[ Inaudible ]
>> Good afternoon, everyone.
We are going to get started with the ninth
meaning
of the Community and Protective Services
Committee.
We'll start with the land acknowledgement.
The city of London is situated on the traditional
lands
of the Anishinaabeck, Haudenosaunee,
Lenapuik, and Adewandran.
We honor and respect the history, languages,
and culture of the diverse indigenous people
who call this territory home.
The city of London is currently home
to many First Nation, Métis, and Inuit today.
As representatives of the people of the city of
London,
we are grateful to have the opportunity
to live, work and live and work in this territory
.
With that, I will also share a communication
disclosure
the city of London is committed to making every
effort
to provide alternate formats and communication
supports
for meetings upon request.
To make a request specific to this meeting,
please contact CPSC@London.ca or 519-661-2489
extension 2425.
And with that, we're on item one,
which is the disclosures of pecuniary interest.
Okay, seeing none, we'll move on to our consent
items.
We have a number of items under consent.
So far, I've received requests to pull 2.7, 2.9
to be dealt with at an upcoming meeting.
And is there any other requests to pull items?
Okay, seeing none, I will look for a mover and
seconder
for the items that are on consent.
I have Councillor Ferrera and Councillor Pribble.
Thank you for everything, but 2.7 and 2.9.
We will begin discussion and looking for speakers
.
I'll start with Councillor Troso, go ahead.
- Thank you very much.
This was an unusually agenda for this committee.
There are a number of things on here
I would like to comment on,
but I'm not gonna poll, I don't have any
amendments.
I'm thrilled to see 2.2.
I think establishing a tree nursery feasibility
study
would be an excellent point, very much in favor
of that.
My only comment is before we go letting out
a consultant's contract,
I really hope that we'll be looking at
some of the local nonprofits and academic units
that have expertise in this area.
I've raised this before with respect to
consultant reports.
I don't know if this is gonna come back to us
as a RFP that we have to approve or a contract
that we have to approve,
but I'll have much more to say about this
if I find out that we've let this out
to a for-profit tree company instead of an
academic unit.
So I don't know, do you have any plans regarding
what you're gonna do?
- Thank you, I go to Ms. Chair.
- I thank you, Madam Chair.
This is actually a good opportunity for me to
introduce our relatively new manager of
Urban Forestry to me a filer to me if you could
join me so you can provide some insight
into the direction we're going.
I will say as she's taking a spot that this is a
very unique type of feasibility study
we need done.
There's certainly an aspect to laying out a site
but really a lot of it's around the
economics of growing nursery stock from an
agricultural and ag economics perspective.
So, very few qualified consulting firms would do
this work that we are looking for partnerships
with some potentially unique organizations, so I
'll flip it over to Ms. Feiler.
Thank you for the chair.
That's good to know and welcome.
This is a very interesting portfolio that the
public has a lot of interest in.
So I don't get five minutes for each one.
I get five minutes in the aggregate, so I better
get moving.
Thank you.
Yes.
So the comment I want to make on 2.6, well, I
think there are a lot of problems in terms
of how London Middlesex community housing has
been maintaining their units.
So I'm not surprised to see this.
And once again, I feel that much more attention
needs to be given by this agency, and I'm
not dealing with the tenant selection issues here
.
I know others are, maybe we'll raise that, but I
'm concerned about the improvements and
maintenance on the premises. I will save my
substantive comments and questions and motions
for the upcoming shareholders meeting, but this
is one of the reasons why I was so disappointed
with the plan that was recently submitted to
Council. Now, I have a number of questions,
about 2.5. I don't want to pull it because I
think what's in front of us right now is a good
framework and I'd like to see that passed. But I
think there are a number of questions
that still need to be worked out on an
operational level and rather than pull this and
have debate
over amendments which I think might not be
necessary. I think a lot of this is just a
question of understanding what staff plans to do
about certain, how to operationalize
this. I think that we really badly need to do
this. I think the bylaw is a good framework
bylaw, so I don't want to delay that. But I do
have a number of questions that I'm wondering
if it might be expeditious for me to just
privately meet with somebody between now and
counsel to just see if I can get answers, answers
to that. We received another inquiry
today from Mr. Hopcroft, familiar name to many of
us, and we have quite a few other--I've
received quite a few other requests for
clarification. Nothing that would rise to the
level of me
wanting to oppose this by law at this point. So,
can I do that between now and council?
Would I talk directly to--who would you prefer I
talk directly to? Yes, okay. That's--that's
that's done. Finally, I better make this quick, I
am, I was just so pleased to see
the report on community grants. This is such a
successful program and I
really want to commend not only the authors of
this report but your whole
department for the manner in which you've
conducted this very difficult and
and should I say, in my opinion, underfunded--
- 30 seconds.
- Area of work.
My only problem with this report is,
and I asked this last year,
I'd love to know what the nature
of the unsuccessful applicants has been.
I know I can't ask you who they are,
but it just seems as if we're doing a great job
here,
we're filling many unmet needs,
and maybe I should talk offline again
to staff about what are some of the things?
What are some of the opportunities?
- Thank you, Councillor, that's your time.
- You missed.
So, I'm out of time and that's that's that,
but great work on that.
- Thank you.
I will look to committee further speakers
before going to visiting Councillors.
Councillor Ferrera.
- Thank you, Chair.
I wanted to, I guess, ask about 2.4,
first, that's the building, Canada Home
application
that we are seeking to submit.
I just wanted to get some information
on how the monies would go if we know that
information
at the moment.
I know that we're looking at like mixed units
where we have a mix of market rent
and affordable housing units.
I wanted to know for the money that we'd be
potentially
receiving on a successful application,
will that money go towards capital bills
on the affordable unit side?
Will it go for both for the mix between the two?
- Thank you, I'll go to Mr. Felberg.
- Thank you, Madam Chair.
Ms. Espinoza, we'll take that one.
- Thank you, please go ahead.
Thank you through the chair.
It would only be for the affordable units.
Councillor?
- Okay, thank you for that.
So if it goes to only the affordable units
and we have, let's say, an apartment
or a mixed kind of unit complex
and we're incentivizing the capital build,
the market rate side, depending on, I guess,
the builder would be paying for the capital cost
requirements
for the market rate and then the affordable units
would be,
the gap would be covered with the build Canada
home side.
So when it comes, I guess, on the operational
side,
I would assume that market rents would have
some type of surplus in their rents.
Would that surplus be used to cover the
operational gap
on the affordable unit side?
- Thank you, go to Ms. Espinosa.
- Pardon me, through the chair, technically yes.
So the reason why they have to have a mix of
market
and affordable is because some of the market
would help offset some of the capital costs
for the affordable side and could assist in some
operating.
- Councillor Ferrera.
- Okay, thank you for that.
And I guess on the follow up question,
I guess a little bit different for the type
of housing providers that may be sought out.
So I understand that LMCH has a regeneration plan
.
Is LMCH potentially, would they be part of this,
this task or this submission?
- I'll go to Mr. Felberg.
- Thank you and to you Madam Chair.
With the submission of the regen plan last week
at SPPC,
one of the things that we were looking to do
is include the LMCH units into our Bill Cannon
Homes
application.
We've also received a number of inquiries from
local developers in the past few weeks
and months that would be in addition to the 1250
that we've identified in the report.
So we actually think that we'll be able to
increase the number of units.
The key part of the application is that Bill Kan
ner-Holand wants to actually look at the
projects before they make any approvals.
So they'd be assessing each of the individual
projects in our portfolio prior to making
a decision on which ones they will fund and which
gaps they will have.
help us close in order to build new affordable
housing.
- Councillor Verara.
- Okay, thank you for that.
So I guess the applications are really kind of
focusing
on the 12 to 18 months portion of applications.
So I also wanted to know if there's any
consideration
of rent, gear, tank, or cooperative housing
or anything like that, or is it just market
or just the affordable rental units.
- Mr. Palberg.
- Thank you and to Madam Chair.
So there's no consideration for rent, gear to
income.
We're not actually looking to increase our
service level standards from the 5,794 that
we have within our service manager area.
We are looking to include county projects as well
, so it's not just the city of London,
it's everything within our service manager area.
If a co-op is providing affordable units and they
're eligible for that type of housing,
then yes, they would be considered.
So it would be non-profits, co-ops, and then if
market developers are eligible under the
to build Canada homes rules and criteria,
then they could potentially be eligible
to close a gap as well.
- Councilor Ferrer.
- Okay, thank you for that.
I wanted to also touch on to 10 of the community
grants update.
I do appreciate the report.
I do see that our community grants project
supports
anti-racism, anti-oppression, diversity, inequity
,
and inclusion.
I did want to ask from what I remember
from the budget changes.
We are now looking into funding that program
through the community investment reserve fund.
And I do believe that there was a cap,
a limit on that fund's balance that we would need
to require to be able to continue the program.
I was wondering if staff could just tell me
what the limit is or just remind me of what that
is
and tell me where that reserve balances if you
can.
- Thank you, I'll go to Ms. Smith.
- Thank you and through the chair.
So we're coming back in July
with the allocations for 2026 for our annual
grant program
for capital projects.
So next year, 2027, based on as of January 1st,
if there's a minimum of a million dollars
in the community investment reserve fund,
then we will continue with a $250,000 application
for our annual capital grants program.
- Councillor Peraire.
- I thank you for that.
I do understand that those dollars
do leverage private dollars on top of that.
So I would say, you know, the more money
We are able to put into that the more leveraging
of dollars and the further that those dollars go
So I do appreciate the report and I do I do wish
to see the program get expanded if possible in
the future
For actually I'll leave it there actually not one
more question
I want to go to the municipal compliance service
policy update and online public municipal
compliance tools review
I appreciate that report
I do see that this is a report coming back with a
couple of directions from council in the past and
I wanted to follow up on the status update and
when we specifically expect or how would
we in the immediate term see potential updates on
any type of compliance issues and any type
of resolutions there.
I'll go to Ms. Pfeffer.
Thank you and through the chair.
So this is also a multi-stage process.
If the policy change is implemented, then you
would be able to receive status updates
almost immediately.
But in terms of the digital tools that you're
referring to, that would be subject to strategic
of planning and then a multi-year business case
in order to determine whether that is
something that council wants to proceed with.
Councillor.
Okay, thank you for that.
In the immediate term, if I were to know that
there was a compliance matter going on,
is there any other way other than the IT or the
web portal to check, would I be able
to potentially contact staff directly, make a
phone call and see if I can get a status
update for that?
and when would that change be made
if this were to be approved here and at council?
