Ottawa City Council Ottawa City Council, 1 Feb 2023

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From YouTube: Ottawa City Council - February 1, 2023

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Ottawa City Council - February 1, 2023

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Now we'll add our capers and if you've ever wondered when you see the videos of people sprinkling stuff from up high, it actually works. It's hard with a wet thing like this, but chefs do it because you get a better distribution over the surface area. I always thought it was just something people did for show, but there's actually a reason for it, and now our chives.

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And the little bits of chives look nice when they're sort of decorating the rim of the plate as well.

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Try and make sure every piece has some on it and the chili flakes I use those judiciously. They are very hot, but they add just a really nice tone to the dish and, last but not least, our salt drying. My fingers here so I can sprinkle it from high.

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So now, when I go to serve this dish, I got my crostini here, also terrific, on rice crackers, which you can find almost anywhere and I like to give each person a little Fork and Spoon, so they can spear some tuna onto their own plate and then scoop up some more sauce to put on it and enjoy it. So there you go tunakruto a fabulously, delicious and easy lunch.

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If you're ready to let lunchtime become the highlight of your day, I highly recommend you check out one of these great recipes. This fully loaded baked potato chowder is awesome. These pizza quiches are just so much fun to make and even more fun to eat and, of course, tuna Crudo is just going to give your body and your brain a great boost.

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Call the Rogers, TV viewer response line, email us or connect with us on social media.

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Hello, my name is Sean duhane.

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And this is the Sean duhame Trio I hope you enjoy.

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Of the budget speech so.

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Test one two and do it testing one two: three.

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That's one two one two and two test one two.

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Okay, we will resume uh the Roll Call.

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Counselor Hill.

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Councilor Hill foreign.

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Counselor Curry here counselor Kelly present counselor Gower here councilor Kavanaugh present counselor Johnson here councilor Divine here, councilor Bradley, president counselor Tierney counselor King, here counselor truster, yeah, Council, leaper.

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Brockington cure.

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That's the car here counselor kits here: councilor DeRose, yeah, Council Brown, here considerash here, councilor Hubley Council, here, mayor Sutcliffe. Here you have a quorum Mr Mayor.

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Thank you. Are there any Declarations of Interest.

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You um there are no regrets that have been received.

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All right down to the leaper, you can start your stopwatch. Now.

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um I am going to provide a few remarks on uh on the budget that is being introduced today. People often think of a budget as a bunch of numbers, but a city budget is not really about data. It's about people and neighborhoods, it's about programs and services, and it's about intentions and priorities.

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City budget is not always a question of data, we're looking into people awards, Services programs and intentions, as well as priority during.

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Last year's election campaign and since the new term of council began, there are seniors on fixed incomes. There are families on tight budgets who are worried about Rising food prices and other costs. There are too many people on waiting lists for affordable housing. There are vulnerable people who count on their governments for support. There are people who worry that emergency services, including paramedics, won't be available when they need them. Yet.

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Lot of people are on the waiting list for affordable housing. Vulnerable populations are waiting on their government for support.

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Are worried that paramedic will not be there when they need it.

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Wayne their residents in the rural parts of our city, who need better roads and transportation links. There are Suburban residents who are concerned about safety and transportation and want more recreational infrastructure in their communities. There are Urban residents who want better Transit, improved access to Social, Services and more parks. This budget is not about numbers. It's about all of those people when a family sits down to think through their personal finances for the year. What are they really doing?

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They're, making decisions about what's important to them, they're, establishing their priorities based on how they will invest their money? Will they go on a camping trip this summer or visit family in another city and in a period of economic uncertainty with inflation and interest rates rising and the prospect of a recession? How carefully will they spend their money? Where will they spend less so they are ready to face the challenges ahead.

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City budget is much larger and much more complex, but the purpose is the same level.

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Your budget is much more important and much more.

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That we are supporting with this budget. How will the budget impact the lives of Ottawa residents, and how will we navigate the pressures that we are facing, including potential shortfalls and reliable funding from the federal and provincial governments?

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Let's look at some of the key pressures that we are facing this year and then for the next few years, inflation is rising and we're facing significant economic uncertainty, as the Bank of Canada and other economists are forecasting due to Bill, 23 and other measures introduced by the provincial government. Our funding model to support future growth is significantly disrupted.

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Our Transit ridership is still not back to pre-pandemic levels and the federal and provincial governments have not confirmed support for 2023 and Beyond the need for covid related isolation and overflow shelter space continues, without confirmed support from other levels of government.

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To respond to these pressures, we must not only continue to work with the federal and provincial governments to secure additional support. We also must do our part. Is these pressures.

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We have to keep on working with boat level of government in order to receive this complementary support needed, but at the same time we have to do our part.

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Across the city, we must tighten our belts and find savings and efficiencies to reinvest in priorities and to ensure we are delivering the best possible value for money for our residents.

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In the face of the pressures that I just mentioned, the 2023 draft budget is built around several principles: first, protecting and investing in the programs and services that Ottawa residents rely on, especially those that help the most vulnerable.

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Protect and invest in programs and services needed by the most vulnerable population.

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Keeping costs as low as possible for Ottawa residents experiencing an affordability crisis, including a low tax increase and a freeze on transit fares.

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Want to maintain the cost as low as possible for Ottawa residents. We are for having right now a affordably crisis. We want to maintain the in the tax. Has the lowest level possible and freeze solid.

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Fiscal foundation, so we have the resources to face future challenges.

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Have a solid basis in order to have the needed resources if we have any other challenges.

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Continuing to invest in our critical infrastructure and closing the Gap that was identified several years ago, just.

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Keep on investing in our essential infrastructures.

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Well, as fill up the Gap.

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Was identified in the previous years, our.

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Work on this budget follows a tight timetable because it follows an election year, but soon after this budget is finalized, we will begin more detailed work that will establish our Direction and lay the foundation for future decisions and the budgets for 2024 and Beyond.

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A very tight deadlines because we just had election last years.

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Of the actual budgets, we will start all of the needed work.

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The general orientations, as well as put the bases for the 2024 budget.

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Well, as the other budgets, it's.

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A comprehensive and consultative strategic planning process, in which we will establish our priorities for this term of counsel, also a program review that will examine city services in order to find efficiencies that we can invest in our priorities and a longer and more engaged process to build the 2024 budget in conversations with residents and in meetings with each and every city. Councilor.

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Over the past few weeks, I've heard a number of very clear priorities: better and safer roads, sidewalks and cycling paths, more housing of all kinds, but especially affordable housing, reliable public transit that takes people where they want to go in this new post-covet environment. A cleaner and Greener City, including more measures to address climate change, support for those who are suffering from mental illness and substance, use disorder, safer communities for all residents, including better emergency services such as paramedics.

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This draft budget responds to those priorities and now that it's being presented there will be comprehensive reviews conducted by each Committee of council and also with the input of public delegations.

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Is there to support the priorities?

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Committees will be looking into these budgets.

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We'll take into account the contribution of public delegations.

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Lines with one of my primary commitments: a tax increase of between two and two and a half percent.

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Compliance with one of my main engagement, namely.

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Increase of taxes between 2 and 2.5 percent.

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Legally important, it's vitally important because with Rising food prices and other costs, our residents are facing an affordability crisis and a significant increase in taxes will add to their burden. The budget also includes a freeze on transit fares, which not only helps with the affordability crisis. It also demonstrates respect to our customers and their recent experiences with trains and buses. I, don't think we should be increasing fares at a time when we are striving to rebuild confidence in public transit.

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This budget also reduces recreational fees for the most vulnerable families in our city.

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Despite the budget pressures that I mentioned, we are able to keep costs low for our residents by finding efficiencies and because there has been strong growth this year, growth of 2.2 percent, together with the tax increase. This means that the city's revenues are increasing from taxes by 4.7 percent and working together with staff. Over the past few months, we've been able to identify 54 million dollars in savings and efficiencies.

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Together with, in the past few months, we were able to to identified 55 million dollars in savings and gains.

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That includes more than 10 million dollars in operational efficiencies and 42 million dollars in Capital Savings. Those efficiencies help us reinvest in our priorities.

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None of this has been, nor will it be easy, but the combination of efficiencies and growth makes it possible for us to keep tax increases, low and freeze transit fares without cutting programs and services. In fact, we will be investing more in Social, Services and More in fixing infrastructure than in previous years.

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Not an easy tax to ask you, but with efficiencies in growth, we will be able to maintain a low tax increase, as well as freeze public transport fees without having to cut into programs and services. In fact, we will invest more in Social Services, as well as infrastructures, as we have done in the previous years.

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Make no mistake: this is a tight budget without the appropriate level of support from our provincial and federal governments. We will have significant pressures on our finances next year and Beyond, particularly in transit and infrastructure.

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All of us are deeply concerned about the most vulnerable in our community. This budget makes an investment of an additional 4.5 million dollars in targeted areas of our community in January, I convened a task force with leaders and experts in mental health and substance use disorder to determine how we could invest These funds to address chronic challenges in the byword market, challenges that have grown during the pandemic.

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We create a working group with with managers and specialists in mental health.

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Dependence of psychoactive substances, we want to make sure that we will be able to invest these new funds to face fast to face the challenges in a byward market challenges are increased.

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With the pandemics upon several key priorities for supporting the vulnerable, including 2.1 million dollars in funding to community agencies, to support racialized youth, prevent gender-based violence and to improve community-based access to mental health programs, 1.1 million dollars for an on-the-ground Community engagement, team, A, specialized team of mobile staff who link clients to key services such as housing, mental health supports and food five hundred and fifty thousand dollars for a culturally appropriate trauma-informed mental health and addiction crisis response system.

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Four hundred thirty five thousand dollars to integrate and coordinate Health and Social Services in priority neighborhoods and 365 000 in new annual funding to enhance Services provided by Community agencies in priority neighborhoods, including the byward market, lower town and Center town. Additionally, this budget invests 1.3 million dollars toward base funding for the community funding framework totaling 27.5 million dollars. This money will help non-profit providers, including indigenous organizations, deliver Social Services to Residents facing the greatest needs.

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The city is also committed to fighting uh racism, to gender equity and to achieving reconciliation with indigenous peoples in planning and delivering our programs and services. We must consider equity and inclusion and the impact on marginalized communities. The 2023 budget includes an increase of four hundred thousand dollars toward our anti-racism and Indigenous strategies.

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We've all heard from residents about the lack of affordable housing and the fear that the dream of home ownership or even being able to afford basic rent is disappearing. We will make investments in line with our long-range financial plan for housing in total.

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This budget includes 129 million dollars toward housing and homelessness, but we must go further than that and the work to do so has already begun we're working closely with the provincial and federal governments to change important policies and find more flexible and appealing financing options to build more supportive and affordable housing and to build it sooner.

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Have to go beyond Works have already started. We are working closely with the federal and the provincial governments. We want to modify some of the policies.

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Try to find different funding options more flexible, more attractive in order to build more quickly, affordable, housing, surprise and supervised housing changes will.

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Allow us to leverage our Municipal Investments much further I'm hopeful that these continuing discussions will allow us to secure more funding and Achieve much greater impact. We are also pursuing several Innovative Partnerships, with Ottawa Community, Housing and other community housing providers to build more supportive and affordable housing across the city, including using city-owned land. We've aligned our committee structure to make the key decisions to advance housing across the city and we're are working with the community to bring innovative ideas to our housing strategy.

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I've heard from many residents as I'm sure you have heard about their concerns about public transit and it's not just issues with our light. Rail system. I spoke to Residents in barhaven, Canada, Orleans and other Suburban communities about how long it takes them to get to their destinations and how they often observe buses on other routes, with very few passengers on board.

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Talked about their concerns regarding Transit, it's not only the issues that we have with the light train system. I talked to some residents in Bar, Haven, kenata, Orleans and other communities.

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Suburban wards, when we talk about the how long it takes to reach their destinations, sometimes you see other buses that are.

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Have a very few.

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This year, Travelers an important Evolution for a public transit system we're building toward the integration of stage two of Light Rail, particularly in the South End and East End. In 2023. We will begin the process of realigning routes and investing in the expanded system. This budget contains a much more realistic and a much more responsible assumption for ridership than last year's budget. In 2022 we expected ridership to return to 85 percent of pre-pandemic levels. In reality, the number was closer to 65 percent.

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This year we are forecasting about 70 percent, but that means like many other communities. We will have to continue to calibrate our system to meet the needs and demands of a post-pandemic community when people are traveling at different times and at different destinations that work by OC Transpo has been underway for some time. Celesteign.

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Of our communities after the pandemic, people are traveling at different times nowadays into different locations. At the same time, this is a ongoing work at OC Transpo, and it's been there for a little time. We're.

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Trying to find a balanced approach to the new reality of lower ridership, lower revenues and the pressures of inflation, for example, Toronto is proposing a 10 cent, fare hike and is lowering service levels at certain points of the day, this represents approximately a 10 drop in total hours of service. We continue to have challenging discussions with our federal and provincial Partners about the need for continued Transit funding and the difficult decisions that municipalities will be forced to make if support for Transit recovery is not secured.

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I will continue to press for more Transit funding in the days weeks and months ahead. In addition to Transit, we must continue to invest in our roads, sidewalks and cycling infrastructure, I've heard over and over again from residents in places like Alta, Vista, Metcalf and elsewhere about the state of our roads and sidewalks. Many people are concerned that the city is not delivering this important basic service I made a promise during the campaign to invest an additional 25 million dollars per year in roads and road maintenance, I'm happy to say we're.

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Investing an additional 30 million dollars this year to positively impact not just drivers but bus passengers, cyclists and pedestrians. The total spending on roads and road maintenance for 2023 is 136 million dollars up from the four-year average by 31 percent. This budget also makes an investment to increase the budget for traffic calming, so we can make our roads safer for everyone.

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The 2023 budget also includes significant enhancements to our approach on climate change. The capital budget has been enhanced to include a climate change lens. This will allow us to better understand how the city is implementing the climate change master plan, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing our resilience and Readiness for future weather events and other impacts of climate change. This is the first time that staff will report on and apply a climate change lens to the budget and I'm, confident that this new approach will help shape our decisions for many years to come.

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First time the staff will be implementing a climate change lens to the budget and I'm convinced that this new approach will help us make better decisions in the future years.

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In greenhouse gas emissions and contributing to climate resiliency for the first time, this year's draft budget has introduced a 5 million dollar annual base commitment to support implementation of the climate change master plan.

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In addition to the three million dollar annual investment in our building energy retrofit program, we're exploring a new pilot program in partnership with Hydro Ottawa to undertake a significant retrofit of a large city-owned facility. We are also continuing to expand the number of electric vehicle charging stations that are available for public use, including a partnership with Hydro Ottawa that will allow us to install more charging stations and take other important steps to improve our Energy Efficiency and reduce emissions. I'll have more to say about this.

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In the coming weeks, we will also continue to improve roadway safety and save on energy and maintenance by converting our standard street lights to LED.

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In addition to these areas, we will be investing in emergency services, including hiring at least 29 new employees at the Ottawa Police Service and 14 additional paramedics to meet the growing demand in our community I've also been working with leaders in the community on a more comprehensive solution to address the highly concerning number of level zero events when no ambulances are available in our city.

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There are many other important areas where we are investing money, including Parks and Recreation infrastructure, and more all of this is detailed in the budget itself, but I wanted to highlight those priorities in particular and I. Don't want this to be a long speech, as I've highlighted in the past few minutes. This budget is about many things. It's about our challenges and our opportunities. It's about budget pressures and efficiencies, it's about building a strong fiscal foundation and charting the course for the next few years.

