Special Meeting of Council

Minutes

Meeting #:
Date:
Time:
-
Location:
Members participating remotely (virtual)
Members Present:
  • Mayor Marianne Meed Ward,
  • Kelvin Galbraith,
  • Lisa Kearns,
  • Rory Nisan (Deputy Mayor),
  • Shawna Stolte,
  • Paul Sharman,
  • and Angelo Bentivegna
Staff Present:
  • Tim Commisso,
  • Heather MacDonald,
  • David Thompson (Audio/Video Specialist),
  • and Suzanne Gillies (Clerk)

Note: Due to COVID-19 and public health concerns delegations and public attendance was not permitted at this meeting. The Deputy Mayor was present in Council Chambers while the remaining members of council participated remotely.


None.

  • Motion No.

    Authorize the Director of Transit to implement a bus cleaning pilot program for 12 months, starting as soon as possible as outlined in transit department report TR-07-20; and

    Direct the Director of Transit to issue an RFI for transit cleaning services to provide a market comparison of outsourcing and insourcing bus cleaning and refueling options and report back to the Community Planning, Regulation and Mobility Committee on the results of the pilot program in Q4 of 2021.

    IN FAVOUR: (7)Mayor Meed Ward, Councillor Galbraith, Councillor Kearns, Councillor Nisan (Deputy Mayor), Councillor Stolte, Councillor Sharman, and Councillor Bentivegna
    CARRIED (7 to 0)
  • Motion No.

     Direct the City Manager to proceed with implementing the interim service delivery program recommendations as outlined in Appendix A and B of city manager’s office report CM-20-20 outlining recreation & community facilities and use of indoor pools – recreation services, respectively, while considering potential partnerships with the private sector to provide potential cost savings; and

    Receive and file Appendix C of city manager’s office report CM-20-20 providing an update to the interim service delivery modifications for Halton Court Services – legal services and City Hall/Sims Square public & staff re-entry; and

    Receive and file Appendices D, E, F and G of city manager’s office report CM-20-20 providing interim service delivery modifications for Tourism Burlington, the Museums of Burlington, the Art Gallery of Burlington and Burlington Public Library, respectively; 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; and

    Direct the Executive Director of Environment, Infrastructure and Community Services to provide a 25% reduction in fees for all city rental users, to include both for-profit and not-for-profit organizations, for the fall season with the opportunity for review and extension prior to the winter season as a COVID-19 emergency response; and

    Direct the Executive Director of Environment, Infrastructure and Community Services to add $25,000 to the fee assistance program for individuals, and report back prior to the winter season on the balance of the funding available.

    IN FAVOUR: (7)Mayor Meed Ward, Councillor Galbraith, Councillor Kearns, Councillor Nisan (Deputy Mayor), Councillor Stolte, Councillor Sharman, and Councillor Bentivegna
    CARRIED (7 to 0)
  • Motion No.

    Approve the amendment to Procedure By-law 04-2020, as amended, outlined in Appendix A, to allow for electronic meetings to occur without a declaration of an emergency.

    IN FAVOUR: (7)Mayor Meed Ward, Councillor Galbraith, Councillor Kearns, Councillor Nisan (Deputy Mayor), Councillor Stolte, Councillor Sharman, and Councillor Bentivegna
    CARRIED (7 to 0)
  • Motion No.
    Moved by:Councillor Kearns
    Seconded by:Councillor Stolte

    Approve the amendment to By-law 62-2020, otherwise known as the “COVID-19 Mask By-law”, to regulate the requirement of wearing of masks or other face coverings within enclosed common areas of apartment and condominium buildings and to extend the expiry date of the by-law to January 31, 2021, as attached as Appendix A in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor; and

    Remove the wording ‘meeting rooms or other common use facilities’ and add the wording ‘or mailrooms’ to the definition of ‘Enclosed Common Area’; and

    Approve the amendment to By-law 17-2020, otherwise known as the “COVID-19 Physical Distancing By-law”, to provide an expiry date of January 31, 2021, as attached as Appendix B in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor.

    IN FAVOUR: (7)Mayor Meed Ward, Councillor Galbraith, Councillor Kearns, Councillor Nisan (Deputy Mayor), Councillor Stolte, Councillor Sharman, and Councillor Bentivegna
    CARRIED (7 to 0)
  • Motion No.
    Moved by:Councillor Sharman
    Seconded by:Councillor Galbraith

    Amend the definition of ‘Enclosed Common Area’ by removing  the wording ‘meeting rooms or other common use facilities’ and adding the wording ‘or mailrooms’.

    IN FAVOUR: (7)Mayor Meed Ward, Councillor Galbraith, Councillor Kearns, Councillor Nisan (Deputy Mayor), Councillor Stolte, Councillor Sharman, and Councillor Bentivegna
    CARRIED (7 to 0)
  • Motion No.

