May 06, 2024 Governance & Priorities Committee

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ALRIGHT, ALL YOU HAPPY PEOPLE.

WITH THAT I'D LIKE TO CALL THIS GOVERNANCE AND PRIORITIES COMMITTEE MEETING FOR MONDAY, MAY 6TH, 2024, TO ORDER STARTING WITH THE OPENING STATEMENT, THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE ACKNOWLEDGES THAT WE ARE LOCATED IN CHIEF DRYGEESE TERRITORY.

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

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

MOVING ON TO NUMBER TWO, APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.

[2. Approval of the agenda.]

DEPUTY MAYOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH, SIR.

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

DOES ANYBODY HAVE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST? NO. GOOD.

ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON TO NUMBER FOUR, A PRESENTATION REGARDING NWT FILM AND MEDIA SECTOR, MR.

[4. A presentation regarding NWT’s film and media sector.]

DEPUTY MAYOR. MEMBERS OF THE GPC.

WE DID RECEIVE A REQUEST FOR A PRESENTATION TO EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE BACKGROUND OF THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES FILM AND MEDIA SECTOR AND WITH US TODAY.

MY APOLOGIES. I DIDN'T GRAB THE NAMES.

THEY'RE SITTING ON MY DESK, BUT WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, IF I COULD HAND OVER THE PODIUM TO YOU.

THANK YOU, MR. CITY MANAGER.

THANK YOU, CAMILLA, AND THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. WELL, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TO YOU TODAY AND GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF INSIGHT ON THIS EXCITING SECTOR.

AND I WILL JUST I WILL GET STARTED THAT.

SO MY NAME IS CAMILLA MCEACHRAN.

AND I'M A PROUD BORN AND RAISED YELLOWKNIFER AND THE FILM COMMISSIONER FOR THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES.

SO PROMOTING THE TERRITORY AND THE CITY COMES SECOND NATURE TO ME AND I'M VERY PROUD TO BE IN THIS POSITION.

SO I'M GOING TO GIVE THIS PRESENTATION.

NOW WE'RE GOING TO GO OVER SOME NUMBERS, WE'RE GOING TO WATCH SOME MOVIES, AND WE'RE GOING TO GET TO IT BECAUSE I ONLY HAVE 20 MINUTES TO GO.

[SINGING].

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE WITH US.

WE WANT TO SHOW YOU THE BEAUTY OF THIS COUNTRY.

POWER MUST SEE.

LIKE OUT HERE, I DON'T FEEL AWAY FROM HOME AT ALL.

I FEEL LIKE I'M IN MY OWN BACKYARD.

SO THAT JUST GIVES YOU A LITTLE TASTE OF SOME OF THE PRODUCTIONS.

JUST CLOSE YOUR EYES FOR A MOMENT HERE.

NOW, BEFORE WE GET INTO THE THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY SECTOR AND HOW WE FIT IN, IT'S IMPORTANT TO REFERENCE THE CANADIAN CONTEXT AND SO THE CANADIAN FILM AND MEDIA SECTOR HAS BECOME A VERY IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTOR TO THE CANADIAN ECONOMY.

I WILL BE TALKING ABOUT A FEW NUMBERS HERE, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE FOCUSING ON THE FISCAL YEAR OF 21-22.

JUST FOR THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE COMPARISONS.

SO IN 2022, THE CANADIAN MEDIA PRODUCERS ASSOCIATION REPORTED THAT MEDIA IN CANADA.

THERE'S ALWAYS TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES WITH FILM.

SO IT'S VERY REPRESENTATION.

THAT THE SECTOR REPRESENTS AN ALL TIME PRODUCTION TOTAL VOLUME OF $11.69 BILLION.

SO THIS SECTOR IS CERTAINLY IT'S NO JOKE.

IT CONTRIBUTED TO 241,000 JOBS, 13.7 BILLION TO THE COUNTRY'S GDP AND BROUGHT IN 7.5 BILLION

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SO THE FILM AND MEDIA SECTOR IN THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES HAS REALLY EVOLVED OVER THE LAST TWO DECADES AND ALSO BECOME A ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTOR TO THE TERRITORY. IT IT REPRESENTS A VIABLE EXPORT AND NON EXTRACTIVE SECTOR OF THE ECONOMY AND STATISTICS CANADA REPORTED THAT THE MULTIPLIER EFFECT IN THE NWT WAS 1.5.

IN 2022 ALONE, THE SECTOR THAT INCLUDES BROADCASTING CONTRIBUTED APPROXIMATELY 16 MILLION TO THE NWT GDP, WHICH RESULTED IN 58 FULL TIME EQUIVALENTS AND OF THIS, IT'S ESTIMATED THAT 3 MILLION OF THAT AND DIRECT SPEND ALONE CAME FROM COMMERCIAL PRODUCTIONS.

SO OUR SECTOR IS MADE UP OF APPROXIMATELY 40 FREELANCERS, SELF PROPRIETORS AND SMALL CORPORATIONS THAT SELF-IDENTIFY AS WORKING IN THE FIELD OF VIDEO PRODUCTIONS.

OUR PROFESSIONAL FILMMAKERS ARE VERY MUCH SO.

JACKS OF ALL TRADES.

THEY'RE LIVING AND WORKING IN THE NWT AND ARE VERY MULTI-SKILLED AND ABLE TO FILL A VARIETY OF PRODUCTION ROLES, BOTH ENTREPRENEURS AND THE INITIATORS OF NEW PROJECTS AND SERVICE PROVIDERS AND CONTRACTORS.

THE NWT HAS A VARIETY OF BUSINESSES THAT ARE ALSO ORIENTATED TOWARDS OTHER INDUSTRIES SUCH AS TOURISM, CONSTRUCTION AND EXPEDITING THAT ARE POSITIONED TO FULFILL THE NEEDS OF THE MEDIA SECTOR AND OFFER CERTAIN TYPES OF THINGS LIKE EQUIPMENT, SERVICES AND EXPERTISE.

SO THIS SECTOR HAS THE ABILITY TO SUPPORT A BALANCED MIXED ECONOMY WHICH CAN EMPLOY NORTHERNERS IN EVERY REGION WHERE FULL TIME EMPLOYMENT CAN BE LIMITED.

THERE ARE ALSO TWO VERY IMPORTANT TERRITORIAL STAKEHOLDERS THAT THAT REPRESENT AND SUPPORT FILM AND MEDIA IN THE NWT.

THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES PROFESSIONAL MEDIA ASSOCIATION, WHICH IS A NON PROFIT ORGANIZED BODY, REPRESENTS THE PRODUCERS IN THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES WITH A MISSION TO FOSTER AND GROW SUSTAINABLE FILM AND MEDIA THROUGH PROMOTIONS, TRAINING AND ADVOCATING FOR SUPPORT FOR THEIR PRODUCERS, PRODUCTIONS AND CREWS AND THEN THERE'S ALSO WESTERN ARCTIC MOVING PICTURES, WHICH IS A NONPROFIT ARTS ORGANIZATION THAT SUPPORTS FILM AND DIGITAL MEDIA PRODUCTION AND EXHIBITION TO AUDIENCES AT LOCAL AND ACROSS CANADA, INTERNATIONAL VENUES.

SO WAMP, AS WE CALL THEM, IS HEADQUARTERED IN YELLOWKNIFE AND HOSTS VARIOUS EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, WHICH INCLUDES THE YELLOWKNIFE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL, WHICH HAS BECOME ONE OF THE INDUSTRY'S PREMIER EVENTS AND ATTRACTS FILMMAKERS AND AUDIENCES FROM THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES AND BEYOND AND IN FACT, THE FESTIVAL IS NOW MOVING INTO ITS 18TH YEAR AND HAS ALREADY RECEIVED HUNDREDS OF SUBMISSIONS IN THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS FROM FILMMAKERS ACROSS THE GLOBE WHO WANT TO BE INCLUDED AND COME UP AND ENJOY THE FESTIVAL FOR THEMSELVES.

SO WAMP IS ALSO AN IMPORTANT PARTNER, AND THEY DO OFFER EQUIPMENT RENTALS, WHICH IS A VERY IMPORTANT ASSET TO SUPPORTING LOCAL FILMMAKING AND THOSE WHO COME TO THE TERRITORY IN THE CITY TO FILM IN IT.

SO BOTH ARE VERY KEY IN SUPPORTING THE GROWTH AND OF COURSE, THE GOVERNMENT OF THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES PROVIDES RESOURCES AND SUPPORT THROUGH THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES FILM COMMISSION. THE FILM COMMISSION IS GUIDED BY THE NWT FILM AND MEDIA SECTOR STRATEGY, WHICH IS NOW IN ITS SECOND RENDITION.

SO WE ARE FOUR YEARS INTO THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, WHICH WAS LAUNCHED IN 2021 WITH A FOCUS ON PROGRAMING, DEVELOPING SKILLS AND AND PROMOTING.

THE FILM COMMISSION HAS AN OFFICIAL MANDATE TO MAXIMIZE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR N.W.T.

RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES PARTICIPATING IN FILM AND MEDIA ARTS INDUSTRY, AND TO PROMOTE THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES AS AN ULTIMATE PRODUCTION LOCATION.

SO THE FILM COMMISSION CONSISTS OF MYSELF AND MY COLLEAGUE NANCY SHAW, WHO IS A FILM OFFICER, AND WE ARE AN ENTHUSIASTIC OFFICE OF TWO SUPPORTING THE GROWTH OF THE SECTOR BY USING SOUND BUSINESS PRINCIPLES IN THE AREAS OF FUNDING, MARKETING, PROMOTION AND SECTOR DEVELOPMENT.

WE SERVE AS A LIAISON BETWEEN INDUSTRY, LOCAL AND NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AT VARIOUS LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT TO FOSTER POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS AND PARTNERSHIPS INCLUDING WITH THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STAFF.

SO BIG SHOUT OUT TO CARRIE THISTLE.

SHE'S ALWAYS BEEN VERY ENTHUSIASTIC AND HELPFUL.

WHENEVER WE GET IN TOUCH WE ALSO ACT AS A PATHFINDER TO ASSIST CLIENTS WITH APPROPRIATE INFORMATION ON PERMITTING LOCATIONS.

[00:10:05]

ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT TOOLS THAT WE MANAGE IS A INFORMATION RICH WEBSITE THAT INCLUDES A NORTHWEST TERRITORIES FILM SUPPLIERS GUIDE THAT IS ESSENTIALLY A DIRECTORY OF BUSINESSES AND SERVICES THAT PROVIDE SPECIALTY SERVICES TO PRODUCTIONS THAT ARE FILMING ON THE GROUND IN THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES.

WE PROVIDE FUNDING SUPPORT IN THREE DIFFERENT STREAMS THE NWT FILM AND MEDIA SECTOR SCHEDULE, WHICH IS DELIVERED THROUGH OUR SUPPORT FOR ENTREPRENEURS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.

TO SUPPORT THE FIVE STAGES OF FILMMAKING, WE HAVE A PRODUCERS INCENTIVE PILOT PROGRAM, WHICH WAS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE LAUNCHING OF THE FILM STRATEGY WHICH BEGAN DELIVERING 2021 AND THIS PROVIDES PRODUCERS WITH THE WITH SUPPORT IN THE PRE-DEVELOPMENT AND DEVELOPMENT STAGES.

SO THE VERY FIRST ONSET OF THE MAKING A PRODUCTION COME TO LIFE, IT'S THE SEED OF THE PRODUCTION AND THEN OF COURSE, THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES FILM REBATE PROGRAM, WHICH IS THE COMPETITIVE PROGRAM THAT THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES USES TO ATTRACT INVESTMENT BY PROVIDING 25 TO 40% REBATES ON SPEND AND LABOR FOR PRODUCTIONS THAT ARE PRE-APPROVED TO FILM IN THE TERRITORY.

SO IF A FILM PRODUCTION IS FILMING IN THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE, THEY COULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR A 25% REIMBURSEMENT.

ALRIGHT. ATTRACTING INVESTMENT.

SO THIS IS A VERY COMPETITIVE INDUSTRY AND JURISDICTIONS AROUND THE WORLD ARE COMPETING FIERCELY BY OFFERING INCENTIVES IN THE FORM OF TAX CREDITS AND CASH REBATES AND ALL THE PROVINCES AND TERRITORIES IN CANADA OFFER INCENTIVES AND HAVE THEIR OWN UNIQUE LOOKS AND ADVANTAGES.

SO THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES AND YELLOWKNIFE IN PARTICULAR OFFER A DIVERSITY OF LOCATIONS AND PERKS LIKE EARLY SNOWFALL, A LARGE, ACCESSIBLE LAKE THAT CAN DOUBLE AS THE ARCTIC OCEAN.

BUT IT'S MINUTES AWAY FROM COMMON AMENITIES LIKE A LATTE OR AN AMERICANO.

SO THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES, THE FILM REBATE IS WHAT WE USE TO ATTRACT INVESTMENT IN AND NOT ONLY IN BUT ALSO IT IS AVAILABLE AND ABSOLUTELY TO OUR LOCAL FILMMAKERS TO EMPOWER THEM TO PRODUCE THEIR PROJECTS ON THEIR HOME TURF.

SO SINCE THE REBATE PROGRAM WAS LAUNCHED IN 2015, IT HAS SUPPORTED 20 PROJECTS THAT HAVE DRAWN INVESTMENT INTO COMMUNITIES FROM YELLOWKNIFE, DETTAH, OKAY AND BEYOND.

IT'S DISTRIBUTED $1 MILLION IN REBATES, WHICH HAS RESULTED IN A LEVERAGE OF $11 MILLION IN DIRECT SPENDING.

