Here until you see the red ready.
you
Allow the applicant to proceed. A site specific amendment is preferred approach for today rather than
amending the entire district. A broader amendment would have required additional time and would
have delayed the applicant's plan to open the day home this spring. The use is defined as
land use by law as the following, an accessory use that may or may not be licensed by the
province of Alberta to provide personal care, maintenance, supervision or education for up to
six children under the age of 12 years. This includes neighborhood day care centers,
kindergarten and nursery schools. The planning rationale to support this change in some
areas as follows. The day home will have a maximum of six children and this is consistent with
the definition that I just shared with you. The land use by law already allows child care
limited as a permitted use in all 15 residential districts and all three mixed use districts. This
proposed change is consistent with permissions already granted in other residential districts.
No exterior changes to the single family home, which is shown in this slide.
State would face to subdivision was approved and registered on March 15, 2004.
It was modeled after the R1 residential single dwelling district in the former land use by law 955.
Under the previous land use by law district the R1 district did not list child care limited or any
other comparable use as either permitted or discretionary at that time. The traffic is tied to pick up
and drop off times and lastly the subject property has not been approved for any other accessory use.
I would like to share comments received through the circulation of this amendment that indicated
strong internal support. Economic development indicated that airdories experiencing a child care
shortage and express their support for adding new child care spaces within the community. The housing
specialist highlighted that child care facilities are a new central support for airdory families.
Many affordable housing funding programs do require proximity to child care facilities.
Locating the child care facility within the residential neighborhood helps to meet this need
and strengthens community support. Building inspections confirm that no additional requirements
would be triggered and parks commented that the proposed day home is within walking distance
of the sagewood drive playground space. There were two key policies reviewed and indicated
support in considering this change. The airdory city plan offers support in policy 5.39 which supports
the day home use by stating the city will support appropriately scaled home businesses and ensure that
such businesses retain the residential character of the neighborhood. For this reason a photograph of the home
is included to show that it maintains the residential character of the neighborhood.
The West Airdory community area structure plan does not include any policies that would prohibit
adding child care limited as a use in this residential district. The land use by
law requires engagement and notification steps from the city which include the following,
posting on the notice on the city of airdory website, advertise the public hearing and city connection
newspaper for three consecutive weeks prior to this public hearing date.
Mailing landowner notification letter to properties within 60 meters of this site and providing
hard copies of the bylaw and public hearing with the attachments at our front counter.
The applicant voluntarily took the extra step to hand-deliver letters to neighboring property owners
and a copy of this letter was included as a attachment for in your package for reference.
The applicant confirmed that she had no objections expressed to her.
One of the public notification requirements in the land use by law is that letter to mail
of notification to land owners within 60 meters of the subject property. This map shows the subject
property at the center with the surrounding properties within the 60 meter radius highlighted in yellow
for your reference. The same map was provided to the applicant for use and distributing her introductory
letter to the nearby residents regarding herself and her application.
At this point of my presentation, I will now pause for the public hearing and come back for administration's
recommendation. Thank you. Excellent. Thank you very much for that. Okay, so we've now had the
administrative portion of the presentation. Council, are there any questions? I see a light on from
Deputy Mayor anybody else? Okay, I'm going to go straight to you Deputy Mayor, please go ahead.
Thank you. So I'm just I looked through the report and I could not find anywhere that stated why
that's direct control. So I would just love some clarification on that.
Good afternoon. I'm out of mirror and council. The history on that site is on
known quite a matter of fact. This preceded the current land use battle, but it's starting
to something that we're looking to do with the new land use battle. Once we get to rewrite.
Okay, so is that whole subdivision direct control or just the one parcel?
Through the chair, the answer to that question is, it is fragmented. It's peaceful. There's direct
control levels A, MB, NC, all within that sagewood neighborhood with different permitted uses and
discretionary uses. Oh, boy, well, that's not what we're discussing today, but that is sure interesting
to me. And I can just, I just see the look on Gayle's face and I'm sure she's quite fascinated by that.
Okay, that's all I have for questions. Thank you. Thank you, Deputy Mayor. Any other
questions from council? Okay, seeing and hearing none. So now I'm going to ask the applicant
Nancy Quatch to provide her presentation. Please note that as the applicant, you are permitted 10 minutes
to speak and questions of clarification from counselors to you will be permitted during this portion,
but after you're a junior presentation. So you've got 10 minutes. You just need to hit the little
light there on the microphone where your lights red. That means your mics on. Thank you very much and welcome.
Thank you. My name is Nancy. I'm the applicant number of PL2600338.
For, I just got the letter of the opposition today. For opposition number one, I was just reading it.
I'm quoting it. There are continuous shouting and screaming bothers the residents and otherwise quite
street. I've been here for three years and I don't hear the screaming and shouting to me. It's
kids playing outside, exploring. There's a park nearby. A middle school across the street and when they
come out for recess, you can hear them. And another note, my child, my children in my care will not
be running in the front. That was one of their concerns as well. They'll be playing in the
backyard in my backyard that is fully fenced and they will be playing with implemented activities
that I plan for the day. In another opposition that they had was campfires at night. The campfires at
night do not operate during my day home hours. I've been in the field for 17 years and working
in childcare in a day care directly. This is the first time I was opening a day home. I have years in
experience in the field with working with newborns to school age. I'm sorry, I'm very nervous.
Yeah, don't be nervous. You are one of many, many people that come to council and
this is just a typical process that we have to follow just from legislation. Just tell us,
I think you've done a good job of addressing that email but you've expressed that you have professional
background. You're welcome to share with us why you want to open the day home in this location or if
there's anything else you'd like council to know. We do have some other information we've received as part
of the bylaw. I believe we're aware of a support letter from community links as well. So we're aware
of some information but feel free to share with us what you're comfortable sharing and speak from the
heart and from your business mind and don't worry about it. We're I promise we're all nice people and
we all have kids and grandkids so okay. Well being in the field for 17 years and having three children of
my own. The hardest part of being in childcare is having to say bye every 8 to 12 months. They have to move
up to the next room. So having my own childcare I actually can build these relationships and bond with
the children more than just the 8 to 12 months and watch them meet their milestones and be home away from home
for these children. Thank you. Thanks Nancy. Okay. If that's all you want to share so far what I'm
going to do is turn to my council colleagues and just see if they have any questions for you. Sure. So I'm
just going to check and see if we have any lights on. I'm not seeing any from deputy mayor
and I'm not seeing any from council. So you're getting off easy here. Okay. So with no other lights on
seeing and hearing none there. I'm going to open the floor to hear from members of the public both in
favor and in opposition to the proposed bylaws. So is there anyone who is present who wishes to speak in
favor of bylaw before 2026? Okay. Not seeing any there for a second time. Is there anyone present who
wishes to speak in favor of bylaw before 2026? No. Okay. For a third and final time is there anyone
present who wishes to speak in favor of bylaw before 2026? Okay. Seeing and hearing none. So seeing no one
I will now open the floor to hear from those in opposition. Is there anyone present who wishes to speak in
opposition to bylaw before 2026? Seeing none. For a second time is there anyone present who wishes to
speak in opposition to bylaw before 2026? Seeing none. And for a third and final time is there anyone
present who wishes to speak in opposition to bylaw before 2026? Okay. Seeing no one I will now ask the
city clerk if she has received any email submissions and ask her to read those submissions out loud
for the record. Thank you, Worship. We have not received any email submissions during the public hearing,
but we did receive one this morning, which was communicated till of council and a copy has been provided
to the applicant, as well as left in the back table, would you like me to read that submission allowed?
I think we're okay. Okay. Then I have no further email submissions. Okay. Thanks very much.
Now, just as part of the procedure, Ms. Quatch, I know you kind of rebutted it already, but just as
part of the process, we do invite you if you have any further points you'd like to raise in reference to the
email that you received just in reference to the email itself, but I think you've addressed it, but I want to
give you the opportunity in case there was anything else you wanted to say in regards to the email that we did
receive. No. Okay. Thank you. Any questions from council about the rebuttal,
the email, anything to that nature? No. Okay. Deputy Mayor, I saw your hand go up and then it went down.
Yeah. It's kind of like a general question. I actually maybe I should say, I'll say it for staff when
we do the wrap-up after you come out of public hearing. Thank you. Noted. Okay. So we don't have any further
questions on the rebuttal. So, I'm sorry. Please go ahead. Just on the rebuttal.
Oh, my email. We're not. Just the rebuttal. Oh, you know. Yes. Good. Okay.
And ministration will now provide their closing summary remarks and we will hear any final questions from council
after that. Go ahead. Sorry. I'm not able to advance to slide. There we go. Thank you. Sorry
about that. I'm here. At this time, administration is recommending the council approved by
law B04 of 2026 as presented. As this land use amendment will allow for the applicant to operate a
day home at this address. That concludes my presentation. Myself and others, members of administration are
here to answer any questions you may have. Thank you very much. Okay. Thank you very much. Any further
questions for Edmund based on that? Yes. Deputy Mayor. Thank you. So just for clarification. If this
was not a licensed day home, if it was just somebody operating a regular day home out of their house,
they would not need approval for this. Correct. Through the chair, the answer to that is
they would be required to have a business license and that was the trigger to bring the amendment application
for council decision.
Because when an application is made for a business license to operate the day home in the city of Airdrie, we checked to make sure that the use is permitted in order to proceed and it wasn't.
So that was the pause in order to get the amendment in place to proceed with the business license for the day home.
Okay, but I thought and this is going back like 10 years, most likely, that a regular day home, like let's say I have a child and I want to bring on two more children and just watch them at my house.
I don't have to have anything for that. I thought.
Through the chair, that is correct. There is no need for a development permit for your child care limited and that is why administration is recommending for child care limited to be a permitted use.
It paved the way to reduce red tape in order our homeowners to go and get their business license and work with under this case, the umbrella of community links in order to operate the facility.
Okay, so, so then, purely, it's only because it's direct control and we didn't really know why it's direct control or where it's so just a really unique situation if it was just our one.
This wouldn't be an issue correct.
In our typical stock district of R1, I made reference to my presentation about, as part of our review, we looked at all the residential stock districts and it is a use that's permitted.
But in direct control at the time of drafting, which predates even the land just by on 955, it wasn't to use contemplated at the time and those direct control districts were modeled after the stock districts of that by law at that time.
Fast forward today to 2026 that use is populated within your R1 and your other residential stock districts and even our three mixed use districts.
But those direct control districts don't evolve like the stock districts evolve. I hope this helps with some context.
Does I just thought that a license day home is a step above say those like one off day care like day home type, but but it doesn't look like it because it's got to be under six children so it's very very similar so anyways.
That's all. Thank you.
Thank you. Deputy Mayor. Any other questions for administration. Seeing and hearing none. Okay. So I will now confirm with the city clerk if there have been any final submissions received and not given to Council during the public hearing.
Thank you. We've received no email submissions.
Okay. Thank you very much. So seeing and hearing no further questions or submissions. I now close the public hearing on by lab before 2026 at 124 PM.
And now what we're going to do is just check and see if there's any final questions outside of the public hearing that anyone had I know Council or she might you were going to ask a question about the email. Would you still like to do that.
You want to do so.
Through the chair. I was just curious to be know how many people that we're in opposition in that area. Do that come through.
Through the mayor to Councillor Sheema. We only receive the one letter. So it's from one resident.
