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>> WE WILL CALL OUR GOVERNANCE AND PRIORITIES COMMITTEE MEETING FOR MONDAY,
[1. Opening Statement]
OCTOBER 23RD, 2023 TO ORDER.I'D LIKE TO BEGIN BY ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE IS 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 METIS AND ALL FIRST NATIONS, METIS AND INUIT WHOSE PRESENCE CONTINUES TO ENRICH OUR VIBRANT COMMUNITY.
MS. BASSI-KELLETT, ANYTHING FURTHER TO ADD TO THE AGENDA?
[2. Approval of the agenda.]
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR.
SORRY, I'M HAVING A BIT OF A TECHNOLOGY ISSUE HERE.
NOTHING TO ADD TO THE AGENDA, BUT WITH THE GREATEST APOLOGIES TO COUNCIL MEMBERS SO GPC MEMBERS.
WE'VE JUST DISCOVERED THAT THE COPY OF THE 2022 AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THE PACKAGE OR THE DRAFT THAT WENT TO THE AUDIT COMMITTEE ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19TH.
BUT THE AUDIT COMMITTEE HAD MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS AND SO AS A RESULT OF THAT MEETING, WE HAVE A NEW VERSION.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THAT VERSION DID NOT MAKE IT INTO THE PACKAGE.
THERE WAS AN INADVERTENT ERROR THAT HAPPENED.
PLEASE ACCEPT MY DEEPEST APOLOGIES.
WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND AND PROPOSE TO COUNCIL IS THAT WE WILL GET YOU THE REVISED APPROPRIATE VERSION AND THAT THIS BE AN ITEM THAT COULD BE PUT ONTO AN UPCOMING GPC AGENDA AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS PLANNING A FOOT FOR A SPECIAL GPC ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 30TH. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. YES, THEN WE WILL MOVE ITEM NUMBER SIX TO OUR SPECIAL GPC ON OCTOBER 30TH, AND WE WILL CHAT ABOUT A SPECIAL COUNCIL THEN TO APPROVE THEM AS WELL.
STAY TUNED ON THIS, SPECIAL COUNCIL WILL DISCUSS NEXT STEPS ON THAT.
WITH THAT, NEXT, WE HAVE DISCLOSURE PECUNIARY INTERESTS THEN GENERAL NATURE THEREOF.
DOES ANY MEMBER HAVE A PECUNIARY INTEREST TODAY? SEEING NONE.
NEXT, WE HAVE THE ANNUAL REPORT FROM THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE'S INTEGRITY COMMISSIONER,
[4. Annual Report from the City of Yellowknife’s Integrity Commissioner.]
AND WE'RE JOINED BY MR. SHELDON TONER.MS. BASSI-KELLETT, INTRODUCTION FROM YOU OR WE'LL JUST CALL MR. TONER UP?
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR.
JUST A VERY QUICK INTRODUCTION FOR THE INTEGRITY COMMISSIONER AS HE COMES FORWARD TO PROVIDE HIS REPORT.
AS PART OF THE CONTRACT TERMS FOR OUR INTEGRITY COMMISSIONER FOR THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE.
THE INTEGRITY COMMISSIONER DOES PROVIDE AN ANNUAL REPORT ON THE ACTIVITY OF THE OFFICE OF THE INTEGRITY COMMISSIONER.
GIVEN THAT THE CONTRACT ORIGINALLY STARTED IN OCTOBER 2018, THE ANNUAL UPDATE HAS TYPICALLY HAPPENED EVERY FALL.
COMMISSIONER SHELDON TONER HAS COMPLETED HIS FIFTH REPORT, AND WE'RE VERY PLEASED TO HAVE HIM PRESENT IT TODAY ON THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WORK OF THE OFFICE OVER THE LAST PAST YEAR.
THANK YOU. OVER TO YOU, MR. TONER.
>> THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR ALTY, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, CITY STAFF, AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
AS THE CITY MANAGER HAS INDICATED, MY NAME IS SHELDON TONER.
I AM A LAWYER WITH DRAGON TONER LAW OFFICE, WHICH IS BASED HERE IN YELLOWKNIFE.
I'M HERE TO PRESENT MY REPORT AS INTEGRITY COMMISSIONER FOR THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE.
THIS IS MY FIFTH REPORT AS INTEGRITY COMMISSIONER AND THE PERIOD IT COVERS IS FROM SEPTEMBER 26TH, 2022, TO SEPTEMBER 25TH, 2023.
AS MOST OF YOU ARE AWARE, THE ROLE OF INTEGRITY COMMISSIONER WAS CREATED IN SEPTEMBER 2018 WHEN COUNCIL PASSED THE COUNCIL CODE OF ETHICS BYLAW.
UNDER ARTICLE 19.19 OF THAT BYLAW, THE INTEGRITY COMMISSIONER SHALL FILE AN ANNUAL REPORT TO COUNCIL, RESPECTING THE ADVICE, EDUCATION, AND INVESTIGATIONS CARRIED OUT IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR, AND MAY ALSO OUTLINE OTHER DEVELOPMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
SUBJECT TO ARTICLE 22.2 ALL REPORTS FROM THE INTEGRITY COMMISSIONER TO COUNCIL WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
THIS REPORT I'M DELIVERING IS PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE.
THAT REPORTING MECHANISM ALLOWS COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC TO SEE HOW THE OVERALL INTEGRITY FRAMEWORK OF THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE IS BEING USED.
WHEN I SPEAK OF THE CITY'S INTEGRITY FRAMEWORK, I AM REFERRING TO NOT JUST THE COUNCIL CODE OF ETHICS BYLAW BUT TO THE SUITE OF PROVISIONS THAT APPLY TO MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, INCLUDING THE MAYOR, WHICH REQUIRE THEM TO MAINTAIN STANDARDS OF CONDUCT IN SERVING THE PUBLIC AS REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CITY.
THAT SUITE OF PROVISIONS INCLUDES NOT ONLY THE COUNCIL CODE OF ETHICS BYLAW, BUT ALSO THE RESPECTFUL WORKPLACE AND ANTI-HARASSMENT POLICY, THE WHISTLEBLOWER POLICY, AND IN ADDITION,
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THE CONSOLIDATED COUNCIL PROCEDURES.ALL OF THOSE DOCUMENTS COMBINED CONSTITUTE THE CITY'S INTEGRITY FRAMEWORK.
MOVING ON TO THE REPORT ITSELF.
AS YOU WILL SEE FROM THE REPORT THAT I'VE SUBMITTED, THE FIFTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE INTEGRITY COMMISSIONER IS BRIEF AND THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH PAST REPORTS FOR SIMILAR REASONS.
ONE OF THE INTEGRITY COMMISSIONERS' FUNCTIONS IS TO DELIVER ORIENTATION TO NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THAT HAPPENS EVERY FOUR YEARS, EXCEPT PERHAPS IF THERE IS A NEED FOR FURTHER ONBOARDING OF A COUNCIL MEMBER IN THE EVENT OF A BY-ELECTION, FOR EXAMPLE.
REQUESTS FOR OPINIONS AND ADVICE.
I HAVE BEEN USED REGULARLY BY MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, BUT SPARINGLY.
I TYPICALLY HAVE THREE OR FOUR INFORMAL REQUESTS FOR ADVICE THAT I'LL ACT UPON IN ANY GIVEN YEAR.
NOW, HAVING DONE THIS FOR FIVE YEARS, SOME PATTERNS ARE BEGINNING TO EMERGE.
THE COMPLAINTS PROCESS, ESPECIALLY THE FORMAL PART OF THAT PROCESS, IS AGAIN USED BUT USED INFREQUENTLY.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S ANYTHING MORE THAN A FUNCTION OF THE FACT THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS APPROACHED THEIR DUTIES MINDFUL OF THEIR ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITIES.
WE ARE A RELATIVELY SMALL MUNICIPALITY HERE, SO I WOULDN'T EXPECT TO SEE IT USED MORE EXTENSIVELY AND I CERTAINLY DON'T GO OUT LOOKING FOR WORK.
WITH RESPECT TO ADVICE AND OPINIONS IN THE RELEVANT REPORTING PERIOD, I'M REPORTING ON HERE.
I FEEL THAT FOUR DIFFERENT INQUIRIES FROM THREE DIFFERENT MEMBERS OF COUNCIL ALL REGARDING HOW TO HANDLE POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, ONE OF THE THINGS I EMPHASIZED IN THE ORIENTATION FOR NEW MEMBERS LAST YEAR WAS MY AVAILABILITY TO DISCUSS ANY ETHICAL ISSUES INFORMALLY.
I AM PLEASED THAT MEMBERS TOOK ME UP ON THAT OFFER.
ARTICLE 22.3 PROVIDES THAT ANY REFERENCE IN THE ANNUAL OR PERIODIC REPORTS OF THE INTEGRITY COMMISSIONER SHALL NOT DISCLOSE CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION.
AND THAT IS WHY YOU WILL NOT SEE A LOT OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE INQUIRIES.
I FEEL THAT IN THE ANNUAL REPORT, WITHOUT GOING INTO DETAILS, I CAN INDICATE THAT THE QUESTIONS I FIELDED CONCERNING POTENTIAL CONFLICTS INVOLVED, QUESTIONS ABOUT POTENTIAL CONFLICTS ARISING FROM FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS, PERSONAL FRIENDSHIPS, AS WELL AS MEMBERSHIP IN ORGANIZATIONS.
SO ALTHOUGH THERE ARE FEW COMPLAINTS, THEY COVERED A WIDE GAMUT OF TOPIC AREAS.
I HOPE THE GUIDANCE I HAD TO OFFER WAS USEFUL AND I WOULD LIKE TO REITERATE MY AVAILABILITY FOR FURTHER INFORMAL INQUIRIES.
NEXT, I'LL ADDRESS THE COMPLAINTS PROCESS.
THERE WERE NO FORMAL COMPLAINTS OR MATTERS REQUIRING INVESTIGATION IN THE REPORTING PERIOD.
THAT BEING SAID, THERE WAS ONE POTENTIAL COMPLAINT THAT WAS SUITABLE FOR APPLICATION OF THE INFORMAL COMPLAINT PROCESS IN ARTICLE 17 OF THE COUNCIL CODE OF ETHICS BYLAW.
IT WAS THE FIRST TIME IN MY TENURE THAT WE ENGAGED IN A SOMEWHAT FORMAL FACILITATED DISCUSSION PROCESS ALTHOUGH IT WAS THROUGH THE INFORMAL RESOLUTION MECHANISM IN THE BYLAW.