SO THE PAYBACK IS YOU KNOW, SPEAKS FOR ITSELF AND FURTHER CALCULATIONS HAVE INDICATED THAT EVERY DOLLAR OF SUPPORT UNDER THE FILM REBATE PROGRAM LED TO $8.90 OF SPENDING IN THE TERRITORY.

SO THESE NUMBERS ARE INCREDIBLY IMPRESSIVE AND THEY DEMONSTRATE, YOU KNOW, THE POTENTIAL THAT WE DO HAVE TO GENERATE THE HIGHER BENEFITS IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT IS, YOU KNOW, VERY COMPETITIVE WITH FILMING IN GENERAL, ESPECIALLY IN A RESOURCE BASED ECONOMY LIKE OUR OWN.

WE ARE WORKING ON MINIMAL FUNDING POTS, OF COURSE.

SO BUT THIS GOES TO SHOW THAT THE POTENTIAL.

SO WE'VE DONE THIS ON MINIMAL.

SO JUST IMAGINE WHAT WE COULD DO WITH A SUBSTANTIAL BUDGET AND OF COURSE, DRAWING IN INVESTMENT IS JUST GOING TO PROVIDE MORE AND MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR LOCAL INDUSTRY, FOR OUR RESIDENTS TO PARTICIPATE.

AND REALLY, EVERYBODY WINS.

SO THE SECTOR PROVIDES AN IMPORTANT PLATFORM FOR STORYTELLING AND ARTISTIC EXPRESSION AND I DON'T HAVE TO TELL YOU, BUT THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES IS FULL OF STORIES AND TALENT, WITH SO MUCH TALENT YET TO BE DISCOVERED AND SO IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT OUR LOCAL INDUSTRY HAS THE ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITIES AND THE SUPPORTS TO CREATE THEIR OWN CONTENT.

THE FILM COMMISSION IS, YOU KNOW, WORKING HARD TO GROW THE COMMUNITY ALONGSIDE OUR STAKEHOLDER ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE REALLY, TRULY LEFT THEIR MARKS AROUND THE WORLD AND SO WE'RE NOTICING THAT OUR CLIENT BASE IS CONSISTENTLY GROWING WITH NEW FILMMAKERS AND SERVICE PROVIDERS, PRODUCTION COMPANIES THAT

[00:15:01]

SO PARTNERSHIPS ARE ARE INTEGRAL TO THIS INDUSTRY.

THE SECTOR IS BUILT UPON IT.

SO WE'RE CONSTANTLY SEEKING PARTNERSHIPS WITH, YOU KNOW, ON EVERY LEVEL.

TO NWT TOURISM HAS BECOME A VERY IMPORTANT PARTNER OF OURS AS WELL.

WE DO VERY SIMILAR WORK OF COURSE, WITH DIFFERENT FOCUSES.

SO WE'RE JUST WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS THAT WE CAN PARTNER AND NOT REINVENT THE WHEEL, RATHER COMPLEMENT IT AND PUT OUR FUNDING AND OUR HEADS TOGETHER.

AND OF COURSE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE AS WELL HAS BEEN A GREAT PARTNER AND THERE'S SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTNER ON THINGS LIKE FAMILIARIZATION TOURS, BRINGING PRODUCERS AND STUDIOS UP TO SEE WHAT THE CITY HAS TO OFFER IN HOPES THAT THEY WILL COME BACK AND INVEST.

SO IMPACTS ON THE SECTOR.

SO NOT ONLY IS IT ABOUT THE NUMBERS, IT'S YOU KNOW, HAS A VERY SIGNIFICANT CULTURAL COMPONENT THAT IT'S A WAY, A UNIQUE PART OF OUR ECONOMY WHERE COMMUNITIES AND BUSINESSES AND STAKEHOLDERS CAN CONNECT AND PARTICIPATE AND BENEFIT IN VARIOUS DIFFERENT WAYS.

IT BUILDS PRIDE, COMMUNITY.

IT STRENGTHENS AND IDENTITY.

IT STRENGTHENS IDENTITY, AND IT DRAWS ATTENTION TO THE DIVERSITY OF PEOPLE, STORIES AND LANDSCAPES IN THE TERRITORY AND OF COURSE, IT GREATLY IMPACTS THE TOURISM SECTOR AS A DIRECT RESULT OF PEOPLE WANTING TO VISIT A LOCATION OF A FILM OR TELEVISION SERIES THAT THEY'VE WATCHED ON THE SCREEN.

SO POPULAR SHOWS LIKE ICE ROAD TRUCKERS, ARCTIC AIR, ICE PILOTS ALONE HAVE TRULY PUT YELLOWKNIFE AND THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES ON THE MAP.

ICE PILOT IS STILL RATED ONE OF HISTORY CHANNEL'S HIGHEST RATED SERIES, WHICH LASTED SIX YEARS.

THAT'S A LOT OF EPISODES.

THE ALONE TELEVISION SERIES HAS REPORTED THAT AN ESTIMATED TOTAL OF FOR SEASON SIX AND SEVEN, WHICH WERE SHOT JUST OUTSIDE OF.

IT'S OKAY, WE'RE 20 MILLION.

SO THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE SYNDICATION AND THE STREAMING AND SO REALLY, THAT'S A LOT OF EYES ON THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES.

SO CURRENT INITIATIVES, SO IN ADDITION TO OUR REGULAR PROGRAMING, WE ARE WORKING ON A VERY EXCITING PROJECT THAT WE LEVERAGE PARTNERSHIP WITH CANADA FOR. IT IS A FILM LOCATIONS ASSESSMENT.

SO ESSENTIALLY WE'VE HIRED A PROFESSIONAL LOCATION SCOUTING FIRM THAT ARE GOING TO BE TRAVELING AND ARE ACTUALLY AS WE SPEAK.

I THINK THEY'RE ON THEIR WAY TO INUVIK RIGHT NOW REGION TO REGION TO ASSESS THE LOCATIONS OF INTEREST THAT WE HAVE IN THE TERRITORY, THE SERVICE PROVIDERS, THE CONTACTS, THE INDUSTRY LEADERS.

SO ESSENTIALLY JUST COLLECTING ALL OF THE ASSETS AS WELL AS WORKING ON STRENGTHENING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN THE TERRITORIES AND IDENTIFYING PARTNERS SO WE CAN BUILD AWARENESS OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT THIS SECTOR CAN BRING TO COMMUNITIES.

ALL OF THE INFORMATION THAT IS GATHERED IS GOING TO BE COMPILED INTO THIS LIKE SUPER DATABASE, WHICH WILL USE IN ADDITION TO A PRODUCTION GUIDE AND TO PROMOTE THE TERRITORY.

SO IT'S GOING TO BE A MAJOR TOOL THAT WE'RE GOING TO USE.

IT'LL BE A TOOL THAT THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE CAN USE AS WELL.

WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE MAKING MAJOR UPDATES TO OUR WEBSITE AND FILM SUPPLIERS GUIDE AND GETTING OUT TO MARKET TO PROMOTE THE FINDINGS.

WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON A MENTORSHIP INITIATIVE, WHICH WILL PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR NWT PRODUCTIONS, RESIDENT CREW, PEOPLE TO RECEIVE ON SET TRAINING AND MENTORSHIP WITH PRODUCTIONS THAT ARE SHOOTING IN THE NWT, AND ALSO LOOKING FOR WAYS TO GET THEM OUT THERE.

AND SO LOOKING AHEAD THE SECTOR IT JUST IT HAS SO MUCH POTENTIAL.

LIKE WE ARE REALLY JUST SCRATCHING THE SURFACE AND THERE'S SO MUCH GOING TO GO.

SO WE REALLY HAVE TO CREDIT OUR, THE TALENT OF OUR LOCAL CREATORS, OUR BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE REALLY WORKED SO HARD TO RAISE THE PROFILE AND, YOU KNOW, THE POSSIBILITIES ARE TRULY ENDLESS.

SO WE JUST WE NEED TO CONTINUE THIS MOMENTUM AND MOVING THINGS FORWARD AND SO IN CLOSING, I'M GOING TO BOOKEND THIS PRESENTATION WITH A FILM REEL AND YOU MAY RECOGNIZE SOME FAMILIAR FACES, ONE THAT IS SITTING IN THIS ROOM IN PARTICULAR AND A VERY POWERFUL

[00:20:02]

WHAT'S MY MOTIVATION FOR RUNNING AGAIN? OKAY. CUT. YOU'VE JUST ESCAPED.

AT THIS POINT, YOU KNOW, THOSE GUYS ARE AFTER YOU.

SO YOU'RE RUNNING FOR YOUR LIFE RIGHT NOW.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.

WE HAVE, LIKE, FOUR HOURS OF SWEET LIGHT LEFT.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT, I WANT TO GO AGAIN ON THIS.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT, LET'S GET MAKEUP IN TO TOUCH UP THE TALENT AND BACK TO ONES FOR ANOTHER TAKE.

ALL RIGHT. ROLE PLAYS.

63. CHARLIE.

TAKE TWO. ACTION.

THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES FILM COMMISSION.

UNIQUE STORIES.

COLORFUL CHARACTERS, NATURAL BACKDROPS.

IT NEVER GETS OLD TO ME.

SO THIS WAS A REEL THAT WE ACTUALLY WROTE.

IT WAS WRITTEN BY OUR THE INDUSTRY, SHOT BY THE INDUSTRY AND IS USED.

THE BIG MESSAGE THAT WE WANTED TO TAKE HOME WITH THAT IS THAT LIGHT IS I MEAN, IT'S CRUCIAL WHEN WHEN FILMING AND WE HAVE THAT'S ANOTHER ASSET THAT WE HAVE.

WE'VE GOT MAGIC ENDLESS MAGIC HOUR.

SO WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO OPEN ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.

THANK YOU, MADAM FILM COMMISSIONER, AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION ON THIS IMPORTANT AND GROWING INDUSTRY.

PLUS, IT'S ALWAYS NICE TO SEE SO MANY OF OUR FRIENDS GAINFULLY EMPLOYED.

ON THAT POINT, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? ROB OR COUNCILOR WARBURTON.

THANK YOU FOR PRESENTATION.

SO YOU SAID THE CITY'S BEEN REALLY HELPFUL WITH THE COMMISSION.

ANY SUGGESTIONS? ANYTHING ELSE THE CITY COULD BE DOING TO SUPPORT THIS INDUSTRY? YEAH. THANK YOU FOR ASKING THAT.

I THINK THAT THE CITY IS DOING A GREAT JOB.

WE ARE ALWAYS CERTAINLY YOU KNOW, PART OF THE CONVERSATION WITH THE STRATEGIC WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE AND I THINK JUST REALLY PROVIDING SUPPORT, CONTINUING TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS LIKE WESTERN ARCTIC MOVING PICTURES, THEY DO SO MUCH WORK IN THIS COMMUNITY IN THE TERRITORY.

THE YELLOWKNIFE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL HAS SO MUCH POTENTIAL AND AGAIN, EVERYBODY IS YOU KNOW, MONEY IS TIGHT.

IT'S ALWAYS BEEN TIGHT. SO THERE'S A LOT OF COMPETING INTERESTS, BUT SOMETHING LIKE A FESTIVAL LIKE THAT IN PARTICULAR, IT BRINGS IN INVESTMENT AND EVERY PRETTY MUCH EVERY DOLLAR I BELIEVE THAT IS WITHIN THAT BUDGET IS SPENT IN THE CITY, IN THE TERRITORY.

SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT GOES A LONG WAY.

SO CERTAINLY CONTINUING SUPPORTING THAT AND PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE FILM COMMISSION FAMILIARIZATION TOURS AGAIN, IS THAT'S A ONE OF THE BIGGEST PROMOTIONS THAT A FILM COMMISSION OR JURISDICTION WILL DO TO DRAW INVESTMENT.

SO YOU'RE ESSENTIALLY BRINGING IN BUYERS AND AGAIN, ALL OF THE MONEY IS 90% OF THE DOLLARS ARE SPENT WITHIN THE TERRITORY.

SO IT'S JUST IT'S RECYCLED BACK.

SO THERE IS YELLOWKNIFE IS CERTAINLY ONE OF OUR.

WELL, IT IS THE FILMING HUB WE STILL HAVE I MEAN, THERE'S SO MUCH ACTIVITY AND POTENTIAL THAT TAKES PLACE IN THE REGIONS.

BUT THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE IS CERTAINLY HAS A LOT OF ASSETS, AND IT'S ACCESSIBLE.

IT HAS THE ACCOMMODATIONS AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT.

SO OF COURSE, THERE COULD ALWAYS BE IMPROVEMENTS AND BUT YEAH, I THINK JUST KIND OF SEEING THAT POTENTIAL, IT'S AGAIN, IT'S AN INDUSTRY THAT IT LEVERAGES IT LEVERAGES FULL SUPPORT, BUT IT ALSO IT BRINGS IN THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR OUR LOCAL INDUSTRY WHO WANT TO PARTICIPATE AND IT EMPOWERS US AS A CITY, AS A TERRITORY TO GET ON SCREEN AND SHOW PEOPLE WHO WE REALLY ARE.

THANK YOU. COUNCILLOR WARBURTON. ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE, I GUESS THE ONLY QUESTION I HAVE IS DO YOU HAVE A PREVIEW OF ANY UPCOMING PRODUCTIONS THAT MIGHT BE HEADED OUR WAY THIS SEASON? LET'S JUST SAY THAT THERE ARE SOME EXCITING CONVERSATIONS HAPPENING.

I'LL LEAVE YOU WITH THAT.

TO BE CONTINUED.

DOT DOT DOT. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND WE LOOK FORWARD FOR THE GROWING FUTURE OF THIS INDUSTRY IN ANY WAY THE CITY CAN HELP.

