Sep 08, 2025 Council Meetings

[1. Councillor Fequet will read the Opening Statement. ]

[00:00:04]

AND I WILL CALL OUR REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING FOR MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8TH, 2025 TO ORDER.

AND I WILL ASK COUNCILLOR FEQUET TO READ THE OPENING STATEMENT.

THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE ACKNOWLEDGES THAT WE ARE LOCATED IN CHIEF DRYGEESE TERRITORY.

FROM TIME IMMEMORIAL, IT HAS BEEN THE TRADITIONAL LAND OF THE YELLOWKNIVES DENE FIRST NATION.

WE RESPECT THE HISTORIES, LANGUAGES AND CULTURES OF ALL OTHER INDIGENOUS PEOPLES, INCLUDING THE NORTH SLAVE MÉTIS AND ALL FIRST NATIONS, MÉTIS AND INUIT WHOSE PRESENCE CONTINUES TO ENRICH OUR VIBRANT COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCILLOR FEQUET. NEXT, WE HAVE AWARD CEREMONIES AND PRESENTATIONS.

THERE WERE NO AWARD CEREMONIES OR PRESENTATIONS FOR THE AGENDA.

NEXT, WE HAVE ADOPTION OF MINUTES FROM PREVIOUS MEETINGS.

[Items 3 & 4]

PRESENTED FOR ADOPTION COUNCILLOR FEQUET. I MOVE THE MINUTES OF COUNCIL FOR THE REGULAR MEETING OF MONDAY, AUGUST 25TH, 2025 BE PRESENTED FOR ADOPTION. ANY QUESTIONS OR ERRORS OR OMISSIONS? NO. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? SORRY, CITY CLERK'S ON ME. SECONDER? I GOT IT ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? THANK YOU. AND THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.

NEXT WE HAVE DISCLOSURE OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST IN THE GENERAL NATURE THEREOF.

DOES ANY MEMBER HAVE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST IN ANY MATTER BEFORE COUNCIL TODAY? SEEING NONE. CORRESPONDENCE AND PETITIONS. THERE WAS NO CORRESPONDENCE NOR PETITIONS FOR THE AGENDA.

ARE THERE ANY PETITIONS? STATUTORY PUBLIC HEARINGS.

THERE WERE NO STATUTORY PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR THE AGENDA.

DELEGATIONS PERTAINING TO ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.

THERE WERE NO DELEGATIONS. MEMBER STATEMENTS.

[10. Are there any Member statements from the floor? ]

JUST A QUICK, BIG THANK YOU TO THE TEAM WHO WAS AT THE AQUATIC CENTER FOR THE GRAND OPENING BASH.

I'VE HEARD LOTS OF GOOD FEEDBACK ONLINE AND IN PERSON, SO JUST WANTED TO GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.

THANKS FOR EVERYBODY'S HARD WORK ON THAT [APPLAUSE]. THANK YOU FOR THAT, COUNCILLOR FEQUET.

IT'S ALWAYS NICE TO HAVE A GOOD NEWS MEMBER STATEMENT THERE. [LAUGHTER] INTRODUCTION AND CONSIDERATION OF COMMITTEE REPORTS.

[Items 11 - 13]

PAUL GUY, A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER, PURSUANT TO AUDIT COMMITTEE BY-LAW NO.

4127 TO SERVE ON THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE AUDIT COMMITTEE FOR A THREE-YEAR TERM COMMENCING SEPTEMBER 9TH, 2025 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 8TH, 2028. ANYTHING FROM ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES? SECONDER? COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN ANYTHING FROM COLLEAGUE? NOTHING. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AND THAT CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.

COUNCILLOR FEQUET. I MOVE THAT COUNCIL, APPOINT TONY BRUSHETT, A REPRESENTATIVE FROM A NON-GOVERNMENT HEALTH ORGANIZATION, INCLUDING HOSPITALS OR OTHER INSTITUTIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS FOCUSED ON MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION, TO SERVE ON THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD ON HOMELESSNESS, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS CAB. COMMENCING SEPTEMBER 9TH, 2025 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 8TH, 2027.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CAN I GET A SECONDER? COUNCILLOR FOOTE.

ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AND THAT CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.

[Items 14 & 15]

THANK YOU. SECONDER? COUNCILLOR MCGURK. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COLLEAGUES? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. AND THAT CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.

NEXT WE HAVE ENACTMENT OF BY-LAWS. BY-LAW NO.

[Items 15 - 18]

FOR SUITE 802, 4920-52ND STREET, LEGALLY DESCRIBED AS LOT 25, BLOCK 26, PLAN 1389 PRECAMBRIAN BUILDING PRESENTED FOR FIRST AND SECOND READING. COUNCILLOR FEQUET. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I MOVE FIRST READING OF BY-LAW NO. 5114.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SECONDER? COUNCILLOR MCGURK.

ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? THAT'S UNANIMOUS.