IS FACILITATED DISCUSSION MUCH LIKE A MEDIATION DONE UNDER UNIQUELY DEVELOPED TERMS OF REFERENCE.
AND THOSE TERMS OF REFERENCE MAY BE SOMETHING THAT CAN BE APPLIED IN FUTURE INFORMAL DISPUTE RESOLUTIONS AND PERHAPS EVEN CONSIDERED AS A TEMPLATE FOR TERMS OF REFERENCE THAT CAN BE USED IN ANY INFORMAL DISPUTE RESOLUTION.
WANT TO SPEAK BRIEFLY ABOUT MEMORANDA.
ONE UNIQUE FEATURE ABOUT THIS REPORTING YEAR IS THAT I DELIVERED TWO WRITTEN MEMORANDA ON ISSUES OF GENERAL INTERESTS TO MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, NAMELY CONFLICT OF INTERESTS DISCLOSURE STATEMENTS, AND CONDUCT OF MUNICIPAL ELECTED OFFICERS DURING THE TERRITORIAL ELECTION.
THESE ARE GOOD EXAMPLES OF ISSUES WHICH I'M HAPPY TO WEIGH IN ON WHEN ASKED.
AND I WELCOME REQUESTS OF THIS NATURE IN THE FUTURE.
I DO BELIEVE MY MANDATE INCLUDES OFFERING GENERAL ADVICE ON ETHICAL ISSUES.
WELL, I DO ALSO APPRECIATE THAT THE CITY HAS ITS OWN PROCESS FOR DEVELOPING BROADER POLICY.
AND SO IN LOOKING AT ANY QUESTIONS LIKE THAT, I WILL ENDEAVOR TO RESPECT THE CITY'S POLICY DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, WHICH IS NOT SOMETHING I MANAGE OR DIRECT.
SO IN THE MEMORANDA I'VE DELIVERED,
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I'VE TRIED TO STRIKE THE RIGHT BALANCE BY OFFERING SOME THOUGHTS, SOME POSSIBLE SUGGESTIONS AND IDEAS, BUT ALSO FLAGGING SOME ISSUES THAT MIGHT NEED TO BE EXPLORED MORE DEEPLY BY THOSE IN THE CITIES WHO DEAL WITH POLICY DEVELOPMENT.SO I'LL CONCLUDE BRIEFLY BY SPEAKING TO MY PLANS FOR THE FUTURE.
SINCE I'M NOW ENTERING SECOND TERM AS INTEGRITY COMMISSIONER AND EXTENDED TERM OF TWO YEARS AFTER THE INITIAL FIVE-YEAR TERM.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE VOTE OF CONFIDENCE TO CONTINUE FIRST OF ALL.
LATER THIS FALL, I MAY OR MAY NOT BE DELIVERING AN ORIENTATION SESSION FOR A NEW MEMBER IF IN THE EVENT OF A POSSIBLE BY ELECTION. THAT REMAINS TO BE SEEN.
I ALSO LOOK FORWARD TO TAKING A RETROSPECTIVE LOOK AT THE PAST YEARS AND REVIEWING THE EXPERIENCES GAINED SO FAR, APPLYING THE COUNCIL CODE OF ETHICS BYLAW TO IDENTIFY ANY POSSIBLE AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT.
AND THIS CAN BE INFORMED BY LOOKING AT IDEAS FROM OTHER JURISDICTIONS.
AS WE'VE ADDRESSED AT THE ORIENTATION, MANY MUNICIPALITIES ACROSS CANADA HAVE ADOPTED ETHICAL INTEGRITY FRAMEWORKS AND THE BODY OF EXPERIENCE AND APPLYING THOSE HAS GROWN SUBSTANTIALLY IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
SO AGAIN, I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU GOING FORWARD.
THANK YOU FOR ACCEPTING THE REPORT I'VE DELIVERED TODAY.
IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL BE PLEASED TO ANSWER THEM.
>> THANK YOU. OPENING IT UP TO QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, DISCUSSION, COUNSELOR HENDRICKSON.
>> THANK YOU, MAYOR ALTY, AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND THE REPORT.
JUST A QUESTION. YOU HINTED AT IT IN YOUR REMARKS THERE.
ARE THERE ANY SPECIFIC POLICIES, PROCESSES, BY-LAW CHANGES THAT YOU WOULD RECOMMEND IN THE SHORT TERM THAT WE SHOULD, AS A COUNCIL WILL BE LOOKING AT? I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO BE AS PART OF YOUR FUTURE WORK, YOU'VE IDENTIFIED THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT NEXT YEAR.
BUT IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN FLAG NOW.
THESE ARE PLACES WE COULD DO BETTER AS FROM A PROCESS PERSPECTIVE.
NOT NECESSARILY IN TERMS OF ACTUAL ACTION.
IT SEEMS LIKE EVERYTHING IS GOING WELL IN THAT SENSE, BUT TO PUT BETTER FOUNDATIONS ON WHAT WE HAVE ALREADY.
>> THANK YOU, COUNSELOR HENDRICKSON.
I WOULD NOT SAY THAT THERE'S ANYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE URGENTLY OR THAT NEEDS TO BE CARRIED FORWARD ON A SHORT-TERM TURNAROUND.
THE CODE OF ETHICS BYLAW HAS BEEN IN PLACE FOR FIVE YEARS, WHICH IS RELATIVELY NOT A LONG TIME, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE BYLAW ISN'T USED TOO EXTENSIVELY.
AND AGAIN, I THINK THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY A BAD THING.
IT'S LARGELY A FUNCTION OF THE FACT PEOPLE ARE DOING WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO AND WE ARE A SMALLER MUNICIPALITY.
SO I DON'T SEE ANY SENSE OF URGENCY AROUND ANY PARTICULAR AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT.
AND I DEFINITELY WANT TO BE REACTIVE TO RECOMMENDING POLICY CHANGES BASED ON ONE OR TWO SITUATIONS.
NOW, THAT BEING SAID, I'M GOING TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT THAT COUNCIL MAY WISH TO CONSIDER [NOISE] GOING FORWARD, NOT NECESSARILY ON AN IMMEDIATE TIME FRAME.
AND SOME OF THESE I'VE FLAGGED BEFORE.
WELL, THE FIRST ONE IS DEVELOPING THE CONFLICT OF INTERESTS DECLARATION FORM.
I THINK THAT'S A WORTHY OBJECTIVE.
I DON'T TAKE CREDIT FOR THE IDEA.
I BELIEVE IT WAS COUNSELOR FEQUET, WHO RAISED THAT IDEA DURING THE ORIENTATION LAST YEAR.
AND IN PREPARING THE MEMORANDUM ON THAT TOPIC, I FOUND THAT A LOT OF JURISDICTIONS DO HAVE IT.
THERE ARE SOME JURISDICTIONAL CONCERNS AND PRIVACY CONCERNS THAT WOULD NEED TO BE CONSIDERED BEFORE THAT HAPPENS.
BUT I DO THINK THAT IS A WORTHY MEANS OF MAKING COUNCIL ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
SECONDLY, THERE IS A QUESTION THAT I'VE LOOKED AT BEFORE AS TO WHETHER THE BYLAWS SHOULD BE AMENDED TO CLARIFY WHETHER OR NOT MEMBERS OF COUNCIL SHOULD HAVE IMMUNITY FOR STATEMENTS MADE IN COUNCIL OR IN COMMITTEES.
THAT CAME UP IN THE CONTEXT OF REPORT TO COUNSEL I DELIVERED IN RESPONDING TO A COMPLAINT LAST YEAR.
SO THAT'S AN ISSUE THAT I LOOKED INTO.
IT'S ADDRESSED TO SOME EXTENT IN THE REPORT.
DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS TAKE DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO THAT.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT MIGHT BE WORTH LOOKING INTO.
THE THIRD ITEM THAT I'LL FLAG IS THAT
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SOME THOUGHT MIGHT BE GIVEN TO CLARIFYING THE COMPLAINT PROCESS.AND JUST BY WAY OF EXAMPLE, IN LOOKING AT SOME OTHER JURISDICTIONS AND HOW THEY DO THINGS, I NOTED THAT THE CITY OF EDMONTON COUNCIL CODE OF CONDUCT HAS SOME PRECEDENCE OF A WELL-WRITTEN COMPLAINTS ATTACHED TO THEIR BYLAWS.
SO IT GIVES THE PUBLIC A SENSE OF HOW TO FRAME AN ISSUE IF THEY HAVE A COMPLAINT AGAINST A MEMBER OF COUNCIL OR CITY STAFF.
SO IT'S SOME GUIDANCE THAT'S MAYBE MORE ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO AREN'T NECESSARILY REPRESENTED AND WANT TO MAKE A COMPLAINT.
FOURTHLY, THERE IS SOME INFORMATION ON THE WEBSITE ABOUT THE BYLAW AND THE COMPLAINTS PROCESS.
CURRENTLY, IT INDICATES THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE POLICY AND HOW TO SUBMIT A COMPLAINT, AND IT INCLUDES A LINK TO THE FORM.
BUT CONSIDERATION COULD BE GIVEN TO EXPANDING THE INFORMATION TO INCLUDE ITEMS LIKE WHAT TO EXPECT ONCE A COMPLAINT IS MADE, THE SUMMARY OF TIMELINES, A SUMMARY OF THE CONFIDENTIALITY REQUIREMENTS, AN EMPHASIS ON INDEPENDENCE AND IMPARTIALITY OF THE INTEGRITY COMMISSIONER IN EXERCISING THEIR INVESTIGATIVE AND ADJUDICATIVE FUNCTIONS.
AND PERHAPS EVEN SUMMARIES OF PAST DECISIONS.
FINALLY, AFTER THIS YEAR'S EXPERIENCE WITH THE INFORMAL COMPLAINTS PROCESS AND OTHER POSSIBLE DEVELOPMENT MIGHT BE DEVELOPING STANDARD TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR THE INFORMAL COMPLAINT PROCESS WHICH COULD TAKE A VARIETY OF FORMS. IT CAN BE DONE IN AGREEMENT THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO SIGN, OR IT CAN BE DONE IN SENDING OUT EXPECTATIONS IN A FORM LETTER.
BUT THAT'S ONE THING THAT WE DON'T HAVE THAT COULD BE ADDED TO THE COMPLAINT PROCESS.