THANK YOU AGAIN. THANK YOU AND ON THAT POINT, LET US MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER FIVE, A MEMORANDUM REGARDING WHETHER TO ACCEPT THE

[5. A memorandum regarding whether to accept the recommendations of the Audit Committee to adopt the 2023 Audited Financial Statements.]

[00:25:07]

MR. COLIN, COULD YOU INTRODUCE THE ITEM? DEPUTY MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

THIS AFTERNOON, WE ARE GOING TO PRESENT TO YOU THE ANNUAL FINANCIAL STATEMENTS EVERY YEAR.

THIS IS A REGULATORY OR STATUTORY OBLIGATION, IF YOU WILL, TO PREPARE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.

IT BEGINS WITH WORK FROM THE ADMINISTRATION.

THEY ARE THEN AUDITED BY CROWE MCKAY LLP AND THEN THEY ARE REVIEWED EXTENSIVELY BY THE CITY'S AUDIT COMMITTEE TO GET THEM TO THE POINT WHERE THEREBY COUNCIL CAN APPROVE THEM.

A COUPLE QUICK COMMENTS FROM ME IN TERMS OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THIS YEAR.

FIRST OF ALL, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE CITY IS FINANCIALLY SOUND BUT BEFORE WE CELEBRATE THAT TOO MUCH, I THINK IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THE VALUE OF REMAINING FISCALLY PRUDENT.

THERE IS QUITE A BIT OF UNCERTAINTY IN THE FUTURE, AND I'LL JUST SPEND A MOMENT HIGHLIGHTING SOME OF IT.

SUPPLY CHAIN EVERYTHING IS COSTING MORE AND IN FACT THE INCREASES FAR OUTWEIGH CPI.

SAME HOLDS TRUE FOR CONSTRUCTION COSTS, IN THAT THE INCREASES THAT WE ARE SEEING IN CONSTRUCTION COSTS FAR OUTWEIGH THE ANNUAL RATE OF INFLATION.

WE KNOW BOTH INTUITIVELY AND ANECDOTALLY THAT WE HAVE A MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE DEFICIT.

THAT IS TO SAY, QUITE A BIT OF THE CITY'S INFRASTRUCTURE IS AT OR APPROACHING END OF LIFE AND THEREFORE WRESTLING THAT INFRASTRUCTURE DEFICIT, UNDERSTANDING IT AND STARTING TO DEAL WITH IT FINANCIALLY WILL BE VERY IMPORTANT MOVING FORWARD.

WE HAVE ALREADY SEEN, AND THERE WILL NO DOUBT BE MORE EVIDENCE OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE IMPACT ON THE CITY, AND WE NEED TO LOOK NO FURTHER THAN LAST YEAR'S WILDFIRE SEASON AND FINALLY, AS WITH EVERY CITY, THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE HAS A NUMBER OF INITIATIVES THAT THEY WOULD WISH TO PURSUE, AND THOSE INITIATIVES COST MONEY.

THEREFORE, ALTHOUGH WE ARE FINANCIALLY SOUND, A CONTINUED FISCALLY PRUDENT APPROACH IS WARRANTED.

ON THE AUDIT ITSELF.

WE DID RECEIVE A CLEAN AUDIT REPORT.

THAT IS TO SAY IT WAS ACCURATE.

IT WAS FREE OF ANY MATERIAL MISSTATEMENT AND OUR PROCEDURES AND PROCESSES WERE RECOGNIZED AS BEING APPROPRIATE.

TODAY, WE HAVE NO INTENT TO REVIEW WITH YOU THE DETAIL WITHIN THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.

IT IS ALL INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKAGE FOR YOUR REVIEW.

AND AGAIN, I WISH TO REMIND YOU THAT YOUR AUDIT COMMITTEE HAS DONE THAT, THAT DETAILED LOOK.

BUT WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO HAND OVER TO OUR DIRECTOR OF CORPORATE SERVICES, MR. K.V. PANDYA, WHO IS ALSO YOUR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS ABOUT THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.

THANK YOU, MR. COLLINS. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE AND I HOPE YOU DID ENJOY THE SUNSHINE I SENT OVER TO YOU OVER THE LAST WEEKEND.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

I'M HERE TODAY WITH A SMALL PRESENTATION TO PROVIDE YOU WITH SOME KEY CONTEXT AND HIGHLIGHTS IN RELATION TO THE CITY'S FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR 2023 BUT BEFORE I DIVE INTO YOUR 12 MOST FAVORITE SUBJECT, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MISS LISA VAZ, MANAGER OF FINANCIAL SERVICES AND HER TEAM, FOR THEIR INCREDIBLE EFFORTS THAT ALLOWED THE 2023 AUDIT TO BE COMPLETED AS SCHEDULED.

I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK MEMBERS OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE FOR THEIR OVERSIGHT, INTELLECTUAL EAGERNESS, AND PROFESSIONAL SKEPTICISM. AS COMMITTEES AWARE UNDER THE CITIES, TOWNS AND VILLAGES ACT.

SORRY, I JUST SOME COORDINATION ISSUES.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ALRIGHT, AS COMMITTEE'S AWARE, UNDER THE CITIES, TOWNS AND VILLAGES ACT, THE CITY HAS AN OBLIGATION TO SUBMIT ITS AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS WITH A CLEAN REPORT TO THE TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENTS, MUNICIPAL AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS.

NOT SUBMITTING OUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OR SUBMITTING ONE WITH AN ADVERSE AUDIT REPORT MIGHT AFFECT THE DIFFERENT FINDINGS, FUNDINGS WE RECEIVE FROM THE NWT AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

MOREOVER. SORRY.

[00:30:09]

MOREOVER, AS PART OF OUR LOAN AGREEMENTS, WE ARE ALSO REQUIRED TO SUBMIT OUR AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS TO ALL BANKS AS THEY WANT TO KNOW IF WE HAVE THE FINANCIAL ABILITY TO PAY THEM BACK.

ALSO, AS A MUNICIPALITY, WE ARE TASKED WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF MANAGING PUBLIC FUNDS AND ASSETS, AND I BELIEVE AN AUDIT IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GAIN AND MAINTAIN PUBLIC TRUST.

JUST AS A REMINDER, AS MR. CARLIN MENTIONED. CURRENTLY, THE AUDITORS ARE CROWE MACKAY LLP.

NOW, THE MOST INTERESTING QUESTION IS WHAT ARE WE LOOKING TO ACHIEVE AT THE END OF AN AUDIT? THE ANSWER IS ONE THING AND ONE THING ONLY AN UNQUALIFIED OPINION FROM THE AUDITOR.

YOU WILL FIND THIS ON PAGE TEN OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS UNDER THE INDEPENDENT AUDITORS REPORT, AND IT READS AS FOLLOWS.

IN OUR OPINION, THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS PRESENT FAIRLY, IN ALL MATERIAL RESPECTS, THE FINANCIAL POSITION OF THE CITY AS AT 31ST DECEMBER 2023 AND ITS RESULTS OF OPERATIONS, ITS RE-MEASUREMENT GAINS, ITS CHANGES IN NET FINANCIAL ASSETS AND ITS CASH FLOWS FOR THE YEAR THEN ENDED IN ACCORDANCE WITH CANADIAN PUBLIC SECTOR ACCOUNTING STANDARDS.

THIS IS THE BEST OPINION THAT CAN BE GIVEN FOR AN INDEPENDENT AUDIT.

FURTHERMORE, AS PART OF THE AUDIT PROCESS, THE AUDITORS HAVE MADE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS TO FURTHER STRENGTHEN OUR FINANCIAL POSITION AND ADMINISTRATION INTENDS TO IMPLEMENT THESE CHANGES BEFORE BUDGET 2025 DELIBERATIONS TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE ON A STRONGER FOOTING FOR THAT EXERCISE.

TO HAVE THE CORRECT PERSPECTIVE WHEN REVIEWING THE 2023 FINANCIAL FIGURES, IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT WHICH IMPACTED THESE NUMBERS.

I JOINED THE CITY SOME SEVEN MONTHS AGO, AND ONE WORD THAT I HEARD COUNTLESS TIMES IS UNPRECEDENTED.

UNPRECEDENTED IS EXACTLY WHAT 2023 WAS FOR THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE.

UNPRECEDENTED IS BECAUSE OF THE DISRUPTIONS THAT HAPPEN IN Q1 OF 2023.

UNPRECEDENTED BECAUSE THE CHALLENGES WE HAVE BEEN FACING RECRUITING AND RETAINING STAFF, THESE ARE NUMEROUS.

THEY ARE NUMEROUS TIMES WHERE THERE WERE NO SHOWS TO SCHEDULE, INTERVIEWS OR PEOPLE ACCEPTING JOB OFFERS AND THEN NOT TURNING UP AT ALL.

OUR INABILITY TO FILL THESE POSITIONS NOT ONLY AFFECTS THE LEVEL OF SERVICE, BUT ALSO CREATES FRUSTRATION AMONG OUR HIGHLY GIFTED RECRUITMENT TEAM.

NOW, THE BEST STORY I HAVE IS WE HAD SOMEONE START ON A MONDAY MORNING IN ONE OF MY DIVISIONS.

EVERYTHING WAS LOOKING PROMISING AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE NEW EMPLOYEE HUGGED EVERYONE AND SAID, SEE YOU TOMORROW.

THAT TOMORROW IS YET TO ARRIVE.

HE QUIT AFTER A DAY.

NOW THIS PROBLEM IS REAL, AND ADMINISTRATION WOULD LIKE TO REASSURE COMMITTEE MEMBERS THAT WE ARE NOT GIVING EXCUSES WHEN WE SAY THERE IS A LACK OF STAFF WHICH IS IMPACTING OUR DELIVERY OF SERVICES, UNPRECEDENTED BECAUSE OF THE WILDFIRE EVACUATION.

I WILL NOT DWELL TOO MUCH ON THIS TOPIC AS I DO UNDERSTAND IT BRINGS A LOT OF BAD MEMORIES, BUT IT IS A FACT THAT THE EVACUATION CAUSED A LOT OF GRIEF AT DIFFERENT LEVELS, INCLUDING STALLING OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS AND THE INABILITY TO PREDICT HOW MUCH WORK WILL GET DONE ON THESE PROJECTS AND WITHIN WHAT TIME FRAME.

DESPITE THE DIFFICULT CONTEXT, THE ACTUAL OPERATION COST OF ALL DEPARTMENTS, TO THE MOST PART, REMAINED FAIRLY CONSISTENT WHEN COMPARED TO 2022 ACTUALS AND 2023 BUDGET, EXCEPT AS EXPECTED FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, WHICH SAW A DRASTIC SPIKE NOT ONLY DUE TO THE EVENTS THAT UNFOLDED, BUT ALSO BECAUSE THERE WAS A SURGE IN DEMAND FOR EMERGENCY AND MUNICIPAL ENFORCEMENT SERVICES.

2023 WAS DEFINITELY A DEMANDING YEAR FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY TEAM, BUT UNDER THE DIRECTION OF MR. MCLEAN, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY, THEY CONTINUED TO RISE TO THE CHALLENGE TO MAKE US FEEL SAFE AND PROUD.

IN 2023, THE TOTAL OPERATING REVENUES WERE 80.5 MILLION AND THE OPERATING EXPENSES WERE 85.5 MILLION, THEREBY CREATING AN OPERATING DEFICIT OF 5 MILLION, WHICH WAS ABSORBED BY OUR EXISTING ACCUMULATED SURPLUS BALANCE.

THE CITY INCURRED 10.8 MILLION IN WILDFIRE EXPENSES, OF WHICH WE EXPECT TO RECEIVE 8.1 MILLION FROM OTHER ORDERS OF GOVERNMENT SOME TIME DURING THIS YEAR, HOPEFULLY BEFORE BUDGET 2025 DELIBERATIONS, SO THAT THE ALLOCATIONS OF THESE FUNDS CAN BE PART OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS.

AN IMPORTANT ASPECT TO NOTE HERE IS THAT OUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ARE PREPARED USING ACCRUAL ACCOUNTING RATHER THAN CASH ACCOUNTING.

[00:35:04]

THE CITY, BASED ON MANAGEMENT'S BEST ESTIMATE OF FUTURE COSTS, HAS RECORDED ASSET RETIREMENT OBLIGATIONS FOR THE CLOSURE AND POST CLOSURES OF ITS LANDFILLS, REMOVAL OF ASBESTOS FROM ITS BUILDINGS CONSTRUCTED PRIOR TO 1990, AND REMEDIATION OF ITS FUEL TANKS BELOW AND ABOVE GROUND IN RELATION TO DEBT AND RESERVES.

THE FORMER DECREASED BY 2.9 MILLION, WHILE THE LATTER INCREASED BY 1.9 MILLION AS COMPARED TO LAST YEAR, THEREBY GIVING A DEBT RESERVE RATIO OF 2.3. IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, THIS RATIO HAS BEEN BETWEEN 2 AND 3, AND OUR AIM IS TO BRING IT DOWN CLOSER TO ONE.

THIS IS NOT A SMALL FEAST, BUT ADMINISTRATION BELIEVES THIS CAN BE ACHIEVED IN NOT SO DISTANT FUTURE.

IN RECENT YEARS, BOTH CITY COUNCIL AND ADMINISTRATION HAVE MADE SIGNIFICANT EFFORTS IN BUILDING A FINANCIALLY RESILIENT CITY, AS MR. CARLIN MENTIONED.

HOWEVER, FOLLOWING THE DISRUPTIONS CAUSED BY THE 2023 WILDFIRES, WHICH IMPACTED REVENUES AND EXPENSES, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO REGROUP AND RETHINK THE PATH FORWARD.

IT IS A KNOWN FACT THAT THE POPULATION GROWTH WITHIN THE CITY HAS BEEN LOW AND ITS ECONOMY IS RELATIVELY NARROW, WITH HEAVY RELIANCE ON THE PUBLIC AND NATURAL ON THE PUBLIC AND NATURAL RESOURCE SECTORS.

