Sep 06, 2022 Governance & Priorities Committee

[00:00:04]

OKAY. AND I'LL CALL OUR GOVERNANCE AND PRIORITIES COMMITTEE MEETING FOR MONDAY OR TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6TH, 2022, TO ORDER.

[1. Opening Statement]

FROM TIME IMMEMORIAL, IT'S BEEN THE TRADITIONAL LAND OF THE YELLOWKNIFE DENE FIRST NATION.

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

[2. Approval of the agenda]

NO, NOTHING ELSE TO ADD.

[3. Disclosure of pecuniary interest and the general nature thereof.]

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

[4. A memorandum and presentation regarding 2021 COVID Safe Restart Funding Grant Report.]

MS. BASSI-KELLET, WOULD YOU LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE ITEM OR JUST TURN IT OVER TO MS. ? OK? MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR.

YES, HAPPILY. AND PLEASE FORGIVE ME FOR MY CURRENT STATE.

DOES COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL RECALL IN MAY OF 2021 THE CITY RECEIVED OVER $700,000 FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA THROUGH GNWT TO SUPPORT THE CITY, SPECIFICALLY HELPING OUR ECONOMY TO EMERGE FROM COVID.

AND AT THAT TIME COUNCIL GAVE BROAD DIRECTION TO ADMINISTRATION ON HOW THESE FUNDS SHOULD BE SPENT, INCLUDING RELIEF FOR BUSINESSES, ADDITIONAL PUBLIC WASHROOM TIME AND [INAUDIBLE], AS WELL AS SOME INTERNAL SUPPORTS FOR POLICY, COMMUNICATIONS AND STUDENT STAFFING.

SINCE THEN, CITY ADMINISTRATION HAS WORKED WITH PARTNERS TO ENSURE THAT RELIEF PROGRAMS ARE RELEVANT TO THE NEEDS OF YELLOWKNIFE BUSINESSES.

FUNDS HAVE ROLLED OUT AND ARE CONTINUING TO ROLL OUT AND WE ARE REPORTING OUT TODAY SO THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS KNOW WHAT PROGRAMING HAS BEEN SUPPORTED BY THE CITY PURSUANT TO YOUR DIRECTION. I WILL TURN THINGS OVER NOW TO MS. THISTLE, OUR DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND STRATEGY, WHO WILL PRESENT ON THE REPORT.

THANK YOU. THANKS FOR THE GREAT INTRODUCTION AND WE CAN GET STARTED.

SO LIKE MS. BASSI-KELLETT SAID, WE'RE REALLY HERE TO GIVE COUNSEL UPDATE ON THE TYPES OF PROGRAMS THAT WE RAN, HOW SUCCESSFUL THEY WERE, AND AND WHERE THAT MONEY WAS SPENT BECAUSE THE GENERAL DIRECTION WAS JUST GO AND DO THIS.

AND SO WE WANTED TO COME BACK WITH THE REPORT TO GIVE COUNCIL A FULL IDEA, A COMPLETE PICTURE OF WHAT HAPPENED OVER THE LAST YEAR.

SO THE MOTION THAT COUNCIL PASSED DIRECTED THAT $230,000 BE SPENT ON RELIEF FOR BUSINESSES.

AND I'M GOING TO GET INTO THAT IN MORE DETAIL IN THE PRESENTATION, AS WELL AS THE RELIEF FOR PROPERTY ENHANCEMENT.

THE [INAUDIBLE] BATHROOM HOURS WERE EXTENDED, COMMUNICATION SUPPORT WAS INCREASED.

WE HAVE A PERSON, AN ADDITIONAL PERSON, SUPPORT FOR POLICY AND LEGISLATIVE WORK AND RECOGNITION THAT WE JUST WEREN'T HAVING THE TIME TO GET TO THOSE THINGS THAT'S BEEN DONE AND SUMMER STUDENTS WERE HIRED, SO THAT'S BEEN COMPLETED.

SO THE PRESENTATION TODAY REALLY FOCUSES ON THE PROGRAMS WE RAN FOR, RELIEF FOR BUSINESSES.

SO. AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF THIS, THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN STRATEGY AND PLANNING IN LANDS MET. WE ALSO MET WITH THE YELLOWKNIFE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

AND THE POINT OF ALL THAT WAS TO SEE WHAT REALLY WAS GOING TO WORK, WHAT WAS GOING TO HELP BUSINESSES DURING COVID AND COMING OUT OF COVID, BECAUSE WE GOT THIS MONEY AND IT WAS IN THAT STILL IN THE STATE WHERE WE WERE IN REDUCED CAPACITY, WE ACTUALLY WENT INTO ANOTHER LOCKDOWN.

AND THEN SINCE THEN WE'VE HAD A LESSENING OF RESTRICTIONS AND NOW REALLY NO RESTRICTIONS.

SO THE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS GENERALLY IN ALL THE PROGRAMS WERE THAT YOU HAD TO HAVE 20 EMPLOYEES OR LESS LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE, HAVE A VALID BUSINESS LICENSE, OPERATING ACCORDANCE WITH ANY APPLICABLE BYLAWS AND PERMIT AND BE IN GOOD FINANCIAL STANDING.

WE WE CRAFTED THOSE GENERAL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS TO REALLY TRYING TO GEAR TOWARDS BUSINESSES THAT WERE HARDEST HIT.

A LOT OF THE LARGER BUSINESSES AND CERTAIN TYPES OF BUSINESSES ACTUALLY SAW AN INCREASE IN BUSINESS THROUGHOUT COVID AND WEREN'T HARD HIT. THE SAME WITH THE RESTRICTIONS AND CAPACITY LIMITS THAT BECAME A PART OF COVID OVER THE TWO TWO AND A HALF YEARS.

SO BASED ON THAT, THAT ELIGIBLE INDUSTRIES THAT WE IDENTIFIED WERE REALLY FOCUSED ON THOSE HARDEST HIT.

