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[Items 2 & 3]

[00:04:58]

CLOSURE OF PECUNIARY INTEREST.

DOES ANY MEMBER HAVE A PECUNIARY INTEREST IN ANY MATTER BEFORE COUNCIL TODAY?

[00:05:08]

SEEING NONE.

NEW BUSINESS.

COUNCILLOR. HENDRICKSEN.

THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

I MOVE THAT COUNCIL APPROVE THE EXPENDITURE OF FUNDS ON AN EMERGENCY BASIS FOR WILDLIFE MITIGATION AND RISK REDUCTION WITHIN THE MUNICIPAL BOUNDARY.

AND DO I HAVE A SECONDER? COUNCILLOR COCHRANE AND BEFORE I OPEN IT UP FOR DISCUSSION, I'M GOING TO ASK MS. BASSI-KELLETT TO ADD ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE MOTION.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, YOUR WORSHIP, AND GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.

SO AFTER THE BASECO RESIDENTS WERE ABLE TO RETURN HOME ON THURSDAY LAST WEEK, CONDITIONS HERE WITH THE FIRE THAT'S BEEN KNOWN AS ZF 015 CREATED CONDITIONS THAT MADE THIS FIRE A POTENTIAL THREAT FOR YELLOWKNIFE.

NOW, AGAIN, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO STRESS THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS NOT CURRENTLY THREATENED BY FIRE, BUT WE ARE AT THIS POINT LOOKING AT TAKING PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES.

SINCE AUGUST 1ST, CITY STAFF HAVE BEEN MEETING DAILY WITH ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE'S NORTH SLAVE WILDFIRE RESPONSE TEAM, WHO'VE BEEN ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE PARTNERS DURING THIS RELENTLESS YEAR OF 2023.

IT'S BEEN A VERY UNUSUAL WILDFIRE SEASON.

LATE LAST WEEK WE KNEW THAT ZF015 HAD MADE HEADWAY TOWARDS YELLOWKNIFE, AND SO WE STARTED TO TAKE SOME ACTIONS.

BUT WITH THE ADVICE FROM ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE FIRE WILDFIRE EXPERTS WHO KNOW ABOUT PATTERNS OF FIRE, THEY REALLY INFORMED US AND CONFIRMED FOR US THAT THE NEXT 4 TO 6 WEEKS ARE GOING TO BE JUST AS DRY AND WINDY AND THEREFORE STILL MAINTAINING A HIGHER HIGH FIRE HAZARD WELL INTO THE FALL.

SO IN RESPONSE TO THIS, THE CITY HAS RAMPED UP OUR ACTIONS AND WE'RE PROPOSING TO DO SO, I SHOULD SAY, INSIDE OF OUR BOUNDARY TO COMPLEMENT AND REINFORCE WHAT EQ IS DOING OUTSIDE.

AND WE KNOW THEY HAVE BEEN VERY PROACTIVE LAST NIGHT AND CONTINUE TODAY WITH ALL OF THE FIRES, NOT JUST ZF015.

THE CITY HAD A PLAN AND IT'S MOSTLY STEMMING FROM OUR COMMUNITY.

WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLAN, BUT WE SAW IT EQ TECHNICAL EXPERT ADVICE ON OUR PROPOSED APPROACH IN DEALING WITH ZF015.

AND BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING IS SETTING PRIMARY, SECONDARY AND TERTIARY AREAS FOR FIRE BREAKS.

WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT DOING SITE SPECIFIC FIRE SMARTING AS NEEDED, AND WE ARE INSTALLING WATER SPRINKLERS IN KEY AREAS AS WELL WHERE THERE COULD BE SOME VULNERABILITY. AGAIN, THESE ARE PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES THAT WE'RE TAKING AS A SAFEGUARD, GIVEN THE DRY CONDITIONS.

SO THE PRIORITY AREA IS THEN JUST TO CONFIRM FOR EVERYONE, THE PRIORITY AREAS FOR FIREBREAKS ARE THE BUSH TRAIL WEST OF THE SAND PITS.

