OKAY. AND I WILL CALL OUR SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING FOR MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9TH TO ORDER.
[Special Council Meeting and Governance & Priorities Committee on Spetember 9, 2024.]
[00:00:07]
AND I'LL ASK DEPUTY MAYOR COCHRANE TO PLEASE READ THE OPENING STATEMENT.THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE ACKNOWLEDGES THAT WE ARE LOCATED IN CHIEF DRYGEESE TERRITORY.
FROM TIME IMMEMORIAL, IT HAS BEEN THE TRADITIONAL LAND OF THE YELLOWKNIVES DENE FIRST NATION.
WE RESPECT THE HISTORIES, LANGUAGES AND CULTURES OF ALL OTHER INDIGENOUS PEOPLE, INCLUDING THE NORTH SLAVE METIS AND ALL FIRST NATIONS, METIS AND INUIT WHOSE PRESENCE CONTINUE TO ENRICH OUR VIBRANT COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU. NEXT, WE HAVE ADOPTION OF MINUTES.
WE HAVE THE MINUTES OF COUNCIL FOR THE REGULAR MEETING OF MONDAY, AUGUST 26TH.
DEPUTY MAYOR COCHRANE THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
THANK YOU. SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR FEQUET.
ANY ERRORS OR OMISSIONS? SEEING NONE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AND THAT CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
NEXT WE HAVE DISCLOSURE OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST IN THE GENERAL NATURE THEREOF.
DOES ANY MEMBER HAVE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST IN ANY MATTER BEFORE COUNCIL TODAY? SEEING NONE.
WITH THAT, WE'LL TAKE A RECESS.
BEFORE WE GO INTO NEW BUSINESS.
AND WE WILL RESUME COUNCIL AFTER OUR GPC.
SO WE WILL BEGIN OUR GOVERNANCE AND PRIORITIES COMMITTEE MEETING.
I'LL CALL OUR GOVERNANCE AND PRIORITIES COMMITTEE MEETING FOR MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9TH, 2024 TO ORDER.
DEPUTY MAYOR COCHRANE JUST READ OUR OPENING STATEMENTS.
NEXT, WE HAVE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.
ANYTHING FURTHER TO ADD, MR. VAN DINE? ADMINISTRATION WOULD LIKE TO GIVE A VERBAL UPDATE ON THE LATEST COLLECTIVE BARGAINING DISCUSSIONS.
OKAY. THANK YOU. WE'LL ADD THAT AS NUMBER EIGHT.
NEXT WE HAVE DISCLOSURE OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST IN THE GENERAL NATURE THEREOF.
DOES ANY MEMBER HAVE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST BEFORE COUNCIL TODAY? SEEING NONE.
NEXT WE HAVE A PRESENTATION REGARDING PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT FORECASTS.
MR. VAN DINE. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
SO THIS PRESENTATION, AS THE CITY MANAGER STATED, IS KIND OF A PRECURSOR AND IS ALSO FOR JUST GENERAL INFORMATION, NOT JUST FOR GPC, BUT ALSO FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN WORKING ON A NUMBER OF SIGNIFICANT PROJECTS AND OR HAS INITIATED A NUMBER OF SIGNIFICANT PROJECTS RECENTLY.
SO THIS PRESENTATION IS A FORECAST OF ITEMS THAT ARE COMING TO GPC AND OR COUNCIL OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, AND THEN WE'LL ALSO LEAD INTO THE ITEMS THAT ARE GOING TO BE SOME MULTI-YEAR PROJECTS THAT WE'VE STARTED OR WILL BE STARTING SOON.
AND I WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT IN ADDITION TO THE ITEMS THAT HAVE MADE IT ONTO THIS SPECIFIC SLIDE FOR AUTUMN 2024, THERE'S ALSO A NUMBER OF LAND DISPOSALS COMING FORWARD, SOME ACQUISITIONS AS WELL AS APPOINTMENTS.
SO THIS IS THE BIGGER PIECES, BUT THERE'S A FEW OTHER LITTLE PIECES THAT WILL SUPPORT THIS AS WELL.
