City Council Meeting Agenda

Monday, February 05, 2024

6:00 P.m. - 7:00 P.m.

Council Chambers, City Hall

500 George Street North

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1.

Call to Order

2.

Land Acknowledgement

3.

Thirty Seconds of Reflection

4.

National Anthem

5.

Constitution Statement

6.

Approval of Minutes

6.a

January 15, 2024

7.

Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest

8.

Registered Delegations 

To speak as a registered delegation, individuals must register no later than 11:00 a.m. on the day of the meeting.  To register, complete the online application at www.peterborough.ca/delegations, or phone [phone] ext. 1820.

9.

Consent Items: Reports to be approved under one motion 

10.a, 10.b, 10.c, 10.d, 10.e, 10.f, 10.g, 10.h, 10.i, 10.j

10.

Recommendations from General Committee Meeting of  January 29, 2024

10.a

Report LSOCS24-004 - Local Board

• a) That Council proceed as outlined in Closed Session Report LSOCS24-004 dated January 29, 2024 of the City Solicitor respecting City of Peterborough Holdings Inc. and Peterborough Utilities Commission; and,

  b)That Council amend paragraph d) of its Council Directions to delete the words, “establish the common facts and parameters of the report and report back to Council with the common facts and parameters in subsequent updates” and to substitute the words, “to undertake due diligence investigations considered advisable by the City’s CAO in consultation with the working group and the City Solicitor including with the assistance of third party professionals reporting to the City considered advisable by the City’s CAO in consultation with the said Commissioners and the City Solicitor and that staff periodically report to Council”.

10.b

Report LSRS24-001 - Construction Project

• That Council approve the recommendations outlined in Report LSRS24-001, dated January 29, 2024, of the Commissioner of Legislative Services as follows:

  a) That a $2,000,000 budget amount for the 2025 Capital budget for Lansdowne Street Rehabilitation – Park Street to Otonabee River be pre-committed; and

  b) That, respecting the Lansdowne Reconstruction Project, staff be authorized to proceed as outlined in Closed Session Report LSRS24-001 dated January 29,2024, of the Commissioner of Legislative Services.

10.c

Report LSOCS24-002 - Insurance Matters

• That Council approve the recommendation outlined in Report LSOCS24-002, dated January 29, 2024 of the Associate City Solicitor as follows:

  That Report LSOCS24-002 be received for information.

10.d

Tax Adjustments and Appeals Under the Municipal Act, Report FCSFS24-001

• That Council approve the recommendations outlined in Report FCSFS24-001, dated January 29, 2024 of the Commissioner of Finance and Corporate Support Services as follows:
  
  a)That tax reductions in the amount of $54,417.93 calculated in accordance with Sections 357, 358 and 359 of the Municipal Act, 2001 and attached to reportFCSFS24-001 as Appendix A, be received.
  
  b)That land apportionments under Section 356 of the Municipal Act, 2001, be received.

10.e

Citizen Appointments to Various Committees, Report LSCLK24-001

• That Council approve the recommendations outlined in Report LSCLK24-001, dated January 29, 2024, of the City Clerk, on behalf of the Citizen Appointment Selection Committee, as follows:
  
  a) That Phil Mechetuk, Barb Munro, Max Moloney and Dyllan Scott be appointed to serve as members of the Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC) with terms until December 2026;
  
  b) That Lara Hintelmann, Elizabeth King and Simon Terry be appointed to serve as members of the Peterborough Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee (PACAC) with terms until December 2026;
  
  c) That Merilyn Twiss, Barb Rimmer, Steve Matwey, Victoria Papuga, Dylan Radcliff, and Mija Kavcic-Crowhurst be appointed to serve as members of the Peterborough Environmental Advisory Committee (PEAC) with terms until December 2026; and,
  
  d) That Shikhar Shrivastava be appointed to sever as a member of the Property Standards Committee with a term until December 2026.

10.f

Government Relations Matters - Update for January 29, 2024, Report CAOGR24-001

• That Council approve the recommendation outlined in Report CAOGR24-001 dated January 29, 2024, of the Chief Administrative Officer as follows:

  That the Government Relations Matters presentation be received for information.

10.g

2024 Borrowing By-law, Report FCSFS24-002

• That Council approve the recommendation outlined in Report FCSFS24-002, dated
  January 29, 2024 of the Commissioner of Finance and Corporate Support Services as follows:
  
  That a by-law be enacted to establish a $15,000,000 borrowing limit for the 2024 year to finance current expenditures in the form attached as Appendix A.

