Jan 09, 2023 Council Meetings

[00:00:05]

AND I'LL CALL OUR COUNCIL MEETING FOR MONDAY, NOVEMBER OR JANUARY.

[1. Councillor McGurk will read the Opening Statement.]

AND I WILL ASK COUNCILLOR MCGURK TO PLEASE READ THE OPENING STATEMENT.

THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE ACKNOWLEDGES THAT WE ARE LOCATED IN CHIEF DRYGEESE TERRITORY.

FROM TIME IMMEMORIAL, IT HAS BEEN THE TRADITIONAL LAND OF THE YELLOWKNIVES DENE FIRST NATION.

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

THANK YOU. THERE ARE NO AWARDS CEREMONIES OR PRESENTATIONS FOR THE AGENDA.

ADOPTION OF MINUTES.

[Items 3 & 4]

COUNCILLOR MCGURK.

I MOVE THAT THE MINUTES OF COUNCIL FOR THE SPECIAL MEETING OF MONDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2022 BE PRESENTED FOR ADOPTION.

THANK YOU. DO I HAVE A SECONDER.

COUNCILLOR COCHRANE, ANY ERRORS OR OMISSIONS? SEEING NONE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.

AND THAT CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.

MINUTES OF COUNCIL FOR THE REGULAR MEETING OF MONDAY, DECEMBER 12TH, 2022.

[Items 5 & 6]

THANK YOU. SECONDED BY DEPUTY MAYOR ARDEN-SMITH.

ANY ERRORS OR OMISSIONS? SEEING NONE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AND THAT CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.

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

DOES ANY MEMBER HAVE A PECUNIARY INTEREST IN ANY MATTER BEFORE COUNCIL TONIGHT? SEEING NONE. THERE WAS NO CORRESPONDENCE, NOR WERE THERE ANY PETITIONS FOR THE AGENDA.

THERE WERE NO STATUTORY PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR THE AGENDA.

THERE WERE NO DELEGATIONS PERTAINING TO ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.

THERE WERE NO STATEMENTS FOR THE AGENDA.

ARE THERE ANY MEMBER STATEMENTS FROM THE FLOOR? SEEING NONE. NEXT, WE HAVE INTRODUCTION AND CONSIDERATION OF COMMITTEE REPORTS.

[Items 13 & 14]

SO NEW BUSINESS.

WE HAVE A MEMORANDUM REGARDING WHETHER TO APPOINT MEMBERS TO SERVE ON THE HERITAGE COMMITTEE.

COUNCILLOR MCGURK, IF YOU'D LIKE TO READ THE MOTION.

MOTION THAT COUNCIL APPOINT ONE MEMBER.

OH SORRY

[Items 15 & 16]

UNTIL JANUARY 9TH 2025, AND LAURA [INAUDIBLE] FOR A TWO YEAR TERM EFFECTIVE FEBRUARY 23RD 2023 UNTIL FEBRUARY 22ND 2025.

THANK YOU. DO I HAVE A SECONDER.

COUNCILLOR COCHRANE, ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.

AND THAT CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY TO THE GRANT REVIEW COMMITTEE.

[Items 17 & 18]

THANK YOU. SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR FEQUET.

ANY DISCUSSION.

SEEING NONE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.

AND THAT CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.

THERE IS NO BYLAWS FOR THE AGENDA.

THERE WAS NO DEFERRED BUSINESS AND THERE WERE NO TABLED ITEMS FOR THE AGENDA.

IS THERE ANY DEFERRED BUSINESS OR ARE THERE ANY TABLED ITEMS FROM THE FLOOR? THERE WAS NO OLD BUSINESS FOR THE AGENDA.

IS THERE ANY OLD BUSINESS FROM THE FLOOR? THERE WERE NO NOTICES OF MOTION FOR THE AGENDA.

ARE THERE ANY NOTICES OF MOTION FROM THE FLOOR? AND WE HAVE DELEGATIONS PERTAINING TO ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA.

[26. A presentation from Nancy Vail regarding Tin Can Hill.]

SO WE'LL BEGIN WITH A PRESENTATION FROM NANCY VAIL AND THEN A PRESENTATION FROM TYLER MOREHOUSE AND FINISHING OFF WITH A PRESENTATION FROM BRUCE [INAUDIBLE].

AND I WILL JUST READ THE PROCEDURES SO ALL DELEGATIONS SHALL ADDRESS THEIR REMARKS DIRECTLY TO MYSELF, THE PRESIDING OFFICER, AND SHALL NOT POSE QUESTIONS TO INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OR ADMINISTRATION OR DEVIATE FROM THE TOPIC OF THEIR PRESENTATION.

EACH PRESENTER SHALL BE AFFORDED 5 MINUTES TO MAKE THEIR PRESENTATION.

THE TIME ALLOWED TO EACH PRESENTER MAY BE EXTENDED BY UP TO 2 MINUTES BY A SPECIAL RESOLUTION OF COUNCIL.

AFTER A PERSON HAS SPOKEN AND A MEMBER OF COUNCIL MAY, THROUGH MYSELF, ASK THAT PERSON OR THE CITY MANAGER RELEVANT QUESTIONS AND NO DEBATE SHALL BE PERMITTED ON

[00:05:01]

AND WHEN MAKING A PRESENTATION TO COUNCIL, NO PERSON SHALL ONE SPEAK DISRESPECTFULLY OF THE CROWN AND ANY MEMBER OF COUNCIL, THE PUBLIC OR AN EMPLOYEE OF THE CITY.