SO WE HAVE A ZONING BYLAW AMENDMENT AND THIS IS A AMENDMENT TO ADD A NEW ZONE FOR INTENSIFICATION PURPOSES WITHIN OUR CURRENT BYLAW. THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN CIRCULATED TO THE PUBLIC FOR COMMENT.
NEXT IN OCTOBER, YOU WILL SEE A PRESENTATION ON OUR HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT.
SO THIS WAS INITIATED EARLIER IN THE YEAR.
AND WHAT THIS IS, IS A REQUIREMENT OF THE HOUSING ACCELERATOR FUND THAT THE CITY ENTERED INTO WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN ORDER TO MOVE A NUMBER OF ITEMS FORWARD THROUGH THAT PROGRAM.
THIS WAS ONE OF THE VERY FIRST THINGS WE COMMITTED THAT WE WOULD DO AND THAT THEY REQUIRED US TO DO.
NEXT IS THE COMMUNITY CORPORATE AND COMMUNITY ENERGY PLAN UPDATE.
SO THIS IS TAKING A SUMMARY OF THE LAST TEN YEARS OF ALL THE ITEMS THAT WERE IN THAT PLAN, THE RESULTS AND BRINGING FORWARD KIND OF A SNAPSHOT OF THIS IS WHERE WE ARE AS WE MOVE INTO THAT TRANSFORMATION, INTO THE NEXT PLAN FOR THE NEXT TEN YEARS.
SO SHE WILL BE PRESENTING THIS IN OCTOBER.
ALSO IN OCTOBER, WHICH IS APPEARING TO BE A VERY BIG MONTH DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE BYLAW.
SO A FEW MONTHS BACK BROUGHT FORWARD A LIST OF KIND OF MENU ITEMS.
[00:05:03]
AND THESE ARE NOW TRANSFORMED INTO A DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE BYLAW WHICH WILL BE COMING FORWARD TO GPC AND THEN HOPEFULLY COUNCIL.SOME PIECES OF THAT ALSO INCLUDE PORTIONS FROM THE AGREEMENT WITH THE HOUSING ACCELERATOR FUND.
SO THAT IS ALSO INCLUDED, AS WELL AS THE OTHER ITEMS THAT WERE DISCUSSED WITH COUNCIL.
AND IN OCTOBER, HOME ENERGY RETROFITS.
SO THIS WAS A PROGRAM WORKING ON WITH A THIRD PARTY CONSULTANT.
SO WORKING OUR WAY KIND OF AROUND THIS PROJECT WHEEL, THESE ARE THE ITEMS THAT WE'VE EITHER STARTED OR WILL BE STARTING WINTER 2024 AND STARTING INTO EARLY Q1 2025.
THESE ARE MORE MULTI-YEAR PROJECTS MAY START WITH ONE THING LEAD TO ANOTHER, OR A NUMBER OF ITEMS ON HERE ARE ALL INTERTWINED TOGETHER TO COME OUT ON THE OTHER END WITH A WITH A GOOD RESULT.
SO I'LL JUST START RESIDENTIAL INFILL.
THOSE WILL BE STARTED IN PROBABLY THE END OF 2024.
AND IT'S NOT JUST RESIDENTIAL.
SO AS YOU'LL NOTE, I HAVE NEW SUBDIVISIONS ON HERE WHICH STATE RESIDENTIAL.
SO THESE WILL BE BROUGHT FORWARD WITH SOME OPTIONS FOR REZONING AREA DEVELOPMENT PLAN SUBDIVISION.
AS I MENTIONED, AFTER WE BRING FORWARD THE REPORT ON THE PAST TEN YEARS FOR THE CORPORATE AND COMMUNITY ENERGY PLAN, WE'VE STARTED TO WORK ON THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN, WHICH ACTUALLY THE KICK OFF MEETING IS PROBABLY RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT PLAN FOR THE NEXT TEN YEARS.
THERE'S OTHER PARCELS OF CITY LAND THAT ARE GOOD FOR POTENTIAL INFILL.
SO WE'LL BE HAVING INDIVIDUAL APPLICATIONS COMING FORWARD FOR SOME OF THESE PARCELS AS WELL.
