[25. A presentation from Bruce Laurich regarding the proposed amendments to the Yellowknife Community Plan on behalf of the Tin Can Hill Conservation Committee.]

AND WE HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM BRUCE ELRICH REGARDING THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE YELLOWKNIFE COMMUNITY PLAN ON BEHALF OF TIN CAN HILL.

GO AHEAD. BRUCE. SO, BRUCE, JUST BEFORE YOU START, JUST I'LL GIVE YOU THE SORT OF SPIEL FOR, YOU KNOW, COMMENTS TO COUNCIL A PRESENTATION.

SO YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES. WE CAN EXTEND THAT UP TO TWO MORE MINUTES IF YOU NEED BY A VOTE OF COUNCIL.

SO JUST A FEW POINTS. NO PERSON SHALL SPEAK DISRESPECTFULLY OF THE CROWN.

ANY MEMBER OF COUNCIL, THE PUBLIC OR AN EMPLOYEE OF THE CITY USE OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE, MAKE PERSONAL REMARKS ABOUT ANY MEMBER OF COUNCIL, THE PUBLIC, OR AN EMPLOYEE OF THE CITY. REFLECT UPON THE MOTIVES OF MEMBERS WHO MAY HAVE VOTED FOR A PARTICULAR MOTION.

REFLECT UPON THE MOTIVES OF ADVICE GIVEN TO COUNCIL BY ADMIN, OR REFUSE TO COMPLY WITH THE DECISION OF THE PRESIDING OFFICER REGARDING ANY INTERPRETATION OF COUNCIL'S PROCEDURES BY LAW.

NOT THAT I WOULD EXPECT YOU TO DO ANY OF THOSE THINGS, BRUCE, BUT WITH THAT, I PASS IT OVER TO YOURSELF.

OKAY, PERFECT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO LISTEN TO ME TODAY.

I'M HERE TO DISCUSS THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS THAT THE TIN CAN HILL CONSERVATION COMMITTEE PUT FORWARD TO THE YELLOWKNIFE COMMUNITY PLAN AND IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, THEN HOPEFULLY WE CAN ANSWER THOSE AS WELL AT THE SAME TIME. I'M HOPING YOU ALL HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THE DOCUMENT THAT WAS SENT.

BUT JUST IN CASE, WE'LL GO THROUGH A FEW MAIN POINTS.

FIRST, THE AREA WE'RE DISCUSSING. YOU CAN LOOK AT FIGURE ONE ON PAGE NINE IF YOU HAVE IT IN FRONT OF YOU.

BUT THE AREA WE'RE DISCUSSING SPECIFICALLY COVERS TIN CAN HILL, RAT LAKE, AND THE ADJACENT SHORELINES.

CURRENTLY, TIN CAN HILL IS USED FOR ALL MANNER OF OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES DOG WALKING, MOUNTAIN BIKING, BIRD WATCHING, GEOCACHING, EVEN OUTDOOR EDUCATION FOR STUDENTS.

MANY GROUPS USE THIS AREA IN HARMONY, AND OUR GOAL IS NOT TO CHANGE THAT.

WE WANT TO KEEP IT OPEN TO ALL THESE GROUPS. THE COMMITTEE ALSO CONDUCTED SURVEYS AND FOUND THAT HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE USE THIS SITE DAILY,

[00:10:07]

AND THAT IS ESPECIALLY POPULAR ON WEEKENDS. ALSO, I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT WE HAVE A PETITION SIGNED BY OVER 1000 PEOPLE, WHICH IS OVER 5% OF ALL ADULTS IN YELLOWKNIFE, SAYING THEY WANT TO PROTECT TIN CAN HILL .

SO THERE IS A LOT OF SUPPORT FOR THIS AREA. I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE AS WELL ARE FROM THIS, THIS COMMITTEE. SO IN THE CITY'S SMART GROWTH DEVELOPMENT PLAN FROM 2010, THE CITY STATES MANY TIMES HOW IMPORTANT THE AREA IS AS AN UNDEVELOPED NATURE AREA. BUT THIS IS CURRENTLY NOT REFLECTED IN ZONING AND PLANNING OBJECTIVES.

CURRENTLY, THE AREA IS SPLIT ACROSS MULTIPLE PLANNING ZONES IN THE CITY PLAN.