Yeah, I just sorry. Thank you very much. The chair. I just noticed it was I confirmed that we are so it's just wanted to confirm. Thank you.
Thanks, Councillor. Good question. Okay. So then we are going to go to our motion. So first reading to Councillor Chapman, please.
Thank you. And before you go to first reading I just want to comment on a letter received and Councillor Glass mentioned this, but some of the wording and a letter with free roaming children.
I found that to be a lot and I would like to say I would like to see more free roaming children out and about rather than being inside the house on a computer or something like that.
To me, you know what, I, you know, if kids are outside playing, they're having fun, they're in fresh air. That's where they should be. And that's just my personal opinion. So this has been a long road for you. I can tell by the date. So I'm going to go ahead and
move that Councillor gives first reading to by law B 0 4 20 26. Are we going new now? Do you want me to read out this whole blurb that's there now for first reading. Okay.
Move that Councillor gives first reading to by law B 0 4 20 26. Being a by law to amend land use by law B 0 1 20 16.
To allow for the addition of child care limited as a permitted use in the district, direct control 12 C district specific to land legally described as lot 17 blocks six plans 0 4 1 0 8 7 3.
Thank you Councillor. Okay. Anyone opposed.
Seeing and hearing none. Second reading Councillor Schema please.
Through the chair I asked for a second reading.
Okay. Second readings on the floor. Anyone opposed. Seeing and hearing none.
Councillor Glass please. Through the chair I'd like to ask permission for the third reading.
Okay.
Permission for third is on the floor. Anyone opposed seeing and hearing none.
And Councillor Bassen please.
Thank you Madame Mayor. Through the chair I'd like to move a third reading.
Thank you Councillor. Final motion on the floor. Anyone opposed? Seeing and hearing none. That is carried.
Thank you. All right. Congratulations. This question.
Thank you.
Okay. Moving right along. I believe we are doing confirmation of minutes. Councillor Schema please.
See the chair. I moved that Councillor adopts the minutes of the regular meeting of May 5th, 2026 as presented.
Okay. Motion on the floor. Anyone opposed? Seeing and hearing none. That is carried.
Okay. Consent agenda.
I'd leave.
We have an option here. Everyone wants to transfer anything from the consent agenda speak now.
Seeing and hearing none.
Nothing to be transferred. So we will carry it along to.
To 8.1.
Oh pardon me. I got so excited. Councillor Ovason.
Thank you Madame Mayor. Through the chair I'd like to move that council accepts the proclamation of May 18 to 24.
2026 as community disability services professional appreciation week and June 2026 as brain injury awareness month and pride month.
And the illumination of city hall in pride colors on June 20 included on the
Consent agenda for information.
Excellent. Thank you very much. Anyone opposed?
Seeing and hearing none. That is carried.
Now for real. 8.1.
Introductions coming from Councillor Glass. Please.
Thank you. Madame Mayor. At this point I'd like to.
To. Call on Monica libate manager of treasury to talk about.
Territory franchise fees final reading.
Welcome.
Thank you. Good afternoon Mayor Spirman members of council for this particular one.
I did not create a presentation.
I am returning today.
For second and third readings of by-law B-02-2026 to increase the echo franchise fee rate to 35% effect of June 1st, 2026.
This increase was discussed and approved during the 2026 budget deliberations.
And this is the last step in implementing it.
First reading for this by-law was before council on March 3rd.
Subsequently the increase was advertised in the newspaper the weeks of March 12th and March 19th.
And as outlined in the report two responses were received.
One via email the other via phone and both were not in support of the increase.
This increase is projected to results in approximately a $3 a month and additional cost to the average homeowner.
The AUC is supportive of the increase and once council approves by-law B-02-2026.
At co-wheel-start incorporating the increase as of June 1st.
And I am open for questions.
Excellent. Thank you, Monica.
Okay, this has been a long time in progress.
So thank you for doing all the work that you do.
Any questions from council for Monica?
Yeah, wasn't expecting too too much today.
But thank you for this.
You know, I think it's one of those things for that $3 a month.
Certainly offset some of the things that need to happen in this community.
So thanks for the work you've done into your team as always.
Okay, then I believe we've got some motions.
Councillor Glass, you're in charge of second motions since we already did the first one in a previous meeting.
Through the chair, I'd like to move for second reading of by-law B-02-2026.
Thanks very much.
Okay, we have motion on the floor.
Anyone opposed seeing and hearing none.
Thank you. Councillor Stewart for third reading please.
That's through the chair. I'd like to move for third reading of by-law B-02-2026.
Thank you very much. Motion on the floor.
Anyone opposed seeing and hearing none.
That is carried. Thank you, everybody.
Thank you, Monica.
Okay, moving straight along to item 8.2.8 starting with introductions from Councillor Schema. Please.
See the chair. I'd like to continue to invite Monica LeBate.
Manager of Treasury for by-law B-11, 2026.
20 attacks rate by-law.
Thank you, Councillor. Monica, whenever you're ready.
Okay. Thank you.
And this one I did put a presentation on.
Okay.
Just as it comes up.
There we go.
Perfect.
So, good afternoon. Again, Mayor's Fairment and Members of Council.
I'm here to present a report on the 2026 property taxes and request three readings to the tax rate by-law.
So, I'll just go through a little bit of background information before I get into each element of property taxes.
So, as per the Municipal Government Act, MGA, municipalities are required to pass a tax rate by-law,
which allows the city to race funds to manage the municipality.
We are also obligated to collect education tax on behalf of the province.
There was a $4.2 million municipal shortfall after all of the revenue and growth was taken into account,
which represents the tax increase approved in the 2026 operating budget.
A new component added in 2023 was the community revitalization lobby, the CRL,
and this allows the city to race funds on the incremental increase in value to properties within the designated downtown boundary.
These funds are used towards the revitalization of the downtown area,
and it's expected that an additional $673,958 will be raised in 2026.
This by-law is really the last step of the budget process and will allow the municipality to levy the necessary funds to operate for this year.
This chart shows the distribution of funding based on requisitions.
So, only 63% of a property owner's tax bill goes to the city of Airdrie.
Previously, this was 67% however, school tax rates have increased at a higher pace than the city of Airdrie municipal services budget,
which now make up 36% which was collected on behalf of the province to fund Airdrie's education system.
In 2025, this was 35% and in 2024, it was 32%.
And then less than 1% is collected on behalf of the Rocky View Foundation to help fund affordable housing options for seniors in Airdrie.
The municipal tax comprises 63% of a residence property tax bill.
The amount of tax generated each year stays constant and added to that is the additional revenue generated from our growth
and then any tax rate increase approved annually as part of the budget process.
That being said, there was $4.2 million increase in the 2026 council approved budget, which will generate a total of just under 97.3 million in municipal tax this year.
The median single family home with an assessed value that went from 613,000 last year to 627,000 this year would see an increase of about $9.58 a month for a municipal tax portion.
Meanwhile, a median residential condo will experience an increase of $5.72 a month in municipal tax.
The 2012 annexation agreement states that all those previous Rocky View County properties are to be taxed at the Rocky View County rates for 20 years.
So we're now halfway through, over halfway through that time period.
Rocky View County approved their tax rate by law in mid April and those rates have been incorporated into this by law as well.
Turn the page.
Each year the province calculates the amount each municipality must contribute towards the public education system in Alberta.
There is a 21% residential, 19% combined resident non-resident increase being passed on to airdream 2025 as compared to a 25% increase actually in 2024.
However, because there was such a significant residential growth, the effect to each residential property owner will be just over 16.5%.
In 2026, the average homeowner will experience an increase of $20.36 a month and the average residential condo owner will see an increase of $12.22 a month related to the school tax portion.
Rocky View Foundation.
So as Council is aware, the Rocky View.
Foundation purchased the Hamilton Inn and Suites and converted it into a lodge which opened back in 2023. And that accounts for the increase that was experienced in 2024 that you see on this slide.
The foundation is funded through provincial grants, municipal requisitions and rent paid by residents. The annual municipal requisition has decreased to 1.17 million for 2026.
This graph provides a big picture overall for council. It depicts the percentage change in total tax when municipal and education are combined that all properties will experience this year.
And as you can see, the largest bar on the graph, most property owners will experience between 68% increase in total tax.
What I do want to highlight here is that even though the overall combining increases 21% alone in education taxes, the year over year growth has helped spread this burden over more properties, so the effect is significantly less.
The effect to non-residential properties, as mentioned in the report, is not as easy to compare the median non-residential property as a residential property, which is a fewer sales due to the pool being significantly smaller in the types of properties in this class are also very diverse.
This chart shows the rounded effect to each based on a small change in assessed value of those property types.
So commercial property would experience an overall increase of $45 in 11 cents a month and an industrial property would experience an increase of $35.96 a month.
There would be similar effect on both large and small businesses that have a small increase in assessed value with the overall taxes increasing at a lower rate year over year than residential.
How does airdry compare? This chart is based on the 2025, $614,000 home and these were the rates for each of the cities, so this homeowner in airdry paid $2,486 in municipal taxes, which is very close to a Calgary homeowner.
In red deer and medicine hat, that same homeowner paid over $4,200, or over $1,700 more than an airdry.
In Lathbridge, the homeowner would be even more, which is 96% more than an airdry homeowner.
In St. Albert and Grand Perry, the homeowner would have paid more than double as much in municipal tax for the same price tone, same value tone.
This one here shows any $150,000 business for business taxes, and you can see that there's quite a difference there as well.
Airdry is among the lowest properties.
So tax notices will be mailed on May 29th, assuming that there's not a postal strike, but so far I haven't heard of one, so let's hope not.
A number of residents have signed up for e-notifications, and we'll receive there's electronically an advertising blitz, and we'll be launched as to increase awareness of this option.
The tax brochure will be inserted with each tax notice and information from the tax brochure will be available online.
Residents can also refer to the city's website for more information in regards to taxation and payment options.
Of note, there is an amended bylaw that I believe has been distributed to you.
There were three numbers that are incorrect in the original bylaw that was in the package.
The rates don't change at all. It was simply the numbers that were stated in the right up at the beginning of the bylaw.
And they're highlighted on this slide here as well for ease.
Just to be clear, does Deputy Mayor have a copy of this?
Okay. Deputy Mayor, I know you're online. We'll make sure you get email the copy of this.
Thank you.
And if you can see the screen there online, those three numbers, you can see the crossed out portion, and then the amended number next to each one.
But the rate themselves, like I say, do not change. The rest of the bylaw is correct as is.
Okay. So at this time, I am asking for three, three readings to the tax rate bylaw and I'm open for questions.
Thank you, Monica. I know we have a couple of lights on, but I'm just going to ask just one more time for clarity.
So those numbers that you just showed us the different, dear, the pardon me, the differentiator in.
What is the reason for the difference in those numbers?
It was the way that the form was linked to the calculations. It didn't pick up the full number on those numbers.
Okay. So it was just one line, like one line item that got missed.
Yes.
Yeah. The calculations actually calculated correct. It was just pulling in to this particular word bylaw that those numbers didn't pull in correctly.
Okay. Understood. Thank you.
Okay. I'm going to go to councilor Stewart first.
Thank you, Madam Mayor. Through the chair. Thanks, Monica. I really appreciate that.
Just confirm. I think I read in the documentation that those graphs are going to be inserted in the tax information for residents.