COMMUNITY PLAN, COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW SO WE HAD TOUCHED ON A FEW AMENDMENTS THAT MAYBE SHOULD BE UPDATED OR BROUGHT FORWARD TO CITY COUNCIL TO UPDATE THE COMMUNITY PLAN, AND THAT PROCESS WILL BE BEGINNING PROBABLY EARLY 2025.
IN SUPPORT OF THAT, A HOUSING POLICY.
SO THE COMMUNITY PLAN WILL ALSO NEED AN UPDATE TO ITS TRANSPORTATION SECTION.
AND THAT WILL TIE IN VERY NICELY WITH THE WORK THAT IS BEING DONE THERE AS WELL.
SO AS I NOTED, MANY OF THESE PROJECTS ARE MULTI-YEAR PROJECTS.
SO IN ITEM ONE HERE, SOME OF THEM ARE WORK PLAN ITEMS. SO THE WORK PLAN THAT WAS APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL, EVEN THOUGH SOME OF THE ITEMS ARE COMPLETED, I JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE THERE'S STILL IMPLEMENTATION THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AFTERWARDS. SO AN EXAMPLE LAND ADMINISTRATION BYLAW.
THAT ALL STILL HAVE TO BE UNDERTAKEN.
SO WE'RE STILL WORKING ON THOSE PIECES.
HALF THAT'S A BIG PROJECT IN AGREEMENT THAT WE'VE ENTERED INTO WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
SO A NUMBER OF ITEMS YOU'LL BE SEEING THERE.
SO THE BEGINNING OF 2026, THAT NEW CLIMATE ACTION PLAN CAN TAKE EFFECT.
AND THEN AS ALWAYS, PUBLIC INITIATED PROJECTS.
THERE'S A WHOLE SLEW OF ITEMS THAT ARE INCORPORATED THERE.
SO JUST A QUICK REMINDER HOW ALL OF THESE PIECES FIT TOGETHER.
WITH REGARDS TO POLICY, SO WE DEVELOP SOME OF THOSE LARGER POLICY DOCUMENTS.
[00:10:03]
SO THE BIG P AS PEOPLE CALL THEM.SO THAT WOULD BE THE COMMUNITY PLAN.
BUT THEN THERE'S SOME OTHER SMALLER POLICIES THAT WE WORK ON.
SO LIKE I JUST MENTIONED HOUSING MASTER TRANSPORTATION.
AND THEY ALL HELP TO IMPLEMENT THAT BIGGER POLICY.
WE HAVE OUR REGULATIONS WHICH IMPLEMENT THOSE POLICIES.
SO WHETHER THAT'S THE BUILDING BYLAWS, ZONING BYLAW, LAND ADMINISTRATION BYLAW DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES BYLAW, THOSE ALL WORK TOGETHER, LIKE I SAY, TO IMPLEMENT THE POLICY. AND THEN OTHER PIECES THAT FALL IN LINE AFTER THAT WOULD BE THE SERVICES WE PROVIDE.
SO IS THAT A PERMIT BUILDING PERMIT, DEVELOPMENT PERMIT.
AND THEN FINALLY, ONCE YOU HAVE EVERYTHING SORTED AND YOUR APPROVALS IN PLACE, BUILDING CAN OCCUR.
SO AGAIN, BUILDING PERMITS EVERYTHING FROM FOUNDATION STRUCTURE MECHANICAL.
ALL OF THAT TIES TOGETHER FOR THAT WHOLE PACKAGE OF PLANNING THROUGH TO DEVELOPMENT.
AND OF COURSE, THERE'S A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE WHO ARE INVOLVED IN ALL OF THESE PROJECTS.
SO WHEN THEY'RE BROUGHT FORWARD, YOU WILL HEAR US SAY, YES, WE HAVE HAD CONSULTATION WITH THE PUBLIC OR NO, WE'RE ABOUT TO GO OUT OR WE'VE SPOKEN WITH THESE GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS, AND EACH OF THE PROJECTS HAS A DIFFERENT MECHANISM IN WHICH WE'VE DONE THIS.