COUNCILLOR FEQUET. I MOVE SECOND READING OF BY-LAW NO.

5114. SECONDER? COUNCIL MCLENNAN. IN ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AND THAT IS AGAIN UNANIMOUS.

COUNCILLOR FEQUET. NEXT WE HAVE BY-LAW NO. 5115, A BY-LAW TO AMEND ZONING BY-LAW NO.

[Items 19 & 20]

[00:05:04]

I MOVE FIRST READING OF BY-LAW NO. 5115. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

CAN I GET A SECONDER? COUNCIL MCGURK. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? NO. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AND FIRST READING CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.

NEXT WE HAVE BY-LAW NO. 5116. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE A MOTION.

[Items 21 & 22]

SO IF YOU TAKE OVER THE CHAIR. COUNCILLOR FEQUET. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, COUNCILLOR HENDRICKSEN [LAUGHTER]. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO I WOULD LIKE TO TABLE A MOTION THE MOTION BEING THAT. I'M JUST MAKING SURE I PULL UP THE WORDING HERE.

A MOTION TO TABLE FIRST READING OF BY-LAW NO.

5116 UNTIL OUR NEXT REGULAR MEETING OF COUNCIL.

SO THAT'S THE MOTION IS TO TABLE THIS FIRST READING UNTIL OUR NEXT REGULAR MEETING OF COUNCIL.

DO I HAVE A SECONDER? OKAY COUNCIL MCGURK AND COUNCILLOR HENDERSON, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE MOTION? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO MY LOGIC HERE FOR TABLING THIS FIRST READING AS WE KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS THIS AFTERNOON, THIS THIS POTENTIAL BY-LAW AMENDMENT. SO MY LOGIC BEING WE HAVE SIX OF US HERE TODAY.

ONE OF OUR COLLEAGUES WHO WASN'T HERE EARLIER TODAY COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN.

SO HE WASN'T ABLE TO ASK QUESTIONS THAT I KNOW HE STILL WANTS TO PROPOSE TO ADMIN [LAUGHTER] IN WRITING.

I HAVE THREE OTHER COLLEAGUES WHO AREN'T HERE RIGHT NOW WHICH I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY SIT ON THIS ISSUE.

AND THIS IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR MY COLLEAGUES AND THE COMMUNITY.

SO THOUGH I EXPRESSED MY VIEWS THIS AFTERNOON, I DON'T THINK IT'S RIGHT THAT WHEN I KNOW THAT OUR NEXT MEETING, ALL NINE OF US ARE MEANT TO BE HERE, WHEREAS TODAY, THERE'S ONLY SIX OF US.

I THINK FROM A DEMOCRATIC POINT OF VIEW THAT I DO TABLE THIS MOTION.

YOU KNOW, ONE OF THOSE THINGS SUCKS TO BE A GOOD LEADER SOMETIMES, BUT I KNOW IT'S NOT NORMAL POLITICAL PRACTICE.

BUT SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO, FROM A DEMOCRATIC POINT OF VIEW, MOVE THIS FORWARD.

SO THAT'S MY LOGIC FOR PUTTING THIS FORWARD, IS TO ALLOW THE DEMOCRATIC VIEW OF MY COLLEAGUES TO ALL BE HERE FOR THIS VOTE, WHICH I EXPECT WILL BE THE CASE ON THE NEXT MEETING ON SEPTEMBER 22ND.

THANK YOU MAYOR HENDRICKSEN. ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON THE PROPOSED MOTION TO TABLE FIRST READING OF BY-LAW NO.

5116? COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN AND THEN I HAVE COUNCILLOR MCGURK.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'M IN SUPPORT OF TABLING THE MOTION.

DUE TO MY FULL-TIME JOB, I WAS UNABLE TO BE PRESENT FOR THE DISCUSSION TODAY AND ASK MY QUESTIONS.

MY VOTE ON THE MATTER DEPENDS ON THE ANSWERS TO THOSE QUESTIONS. WELL, PROCEDURE MEANS THAT I CANNOT ASK THEM RIGHT NOW.

I'VE ASKED THEM IN WRITING TO ADMIN, AND DELAYING THIS A COUPLE OF WEEKS ALLOWS ADMIN TO PASS ALONG THE ANSWERS TO THOSE QUESTIONS.

WHICH WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED IN MY DECISION MAKING.

I JUST WANT TO ALSO SUPPORT OR ECHO SUPPORT FOR THE TABLING OF THE MOTION.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. ALSO SUPPORT TABLING THE MOTION.

MY MIND IS SET ON THE MATTER, BUT I WANT TO LET MY COLLEAGUES WEIGH IN THANK YOU.

OKAY JUST CHECKING IN WITH OUR COLLEAGUE ONLINE. I'M HEARING GENERAL SUPPORT FOR SUPPORT FOR TABLING THE MOTION.