So they can see the comparators between area during the other cities.
That's correct.
That is correct.
Thanks.
So ahead.
Thank you, Councillor. Councillor Chapman, please.
Thank you.
Just a question about rock review foundation.
You're standing here, rock review foundation provides affordable housing options to seniors.
They are changing their mandate and so they should, because rock review foundation is the housing authority for airdream.
So is it seniors that is it only the seniors logic that can draw from this or is it affordable housing on a whole?
My understanding through through the chair at this time it is specific to the seniors housing portion that is funded through the provincial requisitions.
Okay. I'm just curious because there are housing authority, housing authority for affordable housing as well. Thank you.
Thank you, Councillor.
Deputy Mayor, I'm not seeing your light on, so I'm assuming you're okay.
Any other questions from anyone else on council?
Okay. I'm not seeing any.
Just a question from me.
With the education property tax that is a property tax from the province, not from us.
The amount when you mentioned in your presentation that some of the burden of that has been spread over the fact that we just have growth here and so that's reduced it a little bit.
Do you know, or can you speak to how the education property tax has been calculated or what that number has been for airdream this year and and like can you speak to that at all?
I know it's not really you. It's coming from the province, but do you have any information on how like if I was walking down the street and I didn't know anything else about property taxes except for the fact that I pay them.
How would you explain that to the average airdream resident?
Through the chair, so we are not privy to their actual calculations is to how they come up with the overall numbers.
Part of it is based on equalized assessment, so the fact that airdream is growing in our assessment base is increasing more than a number of other municipalities we are imposed a higher rate amount.
I would say on that, but other than that I do not have the specifics of their calculations.
I appreciate that and I think it's an interesting conversation.
I know some municipalities are quite vocal about how they're feeling about it.
I think for me the message I really want to drive home is that you know you put a number of here of nine dollars and I think 58 cents is the residential portion of what this organization the city of airdream has in terms of an increase to.
But folks are actually seeing a total of 29.
So 20 of those dollars give or take is quite literally provincial assessment being picked up.
So it's really important that people understand that and it's not that we have necessarily any.
Any cloud around that conversation where municipal, but I also think people need to understand that we're getting six schools in airdream and the seventh one is under.
Renovation and expansion right now and I know some other some other communities are having a real issue with the property tax piece being so high.
We're really getting our monies worth on that in terms of what the province is giving airdream return over the next few years so it's it's a challenge.
The affordability piece really sucks and I hate to have to tell that story well we're only nine dollars of that twenty nine dollars we're a third of that bill.
Isn't that wild on each person's monthly increase.
But I think it's something that you know people need to be aware of like it's not all the city of airdream that's taking us so.
I appreciate that you're putting some graphs in there to show context around airdream still being one of the lowest property taxes in the entire province.
So thank you for that, but I also think that education piece around a good chunk of this is going to the province but it is for schools and filling those schools with qualified people so.
I'm interested to see it all a shake out but I think this is a really interesting conversation and one I am sure this organization and this council will still be hearing a lot about.
So thank you Monica thanks for this so I believe if there's no other questions.
Yeah through the chair I just want to make a statement just on what Mayor Spearman saying.
If you look at our tax rates compared to other municipalities like the efficiency we have here in airdream.
I think it's phenomenal if you look at everything that the services that we provide and the level of service we provide.
I think every energy resident should be proud at administration and also council what what we do and what we managed to do with money that we have given to us so.
So we take it we don't take it lightly the tax money we that's burden on our shoulders every single day and we want to use that money to the best of the ability of all the citizens of airdream so yeah just want to make that statement.
Well said well said thank you Councillor.
Okay so that is in front of us.
I believe it's our time to go to.
So Councillor she and my year first reading are you comfortable with the amended information there okay go ahead hmm.
Through the chair I moved that council gives first reading to buy law be eleven twenty twenty six being the twenty twenty twenty twenty twenty six tax rate by law with the twenty twenty six budget approved.
Four million one hundred and sixty nine seven hundred dollars.
Thank you okay we have a motion on the floor anyone opposed.
Seeing and hearing none that is carried a second reading council boss on this.
Thank you madam mayor through the chair I'd like to move for second reading.
Hi yeah we have an amendment first before second reading so that was that handled I gave everyone that nice.
Yes one yep got it okay so city clerk can I just give this amendment to.
Councillor Chapman you mind.
Thank you chair I would like to move that we amend.
By law be eleven twenty twenty six being the twenty twenty six tax rate by law be amended as follows.
The following where the statement is deleted whereas the estimated municipal expenditure excluding non cash items.
Set out in the annual budget for the city for twenty twenty six total of two hundred three million six hundred sixty one dollars for hundred twenty.
And the balance of sixty nine five ninety nine eight thirty six is to be raised by John property taxation.
And replaced.
Whereas the estimated municipal expenditures excluding non cash items.
Set out in the annual budget for the city of very grief for twenty twenty six total two hundred five million eight hundred and four thousand eight hundred ninety five dollars.
And the balance of sixty nine million seven hundred ninety nine thousand eight hundred and thirty six is to be raised by gentlemen municipal property taxation.
And I'm continuing on the whole thing correct.
The following therefore statement is deleted therefore the total amount to be raised by gentlemen municipal taxation is ninety seven thousand two hundred fifty four thousand seven hundred eighty three.
And replaced with.
Therefore the total amount to be raised by gentlemen municipal taxation is ninety seven thousand four hundred fifty four ninety seven million four hundred fifty four thousand nine hundred and.
Thank you counselor okay great hope you had some water before you went down that big read okay so we have a motion on the floor for the amendment is anyone opposed.
I cannot see.
Deputy Mayor.
Sorry I'm totally fine with the motion I had to turn my camera off because I'm standing.
No I just don't have your I don't have any visible but we're good we're good okay thank you very much so that is carried.
I'm going to go to council about the second reading please.
Thank you.
Through the chair I would like to move that council gives second reading to by low be eleven twenty twenty six being the twenty twenty six tax rate by low with the twenty twenty six budgets approved.
Four million one sixty nine seven hundred as I'm ended.
Thank you second reading is on the floor anyone opposed.
Seeing and hearing none that is carried.
Through the chair I'd like to move for permission for third reading to by low be eleven twenty twenty six being the twenty twenty six tax rate by low as amended.
Thank you and you want to post.
Seeing and hearing none.
Counselor Stewart please.
We have a final motion on the floor. Anyone opposed? Seeing and hearing none, that is carried unanimously. Thanks, everyone. Okay. 8.2 point B.
Mayor Spirman, if I may for a quick moment, I just confirmed with Monica. There's actually an error in your resolution assignment sheet as well, with the number on the rocky view foundation.
In your package, it says 1,166,027. It actually should be 1,166,127.
Thank you.
Okay. Councilor Chapman, I'll just make sure that you've got that when we do the motion there.
Okay, okay. So.
I believe we're just going right to Councilor Chapman for that. Okay. Councilor Chapman, it's all on you.
Thank you. Through the chair, I'd like to move the council on men's at 2026 budget and revise the provincial requisitions, including adjustments for 2025 under over levies in the following amounts is directed by the province of Alberta.
For the school foundation fund, 53,886,810 dollars, opted out to school boards, 5,217,655, designated industrial properties, 8,175, and rock few foundation, 1,166,127 dollars.
Thank you very much. Okay. Motion on the floor. Anyone opposed.
Seeing and hearing none, that is carried. Thanks, everyone. Moving right along to 8.3 introductions coming from Councilor Basant, please.
Thank you, Madam Mayor. Through the chair, I'd like to introduce Brad Tomlinson, the team leader of municipal enforcement to speak to us about by law B072026,
the community standards by law amendment. You have the floor for whatever you're reading.
Good afternoon, Mayor and council. Today, I'll be presenting proposed by law amendments to our community standards by law.
In recent years, municipal enforcement has received increasing feedback from residents related to noise in our community, particularly in connection with city led events and seasonal snow removal operations.
While these activities are essential to maintaining an active and well-service city, the concerns of raised and highlighted in consistency and how our noise is currently regulated in limitations within our existing community standards by law in addressing these emerging or complex noise scenarios.
To ensure well-formed approach to by-law improvements, municipal enforcement undertook a review of our practices in comparable and compare them with municipalities nearby.
Specifically, the largest help was with the city of Calgary, and these discussions provided valuable insight into evolving noise management strategies and clear definitions, as well as more flexible enforcement mechanisms that support community expectations in our operational realities.
The proposed amendments aimed to strengthen clarity around permissible noise levels, enhanced tools for our community peace officers, and to respond effectively and ensure that the by-law reflects current community standards operational needs and best practices from around our region.
Some key amendments, the first one being continuous sound.
So this is adding in that there's a definition as well for L.E.Q., which is continuous sound via definition, which we need for court.
But it's for any continuous noise duration for more than three minutes and sporadically for a total of more than three minutes in any continuous three minute period.
Outdoor speaker systems is now defined, which helps us address these outdoor concerts, as well as some mitigation strategies.
When we're enforcing them, that upholding court.
We've also got noise relaxation for commercial businesses not located in residential areas.
The idea behind this is they're already applying for early snow removal and they're getting blanket exceptions for a year.
This way, if there are problems with it, we have it within the by-law now that we can withdraw that, make them comply with the regular community standards by-law restrictions for residential areas.
If there's problems, but if not, we're reducing red tape administratively.
With those key amendments, I am open to any questions or recommendations or that council gives three readings to the by-law.
Thanks, Brad. Okay. I am already seeing councilor Chapman ready.
And I see councilor Constance hand is up to you. So we'll start with councilor Chapman and we'll kind of make our way through and councilor clothes and I'll let you know when we get to you.
What effect will this have? We have the summer music festival across the street at Towerley Mall.
What effect will this have on their event? Anything?
Through the chair to councilor Chapman.
Yes, so this will keep them within the noise restrictions of the by-law.
So the exemption being that after hours as they move in through later hours within the evening, which is common with outdoor concerts,
our primary complaint, the comeback from residents is that it goes on and on and on.
They need to be within the limits of our daytime noise decibel limit now.
So during the daytime, if you're applying for an exemption for your outdoor concert, you need to be within our daytime decibel limit.
And it's not any ample amount of noise. You get an exemption. You can just be loud as you want.
And the way that we read that is we would attend if we get a complaint assess from the perimeter of the property and ensure that it's within the daytime decibel limit.
And that would be the same for any concert that we had in the park as well then.
In our public park in those creek.
That's correct.
Do we know how much of effect, like how loud are they after hours across the street?
I think it's a great event that they have every year across the street.
You know, it's two nights a year. I think it's a great event.
But do we know are they way over currently now or?
Through the chair we'd have to take a reading, but it would be just dependent on what amplification system they're using.
The idea behind this legislation is allows us to better understand that, go and take the reading and ensure that it's within our decibel limits.
So we don't know if we've ever taken a reading at the concert previous years there.
I don't believe so.
Most of the complaints have come in the following day.
Okay. Thank you.
Thanks, Councillor.
Councillor Stewart.
I really appreciate the reading of the Bible here.
Just a couple of questions as I was reading through it.
So the decibel allowable is the point of contact at the residence.
Correct.
That's correct.
So one piece that we learned from the city of Calgary is previously standard practice would be from a property line.
But that's not actually showing point of reception, which often was a gap within these complaints.