- Thank you, I will go to Ms. Stafford, go ahead.
- Through the chair, yes, of course you could
contact staff
and we would be ensuring that the entire team
is aware of the change in policy
and of course you would be able to get those
updates
directly from the staff person
who's in charge of the file.
- I'll go to council for error.
- Okay, thank you, I'll end the questions there.
I appreciate that report as well.
I'm happy to support everything that I moved
for the consent items.
So those are my questions, thank you.
- Thank you, Councillor Hopkins, next.
- Yes, thank you, Madam Chair.
And I guess I'll just go through the list here
and make comments, 2.1 London's newcomer strategy
.
Thanks to staff for this.
It's really good information to have.
It's really good to know that London's
one of a few municipalities where we do the
evaluations
and the framework and do the measureables
and have that information.
So we can keep track of our strategy.
So great work staff on that.
2.2, very supportive of the tree's strategy going
forward,
the study that's needed and understanding the
benefits
and the costs.
So looking forward to further information on that
.
2.5, just like to make a couple of comments
on the bylaw amendments to reduce rat infest
ations.
I thank the Councillors for bringing that forward
.
I know the advisory group has good information
on the report as well.
I do see concerns in the community that I
represent,
especially when you have residential and
businesses
backing on to one another and how we can maybe
even provide
stickers on some of our bins not to have the bins
overflow.
I think there's a lot of things we can kind of do
in the meantime, and so supportive of the
recommendation
going forward, and I agree with Councillor Trus
sell
to many, many questions still to have,
but I think we can do that as we go through this
process.
2.7, which is the affordable housing
at Duluth Crescent, really pleased to see--
- Councillor Hopkins, sorry, that one's been
pulled.
Oh, is that one?
Oh, thank you for the reminder, OK.
2.8.
Then with the fire department, the source of
financing,
I'm really pleased that we as a council
put some funding aside for the fire vehicle
and that there is funding available for the
purchase
of a new truck.
I understand 2.9 is also pulled.
And just maybe ending my comments with 2.10
on the community grants program.
I am so glad that we still have this program.
And you can see the benefits that we
have that goes into the community.
And 2.11, which is the child care and early years
servicing
system plan update.
I know there's a lot of conversations I hear out,
more with the federal government.
But I do think we need to kind of work together
and continue to work together as it's outlined
by staff in the report with the sector
because we do have to respond to the increasing
demand
and pressures that we see in our area.
And I think it's important that we continue
to work together.
So with that, those are my comments.
- Thank you.
I look for other speakers.
I know of Councilor McAllister,
just making sure I covered off the committee
first.
Okay, with that, I'll go to Councilor McAllister.
Go ahead.
- Thank you and through the chair.
I wanna start with 2.5.
Excuse me, I appreciate the detail in this report
.
This was definitely an issue that in my ward,
we're really facing a lot of rat infestation.
So I really appreciate committee counsel
supporting this in the past and bringing this
back.
Appreciate all the work that staff have put into
this.
eSAC weighed in as well.
They had some good recommendations too.
So thanks to everyone involved.
I know this was a big undertaking.
We did this in a relatively quick timeline.
So again, appreciate that.
I do just have some questions regarding it,
just for clarity so people understand
in terms of next steps.
Appreciate in terms of the step one, step two,
step three that was laid out.
I think that it was very succinct
in terms of where we're going with it.
But just in terms of immediate impacts,
if by-law could just speak to the changes
be making in terms of our response in terms of
how much time we'll be giving people who are in
violation in terms of the the amps that will go
along with that if I can comment on that. Thanks.
Thank you. I'll go to Ms. Pfeffer. Thank you. And
through the chair, so in terms of immediate
next steps, we're looking at an increased penalty
for yard and lot maintenance violations of
$400. We also considered the compliance timeline
that we can currently operate under. We
consistently
provide 10 business days once an order has been
issued for a property owner to become
compliant with the by-law and in terms of rat inf
estations or developing rat problems,
an infestation will definitely occur within that
timeframe if we give the full 10 days.
So we wanted to consider maybe reducing that to
48 to 72 hours depending on the nature
of the violation.
That would give the, we believe that would give
the property owner some time for compliance.
>> Thank you for your time and
thank you very much.
>> Thank you for keeping in mind
that we always work with the
property owner too so this isn't
a hard and fast that we will only
get the 48 hours but it is
something that we are going to
look at in terms of these
conditions that contribute to
infestations.
>> Councillor.
>> Thank you for the chair and
just a follow-up to that.
I also appreciate the
recognition that this will take
coordination between
departments.
And so my other concern with that
is I appreciate the reduced
timeline but at what point will we
where I'm seeing a lot of issues specifically
around residential dumpsters is it's left far too
long.
Even if we issue the order to comply,
it will get to the point where the rats will come
, right?
So what I'm trying to do is have those measures
in place to ensure that if they're in violation,
yes, we might have the amps,
but we can also take action to clean up the site.
So we're not dealing with that on an ongoing
basis.
- Thank you, everyone, Ms. Pepper.
Through the chair, that is our process.
So if we were to issue an order and not receive
any indication
that the property owner is trying to work toward
compliance,
we would certainly have to move to bring the
property
into compliance after the timeline expires by
which,
or the timeline that was listed on that order
expires.
It doesn't change our process in terms of whether
or not
we contract someone to come in to clean up.
It's really the property owner engagement
that we're looking for.
- Councillor McAllister.
- Thank you and through you.
In terms of the changes for dumpsters
specifically to,
I know a number of sites where they may have dump
sters.
Dumpsters are in poor shape, they're not
contained.
I know there was mentioned in terms of having
some like fencing or something around the dump
sters
to ensure that they're not out in the open.
And even a lot of dumpsters,
they're not in compliance with just having lids.
So, you know, addressing those.
I'm hoping that'll be part of this as well.
- Ms. Pfeffer for the chair, yes.
That's the intent with some of the bylaw
improvements as well.
Councilor McAllister.
- Thank you and through you.
And I'm also wondering in terms of the reporting,
I have had some residents in terms of the
confusion
in terms of where they would report this,
whether it's through bylaw or through like
garbage collections.
I think it would be nice with Service London
if we could make some tweaks in terms of what the
complaint is,
just to save our staff some time on the back end
in terms of what they're responding to.
So I'm just wondering what changes we might make
with Service London.
- Thank you, I got it, Ms. Pfeffer.
- Thank you and through the chair.
We would, we are always willing to receive input
in relation to improving service London
enhancements
in reporting options.
In the immediate future,
there won't be any reporting options changing,
but certainly if you have that feedback for us,
we could take that back and work with our service
London
partners to see if there can be an immediate
change made.
The changes to service London are changes
that are proposed in phase two and three
of this proposed project.
- Councillor McAllister.
- Thank you, through you.
Yeah, even something as simple as a redirect.
I think might be helpful, not necessarily
building out
something new, but even, I just find that we
haven't,
when we go to service London, the options are
helpful
for people, so even if it's a redirect to bylaw,
to let them know that's where their complaint
would go,
not necessarily having to fill out a new form,
but just in the immediate, until we get to the
multi-year
budget and those larger asks, I think that'd be
helpful,
so at least people understand that's where that
request
would have to go, just to make things easier for
folks.
- Yeah, and I do have some other comments quickly
.
Appreciate, again, all the work that Bylaw has
done on this
with the community grants.
I just wanted to congratulate everyone
who was able to get one.
I just wanna speak in terms of experience.
I've seen a lot of the grants in action.
Really appreciate that this is still an option.
One of the things I'm seeing a lot of activity
around
is food security specifically.
I know a lot of organizations in my award
use the community grants and it's really
important
in terms of addressing those needs in the
community
and lend it at large.
And I'm just wondering if staff could maybe speak
to a little bit with the community grants.
I appreciate this report but one of the things
I think would be helpful for us as council is
I know you have the percentage breakdown
but I think that's more tied in terms of our
strategic goals
but I'm finding it interesting in terms of the
programs
themselves and where we're seeing the largest
demand come from.
So I'm wondering if staff, as part of this report
,
if in the future, we might be able to see
which programs or organizations,
what they're looking for in terms of the needs
in the community.
- I'll go to Ms. Smith.
- Thank you.
And through the chair, I appreciate you bringing
that up
as, you know, a council has directed us
to look at the community grants policy,
which we'll be bringing back a proposed update in
20,
early 2027.
And we are looking at alignment with the
strategic plan,
but also alignment with community priorities
and you write food security is probably one of
the top three
that we fund, but we're also hearing from too.
So we can look at this when we do the impact
report
and talk about those projects or priority areas
in a bit more detail.
And also we will be bringing something kind of
different
and looking at what are those community
priorities
and maybe aligning our future community grants
program
with those top three to five community priorities
.
So thank you for the suggestion.
- Councilor Callister.
- Thank you, through you, I appreciate that, Mr.
Chair.
And then also appreciate again,
bylaw all the hard work that went into
updating the amendments for the reducing
the rat infestations.
No, it's not a glamorous topic.
I have a lot of residents who are very
embarrassed,
obviously, when they come and talk to me,
but appreciate all the work that went into this.
Thank you.
- Thank you, looking for other speakers.
We'll go to Councillor Stevenson, go ahead.
- Thank you.
There's quite a bit in here that I have questions
on,
but I'll start with 2.4, the Build Canada Homes.
The motion says to submit an application
to secure capital funds,
and the executive summary says refers to
partnerships.
So just wondering, is there gonna be more sharing
of what that would entail from both sides?
- Thank you, I'll go to Mr. Felberg.
- Thank you, and through you, Madam Chair.
So we have a lot of work to do still with Bill
Canada Homes
to put together the portfolio of different
projects
and take that through their process of review.
Once we've finished that work and once they've
established
what projects they will be, they're willing to
fund,
we'll be bringing back an agreement to council
for approval
so that they can weigh into what is moving
forward
and what can be funded by the new grants
from the federal government.
- Councilor Stevenson.
- Thank you.
On page 29 at the bottom, it says that BCH has
requested
that the city submit a portfolio of projects
ensuring municipal support.
So I'm just wondering, don't we need council
or public support for that portfolio
prior to the application going in?
- I'll go to Mr. Felberg.
- Thank you and through you, Madam Chair.