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It's about investing wisely in our priorities, so we're offering the best value for money to our residents. Yes,.

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Need a solid fiscal base and open the way for the next few years. We must invest wisely in our priorities in order to offer the best Services possible to our residents key.

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Areas including Social, Services, Transit and transportation, housing and climate change in the environment, but, most importantly, it's about the people of Ottawa and how their city government will serve them in the years to come.

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Is mostly for the residents of Ottawa and the way that the city government will be serving them in the years to come, the.

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Residents of our wonderful rural communities are rapidly growing Suburban areas and those who live in our changing downtown core.

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This is the only the beginning of the budget process and I'm looking forward to working with all of you, my colleagues on city council, as we consult with the public and bring each part of the budget through each of our committees. Indeed, the residents of Ottawa asked us for more than specific commitments about spending and taxes. They also wanted to see a change in how we work together and I'm both proud and grateful that, through some important decision making in the first two months, we have demonstrated a commitment to that change.

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So my goal is to deliver a budget that achieves the commitments I made during the election campaign, including both priority spending and a specific tax increase commitments that were supported by a majority of Ottawa voters, but in keeping with my promise to bring change to city government. My goal is to pass this budget through collaboration and consensus, I'm, counting on all of you to work with me in the same Spirit of cooperation.

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Promised to change the city government. My goal is to adopt this budget through cooperation and consensus and I'm counting on you all to work with me in the same cooperation spirit.

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Includes a low tax increase freezes, transit fares invests in Social Services to help our most vulnerable protects and maintains the programs and services our residents rely on invests in our infrastructure, including repairing our sidewalks and roads invests in emergency services, including paramedics takes important steps toward fighting climate change and building more homes.

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But after this budget is completed, the hard work will begin on the next few years. Indeed, We've Only Just Begun. The next steps, including the comprehensive budget review, won't be easy, but they will ensure that in a time of significant financial pressures, we are saving money wherever we can in order to invest more deeply in critical areas. There are details on the process and the proposed path forward in the budget transmittal report that is being introduced today.

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This budget comes with a clear and very important message if the provincial and federal governments don't support the financial gaps we have in public transit and in other areas. If we don't receive funding to address the Lost Revenue associated with Bill 23., and if we don't receive support to build the housing we need over the next 10 years, we will face significant budget pressures in 2024 and Beyond.

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That's why a large portion of my work is engaging with both the federal and provincial governments to ensure that ottawa's priorities are their priorities in the meantime, I'm looking forward to working on this budget, which I believe strikes an important balance between fiscal responsibility and compassion, continuing.

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Continue to work together for how, for a better City for all an affordable city, a city that can manage a sustainable growth, a city that is concerned by by its residents, a city that imagines a better future and that works hard to get it.

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Together, a city that is safe, reliable and affordable, a city that can manage sustainable growth, a city that cares a city that imagines a better future and works hard to achieve it. Thank you. Merci,.

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All right: let's move to item seven on the agenda. uh Counselor dudas motion to introduce reports. Please.

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The Transit Commission report one be received and considered that the following reports related to the 2023 draft budget be received and tabled the report from the finance and Corporate Services Department entitled 2023 draft operating and capital budgets. The report from the committee of adjustment entitled Committee of adjustment, 2023 draft operating budget, the report from crime prevention, Ottawa entitled 2023 draft operating budget crime prevention; Ottawa. The report from the auto Police Services Board entitled Ottawa Police, Services, Board, 2023 draft operating in capital budgets.

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The report from the Ottawa Public Library board entitled Ottawa Public, Library board, 2023 draft budget estimates, the report from the Ottawa Board of Health entitled 2023 draft operating budget for the Ottawa Board of Health and that the rules of procedure be suspended to receive and consider the following reports from the finance and Corporate Services Department, as they provide information supplemental to the 2023 budget reports being tabled.

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At this meeting, the report from the director of Fleet Services and title 2023 fleet vehicle and Equipment plans, information, supplemental to the budget estimates and the report from the Director of Human Resources entitled 2022 FTE analysis report; information, supplemental to the budget estimates.

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Thank you, councilor dudas motion is seconded by councilor DeRose. Is the motion carried? Thank you. Everyone all right. Let's move now to the draft operating and capital budgets for 2023 and I'll now introduce the interim city manager, Wendy, Stevenson, Wendy,.

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The draft 2023 budget is before you today and it's the result of a collaborative effort between the mayor, counselors and City staff is.

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I'd like to thank personally the mayor and all members of council for protecting for making your comments and discussing the priorities of your electors which enlightened the development of the draft budget.

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Council for sharing your valuable insights, including your constituents, top priorities that has guided the development of the proposed budget today.

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I also want to thank my colleague, zero Rogers, our acting general manager and Chief Financial Officer, as well as his colleague, Suzanne Channel, who joins us today, she's the program manager of planning and budgets, as well as the entire Finance team for their tireless efforts throughout the past two months to pull together a draft budget that we believe captures council's feedback and supports the need of our city and our residents.

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I also want to take a moment to thank the entire senior leadership team and their departmental staff for working collaboratively to develop the drop budget under very tight timelines and before Searle and Suzanne begin. The formal presentation this morning, I'd like to take a moment to set some context for today's draft budget. Tabling as the mayor mentioned in his remarks, the last few years have been among the most challenging our city has ever seen, including the financial pressures.

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The last few years were really difficult for our city because of the financial pressures with.

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No exception, but once again, City staff continue to deliver Municipal services. Our residents depend on each day, despite major unexpected emergencies and events, including the illegal occupation, the devastating directo and the ongoing pandemic, whether it was adapting to the way that we provide services or focusing our efforts and resources to help those who needed it most or responding to the cleanup efforts day and night, our people kept doing everything necessary to support our community.

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It's truly been Non-Stop and each day I am filled with gratitude to work alongside such as deeply committed and talented Workforce. On top of responding to unanticipated events, we've also seen broader economic factors at play, including Rising costs, riding Rising interest rates and economic uncertainty.

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Well, all these things have created budget pressures that we could have never prepared for. The city's long-standing record of fiscal responsibility, coupled with the actions undertaken over the past several years have developed, have helped mitigate many of these Financial impacts.

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We've limited our discretionary spending, we've redeployed, our resources where they're needed most and we've ramped up our advocacy efforts for financial assistance from the federal and provincial governments and more I want to reinforce that. Since the ongoing of the pandemic, the city has made every effort to restrict spending where possible, to keep us on stable, Financial footing during these unprecedented times.

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Did everything it could to reduce its expenditures in other to ensure the financial stability management combined.

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With countless hours spent coming up with the best possible solutions for 2023., we have a draft budget before you today that balances the need to continue to deliver services, our essential services and programs that our residents rely on, while still advancing council's priorities.

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It's a budget that couples fun responsible fiscal spending, while finding efficiencies to ensure the city remains responsive, protects the health, safety and well-being of our community and bolsters resilience of our local economy and I also recognize that, with the new term of council the budget processes, many is new to many of you and I'm pleased to share that staff have made some improvements to the budget documents to increase transparency and accountability, and we're committed to continuing this work.

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As we move through the term, we've created a one-page guide on how to read and maneuver through the budget document included as part of the budget transmittal report, and we hope this helps. Please know that we're here to support you and ask or answer any questions that you have news.

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We're here to help.

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Answer all your questions enhance.

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The capital templates with the application of a climate change lens to provide information on relevant impacts from climate related Capital Investments, and this highlights how the city is investing to implement the climate change master plan, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase ottawa's Brazilian to current and future impacts of climate change.

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Our work is not done, but this is a very strong start with that I'm going to pass over to Cyril and Suzanne to kick off the formal budget, cabling presentation. Merci,.

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Good morning and thank you Mr Mayor, thank you, Wendy I'm here today with my colleague Suzanne, is going to share in a presentation of the draft 2023 budget. Tabling today's presentation is an overview of the budget of the total City budget, including police, Public, Library, Public, Health and Transit.

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Today we will cover the draft 2023 budget, highlights considerations, development budget enhancements and provide a brief overview of the operating Capital budgets and funding sources in addition to presenting the estimated requirements to continue to respond as we recover from the covid-19 pandemic.

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Only a summary is provided in today's presentation, as a detailed budgets will be presented to each committee board and commission. Today's budget reflects the direction approved by Council on December 14th.

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Strong financial management continues to be a priority for City staff. Council has played a leading role in the city's approach to fiscal prudence and financial sustainability.

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Strong financial management is a priority for the city council, our residents and it's the foundation of our success.

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Throughout the years we have adopted strong financial policies and plans that led to financial sustainability, long-range Financial plans for tax and rate, which are refreshed. Each term of council and enhance each time we do a refresh advancing various long-range Financial plans in support of Housing and homelessness 10-year plan.

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Adoption of a fiscal framework that sets out the high-level road map to sustainable City finances. Council endorsement of a strategic asset manager plan, say the assets report and our continued investment in infrastructure.

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Adoption of a reserve management policy to ensure that our cash and Investments remain at healthy levels investing in our future. All these help support the city's continued. Strong credit rating staff continues to apply a continuous Improvement approach to the annual budget and delivery of services across the organization staff have conducted many reviews of our operations, ensuring our administrative staff is as lean as possible and ensure our growth Investments are directed in the core services.

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These savings have been achieved through a series of structured, continuous Improvement initiatives in areas such as business process, improvements, organize organizational administrative efficiencies, technological improvements and enhanced revenues using best practice approaches management has accommodated growth through a series of initiatives, including reviewing expenditures, implementing reductions that do not affect Service delivery.

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The Strategic, Investments and implementations of Technology improvements and organizational adjustments help ensure we redeploy City staff in the by critical service areas. Next slide, please.

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The budget directions was approved on December 14th, with a direction for a municipal tax increase of 2 to 2.5 percent.

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Each component of the municipal tax bill, which includes police and Transit, be allocated their respective increase and the Parada share of assessment growth.

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The annual additional tax revenues from new assessment generates an additional 42 million dollars for the draft 2023 budget, which is one of the highest increases we've seen in the city, user fees and charges are to increase with the cost of delivery of the service. As stated in the fiscal framework and the various long-range Financial plans, the rate budget has been developed in accordance with the long range of long-range financial plan for rate programs.

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The capital budget is developed in accordance with the long-range Financial plans. The 2019 DC background study, fiscal framework and guidance set by Council, endorsed by Council of maintaining our our tax debt at 7.5 percent and our rate supported that at 15 percent.

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The budget also reflects a zero percent increase for Trans Affairs in 2023, and the budget proposes a fair freeze continue for equipass Community pass and equifares, which is at the 2018 rates.

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Next slide, please, when we kick off the budget planning cycle, there are many considerations that staff takes in in the play from the draft 2023 budget approved funding commitments to close off the previous term. Accounts of priorities are reflected and immediately following the 2023 draft budget process. The new term of council priorities will begin in the 2024 budget. Planning process will also begin compensation impacts, as protective Agreements are considered.

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One-Time covet impacts, which includes in the 2023 budget, with the assumption that senior levels of government will support Ottawa Public Health, continued advocacy for Transit funding and some impacts of the organization. These will be funded through reserves if, if Government funding isn't received, this budget has some growth in ftes, including paramedics, as well as escorting some of the core Council priorities, inflation and change. The economic impacts are also considered and reflected in the draft 2023 budget.

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We must continue to build the budget and the cost structure to maintain the city's growing infrastructure and delivery services to a growing population. In addition to maintaining our commitment to the various long-range Financial plans, next slide, this slide would be a little bit of a deeper overview of how we actually build the actual annual budget process.

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The annual budget is development is consistent of a very robust and extensive planning process. City departments are not allocated an automatic 2.5 percent tax levy, nor are the allocated and automatic 2.2 assessment growth increase.

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Each department is supported by a finance team which works closely with all levels throughout that department to assist in developing the annual budget pressures.

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Compensation is the single largest component of the city's budget, reflecting approximately 48 percent of the total budget. These annual obligations are Guided by Collective agreements for 2023. Most of those agreements have settled below two percent.

M

The council approved long-range financial plan. Commitments are reflected to ensure Financial commitments continue to address the financial plans. The 2023 draft budget adheres to this direction and commitment and includes a capital inflationary pressure of 6.33 percent.

M

The city continues to be on track in addressing the infrastructure funding Gap. The draft 2023 budget does not include any capital. Deferrals inflationary pressures across various Commodities and services are identified through a variety of inflationary indicators. For example, natural gas is increasing at 17 percent, I drew at four percent water at four point: two percent. These are just some of the examples of the indicators that were are reflected in the draft 2023 budget.

M

The city continues to incorporate continuous improvements and leverage Investments to reinvest into other priority areas. Various reviews and challenge functions are completed at the senior leadership level and the mayor interim city manager and myself consult with each counselor as the budget was being developed next slide. Please, oh and I'll pass over to Suzanne to go through the next slide. Thank you.

N

J

The staff is committed to improving the annual budget. Several improvements were abroad about.

N

J

Year, for the first time, the climate change lens was used to provide information on relevant impacts from climate and related Capital Investments.

J

The investment of five million 5 million annual commitment to help implement the city's climate change master plan. The draft budget maintains the commitment of the city to continue to invest in strategic priorities.

J

For indigenous gender and race and Equity strategic priorities, a reference guide on our directives are is also included. Service review and their efficiency and a methodology used are presented to council.

N

J

The review of the budget directions 2023. We said it was important to continue sustained growth.

N

Looks like this.

M

Sorry go back, go back one side, you see if they have a little too fast. Thank you. Thank you Suzanne. So the 2023 draft budget includes an overall property tax levy increase of 2.5 percent, which is an additional 49.7 million, an assessment growth increase of 2.2 percent or 42.2 million.

M

This will generate an additional 92 million in taxation revenue for 2023 compared to 87.2 million in 2022..

M

Next slide, please, in addition to the incremental assessment growth revenue and Taxation Revenue, there is an additional user fee, revenues of 20.9 million, additional 132.2 million for federal retro cost, sharing mainly in the area of child care services, bringing a total additional funding from these sources to a 245.1 million of incremental funding for 2023.

M

next slide. Please.

M

With this budget, the average Urban residential home, valued at 415 000., we'll see an increase of 104 dollars per year or 8.67 dollars per month, which is 2.5 percent increase.

M

A rule home will see an increase of 85 dollars per year or seven dollars and eight cents per month, or 2.5 and commercial property a 216 per year increase or 18 dollars per month.

M

The dollar value is an estimated number based on the budget. The actual amount will be based on the actual evaluation of the properties and changes to the tax policy adopted by Council before finalizing the tax rates. Next slide, please similar to the tax bill. The various components of the water bill are increasing at different rates, but for the average Urban property consuming 180 cubic meters of water a year, the overall average increase is 4.2 percent or 38 dollars and seven cents annually or three point three dollars and 17 cents per month.

M

For the average rule non-connected single-family home. The increase is ten dollars and four cents for the year or 84 cents per month. These rate increases our line with the operating Capital requirements in the rate long-range financial plan for rate program next slide. Please.

M

The budget includes covid-19 related pressures into 2023, as the city continues as a response to the pandemic.

M

These are shown separately within each service area due to the one-time nature of the costs, an increase in temporary resources and personal protective equipment in long-term care and Children's Services to support the ongoing pandemic response.

M

Funding for this decision, distancing, centers and day programs, which are funded by the provincial funding one-time increases in public health budget to respond to the pandemic, assuming full coverage from the same levels of government pressures are also included in lower Transit ridership.

M

The reduction in transit ridership revenues continue as we respond to the recovery of the pandemic, continued advocacy at the senior level of government for funding requests of 39 million dollars.

