[0:00] >> good evening everyone.

[0:27] I now call the august fifth, 2026

[0:30] 2026 regular meeting of county

[0:31]

[0:31] council to order.

[0:33] good evening everyone it is nice

[0:34]

[0:34] to see you in the audience.

[0:37] we invite you to join council and

[0:39] and administration as we take

[0:41] this time to observe a moment of

[0:43]

[0:43] reflection and that will lead into

[0:44] into the singing of our national

[0:46]

[0:46] anthem.

[0:46] [singing of 'o canada']

[1:12] we acknowledge the land on which

[2:33] the county of essex is located

[2:34] the county of essex is located

[2:34] is the traditional territory of

[2:36] is the traditional territory of

[2:36] the three fires confederacy of

[2:38] the three fires confederacy of

[2:38] first nations, comprised of the

[2:40] first nations, comprised of the

[2:40] ojibway, odawa and potawatomie

[2:42] ojibway, odawa and potawatomie

[2:42] peoples.

[2:43] we specifically recognize caldwell first nation and other

[2:47] caldwell first nation and other

[2:47] first nations which have

[2:48] first nations which have provided significant historical

[2:50] provided significant historical

[2:50] and contemporary contributions

[2:52] and contemporary contributions

[2:52] to this region.

[2:53] to this region.

[2:53] we also value the contributions

[2:55] of all original peoples of

[2:57] of all original peoples of turtle island, who have been

[2:58] turtle island, who have been living and working on this land

[3:00] living and working on this land

[3:00] from time immemorial.

[3:00] all members of council are

[3:09] present in the chambers this

[3:11] evening.

[3:11] I believe councillor mcnamara is

[3:14]

[3:14] expected to arrive later this

[3:17] evening, and then we will be

[3:21] joining us virtually?

[3:22] no?

[3:22] undetermined at this point?

[3:25] okay, anyways welcome everybody,

[3:27]

[3:27] nice to see you.

[3:28] council members are there any

[3:30] disclosures of pecuniary

[3:33] interest?

[3:33] seeing none, as you know if at

[3:35]

[3:35] any point during the proceedings

[3:37] the

[3:37] the matter is raised for which

[3:38] you

[3:38] you have a conflict, please

[3:40] declare at that time.

[3:43] before you are the minutes of

[3:44] the regular county council

[3:45] meeting, that is the one for

[3:47] july 15th of 2026.

[3:50] any errors or omissions to bring

[3:52]

[3:52] forward?

[3:52] seeing none, the recommendation

[3:54]

[3:54] is that the minutes of the

[3:56] july 15th, 2026 essex county

[3:59] council regular meeting be

[4:00] adopted as presented, moved by

[4:03]

[4:03] councillor shepley, seconded

[4:05] deputy warden.

[4:06] any discussion?

[4:08] all in favour?

[4:10] opposed?

[4:10] that is carried, thank you.

[4:14] under delegations and

[4:16] presentations, we are going to

[4:18]

[4:18] start this evening with tyler

[4:20] reh, tyler is a resident of

[4:22] essex county, he has joined

[4:25] council this evening to provide

[4:27] a

[4:27] a delegation regarding

[4:28] artificial intelligence, ai data

[4:32]

[4:32] centres.

[4:32] welcome tyler, we will give you

[4:37]

[4:37] 10 minutes for your

[4:38] presentation.

[4:38] the clerk will notify you when

[4:41]

[4:41] there is one minute left and then

[4:43] then following your presentation

[4:45] council will

[4:45] council will have the

[4:46] opportunity to ask you

[4:48] questions.

[4:48] welcome, please go ahead.

[4:52] >> thank you.

[4:54] honoured members of county

[4:56] council, warden, thank you for

[4:59]

[4:59] your time.

[5:00] my name is tyler reh, I am a tax

[5:03]

[5:03] paying resident of harrow from

[5:05]

[5:05] the town of essex, starting at

[5:07]

[5:07] about the age of 15 I worked as

[5:09]

[5:09] an engineer.

[5:10] I have about 20 years of experience.

[5:13] I have about 20 years of experience.

[5:13] my first degree is from the

[5:16] university of waterloo in 2010,

[5:18] a

[5:18] a bachelors of applied science,

[5:21]

[5:21] systems design engineering.

[5:22] then I also have my bachelors of

[5:25]

[5:25] education intermediate senior

[5:26] math and physics from the

[5:27] university of windsor in 2011.

[5:31] my direct experience in

[5:33] engineering includes a variety

[5:35] of

[5:35] of industries most notably I was

[5:36] a programmer

[5:36] a programmer for a majority of.

[5:38] [laughter]

[5:38] I can programme in more than a

[5:40]

[5:40] dozen computer languages and a

[5:43]

[5:43] test engineer with a research and

[5:44] and development centre working

[5:46]

[5:46] on noise and vibration analysis

[5:49]

[5:49] with various automotive

[5:50] components.

[5:50] today I am here to address the

[5:53]

[5:53] blind spot across essex county

[5:54]

[5:54] and the rapidly expanding

[5:57] industrial data centres space.

[6:01]

[6:01] since may 27th when I first

[6:03] became aware of the approved iso

[6:07]

[6:07] 100-200-megawatt facility come

[6:10] to

[6:10] to the southwest transmission

[6:11] region, I turned my attention to

[6:15]

[6:15] data centres hoping to have some

[6:16]

[6:16] action taken against them.

[6:17] my biased or means, after careful

[6:20] careful consideration of the negative

[6:22] negative impacts to the region

[6:24]

[6:24] outweigh the perceived financial

[6:27]

[6:27] benefits.

[6:27] when these facilities bring

[6:30] investment, our local bylaws are

[6:33]

[6:33] not ready for them.

[6:34] they are completely unprepared

[6:36] for

[6:36] for the unique infrastructure footprint.

[6:38] for the unique infrastructure footprint.

[6:38] right now we have a fragmented

[6:41]

[6:41] patchwork in our municipal laws

[6:45]

[6:45] that leaves communities exposed

[6:46]

[6:46] to noise, zoning loopholes,

[6:49] ecological hazards and severe

[6:51] energy grid strain.

[6:52] we need a unified framework to

[6:55]

[6:55] leverage against every local

[6:57] township and municipality before

[6:59] these

[6:59] these projects can even break

[7:01] ground.

[7:01] let's look at some of the issues

[7:03]

[7:03] we have currently around us.

[7:05] in essex data centres can be

[7:08] inappropriately lumped under the

[7:10]

[7:10] standard zoning bylaws as light

[7:12]

[7:12] industrial.

[7:12] in amherstburg looking at the noise

[7:16] noise bylaws to address

[7:17] continuous low frequency hum,

[7:20] massive cooling fans, with a

[7:22] decibel metric.

[7:23] preferably we will use something

[7:26] like

[7:26] like db z.

[7:28] in lakeshore, we must improve

[7:30] site control plan bylaws by adding

[7:33] adding stipulation that can

[7:34] calculate the massive structural

[7:37]

[7:37] footprint.

[7:37] and that it causes extreme water

[7:40]

[7:40] displacement, and we need to

[7:42] prevent massive structures from

[7:45]

[7:45] altering that agricultural

[7:47] drainage basin.

[7:49] in tecumseh we must focus on

[7:52] property standards and nuisance

[7:53]

[7:53] bylaws to restrict local heat effects

[7:56] effects from these server

[7:59] exhausts, in lasalle we need

[8:00] strict public utility and

[8:01] development bylaws to offset the

[8:04]

[8:04] sudden burden on the local

[8:06] municipality grids.

[8:07] in kingsville we have to look to

[8:10] leverage

[8:10] leverage environmental

[8:11] protection zoning overlay bylaws

[8:13]

[8:13] to protect such as ecozones from

[8:16] these

[8:16] these facilities footprints.

[8:18] in leamington we must look at

[8:21] specific land use restrictions

[8:23]

[8:23] for industrial land from taking

[8:26]

[8:26] over prime industrial land.

[8:29] and finally I will throw in the

[8:31]

[8:31] city of windsor because they are

[8:32]

[8:32] probably in the worst state of

[8:34]

[8:34] anybody.

[8:34] under theirs, data centres are

[8:38] hidden

[8:38] hidden under the zoning

[8:39] definitions as mere business

[8:42] offices, they can be both industrial as

[8:44] industrial as well as commercial

[8:45]

[8:45] based on the way everything is

[8:47]

[8:47] written now.

[8:49] zoning is only part of the

[8:50] problems we face that are not

[8:53] actually fully taken care of geq

[8:55]

[8:55] beyond zoning we face silent

[8:57] chemical threats, data centres

[8:58]

[8:58] that rely on advanced cooling

[9:01] which can have specialized

[9:03] refrigerants and fire

[9:04] suppressants.

[9:04] these can be major sources of

[9:09] trifluoro acetate, tfa,

[9:13] precursors.

[9:13] basically the refrigerants can

[9:16]

[9:16] break down into a forever

[9:19] chemical.

[9:19] when these cooling systems leak

[9:23] this

[9:23] this can get into our

[9:24] wastewater, soil, et cetera.

[9:27] there is really no way of

[9:29] getting rid of them.

[9:30] standard wastewater treatment

[9:32] plants are completely incapable

[9:35] of

[9:35] of filtering out tfa.

[9:36] it passes directly through a

[9:39] treatment cycle accumulating primarily

[9:41] primarily in our local water

[9:43] systems, agricultural soil and

[9:45]

[9:45] guarantee our drinking water.

[9:48] spills and leaks under

[9:49] 10 kilograms do not have to be

[9:51]

[9:51] reported within ontario.

[9:54] infrasound frequencies under

[9:58] 20-hertz have been shown to cause

[9:59] cause issues to plants, animals

[10:02]

[10:02] and humans.

[10:02] currently all regulations for

[10:04] sound are nuisance bylaws set

[10:08] under dba, so this actually cuts

[10:12]

[10:12] out the lowest frequencies, and

[10:15]

[10:15] that's where a majority of the

[10:17]

[10:17] data center noise comes from.

[10:19] they have actually been able to

[10:21]

[10:21] skirt bylaws and basically be a

[10:24]

[10:24] nuisance but still fall within

[10:27]

[10:27] the decibel limits set by the

[10:31] township. >>

[10:34] >> and then there is the whole

[10:37]

[10:37] math on energy.

[10:38] in windsor essex there is

[10:42] already an energy intensive

[10:44] region, a few like leamington

[10:47] they already have 1300 megawatts

[10:51] of

[10:51] of applications to sustain the

[10:53]

[10:53] growth in their greenhouse

[10:55] industry.

[10:55] that is before we even get one of

[10:58] of these large 200 plus megawatt

[11:00]

[11:00] facilities.

[11:00] food security is the big economic

[11:05] economic backbone of our towns

[11:07]

[11:07] here, I personally like to keep

[11:09]

[11:09] it that way.

[11:12] however data from independent

[11:15] electricity systems operator

[11:17] reveal our region capacity is

[11:20] already short when it comes to

[11:22]

[11:22] transmission stations.

[11:24] I found a piece of data that

[11:26] says the independent board's

[11:29] regional planning forecast shows

[11:31]

[11:31] by 2032 we will already be

[11:33] 230 megawatts short of meeting

[11:34]

[11:34] the basic industrial and

[11:36] development advance, we will

[11:39] already be in a deficit based on what

[11:40] what I have been able to figure

[11:42]

[11:42] out.

[11:42] the main thing everybody is

[11:45] worried about in here half the

[11:46]

[11:46] time is money I will go through

[11:49]

[11:49] why you won't see as much money

[11:51] out of this

[11:51] out of this as you think you

[11:52] are.

[11:52] using that 200 megawatts as a

[11:56] basis, if we use 30-40000000 per

[12:01]

[12:01] megawatt as our basis, you are

[12:03] likely to

[12:03] likely to see the total cost of

[12:05]

[12:05] the facility between somewhere

[12:09] six

[12:09] six and $8 billion.

[12:09] 60-70% of that is spent on the

[12:13]

[12:13] gpu, technology itself, which we

[12:15] do

[12:15] do not make here.

[12:16] all probably coming from

[12:18] overseas.

[12:18] when you see who might actually

[12:23]

[12:23] become the primary person who is

[12:25]

[12:25] going to create this facility,

[12:28]

[12:28] it will more likely not be our

[12:30]

[12:30] construction companies.

[12:31] they don't specialize in this

[12:33] type of building, this type of

[12:36]

[12:36] infrastructure.

[12:36] more likely to be alice and don

[12:39]

[12:39] or pcl construction, that takes

[12:41]

[12:41] a majority of the initial

[12:43] contract outside the county.

[12:44] you are only likely to see a

[12:47] 75-80% of what is remaining of

[12:51]

[12:51] that 3.8 billion stay in the

[12:51] counties less than a billion

[12:53] dollars will actually stay here

[12:55] in

[12:55] in the county.

[12:56] a majority will leave.

[12:59] on top of that you're thinking

[13:01]

[13:01] it'll bring jobs.

[13:02] to 100-megawatt facility is a

[13:04] maximum of 80 jobs total.

[13:07] should have somewhere between 5,010,000

[13:10] 5,010,000 square feet per

[13:12] employee in order to house and

[13:15]

[13:15] create these jobs here.

[13:17] if we look at amherstburg

[13:20] specifically, our official plan,

[13:23] 300

[13:23] 300 square feet as their target.

[13:25] 300 square feet as their target.

[13:25] it will not help us with job density

[13:29] density whatsoever.

[13:31] in summary we cannot manage a

[13:34] 21st century technological boom

[13:36]

[13:36] without data and disjointed municipal

[13:39] municipal bylaws, I urge county

[13:41]

[13:41] council to mandate a

[13:43] synchronized region wide

[13:45] regulatory framework that will

[13:46]

[13:46] protect our water, secure our

[13:48] power grid and put in the safety

[13:51] of

[13:51] of essex county residents first.

[13:52] of essex county residents first.

[13:52] one particular note I want to

[13:55] make to the document you are

[13:56] seeing on the screen, this is a

[14:00]

[14:00] briefing I created a.

[14:01] within it I believe it is under

[14:04]

[14:04] section six, part one.

[14:06] you will see I estimate about 90k to

[14:09] 90k to do this study.

[14:10] I expect that having talked to

[14:13]

[14:13] the deputy cao that amherstburg

[14:16]

[14:16] they think it's about 200k in

[14:18] order to I.c.e. Be.

[14:20] what I would like to see is

[14:22] overlap and how that money is spent so

[14:25] spent so we can leverage

[14:26] learnings here if any particular

[14:30]

[14:30] township wants to put that in.

[14:31] I have considerably more

[14:32] information on time and I'm

[14:34] hoping to get some

[14:35] questionnaire, thanks everybody

[14:37]

[14:37] for your time. >>

[14:38] >> thank you tyler, walden.

[14:40] questions council members?

[14:43] deputy warden? >>

[14:45] >> through you warden, thank you

[14:47]

[14:47] for coming and raising this

[14:49] issue.

[14:49] until maybe a month ago this

[14:52] wasn't on the radar.

[14:53] the fact that you are bringing

[14:56]

[14:56] education to us, very important

[15:00]

[15:00] and thank you to all the residents

[15:01] residents that came out for this

[15:03]

[15:03] issue.

[15:03] my question is, based on some of the

[15:07] the news that has been shared,

[15:08]

[15:08] you see places in michigan and

[15:10]

[15:10] others that have these in the

[15:12] noise itself is just

[15:15] excruciating.