So the projects that we've identified are
projects
that would be eligible under our CIP or dollars
to door CIP,
which has a certain level of criteria
that's required and that applicants must align
with.
Additionally, some additional projects
that we've also added recent,
or we'll be adding recent,
following the master regeneration plan from LMCH.
Those are some additional projects,
and then we also have our shovel ready projects.
So those are projects that through the roadmap
are have been identified for new affordable
housing,
and those go through various RFPs and procure
ments
prior to rainforest council as an example item 2.
7 is one of those projects so we've
identified generally a portfolio and those are
the things that BCH or Bill
Canada homes will be evaluating and providing us
guidance on.
Councillor Stevenson. Thank you I understand but
it's very general and when I look at what
the City of Ottawa did their council was given
the list of projects the number of units for
each one, whether it was going to be affordable
or supportive. There was also a long list on
the contribution for that city is going to be $
250 million. And it gives many exemptions,
one of which is exemption of property taxes for
75 years. So I'm just this just looks
very different than the one that we're this
before us. So I'm wondering if we could just
get clarification on why theirs has all the
specifics and ours doesn't.
Thank you.
Go to Mr. Felberg.
Thank you.
And through you Madam Chair.
So I forget which section in the report, but it
talks about a recommendation or a resolution
from Council for us to report back to Council and
identify when we'd be submitting an application
for new affordable housing projects.
So the MOU that Ottawa signed was actually much
further down the line and they identified
all of the different projects.
Once they'd done that negotiation and actually
submitted that portfolio.
So that's the stage we're in right now.
we're establishing the portfolio,
we'll submit it to build Canada homes,
and then we'll bring it back to council
for a final approval.
- Councillor Stevenson.
- I have a lot of concerns about this one,
I'm gonna leave it there for now.
So for 122 baseline, it talks about arrears,
that 30 plus arrears notices were sent out this
month.
There's only 61 units.
Can I hear more about that?
- Thank you, I've got a Mr. Felberg.
- Thank you, and Madam Chair,
We have our chief operating officer from LMCH
here.
She can answer many of those operational
questions.
- Thank you, please go ahead.
- Through the chair, you may have a qualifying
question
as a follow up.
They are generally natured due to back payment in
rent
or due to requests for keys or fobs, chargebacks.
They do range 80% or under $2,000 and 20%
are over between the $2,000 and $4,000 mark.
- Councillor Stevenson.
- Thank you, as a follow-up through you,
what would be the percentage of tenants on OW or
ODSP?
- Through the chair. - Go ahead.
- Sorry, through the chair.
I actually don't know specifically.
I am aware of the numbers associated to support,
but the exact number associated to those programs
,
I couldn't tell you at this time.
- Councillor?
- Thank you, then, through you.
What's the policy for a tenant that's collecting
OW or ODSP
if they've missed a rent payment?
- Go ahead, please.
- Through the chair, we do work with OW
to help reconcile that.
We have a relationship with Ontario Works.
We do communicate with a tenant as well, too,
to help them eliminate the situation.
As typically, there is a path forward to come to
resolution,
and we do find success.
Generally speaking, in the odd time, we do not.
- Councillor.
- Thank you.
Yeah, knowing that there is the option to have
rent deducted,
I would hope that arrears aren't accumulating in
that way.
The other thing is it says on here that the
number,
or it talks about a 47% decreasing Q1 20, 20, 20,
26,
but it doesn't talk about the fact that it went
up 166%
in Q4 of 2025.
So we talk about it getting better,
but it got way worse still not as good as it was
before.
there's 330% increases there.
So I just wondered if we could hear more
about the improvement in that.
- Thank you, I'll go to Ms. D. Kendia.
- Through the chair, so that spike from the last
quarter 2025,
we do attribute it primarily to the seasonality,
the cold weather temperatures.
So that would be a spike that we see
from a portfolio perspective across LMCH.
It's quite common over the winter months
that we do see an uptake there.
And then going into Q1 with the weather improving
and we have had a different approach as
articulated
in the transition plan in terms of engaging with
tendencies.
We do think that there is some parallel
with deeper engagement with tenants in their
partner,
their supports and partners,
which are hopefully contributing to positive
shift
in the building in terms of reminders
of what being a good neighbor looks like
and your responsibility to ensure
that you are managing your guests.
We hope has resonated and we think is seen in the
results.
That is what we're contributing to.
The initial spike is really a citywide cold
weather thing.
And then the improvement that we saw on Q1,
we do attribute to us working more closely
with the partners in addition to reinforcing
certain messaging.
- Councillor Stevenson.
- Thank you and through you.
It talks about the primary goal being
to stabilize complex tendencies
by supporting tenants to remain housed where
possible.
It's a housing stability first eviction as a last
resort.
I'm just wondering why the safety of the
residents
in the building that aren't the more complex ones
and the neighborhood isn't the top priority.
- Thank you, I got a mistake, Indita.
- Through the chair, they are equal priorities
for us.
Stabilizing the tendencies, we believe is
possible
and we believe that working through
with the tenants and our partners,
that goal is in parallel as we work through
the safety of the building and the community is
equal to us.
And so that's really the approach
that we're describing in this transition period.
As we have a window, we're opening the
conversation
to the system, right, working with city partners,
city administration and our partners.
We're trying to establish off-ramps for
individuals
who may be better supported in alternate housing,
which is now really for the first time available
to us
as a tool, as we have more supportive housing
and other types of housing online.
We are doing our best to take a balanced approach
with dignity for tendencies while being extremely
focused
on that community safety piece.
The goal is that over a period of time,
both are stabilized, and that is the approach
that we've been taking.
- Councillor Stevenson.
- Okay, thank you.
On the next page it talks,
it says that as part of the ongoing
implementation,
RTA line processes may be advanced in the
upcoming quarter.
We're appropriate to address unresolved high risk
situations.
Can you tell me more about that?
- Thank you, I got a Mr. Gandita.
- Through the chair.
So we do have some tools available to us
that in terms of enforcement,
a reassures as a way, obviously,
that we mentioned in the report initially
that we are progressing with.
I think the piece that I hope is captured here
today
is that there are some arrears challenges
with complex tendencies
and some complex tendencies don't have arrears
challenges.
We are really trying to take an approach
that does stabilize sentences,
protects community safety and wellbeing.
We are just having our initial conversation.
So in January is when we started to communicate
around this framework that we are trying to work
through.
We are trying to let the process take time.
We're hoping that for some individuals
that there may be an opportunity for them
to have an off-ramp that is more aligned
with maybe we'll create some housing stability
and wellness pieces, and these different pieces
take a little bit of time.
So we're trying to allow the system to do its
work
while we are organizing ourselves to prioritize
those who would move forward in the LTB process.
- Councillor Stevenson.
- Thank you.
One last question was around the,
it talked about there was some difficulties
moving people
into the support of housing and highly supportive
housing.
Could we hear more about that?
- Thank you.
I'll go to Mr. Gendeda.
- Through the chair, that piece isn't led by LMCH
.
We put forward through the framework
or recommendation to our city partners
on those who we felt based on a multitude of
factors
would benefit most for this opportunity
to potentially be transitioned.
Those conversations with the tenants
and the partners are not held by LMCH.
We are the property managers, we are the
landlords,
and so that would be out of scope
for what is within our obligation.
- Thank you, Mr. Dickens.
- Thank you and through you, Chair.
Those conversations are absolutely ongoing
between the housing provider
and the supportive housing providers
looking at program capacity.
So who has vacancy in supportive housing spaces?
Are there any issues or barriers that emerge
in terms of the tenant actually wishing to do
that?
We can't force people.
We can't come into baseline and say,
We've deemed that you should be in support of
housing
out you go.
There is an element of trying to coax convince,
demonstrate the effectiveness and value
of moving into a different housing type,
where it's fully staffed with lots of supports.
And so we are still doing that work
through the support of housing providers
and their assessments of the tenants
as well as working directly with the tenants.
- Councillor Stevenson.
- Thank you very much.
I'll move to the newcomer strategy.
It says that Strategic Priority 1 is attraction,
that there was a digital marketing campaign
launched throughout 2025, promoting London as an
ideal destination, attracting secondary
migration.
Could I just hear more about that?
Thank you.
I'll go to Mr. Tao whenever he's available.
Thank you for joining us.
Please go ahead.
Thank you.
And through you Madam Chair, the like campaign
was launched last year throughout the calendar
year to attracting the secondary migrant to
London and Harry because of the cuts to direct
migration from overseas to Canada while there's
still some foreign labor shortages in the area
that we need to address. So this is part of the
Beggar Attraction Campaign that is tied to the
new commercial strategy. Councillor Stevenson.
Thank you. And maybe a bit more about the key
economic sectors that are being focused on?
Yes. And thank you. Through you, Madam Chair, the
key economic sectors are manufacturing,
construction, IT and healthcare and life sciences
. Those are the key sectors that we focus on in
the campaign. Councillor Stevenson. Thank you.
And another follow-up. How is the
high unemployment rate that we are seeing now
highest in the country? How does that impact this
at all? Mr. Toh. Thank you. And so the new
commercial strategy work in concert with other
cities approved initiative to address the full
range labor force needs including high skill,
fiscal and low skills. So while without down
playing the significance of the unemployment rate,
there are still chronic shortages in key sectors
that we still need to address because
general labour availability does not necessarily
translate into off shift or specialised skills
availability in the area. Thank you. Councillor
Stevenson.
Thank you. And it mentions that it's funded
within existing resources, but I can't remember
- Member, what is the budget for the newcomer
strategy?
- Thank you, and the budget is spent
on the immigration services,
but I will have to go back and double check the
exact amount.
- Thank you, and if you could provide that
in between now and council, if that's possible.
Thank you.
Councilor Stevenson.
- Thank you.
For the Municipal Compliance Services,
it mentions that at the stage,
civic administration can't determine the
preferred solution
implementation approach cost timeline or
operational impact until council has
provided direction on the scope and the nature of
public disclosure to be
authorized into the policy and I just wondered
does this 30 second up of that
for them to go forward because we're authorizing
a business case but I I am
not seeing exactly where we're providing
direction or scope unless it's
included in that by-law amendment.
Thank you and through the chair yes that's
exactly at counselor it's it's
it's provided within that by-law amendment.
So if that by-law amendment is passed,
then we can look to the next steps
would be, which would be the strategic planning
process.
- Councilor, you've got 17 seconds.
- Okay, thanks.
The last one is just about it being,
it's meant to shift from a blanket non-disclosure
approach
to a more transparent approach.
