Finance and Corporate Services Committee

Minutes

Meeting #:

17

Date:

Monday, September 16, 2024

Time:

9:30 A.m. - 10:30 A.m.

Location:

Andrew S. Haydon Hall, 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 

---

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 2 October 2024 in Finance and Corporate Services Committee Report 17.

The deadline to register by phone to speak, or submit written comments or visual presentations is 4 pm on Friday, September 13, 2024, and the deadline to register to speak by email is 8:30 am on Monday, September 16, 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 16 – 2 July 2024

• Carried

4.

Responses to Inquiries

4.1

FCSC-2024-03 - City use of Artificial Intelligence

5.

Finance and Corporate Services Department

5.1

Proposed 2025 Budget Directions, Timeline and Consultation Process

File No. ACS2024-FCS-FSP-0015 - Citywide

The procedural Motion (FCSC-2024-17-01) was introduced and Carried at the beginning of the meeting. 

Items 5.1 “2 Proposed 2025 Budget Directions, Timeline and Consultation Process” and 5.2 “2024 Tax and Rate Operating and Capital Budget Q2 Status” were considered simultaneously.

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

Committee heard from the following public delegation:

•  Robin Browne
• Alex Cullen
• Andrew Lumsden
• Marko Miljusevic
• Juan Pedro (J. P.) Unger
• William van Geest, Ecology Ottawa 

At the conclusion of questions to the delegations, Mr. Rogers, Mr. Alain Gonthier, General Manager, Public Works Department, Mr. Dan Chenier, General Manager, Recreation, Cultural and Facility Services, Ms. Renée Amilcar, General Manager, Transit Services Department and Stuart Huxley, City Solicitor, Legal Services responded to questions. After discussion, the Committee CARRIED on a vote of 9 Yeas to 3 Nays, with Councillor R. Brockington dissenting on recommendation 2.b. and Councillor G. Darouze dissenting on recommendation 2.g. 

• Report recommendation(s)

  That the Finance and Corporate Services Committee recommend that Council approve the following:

  1. The approach and timetable for consultation and consideration of the 2025 budget as outlined in the report.
  2. The following directions for developing the Draft 2025 Budget:
     1. That the municipal tax increase be set at no more than 2.9 per cent overall inclusive of the following:
        1. The City-wide tax levy, which includes funding for Library and Public Heath be increased by no more than 2.9 percent for 2025 and that Council request that the Library and Public Health Boards develop their draft budgets based on the pro rata share of this tax increase;
        2. The Police Services levy be increased by no more than 2.9 percent and that Council request that the Police Services Board develop their draft budget based on this tax increase;
     2. That the Draft 2025 Transit Budget be developed in consideration of the $120-million funding deficit identified in the Fairness for Ottawa campaign and include solutions in the following areas, depending on support from other levels of government and the work of the Transit Long-Range Financial Plan Working Group:
        1. Funding of between $0 and $120 million from the federal and provincial governments
        2. A Transit levy increase of between 2.9 and 37 per cent
        3. A fare increase between 2.5 and 75 per cent 
        4. Fare discount adjustments for consideration to be itemized as part of the tabled 2025 Draft Transit Budget
        5. Operating efficiencies and/ or service reductions between $0 and $120 million
        6. Identify a list of Capital investment deferrals for consideration as part of the tabled 2025 Draft Transit Budget
        7. Identify any other levers for consideration as part of the tabled 2025 Draft Transit Budget
     3. That the assessment growth taxation revenues generated from new properties be estimated at 1.5 per cent of the current taxation for 2025 and that Council request that the Library, Public Health, Police Services Boards and the Transit Commission develop their budgets within this allocation.
     4. That City user fees and charges increase in accordance with the direction outlined in the Fiscal Framework or the Long-Range Financial Plans.
     5. That the Garbage Fee be increased in accordance with the approved Solid Waste Services Master Plan, shifting the tax portion of the funding to a fully recoverable curbside collection fee and reducing the proposed 17 per cent increase in 2025 to a seven per cent increase in 2025.
     6. That the Draft 2025 Capital Budget be developed in accordance with the direction outlined in the 2024 Development Charge (DC) Provisional Background Study, Long-Range Financial Plans and Fiscal Framework.
     7. That the Draft 2025 Rate Supported Budget be developed in accordance with the approved 2017 Long-Range Financial Plan V - Water, Wastewater and Stormwater.
  3. That the 2025 Recreation, Culture and Facility Services User Fees be approved to allow registrations and rentals sold in 2024 for 2025 to use 2025 rates, as described in this report.

  For (9)	M. Luloff, L. Dudas, G. Gower, T. Tierney, R. Brockington, C. Kitts, G. Darouze, C. Curry, and M. Sutcliffe
  Against (3)	R. King, J. Leiper, and S. Menard

  Carried (9 to 3)
• Motion No. FCSC FCSC-2024-17-01
  Moved by C. Kitts

  WHEREAS the following report was not distributed with the Finance and Corporate Services Committee Agenda but was posted on 11 September 2024:

  5.1 – Proposed 2025 Budget Directions, Timeline and Consultation Process (ACS2024-FCS-FSP-0015).

  THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that, pursuant to Subsection 89(3) of the Procedure By-law (being By-law No 2022-410), the Finance and Corporate Services Committee approve the addition of this report; and

  BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Finance and Corporate Services Committee request Council suspend the Rules of Procedure to consider the following reports at its meeting of September 18, 2024:

   

  5.1 - Proposed 2025 Budget Directions, Timeline and Consultation Process

  7.1 - Application for Approval to Expropriate Lands – Baseline Transit Priority Phase Project; and

  THERFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Finance and Corporate Services Committee suspend Section 83 (4)(a) of the Rules of Procedure to receive the presentation on item 5.4 entitled “Presentation: Information Technology Services Update Q3.

  Carried

5.2

2024 Tax and Rate Operating and Capital Budget Q2 Status

File No. ACS2024-FCS-FSP-0014 - Citywide

Items 5.1 “2 Proposed 2025 Budget Directions, Timeline and Consultation Process” and 5.2 “2024 Tax and Rate Operating and Capital Budget Q2 Status” were considered simultaneously.

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

Committee heard from the following public delegation:

•  Robin Browne
• Alex Cullen
• Andrew Lumsden
• Marko Miljusevic
• Juan Pedro (J. P.) Unger
• William van Geest, Ecology Ottawa 

At the conclusion of questions to the delegations, Mr. Rogers, Mr. Alain Gonthier, General Manager, Public Works Department, Mr. Dan Chenier, General Manager, Recreation, Cultural and Facility Services, Ms. Renée Amilcar, General Manager, Transit Services Department and Stuart Huxley, City Solicitor, Legal Services responded to questions. After discussion, the Committee CARRIED on a vote of 9 Yeas to 3 Nays, with Councillor R. Brockington dissenting on recommendation 2.b. and Councillor G. Darouze dissenting on recommendation 2.g. 

• Report Recommendation(s)

  That the Finance and Corporate Services Committee recommend that Council receive the 2024 Q2 Operating and Capital Status and 2024 Year-end Forecast for information as detailed in Documents 1 to 4.

  Received

5.3

Draft Statement of Investment Policies and Procedures for Prudent Investor Standard

File No. ACS2024-FCS-FIN-0009 - Citywide

Mr. Cyril Rogers, Interim General Manager and Chief Financial Officer, Finance and Corporate Services Department and Ms. Isabelle Jasmin Deputy City Treasurer, Financial Service, responded to questions. After the discussion the Committee CARRIED the item as presented.

• Report Recommendation(s)

  That the Finance and Corporate Services Committee recommend that Council receive, for information purposes, the Draft Statement of Investment Policies and Procedures (SIPP) for the City of Ottawa’s prudent investor standard that will be used as a framework for a request for proposal for an Outsourced Chief Investment Officer service provider working with staff and input from the Ottawa Investment Board to develop a final SIPP for approval by Council in 2025.

  Carried

5.4

Presentation: Information Technology Services Update Q3

Mr. Cyril Rogers, Interim General Manager and Chief Financial Officer, Finance and Corporate Services Department and Mr. Jason Barney, Associate Director, Financial Service, spoke to a PowerPoint presentation, a copy of which is held on file with the City Clerk.

Mr. Rogers, Mr. Barney and Ms. Wendy Stephanson, City Manager responded to questions. After discussion, the Committee RECEIVED the presentation.

• Received

6.

Office of the City Clerk

6.1

Status Update – Finance and Corporate Services Committee Inquiries and Motions for the period ending 5 September 2024

File No. ACS2024-OCC-CCS-0080 - Citywide

• Report Recommendation(s)

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

  Received

7.

Strategic Initiatives Department

7.1

Application for Approval to Expropriate Lands – Baseline Transit Priority Phase Project

File No. ACS2024-SI-HSI-0008 - College (8)

Ms. Vivi Chi, Acting General Manager, Planning, Development Building Service and Ms. Geraldine Wildman, Director, Housing Solutions and Investments, Strategic Initiatives Department responded to questions. After the discussion, the Committee CARRIED the report recommendation as presented.

• Report Recommendation(s)

  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 Baseline Transit Priority Phase Project. 

  Carried

8.

In Camera Items

There were no in camera items.

9.

Information Previously Distributed

9.1

Ottawa Board of Health – Reserve Appointment

File No. ACS2024-OCC-CCS-0070 - Citywide

10.

Notices of Motions (For Consideration at Subsequent Meeting)

There were no Notices of Motion.

11.

Inquiries

There were no Inquiries.

12.

Other Business

There was no other business.

13.

Adjournment

Next Meeting

Tuesday, October 1, 2024.

The meeting adjourned at 12:45 pm.