THAT IS PRIORITY NUMBER ONE.

THE SECOND PRIORITY IS CREATING A PERIMETER AROUND THE ANGLE BUSINESS DISTRICT.

THIRD PRIORITY IS AROUND THE SEWAGE LAGOON ROAD FROM THE DEVELOPED AREAS IN ANGLE TO THE UP TO FIEDLER LAKE.

AND OF COURSE THAT'S WHERE OUR SEWAGE FORCEMAIN IS.

SO WE HAVE TO TAKE PARTICULARLY SPECIAL CARE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FORCEMAIN REMAINS THAT ESSENTIAL INFRASTRUCTURE REMAINS PROTECTED AND INTACT.

AND THEN THE FOURTH AREA PRIORITY AREA FOR US IS ALONG DECO BOULEVARD FROM THE SANDPITS DOWN TO INTO ANGLE AND INTO KAM LAKE AREA.

NOW, THERE ARE ALSO PRIORITY AREAS FOR SPRINKLING, AND THOSE INCLUDES AREAS AROUND GRACE LAKE FOR RESIDENTS WHO BACK ON TO GREEN SPACE AND ALSO FOR KAM LAKE PROPERTIES OFF OF ENTERPRISE DRIVE. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BACKSIDE OF KAM LAKE DOWN TO GRACE LAKE AREA IS ALSO PROTECTED THROUGH SPRINKLERS.

SO OVER THE WEEKEND, THE CITY MET WITH PRIVATE CONTRACTORS WHO ACTUALLY GAVE UP THE SUNDAY ON THEIR LONG WEEKEND TO COME IN AND MEET WITH US.

WE'RE VERY, VERY APPRECIATIVE.

WE CONFIRM PRIORITY AREAS WITH THEM FOR FIREBREAKS AND FOR FIRE.

SMARTING AND WORK HAS BEGUN ON THE AREA WEST OF THE SAND PITS THAT BEGAN ON MONDAY.

WE HAVE TWO SPECIAL FIRE SPRINKLER TRAILERS THAT HAVE ARRIVED FROM ALBERTA AND THERE'S 100 SPRINKLERS PER TRAILER.

AND THESE ARE DELIBERATELY FOR WILDLAND FIREFIGHTING AND THEY COMPLEMENT THE SPRINKLERS THAT THE CITY ALREADY OWNS THAT WE HAVE BEEN MOBILIZING IN CAM LAKE AND ANGLE, AND THOSE ARE, OF COURSE, THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY SERVICES FOR WATERING LAWNS, PARKS AND ALSO THAT FIRE THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS.

SO LOTS OF SPRINKLERS ARE IN CONTACT.

AND WE DO LIKE TO THANK THE RESIDENTS WHO THOUGHT THAT SOME OF OUR PARK SPRINKLERS WERE BEING STOLEN WHEN THEY SAW PEOPLE REMOVING THEM.

BUT THEY ARE BEING REMOVED FOR THE BEST POSSIBLE PURPOSE OF PROTECTING THE CITY IN THE EVENT OF THIS WILDFIRE.

WE'RE ALSO PLEASED THAT ACFD IS ABLE TO SUPPORT THE YELLOWKNIVES DENE TO REFRESH THEIR STAFF ON HOW THEY CAN USE THEIR SPRINKLER SYSTEMS THAT THEY HAVE IN DETTAH IN CASE OF THE FIRE THREAT FROM DUNCAN LAKE AND THE HEARNE LAKE FIRES.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF WORK GOING ON.

IT WAS A VERY BUSY WEEKEND FOR CITY STAFF AND AGAIN, WE SO APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT THAT'S COME FROM SCC WITH THEIR WILDFIRE WORK THAT'S BEEN GOING ON AROUND

[00:10:07]

THE CLOCK AND FROM OF COURSE, THE PRIVATE CONTRACTORS WHO CAME IN ON THE AUGUST LONG WEEKEND TO HELP US OUT.

SO THERE HAS BEEN SOME COVERAGE OF THE SPECIAL FUNDS FOR FIRE BREAKS THAT THE CITY IS A PART OF.