[15:15] unbelievable something like that

[15:18]

[15:18] would exist in this area,

[15:22] thinking of windsor essex.

[15:24] my question is do you feel this

[15:26]

[15:26] is a public hazard, public

[15:29] nuisance?

[15:29] if so it would be worthwhile to also

[15:31] also do your presentation at the

[15:34]

[15:34] windsor windsor essex county

[15:37] health unit because there's a

[15:38] lot of issues you raised that

[15:41] also addresses because they are

[15:42]

[15:42] responsible for public health.

[15:46]

[15:46] >> through you warden and,

[15:49] specifically to your question on

[15:54]

[15:54] -- let me rephrase this -- do

[15:58] you mind repeating the end of

[16:00] the question?

[16:01] >> would the regular person

[16:04] yourself included feel that this

[16:06]

[16:06] data is a public nuisance and

[16:09] public hazard?

[16:10] and if so, would it be

[16:12] worthwhile to engage the health

[16:15]

[16:15] unit based on the motions this

[16:18]

[16:18] evening, there is a report talking

[16:20] talking about maybe we should do

[16:21]

[16:21] a task force.

[16:23] end of the day I support having

[16:27] that

[16:27] that town deal with it, we are

[16:28]

[16:28] all on the same page if it were

[16:29]

[16:29] to come to the lower

[16:31] municipalities.

[16:31] overall with the health unit

[16:36] being an opportunity for them to

[16:39]

[16:39] be aware of this as well. >>

[16:41] >> through you warden yes, we

[16:43] should have lots of different

[16:44] people involved.

[16:46] it would be largely legal putting

[16:47] putting in some of the bylaws

[16:49] around this, specifically the

[16:51] way I think can be -- we can very

[16:54] very specifically put in bylaws

[16:56]

[16:56] against them.

[16:57] we have sound bylaws that our

[16:59] governed slightly by ontario

[17:03] laws, can't step on those too

[17:05] much.

[17:05] but once you go past it being

[17:10] sound and related to what you

[17:12] hear and you go down to the

[17:14] infrasound that would change it

[17:16] and

[17:16] and change the laws sooner

[17:17] specifically tripping over those

[17:19]

[17:19] ontario laws.

[17:21] and I have several peer-reviewed

[17:24]

[17:24] studies that show it causes

[17:26] issues to both humans, not being

[17:28]

[17:28] able to sleep, cardiovascular

[17:30] related stuff, animals with

[17:33] stillbirths and stress and

[17:35] plants have issues with seating

[17:37]

[17:37] because of the 10-hertz

[17:39] frequency mimics bees and has

[17:41] some issues related to

[17:42] pollination.

[17:42] yes, it does affect both humans,

[17:46]

[17:46] animals and plants.

[17:48] tying that together to show that

[17:50]

[17:50] we have both residential and

[17:53] agriculture having setbacks

[17:55] related to this, that would

[17:56] provide us our best chance to

[17:57] keep it away from anything that

[18:00] would

[18:00] would cause an issue.

[18:02] additionally the size of the sound

[18:04] sound is going to require like three

[18:06] three kilometres of setback in

[18:09] every direction

[18:09] every direction to get rid of

[18:10] the sound 100%, and to actually

[18:14]

[18:14] block all of this stuff.

[18:15] you are looking at 6000 plus

[18:17] acres of farmland that would have

[18:19] have to be converted over to do

[18:21]

[18:21] that.

[18:21] it is highly concerning to me

[18:24] specifically for that reason, more

[18:26] more specifically in that

[18:28] infrared where we just cannot

[18:29] hear it.

[18:30] it's one of those things that you

[18:31] you can feel.

[18:32] like when you are in your car

[18:33] and put the windows down, that's

[18:37]

[18:37] 15-hertz.

[18:37] you're not really hearing that

[18:40]

[18:40] you're feeling that.

[18:42] that's the type of thing that

[18:43] would come off of these things,

[18:45] are

[18:45] are extremely hard to mitigate,

[18:47]

[18:47] some of these sound waves are

[18:49] metres and metres long so you

[18:50] can't even put a 30-foot wall,

[18:53] it

[18:53] it will go up and over.

[18:54] stuff like that is what deeply

[18:57]

[18:57] concerns me. >>

[18:59] >> very good, thank you.

[19:01] >> councillor prue?

[19:05] >> couple questions attributed

[19:09]

[19:09] approximately $200,000 to our

[19:14] deputy cao, miss osborne.

[19:16] did you ask where she got this?

[19:20]

[19:20] >> through you warden, she said

[19:22]

[19:22] it in county council about a

[19:24] month ago, when I was there when

[19:26]

[19:26] you guys voted to put this

[19:29] motion in.

[19:30] I did not get any more

[19:32] specifics, that is the number.

[19:34] >>

[19:34] >> that was in the county

[19:37] council. >>

[19:37] >> in amherstburg council kak.

[19:40] I may have misspoken. >>

[19:42] >> okay.

[19:42] second question, you also named

[19:47]

[19:47] about a month ago, you found there

[19:50] there was a facility coming to

[19:52]

[19:52] southwestern ontario.

[19:54] we found out later on it was

[19:56] coming to niagara falls.

[19:58] where in southwestern ontario did you

[20:00] did you find that this was

[20:01] coming to?

[20:03] >> oliver says on the website it

[20:05]

[20:05] says it's the southwest

[20:06] transmission region, whatever

[20:08] that means for them which I

[20:10] believe can include sarnia and

[20:12]

[20:12] all those types of things.

[20:14] I don't think niagara falls, it

[20:17] would

[20:17] would be something else.

[20:18] they have different ones on

[20:19] their website.

[20:20] that one specifically on a third

[20:22]

[20:22] party website says essex county

[20:25]

[20:25] specifically, but that is

[20:28] unsubstantiated third party

[20:30] evidence, probably should not take

[20:31] take that as reality yet. >>

[20:34] >> I don't think anybody at this

[20:37]

[20:37] table wants anything coming to

[20:38]

[20:38] essex county. >>

[20:40] >> exactly.

[20:40] the southwest transmission

[20:44] region. >>

[20:47] >> only one city has -- my third

[20:50]

[20:50] question, only one city has

[20:53] taken this on so far and that is

[20:55]

[20:55] hamilton.

[20:55] and I understand the opponent there

[20:59] there was going to take hamilton

[21:00]

[21:00] to court.

[21:01] do you have any knowledge what

[21:03]

[21:03] is happening with that?

[21:04] >> yes, I do, through you

[21:06] warden, hamilton itself voted down

[21:09] down the icb notice at at 10-6

[21:13]

[21:13] ratio.

[21:13] the reason being they did not

[21:16] want to spend the money and make sure

[21:17] sure that our economic

[21:19] investment was in the area.

[21:21] mississauga was the first on ontario

[21:23] ontario to put in an icb.

[21:25] there are places that are going

[21:27]

[21:27] to try this. >>

[21:30] >> that was a week ago mississauga

[21:32] mississauga put that in. >>

[21:34] >> I just saw that.

[21:35] my question is, the proponent said

[21:39] said that he was seriously

[21:42] considering appealing this.

[21:44] do you know whether the appeal

[21:45]

[21:45] was launched by the proponent?

[21:47]

[21:47] >> I do not. >> those

[21:49] >> those are my questions

[21:50] thank you. >>

[21:51] >> thank you councillor,

[21:52] councillor rogers? >>

[21:54] >> thank you madam warden,

[21:56] through you.

[21:57] did a lot of work on this I

[21:58] appreciate it.

[21:59] you seem very passionate and

[22:01] have a lot of data, a lot of

[22:02] work, I appreciate that.

[22:05] question I know you talked about

[22:06]

[22:06] the interim control bylaws, I wonder

[22:08] wonder if there's anywhere you

[22:09]

[22:09] have seen that have taken on these

[22:11] these studies to kind of dig

[22:12] into it, as well as the

[22:15] regulatory framework you are

[22:16] requesting today?

[22:18] >> so I have actually been

[22:20] creating a document, let the cat

[22:23] out of

[22:23] out of the bag, with the

[22:24] majority of that information for

[22:26]

[22:26] you.

[22:26] I did not submit it here because

[22:28] I

[22:28] I have more work to do on it, but

[22:31] but there are some places that

[22:32] I

[22:32] have tried some things yes,

[22:35] have tried some things yes,

[22:35]

[22:35] specifically icb was done this

[22:37]

[22:37] week, it was

[22:38] week, it was

[22:38]

[22:38] voted for in

[22:39] mississauga.

[22:39] they would be the ones to ask for

[22:42] for exactly what they are doing

[22:44] down

[22:44] down that path, ultimately what

[22:46]

[22:46] the idea is you would study it

[22:47]

[22:47] to inform whatever your bylaws

[22:49]

[22:49] are going to be.

[22:50] the way I would like to see it

[22:52]

[22:52] studied is under the guise of

[22:55] infrasound tying in the health

[22:59]

[22:59] problems with humans and animals

[23:01]

[23:01] and plants, that we it ties in

[23:04]

[23:04] residential and agriculture, to

[23:06]

[23:06] put those setbacks in because that's

[23:08] that's the main concern I have.

[23:10]

[23:10] there are other concerns like

[23:14] fire and flood, not having

[23:16] electricity.

[23:16] water is an interesting one,

[23:19] water quality, having enough of

[23:21]

[23:21] it.

[23:21] there's lots of reasons that are

[23:23]

[23:23] concerning and we should look at

[23:24]

[23:24] each one of these specifically.

[23:26]

[23:26] what I would like to see is a lot

[23:28] lot make it as hard as possible

[23:30]

[23:30] for these things to exist.

[23:32] I don't want them in my

[23:33] backyard.

[23:33] I'm like 68% of all canadians,

[23:37]

[23:37] and americans, I don't want them

[23:39]

[23:39] in my backyard.

[23:40] that should be the number 1

[23:41] statistic you guys take away

[23:43] from this.

[23:44] nobody wants them here.

[23:46] >> further?

[23:46] >> I definitely understand the

[23:50]

[23:50] concerns.

[23:50] the question is, so there are

[23:53] other places, canada, the

[23:55] states, where they are doing

[23:57] these studies and they are starting

[23:58] starting to change some

[23:59] regulations.

[23:59] I think for us, we got our

[24:02] notice of motion coming, which

[24:04] we will

[24:04] we will vote on the potential to

[24:06] take

[24:06] take those next steps so I think

[24:07]

[24:07] it is important to know where

[24:09] else this is happening as a

[24:11] viewpoint, just for obvious

[24:13] conversation. >>

[24:14] >> through you warden there's 12 other states

[24:16] other states that are in the

[24:17] process of putting a ban in or

[24:19]

[24:19] some kind of acting state level.

[24:21] some kind of acting state level.

[24:21] there have been a few, in

[24:23] alberta I believe there's also

[24:26]

[24:26] attempted a interim control

[24:29] bylaw, mississauga presently

[24:31] here.

[24:31] and there are ai data centres already

[24:35] already existing in ontario and

[24:38]

[24:38] elsewhere in canada.

[24:40] specifically, quebec themselves

[24:42]

[24:42] has stopped taking any more data

[24:44]

[24:44] centres because of the load on

[24:48] their

[24:48] their electricity.

[24:49] and I believe bc has cut down to

[24:53] 400 megawatts

[24:53] 400 megawatts attributed to data

[24:55]

[24:55] centres in that province. >>

[24:58] >> thank you very much.

[24:59] >> thank you, councillor

[25:02] deyong? >>

[25:03] >> thank you warden, thank you

[25:06]

[25:06] tyler.

[25:06] appreciate the work you have

[25:07] done here today.

[25:09] since I put up the motion we

[25:11] will vote on later today, I have

[25:13]

[25:13] been getting some messages from

[25:15]

[25:15] residents.

[25:15] some of them are informed like

[25:17]

[25:17] you are and doing a lot of

[25:19] research, I have been forwarding

[25:20]

[25:20] them to administration in hopes

[25:23]

[25:23] this motion passes and this work

[25:24]

[25:24] will begin.

[25:25] I want to encourage you to make

[25:27]

[25:27] sure the work you are doing is

[25:29]

[25:29] submitted, administration here

[25:31] is

[25:31] is keen and willing to do this

[25:34]

[25:34] work.

[25:34] you have done a lot of work already.

[25:36] you have done a lot of work already.

[25:36] I hope you continue to put that

[25:39] forward

[25:39] forward and I just want to

[25:40] thank you for digging deep into

[25:42]

[25:42] this and bringing up a lot of stuff

[25:44] stuff that most people have not

[25:45]

[25:45] heard of and don't know, so

[25:46] thank you for that. >>

[25:48] >> anyone else?

[25:50] councillor shepley? >>

[25:52] >> thank you warden.

[25:56] thank you for all the work you

[25:58]

[25:58] have done.

[25:59] I noticed -- >>

[26:03] >> can you pull your mic over?

[26:05]

[26:05] >> one of the things I wanted to

[26:07]

[26:07] comment on, when you talked

[26:11] about the tfa, we currently have

[26:15]

[26:15] a reverse osmosis machine

[26:17] calculating technology.

[26:18] there is some hope for it so you

[26:20]

[26:20] are aware, and I just want to share

[26:21] share that with you. >>

[26:23] >> yeah, that takes about 85% of

[26:25]

[26:25] the data that is one of the few things that

[26:27] things that I did not expect

[26:28] actually that anybody would have

[26:31]

[26:31] that.

[26:31] is that in everybody's townships

[26:33]

[26:33] that they have that?

[26:34] that would be something to check

[26:36]

[26:36] on.

[26:36] >> it's currently just the solid

[26:41]

[26:41] waste authority.

[26:44] >> perfect, thank you.

[26:47] >> councillor walstedt? >>

[26:50] >> thank you madam warden,

[26:53] thank you tyler for your

[26:54] report.

[26:54] a lot of good information, I

[26:56] know you worked hard to get it

[26:58]

[26:58] all together.

[27:00] I only see these as an outright

[27:04]

[27:04] ban on these in the strongest

[27:06] terms, strongest legal way

[27:08] possible.

[27:08] so it could be appealed,

[27:12] everything can always be

[27:15] appealed, in any way when it

[27:16] comes to the law.

[27:17] but just based on infrastructure

[27:20]

[27:20] alone that it requires and water

[27:23] and

[27:23] and union water system for

[27:24] example, already underway with

[27:26]

[27:26] expansions and everything else

[27:27]

[27:27] and other developments.

[27:30] it takes millions of gallons of water

[27:31] water for these things.

[27:32] we talk every day a lot about

[27:36] farmland being taken, losing 315 acres

[27:38] 315 acres a day now in the

[27:39] province of ontario, and this

[27:41] takes up millions of square

[27:44] feet.

[27:44] and also like for -- as I said

[27:48]

[27:48] based on the infrastructure drain

[27:49] drain as well as health issues

[27:51] and

[27:51] and everything else, the quality

[27:53] of

[27:53] of life issues people have that

[27:55] would

[27:55] would be living near these, I just

[27:58] just think we need to, whether

[27:59] we work

[27:59] we work as a group, as a county

[28:01]

[28:01] to put everything in place to

[28:05] let the industry know where we

[28:06]

[28:06] stand on it as well as in our

[28:10] individual municipalities and

[28:11] the bylaws we have to put in

[28:14] place to do this.

