Mar 18, 2024 Governance & Priorities Committee

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ALL RIGHT, ALL YOU HAPPY PEOPLE.

I WILL CALL THIS GOVERNANCE AND PRIORITIES COMMITTEE FOR MONDAY, MARCH 1, 2024 TO ORDER STARTING WITH THE OPENING STATEMENT.

[1. Opening Statement]

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 PEOPLE, INCLUDING THE NORTH SLAVE METIS AND ALL FIRST NATIONS, METIS AND INUIT WHOSE PRESENCE CONTINUES TO ENRICH OUR VIBRANT COMMUNITY.

[2. Approval of the agenda]

MR. CHAIR, NO, THERE'S NOTHING ELSE TO ADD.

THANK YOU. SO THERE WE GO.

MOVING ON TO DISCLOSURE OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND THE GENERAL NATURE THEREOF.

DO ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST? SEEING NONE.

MOVING OVER NOW TO A PRESENTATION REGARDING EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

[4. A presentation regarding Emergency Management]

SO WE STARTED WELCOMING.

WE STARTED THE SEASON BY WELCOMING EVACUEES FROM OTHER NWT COMMUNITIES, AND THEN, OF COURSE, HAD TO RESPOND TO THE THREAT OF WILDFIRE OURSELVES TO YELLOWKNIFE.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS ONE OF THE CLEAREST EXAMPLES OF COLLABORATION BETWEEN RESIDENTS, GOVERNMENTS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, BUT ESPECIALLY BETWEEN GOVERNMENTS.

THAT IS A CRITICAL PIECE OF THIS, AND WE KNOW THAT IT'S A CLEAR PRINCIPLE IN EMERGENCY PLANNING AND RESPONSE THAT GOVERNMENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE TO PROACTIVELY PLAN AND RESPOND TO EMERGENCIES UP TO THE EXTENT OF THEIR CAPACITY.

ONCE THE CAPACITY IS MET AND EXCEEDED, THE NEXT ORDER OF GOVERNMENT DOES HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY IN ASSISTING.

LAST SUMMER WAS A CLEAR EXAMPLE TO US OF THIS LEVEL OF COLLABORATION.

THE CITY WORKED WITH MACA AND THE GNWT TO COORDINATE OUR RESPONSES TO THE GREATEST EXTENT THAT WE COULD.

SO TODAY, WE ARE PLEASED TO WELCOME MACA REPRESENTATIVES TO LAY OUT SOME OF THEIR APPROACH ON EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE CITY HAS A LOT OF INFORMATION TO UPDATE RESIDENTS ABOUT THE WORK THAT'S UNDERWAY, BOTH IN LOOKING BACK AT 2023 AND OUR PLANNING FOR SUMMER 2024.

SO WITH THAT, I'M PLEASED TO WELCOME EMILY KING AND TARA NAUGLER FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF MUNICIPAL AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS, WHO WILL START THE PRESENTATION, AND WE'LL THEN HAND IT OVER TO CRAIG MCLEAN, WHO'S THE CITY'S DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY, WHO WILL THEN FOLLOW UP WITH THE CITY'S ROLE.

OVER TO YOU, EMILY.

OKAY. HI, EVERYONE.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY.

SO I WILL START WITH AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE'LL BE COVERING TODAY.

FIRST WE'LL TALK ABOUT WHAT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS AND THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, WHY IT'S IMPORTANT. SOME OF THE KEY FEATURES OF OUR LEGISLATION AND POLICY.

SOME MYTHS AND MISCONCEPTIONS, AND THEN WHAT THIS ALL MEANS FOR COMMUNITY GOVERNMENTS.

SO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS MORE THAN COMMUNITY EVACUATIONS.

IT'S A SERIES OF ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN TO PREVENT REDUCE THE IMPACT, ANTICIPATE, PREPARE FOR AND RESPOND TO, AND RECOVER FROM EMERGENCIES.

SO HERE YOU SEE THE CYCLE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

IT'S A CONTINUOUS CYCLE.

AN ONGOING CYCLE THAT HAPPENS TIME AND TIME AGAIN.

WHAT WE NEED TO DO COLLECTIVELY TO PREPARE FOR EMERGENCIES.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN RESPONDING TO COMMUNITIES? FOR EXAMPLE, INDIVIDUALS TAKE ACTIONS TO PROTECT THEIR PROPERTY FROM FIRES AND FLOODING, AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES HAVE PLANS TO TAKE ACTION.

FOR A COLLECTIVE COMMUNITY RESPONSE, AND THEN ALSO, THE GNWT HAS A TERRITORIAL LEVEL PLAN.

RECOVERING FROM EMERGENCIES, THE ACTIONS THAT ARE TAKEN TO REPAIR AND RECOVER FROM EVENTS, AND THEN PREVENTION.

WHILE WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO STOP THINGS LIKE FLOODING THERE ARE THINGS ACTIONS WE CAN TAKE TO PREVENT THE SAME KIND OF IMPACT AND DAMAGE FROM HAPPENING THE NEXT TIME.

[00:05:04]

THE NWT FOLLOWS THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE THAT MIRRORS ALL ALL OTHER CANADIAN JURISDICTIONS.

SO YOU'LL SEE AT THE BASE IS INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES.

THE NWT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM RELIES ON EVERYONE TO DO THEIR PART TO PREPARE FOR, RESPOND TO, AND RECOVER FROM EMERGENCIES.

SO I'D LIKE TO EMPHASIZE INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES ARE ENCOURAGED TO DEVELOP HOUSEHOLD EMERGENCY PLANS, TO STAY INFORMED. THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR PROTECTION OF THEIR PROPERTY, INVESTIGATING INSURANCE WHERE IT EXISTS, AND THE SAME GOES FOR RENTERS WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR TENANT INSURANCE AS WELL, AND THE VAST MAJORITY OF EMERGENCIES, AS YOU'LL SEE IN THIS SLIDE, ARE HAPPENED, ARE HANDLED AT THE INDIVIDUAL OR COMMUNITY GOVERNMENT LEVEL.

EACH LEVEL OF RESPONSE REQUIRES THAT CAPACITY BE EXHAUSTED BEFORE ASSISTANCE CAN BE REQUESTED FROM THE NEXT LEVEL. SO THERE IS A FORMAL PROCESS FOR ASSISTANCE TO BE REQUESTED FROM THE COMMUNITY GOVERNMENT LEVEL TO THE REGIONAL AND TERRITORIAL LEVEL.

WELL. OKAY, SO THIS SLIDE I JUST THOUGHT WAS RELEVANT TO SHOW HOW OUR RISK ENVIRONMENT IS CHANGING.

SO YOU'LL SEE HERE ON THIS CHART EVENTS THAT HAVE REQUIRED GNWT EMO ACTIVATIONS OVER THE LAST NUMBER OF YEARS, AND YOU'LL SEE THAT THEY'RE INCREASING NOT ONLY IN FREQUENCY BUT IN COMPLEXITY AND SCALE, AND LAST YEAR'S IS AN EXAMPLE OF THAT.

DISASTERS ARE EXPENSIVE, THEY'RE DRAMATIC AND DISRUPTIVE, AND EVERYONE INDIVIDUALS, COMMUNITY, GOVERNMENTS, PROVINCIAL AND TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENTS EXPERIENCE LOSS.

I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THIS TREND IS A GLOBAL TREND.

SO GLOBALLY WE'RE SEEING THESE KIND OF EVENTS INCREASING IN SEVERITY, FREQUENCY AND COMPLEXITY.

WE DO HAVE A TERRITORIAL HAZARD IDENTIFICATION RISK ASSESSMENT THAT OUTLINES SOME OF THE HAZARDS THAT NWT COMMUNITIES AND RESIDENTS FACE. WE'VE UPDATED THIS, THIS YEAR.

SO WE ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO GO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND UNDERSTAND HAZARDS.

SO JUST TO SUMMARIZE THE SLIDE THIS HIGHLIGHTS 83 LARGE SCALE EVENTS, 72 OF WHICH HAVE BEEN FLOOD OR WILDFIRE, AND WHAT I WILL SAY HERE IS, WELL, YOU KNOW, AN EVENT MIGHT HAVE OCCURRED, LET'S SAY, IN 2020, 2021, RECOVERY TAKES YEARS. SO YOU CAN IMAGINE THAT THE RECOVERY WHILE THE EVENT MIGHT HAPPEN IN ONE YEAR, RECOVERY EXTENDS SOMETIMES MANY, MANY YEARS.

OKAY, THE NEXT FEW SLIDES ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT LEGISLATION AND POLICY IN THE NWT.

SO I'LL HIGHLIGHT KEY FEATURES OF THE NWT LEGISLATION AS WELL AS SOME OF THE FEDERAL PROGRAMS PERTINENT TO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

SO FIRST WE HAVE THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACT.

IT ESTABLISHES A SYSTEM IN THE NWT FOR EMERGENCIES.

LEAD RESPONSIBILITY IS ASSIGNED TO LOCAL AUTHORITIES.

THIS IS BEST PRACTICE NATIONALLY AND CONSISTENT WITH HOW OTHER PROVINCES AND TERRITORIES ARE STRUCTURED.

THIS IS BECAUSE EMERGENCIES ARE MANAGED FIRST AT THE LOCAL LEVEL BY FIRST RESPONDERS, AND BECAUSE THE LOCAL AUTHORITY OWNS COMMUNITY GOVERNMENT ASSETS AND EMPLOYS AND DIRECT STAFF THAT OPERATE THOSE ASSETS.

LOCAL AUTHORITIES MUST HAVE AN EMERGENCY PLAN AND HAVE A LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION IN PLACE.

SO WE ALSO HAVE A TERRITORIAL EMERGENCY PLAN, THE NWT EMERGENCY PLAN.

IT'S A CABINET APPROVED DOCUMENT, AND IT ARTICULATES HOW THE EMO AND DEPARTMENTS AND CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROVIDERS PARTNER TO

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SOME KEY FEATURES.

