Feb 11, 2026 Governance & Priorities Committee

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AND I WILL CALL OUR GOVERNANCE AND PRIORITIES COMMITTEE MEETING FOR WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11TH,

[1. Opening Statement]

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.

BEFORE CONTINUING JUST A SHORT COMMENT ON YESTERDAY'S MASS SHOOTING IN TUMBLER RIDGE, B.C., THE CITY AND I ARE PUTTING OUT A LONGER STATEMENT LATER TODAY, BUT I WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO SAY THAT YELLOWKNIFE GIVE OUR CONDOLENCES TO TUMBLER RIDGE AND TO ACKNOWLEDGE WITH THANKS THE QUICK RESPONSE OF THE RCMP OFFICERS TO THAT TRAGIC EVENT.

I ALSO GAVE DIRECTION THIS MORNING TO THE CITY TO LOWER FLAGS TO HALF-MAST FROM TODAY UNTIL NEXT TUESDAY, ALONG WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. IF YELLOWKNIFE ARE HURTING AT THIS DIFFICULT TIME OR AT ANY TIME, DON'T FORGET TO USE THE 811 TERRITORIAL SUPPORT SERVICE.

NEXT, WE HAVE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA, MR. VAN DINE, ANYTHING ELSE FOR THE AGENDA?

[2. Approval of the agenda.]

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

IS THERE ANY CONFLICT OF INTEREST BEFORE US TODAY? SEEING NONE. NEXT, WE HAVE A MEMO REGARDING WHETHER TO AUTHORIZE MYSELF, MAYOR, TO SIGN AN MOU BETWEEN THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE,

[4. A memorandum regarding whether to authorize the Mayor to sign the Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Yellowknife, the City of Whitehorse, and the City of Iqaluit regarding arctic security and NORAD/CAF/DND Investments in northern municipalities.]

MR. VAN DINE, I'LL PASS IT OVER TO YOU. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. SO THIS THIS MOU HAS BEEN IN PRODUCTION WITH OUR COLLEAGUES IN, IN IQALUIT AND IN WHITEHORSE FOR A NUMBER OF MONTHS AND FOLLOWS ON FROM THE MOU THAT YOU SIGNED WITH MAYOR CLARKSON OF INUVIK AS A GATHERING OF MUNICIPALITIES TO WORK TOGETHER ON COMMON INTERESTS TO DEAL WITH INCREASED INVESTMENTS FROM CANADA IN MEETING ITS ARCTIC SECURITY AND NATIONAL SECURITY OBJECTIVES.

THE MEMO LAYS OUT POINTS OF COLLABORATION AND SUBJECT AREAS.

IT'S GENERAL IN NATURE. IT IS MEANT TO JUST BRING A GREATER VOICE TO MUNICIPALITIES, PARTICULARLY CAPITAL MUNICIPALITIES, IN THIS LARGER CONVERSATION THAT IS UNFOLDING.

AND TO GIVE MAYORS AND YOURSELVES AND THE MUNICIPALITIES THERE IN THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO MAKE A COGENT CASE TO TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENTS AS WELL AS THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA AND WORKING COLLABORATIVELY TOGETHER.

WE DO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS MOVING IN PARALLEL WITH THE MUNICIPALITIES OF CITY OF WHITEHORSE AND THE CITY OF IQALUIT.

AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT THEY HAVE RECENTLY PASSED THE SAME RESOLUTION.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. VAN DINE. AND BEFORE WE GET TO ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.

JUST TO NOTE, THANK YOU TO MR. VAN DINE AND HIS COLLEAGUES IN IQALUIT AND WHITEHORSE, AS WELL AS TO MY COLLEAGUES SOLOMON AWA IN IQALUIT, AND KIRK CAMERON IN WHITEHORSE. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR QUITE A BIT OF TIME NOW, TRYING TO LIKE WE DID WITH MAYOR CLARKSON AND NUNAVIK TRYING TO CREATE SOME MORE FORMAL BONDS AND TIES BETWEEN ALL OF OUR MUNICIPALITIES SO THAT WE'RE SWIMMING IN THE SAME DIRECTION ON THESE THINGS. BUT IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COLLEAGUES? COUNCILLOR COCHRANE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. CHAIR. I JUST WANT TO ALSO THANK YOU IN PARTICULAR FOR TAKING THE LEAD NOT ONLY FROM WHAT YOU STARTED WITH IN INUVIK, BUT ALSO LEADING INTO THESE LARGER CONVERSATIONS AND TO THE ADMINISTRATIONS OF WHITEHORSE IN IQALUIT AND, OF COURSE, OUR ADMINISTRATION AS WELL FOR ALL THE GOOD WORK. THIS IS INCREDIBLY INNOVATIVE, INCREDIBLY TIMELY AND NECESSARY.

THE ONLY THING, OF COURSE, I WILL SAY IS I DO HOPE THAT THE GNWT FOLLOWS SUIT WITH SOME FORM OF TRILATERAL BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE YUKON AND NUNAVUT AS WORKING COLLABORATIVELY IN THIS MANNER BETWEEN THE OTHER JURISDICTIONS WILL ALSO BE INCREDIBLY VITAL.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT, COUNCILLOR COCHRANE.

ANYTHING ELSE FROM ANY COLLEAGUES? COUNCILLOR FEQUET, MAYBE? NO. OKAY. ANYTHING FROM ANYONE ELSE? SEEING NONE.

THEN WE WILL BRING THIS FORWARD ACTUALLY, FOR US AT A SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING NEXT WEEK SO THAT WE CAN GET FORMAL APPROVAL, BEFORE WE DO THAT MOU SIGNING IN WHITEHORSE AS PART OF THE ARCTIC SUMMIT AT THE END OF THE MONTH.

NEXT, WE HAVE A MEMO REGARDING WHETHER TO AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR TO TRAVEL TO THE TOWN OF INUVIK,

[5. A memorandum regarding whether to authorize the Mayor to travel to the Town of Inuvik, NT from June 16 – 18, 2026 to participate on the 2026 Arctic Development Expo panel.]

MR. VAN DINE, DO YOU WANT TO TAKE THIS ONE, OR DO YOU WANT ME TO GO WITH IT? I'M HAPPY TO, MR. CHAIR, JUST FOR THE BENEFIT OF COUNCIL.

SO AS IS REQUIRED UNDER OUR COUNCIL PROCEDURE BYLAWS, AUTHORIZATIONS FOR THE MAYOR'S TRAVEL IS SOMETHING THAT IS WALKED THROUGH HERE PRIOR TO PRIOR TO MAKING SUCH COMMITMENTS. THIS PARTICULAR ONE DOES FOLLOW ON THE HEELS OF A RECENT MOU SIGNED WITH WITH MAYOR CLARKSON ON SUBJECTS THAT ARE COVERED AT THE

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ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? SOUNDS GOOD. OKAY, WE'LL BRING THAT FORWARD FOR AT OUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING.

NOT THIS SPECIAL ONE, BUT OUR NEXT REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING.