So this is already been implemented with city of Calgary and some other municipalities and it's holding up in court.
You're able to go to the point of reception as long as the owner is okay with that.
Take your readings.
Also see what mitigating or aggravating factors are you leaving your window open and present those matters in court if you have to prosecute it.
Okay.
And then next question is like, how is it?
I guess how is this ensured? Like, how is the reading ensured or measured?
Is it done before the event takes place as you're setting up?
Or is it just as complaint comes in?
I guess I'm warning is this a really reactive process or is it more proactive or can we make it more proactive?
Through the chair so through the permitting process will be establishing our guidelines.
So noise exemption permit comes in for a special event.
So to speak municipal enforcement ensures that within that permit it's specifying what regulations they need to keep in place as well as providing a contact from municipal enforcement.
Should we get a complaint?
We need to have somebody there that can actively change the output of the speaker system.
So that we're not showing up say to a concert and trying to figure out who can turn the volume down.
So to speak and if we go and take a reading then we would contact that person and have it turned down.
Okay. So there's no there's no way to mitigate communicating to the residents saying this concert's happening.
We've measured it. This is the decibel range and this is within the by law.
No absolutely. If it is within the by law, we've taken a reading and confirmed that they're not in violation of something.
We would then follow up with the complaint and communicate that.
Do we get many complaints and historically?
Through the chair. Yes. So overall for all noise complaints. We had 210 last year.
I think we're at 81 this year in regards to just outdoor lead events.
We certainly do get five to ten per depending on which event we're talking about.
Okay. And so just for my I just kind of working this through my head here.
When you approach a resident everything checks out it's within the decibel.
Is there usually resistance to accept the information that you've provided them?
Through the chair. Yes and no. It's dependent. We explain the by law and detail.
Explain what we can enforce and usually buy the end of it.
They're somewhat compliant but not completely satisfied.
I think the most people accept it understand it but may not be happy with it.
Do the chair.
Thanks.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Through the chair.
Do you have like the data behind the resident feedback?
I'm just looking at what this increase might look like.
Like how many the frequency of location.
I know you mentioned those 210 complaints in 2025.
I don't think we I don't think the specialty events process that there was 220.
I'm sorry 210 events that were city permitted.
So I'm just trying to get like more that data there.
Thank you.
Through the chair.
To council, my apologies.
So it was 210 total noise complaints from municipal enforcement last year.
And then my follow up to that was it's roughly 5 to 10.
Per event.
I don't have the hard numbers for that but give or take on average is about 5 or 10.
Okay.
Thank you.
So for example when I look at the noise by law.
When it comes to the city that event such as fireworks.
It's outside of the 10 PM range.
Is that something that the city would be applying to you for a noise.
That I'm not sorry noise, noise relaxation.
So noise regulation in regards to this was around amplification sound or sound.
Sound or sound disturbances the fireworks themselves would not apply to that.
If that's what you're referring to or you.
My apologies through the chair.
Referring to sound from the event in general.
Yes, through the event.
Yes, thank you.
Yes, so sorry.
So through the chair providing the special events going ahead and there's general sound disturbances within that area.
No, it would not it would not apply on this by law.
Okay.
Thank you for that.
I'm just trying to get context.
So for the noise relaxation.
Do we have a noise exemption relaxation permit that community can apply to through this special events process?
To the chair.
That's correct.
Okay.
Just want to confirm that.
And then when it comes to our business corridors.
We're looking at downtown life and activation through a night life scene.
Do we.
You mentioned that we have specific business corridors that we look at for building vibrancy and more of that.
Application for music and concerts and such.
Is that identified in the in the areas or the report?
I just want to confirm what I'm looking at with with with with that but with that noise by law.
Thank you.
So with regards to downtown vibrancy and events, again, this is actually part of our follow-up when we are dealing with residents.
Providing their in compliance with the by law.
We look at everything with these events from what direction can we have the amplification going to make the most least impact on our residents.
And again, we put that out to residents to that this also is helpful in vibrancy for a downtown community.
And then we take the area that it's happening in and in consideration as well.
Okay.
Thank you.
Last question.
For this whole process, I'm thinking that you connected with the.
Especially that's process team and act of and and those departments.
They were through the chair. They were looped in yes.
Thank you. Thank you very much.
Councillor Glass.
Thank you.
But I'm.
And thank you for the presentation.
Quick question.
When we had those 200 and some odd complaints.
How many of them were for outdoor city that events are one of our bigger festivals sort of thing.
And which ones were they if you have those handy.
Just trying to get an idea for how loud is loud if that makes sense.
So through the chair, I can share.
Unfortunately, do not have the concrete numbers on that.
But I can share from last year's.
One of our events.
So we did have approximately those five to ten complaints come in from residents in the area.
That 210 that I'm referring to being a total.
Yeah.
Noise violations.
Her sorry calls for service.
Is everything from my neighbors being too loud to aviation over my dwelling.
And taking noise readings for all sorts of different things.
But I do not have that events to that stat in front of me at the moment.
Okay. And out of those 2,000 art sort of 2,200 are so complaints.
How many of them were justified that we were able to action or.
We're kind of substantiated.
Through the chair.
The bulk majority of them have some form of enforcement mechanism.
Whether or not that results in a ticket.
So to speak, it's typically how can we mitigate this and work between both parties to achieve.
A good result.
Majority of the time we're able to achieve that with almost all of our noise complaints.
Very few of them are going the entire distance by the time you work through.
Some party mitigating the noise and the other party.
I'm going to go to Deputy Mayor. I'm going to go to Deputy Mayor because she's in a chance to talk about get and then I'll come back to councilor. Okay, Deputy Mayor.
Thank you. You know, I love to talk. So I'm struggling with this one because it feels like it not that it came out of nowhere, but it was a little bit reactive to an unnamed large scale event that happened in our downtown because I, that is the only time I have ever seen an email come through the council table in relation to noise complaints.
So, but is this kind of where this is coming from as far as events goes?
Through the, through the chair.
No, I would say that overall we, we do, we would benefit from having as a city better regulation around how we're handling our noise mitigation.
It isn't stopping it from happening. It's just putting a form of regulation that we can explain to residents, you know, we're allowing the noise exemption. However, it still does still need to be within our daytime decibels events that happen.
When kids are going back to school and going to sleep.
We're, we're trying to find that balance, but not just those. This is applicable to residential group parties in a park.
And any other events, any of that helps.
It does. I guess I'm just curious. So then just, we say that it aligns that they can get an exemption, but that it has to align with the noise hours.
So does that mean, if you have a concert in the park on a Thursday, it's got to be quiet by 10 pm.
Or if you have a weekend event somewhere anywhere in the city, it's got to be quiet by midnight.
Through the chair, that would be correct. It cannot go over the daytime decibel limits and it would need to be shut down at a reasonable hour, not indefinite for an noise exemption.
Okay, so how do they get an exemption if it has to follow those guidelines? Are they the same all the time?
No, because this is allowing you to have a daytime noise decibel during the night time.
So when you're applying for the exemption to go after hours.
Yeah, it would be helping that story I think.
Okay.
But say like a concert, a loud concert that's outside would be louder than the allowable daytime decibel typically wouldn't it?
Through the chair, yes, if you're turning the amplification up to whatever decibel you feel like, but if you're abiding by the by law during daytime, then it would be within.
Okay, so that decibel has to be when you're basically standing there at that concert.
Not in the neighborhood.
Through the chair, it would be measured from the perimeter of wherever that event is taking place and if it's not exceeding it there, it would not be exceeding it into the residential area.
Okay, because I guess I just look at the decibel levels and like 65 is a generator.
And some generators are actually louder than 65 when you're standing at the top of them.
So I get the whole perimeter thing that definitely helps to dampen those sounds.
I'm just a little bit worried that this is going to hamstring some really cool potential events that could come to energy.
I mean, obviously I simplifies with residents and I wouldn't want to have an outdoor concert of walk away from my house every single day or every single weekend.
And if I had to work a night shift or sleep or whatever, but I see I see director Weinberger there.
So I can I can stop talking for a bit, but I'm a little bit on the fence about this one because until we have an in practice, like I would have loved a scenario like scenario a this was the complaint this is how we're going to enforce it and this is how we're going to treat it.
Because sometimes we pass these by laws and they're either really not that enforceable or they hamstring what we're trying to do, which is create really cool opportunities within our community.
So I'm really I'm 50 50.
All right, thanks deputy mayor.
Director Weinberger.
Thank you madam mayor. Thanks for the questions deputy mayor Colson just to put a little few parameters on some of these things we have the noise exemption.
Process in place for a reason it addresses a number of things whether it's cement pours in residential areas to the generators you mentioned a number of things.
The complaints Brad is talking about really go back to whether it's car loud cars loud motorbikes things like that we're not trying to hinder we're trying to put some again and parameters in place.
We still have the ability to offer noise exemption within reason that's not affecting residents across the city.
So we will still get you from that 50 50 to 85 15.
We we still have them mechanisms in place that we can offer stuff.
Instructor since we're on this topic and sorry guys I just.
Can you walk us through what the exemption permit process looks like.
Let's pretend that this council wants to put on the greatest concert of all time in the city hall parking lot and we want it to go till midnight.
And I don't know about you but my dishwasher is about 50 decibels so let me tell you as a music festival fan myself.
I do not listen to a dishwasher when I go there I got my earplugs in just so I can you know keep my hearing intact somewhat.
Can you talk us through what that would look like if that were the hypothetical situation.
Sure I'll start and Brad will probably have to feed in because I just see it at the end.
Really what someone does is come and apply whether it's through special events process through a regular construction development plan any of them type things.
From there we look at what impacts there are to the residents if it's industrial zones if it's just business zones we have more relaxation opportunities for that we try not to impact the residential houses as much as anything else.
From that process again just an evaluation process we may have municipal enforcement gold and measure what they're doing at set up time to see where them impacts are based on where the residents are located where their property lines are and where the end of the property line is for the event itself.
Then we grant that relaxation.
Other times when you don't.
Yes, where there's times where we withdraw because people aren't following the rules of the relaxation and go through a night with a generator where it's not required.
Okay.
All right, I will take that information.
Thank you.
Is anyone not had a first.
Okay.
I'm talking.
Okay.
I think he had your light on for a while.
So we'll go back to you.
Sorry.
It wasn't finished.
I didn't get any.
Sorry.
I thought you were done.
I saw your hand go down.
Okay.
Sorry.
It actually goes down automatically as soon as you turn the mic on on this program, but.
So.
85%.
Director Weinberg to get me there.
I think.
We would have to have some kind of an appeal process.
So if this special event is turned down.
And it is like the bill and all of our content that councillor chairman would be buying 20 tickets to.
And it gets turned down.
And this council has an appetite to allow that to happen.
Like I just feel like there needs to be some kind of an appeal process.
And I'm sure legislative services was like, oh gosh, here we go.
But.
But do you understand what I'm saying?
Like so you turn it down.
And then it is kept in no fun.
And we don't want to have those types of events.
That may be the majority of our extremely young.
Population would be all for like I have no problem hearing a concert every now and then from from my backyard.
Just knowing the vibrancy that it brings to the community.
So to get me there.
I just I just want to make sure that there is a way that really cool things can happen in this city.
And I just I'm worried that this by law.
Well, I will hinder that and I would love I don't know if that is in the room.