And it refers to 2023 and previously,
how long have we had this blanket non-disclosure
approach?
Was that a change in recent times?
- Thank you, I've got Ms. Pfeffer,
and that's your time.
Councilor, you have three seconds remaining,
but if you want to try to squeeze something in,
okay, I've got a misstepher.
- Through the chair, this policy has been in
effect
since 2023, that's why that time was listed
as when we first began operating under that
policy.
- Thank you, next speaker on my list is Councill
or Pribble.
- Thank you, Chair, and I'm gonna start with 2.3,
and I'm gonna thank the staff
because when I look at that report,
it's truly meaningful, conceptual with a vision,
and I certainly hope the next council will
support it
to multi-year budget and it's also very
meaningful because honestly I don't
think that there is one single week that I wouldn
't have at least one call, one
comment, one text regarding asking for additional
information and I think we
all of us here on this side we do understand
regarding the privacy but on
the other hand we believe that there is some
additional information that we
could be sharing and this is the step forward so
thank you very much to you
and your entire team very positive and as I said
the only thing would be for me
would be timeline because I would love if we
could introduce it tomorrow.
Two-point regarding 2.6. I do have a question and
it's the follow-up on the baseline. And
when I look at the number of units and number of
30-plus areas, it was kind of worrying
me as well when I read that. Then when it was
stated kind of potentially what it could
before, then it's kind of some potentially minor
items, minor things, minor reasons.
Could you provide us?
Because as I said, this actually in the report
looks more negative, quite negative, 30-plus
just in three months.
Could you provide us or share with us before the
Council with additional information what
these 30-plus are or potentially amounts or
reasoning?
Are you able to share more information?
- Mr. Candida.
- Through the chair.
So we provided a most recent in time of the data
report,
but if we're looking at last quarter,
when we were at 26 units, so close enough, I
think.
So four were related to chargeback.
Two just received outstanding balance reminders,
which would mean it'd be a very recent type of a
year.
Someone already came forward to for a repayment
plan
in 19 were issued and fours.
- Councillor Preble.
- Okay, thank you for that.
That certainly is very much helpful.
So thank you for providing that.
And I do know that these reports are not,
they weren't completed yesterday,
but any additional information or the most
current one
would be helpful.
So we are more at peace.
So we don't see these kind of potentially huge
numbers
behind and huge, you know, since the beginning,
et cetera.
So thank you for that clarification.
2.10. I really want to highlight this impact
report, what a great report and how it again
accudes to the entire team because I love in
these plans and in these reports they come
to the big picture and strategic plan. So when I
look at the pie chart, when I look
at the percentages and our areas of focus, we are
, and as I always say, we can always
be better, we can deliver more, absolutely. But
when I look at the percentages, how it
fits into our implementation plan, it absolutely
makes sense on the corporate level.
So thank you for that, because I always look at
these reports, are they fitting into our
strategic plan implementation plan?
The answer for this one is yes.
And I love not just the organizations, the
feedback from the parents, the feedback from
the participants, much more beneficial, don't get
me around the organizations that receive
it.
I do want their feedback as well, but when we go
directly to the source, it's even much
more meaningful. So thank you for that. And I
believe I hope I didn't miss anything. But thank
you.
Thank you. Looking for other speakers. Okay.
Seeing none, Councilor Provost, can you take the
chair?
I have the chair and I recognize Council Raman.
Thank you. I wanted to start on item 2.1,
the London newcomer strategy. First, I want to
thank staff for the report. I really appreciate
the update and the welcoming Francophone
community initiative that's so so outlined.
I just wanted to follow up on the new camera
strategy and just ask a question around
participation
of those with lived experience. So I know that we
have a panel it's mentioned in the report.
We have chairs that have been involved for quite
some time. I'm just wondering how does
lived experience enter into the discussion? Thank
you. And we have four new camera champions
with lived experience on a panel and they are
selected through community recommendation
and also based on the portfolio and their
expertise in different area
to make sure there's a meaningful contribution
and representative voices on a panel that
represent
newcomers. Thank you. Yes, I'm grateful for the
work of the committee and it's wonderful to see
the involvement that we have. One of the things I
hear quite often is around some of the
significant
and challenges faced by newcomers to our
community,
especially around employment.
And the fact that they feel like the strategies
that they're presented with and the strategies
that they're trying aren't working for them.
And so they're looking for new ways
to engage and find opportunity.
And so I'm pleased to see that we continue to
update
our programs, that we continue to look for new
ways
to engage folks.
What I'd like to see about some of our
programming
as it's been evolving and changing
is that we've been moving it around the city.
So we've had some programming
out at South London Community Center.
We've had it at Fanshawe College,
and we've had it at other locations,
as well as the resources that we have available
throughout the community, through our resource
centers,
through our libraries and other partners.
So I think that that's great and very helpful.
I'm very pleased to see that we continue to work
on these strategies, but I agree that there's a
newer
realization around our unemployment rate
that we have to take into consideration
and how that may affect newcomer communities
differently.
So I'm just wondering if you can speak to that a
bit more.
- Going to the staff.
Thank you, and through you, we do recognize
the unemployment rate is impacting almost
everyone,
including the newcomers population in the city.
And we do recognize there's a growing trend
that because of the unemployment rate,
more and more newcomers have been pushed
to entrepreneurship.
So there have been some work dedicated to this
area
to ensure that they can succeed
if they decide to choose on the entrepreneurial
venture.
And there's something that will continue to work
on
with community partners.
Thank you.
- Thank you, Councillor, follow?
- Thank you.
on to 2.2. Very pleased to see the tree strategy
supportive of looking at the feasibility of
this nursery. 2.3. I want to thank staff for the
compliance service policy update.
I do think the update will be meaningful and it
will require some business process changes
in not just the counselor's office but in service
London and elsewhere. I am hopeful that we can
smooth that out as we we go forward. I know for
instance, oftentimes when someone contacts
the Councillor's office, we have kind of some
standard language that we say around this policy
that will need to be tweaked and updated. Now
that we're able to give address disclosure
information,
so I'm pleased to see that. And I know with these
types of updates, I just want to get some clarity
around if somebody filed a bylaw complaint, let's
say before the date of this policy, does that
mean
they're not eligible for the address disclosure
information. It doesn't only apply after the date
that the policy takes effect. Thank you going
through the staff.
For the presiding officer, I would definitely
want to get a legal opinion on that. I don't feel
comfortable saying that it would or wouldn't
apply at this point in time, but I could come
back
to you before counsel with that answer. Thank you
. Thank you. That would be very helpful.
Because I know I have a number of probably
everybody does has a list of outstanding
complaints
that people would like more information on with
respect to kind of the summary of what other
municipalities are doing. I'm really thankful for
the information on Brampton and Toronto and
their standards and what they're using as
disclosures to the public. I really do think Bram
pton's
approach and the tool they're using is quite
robust and I'd like to see us do that so I'm
hoping
that future council supports a strategy that
enables that.
In the meantime though, I'm just wondering what
will the public be able to ask of city staff
in terms of an update on any of these types of
disclosure information that would be in something
similar to the Brampton system? And with this
update and policy should we pass it,
what kind of information can the public request
of staff?
going through the staff? Thank you and through
the presiding officers so much like the Councill
or's
offices receive complaints about a lack of
information coming back in relation to service
requests we also receive similar complaints from
complainants who have filed a service request and
are left wondering what's become of that service
request. This is going to come with some growing
pains admittedly and we will have to work through
a process to identify what the best or who the
best
person is to contact to enable that information
sharing piece until we explore some of these
digital tools during the strategic planning
Process, but we can commit to having something
identified
so that they can access that information and they
would be able to access the information and
receive the same information as the
Councillors are able to receive that
Doesn't change so the members of the public to
answer your question directly would be able to
get information related to the status of their
complaint and
and any outcomes as a result of an investigation
conducted.
Thank you, Councillor.
Thank you.
So, would that look like they just would email
the by-law office, they would provide
the date and the address for the particular
complaint, and then they would receive the
information back?
I'm going back to the staff.
Thank you, through you.
It could look like that, yes.
I think it would make more sense to have a
central or a defined process in place where
by their emailing one specific email address
to obtain that information instead
of individual staff members.
But certainly that process will be identified
going forward.
- Thank you, Council.
- Thank you, that's very helpful.
I wanna thank staff for the report on 122
baseline as well.
It's very much appreciated to get this level of
detail
in this report and continue the discussion.
I'm glad to see that we'll get a report back in Q
4 2020,
or there will be a report back in Q4 2026.
And lastly, I just want to thank staff
for the community with the update from getting
the time,
sorry, with community updates.
- Thank you.
Glad to see community grants moving forward.
Really appreciate the level of detail
and the participant numbers included.
Thank you.
- Thank you, Councillor.
We're returning to chair.
And I do have one full up question for our staff.
Thank you.
- Thank you.
I'll go to Councillor Pribble.
Go ahead.
- Thank you, Mr. Chair.
And if I can have on the 2.1 the newcomer
strategy,
we talked and it was mentioned the economic
sectors. They are really matching the ones with
LEDC. And I just want to ask if we can fall in
terms of the sectors, newcomers, same as LEDC.
How is our cooperation coordination with LEDC in
terms of these in various initiatives?
Thank you. I've got a Mr. Chair.
Thank you. And through you, so LEDC is part of
the membership on the NUNDE NUNDE NUNDE NUNDE NUN
DE
first report and they do have regular input to
help us navigate and understand the trends
in the local workforce issues, including how to
better attract newcomers to address some
of the chronic shortages in key sectors,
especially in those economic key sectors in
London area.
Thank you.
Councillor Preble.
Okay, so which is great in terms of the concept
and strategy and then how specific initiatives
Are they still involved on the kind of what I
call ground level or is it really
gone or involved on the ground level initiatives?
Thank you, Agandam's channel.
Thank you and through you Madam Chair. So there
are multiple layers in the involvement
and we do have some partnership with LED CU
especially and with Small Business Center
in helping newcomers entrepreneurs to set up
their businesses. And this is one of the few
examples of how we work together. So depending on
the areas of focus we may switch and adjust
>> Thank you very much, no more questions.
>> Okay, thank you.
I'll look for any final speakers on these items
under consent.
Okay, seeing none, we will open the vote on
everything but 2.7 and 2.9.
>> Councillor Hopkins votes yes.
>> Opposing the vote, the motion carries five to
zero.