SOME ARE DONE ONLINE THROUGH THINGS LIKE PLAY SPEAK.
I'LL USE THE HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT AS AN EXAMPLE.
SO WHILE THERE'S ONLINE SURVEY, THERE'S ALSO BEEN ONE ON ONE INTERVIEWS.
AND THERE'S GOING TO BE ONE ON ONE MEETINGS COMING UP OVER THE NEXT MONTH.
AND THEN CITY ADMINISTRATION SO AS I MENTIONED, POLICY DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS, PERMITTING AGREEMENTS AND ENFORCEMENT AND THEN COUNCIL. AND ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS AND I'M GOING TO SAY THANK YOU, COUNCIL ADVOCACY FOR SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT WE'RE BRINGING FORWARD AND THE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE DOING, LOOKING FOR FUNDING, ETC.
IT'S REALLY APPRECIATED TO HAVE YOUR SUPPORT AND HELPS US TO BRING THESE ITEMS TO FRUITION, AS WELL AS SOME OF THEM END UP AS YOUR APPROVAL AUTHORITY, RIGHT? SO SOME OF THESE ITEMS ARE BROUGHT FORWARD AND WE ASK, WE PROVIDE YOU THE BEST PROFESSIONAL ADVICE WE CAN.
AND THEN WE ASK FOR YOUR DECISION ON THE MATTER.
AND WHAT I WOULD SAY IS I'M HAPPY TO PROVIDE, AS CITY MANAGER MENTIONED IN HIS EMAIL MAYBE A PLANNING REFRESHER OR SOMETHING, TO JUST RUN THROUGH KIND OF THAT HIERARCHY OF WHERE SOME OF THESE POLICIES ARE, WHERE THOSE TOUCH POINTS AND DECISION POINTS ARE.
SO I'M HAPPY TO OFFER THAT AND MAKE MYSELF AVAILABLE.
AND IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.
THANK YOU, DEPUTY MAYOR COCHRANE.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. LESS A QUESTION, MORE OF A COMMENT.
I WANT TO THANK THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT TEAM FOR THIS FORECAST.
THIS IS GOING TO BE SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT WORK THAT WE DO DURING THIS TERM.
AND I KNOW IT'S A LOT OF THE REASON WHY A LOT OF US EVEN STEPPED UP TO RUN IN THE FIRST PLACE.
AND YEAH, I WAS JUST GOING TO NOTE AS MISS WHITE NOTED, THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF COMING FORWARD IN OCTOBER AND JUST LOOKING AT EVERYTHING, NOT ONLY HER DEPARTMENT'S DOING, BUT EVERYBODY ELSE'S.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT.
SO JUST GOING BACK TO ONE OF THE DECKS THERE, YOU TALK ABOUT THE COMMUNITY PLAN.
JUST TO BE CLEAR, THAT'S NOT AN EDIT OR A SLIGHT TWEAKING.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REDOING THE COMMUNITY PLAN.
CORRECT. MISS WHITE? SO A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW WILL TAKE A LOOK AT ALL OF THE POLICIES THAT ARE IN THERE.
KEEP THE ONES THAT ARE WORKING THAT ARE GOOD, ADD ONES THAT WE THINK WE NEED AND OR NEED SUPPORT GOING FORWARD OR REMOVE THOSE THAT MAYBE ARE INEFFECTUAL AND WORK TO UPDATE THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING THE BEST POLICY THAT WE HAVE.
SO ALL OF THOSE BYLAWS THAT COME IN BEHIND ARE WORKING EFFECTIVELY TO GET THE KINDS OF DEVELOPMENT, GROWTH, SOCIAL SERVICES, EVERYTHING THAT WE NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY WORKING TOGETHER. AWESOME.
THANK YOU. AND MORE FOR THE PUBLIC.
AND JUST SO WE'RE CLEAR, SO THERE WILL BE SOME LAND COMING TO MARKET, 24 OR 25.
THIS IS ONE KEY PIECE TO BRINGING SOME OF THAT LAND FORWARD.
YES. END OF THE YEAR, EARLY Q1, FOR SURE.
