Council Info - June 26, 2019

Council Info is a summary of discussion and the major items presented at Council meetings. It is circulated immediately following each meeting. You are encouraged to quote from and copy this information. Please refer to the minutes for an official record of the meeting.

Update on consumption and treatment services
Council endorsed an interim Consumption and Treatment Services site at 150 Duke Street in Kitchener in June. Plans for the site are moving forward:
• Applications for the interim and full site have been submitted to provincial and federal governments.
• A design team has been meeting to develop a site plan.
• Public engagement, education and outreach continues to support positive neighbourhood relationships, safety and communication.
• Policing and security plans are being developed.
The interim site is expected to open in late summer 2019. The full site (at the same location) should be ready by February 2020.

Region to apply for provincial Audit and Accountability Fund
The Region will submit an application to the province’s Audit and Accountability Fund. This fund provides money to large municipalities to review service delivery and administrative expenditures in order to find cost savings. The review must be undertaken by a third party and be completed by November 30, 2019.

Council approves new Development Charges By-law
Council approved a new Development Charges By-law based on a background study and considerable public and stakeholder input regarding rates and policies. Highlights of the new By-law include:
• a 60 per cent development charge discount for industrial development
• a 50 per cent development charge discount on certain office development in urban growth areas
• a full development charge exemption for development occurring in the Downtown Core areas in the City of Cambridge
The By-law also addresses redevelopment allowances for various types of demolished sites and amends the Brownfield Financial Incentive Program. The Region’s new development charge rates come into effect on August 1, 2019.

Cannabis funding will help educate citizens
The Region of Waterloo has received money from the Ontario Cannabis Legalization Implementation Fund. Council approved the use of up to $50,000 from this funding for a comprehensive community-wide cannabis education campaign that focuses on safer cannabis use.

$50k grant will support children and youth survey
The Children and Youth Planning Table received a $50,000 grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation. This funding will be used to hire staff (0.25 full-time temporary position) and engage local youth in co-design of a community survey tool. The Children and Youth Planning Table is a collaborative of approximately 60 organizations serving children, youth and families in Waterloo Region working towards the shared vision of happy, healthy children and youth.

Local Employment Ontario program to collaborate with other communities
The Region of Waterloo, along with Wellington, Dufferin and Simcoe counties, will submit an Expression of Interest to the province to work together as a Service System Manager for the Employment Ontario programs. The province is planning to change the model for employment services across Ontario. The province will select prototype communities to pilot a new model.

Early Learning and Child Care progress update
Council approved a progress update for the Early Learning and Child Care service plan. The update highlights significant progress in advancing the areas of access, affordability, responsiveness and inclusion, and quality. Ongoing investment from Regional, Provincial and Federal governments is needed to maintain progress to date and achieve further growth and improvements in 2019 and 2020.

Children’s Services budget changes
Council approved increasing the 2019 budget for Children’s Services by about $1.59 million. This increase reflects revised provincial funding allocations. In 2020, cost-sharing formulas will be changed from 100 per cent provincial funding (for some programs) to 80%/20% cost sharing. In addition, administration costs will be limited to five per cent of spending (rather than 10 per cent) and will be cost-shared 50%/50% between the Region and the province.

Region continues to support the development of single-use plastic policies
The Region is encouraged that both the federal and provincial governments have identified plastic waste as a priority issue and are actively consulting on actions with further strategy/policy announcements expected over the next several months. Regional Council will request that the federal and provincial governments continue to take steps to regulate and limit the production and use of single use plastics.

GRT to add low floor “ramp style” buses for MobilityPLUS service
Regional Council has approved the purchase of four low floor wheelchair accessible buses to add to their MobilityPLUS service. These buses allow the loading of customers who use wheelchairs or other mobility devices via a deployable ramp similar to those utilized on conventional buses. The ramp also provides safe and easy access to the vehicle for all customers compared to the stairs used in the current lift-style MobilityPLUS buses. This type of vehicle is now being used by many transit mobility services throughout Canada.

Tenders/Contracts:
The following tenders/contracts were approved by Council:
• $2,686,986 to D’Orazio Infrastructure Group Limited for Kitchener Zone 4 trunk watermain (stage 2).
• $1,967,000 to Steed and Evans Limited for miscellaneous roadworks.
• $967,320, to CH2M Hill Canada Limited, for the detailed design and services during construction for the new Laurel Water Treatment Plant located in Waterloo.
• $619,400 to Demers Ambulance Inc. for four type III ambulances to be purchased in 2019. The Region will name Demers as the vendor of record for all type III ambulance acquisitions for a five-year period ending June 2024.
• $590,000, to Stantec Consulting Services as an amendment to an existing agreement for the Membrane Aerated Biofilm Upgrades at the Hespeler Wastewater Treatment Plant. The amendment will add design, contract administration and site inspection.
• $469,916 to G.R. Wilfong & Son Ltd. for the Heidelberg Yard fuel tank replacement.
• $459,700 to Ball Construction Ltd. for Police Headquarters cladding leak repairs.
• $421,414 to Selectra Inc. for Morningside wastewater pumping station upgrades, New Hamburg.
• $195,110, to D.M. Wills Associates Limited to provide engineering consulting services for environmental assessment, preliminary design, detailed design construction administration and construction inspection services for the rehabilitation of three bridges in Wellesley and Wilmot Townships.
• $178,334 to Premier Equipment for one John Deere agricultural tractor.
• $173,597 to Earthscape Play Inc. for the Kinsmen Children’s Centre playground upgrades in Cambridge.
• $140,300 to Industrial Alliance Insurance and Financial Services (iA Financial Group) for accidental death and dismemberment insurance.
• Unit rates of $4.97/m3 and $7.97 /m3 to JTC Group Limited for Aerobic Biosolids Management Contract for a three year and four-month term at (excluding all applicable taxes) for biosolids haulage and biosolids land application.

For your information
The Region honoured a number of volunteers at Regional Council Wednesday night. Larry Lamb won the Ontario Heritage Award for Lifetime Achievement, students from Cameron Heights Collegiate Institute won the Young Heritage Leaders Award and David Willmott won the Ontario Senior of the Year Award. “Volunteers are critical to a vibrant community,” said Regional Chair Karen Redman. “By choosing to invest in our community, they truly provide a legacy in making lives better for their neighbours.”

Next Council Meeting
August 22, 2019 at 7 p.m.

For more information, contact:
Bryan Stortz, Director, Corporate Communications, 519-575-4408
Regional Clerk’s Office, 519-575-4400