GENERAL COMMITTEE AGENDA Tuesday June 16, 2020 9:00 a.m. Electronic Meeting Page 1
NOTICE:
This meeting will be held ELECTRONICALLY in accordance with section 238 of the Municipal Act, which provides for Electronic Participation where an emergency has been declared to exist in all or part of the municipality under section 4 or 7.01 of the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act, and the Town’s Procedural By-law 2020-024.
Members of the public may observe the proceedings by accessing the live webcast at: https://www.bracebridge.ca/en/town-services/Webcasts.aspx
Archived webcasts may be accessed at: http://calendar.bracebridge.ca/council#
Public Participation in the open session portions of this Electronic Meeting may occur through viewing the live webcast and/or contacting your elected Member of Council regarding specific agenda items at: https://www.bracebridge.ca/en/town-services/Contact.aspx
1. CALL TO ORDER
Land Acknowledgement Statement:
We want to acknowledge that we are on lands traditionally occupied by Indigenous Peoples. They continue to care for this land, they continue to shape Bracebridge today – and we want to show our respect. Hundreds of years after the first treaties were signed, they remain relevant today in guiding our decisions and actions.
2. DECLARATIONS OF PECUNIARY INTEREST
3. PUBLIC MEETINGS
Nil
4. DELEGATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS
Nil.
5. MINUTES FROM ADVISORY COMMITTEES
Nil.
6. NEW BUSINESS
6.1. COVID-19 – Town of Bracebridge Operations and Recovery Planning Update (CAO005-20)
1. That Staff Report CAO005-20, providing an update on Town of Bracebridge operations during the COVID-19 Pandemic emergency and on the Town’s recovery planning, be received for information purposes.
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2. That, in anticipation of the potential extension of the COVID-19 Pandemic Emergency, Resolution 20-TC-046, ratified by Council on March 26, 2020 and Confirming By-law 2020-025, be amended to extend the duration of the delegated authority granted to the Chief Administrative Officer from June 30, 2020 to July 31, 2020.
3. That staff continue to report back to General Committee with further updates during the course of the COVID-19 Pandemic emergency.
6.2. 2019 Annual Report of the Bracebridge Public Library (LIB001-20)
That the 2019 Annual Report of the Bracebridge Public Library attached as Appendix “A” to report LIB001-20 dated June 16, 2019 from the Bracebridge Public Library Board be received for information purposes.
6.3. Planning and Development Department’s - 2019 Year-End Activity Report (PD017- 20)
That the Planning and Development Department’s 2019 Year-End Activity Report attached as Appendix “A” to Staff Report PD017-20 be received for information purposes.
6.4. 2020 Event Tourism and Community Grants – COVID-19 Response (PD018-20)
1. That, notwithstanding the cancellation of 2020 tourism events, the Director of Finance/Treasurer be delegated the authority to approve the distribution of proportionate funding to approved 2020 Event Tourism Festival and Event Grant recipients to offset expenses incurred in planning for the 2020 event, subject to the submission of appropriate documentation substantiating the costs paid by the event organizers, in accordance with the details of Staff Report PD018-20.
2. That Event Tourism Festival and Event Grant funds unspent in 2020 be allocated to the Economic Development Reserve for inclusion in the Draft 2021 Municipal Budget and Business Plan to be considered for distribution to the recipient event organizers in 2021.
3. That the Director of Finance/Treasurer be delegated the authority to approve the distribution of funding for approved 2020 Community Grants in accordance with the details of Staff Report PD018-20 as follows:
3.1. That recipients be allowed to reallocate funds received to alternative uses, provided the uses are still aligned with the Community Grants eligibility requirements; and
3.2. That recipients be allowed to retain funds received for use in 2021, provided the proposed use of the funds remains unchanged from the 2020 approved uses.
4. That Community Grant funds unspent in 2020 be allocated to the Economic Development Reserve for inclusion in the Draft 2021 Municipal Budget and Business Plan to be considered for distribution to community groups in 2021.
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6.5. Approval of Design Option for the Germania Road Culvert Replacement (PW015-20)
1. That Design Option No. 1 – Four (4) x 2.2 m diameter Corrugated Steel Pipe Culverts with Polymer Coating for replacement of the Germania Road Culvert, as described in Staff Report PW015-20, be approved.
2. That the Germania Road Culvert Replacement construction project, included as part of the 2020 Municipal Budget and Business Plan, be deferred and the respective $150,000 allocation be transferred to the Public Works Capital Reserve.
3. That $500,000 be included in Draft 2021 Municipal Budget and Business Plan for the Germania Road Culvert Replacement construction project.
6.6. Item for Discussion – Patio and Commercial Area Supports during Covid-19 Emergency (Mayor, G. Smith)
WHEREAS the economy of Bracebridge has been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic with provincially mandated business restrictions and closures, resulting in limited operations, employee lay offs, and financial hardships;
AND WHEREAS the Town’s Patio Policy establishes permissions and guidelines for the creation of patio spaces in Downtown Bracebridge on municipal and District lands;
AND WHEREAS the Town’s Curb Appeal Policy establishes recommendations and guidelines with respect to the placement of merchandise and street furniture sidewalks in Downtown Bracebridge;
AND WHEREAS all commercial areas in the Town of Bracebridge are subject to the regulations of the Town’s Comprehensive Zoning By-law 2016-088 and subject to Site Plan Control through the Town’s Site Plan Control By-law 2013-042;
AND WHEREAS the various commercial areas in Bracebridge form a key component necessary to ensure that Bracebridge is a viable destination for both residents and visitors;
AND WHEREAS the Province has permitted regions in Ontario to enter Stage 2 of reopening under the COVID- 19 state of emergency and businesses identified in Stage 2 are preparing for restoration of services with physical distancing requirements;
AND WHEREAS Bracebridge falls within the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit region that has been permitted to move to Stage 2 of reopening;
AND WHEREAS on June 8, 2020, the Province of Ontario amended Regulation 719 under the Liquor Licence Act (LLA) to provide flexibility for liquor sales licensees (e.g. licensed bars and restaurants) to temporarily extend their physical premises beyond 14 days up to January 1, 2021 provided they have municipal approval and meet certain Provincial criteria;
AND WHEREAS public health officials continue to advise that two metre distancing is a critical tool to slow the spread of COVID-19;
AND WHEREAS the reopening of commercial businesses will require interim adjustments to methods of service delivery to maintain physical distancing requirements related to COVID-19 and meet the needs of the community.
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NOW THEREFORE THE COUNCIL OF THE CORPORATION OF THE TOWN OF BRACEBRIDGE ENACTS AS FOLLOWS:
1. That the Chief Administrative Officer be delegated the authority to:
1.1. Approve the installation of patios for restaurants within the Town of Bracebridge until October 15, 2020, including the waiving of any administrative fees and the exemption of patios from site plan control and zoning regulations, subject to consultation with the Director of Planning and Development and the agreement of the landowners/businesses with respect to matters related to safety, accessibility, and functionality of a site.
1.2. Engage in discussions with the District of Muskoka to expedite any licenses of occupation to facilitate patios for restaurant on Manitoba Street.
1.3. Approve the closing of a municipal roadway to traffic for the purposes of permitting patios for restaurants in consultation with the Director of Public Works with respect to the circulation of traffic in the area.
1.4. Approve other actions to enable the provision of temporary commercial services outdoors, including installation of patios or pop-up facilities associated with existing restaurants and retail businesses, or outdoor sale or display of merchandise.
7. ONGOING BUSINESS
7.1. Health and Safety Update
8. CORRESPONDENCE
Nil.
9. CLOSED SESSION
9.1. The security of the property of the municipality or local board; a proposed or pending acquisition or disposition of land by the municipality or local board; litigation or potential litigation, including matters before administrative tribunals, affecting the municipality or local board; advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege, including communications necessary for that purpose; and, information explicitly supplied in confidence to the municipality or local board by Canada, a province or territory or a Crown agency of any of them (CS026-20) (98 Manitoba Street)
10. RESOLUTIONS ARISING FROM CLOSED SESSION
11. ADJOURNMENT
That Committee adjourn until the next regular meeting or any special meeting called by the Chair.
This meeting will be Webcast and Audio and Video recorded
A copy of this agenda is available in alternative formats upon request.
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TO: Councillor A. Buie, Chair and Members of General Committee
FROM: J. Sisson, Chief Administrative Officer
SUBJECT: COVID-19 – Town of Bracebridge Operations and Recovery Planning Update
RECOMMENDATION
1. That Staff Report CAO005-20, providing an update on Town of Bracebridge operations during the COVID-19 Pandemic emergency and on the Town’s recovery planning, be received for information purposes.
2. That, in anticipation of the potential extension of the COVID-19 Pandemic Emergency, Resolution 20-TC-046, ratified by Council on March 26, 2020 and Confirming By-law 2020-025, be amended to extend the duration of the delegated authority granted to the Chief Administrative Officer from June 30, 2020 to July 31, 2020.
3. That staff continue to report back to General Committee with further updates during the course of the COVID-19 Pandemic emergency.
ORIGIN
4. On March 17, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Ontario declared an emergency under s 7.0.1 (1) the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act.
5. As a result of this declaration, the following establishments were legally required to close immediately:
• All facilities providing indoor recreational programs;
• All public libraries;
• All private schools as defined in the Education Act;
• All licensed child care centres;
• All bars and restaurants, except to the extent that such facilities provide takeout food and delivery;
• All theatres including those offering live performances of music, dance, and other art forms, as well as cinemas that show movies; and
• Concert venues.
6. Subsequent to the declaration and immediate closure of the above establishments, on March 23, 2020, the Province ordered the mandatory closure of all non-essential workplaces.
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7. On March 26, 2020, Town Council adopted Resolution 20-TC-046 regarding the delegation of certain authority to Chief Administrative Officer during COVID-19 Pandemic, as follows:
WHEREAS at its meeting of March 17, 2020, Council delegated authority to the Chief Administrative Officer to exercise a number of actions where Council or its appointed Committees fail to meet the quorum requirements under the Municipal Act;
AND WHEREAS on March 19, 2020, Bill 187, being an Act to amend the Municipal Act, 2001 and the City of Toronto Act, 2006, received royal assent and provided Ontario municipalities with the tools to ensure that local decision making is not impacted during emergency situations by quorum requirements for electronic meetings;
AND WHEREAS at its meeting on March 26, 2020, the Council of The Corporation of the Town of Bracebridge amended its procedural by-law to permit Council and its Committees to electronically participate in meetings during emergencies;
AND WHEREAS ongoing delegated authority to the Chief Administrative Officer during the declared emergency, up to and including June 30, 2020, whichever is sooner is required to enable the Town of Bracebridge to efficiently, effectively and immediately manage the fluidity of the current environment and maintain, as best as possible, the daily business operations of The Corporation of The Town of Bracebridge;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT motion 20-TC-041, ratified by Council on March 17, 2020, and Confirming By-law 2020-023, be amended by deleting the strikeouts and inserting bold (blue) text as follows:
1. That, until the end of the COVID-19 emergency as declared by the Province of Ontario, or any related emergency declared by the District Municipality of Muskoka or Town of Bracebridge, or June 30, 2020, whichever is earlier, the Chief Administrative Officer be delegated authority to exercise the following actions:
1.1. The disposition of any real or personal property of the municipality;
1.2. Making any expenditures or incurring any other liability;
2. That the Mayor and Clerk be authorized to execute such agreements, instruments, conveyances and other related documents necessary to give effect to the transactions authorized by the Chief Administrative Officer under the delegated authority approved until the end of the COVID-19 emergency as declared by the Province of Ontario, or any related emergency declared by the District Municipality of Muskoka or Town of Bracebridge, or June 30, 2020, whichever is earlier.
3. That the Chief Administrative Officer be delegated authority to exercise any discretionary corporate actions in response to unforeseen circumstances that arise due to the COVID- 19 emergency as declared by the Province of Ontario, or any related emergency declared by the District Municipality of Muskoka or Town of Bracebridge, and to exercise delegated authority where such authority has not already been provided by Council until the end of the COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus) Pandemic or June 30, 2020, whichever is earlier.
8. On May 13, 2020, Council ratified motion 20-GC-084 regarding the status of town operations during the COVID-19 pandemic, as follows:
1. That Staff Report CAO004-20, providing an update on Town of Bracebridge operations during the COVID-19 Pandemic emergency, be received for information purposes.
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2. That staff continue to report back to General Committee with further operational updates during the course of the COVID-19 Pandemic emergency.
9. Since May 13, 2020 there has been a wide variety of direction provided by the Government of Ontario and local health authorities related to management of the COVID-19 Pandemic emergency and steps to be taken to re-open local communities for more regular activities.
10. This staff report has been prepared to provide members of Council and the community with an update on the status of Town operations during the COVID-19 Pandemic emergency. The report includes operational and financial information related to the on-going operations of the Town.
11. The report also sets out information regarding the Town’s post-COVID-19 recovery initiatives.
ANALYSIS
12. In accordance with Council’s direction and as reported previously, Town staff’s actions in response to the COVID-19 emergency have been guided by several key principles that relate to both the Town’s response to the Declared Emergency and also planning for future recovery from the Emergency:
• Although closed to the public, the Town remains open for business, as permitted:
o The Town is strictly following Orders and Guidelines established by the Federal, and Provincial governments, the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit and other healthcare authorities.
o The Town is maintaining service levels throughout the Corporation as a priority, within the guidelines established for Essential Services.
o The Town has maintained its capacity to respond to service demands and ensuring continuity of municipal operations.
• The Town has taken an informed and measured approach to responding to the Declared Emergency:
o Town staff are engaged with municipal peers, provincial ministries, professional organizations, etc. to ensure that the Town is well informed on matters impacting this very fluid situation.
o The Town is continuing to evaluate and analyse the impacts of the Declared Emergency. Notwithstanding the on-going work to be done, the Town has taken immediate steps to control expenditures to help offset lost revenues.
o The Town continues to evaluate need for organizational changes including staffing changes, staff redeployment options and other potential measures.
• Community and business support and recovery preparedness are priorities:
o The Town recognizes that support for the community and proactive engagement with businesses are required during and after the Declared Emergency.
o Community relief initiatives at both the lower-tier and upper-tier levels must be supported.
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o Town departments need to be prepared to rapidly respond to and implement new initiatives that will aid in a rapid economic recovery for the Town.
o Critical infrastructure projects need to move forward in support of the Town’s asset management plan and to promote an infusion of funding into the local economy.
13. Staff believe that this approach has been successful in addressing what has been a rapidly changing situation.
14. The Chief Administrative Officer and members of the Town’s Senior Management Team greatly appreciate the support of staff in transitioning to alternate service delivery arrangements and staff’s work in efficiently and effectively carrying out their work to support the Town’s operations.
15. Since the start of the Pandemic emergency, the Town has taken several steps to realign municipal operations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. At this time, the following key actions are continuing:
• The Town’s Management Team, including the Library CEO, continues to meet regularly via Zoom to discuss updates and monitor the evolving COVID-19 situation.
• The Town’s facilities (including the Municipal Office, the Sportsplex, the Memorial Arena and the Library) remain closed to the public until further notice.
• Increased cleaning and sanitization is occurring at all Town facilities.
• Staff members who can work from home, are continuing to do so until further notice.
• Staff members who continue to attend work as scheduled are practicing physical distancing and following the details of a business continuity plan provided by their Department Director.
• Bracebridge Transit and Bracebridge Mobility services are being maintained for essential riders only.
• Town staff continue to work closely with our colleagues from other municipalities to ensure that our actions are taken in cooperation and coordination with other municipalities.
16. To reiterate, in response to the pandemic, the Town has undertaken immediate actions in accordance with Provincial and Federal directives; taken steps to control costs; implemented alternate work arrangements to ensure physical distancing through the use of technology resources; begun the development of a recovery plan, including financial impact analysis, that will help guide the Town’s operations for the balance of 2020; and worked to support individuals, community groups and businesses in Town to the best of our abilities.
Human Resource Management
17. The following human resource management information is provided for reference.
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Staffing
18. As of June 9, 2020, a total of 46 Town of Bracebridge employees have been placed on Declared Emergency Leave or Infectious Disease Emergency Leave under the Employment Standards Act.
Department Number
Corporate Services 4
Planning and Development 2
Public Works 3
Recreation 37
25. Of the 46 employees:
• 4 employees on temporary or casual (seasonal) contracts with the Town, including one student, had their contracts ended early and were placed on Declared Emergency Leave;
• 16 Part-Time (Permanent) employees in Recreation and Corporate Services were placed on Declared Emergency Leave;
• 25 Part-Time (Non-Permanent) employees from Recreation were placed on Declared Emergency Leave; and,
• 1 Full-Time (Permanent) employee requested a leave of absence for reasons related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
26. The normal employment status of the 46 employees place on Declared Emergency Leave is as follows:
Status Number
Part-Time (Permanent) 16
Part time (Non-Permanent) 25
Contract (Temporary) 1
Casual (Winter) 2
Student (Co-op) 1
Full-Time (Permanent) 1
35. Within the Bracebridge Public Library, the majority of staff have now been placed on Declared Emergency Leave. This includes six (6) part-time staff and one (1) full-time staff person.
36. Remaining full-time staff include two (2) Information & Digital Services Librarians and the Children & Youth Services Librarian who continue to do various programs including online presence.
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37. The Library’s full-time Office Manager continues to work completing various administrative duties and assigned projects.
Recruitment
38. As an initiative to control costs during the current period of uncertainty, all recruitment of permanent and temporary staff has been halted for the Town. This includes a halt on staffing the new permanent full-time positions that were approved in the 2020 Municipal Budget and Business Plan:
Position Title Department
Planning Technician Planning and Development Department
General Office Assistant Public Works Department
Receptionist Clerk Recreation Department
39. Please note that the position of Property Standards Officer, which was given hiring approval in October 2019 in advance of the final Budget process, has been filled and the staff person is actively working in the Building Services Branch of the Planning and Development Department.
40. The recruitment of one casual (seasonal) parks position has been postponed indefinitely due to COVID-19.
41. Although offers of employment have been issued to some candidates for summer student employment, candidates have been informed that due to health and safety recommendations and operational necessities, their start date with the Town has been postponed indefinitely.
42. Specifically, the start dates of summer students in Planning and Development Department, the Corporate Services Department and Public Works Department have been postponed indefinitely.
43. The recruitment of summer camp staff has proceeded through virtual interviews and new hires have been provided with conditional offers of employment (start and end date to be confirmed at a later time.
44. Any hiring of summer students will need to be fully considered in the future as further information becomes available and the pandemic situation unfolds, and pending the outcome of COVID-19 and the end of the state of emergency in Ontario.
45. A redeployment strategy for several full-time staff is in the early stages. The intention is for several staff members to be deployed to departments in need of assistance on a full-time or part-time basis. Redeployment of staff is expected to last for the majority of the summer months and will be reevaluated in September or when facilities and programs reopen to the public, whichever occurs first.
46. The June 1, 2020 1.7% economic adjustment for Non-Union Permanent Full-time and Non-Union Permanent Part-time employees has been postponed to January 1, 2021.
47. Similarly, the Bracebridge Public Library Board authorized the postponement of the Library employees 1.7% economic adjustment until January 1, 2021.
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48. The Town has reached a Memorandum of Agreement with OPSEU Local 305 regarding the possible postponement of the negotiated 1.7% June 1, 2020 economic adjustment to January 1, 2021. The agreement is subject to several terms including ratification by the members of the bargaining unit by way of a vote to be completed after June 16, 2020.
49. The coordination and documentation of staff on Declared Emergency Leave or Infectious Disease Emergency Leave remains a priority for Human Resources.
50. The recruitment of Director of Finance/Treasurer is complete with the new Director commencing his employment with the Town on July 6, 2020.
Communications and Networking
51. The Manager of Human Resources and/or Director of Corporate Services/Clerk participates in weekly meetings with HR representatives from the local municipalities to discuss updates and to coordinate efforts.
52. The Manager of Human Resources regularly participates in webinars covering COVID-19 related matters (i.e. labour relations, workplace initiatives, legislative changes, and mental health).
53. The Manager of Human Resources is maintaining communication with students in regards to their employment with the Town and postponed start dates.
54. The redeployment of available full-time staff to departments with fewer resources and in need of assistance is being coordinated by Human Resources to ensure staff maintain full time hours in departments they are most needed by the Town during the pandemic.
55. Human Resources is chairing a COVID-19 Recovery Committee. The committee meets weekly and is comprised of managers from various departments and facilities throughout the Town. The committee is responsible for identifying health and safety issues related to COVID-19 in the workplace and determining possible solutions. The committee has created office protocol, gathered information and resources on industry best practices, implemented additional signage in the workplace and sourced valuable sanitization equipment and personal protected equipment.
56. A careful and well planned strategy for reopening facilities and recalling staff who have been on a leave of absence is a priority for the Management Team and Human Resources.
Wellness and Engagement
57. Human Resources continues to maintain regular communication with staff via email blasts on topics such as home office ergonomics, wellness, the importance of maintaining physical and mental health, as well as promoting the Town’s Employee Assistance Program. Recently a contest was offered to Town staff to share their favorite travel photos.
58. Steps have been taken to ensure that the staff working at home are carrying out their duties in a safe work environment. Alternative at home work arrangements may have potential WSIB and/or Ministry of Labour implications and the Management Team is working to ensure that the ongoing health and safety of employees is protected.
59. Staff who are working from home were provided with a Home Office Inspection Checklist to ensure their home work environment is free from hazards and ergonomically safe.
60. Staff were provided with tips, resources and exercises to assist them in maintaining productivity while working remotely.
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Long Term HR Initiatives
61. Maintaining communications and sustaining staff engagement becomes more of a challenge the longer COVID-19 mandates facility and program closures and requires staff to work remotely.
62. Managing a predominately remote workforce has presented some challenges and has prompted the revision of several current policies and the creation of new policies to apply and include remote workers.
63. Determining any large scale renovations and retrofitting of Town Facilities to ensure they are safe for both staff and the public will be a priority for human resources through the COVID-19 Recovery Committee’s initiatives.
64. In collaboration with the Management Team, determining the requirement for additional staffing on a temporary or permanent basis in some departments will be a consideration to ensure additional cleaning can be performed, potential screening prior to entry into facilities and smaller instructor to participant ratios.
On-going Town Operations During Pandemic Emergency
65. As noted earlier in this report, on March 26, 2020, Town Council ratified Resolution 20-TC-046 (as amended) in regard to provision of delegated authority to the Chief Administrative Officer to enable the Town of Bracebridge to efficiently, effectively and immediately manage the fluidity of the current environment and maintain, as best as possible, the daily business operations of The Corporation of the Town of Bracebridge.
66. In accordance with Council’s authorization, the following items have been approved through a delegated authority process:
Department Subject Detail Corporate Services Noise Exemption Request Noise By-law exemption was approved for the period between May 3, - District of Muskoka 2020 at 6:00 p.m. to May 15, 2020 at 6:00 p.m., as required, for the Paving Operations asphalt milling and hot mix paving on Fraserburg Road (Muskoka Road 14) and Manitoba Street (Muskoka Road 37). Corporate Services Mobile Health Hub - Lease A one-year extension of current agreement was approved for use of Extension to March 31, the Oakley Village Square in Vankoughnet as a site for a Health Hub 2021 and Long-Term services to provide primary care services to area residents. Feasibility Review Staff will work with representatives of the CCFHT and other community partners to establish a long-term permanent solution for the provision of primary care at the Village Square or another facility in the area and report back to General Committee. Corporate Services Extension of Timeline to Applicant was provided a six (6) month extension to January 6, 2021 to Complete Property complete the transfer of the Riverwoods Boat Basin property, subject Transfer - Land to the condition that any outstanding invoices payable to the Town or Disposition - Riverwoods its agents be paid in full. Boat Basin on South Branch of Muskoka River
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Department Subject Detail Finance Rent Relief for Rent relief for the Town’s commercial tenants that have been Commercial Tenants significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic was approved. Tenants include the Muskoka Limberettes Gymnastics Club (Sportsplex), Oliver’s Coffee Muskoka (Sportsplex), Afleet Media (Sportsplex) and Riverwalk Restaurant (Bird Mill Mews). Finance Unsuccessful Tax Sale The uncollectible property tax arrears for the three unsuccessful tax Properties sale properties was approved for write-off. The issuance of a Notice of Vesting in the name of The Corporation of the Town of Bracebridge for each of the unsuccessful tax sale properties identified was also approved. Finance External Sales Tax The proposal from Stratos Solutions Inc. to complete an External Sales Review Tax Review for the Town was accepted. Staff will report back by memorandum to Council on the results of the External Sales Tax Review upon completion. Finance Award of contract for Line- The contract for a Line-By-Line Review of the town’s Municipal Budget By-Line Budget Review was awarded to BMA Management Consulting Inc. at the quoted fee of Consulting Services $23,000, plus HST. Due to exceptional pricing of the main contract, supplementary engagement for the completion of a Financial Condition Assessment was also approved. Planning and French Site Plan The site plan application D11-04/20 for the lands described as Lot 19, Development Plan 35M-739, Muskoka North Ward, part of the Canyon Court Business Park, was approved for a Fitness Centre, subject to the conditions established by the Planning and Development Department. Planning and Rodie Site Plan The site plan application D11-06/20 for the lands described as Part of Development Lots 25 and 26, Plan 8, being Part 3, Plan 35R-8065 Bracebridge Ward, located at 36 Manitoba Street, was approved for a two storey addition to a commercial building containing a dwelling unit, subject to the conditions established by the Planning and Development Department. Public Works Award of Contracts for The Contract for Various Concrete Curb and Sidewalk Replacements Sidewalk and Curb Works was awarded to the low Tenderer, Signature Contractors Windsor Inc., at the tendered price of $68,169.00, plus HST. Public Works Award of Tender for The Contract for the Supply and Delivery of One (1) Motor Grader and Acquisition of Associated Equipment at a total cost of $360,853.07, less a $5,000 Replacement Grader reduction on the trade-in value of the Town’s old Grader, due to a required fuel tank repair. Public Works Initial Acceptance of In accordance with the Subdivision Agreement with Clearbrook Clearbrook - White Pines Building Corporation, Initial Acceptance of the municipal roads and Subdivision Phase 8 services in Phase 8 of the Clearbrook - White Pines Subdivision was approved. The Director of Public Works was granted authority to approve Final Acceptance of the municipal roads and services in Phase 8 of the Clearbrook – White Pines Subdivision. Subject to Final Acceptance by the Director of Public Works, the Director of Corporate Services/Clerk was authorized to present directly to Council, the by-laws necessary to assume the road and services in Phase 8 of the Clearbrook - White Pines Subdivision.
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Department Subject Detail Public Works Initial Acceptance of Loon In accordance with the Subdivision Agreement with B3 Development Call B3 Inc., Initial Acceptance of the municipal road and services in the B3 Development Inc. Manitoba Street – Phase 1 Subdivision was approved. The Director of Public Works was granted authority to approve Final Acceptance of the municipal road and services in the B3 Development Inc. Manitoba Street – Phase 1 Subdivision. Subject to Final Acceptance by the Director of Public Works, the Director of Corporate Services/Clerk was authorized to present directly to Council, the by-laws necessary to assume the road and services in the B3 Development Inc. Manitoba Street – Phase 1 Subdivision.
67. Through the approval of the above noted items through delegated authority, staff have been able to process certain, non-contentious planning matters in an expedited manner to support economic development within the Town. Additionally, the expenditures approved have all been well within approved budget allocations.
68. Since staff’s last report to General Committee on May 5, 2020, the following additional items have been approved through a delegated authority process:
Department Subject Detail
Public Works Award of Contract for Re- The project was funded in the 2020 capital plan with an allocation of shingling of the Covered $50,000 for shingling and re-staining the structure. Bridge Structure RFQs were requested in April of 2020 through the RFQ process. (2020- TOB-RFQ-006) and were structured for itemized bids. The successful vendor was W.S Morgan with an itemized quotation of $40,700 for the shingle work and $31,200 for the staining work. Staff have deferred the staining to future years but will proceed with the shingling works to ensure preservation of the asset. Public Works Formal land-use Approval to enter into a formal land-use agreement on file with agreement with Infrastructure Ontario (IO) granting the Town authorization for the Infrastructure Ontario for driveway, turnaround area and access to the Pine Lake Boat Launch Pine Lake Boat Launch on land owned by IO. Recreation Authority to waive park Approval to waive park use permit fees for the use of parks and sports use permit fees for fields to qualifying businesses that have been, or are likely to be, qualifying businesses. significantly impacted by the COVID-10 pandemic.
69. The limited number of supplementary items approved through delegated authority is indicative of staff’s plan to present most items of business to General Committee for approval.
70. Although the delegated authority granted to the CAO has been limited in use over the May 5 to June 16th period, staff believe that it is appropriate to extend the period of the delegated authority to July 31, 2020.
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71. On June 2, 2020 the Government of Ontario extended the provincial Declaration of Emergency to June 30, 2020. The decision supports the government's efforts to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak and protect the health and safety of Ontarians as the province reopens in a measured and responsible way. The extension, under s.7.0.7 of the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act, was approved by the Ontario legislature.
72. The Declaration of Emergency may be further extended with the approval of the legislature, as set out in the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act. As a result, it is recommended that the delegation of authority provided to the CAO be extended from June 30, 2020 to July 31, 2020 to facilitate prompt and effective response to the COVID-19 pandemic emergency, should the Emergency Declaration be extended by the Province.
73. Departmental summaries regarding the status of current operations are attached as Appendix “A” to this staff report. As noted, Town staff have been exceptionally busy with a wide variety of activities resulting from the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Town’s normal operations.
74. The departmental summaries also provide information on longer-term departmental initiatives to be undertaken.
75. On May 19, 2020 the Provincial Government announced that they would be reopening Ontario in three stages. Through all stages, public health and safety is to remain the number one concern, while balancing the needs of people and the economy. The Province has indicated there would be time between the launch of each stage to assess conditions before moving to the next.
76. Ontario has moved into Stage 2 as of June 12, 2020. In Stage 2, additional restrictions have been loosened while emphasizing public health advice, workplace health and safety guidance, and personal and collective responsibilities.
77. More businesses and services have been permitted to open, as well as community, recreational and outdoor spaces. The Province has stated that the people and employers of the province must continue to act and work in the ways required to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
78. Additionally, as part of Ontario’s responsible approach, protections for vulnerable people must remain a top priority throughout the next stages of reopening.