[28:15] I appreciate what you said about

[28:18]

[28:18] what is lacking in each

[28:19] municipality, I'm pretty sure lakeshore

[28:21] lakeshore will be taking a hard

[28:22]

[28:22] look at this to do whatever we

[28:24]

[28:24] can to prevent these

[28:26] monstrosities from showing up in

[28:30] lakeshore

[28:30] lakeshore and the county as a

[28:31] whole hopefully.

[28:32] thanks. >>

[28:33] >> councillor bailey? >>

[28:34] >> thank you warden and through

[28:36]

[28:36] you, thank you tyler for being

[28:38]

[28:38] here this evening and the work

[28:39]

[28:39] you put into this, for sharing

[28:41]

[28:41] your expertise.

[28:42] I think it's important to.

[28:43] even more importantly started a

[28:45]

[28:45] conversation in our communities

[28:46] that

[28:46] that is very valuable and something

[28:48] something we have to look at.

[28:49] I support the collaborative

[28:51] approach for sure.

[28:53] I also appreciate you started the

[28:55] the conversations because

[28:56] sometimes when council began

[28:57] thinking about zoning changes,

[29:00] and

[29:00] and putting things in, residents

[29:03]

[29:03] begin to understand or think

[29:04] that we are changing it to allow

[29:05]

[29:05] a data center.

[29:07] certainly of the emails, hundreds of

[29:10] hundreds of emails we received,

[29:12]

[29:12] some were understanding that the

[29:14]

[29:14] processes we have to put

[29:15] something in place.

[29:17] and the absence of having

[29:19] something in place could permit

[29:20] something

[29:20] something to occur.

[29:21] I think residents gained a lot

[29:24] of

[29:24] of understanding through the

[29:25] collaboration.

[29:25] when you reviewed the proposed

[29:29]

[29:29] motion, did you feel that it

[29:30] allows the planning tools that

[29:32] we

[29:32] we would need to protect ourselves?

[29:34] we would need to protect ourselves?

[29:34] the only thing that I felt in

[29:36] the proposed, I have come up

[29:37] with a few amendments because I

[29:39] felt

[29:39] felt like it was -- if we put

[29:42] public resources towards

[29:43] starting something that we

[29:44] should study it from the

[29:45] perspective of having a planning

[29:47]

[29:47] tools of which to oppose them.

[29:49]

[29:49] I felt like the proposed motion

[29:51]

[29:51] was a little bit lacking, I wonder

[29:53] wonder how you felt about it?

[29:54] >> through you warden, when I first

[29:59] first did read it, I think I had

[30:02] four

[30:02] four specific points -- trying

[30:04] to

[30:04] to remember them all -- one was

[30:07]

[30:07] actually going back to one of the

[30:09] the councillors saying that it

[30:10]

[30:10] requires a lot of water.

[30:12] it's not necessarily true.

[30:13] water is the cheapest one which

[30:15] is

[30:15] is why they do it.

[30:17] we don't have to use water.

[30:18] you can use natural refrigerants

[30:21]

[30:21] or synthetic refrigerants

[30:22] instead, or air cooling.

[30:24] does not have to contain liquid

[30:25]

[30:25] at all technically.

[30:28] there is a large way in which

[30:31] all of these things can happen.

[30:32] to your point on creating the

[30:36] laws, we are going to have to do

[30:37] it

[30:37] it similar to what you guys did

[30:39]

[30:39] in 2024 with greenhouses.

[30:43] either you want to stop the

[30:45] expansion of greenhouses, you

[30:46] have to put large setbacks, do

[30:48]

[30:48] something similar.

[30:49] that is the one way we can do

[30:51] this.

[30:51] we can go through all this work

[30:53]

[30:53] and do it all, in the province

[30:55] can

[30:55] can come in with an mgo or just

[30:57]

[30:57] say I am taking this land, this

[30:59]

[30:59] is where it will go. Nothing

[31:01] nothing you can do about it.

[31:04] remember that when you are

[31:05] making all these decisions as well

[31:07] well unfortunately, the province

[31:08] is

[31:08] is really the one that has the

[31:10] most control

[31:10] most control in this scenario.

[31:12]

[31:12] also we don't really have

[31:13] control over electricity and

[31:15] really much say on that at all.

[31:17]

[31:17] but we do have I believe bill

[31:21] 40, where in ontario

[31:22] specifically, they have to pay

[31:24]

[31:24] their own way for electricity.

[31:26]

[31:26] so it won't actually directly

[31:28] affect our electrical bills.

[31:30] here in ontario only.

[31:33] thank you. >>

[31:36] >> reminds me of many of the auditoriums

[31:38] auditoriums that a lot of us put

[31:40]

[31:40] in for -- monitoring -- wind

[31:45] turbines.

[31:45] we effectively kept them from our

[31:48] our municipality.

[31:49] it can be done, the province

[31:52] didn't make us do it.

[31:53] to not do something just because

[31:55]

[31:55] you are afraid of being stopped

[31:58] is

[31:58] is not good enough, is it.

[32:00] >> no it is not.

[32:02] again I am here knowing this may

[32:03]

[32:03] not go anywhere.

[32:04] I'm willing to put in the work

[32:06] and

[32:06] and try, I'm hoping everybody

[32:08] will too. >>

[32:09] >> good job.

[32:10] anybody else?

[32:12] okay then, we have a number of

[32:14]

[32:14] things to do here council.

[32:16] again thank you tyler.

[32:20] there have been quite a few questions

[32:22] questions and thank you for that

[32:23]

[32:23] council.

[32:23] there are other related matters

[32:26] on

[32:26] on the agenda this evening, I

[32:27] thought it would be good to address

[32:28] address them at this time so

[32:30] that our audience if they wish

[32:32]

[32:32] to leave have the opportunity to

[32:33]

[32:33] do that, rather than sitting to

[32:36]

[32:36] listen to the rest of our

[32:38] evening's business. There

[32:40] there is a recommendation then

[32:41] to

[32:41] to amend the order of business

[32:43]

[32:43] this evening as follows, the

[32:46] motion is, the order of the

[32:48] agenda be amended to consider

[32:51] correspondence item 10.1 .12,

[32:54] the public petition ai data

[32:57] centres, and new business item

[33:00]

[33:00] 14.2, the municipal framework

[33:01] regarding the development of

[33:03] data centres in essex county, and

[33:06] and resolutions item ten .2.1,

[33:10]

[33:10] town of amherstburg regarding

[33:12] data centres following

[33:14] delegations from item 9.1. Looking

[33:16] looking for a mover and a seconder

[33:17] seconder so we can consider all

[33:19]

[33:19] these at this time?

[33:20] councillor deyong seconded by councillor

[33:24] councillor verbeke, comments or

[33:26]

[33:26] questions in that regard?

[33:27] all in favour by show of hands?

[33:30]

[33:30] opposed?

[33:30] that is carried, thank you.

[33:33] so first we have the public

[33:35] petition for the ai data center,

[33:37]

[33:37] that was submitted by tyler reh

[33:39]

[33:39] this evening and is now provided

[33:41]

[33:41] for council as information.

[33:44] so again there's a

[33:46] recommendation to formally

[33:47] receive the petitions and the

[33:49] recommendation is the public

[33:51] petition regarding ai data

[33:53] centres presented by tyler reh

[33:55] be

[33:55] be received as information. Looking

[33:57] looking for a mover and

[33:58] seconder?

[33:58] deputy warden and councillor

[34:01] shapley?

[34:01] any discussion on the motion?

[34:04] I will ask you to vote

[34:06] electronically please.

[34:09] that is carried, thank you.

[34:31] next up we have the municipal framework

[34:34] framework regarding the

[34:35] development of data centres, and

[34:38]

[34:38] for that we will turn to councillor

[34:40] councillor deyong to bring

[34:40] forward her notice of motion, would you

[34:43] would you like to read it at

[34:44] this time?

[34:45] >> I would not necessarily like

[34:47] to

[34:47] to read it because it's

[34:48] something required?

[34:49] it's lengthy, I mean I can but.

[34:52] >>

[34:52] >> madam clerk?

[34:54] should it be out there?

[34:56] >> it is displayed on the screen

[34:58]

[34:58] now, it is in all the agenda

[35:02] packages. If

[35:02] if there is somebody that that

[35:04] would

[35:04] would like to read it out loud

[35:08] ,

[35:08] you can skip over the preambles

[35:10]

[35:10] and simply read the motion

[35:13] itself.

[35:13] >> can you tell me where you

[35:21] want me to start reading?

[35:23] like the motion itself -- >>

[35:26] >> now therefore to be

[35:27] reasonable. >>

[35:29] >> okay thank you.

[35:30] now therefore be it resolved the

[35:32] county

[35:32] county administration be

[35:32] directed to in consultation and

[35:34]

[35:34] cooperation with the

[35:35] administration of the county's

[35:36]

[35:36] constituent local municipalities

[35:38]

[35:38] undertake a review and study of the

[35:40] the county's land use planning

[35:41]

[35:41] policy in relation to artificial

[35:43]

[35:43] intelligence data centres,

[35:45] applicable to all zones where that

[35:46] that use is permitted in

[35:47] the county of essex including

[35:48] but not limited to official

[35:49] plans and zoning bylaws.

[35:52] and let it be that the county

[35:53] administration be directed to

[35:54] report back to county council

[35:55] with an initial report with

[35:57] respect to the following in

[35:58] advance of completing a study related

[35:59] related to ai data centres.

[36:02] number 1, the scope of work of any

[36:04] any started to be undertaken

[36:05] including financial and staffing

[36:07]

[36:07] resources and any need for external

[36:09] external consultation, number 2

[36:10] the

[36:10] the proposed plan to consult

[36:11] with indigenous communities,

[36:13] three, the proposed public

[36:14] engagement strategy, four,

[36:16] information on the current

[36:17] regulatory environment for ai

[36:19] data centres at the federal

[36:20] provincial and municipal levels

[36:21] of

[36:21] of government as well as any

[36:23] updates following recent

[36:23] legislative changes, five,

[36:25] information from the province's

[36:27] independent

[36:27] independent electricity system

[36:28]

[36:28] operator and electrical utility

[36:30] service

[36:30] service providers that operate

[36:31]

[36:31] within the county of essex on

[36:33] the potential cost and other

[36:34] impacts to electrical

[36:35] infrastructure and c, that upon

[36:38]

[36:38] receipt of the initial report and

[36:40] and recommendations council consider whether

[36:41] consider whether a study is required

[36:42] required to be completed by third party

[36:43] third party consultant, whether

[36:44]

[36:44] additional planning tools are necessary

[36:46] necessary prior to third party

[36:47]

[36:47] study being conducted, based on the

[36:49] the contents of the initial

[36:50] report and options provided by

[36:52]

[36:52] administration, and d, that a

[36:54] copy of this motion be shared with the

[36:55] with the federation of canadian

[36:57]

[36:57] municipalities and the

[36:58] association of municipalities of

[36:59]

[36:59] ontario to formally request

[37:01] their support to work with the

[37:02]

[37:02] federal and provincial

[37:03] governments and municipalities

[37:04]

[37:04] to establish a coordinated

[37:06] regulatory framework that takes

[37:07]

[37:07] into account environmental,

[37:09] human and community health

[37:11] safeguards and clearly outlines

[37:13] public

[37:13] public disclosure requirements

[37:14]

[37:14] as it relates to ai industry

[37:15] growth and development.

[37:18] >> looking for a seconder

[37:21] councillor rogers.

[37:22] any discussion on the motion?

[37:24] councillor bailey?

[37:27] >> sorry did you want to speak

[37:31]

[37:31] to your motion first?

[37:32] >> I'm sorry, please go ahead.

[37:35]

[37:35] >> thank you.

[37:36] I just wanted to make note that

[37:39] I

[37:39] I recognize this as a first step

[37:40] that

[37:40] that we know each municipality

[37:41] is going to

[37:42] is going to have to implement

[37:42] its own policies, and the

[37:46] initial piece of I guess motion

[37:49]

[37:49] that I put forward to

[37:51] administration for some

[37:53] assistance did have heavier

[37:54] language, it did include

[37:56] specifically moratorium, and I

[38:01]

[38:01] understand at the county level it

[38:02] it may not be the appropriate

[38:03] step.

[38:03] local municipality has pending

[38:06]

[38:06] application probably a

[38:07] moratorium is in order, certainly what I

[38:09] certainly what I would do at

[38:10] kingsville's counsel table if it

[38:12]

[38:12] came forward.

[38:13] in addition, the term control

[38:16] bylaw requires a study period

[38:17] course of doing a study is in essence

[38:19] essence kind of the same thing,

[38:21]

[38:21] especially when we don't have a

[38:23] pending

[38:23] pending application.

[38:25] first step, figuring out what it

[38:29] is

[38:29] is that we are trying to

[38:32] control. There

[38:32] there is so many different

[38:34] layers to it.

[38:36] and I think that we are in a

[38:40] fortunate position that even

[38:41] though there hasn't been a lot

[38:42] of

[38:42] of regulation at the provincial

[38:44]

[38:44] and federal level, it is at the

[38:45]

[38:45] end of the day the

[38:46] municipalities that are going to

[38:47]

[38:47] have to live with whatever the

[38:48]

[38:48] conditions and nuisances and

[38:50] enforcement and so on that is a

[38:52]

[38:52] result of this new thing coming

[38:54]

[38:54] to our communities, and I will

[38:56] tell you

[38:57] tell you when the regulation

[38:57] comes from the top down, usually

[38:59]

[38:59] we have no say and we have no choice

[39:01] choice but to deal and we are in

[39:04]

[39:04] a reactive situation and I think

[39:06]

[39:06] this motion allows us to get

[39:09] ahead of this and be proactive,

[39:12] put

[39:12] put it in step before it is enforced

[39:13] enforced upon us.

[39:14] I hope -- -- I'm certainly open

[39:19] to

[39:19] to amendments if it gets to our

[39:20]

[39:20] end goal.

[39:21] I also have a motion out of my

[39:23]

[39:23] local council about the hydro

[39:26] increases here I asked for word

[39:31]

[39:31] what their data is based on, we

[39:34]

[39:34] are not preparing for any huge

[39:36] growth

[39:36] growth in any one industry, the

[39:38]

[39:38] I.c.e. May want to share why it

[39:39]

[39:39] is they have seen this giant

[39:43] growth, at the local and county

[39:47]

[39:47] level.

[39:47] specifically this motion says we

[39:49]

[39:49] want to look at where the use is

[39:52]

[39:52] permitted, then that seems

[39:53] different depending on where you

[39:55] live.

[39:55] I think amherstburg has it as a

[39:59]

[39:59] list of views.

[40:00] kingsville doesn't, then

[40:02] hamilton won't under light

[40:05] industrial.

[40:05] when you cannot clearly define things

[40:07] things you don't necessarily know

[40:08] know where they will put them

[40:09] and I think that's part of what

[40:10]

[40:10] this work has to do, help define

[40:12]

[40:12] all the parameters that we can

[40:15] put in controls

[40:15] put in controls that are

[40:16] defendable if we are challenged

[40:19] .

[40:19] that's at.

[40:20] I may have more comments at the

[40:22]

[40:22] end, thank you so much.

[40:24] >> great, put up your hand and we

[40:25] we will go from there, how is

[40:27] that?

[40:27] start with you councillor bailey

[40:31] bailey.