JUST A LITTLE MORE STRUCTURE AROUND HOW THE INFORMAL COMPLAINTS PROCESS WORKS.
SO THOSE ARE SOME IDEAS THAT ARE PERCOLATING.
AND BASICALLY, LIKE I SAID, I WOULDN'T WANT TO BE ASSERTIVE ABOUT RECOMMENDING CHANGES BASED ON LIMITED COMPLAINTS THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH THE SYSTEM.
FIVE-YEARS IN, WE STILL HAVE A LOT TO LEARN, BUT A LOT HAS BEEN LEARNED HERE AND ELSEWHERE.
SO THERE MAY BE SOME OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE SOME FURTHER THOUGHT TO DEVELOPING ANY OF THOSE AREAS OR ANY OTHERS.
>> THANKS FOR THAT. AND ONE GREAT TO KNOW, NOTHING IMMEDIATE NEEDED AND TO THANKS FOR EVERYTHING ELSE THERE IN TERMS OF FOOD FOR THOUGHT FOR ME SPECIFICALLY.
AND LOOK FORWARD TO NEXT YEAR'S RECOMMENDATIONS. THANKS.
>> THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COUNCIL COCHRANE?
>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND THANK YOU, MR. TONER, FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO. I HIGHLY APPRECIATE IT.
JUST FOR WHEN YOU BROUGHT UP THE CONFLICT OF INTERESTS OR ETHICS FORM THAT YOU WERE DOING A BIT OF A JURISDICTIONAL REVIEW, HAVE YOU BY CHANCE LOOKED AT ANY OTHER MUNICIPALITIES WITHIN THE TERRITORY AND WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE A FORM ALREADY SET ASIDE?
>> THERE ISN'T ANY. THERE IS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST DECLARATION FORM PROCESS THAT IS USED BY MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY AT THE TERRITORIAL LEVEL.
IT'S FAIRLY WELL SPELLED OUT IN THEIR LEGISLATION.
BUT I DO APPRECIATE THEIR LEGISLATION IS NOT YOUR LEGISLATION.
THERE IS A DIFFERENT INTEGRITY COMMISSIONER PROCESS AND ETHICS FRAMEWORK FOR MLAS; MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY THAN THERE IS FOR MUNICIPAL COUNCILORS.
IT'S FAIRLY PRESCRIPTIVE, THE REQUIREMENT FOR MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLIES IN THIS TERRITORY.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. TONER.
I ALSO LOOK FORWARD TO THE REVIEW NEXT YEAR.
>> THANK YOU. SEEING NOTHING FURTHER, AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR WORK THIS PAST YEAR AS WELL AS COMING TO PRESENT.
SOUNDS LIKE THE NEXT YEAR WITH THE REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS WILL HAVE EVEN MORE TO CONSIDER. THANK YOU.
>> NEXT, WE HAVE MEMORANDUM REGARDING WHETHER TO ENDORSE THE SIX PRIORITY ACTIONS
[5. A memorandum regarding whether to endorse the six (6) Priority Actions within the Economic Development Strategy (2020‐2024) Implementation Plan for 2023 and 2024]
WITHIN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY OR STRATEGIES 2020-2024, THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR 2023 AND 2024.MS. BASSI-KELLETT ANYTHING TO ADD?
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR.
THE MAYOR'S TASK FORCE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MET IN JULY TO CONFIRM PRIORITY ACTIONS FOR THE REMAINDER OF 2023 AND FOR 2024.
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IT WAS A LITTLE BIT OF AN UNUSUAL WAY OF APPROACHING THINGS THIS YEAR, JUST BECAUSE WE HAD A RATHER TUMULTUOUS START TO 2023.CERTAINLY, THE PRIORITIES AT THE TIME THAT THE TASK FORCE RECOMMENDED BE THE FOCUS OF THE CITY'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WORK.
WE'RE FOCUSING ON BIGGER THINGS, CERTAINLY AROUND THE HOTEL LEVY AND THE DESTINATION MARKETING ORGANIZATION, VISITOR CENTER, MAKING SURE THAT WE'VE GOT A GOOD GOVERNANCE MODEL FOR NON-COMMERCIAL GALLERY SPACE, BUSINESS LICENSE STREAMLINING, HOUSING PERMITTING, AND OF COURSE, THE TOURISM STRATEGY RENEWAL.
WE KNOW, OF COURSE, HOW ABSOLUTELY VOLATILE THE ECONOMY CAN BE FOR OUR PRIVATE SECTOR.
WE SAW THIS VERY VERY APPARENTLY, AND WE'RE STILL SEEING THE REVERBERATIONS OF THIS FROM THE WILDFIRE COMPOUNDED, OF COURSE, ON TOP OF EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED THROUGHOUT THE COVID.
WE DO KNOW THAT THE EMPHASIS ON THE SUPPORTING THE ECONOMY IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT THAN WE WOULD HAVE THOUGHT AT THIS TIME.
WE'VE HEARD DIRECTLY FROM BUSINESSES ABOUT THE SUPPORT THAT THEY LOOK FOR FROM THE CITY AND FOR OTHER GOVERNING ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL, AND KNOW THAT CERTAINLY ANY SUPPORT THAT THE CITY GIVES IS VERY VERY MUCH WELCOMED, NEEDED, AND APPRECIATED BY THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. OPENING UP TO QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, DISCUSSION. COUNCILOR WARBURTON?
>> THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR. JUST A QUESTION ON THE PRIORITIES THERE.
THE HOTEL LEVY, THE DMO, VISITOR CENTER, THOSE ARE [NOISE] PRETTY CLEAR HOW THOSE GOING TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL.
I'M JUST CURIOUS HOW WE'RE GOING TO SEE OR COUNCIL MIGHT SEE THE HOUSING PERMITTING ITEM COME TO US IN FUTURE?
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.
THIS IS CERTAINLY ONE THAT WE WOULD LOOK AT, OF COURSE, OUR PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT TAKING THE LEAD ON.
THEY'VE GOT A NUMBER OF INITIATIVES UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW THROUGH THE AGGRESSIVE APPLICATION THAT WE PUT IN FOR THE HOUSING ACCELERATOR FUND, AMONG OTHER THINGS, TO LOOK AT HOW WE WOULD MAKE SURE THAT THE PERMITTING PROCESS CAN BE EXPEDITED TO BE AS EFFICIENT AS POSSIBLE.
I WILL ASK MS. WHITE IF SHE'D LIKE TO ADD TO THIS. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. I WOULD ALSO JUST HIGHLIGHT SOME CHANGES THAT HAVE RECENTLY BEEN MADE IN THE ZONING BY-LAW, WHERE IT'S NOT A PRIORITY SYSTEM IN ANY WAY OR ANY MEANS, BUT WHERE DEVELOPMENT WHICH COULD BE HOUSING AND MOST RECENTLY HAS BEEN, I'D SAY, AT LEAST 75% NEW HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS, ARE GOING THROUGH WHAT I WOULD SAY IS LESS OF A DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.
NUMBER OF STEPS, NUMBER OF BACK-AND-FORTHS, BECAUSE WE ARE SLOWLY, SOFTLY IMPLEMENTING COMPLETE APPLICATION PROCESS, REQUIREMENTS AS OUTLINED IN THE NEW ZONING BY-LAW.
IT'S HELPFUL FOR US AND IT'S HELPFUL FOR APPLICANTS TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT'S BEING REQUIRED AND WHAT THOSE STEPS ARE.
AS I SAID, WE'RE SOFTLY ALREADY IMPLEMENTING THAT.
GOING FORWARD, WE'RE LOOKING FOR 2024 SOME OTHER CHANGES THAT WILL HOPEFULLY BE MORE FAVORABLE AND BETTER FOR DEVELOPMENT OVERALL.
NOT JUST FOR RESIDENTIAL, BUT DEVELOPMENT IN GENERAL. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I WAS JUST CURIOUS, HOW DOES THE MAYOR'S TASK FORCE AND ITS RECOMMENDATIONS INFLUENCE ADMINS' WORK PLAN?
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.
CERTAINLY, WHEN THE MAYOR'S TASK FORCE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT REVIEWS THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY THAT WAS DEVELOPED FOR 2020 TO 2024, THEY MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON WHAT SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED.
THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS, OF COURSE, COME TO GPC, AND THEN TO COUNCIL.
IF COUNCIL ENDORSES WHAT IT IS THAT THE TASK FORCE IS RECOMMENDING, THEN THAT IS PUT INTO THE WORK PLAN FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS AND STRATEGY UNIT, AND OF COURSE, FOR ANY OTHER DEPARTMENT THAT HAS A ROLE TO PLAY, FOR EXAMPLE, PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DOES ON THE HOUSING PERMITTING.
I'LL ASK MS. THISTLE IF SHE'D LIKE TO ADD ANYTHING.
>> THAT PRETTY MUCH COVERS IT.
BUT WHEN THE MAYOR'S TASK FORCE WAS DEVELOPED A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, IT WAS BECAUSE WE REALLY WANTED THE INPUT FROM THE BUSINESS PEOPLE, OPERATORS, AND THE PUBLIC.
THEN WE DECIDED, WITH COUNCIL'S BLESSING AND AMENDMENT TO THE TERMS OF REFERENCE IN 2022, TO CONTINUE THE TASK FORCE SO THAT WE COULD GET INPUT ON A YEARLY BASIS AT A MINIMUM ON WORK THAT WE'RE DOING AND WHERE WE SHOULD BE FOCUSED OR NOT FOCUSED.
THIS IS WHAT WE HEARD AT THE MEETING.
IT'S COMING FORWARD IN MINUTES.
THE SAME AS OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS COME FORWARD THROUGH MINUTES OF COMMITTEE.
THEN AS MS. BASSI-KELLETT HAS REFERENCED, IF IT'S APPROVED, ENDORSED BY GPC AND COUNCIL, THEN THIS WILL DEFINITELY AFFECT HOW WE PRIORITIZE WORK ON THE PLAN. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WOULD SOME OF THESE THINGS MAYBE GET MOVED UP IN THE WORK PLAN?
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IS THERE A POLICY OR PRACTICE TO DO WITH THAT OR JUST GAUGE, BASED ON WHAT YOU'RE DOING, IF YOU CAN MOVE THESE UP?>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WELL, OF COURSE, WE TAKE COUNCIL'S DIRECTION SERIOUSLY ON THIS.