79. On June 11, 2020, the Medical Officer of Health (MOH) provided a letter to Municipal CAOs noting that, with the initiation of Stage 2, it is anticipated that requests from the public for municipal and community services will increase and therefore, the need to prepare for staff returning to offices and opening offices to the public is essential to your operations. A copy of the MOH’s letter is attached as Appendix “B” to this staff report.
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80. The current letter follows up to letters provided to CAOs on April 14 and May 12, 2020. The correspondence from the MOH is prepared to assist municipalities in resuming operations and public services in your community workplaces.
81. The correspondence from the MOH and other guidance documents is being used to respond to the Provincial Government’s directions in regard to re-opening the province.
Town’s Recovery Process
82. The Town of Bracebridge provides a wide variety of programs and services and the Town operates a number of significant facilities that will need to be reopened and restarted while ensuring the safety of employees and residents is not compromised.
83. To help guide the reopening of the Town’s facilities and the resumption of the Town’s programs and services, staff are working on the development of a recovery plan that is focused on:
• Adhering to Federal and Provincial directives and health official guidelines;
• Meeting the needs of the community;
• Ensuring the health and safety of Town staff and members of the community;
• Meeting legal and regulatory requirements;
• Contributing to slowing the spread of COVID-19; and
• Minimizing the final impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Town’s 2020 fiscal situation.
84. As a result, the Town will be re-opening based on:
• Implementation through a phased approach;
• Re-introduction of programs and services through gradual, safe and measured initiatives;
• Alignment with Federal, provincial and region guidelines and directions, but with recognition of local circumstances; and
• Regular updates and refinement as a result of changing circumstances.
LINKAGE TO COMMUNITY BASED STRATEGIC PLAN
85. Providing an up-date on the COVID-19 situation as it relates to the Town is closely linked to the following strategic themes:
Promote health and wellness in the community through Town facilities and programmes.
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Continually strive to improve efficiency and accountability in governance. Encourage civic engagement as a means to foster a strong and transparent relationship between the Town and community. Commit to partnering and working with outside organizations to leverage efforts with the community.
LINKAGE TO COUNCIL PRIORITIES
86. Reporting on the COVID-19 pandemic was not specifically identified as part of Council’s 2018-2022 priorities.
EXISTING POLICY
87. No specific policy relating to this topic.
ALTERNATIVE(S)
88. The following alternative is available for Committee consideration:
Alternative #1 The Committee could recommend that the period of the delegated authority for the Chief Administrative Officer not be extended to July 31, 2020.
Although Staff Report CAO005-20 is largely for information purposes, the extension of the timeframe for the CAO’s delegated authority is discretionary and subject to Council direction.
As noted, it is staff’s recommendation that the timeframe be extended based on the likelihood that the Province will extend the COVID-19 Pandemic Declared emergency past June 30, 2020. If the Province does not extend the period of the emergency, the authority delegated through Resolution 20-TC-046, ratified by Council on March 26, 2020 and Confirming By-law 2020-025 would end.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
89. Notwithstanding the current COVID-19 Pandemic situation, it is important to recognize the lack of legislated ability for a municipality to incur debt or to operate in a deficit position.
90. Debt is typically incurred when a municipality borrows for larger, longer term projects that benefit not only today’s residents but future residents (similar to a household taking out a mortgage).
91. A Deficit for a municipality occurs when expenditures exceed any revenues from taxes, user fees, etc.
92. Unlike Provincial and Federal governments, municipalities are not permitted, legislatively, to specifically budget for a deficit, so any net negative variance realized in 2020 will have to be allocated in the 2021 Budget for the Town. As a result, the priority for staff is to ensure that the Town is operating within approved budget allocations to avoid a deficit situation during the 2020 fiscal year.
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93. Staff have completed an updated review of the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the Town’s revenue stream.
94. It is estimated that the Town has receiving approximately $430,000 less in revenue as a result of cancelled or deferred programming, reduced development activity and eliminated fees and charges that would otherwise have been collected since the onset of the pandemic. However, the cost reductions resulting from not running the associated programming and other cost containment measures have resulted in the Town continuing to operate within approved net budget allocations.
95. In accordance with Motion 20-TC-045 20-GC-090, penalty and interest for non-payment of 2020 Interim taxes has not been applied for April, May and June, and will not be applied for July. The waiver period is set to expire on July 31, 2020.
96. For revenue related to permits, staff are seeing that the reduction is simply related to a deferral of the activity and that the revenue is being realized as COVID-19-related restrictions are eased or lifted.
97. Throughout the organization, staff have identified approximately $2.4 million in discretionary expense items contained in the 2020 Municipal Budget and Business Plan. Staff have also identified several items that, although they do not have a financial impact, they would relieve other resources, including staff time, if they were not completed.
98. Identified discretionary items include non-mandatory staff training, conference attendance and related travel and minor capital expenditures (i.e. office furniture and equipment). Additionally, several capital projects that can be deferred for a period of time without a significant detriment to the safeguarding of the Town’s assets our compromising safety, have also been identified as discretionary in order to better position the Town to respond to the pandemic.
99. In addition to the measures already undertaken, at this time, staff are holding implementation of these discretionary items in order to retain financial and other resource flexibility while the COVID- 19 pandemic develops and the implications to the Town are understood.
100. The Town also maintains contingency reserves that may be used to augment significant financial anomalies. The Emergency Planning reserve and Tax Rate Stabilization remain available to support negative financial impacts resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
101. Although the situation will continue to be monitored, staff believe that the provisions that have already been implemented, along with the option of limiting implementation of discretionary items flexibility and availability of healthy contingency reserves, the Town is well-positioned to continue to respond to the pandemic and emerge in a position of continued financial stability.
102. Staff anticipate providing General Committee with a report that is focused entirely on the Town’s financial performance throughout the pandemic thus far when financial data is available to the end of June.
Potential Financial Assistance from Senior Levels of Government
103. In response to the COVID-19 Pandemic and the impact on municipalities, the Canadian Federation of Municipalities (FCM) asked, on April 27, 2020, for the federal government to commit to emergency municipal operating funding to keep essential services running strong, and to keep Canadians safe and supported.
104. FCM’s ask was for at least $10 billion to help municipalities of all sizes. FCM’s proposed funding model features two components:
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• a base allocation for all municipalities, and
• a supplementary allocation for municipalities that own and operate transit systems.
105. FCM has indicated that, to function efficiently and nationwide, the design of the program must be straightforward, direct and flexible. Under the FCM proposal there would be a base allocation, for all municipalities, of $7.6 billion based on the existing federal Gas Tax Fund formula. A supplementary allocation, for municipalities that own and operate transit systems, of $2.4 billion based entirely on 2019 transit ridership (population not included in formula), is also proposed by FCM.
106. FCM believes that municipalities should receive a single transfer that combines the base and supplementary allocation, except in the case of provincially-owned transit systems, such as BC Transit and Metrolinx. FCM feels that this single transfer should provide maximum flexibility to local governments to apply funds towards all operating impacts (foregone revenue and/or unanticipated costs) related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
107. Letters issued by AMO in support of funding for municipalities are attached as Appendix “C” to Staff Report CAO005-20.
108. The FCM’s April 23, 2030 document setting out urgent federal recommendations to address the financial crisis in our cities and communities due to COVID-19 is attached as Appendix “D”.
109. On June 4, 2020, Council endorsed the FCM and AMO request for establishment of a municipal financial assistance program to offset financial impacts of COVID-19 by adopting Resolution 20- TC-089. The Town’s letter to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing is attached as Appendix “E”.
110. Staff will report back to members of Council should FCM’s proposal, or another funding initiative, be announced by the Federal government.
COMMUNICATIONS
111. Staff throughout the Corporation are continuously communicating with peers, stakeholders, the business community and residents to allow for constant access to all forms of information to better respond to the highly fluid situation.
112. This Staff Report was distributed to Council, Media and all Town staff and was published on the Town website in accordance with the Town’s Procedural By-Law.
Prepared with Information from Members of the Town’s Management Team and Approved for Submission to General Committee By:
J. Sisson Chief Administrative Officer
705-645-6319 Ext. 229
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APPENDIX “A”
Updates on Departmental Operations
CORPORATE SERVICES DEPARTMENT
Current Status of Department Operations
• Staff in the Corporate Services Department are working from home as much as feasibly possible. Occasional visits to the office are required depending on varying tasks.
• By-law Enforcement staff are responding to complaints using electronic means wherever possible. Complaint and enforcement matters are consistent or exceeding previous years. With the layoff of the Part-Time By-Law Enforcement Officer and the lack of a summer student to-date in 2020, downtown parking enforcement and weekend attendance at regular patrol locations (i.e. boat launches, BIA, other business districts, etc.) is not possible. Upcoming staff absences will further reduce the ability to respond quickly to enforcement matters.
• Communication with other Muskoka By-Law Enforcement staff is occurring, together with ongoing dialogue with the Bracebridge OPP Detachment Commander to ensure a coordinated approach to enforcement. To-date, no direct assistance has been requested by the OPP in relation to COVID-19 enforcement matters.
• Human Resource services are exceptionally busy during this time as noted in sections 17 through 64 of the Staff Report. For reference, there is one (1) full-time Human Resources employee in the municipality, plus assistance from the Director as available depending on other departmental needs.
• In addition to the extraordinary demands due to COVID-19, regular Human Resource functions continue including, employee and labour relations, recruiting, health and safety, employee wellness, salary and benefits administration (in conjunction with the Finance Department), performance management, etc.
• Onboarding the new Director of Finance/Treasurer is underway.
• Information Technology services though the Town’s partnership with the District of Muskoka continues to enable the workforce to work remotely from home through its virtual desktop services. Challenges related to internet connectivity for some staff is currently being managed through the deployment of mobile phones that act as hotspots. IT Services continues to provide high quality customer service while maintaining the security and integrity of our network.
• Administration Branch staff continue to complete daily tasks. As a result of a vacancy in the Building Services Branch, one (1) staff member has been partially redeployed to provide assistance and ensure that our building community continues to receive exceptional services. While this has required others in the Administration Branch to provide additional coverage and assistance, staff have proven to be exceptional in their commitment to providing these services including, but not limited to:
• Front line customer service including telephone reception and redirection services;
• Death registration services in cooperation with funeral homes and vital statistics reporting to the Province;
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• Ongoing cemetery operations including regular interment services and related financial transactions, maintenance contract management with cemetery contractor, cemeteries capital project management, and pandemic planning;
• Administration of rental properties responsibilities (36 Ann Street and 89 Kimberley Avenue);
• Administration of leases and agreements, corporate document execution and land-related file management and application processing;
• Council-related functions including electronic meetings, preparation and tracking of staff reports, by-laws, agendas, minutes, Council Correspondence circulation, etc.;
• Extensive work and testing with staff in the Planning and Development Department and Committee Members to develop procedures and protocols to provide electronic statutory public meetings;
• Ongoing records management functions and Freedom of Information requests;
• Communications assistance including preparation of media releases, website content, letters and memoranda, annual tax bill insert, etc.
• Ongoing communication with special event organizers regarding special event permitting and COVID restrictions;
• Assistance to other departments and the Bracebridge Public Library Board with Zoom meetings, etc.
• At this time, the issuance of marriage licences and document commissioning is not occurring unless under exceptional compassionate circumstances as approved by the Director of Corporate Services/Clerk.
Short-Term Departmental Initiatives
• Staff are demonstrating exception agility in responding to the Reopening Ontario plan. As changes are announced by the Province, staff are responding to the needs of the community and organization.
• As time an resources permit, staff are maintaining regular business functions and where possible, moving forward departmental Business Plan Items. Many reports and projects are delayed due to the need to respond to immediate enquiries and requests.
Longer-Term Department Initiatives
• Staff will continue to work towards completing as many departmental Business Plan items as possible over the course of 2020.
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FINANCE DEPARTMENT
Current Status of Department Operations
Finance staff are completing all activities remotely, where possible. The Department’s business continuity plan has provided the option for many activities to be completed electronically, including, but not limited to:
• Property tax administration – payment processing, generating tax certificates, responding to inquiries and general account management, etc. – physical payments are processed once weekly;
• Accounts payable – distributing for approval and entering of invoices and issuing electronic payments – physical cheques are issued bi-weekly;
• Accounts receivable – generating invoices and facilitating revenue collection, as required;
• Payroll – completed bi-weekly and mostly through electronic approval, payment and distribution of pay stubs;
• Procurement, risk, insurance and claims management – being managed entirely remotely, with a notable decrease in claims experience resulting from less occupancy and use of the Town’s infrastructure and facilities;
• Performance measurement – staff are proceeding with the implementation of the next stage of balanced scorecard reporting maturity by implementing software functionality and developing a framework to update the performance indicators based on experience;
• General accounting and finance functions – being completed entirely remotely. Several layers of financial analysis are being performed on a continuous basis to support Town operations, particularly as they relate to the developing COVID-19 pandemic and the Multi-Use Community Centre.
• Finance staff remain in continuous contact with our counterparts in other municipalities to ensure up-to-date information is available from our municipal peers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff also participate in regular virtual meetings, including those hosted by professional associations such as MPAC and MFOA.
• Staff continue to monitor the financial implications of the COVID-19 pandemic for the Corporation and report regularly to Management Team to support decision making and future planning. Further information regarding the impacts are contained in the Financial Implications section of this report.
Short-Term Departmental Initiatives
• Preparation of 2020 Final tax bills is underway now that tax rates have been approved by Council.
• With professional consulting assistance, staff are completing a sales tax recovery review and a line-by-line budget review, as well as implementation of balanced scorecard software.
• Continued work on the Community Benefits Charge, transition to Prudent Investing, updating the Tangible Capital Asset Policy and updating the Procurement Policy are projects expected to be completed in 2020.
• Onboarding of a new Director of Finance/Treasurer will occur in July.
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Longer-Term Department Initiatives
• Staff anticipate developing processes that consider the opportunities and flexibility associated with being able to perform activities remotely.
• Staff continue to work with the District Municipality of Muskoka and the Town of Gravenhurst to select and implement asset management software and advance efforts regarding budget software and multi-year budgeting.
FIRE DEPARTMENT
Current Status of Department Operations
• The three full-time staff continue to work their normal day time hours plus after hours’ emergency calls. The two part-time administration staff are working from the office. The Department’s 46 Volunteers at Station 1 and 2 continue to respond to emergency calls as required.
• The Department has suspended all in-person public education events but are still able to continue our fire safety messaging using a verity of social media platforms. Serious life safety inspections and complaints continue to be addressed as required.
• Fire responses have increased significantly over the last 3 months with a 45% jump compared with the same period over the previous 5 years. Some of this may be attributed to the Provincial Fire Ban and also that residents have been confined to their homes. There were a total of 85 responses which broke down to 20 fire calls, 15 burning complaints, 24 activated fire alarm, 7 activated CO alarm, 8 motor vehicle accidents, 4 power lines down, 4 calls canceled in route and 3 calls for assistance from other agency (EMS/OPP)
• The Total Fire Ban implemented across the entire Provincial fire region on April 3rd by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry has been removed. The Town in conjunction with MNRF removed our local fire ban and we continue to monitor the local wild land conditions and post the current fire danger rating.
Short-Term Departmental Initiatives
• The Department continues to follow our Standard Operational Guidelines in regards to emergency calls. The first unit on scene will make an assessment of the incident and any Firefighters not required to complete the call are stood down.
• Limit the number of staff responding in each truck by placing 4 Firefighters in 6 person trucks and 2 Firefighters in 3 person trucks. Personal required to enter long term and venerable care facilities are required to wear full PPE including SCBA.
• Firefighter theory training and certifications are continuing using a verity of on-line platforms. The Department will resume a reconfigured outside practical training program following best practices released by the Ontario Fire Chiefs Association. In order to limit person to person contact among the Firefighters during fire ground training the crews will train in groups consisting of one trainer and maximum five firefighters in order to allow space for proper distancing.
• Fire Prevention is working on procedures and protocols to allow resumption of certain required annual inspections and fire drills of venerable occupancies.
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Longer-Term Department Initiatives
• Gather information in order to develop new proto-calls, operational guild lines and programs which will allow the Department to respond to calls for assistance and train our staff while still protecting the health and safety of both them and members of the public in the “new norm”.
• Look at the long-term operation of Fire Department facilities in regards to possible upgrades or improvement’s that could allow for staff and Volunteers to safely return and make the best use of the buildings.
• Review staffing and staffing levels including recruitment and retention of Volunteer Firefighters and how they may be impacted in light of COVID-19.
RECREATION DEPARTMENT
Staff in the Recreation Department has been carrying on with a wide variety of departmental activities as summarized below as current, short-term and long-term status of operations:
Current Status of Department Operations
Administration Branch
• Managing accounts receivable/payable and bank deposits.
• Cancelling/refunding/rebooking facility bookings.
• Coordinating monthly extensions of 742 memberships and scheduled payments.
• Managing and Coordinating Multi-Use Community Centre Project
Programs Branch
• 2020/2021 Fall/Winter Leisure Guide coordination and distribution
• Monitoring and updating the recreation portion of the website and recreation social media streams.
• Liaising with user groups, community organizations and event organizers.
• Coordinating and providing virtual programming.
• Communicating with municipal partners and professional associations.
• Multi-Use Community Centre planning, sponsorship and naming rights and fundraising and program planning.
Facilities Branch - Sportsplex
• Completed grouting of leisure pool and portions of the therapy pool.
• Systematically undertaking a ceiling to floor cleaning, maintenance and painting of each area of the facility including vents and diffusers.
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• Maintenance, installation and repair of pool systems, roof, HVAC, water fill stations, lighting and pool slide.
• Liaising with user groups, community organizations and sport groups.
• Health and safety inspections.
Facilities Branch - Arena
• Off season maintenance and repairs of arena boards, glass, doors, benches, and wrapping of hot pipes.
• General facility ceiling to floor cleaning, painting (where required) and maintenance.
• Liaising with user groups, community organizations and sport groups.
• Health and Safety Inspections.
• Multi-Use Community Centre planning and operations.
All Sections
• Preparing business recovery plans with respect to health and safety, programs, rentals, budget and business plan items and customer re-engagement.
• Researching and preparing policies and procedures with respect to return to business.
• Monitoring and coordinating budget and business plan action items and corresponding reports.
• Updating policies and procedures.
• Undertaking human resources tasks such as coordinating unpaid emergency leaves, timesheets, and lifecycle forms.
Short-Term Departmental Initiatives
Administration Branch
• Preparing for on-line registration for the potential offering of summer camp programs and pool programs.
• Preparing staffing and training plans for the potential re-opening of the pool.
• Coordinating monthly extensions of 742 memberships and scheduled payments.
• Managing and Coordinating Multi-Use Community Centre Project.
Programs Branch
• Preparing policies and procedures related to the potential re-opening of the pool and summer day camps
• Preparing staffing and training plans for the potential re-opening of the pool and summer camps.
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• Liaising with user groups and sport organizations on their potential return to sport.
• Coordinating and providing virtual programming.
• Multi-Use Community Centre planning, sponsorship and naming rights and fundraising and program planning.
Facilities Branch - Sportsplex
• Continuing the ceiling to floor cleaning, maintenance and painting of each area of the facility including vents and diffusers.
• Maintenance, installation and repair of pool systems, roof, and HVAC systems.
• Preparing policies and procedures related to the potential re-opening of the pool and summer day camps
• Preparing staffing and training plans for the potential re-opening of the pool and summer camps.
• Liaising with user groups, community organizations and sport groups regarding their potential return to sport.
• Health and safety inspections.
Facilities Branch - Arena
• Off season maintenance and repairs of arena boards, glass, doors, benches, and wrapping of hot pipes.
• General facility ceiling to floor cleaning, painting (where required) and maintenance.
• Liaising with user groups, community organizations and sport groups regarding their potential return to sport.
• Preparing policies and procedures related to the potential re-opening of arena.
• Preparing staffing and training plans for the potential re-opening of the arena.
• Health and Safety Inspections.
• Multi-Use Community Centre planning and operations.
All Sections
• Preparing business recovery plans with respect to health and safety, programs, rentals, budget and business plan items and customer re-engagement.
• Monitoring and coordinating budget and business plan action items and corresponding reports.
• Updating policies and procedures.
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Longer-Term Department Initiatives
All Sections
• Preparing business recovery plans with respect to health and safety, programs, rentals, budget and business plan items and customer re-engagement.
• Preparing policies and procedures related to the potential re-opening of all facilities and programs in the Sportsplex, Arena, Kerr Park Chalet, and Sports field use.
• Liaising with large event organizers regarding events in parks for 2021.
• Preparing staffing and training plans for the potential re-opening of all programs and services offered by the recreation department.
• Monitoring and coordinating budget and business plan action items and corresponding reports.
• Multi-Use Community Centre planning and operational plans.
PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
Current Status of Department Operations
Building Services Branch
Building Permit Applications
Since the establishment of the Provincial Emergency in March, there have a been a number of changes implemented in Building Services with respect to the issuance of permits and inspections. These changes reduced the availability of permits that correlated with the “reductions” in Essential Workplaces (March 17 and April 4) and since the recent “re-opening” of Essential Workplaces in Stage One (May 19th), there are no restrictions on permits whereby there is a complete application and the appropriate reviews have been undertaken.
There are three major stages prior to issuance of a Building Permit which are:
1. Complete application (including required plans, support documents and payments);
2. Building Code Review; and
3. Planning regulation review.
Historically, Building Services clients have been well-service with issuance of permits well-in advance of expectations of clients. However, currently the Branch has a backlog with Building Permit applications - primarily because of the adjustment for both staff and customers with the Municipal Office closed and staff working remotely. Building Services is primarily paper-based as is the majority of the industry.
Related to COVID-19, the Town’s Building Assistant (Clerk) has taken a temporary Leave of Absence; and effective in early June, the Building Services Branch is being assisted by the Town’s Receptionist/Cemetery Coordinator.
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Also impacting the timing for the issuance of permits, is a backlog of permits being reviewed for compliance with Planning regulations. Staff in Planning Services that review Building Permits have been focused on the preparation of the first electronic public meetings for Minor Variances and for the preparation of upcoming committee meetings.
While COVID-19 has impacted the broad economy in Bracebridge, it has not had a huge impact on building activity as of yet, as evidenced by the application activity in Building Services as shown below:
Comparison Timeframe Applications Received Permits Issued
January 1, 2018 – May 31, 2018 231 185
January 1, 2019 – May 31, 2019 265 185
January 1, 2020 – May 31, 2020 201 135
Inspections
Staff implemented a Safe Operating Procedure back in April in order to continue with building inspections with respect to physical distancing including that attendance of contractors/homeowners during inspections is limited within structures during inspections.
Currently there is only one limitation which is related to doing inspections in occupied buildings. Staff are working creatively in that they may accept photographs if the work is minor enough in order to close a permit – for example showing a photograph of a handrail installed inside of house. Staff will continue to look at protocols and guidelines established by the industry and government in order to develop a Safe Operating Procedure for these types of inspections.
Building Permit applications can continue be submitted electronically to [email protected]; and can also be submitted by dropping in the drop box labelled “Taxes” located at 1000 Taylor Court.
Generally, the industry has been working cooperatively with staff with respect to physically distancing during the inspection process and through working in a new way with email submissions and communicating with staff electronically.
Between March 17 and the end of May, generally building inspections were limited to 3 days per week (Tuesday to Thursday) which assisted staff in keeping current with emails and OBC plan reviews. However, demands are becoming that more days are required. Staff are trying to be as flexible as possible in responding to the industry needs.
Building Services staff are typically working more “in-office” than remotely; recognizing that inspectors generally are out on inspections between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
There is a remarkable volume of emails and phone calls that are now being received because the office is closed to the public. Additionally, the inquiries are being duplicated and triplicated in many cases (i.e. leaving a voicemail in the department, leaving a voicemail at the main reception and an email to staff). It is somewhat “out of control”.
Given that Summer Student hiring was placed on hold, inquiries from real estate agents and prospective purchasers about status of permits on existing buildings is lower on the priority list for staff and therefore those type of inquiries can take up to 14 business days.
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Property Standards
The new position of Property Standards Officer was created in 2020 with the staff hired one week prior to the Provincial Emergency Declaration. Since that time, Mr. Irving has been busy with investigating complaints and working with property owners to obtain compliance.
There has been no shortage of complaints, largely attributable to more people being at home; and, individuals thinking that the Town is not working and thereby trying to get a jump on projects.
The types of complaints and inquiries being received and handled include, but are not limited to:
• Tree cutting:
o Answering general inquiries and providing clarification on how the Tree Cutting By-law is applied, explaining regulated areas, dialogue with local tree maintenance companies to ensure understanding and compliance with the by-law, etc.;
o Receiving, reviewing, and approving or denying Tree Cutting Permit Applications; and
o Conducting site visits when complaints and questions about tree cutting are received, educating property owners with regards to applicable provisions of the by-law, and taking appropriate enforcement action as required.
• Zoning:
o Operation of contractor’s yards in residential neighbourhoods;
o Human habitation of travel trailers and shipping containers;
o Removal of recreational vehicles (i.e. travel trailers, motorhomes) and shipping containers from vacant lots and other properties which fail to meet minimum acreage and/or setback requirements;
o Addressing inoperative/unlicensed vehicles; and
o Issuing Notices and Orders to Comply.
• Site Plan:
o Undertaking site works in advance of having site plan approval/agreement.
• Property Standards:
o Reviewing roll files to identify high risk septic systems, and corresponding with property owners to obtain compliance – including replacement of failing systems;
o Serving as intermediary between tenants and property managers to resolve concerns; and
o Working with the owners of the McMurray Street Condominiums to rectify a number of outstanding and evolving issues.
• Fence By-law:
o Answers questions with regards to proposed fence construction.
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• Pool Enclosure By-law:
o Receives, reviews, and issues Pool Enclosure Permits. Performs final inspections on same.
Planning Services Branch
The Town has continued to accept applications under the Planning Act since the declaration of the emergency by the Premier on March 17th. Between March 17th and April 15, 2020, the regulations under the Emergency Declaration had made the approval of Planning applications difficult because they had suspended all dates for appeals.
As reported previously to Council through an information flash, the Province amended previous Emergency Legislation and created new additional regulations to support the facilitation of Public Meetings under the Planning Act. On April 15, 2020, the Province’s new Planning Act O. Reg. 149/20 Special Rules Relating to Declared Emergency came into effect.
While the changes, provide the opportunity for a municipality to hold Statutory Public Meetings and make decisions, it also results in the re-circulation of certain decisions already made by the Town and its Committees of Adjustment as noted below.
These new regulations require that Notices of Decisions and Notices of Passing for several application types sent between February 26, 2020 and April 15, 2020 will be required to be recirculated after the COVID-19 emergency is terminated. When these applications are recirculated the standard appeal periods will apply from the day that notices are resent.
For the Town of Bracebridge, this effects the following applications:
Rezoning
1. Zoning By-law 2020-010 - Hodgson – 115 Taylor Road – convert from convenience commercial to residential.
2. Zoning By-law 2020-017 – Amending By-law – Housekeeping matters.
3. Zoning By-law 2020-018 – Livingston – 1165 Golden Beach Road – rezone from RU to RR to facilitate severance of one lot.
4. Zoning By-law 2020-019 – Regan – Adjacent to Apartment Buildings at 129 Alice Street- rezone from R1 to R4.
Consent
5. 345 Ecclestone Drive - Creation of one industrial lot.
Minor Variance
6. 1154 Browning Island – Dock extension.
7. 1145 North Clear Lake Road – Recognize high water and side yard setbacks for cottage and garage rebuilding.
8. Hosseinian – 1069 Golden Point Road – Reduce high water mark setback for in-ground pool.
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These notices will need to be re-sent following the lifting of the Province’s Emergency Declaration.
It may impact the works planned by the various property owners until that time. However, only one of these applications had any real concerns voiced by the public (Regan) of which Site Plan Approval would be required for any development on that vacant lot.
Electronic Public Meetings
The Manager of Planning Services has been working with his team along with the Deputy Clerk and other members of the Corporate Service Department, with a focus on putting procedures in place to the Committees of Adjustment up and running again as there are a number of applications that are waiting public hearings.
As reported to Council on May 22, 2020, staff were nearing the final stages of preparation for Electronic Public Meetings, specifically for the Town’s Committees of Adjustment. For reference, this was a significant body of work that included:
• Creation of meeting Procedures and Protocols for staff and Committee members (scripts, contingency planning, manuals for Committee members and the public);
• Amending Notice Templates and Signage Templates;
• Hosting of Mock Committee meetings with staff to review processes and procedures;
• Utilizing the “Webinar” feature of Zoom to facilitate public participation including training and orientation of staff in using this feature;
• Training of Committee members and staff in using the technology and utilizing the appropriate on- line protocols for conducting the meeting; and
• A legal review of all materials ensuring that the processes meet the requirements of the Planning Act under Section 34 (Zoning); Section 45 (Minor Variances) Section 53 (Consents) and the associated regulations
At this stage, training has been undertaken with both Committees of Adjustment.
Given that the training for the both Committees has been successful, the first meeting of the Minor Variance Committee has been scheduled for June 15, 2020 at 10:00 am. Future Minor Variance Committee meetings have also been scheduled for June 29, 2020 and July 13,2020. The first Consent Committee meeting has been scheduled for July 6, 2020 at 10:00 am.
The Town of Bracebridge will be the first Muskoka municipality to host public meetings in the COVID-19 Emergency period.
As Council is aware, up to this point, none of the Town’s Advisory Committees have been webcast. However, as a result of the move to electronic meetings, all meetings will be webcast during the Emergency period in accordance with the Town’s Procedural By-law that was amended in April.
The Town’s Deputy Clerk will be in attendance at every meeting to manage the technology and associated webcasting. This has not been the Town’s past practice as the Committees of Adjustment have historically been managed through the appointed Secretary Treasurer.
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The following is summary of the Minor Variance and Consent applications to be processed:
Type On-Hold/Pending Scheduled for First Scheduled for Information Meeting Subsequent Meetings (June 15 for Minor Variance, July 6 for Consent)
Minor 4 (Smoljo, Ward, Smith, 2 (Mattamy, Moore) 8 (Quemby, Wood, SV, Variance Joseph) Dimarco, Spirit Bay, Fidler, Jack/Varey, Cukaj)
Consent 3 (Source for Sports, Hall, 3 (Pierre, French, Petrie) 9 (Weedon, Bunker, Waite) Murphy, Ashley, Abrams, Ulmer, Fowler, Becks, Henska)
Once the first Committees of Adjustment electronic meetings are held, staff will be moving on to procedures and training for Public Meetings of Zoning Amendment and Official Plan Amendments held by the Planning and Development Committee. Staff are anticipating the first electronic Public Meetings for these applications to be held in August.
