OTTAWA CITY COUNCIL MINUTES 41 Wednesday, October 14, 2020 10:00 am By Electronic Participation This Meeting was held through electronic participation in accordance with Section 238 of the Municipal Act, 2001 as amended by Bill 197, the COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act, 2020. Note: Please note that the Minutes are to be considered DRAFT until confirmed by Council. The Council of the City of Ottawa met on Wednesday, October 14, 2020 beginning at 10:00 AM. The Mayor, Jim Watson, presided over the Zoom meeting from Andrew S. Haydon Hall, with the remaining Members participating remotely by Zoom. Mayor Watson led Council in a moment of reflection. ANNOUNCEMENTS/CEREMONIAL ACTIVITIES CEREMONIAL READING AND SIGNING OF THE DECLARATION OF OFFICE FOR COUNCILLOR CATHERINE KITTS Mayor Watson presided over the reciting and signing of the Declaration of Office by Councillor Catherine Kitts, Cumberland Ward. Councillor Kitts was formally sworn in by the City Clerk, Rick O’Connor. Following the swearing-in Council recessed at 10:09 AM, and resumed at 10:14 AM OTTAWA CITY COUNCIL 2 MINUTES 41 WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14 2020 PRESENTATION – CERTIFICATE OF COMMENDATION TO COUNCILLOR DIANE DEANS Mayor Jim Watson presented Councillor Diane Deans with the Long-standing Service Recognition Award from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing in recognition and appreciation of her 25 years of service to elected municipal office. ROLL CALL All Members were present at the meeting. CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES Confirmation of the Minutes of the Council meeting of September 23, 2020. CONFIRMED DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST INCLUDING THOSE ORIGINALLY ARISING FROM PRIOR MEETINGS No declarations of interest were filed. COMMUNICATIONS The following communications were received: Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) AMO Policy Update – Main Street Recovery Plan & Increased Mental Health Services, Economic Recovery Legislation, Firefighter Safety, Child Care AMO Policy Update – COVID-19 Public Health Measures, Municipal Relief Phase 2 Funding, and an Inspector General of Policing AMO Policy Update - Temporary PSW Support, Cybersecurity Resources and Updated COVID school + child care screening guidance OTTAWA CITY COUNCIL 3 MINUTES 41 WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14 2020 AMO Policy Update – COVID-19 Fall Plan, COVID-19 Modelling, Social Assistance Recovery & Renewal Plan, Food & Organic Waste Policy Statement, and Pre-Budget Submissions AMO Policy Update – New Long-Term Care Funding, Measures, and Community Paramedicine to Address COVID-19 AMO Policy Update – New Stage 3 Restrictions AMO Update - 2020 Federal Throne Speech Lays Out Priorities Including Climate Action, Expanding Rural Broadband, Improved Housing Access, Child Care and Long-Term Care Standards Response to Inquiries: OCC 20-12 - Re-zoning and Development Charges REGRETS No regrets were filed. MOTION TO INTRODUCE REPORTS MOTION NO 41/1 Moved by Councillor K. Egli Seconded by Councillor D. Deans That Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee Report 16; Audit Committee Report 7; Finance and Economic Development Committee Report 17; Planning Committee Reports 30 and 31; Transportation Committee Report 11; and the report from the City Clerk entitled “Summary of Oral and Written Public Submissions for Items Subject to the Planning Act ‘Explanation Requirements’ at the City Council Meeting of September 23, 2020”; be received and considered. CARRIED OTTAWA CITY COUNCIL 4 MINUTES 41 WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14 2020 COVID-19 REMARKS BY MAYOR WATSON VERBAL UPDATES OTTAWA PUBLIC HEALTH 1. COVID-19 VERBAL UPDATE Council received a verbal update from Doctor Vera Etches, Medical Officer of Health. A copy of the presentation is on file with the City Clerk’s Office. POSTPONEMENTS AND DEFERRALS This item was held and considered following Motions of Which Notice has been Previously Given 2. MOTION 40/7 DEFERRED FROM THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 23, 2020 MOTION 40/7 Moved by Councillor S. Menard Seconded by Councillor G. Gower BE IT RESOLVED that Council suspend the Rules of Procedure to permit the introduction of the following motion, in order to respond in a timely manner to support all workers and to address the COVID-19 pandemic: WHEREAS on March 17, 2020, the Government of the Province of Ontario made an order declaring an emergency under Section 7.0.1 (1) the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act, with a view to ensuring that Ontario had available “every power possible to continue to protect the health and safety of all individuals and families”; and OTTAWA CITY COUNCIL 5 MINUTES 41 WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14 2020 WHEREAS the Province of Ontario subsequently issued a number of Orders pursuant to its authority under Section 7.0.1 (1) the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act; and WHEREAS on July 24, 2020, the Ontario Government enacted the Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act, thereby terminating the Province’s COVID-19 declared emergency but continuing as valid and effective those orders