10.h

Insurance and Risk Management, Report FCSERM24-001

Amended Recommendation:

• That Council approve the recommendations outlined in Report FCSERM24-001, dated January 29, 2024 of the Commissioner, Finance and Corporate Support Services as follows:

  a) That staff, in consultation with the CAO, be provided authority to deny event
  applications that include high-risk activities received with less than 30 days’ notice, with the exception of timely celebratory events intended to recognize the significant accomplishment of a person/group/team such as a provincial, national or international championship.

  b) That staff, in consultation with the CAO, be directed to deny an event application from an event organizer who has a demonstrated history of incomplete compliance with the City’s event rules, guidelines, or regulations or who has debt to the City, other than otherwise due and payable municipal taxes.

  c) That Council grant staff the authority to determine which events on City-owned land are high risk events and to impose as a condition of receiving a permit for a high-risk event that the City’s minimum insurance requirements be met at least 30-days before the permit’s issuance; and

  e) That a letter be sent to AMO and all member municipalities requesting an investigation into insurance matters and that AMO be encouraged to investigate the creation of an insurance company for municipal purposes.

• d) That $5 million Commercial General Liability be the minimum accepted insurance limit for downtown businesses seeking a patio extension licence.

  
  That item d) be deferred to receive additional information from staff.

10.i

Exclusionary Zoning

• Whereas, the City of Peterborough has committed to the Provincial Housing Pledge of supporting the creation of 4,700 new units by 2031;

  Whereas, the City of Peterborough takes this responsibility seriously and has already implemented several initiatives to transform the planning and building ecosystem in our community and continues to move key initiatives forward;

  Whereas, the City of Peterborough has made application to the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation's Housing Accelerator Fund to secure funding that is critical to facilitating this market transformation;

  Whereas the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities of Canada is publicly encouraging municipalities to end the practice of exclusionary zoning – zoning that only permits single or semi-detached dwellings to the exclusion of other housing forms – to provide greater flexibility in addressing the housing supply and affordability crisis;

  Therefore, be it resolved, that staff be directed to bring forward, with a sense of urgency, updates to appropriate regulatory mechanisms as required including the Official Plan and the Zoning By-law for Council’s approval to put an effective end to "exclusionary zoning” in Peterborough, which could include expanding the City’s current Additional Residential Unit policies and regulations to permit up to four units per residential lot as of right.

10.j

Sustainability of Municipal Finances

• WHEREAS municipalities including the City of Peterborough and the provincial government have a strong history of collaboration

  WHEREAS municipal revenues, such as property taxes, do not grow with the economy or inflation

  WHEREAS unprecedented population and housing growth will require significant investments in municipal infrastructure

  WHEREAS municipalities are being asked to take on complex health and social challenges – like homelessness, supporting asylum seekers and addressing the mental health and addictions crises

  WHEREAS inflation and rising interest rates are sharply constraining municipal fiscal capacity

  WHEREAS property taxpayers – including people on fixed incomes and small businesses – can’t afford to subsidize income re-distribution programs for those most in need

  WHEREAS the province can, and should, invest more in the prosperity of communities

  THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Province of Ontario commit to undertaking with the Association of Municipalities of Ontario a comprehensive and collaborative social and economic prosperity review to promote the stability and sustainability of municipal finances across Ontario.

11.

Recommendations from Special General Committee meeting of February 5, 2024

11.a

Downtown Patio Program Insurance, Report FCSERM24-003

Proposed Recommendation:

That Council approve the recommendations outlined in Report FCSERM24-003, dated February 5, 2024, of the Commissioner, Finance and Corporate Support Services as follows:

a) That the supplemental information pertaining to insurance requirements for the Downtown Patio Licence Program, be received for information.

b) That Council, at its meeting of February 5, 2024, consider staffs original recommendation d) as outlined in Report FCSERM24-003.

12.

Notice of Motion

12.a

Moved by Councillor Duguay, Seconded by Councillor Haacke

Whereas the City of Peterborough is required to ensure the adequate provision of employment opportunities, a full range of housing, including affordable housing, and the protection of the financial and economic well-being of the Province and the City pursuant to Section 2 of the Planning Act,

Whereas the City of Peterborough is required to ensure the adequate provision and efficient use of communication, transportation, sewage and water services and waste management systems (collectively, “municipal services”) pursuant to Section 2 of the Planning Act;

Whereas the City of Peterborough has exhausted its supply of serviced employment land and has completed a Land Needs Assessment that identifies the need for more employment land;

Whereas the City of Peterborough has available water and wastewater infrastructure capacity to accommodate new development and has plans in place to expand capacity to meet future growth needs, but has limited opportunity to develop new employment land by virtue of being land-locked;

Whereas Section 6.1.7 of the Official Plan currently prohibits the extension of the City’s utility, sanitary sewer and water services beyond the existing City boundary except to serve City-owned facilities;

Whereas historically the City of Peterborough has, in special circumstances, amended the Official Plan to support the extension of one or more municipal services beyond the City boundary to support development opportunities of mutual benefit to the City and certain neighbouring municipalities;

And whereas the City of Peterborough will consider opportunities on a case-by-case basis to support mutually beneficial development with a neighbouring municipality to foster regional economic expansion and job growth which could include the extension of one or more municipal services beyond the City boundary;

Therefore, be it resolved, that staff be directed to bring forward for Council’s consideration an update to the Official Plan to introduce greater flexibility for Council to consider the extension of municipal services beyond the existing City boundary in circumstances where doing so would mutually benefit the City and one or more neighbouring municipality.

