Good evening everyone and welcome to the council meeting for Monday, August 24th, 20126. Individuals interested in participating in today's meeting were eligible to register online using the delegation registration form at www.kitchener. kiter.ca/delegation or via email at delegation@kitchener.ca. Any written comments received prior to the commencement of today's meeting have been circulated to members of council and will form part of the public record. The meeting live stream and archive videos are available at www.kitchener.ca/watch.now. Before we begin this evening's meeting, I'd like to acknowledge that we're gathering on the traditional territory of the neutral Anesnabi and Hodnosoni peoples. We recognize our responsibility to serve as stewards for the land and honor the original caretakers who came before us. Our community is enriched by the enduring knowledge and deeprooted traditions of the diverse First Nations, Matei, and Inuit in Kitchener. Today, I'd now like to invite everyone to stand as they're able for the singing of our national anthem. her home and native land. True love in all of us with glowing hearts. We see the true and free and wide. Oh Canada, we stand on guard for thee. God keep our land. Glor. Oh Canada, we stand on guard for thee. Canada stand. >> Thank you. Normally, we don't allow clapping in the council chamber, but I'll I'll make an exception for the national anthem. Um, before we begin this evening's council meeting, I'd like to take a moment to acknowledge several important observances taking place this coming month. First, I want to recognize Labor Day, which we will mark on September 7th. Labor Day is an opportunity to honor the workers and the labor movement whose efforts have shaped the rights, protections, and quality of life that so many of us benefit from today. Here in Kitchener, we're grateful to the countless people who work hard keeping our community strong, safe, and thriving in every sector and every neighborhood. I'd also like to acknowledge Rashashana, the Jewish New Year, which begins at sundown on Friday, September 11th, and continues through nightfall on Sunday, September 13th. Rashashana is a sacred time of reflection, renewal, and hope for the year ahead. To all those in our community who are observing, we extend our warmest wishes for a happy, healthy, and sweet new year. Shaatova Kitchener. We will also pause to remember the tragic events of September 11th, 2001. In fact, this year will mark the 25th anniversary. On that day, nearly 3,000 lives were lost. We remember all those who were killed. We hold their families and loved ones in our thoughts. and we honor the first responders who ran toward danger to help others. 25 years later, this day remains a powerful reminder of the importance of compassion, resilience, and standing together in the face of hate and tragedy. It was also a moment when Canada shined in terms of the support that we were able to uh play for airlines from around the world in Gander, Newf Finland. There will be a memorial at 8:30 a.m. at the Kitchener Firefighter Memorial on September 11th, and residents from Kitchener are invited to join us at that day. Finally, I want to recognize uh the firefighters National Memorial Day, which will be observed on September 13th in Ottawa. This day pays tribute to the firefighters across Canada who have given their lives in the line of duty while protecting their communities. We honor their courage, their selflessness, and their sacrifice. and we express our deep gratitude to the firefighters who continue to serve and protect us here in Kiter each and every day. On behalf of council and the city of Kitchener, I acknowledge each of these important observances and I thank members of our community who reflect, remember, and come together during these meaningful times. We'll now deal with item number two, minutes for approval. And so on motion by councelor Billitis the minutes of the regular meeting held June 29th and special meetings held June 29th, July 28th and August 10th as mailed to the mayor and counselor be accepted. All those in favor opposed that's carried. Are there any disclosures of pecunary interest? There being none, I will note the communications being referred to file for a number of flag and illumination requests. And I will uh just note that one of those is for Ukrainian independence day which is marked today for their 35th uh anniversary. We'll now move into uh presentations and our first presentation will be the BP spatial Ontario award presentation and I call on Melanie Warick uh who present the uh the awards and the 2025 MISA Ontario Excellence in Municipal Systems Award. Welcome Melanie. >> Hello. Um, so today's presentation highlights several award-winning initiatives that reflect the city and geospatial data and analytics commitment to innovation, collaboration, and excellent service delivery. >> Together, these projects demonstrate how technology and data are >> Sorry, can I just ask you to speak a little louder and maybe even ask the clerk if they can >> Okay. >> crank it up a little bit. Yeah. Thank you. >> Together, these projects demonstrate how technology and data are helping us better serve our community. This one has the Misa one in here, so I'll do it. Um, in 2025, we won the Misa Ontario Excellence in Municipal Systems Award for our tree equity work with forestry. This recognition reflects the city's commitment to using data to support council priorities. By identifying where tree canopy is needed most, we can invest in areas that where residents and communities benefit the most. Jeff Norris won the 2026 best um public sector award for his innovative municipal consent application program which combines open- source software with our enterprise GIS. The permit portal replaced an aging paper process with a simple digital service that makes it easier to submit and track permit applications. Automation has reduced administrative work and giving staff more time to review applications and support customers. Congratulations, Jeff. Nim Shavari won the 2026 data and data architecture and coding competition for developing a Python-based ARP pro workflow that automates equity analysis and creates a consistent framework for planning investments and investment decisions. This works helps the city identify and prioritize areas with the greatest community need. Since receiving the award, NASM has expanded on the solution into a web application that allows staff and potentially the public to explore equity data for themselves. The app launches in a few days and will no doubt be a strong candidate for an award next year. Congratulations, Missine. And lastly, I was truly honored to receive this leadership award from BP Spatial and grateful for the opportunity to represent both BP Spatial and the city of Kitchener. This recognition is not just about me. It reflects the dedication, support, and collaboration of the many colleagues, volunteers, and mentors who have helped shape my career. I'm proud of the work we have done together to advance geospatial data and support better decision- making for our community. I'm also grateful for the city's strong commitment to innovation and the use of geospatial data and analytics. Thank you. >> Is there another part to this or >> what's that? >> Okay. Sorry, Dan's coming down now. Okay. >> Oh, okay. I'll come up. one by one or >> so this is the them together individually. Okay. Congratulations. >> And this one goes to the city. So D pass around. You guys can keep the rest of the pass. >> Okay, perfect. Well, on behalf of council, just want to uh extend our congratulations uh to all of you and other team members who no doubt were part of some of this uh uh work. I think uh I mean I'm probably a little bit biased since many moons ago I I before any of this work was started uh had the privilege of working in uh in the IT area and uh have always been impressed with the uh the team that we have up there. So please extend our congratulations to everyone on uh on all these uh on all these recognitions. Thank you very much. Okay. Uh moving on to item number 5.3, the center for mutual well-being uh presentation. Um Fazia Mazar, the chair for the Center for Mu Mutual Well-being, wasn't able to be in attendance this date. Um and so the presentation will be scheduled at a later date. We'll now move on to an exciting new announcement from David Marcel, the CEO on behalf of the museum. uh and he can tell us all about the really cool new banner that's uh attached to the museum building. David, welcome. >> Um good evening everybody and and um thank you very very much. Um you all have this slide deck and it's on public record so I'll go through it very quickly to get to the to the actual exhibition. Um we and I'm doing this am I? And uh we have a wonderful board of directors. Uh we have Stephanie Stretch board 10 counselor on our board. Thank you so much for your guidance, patience, and all the things that you do to support me. And we have an observer from the city, Andrea Holland Hollum as well. Um, so a great stellar board of directors that uh has been going through a change. We've had about we will have in September a 60% change in our board in the last two years. We have um uh a number of um guiding points that take the staff to the next level in terms of our exhibitions and so on. And when we began as a children's museum, art and technology at play was created. I wish I could take credit for that, but uh it's just such a perfect line for this community and u certainly for all stages of life. And in the center at the bottom, you'll see the giraffe exhibit that we created here. It's now in Sherbrook, Quebec at the Museum of Nature. will now tour Canada in partnership with them. Um, we're working with the city and I thank everybody that uh we've spent a lot of time over the last couple of years and I thank everybody involved uh to find that sustainable model for the museum. We continue to attract worldclass exhibitions and I'm pleased that we're returning uh to our precoid number of attendance. We're very very close to that. In fact, um our fiscal that ended June 30th, we had 80,000 people and uh a survey done during the March break, a very busy March break, 65% paid for parking and 30% had a meal downtown. So that helps with uh with uh economic development. We had a huge increase at the gate uh year-over-year and we achieved a surplus. Uh it's under uh BDO is doing the audit right now, but uh there's very few changes to that. So I'm very very pleased with that. Um, and in March break, we had our highest day ever. And for those of you who've been to our museum, if you can imagine, 1700 people in one day at the museum, it was pretty significant. We had our highest revenue ever in a number of categories. And our new fiscal that has begun, we saw the large the highest attendance since 2012 this July. Um, August is tracking to uh to budget. If I got a camera Oh, I had seven minutes. I thought I had five. I could take time. Okay. I'm sorry I had to wear a sweater today, by the way. Like, what are we doing in the middle of August with sweaters and jackets? Okay. Um, I'm really pleased with um the level of talent, caliber, Canadian um caliber that we bring to the community. The um Chris Hadfield um um talk that we had in May was truly magical. Uh an incredible thousand people came out sellout to see that. Um, and we have three wonderful people to help launch the the Da Vinci dialogues. Um, and uh that will begin with uh CBC's Bob McDonald. We have Jeremy Hansen. And we're bringing Margaret Atwood back to the community, which is uh which is always wonderful. And she calls me Buster. Watch it. Buster, I believe is what she says. Um, so really what I wanted to talk about tonight is just to share something I'm really pleased with. And when we had Warhol and we had the Titanic and people would say, "What would you do next?" I never had an answer for that. And we just always found something bigger and better. And um I don't know if we can top this brand. Um Leonardo da Vinci 500 years of genius uh partnering with uh the Da Vinci Museum in Rome. Um it's it's um the only stop in Canada. Um and what we do best is the festival strategy. Uh we're working with um the embassy in Ottawa um the council general on and on and on and um we will open the um exhibition on September 30th with the ambassador from uh the Italian ambassador to Canada opening uh the evening and the exhibition. um the actual um festival on the right hand side is some of the rooms and and types of galleries that will be explored during the exhibition. Um and on the left is what we normally do that we are Leonard Leoardizing and and making uh that theme into some of our of our events and so on. Apertivo Wednesdays we will introduce in the lounge uh which uh the ambassador said you're opening at 6 and I speak at 6:45 that's called a late breakfast in Italy Italy. Um and so he introduces to Apertivo Wednesdays and um we will have some fun um conversations then. Um the exhibit is truly worldclass. Um and this is just some of the images of uh top right is the anatomy uh drawings. Uh bottom right he didn't necessarily build what he created. He got bored. He would create things and take it to a certain point on paper and leave it there. Um, and on the top left, um, I'm not sure how easily you can see it, but in the very top of it that he created flying machines. He created a tank, he created, um, a helicopter. I'm talking 500 years ago. Our, um, IPO, the only immersive digital experience west of Toronto on the bottom left, will have a a connection to to um to Leonardo as well. And uh, probably I'm most proud of is what our team has put together with a series of the Da Vinci dialogues. Uh for the most part 1:30 on Sunday afternoons membership is your best value to get in to see them. Some of them have separate ticket prices like the top three. Uh we have seven postsecary educ u postcary institutions um from Villanova in Pennsylvania all the way to Georgian College. certainly the universities here in G and so on all um talking about different topic topics and so on I don't know if anybody here was aware I certainly wasn't um the um hydro cut in water they built a da Vinci bridge it was created a number of years ago who knew um and so the cycling uh the water cycling club will be doing a presentation on that um it's pretty pretty impressive actually And then we talk about tourism and all sorts of other wonderful things. Um, and last week as uh his worship, he hates when I say that, the mayor of Kitchener said, the huge banner, we we unfurled it uh last week. Um, and that now um is a beacon in downtown Kitchener to bring people downtown and to enjoy the museum. And I think that's pretty much it. Um, we thank you very much for your ongoing commitment to making helping us get to that sustainable model. Um, and um, a graci, however you say that, is anybody Italian like um, so we're going to have be able to learn to count to 1 to 15 or however long it takes you in our washrooms. We're going to have lessons in Italian in our washrooms. Um, so it's going to be a fun, wonderful exhibition. Thank you very very much. Well, all I can say, David, is Donardo da Vinci Kitchener, which translates to thank you for your presentation and for bringing the excitement of uh Da Vinci to uh to to Kitchener. Uh great uh great presentation. Love all the partnerships. Um I will suggest one group you may want to reach out to. They don't have a building anymore, but I think they still exist as a club, and it's the Cortina Club, um, which was our our local Italian club. Um, but they still get together periodically from what I understand. So, you might want to connect with them. >> We'll do >> um questions. Councelor Deno. >> Thank you, uh, Mr. Mayor, and thank you, David. Uh these are some really um incredible numbers compared to where um the situation was last year. And so um I will give your board um yourself and and uh counselor stretch uh and andrea wherever you are um admiration for for being where you are now. And this is super cool. Um, I want to say forget about it, but I can't because, you know, I'm not tr I'm not truly Italian. But, uh, the only question I I have, um, is I noticed the evening with Jeremy Hansen and, uh, conversation with Margaret Atwood are up at Lazarita's Hall in Waterlue, and I'm just curious why we weren't able to have that downtown at the museum. >> Um, simply the capacity. Um, we we could maybe have 300 in a theater style and Hall uh University of Wilford Laura University