THANK YOU. JUST A QUESTION ON THE COMMUNITY PLAN.
I KNOW WE'VE HAD RESIDENTS INTERESTED IN DOING X, Y, AND Z THAT'S CURRENTLY NOT ALLOWED AS PER OUR COMMUNITY PLAN WOULD BE WILL WE BE HAVING PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND WOULD PEOPLE BE ABLE TO TAKE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO BRING FORWARD THEIR IDEAS? MISS WHITE. THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
[00:15:02]
YES. SO PART OF ANY PLANNING PROCESS, ESPECIALLY WHEN DEVELOPING POLICY, PUBLIC POLICY, IS TO HAVE THOSE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENTS AND NOT JUST AS A ONE OFF, WHETHER THAT'S ONE MEETING.AND THANK COUNCIL FOR THE QUESTIONS TO PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT.
AND THANKS TO MISS WHITE FOR THE PRESENTATION.
JUST WITH RESPECT TO THE COMMUNITY PLAN.
AND AS AS ALLUDED, WE'LL BE BRINGING SORT OF PROCESS PIECES FORWARD ON EACH OF THESE COMPONENTS.
ANYTHING FURTHER? THANK YOU FOR.
OH, SORRY. DEPUTY MAYOR COCHRANE.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. JUST A QUESTION FOR THE SUBDIVISION DEVELOPMENT.
IS THIS THE KAM LAKE EXTENSION TAYLOR ROAD GITZEL NIVEN LAKE.
A SCHEDULE OF WHEN THESE WILL BE ADDRESSED.
NO, IT'S NOT A SCHEDULE IN ORDER.
THEY ARE SO, KAM LAKE, WE'VE ALREADY INITIATED SOME PUBLIC CONSULTATION.
WE'RE MOVING INTO A MARKET STUDY.
SO NO, THIS ISN'T A IT'S GOING TO BE THIS, THEN THIS, THEN THIS.
WE'RE WORKING ON ALL OF THEM RIGHT NOW.
APPRECIATE THE UPDATE AND LOOK FORWARD TO ALL THE MEMOS COMING FORWARD.
ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? DISCUSSION. DEPUTY MAYOR COCHRANE.
WE WILL BRING THAT MEMO FORWARD ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23RD THEN, AS THE DIRECTION GIVEN THERE.
NEXT WE HAVE A DISCUSSION REGARDING OUTDOOR RINKS.
AND SO THIS WAS A FOLLOW UP AFTER THE PRESENTATION FROM MR. TRACY, JUNE 24TH, WHEN UNFORTUNATELY, THE OILERS ENDED UP LOSING.
BUT SO OPENING IT UP TO A DISCUSSION REGARDING THE OUTDOOR RINKS, IF ANY COUNCIL MEMBER HAS ANY COMMENTS? OTHERWISE I COULD. OKAY.
COUNCILLOR PAYNE. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
I THINK THAT THE DISCUSSION ON OUTDOOR RINKS I THINK THE CITY HAS DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB WITH MAINTAINING AND HAVING OUR SMALL RINKS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. I THINK RIGHT NOW, WITH OTHER FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE MEETING, I THINK THAT THIS MIGHT NOT BE THE BEST TIME TO SPEND TIME ON THIS, THIS TOPIC OF NEW OUTDOOR RINKS.
I DON'T THINK THAT WE CAN AFFORD IT AT THIS POINT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DEPUTY MAYOR.
COCHRANE. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
I APPRECIATED THE DISCUSSION BROUGHT FORWARD BY SPENCER THERE.
THERE WAS A LOT OF INTERESTING IDEAS.
I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD MAYBE BRING UP IN JANUARY WHEN WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE THE COMMITTEES AGAIN, IT MAKES ME THINK THAT A PARKS AND RECREATION COMMITTEE IS NECESSARY TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS ISSUES LIKE THAT, SO IT DOESN'T HAVE TO COME TO THIS LEVEL.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILLOR FEQUET.
