LIVE BLOG: City Council Meeting for May 30, 2016

Published on by Adam A. Donaldson

It’s a special meeting of city council tonight as the horseshoe gathers to hear about what local projects might get federal infrastructure money, and about the possibility of high speed rail coming to town. You can click here for the amended agenda from City Hall, and you can click here to read Politico’s preview of tonight’s meeting. For the complete blow-by-blow of tonight’s council meeting, you can follow me on Twitter, or follow along below via Storify.

by
Adam A. Donaldson
Mon, May 30 2016 22:54:47

Guelph City Council Meeting – May 30, 2016

Live blog from the meeting starting at 6 pm

  1. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Council goes back into closed meeting. That’s a wrap for the open section.

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:54:41

  2. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    HSR report passes unanimously.

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:53:51

  3. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Guthrie says Guelph’s “got to put our foot in the door.”

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:53:38

  4. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Guthrie says he’s pleased w/discussions. Allt’s comments not accurate and their are opportunities for city.

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:53:25

  5. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Should be focused on GO Transit, Allt says.

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:52:58

  6. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Better chance of Star Trek transporter coming to Guelph than HSR, says Allt.

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:52:48

  7. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Physics-wise, the acceleration/deceleration btw Guelph and Kitchener doesn’t work.

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:52:29

  8. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Cllr All has scepticism about HSR, like turning Highway 6 into a 400 series road.

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:51:44

  9. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Bell: we need to get in the game.

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:50:44

  10. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Bell: We should move forward knowing that there are implications that may not be agreeable to some constituents.

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:50:33

  11. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Cllr Bell believes there are specifics that “fall out” of the HSR report. Have to decide if we want econ dev. or level crossings.

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:50:09

  12. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Report passes unanimously 13-0

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:49:07

  13. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Gordon says everyone around the horseshoe wishes “their pet project” was in Phase 1, but this is about shovel ready.

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:48:55

  14. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Stewart: Staff wanted council to know that they haven’t forgotten things in phase two. It’s just not their time.

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:48:17

  15. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Cllr Gordon asks about wish list, we don’t when and how right now.

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:47:41

  16. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Staff comfortable with amendment.

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:46:50

  17. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Cllr MacKinnon puts forward an amendment to the motion, specific Phase 1 since still working gone Phase 2.

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:46:15

  18. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Stewart: Could be done this evening. Could be done when Feds establish the guidelines for next phase.

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:44:09

  19. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Bell asks if Active Transpo Network can be started in Phase 2, how can council direct staff to include that in B list?

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:43:34

  20. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    The chances of us being 100% successful are “likely not there”, says Stewart.

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:42:44

  21. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Active Transportation is new infrastructure. But Bell point out that Silvercreek underpass is new infrastructure.

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:41:01

  22. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Bell questions about some of the things dropped from the initial list. The first phase is about upgrades and repair, says staff.

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:39:55

  23. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Bell asks why it wasn’t in the forecast? Wasn’t listed on the 10 year plan

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:37:24

  24. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Staff: Metcalfe plan is ready “on the shelf” to take advantage of circumstances like this. Was slated for 2017/18.

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:36:49

  25. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Cllr Bell asks how Metcalfe St is “shovel ready” when it was no previously in capital budget.

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:36:12

  26. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Stewart: City thinks that Prov should come to #guelph with “buckets of money” to address those grades. IOW: not shovel ready.

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:35:41

  27. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Cllr Piper as about other at-grade crossings. Ties with later discussion about HSR. Are they not shovel ready?

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:34:04

  28. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Staff: permitting is expected to come through later this year. Ground could be broken late this year.

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:33:03

  29. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Hofland says that CN isn’t yet cool with the underpass. Has that been considered?

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:31:02

  30. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Mayor Guthrie says council doesn’t have to move forward to it with Hofland has other/better ideas than Silvercreek gradient.

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:30:30

  31. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Cllr Hofland wonders about the urgency of opening Silvercreek since there won’t be development there another 6 years.