IT INCLUDES EIGHT EMERGENCY RESPONSE PRIORITIES THAT GUIDE DECISION MAKING THROUGHOUT ALL EMERGENCY RESPONSES, AND THOSE ARE IN LINE WITH GLOBAL BEST PRACTICE.

SO PRIORITIES LIKE NUMBER ONE IS PROVIDE FOR THIS SAFETY AND HEALTH OF ALL RESPONDERS.

NUMBER TWO IS SAVING LIVES AND SO ON.

SO CONSISTENT PRIORITIES FOR EVERY EVENT.

SO THE ACT ALSO OR SORRY.

THE EMERGENCY PLAN ALSO ESTABLISHES A STRUCTURE AT THE TERRITORIAL LEVEL.

SO IT ARTICULATES HOW THERE IS A REGIONAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION OR REMO.

THERE'S FIVE OF THOSE AND THEN THERE'S A TERRITORIAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION OR TEMO.

IT OUTLINES ACTIVATION LEVELS FOR AND WHAT THEY MEAN.

SO LEVEL ONE MONITORING LEVEL TWO PARTIAL ACTIVATION AND LEVEL THREE FULL ACTIVATION, AND IT ASSIGNS RESPONSIBILITIES.

ALL DEPARTMENTS MAINTAIN THEIR MANDATE, BUT THE PLAN ARTICULATES HOW SPECIFIC ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES THAT DEPARTMENTS ASSUME WHEN THE EMERGENCY PLAN IS ACTIVATED, AND FINALLY, IT ADOPTS THE INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEM AS THE MANAGEMENT TOOL.

IT'S A STANDARDIZED SYSTEM TO UNDERSTAND ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES AND TO ORGANIZE HOW RESPONSE IS CONDUCTED.

SO TRAINING ON THIS SYSTEM IS ESSENTIAL.

OKAY. OKAY, A LITTLE BIT MORE.

I KNOW I SPOKE ABOUT THIS IN THE LAST SLIDE, BUT JUST TO VISUAL, HERE WE HAVE THE LOCAL EMO IS MANAGED BY THE COMMUNITY GOVERNMENTS.

MEMBERSHIP IS DETERMINED BY THE COMMUNITY GOVERNMENTS.

SO BEST PRACTICE IS TO INCLUDE INDIGENOUS GOVERNMENTS, NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS, ETC., AND COMMUNITY GOVERNMENTS HAVE THEIR OWN COMMUNITY EMERGENCY PLANS AT THE REGIONAL LEVEL.

THE REMO'S, THERE'S FIVE ONE IN EACH OF THE REGIONS YOU SEE HERE, AND THERE'S MEMBERSHIP FROM ALL GNWT DEPARTMENTS AND CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROVIDERS SUCH AS NORTHWEST HEALTH.

THEY ARE GUIDED BY THE NWT EMERGENCY PLAN, AND THEN FINALLY WE HAVE THE TERRITORIAL EMO, THE TEMO CHAIRED BY MACA MEMBERSHIP, AGAIN FROM ALL GNWT DEPARTMENTS AND OTHER PARTNERS, CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROVIDERS, ALSO PUBLIC SAFETY CANADA AS WELL, AND WE'RE ALSO GUIDED BY THE NWT EMERGENCY PLAN.

SO ONE KEY POINT THAT I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ABOUT TEMO IS THAT TEMO IS WHERE REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE FROM OTHER JURISDICTIONS IN CANADA ARE COORDINATED AND WHERE REQUESTS FOR FEDERAL ASSISTANCE ARE COORDINATED AS WELL.

OKAY, SO A BIT ABOUT WITHIN MACA, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.

THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIVISION IS THERE TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY GOVERNMENTS WITH THEIR PLANNING AND PREPAREDNESS AND THEIR REQUIREMENT TO UPDATE THEIR COMMUNITY EMERGENCY PLANS ANNUALLY.

WE'VE DEVELOPED TOOLS AND TEMPLATES TO HELP COMMUNITY GOVERNMENTS WITH THEIR PLANS.

ALL OF THESE TOOLS ARE HOSTED ON AN ONLINE WHAT WE CALL THE EMO PORTAL, AND SO WE HAVE GRANTED ACCESS TO ALL COMMUNITY GOVERNMENTS. SO THAT ALL OF THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE FOR THEM ARE LOCATED IN ONE ONE SPOT FOR EASY ACCESS.

WE ALSO OFFER WORKSHOPS AND TABLETOP EXERCISES TO HELP COMMUNITIES DEVELOP, UPDATE OR VALIDATE THEIR EMERGENCY PLANS, AND SO THESE WORKSHOPS ARE AVAILABLE ON, REQUESTS PENDING OUR AVAILABILITY, AND CAN BE ACCESSED THROUGH THE REGIONAL MACA OFFICE.

WE ALSO HAVE A VIDEO SERIES ONLINE TO HELP EDUCATE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS, BUT ALSO THE PUBLIC.

SO THAT'S ON OUR PUBLIC FACING WEBSITE.

[00:15:03]

SO IT'S ESTABLISHED UNDER BY THE LOCAL AUTHORITY, AND FOR YELLOWKNIFE, IT'S BY BYLAW.

YOU KNOW, THE LOCAL EMO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING EMERGENCY PLANS WHEN AN EVENT OCCURS AND TO SUBMIT AN ANNUAL UPDATE TO GNWT, AND RESPONSIBLE FOR COORDINATING ALL ASSOCIATED ACTIVITIES AND PROVIDING GUIDANCE AND PREPAREDNESS INFORMATION TO RESIDENTS AS WELL.

SOME OF THAT GOOD PERSONAL PREPAREDNESS INFORMATION, AND THEN AGAIN, I SPOKE TO THIS EARLIER, BUT THE MEMBERSHIP IS DETERMINED BY THE LOCAL AUTHORITY AND IT TYPICALLY INCLUDES CITY OR, SORRY, COMMUNITY GOVERNMENT STAFF AS WELL AS CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROVIDERS, RCMP HEALTH, INDIGENOUS GOVERNMENTS AND NGOS.

IT'S BECAUSE THESE ORGANIZATIONS HAVE RESOURCES AND, AND CAN CONTRIBUTE THESE RESOURCES TO A RESPONSE, AND THEN ANY OTHER ORGANIZATION THAT MIGHT HAVE A ROLE OR OTHER RESOURCES TO CONTRIBUTE THAT ISN'T LISTED HERE.

OKAY. JUST TOUCHING ON DISASTER ASSISTANCE.

WE HAVE A DISASTER ASSISTANCE POLICY.

THIS IS AN EXECUTIVE COUNCIL POLICY, AND ONLY CABINET CAN IMPROVE WHEN IT'S APPLIED TO AN EVENT.

SO IT HAS BEEN APPLIED TO THE 2023 WILDFIRE SEASON, AS WELL AS THE 2022 FLOODING THAT WE HAD IN SOUTH SLAVE AND THE 2021 FLOOD SEASON AS WELL.

IT'S A PROGRAM OF LAST RESORT, SO IT'S NOT AN INSURANCE PROGRAM OR A COMPENSATION PROGRAM.

IT ASSISTS IN RESTORING TO PRE DISASTER CONDITION ONLY AND PROVIDES FOR ESSENTIAL ITEMS ONLY.

ELIGIBILITY MUST BE ESTABLISHED.

SO INSURANCE IS KEY.

OVERLAND FLOODING INSURANCE, FOR EXAMPLE, IS NOT READILY AVAILABLE, BUT FIRE INSURANCE IS.

THE DAP MIRRORS THE FEDERAL DISASTER FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE ARRANGEMENTS WHICH PTS CAN APPLY TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR REIMBURSEMENT THROUGH THAT PROGRAM.

I'LL JUST MOVE FORWARD.

SO I TOUCHED A LITTLE BIT ON THE DFAA, BUT THESE THERE'S TWO DISTINCT FEDERAL PROGRAMS. ONE IS APPLICABLE ON RESERVE, ONE IS APPLICABLE OFF RESERVE.

SO THE EMAP IS APPLICABLE ON RESERVE.

I'LL FOCUS ON THE DFAA IN THIS INSTANCE.

YOU KNOW, YOU WOULD NOT GET FULL REIMBURSEMENT.

IT'S DETERMINED ON A SLIDING SCALE.

IT'S TYPICALLY NO MORE THAN 90%, BUT COULD BE LESS, AND MACA ADMINISTERS ON BEHALF OF THE GNWT AND WE WORK WITH PUBLIC SAFETY CANADA DIRECTLY FOR THIS PROGRAM.

OKAY. OKAY.

A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME MYTHS AND MISCONCEPTIONS.

EVERYTHING IS AN EMERGENCY.

SO SCALE IS VERY IMPORTANT IN THE CONTEXT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

YOU KNOW, PERSONAL EMERGENCIES AND EMERGENCIES HANDLED BY FIRST RESPONDERS ARE NOT THE KIND OF EMERGENCIES WE'RE REFERRING TO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

THIS IS WHY SCALE IS VERY IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN THINKING ABOUT WHAT IS AN EMERGENCY IN THIS CONTEXT.

TIMELINES ARE ALSO IMPORTANT.

EMO EMERGENCY EVENTS ARE TYPICALLY HAVE A BEGINNING AND AN END, AND LIKE IT'S NOT A STEADY STATE.

IT'S AN EVENT OCCURS AND THEN IT PASSES.

THE NEXT ONE EMO IS RESPONSIBLE ALL THE TIME.

YOU'LL RECALL THE SLIDE WITH THE TRIANGLE.

MOST EVENTS ARE ACTUALLY HANDLED AT THE INDIVIDUAL LEVEL AND THE COMMUNITY GOVERNMENT LEVEL, AND THIS IS STANDARD ACROSS CANADA

[00:20:05]

ANOTHER MYTH THE GNWT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR COMMUNITY GOVERNMENTS AND INDIVIDUALS.

WHILE WE OUR ROLE IS TO SUPPORT AND WHILE WE WORK HAND IN HAND WITH COMMUNITY GOVERNMENTS TO SUPPORT THEM IN THEIR PLANNING.