M

If the funding doesn't materialize, the city will leverage to develop Financial mitigation strategies implemented over the last three years to help mitigate these pressures. As we move forward next slide, please, this slide summarizes the 54 million dollars in efficiencies included in the 2023 draft budget, discretionary savings related to travel office supplies conferences and a variety of other discretionary spending elements across all departments.

M

For a total of eight hundred thousand dollars in savings, Hydro volume, Savings of 800 000, mainly related to lower Hydro consumption across City facilities, the street lighting, LED conversion generates a savings of 2.2 million, and a recent organizational alignment contributes an additional 2.2 million in operating savings.

M

Transit services have reviewed all areas of the operating and capital budgets to achieve savings and align services with the delivery of stage 2 LRT West extension of old train line. One transit services will continue to be cautious in spending, given the ongoing impacts of the pandemic and continue to work through the service. Delivery review as committed Transit are also including retiring 117, buses that are either beyond their use of life or require a significant maintenance, related costs.

M

Next slide, please, the total budget for 2023 draft 2023 is 4.5 billion dollars and is made of 12 different service areas.

M

Probably 59 of the operating budget is made up of four key areas: Water and Sewer, Transit Community social services and police services, as you will see in the next slide, we'll cover the sources of these fundings across all areas. Water and Sewer is paid for by revenue from the water bill.

M

Transit is supported by operating costs paid by Fair, Revenue and Community social services are paid close to 80 from provincial and federal funding, Capital contributions to make up the fifth largest percentage of the budget at 403 million dollars next slide. Please.

M

This graph shows the sources of funding for the 4.5 billion dollars, budget, user fees and property taxes are the main sources of revenue to support the operations of the city, property taxes and payment leave. Taxes add up to 2.2 billion and make up more than 50 percent of the city's revenues.

M

User fees and services are budgeted at 990 million, including revenue from the water bill, transit fares, recreational fees and various other fees to recover the costs of delivery of user-specific services.

M

The 1 billion shown for the federal provincial funding represents the conditional grants for services such as Social Services, child care, long-term care, paramedic and others as conditional grants. These funds are not available to be used for other purposes next slide, please.

M

We will now turn over to the capital budget next slide. Please, capital budget reflects various plans approved by Council, including the transportation master plan, infrastructure, master plan, 2019 development charge, background study and a variety of long-range Financial plans and ensure the state of our repair of the capital. Assets are recommended as planned, and we are closing the infrastructure Gap.

M

These plans have been incorporated into the proposed Capital draft 2023 budget debt is used in this budget within the limits established by Council. Debt for debt servicing is forecasted to be below four percent of all certain revenues and Below 11 for the raid side.

M

Next slide, please, the proposed capital budget in 2023 totals 1.06 billion dollars. Funding for the total Capital program comes from tax rate, development charges and debt enrolled resurfacing, and the budget has increased by 30 million in 2023 to advance the roles resurfacing, product projects across the city. In addition, there's a introduction of an annual one million dollar Capital program for minor sidewalk repairs.

M

As mentioned earlier. This budget reflects the recommendations from the long-range Financial plans for tax and rate, increasing contributions to Capital to reduce the infrastructure gap for tax and rate program.

M

The largest Capital Investments are being made in roads and pipes with 20 going to water, Wastewater and storm water services, 23.3 percent for integrated Rose projects and 19.5 for transportation services, which is primary roads.

M

The 2023 draft capital budget also continues the city's commitment towards housing as per housing. The 2021 housing long-range financial plan and includes 15 million dollars in capital funding. In addition, additional vut revenues of 4.4 million dollars will also be contributed to the housing Reserve in 2023.

M

next slide. Please, the proposed 1.06 billion capital budget is funded from a variety of sources, but primarily with cash. The reserve portion, which is Cash, is funded from contributions to Capital on both attacks and rates side.

M

This makes up 62.5 percent of the funding for Capital they're, also development charge cash and debt fund growth projects, and in total there is 223.2 million of debt Authority that is required to fund the proposed 2023 Capital draft budget next slide. Please.

M

This slide shows the percentage of the capital program used for Renewal growth, regulatory and service enhancement, initiatives for tax and rate combined, reflecting prior council's direction to maintain Assets in a good stage of repair. 69 percent of the 1 billion dollar budgets for renewal 21.8 for growth and 9.1 percent for Regulatory and service enhancements next slide. Please.

M

Debt servicing is forecasted to be a 3.8 percent of own source revenues, which is a reduction from 2022, as the city continues to to be well below the city's endorse 7.5 percent next slide. Please, debt servicing is forecasted to be 11.3 percent of own source revenues for the rate supporter program, which again is a reduction from 2022 and continues to be below the endorsed 15 for the rate supported program next slide. Please.

M

This slide provides a forecast of the 2023 year-end Reserve balance. The management of reserves is an important factor in the city's overall Financial condition as they impact both the financial sustainability and financial flexibility.

M

The Credit Agencies have acknowledged the city's Strong Reserve levels and is relatively low level of debt as a major attribute towards maintaining our high credit ratings trip away from Moody from Moody and s p. Double a credit rating.

M

An operating Reserve is generally used to stabilize or mitigate the impact of fluctuations and operating costs and revenues, or to accumulate funds for future or contingent liabilities.

M

Capital reserves are used to fund the capital works and invest by the city until required, as they earn interest. Restricted reserves are established by Council when legislative requirements funds receive for a special purpose to be segregated and accounted for separately and can be used for their prescribed purpose.

M

The reduction in the opening 2023 balance in comparison to the projected 2023 closing balance is mainly driven by The Raid program.

M

The overall rate program is a very Capital intensive program with Peaks and valleys year over year, depending on the overall Capital program and the plan delivery of those Capital Investments, also the capital deferrals that were part of the 2022-2020 and the 2021 Financial mitigation strategies, as all have also been returned to continue to move forward.

M

With these Investments document, two of the transmittal report provides much more detail in the opening and ending balances for each of the specific reserves and the balances do meet our objectives of the city's Reserve policy, as approved by Council I, want to pass it over to Suzanne for the next slide.

N

I

Different committees will meet pretty soon resident will be allowed to participate in this meeting and submit their written comments through public consultation or by communicating directly with counselors.

N

I

Will be some consultation on the draft budget 2023? This will be open to residents.

N

Recommendations.

I

Will be sent to council.

N

I

Study as of March.

M

Thank you. This is the end of our presentation, Mr Mayor, but before I end it off I would just like to extend a big special thanks to to Suzanne and her team uh Echo Wendy's comments as well. This budget has been a challenging budget. This is my 10th budget. In some capacity with the city and I can tell you every year, I go through the struggle of this got to be a better budget, but we've.

M

This has been another challenging budget, tight timelines, lots of work to be done, lots of changes, but a very successful budget tabling today I think special thanks again to Suzanne the entire Finance team, the entire senior leadership team for supporting us and working with the counselors to date and continue working with counselors as we proceed through a very, very tight, February and Then, followed by a very, very good March break for myself. Hopefully, so thank you.

E

Thank you, Cyril and uh let me say thank you to uh you and to the entire Finance team and to Wendy and the senior leadership team for all your hard work uh during the weeks leading up to uh today. It's very much appreciated and we look forward to working with you as the uh as the process continues from here.

E

um So just in terms of what we'll do now, um there is going to be the opportunity for counselors to ask high-level questions about the budget process, uh the uh not about the contents of the budget that will come uh in the committee uh meetings and and at uh the meeting on March the 1st. uh But before we get to those questions that you may have we're going to uh hear the other reports that are being introduced um and then we'll come back to uh questions uh for the finance team.

E

um So, let's start, let's move to item number nine, which is the report from the committee of adjustment, the 2023 draft operating budget. um Is this report received and tabled.

E

Next, the uh 2023 draft operating budget for crime prevention Ottawa. Is this report received and tabled.

E

All right, we will now move to presentations from the Ottawa Police Services Board, the Ottawa Public Library, and the Ottawa Board of Health, beginning with the Ottawa Police Services Board.

E

So I will welcome uh the chair of the Ottawa Police Services Board Suzanne Valley Kay bienvenue Suzanne, uh Chief, Eric Stubbs and deputy chief Steve Bell, and while they are getting in place, I just want to take a moment to, um on behalf of the people of Ottawa, thank the chief and uh the leadership team of the police service and the men and women who work in the Ottawa Police Service for all of their hard work.

E

This past weekend and in the weeks and and days and minutes leading up to this past weekend uh in keeping our city safe and protecting it from threats. So um I I wanted to extend that. Thank you on behalf of the people of Ottawa, okay over to you for your presentation.

O

I

P

Chief Eric, Stubbs and deputy.

I

Chief Steve.

P

Bell to present the draft 2023 Ottawa Police Services budget.

P

Over the last few years, we have worked alongside the community to advance our strategic priority to better reflect the needs of the community and bring meaningful and intentional change to the way police services are delivered across the city.

P

I believe that this budget provides a financial roadmap of our commitments on this important work and outlines key Investments that will help Propel us forward.

P

This budget was developed in consideration of feedback received over a period of years from multiple Community sources. Stakeholder groups online comments, surveys, studies, discussions with the police board delegations to the board, elected officials, community and neighborhood groups, academics as well as internal members.

P

We value opportunities to engage in collaborative discussions and would like to hear from you on the draft 2023 Ottawa Police Service budget. We have developed a fulsome engagement strategy that will provide stakeholders and members of the public with inclusive and Equitable feedback opportunities, both online and in person.

O

I

Have a mobilization strategy, a very complete one that will allow different stakeholders as well as residents, to provide us with their comments. We want to do this online in person to be inclusive and Equitable.

O

I

A in between February, 1st and 20th.

O

I

Of your comments can be submitted through an online survey that you will find on the Ottawa Police website.

P

Submitted through an online survey on the Ottawa Police website, targeted Outreach by the Ops senior leadership will occur during this time period to ensure representation of traditionally marginalized groups, including people with disabilities.

P

Lgbtq2 plus women and faith-based communities, as well as members of indigenous black and other racialized groups, will be included.

O

I

Management will also have some awareness activities targeted during this period. We want to make sure that we will have.

O

I

Good representation of traditionally marginalized group, namely handicapped population, members of the lgbtq plus communities, women's, as well as confessional groups, an indigenous as well as other groups such as black and racialized groups. All of this will be included.

P

You to attend the Ottawa Police Services Board finance and audit committee meeting on February 15th to have your voices heard.

I

To participate on the February 15 meeting.

O

I

You very much for your attention.

O

I

Will now give the floor to Chief stamps.

P

I

G

Let's see Madam chair good morning, bonjour uh mayor members of council I am pleased to be here to table the 2023 draft Ottawa Police Service budget.

G

As you know, I have been in my role for just over two months now and I just want to take this opportunity to thank the police board, the mayor members of council members of the Ops and the community for assisting me and getting settled into my new job. Many of you have offered some very good advice and guidance about the needs of this community and how the Ops can assist and I. Thank you for that.

G

Over the last few weeks, I have worked to build on my understanding of this organization and how it serves the people of Ottawa. This is an incredible Police Service, with many dedicated people who care about Community safety.

G

It is also a service that recognizes the need for Change and investment as a new Chief I have worked to be in as many parts of the city as possible and I've heard from many residents and businesses.

G

I have had the chance to speak with many leaders from diverse groups right across the city, including key indigenous leaders, members of the mute Muslim, Sikh Jewish and black communities.

G

I've also met with the good people who work at places like the Ottawa Mission leaders from some of the city bias, our own Community, Equity Council, and the community safety and well-being committee.

G

The overwhelming theme that I am hearing is that they value the role of police in society and are invested in working with us as a police service, whether it is to tackle issues specific to their individual committee communities or the community as a whole.

G

Building public trust and Community Partnerships is the spirit on which this budget has been built. On the draft budget tabled before you today, balances the policing needs of the community with the fiscal reality and the board's Direction.

G

If you could go back to the previous slide, please thank you.

G

There are many internal and external factors we considered when building this budget and you'll see on the screen. I'll highlight a few, but along the top lines, very positive I have found on a that. We have a group of Community Partners that make up the community safety and well-being committee and many other groups across the city that are committed to improving the lives of all citizens as well. Internally I'm very impressed the dedication and passion that our members displayed in 2022.

G

It was a difficult year, but they continued to work hard every day along the external factors. You can see some that have created challenges for the service and I won't talk on all of them, but I'll mention a few inadequate and limited support for mental health, addictions and housing security.

G

That is a real issue in in this community. I'm, actually very pleased to hear the mayor in his comments speak about uh the the pending investments in this area. We have seen a declining public trust in policing. That's a real issue that we're addressing in the service.

G

We have seen increased demands from our community to more effectively address cyber crime, Road Safety hate crimes, violence against women and, of course, protests and demonstrations. These increased demands that I just mentioned are putting pressure on our members. These increased demands, I'm, sorry and many of them are overtasked.

G

Another challenge is the need to ensure a respectful and safe workplace, our vacancy rates. It is an issue we have to keep efforts to get our teams back to work and, at the same time ensure we can hire people in a timely manner in a very competitive market.

G

Finally, our aging I.T and facility infrastructure next slide. Please, our 2023 draft budget aligns with the board direction of a 2.5 percent tax increase and supports the board's strategic plan.

G

We are hiring a 25 additional members with a focus on Outreach recruitment, so our Force does represent the diversity of the community that we work in public events and demonstration strategies we're looking at different ways to approach this different Staffing models, more agency collaboration and permanent funding.

G

We want to deliver on the facility strategic plan commitments, including the South facility.

G

Again, we want to continue with advances in our Equity diversity and inclusion program. We are in the process of developing a new three-year plan. Wellness of our members is very important. Late. Last year we opened a safe workplace office and we're looking to build the capacity of of that group of people.

G

Modernization of the Ops one example is our digital information management system project. We need to continue to improve our I.T infrastructure. This also aligns with Community feedback. We know we want to advance our neighborhood policing program. We want to examine new approaches to mental health, calls as well as increase our investment in hate crime.

G

I will now turn it over to Deputy Bell. Thank.

Q

You very much and good morning, everyone if we could advance to the next slide. Please thank you. uh I'll now align the financials associated with this year's budget. The pro the budget proposal aligns to the board's direction to prepare the 2023 draft operating and capital budgets based on 2.5 tax levy and the prorated share of the 2.2 assessment growth. These directions resulted in a 15.2 million dollar increase to the 2023 Ops budget, bringing the total net operating budget to 359 million dollars.

Q

The 15.2 million dollars represents seven million dollars from the 2.2 assessment growth and the 2.5 percent tax levy represents 8.2 million dollars growth to the budget. This increase results in an estimated 17 increase per uh average Urban household, bringing the total 2023 police costs per house sold to 680 dollars per year.

Q

The table highlights of the breakdown of the 15.2 million dollar operating budget increase and is categorized in accordance with the city of Ottawa budget reporting requirements. We've allocated 12.3 million dollars for Investments needed to maintain services and to ensure continued delivery of adequate and effective Police Services.

Q

3.4 million is allocated to the 25-member growth supporting priorities and strategic directions for the Ops, including 20 growth officers allocated to our Frontline operations and five gross civilian civilian positions to support operations.

Q

Six hundred thousand dollars is out is being allocated to key budget priority projects, including four hundred thousand dollars for a digital information management system and two hundred thousand dollars to begin to stand up a cyber crime unit Ops continues to be committed to seeking ways to reduce operating costs while achieving core objectives. The 2023 budget includes five hundred thousand dollars in efficiencies.