TWO USE OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE.

THREE MAKE PERSONAL REMARKS ABOUT ANY MEMBER OF COUNCIL, THE PUBLIC, OR AN EMPLOYEE OF THE CITY.

FOUR REFLECT UPON THE MOTIVES OF MEMBERS WHO MAY HAVE VOTED FOR A PARTICULAR MOTION.

FIVE REFLECT UPON THE MOTIVES OF ADVICE GIVEN TO COUNCIL BY ADMINISTRATION.

SIX REFUSE TO COMPLY WITH THE DECISION OF MYSELF, THE PRESIDING OFFICER, REGARDING ANY INTERPRETATION OF THIS BYLAW.

SO WITH THAT, I WILL BEGIN WITH NANCY.

NANCY, IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME ON UP TO THE PODIUM AND IF YOU JUST CLICK ON THE LITTLE BUTTON WITH THE FACE THAT'S TALKING.

THERE YOU GO. HOW'S THAT.

IT'S ON. I FORGET WAS TALKING ABOUT [INAUDIBLE], SO I CAN'T BELIEVE HERE I AM AGAIN.

OH, I CAN SO QUICKLY.

IT WAS BECAUSE JUST AFTER THE ELECTION, ONE OF THE NEW MEMBERS SAID THAT BASED ON WHO WAS ELECTED, THAT IT APPEARED THAT THE PUBLIC FAVORED THE DEVELOPMENT OF TIN CAN HILL FOR A POLYTECH.

AND I WAS ALARMED AT THAT.

AND AS YOU ALL KNOW, I WANTED TO COME IN THE NEXT DAY.

BUT YOU SAID, WELL, DON'T WORRY, IT WON'T COME UP UNTIL THE NEXT SESSION.

THEY SAID, OKAY, I'LL PUT IT ON HOLD FOR NOW.

SO I REALLY WANTED CLARITY AROUND THAT BECAUSE I PERSONALLY FELT THAT THAT DID NOT TAKE, IN THE OPINION OF THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE OUT THERE AND HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT TIN CAN HILL.

AND AS PROOF OF THAT, I THINK WE NEED TO FIRST OF ALL REFER TO THE 1700 PEOPLE, ALMOST 1700 PEOPLE THAT SIGNED THE PETITION ON CHANGE.ORG TO KEEP TIN CAN HILL THE WAY IT IS.

NOW, MY DISCUSSION IS NOT ABOUT A POLYTECH.

THESE ARE TWO SEPARATE ISSUES.

THERE ARE OTHER PLACES WHERE THE POLYTECH CAN GO.

I WAS TRYING TO THINK OF WHAT CITY I WAS IN, WHERE THERE WAS ACTUALLY BUILDINGS IN THE DOWNTOWN CORE THAT THE UNIVERSITY HAD BRANCHED OUT INTO.

IT WAS ALMOST A RECYCLED REUSE BEFORE ITS TIME.

IT WAS BRILLIANT AND IT INTEGRATED THE COMMUNITY WITH THE STUDENT POPULATION AND EVERYBODY WAS BROUGHT TOGETHER AND IT MADE GREAT USE.

THEY DIDN'T THROW AWAY THEIR INNER CITY, THEY BROUGHT IT ALL TOGETHER.

SO. THERE'S THAT.

AS WELL I THOUGHT, WOW, OVER BY THE LEDGE WOULD BE AN AMAZING PLACE FOR A POLYTECH OVER THERE.

THE STUDENTS ARE CLOSE TO THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY.

THEY CAN SEE HOW THINGS WORK OVER THERE.

THERE'S HOUSING DOWNTOWN.

THERE'S TRANSPORTATION NEEDS.

EVERYTHING THEY NEED IS THERE'S FOOD STORES, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, THERE'S UP BY THE STANTON HOSPITAL SINCE WE ARE IN THE AGE OF RECOVERY AT THIS POINT, ESPECIALLY IN THE NORTH, WE'RE TRYING TO HEAL. SO UP BY THE HOSPITAL WHERE I CAN SEE OUR NURSING POPULATION GROWING, WHERE I CAN SEE OUR COUNSELORS GROWING, WHERE WE'RE GETTING BACK TO THE LAND TO HEAL.

YOU HAVE HOUSING, YOU HAVE FOOD STORES.

YOU HAVE THE BUS THAT GOES RIGHT UP THERE.

YOU HAVE EVERYTHING YOU NEED.

SO THERE'S ALTERNATIVES.

THIS DISCUSSION IS ON THE PRESERVATION OF TIN CAN HILL AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THE PRESERVATION OF THE HILL IN PERPETUITY, NOT JUST FOR FOR THIS PROJECT, BECAUSE EVEN IF THEY MOVE IT NEXT YEAR, SOMEBODY ELSE WILL COME ALONG AND SAY, THIS IS THE PERFECT PLACE FOR NEW CONDOMINIUMS. AND HERE WE GO ALL OVER AGAIN.

WE NEED TO STOP THIS CYCLE.