AND LAST FOR OUR AGENDA TODAY IS A MEMO REGARDING PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT SERVICE LEVEL STANDARDS AND HOUSING ACCELERATOR FUND STATS.

[6. A memorandum regarding Planning and Development Department Service Level Standards and Housing Accelerator Fund Statistics. ]

I'M VERY PLEASED WITH THE AMOUNT OF EFFORT AND ENERGY THAT PLANNING AND LAND, SORRY, PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT IS PUTTING INTO THE WORK THAT WE DO AND MEASURING THE THINGS THAT WE MEASURE. IT ALSO COINCIDES WITH SOME OF THE EXPECTATIONS FROM OUR APPLICATIONS FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA.

I JUST SIMPLY WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT WE'RE NOT DOING IT EXCLUSIVELY BECAUSE IT'S A HALF REQUIREMENT.

WE'RE DOING IT BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND THAT SERVICE NEEDS TO BE MEASURED.

SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO DIRECTOR WHITE TO WALK US THROUGH.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. SO, I'M NOT GOING TO WALK THROUGH ALL THE STATISTICS BECAUSE IT'S IN HERE.

WHAT I WILL SAY IS YOU SEE SOME INCREASED NUMBERS AND SOME INCREASED TRACKING.

SO IN JUNE LAST YEAR, WE TRANSFERRED TO A NEW KIND OF TRACKING COMPUTER SOFTWARE.

SO IT'S STARTING TO ALLOW US TO PULL SOME ADDITIONAL DATA.

SO IT IS MORE ACCURATE, I WOULD SAY, THIS YEAR THAN WHAT THE INFORMATION WAS THAT WE PROVIDED LAST YEAR, AS WELL AS THE CITY MANAGER IDENTIFIED, WE ARE TRACKING SPECIFIC STATISTICS RELATED TO OUR HOUSING ACCELERATOR FUND, SOME NOTABLE PIECES THAT ARE EVIDENCED, AND I PUT IN THE BEGINNING OF THE MEMO, IS THAT CONSTRUCTION VALUE IS UP, BUILDING PERMITS ARE UP, DEVELOPMENT PERMITS ARE UP.

SO COMPARED TO JUST THE YEAR BEFORE THERE IS A LOT MORE COMING IN THE DOOR.

WE ARE GETTING A LOT MORE OUT THE DOOR. AND THE IMPACT TO OUR ECONOMY IS AND I'VE GIVEN IT TO YOU HERE IN IN REAL NUMBERS AND YOU CAN SEE THE DIFFERENCE.

AS WELL, WHAT I REALLY WANTED TO SAY IS A BIG THANK YOU TO THE STAFF IN THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.

WE CONTINUE TO BE UNDERSTAFFED AS AN EXAMPLE FOR THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE SEVEN POSITIONS, THREE ARE FILLED. AT ONE POINT LAST YEAR WE HAD TWO PEOPLE.

BUILDING SERVICES, AT ONE POINT LAST YEAR WE HAD ONE PERSON.

SO WE'RE SUPPLEMENTING WITH CONTRACTED SERVICES.

BUT THEY'VE BEEN DEDICATED AND REALLY PUT A LOT OF WORK INTO ENSURING WE'RE MEETING COUNCIL TIMELINES, LEGISLATIVE TIMELINES AND MAKING ALL OF THIS FLOW.

EVEN THOUGH IT MAY NOT SEEM SO MAGICAL ON OUR END.

HOPEFULLY THE PUBLIC IS GETTING THE SERVICES THAT THEY DESERVE.

AND I THINK THIS IS EVIDENCED HERE. SO HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS COMMENTS.

BUT AGAIN THANK YOU FOR TAKING A LOOK. THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING THIS INFORMATION TO GBC.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COLLEAGUES? START WITH COUNCILLOR FEQUET.

GOTTA BE CAREFUL NOT TO SCRATCH MY HAIR, OR YOU END UP BIDDING ON SOMETHING AT A SILENT AUCTION WHEN STEVE PAYNE IS THE AUCTIONEER.

THE PUBLIC CAN INQUIRE ABOUT THAT ANOTHER TIME IF THEY'RE INTERESTED, BUT FOR NOW, BACK TO YOU COUNCILLOR FEQUET.

A COUPLE QUESTIONS. YEAH. BE CAREFUL. YOU WANT TO RUIN A RANGERS JERSEY? DO WE PLAN TO SHOW THESE AMAZING STATS OFF ANY FURTHER, IN ADDITION TO JUST WHAT WE'VE OBVIOUSLY PRESENTED TODAY AND RECOGNIZING IT'S PUBLIC.

BUT I KNOW NOT EVERYBODY IS A PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT GURU OR NERD OR INTERESTED IN THIS STUFF, BUT IT DOES SEEM LIKE THIS IS A REALLY GREAT EXAMPLE OF SERVICE STANDARDS AND IN EVERY INSTANCE BUT ONE, WE'RE MEETING THEM. SO ARE WE, IS THERE A PLAN TO FURTHER COMMUNICATE OR SHARE OR CELEBRATE THESE SUCCESSES? MR. VAN DINE. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. SO, SO AT THIS TIME WE ARE JUST TRACKING THESE NUMBERS FOR OUR OBLIGATIONS AT THIS POINT FOR REPORTING. BUT WE HAVE A LARGER STORY TO TELL.

YELLOWKNIFERS WITH REGARD TO PERFORMANCE WHEN WE ARE READY TO START DOING THAT, POTENTIALLY WITH OUR NEW, UPDATED WEBSITE WE WOULD BE BRINGING THIS INFORMATION FORWARD, BUT THAT'S AN EXCELLENT SUGGESTION.

GREAT. GLAD TO HEAR THAT. LOOK FORWARD TO THAT. NEXT QUESTION IS THE HERITAGE ALTERATION.

SO I'M NOTING JUST THAT IT WAS THE ONE ITEM OUT OF ALL THESE THAT WAS OVER THE TIMELINES.

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AND B, MOVING FORWARD, WHATEVER OUR COMMUNICATION METHOD IS.

THIS IS AWESOME. IT WOULD BE NICE TO JUST SEE, LIKE, A LITTLE ASTERISK AND AN EXPLANATION ON THE BOTTOM OF ANYTHING THAT'S OVER SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO ASK THE QUESTION OR THAT THERE'S FULL TRANSPARENCY ON WHY, WHERE APPROPRIATE, OF COURSE. MR. VAN DINE. I'LL INVITE DIRECTOR WHITE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT'S BEHIND THE NUMBERS.

GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I WOULD IDENTIFY IT'S NOT JUST WITH REGARDS TO HERITAGE COMMITTEE.

IT WOULD BE IN REGARDS TO ANYTHING THAT HAS TO COME EITHER TO GPC OR TO COUNCIL FOR A DECISION.