AND WE'RE VERY PLEASED TO HAVE BEEN PART OF A PROPOSAL LED BY THE NWT ASSOCIATION OF COMMUNITIES FOR ALL NWT COMMUNITIES WITHIN THE TREE LINE.

AND THIS IS CALLED THE WILDFIRE BREAKS PROJECT.

NWT PUT THE PROPOSAL TOGETHER AND APPLIED TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S DISASTER MITIGATION AND ADAPTATION FUND.

AS WE KNOW, AND THIS IS PROVIDING $20 MILLION OVER SEVEN YEARS FOR THE 29 ELIGIBLE COMMUNITIES SO THAT ALL COMMUNITIES THAT ARE IN THE TREE LINE CAN BUILD FIRE BREAKS THAT ARE ALL OUTLINED IN OUR RESPECTIVE COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLANS.

THERE'S APPROXIMATELY 2.3 MILLION OF THAT 20 THAT IS EARMARKED FOR THE CITY OVER THE SEVEN YEARS OF THIS PROJECT.

FUNDS WERE GOING TO START FLOWING TO COMMUNITIES IN 2024.

BUT THE NWT ASSOCIATION OF COMMUNITIES HAS BEEN PROACTIVE IN SEEKING TO ACCELERATE IT SO THAT WE MAY GET SOME OF THIS FUNDING STARTING IN 2023.

AND SO FAR WE EXPECT THAT THERE'S ABOUT $600,000 OF THE 20 MILLION THAT WILL START TO FLOW THIS YEAR.

SO CLEARLY THERE WILL BE A PORTION FOR US, BUT MANY COMMUNITIES ARE BUILDING FIREBREAKS AND THAT AMOUNT IS A SMALL AMOUNT RELATIVELY.

SO TODAY, CITY ADMINISTRATION IS SEEKING COUNCIL'S APPROVAL TO SPEND FUNDS ON WILDLAND FIRE MITIGATION WITHIN OUR BOUNDARY, FOLLOWING OUR COMMUNITY WILDLIFE PROTECTION PLAN, SECTION 98 OF THE CITIES, TOWNS AND VILLAGES ACT PERMITS EXPENDITURE OF FUNDS THAT ARE NOT BUDGETED AS LONG AS THERE IS A RESOLUTION OF COUNCIL APPROVING. AT THIS POINT IN TIME, WE DO NOT HAVE AN EXACT AMOUNT THAT WE ANTICIPATE TO BE SPENDING ON THE PRIORITY AREAS FOR FIRE BREAKS, BUT WE DO HAVE A BALLPARK IDEA OF THE COST OF THIS WORK AND WE ARE WORKING WITH THE PRIVATE CONTRACTORS TO REFINE WHAT THAT ESTIMATE CAN LOOK LIKE.

WE DO HAVE FISCAL CAPACITY IN 2023 BASED ON HOW UNUSUAL THIS YEAR HAS BEEN TO DATE, INCLUDING THE PAUSE FOR LABOR DISRUPTION THAT HAPPENED EARLIER THIS YEAR.

AND SO WE ARE LOOKING AT THIS AS AN INTERIM USE.

WE ARE LOOKING AT MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO REPORT BACK AND CONFIRM EXACT AMOUNTS TO COUNCIL AS THAT INFORMATION DOES BECOME APPARENT.

WE HAVE WORKED WITH THE PRIVATE CONTRACTORS.

WE KNOW THEIR HOURLY RATES.

WE'RE SEEKING TO QUANTIFY THE SCOPE OF WORK FOR THE SIZE THAT WE HAVE OUTLINED FOR THE FIRE BREAKS THAT I'VE DESCRIBED JUST NOW.

SO AT THAT, I'M HAPPY TO TURN IT BACK TO YOU.

YOUR WORSHIP AND ADMINISTRATION WELCOMES ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS MAY HAVE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS MS. BASSI-KELLETT, AND THANK YOU TO CITY STAFF AND ALL THAT HAVE WORKED ON THIS ALL WEEKEND LONG.