Q

The user fee increase Alliance to the board's user fee policy and ensures that user fee grows at the same Pace as the costs. This budget also aligns to the motion approved by the board to waive fees for all volunteer background checks for the duration of the pandemic.

Q

Next slide, please, this table highlights the breakdown of the 2023 gross operating budget. 83 percent of our budget is allocated to compensation which includes costs of member moving through their salary steps, uh provision for negotiated pay, increases and officer growth. Eight percent is allocated towards material supply and services, which include fuel for our Fleet, uniform and safety supplies for members, maintenance for facilities and it infrastructure required training and development, as well as Professional Services.

Q

Six percent of the total budget is allocated to the capital formation, which supports the life cycle and infrastructure related costs for Fleet, I.T and equipment related costs to support the delivery of adequate and effective Police Services.

Q

Three percent is attributed to City related support costs such as program facility costs and other related Support Services, where Ops and the city are integrated next slide. Please this table highlights the 2023 Capital envelope that ensures assets such as Fleet facilities and information technology are replaced as required.

Q

The 60 million dollar budget is allocated based on two categories. The first is the renewal of assets which will include Fleet facilities, life cycle information technology infrastructures and the life cycle of other specialized assets. The second categories around strategic initiatives, which include the South facility and make up the majority of this category and growth in this area. I'll now turn it back over to Cherry Valley King.

P

Do you have any questions, would you any questions for us.

E

Okay, I'll remind members of council that if you have questions on the presentation or on the process going forward, you may ask them now. um uh The more detailed questions about contents of the budget Etc will be uh at the uh as part of the police board process.

E

Okay, uh counselor Menard.

R

Thank you uh very much uh mayor and thanks for the presentation today uh and welcome to the the new Chief uh and uh good to see uh Madam, balaket and uh DC Bell here as well.

R

um I uh I noticed in the internal factors and external factors that you had mentioned over task: Police, Service members and I every time I meet with police internally. They tell me the same thing: they feel overtasked uh and then the external factors of inadequate support on uh mental health, addictions and housing, security and so I guess. The question is given this: both this Council and the past Council have passed.

R

Comprehensive motions on Mental Health supports uh supports for diverting calls away from calls that you're receiving around homelessness mental health, uh drug addiction towards non-police intervention, uh Social, Service intervention, I, guess I. Just wonder your support for that uh both anecdotally and uh eventually I hope in in the budget to start to transfer some of those resources over towards those needed uh interventions. So just great to get your your views on that. Given the council priority with this term and last term for for moving in this direction,.

G

uh Thank you mayor to councilman. Thank you for the question. There is no doubt about my support for uh working with the social agency City Hall, to find ways where we can reduce um the demand for police to go to some mental health calls for service, there's, certainly a percentage that we will definitely have to go to.

G

But there is uh a number there where, if I think, if we, when we work with our partners, we'll we can be successful in diverting those calls all together and I look forward to working with um with all the partners to achieve that and I think we have a lot of work to do on that, um because we haven't seen to date a significant number of calls where that has been realized.

G

If we do get to a mature point in that process, where we do see those calls being diverted and if and if I follow your your question correctly, counselor in regards to taking that money, perhaps from the police budget and investing it in those social services.

G

That is not something that I that I support um outwardly, because I do see a demand and a uh as you mentioned when you talk to our membership, they're overtasked, uh but they're over tasked with a number of things and as I outlined, there's more demands coming when it comes from protests or cyber crime, more work with violence against women. The list goes on.

G

um The mental health calls are a portion, but there's an overflow there that um taking that just off when I say just it's significant and I would I I'm, very supportive of it. I don't think, will um untask our members to where they're going to be comfortable. I'm. Very supportive of my last comment on this is for for the police to really drive down crime, and we see our numbers are high.

G

They have to have what we call unallocated time or proactive time uh to be able to focus on prolific offenders, focus on hot spot areas that are really driving crime, and we need to get them to a point where they have that time, 20 of their shift where they can devote to building Community engagement, making relationships going after prolific offenders that are really hurting our community and uh and taking our budget away and and lessening those uh those members, I think that'll be very difficult. Thank you mayor. Thank you very much mayor.

E

I'll just add, too, that uh there have been conversations uh within City Hall um uh within um community and Social Services on strategy going forward, which we'll have more information about in the in the weeks ahead, so that work is being done from within City Hall as well. Councilor Menard, uh councilor, Hubley.

S

Thank you very much. uh Thank you Chief and thank you to your rank and file for the service to our city. Very much appreciate it and uh appreciate your struggles to make do with the budget that we can offer to provide all the services.

S

So people are asking my one question is you're you're listed that you're hiring 25 new officers, uh it I wondering where that fits with attrition like how many will you lose, or you expect to lose this year to attrition, because your force is already one of the lowest uh per capita in the country and I. Think every counselor here gets the calls from the residents looking for more officers. So I want to make sure that we're not going to go into a negative number because of attrition with with only hiring 25.

S

G

Appreciate your comments, so the the 25 positions are new, that's growth, so we in our budget, we are anticipating um that attrition, retirements or those that leave uh leave the service, so those will be hired with the anticipated departure uh and it's it's a bit of a guess on how many we think, but there's a pattern over time and then, in addition to that, we will have 25 extra employees. Okay,.

S

So 25 plus so you've got attrition coverage.

G

S

Thank you. That's that's the question I had thank you very much.

E

Thank you, councilor Hubley, councilor, troster,.

T

Hello uh welcome Chief, Stubbs and deputy chief Bell, it's very nice to meet you. My name is Ariel truster I'm, the city council for Somerset Ward um I, don't need to tell you about the devastating impact of the Convoy uh on residents who live downtown and the abject system. Failure that we all experienced um my question to you, because you do mention the increased threat of these kinds of large vehicle-based deaths in Ottawa.

T

um What conversations have you engaged in with with the with the federal government about contributing to policing costs associated with demonstrations of that nature, because we know the political Target? Is the federal government Mr Mayor you're, welcome to to chime in too? My question is: to what degree should the city be paying for security measures associated with protests that are targeting the federal government yeah.

E

So I can speak to that. I'll also say again: I want to make sure that we um and I've already heard from several counselors via text. We got to keep the questions here at a high level about the process and there will be an opportunity to address those questions as the budget moves forward. But we're not we're not considering questions today that are you know, beyond the the process of the budget itself or clarifying something that was in the presentation.

E

um These. Some of these questions sound more like the questions that should be asked at a later time and I'm not trying to be uh stickler for the rules, but that's the you know. That's the way it rolls out.

E

I will say: councilor troster that it's certainly a priority of mine to make sure that the federal government engages uh with us um and provides the right level of funding to acknowledge the fact that we that the taxpayers of Ottawa pay for the cost not only of a Municipal Police Service but of a police service for the nation's capital and the residents of other communities. Don't have that challenge, um and so we need.

E

uh We need the right level of funding from the federal government to ensure that we have the resources available to respond to an increasing number of protests and demonstrations, particularly in the downtown core, but not exclusively, and therefore um you know- and we can't just keep um sort of doing a makeshift response to those you know bringing in police from other jurisdictions and then sending the federal government the bill afterwards and hoping they they pay. Eventually, um we need a.

E

We need a better arrangement with the federal government that reflects the the unique situation Ottawa is in of having a local police force. That's responsible for policing, a national capital.

E

Thank you, councilor Brockington is your question in line with the uh thank.

M

You verification.

E

About the presentation.

U

Or about the process? Thank you mayor. uh Two questions. One is um to the city acting City, Treasurer I'm, looking to see uh to get some information in the coming days and weeks about um recent budgets prior to 2023.

U

That looks at what council approved for the annual budget for the Ops and what we actually finished the year with, because my understanding is, there's been a number of recent years where the Ops has struggled to meet the budget that we've approved and Council has had to contribute additional funds, so I'm looking for maybe the last couple of years. What did we approve?

U

What did we finish with and what did we actually have to contribute throughout the year to balance their budget and I asked that, because I want to make sure the budget before us is actually realistic? Second question I have to the Chief and I. Don't expect an answer today. I will follow up at the committee. I've been coming to those committee meetings for years is what does this budget not provide or cover off?

U

That you think, is important for us to be aware of, because I want to make sure that, if you're not able to provide certain services to the people of Ottawa, we're aware of that, as we deliberate your budget that you presented to us Ideal World, if you could wave your magic wand, what would this budget include? That's not being included. I I would like to know that information so I'll just park that today and thank you for your presentation.

E

Thank you, councilor Brockington I, don't see any more hands up so chair, Valley k, Chief Stubbs, deputy chief Bill. Thank you for your presentation is the. uh Is the report uh received and tabled.

E

E

Okay. Let's move next to the presentation from the Ottawa Public Library for their 2023 draft budget estimates and I'm excited to welcome the the new Chief librarian and chief executive officer, Sonia Bevington and uh councilor luloff I believe you're, going to open things up.

V

Thank you very much. Mr Mayor.

V

J

A chair of the board of the public library of Ottawa I have the honor of presenting the preliminary budget of 2023 of the library with our uh Sonia Chief librarian Sonia bebington.

W

The first time, but certainly not the last time that you'll hear me, say that I am grateful to be the chair of the Ottawa Public Library board. We have in our city, North America's largest bilingual Public Library System, serving more than one million residents.

W

Our library system is underpinned by the impassioned work of the hundreds of employees across our city who are dedicated to making our communities better.

W

Public libraries are among the last true free public spaces and represent a democratic Democratic good, and the role that public libraries play in a democracy is expansive at its core. The library is a free public space where residents can access information, musical instruments, materials, museum tickets, the literature and so much more, regardless of their income, their background, their ethnicity, their gender or any other human quality. That too often serve to divide us rather than unite us.

W

There's never been a better time to become a card holder of the Ottawa Public Library, with Council solid support, we're building a world-class facility in partnership with indigenous and federal Partners, we've eliminated late fees and removed barriers for low-income and busy families with 3D, printing Innovative programming, musical instruments and more we're redefining what a library can be.

W

Our motto is: if it's out there it's in here and with our bold and liberal intellectual Freedom policy is not simply a slogan that brings us to today and how, with your support in 2023, we can ensure that the opl is best positioned to meet the needs of our growing City.

W

The draft 2023 budget being presented here today is based on the opl board, approved Financial framework.

V

In augmentation budget.

J

For 2023 introduces an improve a two of 2.41 million. As you can see, this number is in line with the criteria established by City Council in December.

W

From which funds are allocated to operations, capital and growth initiatives, the draft budget allocates funding to advance the board's priorities by providing resources for Community Development, promoting the value of the opl, committing to public engagement on services and investing in new technologies to increase Community Access, something that I know. My rural colleagues are quite pleased to hear about.

V

V

J

To these initiatives, the budgets with you will replace some assets and system that will be used for Service delivery in the next chapter of our history.

J

Mr Mayor I just want to be clear that in this budget we will continue to build the future of the Ottawa Library Network. The budget includes some funding for Riverside South and the first payment for the new library in Bar Haven.

X

Thank you if you can advance the slide, please thank you, chair Mr, Mayor, counselors, I'm, very happy to be here.

J

You can see the overview for the opl draft budget.

X

Shows of the board is kept within the directed range from Council, which was between 2.3 and 2.7 million dollars. Our total budget ask is 2.41 million. The library has Revenue expectations of 1.7 million dollars per year. Of that nearly 1.4 million is provided by the province of Ontario, the ministry of Heritage sport, tourism and culture.

X

The balance of the expected revenues are from short-term rentals for meeting rooms, photocopying Library materials, replacement charges and expired holds. The library is expecting revenues to Hold Steady. This will increase the total Library budget to 58.745 million dollars in 2023.

X

There will also be Investments by our city Partners in the maintenance or replacement of core Building Systems at a number of branches which, if approved, will bring the total investment in the library to 61.28 million.

X

Next slide, please.

X

After addressing mandatory items, which represent 1.3 million for items such as cost of living allowances, facility related operational increase and an increase to insurance premiums, we are requesting funding to address items of strategic importance to the board. The first is funding to enhance Community, Development and programming for vulnerable communities.

X

Secondly, we are seeking 190 000 in one-time funding to support the corporate branding initiative and the development of the service delivery framework, as approved by the board in 2022..

X

Finally, we are seeking 980 000 to add nine full-time, equivalent positions. This cost represents the total cost of salaries, wages and benefits, and I'll share more detail on the next slide.

X

I'm pleased to advise that, through the efforts of staff for a second year in a row, we've been able to find internal efficiencies to fund annual increases in licensing and maintenance. So you'll see there's no pressure associated with this funding for 2023..

X

All in all, the requested funding increase for 2023 is relatively equally distributed between addressing mandatory pressures and advancing strategic initiatives, all of which are well aligned with the opl board's directions.

X

Next slide, please so in terms of the FTE request, the library remains mindful of our long-term Strategic Staffing requirements where we request nine full-time positions of these five will be used immediately and permanently in the following capacities. One, a new manager of public services within the branch services division will allow the opl to rebalance oversight of our current Blanche Branch clusters, considering Community demographics and geography, adding capacity more equitably throughout the system to better respond to client needs.

X

Additionally, we are requesting four positions for Community, Development and client experience. This new team will focus on these two key key areas, considering the synergies in uncovering understanding and meeting client and Community needs.

X

More specifically, these positions will be used to advance Community Development and provide support to vulnerable neighborhoods oversee the client experience, including providing leadership on accessibility at the opl, manage digital content creation for the virtual experience, including overseeing our website, and further opl's existing and strong relationship with the anishinabe Algonquin host nation and urban indigenous communities, with an initial focus on developing the indigenous spaces and services within the central branch at atasoka, in which we find alignment with elements proposed earlier by Council this morning.

X

Further to the five positions above, we are requesting an additional four positions to be added permanently to our staff complement. These positions will be needed in the longer term to spec to staff, spaces and services, as new branches come online and in the interim will be used temporarily as follows.

X

One FTE for our service delivery framework to assist in finalizing the Frameworks and strategies, including public engagement, one position for automated staff scheduling through to early 2025 to support the implementation of a new, automated staff scheduling system, a project that was delayed due to the pandemic, but which is critical to improving efficiencies and, finally, two positions for facilities. Project support.

X

These two positions are required as we support the facilities team to bring online the approved facilities between 2026 and 2028, which are Riverside, South, far Haven and, of course, the central branch at edisoke.

X

They will support next steps in the development of a facility's master plan and assist in completing the asset management plan, as required by the province.

X

Full details on all of the operating requests are in the report for your review and consideration next slide. Please.

X

Within the 58.745 million budget, total staff recommend a 2023 Capital program of 2.33 million leveraging development charges moving down to strategic initiatives. Staff are requesting funding to Pilot technology to provide after-hours access to opl's Metcalf Village Branch as a way to maximize the community benefit of this space for non-library related Community Access under growth. You will see the two board approved facilities of Riverside, South and barhaven reflected with a majority of funding coming from available development charges.

X

The remainder of the funding is for facility and Technology improvements and life cycling, including a 2.535 million City allocated contribution for life cycle and accessibility, improvements to facilities all combined. The total Capital program for 2023 is approximately 10 million dollars. With that I conclude the overview of the library's proposed budget for 2023 and I'll hand. It back to you chair for the final slide.

W

Colleagues, as you can see, the opl is a model for the efficient use of public funds. The fiscal responsibility organ our organization is shown is incredible, and I want to thank our excellent staff for their hard work on this budget. I also want to thank the treasurer's office for continuing to be a good partner to the opl. Thank you very much. Thank you for your support today for the opl. If you don't have one a card, yet what are you waiting for and you don't have to take it from me?