WE DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY OVER COMMUNITY GOVERNMENT EMERGENCY PLANS.

ANOTHER MYTH AND MISCONCEPTION IS THAT WE CAN SIMPLY CALL THE MILITARY OR THE RED CROSS.

WE HEAR THAT QUITE OFTEN, AND FOR THE VAST MAJORITY OF EMERGENCY EVENTS IN THE NWT, COMMUNITY GOVERNMENTS AND THE NWT HAVE CAPACITY, AND DON'T REQUIRE ASSISTANCE.

THERE'S VERY SPECIFIC CRITERIA THAT TO ALLOW US TO REQUEST ASSISTANCE FROM THAT NEXT LEVEL, AND THAT MUST BE IN PLACE PRIOR TO MAKING A REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE FROM CANADA.

YOU KNOW, INCLUDING WE HAVE TO DEMONSTRATE PROOF THAT WE'VE EXHAUSTED OUR CAPACITY WITHIN THE TERRITORY.

ANOTHER MYTH IS THAT DECLARING A STATE OF LOCAL EMERGENCY IS TIED TO FUNDING.

I'LL BE CLEAR THAT THERE IS NO POT OF RESPONSE MONEY THAT THE GNWT HOLDS.

ACCESS TO FUNDING IS NOT TIED TO STATES OF LOCAL EMERGENCY.

OUR FUNDING MECHANISM IS THE DISASTER ASSISTANCE POLICY.

SO THAT'S THE MECHANISM TO LOOK AT WITH REGARDS TO FUNDING, AND THEN FINALLY OTHER JURISDICTIONS OFFER MORE SUPPORT.

SO ALL JURISDICTIONS PROVIDE RESIDENTS AND EVACUEES WITH ACCESS TO BASIC SHELTER AND FOOD.

SOME OTHER JURISDICTIONS ALSO OFFER A ONE TIME STIPEND, AND IN TOTALITY, THE SUPPORTS PROVIDED BY GNWT ARE IN LINE WITH SUPPORTS FROM OTHER EMOS ACROSS CANADA, AND ON THE RECOVERY SIDE, THE GNWT'S DISASTER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE MOST THE HIGHEST IN THE COUNTRY.

SO WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN FOR COMMUNITY COUNCILS? WELL, WE'VE PROVIDED ACCESS TO A COMMUNITY EMERGENCY PLAN TEMPLATE ON THAT EMO PORTAL THAT I REFERRED TO EARLIER.

IT'S UP TO THE COMMUNITY TO ESTABLISH A LOCAL EMO AND DETERMINE MEMBERSHIP TO DEVELOP AN EMERGENCY PLAN.

I'VE LISTED OFF HERE SOME OF THE KEY FEATURES IMPORTANT TO HAVE IN AN EMERGENCY PLAN, AND OF COURSE WE PROVIDED TEMPLATES FOR ALL OF THESE KEY FEATURES, AND WHILE WE PROVIDED TOOLS AND TEMPLATES LOCAL EMO'S ARE ENCOURAGED TO TAILOR THEIR COMMUNITY EMERGENCY PLANS TO THEIR OWN NEEDS.

EACH COMMUNITY IS DIFFERENT AND EACH CIRCUMSTANCE OF ALL COMMUNITIES IS DIFFERENT.

SO DEFINITELY TAILORING THEM TO THEIR OWN NEEDS AND THE UNIQUE HAZARDS THAT THEY MIGHT THAT THEY MAY FACE.

SO IN CONCLUSION, I JUST PUT UP HERE SOME OF THE SUPPORTS THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO HELP COMMUNITIES WITH THEIR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS. SO HERE'S A LIST, AND I THINK WITH THAT, THAT'LL CONCLUDE MY PORTION.

I'D LIKE TO THANK MISS KING FOR HER PRESENTATION THERE.

I'LL JUST COMPOUND ON SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT WERE DISCUSSED.

SPECIFICALLY THAT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY.

WE SPEND QUITE A BIT OF TIME HAVING CONVERSATIONS AND COLLABORATING WITH OUR PARTNERS AT MACA TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE FALLING WITHIN SOME OF THE GUIDELINES AND DEFINITIONS THAT WERE PRESENTED.

AS NOTED FROM MISS KING'S PRESENTATION JUST THROUGH THE RESPONSIBILITY LEVELS OF RESPONSIBILITIES, WE DO RELY ON OUR RESIDENTS TO TAKE THEIR OWN

[00:25:05]

WE ARE THERE, OF COURSE, AS A COMMUNITY TO PROVIDE THAT SUPPORT TO THE RESIDENTS, AND THEN WHEN OUR RESOURCES BECOME OVERWHELMED, THAT'S WHERE WE SEEK TO ENGAGE MACA TO SUPPORT US.

WE DO ALIGN WITH MACA ON QUITE A FEW OF THE ITEMS THAT YOU KNOW, MISS KING PRESENTED OUR COMMUNITY HAZARD IDENTIFICATION AND RISK ASSESSMENT PROCESS OUR HAZARD SPECIFIC PLANS, IN PARTICULAR, THE ONES THAT CURRENTLY EXIST FOR WILDFIRE AND POWER OUTAGES.

WE DO HAVE AN ESSENTIAL CONTINUITY SERVICE CONTINUITY PLAN THAT OUTLINES WHAT? HOW WE KEEP OUR SERVICES RUNNING, THE REDUNDANCIES WE HAVE IN PLACE, AND THE DUPLICATIONS AND BACKUPS THAT WE HAVE.

SO SHOULD ONE PORTION OF OUR SERVICE BE IMPACTED IN AN AREA, THEN WE CAN EASILY TRANSFER OVER INTO ANOTHER AREA.

OUR PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS PLAN.

WE DO HAVE INFORMATION THAT WE CURRENTLY PROVIDE, AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN A SECOND, AND THEN RESOURCE LISTS WE DO MAINTAIN RESOURCE LISTS FOR THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE IN PARTICULAR. SO SOME OF OUR.

SORRY. SOME OF OUR PROGRAM OBJECTIVES THAT WE'RE TAKING ON THIS YEAR FOR, FOR 2024 AS MISS KING HAD POINTED OUT, WE DO HAVE A LOT OF COLLABORATION WITH MACA ON THAT.

THEY DO PROVIDE A COMMUNITY EXCUSE ME, COMMUNITY EMERGENCY PLAN TEMPLATE.

SO WE ARE USING THAT TEMPLATE, APPLYING IT TO HOW WE MANAGE EMERGENCIES FROM A COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVE IN YELLOWKNIFE, AND WE'RE FOCUSING ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW PLAN FOR THE CITY.

TRAINING AND EXERCISE PLAN.

YOU'VE HEARD HER TALK ABOUT SUPPORT THAT MACA PROVIDES.

WE'RE ENGAGING WITH THIS SUPPORT THIS YEAR.

WE HAVE INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEM AS THE MANAGEMENT TOOL FOR DEALING WITH COMMUNITY EMERGENCIES AND DISASTERS.

SO WE HAVE A MULTIPLE OF OUR STAFF BEING THIS TRAINING BEING ENFORCED WITH THEM OR REINFORCE WITH THEM, I SHOULD SAY EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER IS ANOTHER PARTICULAR TRAINING AREA WE'RE LOOKING TO IMPROVE ON THIS YEAR, AND THEN WHEN THOSE SKILLS ARE OBTAINED, WE'RE LOOKING TO EXERCISE THAT THROUGH WORKSHOPS FACILITATED THROUGH MACA TO VALIDATE OUR PLAN.

OUR COMMUNICATIONS PLAN.

MISS THISTLE AND HER TEAM IN COMMUNICATIONS HAVE DONE TREMENDOUS WORK THIS YEAR.

I CAN'T SPEAK HIGHLY ENOUGH OF THEM TO IMPROVE THE INFORMATION THAT IS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE AND IMPROVE UPON THAT AND MAKE IT READILY AND MORE EASILY ACCESSIBLE TO STAFF OR SORRY TO RESIDENTS, TO STAFF AS WELL, I GUESS WHEN NEED BE.

WE FOUND THAT THERE WAS SOME BARRIERS TO ACCESSING THAT INFORMATION IN A TIMELY FASHION.

SO WE SEEK TO IMPROVE THAT FOR 2024.

ON TOP OF THESE THINGS, WE STILL HAVE QUITE A BIT OF RECOVERY OBJECTIVES.

WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD BACK STRONGER FOR THIS YEAR.

YOU ARE ALL AWARE THAT WE HAVE AN AFTER ACTION ASSESSMENT BEING LED THROUGH AN INDEPENDENT REVIEW BY KPMG AS THE CONTRACTORS. WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT THERE TO LOOK AT WHAT WENT WELL, WHAT CAN BE IMPROVED UPON.

AND THEN WITH THE FINAL REPORT COMING AT THE END OF JUNE, 1ST OF JULY, WE STILL HAVE QUITE A BIT OF RISK MITIGATION WORK GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY.

WE HAVE SLASH PILES VEGETATION REMOVAL THAT WAS CONDUCTED LAST YEAR.

WE STILL NEED TO ADDRESS THOSE PILES AND WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THEM, HOW WE'RE REMOVING THEM, AND THEN AS WE'VE DISCUSSED OR HAD DISCUSSIONS ON WHAT'S OUR LONG TERM PLAN FOR THE FIRE BREAKS AND FUEL BREAKS YOU KNOW, THE NATURAL ASSETS THAT WE HAVE PUT IN THIS YEAR IS NOT A PRIORITY FOR US ONLY BECAUSE THE REGROWTH PERIOD, IT'S NOT MOST OF THOSE OR ALL OF THOSE BREAKS WERE BROUGHT TO MINERAL SOIL.

SO THE REGROWTH PERIOD ON THAT, WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME THAT'LL BE SOMETHING THAT WE'LL SEEK WITH OUR, AND I'LL TALK TO THIS IN THE NEXT SLIDE.