THAT WAS THE FOOD AND RETAIL SERVICES, HOSPITALITY, TOURISM, ARTS, CULTURE AND ENTERTAINMENT, PERSONAL CARE SERVICES AND RECREATION.

WE DID TALK ABOUT THIS WITH THE YELLOWKNIFE CHAMBER.

WE LOOKED AT WHAT COMMUNITIES WERE DOING ACROSS THE COUNTRY, EVEN OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTRY.

[00:05:02]

SO THE OUTDOOR SPACE GRANT WAS LAUNCHED IN JUNE OF 2021.

IT HAD THOSE GENERAL REQUIREMENTS.

YOU HAD TO HAVE BEEN OPERATING SINCE MARCH 1ST, 2020.

AND EXAMPLES OF THIS WERE THAT YOU COULD HAVE A NEW OR EXPANDED PATIO HEATERS.

IT WAS REALLY GEARED TOWARDS GIVING BUSINESSES THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND THAT OUTDOOR SPACE SO THEY COULD INCREASE THEIR CAPACITY.

THIS PROGRAM WAS LAUNCHED, LIKE I SAID, IN 2021, THAT SUMMER WHEN WE WERE STILL UNDER CAPACITY RESTRICTIONS.

AND IF EVERYONE REMEMBERS IN THAT FALL WE WENT BACK INTO LOCKDOWN.

SO THIS WAS THIS WAS A WAY THAT WE WERE TRYING TO HELP BUSINESSES INCREASE THEIR CAPACITY AND BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE COVID RESTRICTIONS THAT WERE IN PLACE.

IT WAS QUITE SUCCESSFUL AS IT OUTLINED IN THE REPORT.

WE DID HAVE ADDITIONAL APPLICATIONS.

IT REALLY BUILT OFF THE PATIO PROGRAM THAT HAD BEEN OPERATING FIVE YEARS PREVIOUS TO THIS.

IT CONTINUED THROUGHOUT.

WE HAD ANOTHER ONE THAT WE FUNDED IN 2022 AT THE HUNGRY WOLF.

AND AND LIKE I SAID, WE TRIED TO BE CREATIVE HERE AND THAT IT WASN'T JUST FOR FOOD.

IF A BUSINESS HAD TO COME TO US AND SAID WE WOULD LIKE TO SELL OUR WARES ON THE SIDEWALK AS LONG AS THEY WERE IN COMPLIANCE WITH ANY OTHER BYLAWS OR REQUIREMENT, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD HAVE LOOKED AT DEFUND.

SO IT WAS IT WAS ALL ABOUT LET'S SEE HOW MUCH WE CAN GROW OUTDOOR BUSINESS SO THAT PEOPLE AREN'T LIMITED STRICTLY TO HOW BIG THEIR SQUARE FOOTAGE IS IN THEIR STORE AND HOW MANY PEOPLE THAT THEY'RE ALLOWED TO HAVE.

THE INDOOR SPACE IMPROVEMENT GRANT.

WE SHIFT IT TO THIS BECAUSE RECOGNIZING OUTDOORS GREAT FOR A VERY SHORT TIME OF THE YEAR AND THEN WE REALLY HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT CAN YOU DO INDOORS.

BUSINESSES WERE FACED WITH DECISIONS ON HOW THEY WERE GOING TO ADDRESS THE COVID RESTRICTIONS, BUT ALSO STILL CONTINUE TO DO BUSINESS.

SO WHETHER THAT WAS PUTTING PARTITIONS UP ADDITIONAL PPE SYSTEMS TO INCREASE CAPACITY, WHEN YOU WENT TO SOME RESTAURANTS, THERE WAS THE CHECK IN DIGITALLY QR CODES, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

IT WAS HOW DO WE HOW DO BUSINESSES IMPROVE THEIR INDOOR SPACE SO THAT THEY CAN STILL OPERATE AND SERVE CLIENTS AND BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH ANY RESTRICTIONS THAT WERE IN PLACE DURING AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME? WE CHATTED WITH THE YELLOWKNIFE CHAMBER ABOUT THESE PROGRAMS AND WE ALSO DISCUSSED WITH PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE REALLY WE DIDN'T WE NEEDED BUSINESSES TO BE ABLE TO ADJUST THEIR INDOOR SPACES TO COMPLY WITH COVID.

AND WE FELT IT WAS BEST IF WE TRIED TO BE FLEXIBLE AND CREATIVE AND LET BUSINESSES COME TO US WITH IDEAS AND HOW THEY COULD DO THAT AND STILL STAY IN COMPLIANCE WITH COVID.

AND YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THOSE EXPENSES INCLUDED LIKE SCREENS OR SIGNAGE, SANITATION, CLEANING PRODUCTS AND ALSO REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE, MAYBE A VENTILATION SYSTEM.

SO WE WERE REALLY OPEN AND ENCOURAGED BUSINESSES TO GET IN TOUCH WITH US WITH ANY IDEA SO THAT WE COULD WALK THROUGH IT AND SEE HOW WE COULD FIT IT IN TO THESE GRANTS THAT WE WERE OFFERING.

THE MOST RECENT ONE THAT WE OFFERED IS THE YELLOWKNIFE BUSINESS SERVICES GRANT.

THIS IS KIND OF SHIFTED AGAIN INTO NOW WE'RE IN A WORLD OF HOPEFULLY NO MORE RESTRICTIONS.

AND SO HOW DO BUSINESSES COME OUT OF THE PANDEMIC? LOTS OF BUSINESSES EITHER WERE IN FULL SHUTDOWN OR LAID PEOPLE OFF BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T NEED FULL STAFF.

SO WAS IT THEY NEEDED ADDITIONAL TRAINING.

SERVICES DO NEED NEED TO GET BACK INTO MARKETING BECAUSE FOR EXAMPLE, TOURISM OPERATORS FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS REALLY IT WAS LOCAL MARKETING OR DORMANT.

SO HOW COULD WE ASSIST? BUSINESS IS GETTING BACK OUT THERE, GETTING BACK UP TO FULL CAPACITY IN ALL RESPECTS.