made under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act that had not otherwise been revoked before June 24, 2020, and also reserving a measure of authority necessary to amend and/or continue those orders; and WHEREAS on August 19, 2020, the Decent Work and Health Care Network issued its report, “BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE: How to Close the Paid Sick Days Gap During COVID-19 and Beyond”; and WHEREAS that report recommended that, “all provincial, territorial and federal jurisdictions update their employment standards to require employers to provide at least 7 days of paid emergency leave on a permanent basis”; WHEREAS the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve and is causing significant effects across the world and locally in Ottawa; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council direct Mayor Watson to write a letter to Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Minister McNaughton requesting that the provincial government immediately establish job-protected sick leave, through regulation or legislation, that allows workers seamless access of up to 10 days leave related to COVID-19; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT Council direct Mayor Watson to write a letter to the Prime Minister requesting that the temporary pan-Canadian sick leave program be made permanent and include expanded seamless access for workers. The following replacement motion was put forward for Council’s consideration. OTTAWA CITY COUNCIL 6 MINUTES 41 WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14 2020 MOTION NO 41/2 Moved by Councillor S. Menard Seconded by Councillor G. Gower WHEREAS the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve and it remains unknown how long we will be dealing with the effects both locally and beyond; WHEREAS workplace spread of Covid-19 has been identified as a key component of community transmission; WHEREAS the federal government has recently introduced a form of sick leave benefit; WHEREAS the provinces govern workplace relations (outside of federal workers) and it is therefore first and foremost the jurisdiction of the provinces regarding access to sick leave benefits for workers; WHEREAS the federal benefit provides less than full wage recovery for days missed with other remaining gaps; WHEREAS these gaps include thresholds for days missed within a week (50%) to be able to apply for and possibly receive the benefit; WHEREAS workers can only apply for the benefit a week after they were sick, and only if they missed half or more of the preceding week; WHEREAS this excludes workers who need only miss two days or less in a week due to COVID-19 scares, or initial COVID-19 caregiving responsibilities; WHEREAS on March 17, 2020, the Government of the Province of Ontario made an order declaring an emergency under Section 7.0.1 (1) the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act, with a view to ensuring that Ontario had available “every power possible to continue to protect the health and safety of all individuals and families”; and WHEREAS the Province of Ontario subsequently issued a number of Orders pursuant to its authority under Section 7.0.1 (1) the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act; and WHEREAS on July 24, 2020, the Ontario Government enacted the Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act, thereby terminating the Province’s COVID-19 declared emergency but continuing as valid and effective those orders made under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act OTTAWA CITY COUNCIL 7 MINUTES 41 WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14 2020 that had not otherwise been revoked before June 24, 2020, and also reserving a measure of authority necessary to amend and/or continue those orders; and WHEREAS on August 19, 2020, the Decent Work and Health Care Network issued its report, “BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE: How to Close the Paid Sick Days Gap During COVID-19 and Beyond”; and WHEREAS that report recommended that, “all provincial, territorial and federal jurisdictions update their employment standards to require employers to provide at least 7 days of paid emergency leave on a permanent basis”; and WHEREAS in the context of a global pandemic, and the known risk of workplace spread as a key source of community transmission, it makes sense now more than ever to establish these assurances for workers; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council direct Mayor Watson to write a letter to Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Minister McNaughton requesting that the provincial government work with the federal government to establish seamless job-protected sick leave that allows workers access of up to 10 days leave related to COVID-19. LOST on a division of 9 YEAS and 15 NAYS, as follows: YEAS (9): Councillors K. Egli, J. Leiper, R. King, M. Fleury, G. Gower, C. McKenney, S. Menard, T. Kavanagh, D. Deans NAYS (15): Councillors J. Harder, J. Cloutier, M. Luloff, A. Hubley, G. Darouze, S. Moffatt, T. Tierney, L. Dudas, J. Sudds, E. El-Chantiry, C. A. Meehan, R. Chiarelli, C. Kitts, R. Brockington, Mayor J. Watson COMMITTEE REPORTS AGRICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE REPORT 16 3.