IF COUNCIL'S DIRECTION IS MAKE THESE THE TOP PRIORITIES FOR THE REMAINDER OF 2023 AND 2024, WHETHER OR NOT WE COME BACK AND ASSESS PARTWAY IN 2024, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, IT'S A LITTLE AWKWARD FOR US TO BE LOOKING AT TWO YEARS AT ONCE.
BUT WE WILL ABSOLUTELY TAKE THE PRIORITY ITEMS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED BY COUNCIL, AND MAKE SURE THAT WE LOOK AT WHAT ARE THE STEPS WE NEED TO DO TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS TO ADVANCE THESE ITEMS, AND THAT WOULD BE PART OF OUR MARCHING ORDERS GOING FORWARD. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. JUST TO CHECK IN ON THE TOURISM STRATEGY, IN THE ACTIVE STRATEGY REPORT, IT SAID THE RENEWAL OF THE RFP WAS OUT, AND WE EXPECTED COMPLETION OF THE RENEWED TOURISM STRATEGY IN SEPTEMBER OF 2023.
OBVIOUSLY, A LOT OF THINGS HAVE CHANGED.
COULD I JUST GET AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THAT TOURISM STRATEGY?
>> ABSOLUTELY. I'LL ASK MS. THISTLE TO SPEAK TO THIS.
>> THANKS. YES, I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT ALTHOUGH IT'S DELAYED AS SOME ENGAGEMENT WAS PLANNED TO HAPPEN IN SEPTEMBER, WE HAD TO DELAY THAT AS A RESULT OF THE EVACUATIONS.
THAT'S NOW HAPPENING IN MID-NOVEMBER.
THE TOURISM STRATEGY IS STILL UNSCHEDULED TO BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF THE YEAR, AND SHOULD BE IN FRONT OF COUNCIL IN JANUARY. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. JUST ONE MORE, IT'S MENTIONED IN THE ACTIVE PLAN, THE ARTS AND CULTURE MASTER PLAN THAT WAS RECEIVED BY THE LAST COUNCIL.
JUST LOOKING FOR A CHECK-IN ON THAT ONE AS WELL, WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THE ARTS AND CULTURE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN?
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE ABSOLUTELY SEE THAT ARTS AND CULTURE ARE REALLY CRITICAL COMPONENTS OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A REALLY ROBUST IMPLEMENTATION PLAN ACTING ON THE ARTS AND CULTURE MASTER PLAN THAT WAS PREPARED AND FINALIZED IN 2022, IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
I FEEL LIKE A BROKEN RECORD SAYING THAT WE'RE A LITTLE DELAYED [NOISE] ON BRINGING FORWARD THE CONTENT OF THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, BUT I WILL ASK MR. WHITE IF HE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THIS.
AND MR. WHITE AND COMMUNITY SERVICES HAVE BEEN THE LEAD ON THIS ONE.
>> THANK YOU. YES, IT'S COMMUNITY SERVICES AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY.
WE MET, I THINK, IN EARLY MAY TO GET OUR STRATEGY UNDERWAY, AND THEN THE WHEELS FALL-OFF THE CART WITH TWO EVACUATIONS IN AND ONE EVACUATION OUT.
WE'RE NOW GETTING THE WHEELS BACK ON THE CART.
WE DON'T HAVE A DATE, BUT JUST BY HAPPENSTANCE, WE DO HAVE A MEETING SCHEDULED FOR TOMORROW TO START DISCUSSIONS AGAIN. THANK YOU.
>> AWESOME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, THIS WILL COME FORWARD TO OUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING WHICH WE'RE CANCELING OUR COUNCIL MEETING ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14TH BECAUSE IT'S ELECTION DAY.
OUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING IS ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 27TH.
WE WILL BRING THAT FORWARD THEN.
I DON'T THINK IT NEEDS TO HAVE A SPECIAL COUNCIL BECAUSE IT'S ENDORSING THE WORK PLAN FOR 2023, 2024.
WE'LL HOLD IT UNTIL THAT NEXT SCHEDULED COUNCIL MEETING.
WITH THAT, THE NEXT ITEM WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE AUDIT COMMITTEE,
[6. A memorandum regarding whether to accept the recommendation of the Audit Committee to adopt the 2022 audited financial statements.]
THE 2022 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.COUNCIL MCLELLAN MAY NOT BE HERE NEXT WEEK.
JUST TO REQUEST COUNCIL TO LET HIM ASK HIS QUESTIONS TODAY IF ADMIN CAN RESPOND TO THEM OR IF IT WOULD BEST BE TO WAIT FOR THE REVISED COPY AND THEN JUST REQUEST FOR THE REST OF COUNCILS IF WE CAN HOLD OUR QUESTIONS UNTIL NEXT WEEK.
COUNCIL MCLELLAN, IF YOU CAN ASK YOUR QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR GOING WITH MY UNABLENESS TO BE HERE NEXT WEEK. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO STAFF FOR YOUR HARD WORK ON THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND YOUR WORK GENERALLY UNDER CHALLENGING CIRCUMSTANCES THIS SUMMER AND FALL.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK CARL AND [INAUDIBLE] FOR THEIR WORK ON THE AUDIT AND FOR ADJUSTING TO A CHANGING SCHEDULE.
IT WAS MY FIRST MEETING AS A MEMBER OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE AND I WAS VERY MUCH APPRECIATED AND ENJOYED OUR DISCUSSION.
I FELT LIKE IT WAS A VERY GOOD ONE.
WHILE THE AUDIT COMMITTEE MEETINGS ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, THEY'RE NOT RECORDED AND THE MINUTES [NOISE] ARE THE ONLY RECORD OF OUR DISCUSSION.
WHILE I UNDERSTAND WHY THE MINUTES ARE SUCCINCT, I'D LIKE TO ASK SEVERAL QUESTIONS IN THIS SETTING TO ENSURE THE ANSWERS RECEIVED BY THE AUDIT COMMITTEE ARE MORE ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC AND THAT THE FULL BREADTH OF THE ANSWERS ARE CAPTURED IN THE REPORT.
FIRST OFF, THE AUDIT COMMITTEE ASKED SOME QUESTIONS REGARDING THE COST AND FINANCIAL CONTROLS AROUND
[00:30:01]
THE CITY'S WILDFIRE RESPONSE AND RECEIVES SOME GOOD INFORMATION.JUST WANTED TO GET THIS OUT INTO THE PUBLIC.
FIRST, WHAT INVOICES OR COSTS HAVE COME INTO THE CITY TO DATE?
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.
AS WE KNOW, THE REVERBERATIONS FROM THE WILDFIRES ARE CONTINUING TO UNFOLD.
WE KNOW THAT WE'RE RECEIVING A NUMBER OF INVOICES THAT ARE COMING IN FROM THE LOCAL BUSINESSES THAT WERE SO PROACTIVE IN TERMS OF LENDING THEIR SUPPORT WHOLEHEARTEDLY, PROVIDING THEIR SERVICES UNDER REALLY DIRE CIRCUMSTANCES TO WORK TOWARDS THE PROTECTION OF OUR COMMUNITY.
WE DON'T WANT TO HOLD UP PAYING THEM, BUT WE KNOW THAT THERE'S A NUMBER THAT HAVE COME IN.
FOR A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL, I WILL TURN THIS TO KAVI PANDOO, DIRECTOR OF CORPORATE SERVICES.
HE AND LISA, IF NEED BE, CAN RESPOND IN A LITTLE MORE DETAIL. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MS. BASSI-KELLETT.
SO FAR WE DO HAVE $10.5 MILLION THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED IN TERMS OF COST.
WE HAVE PAID, JUST BEAR WITH ME ONE SEC, I BELIEVE 1.5 MILLION SO FAR THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN PAID.
SORRY. AS OF OCTOBER 23RD, WE HAVE PAID 2.2 MILLION.
>> AWESOME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
DO WE HAVE ANY ANTICIPATED WHAT THE TOTAL COST WILL BE OR A BALLPARK OR ARE WE NOT THERE YET?
>> WE KNOW IT'S HIGHER THAN THE 10, BUT I'LL ASK MR. PANDOO DO IF HE HAS ANY COMMENTS THERE.
>> NO. CURRENTLY, WE DON'T REALLY KNOW THE FINAL ANSWER. THANK YOU.
>> AWESOME. FAIR ENOUGH. WHAT FINANCIAL CONTROLS ARE IN PLACE TO PREVENT FRAUD AND TO ENSURE FAIR RATES ARE BEING PAID TO THESE CONTRACTORS?
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.
OF COURSE, SO MUCH OF THE WORK IN TERMS OF HIRING THE SERVICES OF LOCAL CONTRACTORS WAS DONE ON SUCH AN EMERGENCY BASIS.
WE DO KNOW THAT WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME WORKING WITH PARTICULARLY THE CONTRACTORS TO LOOK AT WHAT WOULD BE A FAIR RATE.
THOSE DISCUSSIONS HAPPENED EARLY ON.
FOR EXAMPLE, [NOISE] MUCH OF THE WORK WAS ALBERTA RATES PLUS 10% FOR MUCH OF THE CONTRACTING WORK.
WE DID GO INTO THIS WANTING TO WORK VERY EFFECTIVELY WITH THE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING ALL OF THE RANGE OF SERVICES TO US IN A WAY THAT WAS GOING TO COMPENSATE THEM FAIRLY, BUT ALSO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE NOT BEING GOUGED OR THAT THERE WAS ANY OPPORTUNISM GOING ON, WHICH I'M QUITE CONFIDENT THERE WAS NOT.
I'LL SEE IF MR. PANDOO HAS ANYTHING MORE TO ADD TO THAT. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. I WILL DEFER TO MS. BASS ON THIS ONE TO GO INTO MORE DETAIL TO EXPLAIN THE CONTROLS IN PLACE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. AS MS. BASSI-KELLETT INDICATED, THE ALBERTA RED BOOK WAS USED PLUS 10%.
THERE WERE ALSO SOME LABOR RATES THAT WERE ESTABLISHED AND PROVIDED TO THE CONTRACTORS AT A MEETING THAT WERE HELD WITH THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS EARLY ON IN THE EVACUATION AT THE EOC.
ALL CONTRACTORS WERE PROVIDED WITH TEMPLATES THAT THEY WERE TO TRACK THEIR WORK BY DAY FOR LABOR EQUIPMENT AND MATERIALS.
THESE TEMPLATES ARE SUPPOSED TO BE COMING IN WITH THEIR INVOICES ALONG WITH ALL THE BACKUP FOR THOSE COSTS.