SO WE HAVE TO KIND OF WORK BACK FROM MEETING DATES AND THE HERITAGE ONE SPECIFICALLY, BY THE TIME THE APPLICATION WAS REVIEWED AND BY THE TIME WE GOT THE REPORT AND THEN SET A DATE, GETTING EVERYBODY TOGETHER FOR THAT DATE AND THEN ENACTING THE DECISION AFTER THE DECISION WAS MADE, THEN IT HAS TO COME TO COUNCIL. SO I THINK MAYBE IT'S A TIMELINE THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT RATHER THAN THAT IT WASN'T DONE QUICKLY ENOUGH. SO WE WORK LIKE SO. ZONING BYLAWS, WE WORK BACKWARDS FROM, OKAY, WE KNOW COUNCIL'S ON THIS DATE AND WE WORK BACKWARDS FROM THERE.

THE PROBLEM WITH HERITAGE IS WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE THOSE DATES SET, SO THAT WOULD BE WHY.

THANK YOU. GREAT. NO, THAT MAKES PERFECT SENSE.

AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, I MEAN, THAT'S THE ONE INSTANCE IN ALL OF THESE STATS WHERE WE DIDN'T MEET OUR SERVICE STANDARD.

AND I THINK YOU JUST SHARED A GOOD CASE OF WHY WE NEED TO REFLECT AND MAYBE CHANGE THOSE SERVICE STANDARDS TO IF THEY'RE NOT REFLECTING REALITY, SO THANKS FOR THAT. AND MAYBE THIS IS A SPOILER ALERT.

SO DON'T, YOU DON'T HAVE TO DIVE IN. BUT AGAIN, THIS IS JUST AN AWESOME EXAMPLE OF SERVICE STANDARDS AND THE EXPECTATIONS THAT WE'RE BEING TRANSPARENT AND CLEAR WITH OUR RESIDENTS AND FROM STAFF TO COUNCIL.

WHEN MIGHT COUNCIL EXPECT OTHER SERVICE STANDARDS FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO COME TO COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION? MR. VAN DINE. I WAS ANTICIPATING THAT QUESTION.

SO I THINK COUNCIL'S AWARE THAT WE'VE BEEN UPGRADING OUR SERVICE STANDARDS AS PART OF OUR ASSET MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK.

WE'VE ALSO HAD SERVICE STANDARDS THAT EXIST INDEPENDENT FROM THAT ASSET MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK UPDATE.

WE WILL REFLECT ON AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING SORT OF A GENERAL UPDATE TO COUNCIL ON VARIOUS AND SUNDRY STANDARDS.

THE TIME HAS NOT YET BEEN DETERMINED AS TO WHEN WE CAN DO THAT.

I DO POINT TO OUR INTEREST IN SOME OF THE INVESTMENTS THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO MAKE ON TECHNOLOGY UPGRADES TO ALLOW OUR SYSTEMS TO TALK TO ONE ANOTHER A LITTLE BIT BETTER. AND WITH THOSE INVESTMENTS, THE ABILITY TO REPORT ONE OF THE PROJECTS THAT HAS BEEN MENTIONED TO COUNCIL THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO SLOWLY ADVANCE FOR, AND IS A 311 SERVICE FOR THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE.

FOR ANYONE THAT'S HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO ONLINE AND CHECK PLACES LIKE CITY OF CALGARY AND OTHER PLACES THAT USE A 311 SERVICE.

THE, THAT PERFORMANCE STATISTICS THAT ARE GENERATED FROM THAT IN TERMS OF PUBLIC INFORMATION AND AVAILABILITY ON PROGRAMS AND SERVICES AND WHERE THINGS ARE HAPPENING AND HOW LONG THINGS ARE TAKING IS AMAZING. SO WE WE'RE NOT THERE YET, BUT THAT'S CERTAINLY THE DESTINATION THAT WE'RE HEADING TOWARDS.

AND I WOULD BE HAPPY TO GIVE COUNCIL AN UPDATE AS TO STATUS OF WHERE WE ARE ON THE GENERAL QUESTION OF SERVICE STANDARDS.

IN THE FUTURE AND I WILL TRY AND GET BACK WITH A MORE PRECISE DATE SOON.

COUNCILLOR FEQUET. NO THANKS. AND I RECOGNIZE THE WORK PLAN UPDATE IS FORTHCOMING IN THE CONVERSATION, SO APPRECIATE, THAT PROBABLY ALIGNS WITH PART OF THAT CONVERSATION.

I JUST WANTED TO THANK STEPH. THIS IS AWESOME TO SEE THIS. AND WE CAN'T ADJUST IF WE CAN'T KNOW THE PERFORMANCE AND WE CAN'T MEASURE.

SO I APPRECIATE ALL THE EFFORT THAT'S GOING INTO THIS. SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COUNCILOR OR DEPUTY MAYOR WARBURTON? THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. AND THANKS. I REALLY LOVE IT LAID OUT IN A TABLE LIKE THAT.

SO YOU CAN CLEARLY SEE A COUPLE QUESTIONS. SO MEETING OUR STANDARDS FOR EVERYTHING.

BUT THESE DO STACK, RIGHT? SO, LIKE, IT'S NOT JUST LIKE YOU APPLY FOR A PERMIT, YOU GET 120 DAYS, THESE STACK UP. SO ARE WE TRACKING THE TOTAL TIME FOR WHEN SOMEONE HAS A PRE-DEVELOPMENT MEETING UNTIL THEY GET THEIR BUILDING PERMIT? LIKE, ARE WE TRACKING THE ENTIRE PROCESS? AND, DO WE HAVE THAT NUMBER OR CAN WE GET THAT NUMBER? MR. VAN DINE. I'LL INVITE DIRECTOR WHITE TO RESPOND.

SO THE ANSWER IS NO, WE'RE NOT TRACKING IT. THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN, SAY, ME COMING IN AND WANTING TO PUT A SECONDARY SUITE IN MY BASEMENT WHERE I MAY NOT NEED A DEVELOPMENT PERMIT, AND I GET TO GO RIGHT TO A BUILDING PERMIT, AND GET MY BUILDING PERMIT IN, SAY, FOUR DAYS, BECAUSE I HAVE A COMPLETE APPLICATION TO SOMEONE WHO NEEDS TO DO A COMMUNITY PLAN, AMENDMENT AND ZONING AMENDMENT, DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, AND BUILDING PERMIT.

SO I'M NOT AWARE THAT OUR SOFTWARE DOES THAT.

SO NO, I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBERS. I CAN LOOK INTO IT, BUT THAT'S ABOUT THE BEST I CAN RESPOND,

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I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT STANDARDS TO LOOK AT THE CUMULATIVE EFFECT OF A KIND OF AN AVERAGE EXPERIENCE.

SO IT GIVES YOU A FULL PICTURE. SO, LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, IF SOMEONE'S DOING A ZONING AMENDMENT AND, YOU KNOW, A COMPLEX BUILDING, WE'RE LOOKING NORTH OF NINE MONTHS, TEN MONTHS WHICH IS A VERY LONG TIME.

SO I APPRECIATE EACH STANDARDS BEING HIT, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IF POSSIBLE AT SOME POINT, WHAT'S THE CUMULATIVE TIME FOR VARIOUS ITERATIONS.

DO WE HAVE LIKE A PUBLIC, SO SOMEONE COMES IN, WANTS TO DO A SECONDARY SUITE IN THEIR HOUSE.