The following is summary of the Zoning Amendment and Official Plan Amendment applications “on-hold”:
Type On-Hold/Pending Received/Deferred Prior Received/After March Information to Covid-19/Ready for 17, 2020/Ready for Scheduling Scheduling
Zoning 2 – (Stonegate, Paatz) 5 (Lorenz, MR, Weedon, 3 (Armadiel, Fowler, Amendment B4, French) Pierre)
Official Plan 0 1 – Concurrence 0 Amendment Application with a Zoning Amendment (Muskoka Royale)
In addition to applications, Planning staff continue to field numerous inquiries for prospective development and for people looking at purchasing property in the community. The volume of inquiries is on par with the same time period in 2019, being one of the busy years the Planning and Development Department has experienced.
Economic Development Branch
The Economic Development Branch continues to reach out to the various organizations in, and outside of the community to gather information, look at best practices and seek opportunities for partnerships to assist our business community through recovery.
With information gathered that would be a benefit to the business community, staff are making regular updates to the Town’s Engage Bracebridge website.
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As noted previously, to alleviate the confusion, the Government of Canada and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce has partnered to provide a website to compile all the information for the business community into one website that is called the Canadian Business Resilience Network: https://www.canadianbusinessresiliencenetwork.ca/. This site has become the central source for information on programs and services to support the business community.
A number of initiatives have been undertaken to support the business community and also to keep Bracebridge’s tourism messages front and centre through this emergency:
• Facebook Page called - Keep it Local Bracebridge – that is sharing information about our local businesses and what services they are providing:
https://www.facebook.com/keepitlocalbracebridge/;
• Also on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/VisitTheBridge/ the Town created the 14 day House Party which provided online events at 5 pm. Based on it’s success House Party 2.0 was hosted after that for another 14 days. Followed by the Backyard Scavenger Hunt;
• Staff have been in contact with all Event Organizers to understand their financial stability during the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff are submitting a report to General Committee to make a recommendation regarding the Event Tourism grants and the Community Support grants;
• Staff will be coordinating the installation and expansion of patios on private and publics land if approved by General Committee;
• Staff continue with outreach to local businesses to understand their current challenges as well as disseminate provincial and federal assistance programs;
• Staff have investigated with the Downtown BIA the possibility of creating an electronic multi-vendor marketplace to assist local businesses with having an e-commerce platform as part of this business operations;
• In addition to the multi-vendor marketplace, staff have signed-up the Town’s business community to take advantage of the ShopHere online e-commerce support program through the Digital Main Street initiative;
• There are currently 6 active inquiries for investing in Bracebridge (commercial and industrial);
• Through the regional economic development initiative, Venture Muskoka, the regional economic development professionals have arranged a partnership with Explorer’s Edge to market Muskoka and the six lower tier municipalities to potential business investors; and
• Staff have collected and disseminated contact information to the business community regarding local businesses that can supply Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) so that businesses can ensure the safety of their staff and customers as the local economy re-opens.
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Below are samples of the social media efforts that have been undertaken:
House Party & Scavenger Hunt:
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Promotion of Events that have cancelled to keep events top of mind:
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Promotion of local food businesses:
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Promotion of outdoor activities:
Short-Term Departmental Initiatives
Planning and Building Services Branches
These Branches are focused on the processing of applications for both building and planning as there is an expectation it he community that it is “business as usual”. At this time, there is very little extra time to go beyond daily operations.
Over the next month, Planning Services will be looking at scheduling hearings for Rezoning applications and also determining when the next Public Meeting on the Muskoka Royale application will be scheduled.
The Town’s new Property Standards Officer is currently reviewing the Town’s Tree Cutting By-law with the expectation that minor amendments will be presented to Council that currently provide “loop-holes” for unnecessary tree removal. He is also reviewing other by-laws with the intent of amending to permit “set fines” whereby tickets can be issued for regular infractions.
The Town’s Property Standards Officer and Director of Planning and Development have provided comments to the District of Muskoka’ s Sign By-law Review and expect to continue to be involved in that process, hopefully, leading to a review a resolution whereby the Town would have control over signage in Bracebridge on both municipal and District Roads.
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Staff will be providing information to the District of Muskoka who has reached out to the Building Services Branch for data related to septic permits and the SSMIP (Sewage System Maintenance Inspection program) Septic Project that is being undertaken by the Engineering and Public Works Department.
Additionally, MPAC has made a request for approximately 50 scanned permits and permit plans to enable them to do “tabletop assessment” reviews.
Economic Development Branch
Economic Development staff will begin to undertake additional advertising and promotion targeted to local residents, cottagers in the area and visitors with a home base between Barrie and North Bay as all indicators are that more regional travel will be happening in 2020.
Additionally, economic development staff continue to facilitate applications under the Town’s Community Improvement Program and will also be coordinating any of the requests for expanded patios from local restauranteurs.
The Team will be organizing Economic Development Roundtables (sector-based) for Mayor Smith to gather specific ideas, suggestions and just to gain an understanding of how the community’s businesses are impacted by COVID-19.
Randy Mattice has been appointed as the Town’s representative on the District’s Recovery Task Force which we understand will begin meeting in July.
Staff are developing a marketing campaign that will spotlight local businesses as they begin to open up during the loosening of pandemic restrictions through radio, print and social media platforms. While retail and restaurants will be featured, staff will be focusing on a broad spectrum of businesses across many economic sectors;
• A radio, newspaper and social media campaign has been implemented to drive the community to the Engage Bracebridge website. Approximately 50 people have filled out the online survey and several individuals have participated in the online forum discussing targeted priority sites;
• A bridge banner has been created to promote the project;
• Approximately 4,000 postcards directing the public to the Downtown Master Plan website have been distributed to grocery stores, banks, LCBO;
• Posters have been created for the Transit system and tourism kiosks;
• Stakeholder interviews will be taking place throughout the month of June; and
• Staff have been participating in video calls with students through local teachers’ classrooms to gather their thoughts on the future of Downtown Bracebridge.
The Branch is coordinating the Downtown Master Plan project that was launched officially in early June.
Longer-Term Department Initiatives
Staff will be reviewing the annual business plan to determine what projects and initiatives will be undertaken in 2020 and report back as part of the Q2 report.
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PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
Current Status of Department Operations
• Operations Team continues to function in Phase 3 of the Public Works Continuity Plan, with reduced interactions between staff, proper hygiene and hand washing as well as social distancing procedures.
• Roads Operations are transitioning from spring to summer activities.
• Parks and Trails Operations had a late start due to Provincial Orders and are now progressing to summer activities.
• Engineering, Contract Administration and Construction projects are progressing as per usual, with the Pulverizing, Surface Treatment and Hot mix paving commencing shortly.
• Transit is operating with a zero fare and ridership is down significantly on both systems.
• Operation Team has implemented additional signage in Parks, Trails, Facilities and Transit to increase awareness of CV-19 best practices and proper usage.
Short-Term Departmental Initiatives
• Road Construction Projects – Salmon Ave, Pulverization, Surface Treatment, Hot Mix Paving, Slurry Seal
• Bridge and Structure repairs and replacements – Black bridge, Thompson Road Culvert, Thompson Bridge Repair
• Facility Repairs and Maintenance - Bird Mill Mews Exterior Renovations, Oakley Village Septic System, Municipal Office HVAC Balancing
• Minor Maintenance Projects – Roadway Line Painting, Gostick Park Field Repairs, Kelvin Grove Drainage Improvements, Sidewalk hazard repairs, Traffic Radar Boards
Longer-Term Department Initiatives
• Projects – Fuel System Replacement, Public Work Yard Drainage Improvements, Invasive Species Mitigation, Urban Forest Management, Sign Reflectivity Study, Sidewalk Condition Survey, Wood Chester railing and deck repairs, AWMP Boundary Delineation
• Administrative – Traffic Calming, Parks and Trails Operational Plan, Municipal Servicing Bylaw Update, CV-19 Operational Plan Updates, Wilsons Falls Trail and Stairs Design Concepts,
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BRACEBRIDGE PUBLIC LIBRARY
Current Status of Library Operations
There are currently 5 full-time staff conducting operations of the library services. Some are working from home when work duties allow. Others continue to attend the Library to complete various projects Monday to Friday. Work has included and continues to include the following:
• Basic Library services – receiving, disinfecting and/or quarantining, and re-shelving materials that have been returned to our drop-box, renewing library cards & registering new patrons to enable use of our online resources;
• Office administration duties – bi-weekly payroll, invoices, collect mail, process magazines/materials, answering the reception phone;
• Organization/updating of work folders online;
• Clean-up of patron database;
• Professional development opportunities for staff via Zoom meetings or webinars;
• Cleaning and disinfecting as needed throughout the building;
• Creating and/or updating online resources/content – includes website and social media postings, Tech Talks, children’s story times, readers advisory tools, promotion of local resources for well- being of community, etc.
Library CEO remains in continuous contact with Muskoka libraries and those in other municipalities to ensure up-to-date information is available from our library peers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Library Board meetings continue via Zoom forum. Library CEO shares information regularly with Management Team to support decision making and future planning.
Short-Term Departmental Initiatives
Following the provincial government’s announcement of Stage 1, allowing libraries to provide curbside pickup of materials, Library staff put initiatives into action. These included reinstating the ability for patrons to place holds on library materials and preparing the facility to follow a planned procedure to provide this service.
Library staff have coordinated a safe procedure for staff and patrons alike. Staff practise frequent handwashing and ensure physical distancing when distributing materials. Patrons are scheduled for pickups to reduce their risk of contact with others.
With an increase in return of materials to the Library drop box, staff have moved from disinfecting individual items to quarantining materials for 72 hours before they are checked in and returned to the shelves.
Longer-Term Department Initiatives
The provincial government’s announcement of Stage 2, effective June 12, added the allowance for libraries to provide computer access. The acceptable number of people for social gatherings increased to 10, as long as 2 metres of distancing for each person could be accommodated. It was specified that libraries could not allow members of the public to touch any materials on library shelves.
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Due to the layout of our current facility, the 2 metre distancing could not be achieved effectively for appropriate computer access or programs. Since a large part of library service is the circulation of materials, the inability for patrons to browse the shelves to select materials puts a severe limitation on the “reopening” of the facility.
To ensure a comfort level of health safety for staff and patrons, the Library will continue curbside pickup and offering free wireless Internet accessible from the Library parking lot.
Staff continue to make plans for a gradual reinstatement of services and programs which includes acquiring personal protective equipment (PPE) and other supplies, and adapting procedures to ensure compliance with health directives. The Library Board will be preparing policies to address key issues related to this pandemic environment.
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APPENDIX “B”
Correspondence from the Medical Officer of Health Regarding Safe Workspaces
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June 10, 2020
Dear CAOs for the municipalities in Simcoe County, the District of Muskoka, the Cities of Barrie and Orillia, and of the four First Nations located in Simcoe Muskoka:
On Monday, June 8, 2020, the Province of Ontario outlined plans to move to Phase 2, Stage 2 of the Re- Opening Ontario Plan. Stage 2 will commence on Friday, June 12, 2020. With the initiation of Stage 2, it is anticipated that requests from the public for municipal and community services will increase and therefore, the need to prepare for staff returning to offices and opening offices to the public is essential to your operations. In follow up to letters provided to you on April 14 and May 12, 2020, the following correspondence provides information to assist your municipality and community in resuming operations and public services in your community workplaces.
The need for on-going vigilance in protecting employees and citizens from COVID-19 in workplaces and offices is a priority in Simcoe and Muskoka as the pandemic continues to impact our communities. The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) is preparing for continuing and future wave(s) of transmission in Simcoe and Muskoka over the course of the pandemic, which may last up to two years. The development and availability of a vaccine is the most likely end point of our collective response, potentially in 2021. Future waves may come as a series of repetitive smaller spikes in transmission starting in summer of 2020 and then consistently over the coming 1-2 years as certain provincial restrictive measures are relaxed and then reinstituted, or, alternatively, the next wave could occur in the fall or winter of 2020 as a larger wave than the spring wave, followed by one or more smaller subsequent waves in 2021. To be prepared for such scenarios, SMDHU has provided resources for workplaces and businesses on our website. Further, the following strategies are encouraged to assist you as an employer in ensuring a safe environment for staff and citizens now and into the future:
Innovative Office/Workplace Strategies • Continue to implement work-from-home strategies and flexible work hours in your workplace where possible. Having staff work from home reduces the potential for transmission in the workplace and allows for more space for staff that are required to be in the office. At SMDHU, we continue to have the majority of our staff working remotely and are planning on continuing this practice until which time a vaccine is available to achieve population immunity/protection. • For larger workplaces (greater than 100 employees), cohorting (or ‘bubbling’) of staff is recommended where physical distancing is difficult to maintain. Cohorting involves keeping groups of people together. Cohorting may reduce the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace by minimizing the number of different individuals who come into close contact with each other over the course of a week, potentially reducing the number of workers outside of the cohort in being exposed to the virus. • Press conferences and meetings are encouraged to take place remotely using technology to facilitate briefings to the public and media to avoid gatherings of greater than 10 persons. • As we approach the summer, you may be considering the use of your municipal spaces for the purpose of a cooling shelter. A guidance document for running a cooling shelter safely regarding COVID-19 is provided at this link.
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Screening • Continue to screen your staff for COVID-19 symptoms before arriving at the workplace. Staff coming into the office should complete the Provincial Screening tool and report results of their assessment to their employer prior to each work shift. • Employees who fail the Provincial screening tool should not be permitted to come to work. They should be directed to a local assessment centre for further assessment and/or testing and wait for results until determining if/when they are able to return to work.
Client Interactions • Limit the number of customers/clients your employees would have close contact with (ie. fewer scheduled appointments, limited number of patrons in the workplace at any one time). SMDHU recommends documenting the contact information of individuals who come in for services and attend work, to enable contact follow up for possible case exposures. • While the Province has announced that effective Friday, June 12, 2020 at 12:01 a.m., the limit on social gatherings will increase from five to ten people across the province, in-person meetings (internal meetings or permitting meeting rooms to be rented) should continue to be discouraged. • For areas in your municipal offices and other worksites that are accessible to the public, use signage/posters provided by the Provincial government.
Personal Protective Equipment and Physical Distancing • If physical distancing is difficult to maintain between employees or between an employee and a member of the public, employees are recommended to wear a cloth mask to help protect others from asymptomatic transmission. • Personal protective equipment (PPE) and supplies keep your employees and customers/clients safe, where warranted. PPE is in high demand and the needs of frontline health care workers and first responders will continue to be prioritized. Access the Workplace PE Supplier Directory for a list of companies that sell PPE and related supplies. • Ensure that staff required to attend offices are separated by physical means and at least 2 metres of distance. It is recommended that staff that interact with the public should have barriers that permit 2 metres of distance between them and the public and if possible, a physical barrier such as plexiglass is preferred.
Infection Prevention and Control Planning and Education • Reinforce cough etiquette and hand hygiene by staff and visitors. • Ensure routine and frequent cleaning and disinfection occurs throughout the day in workspaces. • Identify possible work-related exposure and health risks to your employees and how to reduce these risks. • Prepare for possible increased numbers of employee absences due to illness in employees and their family members and/or possible repeat closure of early childhood programs and schools. • Develop a contingency and business continuity plan for the potential of a positive employee or visitor in your workplace. Individuals testing positive for COVID-19 will be directed by SMDHU to self-isolate. Individuals that have had close contact (ie. spent prolonged time within a 2-metre radius) with this employee/visitor will be contacted by SMDHU if they need to take additional precautions.
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In Appendix A below, I have provided links to local, provincial and federal tools that the health unit has referenced for settings and activities consistent with local communities. SMDHU remains committed to providing web updates on the provincial Emergency Orders and information for the public and our municipalities at http://www.simcoemuskokahealth.org/Topics/COVID-19. For further information on the requirements to assist your municipality, please contact a Public Health Inspector 1-877-721-7520.
Sincerely,
ORIGINAL Signed By:
Charles Gardner, MD, CCFP, MHSc, FRCPC Medical Officer of Health
CG:cm
Encl. (1)
45
Appendix A
Topic Source Hyperlink
Sector-Specific resources to Government of Ontario Click Here prevent COVID-19 in the workplace
Re-Opening and Operating Your SMDHU Click Here Business Safely
COVID-19 Guidance: Essential Government of Ontario Click Here Workplaces
COVID-19 and Ontario’s Human Ontario Human Rights Click Here Rights Code – Questions and Commission Answers
Resources to prevent COVID-19 Ontario Ministry of Labour Click Here in the workplace
Risk mitigation tool for Government of Canada Click Here workplaces/businesses operating during the COVID-19 pandemic
Re-opening Ontario Framework Province of Ontario Click Here
Health and Safety Guidance Public Services Health & Safety Click Here During COVID-19 For Social & Association Community Services (Group Homes) Employers
Health and Safety Guidance Public Services Health & Safety Click Here During COVID-19 For Employers Association of Office Settings
COVID-19: Precautions When Public Services Health & Safety Click Here Working As A Transit Worker Association
Workplace Safety & Prevention Workplace Safety & Prevention Click Here Services Guidance on Health and Services Safety for Office Administration and Secretarial Staff during COVID-19
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APPENDIX “C”
Correspondence from the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) to:
The Honourable B. Morneau, Minister of Finance and the Honourable R. Phillips, Minister of Finance
The Right Honourable Prime Minister J. Trudeau and the Honourable Premier D. Ford
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Sent by email to: [email protected] [email protected] April 27, 2020
The Honourable Bill Morneau The Honourable Rod Phillips Minister of Finance Ontario Minister of Finance Department of Finance Canada Frost Building South, 7th Floor, 90 Elgin Street 7 Queen's Park Cres Ottawa, Ontario Toronto, Ontario K1A 0G5 M7A 1Y7
Re: Municipal Government Services and Ontario and Canada’s Economic Recovery
Dear Minister Morneau and Minister Phillips:
The current COVID-19 pandemic has offered Canada and the world an unprecedented challenge. In managing this emergency, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) commends the Prime Minister, Premier and all ministers and officials for their leadership and dedication to the health, safety and well-being of the people of Ontario. However, the steps we have collectively taken to limit the spread of the virus and manage the disease have taken a steep toll on our economies, businesses, workers and communities that is likely to continue for the foreseeable future without urgent and dedicated attention. Municipal governments are also impacted.
As your partners providing services on the front lines, municipal governments have welcomed the supports Ontario and Canada have put in place to date. AMO also appreciates that attention is turning to efforts to guide the economic and social recovery of our society as the rate of infection slows and we return to a more normal footing. Collectively our citizens will turn to their national, provincial and local governments for the leadership and investments needed to safely return to regular life and chart our path to lasting prosperity.
Municipal Fiscal Stabilization:
Stabilizing local governments must be a priority. The pandemic has had a major impact on the finances of municipal governments across Ontario and Canada. AMO strongly supports the requests of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and the Canadian Urban Transit Association for stabilization funding that will help municipal governments recover from these impacts and prepare them for the long-term recovery. We appreciate greatly Premier Ford’s support for these requests.
200 University Ave. Suite 801 www.amo.on.ca Tel 416. 971.9856 Toll Free in Ontario Toronto, ON, M5H 3C6 [email protected] Fax 416. 971.6191 877.426.6527 48 2
In addition, AMO believes that it may be necessary for the Ontario government to create a short-term grant which helps to keep municipalities whole during the pandemic and beyond.
Municipalities have continued transit services, often foregoing fares, to keep frontline workers and others able to work and access services during the emergency. The costs of delivering key human services have continued to mount. Many have deferred property taxes and other fees with impacts to their solvency, and increased needs for personal protective equipment and cleaning costs have challenged municipal operations. Property tax deferrals are an important support to the population while the economy contracts and unemployment increases. They cannot be a long-term solution. While there are proposals to permit municipal operating deficits, these proposals only delay costs and create structural financial pressures.
A partnership among all three orders of government working together to stabilize and put our economy on the path to recovery is required.
Economic Recovery:
Turning to recovery and efforts to return our economy to growth, AMO believes that stimulus measures to accelerate and enhance both provincial and federal infrastructure programs would help to get our economy moving again. Capital investments will get people and businesses to work, creating jobs in the short term and creating multiplier effects through local firms and communities. They will also make it more efficient for businesses and people to create and access goods and services in the long term, benefiting overall prosperity and competitiveness.
Investments in public infrastructure stimulate economic progress. In 2015, in a paper for the Broadbent Institute, the Institute for Spatial Analysis estimated that every dollar of public sector investment in infrastructure in Canada increased GDP by $1.43 in the short term, created 9.4 short-term jobs and returned $0.44 in taxes. In the long term, that same investment increased GDP by $2.46 - $3.83 for each dollar spent.
The timing of infrastructure investments is also key. While steady long-term investment in infrastructure is important to ensure that it contributes to gains in long term productivity, investments in infrastructure during times of reduced economic output have an even greater impact on economic advancement. One International Monetary Fund (IMF) study suggested that increasing infrastructure spending by 1 per cent of GDP through deficit spending can increase GDP 0.9 per cent in the first year and up to 2.9 per cent by year four in economic downturns.
The case for public infrastructure investment for economic benefit is clear but there are other policy benefits as well. Sound investments in social, cultural and environmental infrastructure can increase equity, well being and quality of life as well as improve the natural environment, all with ultimate benefits for prosperity. Municipal governments offer services in all of these areas in which investments can increase our collective economic, environmental and social bottom lines.
200 University Ave. Suite 801 www.amo.on.ca Tel 416. 971.9856 Toll Free in Ontario Toronto, ON, M5H 3C6 [email protected] Fax 416. 971.6191 877.426.6527 49 3
With this in mind, we recommend the following proposals to help restart the economy and put Ontario on track for long term growth and prosperity:
Accelerate Existing Infrastructure Funding:
The Investing in Canada Plan (ICIP) partnership funding offers Ontario and municipal governments significant and appreciated resources to invest in needed service improvements. As a first step, AMO believes the governments of Canada and Ontario should accelerate the funding allocations under the various streams of the ICIP. This would include expediting project approvals as well as changing the transfer of funding from the completion of projects to the start of projects to allow municipalities to manage cash flow better and faster. This would effectively re-profile ICIP funding into stimulus.
However, in re-profiling this funding, the need for long term infrastructure funding and certainty in its allocation cannot be forgotten.
This long-term funding should include transit service expansion, which, while challenged by the current pandemic and lockdown, will need to be increased and improved for long term prosperity, social and environmental needs. Stabilizing public transit and adapting it safely to our needs post-pandemic will be critical to meeting our goals.
Ontario’s Gas Tax for Transit Fund, given its flexibility and stability, is an important source for capital and operating funds for transit. The province should consider how to address diminished revenue collected for the fund anticipated in 2020 – such as discounting the year altogether in favour of a multi-year average - as maintaining the envelope is likely to be critical to helping transit services recover.
Federal Gas Tax:
In the previous year’s federal Budget, the Government of Canada doubled the investment in the federal Gas Tax Fund in that year. The federal Gas Tax Fund is a major stable source of flexible infrastructure funding offering permanent, formula- allocated funding to local infrastructure that is bankable and leverages significant local investment from municipalities because it is matched to municipal government priorities.
In Ontario, in 2019 the increased allocation provided $1.64 billion to municipal governments for priority projects. Additional increases in funding have the ability to be quickly contributed to municipal local priorities in priority areas, flexibly across Ontario. As a result, the federal Gas Tax Fund remains a preferred and reliable choice to quickly move funding for infrastructure from the federal government to municipal governments in Ontario.
However, much can also be achieved on our shared infrastructure priorities through targeted funding to important services and areas. The remainder of this letter focuses
200 University Ave. Suite 801 www.amo.on.ca Tel 416. 971.9856 Toll Free in Ontario Toronto, ON, M5H 3C6 [email protected] Fax 416. 971.6191 877.426.6527 50 4 on the potential for us to make real progress for our communities economically, socially and environmentally through investments in local services.
Connectivity:
Access to internet and cellular technologies has never been more important, and the current pandemic has laid bare disparities Ontario communities are faced with as people do as they are asked and isolate at home. Connectivity in this time is a lifeline. It is access to food, medicine and medical services, family, school and work. Yet, the Ontario Ministry of Infrastructure estimates that 12 per cent of Ontarians, 1.7 million people, live in unserved and underserved communities. Both Ontario and Canada have ambitious goals to connect these people and improve this now essential service. This funding is set to launch this year and it should be accelerated to improve services to these areas to bring them to the 50/10 MB standard, a helpful improvement.
While these programs will help to narrow the gaps in connectivity rural and remote communities are experiencing now, the auctioning of new spectrum frequencies later this year, and the introduction of new next generation technologies, could exacerbate these disparities if not properly managed. The federal government’s proposals to ensure competitiveness and set aside spectrum for regional and smaller carriers should help. Ideally this will ensure that small local carriers have the opportunity to invest in spectrum in underserved rural areas, including those close to urban agglomerations. That said, it may be necessary for the Government of Canada to also consider rules that require providers to forfeit the license if actual connections to under and unserved residents are not made within a specified period at specified speeds, as many rural communities are concerned that projects do not always result in the outcomes proposed.
Additionally, Ontario should explore ways to ensure access to Hydro One to hydro pole infrastructure to expedite installation of necessary wireless technologies in rural areas. Local municipal electricity distribution corporations in Ontario will be able to work with their shareholders where connectivity issues exist to ensure hydro poles are available to service providers per local priorities.
To ensure these services are implemented, and communities are able to take advantage in new and improved technologies, AMO encourages the Governments of Canada and Ontario to continue to work with municipalities, and service providers, to help all Ontarians take advantage of the new technologies and applications this new spectrum will bring. Additional stimulus funding to incentivize partnerships and investments in wireless, fixed and satellite connection expansion also should be considered as a sound economic, social and environmental investment in our future prosperity.
Housing:
Infrastructure includes social infrastructure that develops human capital. The need for more affordable housing is clear, and the current pandemic has shown in even starker
200 University Ave. Suite 801 www.amo.on.ca Tel 416. 971.9856 Toll Free in Ontario Toronto, ON, M5H 3C6 [email protected] Fax 416. 971.6191 877.426.6527 51 5
relief why housing provision to inadequately housed people is in the public interest. Acting now to resolve this will help make managing the spread of future diseases easier.
In 2018, the Ontario Non-Profit Housing Corporation and the Canadian Co-operative Housing Federation – Ontario Region produced a proposal to all orders of government in a document called An Affordable Housing Plan for Ontario. According to these provincial housing associations, construction of at least 16,600 rental homes each year is required to address population growth and the backlog of those in need of affordable housing. This would amount to building up to 69,000 rental homes over ten years. In addition, up to 30,000 new supportive housing units are required for vulnerable, low-income people including seniors and those with mental health and addictions challenges. Much of the existing municipally funded community housing stock is also in need of capital repair given the age of the buildings.
Building and repairing these rental homes is projected to contribute $2.6 billion annually in construction multipliers and inject $1.1 billion in increased consumer spending. As well, it can save money to the health and justice systems, estimated at $1.1 billion annually. Permanent housing is more cost effective than putting people in shelters, jails or psychiatric beds, and is essential to reducing chronic homelessness. An adequate supply of housing for a range of incomes, including the middle class, assists communities to attract and retain workers needed to grow local economies.
Investing in housing also helps to secure a critical social safety net for people with low to moderate incomes or requiring special supports, such as help with mental health and addictions. There are many construction ready projects that could be built quickly, or capital repairs quickly undertaken. The National Housing Strategy framework provides a ready mechanism to move investments forward expeditiously.
There are other options other than direct investments that are worth exploring. For example, HPC Housing Investments Corporation (HIC) is a new national lender dedicated to the affordable housing sector. It was co-founded by Housing Services Corporation (Ontario), BC Housing and Manitoba Housing with support from CMHC. HIC offers housing providers direct access to the capital markets and delivers low-cost, long-term mortgages to build affordable housing across Canada.
While HIC has a proven model for generating and maximizing funds for affordable housing projects, a provincial guarantee of HIC mortgages will make the offering more attractive to the capital markets and also drive down financing costs to Ontario providers. For example, HIC estimates that a provincial guarantee will result in interest savings of up to $120 million for the Ontario sector for a $500 million guaranteed program with 40-year mortgage terms. An Ontario guarantee will not require any upfront funding from the Province and can be quickly and easily implemented for Ontario providers through HIC’s established lending platform.
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Child Care:
Child care will play an important part in the economic recovery if adequate funding is available. No one wants to see child care centres closed permanently as a result of the current situation. Sustaining existing child care capacity is critical to facilitate continued labour market participation of parents in the workplace.
Maintaining employment in the sector will also contribute to recovery. For every five children in child care, it is estimated to generate one full-time employee equivalent, typically women in these sector professions. This includes Early Childhood Educators, cooks and cleaners. Investments in child care make good economic social sense in a number of ways. In addition to facilitating participation in the labour force, it plays a role to help reduce poverty and is essential for early childhood development which leads to improved educational outcomes resulting in a stronger labour force in the future.
Flooding and Storm Water Management:
AMO has long called for funding to improve and expand flood protection and storm water management infrastructure.
A changing climate is changing the parameters for storm water management infrastructure, necessitating additional capacity. This is costly to communities and intensifies the need for investments that are already challenging municipal governments. Better storm water management infrastructure has a direct benefit to our lakes and rivers, to flora and fauna and, if green infrastructure is integrated, to wetlands and resident’s quality of life.
The ICIP Green Fund is a helpful start and these investments should be accelerated. However, more will be needed to truly increase the protection to our communities and our environment. AMO suggests that Ontario and Canada provide additional funding to improve municipal storm water management and for flooding control infrastructure including green infrastructure and wetlands as part of the recovery efforts. Policy which prioritizes lot level water management through low impact development will help to manage future demand (LID) for expansion and provide benefits to water quality long term. Some municipal governments have implemented dedicated storm water charges, and many will have a need to consider them as they manage future needs.
Energy Conversions, Public and Private Buildings:
Upgrading and enhancing energy conservation and green energy such as solar, district energy, combined heat and power and others for public and even private buildings should be considered. For public buildings, green energy upgrades to municipal offices, public housing and recreation centres would help to reduce our sector’s greenhouse gas footprint and better manage future expansion of generating capacity
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needs. It would also make a meaningful contribution to Canada’s Paris Agreement commitments.