SO I WILL CALL THE QUESTION. ALL IN FAVOR OF TABLING THE MOTION AT THIS TIME? OKAY THAT WAS UNANIMOUS. THANK YOU EVERYBODY I'LL TURN THE CHAIR BACK TO MAYOR HENDRICKSEN.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH ALL. NEXT, WE HAVE DEFERRED BUSINESS AND TABLED ITEMS. THERE WERE NO DEFERRED BUSINESS, AND THERE WERE NO TABLED ITEMS FOR THE AGENDA.

ARE THERE ANY DEFERRED BUSINESS OR ARE THERE ANY TABLED ITEMS FROM THE FLOOR? SEEING NONE.

NEXT, WE HAVE OLD BUSINESS. THERE WAS NO OLD BUSINESS FOR THE AGENDA.

IS THERE ANY OLD BUSINESS FROM THE FLOOR? SEEING NONE.

NOTICES OF MOTION. THERE WERE NO NOTICES OF MOTION FOR THE AGENDA.

ARE THERE ANY NOTICES OF MOTION FROM THE FLOOR? SEEING NONE. NEXT, WE HAVE DELEGATIONS PERTAINING TO ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA.

[29. A presentation from Nancy Vail regarding a new dog park. ]

NANCY YOU'RE WELCOME.

THANK YOU MEETING TO [LAUGHTER] GET ME ON, WHEN I GOT STUCK IN A RIVER WITH A BROKEN VEHICLE, AND WE TRIED FOR,

[00:10:04]

IF YOU HIT YOUR FIVE MINUTES, I'LL LET YOU KNOW. AND THEN WE CAN ALWAYS EXTEND FOR ANOTHER TWO MINUTES. BUT I JUST KIND OF WANT YOU TO LET YOU KNOW. YEAH. GO AHEAD. SO I AM HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE DOG PARK AGAIN. AND IT IS A SECOND OR THIRD TIME I'VE DONE THAT.

IT'S DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES THIS TIME BECAUSE THEY HAVE ATTEMPTED TO MAKE SOME REMEDIATION OVER THERE AND DO SOME UPGRADES, AND THINGS HAVE JUST STAYED LEVEL AT THAT. THIS IS NOT WORKING POINT.

SO AND IF I'M KIND OF PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS, IT'S BECAUSE THIS IS A BIG STRESSOR FOR THE PEOPLE THAT USE THAT DOG PARK A LOT.

AND I DON'T THINK WE REALIZED WHAT WE WERE DEALING WITH UNTIL WE WENT OUT ON EVACUATION.

AND THEN WE GOT TO GO TO HIGH LEVEL, OUR FIRST STOP, AND IT WAS HEAVEN.

WE WERE IN HEAVEN BECAUSE THEY HAVE THIS BEAUTIFUL PARK THERE.

AND THEN I WENT ON TO FOX CREEK AND IT WAS IT WAS AGAIN, IT WAS JUST A WONDERFUL SITUATION.

LAST SUMMER I DID A LOT OF WORK IN SIMPSON AND FORT SMITH, AND I GOT TO USE THOSE FACILITIES AND AGAIN, LIKE THEY PUT WHAT WE HAVE IN YELLOWKNIFE, I'M REALLY SORRY TO SAY IT, BUT THEY PUT IT TO SHAME WHAT WE HAVE.

SO IF YOU'RE A DOG OWNER AND YOU'RE RELIANT ON THOSE FACILITIES, WHICH SOME OF US ARE.

IT IS A IT IS A BIG DEAL. I HAVE A DOG THAT IS SO FRIGHTENED THAT I CAN'T EVEN GET HER OUT OF THE CAR UNLESS I GO TO THE DOG PARK.

THAT'S HER HOME. SO, AND THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT THE DOGS, THIS IS ALSO ABOUT THE OWNERS, BECAUSE WE GO THROUGH A LOT OF ANXIETY JUST TO GET OUR ANIMALS THERE, TO GET THEM THE EXERCISE THEY NEED AND GO HOME.

I DON'T THINK IT'S A BIG ASK. YOU KNOW? I KNOW THAT THIS YEAR THEY WERE KIND ENOUGH TO PUT $40,000 OR $50,000 OR WHATEVER IT IS INTO THAT PARK.

THEY PUT ALL THAT GRAVEL IN IT, AND WHEN IT OPENED IN AUGUST, IT WAS THE GRAVEL, AND THE SAND WAS JUST LIKE A HEAT ABSORBER.

YOU COULD NOT STAY IN THAT PARK FOR LONGER THAN FIVE MINUTES BECAUSE IT BURNED THE PAWS.

IT BURNED US. AND THEN THEY CUT BACK ALL THE TREES SO THERE WAS NO SHADE FOR US.

WE HAVE NOWHERE TO GO IN THE WINTER WHEN IT'S 40 BELOW THEY BECAUSE THERE IS NO SHELTER IN THERE.

WE STAND THERE WHILE THE DOGS GET THERE, A FEW MINUTES OF EXERCISE AND WE FREEZE BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING.