WE HAVE CONTRACTED VIA AN RFP, A THIRD PARTY TO ASSIST THE FINANCE DIVISION WITH VOUCHING AND MAKING SURE ALL OF THE INVOICES HAVE ALL OF THE BACKUP THAT ARE COMING IN.
WE ARE LOOKING FOR DUPLICATE INVOICING BETWEEN CONTRACTORS OR ANY OF THE VENDORS TO ENSURE THAT THERE IS NO DUPLICATION IN PAYMENTS.
ONCE FINANCE HAS DONE A REVIEW, WE ARE SENDING THE INVOICES MOSTLY TO THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS FOR FINAL REVIEW AND FINAL AUTHORIZATION BEFORE THE PAYMENT IS MADE, HE WILL SEND BACK THE DATA TO US AND WE WILL GET THAT PROCESS THROUGH OUR NORMAL PROCESSES.
>> AWESOME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
IT'S GOOD TO HEAR SOME OF THOSE CHECKS WERE DOING.
ONE THING I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING PROBABLY HAVE TO RUN BY THE REST OF THE COUNCIL, BUT I'D LIKE TO REQUEST A MEMO TO COUNCIL ONCE FINAL COSTS HAVE COME IN AND BEEN ACCOUNTED FOR DETAILING WHICH CONTRACTORS AND INDIVIDUALS WERE PAID WHAT AND WHAT WORK THEY DID.
I KNOW THIS WORK OR THIS DATA WOULD COME OUT IN THE LOCAL CONTRACTING BRIEF WE DO EACH YEAR.
BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE VALUABLE TO SEPARATE THIS
[00:35:02]
JUST AROUND TRANSPARENCY AROUND THIS PARTICULAR ITEM JUST SO THE PUBLIC DOESN'T HAVE TO GO DIG THROUGH OTHER DOCUMENTS.THEY CAN JUST SAY, HERE'S THE DOCUMENT AND LOOK AT IT.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT WOULD I NEED TO MAKE A MOTION?
>> LET'S HOLD ON THAT ONE FOR NOW.
THE OTHER THING WE CAN DO IS JUST A BREAKOUT.
WHEN THAT MEMO COMES FORWARD, THEY'RE INCLUDED IN THE FULL, BUT THEN THERE'S SECTION 2 WHICH PULLS OUT JUST THOSE COSTS.
IF WE'RE DOING THE REPORT, IT WOULD BE EASY ENOUGH IN THAT MEMO JUST TO HAVE THAT SUBSECTION INCLUDED.
>> YEAH, THAT MAKES SENSE. SORRY JUST REMIND ME WHEN THAT REPORT NORMALLY COMES IN.
BUT MS. BASSI-KELLETT, IS MY MEMORY SERVING ME RIGHT?
>> THANK YOU. NO, IT IS, MADAM CHAIR. IT'S AROUND JUNE.
IT'S CERTAINLY AFTER OUR TYPICAL AUDIT CYCLE, WHICH IS TYPICALLY FOR THE END OF APRIL AND THAT WE'RE ABLE TO LOOK AT OUR PROCUREMENT FOR THE PREVIOUS YEAR AND SUM IT ALL UP ONCE THE AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED. THANK YOU. YES.
>> AWESOME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT QUESTION WOULD BE, WILL THE FIRE BREAKS BE CONSIDERED TANGIBLE CAPITAL ASSETS, AND WILL THEY BE OWNED BY THE CITY IN SOME WAY?
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.
THIS IS A GREAT QUESTION BECAUSE THE FIRE BREAKS, OF COURSE, REPRESENT AN ENORMOUS INVESTMENT BY THE CITY THAT WAS MADE CERTAINLY UNDER DURESS.
BUT AS WE ALL KNOW, A REMARKABLE AMOUNT OF WORK WAS DONE WITHIN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY.
IF WE LET THOSE GO AND JUST LET NATURE TAKE ITS COURSE AND CLAIM THEM BACK, WE WOULD NOT BE DOING OURSELVES ANY FAVORS.
WE HAVE BEEN HAVING THE CONVERSATION AROUND HOW WE MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE PART OF THE ASSET BASE OF THE CITY ITSELF, CONSIDERED PART OF OUR NATURAL INFRASTRUCTURE.
OF COURSE, WHAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT IN A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL IS AROUND THE LAND ISSUES.
BECAUSE AT THE TIME, OF COURSE, ACTING UNDER AN EMERGENCY, WE WENT STRAIGHT AHEAD AND MADE THOSE FIRE BREAKS WHERE IT MADE OPERATIONAL SENSE.
IN TERMS OF THE DEFENSE OF THE COMMUNITY.
WE WEREN'T NECESSARILY LOOKING AT LAND TITLE, TENURE, OR OWNERSHIP.
THAT'S PART OF THE EQUATION FOR US THAT WE NEED TO BE WORKING OUT AS WE GO FORWARD.
BUT THE INTENTION IS THAT THESE FIRE BREAKS ARE ASSETS OF THE COMMUNITY.
THEY ARE ASSETS THAT WE'LL WANT TO ENSURE ARE IN PLACE TO BE ABLE TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY FROM FUTURE RISKS AS WE GO FORWARD.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HAVE OR DO WE CURRENTLY CONSIDER NATURAL ASSETS IN TERMS OF OUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OR OUR ASSET MANAGEMENT WORK?
>> I'M TRYING TO THINK IF WE DO.
YES. THINGS LIKE OUR SEWAGE LAGOON ARE VERY MUCH TREATED AS IT IS A NATURAL ASSET FROM THE NATURAL SEWAGE FILTRATION THAT WE USE.
IT IS CERTAINLY A NATURAL ASSET THAT IS USED FOR THAT PURPOSE.
SO THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE DO USE CURRENTLY, BUT WE CERTAINLY WILL AS PART OF OUR ASSET MANAGEMENT WORK, WE DO WANT TO LOOK A LITTLE BIT MORE FULSOMELY, WHAT OUR NATURAL ASSET COMPOSITION LOOKS LIKE FOR THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU.
JUST A LITTLE COMMENT ON THAT.
JUST A COUPLE OF QUOTES REGARDING THIS ISSUE.
SO THIS IS FROM AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF A PAPER ENTITLED GETTING NATURE ON THE BALANCE SHEET, RECOGNIZING THE FINANCIAL VALUE PROVIDED BY NATURAL ASSETS AND A CHANGE IN CLIMATE.
THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY READS, NATURE IS VALUABLE AND UNDERPINS OUR ECONOMY.
WHILE GOVERNMENTS AND BUSINESSES MAY AGREE IN PRINCIPLE WITH THIS STATEMENT, THE SERVICES THAT NATURE PROVIDES ARE NOT ROUTINELY ACCOUNTED FOR AN INVESTMENT DECISIONS, ASSET MANAGEMENT OR ACCOUNTING.
AS A RESULT, DECISIONS MAY NOT BE ECONOMICALLY SOUND IN THE LONG TERM.
DECISIONS MAY ALSO LEAD TO CONTINUE DEGRADATION OF SERVICES THAT NATURE PROVIDES RATHER THAN ACCELERATED INVESTMENT IN NATURAL CLIMATE SOLUTIONS THAT IS NEEDED.
ANOTHER QUOTE, THIS FROM BAILEY CHURCH LEAD OF THE PUBLIC SECTOR ACCOUNTING ADVISORY AT KPMG CANADA.
FOR ACCOUNTANTS, LEAVING OUT NATURAL ASSETS MEANS WE ARE COMPLETELY MISSING A LARGE PORTION OF BENEFITS AS WELL AS POSSIBLE LIABILITIES.
IT'S EFFECTIVELY A HUGE SYSTEMIC OVERSIGHT.
I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE WITH THESE ASSESSMENTS.
THERE'S WORK BEING DONE BY THE INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC SECTOR ACCOUNTING STANDARDS BOARD TO INCORPORATE NATURAL LAW AND NATURAL ASSETS WITHIN INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC SECTOR ACCOUNTING STANDARDS.
IT'S WORK IS BEING ENCOURAGED BY THE PUBLIC SECTOR ACCOUNTING BOARD IN CANADA.
I BELIEVE IT'D WOULD BE ADVANTAGEOUS FOR US AS A GOVERNMENT TO IMPLEMENT THESE PRINCIPLES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
THERE ARE ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS THE NATURAL ASSETS INITIATIVE THAT WE CAN WORK WITH AS WELL.
AND I'LL BE LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK WITH COLLEAGUES STAFF AND ORGANIZATIONS TO FORWARD THIS DISCUSSION MOVING FORWARD.
[00:40:04]
MOVING ON TO SOME MORE QUESTIONS.ON PAGE FIVE OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
I UNDERSTAND THESE ARE DRAFT AND THERE MAY BE SOME CHANGES.
BUT THESE QUESTIONS I UNDERSTAND NOT TO HAVE CHANGED, BUT I COULD BE WRONG ON IT.
SO ON PAGE FIVE OTHER REVENUE INCREASED AT TWICE OR THREE TIMES THE RATE FROM TAXES AND USER FEES.
IT SEEMS THIS WAS MAINLY DUE TO HIGHER INTEREST RATES ON CITY INVESTMENTS.
WHAT HAPPENS WITH THIS EXTRA INCOME AND WHY DOES THE CITY CARRY $8.5 MILLION IN INVESTMENTS?
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION AND CERTAINLY A HIGHER INTEREST RATES HAVE BENEFITED THE CITY WHEN IT COMES TO OUR INVESTMENTS, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT AND WE CERTAINLY DO THAT BASED ON CASH FLOW REQUIREMENTS.
SO IF WE HAVE FUNDS THAT HAVE COME IN, FOR EXAMPLE, FUNDING FROM ANOTHER ORDER OF GOVERNMENT TOWARDS A SPECIFIC PROJECT.
IF WE DON'T NEED THAT FOR 3, 6, 9 MONTHS, WE DO INVEST THOSE FUNDS AND WE TRY TO MAXIMIZE THE RATE OF RETURN.
THAT OF COURSE THEN CAN BE USED IN THE CITY'S COFFERS FOR THAT OR OTHER PROJECTS AS WE NEED.
I WILL ASK MR. PANDOO IF HE'D LIKE TO EXPAND ON THIS IN ANY WAY. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU MS. BASSI-KELLETT.
I THINK YOU'VE PUT EVERYTHING TOGETHER.
