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I WILL CALL OUR MEETING FOR MONDAY, MAY 26TH, 2025 TO ORDER.
[1. Opening Statement.]
THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE ACKNOWLEDGES THAT WE ARE LOCATED IN CHIEF DRYGEESE TERRITORY.FROM TIME IMMEMORIAL, IT HAS BEEN THE TRADITIONAL LAND OF THE YELLOWKNIVES DENE FIRST NATION.
WE RESPECT THE HISTORIES, LANGUAGES AND CULTURES OF ALL OTHER INDIGENOUS PEOPLES, INCLUDING THE NORTH SLAVE MÉTIS AND ALL FIRST NATIONS, METIS AND INUIT WHOSE PRESENCE CONTINUES TO ENRICH OUR VIBRANT COMMUNITY.
[2. Approval of the agenda.]
NEXT WE HAVE DISCLOSURE OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST IN THE GENERAL NATURE THEREOF.[3. Disclosure of conflict of interest and the general nature thereof.]
DOES ANY MEMBER HAVE A CONFLICT TODAY? NO. NEXT, WE HAVE A MEMORANDUM REGARDING WHETHER TO APPROVE RECOMMENDED STRATEGIC PRIORITIES FOR THE[4. A memorandum regarding whether to approve recommended Strategic Priorities for the Municipal Enforcement Division for 2025/26.]
MUNICIPAL ENFORCEMENT DIVISION FOR 2025 2026.MISS THISTLE. THANK YOU. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE BYLAW ENFORCEMENT POLICY. POLICY THAT WAS ADOPTED BY COUNCIL IN 2019.
AND WE DO HAVE A PRESENTATION FOR TODAY. SO I WILL TURN IT OVER TO MR. BRENNAN OSBORNE AND MR. CRAIG MCLEAN.
GOOD AFTERNOON. SO AS MISS THISTLE SAID WE'RE HERE TODAY TO PRESENT SOME INFORMATION ON INITIATIVES WE'RE SUGGESTING FOR THE 2025, 20, 26 YEAR. SO MUNICIPAL ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ARE GRANTED CERTAIN POWERS AND AUTHORITY THROUGH LEGISLATION, INCLUDING TERRITORIAL ACTS AND MUNICIPAL BYLAWS.
IN 2019, YELLOWKNIFE CITY COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY PASSED A MOTION ESTABLISHING THE BYLAW ENFORCEMENT POLICY, AND THIS POLICY ESTABLISHES GUIDELINES FOR MUNICIPAL ENFORCEMENT DIVISION AND REAFFIRMS THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO THIS FROM THIS POLICY, A FRAMEWORK IS DEFINED AND THAT IS THAT MUNICIPAL ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WILL PROACTIVELY DEAL WITH MATTERS RELATED TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND WILL RESPOND ON A COMPLAINT BASIS TO ANYTHING ELSE.
SO COMPLAINTS CAN COME IN FROM RESIDENTS, CAN COME IN FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS CAN COME IN FROM ANY WORKERS IN THE CITY, PARTNER AGENCIES, MUNICIPAL ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS THEMSELVES.
AND IN THIS BYLAW POLICY AS MISS THISTLE ALLUDED TO, HIGH LEVEL PRIORITY SETTING IS AT THE OPPORTUNITY OF COUNCIL. SO TO THAT END THE POLICY SETS OUT THE ROLE OF COUNCIL AND ENFORCING BYLAWS, OUTLINES HOW COMPLAINTS ABOUT POSSIBLE BYLAW INFRACTIONS ARE BEST HANDLED, DESCRIBES THE IMPORTANCE OF A CONSISTENT, TRANSPARENT APPROACH TO BYLAW INVESTIGATIONS AND ENFORCEMENT, AND CLARIFIES THAT MUNICIPAL ENFORCEMENT CORE COMPETENCIES THAT ARE REQUIRED IN OFFICER SAFETY ARE INTERCONNECTED TO THE LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT WE PROVIDE.
FROM A COMPLIANCE CONTINUUM THE POLICY ESTABLISHES A CONTINUUM THAT EXISTS ON VOLUNTARY COMPLIANT COMPLIANCE. EXCUSE ME AND ENFORCEMENT.
COMPLIANCE FACED PROGRAMS INCORPORATE STRATEGIES THAT WE USE SUCH AS PUBLIC EDUCATION, INFORMAL RESOLUTION, WARNINGS AND ALTERNATIVES FOR DISPUTE RESOLUTION AND MEDIATION.
ENFORCEMENT FOCUSED ACTIVITIES CARRY OUT STRATEGIES SUCH AS ISSUING BYLAW OFFENSE NOTICES OR WHAT WE CALL TICKETS, SEEKING INJUNCTIONS, TAKING DIRECT ENFORCEMENT ACTION, AND PROSECUTION.
THE BYLAW ENFORCEMENT POLICY ESTABLISHED BY COUNCIL ADOPTS ELEMENTS OF BOTH APPROACHES WITH COMPLIANCE THE PREFERRED POLICING OR ENFORCEMENT MODEL OVER ENFORCEMENT. AND DESPITE THE DIFFERENCES IN THE CONTEXT OF BYLAWS AND APPROACHES TO ENFORCEMENT, AND DESPITE THE UNIQUE CHALLENGES THAT FACE OUR COMMUNITY WITH EMERGING TRENDS RESIDENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO EXPECT THAT WE WILL INTERPRET, APPLY AND ENFORCE OUR BYLAWS FAIRLY AND REASONABLY.
[00:05:09]
PRIORITIES. THANK YOU.GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. MAYOR. COUNCILORS. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY.
FIRST COUNCIL MEETING, WHICH I'M PRESENTING AT.
AND LIKE SO MANY OF YOU, I'VE I'M NOT FROM YELLOWKNIFE.
I'VE CHOSEN YELLOWKNIFE AS MY HOME, AND I AM QUITE EXCITED AND HAPPY TO BE PART OF THIS TEAM, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO PRESENTING TO YOU TODAY ON THE ACTIVITIES OF YOUR MUNICIPAL ENFORCEMENT DIVISION OVER THE LAST YEAR AND SINCE, AND LOOKING FORWARD TO TALKING ABOUT SOME OF OUR PRIORITIES AND CHANGES WHICH WE ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT IMPLEMENTING WITH MED IN THE FUTURE TO ACHIEVE YOUR STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES. SO FOR TODAY'S PRESENTATION, THIS IS THE AGENDA THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE FOLLOWING.
THOSE CARRY OVER TO PRESENT DAY. WE'LL DO A STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF THE YEAR OF 2024 AND 2025, ALSO COMPARING IT TO THE YEARS 2023 AND 2024.
I'LL PROVIDE AN ASSESSMENT ON THE CURRENT STRATEGIC PRIORITIES, WHICH ARE SET TWO YEARS AGO, AND I WILL PROPOSE TO COUNCIL A NEW MED INITIATIVES AND PRIORITIES FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL.
WE'LL ALSO HAVE A CHANCE TO DO SOME DISCUSSION AND QUESTIONS FOLLOWING MY PRESENTATION. SO MY OBJECTIVES FOR THIS FOR THIS PRESENTATION ARE A FEW FOLD HERE. I WANT TO PRESENT A DETAILED ANALYSIS AS BEST AS I CAN TO ALL PRESENT ON THE ACTIVITIES AND REPORTABLE OCCURRENCES WHICH MED HAS ACTIONED OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS SINCE THE LAST STRATEGIC PRIORITIES WERE SET.
I WANT TO PROVIDE A CURRENT ASSESSMENT ON HOW WE HAVE BEEN ACHIEVING THOSE PRIORITIES AND RECOMMEND NEW STRATEGIC PRIORITIES, UPDATED WITH THE CURRENT PICTURE ON THE GROUND.
WITH WHAT I'M HEARING FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS, FOR WHAT I'M HEARING FROM MY OFFICERS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY, TO MAKE YELLOWKNIFE THE BEST PLACE WE CAN TO LIVE, WORK OR VISIT.
AND I'LL ADVISE KIND OF AS WE GO THROUGHOUT THIS PRESENTATION ON SOME OF THE INTERNAL CHANGES THAT I WOULD LIKE TO THAT I'M GOING TO IMPLEMENT WITHIN MED TO MEET THOSE CHALLENGES OF THE FUTURE. SO JUST TO RECAP VERY QUICKLY, THE IN MAY 2023, THE FOLLOWING STRATEGIC PRIORITIES WERE APPROVED BY COUNCIL. FOCUS ON PEDESTRIAN INTERSECTION SAFETY THROUGH THE STRATEGIC ENFORCEMENT OF THE HIGHWAY TRAFFIC BYLAW.
ENGAGING IN STRATEGIC ENFORCEMENT AND PREVENTION ACTIVITIES CONCERNING UNAUTHORIZED PARKING SPECIFICALLY FOCUSING ON ACCESS FOR EMERGENCY VEHICLES. PRIORITIZING MUNICIPAL ENFORCEMENT, ENGAGEMENT AND VISIBILITY IN THE COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY IN THE DOWNTOWN CORE. AND CONTINUED EMPHASIS ON INCORPORATING RECONCILIATION WITH INDIGENOUS PEOPLES INTO MUNICIPAL ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES TO BUILD ON THE WORK THAT HAS ALREADY TAKEN PLACE. SO I'M GOING TO BE PRESENTING SOME OF THIS DATA WITH THAT INFORMATION IN MIND AND UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT WE'RE PRESENTING SOME NEW PRIORITIES AS WELL.
SO AS A AS A GENERAL STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OVERVIEW, JUST TO KIND OF SET THE STAGE HERE ON THE COLUMNS ON THE LEFT IN THE BLUE REPRESENT DATA FROM 2024 TO 2025 BETWEEN THE TIME PERIODS OF MAY 9TH, 2024 TO MAY 9TH, 2025.
TO THE RIGHT IN THE YELLOW IS THE TOTALS FROM MAY 9TH, 2020, SORRY, MAY 9TH, 2023 TO MAY 9TH, 2024. SO YOU SEE A CURRENT AND A LAST YEAR AND TWO YEARS PRIOR ASSESSMENT IN 2024 TO 2000.
SORRY, 2023 TO 2024. A TOTAL OF REPORTABLE OCCURRENCES THAT MED HAS REGISTERED IS 2455, COMPARED TO LAST YEAR OF A 202,000, SORRY, 2573. SO A SLIGHT INCREASE. BUT THAT'S NOT JUST THAT'S NOT THE WHOLE PICTURE.
AND WE'LL KIND OF GO INTO SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THAT PRIMARILY LIKE THE AREAS THAT WE SAW IN INCREASES IN REPORTABLE OCCURRENCES FOR MED ACTIVITIES INCLUDE THE DOG BYLAW, HIGHWAY TRAFFIC, PARKING AND LIVERY. BUT THAT DOESN'T TELL THE WHOLE PICTURE.
MOST RECENT IN BLUE TWO YEARS AGO WAS IN YELLOW.
OH, SORRY. ONE MORE THING I WANT TO ALSO, I ALSO HIGHLIGHTED SEVERAL OF THOSE PARTICULAR BAR GRAPHS IN RED BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE PARTICULAR INTEREST TO COUNSEL AND TIE IN WITH SOME OF THE PRIORITIES THAT WE HAVE FOR MED IN THE PAST, AND SOME OF THEM THAT RELATE TO THE FUTURE, AND I THINK REQUIRE AND OCCUPY MOST OF OUR TIME WITH MED AND I THINK REQUIRE A FURTHER TIME TO DISCUSS.
SO FIRST IS FIRST, WHAT I'M GOING TO PRESENT ON HERE IS ASSIST CITY.
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THIS GENERALLY FALLS INTO CALLS FROM TWO MED FROM OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE.SOME OF THE MOST FREQUENT AREAS THAT WE VISIT BY FAR AND AWAY IS, IS THE LIBRARY.
WE GET LOTS OF AND AS WELL AS THE VISITOR CENTER BECAUSE OF THOSE TWO AREAS ARE FREQUENTLY LIKE ARE SO CLOSE TO EACH OTHER, WE FIND OURSELVES OFTEN VISITING ONE WHEN WE VISIT THE OTHER.
IT JUST MAKES SENSE WHEN WE'RE IN THE AREA. AND JUST DUE TO THE NATURE OF WHERE THE LIBRARY IS, IT'S A FREQUENT REQUEST OF VISITS FROM MED TO PROVIDE OUR SERVICES, OUR OFFICERS TO PROVIDE FOR ENFORCEMENT AND THAT THAT FACILITY. OTHER FACILITIES INCLUDE.
LIKE OTHER FACILITY ASSISTED FACILITY, CALL FOR SERVICE INCLUDE LIKE THE MULTIPLEX.
THE POOL. WE SEE LESS OF THOSE. BUT YEAH, AS I SAID, WE'VE SEEN, LIKE, LESS CALLS IN THE LAST YEAR THAN WE DID TWO YEARS PRIOR. HOWEVER, WE'RE STILL LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE.
OKAY. DOG BYLAW, NOT A SPECIFIC MED PRIORITY IN THE 2023 DIRECTION OR THE PROPOSED DIRECTION FOR 2025 2026. HOWEVER, ENFORCEMENT OF THE DOG BYLAW OCCUPIES A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME AND SPACE FOR MY OFFICERS.
OVERALL, LIKE THESE NUMBERS THAT WE'VE SEEN FROM YEAR TO YEAR TYPICALLY HAVE REMAINED MORE OR LESS A, YOU KNOW, CONSISTENT. IT STILL OCCUPIES A MAJOR.
IT TAKES A LOT OF TIME FOR US WHEN WE RECEIVE LIKE, CALLS IN FROM THE COMMUNITY. YELLOWKNIFE IS A DOG COMMUNITY. WE RESPOND TO THOSE CALLS AS WE CAN, PARTICULARLY WHEN THEY INVOLVE PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO FOR THINGS LIKE DOG BITES OR ANIMAL ATTACKS, THOSE HAVE A HIGHER PRIORITY FOR US TO GO ACTION FOR THINGS LIKE NOISY DOG OR JUST SORT OF LIKE DOG AT LARGE. WE DEAL WITH THOSE ON A, ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS, DEPENDING ON THE SEVERITY OF THE SITUATION AND OTHER CALLS THAT WE'RE ASSISTING AT THIS TIME. SO WHILE IT'S NOT A PRIORITY, I STILL ASSESS THAT THAT DOG BYLAW AND ENFORCEMENT OF IT IS GOING TO REMAIN A PRIORITY FOR IN A MAJOR WORK POINT FOR MED INTO THE FUTURE. OKAY. SO FOR THE TRAFFIC BYLAW.
FOR US SOME OF THESE NUMBERS INCREASED FROM PREVIOUS YEARS.
SO IN LAST YEAR, WE STEPPED UP OUR TARGETED ENFORCEMENT OPERATIONS.
SO THESE ARE MOSTLY LIKE SPEED TRAPS IN HIGH OFFENSE AREAS.
WE'VE SINGLED THEM OUT SEPARATELY FROM SCHOOL ZONE WHICH IS SORT OF A WHICH IS FOR US, A MAJOR PUBLIC SAFETY AREA WHERE WE NEED TO INCREASE OUR PRESENCE. MOSTLY BECAUSE IT'S A IT'S A SIGNIFICANT IT'S A BIG PRIORITY FOR THE COMMUNITY MAKING SURE THAT PARTICULARLY SCHOOL ZONE SPEED LIMITS ARE ENFORCED. THAT'S WHERE OUR MOST HIGH RISK INDIVIDUALS ARE.
SO IT'S BEEN A PRIORITY FOR MED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MAINTAIN A VISIBLE PRESENCE IN THE COMMUNITY, ENFORCE STRATEGICALLY ENFORCING THE TRAFFIC BYLAW SO THAT WE ARE HAVING THE DESIRED EFFECT TO IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY AND ESSENTIALLY MAKING SURE THAT WHEN WE'RE OUT ON THE ROAD THAT WE ARE DOING AND IN DOING THESE STOPS, THAT WE ARE DOING SO WITH THE PURPOSE. NO OTHER SORT OF SIGNIFICANT CHANGES FROM PREVIOUS YEARS.
WE'VE HAD LESS COMPLAINTS RECORDED LAST YEAR THAN WE DID IN THE YEAR PRIOR.
BUT I STILL ASSESS THAT TRAFFIC BYLAW, PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES TO SCHOOL ZONE ENFORCEMENT AND STRATEGIC ENFORCEMENT OF CERTAIN HIGH RISK AREAS, IS GOING TO BE A PRIORITY FOR THE COMMUNITY. SO FOR THE PARKING BYLAW, REAL QUICK HERE JUST BEFORE I'LL CONTINUE.
THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE PARKING TICKETS. THIS INCLUDES SPECIFICALLY COMPLAINTS AND ENFORCEMENT OF THE PARKING BYLAW, BUT NOT ACTUALLY PENALTY NOTICES THEMSELVES. OUR PRIORITY FOR PARKING WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND ENFORCEMENT OF THE PARKING BYLAW REVOLVES AROUND STRATEGIC ENFORCEMENT FOR EMERGENCY VEHICLE ACCESS, AS OPPOSED TO ENSURING THAT, YOU KNOW, METER ENFORCEMENT IS DONE EVERY SINGLE DAY.
THE THING THAT WE NEED TO DO IS THAT WE ARE FOCUSED ON IS MAKING SURE THAT YELLOWKNIFE'S ALLEYWAYS, ROADS AND, AND, AND, AND CONFINED TRANSIT AREAS ARE FREE FOR EMERGENCY VEHICLE ACCESS.
IN AND THIS YEAR, WE'VE HAD LESS COMPLAINTS THAN WE HAVE HAD HAD IN PREVIOUS YEARS.