I KNOW THAT REALLY SHORTENED YOUR LONG WEEKEND AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

SO OPENING THIS UP TO COUNCIL.

DO I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCILLOR. COCHRANE.

THERE WE GO. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

I'D ALSO LIKE TO ECHO YOUR STATEMENT ON THANKING ALL OF OUR STAFF FOR GIVING UP THEIR LONG WEEKEND TO HELP PROTECT THE CITY.

MY ONE QUESTION IS WHAT KIND OF MITIGATION EFFORTS ARE WE WORKING WITH OUR NEIGHBORS AT THE WEEKEND IN THEIR PREPARATIONS FOR EMERGENCIES IN.

MS. BASSI-KELLETT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.

SO A COUPLE OF THINGS.

WE HAD WORKED IN 2019, I SHOULD SAY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD WORKED WITH DATA IN 2019 TO SUPPORT THEIR USE OF SPRINKLERS AROUND THE COMMUNITY SO THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO PUT SPRINKLER IN TO MOISTEN AND MAKE SURE THAT THE AREAS ON THE PERIMETER OF THE COMMUNITY ARE SATURATED.

THAT, YOU KNOW, BOY, 2019 SURE FEELS LIKE A LONG TIME AGO TO ME.

SO I'M SURE EVERYONE ELSE IT DOES AS WELL.

SO OUR FIRE CHIEF IS GOING OUT AT 1:00 THIS AFTERNOON TO PROVIDE SOME SUPPORT TO KDFN TO THE STAFF THEY HAVE ON THE GROUND NOW AND PLAYERS ON THE GROUND WHO ARE ABLE TO DO A REFRESHER ON THE USE OF THE SPRINKLERS.

WE'RE ALSO MEETING WITH KDFN LATER THIS AFTERNOON WITH SOME OF THEIR ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF JUST TO CONFIRM HOW THEIR APPROACH IS GOING AND KNOWING FULL WELL THAT THE NORTH SLAVE REGIONAL EMERGENCY MEASURES ORGANIZATION WOULD KICK INTO GEAR IF THERE WERE A NEED TO EVACUATE.

WE ARE FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS WITH KDFN, SO WE ALWAYS LIKE TO TOUCH BASE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN CONNECT ON THAT BASIS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

NO FURTHER QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, COUNCILLOR PAQUETTE.

[00:15:02]

THANKS, MADAM CHAIR.

JUST TWO QUESTIONS.

SO, ONE, JUST TO BE 100% CLEAR, THE MOTION IS OBVIOUSLY FOR THE EXPENDITURE OF FUNDS ON AN EMERGENCY BASIS.

SO THERE'S ALL THE MONEY THAT'S GOING TO BE FLOWING IN ADVANCE FOR ALL THIS PROACTIVE WORK, WHICH IS GREAT.

I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT THAT DOESN'T EXCLUDE STAFF FROM SPENDING WHATEVER THEY NEED TO.

SHOULD WE GET INTO AN ACTUAL STATE OF EMERGENCY TO MAKE SURE THAT THINGS ARE PROTECTED ABOVE AND BEYOND WHATEVER THOSE FEDERAL DOLLARS ARE THAT ARE GOING TO BE FLOWING? KNOWING THAT SOME OF THEM ARE COMING NOW AND SOME OF THEM ARE COMING LATER.

MS. BASSI-KELLETT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR MAKING THAT A VERY EXPLICIT STATEMENT.

I APPRECIATE THAT. YES.

OVER SEVEN YEARS, WE'RE GETTING 2.3, FIVE, $4 MILLION THROUGH THE WILDFIRES MITIGATION PROJECT.

WE'RE VERY PLEASED WITH THIS MONEY.

BUT OUR ESTIMATES ARE THAT PUTTING IN THE FIRE BREAKS THAT I'VE DESCRIBED TODAY COULD POTENTIALLY BE MORE THAN THAT.