    Receive and file Burlington Economic Development Corporation report BEDC-05-20 regarding Main Street Business Support; and

    Direct the Chief Financial Officer to earmark $125,000 in funds as a COVID-19 expense to support main street business and complement the Digital Main Street and Provincial Safe Restart COVID-19 programs; and

    Request that the Region of Halton match the City of Burlington’s contribution of $125,000 and earmark these funds to support main street businesses in Burlington; and

    Request that Burlington Economic Development work with City of Burlington to recommend a Main Street Business Support Program and appropriate delivery partners, subject to receiving details on the Provincial Safe Restart COVID-19 program and a suitable program being permitted under municipal legislation; and

    Direct the Executive Director of Burlington Economic Development to report back verbally to Council on the next steps during the September COVID-19 update, in keeping with the above recommendations; and

    Approve an additional $125,000 be earmarked for an immediate and timely small business relief grant program for COVID 19 reopening costs. The grant program is subject to criteria to be defined to ensure broad equality and eligibility that meets the intent of the Municipal Act to prevent municipalities from giving unfair assistance to business to the detriment of the local taxpayers and competing businesses, and not contingent on funding from Halton Region; and

    Request that the Region of Halton match the City of Burlington’s additional contribution of $125,000 for an immediate and timely small business relief grant program for COVID 19 reopening costs; and

    Direct the Mayor to work with Council, Team Burlington and Burlington Economic Recovery Network on an advocacy campaign to the Province and the Region regarding funding for small business relief, including a resolution to the Council meeting on Thursday August 13, 2020.

    IN FAVOUR: (7)Mayor Meed Ward, Councillor Galbraith, Councillor Kearns, Councillor Nisan (Deputy Mayor), Councillor Stolte, Councillor Sharman, and Councillor Bentivegna
    CARRIED (7 to 0)
  • Motion No.
    Moved by:Councillor Galbraith
    Seconded by:Councillor Kearns

    Whereas Members of Burlington’s small business community have identified “plummeting consumer confidence” as a key concern through Phase 3 of Halton Region’s re-opening; and

    Whereas The City of Burlington recognizes the need for local interventions to assist and incentivize the successful reopening of Burlington’s small business community; and

    Whereas The City of Burlington is committed to a main street support program that will provide immediate and timely support to Burlington’s most vulnerable corporate citizens; and

    Whereas The City of Burlington recognizes the value that programs like Provincial Safe Restart and Digital Main Street can provide to assist Burlington’s small businesses with supports; and

    Whereas The City of Burlington, in partnership with Team Burlington and BERN will lead an advocacy campaign to request that Halton Region and other upper-tier governments commit matching funds to Burlington’s local business supports interventions; and

    Whereas Team Burlington and its member organizations are committed partners with the City in the promotion and communications of a Burlington Small Business Supports program which ensures ensure broad equitability and clearly defined eligibility requirements; and

    Whereas The City of Burlington is supportive of a delivery model for local Small Business Supports that is compliant and does not interfere with the intent of Section 106 of the Municipal Act, 2001. However, this provision in The Act is currently a barrier to the crafting and implementation of a locally sensitive support program that is responsive to both the local business community’s and the municipality’s priorities and needs. This constraint is not unique to Burlington; it currently affects all municipalities across Ontario who are looking to target financial relief to businesses to mitigate the adverse economic impacts of COVID-19; and

    Whereas Municipalities must be able to effectively direct relief to their business community members to support recovery and now require additional flexibility to tailor economic relief and funding programs to those businesses most in need. A commitment on the part of the Government of Ontario to relax the current Section 106 Municipal Act, 2001 (“Anti-bonusing”) restrictions is an essential pandemic response and will be key to the successful re-opening and economic recovery of the province’s economy;

    Now therefore be it resolved that the Province of Ontario provide flexibility to lower tier levels of government at the municipal and regional level to support local businesses through the economy recovery and restart associated with Covid-19 via emergency support programs measures such as grants or other financial aid to local business without violating of anti-bonusing provisions of the Municipal Act; and

    That a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Premier of Ontario, Doug Ford, Stephen Clark the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, along with MPPs Jane McKenna, Effie Triantafilopoulos and Parm Gill, Halton Region, Association of Municipalities of Ontario AMO, Ontario Big City Mayors OBCM (formerly LUMCO), Burlington Economic Recovery Network (BERN) and Team Burlington.

    IN FAVOUR: (7)Mayor Meed Ward, Councillor Galbraith, Councillor Kearns, Councillor Nisan (Deputy Mayor), Councillor Stolte, Councillor Sharman, and Councillor Bentivegna
    CARRIED (7 to 0)
  • Motion No.
    Moved by:Councillor Sharman
    Seconded by:Councillor Galbraith

    Enact and pass the following by-laws which are now introduced, entitled and numbered as indicated below:

    IN FAVOUR: (7)Mayor Meed Ward, Councillor Galbraith, Councillor Kearns, Councillor Nisan (Deputy Mayor), Councillor Stolte, Councillor Sharman, and Councillor Bentivegna
    CARRIED (7 to 0)
  • Motion No.
    Moved by:Councillor Sharman
    Seconded by:Councillor Kearns

    Enact and pass By-law Number 69-2020, being a by-law to confirm the proceedings of Special Council at its meeting held Thursday, August 13, 2020, being read a first, second and third time.

    CARRIED
  • Motion No.
    Moved by:Councillor Bentivegna
    Seconded by:Councillor Sharman

    Adjourn this Council now to meet again at the call of the Mayor.

    10:10 pm

    CARRIED