SO THE YELLOWKNIFE BUSINESS SERVICES GRANT COVERS UP TO $5,000 IN COSTS INCURRED TO REOPEN OR RETURN TO FULL CAPACITY.

SO AGAIN, TRYING TO STAY FLEXIBLE, WE REALLY ENCOURAGE BUSINESSES TO REACH OUT TO US TO DISCUSS WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO DO SO WE CAN SEE HOW IT CAN FIT IN UNDER THE YELLOWKNIFE BUSINESSES SERVICES GRANT OR WHAT THEY MIGHT BE DOING THAT WE COULD COVER UNDER THE YELLOWKNIFE BUSINESS SERVICES GRANT.

AND SO THIS ONE IS STILL OPEN.

AND THE LONGEST RUNNING PROGRAM THAT WE OFFERED WAS THE BUSINESS LICENSE FEE WAIVER.

AND THIS WAS ONE THAT DIRECTLY WAS A SUGGESTION FROM THE NAIF CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

AND SO WE WAIVED BUSINESS LICENSE FEES OF $200 FOR ALL BUSINESSES THAT APPLIED FROM SEPTEMBER 1ST.

AND IT RECENTLY IS JUST SUNSETTING.

[00:10:05]

IT WAS HIGHLY ADVERTISED AND LIKE I SAID, ANYBODY THAT APPLIED FOR THIS WAIVER, IT WAS APPROVED.

SOME BUSINESSES THAT APPLIED EARLY IN SEPTEMBER OF 2021 HAD ALREADY PAID.

SO WE REIMBURSE THEM.

SO AND ANY BUSINESS FOR THAT 12 MONTH PERIOD THAT APPLIED TO US WAS APPROVED FOR THE WAIVER OF THEIR BUSINESS LICENSE FEE.

SO REALLY, WHAT ARE OUR NEXT STEPS? NOW WE NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT PROGRAMS WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO OFFER TO EXTEND THE REMAINDER OF THE COVID FUNDING.

THAT REALLY INVOLVES DISCUSSIONS AGAIN WITH THE YELLOWKNIFE CHAMBER TO SEE WHAT DO BUSINESSES NEED NOW THAT THEY'RE POST-COVID. HOPEFULLY WE'RE HEADING INTO FLU SEASON HERE IN THE FALL, SO STILL HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT BUSINESSES MIGHT NEED TO TRANSITION BACK TO SOME SORT OF CAPACITY LIMIT. BUT WHAT WHAT DOES THE NEW WORLD LOOK LIKE? WE NEED TO TAKE A QUICK LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENING ACROSS THE COUNTRY, SEE WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING NOW, HOW THEY'VE TRANSITIONED THEIR COVID FUNDING, BECAUSE ALL COMMUNITIES WERE DOING THIS KIND OF THING FROM BIG TO SMALL CITIES.

SO SO WHAT REALLY IS GOING ON OUT THERE? AND WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE IS THAT WE CONTINUE TO BE FLEXIBLE IN HOW WE RESPOND.

THAT FLEXIBILITY ALLOWS US TO PIVOT REALLY QUICKLY.

OVER THE PAST 12 MONTHS, YOU CAN SEE ALL THOSE PROGRAMS REALLY AIMED AT DIFFERENT TIMES THROUGH THE PANDEMIC.

WE DIDN'T HAVE TO PLAN FOR SIX WEEKS TO COME TO A PEAK AGENDA AND GET IT ON COUNCIL.

AND AND WE WERE ABLE TO CHAT WITH THE CHAMBER, HEAR WHAT BUSINESSES NEEDED AND FLIP PROGRAMS AROUND PRETTY QUICKLY.

SO WE WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE TO HAVE SOME FLEXIBILITY IN HOW WE RESPOND.

AND AND REALLY KEY IN THAT IS HEARING FROM WHAT OUR BUSINESSES NEEDING AT THIS CURRENT TIME AND HEADING INTO WINTER OF 2020 TO 2023.

A DISCUSSION WITH THE YELLOWKNIFE CHAMBER.

WE'VE ALREADY REACHED OUT AND HAVE SOME TENTATIVE DATE SET FOR THAT MEETING BECAUSE THEY NOW HAVE A NEW PRESIDENT, SO REALLY NEED TO SIT DOWN AND TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAN PARTNER IN OTHER PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES THAT WE DO WORK ON WITH THE CHAMBER.

BUT ALSO, WHAT SHOULD WE BE LOOKING AT FOR THIS COVID RESPONSE FUNDING? HOW COULD IT BE MOST USEFUL TO BUSINESSES POTENTIAL THINGS LIKE CONTINUING WITH OUR BUSINESS LICENSE FEE WAIVER FOR ANOTHER YEAR BUT REALLY NEED TO HEAR FROM THE CHAMBER? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO HELP BUSINESSES? IS IT REALLY EFFECTIVE? HOW HAS IT BEEN TAKEN IN THE PAST YEAR TO BUSINESSES? REALLY APPRECIATE THAT OR IS IT SOMETHING THEY'RE LIKE, WELL, THAT'S NOT REALLY THAT IMPORTANT, BUT THIS IS SO THAT'S WHERE WE NEED TO GO IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS SO WE CAN QUICKLY GET SOMETHING OUT THIS FALL.

AND WE WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE WITH THE YELLOWKNIFE BUSINESS SERVICES GRANT PROGRAM.

THAT'S OUR MOST RECENT ONE.

WE'RE STILL HAVING APPLICATIONS COME IN THROUGH THAT AND SOME THAT ARE IN THE APPROVAL STAGE AND SOME THAT ARE JUST BEING RECEIVED.

SO AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO ADVERTISE AND AND AND UNTIL WE HEAR FROM THE CHAMBER THAT MAYBE THAT'S NOT USEFUL OR IT COULD BE REPURPOSED IN A DIFFERENT WAY, WE WILL CONTINUE WITH THE BUSINESS SERVICES GRANT.