FROM THE PRESENTATION WE RECEIVED FROM SPENCER BEFORE, WERE ANY OF THOSE IDEAS AND THIS IS MORE OF A QUESTION TO ADMIN WERE ANY OF THOSE IDEAS OR REQUESTS, BECAUSE I REMEMBER THERE WAS A VARIETY OF REQUESTS.
SOME WERE MONEY OR LAND OR MAINTENANCE OR, YOU KNOW, A ZAMBONI OR WHATEVER IT WAS.
THERE WERE THERE WAS A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT ONES, AND IT'S PROBABLY DIFFERENT PER AREA OF THE CITY.
OR IS THERE ANYTHING IN THERE THAT IS TANTALIZING OR SEEMS LIKE AN EASY WIN? LOW HANGING FRUIT.
MADAM CHAIR, THE QUESTION DID RAISE IN OUR MINDS THE WHAT MODELS EXIST OUT THERE, WHAT OTHER JURISDICTIONS ARE DOING WITH THIS MATTER.
[00:20:01]
FOR. COUNCILLOR WARBURTON. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.YEAH. SIMILAR TO WE COVERED A LITTLE BIT IS WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WANT TO DO WORK AND WANT TO HELP, BE IT TRAILS OR ICE RINKS OR AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A COMMITTEE.
PEOPLE ARE SAYING, I WANT TO WORK FOR MY COMMUNITY, AND I WANT TO DO IT IN A ABOVE BOARD WAY.
AND SO FAR, THE ANSWER IS JUST KIND OF WE DON'T HAVE A WAY OF ACCEPTING THAT HELP.
SO I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A POLICY DISCUSSION OR WHAT STRUCTURE THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE, BUT I'D LOVE TO HAVE A WAY THAT PEOPLE COULD ENGAGE IN A WAY THAT WE KIND OF PERMIT THEM. IDEALLY WITH THE SMALL BUDGET IMPACT OR NONE AT ALL.
BUT JUST TO KEEP SAYING, NO, WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T BECAUSE WE HAVE NO CAPACITY.
FOR MYSELF, YEAH, THERE WERE A NUMBER OF IDEAS BROUGHT FORWARD IN THE PRESENTATION, THE ONE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO CONSIDER BECAUSE I THINK IT'S A SERVICE LEVEL DISCUSSION, IS ABOUT WORKING WITH COMMUNITY, WITH RESIDENTS ON MAINTAINING RINKS.
AND SO CONSIDERING A MOTION ON DIRECTING ADMINISTRATION TO BRING FORWARD A MEMO WITH CONSIDERATIONS ON WHETHER AND HOW TO ADVANCE AN OUTDOOR RINKS PROGRAM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE WHITEHORSE, OTTAWA OR OTHER CANADIAN MUNICIPALITIES.
AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED, FOR ME THIS IS A SERVICE LEVEL DISCUSSION, WHICH, AS PER OUR WORK PLAN, I SEE A REVIEW OF LEVELS OF SERVICE TO BE COMPLETE Q4 2025.
BUT RIGHT NOW, OUR SERVICE LEVEL IS THAT CITY STAFF BUILD AND MAINTAIN ALL OUTDOOR RINKS ALL SEASON.
BUT THAT'S NOT THE WAY, THE ONLY WAY THAT WE CAN DO IT.
AND IN OTHER MUNICIPALITIES LIKE WHITEHORSE AND OTTAWA, RESIDENTS VOLUNTEER TO MAINTAIN THE OUTDOOR RINKS IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS SO THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR SHOVELING SNOW AND KEEPING THEM CLEAR.
SO SERVICE LEVEL DISCUSSIONS ARE ALL ABOUT WHAT ARE RESIDENTS EXPECTATIONS AND WHAT ARE THEY WILLING TO PAY FOR? HISTORICALLY, HERE, TAXPAYERS HAVE ALL CHIPPED IN TO BUILD AND MAINTAIN THE RINKS THROUGH TAXES, AND AS A RESULT, WE'RE LIMITED ON THE NUMBER AND SIZE OF RINKS THAT WE HAVE BECAUSE MONEY DOESN'T GROW ON TREES.
THE BIGGER THE RINK, THE MORE YOU HAVE TO SHOVEL.
