It’s time for the last Committee of the Whole meeting of the year, and it’s a deceptively simple agenda with some pretty big issues. What can you look forward to? A COVID-19 update, some planning matters, next year’s main issues for the City, some downtown discussion, and a pretty big new motion about accelerating Guelph’s climate change commitments.

NOTE #1: Delegates will be able to appear at this meeting via telephone, but you do have to register with the clerks office before 10 am on Friday December 3. You can also submit written delegations and correspondences for agenda items.

NOTE #2: The meeting will be closed to the public, though it will be live-streamed on the City of Guelph’s website here.

STAFF RECOGNITIONS:

Anna Marie O’Connell, Supervisor of Parking Administration won the 2021 Ted Seeberg Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Canadian Parking Industry.

Graham Aikenhead, Project Manager of Corporate Energy and Climate Change, won the 2020 Energy Manager of the Year Award for the Save On Energy Program at the Independent Electricity Systems Operator (IESO) awards.

Senior Heritage Planner Stephen Robinson won the 2021 Canadian Association of Heritage Professionals (CAHP) Award of Merit for the design and rehabilitation of Basilica Of Our Lady Immaculate Rectory.

Economic Development Marketing Coordinator Kurtis Wells won the Silver Award of Excellence for Guelph Shops at the International Economic Development Council Awards, while Wells and Tyson McMann got the Bronze Award of Excellence for the Community Profile project.

2022 Intergovernmental Priorities – As you may know, the City of Guelph has staff who specialize in liaising with other governments, whether that’s other municipal governments, or upper levels of government at the Federal and Provincial level. For 2022, these staff members will concentrate on several key initiatives including brownfield remediation, water protection, regional transit, housing attainability, more funding for the Elliott, and improved relations with First Nations people.

Managing the Impacts of COVID-19: Update Number 10 – Chief Administrative Officer Scott Stewart will present the quarterly update about the impacts of COVID-19 on the administration. Usually a member of staff from public health also presents to committee, but that was not mentioned in the agenda. A full report will be attached to the consolidated agenda next Friday.

Downtown Business Improvement Area Review Process – Back at the October council meeting, Mayor Cam Guthrie put forward a motion asking staff to present information about performing a governance review of the Downtown Guelph Business Association, and the current set-up of the BIA. The report was not included in the initial release of the agenda, and the matter is currently listed on the consent agenda for Infrastructure, Development and Enterprise.

York Road-Elizabeth Street Draft Urban Design Concepts – The City’s senior urban planner will present the various design concept proposals for the York/Elizabeth area in the Ward. There are three demonstrations sites in the proposed concept, one along Stevenson, one at York Road and Elizabeth Street, and one at York Road on either side of Cityview. No decision is being made about planning matters in the area at this meeting, committee will only vote to receive the concept plan as information.

Cities Race to Zero – Councillors Jams Gordon and Leanne Caron are co-sponsoring a motion to accelerate the City of Guelph’s commitment to reach net zero well ahead of the current 2050 deadline. The inspiration comes from the United Nation’s Race to Zero initiative, which aims to rally businesses, cities, regional governments and post-secondary institutions to invest in sustainable growth and a zero carbon recovery.

The Gordon/Caron motion has multiple parts. It will pledge to reach net zero by sometime in the 2040s, create four-year climate targets, modify the 2030 target for a 50 per cent reduction in CO2, implement annual reporting, commit to regular consultation with the Indigenous community, and will renew the City’s commitment, plus the commitment of associating local boards and committees, to climate action.