Or like a dina with downtown or shana queen if anybody is there.
To sort of speak to that's that event.
Vibrancy.
I would love to hear from them.
If there is like a way to make sure it happens.
We have Jamal coming up to the microphone.
And yes, our downtown revitalization expert is also in the room listening intently.
I can.
We can start before Jamal takes the thunder.
Go ahead.
Through the chair.
I just like to add that as we would visit each one of these individually.
These common sense we're not trying to stifle concerts or any events happening anywhere in our city.
We we just try to apply something that's fair both residents as well as the event goers.
And should they need to appeal we would be more than able to accommodate it in one fashion or another.
If we hit a roadblock like that but our approach is pretty common sense as long as we can accomplish something that works for residents as well as event goers.
Yeah, within.
The conference of the the bylaws so to speak.
It's more than doable and we have not hit any robots to date.
Just to add on to Brad's comments to the exemption the exemption process we have back and forth dialogue.
So somebody calls in and we turn down an exemption process because it is a.
The requesting 30 days when we get down to it it might actually be well they only need five but they didn't want to come back again.
So we give them the five and work with them to accomplish whatever they're trying to do.
Yeah, I will.
I need to contemplate this for a little bit and I would like to hear from the rest of council.
Thanks every mayor.
Jamal are you good.
Do you want to add anything?
Okay.
All right.
Through the chair to council calls and yeah.
With the exemption process I think that allows for that common sense approach.
That Brad is talking about here certainly from an economic development and downtown revitalization standpoint we would like to see these types of events.
And if there is a noise exemption that can be granted again with enough notice and enough notification then then we would be all for that as well.
We want the events to to happen and we want them particularly in the downtown because that's part of our transformation process with the revitalizing downtown.
So then through the chair I would offer that we need to do a better job supporting those events and telling the community hey this is coming and it's going to be really loud because I think when you look at.
I'll just give the downtown event that was a big open concert as an example.
Not everybody knew that it was happening because it's kind of like every fest was happening and then this concert was happening not together it was a little bit separately and there was some information out there but maybe we need to look at that we should be helping push that information because.
John John Smith who's doing a concert might have 600 followers but the city of Audrey has what over 20,000 now if not more so maybe we should be looking at some of those.
A way to help out in that regard to let people know that the concert is coming in maybe they want to not have their windows open at 10 pm at night it might start older children.
Okay thank you to the mayor councilor chat.
Thank you through the chair. Brad what time does municipal enforcement work till.
Through the chair nine p.m.
So there's my question we got a noise complaint to the 11 p.m. where does it go.
Anything urgent would be deferred over to the RCMP for direct response if it's something that can wait until the next day then it would be held for us in a stacked complaint.
Well our dispatch would automatically refer to the municipal enforcement has the tools measure desk levels correct.
Through the chair that's correct but they can sorry the through the chair the RCMP can still attend.
Assessive this is a concern me with the resident and see what they can.
Do to inject themselves with the whether it's a concert or wherever the noise is coming from but they wouldn't have the equipment to measure a decibel.
Our noise reader is available in the detachment should they need it they've used it for joint motor vehicle patrols.
I can't speak to whether or not they would for this if or they would just attend and see what they could do.
Okay and I you know I hate to say but I hate to see I think the RCMP have more important things to look after at 10 11 at night then.
Then a noise you know.
Complaint which may be warranted run warranted and I guess that's just all depending on the person they somebody may think something's very loud.
My wife says I have the TV too loud.
Well I don't think it is but she thinks it is so.
I'm I'm just curious how would that happen.
If you if you get a noise complaint at 11 o'clock at night it's an outdoor concert you know people having fun things are going on.
But you can address that till the next day and you have no way to measure the noise that night how how do you address it but you've answered that the RCMP would have that available to them if if they needed to so.
Thank you.
Thank you Councillor.
Thank you.
Thank you, Madam Mayor. Through the chair. Has there been any engagement around this? I know it's another process and layer and cost. But I'm kind of curious if there was any type of engagement at reach on this.
Through the chair. No. There has not been from the public side, as this is just, there are already regulations around noise within our by-law.
An exemption process is already in place. This is just, honestly, additional clarification around rules.
Thank you.
So when I also look at communities and neighborhoods, I understand the neighborhoods with residential absolutely more of a quieter scene.
I'm looking at designated areas, such as nose Creek, regional park, downtown obvious the area as well.
Those are higher frequency and higher volume to areas, I would think.
So across the board, those places would just be another layer for event organizers to apply for when it comes to those locations.
So just curious around designated areas within the city of having a tiered or like a different different application without something that we consider.
So even in the neighborhood areas, there's lots of outdoor movies that happen in the summer when they start at dusk.
So I'm just kind of curious of how, yeah, I'm kind of Councillor Colson a little bit of trying in my head with this all looks like and I respect what it's being laid out.
But from a festival organizer or having connection and all sensible longing within communities and neighborhoods, that kind of questions my mind.
And I do have to put on my hand and say, I live on, I literally live on 8th Street.
And it's, yeah, it's a whole new thing for me with having that noise there.
But yeah, I'm just curious, I'm just post that saying thank you.
Through the chair of my me.
To Councillor Chima.
We get almost no noise complaints regarding like small festivals or outdoor movies, anything like that.
It's typically around large amplification concerts and stuff like that.
Thank you.
That's nice.
Thank you very much.
A couple more things have come to mind.
And I'm just looking at the practical implications of this.
A football game at Edgar Athletic Park, you know, sometimes you're getting 2,000, 3000 kids out.
The music's quite loud would we be in a position to be finding organizers of high school football games if we follow this to the T because they're not going to apply for a noise exemption when they're just trying to plant a football game or soccer game or something like that.
Through the chair.
Regardless of what type of complaint comes in, we're trying to go and work with who members creating the disturbance.
We're going to get a complaint from a resident about amplification from the football game.
We're going to attend there speak with whomever can help us mitigate maybe some of the sound from from the noise just to bring it down a notch so that we can accomplish the same goal.
So to speak.
And is the intention of this to target the louder cars and stuff like that or is it those large amplification festivals.
Through the chair, this is around general production of noise.
We do have very strict rules around vehicle noise through the traffic safety act.
Okay.
Thank you.
All right.
I think I am seeing all lights off anything for you, Councillor.
Just soaking it in.
Yeah.
Okay.
Excellent.
So.
Here's where I'm caught.
I think there's some data points that we're missing.
And I think that everybody has expressed a little bit of a concern on specifically.
I would say specifically we're talking about the amplification, the sound like the sound speakers in a situation.
So I appreciate that it's defined in here.
It still leaves me with a lot of questions.
And one thing that scared me a little bit that you said, Brad, is that folks come to the table with common sense when they're addressing these things, which normally I'd be like, yeah, that makes sense.
But if you in the lottery tomorrow and you move away or director wine burger who is the director who would be allowing the exemption permits, I would assume.
If either of you go on vacation to a beach and just choose to never come back to municipal anything, which, you know, we'd all understand.
And someone takes your place, their opinion or interpretation of what is presented here may not be the same.
And I think one of the things that we lack when it comes to special events or enforcement of certain things is that it's not always consistent in how it's.
Executed and that's not necessarily a bad thing, but I think we're talking about it in our active session last week that someone's interpretation of something versus the next person interpretation and how they enforce it or ask people to respond to it can be very different.
And I hear this council, I think we're hearing a lot of people say, well, I'm more concerned.
about traffic noise and and the challenges around enforcing that than I am around a one-off event.
So I guess for me my concern is I don't want to preemptively deter great events, great vibrancy opportunities.
Not knowing that there's going to be consistent delivery should it not be the two of you enforcing it in the future and it's somebody else.
I think we need to get that because I don't know that we necessarily have the sandbox within this bylaw as presented today to execute.
Thank you for the question, Madam Mayor.
I think we do have the process in place through our special events process to apply for everything that's required.
That's as you heard this morning is just going to get better and stronger.
Do you believe the process is in place for noise?
This bylaw is truly being amended and over the years based on the complaints that have come up in the past.
And so the definitions that are in there, the requirements for people actually to try to get a noise exemption is really in the best interest of everybody.
Of us looking holistically instead of individual things.
Okay.
I hope that answers your question.
So it doesn't mean me and Brad still want to win the lottery next week.
I know.
And it does answer that I guess I just still have a little bit of hesitancy around five years from now.
How is this going to you know and I recognize that's far down the road but ideally in the future six months or six years from now it should be consistently applied ideally.
But just that other piece for me is just that we're lacking the data points on you know to your point your 210 noise complaints could have been somebody's wedding next door in their backyard.
It could have been somebody's generator running all night could have been me yelling at my kids for three hours, but we don't we don't know what that breakout is for these events specifically right.
Sorry through the chair I believe we couldn't get most of that.
I can tell you through the noise exemptions that I give out.
I hear a lot of feedback around concerts and things like that and we do look at it and we do look at the impacts of people most of it is around people working different shifts.
Most of it is you know some misunderstanding people knew the events were happening but didn't know they were going to be this loud this late.
There's not a lot of them but we're really trying to take everyone with its own credence and see how we can make it better in the future whether it is advertising differently whether it is putting it on the website hopefully again through that special.
Especially events process we address all that with communication plan.
I think them are easily fixed and this will evolve over time you will see it again.
I'm sure in the next three to five years is the community continues to grow and we have different type of densities in our downtown core you'll continue to hear that.
If council passes this today I just want to know that especially for the first iteration of these changes that there will be an actual extensive pro activity around communicating because if there are events that don't.
You know that suddenly we get a whole bunch of complaints about and they get shut down at 10.05 because of the noise.
Because we didn't get proactive with the communication to the residents around and they got an exemption or whatever.
It would just be really sad to see that be the end.
I know a lot of the organizations that do go to the effort of putting these things on invest a lot of money.
And that is economic development for our dream there is a return on investment so I want to make sure that we are prioritizing always the act of the wins for our community.
One night of discomfort where we can heck give out your plugs as promo on behalf of that but what and I joke but you know what I mean I just think we really especially because if we pass this this will be the first time that those folks are going to be dealing with oh I didn't know I needed an exemption permit.
I just put this on last year in the year before so I just want to make sure we're removing those barriers no more gotchas no one surprised.
I don't know for the residents that hear it they're not surprised either through the chair again three or special events process that's all identified that's nothing new to these people think we're things have changed is we have the tools now in place to go out and pro actively measure the sound so at 10 o'clock we can say this has to go down from 8 to 6.
On the on the volume dial not 8 to 10.
Yeah no fair. So so I believe most of that is in place but certainly will be proactive and will as Brad mentioned number times we will work with people that are coming forward.
Yeah yeah I think people are looking for a little bit of happiness in the community right now so I just want to make sure we give.
Okay thanks sorry for that but I really wanted to hear that from you so thanks thank you Dr. Weinberger thank you Brad any other final comments questions queries.
Yes see the chair.
I know I just want to make a mention that.
A lot of events don't get triage to the special events process.
There is a lot out there that we aren't as a city out capturing so there's a lot of learning and education around these things.
So when had it a ticket when someone puts on this beautiful event of that might be a very uncomfortable thing.
But I just want to let you be aware that there is a lot a big percentage that aren't captured.
Thank you for that Councillor.
Go ahead Brad.
Through the chair thank you for that and just know that.
