City Council Meeting: Rural Summit Follow-Up and Service Delivery

Council reviewed follow-up from the 2024 Rural Summit, focusing on rural service delivery, infrastructure, transit, and how progress will be measured. Members discussed stormwater fee changes planned for 2027, ditch and road work, possible on-demand transit pilots, and support for parks, emergency preparedness, and rural community facilities. Several councillors pressed staff for clearer reporting, with Councillor Skalski saying, "My most important comment is that we have to be much more frank regarding the state of affairs."

Topics Discussed

1. RURAL SUMMIT FOLLOW-UP AND REPORTING

Council discussed how to track implementation of recommendations from the 2024 Rural Summit. Much of the debate centered on accountability and whether the report clearly showed what had been completed and what remained outstanding.

One councillor said the next phase should focus on accountability so residents can see, in a "transparent and simple" way, "what we have said we were going to do, what was completed, what is in progress and what was still pending, who is responsible and when we would expect to have results."

Councillor Leiper said he had not yet seen enough evidence of outcomes, stating, "Nous recevons des mises à jour sur des actions qui ont lieu, mais je n'ai pas encore vu un rapport solide sur les résultats du sommet rural."

2. STORMWATER FEES, DITCHES, AND RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE

Council heard that beginning in 2027, most rural residents would no longer pay the stormwater charge. As summarized during the meeting, "In 2027, rural residents, with the exception of those in the villages of Manotiat, Richem, and Carp, will no longer pay a stormwater charge. Instead, there will be a lower charge to increase the funds necessary for ditch maintenance."

Staff also outlined transportation and infrastructure work planned for 2026, including paved shoulders, sidewalks, pedestrian links on main streets, and active transportation infrastructure in villages.

Councillor Skalski said the report needed more measurable information about ditch maintenance and timelines: "In the report, we see that there are 86 ditches that have been this year. What is not there is the distance in kilometers of what has been done, what has not been done, and when are we going to be able to finish and what is the plan to get there."

Staff also noted that some work has been delayed by equipment availability and repair costs.

3. RURAL TRANSIT AND ON-DEMAND PILOTS

Rural transit was a major topic, with discussion focused on possible on-demand transit pilots, service gaps, and whether more than one rural area should be tested.

Ken Holmes said the Rural Summit report included specific transit recommendations and that pilot projects should begin in the third quarter of 2027. He also said the city had completed its review of the Blackburn pilot and had ordered 10 buses, with outside support retained to help analyze route options.

Survey results presented at the meeting showed interest in rural transit for major events. Councillor Skalski said that after respondents were given different service options and asked to consider cost and reliability, "38 % des 410 répondants ont dit qu'ils s'intéresseraient beaucoup et qu'ils utiliseraient un système de transport en commun pour se présenter à ces événements mentionnés dans le sondage."

Councillor Leiper said the city needs to recognize that rural transit service will not mirror urban service: "Mais une chose qui est le plus important comme message pour moi, c'est que la ville doit reconnaître que le service donné aux zones rurales ne sont pas les mêmes que dans les zones urbaines."

4. PARKS, EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, AND COMMUNITY SERVICES

Council reviewed updates on rural parks, recreation, and emergency preparedness. Staff said there are new local emergency preparedness staffing models and that the city is working to reduce response times and improve resilience during storms and climate emergencies.

The meeting also touched on support for rural community facilities and organizations. Councillors raised questions about how funding decisions are made for groups serving rural residents and whether service gaps remain in outlying areas.

One councillor said, "Ce que j'entends des résidents ruraux, c'est plus ce qu'on s'éloigne, on y a moins de services. Il y a certainement des lacunes dans les services."

5. RURAL DEVELOPMENT, ENVIRONMENT, AND FUNDING PROGRAMS

Council discussed broader rural policy issues including parking, development, natural areas, and grant funding.

The meeting heard that minimum parking requirements have been removed for non-residential uses. Staff said, "Le nombre minimal de places de stationnement a été éliminé pour les utilisations non résidentielles et nous voulons qu'il y ait suffisamment de stationnement pour les besoins locaux."

Councillors also discussed funding for rural-serving organizations. One member pointed to $1.33 million in 2025 funding and said they wanted to better understand the criteria used to support organizations operating in rural communities.

Motions

Passed: - Rural Summit follow-up report, with direction for regular progress reporting on implementation measures, deliverables, timelines, risks, and upcoming priorities - Councillor Kelly motion on a rural transit action plan and measurable outcomes - Equipment audit and service standard review for rural operations equipment, including: - an inventory of seasonal operations assets - repair history and downtime over the past three years - repair costs and causes of delays - review of the feasibility of a 48-hour return-to-service standard for specialized equipment - notification to council when equipment downtime exceeds 48 hours during active season - development of fleet performance indicators

Attendees

• Councillor Clarke Kelly
• Councillor Isabelle Skalski
• Councillor Glen Gower
• Councillor Jeff Leiper
• Mayor Mark Sutcliffe
• Ken Holmes, RTS Revel Transportation Solutions