[40:31] >> recognize that we have been

[40:32]

[40:32] down this path with battery storage

[40:34] storage cut green housing, wind

[40:36]

[40:36] turbine, hydro lines and all

[40:38] those things, especially in

[40:40] particular the municipalities

[40:41] that have a large agricultural

[40:44]

[40:44] footprint.

[40:44] I am wondering if you would

[40:48] consider friendly amendment,

[40:51] that just adds on that nothing

[40:53]

[40:53] in this resolution shall be

[40:55] interpreted as encouraging or

[40:56] facilitating the development of

[40:58]

[40:58] ai data centres of essex county

[41:02]

[41:02] recognizing you did hide some bolder

[41:05] bolder language that was styled

[41:06]

[41:06] by, I recognize we do have to

[41:08] study it.

[41:09] I am concerned, I have several

[41:11]

[41:11] amendments in a summarized down

[41:13] to

[41:13] to this one because I still

[41:15] remain concerned that our focus

[41:16]

[41:16] should really be about making sure

[41:18] sure that the resolution we have

[41:20]

[41:20] tonight isn't interpreted in that way

[41:21] that way and I think having that

[41:22]

[41:22] language would be helpful.

[41:24] friendly amendment for your

[41:25] consideration. >>

[41:26] >> happy to accept the friendly

[41:30]

[41:30] amendment.

[41:30] >> can you repeat what you

[41:36] proposed?

[41:36] >> I can, thank you.

[41:40] part e, confirming that nothing

[41:42]

[41:42] in this resolution shall be

[41:46] interpreted as endorsing,

[41:50] encouraging, or facilitating the

[41:56]

[41:56] development of ai data centres

[42:02]

[42:02] within essex county.

[42:03] thank you to the mover.

[42:06] >> it'll be a moment until we get

[42:27] get it on the screen.

[42:30] councillor deyong and councillor

[43:08]

[43:08] bailey can you review the

[43:09] language in the revised motion

[43:13] ?

[43:13] there is a typo, ignore that for

[43:16]

[43:16] now.

[43:16] >> some grammar and spelling

[43:29] inside, it is fine by me.

[43:33] fine by the secondary as

[43:38] well?

[43:38] okay. I

[43:38] I got a number of people that still

[43:41] still would like to speak to the

[43:43]

[43:43] motion, and I will come to you

[43:45]

[43:45] deputy warden next. >>

[43:46] >> thank you I would like to

[43:47] also propose a friendly

[43:49] amendment, if we can add a -- I

[43:51] know

[43:51] know talks about consulting with

[43:53]

[43:53] indigenous.

[43:53] if we can ask for input or

[43:57] consult with the windsor

[43:58] essex county health unit, along

[44:02] with

[44:02] with the new conservation board

[44:04]

[44:04] authority board that is in our

[44:07]

[44:07] area.

[44:07] so if there's any input or

[44:10] consultation from that board that would

[44:12] that would be part of the motion

[44:14]

[44:14] as well.

[44:16] >> councillor deyong?

[44:19] >> I'm looking for some clarity,

[44:21]

[44:21] is that part of the study rather

[44:24]

[44:24] than this prereport?

[44:27] do we want to consult with them

[44:30] for

[44:30] for the report that will come to

[44:32] do

[44:32] do the study, or consult with them

[44:33] them as part of the study?

[44:36] >> through you warden, for

[44:38] clarification from the mover, I

[44:41]

[44:41] believe the intent of this motion

[44:42] motion as it is written is to engage

[44:45] engage administration at the

[44:46] county to create a report

[44:48] advising council on what the

[44:50] components of said study might

[44:52]

[44:52] be, and the logistics of

[44:53] completing said study.

[44:55] at that instance, all of those

[44:58]

[44:58] types of things can be included

[45:00]

[45:00] in that report to council which

[45:01]

[45:01] will be forthcoming at an

[45:03] upcoming meeting.

[45:05] I don't think it's necessary to

[45:06]

[45:06] include those parameters into

[45:09] this motion as it is now.

[45:11] if it's coming back to council

[45:13]

[45:13] for that consideration. >>

[45:14] >> that is what I thought, I don't want

[45:16] don't want to get into defining

[45:17]

[45:17] what every single thing in the

[45:18]

[45:18] study is going to be.

[45:19] I think we will have that

[45:21] discussion when the report

[45:22] comes, did you want to do this

[45:24]

[45:24] or this to make sure the study

[45:26]

[45:26] parameters are inclusive of all

[45:28] of

[45:28] of that? >>

[45:29] >> that's fine, thank you for the

[45:31] the clarification that we will

[45:32] come back

[45:32] come back and make sure if we need

[45:34] need to include at that point.

[45:35] I am fine with the way it is

[45:37] written now.

[45:37] thank you.

[45:39] >> councillor gibb next? >>

[45:41] >> thank you madam warden.

[45:43] I don't have any amendments to

[45:45]

[45:45] offer, this would be quicker.

[45:47] I just wanted to thank councillor

[45:50] councillor deyong for bringing

[45:52]

[45:52] this forward.

[45:53] it is obvious from the emails

[45:55] and the messages that we

[45:58] received that this is an

[45:59] important concern for residents

[46:01] of

[46:01] of essex county.

[46:02] and I think it is very

[46:03] appropriate for us to deal with

[46:05]

[46:05] this at the county level.

[46:07] from my back porch, I can see

[46:09] the lights from the greenhouses

[46:12]

[46:12] in leamington.

[46:13] the electricity that comes to

[46:16] amherstburg flows through

[46:18] lasalle.

[46:18] using industrial land for

[46:20] something that won't bring us

[46:21] good paying jobs affects every

[46:23]

[46:23] single resident of this county.

[46:25]

[46:25] I am glad that the county -- I

[46:28]

[46:28] am hopeful that county council

[46:30]

[46:30] will move forward with this.

[46:32] and I think it is important that

[46:33]

[46:33] we are prepared.

[46:35] I was just reading, the federal

[46:39]

[46:39] government is looking to invest

[46:44] $925 million

[46:44] $925 million in sovereign ai

[46:45] compute strategy.

[46:47] so this is coming, this is coming

[46:49] coming from other levels of

[46:51] government, I think it is important

[46:52] important we are prepared as possible

[46:54] possible to make sure that if we

[46:57]

[46:57] cannot ban this calculus we are

[46:58]

[46:58] prepared to fight back.

[47:00] I will be supporting this.

[47:03] I think it was very well

[47:05] presented.

[47:05] I want to thank the presenter

[47:07] for having a concise and very well thought out

[47:11] well thought out presentation.

[47:12]

[47:12] this is appropriately dealt with

[47:14] at

[47:14] at the county, rather than

[47:16] having seven individual

[47:17] municipalities try and create seven

[47:21] seven different programmes, we

[47:22]

[47:22] should do the heavy lifting

[47:23] here.

[47:23] thank you. >>

[47:25] >> thank you.

[47:26] next up, councillor prue?

[47:30] >> thank you so much, what has

[47:33]

[47:33] been said about loading this up

[47:36] too much

[47:36] too much but I do want to remind

[47:38]

[47:38] council and staff, when you are

[47:40] sitting

[47:40] sitting down to determine what

[47:42]

[47:42] you are going to study, this is

[47:45] a

[47:45] a multi-jurisdictional issue.

[47:47] it goes far beyond the county it

[47:49]

[47:49] goes far beyond the local

[47:51] municipalities.

[47:51] in fact most of the stuff, water

[47:55] is

[47:55] is both a federal and provincial

[47:58]

[47:58] jurisdiction.

[47:58] electricity is 100% provincial

[48:02]

[48:02] jurisdiction.

[48:02] they are the ones that determine

[48:05] the

[48:05] the I.c.e. And provincial

[48:07] government, what electricity

[48:09] services come into -- iso -- as

[48:15] pitiful

[48:15] pitiful as they sometimes may

[48:17] be.

[48:17] the farmland issue, people

[48:18] talked about not using

[48:20] farmland.

[48:20] I thought we were already forbidden

[48:23] forbidden pretty much from using

[48:27]

[48:27] farmland.

[48:27] I know if you go to the

[48:28] committee of adjustment and each

[48:30] one of the

[48:30] one of the municipalities,

[48:31] somebody wants to use farmland

[48:33] for

[48:33] for something else, hardly ever

[48:36]

[48:36] happens.

[48:36] because restrictions are so

[48:39] severe.

[48:39] I do want to remind the staff when

[48:44] when they are preparing this that this

[48:46] that this is a worldwide

[48:47] phenomenon.

[48:47] it is not just coming to

[48:50] essex county.

[48:51] it is not just coming to ontario

[48:54]

[48:54] or to canada.

[48:56] the two leading countries in the

[48:58] world

[48:58] world that are pushing this are

[49:00]

[49:00] the united states and china,

[49:03] both of whom are way, way, way

[49:07]

[49:07] along the road, looking I do not

[49:10]

[49:10] know what for other than world

[49:12] dominance.

[49:12] that is where they are heading.

[49:15]

[49:15] and canada will have to make

[49:16] that choice, whether or not we

[49:18]

[49:18] want to go down this route and

[49:20]

[49:20] if they do, it will be very difficult.

[49:23] if they do, it will be very difficult.

[49:23] I want to be blunt, if canada

[49:25] decides they want to go down

[49:27] this route, or if ontario decides they

[49:29] decides they want to go down

[49:30] this route, they can, as the

[49:36] presenter saidthe jurisdiction

[49:40] is, there.

[49:41] so I want to make sure when staff

[49:43] staff prepares this, that they

[49:45] look at

[49:45] look at multi-jurisdictional

[49:47] arguments and where the county

[49:50] fits in with all of this.

[49:53] I know we have a role, but I

[49:55] want to make sure it is clear

[49:57] what our role is, vis a vis other

[49:59] other levels of government.

[50:02] >> councillor bondy next. >>

[50:06] >> thank you warden mcdonald.

[50:07] of course I will be supporting

[50:08]

[50:08] the motion and I want to thank

[50:09]

[50:09] all of the members of the public

[50:11]

[50:11] for being engaged and sending us

[50:12] a

[50:12] a lot of emails.

[50:14] I'm wondering if we can ask our

[50:16]

[50:16] manager if planning a question

[50:17] -- I. Would like to know her

[50:18] thoughts on the motion and if

[50:19] there is anything else we should

[50:20]

[50:20] put into it.

[50:22] and I'm also wondering, my

[50:24] understanding is zoning

[50:25] governance a lot where data

[50:26] centres go.

[50:28] so I'm worried that while this

[50:30]

[50:30] study is taking place, that at

[50:32] the local level, we could be

[50:34] exposed due to lack of zoning.

[50:36]

[50:36] that prohibits data centres.

[50:39] so I'm wondering if there is

[50:41] something that should all of the

[50:42]

[50:42] locals start doing in terms of

[50:45] controlled bylaws while this study

[50:47] study is taking place.

[50:48] that is my question, I think our

[50:50] manager will

[50:50] manager will be the one to

[50:51] answer it. >> I

[50:52] >> I do have her coming later

[50:53] on, like right after when we do the

[50:55] the town of amherstburg. That

[50:56] that is the time to do it.

[50:57] if we can just concentrate on this

[50:59] this motion if you don't mind.

[51:01]

[51:01] good point, definitely that was

[51:04]

[51:04] my objective. >>

[51:05] >> thank you. >>

[51:06] >> thank you.

[51:06] councillor shepley?

[51:09] >> thank you madam warden.

[51:13] deputy mayor de jong, thank you

[51:16] for

[51:16] for bringing that forward, it

[51:17] was well written.

[51:18] I appreciate the -- conversation

[51:20]

[51:20] so I hope you can educate me as

[51:24] well

[51:24] well as the information

[51:26] provided.

[51:26] .. Just looking into them a little

[51:29] bit that I did, I found one --

[51:31]

[51:31] it'll probably not do the town

[51:34]

[51:34] justice, it's in michigan.

[51:36] there's a centre there that just

[51:39] screams

[51:39] screams -- streams 24 hours a

[51:41] day seven days a week.

[51:43] I found one after another like

[51:45]

[51:45] that.

[51:45] it really changed how I viewed

[51:47]

[51:47] this topic altogether.

[51:49] so I will be supporting, I want

[51:52] to

[51:52] to know what tools we already

[51:53] have.

[51:53] what gaps there may be.

[51:58] and I would rather spend a

[52:00] little more time getting this

[52:01] right than rushing into it and

[52:02]

[52:02] getting it wrong.

[52:03] so I think this is the right way

[52:05] to

[52:05] to go, thank you for that.

[52:08] >> thank you.

[52:09] councillor?

[52:09] >> thank you warden.

[52:13] I think the last few speakers actually

[52:15] actually had all of my questions.

[52:17] actually had all of my questions.

[52:17] but I will run through it really

[52:18] quickly that maybe someone can

[52:19] take notes and follow up

[52:21] afterwards.

[52:21] I appreciate the notice of

[52:24] motion. I

[52:24] I think it's something we

[52:26] absolutely need to discuss, I

[52:27] think it is absolutely a hot topic

[52:28] topic across north america.

[52:30] and it wouldn't be right if we

[52:32] didn't do

[52:32] didn't do our due diligence.

[52:33] so my question for

[52:34] administration, if they want to

[52:36] record

[52:36] record it I won't ask it later,

[52:39]

[52:39] it really is around our authority.

[52:41] it really is around our authority.

[52:41] can administration clarify today

[52:43]

[52:43] what authority essex county

[52:44] actually has regarding ai data

[52:46]

[52:46] centres?

[52:46] specifically what decisions fall

[52:48] within the county jurisdiction,

[52:50] what

[52:50] what responsibilities belong to

[52:52] local

[52:52] local municipalities and what

[52:53] authority rests with the

[52:54] province.

[52:54] as our delegate did mention, each

[52:58] each municipality does have

[52:59] different bylaws and official plants.

[53:01] different bylaws and official plants.

[53:01] so can a blanket planning bylaw

[53:03] even be applied?

[53:05] if the county's role is limited,

[53:07] then I assume the initial report

[53:09] will

[53:09] will focus on jurisdiction and

[53:11]

[53:11] legal authority before council

[53:12] determines whether broader

[53:13] studies should proceed. I

[53:15] I think that is kind of where --

[53:16] I'm

[53:16] I'm trying to understand tonight

[53:19]

[53:19] what authority we actually have

[53:21] in this room.

[53:22] and if we don't have that

[53:24] authority, then it is on each of us

[53:25] us to take it back to our

[53:27] locals.

[53:27] I know we still have our

[53:29] meetings in communication with

[53:31]

[53:31] our lower tier and upper, but I

[53:33] really just want to understand

[53:36] what

[53:36] what we can actually do here and

[53:37] I don't

[53:37] I don't want to waste time and

[53:39] money

[53:39] money doing a study, only to

[53:40] find out that we can't -- all of the

[53:44] the items they told us to put in

[53:45]

[53:45] place, we can't actually do.

[53:47] that is my only fear, wasting

[53:49] time and money when maybe our

[53:51] focus should be lower. That

[53:52] that is my question when that

[53:55] comes forward.

[53:56] >> through you warden, I will

[53:57] speak briefly to it.

[53:59] our manager of planning and I

[54:00] have had conversations already

[54:02] in

[54:02] in anticipation of the

[54:03] discussion tonight.

[54:04] and trying to prepare something

[54:05] for the

[54:05] for the next meeting of council.

