Colleagues, it's 10:01 p.m. I'm going to call the 9th meeting of the strategic priorities and policy committee to order and begin by acknowledging that the city of London is situated on the traditional lands of the Anosha, Hodnon, Len Paywok, and Adawanderan peoples. We are honored and respect the history, languages, and culture of the diverse indigenous people who call this territory home. The city of London is currently home to many First Nations, Matei, and Inuit. And as representatives of the people of the city of London, we are grateful to have the opportunity to work and live in this territory. The city of London is also committed to make every effort to provide alternate formats and communication supports for meetings upon request. And to make a request specific to this meeting, please contact SPPCLondon.ca or phone 519-6612489 extension 2425. Uh colleagues, uh going to begin by looking for any disclosures of precinary interest. Seeing none, uh we will move on to the consent agenda. Uh I've not been made aware of anyone uh wishing to deal with these two items separately. Uh so I'll look to see if there is a mover and seconder for the consent. Councelor Hilly and councelor Pelosa. So those two items are now on the floor for any questions or comments. >> Councelor Posza. >> Thank you uh Mr. Chair. And just on item 2.1 being the municipal accommodation tax uh for the tourism London annual report. I know our representatives from tour London are with us uh today. Um if I could just briefly through you as we see in the report a long long list of things that that money has been utilized for to bring things uh to London. if knowing that tourism is in the house with us today, if they could just speak briefly on to future opportunities they see for the continuation of the municipal accommodation tax money and just a couple highlights of what's been done. I think it's really important for learners to understand this isn't the London taxpayers money. This is coming from tourism dollars coming to the city and then being re reinvested in different events and infrastructure even from the city's perspective uh to help drive tourism that is a $1.1 billion [clears throat] industry in the city. >> Thank you councelor Pelosa Miss Finn. >> Thank you both and through the chair. Uh we have long said this municipal accommodation tax has been an incredible gamecher for the work that we are able to do within our industry. Um very very happy that our friends from bylaw also are including Airbnb as part of the collection. Um hotels this is this money is collected through overnight visitations through our hotels and Airbnbs. This gives us the opportunity to remain very competitive in an extremely competitive area. Uh bid fees, uh fees to attract meetings and conventions, fees to market not only within Canada but uh internationally as well. um support we can give great initiatives like the amazing announcement made at the London International Airport this morning to cross promote and attract people from those destinations into our city for a variety of reasons is extremely important through this fund. >> Councelor, >> no I just thank you for that. I know a lot of people wouldn't know that some of that money is used with Tourism London to help bring those big conferences to town and those dollars that comes with heads and beds for restaurants and the spin-offs in different industries in the city. So, thank you for that >> councelor Pribble. Thank you. Uh firstly, I would like to thank Ontario Restaurant Hotel Motel Association and all the hotelier hotels that are contributing to this fund. We are all around this horseshoe. Tremendously grateful for it because it gives us exactly an opportunity what we see on the list supplied to us by Tourism London. Thank you as well Tourism London for starting and accomplishing these initiatives. I wanted to ask you though uh in terms of maximizing the opportunities. I know there are a lot of initiatives listed there that there are let's say we provide the bids for it. be secure that they do select London as their destination of choice. What do we do besides this proactively from our own end to attract these organizations, these tournaments etc. cultural events so we become a truly the destination of choice for them. >> Miss Finn, >> through you Mr. Chair, our work is really based on building relationships. The work that we do is done often several years out of when we see that business arrive in the city. Our managers are very active on not only provincial but national and international organizations to build those relationships with event rights holders. I can use the World Figure Skating Championships as an example. That was an event that we were told we would never ever get. We were not an international city. That event was traditionally held in large international cities. Uh we built a relationship first with our local uh skating organizations, local, regional, provincial. that spread into hosting national events to prove to Skate Canada that we were worthy of this event. And through them, they were able to bring our uh city forward at the ISU level, the International Skating Union level, uh as a competitive