W

Just ask Jeff Lieber how awesome the opl is, how many books do you have on hold right now, Jeff.

W

Several dozen I think uh we thank you Mr, Mayor and college for your support for the proposed 2023 Library budget.

E

Thank you, councilor luloff, thank you to the chief librarian as well um and councilorov. Thank you for your passion for the Ottawa Public Library. It's certainly uh certainly uh appreciated um so again, questions from counselors, please keep these focused on uh the presentation or the process. um I will not allow any questions about book recommendations. Anything like that. Counselor dewash.

Y

um I see, uh let me see them out and thank you to uh the chair and to the the library staff for the presentation and I'll keep it to a high level, really thrilled to see um some very tangible plans for serving some of the growth areas after uh many many many years.

Y

So uh look forward to to working with you again at a high level on a branch for Riverside South that will go a long way to creating I think a complete Community where people will not have to travel outside the community to access what I think is a very core service for the city of Ottawa. So again, thank you for that. I know we're going to have further talks with the community, and- and um you know this is a project that I think will really leverage the uh the new station in Riverside Southwest.

Y

That's up and running so look forward to working with you and thank you for the work you're doing.

E

Councilor Menard.

R

Thanks very much mayor, thank you. So much for the presentation and uh I'm very pleased to have you miss Bevington here as well. uh Welcome and I know the chair has been working hard. um This is one of the you know, I think best kind of uh organizations we've got in this city and just really appreciate all your all your work, um because it really is a breath. uh It covers the breadth of every single resident in Ottawa in terms of the service that you offer. So thank you um in in the budget you've tabled.

R

um Do you think that this is going to expand our our Sunday service um for branches with what's been tabled, or is that something that um may come in the future?.

X

Thank you uh for the question at this point. um What we're looking to do is get back to uh pre-pandemic hours of operation and we're not there yet, and that is what's allowed for in this budget.

X

We did some public consultation on hours of operation, which included questions on Sunday hours, that data is being reviewed and that would come forward in the fall and so would be germane to next year's budget cycle. Thanks for the question, thank.

R

You so much thanks mayor.

E

Thank you, councilor Menard, councilor, Kavanaugh,.

Z

Thank you very much for your presentation and uh we very much appreciate the public library system. You were talking about vulnerable communities. Does that imply um reaching out um with your portable with your bus system.

X

Our vision of Community, Development and vulnerable communities includes alternative services, but also those relationships and Partnerships with vulnerable communities where they are so it takes a multi-pronged approach. That's why you see uh additional resources being dedicated to that to that function, so it would. It would include both of those okay.

Z

Thank you and what about for future development? Are you looking at Transit oriented development constructs me that libraries should be considered for that as well, that we integrate libraries into the new stations or nearest new stations as I've been looked at I'm sorry, I didn't hear the question for Transit near Transit uh stations.

Z

um We talk about Transit, oriented development and it's been raised by residents that uh it would be great to have libraries near those stations as well, because then it's accessible to everyone has that been considered.

X

It has as part of our facilities framework, that's a framework that was approved by the board in November of 2022, and that outlines what factors are considered for. The site. Criteria for developing branches and Transit is certainly one of the factors considered.

Z

Thank you because that would be very important with uh the fact that we're intensifying around these areas, so a larger population and um and a lot of affordable housing. Hopefully thank you.

E

Thank you, councilor Kavanaugh,.

E

Okay, I I think that's it. Thank you very much. Is there oh I'm, sorry I didn't recognize that name because it's counselor Hill I apologize. It's it. uh It just looked like some random person on the zoom call to me. So no we're good, because it's not your.

AA

Phone Mr Roy had counselor. No thank you very much. uh This question or this comment really speaks to I, think uh councilor Kavanaugh's uh Point, uh you know. Certainly, if you look at the good work, that's been planned by the opl uh I.

AA

Think the the new barhaven Branch, that's looking to open, is exactly speaking to what uh councilor Kavanaugh speaking to because it's going to be at the Confluence of two uh key lines in north south and an East, West and I think it speaks exactly to that concept of Transit oriented development for public spaces. Thank you.

E

Thank you, councilor Hill, thank you again to the chief librarian and your team. Thank you again. Councilor luboff.

E

Okay, we will move next to a presentation from the Ottawa Board of Health uh for their draft operating budget for 2023 and as they are approaching, along with the chair of the board of health, counselor kits a point of order.

W

V

E

Sorry, thank you. Yeah yeah is the. um Is the report received and tabled? Thank you.

E

So, um just before you begin your presentation, uh I want to say thank you on behalf of the people of Ottawa for all of the extraordinary work over the last three years. Now, almost three years, it'll be three years next month since the pandemic began um so Dr etches and the entire team at Ottawa Public Health. Thank you so much for your extraordinary efforts. Over the last uh three years, counselor kits um I'll turn it over to you.

AB

Thank you, Mr Mayor. We have a presentation that we'll get up I have good morning um in my speaking notes, so I got in there just just under the wire so good morning, Mr mayor council, colleagues in the senior leadership team, I'm joined by Dr Vera etches, our medical officer of health and by Joanne Henderson white Ottawa, Public, Health manager of performance and Corporate Services.

AB

As we table the 2023 draft operating budget for the Ottawa Board of Health oakh has worked with the city's finance department to finalize its 2023 draft operating budget, and the proposed operating budget focuses on Lessons Learned, From covid-19, as well as input from Ottawa community members partners and the oph team.

AB

It continues to promote prevention, health promotion, equity and reconciliation with First, Nations, Inuit and metis people next slide. Please, the 2023 draft operating budget for the Ottawa Board of Health is aligned with City council's budget direction for 2023..

AB

It assumes a zero percent provincial base increase from The Province, and it further assumes that all one-time covid-19 requirements will be provincially funded at 100, as the province has committed to doing next slide. Please.

AB

This is an operating budget of 128 million, which is broken down as follows: 77 million in base funding and 51.1 million in one-time covid-19 funding requests to cover costs associated with coven 19..

AB

It also represents a total of 99 million in provincial Revenue, a city of Ottawa contribution of 27 million and 1.4 million from other sources of revenue.

AB

Budget changes for 2023 include an inflationary, growth-based budget increase of 1.24 million from the city of Ottawa to address the cost of living adjustment and 51.1 million in one-time covid-19 funding from the province with the cost of living, slash growth, increase of 1.2 million overall. This represents a 1.5 percent increase in oph's overall budget from 2022 to 2023..

AB

With respect to the one-time, covid funding throughout 2022 costs were managed through ongoing assessments and program reviews such that the spending on covid-19 dropped over the year. The same is expected for 2023 that regular examination of covid-19 needs and resourcing will lead to less expenditure on covid-19 in 2023 next slide. Please some of oph's programs and services are 100 provincially funded, whereas some are 100 City funded, though the majority are costs shared between the city and Province, based on a 70 30 cost sharing formula with the province covering the higher percentage.

AB

This slide provides examples of the programs and services that fall into each category, as well as those where there are other sources of revenues such as fees or recoveries.

AB

Colleagues may recall that in 2019, The Province changed the funding formula, moving from a 75 25 split to the current 70 30 split. Since then, the province has been providing mitigation funding to offset the impact on municipalities.

AB

The 2023 budget also assumes that the 70 provincial 30 Municipal funding formula for cost share programs and the provincial approach to offset the funding formula shift with mitigation funding of about 3 million for oph will not change in 2023.

AB

as a result of the disruption that pandemic response continues to have on its core programs and services. Oph anticipates greater budget pressures heading into 2024..

AB

Priorities of urgent concern include immunizing children against vaccine preventive preventable diseases, particularly the growing number who don't have access to a family doctor preventing the spread of infectious diseases other than covet 19.

AB

addressing the mental health and addictions intervention needs of Ottawa residents, especially those who have been disproportionately impacted by the kova 19 pandemic, and the growing need to support parents to give their children A Healthy Start in life due to a lack of family physicians, who are able to accept newborns in Ottawa, oph, has seen increased demand for home visits and drop-in clinics for parents and their young children.

AB

Additional human and financial resources are required to address the growing needs in these four priority areas. As you can see on this slide examples of cost. Shared programs include healthy growth and development, an example of this being drop-ins for new Parents food safety, substance use and some mental health programming.

AB

Proventially funded programs include Ontario, seniors, Dental, Care, Program and Indigenous health. Examples of city-funded programs include some mental health and school Outreach, and some injury prevention programs and other sources of revenue include fees and services. Oh hip, billing and dental recoveries next slide. Please so. That concludes our presentation. Thank you for your attention. New video voters that are called avocausto I'll see.

J

O

J

To answer your questions.

E

About process and and um about the contents of the presentation for clarification, uh anything like that counselor Curry.

AC

Thank you very much for this. um My one question is: are we in your budget? Are we assuming you are prepared for any changes to Bill 124.

AD

uh That that does not factor into this budget that does not factor into this budget.

AC

um So if there was a significant change, there would be a further assumption that the province would uh cover it.

AD

We've been negotiating Collective agreements, so we have to continue to follow that process and any pressures from Collective agreements will will be built into future budgets.

AC

Okay, I'll look more into this later on. Thanks.

E

Thank you, councilor Curry, counselor Menard thanks.

R

Very much mayor and thanks for all of your good work, I was a board member last term and just seeing all the excellent work that oph does and obviously welcoming of the new chair, and you know the good job that they'll do I wanted to um just ask about the percentage increase. That's allocated in your budget, so you've got 2.5 percent, that's obviously different.

R

Depending on how many hundreds of millions of dollars uh a program may receive so for you I believe the city portion is about 60, their odd million, so your increases is fairly low um comparatively to to other budget light items that might have a larger budget to start with. So so, given the demands on Ottawa, Public Health and the services that you need is that 2.5 percent going to be enough to deliver.

R

um You know the services for for the city, particularly those services that were kind of decommissioned um during covid in order to respond to the the pandemic.

AD

Thank you for your question. Counselor just to be really clear are the municipal contribution is 27 million overall, and the increase from 2022 to 2023 is 1.2 million from the city, and, and so yes, of course, the proportion works out differently based on what the the size is in terms of what we're foreshadowing is some increased pressure for 2024..

AD

We are planning with this budget before you today to return to the full scope of Public Health practice, which is focused on prevention.

AD

It's focused on making sure we target Services where the needs are greatest, um but we are seeing these pressures that the chair mentioned immunization mental health and addictions, getting a Healthy Start supporting parents and the infectious diseases that go beyond covet, and so we are um anticipating there'll, be some challenges to be able to do all we need to do into the future without further discussions about how this provincial contribution also will shift.

R

Thank you so much I'm glad to hear that and- and um you know, I think encouraged by the fact that you're going to come back in 2024 with an honest assessment of where we need to go as a city with with oph, and um just appreciate that very much thanks mayor.

E

Thank you, councilor Menard and again, thank you for the presentation is the: uh is the 2023 draft budget uh received and tabled?

E

Thank you again.

E

All right with that, uh let's return to item 8.1 on the agenda um and again uh counselors can ask uh questions of of Staff about the 2023 draft operating and capital budgets, so encourage you again that, as we are only tabling the budget today, only high level questions on the presentation or related to process and procedure will be in order. Today. Detailed questions and debate will occur at committee and at the March 1st meeting of council uh counselor Hubley.

S

Thank you uh one question uh for Cyril: please, the reduction of 50 million in the reserves I think 53 million in the reserves is that the first time since amalgamation that we've obviously uh come in with a budget where we're lowering the results.

M

uh Mr Mayor I can get back to you on the action because it's a long time for him to cover off the top of my head. But again what I can tell you is there's no concern. Our Reserve balance is still in right in the mark, where they need to be as part of Reserve policy and as I mentioned, given the nature of the rate infrastructure program, there is Peaks and valleys as much as possible.

M

We try and have a more steady state, but given the nature of some significant Investments, you do see it uh increase in 2023.. Once you look at the transmittal report, there is a nice chart in there that kind of illustrates the investments in the rate program and you will see a little dip in investments in 2024.

M

So that's another example of kind of the ups and downs and then again, when you go back to 2020 2021, we did, through the mitigation strategies, withhold a lot of deferrals uh we're now at a point now, where that's been all pushed back out, so we've been slowly kind of getting that funding back out into the system to kind of get ahead and not create a bigger backlog by holding that funding more.

M

So that's why you see that little bit of a dip this year versus sometimes traditionally but I, can certainly give you a little bit of a summary going back longer term. Okay,.

S

Thank you I appreciate that. Thank you. Thank you.

AE

Councilor Hubley councilor Brown, thank you, Mr Mayor, and thank you very much to staff for the presentations today, um high level question Mr Mayor back in November there was a very uh robust discussion about a line by line review and reviewing our programs and services and I took the opportunity during the other presentations to go through the transmittal report. In document for details out a working group, that's going to be established to go through this um I'd just like to know how these recommendations will come forward to inform future budgets.

M

So Mr Mayor, so basically, what we put forward is is a what I would consider a very strong and robust structural framework and as we go through the budget process and and come back March 1st for adoption. That's where you'll see that kind of solidify. In terms of you know who will be part of that review and then our goal is to hit the ground running like this. This budget does have some efficiencies and we want to move forward where we're actually going to flow some of that work and commit to doing that work.

M

So as we go through the term as we go through 2024 budget process, we'll see some of those those enhancements are in some of those uh outcomes of those reviews reflected in 2024.

AE

Look forward to seeing that. Thank you very much. Mr Mayor.

E

Thank you, councilor Brown, councilor, Johnson,.

AF

Thank you. Thank you for the presentation. I just was hoping you could expand on uh at the beginning of your presentation. You spoke about Hydro Ottawa as being a key partner for advancing some of our climate change goals and and I wonder if you could just highlight how that relationship, Works um and and what the financial implications are for that.

M

So Mr Mayor, the counselor I, believe Mr Mayor mentioned that that kind of scope. So if I can pass it over to you to kind of elaborate and.

E

Sure I think- and um there are more details- will come in the in the days ahead because it's still being worked on, but I think there's an opportunity to work with Hydro Ottawa and use their resources to build charging stations uh throughout the city to retrofit. We're talking about a pilot project to retrofit a major city building, uh perhaps one of the older um and more energy inefficient buildings among those that we own so that we're saving money in the future and and also reducing emissions.

E

There's opportunities with Hydro Ottawa to continue to replace street lights with LED lights, which are more energy efficient, um and there are you know there are a couple of other things that we can do, potentially working with them and using their expertise and their resources to make these things happen.

AF

Okay, I have a couple more questions about that relationship, but I'll I'll follow up. Thank you.

E

Okay, thank you is uh the 2023 draft operating and capital budget received and tabled.

H

Thank you. Everyone.

E

We'll now move to uh item 14 on the agenda, which is uh the 2023 fleet vehicle and Equipment plan information supplemental to the budget estimates is that received and tabled, and then next we have the two thousand uh 22 full-time employee analysis report: supplemental to the budget estimates is that received and tabled?

E

Okay, thank you. Everyone and now we are going to move to the report from the Transit Commission um the financial update for zero emission bus program funding, um and uh would anyone like to speak to this report from the trans uh from the Transit Commission.

S

E

Okay, before we get to that counselor Gower I, believe you have a technical, Amendment.

AG

Go ahead, I do! Thank you. Yes, this is a uh an amendment uh to the accessibility impact section of the report. This was circulated earlier this morning, whereas at its meeting on February 1st 2023 Council will consider a report. Titled Financial update for zero emission bus program funding and whereas information pertaining to accessibility was inadvertently emitted from the reports.