[54:08]

[54:08] and so to your point exactly, the

[54:10] the preamble of that report will

[54:11]

[54:11] talk about jurisdictional lanes

[54:14] and

[54:14] and who has what, in order to

[54:16] get to a clear scope of work for

[54:18] a

[54:18] a potential study.

[54:19] we have already thought of that

[54:21]

[54:21] and stay tuned.

[54:24] >> councillor rogers?

[54:26] >> thank you madam warden.

[54:28] may be a small note through you,

[54:30]

[54:30] since this got a notice of

[54:31] motion out there, there have

[54:34] been a few calls from a few different

[54:35] different industries just over

[54:36] the concern over data centres.

[54:39]

[54:39] again, this is about the large

[54:41]

[54:41] ai data centres where I've had

[54:43] some

[54:43] some industries reach out,

[54:45] again, putting information out

[54:46] there

[54:46] there with people not really

[54:47] understanding what this is

[54:49] about.

[54:49] so I have an industry that has

[54:50]

[54:50] data centres on their footprint

[54:52]

[54:52] and industrial parks, may be

[54:54] some are a room, maybe some are

[54:56] the size of this room.

[54:57] and they have a concern about

[54:59] regulations moving forward.

[55:00] so again, as we move forward and

[55:03] go down this road, I think clear

[55:05] communication as far as what we

[55:06]

[55:06] are actually looking to target

[55:07]

[55:07] and then clearing maybe some of that

[55:10] that misinformation out there

[55:11] with our preexisting industries

[55:13]

[55:13] that exist, that have this type

[55:16] of

[55:16] of technology within their

[55:17] footprints. That

[55:17] that they are not on the radar,

[55:20] as

[55:20] as long as they are not that big.

[55:22] as long as they are not that big.

[55:22] I think that is just an important

[55:23] important piece as we move

[55:25] forward -- as we move forward,

[55:27]

[55:27] thank you.

[55:28] >> good point.

[55:30] anyone else?

[55:33] councillor?

[55:33] >> thank you madam warden and

[55:35] through you.

[55:37] one of the important things

[55:38] about living where we live --

[55:40] and I will give some shout outs

[55:41] to some of the counties, your

[55:43] wineries. We

[55:43] we have a long weekend and I

[55:46] brought home a retired copper from sterling

[55:47] from sterling heights and we

[55:48] went to these wineries and got

[55:49]

[55:49] to talking about this because he

[55:51] googled me to make fun of me.

[55:52] this is what comes up when I

[55:54] came up.

[55:56] so this is sort of out to our

[55:58] colleagues and administration.

[56:00]

[56:00] there is about 100

[56:02] municipalities around us in the

[56:04] detroit area.

[56:05] sterling heights is one of the

[56:07] municipalities that has stopped

[56:08]

[56:08] data centres.

[56:08] and sterling heights is one of these

[56:10] these municipalities where we look at

[56:11] look at the city of windsor, there's

[56:13] there's lots of industrial

[56:14] space, where there's lots of big

[56:15] buildings that are unoccupied.

[56:18]

[56:18] and what happened in sterling heights

[56:20] heights is like this.

[56:21] they looked at the research from

[56:23]

[56:23] atlantic, and I would hope we research

[56:25] research across the board.

[56:26] not that the rules be the same,

[56:29] but

[56:29] but that the impact be the same.

[56:30]

[56:30] the 85-decibel generators, the

[56:34] diesel

[56:34] diesel generators to run 50 hours.

[56:36] diesel generators to run 50 hours.

[56:36] all of those types of things

[56:37] that are not relevant

[56:39] legislatively, the building is

[56:41] the

[56:41] the same, the heat is the same,

[56:43]

[56:43] the water is the same and what

[56:46] these other municipalities did

[56:49]

[56:49] their research for, in the army

[56:51]

[56:51] as an army guy, we called it

[56:54] r&d. If

[56:54] if you can make a phone call to

[56:56]

[56:56] say sterling heights or some of

[56:58] these other places that have

[56:59] built the same thing, I'm hoping

[57:00] they would share the packages.

[57:02]

[57:02] this package can be shared with

[57:03] them as well, again, I would

[57:06] give up youtube if we could keep

[57:08] the

[57:08] the water in the great lakes.

[57:09] it is very simple for me.

[57:11] there are certain things that I

[57:13] want, there are certain things

[57:14] I

[57:14] want for my children.

[57:15] very simple.

[57:18] I don't need more gifs of cats.

[57:21] if

[57:21] if this is going to say that we

[57:23]

[57:23] can still go to the wineries in

[57:25] our

[57:25] our communities and still drink

[57:26]

[57:26] the wine and play in the water

[57:29] and not have to worry about this

[57:30]

[57:30] stuff, let's get it done. But

[57:32] but as my friend over here said,

[57:33]

[57:33] let's do it right, let's do it

[57:35] in a manner that we represent our

[57:37] our municipalities.

[57:38] like I said, I'm just asking that we

[57:40] that we reach out to the u.s.

[57:41] municipalities in the greater

[57:43] detroit area that have put

[57:44] moratoriums on data centres,

[57:48] while I understand that the

[57:50] legislation will not be the

[57:51] same, the economic and

[57:54] environmental impact studies

[57:55] would be identical, thank you

[57:56] madam warden. >>

[57:58] >> anyone else?

[58:01] I'm just going to add a few

[58:02] things if you don't mind.

[58:03] I am 100% in support of this.

[58:06] I think it is good to be

[58:08] proactive, rather than reactive.

[58:12]

[58:12] that has always been my method

[58:14] of

[58:14] of operation.

[58:14] but I do want to say something,

[58:16]

[58:16] and it came up when councillor

[58:23]

[58:23] prue mentioned the greatest data

[58:25] countries

[58:25] countries are china and the u.s.

[58:26]

[58:26] and that makes me think I don't

[58:29] want to rely on data that is

[58:32] controlled by the united states

[58:36] , by

[58:36] by the country of china.

[58:39] I think we were realistically,

[58:41]

[58:41] at some point in time, somewhere

[58:43]

[58:43] in canada, have more than one of

[58:45] these data centres.

[58:46] I don't want them here, I can

[58:48] tell you that.

[58:50] but I think that realistically,

[58:52] we

[58:52] we have to realize that if we want

[58:53] want to be independent from

[58:55] those countries, that they don't

[58:56]

[58:56] have influence over our data and

[59:00] our

[59:00] our information at some point in

[59:03]

[59:03] time.

[59:03] somewhere, somehow, in this

[59:07] country, someone will have to

[59:08] support a data center.

[59:09] I am more afraid of that than I

[59:13] am of the other things.

[59:14] again, I don't want them here,

[59:16] I

[59:16] don't want them in the province

[59:19] of

[59:19] of ontario, unless it's really

[59:19] far north where no people live.

[59:22]

[59:22] but I think that realistically,

[59:23] we

[59:23] we have to realize that if we want

[59:25] want to be independent,

[59:27] sovereignly independent,

[59:30] somewhere, somehow, there will

[59:32]

[59:32] be.

[59:32] and ai data center within the

[59:35] borders of this country.

[59:37] and we will probably, at some point in

[59:39] point in time, want that

[59:41] independence.

[59:41] again, just putting that realistic

[59:45] realistic angle on it.

[59:46] I am in support of it, I don't

[59:48]

[59:48] want them in my municipality, I don't

[59:50] don't want them in our region.

[59:54]

[59:54] but just a cautionary note that

[59:56]

[59:56] at some point in time, someone,

[59:59] somewhere

[59:59] somewhere will be dealing with

[1:00:00]

[1:00:00] this.

[1:00:00] so -- gary, sorry.

[1:00:05] councillor mcnamara, please go

[1:00:07]

[1:00:07] ahead.

[1:00:07] >> thank you very much.

[1:00:10] warden, you pretty much summed

[1:00:13] up

[1:00:13] up what I was going to say at

[1:00:14] this stage.

[1:00:16] I do support, obviously the

[1:00:19] motion, it is a good point to be

[1:00:24]

[1:00:24] cautious and so to have some

[1:00:26] uniformity in terms of all of the

[1:00:29] the communities and so forth.

[1:00:30] but in the same token, the

[1:00:33] information, if we are prepared

[1:00:35]

[1:00:35] to make sure that anything that

[1:00:38] goes

[1:00:38] goes into the cloud and so forth

[1:00:41] is

[1:00:41] is supported by china or the

[1:00:43] united states, then that is going

[1:00:45] going to be an issue for us to

[1:00:47]

[1:00:47] deal with in the future.

[1:00:50] I firmly believe that a lot of

[1:00:52] the industry itself within it has

[1:00:53] has not done a really good job

[1:00:57]

[1:00:57] in really putting proper

[1:00:59] perspective into it.

[1:01:02] and I do believe that there has

[1:01:04]

[1:01:04] to be safeguards in how we do things

[1:01:10] things and to make sure that we

[1:01:13]

[1:01:13] protect our water and we

[1:01:15] certainly protect our quality of

[1:01:17] life, people that are going to

[1:01:21]

[1:01:21] be last to live in proximity to

[1:01:23]

[1:01:23] these areas and so forth.

[1:01:25] I think it is a good thing to

[1:01:27] take two steps back, slow down,

[1:01:29]

[1:01:29] get the information so that we

[1:01:31] can make an informed decision including

[1:01:36] including where and when and how

[1:01:39] these data centres are to be

[1:01:42] built or utilized, wherever.

[1:01:46] I think it is a good point.

[1:01:49] I want to commend the deputy mayor

[1:01:53] mayor for bringing this motion

[1:01:54] forward and so forth.

[1:01:55] because we need to really be

[1:01:59] assured of what is going to transpire

[1:02:02] transpire is going to serve us in

[1:02:04] in the right way.

[1:02:05] thank you madam warden. >>

[1:02:08] >> thank you councillor.

[1:02:09] okay then, we won't have you read

[1:02:11] read the motion again and with

[1:02:13]

[1:02:13] that, I will call the question

[1:02:15] and ask you to vote

[1:02:16] electronically please.

[1:02:19] councillor mcnamara, by show of

[1:02:28] of hands, all in favour?

[1:02:30] thank you.

[1:02:32] I will note your vote.

[1:02:36] and that is carried unanimously,

[1:02:38]

[1:02:38] thank you very much.

[1:02:41] [applause]

[1:02:41] so next up, we have the town of

[1:02:48] amherstburg, they sent a request

[1:02:54]

[1:02:54] regarding planning studies for

[1:02:55] artificial intelligence data

[1:02:58] centres. So

[1:02:58] so would a member of amherstburg

[1:03:01]

[1:03:01] like to comment, looking to you,

[1:03:04] councillor

[1:03:04] councillor prue. >>

[1:03:05] >> thank you so much.

[1:03:07] this came up on the fly, if I

[1:03:10] can put it that way, at our last

[1:03:12]

[1:03:12] council meeting.

[1:03:15] the councillor who occasionally

[1:03:18]

[1:03:18] sits around this table, came up

[1:03:20]

[1:03:20] with two motions.

[1:03:21] one was for us to do the study

[1:03:23]

[1:03:23] ourselves and the other motion

[1:03:25]

[1:03:25] was to put it to the county council

[1:03:28] council because she was aware of

[1:03:31] councillor de jong's notice of

[1:03:33] motion.

[1:03:33] and the council assisted her in

[1:03:37] determining that the best option

[1:03:38]

[1:03:38] was to send it to the county.

[1:03:41] in so doing, there was not a lot

[1:03:43] of

[1:03:43] of research done and it became

[1:03:45] apparent after we had sent it

[1:03:47] that the county does not have

[1:03:48] the authority to do a moratorium

[1:03:51] moratorium.

[1:03:51] so all I can suggest is that following

[1:03:55] following whatever sage advice

[1:03:56] we are going to get from the

[1:03:58] planner, that we receive it. >>

[1:04:03] >> thank you councillor.

[1:04:03] so with that, rebecca, this is

[1:04:07] your

[1:04:07] your introduction.

[1:04:08] if you don't mind speaking to the

[1:04:11] the restrictions, the limits,

[1:04:14] give us some advice on this very

[1:04:19]

[1:04:19] volatile issue, controversial,

[1:04:21]

[1:04:21] maybe not volatile but certainly

[1:04:25] of interest

[1:04:25] of interest to so many people

[1:04:25] and we would like to deal with

[1:04:27] it

[1:04:27] it in a proactive manner before

[1:04:28] it

[1:04:28] it is on our doorstep.

[1:04:31] >> thank you warden.

[1:04:33] can you hear me okay?

[1:04:36] so on the question of putting a

[1:04:40] moratorium, the methods to do

[1:04:42] that do not rest with the

[1:04:44] county.

[1:04:44] that is not within our

[1:04:47] jurisdiction.

[1:04:47] if the local municipalities see

[1:04:49]

[1:04:49] fit, the method under section 38 of

[1:04:53] of the planning act would mean

[1:04:54]

[1:04:54] interim control bylaw and that would

[1:04:56] would have to be considered, at

[1:04:58] the local level.

[1:05:00] the purpose of, as councillor

[1:05:02] de jong said, is to study

[1:05:05] something.

[1:05:05] so you're putting in place an

[1:05:07] interim control bylaw for one

[1:05:09] year, for purposes of studying

[1:05:13] a

[1:05:13] purpose.

[1:05:13] it could then be extended for an

[1:05:15] additional year, but there are

[1:05:17] expectations of outcomes.

[1:05:18] and that was discussed this

[1:05:20] evening.

[1:05:20] so to the amherstburg

[1:05:24] resolution, the county could

[1:05:27] definitely take on project

[1:05:29] management of the study.

[1:05:31] this is quite common that we do

[1:05:33]

[1:05:33] things like this, we do this with the

[1:05:35] with the agricultural lot study

[1:05:37] several years ago in 2015.

[1:05:41] with outcomes delivered for each

[1:05:44] local

[1:05:44] local municipality to put in

[1:05:46] place.

[1:05:46] we have done this for land based

[1:05:50]

[1:05:50] wind turbines.

[1:05:51] it resulted in a county official

[1:05:53]

[1:05:53] plan amendment, in this case the

[1:05:56] project

[1:05:56] project management of the study

[1:05:58] would

[1:05:58] would result in potentially a

[1:06:00] county official plan amendment,

[1:06:02]

[1:06:02] local official planned

[1:06:03] amendments, zoning, new

[1:06:06] categorization with data

[1:06:08] centres, it could be new

[1:06:10] definitions in the zoning bylaw,

[1:06:12]

[1:06:12] site plan control considerations

[1:06:15]

[1:06:15] as well as councillor prue

[1:06:17] brought up, a large part of this

[1:06:19]

[1:06:19] involves other jurisdictions.

[1:06:21] the federal government and the

[1:06:22] provincial government.

[1:06:24] so another piece of this could

[1:06:27] be

[1:06:27] be understanding advocacy and

[1:06:30] needs up to the provincial and

[1:06:32] federal

[1:06:32] federal government and outcomes

[1:06:33]

[1:06:33] that we learn as part of this

[1:06:36] study.

[1:06:36] as well, I'm aware that this has

[1:06:43]

[1:06:43] already been addressed in

[1:06:44] hamilton, they are currently

[1:06:46] studying it.

[1:06:47] so I think we could learn a lot

[1:06:49] to what is already taking place

[1:06:51]

[1:06:51] in hamilton.

[1:06:52] we will be keeping an eye on

[1:06:54] that.

[1:06:54] I intend to contact hamilton

[1:06:57] planning department and learn

[1:06:58] from what they are already doing

[1:07:02] doing.