SO ALL IN ALL, WE HAVE HAD GOOD FEEDBACK FROM WHAT WE'VE HEARD AT OUR DEPARTMENT LEVEL.

BUSINESSES DID TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ALL THE PROGRAMS. THERE'S NOT ONE OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE SAW WASN'T A.

USED OR UTILIZED BY LOCAL BUSINESSES, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS? CONSOLE MORSI PUTTING UP YOUR HAND OR JUST.

NO. OKAY, PERFECT.

I HAVE A QUESTION.

SO I BELIEVE ALL YOU SAID ALL THE PROGRAMS ARE CLOSED NOW EXCEPT FOR THE BUSINESS SERVICE.

ONE IS THERE A DEADLINE TO APPLY FOR THAT? MS. BASSI-KELLETT MISS THISTLE.

THERE'S CURRENTLY NO DEADLINE FOR THE YELLOWKNIFE BUSINESS SERVICES GRANT.

AND CAN BUSINESSES GET THAT GRANT MORE THAN ONCE, OR IS IT A ONE TIME THING? MS. BASSI-KELLETT. MS..

THISTLE. WE WOULD ENCOURAGE BUSINESSES TO CONTACT US IF THEY DID ONE PROJECT THAT ACCESS THE FUNDING FOR ONE SPECIFIC INITIATIVE.

IF THEY HAVE ANOTHER IDEA FOR SOMETHING ELSE, THEN WE WOULD HIGHLY ENCOURAGE THEM TO CONTACT US.

WE LIKELY WOULDN'T FUND THE SAME INITIATIVE WITH THE SAME FUNDING POT OF MONEY, BUT IF THEY HAD A NEW INITIATIVE, WHAT WE'VE ALSO SEEN SEEN IS SOME SOME OPERATORS HAVE MULTIPLE BUSINESSES AT THE SAME LOCATION AND WE HAVE SEEN PLACES ACCESS FUNDING MORE THAN ONCE IN THAT WAY BECAUSE THEIR BUSINESS IS OPERATING OUT OF THE SAME LOCATION, BUT THEY'RE ACTUALLY DIFFERENT BUSINESSES.

[00:15:03]

YEAH, I'VE HEARD GOOD FEEDBACK, PARTICULARLY ON THE BUSINESS SERVICES GRANT AND AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO TO HAVE SOME FINANCIAL COACHING TO RESTRUCTURE THEIR COMPANY IF NEED BE.

THE ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS, YOU KNOW, JUST DOING THE MATH OF THE 460,000 THAT'S THAT WAS ALLOCATED BETWEEN THOSE TWO POTS.

WE SPEND JUST UNDER 200,000, SO WE HAVE JUST OVER 263,000 LEFT.

I'D LIKE TO SEE TO PUT FORWARD A MOTION TO DIRECT ADMINISTRATION, TO DEVELOP A PLAN TO SPEND THE REMAINING.

THE FIGURE I HAVE IS $263,029.

BUT RECOGNIZING THAT THE BUSINESS SERVICES GRANT IS STILL OUT AND ACCEPTING OPEN TO RECOMMENDATIONS ON A MORE APPROPRIATE FIGURE FOR THAT, AND THEN THE REST OF THE MOTION WOULD BE AND BRING THE PLAN BACK TO COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL.

I GUESS I'LL PASS THE CHAIR TO DEPUTY MAYOR SMITH SO I CAN NOT THAT IT'S A COUNCIL, BUT JUST TO BE A LITTLE MORE FORMAL ON IT AND I'LL SPEAK TO IT A BIT MORE IF. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

PUTTING THE MOTION FORWARD. THANK YOU.

SO I DO AGREE AND I BELIEVE IT WAS IF WE WENT BACK TO I LIKE THE WORDING ABOUT LOOKING CONTINUE FLEXIBLE RESPONSE THAT ADDRESSES CURRENT NEEDS AND YES THERE'S COLD AND FLU SEASON AND COVID COULD BE BUT ONE OF THE OTHER BIG THINGS I'M HEARING A LOT FROM BUSINESSES IS ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY AND SOCIAL, SOCIAL ISSUES.

AND SO WHETHER THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE OUR STREET OUTREACH PROGRAM OR WHETHER THERE'S ANOTHER PROGRAM THAT WOULD BE OUT THERE THAT WE COULD LOOK TO USE SOME OF THIS FUNDING. I WAS REVIEWING THE WAYFINDING STRATEGY OVER THE WEEKEND, AND THERE'S AN ACT THERE'S LOTS OF ACTIONS, OF COURSE, IN THAT ONE.

AND WITH CITY HALL HAVING THE THE VISITOR CENTER DESK THERE, I HEAR ALL THE TOURISTS COMING IN ON A STEADY STREAM AND I SEE THE MOUNTAINS ON BIKEWAY AND THEY'RE OUT AND ABOUT. SO IN LOOKING AT THE WAYFINDING STRATEGIES IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, A LOT OF THE BUDGET IS FROM WITHIN, FROM WITHIN, FROM WITHIN.

AND SO THAT MEANS WE PROBABLY WON'T BE ABLE TO GET TO IT FOR A LITTLE WHILE.

OR WE COULD REALLY MAKE A DENT IN THE WAYFINDING STRATEGY WITH NOT ALL THE 263,000 JUST REPLACING SOME OF THE OLD OR SIGNS WITH WRONG INFORMATION.

THERE'S 15 SIGNS THAT NEED TO BE UPDATED, AND THAT'S ACCORDING TO THE PLAN, 27,000.

SO AGAIN, WOULDN'T BE USING ALL THAT MONEY, BUT COULD BE AN OPTION.

I DID LIKE THE THERE'S GOING TO BE A DISCUSSION WITH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND I THINK THEN ADMIN COULD COULD BRING BACK A PLAN WITH IN CONSULTATION WITH THEM.

AND SO YEAH, JUST LOOKING TO, TO, TO SEE THE PLAN BEFORE SPENDING THE REMAINING AMOUNT OF MONEY AND BRINGING THAT BACK FOR, FOR COUNCIL APPROVAL.