DO WE HAVE LIKE A DEVELOPMENT CHECKLIST OR ANYTHING WITH LIKE, BECAUSE I ONLY HAVE A TON OF STUDIES AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE REQUIRE VARY IMMENSELY DEPENDING ON THE SCOPE OF THE DEVELOPMENT. SO DO WE HAVE THAT LIKE DO WE PROVIDE THAT INFO TO FOLKS IF THEY'RE BECAUSE A LOT OF THE STUFF PEOPLE ARE DOING ARE NOT BIG PROJECTS, RIGHT? THERE ARE SMALL THINGS. MR. VAN DINE. PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENTS COME UP WITH A NUMBER OF TOOLS, BUT I'LL INVITE DIRECTOR WHITE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

THANK YOU. THE SHORT ANSWER IS YES, BUT I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A LONGER ANSWER.

YOU CONTACT OUR DEPARTMENT AND TELL US THAT YOU WANT TO DO DEVELOPMENT X.

WE'LL SET UP A MEETING WITH THE PEOPLE THAT YOU NEED TO TALK TO.

SO IT MIGHT NOT JUST BE A PLANNER, IT MIGHT BE OUR BUILDING INSPECTOR. MIGHT BE OUR PUBLIC WORKS, MIGHT BE PUBLIC SAFETY.

WE WILL HAVE A PRE-CONSULTATION MEETING WHERE WE'LL WALK THROUGH WHAT IT IS YOU'RE LOOKING TO DO.

WHAT WE'LL ALSO DO IS HIGHLIGHT ANY MONEY WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO GIVE TO YOU IN THE FORM OF AN INCENTIVE, AND WE WILL PROVIDE YOU A WRITTEN RESPONSE. IT'S ACTUALLY THE FIRST ITEM HERE WITHIN 15 DAYS OF THAT MEETING.

SO YOU HAVE A WRITTEN LIST OF THE THINGS THAT YOU MAY OR MAY NOT NEED TO DO.

SO IF IT'S SIMPLE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT, WE'LL TELL YOU WHAT YOU NEED FOR THAT. IF YOU DO NEED TO GO THROUGH A LARGER PROCESS, SAY LIKE A ZONING, WE'LL LET YOU KNOW WHAT THAT IS AND THE TIMELINES FOR THAT, AND WE'LL GIVE IT TO YOU UP FRONT, SO YOU AS THE DEVELOPER, CAN THEN HIT THE ITEMS OFF THAT LIST.

WHERE THEY'RE ALSO GOING TO TELL YOU WHAT YOU NEED FOR A COMPLETE APPLICATION. SOMETIMES IT TAKES PEOPLE A LITTLE LONGER, MAYBE THEY NEED TO GET SOME OTHER MATERIALS AND OR CHECK THEIR FINANCING. AND WHEN THEY COME IN THE DOOR, THE HOPE IS THAT WE HAVE A COMPLETE APPLICATION WE CAN HIT THE GROUND RUNNING WITH.

THANK YOU. GREAT, THANKS. AND YEAH, JUST A COUPLE OF COMMENTS.

IT'S REALLY GREAT TO SEE THE NUMBER OF UNITS 478, IN THREE YEARS.

I DID JUST CHECK THIS MORNING, AND OUR VACANCY RATE HAS ACTUALLY GOT WORSE IN THAT TIME PERIOD.

SO I KNOW WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON HALF A LOT AROUND HOUSING NEEDS, ASSESSMENTS, ALL THESE THINGS, BUT I CAUTION US JUST TO RELY ON, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE GREAT NUMBERS, BUT THIS IS NOT A WIN.

WE HAVE NOT EVEN MET THE PENT UP DEMAND. NEVER MIND POPULATION GROWTH, NEVER MIND FUTURE GROWTH, AIRPORT. SO THIS IS GREAT TO SEE, BUT WE ARE IN NO WAY MAKING THE DENT THAT I WOULD HAVE HOPED IN THREE YEARS.

SO, WE GOT A BIT OF WORK TO DO. AND THEN, WHEN I GOT HERE, AND NOTE TO MY COLLEAGUES, A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SEEING LOTS OF UNIT COUNTS HERE IN THOSE THREE YEARS, A LOT OF THOSE LARGER DEVELOPMENTS, WHICH IS THE MAJORITY OF THOSE BUILDS, THAT DECISION WAS MADE THREE YEARS AGO, AND THERE IS NOTHING RIGHT NOW IN THE PIPE THIS SIZE.

SO, WE NEED TO PUT THE FOOT ON THE GAS MORE BECAUSE THIS THESE ARE THESE ARE LAGGING INDICATORS OF UNITS.

WE'RE SEEING THINGS THAT WERE MADE YEARS AGO, AND MOST OF THOSE DEVELOPERS DON'T EXIST OR HAVE LEFT.

SO WE NEED TO DO A LOT MORE TO KEEP THESE NUMBERS GOING BECAUSE IT'S THE CLIFF COMING.

AND WE JUST CAN'T KEEP UP THAT PACE LIKE WE HAD BEFORE.

AND I'M GLAD TO SEE WE GOT 55.4 MILLION IN RESIDENTIAL FOR 2025.

FOR CONTEXT, THAT'S ONE APARTMENT BUILDING. SO GREAT NUMBERS NOT HIGH ENOUGH.

THIS WOULDN'T, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE SEEING HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN RESIDENTIAL BUILD, THEN THAT'S WHEN WE ACTUALLY SEE AN IMPACT ON ON UNIT COUNT. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I LOVE ALL THE INFO. IT'S SUPER HELPFUL.

I'M NOT TRYING TO KIBOSH THAT, BUT THIS IS JUST A GOOD START.

THERE IS A MOUNTAIN OF STUFF TO DO, INCLUDING LAND, BUT THAT'S A DIFFERENT CONVERSATION.

THANKS. OH, BUT IT TIES IN SO WELL. DEPUTY MAYOR WARBURTON I APPRECIATE YEAH, BOTH THE COMMENTS AND THE DATA, BUT YOU'RE 100% ACCURATE IN TERMS OF THE REAL LIFE IMPACT, BOTH FROM THE WHAT DOES THE CITY NEED TO DO AND WHAT DO WE NEED TO KEEP DOING.

BUT ALSO HOW DO WE GET THAT PRIVATE INVESTMENT IN ORDER TO TO PUT THE TO PUT THE GAS BACK ON? OH, WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU IN ROUND TWO. NEXT WE HAVE COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YEAH, AWESOME DATA. I JUST WANTED TO THANK STAFF FOR PUTTING THIS ALL TOGETHER AND ECHO COUNCILLOR FEQUET THAT LIKE HAVING THIS IN FRONT OF US.

WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THIS FOR A LOT OF OTHER THINGS AROUND THE CITY.

IT'S JUST SUPER HELPFUL FOR COUNCIL UNDERSTANDING, WHERE THE SORT OF CRUX POINTS ARE? HOW DO WE MAKE CHANGE? HOW DO WE ADDRESS CERTAIN ISSUES?