[1:07:02] that is all I have, unless there

[1:07:05] is

[1:07:05] is any other questions. >> I

[1:07:07] >> I think we had some questions

[1:07:10]

[1:07:10] from councillor bondi.

[1:07:12] councillor, did you want to pose

[1:07:14]

[1:07:14] those again?

[1:07:15] >> thank you warden macdonald.

[1:07:17]

[1:07:17] I believe the question was

[1:07:20] answered, saying that the bylaw

[1:07:21] needs

[1:07:21] needs to come at the local

[1:07:23] level, which I have to talk to

[1:07:25] at

[1:07:25] at the director at the local level.

[1:07:26] at the director at the local level.

[1:07:26] I think one of the issues is

[1:07:28] it's not something that is

[1:07:29] defined yet.

[1:07:31] is that true?

[1:07:33] or what advice would you provide

[1:07:34]

[1:07:34] to local municipalities that want to

[1:07:35] want to do an interim control

[1:07:37] bylaw until the county study is

[1:07:40]

[1:07:40] done. >> to

[1:07:41] >> to you warden, particularly

[1:07:44]

[1:07:44] the advice is first of all, we

[1:07:47] need a commitment that we are

[1:07:49] going to undertake a study.

[1:07:51] so we need to wait and confirm,

[1:07:54] although

[1:07:54] although this is coming out this

[1:07:55]

[1:07:55] evening.

[1:07:55] so we need confirmation

[1:07:58] following the report back from

[1:08:00] county

[1:08:00] county administration and the direction

[1:08:02] direction that we are going to

[1:08:03]

[1:08:03] see with the study.

[1:08:06] to your question as well, I did

[1:08:09] write

[1:08:09] write it down, you asked if you

[1:08:12]

[1:08:12] were exposed.

[1:08:13] we have taken a preliminary skin

[1:08:16] of

[1:08:16] of your zoning bylaws, which

[1:08:18] of course permits the land use

[1:08:20]

[1:08:20] of a data center and we can

[1:08:23] confirm as well, a data center

[1:08:26]

[1:08:26] is defined in the lakeshore

[1:08:31] bylaws in limited zones.

[1:08:34] and it's brought to

[1:08:36] interpretation because it is not

[1:08:37]

[1:08:37] yet defined. So

[1:08:38] so it could be a permitted use,

[1:08:42] because

[1:08:42] because there is unclear

[1:08:43] definitions.

[1:08:43] so is there an exposure

[1:08:47] presently, yes there is.

[1:08:49] but should county council direct

[1:08:53]

[1:08:53] this work.

[1:08:56] and we can address the external

[1:08:58] consulting support to undertake

[1:08:59]

[1:08:59] this work.

[1:09:01] to assist county planning with

[1:09:03] expertise and planning policy,

[1:09:05]

[1:09:05] electrical and environmental

[1:09:07] engineering potentially.

[1:09:09] >> further? >>

[1:09:11] >> just to follow up, perhaps to

[1:09:12] wear a cao.

[1:09:13] right now county council has approved

[1:09:15] approved direction to

[1:09:16] administration to come back with

[1:09:17] information on a study. What

[1:09:19] what is our timeline, how far will

[1:09:21] will we be exposed?

[1:09:22] because some of us can plan motions

[1:09:24] motions at our locals to tee up to

[1:09:25] to when that report is coming up.

[1:09:27] to when that report is coming up.

[1:09:27] so that we are exposing the least

[1:09:29] least amount of time.

[1:09:30] >> through you warden, as I

[1:09:32] mentioned earlier,

[1:09:33] administratively, when we

[1:09:35] learned of the notice of motion

[1:09:36] that was

[1:09:36] that was going to be debated

[1:09:37] this evening, the wheels on the

[1:09:39] administrative side started to

[1:09:41] turn already

[1:09:41] turn already and we were working

[1:09:41] on that draft report.

[1:09:43] so rebecca and I have a goal of the

[1:09:46] the september second meeting to

[1:09:47]

[1:09:47] get that preliminary document to

[1:09:49] you.

[1:09:49] if, for some reason, our

[1:09:52] timeline doesn't hold to the

[1:09:53] september second, I will let

[1:09:55] council know by email.

[1:09:56] but our goal at this point,

[1:09:57] based on the work already

[1:09:59] underway, is to get a report to

[1:10:01] county

[1:10:01] county council for the

[1:10:02] september second meeting.

[1:10:03] so our next meeting with council

[1:10:06] council.

[1:10:06] >> anyone else?

[1:10:10] sorry councillor deyong. >>

[1:10:12] >> sorry warden.

[1:10:13] I'm just hoping maybe you can

[1:10:15] clarify, rebecca, are the local

[1:10:16] municipalities able to rely on

[1:10:19] the county's study as part of

[1:10:21] their interim control bylaw that

[1:10:22] is allowed?

[1:10:24] >> yes, that would be

[1:10:26] considered.

[1:10:26] we are studying it jointly.

[1:10:28] I have already sent an email to

[1:10:30] all of the municipal planners,

[1:10:32] told

[1:10:32] told them we are looking at

[1:10:34] their zoning bylaws.

[1:10:35] I advise them of the notice of

[1:10:37] motion this evening and that

[1:10:39] they would potentially be

[1:10:40] invited to participate as part

[1:10:41] of a

[1:10:42] of a technical planning advisory

[1:10:43]

[1:10:43] committee.

[1:10:43] >> maybe then as part of this

[1:10:47] report, we can include that step

[1:10:49]

[1:10:49] for local municipalities that this

[1:10:50] this is an option that they can

[1:10:53] put

[1:10:53] put an interim control bylaw

[1:10:54] using the county's study on the

[1:10:57]

[1:10:57] issue as their required study of

[1:10:59] the topic.

[1:11:01] thank you.

[1:11:04] >> duly noted, okay, thank you.

[1:11:07]

[1:11:07] anyone else?

[1:11:10] then I'm going to suggest that

[1:11:13]

[1:11:13] perhaps the resolution should be

[1:11:16] --

[1:11:16] -- or the resolution or

[1:11:18] recommendation that the town of

[1:11:19] amherstburg regarding ai

[1:11:21] dentistas be received and filed.

[1:11:24]

[1:11:24] moved by councillor gibb and

[1:11:26] seconded by councillor prue.

[1:11:28] any further discussion?

[1:11:29] then I will ask you to vote

[1:11:31] electronically please.

[1:11:34] that is a thumbs up, councillor

[1:11:43] mcnamara, thank you.

[1:11:46] and that is carried unanimously.

[1:11:49]

[1:11:49] so thank you all.

[1:11:54] mr. Ray, councillor deyong and

[1:11:58]

[1:11:58] our planner.

[1:11:59] [applause]

[1:11:59] thank you everyone, thank you

[1:12:02] for attending.

[1:12:03] and now, council will resume the

[1:12:05] regular order of business with

[1:12:07]

[1:12:07] item ten.

[1:12:09] item ten is communications.

[1:12:12] there are 12 pieces of correspondence

[1:12:14] correspondence listed on the

[1:12:15] agenda this evening.

[1:12:17] one of which council has already

[1:12:19] received.

[1:12:19] are there any other items that

[1:12:21] council would

[1:12:21] council would like to discuss?

[1:12:23]

[1:12:23] councillor bondi?

[1:12:24] >> thank you warden macdonald.

[1:12:26]

[1:12:26] I understand that we were

[1:12:29] invited to the shovel

[1:12:32] groundbreaking of the hospital and

[1:12:33] and that has been something we

[1:12:34] have been following, trying to

[1:12:36] invite the hospital committee

[1:12:38] here, which maybe doesn't need

[1:12:39] to happen any time soon, since

[1:12:40] we put the shovel in the ground.

[1:12:43]

[1:12:43] but I think one thing that our

[1:12:44] local

[1:12:44] local taxpayers are going to

[1:12:45] want to know is whether our

[1:12:48] commitment is changing from 100 million to

[1:12:51] 100 million to more or less.

[1:12:53] one of the local mpps, mr. Dowey

[1:12:56] did

[1:12:56] did tell me that of course it is

[1:12:58] going

[1:12:58] going to be more.

[1:12:59] but I don't know if other counties paying

[1:13:01] counties paying for their

[1:13:02] hospital, I'm not sure if we

[1:13:03] will be paying for more, but I

[1:13:04] think it's something we need to

[1:13:05] have

[1:13:05] have in writing that we are not

[1:13:06] going

[1:13:06] going to pay more.

[1:13:08] and I went back and found the old resolution

[1:13:09] old resolution saying we are not

[1:13:10]

[1:13:10] paying more. But

[1:13:12] but now that the hospital is

[1:13:14] being built and our mpp did say

[1:13:17] that

[1:13:17] that we are paying more, I think

[1:13:18] that is concerning and just

[1:13:20] wondering if our cao has any

[1:13:22] advice on that and if we could

[1:13:24] reach

[1:13:24] reach out and confirm that we

[1:13:25] are not paying more.

[1:13:27] >> through you warden.

[1:13:30] we have not received any formal

[1:13:32] communication from windsor

[1:13:34] regional hospital asking

[1:13:34] the county of essex for more

[1:13:36] money.

[1:13:36] and to your point councillor

[1:13:40] bondi, a great, groundbreaking

[1:13:43]

[1:13:43] ceremony to shed a positive

[1:13:45] light on a long awaited project.

[1:13:47] and I will continue to be in

[1:13:49] conversation with kristen kennedy

[1:13:54] kennedy on any information

[1:13:55] relating to the cost.

[1:13:58] >> thank you.

[1:14:01] so then, there is a

[1:14:03] recommendation that the items of correspondence

[1:14:06] correspondence listed be received

[1:14:07] received and any action

[1:14:09] approved.

[1:14:09] looking for a mover and a

[1:14:12] seconder.

[1:14:12] councillor deyong, councillor

[1:14:15] gibb.

[1:14:15] all in favour by show of hands?

[1:14:17]

[1:14:17] that is carried, thank you.

[1:14:21] the resolution listed under item

[1:14:28] ten

[1:14:28] ten .2.1 was addressed in fact

[1:14:30] we will move

[1:14:30] we will move on to ten .2.2, which

[1:14:32] which is a resolution from the

[1:14:34]

[1:14:34] town of essex dated july 23rd,

[1:14:37]

[1:14:37] 2026, regarding lack of access

[1:14:39]

[1:14:39] to municipal recycling diversion

[1:14:40]

[1:14:40] data.

[1:14:40] would a member of essex like to

[1:14:42] speak to it?

[1:14:43] councillor bondi?

[1:14:44] >> thank you warden macdonald.

[1:14:46]

[1:14:46] I would like to ask my county

[1:14:48] colleagues that we support this

[1:14:50] and send this on to circular

[1:14:52] materials and send it on to the

[1:14:54] solid waste authority as well.

[1:14:57]

[1:14:57] this is what I alluded to at the

[1:14:58] last

[1:14:58] last meeting, something we did

[1:15:00]

[1:15:00] in essex when we get the reports,

[1:15:01] reports, we read the reports and

[1:15:03]

[1:15:03] right now circular materials has

[1:15:05]

[1:15:05] been wishy washy on whether they

[1:15:07] are going to give us annual

[1:15:08] reports on diversion.

[1:15:10] it will be hard to report apples

[1:15:12] to oranges or apples to apples

[1:15:15] going

[1:15:15] going forward on diversion and

[1:15:16] I

[1:15:16] believe the solid waste authority

[1:15:18] authority has a delegation. So

[1:15:19] so this is something, if we support

[1:15:21] support it they can perhaps use

[1:15:22] it to beef up their delegation

[1:15:25] .

[1:15:25] they don't have one, do they? >>

[1:15:29] >> did they get denied? >>

[1:15:30] >> through you warden, yes, we

[1:15:32] received

[1:15:32] received word that the delegation

[1:15:33] delegation on that topic was

[1:15:34] denied by the province.

[1:15:37] >> okay, well -- that is

[1:15:40] surprising, sorry.

[1:15:41] I would still like to see if

[1:15:44] council will support sending

[1:15:45] this letter to circular materials

[1:15:46] materials since we are the host

[1:15:47] municipality here in the county

[1:15:49] of

[1:15:49] of essex of the landfill, we

[1:15:50] would like to know what is going

[1:15:52]

[1:15:52] on.

[1:15:52] >> we will just wait until the

[1:16:32] resolution is updated, then I will

[1:16:34] will read it.

[1:16:36] the resolution is that the -- the

[1:16:59] the recommendation is the resolution

[1:17:00] resolution from the town of

[1:17:01] essex, regarding municipal

[1:17:03] recycling diversion data be received

[1:17:04] received and that council direct

[1:17:06] administration to send a letter

[1:17:08] in

[1:17:08] in support of the town of essex.

[1:17:10]

[1:17:10] and you are good with that

[1:17:11] motion then, councillor bondi?

[1:17:13]

[1:17:13] seconded by deputy warden.

[1:17:16] perfect.

[1:17:16] any comments or questions?

[1:17:20] >> madam warden. >>

[1:17:21] >> yes, councillor --

[1:17:23] mcnamara?

[1:17:23] >> I would also suggest that we

[1:17:28]

[1:17:28] also see see that to amo.

[1:17:34] for comment.

[1:17:35] because it is not only our

[1:17:38] authority, but there is others

[1:17:40] across the province that have been

[1:17:42] been asking for the same request

[1:17:46] and

[1:17:46] and it was unfortunate that last

[1:17:49]

[1:17:49] week the government turned us

[1:17:53] down on the delegation.

[1:17:56] >> duly noted, that is good with the

[1:17:58] the mover and the seconder?

[1:18:00] perfect.

[1:18:00] speaking to that, deputy warden?

[1:18:03] >> if

[1:18:03] >> if we can add a friendly

[1:18:04] amendment to send the

[1:18:06] correspondence to the minister

[1:18:07] of the

[1:18:07] of the environment, todd

[1:18:09] mccarthy so that they are

[1:18:11] aware of this issue and have

[1:18:13] them advocate for us for our

[1:18:15] region.

[1:18:15] >> more duly noted.

[1:18:22] that this okay then?

[1:18:24] then I will ask you to vote

[1:18:25] electronically, please.

[1:18:29] I see all of those thumbs up,

[1:18:43] thank you counsellor.

[1:18:45] and that is carried, thank you

[1:18:48]

[1:18:48] very much.

[1:18:50] then we have the consent agenda,

[1:18:53] four

[1:18:53] four items are listed on it.

[1:18:55] a summary of outstanding matters

[1:18:56]

[1:18:56] report for august fifth, 2026,

[1:18:59] quarter 22026 quarterly

[1:19:01] procurement summary,

[1:19:03] implementation by ontario public

[1:19:05] procurement requirements and county

[1:19:06] county encampment update.

[1:19:08] any questions for administration

[1:19:10] on

[1:19:10] on the items listed on consent?

[1:19:11]

[1:19:11] counsellor gib?

[1:19:12] >> thank you madam warden.

[1:19:15] for item 11.3, the

[1:19:17] implementation of the buy

[1:19:19] ontario policy, I'm a little

[1:19:21] unclear.

[1:19:21] so from the way I read the

[1:19:24] report, we are going to give

[1:19:28] preferential treatment to a

[1:19:30] supplier that has a higher buy

[1:19:34] ontario based percentage of

[1:19:38] service or product.