Furthermore, municipal services such as organic waste management and wastewater treatment facilities offer the opportunity to capture heat and gas as major energy recovery projects. Doing so closes the loop on greenhouse gas production and more efficiently stewards renewable resources. If these sources were combined with agricultural waste in one facility, the potential for regional energy conversion could be realized. Funding for such projects under stimulus and long-term infrastructure plans should be included.
In addition, we urge the provincial and federal governments to consider the potential for supporting energy conservation and renewable energy for homeowners, commercial and institutional buildings. This should be done through a combination of incentives and other mechanisms. AMO believes that the support of your governments and the potential for Local Improvement Charges (LICs) that can finance these changes on property tax bills could be an effective way to support residents and businesses, create short-term jobs and improve our environment for the long term.
Your governments should also consider investments in charging capacity for electric vehicles. While municipalities will continue to invest in transit operations and active transportation initiatives, AMO believes that an expansion in Ontario’s charging capacity for electric vehicles could help consumers to increasingly adopt such vehicles by reducing anxiety about ranges and providing an alternative to petrol.
Greater adoption will have immediate impacts on our GHG emissions and air quality as the current emergency has shown – the World Meteorological Organization recently reported that measures to manage the spread of COVID-19 will result in a 6 per cent decline in GHG emissions globally in 2020, the first decline since World War 2. Closer to home, analysis by scientists at the University of Toronto suggest that lockdowns in Canada’s major cities such as Toronto, have reduced nitrous oxide and ultrafine particulate pollution by almost 50 per cent and other analyses suggest that the world’s major cities may have seen reductions of up to 60 per cent in other particulates such as PM 2.5, with implications for human health.
As economic activity picks up and returns to some form of normalcy, switching our main transportation options to transit, active transportation and electric vehicles will help to ensure we can continue to enjoy better environmental health while increasing income and prosperity. Also, if accompanied by connectivity enhancement and expansion, the potential for green, autonomous vehicles grows with attendant benefits for transport on demand and built form.
Conclusion:
The prosperity Canada and other western nations and, indeed much of the world experienced in the wake of the Second World War was not a mistake or happy coincidence. It resulted from determined planning and dedicated short- and long-term
200 University Ave. Suite 801 www.amo.on.ca Tel 416. 971.9856 Toll Free in Ontario Toronto, ON, M5H 3C6 [email protected] Fax 416. 971.6191 877.426.6527 54 8 investments in prosperity. The current health crisis, accompanied by the sharp drop in economic activity as we manage it has given us a stark choice: we can continue our current path with the substantial funds we have committed to date; or we can invest strategically, significantly and smartly in areas that affect our prosperity and quality of life broadly defined and reap the attendant benefits in the short and long term by changing our foundational rules.
AMO believes the project categories included will do just that. Quantified and delivered transparently, such investment will provide our residents, businesses and investors with clarity and certainty allowing stability to guide private sector growth as the recovery takes hold.
To be clear, AMO is not suggesting that the federal and provincial governments embark on this alone. Municipal governments will do their part as your local partners to invest in these services and aid the recovery as much as they are able now and in the long term. The pandemic has put the importance of governments in very clear relief.
The mechanisms for investment in the recovery are already in place or can be established quickly.
We welcome the opportunity to discuss these important matters with you soon.
Sincerely,
Jamie McGarvey AMO President Mayor of Parry Sound cc: Bill Karsten, President, Federation of Canadian Municipalities Rocco Rossi, President and CEO, Ontario Chamber of Commerce The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada The Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister of Canada The Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities The Honourable Ahmed Hussein, Minister of Minister of Families, Children and Social Development The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, President, Treasury Board of Canada The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Environment and Climate Change The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry
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The Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages The Honourable Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario The Honourable Steve Clark, Ontario Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing The Honourable Vic Fedeli, Ontario Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade The Honourable Peter Bethlenfalvy, President of the Ontario Treasury Board The Honourable Caroline Mulroney, Ontario Minister of Transportation The Honourable Christine Elliott, Ontario Deputy Premier and Minister of Health The Honourable Ernie Hardeman, Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs The Honourable Greg Rickford, Ontario Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines and Minister of Indigenous Affairs The Honourable John Yakabuski, Ontario Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry The Honourable Laurie Scott, Ontario Minister of Infrastructure The Honourable Lisa MacLeod, Ontario Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries The Honourable Lisa Thompson, Ontario Minister of Government and Consumer Services The Honourable Monte McNaughton, Ontario Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development The Honourable Prabmeet Sarkaria, Ontario Associate Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction
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May 8, 2020 Via e-mail: [email protected] [email protected] The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau Prime Minister of Canada Office of the Prime Minister 80 Wellington Street Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A3
The Honourable Doug Ford Premier of Ontario Legislative Building, Room 281 Queen's Park Toronto, Ontario M7A 1A1
Dear Prime Minister Trudeau and Premier Ford:
Re: Financial Assistance for Municipal Governments
I am writing to urge the governments of Canada and Ontario to work together to invest in the financial stabilization of municipal governments and the recovery of local economies comprising the prosperity of the Province and the Country.
Municipalities recognize the extraordinary efforts of the governments of Canada and Ontario to safeguard public health, and to support individuals, business, public services and the overall stability of the economy.
People recognize and appreciate the remarkable collaboration of all orders of government to address the COVID-19 emergency with dispatch, intelligence, and compassion, guided by science rather than politics. Politicians and extraordinary public servants from all three orders of government have made immeasurable contributions and sacrifices. Municipal governments in Ontario have played a key role on the front lines of public health, paramedicine, shelter services, childcare, transit, public safety, the provision of safe drinking water, the distribution of emergency financial assistance, and in countless other ways. Our residents have contributed profoundly by staying at home, doing their part and making sacrifices to support the wellbeing of others.
As we look forward to economic recovery, municipal governments have an indispensable role to play. Financial assistance for municipalities from other orders of government is essential if we are to succeed.
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In Ontario, the added costs of fighting COVID-19 and protecting the most vulnerable, coupled with massive and immediate losses in revenue in services such as transit, and reduced future revenue, cannot be managed at the community level. Financial support from Canada and Ontario is essential.
The only financial tools available municipal governments to address COVID-19 costs and shortfalls are property tax increases or service cuts on a massive scale, or the deferral of capital investments. Any of those options will harm, rather than support, the economic recovery of Ontario and Canada.
The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) recently submitted a proposal to Canada for municipal financial assistance and essential support for transit services. The proposal is comprehensive, equitable, and practical, and warrants immediate attention and a positive response.
AMO’s members govern, protect and provide key services to almost one in three Canadians. On behalf of our members, we urge the governments of Canada and Ontario to extend your successful collaboration to the immediate provision of essential financial assistance for municipalities.
We look forward to working with Canada and Ontario to rebuild our shared economies, and to support the residents, private and public enterprises we all serve.
Yours Sincerely
Jamie McGarvey President cc. The Honourable Bill Morneau, Minister of Finance, Canada The Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister of Canada The Honourable Rod Phillips, Minister of Finance, Ontario The Honourable Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Ontario President Bill Karsten, Federation of Canadian Municipalities
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May 14, 2020 Via e-mail: [email protected] [email protected] The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau Prime Minister of Canada Office of the Prime Minister 80 Wellington Street Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A3
The Honourable Doug Ford Premier of Ontario Legislative Building, Room 281 Queen's Park Toronto, Ontario M7A 1A1
Dear Prime Minister Trudeau and Premier Ford:
Re: Immediate Financial Assistance for Municipal Governments
I am writing to follow up on my letter of May 8, 2020 urging the governments of Canada and Ontario to work together to invest in the financial stabilization of municipalities and the recovery of local economies comprising the prosperity of the Province and the Country.
Municipalities in Ontario, and in every part of Canada, are struggling to respond to the COVID-19 emergency and to play their indispensable role in rebuilding the economy. They cannot succeed without immediate federal and provincial financial assistance.
The only financial tools available to municipal governments to address COVID-19 costs and shortfalls are property tax increases or service cuts on a massive scale, or the deferral of capital investments. Any of those options will harm, rather than support, the economic recovery of Ontario and Canada.
The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) proposal for municipal financial assistance and essential support for transit services is comprehensive, equitable, and practical, and warrants immediate attention and a positive response. The recently announced federal-provincial cost-shared program to boost wages for low-income essential workers, and the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) program, provide an ideal model for Canada to work with provinces and territories to deploy this essential financial support effectively and immediately.
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AMO’s members govern, protect and provide key services to almost one in three Canadians. On behalf of our members, we urge the governments of Canada and Ontario to extend your successful collaboration to the immediate provision of essential financial assistance for municipalities.
We look forward to working with Canada and Ontario to rebuild our shared economies, and to support the residents, private and public enterprises and we all serve.
Yours Sincerely
Jamie McGarvey President cc. The Honourable Bill Morneau, Minister of Finance, Canada The Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister of Canada The Honourable Rod Phillips, Minister of Finance, Ontario The Honourable Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Ontario President Bill Karsten, Federation of Canadian Municipalities
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General Committee June 16, 2020
APPENDIX “D”
Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) – Recommendations for Protecting Vital Municipal Services
61 Protecting vital municipal services Urgent federal recommendations to address the financial crisis in our cities and communities due to COVID-19
April 23, 2020
62 Contents This is a crisis Summary of 1 recommendations 8 Local leaders on the Proposed front lines funding model 2 10
Anatomy of our Eyes on financial crisis the future 4 12
Fiscal impacts of COVID-19 6
63 This is a crisis A message from FCM’s president
In a matter of weeks, the COVID-19 pandemic Canadians are depending on the vital services has turned life upside down. We now face a public their local leaders provide, from ensuring tap health and economic challenge unlike anything water is clean to sending paramedics to help we’ve seen in our lifetime. As municipalities across the sick to safely sheltering our most vulnerable the country work to support frontline action residents. Cutting back services in the middle of and ready essential response services, the a pandemic would put Canadians at further risk. financial impact to our operations has created Instead, municipal leaders must continue to help a crisis—and threatens to put the Canadians lead the way, supporting people and businesses we serve at further risk. through this public health and economic storm. To ensure this work continues with the urgency Across Canada, cities and communities are seeing required—on the ground, where Canadians live— their finances drift toward collapse. This crisis direct emergency federal funding is the only exposes the cracks in an outdated model that option. is fundamentally misaligned with the modern reality of the role of local governments. Revenues Our federal-municipal partnership has delivered are plummeting. Unanticipated costs are rising. remarkable results. Deepening that partnership With few fiscal tools available—and no legal now will protect Canadians through this pandemic. ability to run operating deficits—local leaders And when the time comes, local leaders will be face stark choices. Protecting essential services ready to help lead Canada’s recovery, so this now requires support from other orders country can prosper and thrive once again. of government.
Today, FCM is making that urgent request on behalf of cities and communities across the country. We are calling for emergency operating funding for municipalities—to keep Bill Karsten essential services running and Canadians FCM President safe and protected.
1 Protecting vital municipal services 64 Local leaders on the front lines Our cities and communities are the In the face of this challenge, essential workers front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. and local leaders are stepping up together as These are the places where Canadians champions for their communities, and this country. go to work, buy homes, start families, As the national voice for local governments, FCM launch businesses, and build the is fully engaged in this nationwide crisis. We’re future of this country. As the bringing together communities across the country governments closest to daily life, to help protect people and businesses. Through municipal leaders are mobilizing regular touchpoints with our members—from urgently to keep Canadians safe, FCM’s Big City Mayors’ Caucus and Rural Forum and to help people and businesses to our provincial-territorial municipal association weather the economic storm. partners and others—we’re convening local expertise, sharing resources and coordinating Municipalities of all sizes are taking extraordinary frontline response efforts. measures to support Canadians—including our most vulnerable—through this unprecedented We’re also working directly with federal public health and economic challenge. They’re departments, agencies and decision-makers turning arenas into shelters for the homeless. to help inform Canada’s pandemic response. They’re setting up portable hygiene stations. That includes regular scheduled calls with the They’re deferring property taxes and utility deputy prime minister and key ministers. This bills for struggling families. unprecedented engagement is bringing local realities to new federal initiatives—from the Municipalities are also working day and Canada Emergency Response Benefit to night to keep essential services running. Bus the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy—to drivers, paramedics, firefighters, social workers ensure they meet the needs of Canadians and countless other frontline staff are putting on the ground. themselves at risk every day to keep Canadians safe and to provide the services people rely on.
2 Protecting vital municipal services 65 Municipalities in action The municipality of Canton De Gore, QC has set up a home delivery service for seniors and The City of Edmonton, AB has waived transit vulnerable residents—staffed by volunteers— fares on all routes and has deployed larger to bring groceries and prescriptions to people buses to encourage physical distancing, while confined to their homes. ensuring essential workers have a safe and reliable way to get to work. For more examples of municipal action during the pandemic, go to fcm.ca/COVID19. The public library in the Town of Halton Hills, ON is using 3D printers to make face shield parts for frontline health care workers. It’s also left its Wi-Fi on—despite being closed—so residents without Internet access can apply for provincial and federal resources.
Vital municipal services at a glance COVID-19 is shining a spotlight on the vital role municipalities play in daily life. Now more than ever, Canadians are depending on their local leaders to keep essential services running—to keep people safe and secure through this pandemic. That includes:
}}Local police, ambulance and fire services }}Maintenance of roads, bridges and other essential infrastructure }}Safe public transit for essential workers }}Clean water and wastewater services Paramedics are on the frontlines providing life-saving services including emergency and non-emergency }}Garbage collection and recycling pre-hospital care to residents. Photo: City of Toronto }}Local social services and housing for vulnerable residents When the time comes, municipalities will also }}Local public health agencies be ready to lead Canada’s recovery, along with }}Sustainability and environmental initiatives our federal partners. Local leaders are already delivering frontline results for Canadians. And they are exceptionally well-placed to deliver stimulus funding quickly—to create jobs and get the economy going. Deepening the federal-municipal partnership even further will help Canada thrive and prosper once again.
3 Protecting vital municipal services 66 Anatomy of our financial crisis At the best of times, Canada’s through the lives of Canadians. Insolvency is not an municipal governments manage a option. Bridge loans cannot address this crisis of razor-thin fiscal balance to deliver permanent losses. Cutting essential services is not for residents. On the revenue side, an acceptable option, not when Canadians need us they have scant ground to till most. This is why we are turning to our federal part- beyond property taxes and user fees. ners for emergency operating funding—to sustain municipal operations and essential services through On the expense side, operating and these extraordinary times. capital, they must be tremendously cost-efficient with every dollar available. With no legal standing to carry operating deficits, they diligently maintain reserves to carry our communities through cyclical shifts and disruptions.
But these are historically challenging times. Municipalities are incurring deep losses due to COVID-19—a combination of foregone revenues (from property taxes and user/utility fees) and unanticipated costs (including public safety Municipal waste collection operators are keeping measures and support for vulnerable populations). municipalities clean and green, while delivering This is not limited to a cash flow challenge; this essential services so residents can stay at home. is a crisis of non-recoverable losses. To continue Photo: City of Toronto delivering essential services, many are drawing down limited reserves that were not designed for a crisis of this scale or duration. This action will protect essential services Canadians rely on. No one should have Today’s crisis exposes cracks in the fundamentally to worry if their tap water is clean, outdated fiscal framework in which municipalities whether their garbage will stay on are still forced to operate. And as we now approach the curb, or when a fire truck or a tipping point, our next steps will reverberate ambulance will arrive.
4 Protecting vital municipal services 67 To keep drivers and riders safe, The City of Windsor’s WFCU Centre, home of the Windsor Spitfires Junior-A the City of Selkirk, MB, installed hockey club, has been transformed into a make-shift foodbank to help those Plexiglas shields and closed off in need during the pandemic. Photo: City of Windsor alternating rows inside the buses to encourage physical distancing. Photo: City of Selkirk
This action will protect the most vulnerable among us. We must continue deploying extra- ordinary measures to protect people who face Protecting property taxpayers enormous challenges staying safe—in our Covering municipal losses through a shelters, on our streets. one-time property tax levy is not a viable alternative to federal emergency funding This action will support Canada’s economic given the significant impact it would have recovery. Municipalities will need to hit the on households trying to weather the eco- ground running to turn stimulus funds into nomic downturn. Bridging municipalities’ outcomes—and not be cancelling even 2020 fiscal shortfalls without cutting existing capital projects. services—assuming six months of physical Like never before, our municipal-federal distancing—would require dramatic partnership has been building better lives for residential property tax levies: Canadians. Our partnership is grounded in our Toronto 56% respective strengths—local leaders are delivery Calgary 23% experts closest to people’s real needs, the federal Vancouver 22% government has the fiscal heft to drive nationwide Montreal 18% progress. Today, right now, this partnership is the Mississauga 17% key to carrying Canadians through this pandemic into better days ahead.
5 Protecting vital municipal services 68 Fiscal impacts of COVID-19 The fiscal impacts of COVID-19 service for frontline workers in this pandemic, have been swift and dramatic. but with limited ability to reduce operating Non-recoverable municipal losses expenditures, many transit systems are already driven by falling revenues and rising scaling back service to ensure solvency. costs have led to an unprecedented }}Municipalities are deferring property taxes, financial crisis. To absorb this stagger- utility and other fees to support struggling ing hit in the near term, we are calling residents in the near-term—another major for a federal operating infusion of revenue hit. Even after these deferral pro- $10–15 billion over the next six months. grams end, there remains a significant risk This crisis may compound as physical of property tax delinquency. With even a distancing measures continue, and 10 percent increase in property tax and utility bill delinquencies, the cities of Vancouver and depending on the timing and pace Toronto estimate revenue losses in 2020 of of future economic recovery. $130 million and $684 million, respectively. FCM continues to develop insight on the scale }}Municipalities reliant on hard-hit industries of losses that municipalities may face on the face compounding pressures. In tourism-driven road ahead. The extent and nature of losses Banff, Alberta, 85 percent of workers have vary widely by community, depending on been laid off. Tourism Calgary has temporarily multiple factors: laid off more than half of its staff, and the city could lose the $540 million economic impact }}Municipalities with public transit systems of the Calgary Stampede. Agriculture: meat face significant revenue losses at the fare plants in High River, Alberta, and in Montreal box—estimated at $400 million per month have closed temporarily, impacting a third of nationwide. This accounts for 30–50 percent Canada’s beef processing capacity and most of monthly net losses for these municipalities. pork exports. Natural resources: Western In Metro Vancouver, Translink is losing Canadian Select is trading at negative prices, $75 million monthly. The Toronto Transit and sawmill closures have put thousands Commission reports a $23.5 million weekly out of work, jeopardizing pulp mill jobs in burn rate—with an 85 percent revenue drop northern and remote communities. in April alone. Critically, transit is an essential
6 Protecting vital municipal services 69 Like many municipalities, the City of Yorkton has converted one of their public rinks into a temporary site run by public health to help alleviate the impact on local hospitals and emergency rooms. Photo: City of Yorkton
}}The loss of user fees from parking and community, culture, and recreation facilities is another source of foregone revenue. Many municipalities have already temporarily laid off staff at these facilities to reduce costs. The City of Mississauga estimates lost revenue from recreation facilities to reach $23.3 million The Gatineau Police Department controls movement at by the end of June. The City of Toronto is los- the entrance to the territory. Photo: City of Gatineau ing almost $17 million monthly from foregone parking fees alone. Smaller communities, at }}Rural and small communities face their own relative scale, stand to take a significant hit as unique economic challenges. The agriculture well. Prince George, B.C., estimates a monthly sector has been hit hard. Some municipalities loss of $15–20 per capita. have begun laying off staff—despite having }}Without emergency operating funding, so few to begin with. With limited access to municipalities will need to reduce planned broadband Internet, many rural Canadians are capital expenditures in 2020 to make up for unable to work from home. New Brunswick’s lost revenues. This will further slow economic Francophone municipalities are facing a total activity across the country and increase monthly loss of $10.5 million. Even before future repair costs. And this scaling-back the pandemic hit, eight percent of Atlantic is enormously counter-productive to the Canada’s workforce was already depending coming need to drive Canada’s economic on Employment Insurance benefits. recovery through new capital investment in municipal assets, including core infrastructure and housing.
7 Protecting vital municipal services 70 Summary of recommendations With plummeting revenues, rising expenses and a legal proscription Immediate action against running operating deficits, 1. Deliver at least $10 billion in targeted municipalities are at imminent risk emergency operating funding to all local of having to cut essential services governments as direct allocations—with a to Canadians to remain solvent. The new hybrid formula modelled on both the acceptable alternative is emergency proven federal Gas Tax Fund (GTF) and a operating funding for municipal- ridership-based allocation for municipalities ities, provided by our stable, trusted, that operate transit systems. national partner: the Government }}Specifically, allocate at least $7.6 billion of the of Canada. fund using a GTF-style allocation formula for all local governments, and $2.4 billion based This section summarizes FCM’s urgent 100% on transit ridership. recommendation. This is based on the best For municipalities that operate transit systems, available data on the projected financial impact }} provide a single blended transfer. of COVID-19—amounting to a near-term gap of $10–15 billion for municipalities nationwide. }}Immediately provide advance payments to It assumes that physical distancing directives municipalities facing urgent liquidity issues. substantially persist for six months, with direct }}Leverage the administrative infrastructure of municipal revenue impacts continuing through the federal Gas Tax Fund, where possible, to the end of 2020 and possibly into 2021 depending expedite the rollout of dedicated emergency on the pace of economic recovery. operating grants. The core of our recommendation is an allocation-based formula to deliver a base level of support to all local governments. This is supplemented by targeted measures to meet distinct needs of municipalities as they continue to keep Canadians fully served and protected.
8 Protecting vital municipal services 71 Selkirk, MB Mayor Larry Johansson stopped at a resident’s window to admire children’s drawings showing their appreciation for essential workers. Photo: City of Selkirk
Medium-term action
3. Commit to revisit the need for additional operating funding within four months. }}Monitor trends in property tax delinquencies Municipal road maintenance staff are working around and consider additional supports for individ- the clock to keep roads safe and accessible for those uals and businesses that may not be able delivering essential services. Photo: City of Toronto to pay property taxes after the expiry of short-term municipal deferral programs.
2. Deliver additional emergency operating }}Depending on the duration and severity funding to individual local governments of the COVID-19 crisis, prepare for possible facing unique financial pressures related additional operating funding assistance in to COVID-19 that are not fully met by the both 2020 and 2021. hybrid formula above. Our largest urban 4. Provide local governments with the ability centres face distinct challenges supporting to transfer unused allocations to the federal self-isolation, sanitation and good health Gas Tax Fund program for capital expenditures among populations struggling with homeless- as part of Canada’s COVID-19 economic ness and mental health challenges. Smaller recovery plan. communities face unique challenges, starting with access to health care services that can support isolation requirements and urgent care. These and other unique cost drivers will continue to require targeted supports for the full duration of this crisis.
9 Protecting vital municipal services 72 Proposed funding model This section presents additional Supplementary allocation guidance for the emergency (for municipalities that own operating funding outlined in and operate transit systems) recommendation #1. Our proposed model features two components: a }}$2.4 billion based entirely on 2019 transit base allocation for all municipalities, ridership (population not included in formula). and a supplementary allocation }}Based on Canadian Urban Transit Association for municipalities that own and needs assessment ($400 million/month for operate transit systems. To function— six months) and validated through individual efficiently and nationwide—its city estimates. design must be straightforward, Design considerations direct and flexible. }}Municipalities should receive a single transfer Base allocation that combines the base and supplementary allocation (except in the case of provincially- (for all municipalities) owned transit systems, such as BC Transit }}At least $7.6 billion based on the federal and Metrolinx). Gas Tax Fund formula. }}This single transfer should provide maximum }}Assumes average of $35 per capita per month, flexibility to local governments to apply funds and six months of physical distancing (starting towards all operating impacts (foregone March 2020). revenue and/or unanticipated costs) related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
10 Protecting vital municipal services 73 }}No provincial or municipal matching funds should be required. }}Requiring provincial matching could cause delays given the varied fiscal capacities of provincial/territorial governments. However, provinces and territories continue to have an important role to play in providing targeted supports for local governments including, but not limited to:
wwdirect support for COVID-19 emergency response and support for vulnerable populations;
wwexpansion or backstop of property tax The Vulnerable Person’s Registry is a critical program deferral programs (especially long-term where the elderly and people with special needs are deferment programs that will delay taxes contacted daily, making sure that they are safe and beyond a single fiscal year); their needs are being met. Photo: Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo wwblock operating grants for local governments. }}Any limited unused funding could be reserved }}Given significant downside risks—including for additional COVID-19-related operating the likelihood of future pandemic waves that shortfalls in 2020 or 2021, or transferred require physical distancing, and the potential to the federal Gas Tax Fund to be used for for property tax delinquencies—it is likely incremental capital expenditures as part that the full allocation under an emergency of Canada’s COVID-19 recovery plan. operating grant will be fully utilized by local governments.
Potential impact (all numbers rounded and approximate):
Municipality Preliminary Base allocation Supplementary Total net losses* (GTF formula) allocation allocation (transit) City of Toronto $1.690B $575M $575M $1.150B Metro Vancouver** $900M $510M $290M $795M City of Calgary $400M $255M $115M $370M * preliminary estimates assuming full year impact of six months of physical distancing ** extrapolation of data provided by City of Vancouver (local government not including transit) and TransLink (transit)
11 Protecting vital municipal services 74 Eyes on the future Right now our focus is on tackling But as with any crisis, it will be just as important the public health and economic crisis to learn lessons from this pandemic. We will in our cities and communities—and honour and celebrate how Canadians and their ensuring local leaders can continue governments came together in common cause. to deliver the essential services We will also need to take a critical look at the Canadians rely on. But we’re also foundational cracks that have been more harshly exposed in how we approach the role of local keeping an eye on the future—for governments. In clear view are the outdated tools when Canada is ready to move and authorities granted to municipal leaders, from response to recovery. and how they simply do not match the modern role cities and communities play in supporting Across the country, municipalities have already Canadians and driving our economy. When the begun taking steps to help drive the massive time is right, FCM and local leaders will be ready nation-building effort that will be required when to have that conversation. the pandemic ends—from getting local businesses back on their feet to implementing job-creating In the immediate, we will continue working stimulus projects. FCM is supporting this work flat-out, as partners on the front lines, to keep by collecting and analyzing on-the-ground data Canadians as safe as possible, and ready our that will inform recommendations for Canada’s economy for the comeback we’re confident we recovery. From housing, to infrastructure, to can collectively drive. We’re all in this together. green, sustainable and resilient projects, cities and communities have a long track-record of delivering results efficiently and effectively. Municipalities will be essential partners in rebuilding the economy we want for the future.
12 Protecting vital municipal services 75 76
FCM.ca
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APPENDIX “E”
Correspondence from the Town of Bracebridge Supporting the Establishment of a Municipal Financial Assistance Program
78
June 12, 2020
The Honourable Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing 17th Floor, 777 Bay St. Toronto, ON M5G 2E5
Dear Minister Clark,
RE: Town of Bracebridge Resolution regarding the establishment of a Municipal Financial Assistance Program to offset the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
At its meeting of June 4, 2020, the Council of the Corporation of the Town of Bracebridge ratified motion 20-TC-089, regarding the Town of Bracebridge support for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) recommendations contained in their report titled “Protecting Vital Municipal Services”, as follows:
“WHEREAS the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) issued a report titled “Protecting Vital Municipal Services” on April 23, 2020 which included recommendations to the federal government to provide financial assistance for municipalities across the country;
AND WHEREAS the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) recognizes that a collaborative federal- provincial effort is required to provide much needed financial assistance to municipalities and their May 14, 2020 letter (attached) to the Prime Minister and the Premier urges Canada and Ontario to extend their successful collaboration through financial support for municipalities;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Town of Bracebridge supports the FCM recommendation and requests that both the Federal and Provincial Governments establish a municipal financial assistance program to offset the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic;
AND FURTHER THAT the Town of Bracebridge supports the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) in lobbying the Provincial Government for financial assistance to support Municipalities in offsetting the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic;
AND FURTHER THAT this resolution be forwarded to the Honorable Steve Clark, Minister, Municipal Affairs and Housing, local Member of Parliament (MP) and local Member of the Ontario Legislature (MPP), FCM, AMO and its member municipalities, and the Muskoka municipalities.”
In accordance with Council’s direction I am forwarding you a copy of the associated memorandum for you reference.
79 Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can provide any additional clarification in this regard.
Yours truly,
Lori McDonald Director of Corporate Services/Clerk
Copy: Scott Aitchison, MP, Parry Sound-Muskoka The Honourable Norm Miller, MPP, Parry Sound-Muskoka The Federation of Canadian Municipalities Association of Municipalities Ontario and member municipalities Muskoka Municipalities
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TO: Councillor A. Buie, Chair and Members of General Committee
FROM: B. Hutchinson, Library Board Chair and C. Rodney, Chief Executive Officer, On behalf of the Bracebridge Public Library Board
SUBJECT: 2019 Annual Report of the Bracebridge Public Library
RECOMMENDATION
1. That the 2019 Annual Report of the Bracebridge Public Library attached as Appendix “A” to report LIB001-20 dated June 16, 2019 from the Bracebridge Public Library Board be received for information purposes.
ORIGIN
Public Library Governance in Ontario
2. The Public Libraries Act, R.S.O. 1990, CHAPTER P.44 (the Act) is provincial legislation that gives municipalities the power to establish a local public library.
3. Once a public library is established, the local Municipal Council is then required to appoint members to the Public Library Board. Council and Board terms are concurrent. At the first meeting in its new term, Council is required to appoint a minimum of five members to the Board, some of whom, but not a majority, may be elected officials. Appointment of qualified individuals and ongoing Council representation on the Board form the basis for an important partnership between Municipal Council and the Board.
Appointments to the Library Board
4. The Act stipulates that members of the public must be given notice and the opportunity to apply for openings on the Board. The outgoing Board and library CEO provide useful advice regarding the skills and experience needed. Ultimately, Council makes the appointments to the Board. The Board needs members who are representative of the community, committed to library service, and prepared for responsible stewardship and ongoing collaboration with Municipal Council.
5. Communication from the Councillor(s) appointed to the Board is important to maintaining a two- way flow of communication and a good working relationship between Board and Council. As a member of the Library Board, a Municipal Councillor has the same rights and responsibilities as any other member of the Board.