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SO THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THIS ALL TOGETHER. AND THEN JUST ONE QUESTION.

IS THERE ANYTHING COUNCIL CAN DO TO ADDRESS THAT STAFFING, THAT RECURRENT STAFFING ISSUE? MR. VAN DINE. I APPRECIATE THE OFFER. AND WE ARE WORKING EXTREMELY HARD.

WE DID ENGAGE A FIRM TO HELP US DO SOME TARGETING AND RECRUITMENT.

SO WE'VE DONE THAT RECENTLY, THAT IS RELATIVELY NEW.

WE'VE DONE THAT FOR C LEVEL SUITE AND POSITIONS LIKE CITY MANAGER THAT WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT FOR KEY POSITIONS SUCH AS SUCH AS THESE ONES.

AND WE ARE SEEING SOME EVIDENCE THAT THERE MIGHT BE SOME POSITIVE TRACTION THERE, BUT WE'LL, WE'LL WAIT AND SEE UNTIL WE HAVE BUMS IN CHAIRS.

WITH RESPECT TO MORE GENERALLY, I THINK COUNCIL IS IN A VERY GOOD POSITION TO TALK ABOUT YELLOWKNIFE BEING AN ATTRACTIVE PLACE TO WORK AND HAVE SOME EXCITING OPPORTUNITIES. IF YOU CONTINUE DOING THAT, I THINK THAT WOULD BE SUPER HELPFUL. WE ARE ALSO WORKING WITH OUR DIFFERENT COLLEAGUES WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES. WE ARE INVESTING A LITTLE BIT OF OUR OWN, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY THE LAND QUESTION WHICH EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT HOUSING AND HAVING AVAILABLE HOUSING FOR CITY STAFF IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS HAVING HOUSING AVAILABLE FOR DOCTORS AND NURSES AND TEACHERS AND OTHER PROFESSIONALS THAT WE NEED IN THE COMMUNITY. SO WE'RE MOVING QUICKLY ON THAT FOOT.

BUT CERTAINLY THE INTEREST IN COUNCIL AND SUPPORTING US IN OUR STAFFING ACTIONS IS APPRECIATED AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO REPORT AS WE HOPEFULLY ARE ABLE TO SECURE PEOPLE IN DEPOSITIONS.

THANK YOU. COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

YEAH. I APPRECIATE ALL THAT WORK. AND THEN THIS QUESTION JUST POPPED INTO MY HEAD, SO UNDERSTANDABLE IF I DON'T HAVE ANY ANSWERS.

BUT AS THE CITY EVER CONSIDERED BUILDING A FOUR PLEX TO HAVE AS HOUSING FOR PEOPLE FOR SIX MONTHS WHILE THEY COME TO TOWN AND LOOK FOR SOMEWHERE TO BUY? MR VAN DINE. THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. THAT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION.

WE HAVE NOT GIVEN IT A LOT OF DEEP THOUGHT IN PART BECAUSE SOME OF THE FUNDING LIMITATIONS AND RULES FROM MUNICIPAL AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS, AND THE TRANSFER TO US EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED HOUSING AS BEING PART OF THE CAPITAL TRANSFER.

THAT HAS CHANGED. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE DUTY IS NOW OPENED UP SOME OF THE PARAMETERS WITH RESPECT TO THE USE OF CAPITAL FOR THOSE PURPOSES, BUT IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF ENERGY IN, GIVEN WE HAVE A PLETHORA OF CAPITAL NEEDS IN THE COMMUNITY.

HOUSING IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD PROBABLY LOOK INTO.

COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN. YEAH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I'D EXPRESS MY SUPPORT FOR EXPLORING THAT POSSIBILITY AND ENCOURAGE ANYONE RUNNING IN THE 2026 ELECTION TO POSSIBLY THINK ABOUT THAT IDEA.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS IN ROUND ONE? SEEING NONE. I GUESS JUST FOR MYSELF IS, YOU KNOW, BEHIND THE NUMBERS, WHAT DO YOU SEE FROM THE ADMINISTRATION SIDE OF THINGS AS SORT OF THE BIGGEST OPPORTUNITY IN THOSE PLACES WHERE WE STILL HAVE SOME, YOU KNOW, CLOSE, BUT NOT QUITE GETTING THE STANDARD MET.

WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST OPPORTUNITY AVAILABLE TO US? AND SIMILAR TO COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN, WHAT ARE THOSE THINGS THAT WE COULD BE DOING TO SORT OF HELP LEVERAGE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU SEE, MR. VAN DINE? I'LL GIVE DIRECTOR WHITE THE OPPORTUNITY TO POINT US AND I WILL ADD AS NECESSARY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I THINK THE FIRST PIECE IS COUNCIL AS WELL AS THE WORK THAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING WITH GNWT HOUSING.

SO THERE'S BEEN IS IN PROGRESS, A NUMBER OF UNITS AND BUILDS THAT ARE ONGOING RIGHT NOW.

SO WE'LL SEE THOSE NUMBERS EITHER REFLECTED THE END OF THIS YEAR OR THE BEGINNING OF NEXT YEAR.

SO THERE ARE SOME LARGER BUILDS ONGOING. THE CITY GAVE LAND FOR SOME OF THE STUFF.

SO WORKING IN COOPERATION WITH OTHER LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT DOES PAY OFF.

IT DOES TAKE A WHILE TO SEE IT. BUT IT IS PAYING OFF.

AND THE ONE INSTANCE, I MEAN, WE'RE GOING TO END UP WITH 50 AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS.

WE ARE FAR EXCEEDING FOR A CITY OF OUR SIZE, OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNIT COUNT.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE CITY VERSUS THE OTHER CITIES THAT ARE ACROSS THE COUNTRY GETTING THE HALF.

SO THAT'S A GOOD NEWS STORY. AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE CONTINUATION OF ANY ASSISTANCE AND COLLABORATION WE CAN GIVE TO THAT ORGANIZATION OR OTHERS.

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE. WE GOT TWO DUPLEXES UP, THOSE EACH HAVING THREE BEDROOMS IN THEM.

SO THAT'S SOMEWHERE WHERE WE ARE MISSING IS THE THREE AND FOUR BEDROOM NEW DWELLINGS.

[00:25:03]

AND SO IF WE HAD LAND WHERE WE COULD BUILD SOME SINGLE DETACHED DUPLEX WITH SUITES, THAT WOULD HELP BREAK DOWN THE NEED WHICH WE HAVE IN OUR HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT, VERY CLEAR THAT WE NEED, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT FAMILIES AND MULTI-GENERATIONAL FAMILIES ARE LOOKING FOR, IS MORE THAN THREE BEDROOMS SO THAT THEY CAN BE TOGETHER.

SO ANY ASSISTANCE THERE. AND I THINK THE LAST REQUEST THAT I WOULD SAY TO COUNCIL IS HALF IS UNTIL THE END OF 2027, AND ANY EXTENSION AND OR ADDITIONAL MONEY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RELATED TO THIS, IT IS PAYING OFF.

AS YOU CAN SEE, THAT WAS THE FIRST. LAST YEAR WAS THE FIRST YEAR WE WERE GIVING OUT DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES.