[1:19:41] does that mean that the county

[1:19:42] could, in essence, spend $250,000 more

[1:19:46] $250,000 more for a service or

[1:19:49] a product

[1:19:50] product for a negligible

[1:19:51] difference in the buy ontario

[1:19:54] percentage?

[1:19:54] if it is $200,000 more, but it

[1:19:58]

[1:19:58] only brings the ontario

[1:20:00] percentage from 75 to 76%, that

[1:20:05]

[1:20:05] doesn't seem -- it seems a bit

[1:20:07]

[1:20:07] counterintuitive to me.

[1:20:08] I would like a little more

[1:20:09] information on that, if you

[1:20:12] could.

[1:20:12] >> melissa?

[1:20:13] >> through you warden, that can

[1:20:16]

[1:20:16] be the case.

[1:20:17] there is a cap of 25%.

[1:20:20] so we have to follow the rules.

[1:20:22] but if it is over 25% higher, then

[1:20:28] then we have discretion there

[1:20:29] where we wouldn't have to go with

[1:20:32] with the highest -- whoever is

[1:20:34]

[1:20:34] meeting the content criteria.

[1:20:36] but it does give them -- it

[1:20:39] won't always be the lowest cost

[1:20:42]

[1:20:42] moving forward with this.

[1:20:45] >> so just as a follow up, we

[1:20:48] could be spending more for a

[1:20:51] negligible difference -- or what

[1:20:53] I

[1:20:53] I would consider a negligible

[1:20:55] difference in the ontario

[1:20:59] content of a contract.

[1:21:02] is this set in stone?

[1:21:03] is this something that the

[1:21:05] province has said "we shall do

[1:21:08]

[1:21:08] this?"

[1:21:08] or is this something where

[1:21:10] council can take it on a case-by-case

[1:21:13] case-by-case basis and say the

[1:21:14]

[1:21:14] added cost is not justified by

[1:21:17] the increase in ontario content?

[1:21:20]

[1:21:20] >> through you warden, it is

[1:21:23] legislation, we do have to

[1:21:24] follow it.

[1:21:24] however, we are tracking if any

[1:21:28] of

[1:21:28] of this really affects us and we

[1:21:30]

[1:21:30] would come back to council with

[1:21:31] those higher dollar value ones.

[1:21:34]

[1:21:34] I believe our manager of

[1:21:36] procurement is here today, but

[1:21:37] I

[1:21:37] believe we have only had two or

[1:21:38] three go

[1:21:39] three go out so far and we

[1:21:41] haven't had that scenario where

[1:21:42] we are paying more for

[1:21:44] something. But it

[1:21:44] but it is a possibility for the

[1:21:46]

[1:21:46] future, we will be tracking

[1:21:47] these to make sure we are at least

[1:21:50] least having an eye on how much

[1:21:51] this is

[1:21:51] this is going to be moving

[1:21:52] forward, for budgets moving

[1:21:54] forward in the future because it

[1:21:56] is legislation

[1:21:56] is legislation and we do have to

[1:21:57]

[1:21:57] follow it. >>

[1:21:58] >> just one more, I'm sorry.

[1:22:00] just because locally, we have

[1:22:04] had something happen with this.

[1:22:07]

[1:22:07] will all of the bidders follow

[1:22:09]

[1:22:09] the same pattern?

[1:22:13] or will some take something into

[1:22:15] account

[1:22:15] account that another one might

[1:22:16]

[1:22:16] have missed?

[1:22:17] is that something that the

[1:22:18] administration is going to look

[1:22:20] at?

[1:22:20] because there could be a

[1:22:25] situation where the county

[1:22:26] includes a contingency of

[1:22:31] $200,000.01 contractor thinks

[1:22:32] well that qualifies for the buy ontario

[1:22:35] ontario where another one

[1:22:36] doesn't include that. Are

[1:22:37] are we going to be sure that

[1:22:39] when we get these, they have been

[1:22:41] been standardized and we have

[1:22:42] checked the math, so to speak?

[1:22:46]

[1:22:46] >> through you warden, so they

[1:22:48]

[1:22:48] do have to attest to the

[1:22:51] information that they are

[1:22:52] providing us with.

[1:22:53] there is nothing in the

[1:22:55] legislation that requires us to

[1:22:57]

[1:22:57] audit them.

[1:22:58] but they are attesting to if

[1:23:00] they are going to use -- we like

[1:23:03]

[1:23:03] these widgets, if they are going

[1:23:04]

[1:23:04] to use widgets and their

[1:23:06] construction and it is ontario

[1:23:07]

[1:23:07] or canadian, that we are assuming

[1:23:10] assuming that they are attesting

[1:23:11]

[1:23:11] that is true.

[1:23:12] there is nothing more that we

[1:23:14] would follow up, that is all.

[1:23:17] >> councillor prue?

[1:23:19] >> on exactly the same item, what

[1:23:21] what we have on our monday

[1:23:22] council meeting coming up is $165,000 and

[1:23:27] $165,000 and I can't find any

[1:23:28] difference.

[1:23:28] if there is, it is so minuscule that

[1:23:32] that it is beyond belief.

[1:23:34] what that equates to is $7 for

[1:23:36]

[1:23:36] every man, woman, and child in

[1:23:38] amherstburg having to pay that

[1:23:40]

[1:23:40] extra money.

[1:23:41] and the province doesn't want to

[1:23:43]

[1:23:43] reimburse us, they don't want to

[1:23:44]

[1:23:44] give us a single penny.

[1:23:46] so it means that every taxpayer

[1:23:47] is

[1:23:47] is going to pay $7 more than the

[1:23:51] lowest

[1:23:51] lowest bid to satisfy what, I

[1:23:53] don't know.

[1:23:55] and I don't think this

[1:23:56] legislation is very well thought

[1:23:59] out.

[1:23:59] maybe the county and maybe

[1:24:02] monday, when we get to this in

[1:24:04]

[1:24:04] our own council meeting, we should

[1:24:05] should send a pretty strong

[1:24:07] message off to the province that

[1:24:10]

[1:24:10] this runs contrary to everything

[1:24:12] that

[1:24:12] that municipalities have been

[1:24:13] doing for 20 years.

[1:24:14] looking for the lowest bidder,

[1:24:16]

[1:24:16] looking for the best value and

[1:24:19]

[1:24:19] going with that.

[1:24:21] because to just leave it out there,

[1:24:23] there, if we just leave this

[1:24:24] alone, it is going to cost the

[1:24:28]

[1:24:28] county, all of our seven

[1:24:30] constituents and municipalities

[1:24:32]

[1:24:32] and all 444 municipalities and

[1:24:36] ontario

[1:24:36] ontario sooner or later, are

[1:24:37] going to be bitten by this and

[1:24:38] get no value for a piece of

[1:24:41] legislation that doesn't work.

[1:24:45]

[1:24:45] so I don't know whether to make

[1:24:46]

[1:24:46] that motion, I guess I would

[1:24:47] have to make a notice of motion

[1:24:48]

[1:24:48] later today.

[1:24:49] maybe I will float it at

[1:24:51] amherstburg first and then come

[1:24:53]

[1:24:53] back to you, because I don't think

[1:24:56] think we can let this stand.

[1:24:57] I honestly think that this is

[1:25:00] really wrong.

[1:25:01] because for 50 years or so, the

[1:25:04]

[1:25:04] province of ontario has told us we

[1:25:05] we have to do the lowest bid.

[1:25:07] they also told us that we could

[1:25:11] not

[1:25:11] not differentiate between

[1:25:12] canadian and u.s. Buyers.

[1:25:14] if we had, especially when you

[1:25:16] live

[1:25:16] live near the border, you couldn't

[1:25:18] couldn't differentiate between

[1:25:19] the two.

[1:25:19] and that we had to take all bids

[1:25:21]

[1:25:21] on their face.

[1:25:23] and all of a sudden we have a

[1:25:25] diametrical 180-degree turn for

[1:25:35]

[1:25:35] no perceived value to us.

[1:25:38] >> madam cao?

[1:25:39] >> thank you warden.

[1:25:41] to your comments councillor

[1:25:44] prue, I think you are right in

[1:25:45] that

[1:25:45] that back I believe it was

[1:25:47] around 2017, maybe slightly earlier

[1:25:50] earlier than that, you will all

[1:25:51] recall the cft a..

[1:25:52] the requirement to recognize the

[1:25:55]

[1:25:55] global economy.

[1:25:57] and our inability to

[1:25:59] discriminate against global players

[1:26:02] players and you are seeing a

[1:26:03] reverse of that and a look

[1:26:05] towards ontario specifically.

[1:26:08] what I would recommend, and as

[1:26:09] director ryan has indicated, what

[1:26:11] what we are doing here at the

[1:26:12] county is statistically tracking

[1:26:13] the

[1:26:13] the impacts of this legislation

[1:26:15]

[1:26:15] on our budget.

[1:26:17] the recommendation is that each

[1:26:18] of

[1:26:18] of your locals do the same.

[1:26:21] and that we use that data to

[1:26:23] inform our advocacy at the

[1:26:24] provincial levels.

[1:26:27] I know certainly melissa meets

[1:26:29] with your prospective treasurers

[1:26:30]

[1:26:30] on a basis and this has been a

[1:26:33] topic of conversation.

[1:26:33] I know there has also been

[1:26:35] discussion around standardizing

[1:26:38] the

[1:26:38] the approach to the legislation.

[1:26:40]

[1:26:40] so definitely recommending this

[1:26:42] evening that each of the locals

[1:26:44] track the same way that the county

[1:26:45] county is, the data associated

[1:26:48] with

[1:26:48] with implementing this

[1:26:49] legislation so that we do have

[1:26:51] information armed to take that

[1:26:52] forward

[1:26:52] forward and add it to our advocacy

[1:26:55] advocacy campaign at the county

[1:26:56] level.

[1:26:56] as well as with each of you at

[1:26:58] the local level.

[1:27:01] >> councillor shapley?

[1:27:03] >> thank you and through you

[1:27:04] madam warden.

[1:27:07] deputy mayor and mayor prue --

[1:27:10] and

[1:27:10] and I've talked to a bunch of

[1:27:12] developers and guys that build,

[1:27:15] and it seems that there's a lot

[1:27:17] of

[1:27:17] of discrepancy with how we are

[1:27:20]

[1:27:20] accepting these proposals that

[1:27:22] are

[1:27:22] are coming in.

[1:27:23] and I guess what I'm wondering

[1:27:25] is in the event that one of them

[1:27:26]

[1:27:26] is in and someone attests to it,

[1:27:29] is

[1:27:29] is there a mechanism for someone

[1:27:31]

[1:27:31] to challenge that, that is also

[1:27:34]

[1:27:34] bidding to guarantee that they

[1:27:37] are

[1:27:37] are leading that level of

[1:27:41] ontario and then -- and if they

[1:27:44] were

[1:27:44] were attesting to something that

[1:27:45]

[1:27:45] maybe this person left out

[1:27:46] because they don't feel it was

[1:27:48]

[1:27:48] or whatever, I just think it is

[1:27:50]

[1:27:50] very -- it seems very messy to

[1:27:52]

[1:27:52] me.

[1:27:52] >> through you warden, they do

[1:27:57]

[1:27:57] have to attest to it.

[1:28:00] the approach that the county is

[1:28:01] taking

[1:28:01] taking right now is not to

[1:28:03] question anything.

[1:28:03] however, just like any rfp or

[1:28:05] rfp that goes out, if there is

[1:28:08] something

[1:28:08] something controversial that we will

[1:28:09] will look into, we will

[1:28:10] definitely look into that at

[1:28:11] that time, if that came about.

[1:28:14] but that as of right now, we are

[1:28:15] not

[1:28:15] not dedicating any resources to

[1:28:17] do more than they have attested

[1:28:18]

[1:28:18] to it, we are believing what

[1:28:20] they are attesting to and that is

[1:28:21] is how we are moving forward.

[1:28:22] but we can definitely look into

[1:28:23] something if someone thought

[1:28:24] something wasn't true.

[1:28:28] >> anything you would like to

[1:28:30] add to that?

[1:28:31] >> through you warden, there are

[1:28:33] mechanisms within the

[1:28:34] procurement policy and our

[1:28:36] procedures for proponents to

[1:28:39] object.

[1:28:39] there are mechanisms to that if

[1:28:40] someone did want to challenge how the

[1:28:42] how the decision was made.

[1:28:43] there is a process and a policy

[1:28:45]

[1:28:45] for that.

[1:28:47] >> no further questions then?

[1:28:49] there is a recommendation that

[1:28:51] the

[1:28:51] the administrative reports

[1:28:52] listed as items 11.1 through 11.4

[1:28:55] 11.4 listed on the consent

[1:28:57] agenda for august fifth, 2026,

[1:28:59]

[1:28:59] be received as information. Looking

[1:29:01] looking for a mover and a

[1:29:03] seconder.

[1:29:03] any discussion?

[1:29:08] I will ask you to vote

[1:29:10] electronically please.

[1:29:12] and that is a thumbs up for you,

[1:29:32]

[1:29:32] councillor?

[1:29:32] and that is carried, thank you.

[1:29:37]

[1:29:37] on to reports and questions, the

[1:29:40] first report

[1:29:40] first report is the strategic plan

[1:29:41] plan governance road map and the

[1:29:43]

[1:29:43] decision framework, over to you,

[1:29:45]

[1:29:45] madam cao.

[1:29:46] >> thank you warden, through you

[1:29:47]

[1:29:47] to county council.

[1:29:49] so this is a follow up report to

[1:29:52] work

[1:29:52] work that county council

[1:29:53] undertook earlier this year with

[1:29:55] the help of strategycorp.

[1:29:56] and as you recall, we met to look at

[1:29:59] look at where we were tracking

[1:30:00] on our strategic plan and build

[1:30:03] a road map

[1:30:03] a road map to take us into the

[1:30:04]

[1:30:04] next term of council.

[1:30:06] so attached to my report this evening

[1:30:07] evening is that road map, as

[1:30:09] summarized by strategycorp.

[1:30:11] I won't go into great detail, but

[1:30:13] but essentially that road map celebrated

[1:30:15] celebrated what we did achieve,

[1:30:17]

[1:30:17] recognized the challenges that

[1:30:18]

[1:30:18] we faced during the last three and a

[1:30:20] and a half years, and also

[1:30:23] helped us solidify what things

[1:30:25] will

[1:30:25] will be moving into the next

[1:30:27] term of council. One

[1:30:28] one of the key discussions we had

[1:30:30] had that day, surrounded beefing

[1:30:32]

[1:30:32] up our ability to sequence and

[1:30:36] prioritize and filter the things

[1:30:39] that come across our table in

[1:30:40] terms of opportunities and

[1:30:42] challenges.

[1:30:42] and also attached to the report

[1:30:44] this evening in the second

[1:30:46] appendix is strategycorp

[1:30:49] decision filter matrix proposal.

[1:30:52] and

[1:30:52] and this has been vetted by the

[1:30:53] senior

[1:30:53] senior leadership team and we do

[1:30:55]

[1:30:55] feel that it fully encompasses

[1:30:57]

[1:30:57] the various components of decision

[1:30:59] decision making that we do need

[1:31:01] to make sure we satisfy before

[1:31:05]

[1:31:05] projects become more squarely on

[1:31:07]

[1:31:07] the plate of administration from

[1:31:09] a

[1:31:09] a resource perspective.

