Finance and Corporate Services Committee

Minutes

Meeting #:
5
Date:
Time:
-
Location:
Champlain Room, 110 Laurier Avenue West, and by electronic participation
Present:
  • Chair: Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, 
  • Vice-Chair: Councillor Catherine Kitts, 
  • Councillor Matt Luloff, 
  • Councillor Laura Dudas, 
  • Councillor Cathy Curry, 
  • Councillor Glen Gower, 
  • Councillor Tim Tierney, 
  • Councillor Rawlson King, 
  • Councillor Jeff Leiper, 
  • Councillor Riley Brockington, 
  • Councillor Shawn Menard, 
  • and Councillor George Darouze 

Notices and meeting information are attached to the agenda and minutes, including: availability of simultaneous interpretation and accessibility accommodations; in camera meeting procedures; information items not subject to discussion; personal information disclaimer for correspondents and public speakers; notices regarding minutes; and remote participation details.


Accessible formats and communication supports are available, upon request.


Except where otherwise indicated, reports requiring Council consideration will be presented to Council on June 14, 2023 in Finance and Corporate Services Committee Report 5.


The deadline to register by phone to speak, or submit written comments or visual presentations is 4 pm on June 5, 2023, and the deadline to register to speak by email is 8:30 am on June 6, 2023.

No Declarations of Interest were filed.

File No.: ACS2022-FSD-FIN-0005 - City-wide

Ms. Isabelle Jasmin, Deputy City Treasurer Corporate Finance, along with Mr. Cyril Rogers, Interim General Manager and Chief Financial Officer, Finance and Corporate Services Department, responded to questions.A question arose with respect to the reporting out mechanism regarding borrowing, Mr. Rogers agreed to report on this on a quarterly basis.

After discussion, the Committee CARRIED this item as presented.

  • Report Recommendations

    That the Finance and Corporate Services Committee recommend that Council:

    1. Receive the results of the City’s investments for 2022, as required by Ontario Regulation 438/97 as amended, Section 8(1), and the City of Ottawa Investment Policy;
    2. Approve the recommended annual Sinking Fund Levy reduction of $500 thousand;
    3. Receive, the 2022 Long-Term and Short-Term debt summary;
    4. Approve the recommended amendments to the Short-Term borrowing By-law to increase the borrowing limit from $500 million to a percentage basis that better aligns with the definitions for short-term borrowing limits as set out by Section 407 of the Municipal Act, 2001, S.O. 2001, c. 25;
    5. Approve the Terms of Reference and Governance for the Investment Board in accordance with the Prudent Investor Regime; and
    6. Approve the Ottawa Community Ice Partners proposal to temporarily waive until July 31, 2024, the requirement to fund from current year operating income a full year’s debt servicing for the subsequent year and the requirement for an annual contribution to the Operating Reserve held with the City, due to the continuing impact of the pandemic on cashflows.
    Carried

File No.: ACS2023-FCS-FSP-0007 – City-wide

Items 6.2 “2023 Tax and Rate Operating and Capital Budget Q1 Status” and 6.3 “Capital Adjustments and Closing of Projects - City Tax and Rate Supported” were considered simultaneously.

Mr. Cyril Rogers, Interim General Manager and Chief Financial Officer, Finance and Corporate Services Department and Ms. Svetlana Valkova, Manager, Finance and Corporate Services Department, spoke to a PowerPoint presentation, a copy of which is held on file with the City Clerk. Mr. Rogers and Ms. Valkova responded to questions.

After discussion, the Committee CARRIED this item as presented.