is donating the space and the capacity is a thousand and um to be able to pay the fee and take care of all the costs involved with marketing and so on. We needed to get to those numbers. >> Yeah. And I I I'm pretty sure I knew that answer, but I just wanted to uh to to clarify it. But yeah, great work. Um and I hope this is a huge success for the next four months, I guess, while it's uh while it's downtown. and I will definitely make sure my family and I get uh get down to to visit. So, yeah, great work. Thank you. >> Thank you very much, >> Councelor Ooney. >> Thank you very much, Chair. And uh thank you, David. Uh just hearing this, you know, the first thing that came to my mind was yes, this is great to see, you know, getting back to uh prepandemic numbers. I'm just curious just out of interest uh have you done any data analysis to get an understanding is it the same set of people that were coming before are returning or did you expand beyond who you were marketing to just out of curiosity? >> Yeah. No, no, it's a a really great question. Um I think there's a couple of answers to it. I think that um there's a new group of eight-year-olds and 12 year olds that are coming up, new cohort, if you will. um our our um out of town visitors, our tourism percentage wise has gone down from about 40% to high 20s 30%. Um meaning more people from down from here are coming to the museum. >> Okay. >> Um I mean that's that's two answers. We we've deployed some new strategies around passes for students and children which we're seeing our attendance go up significantly up last year 20 % over and this year even higher. Um, but it's kind of a two for one because the parents come and pay and so on, but they're coming back and they're enjoying it. So what what the strategy is is new to us is that we have two floors uh main floors for exhibits and one will be focused at the family and continuing to do the big numbers we've just done but now we're introducing a whole another market and the families may want to see Leonardo but now we can market to Toronto work with the Italian media there um to the universities to to whole different demographics so we'll have two groups and when that all works we're going to have to really manage our traffic flow to make sure that um the building is in we don't run out of toilet paper and that the building is clean and that we can take care of everybody in a safe way. Awesome. Well done. >> Thank you very much. >> Thanks, Councelor Ooneyi. And now Ilnostroierz, our Italian Canadian counselor, Scott Davyy. No, I I still struggle with English, so I'm not gonna try my Italian. Uh, no, thank you, David, for the presentation. Uh, yeah, I was really excited. I was actually sharing with my daughter, especially the Jeremy Hansen, uh, that he's gonna be there. It's gonna be great. Um, speaking yet for for LA, uh, my only question was if you could just, uh, help me understand the in your presentation, you mentioned that there was some unreturned or sorry, unused funds or I'm not sure it was in kind or what. Could you clarify what that what that was and if you know the amounts that be great. >> Yeah, that that was probably a mistake on my part in terms of the how I worded that. It was unused is what I was meaning to say. If we received x number of uh dollars in kind dollars for parking, for example, for our volunteers and our board and so on, we didn't use at all. So, it was unused. It wasn't dollars returned. >> Okay. So, there was your some earmarked inkind funding. It just that wasn't taken advantage of. Gosh. Okay. >> That was my mistake. >> Okay. Thanks so much. >> Thanks, Councelor David, Councelor Johnson. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor, and thank you, David, for coming in. It is really exciting to see this report from you and to see all the diverse people that you're bringing in for conversations. I think I first fell in love with Margaret Atwood in grade 13 and I I it was my interest in in her writing um that that uh helped me win the Canadian Lit Award at my high school. So, she's um that's pretty much my only award at this point. It was it was really great. So, thank you for all of this that you're doing. Um I was wondering though, you put a couple of numbers in there in terms of how how much paid parking that that you had at events, um how many meals people were eating downtown. How did you get those numbers? So that was a that was a snapshot of a very busy March break and we had we were vigilant on getting the the data from from our visitors then. So it was surveys at that that point in time. So it's a snapshot of of the largest March break we've ever had and at that time um 65% um paid for parking downtown and 30% I think was um suggested they had a had a meal downtown. So, were you just asking that at the door or how did how did you get those stats? >> No, it's a follow-up survey, uh, an email survey that goes out. How did you enjoy today? How did you find out about it? What did you like best? And then some of these other questions. >> Is this something that you'll continue? >> Yes, we do. I mean, it's a sometimes it's a challenge to get people to fill it out and you need to have a contest or something as an incentive, but yes, we do. I mean the research is that data is so important to me to understand why people are coming and what they liked and that helps with our marketing communications and so on. >> Yeah, it is really important. I'm hoping that that's something that you'll uh share with the downtown BIA as well. I think that's really important for them to see. Uh and thank you for doing that. >> Thank you. And if I may just very quickly uh Margaret Atwood um is going to be interviewed by uh Dr. Goch and Dr. Go is a quantum physicist at Laurier and uh who like you fell in love with Margaret Atwood a long time ago and it's all about art and science intersecting the museum art technology at play and Leonardo da Vinci like it's just coming together so well I it's going to be a wonderful meeting >> you know what it's really exciting to see this David it's listen much better conversations than we than we've had in the past this is really wonderful you've really uh really gone a long way so Good for you. >> Thank you. And and not just good for me, good for our team, our board, our volunteers, Stephanie, and staff here that have been um patient and helped guide us. >> Thank you. >> That was the grand you. >> Thank you. The grand. >> Thank you. >> I don't know how you say that in Italian, but >> um wonderful. Thank you, Councelor Chapman. >> Yeah, thank you. And thank you for coming in. Um yeah, I agree. This is very exciting. Um, and I don't mean to to um my question is not to undermine any of this, but I'm just wondering if you have any idea of what's to come in 2027 >> after following this. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. So, um, the strategy would be to go back full-on family like that. This takes us to a different level of audience and so on. We do not want to disrupt that that core audience, that family audience that has carried us through the last 18 months extremely well and built all those big numbers I was describing. So, we'll go back to family. We're we're looking at a number of things. Dinosaurs always work. Um, and because at this point, I'm the oldest thing in the museum. But anyway, um, and also we're looking at a Lego display, uh, which, uh, if we get I we need to make it interactive. That's so important to children and everybody today. >> Great. Thank you. >> Children, I mean, I still like Lego when I'm playing with kids, so could be a lot of fun. Councelor Jano. >> Yeah. Thanks, uh, Mr. Mayor, and I just want to make a comment. Um, and I need to give credit where credit's due. Um, I know an individual who runs the Ragnarok uh festival that took place back in July. And for those who don't know, it's like a D&D kind of immersive game playing. Uh, people come from out of town. Um, and I had an opportunity to to speak to the the event hosts. Um, and they couldn't praise the museum and its staff enough on how accommodating how accommodating they all were in working with with uh with their needs. And you know, obviously it's a little different than putting on a Da Vinci Da Vinci uh exhibit, but uh I just again I wanted to give credit where credit's due that uh you know, I think this is the third or fourth year they've had it at the museum and uh it was it was great to see uh three floors of of people playing games um selling merchandise. But yeah, again, give your credit um all credit in the world, your staff, sorry, all credit in the world that that u nothing but compliments from this group. Yeah. No. And and they're wonderful to work with and the diversity of what we bring and offer in such a wonderful building, the city's building that we we take care of it. It's it's great that and we have worked with them for several years now. And yeah, it's wonderful. Those are all the uh all the questions we have. David, again, thank you for coming in. Thanks for all the uh exciting updates and look forward to uh to welcoming the Leonardo da Vinci exhibit to downtown. Thank you so much. >> Cheers. Okay, we'll now move on to um the balance of the agenda, including delegations. Before we begin delegations, I'd like to just remind everyone that the city values and encourages participation and dialogue in a democratic process that occurs in council in committee meetings and through written submissions and correspondence. It's important that these interactions remain respectful towards other members of the public, staff, and members of council. In cases where dialogue is not respectful or a delegate interrupts the mayor, counselor, staff, or other delegations, makes derogatory statements about the mayor, counselor, staff, or others that are disrespectful, or uses language that is considered harmful or defamatory, the chair may interject and take necessary actions to maintain a respectful and inclusive environment for everyone, which could involve removal from the meeting. One last reminder, delegations are permitted to address council for a maximum of 5 minutes, which will be displayed on the screens in front of you. When there's 30 seconds remaining in your time, you'll hear a small audio tone that will signal 30 seconds remaining. Please take that time to conclude your presentation as there will be a second tone at the completion of your time and microphones will turn off automatically shortly after the exceeded 5m minute mark. Lastly, please do not take offense if following the presentation there are no questions from council. This is council's time to really listen and reflect upon the opinions and ideas shared with us from our community members. We'll now move to item 6.1, the zoning bylaw amendment uh for 26 Stanley A and 31 Schweitzer Street. I will note that there's an addendum report um report DSD 2026-332 uh and it includes a revised recommendation. Um I do also want to u note uh there is one written submission uh that has been received from Stuart McKe. There are three delegations present uh and our first delegation is Kristen Barristale representing the GSP group. Welcome Kristen. >> Good evening. Um just here to speak briefly to the staff report and recommendation that's front of you in front of you this evening. Uh I following the planning and strategic initiatives committee meeting on August 10th. There were a few uh technical requests and clarification points that were put to staff. Um we've had a chance to review the staff report. Um, and we agree with the recommendations and the commentary that's noted in the staff report. Just wanted to take a moment to extend a thank you and appreciation to staff for all the additional work that they've done since the August 10th meeting. Um, Mr. Whitman had to do a lot of corresponding and liazing with a number of different agencies and departments. Um, the report touched on some responses to tree preservation, tree canopy, and park space. Um, as noted in Mr. Whitman's report, there are conditions that speak to um, uh, the uh, Sorry. Conditions of condo approval that speak to tree replacement and compensation. I believe that we touched on this as part of our presentation August 10th, but um by all means, we will ensure that we are following the city's protocols with regards to uh compensation and tree planting. Uh in addition further to the meeting on August 10th, we've modified the draft plan of condo ever so slightly um to enlarge an area that we had previously identified for snow storage um so that we can accommodate a small play structure on the site that would be only for residents of the community. It would be a private play structure, but again providing recreational and uh recreation uh excuse me uh play opportunities for those who will be uh living on the site. Um finally, Mr. Whitman's report spoke to at length some of the traffic and emergency response considerations that were discussed and noted as part of the meeting. Um it's it's our understanding or according to the report that um the region has confirmed that the TIS that was submitted was deemed acceptable. Uh that there is sufficient um or that there are broad-based and that there are broad-based traffic and transportation concerns that will continue to be addressed uh and assessed through the mobility plan uh that's being completed by the region. Uh, as of note, um, there was some also some help helpful information in Mr. Whitman's port with regards to emergency response, uh, again, which I believe address or hopefully address some of the concerns of of members of council, uh, with regards to getting to the site. Uh, so that will conclude my presentation. I do understand that there may be potential questions or comments tonight uh, with regards to um, asking for additional changes with regards to building height. I do note that the uh, there is no zoning bylaw amendment associated with this application. We're not asking for any changes to the existing zone. Um, we are not asking for any changes in height. We're not asking for any changes in sideyard setbacks. Um, and we would have some concerns if there was additional prohibitions or restrictions put on place in terms of building height or second story balconies. And that concludes my commentary. I'd be happy to answer any questions that you may have. >> Okay. Thank you for your presentation. Uh, councelor Davey. >> Thank you. Thank you, Miss Barill. Um, yes. So, you touched upon a couple of the questions that I was going to raise. The the first of which is you might remember from your pre the previous line of questioning for the homes that back on to Schwitzer, which are the only real overlook concern homes. Uh, you had indicated that uh those homes were intended to be two stories maximum like plus a basement as well. Um, so if that's the case, I'm wondering why you would be concerned about if there if the height restriction was limited to those homes that back on Schweitzer. I'm wondering why you would be concerned about that >> because excuse me through you uh mayor. Uh again, we weren't asking for any changes to any variations to the height. We understand the notion in terms of the two-story building. I believe I touched on at the report that there are some grading changes and small variances occur along that backyard. Um, so while the buildings themselves would read as two stories from the internal road, they could read as two and a half or walkouts, not sorry, walkouts, but they call them sunshine lots where the foundation is elevated um to ensure that we're providing for the biggest flexibility or the most flexibility to accommodate the city's height definition of height in the bylaw. We would like to maintain the maximum building height of 10 11 meters that's stipulated in the existing bylaw. >> Okay. by way of compromise then to ensure that that doesn't impact and I have to confirm with staff if this is something we can do. But if we were to build into the um uh the agreement that the height itself didn't change to state that what was previously agreed upon but it was still limited to two stories plus a basement. Does that address that concern? >> If we afforded excuse me through Mr. Mayor, if we're afforded the ability to u meet the 11 meter definition in the bylaw again to account for that variation in the grading in the backyard, I don't think there's anything that would prevent the restricting it to two stories again if we have that ability for the 11 meters. Unfortunately, 11 meters does convert to three stories. That