I'M NOT SURE WHAT MY COLLEAGUES THINK I DID.

I WAS HAPPY TO HAVE IT VERY BROAD AND YOU KNOW, 230,000 FOR THIS, 230,000 FOR THAT, NOT MICROMANAGING IT, BEING FLEXIBLE TO THE RESPONSE. BUT NOW THAT WE'RE KIND OF OUT OF THAT, THE THE COVID CHURN, I THINK WE CAN TAKE A QUICK MOMENT TO TO REALLY OUTLINE HOW WE'RE GOING TO SPEND THAT REMAINING AMOUNT OF MONEY.

SO HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR CLARIFY THAT IF NEED BE.

DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL? COUNCILOR MORSY. THANKS.

YEAH. NOW, I APPRECIATE THE MAYOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD AND I WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE OF THE MOTION ONCE WORDED.

THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE SEEING? NONE. SO I ASSUME THAT'S A MOTION BEING PUT FORWARD AS LONG AS EVERYBODY ELSE IS PUTTING THEIR THUMBS UP.

YEAH. YEAH. SO WE GOT GENERAL SUPPORT THERE.

I'LL WORK WITH ADMINISTRATION ON THAT FIGURE AMOUNT AND BRING THAT FORWARD FOR OUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING, WHICH IS, I BELIEVE, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 26TH IS OUR.

OH, 12TH, SORRY.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12TH.

SO WE'LL BRING THAT FORWARD TO COUNCIL.

PERFECT. AND I'LL HAND THE CHAIR BACK TO YOU.

THANK YOU. ANYTHING FURTHER FROM COUNCIL ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE. THANKS AGAIN TO ADMIN AND THE CHAMBER FOR FOR ALL THEIR WORK ON THIS.

[00:20:02]

[5. A memorandum and presentation regarding 2019 ‐ 2022 Council’s Goals & Objectives and Overall Achievements.]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MADAM CHAIR, I NEED ALL THE HELP I CAN GET.

THAT'S QUITE CLEAR.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.

TODAY, IT IS MY HONOR TO BE ABLE TO REPORT OUT TO COUNCIL ON THE SUCCESS AND ACHIEVEMENTS OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS TOWARDS YOUR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.

IT'S VERY TIMELY TO DO THIS RIGHT NOW AS WE'RE IN THE SUNSET OF THIS COUNCIL.

AND OF COURSE, IS TODAY NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE CONSIDERING PUTTING THEIR NAMES FORWARD TO RUN FOR COUNCIL IN THE OCTOBER 2022 ELECTION.

SO YOU WILL ALL RECALL VERY VIVIDLY THAT YOU SPENT A LOT OF TIME REVISITING AND CONFIRMING COUNSEL'S VISION, MISSION AND VALUES.

THESE WERE VERY IMPORTANT DISCUSSIONS THAT HAPPENED EARLY IN YOUR TERM OF OFFICE WAS VERY GOOD BECAUSE THAT SET THE TONE OVERALL FOR THE DIRECTION THAT WAS TO COME.

IN YOUR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES WHICH YOU'VE LAID OUT.

THERE'S BEEN SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS MADE ACROSS THE BOARD ON THOSE.

AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT YOU HAD DELIBERATELY DECIDED AT THE TIME THAT IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO FOCUS ON PIVOT POINTS, THINGS WHERE WITHIN THE FOUR YEAR TERM OF OFFICE THAT YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO SEE MARKED PROGRESS, THAT YOU'D BE ABLE TO SEE ADVANCEMENT ON THINGS.

NOW, OF COURSE, THAT DOES IT'S PRECIPITATED ON THE FACT THAT THERE IS ONGOING CORE ESSENTIAL SERVICES, THAT THE CITY PROVIDES ONGOING PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT YELLOWKNIFE IS RELY ON.

AND THERE'S ALWAYS THOSE CURVEBALLS THAT COME TO US OUT OF THE BLUE, THINGS LIKE THINGS THAT COME EXTERNALLY THAT WE HAVE TO RESPOND TO WHETHER OR NOT IT'S THE GIANT MINE REMEDIATION PROGRAM, THE PROJECT, IT'S THE LEGALIZATION OF CANNABIS, OR OF COURSE, EVERYBODY'S FAVORITE IN YOUR TERM OF OFFICE COVID.

SO IN TERMS OF THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES THEMSELVES, IF WE CAN JUST IN YOUR PACKAGE, THERE IS AN OVERALL SUMMARY OF THE WORK AND SOME OF THE DETAILED ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN IN RESPONSE TO THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES THAT YOU LAID OUT.

I'LL JUST HIT ON A COUPLE OF HIGHLIGHTS HERE.

AROUND OUR ECONOMY, THIS HAS BEEN REALLY IMPORTANT.

AND OF COURSE, AS WE SEE FROM THE PREVIOUS PRESENTATION THAT MS..

THISTLE MADE COMING OUT OF COVID IS BECOME A VERY, VERY KEY FOCUS FOR US.

BUT IN 2019, WHEN WE HAD NO IDEA THAT THERE WAS A THING CALLED COVID, WE WERE REALLY FOCUSING ON BUILDING ON AND THE MOMENTUM THAT WE HAD, PARTICULARLY IN A DIVERSIFIED TOURISM SECTOR.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, OF COURSE, HIT THE HIT THE BRAKES WHEN COVID CAME.

BUT I'M VERY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE TO TAKE THE TIME WHEN WE DID HAVE LOW TOURIST NUMBERS TO START TO PLAN FOR WHEN THE RETURN WOULD HAPPEN, INCLUDING THINGS LIKE HAVING A NEW VISITOR CENTER THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE TOUCHWOOD IN MID SEPTEMBER FOR THE PUBLIC TO BE ABLE TO SEE.

WE ALSO WANTED TO SEE ABOUT THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS THAT COME FROM EXPANDED POST-SECONDARY AND WE'VE MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS WITH N.W.T..