WE NEED GREEN SPACE AND WE NEED GREEN SPACE FOR OUR MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL BEING.

THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THAT USE OF THE LAND.

IT'S HOW CAN WE HELP THE PEOPLE OF YELLOWKNIFE.

IN THAT CONGESTED AREA DOWN THERE WHERE THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE AND SO MANY PEOPLE WHO NEED TO SPEND TIME IN NATURE, WHO NEED TO SPEND TIME WITH THEIR FURRY ANIMALS AND WITH THEIR FRIENDS, THAT GIVES THEM AN OPPORTUNITY WITHOUT HAVING TO DRIVE LONG DISTANCES TO GO SOMEWHERE TO BE IN NATURE.

AND NATURE IS WHAT HEALS US.

NATURE IS WHAT WILL MOVE US FORWARD.

AT THIS POINT, I'M SORRY, I'M JUST GETTING A LITTLE LOST AT THIS POINT.

BUT WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS THAT I THINK THE GOAL HERE HAS TO BE THE PRESERVATION OF NATURE.

AND BY DOING THAT, WE ARE SETTING A REAL LEGACY, LIKE WE'RE SETTING SOMETHING THAT I THINK ANY CITY COUNCIL CAN BE PROUD OF, TO SAY WE SAVED THIS GREEN SPACE FOR THIS GENERATION, FOR THE NEXT GENERATION, FOR THE GENERATIONS TO FOLLOW, BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND THE RELATIONSHIP OF PEOPLE TO MOTHER EARTH.

[00:10:04]

SO THAT'S ONE THING.

THE OTHER THING ABOUT IT IS I WAS LISTENING TO A PROF A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE, AND HE WAS A FIRST NATIONS PERSON TRYING TO HELP US BETTER UNDERSTAND THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE FIRST NATIONS TO THE LAND.

AND HE SAID, WHICH I DIDN'T KNOW.

WHEN THEY TALK ABOUT THE ANCESTORS, THEY'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT, AS WE DO IN OUR CULTURE, OUR GRANDPARENTS AND OUR GREAT GRANDPARENTS, AND ON AND ON AND ON.

THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT THE LAND ITSELF BECAUSE THEY SEE THAT PART SORRY AS PART OF THEIR WHOLE.

THAT'S WHAT MAKES THEM WHOLE.

THAT'S WHAT MAKES US ALL WHOLE.

BUT IN OUR CULTURE, WE SEPARATED OURSELVES FROM THAT, WE HAVE DIVORCED OURSELVES FROM NATURE, WHICH IS WHY THERE'S SO MUCH ILLNESS ON THIS POOR PLANET RIGHT NOW.

SO THAT IS WHAT I'M HERE TO ASK YOU, IS TO SAVE THAT HILL FOR OUR CHILDREN.

THE LESSONS THAT CAN BE LEARNED FROM THAT HILL TO HONOR OUR FIRST NATIONS BY TAKING CARE OF IT.

SO THAT'S MY BIGGEST ASK HERE.

I ALSO WANTED TO SAY THAT.

NANCY I'VE JUST GOT TO. YOU'VE REACHED THE END.

SO IF I CAN GET A MOTION.

OH SORRY. MOVED BY SECOND BY COUNCILLOR FEQUET.

ANYBODY OPPOSED TO THE TWO MINUTE EXTENSION? SEEING NONE YOU CAN GO FOR ANOTHER 2 MINUTES.

THANK YOU. I WANTED TO SAY THAT WHEN TOURISTS COME HERE, I CAN TELL YOU THAT WHEN THEY LEAVE, IT'S NOT THE BUILDINGS THAT THEY TALK ABOUT.

THEY CAN TALK ABOUT THE PEOPLE AND THE WARMTH OF NORTHERNERS BECAUSE WE'RE LOVELY PEOPLE.

THEY TALK ABOUT THE LAND, THEY TALK ABOUT THE TREES.

YOU KNOW, IT JUST SOMETIMES IT MAKES ME CRY.

THERE'S SO MUCH BEAUTY OUT THERE.

THEY TALK ABOUT THE WATER.

THEY TALK ABOUT THE REFLECTION OF THE LIGHTS ON THE WATER.

THAT'S WHAT THEY TAKE WITH THEM WHEN THEY GO.

AND I THINK THAT'S OUR JOB IS TO PROTECT WHAT WE HAVE, BECAUSE THE NORTH, WE'RE ALL ABOUT THE LAND.

WE'RE ALL ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT CARRIED WITH US AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS COUNCIL.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE PRESENTER? SEEING NONE. AGAIN, I GUESS PERHAPS TO TO SPEAK TO IT NOW, BECAUSE YOU DID HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROCESS, I WOULD SAY.

AND SO THIS COUNCIL HASN'T VOTED OR DONE ANYTHING ON TIN CAN HILL.

NEXT STEPS WOULD BE.

WELL, RIGHT NOW THERE'S AN MOU BETWEEN AURORA COLLEGE, THE GNWT AND THE CITY, WHICH IS THAT STAFF WILL WORK TOGETHER ON THE VARIOUS STEPS.

THE GNWT RIGHT NOW IS DOING AN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT GEOTECHNICAL TO SEE IF THEY EVEN WANT TO ASK FOR THE LAND.

