Link

Social

Embed

Disable autoplay on embedded content?

Download

Download
Download Transcript

[00:00:02]

AND WE WILL CALL OUR COMMITTEE MEETING BACK TO ORDER.

I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR TWO YOUNGEST BUDGET MEMBERS TONIGHT.

DASH AND JACKSON.

THANKS FOR COMING OUT.

LEARNING DEMOCRACY IN ACTION.

WE ALSO HAD COUNCILLOR FEQUET'S KIDDOS THAT JUST LEFT.

SO, YEAH, THE MOST UNDER EIGHTEENS I'VE SEEN AT A BUDGET NIGHT.

MR. VAN DINE. WITH THAT, I WILL PASS IT OVER TO YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR.

SO THIS IS EVENING NUMBER FOUR THAT WE'VE DEDICATED TO PREPARING BUDGET 2025.

WE'VE FROM LAST NIGHT'S DISCUSSION, WE WERE ABLE TO GO THROUGH AND PREPARE SORT OF THE ADDITIONS AND DELETIONS FROM THE PROPOSAL THAT WAS TABLED ON NOVEMBER 12TH. I HAVE ASKED MR. PANDOO TO WALK US THROUGH THE MATH THAT WE'VE DONE SINCE THEN, AS WELL AS THE CLOSING BALANCES.

AND IF YOU WITH YOUR PERMISSION, I'LL INVITE MR. PANDOO TO WALK US THROUGH THAT WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE BY COUNCIL AND REFLECTED IN THIS PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MR. VAN DINE. IS IT OKAY IF I JUST SIT HERE? IT'S NOT GOING TO BE VERY LONG.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU DEBBIE.

SO I'LL JUST START WITH THE REALLOCATION OF THE 2024 CARRY FORWARD BALANCES.

SO AFTER WE COUNCIL DECIDED TO REALLOCATE THESE AMOUNTS $400,000 FROM THE ACCESSIBILITY AUDIT IMPLEMENTATION, $250,000 FROM THE LANDFILL LEACHATE RETENTION PROJECT, $60,000 FROM THE HARBOR DEVELOPMENT STUDY, AND $32,000 FROM THE CEP COMMUNITY OUTREACH TO REMAIN IN THE CAPITAL FUND, THAT TOTALED $750,000.

TO REMAIN IN THE CAPITAL FUND.

NOW, I JUST THIS IS QUITE INTERESTING.

I JUST WANTED TO JUST PAUSE IN JUST TO EXPLAIN NORMALLY HOW IT GOES WHEN WE ARE REALLOCATING, YOU KNOW, WE ARE RELEASING ANY AMOUNT TO BACK TO THE CAPITAL FUND IN THIS INSTANCE, $750,000.

THAT DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN $750,000 IS GOING TO GO AND STAY IN THE CAPITAL FUND.

THE REASON IS VERY SIMPLE.

WE DO HAVE A CONDITIONAL AND UNCONDITIONAL GRANTS.

AND IN THIS INSTANCE, FOR EXAMPLE, $500,000 IS FROM FORMULA FUNDING WHICH IS AN UNCONDITIONAL GRANTS AND $250,000 IS FROM THE COMMUNITY PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING, WHICH IS A CONDITIONAL GRANT.

SO $500,000 DOES GO BACK IN THE CAPITAL FUND TO GET ADDED UP.

JUST BECAUSE THE BECAUSE THE WAY ACCOUNTING WORKS, IT IS WE DO RECORD IT 100% IN OUR BOOKS AS IF IT'S BEEN RECEIVED AND AND WE'RE GOOD TO GO.

THAT'S WHY WE CAN ADD IT UP TO OUR CAPITAL FUND.

ON THE OTHER SIDE, ANY CONDITIONAL GRANTS, THE WAY GRANTS WORK, WE DON'T RECORD IT IN OUR BOOKS UNTIL SUCH TIME WE INCUR ANY EXPENSE.

SO IT'S THERE, BUT IT'S NOT THERE AS WELL.

JUST BECAUSE FINANCE WORKS ON ACCRUAL BASIS.

SO WE DO WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO YOU KNOW, RECORD THOSE SUMS IN A SEPARATE ACCOUNT IN A BALANCE SHEET ACCOUNT.

HOWEVER, BUDGETING IS DONE ON AN INCOME AND RECEIVE BASIS FOR THE YEAR.

SO THAT'S A MINOR DIFFERENCE THAT CAN CREATE A LITTLE BIT OF CONFUSION.

SO I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF CLARIFY THAT.

NOW NEXT UP IS THE ADDITIONS THAT WERE MADE TO THE 2025 DRAFT BUDGET.

