Regular Council

THAT the Minutes of the Regular Meeting of Council of The Corporation of the City of Stratford dated October 28, 2024, be adopted as printed.

THAT the Report titled, “Consideration of Intent to Declare as Surplus – 270 Water Street (COU24-133),” be received; THAT staff be authorized to initiate the intent to dispose of 270 Water Street process with the intent to maintain the building and heritage designations, excluding the eastern balance of the property; THAT staff be authorized to schedule a public meeting in accordance with Policy P.3.1 Sale and Other Disposition of Land to hear from members of the public with respect to the potential disposition of this building, excluding the eastern balance of the property; Regular Council Minutes 5 November 12, 2024 AND THAT a follow up report be prepared including a summary of the public feedback from the public meeting, for Council’s consideration.

THAT Councillor Hunter be appointed as the second Council representative to the Destination Stratford Board of Directors for the remainder of the term to November 14, 2026.

THAT the 2025 Council, Committee and Sub-committee meeting schedule be approved, and staff be directed to schedule the meetings accordingly.

THAT Council authorize the proposed three-year pilot Poet Laureate and Youth Poet Laureate Program, in partnership with Destination Stratford and the Stratford Public Library.

THAT Council authorize a five-year renewal of the agreement between the City of Stratford and the Stratford Hockey Club Inc. for use of the William Allman Memorial Arena to August 30, 2029; AND THAT the Mayor and Clerk, or their respective delegates, be authorized to sign the agreement on behalf of the municipal corporation.

THAT the Terms of Reference for the Ad-Hoc Grand Trunk Renewal Committee be amended to increase the number of Youth Representative from one (1) to two (2) members; THAT Ryen Ropp-Robinson and Zachary Schultz be appointed as youth representatives to the Ad-Hoc Grand Trunk Renewal Committee to September 30, 2025 or until a successor is appointed; AND THAT Ryen Ropp-Robinson be granted an exemption from the residency requirement in the Appointments Policy C.3.1.

THAT the Terms of Reference for the Communities in Bloom Advisory Committee be amended to increase the number of citizen appointments from five (5) to seven (7) members; THAT Barb Hacking and Cindy Carlson be appointed as citizen representatives to the Communities in Bloom Advisory Committee to November 14, 2026, or until a successor is appointed by Council and that an exemption be granted from the term limit in the Appointments Policy C.3.1.

THAT Yvonne O’Reilly and Linda Wakenhut be appointed as citizen representatives to the Communities in Bloom Advisory Committee to November 14, 2026, or until a successor is appointed by Council

THAT Joel B. LaCourse, Rhonda Gesinghaus Vaters, and E. David Daglish be appointed as citizens-at-large to the Active Transportation Advisory Committee to November 14, 2026, or until a successor is appointed by Council; AND THAT Pat Ranney be appointed as the Cycle Stratford representative to the Active Transportation Advisory Committee to November 14, 2026, or until a successor is appointed by Council. Regular Council Minutes 8 November 12, 2024

THAT Anna Stratton, Julia Schneider, Linda Wakenhut, and Ken Clarke be appointed as citizen representatives to the Energy and Environment Advisory Committee to November 14, 2026, or until a successor is appointed by Council; THAT Vanni Azzano be appointed as the Civic Beautification and Environmental Awareness Representative to the Energy and Environment Advisory Committee to November 14, 2026, or until a successor is appointed by Council and that an exemption be granted from the term limit in the Appointments Policy C.3.1; AND THAT Craig Merkley be appointed as the Avon River Environment Association representative the Energy and Environment Advisory Committee to November 14, 2026, or until a successor is appointed by Council and that an exemption be granted from the term limit in the Appointments Policy C.3.1.

THAT Andy Bicanic and Barb Cottle be appointed as citizen representatives to the Heritage Stratford Committee to November 14, 2026, or until a successor is appointed by Council.

THAT Joyce Mohr, Linda Hawken, Kathy Hill, and Barbara Finkelstein be appointed as citizen representatives to the Stratfords of the World (Ontario) Advisory Committee to November 14, 2026, or until a successor is appointed by Council.

THAT Jenny Weber, Diane Sims, Jamie Pritchard, Roger Koert, and Brittany McCabe be appointed as citizens-at-large to the Accessibility Advisory Committee for a two year term to November 14, 2026, or until a successor is appointed by Council; AND THAT Diane Sims be granted an exemption from the term limit in the Appointments Policy C.3.1.

THAT the Report of the Community Services Committee dated November 12, 2024, be adopted as printed.

THAT By-law 129-2024 be read a First and Second Time.

THAT By-law 129-2024 be read a Third Time and Finally Passed.

THAT By-law 130-2024 be read a First and Second Time.

THAT By-law 130-2024 be read a Third Time and Finally Passed.

WHEREAS official statistics from the Government of Ontario confirm that rural roads are inherently more dangerous than other roads; AND WHEREAS, despite only having 17% of the population, 55% of the road fatalities occur on rural roads; AND WHEREAS, rural, northern, and remote municipalities are fiscally strained by maintaining extensive road networks on a smaller tax base; AND WHEREAS, preventing crashes reduces the burden on Ontario’s already strained rural strained health care system; AND WHEREAS, roadway collisions and associated lawsuits are significant factors in runaway municipal insurance premiums. Preventing crashes can have a significant impact in improving municipal risk profiles; THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Council of The Corporation of the City of Stratford requests that the Government of Ontario take action to implement the rural road safety program that Good Roads has committed to lead. It will allow Ontario's rural municipalities to make the critical investments needed to reduce the high number of people being killed and seriously injured on Ontario’s rural roads; and FURTHER THAT a copy of this resolution be forwarded to Premier Doug Ford, Hon. Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation, Hon. King Surma, Minister of Infrastructure, Hon. Rob Flack, Minister of Agriculture, Hon. Lisa Thompson, Minister of Rural Affairs, Hon. Trevor Jones, Associate Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Response, and Hon. Sylvia Jones, Minister of Health, and Good Roa

THAT the Council meeting adjourn to convene into Standing Committees as follows:  Finance and Labour Relations Committee [7:05 or thereafter following the Regular Council meeting]; and  Infrastructure, Transportation and Safety Committee [7:10 or thereafter following the Regular Council meeting] and to Committee of the Whole if necessary, and to reconvene into Council.

THAT By-law 131-2024 be read a First and Second Time.

THAT By-law 132-2024 be read a Third Time and Finally Passed.

THAT the November 12, 2024, Regular Council meeting adjourn.