Finance and Corporate Services Committee

Minutes

Meeting #:

15

Date:

Tuesday, June 04, 2024

Time:

9:30 A.m. - 3:30 P.m.

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 

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1.

Notices and meeting information for meeting participants and the public

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 Wednesday, June 12, 2024, in Finance and Corporate Services Committee Report 15.

The deadline to register by phone to speak, or submit written comments or visual presentations is 4 pm on Monday, June 3, 2024, and the deadline to register to speak by email is 8:30 am on Tuesday, June 4, 2024.

These “Summary Minutes” indicate the disposition of items and actions taken at the meeting. This document does not include all of the text that will be included in the full Minutes, such as the record of written and oral submissions. Recorded votes and dissents contained in the Summary Minutes are draft until the full Minutes of the meeting are confirmed by the Committee. The draft of the full Minutes (for confirmation) will be published with the agenda for the next regular Committee meeting and, once confirmed, will replace this document.

2.

Declarations of Interest

No Declarations of Interest were filed.

3.

Confirmation of Minutes

3.1

FCSC Minutes 14 – May 7, 2024

• Carried

4.

Responses to Inquiries

4.1

FCSC 2024-02 Sliding Scale for Parking Fines

4.2

OCC 2024-04 Vacant Unit Tax

With the will of the committee, the Response to Inquiry was lifted for discussion. Following questions to staff, Vice-Chair Kitts introduced the following Direction to staff.

• DIRECTION TO STAFF (Vice-Chair Kitts)

  Recognizing a gap in the current Vacant Unit Tax (VUT) program’s late appeals process, that staff be directed to explore amending the current VUT program that would allow property owners to declare their property status after the established appeal deadlines have passed. 

  This amendment should include a provision for a modest cost recovery fee for late declarations. If the property owner can demonstrate that the property in question was their primary residence, the VUT should be reversed upon successful declaration.

5.

Finance and Corporate Services Department

5.1

2023 Investments, Endowment, and Other Treasury Activities

File No: ACS2024-FCS-FIN-0005 - City-wide

• Report Recommendation(s)

  That the Finance and Corporate Services Committee recommend that Council: 

  1. Receive the results of the City’s investments for 2023, 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 $300 thousand; 
  3. Receive the 2023 Long-Term and Short-Term debt summary; 
  4. Receive the staff update on the migration to the Prudent Investment Regime for funds not immediately required.
  5. Receive the Treasury Services Contracts report as required by Delegation of Authority By law 2023-067 Schedule B, section 15(2)
  Carried

5.2

Capital Adjustments and Closing of Projects - City Tax and Rate Supported

File No: ACS2024-FCS-FSP-0009 - City-wide

• Report Recommendation(s)

  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 increase debt authority resulting from the closing of projects and budget adjustments:
     • General revenue: $417,000
     • Tax, Rate and other supported reserves: $22,198,304
     • Transit Capital reserve commitment release: $105,946,011
     • Development Charge reserves: $3,960,514
     • Debt Authority: ($103,038,758)
  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 as amended
• Moved by S. Menard

  WHEREAS the Capital Adjustments and Closing of Projects – City Tax and Rate Supported report going to Finance and Corporate Service Committee on June 4th 2024 outlines that projects totaling $571.892 million in net approved budget authority have been completed and are recommended for closure, and that actual funding required is $17.598 million less than budget, which will result in $4.829 million being returned to capital tax and other reserves, and 

  WHEREAS the City’s total parks renewal budget for 2024 is $6.6M supporting approximately 1,100 parks whose competing needs include aging infrastructure and the demands of a growing population; and  

  WHEREAS transfer of funds must remain in their specific category, and since Parks are tax-funded, an increase in park renewal budget must come from a tax-funded source; and 

  WHEREAS Table 1 in recommendation 3 of the same report shows that $981,512.39 in City Wide Capital Reserve Funds are being returned to source; and 

  WHEREAS all projects addressed in the Capital Close report need to be finished within 2024, and require design and consultation prior to construction; and 

  WHEREAS the City used to plan for asset management projects at approximately 19 parks per year, and are currently planning for 17 parks; and 

  WHEREAS staff are able to advance the design component of 2 additional parks in 2024; to be considered for construction in 2025;

  THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that $80,000 be transferred from the $981,512.39 in City Wide Capital Reserve Funds to the Parks Asset Management Budget for 2024. 