IT DOES NOT REFLECT ALL THE APPLICATIONS THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN LINE.

AND JUST AS AN ESTIMATE FOR WHAT WE COULD BE HANDING OUT THIS YEAR, WE COULD BE BETWEEN 500 AND $700,000 OF INCENTIVES FOR JUST RESIDENTIAL THIS YEAR BASED ON THE APPLICATIONS WE HAVE IN HAND.

SO THAT'S NOT TO SAY WHAT IS COMING IN BEHIND IT.

DO WE HAVE THE MONEY RIGHT NOW? YES. IS IT SUPPORTED BY HALF? YES. WILL WE HAVE THE MONEY COME 28? NO. SO THAT WOULD BE MY ADDITIONAL ASK TO COUNCIL.

THANKS. MUCH APPRECIATED. MR. VAN DINE, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANTED TO ADD? YEAH, NO, I THINK DIRECTOR WHITE DID AN EXCELLENT JOB POINTING TO THE NUTS AND BOLTS RELATED TO HOUSING AND THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE THERE TO BE SEIZED.

DEFINITELY WOULD UNDERSCORE ANY KIND OF CONSIDERATION OF THE EXTENSION OF THE HALF PROGRAM.

IF IT IS, COULD BE EXTENDED. CERTAINLY IF THERE'S A POLITICAL WILL ON COUNCIL TO SEE THAT THAT GET EXTENDED, I THINK WE WOULD SEE HIGH VALUE IN THAT HAPPENING.

THE TWO OTHER PIECES THAT I WOULD JUST TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TOUCH ON ARE ONES THAT COUNCIL IS FAMILIAR WITH.

THE SECOND IS BRINGING YELLOWKNIFERS ALONG THE DEVELOPMENT EXPERIENCE.

I THINK YELLOWKNIFERS HAVE HAD AN INTERESTING EXPERIENCE WITH DEVELOPMENT OVER THE YEARS.

AND THEIR RELATIVE EASE WITH DEVELOPMENT IS DIFFERENT DEPENDING ON WHO YOU ASK.

BUT THERE IS A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF COMPRESSION THAT IS BUILT.

THERE'S A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF HOUSING REQUIRED.

THERE IS A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF DEVELOPMENT THAT'S GOING TO NEED TO HAPPEN.

THERE'S A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF CAPITAL WILLING TO COME IN AND DO THAT DEVELOPMENT.

WHAT WE DON'T HAVE IS THE LAND. SO WITH THAT, AND I KNOW COUNCIL IS AWARE THAT WE'RE MOVING QUICKLY, I JUST TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REPORT THAT UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF DIRECTOR WHITE, WE DID HOLD THE CAPITAL AREA COMMITTEE WITH RESPECT TO THE APPLICATION, WITH RESPECT TO FRAME LAKE. WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH THE YKDF AND THE NORTH SLAVE MÉTIS ALLIANCE AROUND LAND QUESTIONS.

WE ARE LOOKING TO CONTINUE TO BRIEF TERRITORIAL MINISTERS ON OUR SITUATION.

AND COUNCIL'S AWARE OF THE BRIEFING THAT THEY PROVIDED TO MLAS PRIOR TO CHRISTMAS.

THAT WORK CONTINUES. HOWEVER, BRINGING THE COMMUNITY ALONG IN TERMS OF THE REAL NEED, THE REAL REQUIREMENT, IT DOES TRANSLATE INTO THE AVAILABLE TEACHERS THAT CAN MOVE HERE.

IT DOES POINT TO THE AVAILABLE DOCTORS THAT ARE ABLE TO LIVE HERE.

IT DOES POINT TO NURSES THAT ARE ABLE TO LIVE HERE.

IT CONTINUES. SO I KNOW COUNCIL KNOWS THAT. BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT STATISTICS THAT HAVE BEEN PRESENTED TODAY, THEY DON'T NECESSARILY TELL THE STORY AND THEY BECOME A LITTLE BIT DRY.

AND I WOULD SAY THAT YOUR CONNECTIONS TO YOUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WOULD BE HELPFUL IN JUST ELEVATING THE UNDERSTANDING AND AWARENESS.

AND THEN THE THIRD IS OBVIOUSLY THE DOWNTOWN.

THE DOWNTOWN IS AN AREA THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN OF INTEREST OF COUNCIL.

THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE UNDERWAY THAT WE'RE HOPING TO SEE AND SEE COME INTO FRUITION.

COUNCIL DID APPROVE SOME RESOURCES FOR SOME SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'RE DOING WITH RESPECT TO HIRING SOME ADDITIONAL MUNICIPAL ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, WE ARE TRYING TO UPGRADE OR UPDATE AND REGULARIZE THE AMOUNT OF GARBAGE COLLECTION AND SNOW REMOVAL IN THE DOWNTOWN AS THINGS TO MAKE THE DOWNTOWN MORE ACCESSIBLE. THERE ARE OTHER EFFORTS AFOOT, AS YOU'RE AWARE, WITH RESPECT TO NEWNESS AND POSSIBLE CONVERSATIONS WITH AURORA COLLEGE AND TRYING TO CONSOLIDATE AND DO A REFRESHED LOOK FOR A REVITALIZED AND COGENT INTEGRATED NORTH CAMPUS WHICH I THINK A CAPITAL CITY DESERVES.

THOSE KINDS OF THINGS AND THOSE DOTS TO BE CONNECTED, I THINK, ARE IMPORTANT DOTS FOR COUNCIL TO CONTINUE TO CONNECT AND TO SENSITIZE IN ORDER

[00:30:01]

AS COUNCIL CAN APPRECIATE BUT BRINGING YELLOWKNIFE ALONG THAT JOURNEY TO SEE THE EXCITEMENT AND PARTICIPATE IN THE EXCITEMENT AND TO BE READY FOR THE EXCITEMENT AS POTENTIALLY GOING TO REQUIRE A LITTLE BIT OF ADJUSTMENT IN HOW WE RELATE TO ONE ANOTHER.

BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S SOME READINESS THAT I THINK WE NEED TO BE NEEDING YOUR HELP TO HAVE YELLOWKNIFERS READY FOR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO YOU BOTH, BOTH FOR ADDING LIFE TO THE NUMBERS, AS YOU SAID, BUT ALSO PROVIDING US BOTH DIRECTOR WHITE AND MR. VAN DINE REMINDING US OF SOME OF THOSE ADVOCACY POINTS THAT WE HAVE ON OUR LIST.

AND WE CONTINUE TO HIT, BUT ALWAYS IMPORTANT TO HAVE THEM BROUGHT BACK TO THE FOREFRONT.

SO FOR ROUND TWO, WE HAVE FIRST COUNCILLOR FEQUET AND THEN DEPUTY MAYOR WARBURTON.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. SORRY, I HAD ONE MORE QUESTION EARLIER.

I JUST FORGOT, IN THE EXCITEMENT OF ALL THE DATA IN THE TABLE.