THERE'S NOTHING FOR US. SO IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT HOW WE'RE TREATING THE ANIMALS.

IT'S ALSO HOW ABOUT WE'RE TREATING THE THE DOG PARK USERS.

NOW, ON THE WAY DOWN TO THE DOG PARK, THEY USED TO LET US PARK BESIDE THE PARK.

THEY TOOK THAT AWAY BY BRINGING IN A FORKLIFT, MOVING THE TRASH CAN UP TOP.

AND THEN THEY HAD TWO CONCRETE BARRIERS THEY PUT ON EITHER SIDE WITH A CHAIN LINK FENCE, BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WANT US DRIVING DOWN THAT EMERGENCY VEHICLE ROAD.

I GUESS I KIND OF GET THAT EVEN THOUGH I'VE NEVER SEEN SEEN THAT.

BUT WE DROVE DOWN TO KEEP OURSELVES AND THE ANIMALS SAFE.

WE COULD PARK RIGHT BESIDE THE PARK, GET THE ANIMALS IN.

IF SOMETHING WAS HAPPENING THAT WASN'T WORKING, WE COULD GET THEM OUT IN A HURRY.

THIS HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH BEING LAZY AT THE SAME TIME THAT THEY DID THIS.

WE'D BEEN AFTER THEM FOR MONTHS TO PUT ON A $10 FIX TO KEEP THE GATES SHUT, AND THEY COULDN'T DO THAT.

THEY COULD BRING IN A FORKLIFT, THEY COULD DO ALL THIS OTHER WORK, BUT THEY COULDN'T FIX THE FENCE, WHICH, YOU KNOW, THEY THEY'VE DONE THAT NOW. SO I'M VERY GRATEFUL.

SO WE WAITED WITH GREAT ANTICIPATION FOR THIS UPGRADE TO THE FACILITY, THINKING THAT WE CAN FINALLY GO AND HAVE A BIT MORE EASE.

AND THE ONLY THING THEY DID, WHAT THEY DID WAS TO BRING IN THIS GRAVEL BLANKETED.

I'M SURE THERE'S A REASON FOR THAT, BUT I WAS TALKING TO THIS GUY THAT SAID I WOULD NEVER TAKE MY DOGS IN THERE ANYMORE BECAUSE FOR ONE THING, THE GRAVEL IS QUESTIONABLE. QUESTIONABLE WHERE IT CAME FROM.

IS IT SOMETHING THAT THEY WERE GOING TO USE SOMEWHERE ELSE? IT'S BEEN TREATED, THEY BROUGHT IT THERE AND YOU CAN SEE THAT IT'S KILLING THE TREES.

IF IT'S KILLING THE TREES, WHAT'S IT WHAT'S IT DOING TO THE ANIMALS? AND NOW, WITH THIS LITTLE BLACKFLY ISSUE THAT WE'VE GOTTEN, YOU KNOW, THAT WE HAVE HAPPENING HERE, I WAS GOING TO INVITE ANY OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO GO SIT DOWN THERE WITH ME FOR 5 OR 10 MINUTES.

I WOULDN'T ASK YOU TO SIT THERE FOR 10, BECAUSE IT'S NOT POSSIBLE.

NOW THAT WE'RE GETTING A FREEZE, IT MAY GET BETTER, BUT WE WERE SWARMED BECAUSE IT'S THE PERFECT ENVIRONMENT FOR THIS.

THE SWARMING. SO I'M NOT SURE. FOR ME, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE DOING THIS.

IT'S JUST NOTICE, OR I JUST HAVE TO HIT YOUR FIVE MINUTES.

SO JUST. CAN I GET A MOTION IF TO EXTEND BY TWO MINUTES? COUNCILLOR FEQUET. SECONDER? COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN. OH THANK YOU.

SO OH, NO. I PROBABLY LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT.

LIKE IT'S NOT. HONESTLY, IT'S NOT JUST TO THE ANIMALS.

WE GET ANIMALS FOR OUR WELL-BEING AS WELL. AND MANY OF THESE DOGS ARE RESCUES.

[00:15:01]

A LOT OF THE PEOPLE THAT GO THERE REGULARLY ARE ALSO TRYING TO HELP THE SPCA.

SO THIS, YOU KNOW, TO SAY THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE GRATEFUL FOR THE $40,000 OR WHATEVER, I AM GRATEFUL, BUT IT'S ALSO SITTING BEHIND LIKE, HOW MANY MILLIONS WAS THAT SWIMMING POOL? I'M JUST ASKING. AND WE CAN'T. WE HAD TO FIGHT TOOTH AND NAIL FOR ANY UPGRADES AT ALL TO THAT DOG PARK.

SO IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE FOR OUR MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING, BUT IT'S NOT.

