Jul 08, 2024 Governance & Priorities Committee

GO TO GPC SO WE HAVE JUST AS READ COUNCILLOR WARBURTON.

[1. Opening Statement]

[00:00:07]

NEXT WE HAVE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.

[2. Approval of the agenda.]

NO, NOTHING ELSE TO ADD.

THANK YOU. NEXT, WE HAVE DISCLOSURE OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND THE GENERAL NATURE THEREOF.

DOES ANY MEMBER HAVE A CONFLICT BEFORE GPC TODAY? SEEING NONE.

NEXT, WE HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM KPMG REGARDING THE FINAL AFTER ACTION ASSESSMENT REPORT.

[4. A presentation from KPMG regarding the final After Action Assessment Report.]

SO TODAY WE ARE PLEASED TO HEAR FROM THE KPMG TEAM THAT HAS CONDUCTED AND DOCUMENTED THE CITY'S AFTER ACTION ASSESSMENT, WHICH WAS REALLY LOOKING INTO OUR RESPONSE ON THE 2023 WILDFIRES.

WE WERE VERY PLEASED TO HAVE THE DOCUMENTATION OF WHAT WE DID WELL AND WHAT WE CAN IMPROVE UPON IN THE FUTURE.

YOU KNOW, WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME THROUGH THIS PROCESS, REFLECTING ON THE ACTIONS TAKEN LAST SUMMER, AND I STILL FULLY BELIEVE THAT AT THE TIME, WE MADE THE BEST DECISIONS WE COULD ABOUT OUR RESPONSE WITH THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAD AT THE TIME AND I REMAIN IMMENSELY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT WAS DONE BY CITY STAFF, COUNCIL BUSINESSES, NGOS, CONTRACTORS, CRITICAL WORKERS AND VOLUNTEERS WHO ALL WORKED SO HARD TO PROTECT OUR HOME, RECEIVING CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK ON WHAT WENT WELL AND HOW WE CAN IMPROVE OUR EMERGENCY RESPONSE IN THE FUTURE IS A GIFT AND WE RECEIVE IT AS SUCH.

IT'S ALSO A REFLECTION OF WHAT'S WORKING WITHIN THE CITY'S CONTROL AND WHAT'S WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF OTHER ORDERS OF GOVERNMENT, SOMETHING THAT DEFINITELY WAS AN ISSUE AND WILL BENEFIT FROM CONTINUED WORK TO CONFIRM RESPECTIVE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES GOING FORWARD.

SINCE LAST SUMMER, AND CONCURRENT TO THE AFTER ACTION ASSESSMENT THAT KPMG HAS BEEN CONDUCTING, THE CITY HASN'T BEEN SITTING BACK AND WAITING FOR THESE RESULTS.

WE HAVE BEEN WORKING TO ADVANCE A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT ALIGN WITH MANY OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE PRESENTATION, INCLUDING UPDATING OUR COMMUNITY EMERGENCY PLAN, UPDATING OUR COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLAN, AND DEVELOPING A REALLY FULSOME EVACUATION PLAN.

THESE ARE ALL VERY NEAR TO COMPLETION AND WILL BE RELEASED SHORTLY.

I WANT TO GIVE FULL KUDOS AT THIS POINT IN TIME TO CRAIG MCLEAN, THE CITY'S DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY, FOR MOVING SO PRODUCTIVELY IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE CITY OVER THE WINTER ON THESE VARIOUS PROJECTS.

BUT NOW IT IS MY PLEASURE TO TURN THINGS OVER TO THE TEAM FROM KPMG TO LEON GARBER, DAVID HOUSTON AND TABITHA BLACKLOCK.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, LEON, OVER TO YOU.

GREAT. THANKS SO MUCH.

IS SOMEONE ABLE TO SHARE THEIR SCREEN? I'M NOT ABLE TO SEE ANYTHING ON SCREEN RIGHT NOW.

IT'D BE HELPFUL FOR THE PRESENTATION IF YOU'RE ABLE TO.

GREAT. THANKS SO MUCH AND THANK YOU ALL FOR GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT OUR FINDINGS FROM THIS AFTER ACTION ASSESSMENT FROM LAST YEAR'S EVACUATION OF THE CITY.

SO WE'VE COME PREVIOUSLY TO YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, TO TALK ABOUT OUR INTERIM FINDINGS AND THIS IS OUR FINAL REPORT BACK TO YOU ON ALL OF THE FINDINGS THAT WE HAVE COME TO A CONCLUSION ON AND THAT'S, AS PHIL HAS TALKED ABOUT, BOTH THE THINGS THAT THE CITY AND OTHER AGENCIES INVOLVED IN THE EVACUATION AND THE WILDFIRES RELATED TO IT LAST YEAR, THE THINGS THEY DID WELL AND AREAS WHERE THERE IS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT STILL.

SO IF YOU'D LIKE, CAN WE PLEASE SKIP TO SLIDE FIVE? WE CAN COMMENCE WITH THE INTRO PIECES THERE AND WE CAN SPEAK ABOUT THIS.

SO WE I PRESENT THIS EXACT SLIDE BACK TO YOU WITH OUR INTERIM FINDINGS, JUST TO REVIEW AGAIN THE OBJECTIVES AND DELIVERABLES THAT WE WERE TASKED WITH AND SO THIS, AS SHEILA HAS ALREADY TALKED ABOUT, IS REALLY FOCUSED ON IDENTIFYING GAPS, STRENGTHS, AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT WITH RESPECT TO LAST YEAR'S NORTH SLAVE COMPLEX WILDFIRES, LOOKING AT WHAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED, WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED WHAT WENT WELL AND WHY AND WHERE THERE'S AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT AND YOU SEE THE 4 KEY DELIVERABLES AS PART OF THIS PROJECT.

SO IF WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE JUST TO BRING EVERYONE BACK TO THE TIMING TIMELINE OF THIS INITIATIVE.

SO WE STARTED IN THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR, 2024, AND THROUGH THE SPRING, COLLECTED INFORMATION CAME OUT TO THE CITY.

CONDUCTED INTERVIEWS, HAD A PUBLIC FORUM MET WITH KEY PARTNERS AND STAKEHOLDERS, AND THEN THROUGH THE EARLY SUMMER ANALYZED ALL OF THAT DATA. AND WE'RE COMING TO YOU NOW, AT THE END OF THIS PROJECT TO PRESENT BACK OUR FINDINGS AND IF YOU GO FORWARD, PLEASE, ONE MORE

[00:05:01]

SO IN THAT EARLY 2024 DATA COLLECTION PHASE, WE CONDUCTED INTERVIEWS WITH 24 PARTNERS AND STAKEHOLDERS.

INTERVIEWS WITH NINE KEY CITY STAFF.

WE HAD A SESSION WITH THE MEMBERS OF THE CITY'S EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER THAT WERE INVOLVED IN LAST YEAR'S ACTIVATION.

WE HAD A PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT WORKSHOP, WHICH WAS VERY WELL ATTENDED, AND LOTS OF GREAT FEEDBACK AND INFORMATION WAS RECEIVED DURING THAT SESSION, WE CONDUCTED A PUBLIC SURVEY WITH OVER 450 RESPONDENTS.

FROM THAT WE HAD OVER 40 EMAILS DIRECTLY FROM THE PUBLIC.

ALSO, PERSPECTIVES AND THOUGHTS ON HOW THE CITY CAN IMPROVE AND A LONG LIST OF INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL DOCUMENTATION THAT WAS PROVIDED TO US THROUGH OUR INTERVIEWS AND DISCUSSIONS AND FINALLY INTERVIEWS WITH BOTH THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL ON THE EVENTS OF LAST YEAR.

SO ALL OF THAT DATA AND INFORMATION RESULTED IN KEY FINDINGS AND THOSE KEY KEY FINDINGS REALLY ARE ACROSS FIVE THEMES AND YOU'LL SEE THOSE FIVE THEMES, BOTH IN THE KEY STRENGTHS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED AND IN THE AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT AND THOSE ARE CROSS-AGENCY COORDINATION, PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS CONSIDERATIONS FOR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.

EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER AND CONTINUITY MANAGEMENT AND EVACUATION.

PLANNING. RESPONSE AND RECOVERY.

SO OUT OF THOSE THAT DATA THAT WE ANALYZED, WE IDENTIFIED 19 KEY STRENGTHS AND 35 AREAS FOR FUTURE IMPROVEMENT AND USING LEADING STANDARDS AND FRAMEWORKS THAT EXIST THROUGH CSA STANDARDS ISO STANDARDS.

THERE'S A LONG LIST OF THEM.

WE HAVE DEVELOPED 26 RECOMMENDATIONS TO ADDRESS THOSE 35 AREAS FOR FUTURE IMPROVEMENT AND THEN OUR TEAM LOOKED THROUGH THOSE 26 RECOMMENDATIONS AND PRIORITIZE THEM.

THIS IS AN INITIAL PRIORITIZATION BASED ON THE LEVEL OF EFFORT WE ESTIMATE IT WOULD TAKE TO IMPLEMENT THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS AND THE LEVEL OF IMPACT THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS WOULD HAVE ONCE IMPLEMENTED AND REALLY, THE FOCUS ON IMPLEMENTATION WAS ON THEIR ABILITY TO REDUCE PUBLIC SAFETY RISK, TO REDUCE DISASTER RISK TO THE CITY AND INCREASE THE CAPABILITY OF THE CITY IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PREPAREDNESS, RESPONSE AND RECOVERY. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE HERE THAT AND THIS IS ONE OF THE KEY FINDINGS AND IT'S ALL THROUGH THE RECOMMENDATIONS.

YOU'LL SEE THERE IS A LACK OF CLARITY AND THAT LACK OF CLARITY REMAINS WITH RESPECT TO ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES BETWEEN THE CITY AND OTHER AGENCIES AND THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT FINDING THAT I THINK IS REALLY CRITICAL TO ADDRESS AND IT WILL REALLY HELP.

I THINK THE CITY AND THE TERRITORY WRIT LARGE WITH RESPECT TO BEING MORE PREPARED, BEING MORE EFFECTIVE IN A FUTURE EVACUATION OR SIGNIFICANT RESPONSE.

NOW CONDUCTING A FULL ASSESSMENT AND MAKING DETERMINATIONS WITH RESPECT TO THOSE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ARE BEYOND THE SCOPE OF THIS PROJECT.

SO WE'VE NOT MADE DETERMINATIONS FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE OF WHAT WE THINK THOSE SHOULD BE.

WE BASED OUR FINDINGS ON THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES EMERGENCY PLAN THAT WAS PUBLICLY AVAILABLE LAST YEAR DURING THE NORTH SLAVE COMPLEX WILDFIRES, AS WELL AS THE REQUESTS THAT THE CITY MADE FOR SUPPORT FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES AND THAT REALLY FRAMED HOW WE PUT TOGETHER OUR KEY FINDINGS AND I'M GOING TO COME BACK TO THIS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT RECOMMENDATIONS AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AS WELL.

SO IF WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, I'M GOING TO SUMMARIZE THE KEY STRENGTHS THAT WE HAVE OBSERVED IN THROUGHOUT THIS PROJECT.

SO THE FIRST ONE WAS THAT THERE WAS REALLY CONSIDERABLE EFFORT PLACED BY CONTRACTORS AND CITY STAFF IN INSTALLING FIREBREAKS AND SPRINKLERS EARLY ON AND THAT'S A REAL TESTAMENT, I THINK, TO THE COMMITMENT THE CITY HAD TO PROTECTING ALL THE VALUES OF THE CITY AND ALSO THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT SUPPORT FROM VOLUNTEERS THROUGH CONTRACTORS IN BUILDING THOSE FIREBREAKS.

WE ALSO FOUND THAT COORDINATION BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE WORKED REALLY WELL THROUGH THE EARLY SEASON AND THROUGH THE EVACUATION AS WELL AND SO THERE WAS A REALLY GOOD COORDINATION AND COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE EC AND THAT'S A REAL TESTAMENT, I THINK, TO THAT STRONG RELATIONSHIP THAT EXISTS BETWEEN THEM.

I WOULD ALSO SAY IN OUR FINDINGS THAT THE CITY EFFECTIVELY USED THE AUTHORITIES UNDER THE STATE OF LOCAL EMERGENCY TO REALLOCATE RESOURCES TO

[00:10:03]

SO THAT'S A VERY HELPFUL AND GOOD TO SEE.

IN ADDITION INTEGRATING REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE YELLOWKNIFE DNR FIRST NATION INTO THE CITY'S EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER WAS REALLY WELL DONE. IT REALLY CONTRIBUTED TO GOOD COORDINATION AND RESPONSE EFFORTS BETWEEN THE NATION AND THE CITY AND SO WE REALLY APPLAUD THE EFFORTS THAT THE CITY HAS HAD IN INTEGRATING THEM WITHIN THEIR EOC.

ALSO, WHEN REENTRY WAS CONSIDERED, THE CITY AND YELLOWKNIFE ANY FIRST NATION ISSUED A JOINT ROAD TO REENTRY PLAN, AND THAT REALLY HELPED TO INFORM HOW RESIDENTS WOULD COME BACK TO THE CITY AND BE DONE IN A SAFE WAY.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

ANOTHER KEY STRENGTH THAT WE IDENTIFIED WAS THAT THE CITY DID PROVIDE SOME UPDATES ON MEASURES THAT THEY WERE TAKING EARLY ON IN THE SEASON TO BUILD THOSE FIRE BREAKS AND INSTALL SPRINKLERS AND SO FROM THE PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS PERSPECTIVE, THERE WAS A GOOD EFFORT DONE TO INFORM THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF THOSE EFFORTS.

ALSO IN THE THE THEME OF PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS, THE CITY PROVIDED REGULAR UPDATES AND PRESS CONFERENCES LIVE STREAMED ON THEIR WEBSITE AND ALSO BY THE CITY ON FACEBOOK AND THIS WAS, YOU KNOW, BOTH THE CITY AND THE GOVERNMENT OF NORTHWEST TERRITORIES WORKING TOGETHER TO PROVIDE THOSE UPDATES.

THE CITY AND YELLOWKNIFE DENE FIRST NATION ALSO JOINTLY DEVELOPED COMMUNICATIONS AND PRESS RELEASES.

AGAIN, A REALLY GOOD COORDINATION AND COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE NATION AND THE CITY.

THE REENTRY.

SO COMMUNICATIONS ON REENTRY.

THERE WAS, I WOULD SAY, A NOTABLE IMPROVEMENT IN BETTER COORDINATION IN PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS FOR THAT PROCESS.

SO THAT PROCESS WAS BETTER RECEIVED, THE PUBLIC WAS BETTER INFORMED FOR THE REENTRY PROCESS AND ALSO IN PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS.

THE CITY DID PROVIDE INFORMATION WHEN RESIDENTS WERE BEING BROUGHT BACK TO THE CITY THROUGH THAT REENTRY PROCESS, TO GIVE THEM INFORMATION ABOUT SPECIFIC ACTIONS THEY COULD DO TO ENSURE WATER AND FOOD SAFETY.

SO THEY WERE PROVIDING GOOD INFORMATION THROUGH THAT REENTRY PROCESS TO PREPARE RESIDENTS FOR THEIR RETURN.

NEXT SLIDE. IN THE THEME OF CONSIDERATIONS FOR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS, THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUPPORT VULNERABLE POPULATIONS IN YELLOWKNIFE ARE REAL EXPERTS IN HOW TO SUPPORT THEIR THE PEOPLE AND THE UNIQUE NEEDS THAT THEY HAVE THAT THEY DO SUPPORT AND SO THEY ARE A GREAT RESOURCE AND REALLY TO BE USED, I THINK, MORE IN THE FUTURE WITH RESPECT TO BOTH THE EVACUATION AND THE REENTRY PROCESS, THOSE ORGANIZATIONS AND THE PEOPLE WHO WORKED FOR THEM REALLY, I WOULD SAY PUT SUBSTANTIAL CONTRIBUTIONS, PERSONAL TIME INTO SUPPORTING AND ASSISTING THOSE CLIENTS OF THEIRS THROUGH THE EVACUATION AND REENTRY PROCESS AND SO IT WAS REALLY GREAT TO SEE THAT EFFORT THAT WAS PLACED TO SUPPORT THOSE POPULATIONS.

NEXT SLIDE. IN THE THEME OF EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER AND CONTINUITY MANAGEMENT.

ALTHOUGH THERE WERE SOME GAPS IN THE INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEM AND EOC TRAINING, THE CITY WAS ABLE TO ACTIVATE A FUNCTIONAL EOC OR EMERGENCY OPERATION CENTER AND CARRY OUT THE BASIC FUNCTIONS OF THAT EOC.

THE STAFF OF THE CITY ALSO THROUGHOUT THE EVENT, FROM PLANNING AND TO THE EVACUATION ITSELF MADE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO ENSURING THE CONTINUITY OF CRITICAL OPERATIONS OF THE CITY, AND THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT.

SO I WANT TO APPLAUD STAFF WHO PUT LONG HOURS TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

THROUGHOUT THE EVENT, THE CITY ALSO IDENTIFIED KEY ROLES THAT WERE NEEDED TO BE FILLED WITHIN THE EOC AND DID FIND STAFF TO FILL THOSE AND SO THAT SPEAKS TO THAT EARLIER KEY STRENGTH, WHERE THE THE EOC WAS OPERATIONAL AND FUNCTIONAL THROUGHOUT THE EVENT AND I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT VOLUNTEERS SPENT SIGNIFICANT TIME, EFFORT AND RESOURCES IN SUPPORTING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF COMMUNITY PROTECTION MEASURES AND SO THAT EFFORT, THERE'S SIGNIFICANT VALUE THAT CAME FROM THAT FOR SURE.

NEXT SLIDE. SO IN THE THEME OF EVACUATION PLANNING RESPONSE AND RECOVERY AND THIS IS IMPORTANT. THE CITY RECOGNIZED THE SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED WHERE THEY HAD INTERNAL CAPACITY GAPS AND MADE THE REPORT THE APPROPRIATE REQUEST FOR

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SO THE CITY WAS VERY RESPONSIVE TO THAT CHALLENGE AND REQUEST THAT CAME FORWARD FROM RESIDENTS.

NEXT SLIDE. SO THOSE WERE THE 19 KEY STRENGTHS THAT WE IDENTIFIED THROUGH THIS PROCESS.

NOW TURNING OUR FOCUS TO RECOMMENDATIONS.

IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, THERE'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF WORDS ON THE SLIDE HERE.

I DON'T EXPECT YOU TO READ THEM, BUT I'LL TALK ABOUT THE MEANING AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THIS CONTENT HERE.

SO AS I SAID EARLIER, THE KEY FINDINGS WERE BASED ON THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES EMERGENCY PLAN THAT WAS AVAILABLE DURING LAST YEAR'S EVACUATION. THAT PLAN HAS BEEN UPDATED IN 2024 RECENTLY, AND THERE ARE NOTABLE SHIFTS IN ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF NORTHWEST TERRITORIES AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES IN THAT NEW PLAN RELATIVE TO WHAT WAS IN PLACE LAST YEAR AND SO OUR TEAM HAVE DETERMINED THOSE KEY FINDINGS BASED ON LAST YEAR'S PLAN AND THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ASSOCIATED WITH THEM.

OUR RECOMMENDATIONS ARE BASED ON THE CURRENT PLAN, AND SO THERE IS THAT SHIFT IN ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES AND THAT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE AND, YOU KNOW, I WOULD SAY GIVEN LAST YEAR'S EXPERIENCES, IT MAY BE APPROPRIATE TO CONSIDER OR HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT WHETHER THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ASSOCIATED WITH EVACUATIONS SHOULD BE DIFFERENT FOR THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE RELATIVE TO OTHER LOCAL AUTHORITIES WITHIN THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES.

THERE ARE, AT LEAST BASED ON THE FINDINGS THAT WE HAVE THE POTENTIAL, I THINK, FOR A CONVERSATION TO BE HAD WITH THE TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT ABOUT WHETHER THERE ARE KEY DIFFERENCES THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS PART OF THAT PLAN.

SO THE CITY IS ABLE TO MAKE AN AGREEMENT OR PROACTIVELY SUBMIT FORMAL REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE TO THE TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT.

IF THERE ARE RESPONSIBILITIES LAID OUT IN THAT PLAN THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO USE, THE CITY DON'T HAVE THE CAPACITY TO MEET, AND THAT INCLUDES ANY AND ALL RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE WITHIN THIS REPORT.

SO THE WORK THAT WE DID, THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE HAVE DEVELOPED ARE BASED ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT THERE IS NO SUCH AGREEMENT IN PLACE AND THAT NO PROACTIVE REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED TO THE TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT.

SO THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN MIND AS YOU SEE ALL THESE RECOMMENDATIONS AND WE TALK ABOUT THEM.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO WHEN I AND I'LL JUST SPEAK TO ALL OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.

JUST A SIDE NOTE AS WELL, WHEN I WAS TALKING PREVIOUSLY ABOUT PRIORITIZING THE RECOMMENDATIONS, WE HAVE GIVEN THEM ALL TITLES AND SO A RECOMMENDATION WHICH WOULD TAKE SIGNIFICANT EFFORT TO IMPLEMENT HIGHER IMPLEMENTATION EFFORT BUT HAVE A HIGHER IMPACT, WE ARE TURNING THOSE MAJOR PROJECTS A RECOMMENDATION THAT IS OF A SIGNIFICANT VALUE HAVE A HIGHER IMPACT, BUT HAS A LOWER EFFORT TO IMPLEMENT.

WE ARE DETERMINING THOSE QUICK WINS AND SO I'LL GO THROUGH THE REST AS WE GO FORWARD.

SO COMING BACK TO OUR FIRST THEME HERE, CROSS-AGENCY COORDINATION.

THE FIRST RECOMMENDATION THAT WE HAVE FOR THE CITY IS TO INVOLVE PARTNERS AND STAKEHOLDERS IN EMERGENCY PLANNING EFFORTS IN THE FUTURE TO ENSURE THERE'S A SHARED UNDERSTANDING AND TO IMPROVE BOTH PREPAREDNESS BUT COORDINATION AS WELL AND SO THAT WAS A KEY FINDING THAT I THINK DIDN'T HAPPEN AS PROACTIVELY AS COULD HAVE.