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WE TYPICALLY SEE THE AREAS OF MOST INFRACTION OF LIKE EMERGENCY VEHICLE ACCESS IN AREAS AROUND CITY FACILITIES WHEN THERE ARE LARGE EVENTS HAPPENING.SO FOR EXAMPLE DURING THE TRADE SHOW A FEW WEEKS AGO WE DID REGULAR PATROLS IN THERE AND THERE WERE FREQUENT OFFENDERS PARKED IN FIRE LANES WHICH PRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC HAZARD TO HEALTH AND SAFETY.
IF A FIRE TRUCKS CAN'T GET IN THERE WHEN THEY NEED TO, AS WELL AS IN AREAS WHERE NOT NECESSARILY FIRE LANES ARE NOT NECESSARILY VISIBLE FROM THE ROAD, PARTICULARLY AROUND RESIDENTIAL AREAS WHERE PEOPLE ARE KIND OF PARKED IN BEHIND BUILDINGS WHERE YOU CAN'T EXACTLY SEE THEM UNLESS YOU ACTUALLY SEND A CRUISER BACK THERE AS WELL. AGAIN EMERGENCY VEHICLE ACCESS WHEN IT COMES TO PARKING BYLAW IS THE MAIN DRIVER FOR OUR ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES. AND WE ASSESS THIS IS GOING TO BE A MAJOR OBJECTIVE FOR US INTO THE FUTURE AS WELL.
WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF GOING THROUGH A REVIEW OF THE LIVERY BYLAW REVIEW, WHICH IS GOING TO INCLUDE ADDITIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY MEASURES, INCLUDING VIDEO CAMERAS. I'VE BEEN TAKING EFFORTS TO TO RESEARCH OTHER MUNICIPALITIES, INCLUDING CALGARY, TO SEE WHAT THEIR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ARE, AND I THINK THEY HAVE SOME GOOD LESSONS LEARNED FOR US INTO THE FUTURE AS WE MODERNIZE SOME OF THOSE RULES TO INCREASE PUBLIC AND PASSENGER SAFETY IN YELLOWKNIFE FOR TAXIS.
OKAY. SO PATROLS. SO DESPITE MY, MY, MY SHORT TIME BEING HERE WITH MED, I HAVE DEFINITELY SEEN A LOUD AND CLEAR SORT OF RESPONSE FROM THE PUBLIC THAT THEY WANT TO SEE YELLOWKNIFE MUNICIPAL ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS OUT DOWNTOWN AND NOT JUST IN VEHICLES, BUT ALSO ON FOOT. THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A AN OFFICER ON THE SIDEWALK VERSUS AN OFFICER THAT DRIVES BY IN A VEHICLE WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC SAFETY. SO LOOKING AT THE RAW NUMBERS BETWEEN LAST YEAR AND THE YEAR BEFORE THAT THERE HAS BEEN A DECREASE IN THE RECORDED NUMBER OF PATROLS PARTICULARLY AT THE LIBRARY AS WELL AS WHEN WE SAY OTHER FOOT PATROLS, WE'RE TALKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT LIKE THE DOWNTOWN CORE AND THE COMMERCIAL AND BUSINESS DISTRICT OF YELLOWKNIFE.
ADDITIONALLY, SOME OTHER AREAS THAT WE'VE SEEN LIKE FEWER PATROLS, INCLUDING SNOWMOBILE AND BIKE PATROLS. LAST YEAR, WE WEREN'T ABLE TO DO OUR TRAINING WITH THE RCMP TO GET THAT QUALIFICATION FOR OUR PERSONNEL, WHICH IS WHY WE WEREN'T ABLE TO DO ANY LAST YEAR AND THE YEAR BEFORE.
BUT IT IS MY PRIORITY TO GET THAT TRAINING FOR OUR PERSONNEL AGAIN SO THAT WE CAN UTILIZE THOSE RESOURCES TO GET OUT FURTHER ONTO YELLOWKNIFE'S PARKS, TRAILS AND OTHER HARD TO REACH AREAS THAT YOU CAN'T NECESSARILY GET TO IN A IN A VEHICLE.
WE MEAN LIKE AT LIKE A CITY FACILITY DURING LIKE A MAJOR EVENT WHERE WE'RE WORKING, LIKE WITH THE RCMP TO CATCH OR, OR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO CATCH IMPAIRED DRIVERS AND, AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
THIS IS A BRIEF STAFFING HISTORY FOR ME OVER THE LAST YEAR.
THERE HAS BEEN A TURNOVER, NOT JUST MYSELF WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION.
AND THAT CARRIED OVER THROUGH THE HOLIDAY SEASON INTO THE NEW YEAR.
BUT AT THIS TIME, LIKE I AM, WE ARE WE ARE FULLY STAFFED AT THIS TIME.
WE HAVE A ONE OF OUR CLERKS IS ON IS ON EXTENDED LEAVE, BUT WE DO HAVE A TEMP IN AT THIS TIME.
WHO HAS WHO HAS BEEN GREAT AND HAS FULLY INTEGRATED INTO THE DIVISION.
SO I DON'T HAVE ANY EMPTY BILLETS AT THIS TIME TO REPORT.
OH, AND I SHOULD HAVE SAID I'M HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS THROUGHOUT THE PRESENTATION OR AT THE END.
OKAY, ROGER. SO I WANT TO PROVIDE JUST A QUICK ASSESSMENT ON THE CURRENT STRATEGIC PRIORITIES WHICH WERE ISSUED TO FROM COUNCIL IN IN IN 2023. SO ON THE FIRST ONE OF FOCUSING ON PEDESTRIAN SAFETY THROUGH THE STRATEGIC ENFORCEMENT OF THE HIGHWAY TRAFFIC BYLAW, I THINK WE'RE HANDLING THIS THIS PRIORITY WELL.
WE HAVE KEPT OUR ENFORCEMENT NUMBERS RELATIVELY STABLE BETWEEN 2024 AND 2025.
WHERE I THINK WE NEED TO IMPROVE ON THAT PIECE IS WHERE IT SAYS STRATEGIC ENFORCEMENT.
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OFFICERS, MY ASSETS AROUND YELLOWKNIFE AND COVERING THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY AS BEST AS POSSIBLE IN SUCH A WAY THAT WE DON'T MISS ANY OR WE MISS AS FEW GAPS AS POSSIBLE, AND WE HAVE A FULL PICTURE ON THE COMMUNITY. FOR THE SECOND PRIORITY, ENGAGING IN STRATEGIC ENFORCEMENT AND PREVENTION ACTIVITIES CONCERNING UNAUTHORIZED PARKING. AGAIN, I ASSESS THIS, WE SINCE 2023, WE'VE KEPT THIS PRIORITY STABLE SINCE THEN.I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER SORT OF SIGNIFICANT INFORMATION TO PASS ON AT THIS TIME. EMERGENCY VEHICLE ACCESS AS AND PUBLIC SAFETY AS DICTATED BY THE ENFORCEMENT POLICY GUIDES OUR ACTIONS ON THIS ON THIS SUBJECT. SO WE'RE GOING TO KEEP MAKING THIS A PRIORITY TO ENSURE THAT PUBLIC SAFETY IS MAINTAINED THROUGH ENFORCING THE PARKING BYLAW.
ON THE PART FOR PRIORITIZING MUNICIPAL ENFORCEMENT ENGAGEMENT, PARTICULARLY IN THE DOWNTOWN CORE.
IT IS MY ASSESSMENT THAT MED COULD BE DOING A BETTER JOB ON THIS PARTICULAR SUBJECT.
OUR NUMBERS, OUR RECORDED NUMBERS HAVE FALLEN SIGNIFICANTLY LAST YEAR AS COMPARED TO TWO YEARS AGO, AND THERE IS NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT IT'S A PRIORITY FOR THE COMMUNITY TO FOR US TO SEE MY OFFICERS OUT IN THE TOWN PROVIDING ENFORCEMENT, PROACTIVE ENFORCEMENT, PROVIDING A SENSE OF SAFETY AND SECURITY FOR THE FOR THE CITIZENS OF YELLOWKNIFE.
SO MY INTENTION GOING FORWARD IS TO, IS TO, IS TO NOT JUST INCREASE THE NUMBERS, BUT BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT INCREASING THE FREQUENCY, IT'S ALSO ABOUT GIVING ADDED VALUE TO WHAT WE'RE DOING DOWNTOWN.
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT WALKING AROUND, IT'S ALSO ABOUT ENFORCING OTHER PUBLIC CRITICAL PUBLIC SAFETY ASPECTS OF OTHER PUBLIC SAFETY PRIORITIES, AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES, INCLUDING UNSIGHTLY LANDS, GARBAGE EVERYTHING THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MAXIMIZING OUR TIME.
AND I DON'T THINK WE'RE DOING THAT RIGHT NOW, BUT IN THE FUTURE, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE CHANGING. SO THE LAST PRIORITY CONTINUED EMPHASIS ON INCORPORATING RECONCILIATION WITH INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND THE MUNICIPAL ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES TO BUILD ON THE WORK THAT HAS ALREADY TAKEN PLACE. SO THE MUNICIPAL ENFORCEMENT DIVISION, I'M SURE, WITH EVERY OTHER DIVISION IN THE MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT HERE, HAS DONE WORK AND CONTINUES TO DO WORK TOWARDS RECONCILIATION.
UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE IS NO DEADLINE. THERE IS NO COMPLETION DATE WITH RECONCILIATION. IT IS AN ONGOING PROCESS THAT HAS TO BE MAINTAINED EVERY DAY AND HAS TO BE NURTURED THROUGH OUR ORGANIZATION'S LIFETIME. TO PROGRESS THIS FROM WHAT WE HAVE INCORPORATED INTO OUR TRAINING.
WE'VE ENSURED THAT WHEN IT COMES TO WHEN WE DRAFT POLICIES FOR OUR OFFICERS REGARDING USE OF FORCE AND ARREST PROCEDURES THAT WE THAT WE HAVE INCORPORATED LANGUAGE THAT THAT ACKNOWLEDGES THAT CERTAIN MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY ARE MORE PREDISPOSED TO LAW ENFORCEMENT DUE TO HISTORICAL TRAUMAS AND INJUSTICES PERPETRATED AGAINST THEM, AND THAT THAT NEEDS TO BE RECOGNIZED BY OUR OFFICERS AND UNDERSTOOD SO THAT WE ENSURE THAT WE ARE TREATING EVERYONE FAIRLY AND EQUITABLY WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY. THIS IS THE ONE PRIORITY THAT IN THAT I AM PROPOSING TO CHANGE IN 2026.
BETWEEN 2025 AND 2026. NOT BECAUSE IT IS NOT IMPORTANT, BUT BECAUSE I THINK IT HAS BEEN INCORPORATED INTO THE PSYCHE OF THE OF THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE'S GOVERNMENT GOVERNANCE. AND IT IS ALSO A PRIORITY CONTAINED WITHIN YOUR STRATEGIC DIRECTION FOR 2023 2026.
AND THOSE STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS ARE ALSO OURS.
RECONCILIATION CONTINUES TO BE PRIORITY. SO IT'S NOT THAT WE THINK THAT OUR JOB IS DONE HERE, IT'S THAT I THINK THAT THE TASK NOW IS TO IS TO CONTINUE THE PROGRESS THAT WE HAVE MADE AND CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD. AND. I SAW A HAND UP THERE.
SORRY. NO, THE HANDS UP. BUT WE'LL WAIT TILL FOR QUESTIONS TILL THE END.
OKAY. SO THESE ARE MY PROPOSED PRIORITIES FOR 2025 AND 2026.
SO THE FIRST THREE ARE VERY SIMILAR TO IF NOT THE SAME FROM THE FROM THE PREVIOUS DIRECTIONS.
BUT I'VE ADDED ADDITIONAL I'VE ADDED SOME ADDITIONAL WORDING TO THEM.
AND THE ONLY NEW ONE IS THE IS THE FOURTH ONE THERE AT THE BOTTOM.
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REDUCED SPEED AREAS, I THINK IS GOING TO BE A MAJOR PUBLIC CONCERN FOR THEIR SAFETY.THERE NEEDS TO BE A PROPER. SCHEDULE AND PROGRAM AND AGENDA IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE HITTING EVERY SINGLE AREA AT SPECIFIC TIMES SO THAT WE CAN ACHIEVE THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF EFFECT WHILE WE'RE OUT ON THE ROAD ENGAGING IN STRATEGIC ENFORCEMENT AND PREVENTION OF ACTIVITIES SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED ON EMERGENCY ACCESS FOR VEHICLES. THERE'S ONE OTHER THING THERE THAT, THAT THAT I WANT TO MENTION THERE IN THAT ONE IS ALSO PREPARING FOR THE ADDITION OF A CITY BIKE LANES. I UNDERSTAND THAT BIKE LANES IS SOMETHING THAT THE CITY IS LOOKING AT THIS TIME.
THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT MED HAS DONE A FULSOME ANALYSIS YET OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO ENFORCE PARKING PUBLIC SAFETY IN TERMS OF ENFORCING THE, THE PARKING BYLAW IN A CONTEXT WHERE WE HAVE MORE PARK MORE BICYCLE LANES THROUGHOUT THE CITY. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO DO. AND AGAIN, ON THE SUBJECT OF ENSURING ACCESS FOR EMERGENCY VEHICLES, IT CONTINUES TO BE A PRIORITY FOR US, BASED ON THE MUNICIPAL MED ENFORCEMENT POLICY SET OUT IN 2029.
SO THE THIRD PRIORITY IS LARGELY THE SAME PRIORITIZING MUNICIPAL ENFORCEMENT, ENGAGEMENT AND VISIBILITY IN THE COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY IN THE DOWNTOWN CORE. BUT I'VE ADDED ADDITIONAL SECTION TO IT, PARTICULARLY FOCUSING ON LITTER, UNSIGHTLY LANDS AND ENSURING A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL.
SO, AS I'VE SAID BEFORE, AND WHAT I'VE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY AND FROM INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY COMING TO MY OFFICE WHO HAVE COME TO SPEAK TO ME THEY WANT ME. THERE'S A SENSE THAT MED COULD DO MORE ON WHEN THEY'RE OUT, LIKE IN THE COMMUNITY ENFORCING THE LAW, THE BYLAWS THAT WE HAVE ON THE BOOKS SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO UNSIGHTLY LANDS, LITTER AND GARBAGE TO MAKE, IN PARTICULAR THE DOWNTOWN CORE, AS WELL AS OTHER AREAS OF YELLOWKNIFE MORE VISIBLY APPEALING.
BETTER PLACE TO WORK, LIVE AND VISIT. AND THERE'S NO REASON WHY WE CAN'T.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IF THERE'S LITTER OR GARBAGE IN AN ALLEYWAY WHICH IS BLOCKING EMERGENCY VEHICLE ACCESS, THOSE ARE GOING TO TAKE OUR PRIORITIES. THAT'S GOING TO BE OUR PRIORITY.
BUT THERE'S NO REASON WHY WE CAN'T BE ENFORCING THE WHILE WE'RE OUT THERE.
AND FINALLY, THE NEW PRIORITY THAT I'M RECOMMENDING FOR 2025, 2026 IS DEVELOP STRATEGIC RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES TO FACILITATE COOPERATION AND ACHIEVE GREATER PUBLIC SAFETY EFFECTS IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO I'VE HAD A CHANCE NOW TO WORK WITH INSPECTOR PYLYPOW FROM THE G DIVISION OF THE RCMP.
AND IN MY EXPERIENCE WHEN ORGANIZATIONS WHO HAVE THE SAME OBJECTIVES OF THE PUBLIC ORDER AND SAFETY OF YELLOWKNIFE, THOSE ORGANIZATIONS ACHIEVE BETTER RESULTS WHEN THEY COOPERATE AND WORK TOGETHER.
AND THERE'S NO REASONS WHY WE CAN'T, WHY MED CANNOT BE DOING MORE WITH THE RCMP.
AND WE HAVE TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. THERE WAS ABOUT, I THINK 3 OR 4 WEEKS AGO, THERE WAS A LARGE HOCKEY TOURNAMENT IN TOWN AT THE, AT THE ARENA, AND MED AND THE RCMP DID CHECK STOP OPERATIONS AT THE VEHICLE EGRESS POINTS CHECKING FOR IMPAIRED DRIVERS.
AND WE WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO CATCH A FEW BEFORE THEY WERE ABLE TO GET OUT ON THE ROAD.
SO OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING IS OTHER THINGS WE HAVE DONE INCLUDE, YOU KNOW, EASY THINGS LIKE COOPERATION ON NATIONAL POLICE WEEK ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO THE CITY PROVIDED THE VENUE OVER AT SAMBA K PARK, AND THE RCMP PROVIDED OTHER, OTHER SUPPORT FOR THAT EVENT FOR THE COMMUNITY.
CURTIS AND I SORRY, INSPECTOR PILIPO AND I ARE WORKING TO INTEGRATE MED AND RCMP PATROLS.
WE HAVE EXCHANGED CONTACT INFORMATION BETWEEN HIS OFFICERS AND MINE, AND WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF LIKE WE'RE GOING TO FORMALIZE THIS PROCEDURE, BUT WHEN WE GO OUT ON PATROLS, WE'RE STARTING TO ESTABLISH A ROUTINE OF CALLING THE RCMP IN ADVANCE AND SAY, HEY, WE'RE GOING TO GO WALK TO THE LIBRARY. DO YOU HAVE ANY OFFICERS AVAILABLE ON HAND THAT COULD COME WITH US? SOMETIMES THEY DO, SOMETIMES THEY DON'T. IT DEPENDS ON THEIR DAILY TASKS.
[00:30:02]
TOGETHER. AND WE'RE ALSO GOING TO IMPROVE OUR INFORMATION SHARING.SO THE RCMP SENDS THE MONTHLY REPORT ON THEIR STATISTICS ON WHAT THEY'VE DONE IN THE COMMUNITY.
