Jan 26, 2026 Council Meetings

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

[00:00:05]

AND I'LL CALL OUR COUNCIL MEETING TO ORDER FOR MONDAY, JANUARY 26TH, 2026.

READ THE OPENING STATEMENT. COUNCILLOR FOOTE.

THANK YOU, MISTER CHAIR. THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUE FOR THE MIC. 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 CONTINUE TO ENRICH OUR VIBRANT COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU. AWARD CEREMONIES. PRESENTATIONS. THERE ARE NO AWARD CEREMONIES PRESENTATIONS FOR THE AGENDA. ADOPTION OF MINUTES FROM PREVIOUS MEETINGS.

[ Items 3 & 4]

I HAVE A SECONDER. COUNCILOR PAYNE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, ERRORS, OMISSIONS? NO. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? THAT IS UNANIMOUS. DISCLOSURE OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST IN GENERAL.

DOES ANY MEMBER HAVE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST IN ANY MATTER BEFORE COUNCIL TODAY? NO CONFLICTS. CORRESPONDENCE, PETITIONS? THERE ARE NO CORRESPONDENCE, NOR ARE THERE ANY PETITIONS FOR THE AGENDA.

STATUTORY PUBLIC HEARINGS. THERE'S NO STATUTORY PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR THE AGENDA. DELEGATIONS PERTAINING TO ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.

THERE ARE NO DELEGATIONS PERTAINING TO ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.

MEMBER STATEMENTS. THERE ARE NO MEMBER STATEMENTS FOR THE AGENDA. ARE THERE ANY MEMBER STATEMENTS FROM THE FLOOR? SEEING NONE.

INTRODUCTION. CONSIDERATION. COMMITTEE REPORTS COUNCILLOR FOOTE THE FOLLOWING REPORT.

[Items 11 - 18]

I MOVE THAT MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL BE AUTHORIZED TO ATTEND THE FOLLOWING CONFERENCES IN 2026 THAT RELATE DIRECTLY TO THE CITY'S BUSINESS.

THE ARCTIC SUMMIT IN WHITEHORSE, YUKON, FROM FEBRUARY 23RD TO FEBRUARY 25TH, 2026.

AND IT'S JUST THE MAYOR, THE NWTAC AGM IN YELLOWKNIFE FROM THE 26TH TO THE 28TH OF FEBRUARY, MAYOR AND EIGHT COUNCILORS, AND THE FCM ANNUAL CONFERENCE IN EDMONTON FROM JUNE 4TH TO JUNE 7TH, 2026. MAYOR AND ONE COUNCILLOR. AND THAT OTHER TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION BE PRIORITIZED BASED ON COUNCIL PRIORITIES, EMERGING OPPORTUNITIES, AND BE APPROVED BY COUNCIL ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS IN ADVANCE OF EACH CONFERENCE.

THANK YOU. CAN I HAVE A SECONDER? COUNCILOR COCHRANE.

ANY QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? THAT IS UNANIMOUS. COUNCILLOR FOOTE. I MOVE THAT COUNCIL APPOINT THE FOLLOWING AS DEPUTY MAYOR AND COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES TO THE SPECIAL COMMITTEES OF COUNCIL, AND THAT THESE APPOINTMENTS BE REVIEWED FOLLOWING THE MUNICIPAL GENERAL ELECTION.

DEPUTY MAYOR ROB WARBURTON, AUDIT COMMITTEE, RYAN FEQUET.

BOARD OF REVISION PRIMARY IS STACIE ARDEN-SMITH AND ALTERNATE IS CAT MCGURK, COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD ON HOMELESSNESS GARRETT COCHRANE, DEVELOPMENT APPEAL BOARD, PRIMARY IS ROB WARBURTON ALTERNATE IS STACIE ARDEN-SMITH, GRANT REVIEW COMMITTEE IS ROB FOOTE AND TOM MCLENNAN, HERITAGE COMMITTEE STEVE PAYNE, HUMAN RESOURCES AND COMPENSATION COMMITTEE, GARRETT COCHRANE AND RYAN FEQUET, MAYOR'S TASK FORCE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ROB WARBURTON.

THANK YOU. HAVE A SECONDER. COUNCILOR ARDEN-SMITH.

ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS. SEEING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? THAT IS UNANIMOUS. COUNCILLOR FOOTE. I MOVE THAT COUNCIL APPOINT SUE MCKINNEY, A LAWYER, PURSUANT TO AUDIT COMMITTEE BYLAW NUMBER 4127 TO SERVE ON THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE AUDIT COMMITTEE FOR A THREE YEAR TERM COMMENCING JANUARY 27TH, 2026 AND ENDING JANUARY 26TH, 2029. THANK YOU.

CAN I HAVE A SECONDER? COUNCILOR ARDEN-SMITH.

ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, MISS MCKINNEY, FOR VOLUNTEERING.

APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AND THAT'S UNANIMOUS.

GOVERNANCE AND PRIORITIES COMMITTEE REPORT FOR JANUARY 19TH, 2026.

COUNCILLOR FOOTE. I MOVE THAT COUNCIL DIRECT ADMINISTRATION TO WORK IN COLLABORATION WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY STAFF TO INVESTIGATE THE FEASIBILITY OF HOSTING 2035 CANADA WINTER GAMES AND AUTHORIZE ADMINISTRATION TO ESTABLISH AN ADMINISTRATIVE WORKING GROUP TO REVIEW,

[00:05:10]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? SEEING NONE. OH. SECONDER. SORRY. FIRST. COUNCILOR ARDEN-SMITH.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AND THAT IS UNANIMOUS. COUNCILLOR FOOTE.

I MOVE THAT THE RESIDENTIAL INTENSIFICATION TAX ABATEMENT UNDER BYLAW NUMBER 4534, AS AMENDED, FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 4914 50TH STREET, BE APPROVED FOR AN ADDITIONAL FIVE YEARS AT A DECLINING INCREMENT BASIS OF 100% TO 80%, 60%, 40% AND 20%. THANK YOU. CAN I HAVE A SECONDER? COUNCILOR COCHRANE. QUESTIONS. COMMENTS. DISCUSSION.

COUNCILLOR PAYNE. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I WASN'T HERE FOR THE CONVERSATION ON THIS, AND I'M JUST WONDERING, IS IT TYPICAL FOR BUSINESSES TO INQUIRE ABOUT THIS SO FAR IN ADVANCE? LIKE THEY'RE THEY ALREADY ARE APPROVED FOR A FIVE YEAR TAX ABATEMENT AS IT IS.

RIGHT. SO THIS ONE WOULD START WHEN? MR. GREENCORN.

IT HAS BEEN PASSED TO ME. THANK YOU, MR. GREENCORN.

SO THE ANSWER IS YES. WE ASK PEOPLE TO IDENTIFY WHEN THEY'RE APPLYING FOR THE FIVE YEAR ABATEMENT, IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE CONSIDERING THIS, SO THAT WE KNOW GOING FORWARD AND CAN PLAN, WE CAN'T PROVIDE COUNSEL AND THE APPLICANT A RECOMMENDATION UNTIL THE NEW ASSESSMENT IS DONE. SO THAT'S ONCE THE DEVELOPMENT IS COMPLETE, ONCE THEY HAVE THEIR FINAL PERMITS IN PLACE SO THAT IT CAN BE EVALUATED.

AND WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE NEW VALUE OF THAT DEVELOPMENT IS.

SO THEY IDENTIFY IT EARLY ON. WE'RE AWARE OF IT.

YES. THEY HAVE THE ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVED FIVE YEARS AND THEY HAVE REQUESTED THE ADDITIONAL FIVE YEARS ON TOP OF THAT.

YES. SO SO IS IT NORMAL FOR A RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY LIKE OR A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY LIKE THIS TO GET A TEN YEAR TAX ABATEMENT? MR. GREENCORN. MISS WHITE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE HAVE NO CURRENT ONES WITH THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE, IT IS COMMON ELSEWHERE.

WHAT YOU NORMALLY SEE ACTUALLY IS A DECLINING OVER THE TEN YEARS.

SO 190, 80, 70 AND SO ON. JUST THE WAY THE PREVIOUS BYLAW WAS WRITTEN, IT WAS WRITTEN WITH THIS OPTION, WHICH IS, WHICH IS PERFECTLY FINE. AND IT'S IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE BYLAW THAT WAS WRITTEN AT THE TIME.