>> Thank you.
That moves us on to item 3.1, which is our
scheduled item.
We have first the fifth report of the
Environmental Stewardship and Action Community
Advisory
committee where we have a delegation from Mr. Sam
uels. Mr. Samuels, excuse me, I'll invite you to
the
microphone. Thank you very much and you have five
minutes. Welcome. Good afternoon Councillors,
staff, community folks here and watching online.
My name is Brendan Samuels and I'm here today as
a
member of the Environmental Stewardship and
Action Community Advisory Committee. I led the
working
groups that developed the reports attached to
your agenda. I realize it's a lot of content so I
wanted to be here today to try and help break it
down. Not given a lot of time to talk about these
,
I'm going to try and be brief. And if you have
any questions, I'd be happy to answer them
afterwards.
I just want to state clearly for the record why
we're providing these reports. We are a volunteer
community advisory committee that serves as the
discretion of counsel. We do not provide
direction.
What we hope to see is for our report to be
received and discussed by your committee,
and we would, of course, look to counsel to
provide for the direction as you see fit.
Our first report begins on page three of the
attachment to your agenda.
This is relating to proactive measures to help
limit the spread of invasive species of plants
and animals
associated with the horticulture and pet trades
in London.
If you want a great example of this, you can step
behind City Hall and I just pulled out
a long strand of English Ivy, which has formed a
carpet and took taking over all of the garden
beds back there.
In summary, we suggest the city explore how it
can use business licensing
to ensure consumers are provided with information
about purchasing specific invasive species
that can cause significant environmental and
property damage. We believe this cost-saving
measure could be set up in a way that would pay
for itself in terms of recouping costs,
and our report suggests using mechanisms that are
already present in the business licensing
by-law schedules for pet shops and businesses
selling fireworks. We hope to continue our
productive dialogue with the staff and support
them to develop information materials to be
provided
to consumers by licensed businesses. Again, we
already have a flyer just like this in every
shop selling fireworks which looks like this and
can be downloaded by the vendors from the
city's website. When our committee previously
collaborated with staff to update the yard and
lot maintenance by-law, we provided technical
guidance on selecting specific prohibited plants
now listed under a by-law schedule. Our second
report relates to the transition of the blue box
recycling program that started in January and
some concerns we're bringing from community for
for your attention.
The current program seems to be facing some
friction locally
as Londoners are not all aware of the changes,
such as the expanded types of materials now
accepted
in their blue box and what cannot be recycled.
We're not sure about how residents are receiving
communication from circular materials
or Miller Waste about sorting,
and we believe that the rollout of communication
has been uneven.
We suggest the city collects additional feedback
from Londoners about recycling issues they are
experiencing,
while also appropriately referring them
to the program provider.
For instance, if you visit the service London
portal,
there's already buttons for green bin and garbage
,
but nothing referring people for recycling.
Because the city has longstanding communication
channels
used for communicating with residents about waste
,
we think it would be worthwhile to reach out
to the new blue box provider
and ask them how the city can collaborate
to support their communication efforts locally.
While this is no longer the city's responsibility
,
uptake of the program is still relevant
to our environmental goals
like reducing waste sent to landfill.
Our third and final report responds to Council's
request
for feedback on rat infestations and property
standards.
We are generally supportive of the staff
recommendation.
I'm gonna briefly highlight a few areas
where our report provides guidance beyond the
staff report.
People need to know how to use waste facilities
correctly,
how to identify non-compliance with property
standards
and how to report issues to the city.
For this reason, our committee has produced
information stickers like these, Service London,
and this one says help keep wildlife out,
which helps to alert people to how their behavior
can influence the risks of pests and buildings,
and to orient people to the service London portal
.
We think dumpsters in the city should be better
labeled,
or at the very least, municipal compliance
should be able to install a label
where a waste container is contravening a by-law.
Second, if a waste facility like a dumpster is
deficient,
say because it's missing a lid,
or because it's too small to accommodate
the volume of waste being produced by the users,
We believe municipal compliance should have the
option
to compel the owner to increase the volume
or quantity of their waste containers.
If it makes sense for an enclosure to be
installed
around the waste containers to prevent animals
from getting in or litter from escaping,
municipal compliance should have the option
to compel the owner to install an enclosure.
It's unclear from reading the draft by-law
if that mechanism exists.
Lastly, we suggest the city explore
discontinuing collection of loose garbage bags
for curbside pick-ups. - 30 seconds.
Other cities like Kitchener Waterlow, Kingston,
Barrie use waste carts with lids.
In summary, these three reports share a common
thread.
We believe Londoners want to make responsible
choices and take care of the environment.
But to do so, they need to be provided with the
right information in the right places
at the right times, whether that's at a garden
center, at their curb, or when depositing
garbage and waste facility.
We suggest measures the city could take to
improve public awareness, reduce risks, and
ultimately lower costs to taxpayers.
Thank you.
- Thank you.
Next, we will deal with the request for
delegation status.
So I look for a mover and a seconder,
Councillor Trossa, Councillor Hopkins,
and we will open that request.
- Closing the vote, the motion carries five to
zero.
- Thank you, I'll invite Ms. Blake Rose to the
microphone.
Welcome, you have five minutes, go ahead.
- Hi, thank you all for the opportunity to speak
today.
My name is Mary Blake Rose, and I live in Ward 7,
here in London.
And I am here to offer a non-expert opinion
on a bit of what Dr. Samuel just talked about.
But so I'm here basically as somebody
who had the opportunity to buy a property
not quite three years ago.
And so in those not quite three years,
I've been doing a lot of learning
because there's just a lot of information
that goes with being a property owner.
And some of the learning I've been doing
has to do with taking care of the yard
and planting things and removing things
that maybe I didn't want planted there.
And as I think you can see from the letters
that have been submitted with regard to
with the community advisory committee submitted,
I think that you can see that numerous property
owners
also have experience with plants on their
property
that maybe they didn't plant
and that are just there for the foreseeable
future.
So in my personal experience, as I said,
I've been doing a lot of learning,
and I love that learning process,
but there is a lot of information,
and I think that people have the best of
intentions,
but sometimes maybe they purchase a plant
and don't really know what it is,
but it was recommended or it looked nice,
and then it creates problems for them,
or it creates problems for neighbors,
or it creates problems in an environmentally
significant area.
And so I wrote in as did numerous other people
about goutweed or agapodium protograria,
which is an invasive species that can be found
in numerous locations in our city.
And in my case, I believe that my goutweed patch,
which I share with at least five other neighbors,
I believe it was, I believe it originates
from an ornamental patch that had been planted
numerous years ago, probably by a previous owner
of a neighbor's property.
And I don't hold that against that person.
I think that they planted something
either because they needed something
that would grow under a maple tree
or they liked the way it looked
or somebody recommended it.
You know, people buy plants for many reasons,
but well, I will have goutweed for the
foreseeable future
because as I mentioned under a maple tree,
I could try digging it out,
but the roots are mixed up with maple roots.
So mostly I have the choice between tall goutweed
or short goutweed under that tree.
And I can live with that.
I can continue to pull and/or weed
whack the goutweed and keep it at least--
at least I can minorly annoy it and try
to keep it vaguely under control and keep it from
flowering,
keep it from spreading more than it already has.
But there's also--
there's people who maybe have English Ivy that's
taken over their entire yard or that's growing up
a wall
or that's destroying a shed they have.
I think that invasive plant species
do affect our ability to use our properties,
in addition to, of course, the fact
that they create all kinds of problems
when they get into environmentally significant
areas.
And so I think that that education piece
is really important, because as I said,
I believe that people have the best of intentions
,
but there's just a lot to know in the world,
and we don't all know everything.
And so using business licensing to help
to provide information to people at point of sale
about a plant they may want to purchase
or a pet that they may want to purchase,
I think is a really powerful tool.
And so I support the recommendations
of the Community Advisory Committee
and I support the motion from Councillors,
Troso and Ferrera.
And thank you all for your time.
- Thank you.
Okay, that takes us back to the motion
from Councillors Troso and Ferreira,
who would like to introduce the motion.
Councillor Troso, go ahead.
- Yes, thank you very much and through the chair,
I wanna start by thanking the advisory committee.
It was a very thorough, well-researched,
evidence-based report.
I'm happy to accept it.
And I'm really pleased that from what I'm hearing
,
you were working closely with staff on this.
I'm not hearing any significant pushback on this.
And while there are more
onerous regulatory approaches that could be taken
,
I think that that would raise some legal issues.
I would look at the what the town of Halton Hills
.
- Sorry, Councillor, do you wanna introduce your
motion
and then you can speak to it?
- That's a good idea, thank you.
Yes, so this was submitted in the,
This is in your added agenda packet,
and it is at page 287.
And I just want to, I'm not gonna read the whole
thing
because this text is largely taken
from the material in the report.
- Okay, so you're asking for the motion.
- So you're putting your motion on the floor?
- Yes. - Thank you.
And I will look-- - That civic
administration be directed at what's in bold
there.
- Wonderful. - Yes.
- Thank you.
And I have a seconder in Councilor Farira, thank
you.
and Councillor Trost, I would like to speak to
your motion.
- I think I'm going to let the report
and the recitals in the pre-emble in my motion
speak for itself.
I'd be very happy to take any questions
or try to deal with any concerns that people have
.
I want to, first of all, clarify once again
that this is something that Steph would find do
able
and acceptable within the timeframe.
Actually, let me just clear that up with staff
first.
- Thank you, I'll go to Ms. Pepper.
- Thank you, and through you,
I would just like to seek some clarification
on the timeline, actually.
I didn't see the timeline.
- I think through the chair,
as in many other requests for a staff report back
,
by not putting a timeframe in,
my intention was to defer that to you.
This committee gives you an exceptionally heavy
workload,
My preference would be as soon as possible.
If you'd like me to say next meeting, I'll say
that.
But I know that how much time do you think you
need
on this realistically?
- Thank you, I've got to Ms. Tepper.
- Thank you and through you.
Just in the context of the other work that we
currently have,
I'd really like to take some time to look at this
properly
and have it ready to go for the next growing
season.
So ideally speaking, that would align with early
2027.
- Councillor Trossa.
That is fine with me.
I would ask the seconder.
And I think that the proponents of this
at the advisory committee are really looking
towards how we're gonna deal with this prospect
ively.
So the next growing season would be perfect.
Thank you.
Do you need something in the motion to clarify
that?