6. At a Board meeting, a Municipal Councillor is obligated to vote as a member of the Library Board, not as a member of Council. In Bracebridge, the Council member(s) appointed to the Board regularly reports to Council on Board and Library activities.
7. Appointed members of the Bracebridge Public Library Board during the year 2019 included:
• Councillor, Chris Wilson • Dr. Nick Bianchi (February to March)
• Barbara Hutchinson (Chair) • Evelyn Brown
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• Paul Feist • Bonnie Greer (February to September)
• Rick Hallam (Appointed in May, 2019) • Gary Lachance (February to June)
• Carol Anne Robinson • Tatiana Sutherland
• Margaret Walton (Appointed in December, 2019)
Library Board Obligations and Responsibilities
8. The Public Library Board is a separate, independent corporation with the legal duty to provide “a comprehensive and efficient public library service that reflects the community’s unique needs” (PLA, 20a). As such, the Board has the authority to enter into contracts, engage employees and contractors, and do the other things it deems necessary for the provision of library service.
9. The Board is required to hold regular meetings once a month for at least 10 months every year. Board meetings must be open to the public, unless a closed meeting is warranted as prescribed in the legislation.
The Board as Employer
10. The Library Board is the employer of all library staff. This includes the library’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The appointment of a CEO by the Board is a requirement of the legislation. The CEO has general supervision over and direction of the operations of the library and its staff, attends all Board meetings, and has other powers and duties as assigned by the Board. Notwithstanding its autonomy, the Library Board and the municipality can benefit from a close relationship. In Bracebridge, the Library and the Town work together on finance, accounting, human resource and operational matters.
11. Developing a rapport can be beneficial on many levels, including the sharing of policies, practices and procedures in such areas as physical and human resources. In Bracebridge, the library CEO participates on the Town’s Management Team and provides valuable contributions from the Library’s perspective.
12. Notwithstanding the CEO’s participation on the Town’s Management Team, it is important to recognize that the CEO still reports to and takes direction from the Library Board. This level of communication and collaboration serves the community well.
Library Service is Free
13. The Public Libraries Act specifies that most library services are to be offered free of charge. A Library Board may not charge for admission to a public library, or for use of its materials while in the library. The Act also prescribes an extensive list of material types that must be lent free of charge; information services must also be free. The Board may impose fees for use of library services by non-residents and for room rental. This requirement to provide free public library service makes the library different from other community services which may generate revenue in the form of user fees.
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How Are Libraries Funded?
14. Municipal taxpayers are the primary source of operating funds for public libraries in Ontario. Provincial per household grants do not make up a large portion of most boards’ revenue. The Public Libraries Act gives Municipal Council absolute discretion over the amount of funds it provides. In effect, Council may control the Board’s budget to the degree that it chooses. Common practice is for Council to establish budget guidelines and for the Board to prepare a budget that reflects these guidelines. This is the general approach followed in Bracebridge.
15. The Library CEO works closely with the Town’s Chief Administrative Officer and Director of Finance/Treasurer to prepare the Library’s annual budget for presentation to the Board.
16. Council then approves, or amends and approves the budget, giving careful attention to the advice of its Library Board which will also have taken significant care in developing its budget.
17. This process tends to work well, ensuring accountability and the wise and prudent use of tax dollars. Should Council restrict its contribution, the Board’s ability to find other revenue is extremely limited. As is done in Bracebridge, most Ontario public libraries seek additional funding in the form of grants, Development Charges, and fundraising for enhancements and capital projects. Public library boards also have a strong tradition of group purchasing, leading to significantly reduced costs.
18. In summary, 21st century library service is not possible without a strong commitment on the part of Municipal Council. Over many years, the Bracebridge Public Library Board and the Town of Bracebridge have developed a close, cost effective, efficient and collaborative working arrangement.
19. A copy of this provincial legislation can be obtained through the E-laws/legislation section of the Ontario government website at:
http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_90p44_e.htm
20. The Public Libraries Act, R.S.O. 1990, chapter P.44 (the Act) specifies three major responsibilities for public library boards:
1. Accountability to municipal council - The board must submit budget estimates and an audited financial statement to council each year (Section 24 (1), (2) and (7)). The board must seek council approval to acquire and dispose of real property and to raise funds through debentures (Section 19 and Section 25).
2. Reporting responsibilities to the province - The board is required to report specific statistics to the provincial minister annually. The board is also required to report on specific grants (Section 20 (f)).
3. Provision of free public library service reflecting the needs of the community - Section 20(a) of the Public Libraries Act, R.S.O. 1990, chapter P.44 directs a public library board to provide “comprehensive and efficient public library service” reflecting the community’s needs. The Act goes on to direct the board regarding fees for library service.
21. On June 9, 2020, the Bracebridge Public Library Board passed the following motion:
“To approve the 2019 Library Annual Report as amended for distribution to Town Council.”
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22. Consistent with the responsibilities identified in the Act and the past practice of the Town, this report has been prepared to present the 2019 Annual Report of the Bracebridge Public Library to General Committee.
ANALYSIS
23. The Bracebridge Public Library is “an essential community hub providing everyone with materials and experiences that open minds, explore our world, inspire discovery, entertain and foster lifelong learning” (Purpose Statement 2012).
24. The 2019 Annual Report reflects the work that was done to achieve this description. The Board trusts that members of Council will find the report informative and that it provides valuable information regarding the vital role the library plays in the community.
25. The services provided by the Bracebridge Public Library are only possible because of responsible stewardship by the Town’s Library Board and the ongoing support of Town Council and Town staff, aided by the Province of Ontario. By working together, the Library Board and Town Council will continue to provide responsive and innovative library service that meets the needs of the community.
LINKAGE TO COMMUNITY BASED STRATEGIC PLAN
26. The 2019 Annual Report of the Bracebridge Public Library is well aligned with the Town’s strategic theme(s):
Develop and engage in policies and initiatives to enhance Bracebridge as a service community for the surrounding areas.
Recognize the importance of Town decisions in attracting and retaining talent.
Work to diversify the local economy to create an open for business all year round environment.
Ensure that environmental protection is a priority in the Town’s operations and plans.
Encourage environmental stewardship and educational opportunities in the community.
Promote the natural environment as a year-round destination for tourists and visitors.
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Recognize the importance of the Town’s decisions in shaping the future of the community.
Ensure that the Town’s planning practices, policies and processes encourage responsible growth and development that aligns with the community’s identity and heritage.
Focus on specific areas highlighted as priorities, including, develop options to support the diversification and affordability of housing options to meet the needs of the entire community.
Ensure that the Town offers a welcoming and equitable environment for residents and visitors of all ages.
Promote a vibrant community that celebrates the critical role of arts, culture and heritage in promoting quality of life. Promote health and wellness in the community through Town facilities and programmes.
Continually strive to improve efficiency and accountability in governance.
Encourage civic engagement as a means to foster a strong and transparent relationship between the Town and community.
Commit to partnering and working with outside organizations to leverage efforts with the community.
27. Libraries not only help to encourage knowledge among its residents but also attract the “creative” thinkers who are vital to the economic growth of a community.
28. With a varied collection of resources dealing with the environment, green technologies and construction techniques, the library is in a good position to inspire community involvement in “greening” initiatives.
29. Along with health care providers, the library, as a public forum and community resource, is able to “promote healthy lifestyles and wellness for all ages and abilities” in Bracebridge. As a public institution, the library provides an accessible environment that encourages people with disabilities to engage in their community. The Bracebridge Public Library fully supports leadership programs or other programs that empower and build confidence among the youth. As a repository of information, whether it is local or global, the library is a natural environment to encourage public participation in decision-making on community issues.
30. Through its varied resources which are accessible to everyone, the library encourages the citizens of our community to engage in activities that develop an important connection with culture. The Library Board also takes pride in the library’s invaluable local history collection as a record of the town’s culture and heritage.
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LINKAGE TO COUNCIL PRIORITIES
31. The 2019 Annual Report of the Bracebridge Public Library, setting out the activities of the library during 2019 supports Council’s commitment to library services, cultural services, continuous improvement in municipal operations, and community engagement as set out in Council’s priorities for the 2018-2022 term of office.
ALTERNATIVE(S)
32. As Report LIB001-20 is presented for information purposes only, no alternatives are presented.
EXISTING POLICY
33. The Library’s Annual Report is provided to members of Council on a yearly basis after approval by the Bracebridge Public Library Board.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
34. There are no financial implications directly related to the recommendation outlined above.
35. The Library CEO continues to work closely with the Director of Finance/Treasurer to monitor and manage the Library’s 2020 Budget. The CEO also regularly reports to the Library Board regarding the status of the Library’s annual Budget.
36. It is recognized that strong and sustainable municipalities are key to Ontario’s economic recovery. Ontario needs communities with healthy local economies and flourishing downtowns. As reported by the Southern Ontario Library Service, residents need access to coordinated workplace development programs, a variety of learning and retraining opportunities, and a robust technology infrastructure. Ontario needs communities that support small businesses and creative ventures. Regardless of the challenges facing the community, the Public Library plays an important role in supporting the Town’s strategies and plans to build and strengthen the community.
37. The Library Board strongly believes that the Town cannot afford to be without a good public library service. The Public Library helps the Town achieve and develop:
• Informed and involved citizens;
• Skilled workers;
• Creatively engaged teens and young adults;
• A level playing field for literacy, lifelong learning and access to technology;
• An inclusive, culturally diverse society; and
• A strong sense of community identity and well-being.
38. Residents rely on the Public Library to provide what they need to be productive, engaged members of the community.
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COMMUNICATIONS
39. A copy of the Library’s 2019 Annual Report was placed on the Library’s website.
40. This report was distributed to Council, members of the Library Board, Media, all Library and Town staff and was published on the Town’s website in accordance with the Town’s Procedural By-law.
Submitted by:
B. Hutchinson C. Rodney Chair, Bracebridge Public Library Board Chief Executive Officer/Chief Librarian 705-645-4171
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APPENDIX “A”
2019 Annual Report of the Bracebridge Public Library
88
BRACEBRIDGE PUBLIC LIBRARY
Annual Report 2019
The Bracebridge Public Library is an essential community hub providing everyone with materials and experiences that open minds, explore our world, inspire discovery, entertain and foster lifelong learning.
94 Manitoba Street Bracebridge, On P1L 2B5 (705) 645-4171 www.bracebridgelibrary.ca
89 BRACEBRIDGE PUBLIC LIBRARY
2019 ANNUAL REPORT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS ...... 1
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...... 2
OVERVIEW ...... 3
CIRCULATION AT THE BRACEBRIDGE PUBLIC LIBRARY (BPL) ...... 4
LIBRARY MEMBERSHIP ...... 5
COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT ...... 5
RESERVE SYSTEM ...... 6
INFORMATION & DIGITAL SERVICES ...... 7
TECHNOLOGY ...... 7
CHILDREN’S SERVICES ...... 8
VOLUNTEERS ...... 9
REVENUE/FINANCIAL ...... 10
2019 FINANCIAL SUMMARY (UNAUDITED) ...... 10
HIGHLIGHTS OF 2019 ...... 10
BRACEBRIDGE PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD ...... 14
BRACEBRIDGE PUBLIC LIBRARY STAFF ...... 14
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90 BRACEBRIDGE PUBLIC LIBRARY
2019 ANNUAL REPORT
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Library Board hopes the reader of the Bracebridge Public Library’s 2019 Annual Report will obtain a broad understanding of the value of the Town’s library through the figures and narratives used. This summary has been prepared to provide an overview of some of the key issues reported.
Education, positive experiences and community at core of Library programs. Library staff are responsible for providing excellent customer service as well as programs and special events that are both educational and entertaining to suit a variety of interests. Participation in adult programs increased by 39% over 2018. Partnerships, community outreach and volunteer presenters are key factors in our success. The Friends of Bracebridge Public Library (BPL) organized the Edible Book Contest, an annual favourite. A Library booth can be found at many local community events such as: the annual Fall Fair where we sponsor the Scarecrow contest; District of Muskoka Early Years event; Muskoka Comic-Con; and the Pride Picnic. For more great programs see Highlights of 2019. (Page 11 - 13)
The Library as knowledge & technology centre. Our Information & Digital Services Librarians all have post-graduate qualifications in Library Science and are able to assist with a wide variety of queries. While the Internet is a great source of information, it is also a source of a lot of “fake news”. These Librarians are responsible for providing authoritative information whether via traditional print books or vetted digital databases. The Digital Services component of this department means that staff also assist patrons with computer access and personal technological devices. One-on-one Internet training is very popular as are the Tech Talks on a variety of topics and software applications. A variety of electronic resources are accessible with a BPL card, including ebooks. In 2019, ebooks made up 19% of the total circulation of the Library’s collection resources, which was a 3% increase. (Pages 7 & 8)
Library circulation, membership and visits are some of the ways we measure Library activities. Circulation at the Library saw a small decline which we can attribute in part to the Library being open 1 day less than 2018 and the suspension of the Inter-Library Loan (ILLO) service for 2 months causing a reduction in items being circulated. We registered 784 new members this year. At the end of 2019, we had 7,663 library members who had used their card within the last 2 years. Twice a year, we conduct “typical week” surveys required to gather data for the Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries. During our surveys in July and November, we recorded an average of 1,553 visitors entering the Library in a “typical week”. This translates to over 77,000 people coming to the Bracebridge Public Library in 2019. (Page 4 & 5)
Our Children’s Department is about education and fun! We were pleased to add a new Children’s Assistant position in March 2019 which enabled us to increase our program offerings. The extra staff also meant the Children & Youth Services Librarian could focus on some outreach by going into the schools to provide programming for grades SK-4. Twisted Tuesdays and DIY Thursdays saw children aged 6 and up making fun crafts out of recycled objects, learning simple science experiments, and partaking in a guided paint session. Programming for teens included a Teen Art Night, Summer Reading contest and a continuation of our Dungeons and Dragons Club. The total participation in children’s and teen library programming for 2019 was 4,936, more than double the 2018 attendance. (Page 9)
Donations reflect community support. Each year we are fortunate to receive donations from many patrons and organizations such as the Pittsburgh-Muskoka Foundation, Spinning Reels (a local movie club) and the Ontario Association of Engineering Technicians and Technologists. We are always very thankful for the financial support of the Friends of the Bracebridge Public Library. Other patron donations supported general operating costs and collections. (Page 10)
Library expansion plans move forward. Planning of the Town of Bracebridge’s Multi-Use Community Centre, which includes a new library, made great strides in 2019 with the hiring of a project manager, architect and the director for Sponsorship, Naming Rights and Advertising Services. We hope to hear if the Town’s application for the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program is successful by the summer of 2020. (Page 13)
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OVERVIEW
“One patron’s testimonial is worth a thousand gate counts when it comes to making the case for libraries. Librarianship isn’t about gate counts and circulation figures, but people helped, lives enriched, and communities improved.” - Sandra Singh, Chief Librarian, Vancouver Public Library
This quote was noted in the Bracebridge Public Library’s 2014 Annual Report and is worth noting once again as a reminder of the true measure of the Library’s value to our community.
While use statistics play a part in identifying the activity level at the Library, they do not provide a complete picture and are sometimes unpredictable.
Unfortunately, 2019 came with numerous challenges which had some impact on the collection of accurate statistics. A technical glitch affected the time clock of our automated system which caused circulation counts to be off by several hours, albeit with presumably accurate totals; problems with the Library’s Wi-Fi took some time to resolve, making use statistics lower than expected; and provincial government cuts to the Ontario Library Services agencies resulted in a suspension of the Inter-Library Loan service from April 26 to July 2.
A variety of programs also provide data that measure the Library’s goals.
Our Children & Youth Services Department saw an increased level of service in 2019 with the welcomed addition of a new permanent part-time Children’s Assistant position, upon Council’s approval of the Library’s annual budget. Program variety and attendance at programs saw improvements and the circulation of materials in the Children’s Department also experienced a healthy increase. This improved staffing model gives us a good illustration of the importance of our human resources for ensuring a well-functioning library and satisfied library users.
Staff continue to plan opportunities to involve the teens in our community, seeing success with our Dungeons & Dragons Club, Teen Art Show and summer reading contests this year. By providing free programs we can be accessible for youth of all ages. This year, 4,996 participants enjoyed our youth programs in 2018.
A variety of adult programs and special events were enjoyed by 997 attendees; a 39% increase over 2018. There continues to be a need for on-on-one computer training which saw a 61% increase over last year. New this year was the introduction of a Crochet Club which proved popular enough to continue in 2020. Staff regularly seek out partnerships which help to keep costs low and help to spread the word about special programs. This year, we received assistance from the local Horticultural Society to present Seedy Saturday, which saw over 100 attendees buying plants and learning gardening tips from the experts. Our Cannabis Information Night included representatives from the police department, health unit, cannabis producer Muskoka Grown and a lawyer. These programs were planned by staff in addition to our regular programs including author readings, travelogues, technology training and book clubs.
Twice a year, we conduct “typical week” surveys required to gather data for the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport. During our surveys in July and November, we recorded an average of 1,533 visitors entering the Library in a “typical week”. This translates to almost 77,000 people coming to the Bracebridge Public Library in 2019.
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CIRCULATION AT THE BRACEBRIDGE PUBLIC LIBRARY (BPL)
One of the Library’s many activities is the circulation of materials. There was a drop of 3% this year. A minor 0.5% of this can be attributed to the Library being open 1 day less than 2018. The average monthly circulation was 7,870, which equates to an average of 7 fewer items per day of operation than 2018.
There are many factors that affect circulation year over year, such as interest in programs offered, inclement weather, human and technical errors at checkout, and the usual rise and fall in readership. In 2019, we can look to the suspension of the Inter-Library Loan (ILLO) service for 2 months for some part of the circulation loss. Provincial budget cuts to the Southern Ontario Library Services resulted in the cancellation of the delivery service for ILLOs and suspension of the automated system used by libraries across Ontario to share their resources. Materials being lent to other libraries and coming in for our patrons were subsequently reduced. Fiction materials for adults and teens saw the biggest loss. We had been seeing a drop in DVD circulation attributed to the improved Canadian Netflix but use of this collection was on par with 2018. As a single collection type, DVDs are only surpassed by adult fiction circulation figures with 23,531 and 28,408 respectively. Circulation of most material types for children saw respectable increases.
Circulation staff are the first faces of welcome for our patrons and they are commended for providing exceptional service involving a wide variety of interactions with a wide range of clientele. Their duties include registering new patrons, collecting fines and fees, and resolving patron circulation queries.
As can be seen by the graph below, circulation in the past 5 years has shown a gradual decline. Most often, minor fluctuations have a logical explanation as noted above.
CIRCULATION 2009 – 2019 120,000 115,000 110,000 105,000 100,000 95,000 90,000 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
July and August continue to be our busiest months with the influx of summer residents and patrons using the Library more during vacations. We continue to see an average of about 2,000 more items circulated in each of those months, however, August did see a somewhat significant drop of 9% from 2018. It is typical to see December as the slowest month of the year in terms of circulation.
Mondays and Saturdays exhibit the highest hourly rates. These days also have some of the fewest hours of operation. Sundays reflect online renewals and use is not noteworthy.
The chart below summarizes the average items per hour circulated by staff during the week: Day of the Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Week
Items/hour N/A 37 34 28 29 32 37 Circulated
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As mentioned previously, a glitch involving our circulation system’s time clock resulted in some estimated hourly figures. Data for June was extrapolated using figures from the other months. We tend to see very little variation in the time of day for circulation activity year to year. Afternoon circulation continues to be higher than mornings, with 45% and approximately 44% respectively. Evenings remain at approximately 11% of the total circulation. We take advantage of the quieter evenings to present most of our adult programs.
*Note that “Other” includes after-hours Internet renewals.
LIBRARY MEMBERSHIP
Every year we welcome new patrons to the library. Some are longtime residents who return after a period of absence; some are young families who are seeking support for their new lifestyle; while others come to Bracebridge from various communities for retirement or new jobs. All of them are impressed with the great resources, programs and services being offered “from a small library”. We saw 784 new registrations this year. At the end of 2019, we had 7,663 library members who had used their card within the last 2 years.
Our statistical reports monitor usage among residents of Bracebridge and the District of Muskoka, and consistently reflect adults being the primary user group responsible for 91.5% of circulation. Statistics generated by the youth in our Library account for 8% of the total circulation, while non-residents of Muskoka account for 0.5%.
Circulation by user is only a close approximation as we need to be aware that situations such as parents using their child’s card to sign out their own selections and vice versa, affect the results. We also know that some families or spouses will share one card, making our membership numbers lower than they might be.
Among the age categories, we also have tax-payer cottagers in those statistics. While these seasonal patrons are in a minority, we continue to spread the word of their eligibility for a free library card and the great resources available to them. Circulation of materials among this user group saw a slight drop from 3.5% to 3% of our annual total, represented by 2,939 items in 2019, primarily over the summer months.
COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT
“Some say they get lost in books, but I find myself, again and again, in the pages of a good book. Humanly speaking, there is no greater teacher, no greater therapist, no greater healer of the soul, than a well-stocked library.” - L.R. Knost, Award-winning author, feminist, and social justice activist
An up-to-date, attractive and useful collection is maintained through a continual withdrawal and replacement process. Our professional librarians are responsible for the acquisition and removal of materials. They analyze the various collections according to the uniqueness of the material and the use by our patrons. - 5 -
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Due to our space limitations within our fiction and non-fiction shelves, we are currently maintaining what would be described as a library branch collection, rather than the comprehensive collection of a main library, often removing titles which continue to circulate in order to keep our collection up-to-date. Some older titles by popular authors are retained in storage boxes to free up shelf space.
The Library’s collection is always evolving and being rearranged to maximize space, and sometimes to accommodate new formats. At the end of 2018, we purchased a starter collection of new devices called Playaway Launchpads. These hand-held devices with pre-loaded video of stories and non-fiction documentaries which are easily accessed by children, saw continual circulation in 2019. We also continue to promote our relatively new collection of shaped cake pans which may be borrowed for free with a BPL library card. Many libraries today are offering unique collections beyond the traditional print format. Plans began in 2019 to start a seed collection in 2020.
According to our database reports, 5,004 items were added to the BPL collection in 2019. This figure does not include electronic databases and ebooks because they are not catalogued as part of our in-house collection. Once again, print materials accounted for 87% of the new items acquired, with audio visual, including music CDs and DVDs, at 13%. The average cost of print material was $33 per item and $24 for audio visual material. We are fortunate to be part of the provincial shared ebook collection available via OverDrive on our website. This is a consortium purchase administered by Southern Ontario Library Services, an agency of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Sport which provides support to public libraries.
The table below summarizes 2019 acquisitions as a percentage of the budget compared to percentage of circulation.
Category % of Budget % of Circulation
Adult Collection 50% 45%
Young Adult 4% 1%
Children's 16% 22%
Audio Visual (Adult & Children’s) 23% 29%
Magazines 7% 3%
The Adult collection continues to be the highest circulating category at 45%. While fiction will continue to lead the way, our readers are fairly consistent with their non-fiction interests. Once again, our readers show a strong interest in history followed by topics on home economics (cooking/sewing) and mental and physical health.
Print material offered by the Children’s collection continues to surpass the circulation of audiobooks or video formats in the Children’s department. Those formats are considerably fewer than Adult audio visual.
RESERVE SYSTEM
In addition to being able to reserve Bracebridge Library materials for pick-up, patrons have the benefit of the Inter-Library Loan (ILLO) system. The ILLO system provides reciprocal borrowing among libraries throughout Ontario and enables us to satisfy the individual interests and informational needs among our patrons beyond our own collection. Our Inter-Library Loan Coordinator processes BPL patron requests coming from other libraries and subsequent returns to those libraries, as well as BPL items going out to and returning from other libraries. Regardless of whether items come from the BPL collection or from other libraries, patrons enjoy the ability to put an item on hold either from home via our website, or at the library with or without staff assistance.
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95 BRACEBRIDGE PUBLIC LIBRARY
2019 ANNUAL REPORT
The number of items reserved from the BPL collection saw a significant increase over 2018 as the items brought from other libraries decreased as mentioned earlier in this report. In correlation, items loaned to other libraries via ILLO dropped significantly from 2018 due to the 2-month suspension of ILLO services.
The following table compares 2019 to 2018 reserve activity.
Location 2019 Reserves 2018 Reserves % Increase Monthly Average
Bracebridge Public Library 4,340 4,070 6.6% 362
Inter-Library Loan 970 1,582 -38.7% 81
Total 5,310 5,652 -6.1% 443
INFORMATION & DIGITAL SERVICES
“Librarians are just like search engines, except they smile and they talk to me and they don’t give me paid-for advertising when they are trying to help. And they have actual hearts.” - Matt Haig, English novelist and journalist
Our Information & Digital Services Librarians all have post-graduate qualifications in Library Science. They have the skills and education to assist with a wide variety of queries. While the Internet is a great source of information, it is also a source of a lot of “fake news”. These Librarians are responsible for providing authoritative information whether via traditional print books or vetted digital databases. Whether dealing with business, health or legal queries, the Librarians are either able to satisfy the request or make a referral to another source for more detailed information. Staff are able to answer queries via email, telephone or in person.
The Digital Services component of this department means that staff are also skilled in assisting patrons to navigate the ever-changing world of personal technological devices.
This department is responsible for assisting with genealogical searches and the management of the Muskoka Collection. This is a valuable and extensive collection of our community’s heritage in print records, photos and microfilm, and it would be difficult to access without the organizational skills of these Librarians. Among the many other duties of this department is the development of all adult programs, and the marketing of the Library’s activities and services via the monthly Library newsletter and various social networking forums.
The following table summarizes 2019 information requests compared to previous years.
YEAR In Person Telephone Email Total
2019 3,912 457 106 4,475
2018 3,992 449 80 4,521
2017 4,173 421 98 4,692
TECHNOLOGY
Libraries continue to embrace technology to provide the latest in services and collections. The ability to enjoy a book now includes print, audio (CD and MP3) and ebook formats. The big cinema screen was down-sized for home use on video tapes, which then became DVDs. Now we are seeing hand-held video devices such as the Playaway Launchpad, as mentioned previously. Video game consoles continue to be updated and subsequently we continue to develop our collection as we keep up with the latest games. - 7 -
96 BRACEBRIDGE PUBLIC LIBRARY
2019 ANNUAL REPORT
Our website provides a variety of useful databases which make the Bracebridge Library “virtual” 24/7. Library cardholders who access these databases can feel confident that our resources have been vetted by professional staff and will provide reliable research data. The Library’s subscription to the Ontario libraries’ shared OverDrive collection also provides free access to ebooks and downloadable audiobooks and is supplemented by our purchases of titles specifically for BPL cardholders in the Advantage collection.
Use of “e-resources”, which include databases and ebooks, remains fairly steady. In 2018, they represented 19% of total collection use (not including materials used in-house). This increased by almost 3% in 2019. Ebook use continues to rise with an increase over 2018 of 22%. In 2019, ebooks made up 19% of the total circulation of the Library’s collection resources, which was a 3% increase.
The following table compares the number of users of technology provided by the library over three years.
Year Database Use Public PCs Wireless Use Ebook Use
2019 3,088* 6,390 2,836** 23,044
2018 3,803* 7,224 4,263 18,905
2017 13,138 8,180 3,983 16,145
* The vendor of one of our databases changed their statistical reporting method which caused a significant drop in recorded use counts.
** Wireless use was on par for the first few months of 2019 but started to drop in May. This coincided with problems we were experiencing with wireless access and the lack thereof for our patrons. Wireless access dropped by 100 uses for both May and June, comparing 2018 to 2019. The method for capturing use counts was compromised at this time. This was a particularly challenging issue but the problem was resolved as we moved to a new system with Lakeland Networks near the end of the year.
Technology in the Library also includes computer equipment and software that enables staff to manage inventory and patron records, as well as the popular public computers. Each year we generally upgrade 5 or 6 staff and public computers as warranties expire.
One of the very popular services provided by the Library is the one-on-one Internet training, most appreciated by seniors and anyone who needs to refresh their knowledge. Our Information & Digital Services Librarians provide this service as well as Tech Talks on a variety of topics and software applications.
The Children’s Department also offers opportunities for children and their caregivers to experience new technology with a variety of devices like Cubelets, Ozobots, Spheros and circuits. While the Wii device is used less these days, PS4 gaming remains popular. This year we received a donation from the Ontario Association of Engineering Technicians and Technologists for Arduino starter kits.
CHILDREN’S SERVICES
The 2019 year saw some changes in the Children’s Department. The addition of the Children’s Assistant position meant that we were able to increase our program offerings. We added a baby and toddler program to our regular lineup of storytime offerings. The baby time program introduced new moms to a collection of songs, bounces, and rhymes, while the toddler program was all about music and movement. The toddlers loved using shakers and wooden sticks to make music and dance.
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97 BRACEBRIDGE PUBLIC LIBRARY
2019 ANNUAL REPORT
The extra staff also enabled the Children & Youth Services Librarian to focus on some outreach by going into the schools and provide programming for grades SK-4. This program offering was very popular with teachers and students alike. Each visit was 30 minutes in length and students got to learn fun facts about a different animal that is native to Muskoka, followed by a story reading. The sessions in the older grades were recorded so parents could also be a part of the learning experience. The most popular session was about bats and the fact that their “poop” sparkles due to all the exoskeletons from the insects they eat. Needless to say, that was a real crowd pleaser. This program aimed to educate children about the importance of maintaining a healthy eco system so these animals can thrive.
Our after-school programming saw the creation of Twisted Tuesdays and DIY Thursdays where children aged 6 and up could make fun crafts out of recycled objects, learn simple science experiments, and partake in a guided paint session. These programs rounded out our PS4 gaming on Wednesdays.
Summer 2019 saw some new performers like Sonshine and Broccoli, and children were able to make fun crafts every day. Some of the highlights were unicorn jars, dragon masks, and mermaid keychains. Readopoly provided summer reading fun for children 12 and under. December had the ever popular Frostyfest complete with melted snowman cookies, white hot chocolate and snowman themed games. In the weeks leading up to Christmas, children were able to make Christmas Tree ornaments during the afterschool programs. This was met with great enthusiasm by both children and their parents.
The Teen Summer Reading Contest had over 40 entries with the winners receiving a basket filled with back to school essentials and a Staples gift card. The Dungeons and Dragons Club for teens also continued with regular attendees who came together to engage in this interactive role playing game. Another exciting event for teens and adults was our Teen Art Night. The grade 12 art students from St. Dominic’s Secondary School were able to use the Library space to exhibit their best art. Members of the public were able to view the students’ art, talk to the artists, and enjoy some refreshments. The program had over 50 attendees and the students really enjoyed having a place to showcase their talent. A few students even received commissions from members of the public.