is not the intent for this development. Again, it's to accommodate for those variations and variances on the grading. >> Okay. So, protect the residents and that's one I'd like to ensure that there is not three stories. is two stories but the height stays the same. That's that's okay. >> We h we have threetory permissions right now. We'd like to maintain the 11 meter permission right now. We're not asking for any further changes. We don't have a building product. We're not looking for three stories. We're looking for traditional twostory buildings. But again, without having building permit drawings in front of me right now, I can't confirm how that would be measured by the definition in the zoning bylaw. >> Okay. Yeah. I'm not I'm not sure I'm understanding. So you're saying two stories plus a basement and I'm agreeing two stories plus a basement. You're saying you still want to be able to go 11 meters and I'm saying fine still 11 meters. So what's the concern >> through you Mr. Mayor? I would have to defer to city staff on how they define a story in their zoning bylaw because technically at the back if we have a grading variance where we have two and a half stories or exceeding a twotory maximum. >> Okay. I'll I'll follow up with staff question on that one. The second one is uh the concern and I don't think I quite heard you with um upper story balconies where someone could come out on the second story and overlook potential neighbors in the existing street. Um did you say that you would not be supportive of removing that freedom? >> The restriction doesn't exist right now in the existing residential five zoning. Nor is that similar restriction applicable to any of the residential units that were surround this. We do not support a restriction that would prohibit second story balconies. Okay. So, you wouldn't support that? Okay. Um, and actually those are all my questions for you. Thank you. >> Thank you, councelor Davyy. Councelor Singh, >> further clarification from councelor Davey regarding the two story. Of course staff will have an opportunity to give a better explanation but on the coun sorry as you as the consultant for the applicant um stating it differently just two stories above grade I understand again as been relayed that you're your intent is to maintain the 11 meter allowance but you're comfortable with two stories above grade not going more than the two floors above grade is that comfortable language >> yes for you Mr. Mr. Mayor, the intent is to provide for traditional two-story buildings here. Again, recognizing the changes or the variances in that grading. I I would defer to staff on how that's measured. The but the bylaw itself right now, I believe, measures in meters and not necessarily stories. Um, but I would defer to staff on that. >> If there is allowance, you would have no issue. If there is a mechanism to stipulate that it's only two stories above grade, you would have no issue as long as 11 meter is allowances. >> Uh, through you, Mr. Mayor, I would have to confirm with the applicant, but I don't believe that that would be an issue. The intent is not to provide for anything larger than a t traditional two-story dwelling here. >> Just wanted to reclarify that. Thank you. >> Thank you. Those are all the questions we have. Uh bars, >> thank you. >> Okay, next up we have uh Miss Mary Lou Schaefer. >> Welcome, Miss Schaefer. Good evening. We remain opposed to the R5 zoning for the Stanley A and Schweitzer Street development. There are significant gaps in the amended report with regards to addressing the concerns we voiced at the August 10th planning meeting. Our legal council observed that the amended plan and supporting documents for this meeting continued to be revised even at 4 PM today. So it was a moving target for us to prepare for this evening. A few examples. The amended report does not include any details regarding the plan to mitigate the additional strain on the aging water mane and sewer. The only water man servicing the area is now over 50 years old. Who will bear the cost for repairs and expansion? Traffic in the area remains a significant concern. A portion of Lancaster is currently closed. Just recently, signs were put up on Bloomingdale Road. It's now closed for six weeks. The proposed dwellings will all have garages, either one or two car. There's also a visitor parking area. Most companies have now mandated back to work, back to office protocol which will drastically increase traffic in the area. The report mentions the new highway 7 which although stated to provide another access route over the river, it will actually bring more traffic transiting to the north end of Waterlue because of the backedup traffic extending from Lancaster to Northfield on the expressway at peak morning. The report mentions that the region's integrity mobility plan is underway which may identify new projects and priorities. If this development is approved along with the others in the area and the timing conc coincides with region projects, how will traffic flow efficiently in and out of the village? The report mentions that a TIS was nonetheless requested due to the sensitivity of traffic in the area and many count counselors acknowledged in the August 10th meeting that there was a significant traffic concern. We urge council to defer approval of R5 zoning until an accurate realistic traffic study is completed at the proper time of year, not during summer vacation. And we want it to include all intersections and arteries in and out of the area. Even though two of the roads are regional roads, emergency services include ambulance and police. The report mentions that the fire department was consulted and that they do not have concerns with a residential development of this size proceeding in the area. Did they consider the other planned developments and the expanding industrial park? What are police and ambulance saying about their response times? And number five, the amended B1 draft plan continues to include the pathway to the cemetery. At the August 10th meeting, it was confirmed at least three times that the pathway, trail, walkway is not needed. The only the revised plan mentions upgrades to Schaefer Park and that it is only a five-minute walk. What is the path the planners and developers expect residents to take to Schaefer Park? Perhaps they could install a crosswalk at Stanley and Bloomingdale Road. The Bridgeport Memorial Cemetery is a small quaint cemetery less than three acres. Both the free church and cemetery are designated as heritage with which reflects their longstanding cultural and historical importance. Why are we still seeing the cemetery connection in the B1 draft plan when it was clearly said that it was not needed? Why is there no mention of the notwithstanding clause that we've requested? We ask again that council not approve the R5 zoning and take the time required to do proper and complete studies to proactively address these major concerns. Thank you once again for the opportunity to speak. >> Thank you very much, Miss Schaefer, for coming in. We do have some questions for you. Councelor Davey. >> Yes. Yeah. Thank you for your presentation again, M. Schaefer. Um, I just wanted to clarify. I actually probably should have clarified this last week, but I'll confirm with staff. I don't think we actually have uh like a notwithstanding clause rule that we can even apply. So, that doesn't that isn't something that isn't a tool that we have that we can use. So, I want to clarify that. The other question I just want to make sure you're like make get your understanding. Are you aware what the next steps would be if council were to um either defer this for too long or turn this application down? Do you know what the next steps are for the applicant potentially? >> Unfortunately, I I I'm not >> Okay. I I'm going to I'll talk to staff after that, too. I just wanted to um to point that out because I I'll raise it with staff. I'll have staff explain it uh because there are risks to that that approach as well um because I do share many of your concerns, but we'll get to that in a moment. Okay. Thank you. Those are all the questions that we have. Thanks, Miss Schaefer. And our last registered delegation is James Orson. Welcome, Mr. Orson. Thank you. Um, just want to say I can't say anymore. Mary Lou said it all. I've been a resident for 69 years and I just don't understand the speed. You guys rush everything through. You don't look at nothing. You don't even come down to Bridgeport at 5:00 to see how the traffic is. Says the fire truck says, "Oh, not a problem. We go down there." Send them down at 5:00. See how they make it to my house when I'm having a heart attack again. It's all I got to say. Like, just slow down. Take it easy. I know he's going to build the houses irregardless, but let's do it right. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you very much, sir. There don't appear to be any questions. Thank you for uh for coming in again this evening. Okay. Um we'll now go to questions of staff. Councelor Davey. >> Yes, thank you. Going to start with the obvious one. Um, can staff please reconfirm that the pathway through the cemetery is off the books and is not going to happen? >> Mr. Whitman. >> Yes, you're the chair. Uh, to confirm, city staff will not be pursuing a connection to the cemetery. I do note that the condominium plan does have a note. We can be directed to have the applicant remove that just so it's not on the condominium plan as well. >> Okay. Is there any further action that this council needs to take to ensure that the pathway is off the books or is it here? >> Go ahead. >> Uh no further action required. The condominium conditions do include that fencing will be required around the perimeter of the site as well. So in terms of putting a connection through, there will be a fence separating. >> Okay. And on the fence was going over here. The I did have some discussions with Mr. Stevenson earlier. I just wanted to confirm that council does not have the authority to determine the I I wanted to see a wooden fence um for an extra barrier and extra protection, but apparently we do not have the authority to enforce that. Is that correct? >> That is correct. We do not have the ability to put into conditions what type of material the fence will be, just that the fence is required. Okay. Um Okay, just I want to flag this now because I think staff has to um connect with the clerks, but I do intend on bringing forward amendments both um to restrict the height for the homes of back oneser street to two stories uh maintaining um the height restrict the height restrictions is already in the report and I also will be um adding um the restriction of second story balconies on on those homes along Schweitzer Street as well uh to ensure that the residents are protected in that respect. So, if staff can connect with the clerks on those, I'd really appreciate it. Um, my next question is on um the traffic. I'm not like not not reflective of our city staff here, but I'm not content with a response from the region in terms of what they are seeing and what their numbers say versus what the residents are telling me versus whenever I drive down that stretch at at rush hour um or around that those times. And I guess my question is the the only thing in here is the integrated mobility plan as uh as a question mark to try and solve this. Can you help me understand what the integrated mobility plan might look at fixing? I'll do my best to answer that one as it is a region project but through that they will be looking at um the current region network traffic conditions um and more about connectivity and looking at um improvements that need to be made for forecasting things in their capital plan um understanding where there are pinch points what improvements need to be made right now um and as indicated in the report that consultation will be starting uh later this year um with the public to understand where they may be feeling those um pinch points as well. >> Okay. Because it also said in in the staff report see that there are no current quoting here actually no current plans for intersection or capacity upgrades for Lancaster um bridge or Bloomingdale or the bridge itself right now. So is that subject to change pending this? >> Correct. >> Okay. Um okay that's helpful. The last question I have is if staff can I and I promise Miss Schaefer asked this question. But anyway, um if you could explain what happens, like what are the applicants options if council were to turn this application down based on traffic issues? >> Um to clarify, if council were to refuse the application um citing traffic concerns, >> yes, if the if the application is refused based on traffic concerns, what are the applicant's options? uh they could appeal to the OOLT in that case. Um and then it would go um to that tribunal and be presented based on the land use planning evidence provided. Um I won't speculate further than that, but they do have the opportunity to appeal to the OOLT who will make the decision in that case and the OOLT will base it entirely on planning rules and principles and they will look at existing traffic studies etc to make the decision. Okay, those are all my questions. Um and Mr. Mr. Mayor, at the appropriate time, I would um move the motion with those two additional amendments that I've referred to. >> Okay. I do have additional questions. Um Councelor Deno, and then I have some on the traffic issue as well. Councelor Deno. >> Thank you, uh Mr. Mayor. And uh where are we in the process for a timeline of an appeal if we refuse this? um technically is the zoning bylaw amendment was submitted back in 2021. They could have appealed a long time ago. Um so they could appeal today essentially if they wanted to. >> Okay. It's a long time. Um and remind me if you can when was the region's TIS completed? >> The TIS submitted um it was not specific to the region per se. It was just um a requirement for the application. Yeah. Um, it was done as part of the original application in 2021 and then it was revised when the plan switched from a plan of subdivision to a plan of condominium and that was in 2024. >> Okay. And I'm I'm am I to assume that our staff had conversations with the region about the TIS? >> Correct. Yes. Both city staff and region staff looked at it, reviewed and and made comments based on that review. Are we in the capacity to um ask the region to perform another TIS? Um we would be asking the applicant and their consultant to do another traffic study. And with this scale of development and considering as of right permissions, I I'm not sure if it would be appropriate to have them do another one as it may return similar results even with the additional intersections included. It would um it would look at traffic as it is today and recommend improvements and where we can make improvements and ultimately the region would have to make the decision on those noted concerns around bridge and Bloomingdale. >> Mr. Stevenson, you want to add something? >> Yes, thank you. Through the mayor. So, uh, the applicant was required to retain an independent professional to use standard practice. Uh, the terms of reference for a TIS are approved by both regional and city staff. That original TIS was completed, reviewed, and accepted by both the region and city staff. As Mr. Whitman noted, it was revised when the application was revised. It was updated. uh those TIS's take into consideration uh future growth as well as existing traffic conditions. So there would be uh in our opinion no uh reason to require another independent professional to conduct a similar traffic study as the terms of reference would be the same. They would use the same uh principles that are widely accepted in Ontario and would likely reach the same conclusion. >> Okay. Thank you councelor stretch. >> Um thank you. Uh in the amendments um I just want some clarification around the balcony. So the balcony in your amendment is facing Schwitzer but balconies would be allowed elsewhere. Okay. >> Okay. Um so just want to follow up um either Mr. Wittman or Mr. Stevenson on the um on the traffic reports because obviously they were they were done the last one was done in 2024. A lot has changed since then including the introduction of a of a new manufacturing plant um that's on Bridge Street. um and the the capacity and possibility for for um additional u buildings to be built. Um and and on top of that, the the concern that was raised about Highway 7 and what that will ultimately do, and it's