[00:00:03] >> [BACKGROUND] ALL RIGHT. WE WILL CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER. [1. CALL TO ORDER] THIS IS A SPECIAL MEETING WITH COUNCIL FOR THE CITY OF ELLIOT LAKE, MONDAY, JUNE 20TH, 2022, TIME IS 6:00 P.M. AS FAR AS ROLL-CALL, MEMBERS ARE PRESENT, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF COUNCILOR FINAMORE, WHO WILL BE JOINING US A LITTLE BIT LATE. SHE'S ON-SCREEN. HI, COUNCILOR FINAMORE AND COUNCILLOR CYR, WHO IS NOT AVAILABLE THIS EVENING. IS THERE ANY DECLARATIONS OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST? COUNCILOR MANN? [3. DECLARATIONS OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST] >> THANK YOU. WORSHIP. I WOULD LIKE TO DECLARE ON ITEM 7.5, AS I HAVE AN INDIRECT PECUNIARY INTEREST AS THE SPECIALIZED TRANSIT SERVICES ARE CONTRACTED WITH MY EMPLOYER. THANK YOU. >> ANY OTHER CONFLICTS OF INTERESTS THIS EVENING? SEEING NONE. THERE IS NO PUBLIC INPUT THIS EVENING OR IS THERE [INAUDIBLE] NO, NOBODY HAS GOTTEN INVOLVED. NO PUBLIC PRESENTATION, NO CORRESPONDENCE REPORT 7.1. [7.1. Report from the Director of Finance and Treasurer] REPORT FROM THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND TREASURY, INSURANCE, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF RISK MANAGEMENT 2022. RECOMMENDATION THAT THE REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE, TREASURY, REINSURANCE, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF RISK MANAGEMENT BE RECEIVED AND THAT COUNCIL ADOPT IN PRINCIPLE. THE ATTACHED REPORT 2021-2022 INSURANCE MARKETPLACE AND THE IMPORTANCE OF RISK MANAGEMENT CULTURE APPENDIX A. CAN I HAVE IT MOVED? MOVED BY COUNCILOR PATRIE, SECONDED BY COUNCILOR MANN. MS. SONNENBERG, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE. >> THROUGH YOUR WORSHIP, GOOD EVENING. IN CONTINUATION WITH A REPORT THAT WAS BROUGHT TO COUNCIL IN JUNE OF LAST YEAR, I'D LIKE TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO UPDATE COUNCIL ON OUR PROGRESSION OF ACROSS THE RISK MITIGATION STRATEGIES THAT HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED THROUGH THE LAST ADOPTION OF RISK MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES. AGAIN THIS YEAR THROUGH THE REPORT, YOU'LL SEE THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO STILL FACE INCREASES TO OUR INSURANCE POLICY. THESE INCREASES ARE SEEN ACROSS ALL MUNICIPALITIES AND OUR PRESSURE FOR MANY ACROSS THE PROVINCE. SINCE JUNE OF 2021, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON AND ESTABLISHING RISK MITIGATION MEASURES WITH RESPECT TO CITY ACTIVITIES AND THE WAY THAT WE CONDUCT OURSELVES ON A DAILY BASIS. ATTACHED IN APPENDIX A, THE INSURANCE MARKETPLACE AND THE IMPORTANCE OF RISK MANAGEMENT, IT EXPLAINS THROUGH THE MARKET CYCLES, THE HARD MARKET, THE SOFT MARKET, AND THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO REST IN A HARD MARKET AS WE ARE, WHICH MEANS THAT ESSENTIALLY THE CAPACITY FOR RISK FROM THE INSURER IS DECREASED. THEY'RE FOCUSED ON PROFITABILITY, REDUCING PRODUCT OFFERINGS, AND RETURNING TO A DISCIPLINED UNDERWRITING AND PREMIUMS ARE COMMENSURATE WITH RISK AND HIGHER MINIMUM DEDUCTIBLES OF REQUIRED. WE'RE SEEING THAT ACROSS THE BOARD. THAT IS DEFINITELY THE REASON THAT WE'RE SEEING YET AGAIN, ANOTHER INCREASE FOR 2022 AS PREVIOUSLY REPORTED. TO MITIGATE SOME OF THESE RISKS, WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENTED FACILITY USERS INSURANCE, WHICH IS A RISK MANAGEMENT TOOL THAT ALLOWS THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO RENT OUR FACILITIES AND MITIGATE RISK FROM THEMSELVES, FROM THEIR OWN HOMEOWNER'S POLICIES, AND ALSO FROM THE CITY FOR THE ACTIVITIES THAT THEY MAY BE HAVING OR RENTING OUR FACILITIES FOR. THERE'S A SMALL CHART ON AGENDA PACKAGE PAGE 5 THAT DETAILS SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT HAVE BEEN COVERED THROUGH THIS RISK MANAGEMENT AND RISK MITIGATION STRATEGY OF THE PURCHASE OF FACILITY USERS' INSURANCE. AS YOU CAN SEE, THE TOTAL PREMIUMS PAID BY USERS OF THESE PROGRAMS IS QUITE NOMINAL IN COMPARISON TO THE RISK THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN HEARD BY THE CITY OR BY THOSE USERS. CONTINUING THROUGH, WE'VE HAD PUBLIC WORK SEMINARS AND WE HAVE MOST RECENTLY DEVELOPED A VOLUNTEER POLICY WHICH INCLUDES MITIGATION OF RISK WITH VOLUNTEERS. WE'VE COME ALONG WAY, WE STILL HAVE A WAYS TO GO AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK TO DEMYSTIFY AND BETTER UNDERSTAND CYBERSECURITY, INCREASE RISK MITIGATION AT PUBLIC WORKS PARKS AND REC FOR ALL STAFF, ALSO WITH PROCUREMENT AND ALL PARTNERS INCLUDING THE SKI HILL. ANOTHER STEP THAT WE ARE PLANNING TO TAKE IS SOME DEFENSIVE DRIVER'S TRAINING AND IMPROVED SAFETY INSPECTIONS, LOGGING, ETC., WHEN IT COMES TO ENSURING THAT WE ARE MITIGATING RISKS AND DOING ALL OF THE RIGHT THINGS. THERE IS NO FINANCIAL IMPACT TO THIS OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT POTENTIALLY WE COULD BE SAVING FURTHER ON DOWN THE ROAD, HOPEFULLY BY PROVING TO THE INSURER THAT WE ARE DOING THE RIGHT THINGS, MITIGATING RISK, MITIGATING THE AMOUNT OF CLAIMS THAT WE HAVE TO PAY OUT ON BEHALF OF THE CITY. TONIGHT, I LOOK FOR YOUR SUPPORT TO CONTINUE TO [00:05:03] ENDORSE THE RISK MITIGATION AND RISK MANAGEMENT CULTURE. TO THAT EXTENT, I HAVE ROBIN MCCLEAVE FROM BFL ONLINE WITH US TONIGHT. THANK YOU, ROBIN FOR JOINING US TO HELP SUPPORT AND ANSWER ANY COUNCIL QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE IN TERMS OF WHERE WE'RE GOING, WHERE WE'VE COME FROM, AND WHAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO TO MITIGATE RISK AND TO ENSURE THAT OUR INSURANCE PREMIUMS DO NOT EXCEED A MILLION DOLLARS. THAT IS MY GOAL. >> THANK YOU. MS. SONNENBERG. ARE WE EXPECTING THAT PRESENTATION FROM MRS. MCCLEAVE WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION? >> SHE IS ONLINE AND IS IN A STATE OF READINESS TO MAKE A SMALL PRESENTATION ALONGSIDE MYSELF AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT COUNCIL MAY HAVE. >> ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL SO FAR? WE ARE GOOD TO CARRY ON THEN. MRS. MCCLEAVE, IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING ADDITIONAL FOR US? >> [NOISE] YES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR INVITING ME TO SPEAK THIS EVENING AT YOUR COUNCIL MEETING. THE HOPE WAS THAT I WOULD BE THERE IN PERSON. BUT UNFORTUNATELY A COMBINATION OF FAMILY AND SUFFERING FROM COVID, I WASN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT, SO I DO APOLOGIZE. AMY, WHEN I'M NOT SURE ABOUT IS ARE YOU GOING TO MOVE THE SLIDES OR WILL I BE GIVEN CONTROL OF THE SCREEN? >> LISTEN TO WAYD. ARE THEY? >> THEY'RE WORKING ON IT CURRENTLY, MRS. MCCLEAVE? >> THAT'S FINE. THAT'S PERFECTLY FINE. IN MANY WAYS, AMY HAD DONE A VERY GOOD INTRODUCTION AROUND THE GOALS, AROUND WITH MANAGEMENT THAT I'M GOING TO TOUCH ON THIS EVENING. BUT I ALSO WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT AROUND WHAT'S GOING ON FROM A LITIGATION PERSPECTIVE, PERFORMANCE PENALTIES ACROSS ONTARIO. >> I'M JUST GOING TO SHARE MY SCREEN [INAUDIBLE] >> DAN'S GOING TO SHARE HIS SCREEN AND YOU JUST LET US KNOW WHEN IT'S TIME TO FLIP THE PAGE. >> OKAY. I'M READY TO MOVE ON WHENEVER YOU GUYS ARE READY. >> WE HAVE THE FIRST PAGE UP, WHICH IS AN INTRODUCTION. >> DAN DO I HAVE TO CONTROL OF THE SLIDES OR DO YOU? >> DAN HAS CONTROL. YOU JUST HAVE TO LET US KNOW WHEN TIME TO SWITCH THE PAGE. >> PERFECT. [LAUGHTER] THANK YOU. MY NAME IS ROBIN MCLEE, I'M RESPONSIBLE FOR RISK MANAGEMENT FOR THE BFL PUBLIC SECTOR PROGRAM. I HAVE BEEN DOING STRICTLY RISK MANAGEMENT FOR MUNICIPALITIES FOR ALMOST 17 YEARS NOW. MY CAREER STARTED IN THE MUNICIPAL AREA WITH [INAUDIBLE] MUNICIPAL, AND SINCE THAT TIME I DEDICATED MY CAREER TO RISK MANAGEMENT. I'M GOING TO JUST BRIEFLY TALK ABOUT UNDERWRITING PRINCIPLES, THE NEGATIVE IMPACT OF LONG-TERM LIABILITIES, WHAT'S TRENDING IN LITIGATION, REVIEW THE CATASTROPHIC PROPERTY LOSSES. I WANTED ALSO TO SPEND SOME TIME TALKING ABOUT STAFF'S COMMITMENT TO RISK MANAGEMENT AND TRAINING. THEY REALLY HAVE DONE AN AMAZING JOB, AND THEY REALLY HAVE EMBRACED THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS CULTURE WITHIN THE CITY OF ELLIOT LAKE. THEN FINALLY, WHAT OUR COMMITMENT IS TO THE CITY AND SENIOR MANAGEMENT AS YOU CONTINUE TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. WHERE UNDERWRITING HAS REALLY CHANGED THROUGH THE COURSE OF THE HARD MARKET IS, WHAT INSURANCE COMPANIES WERE ORIGINALLY LOOKING FOR, WHEN THEY WOULD UNDERWRITE A MUNICIPAL RISKS. IN THE PAST, THEY WOULD GO WITH FIVE-YEARS LOSS HISTORY. BUT GIVEN THE LONG-TERM TALE LIABILITY CLAIM, THE MINIMUM THAT UNDERWRITERS ARE EXPECTING IS 10 YEARS. LOOKING AT ALL OF YOUR OPERATIONS, WHAT ARE YOU RESPONSIBLE FOR. THERE HAS BEEN A BIG EMPHASIS ON WHERE YOUR BUILDINGS ARE BECAUSE OF THE CAT LOSSES WITH FLOOD, [00:10:03] ARE NOT NECESSARILY EARTHQUAKE AND FIRE, INSURANCE ARE REALLY LOOKING AT WHERE ARE YOUR BUILDING, TYPE OF FIRE PROTECTION THAT YOU HAVE, YOUR ALARMS OR SPRINKLER SYSTEM. THE DIFFICULTY WITH MUNICIPALITY IS THAT A LOT OF YOUR BUILDINGS CAN BE OLDER IN FRAME, AND MAY NOT HAVE SPRINKLERS IN THE BUILDING. WHAT'S THE MAXIMUM PROBABLE LOSS, AND THAT IS WITH RESPECT TO HOW MANY BUILDINGS YOU HAVE GROUPED TOGETHER THAT COULD POTENTIALLY USE ALL BEING TAKEN OUT AT FLOOD OR A FIRE. ANOTHER LARGE EMPHASIS IS RISK-MANAGEMENT AND LOSS LITIGATION PHILOSOPHY, AND THAT REALLY IS ACROSS THE BOARD FOR ALL MUNICIPALITIES. THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF ACTIVITY AROUND LAS, MO, EVERYONE LOOKING AT THE CONCERNS AROUND THE INCREASED PREMIUM, AND LOOKING AT HOW CAN YOU MANAGE THOSE INCREASED PREMIUMS THROUGH A RISK-MANAGEMENT AND CLAIMS LITIGATION. WHAT AMY SAID EARLIER IS THEY ARE LOOKING AT INCREASING DEDUCTIBLES TO BETTER MANAGE THE COST OF INSURANCE AND BRINGING DOWN THE COST BY HAVING HIGHER DEDUCTIBLE. THAT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT CAME OUT THROUGH THE HARD MARKET IN THE PAST. ALL THESE COULD HAVE FIVE MILLION OR 5,000 OR $10,000 DEDUCTIBLE. YOU REALLY DON'T SEE THAT ANYMORE. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. I THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO TOUCH ON YOUR LITIGATION CLIMATE IN ONTARIO, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT POINT, AND WHY RISK MANAGEMENT AND CLAIMS LITIGATION IS REALLY COMING TO THE FOREFRONT. WE INTERVIEWED FIVE MUNICIPAL DEFENSE LAWYERS ALL HAD ABOVE 30-40 YEARS OF DEFENSE EXPERIENCE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WAS BECAUSE YOU CONSTANTLY HEAR THE COST OF CLAIMS ARE GOING UP, BUT WE REALLY WANTED TO KNOW WHY ARE THEY GOING UP. WHEN YOU LOOK AT HOW CLIENTS ARE SETTLED TODAY, VERY FEW GO TO TRIAL. THE IDEA IS THAT JUDGES REALLY WANT TO SEE THESE CLAIMS SETTLED, THEY DON'T WANT THEM GOING TO TRIAL, SO YOU HAVE ALL THESE COSTS INVOLVED WITH YOUR MEDIATION THEN THE DISCOVERY THEN THE PRETRIAL. NOW THERE IS THE AGE OF THE INJURED PARTY, SO IF I'M INJURED AT 12, YOU REALLY DON'T KNOW THE EXTENT OF MY INJURIES PROBABLY TILL THREE OR FOUR YEARS DOWN THE ROAD. UNTIL YOU KNOW THE EXTENT OF MY INJURIES, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO PUT A RESERVE ON THAT. WE COULD START ANYWHERE FROM 50,000, 60,000 AND AS I GET OLDER OR EVEN PUT ANY CLAIM AS YOU GO THROUGH THE PROCESS, THEN YOU START TO FIGURE OUT NEGLIGENCE, THEN COST OF THE CLAIM WILL GO UP. BECAUSE IT'S LIABILITY IS LONG TAIL, IT COULD BE FIVE YEARS, SIX YEARS, 10 YEARS BEFORE THAT CLAIM IS EVEN SETTLED. JOINT AND SEVERAL LIABILITY IS A VERY BIG TOPIC, IT'S AN IMPORTANT TOPIC, BUT I CAN HONESTLY SAY TO ALL, THERE ARE VERY FEW CLAIMS WHERE JOINT AND SEVERAL ACTUALLY DOES APPLY. IT'S REALLY ONLY BROUGHT IN WHEN THE PARTIES THAT ARE NEGLIGENT DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH LIMITS IN THEIR INSURANCE, AND THEY NEED ADDITIONAL POCKETS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THE INJURED PARTY WHOLE BASED ON WHAT THE JUDGES BELIEVED THE DAMAGES ARE WORTH. MANY MUNICIPALITIES ARE LOOKING AT TRIPS AND FALLS CLAIMS, THEY CAN ALSO BE VERY EXPENSIVE CLAIMS THAN WERE 500,000 TO SEVERAL MILLION, AND WITH THOSE JOINT AND SEVERAL DOES NOT APPLY. WITH THE PLAINTIFF LAWYERS, WHAT'S IN IT FOR THEM, DISCUSSIONS AROUND YOU ALL HEAR THE, I DON'T GET PAID IF YOU DON'T GET PAID. PLAINTIFF LAWYERS ARE NOT A CHARITY, IF THEY DON'T FEEL THAT THEY'RE GOING TO WIN THEN THEY WILL NOT TAKE ON THE CASE. BUT WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE IS, A PLAINTIFF LAWYER TAKES ON THE CASE AND THEY LOSE, [INAUDIBLE] MONEY BECAUSE THEY CAN ACTUALLY PURCHASE INSURANCE TO COVER ANY COSTS THAT THE JUDGE SAYS THEY MUST PAY. THERE'S REALLY NOTHING THERE FOR THEM TO LOOSE. I ALSO THOUGHT IT WAS HELPFUL TO BRING FORWARD A COUPLE OF RECENT COURT DECISIONS. IAN GOLD, RECENTLY SPOKE AT SPIAO, WHICH IS A SOCIETY OF PUBLIC INSURANCE ADMINISTRATORS OF ONTARIO JUNE OF THIS YEAR. HE WAS TALKING ABOUT TRENDS THAT THEY RECEIVED WHERE INJURED PARTIES ARE REWARDED HIGH DAMAGES BASED ON THEIR INJURIES. THEN THERE'S ONE PARTICULAR CASE, THE MUNICIPALITY WASN'T INVOLVED, IT WAS A MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT. FORTUNATELY, IT WAS A HEAD-ON COLLISION, [00:15:03] AND THE OVERALL FUTURE CARE COSTS THAT THEY WERE GIVEN AS A RESULT OF THAT ACCIDENT, WHICH IS BASED ON HIS OPINION, YES, IT WAS VERY TRAGIC, BUT AT THE SAME TIME THIS PERSON DIDN'T SUFFER WHAT HE WOULD HAVE CONSIDERED REALLY SEVERE BRAIN TRAUMA, AND YET THE FUTURE CARE COSTS AWARDS WERE 735,000 OTHER THAN 2.38 DAMAGES THAT WERE AWARDED THIS INDIVIDUAL. THE REASON WHY HE BRINGS THIS FORWARD IS BECAUSE WHEN YOU SEE CASES SETTLED LIKE THAT, IF THEY'RE SIMILAR CASES COMING FORWARD IN THE FUTURE, THAT THAT CASE WILL BE ONE THAT WILL BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN JUDGES ARE AWARDING DAMAGES. ANOTHER VERY SAD CASE WITH RESPECT TO MORE WITH THE FAMILY, THEIR DAUGHTER SURVIVED, BUT AFTER A WHILE UNFORTUNATELY, SHE PASSED AWAY. SHE SUFFERED TERRIBLE BURN INJURIES, AND AGAIN, IT WAS ALL VERY TRAGIC. BUT FOR THE FIRST TIME, WHAT THEY WERE SEEING IS THE FAMILY WERE AWARDED. THE MOTHER AND THE FATHER WERE BOTH AWARDED $250,000 EACH FOR WHAT WAS CONSIDERED THEIR LOSS OF CARE AND COMPANIONSHIP. IN THE PAST THE MOST THAT HAD BEEN PAID WAS A 150,000. THE IDEA REALLY IS JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF THE TRENDS WHERE THE COST OF PAYING ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO GO UP. THAT'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE, AND THE BEST DEFENSE THE MUNICIPALITY CAN DO IS WORK ON THE RISK MANAGEMENT. THE CITY IS VERY ACTIVELY DOING THEIR CLAIMS LITIGATION. ALL OF THESE THINGS IN THE END I BELIEVE WILL MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE FROM ALL MUNICIPALITIES ACROSS ONTARIO. WITH RESPECT TO PROPERTY, THAT'S WHERE REALLY THE HARD MARKET WAS IN 2022. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS IN 1983, AND 1984, THE CATASTROPHIC FOR ALL ACROSS CANADA, AND FIREFLIES HAIL IN 1983 IS 38.4 MILLION, 1984, 39.1 MILLION. I'M JUST GOING TO FAST FORWARD TO 2021 WHERE IT WAS 2.04 BILLION. THIS IS WHAT TRULY COMES TO ROOST WITH THE PROPERTY MARKETPLACE IS BECAUSE AT ONE POINT, HAVING LARGE CATASTROPHIC LOSSES WERE NOT AN ANNUAL OCCURRENCE, BUT YOU CAN SEE THAT IT HAS BEEN AN ANNUAL OCCURRENCE SINCE 2018. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. I'M NOT GOING TO GO INTO A LOT OF DETAIL HERE, BUT THIS IS REALLY A LIST OF ALL THE THINGS THAT THE CITY HAS BEEN ABLE TO TAKE PART IN. IN DECEMBER 2021, WE ENGAGED IN GOLD. I THINK THIS IS A SEMINAR FOR PUBLIC WORK STAFF AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK IN OTHER LEGAL COUNSELS THAT ARE ABLE TO WORK WITH CITY STAFF. I THINK THAT IS SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE WHAT LEGAL COUNSEL DOES IS IT REALLY HELPS STAFF TO UNDERSTAND WHAT PLAINTIFF LAWYERS ARE LOOKING FOR. RATHER THAN SAYING NO DOCUMENTATION IS SO IMPORTANT, WHICH IT IS, BUT WHICH DOCUMENTATION IS THE MOST IMPORTANT? THIS REALLY ALLOWS STAFF TO REALLY HONE IN ON WHERE THEY CAN MAKE SOME CHANGES, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH TECHNOLOGY, GPS, WAYS OF TAKING PICTURES, GOING THROUGHOUT YOUR MUNICIPALITY WITH SOMEBODY DRIVING RATHER THAN RELYING ON PEOPLE TO WALK ACROSS ALL YOUR SIDEWALK. THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE CAN BE LOOKING AT TO ASSIST US WITH THE DOCUMENTATION AND THAT HAS NOT CHANGED. WHEN WE SPOKE TO THE FIVE LAWYERS, WE ASKED THEM AT THE END, WHAT IS THE MAIN THING THAT THIS POLICE COULD BE DOING AND THEY ALL SAID THE SAME THING, THEY SAID DOCUMENTATION. PLAINTIFF LAWYERS ARE VERY SOPHISTICATED. THEY KNOW THE INFORMATION THAT THEY WANT, BUT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR, THEY'RE ALL TALKING. IS IT FAIR? ABSOLUTELY NOT. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IF YOUR STAFF REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON, THAT PUTS YOU IN A MUCH BETTER POSITION TO CREATE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AND DOCUMENTATION THAT IS GOING TO HELP THEM IN THE END. IN THE FALL, WE'RE LOOKING AT BEST PRACTICE FOR PROCUREMENT. I MYSELF ARE GOING TO BE INVOLVED WITH WHAT I'VE REFERRED TO AS RISK AND INSURANCE AND MITIGATION 101 FOR YOUR FRONTLINE STAFF. THE TRAINING IS GOING TO CONTINUE THROUGH 2022. [00:20:02] AS I SAID EARLIER, WE ARE LOOKING AT VIRTUAL DEFENSIVE DRIVING TRAINING. NEXT SLIDE. >> OKAY. >> WHAT OUR COMMITMENT IS TO YOU IS, AND I THINK THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT PIECE IN HAVING DISCUSSIONS WITH YOUR INSURER, MAKING A FULLY AWARE OF WHAT THE CITY'S COMMITMENT IS TO RISK MANAGEMENT AND CLAIMS MITIGATION. I THINK THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT POINT AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ACTIVELY WORKING ON THROUGH 2022 WITH YOUR INSURERS AND MAKING THEM FULLY AWARE OF ALL THE GREAT WORK THAT WE'RE DOING. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT WE ARE OBVIOUSLY DEFINITELY GOING TO CONTINUE FOR THE SUPPORT STAFF AND MEETING THEIR RISK AND CLAIMS MITIGATION GOALS, WHATEVER THAT IS. ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO ASSIST THROUGH TRAINING, SEMINARS OR DISCUSSIONS OR REVIEWS, OR LOOKING AT SPECIAL EVENTS. WE'RE VERY MUCH COMMITTED TO THE CITY OF ELLIOT LAKE. WE'RE ALSO ABLE TO LOOK AT THINGS LIKE PROVIDING INFECTION RISK MANAGE FOR RISK TRANSFER MECHANISMS, WHAT'S AVAILABLE TO THE CITY. I THINK A VERY POSITIVE STEP IS DEFINITELY THEY USE THE FACILITY PROGRAM. IN MY MIND, THAT'S JUST A WIN-WIN SITUATION BECAUSE WHEN YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING TO YOUR VARIOUS FACILITIES HAVING GREAT EVENTS, THEY DON'T WANT TO FIND THEMSELVES IN A POSITION WHERE THEY'RE GETTING SUED AND THEY DON'T HAVE INSURANCE POLICY TO PROTECT THEM, AND THAT'S WHAT THIS POLICY REALLY DOES. WE'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK WITH STAFF ON SPECIAL EVENTS AND THEN CONTINUE TO HAVE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES SUCH AS WEBINARS AND NEWSLETTERS THAT WILL ALWAYS BE AVAILABLE TO STAFF AND THEY'LL BE CONTINUED ON FOR 2022. I BELIEVE THAT THAT IS IT. NEXT SLIDE. I THINK THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. >> THANK YOU MRS. [INAUDIBLE] VERY MUCH APPRECIATED. I START OFF, I HAVE A QUESTION RIGHT OFF THE BAT. YOU MENTIONED AWARDS AND SETTLEMENTS IN CERTAIN AREAS THAT HAVE GONE UP. WHAT IS THE MAXIMUM AWARD FOR ANY SINGLE INCIDENT? >> TODAY, THE HIGHEST PAID CLAIM WAS THE DARING SISTER. THAT WAS BACK IN 2013 AND WENT ALL THE WAY UP TO THE SUPREME COURT OF CANADA. WITH AN EXCESS OR SLIGHTLY BELOW OR SLIGHTLY ABOVE 30 MILLION BY THE TIME THEY LOOKED AT COST AND DAMAGES, THEY WERE TWO LIMITS THAT BOTH WERE PARAPLEGIC AT A YOUNG AGE AND THAT FURTHER I KNOW IS THE LARGEST AND THAT WAS THE ONE THAT WENT TO TRIAL. >> THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? I'M NOT SEEING A WHOLE LOT OF QUESTIONS GOING ON. JUST FOR CLARITY, THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF THE RISK MANAGEMENT PROCESS AND ALL THESE POLICIES IN PLACE ISN'T TO REMOVE THE MUNICIPALITY FROM BEING ABLE TO HAVE FUNCTIONS, BUT IT'S TO ENSURE THAT THE FUNCTIONS WE DO HAVE ARE FOLLOWING THE SAFEST POSSIBLE PROCEDURES? >> THAT WOULD BE CORRECT. AS I SAID EARLIER, THE STAFF HAVE BEEN DOING A REALLY GREAT JOB. IN MY MIND, YOU WANT YOUR EVENT TO BE REMEMBERED AS SOMETHING THAT WAS AMAZING. IT'S NOT AN EVENT THAT IS REMEMBERED BECAUSE THERE WAS A TRAGIC INCIDENT. THE DISCUSSIONS THAT I'VE BEEN HAVING WITH STAFF ARE DEFINITELY IN NO WAY TO SAY WE CAN'T DO THIS WE CAN'T DO THAT. IT'S REALLY HOW CAN WE ALL WORK TOGETHER TO HAVE A REALLY SUCCESSFUL EVENT. BUT ALWAYS KEEPING TOP OF MIND THE IMPORTANCE OF MANAGING THAT RISK IS THROUGH PLANNING. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. COUNCIL PATRIE. THANK YOU LORDSHIP. THROUGH YOU ON YOUR SECOND LAST SLIDE, IT'S SAID THAT YOU DO PROVIDE INSPECTIONS BUT YOU VERBALLY SAID THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE INSPECTIONS. DO YOU HAVE ANY SCHEDULED OR HAVE YOU DONE ANY INSPECTIONS IN THE MUNICIPALITY? BECAUSE I KNOW IN OTHER INDUSTRIES THAT I'VE WORKED IN, THE BENEFIT OF HAVING THE INSURER ACTUALLY COME AND DO INSPECTIONS DOES HELP MITIGATE AGAINST INSURANCE COSTS RISING WHEN THEY SEE THAT. AS OUR STAFF YOU'RE SAYING IT'S DOING A GOOD JOB, BUT WHEN YOU DO A REPORT AS OPPOSED TO US DOING A REPORT IT'S A LOT MORE BENEFICIAL TO THE INSURANCE COMPANY WHEN IT GOES TO QUOTING OUR NEW RATES. [00:25:01] MY QUESTION IS, HAVE YOU BEEN OR WILL YOU BE COMING TO DO INSPECTIONS AND HOW OFTEN? >> THE INSURANCE COMPANY THAT RECENTLY CAME ONBOARD THROUGH CANADA, THEY WILL BE COMPLETING INSPECTIONS. NO, THEY HAVE NOT BEEN SCHEDULED YET. WE ACTIVELY WORK WITH THE COUNTY AND WITH THE INSPECTION COMPANY. WE MAKE SURE THAT WE CONNECT THE DOTS BETWEEN THE INSPECTOR WHO'S COMING AND THE STAFF THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR THE INSPECTOR. THROUGH THAT PROCESS, I ALSO VERY MUCH ENCOURAGE STAFF TO ANYONE'S RESPONSIBLE FOR LOSS CONTROL, RISK MANAGEMENT, CLAIMS MANAGEMENT, THAT THEY ACCOMPANY THE INSPECTOR WHEN THEY COME TO LOOK AT YOUR SITES BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES THE INSPECTOR WILL IMPORT INFORMATION OR ANSWER ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS. THEY DON'T END UP ON THE REPORT. BUT IT REALLY IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR STAFF TO REALLY TRANSFER WHATEVER THEY LEARNED FROM THE INSPECTOR WHEN YOU'RE SEEING THE PROPERTY TO OTHER PROPERTIES WITHIN THE CITY. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COUNCILOR FINAMORE? >> THANK YOU THROUGH YOU. MR. MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. AS YOU CAN APPRECIATE, THESE ARE A LOT OF BIG, HUGE CHANGES FOR A LOT OF US THAT HAVE BEEN WITH THE CITY FOR A LONG TIME. IT'S STARTING TO SINK INTO THE IMPORTANCE OF IT. I UNDERSTAND THAT RISK MANAGEMENT IS IMPORTANT AND UNFORTUNATELY, WE'VE BEEN GIVING OUR TREASURER A HARD TIME BECAUSE SHE'S THE ONE THAT HAS TO DELIVER THE MESSAGES TO US. I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, I CAN SEE THE STAFF ARE INVOLVED AND THE STAFF, ARE FOLLOWING YOUR DIRECTION AND THEY'RE REALLY GETTING ON BOARD WITH GETTING EVERYTHING IN ORDER. WILL WE SEE LESS OF AN INCREASE IN OUR PREMIUMS OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS AS THEY GET FURTHER ALONG INTO THE RISK MANAGEMENT PROCESS AND ACCOMPLISH LOT OF THE GOALS THAT YOU'VE SUGGESTED. DOES THAT EVER BECOME PART OF THE TOTAL EQUATION OF WHAT WE PAID FOR EXPENSES FOR INSURANCE EVERY YEAR? >> THAT IS A VERY BROAD AND DIFFICULT QUESTION TO ANSWER BECAUSE IT REALLY IS ABOUT MANAGING A REP. IF YOU'RE A MUNICIPALITY AND MANAGE OVER, WELL, YOU ARE GOING TO STAND OUT AMONGST OTHER MUNICIPALITIES WHO ARE NOT BECAUSE YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE A BETTER CLIENT HISTORY. AS I SAID EARLIER, BECAUSE THE COST OF LITIGATION IS NOT GOING TO GO DOWN ANYTIME SOON, MUNICIPALITIES ALL ACROSS ONTARIO ARE GETTING TOO CONTINUOUSLY CHALLENGED BY THAT. THAT IF YOU HAVE A GOOD LAWS HISTORY, THEN THAT WILL DEFINITELY WORK TOWARDS MITIGATING PREMIUM INCREASES. BECAUSE I CAN SAY MUNICIPALITIES WHO DO HAVE POOR LAWS HISTORIES, THEY WERE SEEING