AG

Accessibility impact section therefore be resolved that the report's accessibility impact section be amended to include the following and I won't read this text, but this is stemming from a presentation, a Transit Commission from the cnib, and they rightly pointed out that the accessibility section of the report should have had some more information about how accessibility impacts are being addressed through this particular program and thank you, councilor Menard, for a second.

E

Okay, um does anyone want to speak specifically to that motion?

E

Anyone who has their hand up currently want to speak. Okay. Is the motion carried okay? Thank you. Everyone! um Let's move next to councilor Brockington.

U

Thank you mayor. um Thank you to my colleagues who uh had a wholesome discussion at the special meeting last week. Regrettably, I was not able to make it due to an emo board meeting and uh appreciate the documentation that was shared uh to with me by both the chair and GM and I.

U

Have some follow-up questions and I'll just frame I guess my level of of concern at this time, despite still being supportive of this project, the main concern that my residents have is the functionality of e-buses in our climate, and so that's sort of the context of my set of questions today um so to the general manager. The pilot project that you drew some conclusions on was based on up to four buses for a short period of time.

U

Can you confirm that you are satisfied with the results of that pilot, and do you believe that a sufficient number of buses for efficient period of time was used for you to draw that conclusion?.

AH

The quick answer is yes,.

AH

I

Four electric buses they were, they went, they actually went over 200 000 kilometers. Together they went through the whole winter. We started the pilot project in February 2022, so it's been one year. At the same time, they were able to go through 12 000 kilometers.

I

So this is a very good average. If we compare it to our diesel buses, we continue to do some benchmarking with our worldwide Partners I'm, very happy to announce today that we will have a project with UTP.

AH

I

Will be receiving electric buses, we will be able to evaluate the comfort for passengers and we will be able to compare it to our colleagues around the world and it will be a pleasure for me to provide you with all of the information. We continue to work with the different teams.

AH

I

Looking at parameters and indicators- and we try and we keep on going because today, it's very cold so we'll see how it goes.

U

Any concerns or issues on the performance of our e-buses in winter in particular, it does get cold I, think we park snow and ice, because my real issue is the the functionality of the performance of the batteries in cold weather. Can you speak to that point specifically? Please.

AH

I

Problem once more in 2022 during the winter season, it was good.

AH

I

Battery is able is fairly autonomous. It's much more than expected, so very good results today is going to be a very good day for a test. It's very cold outside this will be a good day to test these buses I'm, very confident with everything that I've been observing in. Following the recommendation of the auditor general, we decided to reduce.

AH

I

Of buses will be receiving only 26.

AH

I

We'll continue doing our due diligence with that.

U

Can you explain to me when we go to purchase fleets of buses the criteria that you put on the manufacturer to meet certain conditions for winter performance? Can you elaborate on that point for me, please.

AH

Mr Mayor I have Danville nerve online is very.

I

Little Nev is with me online. You understand very well the situation and we'll be able to answer your question.

AI

Mr Mayor: let's answer the question around requirements within a procurement, so for these four pilot buses that we've procured the requirement was that the buses must perform a range of 250 kilometers in all uh temperature range within the city of Ottawa, based on the the passenger capacity uh within that bus and those were the requirements. Thank you.

U

Thank you. Will there be a contractual obligation for the manufacturer to meet so that if we receive the buses they're put into service, we get cold Winters the buses don't perform, particularly the batteries do not perform. What is our recourse with the supplier to protect the taxpayer.

AH

I

To have some warranties, this is also part of one of the recommendations that we receive from the auditor.

AH

AH

I

Have to be a little bit more aggressive when we're requesting warranties for the batteries in we did it. We will follow closely with the manufacturer.

U

For you, madam general manager, is the um the estimation of hydro or electricity costs over time. Can you or Finance talk to me about what are we estimating over time the increase of electricity to be from Hydro Ottawa foreign.

AH

I

More I will give the floor to Daniel vinev, but I can't say that in front of the Transit Commission.

AH

Relation with idolatawa what will be the consummation Etc and what we will need to put in place to make sure that we'll be able to run those e-buses Danielle. Please.

AI

Thank you very much Mr Mayor, to talk about the hydro consumption So within the CIB agreement. We worked with them on the estimated Hydro consumption versus the diesel consumption of our current buses, and also working with our partners at Hydro Ottawa on the energy management for moving forward.

U

I I just want to clarify my question that the table I saw in the presentation was very good. Here. Are the operating costs for diesel versus electric, but are we in our model anticipating a 2.5 percent increase of hydro costs over time? Do you already have a fixed rate contract with Hydro Ottawa? How are you estimating the medium to long-term cost of electricity use, since our electricity bill is now going to be that much higher.

AI

Thank you, Mr Mayor, I. Don't have that information available right in front of me but happy to get back to you on that, but within the CIB agreement there was an escalation year over year on the increase of electricity anticipated.

U

Fair enough, okay! Thank you. My last question is to the auditor general. If I could ask her to chime in on everything that we have before us and in front of us today to decide. Do you have any comments that you would like to provide a city council.

AJ

Mr Mayor, as I've already mentioned to a few members of council, we have an audit report that is scheduled to be tabled on February 17th at our next audit committee meeting and that covers the funding mechanisms and agreements with regards to zero emission buses program.

AJ

um Had we any concerns that have yet to be tabled that I thought would impact the overall decision of council today I would have brought those to the attention of the chair of the audit committee as well as yourself, Mr Mayor.

U

Thank you, and just for the record you have no additional concerns to raise at this time. Is that correct, Mr.

AJ

Mayor, yes, that is correct. Okay,.

U

Thank you thanks.

E

Thank you, councilor Brockington, councilor, Hill,.

AA

Thank you, Mr Mayor, uh and thank you to uh chair, Gower uh Vice, chair, uh Curry, uh GM ml care for uh for putting together the short notice meeting that we had on Friday uh I found it to be uh very informative over the past weekly opportunity to engage with all of the the key stakeholders and I think the city is going to get some good value from that.

AA

um The the biggest concern that I have and I raise this at Council last week is reliability uh and I'm I'm concerned that uh if we don't progress uh with this project, we will find ourselves in a situation where we have a bus, rust out problem, and that becomes a more acute problem than the consideration for the new technology that this is looking at.

AA

I do have concerns about the newness of this technology and the process we've gone through in terms of uh uh the the piloting uh and how we're going to be kind of jumping with with both feet into this Lake, uh but at the same time, I recognize that uh there is risks to be held here and I appreciate.

AA

One of the comments that was made at Transit Commission on Friday, with one of my colleagues that this is in fact one of the most uh well risk managed projects that the city has done for a capital procurement in a number of years. So I very much appreciate that and I think that, in order to ensure both transparency to the public and the opportunity to uh to adjust as necessary as we move forward, I would for the following directions for staff if they'd be willing to receive them.

AA

First, that the staff report to Transit Commission annually, with timing to be determined in consultation between the Transit Commission chair and the general manager manager of transit services on the use, reliability and cost Savings of the city's Fleet of zero emission buses. With recommendations as to whether the plan Council has approved should be maintained or adjusted.

AA

Two that staff provide explanation, explanatory information to Transit Commission annually in the context of the annual capital budget approval process, to outline the numbers and types of buses that are planned for acquisition in the upcoming year and three, that staff continuously review industry, Trends, available Technologies and energy Supply options for zero emission buses and that staff report to the Transit Commission. As soon as is practical when there are major changes in the marketplace. Along with recommendations as to whether the plan Council has approved should be revised.

AA

uh With those guardrails in place, uh Mr Mayor uh I'll be voting in support of this motion and thank everybody involved in the process. Thank you.

E

Thank you, councilor Hill, counselor, Kelly,.

AK

Thank you, mayor and uh I want to begin by thanking uh Miss, amelkar and her team for the really hard work that it that you've obviously put into to this project and I know that you and your team come in every day and and try to make sure that there's a transit system, that's reliable and dependable for the blue bottle. Well so I I do want to thank you for that, um and I want to acknowledge the magnitude of the issue that that is, climate change. I I share the goals.

AK

This city has to do everything it can to get to Net, Zero and I do believe that we all have to play a role in uh in addressing the fighting against climate change. In fact later in this meeting, I'm going to provide notice of motion uh for a to get a municipal support uh for a battery power storage project in my ward to help prepare our grid for the shift to a low carbon economy.

AK

But, as the mayor mentioned in his opening remarks, we are working hard as a city to rebuild confidence in our Transit. System. I also feel strongly that we must rebuild trust as well in the process. The report to the auto by the Ottawa Light Rail transit public inquiry highlighted some troubling aspects of the procurement and testing of stage. One LRT I know that this is not LRT, but naturally this process has shaken the trust and confidence in the city's ability to procure and deliver a reliable system.

AK

There are a lot of new counselors around this table and this council's time exploring this particular initiative has really been limited to the last week and I know that that has made some of my colleagues nervous along with me. If this procurement does not work, it will be on us, not the last Council I share. My constituents concerns that the pilot project was too short and limited in scope compared to other jurisdictions. Considering a similar shift to Electric puzzles I feel that this decision has been rushed to support.

AK

This decision has been rushed based on timelines for particular to access particular grants and Loans from other levels of government. I am concerned that the primary driver behind this timeline is access to these particular funds and that this Council has not had enough input uh to the to the process.

AK

This is only a few months after an election where Transit procurements were a topic of great interest and even an award where we don't have access to Transit I heard about these issues every door I went to during the summer.

AK

There has been time taken to answer the questions and clarify some of the issues and the concerns that people around this table do have and I do appreciate the time that everyone has taken to do that, along with some of my colleagues like counselor Gower who's been trying to get me over the line for the last 24 hours on this and I I do appreciate that as well as councilor Menard, um so I.

AK

So I I really do appreciate that and I want everyone to realize that I'm not opposing this, because it's electric buses, but more so I, just want to be extremely confident in in supporting it.

AK

So, while this is a stage process and we're only getting 26 buses this year, um the fact that more than half of this budget will be allocated in 2023 for the charging infrastructure means that, after 2023, once we're committed to this we're committed to this I, don't think the reviews on an annual basis are really going to change that because of the amount of money that's needed up front to put in these charging infrastructure.

AK

I think we're all sent here both to advance climate goals, while also being as prudent as ever with public dollars, delivering systems that work and are reliable. I am not 100 confident in this procurement, and for that reason, I will not be supporting this motion today. Thank you, Mr Mayor,.

E

Thank you, councilor Kelly, uh councilor, Lowe,.

AL

Thank you, mayor, um I, think I'm going to turn this up a little bit. uh There's no arguing Federal, funding and Loans will help us meet our emissions targets quicker than if we tackled it alone, but the data upon which we're basing today's decision is inadequate and insubstantial and would probably upset my high school data management teacher to clarify I, do support our environmental goals and I accept that e-buses appear to be the way forward. I'm, simply lamenting the lack of solid evidence to justify spending so much taxpayer money.

AL

Colleagues we're in a timeline practically parallel to the city's decision to purchase hybrid buses in the late 2000s at the time. Hybrid, electric propulsion, technology for larger Vehicles, like city buses, was uh still in still in its infancy. The promise of fuel and therefore cost Savings of up to 36 percent sold the city council of the day to approve the purchase of 177, hybrid buses that didn't work out and the buses were retired at 10 to 12 years old in 2020 and for context.

AL

Our oldest diesel buses are 19 years old, while our older batch of Arctic sorry articulated buses is pushing 16. before us is funding and a loan from the federal government to help accelerate Ru bus plans. Several loan conditions are based upon assumptions. The Assumption will achieve 55 000 kilometers per year per bus. The Assumption in ebus has a lifespan of 15 years and the assumption that cost savings will be realized. You know what they say about assuming doesn't make for sound financial decisions.

AL

If the technology does not live up to expectations, repayment will be waived, but replacing those Vehicles. The service issues that will arise and the further erosion of public trust is not a cost. I'm willing to load onto Municipal finances if successful operational savings and Fuel and maintenance that could be reinvested in the transit system would instead be diverted to loan repayment.

AL

Our friends at the Toronto Transit Commission have been testing a fleet of over sorry of 60 e-buses for almost four years, which is several orders of magnitude, greater in testing than we've achieved and yet still can't find the confidence to commit to a large-scale purchase. My point is: we bought into new technology in the past that technology has evolved and we need to let battery electric buses evolve, including end-of-life considerations, so we can justify spending money to replace the fleet most most of the fleet.

AL

There's no doubt e-buses will produce savings immediately, since the vehicles will be brand new compared to our existing Fleet. We know the vehicle itself will last a certain number of years, but there are no guarantees. The batteries will age as expected. We all know what happens to the batteries in our laptops and phones. After a few years Although, our pilot is going well exceeding expectations.

AL

In some cases, the four buses are just over a year old and have been in service for just one winter, far from truly simulating management of a larger Fleet from an operations and maintenance data standpoint. Ultimately, this will be nearly a billion dollar program and even though the federal government is carrying most of that price tag, there being just one taxpayer means a failed program, will still cost residents regardless of the funding source.

AL

One winter in service with a fleet of four is not good data to meaningfully base a decision with such heavy financial implications upon given the scale and magnitude of variables that can affect vehicle performance, I'm. Also, weary of relying on a loan to purchase them. Loans are better used to fund static assets like charging infrastructure and Facilities, not depreciating mobile assets.

AL

The LRT public inquiry reports, overarching theme, is a public interest and even though advancing our environmental goals is in the public interest, it must be balanced with the responsible stewardship of public funds. Colleagues, the loan isn't our only option. There will be future opportunities to purchase e-buses if the technology succeeds.

AL

For example, if several Transit agencies in Ontario determine e-buses are the way forward, metrolinks will likely add that option to their joint procurement initiative, or we can adopt steady state procurement on our own to take advantage of incremental advances in the technology, such as increases in battery capacity or the ability to replace the auxiliary diesel heater. For example, I understand new technologies ultimately need buy-in to be able to improve and evolve, but the loan is too great at risk at a time when the city should be more financially risk-averse. Thank you.

E

Thank you, councilor low, councilor, divine.

AM

um Thank you, Mr Mayor, uh thank you to my my Transit Commission colleagues for holding their recent substantive uh conversation on this procurement. Thank you, uh councilor Hill, for getting that conversation rolling, I'm glad we had that conversation. Thank you very much to OC Transpo, for um not only that fantastic document that you that we received from it, but for for standing up again and providing us with the information that we need uh on making this big decision I will be supporting this procurement.

AM

Asked about um General Community safety.

AM

um One issue as I understand it that comes with electric batteries, is the risk of what's called thermal Runaway, which is the situation where fires emanating from these batteries are typically a lot harder to extinguish than fires emanating from your typical combustibles.

AM

I did have a good conversation last night with the chief of Ottawa fire service about his Department's awareness of this situation and how there already are established best practices being adopted by fire departments worldwide to deal with these new risks, and so, for my sake and just for the sake of residents, listening I did want to ask emergency and protective services.

AM

If you believe that our fire department will have the tools and strategies in place and in time to be prepared for this potential Risk by the time we have the first phase of this Fleet in operation.

AN

Thank you, Mr Mayor I'd be happy to answer that. Yes, I have a full confidence in our fire service and their ability to deal with these types of risks. They currently have the tactics and training to deal with car fires of this nature, uh we're seeing an increase in in those numbers uh throughout our city um and uh we're also attending various different training. This is uh very big in Europe. There are already a lot of uh e-vehicles in Europe.

AN

um Thermal runaway is a concern, however, from a tactical perspective, it requires us to to bring a lot of water to the scene, which we can do in Ottawa, we're very good at that, as well as use specialized equipment and training to cool the batteries down enough so that they can be extinguished, but I have no concerns with the Ottawa fires ability to actually deal with this. Thank you. Thank you very much, sir. Thank you. Mr Mayor.