I RECOGNIZE, YOU KNOW, THE MORE EFFORT AND TIME YOU SPEND MEASURING THINGS, THE LESS WORK YOU'RE DOING.

SO THERE'S A BALANCE OF GOING TOO DEEP. I THINK I HAD ASKED THIS QUESTION MAYBE THE FIRST TIME WE SAW SOME OF THESE STANDARDS COME THROUGH, AND I WAS JUST WONDERING IF THERE ARE ADMINISTRATION'S VIEW ON THE UTILITY OR THE VALUE OF MEASURING THAT TIME WHEN AN APPLICATION FIRST COMES IN OR A SUBMISSION FIRST COMES IN UNTIL IT'S COMPLETE.

AND THE REASON I ASK THIS SPECIFICALLY IS I KNOW FROM MY OWN EXPERIENCE IN THE REGULATORY WORLD A LOT OF THE TIME FRAMES THAT PEOPLE WERE QUOTING, A VERY LARGE PORTION OF IT THAT PEOPLE WERE UNAWARE OF WAS ACTUALLY THAT TIME WHEN THE PERSON, THE ENTITY WAS PREPARING AND WORKING ON ACTUALLY GETTING A COMPLETE APPLICATION.

AND IT WAS VERY HELPFUL TO SHOW THAT IT WASN'T ALL PART OF THE REGULATORY PROCESS.

IT WAS ACTUALLY ABOUT FOLKS MAYBE BEING UNAWARE OR COMING UNPREPARED.

AND THAT OBVIOUSLY CREATES EVEN MORE WORK FOR STAFF.

SO I JUST WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT THE VALUE AND EVEN JUST EVEN A GENERAL SENSE.

I KNOW THERE'S ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT KIND OF APPLICATIONS AND SUBMISSIONS, SO MAYBE IT'S NOT EASY TO GENERALIZE, BUT, WHAT PROPORTION OF THAT TIME IN THAT INCOMPLETE PHASE? AND IS IT WORTH MEASURING AND SHARING IN THE FUTURE? MR. VAN DINE. THANK YOU. I'LL INVITE DIRECTOR WHITE TO RESPOND IN A MOMENT, BUT I WILL TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT PREVIOUS LIVES IN WHICH THE WHOLE QUESTION OF THE REGULATORY CLOCK STARTING AND STOPPING WAS CERTAINLY AN ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT OTHER LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH IN ORDER TO PROVIDE A TRULY ACCURATE PICTURE.

SO THE PROVERBIAL HOT POTATO ONCE IT'S WITH US, YOU KNOW, START THE CLOCK.

ONCE IT'S BEEN DEALT WITH AND SENT BACK FOR ADJUSTMENT.

THAT IS ANOTHER PERIOD OF TIME THAT CERTAINLY IS PART OF THE EQUATION.

BUT PERHAPS DIRECTOR WHITE CAN ELABORATE. THANK YOU.

ACTUALLY, I'LL USE THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE AS AN EXAMPLE.

PRIOR TO THE NEW SYSTEM COMING IN ONLINE, WE HAD APPLICATIONS WHERE I PUT IN MY APPLICATION, BUT NO SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION, AND IT WOULD SIT THERE FOR YEARS, YEARS AND YEARS.

AND IT'S HOLDING UP SPACE BECAUSE SOMEONE CONTINUOUSLY HAS TO GO BACK AND CONTINUOUSLY HAS TO LOOK AT IT. SO WHEN WE IMPLEMENTED THE COMPLETE APPLICATION PROCESS, WE STOPPED ASSIGNING FILES AND OPENING FILES FOR THINGS THAT WERE NOT COMPLETE.

SO UNTIL IT'S COMPLETE, WE ARE NOT TRACKING TIMELINES AND WE ARE NOT ASSIGNING A NUMBER.

AND WE ARE NOT, LIKE IT'S NOT IN THE SYSTEM. WE WILL DO A COMPLETE APPLICATION AND WE WILL GIVE YOU THAT LETTER FROM OUR MEETING FROM PRE-CONSULTATION. AND ONCE WE RECEIVE THE PACKAGE, WE WILL ASSIGN IT THE NUMBER AND WE WILL TRACK FROM THAT TIME ONWARD.

SO YOU COULD GIVE AN ALMOST COMPLETE APPLICATION AND SAY, FORGET TO PAY THE FEE THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO TRACK.

SO IF IT TOOK YOU TEN DAYS TO PAY THE FEE, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO TELL YOU THAT, BUT ONLY AFTER WE'VE ACTUALLY ASSIGNED THE FILE APPLICATION NUMBER.

THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FEQUET. THANKS FOR THAT EXTRA CONTEXT.

AND YEAH, JUST SOMETHING TO CONSIDER MOVING FORWARD. WHETHER IT'S IT'S WORTH TRACKING THAT PRE PERIOD OR NOT.

BUT YEAH, APPRECIATE THAT EXTRA CONTEXT IN THE MEANTIME.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. DEPUTY MAYOR WARBURTON. THANK YOU.

YOU ANSWERED QUITE A BIT OF IT ON THE INCENTIVE SIDE. SO YOU SEEM TO HAVE QUITE A FEW APPLICATIONS FOR FOLKS FOR INCENTIVES GOING INTO NEXT YEAR.

YOU MENTIONED SOME KIND OF LARGER NUMBERS. IS THAT THE HALF? HAVE WE KIND OF REPROFILED THE HALF MONEY OR KIND OF LIKE, BECAUSE THAT SEEMS LIKE A LOT MORE INCENTIVES THAN WE TALKED ABOUT AT BUDGET. SO I'M JUST KIND OF WONDERING WHERE THAT'S I'M EXCITED TO SEE IT.

BUT JUST THE FLOW OF WHERE THAT'S COMING FROM.

[00:35:01]

I AM VERY HAPPY TO RESPOND. SO WE STARTED THE HALF PROGRAM.

IT STARTED IN DECEMBER, SO WE WERE ABLE TO ROLL OVER THE MONEY FROM THAT FIRST YEAR INTO THE SECOND YEAR.

WE NEVER SPENT IT IN THE SECOND YEAR, SO WE'VE NOW ROLLED OVER THE FIRST AND THE SECOND YEAR INTO THE THIRD YEAR, WHICH IS LAST YEAR. WE STILL HAVE MONEY LEFT OVER, SO WE'RE ROLLING IT FORWARD.

AND WE ALSO ASKED IF WE COULD REPROFILE SOME OF THE MONEY THAT THEY GAVE US, BECAUSE WE SEE ALL THE APPLICATIONS COMING IN AND WE HAVE APPROVAL FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT IF WE NEED, IF WE GO OVER AND SPEND THE ALL THOSE THREE YEARS OF MONEY PLUS THIS YEAR'S MONEY, IF WE GO OVER, WE CAN REPROFILE AND IT'S VERY SIMPLE AND STRAIGHTFORWARD.

SO THE GOOD NEWS IS, BECAUSE OF THE WAY OUR BYLAW IS WRITTEN, IT SAYS UNTIL THE MONEY RUNS OUT.

SO RIGHT NOW WE ARE IN A GOOD POSITION. THANK YOU.