MUCH HIGHER ANNUAL INCREASES THAN SOME OF THEM MUNICIPALITIES THAT HAD BETTER LAWS HISTORY. WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON AND I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO REMEMBER AND AGAIN, THIS IS AN OVERLY HELPFUL FOR MUNICIPALITIES, IS THAT YOU ARE THE ONLY ORGANIZATION THAT ANY SINGLE MUNICIPALITY IN ONTARIO COULD HAVE A DARING SISTER-IN-LAW. YOU COULD HAVE A BRUCE COUNTY LAWS FOR THIS FOUR GENTLEMAN WAS A QUADRIPLEGIC WHEN YOU MOVED ON TO DOING THE MOUNTAIN BIKING ACTIVITY THAT HE SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE. ANY ONE OF YOU CAN HAVE A LARGE NVA. THAT'S WHAT INSURERS ARE REALLY STRUGGLING WITH, IS BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT THERE IS POTENTIAL THAT ANY ONE OF THE FOUR, BECAUSE THERE IS ONLY FOUR OF THEM AND THERE'S NOT ALL KINDS OF ORGANIZATIONS SAYING I WANT TO GET INTO THIS BUSINESS [INAUDIBLE] THE HARD MARKET, STOCK MARKET, HARD MARKET NOW ARE MOVING INTO A BETTER MARKETPLACE. THEY'RE ALL COMMITTED FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF ANY ONE OF THEM COULD PAY A REALLY LARGE LOSS, AND THAT'S WHERE THROUGH THE RISK MANAGEMENT AND THROUGH THE MITIGATION AND THROUGH THE DOCUMENTATION AND THROUGH TECHNOLOGY, THE IDEAS THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO SHOW THAT YOU DID ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU SAID YOU WERE GOING TO DO WHEN THE DOCUMENTATION CONFIRMS THAT. BUT THE REALITY IS, IS IT GOING TO GET ANY BETTER? ARE THE COST OF PLANES GOING TO BE GOING DOWN ANYTIME SOON? NO. BUT THE BEST THING THAT MUNICIPALITIES CAN DO IS THROUGH RISK MANAGEMENT AND I DO BELIEVE STRONGLY THAT HAVING A GOOD LAWS HISTORY ONLY IN THE END, [00:30:05] WILL WORK TOWARDS RATE STABILITY. IT'S THE HUGE UPS AND DOWNS. WITH THE PREMIUMS, UPS AND DOWNS AND UPS AND DOWNS THAT TAKES AWAY THAT STABILITY, AND I THINK THE MARKET HAS CORRECTED ITSELF, IT NEEDED TO CORRECT ITSELF, BECAUSE IT WASN'T COLLECTING VERY ENOUGH PREMIUM. BUT I THINK THE NEXT STEP FOR THE MUNICIPALITY IS TO HAVE THAT STABILITY BY HAVING A GOOD LAWS HISTORY. THERE'S TIMES YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A FLIP. THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT. ONE MUNICIPALITY WITH A TERRIBLE STORM, SOME MUNICIPALITIES GO UP IN MOTORCYCLES. IS THAT SMART THING TO DO? NO. BUT THAT'S WHAT THEY DID AND THEY GOT HURT. YOU'RE ALWAYS GOING TO HAVE THOSE FLIP, BUT THOSE ARE THINGS THAT YOU CAN EXPLAIN. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOUR WORK. THIS HAS TO DO WITH SOMEBODY GOING OUT WHEN YOU SHOULD BE GOING OUT. BY BEING ABLE TO PUT TOGETHER CREATING LONGER-TERM RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR MUNICIPALITY, IT GIVES US A GREATER OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE THAT STRONG OR PICTURE WHEN IT COMES TIME TO RENEW. TRULY A LONG SANDY AND I APOLOGIZE BUT AS I SAID THERE'S NO STRAIGHTFORWARD ANSWER, UNFORTUNATELY, OTHER THAN I THINK EVERYBODY IS DOING A GREAT JOB. THEY'RE VERY COMMITTED, AND I THINK THAT THAT WILL SHOW POSITIVE IN THE FUTURE. >> THANK YOU. AGAIN, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COUNCILOR TURNER? >> THANK YOU, ROBIN AND NOTE THAT IN THIS 2022 YEAR, WE'VE ADDED THREE ADDITIONAL POLICIES; MARINE LIABILITY, EXCESS TRANSIT AND DRONE LIABILITY. DOES THAT COME AS A RESULT OF SOME OF YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS WHICH YOUR COMPANY LOOKS AT WHEN THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE GRAND SCOPE OF CITY ACTIVITIES? >> I WASN'T INVOLVED IN THE ACTUAL PLACING OF THE INSURANCE FOR YOUR PROGRAM. WHAT I CAN SAY IN VERY GENERAL TERMS IS THAT MORE AND MORE MUNICIPALITIES ARE USING DRONES IS CONSIDERED [INAUDIBLE], AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR PROPERTY COVERED IF SOMETHING GOES WRONG WITH YOUR DRONE. AVIATION, ANYTHING TO DO WITH AVIATION AS AN APPROACH MOVING ON TO THE GL POLICY, AND THAT'S WHY INSURERS HAVE ACTUALLY CREATED SPECIAL POLICY. THIS IS NOT, OBVIOUSLY IT'S NOT A PLANE, BUT IT DOES, IT'S IN THE AIR AND THEY DEVELOP THIS SPECIAL POLICY. WITH MARINE ACT WHAT WE HAVE AT LEON STAFF ARE FORTUNATE ON STAFF WE HAVE JODIE JONES AND SHE IS OUR MARINE EXPERT [INAUDIBLE] NECESSARILY HAVE WORKED WITH US IN THE PAST AND SHE IDENTIFIED THAT WHEN YOU HAVE THAT EXPOSURE, WHAT WE'RE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE ON THE POLICY WHICH WAS A SINGLE-PAGE ENDORSEMENT, REALLY WASN'T ADEQUATELY PROTECTING THE MUNICIPALITY AND THROWING IT WITH THE THIRD ONE, DROVE MARINA. >> IT SAYS TRANSIT LIABILITY. >> TRANSIT ALL THAT IS, IS MAKING SURE THAT YOU HAVE THE LIMITS FOR YOUR TRANSIT IN THE EVENT ONE OF YOUR BUSSES GET INTO AN ACCIDENT. THERE WAS A VERY BAD CLAIM IN OTTAWA OBVIOUSLY THERE IS A BUNCH OF THOSE WITH THE SAME SIZE, BUT WHEN YOU HAVE ALL THOSE PASSENGERS AND MORE THAN LIKELY THEY'RE ON YOUR BUS BECAUSE THEY DON'T DRIVE, AND THAT YOU HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE INJURED ON A BUS. IT CAN BE QUITE EXPENSIVE. AS I SAID, THERE'S BEEN SOME VERY TRAGIC, VERY UNFORTUNATE, BUT ACCESS OVER THE YEARS. >> THANK YOU. ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE. THANK YOU. MS. MCCLEAVE FOR YOUR TIME. I'M VERY MUCH APPRECIATED. >> YOU'RE VERY WELCOME. >> YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING. >> YOU AS WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, EVERYBODY. I DO APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. HAVE A GOOD EVENING. >> THANK YOU. WE HAVE A RECOMMENDATION ON THE TABLE. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT THE RECOMMENDATION? COUNCILOR TURNER? >> ONE QUESTION IN GENERAL, YOUR WORSHIP, WHAT DOES IT COST US TO HAVE BFL CONSULT ON OUR BEHALF AND CONSULT AND INSTRUCT I GUESS. [00:35:05] WHAT DOES IT COST US ANNUALLY?. >> FOR YOU, YOUR WORSHIP BY THE COST IS BUILT-IN TO THE POLICY. WE PAY ENOUGH. I WOULDN'T PAY ANYTHING EXTRA, WE'RE IN IT. IT'S PART OF THE POLICY COUNCILOR TURNER. THIS SERVICE IS PART OF THE POLICY. IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF WHETHER MUNICIPALITIES CHOOSE TO TAKE A RISK MITIGATION STRATEGY OR NOT, THAT WOULD BE THEIR CHOICE. WE'RE CHOOSING THAT RISK MITIGATION MAY CURB FUTURE POLICY PREMIUMS AND IT'S INCLUDED IN THIS. FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN WE HAVE AN EVENT SUCH AS, A GOOD EXAMPLE, THE FIRST ONE WE DID WAS LAST YEAR'S LABOR DAY EVENT AND THE UNVEILING OF THE NEW MINERS MONUMENT. MS. MCCLEAVE FROM BFL AND HER TEAM HAD MULTIPLE MEETINGS WITH STAFF, SAT DOWN AND SAID, I UNDERSTAND ALL OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT YOU'RE PLANNING ON DOING, THESE ARE ALL OF THE THINGS THAT YOU NEED TO DO TO ENSURE THAT YOU'RE MITIGATING RISKS. SOME OF THEM WERE QUITE OBVIOUS, SOME OF THEM WERE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE AND NEVER PROPERLY DOCUMENTED. WE REALLY HAD [NOISE] A GREAT EYE-OPENING EXPERIENCE THROUGH THAT PROCESS THAT WAS COMPLETELY PART AND PARCEL OF SIMPLY PAYING OUR REGULAR POLICIES, OUR POLICY DUES AND BFL IS WORKING WITH US TO TRY TO MITIGATE FUTURE CLAIMS AND TO NOT HAVE US HAVE INCREASED PREMIUMS. THEY WANT US TO STABILIZE OUR PREMIUMS JUST AS MUCH AS WE DO, BUT ALSO WE NEED TO HAVE THE TOOLS TO DO SO. THROUGH THIS RISK MITIGATION POLICY AND WORKING WITH THE RISK MITIGATION DEPARTMENT AT BFL, WE'RE GIVEN THE TOOLS WE NEED TO JUST DO BETTER. WHEN YOU DO BETTER, YOU KNOW BETTER, YOU DO BETTER. THERE'S NO COST. >> ALRIGHT. BFL IS AN AGENT OF OUR INSURERS? >> THEY ARE OUR BROKER. >>I GET THE IMPRESSION THAT THEY WERE ACTING ON OUR BEHALF IN DEALING WITH INSURERS WHEN IT CAME TO INSPECTIONS AND CLAIMS AND PREMIUMS. >> BFL IS OUR BROKER. THEY TAKE OUR POLICY AND OUR APPLICATION FOR INSURANCE AND THEY SHOP IT OUT AND FIND US THE BEST DEAL. THE SAME WAY THAT I DO PERSONALLY WITH MY HOME AND AUTO INSURANCE. I GO TO BROKER LINK. >> I UNDERSTAND. > THEY SHOP IT OUT AND THEY CHOOSE TWO BRANDS, CAR INSURANCE A, AND HOUSE INSURANCE B, AND TELL ME THAT THAT'S THE BEST DEAL FOR THE PORTFOLIO OF THINGS THAT I NEED INSURED AND I USE MY BROKER TO CHOOSE THE