difficult for us to to know that um for sure, but it's reasonable to anticipate that any exits that come into the area will will generate additional traffic. So, how's that factored into into this decision process? Um and a as is um the the whole issue of um you know the the growth that we might continue to expect in the area and and the need for a potentially a second span over the over the river which ultimately would resolve a lot of the issues and concerns we're hearing about. Certainly. Um, and in specifically regarding Highway 7, it is outside of of the city's control in this application as well. Um, so it's difficult to to speculate exactly how that will impact the area. Um, but it is important to consider that when a TIS is prepared, it's not necessarily meant to function as a yes or no or a go no-go for development. It's a tool to understand traffic flows, traffic generation, particularly at peak times, and understand what intersection improvements or other um infrastructure improvements need to be made to help alleviate those potential uh growth and growth is accounted for in the TIS with a percentage modifier because it is difficult to predict too far into the future with what new applications may come um how things will evolve. Um, so as a as a specific tool, the TIS really says in today is looking at a modest growth pro projection, are there measures that the city can do to improve traffic flows? And ultimately, it's something that's in the region's hands for where there are those traffic concerns and they at this point in time um have said through their review that they're um they're accepting of the study and and what it's concluding right now with the current conditions. >> Okay. But I I guess where I'm going is if there are traffic concerns potentially. Um I mean could we be in a world where we we approve the application but it's contingent on a second span being built and then the responsibility would lie with the with the region. And once that happens then um it could potentially continue going forward. Mr. Stevenson, >> thank you. Uh, in response to your question, Mayor, uh, we can use a tool that's called a holding provision within the zoning bylaw. Holding provisions have to be a, uh, measure that can be completed by an applicant in order to satisfy uh, the reason for the holding provision. Uh I don't see a a direction in the planning act where we could put a holding provision on a private development that relies on a provincial infrastructure like a bridge um that uh we the applicant would not be able to influence the the the outcome of that. I think what's important to note is that uh while there was a TIS completed for this application, this on its own would not normally meet the threshold for requiring such study. the AM and PM peak hours are less than one car per minute. In terms of what we would look for, that would typically uh trigger a TIS would be a hundred uh 100 movements within the AM and PM peak hours. We do understand and we do have a history of looking at transportation movements throughout Bridgeport North. uh when the roundabout was being constructed and before the capacity was increased at the Lancaster and Bridgeport intersection there was holding provisions that were in place until that infrastructure was done but that was uh broad across a larger region in response to that infrastructure being in place now uh we do have uh direct attack through uh fire division uh and there are regional plans and there may be as a result of cumulative development uh changes to the the regional road infrastructure and there also may be traffic reductions based on uh the new highway 7 bridge crossing. So I would say that in terms of this application, we're really considering 13 units more that the zoning provision would uh facilitate if approved by council uh and the the TIS and the growth assumptions would assume what's already in place in terms of the the land use designation and the zoning. So we're really talking about 13 units. Certainly as uh a community changes and grows over time, there is comprehensive work that needs to be done to have that check and balance to make sure that the infrastructure is able to support that and that's the the work that Mr. Whitman has indicated the region's intending uh to undertake on a more comprehensive uh scale. >> Okay. I just want to clarify one thing. You said you referenced one, if I understood you correctly, one vehicle a minute. Um, are are you talking about what the impact would be of these additional units in terms of the potential for one vehicle a minute? Because certainly if you've ever traveled in that area and and I I certainly have there's way more cars going through that roundabout than one vehicle a minute. >> Uh, thank you for the opportunity to clarify. uh that that that was the AM and peak hour estimates as part of the TIS and that would be the full development just not not the additional 13 units but the full development uh that is the uh AM and PM peak hour trips >> but that's not that's not counting what's already going there through there correct >> no these would be additional trips >> these are additional trips >> as a result of the development >> as a result of this and what the the uh manufacturing developments on on Bridge Street. >> Uh no, the the TIS is focused on what would the impact be of this development on the existing road network and then known developments at the time of the TIS would be considered as part of the uh development. There was um I'm going to I'll pull it up, but I'm fairly confident there was a TIS completed for uh the manufacturing facility as well. >> Okay. So, it's it's looking at it um specifically in relation to the additional pressure from from this development, not the overall traffic flow going through the area. >> That's correct. And and the information on the existing condition accounts for everything that's known at the time of the study being completed. >> Okay. Thank you, Mr. Reedman. You wanted to add something? >> Yeah. Through the mayor. So the TIS does also look at intersection capacity as well overall with this development and other growth that's anticipated to happen in the area, but this development specifically is only likely to attribute one car per minute during AM and PM peak hours if that is clarity and there's only 13 additional units over what's as of right already. And so essentially it's a subset of that is what's being asked of today. >> Okay. Thank you councelor Singh. >> Yeah. So my question was going to be related to that. I think staff answers it fairly well. the impact overall impact is the difference of the 13 extra units uh being requested. So to take a step back I think it it would be helpful for the committee or council as well as the the delegations to understand that once more. The current zoning is what zoning? >> The current zoning is R4. >> Current zoning is R4. How many units does the applicant already have a site plan uh or preliminary site plan based on the existing zoning? >> Uh I am unaware if a plan was made based on the as of right permissions. >> Okay. Based on the as of right permissions um we already know that 13 extra units are being requested but as of right density how many units could they build on that site? >> Uh about a 100. So they could build a 100, although those 100 units would be a different type of a housing stock, but still 100 units. >> Correct. If it was um entirely semi- detached, which is currently permitted, it'd be about 100 units. Their current plan has a mix of street town houses, which bumps it up to an extra 13 over that. >> That's understandable. Right now the question being referenced back and I I hear the concerns of the area residents and I think the overall demand transportation demand management is absolutely necessary but that's a larger question in conversation with the region but in respect to this applicant or this specific property could they proceed forward irrespective of if no decision is made today for whatever reason if this council were to turn it down could they then choose if they choose not to appeal the decision could they proceed forward forward with a development of a 100 units on that site without requiring any additional approvals. >> Correct. Aside from a draft plan of condominium, they could proceed without a reasonzoning and get about 100 units. >> And the draft plan of condominium, does that require a transportation impact assessment? >> It would be at the discretion of our transportation staff, but understanding the level of units. Um, ultimately I would defer to our transportation staff, but possibly not. So we have very limited control to um halt the development of a hund the bare minimum 100 units. >> Correct. And as as I've stated before, the TIS isn't exactly a yes or no to a development. It's what improvements can the city make to help traffic. >> And as a summary back to the initial question, right now all we're really assessing is the increase from 100 as of right units to 113 with the uh the zoning application. >> Correct. Okay. Thank you. Councelor Davyy. >> Yes, thank you. Just one question that I forgot to mention earlier. The um in the earlier presentation, the applicant indicated that they would uh be building a play structure on site. Is that formalized in this? I just don't remember seeing that here. >> Uh yes, through you the uh the chair. The uh the play area is noted on the plan of condominium and then the condominium conditions do include that as part of the common element which is that children's play area. It is specifically noted as being required in there and will have to go through site plan approval. Excellent. Okay. I'll have comment at the appropriate time as well, Mr. Mayor. >> Okay, this this is it. >> Oh, go ahead. >> Yes, thank you. Um I think the yeah the important takeaway here is I think what we're understanding is that there's a serious um traffic concern that uh we don't have the ability to address ourselves in in a two-tier municipal system. What would end up happening is if we were to decline this or even if we deferred it at this point, um the applicant is well within his rights to appeal this to a different body called the OOLT, which effectively means that in all likelihood they would get this development approved by a body above our heads. Um, and potentially even losing some of the concessions we're having here, including the the playground structure that's going to be in there, limiting the height, some of the uh, homes to two stories instead of three stories, second story balconies. We would potentially lose most likely lose all of that if this council were to turn this down. Um what I am going to say and ask uh the mayor going forward is he obviously he shares my concern about traffic issues going forward not in isolation with this development but in all the developments that are proposed um proposed planned for in that entire area. I am not satisfied with the region's um addressing of it so far. Lancaster Street to the bridge and the roundabout are absolute bottlenecks that absolutely needs to be addressed. It can't be addressed through this process, but I do think that we've addressed it the best that we can. I think the other thing to point out here, too, is my concern for the residents that are going to live here is is park space, and I am happy to see um staff confirming that Schaefer Park is going to get a significant new playground. Um that process is beginning this fall, and uh I understand construction will begin uh next year to address some of this, but I think this is the best possible compromise that we're going to get, Mr. Mayor. So I would uh I think we'll need to see the amendments the appropriate time come up on the screen. Okay. So they do you want to read the amendment or just it's fine. Okay. Um yeah go ahead councelor Davey. >> Yeah sure. So the gist of the amendment is for the the homes that have the shortest rear yards of the ones on Schweitzer. So any home that is being any new home that's being constructed that backs onto Schweitzer Street will be limited uh to two stories uh instead of three, which is uh within the existing zoning here. And it would also remove any possibility of any second story balconies, which I've heard a lot of residents being concerned about lately in other areas of the city as well. Residents are asked to take uh a lot as we uh address infill. I think these small tweaks can go a long way um to making sure that the residents um are are doing their fair share and accepting more infill but also trying to do our best to respect their privacy. >> Okay. Thank you. Uh councelor Singh. >> Yeah, I'll speak to the amendments and overall I think the the application of itself um I agree with what councelor Davyy has has put forward in his explanation regarding I think the limitation of control by this this council. um because of what's being requested, it is not a substantive overreach from the current as a right zoning which already allows 100 units. Uh understanding that just additional 13 units are requested does not fundamentally change the the transportation issue that does exist in that neighborhood. I think from what this conversation what will be fruitful and those in the uh the gallery should take some comfort in this is a ongoing level of advocacy that I think uh I'm confident that mayor venovich will lead at the conversation at the region and uh ward one does have very effective representation through councelor Davyy who will continue on placing that pressure with the region and conversation with our uh transportation department to continue on that conversation of how Bridgeport as a whole can have a better infrastructure related to uh transportation and the safety of course of crossing over that bridge and the um the the better flow. Um a as I ask questions of staff regarding the you know exactly what the the current allowances I think this is this is well within what you know is is reasonable what the applicant is asking to change. is just looking at a different p of housing stock that doesn't necessarily exist uh all that much in that neighborhood. So, I think it speaks to our overall uh housing strategy of having a wider range of housing stocks uh and housing uh livable options. So, I I think it it speaks to what we were already kind of encouraging. What I do um see from the amendment is not necessarily something I I I think um I would have put forward essentially myself but I at the same time I'm not the ward resident. I don't understand the community as well as councelor Davyy does. So if he feels that the over you know the privacy is a critical factor uh I'm I'm willing to support the amendments as they're written. Uh although if going back to my original points, the developer could proceed forward with a semi- detach with 11 meter height. There's nothing no mechanism for this council to stop them from doing so. But the fact that they are requesting the additional units. This is the conversation that give and take that usually allows a conversation where uh or or an advocacy that the the area representative can do and making sure that the resident's concerns are better reflective of the overall application approval. And so I think that's being done through this process through the advocacy by councelor um councelor Davey. So I I support the amendment and again as a comfort to uh to the uh those in the gallery and the area residents I I think this is going to be a larger dialogue with the region as well as advocacy that mayor Vanovich and councelor Davyy will proceed forward with >> counceloritis. >> Yeah thank you through you mayor Vanovic. Uh I will support the the amendments and and the recommendation. I I I agree with the sentiments of of councelor Davey and and his opinion of of the area that he represents. I I just want to also echo the comments with regards to the traffic and and have it regarded in the minutes too as well that I think there there is there I don't think there is a serious concern with traffic here especially with the the roundabout and and and the bridge. And I'm not sure what the the plan is, but if we don't have a plan, we're just expecting the bridge from uh from the province to build Highway 7. We know how long that's been uh going on. So I that's a cons a serious concern for me. So um you can add my voice to the advocacy as well for for that. Just uh for the record. So to to that um to that effect because I I do know and I think all of us are sensing the frustration and concern around traffic in that area. I'm