THAT'S GREAT TO HEAR. THANKS. AND THEN IT'S AROUND INCENTIVES, BUT A BIT OF A LAND QUESTION.

WHAT ARE WE DOING TO INCENTIVIZE LAND WE OWN TO MOVE IT? THINKING OF THE 5050 BECAUSE YOU MENTIONED IT DOWNTOWN THERE.

MR. VAN DINE. SO WHAT ARE WE DOING TO KIND OF MOVE SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN KIND OF ON OUR BOOKS FOR A LONG TIME? MR. VAN DINE. SO THAT LOT HAS A LOT OF HISTORY, AS EVERYONE KNOWS.

AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE DONE IS WE'VE ACTUALLY POSTED A OPEN EXPRESSION OF INTEREST TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO COME FORWARD WITH PROPOSALS THAT KIND OF MEET CERTAIN CRITERIA.

WE'VE IDENTIFIED THAT LOT AS AN AREA OF IMPORTANCE AND INTEREST TO THE CITY WHILE IT'S NOW BEING USED AS A PARKING LOT. IN THE INTERIM, WE DON'T SEE THAT ITS FUTURE IS BEST SERVED AS A PARKING LOT GOING FORWARD.

SO WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO RECEIVING, HOPEFULLY SOME CREATIVE IDEAS ON WHAT PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO DO WITH THAT PIECE.

COUNCIL IS AWARE THAT THERE ARE NEW OWNERS AT CENTER SQUARE MALL.

AND THE NEW OWNERS OF CENTER SQUARE MALL ARE CONTINUING WITH THEIR PLANS.

WE REMAIN OPTIMISTIC THAT THOSE PLANS COULD POTENTIALLY GENERATE A LEVEL OF INTEREST AND ACTIVITY IN THE DOWNTOWN, WHICH THEN COULD SPUR ON OTHER THINGS IN THE ADJACENT AREA.

AND WE'D BE OPEN TO TO CONSIDERING THE 5050 LOT IN A NEW LIGHT IF THERE WERE SOME NEW IDEAS, NEW DEVELOPMENT IN THAT SPACE. FOR THOSE THAT ARE HOLDING ON TO LAND THAT IS EITHER UNDERDEVELOPED OR NOT DEVELOPED TO ITS HIGHEST USE. WE MADE A COMMITMENT TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL WITH SOME ADVICE ON HOW TO ENCOURAGE AND PROVIDE SOME INCENTIVES FOR THAT. SO THAT WORK IS UNDERWAY.

AND WE ARE TRYING TO REMAIN VIGILANT ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES AS PEOPLE COME FORWARD.

I DON'T KNOW IF DIRECTOR WHITE OR DIRECTOR THISTLE HAVE ANYTHING ELSE THEY'D LIKE TO ADD. IF I COULD ADD.

SO NOT JUST ON THE 5050 LOT, BUT FOR ANY MUNICIPAL LAND THAT WE ARE DISPOSING IN OUR DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES BYLAW, WE HAVE A LAND GRANT, A MISSING MIDDLE PRICE GRANT.

SO IF YOU DESIGN AND DEVELOPED SOMETHING THAT MET WITH OUR BYLAW DEFINITIONS, WE WOULD POTENTIALLY GRANT YOU UP TO 25% OF THE PURCHASE PRICE AS A REFUND THROUGH DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES. AND BECAUSE OUR DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES CAN BE STACKED, YOU'D BE ABLE TO STACK THAT WITH OTHER THINGS DEPENDING ON WHAT YOU WERE BUILDING, WHETHER IT'S ACCESSIBLE, AFFORDABLE, ETC.

SO POTENTIALLY THERE COULD BE A LARGE SUM OF MONEY FOR SOMEONE LOOKING TO DEVELOP LAND THAT THE CITY IS DISPOSING OF.

WE ALSO KEPT OUR INDUSTRIAL LAND SWAP. SO SIMILAR TO OUR PREVIOUS DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES BYLAW, THAT IS IN OUR CURRENT DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES BYLAW.

SO THERE'S A LITTLE MORE NUANCE TO THAT ONE. SO IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED, FEEL FREE TO CONTACT OUR OFFICE AND WE CAN RUN THROUGH THE DETAILS.

BUT THERE'S ALSO SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS THAT COULD BE HAD THERE IN ADDITION TO OUR TAX ABATEMENT, WHICH COMES THROUGH THIS AS WELL. SO WE ARE INCENTING NOT JUST ONE PROPERTY, BUT POTENTIALLY PROPERTIES THAT THE CITY IS SELLING ACROSS THE MUNICIPALITY.

THANK YOU. DEPUTY MAYOR WARBURTON. OH, YEAH. THANK YOU.

YEAH. LAST QUESTION. IT'S 5050. A LOT OF THE ISSUES IN THAT LOT ARE HISTORICAL USES.

THERE'S CAVEATS, ALL KINDS OF REASONS THAT ARE HARD TO BUILD SITE.

JUST TO ANSWER RIGHT NOW, BUT IF WE HAVE SOME EXTRA HALF MONEY, THERE'S SOME GREAT LEGAL THINGS THAT COULD HAPPEN ON THAT LOT TO MAKE IT MORE ATTRACTIVE TO MOVE THAT ALONG. SO WE HAVE GREAT REPORTS, NUMEROUS REPORTS ON THAT LOT.

IF WE CAN USE ANY OF THOSE FUNDS TO ACTUALLY DO SOME OF THOSE THINGS IN THOSE REPORTS, THAT WOULD BE AMAZING.

I DON'T LIKE SITTING ON $1.4 MILLION IN LAND FOR 15 YEARS, SO I'D LOVE TO HAVE SOMEBODY BUILD SOMETHING, LITERALLY ANYTHING ON THAT. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DEPUTY MAYOR WARBURTON.

[00:40:02]

I'M BUILDING AN ADDITION ONTO THE BACK OF MY HOUSE AS AN APARTMENT FOR MY DAUGHTER, AND I'VE HAD NOTHING BUT GOOD EXPERIENCES WITH YOUR DEPARTMENT. DIRECTOR WHITE, IT'S BEEN A BIT OF A PLEASURE FOR ME AND A WHOLE LEARNING EXPERIENCE.

I HAVEN'T DONE DEVELOPMENT BEFORE. AND WITH THE HELP OF SOME OF YOUR CREW, IT'S BEEN REALLY GOOD.

AND IF ANYBODY WANTS TO SEE THAT ADDITION TO WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH NOT A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY.

COME ON OVER. MY DOOR IS OPEN. JEEZ, YOU'RE OPENING UP THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE TO KNOCK ON YOUR DOOR, COUNCILLOR PAYNE. YOU'RE A GOOD MAN. ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FROM ANY COLLEAGUES? WITH THAT, THEN WE HAVE REACHED THE END OF OUR MEETING.

IF I CAN GET A MOTION TO ADJOURN. MOVED BY COUNCILOR MCLENNAN, SECONDED BY COUNCILOR COCHRANE.

EVERYBODY, HAVE A LOVELY DAY.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.