THE PROCESS IS BEGINNING.

MOMENTUM IS GOING NOW TOWARDS THE POLYTECHNIC WITH THE IDENTIFY IDENTIFICATION OF A POTENTIAL GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION FOR THE YELLOWKNIFE CAMPUS.

THIS IS GOING TO BE A REALLY IMPORTANT PIECE OF THE PUZZLE THAT WILL START TO UNFOLD IN 2022 AND 2023 AND OF COURSE, REFRESHING OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY.

THAT WAS CERTAINLY DONE. BUT WE'RE ALSO VERY PROUD, OF COURSE, OF THE WORK THAT YOU LED IN WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE YELLOWKNIFE CITY, FIRST NATION, TO ESTABLISH A JOINT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY.

WE EACH HAVE OUR OWN STRATEGIES, BUT WE HAVE MANY AREAS WHERE WE OVERLAP, AND IF WE CAN AMPLIFY THE WORK OF EACH OTHER, THEN WHY WOULD WE NOT DO THAT? AND WE KNOW THERE'S GREAT, GREAT MEANING TO COME OUT OF THAT.

EFFICIENT AND ACCOUNTABLE GOVERNMENTS, WE REFRESH THE BUDGET POLICIES.

WE'VE WORKED AGGRESSIVELY ON THE ASSET MANAGEMENT ROADMAP AND POLICY, AND WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THE ASSET MANAGEMENT PROCESS ON OUR SERVICE REGISTRY, OUR RISK REGISTRY, AND OUR ASSET REGISTRY, THE CULTIVATION OF OF CULTIVATING A CULTURE OF COMMUNITY.

GEEZ, I CAN'T READ REFRAME CULTURE OF CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT IS SOMETHING THAT THROUGH A VERY BIZARRE WAY, HAVING THE ABILITY THROUGH COVID TO REFRAME THE WORK WE DO, TO PRIORITIZE, TO STREAMLINE HOW WE MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS DONE IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE CITY.

CORPORATE AS WELL AS THE RESIDENTS OF OUR COMMUNITY HAS BEEN GOOD.

WE HAVE MORE WORK TO DO ON THIS AND THIS IS A CONSTANT THAT WILL BE ONGOING FOR US AND CERTAINLY ESTABLISHING CLEAR SERVICE LEVEL STANDARDS FOR PROGRAMS AND SERVICES.

THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT THING FOR US AND WE DID SOME INITIAL WORK THROUGH OUR ALLIANCE WITH THE WCC, THE WORLD COUNCIL ON CITY DATA, WHICH COMPARES WHAT THE CITY LOOKS LIKE IN TERMS OF OTHER CITIES ACROSS CANADA AS WELL AS INTERNATIONALLY, COMMUNITIES OF OUR SIZE.

[00:25:04]

IT'S TO BE ABLE TO DELIVER SERVICES.

YOU REALLY WANTED TO ESTABLISH AND ENSURE A HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL, INCLUDING FUTURE GENERATIONS.

AND THIS INCLUDED A LOT OF DIFFERENT THEMES CLIMATE CHANGE.

BOY, WE'VE ALL BEEN ENJOYING THE WARMER WEATHER THIS SUMMER.

IS THAT A GREAT THING? IS IT A ONE OFF OR IS IT PART OF A BIGGER SCHEME? WHO KNOWS? BUT WE DO KNOW THAT WE'VE DONE SOME THINGS LIKE REVIEWING AND FOCUSING THE ATTENTION OF THE TEN YEAR CORPORATE AND COMMUNITY ENERGY PLAN.

THERE'S BEEN HEIGHTENED WORK ON BIOMASS BOILERS.

WE'VE DONE WORK TOWARDS PUBLIC TRANSIT.

YOU SET DIRECTIONS FOR US AND THIS IS UNFOLDING IN 2023.

OF COURSE, THE SOCIAL ISSUES REMAIN AND WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS HAPPEN OVER THE COURSE OF THE FOUR YEAR TERM, INCLUDING TEMPORARY DAY SHELTERS DURING COVID, NEEDING TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS, PUTTING A BIG INVESTMENT, MIND YOU, INTO HOMELESSNESS.

YOU'VE REALLY DIRECTED A LOT OF FUNDS THERE AND DEFINITELY LOOKING AT THE WIKI STREET OUTREACH AND NOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO REFINE THAT.

SO IT'S REALLY RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY AND OUR CITY OF LIFE ARTS AND CULTURE.

MASTERPLAN WE ARE WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR CONSULTANTS ON THIS.

WE ANTICIPATE SEEING THIS FROM OUR CONSULTANTS THIS FALL AND WE ARE REALLY PLEASED ABOUT HAVING NONCOMMERCIAL GALLERY SPACE INCLUDED IN THE VISITOR CENTER LAND DEVELOPMENT. THIS IS A REALLY KEY ONE FOR US.

SO DIVERSIFYING THE DEVELOPMENT OPTIONS, CERTAINLY THROUGH THE NEW COMMUNITY PLAN AND THE ZONING BYLAW, THESE ARE SEMINAL, FOUNDATIONAL DOCUMENTS THAT YOU SPENT AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF TIME ON. YOU REALLY MODERNIZE THE WAY IT IS THAT WE DO BUSINESS AND THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN REALLY BUILD A PROGRESSIVE FUTURE.

ON PROMOTING DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THE CITY AS WELL.

THROUGH SOME OF THOSE ZONING OPTIONS, THE GREATER FLEXIBILITY AND DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES ARE COMING.

BUT OF COURSE WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT BEING VERY AGGRESSIVE WITH THE N.W.T.

ABOUT TRANSFERRING VACANT COMMISSIONERS LAND THAT'S WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY BOUNDARIES TO THE CITY SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY GET THAT LAND DEVELOPED.

WE CONTINUE TO PUSH VERY HARD ON THAT, AND WE'RE HOPING THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD.