JUST THE ONE THING, THE INTERESTS RATE OF INTERESTS THAT WE RECEIVE OVER THE YEAR GOALS IN THE GENERAL FUND. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. ALSO ON PAGE 5, IT SAYS GOING FORWARD, THE CITY EXPECTS TO SEE MUNICIPAL TAX REVENUES CONTINUE TO INCREASE AS A RESULT OF ASSESSMENT GROWTH AND ANNUAL TAX RATE INCREASES.
DO WE NEED THESE INCREASED REVENUES TO COVER INCREASING COSTS OR ARE WE EXPECTING TO PROVIDE MORE SERVICES? DO WE FEEL THIS BASE ASSUMPTION? THE BASE ASSUMPTION BEING THAT TAX RATE WILL INCREASE IN PERPETUITY IS WELL UNDERSTOOD BY THE PUBLIC.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION AND DEFINITELY OUR ASSESSMENT BASE IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
SO IF WE HAVE MORE GROWTH HAPPENING WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY, THAT'S A GREAT THING FOR US BECAUSE IT SPREADS THE TAX BURDEN AROUND ACROSS A GREATER NUMBER OF PROPERTIES AND ASSETS AND OWNERS OF THOSE ASSETS OF COURSE.
THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE MORE DEVELOPMENT HAPPEN AS WE SEE CERTAIN PROPERTIES RIGHT NOW THAT HAVE BEEN UNDER-DEVELOPMENT, THAT WILL HOPEFULLY BE COMING ON AS BEING FINALIZED IN THE NEXT LITTLE WHILE, I THINK OF SOME OF THE DEVELOPMENT I'VE SEEN SINCE HAVING BEEN AWAY FOR THREE WEEKS AND THERE HAS BEEN PROGRESS MADE ON SOME APARTMENTS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
LIKE TO SEE THOSE THINGS DEVELOP AND BECOME ASSETS BECAUSE OF COURSE, THAT DOES INCREASE OUR ASSESSMENT BASE.
HOWEVER, WE HAVE AT A COUPLE OF YEARS WERE VERY SMALL GROWTH TO OUR ASSESSMENT BASE.
AND SO THAT IS A REALITY AS WELL.
SO WE NEVER BUDGET WITH KEEPING OUR FINGERS CROSSED THAT WE'LL SEE A HIGH INCREASE IN THE ASSESSMENT BASE.
WE DO IT BASED ON THE KNOWLEDGE THAT WE HAVE AT HAND IN TERMS OF WHEN WE BELIEVE BUILDINGS UNDER-DEVELOPMENT WILL BE COMPLETED, WHAT WE SEE FROM DEVELOPMENT PERMITS AND BUILDING PERMITS.
OF COURSE, WE'D LIKE TO USE TO EXTRAPOLATE KNOWING THAT THEY AREN'T 100% GUARANTEED WHEN THEY'RE AT THAT PLANNING STAGE.
THERE'S A NUMBER OF FACTORS THAT COME INTO PLAY BEFORE A DEVELOPMENT CAN HAPPEN.
SO WE DO LOOK CLOSELY AT THE ASSESSMENT BASE, WE DO LOOK CLOSELY AT PROJECTING WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AS IT IMPACTS TAX RATES, THE AMOUNT OF TAXES, PROPERTY TAXES THAT WE COLLECT, AND HOW WE BUDGET OVERALL.
I'LL ASK MR. PANDOO IF HE HAS ANYTHING HE'D LIKE TO ADD. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. MS. BASSI-KELLETT.
COMING TO YOUR SECOND QUESTION.
I THINK GENERALLY SPEAKING, IT IS UNDERSTOOD OR AT THIS EXPECTATION ACROSS CANADA THAT PROPERTY TAX IS GOING TO INCREASE BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW COST ASSOCIATED WITH RUNNING A MUNICIPALITY.
THAT'S HUGE. SO THE EXPECTATION IS ALREADY THERE.
I THINK THE QUESTION IS BY HOW MUCH? AND THIS IS WHAT WE ADDRESSED ON A YEAR-BY-YEAR BASIS AT BUDGET TIME. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. YEAH. I THINK THIS IS SOME COMMUNICATION WE CAN DO IS AS COUNSELED TO JUST GET ACROSS THAT WE WILL NEED INCREASES AND ESPECIALLY THIS YEAR WE'LL LIKELY NEED A LARGER ONE THAN IN THE PAST.
AND THAT THE STANDARD IS NOT ZERO OR NEGATIVE.
THE STANDARD WILL BE TAX INCREASES.
HAS THE CITY DISCUSSED THE POSSIBILITY OF A ZERO OR NEGATIVE GROWTH FUTURE FOR YELLOWKNIFE IN TERMS OF THE ASSESSMENT BASE, DOES ANY CONTINGENCY PLANNING EXIST FOR THIS CASE?
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.
CERTAINLY, WE'VE JUST COME OUT OF A COUPLE OF YEARS WHERE WE HAD VERY MINOR GROWTH IN THE ASSESSMENT BASE.
SO IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE'RE AWARE OF.
OF COURSE, AS COUNCIL MEMBERS KNOW, WE'RE TRANSITIONING OUR LEADERSHIP IN THE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AREA AND WITH MR. PANDOO HAVING TAKEN OVER ABOUT SIX WEEKS AGO.
SO I KNOW THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S ON THE RADAR THAT WE NEED TO BE LOOKING AT.
[00:45:03]
WE LOVE TO SEE THAT DEVELOPMENT HAPPENS.WE'D LOVE TO SEE THAT THAT WILL OF COURSE SUPPORT THE OVERALL REQUIREMENTS OF OUR COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF HOW WE FUND THE COMMON ACIDS THAT WE ALL NEED AND THE FUNDS THAT WE REQUIRE TO PROVIDE THOSE CAPITAL ASSETS AND THE PROGRAMMING THAT GOES WITH IT.
BUT AT THIS POINT WE HAVE NOT DONE WORK ON LOOKING AT A NEGATIVE ASSESSMENT OUTLOOK AND BUT CERTAINLY WE HAVE WORKED WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF KEEPING THINGS STABLE AS WHERE THEY HAVE BEEN.
MR. PANDOO ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO ADD? NO, THANK YOU. NOTHING MORE.
>> THANK YOU. I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO CONSIDER JUST LOOKING AT DIAMOND MINE CLOSERS, AND I THINK THE WILDFIRES THE SUMMER SHOWED US THAT ASSUMPTIONS WE'RE MAKING CAN BE WRONG AND THAT WE NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR ALL INSTANCES, EVEN THE UNCOMFORTABLE ONES.
ON PAGE 9 IT SAYS IN REGARDS TO THE AQUATIC CENTER, WORKING TO ENHANCE QUALITY OF LIFE STATES THE DESIGN BUILD APPROACH MEANS THIS CAPITAL COST IS FIXED.
WILL THE STRIKE LOCKOUT AND EVACUATION AFFECT THIS? IF SO, DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA OF THE SCALE OF THE CHANGE AND WILL THE REMAINDER OF THE MAJOR COMMUNITY FACILITY RESERVE COVER ANY INCREASES IN THIS CAPITAL PROJECT?
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.
THIS IS NEAR AND DEAR FOR ALL OF US.
GOSH, GOING BACK NOW 2021 WHEN WE NEGOTIATED THE DESIGN-BUILD CONTRACT, THE DETAILS OF THE CONTRACT INCLUDED THAT THIS WORK WOULD BE DONE FOR THE AMOUNT THAT WAS BALLPARK $70 MILLION AND IT WAS FIRM IN THE CONTRACT.
THAT INCLUDED ABOUT $2.5 MILLION IN CONTINGENCY FUNDING THAT WE NEEDED TO HAVE TO ENSURE THAT THERE WAS A CUSHION IN THE PROJECT.
IN THE TERMS OF THE CONTRACT, THERE'S A CLAUSE AND CONSIDERING AROUND FORCE MAJEURE, WHICH BASICALLY MEANS THAT THERE'S SOME BIG EVENT THAT HAPPENS THAT IMPACTS THE ABILITY TO COMPLETE THIS CONTRACT THE WORK, WITHIN THE TERMS OF THE CONTRACT, THAT THIS CAN BE OPENED UP.
CERTAINLY DURING THE STRIKE IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2023, THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF WORK DONE TO ENSURE THAT THERE COULD BE UNINTERRUPTED CONTINUATION OF THE WORK TOWARDS THE AQUATIC CENTER.
THERE WAS A LOT OF WORK THAT WE DID WHILE SEEKING TO BALANCE THE RIGHT OF OUR UNIONIZED STAFF TO BE ABLE TO STRIKE IN CERTAIN LOCATIONS INCLUDING THE AQUATIC CENTER CONSTRUCTION AREA.
WE DID A LOT OF WORK TO SUPPORT CLARK BUILDERS IN CONTINUING WITH THE WORK PLAN AND THE TIMEFRAME THAT WAS SET OUT AND THAT WORK DID CONTINUE UNINTERRUPTED AT THAT TIME.
HOWEVER, UNFORTUNATELY, IN AUGUST WHEN WE HAD TO HAVE THE FORCED EVACUATION OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, THAT'S WHEN THE CLARK BUILDERS AND THEIR TEAM THAT WERE WORKING ON THE AQUATIC CENTER HAD TO STOP THE WORK ON THE PROJECT AND THEY WERE OFF THAT JOB FOR THE DURATION OF THE EVACUATION.
THAT OF COURSE HAS TRIGGERED THE FORCE MAJEURE CLAUSE IN THE CONTRACT, THERE WAS NO WAY THAT CLARK COULD HAVE STAYED TO CONTINUE THAT WORK.
IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN THE RIGHT THING TO DO AND WE APPRECIATE THAT THEY FOLLOWED THE EVACUATION ORDER.
BUT IT DOES PUT US IN THE SITUATION RIGHT NOW WHERE THE FORCE MAJEURE CLAUSE HAS BEEN TRIGGERED AND WE ARE LOOKING AT WHAT THE IMPLICATIONS ARE FOR THAT, BOTH IN TERMS OF THE TIMELINE FOR THE PROJECT AND FOR ANY ADDITIONAL COSTS.
WE HAVE NOT NAILED THAT DOWN YET, WE'RE IN DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN OURSELVES AND OUR PROJECT MANAGERS, COLLIERS, WE ARE IN DISCUSSIONS WITH CLARK TO LOOK AT WHAT THIS IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE.
