THE REPORTS THAT GO AROUND.

THERE IS NOTHING THAT IS A 100 PERCENT GUARANTEE THAT WILL PREVENT ANYONE FROM GETTING COVID.

WE DO KNOW PEOPLE THAT ARE DOUBLE VACCINATED, FULLY VACCINATED AND HAVE GOTTEN SICK.

THANK GOODNESS THEY'VE GOTTEN MILDER COMMENTS ON THIS.

SO IT'S A REALLY TOUGH THING TO BE ABLE TO.

WHAT WE WANT TO DO WITH THIS IS WE WANT TO TAKE ALL THE STEPS THAT WE CAN.

THAT'S THE WORDING THAT'S IN THAT PIECE OF SAFETY LEGISLATION TO TAKE ALL REASONABLE PRECAUTIONS TO ENSURE A SAFE WORKPLACE.

SO SINCE COVID STARTED, WE'VE HAD SAFE WORK PRACTICES THAT ARE RELEVANT AND APPROPRIATE ACROSS EVERY DIFFERENT KIND OF WORK CONTEXT AT THE CITY.

THERE ARE OFFICE WORKERS, THERE ARE BUILDING INSPECTORS, THERE ARE MUNICIPAL ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, THERE ARE LIFEGUARDS, THERE ARE PARAMEDICS.

SO MANY DIFFERENT KINDS OF PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT KINDS OF WORK CONTEXTS.

SO A BIG PART OF THIS IS LOOKING AT TRYING TO MAKE AS TO THE GREATEST DEGREE POSSIBLE THAT WE CAN DO AS THE EMPLOYER TO MAKE THINGS AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE FOR OUR WORKFORCE AND LOOKING AT THE ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO PROTECT VULNERABLE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL.

SO THAT'S PART OF THE PHILOSOPHICAL THINKING THAT WE HEAR FROM PEOPLE AROUND THIS FROM A PUBLIC HEALTH PERSPECTIVE.

BUT I'LL JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT BECAUSE AGAIN, I'M NOT A PUBLIC HEALTH EXPERT.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, COUNCILLOR MORSE? THANKS.

YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO JUST KIND OF CHIME IN QUICKLY HERE, JUST TO SAY THAT WE DO NEED TO BE PRETTY CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT WE'RE SEEING REGARDING WHAT EXPERTS ARE SAYING ABOUT THIS.

NOBODY'S SAYING THAT VACCINES ARE A PANACEA AND THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE THE ONLY THING THAT, WELL, THAT WILL PROTECT US 100 PERCENT.

THERE'S NO HEALTH PROFESSIONALS SAYING THAT, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT 100 LIKE A LIMIT OF 100 IS STILL A LIMIT.

THE LIMITS THERE, REGARDLESS OF VACCINE, WELL, THE LIMIT IS THERE WITH VACCINATION IN RECOGNITION OF THE FACT THAT SPREAD CAN STILL OCCUR IN VACCINATED PEOPLE.

BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THIS IS A RISK MITIGATION EXERCISE AND THE RISKS ARE LOWER IN EVERY CASE OF INFECTION, OF SEVERITY, OF INFECTION, OF SPREAD.

SO IT'S A LOWERING OF RISK.

IT'S NOT AN ELIMINATION OF RISK AND I DON'T THINK ANYBODY HAS COME OUT SAYING THAT WE CAN ELIMINATE THE RISK FROM THIS.

SO JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, TO EMPHASIZE MS. BASSI-KELLETT'S POINT, THE HEALTH EXPERTS ARE THE ONES TELLING US HOW TO MITIGATE RISK.

THEY'RE MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS TO US, AND WE DON'T REALLY HAVE MUCH CHOICE BUT TO WELL, I GUESS WE HAVE CHOICE, BUT I THINK THE REASONABLE CHOICE IS TO FOLLOW THE RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON THEIR EXPERTISE AND THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS CAN AND WILL CHANGE BASED ON ALL THE EVIDENCE THAT'S COMING IN.

SO.

LEAVE IT AT THAT.

YEAH, AND IN THEIR CHOICES, SMALL MEDIUM OF LARGER CAPACITIES, AND YOU CAN DO A, B OR C.

ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE, WE'LL HAVE A FULSOME DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS TONIGHT.

SO, YEAH, AS MENTIONED, WILL DO BETWEEN NUMBER 19 AND NUMBER 20 ON OUR COUNCIL, WE'LL DO A MOTION TO MOVE INTO COMMITTEE THE WHOLE AND MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE PROOF OF VACCINE POLICY.

AND THEN THAT WILL BE THE MOTION THAT WILL BE DEBATING TONIGHT.