SO IN ADDITION TO YOUR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES THAT YOU SET OUT, OF COURSE THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER STUFF THAT GOES ON WITHIN THE CITY.

AND SO WE REALLY WANT TO JUST I WON'T GO THROUGH THIS ENTIRE LIST.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I'M SURE THAT YOU LOOK AT THIS AND YOU THINK ABOUT ALL OF THE WORK THAT'S GONE UNDERWAY.

YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF HIGHLIGHTS.

WE HAVE SOME MAJOR CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT ARE COMING ALONG THAT ARE FRANKLY PART OF THE ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION IN THIS COMMUNITY, WHETHER IT'S THE AQUATIC CENTER, THE WATER SUBMARINE LINE, OUR FIRE HALL EXPANSION.

WE KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF INVESTMENT IN HOMELESSNESS, IN HOUSING, FIRST, IN A LOT OF SUPPORTIVE HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR VULNERABLE POPULATION, FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.

WE KNOW THAT EVEN DURING COVID, WHEN WE'VE HAD SO MANY ISSUES AROUND SUPPLY CHAIN, AROUND THE ABILITY OF CONTRACTORS AND CONSULTANTS AND OURSELVES WITH OUR CAPACITY TO GET THINGS DONE. IN YOUR TERM OF OFFICE, THERE'S BEEN OVER $83 MILLION OF ACTUAL MONEY SPENT ON MUNICIPAL INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S BENEFITED YELLOWKNIFE YEARS OVERALL.

AND AGAIN, THE WORLD COUNCIL ON CITY DATA PROVIDES SOME REALLY COOL, STANDARDIZED MUNICIPAL DATA THAT SHOWS THAT WE'RE DOING PRETTY GOOD COMPARED TO A LOT OF MUNICIPALITIES OUR SIZE AROUND THE WORLD.

LOTS MORE THINGS THAT YOU CAN BE VERY PROUD OF AS WELL.

A LOT OF THINGS AROUND COLLABORATION.

THIS IS WHAT WE DO WELL.

WE ADVOCATE AND LOBBY EFFECTIVELY AROUND THINGS LIKE THE UNIVERSITY TRANSFER OF VACANT COMMISSIONERS, LAND FUNDING TO SUPPORT THE VISITOR CENTER, THE CONCEPT OF CITY CHARTER, AND CERTAINLY GETTING OUR INTEREST REFLECTED IN LEGISLATIVE AMENDMENTS THAT HAPPEN BOTH THE NWT AND THE FEDERAL LEVELS.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR GUIDANCE AND DIRECTION ON ALL OF THAT.

SO LOOKING AHEAD, THERE'S NO SHORTAGE OF INTERESTING ISSUES STILL.

WE STILL CONTINUE TO LIVE IN INTERESTING TIMES.

WE KNOW COMING OUT OF COVID CONTINUES TO BE AN ISSUE FOR US AS WE LOOK AT WHAT WILL THE WORLD LOOK LIKE AS WE GO INTO FALL IF THERE ARE AN UPSWING IN CASES, AS WE LOOK AT TRYING TO EMERGE FROM THE ECONOMY, WHAT THAT'S DONE IN TERMS OF LABOR AVAILABILITY, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT IMPACTS THAT WE'RE SEEING OUT OF COVID.

WE KNOW THE COST OF LIVING AND INFLATION ARE KEY ISSUES FOR SO MANY YELLOWKNIFE ERS RIGHT NOW, MAKING SURE OUR OUR ECONOMY CONTINUES TO BE DIVERSIFIED.

SO WE'VE GOT SOME STABILITY THAT WE'RE NOT A ONE TRICK PONY RELYING ON ONE KIND OF PILLAR IN OUR ECONOMY THAT THEN LEAVES US VULNERABLE IF THAT PILLAR IS IN ANY WAY COMPROMISED.

CLIMATE CHANGE AND ADAPTATION.

YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN ABSOLUTE CHAMPIONS ON THAT FRONT AND MANY KINDS OF DEVELOPMENTS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY ARE WHAT'S GOING TO MAKE US REALLY PROGRESSIVE, AND WE'RE VERY OPTIMISTIC AROUND THAT RIGHT NOW, EVERYTHING FROM SEEING ABOUT SOME OF THE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS AND RENTAL PROPERTIES TO THE D&D HANGAR TO THE POTENTIAL FOR THE POLYTECHNIC.

THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS HAPPENING, AND WE'RE REALLY HOPEFUL TO SEE THESE ADVANCE MEANINGFULLY.

YOU KNOW, AS WE LOOK IN THE YEARS TO COME, ARE THERE IS IT GOING TO BE SMOOTH SAILING? ABSOLUTELY NOT. THERE'S LOTS OF CHALLENGING ISSUES THAT WE KNOW ARE COMING OUR WAY.

[00:30:05]

YOUR LEADERSHIP HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN MOVING SO MANY THINGS FORWARD AND ON BEHALF OF ADMINISTRATION, I DO WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE, YOUR CALM, COOL, CLEAR LEADERSHIP.

YOU'VE WORKED TOGETHER AS A REALLY EFFECTIVE TEAM, AND WE'RE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THAT.

AND THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE WORK THAT YOU'VE PUT IN.

SO THERE'S LOTS FOR YOU TO BE PROUD OF.

MASI, THANK YOU.

SO NOTHING ELSE ON THIS UNLESS YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FOR MYSELF OR ANY MEMBERS OF ADMINISTRATION.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS. COUNCILOR SMITH, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.

IT'S KIND OF NICE TO SEE WHERE WE STARTED AND WHERE WE ARE HEADING.

ONE OF THE THINGS I DO WANT TO NOTE, IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS I'M I'M NOT ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT WANT TO GIVE MYSELF A PAT ON THE BACK FOR A JOB THAT I JUMPED INTO FOR FOR PURPOSE, FOR REASON.

IT'S YOU GET INTO THIS POSITION, NOT FOR THE KUDOS.