The total participation in children’s and teen library programming was 4,936. The following graph compares the attendance at programs between 2018 and 2019.
VOLUNTEERS
The Bracebridge Library receives frequent offers of volunteerism from the public and we are happy to make use of their services whenever possible, whether it involves the Visiting Library Service, helping with our Statistics Week, or high school students achieving their 40 hours of community work.
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98 BRACEBRIDGE PUBLIC LIBRARY
2019 ANNUAL REPORT
The wonderful volunteers from the Horticultural Society turn our front garden into a beautiful showpiece every spring. We are also grateful for the individuals in our community who offer their time to present programs on a variety of topics. Their volunteerism enables us to offer programs at no charge, which removes a major barrier to participation in the wonderful experiences available at the Library.
We are also very fortunate to have the support of the Friends of the Library group who volunteer their time in many ways, as well as fundraise to provide money for expenditures outside our budget limits.
REVENUE/FINANCIAL
“Literacy is the most basic currency of the knowledge economy.” Barack Obama
Using Statistics Canada’s 2016 census population for Bracebridge of 16,010, the cost of library service this year was about $57.00 per capita for the taxpayer.
Our mandate to provide free service removes a very real barrier to access for many in our community. We are fortunate to have municipal support that ensures this access for all. The municipal contribution in 2019 represents 92% of the Library’s budget, 1% less than 2018. Revenue which we generate on our own includes library fees and fines ($12,931), and printing and Internet fees ($5,187). Money from sales of the Library’s books that have been weeded from the collection brought in $905.
Donations this year totalled $5,980. We are very thankful to all our individual donors and organizations such as the Pittsburgh-Muskoka Foundation ($1,284 CDN), local movie club Spinning Reels ($1,000), and the Ontario Association of Engineering Technicians and Technologists ($678). The Friends of the Library contributed $1,655 which included the cost price of our Library book bags. Proceeds from the sale of these bags go directly to the Library to support annual operating costs.
2019 FINANCIAL SUMMARY (UNAUDITED)
The following is a summary of the 2019 financial activity.
Revenue Source Amount Expenditure Areas Amount Tax Levy: Staffing: Town of Bracebridge $912,673 Salaries & benefits $638,557 External Grants & Other: Operations & Capital: Province of Ontario $33,008 Library resources $124,275 Building maintenance $45,731 Fees, fines, donations, fundraising $31,699 General operations $182,469 Transfer from Library reserves $14,827 Library Capital reserves $1,175 TOTAL REVENUE $992,207 TOTAL EXPENSES $992,207
HIGHLIGHTS OF 2019
We know that any report on the annual Library activities must include a hearty thank you to the staff responsible for providing excellent customer service and programs that are both educational and entertaining. While the bulk of the adult programs are planned by the staff in the Information & Digital Services Department, they receive assistance from many other staff throughout the year. The move from 1 to 2 staff in the Children’s Department was also a great boon for their program planning.
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99 BRACEBRIDGE PUBLIC LIBRARY
2019 ANNUAL REPORT
As mentioned previously, participation in our adult programs increased substantially in 2019. This section of the report provides an opportunity to highlight some of them. We are very thankful for the presenters who enabled us to provide some wonderful programs at no charge to our patrons.
Staff plan programs and special events to suit a variety of interests. Several programs satisfied the creative souls in our community involving a watercolour workshop, build-your-own motorized water Seaflea, rock painting, card making, cookie decorating and our new Crochet Club.
HAPPY LIBRARY PATRONS
We were pleased to start the year off with a return of Dr. Nick Bianchi who gave another very informative presentation, this time on essential oils. Other educational programs included Kevin Boyle, District of Muskoka's Climate Change Initiative Coordinator speaking on how to reduce our carbon footprint, the Cannabis Information Night previously mentioned which saw 20 attendees and a Seniors Information Fair. Karen Davis returned by popular demand to present a session to 20 participants on Mindfulness.
Our travelogues remain popular with trips this year to Mexico, cycling around Europe, and the Czech Republic. And no library calendar would be complete without author readings. In 2019 we heard from local authors Cheryl Cooper, Lynda Partridge, Patrick Boyer and Jane Turvey, as well as visiting author Claire Smith, former member of the Canadian Equestrian Team and Traumatic Brain Injury survivor.
For many years now, the Library hosts the Cottage Country Writers as they present their Tall Pine Tales. The writers’ group asks for donations at the event and the Library is the beneficiary of their fundraising, receiving $154 this year.
One of the goals in the Library Board’s Strategic Plan 2015-2019 is to co-operate with other community agencies. To that end, we have formed a partnership with the Simcoe-Muskoka District Health Unit to offer various parenting workshops presented by their staff within the Library facility. Five sessions were offered throughout the year. Another partnership was established this year with the Horticultural Society to present Seedy Saturday. This was a successful event and has led to the preparation for a “seed library” which will be available to our patrons in 2020. We pursued another unique partnership with Muskoka Conservancy. Librarian Sarah MacNeal organized an outdoor hike with Conservancy staff during which she spoke about the resources available at the Library and different technology “apps” related to nature identification.
Every year during Ontario Public Library Week in October, we present an Appreciation Tea where we show our thanks for the support we receive from people who either volunteer their services, such as program presenters and the Friends of the Library, or provide financial donations to offset our expenditures. Tea and coffee is served in china cups using a silver tea service, lent each year by Arlie Freer. This year Deputy Mayor Rick Maloney offered thanks on behalf of the Town.
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100 BRACEBRIDGE PUBLIC LIBRARY
2019 ANNUAL REPORT
The Library Board’s Strategic Plan 2015-2019 also cites involvement in community events as one of its goals. This was achieved in 2019 in a variety of ways, including our booth and sponsorship of the Scarecrow contest at the annual Fall Fair. Staff set up a library booth at Muskoka Comic-Con, District Early Years event and the Pride Picnic in Memorial Park where we hosted another successful Drag Queen storytime with stories that emphasize inclusiveness, acceptance and being free to be who you are.
Every year we are pleased to see some wonderful creativity as participants in the Bracebridge Fall Fair Scarecrow contest put together their favourite book character.
An annual highlight is the Edible Book Festival hosted by the Friends of the Library. We are always sure to see some wonderful edible creations based on book titles. The many creative entries were judged this year by Deputy Mayor Rick Maloney, as well as attendees voting for the People’s Choice. Prizes were awarded. Contestants and viewers alike enjoy this fun event and everyone gets to sample the products at the end of the festivity.
JUDGE’S CHOICE CHILDREN’S AWARD PEOPLE’S CHOICE
As stewards of one of the Town’s civic facilities, we ensure the maintenance of an aging building. While the interior received paint refreshing last year, the exterior windows were tackled this time with painting and caulking. Another major maintenance project was the installation of a steel platform, stairs and handrails from the roof hatch to the rooftop maintenance platform. This was considered a contractor health and safety issue. While our previous water leaks have occurred where the old library meets the new library, this year, we had a large leak in the foundation in the back stairwell of the newer section. This was repaired with special hydraulic cement but we may need further exterior work in the future. Other minor repairs were required throughout the year.
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2019 ANNUAL REPORT
The Library’s Strategic Plan Goal #1 is Meeting the Community's Need for a 21st Century Library. Preparations for the joint facility saw significant development in 2019. The Library CEO is a member of the core staff committee and participated in the RFP process of evaluating a number of firms related to the facility project. The staff committee’s recommendations for these firms were presented to the Multi-Use Community Centre Steering Committee (MUCCSC) for discussion prior to reports being brought to General Committee.
Approval was ratified by Council for the project management team from Colliers Project Leaders in April, the architectural firm of MacLennan Jaunkalns Miller Architects (MJMA) in September and the contract for Sponsorship, Naming Rights and Advertising Services to Performance Sponsorship Group. The Town submitted an application for the project funding to the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP). It was expected that the final selection of successful applicants would be announced in the summer of 2020. Other activities furthering the project included Library Board and staff members joining a tour to a couple of joint arena/library facilities which provided some interesting contrasts and ideas in facility design.
One of the key resources of the Bracebridge Public Library is its staff. Without them, there would be no books on the shelves, no inter-library loans, no computer assistance, no storytimes and no friendly faces greeting our patrons. They are who our patrons think of first when asked what they like about the Library.
At the end of 2019, we were very sorry to see the retirement of one of our long time staff, Information & Digital Services Librarian, Ruth Holtz after 27 years at BPL. Her years of knowledge and dedication to customer service will be missed. Other staff changes included the hiring of Kate Neice who replaced Tish Bonney Fron as a Page. This year, the Mayor presented the Long Service Awards to Library staff members Sue Ronson (10 years) and Trudy Vincent (10 years). Library staff were awarded “Best Community Group Float” from the Bracebridge Muskoka Lakes Rotary Club for our entry in the Santa Claus Parade.
Early this year, we bid farewell to the Library Board who served during the Town Council term of 2014 – 2018. Special thanks are extended to Board Chair Arlie Freer who served as a Board member for 1 term and as Chair for 2 terms. We then welcomed a new Library Board which saw 3 returning members, one being our Council representative.
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102 BRACEBRIDGE PUBLIC LIBRARY
2019 ANNUAL REPORT
BRACEBRIDGE PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD
The members of the Bracebridge Public Library Board to the end of January 2019 were: • Arlie Freer, Chair • Councillor Chris Wilson, Council Representative • Anthony Barker • Terry Henderson • Barbara Hutchinson • Mary (Lynn) Jacob • Mike Mayes-Stewart • Carol Anne Robinson • Dorothy (Pat) Schofield
The members of the Bracebridge Public Library Board commencing February 2019 were: • Barbara Hutchinson, Chair • Councillor Chris Wilson, Council Representative • Nick Bianchi (February to March) • Evelyn Brown • Paul Feist • Bonnie Greer (February to September) • Rick Hallam (Appointed in May) • Gary Lachance (February to June) • Carol Anne Robinson • Tatiana Sutherland • Margaret Walton (Appointed in December)
BRACEBRIDGE PUBLIC LIBRARY STAFF
The members of the staff of the Bracebridge Public Library in 2019 were: CEO/Chief Librarian Cathryn Rodney Information & Digital Services Cindy Buhne Librarians Ruth Holtz (January to November) Sarah MacNeal Justine Splane (November -) Children & Youth Services Librarian Ashleigh Whipp Library Assistant/Office Manager Carolyn Dawkins
Inter-Library Loan Coordinator Nancy Beasley
Circulation Clerks Sue Ronson Trudy Vincent Sharyn Wilson
Pages Latisha Fron (Jan – Oct) Kelly Fry Julene Jones Kate Neice (Dec - )
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103 Staff Report PD017-20 Page: 1
General Committee File #: June 16, 2020
TO: Councillor A. Buie, Chair and Members of General Committee
FROM: C. Kelley, Director of Planning and Development
S. McCormick, Planning Administrator
SUBJECT: Planning and Development Department’s - 2019 Year-End Activity Report
RECOMMENDATION
1. That the Planning and Development Department’s 2019 Year-End Activity Report attached as Appendix “A” to Staff Report PD017-20 be received for information purposes.
ORIGIN
2. The Planning and Development Department works to develop a safe, sustainable community with economic opportunities for residents and businesses based on approved strategies and plans that shape the look and overall design of the Town. The Department provides professional advice and services in land use planning, building construction, community improvement, community marketing, economic development, tourism, and culture.
3. The Planning and Development Department consists of three branches – Planning Services; Building Services; and Economic Development.
4. Annually, the Department provides members of Council with a year-end activity report that sets out a summary of development-related approvals and related activities undertaken by the Department.
5. Additionally, the delegated authority provided to staff through motions 10-DS-069 and 10-TC-091 requires the Director of Planning and Development to annual report to the Planning and Development Committee regarding the number and type of Site Plan Applications dealt with through delegated authority.
6. Furthermore, motions 13-DS-27/48 approved the Community Improvement Plan and set out the requirement for an annual report to Council from the Community Improvement Implementation Committee (CIIC).
7. This Year-End Activity Report on the Planning and Development Department activities provides members of Council with information related to the 2019 calendar year as follows:
7.1. The number of Planning Applications that have been processed (Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments);
7.2. The number of applications that have been processed through the Town’s Committees of Adjustment (Consents, Minor Variances);
7.3. The number and types of Site Plan Applications that have been processed (either Committee approved or through delegated authority);
7.4. A review of other types of activities such as Compliance Reports, Deemings, etc.;
7.5. The number and type of building permits issued (residential, commercial, institutional and accessory structures);
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7.6. An overview of the Septic Re-inspection Program activity for the year;
7.7. The number of sign permits and sign variance approvals;
7.8. An overview of the activities under the approved Community Improvement Plan;
7.9. A summary of marketing activities undertaken by the Economic Development Branch;
7.10. A summary of the activity at the Visitor Information Centre operated on behalf of the Town by the Bracebridge Chamber of Commerce;
7.11. An overview of the activities of the Muskoka Small Business Centre; and
7.12. Activities related to the interim plan for the re-use of Woodchester Villa.
ANALYSIS
8. The data provided in this annual report is utilized by staff in a number of ways:
8.1. As an measure of economic activity in the community;
8.2. To promote the value of services and activities;
8.3. To measure progress in areas such as Woodchester Villa, Community Improvement Plan, etc.;
8.4. To estimate resource requirements for the annual budget and business plan; and
8.5. To demonstrate to investors that Bracebridge is open for business and that great things are happening here.
9. The Department’s Planning Services Branch manages all applications under the Planning Act including fielding a significant number of inquiries from property owners, real estate agents, perspective property owners, etc. The Branch includes a Manager, Senior Planner, Planning Administrator, Planning Technician and Planning Secretary.
10. The Department’s Planning Administrator supports a number of activities including coordinating all agreements (site plan, consent, conditional building permit agreements, etc.).
11. The report includes a review of the work of both the Committee of Adjustment for Consents and the Committee of Adjustment for Minor Variances. Both committees are quasi-judicial bodies, which makes decisions based solely on the information gathered at their committee meetings, meaning committee members are not to be contacted prior to the hearing to avoid a conflict of interest.
11.1. The Committee of Adjustment for Consents is comprised of three (3) members of Council with one being alternate member, as well as three (3) members from the public. The Committee of Adjustment for Consents held thirteen (13) meetings during 2019 to consider a total of twenty-eight (28) applications. Public members of the Committee were remunerated a total of $3,600 based on a standard of $100 per meeting per committee member. The Town’s Planning Administrator holds the statutory position of Secretary- Treasurer for the Committee.
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11.2. The Committee of Adjustment for Minor Variances is comprised of four (4) committee members with one being an alternate member, all of whom are appointed by Council from the public. There were fifteen (15) meetings of the Committee held during 2019 to consider forty-seven (47) applications. Committee members were remunerated a total of $4,500 based on a standard of $100 per meeting per committee member. The Town’s Planning Technician holds the statutory position of Secretary-Treasurer for the Committee.
11.3. It should be noted that in 2019, the remuneration for each member was increased from $60.00 to $100 per meeting per committee member.
12. As part of an ongoing effort to streamline development approvals, Town Council has delegated authority for Site Plan Approvals as follows:
Date Motion Delegated Authority/Type of Site Plan
April 29, 2009 Motions 09-DS-061 • low density residential developments and 09-TC-056 (detached dwellings, duplex dwellings, semi- detached dwellings) • shore road allowances • amendments to low density residential developments
August 25, 2010 Motions 10-DS-069 • high-density residential developments and 10-TC-091 • non-residential developments that are 600 square metres (6,458 square feet) or less
May 29, 2013 Motions 13-DS-070 • minor developments or site re-development and 13-TC-097 which does not require site plan approval due to the limited nature of the proposal
13. Delegated authority to staff provides improved customer service by reducing processing time for applications; providing staff the ability to respond to minor adjustments to site plans as works are planned; and, streamlining communications with the applicant.
14. In 2019, there were a total of 35 Site Plan Applications and summarized below is the number of applications received and those whereby delegated authority was utilized.
2019 Total Committee Delegated Approved Delegated Approved Non- Residential Approved Multi/
Applications Amendments Low Density Total Site Plan Applications
35 5 9 21
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15. As noted above, Motions 13-DS-070 and 13-TC-097 delegated authority to staff to permit minor development or site re-development to be completed without the submission of a full application and without any adjustments to the legal site plan agreements. Evaluations undertaken by staff to determine if minor include:
15.1. A review of the site for compliance and impact on zoning standards to determine if the project would be appropriate to be considered minor. For example, whether or not the amendment would impact parking standards or storm water management features on the site; and
15.2. If determined to be minor, documentation is provided to the property owner and the files to ensure that records are maintained. In most cases, the owner is also required to provide a written agreement to any conditions that would be imposed through the staff review.
16. In 2019, there were four (4) Site Plan approvals granted as being minor in nature. The details of the applications are included in Appendix “A”.
17. Planning Services continue to undertake daily tracking of inquiries and the annual tally is included in Appendix “A”. Each one of these inquiries would have included a detailed review of a property file, the Town’s by-laws and regulations and followed by a detailed written response.
18. The Planning Services Department also manages a number of other permits and applications as outlined in Appendix “A” including deeming applications, development charge deferrals, model home agreements, pre-servicing agreements, outdoor patio applications, applications under the CIP program, etc.
19. Annually in the fall, the managers in Building Services, Planning Services and Economic Development undertake a review to estimate the level of building and development activity for the following year.
20. The Building Services Branch of the Planning and Development Department ensures that any building activities requiring a building permit is carried out in accordance with the Ontario Building Code Act. The Building Branch is also responsible for the enforcement of the Comprehensive Zoning By-law and the Town’s Sign By-law. The staff complement includes the Chief Building Official, Deputy Chief Building Official, Building Inspector and Building Clerk. Summer staff and short term contract staff are utilized to support the activities of the Branch.
21. Building Services staff have continued working on the enhancement of the Marmak/MiLisa Building Permit tracking system over the past 5 years. Several changes were made to the functionality of the database between 2015 and 2019. The integrity of the data is improving with ongoing reviews by staff to ensure that it is being input consistently.
22. As Council is aware, 2018 was the first year of the implementation of the new discretionary Sewage System Maintenance Inspection Program (SSMIP). Two students were assigned to the program. In the first 4-weeks of the program, it was discovered that a significant number of septic systems in any given area, were classed as High Risk in accordance with the SSMIP Policy.
23. The focus in 2019, was on the properties whereby the Town has no records of approved septic systems. The work included an in-office record review as well as the issuance of numerous letters to property owners as in accordance with the SSMIP The letters outlined what the issues were as well as what was needed in order to satisfy the Town. The properties in which letters were sent are being tracked for follow-up by staff.
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24. Staff in the Economic Development Branch coordinate all of the activity with respect to Outdoor Patio and Community Improvement Program applications as well as managing the operating agreement with the Bracebridge Chamber of Commerce for the visitor centre and managing the operating agreement and staffing for the Muskoka Small Business Centre. This year, with the re- opening and programming of the Woodchester Event Centre data has been included in this report. The Branch staff includes the Manager of Economic Development and two Economic Development Programmers as well as contract staff with Woodchester and the Muskoka Small Business Centre
25. The CIP programs that were available for 2019 were as follows:
• Building Improvement Grant/Loan • Property Improvement Grant/Loan Program Program
• Facade Improvement Grant/Loan • Signage Improvement Grant Program Program (including the Blade Sign Program)
• Housing Rehabilitation Grant/Loan • Tax Increment Equivalent Grant Program
26. The 2019 calendar year was another highly successful one for the Community Improvement Plan program. The Town successfully avoided running out of funds by mid year by splitting the overall budget into two intake periods: January to June and July to December. A total of 32 applications were approved representing $96,435.16 in grant payments. Details of the activities are included in Appendix “A”.
27. In 2018, the Woodchester Working Group presented, to Council its recommendation for the use of the Woodchester site. The Working Group proposed a 2-year Interim Plan, designed to create new interest in the building and property while providing flexibility for the implementation of a longer term plan for Woodchester. The longer term use for the building and property will be adaptable so that it can complement the development of the Timber Mart property and can be readily incorporated in the Downtown Master Plan.
28. The interim plan is to create programs for the community and to permit the use of the building and grounds for community events, business meetings and other activities. With the hiring of the Woodchester Events Coordinator position, the plan began to be implemented in June 2018 and will be completed in mid-2020. The results of the activities between April 2019 and September 2019 are included in Appendix “A”.
29. It should be noted that the 2019 statistics for Woodchester represent numbers from April until the end of August. The Event Coordinator for Woodchester resigned at the end of August so staff presence at the facility was minimal for the remainder of 2019. In December, the Town hired a new Event Coordinator due to remaining budget caused by the vacancy in the position. The Event Coordinator assisted the BIA with the Fire and Ice planning for the January 2020 event. As part of the 2020 Municipal Budget and Business Plan, Council provided funds to have the event coordinator position for the whole year to provide programming until the Downtown Master Plan is completed.
30. The Town has been the Managing Partner for the Province of Ontario to deliver the services of the Muskoka Small Business Centre (MSBC) since April 2005. The mandate of the Centre is to provide support to start-up and early-growth, small and medium-sized businesses throughout Muskoka, by providing information, advice, assistance and confidential consultations.
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31. A new 3-year Transfer Payment Agreement was executed by the Town and the Province of Ontario for the term April 1, 2019 until March 31, 2022.
32. The summary of the 2019 activities of MSBC is included in Appendix “A”. This information is shared with the other municipalities in Muskoka because MSBC serves all of Muskoka.
33. The Director of Planning and Development, along with department managers and staff, will continue to review the methods and frequency of reporting to Planning and Development Committee to ensure that staff are meeting the policy requirements and more-importantly providing meaningful and timely information to Committee and the community. Additionally, staff continue to look at ways to streamline approvals through various means.
LINKAGE TO COMMUNITY BASED STRATEGIC PLAN
34. The annual Planning and Development Activity Report for 2019 is well aligned with the strategic theme(s):
Develop and engage in policies and initiatives to enhance Bracebridge as a service community for the surrounding areas.
Recognize the importance of Town decisions in attracting and retaining talent.
Work to diversify the local economy to create an open for business all year round environment.
Ensure that environmental protection is a priority in the Town’s operations and plans.
Encourage environmental stewardship and educational opportunities in the community.
Promote the natural environment as a year-round destination for tourists and visitors.
Recognize the importance of the Town’s decisions in shaping the future of the community.
Ensure that the Town’s planning practices, policies and processes encourage responsible growth and development that aligns with the community’s identity and heritage.
Focus on specific areas highlighted as priorities, including, development of options to support the diversification and affordability of housing options to meet the needs of the entire community.
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Ensure that the Town offers a welcoming and equitable environment for residents and visitors of all ages.
Promote a vibrant community that celebrates the critical role of arts, culture and heritage in promoting quality of life. Promote health and wellness in the community through Town facilities, programmes and partnerships.
Continually strive to improve efficiency and accountability in governance.
Encourage civic engagement as a means to foster a strong and transparent relationship between the Town and community.
Commit to partnering and working with outside organizations to leverage efforts with the community.
35. The report provides primary data to Council about the level and type of development activity in the community that will assist with long-term planning, development of the annual Municipal Budget and the formulation of annual business plans.
LINKAGE TO COUNCIL PRIORITIES
36. While not an identified priority for the 2018-2022 term of Council, the annual Planning and Development Department Activity report provides statistical data that will support Council decisions in the future.
ALTERNATIVE(S)
37. As this report is for information purposes only, no alternatives are presented.
EXISTING POLICY
38. Motions 10-DS-069 and 10-TC-091 require reporting to Committee annually with a summary report regarding the number and type of Site Plan Applications dealt with through delegated authority.
39. Motions 13-DS-27/48 approved the Community Improvement Plan and set out the requirement for an annual report to Council from the Community Improvement Implementation Committee (CIIC).
40. The Town has provided services for small business through the Muskoka Small Business Centre (MSBC) since 2005 based on an annual letter of agreement and most recently through a 3-year transfer agreement with the Province of Ontario. Annually, Staff provide a report of the activities of the Centre.
41. Motion 17-PD-131 approved the recommendations of the Woodchester Working Group and the interim plan.
42. Motion 18-PD-052 authorized the fee for service agreement between the Town and the Chamber of Commerce for the operation of the visitor centre. This annual report compiles the results of the quarterly reports provided by the Chamber that are required as part of the agreement.
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FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
43. The report provides information to Council and staff regarding development activity within the community and helps with long-term planning, development of the annual Municipal Budget and the formulation of annual business plans.
COMMUNICATIONS
44. This staff report was distributed to Council, Media, and all Town staff and was published on the Town’s website in accordance with the Town’s Procedural By-law.
45. Details of the activities of MSBC will be shared with other municipalities in Muskoka.
Prepared By: Approved by: Approved for Submission to Planning and Development Committee By:
C. Kelley, MCIP, RPP C. Kelley, MCIP, RPP J. Sisson Director of Planning and Director of Planning and Chief Administrative Officer Development Development Ext. 229 Ext. 253 Ext. 253
S. McCormick Planning Administrator Ext. 233
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APPENDIX “A”
Planning and Development Department’s 2019 Year-End Activity Report
PLANNING SERVICES ACTIVITY
Applications for building permits and development approvals are indicators of both departmental activity and the economic health of a community.
The Planning and Development Department is responsible for the review and administration of applications for planning approvals in accordance with the Town’s Official Plan, Zoning By-law, and a variety of other policies and matters under various pieces of Provincial legislation including the Planning Act, Municipal Act, Development Charges Act, the Ontarians with Disabilities Act, and the Provincial Offences Act.
The administration and planning related functions with respect to the Committee of Adjustment for Consents and the Committee of Adjustment for Minor Variances are also the responsibility of the Department.
Official Plan and Zoning Amendments
There were five (5) Official Plan Amendments (OPA) for 2019, an increase from the previous year at one (1) application. This included Muskoka Royale, Lions Club, Community Living South Muskoka, Ganesh (Hilton), and Econergy (571 Manitoba).
There were twenty-four (24) Rezoning applications submitted for processing in 2019. An increase from the previous year at seventeen (17) applications. Of the twenty-four (24) applications submitted for processing for 2019, twenty-one (21) rezoning applications were processed in 2019 with three (3) rezoning applications in process. The comparison of these applications over the past ten years is illustrated below in Chart 1.
Chart 1 - Official Plan Amendment and Zoning Amendment Applications (2009-2019)
30
25
20
15
10
5
0 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 OPA 1 0 1 0 2 0 1 1 3 1 5 Zoning 18 17 19 11 12 14 15 17 20 17 24
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Consents and Minor Variances
In 2019, the Department processed twenty-eight (28) consent applications and forty-seven (47) minor variance applications compared to thirty-two (32) consents and forty-two (42) minor variance applications in 2018. Chart 2 illustrates the comparison of these applications over the past ten years.
Of the total of twenty-nine (29) consent applications submitted in 2019, one (1) was withdrawn. Seventeen (17) of these application were for lot creations, ten (10) for right-of-ways and one (1) for a lot addition.
Of the fifty-two (52) minor variance application’s submitted in 2019, one (1) was withdrawn. The balance being fifty-one (51) of which forty-seven (47) minor variance applications were processed in 2019 and four (4) were deferred to be heard in 2020.
Chart 2 - Consents and Minor Variance Applications (2009-2019)
50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Consents 12 39 19 26 27 16 22 25 31 32 28 Minor Variances 29 25 35 26 29 20 26 37 26 42 47
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Site Plan Applications
In 2019, the Department processed thirty-two (35) site plan applications compared to twenty-two (22) site plan applications in 2018. Chart 3 illustrates the comparison of these applications over the past ten years.
Chart 3 - Site Plan Applications – 2009- 2019
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50
40
30
20
10
0 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Site Plans 52 35 36 50 23 18 23 24 25 22 35
Below Table 1 outlines the specific developments that have been subject to the Site Plan approval process in 2019.
Table 1 - 2019 Specific Developments with Approved Site Plans
Approval Owners
Committee • Lobo Developments for one (1) structure to accommodate office, storage and Approved (5) warehousing space (6 Gray Road); • Patel, Sandip (Tru by Hilton Hotel) for the removal of one structure and the construction of one 84-room Hotel as well as a reconfiguration of parking and landscaping (320 Taylor Road at Cedar Lane); • Lions Club of Bracebridge for the construction of an indoor storage facility (325 Fraserburg Road (M.R.#14)); • HMAT Homes Inc., for the development of a six (6) unit two-story apartment dwelling (Cedar Lane (M.R.#37); • Alport Properties (Cavalcade Ford) for the development of a motor mehicle body shop and repair garage (37 and 41 E. P. Lee Drive);
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Approval Owners
Delegated Non- • Hillfinch Properties Limited for the placement of six (6) shipping containers Residential (9) (440 Ecclestone Drive (M.R.#118W)); • Westcan Income Limited Partnership IV (Bonnie Lake Camp) for Phase 1 of the Master Development Plan (1047 Bonnie Lake Camp Road); • Northern Lakes Truss Inc., to facilitate outside gravel storage areas (685 Ecclestone Drive (M.R.#118W)); • 1975238 Ontario Inc., (Talbot) for the construction of a parking lot (101 Keith Road); • Alorium Holdings Inc., for the construction for commercial and residential use (63 Manitoba Street(M.R.#37) and 3 Taylor Road (M.R.#42)); • The District Municipality of Muskoka – Macaulay Tree House for the development of a new Day Care Centre, new septic bed and parking (50 The Granite Bluff). Thjs was delegated to the Director in 2018; • 2151849 Ontario Inc., (Rockscape) for the development of one (1) coverall structure (15 Barron Drive); • 2246928 Ontario Inc., (Sleep Inn) for the construction of an indoor swimming pool (510 Muskoka Road 118 West); • Goodale, Glen and Darlene for the construction of a three-season showroom (2819 Highway 118 East); and
Delegated • Various homeowners for new cottages/structures/ delegated authority for Residential/Multi multi-residential additions. Residential (21)
Site Plans - Minor Extensions/ Enlargements (no changes to the agreements)
In 2019, there were four (4) Site Plan approvals granted as being minor in nature as follows:
• Spirit Bay Harbor Inc., (Marina) for proposed expansion of existing docks (1048 Cedar Beach Road);
• PML Limited (Allport Marina) for proposed expansion of parking (1640 Beaumont Road (Muskoka Road #16));
• Onions, James for proposed addition to the storage garage (23 Barron Drive); and
• Butler, Gregory for the addition of a deck (5 MacArthur Drive).