E

Thank you, councilor Devine, councilor, Menard,.

R

uh Thanks so much mayor and appreciate the discussion on this and the Friday session that we held I think was very useful to get all the details out. Have the questions asked and have staff do an excellent presentation there I I'll, just repeat that I, don't think there's ever been a more scrutinized purchase of of buses in City history.

R

This this is by far the most scrutinized purchase of buses and, as an example of that we've had the pilot project uh for which I've heard directly from drivers of these buses operating very well in cold weather. The decision is not just based on that pilot project, of course, uh but on the thousands of ebuses operating well in cold climates all around the world.

R

For many years, uh we've had two Sprint audits by our auditor general presented, uh and we haven't just had these audits, but we've been implementing the recommendations from them with a third Sprint audit, on the way that I understand won't present significant concerns for our program. We've had significant staff risk mitigation for this program, as well, with extensive review and honest assessments. You Don't See that often in these in reports coming forward, the the pros and cons are always good to get and we've been getting them for this.

R

um In the extra committee meetings and the discussion we've had, we've had partnership with other orders of government with one of the best financial deals. We will see for this priority which protects the city and I know that, because I know our staff were hesitant at first to get into this big purchase. They wanted to make sure the deal with infrastructure. Canada was the right one for the city.

R

They didn't just want to jump into this, so they did their homework to make sure of it, and they've delivered savings and a large Grant, not just a loan, we're getting a large Grant associated with these as well. It aligns with other City plans and long-term goals and I think you know we're seeing new directions today that will keep up that scrutiny.

R

So as I as I said, I don't think we've had a more scrutinized risk managed purchase of buses in City, history and I hope we have the same energy for for other procurements and financing that that we see in this city, as we do for for this one but I think on this one. um We can be confident and I hope that we can get a lot of support around this table today, thanks mayor.

E

Thank you, councilor Menard, councilor, Curry, honestly.

AC

Mr Mayor I'd, just like to say ditto to everything, councilor Menard just said honestly: I, don't need to repeat all that I would say exactly that same thing, maybe not as eloquently so and I just want to thank councilor Hill for taking the time to add this direction if it adds more Comfort to other members of council I'm glad we had the meeting, we had such a long-end camera meeting at Council that maybe we wouldn't have had as good a meeting.

AC

So it's good that we had it on Friday, but anyways I'm, very confident that this is the right thing to do. Thank you.

E

Thank you, councilor Curry, counselor, Kitts,.

AB

Thank you, Mr Mayor, um they'll, see Madame I mean.

AB

If this was covered at the special Transit Commission, meeting, I was unable to attend, but would like to uh also extend my thanks to councilor Hill for for spearheading some robust uh discussion and to the chair and staff for facilitating um I do agree with a lot of what counselor Menard said, um but, um as colleagues have pointed out, there's some concern about the the lifespan of the batteries and so I'm wondering um what the warranty is like on these vehicles. If you know that at this time,.

AH

Mr Mayor I will ask Daniel please Daniel.

AI

Thank you, Mr America, the warranty on the current buses. We have a six year, warranty on batteries um and should anything arise as the bus manufacturer will be replacing them and on future procurements uh as uh per direction from the audit that we've had uh is, we will be looking at a longer battery. The procurement that's currently out is a warranty of 12 Years, um and once that procurement closes we'll know the details exactly.

AB

Okay, thank you, and is there any concern that um Auto Ottawa Winters would would Age the batteries faster than expected? The the harsh cold is that a factor.

AI

That's not if well the it's, not something that we've seen and it's not something that we are anticipating. What we are, and we are aware of, is that the cold winter does have a significant impact on range. Should we be using electric heating and that's why our buses are equipped with a diesel auxiliary, heater.

AB

Okay, okay, so is there? Is there a contingency um if the batteries don't perform uh as expected.

AI

That yet we will be working with the bus manufacturer in the warranty that is provided.

AB

E

Counselor kids, counselor Gower thanks.

AG

Mr Mayor a bit of a wrap up, I've learned a lot about electric buses: zero Mission buses over the past couple weeks, um 86 750, tons of carbon dioxide. That's how much our bus fleet emitted in 2022 that's about 101 tons per year for bus now a bus I believe weighs about 10 or 15 Tons.

AG

So that means a bus emits about seven times its own weight in carbon dioxide each year, and- and that is why we have to move forward quickly on replacing our diesel fleet, even without the substantial investment from the federal government, partly through a grant and partly through a low risk low interest loan. It's really hard to make the case that we should continue with diesel for much longer in our city.

AG

um What I learned uh last week at commission was how far this technology has come over the past decade, we will be joining cities like Montreal Copenhagen, Paris, Boston, Edmonton, Quebec City, in converting to a zero Mission bus fleet.

AG

uh The buses are performing well, as we've heard again today, they're exceeding expectations in terms of the range that they can drive on a charge in terms of their reliability.

AG

There are fewer parts, so they're less expensive to maintain the total cost of ownership is lower than diesel, and and even with all these benefits, we are moving slowly we're moving with caution, because there are some unknowns, so only 26 electric buses, additional electric buses will go into service next year and 77 more in 2025 as diesel buses are retired in four years, we'll have 350 buses, though that's a reduction of over 35 000 tons of greenhouse gases per year.

AG

So that's something our Council can say that we helped accomplish a reduction of 35 000 tons of greenhouse gases per year over four years. This is a great business case. Any way you look at it, Financial, technological or environmental and I would urge all counselors to support it and I'm looking forward to see how this program rolls out over the next few years. Thank you mayor.

E

Thank you, councilor Gower um I, don't see any other hands up um okay. So let's move to a vote on the motion as amended then um and I'm I've heard some dissent already so I will suggest a recorded vote on the motion on the report from the um from the Transit Commission go ahead.

F

Counselor Kitts, yes, counselor King; yes, councilor Menard; yes, councilor Brockington; yes, counselor dudas; yes, counselor Carr; yes, councilor Hill; yes, counselor Tierney, yes, councilor luloff,.

W

F

Counselor Brown no counselor Derose, no counselor Devine; yes, councilor Johnson; yes, Council troster, yes, counselor, Hubley, no counselor duroche, we counselor Kelly, no counselor Lowe.

AL

F

Plant we counselor Bradley, yes, councilor Gower,.

AG

F

Counselor Kavanaugh, yes, counselor leaper,.

D

F

Counselor Curry, yes, mayor Sutcliffe, yes, 19 years six, nice.

E

All right, the motion is carried. Thank you. Everyone. Thank you again to councilor Hill for uh your work on this and councilor Gower as well. um All right. There are no in-camera items. So uh next we moved item 17 motion to adopt reports. Counselor dude us. If you would answer dude, ask motion to adopt reports.

AO

J

That the Transit Commission report won the report from the director of Fleet Services entitled 2023 fleet vehicle and Equipment plans; information supplemental to the budget estimates.

J

Thank you and a report from the Director of Human Resources entitled 2022 FTE analysis report, information, supplemental to the budget estimates be received and adopted as amended.

H

J

You that was supported by councilor de Bruce.

E

Let's move to notices of motion for consideration at a subsequent meeting: uh first uh counselor Devine: you have a motion.

AM

uh Thank you, Mr Mayor um I do recognize it's a rather long one. So I appreciate my colleagues uh indulging me in reading it. It's up on the screen, but I'll read it over the last minute.

AM

I, just have a very brief comment to make, after which, um so, whereas Ottawa has been hit with destructive weather events, including the tornadoes in 2018 and the direct show in 2022, causing extensive and lengthy power outages and whereas weather experts, as confirmed in the official plan project, that Ottawa will continue to experience severe destructive weather events on a more frequent basis and whereas, in the 36 hours following the direct show of May 2022, approximately 150 000 Hydro Ottawa customers were without power, and many Ottawa residents went without power for over 10 days and whereas many Ottawa residents living in apartment, buildings and condominium buildings were without power for over 10 days, without access to basic necessities such as elevators, emergency, hallway lighting and running water.

AM

Nor access to emergency resources. The city had set up for residents and whereas access to an elevator is essential to the personal autonomy, dignity and safety of persons with disabilities and persons with Mobility challenges, living in apartment buildings and condominium buildings.

AM

And whereas the Supreme Court of Canada has said that one must be wary of putting too low a value on accommodating the disabled.

AM

It is all too easy to cite increased cost as a reason for refusing to afford the disabled, equal treatment and whereas the accessible Housing Network urges that the government of Ontario require that every apartment building have a generator capable of powering elevators and emergency lighting, and whereas Ottawa fire Services has stated the need to shift priorities in their post-storm response to attend to residents living in apartment buildings and whereas Toronto City Council has recommended that such residential apartment buildings and condominium buildings have backup generators and here's the final.

AM

Whereas thank you, whereas the protecting human rights in an emergency act 2022 as brought forward by Ottawa West Nepean MPP Chandra pasma seeks to amend the residential tenancies act 2006 and the Condominium Act 1998 to ensure that all apartment buildings and condominium buildings have a backup generator backup, emergency generator capable of running an elevator emergency, hallway lighting and water pumps. For a period of two weeks.

AM

Therefore, be it resolved that Ottawa city council requests that the mayor write a letter addressed to the premier of Ontario and all Ottawa mpps expressing city council support of Bill 47. Protecting human rights in an emergency act, emergency jet power generators, 2022 and asking the government of Ontario to approve this legislation and that this letter of support be sent to local mpps. The premier, the minister of Municipal, Affairs and Housing, and the association of municipalities of Ontario, Amo um Mr.

E

Mayor Holly councilor, Divine I'm, just I'll just point out that it's a notice of motion, so typically you would offer your comments about the motion at the meeting where it's being uh debated and voted on. uh So today is just about introducing the motion which.

AM

Okay I'll just say thank you I'll just say that I look forward to having conversations with my colleagues um over the next week. um I welcome your knock on my door. Thank you.

H

E

Right, thank you. Counselor Devine, the next notice of motion, counselor Brown thank.

AE

You Mr Mayor, whereas the independent electricity systems operator has released an expedited procurement process to procure 1.5 gigawatts of electrical capacity by mid decade and has been engaging with municipalities, with respect to requests for proposals for a significant number of new projects for energy generation, storage and infrastructure, and whereas the expedited procurement process, the elt-1 RFP, closing February 16 2023 includes three of 13 braided criteria, points for municipal Council support resolutions and whereas after February 16 2023, the independent electricity systems operator is planning two more procurement phases, totaling 2.8, gigawatts of capacity to be available mid-decade and whereas the ieso requires Municipal support resolution from the municipal Council no later than 60 days after the 18-month anniversary of the the contract date and whereas some ieso resources participate in the Ontario electricity Market without contracts and whereas it is not clear that the inability for a project to receive a municipal support resolution will necessarily lead to the revocation of a proponent's contract and whereas Ottawa must decrease its Reliance on greenhouse gas emitting sources of energy, including by increasing local, renewable energy generation and battery storage.

AE

To achieve its greenhouse gas emission reduction targets and whereas the city has received a request for a municipal support resolution for a 5 to 20 megawatt hour battery energy storage system using lithium-ion, Battery Technology at 650 upper Dwyer, Hill, Road Ottawa, that is expected to occupy approximately 0.3 acres of land, including all required setbacks and spacings, and whereas municipalities, namely through land use policies in the official plan and Provisions in the zoning bylaw, set out their own priorities.

AE

With respect to where energy generation, storage and infrastructure may be permitted, and whereas increased energy generation, storage and infrastructure can have significant impacts on local residents. That are worth due consideration by Council under a framework in the zoning bylaw that reflects the city's official plan and whereas staff will bring forward an amendment to the city of ottawa's zoning bylaw that implements the intent of the policies and the official plan with respect to renewable energy generation facilities and Storage by Q4 2023. That is in advance of the municipal. Comprehensive zoning.

AE

Bylaw update, therefore, be it resolved that the mayor on behalf of council write a letter to the president and chief executive officer of the iso to formally request confirmation that projects approved through the elt-1 RFP and future procurement shall not proceed without a municipal Municipal support resolution from Municipal Council in the form of an approved motion and be it further resolved that staff be directed to come forward with a complete set of regulations in advance of the new zoning bylaw to regulate energy generation, storage and infrastructure.

AE

As a deliverable project in the 2020 2023 planning real estate and economic development department work plan and be it further resolved that the appropriate standing committees evaluate current and future requests for municipal support resolutions, including those for the proposed battery energy storage system at 650 upper dewayo Road.

AE

Using current official plan, renewable energy generation storage policies until Amendments have been made to the zoning by law, 2008-250 and Q4 of 2023, and be it for the resolve that until such a time as Amendments have been made to zoning bylaw, 2008-250 and Q4 of 2023 staff be directed to advise any proponent.

AE

Seeking a municipal support resolution to the elt-1 RFP and future procurements, that staff will not bring such requests to council unless such requests were made prior to the February 8 2023 or are considered through the relevant standing committees described in this motion, be it further resolved that a copy of this motion be sent to the premier of Ontario, the Ontario minister of energy and the association of municipalities of Ontario. Thank you. Mr Mayor.

E

Thank you, councilor Brown next notice of motion is from councilor Kelly.

AK

Thank you mayor. Where is Ontario's independent electricity system operator is undertaking a competitive procurement process for long-term reliability projects to ensure reliability in Ontario's electricity grid and whereas solar flow through funds is proposing to add five megawatts.

AK

Last 20 megawatt hour battery energy storage system using lithium ion battery technology at 650, upper Dwyer, Hill Road and Ward 5 West, Carleton March, and whereas the Bess supports the intent of the policies and the official plan with respect to renewable energy generation facilities and storage and whereas best is expected to occupy approximately 0.3 acres of land, including all required setbacks and spacing, and whereas the best will be will be charged by local grid overnight.

AK

When there is low electricity demand and will supply this power power to the Grid at times of high demand providing benefits to the grid, reliability and whereas a rated criteria of the ieso procurement process is formal support from the municipality in which the long-term reliability project is proposed to be located, and whereas the deadline to submit proposals to the iesop is February. 16 2023., therefore, be it resolved that the city city council provided Municipal Municipal support resolution.

AK

For the solar flow, through funds proposal to the independent electricity system operator to develop a battery energy storage system at 650, upper Dwyer, Hill Road. Thank you.

E

Thank you, councilor Kelly. Those are all the notices of motion so we'll move to item 19 motion to introduce bylaws, counselor dudas.

J

Listed on the agenda under motion to introduce Pilots three readings be read and passed.

H

J

E

Next is our confirmation, bylaw councilor dudas.

K

It's confirm the proceedings of the council meeting of February 1st 2023.

E

Once again, seconded by councilor de bruise is the motion carried?

E

um Are there any inquiries? There are none? Okay, a motion to adjourn councilor dudas.

K

The proceedings of the city council, meeting of February 1st 2023 be adjourned.

E

Yes, thank you counselor dudas is the motion carried. Thank you. Everyone now see Boku.

B

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AP

Descendants of the number two construction Battalion, which suffered racist and unjust discrimination in their patriotic attempt to support Canada's first world war effort and for your contribution to Leading Canada, to resemble King's vision of the Beloved Community more closely with equality of opportunity for all and the freedom to pursue the good life as each one is inspired. A Grateful Nation salutes you presented on this day, January 16 2023 in Ottawa Ontario to the right honorable, prime minister, with his uh stewards, The Honorable, Anita, Vanderbilt and Greg Fergus.