AND CERTAINLY OUR REQUEST TODAY IS THAT WE ARE AUTHORIZED THAT COUNCIL ENDORSES, STARTING TO SPEND MONEY TO BUILD THE FIRE BREAKS BASED ON THE URGENT URGENCY AROUND THE FIRES THAT WE KNOW ARE IN OUR AREA AND WHAT THE REST OF THE SEASON IS LOOKING LIKE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT.

YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO REITERATE THAT SO EVERYONE'S ON THE SAME PAGE THAT IT'S WHATEVER FUNDS ARE NEEDED TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T GO UP IN FLAMES.

THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD JUST RECOGNIZING THAT MANY OF THE COMMUNITIES WHO ARE DOING THE FIRE SMARTING OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS HAD MANY OF THOSE ACTIVITIES REQUIRE LAND USE PERMITS.

HOWEVER, THE MACKENZIE VALLEY LAND USE REGULATIONS DO HAVE EMERGENCY PROVISIONS.

SO AS LONG AS WE HAVE CHECKED WITH OUR LOCAL INSPECTOR AND CONFIRMED ALL THIS WORK IS, I SEE CRAIG NODDING IN THE BACK.

SO I JUST WANTED TO DOUBLE CHECK THAT.

WE DON'T NEED TO DO ANY OF THAT REGULATORY STUFF BECAUSE THIS IS KIND OF IN THE EMERGENCY SPACE.

SO JUST WANTED TO CHECK THAT BOX.

MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THAT IS CORRECT. AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE SENIOR LEADERSHIP AT THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE.

I DID HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH THEIR ASSISTANT DEPUTY MINISTER THAT REAFFIRMED THAT AND HAS BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE GETTING GETTING UNDERWAY.

SO, YES, THANK YOU FOR THAT.

BUT WE DO WANT TO KEEP THE REGULATORS INVOLVED AND AWARE OF WHAT WE'RE DOING.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

ALTY. THANK YOU.

AND YES, I DO WANT TO REITERATE.

BIG THANKS TO CITY STAFF AND STAFF AND ALL THE FOREST FIREFIGHTERS FROM THE N.W.T.

TO ALASKA TO NEW BRUNSWICK TO SOUTH AFRICA.

THEIR HARD WORK, DEDICATION TO FIGHTING THE CURRENT FIRES AND PROACTIVELY WORKING TO TO MITIGATE THE RISKS FOR YELLOWKNIFE AND ALL COMMUNITIES IS GREATLY APPRECIATED.

I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR EXPEDITING THE ACCESS OF FUNDING SO THAT WE CAN ACCELERATE FIREBREAKS.

I KNOW IN THE MEDIA I'M QUOTED AS SAYING THAT WE HAVEN'T DONE FIREBREAK WORK IN TWO YEARS.

BUT WHAT I SAID WAS WE MISSED LAST YEAR DUE TO WEATHER ISSUES AND THIS YEAR WE DIDN'T BUDGET FOR FIREBREAKS BECAUSE WE WERE LOOKING TO ACCESS THE FUNDING.

BUT EVEN IF WE HAD BUDGETED, WE STILL WOULDN'T HAVE DONE THE FIREBREAKS YET BECAUSE THAT HAPPENS IN THE FALL.

SO AND THE AMOUNT THAT WE'VE BEEN BUDGETING HAS HAS BEEN SMALLER AMOUNTS COMPARED TO THIS 2.4 MILLION.

SO WE'LL REALLY BE ABLE TO GET A LOT OF GOOD WORK DONE NOT ONLY THIS SEASON BUT IN YEARS TO COME, THANKS TO THAT FUNDING.

AND IF ANYBODY IS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING GOOD TO READ OVER OR LISTEN TO OVER THE COMING WEEK, I WAS LISTENING TO THE CONFERENCE BOARD OF CANADA'S PODCAST THIS MORNING, ECONOMIC MATTERS, WHICH WAS ABOUT THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE WILDFIRES.

AND THEY NOTE THAT LEAVING ALL OF THE FIRES BURNING OF COMMUNITIES TO THE POOREST LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT, THE MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT LEAVES COMMUNITIES VULNERABLE AS WE'RE ALSO WORKING TO KEEP THE CORE INFRASTRUCTURE LIKE WATER, SEWER AND WASTE IN GOOD ORDER.