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Other Applications
The Department also processes “other applications”, such as part lot control, removal of holding symbol, deeming and tree cutting permit applications. In 2019, the Department processed:
Type 2019 Applications Applicant/Location Fisher - (Stephens Bay Road); Wheatley - (Timber Trail); Alport Properties (Cavalcade Ford) Deeming application 4 - Robert Dollar Drive; Czar Holdings Inc., – Eilean Gowan Island.
Development charges Goodchild - (Denniss Drive) rebate/deferral for affordable 1 Rapsch (Boyd Bay Road) housing application FIT requests for Municipal N/A 0 Support Resolutions; Model Home Agreements B3 Development Inc.,(Loon Call 1 Development Group (LCDG)) - (Manitoba Street(M.R.#4). Local Planning Appeal 2393652 Ontario Ltd., - Anglo Tribunal/Ontario Municipal Board Street (reconsidered decision from Appeal 2 2018)* Econergy Property Group Ltd., - Manitoba Street(M.R.#4). Outdoor Patio Applications Rende Italian Eatery - Manitoba 1 Street(M.R.#37) Part Lot Control Applications Lakewood Beach Properties - 1 (Waterways) Pre-Servicing Agreements Loon Call/B3 Developments Inc., - (Manitoba Street (M.R.#4)); 2 White Pines/Clearbrook Building Corporation-Phase 8 - (Pheasant Run). Removal of Holding Symbol “H” 2393652 Ontario Inc., c/o applications Goodfellow Construction Inc., - (Anglo Street); Duncan, Brian-Condition of Site Plan Agreement - (Stanley Road); 4 2347923 Ontario Inc., c/o Richard Kim - Taylor Road (M.R.#42); B3 Development Inc.,(Loon Call Development Group (LCDC)) - Manitoba Street (M.R.#4);
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Type 2019 Applications Applicant/Location Telecommunications tower Forbes Bros Ltd., c/o Rogers Telecommunications - Muskoka Crescent Road; Forbes Bros Ltd., c/o Rogers Telecommunications - Gray Road; Forbes Bros Ltd., c/o Rogers 5 Telecommunications - Nicholls Road; Forbes Bros Ltd., c/o Rogers Telecommunications - Muskoka Beach Road CanArce – Leech Lake/Fraserburg Road (carried forward from 2018) Tree cutting applications Various locations 31 reviewed Tree cutting permits issued 4 Various locations
Applications - Comments
Planning and Development Staff provide comments to other Departments or Agencies with respect to other types of applications as noted below.
Type of Application 2019 Applicant/Location Applications Subdivision Applications – new and amending 3 Clearbrook-White Pines applications (District of Muskoka) Subdivision-Phases 8 - Proposed Amendment; 6891535 Canada Inc.,(Stonegate) – (Covered Bridge Trail) - Proposed Amendment; Loon Call Development Group (LCDC-B4 - Manitoba Street proposed (M.R.#4) – preliminary review Subdivision Extensions (District of Muskoka) 3 Muskoka Highlands – S2000-1 Inveraray Glen Subdivision – 2005- 8. Inveraray Glen Condo – C2010-1 Condominium applications (District of 1 Granite Springs (Muskoka D & M Muskoka Inc.) - Manitoba Street (M.R.#4)- Amendment for New Condo Townhomes; Original Shore Road Allowance, Road included 6 land disposition files and Allowance and other land disposition 17 11 OSRA/RA applications applications
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Compliance Reports
Compliance Reports are one indicator of real estate activity within the community and are used by some, but not all, members of the local legal community to support “due diligence” for property purchasers. Property compliance reports deal with building and septic permits, zoning, road access as well as agreement compliance (primarily subdivision and site plan agreement).
The Department processed one hundred and thirteen (113) compliance reports in 2019 as compared to one hundred and fifty-one (151) compliance reports in 2018.
Property Enquiries
Since 2015, the Planning Services Branch of the department has been tracking property inquiries through a tracking system called Public Service Request. The system has been useful for tracking and managing responses to the public. Additionally, the system supports the review and priority setting for staff workloads Below is an overview of the inquiries for 2018 compared to the previous 3 years:
• 2019 – 691 enquiries;
• 2018 – 638 enquiries;
• 2017 – 710 enquiries;
• 2016 – 669 enquiries; and
• 2015 – 500 enquiries which was the first year.
**It should be noted that the enquiry as recorded would be the initial touch point with the Town but could result in numerous supplementary communications which are generally not reflected in this data.
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BUILDING SERVICES ACTIVITY
Building Permits
This report illustrates the permit numbers and total construction value of all permit types and the construction value of each permit type. At the bottom is a comparison of the total revenue for the department which directly correlates with construction values.
The total number of building permits issued, including septic systems, as shown in Table 3 was 663, up from 625 in 2018. This included 117 permits for new residential units, as compared to 72 in 2017, and 161 residential additions/renovations in 2018 as compared to 168 in 2017. With respect to multiple dwelling units (townhouses, condominiums, etc.), each unit is counted as a new residential unit.
Permits for 8 final units for Amigo’s on Anglo Street have been issued. In addition, 10 permits have been issued for model homes for B3 Development Inc. (Loon Call). Mattamy’s Phase 9 will be coming forward in 2020 as well as the balance of B3 Development Inc., Phase 1 and possibly Phase 2. Between Mattamy and Loon Call there is the potential for more than 100 units from those two developments in 2020.
Chart 4 further illustrates residential permits over a ten-year period.
Table 3 - Table 3 - Building Permit Comparison 2018-2019
Permit Type Permit Nos. 2018 Permit Nos. 2019 New Residential 141 $36,094,445 116 $32,190,168 Construction New Residential Construction – 7 $332,500 8 $970,000 Foundation Only Addition/Renovation 161 $5,738,751 135 $3,505,738 Residential New Commercial, 34 $8,779,000 50 $7,739,000 Industrial and Institutional New Commercial, Industrial and Institutional 0 $0 0 $0 – Foundation Only Addition/Renovation Commercial, Industrial 43 $3,781,507 45 $4,422,547 and Institutional Accessory Structure 102 $3,712,255 97 $3,611,595 Other 45 $422,455 88 $910,715 Septic Systems (& 92 $1,183,759 123 $1,615,800 Related) Total Construction 625 $60,044,672 662 $54,965,563 Value Total Building Permit $793,079 $790,402 Fees Collected
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Chart 4 - Building Permits Issued – New Residential Construction (2009-2019)
180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Residential - New 58 101 86 80 67 36 74 78 72 141 116 Residential - Additions 148 129 139 136 145 117 121 138 168 161 135
Chart 5 - Building Permits for New Commercial, Institutional, Industrial Construction (2009-2019)
80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Commercial - New 16 15 4 2 4 5 5 63 68 30 42 Institutional - New 0 5 0 1 0 1 0 0 3 1 1 Industrial - New 5 11 2 0 1 1 0 1 2 3 7
There were a total of fifty (50) new commercial/institutional/industrial permits an increase from thirty-four (34) permits in 2018 (Chart 5) that were issued.
The majority of the difference related to the increate number of permits issued at Bonnie Lake with 25 in 2018 and 28 in 2019. Bonnie Lake’s redevelopment continues; however, the work has been limited to swapping out existing trailers with new Park Model trailers and filling existing sites that were vacant. Other new construction projects in the community in 2019 were projects at Lewis Trucking (motor vehicle repair and sales office), Lions Club (storage unit) and LOBO Developments (storage warehouse).
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Chart 6 - Building Permits Issued - Additions/Renovations - Commercial, Institutional, Industrial Construction (2009-2019)
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30
25
20
15
10
5
0 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Commercial/Add/Reno 19 22 20 25 19 12 23 30 18 23 32 Institutional/Add/Reno 2 4 4 4 14 8 2 2 10 11 6 Industrial/Add/Reno 7 4 2 1 2 6 4 7 7 9 7
During 2019, there were a number of additions/renovations in the Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional categories including the following examples of renovation permits (Chart 6):
Project Name Status/Comments
Sleep Inn – Hwy 118 West New addition for swimming pool
Court House – Dominion Street Renovations
Muskoka Timber Mills – Manitoba Street Accessory Storage Structure
Monck Public School – Wellington Street Renovations
Cottage Country Health Team – Hiram Street Renovations
Rosewarne Landfill - New Office Building
Foundry – Entrance Drive Renovations
Thai Restaurant – Manitoba Street Renovations
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Chart 7 - Building Permits Issued - Accessory and Other Structures (2009-2019)
180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Docks 16 30 15 28 35 21 28 23 23 39 26 Boathouses 8 7 3 2 13 7 8 12 12 10 8 Other 141 86 81 115 60 99 97 126 125 105 159
Chart 7 illustrates the permit numbers with respect to accessory and other structures. Accessory structures include buildings such as shed, private cabins, boathouses, garages or docks, some of which have been broken down above.
“Other” structures include permits for demolition permits, swimming pool or water hook-up permits and foundation permits whereby a 2nd permit will be issued for the structure.
Chart 8 below illustrates the comparison of septic and sewer hook-up permits issued over a ten year period. In 1998, septic systems were included as part of the Ontario Building Code, and thus the Town of Bracebridge assumed the role of septic permit review and issuance. Septic system/sewer hook-up permits of 123 were an increase from the previous year of 92 permits.
Chart 8 - Septic System/ Sewer Hook-ups Permits Issued (2009-2019)
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Septic Systems 97 91 87 86 71 51 79 89 108 92 123
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Septic Re-Inspection Program - Summary 2019
Table 4 below provides a summary of the septic inspections conducted each year by the Town since the inception of the Septic Re-Inspection Program in 2002. In that timeframe, students visited and undertook on-site visual inspections and as well as provided education on maintenance of septic systems with over 9000 properties visited.
2018 marked the first year for the new Sewage System Maintenance Inspection Program whereby students reviewed records and visited 554 properties. There were a significant volume of these properties that were classed as being High Risk.
In 2019, it was determined to narrow the approach to the SSMIP to properties whereby the Town had no records on file or were greater than 30 years old.
338 requests for information were sent other either for high risk – no use permit on file to further information required with a 57% response rate or 192 responses. Part of the work of 2019 includes follow up from those that were identified the year before.
Sign Variance & Permit Comparisons
Statistics with respect to sign permits issued and sign variances approved are included below as Chart 9. In 2019, 29 sign permits were requested and there were no sign variances granted. Variances are attributed to requests for directional signage, relief from size/height restrictions and additional out-of-town event signage, all of which are variances from the current Sign By-law.
In past years, the Town has issued a number of variances with respect to event signs. As a result of a stricter interpretation of the special event signage definition in the District of Muskoka’s Sign By-law, a number of event signs that may have been permitted under a variance are no longer being allowed. For example, event signs advertising retail sales are not a special event as was contemplated it the District’s By-law. These types of provisions will be reviewed in coordination with the District at the time of the review of the Town’s Sign By-law.
Chart 9 - Sign Variances & Sign Permits Issued (2009-2019)
90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Sign Permits 30 25 23 42 52 64 84 73 54 45 28 Sign Variances 19 32 9 7 14 6 5 5 0 5 0
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COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT PLAN (CIP) 2019
The Community Improvement Implementation Committee has reviewed the following number of applications since the approve of the new CIP in 2013:
• 2013 - 4 • 2015 - 43 • 2017 - 36 • 2019 - 32
• 2014 - 10 • 2016 - 42 • 2018 - 39
Below is a summary of the applications that were received and approved in 2019:
Program Applications Applicants Amount
Building Improvement 12 • Jim Dwyer - 30 Manitoba $39,885.41 • Muskoka Trading – 9 Taylor • Alorium Holdings – 63 Manitoba • Cottage Winery - 208 Manitoba • Kupferschmidt – 77 Manitoba • Active Living Centre – 54 Dominion • Giaschi Enterprises – 27/29 Manitoba • Tiggs Clothier – 48 Manitoba • Kupferschmidt – 79 Manitoba • Rodie – 36 Manitoba • Marigold Restaurant - 270 Manitoba • Muskoka Trading – 12 Taylor
Property Improvement 7 • Goldmanco – 505 MR 118 West $32,810.75 • Rende Restaurant – 12 Manitoba • Main St Deli – 172 Manitoba • Goldmanco – 500 MR I118 West • True North Log Homes - 1730 Winhara • Hillfinch Properties – 440 Ecclestone • Quality Inn – 300 Ecclestone
Signage Improvement 9 • Muskoka Cosmetic & Laser Clinic – 3 $8,844.00 Willis • Brew Culture – 440 Ecclestone • Marigold Restaurant – 270 Manitoba • Majestic Hair Salon - 19 Manitoba • Tiggs Clothier – 48 Manitoba
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Program Applications Applicants Amount • Trans Canada Wood – 440 Ecclestone • Muskoka Grown – 440 Ecclestone • Mucho Burrito – 295 Wellington Street • The Healing Room – 40 Manitoba
Façade Improvement 3 • D.O.T. Furniture – 233 Manitoba $11,895.00 • Alorium Holdings – 63 Manitoba • Kupferschmidt - 79 Manitoba
Housing Rehabilitation 1 • Williams Wellness Centre – 90 $3,000.00 Kimberley
32 TOTAL *$96,435.16
Note this figure does not include the assistance provided by the Tax Increment Equivalent grants.
The Town’s commitment of $96,435.16 successfully leveraged a minimum total of $842,573.69 in private investment under these 5 programs.
The private sector investment is limited only to the aspect of construction activity that was covered by the CIP program and not the total money spent on the building/property improvements. The construction value will be higher than $842,573.69.
CIP Indicators
Indicator 2017 2018 2019
Total Construction Costs $495,269 $1,005,827 $842,573.69
Total Grant Amount $94,388.33 $97,822.92 $96,435.16
Leveraged Amount $400,884.67 $908,005 $746,138.53
Leverage Ratio 1.4 1.9 1:8
Tax Increment Equivalent Grant (TIEG)
The Tax Increment Equivalent Grant is a separate program within the Community Improvement Plan that will rebate the increase in municipal taxes associated with the increased assessment attributed to an expansion or new development. Recipients receive the TIEG on a sliding scale (reduction of 10%/year) over 10 years.
In 2019 a total of 1 new project was approved under this program for the property located at 36 Manitoba Street (formerly Hart’s Flowers). This property is expected to go through a significant renovation and expansion in 2020. Previously 9 businesses were approved for the program. The grant payments are depended upon property owners providing proof of payment of taxes and the 10-year duration begins following MPAC establishing the increased assessment.
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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MARKETING
The 2019 marketing plan was a continuation of the 2018 plan which amplified the Business Investment Attraction and Tourism Attraction campaigns proposed by REPUBLIC. Additional paid social media was implemented to leverage the campaign platforms to drive awareness of Bracebridge as a recognized tourist and investment destination. Both the Business Investment Attraction and Tourism Attraction marketing campaigns demonstrated to staff that the Town’s websites and traditional marketing campaigns are working but can be significantly enhanced by employing paid social media advertising.
Business Investment Attraction
Following on information from local employers about the difficulty recruiting labour (both skilled and unskilled) staff focussed on workforce attraction in 2019. The following economic development marketing projects were completed in 2019:
• Shine Media Production, a local video production company responsible for the filming for the 2017 series developed by REPUBLIC was contracted to create a series of storyboards based upon the concept of attracting non-Bracebridge residents to work in our community. The videos focused on the positive improvements that could be made to one’s lifestyle by shortening commuting time. It is planned to run these videos in 2020 targeting workers in Orillia and Barrie who commute south to Toronto;
• As well, video footage that was filmed in 2017 featuring a series of local entrepreneurs who chose Bracebridge as the home for their business, was re-edited to create two new videos focusing on commuting to Bracebridge for employment opportunities. Two additional entrepreneurs, who were actively recruiting employees in 2019, were filmed to add to these new versions;
• The Business Expo was also launched in 2019. This new initiative was introduced to staff by a local entrepreneur who’d indicated success at a similar event in Orillia over the past several years. The Economic Development branch worked closely with the Chamber of Commerce to host this one-day event that saw 29 businesses in attendance. While only 150 members of the public attended the showcase, it was considered a success as most of the attending businesses would not have that many people through their doors in a single day. Feedback was positive from most businesses and all of the visiting public. Prior to COVID-19, plans were to continue to grow this initiative in 2020. The event provided not only a way for businesses to identify new customers but also provided an excellent networking opportunity between local businesses;
• The first ever Mayor’s Breakfast was held in May of 2019. Over 100 local businesses people attended the event that featured Mayor Smith’s update on municipal projects. It is planned to hold similar events every other year;
• A second edition of the successful print publication “Success Stories from THE BRIDGE” was produced showcasing a series of 12 new entrepreneurs from Bracebridge. This publication was used at tradeshows, distributed through local businesses, included in business attraction packages and included on the Town’s “Do Business” section of bracebridge.ca;
• A new electronic Community Profile was developed in 2019. The new Community Profile is a 15- page document that highlights key information that Site Selectors are looking for when researching various communities. The new profile can be found on the “Do Business” page of our website. We also printed a limited number of copies for tradeshow participation; and
• Late in the in 2019, a 21-day campaign featuring the most popular of the 2017 Investment Attraction Videos was undertaken. During this three-week period, the video reached an audience 46,488 people an average of 2 times for a total of 93,962 impressions.
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Tourism Attraction
Similar to the Investment Attraction marketing approach, the campaign initiatives implemented in 2018 were amplified in 2019 as follows:
• There were social media ads run during the peak tourism season targeted at both cottagers and those looking for weekend getaways from the GTA. The social media ads were run during times that were most successful during previous ad campaigns (leading up to events and long weekends);
• Increased the Town’s online tourism presence on both Instagram and Facebook;
• Updated the VisitTheBRIDGE brochure with new photos and content highlighting local tourism- related businesses. The brochures are distributed throughout the Province at Visitor Information Centres, hotels, the Bracebridge Visitor Information Centre as well as local businesses;
• Bracebridge Festival Network ads highlighting the events hosted in Bracebridge were placed in the Leisure guides, Muskoka Arts and Craft guides and the Bracebridge Chamber of Commerce local map; and
• Building on the Tourism pillars of Taste, Create and Live, staff created summer and winter social media videos for the Live pillar. Videos were boosted on social media reaching 100,000 people.
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VISITOR INFORMATION CENTRE (VIC) STATISTICS
Since 2004, the Town of Bracebridge contracted the Bracebridge Chamber of Commerce for the provision of visitor and information services at the Bird Mill Mews Visitor Information Centre. The Chamber provides a variety of services as follows:
• professional response to inquiries in person, by phone, by mail or electronically;
• active promotion of Bracebridge as a destination for current and future travel;
• display and distribution of information on tourism products and services related to Bracebridge, Muskoka and other geographic areas of Ontario;
• information services to encourage travelers to extend their stay and travel again in Bracebridge;
• directions regarding how to obtain accommodation;
• traveler services including washrooms and pay telephones;
• maintenance of a community events calendar for use by local community groups and organizations; and
• maintenance of lists of community organizations and service providers for public use.
As part of the agreement, the Bracebridge Chamber of Commerce tracks and maintains monthly visitor information statistics. Below is a chart displaying a yearly summation of visitor information:
Summary Stats - by Party Served 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
January - May 1007 775 617 640 817 912 765 June - August 3668 2533 2465 2547 2436 3166 3718 September - October 863 833 1141 1304 1089 1201 1439 November - December 162 137 165 235 277 256 261
TOTAL 5,700 4,278 4,388 4,726 4,619 5,535 6,183
Summary Stats - by Visitor Served 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
January - May 1761 1240 1039 1045 1475 1466 1394 June - August 7279 5097 4997 5222 5201 6692 7805 September - October 3027 1752 2304 2733 2155 2492 3304 November - December 238 305 249 341 398 416 493
TOTAL 12,305 8,394 8,589 9,341 9,229 11,066 12,996
Average # of visitors per party 2.80 1.90 1.90 1.90 1.99 1.99 2.10
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Where Visitors Live
Visitor Origin 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Local 1025 855 899 882 1175 1511 1297 Regional 393 262 218 205 355 520 644 GTA 1149 804 600 842 860 1139 1620 Other Ontario 1143 814 800 1073 696 781 1198 Other Canada 128 78 85 75 258 156 128 US 113 79 66 53 104 113 124 Europe 312 216 200 301 335 343 477 Asia 23 17 14 42 110 180 47
The past two years have shown solid increases in terms of the overall traffic through the VIC. While smartphone and online information usage continues to increase, it is evident that visitors still appreciate face-to-face interaction with locals. Also of note is that Town staff produced sidewalk arrows in 2017 to help pedestrians find the VIC following comments from local businesses about how difficult it was for visitors to find the centre. The arrows have been in place for the past three summers and reports back indicated they are working. The only three categories where there has been a significant drop is the use of the VIC by locals and travellers from other parts of Canada and Asia.
Additionally, VIC staff indicated that in 2019, Flood Tourism was responsible for a good portion of the increased in visitors to the centre. They experienced increased tourist traffic and phone calls well into the summer months inquiring about flood conditions in Bracebridge.
Top Information Provided (benchmark is minimum 5%)
Top Services Provided* 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Washroom 39% 34% 60% 46% 42% 47% 57%
Directions 19% 21% 27% 18% 15% 15% 15%
Attractions 17% 15% 21% 14% 16% 15% 20%
Events - - 9% 5% 6% - 7%
Accommodations ------
Dining 5% 6% - - - 6%
Sports and Recreation ------5%
Other 6% 9% 11% 12% 16%
*of the people recorded
NOTE: The same visitors may be accounted for across multiple services. Also of note is that this is the first time that Sports and Recreation inquiries have appeared in the top services provided. This change may be attributable in part to the number of provincial and regional sporting events currently being hosted in our community. Our Event Tourism Grant Program supports many of the sporting events that are drawing visitors to our community.
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MUSKOKA SMALL BUSINESS CENTRE (MSBC)
The Town has been the Managing Partner for the Province of Ontario to deliver the services of the Muskoka Small Business Centre (MSBC) since April 2005. The mandate of the Centre is to provide support to start- up and early-growth, small and medium-sized businesses throughout Muskoka, by providing information, advice, assistance and confidential consultations.
The MSBC receives its core funding through the Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation & Trade (MEDJT). When the Town of Bracebridge initially took over the contract for MSBC delivery in 2005, the annual core funding from the Province was $50,000 plus additional program funding. The current core funding is $86,875 per year. Additional specific program funding for initiatives like Summer Company and Starter Company Plus assists in supporting the overall operational expenses provided the programs were delivered and commitments fulfilled.
Currently the agreement between the Province and the Town is based on a new Funding Agreement executed in April 2019 that provides funding for the period April 1, 2019 to Mar. 31, 2022. There were changes regarding funding limitations for some programs, such as Starter Company Plus, and also regarding provincial reporting and funding deliverables. The current funding agreement provides a maximum of $511,109 for the three-year period, which includes the $150,000 in micro-financing for Starter Company Plus and Summer Company.
MSBC works with various partners to support its work and programs. This includes local banking institutions, Lynn Keane, who sponsors the Daniel Keane Entrepreneurial Legacy Award; and other business partners such as Muskoka Futures, the Chambers of Commerce across Muskoka, Georgian College Centre for Social Innovation and YWCA and YMCA Muskoka.
This annual report to Planning and Development Committee affords an opportunity for the MSBC to provide Members of Council with a summary of activities for the past year as well as to highlight upcoming initiatives.
As well, this report is circulated to other municipal economic development departments or to the Municipal Clerk for the other municipalities in Muskoka to ensure that members of Council in the other Muskoka municipalities are kept informed regarding MSBC’s activities.
Completed Activities
1. Bridges to Better Business: This event was held on March 5th, 2019 with the theme “Building Business Through Community” from 8:30am to 3:30pm at the Algonquin Theatre, Huntsville. There were 85 in attendance that included our MPP Norm Miller.
Jeremy Miller, author of “Sticky Branding” was the keynote speaker offering inspirational stories and actionable ideas to help grow your business. There were local guest speakers that included: Stephanie Bourbeau, local entrepreneur, past Starter Company Plus graduate and Physiotherapist; and, bringing the story of the SS Bigwin was Collin Reaney, a board member and Captain Shawn Rhul. The event included 10 round table discussions offering experts on key business topics, and a panel of experts that offered information on Provincial and Federal resources, Municipal Services and supports for both business and community.
On October 23, 2019, there was an additional Bridges to Better Business Event in the form of a Retail Summit. The event was held at the Bracebridge Rotary Centre from 8:30am to 1pm. This additional event was hosted to transition the Bridges Event to coincide with Small Business Week in Ontario in the future. 55 People were in attendance including the Mayor of Bracebridge, and all staff from the Economic Development Branch of the Town of Bracebridge.
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The guest speaker was Barbara Crowhurst, North America’s leading retail business coach, trainer, store and web designer, who spoke of running a successful business in 2020. There was a draw for a Retail Makeover by Barbara valued at over $1,700.00. That was won by Lynne Murden of Yummies in A Jar from Baysville. In addition, there were 3 local businesses offering a brief overview of their success strategies.
2. Job Fairs: MSBC participated in the annual South Muskoka Job Fair in Bracebridge at the Sportsplex, on March 5th, where approximately 35 people visited the MSBC table. The focus was on promoting Youth Programs, Starter Company Plus, Consultations, and basic business start-up information. The annual Huntsville Job Fair was held at the Jack Bionda Arena on March 28th where 25 people visited the MSBC table.
3. Summer Company: The Summer Company Program provides an opportunity for youth between 15 – 29 to start and run their own business during the summer. Students receive up to $3,000 in grant money, 12 hours of business training, and MSBC provides mentors to work with participants throughout the program. In Muskoka, we are allotted five (5) students according to provincial rules in 2019. The businesses included a mobile yoga instructor, two t-shirt designers, a soap and bath bomb creator and a mobile sea do rental. Of the five (5) students, one (1) was from the Port Sydney area, one (1) was summering in Muskoka from the GTA, one (1) was from Bracebridge, one (1) from Parry Sound area and one (1) from out of our typical service area. All five students completed the program and received the full grant award.
4. Daniel Keane Entrepreneurial Legacy Award: An award of $1,000 is donated annually by the family of a past Summer Company student who passed away through suicide. The award is given to honour Daniel Keane’s memory, his love of entrepreneurship and community involvement, and to bring attention to the issues of mental health. It recognizes the contributions that the business owner makes to the community as part of their operations.
The 2019 award was granted to Anne Dube, a medical student at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine. Anne started Joyful Living Yoga and Wellness, a mobile yoga and wellness practice in order to offer classes to underserviced regions of Muskoka, including: Baysville, Port Sydney, Dwight, Dorset and Livingstone Lake.
Anne was selected to receive the award due to her volunteer work at the Sudbury’s Women’s Centre that includes developing, organizing and coordinating health promotion workshops, to help with the needs of specific vulnerable populations. She is also the VP Global Health SR. Global health that not only addresses international health concerns, but global health that encompasses physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing. In addition, she organizes speaker series, workshops, skills nights and international electives. Anne also works with an advocacy team, reviewing literature and policies to bring attention to the health challenges and issues faced by community members.
5. Showcasing Student Entrepreneurs: MSBC, once again, arranged to have the Summer Company students showcase their businesses in the community for two events – Bracebridge Midnight Madness Friday Aug 2nd where approximately 40 people stopped by their booths to shop and engage with the student entrepreneurs; and Gravenhurst Street Festival, Friday Aug 9th where approximately 20 people stopped by their booths. The weather during the Gravenhurst event was quite poor so attendance was low. All the students made sales or picked up leads for future sales and were excited to apply the skills they had learned regarding networking and trade shows.
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6. Starter Company Plus: This Provincial program was launched January 1, 2017 to replace the previous youth program, Starter Company. It is designed to support entrepreneurs of all ages in Ontario, not just youth. Under this program, entrepreneurs over the age of 18 can receive three months of training and mentorship to help start or expand a business, with the opportunity to apply for a start-up grant of up to $5,000 upon completion and acceptance of their business plan. The initial 2-year Starter Company Plus Agreement with the Province of Ontario, concluded on June 30, 2019 and was replaced by a New 3-Year Transfer Payment Agreement April 1, 2019 – March 31, 2022. A total of $35,000 of grant money is provided per year under the new Transfer Payment Agreement. This allows MSBC to offer the Starter Company Plus program to approximately 7 applicants per year.
In 2019, the program received 13 applications of which eight (8) entrepreneurs completed the program. Seven (7) entrepreneurs proceeded to the Grant Interview Committee stage with six (6) participants receiving grants totaling $30,000. .
Ongoing Activities
7. Futurpreneur (formerly Canadian Youth Business Foundation): MSBC continues to be a community partner with Futurpreneur. As a community partner, MSBC markets their program to MSBC’s clients between the ages of 18 and 39 and will assist with the Futurpreneur application and business planning process.
Core Services
8. The core services of MSBC range from answering inquiries on specific aspects of doing business through to in-depth business consultations and assistance in business plan development, marketing and more.
9. MSBC provides client outreach services to Lake of Bays, Muskoka Lakes, Gravenhurst and Huntsville. With a new funding agreement with the Province, the Centre will be implementing a new format in 2020/2021 for outreach services because there is little demand for staff to physically be in the community
10. MSBC offers regular workshops on a variety of business topics, including Introduction to Starting a Business, Marketing Your Business, and Writing a Business Plan. These workshops are provided in-house, as well as on demand in Huntsville, Bracebridge and Gravenhurst, Lake of Bays and Muskoka Lakes.
11. Other workshops are developed on an as-needed basis. Social media seminars are being updated so MSBC can partner with the Chambers of Commerce throughout Muskoka or other community partners to host workshops on different social media platforms.
Activity Statistics 2013 - 2019
Economic Impact (Table 1)
12. The Economic Impact of the MSBC office on the community is evaluated through the collection of data related to businesses started, businesses expanded, and jobs created over the year. The 2019 data shows a decrease in businesses started, and jobs created, and an increase in businesses expanded from 2018 to 2019.
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13. Although the number of business started has decreased for 2019, this does not indicate that the local economy is on the decline. It may indicate that entrepreneurs are utilize other resources (e.g. online information) to start their business. A good indicator is that the community is seeing that existing businesses are growing and expanding. With the tight labour force being experienced in all communities it is not unusual to see the number of jobs created declining when there is a limited amount of available workers to fill them.