THERE'S A NUMBER OF SUBCONTRACTORS AS WELL, AND OF COURSE, THE TIMING OF THEIR WORK IT'S A BIT OF A DOMINO EFFECT IN TERMS OF WHEN ONE KIND OF WORK IS DONE.
WE'VE GOT CONTRACTORS COMING IN TO DO OTHER THINGS.
THAT WHOLE PLAN HAS TO BE RETHOUGHT BECAUSE OF THE THREE WEEKS OF DELAY THAT WE ENCOUNTERED BECAUSE OF THE EVACUATION ORDER.
WE ARE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH CLARK RIGHT NOW TO SEE WHAT IT IS THAT THIS WILL LOOK LIKE AND HOW WE QUANTIFY THE TIME AND THE COSTS.
I'LL ASK MR. WHITE IF HE'S GOT ANYTHING THAT HE'D LIKE TO ADD. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MS. BASSI-KELLETT.
I THINK THE ONLY THING I WOULD ADD IS THAT, THIS IS A PRIORITY FOR US.
WE WORK WITH, AS MS. BASSI-KELLETT MENTIONED, THE DESIGN-BUILD CONTRACTORS AND OUR PROJECT MANAGERS, AND WE ARE IN DISCUSSIONS SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK TO TRY TO NAIL DOWN THE EFFECT ON BOTH THE SCHEDULE AND THE OVERALL COST. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. DO WE ANTICIPATE HAVING A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE EFFECTS OF THAT FOR OUR BUDGET DISCUSSIONS FOR 2024?
>> FORGIVE ME ON THE TIMELINE, I'LL ASK MR. WHITE IF HE HAS ANY INTEL ON THIS.
>> NO, NOT AT THIS TIME. THANKS.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO THE REVITALIZATION INITIATIVE RESERVE
[00:50:05]
WAS FORECAST TO BE DEPLETED IN 2022 TO COVER THE VALUE OF THE CITY LOTS ON 50TH STREET AND TO BOLSTER THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT RESERVE.THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS SHOW THAT THIS WAS NOT DONE IN 2022.
I'M ASSUMING THIS IS BECAUSE THE LATS WEREN'T TRANSFERRED OR SOLD.
WAS THIS DONE IN 2023, AS THE MONEY IS STILL THERE? 50, 50 LOT.
ARE WE GOING TO NEED TO KEEP MONEY IN THIS RESERVE? ARE WE STILL PLANNING TO CLOSE THIS? I'M JUST LOOKING FOR AN UPDATE ON THE REVITALIZATION INITIATIVE RESERVE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.
I'LL ASK MS. WHITE IF SHE'D LIKE TO PROVIDE DETAIL.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. HOPEFULLY, IT'S NOT SUPER LONG-WINDED, SO TRY TO KEEP IT TO WHAT YOU'RE ASKING.
THE TRANSFER DOES NOT TAKE PLACE IN 2022 SO THE RESOLUTION FROM COUNCIL WAS END OF SUMMER THEN.
BY THE TIME WE GOT THROUGH TO FIGURING OUT WHAT PORTION GOES INTO WHICH BECAUSE THERE'S THE 50, 50 LOT, AS WELL AS THE THREE LOTS ON 50TH STREET.
AS WE KNOW, THE THREE LOTS ON 50TH STREET WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF TRANSFERRING AND WORKING WITH THE HOUSING END OF UT FOR THAT DEVELOPMENT.
ONCE THAT OCCURS AND THE 50, 50 LOT WILL REMAIN FOR SALE THAT'S ON OUR WEBSITE.
GO TAKE A LOOK IF ANYBODY'S INTERESTED.
THAT MONEY WE'LL BE TRANSFERRING AND YOU SHOULD BE SEEING IT EITHER THE END OF 2023 OR EARLY 2024.
THAT FIRST ACCOUNT YOU WERE ASKING ABOUT IS GOING TO BE CLOSED.
THE REMAINDER WILL GO INTO WHAT IS THE DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE RESERVE, MAKING IT A LITTLE BIT LARGER.
UNDERSTANDING THERE'S SOME COMMITTED AMOUNTS IN THERE ALREADY.
ABOUT HALF OF THAT RESERVE IS ALREADY COMMITTED.
THOSE NUMBERS I'M LOOKING TO BRING FORWARD TO COUNCIL ONCE WE HAVE IT ALL SHIFTED OR SIFTED THROUGH SO YOU CAN JUST SEE WHERE THAT ALL MOVED AND WHICH PROPERTIES SPECIFICALLY IT WAS RELATED TO. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THERE WAS QUESTIONS IN THE AUDIT COMMITTEE ABOUT THE TAXES FOR GIANT MINE.
ARE WE CLEAR ON WHO PAYS THOSE TAXES? IS IT [INAUDIBLE] OR THE FEDS, AND ARE WE RECEIVING THOSE TAXES?
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.
THIS IS NOT A NICE ONE FOR US, WE'RE NOT VERY PLEASED WITH THE CURRENT STATUS OF THIS.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF COURSE, IS THE PROPONENTS ON THIS PROJECT, AND WE DEFINITELY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PAYMENT IN LIEU OF PROPERTY TAXES TO THE CITY FOR THIS, THEY ARE NOT DOING SO.
I WILL ASK MS. PRISCILLA IF SHE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THIS IN A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL AS OUR EXPERT ON GIANT MINE.
>> THANKS FOR THE QUESTION. IT'S ACTUALLY PRETTY COMPLICATED.
TAXES, AS WE ALL KNOW, WERE RENDERED AND PAID FOR MANY YEARS WHILE THE MINES WERE OPERATING, AND THEN WHEN THE MINE STOPPED, TAXES WERE STILL RENDERED, BUT PAYMENTS WEREN'T MADE.
THE REASON IT'S COMPLICATED IS BECAUSE IT'S FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S, THE PROPONENT, BUT THE GOVERNMENT TO THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES WERE THE LANDOWNERS SO IT'S VERY COMPLICATED ABOUT WHO CAN PAY PILL OR GUILT.
THAT'S GRANTING LIEU OF TAXES AT THE [INAUDIBLE] LEVEL, OR PREPAYMENTS IN LIEU OF PROPERTY TAXES AT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT LEVEL.
IT'S ACTUALLY A COMPLICATED LEGAL ISSUE AS WELL.
THERE'S BEEN MUNICIPALITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT HAVE GONE ALL THE WAY TO THE SUPREME COURT WHEN THEY HAVE DISPUTES ABOUT WHAT PROPERTIES SHOULD BE VALUED AT OR NOT.
AN EXAMPLE IS CITADEL HILL IN HALIFAX, THERE WAS A CASE THERE.
OF COURSE, THE MUNICIPALITY VALUE THE LAND VERY HIGH BECAUSE IT'S DOWNTOWN PROPERTY RIGHT IN THE CENTER OF HALIFAX.
THE GOVERNMENT SAID, NO, BECAUSE ITS HERITAGE, THIS IS VERY SIMPLIFIED, BUT ESSENTIALLY IT'S HERITAGE AND WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING WITH IT AND WANTED TO ASSESS LOWER.
THERE'S CASES FROM MONTREAL AND THERE'S A LOT, SO IT'S NOT AN EASY ANSWER, BUT THE SHORT ANSWER IS NO, AND PAYMENT HASN'T BEEN MADE FOR MANY YEARS.
SORRY, I CAN'T GIVE A MORE CLEAR ANSWER THAN THAT. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. YEAH, IT'S DISAPPOINTING OBVIOUSLY.
PLEASE LET US KNOW AS COUNSEL, IF THERE'S ANY ADVOCACY OR CERTAIN PEOPLE WE CAN TRY AND HELP THE SUPPORT FROM OTHER LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT TO PAY FOR THE LANDS THEY CONTROL, IT WOULD BE AMAZING.
QUESTION ABOUT THE FUN STABILIZATION COMPONENT OF THE BUDGET POLICY AND THE GENERAL FUND BALANCE.
AT THE END OF 2019, THE GENERAL FUND WAS 20.9% OF BUDGETED EXPENDITURES NET OF AMORTIZATION.
[00:55:01]
THE BUDGET POLICY STATES THAT IT SHOULD BE 10-15% OF BUDGETED EXPENDITURES AND THAT OF AMORTIZATION.WHY HAVE WE BEEN UNABLE TO FOLLOW THIS POLICY BY SIGNIFICANT MARGIN AND WHAT PLANS DO WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO FOLLOW THIS POLICY?
>> EXTRAORDINARY, COVID AND THEN FOREST FIRES, AND HERE'S TO HOPING FOR COLUMN THREE YEARS, MS. BASSI-KELLETT.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION.
SO WHEN A POLICY IS SET OUT, CERTAINLY THAT IS OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE POLICY AS CHAIR HEALTHY HAS SAID.
IN 2020, WE OF COURSE HAD THE CURVE BALL OF COVID AND AT THAT TIME WE BROUGHT FORWARD SOME PRINCIPLES TO COUNCIL TO REVIEW AND ADOPT AROUND HOW WE WOULD MANAGE FISCALLY IN THAT CONTEXT, HOW WE WOULD MAKE DECISIONS AROUND MONEY, HOW THE CITY WOULD ALLOCATE FUNDS, HOW DECISIONS WOULD BE MADE BY COUNCIL AND IT WAS VERY MUCH INTENDED THAT THERE WOULD BE A FISCALLY PRUDENT AND SMALL C-CONSERVATIVE LENS PUT ON EXPENDITURES.
WE DIDN'T KNOW THE VOLATILITY, WE DIDN'T KNOW THE IMPACTS, WE DIDN'T KNOW HOW COVID WAS GOING TO HIT US AND THE INTENTION WAS TO KEEP A CUSHION IN THE GENERAL FUND THAT WOULD ENABLE US TO DEAL WITH ANY OF THE INADVERTENT CURVE BALLS THAT WE'RE GOING TO COME OUT AS THROUGH COVID.
THEN CERTAINLY OF COURSE 2022, NOW AS WE LOOK AT THE AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENT, WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE THIS, AGAIN, THE CURVE BALL OF THE WILDFIRES AND THAT IF WE HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDS THAT ARE AVAILABLE THAT ARE SITTING AS A CUSHION IN THE GENERAL FUND.
IT CAN HELP US TO OFFSET SOME OF THOSE COSTS THAT WE KNOW WILL BE COMING THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE COVERED BY DISASTER ASSISTANCE FUNDING.