MED IS GOING TO BE DOING THE SAME THING. WE'RE GOING TO BE PUBLISHING, PRODUCING AND PUBLISHING THESE REPORTS, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE SENDING IT TO THEM TO. SHARE INFORMATION BETWEEN OUR ORGANIZATIONS SO THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE OTHER IS TRACKING, AND THAT WE CAN GET A BETTER SENSE OF WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT WAYS TO BECAUSE WE TOO ARE THE EYES AND OUR EYES AND EARS OUT ON THE GROUND.
IF THEY HAVE ASPECTS WITH CERTAIN THINGS THAT THEY ARE, IF THEY'RE LOOKING FOR CERTAIN INFORMATION OR IF THEY NEED TO BE, WE NEED TO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR CERTAIN THINGS THEY CAN PASS US, BE ON THE LOOKOUT REPORTS.
THEY CAN PASS US INFORMATION ABOUT PEOPLE THAT THEY'RE LOOKING TO IDENTIFY, AND WE CAN PROVIDE THEM INFORMATION. IF WE SEE THESE INDIVIDUALS OR HAVE INFORMATION TO ADD TO THEIR INVESTIGATIONS. THESE ARE SORT OF THE WAYS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IMPROVING OUR RELATIONSHIPS.
BUT IT'S NOT JUST THE RCMP, IT'S PRIMARILY THE RCMP.
I SAY LAW ENFORCEMENT BECAUSE THERE ARE OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN YELLOWKNIFE, INCLUDING FISHERIES AND OCEANS, ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE CANADA, SPECIFICALLY WILDLIFE ENFORCEMENT AND OTHERS.
INTEGRATING MED INTO THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNITY I THINK WILL EXPONENTIALLY HELP US ACHIEVE BETTER PUBLIC SAFETY EFFECTS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT EFFECTS WITHIN OUR MUNICIPALITY. MR. MAYOR, COUNCILORS, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO PRESENT AT THIS TIME. I'M HAPPY TO RECEIVE YOUR QUESTIONS AND HAVE SOME DISCUSSION, IF YOU'D LIKE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
I SEE COUNCILLOR FEQUET YOUR HAND UP WENT DURING THE PRESENTATION. SO YOU'LL BE FIRST UP. BUT ANYBODY ELSE FOR QUESTIONS RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE. COUNCILLOR COCHRANE. COUNCILMAN MCLENNAN, COUNCILLOR ARDEN-SMITH. SO, COUNCILOR FEQUET, WE'LL START WITH YOU. GREAT.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. YOU CAN HEAR ME. OKAY. YEP.
WE GOT YOU. PERFECT. AND MAYBE IF THE CITY CLERK COULD BRING THE PRESENTATION BACK UP, TOO.
I JUST HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ABOUT SOME OF THE SPECIFIC SLIDES, TOO.
FIRST OFF, THANKS VERY MUCH, BRANDON, FOR THE PRESENTATION. THAT'S REALLY GREAT TO HEAR THAT.
THE GNWT'S LIVING WELL TOGETHER, AND OUR INTERNAL RECONCILIATION TRAINING IS HAPPENING, THAT THERE'S A STRATEGIC ENFORCEMENT OF CHECK STOPS AROUND SPORTING EVENTS AND THE ENHANCED COLLABORATION AND INTEGRATION WITH OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS.
IF YOU COULD GO TO THE BAR GRAPHS FOR THE LIVERY LICENSE SPECIFICALLY.
OKAY. CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME? OKAY. IT'S JUST FREEZING.
I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S INTERNET. YEAH, WE CAN HEAR YOU. OKAY, THANKS.
WHAT WAS THE CAUSE OF THE INCREASE OF THE LIVERY LICENSE INSTANCES IN THE LAST YEAR? I'M SORRY. COUNCILLOR, COULD YOU REPEAT YOUR QUESTION? THE GEOGRAPHY TEST, THE INCREASE FROM 9 TO 30. WHAT? CAN YOU JUST ELABORATE ON WHAT THAT IS A LITTLE BIT. YES I CAN.
IT'S, IT'S ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT LOCATIONS IN AND AROUND YELLOWKNIFE UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY HAVE SOME FAMILIARITY WITH THE WITH THE CITY AND ARE ABLE TO SERVE THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY BY KNOWING WHERE EVERYTHING IS.
I DON'T HAVE AN EXPLANATION AS TO WHY AT THIS TIME, LIKE, THOSE NUMBERS HAVE INCREASED FROM PREVIOUS YEARS, BUT I CAN INVESTIGATE AND GET BACK TO YOU IF YOU'D LIKE. NO WORRIES, NOT THAT IMPORTANT.
I IMPORTANT. I WAS JUST MOSTLY CURIOUS IF IT WAS AN INCREASE IN LIKE BRINGING PEOPLE IN, OR IF THERE WAS LIKE PUBLIC COMPLAINTS SURROUNDING PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, NOT KNOWING WHERE TO GO OR, OR IT WAS JUST BECAUSE THE INCREASE IN TAXI INSPECTIONS THAT SOMETHING MAYBE YOU GUYS DO ALONGSIDE AT THAT SAME TIME.
SO I WAS JUST CURIOUS IF THERE WAS A CORRELATION OF SOME SORT, BUT NOT NECESSARY TO FOLLOW UP.
THANK YOU FOR THAT OFFER THOUGH. THIS SLIDE WITH THE LIBRARY VISITS, IF YOU COULD GO TO THAT ONE, I CAN'T REMEMBER IF IT WAS BEFORE OR AFTER THE LIVERY LICENSE.
YEAH, IT'S UP NOW. COUNCILLOR. IT MIGHT JUST TAKE A SECOND TO POPULATE FOR YOU.
PERFECT. YEAH. THANK YOU. YEAH, I NOTICED IT DECREASED BY ABOUT, LIKE, MORE THAN 66%.
FROM THE FROM IN LAST YEAR COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS YEAR, THE LIBRARY PATROLS.
[00:35:06]
POTENTIAL EXPLANATIONS I COULD OFFER IS THERE WAS LESS CALLS FOR SERVICE FROM THE LIBRARY IN 2024 2025, AS THERE WAS IN THE IN THE IN THE YEAR PRIOR, 2023 TO 2024.SORRY, CRAIG. YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING? I WOULD JUST ADD THAT THAT DATA POINT IS PROBABLY REPRESENTATIVE THAT THE YELLOWKNIFE PUBLIC LIBRARY HAS SECURED A PRIVATE SECURITY COMPANY WHO IS NOW IN EFFECT ON THEIR ON A DAILY BASIS.
AND THAT'S WHY YOU'RE SEEING THE DECREASE IN NUMBER OF REQUESTS FOR MUNICIPAL ENFORCEMENT.
THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND THAT'S HELPFUL.
AND THAT KIND OF ANSWERS MY OTHER QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER THESE ARE ALL CALLS THAT WE GO ON WHEN REQUESTED OR THAT ARE JUST, YOU KNOW, PATROLS THAT WE'RE DOING ON A SCHEDULED KIND OF BASIS.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. I GUESS I'M CURIOUS WHAT DO YOU ESPECIALLY COMING INTO THIS POSITION MORE RECENTLY? BRENNAN, WHAT DO YOU FEEL IS THE SINGLE GREATEST CHALLENGE FACING THE MED TEAM TODAY? SO, COUNCILOR I GUESS I CAN ANSWER YOUR QUESTION THIS WAY.
MEDS CURRENTLY ARE THE BEST. I'LL ANSWER YOUR QUESTION THIS WAY.
MED IS CURRENTLY THE BEST RESOURCE THAT WE HAVE WITHIN THE DIVISION WITHOUT A DOUBT IN THE SHORT TIME THAT I'VE BEEN HERE IS THE PEOPLE MY OFFICERS ARE MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE COMMITTED TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND ORDER OF YELLOWKNIFE AND WHO ENJOY WHAT THEY DO.
BUT THEY ARE ALSO PROBABLY OUR MOST UNDERUTILIZED RESOURCE AS WELL.
THEY NEED THE SUPPORT, DIRECTION, TRAINING, TOOLS AND GUIDANCE TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL TO DELIVER THE KIND OF STRATEGIC PUBLIC SAFETY EFFECTS THAT THIS COUNCIL, THAT THIS COUNCIL WANTS AND THAT THE PEOPLE OF YELLOWKNIFE DESERVE, FRANKLY. AND GOING, GETTING TO THAT THAT PLACE WHERE OUR, OUR PERSONNEL ARE ABLE TO ACHIEVE THEIR MAXIMUM POTENTIAL IS DEFINITELY THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE THAT I THINK IS GOING TO BE FOR MED GOING FORWARD.
AND IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A RAPID PROCESS EITHER.
THIS IS GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME, BUT I AM QUITE CONFIDENT THAT MY PERSONNEL ARE UP TO THE TASK.
I THINK THEY ARE ALL EAGER TO TO EMBRACE CHANGE.
AND I HAVE BEEN IMPRESSED BY THE BY THE COMMITMENT BY FROM EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM.
THEY DO THIS JOB BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE IN IT. THEY BELIEVE IN THE CAUSE. AND WHEN YOU HAVE THAT, EVERYTHING ELSE IS POSSIBLE. SO I AM I AM VERY OPTIMISTIC AND EXCITED FOR THE FUTURE OF MED.
I THINK WE CAN TURN THIS. WE CAN REALLY, WE CAN DELIVER ON WHAT I THINK WHAT COUNCIL IS ASKING FOR.
AND I THINK IN THE FUTURE WE CAN DO EVEN MORE.
YEAH, THEY'RE UNDERUSED AND I WOULD FULLY AGREE WITH YOU. SO APPRECIATE THAT.
IF YOU COULD IF WE COULD GO TO THE SLIDE WITH THE PIE CHART ON IT.
I THINK THAT WAS IN MY MEMORANDUM. I MIGHT NEED TO BRING THAT OVER TO THE.
OH YEAH. AND IF IT'S NOT AVAILABLE, NO PROBLEM.
BUT I DO HAVE A COUPLE A QUESTION OR TWO ABOUT IT.
I GUESS I CAN JUST ASK IN GENERAL TOO WHILE IT'S BEING GOT.
I GUESS FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE AND SEEING KIND OF THE CURRENT PRIORITIES THAT COUNCIL APPROVED IN 2023 AND THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT CHANGES WE COULD MAKE TO THOSE PRIORITIES MOVING FORWARD.
DO YOU FEEL THAT THE CURRENT BREAKDOWN IN THAT THAT PIE CHART REPRESENTS THE PRIORITIES, EITHER THE CURRENT ONES OR WHERE WE'RE MOVING TO? SO I THINK THE MUNICIPAL ENFORCEMENT REPORTABLE OCCURRENCES GRAPH FROM LAST YEAR DOES REFLECT THE DATA IN THE PRIORITIES WHICH WERE ESTABLISHED IN 2023, 2024 WITH THE EXCEPTION OF I SEPARATE THE DOG BYLAW PIECE JUST BECAUSE IT'S JUST SUCH A MAJOR CHUNK. AND THE OTHER, YOU KNOW, ACCOUNTS FOR LIKE 16% OF ALL REPORTABLE OCCURRENCES AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
[00:40:10]
THAT PUZZLE. SO I DO THINK THAT THAT, THAT THOSE PRIORITIES ARE REFLECTED IN THE DATA.OKAY. YEAH. I GUESS THIS IS MAYBE MORE FOR MY COLLEAGUES, BUT ALSO A COMMENT AND A SUGGESTION. MED IS A VERY IMPORTANT TOOL FOR THE CITY.
WE I THINK WE ALL APPRECIATE THAT. AND WE'RE ALL EYES WIDE OPEN THAT THE DISRUPTION, PARTICULARLY IN THE DOWNTOWN CORE, HAS BEEN INCREASING OVER THE PAST DECADE. THE SAFETY OF RESIDENTS, INCLUDING THE FOLKS IN THE UNDER-HOUSED COMMUNITY THEMSELVES, THE IMPACT OF DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES THERE'S LOTS OF DIFFERENT IMPACTS.
BUT VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENT THAT YOU'RE HEARING FROM THE PUBLIC THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY WANT TO SEE MED OFFICERS. AND THERE IS DEFINITELY A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, SEEING A CAR VERSUS SEEING PEOPLE WALKING OR BIKING OR SCOOTING AROUND.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT THAT ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND THAT AWARENESS, BECAUSE THAT'S SIMILAR TO THE MESSAGES I HEAR TOO IN THIS ROLE THIS TOPIC WAS SO IMPORTANT THAT IT WAS TALKED ABOUT AT LEAST TWICE, IF NOT THREE TIMES, MAYBE EVEN THREE TIMES IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF OUR OF THIS COUNCIL'S TERM. SO THE REASON I WAS ASKING THOSE QUESTIONS WAS, WAS TWOFOLD.
ONE IS TO HIGHLIGHT FOR ANYONE WHO'S NOT ALREADY AWARE THAT'S LISTENING HOW MUCH IS ON MED'S SHOULDERS AND HOW MUCH WE ARE EXPECTING OF THEM AND ALL OF THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES. AND SECONDLY, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, IS IN 2023.
THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME MOST OF US HAD APPROVED MED PRIORITIES.
THAT WAS KIND OF A PROCESS SET UP, AND I THINK IT'S A VERY USEFUL PROCESS.
BUT PERSONALLY, AFTER I REFLECTED ON THOSE FOUR PRIORITIES AFTER THAT TIME, AND WE OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T GET TO SEE THEM LAST YEAR IN 2024, GIVEN ALL THE OTHER DISRUPTIONS IN THE WORLD.
IT KIND OF IT DAWNED ON ME THAT WE POTENTIALLY FAILED IN NOT PROVIDING DIRECTION TO FOCUS.
SO JUST TO REITERATE, SO NO ONE UNDERSTANDS ALL OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES ARE IMPORTANT RECONCILIATION DOG BYLAWS, COMPLAINTS FROM THE PUBLIC. WITH ALL THE RESPECT TO ALL THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE BYLAWS, TRAFFIC, THEY'RE ALL IMPORTANT. BUT FOR ME, THERE ARE REALLY TWO THAT STAND OUT.
AS, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE GOING TO BE HELPING PROVIDE DIRECTION TO GIVE FOCUS.
SO FOR ME, I WOULD PERSONALLY LIKE TO SEE AN AMOUNT OF MED'S TIME JUST FOCUSED ON THOSE TWO, WITH THE REMAINDER GIVEN TO EVERYTHING ELSE THAT MED HAS TO DO, BECAUSE THAT IS, IN MY MIND, A WAY TO HELP MED FOCUS ON SOME OF THE CHANGES IN THE OUTCOMES THAT THIS COUNCIL HAS TALKED ABOUT.
AND I PERSONALLY AM FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF. SO YEAH, I THINK I'LL JUST LEAVE IT THERE FOR AROUND ONE MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU FOR THAT. DIRECTOR MCLEAN JUST WANTS TO PROVIDE A COMMENT BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE NEXT PERSON.
SO JUST TO CLARIFY IN THE DOWNTOWN CORE, EVERY DAY THERE IS TWO UNIFORMED OFFICERS IN PATROL OF THE DOWNTOWN AS PART OF THEIR PARKING METER ENFORCEMENT WHEN THEY'RE IN THAT AREA.
YOU KNOW, THEIR JOB IS SOLELY TO, YOU KNOW, FOCUS ON PARKING.
SO THERE IS SOME PROACTIVE ACTIVITY THAT IS CONDUCTED WITH THEM.
SO WELL, IT YOU CONTEMPLATE FOOT PATROLS. ONE OF THE ASPECTS THAT WE USE IS A IS A TEAM ENVIRONMENT.
SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WEIGH INTO THE ASPECT OF THE VOLUME OF FOOT PATROLS BEING DONE.
IS THAT IT SHOULD WE HAVE SICK LEAVE OR VACATION OR WHATEVER, THAT THAT GREATLY ALSO IMPACTS OUR ABILITY TO PROVIDE CONSISTENTLY DAY IN, DAY OUT ACTIVITIES. SO I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT A LITTLE BIT OF A LENS TO IT FOR PERSPECTIVE.
THANK YOU. THANKS FOR THAT. NEXT UP WE HAVE COUNCILLOR COCHRANE.
[00:45:04]
WHERE ARE THEY? OTHER FOOT PATROL CONDUCTED AT THE SAME TIME AS WE SENT OUT OUR OFFICERS FOR THE LIBRARY PATROL? YES, COUNCIL, I THINK THAT THAT'S QUITE POSSIBLE.TYPICALLY MY OFFICERS ARE OUT ON PATROL. WHAT THEY'LL DO IS THEY'LL GO TO THE LIBRARY, THE VISITOR CENTER, IN ADDITION TO OTHER LOCATIONS TO WHICH THEY ARE HEADING OUT DURING THE DAY.
IT'S JUST IT'S JUST CONVENIENT TO KIND OF GO OUT THERE AT THE SAME TIME AND, AND VISIT THE LIBRARY AS WELL AS OTHER LOCATIONS LIKE THE VISITOR CENTER, JUST WHILE THEY'RE OUT ALREADY IN THE TOWN. SO THAT WOULD BE MY ASSESSMENT.
BUT I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF, OF DATA IN THERE, AS MY DIRECTOR MENTIONED, LIKE METER ENFORCEMENT IN WHICH MY, MY OFFICES ARE DOWNTOWN, WHICH IS NOT PARTICULARLY WHICH IS NOT REFLECTED IN THIS.
AND THOSE HAPPEN TWO, THREE TIMES DAILY AS WELL.
SO I THINK, I THINK WE CAN ALSO, YOU KNOW, PART OF THE CHANGE IS THAT WE NEED TO IMPLEMENT IS ALSO TO PROVIDE YOU WITH THE RIGHT PICTURE SO THAT YOU CAN MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS POSSIBLE. SO I THINK I THINK THERE IS A LOT HAPPENING THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY REFLECTED ON THESE SLIDES AS WELL.