WE'LL SPEAK TO OUR CONTRACTOR ON OUR WILDFIRE PREVENTION PROGRAM, ON HOW WE ADDRESS THESE THINGS AND HOW WE USE THEM MOVING FORWARD INTO THE FUTURE. FINANCIAL IMPACTS.

OUR COMPENSATION IS WINDING UP.

WE'VE HAD COMMUNICATIONS IN THIS FORM BEFORE ABOUT THAT AND HOW WE'RE BEING REIMBURSED FOR THE FUNDS THAT WERE EXPENDED IN 2023.

SO WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OPERATIONAL OBJECTIVES THAT WE'RE WORKING AT?

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WE DID DO SIGNIFICANT VEGETATION MODIFICATION AND REMOVAL LAST YEAR.

SO WE'RE SEEKING TO UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT OR CONTEXT OF HOW MUCH FUEL WAS REMOVED BASED ON OUR PRIORITY AREAS WITHIN THE CITY, WHAT'S REMAINING AND WHAT'S NOW THE RISK ASSOCIATION WITH THOSE PRIORITY AREAS THAT ARE REMAINING OUR WILDFIRE PRE-PLAN, OR IS OUR OPERATIONAL GUIDELINES FOR ACTIONS AND MOBILIZATION OF OUR RESOURCES AND EQUIPMENT.

SO THAT'S MORE OF AN INTERNAL APPROACH OF WHEN WE'RE FORCED WITH A HAZARD IN AREA X.

HOW DO WE APPLY RESOURCE Y TO MITIGATE THAT HAZARD.

OUR ESSENTIAL SERVICE CONTRACTS IS A PIECE WE'RE WORKING ON.

AS YOU ARE AWARE, LAST YEAR WHEN, YOU KNOW A COMMUNITY EVACUATES WHO IS LEFT IN THE COMMUNITY TO PROVIDE SERVICES FOR THE FIRST RESPONDERS IN THAT, HOW DO WE MAINTAIN OUR CRITICAL SERVICE? HOW DO WE MAINTAIN OUR SERVICES THAT ARE REQUIRED AT A COMMUNITY OR CITY LEVEL? WE STILL NEED TO MAINTAIN WATER, SEWAGE, WE STILL NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE GARBAGE IS REMOVED SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY ENCROACHMENT OF ANIMALS AND THAT INTO THE COMMUNITY. OUR EVACUATION FRAMEWORK.

THE IMPLEMENTATION REQUIREMENTS WERE REEVALUATING THAT WHOLE PROGRAM.

THAT'S IN PART, IN PART WITH SOME OF THE PERSONAL PREPAREDNESS AND SOME OF THE COMMUNICATIONS CONNECTION WITH OUR LOCAL PARTNERS.

SO AS MISS KING REFERRED TO AS PART OF A LEMO, WE HAVE A BYLAW THAT IDENTIFIES WHO OUR LEMO MEMBERSHIP IS, BUT WE RECOGNIZE THAT AS A MUNICIPALITY, AS A COMMUNITY, WE NEED TO SEEK LARGER ENGAGEMENT.

LAST YEAR WE HAD DURING THE DURING THE EMERGENCY AND THE EVACUATION, WE HAD SEVERAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS, EVERYTHING FROM CRITICAL SERVICE PROVIDERS TELCO POWER UTILITY RATE DOWN TO SPCA AND OTHER COMPONENTS THAT DELIVERED SERVICES TO US.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO ESTABLISH THOSE CONNECTIONS WITH OUR LOCAL PARTNERS, AND THEN AS I SPOKE TO A LOT OF THE INTERNAL PREPARATIONS THAT WE'RE DOING, TRAINING AND EXERCISING WE'RE UPDATING OUR WILDFIRE SMOKE PROCEDURES FOR NOT ONLY FOR OUR INTERNAL STAFF, BUT ALSO FOR THE COMMUNITY, AND THEN PREPARING TO HAVE OUR CITY FACILITIES SET UP SO THAT THERE'S BETTER AIR QUALITY IN THOSE, NOT ONLY FOR OUR STAFF, BUT SHOULD WE NEED TO OPEN UP A SITE TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO GET OUT OF YOU KNOW WILDFIRE SMOKE AND INTO A BETTER AIR ENVIRONMENT THAN THEY WOULD NORMALLY HAVE AVAILABLE TO THEM.

SO SOME RECENT IMPACTS WE'VE HAD TO SOME OF THESE OBJECTIVES IS COMMUNITY HOSTING.

SO THAT IS WHEN YELLOWKNIFE IS THE HOST OR RECEIVING COMMUNITY TO OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT ARE EVACUATED.

SO THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, AS MISS KING EXPLAINED, HAS LEMO'S NEED TO FULLY EXHAUST OUR RESOURCES PRIOR TO ASKING FOR ASSISTANCE? THIS WAS RECENTLY REITERATED IN A MEMO FROM THE MINISTER OF MACA THAT WAS SENT OUT TO ALL COMMUNITY GOVERNMENTS.

HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES ASSOCIATION HAS HISTORICALLY SUPPORTED YELLOWKNIFE WITH HOSTING THEY HAVE RECENTLY IDENTIFIED THAT THEY HAVE CAPACITY ISSUES MOVING FORWARD INTO THIS YEAR.

SO WE'RE EXPLORING THAT AND WE'RE SEEKING TO SEE HOW WE CAN MOVE FORWARD IN COOPERATION WITH HSSA.

WE DO NOT HAVE THE CITY STAFF TO IDENTIFY TO FULLY RUN A HOSTING ARRANGEMENT, SHOULD IT THE CITY FEEL THE FULL BURDEN OF THAT. SO WE'RE REACHING OUT AND TRYING TO ENGAGE TO SEE HOW WE CAN MOVE FORWARD.

THERE'S QUITE A FEW REQUIREMENTS FOR RUNNING A EMERGENCY SOCIAL SERVICES PROGRAM.

WE NEED TO RESEARCH, ENGAGE, LIAISE, TRAIN AND RESOURCE FOR A BROADER COMMUNITY SUPPORT.

THERE IS A LOT OF REQUIREMENTS IN THAT WHOLE PROCESS, WHICH LIMITS OUR CAPACITY TO BE ABLE TO TAKE THAT ON FULLY AS THE COMMUNITY CURRENTLY.

A COUPLE OF OTHER IMPACTS.

MISS KING SPOKE TO THE RECENTLY UPDATED NWT HAZARD IDENTIFICATION AND RISK ASSOCIATION OR RISK ASSESSMENT THE HIRA.

SO WE HAD ACTUALLY FINISHED THAT PORTION OF OUR COMMUNITY PLAN WHEN THEY RELEASED THE HIRA.

SO NOW WE HAVE TO GO BACK AND REWORK SOME OF THE NUANCES IN THE TERMINOLOGY AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO WELL, IT'S GREAT THAT THEY'VE UPDATED THEIR HIRA AND FROM A COMMUNITY'S PERSPECTIVE, WE LOVE THAT.

IT'S ALSO CAUSED US TO SLOW DOWN IN THE PROCESS AND KIND OF BACKTRACK A LITTLE, AND THEN, AS YOU'RE WELL AWARE, FROM THE COMMUNICATIONS AND WE'VE

[00:35:07]

IT HAS THE FACILITIES.

IT HAS THE RELATIVE PROTECTIVENESS FROM NOT HAVING LARGE FUEL SOURCES WILDLAND FUELS AROUND THEM. SO THAT IS WHAT OUR MODEL IF WE DON'T HAVE AND IT'S ALSO BASED ON HSSA PROVIDING THE HOSTING COMPONENT.

SO IF WE DON'T HAVE THE HOSTING COMPONENT WE NEED TO EXPLORE MORE WHAT THIS FRAMEWORK LOOKS LIKE IN ABSENCE OF HAVING A CERTIFIED PEOPLE TO HELP RUN THE FACILITIES, AND I WILL CONCLUDE MY PRESENTATION THERE.

ONCE AGAIN, THANKS TO REPRESENTATIVES FOR MACA FOR BEING HERE TODAY OUT OF THEIR BUSY SCHEDULE, AND WE'LL TAKE QUESTIONS SHOULD COUNCIL HAVE ANY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE PRESENTERS ON THIS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TOPIC, NOT ONLY TO US, BUT TO THIS COMMUNITY.

ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR? COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION.

I HAD A QUESTION FOR MISS KING OR A FEW QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

TO YOURSELF AND ALL GNWT STAFF FOR ALL YOUR WORK LAST SUMMER.

I CAN'T IMAGINE HOW DIFFICULT IT MUST HAVE BEEN, AND THANK YOU AS WELL FOR ASSISTANCE IN UPDATING THE COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLAN.

YEAH, BIG STEPS THERE.

DOES THE GNWT HAVE SORT OF A ENVIRONMENTAL SORT OF LOOK AHEAD TO 2024? WHAT IS SORT OF THE RISK LEVEL THAT GNWT IS LOOKING AT IN TERMS OF WILDFIRES? YOU KNOW, I WOULD HAVE TO DEFER TO THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE ON THAT ONE.

YEAH, AND THAT MAKES SENSE.

HAS THERE BEEN ANY TABLETOP EXERCISES WITH REGARDS TO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND WILDFIRE RESPONSES IN PREPARATION FOR THE 2024 WILDFIRE SEASON? YEAH, INTERNAL TO GNWT? INTERNAL TO GNWT OR WITH THE CITY OR WITH ANY COMMUNITY GOVERNMENT.

INDIGENOUS GOVERNMENT? YEAH. YEAH, DEFINITELY.

MACA HAS REQUESTED I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBERS OR THE LOCATIONS, BUT MACA HAS FACILITATED SOME TABLETOP EXERCISES WITH REQUESTING COMMUNITY GOVERNMENTS.

SO THAT'S ONGOING.

I THINK WE HAVE A FEW MORE PLANNED AS WELL.

I CAN'T SPEAK FOR OTHER DEPARTMENTS, BUT, AND IS THERE ONE PLANNED OR HAS THERE BEEN ANY WITH THE CITY AND THE GNWT TOGETHER? I BELIEVE THAT'S YEAH.