WE AGAIN WANT TO BE PRUDENT IN TERMS OF HOW THOSE FUNDS ARE MANAGED AND WE WORK WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE POLICY AND DIRECTION OF COUNCIL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING SO IN A WAY THAT'S GOING TO BE GOOD FOR THE CITY IN THE SHORT AND THE LONG TERM.
I'LL SEE IF MR. PANDOO HAS ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO ADD. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MS. BASSI-KELLETT.
I WOULD JUST TO ADDRESS THE QUESTION JUST TO GO BACK A BIT IN TERMS OF HIGHLIGHTING THAT THE PREMISE OF PREPARING A BUDGET IS WE USE IDEAL SCENARIOS.
WE DO USE BEST ESTIMATES AVAILABLE AT THAT TIME.
BASED ON THOSE, THIS IS WHERE THE POLICY COME IN.
NOW I DO HAVE THE NUMBERS FOR 2024 AND 2025 FOR THIS POLICY.
IF IDEAL SCENARIOS HAPPEN, EVERYTHING GOES SMOOTHLY, WE'RE GOING TO BE 13.59 PERCENT IN 2024 AND 12.98 PERCENT IN 2025, WHICH WILL BE WELL WITHIN THE 10-15 PERCENT AS RECOMMENDED FOR THIS POLICY.
THAT'S ALL I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT SOMETIMES, YES.
THE NUMBERS DO COME UP AND DOWN, BUT THERE ARE VERY REAL-LIFE SCENARIOS THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH WHICH MAY BE SHOWS THE NUMBERS GO OUT OF WORK, SORRY FOR MY FRENCH.
BUT THAT'S THE EASIEST WAY I CAN JUST PUT IT IN TERMS OF REALITY VERSUS WHEN WE PREPARE THOSE NUMBERS. THANK YOU.
>> YEAH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YEAH, AND I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS.
FINISHED WITH QUESTIONS, SO JUST WANT TO SAY THANKS AGAIN TO STAFF FOR GETTING THIS DONE AND ALL THE CHALLENGES THIS YEAR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
DESPITE BEING ON COUNCIL AND NOW HAVING AN AUDIT COMMITTEE MEETING BEING CANCELED FOR A YEAR AND POSSESSING AN ECONOMICS DEGREE, I FIND IT EXTREMELY CHALLENGING TO FULLY GRASP THE FINANCIAL STATE OF THE CITY.
IN PARTICULAR, DUE TO LARGE AMOUNTS OF FUNDING BEING TIED TO SPECIFIC PROJECTS, I'D LIKE TO HAVE A BETTER IDEA AND UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT RESOURCES THE CITY HAS, ITS OWN DISCRETION VERSUS THE COSTS THE CITY ITSELF WILL NEED TO COVER.
IN ORDER TO BETTER ACHIEVE THIS, I'D LIKE TO REQUEST AND RUN BY MY COLLEAGUES THIS INFORMATION TO BE AVAILABLE FOR COUNCIL FOR OUR BUDGET DISCUSSION.
A MEMO SHOWING THE CITY'S OPERATING EXPENSES, LESS FUNDING FROM OTHER GOVERNMENTS THAT ARE TIED TO OPERATING EXPENSES, THE CITY'S PLANNED CAPITAL SPENDING IN 2024 AND NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS LESS FUNDING TIED SPECIFICALLY TO THOSE PROJECTS, THE CITY'S REVENUES PLUS FUNDING NOT TIED TO ANY PARTICULAR EXPENSE, AND EXISTING FINANCIAL RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THE CITY TO SPEND AS IT SEES FIT.
SO IN ESSENCE, I'D LIKE TO SEE THE COSTS, OPERATING, AND CAPITAL THAT THE CITY WILL INCUR VERSUS THE REVENUES AVAILABLE THAT ARE AT THE CITY'S DISCRETION JUST TO TRY AND BREAK OUT.
THERE'S ALL THIS MONEY AROUND, BUT IT'S LINKED TO CERTAIN PROJECTS.
WHAT DO WE HAVE CONTROL OVER AND WHAT COSTS WILL WE NEED TO COVER?
>> YEAH, SO WITH A BIT OF TIME ON OUR HANDS BECAUSE NOT THAT STAFF DON'T HAVE STUFF ON THEIR PLATES THIS WEEK.
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BUT WHEN THEY COME FORWARD WITH THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS NEXT MONDAY, WE'LL SEE ABOUT A PRESENTATION.FOLLOWING THAT PRESENTATION, IF THERE'S MORE INFORMATION THAT COUNCIL WOULD TO THE GIST OF YOUR REQUEST IS YOU WANT TO SEE RESTRICTIVE VERSUS UNRESTRICTED REVENUE AND SO WE'LL SEE IF ADMINISTRATION CAN PRESENT THAT INFORMATION TO COUNCIL AND THEN FOLLOWING THAT, IF THERE'S STILL FURTHER INFORMATION THAT WOULD HELP COUNCIL UNDERSTAND.
I THINK THERE'S ALSO THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A FINANCIAL STATEMENT AS WELL AS THE BUDGET OR TWO REALLY IMPORTANT THINGS.
THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT IS ABOUT YOUR NET WORTH VERSUS A BUDGET IS LOOKING AT YOUR EXPENSES.
WE'LL TAKE THIS UNDER ADVISEMENT.
SEE ABOUT PRESENTATION NEXT MONDAY AND THEN FOLLOWING THAT, SEE IF COUNCIL NEEDS FURTHER INFORMATION.
THAT BEING SAID, THERE'S STILL BUDGET 2024 AND SAW AN OPPORTUNITY BETWEEN NOW AND WHEN THAT'S PRESENTED IN MID JANUARY FOR ADMINISTRATION TO PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION TO COUNCIL ON OUR FINANCIAL HEALTH AND HOW THE RESTRICTIVE VERSUS UNRESTRICTED FUNDING WORKS FOR THE CITY BECAUSE IT'S NOT NECESSARILY FAIR TO SAY WE HAVE $300 MILLION WHEN IT'S TIED UP IN ASSETS LIKE A CITY HALL AND A POOL AND WE CAN'T REALLY JUST SELL THAT AND GO AND PAY FOR A BILL.
WELL, YES, IF THERE'S A BUYER FOR SOMETHING LIKE A CITY HALL THERE, THEN THERE IS MONEY FREED UP.
BUT YOUR POINT IS TAKEN AND THEN CAN WORK TO DO THAT OVER THE COMING MONTHS WITH THE START NEXT MONDAY LEADING UP TO BUDGET.
>> YEAH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THAT'D BE APPRECIATED.
TOTALLY UNDERSTAND. THANK YOU.
JUST ONE LAST QUICK STATEMENT AND THEN I'LL GET HER THE WAY.
WELL, IT LOOKS LIKE THE CITY IS FLUSH WITH CASH.
MOST OF THIS MONEY IS TIED TO CERTAIN CAPITAL PROJECTS.
THE ISSUE HERE IS THAT, WELL, FUNDING FROM OTHER LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT IS GENERALLY SET.
THE COST OF THESE PROJECTS ARE INCREASING SIGNIFICANTLY.
THIS MEANS THAT THE CITY WILL NEED TO COVER MORE AND MORE CAPITAL COSTS OR SECURE HIGHER LEVELS OF FUNDING FROM OTHER GOVERNMENTS.
I'M CONCERNED THAT THE CITY MAY COMMIT ITSELF TO CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT TODAY MAY LOOK REASONABLE FINANCIALLY.
BUT IN 3, 5 OR 10 YEARS, THESE PROJECTS COULD POTENTIALLY PLACE THE CITY IN A VERY CHALLENGING FINANCIAL SITUATION.
THIS IS WHERE PLANNING OR THOUGHT AROUND THE EFFECTS OF DIVE EXCLOSURE AND AROUND ZERO OR NEGATIVE GROWTH FUTURE IS CRITICAL.
I'LL NEED TO BE CONVINCED THAT WE SHOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH CAPITAL PROJECTS WHOSE FUNDING DEPENDS UPON ASSESSMENT GROWTH.
RUNNING PARALLEL TO THIS ISSUE AROUND FUNDING CAPITAL PROJECTS IS THE CITY'S STAFFING SITUATION.
I'M ANTICIPATING THAT, AS WITH THE PREVIOUS FEW YEARS, A LARGE REASON FOR THE EXTRA MONEY BEING AVAILABLE IN THE GENERAL FUND IS DUE TO OUR INABILITY TO STAFF ALL OF OUR POSITIONS.
WHILE IT'S IT'S NO ONE'S FAULT, I BELIEVE WE NEED TO BE REALISTIC ABOUT OUR EXPECTATIONS AROUND STAFFING IN THE 2024 BUDGET.
THE PRIMARY REASON THE COUNCIL HAS BEEN ABLE TO REDUCE PROPERTY TAX INCREASES IN THE LAST FEW BUDGETS IS DUE TO THE STAFF VACANCY RATES BEING ABOVE BUDGETED EXPECTATIONS.
IF WE CONTINUE TO ADD STAFF POSITIONS AND AT THE VERY SAME TIME RELY ON VACANCIES TO CONTROL THE TAX RATE INCREASES, WE'RE DIGGING A HOLE FOR OURSELVES AND FOR FUTURE COUNCILORS.
THIS WILL BE A SIGNIFICANT DISCUSSION POINT FOR ME DURING BUDGET DELIBERATIONS, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH MY COLLEAGUES AND STAFF TO FIND WAYS TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU. FOR THE REST, IF COUNCILOR MCCLINTON THIS QUESTION HAS TRIGGERED SOMETHING, PUT IT IN YOUR NOTES TO ASK FOR NEXT MEETING.
YES. UNFORTUNATE THAT WE'LL HAVE TO REVIEW THEM NEXT MONDAY.
BUT IT'S REQUIRED THAT WE ACTUALLY LOOK AT THE FINAL BEFORE APPROVING THEM.
IT WON'T BE ON COUNCIL TONIGHT.
HOWEVER, WE WILL HAVE A SPECIAL GPC NEXT MONDAY AT LUNCH, AND THEN WE'LL DISCUSS WHEN TO HAVE A SPECIAL COUNCIL TO APPROVE THEM.
BUT WITH THAT, WE COME TO THE END OF OUR GPC AGENDA.
IF I CAN GET A MOTION TO ADJOURN MOVED BY COUNCILOR COCHRAN, SECONDED BY COUNCILOR WARBURTON.
WE'LL SEE EVERYBODY TONIGHT AT 07:00 P.M.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.