AND ONE MORE THING. FOR THE FIRST FIVE YEARS OF THE ABATEMENT, IS IT 100% DECLINING AND THEN OR IS IT JUST NO TAXES FOR FIVE YEARS? MR. GREENCORN. MS. WHITE. THE FIRST FIVE YEARS IS 100% TAX ABATEMENT.

THE NEXT FIVE YEARS IS WHAT'S BEING RECOMMENDED.

IS THAT IT BE 100, THEN 80, THEN AS SAID IN HERE, 60, 40, 20.

THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO BE VOTING HERE IN A COUPLE OF MINUTES ON THIS, BUT I JUST WANT TO HAVE IT ON ON THE RECORD THAT I WILL NOT BE SUPPORTING THIS ADDITIONAL FIVE YEARS.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS COMMENTS, MOTIONS? NOTHING. OKAY. FOR MYSELF YEAH, I, I, WE DISCUSSED IT AT GPC, I DISCUSSED ABOUT BECAUSE THEY HAD THEY HAD ASKED FOR ACTUALLY THEY CAN ASK FOR EITHER THE DECLINING OR THEY CAN ASK FOR A FULL ABATEMENT FOR THE ADDITIONAL FIVE YEARS. AND THEY HAD ASKED FOR THE FULL ABATEMENT.

AND AT THAT TIME, I WAS WARM TO THAT IDEA. WHOEVER THINK A LITTLE MORE ABOUT IT, THINKING ABOUT THE TOTAL TAX IMPACT.

FULL FIVE AND THEN DECLINING OVER FIVE YEARS IS NOT A SUBTLE AMOUNT, AND IT DOES ALLOW US TO COLLECT SOME TAXATION AS WE GO FORWARD.

SO SO I'LL BE SUPPORTING AS WRITTEN. ANYONE ELSE? ALL RIGHT. DO THE MOTION THEN. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? OH. HOW DOES THIS WORK? COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN, COUNCILLOR COCHRANE AND MYSELF.

THOSE OPPOSED. COUNCILLOR ARDEN-SMITH, COUNCILLOR FOOTE, COUNCILLOR PAYNE.

FAILED. SO FAILS. OKAY, SO THAT FAILS. OKAY. COUNCILLOR FOOTE.

[00:10:11]

THANK YOU. I HAVE A SECONDER. COUNCILOR MCLENNAN ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? DISCUSSION. OKAY. SEEING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.

AND THAT IS UNANIMOUS. NEW BUSINESS. MRS. COUNCILLOR FOOTE.

[19. That Council direct Administration to bring forward the Council Remuneration By-law, including any recommended amendments, for Council’s review and consideration and that this review include a specific analysis and recommendation regarding the Mayor’s remuneration including comparable municipal benchmarks and any proposed adjustments by April 30, 2026. ]

I'D LIKE TO MOVE THE MOTION THAT COUNCIL DIRECT ADMINISTRATION TO BRING FORWARD THE COUNCIL RENUMERATION BYLAW, INCLUDING ANY RECOMMENDED AMENDMENTS FOR COUNCIL'S REVIEW AND CONSIDERATION, AND THAT THIS REVIEW INCLUDE A SPECIFIC ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATION REGARDING THE MAYOR'S REMUNERATION, INCLUDING COMPARABLE MUNICIPAL BENCHMARKS AND ANY PROPOSED ADJUSTMENTS BY APRIL 30TH, 2026. THANK YOU. IS THERE A SECONDER? COUNCILOR PAYNE.

DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO THAT? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

YEAH. I'LL JUST BE QUICK. BEING MAYOR IS A DIFFICULT JOB.

IT BRINGS NEW MEANING TO THE TERM FULL TIME WORK.

WELL, THERE'S CERTAINLY A PUBLIC SERVICE ELEMENT TO THE JOB.

WE CAN'T DENY THAT YELLOWKNIFE OFFERS MANY HIGHLY PAID SENIOR GOVERNANCE POSITIONS.

THIS MOTION IS SIMPLY FOR COUNCIL TO GET ADVICE ON WHETHER WE NEED TO INCREASE THE MAYOR'S COMPENSATION TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE WITH THESE GOVERNANCE POSITIONS, AND TO ENSURE THE MAYOR'S ROLE CONTINUES TO ATTRACT THE BEST POSSIBLE CANDIDATES.