Table 1
Economic Impact 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Year Over Year 2018 to 2019 Businesses Started 62 64 84 130 85 36 24 -10 Businesses Expanded 6 8 6 9 27 19 30 +11 Jobs Created 83 87 104 150 114 66 32 -34
General Activity (Table 2)
14. The difference between a general inquiry and a consultation involves time and staff input. A general inquiry usually involves the dissemination of information whereas a consultation occurs when MSBC staff spends a minimum of 30 minutes to an hour to qualify a client and provide advice relevant to the client’s business and collects client’s information for stats. General Inquiries were increased considerably over 2018 stats and can be attributed in part to improvements in data collection in this area by MSBC.
15. Consultations decreased by 35 in 2019 over 2018, which correlates directly to the change in staff whereby there is now only one business consultant on staff because of the change in the Starter Company Plus Program introduced by the Province in 2019. Similarly, a reduction in the number of Starter Company Plus applicants eligible to participate in the program has led to fewer consultations.
16. Seminar attendance in 2019 showed a huge decrease over the previous year. This was largely due to priorities of clients responding to the increased demand to attend to their businesses.
Table 2
General Activity 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Year Over Year 2018 to 2019 General Inquiries 590 626 665 773 577 528 682 +154 Consultations 183 189 297 295 356 304 269 -35 Seminar Attendance 102 189 169 194 189 150 59 -91 Events Attendance 98 161 414 98 104 164 139 +25
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Client Consultations by Month (Table 3)
17. Generally, client activity is the highest in the fall and spring months which reflects the local economy whereby most businesses are planning their business or planning expansions before and immediately after the peak of the tourism season.
Table 3
Consultations by Month 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Year Over Year Difference 2018 to 2019 January 19 9 33 25 46 33 30 -3 February 13 4 31 16 39 25 13 -12 March 15 18 23 20 49 23 24 +1 April 21 15 27 32 42 45 28 -17 May 19 21 30 29 27 23 28 +5 June 8 17 17 19 32 14 28 +14 July 15 15 26 19 4 15 23 +8 August 14 9 24 27 4 20 23 +3 September 14 12 30 20 18 23 15 -8 October 19 24 20 21 26 17 18 +1 November 19 24 25 38 47 41 25 -16 December 7 21 11 29 22 25 14 -11 TOTALS 183 189 297 295 356 304 269 -35
Client Consultations by Sector (Table 4)
18. Client Consultations by Sector data is indicative of the economic composition of Muskoka. The sectors with the higher percentage of consultations are construction, retail, accommodation and services.
Table 4
Client Consultations by % of 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Sector Total 11 - Agriculture, Forestry, 3 1 5 9 14 15 14 5 Fishing & Hunting 22 - Utilities 0 0 0 0 3 1 6 2.2 23 - Construction 28 25 70 58 37 27 18 6.7 31-33 - Manufacturing 13 8 23 19 36 11 16 6 41- Wholesale Trade 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 .3 44-45 - Retail Trade 21 26 44 20 44 31 44 16.4
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Client Consultations by % of 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Sector Total 48-49 - Transportation and 0 1 1 5 2 11 2 .7 Warehousing 51- Information & Cultural 6 3 0 0 1 8 9 3.3 industries 53 - Real Estate and 0 16 0 15 7 4 3 1.1 Rental & Leasing 54 - Professional, Scientific 5 26 21 28 22 16 12 4.4 and Technical Services 56 - Administrative and Support, Waste 2 15 5 7 7 5 3 1.1 management & Remediation Services 61 - Education Services 1 7 16 26 14 13 7 2.6 62 - Health Care and 3 7 8 14 23 41 14 5.2 Social Assistance 71 - Arts, Entertainment 6 8 18 15 11 13 11 4.5 and Recreation 72 - Accommodation and 25 9 24 21 36 23 23 8.5 Food Services 81 - Other Services (Except Public 69 31 56 47 63 34 71 26.4 Administration) 21 - Mining 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Other 0 6 6 11 14 51 +15 5.6 Import/Export 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 TOTALS 183 189 297 295 356 304 269 100%
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Client Consultation by Community
19. It is to be expected that clients from Bracebridge would be the largest user of the Centre’s services because the office is located in Bracebridge and is readily available to its residents. Similarly, it is expected that the larger urban centres of Gravenhurst and Huntsville would have higher total of clients due to their larger population.
Table 5
Client Consultations – 2019 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Location % of Total Bracebridge 72 69 116 103 136 110 125 46 Huntsville 46 57 89 104 93 102 61 22.6 Gravenhurst 29 32 39 25 52 43 36 13.3 Lake of Bays 5 4 16 7 27 11 21 7.6 Muskoka Lakes 16 12 13 23 30 21 8 4 Georgian Bay 2 4 8 1 1 1 0 0 Almaguin Highlands 12 4 7 13 11 10 4 1.4 Parry Sound 0 0 0 3 0 2 2 0.7 Other 1 7 5 16 6 4 12 4.4 Haliburton n/a n/a 4 0 0 0 0 0 TOTALS 183 189 297 295 356 304 269 100%
Note: Other could represent a referral from another Small Business Enterprise Centre whereby there may be expertise in our Centre or staff are able to provide information based on similar businesses.
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WOODCHESTER EVENT VENUE
In 2019, Woodchester attracted various local groups for both one time and regular use for meetings and events. The most frequent users were the Pinecone Treadlers, a group of spinners and weavers (who met every Monday afternoon) and the Psychics in Training, a group of psychics who used the space every Wednesday evening.
In addition to the recurring meetings, Woodchester obtained a number of bookings such as:
• Easter Eggstravaganza Event;
• A wedding;
• Monthly ghost tours led by Paranormal Muskoka;
• Business meetings;
• Lodestar Montessori Student Art Exhibit;
• Bridal showers;
• Birthday parties;
• Chamber of Commerce “After Hours” event;
• Murder mystery party;
• Various arts & crafts workshops and
• Monthly afternoon tea socials.
Number of Event Attendees (Booked Events, Meetings, or Special Functions)
Activity Dates Number of Attendees
2018 2019
April – May N/A 374
June – August 452 328
September – October 319 79
November – December 192 N/A
Total 963 781
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Visitors Served (Scheduled Walk-Throughs and Impromptu Tours)
Dates Visitors
2018 2019
April – May N/A 26
June – August 127 124
September – October 126 N/A
November – December 8 N/A
Total 261 150
As noted above in 2019 the statistics for Woodchester represent numbers from April until the end of August. The Event Coordinator for Woodchester resigned at the end of August so staff presence at the facility was minimal for the remainder of 2019. In December, the Town hired a new Event Coordinator due to remaining budget caused by the vacancy in the position.
The Event Coordinator assisted the BIA with the Fire and Ice planning for the January 2020 event. As part of the 2020 Municipal Budget and Business Plan, Council provided funds to have the event coordinator position for the whole year to provide programming until the Downtown Master Plan is completed.
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TO: Councillor A. Buie, Chair and Members of General Committee
FROM: S. Rettie, Director of Finance/Treasurer
C. Kelley, Director of Planning and Development
R. Mattice, Manager of Economic Development
K. Turchet, Economic Development Programmer (Culture)
SUBJECT: 2020 Event Tourism and Community Grants – COVID-19 Response
RECOMMENDATION
1. That, notwithstanding the cancellation of 2020 tourism events, the Director of Finance/Treasurer be delegated the authority to approve the distribution of proportionate funding to approved 2020 Event Tourism Festival and Event Grant recipients to offset expenses incurred in planning for the 2020 event, subject to the submission of appropriate documentation substantiating the costs paid by the event organizers, in accordance with the details of Staff Report PD018-20.
2. That Event Tourism Festival and Event Grant funds unspent in 2020 be allocated to the Economic Development Reserve for inclusion in the Draft 2021 Municipal Budget and Business Plan to be considered for distribution to the recipient event organizers in 2021.
3. That the Director of Finance/Treasurer be delegated the authority to approve the distribution of funding for approved 2020 Community Grants in accordance with the details of Staff Report PD018- 20 as follows:
3.1. That recipients be allowed to reallocate funds received to alternative uses, provided the uses are still aligned with the Community Grants eligibility requirements; and
3.2. That recipients be allowed to retain funds received for use in 2021, provided the proposed use of the funds remains unchanged from the 2020 approved uses.
4. That Community Grant funds unspent in 2020 be allocated to the Economic Development Reserve for inclusion in the Draft 2021 Municipal Budget and Business Plan to be considered for distribution to community groups in 2021.
ORIGIN
5. On September 16, 2015, Council ratified Planning and Development Motion 15-PD-096 as follows:
1. “That the Festival and Event Strategy attached as Appendix “A” to Staff Report PD040-15 be approved.
2. That staff report back to the Planning and Development Committee annually in November with funding recommendations for those tourism and sporting events that occur in the first quarter of the upcoming year and that require funding approval prior to scheduled municipal budget and business plan deliberations.
3. That staff from the Planning and Development Department and the Finance Department work together to coordinate the application submission process and Council reporting mechanism for the Event Tourism Grant Program and the Community Grant Program.
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4. That supporting documentation that outlines the rationale for each of the Event Tourism Grant recommendations be included in future municipal budget and business plan submissions for Council’s reference.”
6. As noted above, staff reported back to the Planning and Development Committee in November 2019 with funding recommendations for those tourism and sporting events that occurred in the first quarter of 2020 that required funding approval prior to scheduled municipal budget and business plan deliberations.
7. There were three events that were scheduled to occur in the first quarter of 2020: Fire and Ice Festival, Intents Muskoka and Snowshoe Canada’s Ontario Cup Race #1 – Snowshoe Bracebridge.
8. Two out of the three first-quarter events occurred with Intents Muskoka being cancelled due to logistical factors. The approved grant allocation of $2,000 was never distributed to Intents Muskoka.
9. As part of the Town’s Annual Budget and Business Plan, Council approves the annual allocation of Event Tourism Grants based on grant applications received and an evaluation of applications undertaken by staff based on the criteria set out in the Festival and Event Strategy.
10. In 2020, the following events were approved for funding:
Event Date Event Tourism Grant Application Approved Funding
January 25, 2020 Fire and Ice Festival $5,000
January 25, 2020 Intents Muskoka (Grant was not used as $2,000 event was cancelled))
January 26, 2020 Snowshoe Canada’s Bracebridge race $900
May 30, 2020 Muskoka Earth Festival $5,000
June 5-6, 2020 Muskoka Quilts! Show $2,000
June 12, 2020 Muskoka Adventure Challenge $1,500
June 20, 2020 Venture Fest $2,500
July 10-12, 2020 Pioneer Power $1,500
July 25 – August 2, 2020 International Artistic Swim Camp $2,500
July 26, 2020 Muskoka Pride $2,000
August 1, 2020 Session Muskoka $1,000
August 2, 2020 Gluten Free Festival $3,000
August 2-6 & August 11-25, 2020 PRISM Theatre in the Park $1,500
September 18-20, 2020 Fall Harvest Festival $2,000
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11. The Community Grant program was implemented for the 2009 Budget and has been continued since that time. Local community groups and not-for-profit organizations are invited to submit applications for specific projects or one-time funding.
12. As part of the 2020 Municipal Budget and Business Plan, the following Community Grants were approved:
Organization Use of Funds Approved Funding
Alzheimer Society of Muskoka Offset costs to run a public awareness event $1,500
Bracebridge Agricultural Society Fall Fair youth division prizes for 6 categories $120
Bracebridge Legion Offset costs of a new heating/air conditioner unit $2,500
Support elementary school project for female Community YWCA of Muskoka $1,500 youth
Offset cost of a keynote speaker for social Friends of Muskoka Midwives $1,000 engagement event
Muskoka Paddle Club Purchase equipment for Camp Day program $1,000
Purchase new Personal Floatation Devices and Muskoka Rowing Club $1,000 Safety Training for Volunteers
Safe Quiet Lakes Erect Permanent Boater's Code Signage $500
13. In addition to the application-based grants, annual community support is provided to community partners and programs and approved as part of the 2020 Municipal Budget and Business Plan as follows:
Organization/Program Approved Funding
Santa Claus Parade $1,000
Canada Day Fireworks $9,000
Clock Tower $2,500
Centre for Active Living $3,000
14. This Staff Report has been prepared to provide for alternative funding arrangements for Bracebridge’s approved event and community support grants that have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
ANALYSIS
Event Tourism Grant Program
15. The Event Tourism Grant Program has assisted close to 100 events over the past 13 years. These events include both festivals and sporting events that occur throughout the entire year.
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16. The call for applications for the 2020 Event Tourism Grant and Community Grant Programs was released on September 15, 2019 with a deadline of November 8, 2019. In addition to the information being on the Town’s website, notice was also included in the local newspaper and on social media during this time period. Over 35 event organizers and sport clubs were sent the application directly from a database maintained by the Department.
17. Below is a chart for the approved events and their status in 2020. As Council is aware many 2020 events have been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Event Date Event Status
January 25, 2020 Fire and Ice Festival Held
January 25, 2020 Intents Muskoka (Grant was not used) Cancelled/not COVID-19 related
January 26, 2020 Snowshoe Canada’s Bracebridge race Held
May 30, 2020 Muskoka Earth Festival Cancelled due to COVID-19
June 5-6, 2020 Muskoka Quilts! Show Cancelled due to COVID-19
June 12, 2020 Muskoka Adventure Challenge Cancelled due to COVID-19
June 20, 2020 Venture Fest Postponed due to COVID-19
July 10-12, 2020 Pioneer Power Cancelled due to COVID-19
July 25 – August 2, 2020 International Artistic Swim Camp Decision to Cancel Has Not Been Made
July 26, 2020 Muskoka Pride Cancelled due to COVID-19
August 1, 2020 Session Muskoka Cancelled due to COVID-19
August 2, 2020 Gluten Free Festival Cancelled due to COVID-19
August 2-6 & August 11- PRISM Theatre in the Park Cancelled due to 25, 2020 COVID-19
September 18-20, 2020 Fall Harvest Festival Cancelled due to COVID-19
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18. Given the nature of events, all of the organizations would have expended some funds for promotion of the event well in advance of COVID-19.
19. Staff are aware that the International Artistic Swim Camp’s equipment was used for the 2020 Ontario Winter Games Artistic Swimming event held at the Bracebridge Sportsplex.
20. Staff conducted a survey of the organizations that were approved for funding in 2020; and of the 10 event organizers who responded:
20.1. 55% would like to defer their grant until 2021 (or their next event); and
20.2. 45% indicated that if possible, the grant allocation for 2020 would help to cover costs already incurred prior to making the decision to cancel.
21. Staff believe it is important to support event organizers and to encourage events in the community; and particularly when the community is trying to recover from the impact of COVID-19, Festivals, Events and Sport Tourism are key aspects to Bracebridge’s Tourism infrastructure/attraction.
22. In order to provide some flexibility in determining if organizations are in need of some or all of the grant monies to sustain their event for next year, staff will need to have individual communications with each event organizer. Staff believe that if expenses were incurred prior to the cancellation of an event, and can be substantiated, then the grant for 2020 (or a portion of it) should be provided to the organization.
23. As noted some organizations have already indicated that they do not require the funds and would simply like to have the dollars held to support their next event based on recommendations coming from the Province. Staff would recommend that in these cases that the grant allocations be moved to the Economic Development Reserve and allocated in the Draft 2021 Municipal Budget and Business Plan for Event Tourism Grants for those organizations.
24. Additionally, as part of the 2021 Event Tourism Grant application process, staff are recommending that event organizations that are receiving their 2020 grant allocation in 2021 still be eligible to apply for additional Event Tourism funds in 2021.
Community Grants Program
25. 2020 grant applications were evaluated on the following criteria: Organizational Mission, Volunteer Participation, Other Sources of Revenue, Proposed Use of Requested Funds, and Relevance to Bracebridge. Results of the evaluation were used to determine the recommended funding allocation.
26. In addition to the application-based community grants, the Town provides annual funding to community partners and programs based on existing commitments.
27. All approved funding for community grants and support, with the exception of funding to for the Clock Tower, has been paid.
28. While some organizations have been able to use the funds for the intended purpose, others were based on events or programs that have been cancelled or otherwise effected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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29. Staff believe that these organizations may have another use for these funds that would still meet the program parameters; alternatively, they may wish to carry forward the amount to use towards their event or program at a future date.
LINKAGE TO COMMUNITY BASED STRATEGIC PLAN
30. The Event Tourism grants and Community Support grants are well aligned with the strategic themes:
Develop and engage in policies and initiatives to enhance Bracebridge as a service community for the surrounding areas.
Recognize the importance of Town decisions in attracting and retaining talent.
Work to diversify the local economy to create an open for business all year round environment.
Ensure that the Town offers a welcoming and equitable environment for residents and visitors of all ages.
Promote a vibrant community that celebrates the critical role of arts, culture and heritage in promoting quality of life. Promote health and wellness in the community through Town facilities, programs and partnerships.
31. The Event Tourism grants and Community Support grants are well aligned with the strategic themes of the Community-Based Strategic Plan by:
31.1. Supporting a Modern and Prosperous Economy by creating increased economic activity within Bracebridge’s economy; and
31.2. Supporting Community Wellness & Cultural Vitality by attracting visitors to our community to enjoy the Town’s facilities through recreation and sport as well as to support the various organizations in Bracebridge.
LINKAGE TO COUNCIL PRIORITIES
32. The Event Tourism and Community Support grants have not been specifically identified specifically as a 2018-2022 Council priority. However, events help to support tourism which generates economic activity for the community.
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ALTERNATIVE(S)
33. The following alternatives are available for Committee consideration:
Alternative #1 The Committee could recommend that 2020 Event Tourism grants not be distributed to event organizers that cancelled their event due to COVID-19.
This alternative is not recommended because the 2020 grant allocation will assist in sustaining the existing event for next year particularly those events that have incurred costs prior to the impact of COVID-19.
Alternative #2 The Committee could recommend that Community Grants for unfulfilled uses be repaid to the Town.
This alternative is not recommended because the COVID-19 pandemic was unexpected and the organizations that receive Community Support grants are important support networks for the community.
EXISTING POLICY
34. 2015 Festival and Events Strategy.
35. 2020 Municipal Budget and Business Plan.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
36. As Event Tourism and Community Grants have been approved as part of the 2020 Municipal Budget and Business Plan, there are no negative financial implications resulting from the recommendation as proposed.
COMMUNICATIONS
37. This staff report was distributed to Council, Media, and all Town staff and was published on the Town’s website in accordance with the Town’s Procedural By-law.
Prepared By: Prepared and Approved By: Approved for Submission to General Committee By:
R. Mattice C. Kelley J. Sisson Manager of Economic Director of Planning and Chief Administrative Officer Development Development Ext. 282 Ext. 253 Ext. 229
K. Turchet S. Rettie, CPA, CMA Economic Development Director of Finance/Treasurer Programmer (Culture) Ext. 228 Ext. 262
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TO: Councillor A. Buie, Chair and Members of General Committee
FROM: Y. Gravel, Engineering Technologist
G. Carleton, Director of Public Works
SUBJECT: Approval of Design Option for the Germania Road Culvert Replacement
RECOMMENDATION
1. That Design Option No. 1 – Four (4) x 2.2 m diameter Corrugated Steel Pipe Culverts with Polymer Coating for replacement of the Germania Road Culvert, as described in Staff Report PW015-20, be approved.
2. That the Germania Road Culvert Replacement construction project, included as part of the 2020 Municipal Budget and Business Plan, be deferred and the respective $150,000 allocation be transferred to the Public Works Capital Reserve.
3. That $500,000 be included in Draft 2021 Municipal Budget and Business Plan for the Germania Road Culvert Replacement construction project.
ORIGIN
4. The Germania Road Culvert is located at 1507 Germania Road approximately 0.5 km east of Waters Road, as illustrated in Appendix “A”. The culvert crosses Germania Road on the upper reaches of the Kahshe River.
5. The culvert crossing routinely floods for extended periods in the spring and during heavy rains, often requiring Germania Road to be closed multiple times throughout the year.
6. In November 2019, Request for Proposal 2019-TOB-RFP-015 Engineering Services for Replacement of the Germania Road Culvert, was issued by invitation to three (3) consulting firms that were known by Town staff to be qualified to complete this type of engineering work.
7. Under the scope of the RFP, the consultant would complete an evaluation of a minimum of three (3) design options for the culvert replacement, provide pros and cons, and a construction cost estimate for each option. The consultant would then work with Town staff to arrive at the final design criteria for the culvert crossing, complete the construction drawings, and Tender the work.
8. The intent of the engineering work is to design a culvert crossing that eliminates or substantially reduces the frequency of road flooding events at the least cost.
9. Proposals were received from Tatham Engineering Ltd., Tulloch Engineering Inc., and R.J. Burnside & Associates Limited in response to the RFP, and subsequently evaluated by staff.
10. Although all proposals received generally met the requirements of the RFP, the combination of previous experience, approach to the project, and price included in the proposal by R.J. Burnside, was deemed by staff to provide the best value for the Town. R.J. Burnside & Associates Limited (R.J. Burnside) was authorized to begin work on December 20, 2019.
11. This staff report was prepared to seek approval of Design Option No. 1 – Four (4) x 2.2 m diameter Corrugated Steel Pipe Culverts as recommended by R.J. Burnside for replacement of the Germania Road culvert.
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ANALYSIS
12. The Germania Road culvert crossing consists of five (5) culverts of which three (3) are approximately 1700 mm (span) x 1200 mm (rise) corrugated steel pipe arch (CSPA) culverts, and two (2) are 600 mm diameter corrugated steel culverts (CSP).
13. The two (2) CSP culverts are installed at higher elevations than the three (3) CSPAs. The three (3) CSPAs and the lower of the two (2) CSPs are fully submerged generally year-round. The higher CSP is partially submerged during low water levels.
14. R.J. Burnside completed the following engineering work to date for the Germania Road culvert replacement project:
12.1 Review of existing conditions;
12.2 Topographic survey;
16.3 Geotechnical Investigation (completed by Peto MacCallum Limited);
16.4 Hydraulic Analysis; and
16.5 Preliminary Design Memorandum.
Geotechnical Investigation
15. The purpose of the geotechnical investigation was to determine the subsurface conditions at the culvert crossing location and, from the findings, make engineering recommendations for the culvert replacements. Two (2) boreholes were advanced, one on either side of the culverts, each to a depth of 10 metres below the road. The findings of the geotechnical investigation are summarized as follows:
15.1. Based on Borehole No. 1, completed on the east side of the culvert, a layer of sand and gravel fill extends to a depth of 4 m below the road. Below the fill, a 3 m thick peat layer extends to a depth of 7 m. Native silty clay extends below the peat layer to the 10 m depth of exploration.
15.2. Based on Borehole No. 2, completed on the west side of the culvert, a layer of sand and gravel fill extends to a depth of 2.1 m below the road. Below the fill, a 3.9 m thick peat layer extends to a depth of 6 m. Native silty clay extends below the peat layer to the 10 m depth of exploration.
15.3. The peat layer is weak and susceptible to settlement. However, as the road has been in place for some time, it is speculated that the potential for settlement due to the existing condition has reached some degree of equilibrium and further large settlement is not anticipated.
15.4. Replacement culverts installed with no net increase in bearing pressure as the existing condition is feasible with minor potential for settlement. Consideration should be given to over-sizing the new culverts to compensate for the reduced flow capacity caused by the potential future settlement. An increase in the height of fill over the culverts is not recommended.
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Hydraulic Analysis
16. The purpose of the hydraulic analysis was to determine the cause of the flooding, establish the culvert design criteria, calculate the anticipated flows and the corresponding high-water level. The results of the analysis would then be utilized to design the new culvert crossing. The findings of the hydraulic assessment are summarized as follows:
16.1. As per the MTO Highway Drainage Design Standards, the conveyance capacity target for the new culvert crossing is the 25-year storm flow.
16.2. The minimum clearance/freeboard is 0.3 m measured vertically from the high-water level to the edge of the road for the design flow.
16.3. Flooding at the culvert crossing is caused by a constriction of the Kahshe River from a 300 m wide floodplain that exists on either side of Germania Road to a narrower more defined 60 m wide channel approximately 500 m downstream. The natural bottleneck causes water levels in the floodplain to rise, overtopping Germania Road.
16.4. Burnside as modelled the effects of increasing the crossing structure size combined with raising the road in the crossing region to reduce roadway overtopping events while also ensuring that the rise in water levels are within acceptable limits and do not have adverse effects on surrounding properties.
16.5. Based on the modeling, the road can be raised by approximately 0.3 m without significant water level increases or additional settlement. Such profile increases will help to provide the minimum 300 mm freeboard requirements during a 25-year design event.
Preliminary Design Memorandum
17. In consideration of the engineering work previously mentioned, RJ Burnside evaluated three design options for the Germania Road culvert replacement. The major features of each option are shown below in Table No. 1.
Table No. 1 – Culvert Crossing Design Options
Freeboard at Service Potential Estimated No. Description 25-Yr Storm Flow Life for Future Cost (m) (Years) Settlement
1 Four (4) - 2.2 m Diameter CSP 0.27 $390,000 50 Low Culverts (Aluminized)
2 Two (2) - 3.96 m x 1.83 m Precast 0.27 $550,000 75 High Concrete Box Culverts
3 Three (3) - 2.8 m x 1.95 m CSPA 0.25 $395,000 50 High Culverts (Aluminized)
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18. Based on R.J. Burnside’s assessment, Design - Option No. 1 consisting of Four (4) - 2.2 m diameter CSP culverts is recommended as the preferred design. This option provides similar hydraulic performance as the other options considered, as well as being the simplest construction procedure, lowest estimated construction cost and lowest potential for future settlement.
19. The polymer coating option, while increasing the estimated construction cost by approximately $40,000, would increase the service life to 75 years, similar to the precast box culvert option and at significantly less cost. The additional 10% in cost would extend the service life by 25 years (50%) and, in the opinion of staff, represents good value.
20. After thorough analysis, staff and R.J. Burnside recommend Design Option No. 1 – Four (4) 2.2 m Diameter Corrugated Steel Pipe Culverts with Polymer Coating for replacement of the Germania Road Culverts.
21. A website link to a complete copy of the Germania Road Culvert Replacement Preliminary Design Memorandum, issued by R.J. Burnside on May 8, 2020, is provided for additional information.
22. Based on Design Option No. 1, the total construction cost of the Germania Road Culvert Replacement is estimated to be in the order of $500,000 as calculated in Table No. 2 below:
Table No. 2 – Construction Cost Estimate
Description Estimated Cost
Design Option No. 1 – Four (4) 2.2 m Diameter CSP Culverts $390,000
Polymer Coating Option $40,000
Contract Administration $20,000
Contingency $40,000
Non-Recoverable HST (1.76%) $8,800
TOTAL $498,800
23. Completion of the engineering analysis required that R.J. Burnside review the culvert crossing during the spring freshet of 2020 in order to gain a complete understanding of the cause and extent of the flooding, and prepare an estimate for the work. This information was not available to staff in time to be included in the 2020 Municipal Budget and Business Plan.
24. In the absence of R.J. Burnside’s report, staff included $150,000 in the 2020 Municipal Budget and Business Plan for the culvert replacement. Based on past experience on other projects, staff believed this amount would be sufficient to complete a conventional large culvert crossing in a rural setting such as Germania Road.
25. The detailed engineering work completed by R.J. Burnside has determined that this amount is not sufficient to complete a culvert crossing that will eliminate or substantially reduce the frequency of road flooding at Germania Road.
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26. As such, staff recommend that the Germania Road Culvert Replacement construction project be deferred at this time and that $500,000 be included in Draft 2021 Municipal Budget and Business Plan for the construction project.
27. Subject to Council’s approval of Design Option No. 1 and of the inclusion of $500,000 in the 2021 Municipal Budget and Business Plan for the Germania Culvert Replacement construction project, R. J. Burnside would:
• complete the final design;
• obtain any necessary agency approvals (MNRF, DFO, etc.);
• conduct a public tender; and
• oversee the construction in 2021, following Council’s awarding of the construction Contract.
28. Until such time as the culvert replacement can be completed, Public Works operations staff will continue with the current practice of closing the road at the culvert crossing when flooding occurs.
LINKAGE TO COMMUNITY-BASED STRATEGIC PLAN
29. Selecting Design Option No. 1 for replacement of the Germania Road Culvert is well-aligned with the strategic themes:
Recognize the importance of the Town’s decisions in shaping the future of the community.
Promote health and wellness in the community through Town facilities and programmes.
Continually strive to improve efficiency and accountability in governance.
30. The Germania Road Culvert Replacement project is supported by the Town’s Community-Based Strategic Plan as approved by Council.
LINKAGE TO COUNCIL PRIORITIES
31. Completing the Germania Road Culvert Replacement is consistent with responsible asset management, which has been identified as a key Council priority.
32. The culvert replacement will improve the reliability and safety of the Town’s road network for the benefit of residents and visitors alike.
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ALTERNATIVE(S)
33. The following alternatives are available for Committee consideration:
Alternative #1 Committee could recommend that Design Option No. 1 not be approved and that the project be cancelled.
This alternative is not recommended since the culvert replacement is necessary and the engineering analysis has concluded that Design Option No. 1 will address the recurring flooding issue at the lowest cost.
EXISTING POLICY
34. 2020 Municipal Budget and Business Plan.
35. Council Priorities for 2018-2022 Term of Office.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
36. The 2020 Municipal Budget and Business Plan includes $150,000 to complete the Germania Road Culvert Replacement construction project. The initial cost estimate was based on a largely like-for- like project scope.
37. The proposed project has been re-scoped to address perpetual flooding experienced in the area. The estimated cost of the enhanced construction project is $500,000.
38. Due to the substantial budget exceedance, staff recommend the project not proceed in 2020 and that it be deferred to 2021.
39. As a result, the project allocation of $150,000 contained in the 2020 Municipal Budget and Business Plan would be transferred to the Public Works Capital Reserve to be used for the 2021 project costs.
40. Staff would include $500,000 in the draft 2021 Municipal Budget and Business Plan to complete the Germania Road Culvert Replacement in 2021.
COMMUNICATIONS
41. This staff report was distributed to Council, Media and all Town staff and was published on the Town’s website in accordance with the Town’s procedural By-law.
Prepared By: Approved By: Approved for Submission to General Committee By:
Y. Gravel G. Carleton J. Sisson Engineering Technologist Director of Public Works Chief Administrative Officer Ext. 240 Ext. 230 Ext. 229
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APPENDIX “A”
Germania Road Culverts Location
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