YEAH, THANKS FOR THE QUESTION, COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN.

YEAH, WE HAVE A REQUEST IN WITH MACA TO PROVIDE A TABLETOP.

ONCE WE FINISH OUR EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER TRAINING IN APRIL.

SO WE'RE HOPING TOWARDS THE END OF APRIL.

MACA WILL FACILITATE THAT FOR US.

THANKS. AWESOME.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

OUR INDIGENOUS GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES, MEMBERS OF THE REGIONAL EMOS, OR TEMO.

NOT ON TEMO.

SOME OF THE REGIONAL EMOS DO HAVE INDIGENOUS GOVERNMENT REPS.

OKAY. DOES THE GNWT HAVE ANY CONCRETE PLAN TO ASSIST THE CITY TO SHELTER RESIDENTS FROM OTHER NWT COMMUNITIES? SHOULD IT BE NECESSARY THIS SPRING OR.

JUST TO CLARIFY, ARE YOU ASKING ABOUT PLANS TO HOST YELLOWKNIFE RESIDENTS SHOULD THERE BE AN EVACUATION.

SORRY, CAN YOU CLARIFY? NO, PLANS LIKE HAY RIVER, SMITH, KAKISA SIMPSON, ANY COMMUNITY THAT WOULD HAVE TO DRIVE TO YELLOWKNIFE, YEAH, SHOULD THAT BE NECESSARY. OH, YEAH SO PART OF THE NWT EMERGENCY PLAN OUTLINES NORMALLY WHICH COMMUNITIES WITHIN THE NWT WOULD HOST, WHICH UNDERSTANDABLY IT DOESN'T ALWAYS FOLLOW THAT BECAUSE, FOR EXAMPLE IN 2021, YELLOWKNIFE WAS GOING TO BE THE HOST COMMUNITY FOR FORT SIMPSON, BUT AT THE TIME THERE WAS AN OUTBREAK OF COVID AND SO THEY COULDN'T.

SO WE HAD TO SWITCH GEARS AND HOST IN THE SOUTH SLAVE INSTEAD.

SO, YEAH YELLOWKNIFE STILL REMAINS AN IDENTIFIED HOST COMMUNITY FOR OTHER GOVERNMENTS.

YEAH, AND IS THERE ANY SORT OF CONCRETE OPTION IS INTERESTING TO HEAR ABOUT HSSA MAYBE HAVING CAPACITY ISSUES,

[00:40:04]

YEAH. YEAH, MORE FUNDING WOULD BE AWESOME, AND DOES THE GNWT HAVE ANY CONCRETE PLAN TO ASSIST THE CITY IN EVACUATING IF NECESSARY, WITH PARTICULAR FOCUS TO VULNERABLE POPULATIONS? YEAH, AS AS ALWAYS, IF THE IF WE GET A REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE FROM THE CITY WITH REGARDS TO EITHER HOSTING OR EVACUATION, WE'RE PREPARED TO ASSIST, AND I WILL MENTION BECAUSE YOU MENTIONED FUNDING.

WE CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR PREPAREDNESS FUNDING WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

SO WE ARE DEFINITELY IN LINE ON THAT.

AWESOME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND THANKS AGAIN FOR ALL YOUR WORK.

I THANK YOU. COUNCILLOR WARBURTON.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

THAT WAS EXCELLENT.

I'VE GOT TO BE HONEST, IT FEELS LIKE THE 11TH HOUR THAT WE'RE GETTING THIS HSS CAN NO LONGER HELP US HOST.

WE'RE TWO OR THREE MONTHS OUT FROM FIRE SEASON.

JUST MAYBE KIND OF FROM EITHER SIDE THERE.

DO WE SEE THIS KIND OF HAVING SOME KIND OF SOLUTION OR RESOLUTION BY THE TIME WE HIT FIRE SEASON ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO STAFF AT AN EVAC CENTER.

YEAH. I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY.

THE MESSAGE IS NOT THAT THE HEALTH AUTHORITY CANNOT HELP HOST.

THAT'S NOT THE MESSAGE.

THE HEALTH AUTHORITY CAN STILL COME TO AID IN GNWT IN GENERAL CAN COME TO AID IF THE CITY REQUESTS ASSISTANCE WITH HOSTING.

IT'S TRYING TO BUILD CAPACITY AT THE CITY LEVEL TO BRING THAT THRESHOLD UP.

THAT MAKES SENSE.

THANKS, AND MAYBE FOR MCLENNAN.

WE HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, YET WE'RE STILL WORKING ON IT.

WE HAVE UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT AN EMERGENCY SOCIAL SERVICE PROGRAM LOOKS LIKE.

WE KNOW THE PROGRAM AREAS.

HSSA TAKES ON MANY COMPONENTS IN THAT SERVICE.

WHEN WE DO THAT, THEY TEND TO HAVE TO LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF RESOURCES.

THEN WITH CHILD CARE SERVICES OR IN-HOUSE MEDICINE OR FAMILY SUPPORT PROGRAMS THAT THEY RUN, AND THEY HAVE TO SHUT THOSE SERVICES DOWN. SO WHAT THE IDEAL SOLUTION WOULD BE IS WE WOULD KEEP THOSE INDIVIDUALS IN THEIR LANEWAY PROVIDING MENTAL HEALTH AND PHYSICAL SUPPORT SERVICES. WE DON'T NEED TRAINED MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS FILLING OUT CHECK IN PAPERWORK AND PROVIDING VOUCHERS AND HANDING OUT BRACELETS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. WE NEED TO KEEP THEM IN THEIR LANEWAY TO WHAT THEIR SPECIFIC SET OF EXPERTISE IS.

AWESOME, AND THEN I HEAR A LOT OF THE PLANNING IS AROUND.

ONCE YOU EXCEED CAPACITY AND GO UP TO THE NEXT LEVEL.

JUST TO BE CLEAR, THAT IS THAT CURRENTLY WELL DEFINED ON WHEN WE EXCEED OUR CAPACITY IN ANY GIVEN METRIC.

SO I GUESS THE BEST ANSWER IS THAT DEPENDS, BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, EMERGENCIES AREN'T STATIC EVENTS THAT PLAY OUT WITH YOU KNOW, THERE'S EXPECTED THINGS THAT CAN COME OUT OF VARIOUS DIFFERENT TYPES OF EMERGENCIES, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS DIFFERENT IMPACTS THAT COME WITH ANY TYPE OF EVENT THAT WE DEAL WITH.

SO TO SAY THAT WE HAVE AN ALL ENCOMPASSING IF X THEN Y PROCESS, I WOULD SAY NO, BUT THERE IS WELL-ROUNDED GUIDELINES THAT PROVIDE DIRECTION OR A COURSE OF ACTION SHOULD A CERTAIN SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES OCCUR, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.

THAT'S VERY HELPFUL. YEAH. BACK TO THE FUNDING PART.

MORE OF A MACA QUESTION.

DO YOU ANTICIPATE ANY FURTHER CONVERSATIONS AROUND ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO COMMUNITIES? BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT INCREASED CAPACITY, BUT I'M NOT HEARING ANYTHING ABOUT INCREASING FUNDING.

YEAH. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHARE.

DEFINITE NEED FOR PREPAREDNESS, FUNDING THROUGHOUT GNWT AS WELL AS COMMUNITY GOVERNMENT.

SO AT THIS POINT, WE CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR THAT WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

ALL RIGHT, LET ME TAKE BACK THAT. I WASN'T ASKING THE FEDS.

I WAS ASKING, BUT WE CAN COME BACK TO THAT LATER.

MORE FOR MR. MCLEAN.

CENTRAL SERVICE CONTRACTS.

ANTICIPATE THOSE BEING IN PLACE BY THE TIME WE HIT FIRE SEASON.

IF THERE IS A NEED FOR SINGLE SERVICE CONTRACTS, I CANNOT SPEAK FROM THE PROCUREMENT ANGLE IF THEY WOULD BE IN PLACE OR NOT.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CAPACITY THEY HAVE FOR THAT.

WE'RE SEEKING MORE GENERALLY IN THAT I GUESS, UNLESS SPECIFICS.

[00:45:09]

SO THIS IS WORK THAT WE'RE UNDERTAKING RIGHT NOW TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHO IS AVAILABLE, SHOULD WE NEED TO HAVE THOSE EMERGENCY SERVICES IN PLACE.

WE KNOW THERE'S THE BEST OF INTEREST AND PEOPLE AND PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICULARLY WANT TO STEP UP, BUT WE NEED TO SECURE THESE, AND SO WE'RE IN THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW OF DOING SO.

IF I CAN SPEAK AS WELL, TO YOUR POINT, COUNCILLOR WARBURTON, IT'S A GREAT QUESTION IN TERMS OF THE PREPAREDNESS, AND WE DO SEEK TO WORK WITH MACA ON THIS BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND THERE ARE SOME POTENTIAL CHANGES COMING TO THE EMERGENCY PLAN AT THE GNWT LEVEL AT THIS TIME.

WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT HOW THAT'S ARTICULATED AND IF THERE ARE CHANGES COMING IN TERMS OF THE EXPECTATIONS OF COMMUNITIES, THE POINT OF 11TH HOUR IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

WE HAVE LOOKED AT OTHER EXAMPLES.

FOR EXAMPLE, NBC THERE IS SUPPORT GIVEN TO COMMUNITY GOVERNMENTS TO TAKE ON SOME OF THESE RESPONSIBILITIES.

SO WE'RE NOT AVERSE TO TAKING THOSE ON, BUT HAVING A PLANNED AND VERY LAID OUT APPROACH FOR HOW THAT'S HAPPENS, IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD SEE AS BEING VERY VALUABLE AND NOT JUST AS QUICK CHANGE AS OF APRIL.

THAT MEANS POTENTIALLY IN MAY WHEN THE FIRE SEASON STARTS, THAT IF WE ARE ASKED TO HOST AN EVACUATION CENTER, THAT WE'RE PUT IN A POSITION OF BEING ASKED TO DO MORE WITHOUT THE SUPPORT, RESOURCES OR TRAINING INVOLVED? THANK YOU. LAST QUESTION.