IF THEY DETERMINE THAT THEY DO, THEN THEY WOULD MAKE AN APPLICATION TO THE CITY.

THEN THAT APPLICATION WOULD COME TO CITY COUNCIL.

WE'D HAVE TO HAVE A COUNCIL MEETING LIKE THIS, WHICH IS WHEN PEOPLE CAN COME AND SAY, YOU SHOULD SUPPORT THIS LAND DISPOSAL BYLAW, I.E.

TRANSFERRING THE LAND TO THE GNWT OR AURORA COLLEGE, OR SAY NO, YOU SHOULD OPPOSE THAT BYLAW.

IF THE LAND DISPOSAL BYLAW GETS APPROVED BY COUNCIL, THEN THE LAND GETS TRANSFERRED TO THE GNWT.

IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY CAN AUTOMATICALLY BUILD IT'S ONLY A PARK.

IT'S ZONED AS PARKS AND RECREATION.

SO THEN THEY WOULD HAVE TO SUBMIT A REQUEST TO THE CITY TO HAVE IT REZONED.

AND THEN THAT REZONING WOULD COME FORWARD TO COUNCIL FOR PUBLIC DISCUSSION AGAIN, WHERE WE WOULD HAVE A PUBLIC MEETING AND SAY, THIS IS WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED IN THE ZONE FOR THIS LOT.

PEOPLE COULD SAY, YES, WE'RE IN FAVOR, NO, WE'RE AGAINST YOU SHOULD ADD THIS, YOU SHOULD REMOVE THAT.

SO THERE'S A NUMBER OF STEPS BETWEEN THIS RIGHT NOW.

THE CITY FIRST OFF, THE CITY ISN'T THE GNWT OR AURORA COLLEGE.

THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ULTIMATELY PICK WHAT LOCATION THEY WANT.

HOWEVER, BECAUSE THIS IS CITY LAND, OR AS THE OWNER OF THE LAND, THEY DO HAVE TO COME.

SO IT COULD BE THAT WE NEVER EVEN GET TO THE NEXT STAGE, WHICH IS THE NEXT CITY STAGE WOULD BE THE LAND DISPOSAL BYLAW.

WE SAW THAT HAPPENED WHEN WE HAD THE DISCUSSION ABOUT RANNEY HILL.

IT NEVER WENT TO THE LAND DISPOSAL BYLAW BECAUSE THE PROPONENT NEVER MADE AN APPLICATION TO ACTUALLY GET THE LAND FROM THE CITY.

AFTER GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS, THEY DECIDED THAT THEY DIDN'T WANT IT.

SO I KNOW THERE'S KIND OF THAT UNCERTAINTY.

FOLKS WANT TO PROBABLY BE AT THE NEXT STEP WHERE WE KIBOSH THE LAND DISPOSAL BYLAW OR SUPPORT IT.

AND PEOPLE WANT TO BE AT THE REZONING PROCESS.

BUT JUST TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW OUR CURRENT STAGE IS BALLS IN GNWT OR AURORA COLLEGES COURT.

IF THEY WANT TO ACQUIRE THE LAND, JUST LIKE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY DID WITH THE CITY LAST YEAR, IT'LL COME FORWARD.

WE'LL HAVE THIS DISCUSSION.

[00:15:01]

AND AGAIN, THE REZONING, IT'S NOT QUITE LIKE WHAT HAPPENED AT [INAUDIBLE] BECAUSE THAT WAS CONDITIONALLY APPROVED, BUT IT STILL HAD TO COME FORWARD TO COUNCIL.

PEOPLE CAME AND SPOKE IN FAVOR OF IT OR AGAINST.

SO THERE'S A NUMBER OF STEPS AND IT'S FAR FROM A DONE DEAL.

AND OF COURSE THE GNWT NEEDS 500 MILLION TO BUILD.

SO THERE'S ALSO THAT THING THAT COULD REALLY YEAH, SO JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CLEAR, BUT WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING TONIGHT AND AND VOICING YOUR OPINIONS AND AND VIEWS ON THE ISSUE.

AND WE'LL TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AND HOPE THAT YOURSELF AS WELL AS OTHERS TONIGHT, WILL PARTICIPATE IF WE GET TO THOSE NEXT STAGES.

AGAIN, ALL OF THEM ARE PUBLIC MEETINGS LIKE THIS, AND WE'LL HAVE PROBABLY QUITE A LONG LIST LIKE WE DID BACK IN JUNE WHEN WE WERE DISCUSSING THE MOU.

OKAY. OKAY.

THANKS VERY MUCH. THANKS.

NO PROBLEM. UP NEXT, WE HAVE TYLER MOREHOUSE.

[27. A presentation from Tyler Moorehouse regarding Tin Can Hill.]

AGAIN, WE'LL START WITH 5 MINUTES AND IF NEED BE, WE WILL SEEK A MOTION FROM COUNCIL TO EXTEND FOR 2 MINUTES.

OVER TO YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IS THIS ON? THANK YOU, COUNCIL FOR LETTING ME SPEAK TONIGHT.

I DON'T THINK I HAVE MUCH TO SAY.

I THINK EVERYTHING THAT I WANTED TO COVER WAS MUCH MORE ELOQUENTLY SAID BY NANCY JUST NOW.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

IF YOU DO HAVE QUESTIONS FOR ME, I STAND WITH NANCY.