I'm very well versed with all the staff in our department and that's not our flavor to go in and take it event organizers.
We want to promote the vibrancy of our community and I pre have preached that from day one and everybody is on board with that and we're looking to work with people.
Ultimately that's that's our goal here.
Okay much appreciated and I know Director Anderson who is portfolio coverage special events and community fun is hearing all of this and will make sure his team here is a team.
You know that's one of the things in this community is we're always trying to break down silos so I appreciate this.
Okay, I think that's it for questions and all that so let's go ahead and start some motions on this.
Little document here so I believe Councillor Obamason you're first reading.
Yes, thank you Madam Mayor.
Through the chair I'd like to move the council gives first reading to Bisier 72026 being a bylaw to amend community standards by law Bisier 92012.
Thank you very much we have a motion on the floor anyone opposed.
Councillor glass is opposed.
Okay Councillor Chapman second reading please.
This time through the chair like move second reading.
Thank you.
You have a motion on the floor for second reading anyone opposed.
Okay seeing none that is carried.
Councillor Schema please.
See the chair I move for permission of third.
Thank you very much.
You want to post.
Seeing and hearing none.
And final reading to Councillor Stewart please.
Through the chair I move for third reading.
Thank you.
I'm a motion on the floor for this one anyone opposed.
Seeing and hearing none.
Okay thanks everyone that is carried.
Thanks for the chat gentlemen appreciate all that information.
We're going to just push on through.
I do just want to highlight that we are going to take a recess just before 3 o'clock for an internal matter.
And then we will carry on with the rest of the agenda if we do not finish it in time.
So item number 9.1 I believe we have introductions coming from Councillor Chapman.
Thank you.
I see Alex Smith is waiting to the presentation table to speak to us about a street naming policy.
Excellent thank you.
Welcome.
And whenever you're ready.
Could have to do the council.
Consolors and other attendance.
My name is Alex Wong and I'm here to present you today for the proposed policy.
P-dv-23-c to amend to the existing street naming policy number P-921.
And to add provisions for guiding honorary street naming requests.
The new street naming policy is termed from a two request.
One was submitted by the air refut back, which asked us to add an honorary name on Easter Lake Way.
Reconciliation of the organization's former ex-QTAF director, Laurie McRecho, as an expression to appreciation
for her long-standing contributions to the community.
And council has a request to direct administration to prepare amendments to streaming policy
P9 2001 to incorporate the provisions for honorary street naming.
The new street naming policy is based on two existing municipal documents, air visit plan
and the current street naming policy passed in 2001.
Air visit plan identifies the long-term vision that emphasized liability as a core planning outcome,
which focus on strengthening the quality of a social interaction through neighborhood identity,
pride and a shared sense of place.
And the current street naming policy P9 2001 requires the roadway names may reflect the
historic lay meaning for events, or individual whose contributions have supported community growth.
However, as this policy is approximately 25 years old, it is a silent under operation for honorary street naming.
Even the request from public and council direction, the administration has made a new street naming policy
with a full change on the existing policy.
And first, a clear guidance has been added outlining when and how streets may be named in owner of the person or group.
Second, the guideline for naming a new street in an air degree has been refined to improve
clarity and usability.
And third, the policy clarify when a street may be renamed and outlined how residents or other parties
can apply for a name change, council retains a final authority or a direction over that decision.
And at last, the document has been updated to align with every standard council policy template.
And here is a comparison between the current street naming policy and the new one.
The new street naming policy has a clearer organization, which follows the state's policy template.
It was a structured in policy purpose key definitions, the administration scope,
accountability, policy regulations, roles and responsibility for jurisdiction body,
and policy transition and legal reference.
And based on the current street naming policy, additional provisions for honorary street naming
will be added in a guideline for applying for honorary street naming is also added as an appendix.
Now, I'm giving a quick overview of the new policies about honorary street naming.
A section 20 is the provision about the requirement for applying for honorary street naming.
A subsection 1 regulates all the required information in preparation for application.
And a subsection 2 regulates the requirement of public engagement during the application review process.
The land owners living in the proposed honorary street will be notified and proposed the honorary street naming
will be will also be added while ties in a newspaper to provide interest part with opportunity
to provide comments to other administration and council.
Subsection 21 is the provision to require the assignment of an honorary street names.
That's now the change the official name of the street.
Section 22 is the provision to require the street type for honorary street should be way.
Subsection 23 is the provision to regulate the maximum terms for an honorary street name
according to is the definition of a temporary approval.
Subsection 24 is the provision to require the applicant to take responsibility for the cost
associated with approve the honorary name.
Section 25 is the provision to require a unique honorary street sign for an honorary street,
which is a visually distinct from a standard street name sign.
Subsection 26 is the provision to regulate the process of a relocation of an approved honorary street name.
Other than the policy to regulate the honorary street naming and honorary street naming guidelines
also be added to a pending fee in this guideline detailed categories for individuals and groups
to be considered of giving an honorary street name introduced.
Now I figure out the honorary category for individual or a group right here for the
Councillor Skiva quick review.
Okay, let's go forward.
And now the administration recommends that the council
approve the minor amendment to the street naming policy by repeating the street naming policy.
Number P, Nye, 2001, and endorsing the new street naming policy, P, dash D, V, dash 23, dash C.
That's now concludes my presentation and myself and my team leader Jordan Ferniz,
I'm here to answer any questions from council.
May have.
Thank you for your time.
Thank you.
I think it was laid out pretty clearly.
So thank you for that.
I was like looking at Christmas and we're looking at the old adjusted versions.
So thank you for that.
Okay.
Any questions?
I see council Sheema has her light on.
Oh, thank you.
Future.
How many streets do we have named currently?
Through the chair.
Now we only have a one street and that is applied by the air refute bank.
He's like wait.
Yeah.
Okay.
Thank you.
Thank you for that.
Where does the street policy live like within the organization?
Does it live with the infrastructure team or the culture and our team?
Through the chair to council or Sheema.
Unless there's an official one.
It's shared between planning and development and the infrastructure groups.
I'll let the roads group would be weighing in in terms of logistics around physical placement of signs.
That type of thing.
And then planning generally through because the bulk of the policy is through new names for streets.
So the subdivision process.
And so our subdivision process would be following this policy to approve new names in new neighborhoods.
Okay.
Thank you for that clarification.
So when it comes to you, I know when I was reading through the report.
Some of those pieces connected on the history heritage.
Those elements of place making.
So I just wanted to kind of confirm when it comes even for indigenous.
Like naming like what does that look like processes?
Is that kind of baked into that as a system?
Through the chair.
Yes, so as part of the an application process.
Then yeah, if we receive that in the planning department would be circling circulating the application internally to all impacted departments for their comment as well as the external.
Notification that Alex referenced.
Thank you.
And then I also noticed that there was one that a street name does not need to be an English.
Can you provide an example what that may look like?
Here I don't believe we've had an example in airdry but whether it's indigenous names or there might be just other people who want to suggest a name for some sort of historical reflection.
And we think that is as per the policy it can be eligible subject to it meeting.
Requirements such as you know being easy enough to understand by emergency response and any other concerns that might come up.
But I'm not actually aware of it being an example in airdry at this time.
Okay, thank you.
I just wanted to confirm if there was a living example somewhere in another municipality.
And also one last question.
Are there costs for renaming streets and and who would incur those costs?
Through chair.
We do not have a specific category in our fee by law.
For that own risk for naming.
But we have a fees for the name.
And now we cost the $800 and the $40 for that the name change.
Thank you for confirming that.
Thank you, Councillor.
I'm not seeing any other lights on.
Okay.
All right.
Excellent.
In which case.
I believe we have a motion from Councillor Chaffin.
Thank you.
Through the chair.
We were on grant.
The council approves a new straight name in policy.
P-dev.
And 23 dash.
As per that.
Which repeals.
Amis policy.
Okay.
Thank you very much.
We have a motion on the floor.
Any what opposed?
Seeing and hearing none.
That is carried.
Thank you.
Okay.
Just for the sake of the timing of the rest of our time here.
I am actually going to go to item 9.3.
So, the my airdry team will come back at 330 and go through the 9.2, so thank you for your patience, but we will go to 9.3, request for flag raising, Councillor Schema, with introductions, please.
Okay, try to speak.
No, there's much, I think it's just, with your, like.
Is that just a motion?
Yeah.
Okay.
Through the chair.
I move back.
Sorry.
Mary, could I just make a statement before we do this?
Yeah.
I just want to make a quick statement, just regarding flag policy, because I think it comments regarding the use of the neutral flag.
I just want to make a quick statement here.
I'm in support of this, by the way.
Yeah.
So, I just want to say that, you know, this policy request aligns with the city's flag policy by recognizing that the organization or event that it promotes inclusion and community connection diversity and respect within airdry.
The neutral flag pull exists to a lot of community groups to celebrate important causes and cultural observances and this request, because they meet the intent criteria of that policy.
Section 14, I thought it's just for public knowledge if they haven't read the flag policy.
Council declines requests if the cause or event being recognized is number one a matter that is politically or religiously motivated or that represents individual conviction.
Number two, a campaign event or activity that is contrary to the city's policies or bylaws.
Number three, made by individuals or organizations as well as discrimination, hatred, violence or racism.
Number four, made by individuals or organizations that are not directly related to the community or do not represent local interests.
Or number five, an event or activity intended for a proff make it versus the community that's wanting to raise the flag meets all these criteria and completely approve of this request.
I just wanted to make that known publicly that they're well within their right to do so.
Thank you.
And we've been doing it for years.
We have.
Okay. Excellent.
Any other comments or questions?
Okay.
Councillor Schema.
Thank you.
Mayor.
Through the chair, I moved that council approve is raising the pride flag on the temporary flag poll in those
Creek Park from June 1st to 30th.
26.
As part of Pride Month.
Excellent.
Thank you.
Councillor.
Motion on the floor.
Anyone opposed?
Seeing and hearing none.
That is very unanimously.
Thank you very much.
Um.
Rossio.
Do you have anything.
I'm just trying to skip around the agenda here just to see because we have nothing from the council committees right now.
No notices of motion.
I'm going to say council member reports for after after because I don't think we'll get through everyone right away.
But do you have anything from your list that you wanted to just update us on for the next two minutes here?
Sure.
Thank you.
Mayor.
I was moved there with item number 3, which is the street naming policies.
So it comes to this, okay.
Will be removing that from the outstanding list.
Yeah.
And out of the other nine items, the plans to present 405 before the council the summer break in July.
So actively working on on the items.
And you have their date.
So everything is on track and in progress.
So that will be like.
Excellent. I had a feeling you'd be great. Thank you. Okay, so council, we are going to
recess. We're going to aim to be here. I knew only before 330, but unfortunately, we're going to have to do 330. Just because we need to hop on the next one. I don't know.
Do you think do you think we get through a couple of board member reports, maybe?
Okay, all right, let's give it. Let's go. Councillor Chapman, let's do a couple of board member reports and see if I can get the next five.
Nothing to report. Nothing to report from Councillor Chapman, Councillor Stewart.
I have nothing to report. Nothing to report. Thank you.
I do have something quickly to report, sorry, to kill the vibe on that side of the room.
With the Rockyview Foundation, in June we're going to be going to 815 to not Rockyview. Sorry, I got my affordable homes.