BUT I CAN ONLY REPORT ON WHAT WE HAVE IN OUR SYSTEMS. AND AND GOING FORWARD, WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO PROVIDE MORE FIDELITY ON THIS SO THAT WE CAN WE CAN SAY EXACTLY LIKE WHAT OUR OFFICERS ARE DOING THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE YEAR.
SO I THINK, I THINK THERE'S A BIT OF SORT OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, HITTING UP A FEW SIMILAR SPOTS, LIKE WHEN MY OFFICERS ARE OUT. BUT I THINK THERE'S ALSO NUMBERS IN THERE WHICH ARE NOT RECORDED AS WELL OF ACTIVITIES THAT WE HAVE DONE.
SO THAT'S VERY MUCH APPRECIATED. AND A THANK YOU FOR ADDRESSING THE UNCAPTURED DATA.
I THINK THAT'S ALSO INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT GOING FORWARD, JUST TO DEMONSTRATE EXACTLY WHAT IS HAPPENING ON AN OPERATIONAL LEVEL TO THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE FOR THE PRIORITIES. I DO AGREE WITH THEM.
THE ONLY THING I WOULD ADD WAS DEVELOPING OF A STRATEGIC RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE LOCAL ENFORCEMENT.
I'VE HAD MEMBERS OF THE CHAMBER REACH OUT TO ME QUITE RECENTLY TO TALK ABOUT HOW THEY WOULD ACTUALLY PREFER TO HAVE ONE ON ONE CONVERSATIONS, WHETHER THAT IS YOUR OFFICERS GOING INTO THE BUSINESSES TO CHECK UP WITH THEM, OR WHETHER IT'S SOMETHING SO HIGHER AS HAVING A GOOD NEIGHBOR AGREEMENT WITH THE CHAMBER AND HAVING A WORKING GROUP OF SOME SORTS. THEY JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SOME FORM OF DIRECT LINE TOWARDS YOU, AND ALSO THE INFORMATION SHARING AND THE OVERALL ACTIVE LISTENING AND THE GENERAL PRESENCE I THINK WILL ADD A LOT, NOT ONLY TO THE DOWNTOWN CORE, BUT TO THE OTHER BUSINESSES, SUCH AS THE ONES ON OLD AIRPORT ROAD AS WELL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. DIRECTOR MCLEAN.
THANKS. THANKS. COUNCILLOR. COCHRANE. GOOD INSIGHT THERE.
AND VALUABLE INFORMATION FOR SURE. I THINK I'D BE REMISS IF I JUST ADD AND ADD SOME CONTEXT TO OUR FOOT PATROLS IN THE DOWNTOWN CORE, AND THAT IS, WE HAVE CERTAIN AUTHORITIES THAT ALLOW US TO TAKE ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITY.
A WE CAN PATROL THE DOWNTOWN CORE AND BE A VISIBLE PRESENCE, BUT WE HAVE ALMOST NO AUTHORITY TO ACT OR INTERVENE IN SOME OF THE BEHAVIORS THAT AFFECT OUR DOWNTOWN CORE.
AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO REALIZE WE'RE NOT A POLICE FORCE.
WE. ARE A BYLAW ENFORCEMENT DIVISION WHO ALSO ENFORCES CERTAIN TERRITORIAL ACTS.
THAT'S WE'RE PROVIDED THE AUTHORITY TO ENFORCE.
BUT WE DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO ENFORCE THE LIQUOR CONTROL ACT, ANY CRIMINAL CODE ACTIVITY, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE BEHAVIORS THAT WE SEE EXHIBITED.
SO JUST AS WE'RE THE, THE KEEPERS OF THE OF THE BYLAW AND THAT WE'RE ALSO RESIDENTS HERE THAT THAT SEE AND EXPERIENCE THINGS THAT PERHAPS AT SOME TIMES MAY NEGATIVELY AFFECT US.
BUT I JUST WANT TO YOU KNOW, STIPULATE OR REAFFIRM THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN BE THERE AND WE CAN HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS YOU KNOW, RESPECTFULLY WITH OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS. BUT OFTEN WE DON'T HAVE ANY AUTHORITY TO AFFECT THE CHANGE THAT MAY NEED TO OCCUR.
THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU, MR. DIRECTOR. I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOU CLARIFYING THAT PUBLICLY.
I KNOW THE LIMITATIONS OF OUR POWER OF ENFORCEMENT ARE VERY BARE.
BUT SEEING THROUGH THE MEMORANDUM AND ALL THE COMMITMENT TO WORK WITH OUR LARGER LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNITY HERE AND HAVING THE PATROLS WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE POWER OF ENFORCEMENT, LIKE THE RCMP, I THINK BECOMES ALL THE MORE IMPORTANT.
[00:50:03]
THANK YOU AGAIN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN.THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. CHAIRMAN, FOR THE PRESENTATION. YEAH.
I LOVE THE STATS. VERY ENLIGHTENING. GREAT TO SEE.
IS THIS SOMETHING YOU FORESEE AS SORT OF LIKE, ONGOING, OR IS THIS SORT OF JUST A ONE TIME JUMP, JUST AWARE THAT THAT CAN TAKE A LOT OF TIME AND ENERGY? SO I DON'T HAVE AN ASSESSMENT AS TO WHY THAT NUMBER HAS INCREASED OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
I DON'T MY OFFICERS LIKE, ROUTINELY YOU KNOW, ATTEND THE TERRITORIAL COURT AS REQUIRED, BUT I DON'T HAVE ANY SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS WITH BEING ABLE TO SUSTAIN THAT AT THIS TIME. IN FACT, I THINK WE NEED TO DO A LITTLE BIT BETTER IN, IN PREPARING MY OFFICERS NOT SORRY, NOT JUST MY OFFICERS, BUT I THINK MED CAN DO A BETTER JOB PREPARING CASES PRIOR TO GOING TO COURT. BECAUSE WE ARE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PRESENTING THE BEST CASES AS WE CAN WHEN PEOPLE HAVE RIGHTFULLY HAVE CHALLENGE, LIKE TICKETS THAT WE ISSUE IN COURT, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SHOW UP EVERY SINGLE TIME THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DEFEND OUR POSITION.
SO I DON'T ASSESS. IT'S A MAJOR DRAIN ON MED ACTIVITIES AT THIS TIME COUNCILLOR.
I'D JUST LIKE TO ADD FROM THE LEGAL PERSPECTIVE WE ISSUED TICKETS.
IF PEOPLE PLEAD NOT GUILTY AND IT GOES TO COURT, THEN THAT VARIES FROM YEAR TO YEAR.
BUT IN GENERAL, WE HAVE ZERO ABILITY TO PREDICT OR LIMIT OR INCREASE THOSE NUMBERS.
IT IS JUST WHAT IT IS. AND WE DEAL WITH THEM AS THEY ARISE.
BUT YEAH, IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE CAN PREDICT OR LIMIT.
FOR SURE. YEAH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND THEN THE OTHER QUESTION FROM THE PRESENTATION.
SO I GUESS FIRST OFF YOU SORT OF HINTED AT IT, BUT I'M ASSUMING THAT UPDATES DELIVERY LICENSE BYLAW THAT MIGHT REQUIRE CAMERAS OR WHAT HAVE YOU WILL REQUIRE MORE MED TIME. CURRENTLY.
WOULD THAT SORT OF ASSUMPTION, DO YOU THINK BE CORRECT.
SO THE PROJECT DID SLOW DOWN A LITTLE BIT AS A RESULT OF STAFF CHANGES.
IT ALSO SLOWED DOWN A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE THERE'S A COUPLE OF COMPLEX ISSUES THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS, SPECIFICALLY SECURITY CAMERAS AND THE REQUIREMENT FOR ACCESSIBLE VEHICLES.
SO IT'S NOT THAT THE BYLAW IS ON HOLD, BUT IT WAS DELAYED A LITTLE.
LIKE I SAID, FOR THE STAFF CHANGES AND AS A RESULT OF, YOU KNOW, ESSENTIALLY FIGURING OUT THE BEST RECOMMENDATION TO BRING FORWARD FOR COUNCIL'S CONSIDERATION ON THOSE TWO BIGGER ISSUES. I CAN TURN IT OVER TO MR. OSBORNE. SO I GUESS FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, COUNCILOR THE INCORPORATION OF SECURITY CAMERAS INTO TAXIS WILL INVOLVE ADDITIONAL TIME FOR MY PERSONNEL CONFIRMING THAT THEY ARE THEY ARE, IN FACT, POSITIONED PROPERLY TO SEE BOTH THE DRIVER AND THE PASSENGERS THAT THEY ARE CAPABLE OF HEARING AUDIO AND AS WELL AS VIDEO RECORDING THAT THEY ARE TAMPER FREE AND ARE ABLE TO BE ACCESSED AS, AS ON AN AS NEEDED BASIS, NOT JUST BY YELLOWKNIFE MED, BUT ALSO BY LAW ENFORCEMENT SORRY, BY THE RCMP OR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AS REQUIRED.
SO JUST JUGGLING THOSE THINGS. AND IF WE'RE GOING TO CUT DOWN THE PRIORITIES MORE.
YEAH. JUST BEING AWARE OF REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS TRYING TO DO MULTIPLE THINGS AT ONCE.
QUESTIONS SORT OF FROM BEFORE THE PRESENTATION.
[00:55:04]
AND WILL THERE BE A CONCENTRATED EFFORT TO INCLUDE THAT SORT OF DATA IN THE TRANSPORTATION MASTER PLAN AND IN ANY FUTURE STREET DESIGN? YES, COUNCILOR, I CAN SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO THAT. SO LIKE THE HIGH, THE HIGH, LIKE, OFFENSE AREAS THAT MY OFFICERS REPORT TO ME INCLUDE MOSTLY LIKE AROUND, LIKE CITY FACILITIES, LIKE DURING, LIKE, LARGE EVENTS AND IN AREAS WHICH ARE NOT NECESSARILY VISIBLE FROM THE ROAD OR FROM VIEW OF THE PUBLIC, WHERE PEOPLE THINK THAT THEY CAN KIND OF SNEAK IN AND, AND PARK IN A, IN A FIRE LANE WITHOUT GETTING CAUGHT.THERE'S ALSO AREAS SUCH AS IN OLD TOWN WHERE THE STREETS ARE SO MUCH MORE NARROW AND PARKING IS, IS LIMITED TO EITHER ONE SIDE OR NEITHER SIDE OF THE STREET.
THOSE ARE THE AREAS WHERE WE KIND OF SEE THE MOST OFFENSE, AND IT'S ALSO THE AREA WHERE WE SPEND MOST OF OUR TIME, BECAUSE THAT'S THOSE ARE THE AREAS THAT THAT THAT MATTER MOST FROM A, FROM A PUBLIC SAFETY PERSPECTIVE. THANK YOU.
WOULD THE GOAL BE FOR OFFICERS LIKE THEY'RE SETTING OUT, LOOKING TO MONITOR FOR THOSE THINGS? AND THEN IF THEY HAPPEN TO COME ACROSS ISSUES TO DO WITH DRINKING OR PUBLIC SAFETY, THEY WOULD ENGAGE IN THOSE.
OR IS THE ISSUE OR IS THE GOAL JUST TO BE PRESENT? AND THEN IF THEY SEE LITTER OR PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES, THEY ENGAGE THEM JUST SORT OF WHAT IS THE THINKING OF THE OFFICERS GOING OUT THE DOOR? YES. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR. SO MY INTENTION FOR MY DIRECTION TO MY OFFICERS IS THAT WHEN THEY ARE OUT ON FOOT PATROL IN THE COMMUNITY, THAT THEY NOT EVERYTHING CAN BE A PRIORITY OR OTHERWISE NOTHING IS A PRIORITY.
SO FOR US, OUR DIRECTION AND GUIDANCE COMES FROM THE MED BYLAW ENFORCEMENT POLICY, WHICH STATES THAT ITEMS WHICH DIRECTLY IMPACT PUBLIC SAFETY ARE THE NUMBER ONE FOR PROACTIVE ENFORCEMENT, AND EVERYTHING ELSE IS EITHER ON A, ON A AS ABLE OR A OR A COMPLAINT BASIS.
BUT WITH THAT BEING SAID I NEED MY OFFICERS TO.
AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTING IS A SYSTEM LIKE WHEN THEY ARE OUT ON THESE PATROLS TO TAKE ACTION TO ANALYZE THE SITUATION AND TAKE ACTION ON THE THINGS THAT, THAT HAVE A HIGHER PRIORITY THAN OTHERS.
THAT'S THAT'S THE THING I WANT THEM FOCUSED ON BECAUSE IT HAS A PUBLIC SAFETY ASPECT TO IT.
SO IF IT'S A, AN UNSIGHTLY PRIVATE PARKING LOT FOR A LOCAL BUSINESS OR FOR, FOR A RESIDENT, IF YOU HAVE THE TIME AND SPACE AND YOU ARE THERE AND YOU ARE PRESENT AND YOU ARE NOT OCCUPIED WITH A PRIORITY WHICH IS HIGHER FOR US BASED ON A PUBLIC SAFETY PIECE TO TAKE ACTION ON IT. AND THERE'S NO REASON WHY WE CAN'T WE HAVE TOOLS AT OUR DISPOSAL IN THE SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT BYLAW, THE UNSIGHTLY LANDS BYLAW THAT WE CAN USE TO IMPROVE THE LIVABILITY OF OUR COMMUNITIES. SO THE ANSWER IS YES. COUNCIL.
WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING MORE, MORE, MORE WHEN WE'RE OUT.
SORRY. AND I CAN JUST ADD A LITTLE BIT TO THAT.
IS THAT ON, YOU KNOW, LITTER IN THE DOWNTOWN CORE? WE ALL SEE, LIKE I SAID, WE ALL LIVE HERE. WE ALL KNOW IT'S A YOU KNOW, AN EMERGING ISSUE OR PRESSING ISSUE FOR THE RESIDENTS.
THE OTHER ASPECT OF WHAT MR. OSBORNE IS TALKING ABOUT IS NOT ONLY ON THE ENFORCEMENT CONTINUUM THAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT TAKING ACTION VERSUS OVER IT BEING A COMPLAINT.
YOU KNOW, WHAT'S PROACTIVE? WHAT'S REACTIVE? THE OTHER THINGS THAT THIS ALLOWS US TO DO IS NOT ONLY WITH LITTER, BUT WE CAN HAVE OUR OFFICERS AND WE CAN MAKE SURE WE SET STRATEGIES FOR THEM TO DEAL WITH SIDEWALKS IN THE WINTER THAT AREN'T MAINTAINED TO SNOW.
RIGHT. WE CAN HELP BRING, MINIMIZE AND BRING THOSE DOWN.
WE CAN MAKE IT BETTER FOR PEOPLE THAT HAVE MOBILITY ISSUES TO MOVE AROUND IN OUR DOWNTOWN CORE.
[01:00:05]
IF WE PUT THE ONUS BACK ON THE BUSINESS OWNERS AND THE PROPERTY OWNERS IN THAT AREA TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR SIDEWALKS ARE ARE FREE AND CLEAR OF ICE AND SNOW, AND SUBSEQUENTLY IN THE SPRING, THEN FREE AND CLEAR OF GRAVEL AND SAND BUILD UP.I THINK THOSE ARE THE INITIATIVES THAT THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO TAKE WITH YOU KNOW OFFICER PERSPECTIVE.
BUT DEFINITELY THE PRIORITY FOR US WILL BE THAT THAT LITTER COMPONENT OR UNSIGHTLY LAND COMPONENT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YEAH, DEFINITELY MAKES SENSE.
YEAH. TOTALLY APPRECIATE WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT LETTING THE RCMP KNOW WHEN YOU'RE GOING OUT.
AND THEN JUST LAST QUESTION. JUST AN UPDATE ON THE DOG POUND SITUATION.
JUST CONSCIOUS HERE THAT RESOURCES WERE REQUESTED OF COUNCIL AND THEY WERE DENIED.
SO JUST WANT TO CHECK UP ON THAT AND SEE WHAT EFFECT THAT'S HAVING.
YES. THANK YOU COUNCILOR. SO AT THIS TIME THE AGREEMENT LIKE WITH THE SPCA THAT MED HAS AND SORRY, THE CITY HAS WITH THE SPCA IS STILL ONGOING. WE ARE STILL USING THEM TO PROVIDE INBOUND SERVICES FOR US.
DON'T FORESEE ANY SORT OF MAJOR HICCUPS WITH THAT AT THIS POINT.
WE HAVE A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP. WE, BEING MED, HAS A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SPCA.
WITH INCORPORATING THE SPCA INTO THIS, TO PROVIDING US AN IMPOUND SERVICES.
IT HAS ADDED ADDITIONAL STEPS IN THE PROCESS, WHICH WE DIDN'T HAVE TO DO WITH THE PREVIOUS PROVIDER, WHICH WAS THE GREAT SLAVE LAKE VETERINARY CLINIC, I BELIEVE.
SO A LOT OF THAT STUFF HAS FALLEN BACK ONTO MY, MY OFFICERS, WHICH ADDS ANOTHER STEP TO THE PROCESS FOR IMPOUNDING AND RELEASING ANIMALS OR, SORRY, RELEASING DOGS. SO FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN SOMEONE HAS THEIR ANIMAL IMPOUNDED THEY COME TO THE MED OFFICE, THEY PROCESS THE RELEASE, THEY PAY FOR THE, THE IMPOUND FEE, AND MY OFFICER HAS TO GO GET THE, THE ANIMAL FROM THE SPCA AND BRING IT TO CITY HALL.