POLICY. BFL IS OUR BROKER. >> I UNDERSTAND. I GOT THE IMPRESSION THAT THEY WERE LIKE, TOTALLY DIVORCED FROM THE INSURANCE COMPANIES AND STRICTLY ACTING ON OUR BEHALF. BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE HERE. THANK YOU. >> I WOULD SAY THAT THEY'RE NOT ACTING ON OUR BEHALF. I WOULD SAY THEY'RE ACTING ON OUR BEHALF TO TRY AND GET US THE BEST RATES THEY POSSIBLY CAN. >> SAME AS A BROKER. >> ALSO, TO GET BETTER RATES WE NEED TO PERFORM BETTER AND HAVE A BETTER STOP LOSS HISTORY. >> COUNCIL PATRIE. >> THANK YOU YOUR WORSHIP, THROUGH YOU TO COUNCILOR TURNER. MOST COMMERCIAL INSURANCE POLICIES, YOUR BROKER DOES THIS FOR YOU. ALL THE BUSINESSES THAT I'M INVOLVED WITH OUR BROKERS, ALL BRINGING RISK MITIGATION POLICIES DO. THAT'S WHY I ASKED ABOUT, ARE THEY COMING TO DO INSPECTIONS AND WHEN BECAUSE WHEN THEY COME AND DO THESE INSPECTIONS IT IS TO HELP KEEP OUR PREMIUM DOWN. IT PROTECTS THE INSURANCE COMPANY AS WELL, BUT IT ALSO PROTECTS US AS THE PURCHASER OF THAT INSURANCE. >> THANK YOU. QUITE CLEAR ON THE BROKERS JOB. THANKS. COUNCILOR MANN. >> THANK YOU YOUR WORSHIP. AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION TONIGHT. IT WILL BE QUITE INTERESTING AT PREMIUM TIME NEXT YEAR TO SEE HOW MUCH THE WORK INVOLVED SO FAR THIS YEAR IS ACTUALLY IMPACTING OUR PREMIUMS. WE WENT FROM 256 FROM 2020- 2021 AND THEN LAST YEAR, ABOUT 112,000. WITH ALL THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE SO FAR THIS CALENDAR YEAR, WE'LL SEE WHAT THAT MEANS FOR NEXT YEAR. IS IT GOING TO GET DOWN TO THE MAGIC NUMBER AS MASONIC BERG INDICATED AS HER GOAL, LESS THAN A MILLION. I CERTAINLY HOPE SO BUT I CAN'T SEE IT WITH THE CURRENT MARKET. THANK YOU. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I'LL CALL FOR ROLL CALL ON THE APPENDIX A THAT WE'RE BEING ASKED TO ADOPT. I'LL START WITH COUNCILOR TURNER. [00:40:01] >> IN FAVOR. >> COUNCILLOR PEARCE. >> IN FAVOR. >> COUNCILOR PATRIE. >> IN FAVOR. >> COUNCILOR MANN. >> IN FAVOR? >> I'M IN FAVOR. THAT'S CARRIED. [NOISE] >> IN FAVOR. >> SORRY, COUNCILOR FINAMORE. GOD. [NOISE] [LAUGHTER] THAT'S ANOTHER IN FAVOR. 7.2, MEMO FROM [7.2. Memo from the Human Resources Coordinator] HUMAN RESOURCE COORDINATOR OR FIREFIGHTER NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE AS THIS MATTER DEALS WITH LABOR RELATIONS OR EMPLOYEE NEGOTIATIONS THAT MAY BE DISCUSSED IN CLOSED SESSION AS PER SECTION 2392D OF ADMISSIBLE ACT, MOVED BY COUNCILOR MANN, PUT IT IN CLOSED SESSION, SECOND BY COUNCILOR PEARCE. CASH, QUESTIONS, QUALMS, QUERIES. SEEING NONE ALL IN FAVOR. THAT'S CARRIED TO CLOSE. THANK YOU. 7.3 REPORT FROM THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE, [7.3. Report from the Director of Finance and Treasurer] TREASURY REVISION OF CITY OF ELLIOT LAKE ACCOUNTING RECEIVABLES POLICY. IN RECOMMENDATION THAT THE REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND TREASURY, REVISION OF THE CITY OF ELLIOT LAKE ACCOUNTING FOR RECEIVABLES, PALSY BE RECEIVED AND THAT COUNCIL ADOPT THE REVISED CORPORATION AND THE CITY OF ELLIOT LAKE CORPORATE ACCOUNTING FOR RECEIVABLES POLICY, WHICH IS APPENDIX A. CAN I HAVE A MOVER, PLEASE? MOVED BY COUNCILOR TURNER, SECONDED BY COUNCILOR PATRIE. MS. SONNENBERG. >> THANK YOU. THROUGH YOU YOUR WORSHIP. TO BEGIN, THIS WOULD HAVE NORMALLY WENT TO ON JUNE FINANCING ADMINISTRATION MEETING. HOWEVER, TODAY WOULD HAVE BEEN FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION AND WITH THE LIMITED NUMBER OF AGENDA ITEMS, IT'S COMING STRAIGHT TO COUNSEL FOR YOUR REVIEW. THE ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE POLICY HAS NOT BEEN REVIEWED SINCE 2010 AND SINCE THAT TIME, WE HAVE IMPROVED PROCESSES WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT AND THIS COULD BE CONSIDERED, A, A HOUSEKEEPING ISSUE, BUT, B ALSO A GENERAL REMINDER THAT I THINK IS QUITE PRUDENT TO BRING TO COUNCIL, AS WE HAVE BEEN DEALING VERY CLOSELY WITH MANY CUSTOMERS OF THE CITY OF ELLIOT LAKE, BE IT THROUGH ANY OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT WE PERMIT, CHARGE ACCOUNTS TO, AND THEN HENCEFORWARD INVOICE TO BUSINESSES AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC FOR NON-TAX AND NON-WATER RECEIVABLES. FOR EXAMPLE, ACTIVITIES AT THE LANDFILL AT OUR RECREATION SITES, THOSE ACTIVITIES IN PARTICULAR. THROUGH THE REPORT WE CAN FOLLOW THROUGH AND THE CHANGES FROM WITHIN APPENDIX A ARE DETAILED. WE HAVE IMPROVED OUR SYSTEMS TO INCLUDE EMAILING PROCESSES. MANY CUSTOMERS HAVE ADOPTED AN EMAIL PROCESS TO ADOPT A PAPERLESS RECEIPT OF INVOICES AND STATEMENTS. THAT IS IMPROVED WITHIN OUR PROCESSES. WE WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND THAT AND IMPROVE THE POLICY TO THAT EXTENT. FURTHER DETAIL HAS BEEN PROVIDED AROUND PARTIAL PAYMENTS AND THE APPLICATION OF SAID PAYMENT. THIS IS VERY NORMAL VERBIAGE WHICH IS COMPARABLE TO OTHER MUNICIPALITIES AND BUSINESSES. NEWLY ADDED TO THE POLICY IS DISPUTE RESOLUTION. THE ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLES DESK, UPON CONSULTATION WITH OUR ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLES CLERK, WAS VERY STRONGLY OPINIONATED THAT WE NEEDED A DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROCESS, IN WHICH CASE, IF A CUSTOMER IS DISPUTING THEIR ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE, THEY'RE INVOICING, AND THE AMOUNT DUE TO THE CITY FOR ANY ACTIVITY THAT THERE'LL BE A TIME LIMIT ON THIS. WE HAVE SEEN DISPUTES GO ON FOR YEARS, NOT MONTHS, AND TO THAT EXTENT, SOME LANGUAGE PROVIDING A LIMITATION ON THAT DISPUTE WOULD BE INCREDIBLY HELPFUL. FURTHER TO THE COLLECTION EFFORTS. ALL CURRENT ACCOUNTS AT THE CITY ARE ALSO HELD WITH A CREDIT CARD ON FILE. HOWEVER, WHEN A CREDIT CARD IS ON FILE, WE WOULD LIKE TO ADD SOME LANGUAGE REGARDING THE ACTIVITIES THAT WOULD OCCUR IF THE CREDIT CARD IS DECLINED. SHOULD A CREDIT CARD BE DECLINED, A CUSTOMER'S ACCOUNT WOULD BE SUSPENDED UNTIL PAYMENT IS RECEIVED AND AN NSF FEE WOULD BE APPLIED AS THIS WOULD BE CONSIDERED NON-PAYMENT. THIS IS VERY COMMON ACROSS ALL OTHER MUNICIPALITIES, NEIGHBORING MUNICIPALITIES, AND ALSO LOCAL BUSINESSES. IN LINE WITH OUR ACCOUNTING SYSTEM, 120 DAYS IS THE MAGICAL NUMBER THAT'S CHANGED FROM 180, AND WE WOULD LIKE TO ADD THE ABILITY TO REFER TO A COLLECTIONS AGENCY. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT OTHER NEIGHBORING MUNICIPALITIES HAD GREAT SUCCESS WITH VERSUS SMALL CLAIMS COURT. THERE [NOISE] SHOULD BE AN OPTION DEPENDING ON THE SCOPE OF THE ACCOUNT THAT IS OUTSTANDING. [00:45:05] AND NEWLY ADDED TO THE POLICY IS A DISCONTINUATION OF A CUSTOMER'S ACCOUNT FOR NON-PAYMENT FOR TOO LATE PAYMENTS AND FURTHERMORE THAT THE CITY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REFUSE PAYMENT IF A CUSTOMER HAS PREVIOUSLY DEFAULTED USING THAT SAME PAYMENT. BECAUSE THERE IS A FEE TO THE CITY TO CONTINUALLY PROCESS RUBBER CHECKS IF YOU WILL. IMPLEMENTING THIS WILL DEFINITELY INCREASE CASH FLOW AND OUR PAYMENTS WILL BE COLLECTED AND TIMELY MANAGER ENTER AND FURTHERMORE, SOMETHING I JUST THOUGHT OF OFF THE CUFF IT WILL REDUCE ADMINISTRATION COSTS FOR THE CITY OVERALL FOR ALL THE EFFORTS THAT ARE PUT FORWARD BY THE ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLES DESK. THE POLICY IS ATTACHED IN ITS ENTIRETY IN THE REVISED FORMAT. SO IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE WERE MEETING TO BRUSH UP ON AND BRING BACK TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC'S ATTENTION THAT WE ARE FOLLOWING THROUGH VERY STRINGENTLY ON OUR ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE POLICY AND THAT IT IS ENDORSED BY COUNCIL AND THAT WE DO RUN A BUSINESS HERE AT THE CITY AND NEED TO COLLECT FUNDS WHEN FUNDS ARE DUE. >> [NOISE] THANK YOU MS. SONNENBERG ANY QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF COUNCIL? COUNCIL PATRIE? >> NO QUESTIONS YOUR WORSHIP JUST ONE COMMENT JUST FOR CLARIFICATION. SO UNDER THE DISPUTES SECTION, THE 45-DAY PERIOD DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT MUST BE RESOLVED WITHIN 45 DAYS IT JUST MEANS THAT YOU CAN'T GO BACK SIX MONTHS LATER AND SAY I MADE IT. I NOTICED A MISTAKE ON MY