YOU DO IT BECAUSE YOU WANT TO SEE CHANGE, RECOGNIZING, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE HAD SOME GREAT SUCCESSES, BUT WE ALSO HAVE SOME NOT SO GREAT SUCCESSES IN LOOKING AT THE HOMELESSNESS INVESTMENT IN CORRELATION WITH HOUSING.

FIRST, WE HAVE COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND I KNOW MOST OF US COUNCILORS HAVE READ AN EMAIL THAT CAME OUT AND THERE WAS ALSO INFORMATION OUT IN THE MEDIA AS WELL WHERE WE'VE GOT.

WE'VE GOT COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT AREN'T HAPPY BECAUSE THE WORK, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE TRYING, THERE'S SOMETHING MISSING.

WE'RE MISSING SOMETHING.

WE ARE WE'RE IN NEED OF MORE, WHETHER IT IS IN SORRY.

WHETHER IT'S MORE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, WHETHER IT'S.

LESS COMMITTEES AND MORE DOING.

THERE'S A LOT MORE WORK TO BE DONE.

WE HAVE MADE SOME GREAT STRIDES, BUT.

I DON'T WANT US TO LOSE FOCUS ON THE FACT THAT THERE IS STILL A LOT MORE WORK TO BE DONE.

SO I THINK ADMINISTRATION FOR HOW FAR WE'VE COME.

BUT NO, WE'VE GOT TO PICK UP OUR SOCKS AND THERE'S LOTS MORE TO DO.

THANKS SO MUCH.

THANK YOU. YES, IT'S IT'S ALWAYS TOUGH TO DO AS MUCH AS WE CAN IN FOUR YEARS.

AND THEN THE NEXT CREW IS GOING TO COME IN AND DO AS MUCH AS THEY CAN FOR FOUR YEARS AND HOPEFULLY NOT HAVE A PANDEMIC INTERFERE WITH ALL THAT OTHER WORK THAT'S CONSTANTLY UNDERWAY.

AND AND IT IS ABOUT PARTNERSHIPS AND WORKING WITH THE FEDERAL TERRITORIAL BUSINESSES, RESIDENTS, NGOS TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ALL PULLING IN THE SAME DIRECTION.

ANYTHING FURTHER FROM COUNCIL? FOR MYSELF. YEAH. I JUST WANTED TO GIVE ADMINISTRATION A BIG THANKS FOR PULLING THIS TOGETHER.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE CAN SOMETIMES FORGET WHAT'S HAPPENING, AND THERE'S THERE'S A LOT HAPPENING.

AND, YOU KNOW, I LOOK AT THE 312 UNITS OF HOUSING THAT ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW, PLUS A FOUR PLEX AND GIVEN 72 UNITS IN BLANCA NORTHERN LIGHTS, THE RECENT PURCHASE OF THE EIGHT UNIT APARTMENT BUILDING FOR HOME BASE THAT THE CITY WAS ABLE TO DO THINGS TO OUR FEDERAL REACHING HOME PLUS THE FOUR LOTS TO HABITAT FOR HUMANITY FOR A DOLLAR.

AND THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF THAT I THINK IT'S TOUGH TO WRAP YOUR HEAD AROUND, BUT LIKE THE VALUE OF ASSET MANAGEMENT AND SETTING SERVICE LEVELS, BECAUSE WE AS RESIDENTS WANT TO HAVE THE BEST CITY, WE WANT TO HAVE THE GREATEST SERVICES, BUT WE CAN'T PAY FOR NECESSARILY THE BEST OF EVERYTHING.

SO BEING ABLE TO TO GO THROUGH IT STRATEGICALLY AND ACTUALLY FOCUS AND AND DETERMINE WHAT'S WHAT ARE OUR SERVICE LEVELS, I THINK IS AN IMPORTANT ONE THAT KIND OF GETS, YOU KNOW, FORGOTTEN OR OR NOT FULLY UNDERSTOOD.

AND THE ZONING BYLAW, I THINK, IS MONUMENTAL.

AND THAT IS WHY WE'RE SEEING ALL THE DEVELOPMENT RIGHT NOW.

AND FROM AN ECONOMIC PERSPECTIVE, THE FACT THAT BUSINESSES ARE ABLE TO GO AND SET UP IN SO MANY MORE PLACES, WE'RE JUST STARTING TO SEE THE IMPACT OF THE CHANGES WE MADE TO THE ZONING BYLAW.

BUT THE NEXT FOUR YEARS, THE NEXT TEN YEARS IS REALLY GOING TO BE WHERE WE SEE THAT.

SO DEFINITELY, AS DEPUTY MAYOR SMITH SAID, LOTS OF WORK TO COME.

BUT I DO WANT TO THANK STAFF FOR ALL THE WORK BECAUSE DURING COVID IT WAS DOGGY PADDLING, TRYING TO KEEP YOUR HEADS ABOVE WATER AND STILL BEING ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THESE REALLY IMPORTANT AND STRATEGIC FILES IS IS GREATLY APPRECIATED.

[00:35:02]

COUNCILOR PAYNE. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

YEAH, JUST TO JUST ECHO WHAT THE MAYOR SAID, VERY APPRECIATIVE OF ALL THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS HAVE BEEN TOUGH, ESPECIALLY WITH A TWO YEAR SORT OF HALT ON EVERYTHING AND WORKING SLOWER AND WITH OBSTACLES IN THE WAY.

SO APPRECIATE WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE AND LOOK FORWARD HOPEFULLY TO THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.

HOPEFULLY. THANK YOU.

SEEING NOTHING FURTHER.

OUR NEXT MEETING IS NEXT MONDAY AT NOON AS WELL AS 7 P.M..

WE WILL BRING FORWARD THAT ONE RECOMMENDATION REGARDING THE COVID FUNDING.

AND WITH THAT, IF I CAN GET A MOTION TO ADJOURN MOVE BY COUNCILOR SMITH, SECONDED BY COUNSEL SILVERIO ANYBODY OPPOSED SEEING NONE? WE CAN BE ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.