THIS MAKES IT HARDER TO MANAGE. THE AREA IS ALSO FLAGGED AS BEING PRESERVED UNTIL SPACE IS NEEDED FOR DEVELOPMENT.

SO THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS THAT WE HAVE ARE. FIRST, CREATE THE TIN CAN HILL RAT LAKE REGIONAL PARK.

THIS WOULD CREATE ONE UNIFIED ZONE COVERING THE ENTIRE AREA.

AGAIN, FIGURE ONE ON PAGE NINE THAT LABELS THE AREA AS PROTECTED AND AS UNDEVELOPED NATURAL PARKLAND THAT REQUIRES LITTLE OR NO INFRASTRUCTURE.

TWO. THE CREATION OF CLEAR AND STRONG POLICY OBJECTIVES.

LAYING OUT THE GOALS FOR THAT AREA. THOSE WOULD INCLUDE THINGS LIKE UNDEVELOPED TO PROVIDE OUTDOOR RECREATION SPACE AND OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPERIENCE UNDIMINISHED NATURE.

PROVIDE OUTDOOR RECREATION TO PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS TO RESIDENTS, PROMOTE ECOLOGICAL HEALTH OF THE AREA, AND PROHIBIT DEVELOPMENT EXCEPT THOSE REQUIRED TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT.

THOSE WOULD BE THINGS LIKE BOARDWALKS, AS THIS AREA GETS USED A LOT THAT MAY BE NEEDED TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT OR TO ENHANCE THE APPEARANCE, THE EXPERIENCE. AND THAT WOULD BE THINGS LIKE SIGNS.

WE ARE AWARE THAT THIS MAY BE ASPIRATIONAL, BUT THERE ARE OTHER SECTIONS OF THE PLANS THAT CONTAIN ASPIRATIONAL DESIGNATIONS AND POLICIES.

SO THIS WOULD FOLLOW THOSE EXAMPLES. ONE OF OUR ASPIRATIONAL GOALS FOR THE AREA IS THAT THIS WHOLE AREA WOULD BECOME A PARK UNDER TERRITORIAL LEGISLATION.

THIS IS A LONG TERM GOAL AND MANY THINGS NEED TO HAPPEN ALONG THE WAY TO GET THERE, BUT WE ARE HOPING THAT WE CAN PROVIDE AS MUCH PROTECTION TO THIS AREA AS POSSIBLE ALONG THE WAY. WE ALSO BELIEVE THAT THE DEMAND FOR HOUSING IN YELLOWKNIFE MAY NOT BE INCREASING IN THE SAME WAY MOVING FORWARD.

FIRST, IN 2019, THE POPULATION WAS JUST OVER 21,000.

2021 ESTIMATES HAVE IT DOWN ABOUT 20,000, AND IN 2025, DEPENDING ON THE ESTIMATE, YOU SEE A LOT OF THEM VARY BETWEEN 20,000 AND 21,000.

SOME A BIT BELOW, SOME A BIT BEHIND, A BIT ABOVE, BUT ROUGHLY THERE.

THIS SHOWS THAT THE POPULATION IS EITHER SEEMINGLY STAGNANT OR SLOWLY DECREASING IN THE LAST SIX YEARS, DEPENDING ON WHICH NUMBERS YOU USE. THERE HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANT HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS IN THE PAST IN PLACES LIKE NIVEN, GRACE LAKE, AND ALSO RECENTLY EVEN AT THE BASE OF TIN CAN HILL .

HOUSING AVAILABILITY HAS INCREASED, BUT POPULATION DOESN'T SEEM TO BE INCREASING AS MUCH.

THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT THE URBAN SYSTEMS. 2024 PROJECTION OF A JUST UNDER 10% POPULATION INCREASE IN THE CITY BY 2035.

MAY NOT COME TO PASS. THIS IS OUR OPINION, BUT MANY OF THESE FACTORS.

THERE ARE MANY FACTORS INFLUENCING THAT. WE HAVE MINES CLOSING.

WE HAVE DECREASING IMMIGRATION LEVELS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.

THERE'S ECONOMIC STAGNATION FROM US TARIFFS. AND WE'RE ALSO SEEING NEWS THAT CANADA MAY BE HEADED TO A RECESSION, ALL WHICH MAY LEAD TO LESS GROWTH IN THE NORTH.