I VERY MUCH WANT TO SEE TIN CAN HILL PRESERVED IN ITS CURRENT STATE.

I THINK THAT IT PROVIDES AN INVALUABLE RESOURCE TO THE PEOPLE OF YELLOWKNIFE, AND I WOULD WANT TO SEE IT PRESERVED FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.

BUT I THINK THAT'S A DISCUSSION THAT WILL BE ONGOING FOR QUITE A WHILE.

THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS FOR TYLER? COUNCILLOR MCGURK. YEAH.

I'M WONDERING IF THERE SEEMS OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT ARE PRETTY DEDICATED, AND YOU SPECIFICALLY SAID THAT YOU STAND WITH NANCY, AND HAS THERE BEEN ANY CONVERSATIONS OR HAVE YOU BEEN PART OF ANY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT FORMALIZING A SORT OF GROUP TO PROTECT TIN CAN HILL? IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT WE DEEM TIN CAN HILL GREEN SPACE, ANY OTHER FURTHER COUNCIL CAN OVERTURN THAT DECISION.

SO I THINK THAT OUR ABILITY TO PROTECT IT INTO PERPETUITY IS PRETTY LIMITED.

TYLER. WELL, I AM ACTIVE WITH PEOPLE WHO WANT TO SEE TIN CAN HILL PROTECTED, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY PROGRESS TOWARDS FORMING A FORMAL SOCIETY THAT WOULD PROTECT TIN CAN HILL AT THIS POINT.

A GOOD IDEA, THOUGH. OK.

THANK YOU.

COUNCILLOR COCHRANE.

HEY, TYLER. HAVE YOU GUYS HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOBBY ANY OF THE MLAS ON THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION? I CAN'T SPEAK FOR OTHER PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE GROUP.

I HAVE SPOKEN WITH MY LOCAL MLA AND THEY'VE BEEN QUITE RECEPTIVE TO FEEDBACK REGARDING TIN CAN HILL.

THEY ULTIMATELY WOULD WANT TO REMAIN IMPARTIAL AND SEE HOW PEOPLE FEEL ABOUT IT, BUT THEY HAVE BEEN QUITE RESPONSIVE TO CONCERNS ABOUT THE PROJECT.

THANK YOU, TYLER. YEAH. THANK YOU AGAIN.

THANK YOU FOR COMING. AND I KNOW IF WE GET TO THE NEXT STAGE, LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THAT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT WE HAVE IS BRUCE LAURICH AND IF YOU WANT TO COME ON UP AND IF YOU JUST PRESS THE BUTTON ONCE AND THEN IT'LL BE ON.

SEE THE RED LIGHT. I'VE ALREADY LEARNED A LOT BEING HERE TONIGHT SEEMS I MAY HAVE JUMPED THE GUN ON COMING IN, BUT I SAW SOME OF THE COMMENTS ON FACEBOOK AND IN THE GROUPS WHERE PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT TIN CAN HILL.

AND I THOUGHT, I HAVE SOME STRONG OPINIONS.

I'VE NEVER BEEN INVOLVED BEFORE.

SO SOMETHING I WANT TO STAND UP FOR.

I MAY AS WELL. I KNOW THE PAST DECISION WAS ALSO MADE BY THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL.

SO WHEN I TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE REASONS FOR THE DECISION THAT IT DOESN'T APPLY TO EVERYONE HERE, BUT IT'S STILL MY OPINION ON MAYBE DISAGREEMENTS I HAVE WITH THAT DECISION THAT I JUST THOUGHT I WOULD SHARE WITH YOU.

SO A LOT OF THIS IS BASED ON THE PRESENTATION THAT WAS MADE BY GNWT AND THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE, AND THOSE PRESENTATIONS CAN STILL BE FOUND ONLINE.

AND THAT'S WHERE I FOUND THEM ALL.

AND A LOT OF IT GOES ON THAT TABLE WHERE THEY BREAK DOWN A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT ATTRIBUTES AND THEY TALK ABOUT, ON A SCALE OF UNKNOWN, A WEAKNESS, SUFFICIENT, AND A STRENGTH.

AND SO THERE'S JUST A FEW THAT STOOD OUT TO ME THAT I FOUND A LITTLE ODD WHEN I WAS GOING THROUGH.

[00:20:01]

THE FIRST ONE WAS HOUSING, WHICH SEEMED REALLY ODD TO ME, IS TIN CAN HILL HAD HOUSING LISTED AS A STRENGTH, WHEREAS DOWNTOWN HAD IT LISTED AS BEING SUFFICIENT.

AND I WAS THINKING TO MYSELF, I CAN'T THINK OF ANY COMMUNITIES THAT ARE CLOSER TO TIN CAN HILL OUTSIDE OF LIKE THE AREAS RIGHT AROUND IT THAT AREN'T CLOSER TO DOWNTOWN.

SO TO ME IT JUST KIND OF SEEMS LIKE IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.

I DON'T SEE THE LOGIC THERE.

THE OTHER THING, AND THIS KIND OF FEEDS INTO IT IS [INAUDIBLE] MIGHT TALK ABOUT BUILDING NEW RESIDENCES, BUT THEN THEY TALK ABOUT PROXIMITY TO COMMUNITY AMENITIES.