SO THAT'S YOU KNOW, SOMETHING NEIGHBORHOODS WILL HAVE TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION.
BUT IF THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS EAGER AND WANTS TO SHOVEL MORE, THEY GET A BIGGER RINK.
I LOOK AT THE PARKS, THERE'S DOORNBOS, LAMEROO, LATHAM ISLAND, MOYLE, ETCETERA, ETCETERA.
WITH THE SERVICE LEVEL CHANGE, I THINK WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY AGAIN TO EXPAND OUR AFFORDABLE AND DIVERSE RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES, WHICH IS A KEY INITIATIVE IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN WITHOUT INCREASING OUR BUDGET.
OF COURSE, IT WILL TAKE TIME TO GET AND WORK TO GET THE PROGRAM SORTED OUT.
BUT NOT SURE IF THERE'S ANY APPETITE FROM COUNCIL TO CONSIDER THAT I CAN SEND IT.
YEAH. I'D BE FULLY ON BOARD WITH SUPPORTING THAT MOTION ARTICULATING WHAT YOU JUST REFERENCED.
I MEAN, I AGREE FULLY WITH COUNCILLOR WARBURTON THAT I MEAN, WE'RE ALWAYS HEARING ABOUT PEOPLE, WHETHER IT'S COMMUNITIES IN MOTION OR ROTARY WITH TRAILS OR SPENCER WITH THE RINKS. AND, I MEAN, WE HAVE A VERY ACTIVE COMMUNITY WHO REALLY WANTS TO HELP.
AND NOT ONLY IS THAT A BENEFIT, IF WE CAN FIND WAYS TO DECREASE TAXES AND OUR COMMITMENT AND OUR RESOURCES PUT TOWARDS THESE THINGS, BUT FIND WAYS TO ACTUALLY ACHIEVE WHAT RESIDENTS ARE EXPECTING.
SO I WOULD BE FULLY ON BOARD WITH SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND I ALSO JUST WANTED TO REITERATE, THERE'S ALSO, YOU KNOW, COMING ALL THE WAY TO THE OTHER END OF THE SPECTRUM FROM US AS THE CITY, MAINTAINING FIVE RINKS AND DEALING WITH THEM TO LIKE A PROGRAM WHERE MAYBE WE CAN SPREAD THAT FARTHER AND MAKE THAT GO FARTHER.
[00:25:02]
SO I RECOGNIZE AND IT'S PROBABLY DIFFERENT IN EVERY AREA OF THE CITY.THERE'S PROBABLY DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES WHO WANT DIFFERENT LEVELS OF SUPPORT FROM THE CITY.
BUT I'M JUST RECOGNIZING THAT THERE'S TWO OTHER WAYS THAT WE CAN DO MORE WITH LESS.
SO DEFINITELY HAPPY TO SECOND OR MOVE WHATEVER YOU NEED.
THANK YOU, DEPUTY MAYOR COCHRANE.
IT WOULD BE PART, I GUESS IT WOULD BE PLANTING A SEED ABOUT YOU KNOW, INSTEAD OF COMING FORWARD WITH A SERVICE LEVEL STANDARD, WHICH CURRENTLY IS CITY DOES IT ALL AND WE ONLY HAVE FIVE FOR CONSIDERATION.
OTHER MUNICIPALITIES HAVE THE RESIDENTS MAINTAIN THE OUTDOOR RINKS AND THE CITY DOESN'T.
SO THAT'S KIND OF I GUESS CONCURRENTLY.
BUT I DON'T KNOW IF MR. VAN DINE WOULD WANT TO WEIGH IN ON THAT.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I BELIEVE THE DRAFT MOTION THAT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED UNPACKS ABOUT FIVE DIFFERENT POLICY QUESTIONS AND WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST THAT IF COUNCIL IS VERY INTERESTED IN THIS PARTICULAR IDEA OF OUTDOOR RINKS THAT THAT MAY ITSELF TAKE UP THE SERVICE STANDARD REVIEW AND WE CAN TURN OUR ATTENTION TO THAT PARTICULAR QUESTION FOR THE BROAD REASONS THAT HAVE BEEN CITED, WHICH IS CAN MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC CAN VOLUNTEER COMMUNITIES? CAN OUTSIDE ORGANIZATIONS PICK UP THE LIFT ON SOME OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE QUESTIONS THAT YELLOWKNIFE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT.