$10,000 TOWARDS THE BIKE LANES ON FOREST DRIVE, $45,000 TOWARDS UPGRADE OF THE DOG PARK, $456,000 THIS IS AN ADJUSTMENT OF POWER COST AT $25,000 TO INCREASE THE BUDGET FOR GROW IMPLEMENTATION, $60,000 ADDED TO DOG POUND SERVICES AND $97,500 THAT RESULTED FROM WAIVING THE ADMISSION FEES FOR THE FIELD HOUSE.

JUST TO CONFIRM, IT'S JUST TRACK AND PLAYGROUND ONLY.

NEXT UP IS THE DELETIONS AND REVENUE ADJUSTMENTS IN THE DRAFT BUDGET.

WE DO HAVE $288,000 FROM THE NON-APPROVAL OF THE TWO MED OFFICERS BY REQUEST.

$111,000 FROM ADJUSTMENT IN THE CASUAL STAFFING HOURS $137,000 FROM THE NON-APPROVAL OF THE BOOKING SUPERVISOR PY REQUEST

[00:05:02]

AND $6,500 FROM INCREASE IN DOG POUND FEES.

THAT WAS INCREASED TO $250,000, $250, SORRY.

NOW THIS WAS QUITE A COMPLICATED EXERCISE TO COME UP.

SO THIS IS OUR BEST ESTIMATE BASED ON THE SMALL DATA WE HAD.

NOW OF COURSE WE'RE GOING TO MONITOR IT AND HOPEFULLY NEXT YEAR IT'S JUST GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE FIRMER NUMBER.

BUT I DON'T THINK WE ARE VERY FAR OFF IN OUR ESTIMATION.

NOW THE BUDGET 2025 CLOSING FUNDS AFTER THE ADDITIONS AND DELETIONS WILL LOOK LIKE AS FOLLOWS.

SO THE CLOSING BALANCES ARE ON THE SCREEN.

9.3.

WITH THE CLOSING BALANCES AFTER THE ADJUSTMENTS, MOST OF THE FUNDS ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH OUR BUDGETING POLICY.

SO FOR THE GENERAL FUND, IT IS AT 16.06%, THIS DOES INCLUDE THE $3.5 MILLION THAT IS STILL WE ARE KEEPING ASIDE FOR THE EMERGING ISSUES, WHICH ARE PENDING THE TERMS OF REFERENCE AND THE BYLAW.

NOW, IF WE DO TAKE OUT THE $3.5 OUT OF THIS BALANCE, THE GENERAL FUND WILL STILL BE IN COMPLIANCE AT 10%. AND JUST FOR FOR THE RECORD, THE JUST AS A REMINDER, THE BUDGET POLICY DOES STATE THIS FUND NEEDS TO BE BETWEEN 10 TO 15%. THE OTHER ONE THAT'S IN NOT IN COMPLIANCE IS THE SCFA BUT IT IS A VERY MINOR NON COMPLIANCE.

NOW BEFORE WE JUST GO AND HAVE A LOOK AT THE POTENTIAL TAX INCREASE, I JUST WANTED TO JUST BRING UP THE FORMULA TO HOW TO CALCULATE YOUR PROPERTY TAX AND YOU CAN FIND THIS ON OUR WEBSITE.

SO WHEN WE STARTED THE 2025 BUDGET DELIBERATION, WE HAD PROPOSED 8.05% FOR 2025, 9.27% FOR 2026 AND 7.02% FOR 2027, AFTER THE ADDITIONS AND DELETIONS MADE TO THE DRAFT BUDGET.

CURRENTLY, THE PROPOSED TAX INCREASE IS AT 7.8%.

JUST TO, YOU KNOW, SOME STUFF TO KEEP IN MIND IN RELATION TO BUDGET 2025 WHEN WE HEAD INTO 2026, IS THE SOME OF THE THESE ITEMS HAVE NOT BEEN TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT IN BUDGET 2025 [INAUDIBLE] THE EXPECTED RECEIPT OF THE CARBON TAX.

ANY POTENTIAL GOVERNMENT GRANTS FOR LIFT STATION ONE.

THE POTENTIAL INCREASE OF THE GNWT COMMUNITY GRANT FUNDING, AND ANY POTENTIAL INCREASE IN POWER EXPENSES.

NOW, THIS IS FOLLOWING GOOD BUDGETING PRACTICE BECAUSE SOME OF THEM TENDS TO THEY RELATE TO REVENUES.

SO AS LONG AS WE DON'T HAVE CONFIRMED SIGNED AGREEMENTS, WE DON'T NECESSARILY RECOGNIZE THEM IN OUR BOOKS.

