There were two main topics on the agenda for the last Committee of the Whole meeting of 2025 and they both had to do with money, this year’s money. Appropriate for the first meeting after the budget confirmation process that we continue on with money stuff, but if you’re looking for controversy then this is not the meeting for you. What went down was pretty straightforward. Short and sweet. Here’s the recap…

Committee of the Whole Meeting – December 2, 2025

Perhaps fitting for one of the last meetings of the year, and the first meeting immediately after the completion of the 2026 budget confirmation process, the December Committee of the Whole meeting was over and done in no time at all. In fact, more time was spent organizing staff for their photo in recognition of recent accomplishments than any particular topic.

Speaking of the two matters of business, Brendan Hall from KPMG presented the 2025 External Audit Plan and discussed how the City’s financial statements will be dissected once the fiscal year is over at the end of December (along with the rest of 2025). Hall explained how they will be looking at the City’s liabilities like brownfields, examining the actuarial tables and their impact on employee benefits, and testing the development charge collections and their impact on reserve accounts. Committee approved the audit plan after only one question about how big an asset has to be for its retirement to be accounted for.

Second, and last, committee received the 2025 Third Quarter Budget Monitoring Report. According to the written submission in the agenda, City staff are projecting a year-end deficit of $3.1 million or 0.54 per cent of the gross operating expenditure, which is actually down from the second quarter by about $700,000. Most of that is on the non-tax side, and that’s driven by lower-than-expected revenue in Planning, Building, and Engineering fees, as well as Water and Wastewater rates and supplementary taxes. The adjustments to the capital budget were approved with even less discussion than the External Audit Plan.

To wrap up, Mayor Cam Guthrie invited everyone to the Council and Mayor Tree Lighting tomorrow night in Market Square. Formal events start around 6:30 pm or so, but there will be lots to see and lots of people to hang out with. More than there were at December’s Committee of the Whole meeting in any event.

Click here to see the complete recap of the meeting.

The next meeting is the planning meeting of council on Tuesday December 9 at 6 pm. You can see the agendas on the City’s website here.