AND THEN I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION FOR ADMIN, IF POSSIBLE.

SO JUST LOOKING TO SEE HOW THIS WOULD FIT INTO THE WORK PLAN AND IF ANY OTHER WORK WOULD NEED TO BE DELAYED OR DROPPED IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH THIS BY THE END OF APRIL.

MR. GREENCORN. THANKS FOR THE QUESTION. WE'LL BE ACQUIRING SOME EXTERNAL EXPERTISE TO HELP ON JURISDICTIONAL REVIEWS AND OTHER STATISTICS ASSOCIATED WITH THE MOTION.

I BELIEVE THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN CONSIDERED. SO AT THIS TIME, THERE'S NO SIGNIFICANT WORK IMPACT ON WORK PLAN.

WE'LL ENDEAVOR TO ACHIEVE THE APRIL DEADLINE FOR SURE.

GIVEN THE UNDERSTANDING THAT SLIPPAGE CAN OCCUR DUE TO ANY NUMBER OF FACTORS.

BUT THAT'S THE GOAL. THANK YOU. FOR SURE. THANK YOU.

AND WOULD WELCOME THE THOUGHTS OF MY COLLEAGUES. ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? COUNCILLOR PAYNE. I'M. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I'M HAPPY THAT THIS IS COMING FORWARD.

I REMEMBER IN THE LAST COUNCIL IT WAS FUNNY. IT WAS VOTED ON TO RAISE COUNCIL WAGES, BUT IT WAS VOTED TO KEEP THE MAYOR AT THE SAME LEVEL. SO I'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT WAS A BIT UNFAIR.

SO I'M REALLY HAPPY THAT YOU BROUGHT THIS FORWARD, TOM.

THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS. OKAY. SO TO THE MOTION AS WRITTEN.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? THAT IS UNANIMOUS. THANK YOU.

IS THERE ANY NEW BUSINESS FROM THE FLOOR? NO? ENACTMENT OF BY-LAWS. BY-LAW NUMBER 5120 ABOUT TO AMEND THE ZONING BY-LAW NUMBER 5045 AS AMENDED TO PERMIT A RECYCLING FACILITY ON A PORTION OF LOTS EIGHT NINE BLOCK 46 PLAN 140,

[Items 21 & 22]

COUNCILLOR FOOTE. THANK YOU. I MOVE FIRST READING OF BY-LAW NUMBER 5120.

DO I SECONDER. COUNCIL MCLENNAN. STRAIGHT TO A VOTE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. AND THAT IS UNANIMOUS. BY-LAW NUMBER 5121 ABOUT AMEND COMMUNITY PLAN BY-LAW

[Items 23 & 24]

COUNCILLOR FOOTE. I MOVE FIRST READING OF BYLAW NUMBER 5121.

DO I HAVE A SECONDER? COUNCILOR COCHRANE I KEEP TURNING MIC ON AND OFF THE WRONG TIMES.

OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AND THAT IS UNANIMOUS.

DEFERRED BUSINESS ENABLE ITEMS. THERE IS NO DEFERRED BUSINESS, AND THERE ARE NO TABLED ITEMS FOR THE AGENDA. IS THERE ANY DEFERRED BUSINESS OR ARE THERE ANY TABLED ITEMS FROM THE FLOOR? SEEING NONE.

NOTICE OF MOTION. THERE'S NO MOTION. NOTICES OF MOTION FOR THE AGENDA. ARE THERE ANY NOTICES OF MOTION FROM THE FLOOR? SEEING NONE.

DELEGATIONS PERTAINING TO ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA.

THERE ARE NO DELEGATIONS PERTAINING TO ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA. ADMINISTRATIVE INQUIRIES.

THERE ARE NO ADMINISTRATIVE INQUIRIES FOR THE AGENDA. ARE THERE ANY ADMINISTRATIVE INQUIRIES FROM THE FLOOR? SEEING NONE.

[00:15:07]

HOPEFULLY. SO MOVING TO NOON MEETINGS IN FEBRUARY.

SO VERY EXCITING TO SEE HOW THAT WORKS. WE'LL SEE.

MOTION TO ADJOURN. COUNCILLOR COCHRANE. SECONDED BY COUNCILOR FOOTE.

THANK YOU. EVERYONE. HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.