IF WE FOCUSED IT, PERHAPS ON OUTDOOR RINKS TO START, THAT MIGHT BE INDICATIVE OF WHAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO IN OTHER AREAS, BUT I WOULD BE VERY RELUCTANT TO TAKE ON BOARD A BROAD BASED SERVICE LEVEL REVIEW AND A DETAILED LOOK AT OUTDOOR RINKS AT THIS TIME.
THANK YOU. LOTS TO THINK ABOUT THERE.
COUNCILLOR PAYNE OR COUNCILLOR WARBURTON? NO. OKAY.
WE COULD BRING THAT FORWARD FOR DISCUSSION AT THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23RD.
IT'S AN IN-CAMERA MOTION OR ITEM.
IF I CAN GET A MOTION TO MOVE IN-CAMERA.
MOVE BY COUNCILLOR WARBURTON. SECONDED BY DEPUTY MAYOR COCHRANE.
ANYBODY OPPOSED? SEEING NONE, WE CAN MOVE IN CAMERA.
[00:32:44]
AND WE HAVE BUSINESS ARISING FROM IN-CAMERA, IS TO APPOINT RENEE SANDERSON TO THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD ON HOMELESSNESS.THE NEXT ITEM, MR. VAN DINE, IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE UPDATE REGARDING BARGAINING.
I JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE COUNCIL WITH A BIT OF AN UPDATE BASED ON SOME NEWS THAT WE RECEIVED OVER THE WEEKEND, LATE FRIDAY EVENING. THE PUBLIC SERVICE ALLIANCE OF CANADA AND THE CITY NEGOTIATION TEAM HAVE REACHED AGREEMENT IN PRINCIPLE ON SOME TERMS FOR A FOUR YEAR AGREEMENT THAT WOULD BACKDATE TO THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR.
WE ARE WAITING TO GET AN INDICATION FROM THE BARGAINING AGENT THAT THEY HOPE TO RATIFY LATER THIS WEEK, AND WE MAY BE IN A POSITION TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL WITH A RATIFICATION PROPOSAL THAT MAY REQUIRE A SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING.
WE HAVE TO DO, OF COURSE, THREE READINGS ON THAT.
SO WITH THAT, THE END OF OUR MEETING.
CONGRATS. A BIG THANKS TO BOTH THE TEAMS FOR COMING TO THE AGREEMENT.
MOTION TO ADJOURN. MOVED BY COUNCILLOR FEQUET, SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR PAYNE.
ANYBODY OPPOSED? SEEING NONE, WE CAN RESUME OUR SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING OF MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9TH.
SO WE HAVE NEW BUSINESS IS A MEMORANDUM.
DEPUTY MAYOR COCHRANE, IF YOU'D LIKE TO MOVE IT.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I SO MOVE THAT PURSUANT TO SECTION 3.1 OF ZONING BYLAW NUMBER 5045, BEATRICE DE SILVA COONAN BE APPOINTED AS A DEVELOPMENT LANDS OFFICER FOR THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE AND TWO THE TERM OF THE APPOINTMENT SHALL EXPIRE UPON TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT WITH THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AND THAT CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
DEPUTY MAYOR COCHRANE. AND YOU'LL JUST HAVE TO INCLUDE RENEE'S NAME.
[00:35:03]
BOARD OF HOMELESSNESS, CAB, COMMENCING SEPTEMBER 10, 2024 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 9, 2026.THANK YOU. SECOND BY COUNCILLOR FEQUET.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AND THAT CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
AND THAT'S THE END OF OUR BUSINESS.
IF I CAN GET A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
MOVE BY COUNCILLOR WARBURTON, WE CAN BE ADJOURNED.
WE WILL SEE EVERYBODY AT GPC NEXT MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 16TH AT 12:05 P.M..
HAVE A GOOD DAY.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.