Corporate Services, Strategy, Risk and Accountability Committee Meeting

Minutes

Meeting #:
Date:
Time:
-
Location:
Council Chambers - members participating remotely
Members Present:
  • Lisa Kearns (Chair),
  • Rory Nisan,
  • Kelvin Galbraith,
  • Shawna Stolte,
  • Paul Sharman,
  • Angelo Bentivegna,
  • and Mayor Marianne Meed Ward
Staff Present:
  • Tim Commisso,
  • Kwab Ako-Adjei,
  • Nick Anastasopoulos,
  • Kevin Arjoon,
  • Laura Boyd,
  • Joan Ford,
  • Chris Glenn,
  • Sheila Jones,
  • Heather MacDonald,
  • Allan Magi,
  • Karen Roche,
  • Nancy Shea-Nicol,
  • Christine Swenor,
  • Vito Tolone,
  • Enrico Scalera,
  • Mark Simeoni,
  • David Thompson (Audio/Video Specialist),
  • and Georgie Gartside (Clerk)

  • Moved byCouncillor Nisan

    Receive and file Vision to Focus (V2F) integrated reporting update as of January 2021 as contained in Appendix A of corporate strategy department report CS-02-21.

    CARRIED
  • Moved byCouncillor Nisan

    Approve the 2021 proposed budget for the Burlington Downtown Business Improvement Area (BIA) as presented in Appendix A of finance department report F-08-21 incorporating a Burlington Downtown BIA members’ levy of $815,700; and

    Authorize the Chief Financial Officer to incorporate the resulting Burlington Downtown BIA tax rates into the 2021 Tax Levy By-Law.

    CARRIED
  • Moved byCouncillor Nisan

    Approve the 2021 proposed budget for the Aldershot Village Business Improvement Area (BIA) as presented in Appendix A of finance department report F-09-21 incorporating an Aldershot Village BIA members’ levy of $223,000; and

    Authorize the Chief Financial Officer to incorporate the resulting Aldershot Village BIA tax rates into the 2021 Tax Levy By-Law.

    CARRIED
  • Moved byCouncillor Nisan

    Receive and file finance department report F-13-21 regarding remuneration and expenses paid to Council and appointees for 2020.

    CARRIED
  • Moved byCouncillor Nisan

    Receive and file office of the Mayor report MO-03-21 providing an update on the Mayor and Council members’ attendance at the annual Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) virtual conference that took place on January 25 and January 26, 2021.

    CARRIED

Laura Boyd - Executive Director of Human Resources, Chris Kroes - Health and Safety Coordinator, and Cynthia Minich - Human Resources Consultant, Employee Health & Wellness, provided committee with a presentation.

Note: This item was approved at the March 3, 2021 Special Council meeting.

  • Moved byCouncillor Galbraith

    Whereas in May 2020 the City of Burlington and Team Burlington (Burlington Economic Development, Burlington Chamber of Commerce, Tourism Burlington, Burlington Downtown Business Association and the Aldershot Village BIA) formed the Burlington Economic Recovery Network (BERN). BERN has strategically brought together key stakeholders and business leaders from across Burlington to develop a robust local strategy that will prepare our economy for recovery from the COVID-19 crisis. On February 17, 2021, BERN and the City of Burlington engaged the Burlington restaurant community to discuss the ongoing impacts of COVID-19 on their industry, current economic realities and ongoing support needed by restaurants to survive; and

    Whereas when the Province of Ontario went into lockdown and enforced a stay-at-home order on December 26, 2020, all restaurants across the province were forced to close to in-person dining for over seven weeks and Halton and Burlington restaurants were only able to open to in-person dining on February 16, 2021, under red/control level restrictions; and

    Whereas the Provincial COVID-19 Response Framework: Keeping Ontario Safe and Open placed Halton Region under the red/control level which restricts restaurants to a hard cap of ten dine-in customers. The feedback from our business community continues to be that the hard cap does not make reopening their business viable for most restaurants. We would like to remind the Province of Ontario of the resolution calling for business equity that was passed by the City of Burlington on December 10, 2020, that asked that the province be requested to revise the physical distancing with capacity limits determined on a per square metre basis for persons admitted to all businesses, including restaurants, subject to consultation on public health best practices; and

    Whereas restaurants and the hospitality sector continue to be one of the most impacted sectors by COVID-19 public health measures and according to the latest Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses (CFIB) data, will take 8 plus years to recover from the impacts of COVID-19. The industry requires specific short and long term supports to remain viable.

    Therefore, be it resolved that:

    City Council, in partnership with BERN and Team Burlington, call on the federal and provincial governments to provide the following supports and address the issues identified by the Burlington restaurant community:

    • Address the key fixed costs facing the restaurant industry while they face steep revenue declines including the following actions:
      1. Expand small business relief measures including the Small Business Relief Grant and Property Tax and Energy Cost Rebates to the hardest hit sectors including restaurants beyond the period when they are placed under grey/lockdown level;
      2. Provide wholesale pricing from the LCBO to restaurants to help increase margins on alcohol sales;
      3. Investigate and potentially legislate for the significant increases that restaurants and other businesses have seen (up to 30%) in insurance premiums despite no significant changes to the risks that are being insured;
    • Provide clear evidence and actions as to why restaurants need hard caps and closures when other consumer facing business types are able to remain open with caps based on building capacity;
    • Provide supports and guidance to the restaurant industry and the public to increase consumer confidence and make it clear what is permitted/safe to do for residents and consumers to support the local restaurant industry while ensuring we stop the spread of COVID-19; and
    • Develop a long-term strategy of a minimum of three (3) and up to five plus (5+) years that outlines what recovery is expected to look like for the hospitality industry and long-term supports of one plus (1+) years that will be available to the industry to support their long-term survival and recovery.