The Airdrie Housing Foundation, we're going to be looking at going out and doing a bit more public consultation
around some of the changes that we made to the leases for those members.
Thank you. Councillor Buston, please. Anything for board member reports?
Nothing to report, Madam Mayor.
Okay, Deputy Mayor. Nothing to report.
Oh my gosh, guys, you're quick. Okay, thank you, Deputy Mayor.
Just a couple things from my side, as you know, we've been as just zip in through as many minister meetings as we can.
Hoping to, you know, there's a few things going on for those of you that don't know there is a cabinet shuffle that is impending,
which means that we may see some or many of the provincial ministers get moved around, which, for us, is sometimes a challenge,
because it means we have to start sometimes at square one with our advocacy and we are hoping that to do that.
So fingers crossed on that, and then we go into summer, they've just finished their spring session, which means they will be out and about for the summer,
but it also means that there's not as many things going on.
You probably saw there was an email that came through today, if it didn't get to all of Council, I'll make sure that it gets dispersed from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs.
So as of May 14th, they had given Royal Ascent to the new bill that affects municipalities and libraries.
So I am sure that our legislative services and the district governmental team will be telling us all about how that's going to impact some of the work that we're doing.
So that's all happening.
FCM is happening first week of June and a couple of you will be joining me in Edmonton for that for those that are listening, that's our federal,
super bowl, if you will, for municipalities where we get together and have sessions and meet with ministers and try to make magic.
So that's happening.
Other than that, lots of graduations going on, this Saturday is the AGM for the Circle Connections for Reconciliation.
I know that they did extend and invite to anyone from Council that wanted to attend and be a part of that conversation.
But otherwise, that is pretty much it for me.
There's a lot of other things going on, but that's the important stuff.
So thanks everyone.
So we will, we will recess until ideally 330 and maybe a little bit sooner, but if we can be here maybe five to five to five.
I really want to make sure we give adequate time to the my airdry conversation, but then after that I believe we will be done for the day.
So we will take a recess, trying to get back online for 330 or just before and we will go from there. Thanks everyone.
Thank you.
Thank you folks. Welcome back. Appreciate your patience. Sometimes we have to take recesses for
an avoidable moments in time, but we are going to go right back into item 9.2 with introductions coming from Councillor Stewart.
Thank you. Through the chair, I'd like to invite Erin Busby, the IT project manager to talk to us about the new myairdree online service portal.
Thanks for having us for very excited to present the new myairdree to you.
So if we haven't met before, my name is DJ Page and I'm the online content and user experience advisor for the city for the myairdree project.
I've worked on the redevelopment, the user experience research and testing.
And my name is Erin Busby and I'm the IT project manager for the myairdree development project.
And I'm accountable for managing delivery across all of the teams involved as well as making sure we're ready to for launch on Monday evening.
So I'm going to start with a bit of history and background. In 2014 myairdree was originally launched.
It was launched with utilities and taxation and a few simple functionalities to allow property owners to manage those utilities and taxation accounts.
It was at that time designed for to be optimized on a desktop use and it has involved incrementally over time both with additional services and enhancements to those original services of utilities and taxation.
In 2016 through the customer service initiative project services for business licensing animal licensing and bylaw was introduced.
This allowed residents and business owners to apply for business licenses renew their business licenses online apply for and renew their animal licenses as well as make bylaw ticket payments.
In 2017 the development team introduced the waste nurse cycling service this allowed customers to select a community and opt into collection schedule reminders as well as waste nurse cycling service disruptions.
In the same year through the recreation management project we introduced the programs and classes service which allowed single sign on for.
residents to access our recreation portal through the myairdree through their existing myairdree login.
In 2019 through and yet another project we introduced the service for building permits this allowed contractors builders and property owners to apply for building permits online follow their status throughout the application process and book inspections.
In 2024 we further expanded our services in myairdree to include single sign on for rentals and bookings to allow for online bookings for the town and country center and in 2025 we had the e-permaning for planning project which released 15 permit types for the planning department across five different releases.
From a technology perspective the current myairdree platform was developed using the same underlying technology as airdree.ca and the website's content management system.
This technology is now considered outdated and has become increasingly rare in the industry this has made it difficult to recruit developers with the necessary skills to support and enhance the platform as well as our development team's ability to extend the platform for additional functionality.
Recognizing these challenges the city initiated the website program in 2020 to modernize airdree.ca the website's content management system and myairdree.
The history sets the context for why redevelopment was necessary to modernize the platform to reduce technical risk and to ensure the portal continues to meet resident expectations for accessible intuitive and reliable digital services while meeting the mobile first environment that is now standard.
So in 2022 we redesigned the city of Audrey's website we didn't do any back and changes no functionality changes just give them a new mobile friendly experience on the front end.
At the same time we redesigned myairdree so they had a unified experience between the two so on the screen on the left is how they used to do things it was exactly as they do it now they expand sections all on one page from what the example is on the right.
What we're presenting today is a new interactive way that they will experience online make their business online with the city simpler and easier.
We this is all driven by research so we asked customers and internal staff for enhancement ideas and any issues they were having.
For staff we asked them internally through our internet and then also met with internal stakeholders for existing myairdree.
And then we went out to customers after as well so the first run a customer testing happened as a qualitative survey on myairdree.
This happened for two weeks we showed at once for customer and we had 800 in 70 responses with an 88% completion rate.
We asked them what they liked what they didn't like and how we can improve.
Once we had that data we went out and completed the designs and we gave them tasks so we went out and asked customers to actually complete the tasks in myairdree with the new designs.
We tracked their task times and heat maps of where they clicked so we can address any issues before we actually went in to design.
Overall customers were excited about the new experience on looking forward to it.
So just to give you a glimpse of who the myairdree customer is.
These differ than our traditional phone or in person customers.
They want to interact with us online.
We have 85,000 accounts and 98,000 views each month so online access is critical to these customers.
So who an average myairdree customer just keep them in mind.
So what they do their primary returning monthly users they come back to pay their bills they log in each month.
Many are group units so think families centralized account information and they think myairdree should be a centralized hub of information.
They want myairdree to be the point of information.
They say they want to avoid a phone call so one person's.
Information in their survey actually said a phone call is a last resort for them they want that online access they want to do it themselves.
They want CD access fast easy direct to the point.
They think everything should be listed in one spot and they really value consistency.
And for us to know when we're doing enhancements to make sure that it makes sense and it flows with what we're doing.
So those praying points that we got from research they're primarily how they do something.
So that's the process and the organization of where they do something.
So that how that they were struggling with was credit card use account and payment updates complicated forms notification confusion.
So how would I sign up for collection reminders.
They wanted everything listed in one place so limit bouncing back and forth between sites.
They don't want to know if it's in myairdree or airdree.ca and how to sign in for the organization of where something's located.
They want to see what's important to them and not everyone.
So the ability to customize and clarity and ease of use.
So some of the suggestions that they actually told us were already available in myairdree and they just didn't know they existed.
So making sure we're crystal clear on that.
In fact, every municipal election we hear candidates campaigning on the introduction of a city app.
Also some of council members today campaigned on modern access to digital services.
Reflecting this reflects a strong interest in improving how residents and business owners access municipal services digitally.
That objective is fully aligned with the direction of the myairdree development.
The city has intentionally invested in a mobile first online services portal that delivers app-like functionality through a modern web platform.
It has the same core benefits as an app.
It has a mobile first design that has optimized the experience on a phone or mobile device.
It allows customers to personalize their view and what they see to what's most important to them.
Customers can enable push notifications so that they receive those alerts directly on their phone.
They can enable single sign on through their phones, add a shortcut to their device.
And it also has app-like features such as a calendar that's customized to them and the services they have configured as well as banners.
A key consideration in this decision was operational and financial sustainability and data governance.
Developing a native app would require at least supporting at least two platforms, iOS and Android, in parallel with an online services portal.
This results in multiple databases to maintain, multiple security models to maintain, ongoing app store compliance,
Duplicated content across the different platforms which requires extra updates and extra staff time.
And it also requires customers to download the device onto their app onto their device.
This also includes a long-term dependency on specialized resources all for largely duplicated functionality.
A mobile first platform allows the city to maintain a single source of truth for code, security and content.
It focuses on faster iteration and continuous improvement.
A mobile first portal allows residents and business owners to use any device, any operating system.
It gives them instant updates as soon as we release it, they do not need to download an updated version of the app.
It reduces barriers for access.
They don't have to have specific storage on their device.
There's no compatibility issues and it gives better accessibility for those who need that.
Like I said, it gives them quicker enhancements in faster access, all while delivering a similar app-like experience.
Most importantly, this approach prioritizes outcome over form.
Residents gain faster access to services, more timely notifications, and a modern intuitive experience that feels like an app,
supported by a sustainable and scalable platform that reduces risk and supports long-term service delivery.
Which leads us to new my airdream experience.
So with this brand new my airdream, we thought we do a brand new interactive demo.
So we are going to provide you with phones that you can follow along and kind of get a glimpse for how that my airdream will feel for you.
If you're not in attendance, you can still follow along the presentation and you won't miss anything, tuning in remotely.
So just give you a second to get those phones.
Once you have your phone, if you open it up, there should be a shortcut already created for my airdream on that phone that should be the letter A.
You can go ahead and click that.
The sign in information should be saved, so you can go ahead and just hit submit to sign into my airdream.
We will, of course, show the screens on the screen at the same time, so Aaron will be signing in.
Since we are trying something new, we don't want to delay the presentation.
So if you encounter any Wi-Fi issues, trouble signing in, or just having a hard time following along on the screens at the same time as the phone,
feel free to put them aside. You're going to get the exact same presentation either way.
So if we start, we're just going to change the mobile view right now, so that everyone on the screen can see exactly what you guys are seeing.
Don't change it yet.
They're all testing information, so nothing will work outside.
So if you give a quick scroll up and down, you can see it's very app-like, very mobile friendly, but it is that web portal.
I will break down each section on this mobile view so you can kind of see if we click in the right hand menu there. You can open that up.
And you can see the top three features. Our dashboard, our account, our alerts and reminders. Those are key features for my
airdry. They're at the top of the menu. From the dashboard view, those will also be listed on the top.
Below that, you will see that we have two pull-out features. So why these are only two on your accounts is that we have already
favored these for your testing accounts. So these will be customizable to whoever logs in. They can actually change these themselves.
Below that, we have our menu items. So these are all of the different services that my airdry offers.
And below that, we have a link to our help guide. If we close off this menu, you can see that alert banner.
So these are for this bright color banner is for urgent account information. So you have a credit card expiring on a payment plan so we can't take the money.
You've accidentally let your animal expire. You can address those issues right from this banner. Now it will pull just urgent information for you.
If we scroll a little bit farther, you can see there's a green, my airdry setup was better. So now we have the ability to actually advertise what we need to these my airdry customers.
We'll go back through after we kind of go through the whole dashboard and review this more.
Below that, we have an all service calendar. So this calendar pulls in information across any of the services that customers have linked.
So programs that you have added utility of count information. If you add a collection calendar, which I'll get you guys to do after this. If you want to follow along, but you'll be able to pull that in there and see that as well.
Below that, we have our my airdry favorite. So you saw this in your menu, but it's also on your dashboard. So again, once we go through this, we'll get you at a couple. So you can actually see what it's like, but this is customizable. So this will be dependent on the customer logging in.