WHEREAS WE DIDN'T HAVE TO DO THAT BEFORE IN THE PAST. SO IT ADDS AN EXTRA STEP, IT ADDS ADDITIONAL TIME AND IT ADDS ADDITIONAL RISK IN THE SENSE THAT IF MY OFFICER IS ON THE WAY BACK FROM RETURNING A DOG, THEY AND THEY GET A CALL TO A HIGH PRIORITY EVENT, THEY MAY HAVE TO TAKE OFF AND TO DEAL WITH IT BECAUSE IT'S AN EMERGENCY SITUATION, IN WHICH CASE THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE AN IMPOUNDED DOG, WHICH THEY DON'T HAVE A, YOU KNOW, AUTHORITY TO HOLD FOR AS LONG AS NECESSARY.
AND THAT'S AND THAT'S ALL I WOULD SAY ON THAT COUNCILLOR.
YEAH, THANKS FOR THE UPDATE. COUNCILLOR ARDEN-SMITH.
WHAT MED IS DOING AND NOTING THAT YOU ARE THREE WEEKS INTO THE ROLE.
THREE MONTHS, THREE MONTHS. THREE MONTHS INTO THE ROLE.
I MEAN, IT'S A LOT TO TAKE IN AND BUILD THOSE RELATIONSHIPS.
WHICH BEING SPEEDING, PARKING AND OUR DOG BYLAWS AS WELL AS THE LIVERY LICENSE.
I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THE LIVERY LICENSE, HOW WE'VE HOW WE'VE PROGRESSED IN THE UPDATES ON IT, NOTICING THAT ON ONE OF YOUR POINTS HERE YOU HAVE THE LIVERY LICENSE INSPECTIONS FROM LAST YEAR, 183 TO THE YEAR PRIOR IS ABOUT 116. WHY WAS THERE A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN THERE IN TERMS OF INSPECTIONS? DID WE JUST HAVE MORE VEHICLES ON THE ROAD, OR WERE WAS IT JUST THE TIME OF YEAR WHERE PEOPLE HAD TO COME IN AND DO INSPECTIONS? IS IT A YEARLY THING FOR THEM OR OVER FIVE YEARS OR SO? BUT WHAT'S THE PROCESS? THANK YOU, COUNCILLOR.
I'M GOING TO WRITE DOWN JUST YOUR QUESTIONS HERE. SO I GET TO ALL OF THEM. OKAY.
[01:05:03]
I CAN CONFIRM THAT MED, YOU KNOW, STANDS BY AND WILL ENFORCE ALL OF THE CITIES OF YELLOWKNIFE'S BYLAWS.WE DO NOT. OUR ORGANIZATION DOES NOT PICK AND CHOOSE WHICH ONES THAT WE PREFER, THAT THOSE PRIORITIES COME FROM FROM COUNCIL AND FROM POLICIES WHEN WE HAVE AND THE ONES THAT WE'VE BEEN DIRECTED TO TAKE A PROACTIVE APPROACH ON RELATE TO MATTERS OF, OF SPECIFICALLY OF PUBLIC SAFETY. THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER AND I'VE AND I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO HAVE COME TO ME AND YOU KNOW, HAVE HAD CONCERNS ABOUT, FOR EXAMPLE VEHICLES BEING PARKED MORE THAN 72 HOURS YOU KNOW, ON THE ROAD AND SUBMIT COMPLAINTS. AND WE ALWAYS WE FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THOSE COMPLAINTS EVERY SINGLE TIME. WHAT WE DIRECT OUR ATTENTION TO BECAUSE IT'S BEEN ORDERED TO US AS A PRIORITY, IS THOSE THAT ARE RELATED TO PRIMARILY TO PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO WE DON'T PICK AND CHOOSE WHICH LAWS WE WANT TO ENFORCE.
WE FOLLOW THE DIRECTION AND ORDERS WHICH WE ARE GIVEN UNDERSTANDING THOUGH, AND THAT AND WE ARE ALWAYS MORE THAN HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN COMMENT AND CONCERNS FROM THE PUBLIC AND WE DO OUR BEST TO LISTEN.
AND IT'S NOT THAT WE DON'T WANT TO GET AROUND TO ANYONE'S PARTICULAR COMPLAINT, IT'S JUST THAT WE ONLY HAVE SO MANY RESOURCES AND OFFICERS AVAILABLE AND A LIST OF PRIORITIES WHICH OCCUPY OUR TIME AND SPACE.
WE DO IN OUR BYLAW POLICY, IDENTIFY THAT EVERY COMPLAINT THAT COMES IN, WE DO FOLLOW UP ON IT.
SO I WOULD JUST FOR PEOPLE LISTENING OUT THERE, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CALL OUR POSTED NUMBERS.
AND THIS THIS GOES A LITTLE TOWARDS COUNCILOR MCLENNAN'S COMMENTS IS THAT WE DO HAVE A 72 HOUR PROVISION IN OUR PARKING BYLAW. THE INTENT OF THAT PROVISION IS TO NOT STOP PEOPLE FROM THEIR OVERFLOW PARKING BEHAVIORS.
WE KNOW IN THIS CITY, ACROSS THE LANDSCAPE OF THE CITY THAT RESIDENTS OFTEN HAVE TRAILERS, MULTIPLE TRAILERS, MULTIPLE VEHICLES IN THEIR HOME, AND THEIR PARKING SPACES MAY ONLY ALLOW FOR TWO OF THOSE OR ONE OF THOSE.
SO ERGO, OUR CITY STREETS BECOME OVERFLOW PARKING.
WE OFTEN HAVE RESIDENTS THAT ARE QUITE YOU KNOW, DISTRAUGHT, ESPECIALLY IF THAT OVERFLOW PARKING IS IN THE STREET IN FRONT OF FRONT OF THEIR RESIDENCE. UNLESS THAT AREA IS PARTICULARLY SIGNED AS NO PARKING, WE DO HAVE A 72 HOUR PARKING RESTRICTION, BUT THE INTENT OF THAT IS FOR ABANDONED VEHICLES, NOT FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T LIKE TO SEE SOMEONE ELSE PARKING ONE OF THEIR NEIGHBORS, PARKING THEIR THEIR RV OR THEIR TRAILER IN FRONT OF THEIR HOUSE.
SO I JUST WOULD ADD THAT TO THE CONTEXT. THANK YOU.
I THINK THERE WERE ABOUT 13 STAFF IS WHAT I. YEAH.
SO I'M REALLY HAPPY THAT WE DO HAVE, YOU KNOW, FULL TEAM ON THE GO.
AND I DO APPRECIATE THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM ARE BUSY.
THERE THERE ARE A LOT OF BYLAWS TO UPHOLD. SO I WOULD NEVER FAULT ME FOR THAT.
SO MOVING ON TO MY NEXT PORTION HERE. SO THE LIVERY LICENSE.
AND AGAIN, I DID ALREADY TOUCH BASE ON THE LIVERY LICENSE AND THE INSPECTIONS.
SO WHAT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE, THE UPDATED LIVERY LICENSE, BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE THAT OUR TAXI DRIVERS SHOULD BE HELD TO A HIGHER STANDARD, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE TALKING THE ESTHETICS AS THEY ARE REPRESENTING OUR CITY, BUT ALSO TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THAT NOT ONLY SHOULD OUR TAXI DRIVERS, BUT OUR RESIDENTS, BECAUSE THE MOTOR VEHICLE ACT INDICATES THAT IF A VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE FOR THE ROAD, SUCH AS IF YOUR BUMPER IS BEING HELD ON BY TAPE, THAT'S NOT SAFE. I DO NOTE I'VE SEEN A FEW VEHICLES OUT AND ABOUT.
I THINK THERE WAS FOAM ACTUALLY TAPED TO THE FRONT END OF SOMEONE'S VEHICLE AND THEY'RE DRIVING AROUND, SO THAT'S NOT QUITE SAFE. SO THERE ARE MANY INDIVIDUALS, NOT ONLY MYSELF.
[01:10:05]
I'M TAKING THIS ACTUALLY FROM RANT AND RAVE, AND I'VE SEEN THIS VEHICLE MYSELF WHERE, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE BYLAWS THAT ARE QUITE VISIBLE, THAT SHOULD BE UPHELD.THEY SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE ROAD BECAUSE IT'S A PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERN.
YOU DID STATE THAT YOU WANT TO DO MORE STRATEGIC SCHEDULING FOR MED IN, IN SCHOOL ZONES AND WHATNOT.
HOW DO YOU FEEL? THE PRESENT TACTIC IS WORKING.
ENGAGEMENT WAS PRETTY INTENSE. IN NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, WE GOT A REPORT FROM THE CONSULTANT IN JANUARY THAT WILL COME FORWARD WITH THE MEMORANDUM TO COMMITTEE WHEN THE BYLAW IS READY TO COME FORWARD.
I CAN SAY THAT DURING THAT ENGAGEMENT, WE DID ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS, YOU KNOW, VISUAL APPEARANCE OF TAXIS ABOUT INSPECTIONS, FREQUENCY, AGE OF VEHICLES. SO THERE WAS THOROUGH ENGAGEMENT IN ALL OF THOSE ISSUES.
I DON'T HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON WHEN YET, BUT IT WAS FULSOME ENGAGEMENT AND I CAN TURN IT OVER TO MR. OSBORNE. THANKS, KERRY. YES COUNCILLOR JUST AND TO ANSWER THE OTHER PART OF YOUR QUESTION.
SO IN TERMS OF HOW EFFECTIVE THE STRATEGIC ENFORCEMENT OF TRAFFIC IS GOING, I THINK THIS YEAR, SORRY, LAST YEAR COMPARED TO THE YEAR BEFORE WE DID MORE TARGETED TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT OPERATIONS, PARTICULARLY IN SCHOOLS AND, AND THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. SO I THINK WE ARE HAVING A POSITIVE EFFECT.
I THINK WE'RE HOLDING STEADY AT THAT. ON THAT PRIORITY, I THINK MY, MY POINT IS BY, BY HAVING A, A STRATEGIC PLAN IN PLACE FOR THAT ENFORCEMENT, I THINK WE CAN DO BETTER.
SO I THINK WE ARE I THINK WE ARE ACHIEVING THAT A THAT THAT PRIORITY TO A, TO A REASONABLE LEVEL.
AND I THINK IN THE FUTURE WE CAN WE CAN WE CAN PUSH IT FURTHER NEXT YEAR.
DEFINITELY. DO YOU THINK BY STICKING TO SCHOOL DROP OFF AND SCHOOL PICKUP THAT WE'RE, WE'RE MISSING KEY TIMES AS WELL FOR SPEEDERS WITHIN SCHOOL ZONES, NOTING THAT SCHOOL ZONES ARE IN EFFECT HERE IN THE NWT 24/7 365 DAYS A YEAR.
YES. SO I CAN SEE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, COUNCILOR.
I GUESS MY INTENTION FOR THIS, FOR HAVING A STRATEGIC PLAN, THE HIGHEST TRAFFIC MOMENTS ARE PICK UP AND DROP OFF, WHICH PRESENT PROBABLY THE TIME OF INCREASED RISK.
BUT ALSO HAVING A STRATEGIC PLAN INVOLVES BEING THERE AT TIMES WHEN MEMBERS OF THE, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE NOT EXPECTED TO BE. SO THAT FORMS A PIECE OF IT AS WELL.
AND IF THAT MEANS THAT WE NEED TO SHOW UP TO A SCHOOL ZONE LIKE 3 OR 4 TIMES A DAY ACROSS MULTIPLE SCHOOLS, ACROSS THE COMMUNITY THAT'S WHAT I MEAN BY STRATEGIC ENFORCEMENT, YOU KNOW, BEING PREDICTABLE AND YET UNPREDICTABLE AT THE SAME TIME SO THAT PEOPLE CAN.
SO WE HAVE THE DOUBLE EFFECT OF PEOPLE SEEING US THERE WHEN THEY'RE DROPPING OFF THEIR KIDS AND PEOPLE NOT EXPECTING US TO BE THERE THROUGHOUT, THROUGHOUT THE DAY AT A TIME WHEN THERE IS LESS FOOT TRAFFIC AROUND.
PERFECT. AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR.
AND SOMETIMES YOU'LL HAVE THAT ONE KID THAT JUST KIND OF SLIPS OUT WITHOUT THE KNOWING OF AN ADULT, AND THAT IS A VERY HIGH TRAFFIC AREA. AND I WILL NOTE, I HAVE SEEN ON MANY OCCASIONS RESIDENTS SPEEDING VEHICLES, SPEEDING, COMMERCIAL VEHICLES, SPEEDING. AND IT IS A SCHOOL ZONE, 24/7 365 DAYS A YEAR AND I FOR ONE. AS A PARENT, I DON'T HAVE CHILDREN THAT GO THERE.
BUT YOU KNOW, I'D BE PRETTY UPSET, YOU KNOW, IF SOMETHING SHOULD HAPPEN DOWN IN THAT AREA.
I DO WANT TO GIVE ME PRAISE. I WAS ACTUALLY DOWNTOWN LAST WEEK AT ABOUT 4:30, AND I WAS SO HAPPY TO SEE MED DOWN THERE AND REMOVING VEHICLES AT 4:30, BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO FORGET THAT VEHICLES NEED TO BE REMOVED OFF OF FRANKLIN AVENUE FROM 4:30 TO ABOUT 6:00, I BELIEVE. AND IT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR TRAFFIC GOING HOME, WHEREVER TO GO WHEN SOMEBODY IS PARKED IN FRONT OF THE BANK OR SOMEBODY PARKED WHERE THEY SHOULDN'T BE. AND SO I WAS REALLY HAPPY TO SEE MED OUT AND ABOUT AND DOING THAT PATROL.
AND AS FOR THE PRIORITIES I THINK THE FOURTH PRIORITY, IN MY OPINION, COULD BE ONE THAT IS REMOVED,
[01:15:05]
NOT THAT IT ISN'T A PRIORITY, BUT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MED, THE RCMP, YKFD AND OTHER LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL.IT'S KIND OF THE WAY IN WHICH YOU FEEL ABOUT THE RECONCILIATION STRATEGY.
IT'S GOING TO BE A CONSTANT ONGOING. IT'S NOT THAT IT'S NOT IMPORTANT, BUT IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING.
SO IF WE'RE TALKING TOP PRIORITIES, I THINK THE FIRST THREE THAT WE HAVE WOULD BE MY MOST IMPORTANT PRIORITIES FOR MED ENFORCING SCHOOL ZONES DOWNTOWN CORE. AND OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I FORGOT WHAT THE OTHER ONE WAS, BUT I KNOW IT WAS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. ENFORCEMENT, UNAUTHORIZED PARKING SPECIFICALLY FOCUSING ON ACCESS TO EMERGENCY VEHICLES. SO I THINK THOSE ONES WOULD BE MY TOP THREE PRIORITIES FOR MED TO FOCUS ON FOR THIS NEXT COMING YEAR.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCILOR ARDEN-SMITH COUNCILLOR MCGURK. THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION.
LEARNED A LOT. VERY INFORMATIVE. I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT THE DOG IMPOUND CONTRACT AND APOLOGIES IF I'M MISSING SOMETHING OR MISREMEMBERING, AND I'M NOT SURE WHO EXACTLY WOULD SPEAK TO THIS.
I MIGHT ACTUALLY GO BEYOND YOU, BUT IT WAS MY INTERPRETATION THAT WHEN WE INCREASED THE BUDGET FOR THE DOG IMPOUND CONTRACT, THAT THAT WAS TO ADDRESS THE FACT THAT MED WAS HAD TAKEN ON ADDITIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES.
SO I'M NOT SURE IF THAT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE IN THE NEW RFP OR IF SOMEONE COULD SPEAK TO THAT.
DIRECTOR MCLEAN IS ON IT. GO FOR IT. THANKS. THANKS FOR THE QUESTION.
YEAH. SO DURING BUDGET 2025, THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN THE ANNUAL BUDGET FOR THE DOG POUND SERVICES THAT DID GO OUT TO A TENDER THROUGH OUR PROCUREMENT DIVISION THAT IDENTIFIED THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT TO PROVIDE THE SERVICE.
THE ONLY PROPONENT TO BID ON THAT WAS THE SPCA.
WE STILL WENT THROUGH THE EVALUATION PIECE AND AWARDED THEM THE CONTRACT.
SORRY. WE AWARDED THEM THE SERVICE. WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF DRAFTING THE CONTRACT.
AND IN THAT CONTRACT PROVISION, THE PIECE THAT CONCERNS THE SPCA IS THE ADMINISTRATION AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PIECE AND THAT'S BASED ON COMMUNITY KNOWLEDGE OF HOW MAYBE PEOPLE THAT OWN DOGS HAVE ENGAGED WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE HOLDING THEIR DOGS OVER A PERIOD OF TIME. SO IN THAT CONTRACT, WHAT'S BEING CONTEMPLATED IS HOW WE PROVIDE THAT SERVICE WITH THE SUCCESSFUL PROPONENT, THE FACT THAT THEY'VE WON THE TENDER, THAT IS A PROCUREMENT PROCESS THAT'S WELL DEFINED THROUGH OUR POLICIES.
WHAT WE'RE WORKING NOW WITH THE SUCCESSFUL PROPONENT IS, IS HOW DO WE DELIVER THAT WITH THEIR CONTRACT, WITH THE INTENT OF WHAT THEY PROVIDED IN THEIR TENDER SERVICE PACKAGE.
AND THAT IS THEY DO NOT WANT TO BE THE ADMINISTRATORS.
THEY DON'T WANT TO TAKE MONEY. THEY DON'T WANT TO RELEASE DOGS.
THEY DON'T WANT TO SELL DOG TAGS. THEY WANT TO SET UP A [INAUDIBLE] OF KENNELS TO HOLD THE DOG.
THEY WILL FOOD AND WATER THEM AND CARE FOR THEM AS LONG AS THEY ARE IN THEIR CARE AND CONTROL.
THE PROCESS IS, IS THAT THE DOG OWNER NOW NEEDS TO COME TO MUNICIPAL ENFORCEMENT.