WE JUST HEARD A BIT EARLIER, THE FILM SECTOR IS WORTH 11.69 BILLION.

SO FOOD FOR THOUGHT THERE WITH INFLATIONARY AND COST PRESSURES EXPECTED TO KEEP FUTURE LABOR AND MATERIAL COSTS ELEVATED, NOT TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE HIGH COST OF LIVING IN THE CITY.

SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES AND MORE AND MORE WEATHER RELATED DISRUPTIONS A COMMONALITY.

IT HAS BECOME ESSENTIAL THAT DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS AND THE CITY'S TAX BASE BE STRENGTHENED TO PROVIDE A BUFFER AGAINST FUTURE CAPITAL, DEBT AND EXPENSES.

AS A REMINDER, THE CITY PLANS TO INVEST 271.2 MILLION IN INFRASTRUCTURE OVER THE NEXT TEN YEARS AS PER ITS CAPITAL PLAN, AS COMMITTEE MEMBERS WILL REMEMBER ON JANUARY 22ND, 2024, MR. GREEN AND I DID A PRESENTATION TO GPC ON LONG TERM CAPITAL PLANNING, AND IT APPEARED THAT WE ARE ALREADY SHOWING A SHORTFALL OF 60.8 MILLION THIS TEN YEAR PLAN.

FINALLY, THE BIGGEST INTERNAL CHALLENGE WOULD BE TO BE FULLY STAFFED.

AS OF DATE, WE HAVE 25 VACANT FULL TIME POSITIONS ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION, AND FILLING THESE POSITIONS ARE TOP PRIORITY.

BY THE WAY, 25 VACANT POSITION IS 10% OF OUR WORKFORCE.

AS SUCH, ADMINISTRATION IS LOOKING AT DIFFERENT STRATEGIES IN RELATION TO TALENT MANAGEMENT AND SUCCESSION PLANNING TO HELP ACHIEVE THIS OBJECTIVE.

TO HELP SOLVE THIS SITUATION, AND OUT OF THE GOODNESS OF MY HEART, I EVEN VOLUNTEERED TO BE THE FACE OF ALL RECRUITMENT CAMPAIGNS I NAIVELY IMAGINED, AND MY PICTURES ALL ACROSS THE CITY AND ON THE NEW TRANSIT BUSSES.

BUT I WAS POLITELY DENIED AND TOLD CARRY.

THE AIM HERE IS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF STAFF, NOT DECREASE THEM.

BUT DESPITE THIS PERSONAL DREAM OF MINE BEING CRUSHED AND THE HIGHLIGHTED CHALLENGES LOOMING AHEAD FOR THE CITY, I DO BELIEVE THAT UNDER THE STEWARDSHIP OF THIS COMMITTEE, THE DIRECTION OF THE SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM AND THE IMMENSE DEDICATION OF ALL STAFF, THE CITY REMAINS FISCALLY PRUDENT AND RESILIENT AND IS DETERMINED TO NAVIGATE THROUGH THE PRESSURES OF AN EVER CHANGING ECONOMIC LANDSCAPE.

THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU, MR. DIRECTOR. YOUR INFORMATION HEAVY YET LIGHT TOUCH IS ALWAYS APPRECIATED.

AND ON THAT.

ANY QUESTIONS FROM COMMITTEE? COUNCILLOR WARBURTON.

THANK YOU FOR PRESENTATION AND THE JOKES.

SO I'M GLAD TO HEAR THE PAYOUT EXPECTATIONS FOR THE WILDFIRE HAVE GONE UP FROM 50% TO 75% AND I'M EXCITED TO HEAR IT MIGHT BE IN 24.

IS THAT A HOPE IN 24? WE GET OUR MONEY BACK OR SOME OF IT? OR IS THAT LIKELY? SO, MR. CITY MANAGER, DIRECTOR, CORPORATE SERVICES.

WELL, THERE IS DEFINITELY HOPE, BUT WE THERE'S BELIEF AS WELL.

WE ARE HOPING THAT AGAIN I MENTIONED IT, THERE IS HOPE THAT WE BECAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE CITY TO RECEIVE THOSE FUNDS GOING INTO BUDGET 2025.

[00:40:02]

WE'VE BEEN REGULARLY SUBMITTING THE CLAIMS, AND WE WERE SILENTLY CONFIDENT.

MAYBE THAT'S A WRONG CHOICE OF WORD THAT'S GOING TO COME BACK AND BITE ME, BUT YES.

NOTHING FURTHER TO ADD.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU AND ARE WE DEALING JUST WITH TERRITORY ON THAT ONE, OR IS THAT DIRECTLY WITH THE FEDS OR A COMBINATION OF BOTH? JUST SO I UNDERSTAND THE POLITICAL RISK LEVEL HERE OF NOT GETTING PAID.

IT WILL, MR. CITY MANAGER. DIRECTOR? YEAH, I BELIEVE IT'S A COMBINATION OF BOTH.

THANK YOU AND YOU, THE JOB VACANCY IS NOT SURPRISING, BUT THAT DID SPARK A QUESTION AROUND THE JOB CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM.

DO WE HAVE AN ETA ON THAT? I'M NOT SURE WHO'S ONE TO ASK ON THAT ONE, BUT, MR. CITY MANAGER. DEPUTY MAYOR.

THROUGH YOU, TO THE COUNCILLOR.

IF I COULD ASK YOU TO HOLD THAT QUESTION FOR ABOUT A WEEK.

WHEN WE PRESENT THE WORK PLAN, WE'LL LAY OUT FOR YOU WHEN THE RECLASSIFICATION AND A NUMBER OF OTHER MEASURES WILL BE PUT IN PLACE TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH ATTRACTION AND RETENTION.

THANK YOU. AWESOME.

THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR THAT WORK.

THANK YOU. COUNCILLOR WARBURTON, COUNCILLOR FEQUET.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

FIRST QUESTION.

I ASSUME THE COMMITTEE WAS ABLE TO MEET WITH THE AUDITORS AND CAMERAS AS THE STANDARD PRACTICE.

I JUST WANTED TO CONFIRM IF THERE WERE ANY RESULTS OF ANY OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS THAT WOULD CHANGE OR IMPROVE OUR AUDIT PROCESS MOVING FORWARD.

MR. CITY MANAGER.

DIRECTOR. SORRY, COULD YOU JUST REPHRASE THE FIRST QUESTION? DID YOU WANT TO KNOW IF THE COMMITTEE WAS HELD IN CAMERA, OR WAS I OUT TO LUNCH HERE? NOT OUT TO LUNCH, KEV, YOU KNOW.

YEAH, I DID SAY THE WORDS IN CAMERA.

I ASSUMED THE AUDIT COMMITTEE GOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH THE AUDITORS WITHOUT MANAGEMENT, AS IS NORMAL PRACTICE.

BUT MY PRIMARY QUESTION WAS THERE ANY DISCUSSIONS THAT RESULTED IN ANY IMPROVEMENTS OR CHANGES TO OUR ENTIRE KIND OF AUDIT PROCESS OVERALL? THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.

YEAH. FIRST OF ALL, FIRST CLARIFICATION.

THE AUDIT COMMITTEE MEETINGS ARE ALWAYS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

THERE MIGHT BE SOME COMPONENTS THAT MIGHT BE IN CAMERA, BUT THERE ARE I DON'T RECALL THERE WAS ANY PORTION IN CAMERAS.

SO IT'S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, ANYONE CAN ATTEND.

NOW, COMING TO YOUR SECOND QUESTION ABOUT IMPROVEMENT, YES, THERE WAS SOME RECOMMENDATIONS MADE AT EVERY AS EVERY YEAR.

THIS IS IN RELATION TO, LIKE, YOU KNOW GOING TOWARDS IMPROVING OUR SYSTEM AND ALSO CONTROLS THE TWO.

THIS WILL COME AROUND IN MAY THROUGH A LETTER TO MANAGEMENT.

BUT I DO HAVE YOU KNOW, WE DID THE RECOMMENDATION THAT CAME NOT FROM THE AUDIT COMMITTEE, BUT MORE SO FROM THE AUDITORS. I WANT THE FIRST ONE.

THE RECOMMENDATION WAS TO REVIEW OUR INVESTMENT POLICY BYLAW TO GENERATE, TO HELP US GENERATE A LITTLE BIT MORE INTEREST INCOME.

THE SECOND RECOMMENDATION THAT WAS MADE WAS TO REVIEW THE ESTIMATES OF USEFUL LIVES OF OUR ASSETS AS THEY KIND OF NOTICE, WE ARE USING SOME ASSETS MORE THAN THEIR USEFUL ESTIMATED LIFE AND THE LAST ONE THAT I HAVE IS TO IMPLEMENT A LITTLE BIT STRONGER FINANCIAL CONTROLS IN THE EVENT OF EMERGENCY EMERGENCIES, ESPECIALLY THE APPROVAL TO HAVE A RELOOK AT THE APPROVAL PROCESS OF THE INVOICES.

HOWEVER, HAVING SAID THAT, THEY DID NOTE THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY DID NOT FIND ANYTHING THAT WASN'T ABNORMAL IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES.

THE CONTROLS THAT WERE IN PLACE WERE ADEQUATE, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT.

THANK YOU. GREAT.

THANK YOU. YEAH.

JUST TO BE CLEAR, TOO, I'M VERY COMFORTABLE WITH THE WHAT'S BEEN PRESENTED, THE AUDITED STATEMENTS.

JUST A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS. THE NEXT ONE WAS ACTUALLY ON INTERNAL CONTROLS AND I KNOW THAT BEST PRACTICE WITH LARGE KIND OF 50 MILLION PLUS MILLION DOLLAR ORGANIZATIONS TYPICALLY INCLUDES THE AUDITORS PROVIDING AN ADDITIONAL FUNCTION, WHICH IS SOMETIMES LOOKING AT A SPECIFIC AREA OF INTERNAL CONTROLS AND I NOTED THE ONE YOU JUST MENTIONED IN THE AUDIT AND I THINK THAT PROBABLY IS A PRETTY TIMELY AREA TO LOOK AT INTERNAL CONTROLS DURING EMERGENCIES BECAUSE, YEAH.

SO I GUESS I JUST WANTED TO SUPPORT AND FLAG THAT IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THE AUDIT COMMITTEE CAN CONSIDER AT THEIR UPCOMING MEETING IN JUNE, THAT WOULD BE GREAT IF THERE'S A SPECIFIC FOCUS FOR AREAS OF INTERNAL CONTROL.

IS THAT A COMMENT OR A QUESTION? I DON'T KNOW, I GUESS IT WAS.

[00:45:01]

SO THAT SOUNDS GREAT.

ANOTHER QUESTION.

WHEN WAS OUR AUDITING PARTNER, LIKE THE SENIOR PARTNER AT CHROMAKEY, LAST ROTATED OUT? AND DO WE ACTUALLY HAVE A POLICY IN THIS REGARD? EITHER WHEN IT'S THE SENIOR PARTNER WHO HAS TO BE ROTATED AND OR WHEN IT GOES BACK OUT FOR RFP? MR. CITY MANAGER.

DIRECTOR. THANK YOU.

I DON'T KNOW HOW I PROBABLY MISSED AND ANSWERED THE SPECIFICITY OF WHEN THE SENIOR PARTNER WAS ROTATED, BUT KURAMOCHI HAS BEEN OUR AUDITORS FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS.

THE GOOD PRACTICE WOULD MEAN THAT, YOU KNOW, EVERY FIVE YEARS YOU DO KIND OF LOOK ELSEWHERE FOR A NEW AUDITING FIRM.

HOWEVER, HAVING SAID THAT, I DO KNOW AUDIT FIRMS THEMSELVES.

THEY HAVE THEIR OWN INTERNAL CONTROLS WHERE GOOD PRACTICE WOULD MEAN YOU DO ROTATE YOUR TEAM AND SENIOR LEADERSHIP PARTNERS, SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM CONDUCTING THE AUDIT EVERY FIVE YEARS. BUT I DO NOT KNOW WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME THAT HAPPENED FOR KURAMOCHI, MAYBE MISS VASS.

THANK YOU. THE CURRENT SENIOR PARTNER IS DUE TO ROTATE.

SHE'S BEEN ON THE AUDIT FOR THE LAST FOUR, THREE YEARS.

FOUR YEARS? WE ARE GOING OUT TO RFP AGAIN.

AT MUTUAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE AUDIT FIRM.

WE ARE IN A WE DID GO OUT THREE YEARS AGO FOR UP TO A FIVE YEAR, BUT THE THIRD YEAR, ONCE IT WAS COMPLETE, WAS OPEN FOR BOTH PARTIES TO SEEK A NEW RFP AND WE'VE AGREED TO THAT.

SO THERE WILL BE A CHANGE.

AWESOME. THANK YOU FOR THAT UPDATE.

THAT'S GREAT AND LAST QUESTION.

I RECENTLY TOOK A AUDIT COMMITTEE EFFECTIVENESS COURSE WITH THE INSTITUTE OF CORPORATE DIRECTORS, AND I LEARNED A LOT ABOUT AUDIT QUALITY INDICATORS.

I'VE SINCE SHARED THAT DOCUMENT WITH THE DIRECTOR OF CORPORATE SERVICES.

I GUESS WHAT I WAS CURIOUS IS, AS AUDIT, HAVE AUDIT QUALITY INDICATORS EVER BEEN DISCUSSED BY OUR AUDIT COMMITTEE OR OUR AUDITORS TO DATE? MR. CITY MANAGER DIRECTOR NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE, SIR.

I'VE ONLY BEEN HERE SEVEN MONTHS, SO BUT I CAN CERTAINLY NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE, TO KEEP THE ANSWER SIMPLE.