WE ARE AWARE, THOUGH, THAT THERE IS A NEED FOR SPECIFIC HOUSING, SUCH AS LOW INCOME HOUSING IN THE CITY, AND WE DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT WE SUPPORT THE CITY IN DEVELOPING THE NUMEROUS VACANT OR UNDERUSED LOTS HELD BY PRIVATE INTERESTS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED IN THE PLAN CURRENTLY.

ALSO, WE ARE AWARE THAT OTHER PARCELS OF LAND ARE IDENTIFIED IN THE PLAN FOR HOUSING IF OWNERSHIP IS TRANSFERRED FROM NWT TO THE CITY, AND WE ARE HOPING THAT COUNCIL AND NWT CAN WORK TOGETHER TO TRANSFER THAT OWNERSHIP SO THAT TIN CAN HILL IS NOT FORCED TO BE DEVELOPED SIMPLY BECAUSE IT IS THE ONLY OPTION AVAILABLE. I'M ABOUT TO HIT FIVE MINUTES AND I HAVE A FEW COMMENTS LEFT.

SHOULD I JUST STOP HERE? YOU'RE NOT THERE YET.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. A FEW OTHER THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO FINISH WITH QUICKLY.

DEVELOPMENT CAN'T BE UNDONE, AND THIS IS ONE OF THE ONLY SIGNIFICANT UNDEVELOPED NATURAL SPACES AVAILABLE TO RESIDENTS ON THAT SIDE OF THE CITY.

LASTLY, TIN CAN HILL HAS BEEN PERVERSE. NOW YOU HAVE HAD YOUR FIVE COUNCILLOR MCGURK FIRST AND COUNCILLOR COCHRANE SECOND.

CONTINUE FOR TWO MORE MINUTES. GREAT. I'LL SEE IF I HIT 30S.

TIN CAN HILL HAS BEEN PROPOSED FOR DEVELOPMENT MANY TIMES SINCE THE 1980S.

EACH TIME IT HAS NOT HAPPENED, AND EACH TIME THERE HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANT AND OVERWHELMING SUPPORT FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN OPPOSED TO THE IDEA OF DEVELOPING THE HILL.

YET EACH TIME WE HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHETHER WE SHOULD DEVELOP IT, WHETHER IT SHOULD BE REZONED, AND THE ARGUMENTS THAT COME FROM BOTH SIDES EVERY TIME.

I THINK THIS CAN BE SEEN AGAIN IN THE RECENT DISCUSSIONS AROUND DEVELOPING IT AS A UNIVERSITY,

[00:15:03]

WHICH WHEN IT CAME OUT THAT IT WAS UP FOR DEBATE, THERE WAS A LOT OF STRONG SUPPORT FOR KEEPING THE AREA GREEN.

I THINK IT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY AND THE RESIDENTS TO KEEP TIN CAN HILL AS A NATURAL SPACE, AND PROVIDED THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF PROTECTION POSSIBLE.

THIS IS DEMONSTRATED AGAIN AND AGAIN BY THE PEOPLE WHO USE IT, BY THE SUPPORT IT GETS EVERY TIME IT IS UP FOR DEVELOPMENT OR REZONING AND I THINK IT'S EVIDENCED BY THE PEOPLE THAT WILL COME OUT TO A COUNCIL MEETING ON A MONDAY EVENING IN THEIR FREE TIME TO SUPPORT PROTECTING THIS AREA.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, BRUCE.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR MY COLLEAGUES? OH, THERE YOU GO.

COUNCILLOR FEQUET. THANKS, MR. CHAIR. THANKS, BRUCE, FOR THE PRESENTATION AND THANKS FOR EVERYBODY WHO DID TAKE TIME TO COME OUT ON A MONDAY NIGHT TO HEAR THIS. I WAS JUST CURIOUS ABOUT THE COUNTS YOU GUYS DID.

ARE YOU GUYS PLANNING ON DOING MORE ACCOUNTS THIS YEAR AGAIN OR NEXT YEAR, JUST TO KEEP UP THE DATA FOR THE USE OF THE AREA.

SO THE COUNTS WE DID WERE PEOPLE SITTING AT THE ENTRANCES TO THE PARK WITH A CLIPBOARD, BASICALLY SIGNING UP PEOPLE AND THEN CHECKING AFTERWARDS TO MAKE SURE WE DIDN'T DOUBLE COUNT PEOPLE AS THEY LEFT, OR IF THEY CAME IN FROM A DIFFERENT SPOT, CAME BACK DOWN AND WENT BACK UP. SO ALL THAT TO SAY, IT TOOK SOME SERIOUS INVOLVEMENT FROM OUR VOLUNTEERS WHO SAT THERE.

