Regular Council

THAT the Minutes of the Regular Meeting of Council of The Corporation of the City of Stratford dated November 14, 2023 be adopted as printed.

THAT the Addendum to the Regular Agenda of Council and Standing Committees dated November 27, 2023, to add Item 7.6 "Correspondence - Anniversary of Ecole Polytechnique Massacre", be added to the Agenda as printed.

THAT staff be authorized to renew the Vidcruiter subscription for a three-year term to 2026.

THAT the conveyance of Part 1 on Plan 44R-6169 from 1000055958 Ontario Ltd. to The Corporation of the City of Stratford, be authorized; AND THAT upon conveyance of Part 1 Plan 44R-6169 to the City of Stratford, these lands be dedicated public highway forming part of Huron Street.

THAT the City of Stratford 2023-2028 Multi-Year Accessibility Plan be adopted; AND THAT staff be directed to upload the plan to the City’s website.

THAT the 2024 Council, Committee and Subcommittee meeting schedule be approved and staff be directed to schedule the meetings accordingly.

THAT the entering into of one-year extensions to the current leases with The Stratford Shakespearean Festival of Canada for the use of the Stratford Normal School | Discovery Centre at 270 Water Street and for the use of the municipal parking lot at Queen Street and Lakeside Drive to April 30, 2025, be approved; AND THAT the Mayor and Clerk, or their respective delegates, be authorized to execute one year lease extensions on behalf of The Corporation of the City of Stratford.

THAT the building located at 270 Water Street be

THAT the main motion be amended to include reference to the building being the former Teachers' College in brackets after “Discovery Centre”. Discussion continued with respect to whether there would be any impact to plaques or signage should the motion be approved. The intent of the motion was clarified to only the production of City documentation when referring to the building. Deputy Mayor Nijjar called the question on the amending motion.

THAT the City of Stratford lower the flag at the front of Stratford City Hall on December 6, 2023 in recognition of the massacre of 14 women at Ecole Polytechnique. Discussion was held with respect to:  an overview of the massacre of 14 women that occurred at Ecole Polytechnique on December 6, 1989, being provided; A vibrant city, leading the way in community-driven excellence. Regular Council Minutes 6 November 27, 2023  Bill C-68 having enacted the Firearms Act in 1995;  December 6 being the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, also known as White Ribbon Day;  the month of November being Woman Abuse Prevention month;  the June 28, 2022 Renfrew inquest into the deaths of three women who were killed on September 22, 2015;  United Nations Women having declared violence against women to be a shadow pandemic in May of 2020;  Optimism Place having received 2,144 calls to their crisis line in 2021 and serving 58 women and 36 children in their residential program;  calls for service continuing to increase and Optimism Place being in the process of a facility expansion; and  Stratford City Council having passed a resolution declaring intimate partner violence an epidemic on May 23, 2023. Deputy Mayor Nijjar called the question on the motion.

A vibrant city, leading the way in community-driven excellence. Regular Council Minutes 7 November 27, 2023 THAT the main motion be amended to reduce the increase for the following offences to a maximum of 80% above current fine rates:  Park at an expired meter; and  Park exceeded time limits. A Point of Order was raised with respect to there already being a motion on the floor. The City Clerk clarified that an amending motion had been put forward to amend the main motion in accordance with the Procedural By-law. Discussion continued with respect to:  parking tickets disproportionately impacting people and an increase in parking ticket costs potentially deterring downtown visitors;  retailers needing constant flow of parked cars and being aligned with set fines imposed by other municipalities making sense;  patrons not being subject to certain ticket fines if payment of parking fees is made;  reducing the proposed set fines to encourage people to visit the downtown;  parking fees impacting downtown parking more than parking fines; and  the benefit of the HotSpot application allowing patrons to add time to their parking session to avoid receiving a ticket. Deputy Mayor Nijjar called the question on the amending motion.

THAT By-laws 137-2023 to 143-2023 be taken collectively.

THAT By-laws 137-2023 to 143-2023 be read a First and Second Time.

THAT By-laws 137-2023 to 143-2023 be read a Third Time and Finally Passed.

THAT CA-2023-141, being correspondence from the Downtown Stratford Business Improvement Area regarding more business support for CEBA loan businesses, be endorsed; AND THAT a copy of this resolution be forwarded to Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Finance of Canada, John Nater, Perth- Wellington MP, and all municipalities in Ontario for endorsement. Discussion was held with respect to:  the repayment of loans causing problems for small businesses across the Country;  successful businesses in Stratford prior to the pandemic having closed; and,  the opportunity to repay Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) loans having not been extended long enough. Deputy Mayor Nijjar called the question on the motion.

THAT the Council meeting adjourn to convene into Standing Committees as follows:  Social Services Committee [7:05 or thereafter following the Regular Council meeting]; and  Community Services 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 144-2023 be read a First and Second Time.

THAT By-law 144-2023 be read a Third Time and Finally Passed.

THAT the November 27, 2023 Regular Council meeting adjourn.