AND SO IT'S IT'S A BIG ASK TO BE ABLE TO DO ALL THAT.

SO IT'S REALLY THE NEED FOR ALL FEDERAL, TERRITORIAL AND PROVINCIAL AND MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS TO COME TOGETHER SO THAT WE CAN BE PROACTIVELY FIRE SMARTING OUR COMMUNITIES.

AND SO, AGAIN, A BIG THANKS TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR STEPPING UP IN THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES TO HELP IN THAT REGARD AS AS WELL AS THE TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT.

AGAIN, THEY'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF WORK THIS SEASON THAT WILL BE BENEFICIAL FOR FUTURE YEARS.

SO IT'S NOT OVER.

I KNOW THAT WE'VE AS MS. BASSI-KELLETT SAID, THE NEXT 4 TO 6 WEEKS ARE GOING TO BE INTENSE.

UM, AND SO APPRECIATE ALL THE ALL OF THE CITY TERRITORIAL AS WELL AS THE PRIVATE CONTRACTORS WHO ARE COMING IN TO TO GET THIS WORK DONE.

UM, AND FINALLY, JUST A BIG THANKS TO RESIDENTS TO FOR, FOR THE CARE AND DEDICATION

[00:20:01]

TO, TO TO BEING FIRESMART THIS SEASON REALLY ENCOURAGE PEOPLE.

I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF ANXIETY WITH THE SMOKE IN THE AIR BUT MAKING SURE THAT YOU'RE CHECKING THE SOURCES.

THE NWT FIRE PAGE IS YOUR BEST SOURCE FOR INFORMATION AND TO TRY TO MINIMIZE LISTENING OR PERPETUATING RUMOR MILL REALLY GOING TO THE THE SOURCE. THE NWT HAS GOT THE CURRENT INFORMATION.

SO AGAIN, REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING EVERYBODY IS DOING AND AND ALL THE BEST IN THIS UPCOMING WORK.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR.

COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO ECHO EVERYONE ELSE'S COMMENTS AND SAY THANK YOU TO ALL THE FIRE CREWS AND CITY STAFF, CONTRACTORS, EVERYONE FOR THEIR HARD WORK. IT'S GREATLY APPRECIATED.

TO ECHO MARIOTTI'S COMMENTS REGARDING THIS BEING AN INSTANCE WHERE THE MUNICIPALITY WITH THE LEAST AMOUNT OF RESOURCES AND TIGHTEST CONSTRAINTS ON OUR SPENDING BEING TASKED WITH THIS VERY CRITICAL AND TIMELY TASK.

THANKS TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND WPA FOR ALL THEIR WORK TO GET SOME OF THIS FUNDING TO US NOW.

BUT I'D LIKE TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO GET AS MUCH OR ALL OF IT OR MORE.

TO US, THIS IS THE EXACT SCENARIO.

WE'RE LIVING THROUGH IT RIGHT NOW THAT THIS FUNDING IS DESIGNED FOR.

SO LET'S GET IT TO US SO WE CAN USE IT.

YEAH. AND.

JUST LIKE TO THANK RESIDENTS FOR THEIR PATIENCE AND CALMNESS.

THERE WILL BE MORE SMOKE THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE SEASON, SO MAKE SURE TO CHECK RELIABLE SOURCES.

AND YEAH, THE PREPARATIONS WILL BE MADE.

AND THANKS AGAIN TO ALL THE FIREFIGHTERS FOR WHAT IS GOING TO BE A PRETTY EXHAUSTING SEASON.

THANK YOU. COUNCILLOR. MCLENNAN.

ANYTHING FURTHER FROM COUNCIL? SEEING NONE. O.

COUNCILLOR. WARBURTON.

YOUR MIC IS NOT ON.

YOU WANT TO? TURN IT ON. THERE WE GO.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

UM, JUST A QUESTION ON THE CONTRACTORS.