INVOICE SIX MONTHS AGO SO THEY MUST NOTIFY THE MUNICIPALITY WITHIN 45 DAYS OF RECEIVING THE INVOICE BUT IT DOESN'T SAY THAT THEY MUST HAVE IT RESOLVED, I JUST DON'T WANT THE PUBLIC TO BE GOING WELL IF I DON'T HAVE IT RESOLVED IN 45 DAYS, THEN I'M GOING TO LOSE. SO IT'S JUST THAT IT MUST BE BROUGHT FORWARD WITHIN THAT TIMEFRAME. >> MS. SONNENBERG? >> THAT'S ABSOLUTELY CORRECT BECAUSE WHEN GIVEN 45 DAYS' NOTICE EVEN IF WE'RE AT THE YEAR-END TURNAROUND TIME WE CAN ACCRUE AND MAKE ASSUMPTIONS AND HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE FOR UNRECEIVABLE OR DOUBTFUL ACCOUNTS AND WE CAN MAKE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS. SO YES WE NEED TO BE PUT ON NOTICE THAT THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG. ALSO, TO THE SAME EXTENT, I HAVE A HARD TIME REMEMBERING WHAT I HAD FOR BREAKFAST YESTERDAY LET ALONE WHAT WE MAY HAVE POTENTIALLY RENTED SIX MONTHS AGO, EIGHT MONTHS AGO. ANY ISSUES REGARDING THOSE THINGS WE NEED TO BRING FORWARD RIGHT AWAY SO THAT IT'S FRESH IN OUR MINDS IF WE NEED TO REFER TO OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND SAY, DID COUNCIL PATRIE RENT THE COLLINS HALL ON LAST SATURDAY? OKAY, MAYBE HE DIDN'T. BUT IF WE TALK ABOUT DID YOU RENT THE COLLINS HALL ON JULY 1, 2013? WHO WOULD WE EVEN ASK? SO WE NEED TO HAVE A VERY TIMELY TURNAROUND ON DISPUTES, WHETHER OR NOT THE RESULT WE JUST NEED TO KNOW THAT THEY'RE OUT THERE. SO YES. >> COUNCIL PEARCE. >> THANK YOU, YOUR WORSHIP THROUGH YOU TO MS. SONNENBERG, AND THANK YOU. IT'S VERY THOROUGH AND I WOULD AGREE THAT ANYBODY WHO'S EVER RUN A BUSINESS AND LOOK AT THIS AND SAY, WELL IT'S STANDARD PRACTICE. MY QUESTION IS, IS THIS A MAJOR PROBLEM IN TERMS OF COLLECTIONS RIGHT NOW? I'VE NEVER HEARD THAT IMPRESSION BEFORE THAT WE'VE HAD REALLY MAJOR PROBLEMS COLLECTING. >> OUR ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN STRIVING FOR QUITE SOME TIME TO GET THE ACCOUNTS TO ACHIEVE A CURRENT SET OF RECEIVABLES. A LOT OF THESE RECEIVABLES THEY'RE NOT HUGE DOLLARS, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE COLLECTION OF TAXES AND WATER HERE. BUT AGAIN THEY BECOME MATERIAL IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS AND WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT COST CENTERS ON A ONE-BY-ONE BASIS. THE RENTAL OF AN ARENA FACILITY FOR A FEW HOURS. IT'S NOT A MATERIAL AMOUNT OF MONEY BUT HOWEVER, WE CHASE INDIVIDUALS FOR A PRIVATE RENTAL FOR SOMETIMES MONTHS ON END. SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING OUR DUE DILIGENCE, COLLECTING THE FUNDS FROM THOSE THAT DO AWAY. >> I UNDERSTAND THAT. MY QUESTION IS, IS THIS A MAJOR PROBLEM? I KNOW IN THE AGGREGATE IF 500 PEOPLE EACH OWE $100 IT STARTS ADDING UP FAIRLY QUICKLY. BUT MY QUESTION IS, IS THIS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITHIN OUR ACCOUNTS THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING TROUBLE COLLECTING MONEY FROM PEOPLE WHO OWE US THE MONEY, OR IS IT JUST BASICALLY AS YOU SAID, NOTHING MORE THAN A HOUSEKEEPING THING? REAL CIRCUMSPECTION. >> MR. GAGNON? [00:50:01] >> IT'S MORE THAN HOUSEKEEPING BUT I WOULDN'T CHARACTERIZE IT AS A MAJOR PROBLEM. [NOISE] IT'S A PROBLEM IF IT'S TAKING A LOT OF STAFF TIME, SOMETIMES IT FLOWS UP TO MY DESK YOU'VE GOT THE CAO, THE TREASURER, THE MID-LEVEL STAFF THAT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE DISCUSSING ONE ACCOUNT AND HOW DO WE RECOUP OUR COSTS OVER VENDOR A OR PERSON B AND THE GOOD NEWS IS WE WOULD NEVER TELL YOU THAT BECAUSE OR EITHER YOU WON'T HEAR ABOUT IT BECAUSE WE HANDLE IT. BUT EVERY TIME WE HAVE TO HANDLE IT AND WE DON'T HAVE THE POLICIES IN PLACE IT JUST GETS MESSIER AND MORE COMPLICATED. SO IF WE HAVE TIGHTER PROCESSES WE JUST SAY YOU PASSED YOUR DEADLINE WE'RE MOVING IT ON TO THE NEXT ONE IT WILL MAKE IT SMOOTHER. MAJOR PROBLEM? NO. MORE THAN HOUSEKEEPING? YES. >> SO $500 AND STAFF TIME TO COLLECT $100? >> EXACTLY. >> ALL RIGHT. >> COUNCIL TURNER DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION TOO? >> NO YOUR WORSHIP, COUNCIL PEARCE ASKED IT AND YOU JUST SUMMED IT BUT IT IS. >> BEAUTIFUL. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? [NOISE] SEEING NONE I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE THEN ALL IN FAVOR? >> THAT'S CARRIE THANK YOU. 7.4 REPORT FROM THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS LANDFILL OPERATION CONTRACT EXTENSION, [7.4. Report from the Director of Public Works] RECOMMENDATION THAT THE REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS DATED JUNE 13TH, 2022 YOU RECEIVED AFFORDED COUNCIL AND THAT COUNCIL ENTERED INTO AN AGREEMENT FOR THE PROVISION OF LANDFILL OPERATIONS WITH BLEMISH CONSTRUCTION INC FOR A ONE-YEAR CONTRACT EXTENSION FROM JUNE 1, 2022, UNTIL JUNE 1, 2023, AND AN UPSET COST OF 280,498 PLUS HST MOVED BY COUNCIL MANN, SECONDED BY COUNCIL TURNER THANK YOU. MR. HALLOCH? >> THANK YOU YOUR WORSHIP THROUGH YOU. BASICALLY FOR BACKGROUND FOR EVERYBODY THE LANDFILL'S BEEN CONTRACTED PROBABILITY NOW SINCE 99 SO I THINK WE'RE GOING ON 23 YEARS. THE LAST TENDER THAT WAS 2013 06 WAS RELEASED ON AUGUST OF 2013, WHICH WAS AWARDED TO BEMIS CONSTRUCTION, INC TO PROVIDE OPERATIONAL SERVICES AT THE ELLIOTT LAKE LANDFILL SITE FOR A FOUR-YEAR TERM AND THAT'S WHAT THEY NORMALLY WHERE WERE THE FOUR-YEAR TERMS. FROM OCTOBER 2013 TO OCTOBER 2017. SINCE THE OCTOBER 2017 CONTRACT EXPIRY DATE BEAMS CONSTRUCTION HAS BEEN OPERATING ON A ONE-YEAR AT A TIME BASIS PRIOR TO TENDERING SERVICES FOR ANOTHER TERM. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT ALTHOUGH THE EXISTING CONTRACT IS THAT TIED TO THE REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS SURROUNDING THE OPERATION ON THE SITE, IT IS CRITICAL THAT A MORE EXTENSIVE SCOPE BE DEVELOPED. AS BROUGHT UP LAST YEAR WHEN WE DID THE SAME PROCESS WE ARE CURRENTLY GOING THROUGH AN EXPANSION OF THE LANDFILL WHICH HAS BEEN TAKEN LONGER THAN EXPECTED AND I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A FEW THINGS IN-BETWEEN INCLUDING COVID WHICH HAS DELAYED A LOT OF THINGS THAT WAY AS WELL BUT WE'RE HOPING TO MOVE FORWARD AND WE'VE JUST BEEN RECENTLY GETTING SOME PROGRESS ON THE ACTUAL DESIGN OF THE EXPANSION SECTION OF THE LANDFILL. [NOISE] BUT IN THE SAME TIME, WE ARE LOOKING AT CONTINUING SERVICES SO IT DOESN'T STOP THINGS AT THIS POINT. SO NOW WITH THAT IN MIND, THIS BEMIS CONSTRUCTION SUPPLIER LIST OF ANNUAL COST INCREASES ALONG WITH THE PROPOSED INCREASE OF 22% WHICH WAS A 53 INCREASE OF 53,140 TO OPERATE THE LANDFILL FROM JUNE 1ST UNTIL THE LAST DAY IN MAY OF 2023. AFTER FURTHER NEGOTIATIONS, IT WAS LOWERED TO 16.6% WHICH IS A $40,000 INCREASE. COST INCREASES INCLUDE THINGS LIKE MATERIAL COSTS NOW. HAULAGE RATES, FUEL INCREASES FOR THE COMPACTOR, AND EVERYTHING FROM THEIR EQUIPMENT PARTS AND LABOR INCREASE AS WELL. THESE WERE ONES THAT WERE JUST TALKED TO READ UP ON TOP NOW WITH THE INCREASES, OF COURSE, OF THE MAIN INCREASES OF FUEL BUT A LOT OF OTHER THINGS THAT OBVIOUSLY DOMINO EFFECTS INTO WITH THE PROPOSED 60.6% INCREASE OF THE 2021 ANNUAL CONTRACT RATE, THE CITY WOULD PAY AN ANNUAL COST OF 260,498 PLUS HST. SO WHY THAT NUMBER IS DIFFERENT THAN THE FIRST NUMBER ON THE FIRST PAGE WHEN WE'RE ASKING FOR 280 IS BECAUSE WE'RE GOING SIX MONTHS INTO EACH YEAR. SO IF YOU TAKE THAT YOU GOT THE 20,000 ADDED ONTO THIS ONE THE CONTRACT FROM LAST TIME WHICH WAS 240,498 BRINGING IT TO THIS WOULD END THE 2022 YEAR. THEN THE OTHER 20,000 WOULD GO ON TO THE BEGINNING OF THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF THE 2023 YEAR. THE CITY HAS BUDGETED AN AMOUNT OF 250,000 IN THE 2022 OPERATIONAL BUDGET TOWARDS THE OPERATION OF THE LANDFILL WHICH AMOUNTS TO A SHORTFALL OF 10,000 SO THIS SHORTFALL WOULD BE BUDGETED TOWARDS THE WORKING FUND'S RESERVE. ANOTHER THING PUT INTO IT WAS THE RECORD-HIGH PROFITS THAT [00:55:06] THE CITY HAS BEEN MAKING IN RECENT YEARS AND TO DATE WHEN IT COMES TO THE LANDFILL. SO THE MONEY THAT WE'RE TAKING IN AND MAKING OFF OF OFF EVERYBODY GOING INTO THE LANDFILLS. SO THEY'RE JUST STARTING TO MAKE THAT AND THAT'S BEEN AN INCREASE IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS WHICH WAS ANOTHER THING BROUGHT UP. ENTERING TO THIS AGREEMENT FOR THE PROVISION OF LANDFILL OPERATIONS WITH BEMIS CONSTRUCTION FOR THE ONE-YEAR PERIOD PROVIDES THE NECESSARY CONTINUE LV OF SERVICE WELL, CITY STAFF ALONG WITH TULLOCH ENGINEERING CAN STILL COMPLETE THE MORE DETAILED SCOPE WHEN IT COMES TO BOTH THE DESIGN AND OPERATION OF THE LANDFILL. I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF THERE'S ANY MORE DETAILS YOU'D LIKE FROM THERE. >> THANK YOU MR. HALLOCH, COUNCIL PATRIE DID YOU STILL HAVE A QUESTION? >> MR. HALLOCH ANSWERED TO WHY THERE WAS A $20,000 DIFFERENCE. >> OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF COUNCIL? OKAY. SEEING NONE, I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE THEN ALL IN FAVOR? THAT'S CARRIE. THANK YOU. 7.5 REPORT FROM THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, [7.5. Report from the Director of Public Works] SPECIALIZED AND CONVENTIONAL AND TRANSIT SERVICE CONTRACT EXTENSION AND THE RECOMMENDATION THAT THE STAFF REPORT DATED JUNE 14TH, 2022, THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS BE RECEIVED AND THAT COUNCIL APPROVED A 3.51% ONE YEAR A CONTRACT EXTENSION FOR CONVENTIONAL TRANSIT SERVICE UNTIL AUGUST 31ST, 2023 WITH AJ BUS LINES AND A 2.51% ONE YEAR CONTRACT EXTENSION FOR SPECIALTY TRANSIT SERVICE WITH A HURON LODGE MOVER, PLEASE? MOVED BY COUNCIL TURNER, SECOND-ORDER COUNCIL PATRIE THANK YOU. >> MR. HALLOCH ONCE AGAIN. >> YES THANK YOU YOUR WORSHIP. AS WE DID LAST YEAR AGAIN AND WE'RE HOPING TO BE IN THE POSITION TO PUT IT OUT FOR ANOTHER FIVE-YEAR TENDER. RIGHT NOW THE CONVENTIONALS IS LOOKING FOR A 3.5 PERCENT INCREASE IN THE ANNUAL INCREASE THE EEG BUS LINES IS THE ACTUAL CONTRACT INTO THE CONVENTIONAL TRANSIT BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 1ST OF 2022 AND ENDING AUGUST 31ST OF 2023. THIS WOULD RESULT IN AN ANNUAL COST OF 176,966 SORRY. I MIXED UP THERE. SORRY. THAT WOULD BE AN ACTUAL 176 PLUS APPLICABLE TAX TO EXTEND THE SPECIALIZED TRANSIT SERVICE AND ANNUAL COST OF 316,000 SORRY, 870 PLUS APPLICABLE TAXES TO EXTEND THE COST OF THE CONVENTIONAL TRANSIT SERVICES. ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW IS THE CITY WAS APPROVED BACK IN 2019. I BELIEVE IT WAS IN 2019, $900,000 IN FUNDING TOWARDS THE PURCHASE OF NEW BUSES. I'M GOING TO BE BRINGING REPORTS THROUGH IN THE FUTURE. THIS IS WHERE WE'RE SORTED, DELAYED WITH THINGS. WE'RE LOOKING AT A TRANSIT REVIEW. THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE STILL TALKING ABOUT. WE HAD A SMALLER ONE DONE PREVIOUSLY AND I BELIEVE IT WAS 2017 WHEN WE'RE JUST COMING ON BOARD. WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO A MORE DETAILED ONE WHERE YOU MIGHT TALK ABOUT A FEW MORE THINGS AS IN WE DON'T EVEN KNOW IF WE NEED ON DEMAND OR THINGS LIKE THAT GOING THAT WAY FORWARD TO AS WELL. THEN LOOKING AT THE WHOLE SETUP, SCHEDULE, MAPPING, EVERYTHING LIKE THAT. WE'RE STILL WORKING WITH THAT ONE A LOT SINCE THE TIME TO GO TO 2029 TO ACTUALLY DO THINGS. WE'RE LOOKING AT GETTING THAT REVIEW OUT. THE OTHER THING WE'RE LOOKING AT AS WELL WAS THAT RIGHT NOW WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT ORDERING BUSES AND STUFF WHICH A REPORT WILL BE COMING THROUGH LATER ON. EVERYTHING IS DELAYED. I KNOW THAT'S A LONG WITH FLEET AS WELL. IF YOU ORDER ANYTHING NOW YOU'RE JUST HOLDING A CHASSIS AVAILABLE FOR YOU TILL NEXT YEAR. BUT THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO COVER THE COST OF THOSE BUSSES AND THEN WHAT IT'S ALSO GOING TO HELP US WITH THE NEXT FIVE YEAR EXTENSION WILL IF THERE'S ANY LANGUAGE CHANGES IN THE ACTUAL CONTRACT SO THAT WE CAN ADD THEM AND HAVE MORE TEETH IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS IF REQUIRED. BASICALLY, THE CITY BUDGETED FOR THESE INCREASED COST IS IN 2022 OPERATION BUDGET. WHAT IS RECOMMENDED THAT COUNCIL APPROVED THE 3.5 PERCENT ANNUAL INCREASE FOR CONVENTIONAL TRANSIT SERVICES, E.G BUS LINES, AS WELL AS THE 2.5 PERCENT INCREASE FOR SPECIALTY TRANSIT JUST HERE ON LAUNCH STARTING SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2022 AND ENDING AUGUST 31ST, 2023. THIS WILL ALLOW THE CITY AGAIN TIME TO COMPLETE THE FULL TRANSIT REVIEW ON BOTH SERVICES BEFORE POSTING THE NEXT RFP IN THE SPRING OF 2023. THAT WOULD BE FOR A FIVE YEAR MULTIYEAR SERVICE CONTRACT. I'M TRYING TO THINK OF ANYTHING ON HERE OTHER THAN THAT I HAVEN'T SAID, [01:00:01] BUT IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM. >> THANK YOU, MR. HALLOCH, I'LL START OUT. IT IS SAYS IN YOUR BACKGROUND HERE THAT FUNDING WAS ALSO TO GO TOWARDS PURCHASE OF NEW SHELTERS AND THE POTENTIAL OF THE RELOAD SMART CARD SYSTEM. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO EXPECT TO SEE COMING IN THE NEAR FUTURE, ESPECIALLY THE SHELTER PORTION? >> RIGHT NOW WHAT WE'RE DOING IS I HAVE SOMEBODY THAT'S BEEN GOING OUT AND DOING BASICALLY THE CONSTRUCTION SUPERVISOR TYPE OF THING, SOME OF THAT TYPE OF WORK WHEN WE NEED THAT DONE AND WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL THE SHELTERS BECAUSE WE HAD IT IN THERE FOR REPLACING ALL OF OUR SHELTERS WHERE A LOT OF THE SHELTERS HAD BEEN REPLACED FOR DAMAGE AND STUFF. A LOT OF THEM ARE LOOKING GOOD, THEY ARE ACCESSIBLE. ANYWHERE WHERE WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO ADD SOME SHELTERS WHICH WE NOTE WE'VE PICKED OUT SOME AREAS. IT WOULDN'T NEED TO GO THAT MUCH MORE TOWARDS THE SHELTERS. THE OTHER THING WE'RE LOOKING AT IS OBVIOUSLY THE SMART CARD SYSTEMS AND STUFF LIKE THAT, BUT THE ONES WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT AGAIN THE PRIZES BACK SO FAR, IS WE WOULDN'T GET OUR MONEY BACK IN THIS TYPE OF THING. IT'S BEEN VERY EXPENSIVE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT. WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IS BASICALLY WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IS SIMILAR TO THAT ANYWAYS, WITH THE ACTUAL BOXES, THE FARE BOXES WE HAVE ON THESE BUSES, YOU COULD JUST TAP THEM AND STUFF LIKE THAT OR HAVE A MACHINE SOMEWHERE. BUT IF WE GO WITH THE WI-FI SYSTEMS AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT TO ACCEPT DEBIT, WE'RE LOOKING AT LARGE MONEY THAT WE'VE BEEN GETTING BACK SO FAR. WE'RE STILL CONTINUING TO DO IT. WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH NORTH BAY AND THROUGH OPTIN THE REST OF THE PLACES THAT HAVE DONE IT, THEY OBVIOUSLY HAVE A LOT BIGGER FLEET SYSTEMS. WHEN YOU'RE TALKING TO ANYONE WHO SAYS THEY USUALLY GET A BETTER DEAL, BUT WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM ON THEIR RFPS AND STUFF SO WE CAN GET ONE OUT AND SEE WHAT TYPE OF PRICING WE COULD ACTUALLY LOCKED DOWN. WE CAN MODIFY THE SYSTEM AT ANYTIME OF WHAT WE'VE ACTUALLY PUT INTO THE APPLICATION. IF WE SAID WE WANTED 26 BUS SHELTERS, WE COULD REDUCE THAT AND GET ANOTHER BUS IF THAT WAS THE CASE TOO. IF WE WENT WITH ON DEMAND, SO THAT'S WHAT THAT OTHER REVIEWS GOING TO HELP US WITH AS WELL, SO EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT. THE REVIEW WILL BE IMPORTANT AND WE'LL HAVE TO WORK WITH THEM AND SEE EXACTLY THE WAY THAT WORKS BECAUSE THEY DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF ON DEMAND YET. THEN HOW THAT WOULD WORK AND WHO HAD TO ACTUALLY RUN IT UNDER THE TWO SERVICES. ANOTHER THING IS I REALIZED THAT THE WAY THIS CAME OUT WITH THE REPORT WE COULD HAVE PROBABLY PUT THEM SEPARATE, BUT WE'VE ALWAYS DONE THE TWO TOGETHER SO FAR AS WE'VE MOVED ALONG, BUT THAT'S EVERYTHING TODAY. >> [NOISE] THANK YOU. COUNCIL PATRIE. >> THANK YOU. WORSHIP THROUGH YOU TO MR. HALLOCH. THIS ISN'T ACTUALLY PART OF THE REPORT. WE'VE GOT A LITTLE BIT OFFLINE. JUST THE COST INCREASES, BUT YOU'VE OPENED THE DOORS SO I'M GOING TO ASK YOU [LAUGHTER]. WHEN WILL WE BE RECEIVING RIDERSHIP NUMBERS BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S PRETTY DETRIMENTAL TO YOUR NEW REPORT THAT'S GOING TO COME FORWARD FOR COUNCIL TO MAKE A DECISION ABOUT ROUTES, SCHEDULES AND CHANGING WHERE TO PUT SHELTERS? >> CURRENTLY, I BELIEVE WE HAD THOSE INSTALLED IN JUNE OF LAST YEAR, SO WE SHOULD HAVE A YEAR'S WORTH OF INFORMATION RIGHT