I KNOW A BIT OF THE ISSUE IS CONTRACTORS WANTING TO HELP LAST YEAR, BUT FOR VARIOUS REASONS THEY'RE CONTRACTUALLY LOCKED IN.

IS THIS PART OF THAT CENTRAL SERVICE CONTRACT TO KIND OF TRY TO ADDRESS THAT AT ALL? BECAUSE I KNOW THAT'S A BIT OF A LEGAL ISSUE, BUT.

MS. BASSI-KELLETT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. CHAIR. SO LAST YEAR WE DID HAVE A NUMBER OF CONTRACTORS, PRIVATE SECTOR CONTRACTORS IN HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATING FACILITIES, MANY WORKING FOR GIANT FOR THE REMEDIATION PROJECT, OTHERS THAT WERE VERY HELPFUL TO US FROM OTHER PRIVATE SECTOR PROVIDERS, AND WHAT THEY HAD SAID IS THAT THEY ARE UNABLE TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO US UNTIL THERE IS A STATE OF LOCAL EMERGENCY.

ONCE THE STATE OF LOCAL EMERGENCY IS DECLARED, THEY HAVE THE CAPACITY THEN TO SAY, WE'RE PRESSING PAUSE ON OUR REGULAR CONTRACTS.

THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT.

THEY CANNOT DO THAT UNTIL THERE IS A STATE OF LOCAL EMERGENCY.

THEY'VE GOT COMMITMENTS TO MEET WITH THEIR THEIR CLIENTS THAT THEY NEED TO HONOR, AND SO WHEN THE STATE OF LOCAL EMERGENCY IS DECLARED, ALL BETS ARE OFF, AND IT IS A DIFFERENT REALITY THEN THANK YOU, THANK YOU AND THANK YOU, EVERYONE FOR THE PRESENTATIONS.

THANK YOU, COUNCILLOR WARBURTON.

ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR? COUNCILLOR HENDRICKSEN.

THANKS VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES TOO, FOR SNAGGING THE MAJORITY OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAD NOTED.

THAT'S MUCH HANDIER AND MORE EFFICIENT.

IF I GUESS THIS IS MR. MCLEAN. PROBABLY. IF A COMMUNITY GOVERNMENT STATES THAT THEY'VE EXHAUSTED THEIR RESOURCES, IS THAT EVER CHALLENGED BY THE COMMUNITY GOVERNMENT BASED ON THOSE FLUID METRICS THAT YOU DESCRIBED? NOT, IN MY EXPERIENCE, IN THE.

ALMOST TWO YEARS IN THIS POSITION.

NO. PERFECT.

THAT'S THE ANSWER I WAS HOPING FOR.

IT ALWAYS MAKES ME NERVOUS WHEN I HEAR ABOUT FLUID METRICS AND SORT OF MOVING TARGETS, BUT THAT'S GOOD TO HEAR.

I GUESS THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS FOR MISS KING, IT WAS STATED THAT AN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLAN IS REQUIRED TO BE SUBMITTED ANNUALLY.

SO WHAT DOES THE GNWT DO TO MAKE SURE THOSE PLANS ARE SUBMITTED ANNUALLY? ARE THERE REPERCUSSIONS FOR COMMUNITIES? IS THERE A TIMELINE WITHIN A YEAR? YOU KNOW, ANNUALLY IS JANUARY 1ST TO DECEMBER 31ST.

SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE WHAT'S THE TIMELINES WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AND WHAT IS THE GNWT DO TO ENFORCE THAT.

YEAH. NO, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

THE ACT DOESN'T STIPULATE KIND OF WHEN OR HOW, BUT WHAT WE DO IS WE REACH OUT TO COMMUNITY GOVERNMENTS REGULARLY AND, YOU KNOW, REQUEST THEIR UPDATED PLANS AND TOUCH BASE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

YEAH.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCILLOR. ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR? MAYOR ALTY, NO? OKAY, PERFECT.

SEEING NONE. THANK YOU AGAIN SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION TODAY.

AS I SAID BEFORE, THIS WAS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT AND I LOOK FORWARD FOR THE CONTINUED SPIRIT OF COLLABORATION THAT I'VE SEEN HERE TODAY.

MOVING ON TO ITEM FIVE, A MEMORANDUM REGARDING WHETHER TO ADOPT THE RECOMMENDATION SET FORTH BY THE GRANT REVIEW COMMITTEE FOR THE AWARDING OF THE

[5. A memorandum regarding whether to adopt the recommendations set forth by the Grant Review Committee for the awarding of the 2024 Grant Funding and consideration for the 2024 ‐ 2026 Multi‐Year Funding Recipients.]

MS. BASSI-KELLETT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. CHAIR. SO THE GRANT REVIEW COMMITTEE HAS MET, AND THEY HAVE REVIEWED AND CONSIDERED ALL OF THE APPLICATIONS FOR 2024 GRANT FUNDING THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED, AND SO RECOMMENDATIONS ON SPENDING, THE FULL ALLOTMENT OF FUNDS AVAILABLE, PLUS THE FUNDS THAT HAVE BEEN HELD IN THE COMMUNITY GRANT RESERVE, HAVE BEEN MADE BY THE COMMITTEE WITH

[00:50:01]

SO ADMINISTRATION IS IN SUPPORT OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO GPC'S DISCUSSION ON THIS.

THANK YOU, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS TOPIC? SEEING NONE. OH.

ALL RIGHT. COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN.

MOSTLY JUST A COMMENT.

JUST THANK THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS.

IT WAS A GOOD DISCUSSION, AND YEAH, AND THANKS TO STAFF FOR PREPARING ALL THE INFORMATION.

IT'S HUNDREDS OF PAGES OF OF INFORMATION, AND SO IT'S NICE TO JUST LOOK THROUGH THAT CLEAN PACKAGE AND THE SUMMARY UP FRONT AND LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT ALL THESE ORGANIZATIONS CAN DO WITH THE MONEY.

THANK YOU. COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN.

ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR? SEEING NONE.

WELL, WE WILL BRING THIS FORWARD, I BELIEVE, TO THE APRIL 8TH, COUNCIL.

ALL RIGHT. MOVING ON TO ITEM SIX, A MEMORANDUM REGARDING WHETHER TO DIRECT ADMINISTRATION TO BRING FORWARD A MEMORANDUM TO A COMMITTEE WITH RESPECT TO

[6. A memorandum regarding whether to direct Administration to bring forward a Memorandum to Committee with respect to changing the name of Franklin (50th) Avenue.]

YOUR PRESENCE ALWAYS ENRICHES US.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. CHAIR. SO THE YELLOWKNIFE STANDING FIRST NATION HAVE ASKED THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE TO CHANGE THE NAME OF FRANKLIN AVENUE, ALSO KNOWN AS 50TH AVENUE, TO CHIEF DRYGEESE AVENUE, RECOGNIZING, OF COURSE, THAT YELLOWKNIFE IS LOCATED IN CHIEF DRYGEESE TERRITORY AND RECOGNIZING, OF COURSE, AGAIN, THAT RECONCILIATION IS A KEY VALUE THAT WE HOLD, AND OF COURSE, WE HAVE BEEN ASKING YELLOWKNIVES DENE IF THEY HAD ANY IDEAS, SUGGESTIONS ON TRADITIONAL PLACE NAMES OR FOR LAKES AND LANDMARKS AND ROADS. WE'RE VERY PLEASED TO SEE THAT WE HAVE GOTTEN THIS SUGGESTION THAT'S COME FROM THE YELLOWKNIFE DENE CHIEFS AND COUNCIL.

THE PROCESS FOR STREET NAMING IS LAID OUT IN THE STREET NAMING PROCEDURE OF THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE, WHICH STATES THAT THE RENAMING OF A SPECIFIC STREET OR PARK SHOULD BE DONE IN EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES WHEN IT WILL IMPROVE THE CITY'S PROVISION OF ESSENTIAL SERVICES OR WHEN IT'S IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST.

SO TODAY, ADMINISTRATION IS BRINGING THIS ISSUE FORWARD TO SEEK GPC AND COUNCIL DIRECTION TO PROCEED WITH THE PROCESS, SEEKING TO RENAME FRANKLIN AVENUE, INCLUDING PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND IDENTIFICATION OF ALL RELATED ISSUES TO OPERATIONALLY IMPLEMENT THIS.

THANK YOU AND THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR? COUNCILLOR HENDRICKSEN.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DEPUTY MAYOR, AND THANKS AGAIN TO COLLEAGUES.

I WILL START OFF BY SAYING I WAS UNABLE TO BE AT THE COUNCIL, THE COUNCIL, BECAUSE I HAD A CONFERENCE IN EDMONTON ON THE DAY.

SO IT'S GREAT TO SEE THIS COME FORWARD, BUT ALSO THAT YOU'RE HERE TODAY, AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL CHAT AFTERWARDS.

I JUST WANT TO START IN THEORY, I AM VERY MUCH ON BOARD WITH THIS IDEA.

THE QUESTIONS ARE COMPLETELY ADMINISTRATIVE, WHICH I WILL FIRE TO ADMIN NOW.

SO AT AT THIS TIME, I GUESS MY QUESTION WOULD BE WHAT DOES IT MEAN? PLAN OR EXPECT TO INCLUDE IN A MEMO REGARDING NAME CHANGE? SO WILL IT HAVE THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PLANS, DISCUSSION ON LOGISTICAL IMPACTS THAT ARE SORT OF DESCRIBED IN THIS MEMO CHALLENGES YOU KNOW, OTHER CHALLENGES THAT MIGHT COME UP, THOSE PRACTICAL ELEMENTS ARE THERE OTHER THINGS THAT AREN'T INCLUDED THAT I'M SAYING I'M JUST TRYING TO GET WRAP MY HEAD AROUND FROM A WORK PLAN PERSPECTIVE, SEEING AS WE DID JUST APPROVE THIS YEAR'S WORK PLAN AND I'M ALWAYS CONSCIOUS OF IF YOU ADD SOMETHING, YOU MUST TAKE IT AWAY.