B

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D

E

He used to work in radio people, it's good with the countdowns.

H

No I think if you buy Outlet.

D

Good afternoon, everyone bonjour, my name- is Sebastian Trombley and I will be your moderator, disappointed.

D

Available for questions from the media, we have this.

D

Wendy Stevenson interim city manager, directors.

D

Cyril Rogers Chief Financial Officer, Chef de Finas, Renee amulkar, general manager, transit services, director's General services and joining us through Zoom Richard holder, director, Engineering Services.

D

And Isabel Jasmine Deputy City treasure Treasurer Municipal. A joint I will not invite each agency in alphabetical order to ask questions.

D

When asking your questions, please identify who your question is directed to and if you're in council chambers, please use the microphone a.

D

D

And the Canadian press.

AQ

Hi I I think it might be directed to either the mayor or Wendy, but this is in regards to Bill 23, since it was mentioned in your speech several times and I was wondering so Steve Clark had initially promised an uh third party audit. Have you heard anything about that? Like? Has that moved forward at all, since the letter that you sent him back in November.

E

Neither of us have heard anything about that.

AQ

Okay, so um then, like you, you've mentioned in your letter from November of that 130 million dollar impact. uh What further impacts will this have on the budget since affordable housing is top of mind for many residents and City Council? Of course,.

E

So Minister Clark has committed to keeping uh the city of Ottawa and other municipalities uh in Ontario whole on the impacts of Bill 23 and we're counting on him for that, and he reassured me of that in a phone conversation as well as in some communication with the association of municipalities of Ontario. So we're expecting the province to work with us um on that and and deliver the funding we need to offset any of the shortfalls resulting from Bill 23..

E

D

Thank you. We will not go to Kate Porter at CBC, Ottawa.

AR

Hi everybody I'm hoping for some clarification, especially on the transit side of things so I'd like to hear possibly from an MML car and not sure which of you, two might be able to speak to it, um but we're seeing uh this uh Capital alignment 117 or something fewer buses, uh 70 ridership, which is obviously less Revenue than typically. So. How are residents going to see these reductions in their day-to-day lives? Because that's working with with less on on Transit than in the past.

AH

If I may, I will refer, maybe for this Transit Commission on February 9th, we'll give all the information required regarding the uh the the the the budget for this year for Transit well,.

AR

With respect some of that information is in it now and we'll need to explain it to people out of this document. So I'm hoping we might hear a bit more about that.

M

Yes, thank you, so, basically, what you're, seeing in the documents today, what you'll see as we go through the cycle is, is a plan to align our spending to what we see the realities are today so that those bus reductions, those 117 buses, those are old buses that basically do not work worth investing in. Nor do we need to invest in them.

M

The capital alignment again goes back to some of the delays throughout the pandemic, where we've seen a little shift in the supply chain as an example, things got delayed, so this is really much about a 2023 alignment and as Miss Renee uh Miss amicar goes through a review at Transit, supported by the organization. We'll come back forward again with that through the 2024 budget process. If that kind of clearly answers your question.

AR

No like do you have a sense, though, if you've got 30, if you're, counting on 30 Less in Fair Revenue what gets lost by not bringing that in.

M

Well, in terms, that's why we have that continued advocacy for federal funding. There's there's 39 million dollars there in our budget that we need to Advocate more for federal funding. So that's there as a placeholder and again it's about allowing that Capital spend for 2023 only we're not removing that out of all the future budgets it's removed until we do that service review and come back with that revised review and long-range financial plan. Okay,.

AR

That's my second question: is this 39 million because you were fairly clear in December that there would be no more money and you would make some tough choices in a list of mitigations this time around. So what's changed between now and then have you had assurances that you will get a lot of money from upper levels of government so.

M

What we communicated in December was the confirmation for 2022 funding so that that Toronto, finally, we got committed of 63 million. There was also a communication in that same product, where municipalities would have the opportunity to go back in this year. As the upper Terror governments see what envelope of money is remaining because not all municipalities are impacted the same. So we fully intend to go back and fill that gap for 2022 and we need to continue to advocate for senior levels for that Gap and funding for 2023. As we move forward.

D

Thank you. We will now go to Leola rock at CTV.

AS

It's trying to balance a few things kind of aligned um with what Kate was asking um just about Transit and I just wanted some clarity on the efficiencies the 54 million dollars in efficiencies. It seems like some of that is coming from transit, but people are calling for a better service.

AS

An improvement to the services is, should that money be invested in the service, as opposed to saving just wondering for some clarity on why some efficiencies are being found in transit when people are calling for better service and we're trying to regain public trust in the service.

AS

The question is either for the mayor or uh firmative memo card.

AH

um First of all,.

I

We always want to improve how we work and how we offer services.

I

Try to have a budget that will respect the guidelines and, at the same time, we want to offer the services to the Ottawa residents. We will continue to work on that.

I

Yes, of course, we did ask the hard questions. Can we improve service and this led to the efficiency gains and savings?

I

We also put aside some of the older buses. Some are even been on the road for more than 18 years, it's very expensive to maintain them, so this will generate some savings and if you.

E

Like I can add to that I'm, you know I.

E

Think, um first of all, OC Transpo is always realigning its service to meet with customer needs as the city grows and evolves and changes and the demand changes from one neighborhood to another and clearly, if, if we're, if fewer people are using buses in certain areas- and that's obviously the case, if, if passenger traffic is 70 percent of where it was before the pandemic, then we will not provide as much service in areas where people are no longer using buses and will provide more service in areas where people are using the bus.

E

More often so I think there's a there's. A constant realignment, that's going on, and um and realistically with with you know, as as other municipalities are doing. Toronto, for example, is reducing the number of hours of service by 10 percent.

E

um If, if people aren't using public transit as much because they're, not working in the office, downtown full-time they're, working part-time in the office part-time at home or they're, not traveling to the places they used to go or they're using other forms of transportation, then the service has to be aligned with that.

AS

AS

Funding as well as provincial funding- and you mentioned that future budgets will be under significant pressure. Are we pushing problems down the line like? Are we pushing problems from today's budget to next year's budget? Like about these significant pressures.

E

I, don't think so. I think this year's budget is reasonable and fair and balanced and and appropriate for 2023. um I.

E

Think what we're flagging is that we we know that in future years we're we're going to need more support from the provincial and federal governments to build more homes and and have more public transit, and we know that, for example, there's more stable, Transit funding coming from the federal government in 2026, but we we got to get to 2026 and um and if, if the provincial and federal governments were supporting public transit last year and the year before, because the level of uh of Transit wasn't the level of passenger use was not a what it was before the pandemic, then they should continue to support us until it's back to normal levels.

D

AP

I

You hear me wonderful.

I

If I calculated well, the freedom Convoy.

I

I, don't know how to say it in English there was also the rally the Thunder Rally with the motorcycles. They were there in the springs discussed about 60 million dollars. 6-0 occur. The Ottawa Police Service said that the federal government should pay for that.

I

Were you did the federal government compensated, the city of Ottawa for the police services expenses during the freedom Convoy? If not, what kind of discussion will you have to have with the federal government? I think that your predecessors started? What will you do? Mr Mayor.

H

I

I

So the discussions with the federal government are still ongoing.

E

I

Hope that in the following weeks, we will be able to find a solution, so we're still pursuing our discussions with the federal government.

P

We gave money to compensate for for these protests already.

E

I, don't think we've received anything. Have we.

H

E

I

Think Windsor received some funding, but not Ottawa. We thank you so much.

D

Ottawa Citizen foreign.

AT

I want to go back to the um the efficiencies element and specifically those that were identified on the transit side, uh so one of those envelopes was 43 million dollars uh through a capital program alignment uh and the other was 4.3 million from bus fleet optimization. You may be repeating yourselves here a little bit, but just so I can understand. Clearly, can you just explain in as much detail as available now what that actually entails.

M

Yeah, so for the the bus reductions, uh that's that is 117 reduction in our bus fleet. Again, these are older models that were held in the fleet for the last couple years as the pandemic, as we we navigated through the pandemic. So now we're at a point where those those are not needed, and it goes back to you know, there's not financially. We wouldn't invest into that old old infrastructure and we don't need to replenish those replace that.

M

So that's that component on the capital side of the equation again is about looking at our overall Capital program. So we we fund our Capital programs up fun up front a lot of the capitals spending in court that correlates those budgets. They lag over several years, so you know just because we allocated 10 million dollar capital budget to a program in 2023 that spending can go over a couple years.

M

So when we do our analysis and when we were put forward this 2023 budget, when you look at our our whips, we what we refer to as our Capital Works in progress, we had capacity to kind of shift. Some of our 23 2023 plans as we go through the a service review. As we go to the refresh of the long-range Financial plans, then we can come back whatever revised plan and what we need in the future budgets. So this is for 2023.

AT

And are there any um FTE reductions reflected in this budget in the efficiencies component or anywhere else, I know that was something that was potentially going to be on the table with with the mayor's financial plan during the campaign, you know, if that's a part of this budget, can you just spell out what what that actually involves.

M

You know those details are quite detailed in the transmittal and in the budget documents. What I would like to also highlight is that these efficiencies allows us to reinvest, so the transit budget is growing as an example, even though we are finding efficiencies but year over year, that program is is growing. That budget is growing much like other services, so we do have growth in some some areas of FTS.

M

As an example, paramedics we have a new Recreational facility, that's opened up, they chill at that needs additional ftes, but we're able to do that and accommodate that through efficiencies and some reductions elsewhere in terms of vacancies and nutrition.

T

Or the 200 empty jobs got rid of your.

E

Promise so no I I did not promise to eliminate jobs I what I? What I talked about was. You know, I I promise to achieve a certain tax increase in in 2023 of between two and two point, five percent, and in order to demonstrate during the election campaign that that was possible, we put forward a scenario of how that could be achieved and it include fine, it included finding some savings and efficiencies and it included in those efficiencies, potentially not replacing.

E

Some people who had already left the city of ottawa's employment, I, said 100 initially and 200 and another 100 over time. um So I said 100 initially, but I was not promising to eliminate 100 jobs. I was demonstrating a scenario in which we could achieve a 2.5 percent or two percent or less tax increase, and that was one scenario in which we could achieve it. The goal was to achieve the balanced budget with it with a low tax increase. The goal was not to eliminate jobs.

E

That was one way of getting there and it was a scenario we presented during the campaign and now we in the last couple of months, we've been working with the real numbers and we've achieved the the objective of a 2.5 percent tax increase um through the the resources and the means that we have available to us to do that.

D

Thank you. uh We will now go to Bruce ditchman at the Ottawa song.

AU

My question is for the mayor uh during the last election campaign: one of your opponents- uh you criticized an opponent's plan to dip into the reserves and yet you're going in to the tune, I believe 54 million dollars and I'm just wondering what you say to that.

E

So that's not exactly the same thing to be clear. um We we have reserves that uh are are dedicated to a specific purpose, and Cyril can speak to this more often and more clearly than I can, but so, for example, we'll collect development charges over a period of time and those development charges will accumulate and they will have a specific purpose that they're intended for uh to build infrastructure in communities and when the time comes, that we build that infrastructure.

E

We take the money out of reserves and we spend it on that infrastructure, so the reserves are not being used to achieve a balanced budget. In this case, the reserves are simply being spent on. The purpose that they were collected for uh in the first place is that is that accurate, zero yep.

M

Quite clear, the reserves are not used to balance the budget. No, the reality is like Mr Mayor said is, is basically as I articulated in the presentation, mainly for an array program, because the rate program, that's your water waste water, storm water is a very Capital intensive of the program and you do have Peaks and valleys in the needs for that Capital funding. So what you're seeing in 2023 is, is a little bit of the peak that will come down again as you go through, but there's always Peaks and valleys.

M

The reserve balances are following the commitments that we make in our Reserve policy and those balances, and that's why you see a little bit of a reduction there and also, as I mentioned, is the the deferrals that were part of the mitigation strategies in 2122 as we're trying to navigate through the Pandemic. Those now have been replenished as well, so we we had held more money in the reserve during the pandemic, just as a mitigation strategy that we communicated and reported on, and this now reflects restabilization of that.

AU

Can you and I don't quite understand how, if you take 54 million dollars out of reserve and say that that money is not part of your balanced budget? Yet it is part of your budget.

M

In in the context of achieving 2.5, so again, the the main reduction in the reserves is the rate program. The rate program is funded as per the long-range financial plan for rate, and that's why you're seeing a reduction in the rate preserved specifically, which is the main draw in the reduction of the overall Reserve balances? Okay,.

E

Thanks so can I I'll give you an example Bruce, if you, if you don't mind just to I'll, make something up here. This is not the case, but, for example, if the federal government said to us, we've got some money, uh 200 million dollars that we're going to give to you now because it's available to us this year, but you have to save it and you have to spend it on um on on light rail buying more trains in over the next 10 years.

E

You've got to spend it on buying more trains over the next 10 years. That 200 million dollars would go into our reserves, but it would be earmarked for a specific expenditure, and if we don't make the expenditure in the first couple of years, it would sit there in reserves for a couple years and then in year three we we might take the money and buy trains with it, and then the reserves would go down by 200 million dollars, but the reserves are not going down because in year three we're using the reserves on operating items.

E

The reserves are going down because we had money saved up for a specific purpose and now we're spending the money on that specific purpose.

E

Yes, yeah, that's exactly the case with the 54 million dollars, we did not use reserves to fund operating in any way we use. We used reserves to fund the things that the reserves were saved for.

D

J

Mayor during the campaign 2.5 was a promise but also uh review line by line of the budget. You said that was very important to do so to find efficiencies. So what you're, proposing today is it? The efficiencies that were found? I mean? Is this the budget that you promised residents during the campaign? Yes, it is, it is what I promised, because there's an increase of taxes, that's very low, 2.5 percent.

J

That's what I said during the campaign. I also said that we'll have to do two things: first, budget review of our strategic expenditures and that's what we've started as well as a line by line review, which we will start in the coming days.

J

I Never Promised by the line by line process would be complete before the budget because that's not realistic, it's a very complicated issue, a very complicated process, so uh the the process is starting now.

J

With lots of activities.

E

um I promised a budget with a uh with a two to two and a half percent tax increase. That's what the draft budget delivers um and I promised that we would do a strategic review of our expenses, which were which we've done on a certain level and continue to do and I promised a line by line review of of all of our expenditures, a strategic program review at the city, and that work obviously cannot be done in the space of two months.

E

um It's an ongoing process that will continue uh in the weeks ahead and- and we have we've outlined exactly what the process will be for that, and that work will begin uh working with some people on Council and with City staff and as we discover savings and efficiencies going forward. We'll we'll put those two we'll put those to good use.

J

We talk a lot about the buses that will be uh disposed of to save some money, but should OC Transfer think about cutting some roots or the service provision up to a certain point, since there's still only 70 percent of users that are using Transit. So would it be something that you would take into consideration?

J

Oc transpose budget will increase in 2023 compared to 2022. Therefore we will be spending more for Transit this year compared to last year, but.

J

If some routes are not used by by users, it's OC transposed job job, to improve the service and to make adequate changes to sell this, to offer more service where needed and less needed Mrs. Could we hear you on that? Does it mean that you should reduce a service at some point if there's less people using them and you're trying to make to find efficiencies?

J

First of all, the buses that we will dispose of those were kept when the train was launched, as a precaution ink in case in case the ridership would increase, and these buses would be required. So we see that with covid. Unfortunately, the ridership is not at the 2019 level, so we may. We can make this decision without any impact on the level of service, nor the increased potential if it should return to the level of 2019.

D

And have a wonderful Wednesday.