12.b

Moved by Mayor Leal, Seconded by Councillor Parnell

WHEREAS, the Federal Government has recently announced policy changes that will negatively affect publicly funded colleges, particularly those in small, northern and rural regions of Ontario, by altering the framework through which international students are admitted and managed;

WHEREAS there is growing concern over the current funding model of postsecondary education, which has placed additional financial pressures on publicly funded colleges, undermined their sustainability and made it more difficult for colleges to respond to the needs of local employers;

WHEREAS Fleming College has developed an important public-private college partnership with Global University Systems (Fleming College Toronto) that contributes $26 million annually in net revenue to Fleming College, money that is invested locally for students and our community; 

WHEREAS students enrolled in programs offered through the Global University Systems public-private partnership campuses are recognized as students of a publicly funded college and are held to the same high standards of academic rigor, are provided with comparable wrap-around support services to those offered at Fleming College and receive a Fleming College credential;

WHEREAS, the elimination of Post-Graduate Work Permits by the Federal Government for students graduating from programs offered through the Global University Systems public-private partnership campus would result in an immediate suspension of revenue to Fleming College, adversely affecting the sustainability of the college and undermining the ability to support local employers;

WHEREAS, the Federal Government’s policy changes have been made without any consultation with postsecondary institutions and without a clear understanding of the severe financial hardship this will result in for smaller public colleges based primarily outside of the GTA;

WHEREAS international students bring many benefits to the community including meeting local workforce needs, bringing diversity of perspectives, economic benefits, and cultural enrichment;

WHEREAS, the Government of Ontario has recently called together a group of experts who have released recommendations in the Blue-Ribbon Panel report that are designed to ensure the long-term sustainability of the postsecondary education sector in Ontario;

WHEREAS, the flow of international students is anticipated to be drastically reduced as a result of these changes, which would have a direct, negative impact on the local Peterborough economy:

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that Peterborough City Council urge the Federal Government to reconsider its recent policy changes and specifically exempt public-private partner institutions from being excluded in offering students who successfully complete their program of study a Post-Graduate Work Permit; and,

THAT Peterborough City Council request the Government of Ontario to immediately implement the Blue-Ribbon Panel recommendations and actively work with the Federal Government to restore the eligibility of public-private partner colleges, to grant students who successfully complete their program of study, a Post-Graduate Work Permit.

12.c

Moved by Councillor Haacke, Seconded by Mayor Leal

WHEREAS, the Federal Government has recently announced policy changes that will negatively affect publicly funded universities by altering the framework through which international students are admitted and managed;

WHEREAS there is growing concern over the current funding model of postsecondary education, which has placed additional financial pressures on publicly funded universities, undermined their sustainability, and made it more difficult for universities to respond to the needs of local employers;

WHEREAS Trent University is one of the largest employers in the region and contributes approximately 10% of the local GDP; 

WHEREAS international students bring many benefits to the community including meeting local workforce needs, bringing diversity of perspectives, economic benefits, and cultural enrichment,

WHEREAS Trent University has taken a measured and sustainable approach to increasing international enrolment providing wrap-around supports both pre- and post-arrival and throughout their time at Trent, including assistance finding housing both on- and off-campus, mental health supports, employment services, and financial aid,

WHEREAS International students are important to the fiscal sustainability of the University,

WHEREAS, the Federal Government’s policy changes have been made without consultation with postsecondary institutions and without a clear understanding of the financial hardship this will result in for smaller public universities based primarily outside of the GTA;

WHEREAS, the Government of Ontario has recently convened a group of experts who have released recommendations in the Blue-Ribbon Panel report that are designed to ensure the long-term sustainability of the postsecondary education sector in Ontario:

WHEREAS, the flow of international students is anticipated to be drastically reduced as a result of these changes, which would have a direct, negative impact on the local Peterborough economy;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that Peterborough City Council urge the Government of Canada to reconsider its recent policy changes, and request that the Government of Ontario immediately implement the Blue-Ribbon Panel recommendations and actively work with the Federal Government to ensure a fair and reasonable allocation of study permits that reflect the responsible approach Trent University has taken to recruiting and supporting international students and their importance to the region.

13.

Approval of By-laws

13.a

24-008 Being a By-law to authorize the borrowing limit of $15,000,000 for 2024 current expenditures

14.

Other Business

15.

Confirmation By-law

15.a

24-009 Being a By-law to confirm the proceedings of the Council at its meeting held on February 5, 2024

16.

Adjournment