GREAT. THANK YOU FOR THAT.

AND, YEAH, I WAS JUST CURIOUS.

JUST FOR THOSE WHO AREN'T FAMILIAR, AUTO QUALITY INDICATORS ARE REALLY JUST, YOU KNOW, METRICS THAT ARE DETERMINED TYPICALLY BY THE AUDIT COMMITTEE JUST TO KIND OF MEASURE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE OVERALL PROCESS AND IT CAN BE THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE PERCENT TIME, THE ENGAGEMENT OF THE KNOWLEDGE TEAM, THE PARTNER AVAILABILITY.

LIKE THERE'S ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT INDICATORS IN THAT GUIDE THAT I HAD FORWARDED ALONG AND I REALLY JUST WANTED TO ASK THAT AT THE AUDIT COMMITTEE'S JUNE 20TH MEETING, THEY JUST THINK ABOUT WHETHER THAT'S APPROPRIATE FOR THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE.

I RECOGNIZE WE'RE PROBABLY ON THE LOWER SCALE OF THE EXAMPLES THAT I'M USED TO IN THIS PROCESS, BUT THERE MAY BE A COUPLE AUDIT QUALITY INDICATORS THAT ARE REALLY HELPFUL FOR US TO TRACK PROGRESS AND AGAIN, THERE'S TONS OF EXAMPLES IN THAT CPA DOCUMENT THAT I FORWARDED ALONG.

SO THAT WAS JUST I GUESS A REQUEST OR A SUGGESTION.

THANK YOU. COUNCILLOR FEQUET.

FOR YOUR REQUEST OR SUGGESTION.

WITH THAT COUNCILLOR PAYNE.

THANK YOU.

I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION.

I JUST HAVE A COMMENT.

I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT STAFF AND THE AUDIT COMMITTEE HAVE DONE AND PUT TO KEEP US FINANCIALLY.

HEALTHY. I KNOW IT HASN'T BEEN THE BEST OF THE LAST 4 OR 5 YEARS HERE FOR THE CITY.

IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING BLOCKING US TO BE COMPLETELY SUCCESSFUL.

BUT I HAVE CONFIDENCE IN OUR STAFF.

AND ONE LAST POINT TO MISS MR. PANDU. MAYBE YOUR FACE MIGHT NOT BE GOOD ON BUSSES, BUT MAYBE TRY TO RADIO.

I THINK YOU GOT A FACE FOR RADIO AND THANK YOU COUNCILLOR PAYNE I ALWAYS APPRECIATE IT FROM YOUR ALSO LIGHT TOUCH.

ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FROM COMMITTEE? SEEING NONE, THIS WILL GO FORWARD ON OUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING, WHICH I BELIEVE IS ON MAY 13TH AND WITH THAT, MOVING ON TO SECTION SIX, A MEMORANDUM REGARDING WHETHER TO AMEND FEE AND CHARGES BYLAW NUMBER 4436, AS AMENDED BY AMENDING PARTS 13 AND

[6. A memorandum regarding whether to amend Fees and Charges By‐law No. 4436, as amended, by amending Parts 13, and 17 of Schedule B to reflect updates to transit advertising rates and transit fares due to changes in the transit fleet, and a Solid Waste surcharge for mattresses.]

DUE TO CHANGES IN THE TRANSIT FLEET AND A SOLID WASTE SURCHARGE FOR MATTRESSES.

MR. CITY MANAGER, WOULD YOU INTRODUCE THE SUBJECT MATTER? DEPUTY MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COMMITTEE BEFORE YOU THIS AFTERNOON IS WHAT I WOULD BEST CHARACTERIZE AS SOME INTERIM MEASURES.

[00:50:07]

THEREFORE, I WOULD LIKE TO HAND OVER TO OUR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS AND ENGINEERING DIRECTOR, CHRIS GREENHORN, TO PROVIDE OPENING REMARKS.

THANK YOU.

THIS MEMO, BASICALLY, AS MR. KHAN MENTIONED, IS JUST RESOLVE SOME GENERAL HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS IN REGARDS TO TRANSIT THAT WILL ENABLE US TO ADDRESS IMMEDIATE NEEDS.

THERE'S ALSO WORK THAT WILL BE ONGOING THIS SUMMER IN TERMS OF THE TRANSIT RENEWAL AND IMPLEMENTATION.

THAT WILL OCCUR LATER IN THE QUARTER.

THE TRANSIT ADVERTISING FEES IS SIMPLY TO CHANGE DIMENSIONS AND ASSOCIATED COSTS BECAUSE THE NEW FLEET OF BUSSES HAS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT DIMENSIONS.

SO THIS IS JUST MAKING SURE THE BYLAW IS ACCURATE AND WE'RE CHARGING, WHAT IS CONTEMPLATED FOR THE, THE TRANSIT FARE CHARGES ARE BASED ON RESEARCH AND ADVICE.

FROM WHAT? CONSULTING.

WHO WAS TASKED WITH ASSISTING US WITH THE RENEWAL? AND WENDY NEWTON, OUR MANAGER OF ENGINEERING, IS BESIDE ME.

SHE'S OUR STAFF EXPERT ON ALL THINGS FARE RELATED.

SO JUST IN CASE THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS AROUND THAT, THE THIRD ITEM IS IMPLEMENTATION OF A MATTRESS FEE AT THE SOLID WASTE FACILITY.

THIS IS VERY SIMILAR SURCHARGE THAT FALLS IN LINE WITH OTHER THINGS SUCH AS APPLIANCES, TIRES.

THIS IS ASSOCIATED WITH POST PRO OR COST PROCESSING COSTS AND POST PROCESSING MANAGEMENT OF THAT OF THOSE MATERIALS ON PROCESSED MATTRESSES ARE A DETRIMENT TO LANDFILL BECAUSE THEY PROHIBIT COMPACTION.

AS YOU WOULD GUESS, THEY'RE SPRINGY.

THEREFORE COMPACTION DOESN'T IS NOT VERY WELL ACHIEVED.

WHEN YOU LANDFILL THESE MATERIALS.

SO WE HAVE TO PROCESS THEM SHREDDED TO BE SPECIFICALLY ASSOCIATED WITH THAT AS A COST.

THIS IS A COST JUST A COST RECOVERY PROGRAM FOR THE SHREDDING OF THOSE MATERIALS.

SO HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS ON THOSE.

THANK YOU AND THANK YOU AND ON THAT NOTE, ANY QUESTIONS FROM COMMITTEE? COUNCILOR PAQUETTE? THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. OKAY A COUPLE QUICK QUESTIONS.

DO WE KNOW THE ANTICIPATED COST OF PURCHASING AND INSTALLING AND THE O&M RELATED TO THE MAGNETIC FARE BOXES VERSUS THE MORE MODERN TAP OPTIONS? MR. CITY MANAGER.

WENDY, I BELIEVE.

THANK YOU. SO WE DID HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE FAREBOX PROVIDERS FOR WHAT YOU SEE IN MAJOR CENTERS WITH THE TAP AND GO CARDS, IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT SYSTEM IS ROUGHLY 3 TO $400,000, PLUS ANOTHER $100,000 ANNUALLY JUST FOR MAINTENANCE FEES.

SO THE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE IS THE SYSTEM THAT THE FAREBOX PROVIDERS ACTUALLY RECOMMENDS.

LOVELY. JUST WANT EVERYONE TO HEAR THAT WHEN THEY'RE WONDERING WHY THEY CAN'T HAVE TAB, IT COSTS A LOT.

THE NEXT QUESTION.

SO RECOGNIZING THE ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS BY THE WHAT CONSULTING GROUP? BUT THE DAY PASSES AND RECOMMEND RECOGNIZING THE ADMINISTRATION'S RECOMMENDATION NOT TO IMPLEMENT THEM.

I UNDERSTAND FROM THE MEMO THAT IT WAS PRIMARILY DUE TO JUST THE CUSTOM COST OF HAVING TO SET THOSE UP.

DO WE DO WE KNOW WHAT THAT ANTICIPATED COST IS FOR THE DAY PASSES? MR. CITY MANAGER, BACK OVER TO PUBLIC WORKS.

THANK YOU. WE DON'T HAVE THAT COST AT THAT MOMENT.

WE ARE WORKING ON THE COSTS FOR IMPLEMENTING THE TEN PUNT, THE TEN PASS, AND THE 31 DAY.

IT LIKELY WOULD BE SIMILAR, BUT THE LENGTH OF TIME TO GET THOSE CARDS WOULD BE INCREASED BECAUSE IT'S NOT A STANDARD.

OH, WHAT'S THE WORD? THE PROCESSING SO BECAUSE THE TEN PUNCH AND THE 31 DAYS IS SOMETHING THAT THEY OFFER TO EVERY FARE BOX THAT THEY HAVE IN THE SYSTEM, IF WE'RE IMPLEMENTING DAY PASSES OR FAMILY TRAVEL OR ANYTHING THAT'S SPECIALIZED, IT DOES TAKE A LITTLE LONGER TO GET THOSE PASSES.

SO WE'VE BEEN QUOTED AS IT TAKING ANYWHERE BETWEEN 25 AND 32 WEEKS FOR THE CARDS TO ACTUALLY SHOW UP HERE ONCE THE DESIGN OF THE CARDS HAS BEEN DETERMINED. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT IT QUITE A LONG LENGTH OF TIME IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT THOSE.

THAT'S WHY THE MEMO RIGHT NOW SAYS, LET'S LOOK AT THESE ONES AND GET THEM IMPLEMENTED RIGHT AWAY AND WE CAN ALWAYS IMPLEMENT OTHERS LATER.

THANK YOU FOR THAT LEVEL OF DETAIL.

[00:55:01]

SO IS THAT TIME FRAME, KIND OF THAT LEAD TIME TO GET THESE CARDS FOR THE NEW FAREBOX SYSTEM, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER WE DO THE DAY PASS OR THAT'S WHAT IT WOULD BE IF WE WANTED CUSTOMIZATIONS SUCH AS THE DAY PASS.

MR. CITY MANAGER.

GO AHEAD. SO IT WOULD BE IF WE'RE DOING THE NEW ONES.

SO. BECAUSE.

THE ONES WE'RE EXPECTING NOW FOR THAT TEN PUNCH, THE STANDARDIZED PROGRAMING, WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT 15 WEEKS TO GET THOSE, BUT THE IT'LL BE 25 TO 32 FOR THE ANYTHING WE HAVE TO DO THAT'S NOT STANDARD.

THANK YOU FOR THAT. WITH RESPECT TO RECOMMENDATION C THE ONE ABOUT SIMPLIFYING THE FARE STRUCTURE AND SPECIFICALLY KIND OF THE CASH, THE SINGLE CASH FARE AMOUNT.

I WAS JUST WONDERING, OTHER THAN KIND OF A POTENTIAL OF REDUCED REVENUE, WHICH I WOULD HIGHLIGHT POTENTIAL.

WAS THERE ANY OTHER CONSIDERATIONS WHEN CHOOSING THAT NUMBER? I'M JUST ASKING BECAUSE I THINK IT WAS COUNCILLOR HENDRICKSEN WHO RAISED, YOU KNOW ANY BARRIERS WE CAN REMOVE TO PEOPLE USING TRANSIT, SUCH AS HAVING TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, A TOONIE OR TWO LOONIES AND A COUPLE QUARTERS VERSUS A LOONIE OR A TOONIE.

I'M JUST WONDERING IF THERE WAS ANY OTHER CONSIDERATIONS THAT KIND OF MADE THAT NUMBER SEEM RIGHT TO ADMINISTRATION THAT 250 FOR THE SINGLE CASH FARE? MR. CITY MANAGER DEPUTY MAYOR, THROUGH YOU TO THE COUNCILLOR.

IT'S FAIR TO SAY WE HAD QUITE A BIT OF DISCUSSION ON THIS AND THERE'S CERTAINLY DIFFERENT APPROACHES THAT CAN BE TAKEN.

ONE OF THE ISSUES, OF COURSE, WITH GOING WITH A 50 CENT INCREMENT IS THE ISSUE OF QUARTERS WHICH OBVIOUSLY IS A CONSIDERATION.

WE ARE VERY MUCH HOPING THAT WE CAN GET AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE AWAY FROM CASH FARES TO OTHER FARES.

AS FOR THE COST ITSELF WE ARE TRYING TO SATISFY THE NEEDS TO TRY TO KEEP TRANSIT COSTS FOR INDIVIDUAL USERS AS LOW AS POSSIBLE.

BUT TO A POINT.

AND IN FACT, WHEN YOU TAKE A LOOK AT HOW MUCH TRANSIT FEES IN THE CITY HAVE INCREASED OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS, IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT WE HAVEN'T EVEN KEPT UP WITH INFLATION.

NOT EVEN CLOSE.

SO THEREFORE IT WAS A BIT OF A BALANCING ACT WITH THE RECOMMENDATION THAT IS BEFORE YOU.

AND I'LL HAND IT OVER TO PUBLIC WORKS AND ENGINEERING FOR ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS.

JUST ON THE FAIR REVENUES.

JUST SOME HISTORICAL CONTEXT AS, HAPPENED ACROSS THE COUNTRY, PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS, WE HAD A RECOVERY RATE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN BETWEEN 2017 AND 2019, WE WERE FROM 25 TO 27%.

AND AS EVERYBODY EXPERIENCED DURING THE PANDEMIC, THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT DROP.

BUT WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO RECOVER SINCE THEN.

SO OUR CURRENT RECOVERY RATE FROM 2020 TO CURRENT DATE IS ROUGHLY 10%.

AND MOST MOST SYSTEMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE SEEKING SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 28 AND 30% RECOVERY.