I MEAN, IT'S A NICE PLACE TO SIT, BUT THEY STILL SAT THERE FOR HOURS OF THEIR TIME ON THE WEEKENDS OR AFTER WORK.

SO WE HAVEN'T DISCUSSED THAT CONCRETELY, WHETHER WE HAVE MORE COMING UP OR NOT.

WE HAVE ALSO BEEN DISCUSSING WHETHER THERE'S A WAY TO RECORD PEOPLE USING CAMERAS WITHOUT INVADING THEIR PRIVACY.

AND WE HAVEN'T COME UP WITH A GOOD WAY TO DO THAT YET EITHER.

SO CURRENTLY THERE ARE NO PLANS YET, BUT WE'RE NOT OPPOSED TO IT, AND WE HAVEN'T RULED IT OUT AS A COMMITTEE YET.

COUNCILOR FEQUET. THANKS, MR. CHAIR. THANKS, BRUCE.

THANKS FOR THAT. I YEAH, I GUESS MY PIECE OF ADVICE WOULD JUST BE I'M PERSONALLY NOT WORRIED THAT [INAUDIBLE] IS GOING TO MAGICALLY COME UP WITH MONEY FOR THE POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY ANYTIME SOON. AND OBVIOUSLY THE MOU EXPIRED EARLIER THIS YEAR BETWEEN THE CITY AND SO I THINK WE HAVE A BIT OF TIME AND I THINK ANY DATA WE CAN COLLECT ON THE USE OF THAT AREA WOULD BE REALLY IMPORTANT TO ANY FUTURE CONVERSATIONS.

AND OF COURSE, THE ONGOING OR UPCOMING COMMUNITY PLAN AMENDMENT PROCESS THAT THE CITY IS GOING THROUGH.

SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR DOING ALL THIS WORK AND TAKING THIS TIME AND KIND OF CONTRIBUTING TO, THAT PROCESS. YEAH, BY ALL MEANS. BRUCE. GREAT.

YEAH, THANKS FOR THAT. WE WILL CONSIDER THAT FOR SURE.

I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THAT. I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE 45 YEARS OF DATA OF SUPPORT FROM THE CITY TO NOT DEVELOP THAT AREA.

SO I DO HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT I DO ALSO FEEL LIKE TIME AND AGAIN, THERE IS SUPPORT EVIDENCED THROUGH GRASSROOT MOVEMENTS TO KEEP THIS AREA PROTECTED. WHICH IS WHY WE'RE HOPING THAT WE CAN MAKE THIS A TERRITORIAL PARK.

SO IT'S IN LEGISLATION AND IT CAN'T JUST BE REZONED WHEN WE HAVE A NEW ELECTION, NEW COUNCIL, THINGS LIKE THAT. YEAH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COUNCILLOR FEQUET? NOPE. ANYTHING ELSE? COUNCILLOR COCHRANE.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, BRUCE. AND THANK YOU FOR ALL WHO ARE PARTICIPATING TODAY. I LOVE SEEING CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND I HOPE YOU COME UP FOR BUDGET AS WELL. THE ONE THING I WILL ASK, AND I HOPE THAT YOU CAN ELABORATE UPON, IS YOUR LOBBYING EFFORTS TO TURN INTO A TERRITORIAL PARK FOR, AS YOU JUST EVEN MENTIONED HERE, A FUTURE COUNCIL CAN CHANGE THIS ON A WHIM. EVEN QUOTING GORDON VAN TIEGHEM IN YOUR PRESENTATION THERE ALSO SAID THE EXACT SAME THING WHEN THEY TURNED IT RECREATION.

SO I JUST WANT TO HEAR MORE ABOUT YOUR LOBBYING EFFORTS FOR IT TO BE A PARK AND HOPEFULLY SOME LOBBYING EFFORTS TO GET US SOME LAND AS WELL.

GO AHEAD BRUCE. SO WE JUST TO BE CLEAR, WE'RE FOCUSING ON TIN CAN HILL AS A PRIORITY.

WE'RE NOT TRYING TO PUSH DEVELOPMENT OFF ONTO OTHER AREAS.