ON THE OTHER SIDE, FOR THE POTENTIAL POWER EXPENSES, IT IS STILL EARLY DAYS EVERYONE KNOWS, BUT WE DO HAVE SOME CONTINGENCY BUILT IN OUR BUDGET AND WE HOPE THAT THAT WILL BE ENOUGH AS WE DRAW CLOSER TO END OF 2025.

[00:10:08]

WITH THAT, THIS WILL BE IT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

I MUST SAY, THE THE GRAPHIC ELEMENTS ALWAYS CRACK ME UP.

IT'S VERY, VERY DRAMATIC.

WITH THAT, ANY QUESTIONS? I DO HAVE TWO POTENTIAL MOTIONS, BUT ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

MY MY APOLOGIES.

I LOST THE PRESENTATION AT SOME POINT THERE.

SO JUST LOOK, WAS THE THE COST OF THE REMOVED DOG POUND CAPITAL PROJECT INCLUDED AND WAS OR WAS NOT THE CARBON TAX ADDITIONAL REVENUE INCLUDED? MR. VAN DINE.

THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

SO THE REMOVAL OF THE DOG POUND IS INCLUDED, THE APPLICATION OF THE CARBON TAX REBATE OR REFUND THAT WE WILL RECEIVE HAS NOT.

OKAY. AND WE'RE NOT INCLUDING THAT BECAUSE WE'RE SAYING IT'S NOT GUARANTEED, DESPITE A LETTER FROM THE MINISTER.

MR. VAN DINE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR OUR ACCOUNTING PROCEDURES WE ARE UNABLE TO ACCOUNT FOR IT IN THIS BUDGET, AND SO WE'RE SHARING IT AS INFORMATION.

WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT THOSE RESOURCES WILL APPEAR.

IT'S JUST WE ARE NOT FOR BUDGETING PURPOSES PERMITTED TO FACTOR THAT INTO THIS CALCULATION AT THIS TIME.

AND DO WE KNOW WHEN WE WILL RECEIVE THAT MONEY? WE DON'T KNOW THAT PART.

HOWEVER, I ASSUME IT WOULD BE IN 2025.

MR. VAN DINE.

YES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR.

AND IF IT'S OF HELP, ASSISTANCE I'LL INVITE MR. PANDOO TO ELABORATE.

THE, SO, NO, IT WON'T BE IN TIME FOR THE CALCULATION OF THIS BUDGET.

IT WILL ARRIVE IN 2025.

SO THEREFORE, THIS BUDGET WILL BE CONSIDERED BY COUNCIL ON MONDAY AND THEREFORE WILL NOT HAVE THAT TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT.

AS HAS BEEN MENTIONED IN PREVIOUS DISCUSSIONS IN THE PAST ON THIS PARTICULAR BUDGET, WHEN IT COMES TO ACTUALLY SETTING THE ACTUAL TAX RATE THAT OCCURS IN THE SPRING, WHEN THE MILL RATE IS THEN NEEDING TO BE APPLIED, WE MAY BE IN A POSITION TO REVISE THIS NUMBER BASED ON THE BEST AVAILABLE OF INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE AT THAT TIME.

SO THAT IS THAT IS A SORT OF A FINANCIAL AMBIGUITY THAT WE HAVE BETWEEN NOW AND THEN THAT WE THAT WE'LL HAVE TO NAVIGATE.

BUT FOR THE PURPOSES OF BUDGET 2025, WE ARE UNABLE TO FACTOR THAT IN.

ON DECEMBER 9TH, MR. PANDOO, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ELABORATE? NO, NOTHING ELSE TO ADD.

THANK YOU. ACTUALLY, IF I COULD JUMP IN THERE COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN.

COUNCIL COULD DIRECT ADMINISTRATION TO TAKE THIS INTO CONSIDERATION.

WE HAVE DONE THAT IN THE PAST, WITH THE RISK BEING THAT WE DON'T GET THE MONEY.

HOWEVER, WE'VE RECEIVED THE LETTER, WE'RE GOING TO GET THE MONEY IN 2025.

SO IT'S BASICALLY A NO RISK SITUATION.

SO WE COULD DO A MOTION DIRECTING STAFF TO INCLUDE $629,035 TO CAPTURE THE CARBON TAX THAT WOULD BRING THE PROPERTY TAX DOWN TO 6.14 I THINK IF MY CALCULATIONS ARE CORRECT, MR. VAN DINE TO THE ADVISABILITY OF CONSIDERING SUCH A MOTION.

THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

THAT IS WITHIN THE PREROGATIVE OF COUNCIL TO DO SO, FOR SURE.

AND THAT IS AN OPTION THAT WE WOULD CONSIDER.

WE'D CERTAINLY NOT IN A POSITION TO RECOMMEND IT.

BUT THE IF THAT IS COUNCIL'S PREROGATIVE, I THINK THAT THE FULL TRANSPARENCY, I THINK THE TRANSPARENCY OF THE COLLECTIVE RISK IS BEEN SHARED. I THINK THAT SATISFIES PUBLIC INTEREST.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR.

I JUST WANTED TO JUMP IN THERE COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN.

DID YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU.

[00:15:02]

I'M GOING TO CHANGE MY MOTION NOW.

BUT I'LL PASS THE CHAIR TO DEPUTY MAYOR COCHRANE, AND I'LL START WITH ONE FIRST.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM MAYOR AND AS THE CHAIR, I RECOGNIZE THE MAYOR.

THANK YOU.

ONE MOTION I FORGOT I WANTED TO CONSIDER WAS THAT WAGES AND BENEFITS FOR THE HOMELESSNESS SPECIALIST ARE FULLY FUNDED BY THE REACHING HOME FUNDING.

RIGHT NOW, IT'S 50% CITY TAXES, 50% REACHING HOME FUNDING.

AND SO FOR 2025, I'M LOOKING TO HAVE IT FULLY FUNDED BY REACHING HOME, BECAUSE WE DID RECEIVE SOME EXTRA FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WHICH INCLUDES ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM MAYOR, TO THE MOTION.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ADMINISTRATION ON THE ADVISABILITY OF SAID MOTION.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. CHAIR. THIS IS CERTAINLY WELL WITHIN THE ADMINISTRATIVE ALLOTMENT THAT WE RECEIVE AND WOULD AND ADMINISTRATIVE IS IN SUPPORT.

THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. VAN DINE. ANYTHING FURTHER QUESTIONS? COMMENTS TO THE MOTION.

COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. JUST A QUESTION FOR ADMIN OR I SUPPOSE THE MAYOR WOULD MAKING THAT CHANGE JEOPARDIZE THE ABILITY OF USING REACHING HOME FUNDING TO DO TO HELP OUT WITH SOME GOVERNANCE WORK FOR STREET OUTREACH? MR. VAN DINE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. CHAIR. WE BELIEVE THAT THERE IS THE ABILITY TO CONTINUES TO CAPACITY CONTINUES TO EXIST TO BE ABLE TO BEGIN SOME WORK ON THE GOVERNANCE.

BUT I'LL INVITE MR. WHITE TO ELABORATE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I'LL JUST QUICKLY RUN THROUGH THE NUMBERS.

SO THE REACHING HOME FUNDING FOR 2526 IS JUST OVER $3.3 MILLION, 15% OF THAT IS ADMINISTRATION MONEY AS PER OUR AGREEMENT WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. SO THAT'S JUST JUST OVER $500 GRAND.

CURRENTLY FUNDED FROM ADMINISTRATION IS THE WAGES FOR THE HOMELESSNESS RESOURCE COORDINATOR AND THE HOMELESSNESS SPECIALIST.

THERE'S TRAINING MONEY ALLOTTED, AND THERE ARE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT MONEY ALLOTTED, AND THAT IS JUST RIGHT AROUND THE $300,000 MARK.

SO THERE'S STILL MONEY FOR ADDITIONAL TRAINING IF NEEDED, AND CERTAINLY FOR WORKING WITH THE STREET OUTREACH PROVIDER AND DEVELOPING ANY KIND OF POLICIES AND DIRECTIONS.

THANKS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND THANK YOU COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN.

ANYTHING FURTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS TO THE MOTION? MADAM MAYOR, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD ANYTHING FOR CLOSURE? NO. ALL RIGHT.

WITH THAT ALL IN FAVOR? AND THAT IS UNANIMOUS.

I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE MAYOR.

THANK YOU.

MY NEXT MOTION IS THAT $629,035 TO INCLUDE THE CARBON TAX REVENUE SHARING GRANT IN THE 2025 BUDGET, SO THAT WE RECOGNIZE RECOGNIZE THAT.

AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM MAYOR, TO THE ADVISABILITY OF THE MOTION MR. VAN DINE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. CHAIR. I BELIEVE WE SPOKE TO THIS MOMENTS AGO.

SO ADMINISTRATION RECOGNIZES THAT IT'S PREROGATIVE OF COUNCIL TO MAKE SUCH A MOTION.