NOW. BASICALLY, WHEN THAT OTHER REPORT COMES OUT WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT MORE TRANSIT I COULD ADD THOSE NUMBERS IN THERE. IF WE WANT TO KNOW CERTAIN LOCATIONS, WE CAN DO THAT AS WELL. >> [NOISE] FOLLOW UP YOUR WORSHIP. COULD YOU POSSIBLY ON YOUR NEXT PUBLIC WORKS MONTHLY MEETING, PROVIDE THOSE NUMBERS TO THE COMMITTEE THAT CAN BRING THEM FORWARD TO COUNCIL FOR US? JUST I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THOSE NUMBERS ARE CONTINUALLY SO THAT WE HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT AS A COUNCIL TO HELP YOU. >> THROUGH YOU [INAUDIBLE] UNDERSTANDING THIS CORRECTLY. DO YOU WANT JUST THE RIDERSHIP NUMBERS OF CERTAIN DAYS AND TIMES AND STUFF LIKE THAT OR AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE THERE IS QUITE A FEW STOPS? >> I BELIEVE WHEN WE PURCHASED THE SYSTEM THERE'S SUPPOSED TO BE AN EASY PRINT OUT FOR YOU. >> I COULD DO THAT TOO. IF WE NEED TO SUMMARIZE IT IN AN EASY WAY TO I COULD DO THAT BUT EITHER WAY WILL GET YOU THE INFORMATION. YES. >> JUST ON THAT ALSO, IS THERE ANY CONCERNS THAT NUMBERS MIGHT BE SKEWED JUST BECAUSE OF THE COVID SITUATION. WE HAD FREE TRANSIT FOR A CERTAIN PERIOD AND THAT MIGHT FUDGE OUR NUMBERS SOMEWHAT? >> THAT WAS ANOTHER REASON WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE, WE WERE SAYING ONCE WE STARTED PAYING AND WE'LL SEE HOW IT WENT AND I'D LIKE TO GET A GOOD EVERY SEASON TYPE OF THING BECAUSE IT DOES CHANGE IN SEASONAL, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY GOING TO BE SKEWED BECAUSE FREE TRANSIT DEFINITELY INCREASED THEIR NUMBERS. >> WE'LL FIGURE IT OUT. >> WHETHER THAT'S PERCENTAGE, I DON'T KNOW. >> MR. PATRICK. >> BUT THEY ARE RECORDED. WE KNEW THAT IT COULD CHANGE PUTTING THE COST BACK IN. BUT AS LONG AS WE KNOW THOSE NUMBERS AND IT'S [01:05:01] PROBABLY A VERY GOOD INDICATION TO HELP US AS WELL, YOUR WORSHIP, TO KNOW THAT IF OUR RIDERSHIP WENT DOWN, 70 PERCENT, COST IS AN IMPLICATION AS TO WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH OUR TRANSIT. ALL THE MORE REASON THAT WE SHOULD TAKE THOSE NUMBERS ALL THE WAY ACROSS FROM JUNE TO CURRENT. >> OKAY. >> I KNOW ONE OTHER THING TOO WAS WITH, COUNCILOR FINAMORE BROUGHT UP AT ANOTHER MEETING TOO WAS SEEING THE EXACT SAME TIMES TO, DO WE NEED TO BE RUNNING THE BUSES AS LATE AS WE DO ON THURSDAY, FRIDAY'S? DO WE NEED TO STILL CONTINUE WITH SUNDAY SERVICE? BUT THOSE NUMBERS WILL HELP US WITH ALL THAT TO DECIDE THAT BECAUSE RUNNING A SIX-DAY SCHEDULE TO A SEVEN-DAY SCHEDULE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE, JUST EVEN ON YOUR BUSES AND EVERYTHING, SO WE CAN LOOK AT THOSE NUMBERS AS WELL. >> [NOISE] ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE TRANSIT, COUNCILOR TURNER? >> THANK YOU, YOUR WORSHIP. >> THANK YOU, MR. HALLOCH. I'M REALLY GLAD TO HEAR THAT WE'RE GOING TO REPLACE SOME OF THESE BUS SHELTERS. SOME OF THEM WERE JUST DECIDE SHY OF UNPLEASANT. I THINK THAT FEW YEARS AGO, WE HAD TALKED HERE ABOUT ANALYZING THE ROOTS AND WHETHER THESE ROUTES WOULD BE CHANGED TO ACCOMMODATE THINGS LIKE THE NORTH INDUSTRIAL AREA. HAS THAT STUDY PROCEEDED? IS THAT GOING TO BE PART OF THIS ISIS TRANSIT FUND REVIEW? >> THROUGH YOU, YOUR WORSHIP, WE'RE GOING TO CHASE AS MUCH INFORMATION AS WE CAN POSSIBLY GET WITH THE ROUTES SCHEDULE AND WHETHER THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DO, AND YOU'RE RIGHT, LIKE ELIMINATING MAYBE A SPINE ROAD IF WE DIDN'T NEED TO GO DOWN THAT. THERE WAS A LOT OF THINGS WE WANT TO LOOK AT TOO JUST TO SEE IF THAT WOULD CHANGE THINGS. THEN KNOWING AGAIN WITH THE INFORMATION NOW THAT WE'RE GETTING OFF OF THE RIDERSHIP NUMBERS AND WHERE WE'RE PICKING UP IN THE BUSIEST POINTS. THAT COULD BE WHERE YOU SHADOW ANOTHER BUS BEHIND THAT ALSO HELPS PICK IT UP. BUT THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE'RE DEFINITELY GOING TO ASK FOR IN THE REVIEW AND I KNOW THAT THIS IS WHY WE'RE HIRING AND YOU PAY A LITTLE BIT MORE FOR WHEN YOU GET THE PROFESSIONALS IN WITH THAT WORK IN THE SYSTEMS ALL THE TIME. THEY'RE GOING TO TELL US WHAT THE TOP ROUTE WILL BE IN, WHETHER IT'S GOING TO BE WORTH GOING OUT THERE. THAT'S GOING TO BE TOUGH TO SAY ABOUT THE NORTH INDUSTRIAL UNTIL UNLESS WE DID A PILOT THING ON IT, RAN IT FOR THREE MONTHS TO SIX MONTHS AND SEEING HOW MANY RIDERSHIP PEOPLE WE'D ACTUALLY PICK UP OUT THERE. >> NORMALLY I AGREE, ONE WAY OR THE OTHER WE CAN MAKE A DECISION AFTER WE TAKE A LOOK AT IT. >> NO. I BELIEVE WE'LL BE ASKING THEM FOR AS MUCH INFORMATION AND THEN ONCE WE BRING IT FORWARD TO COUNCIL, IF THOSE REQUESTS ARE ON THERE, IF THERE'S THINGS THAT WE'RE NOT THINKING ABOUT, WE'LL DEFINITELY ADD IT TO THE ACTUAL REVIEW. >> I WONDER OUT OF THAT 900,000 AND FUNDING, I TAKE THE BUS ON OCCASION. I WONDER HOW THEY COULD POSSIBLY HAVE SUCH LITTLE SUSPENSION AND THERE'S NO CUSHION RIDE. NOT SURE WHY. I CAN'T SAY I UNDERSTAND THE MECHANICS OF THEM. BUT I WILL SAY ONE THING, WE COULD POSSIBLY USE SOME NOISE DAMPENERS ON THE ACCESSIBILITY EQUIPMENT. IT BOUNCES UP AND DOWN AND BANGS AND RATTLES, AND DOESN'T MAKE FOR A PLEASANT RIDE, AND POSSIBLY TO BE MITIGATED BY JUST SOME SPONGE RUBBER IN DIFFERENT SPOTS. WONDER IF HE CONSIDER STAFF HAVING LIKE THAT? >> WE CONSIDERED IT ALL. WE KEEP IN TOUCH WITH THE DRIVERS AND A LOT OF TIMES TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH WHEN THEY'RE PUTTING UP, SAY A LIFT OR PUTTING SOMETHING ELSE IN, LOTS OF TIMES THERE'S A POINT WHERE IT'S AN ERROR SYSTEM TOO THAT THEY'D NEVER WENT ALL THE WAY IN OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND THEN IT RATTLES, BUT IT ACTUALLY SHOULD HIT IN PLACE AND NOT RATTLE. IT'S HAPPENED ON THE CONVENTIONAL BUSES AS WELL, AND SOMETIMES THE MECHANICS SOAX EXPLAINED IT TO THE DRIVER, JUST HAD TO BE UP THAT LITTLE EXTRA BIT AND IT'LL STOP IT IN PLACE. BUT IF IT WAS SOMETHING THAT CONTINUED, BUT THAT SHOULDN'T HAPPEN NORMALLY, I WOULDN'T WANT TO BUY A BUS THAT CONSTANTLY DID THAT. IT SHOULD LOCK IN PLACE AND NOT RATTLE ANYMORE WHEN IT GETS TO THAT POSITION. I KNOW THAT WE'VE DEALT WITH THIS MORE OFTEN. WE'VE HAD THE MECHANICS WHERE THEY GO THERE AND IT JUST HASN'T BEEN PUT UP ALL THE WAY AND EXPLAIN TO THE DRIVER OR VICE VERSA. >> I'LL LEAVE IT IN THE HANDS OF THE EXTRA. >> YEAH. BUT OTHER THAN THAT, EVERYTHING ELSE, LIKE I SAID, WITH THE WHOLE THING, HOPEFULLY WE GET AS MUCH OF THE SYSTEM UPGRADED AS WE CAN WITH THE FUNDING AND WE HAVE THE TIME TO SPEND IT. HOPEFULLY, THE REVIEW HELPS US OUT. >> THANK YOU. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? IF AIN'T NONE I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE THEN, ALL IN FAVOR? THAT'S CARRIED. THANK YOU. [01:10:03] NO NOTICE OF MOTION, NO OTHER BUSINESS. CLOSED SESSION. [10. CLOSED SESSION BUSINESS] CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO GO INTO CLOSED. MOVED BY COUNCILOR TURNER, SECOND BY COUNCILOR MANN. THANK YOU. QUESTIONS, QUALMS, QUERIES. SEEING NONE, ALL IN FAVOR? WE'RE CARRIED TO CLOSE. THANK YOU. TOMORROW MORNING. [NOISE] RIGHT THERE. MOTION COME OUT OF CLOSED SESSION. MOVED BY COUNCILOR MANN, SECONDED BY COUNCILOR PEARCE. ALL IN FAVOR. NOW BACK TO OPEN SESSION, IS THAT COUNCILOR FINAMORE RETURNING? [BACKGROUND] BOTH 11.1 AND 11.2 ARE STRICKEN FROM THIS AGENDA. COME INTO REGULAR COUNCIL NEXT MONDAY, AND 12 CONFIRMATORY BYLAW. BOTH 11.1 AND 11.2, IT WAS STRICKEN FROM THE AGENDA AND NOT PREPARED FOR IT THIS EVENING. TWELVE CONFIRMATORY BYLAWS 12.1 BYLAW 22 DASH 61 BEING A BYLAW TO [12.1. By-Law 22-61] CONFIRM THE PROCEEDINGS OF COUNSEL AT ITS SPECIAL MEETING HELD MONDAY, JUNE 20TH, 2022. MOVER, PLEASE. MOVED BY COUNCILOR TURNER, SECOND BY COUNCILOR PEARCE. QUESTIONS, QUALMS, QUERIES? >> ROLL-CALL. >> ROLL-CALL, COUNCILOR PATRIE. >> FAVOR. >> COUNCILOR MANN. >> IN FAVOR. >> COUNCILOR TURNER. >> FAVOR. >> COUNCILOR PEARCE. >> IN FAVOR. >> COUNCILOR FINAMORE. NOT THERE. I'M IN FAVOR. THAT'S CARRIED. MOTION TO ADJOURN MOVED BY COUNCILOR MANN, SECOND BY COUNCILOR TURNER. THANK YOU, EVERYONE FOR YOUR TIME, WE'RE NOW ADJOURNED. >> [NOISE] THANK YOU. GOOD NIGHT. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.