  • Report Recommendations

    That the Finance and Corporate Services Committee recommend that Council:

    1. Receive this report and documents 1 to 4 for information;
    2. Approve the $4.4 million of funding received from the Ministry of Long-Term Care’s Investments to Increase Direct Care Time for Residents Program be applied to the 2023 compensation budget as outlined by the Ministry of Long-Term Care.
    Carried

File No: ACS2023-FCS-FSP-0008 - City-wide

  • Report Recommendations

    That the Finance and Corporate Services Committee recommend that Council:

    1. Authorize the closing of capital projects listed in Document 1;
    2. Approve the budget adjustments as detailed in Document 2;
    3. Return to source or (fund) the following balances and eliminate debt authority resulting from the closing of projects and budget adjustments:
      • Municipal drain revenue: $177,400
      • Capital supported reserves: $7,233,038
      • Development Charge reserves: ($1,643,030)
      • Debt Authority: $1,150,023
    4. Permit those projects in Document 3 that qualify for closure to remain open;
    5. Receive the budget adjustments in Document 4 undertaken in accordance with the Delegation of Authority By-law 2023-067, as amended, as they pertain to capital works; and
    6. Authorize staff to perform the necessary financial adjustments as detailed in Documents 1 and 2.
    Carried

File No.: ACS2023-FCS-FIN-0004 - City Wide

  • Report Recommendation

    That Finance and Corporate Services Committee and Council receive this report on outstanding Lease Financing Agreements as of 31 December 2022 as required by Ontario Regulation 653/05 and the City’s Administration of Capital Financing and Debt Policy.

    Received

File No.: ACS2023-FCS-BSS-0001 - City-wide

Mr. Cyril Rogers, Interim General Manager and Chief Financial Officer, Finance and Corporate Services Department and Mr. Chris Hughes, Program Manager, Project Management Office, Finance and Corporate Services Department, spoke to a PowerPoint presentation, a copy of which is held on file with the City Clerk. Mr. Rogers, Mr. Hughes, along with Mr. David White, City Solicitor responded to questions.

After discussion, the Committee CARRIED this item as presented.

  • Report Recommendations

    That the Finance and Corporate Services Committee:

    1. Receive this report.
    2. Recommend Council approve the City’s Risk Appetite and Tolerance Statements as outlined in this report.
    3. Recommend Council approve the approach for reporting of Corporate Risks to Council as outlined in this report.
    Carried

File No.: ACS2023-FCS-PRO-0002 - City Wide

Mr. Will McDonald, Chief Procurement Officer, Procurement, Finance and Corporate Services Department and Ms. Joanne Graham, Manager, Procurement, Finance and Corporate Services Department, responded to questions. 

After discussion, the Committee RECEIVED this item as presented.

  • Report Recommendation

    That the Finance and Corporate Services Committee and Council receive this report for information.

    Received

File No.: ACS2023-PRE-CRO-0006 - Kanata North (4) 

  • Report Recommendation

    That the Finance and Corporate Services Committee recommend that Council enact a by-law, in the form attached in Document 1, approving the making of an application pursuant to Section 4 of the Expropriations Act for approval to expropriate lands that are required for purposes of the Earl Grey Drive Extension Project.

    Carried

File No.: ACS2023-PRE-RHU-0023 - Rideau Vanier (12)

Mr. Court Curry, Manager, Right of Way, Heritage and Urban Design Services, Planning, Real Estate and Economic Development Department (PRED), Ms. Cindy VanBuskirk, Program Manager, High Economic Impact Programs, PRED and Ms. Amanda Mullins Program Manager, Event Central, Emergency and Protective Services Department spoke to a PowerPoint presentation, a copy of which is held on file with the City Clerk. Mr. Curry, Ms. VanBuskirk along with Mr. Chris Tuck, Director, Employment and Social Services, Community and Social Services Department responded to questions.
Committee heard from the following public delegation:
•    Brian Lahey and Sarah Jennings, ByWard Market Landowners Group
•    Michelle Groulx, Ottawa Coalition of Business Improvement Areas
•    Steve Ball, Ottawa Gatineau Hotel Association (OGHA)
•    Stephen Beckta
•    Catherine Callary, Ottawa Tourism*
•    Sueling Ching, Ottawa Board of Trade
•    Cheryl Parrott, Hintonburg Community Association
[ * Individuals / groups marked with an asterisk above either provided comments in writing or by e-mail; all submissions are held on file with the City Clerk. ]
The following correspondence is held on file with the City Clerk.
·    Sylvie Grenier, Lowertown Community Association - submission received June 2, 2023

At the conclusion of questions to the delegations and to staff, and following Committee discussion, the report recommendations were then put before Committee and were Carried with the following direction to staff:


DIRECTION TO STAFF (Councillor J. Leiper)
That staff be directed to guarantee space for community-based organizations, and the Hintonburg Community Association in particular, in the course of crafting a use agreement for the Parkdale Park field house between the City and the Municipal Services Corporation.