THEY NEED TO PAY FOR THE SERVICE. WE PROCESS THAT AND THEN WE RETRIEVE THE ANIMAL OR THE, THE DOG FROM THE SPCA, AND WE BRING IT TO CITY HALL. AND THAT IS WHERE THE PET OWNER, WE DID NOT WANT TO GET INTO A DOG DELIVERY SERVICE.
NOW WE'RE TRAVELING TO PEOPLE'S RESIDENCE TO DROP THAT OFF.
HOPEFULLY THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION. YEAH, IT DEFINITELY DOES.
THANK YOU. I GUESS IN THAT CASE OBVIOUSLY US INCREASING THE AMOUNT FOR THE CONTRACT IS WAS I MEAN, THE INTENTION WAS TO ADDRESS THAT.
AND SO WE ARE NOW BOTH AWARDING A CONTRACT FOR OR WE MAY BE PAYING THEM THE SAME AMOUNT TO DO
[01:20:03]
LESS THAN WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH. AND THEN ALSO WE ARE HAVING OUR MED FULFILL ADDITIONAL DUTIES OR ARE WE CHANGING THE CONTRACT? I GUESS MY PERSPECTIVE ON IT WOULD BE IF WE DIDN'T INCREASE THAT AMOUNT, WOULD WE HAVE ANYBODY PROVIDING PET SERVICES? AND AS YOU KNOW, THE CITY HAD PROPOSED A BID WHERE WE CONTROL THE SERVICE, WE STAFF IT, WE TAKE CARE OF THE DOGS.THAT'S WITHIN OUR CONTROL TO DO AT A FIXED AMOUNT TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE.
IT DID NOT. SO CAN I SAY, RIGHTFULLY AND RESPECTFULLY, THAT THEY COULD BE DOING IT FOR LESS MONEY? NO, I CAN'T, BECAUSE IT WAS A FAIR AND TRANSPARENT PROCUREMENT PROCESS, AND THEY WERE THE SUCCESSFUL PROPONENT AND THEY WERE EVALUATED AGAINST THE COMPONENTS OF THE OF THE TENDER. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANKS VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO JUST FOR MY COLLEAGUES AWARENESS, WE'RE APPROACHING OUR HOUR AND A HALF IN TEN MINUTES, SO OR SO. WHAT I'M GOING TO PROPOSE IS I'LL GET THROUGH A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS MYSELF.
THEN IF ANYBODY HAS A SECOND ROUND, AND THEN WE'LL ACTUALLY TABLE THE CONVERSATION TO CONTINUE NEXT WEEK WHERE WE CAN GET INTO THE NITTY GRITTY, GIVES TIME FOR EVERYBODY TO DIGEST THINGS. AND I THINK THIS HAS BEEN A REALLY GOOD CONVERSATION.
WE HAVEN'T HAD THE CHANCE TO HAVE THIS IN A YEAR AND A HALF.
WE'VE ALL BEEN CHOMPING AT THE BIT. I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN CHOMPING AT THE BIT. I KNOW YOU'RE NEW TO YOUR ROLE AND HAVE PROVIDED A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION HERE AND A LOT OF CONSIDERATION. SO JUST TO SORT OF SET THAT STAGE IN TERMS OF HOW WE'LL PROGRESS IT.
BUT THANK YOU FOR THIS. TO START, IT'S GOOD TO BE ABLE TO GET BACK INTO THIS CONVERSATION, WHICH WE HAVEN'T DONE SINCE VERY EARLY IN OUR TERM. AND I KNOW WE'VE ALL BEEN WANTING TO DO THAT. SO THE TWO KEY QUESTIONS THAT I JUST WANT TO HAVE BEFORE WE THEN SHELVE IT FOR A WEEK IS ONE WHEN COUNCILOR PAQUETTE HAD ASKED YOU ABOUT SORT OF CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES AND YOU HAD NOTED THAT THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE MED TEAM. SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, AS I START TO LOOK FORWARD TO BUDGET 2026, IS, DO YOU HAVE THE RESOURCES YOU NEED NOW TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES, OR ARE THERE OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU DON'T HAVE RESOURCES AS IT EXISTS TO DO WHAT YOU THINK NEEDS TO BE DONE WITHIN PRIORITIES, AS YOU'VE DESCRIBED THEM SO FAR, OR AS WE END UP WITH THEM CLOSE TO THIS, I THINK.
BUT YEAH. DO YOU HAVE THE RESOURCES THAT ARE REQUIRED? SO MR. MAYOR, ON MY ASSESSMENT OF THAT, IS THAT FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN WITH THE WITH MY PERSONNEL AND WITH THE TOOLS THAT MED CURRENTLY HAS AT OUR DISPOSAL, IS THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE A REPLACEMENT OF MANY OF THE TOOLS AND SYSTEMS THAT WE CURRENTLY EMPLOY TO MAXIMIZE THE EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF OUR OFFICERS. SO I WANT TO SAY NO TO THAT, TO THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION.
BUT I CAN SAY FROM MY EXPERIENCE A LOT OF THE TOOLS AND SOFTWARE THAT WE HAVE DON'T ARE OUTDATED AND DON'T PARTICULARLY TALK TO ONE ANOTHER, WHICH TIE UP MY OFFICERS IN OUR OPERATIONS BULLPEN WHEN THE JOB IS OUT THERE.
AND IT ALSO TIES UP OTHER CITY RESOURCES. I'LL GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE IT DEPARTMENT.
OUR WATCHGUARD SYSTEMS ARE KEPT ON LIFE SUPPORT BY THEM, AND IT EATS UP A LOT OF THEIR TIME AND IMPACTS OUR ABILITY TO ENFORCE THINGS LIKE TRAFFIC AND SPEEDING WHEN WE DON'T HAVE THOSE TOOLS THAT ARE READILY AVAILABLE. SO THE ANSWER IS NO.
I NEED AND I NEED TO PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION ON THAT AS WELL.
SO WHAT WE'VE DONE AFTER OUR BUDGET DELIBERATION AND DISCUSSION ON ADDITIONAL STAFFING, IS WE'VE KIND OF WENT BACK TO THE TABLE AND LOOKED ABOUT HOW WE CAN FIND ACCESSORY OR, SORRY, EFFICIENCIES IN OUR OWN PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES TO TRY TO DO WHAT WE CAN WITH THE STAFF THAT WE HAVE.
AND IN RESPECT TO MR. OSBORNE, I THINK IT WOULD BE SHORTSIGHTED TO SAY YAY OR NAY AT THIS POINT UNTIL WE'RE ABLE TO DO SOME MORE ANALYTICS ON WHAT WE'RE DELIVERING ON AND HOW WE'RE DOING IT. THANKS.
I APPRECIATE THAT THOUGHTFUL RESPONSE OF, YOU KNOW, NEEDING TO ONE ESTABLISH THESE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS AND THEN TO ACTUALLY BE PIECING IT ALL TOGETHER. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. I GUESS THE OTHER QUESTION THAT I HAVE IS BEFORE WE TABLE IT FOR ANOTHER WEEK IS CLEARLY THERE'S SOME APPETITE POTENTIALLY FOR NARROWING DOWN PRIORITIES EVEN FURTHER, POTENTIALLY BEYOND THESE FOUR.
AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THERE MAY BE APPETITE FOR THAT.
SO FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, MAYBE THE DIRECTOR'S PERSPECTIVE, DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON, YOU KNOW,
[01:25:06]
LIKE COUNCILLOR ARDEN-SMITH HAD RECOMMENDED MAYBE DROPPING THE LAST ONE BECAUSE IS THAT MORE REALLY OPERATIONAL IN THE LONG RUN IN TERMS OF YOUR WORK AS MANAGER? DO YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS OR ISSUES, OR DO YOU SEE THAT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAYBE EVEN HONE IN FURTHER IN TERMS OF WHAT OUR PRIORITIES FROM A COUNCIL SIDE OF THINGS ARE WITHIN YOUR WORK? YES. SO LIKE THE NARROWING OF PRIORITIES DOES HELP US FOCUS OUR ATTENTION MORE AND GIVES US THE DIRECTION WE NEED TO PROPERLY DIRECT OUR DAILY ACTIVITIES. I THINK I THINK THERE WILL, IF IT'S REMOVED AS A PRIORITY OR NOT.I THINK IT'S STILL SOMETHING THAT I WILL I WILL CONTINUE TO PROGRESS. SO YES, IT COULD BE REMOVED AS A, AS A PRIORITY TO, TO FURTHER FOCUS ON THREE SPECIFIC ISSUES.
OKAY. PERFECT. JUST, YOU KNOW, SORT OF HARKENING BACK TO YOUR COMMENT, IF EVERYTHING'S A PRIORITY, NOTHING'S A PRIORITY. SO. NO. THAT'S HELPFUL.
SO THAT'S IT FOR ME. SO COLLEAGUES, AGAIN, CONSCIOUS OF TIME BEFORE WE TAKE OUR TEN MINUTE BREAK, IS THERE ANY BURNING QUESTIONS THAT ANYONE HAS? AND I SEE COUNCILOR PAQUETTE, YOUR HANDS UP. SO WE'LL COME TO YOU IN A SECOND. BEFORE WE TAKE OUR TEN MINUTE BREAK.
NO. OKAY. COUNCILOR PAQUETTE, I'LL LET YOU FINISH OFF FOR THIS POINT OF THE CONVERSATION. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. AND THANK YOU FOR THAT SUGGESTION.
AND DECIDING ON PRIORITIES IS REALLY A BUDGET RELATED DECISION ABOUT WHERE WE WANT TO SPEND RESIDENTS RESOURCES TO, TO YIELD THE BIGGEST IMPACT. AND I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF IMPACTS WE'RE ALL HOPING TO SEE.
AND I HAVE SOME THOUGHTS ON SOME EDITS AND I THINK TAKING SOME EXTRA TIME TO, TO THINK THROUGH THIS AND HEAR ANYBODY ELSE'S THOUGHTS WOULD BE, WOULD BE REALLY GOOD. AND I ALSO RECOGNIZE WHERE WE HAVE TWO OF OUR COLLEAGUES, NOT WITH US TODAY. AND IF WE'RE THINKING OF A KIND OF A TRANSFORMATIONAL SHIFT POTENTIALLY IN, IN REFINING THESE, THESE PRIORITIES I THINK THAT WOULD BE GREAT TO TAKE MORE TIME.
SO I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT. AND I WILL CERTAINLY COMMIT TO SHARING MY THOUGHTS WITH THE COUNCIL TEAM ON, YOU KNOW, I THINK, LIKE YOU SAID, A REDUCTION, A REFINEMENT OF PRIORITIES TO REALLY RECOGNIZE THAT MED DOES SO MUCH.
BUT WHERE WHAT IS THE WHAT ARE THE TOP PRIORITIES? THEY'RE ALL PRIORITIES, BUT WHAT ARE THE TOP PRIORITIES? SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT SUGGESTION, MR. CHAIR. AND YEAH, I THINK IF WE'RE ALL HOPING FOR CHANGE, WE CAN'T REALLY EXPECT TO SEE MEANINGFUL CHANGE UNLESS WE ACTUALLY CHANGE HOW WE'RE DOING BUSINESS.
SO AN EXTRA WEEK FOR OUR COLLEAGUES TO CATCH UP AND SOME TIME TO PONDER WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED.
AGAIN, WE'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR THIS CONVERSATION FOR QUITE SOME TIME. SO REALLY APPRECIATE THE BACKGROUND TO THIS. THE PRESENTATION. AND I KNOW IT'S PROBABLY ANNOYING THAT IT'S NOT WRAPPED UP TODAY FOR YOURSELVES.
BUT I DON'T SEE THAT AS A BAD THING BECAUSE I THINK YOU'VE GIVEN US A LOT OF THINGS TO THINK ABOUT. AND JUST HOW DO WE REALLY HONE IN FOR THE REMAINDER OF OUR TERM? SO WITH THAT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND WE'LL TAKE OUR TEN MINUTE BREAK AND WE'LL COME BACK FOR A PRESENTATION ON A MILL RATE POLICY.
THANKS VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT. AND I WILL CALL OUR MEETING BACK TO ORDER.
THERE WE ARE. A PRESENTATION REGARDING MILL RATE POLICY.
[5. A presentation regarding Mill Rate Policy.]
MISS THISTLE. FROM THE EXCITING LAND OF AMY D GOING TO BRING YOU MILL RATE.SO IN 2022, COUNCIL DID PASS A MOTION THAT A DIRECTED ADMINISTRATION TO DRAFT A MILL RATE POLICY.
AND SINCE THEN, TOPICS LIKE HIGH DENSITY PARKING AND VACANT LAND MILL RATES HAVE COME UP.
AND TODAY, MR. PANDOO WILL BE DOING A PRESENTATION.
AND HE'S REALLY LOOKING FOR SOME INPUT AND CLARITY FROM COUNCIL ON HOW ADMINISTRATION IS GOING TO MOVE FORWARD TO MEET THE EXPECTATIONS OF COUNCIL. SO I WILL TURN IT OVER TO MR. PANDOO. THANK YOU, MISS T.
GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE, AND GLAD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
TODAY WE ARE GOING TO TOUCH ON SOME VERY INTERESTING TOPICS.
AND THIS PRESENTATION IS TO TRY TO HELP GUIDE YOU IN YOUR CONVERSATION ON THEM.
[01:30:04]
SO THE FIRST ONE IS THE MILL RATE POLICY, WHICH THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL HAD DIRECTED ADMINISTRATION TO BRING FORWARD FOR DISCUSSION. THIS MOTION WAS PASSED IN 2022. SINCE THEN, TOPICS LIKE THE VACANT LANDS AND HIGH DENSITY PARKING HAVE BEEN RAISED AND LINKED TO THIS MILL RATE POLICY BY DIFFERENT MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNANCE AND PRIORITIES COMMITTEE AT VARIOUS TIMES.SO I BELIEVE THE TIMING IS NOW RIGHT TO FINALLY HAVE A WHOLESOME CONVERSATION ON THESE MATTERS, AS THEY ARE SOMEWHAT LINKED TO EACH OTHER, JUST LIKE ME AND COUNCILLOR FEQUET BEING TWO PEAS IN A POD KIND OF THING.
SO LET'S LOOK AT THE MILL RATE POLICY FIRST. BUT BEFORE I DIVE INTO THE MILL RATE POLICY ITSELF, LET ME REMIND COMMITTEE THAT PROPERTY TAX IS THE CITY'S PRIMARY SOURCE OF REVENUE AND REPRESENTED 49% OF TOTAL REVENUE IN 2024. AS SUCH, ANY CHANGES TO THE PROPERTY TAX SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE CAREFULLY DISCUSSED AND ANALYZED THROUGH THE CITY'S TAX ADMINISTRATION BYLAW. THE FOLLOWING SIX CLASSES OF PROPERTY HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED BY THE CITY.
RESIDENTIAL, MULTI RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL MINING AND QUARRYING, HIGH DENSITY PARKING, AND FINALLY CLASS SIX AGRICULTURAL. SO ANY NEW PROPERTY CLASS THAT THE CITY DOES CREATE IN THE FUTURE WILL PROBABLY BE CLASS SEVEN.
AS AN FYI, THE CURRENT MILL RATES AND MILL RATE RATIO ARE AS FOLLOWS.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE MINING AND QUARRYING PROPERTY CLASS HAVE THE HIGHEST MILL RATES AT 17.71, WHILE THE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES HAVE A MILL RATE RATIO OF AROUND 1 TO 2.13, WITH A COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL CLASS.
NOW ON THE MILL RATE POLICY ITSELF, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, FOLLOWING THE PREVIOUS GENERAL ASSESSMENT, THE CITY COUNCIL AT THE TIME CHOSE TO ADJUST THE RESPECTIVE MILL RATES RATIO OF PROPERTIES WITHIN THE CITY TO GENERATE THE REQUIRED TAXATION REVENUE.
THIS INFLUENCED THE ADOPTION OF THE COUNCIL MOTION I REFERENCED EARLIER.
THIS MILL RATE POLICY IS INTENDED TO SET THE PHILOSOPHICAL APPROACH THAT COUNCIL AND ADMINISTRATION CAN USE AS A GUIDE TO SET PROPERTY TAXES, INCLUDING THE STRATEGY BEHIND MILL RATE RATIOS AND THE WAY THE PROPERTY TAX BURDEN IS DISTRIBUTED.
WHEN STARTING ANY DISCUSSION AROUND A MILL RATE POLICY, IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR THIS COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER SOME BROAD QUESTIONS ALONG THE LINES OF WHAT DOES THE COMMITTEE WANTS TO ACHIEVE IN ESTABLISHING THIS MILL RATE POLICY? HOW DOES THIS MILL RATE POLICY FIT INTO THE BIGGER PICTURE? WHAT LEVEL OF SERVICE DOES THE CITY WANTS TO PROVIDE? ARE THOSE SERVICES APPROPRIATE TO THE NEEDS AND DESIRES OF TAXPAYERS? WILL THE POLICY ENSURE THAT THE SERVICES ARE FINANCIALLY FEASIBLE AND SUSTAINABLE? THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WILL HELP YOU KEEP YOUR DISCUSSION FOCUSED AND REACH A HIGH VALUE CONCLUSION.
TAX FAIRNESS OR EQUITY REQUIRES A CONSIDERATION OF HOW TO SHARE THE BURDEN OF TAXES FAIRLY AND EQUITABLY DISTRIBUTE THE COST AMONG THE TAXPAYERS. A CONSIDERATION OF FAIRNESS AND EQUITY MAY INCLUDE EITHER AN ABILITY TO PAY OR A BENEFIT RECEIVE APPROACH.