    Further be it resolved that:

    The Mayor and Council representative on BERN be directed to write a letter, jointly with BERN and Team Burlington, advocating for the actions outlined above to support the survival of restaurants and the hospitality industry to the Premier of Ontario and the Prime Minister of Canada.

    The City Clerk be directed to send a copy of the letter and resolution, once approved, to:

    • Federal Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages
    • Federal Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade
    • Provincial Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction
    • Provincial Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade
    • Provincial Minister of Health
    • Provincial Minister of Finance
    • Burlington Members of Parliament including Minister Karina Gould, MP Pam Damoff and MP Adam Van Koeverden
    • Burlington Members of Provincial Parliament including MPP Jane McKenna, MPP Effie Triantafilopoulos and MPP Parm GillHalton Regional Council
    • Members of the Towns of Milton, Halton Hills and Oakville Councils
    • Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM)
    • Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO)
    • Ontario Big City Mayor’s Caucus (OBCM)
    • Mayors and Regional Chairs of Ontario (MARCO)
    • GTHA Mayors and Chairs
    • Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC)
    • Milton Chamber of Commerce
    • Halton Hills Chamber of Commerce
    • Oakville Chamber of Commerce
    • Team Burlington (Burlington Economic Development, Burlington Chamber of Commerce, Tourism Burlington, Burlington Downtown Business Association and Aldershot Village BIA)
    • Burlington Economic Recovery Network (BERN)
    • Burlington Restaurant Association
    CARRIED
  • Moved byCouncillor Stolte

    Approve the following Council appointments to the Burlington Lands Partnership Steering Committee for a term of 2 years (with exception of Chair of CPRM committee which is 1 year concurrently with their term as chair):

    • Mayor; and
    • Current Chair of the Community Planning, Regulation and Mobility Committee.
    CARRIED
  • Moved byCouncillor Sharman

    Receive and file city manager’s office report CM-05-21 providing status reports for designated corporate projects (for Q4 2020) detailed in Appendix A and an overview of risk management in projects as provided in Appendix B.

    CARRIED
  • Moved byCouncillor Sharman

    Receive and file report CL-02-21 from the office of the city clerk, providing an update on proposed Council Workshop governance sessions for 2021 and 2022.

    CARRIED

Note: This item was approved at the March 3, 2021 Special Council meeting.

  • Councillor Nisan assumed the position of Chair during this item to allow Councillor Kearns to move an amendment.

    Moved byCouncillor Kearns

    Direct the City Manager to proceed with implementing the interim service delivery program recommendation as contained in appendix B attached to city manager’s office report CM-06-21 outlining the COVID-19 property tax deferral payment plan - finance; and

    Refer appendix A of city manager’s office report CM-06-21 to the March 23, 2021 City Council meeting regarding outdoor customer experience from recreation, community and culture; and

    Direct the Chief Financial Officer to track and monitor the financial implications of the above service delivery program changes in the ongoing COVID-19 financial impact reporting to Council.

    CARRIED
  • Amendment:

    Moved byCouncillor Kearns

    Refer appendix A of city manager’s office report CM-06-21 to the March 23, 2021 City Council meeting regarding outdoor customer experience from recreation, community and culture.

    CARRIED
  • Moved byCouncillor Nisan

    Receive and file finance department report F-03-21, provide the financial status of the city as at December 31, 2020; and

    Approve the establishment of the Federal and Provincial Grant Reserve Fund as outlined in F-03-21; and

    Amend the interest allocation policy as outlined in F-03-21.

    CARRIED
  • Moved byCouncillor Sharman

    Receive and file finance department report F-06-21 reporting on 2020 year-end financial position.

    CARRIED
  • Moved byCouncillor Sharman

    Receive and file information technology services department report IT-01-21 providing an update on the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software procurement process.

    CARRIED
  • Moved byCouncillor Nisan

    Receive and file finance department report F-02-21 providing the status of the contingency reserve fund as at December 31, 2020.

    CARRIED
  • Councillor Galbraith declared a conflict on this item. (The property referred to in item 12 of legal department report L-06-21 is within 50 meters of Councillor Galbraith's personal residence. As such, the update for item 12 was provided in appendix C which Councillor Galbraith did not receive.)
  • Moved byCouncillor Stolte

    Direct the Executive Director of Legal Services or their designate to proceed in accordance with the instructions sought in matters 15, 16, 18, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 37, and 39 and that the balance of legal department report L-06-21 be received and filed.

    CARRIED

10:52 a.m. (recessed), 11:02 a.m. (reconvened), 11:58 a.m. (recessed), 1:00 p.m. (reconvened), 2:52 p.m. (recessed), 3:02 p.m. (reconvened), 4:05 p.m. (recessed), 6:30 p.m. (reconvened)

Chair adjourned the meeting at 7:04 p.m.

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