SO THEN IF YOU'RE NOT IN FAVOR OF THAT, YOU WOULD VOTE AGAINST THE MOTION IF YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO THE POLICY.

[02:15:02]

SO JUST A BIT OF THAT PROCEDURE THERE.

COUNCILLOR WILLIAMS ? [INAUDIBLE] .

COUNCILLOR WILLIAMS, WERE YOU ABLE TO HEAR? OK, WE'LL COME BACK.

OH, HOW MANY PRESENTERS DO WE HAVE? WE HAVE A BIT OF A LIST.

UH.

ONE TWO, THREE FOUR FIVE SIX SEVEN EIGHT NINE, WE HAVE 10 PRESENTERS SO FAR TONIGHT.

SO EVEN SOME.

ELEVEN, I GUESS, BECAUSE THERE'S ALSO ONE PRESENTER.

UM.

POSSIBLY 12 PRESENTERS, SORRY.

YES.

MINIMUM OF 10, MAYBE 12 AND POSSIBLY MORE COMING IN.

UH, SO WITH THAT, THE NEXT ITEM IS A MEMORANDUM REGARDING WHETHER TO

[6. A memorandum regarding whether to authorize the expenditure of $8,000 from the Heritage Committee budget for Pat Braden’s Storytelling Podcast Series]

ANY QUESTIONS? SEEING COUNCILLOR MORSE? THANK YOU.

JUST A QUICK THOUGHT ON THIS ONE.

I THINK THAT IF THE CITY IS GOING TO BE SUPPORTING THIS AND MAYBE WE DID THIS PREVIOUSLY, I KNOW THAT THE HERITAGE COMMITTEE HAS RECOMMENDED SUPPORT OF SIMILAR THINGS LIKE PODCASTS IN THE PAST, AND I'D LOVE TO SEE IT MAYBE SHARED ON CITY SOCIAL MEDIA AND THINGS LIKE THAT JUST TO GET THE WORD OUT.

IT'S SOMETHING ABOUT YELLOWKNIFE HERITAGE.

IT'S GOT A DIRECT CONNECTION TO YELLOWKNIFE HERITAGE AND I HAVEN'T REALLY SEEN THAT HAPPEN AND I THINK THAT GETTING THE WORD OUT WOULD BE REALLY VALUABLE BECAUSE LIKE WE GO AND FUND THIS, AND IF IT'S JUST ON ON MR. BRADEN'S WEBSITE, PEOPLE MAY NOT ACCESS IT AS READILY AS THEY WOULD LIKE SHARED ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

SO I'M JUST WONDERING IF WE CAN COMMIT TO BEING A PART OF KIND OF PROMOTING IT AND ENSURING THAT RESIDENTS ACTUALLY GET TO HEAR THESE PODCASTS.

MS. BASSI-KELLETT? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I THINK THAT'S A REALLY, REALLY GOOD POINT IN TERMS OF THE SUPPORT THAT WE CAN PROVIDE TO LOCAL ARTISTS WHO ARE SUPPORTED THROUGH THE WORK THAT THE CITY IS DOING.

SO YEAH, I THINK THAT'S GREAT.

WE WILL BE PREPARED TO FOLLOW UP WITH THAT TO SEE IF WE CAN PROVIDE AT LEAST A LINK TO FROM OUR SITE TO WHERE THE PODCASTS ARE LOCATED.

THANK YOU.

OK, THANKS.

I'M OTHERWISE SUPPORTIVE.

I THINK IT'S A GOOD RECOMMENDATION.

LOOKS LIKE IT'LL BE A GOOD PROJECT.

THANK YOU.

NEXT, WE HAVE SO WE WILL BRING THAT FORWARD AT OUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING, WHICH IS MONDAY, NOVEMBER 22ND.

NEXT, WE HAVE A MEMORANDUM REGARDING THE MINUTES OF THE HERITAGE COMMITTEE, WHICH

[7. A memorandum regarding the Minutes of the Heritage Committee meeting of October 21, 2021.]

ANY QUESTIONS? SEEING, NONE.

THE NEXT ITEM IS IN-CAMERA MATTER STILL UNDER CONSIDERATION IF I CAN GET A

[IN CAMERA]

ANYBODY WHO'S? WAIT, WAIT.

YEP, WE'RE STILL HERE.

DO WE HAVE AN IN-CAMERA LINK? I HAVEN'T SEEN IT ANYWHERE YET.

HOLD THAT SENTENCE.

YEAH.

ANYBODY OPPOSED? SEEING NONE, WE'LL SEE EVERYBODY IN TWO SECONDS.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.