AND WE FULLY UNDERSTAND THAT THE RELATIVE MODEST RISK ASSOCIATED WITH SUCH AND AND WOULD DEFER TO COUNCIL ON THIS MATTER.

THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU, MR. VAN DINE. TO THE MOTION, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT. WELL, WITH THAT TO THE MOTION, ALL IN FAVOR.

AND THAT IS UNANIMOUS.

TO THE MAYOR. THANK YOU.

THAT WOULD BE IT FOR ME.

JUST WONDERING IF ADMINISTRATION HAS A REVISED OR IF YOU WANT TEN MINUTE BREAK.

IT'S PROBABLY, I ASSUME, IN THE REALM OF 6%.

BUT, MR. VAN DINE.

THANK YOU. I'M JUST WITNESSING A LITTLE BIT OF SMOKE COMING OUT OF MR. PANOO'S EARS.

SO MR. PANDOO WOULD YOU CARE TO PROVIDE AN ESTIMATE? THANK YOU. YEAH.

[00:20:21]

WE HAVE ADDRESSED THE SMOKE.

WE WE WILL.

WE HAVE ADDRESSED.

WE HAVE REACHED A 6.019%.

019, THAT'S THE $35.

THANK YOU.

FOR MYSELF, I'M OKAY WITH CONCLUDING THERE.

THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, THIS IS A DRAFT, AND THE GNWT HAS SIGNALED THAT THEY'RE LOOKING TO REVISE THE FORMULAS.

SO THEY'LL BE VOTING ON THAT OR WELL, THEY VOTE ON THEIR OWN BUDGET IN FEBRUARY.

SO BY THE TIME WE ACTUALLY SET THE TAX RATE, WHICH IS IN MAY, IT COULD BE LESS THAN 6.019, MAYBE IT'S A FLAT 6 OR MAYBE IT'S 5.99.

SO I'M OKAY WITH WHAT'S BEING PRESENTED.

I'LL SPEAK TO EVERYTHING ELSE ON MONDAY, BUT OPENING IT UP TO ANY QUESTIONS, ANY FURTHER MOTIONS? COUNCILLOR ARDEN-SMITH.

THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO ADMINISTRATION FOR YOUR QUICK WORK.

AND YOU KNOW, ALL THE EXPLANATIONS AND THE DETAIL THAT YOU'VE GONE THROUGH FOR US THIS BUDGET SEASON AND LOOK FORWARD TO NEXT YEAR.

THANK YOU, DEPUTY MAYOR COCHRANE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. TO ECHO THE SENTIMENTS OF COUNCILLOR ARDEN-SMITH, I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE ADMINISTRATION, BUT SPECIFICALLY, I'D LIKE TO THANK MR. VAN DINE FOR GETTING THROUGH HIS FIRST BUDGET.

WELCOME TO THE BIG SHOW, AND ESPECIALLY TO DIRECTOR PANDOO AS WELL, WHO I HOPE GETS SOME SLEEP AFTER ALL OF THIS.

I AM ENTIRELY SUPPORT OF THE 6.19, KNOWING THAT THE HOPEFULLY EXTRA MILLION OR SO THAT WE GET FROM OUR NEW TRANSFER PAYMENTS WILL MAKE ALL THE LARGER DIFFERENCE. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

ALSO RECOGNIZING HANNAH AND MANISH, WHO HAVE DONE A LOT OF WORK AS WELL AS THE REST OF THE TEAM, BUT THANK YOU.

COUNCILLOR MCGURK.

I WOULD JUST ALSO LIKE TO SHOWER PRAISE OVER OUR STAFF.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DO.

THANK YOU.

WE CAN CONTINUE THE LOVE FEST ON MONDAY TOO.

SO BETWEEN NOW AND THEN APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S WORK.

SEEING NOTHING FURTHER WITH THAT IF I CAN GET A MOTION TO ADJOURN, MOVED BY COUNCILLOR MCGURK.

WE CAN BE ADJOURNED.

AND WE WILL SEE EVERYBODY MONDAY AT NOON.

WE'LL DO A SPECIAL READING OF WELL, SORRY, WE'LL DO A SPECIAL COUNCIL AT NOON, WHICH WILL HAVE FIRST READING OF THE FEES AND CHARGES BYLAW, AS WELL AS THE FIRST READING FOR THE TOURIST ACCOMMODATION.

WE'LL DO SECOND AND THIRD READING FOR THOSE AT 7 P.M.

AND THEN WE HAVE GPC WITH SOME PRESENTATIONS.

SO WE'LL SEE EVERYBODY AT 12:05 AND 7 P.M.

ON MONDAY.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.