AND I THINK THERE'S DEFINITELY AREA TO IMPROVE THERE AND PARTICULARLY IF YOU THINK ABOUT VULNERABLE POPULATION ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING THEM IN YOUR PLANNING EFFORTS.

OUR NEXT RECOMMENDATION IS AND YOU'LL SEE HERE IN THIS CROSS-AGENCY COORDINATION, THE VAST MAJORITY ARE FOCUSED ON THIS RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES, AS WELL AS THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES THAT ARE DIVIDED BETWEEN THEM OR SHARED BETWEEN THOSE YOURSELF AND THE TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT.

SO RECOMMENDATION TWO IS TO ESTABLISH A FORMAL DECISION MAKING PROCESS WHERE THERE ARE SHARED RESPONSIBILITIES, PARTICULARLY AS IT RELATES TO DECLARATIONS FOR STATES OF EMERGENCY EVACUATION NOTICES, ORDERS AND ALERTS.

SO AGAIN, THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE CONFUSION OR LACK OF CLARITY THROUGHOUT LAST YEAR'S EVACUATION AS IT RELATES TO THIS AND SO, YOU KNOW, MAKING THINKING ABOUT THAT POSSIBLE FOR A FUTURE EVACUATION, FUTURE SIGNIFICANT EVENT DOING THE WORK NOW TO DETERMINE AND LAY OUT THAT DECISION MAKING

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OUR NEXT RECOMMENDATION IS TO COORDINATE WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF NORTHWEST TERRITORIES, TO HAVE A SHARED UNDERSTANDING OF THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACT, AND ALSO OF THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES EMERGENCY PLAN THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH IT, PARTICULARLY AS IT RELATES TO DECLARATIONS OF A TERRITORIAL STATE OF EMERGENCY.

SO THAT'S THE THE SCENARIO THAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR WHERE THERE WAS A TERRITORIAL STATE OF EMERGENCY AND OUT OF THAT, I THINK SIGNIFICANT CONFUSION OR LACK OF CLARITY STEMMED FROM THAT BEING IN PLACE AND HOW THAT IMPACTS OR POTENTIALLY DOESN'T IMPACT AN EVACUATION OF THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE.

OUR NEXT RECOMMENDATION IS TO WORK WITH THE TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT TO UNDERSTAND OR TO ESTABLISH A COMMON UNDERSTANDING OF ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, PARTICULARLY AS IT RELATES TO COMMUNICATIONS.

FORMALIZING AND AND FORMALIZING THAT RELATIONSHIP ON THE COMMUNICATION, AND IMPORTANTLY HERE AND I'VE CHOSEN THESE WORDS CAREFULLY INSTITUTIONALIZING THE RELATIONSHIPS AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY KEY WHERE YOU HAVE FORMALIZED RELATIONSHIPS THAT ARE CLOSE IRRESPECTIVE OF INDIVIDUALS WITHIN ROLES AND SO YOU YOU BRING ORGANIZATIONS CLOSE TO CLOSER TOGETHER OVER TIME.

I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

OUR NEXT RECOMMENDATION IS FOR THE CITY TO WORK WITH THE TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT TO DETERMINE A LIST OF CRITICAL SERVICE WORKERS WITH RESPECT TO EVACUATION SCENARIOS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO LAST YEAR'S SO THAT YOU KNOW IN ADVANCE WHO NEEDS TO STAY IN THE CITY, WHAT PERSONNEL ARE CRITICAL TO MAINTAIN THOSE KEY OPERATIONS WITHIN THE CITY AS AN EVACUATION IS HAPPENING? OUR NEXT RECOMMENDATION IS FOR THE CITY TO CONTINUE PARTNERING WITH THE YELLOWKNIFE DENE FIRST NATION AND INVITE AS A REGULAR PRACTICE ONE OR MORE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE NATION TO THE CITY'S EOC DURING ANY MAJOR ACTIVATION AND SO WE SAW GOOD VALUE FROM THAT LAST YEAR AND INSTITUTIONALIZING THAT PRACTICE, I THINK, IS IMPORTANT.

OUR NEXT RECOMMENDATION IS FOR THE CITY TO UPDATE THE COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLAN AND LOOK TO OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK WITH BOTH NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES AND THE TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT ON WILDFIRE MITIGATION AND RISK REDUCTION MEASURES IN ADVANCE OF ANY SEASON AS THEY AS THEY COME.

NEXT SLIDE. SO ON TO THE THEME OF PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS.

OUR RECOMMENDATION HERE IS TO COLLABORATE WITH THE TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT ON PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS RELATED TO A CITYWIDE EVACUATION AND SO THIS IS MORE OF THE, I WOULD SAY, TACTICAL EFFORTS ON ALIGNING THE APPROACH, TIMING, SPECIFIC CONTENT AND AUDIENCE BEFORE THE RELEASE OF INFORMATION SO THAT YOU'RE EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE AT RELEASING INFORMATION, AND THAT INFORMATION IS EFFECTIVE IN THE PEOPLE WHO ARE RECEIVING IT.

RELATED TO THIS IS RECOMMENDATION FOR THE CITY TO DEVELOP A STRATEGY FOR MANAGING PUBLIC INFORMATION BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER SIGNIFICANT EVENTS OR EVACUATIONS AND THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

WE FOUND THAT PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE ENGLISH AS A FIRST LANGUAGE OR PEOPLE WHO ARE HEARING IMPAIRED THERE WERE STRUGGLES WITH THEM GETTING THAT INFORMATION THROUGHOUT LAST YEAR'S EVENT IN AN EFFECTIVE WAY AND SO THINKING THROUGH THESE CHALLENGES IN ADVANCE, PREPARING FOR THEM WILL MAKE THE CITY MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE WHEN THEY DO IN THE FUTURE.

IF YOU DO IN THE FUTURE, NEED TO RELEASE INFORMATION WITH RESPECT OR IN RELATION TO AN EVACUATION AND SO YOU SEE HERE ALSO THINKING THROUGH THE PROCEDURES RELATED TO EVACUATION NOTICES, ALERTS AND ORDERS AND THINKING HOW YOU RELEASE THOSE THROUGH MULTIPLE AND VARIOUS COMMUNICATION CHANNELS, ALL VERY IMPORTANT SO THAT YOU ARE PREPARED FOR THAT EVENTUALITY.

IF IN FACT, IT DOES COME.

SO OUR NEXT RECOMMENDATION HERE IS FOR THE CITY TO PREPARE COMMUNICATE MORE.

THERE HAS BEEN SOME TO DATE, BUT COMMUNICATE MORE.

THE EFFORTS THAT THE CITY HAS BEEN DOING WILL BE DOING OR IS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY WITH RESPECT TO WILDFIRE MITIGATION AND PREPAREDNESS EFFORTS.

SO THAT INCREASED LEVEL OF AWARENESS OF THE EFFORTS THE CITY HAS BEEN DOING AND ARE DOING, AND IN THE FUTURE, WILL BE DOING ALSO VERY IMPORTANT.

NEXT SLIDE. OUR NEXT RECOMMENDATION UNDER THE CONSIDERATION OF VULNERABLE POPULATIONS THEME

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AGAIN, AS I SPOKE TO YOU BEFORE WITH ONE OF THE KEY STRENGTHS, THOSE ORGANIZATIONS ARE REALLY THE INFORMATION AND KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE HOLDERS FOR THESE UNIQUE POPULATIONS AND UNDERSTANDING HOW BEST TO SUPPORT THEM.

AND SO BRINGING THEM INTO THE TENT ON YOUR PLANNING EFFORTS IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND AGAIN, ALSO THROUGH THE RESPONSE AND RECOVERY PROCESS.

SO RELATED TO THAT, OUR NEXT RECOMMENDATION IS FOR THE CITY TO ESTABLISH A POSITION WITHIN THE CITY'S EOC TO COORDINATE EFFORTS WITH THOSE LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUPPORT VULNERABLE POPULATIONS, SO THAT YOU'RE BETTER PREPARED, YOU'RE BETTER COORDINATED, AND HAVING A POSITION SOLELY FOCUSED ON THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT AS WELL.

OUR NEXT RECOMMENDATION IS FOR THE CITY TO PROVIDE EVENTS AND DIRECT COMMUNICATIONS TO THOSE ORGANIZATIONS. WHEN YOU'RE CONSIDERING AN EVACUATION ORDER, THEY NEED EXTRA TIME TO PREPARE FOR THAT ACTION.

IT'S A SIGNIFICANT ACTION TO EVACUATE A CITY AND AN EVACUATED, PARTICULARLY THOSE VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.

TAKES EXTRA PREPAREDNESS, EXTRA PLANNING AND EXTRA CONSIDERATION.

SO PROVIDING THEM ADVANCED INFORMATION AND WARNING ABOUT THAT IS ALSO IMPORTANT.

NEXT RECOMMENDATION OR RATHER NEXT SLIDE.

THANK YOU. SO ON THE THEME OF THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER AND CONTINUITY MANAGEMENT, OUR NEXT RECOMMENDATION IS FOR THE CITY TO DEVELOP A EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TRAINING PLAN FOR CITY STAFF, WHICH INCLUDES CONSIDERATIONS ON FREQUENCY SCOPE AND TIMING FOR TRAINING, BASIC ICS TRAINING FOR ANY STAFF WHO MAY BE INVOLVED IN THE EOC OR ACTIVATED TO THE EOC.

ENHANCED ICS TRAINING FOR LEADERSHIP ROLES WITHIN THAT EOC, AND AN ONGOING TRAINING RECORD FOR YOUR STAFF SO YOU KNOW WHO HAS WHAT LEVELS OF TRAINING, AND WHEN IN FACT, YOU DO NEED TO ACTIVATE YOUR EOC IN THE FUTURE.

OUR NEXT RECOMMENDATION IS TO ESTABLISH CLEAR DOCUMENTATION PROCESSES AND THIS IS AROUND THINGS LIKE INCLUDING THINGS LIKE DEVELOPING TEMPLATES TRACKING DOCUMENTS, COMMUNICATION PROTOCOLS AND CHANNELS, INFORMATION SHARING, AND ENSURING THAT YOU HAVE A DOCUMENTATION FILING APPROACH IN YOUR EOC.

WE ALSO RECOMMEND THAT THE CITY CONSIDER THE EVENTS AND EXPERIENCES AND LEARNINGS FROM LAST YEAR, AND IMPLEMENT UPDATES AS NEEDED TO YOUR CITY'S EOC DOCUMENTATION SO THAT YOU ARE GETTING THE GUIDANCE AND THE WISDOM THAT YOU'VE ALL TAKEN FROM LAST YEAR'S EVENTS AND IMPROVING YOURSELF AS YOU MOVE FORWARD.

NEXT SLIDE. OUR NEXT RECOMMENDATION IS AND THIS IS A BROAD ONE, IS TO ENSURE THE SAFETY AND WELLBEING OF STAFF ACTIVATED TO THE CITY'S EOC.

THE WE FOUND THAT SOME OF THOSE MEASURES, SUCH AS PROVIDING FOOD YOU KNOW AROUND THE CLOCK TO STAFF ACTIVATED IN THE EOC CAME ON SLOW AND, YOU KNOW, STAFF WHO ARE ACTIVATED TO SPEND THE LONG HOURS DOING THEIR VERY BEST TO MANAGE VERY CHALLENGING SITUATIONS AND THEY GENERALLY DON'T HAVE THE BANDWIDTH TO CONSIDER, IN MANY CASES, THEIR OWN HEALTH AND SAFETY AND WELL-BEING AND SO IT'S A KEY ROLE FOR THE CITY TO ENSURE THAT IS TAKEN CARE OF DURING THOSE ACTIVATIONS.

OUR NEXT RECOMMENDATION AND THE NEXT THREE ARE FOCUSED ON CONTINUITY MANAGEMENT AND SO THE FIRST ONE IS FOR THE CITY TO CONDUCT A RISK ASSESSMENT SO THAT YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT WERE THE CRITICAL SERVICES IN YOUR CITY.

WHAT ARE THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS TO THOSE SERVICES AND DISRUPTIONS TO THOSE SERVICES, AND HOW THAT WILL IMPACT RESOURCING AND HOW THAT WILL IMPACT

[00:30:07]

AND ONCE YOU'VE DONE THAT, TO ESTABLISH AS OUR NEXT RECOMMENDATION A CONTINUITY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM FOR THE CITY, AND AS PART OF THAT PROGRAM, OUR NEXT RECOMMENDATION AFTER THAT IS TO DEVELOP CONTINUITY PLANS FOR ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE CITY AND KEY TO THAT IS IDENTIFYING CRITICAL CITY SERVICES AND THE STAFF WHO ARE REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN THOSE SERVICES THROUGH EMERGENCY EVENTS.

OUR NEXT RECOMMENDATION, THEN, IS TO CONSIDER FOR THE INVOLVEMENT OF SPONTANEOUS VOLUNTEERS THROUGH THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND RECOVERY.

IRRESPECTIVE OF WHERE EMERGENCIES HAPPEN LOCAL PEOPLE, RESIDENTS THERE IS ALWAYS A CONTINGENT OF PEOPLE THAT WE TERM SPONTANEOUS VOLUNTEERS THAT ARE THERE FOR THE GOOD REASONS AND THE INTERESTS OF THEIR COMMUNITY TO DO WHAT THEY CAN TO PROTECT THE COMMUNITY AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE CITY TO PLAN FOR THAT TO CONSIDER WHEN, HOW AND WHETHER THOSE SPONTANEOUS VOLUNTEERS SHOULD BE INVOLVED IN RESPONSE AND RECOVERY EFFORTS AND ENSURE THAT'S DONE IN A SAFE WAY FOR THOSE VOLUNTEERS, SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE PLANNING FOR THAT IN ADVANCE.

NEXT SLIDE. SO FOR EVACUATION PLANNING RESPONSE AND RECOVERY OUR NEXT RECOMMENDATION IS FOR THE CITY TO DEVELOP A DETAILED WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN AND THIS PLAN SHOULD INCORPORATE CONSIDERATIONS AROUND ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, EVACUATION DECISION PROCEDURES, PUBLIC COMMUNICATION PROCEDURES, RESPONSE PROCEDURES, RECOVERY PROCEDURES, LOGISTICS PROCESSES AND I'LL SAY THIS AT THE END BECAUSE AGAIN, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS FOR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS AND THE UNIQUE NEEDS THAT THEY HAVE THROUGH AN EVACUATION.

AND SO THAT'S A KEY PART OF THAT PLAN SO THAT YOU ARE CONFIDENT THAT ALL OF YOUR POPULATION, WHEN AN EVACUATION HAPPENS, ALL OF THAT POPULATION CAN BE EVACUATED IN A SAFE WAY AND BROUGHT BACK TO THE CITY IN A SAFE WAY.

NEXT RECOMMENDATION OR NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO OUR NEXT RECOMMENDATION IS FOR THE CITY TO WORK WITH THE TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT AND THIS IS IMPORTANT HERE WITH RESPECT TO THAT WORK.

THERE ARE INTER-JURISDICTIONAL PROTOCOLS IN PLACE, BUT WORK WITH THE TERRITORY GOVERNMENT TO IDENTIFY HOST LOCATIONS FOR FUTURE EVACUATIONS AND THAT SHOULD INCLUDE REESTABLISHING IT, REESTABLISHING RELATIONSHIPS, COMMUNICATION CHANNELS, AND, WHERE POSSIBLE, AGREEMENTS IN ADVANCE.

SO THAT'S A A RESPONSIBILITY UNDER THE NEW PLAN FOR LOCAL AUTHORITY, GIVEN THE FACT THAT A EVACUATION OUT OF THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE WILL INCLUDE MOVEMENT OUTSIDE OF THE TERRITORY.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO RESPECT AND RECOGNIZE THOSE INTER-JURISDICTIONAL PROTOCOLS THAT ARE IN PLACE AND SO HENCE THE RECOMMENDATION FOR THE CITY TO WORK WITH THE TERRITORY ON THIS RECOMMENDATION.

OUR NEXT RECOMMENDATION IS FOR THE CITY TO DETERMINE AND UNDERSTAND WHAT WOULD BE THE LIKELY ANTICIPATED RESOURCE REQUIREMENTS NEEDED AS RELATES TO FUTURE EVACUATIONS AND WHETHER, IN FACT, THE CITY HAS THE CAPACITY TO MEET THOSE REQUIREMENTS.

SO ONCE THAT ASSESSMENT HAS BEEN COMPLETED FOR THE CITY TO, IN ADVANCE OF ANY FUTURE EMERGENCIES, PROACTIVELY MAKE A REQUEST TO THE TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT FOR SUPPORT FOR THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES AND THOSE RESOURCES THAT THE CITY CAN'T MEET THEMSELVES.

AND FINALLY, OUR LAST RECOMMENDATION IS FOR THE CITY TO WORK WITH THE TERRITORY, AS WELL AS LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS TO INCORPORATE CONSIDERATIONS FOR PETS AND ANIMALS WITHIN THE CITY'S EVACUATION PLAN.

SO THAT COVERS THE THE 26 RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE HAVE AS A RESULT OF THIS AFTER ACTION ASSESSMENT.

I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT MAYOR AND COUNCIL HAVE ON ANY OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS OR A PATH FORWARD.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANKS TO YOURSELF AS WELL AS YOUR TEAM FOR THE PRESENTATION.

JUST TO NOTE THE PRESENTATION AND THE REPORT WILL BE POSTED ONLINE AFTER.

SO FOLKS THAT ARE WATCHING ARE IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY.

YOU'LL BE ABLE TO TO READ THAT.

YEAH AND I JUST WANT TO SAY A BIG THANKS TO YOURSELF AND KPMG FOR THE REPORT.

I LOOK FORWARD TO READING IT.

WE JUST GOT IT TODAY.

SO IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT DOCUMENT THAT PULLS TOGETHER WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR AND PROVIDES SOME GOOD RECOMMENDATIONS FOR US TO WORK ON, WHICH, YOU KNOW, STAFF HAVE STARTED

[00:35:03]

ONE, TO INCREASE THE CREDIBILITY, YOU KNOW, SO THE CITY IS NOT REVIEWING ITSELF TO HAVE THAT THIRD PARTY REVIEWING.

BUT THE SECOND IS THIS TOOK A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT FROM YOURSELF AND YOUR TEAM.

SO IN LIEU OF CITY STAFF SPENDING THE TIME ON IT, THEY WERE ABLE TO WORK ON IMPLEMENTING SOME OF THESE ACTIONS TO IMPROVE OUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

SO NEXT STEPS, OF COURSE.

AS THE CITY MANAGER MENTIONED, STAFF WILL REVIEW THE REPORT.

THEY'LL COME BACK TO COUNCIL IN THE FALL WITH A STATUS UPDATE ON RECOMMENDATIONS.

SO WHAT HAS BEEN COMPLETED? BECAUSE SOME OF THESE ITEMS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED, SOME ARE WORK IN PROGRESS AS WELL AS TIMELINES FOR THE OTHERS.

SO I KNOW FOLKS PROBABLY HAVE A LOT OF DETAILED QUESTIONS ONCE THEY'VE READ THE REPORT AS WELL.

WE CAN READ THROUGH THE CITY MANAGER, SEND THEM ON TO KPMG FOR FURTHER CLARITY IF NEED BE.

BUT YEAH, JUST TO NOTE THAT STAFF HAVEN'T GONE INTO TO DEPTH SINCE JUST GETTING THE REPORT RIGHT NOW AND WE WILL SEND THE REPORT OR SENT THE REPORT THIS MORNING TO THE MINISTER AND WE WILL WORK WITH THE NWT BECAUSE, YEAH, THERE'S A LOT OF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE ABOUT WORKING TOGETHER, OPENING IT UP TO QUESTIONS.

DEPUTY MAYOR COCHRANE, I THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

NO QUESTION. JUST WANT TO PROVIDE COMMENT TO THANK KPMG AND THE TEAM HERE FOR ALL THE WORK THAT WAS DONE.

I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO READ A FAIR AMOUNT OF THE REPORT THIS MORNING AND IT'S QUITE EXTENSIVE AND IMPRESSIVE.

SO THANK YOU. AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE STAFF FOR ALREADY TAKING ACTION ON IMPLEMENTATION.

ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO, I ACCIDENTALLY AND AWKWARDLY WALKED IN ON AN EOC TRAINING SESSION AND I CAN SEE IT'S GOING VERY WELL.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH STAFF.

THANK YOU. COUNCILLOR FEQUET.

THANKS MADAM CHAIR. CURIOUS WHAT THAT WAS GOING ON.

COUNCILLOR COCHRANE.

YEAH. LOOKING FORWARD TO READING THE REPORT.

SO THESE QUESTIONS ARE WITHOUT OBVIOUSLY HAVING READ IT SINCE IT ARRIVED JUST EARLIER THIS MORNING AND I APPRECIATE KPMG TAKING A CRACK AT CHARACTERIZING THE RECOMMENDATIONS AS EITHER QUICK WINS OR MAJOR PROJECTS AND I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM WOMEN ABOUT WHAT IS ACTUALLY ACHIEVABLE BASED ON THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE'S CIRCUMSTANCES AND PRIORITIES. BUT I WANTED TO ASK A FEW QUESTIONS.

THE FIRST IS RECOGNIZING THAT 21 OF THE 26 RECOMMENDATIONS ARE CHARACTERIZED AS QUICK WINS AND MAJOR IMPACTS, I.E., THEY HAVE THE SAME POTENTIAL IMPACT WITH RESPECT TO OUR EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS.

CAN KPMG OFFER ANY INSIGHT INTO WHETHER ANY OF THESE 21 RECOMMENDATIONS ARE MORE IMPORTANT FOR THIS UPCOMING WILDFIRE SEASON, OR IF THEY ARE, THEY ALL OF EQUAL IMPORTANCE.

LEON, DID YOU WANT TO TAKE THAT? YEAH, THANKS FOR THAT.

SURE. SO, YOU KNOW, I WOULD NOT MAYBE GO ONE BY ONE THROUGH THEM ALL.

I WOULD SAY WHAT IS VERY IMPORTANT FIRST OFF IS TO FOCUS ON THAT ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES PIECE WHERE THERE IS LACK OF CLARITY IN ROLES RESPONSIBILITIES BETWEEN THE TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT AND THE CITY GOVERNMENT.

THOSE ARE IMPORTANT ONES TO ADDRESS.