SO THINKING OF, DO WE PUT IT ON FOR THAT WE TACKLE IT THIS YEAR, OR IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE COMMIT TO NOW AND PUT THE WORK ON FOR 2025 SO THAT WE DO THIS FULSOMELY, I GUESS I JUST WANT TO GET MORE CONTEXT FROM ADMIN ON THAT.

MS. BASSI-KELLETT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION, AND SO CERTAINLY IT SEEMS LIKE A NO BRAINER THAT, GOSH, WE'LL JUST RENAME A STREET ISN'T THAT SIMPLE, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF OPERATIONAL AND LOGISTICAL ISSUES WITH THIS, AND CERTAINLY THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT WILL BE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT FOR US AS WELL.

SO OPERATIONALLY, THERE'S THINGS LIKE OUR EMERGENCY RESPONSE SYSTEM, OF COURSE, 9-1-1 AND OUR OWN PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS.

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT ADDRESSING IS UPDATED, THAT IT'S VERY CLEAR WHAT WE'RE SPEAKING ABOUT WHEN WE DO HAVE A NAME CHANGE ARE ALL OF OUR GIS MAPPING.

WE HAVE ISSUES AS MUNDANE BUT AS IMPORTANT AS THE SIZE OF THE STREET SIGNS THEMSELVES.

CHIEF DRYGEESE AVENUE WOULD BE A LOT BIGGER AND MORE THAN FRANKLIN AVENUE.

TO BE SURE THAT THE STREET SIGNS COULD BE READ FROM A VEHICLE, WE'D NEED TO GO TO A, WE MAY NEED TO GO TO A LARGER SIZE STREET SIGN.

SO THERE'S A NUMBER OF THOSE CONSIDERATIONS THAT WOULD BE THE NEXT STEP IN THE PROCESS, AND SHOULD COUNCIL AND SORRY GPC AND COUNCIL DIRECT US TO PROCEED WITH THIS, WE WOULD COME FORWARD WITH TRADE OFFS IN TERMS OF WHAT ITEMS WE WOULD RECOMMEND BE PUT IN ABEYANCE SO THAT THIS WORK COULD PROCEED THIS YEAR, IF THAT'S THE DIRECTION OF COUNCIL.

THANK YOU. THANKS FOR THAT RESPONSE.

[00:55:03]

DO WE SAY SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES OF, YES, GO AND DO THIS WORK, BUT, YOU KNOW, SORT OF HAVE A MEMO BACK BY EARLY 2025 THAT SORT OF GIVES THE FOLSOM'S BREADTH OF 2024.

WE HAVE A RECONCILIATION ROUNDTABLE COMING UP IN THE SUMMER.

THIS COULD BE MAYBE A TOPIC OF DISCUSSION AS TO PART OF THAT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ELEMENT.

I'M JUST CONSCIOUS OF NOT WANTING TO PUT SOMETHING ON THE WORK PLAN THAT IS SO CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO ONE, OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE YELLOWKNIVES DENE FIRST NATION, BUT ALSO FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND SORT OF MAKING SURE WE DON'T RUSH SOMETHING, THAT WE DO IT PROPERLY, AND WE HAVE THOSE THOSE FULSOME DISCUSSIONS AND ALSO GIVE ADMIN THE TIME, THOSE THOSE TECHNICAL ELEMENTS THAT I NEVER EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT SIZE OF STREET SIGNS WHICH WOULD BE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.

SO I GUESS HEAR WHAT COLLEAGUES HAVE TO SAY ON THAT.

THANK YOU, COUNCILLOR HENDRICKSEN.

COUNCILLOR PAYNE. THANK YOU.

THE FIRST THING THAT I THOUGHT, LIKE, I'M IN SUPPORT OF A RENAMING CAMPAIGN FOR OUR STREETS IN YELLOWKNIFE.

THE THING THAT I THOUGHT ABOUT, LIKE THAT WAS IN THE FRONT OF MY MIND IS THE FACT THAT YELLOWKNIFE IS THE CAPITAL CITY OF THE TERRITORIES AS A WHOLE, AND WE HAVE A LOT OF HISTORIC LEADERS FROM EVERY REGION IN THE NORTH THAT ARE TRULY DESERVING OF HAVING A STREET NAMED AFTER THEM AS WELL. I DON'T KNOW IF WE'VE HAD THAT DISCUSSION AT ALL YET, BUT IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE WILL LOOK AT IN THE FUTURE AS WELL, CONSIDERING THAT WE ARE THE CAPITAL OF THE TERRITORIES? MS. BASSI-KELLETT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

MR. CHAIR, AND THANKS VERY MUCH, COUNCILLOR PAYNE, FOR THE QUESTION.

SO TRADITIONALLY, WHAT OUR PRACTICE HAS BEEN WHEN THERE IS A NEW SUBDIVISION DEVELOPED OR A NEW AREA FOR EXAMPLE, I'LL TAKE THE ANGLE BUSINESS DISTRICT.

THERE WAS A DISCUSSION MADE BY COUNCIL THAT, HEY, LET'S NAME ALL THE STREETS OUT THERE AFTER BIRDS OF PREY, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE SEEN HAPPEN IN THAT AREA.

IF WE WERE TO HAVE SOMEONE COME FORWARD AND SAY, HEY, THERE'S A VERY PROMINENT LEADER WHO HAS FORMED AND SHAPED THE NWT AND THE NEXT STREET WE HAVE TO NAME IS SOME LITTLE CUL DE SAC IN SOME REMOTE PART OF THE CITY THAT MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE AN APPROPRIATE WAY TO DO IT.

SO IF THERE WAS INTEREST IN DOING WHAT COUNCILOR PAYNE SPEAKS ABOUT, THIS WOULD BE A CAMPAIGN OF RENAMING.

I'M THINKING AND THAT WOULD BE A BIG UNDERTAKING FOR US TO TAKE A LOOK AT, TO LOOK AT THOSE LEADERS THAT HAVE HAD A BIG IMPACT ON SHAPING YELLOWKNIFE AND THE NORTH.

IT'S A TERRIFIC IDEA, BUT THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD NEED TO LOOK AT ON A LARGER SCALE TO LOOK AT RENAMING SO THAT WE'RE NOT INADVERTENTLY DISRESPECTING THE LEGACY OF THOSE LEADERS BY NAMING THE STREET TO THE SOLID WASTE FACILITY, FOR EXAMPLE, AFTER SOMEONE NEAR AND DEAR TO OUR HEARTS, I KNOW, BUT PERHAPS, MAYBE NOT SEEN BY EVERYONE AS BEING A RESPECTFUL WAY OF DOING THINGS.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE WOULD NEED TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT IF WE HAD A CAMPAIGN OF NAMING STREETS AFTER A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT LEADERS.

THANK YOU. OKAY.

I'LL JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT.

I JUST WANT TO HEAR WHAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE TO SAY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCILLOR PAYNE.

COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH MR. CHAIR. YEAH.

ALSO SUPPORTIVE OF RENAMING CAMPAIGN ON VARIOUS DIFFERENT THINGS AROUND LAKE STREETS, AND THANK YOU FOR COMING.

YEAH, I THINK COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WOULD BE IMPORTANT, AND DOING THE PROCESS RIGHT.

HEARING FROM ALL PARTIES REALLY LIKE THE IDEA FROM COUNCILLOR HENDRICKSEN OF HAVING IT AS SORT OF ONE OF THE THINGS DISCUSSED AT THE RECONCILIATION GATHERING AND YEAH, ALSO COGNIZANT OF THE WORKLOAD PLACED ON STAFF AND MAKING SURE WE GET A FULSOME SORT OF REVIEW OF WHAT THIS WOULD MEAN AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

YEAH, SORT OF TOUGH TO JUDGE WHETHER OR NOT TO GO AHEAD WITH THIS RIGHT AWAY.

WITHOUT KNOWING REALLY WHAT WOULD DROP OFF ADMIN'S PLATE, IS THERE ANY IDEA WHAT THAT WOULD BE? OR OR NOT? MS. BASSI-KELLETT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE CONSIDERATION OF COUNCIL MEMBERS ON THE WORKLOAD ON ADMINISTRATION.

WE HAVEN'T YET, BECAUSE WE'D NEED TO SCOPE OUT EXACTLY WHAT'S INVOLVED IN THE INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL THINGS THAT WE WOULD NEED TO DO TO ADVANCE STREET NAMING OR RENAMING, BUT WE WOULD COME FORWARD WITH SOME SUGGESTIONS AT THE TIME IF THERE IS DIRECTION TO LOOK AT THIS RIGHT NOW.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

YEAH. YEAH.

LIKE I SAID, DEFINITELY IN SUPPORT OF RENAMING AND YEAH, I THINK THE TARGET OF THAT RECONCILIATION GATHERING HAVING SOME SORT OF REAL TANGIBLE INFORMATION TO DISCUSS BY THEN WOULD BE A SORT OF GOOD TARGET IN MY MIND.

YEAH. THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN.

ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR? COUNCILLOR ARDEN-SMITH.

[01:00:01]

I AM IN SUPPORT OF THIS.

BECAUSE, LET'S FACE IT, SIR JOHN FRANKLIN WAS NEVER HERE.

SO IT HAS NO PLACE WITHIN YELLOWKNIFE, BUT ON THAT NOTE AS WELL AS WHAT COUNCILLOR PAYNE WAS STATING, WE ARE A CAPITAL CITY, AND WE REPRESENT NOT JUST ONE, BUT WE REPRESENT MANY.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE DO THIS, AND I WANT US TO MAKE SURE WE DO THIS RIGHT, IS THAT WE HAVE ALL STAKEHOLDERS ENGAGED.

FROM WHAT I'VE ALREADY SEEN IN EMAILS, PEOPLE ARE MORE THAN HAPPY TO HAVE 50TH STREET RENAMED.