So that we have recently used services. So these are maybe things you don't use as often. If you don't have any favorites, you're able to find what you last used at one click right from that dashboard.
And then the ability for us to offer suggestions to customers. So right now we're suggesting maybe go visit our alerts and reminders. Maybe you want to set up a notification.
We were able to customize those as well. So if we scroll or we're going to show on the screens. This is the desk, a slightly larger view. It's not quite dashboard, but or desktop, but you can see it's still very app like even from a desktop computer. You can still see it looking mobile friendly.
So on the dashboard, we really focused on layout and accessibility. So we went from one page with many sections to individual pages. So this means that customers can bookmark what they need. If they only want to go to the utility page, they only need to go to the utility page.
It also means that if we have outages, we don't have to do a full my airdree outage. We can just do what that one spurts service specific outage. So customers can come back and do what they need. If it doesn't affect them.
If we scroll down to that my airdree favorites, there's an edit button before that right beside it. We'll get you guys to add a favorite. So you can see what it's like. So go ahead and click that edit if you're still following along.
Feel free to explore the available services add the ones you want for the purpose of the demonstration. We're going to go through animal licensing programs and classes and utilities and water use.
You can add those if you want, but not necessary, but go ahead and add those.
If you've added a couple, now you have your current favorites and you can actually rearrange these and these will automatically update in that dashboard and menu. So you can drag and drop and you can rearrange them to what you want for your account.
There's also the ability to add a favorite right from the actual service page, so they don't even have to go into here if they want to add their favorites.
If we click on the my urge logo from your phone at the top, we'll go back to the dashboard and talk about that setup wizard.
So if we click the link that says start setup wizard underneath the banner.
This is a setup wizard that will help any new customers. This will be the default screen they see when creating an account.
It will help them walk through notifications services. Any of their alerts, this will do it.
We'll help them set up their account properly. If we want to test out how to add waste and recycling is a favorite and a community.
Feel free to click I live in airdry and click view favorites.
And now the setup wizard is suggesting what services they might want based off them living in airdry.
The more they check off the more services we'll add we're able to customize this depending on the resident or business owner who that customer is.
If you go ahead and click if you haven't clicked yet on that waste recycling, you can click add to favorites.
And then click the continue.
Simple as that, it's now added as a favorite to their account that will show up on their dashboard.
Since the account we're showing here is already an existing customer and you guys will probably see that as well.
It is accounts already added in there, which means that existing customers can come back any time.
And add and check to make sure they can run through this wizard and make sure their accounts are set up to the best that they can be.
If we go into the waste recycling section and click add community. If you're still following along feel free to click community any communities fine.
And then hit submit.
And as simple as that it's now favorite at a community so in that calendar we're going to scroll to the very bottom and hit.
Exit setup wizard and viewer dashboard.
And in that calendar now just going to take a second to load.
Now your recycling days for that community are automatically populated simple as that.
From the service page as well, they'll start to get big inside of for collection reminders for that community all that.
To make sure that customers are really getting the most from their account we're going to show this setup wizard one month after launch so they can come back and run through it whenever they want.
So if we switch to account now so if you guys go if you're following along click on your menu and click on account or manage account.
This is we've amalgamated all the account information for my airdry in this one location.
I'm going to show you a couple different things in it. If you scroll down to payments and pre authorization plans and expand that there's a link called upcoming automatic payments feel free to click on that.
So we have set up a couple different accounts here so you can see on the example on the screen that the tax payment and the utility bill payment their different services they're all listed in one location now this will be the same for your transaction history and your account members so different services are all listed in one location.
If we use that breadcrum and click manage account we'll go back and look at another couple things so document delivery going paperless in one click across all your documents.
If you click that document delivery link you can see here that this test account has some digital documents and some printed documents.
You can click that go paperless for all documents but at the top.
And the system has already changed all of your documents to digital so you just need to confirm it at the bottom save your changes and you've now gone paperless across all of your services all the bills that we send you.
If we use that breadcrum one more time.
Let's go into credit card updates so click on that credit card updates link so a major pain point was that people couldn't easily update their credit card.
When it expired they had to cut a delete the card and then add a new payment plan a mess of things up now it's super simple process.
You can click that edit card ending in number it will automatically update it for you.
If you want to follow along feel free to change the number to 27 in there.
Just give it a second to load.
Now that card has been changed across any of the payment plans that you have updated so super it's a process across different services that is super streamlined and simplified for the customer.
If we go back to the menu again we'll go into alerts and reminders.
So these are where customers get their text email and push notifications and push notifications are similar to an app so you can set them up on your device and the system will actually send you alert right to your phone.
If we go into public safety I want to show you just how easy it is to sign up for fireban restriction.
So all you have to do is click that edit side fire safety click on fire bands and you can choose the way that you want to be informed of this restriction.
Text isn't there on our demonstration because we haven't set up a phone number but if we do have the number you'll be able to subscribe to text alerts as well.
There's also other alerts in here you'll notice there's an upcoming event alert that people can sign up for.
for those community events and there's also the ability to pause and restart notifications so if you scroll to the very bottom of the screen.
I'm the resident I'm going away or business owner and I'm going away for a couple months.
I don't want to go in and redo all of my notifications I still want to save my collection schedule for when I get back I can click that pause all notifications and that's automatically pause now until I come back and resume it so.
All the settings are saved you can just pause it so you don't want to get anything from the city while you're away.
A future alert or a future enhancement to this page is right now for those service specific alert so for example water surface interruptions or restrictions you'd come in here and sign up for it.
Our next enhancement we are going to have the ability to do that right from the water page so that means that collections schedule and renders will you'll be able to do it right from the waste and recycling page.
So if we use the menu one more time let's go look at our help guide.
So this is a dedicated help section that is new to my surgery and we'll continue populating this as we hear from Adrian one or any customer issues.
It uses Microsoft's AI based search engines and now customers can enter full sentences instead of just keywords and then it will help write down what they're looking for to give them the best solutions.
So you can see Aaron is adding a sentence right now.
And it will suggest what what she's looking for and where to go to find that help.
So if we look at a service page if we use that menu and go to utilities and water use.
You can see at the top of this page is a service specific calendar well I guess at the very top is a alert banner with a past two balance but.
You have a calendar that is for manual payments or payment plans so if I am on I get my bill and then I do a payment you can easily make that payment with one button click from the calendar or if I'm signed up for a payment plan I can see when it's being withdrawn from my account and the amount so both of those will display in that calendar.
If you scroll a little bit further you can expand one of the property sections.
We've added a couple to the test accounts and if you scroll down and expand watering schedule.
This watering schedule is linked to the property so if you're odd or even this will tell you when you're watering days are for that property.
A future enhancement is to lift link this water restriction or link this watering schedule to restrictions so if we're at a level three watering restriction customers will be able to log in and see what that applies to that specific property so we're currently working on that.
If we scroll a little bit further there's a water use comparison so customers are able to.
See their water use compare it month over month they can click precipitation or temperature and that will change the tart the chart and then they can go back months and compare their usage against their own usage each month or compare their usage against other properties.
And lastly at the very bottom we have some quick link buttons.
So this is to kind of bridge that gap of customers didn't want to know where everything is they should just find it so these are links off to the airdry.ca site if they might think that they should belong in here just to kind of close that loop.
If we go look at a couple more service pages we use that menu and then click on programs and classes.
We have an advertising banner right at the top so this isn't quite desktop view it'll be smaller on desktop view but this is more of a tablet view but you can see that we have the ability to add in those advertising banners maybe they're not.
Going to airdry.ca to get the information we can bridge that communication gap right there this one specifically they can click right into the summer camps area of the recreation portal making it a little bit easier for them.
Below that we have a button to the register for all general recreational portal activities and then the calendar of what this test account has registered for so they can see them right there.
We have a link for managed account members so this will be linked off to our managed account members page where they can add family members change their contact information if they need to.
And then of course quickly except the bottom.
If we go one more example of a service page to show you so if we click on animal licensing from the menu.
So we have a calendar event right here it's inspiring so you can see how easy it would be to renew the license if we click on that animal specific information.
You can see once it expands this is where you would get your replacement dog tags for that animal you can change your opt in to auto renewal or change that auto renewal information.
Aaron's going to demonstrate a form to renew just so that you guys don't have to enter password information but we simplified and streamline those forms as well.
So you can see the information is pulled in you can provide the updates if you need to.
Change the tattoo or microtropop chip number you can subscribe to auto renewal so you don't even have to do this next year can do it for you.
That card that we've updated has already been saved and updated so you can use that card or different one and then super simplified submitted at the bottom.
So we won't submit it just because we're on the staging site. Which leads us to what's next.
So we go live the evening of May 25th. They'll be an outage for all customers and they'll sign in and restart their, or reset their password.
Customers will expect this new experience by May 26th with the first time they sign in. And we'd love for council to participate and interact with the launch.
So staff is requesting council's involvement to champion the new myurgery to residents and business owners.
Council can do this by reposting the city's social media posts that are going to run from May 26th through to the end of June,
directing people to the new myurgery, sharing key messages of the benefits of the new myurgery,
and engaging in the new myurgery yourself and sharing your positive success stories online.
Thank you for your time and allowing us to demonstrate the new myurgery.
Very cool. Very cool. Okay. Councilor Glass.
Yeah. Thank you, Madame Eric. This is really neat and I love how it looks like an app feels like an app, but isn't an app.
Question, do we own the code?
We do.
So we could foresee my effort, McMurray.
Licensing us.
Well, they use our proprietary technology to run their city as well.
Through the chair. Unfortunately, it's not that easy.
And so a lot of the integrations that we have to our city systems aren't going to be plug and play to other cities.
And so we did discuss this at the beginning of the redevelopment project on whether we wanted to make this a product that we could
resell and the decision from administration at the time was that we do not have the staff to support other municipalities in selling this solution.
Okay. Thank you.
Thank you, Councillor.
Councillor Stewart.
That's through the chair.
I love it. Great. I use myurgery signed a years ago on it and stuff. I even got permitting through it.
So it's great. This is an awesome iteration of it.
Because my question is, uh, so I'll promote the heck out of this thing for sure.
Are we going to get like one page, the communication and some of the high point points that you want us to communicate and stuff and
just let us know how we can support you.
That'd be awesome.
Through the chair. We have a council brief that has been drafted and will be shared with you tomorrow morning.
Great.
Very exciting. I'm just making sure there's no other lights.
I don't see WMers hand up either.
Very cool. I'm excited to see how this rolls out.
So I know you're probably like crossing your fingers for Monday night.
I'm probably not going to sleep, but it's going to be great. It's going to be fine and congratulations.
This is, uh, anything we can do to help people help themselves as always my favorite.
So thanks for all the work you've put in on this.
I know it's been a big job.
Okay. Well then, in that case, we just have a motion coming from Councillor Stewart.
Through the chair, I move that council endorses and participates in launch engagement activities for the registered
or redesign rather in my surgery portal and access champions of the updated system to encourage
Brock community adoption and confidence.
Great. Motion on the floor. Anyone opposed?
Okay. That's passed unanimously. So I guess you have a bunch of stewards and champions here.
Great. We look forward to seeing all the communications come out.
Thanks very much, ladies.
Other than that, I believe we have exhausted our agenda. So we are done.
We will call this meeting to close at 409 p.m.
Thank you.