Or can we just sort of leave that with you?
- Thank you, I'm Ms. Pfeffer.
- Through you, Chair.
Could you please repeat that?
Or could you have him please repeat that question
?
- Councillor Joceau, do you wanna clarify?
- Yes, would you like an amendment to the motion
or can we leave what you just said with you?
- Ms. Pfeffer, thank you and through you.
There's no need for an amendment in relation to
the timeline.
- Okay, thank you, Councillor Joceau.
- Okay, well, I'll yield to other Councillors for
now.
- Thank you, I'll go to Councillor Ferra.
- Thanks, Chair.
Thanks to Councillor Joceau for moving this
motion.
I'm happy to second it.
I just wanted to say to the report
the environmental stewardship and action advisory
committee. I thought it was very thorough. It was
very, very well written and I want to say a
special thank you to Dr. Samuels. You're very
engaged. One of the most engaged Londoners is
that I know and you are here quite often and you
are
informing us and educating us quite often and I
think the work that you do is amazing also to
the delegate Ms. Blake Rose. Thank you for coming
out and telling us your experience and I agree
exactly with everything that you're saying.
People have the best intentions but they may
not necessarily know what it is that they're
buying. For myself as a homeowner, I have English
Ivy all over the yard and it was growing up the
house and doing a lot of things to the yard and
it's probably something that is going to forever
be there. I just know that combating something
like
like that is going to be a difficult thing.
And that speaks to the whole, I guess, intent of
the report
and the motion that Councilor Trussell and I have
brought.
And that is really, it's about prevention.
Prevention is the most effective solution.
It's the most effective solution environmentally
speaking
and cost effectively speaking as well.
Once an invasive species spreads,
management is exponentially more expensive
than that preventative measure.
So I think just the recommendation coming in the
report
and the motion that we're moving here today
when it comes to requiring the business license
and I really appreciate how there's a potential
cost
recovery framework that can be embedded here,
but also providing that education for individuals
who are buying somewhat invasive species,
whether it's a plant or an animal,
to have that information provided alongside that,
I think is a really good step forward
and it's a really good move.
So I like how we're focusing on the preventative
side
and not being reactive.
That's something that I'm always trying to push
here
at council being preventative, being proactive
rather than reactive.
So I'm hoping that we can get support from
committee
and from council moving forward.
And I think this is a really good approach.
I'd like to see more preventative proactive
approaches
for other items too, but I will yield to
committee
and see what committee has to say.
But I appreciate the work, so thank you very much
.
- Thank you.
have Councilor Hopkins next,
and then I will turn the chair over to Councilor
Pervall.
- Thank you, Madam Chair.
And I'd like to address the advisory group.
Dr. Samuels, thank you so much for being here
with us.
And thanks for the advisory group's work
on three main areas, the blue box,
the recommendations on how we can do a better job
educating the community,
and as well as rat infestation.
Speaking to the invasive species though,
thanks again for the suggestions in your report.
On the motion, it is a report back.
I'm glad to see that there are no timelines on
this one.
I think we have to kind of get it right a little
bit
and allow staff to get the information that we
need.
I do think it is an issue,
not only prevention like Councillor Ferreira
spoke to,
but I think again, it's that education piece.
Good friend of mine gave me beautiful plant 15
years ago
and I am still tackling that plant in my yard.
It hasn't interfered in our friendship,
but there have been moments.
But again, it reminded me she didn't know,
I didn't know and how do you get rid of.
Some plants are very, very difficult to get rid
of.
I see a lot of dumping in our parks and in our ES
As.
In our conservation areas, people want to get rid
of these plants and dumping is a really great way
to get rid of it, but guess what?
It starts to grow.
And it's an issue that we should try to tackle,
educate,
and understand and maybe this through the
licensing,
it is an opportunity to do that.
So for now, I am supported of it going through.
And I think as a city, we should be at least
trying to do a better job and looking
at what other cities are doing.
So thanks again for having this conversation
here at committee.
- Thank you.
- Thank you, I was here in the chair
to Councilor Pervall.
and I recognize council around.
- Thank you and through you.
So I wanna thank the committee for the report as
well.
Very helpful to have so much background on this
item.
And in looking at the report,
I saw lots of examples for the native species
conversation around plants.
But I'm just wondering,
or sorry, invasive species, sorry,
conversation around plants.
But I didn't see as much around animals and pet
shops.
I see some references to goldfish,
but I'm just wondering how that is determined,
what's an invasive species for a pet?
And is that determined province-wide?
Is it something where there might be some?
For instance, determination locally.
We're talking about rats at the same meeting.
Some people keep rats as pets.
Are they considered an invasive species on the
pet side?
I'm just wondering if somebody can clarify with
me
other than goldfish.
What other pets are we talking about?
- Thank you and going to the staff for their
feedback.
- Thank you and through you.
We would certainly have to collaborate
with community partners,
ESACAC in particular, to determine what should
and could be classified as an invasive species
in terms of an animal.
That would all be subject to commentary
in the follow-up report,
but I don't have that information right now.
And I couldn't give you a list of what would be
considered
to be an invasive species in terms of an animal.
- Thank you, Councillor.
- Thank you, yeah, in the report from the
committee,
I only see reference to 2023 discussions on gold
fish.
So at this time, I'm not sure how
and what we would get back in the report back
on animal species.
My question would be because the motion directs
that a by-law come back and a report back.
So I'm just not wanting to catch folks off guard
because we're having a discussion
mostly about invasive plants,
but yet at the same time it includes plants and
animals
that could come back in a by-law.
So I'm just wondering what would be kind of the
staging.
I know we'd still have a public participation
meeting
when it, as it relates to this,
but folks may not realize that we're also talking
about invasive species that have to do
with things like goldfish.
- Thinking, going through stuff?
- Yes, that's a, sorry, through you, that is a
concern.
We would definitely have to look at what approach
we're going to take in terms of whether we're
focusing
only on invasive species of plants or whether we
're going
to look at invasive species in relation to pets.
That would be something that our policy team
would have to sit down and really parse out.
- Thank you, Councillor.
- Thank you, and through you, and also
with the invasive species that has to do with
plants,
those could be sold at pet stores as well, right?
like anything to do with the aquarium or
something
of that sort.
So how comprehensive of a list and outside of,
let's say, our environmental stewardship
committee,
where else would you go to get that information?
- Going to the staff, please go ahead.
- Thank you and through you.
So we would look to our internal partners as well
in Parks and Forestry, natural heritage staff,
the Upper Thames Conservation Authority as well.
And then, of course, there are existing
provincial
and federal lists that we would have to reference
as well.
- Thank you, Councillor.
- Thank you and through you.
So that tends to be like a taller order.
And I know that that's probably a lot more work.
I understand we're not giving a timeline.
I just don't want staff to feel that they have to
come back
with a tight timeline with so many different
sources
to connect with.
Really thankful for the report.
I'd be more inclined to support the invasive
plant species
this time and separate the two in the by-law
discussion just so that we could get more clarity
around the animal species first so that I can
better understand what we're looking at.
I see the list for Ontario for pets that are
considered invasive species but I'm not sure
because it's not all reference there what we're
talking about so that's just my thoughts on it
at this time.
Thank you.
I didn't hear any questions.
I think those were comments.
So thank you and returning the chair back to you.
Thank you.
I have the chair.
And I saw a couple of hands go up.
So Councillor Trostle, did you have your hand up?
Sorry.
And then I have Councillor Ferreira and then I
have Deputy Mayor Lewis as well.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
I think I'll just, for the only thing I would say
with respect to your comments is, I just
want to leave it with staff to write the report
that they want to write.
If they want to write a report saying that this
opens up,
whole another series of issues that's
going to delay our report on the plans,
I'd be very happy to get them back.
But I'd like to at least give them the chance
to talk about that from the literature that I've
looked at
and from what I take it to report.
Really, it's the goldfish that are the problem.
I'm not sure how much research that's going to
take.
I don't want to hold this up, but I will--
I would prefer to just leave it with staff
to tell us what they think about whether this is
too much
scope for one report.
- Thank you.
I'll go to Council for our next
and then I have Deputy Mayor Lewis.
- Thank you, Chair.
Just to maybe try to answer some of your
questions,
like I do understand, I do see that the report
is referring to the red eared slider turtles.
And those are the two kind of main ones
between the goldfish and those.
And I would also point out,
in addition to the Ontario's invasive species
lists,
the Upper Thames Conservation Authority
has a very comprehensive list of animal species
as well.
so that work wouldn't be starting from scratch.
Staff would be able to go to those lists
that have already been published
and the upper times conservation lists
are directly related to this report.
- Thank you.
I will go to Deputy Mayor Lewis, go ahead.
- Thank you, Madam Chair.
I will say that I certainly,
especially on the invasive species plants,
very supportive of where it looks like
we might be going on this.
I know others have shared their stories
For me, it's Perry Winkel.
I have been pulling that stuff out of the ground
at my house since the day I moved in.
Very difficult to manage.
And I think having some educational material.
And I think that responsible greenhouses
and plant sellers would be more than open
to having information available to people as well
.
So supportive of that, I do share the chair's
concern
a little bit about perhaps separating the two.
Although I hear Councilor Trussow and Councilor
Ferreira's
comments about the fact that there are some
information
out there, staff wouldn't be starting from
scratch.
So I will say I'm sort of with Councillor Truss,
I want,
I'm okay if staff want to say do a report A
and then a report B later and separate the two.
I do think it's a lot for one report,
but I'm flexible on this.
I do, I'm very supportive of the native species
or the invasive species of plants being, you know
,
better informed for the public
and trying to restrict people putting those out
'cause a tremendous frustrations.
I will also say, coming out of the advisory
committee's report,
I'm very supportive of well as well about the
idea
of requiring garbage that's going to the curb
to be in containers.
I think that that is part of our issue right now.
The Councilor McAllister has raised with rats,
but I think there's other problem animals,
skunks and raccoons among them that are attracted
to garbage is put out in just a plastic bag for
collection.
I know other municipalities do have requirements
that actually say you have to put it out in the
container.
We don't accept loose bags.
So I appreciate the advisory committee raising
that.
And I think that works a further discussion from
us as well.
- Thank you.
I didn't hear any questions, so just comments.
So I will look for other speakers on this item.
Okay, seeing no other speakers,
what's in front of us right now
is the motion from Councillor Shossow
and Councillor Ferrera, as well as the above-not
ed report
be received, and then it includes all the
communication
that we received on this item as well.