AND THEY SAY THAT DOWNTOWN IS A BIG UNKNOWN ABOUT WHAT AMENITIES WE HAVE.

AND SO I WAS READING THAT TIN CAN HILL HAS THAT AS A STRENGTH AND DOWNTOWN, HAS IT AS UNKNOWN, WHICH TO ME DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE BECAUSE WHAT AMENITIES ARE THERE AROUND DOWNTOWN? SO WHAT AMENITIES ARE THERE AROUND TIN CAN HILL THAT AREN'T CLOSER TO DOWNTOWN? I LOOKED ON A MAP. I FOUND ONE GYM.

THAT'S IT. AND THEN YOU HAVE TIN CAN HILL ITSELF.

BUT IF YOU'RE DEVELOPING IT, YOU KIND OF LOSE THAT AMENITY.

SO, AGAIN, IT DOESN'T MAKE A TON OF SENSE TO ME.

ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO I THINK IS ACTUALLY VERY IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER IS THE POTENTIAL FOR ECONOMIC IMPACT.

SO IT'S BEEN DISCUSSED, NANCY DISCUSSED IT AS WELL, THE IMPACT THAT OTHER UNIVERSITIES HAD IN OTHER CITIES.

THERE'S A LOT OF RESEARCH THAT HAS GONE INTO THIS, INTO MOVING UNIVERSITIES DOWNTOWN AND THE IMPACT THAT IT CAN HAVE ON A CITY.

AND ALL THE REPORTS, ALL THE RESEARCH, ALL THE SCIENTIFIC PAPERS THAT HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED, ALL SHOW THAT UNIVERSITIES DOWNTOWN ARE VERY GOOD AT REVITALIZING THE DOWNTOWN CORE.

THEY CAN INCREASE PROPERTY VALUES DOWNTOWN, AND THEY BENEFIT DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES.

I FOUND IT VERY ODD THAT WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT BUSINESSES COMPLAINING DURING COVID THAT WE NEEDED TO GET GOVERNMENT WORKERS BACK DOWNTOWN BECAUSE WE WANTED FOOT TRAFFIC.

WE WERE CONSIDERING MOVING A UNIVERSITY WHICH WOULD HAVE POTENTIALLY HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE 15 TO 20 MINUTE WALK AWAY FROM DOWNTOWN.

AGAIN, THAT DIDN'T MAKE A TON OF SENSE TO ME.

SEEMS LIKE YOU'RE KIND OF.

YEAH, A BIT COUNTERINTUITIVE.

AND THEN ONE OTHER LAST THING I FOUND INTERESTING ON THAT IS THAT A LOT OF STUDIES ALSO SHOW THAT DOWNTOWN UNIVERSITIES ARE ACTUALLY BETTER FOR THE STUDENTS AS WELL.

I'LL GO INTO THE CAMPUS IDENTITY, WHICH I ALSO FOUND VERY INTERESTING, BECAUSE THEY SAY THAT ONE OF THE BEST PARTS ABOUT A TIN CAN HILL UNIVERSITY WOULD BE THE IDENTITY THAT THAT UNIVERSITY COULD HAVE BECAUSE OF ALL THE NATURE AROUND IT.

FIRST, YOU'RE DEVELOPING THE NATURE.

BUT THE OTHER THING IS I'VE NEVER HEARD ANYONE DESCRIBE YELLOWKNIFE AS NOT HAVING ENOUGH NATURE OR BEING THE REASON THEY DIDN'T MOVE TO YELLOWKNIFE IS BECAUSE THERE'S NOT ENOUGH NATURE.

THEY TALK ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES AND THEY TALK ABOUT THE EXPERIENCES THEY GET UP HERE.

SO I THINK YOU CAN GET THAT ANYWHERE IN TOWN.

I DON'T THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE AT TIN CAN HILL.

AND WE HAVE LOTS OF NATURE RIGHT AROUND DOWNTOWN.

SO IF NATURE IS IMPORTANT TO YOU, WE HAVE IT HERE AS WELL.

AND ONE OF THE LAST ONES I'M GOING TO GO INTO IS JUST THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT.

THIS ONE IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME.

AS I UNDERSTAND IT, WE HAVE A FAIR BIT OF OPEN BUILDINGS DOWNTOWN.

WE HAVE A FAIR BIT OF OPEN REAL ESTATE.

SO WHY WOULD WE DEVELOP MORE GREEN SPACE OUTSIDE OF TOWN AND PROMOTE URBAN SPRAWL WHEN WE HAVE BUILDINGS AND POTENTIALLY LOTS THAT COULD BE DEVELOPED HERE TO FIT OUR NEEDS? I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER ENVIRONMENTALLY, BUT THERE'S ALSO ECONOMIC BENEFITS FOR THAT.

LIKE I SAID, YOU HAVE MORE FOOT TRAFFIC, YOU HAVE MORE REVENUE, YOU ALSO HAVE MORE TAXES.

SO IT'S ALSO GOOD FOR THE CITY IN THAT WAY AND IT'S ALSO GOOD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.