bid. And through that relationship building and through that exemplary work we did with all of those partners, we were able to bring that event here. It's years and years of work that we continue to do. >> Answer. >> Thank you for that answer and I do appreciate it. As in my previous profession being on the other side as a hotelier when I see this balance, I certainly wouldn't want us to waste any money. But on the other hand, I really would like the money to be used to generate the additional revenue. So to make sure that my rooms are occupied 365 days a year. But thank you. Thank you for that part. Uh I did want to ask through the chair our staff actually we get this report during this time from the tourism London then there's the other portion the 50% of the infrastructure uh to support tourism that comes to us I believe it's in the spring late spring is there any way that either they can be combined or if not combined that the first one can be combined with the second one so the council get to see the whole picture of this 100% % of the MAD funding going to the uses and initiatives. >> Miss Barbone. >> Uh thank [clears throat] you through the chair. So the last tourism infrastructure reserve fund update was uh done February of this year. So certainly that provided a bit of an update in terms of the most recent uh allegations which included the investment in Canada Life Place uh expansion. So certainly with the timing related to because there's there is audited statements that they do to tie together from the tourism London side. We can take that back and take a look at and see if there's a a timing that better aligns that we're able to provide an update on both of them. So certainly nothing has changed since the report we provided in February. But we can take a look and see if there's an alignment between the timelines of when tourism reports and when we provide our reporting to see if we can align those and and find what the right time to achieve that would be. >> Thank you for that and if you could please I think it would be really beneficial to see the really the 100% effect of this uh amount that is being invested through Matt. Uh one other thing I actually want to mention and this back to tourism London uh uh UNESCO designation of uh our designation that we have few months ago I was in Europe and I actually had a meeting with another representative from UNESCO and they said that currently there are three places in the world that are considered the best in terms of their initiatives and actions and that it's London, Ontario, Canada, Hungary and South Korea. So kudos to you. But having said that, I really think when I look at and especially we do have this amount when you have next strategic plan both internally and externally to really focus on doing UNESCO and when I say internally that means the quality of the local musician, the local events we have externally. Let's sell it. Let's sell it to Canada, Ontario, to the world so we get again the heads in the bats. But thank you and your to your entire team and currently no more questions. >> Thank you councelor Pribble. Councelor Stevenson. >> Thank you. Yeah, just a couple of questions. I noticed that there's about 200,000 what looks like from 2019 that hasn't been spent yet. And I just wondered why that is still on there and and at what point does it get cleared and put back into the balance again? >> Miss Finn, >> through you, Mr. Chair. uh those were allocations uh that were made within the year but because of our bylaws they're having to be spent within the year of the event so it's a hold back it will be cleared this year >> counselor >> okay thanks and then just one other question the summer marketing campaign was 250,000 and we spent 177 I just wondered uh why we weren't able to use the full budget >> Miss Finn uh through the chair. Um we did there are still invoices that are forthcoming. [gasps] >> Okay, that's good to know. Love to see the marketing done. So that's great. Thanks. >> Any other speakers? Seeing [clears throat] Seeing none, uh then I'm going to ask the clerk to open the vote. Councelor Chasau. >> I vote yes. >> Closing the vote. Motion carries 14 to zero. Thank you, colleagues. Moving on, we have two scheduled items. The first 3.1 uh is the public participation meeting on the 2027 water and wastewater rates. We also have an added communication. Uh, so I'm going to look for a mover and a seconder to open the public participation. Councelor Cuddy and Councelor Hillier and we will call the vote on that. >> Councelor Traso. >> I vote yes. >> Closing the vote. Motion carries 14 to zero. >> Thank you, colleagues. We do have one registered uh participant online. So I will ask the clerk >> [snorts] >> uh to uh invite the zoom participant to uh join us. Okay. The online participant has not joined Zoom. I will look to see if there are any speakers in the public gallery. If anyone wants to speak on 3.1, if you want to make your way to the microphone, I'm not seeing any. And we still don't have an online participant. Uh so I'm going to look for a motion to close the public participation meeting. Councelor Ramen, Councelor Cuddy, and we'll ask the clerk to open the