THIS IS GENERALLY REFLECTED BY IMPOSING A HIGHER MILL RATE ON PROPERTIES WITH HIGHER ASSESSED VALUES, BASED ON THE NOTION THAT IF SOMEONE IS ABLE TO AFFORD A MORE VALUABLE PROPERTY, THEY CAN ALSO AFFORD TO PAY MORE TAXES.
ON THE OTHER HAND, THE BENEFITS RECEIVED APPROACH PROVIDES THAT TAXES ARE FAIR WHERE PEOPLE PAY BASED ON THE BENEFITS THEY RECEIVE FROM SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE MUNICIPALITY. THERE MAY ALSO BE A CONSIDERATION OF STABILITY AND PREDICTABILITY.
FROM THE CITY'S PERSPECTIVE, THIS MEANS A STABLE AND PREDICTABLE REVENUE SOURCE.
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FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF TAXPAYERS, THIS MEANS BEING ABLE TO UNDERSTAND AND PREDICT TAX PAYMENTS ON A YEAR TO YEAR BASIS.STABILITY AND PREDICTABILITY WILL ALSO CONSIDER THE PAST TAXATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE CITY.
CONSIDERATION OF SURROUNDING LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IS ANOTHER RELEVANT GENERAL PRINCIPLE IN COMPARING TAX RATES TO SURROUNDING MUNICIPALITIES. THE COMPARISON MAY NOT BE FOR COMPETITIVE PURPOSES, BUT TO STAY IN LINE, THAT IS, NOT TO DEVIATE TOO MUCH FROM THE SAMPLE, AS COMMITTEE WILL APPRECIATE THAT IN THE CONTEXT OF YELLOWKNIFE, IT IS SOMEWHAT DIFFICULT TO GET EXACT SURROUNDING COMPARABLE.
THE MILL RATE POLICY MAY BE GUIDED BY THE BASIC PRINCIPLE THAT A TAX SYSTEM SHOULD BE EASY TO ADMINISTER FOR THE CITY ON A YEAR TO YEAR BASIS, BUT ALSO EASY FOR TAXPAYERS TO UNDERSTAND. THERE ARE A VARIETY OF POLICIES THAT COULD BE DEVELOPED BY THE CITY, BUT NO MATTER WHAT PATH IS CHOSEN, THE CITY WOULD BE WELL GUIDED TOWARDS A POLICY THAT CAN BE EASILY EXPLAINED TO TAXPAYERS, WITH A CLEAR EXPLANATION OF THE VALUES OR PRINCIPLES SUPPORTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE POLICY.
THIS COMMITTEE WILL ALSO HAVE TO CONSIDER IF THERE ARE ANY COUNCIL PRIORITIES THAT WOULD AFFECT THE SHARE OF TAX BURDEN BETWEEN PROPERTY TAX CLASSES I. I HAVE HEARD YOU MENTION HOUSING AS BEING YOUR TOP PRIORITY NUMEROUS TIMES.
SO HOW DOES THAT INFLUENCE THE TAX DISTRIBUTION, FOR EXAMPLE, BETWEEN RESIDENTIAL AND NONRESIDENTIAL? AN IMPORTANT FACT TO NOTE IS THAT NOT EACH OF THESE PRINCIPLES WILL NECESSARILY BE REFLECTED IN THE MILL RATE POLICY, OR BE A SIGNIFICANT GUIDING PRINCIPLE. INSTEAD, YOU CAN REVIEW, CONSIDER, WEIGH, AND PRIORITIZE THESE PRINCIPLES TO DETERMINE HOW AND IF THEY ARE REFLECTED IN THE FINAL MILL RATE POLICY.
AS PART OF OF OUR BENCHMARKING EXERCISE, WE HAVE LOOKED AROUND TO SEE WHAT GETS DONE IN OTHER VARIOUS MUNICIPALITIES ACROSS CANADA. JUST TO CLARIFY THOUGH, WE HAVE NOT REVIEWED ALL MUNICIPALITIES AND PROVINCES IN CANADA, BUT RATHER USED A GOOD SAMPLE FOR THIS PURPOSE.
BUT DESPITE THESE CHALLENGES, WE ARE ABLE TO GIVE YOU SOME EXAMPLES OF HOW TO.
I BELIEVE THESE WOULD BE OF TREMENDOUS VALUE DURING YOUR DISCUSSION.
FIRST, LET'S LOOK AT THE TAX RATIO APPROACH. SOME MUNICIPALITIES HAVE OPTED TO IMPOSE A SET TAX RATIO BETWEEN RESIDENTIAL AND NONRESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES YEAR TO YEAR.
THIS TYPICALLY MEANS THAT NO MATTER WHAT, NONRESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES WILL CONTINUALLY PAY TAXES BASED ON A MILL RATE THAT IS CONSISTENTLY SET HIGHER THAN THE RATE FOR RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES. THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE TAX RATIO MAY BE BASED ON HISTORICAL TAX RATIOS FOR THE MUNICIPALITY, SPECIFIC REQUESTS FOR FROM NONRESIDENTIAL PROPERTY OWNERS, TAX RATIOS FOR COMPARABLE MUNICIPALITIES, AND OR A CALCULATION CONSIDERING THE DISTRIBUTION OF SERVICE IN THE MUNICIPALITY.
FOR EXAMPLE, ALBERTA HAS SET A MAXIMUM RATIO BETWEEN THE LOWEST AND THE HIGHEST TAX PROPERTY CLASS RATES AT 1 TO 5, WHILE SASKATCHEWAN USES 1 TO 7, AND IT WOULD APPEAR THAT NUNAVUT, WHICH DEALS WITH PROPERTY TAXES FOR THE ENTIRE TERRITORY OUTSIDE OF IQALUIT, OPERATES IN A SIMILAR WAY. PLEASE NOTE THAT THESE RATIOS ARE THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE LIMITS, RATHER THAN THE PRESCRIBED OR RECOMMENDED RATIO LIMITS.
OTHER MUNICIPALITIES, LIKE THE CITIES OF VANCOUVER, NELSON AND TRAIL IN BRITISH COLUMBIA, HAVE UTILIZED A BUDGET BASED OR FIXED SHARES APPROACH IN ENSURING THAT ROUGHLY HALF OF THE PROPERTY TAXES COME FROM RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES AND HAVE COME FROM NONRESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES OR SOME OTHER PROPORTION OF SHARING.
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THOUGH HALF IS MOST COMMONLY CITED IN THIS APPROACH, BUT COMMITTEE CAN CHOOSE THE PROPORTION BASED ON THEIR PRIORITIES AND VISION.THERE IS ALSO A REVENUE NEUTRAL APPROACH THAT HAS BEEN TAKEN BY SOME, WHEREBY IF ASSESSMENTS INCREASE, THERE IS A CORRESPONDING DECREASE IN TAX RATES SO THAT A CONSISTENT LEVEL OF TAXATION DOLLARS ARE COLLECTED FOR EACH PROPERTY TAX CLASS.
I PERSONALLY BELIEVE THIS MIGHT BE TRICKY FOR THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE.
IN THIS ERA OF RISING COSTS, AND WHERE POPULATION GROWTH IN THE CITY HAS BEEN SLUGGISH.
THE CITY OF REGINA IN SASKATCHEWAN IS A KEY MUNICIPALITY THAT USES THIS APPROACH.
THE BASE SERVICES APPROACH IS BASED ON THE IDEA THAT EVERYONE SHOULD PAY A SPECIFIC NUMBER OF DOLLARS TO COVER THE BASIC SERVICES THAT ALL PROPERTIES HAVE EQUAL ACCESS TO. AS SUCH, THIS IS CONSIDERED AS A STARTING POINT IN ESTABLISHING A RATE FOR DIFFERENT CLASSES OF PROPERTY. THIS APPROACH IS TIGHTLY LINKED TO LEVELS OF SERVICE.
THE CPI REPRESENTS CHANGES IN PRICES AS EXPERIENCED BY CANADIAN CONSUMERS.
THE GOODS AND SERVICES IN THE CPI BASKET ARE DIVIDED INTO EIGHT MAJOR COMPONENTS, RANGING FROM FOOD TO RECREATIONAL CANNABIS THROUGH THE USE OF CPI. THE INTENTION IS TO ENSURE THAT TAX INCREASES ARE PREDICTABLE AND SHARED BY ALL SECTORS OF THE TAX BASE.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE CITY OF WATERLOO IN ONTARIO USES A MODIFIED VERSION OF THE CPI TO PROVIDE WHAT IT BELIEVES IS A MORE ACCURATE VERSION OF THE INFLATION THAT AFFECTS IT. IT DOES NOT RIGIDLY PEG ITS TAX INCREASES TO THIS VERSION OF THE CPI, BUT IT USES IT AS A GUIDELINE.
AS YOU HAVE SEEN, ULTIMATELY THERE ARE A VARIETY OF WAYS IN WHICH A MILL RATE POLICY CAN BE ESTABLISHED AND IN HOW THE TAX BURDEN MAY BE SHARED AMONGST RESIDENTIAL AND NONRESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES IN THE CITY.
BUT WHAT ABOUT COUNCIL'S AUTHORITY UNDER THE LAW TO EFFECT ANY OF THESE CHANGES? WELL, AS A STARTING POINT, IT IS IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE COUNCIL'S AUTHORITY FOR THE IMPOSITION OF TAX RATES.
SPECIFICALLY, SECTION 76 OF THE PROPERTY ASSESSMENT AND TAXATION ACT, COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS PATA, PROVIDES AUTHORITY TO COUNCIL TO FIRSTLY ESTABLISH A MILL RATE FOR EACH PROPERTY CLASS BY BYLAW EVERY CALENDAR YEAR.
SECONDLY, THE MILL RATE FOR A PARTICULAR PROPERTY CLASS MUST BE APPLIED UNIFORMLY ACROSS THAT CLASS, BUT IT APPEARS THAT NOTHING IN PATA REQUIRES ANY PARTICULAR DISTRIBUTION OF TAX BURDEN.
NOTHING ABOUT THIS SEEMS UNUSUAL OR EXTREME IF YOU COMPARE IT TO OTHER JURISDICTIONS.
BEFORE I MOVE ON, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MRS. WHITE, DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT, FOR HER INVALUABLE INPUT ON THIS SEGMENT. ARE ALWAYS THERE TO HELP.
SHALL I SAY WITH HER VERY JAUNTY ATTITUDE IN RELATION TO VACANT LANDS, THERE HAS BEEN SUGGESTION BY MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE TO ADOPT A HIGHER MILL RATES AND CREATE A SEPARATE PROPERTY CLASS.
FOR VACANT LANDS AS A DISCOURAGEMENT STRATEGY.
THIS OBJECTIVE IS. THE OBJECTIVE IS TO PREVENT HOLDING OF UNDEVELOPED LAND AS AN INVESTMENT OR OTHER PURPOSES, AND FORCE THE HAND OF OWNERS TO HAVE THESE VACANT LANDS AVAILABLE FOR CONSTRUCTION, IF POSSIBLE, FOR HOUSING. WHILE A MUNICIPALITY IN THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES HAS VERY BROAD DISCRETION TO CREATE PROPERTY CLASSES FOR PROPERTY TAXATION PURPOSES UNDER PATA, THERE ARE OTHER INTERRELATED QUESTIONS AND ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE RESOLVED FIRST, BEFORE WE COULD CONFIDENTLY ENTERTAIN THE IDEA OF CREATING A SEPARATE CLASS FOR VACANT LANDS.
THE FIRST QUESTION IS AS SIMPLE AS WHAT IS A VACANT LAND? BOTH THE PROPERTY ASSESSMENT AND TAXATION ACT AND CITY BYLAWS DO NOT DEFINE WHAT VACANT IS.
EVEN IF CITY BYLAWS DO DEFINE LAND DEVELOPMENT AND USE.
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THERE ARE SEVERAL TASKS THAT WILL NEED TO BE COMPLETED BEFORE INCLUDING REVIEW OF ALL LOTS, CONFIRM ZONING, CONFIRM PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENTS, DATES, CONDITIONS, BUILDING PERMIT STATUS, ETC. BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE CAN MOVE FORWARD CONFIDENTLY.AS SUCH A MORE IN-DEPTH CONVERSATION AND REVIEW WILL NEED TO HAPPEN ON THIS SUBJECT.
LASTLY, AS A REMINDER, THE CITY ALREADY OFFERS NUMEROUS DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES TO ENCOURAGE DEVELOPMENT AND REDEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES THROUGH ITS DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES BYLAW THAT WAS ADOPTED LAST DECEMBER.
SIMILAR TO THE VACANT LANDS QUESTION, THE SUBJECT OF DERELICT BUILDINGS IS ALSO NOT STRAIGHTFORWARD.
FOR EXAMPLE, WHAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED AS DERELICT BUILDING.
AT THE MOMENT, THIS WORD IS NOT IN OUR CURRENT BYLAWS.
THE NEXT QUESTION IS, WOULD IT BE EASIER TO FIND THE OWNER WHOSE PROPERTY MIGHT BE CONSIDERED DERELICT, THAN TO CREATE A SEPARATE PROPERTY CLASS? HOWEVER, IT THEN RAISES ANOTHER QUESTION ARE WE ABLE TO ENFORCE THESE FINES, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF. YOU JUST HEARD FROM MUNICIPAL ENFORCEMENT DIVISION, WHICH ARE CURRENTLY STRETCHED HERE.
I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE A BIG APPLAUD TO MR. MCLEAN, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY, AND HIS TEAM OF ARMED OFFICERS, WHO ARE DOING A FANTASTIC JOB IN LIGHT OF NUMEROUS DAY TO DAY CHALLENGES.
ANOTHER ASPECT TO CONSIDER AT THIS POINT IS THAT WE HAVE NOT CONDUCTED A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW TO DETERMINE WHAT COULD BE CONSIDERED DERELICT, AND THE NUMBER OF PROPERTIES THAT WOULD FALL UNDER THIS CATEGORY.
THE CITY OF EDMONTON DID IMPLEMENT A SUBCLASS FOR DERELICT RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES IN 2024.
THIS ALLOWED EDMONTON TO LEVY A TAX RATE APPROXIMATELY THREE TIMES HIGHER THAN THE STANDARD RESIDENTIAL RATE, ON PROPERTIES DEEMED UNINHABITABLE OR INSIGNIFICANT DISREPAIR.
AS A CONCLUDING REMARK ON THIS SECTION, I WOULD ADVISE THAT FOR A MORE FRUITFUL CONVERSATION AROUND LAND DEVELOPMENT AND LAND USE, WE SHOULD TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE GUIDING DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE LAND ADMINISTRATION BYLAW, THE ZONING BYLAW, THE BUILDING BYLAW AND THE COMMUNITY PLAN.
THE LAST TOPIC ON THIS PRESENTATION IS HIGH DENSITY PARKING.
I COULDN'T GET IT RIGHT. SO HIGH DENSITY PARKING.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE TWO PROPERTIES IN THIS CLASS, AND THEY ARE SITUATED ON 49TH STREET.
IS THERE STILL A NEED FOR A SPECIAL MEAL RATE FOR THESE PROPERTIES, OR SHOULD IT BE TAXED UNDER THE COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL CLASS? WHILE THERE DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE ANYTHING ILLEGAL OR FINANCIALLY OBJECTIONABLE IF YOU SO CHOOSE TO ELIMINATE THIS PROPERTY CLASS AND TAX THE TWO REFERENCE PROPERTIES UNDER THE COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL CLASS, WE WOULD NEED TO BE CLEAR ON OUR OBJECTIVES FOR SUCH A CHANGE TO REDUCE ANY POTENTIAL LITIGATION RISK. IF THIS CHANGE IS ADOPTED, IT WOULD BE PRUDENT TO GIVE THE OWNER OR OWNERS AS MUCH NOTICE AS POSSIBLE AND EVEN ADOPT A PHASED IN APPROACH, SINCE THIS IS NOT A FINANCIAL SNAG AND THERE IS NO APPARENT URGENCY.
AS AN FYI, THE ANNUAL PROPERTY TAXES COLLECTED IN 2024 FROM BOTH OF THESE PROPERTIES WERE 38,291.
JUST A NOTE THAT THESE AMOUNTS BEING DEPICTED HERE ARE ONLY FOR COMPARATIVES AND INFORMATION ONLY.
LONELY. SO WHAT NEXT? HOW? HOW DO WE TAKE THIS CONVERSATION FORWARD? FIRSTLY, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ON THESE HIGHLIGHTED TOPICS TO DETERMINE THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.
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THIS WILL ALLOW YOU TO HAVE A CONSENSUS AND PROVIDE ADMINISTRATION WITH SOME MUCH NEEDED CLARITY ON EACH OF THESE SUBJECTS.THEREAFTER, USING YOUR DISCUSSION AND DIRECTION AS THE BASIS, ADMINISTRATION WILL BRING FORWARD A MEMO WITH ITS RECOMMENDATIONS AROUND 2026 BUDGET TIME. WITH THAT, THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. PANDOO. AND AS MR. PANDOO JUST SAID, COLLEAGUES, THE POINT OF THIS IS TO SORT OF GET OUR JUICES FLOWING ON THESE ISSUES.
WE DON'T HAVE TO MAKE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS OR DECISIONS TODAY, ALTHOUGH I'M SURE WE HAD SOME.
MR. PANDOO WOULDN'T SAY NO TO IT. BUT WE. THAT'S NOT THE PURPOSE OF THE CONVERSATION, PER SE.
BUT WITH THAT, BASED OFF OF WHAT YOU'VE JUST HEARD IN THAT PRESENTATION, ANY INITIAL COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM COLLEAGUES? YEP. COUNCILLOR MCGURK AND THEN COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
REALLY APPRECIATE IT. I JUST, I GUESS RIGHT AWAY SUPPORT THE IDEA OF CHANGING THE HIGH DENSITY PARKING TO COMMERCIAL. I THINK BECAUSE IT'S ESPECIALLY USED IN THE DOWNTOWN.
