Special Council Meeting

11:01Okay, good afternoon everybody. It is 5 o'clock, so I'd like to just welcome everyone to our

11:08special City Council meeting for Tuesday, January 13th, 2026 at 5 o'clock. And right

11:16off the top, is there a disclosure of any pecuniary interest or any general nature there

11:21of any member of council? I'm hearing none. I may have regrets from Councillor Chu. That's

11:31the only one that I'm aware of, so just to put that on the record. There is a recommendation

11:37to move into a closed session for its title as Daytime Drop-in Space Procrutement, and

11:44that is under Section 239, 2F and K, of the Municipal Act. Regarding advice that is subject

11:51to solicitor-client privilege, including communications necessary for that purpose,

11:56a position, plan, procedure, criteria, or instruction to be applied to any negotiations

12:02carried on, or to be carried on by, or on behalf of the municipality or a local board.

12:07With that, would someone be willing to move to go into Councillor Allt, seconded by Councillor

12:15Koran? Thank you. Anything further? I'll call the vote. Is anyone against moving into closed?

12:24Nobody? That's unanimous. So thank you. And just for anybody that's watching online or is in the

12:30room here, thank you for joining. What happens is we're going to have a meeting in regards to this

12:35issue, and then if there's anything that I can disclose afterwards, then I will come out here

12:41and I will do that summary or any statement afterwards, just so it's publicly disclosed

12:47if I'm able to do so. Okay, so I don't know how long that would take, so I just don't know how

12:53long the meeting will go, so by all means, you can stay or keep watching online. And if not,

12:59I'm sure something will come out later regardless, but we will be back out as soon as we possibly can.

13:05Okay, so thank you very much. Okay, everyone, I'd like to call the meeting back to order in the open

2:08:33session. Thank you. And thank you to my colleagues online as well. So I indicated, well, I indicated

2:08:48publicly even a few days ago in some of my statements I've been putting out that if there were

2:08:54anything from an opportunity to release information in the open session after our meeting that I would,

2:09:01and I'm happy to do that now. So based on Council direction, staff have been given direction to

2:09:14solidify a contract with Stepping Stone that will start on or about March the 1st,

2:09:25and that will provide the services that we have been looking for for the daytime space.

2:09:33But we also recognize that there is a gap between us talking right now until March,

2:09:40on or about March the 1st as well. So we wanted to make sure that there was the availability of

2:09:47some funds that were available. And there we have, I'm going to let staff just kind of take

2:09:53this a little bit further than I am just to kind of explain it a bit better, but we will have a

2:09:57funding envelope of $120,000 that will be available for access for accessibility for people to get

2:10:07access to. But there will be some parameters around it and I'll go to staff right now just to

2:10:12describe that for the public as well. Thanks, Mr. Mayor. Through you. As staff have worked with

2:10:18numerous community partners to explore interim emergency solutions for daytime space and food

2:10:23security, it's become clear that no one organization has the ability to fill the immediate gaps for

2:10:28our community. Capacity in our community is limited and highly reliant on volunteers and

2:10:33partnerships with community organizations and their expertise who support those in need.

2:10:38In an effort to provide additional support to community non-profit organizations, the city

2:10:42will be launching a one-time emergency community grant for daytime space and food security program.

2:10:49We will have up to $120,000 available for community organizations who believe they are in a position

2:10:54to increase the availability of daytime space or meals in the community between now and March 1st.

2:11:00Our aim is to launch this program later this week and I'd encourage any organizations who are

2:11:04interested to follow our social channels for more information or be in touch with myself

2:11:08or Kushla Matthews, our manager of community and affordable housing, and we'd be happy to share more

2:11:12details about the grant opportunity. Great. Thank you very much. And is there anything further on

2:11:19that before I call adjournment please or sorry bylaws? No, okay. Councillor Goller, you're up

2:11:26for the bylaws please if that can have them on the screen. That bylaw 2026 21196 be approved

2:11:38subject to section 284.114 of the municipal act. Thank you. Seconded by Councillor Richardson.

2:11:47Thank you. I'll call the vote on that. Is there anyone against that bylaw? No one. Thank you.

2:11:54With those bylaws, thank you. And Councillor Richardson, would you move for adjournment as well?

2:11:59Thank you. Anyone on the screen want to help me for seconding adjournment?

2:12:03Kate, thank you. And is there anyone against adjournment? No one. All right, we are adjourned.

2:12:11Thank you very much for attending the meeting tonight. We appreciate it.