I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT CONSIDERATIONS FOR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS ALSO CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE ARE STILL RELATIVELY EARLY IN THE WILDFIRE SEASON THIS YEAR AND IF THERE WAS TO BE A SIGNIFICANT EVENT, WHETHER THIS YEAR OR IN FUTURE YEARS.

I THINK ONE OF THE KEY FINDINGS THAT WE FOUND WAS VULNERABLE POPULATIONS IN THE UNIQUE NEEDS THAT THEY HAD WEREN'T FULLY CONSIDERED AND SO IF YOU CAN DO ANYTHING BEING PREPARED FOR AND MORE EFFECTIVE AT SUPPORTING THOSE POPULATIONS, I THINK THAT'S A REAL AREA TO FOCUS ON AND FINALLY, YOU KNOW, I THINK EFFORTS AROUND AN EVACUATION PLAN ARE ALSO REALLY IMPORTANT.

OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I CAN'T ACTUALLY REMEMBER IF THAT ONE IS A QUICK ONE OR NOT.

BUT EITHER WAY, THE FIRST TWO, THOSE FIRST TWO AREAS TO FOCUS ON BOTH THE COORDINATION WITH THE TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT AND CLARITY ON ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, AND ALSO RECOMMENDATIONS RELATING TO VULNERABLE POPULATIONS, I THINK IS WHERE IF IT WAS ME, I THINK I WOULD, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE HIGHER AREAS OF PRIORITY I WOULD FOCUS MY TIME ON. THANK YOU FOR THAT AND I GUESS MORE SPECIFICALLY, THAT WAS HELPFUL.

THANKS. ARE THERE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS THAT KPMG BELIEVES ARE CRITICAL TO ENSURING THAT ARE IMPLEMENTED FOR THIS COMING WILDFIRE SEASON?

[00:40:03]

WELL I SO I'M NOT I WOULDN'T SPEAK SPECIFICALLY TO THOSE.

SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE EVENTS OF LAST YEAR AND YOU HAD AN UNPRECEDENTED EVENT AND THIS REPORT AND ALL OF OUR EFFORTS, I THINK, SPEAK TO WHERE THERE IS AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT, CERTAINLY.

I THINK IRRESPECTIVE OF THOSE AND YOU ALWAYS FOCUS ON AREAS WHERE YOU CAN IMPROVE AND THAT'S BY THE NATURE OF THIS KIND OF WORK, WHERE YOU CONDUCT AN AFTER ACTION ASSESSMENT AND USUALLY FOCUSES MORE ON THOSE AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT THAN ANYWHERE ELSE.

YOU KNOW, WE DID FIND THAT DESPITE IT BEING AN UNPRECEDENTED EVENT, CITY STAFF ORGANIZATIONS INVOLVED THAT IN THE EVACUATION ITSELF, ALL I THINK REALLY ROSE TO THE CHALLENGE AND ABSOLUTELY THERE'S AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT BUT IRRESPECTIVE OF THAT, WITHOUT ANY OF THESE IMPROVEMENTS BEING IN PLACE, THE CITY DID STILL EVACUATE ALL OF ITS CITIZENS.

THERE WAS NO LOSS OF LIFE AS A RESULT OF THAT EVACUATION.

SO, YOU KNOW, I WOULD SAY CRITICAL TO ANY EVACUATION THIS YEAR.

I CAN'T SPEAK TO ONE SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATION.

I THINK ALL OF THE ONES THAT WE HAVE LISTED AS QUICK WINS OR MAJOR PROJECTS ARE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.

ARE THEY CRITICALLY IMPORTANT FOR AN EVACUATION THIS YEAR? IDEALLY, YES, BUT YOU'VE GOT TO CONSIDER THE RESOURCING AND CAPACITY CHALLENGES THAT ANY LOCAL GOVERNMENT OR LOCAL AUTHORITY HAS AND SO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD CHARACTERIZE THESE AS YOU HAVE TO HAVE THIS IN PLACE TO BE ABLE TO EFFECTIVELY EVACUATE THE CITY AGAIN.

THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT NEED TO BE IN PLACE.

IF YOU HAD TO EVACUATE TOMORROW, YOU PROBABLY WOULD AGAIN.

SO I THINK IT'S BETTER TO FOCUS MORE ON ENSURING THERE IS PRIORITY PLACED ON THESE RECOMMENDATIONS AND ENSURING YOU'RE PLACING YOUR BEST EFFORTS TO IMPLEMENTING THEM AT THE SAME TIME, RECOGNIZING THAT IF ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT EVENT LIKE LAST YEAR HAPPENED I THINK THE CITY WOULD PROBABLY RISE TO THE CHALLENGE AGAIN WITH MORE AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT, THERE ALWAYS WILL BE.

BUT AGAIN, I THINK THAT'S A BETTER APPROACH THAN FOCUSING ON RECOMMENDATION X OR Y OR Z NEEDS TO BE IN PLACE.

THEY ALL DO, FRANKLY AND SO IT'S JUST A QUESTION OF WHEN AND HOW THE CITY IS ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THOSE OVER TIME.

THANK YOU. I VERY SINCERELY APPRECIATE THAT RESPONSE.

I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR FOLKS TO HEAR THAT ARE LISTENING AND THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THAT.

YEAH, THE CITY DID RISE TO THE OCCASION.

OF COURSE, THERE'S GOING TO BE AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT.

THERE ALWAYS WILL BE AND THERE'S BEEN SO MUCH WORK DONE SINCE THEN THAT WE KNOW THE CITY STAFF HAVE BEEN WORKING ON, SO WE'RE DEFINITELY IN A BETTER PLACE.

SO I APPRECIATE THAT RESPONSE.

A COUPLE MORE FOR YOU.

I NOTICED IN THE SLIDE DECK AND REITERATED AGAIN DURING THE PRESENTATION WAS THE CHARACTERIZATION OF NOTABLE SHIFTS IN THE UPDATED EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN. I MAY HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD, BUT WHEN I RECEIVED THAT THE INITIAL TIME, MY RECOLLECTION WAS THAT THE ARTICULATED THAT IT WAS A LOT OF CLARITY WAS OFFERED, BUT THERE WASN'T ANY NOTABLE CHANGES.

SO I'M JUST WONDERING IF KPMG CAN ELABORATE ON THAT AND OR COMMENT ON WHAT SOME OF THOSE NOTABLE SHIFTS MIGHT HAVE BEEN, THAT MAY EITHER IMPACT US FOR THE BETTER OR FOR THE WORSE IN OUR EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS.

LEON. YEAH.

SO I'M NOT, I DON'T THINK I'D LIKE TO DO IS GET INTO A DETAILED RUN THROUGH OF WHAT ARE ALL THE DIFFERENT, ALL THE CHANGES.

I WOULD SAY THERE ARE SOME SHIFTS IN RESPONSIBILITY FROM WHAT IN THE PREVIOUS PLAN WAS A TERRITORIAL RESPONSIBILITY TO NOW WHAT IS A LOCAL AUTHORITY RESPONSIBILITY AND YOU KNOW, I THINK IF YOU CONSIDER SO IF WE WERE TO EXCLUDE THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE IN THE CONSIDERATIONS OF THAT SHIFT, IF YOU LOOK AT A LOCAL AUTHORITY, A SMALL COMMUNITY ACROSS THE TERRITORY AND SOME OF THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES, IT VERY WELL MAY MAKE SENSE FOR SOME OF THOSE SHIFTS TO BE WITH LOCAL AUTHORITIES.

AS I SAID BEFORE, THERE ARE DIFFERENCES.

IF YOU'RE CONSIDERING AN EVACUATION OF THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE RELATIVE TO SOME SMALLER COMMUNITY ACROSS THE TERRITORY, BECAUSE IN MOST CASES THOSE SMALL COMMUNITIES ARE COMING TO THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE IF THEY EVACUATE THEMSELVES.

WHEREAS IF THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE IS EVACUATING THERE, THEY ARE LEAVING THE TERRITORY ITSELF AND SO THERE ARE DIFFERENT CONSIDERATIONS THAT COME WITH THAT.

SO, YOU KNOW, THE I WOULD SAY IT'S VERY WELL MAY BE TRUE THAT THERE IS MORE CLARITY NOW WITH THIS PLAN.

THERE ARE DEFINITE SHIFTS IN RESPONSIBILITY TO THIS, THE LOCAL AUTHORITY, AS IT RELATES TO AN EMERGENCY EVENT AND SO

[00:45:04]

ONE THAT I THINK COMES TO MIND IS THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR EVACUATION AND RECEPTION CENTERS AND HOUSING AND STAFFING THOSE CENTERS IS NOW A LOCAL AUTHORITY RESPONSIBILITY.

BUT, DAVID, I'LL TURN IT TO YOU.

IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE SPECIFICALLY ON CHANGES TO THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES.

I THINK YOU CHARACTERIZE IT RIGHT, LEON.

IT JUST SHIFTS IN RESPONSIBILITY PARTICULARLY OUTSIDE OF THE JURISDICTION THAT IS EVACUATING AND SO I THINK THE MAJOR KIND OF GLOBAL CHANGE IS MORE OF A DELIBERATE WAY OF STRUCTURING THE SYSTEM WHERE ANYTHING THAT EXCEEDS THE CAPACITY OF THE LOCAL AUTHORITY AUTHORITY IS SUBMITTED AS A FORMAL REQUEST WHERE CERTAIN RESPONSIBILITIES MAY HAVE BEEN MORE EXPLICITLY SHARED FROM THE GET GO FROM BETWEEN THE LOCAL AUTHORITY AND THE TERRITORY AND I WOULD SAY YES, SPECIFICALLY AROUND ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE OF THE JURISDICTION, THE SPECIFIC BOUNDARIES OF THE LOCAL AUTHORITY BEING IMPACTED BY THE EVACUATION.

THANKS, DAVID. AWESOME.

THANKS, GUYS. JUST TWO MORE.

FOR KPMG.

JUST WITH RESPECT TO RECOMMENDATION 22, IT'S THE ONE ABOUT THE SPONTANEOUS VOLUNTEERS.

I WAS JUST HOPING YOU COULD CLARIFY OR MAYBE ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT.

I RECOGNIZE THAT AT LEAST MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT BEST PRACTICE IS TO TRY TO NOT YOU KNOW, MANAGE VOLUNTEERS AS AN ADDITIONAL TASK DURING AN EMERGENCY RESPONSE BECAUSE IT JUST ADDS MORE TO THE TO DO LIST.

BUT EVENTUALLY VOLUNTEERS WILL SHOW UP AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE A PLAN.

SO I'M JUST WONDERING WHAT SPECIFICALLY THAT RECOMMENDATION LIKE WOULD LOOK LIKE FROM KPMG'S PERSPECTIVE, KNOWING, YOU KNOW, WHAT TRANSPIRED LAST YEAR FOR US? LEON.

YEAH. GREAT QUESTION. YEAH.

THANK YOU. IT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

SO I WOULD SAY THAT WHERE YOU'D LIKE YOU SHOULD FOCUS YOUR EFFORTS ARE ON THINKING THROUGH.

SO HERE IS A GREAT EXAMPLE WHERE YOU HAD A SIGNIFICANT EVENT, UNPRECEDENTED EVENT AND IF YOU THINK THROUGH THE DIFFERENT SCENARIOS THAT PLAYED OUT DURING THAT EVENT AND WHERE THERE WERE SPONTANEOUS VOLUNTEERS, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE CITY TO THINK THROUGH WHEN AND IF VOLUNTEERS WOULD BE USED OR SHOULD BE USED DURING THOSE DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES, AND IMPORTANT THAT WOULD GO ALONG WITH THAT IS OKAY.

IF WE DO HAVE SPONTANEOUS VOLUNTEERS, WHAT TYPES OF PROTECTIONS NEED TO BE IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE PROTECTED AS INDIVIDUALS? AND YOU KNOW THAT.

SO AS I SAID BEFORE, IN A PREVIOUS STRING AND ONE OF THE KEY STRENGTHS, THERE WAS VALUE THAT CAME FROM THE EFFORTS OF THOSE VOLUNTEERS TO MITIGATE RISK.

SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE IS A TIME AND A PLACE FOR THE USE OF SPONTANEOUS VOLUNTEERS, BUT IT HAS TO BE DONE IN A MEASURED, COORDINATED AND SAFE WAY AND SO, AS WITH OTHER ASPECTS OF LAST YEAR'S EVENTS, WHERE THERE WASN'T PRE-PLANNING IN PLACE, DOING THAT PRE-PLANNING TO THINK THROUGH WHEN DO WE WANT TO USE THEM, IF AT ALL? HOW DO WE WANT TO USE THEM, IF AT ALL? WHAT PROTECTIONS NEED TO BE IN PLACE IF WE DO USE THEM? THOSE THINGS NEED TO BE THOUGHT THROUGH AND DOCUMENTED SO THAT IN THE HEAT OF THE MOMENT, YOU'RE NOT HAVING TO THINK ABOUT IT AND MAKE DECISIONS ON THE FLY.

YOU'VE HAD IT. YOU'VE DEVELOPED A FRAMEWORK OF HOW AND IF YOU'LL USE VOLUNTEERS.

SO I DON'T NECESSARILY I WOULDN'T NECESSARILY SAY THAT IT'S LEADING PRACTICE NOT TO USE SPONTANEOUS VOLUNTEERS.

THERE MAY BE A PLACE AND TIME FOR THEM, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN A MEASURED WAY.

THANK YOU AND LAST QUESTION FOR KPMG.

RECOMMENDATION 25.

WHEN I WAS READING IT, I HEARD YOU IN THE PRESENTATION, I BELIEVE I HEARD THE WORD ASSESSMENT BE USED, AND THAT MAKES SENSE TO ME, KIND OF READING THAT PROVIDES A LITTLE BIT OF ADDITIONAL CONTEXT. I WAS JUST CURIOUS, IS THAT TYPE OF ASSESSMENT ABOUT ANY ENTITIES CAPACITY, SOMETHING THAT IS CONDUCTED IN YOUR EXPERIENCE BY THE ENTITY ITSELF, BY THE LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT THAT WOULD BE SUPPORTING THAT ENTITY IF IT NEEDED ASSISTANCE, OR IS IT CONDUCTED BY A THIRD PARTY? WHAT'S HOW DOES THAT NORMALLY LOOK, LEON? YEAH, YEAH.

THANK YOU. YEAH.

SO I WOULD SAY IT DEPENDS.

IT'S NOT THE BEST ANSWER, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE CAPACITY OF THE ORGANIZATION OR THE LOCAL AUTHORITY OR THE

[00:50:06]

SO IN THIS CASE, I THINK THE CITY SHOULD CONSIDER WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE THE EXPERTISE AND CAPACITY TO MAKE THAT ASSESSMENT RIGHT.

SO IN THE FUTURE, EVACUATIONS, WHAT TYPES OF RESOURCES WOULD BE NEEDED AND SO YOU CAN BASED ON EXPERIENCE, YOU'VE NOW HAD AN EXPERIENCE.

YOU'VE LIVED THROUGH THIS ONCE THIS HAPPENS ACROSS OTHER JURISDICTIONS IN CANADA AND BEYOND, WHERE YOU CAN MAKE A DETERMINATION OF WHAT TYPES OF RESOURCES CAN BE ANTICIPATED TO BE USED AND THEN IT'S A RELATIVELY EASY ASSESSMENT AFTER YOU'VE DONE THAT OF DO I DO? DOES THE CITY DOES DO WE HAVE THOSE REQUIRED RESOURCES? AND IF NOT, THEN YOU'RE LEFT WITH A GAP AND THE KEY WITH ALL EMERGENCY PLANNING IS TO ENSURE THAT YOU'RE REDUCING DISASTER RISK AND YOU'RE REDUCING THAT.

WHAT IS, IN THIS CASE, THAT GAP BETWEEN WHAT YOU EXPECT TO BE NEEDED AND WHAT YOU HAVE AVAILABLE AND ONCE YOU UNDERSTAND THAT GAP, THEN, YOU KNOW, OUR RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO MAKE A FORMAL REQUEST TO THE CITY OR TO THE TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT, RATHER TO ENSURE THAT GAP IS CLOSED SO THAT YOU'RE NOT LEFT WITH AN EVENT HAPPENING, YOU'RE NEEDING SOME TYPE OF RESOURCE AND THAT DOESN'T EXIST AND IT HAS TO BE, LET'S SAY, REQUESTED FROM SOME OTHER JURISDICTION WHICH WILL TAKE DAYS, ETC.

OR WHATEVER THE TIME MIGHT BE.

AND THAT'S A CRITICAL PERIOD DURING WHICH IF YOU HAD PLANNED FOR HAVING HAD YOU CLOSE THAT GAP IN ADVANCE, YOUR RESPONSE COULD BE MORE EFFECTIVE, CAN SAVE LIVES. IT CAN, YOU KNOW, REDUCE DISASTER RISK AND THE LIKE AND SO YOU KNOW, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THE CITY WHETHER, YOU KNOW, YOU DETERMINE YOURSELVES WHETHER YOU'VE GOT THE CAPACITY OR CAPABILITY TO MAKE THAT ASSESSMENT.

SO IT REALLY CAN BE DONE EITHER WAY.

THANK YOU FOR THAT RESPONSE, LEON.

MY LAST QUESTION BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUES IS JUST ABOUT RECOMMENDATION 19 TO 21 AND MAYBE THIS IS FOR ADMIN? JUST WONDERING. THEY'RE ALL RELATED TO BUSINESS CONTINUITY AND RECOGNIZING THAT OBVIOUSLY THE EVACUATION WAS RELATED TO WILDFIRES LAST YEAR, BUT THERE COULD BE EVACUATIONS FOR OTHER REASONS OR THERE COULD BE OTHER EMERGENCIES.

I'M JUST WONDERING IF ADMIN COULD JUST SPEAK TO KIND OF THE CURRENT STATUS OF OUR BUSINESS CONTINUITY PLANNING AND WHAT WE HAVE IN PLACE.

IT'S ALSO AN ITEM IDENTIFIED IN OUR WORK PLAN TO COMPLETE, BUT MS. BASSI-KELLETT, THANKS VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION AND CERTAINLY BUSINESS CONTINUITY HAS BEEN THE THEME OF THE DECADE SO FAR.

SO WE HAVE CERTAINLY DEMONSTRATED THAT WHEN COVID HIT, WE HAD A BUSINESS CONTINUITY PLAN THAT WE PULLED TOGETHER QUITE QUICKLY.

WE FOUND THE SAME THING WHEN WE HAD LABOR ACTION TAKEN IN EARLY 2023 THAT WE RESPONDED IN THE SAME WAY AND WE MORPHED THAT PLAN AGAIN TO A DEGREE DURING LAST SUMMER'S WILDFIRE RESPONSE.

SO WE'VE BEEN NIMBLE IN TERMS OF OUR ABILITY TO FOCUS ON WHAT'S IMPORTANT AND REQUIRED IN THE MOMENT.

BUT HAVING A REALLY FULSOME BUSINESS CONTINUITY PLAN IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT I THINK WILL HAVE MUCH MORE ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO DO NOW, WITH THE EXPERTISE OF A MANAGER OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ON STAFF WITH THE CITY.

SO GREAT EXPECTATIONS TO PUT ON THIS OUR NEW MANAGER.

BUT UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE ENTIRE SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM, BECAUSE TRULY, IT DOES INVOLVE EVERYONE AND WE'VE SEEN THAT IN THE INCARNATIONS THAT WE'VE TAKEN THROUGH COVID, THROUGH STRIKE, THROUGH OTHER THINGS.

SO BUSINESS CONTINUITY IS GOING TO BE AN IMPORTANT THEME, AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO BE AS NIMBLE AS POSSIBLE TO FACE ANY KIND OF ISSUE.

AS AN ASIDE, WE'VE PAID A LOT OF ATTENTION TO THE CITY OF CALGARY AND THE MASSIVE CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE BREACH THAT HAPPENED IS SOMETHING THAT WE PAY A LOT OF ATTENTION TO AS WELL. SO AGAIN, WE THINK FROM ALL KINDS OF ANGLES OF WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN, NOT JUST WILDFIRE.

THANKS TO THE WORK PLAN SAYS TO BE COMPLETE Q4 2026, BUT THE AD HOC APPROACH CONTINUES.

AWESOME. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION, GUYS, AND ALL THE WORK THAT THE TEAM DID AND THANKS AGAIN FOR STAFF AND ALL THEIR CONTINUED EFFORTS ON THIS FRONT.

THANK YOU. COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE REPORT AND ALL YOUR WORK.

SO QUESTION FOR KPMG BASED ON YOUR WORK AND EXPERIENCE WITH OTHER REPORTS AND OR GOVERNMENTS, DO YOU HAVE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SPECIFIC ACTIONS FOR COUNCIL TO TAKE RIGHT AWAY? TO ENSURE THAT THIS REPORT IS PUT TO ITS HIGHEST AND BEST USE? LEON. YEAH, THANKS FOR THE QUESTION.

SO I WOULD SAY THE COUNCIL PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE IN MAKING DECISIONS IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE CITY. SO I THINK YOU KNOW YOURSELVES PLACING A REAL PRIORITY ON FOCUSING ON THESE RECOMMENDATIONS AND

[00:55:03]

BUT IT'S MORE BROADLY IMPORTANT AS WELL TO HAVE A WELL FUNCTIONING CONTINUITY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM AND ALL THE CONTINUITY BUSINESS CONTINUITY PLANS THAT SIT BELOW THOSE.

SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE IF I WAS ADVISING YOU AS COUNCIL, I WOULD SAY PUTTING EFFORT TO AND PRIORITIZING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE AND SOME OF THESE TAKE SIGNIFICANT EFFORT FROM STAFF AND SO THERE IS ALWAYS PRESSURE, MULTIPLE PRESSURES WITH RESPECT TO TRYING TO IMPLEMENT INITIATIVES, TRYING TO GET THE CRITICAL WORK DONE THAT THE CITY HAS RESPONSIBILITY FOR AND SO THERE'S ALWAYS THAT BALANCE CHECKS AND BALANCES OF WHAT YOU PRIORITIZE.