AND IF WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO USE ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION, THAT'S ONE METHOD TO REDUCE THE NEED FOR REDUCING THE NEED FOR PARKING GARAGES.
I WONDERING WHERE, LIKE, WHERE A REGULAR PARKING LOT SITS IN THAT, LIKE A NOT A HIGH DENSITY.
DO WE HAVE A DOES IT FIT IN SOME OTHER CATEGORY OR.
I CAN'T REMEMBER. MR. PANDOO. SORRY, COULD YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION FOR ME, PLEASE? SORRY. JUST RAMBLING. A PARKING LOT THAT'S NOT A HIGH DENSITY PARKING LOT.
SO JUST SAY THE 5050 LOT IS. DOES THAT SIT IN A DIFFERENT CATEGORY? WHERE DOES THAT SIT? I WOULD SAY IT'S A DIFFERENT CATEGORY.
OKAY. AWESOME. I THINK THAT THAT IS JUST. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
COUNCILLOR MCGURK AND COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
VERY INTERESTING. I THINK OFF THE TOP, LIKE THE, THE GOAL FROM MY PERSPECTIVE OF THE MILL RATE OF HAVING A MILL RATE POLICY WAS TO ARTICULATE WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE. I THINK SORT OF IN THE BACKGROUND IT WAS THAT FIXED SHARES APPROACH HALF FROM RESIDENTIAL AND HALF FROM NONRESIDENTIAL.
BUT TO EXPLICITLY STATE THAT, I THINK WOULD BE THE GOAL OF THE POLICY.
YEAH. VERY INTERESTING TO REVIEW THE DIFFERENT APPROACHES THAT THE CPI ONE IS QUITE INTRIGUING, ALTHOUGH THAT SEEMS LIKE A HUGE PROJECT AND NOT SOMETHING I SUGGEST WE TAKE ON AT THIS POINT, SOMETHING THE FIXED SHARES APPROACH OR THE TAX RATIO APPROACH SEEM TO BE SORT OF WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING ANYWAY.
SO THE GOAL JUST TO ARTICULATE THAT FOR EVERYONE'S UNDERSTANDING I THINK IS WHAT I'M AFTER THERE.
SAME IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE DERELICT BUILDINGS.
IN TERMS OF, YEAH, HOW TO BALANCE RATES AMONG CLASSES? YEAH. I WOULD LOVE SOME SORT OF PEER REVIEW AND SUGGESTIONS.
AND YEAH, JUST CONSISTENCY AND PREDICTABILITY.
SO THAT WE CAN AVOID THESE LIKE ONE OFF CHANGES THAT SHOCK PEOPLE IN TERMS OF VACANT LANDS OR DERELICT BUILDINGS AND THE PENALTY TYPE OR THE GEOGRAPHIC SCOPE. YEAH. JUST SORT OF LOOKING FOR A REVIEW TO SEE HOW THAT WOULD WORK.
WHITEHORSE HAS A PERMANENT FEE. THAT SEEMED TO COME TOGETHER PRETTY QUICKLY.
WOULD BE INTERESTING TO CHAT WITH THEM ABOUT HOW THAT IMPLEMENTATION AND ENFORCEMENT IS GOING.
WITH RESPECT TO VACANT LANDS, I THINK ONE SPECIFIC ELEMENT THAT'S INTRIGUING TO ME IS SEVERAL VACANT PROPERTIES THAT ARE CONTAMINATED AND HAVE BEEN SITTING SO FOR YEARS AND YEARS. THAT'S QUITE FRUSTRATING.
I UNDERSTAND SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES WOULD NOT BE IN AGREEMENT WITH THAT.
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SO I'M ON BOARD WITH WHATEVER THE MAJORITY OF COUNCIL WOULD WANT IN TERMS OF VACANT LANDS AND APPROACH THERE.TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE A A CARROT ELEMENT, BUT I THINK A STICK IS VERY IMPORTANT.
AND THIS HAS SORT OF BEEN BROUGHT UP MANY TIMES THROUGH VARIOUS COUNCILS. SO I THINK TAKING THE TIME TO DO THAT REVIEW AND TO GIVE US A DECISION POINT, AS WAS DISCUSSED LAST WEEK DURING THE WORK PLAN FOR BUDGET 2026 WOULD BE VERY USEFUL, I THINK, FOR THE CITY AND THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH COUNCILOR MCLENNAN.
COUNCILLOR COCHRANE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. CHAIR. I'M GOING TO ECHO THE SAME SUPPORT THAT WAS PROVIDED BY COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN AND COUNCILLOR MCGURK TO THE IDEA OF THE HIGH DENSITY PARKING BECOMING COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL. I'M ASSUMING THAT CLASS WAS CREATED BACK IN 1993, WHEN WE WERE THINKING THAT THAT WAS GOING TO BECOME A NORM, AND OBVIOUSLY IT HAS NOT. SO THEREFORE, HAVING SOME FORM OF PREDICTABILITY INTO A REGULAR CLASS AND TAKING THAT OUT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE, NOT TO MENTION THE GROWTH AND REVENUE ON THAT.
THERE ARE SOME COMPLICATED QUESTIONS WITHIN THE MILL RATE POLICY.
THE BASE SERVICES APPROACH AND THE CPI APPROACH WOULD BE INCREDIBLY LONG TO GET DONE.
SO THE FIX SHARED APPROACH OR THE CURRENT OR THE TAX RATIO APPROACHES ARE THE ONLY TWO.
I COULD REALLY THINK THAT WOULD KIND OF MOVE FORWARD ON THIS ONE.
FIXED SHARED IS KIND OF WHERE I'M FALLING, AND I THINK THAT'S PRIMARILY WHERE THE STAKEHOLDERS HAVE FALLEN AS WELL, JUST BECAUSE THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT.
AS COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN PUT IT AGAIN, THE PREDICTABILITY.
SO MY QUESTION IS, ARE THESE SOME THINGS THAT SOME ASPECTS OF THIS? CAN WE ADDRESS THIS DURING THE COMMUNITY PLAN AMENDING? NO. WELL, I'LL GUESS I SAW THE REACTION FROM DIRECTOR WHITE.
SO NO, THAT WAS SOMETHING WE'LL HAVE TO HAVE A LARGER CONVERSATION ON.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO IT IN THE LIFESPAN OF THIS CURRENT COUNCIL. NOT WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING UP, THOUGH. I DO THINK THERE ARE SOME INTERESTING ASPECTS TOWARDS IT. THE ONE THING I WOULD BE CURIOUS IF DIRECTOR PANDOO HAS ANY SORT OF DATA ON THE SUCCESS OF EDMONTON'S NEW CLASSIFICATION FOR DERELICT PROPERTIES. IS IT WORKING OR IS IT JUST PROVIDING NOTHING? WELL, IT DEPENDS WHEN YOU'RE SAYING IT'S WORKING.
I THINK THE INITIAL CONVERSATION I HAD, I MEAN, THEY SEEMED IT'S STILL EARLY DAYS.
BUT PROBABLY IT'S MORE KIND OF A WAIT AND SEE OF, YOU KNOW, THE ONE YEAR CYCLE.
WE CAN CERTAINLY REACH OUT TO THEM. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR PANDOO.
IT DOES SEEM THAT WE HAVE SOME TIME ON THIS, SO THAT WOULD DEFINITELY BE SOME INFORMATION. I WOULD BE HOPEFUL TO GATHER THERE. NOT TO MENTION EVEN SEEING WHAT WE CAN DO ON A JURISDICTIONAL COMPARISON OF WHAT THEIR DEFINITION OF DERELICT IS.
IT COULD BE SO EASY AS US JUST TAKING THAT, BUT I IMAGINE IT'S FAR MORE NUANCED AND COMPLICATED.
AND AT THIS TIME, I DON'T THINK ADDING IT TO OUR CURRENT WORK PLAN WITH WHAT WE JUST WENT THROUGH, IT MAKES ANY SENSE. I THINK IT'S PROBABLY SOMETHING IN A FAR LARGER PROJECT FOR THE NEXT COUNCIL.
BUT YEAH, I AS I REPEAT, SUPPORT FOR CHANGING HIGH DENSITY PARKING TO BECOME COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL.
I STILL WANT TO THINK MORE BETWEEN THE MILL RATE POLICIES, BUT I'M BETWEEN TAX RATIO APPROACH AND FIXED SHARED APPROACH AND OF COURSE VACANT LAND AND DERELICT BEING AS LARGE AS THE PROJECT THAT IT IS, WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT AS A OBJECTIVE FOR THE NEXT COUNCIL.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCILOR COCHRANE AND COUNCILOR FEQUET.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. YEAH, JUST KIND OF OBVIOUSLY WE JUST SAW THE PRESENTATION, SO I FEEL LIKE I'M GOING TO HAVE LOTS OF QUESTIONS TO GET BACK AT THE NEXT MEETING ON, BUT OFF THE TOP DEFINITELY IN SUPPORT OF GETTING RID, LIKE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT AT PREVIOUS MEETINGS OF THE HIGH DENSITY PARKING PROPERTY CLASS.
I'M NOT SURE ACTUALLY IF IT SHOULD GO IN RESIDENTIAL OR COMMERCIAL BECAUSE IT ALREADY EXISTS.
BUT ALSO VERY IN SUPPORT OF THE VACANT LAND TAX.
AND I APPRECIATE THAT. IT'S NOW IN OUR WORK PLAN.
SO IT'S A, IT'S A TIER TWO I THINK PRIORITY OR TIER ONE ALONG WITH THE MILL RATE POLICY.
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SO I APPRECIATE THAT. I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO DO.SO I AM CURIOUS TO HEAR, THOUGH ADMINISTRATION'S KIND OF FINDINGS WHEN THEY LOOK AT WHAT DEFINITION MIGHT MAKE MOST SENSE. AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S PROBABLY SOME UNIQUE SITUATIONS IN YELLOWKNIFE RECOGNIZING OUR DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE CITY.
SO WHETHER IT APPLIES WHOLESALE OR JUST TO DOWNTOWN OR SOMETHING IN BETWEEN.
I'LL HOLD MY OPINION ON THAT, BUT DEFINITELY WANT TO GET THAT THAT THICK IN PLACE.
TO HELP MOVE THE DIFFERENT PARCELS OF LAND IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE CITY, IF WE CAN.
IT'S GOOD. I KNOW NONE OF US SAW THIS PRESENTATION BEFORE WE WALKED IN THE ROOM TODAY.
SO IT'S ABOUT GETTING TO THOSE SORT OF FIRST REACTIONS TO THINGS.
SO THAT'S IT'S THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING THAT. AND THEN THAT WILL ALLOW MR. PANDOO AND HIS TEAM TO WALK AWAY, SORT OF BUILD SOMETHING FROM THAT INFORMATION THAT THEN HE CAN COME BACK TO US WITH SOMETHING A BIT MORE SOLID.
SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT OF AN ITERATIVE PROCESS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE I THROW MY OWN OR COMMENTS BEFORE I THROW MY OWN? NO. OKAY. SO FOR MYSELF. YEAH. AROUND THE POLICY PIECE, YOU KNOW, WHY THE POLICY? I THINK, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY ELSE HAS SAID IT ALREADY AND YOU NAILED IT IN YOUR PRESENTATION, MR. PANDOO.
IT'S ABOUT THAT STABILITY AND PREDICTABILITY. IT'S PROVIDING THAT. I MEAN, ONE THING I WOULD EVEN SAY MAYBE IT'S CONTROVERSIAL THING HERE NOW, BUT I MEAN, EVEN WHETHER IT'S A BIG P POLICY, LIKE A POLICY DOCUMENT OR IT'S GUIDELINES OR IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S ABOUT HAVING IT DOCUMENTED SOMEWHERE WHAT THE PRINCIPLES ARE BEHIND WHAT HOW WE ESTABLISH MILL RATES AND WHY.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE THING THAT'S BEEN MISSING IN THE PAST.
YOU KNOW, LIKE WHEN THE BIG CHANGE HAPPENED IN THE LAST COUNCIL, EVERYBODY SORT OF WHY DID THAT HAPPEN AND WHAT WAS THE BASIS AND THAT WAS THE CHALLENGE AROUND IT. SO THAT WOULD EVEN BE ONE ADDITIONAL THING I'D SAY IS LIKE WHETHER OR NOT IT'S A BIG P POLICY DOCUMENT OR IF IT'S POLICY POINTS IT'S SORT OF IRRELEVANT TO ME, BUT THAT'S MY OPINION. SO I THINK I WOULD SORT OF KICK THAT TO YOUR TEAM IN TERMS OF WHAT THE BEST APPROACH IS THERE.
I AGREE WITH COUNCILLOR COCHRANE, I THINK SAID IT WELL, WITH, YOU KNOW, IT SORT OF IS THAT THAT SHARED OR RATIO OPTIONS, I THINK ARE THE ONLY TWO THAT ARE SORT OF REASONABLE BECAUSE EVERYTHING ELSE IS. I THINK WE'RE GETTING FAR TOO COMPLICATED FOR FOR OUR CITY RELATED TO THE HIGH DENSITY PARKING. AGAIN, AS I'VE ALWAYS SAID, THIS COULD BE A MILL RATE FOR WALMART, AND I WOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE SAME BOAT.
IT'S TO HAVE A MILL RATE FOR ONE PROPERTY OR TWO, I GUESS.
TECHNICALLY IS A BIT BONKERS TO ME. I DO THINK, AND THIS IS WHERE I'D SAY YOU HAD ASKED THE QUESTION IN YOUR PRESENTATION, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE APPROACH TO TAKE? I THINK PROBABLY A PHASED APPROACH MAKES SENSE WHEN YOU MENTION THAT.
BUT THAT'S, YOU KNOW, MY FIRST BLUSH AS YOU SAY THAT.
SO AGAIN, I WOULD LEAVE IT TO YOUR TEAM TO COME BACK WITH A RECOMMENDATION.
RECOMMENDATION ON HOW WE HOW WE GET THERE AND HOW WE MOVE THINGS FORWARD.
YEAH. BUT TO MOVE THAT ALONG AND, YOU KNOW, JUST FROM A FAIRNESS PERSPECTIVE IN TERMS OF WHY THERE'S, YOU KNOW, ONE, ONE BUILDING ESSENTIALLY RECEIVING ITS OWN TAX RATE, MILL RATE.
AND THEN FINALLY WITH THE VACANT LAND. YEAH. AS COUNCILLOR FEQUET SAID, IT IS PART OF THE WORK PLAN.
BUT, YOU KNOW, AS YOU WERE THE ONE WHO BROUGHT IT UP A FEW WEEKS AGO, LIKE WHETHER LIKE FOR ME, AGAIN, I'M AGNOSTIC. IS THE BEST APPROACH A MILL RATE SOLUTION OR IS IT SORT OF THAT WHITE HORSE SOLUTION WHERE IT'S ABOUT A BYLAW AND ENFORCEMENT? I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE BEST APPROACH IS. I THINK THAT'S WHERE I WOULD KICK IT OVER TO ADMIN TO SAY, WHAT IS THE BEST AVENUE TO TACKLE THE ISSUE, WHICH HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED.
SO THE PROBLEMS IDENTIFIED IS THAT WE HAVE VACANT LAND THAT IS SITTING IN PRIVATE OWNERSHIP THAT RESIDENTS AND COUNCIL ARE FRUSTRATED WITH BECAUSE THAT IT'S JUST SITTING THERE. SO THEN HOW DO WE, YOU KNOW, USE THE STICK BECAUSE WE HAVE ALL THE CARROTS FROM THE DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES, WHICH IS GREAT. BUT THEN HOW DO WE USE THE STICK THAT COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN HAD BROUGHT UP A FEW WEEKS AGO, AND THAT WE ALL SEEM TO GET BEHIND? SO WHAT'S THE BEST TOOL BEHIND THAT? YEAH. AGAIN, I'M AGNOSTIC ON THAT.
I'LL KICK IT OVER TO ROUND TWO IF ANYBODY'S GOT ANY COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN.
YEAH, JUST TO RESPOND. ALSO AGNOSTIC. YEAH. NOT ATTACHED TO ANY PARTICULAR SOLUTION.
[02:05:01]
WHERE THE TEAM SAYS WE DON'T FEEL A VACANT LAND TAX WOULD EFFECTIVELY SPUR DEVELOPMENT IN YELLOWKNIFE, THAT'S IF WE'VE DONE THE RESEARCH. AND WE CAN POINT TO REASONS WHY THAT IS THE CASE, THEN I WOULD ACCEPT THAT.AND IF THAT'S A PERMANENT FEE, THAT'S GREAT. AND IF THAT'S A MILL RATE, THAT'S ALSO GREAT.
WHENEVER LAND GETS DEVELOPED, PEOPLE POINT TO OLD DOWNTOWN.
SO THAT'S. YEAH. NOT I WOULD LOVE TO SPEND A MONTH DOING THE RESEARCH AND PRESENT SOMETHING, BUT UNFORTUNATELY I HAVE A FULL TIME JOB, SO I WOULD LOVE.
YEAH, THAT'S MY APPROACH THERE. THANK YOU FOR THAT.
IT'S NOT UNFORTUNATE THAT YOU HAVE A FULL TIME JOB EITHER. THAT'S A GOOD THING. OKAY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS OR. MR. PANDOO, DO YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ADDRESS BEFORE WE LEAVE HERE TODAY, SO THAT YOU CAN DO YOUR WORK? NOT.
NOT AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU. OKAY. ANY OTHER THING ELSE FROM MY COLLEAGUES, THEN? OKAY, THEN WITH THAT, WE CAN ADJOURN OUR MEETING.
SO CAN I GET A MOTION TO ADJOURN? COUNCILLOR MCGURK.
SECONDED. COUNCILLOR ARDEN-SMITH. EVERYBODY ENJOY YOUR DAY.
THANKS.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.