vote on that. Councelor Traso. >> I vote yes. >> Closing the vote. Motion carries 14 to zero. >> Okay, colleagues, I will look for a mover and a seconder uh on this item. Uh if somebody wants to move the staff recommendation, councelor Pelosa and councelor Hopkins. Okay. >> Sorry, Mr. Chair. I assume that also includes accepting the communication. >> Yes, it being noted that the communication was received from Okay. This item's on the floor looking for any speakers. Seeing none, I will ask clerk to open the vote. Closing the vote. Motion carries 14 to zero. >> Okay, that brings us to item 3.2. This is the public participation meeting 2027, amendments to consolidated fees and charges bylaw. I am going to ask uh someone to move and second the opening of the PPM. Councelor Hillier and Councelor Hopkins. And I'll ask clerk. >> Closing the vote. Motion carries 14 to zero. And I will look for any speakers to the amendments to consolidated fees and charges bylaw uh from the public gallery. And seeing none, I will ask the clerk if anyone's online. There's no one online. So I will look for a mover in a second to close the public participation meeting. Councelor Privile and Councelor Cuddy. And I will ask clerk to open the vote on that. closing the vote. Motion carries 14 to zero. >> Thank you, colleagues. Moving on uh to look for a mover in a seconder. We do have an an amendment that was circulated by Mayor Morgan and Councelor Frank. Uh, so I'll look to see if one of you wants to put uh an alternate on the floor. >> Okay. Actually, the clerk doesn't have the alternate in escribe. So, could we get you to move the uh main motion? Uh, and then if you'd like to put your amendment on the floor. Seeing nods from both of you. So, we'll have Mayor Morgan as the mover. Councelor Frank is the seconder. That's on the floor. Now, if you'd like to move your amendment. >> Um, sure. I'd like to move an amendment which is essentially um to uh revise schedule one of the proposed 2027 consolidated fees and charges uh as appended to the staff report on October 6th um as appended B appendix B to maintain the existing 2026 city of London delivered registered dropin and program fees for individuals and families thereby freezing those rates at the 2026 levels for 2027 and this relates to just the fees related to um programs uh that involve individuals and families. So, and uh I circulated a a highlighted chart which identifies which fees uh would be frozen and which fees would um continue to uh go up as per the original staff schedule. Um green is the one that continues to go up. Orange is the one that uh would be frozen. >> And we've got Councelor Frank seconding that. >> Sorry, Mr. Chair. >> Councelor Pelosa. I don't see the email from the mayor. Could you just or where is it? It >> keeps going. >> Oh, it keeps going. Just Sorry, it's a black and white so it doesn't help. Thank you. >> Okay, we will look for speakers now. >> Seeing none, councelor Pelosa, >> sorry, a clarification question then. Um, just trying to see it in color versus the print of black and white. Um, are the the fees for I guess my question is does it distinguish between people who are Londoners taking part in these classes who are having the freeze the fees frozen or is it external people uh also using some of these from outside the city of London who aren't London taxpayers? Uh, I think I have to go to Miss Smith. Um, in terms of uh staff's interpretation of this, Miss Smith, can I get your feedback? >> Oh, thank you. And through the chair. So, that's a good question. I've just emailed my uh staff to confirm. Um, these are for all individuals and families. We're open uh to do recreation and to do drop-in programs. So, this does not include rentals. We often use rentals like a hockey arenas, uh pools, ball diamonds, soccer fields, etc. where we often get teams that can be from inside and and outside of the city. Um, and I'm just waiting. I will get back to you on that one, Councelor Pelosa, when I confirm with my staff on that >> and we'll certainly give your staff time. Oh, you have it. Go right ahead then. That was incredibly fast on your staff's part. Well done. >> Thank you. They are well prepared. This is for any registrant who registers through our uh spectrum program for a recreation or drop-in program. >> Counselor, >> thank you. So, for clarification purposes, uh any of those registrants, are they Londoners only registering or people from out of the area? I just would like to know uh exactly who we're looking at doing a a reduction for or holding the line for. >> Miss Smith. >> Thank you. It went through the chair. Uh we do not decipher between resident and non-resident as part of our uh sign up program for recreation and sport programs. >> Councelor, >> uh thank you. Uh that's important to know as we're looking at holding fees. It's for everyone using the city services, not just necessarily Londoners uh who are in the tax space. Um, a question then for you. Certainly I I've used our programs throughout the past and I and I hear at the doors too of Londoners having a hard time making ends meet and in the cost of some things. Um, would staff at this time have any idea or an