I REALLY APPRECIATE THE CITY STAFF AND CONTRACTORS COMING IN THE WEEKEND TO GET THIS GOING.

UM, JUST AROUND CAPACITY.

I KNOW EVERYONE'S STRETCHED ALREADY THIS SUMMER WITH CONTRACTORS, SO, UM, DO WE ANTICIPATE ENOUGH CAPACITY TO GET THE WORK DONE THAT WE NEED DONE EVEN ON AN EMERGENCY BASIS? MS. BASSI-KELLETT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.

YEAH, CAPACITY IS A CLASSIC ISSUE ACROSS YELLOWKNIFE AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

WE CAN CERTAINLY CONCUR WITH THAT.

ON FRIDAY, BEFORE THE LONG WEEKEND, WE MADE SOME PRELIMINARY OUTREACH TO EVERY CONTRACTOR THAT'S GOT HEAVY EQUIPMENT.

AND SO THERE WERE SEVEN CONTRACTORS.

SIX OF THEM HAD EQUIPMENT IN TOWN.

ONE DID NOT. SO THEY COULD NOT SUPPORT ANY WORK AT THIS TIME.

OF THE SIX, THERE ARE SOME THAT ARE COMMITTED FULLY AT THIS POINT IN TIME.

SO THEY HAVE CONFIRMED FOR US THAT IN THE EVENT THAT THERE WAS AN EMERGENCY SCENARIO, THAT THEY WOULD DROP WHAT THEY WERE DOING AND BE FULLY AVAILABLE TO THE CITY.

HOWEVER, FOR PRECAUTIONARY WORK, WE ARE WORKING WITH TWO CONTRACTORS AT THIS POINT IN TIME, SORRY, THREE, TWO WITH HEAVY EQUIPMENT.

WE'VE GOT THREE THAT ARE A BIT MORE SMALL SCALE ON THE FAR SMARTING AND THERE'S TWO OTHERS THAT ARE AVAILABLE ON FIRE SMARTING AS WELL.

THAT WORK IS GETTING UNDERWAY.

IT HAS GOTTEN UNDERWAY ALREADY AND THE OTHERS REMAIN IN CONSTANT CONTACT WITH US SO THAT THEY KNOW THAT IF THERE WERE AN EVENT AND FORGIVE ME, AN EMERGENCY SITUATION, THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO BE AVAILABLE IMMEDIATELY.

AND WE'VE HAD SOME DISCUSSIONS ON WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE AND HOW THAT WOULD ROLL.

THANK YOU. AWESOME.

THANK YOU. YEAH. NO MORE QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU.

ANYTHING FURTHER? SEEING NONE.

I'M JUST GOING TO REITERATE A HUGE THANK YOU TO ALL THE CREWS THAT HAVE COME IN THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER SEASON.

WE KICKED OFF WITH A BANG WITH OUR FIRE SEASON, UNFORTUNATELY.

AND I JUST I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE FIREFIGHTERS BECAUSE THIS IS A DANGEROUS JOB.

AND I'M RECOGNIZING WE HAVE A LOT OF YOUTH.

I CALL THEM YOUTH. THEY'RE UNDER 25 THAT ARE FIGHTING THIS.

AND, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE THEY'RE PUTTING THEIR BEST FOOT FORWARD.

SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THEIR EFFORTS AND ALL THOSE THAT CAME ACROSS CANADA AND FROM ACROSS THE WORLD TO AID US IN IN OUR TIME OF NEED.

[00:25:05]

SO MY SEE SO SEEING A LOT OF SUPPORT FOR THIS.

SO WE'RE GOING TO PUT THIS TO A VOTE.

ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION AS PRESENTED.

IN FAVOR. AND THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.

SEEING AS THAT IS THE END OF OUR AGENDA, CAN I GET A MOTION TO ADJOURN? OF COUNCILLOR MCGURK AND SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR HENDRICKSEN.

AND WE WILL BE ADJOURNED.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING AND WE'LL SEE EVERYBODY ON MONDAY, AUGUST 14TH.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.