WHEN I THINK IT'S A REALLY GOOD AXIOM TO SAY WHAT GETS MEASURED GETS DONE AND SO I'D ALSO RECOMMEND THAT AS A CITY, YOU START MEASURING WHERE YOU'RE AT WITH RESPECT TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE AND REPORTING BACK ON HOW THAT IMPLEMENTATION OF THEM ARE GOING, BECAUSE THAT WILL, YOU KNOW, HOLD EVERYONE TO ACCOUNT OF, YES, THIS IS IMPORTANT AND THERE WILL BE OTHER PRIORITIES ALWAYS, AND THERE WILL BE OTHER FIRES OF THE DAY AND, YOU KNOW, LITERAL AND FIGURATIVE, BUT BEING ABLE TO CONTINUALLY MONITOR AND MEASURE YOUR PROGRESS TO IMPLEMENT THESE THINGS, I THINK, IS GOING TO BE AN IMPORTANT STEP FOR THE CITY TO GET THAT PROGRESS.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S CLEAR BOTH FROM CITY STAFF AND IN ALL THE DISCUSSIONS WE'VE HAD WITH THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THAT THIS IS CRITICAL.

YOU KNOW, IT'S CENTRAL TO THE SUSTAINABILITY, LONG TERM SUSTAINABILITY OF THE CITY TO HAVE THIS HIGHER LEVEL OF PREPAREDNESS AND SO BEING ABLE TO MEASURE THAT REPORT ON THAT IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MORE EFFECTIVE WAYS I WOULD SAY TO PUT THE PRIORITY.

SO IF YOUR SELF IS IS A COUNCIL MEMBER OR REQUESTING THAT OF YOUR STAFF, IT MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA TO ENSURE THAT YOU ARE GETTING REGULAR UPDATES AND THAT THE PRIORITIES OF CITY STAFF MEET AND ALIGN WITH THE EXPECTATIONS OF CITY THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

YEAH, IT'S A GOOD SEGUE TO MY QUESTION FOR STAFF AND JUST SORT OF FOR MY OWN CLARITY ON UNDERSTANDING THE PROCESS.

HOW ARE THESE RECOMMENDATIONS BEING PRIORITIZED? ARE STAFF SORT OF PRIORITIZING THEM BASED ON THEIR OWN EXPERIENCE AND WHAT RESOURCES THEY HAVE.

IS THERE ANY DIRECTION NEEDED FROM COUNCIL IN TERMS OF PRIORITIZING THESE ACTIONS? MS. BASSI-KELLETT, THANKS VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.

SO AS I MENTIONED, WHEN JUST IN OPENING BEFORE TURNING THINGS OVER TO LEON, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON A NUMBER OF INITIATIVES SINCE SEPTEMBER 2023 THAT ARE FOLLOWING UP ON MANY OF THE THINGS THAT WE KNEW WE NEEDED TO ENHANCE OR AMPLIFY OUR CAPACITY ON.

SO LOTS OF WORK HAS BEEN GOING ON CONCURRENTLY, AND CERTAINLY AS WE COME BACK WITH A STATUS UPDATE ON WHERE WE'RE AT WITH EACH OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS, I THINK COUNCIL WILL BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE AND IF THERE ARE ANY IDEAS OR THOUGHTS ON WHERE THERE SHOULD BE GREATER EMPHASIS PUT THAN HAS BEEN ALREADY.

CERTAINLY COUNCIL WILL BE, I'M SURE, WEIGHING IN QUITE ENTHUSIASTICALLY ON THAT.

I WILL ASK MR. MCLEAN. HE'S BEEN DOING ALL THE HEAVY LIFTING ON THIS SINCE LAST FALL, IF HE WOULD LIKE TO WEIGH IN AND PROVIDE ANY COMMENTS.

THANKS FOR THE QUESTION.

I GUESS I WOULD JUST ADD THAT OUT OF THE NINE MAJOR PROJECTS, WHICH WAS 35% OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS, FIVE WERE STARTED AND ONE IS DONE.

THREE ARE HAVE BEEN INITIATED, BUT THEY'RE IN THEIR INFANCY.

OUT OF THE 12 QUICK WINS.

WE'VE STARTED THREE OF THEM FULL PROGRESS, THREE ARE DONE AND FIVE ARE IN THEIR INFANCY OF STARTING AND THEN OUT OF THE FOUR TASKS, TWO ARE STARTED AND TWO ARE DONE.

AND THE ONE OPPORTUNITY THAT WAS SUGGESTED HAS ALSO BEEN STARTED.

SO WE'VE TAKEN QUITE A BIT OF ACTION ON AND ANTICIPATION OF KNOWING AND UNDERSTANDING FROM A BASIC EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM PERSPECTIVE THAT THESE TYPES OF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE SAW NOT ONLY FROM OUR OWN INTERNAL REVIEW AFTER THE INCIDENT LAST YEAR, BUT OVER THE DURATION OF IMPROVEMENT IN OUR PROGRAM.

SINCE THE END OF SEPTEMBER LAST YEAR.

YEAH, IT'S BEEN GOOD ACTION ON THAT.

SO. THANK YOU. YEAH.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO STAFF FOR ALL YOUR WORK ON THAT, AND LAST LAST YEAR AS WELL.

[01:00:08]

WE'LL SORT OF GET A STATUS REPORT ON WHERE ALL THESE ACTIONS ARE AND THEN SORT OF WEIGH IN ON, ON STEPS FROM THERE.

IS THAT THE PLAN? MS. BASSI-KELLETT, THANKS VERY MUCH.

SO WE THE ADMINISTRATION WILL RETURN WITH A STATUS UPDATE SO THAT COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC CAN SEE THE WORK THAT'S UNDERWAY.

I WILL EMPHASIZE THAT SO MUCH OF THIS GOT UNDERWAY LAST FALL AND OVER THE WINTER, IN RECOGNITION THAT EVERY FORECAST WAS THAT 2024 WAS GOING TO BE ANOTHER HIGH RISK YEAR. SO WE KNEW THAT WE WOULD NOT JUST SIMPLY WAIT FOR THE OUTCOME AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE AFTER ACTION ASSESSMENT.

WE KNEW AREAS WHERE WE NEEDED TO STEP UP AND START TO ADVANCE WORK.

SO THAT CERTAINLY HAS HAPPENED.

BUT CERTAINLY WHEN THE STATUS UPDATE COMES FORWARD, COUNCIL WILL BE ABLE TO SEE THE WORK THAT'S UNDERWAY AND IF THERE ARE AREAS WHERE COUNCIL FEELS THERE SHOULD BE A GREATER EMPHASIS.

CERTAINLY WE WILL LOOK FORWARD TO THAT DISCUSSION AT THAT TIME.

RIGHT ON. YEAH AND THEN JUST IN TERMS OF RESOURCES FOR IMPLEMENTATION THERE WAS $100,000 IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET. DO STAFF FEEL THAT THAT'S ADEQUATE? WILL MORE BE NEEDED? MS. BASSI-KELLETT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WELL, WE KNOW THAT OUR EOC TRAINING HAS CONSUMED PROBABLY AROUND 22,000 OF THAT.

WE KNOW THAT OUR DEVELOPMENT OF OUR EVACUATION PLAN HAS CONSUMED ABOUT 70,000 OF THAT AND OF COURSE, THE OVERALL AFTER ACTION ASSESSMENT ITSELF IS SOMETHING THAT IS WE'RE FUNDING THROUGH VARIANCE BECAUSE IT WASN'T BUDGETED FOR.

SO THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE'RE WELL OVER THE $100,000 IN TERMS OF OUR EXPENDITURE ON ACTIONS AND STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS OUR EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, BUT IT'S PART OF OUR CORE BUSINESS. LET'S FACE IT, EMERGENCIES AND POTENTIAL CRISES AREN'T GOING AWAY, AND WE KNOW THAT IT'S A FUNDAMENTAL PART OF WHAT WE DO.

SO WE'RE VERY APPRECIATIVE.

THE COUNCIL DID IDENTIFY THE $100,000 THAT COULD BE SPENT TO LOOK AT SOME OF THE AFTER ACTION ASSESSMENT PRIORITIES, AND WE'VE CERTAINLY BEEN PUTTING THAT TO WORK.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU AND HAVE STAFF FOUND THIS WHOLE PROCESS AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS VALUABLE? DO THEY FEEL IMPLEMENTABLE? MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'LL MAKE A COMMENT, THEN I'LL TURN IT TO MR. MCLEAN AND FRANKLY, I'LL OPEN IT UP TO ANY OTHER MEMBER OF THE SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM WHO WOULD LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING.

PERSONALLY, I FOUND THIS TO BE ABSOLUTELY INVALUABLE HAVING THE EXPERT PERSPECTIVE OF KPMG, OF THEIR TEAM THAT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED SO MUCH IN EMERGENCY RESPONSE, EMERGENCY PLANNING, TO KNOW THAT THE WORK THAT THEY HAVE DONE THEY BRING THAT LEVEL OF EXPERTISE.

THAT'S NOT JUST IF THERE HAD BEEN AN INTERNAL REFLECTION THAT WE HAD DONE OURSELVES.

SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT IT'S GIVEN US THE OPPORTUNITY TO DOCUMENT WHAT'S WORKED WELL AND HOW WE MOVE FORWARD.

SO THAT'S BEEN A VERY PRODUCTIVE THING TO DO BECAUSE, AS CHAIR ALTY HAS SAID, WE WOULD NOT NECESSARILY HAVE TAKEN THE TIME TO LOOK AT WHAT WENT WELL.

I THINK WE ALWAYS CAST A CRITICAL EYE ON OURSELVES AND WE WOULD ALWAYS SIMPLY FOCUS ON, OH DEAR GOD, WHAT DO WE NEED TO IMPROVE? AND SO THAT PART HAS BEEN VERY VALUABLE.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT PERSPECTIVE THAT'S COME FROM KPMG, WHERE THEY HAVE NOTED THE THINGS THAT WENT WELL AND THEN OF COURSE, GIVEN US REALLY PRACTICAL, PRAGMATIC IDEAS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW WE CAN ENHANCE OUR WORK GOING FORWARD.

SO I'LL TURN IT TO MR. MCLEAN AND THEN SEE IF ANYONE ELSE HAS ANYTHING THEY'D LIKE TO ADD.

YEAH, THANKS FOR THE QUESTION.

I WOULD JUST ECHO MS. BASSI-KELLETT COMMENTS THERE FROM A REVIEW PROCESS AND FROM A RECOMMENDATION PROCESS.

I MEAN, THERE'S CHALLENGES THERE.

THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.

THERE'S SOME STRONG PRESSURE POINTS IN SOME OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE GOING TO TAKE SIGNIFICANT TIME AND ENERGY TO NAVIGATE UNTIL WE GET TO A HOLISTIC APPROACH ACROSS THE CITY WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE SOLIDIFIED SOME OF OUR PROCESSES AND RELATIONSHIPS AND OUR DOCUMENTATION. SO THANKS.

I JUST LEAVE IT THERE.

I THINK FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THANKS AS THE BOTH DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS AND THE OPS CHIEF DURING THE EVENT, I THINK THE TRAINING THAT WE'VE UNDERTAKEN AND DONE SO FAR HAS BEEN EXTREMELY VALUABLE.

IT ALLOWS A MUCH MORE COHESIVE UNIT AND HOW TO BASICALLY STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FOCUS ON THINGS THAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO FOCUS ON DURING AN EOC STRUCTURE.

IT'S ALSO PUT OUR MINDS TOWARDS INFRASTRUCTURE FAILURE.

THE HAZARD OR RISK ASSESSMENT FOR THE COMMUNITY IS SOMETHING THAT I BELIEVE WE SHOULD BE FOCUSING ON AND PUBLIC WORKS, IN CONJUNCTION WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS, WILL BE BRINGING FORWARD BUDGET ASKS TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES.

WE HAVE IF YOU'VE READ CBC LATELY, WE'VE GOT SOME INFRASTRUCTURE DRAWERS AND PRESSURES ON PUMPS FOR.

[01:05:04]

SO THERE ARE MODES OF FAILURE IN OUR SYSTEM, JUST THE WAY IT'S BEEN DEVELOPED OVER TIME.

THE AGE OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH IT.

IT'S NOT SOMETHING NEW ACROSS MUNICIPALITIES IN CANADA, AND WE HAVE TO BE READY FOR THAT.

BOTH FROM AN EMERGENCY PLANNING PERSPECTIVE AND FRANKLY, FROM A STRUCTURAL REPLACEMENT PERSPECTIVE.

SO I THINK COUNCIL WILL BE SEEING QUITE A FEW THINGS COME FORWARD IN BUDGET 2025 DELIBERATIONS, AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE A LOT MORE DETAIL IN EACH OF THOSE WRITE UPS AND THOSE REQUESTS FOR FUNDING.

THANK YOU. YEAH.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND THEN JUST ONE FINAL ONE IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO GET A STATUS UPDATE ON THE EMERGENCY EVACUATION PLAN COMMUNITY EMERGENCY PLAN AND WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLAN.

WHEN THOSE MAY COME FORWARD? MS. BASSI-KELLETT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THEY ARE ALL IMMINENT. BUT I'LL ASK MR. MCLEAN IF HE COULD SPEAK TO THIS.

THANKS. I'LL START OUT WITH THE COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLAN.

SO THE INDIVIDUAL PERFORMING THE TECHNICAL REVIEW AND WRITE UP OF THAT HE'S CLOSE TO HAVING IT DONE. UNFORTUNATELY, HE WAS DEPLOYED OUT ON A WILDFIRE BECAUSE THAT'S PART OF HIS BUSINESS.

SO WE HAVE BEEN IN CONSULTATION WITH HIM AS OF LAST WEEK, AND WE'RE ANTICIPATING GETTING THE UPDATE TO THAT 2019 PLAN HERE WITHIN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS. ON THE EVACUATION PLAN AND THE EMERGENT COMMUNITY EMERGENCY PLAN.

EVACUATION PLAN.

WE HAVE A COMPLETE DRAFT OF THAT PLAN.

RIGHT NOW WE'RE INCORPORATING THAT THOSE PIECES INTO OUR OVERALL COMMUNITY EMERGENCY PLAN.

WE'RE VERY CLOSE TO HAVING THAT DOCUMENT FULLY COMPLETED, AT WHICH TIME THERE IS A SUBMISSION TO THE GSA FOR THEIR REVIEW AND INPUT.

THAT COULD BE SOME TIME BEFORE THEY COMPLETE THE REVIEW.

IT DOESN'T STOP US FROM USING AND ACTIONING THAT PLAN IF WE NEED TO.

IT'S JUST WAITING ON THE GSA TO GIVE IT A FINAL STAMP OF APPROVAL.

THANK YOU. YEAH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND THANKS AGAIN TO ALL STAFF FOR ALL THEIR WORK.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILLOR HENDRICKSEN? THANKS. MAYOR ALTY. JUST TO START PARROTING YOURSELF A LITTLE BIT, JUST I'M REALLY PROUD OF THE FACT THAT WE AS A CITY TOOK THIS TRANSPARENT REVIEW PROCESS.

I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE REALLY HIGHLIGHTED.

PULLING BACK THE CURTAINS, WE KNOW YELLOWKNIFE ERS WERE REALLY RATTLED BY LAST YEAR, AND I THINK HAVING THIS TRANSPARENT REVIEW AND ALL OF THE WORK THAT LEON AND HIS TEAM DID REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT.

SO ONE PRETTY SPECIFIC QUESTION IT SORT OF GETS AT TO WHAT I WAS CLEARLY HINTING AT WITH MY COMMENT THERE.

BUT LEON, IN THE REPORT, THERE'S WORDING THAT SAYS IT MAY BE APPROPRIATE TO DISCUSS ISSUES OF JURISDICTION WITH THE NWT.

I MEAN, TO ME, READING YOUR REPORT IN A VERY QUICK GLANCE BEFORE TODAY'S MEETING, HEARING YOUR PRESENTATION, HEARING A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS FROM MY COLLEAGUES, WOULD YOU SAY THAT IT'S MORE OF A IT'S A MUST RATHER THAN IT MAY BE APPROPRIATE THAT WE HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS? LEON, THANKS FOR THE QUESTION.

SO I THINK, AS YOU SEE IN MANY OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE THEME OF CROSS-AGENCY COORDINATION, MANY OF THEM FOCUS ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE TERRITORY, ON THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE TERRITORY, ON THE LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK THAT GUIDES AND GOVERNS ALL OF YOU IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.

CLARITY. THERE IS CRITICAL.

THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT IT.

A LACK OF CLARITY RESULTS IN MORE CHALLENGING RESPONSE POTENTIAL FOR YOU KNOW, OUTCOMES THAT ARE POTENTIALLY DEVASTATING IF YOU ARE NOT COORDINATED IN A GOOD WAY.

SO I WOULD SAY FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, ABSOLUTELY, THE CITY REALLY NEEDS TO BE WORKING WITH THE TERRITORY AND I KNOW THERE HAVE BEEN CONVERSATIONS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN HAPPENING TO THAT EFFECT ALREADY, AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THOSE CONTINUE OVER TIME.

WITH RESPECT TO THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES EMERGENCY PLAN, AND THAT IS SORT OF LAYS OUT THE FRAMEWORK OF ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES BETWEEN THE LOCAL AUTHORITY AND THE THE TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT.

IT'S BEYOND THE SCOPE OF OUR PROJECT TO MAKE A FULL ASSESSMENT OF THAT PLAN AND THE LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK AND WHETHER IT'S APPROPRIATE OR

[01:10:03]

I STAND BY THOSE WORDS.

YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SAYING YOU MUST, I THINK, TO IMPLEMENT THE RECOMMENDATIONS, THE CITY MUST COLLABORATE AND COORDINATE AND REACH CLARITY WITH THE TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT.

THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT AND SO THERE'S MANY OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WILL REQUIRE THAT ONGOING DIALOG WITH THE TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT, THE ISSUE OF THE FRAMEWORK OF ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, THAT WHICH IS LAID OUT IN THAT NORTHWEST TERRITORY EMERGENCY PLAN.

I THINK THAT IS YOU KNOW, UP TO THE CITY, UP TO THE TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT TO DETERMINE WHETHER THOSE ARE APPROPRIATE AND, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, BECAUSE IT'S OUTSIDE OF THE SCOPE OF OUR PROJECT TO SAY THAT FRAMEWORK IS CORRECT OR INCORRECT OR IT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED OR IT'S APPROPRIATE. THAT'S BEYOND THE SCOPE OF OUR PROJECT.

BUT JUST GIVEN THE EXPERIENCES THAT YOU ALL HAD AND THE INFORMATION THAT WE'VE GATHERED AND, YOU KNOW, HAVE CREATED, I THINK, A GOOD PICTURE OF WHAT HAPPENED AND WHERE THERE'S AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT.

I THINK THERE'S AT LEAST SPACE FOR A CONVERSATION TO BE HAD OF WHETHER THAT IS APPROPRIATE, OR MAYBE THERE'S JUST THE SPACE FOR THAT FURTHER CONSIDERATION, AND MAYBE ASPECTS OF THOSE ROLES OR RESPONSIBILITIES MAY NEED TO BE ADJUSTED FOR THE CITY BECAUSE OF THAT INTER-JURISDICTIONAL NATURE OF AN EVACUATION FROM THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE NECESSARILY CONSIDERS INTERJURISDICTIONAL PROTOCOLS AND THE COMPLICATIONS THAT COME WITH EVACUATING OUTSIDE OF YOUR OWN TERRITORY, SO THAT MAY NOT BE THE, AS DIRECTOR, AN ANSWER TO THE QUESTION I KNOW THAT YOU MAY BE LOOKING FOR, BUT AGAIN, BECAUSE IT WAS BEYOND THE SCOPE OF OUR PROJECT TO MAKE A DETERMINATION OF THAT, I LEAVE THAT UP TO THE CITY TO DECIDE.

THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFYING AND NUANCED RESPONSE ON I APPRECIATE THAT.

I GUESS A FOLLOW UP QUESTION MORE FOR THE MAYOR.

YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT YOU'VE SHARED THIS REPORT ALREADY WITH THE MINISTER OF EEC.

DID YOU REQUEST A MEETING OR DID YOU REQUEST A MEETING WITH THE MINISTER? BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S THE ADMINISTRATIVE LEVEL THAT THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND CLEARLY THAT'S ALREADY HAPPENING AND THANK YOU, THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE CITY MANAGER FOR DOING THAT.

BUT I THINK THERE'S CLEARLY A POLITICAL FACT HERE THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE HAVING THOSE MAYOR TO MINISTER CONVERSATIONS BECAUSE WE ARE DIFFERENT.

I MEAN, I CAN'T IMAGINE TORONTO IS EVACUATING OR HAVING A STATE OF EMERGENCY IN TORONTO OR VICTORIA OR EDMONTON WITHOUT ENGAGING THEIR PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENTS.

I THINK IT WOULD BE THE SAME AND IT SHOULD BE THE SAME FOR YELLOWKNIFE.

SO THANKS, MADAM MAYOR.

YEAH, I SENT A COPY AND REQUESTED A MEETING TO DISCUSS THE TO DISCUSS THE PATH FORWARD.

BECAUSE MOST OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE, YOU KNOW, IN COORDINATION WITH THE NWT., THAT CROSS-AGENCY COORDINATION.

SO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE BUY IN BOTH AT THE CITY LEVEL AND THE TERRITORIAL LEVEL, IT REALLY HAS TO START AT THE TOP, WHICH IS WHY I WENT TO THE MINISTER AND SO TBD ON NEXT STEPS.

AS EXPECTED, YOU'RE ALREADY ON IT.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

ANYTHING FURTHER? SEEING NONE.

THANK YOU AGAIN, LEON AND YOUR TEAM FOR THIS.

I THINK YOU KNOW, YOUR WORD INSTITUTIONALIZE IS REALLY THE IMPORTANT PART OF THIS IS THAT WE WANTED TO TO GET THIS ALL ON PAPER SO THAT IT'S NOT JUST THE TEAM HERE WHO'S BEEN THROUGH IT, BUT, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S, HEAVEN FORBID, SEVEN YEARS FROM NOW AND IT'S DIFFERENT PEOPLE SITTING IN OUR SEATS THAT THEY ALSO HAVE THIS INFORMATION AND THAT WE'VE HOPEFULLY IMPLEMENTED A LOT OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS BECAUSE WE CAN'T JUST RELY ON RELATIONSHIPS, WE HAVE TO HAVE THOSE STRONG SYSTEMS IN PLACE. AND I KNOW IN ACROSS CANADA, ACROSS THE WORLD, REALLY FOLKS HAVE ASKED FOR, YOU KNOW, IS THERE ANY REPORTS AND SO I'VE TOLD THEM STAY TUNED. JULY 8TH YOU CAN WATCH OUR WEBCASTS.