Okay, Councillor Troso.
- That's what's on page 288 with the addition
of the being noted in the list,
'cause I can't see the report.
- Yeah, and receiving that report, yeah.
Okay, with that, I will open the vote.
closing the vote, the motion carries five to zero
.
- Thank you.
We will move back to item 2.7.
That was from our consent agenda.
That is the award of the NRFP 2025
to 48 municipal lands for affordable housing
at 1958 Duluth Crescent, block six.
So I had a request to pull this item.
I don't know if I have a mover and seconder on
this item
to begin with.
I have Councilor Ferreira to move it.
Do I have a seconder?
Councilor Hopkins.
Okay, with that, we'll begin discussion
and I will go to Councilor Perbal.
- Thank you, Chair, and thank you for my
colleagues
to bring this, or to supporting this on the floor
.
I did wanna place this out because the clause C
which states be directed to work with the
proponent
to submit necessary planning act application to
support
an increase in density from 71,
to 107 units per hectare, I will not be
supporting.
And what I'm gonna do is I'm gonna give now,
if you can please go to the Deputy Mayor, Luis,
please.
- Thank you.
And I have Deputy Mayor, Luis, next, go ahead.
- Thank you, Madam Chair.
So I appreciate Councilor Pribble pulling this.
I do have a real concern with Clause C
and the applicant seeking increased density here.
As it is, they're proposing moving the height,
the apartment building from three stories to four
stories.
I understand from staff that 12 meters still sits
within the zoning bylaws that we approved
in the draft plan of subdivision.
But that's why I have an issue with this is we
have a draft plan of subdivision.
The proponent knew exactly what the expectations
were for an application to command to develop
this block.
We already, and I support it, pushing the density
a little bit higher on block five,
where Wostell has come in to do a seniors bill
project and we moved from four stories
to five stories to accommodate increased density
there.
I'm concerned that we continue to see throughout
this plan of subdivision.
Every time an application comes forward,
there's a push for increased height and density
on things.
There's another block, block seven, that allows
for greater height density
if the proponent wants to apply for that block
instead.
There are other blocks with lower density.
I really think that we need to be keeping to the
plan of subdivision
that this council proved for this school zone rep
urposing of the site.
I also am against the increased density for a
very specific reason and it comes back to
the discussions we have around what is
appropriate in terms of clustering and putting
all the sort
of services and everything in sort of one
location. So this project on Duluth is
immediately north
of Trafalgar Street. If we go to the south side
of Trafalgar Street, we have a considerable
amount
of affordable and RGI housing already. Over 250
units, actually, through the Genesis Co-op,
Talisman Woods Co-op, LMCH itself has 51 town
houses that are RGI units as well as LMC duplexes
on Marconi itself between Trafalgar and Noel. I'm
very concerned that pushing up the density
further is starting to cluster what is already a
fairly significant co-location of affordable
and RGI units in one part of one neighborhood in
the city. I support the
ask in terms of the density that was part of the
plan of subdivision. I've
supported the plan of subdivision since the
beginning, but I will not be
supporting another increase in density being put
forward here. And I do
understand from staff as well that my other
concern, this would not even come
back to us. If we moved ahead with this in part C
, it would actually go to the
committee of adjustments not to counsel for final
decision. I don't think that
that's the way we should be handling these when
we acquire school lands for
redevelopment. As I said, I've supported the
project throughout. I worked with
staff on the plan of subdivision, done
considerable community consultation.
There's no community real opposition to the plan
that exists, but there is
considerable concern that we are seeing yet again
another push on another block
to increase the density further. So I'm
respectfully asking Kent Committee and
And we'll be asking council to support everything
,
but clause C and ask the proponent,
balance it to work within the plan of subdivision
that was laid out for it.
- Thank you.
I don't think I heard any questions in that.
So I will look to other speakers for this item.
Councilor Hopkins.
- Thank you.
I just have a couple of questions
for clarification for you, Madam Chair.
As it relates to clause C,
we're directing the work to work
with the proponent to submit necessary planning
act applications to support an increase.
By supporting C, are we confirming
that we are going to be increasing the units per
hectare
in this recommendation?
Or would it just go to a landing?
I just want clarification on that.
- Thank you, I'll go to Mr. Felberg.
- Thank you, and through you, Madam Chair.
So what the intention of clause C is to identify
they will work with the proponent to submit the
application.
So after we follow up with the Director of
Planning
and Development, we'll determine if it needs
to be a minor variance or if it goes to PEC
initial,
our initial reviews suggested it would be a minor
variance
so it would go to the Committee of Adjustment.
It probably would also be helpful for Council
to understand that within the contribution
agreement itself,
in section three, it requires consent from the
city
to change the number of units on the property.
So the development that's been identified
in the contribution agreement is two story
apartment buildings
having combined total of 45 units
and then five three bedroom townhouses.
So if the committee of adjustment were to find
in favor of that added height and density,
we would need to enter into an amending agreement
with balance if to change the type of development
at the property.
Additionally, in section six,
We have some conditions which are precedent
to the transfer of the property.
So we won't actually transfer the property to
balance it
until such time as they have received site plan
approval.
So again, for them to be able to add the
additional density,
add the additional units and create that new
development,
they would still need to go through
that planning process.
And then only after we have that site plan
approval,
would we then consider transferring the property
to them
for the building permit and then construction?
- Councillor Hopkins.
- Yeah, so right now the contribution agreement
states to two stories, nothing more.
Do we really need clause C then?
Or so in other words, could we just support
the contribution agreement and what's in it
and leave it up to the process?
- Mr. Palper.
- Thank you and through you Madam Chair.
So the purpose of clause C is to give council
some clear idea of how they can approach the
approval
of this particular development.
If council does not wish civic administration
to explore additional height and density,
not additional height, additional density,
and more units on the site,
then we would move forward.
If they don't, then you could make a motion
to remove clause C and then we would just go
forward
with the concept that you actually see in the
report
and then what's identified in the contribution
agreement.
- And Councilor Lochen's question,
as well as it relates to the affordability,
I understand it's only 30% that is affordable
in this development, I just want confirmation.
Mr. Palberg.
- Thank you, and through you Madam Chair,
just looking in the report,
we actually identified the number of units
that that relates to.
So in section 2.3, where it says potential
for additional units, the very last sentence,
says the new number of affordable units
will increase from 15 to 29.
So that's that 30% of the existing development
to what could potentially be 40% of the new
proposed
development that the developer proposed
in the procurement process.
- Councillor Hopkins, looking for other speakers.
Councillor Ferrera.
- Thank you, Chair.
I guess coming off of Councillor Hopkins'
question.
So I was looking at that section of the report as
well.
And it's, I do see that going from the 15 to 29
is the reason that we are potentially looking to
move
towards the greater unit per hectare density.
And I do see also,
I was wondering if you could just kind of point
out
some of the types of units.
Like I see it says provide more family size units
in the back to back town homes unit or the town
house units.
I was just wondering if you could maybe tell some
details
if this increased density were to be approved,
what would you see in addition
to the number of affordable units.
What type of units are we talking about?
- Thank you, I'll go to Mr. Felberg.
- Thank you, and through you Madam Chair.
So by adding the additional townhouse units,
we'd be adding additional family size units to
that.
But we'll have to go back and take a look
at the specific numbers and we can get that
information
to a committee before council.
- Councilor Ferrer.
Okay, thank you.
- Okay, looking for other speakers, Councilor
Stevenson.
- Thank you.
When I look at this, I'm wondering if you can
tell us
a little bit more about the negotiated request
for a proposal and how that worked for this
project.
- Mr. Felberg.
- Through you, Madam Chair.
I wonder if Councilor could provide a little bit
more
clarity on what are you looking for?
What information are you looking for?
Are you looking for the back and forth?
Are you looking for the things that we talked
about?
- Councilor Stevenson?
- Yeah, the back and forth and what you guys
talked about,
I guess, I'm wondering, there was only two
proponents
and you spoke with them and this is a,
It blends a competitive bidding
with a structured negotiation.
I know this is relatively new.
So I'd just like to understand
how this proponent was chosen.
- Thank you and three, Madam Chair.
So one of the nice things about the negotiated
proposal,
it does allow us flexibility
for it to be able to have a conversation.
So the developer can come in or the proponents
can come in
and they can offer different elements
depending on what it is they're specifically
looking for.
So in this case, through the negotiation,
identified an opportunity to add more height and
density.
So what we said as part of that process was we
needed to understand what council's perspective
is on that before we advanced the project.
In the initial procurement document, we had
highlighted what the development could be,
which is what you see in the contribution
agreement, what I talked about before with
the 50 units or the 45 in the five unit townhouse
.
So it really depends on what the particular
proponent might want to talk about.
But all elements of the development and all
elements of the contribution agreement can
be negotiated as part of that process.
Councillor Stevenson.
Thank you.
That's helpful.
And I guess so what had this one be chosen over
the other one, like Mr. Falberg?
Thank you.
And through Madam Chair.
So one of the things that was most appealing
about this project was the modern methods
of construction.
So the modular build that balance it is offering.
As you know, that's a priority for the federal
government and also the provincial government
in building new housing and getting it up and
ready
and occupied faster.
- Councillor?
- Okay, thanks.
And just because this is new
and I'm wanting to understand it,
how is it, I don't even know how to say this,
but you negotiate different things.
You choose the one that you feel is best for the
city.
How is the other one, is there any,
how is fairness maintained, I guess?
Or how is it clear so that we don't have people
who are unhappy potentially with the decision?
- Mr. Felberg.
- Thank you and through you Madam Chair.
So there is a evaluation criteria built into the
RFP,
very similar, and the NRFP.
It's very similar to any other RFP that we would
have.
So we identify certain things that are not negot
iable.
They are yes, no kind of components of the
proposal.
And then there are other parts that are things
that we can score and then negotiate.
So again, this one because of the speed
and the ability to move faster was one of the key
things
for this particular proponent in this project.
- Councilor?
- Okay, thank you through the chair.
So what I'm understanding is you have a winning
person
through the, or a proponent through the RFP
and then you negotiate with that one
to get the specifics that you want.
- Mr. Palper.
- Thank you and through you Madam Chair.
So yes, there is a priority.
So we'd negotiate with the highest scoring
proponent first,
but we can negotiate with all proponents
through the process.
Some of that is identified as part of the
procurement process
and in the procurement document as well.
So there are various options, which is nice.