BUT JUST SOME CONTEXT ON THOSE THAT TIME PERIOD THAT THE CITY MANAGER'S MENTIONED THAT WE HAVE NOT HAD SIGNIFICANT FARE INCREASES.

THANK YOU AND JUST FOR MY REFRESHING MY MEMORY, WHAT WAS THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS? TOTAL REVENUE? FOR I KNOW IT WAS JUST UNDER 400,000IN 2019, BUT THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, WHAT HAVE WE WHAT HAVE WE SEEN? MR. CITY MANAGER RIGHT NOW WE'RE ABOUT 313,000 PROJECTED FOR BUDGET 2024 AND THE ACTUALS FROM THE PAST YEARS ARE IN LINE WITH THAT. THANK YOU.

YEAH. I MEAN, IF I COULD CHOOSE, I WOULD MAKE IT FREE FOR LOTS OF REASONS, BUT I THINK I'M PROBABLY IN A MINORITY ON THAT FRONT.

SO MOVING ON WITH RESPECT TO RECOMMENDATION E, THE FAMILY TRAVEL PROGRAM I WAS JUST IF, LIKE, TO HEAR A BIT MORE FROM ADMINISTRATION ON ANY OTHER CONSIDERATIONS, WHY IT'S NOT ACCEPTING THAT RECOMMENDATION.

AND JUST TO CLARIFY, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WE DO IT FOR KIDS UP TO AGE FIVE.

THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO EXTEND THAT UP TO AGE 12.

SO I JUST WANT TO DOUBLE CHECK THAT I'M UNDERSTANDING IT.

RIGHT AND IF SO, IS THERE KIND OF ANY OTHER CONSIDERATIONS OR RATIONALE FOR WHY ADMINISTRATION DOESN'T WANT TO INCREASE THE AGE? MR. CITY MANAGER.

I THINK I'LL COMMENT SECOND ON THIS ONE, BUT OVER TO PUBLIC WORKS FIRST.

THANK YOU. WE HAVEN'T SEEN A LOT OF FAMILIES WHO ARE TRAVELING ON THE BUS AND THOSE THAT ARE MOST OF THOSE HAVE QUALIFIED FOR THE ACCESS FOR ALL PROGRAM.

WE KNOW THAT BECAUSE OF THE ANNUAL PASSES THAT THEY ARE USING TO TRAVEL ON.

SO IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE LOOKING TO IMPLEMENT, IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD JUST NEED TO BE IMPLEMENTED AT A LATER DATE.

IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE CAN DO RIGHT AWAY AND I WAS SIMPLY GOING TO ADD THAT BECAUSE WE ARE NOT RECOMMENDING IT AT THIS TIME DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE ARE

[01:00:02]

COOL. THANK YOU FOR THAT LEVEL OF DETAIL.

LAST QUESTION FROM ME.

JUST REGARDING PAGE 13 OF THE TRANSIT FARE REVIEW, IT MENTIONED THE SINGLE TICKETS THAT ARE SOLD TO HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES AND HOW THEY'RE SOLD KIND OF INDIVIDUALLY AT THE TOP RATE OF THREE BUCKS A TICKET, I GUESS.

AND IF THESE WERE SOLD IN A DIFFERENT FORMAT OR SOME OTHER WAY.

HSFS COULD RECEIVE THE DISCOUNT AND USE THE SAME FUNDS TO HELP OUT MORE FOLKS.

I GUESS I WAS JUST CURIOUS IF ADMINISTRATION HAD ANY THOUGHTS ON HOW OR WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO ACCOMPLISH THIS.

MR. CITY MANAGER, THANK YOU.

SO THE REASON THAT WE WENT TO SELLING THEM SINGLE RIDE PASSES WAS BECAUSE PREVIOUSLY THEY WERE PROVIDING TAXI VOUCHERS TO PEOPLE.

SO THE TRANSIT FARES ARE ACTUALLY MUCH CHEAPER THAN WHAT THEY WERE USING IN THE PAST.

WHEN WE DID WE CURRENTLY HAVE THE TICKET SHEETS, SO THEY ACTUALLY PURCHASED THE TICKET SHEETS RIGHT NOW.

UNFORTUNATELY, WITH THE NEW FARE BOXES, WE DO HAVE TO MOVE TO BACK TO THE SINGLE RIDES.

SO THOSE THEY WOULD STILL SEE A BIT OF A REDUCTION IN COST, BECAUSE THE COST FOR THOSE WOULD NOW BE 250 INSTEAD OF $3 EACH.

SO THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF A COST SAVINGS ON THAT.

AWESOME. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PROVIDING SUCH A GREAT LEVEL OF DETAIL.

THAT'S ALL FOR ME FOR NOW AND THANK YOU COUNCILLOR FEQUET COUNCILLOR HENDRICKSEN.

THANK YOU, DEPUTY MAYOR.

OH, AM I? YEP.

FIRST, JUST A QUESTION ON THE MATTRESS DISPOSAL.

JUST DID ITMEAN CONSIDER LIKE, DOMESTIC VERSUS COMMERCIAL RATES, OR WOULD THAT BE SOMETHING TO CONSIDER IN THE FUTURE? I'M JUST THINKING, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE A HOTEL, BRING A WHOLE LOAD OF MATTRESSES VERSUS A ONE OFF OF FAMILY'S DOING A SWITCH OVER OF THEIR MATTRESSES AFTER TEN YEARS OR SOMETHING. MR. CITY MANAGER DIRECTOR, THANKS FOR THE QUESTION.

AT THIS TIME, WE'RE STRICTLY LOOKING AT COST VERSUS RECOVERY.

SO WHATEVER OUR SHREDDING COST, WHATEVER THAT COST MAY BE DIVIDED BY MATTRESSES AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW.

WHAT THIS DOES ENABLE US TO DO IS CURRENTLY WHOEVER SHOWS UP, IF IT'S A RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER, PER SE, YOU SHOW UP. IT'S JUST COUNTED IN YOUR GENERAL ADMISSION TO THE LANDFILL, AND WE'RE NOT TRACKING IT.

SO WHAT THIS ALSO WILL DO, WILL, IT'S A SEPARATE SURCHARGE.

IT'S SEPARATE TRACKING. WE'LL BE TRACKING VOLUME.

SO WE'LL BE LOOKING AT DATA MANAGEMENT AND REEVALUATING THIS ON A REGULAR BASIS.

HAPPY DAYS. THANKS FOR THAT.

JUST A FOLLOW UP ON THAT FAMILY TRAVEL PROGRAM AGAIN FOR TRANSIT FEES, BECAUSE I'M STILL JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I NAIL IT DOWN.

SO CANIMIN CLARIFY.

SO WOULD A SPECIAL PASS ACTUALLY BE NEEDED FOR THAT? BECAUSE, I MEAN, I SAY THIS AS SOMEBODY WITHOUT KIDS WHO DOESN'T, WHO'S NEVER USED THIS SERVICE.

BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT ALL IT REQUIRES IS A FARE PAYING ADULT TO BE PRESENT, AND THEN KIDS BE WITH THEM, THAT IT DOESN'T REQUIRE A SPECIAL PASS.

BUT AM I WRONG ON THAT? MR. CITY MANAGER, PUBLIC WORKS.

THANK YOU. THIS IS JUST SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD NEED MORE TIME TO DETERMINE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF.

IF IT IS AS SIMPLE AS, YOU KNOW, INCREASING THE AGE.

IF YOU HAVE A PASS ALREADY, THEN IT IS SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK AT A LITTLE QUICKER.

AGAIN, IT'S JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT THE PASSES THAT WE KNOW WE NEED RIGHT NOW, IMPLEMENTED AS SOON AS WE CAN, WHILE WE CONTINUE TO RESEARCH THE OTHER OPTIONS.

THANKS FOR THAT. I WOULD ASK MAYBE FOR THE COUNCIL MEETING WHEN THIS COMES FORWARD, IF IN THE NEXT WEEK WE COULD FIND THAT OUT, LIKE IF AN ACTUAL PASS IS NEEDED OR IF IT'S JUST A FARE AND FOR KIDS, I'D SAY IF IT'S A FARE AND FOR KIDS, WE JUST INCREASE IT TO 12 BECAUSE IT'S ACTUALLY NO EXTRA ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN.

IT'S SOMEBODY ROCKING UP ON THE BUS WITH FOUR ADDITIONAL KIDS UNDER 12 WITH THEM.

NO EXTRA ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN.

LET'S DO IT.

IF IT'S ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN, THEN I'M HAPPY TO WAIT AND HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.

BUT THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE ON THAT SPECIFIC PASS, BECAUSE I DO QUIBBLE A BIT WITH THE IDEA THAT THIS IS ONLY USED BY PEOPLE WHO ARE ACCESS FOR ALL USERS.

I KNOW MYSELF, SEVERAL PEOPLE IN TOWN WHO WOULD USE THIS AS A FAMILY, BUT IT'S CHEAPER TO TAKE A TAXI FROM ONE PART OF TOWN TO THE OTHER UNDER CURRENT FARE RATES.

SO THEY DON'T AND IT'S STRICTLY THE COST.

WHEREAS IF THEY HAD FREE ACCESS FOR THEIR CHILDREN UNDER 12, THEY WOULD USE IT.

SO AGAIN, I JUST HIGHLIGHT THAT REGARDING THE FARES, I'M GOING TO GO ON A LITTLE BIT HERE NOW.

SO EVERYBODY STRAP IN.

IF YOU'LL GO WITH ME.

BUT REGARDING THE FARES FOR TRANSIT GENERALLY, I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THE PROPOSAL OF ADMIN IN THE MEMO THAT CAUTIOUS THINKING AROUND REVENUE.

THAT'S YOUR JOB AS ADMIN? I THINK FROM A POLITICAL SIDE, THOUGH, I'D LIKE US TO CONSIDER FROM COUNCIL.

WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO ACHIEVE WITH OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM? WE TALK ABOUT MIGRATING PEOPLE FROM PERSONAL VEHICLES TO OTHER FORMS OF TRANSIT AROUND TOWN.

WE ALREADY HAVE A HIGHLY SUBSIDIZED SYSTEM AND, YOU KNOW, THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS HIGHLIGHTED THAT EVEN SINCE COVID, IT'S DROPPED EVEN FURTHER.

[01:05:04]

THERE ARE STUDIES PROVING THAT FACT, STUDIES PROVING THE OTHER THAT TRANSIT FARES GOING DOWN INCREASE RATES.

YEP. THEY'RE LOWER. THEY'RE NOT AS EVIDENCE BUT WITHIN THE TOOLS THAT WE AS COUNCIL ACTUALLY HAVE IN OUR POLICY TOOLBOX, THERE'S NOT MANY.

WE HAVE JUST RE-UPPED ON OUR TRANSIT BUSSES.

WE ARE IMPLEMENTING NEW ROUTES THIS AUTUMN.

SO AGAIN, WITHIN THE TOOLS THAT ARE IN OUR TOOLBOX, PRICE IS ONE OF THEM.

IT'S KIND OF THE ONLY ONE IN MY MIND ALTHOUGH I'M HAPPY TO BE DISSUADED OF THAT.

SO MY PROPOSAL BASICALLY IS TO DROP THE FARE AND AGAIN, I'M HAPPY TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION NOW TO SAY, CAN WE CHEW ON IT? ALL OF THAT KIND OF STUFF. BUT MY PROPOSAL WOULD BE TO DROP IT FROM 250 TO $2 FOR A SINGLE FARE CASH TICKET.

AS COUNCILLOR FEQUET HAD INDICATED, I HAD SORT OF PUT IN AN EMAIL TO ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES BEFORE TODAY.

IT'S THE CHANGE, ITS USE, USABILITY, EASE, AND USABILITY OF A SYSTEM TO DROP THE TEN DAY PASS TO MATCH THOSE FEES OF $18 AND $15 FOR A DISCOUNT SO THAT IT'S NOT.

YOU PAY NINE FOR TEN RIDES FOR A 31 DAY PASS TO MAKE IT A FULL FARE OF $60 INSTEAD OF 75, AND A DISCOUNT OF 40 INSTEAD OF 50, AND AN ANNUAL PASS TO DROP IT TO $500 FROM 750 AND TO $400 FOR A DISCOUNT FROM 500.

SO THE PRACTICAL REALITY IS THAT PEOPLE WILL MORE REGULARLY HAVE THAT TOONIE IN THEIR POCKET, AS OPPOSED TO 250.

I KNOW I NEVER HAVE QUARTERS, I OFTEN HAVE LOONIES AND TOONIES STILL.

IN ADDITION TO INCREASING RIDERSHIP, ANOTHER GOAL OF MINE WITH THESE PROPOSALS IS TO SHOW YELLOWKNIFER THAT WE UNDERSTAND THE AFFORDABILITY CHALLENGES THEY CURRENTLY FACE.

AGAIN, USING ONE OF THE FEW POLICY TOOLS WE ACTUALLY HAVE AT OUR DISPOSAL, WE CAN PROVIDE SOME OPPORTUNITY FOR MEANINGFUL IMPACT ON THAT IF THEY'RE WILLING TO MAKE A CHANGE, TOO, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT WE AS A CITY HAVE SAID WE WANT PEOPLE TO DO.

SO FOR CONTEXT, IF SOME CONTEXT, IF SOMEONE CURRENTLY DRIVES DOWNTOWN EVERY DAY FOR WORK AND PARKS AT ONE OF THE NINE HOUR METERS THROUGHOUT THE DAY FROM 8 A.M.

TO 5 P.M., IF THEY SWITCHED TO A $500 ANNUAL PASS, THEY WOULD SAVE $1,300 A YEAR.

THAT'S NOT NOTHING, AND IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE TO GET RID OF A VEHICLE.

IT JUST MEANS THAT WHEN YOU'RE COMING TO WORK, YOU'RE NOT DRIVING TO WORK AND PARKING AT A NINE HOUR METER FOR THE DAY.