SO WE'LL BE SHARING THIS WITH COLLEAGUES WHEN THEY ASK FOR FOR RECOMMENDATIONS TO HOPEFULLY HELP THEM BE BETTER PREPARED.

SO THANKS AGAIN WITH THAT.

OH, SORRY.

SURE AND IF I ACTUALLY IF I COULD JUST ONE ONE THING I'D LIKE TO SAY I'D REALLY LIKE TO APPLAUD THE CITY IN MAKING THIS REVIEW INDEPENDENT.

I, YOU KNOW, NOT ALL JURISDICTIONS DO THAT.

[01:15:01]

BUT THERE'S QUITE A FEW WHO CONDUCT INTERNAL REVIEWS AND SO I REALLY WANT TO APPLAUD THE CITY.

I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF VALUE THAT COMES FROM THAT INDEPENDENT THIRD PARTY REVIEW FOR AFTER ACTION REVIEWS OR ASSESSMENTS.

THERE'S SO IT'S REALLY A LEADING PRACTICE TO DO THAT AND SO, YOU KNOW, APPLAUD YOU ALL FOR TAKING THAT FORETHOUGHT AND TAKING THAT APPROACH AND I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT THE CITY IN THIS.

THANK YOU.

WITH THAT, YOU'RE FREE TO STAY FOR THE REST OF THE MEETING.

IT WILL BE GREAT. WE'LL SURELY BE ON BUDGET 2025.

IF NOT, THANK YOU AGAIN AND YOU, YOU'RE FREE TO DROP OFF THE MEETING.

AS MENTIONED TO FOLKS, IF YOU'RE TUNING IN THE PRESENTATION AS WELL AS THE REPORT WILL GO ONLINE SHORTLY AND THEN AN UPDATE WILL COME TO COUNCIL IN THE FALL ABOUT ACTIONS TAKEN BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS.

SO STAY TUNED FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THAT.

NEXT, WE HAVE A MEMORANDUM REGARDING WHETHER TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES ASSOCIATION OF COMMUNITIES TO RECEIVE THE CITY'S ALLOCATION OF

[5. A memorandum regarding whether to enter into an Agreement with the Northwest Territories Association of Communities to receive the City’s allocation of federal DMAF funding for NWT communities for wildland fire protection.]

COMMUNITIES FOR WILDLAND FIRE PROTECTION.

MS. BASSI-KELLETT ANYTHING FURTHER TO ADD FROM ADMIN? THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR.

SO, YEAH, IN 2022, THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES ASSOCIATION OF COMMUNITIES WAS SUCCESSFUL IN APPLYING FOR DMF TO OBTAIN FUNDING FOR WILDFIRE PROTECTION ON BEHALF OF N.W.T. COMMUNITIES THAT EXPERIENCE A THREAT FROM FOREST FIRES.

SO BASICALLY, EVERY COMMUNITY THAT'S WITHIN THE TREE LINE, SO THEY WERE SUCCESSFUL IN OBTAINING 20 MILLION OVERALL FOR N.W.T.

COMMUNITIES AND OUT OF THAT 20 MILLION, 2.354 MILLION HAS BEEN NOTIONALLY ALLOCATED FOR THE CITY AND THIS, OF COURSE, IS BASED ON OUR 2019 COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLAN, WHICH IS, OF COURSE, BEING UPDATED THIS YEAR, AS MR. MCLEAN MENTIONED.

SO WE HAVE 2.354 MILLION NOTIONALLY, THAT HAS TO BE SPENT OVER THE SEVEN YEAR PERIOD OF THE AGREEMENT.

NOW, OBVIOUSLY, A LOT OF WORK HAS GONE ON IN 2023, BASED ON OUR COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLAN TO BUILD A LOT OF THE FIRE BREAKS THAT WE SEE AND THAT WERE IDENTIFIED IN THAT PLAN.

BUT THERE IS STILL A LOT OF FUEL AROUND YELLOWKNIFE THAT NEEDS TO BE MANAGED THROUGH FUEL BREAKS.

SO IF COUNCIL APPROVES ENTRY INTO THIS AGREEMENT, THESE FUNDS WILL SUPPORT OUR ONGOING WORK TO BUILD FUEL BREAKS, WITH THE CAVEAT BEING AS WE HAVE LEARNED WITH DMAP, YOU CANNOT VEER FROM WHAT THE FUNDING IS TO BE USED FOR.

SO WE MUST BE SPENDING MONEY IN ALIGNMENT WITH WHAT THE SPECIFIC TERMS OF DMAP ARE.

NOT JUST ON ANYTHING AROUND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS OR TO COVER OUR EXPENSES FROM 2023.

WE KNOW THAT'S ABSOLUTELY NOT ON, BUT THIS IS SPECIFICALLY FOR FUEL BREAKS THAT WE CAN BUILD OVER THE NEXT SEVEN YEARS.

SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE DISCUSSION ON THIS IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

ANY QUESTIONS, COUNCILLOR FEQUET? MOSTLY JUST A COMMENT.

IF AS MANY OF THOSE FUEL BREAKS AS POSSIBLE THAT CAN LOOK LIKE AWESOME TRAILS WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED.

THANK YOU, DEPUTY MAYOR COCHRANE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, MADAM CHAIR.

IT'S PRETTY CLEAR FROM THE PRIOR CONVERSATION ALL MONEY IS GOOD MONEY IN THE AREA OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND PREPARATION.

SO I FULLY SUPPORT THIS MOTION GOING FORWARD.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

SEEING NODDING HEADS, WE WILL BRING THIS FORWARD TO OUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING, WHICH IS JULY 22ND AT 7 P.M..

WE'VE ALMOST REACHED THE 90 MINUTE MARK BEFORE WE GO INTO THE BUDGET PRESENTATION, LET'S TAKE A TEN MINUTE BREAK AND COME BACK AT 1:35 P.M..

THIS COMMITTEE MEETING.

BACK TO ORDER.

[6. A presentation regarding budget 2025.]

MS. BASSI-KELLETT. WOULD YOU LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE ITEM? THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR.

ABSOLUTELY. IT SEEMS LIKE JUST YESTERDAY THAT COUNCIL APPROVED THE 2024 BUDGET BECAUSE IT LITERALLY WAS ALMOST YESTERDAY, IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR.

SINCE THAT TIME, OF COURSE, WORK HAS BEEN PROGRESSING TOWARDS BUDGET 2025 AND THIS OF COURSE, IS THE FIRST FULL BUDGET CYCLE FOR OUR VERY CAPABLE NEW DIRECTOR OF CORPORATE SERVICES, MR. PANDOO. AS ALWAYS, BUDGETING IS A BALANCING ACT WHERE WHAT WE WOULD LIKE, WHAT WE HAVE TO SUSTAIN AND WHAT WE CAN AFFORD ALL HAVE TO BE RECONCILED TOGETHER IN A VERY COMPLEX AND DELICATE BALANCING ACT.

SO NO PRESSURE.

BUT IT'S MY ABSOLUTE PLEASURE TO HAND THINGS OVER TO MR. PANDOO, WHO WILL UPDATE US ON WHERE THINGS ARE AT.

THANK YOU, MR. MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. SORRY, I'M JUST GOING TO CHECK MY MIC AND MY VOICE AT THE SAME TIME.

WELCOME TO OUR FIRST INTERACTION ON BUDGET 2025.

ALWAYS AN EXCITING TOPIC OF DISCUSSION.

IN FACT, COUNCILLOR PAYNE TOLD ME HE WOULD RATHER SIT THROUGH BUDGET DISCUSSIONS THAN WATCH AN OILERS GAME BEFORE HE LEFT.

[01:20:07]

SO AS. OH, I DIDN'T DO NOTHING.

THERE YOU GO. THANK YOU.

MY APOLOGIES EVERYONE.

AS COMMITTEE WILL REMEMBER, THIS PRESENTATION IS DONE EVERY YEAR WHERE WE DO INTRODUCE NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET, HIGHLIGHT THE PRINCIPLES OF GOOD BUDGETING AND THE BUDGETING PROCESS ITSELF.

HOWEVER, TODAY OUR PRESENTATION WILL BE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT FROM PREVIOUS YEARS AS ADMINISTRATION IS PROPOSING SOME VERY SLIGHT CHANGES TO OUR BUDGETING PROCESS AND WE WILL SPEND SOME TIME INTRODUCING THOSE PROPOSALS.

THE DISCUSSION ON BUDGET WILL NEVER BE COMPLETE WITHOUT THE MUNICIPAL TAXATION CONVERSATION, AS THEY FORM AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR REVENUES.

AS A QUICK REMINDER, THE CITY'S ASSESSMENT AND TAXATION PROCESSES ARE DRIVEN BY THE PROPERTY ASSESSMENT AND TAXATION ACT. THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION IS VERY PRESCRIPTIVE AND SETS OUT MANY SPECIFIC STEPS THAT MUST BE TAKEN WITHIN WELL DEFINED TIMELINES. THE PROCESS BEGINS WITH THE SUBMISSION OF THE CERTIFIED ASSESSMENT RULE TO THE MUNICIPAL AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS BY OCTOBER 31ST EACH YEAR, AND ENDS WITH A FINAL REVISION OF THE ASSESSMENT RULE FOLLOWING THE BOARD OF REVISION.

HEARING OF ANY APPEALS IN AROUND APRIL.

THEREAFTER, THE ASSESSMENT RULE FINAL REVISION IS USED TO DETERMINE THE MILL RATES FOR THE YEAR, AND THE PROPERTY ASSESSMENT AND TAXATION ACT STIPULATES THAT IT MUST BE USED TO CALCULATE THE FINAL TAX LEVY.

IN CASE YOU ARE WONDERING, THAT IS WHY MILL RATES CANNOT BE SET WHEN THE BUDGET IS BEING APPROVED IN DECEMBER.

BUT WHAT WE CAN DO IS SET THE BUDGET KNOWING THE ECONOMIC AND ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT.

BUDGETING IS ALWAYS INVOLVES, ALWAYS UNCERTAINTY.

HOWEVER, AS WE PONDER TO BUILD BUDGET 2025, WHAT IS CERTAIN IS THAT THE CONTEXT HAS NOT CHANGED MUCH FROM LAST YEAR.

WE WILL SEE THE SAME ROGUE ELEMENTS OF LABOR SHORTAGE, UNPREDICTABLE WEATHER, SUPPLY CHAIN DISRUPTIONS, RISING COSTS, STAGNATE TAX BASE AND AGING MUNICIPAL ASSETS TRYING TO DISRUPT THE PARTY.

BUT AS USUAL, ADMINISTRATION WILL AGAIN ATTEMPT TO BALANCE THE CURRENT CONCERNS AND OPTIMISM OF THE ECONOMIC LANDSCAPE TO ENSURE THAT RESOURCES ARE COLLECTED AND ALLOCATED IN THE MOST EFFICIENT MANNER, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON CORE AND ESSENTIAL SERVICES, AS WELL AS PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF THE RESIDENTS AND WHAT HASN'T CHANGED EITHER, IS THE REALITY OF MY NEXT SLIDE THAT I FIRST BROUGHT FORWARD IN THE GPC OF JANUARY 15TH.

NOW AND THE IRONY IS, IT'S A QUOTE FROM THE OUTGOING CITY MANAGER OF THE CITY OF THUNDER BAY.

WHO MR. JOHN [INAUDIBLE] REPLACE.

SO LET'S JUST SAY WITH MY POWERS TO SEE INTO THE FUTURE, I WAS ALREADY IN THE KNOW OF STUFF RATHER THAN THIS JUST BEING A COINCIDENCE. MR. GALE SAYS SOMETHING HAS TO GIVE SOMEWHERE.

NOW WHAT? IS THAT SOMETHING? AND WHERE IS THAT? SOMEWHERE. THESE ARE THE QUESTIONS THAT ADMINISTRATION AND COUNCIL WILL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT IN THE NEXT COMING MONTH.

OTHERWISE, THERE'S ONLY TWO OPTIONS FOR KEEPING A BUDGET THAT ALWAYS HAS MONEY.

FIRST, WE ADD A ZERO TO OUR REVENUES BY INCREASING OUR FEES, CHARGES, AND TAXES OR TWO, WE MOVE THE DECIMAL POINT TO THE RIGHT.

WHILE I WAS SORRY WAS A JOKE, WHILE I WAS PREPARING THIS PRESENTATION, I COULDN'T BUT SMILE BY THE FACT THAT FOR WHATEVER REASON, ACCOUNTANT SEEMS TO HAVE AN UNFAIR STEREOTYPE AND ARE SUBJECT TO QUITE A LOT OF JOKES.

THERE YOU GO. BUT BELIEVE ME, TODAY WE WILL BE TOUCHING ON PROBLEMS AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU ARE ALREADY AWARE OF, AND WE WILL DETERMINE THE PATH FORWARD IN A WAY THAT WE ALL UNDERSTAND DURING THE BUDGET DELIBERATIONS LATER THIS YEAR. IN PREPARATION FOR BUDGET 2025.

[01:25:07]

MORE DETAILS, INCLUDING THE PY REQUEST, WILL BE PROVIDED DURING BUDGET DELIBERATIONS IN RELATION TO 2025 CAPITAL PROJECTS.

LET ME FIRST BRING UP A SLIDE FROM THE PRESENTATION THAT MR. GREEN CORN AND MYSELF DID BACK IN JANUARY.

THIS IS OUR 2024 2033 CAPITAL PLAN.

THE CITY PLANS TO INVEST 271.2 MILLION IN THE NEXT TEN YEARS TO SUSTAIN THE INFRASTRUCTURE IT DEPENDS ON TO DELIVER SERVICES AND PROGRAMS. THIS WILL ENSURE THAT THE CITY CAN SAFELY PROVIDE CORE SERVICES TO PROTECT THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF ITS RESIDENTS, AS WELL AS THE RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES THAT RESIDENTS HAVE COME TO VALUE.

HOWEVER, PLEASE BEAR IN MIND THAT SOME OF THESE PROJECTS HAVE BEEN BUDGETED USING PRE-COVID NUMBERS, A TIME WHEN EVERYTHING WAS ROSY AND PEACHY.

ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE, AS A RESPONSIBLE ADMINISTRATION AND COUNCIL, WE BUILT OUR LONG TERM CAPITAL PLANS ON THE BEST INFORMATION WE HAVE AVAILABLE AT THE TIME OF BUDGETING, AND ADJUST THEM ACCORDINGLY WITH NEW INFORMATION AS THEY BECOME AVAILABLE, SINCE IT WOULD BE IRRESPONSIBLE TO INFLATE BUDGETS AND INCREASE TAXES, FEES, AND CHARGES BASED ON GUESSWORK.

BUT NOW THESE PROJECTED NUMBERS ARE IN NEED OF OF A REVIEW BECAUSE WE ARE SEEING THAT POST COVID ESTIMATES OFFER A VERY DIFFERENT PROPOSITION THAN PRE-COVID NUMBERS.

EVEN PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS MOST REFINED ESTIMATES ARE NOW SUBJECT TO SPECIFIC MARKET CONDITIONS AND MAY NOT BE ENOUGH TO EXECUTE THE PROJECTS.

THE NEXT SLIDE DEPICTS A BIT OF THE REALITY WE ARE FACING TODAY.

FOR EXAMPLE, LIFT STATION ONE.

PRE-COVID ESTIMATES WERE AROUND 6 MILLION.

POST-COVID, THEY HAVE BALLOONED.

THIS PROJECT IS CURRENTLY OPEN FOR PUBLIC BIDS AND WILL CLOSE AND WILL CLOSE ON THE 2ND OF AUGUST.

SO WE SHOULD HAVE SOME CONFIRMATION OF COSTS FOR THIS PROJECT FOR COUNCIL BY MID-AUGUST AFTER DOCUMENTS HAVE BEEN REVIEWED.

ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS THE RENOVATION OF THE CITY HALL, WHICH AT THE START WAS ESTIMATED TO COST AROUND 5 MILLION.

NOW THE FEEL IS MORE THAN THREE TIMES THIS.

THE SAME CAN BE SAID ABOUT THE FIRE HALL EXPANSION PROJECT, WHICH WENT FROM A 3.3 MILLION ESTIMATE TO 19.8 MILLION, INCLUDING THE CONTRACT FOR DESIGN.

AT THIS RATE, WE WILL DEPLETE OUR RESERVES AND CAPITAL FUND WAY FASTER THAN WE CAN SAY HIPPOPOTAMUS.

BUT THIS CHALLENGE IS NOT UNIQUE TO YELLOWKNIFE.

WE ARE SEEING INCREASED COSTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

THIS IS DEFINITELY AN ERA OF MARKET UNCERTAINTY AND VOLATILITY WHEN IT COMES TO PLANNING AND BUDGETING, ESPECIALLY FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS.

HOW DO WE SURVIVE THEM? WHILE I PERSONALLY DO NOT KNOW BECAUSE THERE IS NO STRAIGHTFORWARD ANSWER, EXCEPT THAT WE NEED TO BE MORE DISCIPLINED IN OUR APPROACH MOVING FORWARD. FORTUNATELY OR UNFORTUNATELY, AT THE AS THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER OF THE CITY, PART OF MY JOB IS TO TELL YOU THE THINGS YOU LIKE TO HEAR, BUT ALSO THE THINGS THAT YOU DO NOT LIKE TO HEAR OR YOU DO NOT WANT TO HEAR.

SO KINDLY ACCEPT MY APOLOGIES IN ADVANCE.

FIRST, I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT WE ANSWER THIS QUESTION.

BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY, WE CANNOT BE BOTH, ESPECIALLY IN TERMS OF THE MINDSET, FINANCIAL PLANNING AND THE WAY BUSINESS GETS DONE.

IN SMALL TOWNS WILL GET AWAY FROM NOT DOING CERTAIN THINGS THE RIGHT WAY, OR NOT DOING THEM AT ALL, BECAUSE THE CONSEQUENCES AND THE IMPACTS IN THEIR SCHEME OF THINGS ARE FAIRLY MINIMAL. THE SAME IS NOT TRUE FOR A CAPITAL CITY.

YES, THE CITY IS FINANCIALLY RESILIENT FOR NOW, BUT FOR HOW LONG? I HAVE MENTIONED THE CHALLENGES OF STAGNATING TAX BASE, RISING COSTS, AGING INFRASTRUCTURE, ETC.

IN ONE OF MY EARLIER SLIDES AND BELIEVE YOU ME, IT DOES NOT TAKE MUCH TO BRING FINANCIAL CHAOS.

[01:30:03]

POOR DEBT MANAGEMENT, WEAK FINANCIAL POLICIES, AND IMPRUDENT POLITICAL DECISION MAKING, MUNICIPAL LEADERS SHOULD TAKE DETROIT AS A LESSON TO KEEP THE ROOM FOR MARGIN OF ERROR AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, INSTEAD OF PUSHING THEMSELVES TO THE BRINK IN TERMS OF IMPRUDENT LIABILITIES.

THIS IS A QUOTE IN AN OLD BUT VERY INTERESTING CBC NEWS ARTICLE.

I AM NOT SAYING YELLOWKNIFE WILL BE THE NEW DETROIT, BUT IT DOESN'T TAKE MUCH OR LONG.

THINK ABOUT THE RANSOMWARE ATTACKS ON THE CITIES OF SAINT JOHN OR HAMILTON AND THE RECENT WATER CRISIS IN THE CITY OF CALGARY, WHICH IN MY VIEW, SHOULD BE A WAKE UP CALL FOR ALL MUNICIPALITIES AS TO HOW THEY APPROACH THE SAFEGUARD AND MAINTENANCE OF MUNICIPAL ASSETS THESE WILL GIVE YOU A SENSE OF MY CONCERNS. HENCE MY REQUEST FOR ALL OF US.

IS TO BE MORE DISCIPLINED IN OUR BUDGET, ASK AND DECISIONS.

WE CANNOT KEEP DOING THINGS THE SAME WAY WE HAVE DONE IN THE PAST AND ACCEPT AND EXPECT DIFFERENT RESULTS.

FURTHERMORE, WE ALSO NEED TO START ACTIONING INITIATIVES NOW AS REFORMS IN GOVERNMENTS TAKE A GOOD SIX YEARS TO START BRINGING BENEFITS. ON THE SAME NOTE.

CURRENTLY, ADMINISTRATION IS WORKING ON SOME.

FINANCIAL POLICIES, WHICH WE HOPE TO BRING FORWARD BEFORE FORMAL 2025 BUDGET DISCUSSIONS.

WHILE MOVING ON FROM THIS REALLY DEPRESSING SLIDE.

LET'S LOOK AT OUR USUAL BUDGETING CALENDAR.

AS COMMITTEE IS ALREADY AWARE, OUR BUDGETING PROCESS IS CYCLICAL IN NATURE AND DURING A NORMAL BUDGET CYCLE.

ADMINISTRATION STARTS EARLY AND CONTINUES THE PLANNING PROCESS BEHIND THE SCENES OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, WHILE COUNCIL HELPS HIT THE DIFFERENT YEARLY MILESTONES BY APPROVING PREVIOUS YEAR'S AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, SETTING THE MILL RATES FOR THE CURRENT YEAR, REVIEWING THE VARIANCES AT DIFFERENT QUARTERS, AND APPROVING NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET AFTER CAREFUL REVIEW DURING THOSE 3 TO 4 DELIGHTFUL NIGHTS.

BUT MOVING FORWARD, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE DIFFERENT STAFFING AND RESOURCE CHALLENGES, ADMINISTRATION IS PROPOSING SOME CHANGES TO THIS PROCESS AND DOES HOPE THAT THE COMMITTEE WILL UNDERSTAND WHERE ARE WE GOING WITH THIS AND THE EFFICIENCY THAT WE ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE.

THERE WE GO. AROUND JULY EVERY YEAR, VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS ARE INVITED TO DISCUSS THEIR BUDGET PROPOSALS WITH STAFF ADMINISTRATION IS RECOMMENDING THAT MOVING FORWARD, INSTEAD OF MEETING FOR ONLY THIS SMALL PERIOD OF TIME, RESIDENTS CAN SUBMIT THEIR BUDGET PROPOSALS THROUGH A FORM THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE YEAR ROUND, EVEN IF THE FORMS WILL BE AVAILABLE ALL YEAR.