IT'S CAUSING A LOT OF US A LOT OF ANXIETY. I'M JUST ABOUT IN TEARS MANY TIMES AS I WALK DOWN THERE BECAUSE TRYING TO GET THOSE DOGS THERE SAFELY AROUND THOSE BLIND SPOTS, IT'S LIKE IT'S ALWAYS A SURPRISE. SO I AM ASKING FOR A SECOND DOG PARK SOMEWHERE IN THIS CITY.

WHEN I GOT BACK AFTER A LITTLE INCIDENT LAST WEEK, I PULLED UP TO THE TO THE WHERE I HAVE TO PARK AND SURE ENOUGH, THERE WERE TWO TRUCKS FROM ALBERTA THERE. AND IT'S LIKE I'M THINKING, OH NO, NOW WHAT? AND I WALKED DOWN THERE AND YEAH, THEY HAD THESE GREAT BIG DOGS IN THE PARK, SO I COULDN'T GO IN.

I COULDN'T EVEN GO INTO OUR OWN PARK. AND THAT WAS THE ONLY OPTION THAT WE HAVE.

SO THIS MIGHT NOT BE A BIG DEAL TO YOU IF YOU'RE NOT A DOG OWNER.

IT'S A BIG DEAL TO US WHEN WE ARE BECAUSE WE CARE A LOT ABOUT OUR ANIMALS.

WE GO THROUGH A LOT OF STRESSES TO KEEP THESE GUYS HEALTHY.

SO I AM ASKING FOR THAT CONSIDERATION. SO THAT'S ALL THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, NANCY. ANY QUESTIONS FROM MY COLLEAGUES FOR NANCY OR ADMINISTRATION? COUNCILLOR FEQUET. THANKS, NANCY, FOR THAT PRESENTATION.

JUST A QUESTION FOR YOURSELF OR ADMINISTRATION.

DID YOU BY CHANCE SUBMIT A BUDGET ASK THIS YEAR BY THE AUGUST 15TH DEADLINE OR? SO THE DIRECTION THAT I GOT WAS THAT I COULD PUT IN A BUDGET ASK WITHOUT AN ACTUAL BUDGET.

AND THAT'S WHAT I DID. I PUT IN A REQUEST, A REQUEST FOR WITHOUT KNOWING HOW MUCH THAT WOULD COST, BUT SUGGESTING WHAT WE NEEDED WAS WHERE IT COULD GO, AND JUST A MINIMAL AMOUNT OF EQUIPMENT THAT THAT COULD, YOU KNOW, CORDON OFF, EXCUSE ME, AN AREA FOR THE DOGS.

AND JUST TO ADMIN, JUST CONFIRMING WE RECEIVED THAT REQUEST AND ARE CONSIDERING IT IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF ALL THE REQUESTS THAT WE GOT LEADING UP TO BUDGET? COUNCILLOR MCGURK QUESTION FOR ADMINISTRATION. IF AN ORGANIZATION OR A GROUP OF PEOPLE WERE TO FORM BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO EITHER START A DOG PARK OR START TO MAINTAIN ON THEIR OWN TERMS DOG PARK, WOULD THE CITY BE AMENABLE TO THAT? MR. VAN DINE. IF I UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THE CURRENT PARK WAS ADOPTED BY A GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS THAT WOULD BE INTERESTED IN MAINTAINING IT? THAT WOULD BE DEFINITELY A PROPOSAL THAT WE WOULD CONSIDER.

ANYTHING ELSE? YEAH, JUST A PRESENTER. IF. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD CONSIDER AN OPTION IS? WELL, I'M NOT EVEN SURE WHAT YOU MEAN BY THAT.

IF YOU MEAN THAT WE ADOPT IT AND WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CARE OF IT, IN ADDITION TO THE CARE THAT WE ALREADY TAKE OF IT.

AND THEN WE PUT THE MONEY IN TO KEEP IT UPGRADED.

NO, I DON'T I DON'T THINK THAT'S FAIR TO ASK OF US.

I MEAN, IF THAT'S YOUR QUESTION. WELL, THE QUESTION WOULD BE IF YOU'RE WILLING TO TAKE A, A LEVEL OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT AND WORK WITH THE CITY.

THERE'S A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT HAVE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT THEY THAT THE CITY OWNS, BUT THEY WORK WITH THE CITY TO MAINTAIN AND TO RUN IT I'D BE HAPPY. BECAUSE THE CITY ONLY HAS SO MUCH CAPACITY.

RIGHT? THAT'S PART OF THE CONCERN HERE. SO I'M JUST CURIOUS IF THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE CONSIDERED OR WOULD CONSIDER.

I'M SURE THAT THERE'S QUITE A FEW OF US THAT WOULD HAPPY BE HAPPY TO BE INVOLVED IN THAT.

I THINK WE'VE MADE PRESENTATIONS TO YOU AS WELL AND ABOUT COMING DOWN TO SEE IF WE COULD BE INVOLVED AND DO SOMETHING.