estimate uh if the fees are held at the 2026 numbers versus increasing to the 2027 fees? what financial impact based on historical numbers of people registering for the programs that we might see as a numerical value realizing those numbers if it is the cost of delivering the service would still be need to be made up from some revenue source or reserve fund >> I don't know whether I need to direct that to Miss Barbone or Miss Smith but which Miss Smith >> thank you and the through the chair we've done a high level estimate noting that our minimum wage increases that come into effect on October. We've calculated for next year to October. So, we don't know the full details. We'd have to work that out as we prepare. Um, but we estimate approximately 100 it would have uh lost revenues of approximately $131,000. >> Thank you, Miss Smith. Councelor Pelosa, >> thank you. I don't know sure if any conversations were held behind the scenes of where this uh potential and lost revenue is going to be made up from that there's still a fee to deliver these programs a reserve fund or is there an identified source as per uh the mo >> Thank you and through the chair I understand as per the motion the revenue impact of these amendments be referred to the 2027 budget update process >> councelor. Okay. Uh, thank you. Just, uh, appreciate the conversation and where we're at in having it and realizing that there could still be a financial implication for the next round of budget that we will still need to find a source of funding to backfill this. Thank you. >> Thank you. Any other speakers? Councelor Ramen. >> Uh, thank you. And through you, um, I appreciate the highlighted lists. I didn't get a full opportunity to compare the lists completely. I'm just wondering if there's an opportunity uh for Miss Smith's team to do uh an applesto apples comparison. I see things like uh in in the category to freeze fees for 2hour rentals for some sports but not for others. So I just want to make sure that we apply that equally for a ball diamond versus cricket versus um soccer for instance. Is there a way to get a confirmation on that? >> Miss Smith. >> Thank you. And through the chair, we will go through it carefully and confirm again prior to council if required. However, this does not include rentals. When I look through it, it does not include rentals of pools, arenas, courts, ball diamonds, soccer fields, labat parks. So, I will look at that a second time with my team. It does not include bus trips for seniors, leadership and training programs, special events, uh rental doesn't include any rentals whatsoever of picnic sites, uh for example, Wonderland Gardens, Civic Gardens, all of our special event fees. Uh nor does it uh include Storybook Gardens. >> Counselor. >> Thank you. Yes. Um it would be helpful just to understand maybe it's the terminology where it's talking about a user fee and it says for a per uh hour amount and then in some cases it's uh green and some it's orange. So happy to receive that and take a closer look in the future. Um but I just want to say thank you to uh Councelor Frank and Mayor Morgan for bringing this forward. It's very helpful to see this uh in front of us. I think it will be helpful but at the same time I think we have to realize you know across the city we have an equity issue of where these services are available in which communities they're available how you can access them and so on and so forth. So who is actually benefiting is part of the discussion that we need to continue to have at this council because it's not equal across the city. Looking for any other speakers. Then I'm going to ask the clerk to call a vote. >> Closing the vote. Motion carries 13 to1. >> Uh thank you colleagues. So that moves us on to section four, items for direction. Uh oh, sorry. We need um to approve the main motion as amended now. And councelor Frank and Mayor Morgan, you're still good to move and second. Seeing nods from both, thumbs up from both. So now we will open the vote on the main motion as amended. Closing the vote. Motion carries 14 to zero. Okay. Now that we've got that taken care of properly, thank you clerk. Uh we will move on to uh section for our items for direction. Uh we have one submission from councelor Stevenson. So councelor Stevenson, I will turn to you to introduce this. >> Okay. Thank you. I will read the motion that I sent in on the regular agenda that civic administration be directed to report back to a future strategic priorities and policy committee meeting with a jurisdictional scan of other municipalities best practices and recommendations on how to provide the highest level of transparency and public reporting on decisions made under our delegation of authority bylaw. I have a secondary councelor Hillier >> and I see councelor Hillier nodding his confirmation on that. So, we have a mover and a seconder. This is now on the floor. Uh, did you want to speak to this, Councelor Stevenson? >> Uh, it's pretty clear in the letter, but I'll just say that uh there has been difficulty getting information on some of the delegated authority decisions even in uh through the freedom of information process where stuff has been