WE WILL HAVE A CUT OFF DATE OF AUGUST 15TH FOR INCLUSION IN THE BUDGET.

ANY SUBMISSION AFTER THIS DATE WILL STAY IN THE POOL OF SUBMISSIONS.

WHAT WILL BE CONSIDERED BUT WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR THE NEXT BUDGET CYCLE? I WILL NOW REQUEST MR. KALLIO TO KINDLY TAKE OVER AND HELP ME INTRODUCE THE NEW BUDGET FORM.

PLEASE BEAR IN MIND THAT WE ARE STILL FINALIZING THE FORM, BUT YOU WILL GET THE GOOD IDEA TO ITS INTENT.

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MR. JOHN JONES FROM THE IT TEAM.

HE IS HERE WITH US TODAY.

FOR ALL THE EFFORT HE'S BEEN PUTTING IN.

SO THE FORM WILL LOOK A BIT LIKE THIS.

ALL WE RESIDENTS LOGGING IN WHO DO HAVE SOME KIND OF PROPOSAL OR IDEA FOR THE BUDGET WILL ENTER THEIR CONTACT INFORMATION.

THEN THE DETAILS FOR THE PROJECT.

WHAT'S IMPORTANT HERE IS THE ESTIMATED COST AND HOW DID YOU ARRIVE AT YOUR COST ESTIMATE? SO, FOR EXAMPLE, NOW WHAT? THIS TEAM BEFORE I MOVE ON, BECAUSE CURRENTLY WE DO RECEIVE REQUESTS, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S YOU KNOW, YOU PICK A NUMBER, 2.2 MILLION WITHOUT HAVING ANYTHING TO RELATE IT TO.

[01:35:02]

NOW, THAT'S THE FIRST TASK TO COMMUNICATE TO THE RESIDENTS TO SAY, OKAY, YOU'RE REQUESTING 2.2 MILLION.

JUST SO YOU KNOW, IT'S A 5.56% INCREASE.

ARE YOU OKAY WITH THIS? SO ONCE SO WE GIVE THE RESIDENT GOING TO PUT THE ESTIMATED COST, PUT THE DETAIL AND THE PRESS NEXT.

SO THAT'S THE FIRST QUESTION.

DO THESE TIE INTO ANY COUNCIL STRATEGIC DIRECTION.

LET'S JUST SAY YES SUSTAINABLE FUTURE AND THAT'S THE NEXT QUESTION.

THE TWO IMPORTANT THINGS THERE.

THE FIRST ONE IS THIS IS A REAL TIME.

THIS IS 2.2 MILLION, IS 6.27% BASED OUR ON OUR LATEST ASSESSMENT.

SO 2.2 MILLION EQUATES TO 6.27% TAX.

NOW THE OTHER ONE IS THIS FORM GOING TO COMPUTE EVERY SINGLE PROPOSAL THAT HAS BEEN SUBMITTED SO FAR.

SO IT WILL GIVE AN IDEA IF, LET'S SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, WE RECEIVE $22 MILLION OF BUDGET REQUESTS OR PROPOSAL IDEAS, THAT'S GOING TO BE 62.7% TAX INCREASE.

NOW THE NEXT QUESTION IS ARE YOU OKAY WITH COUNCIL INCREASING YOUR TAXES BY 6.27% TO GIVE YOU YOUR 2.2 MILLION PROJECT, ASK IF YOU SAY YES.

NOTHING FURTHER.

ALL YOU DO IS SUBMIT.

IF YOU SAY NO, I AM NOT IN FAVOR.

I WANT MY PROJECT, BUT I DON'T WANT TAX INCREASE.

YOU PRESS NO. SO THESE DROP DOWNS THAT WILL COME NOW WE WILL TELL YOU OKAY.

SO IF YOU DON'T WANT ANY TAX INCREASE WHERE DO YOU WANT THIS MONEY TO COME FROM.

BECAUSE WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE POT IS SMALL.

WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF MONEY.

NOW, FOR ARGUMENT'S SAKE, I DO HAVE JUST THREE.

SO LET'S JUST SAY MR. KALU IS FEELING VERY MEAN.

SO HE WANTS TO TAKE AWAY CANDY FROM BABIES.

SO HE SAYS 20%.

I WANT MY 2.2 MILLION TO COME OUT OF THIS POT CANDY FOR BABIES.

SO THIS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SERVICE LEVEL REDUCTION.

SO WE WANT CANDY FOR BABIES TO COME DOWN.

SO WHAT ARE YOU SEEING FOR 20% REDUCTION? A LOT OF UNHAPPY BABIES.

SOME ARE WAILING.

NOW, LET'S JUST SAY MR. CAILLOU NOW IS FEELING A MEAN BEING.

SO HE WANTS TO INCREASE THAT TO 50%.

NOW. BABIES ARE REVOLTING.

NOW YOU GET THE IDEA.

THE IDEA IS TO TRY TO CORRELATE THE ASK TO YOUR TAX INCREASE AND IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT YOU'RE NOT OKAY WITH TAX INCREASE, YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT SERVICE LEVEL REDUCTION.

WHAT DOES THAT DO.

NOW EVEN THEN IF YOU SAY YOU KNOW WHAT, I DON'T CARE, I'M FINE WITH MY REQUEST.

I'M OKAY WITH EITHER OR BUDGET INCREASE, A TAX INCREASE OR SERVICE LEVEL REDUCTION.

ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS PRESS SUBMIT.

THE FORM WILL GO.

THIS IS THE IDEA A LITTLE BIT TO COMMUNICATE WHAT THOSE REQUESTS LOOK LIKE WHEN WE SEE IT ON OUR END, BECAUSE THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS A FREE LUNCH.

SO IT DOES COME FROM SOMEWHERE.

NOW, THIS IS THE FORM.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. KALU AND YOU GET THE IDEA AND THANK YOU, JOHN AGAIN.

GREAT JOB.

THERE IS ALSO A SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING IN SEPTEMBER TO HEAR FINAL PUBLIC REQUESTS FOR SPECIAL PROJECTS.

MOREOVER, THE PUBLIC CAN SEND THEIR PROPOSALS AND FEEDBACK BY EMAILS, WHICH EVENTUALLY ADMINISTRATION COMPILES AND PRESENT TO GPC THROUGH MMO.

I AM NOT SURE HOW MANY GOT ADVANCED IN PREVIOUS YEARS TO BE ADDED TO THE BUDGET, BUT LAST YEAR NONE WERE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION BY COUNCIL.

THE SUGGESTION IS TO ALLOW ADMINISTRATION, REVIEW AND EVALUATE THOSE SUBMISSIONS BEFOREHAND AGAINST THE WORK PLAN.

DIFFERENT DIFFERENT MASTER PLANS, COUNCIL DIRECTIONS AND IF NEED BE, SEEK MORE CLARIFICATION AND OR MEETING WITH THE PROPONENTS BEFORE MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS TO GPC WHETHER TO REJECT, POSTPONE OR ADVANCE THE PROPOSALS, GPC MEMBERS WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS AND

[01:40:09]

I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT THE SUGGESTED CHANGES ARE NOT REDUCING PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT OR CONSULTATION.

WHAT WE ARE SAYING IS ON THE CUSP OF 2025, THERE ARE OTHER WAYS OF DOING PUBLIC CONSULTATION AND ENGAGEMENT TO REACH THE SAME OBJECTIVE, AND NOT JUST PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE BUDGETING PROCESS AND FACE TO FACE MEETINGS.

WE ARE TRYING TO CHANNEL ALL THESE BUDGET REQUESTS IN A MORE STRUCTURED WAY.

THE ATTEMPT IS TO TRY TO MOVE FROM THE POSITION OF WE CANNOT DO IT BECAUSE THERE IS NOT ENOUGH MONEY OR IT IS NOT A PRIORITY TO WHERE CAN WE FIT THIS SUGGESTION WITHIN THE OVERALL 2024 2026 WORK PLAN AND HOW SOME OF THE PROJECTS, FOR VARIOUS REASONS, WILL DEFINITELY NOT FIT AT ALL.

BUT AT LEAST ADMINISTRATION HAS HAD A CHANCE TO PROACTIVELY PUT AN ANALYTICAL LENS TO THESE IDEAS BEFORE IT COMES TO GPC AND COUNCIL.

ADMINISTRATION IS ALSO SEEKING TO COME TO GPC OR COUNCIL IN OCTOBER, AROUND THE TIME OF Q3 VARIANCE, AND SEEK COUNCIL'S INPUT ON THEIR LEVEL OF AMBITION REGARDING MUNICIPAL TAX INCREASES.

IN OTHER WORDS, REQUEST GPCO COUNCIL FOR A MUNICIPAL TAX MANDATE TO PREPARE THE BUDGET AND ALLOW ADMINISTRATION TO BALANCE THE BUDGET WITH THE DIRECTION GIVEN.

IF COUNCIL CANNOT IF ADMINISTRATION.

MY APOLOGIES IF AN IF ADMINISTRATION CANNOT SOMEHOW BALANCE THE BUDGET WITH THE MANDATE GIVEN, IT WILL COME BACK TO COUNCIL WITH ITS FEEDBACK AND RECOMMENDATION FOR A NEW MANDATE.

THE AIM IS TO TRY TO REDUCE THE 3 TO 4 NIGHTS OF BUDGET DELIBERATIONS THAT TAKES PLACE EVERY YEAR, AND INSTEAD INVITEGPC TO HAVE MORE STRATEGIC DISCUSSIONS WITH ADMINISTRATION RATHER THAN OPERATIONALLY GEARED LINE BY LINE CONVERSATIONS.

AS A REMINDER, PLEASE NOTE THAT THE VARIANCE REPORTS PRESENTED AT Q2 AND Q3 WILL BE CHANGING AS WELL AND AS SUCH, COUNCIL AND THE AUDIT COMMITTEE WILL HAVE MORE INSIGHT AND OVERSIGHT.

THE LAST RECOMMENDATION IS TO RENAME THE AUDIT COMMITTEE TO FINANCE COMMITTEE.

CURRENTLY, THE AUDIT COMMITTEE COMPRISES OF FOUR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND TWO MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.

IT IS BEING PROPOSED THAT THE COMMITTEE BE EXPANDED TO EIGHT MEMBERS, FIVE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND THREE COUNCIL MEMBERS.

ADMINISTRATION BELIEVES THAT BUDGETING AND TAXATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES ARE TWO SIDES OF THE SAME COIN.

HOWEVER, AT THE MOMENT THE AUDIT COMMITTEE IS ONLY LIMITED TO THE FINANCIAL REPORTING ASPECTS OF CITY FINANCES, AND EXPANDING THE EXPOSURE TO BUDGETING AND TAXATION CAN ONLY STRENGTHEN ACCOUNTABILITY AND PUBLIC TRUST.

THIS WILL ALSO INVOLVE INCREASING THE NUMBER OF MEETINGS AND THE SCOPE OF OVERSIGHT OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE.

THE AUDIT COMMITTEE WILL ALSO SEE AN ENHANCED LEVEL OF REPORTING FROM ADMINISTRATION.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THESE PROPOSALS WERE PRESENTED TO THE AUDIT COMMITTEE AT THEIR LAST MEETING.

ALSO NOTE THAT TO FURTHER ENHANCE EFFICIENCY TO AND REDUCE RISK, ADMINISTRATION IS CURRENTLY ASSESSING THE NEED OF SETTING UP AN INTERNAL AUDIT DIVISION WITHIN CORPORATE SERVICES IN EITHER 2026 OR 2027, IF GPC IS OPEN TO GIVING THE PROPOSED RECOMMENDATIONS A CHANCE. OUR NEW BUDGET CYCLE WILL LOOK AS FOLLOWS.

COUNCIL HAS ALREADY ADOPTED THE 2024 TAX RATES, WHICH STANDS AT 5%. THE NEW BUDGET FORM WILL BE AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE AS FROM JULY 15TH, WITH THE CUT OFF DATE OF AUGUST 16TH FOR BUDGET INCLUSION.

IN SEPTEMBER, ADMINISTRATION WILL PRESENT THE PUBLIC SUBMISSIONS TO GPC WITH ITS RECOMMENDATIONS.

AS MENTIONED, THESE WOULD BE DICTATED BY THE 2024 2026 WORK PLAN, COUNCIL DIRECTIONS AND OTHER MASTER PLANS.

IN OCTOBER, WITH THE PRESENTATION OF THE THIRD QUARTER VARIANCE.

[01:45:05]

ASSUMING WE ARE ABLE TO BALANCE THE BUDGET WITH THE INITIAL MANDATES.

THE 2025 DRAFT BUDGET WILL BE RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC ON NOVEMBER THE 12TH, AND PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS, IF ANY, ON THE DRAFT BUDGET WILL OCCUR TWO WEEKS LATER.

BUDGET DELIBERATIONS.

DESPITE THE FACT THAT I LOVE SPENDING TIME WITH ALL OF YOU BEAUTIFUL SOULS, I AM HOPING WILL BE LESS THAN THE USUAL 3 TO 4 NIGHTS.

BUT WE ARE SETTING ASIDE DECEMBER 2ND TO THE FIFTH, JUST IN CASE AND FINALLY, THE 2025 BUDGET ALONG WITH ANY.

FEES AND CHARGES.

BYLAW AMENDMENTS WILL BE APPROVED ON DECEMBER 9TH.

I WILL. THIS IS THE NEW BUDGET CALENDAR.

IF, OF COURSE, WE GO AHEAD WITH THE PROPOSED CHANGES.

THESE ARE MINOR.

MINOR MINUSCULE, REALLY CHANGES THAT WE'RE PROPOSING.

SO WE ARE HOPING FROM SOME VERY POSITIVE FEEDBACK FROM YOU.

NOW, I WILL CONCLUDE THIS PRESENTATION WITH THIS QUESTION.

IS OUR CURRENT BUDGET BOOK AND EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION, OR JUST A PIECE OF MASSIVE UNENLIGHTENING INFORMATION DUMP? AS SILLY AS THIS MAY SOUND, BUT MY FAVORITE WAY TO COMMUNICATE FINANCIAL DATA IS NOT THROUGH HUGE NOVEL LIKE LITERATURE, BUT SIMPLE HISTOGRAMS, PICTOGRAMS, AND GRAPHS BECAUSE THEY'RE EFFECTIVE, STRAIGHTFORWARD, AND DELIVERS THE MESSAGE QUICKER WITH ACCURACY TO A LARGER AUDIENCE, IRRESPECTIVE OF THEIR LEVEL OF FINANCIAL LITERACY.

TO ILLUSTRATE WHAT I AM SAYING, LET'S COMPARE THE CITY OF WHITEHORSE AGAINST CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE'S BUDGET DOCUMENTATION, BECAUSE I'M TOLD THE CITY OF WHITEHORSE IS THE GOLDEN CHILD OF THE NORTH.

CITY OF WHITEHORSE'S 2024-2027.

CAPITAL EXPENDITURE PROGRAM WAS DELIVERED IN TEN PAGES.

THE 2024-2026 OPERATING BUDGET WAS PRESENTED IN 36 PAGES.

IN CONTRAST.

OURS WAS 192 PAGES IN 2023 AND 135 PAGES IN 2024, ONLY BECAUSE IT DID NOT INCLUDE THE USUAL CAPITAL WRITE UPS.

I AM CERTAIN THAT NONE OF US HERE THINK THAT THE CITY OF WHITEHORSE IS WITHHOLDING INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC, OR NOT BEING TRANSPARENT, BECAUSE THEY HAVE FOUND A WAY TO STREAMLINE THE MESSAGE TO THEIR RESIDENTS.

I UNDERSTAND THAT I MIGHT BE SIMPLIFYING THE TOPIC AS THERE MIGHT BE OTHER NUANCES AT PLAY, BUT THIS EXAMPLE IS TO REITERATE MY VIEW THAT THE ATTEMPT SHOULD NEVER BE ON HAVING FANCY OR OVERBEARING DOCUMENTS UNDER THE NAME OF TRANSPARENCY OF OR UNDER THE FALSE BELIEF THAT IT SOMEHOW CREATES MORE ACCOUNTABILITY, BUT RATHER HOW CAN WE REACH THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF RESIDENTS, IRRESPECTIVE OF THEIR PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL BACKGROUND AND FINANCIAL LITERACY? ONLY THEN WE CAN GENUINELY START LAYING THE FOUNDATIONS FOR A MORE ROBUST PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.

ADMINISTRATION IS NOT SAYING LET'S GO AND MIRROR A TO Z WHAT EVERYONE ELSE IS DOING.

WHAT WE ARE SAYING IS IT IS TIME FOR US TO REVIEW HOW WE PRESENT INFORMATION TO OUR PUBLIC AND CONDUCT CONSULTATIONS WITH THEM TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE A VERY INCLUSIVE, PROBLEM SOLVING APPROACH TO DEAL WITH COMPLEX PUBLIC PROBLEMS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

OPENING IT UP TO QUESTIONS.

COUNCILLOR HENDRICKSEN.

THANKS, MR. PANDOO.

THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

I DEFINITELY AM IN SUPPORT OF THESE PROPOSALS.

THE ONE QUESTION I HAD WAS ON THE FORM FOR THE PUBLIC.

WE'RE ASSUMING, I THINK HERE THAT EVERYBODY'S GOING TO BE ASKING FOR SOMETHING ON THE FIRST PAGE.

CAN PEOPLE PUT A NEGATIVE IN FRONT OF THEIR THING IF THEY'RE PROPOSING A CUT IN SOMETHING? MS. BASSI-KELLETT. MR. PANDOO. SORRY, I WOULD.

COULD YOU JUST IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A REDUCTION.

SO YOU'RE PROPOSING TO CUT $10,000 FROM THE BUDGET?

[01:50:03]

JUST A THOUGHT, EVEN SO, THAT YOU DON'T BREAK YOUR BRAINS IN THE NEXT WEEK BECAUSE I NOT BEING AN IT GUY, I'VE BEEN AROUND THAT STUFF ENOUGH TO KNOW IT CAN BE.

MAYBE JUST EVEN IN THE DESCRIPTION.

IF WE PROPOSE, ARE YOU PROPOSING TO INCLUDE OR REDUCE AND JUST SAY, WHAT ARE YOU PROPOSING TO, YOU KNOW, INCREASE OR REDUCE BY AND THEN IT WOULD STILL COME UP WITH THE SAME PERCENTAGE ALLOCATION OF WHAT IT WOULD REDUCE THE BUDGET BY.

SO MAYBE JUST A COMMS PIECE AS OPPOSED TO ACTUALLY HAVING TO GO IN THE BACK END AND CHANGE THE FORM AT THIS POINT.

ANYWAY, THAT WAS MY ONLY QUESTION.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PREP WORK ON THIS.

THANK YOU, COUNCILLOR FEQUET.

THANKS, MADAM CHAIR.

YES, REVISE THE BUDGET BOOK.

THAT'LL BE GREAT AND YEAH, I AGREE WITH THE PROPOSED PROCESS, AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THE PROCESS FIGURED OUT BEFORE WE TECHNOLOGIES IT TO MAKE SURE THE PROCESS IS THE WAY WE WANT IT, SO THAT TECHNOLOGY IS NOT DICTATING A PROCESS AND I DO LIKE ALL THE TWEAKS THAT YOU'RE PROPOSING.

I THINK IT'LL BE IMPORTANT EDUCATION AND ACCESSIBILITY TOOL FOR RESIDENTS AND IT'LL ALSO HELP US FOCUS AS A TEAM.

IS IT BEING DEVELOPED WITHIN OUR WEBSITE OR ON A THIRD PARTY PLATFORM? MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

MR. PANDOO. IT IS GOING TO BE WITHIN OUR WEBSITE AND THANKS FOR CONFIRMING THAT.

YEAH, THE HOPE IS TO LAUNCH IT FOR THIS YEAR'S JUST IS THERE ANY FURTHER INSIGHT YOU HAVE AT THIS TIME ON KIND OF HOW AND WHEN THIS WILL BE COMMUNICATED TO FOLKS UNDERSTANDING? IT'S LAUNCHING MID-JULY AND PEOPLE HAVE ABOUT A MONTH TO INPUT REQUESTS.

MS. BASSI-KELLETT, MR. PANDOO. YEAH, WE ARE FINALIZING THE FORM.

WE DIDN'T KNOW AS TO WHICH WAY YOU WERE GOING TO GO, SO WE DIDN'T WANT TO DO A BUNCH OF WORK AND THEN FOR YOU NOT TO BE AGREEABLE TO THE PROPOSAL, BUT IT'S AT A VERY CONCEPTUAL STAGE.

BUT JOHN IS HAS BEEN MAKING VERY PROGRESS.

SO ONCE WE HAVE IT FINALIZED, PROBABLY BY THE END OF THIS MONTH AT THE END, SORRY, MY APOLOGIES.

AT THE END OF THIS WEEK, HOPEFULLY WE WILL TRY TO PUT SOMETHING OUT TO THE PUBLIC TO KIND OF COMMUNICATE THIS NEW WAY OF SUBMITTING THEIR PROPOSALS.

BUT ONE THING WE WILL ALSO DO, WE WILL YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT'S PEOPLE ARE USED TO A CERTAIN WAY OF DOING SUBMISSIONS.

WE DO INTEND OF LEAVING THE EXISTING PROCESS IN PLACE FOR A WHILE, JUST IN CASE.

YOU KNOW, PEOPLE DO MISS THE COMMUNICATION COMING FROM US, AND WE DON'T MISS ANY PROPOSAL THAT'S COMING.

SO WE WILL RUN IT A LITTLE BIT CONCURRENTLY.

BUT THE INTENTION IS TO HAVE IT FULLY FUNCTIONAL FOR BUDGET 2026 FOR NEXT YEAR.

FULLY OPERATIONAL.

SO THAT'S THE PLAN FOR NOW.

GREAT. YOU MENTIONED Q2 AND Q3 TIMING WOULD BE AFFECTED.

I WAS JUST CURIOUS.

NOT Q1 AND WHEN HAS Q3 BEEN VARIANTS BEEN RECEIVED IN THE PAST? OR MAYBE I MISUNDERSTOOD YOUR COMMENT.

MS. BASSI-KELLETT MR. PANDOO. SORRY, I AM NOT SURE IF Q1 REPORTING WAS DONE PREVIOUSLY.