wondering, Councelor Davyy, either as part of your amendment or or a separate bullet if you'd consider um adding a um an additional point um directing that uh we write formal correspondence uh from our council to the uh to the region uh expressing our concern about um traffic in uh in Bridgeport and um asking for the the region to um look at at addressing it as soon as possible. Councelor Davey. >> Yes. Uh yeah, thank you, Mayor, for the for the suggestion. I actually my original plan was to mostly uh go through you as our as our regional council representative, but now that you mentioned it, actually would probably be a lot more meaningful if they were aware that this was a concern shared by all members of of Kitchener Council. So, I would take you up on that suggestion and I would move that recommendation. >> So, okay. Okay. So, we'll add that uh to your amendment and as long did we have a seconder for the amendment, councelor stretch. So, you're comfortable with that as well. Okay. So, that'll be added to the uh to the motion. Any further discussion? Okay. All those in favor? Any opposed? That's carried. Okay. Thank you. Um so folks that has been approved with the amendments uh around height and around uh the balconies and also uh advocacy to the uh to the region around uh transportation concerns. Thank you for uh for coming in tonight and and being part of uh this process. Okay, we'll now um move on then to uh reports of committees and we'll start with Heritage Kitchener. Councelor Chapman. >> Hang on. Sorry. Go ahead. >> It's been moved by myself and seconded by Councelor Micho. I assume she's in the attending virtually. um that the report of Heritage Kitchener dated August 4, 2026 listed as items 7.18 to 7.1B on the agenda this date be adopted. >> Okay. Thank you. It has been moved and seconded. Um any comments? If not, those in favor? Any opposed? That is carried. Thank you. Uh we'll now move on to item 7.2. Councelor Davyy, Finance and Corporate Services Committee. Yes, thank you. It's been moved by by myself and seconded by councelor Billy that the items arising from finance and corporate services committee be adopted. >> Okay. Um any discussion? If not, all those in favor? Any opposed? That is carried. Thank you. Uh next we'll move on to item 7.3 uh planning and strategic initiatives. Are we okay? Okay. Sorry, you just had the the uh Oh, look. Um, thank you. Uh, 7.3, planning and strategic initiatives, councelor Singh. And I will just note the addendum report for um Kitchener Green, which is item 7.3 C. Councelor Singh. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. All items arising from the planning and strategic initi committee from October the 10th and the items that are remaining that have not been voted on including the addendum uh as you've specified included in this report uh are moved by myself and seconded by councelor Chapman. >> Uh okay any discussion? All those in favor? Any opposed? That two is carried. Thank you very much. Is there any unfinished business? Any new business? Okay, we'll move then into mayoral business and updates. And I have two um items I want to report on today. one is um the situation that occurred Friday night at midnight with respect to tariffs and trade and then also to provide a bit of an update on uh the city's actions with respect to the region of water uh water capacity uh issues. You can just bear with me one second. Colleagues, on Friday evening, just past midnight, Canadians learned that there was a breakdown in negotiations between our Canadian government with the current US administration in the White House pertaining to the threat of tariffs previously announced by the US president. As such, Prime Minister Carney called back Canada's negotiating team to Ottawa and communicated news of this to Canadians on Friday evening via media statement and via a press conference on Saturday morning. These were followed by a meeting with the premers and the cabinet. Since news of this first broke, Canada's premers, national business organizations, and leaders have rallied around the prime minister and our government. I would frame the message heard over the last 72 hours uh plus uh around three main themes. Canadian unity around protecting Canadian sovereignty. Two, protecting local jobs and businesses. And three, using this moment to accelerate economic resilience and diversification. Sadly, our longtime neighbor, partner, and ally made the choices they did in negotiations, but our Canadian negotiators stood firm and recognized that no deal is better than a bad deal. Over the course of the the weekend, I've been in touch with various provincial and federal officials and also offered an initial statement via social media thanking them all for their tireless efforts over many months on behalf and especially in recent weeks on behalf of Canadians. And I also extended our gratitude uh to them for standing together as one team united for Canada. The breakdown of Canada US trade negotiations and the imposition of the new uh tariffs mark a deeply concerning escalation in an economic conflict that neither country ultimate ultimately wins. As Canadians, I believe we must stay united. Canada must remain open to negotiations, but we cannot accept a deal that compromises our economic interests or sovereignty or go back to the table if there isn't a meaningful uh rationale uh provided by uh our the our US partners in this regard. For Kitchener, this is particularly challenging. Our local manufacturing economy is deeply connected to continental supply chains and export markets. When tariffs disrupt these relationships, the consequences are felt by local employers, workers, and families. That's why this evening, I'm sharing that earlier today, I've asked staff to resume the city of Kitchener's tariff and trade task force that was originally started in 2025. When this challenge first emerged at that time, our task force moved quickly. We strengthened by Canadian and billocal procurement, worked with suppliers to identify Canadian alternatives, engaged directly with trade exposed businesses, supported import substitution, and launched our support local campaign with community and business partners. I think we're all recognizing that now we're going to need to go further. I will ask the task force to examine additional opportunities to strengthen local and Canadian procurement, support effective businesses and workers, identify our most vulnerable industries for government advocacy, help companies diversify into new Canadian international markets, and work with other governments and business organizations, including bestwist assistance. Kitchener has always been a community of makers, innovators, and entrepreneurs. In this moment of uncertainty, it's important that we all stand together, supporting local, buying Canadian, protecting jobs, and building a stronger, more resilient economy for a stronger Kitchener and Waterlue region, a stronger Ontario, and a stronger Canada. I'd also like to provide an update, as I said, on the region of Waterlue's water resources. Since our last regular council meeting, we've made important progress in managing our community's very valuable water resources. Following the region's approval of its interim water allocation framework, Kitchener established our own water allocation policy to make sure available capacity is directed to projects that deliver the greatest benefits to our community. Through our first allocation, we're enabling affordable and supportive housing for families across the city. Build now at Holurn Court will offer 60 homes for purchase at below market prices using city donated land and federal funding. Reception House Wellington North will create 34 additional new traditional housing units for newcomers to the country. And the fire station aid and housing development project will deliver better emergency services for the city and 281 at or below market rate rental units. These projects show what's possible when we carefully balance immediate community needs with responsible stewardship of a limited resource. There's also been progress at the regional level. The water supply system has been stabilized and work continues at the Mannheim facility to restore capacity and strengthen long-term reliability. In fact, last week the first tank was delivered to Mannheim. While that progress is welcome, it also reminds us that every leader counts and that thoughtful management of our water resources remains essential. That's why the city's work is ongoing as additional capacity becomes available. Staff will continue to carefully assess requests and prioritize projects that deliver meaningful community benefits for residents. I want to thank city staff for their hard work, their expertise, and their dedication throughout this challenge. Their efforts have not only helped Kitchener respond in a thoughtful and practical way, ensuring we're supporting important community priorities today while protecting this vital resource for the future, but they've also worked collaboratively with their counterparts at the other area municipalities and at the region in order to be to for us to be in a situation where we've been able to move forward uh with the challenges that were presented more than six months ago. Thank you. And uh that would be my uh my update. We'll now move to questions and answers. There being none, we'll then move into staff reports and we'll start with the Parkland acquisition strategy and I'll call on Simon Latam and Becky, sorry, Becca Robinson to provide a fiveminute presentation. welcome to all of you and uh Simon turn go ahead. >> Good evening everyone. My name is Simon Latam, parks planning and development project manager and I'm here alongside my colleague Becca Robinson to share with you the parkland acquisition strategy that we've been preparing over the past few months. The development of this strategy is the outcome of a need identified in spaces and is listed within the city's strategic plan. We have spent the past several months engaging with various internal groups to develop a strategy that meets the challenges and opportunities that the city currently experiences. Alongside the policy foundations to this work, sorry, alongside the policy foundations uh to this work, legislative changes have occurred to eliminate the need for this strategy and urgency around the comprehensive approach to for providing park space to our residents. On this slide is a simple example of how recent provincial legislation has impacted the city's parkland dedication requirements to the development process. As a result, this strategy explores a broad range of tools beyond development applications that can be used to acquire lands for parks. The objective of the strategy is to develop a pathway for achieving the city's parkland provision goals by enabling staff to efficiently assess and act on opportunities to acquire more lands for parks, enhance existing parks, and provide better access to parks for all residents. To build quality communities, we must look at not only increasing park provisions in key areas, but also ensuring that parks and open spaces that we do have are high quality and well connected to residents. This strategy includes four main components. First, the strategy includes clear methodologies for assessing opportunities and procuring lands for parks. Decision-making flowcharts for each acquisition mechanism are included in the strategy and chart a clear pathway for internal enga for internal engagement and decision making around acquisition opportunities. This will increase the clarity of the of the process and ensure that various interested parties are included while acquisitions are being considered. Second, we reassess the park provision levels across the city using population growth datas from council approved Kitchener 2051 and all active park spaces. This analysis ensures strategic use of the existing funding for the the areas that are most critically underserved for parks now or in the future. Third, we've developed a criteria scorecard that allows us to assess possible properties for acquisitions more objectively, giving weight to a parcel's suitability and its context and how feasible it could be to develop a park there. And finally, number four, 10 key actions. The core recommendations of this strategy we'd like council to endorse for continued work towards reaching the parkland provision target. Sorry. Thanks. Currently, the only allocated stream of funding for acquiring new land for parks is the park trust fund. Funding derived from cash and loop payments for parkland dedication required through the development process. A key component of the strategy is a clear understanding that there isn't sufficient budget in the park trust fund to close the gap on parkland provision in all planning communities right away. The available funding needs to be strategically applied to priority areas in the short term. The analysis in the strategy helps to achieve this. By considering the population growth forecast endorsed in Kitchener 2015 and acknowledging any existing active park spaces, we see the planning communities that have the lowest projected parkland provision and that may require the highest priority use of the park trust fund. Each of the nine planning communities determined to be critical or high need for parkland acquisition were examined in more detail with respect to anticipated timing of intensification and opportunities for acquisition. As a result, three planning communities in particular came into focus as short-term priorities for using the park trust fund for land acquisition. King East, KW Hospital, and Bridgeport West are the planning communities where the current need for parkland is high and where the development process is the least likely to yield a neighborhood or community park. In addition to the three priority areas we've just shown, the strategy concludes with 10 key actions that include recommendations around management of the park trust fund, exploration of additional funding to accelerate this work, and regular updates to council on progress in longer range planning beyond these short-term priorities I've just discussed. The strategy represents both a short-term blueprint for action to strategically use existing funds and a pathway for longer term considerations of how and when the city can address Parkland provision in all planning communities across Kitchener. So that concludes our presentation and we're happy to answer questions or provide any additional details you'd require. >> Okay. Thank you very much. And we can ask you both to turn on your mics um and that way you're eligible to jump in as necessary. And we do have several questions for you. And we'll start with councelor Johnson. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor, and thank you so much for your presentation. It's exciting to see the work that you're doing on this, which is incredibly important to our residents is to uh improve more parkland access across the city. I was wondering um tonight we saw the presentation of the uh GIS uh gold award that the city of Kitchener won and one of the one of the things that we won on one of the projects was on um the equity piece looking at equity in across the city in terms of access to parks demographics etc. Can you can you um speak to how this has informed what you're doing here >> uh through the mayor? Um that specific tool um will be a useful uh a useful source of data going forward which we'd anticipate using. Um the analysis in our strategy consisted of two parts. One was purely kind of datadriven numerical um calculation of park provision by residents. Um and so that gave us sort of an objective method by which we determined the nine planning communities in critical or high need. The second phase of our analysis um is more subjective in a way and that we can then apply uh various equity lenses as well as other considerations such as existing opportunities for acquisition or timeline of intens intensification for us to get to that the three priority planning communities we discussed. Um so our strategy builds off equity l the equity lens that was established in spaces which is based off of or included data for each planning community on median household income and the dwelling type. So three planning communities we showed as our first primary focal area. Our recommendation for priority action does take that into account um and is detailed in more in our than in our strategy within the spaces document. >> Yeah, thank you. Uh, and I would I would assume that whenever we're looking at population distribution and uh households that uh it probably would match up in many ways. Um, I would I would like to see in in future when we have a report like this if that's an intentional piece of the report where where we're talking about how we're meeting those goals on it would be really helpful. Thank you. >> Thank you, Councelor Johnson. Councelor Chapman. >> Yeah, thank you and thank you for this report. Um, so I'm just concerned, well, a couple things. Um, it said in the report it says that staff will review the budget in 2027 and report back as part of the 2028 budget. Why are we not doing that this year? I mean, we've been working on this um, you know, parkland acquisition since 2022, and this is just, you know, putting it back another couple years. >> Mr. Stevenson, >> thank you. And through the mayor, uh, to councelor Chapman, and thank you for the question. What we're looking at for this Parkland acquisition strategy is what is a sizable solution that we can achieve uh given the Parkland trust fund balance that we do currently have. Understanding that meeting the Parkland provision across the entire city is a very long-term uh project uh and requires as a result of legislative changes additional funding. We believe that the that the 25 million that's in the Parkland trust fund with the projected increases from development applications and given that the current cost of land is somewhat reduced uh in the last few years that it's a it's a manageable uh delivery to bring forward three specific park projects uh as part of this. Should council wish to explore uh changes to uh the Parkland trust fund funding, Parkland acquisition from a different uh opportunity, we're suggesting that that would be part of budget 2028 discussions because we do have funding uh to do some immediate acquisitions for the three uh priority areas that we've already identified. So I we have the money now. We have uh like most municipalities and people in our communities, we're trying to achieve what we can in a way that we can afford it right now. And so we believe that we can use the Parkland Acquisition Trust Fund to fund these improvements and acquisitions uh without an impact and that uh 2028 would be the appropriate time to potentially revisit alternative funding models. >> Okay. Um in the report it says within the next five years a staff and um staff and council should explore alternatives and complimentary funding options to replenish the park trust fund. Um can you just elaborate a bit more on where where one might explore um what what what the exploration process is going to look like >> uh through you uh mayor and to councelor Chapman. uh we have uh so in the parkland acquisition strategy there are seven different approaches that we've identified. So purchasing land outright with money is one of the seven opportunities. Uh if we can't obtain parkland dedication funding uh through one of those seven then it would be potentially uh an impact to the to the tax base. So, we haven't we're not prepared at this point to make a recommendation to do that given uh that we believe that we have uh acquisitions that can occur within the next 5 years using the funding that we already have >> and repurposing um city property. Um what does that look like? >> Hold on, Simon. Can you go ahead? >> And h and how would it be funded? Like what's being explored at that end? through the chair. The mechanism for repurposing the city- owned lands is really looking at our existing assets that we own currently and exploring opportunities uh to have a portion of those city- owned lands or all of them uh turned into parkland uh before those city assets are uh sold out or let let go. Um I'll refer to Garrett if on the funding piece for that portion. >> Mr. Stevenson, >> thank you. uh mayor and to councelor Chapman. So um in the report we do we do outline that uh about uh four years ago so August 22nd 2022 uh with the Parkland acquisition or sorry the the parkland strategic plan and dedication update there was a re recommendation that we look at all city-owned lands uh through various processes uh for parkland potential. So that that's work that is uh that goes on already and will continue to ongo uh or will continue uh through either various projects. So uh some consideration may be done through other separate projects and uh we will look at that as part of any uh disposition of city owns. >> In the report it also mentions in the same context the bramards um do you have any update on how that's being looked at? Uh so through the through the mayor so Bramards is a separate master plan. So that will be done uh and it's part of that uh master plan uh there was consideration for uh some public realm improvements but not necessarily a park. So that's an example of a project that is related that may also look at Parkland um but not necessarily be part of the strategy. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you councelor Chapman. Council, sorry, Councelor Schneider. >> Thank you, Mayor. Uh, when we talk about partnerships, uh, are are we talking things like working with the school boards? >> Hang on, M. Robinson, go ahead. >> Thank you. Yes, that's a good example of what a partnership could look like. um partnering with another public land owner such as a school board to improve um a schoolyard for example so that it would be useful outside of school hours um or other types of partnerships which could include uh repurposing available land for parkland use by the community. I I think we've seen some some good examples of that in Franklin Park with the multi-use sports uh court and Nwood Park where it benefits the school during the day and the community at night. Um and when we're talking uh park spaces, are are we meaning strictly like grass and trees park land or doing uh as uh Mr. Stevenson referred to is some of the public realm spaces as we have on Gawk Street? uh more things like that >> through the mayor. Uh we are specifically talking about active park spaces which would include um neighborhood and community parks. So places that are programmed for active use uh as opposed to natural areas uh streetscape improvements or um passive open spaces. uh in terms of the target the parkland provision uh the spaces you mentioned are supportive and uh contribute to the open space network but regarding acquisition we're looking at active park spaces >> okay thank you thank you councelor Schneider councelor stretch >> yes thank you mayor um I am so excited to see this um in front of council and am eager to um to see movement on this um I Just want to confirm. So, it's 25.5 million. Um, and we're looking at prioritizing three spaces um using up to that 25 million. >> Mr. Ladam, >> through the chair, yes, that is correct. We're looking at using our existing funds that we have for those three priority areas. >> Not necessarily all of it. could be a portion of it, but yes, up to the the 25 and a half that we have. >> Great. And I am just wanting to confirm, I see that King East is identified as one of the top three um areas um prioritized in this acquisition strategy and uh Kina or Kenna, that's a neighborhood association in King East. So, I'm just confirming that that is within their boundary. >> That is correct. Uh this Parkland acquisition strategy specifically speaks for an acquisition opportunity within the King East boundaries within the planning community. Yes. >> Great. And with this sizable amount of money, we're looking at more than just a small park, a parkquette I think is what we refer them to. Is that correct? >> That would be correct. Uh ultimately for any of the planning communities, we're looking for uh potentially an aggregated uh collection of parcels. uh but truly just looking for something that meets our criteria and scores well and will serve the residents of those planning communities well. >> Okay. And so I see also the timeline is within five years see movement on those three identified parks. Um but I've also heard language like immediate acquisitions. Um so you know after this meeting uh presuming this passes will what kind of action will will we see? We are going to explore opportunities within all three planning communities um and start uh some conversations with property owners and bringing back those property owners to council um if action is required on those. >> Great. Okay. Yeah. I'd love to see um our foot foot on the gas with this. So, thank you. >> Absolutely. Thank you. >> Thank you, Councelor Stretch. Councelor Anettis. >> Yeah. Thank you, Mayor Vermanovic. Uh I I guess my questions are a little bit different than what councelor stretch would would be. I'm just wondering why is this here on a council meeting and not through a committee meeting? >> Um can I answer that, Mr. Stevenson? >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Uh this is a follow-up report. This uh did come to the committee uh for discussion in August of 2025. So granted it has been a little bit time a little bit of time, but this is a follow-up report and it also follows up uh some individual council engagements and conversations that we did have uh over the past number of months. >> Okay. And considering that there's really there's not really a budget for 2026, I'm I'm still not understanding why we're here right now looking at this. >> Mr. Stevenson. >> Yes. Through you, uh, Mr. Mayor and to councelor Aronitis. Uh, this is when we talk about parkland acquisition and we talk about the need for parkland. uh we've been, you know, staff and and council have been around these horseshoes and we've heard that's a need. Uh and so what this does is it looks at creating a very strategic scope of what we can achieve with the budget that we have now given the other financial presses pressures and realities that uh we are currently facing uh as a municipality and and ensuring that uh we can start to uh deliver on uh delivering these park spaces. We hear need for parkland uh with most development applications and we hear it in many planning communities. What this work specifically does is it builds on spaces and applies the growth projections as part of the uh Kitchener official plan that was approved in June to look at what are the critical priority needs areas so that we can start to take action. Now, we intend and the reason that we put a five-year lens on this particular strategy is that as we start to deliver new parks and communities, the strategic uh priorities may change and the critical needs areas may change and we may need to adjust. We also heard through some of the conversations uh that parks can be delivered in multiple ways including uh many new parks that have uh our colleagues in design and development have done engagement on and have delivered new spaces with existing land that have filled the parkland need that was existing in the community. So uh this is really only one piece of uh how to acquire the land in order to continue to deliver parks. Uh and this is one of many ways that we deliver parks across the city. >> Okay. I guess so. When you said you had consultations, did you have did you have consultations with members of council for this prior? >> Uh through you, Mr. Mayor. Uh yes, we did focused uh small sessions uh with uh one to three counselors in in meetings. >> Okay. I I guess my my final concern would be is how how how would I be able to justify this expenditure to the residents that I represent who want to have their parks upgraded >> through you Mr. Mayor, I think um what I think is important is that we have used the equity lens that's applied through spaces. We've carried that forward to ensure that there's equal access to parkland and we uh want to develop and continue to deliver parks across the city, but we need to prioritize and looking at areas that are already underserved in areas where growth is projected to increase parkland demand has been our top priority. This is only one part of delivering new great parks to the city. Uh as I previously mentioned, our colleagues in design and development uh do engagement. Council approves through separate budget items uh improvements to existing parks to be able to deliver new park experiences, parkland improvements citywide. So, uh this this doesn't mean that we're only going to have three new parks for the next 5 years. It means that uh the acquisition of land for the purpose of a park uh would be for the next five years and there would still be lots of opportunity through our regular work that's already budgeted for in the 10-year capital program to continue to improve parks. So, I think all constituents across the entire city will continue to see the city improving and delivering excellent parks. >> Okay. Thank you for for all that. That was a great explanation. Thank you, >> Coun. Thank you, councelor. Councelor Danell. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. And uh thanks Garrett because that was my question if if this money is separate from like the retrofitting money of parks versus building new parks or creating new parks. So thank you for that. Um obviously we're not deciding on anything anytime soon, but will future councils be presented with what city lands are being potentially um designated as parkland? M Robinson >> uh through the mayor. Yes. As part of our mechanism flowcharts and the appendices of the strategy uh decision final decisions around um these mechanisms will be brought to council. >> Okay. And and I didn't see it but uh like is there a list that we already have um developed with potential parkland um opportunities across the city >> in terms of existing city- owned assets or in general? >> Yeah. Um yeah, with our uh ongoing work the past 12 months on this, we have began preliminary analysis of the target planning communities um so that we can ensure our recommendation is scoped to areas that aren't ne already being well served through other processes like the development process um park improvements and other things going on in other departments of the city. So we have begun that work. We have not formalized it into a list that we're prepared to share. >> Okay. And and fair enough. And I figured that was the answer. Um but there was there was a mention of um be instead of selling off parks, we'll look at well, sorry, instead of selling off city land, you know, that will that'll be part of the process um to look at um building these three new parks. Is is that to assume that we won't sell off any city lands between now and then um while we're still in the process of of looking for parkland in in those areas? >> Mr. I see both Mr. Stevenson and Mr. Reedman. Mr. Reedman and I I guess you're pulling rank. So go ahead >> through the mayor. So any disposition of land would be a council decision and that typically happens in camera, >> right? Okay. All right. You're good. Okay. Thanks. >> Thank you, uh, Councelor Chapman. >> Yeah, thank you for giving me another opportunity. Um, will there be public input once this land these lands are acquired? Like, will you be reaching out to neighborhood associations and and different communities to um determine what those parks will actually look like? >> Mr. Ladam, >> through the chair, yes. our development and design team as part of any uh park development project does uh public engagement and that would be included uh throughout these uh parcels as well. >> Okay, great. Um and I just had one last um question about the pops. Um I know it's not to do with the acquisition necessarily, but another way to to get more parkland. Um I just hope that we don't have more BB3s. Can I say that here? Um, but we actually have nice park with actual grass. >> Sorry, Mr. Stevenson. >> Thank you. And through the mayor to councelor Chapman. Uh, one of the projects on our work plate uh, coming up following this work is to develop a POPS guidelines and that will uh, set out the standards uh, within our urban or sorry our um, design manual of what our expectations are for a POPS and what would be considered to be parks. So, um we we we anticipate to bring that work uh to uh in future, but your comment is noted and uh yes, we want to parks will be part of the overall parkland uh offerings in in neighborhoods and ensuring that those pops are really great uh that they feel like open and uh and inviting spaces and are usable is is key priority >> with trees. >> With trees. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Okay. Um, so those are all the questions. Um, does someone care to move the report? Councelor Davey. Um, and I'll need a seconder. Councelor Chapman. Thank you. Um, I have comments. Counceloritis. >> Yeah. Thank Thank you, Mayor Rabanovic. And, uh, I want to thank staff for, uh, uh, bringing this forward with us with the the the lens of equity and all that stuff. And based on the information that that's in this report, the areas that are in focus are definitely in in need of a park space. So, um I don't have I don't have really concern for that. And I think um you know, members of council I think councelor stretch really advocated for park space. Um so I I think they I think uh I think this makes sense moving forward. So I'm happy to support it. >> Okay. Thank you. Councelor Deno. >> Thanks, Mr. Mayor. And uh again, thank you for the report. And I just want to thank staff um on both sides and and also council for recognizing how important parks play um in the lives and the development of our our young people and our old people. Um, you know, I'm I'm lucky to to represent a ward where we've had significant um um developments, uh, good developments in a few of our parks and and and you know, it's I I enjoy when we're walking out with my family and seeing the parks full and because I know how important it is um to our to our some of our most vulnerable population. And so, um, I look forward to having this continue on and and providing good parks, um, across every, uh, ward. Um, hopefully we see some more accessible parks, um, in each ward. But, uh, I I have faith in our staff in, uh, making making the best decision for for our city. So, thank you. >> Okay, Councelor Chapman. >> Yeah, I just want I just want to agree with others. I I'm really pleased to see some movement on this and I look forward in more investments in the future. I think, you know, parks, we need them, right? As we intensify and as we grow, people need those places to go and and just be. And so, it's I'm really pleased to see this um coming forward. So, thank you, >> Councelor Schneider. Thank you, Mayor Banovic. Uh I too want to thank staff for the the thoroughess on this um the research the the equity lens that has been put into this and uh I know down the halls with the councelor Chapman and councelor stretch uh in their wards the importance of of park space and uh they've been advocating uh with the rest of council and and with you. So um really appreciate that. Um, I I I love that there will be engagement on this. Uh, I I can tell you that in in my ward when we created the park network with Kinsey, Otton, and Idlewood Park, there was incredible engagement done and uh the final results were were so pleasing to the residents of that area and the amenities that uh are in those parks that you can easily get through um in all parts of the neighborhoods. Uh, I especially love the the new uh equipped sport lockers that we're fortunate to have that also increase accessibility to the amenities that we have in our parks. So, uh really looking forward to seeing uh uh some more great community infrastructure in in uh the areas where it's needed the most. Thank you, >> Councelor Johnson. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. And I just wanted to add my thanks as well. Um this you've heard from from everybody today and I think you can see just how excited we are about our parks. Um I see our parks as uh really a great equalizer. I kind of look at them the way I I I look at at libraries. They are a free place for people to go and enjoy themselves and not have to pay to enter a park. Just a a free place to go to. And it's pretty they're incredible. Um, and as you can tell, this is one of the subjects that gets council most excited is the opportunity to talk about our parks and just how important they really, really are. You get to work in a really fun area. So, good for you guys. Great choice on career. So, um, thank you so much. >> Thank you, Councelor Johnson. Councelor Davey. >> Yes. Thank you. I just wanted to point out it's like I'm again, we've had some great champions um for additional park space on this council. couple of them mentioned councelor councelor Chapman and councelor stretch especially but also it's important to credit our staff in terms of the database decision- making on this I noticed um you know Bridgeport is in the list of critical need which is something that they just found out through the data right so this is not I just want to be clear to the public that while many of us advocate for this this aren't polit this is aren't political decisions uh these are decisions based uh 100% on on need so I just want to make sure that that's clear thanks Thank you, Councelor Davyy. Councelor Stretch. >> Yes, thank you. My comment um really was echoing councelor Davey. I'm just so appreciative of um the way we've been able to listen to community and then back that up with data. Um thank you for doing the work. Um and thank you for listening. Um yeah, thank you and thank you so much for dealing with my endless questions and uh taps on the shoulders and elbow nudges. So, uh, just I'm I'm so pleased to see this in front of us and I'm pleased to see the total we have to work with. Um, it's significant and, um, something that we can do some really mean meaningful places and spaces work. So, thank you. >> Okay. Thank you, everyone, uh, for your comments and to staff for all the work. I just want to add a few of my my own comments and and appreciation for this body of work that's been um developing for some time and and really acknowledge the the leadership of councilors Chapman and Stretch in particular, but the collective advocacy of of all members of council um in terms of u moving this forward. We know uh as councelor Davey just touched on um a few moments ago that you know based on doing a data analysis, we identified areas of the city um that that are underserved and they need to be part of our priority going forward and um this work really um not only has identified that but has is identifying next steps in terms of how to move forward in that um in that regard. Um, I will tell you, um, just having, you know, many of us participated in the, um, the Elvis popups that were done, uh, again this summer. Folks will remember we did them originally, um, during, uh, during COVID. And, uh, at that time they were they were ve very welcomed because people were, you know, felt a sense of pentup frustration from being inside. um not a lot of social contact and and they were just really a breath of fresh air. Um I was pleasant beyond pleasantly surprised um as we undertook them to quite frankly bring some joy to neighborhoods but also to uh promote the new cow and recreation center at RBJ Schlaggel Park um and its opening later this year. uh how well received they were. But because many of the events actually occurred uh adjoining a number of our parks, I was so pleasantly surprised um by how well our parks were being used. It didn't matter what day of the week it was. Didn't matter if it was sunny outside or or you know, potential for rain, they were always well used. Um they, you know, as you looked in certain neighborhoods where that that perhaps um you know, there were some that are more socio uh economically challenged. Uh the the value that the parks meant to people in those neighborhoods as you talk to them and the and the the joy of of these popup concerts and so on, it really was tremendous. And so, um I I say these things for two things. Number one, it speaks to the value of the kinds of things we're doing, not just with festivals and so on down here, but these kind of pop-up music events throughout the city, but more importantly, um the the importance of the investments that we put in our parks and and so on. And uh so just really want to thank uh staff for all of that work, but um you know also uh remind the uh the future council uh and whoever will be sitting around this horseshoe after uh November 15th um about the importance of these investments going forward. Councelor Singh, you needed to add something. >> Yeah, I think you raised something. It wasn't I promised someone that I wasn't going to speak too much, but you uh you spoke something that really triggered in my mind and we took part of that during the um you know the the event that you talked about with the Elvis popups and we visited Alpine Park. Alpine is a community that through the spaces and places strategic plan uh or or the uh or the the parks plan has been identified as a overall need, a medium need at the very least. uh as more amenity space and more park space. But to your point, when we have um prioritized places that may not necessarily get immediate attention to, but the very fact that we go in those neighborhoods and remediate the existing parks that are there and they're updated with new infrastructure, new type of equipment, people come out, they feel like they are being served and that in itself is sufficient. uh and I think they are comfortable where it may take some time for additional space. But we can't do is not get there fast enough and on top of it not improve what's there right now. So I think out of this overall plan we got to go to those identifiable spots that may take some years to get to but upgrade the existing infrastructure more immediately. Thank you. But overall again compliments to staff. Again there there's no way of getting this right. uh be it the suburban or the downtown fact of the matter is residents just need great places to colle you know connect with and uh and enjoy and I think we're trying to get there endeavor to achieve that so good job >> thank you uh thank you councelor Singh so the motion has been moved and seconded all okay all those in favor any opposed that's carried unanimously okay we'll now move on to uh 11.1 1B, uh, the Kitchener Farmers Market interim operating model. And are we doing a little bit of a presentation, guys, or just answering questions? Sorry, just answering questions. Oh, okay. Great. Mr. Sturgis, welcome. >> Thank you, Mayor and members of council. Uh, so as you know, the Kitchener Farmers Market has been an integral part of the Kitchener community for more than 155 years. It serves as a gathering place for residents and economic hub for local farmers, food producers, and entrepreneurs, and is a key contributor to the vitality of downtown Kitchener. Following the fire on July 12th, the city's priority has been the health and safety of vendors, customers, and staff. Our recovery efforts continue to be guided by Waterl Region public health and professional remediation experts. And as a food focused facility, the market must meet rigorous health and safety standards in order to operate. The report before council provides an update on the recovery efforts that are already underway. Staff are mobilizing an expanded interim operating model and have invested in the temporary infrastructure required to support vendors while remediation continues. These efforts are expected to allow more than 70% of our lower level vendors to resume operations including key product categories such as meat and dairy providers while work continues toward full restoration of the facility. Recommendation before council today is focused specifically on vendor fees. Staff are proposing a temporary 50% reduction in vendor fees along with the delegated authority to adjust temporary rates as recovery progresses. This recognizes that many vendors are operating with reduced footprints and modified conditions and provides flexibility to support vendors throughout the recovery period. While the city has made investments to maintain market operations, we do recognize that vendors continue to face challenges. The proposed fee reduction is intended to help offset those impacts, support business continuity, and maintain a vibrant market experience for the community. And lastly, I do do want to acknowledge this has truly been an all hands-on deck effort across the city. Staff from multiple departments continue to work alongside vendors, insurers, consultants, contractors, and public health officials to advance remediation and return the market to normal operations as quickly and safely as possible. We be pleased to answer any questions. Thank you very much. And just before we we do that, I really do want to take an opportunity to thank and acknowledge staff for uh for all of their work in uh in responding to the uh the situation at the uh at the market from um the initial I guess it was Saturday night, early Sunday morning when the fire occurred um to you know working diligently to make sure that no market days were missed and and while the operating model needed to change uh for that first Saturday after the uh after the fire, the the reality was that the market was was open and operating and uh we were fortunate to have a number of vendors that were uh were able to be accommodated uh that week and in the weeks since then. Um I think staff have also done a great deal of work to look at uh an interim operating model um while we uh undertake the work that's been identified as necessary both uh by the region of Waterlue's public health department um our insurance folks and other uh safety uh professionals. Um I I do want to make, you know, one other statement because there there seemed to be some some misconceptions early on about the city's uh desire and commitment and and I know you know all of us felt disappointment in in the fact that the fire occurred and that uh there was a desire to um and and that you know what what seemed like a small fire had as as uh significant impact as it did. Uh but to be unequivocally clear um the city has been and remains committed to the the 155 plus year market, its operations and um and the ongoing important uh role that uh that it plays in this community and uh I know some perhaps were speculating otherwise and I think it's important that that statement be made in a public forum here. So with that, questions of staff. Councelor Johnson. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor, and thank you so much for your presentation. Thank you for your tireless work on this. I know it has been a lot. I know, Andrew, I've reached out to you a number of times. I've heard from a number of residents and I'm sure I know that everybody else has because the Kitchener Market is such a loved part of our community and people are devastated um for the uh uh for the vendors and for the fact that it's um you know they they just don't want to see this uh be eroded. So, thank you for your um for your help in responding to those questions. And I know that you know just how much people love the market as well. So, thank thank you for that. Um, my question is around kind of what first of all, I want to say I really support the reduction in fees for the vendors. That that is a a really good good move. So, thank you so much for that. Um I'm wondering about the plans then um for the upcoming Labor Day weekend and and where where we'll be situated in terms of you know uh what capacity in that will be um to at that point >> Mr. Sturgis >> through the mayor. So thank you for the question. Uh our plan is this interim operating model the expanded version of it will be starting on September 5th. Sorry, can you speak a little more? >> Thank you. >> The intera expanded operating model that we're talking about in this report, it will be starting on September 5th. So, it'll bring an additional 16 vendors um operating from those who are already operating. >> Yeah, that's uh that's great. And thank you again. >> And so, to be clear, that that will also include some like meat and dairy and and and others who require refrigeration. Uh that's all being reinstalled. Correct. through the mayor. Yes. So, a lot of the infrastructure involves uh increased electricity uh as well as uh two and three compartment sinks that are required by public health for them to operate. >> Okay. Thank you, Councelor Stretch. >> Thank you, Mayor. Um, one of the things I've been hearing is u from residents is sort of a disconnect between the size of the fire and the the costs associated with the fire and how long it's taking um to see vendors kind of back up. So, can you paint a picture for us about the kind of work, the remediation work, um what's required through public health, what's all involved in getting our vendors back into that space >> through the mayor. Thank you, councelor Sush, for the question. So, you're absolutely right. As much as the fire was small and contained to one specific vendor booth, uh the resulting smoke uh and particulate damage basically went out through the whole facility. So