SO I THINK IT WOULD BE WHEN IT COMES TO OUR FINANCIALLY, YOU KNOW, I DON'T SEE OTHER PEOPLE CONTRIBUTING FINANCIALLY TO THE SWIMMING POOL OR OTHER THINGS FOR, YOU KNOW, OTHER RECREATIONAL AREAS.

THAT'S A RECREATIONAL AREA TO US. I'LL DO WHATEVER I CAN TO AND I DO ALREADY TO TAKE CARE OF THAT PARK AND HAVE INPUT INTO THAT PARK.

I DO NOT, FOR THE LIFE OF ME KNOW WHAT THAT LITTLE KENNEL IS IN THERE FOR, BUT WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO HAVE CONSULTATION.

AND I'VE EVEN THOUGHT WE SHOULD BRING IN A CONSULTANT TO HELP US WORK THROUGH THIS, BECAUSE WE SEEM TO BE KIND OF GOING NOWHERE FAST WITH THIS DOG PARK THING.

AND I WILL GO BACK TO MY POINT BEFORE THAT WE ARE THE DOG CAPITAL OF CANADA, SO I KIND OF DON'T GET WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THIS.

YES, BUT WE WOULD. YEAH. YEAH THANK YOU. OTHER RECREATIONAL FACILITIES THAT DO.

JUST FOR INFORMATION, THE GYMNASTICS CLUB AND THE CURLING CLUB BOTH RAISE FUNDS TO MAINTAIN THEIR SPACES.

CORRECT. I THINK THAT MIGHT. THERE MIGHT BE OTHER PLACES, BUT THOSE ARE VERY TWO CLEAR, VERY TWO VERY CLEAR EXAMPLES.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MS.

[00:20:02]

[30. Councillor Fequet will present the following Administrative Enquiry: What is the percentage of time spent doing foot/bike patrols in the downtown core for the last 6 months, comparing the percentage before and after Council confirmed its two priorities in early June 2025 for the subsequent 12 months? ]

SO I'LL PASS IT OVER TO YOU. THANKS, MR. CHAIR.

SO THE ADMINISTRATIVE INQUIRY IS THAT WAS PROVIDED IN ADVANCE TO OUR STAFF TEAM.

WHAT IS THE PERCENTAGE OF TIME SPENT DOING FOOT AND BIKE PATROLS? SO NOT IN A VEHICLE IN THE DOWNTOWN CORE FOR THE LAST SIX MONTHS-ISH OR MORE? COMPARING THE PERCENTAGE BEFORE AND AFTER COUNCIL CONFIRMED ITS TWO PRIORITIES IN EARLY JUNE 2025 FOR THE SUBSEQUENT 12 MONTHS.

AND I CAN ADD TO IT, BECAUSE THIS WAS MY ADMINISTRATIVE INQUIRY THAT [LAUGHTER] I SENT IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.

JUST LOOKING FOR THE CITY'S PERSPECTIVE ON HOW THINGS ARE GOING, WHAT WE'VE DONE, ANY CHANGES? I'VE HEARD A LOT OF POSITIVE FEEDBACK. AND I KNOW THERE'S EXTRA EFFORT GOING INTO THIS INITIATIVE, AND I JUST WANT TO SEE IF THAT'S TRACKING OR IF THERE'S ANY OTHER.

YEAH. ANY OTHER IMPLICATIONS OR CONSEQUENCES OF, OF THIS DECISION.

SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH COUNCILLOR FEQUET, MR. VAN DINE. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I'LL TURN IT OVER TO DIRECTOR MCLEAN TO GIVE YOU THE INFORMATION THAT YOU'RE SEEKING.

AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO PROBABLY ADD A FEW OTHER POINTS AFTER HE'S DONE SO.

THANKS FOR THE INQUIRY. SO I'M NOT SURE OF YOUR PROVIDED THE DATA SET.

SO I GUESS I'LL VERBALLY PROVIDE THAT TO YOU THEN.

SO FROM THE MONTH ENDING DECEMBER 2023 TO AUGUST OF 2024 AND MUNICIPAL ENFORCEMENT CONDUCTED IN DECEMBER.

OF COURSE, ONE PATROL WERE IN THE WINTER MONTHS. NOTHING IN JANUARY, FEBRUARY OF 24, 7 IN MARCH OF 24.

5 IN APRIL OF 24, 12 IN MAY OF 24, 13 IN JUNE OF 24, 11 IN JULY OF 24 AND AUGUST IN 5 IN AUGUST OF 24. SUBSEQUENTLY, SINCE WE'VE REESTABLISHED OUR INITIATIVE THROUGH OUR COUNCIL STRATEGIC PRIORITIES IN MAY OF 2025. IN MAY, WE DID 9 PATROLS AND WE STARTED TRACKING THE HOURLY BASES OF THIS.

AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS JUST SAYING WE WENT OUT AND DID SOMETHING NINE TIMES DOESN'T REALLY HAVE ANY TYPE OF AN ANALYTICAL BASIS TO IT. SO IN OUR DATABASE, WE'VE STARTED ADDING TIME CONSTRAINTS TO THIS AS WELL.