AND THEN THE LAST THING ON THAT IS IF YOU BUILD IT OUT IN TIN CAN HILL YOU'RE EXPANDING YOUR CITY INFRASTRUCTURE, YOU'RE HAVING NEW ROADS, YOU'RE HAVING NEW WATER LINES, NEW SEWAGE, YOU HAVE SNOW REMOVAL, YOU HAVE PARKING LOTS.

SO THIS COST JUST SPIRAL A LITTLE BIT AS WELL WHEN YOU BUILD OUTSIDE OF TOWN.

AND THAT MAY NOT ALL FALL ON THE CITY.

I DON'T KNOW, BUT IT'S THE WAY IT IS.

TAKE ONE SECOND. HIT THE 5 MINUTE.

COUNCILLOR FEQUET AND DEPUTY MAYOR ARDEN-SMITH.

ANYBODY OPPOSED? YOU CAN BE EXTENDED. THANK YOU.

I TIMED IT. I'M A LITTLE BIT OVER, BUT I AM ON MY LAST POINT.

THE LAST THING I WANTED TO JUST HIGHLIGHT, AND THIS WASN'T IN ANY OF THE PRESENTATIONS, WAS JUST THE IMPACT ON OTHER USERS.

I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER HOW IT WILL IMPACT OTHER PEOPLE.

THEY SAY THE SPACE WILL STILL BE OPEN AND YOU CAN WALK THROUGH IT AND IT'LL BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

IT'S NOT GOING TO BE FENCED OFF AN PRIVATE.

THAT'S GREAT. BUT EVERY UNIVERSITY, A CAMPUS I'VE BEEN ON AND I'VE BEEN ON A FEW, I'VE MOVED UNIVERSITIES.

I DID A MASTER'S DEGREE IN A DIFFERENT UNIVERSITY.

SO I'VE GONE TO A LOT OF CAMPUSES.

NOT MANY PEOPLE JUST WALK THROUGH CAMPUSES AND AS THEY GET DEVELOPED, IT BECOMES MORE OF A CONCRETE JUNGLE AND LESS OF A NATURE WALK.

SO TIN CAN HILL IS POPULAR NOW FOR WALKING, BUT THERE'S NO GUARANTEE THAT AS YOU DEVELOP IT, IT'S GOING TO STAY POPULAR FOR WALKING.

[00:25:03]

AND I THINK THE VERY LAST POINT ON THE IMPACT OF THE USERS THAT I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT IS THAT IF YOU TAKE TIN CAN HILL AWAY FROM THAT AREA AND THEN YOU LOOK AT A MAP, THERE'S NOT MUCH GREEN SPACE IN THAT AREA ANYMORE OUTSIDE OF CON MINE, WHICH IS A SITE THAT IS SO CONTAMINATED, THE GNWT DIDN'T CONSIDER IT FOR THE UNIVERSITY BECAUSE IT'S TOO CONTAMINATED.

SO IT SEEMS A LITTLE UNFAIR THAT WE'RE GOING TO GIVE THEM LAND THAT'S NOT CONTAMINATED OR MAYBE NOT CONTAMINATED ENOUGH TO BE CONSIDERED SAFE, BUT THEN THEY'RE GOING TO LET EVERYONE ELSE JUST USE THE CONTAMINATED LAND.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

I REALIZE THAT THIS IS MAYBE A LITTLE EARLY AND MAYBE I'LL COME BACK AGAIN.

BUT I WASN'T AWARE AT THE TIME WHEN I PLANNED TO COME.

SO THANK YOU.

NO PROBLEM. WE APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS AND I LOOK FORWARD TO FUTURE DISCUSSIONS.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE PRESENTER? COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN. YEAH, THANKS VERY MUCH FOR COMING.

IT'S GREAT TO HEAR PEOPLE WHO SAY THEY HAVEN'T REALLY ENGAGED OR DONE SOMETHING LIKE THIS BEFORE COME FORWARD.

SO THAT'S AMAZING.

SO THANKS VERY MUCH FOR DOING THAT.

AND YEAH, I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AGAIN AND THANKS FOR SHARING YOUR THOUGHTS.

HOPEFULLY WE DON'T GET TO WHERE I NEED TO COME IN.

I DIDN'T REALIZE IT COULD STILL BE DROPPED BY GNWT, BUT YEAH.

COUNCILLOR MCGURK.

THANK YOU FOR COMING. I JUST ECHO TOM'S SENTIMENT OR COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN'S SENTIMENT, I GUESS I MY SORT OF MAIN QUESTION IS HOW YOU'D RESPOND TO STUDENTS OF AURORA COLLEGE WHO EXPRESSED SORT OF VERY CLEARLY THAT THEY WERE NOT INTERESTED AND THEY THOUGHT IT WAS A BAD IDEA TO PUT THE UNIVERSITY DOWNTOWN. AND YOU'VE SORT OF SPOKE VERY MUCH IN FAVOR.

AND I JUST WAS WONDERING, LIKE IN RESPONSE TO THOSE STUDENTS IF THAT WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE? FIRST, I WOULD SAY THAT I'M NOT NECESSARILY SAYING DOWNTOWN IS THE PERFECT AREA.

I 100%, I WOULD SAY THAT IF YOU COMPARING PLACES, NOTHING'S GOING TO BE PERFECT.

AND I ALSO HAVEN'T HEARD THEIR SPECIFIC ISSUES.