redacted. So, in looking at other cities, there's a wide variation in what cities do in terms of online public reporting. And so this motion would just allow the next council to have a look at that and decide what they want to do. >> Any other speakers? >> Council Ramen. >> Uh thank you and three. I'm just wondering from a timeline perspective when we can anticipate receiving this information back. >> Well, I will go to the city manager, I think, and see what Miss Ders bear has to share with us. >> Thank you. Through your to the to the council committee. Um clearly we want to make sure that we do a a comprehensive review of this and certainly some of the policies that we see even listed in this uh recommendation or submission to council, they've been updated since since this information was shared as well, including the ones from the city of Windsor. So I I think it's probably fair to say you will see it with the next council. Um I can't give you a timeline, but we would want to do a thorough review of this and get back to you. Um we are as interested in having this information as you are. So we have no concerns with this request. councelor. >> Uh, thank you. Um, so just to clarify, we expect it to be next term of council, but do we have a quarter estimate? >> Miss Derspair. >> Sure. Um, [laughter] I could say the first quarter, but I won't not the year. Um, uh, I would say the first quarter of uh, 2027 through you, >> counselor. >> Uh, thank you. through through you. Just to follow up, will we anticipate to receive um kind of a a listing similar to what we're seeing in some of the other cities that are included in the letter? >> Mater through you. Um so the request is to provide information back on what happens in other communities. So I think it's probably fair to say that the report back would include a listing of other communities. I think if I've got your question correct, counselor through the chair. >> Councelor, >> sorry, just to be more explicit. In an updated bylaws, because the bylaw is also a bit dated, uh would we receive kind of a list of what is in our delegated authority that would be included in the bylaw for a future version? [clears throat] councelor or even for my understanding are you asking for like uh some recommendations to update our bylaw >> recommendations but including a full detailed list that would then be public and and that would be voted on the full list. That's what I'm asking about. >> Mater thank you and I appreciated the clarity. Um we so municipalities including the ones that have been identified here might have a comprehensive list of all the bylaws or of one bylaw with all the delegated authorities within it. Uh we have a number of places where the delegation of authority happens. And so I think um to your question about whether or not you would see one bylaw back at this point in time because we have a number of different bylaws, we'd be looking for to give you advice or recommendations and then get council's direction about how to proceed with that. I think we will look at what we have currently, what others have, compare that and pair provide that information back to you with a recommendation council. >> Thank you. That's very helpful. >> Councelor Pelosa. >> Thank you. And through you, Mr. Chair. Um, with this report back, does staff anticipate that if there is a cost associated with some changes to implement or whatnot, that that would be noted within the report as well versus just changing perhaps where it's listed on a website. Um, as the city of WSOR has like one list of just with there's a cost associated would that be part of the report as well? >> Miss Dater Spear, >> thank you through you. We'll take that under adisement and determine whether or not there are costs either administratively or otherwise and we'll provide that information back to council. >> Any other speakers? Seeing none, I'm going to ask the clerk to open the vote. closing the vote. Motion carries 14 to zero. >> Okay, colleagues, that completes items for direction. That just brings us to deferred matters and additional business. We have no confidential items. Uh just uh before we move to adjourn uh if colleagues will uh entertain on a point of personal privilege uh for me from the chair uh I just want to say uh as this is the last SPPC meeting of this term of council uh it's been a uh pleasure to chair this committee uh for all of you and with all of you. Uh I want to especially thank councelor Ramen for stepping in when I was ill and and filling in as the vice chair and taking care of those duties while I was away. um and uh whatever the next council term brings. Uh I just want to thank everybody for the strong sometimes collaborative um sometimes opinionated and and different opinions uh of debate around different topics. Uh but I do think through this committee we have made some progress for our city in this term of council and I just want to thank you all for your contributions and on that note I will look for a motion to adjurnn. Councelor Van Mirburgen always reliable on that. Seconded by councelor Hillyard and we can do this one by hand. All in favor? >> Motion carries. >> We are adjourned. Thank you everyone.