I ALSO WHEN I LOOK AT THE TRANSIT SYSTEM AS A WHOLE, SOMETHING AND HEAR THAT IT'S ONLY USED BY PEOPLE WITH LIMITED FINANCIAL MEANS.

I AGAIN QUIBBLE WITH THAT.

I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO DON'T USE THE SYSTEM BECAUSE OF RELIABILITY ISSUES, WHICH IS THANKFULLY BEING, YOU KNOW, REMEDIED THROUGH THE NEW BUSSES.

SO KUDOS AGAIN, THANKS TO ADMIN.

YOU KNOW, MICRO BUSSES.

IN AN IDEAL WORLD, IF I COULD GO BACK IN TIME, I'D PROBABLY GO MORE OF MICRO TRANSIT, BUT I STILL THINK THAT'LL BE A HUGE BENEFIT TO THE RELIABILITY OF THE SYSTEM.

WHEN WE LOOK AT THE SYSTEM AS A WHOLE.

AGAIN, THIS MEETS MY PROPOSAL, MEETS THE COMMUNITY ENERGY ACTION PLAN AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THAT 2020 STRATEGY.

SO UNDER THE CORPORATE AND COMMUNITY ENERGY ACTION PLAN, WE SAY WE WANT TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GASES BY 30%.

WHAT ARE WE DOING TO DO THAT? WE SAY THAT WE WANT TO REDUCE VEHICLE TRANSPORTATION KILOMETERS TRAVELED BY 20%.

AGAIN, WHAT ARE WE AS COUNCIL DOING? ADMIN HAS DONE A LOT OF WORK ON THE 30% SIDE OF IT FROM A CITY PERSPECTIVE.

BUT IN TERMS OF WHAT ARE WE, WHAT POLICY TOOLS ARE WE USING IN ORDER TO SEE CHANGE AMONGST RESIDENTS? WHAT ARE WE DOING? THIS IS SOMETHING WE CAN DO.

AS A COMMUNITY ENERGY ACTION PLAN SAYS, I QUOTE, MUCH OF THE ENDEAVOR TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS IN THE TRANSPORTATION SECTOR WILL COME FROM A COMMUNITY CULTURAL SHIFT, INFLUENCED BY THE ACTIONS AND POLICIES OF THE CITY AND COUNCIL, UNQUOTE.

THIS IS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY DO WHAT A STRATEGY COUNCIL HAS ADOPTED SAYS WE SHOULD DO.

I KNOW REGARDING COST, I CAN ONLY ESTIMATE THE COST OF THE PROPOSAL AT THIS TIME, SO I WON'T.

BUT WHEN WE CONSIDER AGAIN THAT OUR REVENUES AND THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS SPOKE TO THIS, IT'S BUDGETED AT 313,000.

LAST YEAR WE PULLED IN OR IN 2022, THE BUDGET STATED THAT WE PULLED IN 260 ISH THOUSAND.

AGAIN, THIS IS ALREADY AN EXTREMELY SUBSIDIZED SERVICE.

SO I THINK IF WE CAN POTENTIALLY MAKE AN IMPACT, AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT IT WILL MAKE AN IMPACT, I BELIEVE IT WILL MAKE AN IMPACT AND I'M PROPOSING SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS A

[01:10:04]

WHICH BRINGS ME TO MY FINAL POINT THAT IF COUNCILLORS, MY COLLEAGUES ARE WILLING TO ENTERTAIN THIS POTENTIAL OPTION, BUT YOU'RE NOT SOLD ON IT ENTIRELY, I AM WILLING AND I WOULD ADVOCATE FOR WE REVIEW THIS IN TWO YEARS BEFORE BUDGET 2027 COMES FORWARD.

BECAUSE AGAIN, I THINK IF WE DON'T TRY MODERATELY AMBITIOUS ACTIVE ACTIVITIES LIKE THIS, WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO ACHIEVE WHEN IT COMES TO CHANGE OF ATTITUDE? UNDER STRATEGIES OUR COUNCIL AND OUR CITY HAS ADOPTED? SO I THINK WE SHOULD TRY TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS THAT'S MODERATELY AMBITIOUS, ADVERTISE AROUND IT, TRY TO SEE CHANGE, AND IF IN TWO YEARS I AM DEAD WRONG AND RIDERSHIP HASN'T GONE UP AND YOU KNOW NOTHING'S MOVING ON THIS NEEDLE, THEN I AM FULLY HAPPY THAT WHEN BUDGET 2027 GOES FORWARD TO A NEWLY ELECTED COUNCIL, THAT THEY SEE INCREASED RATES AND THEY WOULD THEN HAVE EVIDENCE OF WHY THAT INCREASE IS COMING TO SUBSIDIZE THE SYSTEM.

SO I'LL STOP THERE.

THAT'S THE BACKGROUND TO IT.

INTERESTED TO HEAR WHAT COLLEAGUES HAVE TO SAY IF YOU'RE INTERESTED AT ALL.

BUT I FEEL LIKE IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT IF WE DON'T PROPOSE CHANGES LIKE THIS.

UNLESS THERE'S SOMETHING GRAND COMING, WHICH THERE'S NOT, BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY COMMITTED TO CHANGES LIKE NEW BUSSES AND NEW ROUTES, THEN I JUST DON'T SEE WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY TRYING TO DO IN TERMS OF ACTUALLY CHANGING THE DIAL.

THANK YOU, DEPUTY MAYOR.

AND THANK YOU, COUNCILLOR HENDRICKSEN.

YOUR PASSION IN THIS SUBJECT MATTER IS VERY MUCH APPRECIATED.

I WAS VERY GOOD. WOULD THE CITY MANAGER HAVE ANY COMMENT OR RECOMMENDATIONS FROM COUNCILLOR HENDRICKSON'S COMMENT? MR. CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.

FIRST OF ALL, THE COUNCIL AND I HAVE HAD A DISCUSSION ON THIS, AND I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND ITS POINTS OF VIEW.

BUT AS HE HAS MENTIONED, THERE'S VERY LITTLE OUT THERE IN TERMS OF BEST PRACTICE EXAMPLES THAT WOULD SHOW THAT LOWERING OF RATES INCREASES RIDERSHIP.

IT'S OTHER THINGS THAT INCREASE RIDERSHIP BASED ON THE BEST PRACTICE REVIEW AND THAT IS CONVENIENCE, TIMELINESS AND A TRANSIT SYSTEM THAT SUITS INDIVIDUAL NEEDS. IT'S NOT REALLY WHETHER YOU PAY 2 OR $3.

HIS OTHER POINTS ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE, ETC.

ARE NOTED.

I SUPPOSE MY POINT OF MY RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL ON THIS WOULD BE THAT IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN SEEING LOWER TRANSIT RATES, EITHER AS A TRIAL OR PERMANENTLY, THAT IT BE DONE AS PART OF BUDGET 2025, THE REALITY IS BUDGET 2024.

WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF IT NOW.

WE HAVE A BUDGET THAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE DISCIPLINED AND FOLLOW TO THE END OF THE YEAR.

SO MY THOUGHT WOULD BE THAT IF GPC WAS INTERESTED IN THIS BEING PURSUED, THAT WE COULD RECEIVE DIRECTION FROM THE GPC TO INCLUDE THE LOWER RATES AS PART OF BUDGET 2025.

I KNOW IT DELAYS WHAT THE COUNCIL WISHES FOR A SIX MONTH PERIOD OR SO.

BUT AT LEAST WE WOULD THEN BE REMAINING DISCIPLINED TO OUR CURRENT BUDGET.

THANK YOU, COUNCILOR HENDRICKSEN.

I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.

THAT THOUGHTFUL RESPONSE FROM THE CITY MANAGER.

MY QUESTION THEN WOULD BE IF DOES ADMINISTRATION.

SO IF WE DELAYED THIS DECISION ON ACTUAL RATES UNTIL BUDGET 2025 DISCUSSIONS, BECAUSE THE IMPLEMENTATION ISN'T GOING TO BE TILL OCTOBER 1ST FOR THE FARES AS IT IS, AS THE PROPOSAL STATES, IF WE SAID, YEP, WE LIKE THE IDEA OF THE SIMPLIFIED PROPOSAL BECAUSE AGAIN, I'M A BIG SUPPORTER OF THE SIMPLIFIED RATE STRUCTURE, BUT WE JUST SAID WE'RE NOT READY TO MAKE A DECISION ON RATES TILL BUDGET 20 2025.

WOULD THAT IMPACT ANYTHING AROUND TICKET PRINTING, LIKE, YOU KNOW, SHEET PRINTING OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT TO ALLOW FOR IMPLEMENTATION, SAY, JANUARY 1ST INSTEAD OF OCTOBER 1ST? WELL, WHAT CHAIR THROUGH YOU TO THE COUNCILLOR.

WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND IS THAT WE ACTUALLY PROCEED AS PLANNED WITH THE CHANGES THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THEY ARE WELL UNDERWAY.

BUT THEN IF AS PART OF BUDGET 2025, THERE WAS A DESIRE TO LOWER THOSE RATES THAN WE WOULD DO ALL THAT WORK, IT WOULDN'T BE IMPLEMENTABLE ON THE 1ST OF JANUARY. IN ANY EVENT, THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF TIME AFTER THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED.

SO WE WOULD GO WITH OUR NEW SCHEME NOW, WHICH INCLUDES CHANGES TO ADVERTISING RATES, ETC.

AS WELL AND ALMOST ALL RATES REMAIN CONSISTENT.

IT'S SIMPLY A SIMPLIFIED FARE PROCESS AND ALL WE WOULD NEED FROM GPC IS DIRECTION TO INCLUDE IT IN BUDGET 2025.

THERE'S NO REAL MOTIONS OF COUNCIL THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED AT THIS POINT.

THE MOTIONS OF COUNCIL WOULD BE RELATED TO OUR PROPOSALS FOR THE RATE INCREASES IN THE ADVERTISING FEES, ETC.

IF MY COLLEAGUES ARE WILLING TO BITE ON THAT, SO AM I AND THAT CITY MANAGER HAS JUST GIVEN ME SOME GOOD POLITICAL WORK THAT I NEED TO DO NOW TO CONVINCE YOU ALL FOR BUDGET 2025.

SO THANKS, CITY MANAGER, AND THANK YOU, COUNCILLOR HENDRICKSEN.

ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COMMITTEE?

[01:15:02]

THANK YOU.

WHAT ARE OUR RATES COMPARED TO OTHER CITIES IN CANADA? AND I'M ASKING, I LIVED IN SAINT JOHN'S.

93 TO 95, AND I THINK WE WERE TWO BUCKS A RIDE BACK THEN.

LIKE I'M NOT SEEING THE 250 TO AND $3 A RIDE AS ANYTHING EXPENSIVE.

LIKE, IT'S, HIGHLY SUBSIDIZED.

YOUR WORDS AND I'M NOT SURE.

LIKE JOHN SAID, IF THE RATES ARE GOING TO INCREASE RIDERSHIP, I WOULD SAY WAIT TO SEE WHAT THE NEW ROUTES DO.

YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR A NEW ROUTE.

ROUTE? PLAN FOR A WHILE.

SO IF THAT ROUTE, THE NEW ROUTE PLAN MAKES SENSE, I MEAN, MORE PEOPLE WILL RIDE.

IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S SO MUCH MORE IN THE CITY THAT WE SHOULD BE REALLY WORRIED ABOUT RIGHT NOW, AND WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME DISCUSSING THIS FOR A SYSTEM THAT'S ALREADY VERY ACCESSIBLE, VERY AFFORDABLE, VERY USER FRIENDLY, AND IT'S ONLY GOING TO GET BETTER WITH NEW ROUTES.

IT JUST SEEMS LIKE.

WHY? MR. CITY MANAGER ANYTHING ON A RATE COMPARISON WITH OTHER JURISDICTIONS? PUBLIC WORKS.

THANKS. A QUICK SCAN OF EDMONTON PUTS THEM AT ABOUT 350, BUT OVERALL, MOST MUNICIPALITIES TRY TO ACHIEVE SOMEWHERE IN THE 20 HIGH MID TO HIGH 20 RETURN RATE AND WE'RE WELL BELOW THAT.

SO OUR GENERALLY YOU CAN LOOK AT IT ON A FAIR BY FAIR BASIS.

BUT GENERALLY IF YOU EXTRAPOLATE THAT OVER THE YEAR WE'RE FALLING A LITTLE BIT BEHIND.

GIVEN THAT CURRENT STANDARD OF RECOVERY COUNCIL CHOOSES, A DIFFERENT RECOVERY RATE? THAT'S A THAT'S A SEPARATE DISCUSSION.

THANK YOU. IF I MAY, AS PART OF OUR BUDGET 2025 DELIBERATIONS, WE CAN PROVIDE A FEW MORE COMPARATORS.

I MEAN, THE FACT THAT THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE MUST SUBSIDIZE A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN A LARGE METROPOLITAN AREA MAKES SENSE BECAUSE WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE DENSITY OF PEOPLE. SO.

IT IS A USEFUL COMPARISON TO UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH WE'RE SUBSIDIZING IN COMPARISON TO EVERYBODY ELSE.

BUT SO IS THE FEE IN TERMS OF A COMPARABLE.

I WILL JUST ONCE AGAIN EMPHASIZE THAT THE FEE INCREASES HERE IN YELLOWKNIFE OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS HAVE NOT EVEN KEPT UP WITH INFLATION.

SO WE'RE ACTUALLY LOSING MORE MONEY NOW THAN WE USED TO LOSE BEFORE.

THANK YOU. YEAH, I APPRECIATE THAT.