IT MAY BE THEY'RE SAYING THAT NATURE IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO THEM AND THEY CAN THEY LIKE BEING IN TIN CAN HILL NOW.

SO IT'S HARD TO ADDRESS SPECIFIC COMPLAINTS WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT THOSE SPECIFIC COMPLAINTS ARE.

BUT I WOULD SAY THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE CAN BE HESITANT ABOUT CHANGE AND MOVING TO A DOWNTOWN CORE THAT THEY MAY VIEW AS MAYBE NOT THE NICEST, MAYBE UNDERUSED.

BUT BY SHIFTING THESE GROUPS INTO THERE, YOU CAN COMBAT THAT.

YOU CAN GET THESE AREAS TO BE MORE WELL USED.

AND THEN THE OTHER THING IS, IF THEY WERE PUSHING FOR TIN CAN HILL BECAUSE THEY LIKE THE NATURE, I'D BE LIKE, GREAT, BUT YOU'RE DEVELOPING AWAY THAT NATURE.

THE WHOLE MAP, IF YOU LOOK AT IT, IS DEVELOPMENT OR FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT.

SO THE PLAN IS NOT TO PRESERVE HALF OF IT, AT LEAST IN THEIR MAP.

THE PLAN IS TO BUILD IT IN STAGES.

HOW LONG THOSE STAGES TAKE, WHO KNOWS? BUT ACCORDING TO THE MAP, THAT'S THEIR PLAN.

SO THAT NATURE IS GONE.

THAT'S WHAT I WOULD SAY. THANK YOU.

SEEING NO FURTHER COMMENTS.

AGAIN, HOPE YOU'LL BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE AT THE NEXT STAGES IF THE NEXT STAGES COME ALONG.

THANK YOU. WITH THAT, WE'VE COME TO THE END OF DELEGATIONS PERTAINING TO ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA.

NEXT, WE HAVE ADMINISTRATIVE INQUIRIES.

THERE WERE NO ADMINISTRATIVE INQUIRIES FOR THE AGENDA.

ARE THERE ANY ADMINISTRATIVE INQUIRIES FROM THE FLOOR?

[29. Are there any administrative enquiries from the floor?]

THANKS, MADAM CHAIR. JUST A QUESTION FOR ADMINISTRATION.

UNDERSTANDING THAT COUNCIL HAS BEEN RECEIVING LOTS OF EMAILS ABOUT THE EXCITEMENT AROUND THE REPLACEMENT OF THE SERVICES IN THE FIELD HOUSE OVER THE UPCOMING COUPLE OF YEARS. I THINK IT'S ONE SURFACE THIS YEAR, ONE SURFACE NEXT YEAR.

I WAS JUST WONDERING IF, FOR THE RECORD, STAFF WOULD BE ABLE TO GIVE US AN IDEA OF THE TIMING OF WHEN THE ENGAGEMENT WILL FORMALLY KICK OFF OR WHAT THOSE STEPS WILL BE, OR IF WE HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THAT WILL LOOK LIKE.

JUST SO EVERYBODY IS ON THE SAME PAGE.

THANK YOU. MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.

AND CERTAINLY WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF INTEREST COMING FROM USERS AT THE FIELD HOUSE.

I THINK THERE WAS SOME TENSION CERTAINLY THAT CAME ON TO THIS TOPIC DURING BUDGET DELIBERATIONS.

THE MEDIA COVERED THIS AND I'M SURE IT WAS SOMETHING THAT CAUGHT THE ATTENTION OF MANY OF OUR STAKEHOLDERS AND USER GROUPS THAT ARE AT THE FIELD HOUSE AND ARE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING A CHANGE COME TO THE FLOORING IN THE FIELD HOUSE.

WE'RE ABSOLUTELY READY TO GO WITH SOME OF THE PLANNING WORK AROUND THAT, AND I WILL ASK MR. WHITE IF HE'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO SOME OF THE DETAIL ABOUT WHAT'S ENTAILED.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.

KEY STAFF WERE AWAY UNTIL JUST TODAY, SO WE REALLY HAVEN'T HAD A WHOLE LOT OF TIME TO, YOU KNOW, GET OUR FEET UNDER US FOR PLANNING PURPOSES.

[00:30:04]

THANKS. COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN.

YEAH. I'D ALSO JUST LIKE TO ECHO THE AMOUNT OF CORRESPONDENCE WE'VE GOTTEN ON THAT EVEN MORE THAN ON SNOW CLEARING EARLIER THIS YEAR.

SO THAT'S IMPRESSIVE.

[LAUGHTER] THANK YOU.

AND I'M SURE BRUCE CAN REPORT BACK TO THE GROUP THAT ENGAGEMENTS TO COME.

YEAH. ANYTHING, ANY FURTHER ADMINISTRATIVE INQUIRIES? SEEING NONE.

IF I CAN GET A MOTION TO ADJOURN? MOVED BY DEPUTY MAYOR ARDEN-SMITH, SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR HENDRICKSEN.

ANYBODY OPPOSED? SEEING NONE.

WE WILL SEE EVERYBODY BACK NEXT MONDAY, JANUARY 16TH AT 12:05 FOR OUR GOVERNANCE AND PRIORITIES COMMITTEE MEETING.

SEE YOU THEN.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.