SO IN MAY WE DID 9 PATROLS OF THE DOWNTOWN CORE.

THAT'S JUST A LITTLE OVER 12 HOURS OF STAFF TIME.

JUNE, WE DID 22 PATROLS, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 63 HOURS OF STAFF TIME.

JULY WE DID 30 PATROLS, WHICH IS ABOUT 123 HOURS OF PATROL TIME.

AND AUGUST WE ACCOMPLISHED ACCOMPLISH 66 PATROLS, WHICH IS ABOUT 97 HOURS OF STAFF TIME.

I JUST WANT TO ADD THAT THIS IS THESE PATROLS BASED ON THE STRATEGIC PRIORITY, IDENTIFY THE DOWNTOWN CORE.

AND A PART OF OUR HIGHWAY TRAFFIC BY-LAW IDENTIFIES THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT AS OUR DOWNTOWN CORE.

SO THESE NUMBERS DON'T CONTEMPLATE THE PATROLS THAT WE'RE DOING OF OUR HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS AROUND THE CITY, NOR IF OUR TRAIL SYSTEMS FRAME LAKE TRAIL AND THAT THOSE ARE ADDITIONAL DATA SETS THAT WE GO AND PERFORM REGULAR PATROLS.

YOUR QUESTION REGARDING BIKE PATROLS, WE DID NOT DO BIKE PATROLS THIS SUMMER.

WE COULD NOT SECURE A TRAINER OR A FACILITATOR IN ORDER TO HAVE OUR STAFF SAFELY COMPETENCY EVALUATED ON OUR ON OUR BICYCLES. AS YOU KNOW, UNDER THE SAFETY ACT AND THE OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY GENERAL REGULATIONS, ANYTIME WE ASK OUR STAFF TO PERFORM DUTIES, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE COMPETENT AND CAPABLE OF PERFORMING THOSE DUTIES.

AND THE CITY HAS AN OBLIGATION TO MAKE SURE OUR STAFF ARE SAFE.

AND WE COULD NOT SECURE A TRAINER. HISTORICALLY, IN PREVIOUS YEARS, WE HAVE WORKED WITH THE RCMP AND AND WORKED WITH THEIR BICYCLE TRAINING. BUT THEY HAD ALREADY COMPLETED THEIRS.

MY UNDERSTANDING BEFORE WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN UP WITH THEM.

SO THAT'S THE DATA SET. WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING TO IMPROVE THE WAY WE CAPTURE DATA HOW WE ANALYZE THE DATA AND THEN SEEK OPPORTUNITIES FOR FOR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT. WHAT ELSE CAN I SHARE WITH YOU IN THAT INQUIRY? I THINK THAT THE, THE NUMBER AND THE AND THE INCREASES ARE INTENTIONAL, AS WE'VE NOW REGULARLY SCHEDULED DAILY

[00:25:03]

WE'RE JUST NOT PATROLLING, WALKING AROUND. WE'RE ALSO LOOKING FOR LITTER, UNSIGHTLY LANDS.

WE'RE ALSO YOU KNOW, ENGAGING WITH RESIDENTS YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE TALKING TO THEM, THAT WE'RE LISTENING TO THEM. SO THOSE ARE ALL GREAT THINGS THAT THAT OUR STAFF HAS BEEN DOING.

AND WE'LL, WE'LL CONTINUE ON THIS PATH AND SEEK OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. VAN DINE.

YES, I'D JUST LIKE TO BUILD ON THE INFORMATION THAT DIRECTOR MCLEAN HAS PROVIDED.

SO JUST TO REMIND COUNCIL AND TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT THAT THE COUNCILLOR HAS NOTED THIS WAS INDICATIVE OF A REFLECTION OF CHANGE IN PRIORITY THAT WAS PRESENTED AND ADOPTED BY COUNCIL.

AND THERE WAS A ESSENTIALLY A MOOD AND A CALL FROM, FROM THE PUBLIC TO, TO DRAW HIGHER ATTENTION TO THE DOWNTOWN AND THE DOWNTOWN AREA.

THIS WAS WITH INTENT AND WE HAVE HAD SOME RESULTS AND WE ARE CAPTURING THOSE RESULTS AND WE WILL SHARE THE DATA TABLE THAT HAS BEEN GENERATED TO SUPPORT THIS EFFORT, WITH THE PROVISO THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN TRACKING THESE SORTS OF THINGS THE WAY THAT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED FOR A LITTLE WHILE.

SO WE'LL WE'LL SHARE THAT WITH, WITH COUNCIL.

I'D ALSO LIKE TO OFFER THAT AS WAS PRESENTED WHEN THE PRIORITIES WERE PRESENTED TO COUNCIL, AS WE'RE DOING THIS, WE'RE ACTUALLY OUR LEVEL OF SERVICE IN OTHER AREAS IS IS CORRESPONDINGLY IMPACTED.

