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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil - 2006-09-11 SSPECIAL COUNCIL MINUTES SEPTEMBER 11, 2006 CITY OF KITCHENER A special meeting of City Council was held at 4:11 p.m. this date, Chaired by Mayor C. Zehr and with all members. Councillor G. Lorentz was in attendance for part of the meeting. Notice of this special meeting had been previously given to all members of Council by the City Clerk pursuant to Chapter 25 (Council Procedure) of the Municipal Code. Council was advised that this special Council meeting is a strategic planning session which is part of a series of meetings which have been held to allow discussion of various strategic initiatives and directions being taken by the City. R. Regier, Executive Director, Economic Development, gave a presentation on the Economic Development Strategy. Mr. Regier advised that in 2004 it was determined that an Economic Development Strategy was required in order to bring employment back to the Downtown core, support the growth of the manufacturing sector and develop strategic partnerships to leverage municipal investment. He further advised that a tool to achieve the Strategy was the creation of a flexible $110M Economic Development Investment Fund. Councillor G. Lorentz entered the meeting. Mr. Regier then reviewed the progress of the Strategy and its current status noting: • That the economy is changing from a traditional manufacturing environment to higher quality jobs in a globally competitive market • Kitchener has the third youngest labour force in Canada and the importance of retaining this labour market • The current economic clusters of the automotive industry, advanced manufacturing, insurance and professional services • The emerging clusters of education and knowledge creation, health care /life sciences /biotech and pharma industries, and arts & culture • The Downtown Residential Intensification Program • The Brownfield Redevelopment Program • Small business development. Mr. Regier advised that the Strategy was having a quicker impact than anticipated. He then reviewed the next steps to be taken and recommendations from the Economic Development Advisory Committee which included: re-visiting the vision statement to broaden the scope to ensure focus includes quality of life and urban vitality; identify and assist in the changing needs of the manufacturing sector; and, support the research and development potential of local firms. He advised on the priorities being: further development of the cluster strategies; streetscape and urban vitality; parking; and, industrial lands in particular, taking an aggressive approach to obtaining new lands. Mr. Regier then reviewed the strategic objectives being: economic diversity; improved competitiveness; growth; innovation; capital investment; and, developing a cosmopolitan identity with a small-town feel. Mr. Regier introduced the idea of an Urban Development Agreement which is designed to align policies, programs and projects among all governments and stakeholders. He provided examples from Winnipeg, Victoria and Vancouver where agreements have assisted in a focused growth in the economic development of the municipalities. Mr. Regier concluded his presentation advising of the need to continually review and re-evaluate priorities in an ever-changing economic reality, the recommendation to pursue further the Urban Development Agreement idea and to update the Economic Development Strategy. In response to questions from Council regarding the Urban Development Agreement program, staff advised that such an Agreement should align the various levels of government and other stakeholders with respect to economic development of a municipality or area and that although the current Municipal Act does not allow for the creation of a corporation in this regard, the proposed amendments before the Legislature would appear to be moving in this direction. Ms. C. Ladd, Chief Administrative Officer, further advised that the City had been in discussions with the previous Provincial government regarding the creation of an economic development corporation and with the change in government, the initiative had stalled but in light of the proposed changes to the Municipal Act, the City may be in a position to discuss the initiative with the Province with the possibility of being a pilot municipality in this regard. Mr. Regier pointed out that when asked, the regional municipalities have informally endorsed the notion of supporting an Economic Development Task Force SPECIAL COUNCIL MINUTES SEPTEMBER 11, 2006 - 245 - CITY OF KITCHENER representing the area. He added that this will be further discussed and investigated with the Economic Development Advisory Committee. Mr. Regier advised that staff will be reporting further to Council late 2006 /early 2007 regarding interest within the region in establishing an Economic Development Strategy and the Urban Development Agreement program. Ms. Ladd then gave a presentation on the final report of the Shared Agenda 2004-2006. Ms. Ladd reviewed the initiatives established for the Shared Agenda and provided the results and status of the following initiatives: • Customer Service Strategy • Environmental Strategic Plan • Housing • Shared Services • Downtown • Activity Based Costing (ABC) • Industrial lands • Growth Management • Healthy Community Plan (HCP) • Economic Development • Street Lighting • Additionallnitiatives Ms. Ladd concluded her presentation advising that continued work on the Healthy Community Strategy, Growth Management, Environmental Strategic Plan and Customer Service will form the basis of the next Shared Agenda. Councillor J. Gazzola raised a concern regarding shared services with Kitchener-Wilmot Hydro and asked why more progress has not taken place. Ms. Ladd advised that the shared meter reading initiative has been discussed but with the future implementation of smart metering, it was decided to hold off any further discussions until that was in place. K. Currier advised that discussions took place regarding shared tree trimming but regulations regarding trimming around hydro lines eliminates the possibility of sharing this service. Councillor Gazzola then raised a concern regarding student housing and the problems faced in the Lower Doon area from students of Conestoga College and how this problem may affect the Downtown with the two universities opening their campuses. C. Ladd advised that staff are continuing to work in the Lower Doon area in regard to student housing and that lessons learned from the City of Waterloo are being applied in the Downtown area. Ms. Ladd noted that the two universities will have older students who are working on their graduate degrees. Councillor B. Vrbanovic asked if more direction from the municipal councils are required in order to keep the shared services initiative moving forward. Ms. Ladd advised that in her opinion the initiatives were moving forward without problems and building on the successes so far, more initiatives in this regard will be taking place between the three cities. It was suggested that perhaps the successes of the Shared Services Initiative be publicized in order to communicate how well the municipalities work together. Councillor G. Lorentz raised the issue of Canada Post moving out of the Downtown area and the need for the Federal agency's presence in the heart of the community. C. Ladd responded that staff have discussed with Canada Post the move outside of the Downtown area advising that there are still two postal outlets in the Downtown. Ms. Ladd suggested that having a larger presence from Canada Post or the Federal Government is a political issue that may require discussions on that level. Mayor C. Zehr suggested that a presence in the Downtown area that Councillor Lorentz is referring to does not necessarily have to be from Canada Post as it could be from either the Federal or Provincial governments such as the new proposed courthouse. K. Currier, Director of Operations, presented Community Services Department report CSD-06-099, dated September 7, 2006, on the Community Cleanliness initiative. Mr. Currier suggested that the project team has suggested that the City continue with the current initiative and activities and that the initiative be removed from the Shared Agenda and placed on the Community Services Department agenda. Mayor C. Zehr advised that cleanliness and litter are still large issues and that the City needs to continue to find better ways to address the concerns including the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) lands. Council agreed that work needs to continue across the Corporation and that pressure SPECIAL COUNCIL MINUTES SEPTEMBER 11, 2006 - 246 - CITY OF KITCHENER should be put on the Province to make improvements along the highway lands especially at the entrances to the City. Councillor Lorentz pointed out there are two components to the initiatives, one being the physical maintenance of the lands and an educational component which should be introduced into the schools. K. Currier advised that staff have met with MTO staff who advised that litter pickup and grass cutting along Highway 8 will not commence until the current reconstruction of the highway is completed. He further advised that City staff are willing to undertake cleanup of that area and will be further discussing this with MTO staff and will report back to Council. Mayor C. Zehr advised of an additional item for in-camera discussion this date involving a land acquisition /disposition matter. Moved by Councillor J. Smola Seconded by Councillor B. Vrbanovic "That an in-camera meeting of City Council be held immediately following this special meeting to consider a personal matter and a land acquisition /disposition matter." Carried. On motion, the meeting adjourned at 5:50 p.m. MAYOR CLERK