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:29:35

  32. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    A foreman for OWS Railroad told me in 2013 that his company would be working on the gradient that summer :-/

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:29:00

  33. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Silvercreek gradient is Phase One, the plans are set and project is shovel ready.

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:28:17

  34. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Cllr Hofland asks about what Silvercreek gradient has to do with GO Transit. But it’s local development, and city has transpo issues.

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:27:21

  35. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    DCAO Stewart: What this does is allow federal funding to move things along, and allow time to collect local development charges.

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:24:59

  36. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Cllr Hofland asks about SIlvercreek gradient, but development of Lafarge lands pushed off to 2022…

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:23:41

  37. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Staff: We can move forward with that.

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:22:39

  38. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Cllr Gibson raises distinction between social and affordable. Asks to hear about other partners.

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:22:18

  39. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    W.C. also doesn’t know what affordable housing project will look like, waiting for that info

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:21:47

  40. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Staff have begun initial convos with W.C. They’re moving forward with expression of interest. Aware of IMACO project.

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:21:17

  41. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Cllr Billings kicks off Qs. Asking about brownfield remediation and working with Wellington C. Do we need approval?

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:20:31

  42. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Haven’t yet heard from the province on cost sharing agreements. Typically they pay for 1/3 or such projects.

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:19:40

  43. Phase 2 ideas. https://t.co/2hZ9yVJRNp

    Phase 2 ideas. pic.twitter.com/2hZ9yVJRNp
    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    ·

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:19:12

  44. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Fall 2016, the announcement of Phase 2, parameters to be revealed in 2017 budget.

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:18:38

  45. Financial implications: https://t.co/3xbBTxD32d

    Financial implications: pic.twitter.com/3xbBTxD32d
    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    ·

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:17:47

  46. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Improvements to main library branch would be about meeting AODA Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act requirem’ts, new roof, etc

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:16:55

  47. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Silvercreek grade separation means connecting the north and south end of the street under the tracks.

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:15:32

  48. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    New Building Canada Fund was started under Harper, but “accelerated” under Trudeau.

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:14:56

  49. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Multiroute locations (bus stops) will be made accessible and be give shelters.

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:13:56

  50. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    The @cityofguelph is expecting $4M per year over the next few years. 25 buses could be retired and replaced.

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:13:29

  51. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Under the Public Transit Infrastructure Fund (PTIF) new buses, new fair boxes, completion of Transit Master Plan, and upgrade shelters.

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:12:43

  52. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    …must have compounded community benefits, and must have generation of revenue and/or operational cost savings paid back over time. 2/2

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:11:21

  53. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Selection criteria: Any project looking for federal money will have to be “shovel ready”, have an approved budget amount… 1/2

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:11:14

  54. Here's the chart to let you know how that money will be divided. https://t.co/OiMdS709Tv

    Here’s the chart to let you know how that money will be divided. pic.twitter.com/OiMdS709Tv
    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    ·

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:10:09

  55. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Starting with background, the fed gov’t has promised $11.9B in infrastructure spending over the next 2 years.

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:08:44

  56. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Cllr moves to pull high speed rail for discussion. We’re starting with project list for infrastructure spending.

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:07:14

  57. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Council meeting is beginning, but council will be going in camera again after the open meeting.

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:06:16

  58. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Council is slowly trickling in. Mayor Guthrie says about 5-6 minutes till be begin.

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:02:00

  59. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Looks like closed meeting is running long. The topic: CAO Contract. Hmmmm

    Mon, May 30 2016 22:00:09

  60. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    City Council Preview – What’s on the Agenda for the May 30 Meeting?  http://guelphpolitico.blogspot.ca/2016/05/city-council-preview-whats-on-agenda_29.html …

    Mon, May 30 2016 16:17:20

  61. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Guelph Politico WILL be live tweeting from tonight’s special session of #GuelphCityCouncil. Follow along:  http://guelphpolitico.blogspot.ca/2016/05/live-blog-city-council-meeting-for-may_30.html …

    Mon, May 30 2016 16:16:51

 

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