  Carried

5.3

2024 Tax and Rate Operating and Capital Budget Q1 Status

File No: ACS2024-FCS-FSP-0008 - City-wide

• Report Recommendation(s)

  That the Finance and Corporate Services Committee recommend that Council:

  1. Receive this report and documents 1 to 4 for information
  2. Approve to increase the Paramedic Service Central Ambulance Communication Centre (CACC) base budget for the provision of dispatch services which is 100% funded by the Province.
  Carried

5.4

Lease Financing Agreements 2023

File No: ACS2024-FCS-FIN-0004 - City-wide

• Report Recommendation(s)

  That Finance and Corporate Services Committee and Council receive this report on outstanding Lease Financing Agreements as of 31 December 2023 as required by Ontario Regulation 653/05 and the City’s Administration of Capital Financing and Debt Policy.

  Received

5.5

2023 Procurement Year in Review

File No: ACS2024-FCS-PRO-0001 - City-wide

• Report Recommendation(s)

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

  Received

6.

Infrastructure and Water Services Department 

6.1

Ᾱdisōke Project Update

File No: ACS2024-IWS-IS-001 - City-wide

• Report Recommendation(s)

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

  Received

7.

Office of the City Clerk

7.1

2023 Report on French Language Services

File No: ACS2024-OCC-GEN-0010 - City-wide

• Report Recommendation(s)

  That the Finance and Corporate Services Committee recommend that City Council:

  1. Receive this report for information.
  2. Approve the 2024 Departmental French Language Services Operational Plans as described in this report and set out in Document 1.
  Carried

8.

Strategic Initiatives Department 

8.1

100 Constellation Drive – Option to Purchase 

File No: ACS2024-SI-HSI-0003 - College (8)

• Report Recommendation(s)

  That Finance and Corporate Services Committee recommend that Council delegate authority to the Interim Director, Housing Solutions, and Investment Services Branch of the Strategic Initiatives Department to:

  1. Exercise an option to purchase 100 Constellation Drive, a 6.88-hectare site (17 acres), which includes a 387,629 square foot building described in Document 1 as Parcels 1 and 2.
  2. On February 28, 2026, the end of the Lease for the Option Lands, complete the purchase of the Option Lands, from Arnon Corporation, for the purchase price of $10,000,000 plus additional costs equal to the unamortized balance of capital expenditures (if any) and applicable closing costs estimated at $2,200,000.
  3. Negotiate, finalize, execute and amend as needed such notices, documents, agreements and instruments as necessary regarding exercising the Option to Purchase and the Purchase of the Option Lands. 
  Carried

9.

In Camera Items

9.1

Cybersecurity Update Q2 – In Camera – Report Out Date: Not to be Reported Out

That, in accordance with Procedure By-law 2022-410, the Finance and Corporate Services Committee resolve to move In-Camera pursuant to Subsection 13(1)(a), to close part of a meeting to members of the public as the subject matter considered is “the security of the property of the City”, at which time a verbal update will be provided on cyber security and the external threat landscape, which is confidential and will not be reported out.

Committee resolved In Camera at 11:17 am and resumed in open session at 12:05 pm.

Upon resuming in open session, Mayor Sutcliffe advised that the Finance and Corporate Services Committee met In Camera to receive an update on Cybersecurity and the external threat landscape.

These matters will not be reported out as they relate to Subsection 13(1)(a) of the Procedure By-law, as the subject matter relates to the security of the property of the City.

During the in camera session, no votes were taken other than procedural motions and/or directions to staff. 

• Motion No. FCSC 2024-15-xx
  Moved by C. Kitts

  
  BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Finance and Corporate Services Committee resolve in camera pursuant to Subsection 13(1)(a) of the Procedure By-law, as the subject matter relates to the security of the property of the City, to receive a presentation on cyber security and the external threat landscape, which is confidential and will not be reported out.

  Carried

10.

Information Previously Distributed

10.1

Use of Delegated Authority during 2023 by Revenue Services under Schedule “B” of By-law 2023-67

File No: ACS2024-FCS-REV-0002 - City-wide

11.

Notices of Motions (For Consideration at Subsequent Meeting)

There were no Notices of Motion.

12.

Inquiries

There were no Inquiries.

13.

Other Business

There was no other business.

14.

Adjournment

Next Meeting

July 2, 2024.

The meeting adjourned at 12:04 pm.