I MEAN, WE HAD TALKED ABOUT LIKE TRYING TO REDUCE OUR EMISSIONS AND KEEP OUR DRIVING AT A, LIKE A LIMITED AMOUNT AND I THINK THE GAS PRICES THAT WE'RE SEEING IN TOWN, I KNOW I USED TO DRIVE EVERY NIGHT WITH MY WIFE FOR A COFFEE AND WE DON'T DO THAT ANYMORE.

RIGHT. SO AND I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE SAME BOAT AS I AM.

SO I MEAN, WE'RE REDUCING EMISSIONS JUST BECAUSE OF THINGS GOTTEN SO EXPENSIVE, RIGHT? SO I MEAN, WE'RE IT'S ALMOST LIKE WE ALWAYS TRY TO CREATE A SOLUTION TO A PROBLEM THAT IS NOT REALLY 100% THERE AND MAYBE THE PROBLEM IS NOT THERE THE WAY THAT WE WANT IT TO BE.

IT'S I THINK WE LIVE IN A GREAT CITY, AND WE HAVE A WONDERFUL TRANSIT SYSTEM, AND THE PEOPLE THAT USE IT WANT TO USE IT.

THE PEOPLE THAT DON'T WANT TO USE IT, THEY'RE DRIVING THEIR CARS.

I DON'T WANT TO USE THE TRANSIT SYSTEM.

I WANT TO USE MY TRUCK BECAUSE I GOT THINGS THAT I GOT TO DO AFTER WORK.

I GOT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT AREN'T GOING TO TAKE THEIR VEHICLE OR A BUS TO WORK BECAUSE THEY GOT TO PICK THEIR KIDS UP FROM SCHOOL.

THEY GOT TO TAKE THE KIDS TO HOCKEY.

IT'S A PRETTY ACTIVE TOWN, YOU KNOW, SO THE PEOPLE THAT USE IT WANT TO USE IT.

SO I DON'T KNOW, THIS SEEMS LIKE ANYTHING THAT WE'RE THAT YOU BROUGHT UP AND YOU KNOW MY OPINION ON THIS, BENNETT.

IT'S WE AGREE ON A LOT OF THINGS, BUT THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT WE DON'T AGREE ON AND THIS SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING HERE, IT SEEMS TO BE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO FORCE IT UPON PEOPLE.

AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO GET MAJOR PUSHBACK FROM THE PUBLIC.

SO I WANT US TO BE REALLY CAREFUL ABOUT THIS AND, YOU KNOW, ANY CHANGES THAT WE'RE GOING TO MAKE BEYOND WHAT'S BEING RECOMMENDED BY ADMINISTRATION BECAUSE THEY ARE THE EXPERTS IN THIS. WE HAVE LIKES AND DISLIKES, AND SOMETIMES WE LIKE TO THINK THAT WE'RE THE EXPERTS, BUT THESE GUYS ARE THE EXPERTS.

SO I'M GOING TO BE SUPPORTING WHAT ADMINISTRATION IS BRINGING FORWARD WITH THIS AND I WON'T BE SUPPORTING ANY NEW FEE STRUCTURE RIGHT NOW BUT I DO LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION THAT WE HAVE FOR NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.

SO I APPRECIATE THE TIME THAT YOU PUT INTO IT.

THANK YOU, COUNCILLOR PAYNE. ANY MORE TO ADD TO THAT THERE, MR. CITY MANAGER? I'M GOING TO LET THE CAT OUT OF THE BAG JUST A LITTLE BIT IN TERMS OF THE WORK PLAN FOR NEXT WEEK THAT WILL BE EXPOSED TO MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE.

[01:20:02]

AND THAT WILL ALL BE PART OF THAT KEYSTONE DOCUMENT OR KEYSTONE PLAN THAT WILL BE PRODUCED IN A COUPLE OF YEARS TIME, BECAUSE IT'LL TAKE THAT LONG TO PRODUCE IT. SO INTERIM MEASURES ARE CERTAINLY POSSIBLE, BUT I AGAIN, I GET BACK TO IT WOULD BE BEST FOR THOSE INTERIM MEASURES TO BE TIED TO BUDGETS SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY PROPERLY FACTOR IN THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THEM, AS, IN OTHER WORDS, AS PART OF THE BUDGET DELIBERATION PROCESS.

THANK YOU AND THANK YOU, MR. COLIN COUNCILLOR WARBURTON.

THANK YOU. I'D BE SUPPORTIVE OF PUSHING THAT TO 25 BUDGET.

I DO HEAR WHAT COUNCILOR BEN SAYING THERE, BUT YEAH, I A FULSOME BUDGET CONVERSATION AROUND THAT WOULD BE GREAT AND I DO ENCOURAGE ANYTHING THAT THOSE LITTLE WINS WHERE IF WE CAN JUST ADJUST AN AGE SO KIDS CAN RIDE WITH THEIR PARENTS.

I KNOW I RIDE A LOT MORE, AND A LOT OF MY FRIENDS ARE A LOT MORE IF THEIR KIDS WEREN'T COSTING.

SO IF THAT'S AN EASY WIN, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT, IF THAT'S POSSIBLE.

THANKS. MR. CITY MANAGER, WE WILL TAKE IT AND LOOK AT IT BEFORE WE COME AND PRESENT THIS TO COUNCIL.

THANK YOU AND THANK YOU.

COUNCILLOR WARBURTON, COUNCILLOR MCGURK.

I'M DEFINITELY INTERESTED IN SEEING THAT.

BEN'S SUGGESTION IN 2025 BUDGET.

I JUST HAVE A QUICK QUESTION AND THE IN THE TRANSIT FARE REVIEW, IT'S FROM 2020.

SO ALL THE INFORMATION IS FROM 2019, AND I'M NOT SURE.

MAYBE I'M NOT SEEING IT IF THERE'S ANY DATA THAT'S AVAILABLE ON USER RATES IN 2023 AND LIKE THE SPECIFICALLY WHO WAS USING IT AT WHAT PERIOD POINT, THERE'S JUST A HUGE DROP OFF IN SENIOR PASSES IN 2019 VERSUS 2018 AND THEN A HUGE SPIKE IN STUDENTS STUDENT PASSES.

SO I'M KIND OF CURIOUS ABOUT.

YEAH, I'M KIND OF CURIOUS.

ABOUT WHAT? THAT.

OH, MAYBE I'M LOOKING AT THIS WRONG.

BUT ANYWAY, THERE'S A ANYWAY, THERE'S A, LIKE, CHANGE IN FEES FROM VARIOUS SPOTS, AND I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT I CAN LOOK AT THAT INFORMATION OR KNOW THAT INFORMATION THE PUBLIC CAN.

SORRY, THAT WAS CONVOLUTED.

PUBLIC WORKS AND ENGINEERING AND THEN I'LL HAVE A COMMENT.

WE WOULD HAVE TO FIND THAT INFORMATION AT THIS POINT.

THERE WAS DEFINITELY A DROP OFF IN THE SELLING OF PASSES TO SENIORS AND ANYONE WHO WOULD BE LOW INCOME ONCE WE IMPLEMENTED THE ACCESS FOR ALL PROGRAM.

SO I KNOW THE REPORT DOES TALK TO THAT AND SOME OF ITS GRAPHS COMPARISON OF RATES BETWEEN 2023 FOR WHAT WE HAVE COMPARED TO OTHER MUNICIPALITIES IS STILL SOMETHING WE'D HAVE TO SORT OUT. WE DO ALSO REPORT OUR STATISTICS TO CUTA, THE CANADIAN URBAN TRANSIT ASSOCIATION, ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, AND TO STATS CANADA ON A MONTHLY BASIS FOR RIDERSHIP SO THAT INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE, SOMEWHERE.

MAYBE I'LL JUST SEND A FOLLOW UP EMAIL.

YEAH. THANK YOU.

COUNCILLOR MCGURK. BEFORE WE GO TO THE SECOND ROUND, I'LL ADD MY COMMENTARY TO THIS.

I REALLY DO APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DID WITH THIS BAND.

LIKE, YOUR ARGUMENT IS NOT LOST UPON ME, ESPECIALLY ON THE POLICY LEVEL.

I DO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT OUR RECOVERY RATE AT THIS MOMENT.

AND LISTENING TO THE CITY MANAGER, I KNOW THAT'S AN EXPECTATION IN A MUNICIPALITY OF THIS SIZE, BUT I WOULD WANT A PROPER COST ANALYSIS TO GO FORWARD THAT WOULD ONLY COME THROUGH THE BUDGET 2025 PROCESS BEFORE I WOULD MAKE A DECISION ON THIS MATTER.

PLUS, I THINK IT WOULD BE A NEEDED ENGAGEMENT ON OUR PART TO SPEAK TO THE PUBLIC ABOUT WHERE THEY FEEL ABOUT WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING WITH THE TRANSIT RATE, NOT TO MENTION WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS UPON THE NEW REPORT THAT WOULD BE COMING OUT.

SO I PERSONALLY FEEL THAT I WILL WAIT AND WANT TO WAIT FOR THE 2025 BUDGET PROCESS.

AND ON TO THE SECOND ROUND.

COUNCILLOR FEQUET. THANKS, MR. CHAIR. SORRY.

I WAS JUST PUTTING MY NOTES TOGETHER.

YEAH. I MEAN, I APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY NOT ABOUT COST.

THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REDUCING BARRIERS TO PUBLIC TRANSPORT.

I AGREE WITH CITY MANAGER THAT CONVENIENCE, TIMING, THE ROUTES ADJUSTMENT ARE 100%.

WHAT'S GOING TO LIKE, YOU KNOW, REALLY IMPACT PEOPLE WHETHER THEY CAN ACTUALLY TAKE THE BUS AND GET TO WHERE THEY NEED TO GO ON TIME, FOR SURE.

[01:25:03]

SURE. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN $0.50, YOU KNOW, TO SOMEONE MAY NOT BE A FACTOR, BUT IT ALSO MAY AND I THINK WE DON'T KNOW THAT.

SO I THINK THAT WE SHOULD NOT JUDGE OR MAKE ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT THAT.

STAFF ARE DEFINITELY THE EXPERTS.

THEY KNOW THE JOBS, THEY HAVE, THEIR DATA THEY KNOW THE HISTORY AND THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS ARE ALSO GUIDED BY THE STRATEGIES AND PHILOSOPHIES THAT WE SET AS COUNCIL AND SO WE JUST MADE OUR FLEET MODERNIZE AND MORE ACCESSIBLE.

WE WANT TO MAXIMIZE THAT.

WE ALSO WANT TO HIT OUR ENERGY PLAN GOALS AND LIKE I SAID, MY PERSONAL OPINION IS THAT I WOULD MAKE THE TRANSIT FARES FREE IF THAT WAS POSSIBLE.

BUT I BUILDING OFF OF WHAT THE DEPUTY MAYOR JUST SAID, I MEAN, OUR ROLE AS COUNCIL SHOULD BE AS PART OF THE UPCOMING BUDGET PROCESS TO DISCUSS THE PHILOSOPHY OF SUBSIDIZATION.

YOU KNOW, I KNOW IT HASN'T KEPT UP TO INFLATION, BUT MAYBE IT DOESN'T NEED TO AT ALL.

LIKE WE HAVEN'T DECIDED THAT.

SO I REALLY APPRECIATE STAFF'S MEMO, AND I'M HAPPY TO SUPPORT IT AS IT STANDS, BECAUSE IT MAKES SENSE FOR ALL THE REASONS THAT WERE EXPLAINED.

BUT I THINK AS COUNCIL, WE SHOULD DISCUSS THE APPROACH BECAUSE THIS IS A STRATEGIC DECISION WE CAN MAKE DURING BUDGET TO REDUCE BARRIERS AND POTENTIALLY INCREASE RIDERSHIP. SO I JUST WANTED TO REITERATE THAT AS WELL AS MY SUPPORT FOR INCREASING THE AGE FROM FAMILY 5 TO 12 FOR THAT FAMILY TRAVEL PROGRAM, IF, AGAIN, THAT'S NOT ANY ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN, AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN SIMPLY DO IN OUR POLICIES TO AGAIN INCREASE THE POTENTIAL FOR INCREASED RIDERSHIP AND REDUCING BARRIERS FOR FAMILIES.

I KNOW I WOULD TAKE THE BUS WITH MY FIVE AND SEVEN YEAR OLD KIDS IF IF IT WAS 12 YEARS OLD.

AND THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FEQUET.

ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FROM COMMITTEE? SEEING NONE.

I THINK IT'S PRETTY CLEAR THAT WE WILL WANT THIS TO BE PART OF A BUDGET DISCUSSION.

COME FOR 2025.

SO FOR ADMINISTRATION TO MAKE NOTE AND TO HAVE THAT BROUGHT UP WHEN WE'RE GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS WOULD BE HIGHLY APPRECIATED.

OUTSIDE OF THAT, THIS MEMORANDUM WILL BE COMING FORWARD ON THE NEXT COUNCIL OF MAY 13TH FOR OUR DECISION.

THANK YOU, EVERYONE, FOR YOUR DISCUSSION.

MOVING ON TO THE NEXT PART, WHICH IS IN CAMERA.

[IN CAMERA]

ALL IN FAVOR? COOL. WE'RE GOOD. LET'S GO IN CAMERA AND WE'RE BACK.

SOME BUSINESS ARISING FROM IN-CAMERA ARE APPOINTMENTS OF JEFF OLDFIELD AND CHRIS VAN DIKE TO THE DEVELOPMENT APPEAL BOARD AND DEVON HODDER'S APPOINTMENT TO

[10. Business arising from In Camera Session.]

WITH THAT, I SEE NO FURTHER BUSINESS.

CAN I GET A MOTION TO ADJOURN COUNCILLOR MCGURK, COUNCILLOR FEQUET.

ALL IN FAVOR? GOOD. GO BACK TO WORK.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.