SO THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT AROUND SPEED ZONES AND SCHOOL AREAS AND OTHER AREAS WHERE THERE WE'RE DOING OUR BEST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MAINTAINING A LEVEL OF VIGILANCE IN THOSE AREAS, AS HAS BEEN DIRECTED BY COUNCIL.

BUT I WOULD LIKE COUNCIL JUST TO THANK COUNCIL FOR THE DIRECTION AND THE SUPPORT, ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS WORK DOES MATTER AND WE ARE HAVING SOME MEASURABLE IMPACTS. WE ARE CONTEMPLATING A PROPOSAL FOR COUNCIL TO CONSIDER AS PART OF BUDGET 2026 THAT TALKS ABOUT GENERAL SERVICE LEVELS INCREASES FOR THE DOWNTOWN AREA, IN PART TO RESPOND TO THE FACT THAT IT DOES MATTER, IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE, AND IT DOES ALLOW FOR THINGS AND FOR YELLOWKNIFE TO BE SAFER AND FEEL SAFER IN THE DOWNTOWN.

IN ADDITION TO THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DESCRIBED BY DIRECTOR MCLEAN, WE'VE ALSO ADDED THE ADDITIONAL EFFORTS OF THE LINE DRIVE PROGRAM, WHICH IS GOING OUT AND PROVIDING SERVICES TO VULNERABLE POPULATIONS IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.

AND WE ARE SEEING THAT VISIBILITY IN ITSELF ADDS A LEVEL OF VIGILANCE IN, IN THE AREA TO WHICH WE BELIEVE THERE'S A MATERIAL BENEFIT.

AND ON TOP OF THAT, OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE RCMP AND IN THOSE EFFORTS IS ALSO INCREASING THE BIKE PATROLS THAT HAVE OCCURRED IN THE CITY.

AND I THINK PEOPLE IN YELLOWKNIFE PROBABLY HAVE OBSERVED THE BIKE PATROLS AND MAY BE PUZZLED AS TO WHY OUR BY-LAW OR SORRY, OUR MUNICIPAL ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AREN'T THE ONES RIDING THE BIKES AND THEY ARE NOT AS DIRECTOR MCLEAN HAS POINTED OUT THEY ARE IN FACT THE RCMP.

SO THE RCMP HAS BEEN LISTENING TO COUNCIL AS WELL.

AND ARE ALSO ADDING THEIR ENERGIES TO OUR EFFORTS IN MAKING THE DOWNTOWN A SAFER PLACE.

SO WITH THAT, MR. CHAIR. WE'RE VERY PLEASED TO HAVE RECEIVED THIS ADMINISTRATIVE INQUIRY AND GIVE YOU UPDATES ON OUR WORK IN THAT REGARD.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FROM ADMINISTRATION, COUNCILLOR FEQUET.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT UPDATE. THAT'S AWESOME TO SEE.

THE LEVEL OF EFFORT DEFINITELY REFLECTS THOSE TWO PRIORITIES THAT WERE DISCUSSED AND ADOPTED EARLIER THIS SUMMER.

JUST CURIOUS AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT RIGHT NOW, THAT'S FINE.

I WAS JUST WONDERING. SO THE LEVEL OF EFFORT DEFINITELY IS AWESOME.

THAT IS REFLECTING WHAT I THINK THE COUNCIL DECIDED AS ITS PRIORITIES.

ARE WE TRACKING ANY METRICS THAT CAN BE REPORTED AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE? AND YOU KNOW, WHAT KINDS OF METRICS ARE WE TRACKING, OR HAVE WE THOUGHT ABOUT TRACKING IF WE'RE NOT TRACKING THEM YET? AS IN WHAT ARE THE RESULTS? YOU KNOW, ARE WE GETTING LESS CALL OUTS? IS THERE LESS PUBLIC COMPLAINTS? JUST THROWING IT OUT THERE AND CURIOUS IF WE IF WE HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT THOSE ARE OR MIGHT LOOK LIKE IN THE FUTURE? MR. VAN DINE. THE SHORT ANSWER IS THAT I'M MR. MCLEAN HAS A VERY FOCUSED EFFORT OF TRYING TO IMPROVE OUR DATA MANAGEMENT COLLECTION ON JUST TO DO THOSE EXACT THINGS.

IT'S A WHOLE OTHER MATTER AS TO WHETHER OUR IT SYSTEMS ARE ABLE TO TRACK TO THE, TO THE DEGREE, BUT WE ARE MOTIVATED TO HAVE BOTH WORKING VERY WELL, THAT BEING OUR IT SYSTEMS AND OUR REPORTING.

SO WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO REPORT AS THAT INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND WITH THAT, WE COME TO THE END OF OUR MEETING.

CAN I GET A MOTION TO ADJOURN? MOVED BY COUNCILLOR FEQUET, SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR MCGURK.

EVERYBODY, HAVE A GREAT NIGHT.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.