I MIGHT BE WRONG, BUT IT WAS ALWAYS Q2 AND Q3.

THE REASON WHY Q2, I THINK IT'S OFF BY A MONTH JUST BECAUSE EVERYONE HAS BEEN FOCUSING ONE.

EVERYONE'S BEEN FOCUSING ON EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND SECOND, WE ARE WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT LACK OF STAFF IN FINANCIAL SERVICES AT THE MOMENT, SO WE ARE TRYING TO BRIDGE THAT GAP, BUT WE ARE NOT FAR OFF ON THE Q2.

Q3 IS THE NORMAL ONE THAT YOU NORMALLY SEE AROUND BUDGET TIME WHERE BUDGET IS BUILT ON.

SO THAT ONE IS ON ON TIME.

AWESOME. THANKS. YEAH, I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEINGN STAFF'S KIND OF FIRST CRACK AT HOW ALL THE REQUESTS FIT INTO THE DIRECTION OF THE CITY, AND SEEING THAT ALONGSIDE Q3 ALL TOGETHER WILL IN LATE GUESS LATE OCTOBER WOULD BE.

THAT'S EXCITING.

MY LAST QUESTION IS JUST YOU MENTIONED AND JUST MAYBE FOR MY OWN CONFIRMATION OR CLARIFICATION CHANGING THE NAME OF OUR CURRENT AUDIT COMMITTEE TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE AND THEN CREATING AN INTERNAL AUDIT DIVISION.

COULD YOU JUST CLARIFY IF THAT INTERNAL AUDIT DIVISION WOULD BE RELATED TO SOLELY FINANCE, OR IS IT INTENDED TO BE KIND OF AN AUDIT AND COMPLIANCE DIVISION, LIKE YOU SEE AT SOME CORPORATIONS WHERE IT'S ALL SORTS OF THINGS.

IT'S NOT JUST THE FINANCIAL ASPECTS OF ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE.

MS. BASSI-KELLETT. MR. PANDOO. THE INTERNAL AUDIT DIVISION, WHILE IT WILL BE PLACED IN CORPORATE SERVICES, WILL BE ORGANIZATION WIDE AND NOT

[01:55:07]

THANK YOU. I THINK THAT'S REALLY GREAT.

I THINK THAT IS IN LINE WITH WHAT I UNDERSTAND IS KIND OF LEADING PRACTICE AT ORGANIZATIONS AND MAKING SURE THAT THE COMMITTEE ALSO REFLECTS ITS PURPOSE, WHICH IS SOLELY, YOU KNOW, THE FINANCIAL ASPECTS AND REPORTING, THEN I'M GLAD IT'S NAMED AS SUCH AND I'M GLAD THERE'S A DIVISION THAT'S LOOKING AT THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT COIN, WHICH IS KIND OF AUDIT ON A MORE BROAD AND GENERAL SCALE.

SO THAT'S GREAT.

THANKS. THANK YOU.

COUNCILLOR MCGURK THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

IT WAS FUN.

AS USUAL. I APPRECIATED THE USE OF EVERY SINGLE SLIDE DECK TRANSITION AVAILABLE, ESPECIALLY LIKE THE PAPER AIRPLANE. I JUST WANTED TO LIKE, EXPRESS THAT.

I'M REALLY GRATEFUL TO SEE AN EMPHASIS ON PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND I THINK THAT THIS IS A NET POSITIVE FOR THE MUNICIPALITY TO HAVE A WELL INFORMED PUBLIC AND SO I THINK THAT'S REALLY AWESOME TO SEE AND I'VE ACTUALLY JUST GENERAL NOTED THAT AS SOMETHING THAT THE ADMINISTRATION, ALL OF THE ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN PRIORITIZING, WHICH IS VERY COOL AND I THINK IT'S A GREAT THE BUDGET FORM IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO EDUCATE RESIDENTS ON WHAT IT MEANS, ACTUALLY TO ADD AND REMOVE THINGS FROM THE BUDGET AND I HOPE THAT SOME PEOPLE WILL HAVE SOME FUN UNDERSTANDING.

LIKE WHAT? OR LIKE GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS.

I HOPE THERE'S NOT TOO MANY ACTUALLY SUBMITTED JOKE ONES, BUT I'M SURE THEY'LL BE EASY TO WEED OUT.

I THINK ONE QUESTION THAT I HAD WAS JUST AND YOU DID SAY THAT YOU WERE GOING TO CONTINUE THE EXISTING PROCESS FOR A WHILE, BUT IF DOWN THE LINE WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT REALLY LITERATE, LIKE COMPUTER LITERATE, IF THERE'S AN OPTION FOR THEM THAT'S BEING CONSIDERED.

MS. BASSI-KELLETT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WE'VE DEFINITELY HEARD THIS BEFORE, AND SO WE WILL ALWAYS WELCOME PEOPLE COMING INTO CITY HALL TO TO SET UP A MEETING TO SAY WHAT THEY LIKE OR DON'T LIKE.

I'LL ASK MR. PANDOO IF HE'S PUTTING ANY FURTHER THOUGHT IN.

THANK YOU.

NO, WE HAVE NOT PUT ANY THOUGHT INTO WHAT? NEW METHODS WE CAN ADOPT IN THOSE SITUATIONS.

SO FOR NOW, UNTIL WE DEVELOP, UNTIL WE REACH THAT TIME, ANY EXISTING PROCESSES THAT ARE IN PLACE WILL CARRY ON UNTIL WE KIND OF MOVE THEM INTO WHAT THE NEW METHOD LOOKS LIKE.

YEAH, I THINK THAT MAKES PERFECT SENSE TO ME AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IT MIGHT NOT BE VERY.

I DON'T KNOW HOW EASY IT WOULD BE TO IMPLEMENT IT, BUT SOMETHING THAT COULD BE INTERESTING IS THAT THESE ENGAGEMENTS THAT WE GET FROM THE PUBLIC, THEY'RE FROM INDIVIDUALS, TYPICALLY.

BUT BECAUSE THIS IS ALL GOING TO BE ONLINE NOW, IT MIGHT BE A POSSIBILITY TO HAVE THEM POSTED ONLINE AND HAVE RESIDENTS WEIGH IN AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THEY SUPPORT IT.

BECAUSE WE ARE ALWAYS, WHEN WE ARE GIVEN A SUGGESTION FOR THE BUDGET.

IT IS FROM ONE INDIVIDUAL, SOMETIMES THEIR SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION SAYING THAT OTHER PEOPLE SUPPORT IT.

BUT I DON'T KNOW.

THAT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR US AS COUNCILLORS SPECIFICALLY TO TO MAKE CALLS ON SOME.

THERE'S LIKE 40 PEOPLE WHO HAVE SAID THAT THEY WANT A PLAYGROUND IN ONE AREA.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S PROBABLY MORE PEOPLE THAN WOULD EVER WEIGH IN ON SOMETHING, TYPICALLY.

PERHAPS SOMETHING TO CONSIDER FOR FUTURE YEARS? YEAH. FOR SURE. DEPUTY MAYOR COCHRANE THANK YOU SO MUCH.

MADAM CHAIR, AND JUST TO ECHO COUNCILLOR MCGURK YOUR POWERPOINT LITERACY IS ALWAYS QUITE IMPRESSIVE.

I FULLY SUPPORT ALL RECOMMENDATIONS GOING FORWARD, AS I WOULD NEVER WANT TO UTILIZE THE TERM WHITE HORSE AS THE GOLDEN CHILD EVER AGAIN.

SO AT THE VERY LEAST, WE CAN GET CAUGHT UP THERE.

THE ONE QUESTION IS FOR PROCESS TO THE RECOMMENDED CHANGES TO THE AUDIT COMMITTEE, TO THE FINANCIAL SERVICES COMMITTEE.

I'M ASSUMING APPOINTMENTS TO THE COMMITTEE WILL THEN HAPPEN IN JANUARY 2025.

THE TERMS OF REFERENCE WILL ALSO HAVE TO COME FORWARD TO COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL BEFORE THEN.

BUT. MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

MR. PANDOO. THANK YOU.

WE DON'T, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE DATES, BUT BECAUSE IT'S TIED TO.

WE DO HAVE AN AUDIT COMMITTEE BY LAW, SO WE NEED TO CHANGE THAT AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FOR THE NEW FINANCE COMMITTEE.

SO WE'LL NEED TO WORK ON THAT AND I DON'T HAVE AN ETA AT THE MOMENT, BUT I'M HOPING WE WILL BE ABLE TO GET SOMETHING TOGETHER AND PUT IT IN PLACE BY PROBABLY END OF Q4, MAYBE START OF Q4.

[02:00:01]

YEAH, BECAUSE WE'LL HAVE TO GET THE BYLAW APPROVED, THE TERMS OF REFERENCE, AND THEN DO THE CALL FOR PEOPLE, AND THEN COUNCIL WILL APPOINT THEM.

SO A NUMBER OF STEPS.

EXCELLENT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE INSIGHT ON THE PROCESS THERE.

I CAN'T WAIT TO RUBBERSTAMP THE AMENDMENTS.

THANK YOU.

COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND THANKS FOR ALL THE WORK ON THIS.

YEAH. SUPPORTIVE OF THE MAJORITY OF THE PROPOSALS.

JUST LIKE TO EXPRESS SOME QUALMS ABOUT THE MANDATE SETTING PROCESS.

AS PART OF THAT PROCESS, HOW DOES COUNCIL PRIORITIZE CERTAIN PROJECTS OR HAVE A SAY ON ON SERVICE LEVELS? YEAH. I DON'T KNOW.

I'M JUST SORT OF TRYING TO FORMULATE MY THOUGHTS ON THE SPOT.

I HAVE A BIT OF A QUALM ABOUT SORT OF JUST TURNING CITIZENS INTO TAXPAYERS ALONE AND JUST SAYING THIS IS THE NUMBER WE WANT.

MAKE IT HAPPEN.

YEAH. JUST SORT OF CURIOUS FOR SOME FEEDBACK ON HOW YEAH, COUNCIL HAS A SAY IN SERVICE LEVELS OR PROJECTS.

ASIDE FROM JUST GIVING A TAX NUMBER.

MS. BASSI-KELLETT MR. PANDOO. THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.

NOW, IF I MAY JUST GO BACK TO CURRENTLY WE I MEAN EVERYTHING IS KIND OF TIED.

THERE'S MULTI-LAYERS TO MULTI-LAYERS.

SORRY MULTI-LAYER ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION.

SORRY TOOK ME SOME TIME TO GET THERE.

CURRENTLY THE WAY WE WERE SET UP TO DO BUDGET, IT'S HEAVILY RELIANT ON ASSET MANAGEMENT AND SERVICE LEVELS, BUT CURRENTLY WE'RE NOT THERE YET.

EVEN THOUGH THE FRAMEWORK IS THERE, WE WANT TO GET THERE, BUT WE ARE NOT THERE YET.

TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO HOW CURRENTLY WE COUNCIL GIVES OR MAKES THE DECISIONS TO GO BACK TO THOSE 3, 4 NIGHTS. WE GO BACK, ADMINISTRATION GOES AND HAVE A LOOK AT THE BUDGET AND PRIORITIZE A LIST AND PREPARES THE DRAFT BUDGET COMES TO COUNCIL.

NOW, ALL THIS CURRENT CHANGE IS PROBABLY TRYING TO ADDRESS A VACUUM OR LACK OF CLARITY, BECAUSE AT THE MOMENT I AM NOT. AS A CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, I AM NOT SURE.

HOW DO WE HOW DOES COUNCIL DETERMINE 5% WE SET 5% FOR THIS YEAR.

WHAT DICTATED 5%? I THERE IS A LACK OF CLARITY.

SO TO ME IF YOU PROBABLY MY MEMORY SERVES ME CORRECT, A LOT OF THE ANSWERS I HAD YOU KNOW, I HAD HEARD WAS THE PUBLIC WANTS IT, PUBLIC NEEDS IT. SO I'M THINKING, I'M ASSUMING THAT THERE'S A LOT OF PUBLIC CONSULTATION GOING ON AT YOUR END.

A LOT OF MAYBE INFORMATION GATHERING, READING AROUND WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE COUNTRY.

SO I AM PRETTY SURE GUESSING THAT WHEN YOU'RE COMING HERE, YOU ALREADY KNOW AROUND WHAT PERCENTAGE YOU WANT.

SO THAT'S AGAIN, I MIGHT BE WRONG, BUT THIS IS THE CONCLUSION AND THAT THIS IS THE FEELING I HAD.

BECAUSE IF WE PRESS TO SAY, HOW DID WE COME UP TO THAT 5%, WE'LL BE HARD PRESSED AS TO I'M HOPING I'M MAKING SENSE HERE. WE WILL GO BACK TO THE ASSET MANAGEMENT AND SERVICE LEVEL, WHERE THAT WILL DICTATE WHAT PERCENTAGE COMES TO.

BUT CURRENTLY WE'RE NOT THERE YET.

NOW WE DO PREPARE THE BUDGET, AND THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF INSIGHT ON MY SIDE OF THINGS OF WHAT HAPPENED THIS YEAR IT WAS AROUND 17 OR 16.22%.

THEN WE SAID, NO, IT'S JUST TOO HIGH, NOT PALATABLE, NOTHING TO DO WITH SERVICE LEVEL.

YOU KNOW, THE 16% THAT WAS INITIALLY GENERATED THAT IS BASED ON CURRENT EXISTING SERVICE LEVEL, EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING LIKE, YOU KNOW, FORMALIZED. BUT THIS IS WHAT WE CURRENTLY DO.

SO 16% JUST TOO HIGH.

SO LET'S REDUCE IT ARBITRARILY.

I UNDERSTAND TO MAKE IT MORE PALATABLE HOW IT WOULD LOOK LIKE.

SO 16% BECOMES 7.22%.

THIS IS WHAT YOU SAW IN THE DRAFT BUDGET.

NOW, YOU SAID 77.22% IS TOO HIGH BASED ON JOHNNY SEQUOYAH.

RIGHT. SO IT'S AGAIN, TRY IF THIS IS WHERE WE ARE AT THE MOMENT, THEN WHAT WE ARE SAYING, LET'S STREAMLINE THE PROCESS, BECAUSE AT THE MOMENT YOU ALREADY HAVE AN IDEA WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE.

LET'S GIVE US THAT MANDATE.

WE'RE GOING TO WORK WITH THAT AND COME TO COUNCIL TO SAY YOU GAVE US 6%.

[02:05:04]

THIS IS THE MOST WE CAN DO IS 7%.

ARE YOU OKAY? IF YOU SAY NO, GO BACK.

WE WILL TRY TO GO BACK AND CUT.

BUT CURRENTLY THERE'S NOTHING THAT'S DICTATING HOW WE'RE CUTTING, WHY WE'RE CUTTING.

IT'S VERY YOU KNOW, IT'S WE'RE NOT DATA DRIVEN YET, SO WE'RE JUST TRYING TO STREAMLINE THAT PROCESS TO SAY, GIVE US WHAT YOU FEEL WE'RE GOING TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.

I AGREE THIS IT IS NOT, AS I SAID, IT'S NOT DATA DRIVEN.

IT IS MORE KIND OF A FEEL THAT YOU HAVE IN THE COMMUNITY.

AT THE MOMENT, I THINK THIS IS THE BEST WAY FORWARD AND THIS WILL CHANGE ONCE WE HAVE THE ASSET MANAGEMENT INFORMING THE BUDGET.

IT WILL. BUT I DO SEE SOME INEFFICIENCY IN THE WAY WE DOING IT.

WE ARE FOLLOWING A ROUTE WITH ASSUMING ASSET MANAGEMENT IS THERE.

SERVICE LEVEL IS THERE, BUT YET WE'RE NOT MAKING THOSE DECISIONS BASED ON THAT BECAUSE IT'S NOT READY.

SO DID I.

SORRY FOR JUST FOR CLARITY, WOULD THE PROCESS BE THAT A MAN COMES FORWARD WITH A RECOMMENDATION OF BASED ON STATUS QUO, NO SERVICE LEVEL IMPROVEMENTS.

THE TAX INCREASE IS FORECASTED TO BE 6%.

WHATEVER IS COUNCIL OKAY WITH THAT SERVICE INCREASE WOULD BE 10%, SERVICE DECREASE COULD BE 4%, AND THEN COUNCIL WOULD DO THE YAY OR NAY.

THAT WOULD KIND OF BE THE PROPOSAL OF ADMIN VERSUS COUNCIL FROM THIN AIR SAYING 12%, 2%.

AND THEN WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT ACTUALLY EQUALS.

NO, SORRY IF I JUST MAY ADD JUST SO ONE THING THERE IS A LACK OF CLARITY AS TO WHEN WE ARE PREPARING THE BUDGET AND THIS IS WHAT I'M TRYING TO ADDRESS. WE ARE SHOOTING IN THE DARK, AND THAT IS NOT THE WAY TO PREPARE IT BECAUSE YOU KNOW, 17% I KNOW IS NOT GOING TO FLY ANYWHERE.

BUT THAT IS WHAT THE SERVICE LEVEL IS IF I FOLLOW THE SERVICE LEVEL RULE.

ROUTE. SO WE'RE JUST TRYING TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION TO MEET WHAT YOU SING AND WHAT WE SING AND THAT WAY WE'RE NOT GOING AND PREPARING THE BUDGET IN THE DARK AND COMING HERE HOPING THAT THIS IS WHAT YOU HAVE IN MIND, WHICH PROBABLY I'VE WATCHED THE LAST FOUR BUDGETS HERE.

IT'S ALWAYS STREAMLINED.

IT'S ALWAYS CUT, YOU KNOW? IT'S THE WHAT? SORRY. I'M GOING TO REPHRASE HERE.

IT'S MY FRENCH TOURETTE PLAYING AGAIN.

IT'S ANYTHING THAT HAS BEEN PROPOSED IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS AS PART OF THE DRAFT BUDGET WAS NOT THE FINAL NUMBER THAT WAS APPROVED BY COUNCIL AND I GUESS THE POINT THERE WOULD ALSO BE THAT IF YOU DO IT IN OCTOBER, YOU'VE GOT ABOUT TWO MONTHS TO TRY TO FIND THOSE SAVINGS VERSUS THE CURRENT PRACTICE OF WE'VE GOT THREE DAYS TO FIND THE SAVINGS AND A MAN'S GOT TO KIND OF COBBLE SOMETHING TOGETHER A LITTLE QUICKER.

SO IT'S PROBABLY BE A BIT OF A OPPORTUNITY.

SOME WORK THIS YEAR AND NEXT YEAR TO SORT IT OUT.

BUT COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN.

YEAH, THANKS FOR THE RESPONSE AND IT'S A REALLY INTERESTING DISCUSSION AND I'M TRYING TO SORT OF YEAH, PUT A BUNCH OF RANDOM THOUGHTS TOGETHER I THINK YEAH. I THINK LIKE MYSELF PERSONALLY, LIKE I DON'T GO IN SAYING I WANT THIS PERCENTAGE, WHATEVER THAT MEANS.

SORT OF GO IN SAYING WE WANT TO LOWER THE SORT OF COST OF LIVING BURDEN AND WE DON'T WANT IT TO BE TOO MUCH.

AT LEAST MY APPROACH FOR TAXPAYERS OR FOR CITIZENS? AND TO GET THERE, LIKE TO GET TO SOME BALLPARK THIS OR THAT PROJECT LIKE, ISN'T DOESN'T QUITE MEET THE PRIORITY METRIC.

WE CAN TAKE THAT AWAY.

WHEREAS I THINK JUST SORT OF ASKING FOR A NUMBER AND GETTING A RECOMMENDATION, I DON'T KNOW, SPIT OUT THE THERE SEEMS TO BE, TO ME, AT LEAST TO ME, A LACK OF AN ABILITY TO SORT OF PUT THE COUNCIL LENS ON IT.

JUST SORT OF CURIOUS ABOUT WHERE WHERE THAT HAPPENS IN THE PROCESS.

I'M DEFINITELY DOWN TO TRY IT AND SEE HOW IT GOES.

YEAH. I THINK MAYBE JUST ONE SORT OF SPECIFIC QUESTION ABOUT THAT, JUST TO SORT OF LET ME THINK ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT MORE LIKE SO PY REQUESTS.

SO NEW POSITIONS, IF WE SAY WE WANT 3.5% TAX INCREASE, WOULD PY REQUESTS FROM STAFF LIKE CUTS TO THOSE POSITIONS, BE IT PART OF THAT PROCESS IN ORDER TO GET TO THAT LOWER TAX INCREASE? MS. BASSI-KELLETT IT'S A GREAT QUESTION BECAUSE, YEAH, THE WHOLE ISSUE OF HOW STAFF REQUESTS ARE DEALT WITH HAS BECOME A LITTLE BIT BLURRED. SO GIVEN THE APPROVAL PARTWAY THROUGH THE FISCAL YEAR OF TWO POSITIONS.

SO THE WAY THAT WE WOULD NEED TO LOOK AT THAT WOULD BE PROVIDING OPTIONS ON HOW THE FUNDING IS SUPPORTED.

[02:10:02]

THE PY WOULD BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION.

IT WILL NOT BE SOLELY THE CONVERSATION.

SO LET'S JUST SAY, FOR ARGUMENT'S SAKE AND FOR CLARITY, IF SOMEHOW WE COME AND AGAIN, MAYBE I DIDN'T CLARIFY PROPERLY, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE COUNCIL OR JPC HOW DO YOU FEEL THIS YEAR ABOUT YOUR TAX INCREASE? NO, WE'RE GOING TO COME IN WITH BECAUSE WHEN WE START PREPARING THE BUDGET, WE ALREADY HAVE SOME GUIDELINES THAT WE FOLLOW AT OUR END, WHETHER IT'S PI REQUIREMENTS, WHETHER IT'S SERVICE LEVEL INCREASE, WE DO HAVE SOMEHOW SOMETHING IN PLACE TO TO SAY, I THINK THIS IS WHY WE, YOU KNOW, INFLATION, CPI, EVERYTHING, YOU NAME IT, WE ALREADY HAVE A SAMPLE OF WHAT WE HAVE.

SO WE WILL COME TO COUNCIL TO SAY COUNCIL.

THIS IS AT THE MOMENT WE ARE LOOKING AT 7% BASED ON THESE GUIDELINES, THESE METRICS.

ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WITH IT? IF YOU SAY YES, WE GO AHEAD, WE FINALIZE AND WE COME BACK WITH.

BUT IF YOU SAY NO IT'S GOING TO BE 4%, THEN WE WILL HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHY DO YOU THINK IT'S GOING TO BE 4%? I WILL BE ASKING YOU, COULD YOU PLEASE CLARIFY ON WHAT ARE YOU BASING YOURSELF ON? TO TELL ME 4%, BECAUSE THE NUMBERS I AM SEEING THE REQUIREMENTS THAT WE ARE SEEING AT THIS END.

HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE SEEING THAT WE I AM, OR THAT WE ARE NOT SEEING TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.

IF SOMEHOW YOU'RE ABLE TO FORMULATE TO SAY, OH, THIS IS WHY, IT IS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, RISING, YOU KNOW, LET'S PICK ANY ARGUMENT WE WILL TAKE WHATEVER COMES OUT OF THAT CONVERSATION AS BEING THE MANDATE.

IT'S NOT GOING TO BEA ONE WAY TRAFFIC, EITHER FROM US OR FROM YOU.

NO, THAT IS NOT THE INTENT.

I MY APOLOGIES.

I MIGHT NOT HAVE GONE INTO THIS SMALL DETAILS, BUT I JUST WANTED TO THROW OUT THE IDEA THAT THERE IS A VACUUM OF LACK OF MISUNDERSTANDING OF HOW WE SUPPOSE TO PREPARE THE BUDGET.

THE EXPECTATION IS CLEAR.

YOU USE SERVICE LEVEL, YOU USE ASSET MANAGEMENT.

BUT WHEN I USE THAT, I'M LOOKING AT 17%.

I CAN'T BRING 17% HERE WHEN I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO SETTLE FOR 5%.

SO IT BECOMES MORE COMPLICATED CONVERSATION AND WE WANT TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION UNDER THE MANDATE TOPIC.

THANK YOU. YEAH, UNDERSTOOD.

YEAH, THANKS. THAT WAS QUITE HELPFUL AND YEAH, I'M SURE I FEEL LIKE WE'RE ALL TRYING TO GET TO THE SAME PLACE AND YEAH.

SO A WAY TO, FOR COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC TO SORT OF EASILY UNDERSTAND THE ASSET MANAGEMENT AND SOME WHAT ARE OUR SERVICE LEVELS? WHAT WHERE ARE THE LEVEL, HOW DO WE UNDERSTAND THAT AND HOW DO WE UNDERSTAND CHANGES TO THAT AND EASIER WAY TO UNDERSTAND THAT FOR SURE.

YEAH. LOOKING FORWARD TO TRYING NEW PROCESS AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK AND VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOUR QUESTIONS AROUND MORE BEING DISCIPLINED AND A DISCIPLINED APPROACH. YEAH, FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF THAT AND JUST SORT OF RANDOM THOUGHT.

CAPITAL CITY VERSUS SMALL TOWN.

IS CAPITAL TOWN AN OPTION IN THERE? WE'LL GET CREATIVE.

YEAH. JUST HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS, I GUESS.

FOR ME, A QUESTION OF WHETHER OCTOBER IS EARLY ENOUGH FOR A MANDATE IN FUTURE YEARS.

WOULD SEPTEMBER BE A BETTER ONE? SO THAT YOU'RE BUILDING OUT LONGER? RECOGNIZING THAT SEPTEMBER IS JUST BASICALLY TOMORROW THIS YEAR, BUT JUST WONDERING IF I GUESS WE'LL GIVE IT A TRY THIS YEAR, BUT WHETHER SEPTEMBER WOULD BE A BETTER ONE IN FUTURE YEARS? MS. BASSI-KELLETT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I THINK THAT'S A GREAT POINT.

MADAM MAYOR, JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE TYPICALLY HAD AN ETA OF OCTOBER 15TH OR THE THIRD WEEK OF OCTOBER TO FINALIZE EVERYTHING IN THE BUDGET SO THAT IT CAN GO TO PRINT. IT CAN BE FORMATTED ALL THOSE GOOD THINGS THAT NEED TO HAPPEN.

SO WITH THAT, I'LL ASK MR. PANDOO WHAT HE THINKS IS IS REASONABLE.

CERTAINLY WITH A SMALLER AND MORE STREAMLINED A LEAN, MEAN BUDGET.

IT MIGHT BE EASIER TO DO.

MR. PANDOO. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT EASIER TO DO, BUT DEFINITELY THIS IS WHERE WE'RE HEADING TOWARDS TO.

BUT CURRENTLY THE CALENDAR IS FOR 2025 ONLY.

SO EVEN THE FORM.

I'M PRETTY SURE WE WILL HAVE THAT FORM GOING TO LOOK LIKE IN THREE YEARS TIME GOING TO CHANGE BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO BE LESSONS LEARNED.

SO THE PROCESS AS BEING PROPOSED IS FOR 2025 ONLY BECAUSE WE HAVE SHIFTED GEARS DOING EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND LACK OF STAFF AND EVERYTHING.

[02:15:01]

WE WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION EARLIER THAN OCTOBER BECAUSE CURRENTLY WE UNFORTUNATELY WE A LOT OF THESE REPORTS GET PREPARED MANUALLY AND THEY FOLLOW A VERY MANUAL, TEDIOUS PROCESS BEFORE THEY GET PREPARED AND NOT ONCE YOU INVOLVE MANUAL, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE REVIEW TO IT TO TRY TO WEED OUT ANY ERRORS.

SO WE'RE HOPING THAT THE CONVERSATION WILL HAPPEN IN AROUND SEPTEMBER BECAUSE I AGREE, ANY CONVERSATION WAY EARLIER THAN THE DECEMBER IS BETTER. BUT WE ARE NOT THERE YET.

WE'RE TRYING TO PUT ALL THE FRAMEWORK IN PLACE, ALL THE BASE, SO THAT CAN ALLOW US TO KIND OF MOVE AHEAD SMOOTHLY.

CURRENTLY. UNFORTUNATELY, WE THE EXPECTATION IS FOR US TO RUN, BUT WE CAN'T EVEN CRAWL.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO GET THERE AS FAST AS WE CAN.

SO, YEAH.

PERFECT. THANK YOU.

YEAH, REALLY APPRECIATE THE FORUM.

I THINK WE GET THE REQUEST FROM THE PUBLIC ALL YEAR LONG, AND RIGHT NOW MY EMAIL IS LIKE, EMAIL US THEN AND SO I APPRECIATE BEING ABLE TO SEND THAT LINK TO FOLKS WITH THE PROPOSED THINGS TO GET CUT THE EXAMPLE THERE, YOU KNOW, THE CANDY FOR BABIES, ALL THAT.

BUT WILL IT HAVE A SPECIFIC THING OR IS IT MORE OPEN THAT PEOPLE CAN SAY, CUT, SNOW REMOVAL, CUT THE POOL HOURS, NO WEEKENDS, ETC.? MS. BASSI-KELLETT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

MR. PANDOO HAS THOUGHT OF THAT.

YEAH. SO CURRENTLY WE WILL.

THE THOUGHT IS TO PROPOSE FIVE OPTIONS.

SO FOUR WOULD BE VERY DEFINED SERVICE LEVELS.

LET'S JUST SAY SNOW REMOVAL.

ONE OF THEM, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU SAW AND THE OTHER ONE\ IS GOING TO BE MORE GENERAL OTHER BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO, YOU KNOW, PREEMPT WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK LIKE BECAUSE ONE CRITICISM OF THE FORM MIGHT BE YOU'RE BEING TOO RESTRICTIVE IN WHAT YOU ASK ME TO CUT IF YOU PUT SNOW REMOVAL NAD AND THE OTHER, YOU KNOW, TWO VERY IMPORTANT CORE AND ESSENTIAL SERVICE PEOPLE LIKE YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE CRITICISM CAN GO. SO WE DO WANT TO KEEP AN OPTION OPEN.

OTHERS SHOW US WHERE YOU THINK BECAUSE I BELIEVE IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO CAPTURE FROM THE PUBLIC'S LENS WHAT THEY THINK IS INEFFICIENT OR NOT NEEDED, WHETHER THAT'S THE RIGHT OR WRONG.

IS IT A SEPARATE CONVERSATION? SO THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO CAPTURE THAT DATA, TO HAVE A LOOK AT IT, TO SAY, YEAH, I THINK THERE'S SOME MERIT TO FOR US TO LOOK INTO THAT, TO IMPROVE THE PROCESS OR HOWEVER YOU WANT TO DO IT. AS TO WHY THEY THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE CUT, SO MEANINGFUL CONVERSATION CAN HAPPEN THERE AS WELL.

SO COMING TO YOUR QUESTION, YEAH, WE WILL HAVE THE VERY GENERAL OPTION AS WELL.

PERFECT. YEAH, I KNOW THAT'S BEEN THE CRITIQUE IN YEARS PAST WHEN WE'VE TRIED IT LIKE THAT OF LIKE YOU'RE LEADING ME DOWN A PATH AND I WANT TO GO DOWN THIS WAY.

SO APPRECIATE THE OTHER OPTION.

IN REGARDS TO ADMIN WORKING AND REVIEWING RESIDENTS REQUESTS THAT ALSO WE'VE KIND OF TRIED TO LIKE HAVE COUNCIL REVIEW AT FIRST BEFORE ADMIN GOES AND SPENDS TIME ON IT.

IF BECAUSE IF COUNCIL IS NOT SUPPORTIVE LIKE WE DON'T WANT ADMIN TO WASTE TIME ON IT.

SO APPRECIATE ADMIN THOUGH TAKING THAT CURSORY LOOK, WILL ADMIN BE VALIDATING THE COSTS THAT ARE PUT FORWARD? BECAUSE I KNOW THAT RESIDENTS GENERALLY GO WITH LIKE, WELL, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE THAT MUCH LIKE PROBABLY $100 AND IT'S ACTUALLY $12,000. SO WILL ADMIN BE VALIDATING THE COSTS BEFORE IT COMES FORWARD TO COUNCIL OR WHAT'S ANTICIPATED THERE? MS. BASSI-KELLETT, MR. PANDOO. IT DEPENDS BECAUSE OUR STARTING POINT IS ALWAYS THE WORK PLAN.

2024-2026 WORK PLAN THAT HAS BEEN APPROVED AND THIS IS OUR DOCUMENT THAT WE NEED TO RUN WITH BECAUSE THAT WORK PLAN IS TIED. IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE TIED TO EVERY MASTER PLAN THAT WE'VE DONE, EVERY SINGLE INITIATIVE THAT WE'RE DOING.

SO THAT IS THE DOCUMENT WE THAT'S THE STARTING POINT.

NOW, IF THERE IS A PROPOSAL THAT FITS WITHIN THAT PLAN, ADMIN WILL HAVE A LOOK AT IT TO SAY, YEAH, WE ARE ALREADY DOING THIS IN 2025 OR 2026, THAT IT, YOU KNOW, IT MEETS SOME MERIT.

IF FOR EXAMPLE, IT DOESN'T FIT AT ALL, THEN THERE'S NO POINT IN CASTING IT.

THEN WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS IN THE OCTOBER WHEREVER WE'RE GOING TO DO THE PRESENTATION, WHERE WE'RE GOING TO COMPILE ALL THE PROPOSALS

[02:20:08]

OH, THE ONES THAT WE'RE SAYING NO CANCEL ALTOGETHER, IT'S NOT PART OF THE WORK PLAN IS YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IT NOW THERE.

YOU DO HAVE THE ULTIMATE PREROGATIVE TO TO OVERRIDE ANYTHING COUNCIL HAS DONE, ANYTHING THAT ADMIN HAS DONE.

YOU CAN HAVE A LOOK TO SAY, YOU KNOW ADMIN YOU HAVE TEN INITIATIVE THAT'S YOU'VE PUT US REJECTED.

YOU HAVE FULL AUTHORITY TO SAY WE WANT THEM DONE IN 2024.

BUT THEN THE QUESTION IS THEN WHY DO WE HAVE A WORK PLAN? IF WE'RE GOING TO OPERATE LIKE THAT? THIS GOES BACK TO MY COMMENT ABOUT I DECIDING WHETHER WE A CITY OR A SMALL TOWN, IF WE WANT TO OPERATE LIKE THAT, THEN WHY HAVE [INAUDIBLE] TO START WITH, LET'S DO SOMETHING ON A WEEKLY BASIS.

AND BECAUSE IT DOES SEE, THERE IS SOME YOU KNOW, OPERATIONAL DIFFICULTY THAT PROBABLY NOT EVERYONE SEES.

WE'RE USING THAT WORK PLAN TO MOVE AHEAD FULL STEAM.

SOME OF IT. SLOWPOKES.

LIKE ME, SOME ARE VERY, VERY LIKE, YOU KNOW GOT ALL GOING STEAM AHEAD.

NOW, IF YOU SAY NO, I HAVE A NEW INITIATIVE OUTSIDE OF THIS WORK PLAN.

DROP THIS ON THE WORK PLAN THAT WILL CHANGE COURSE.

YOU CAN UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE THE FRUSTRATION THAT CREATES BECAUSE AGAIN, IT CREATES THAT VACUUM, THAT UNCERTAINTY.

AS TO THAT, I'M REFERRING TO AS TO WHERE WE'RE SUPPOSED TO GO.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO PUT SOME KIND OF ORDER, IF I CAN USE IT THAT WAY, SOME KIND OF DISCIPLINE TO MOVE AHEAD.

SO COMING TO YOUR QUESTION, WE'RE GOING TO TIE EVERYTHING TO THAT WORK PLAN.

OKAY, PERFECT.

YEAH. APPRECIATE THE RECOMMENDATION.

REGARDING A CHANGE TO THE AUDIT COMMITTEE.

I'LL STAY TUNED ON THE TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR THAT.

DEFINITELY OPEN TO A REVISED BUDGET LOOK AND FEEL, PARTICULARLY NOT HAVING EXPENDITURE BY ACTIVITY AND EXPENDITURE BY OBJECT.

I ALWAYS FIND THAT CONFUSES PEOPLE.

ON THE FORM RECOMMENDED AFTER AUGUST LIKE THAT, IT'LL CLOSE AUGUST 15TH.

THEN OR DO WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TO RESET IT AND CHANGE IT? FOR BUDGET 2026? BECAUSE I DO AGAIN LIKE THE IDEA WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO GET IDEAS ALL FOR THE REST OF THE 2024.

SO BEING ABLE TO PUSH THE THE LINK FOR NOT FOR 2025, BUT FOR 2026.

SO MS. BASSI-KELLETT MR. PANDOO. YEAH.

NO, THAT WILL STAY LIVE.

SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO EXTRAPOLATE ANYTHING OUT OF THAT.

IT'S GOING TO BE THERE AND WE IT IS TRYING TO WORK ON A PROCESS HOW TO STREAMLINE CAPTURE THAT DATA.

YOU KNOW, IT'S STILL GOING TO BE THERE.

SO YOU CAN STILL GO IN SUBMIT AND AFTER THE 16TH, THE ONLY THING IS AFTER THE 16TH OF AUGUST, WE WILL NOT GO AND CHECK WHAT PROPOSAL HAS COME IN. ANYTHING ARE WE GOING TO LOOK AT IN PROBABLY IN FEBRUARY TO START COMPILING THEM FOR THE NEXT BUDGET CYCLE? YEAH, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S CLEAR TO FOLKS THAT APPRECIATE YOUR FEEDBACK.

MISS THE DEADLINE FOR 2025 TAKING INTO CONSIDER FOR 2026, AND THEN THE FACT THAT IT WAS COMPILING ALL OF THE REQUESTS TO DATE AND JUST MAKING SURE THAT'S RESET AS WELL.

BUT SOUNDS LIKE YOURSELF AND IT ARE ALL OVER IT.

YEAH. LOOK FORWARD TO THE POSSIBILITY FOR SOME CHANGE.

APPRECIATE THE SUGGESTIONS FROM ADMIN.

COUNCILLOR FEQUET.

DID YOU HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS? YEAH. THANKS, MADAM CHAIR.

WILL THERE BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR IN-KIND CONTRIBUTIONS TO BE RECOGNIZED IN THE COST BOX? GENERALLY, THERE ISN'T ANY, BUT MS. BASSI-KELLETT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

YEAH, WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE ABSOLUTE BEST OF INTENTIONS AND SAY THAT THEY WILL LAY A FLOOR IN A CITY FACILITY OR THEY WILL MAINTAIN OR DO SOMETHING TO A CERTAIN LEVEL AND WHAT WE ULTIMATELY WANT TO MAKE SURE OF IS IF IT IS A CITY ASSET OR FACILITY THAT'S USED BY THE PUBLIC AND SEEN THAT WAY, THAT IT IS SAFE.

THAT WE ARE PROTECTED FROM ANY POTENTIAL LIABILITY AND PEOPLE KNOW THAT THERE'S A CERTAIN STANDARD THAT WILL BE MET FOR THAT.

THAT SOMETIMES WHEN PEOPLE ASPIRE TO AS PROVIDING IN-KIND SERVICES, SOMETIMES THERE'S A LITTLE BIT MORE TO IT.

SO OFTEN WE NEED TO PUT OUR LENS ON IT OF MAKING SURE THAT SOMETHING THAT'S GETTING A LOT OF USE BY THE PUBLIC MEETS THE STANDARD THAT SOMETIMES WELL INTENTIONED AND REALLY PEOPLE WHO WANT TO CONTRIBUTE SOMETIMES MAY NOT BE AS SENSITIVE TO MR.

[02:25:05]

NO, WE'LL LEAVE IT THERE. THANK YOU.

THANKS. YOU MENTIONED IN THE DROP DOWN, THERE'D BE FIVE OPTIONS FOR SPECIFIC ITEMS AND IN OTHER.

HAS YOUR TEAM IDENTIFIED WHAT THOSE FOUR SPECIFIC ITEMS WILL BE, AND IF SO, WHAT ARE THEY? MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

MR. PANDOO NO, NOT NOT YET, BECAUSE SLT YOU KNOW, FOUND OUT ABOUT THE FORM.

WE HAD A DISCUSSION ON WEDNESDAY, SO THEY ARE WORKING ON IT AND THEY WILL PROVIDE.

I MEAN, WE WILL COLLECTIVELY YOU KNOW, COME UP WITH THE FIVE OPTIONS THAT WE THINK SHOULD BE THERE, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE THE ONE THAT'S GENERAL.

THANKS FOR THAT. YEAH. I JUST I MEAN, I'M REFLECTING ON EVERYTHING WE JUST TALKED ABOUT, AND IT'S A LITTLE FRUSTRATING BECAUSE THE ROOT CAUSE, I THINK WE ALL RECOGNIZE IS THAT WE'RE NOT ALL ON THE SAME PAGE WITH WHAT THE SERVICE LEVEL STANDARDS ARE.

SOME EXIST, SOME DON'T.

WE DON'T, AS A COUNCIL, COLLECTIVELY KNOW WHERE THOSE GAPS ARE AND WHERE THEY DO EXIST.

SO AND I KNOW ASSET MANAGEMENT IS A JOURNEY THAT WILL TAKE TIME.

BUT SERVICE LEVEL STANDARDS CAN ALSO HAPPEN RIGHT AWAY.

WE DO HAVE SOME EXISTING SERVICE LEVEL STANDARDS WE'VE HEARD DIRECTORS TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, PARK MAINTENANCE OR SNOW CLEARING, AND THERE'S PROBABLY OTHERS THAT WE ALSO HAVE AND I FEEL LIKE WE'RE ALWAYS GOING TO BE HAVING WE ALL BRING DIFFERENT VALUES AND RESIDENTS HAVE DIFFERENT VALUES.

SO I'M NEVER GOING TO COME WITH A NUMBER IN MIND.

I'M HAPPY IF IT'S 10%, IF IT'S WORTH 10%, IF I THINK IT'S WORTH 10% AND SO I DON'T KNOW THAT ASKING FOR A MANDATE WILL WORK NECESSARILY, BUT I'M HAPPY TO TRY IT.

I WOULD MUCH RATHER SEE THIS FORM ALSO HELP US TAKE A STEP TOWARDS WHEREVER WE DO HAVE THOSE SERVICE LEVEL STANDARDS CLEAR INTERNALLY, PUT THEM IN, PUT SNOW REMOVAL, PUT THE PARKS, PUT WHATEVER OTHER SERVICES WE HAVE AS THE THINGS THAT DO EXIST ALREADY, BECAUSE THEN PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY HELPING US MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS WHEN THEY'RE SAYING, I DON'T NEED PARKS MOWED ONCE A WEEK.

I'M COOL WITH ONCE A MONTH OR WHATEVER IT IS.

RIGHT? SO I THINK UNTIL WE SOLVE THE ROOT PROBLEM, WHICH IS ADVANCING THAT PROJECT OF CAPTURING EXISTING SURFACE LEVEL STANDARDS, IDENTIFYING THE ONES WE DON'T HAVE, AND GETTING EVERYONE ON THE SAME PAGE, THEN WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THAT WILL HELP US HAVE THOSE FINANCIAL CONVERSATIONS, BECAUSE WE'RE ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT THE SAME VALUE PROPOSITION STATEMENTS, I.E.

OUR SERVICE LEVEL STANDARDS.

SO YEAH, I JUST AGAIN WOULD REITERATE, ENCOURAGE ANY WORK WE CAN DO ON THAT AND IF THIS FORM HELPS US TAKE THOSE LITTLE STEPS, THEN I SEE THAT AS A VERY VALUABLE WAY TO HELP US GET CLOSER TO THAT END GOAL.

Q4 2025 LEVELS OF SERVICE STANDARD.

CAN'T WAIT AND I KNOW IT MEANS IN THE SAME BOAT THERE.

ANYTHING FURTHER ON BUDGET 2025? SEEING NONE, WE LOOK FORWARD TO FUTURE DISCUSSIONS ON IT.

[IN CAMERA]

MOTION TO MOVE IN-CAMERA MOVE BY COUNCILOR MCGURK SECONDED BY COUNCILOR WARBURTON.

ANYBODY OPPOSED? SEEING NONE.

WE CAN GO IN CAMERA AND BUSINESS ARISING FROM IN-CAMERA IS TO

[8. Business arising from In Camera Session.]

IF I CAN GET A MOTION TO ADJOURN, MOVE BY COUNCILOR WARBURTON.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.