It adds flexibility.
It's not as restrictive and as closed
as a traditional RFP where if certain elements
are not answered, they may or may not get scored.
- Councillor Stevenson.
- Thank you and through you.
I just wanted to know also about the partnership
piece
of this.
Is this something new or have we done this on
other projects?
- Mr. Pelberg.
- Thank you and through you Madam Chair.
I assume the council you're referring to the
partnership
with the city and the proponent,
is that what you're referring to?
- Go ahead, Mr. Felberg.
- Thank you, and through you, Madam Chair.
Yes, we have done this in a few other locations.
So a really great recent example
would be the Hyde Park Project,
where we partnered with PI homes,
I forget what the PI stands for,
but in also Zaren, which is a nonprofit.
But those are very similar process,
that that was our first NRFP that we did as a
city.
and we're finding that it is effective,
especially in the affordable housing world,
where there's so many different variables
that can change through the process.
- Councillor Stevenson.
- Thank you.
And so just to clarify in the conclusion,
it says that approval of the recommendations in
this report
will authorize a project partnership with balance
it ink,
and it might be my accounting background
that has me pay attention to the word partnership
.
And then it also says that the city
helps secure construction financing,
can assist with tendering and contract
administration.
So that level of partnership has been done before
.
- Mr. Falberg.
- Thank you, three, Madam Chair.
So a really good example would be the 18 Elm
Street project.
So that was formerly the HDC,
but a very similar model that we're undertaking
through some of the work that we do.
We partnered with the Ontario Aboriginal Housing
Services.
we actually took on the design of the building.
We went through site plan approval on behalf of O
HS.
And then when they were ready, when they had
secured
their financing and they were ready to move
forward
with the actual development and get a permit,
we then transferred the land to the proponent to
OHS
and they undertook the construction.
So it varies depending on the proponent
in which partner we're working on
and how we are going to participate.
But that 18 Elm Street project is a really good
example
of us taking things all the way through the
process.
And I believe it's actually occupied right now.
The childcare center will be open
in the coming months or weeks.
So it's a very exciting project.
I encourage you to drive by and check it out.
- Councillor Stevenson.
- Thank you very much for that.
And through you, another follow up is,
I guess when taxpayers know that we're
contributing the land,
so they're buying it for $2 and then they're
doing it.
and then we're also contributing city land,
staff expertise, all that kind of things.
Why do we do that versus doing what we did at 122
baseline
where it was our project?
How does the city determine what's in the best
interest
long-term?
- Mr. Pelver.
- Thank you, three, Madam Chair.
So in section three of the report,
we try to touch on that a little bit.
So the investment that we've made on this
particular property
in order to prepare and get a shovel ready
is just a little over a million dollars.
So the cost per unit for this particular project
is about $23,000.
Now, though, we have a property or a block
that has a different appraised value.
So that appraised value is actually
works out to closer to $68,000 a unit.
So we're adding value to the community.
We're actually going over and above what our
contribution is
on the roadmap by $45,000 and we're
creating that value in the community.
As far as constructing new buildings,
so the baseline, Thompson and Sylvan Street
projects,
they were part of a federal program
where the federal government was granting funding
specific for construction of new buildings.
A big part of that was a COVID response
in making sure that there was construction
happening
at the time.
So very different and hard, very difficult
to compare apples to apples.
The roadmap has given us that structure
and councils endorse the shovel ready projects.
very similar dial DS where we go out, create
value,
and then make that available for proponents.
- Councillor Stevenson.
- I think that's it for now, thanks.
- Thank you, looking for other speakers on this.
Oh, sorry, Councillor Hopkins, you had a question
, go ahead.
- Yes, I do, Madam Chair,
and I'm just also thinking how complicated
all these funding formulas can be sometimes.
And my question through you is just to confirm
that any kind of planning application changes
will be the responsibility of the applicant,
not the city.
Mr. Palberg.
- Thank you, through you, Madam Chair.
Yes, it'd be their responsibility to undertake
those applications, but again,
in that contribution agreement we've identified
that the transfer of the land,
so they won't actually receive an asset
until they've gone through site plan approval.
So we're trying to ensure that the planning
approvals
are done and complete prior to them moving
forward.
They should also have financing in place at that
point.
So at that point, their banks and their finances
will have a commitment from the developer
to move forward with a project in a certain way
under a certain development framework.
- And again, it's through you, Madam Chair.
It's their responsibility.
Mr. Felberg.
- Through you, Madam Chair, that's correct.
- Councillor, any follow up?
Okay, Councillor Ferrer, go ahead.
- Thank you, Chair.
So just to follow up on that.
So the city total amount invested
for the preparation of the land and everything
there
was about five million from the report.
Is that correct, Mr. Palberg?
- Thank you, through you, Madam Chair.
Yes, all of the money that the city spent
to redevelop Duluth was five million dollars.
- Councillor Ferrer.
- Okay, thank you.
And then like with that investment from the city,
and especially with our direction of council,
we're looking to maximize how as many affordable
units
as we possibly can for more affordable housing
and family size units, which I have seen in the
past.
We have seen a lot of like bachelor
and single bedroom units,
and I've been advocating for more family size
units,
which is why I like this.
I understand some of the concerns that I'm
hearing,
but I do think that this is the best bang for our
buck.
Do you happen to have,
and I know this is probably not a fair question,
but do you have any numbers on how many single
and non-family affordable units
that we have approved as of date
compared to the family size units.
And if not, I totally get that.
I can get that back later.
- Mr. Palberg.
- Thank you.
And through Madam Chair,
not off top of our back of our hand top of our
head,
but we'll come back and let Council know.
- Council for air.
- Okay, thank you.
Well, I would say, you know,
with the city strategic plan and our goal
of creating more affordable units as many as we
can,
especially family size units, which are needed
and trying to mitigate the affordability needs of
Londoners,
especially when it comes to families,
and stretching our dollar for as much as we can
when it comes to affordable units.
I would support this project as it is.
I do wanna see as many as we can.
So when I see increasing the minimum
from 30 to 40% of affordable units,
and I see the type of units that they are,
and then I see the money that we've invested,
we have a chance here to increase that from 15 to
29.
So I would hope that the committee does support
this.
- Thank you, I'll look for other speakers.
Councillor Stevenson, go ahead.
- Thank you, I forgot one.
Has balance IT Inc built the building of this
size before
or was this the first time?
- Thank you, I'll go to staff.
- Thank you, and through you Madam Chair,
we'll have to get back to you with some of that
information.
- Councillor, that's great.
If we could get it before council, that would be
great.
- Thank you.
Any other questions on item 2.7?
Okay, thank you.
We will open parts A and B first,
and then we'll deal with C separately.
So this is the opening of A and B.
Closing the vote, the motion carries five to zero
.
Thank you, we will open part C.
Closing the vote, the motion carries four to one.
Thank you, that takes us to item 2.9,
which is the Byron Veterans Monument donation
to Spring Bank Park.
Councilor Pribble is prepared to move a referral
on this item.
You would have received a notification today
have a special meeting on this item coming up
in the coming weeks, and the referral is for the
purpose
of us to receive additional communications
and legal on this item.
With that, I will look to Councillor Perbell
to move that amendment, or referral, sorry.
- Thank you, Chair.
So I don't know if you want me to,
as stated by the Chair, I would like to refer
this.
And there's a motion for us.
I don't know if you want me to read it,
or if it's, if all my colleagues can.
- You can read it, that'd be great.
- Better on the recommendation of the Deputy City
Manager.
- Nope, sorry, second one.
- I see it.
- Did a matter of the Byron Veterans Monument
donation
to Springman Park as included in the staff
reported June 8th, 2026 be referred to a special
meeting
of the community and protective services
committee
on June 16th, 2026.
- Thank you and a seconder in Council Ferrera.
- Is anyone looking to discuss this matter?
Okay, I'll go to Councillor Hopkins, go ahead.
- Yes, definitely.
This is in the ward that I represent
and maybe to the mover or the seconder,
what would be the reason for the referral?
- Thank you.
So we're having a special meeting on this item on
June 16th.
- Follow up question maybe through you then to
staff would be,
does this delay the timing for the Remembrance
Day service
that this memorial, which would be in November.
- Thank you, I'll go to Ms. Smith.
- Thank you, and through the chair,
thank you for the question.
This is why we're recommending that we hold a
special meeting.
We need just to make some minor adjustments
to the template agreement attached to the report.
So in order to do that, we've asked for a special
meeting.
So it will still go to the same council meeting
that it would have gone to if the report came
forward today.
So it will not impact anything with respect to
the project.
It's just some minor amendments to the agreement
that civic administration would like to have in
place
before council reviews it and improves it.
- Thank you, Councillor Hopkins.
As long as there are no delays, I'm happy to
support it.
- Thank you, I'll go to Deputy Mayor Lewis.
- Thank you, Madam Chair, as somebody who's been
on the
committee working on this project,
I will say Councillor Hopkins asked the most
important
question already, and I'm glad to hear that it's
gonna come
to the same council staff have answered that it's
some minor
technical amendments, so I'm satisfied with that.
This has been a long, long in the process project
.
Councilor Hopkins and I have both talked multiple
times
with former Mayor Holder and Padre Frank Mance
and others involved, eager to get this done
in time for Remembrance Day this year
for the people in the Byron community.
So when this does come to council,
because it's coming to the same council,
I'm looking forward to supporting it
and moving this project forward.
- Thank you, looking for any final speakers
on the referral, seeing none will open the vote
on that matter.
- Councillor Hopkins, closing the vote,
the motion carries five to zero.
- Thank you, that concludes our deferred matters
and I do not have any notice of additional
business.
So with that, we'll move to confidential session
of which the reasons are in the agenda.
We will deal with 6.1 and 6.2,
looking for a mover and seconder, Councillor
Hopkins,
Councillor Trossa, thank you.
With that, we'll open the vote.
Councillor Hopkins votes yes.
voting the vote, the motion carries five to zero.
- Thank you.
We'll just take a moment to prepare the room.
Thank you, Councillor Perbville.
If I may ask you to report out from closed
session.
- Thank you, Chair, and I would like to report
that progress has been made in the 2.6.1 and 6.2
that our committee went into the camera.
Thank you.
- Thank you.
And with that, I will look for a motion to
adjourn.
Okay, Councillor Joceau, Councillor Hopkins,
thank you by hand, all in favor.
- Motion carries.
- Thank you, everyone.
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