IT JUST GOES WITH RECONCILIATION AND IT GOES WITH THE GENERAL DIRECTION IN WHICH YELLOWKNIFE IS MOVING.

I THINK IN ORDER FOR US TO DO THIS CORRECTLY, THIS SHOULD BE SOMETHING.

AS COUNCILLOR HENDRICKSEN SAID, WE DO A FULSOME LOOK ON.

I DON'T WANT US TO RUSH THIS, AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IS INCLUDED WITH THIS ENGAGEMENT, AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE DURING OUR RECONCILIATION GATHERING THAT EVERYONE IS HEARD AND EVERYBODY GETS THEIR OPPORTUNITY TO BRING THEIR OPINIONS FORWARD ON THIS MATTER. OUTSIDE OF THAT, MY SIDE NOTE WOULD BE I WENT TO A REALLY WONDERFUL GATHERING.

THAT'S WHY I WASN'T ABLE TO COME TO THE MEETING.

I WENT TO THE INTERNATIONAL INDIGENOUS TOURISM CONFERENCE, AND ONE OF THE KEY BITS THAT ONE OF THE LEADERS BROUGHT FORWARD WAS THAT THE BEST LEADERS LIFT PEOPLE UP.

NOT TEAR THEM DOWN.

SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE DO THIS, WE'RE LIFTING EVERYBODY UP.

MERCI. TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCILLOR ARDEN-SMITH.

ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR? MAYOR ALTY. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I AM IN SUPPORT OF THE RECOMMENDATION TO HAVE ADMIN BRING BACK A MEMO TO WITH RESPECT TO THE CHANGING OF THE NAME OF FRANKLIN AVE TO FROM FRANKLIN OR TO CHIEF DRYGEESE AVE.

I SEE IT AS AS SIMILAR TO ANGEL STREET AND VETERANS WAY THAT IT AND ACTUALLY EVEN FRANKLIN AVE IT'S NOT PEOPLE'S MAILING ADDRESS.

THEIR MAILING ADDRESS IS 50TH AVE, AND SO HOPING THAT IT'S NOT AS AS CUMBERSOME AS IT IT MAY SEEM AT FIRST BLUSH.

SO HAPPY TO HAVE A MEMO COME FORWARD OUTLINING THE CONSIDERATIONS, BUT ALSO TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION ANGEL STREET, VETERANS WAY AND FRANKLIN AVE, WHICH ARE COLLOQUIAL NAMES AND THE MAILING ADDRESSES STILL REMAIN THE SAME.

SO LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THE MEMO.

THANK YOU, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH, MADAM MAYOR.

I FULLY CONCUR ON THIS TOPIC OF BRINGING A MEMO FORWARD.

I DO UNDERSTAND THE LOGISTICAL COMPLICATIONS ON THIS, BUT I THINK SIMILAR TO WHAT WAS JUST BROUGHT UP BY MAYOR ALTY GOING THROUGH A WAY WHERE WE WOULDN'T BE CHANGING MAILING ADDRESSES IS NOT A BAD WAY TO DO IT, THOUGH.

OF COURSE, THIS IS GOING TO BE ALL PREVALENT BASED UPON OUR STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS ALSO A GREAT IDEA FROM COUNCILLOR HENDRICKSEN AT THE RECONCILIATION FORUM.

I DO LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING A MEMO AND THEN MAKING CONSIDERATION AFTER THAT OF WHETHER OR NOT WE WOULD REPLACE THINGS ON THE WORK PLAN, AND ALSO SIMILAR TO COUNCILLOR ARDEN-SMITH, I HAVE NO REAL ATTACHMENT TO A FAILED EXPLORER.

SO OKAY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, EVERYBODY.

LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE GENERAL AGREEMENT FOR A MEMO TO GO FORWARD.

EXCELLENT, AND I'M GOING TO DO A QUICK LITTLE CHANGE TO THE AGENDA HERE AND MOVE UP.

[8. A memorandum regarding whether to present By‐law No. XXXX, a by‐law to declare a one‐half (1/2) day civic holiday on Friday, April 5, 2024, to enjoy the Yellowknives Dene First Nation Spring Carnival, for adoption.]

[01:05:01]

THANK YOU, AND THANK YOU.

ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR? SEEING NONE. OH, ACTUALLY.

MAYOR ALTY. THANKS, MR. CHAIR. YEAH. I JUST WANTED TO SAY I'M IN SUPPORT OF IT AS WELL.

WHEN WE WERE WORKING ON OUR JOINT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY, WE HAD A NUMBER OF WORKSHOPS WITH THE YELLOWKNIVES DENE FIRST NATION, AND THIS WAS ONE OF THE RECOMMENDED ACTIONS WAS TO BECOME BETTER NEIGHBORS BY ATTENDING EACH OTHER'S EVENTS AND AND TO NOTE THAT ACTUALLY THIS SPRING CARNIVAL, THE BULK OF IT TAKES PLACE IN DETTAH, BUT THE COMMUNITY OF [INAUDIBLE] IS ALSO IN OUR COMMUNITY BOUNDARIES.

SO IT DOES MAKE SENSE THAT WE CELEBRATE THIS CIVIC HOLIDAY AS WELL.

SO I WILL BE IN SUPPORT OF IT COMING FORWARD, AND ONE OF MY RECOMMENDATIONS, JUST TO ENSURE THAT IT GETS APPROVED IN TIME WOULD BE THAT WE DO FIRST READING AT NOON NEXT MONDAY, AND THEN DO SECOND AND THIRD AT 7 P.M..

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, AND THANK YOU, YOUR WORSHIP.

I ALSO AM FULL SUPPORT OF THIS.

LAST YEAR WAS GREAT AS PEOPLE SEEMED TO HAVE ENJOYED IT.

THE ONLY THING, OF COURSE, IS, YOU KNOW, COMMUNICATION BETWEEN US AND OUR TWO STAFFS TO MAKE SURE ALL THE LOGISTICAL ISSUES FROM LAST YEAR DON'T HAPPEN AGAIN WOULD KIND OF BE SOMETHING I WOULD BE LOOKING FORWARD TO.

OUTSIDE OF THAT, PROCEDURALLY, AS THE MAYOR SPOKE ABOUT.

GREAT. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING, AND LET'S DO IT.

ALL RIGHT. SO MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER A MEMORANDUM REGARDING WHETHER TO AMEND BYLAW NUMBER

[7. A memorandum regarding whether to amend By‐law No. 5035, the Senior Administrative Officer By‐law, to remove the requirement for a one‐year probationary period.]

MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. CHAIR. SO CURRENTLY THE SAO BYLAW SETS OUT THE HIGH LEVEL CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT FOR THE SAO, MOST COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE CITY MANAGER.

IT CURRENTLY INCLUDES A REQUIREMENT FOR A ONE YEAR PROBATIONARY PERIOD, BUT THIS CAN BE MADE OPTIONAL SO THAT IF COUNCIL WANTS TO INCLUDE IT, IT CAN DO SO IN A LETTER OF OFFER OR CONTRACT. IT DOES NOT NEED TO BE IN THE BYLAW ITSELF.

THANK YOU AND THANK YOU.

ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR? OKAY. MAYOR ALTY.

I KIND OF FIGURED. THANKS, MR. CHAIR. TO KIND OF ECHO WHAT MS. BASSI-KELLETT WAS JUST SAYING.

I APPRECIATE THIS COMING FORWARD.

IT GIVES COUNCIL THE FLEXIBILITY, WHETHER IT'S ZERO, SIX MONTHS, THREE MONTHS, 12 MONTHS, 18 MONTHS, WHATEVER IT MAY BE, BUT IT'S PUT INTO THE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT AS OPPOSED TO DICTATED BY THE BYLAW, WHICH IS WHY I'M IN SUPPORT OF BRINGING THIS FORWARD, AND LIKE THE SPRING CARNIVAL, MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE WE DO FIRST READING NEXT MONDAY AT LUNCH AND DO SECOND AND THIRD IN THE EVENING.

THANK YOU, MISTER CHAIR, AND THANK YOU, YOUR WORSHIP.

ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR? NO. I ALSO FULLY AGREE WITH THIS GOING FORWARD.

THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH BEING MODERN, EFFICIENT AND RESPONSIVE, AND ALSO PROCEDURALLY, WE WILL BRING IT FORWARD FOR FIRST READING NEXT MONDAY.

SO MOVING ON TO A MEMORANDUM REGARDING MAYOR ALTY'S TRAVEL TO HAY RIVER, NORTHWEST TERRITORIES, TO ATTEND THE NWT

[9. A memorandum regarding Mayor Alty’s travel to Hay River, NT to attend the NWT Association of Communities Annual General Meeting from February 27 – March 3, 2024.]

SO ANOTHER TWO YEAR TERM, WHICH ALSO MEANS THAT I REPRESENT THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES AT THE FEDERATION OF CANADIAN MUNICIPALITIES.

SO IT WAS A GREAT AGM AND LOOK FORWARD TO HOSTING.

YELLOWKNIFE WILL BE HOSTING THE NEXT AGM.

FEBRUARY 2025.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, AND THANK YOU, YOUR WORSHIP, AND IF I MAY JUST SAY, I ALSO THINK THEY MADE THE WISE CHOICE THERE AS WELL FOR YOUR REELECTION.

OKAY, AND FOR THE NEXT ITEMS, WE WILL BE GOING IN-CAMERA.

[IN CAMERA]

[01:10:09]

COUNCIL, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO MAKE NOTE THAT THE GRANT REVIEW COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS WILL NOT BE GOING FORWARD ON APRIL 8TH.

THEY WILL ACTUALLY BE GOING FORWARD ON MARCH 25TH.

SO YAY.

WITH THAT, CAN I GET A MOTION TO ADJOURN? COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN, COUNCILLOR WARBURTON SECONDING.

THANK YOU SO MUCH! THIS WAS GREAT! I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOU GUYS ALL AGAIN ON MONDAY.

OH WAIT. OH NO, THAT'S JUST A WAVE.

BYE, REBECCA. THANKS, EVERYBODY.

BYE.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.