I CAN TELL YOU PERSONALLY THAT, LIKE WHEN IT COMES TO TALK ABOUT DEVELOPING GREEN SPACE, BUT THEN YOU DRIVE BY EMPTY LOTS THAT HAVE BEEN EMPTY FOR THE WHOLE TIME I'VE LIVED IN YELLOWKNIFE. THAT TO ME CAN BE FRUSTRATING, BUT THAT'S MY PERSONAL THING, NOT SOMETHING THE COMMITTEE IS PUSHING FOR.

IN TERMS OF LOBBYING FOR IT TO BE A TERRITORIAL PARK.

WE ARE IN CONVERSATIONS WITH CERTAIN MLA'S. WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH KATE REID.

SHE WAS HOPING TO ACTUALLY COME OUT TONIGHT, BUT I DON'T THINK SHE WAS ABLE TO IN THE END.

SO WE ARE IN CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM, BUT AS THIS IS CURRENTLY UNDER CITY, WE ARE WORKING AT THE CITY LEVEL AS WELL AS WORKING AT THE TERRITORIAL LEVEL AND WE KNOW THAT IF THIS IS GOING TO BECOME A TERRITORIAL PARK.

[00:20:01]

THEN THE CITY AND ARE GOING TO HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER TO TRANSFER THE LAND AND ALL THAT, AND THEN GET IT PROTECTED THAT WAY.

AND I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THAT, AND I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT EMILY REED HAS DONE ON THIS.

I SAW HER IN THE HOUSE THE OTHER DAY ON THESE QUESTIONS WITH THE MINISTER.

THE ONE THING OF COURSE, I WOULD ADVISE IS ALSO HAVING A DIRECT SIT DOWN WITH THE MINISTER FOR THE MINISTER EVEN SAID THAT WE HAVE ALL THE TOOLS TO DO THIS, BUT IN REALITY TO BECOME A TERRITORIAL PARK. THAT STARTS WITH CAPTAIN.

THANK YOU AGAIN, BRUCE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

COUNCILLOR COCHRANE. ANYTHING ELSE? NO, I MEAN, BRUCE, I THINK IT'S OBVIOUS WHERE I STAND ON THIS.

TALK TO YOUR COMMITTEE ENOUGH TIMES. SO I GUESS I'LL TEE UP A QUESTION.

ARE YOU PLANNING ON ENGAGING IN ALL OF THE COMMUNITY PLAN SESSIONS? ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS THAT WILL BE HAPPENING AS I SEE SOME OF YOUR COMMITTEE COLLEAGUES NODDING VIGOROUSLY BEHIND YOU? YEAH. WE'VE PUT OUT A CALL TO VOLUNTEERS ON OUR LIST AS WELL TO TRY AND GET THEM TO COME OUT.

I DON'T HAVE ALL THE DATES OF THOSE IN MY HEAD IF THEY'RE EVEN ALL CURRENTLY SCHEDULED.

BUT YEAH, WE'VE TRYING TO GET PEOPLE OUT TO SHOW THAT SUPPORT AND TO REALLY SHOW THAT IT'S NOT JUST A FEW PEOPLE MAKING A BIG RACKET, BUT THERE'S ACTUALLY A LOT OF PEOPLE BEHIND US THAT WANT THESE THINGS AND ARE WILLING TO PUT THEIR TIME IN TO STAND UP FOR THAT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ONE LAST CHANCE. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? NO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, BRUCE. APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU. YOU KNOW, AND SO WITH THAT WE HAVE NEXT UP ADMINISTRATIVE INQUIRIES. THERE WERE NO ADMINISTRATIVE INQUIRIES FOR THE AGENDA.

ARE THERE ANY FROM THE FLOOR? NO. WITH THAT WE COME TO THE END OF OUR MEETING.

CAN I GET A MOTION TO ADJOURN? COUNCILLOR COCHRANE, SECONDED BY COUNCILOR ARDEN-SMITH.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AND WE'RE DONE. HAVE A GOOD NIGHT, EVERYBODY.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.

1. Councillor McLennan will read the Opening Statement.

25. A presentation from Bruce Laurich regarding the proposed amendments to the Yellowknife Community Plan on behalf of the Tin Can Hill Conservation Committee.

May 26, 2025 Council Meetings

1. Councillor McLennan will read the Opening Statement.

25. A presentation from Bruce Laurich regarding the proposed amendments to the Yellowknife Community Plan on behalf of the Tin Can Hill Conservation Committee.

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