from floor to ceiling um all aspects of the facility need to be cleaned. Um where surfaces can actually be cleaned and wiped that will be done. Where they can't they actually have to be physically removed or replaced. Um so you can imagine facility of that size um how extensive that remediation and how long that will take. >> Thank you. And can you speak to the public health requirements specifically around, you know, the the serving of food, the packaging of food, um, and what that and what that designation kind of requires us to to hold our standards to. So through the mayor uh to councelor stretch from a public health perspective uh although we I guess colloquia colloquially would be considered a farmers market in our title we are in fact a public market which in Ontario would be anyone with 51% plus uh non-farmmer vendors of which we have because we have such a large diverse array of other foods butchery cheese etc. without that exemption because we are a public market. We are held to the same standards as any other um food premises whether that be a restaurant, a supermarket, um you know, grocery store. Um so that does mean that for individual businesses there is the need at the bare minimum for uh actual refrigeration over ice boxes and coolers and then handwash sinks and two compartment sinks. Uh I would say beyond the initial purely public health portion of that there's also the fact that we want to ensure that customers feel not only confident but see the market operating as they would normally expect. Um so as they're walking in they are seeing full coolers with excellent produce inside. They are seeing that there are sinks available that washing is available. Um but ultimately to go to your original point we we are held to the standards of a grocery store or a restaurant. Uh and that's why the investments we are looking at making are being made. um so that we are ensuring that all of our vendors are meeting those standards um that customers expect and public health also expect. >> Thank you. That was that was clear and helped paint a picture of what um what work is being done. So, thank you. >> Thank you very much, Councelor Chapman. >> Yeah, thank you. And um yeah, thank you for everything you've put into this. Um, would more money help to get this um up and running sooner >> through the mayor? So, thank you for the question, Councelor Chapman. Given the amount of remediation that would work, this staff are looking at how depending on which remediation uh company is doing the work, how fast that work can be conducted. But we do know like you can only clean as fast as you can clean in some ways. Um so it's not something where we can just continue to throw tons of money. Like there's still going to be a large portion of time that'll take to clean a facility of that size. The staff will continue to look at expediting as much as possible as we move forward. >> So if that were to change, you would come back to us and and request more. Um my other question and I'm not sure if you're able to share this with us or not but um can you share some of the feedback from the vendors like have we lost any vendors or um you know how how's that going? >> So through the mayor we haven't lost any vendors and we've made it clear that once the our regular market is open again that everyone is welcome back. It's more a discussion around whether they want to be part of the interim operation or not. But we haven't technically lost a vendor at this point. Um given some of the public health considerations we are talking about like there are some vendors who are still unable to operate um in our interim model. Um but no one has specifically removed themselves from the Kisher market. >> Okay. And again thank you. >> Yeah. And I think just for clarity there, it's probably important to state that the biggest challenge has been with the upstairs vendors because as you know, many of them cook food on on site and that requires fire safety and and a number of other things and as a result um that's much more challenging in a in an interim market. Is that correct, Mr. Sturgis? >> To the mayor. Yes, that's correct. >> Okay. Thank you. Um any other questions or or comments, council? I don't know how I How did I get cut off? >> I don't know. You turned yourself off. >> No, I didn't. >> I didn't. Okay. Anyway, go ahead. >> Okay. Anyways, uh I guess the question that that I have is uh so the the the stuff that we're working on to to add these additional uh uh like components to the outside and creating creating better capacity. Are these going to be done as a temporary measure or is it being in conjunction as to create our outside space even to make it better? So in one way it's one good aspect of what happened. We're sort of upgrading the outside portion of the market. >> So through the mayor I would say so the outside portion like our covered area of the market is still operating as intended. So that's where a lot of our produce vendors operate and are still operating. It would be our breezeway and then in our uh parking level one as you come around the corner. Um these upgrades though would be temporary like the sinks are temporary in nature, the electrical is being established temporary in nature. Um but there are opportunities to use that equipment uh in other ways moving forward, right? In different special events that we have in other areas within the city, it will be equipment that will be used elsewhere. >> Okay. So when I heard winterizing and and what what is that exactly? What are we doing there? >> Yep. So through the mayor. So yes, so that's for our covered area. Um it would be actually thinking of tarps that would actually block off from the wind and the snow and anything coming in and allow some of that heat to be contained in that area while we operate through the colder months. >> Okay. So technically, are we looking at an option for that to be because I think that I think that's a great idea, but I also think it's another way to expand our market further >> through the mayor. Yes, we are considering it. >> Okay, great. I have comments when the times appropriate, Mr. Mayor. Okay. Um, just to to reiterate some of the comments that you made, uh, Mayor Verbanovic, um, I know as long as I've been here, the market has been, uh, something that we've all, you know, looked at as and, uh, you know, spent a lot of dollars and time and management, everything else to get it to where it is today and to be how successful it is today. In fact, it's gotten way better than I ever anticipated. So, it was just a great job by our staff and and uh the direction of our teams, everything where the market's gone. Um I I get I get where uh the community is, you know, at a loss, but you know, I do take exception. We are not trying to delay anything with this regard. We put a lot of time and money and effort into this facility to to get it to where it is today. So, it really is an unfortunate incident. And uh I guess as from my my follow-up questions, I think there's a bit of a silver line there that we, you know, it's making us look at it as, you know, for improvements and to the ability to grow further. So um unfortunately, I'm happy that we're we're doing all the work and we're all hands on deck, but um it's unfortunate that there was that commentary out there that we're not doing anything and we're just happy to see this thing go. And I take total exception to that because we my whole time here we've spent a lot of time and focus to make sure that that is not the case. >> Thank you, Councelor Anitis. Councelor Schneider. >> Thank you, Mayor Bananovic. Uh I'm happy to see the initial rental rate reduction at 50% of the current user fees and and seeking delegated authority to adjust the rate reduction based on foot traffic and potential reopening scenarios. I think that's going to be really helpful. Are are we also um considering that to to help vendors maybe uh mitigate some of the the operating losses they've had because of the fire so they're kind of back in in good financial standing uh before any rental increases are considered. >> Mr. Sturgis. >> So through the mayor. So thank you for the question. So, as I mentioned, no rents have been charged up until this point and nothing would start until the expanded market uh on September 5th. It will very much depend on foot track like you said in terms of how the market is doing and in consultation too with the vendors themselves, right? And what they're experiencing because there's a lot of different vendors and it will depend on what they're all experiencing as their business operates. But we'll continue to speak with them um before any decisions are made in terms of how those rents get changed. >> Okay, that's great to hear. Thank you. Okay. Um, Councelor Stretch, I believe you're moving this. Thank you. Do I have a seconder? Councelor Chapman. Thank you. Um, any further comments? Councelor Schneider. >> Thank you, Mayor. Thanks for this and thanks for all the fast and immediate work that went into this. The the uh the reaction uh the planning went right, you know, instantly in into action. Um it's great to see this as we've heard and we all know it's a it's a beloved part of of living here in Kitchener. It's it's a it's a meeting place. Uh it's wonderful and uh as councelor I knight has alluded to uh I think there's a silver lining in this. I think um when the market is able to open, I'm sure that uh with our team here, we're going to be having uh uh some great events planned to and I think people are going to be uh welcoming the market back in a big way and looking forward to supporting our our wonderful vendors again. And I do want to uh thank councelor stretch for for again asking that question again just clarifying uh like how difficult it is and how even though it was like what appear to be a small fire caused major damage. I mean HVAC has to be replaced so much has to be done in a in a institution space that that is is food related. Um thanks for the seriousness on this and I know it's going to come back bigger and better. We'll get over this and get through it. Councelor Schneider, Councelor Stretch. >> Yes, thank you. I just want to add my thanks um especially frontline staff, everyone who's working really hard to support our vendors and each of our vendors, you know, has different needs um whether it's meat, whether it's eggs, whether it's dairy, whether it's um serving food right uh right on the spot. So, I thank you for the individual approaches that you've been able to do and um yeah, just to echo what the rest of council is saying, um thank you for the way that um you've listened and been able to work forward. And um Cameron, I know that was right in the middle of when you were getting married as well and so I know you pulled a lot of extra hours. So, congratulations and thank you so much for for your work. >> Councelor Deno, >> thank you, Mr. Mayor. camera. I guess we'll throw a honeymoon for you at the uh at the uh Oh, Jesus. The the market when it opens. Sorry. It's been a long It's been a long day. Uh anyways, I I I want to uh echo kind of what uh councelor I Knight said, you know, lots of commentary out there, lots of negativity towards the city and towards the staff, but at the end of the day, the city gains nothing um by having this market fail. the city gains nothing by having vendors move to other communities. And so um you know it's easy to throw throw stones on the other side, but uh until you're the one actually making those decisions and having to deal with the day in and day outs of of trying to get this place up to up to snuff again, um I think you guys are doing a fantastic job. So thank you. >> Thanks. And uh I'll just um make a a few additional comments and again thank staff for all of their great work on this. As as folks uh heard um my family's personal story with the market started actually before we moved to Kitchener and we would come down from Hamilton to buy uh farmers sour cream and cottage cheese so that my mother could make strudles um back uh back in in in Hamilton when we came here. And of course, uh, my big thing was, uh, getting to the, uh, to the Norris Bakery, uh, Oktoberfest sausage stand that they used to have back in the day, um, when, uh, when we did the, uh, when we did the drive down. But I say all that because I think it speaks to the the the 150 plus years of tradition that have been talked about and and the important role that the market plays for many people, particularly um residents, you know, new Canadians in our community, um who come from countries and cultures where supermarkets are not the go-to and you can easily replace one supermarket location with another supermarket location, but rather cultures that really rely on markets and they're very much the the place that they go to. They're a place of culture, a place of connection, a place of belonging. Uh and there's countless stories of that and you know, we've heard some of those from residents in uh in in recent weeks and and why people have been so so passionate about this. Um going forward, as counceloritis and others have commented on, there is a reality to all this. This was a 20 plus year old building. Um, and you know, it was getting tired in a few uh spots. And so, in in all of the the the challenge that we're going through, we will end up with a better market as a result of uh of this simply by virtue of the repairs that need to happen. And so, that's uh that's certainly an exciting um point in uh in all of this as well. And I I think needs to be acknowledged and and recognized. So, with that, it has been moved and seconded. Uh all those in favor? Any opposed? That is carried unanimously. Thank you everyone. We'll now move on to uh ERP modernization. Um that sounds like something councelor Davyy would want to move. I was right. Is there a seconder for that? Councelor Johnson uh from our Tech Capital University. Uh any questions, comments? All those in favor? Opposed? That is carried. Um I don't believe there's anything arising from in cam. Oh, there is. Okay. Madame clerk. >> Through the chair. There is one motion arising from in camera earlier today. It's on the screen regarding expropriations act. >> Okay. Thank you. Do I have a mover for that? Councelor stretch. Seconded by councelor Johnson as well. Any discussion? All those in favor? Opposed? That's carried. There is an inc camera item that the clerk has forgotten to share. Um, and that is that um, today happens to be somebody's birthday. Um, and that would be our our city clerk. So, happy birthday, Madame Clerk. Wish you many happy returns. And, uh, I'm breaking caucus protocol by by speaking publicly about this, I think. Um, and with that, uh, we'll move to bylaws. Madame Clerk, >> through the chair, now that the committee report has been approved, there are two late starter starter bylaws to add to the agenda, both as amended this evening. >> Councelor Davyy, >> not on this. Not on this, >> not on this. Okay. Um, could they have Do I have a mover for the bylaws? Councelor Initis, second by councelor Deno. Any discussion? All those in favor? Opposed? That's carried. Um, councelor Davey. Yes. Sorry. Can I comment on the information reports or would you skip over that? >> If I did, I apologize. Please go ahead. >> No, no. Yeah. I just wanted to I'll just comment on them both quickly if I could. I just wanted to point out uh that we are sorry we are projecting another surplus city Kitchener and like to acknowledge the work of staff in that. It's it's a narrow surplus, but it's a surplus. Um and I believe this is probably more than a decade of uh consecutive surpluses saving and except the the co years. So I think that should be pointed out. I also wanted to acknowledge again I typically acknowledge our um tenders and we do have uh quite a list of tenders there as well close to 20 and I believe every single one uh has come in under budget. So I think that's notable as well. Thanks. >> So on the variance report you're trying to to remind everyone that our our budgets have successfully come in under the rate of inflation and we have a surplus each year. Okay. I thought that's what you were saying. Um okay. Um, so with that, I will take a motion to adjurnn. But before I do that, I do want to remind people that uh, Endless Summer will be happening on Labor Day weekend uh, in Victoria Park on the Saturday and we want to invite the community out uh, for that. So with that motion to adjurnn, councelor Ooneyi, seconded by councelor Deno. Uh, all those in favor opposed. That's