  • Report Recommendations

    That the Finance and Corporate Services Committee recommend that Council:

    1. Receive for information the proposed Mission Statement, Mandate and Operational Boundary of the Municipal Services Corporation to be known as the ByWard Market District Authority;
    2. Receive the resignation of the existing Municipal Services Corporation Board, approve a new Municipal Services Corporation governance structure, and consider the appointments at the annual general meeting of the three new Board Members at Large to the Municipal Services Corporation being Mischa Kaplan, Nina Kressler and Grace Xue Xin and receive for information the proposed recruitment process for the remaining Board Members at Large;
    3. Provide delegated authority to the General Manager, Planning, Real Estate and Economic Development to execute a new Service and Asset Management Agreement between the City and the Municipal Services Corporation and any future amendments that may be necessary from time to time;
    4. Direct the City Clerk to bring forward for Council approval the repeal of By-law 302-90 that designated the ByWard Market Business Improvement Area, and By-law 303-90 (as amended 27-93) that established the Board of Management, by no later than December 31, 2023;
    5. Direct staff to explore, in collaboration with the Municipal Services Corporation Board, a special area levy to support the mandate of the ByWard Market District Authority;
    6. Receive an update on ByWard Market Public Realm Plan implementation and confirm the following priority projects for partner government funding: William Street and ByWard Market Square street renewal, the creation of York Street plaza, and the redevelopment of the 70 Clarence Street municipal parking garage;
    7. Approve $200,000 in immediate one-time funding for ByWard Market District Authority transition costs; and
    8. Approve $100,000 in one-time capital funding to leverage other potential funding partnerships that together will deliver permanent enhancements to the Parkdale Market in celebration of its 100th anniversary in 2024.
    Carried

There were no in camera items.

File No.: ACS2023-PRE-GEN-0006

  • Motion No. FCSC2023 05-01

    WHEREAS report ACS2023-PRE-GEN-0006 is to provide information on activities on Planning, Real Estate and Economic Development Department use of delegated authority as per the current Delegation of Authority By-law (2022-29), within the mandate of Finance and Corporate Services Committee; and 

    WHEREAS a technical amendment is required to correct three errors in Document 1 of the report. 

    THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that, with respect to report ACS2023-PRE-GEN-0006 Finance and Corporate Services Committee, amend Document 1 by:

    1. Substituting “BIA Expansion Grant” with “BIA Anti-Graffiti Funding Program”; and
    2. Substituting “BIA Research Grant Program” with “BIA Research Funding Program”; and
    3. Removing “City Winter Grant Program” from the program with no activity as this was a one-time COVID program from 2021.
    Carried

There were no Motions of Which Notice has been Previously Given

Submitted by Councillor M. Luloff:

As a necessary component for the construction of the LRT Stage 2 Confederation Line Extension, there are required lane and ramp closures along the OR174, and surrounding roadways. The contract with East West Connectors allows for a certain degree of flexibility with regards to the closures, in order to facilitate works and/or to ensure the safety of the construction activity. While, there is no specific Ward Councillor approval required for these closures, and approvals are governed by the Project Agreement. 

  • Specific to the terms outlined within the Project Agreement, what level of input, consultation, notification, and authorization from the local Member of Council does the Project Agreement require? 
  • How does the Project Agreement spell out the weight of the input from the local Councillor, specifically with respect to approving overnight work, and lane and ramp closures?
  • When a closure is deemed necessary by Stage 2, what is the required:
    • advance notice;
    • communication channels/methods;
    • maps/detour materials shared as part of those public notices;
    • detour/information signage on site, and on surrounding streets.
  • Is the Stage 2 Project Agreement, with regards to this approval process, in line with industry best practices?

There was no other business.

Next Meeting


July 4, 2023.

The meeting adjourned at 12:17 pm.

No Item Selected