[1:31:10] so you will see in that filter

[1:31:12]

[1:31:12] matrix, seven different

[1:31:14] categories that we are making

[1:31:15] sure that we detail and ask ourselves

[1:31:19] ourselves as we go through.

[1:31:20] the first one is does it meet the

[1:31:22] the strategic plan in the first

[1:31:23] place, step one.

[1:31:26] the second is surrounding

[1:31:27] regional benefit and the

[1:31:28] conversation of does this impact

[1:31:32] us at

[1:31:32] us at the county level, is it

[1:31:34] our lane?

[1:31:35] the third is funding.

[1:31:36] we can't ignore how things are

[1:31:38]

[1:31:38] paid for.

[1:31:39] so making sure we have a thought

[1:31:40]

[1:31:40] for that in the early stages of our

[1:31:43] our prioritization is important.

[1:31:46]

[1:31:46] sustainability.

[1:31:46] if we undertake something today,

[1:31:48]

[1:31:48] can we make sure we can sustain

[1:31:50] it

[1:31:50] it responsibly going forward?

[1:31:53] capacity.

[1:31:53] do we have resources enough to

[1:31:55] get this off the ground? Will

[1:31:58] will we need more?

[1:31:59] is there awareness around what

[1:32:00] that looks like, how we would

[1:32:01] fund it?

[1:32:04] and the trade off decision of if

[1:32:05]

[1:32:05] we have capacity and we use it

[1:32:07] for a certain initiative, are we

[1:32:09]

[1:32:09] okay with the opportunity cost

[1:32:10] of

[1:32:10] of not having that capacity for

[1:32:12]

[1:32:12] something else?

[1:32:14] jurisdiction again ties in to

[1:32:15] the regional benefit of should

[1:32:17] it

[1:32:17] it be in our lane, but more importantly

[1:32:19] importantly to our other levels

[1:32:20] of

[1:32:20] of government perhaps,

[1:32:22] responsible or looking into it

[1:32:23] and

[1:32:23] and making sure we are not

[1:32:24] duplicating or overlapping our

[1:32:26]

[1:32:26] efforts.

[1:32:26] and finally for a timing and

[1:32:29] urgency perspective, this is

[1:32:30] something that we want to be more

[1:32:33] more intentional about in terms

[1:32:34] of that

[1:32:34] of that sequencing feedback we

[1:32:35]

[1:32:35] got from county council.

[1:32:37] what is important today, tomorrow

[1:32:39] tomorrow and into the future?

[1:32:42] what can we hold off on, what

[1:32:43] are things that we need to

[1:32:45] prioritize?

[1:32:45] and understanding the timing of

[1:32:49] things.

[1:32:49] what we can achieve with a

[1:32:52] certain.

[1:32:52] and let's not overpromise and

[1:32:59] under-deliver, let's do the

[1:33:01] opposite and under-promising and

[1:33:02] overdelivering.

[1:33:02] that has a timing and urgency component

[1:33:06] component consideration to it as

[1:33:07]

[1:33:07] well.

[1:33:07] so this evening, for council's

[1:33:10] information, we are looking to

[1:33:12]

[1:33:12] have council approve this decision

[1:33:13] decision matrix and if it does

[1:33:14]

[1:33:14] approve this evening, we would

[1:33:16]

[1:33:16] be appending it to our formal

[1:33:19] strategic plan and posting it publicly

[1:33:20] publicly on our website.

[1:33:22] and using it and integrating it

[1:33:23] the way we have our strategic

[1:33:25] plan more broadly into our

[1:33:27] administrative decision making,

[1:33:29]

[1:33:29] budget setting and reporting out

[1:33:30]

[1:33:30] to council.

[1:33:31] and with that, I would be happy

[1:33:33] to

[1:33:33] to answer any questions. >>

[1:33:35] >> thank you madam cao.

[1:33:36] questions?

[1:33:36] councillor bailey?

[1:33:40] >> thank you warden and through

[1:33:42] you, more of a comment.

[1:33:43] I'm thrilled to see it, this is

[1:33:46] one of

[1:33:46] one of those decision tree matrixes

[1:33:47] matrixes that I have been

[1:33:48] begging for, it aligns really

[1:33:50] nicely, very well done.

[1:33:51] 10 out of 10, 12 out of 10,

[1:33:53] can't wait to see it on the

[1:33:55] place mat.

[1:33:57] I think it is just brilliant

[1:33:59] because it creates this

[1:34:00] foundational document that helps

[1:34:02] us

[1:34:02] us make decisions but doesn't align

[1:34:05] align with an emotional response

[1:34:08] or the other things that kind of

[1:34:09] weigh on you.

[1:34:10] so it brings evidence, I think,

[1:34:13]

[1:34:13] to decision making and lets us build

[1:34:14] build foundational response when

[1:34:17] chambers

[1:34:17] chambers may be full and maybe

[1:34:18] it's

[1:34:18] it's not a popular decision, but

[1:34:20] we have run it through this funnel

[1:34:21] funnel and we recognize that we

[1:34:22] have this foundation to support

[1:34:25] us

[1:34:25] us through difficult decision making.

[1:34:26] us through difficult decision making.

[1:34:26] hats off, hats off, hats off and

[1:34:29]

[1:34:29] thank you.

[1:34:29] >> councillor bondi?

[1:34:31] >> thank you warden macdonald.

[1:34:33]

[1:34:33] I also really like it, I want to

[1:34:35]

[1:34:35] take it back to my local to help

[1:34:37] streamline the work there.

[1:34:38] my one question is, does it

[1:34:40] allow for some flexibility in

[1:34:42] case something comes up?

[1:34:43] for example, about a year ago we

[1:34:45]

[1:34:45] probably didn't think we would

[1:34:46]

[1:34:46] be talking about data centres

[1:34:47] tonight.

[1:34:47] I am glad we are, we are

[1:34:51] responding to the residents.

[1:34:52] so I love it.

[1:34:53] but sometimes things come up and

[1:34:55] I still

[1:34:55] I still want us to be able to be

[1:34:56] responsive.

[1:34:56] >> through you warden,

[1:35:00] definitely. As

[1:35:00] as you saw with data centres, the effort

[1:35:03] the effort that we are going to

[1:35:04] be doing, it wasn't on our radar

[1:35:05] when we set our strategic plan,

[1:35:07]

[1:35:07] but now we have incorporated it.

[1:35:10]

[1:35:10] nothing about this decision

[1:35:11] filter would prohibit ideas or

[1:35:15] concepts that administration believes

[1:35:16] believes should come to this

[1:35:18] table.

[1:35:18] but it does give a framework to

[1:35:20] help

[1:35:20] help council and administration

[1:35:22]

[1:35:22] prioritize whether we act or whether

[1:35:24] whether we put it on a shelf and

[1:35:25]

[1:35:25] hold.

[1:35:25] >> councillor shapley?

[1:35:28] >> through you madam warden, I

[1:35:30] like it.

[1:35:31] I really just had one question and

[1:35:32] and I'm sure you've got a great

[1:35:33]

[1:35:33] answer for it and I'm sure you

[1:35:35]

[1:35:35] already know, but when we are

[1:35:37] looking at that regional aspect

[1:35:39] and if one municipality is

[1:35:41] negatively affected by that same

[1:35:43] information will come to us, so while

[1:35:45] while we were making that regional

[1:35:46] regional decision, we also realized

[1:35:47] realized the burden that we could

[1:35:48] could possibly be placing on any

[1:35:51] individual municipality. >>

[1:35:53] >> through you warden, yes.

[1:35:54] and it is important that all

[1:35:55] reports from administration are

[1:35:57]

[1:35:57] balanced.

[1:35:57] that we give you the information

[1:35:59]

[1:35:59] you need to hear, not the information

[1:36:01] information we think you want to

[1:36:02] hear.

[1:36:02] so that is our commitment and giving you

[1:36:04] giving you the full picture.

[1:36:07] when we talk about a regional benefit

[1:36:10] benefit and one of the guiding

[1:36:11]

[1:36:11] principles as well is that on the

[1:36:14] the whole, we are looking to

[1:36:15] benefit the municipality, that

[1:36:19]

[1:36:19] may result in some things

[1:36:20] benefiting a local more or less.

[1:36:22] and again, the transparency around

[1:36:24] around what that looks like needs

[1:36:25] needs to be presented publicly

[1:36:26]

[1:36:26] and to council.

[1:36:28] it doesn't mean everyone will

[1:36:29] have equal benefit, but a

[1:36:31] commitment from this

[1:36:32] administration that you will get

[1:36:33]

[1:36:33] the full, unadulterated picture

[1:36:36] of

[1:36:36] of what an issue will impact the

[1:36:38]

[1:36:38] region.

[1:36:38] >> anyone else?

[1:36:43] in that case, there is a

[1:36:45] recommendation that council

[1:36:47] received the report as

[1:36:48] information and that council

[1:36:51] approved the decision filter

[1:36:53] framework.

[1:36:53] moved by councillor deyong and

[1:36:57]

[1:36:57] seconded.

[1:36:57] any further discussion?

[1:37:00] seeing none, then I will ask you

[1:37:02]

[1:37:02] to vote electronically please.

[1:37:05]

[1:37:05] and that is a thumbs up from

[1:37:20] you, councillor?

[1:37:21] thank you. And

[1:37:24] and that is carried.

[1:37:25] thank you.

[1:37:28] next up, we have the interim

[1:37:32] treasurer services, again, over

[1:37:34] to

[1:37:34] to you, madam cao.

[1:37:36] >> thank you warden, through you

[1:37:37]

[1:37:37] to county council.

[1:37:39] a colleague of mine, sonya

[1:37:40] pritchard who was the cao for a

[1:37:43] different county as retired.

[1:37:46] historically, a different county has

[1:37:47] has been the municipality,

[1:37:49] recently to offer the financial

[1:37:51]

[1:37:51] back of house services for the

[1:37:53]

[1:37:53] western ontario caucus.

[1:37:56] it has come to be known to me,

[1:37:58]

[1:37:58] that I believe I am now the only

[1:38:00] cao

[1:38:00] cao who also has a cpa as an

[1:38:03] accountant.

[1:38:03] so I got a tap on the shoulder,

[1:38:07]

[1:38:07] would I be interested in

[1:38:09] temporarily taking on sonya's role

[1:38:12] role while they determine a more

[1:38:14]

[1:38:14] permanent solution.

[1:38:15] so recognizing that that is a workload

[1:38:19] workload commitment and I

[1:38:20] believe the report indicates the

[1:38:22]

[1:38:22] time, it is not huge, but there

[1:38:24]

[1:38:24] is some associated with taking

[1:38:26] on

[1:38:26] on the financial records for the

[1:38:29]

[1:38:29] caucus, it would involve

[1:38:31] processing some nominal

[1:38:32] transactions and maybe obtaining

[1:38:34]

[1:38:34] the records, monitoring revenues

[1:38:36] and

[1:38:36] and expenditures, preparing financial

[1:38:38] financial information for the

[1:38:38] board as required, coordinating

[1:38:40]

[1:38:40] with auditors and financial

[1:38:41] institutions and providing

[1:38:43] general financial administrative

[1:38:45]

[1:38:45] report, all of which I am quite

[1:38:46]

[1:38:46] familiar with.

[1:38:48] and so looking to try to help

[1:38:49] the western ontario wardens

[1:38:52] caucus in that way in that

[1:39:00] scenario, wowc would like that

[1:39:01]

[1:39:01] to be more permanent, that could

[1:39:02] also be something I would bring

[1:39:03] back

[1:39:03] back to this group.

[1:39:07] and I believe that because of

[1:39:19] the nominal nature of the work,

[1:39:21]

[1:39:21] that is something that I can have

[1:39:24] have conversations with the executive

[1:39:25] executive director on.

[1:39:27] in the county, when we get into

[1:39:29] service

[1:39:29] service arrangements, would like

[1:39:30]

[1:39:30] to document them and have them

[1:39:31]

[1:39:31] codified in agreement so that

[1:39:32] all parties are clear.

[1:39:34] so while we are not recommending

[1:39:35]

[1:39:35] that at this stage, if this was

[1:39:37] something

[1:39:37] something that would become more

[1:39:38] permanent, I would be bringing

[1:39:39] that back to council with likely

[1:39:41] a

[1:39:41] a recommendation that it be

[1:39:43] formalized in an agreement to

[1:39:45] protect both parties.

[1:39:48] and we ask that you support the

[1:39:52]

[1:39:52] interim position and if there are

[1:39:54] are any questions, I would be

[1:39:55] happy to answer them.

[1:39:57] >> questions?

[1:39:58] councillor deyong? >>

[1:40:01] >> what does that mean temporary?

[1:40:02] >> what does that mean temporary?

[1:40:02] six months, two years?

[1:40:04] just curious what the timeline

[1:40:06]

[1:40:06] is. >>

[1:40:07] >> through you warden, that is

[1:40:09] a

[1:40:09] good question.

[1:40:11] I'm guessing this will go to the

[1:40:15] next

[1:40:15] next caucus meeting, which I

[1:40:16] believe is friday.

[1:40:18] so I hope to have more

[1:40:20] information after that.

[1:40:23] >> anyone else?

[1:40:25] in that case there is a

[1:40:26] recommendation that council

[1:40:27] received the report as information

[1:40:28] information and that council

[1:40:29] authorizes the cao to provide

[1:40:32] interim treasurer services to

[1:40:33] the western ontario wardens

[1:40:35] caucus until such time as wowc

[1:40:39]

[1:40:39] appoints a permanent treasurer.

[1:40:41]

[1:40:41] moved and seconded.

[1:40:43] any other discussion?

[1:40:46] seeing none, I will ask you to

[1:40:48] vote

[1:40:48] vote electronically please.

[1:40:50] and councillor mcnamara is in

[1:40:52] favour.

[1:40:52] and that is carried, thank you

[1:41:12] .

[1:41:12] next we have the information

[1:41:15] technology services of the 2025 annual

[1:41:19] annual departmental update. Turning

[1:41:21] turning it over to daryl, our

[1:41:22] director of information

[1:41:23] technology services.

[1:41:24] daryl?

[1:41:24] >> thank you.

[1:41:26] and through you warden, to

[1:41:28] county council, I would like to

[1:41:29] walk you through the it

[1:41:30] department's 2025 annual report.

[1:41:33]

[1:41:33] where technology stands, what we

[1:41:35] have

[1:41:35] have accomplished in 2025, and

[1:41:37] to

[1:41:37] to give a glimpse into where we

[1:41:38]

[1:41:38] are headed next.

[1:41:40] first, I want to acknowledge the

[1:41:41]

[1:41:41] work of the it team in 2025.

[1:41:44] I am incredibly proud of what this

[1:41:45] this team has been able to

[1:41:47] accomplish in their dedication

[1:41:50] to

[1:41:50] to the work of the county.

[1:41:52] 2025 was a big year on the

[1:41:54] security front.

[1:41:55] at the beginning of the year we

[1:41:57] implemented our detection and response

[1:41:59] response service in partnership

[1:42:00] with tell

[1:42:00] with tell us and field effect.

[1:42:03] almost immediately, it allowed

[1:42:04] our

[1:42:04] our team to flag high priority

[1:42:06]

[1:42:06] threats roughly every ten days

[1:42:08]

[1:42:08] and monitor approximately 430

[1:42:10] devices around the clock.

[1:42:12] additionally, through our

[1:42:15] programme, the it team delivered

[1:42:18] mandatory

[1:42:18] mandatory cybersecurity awareness

[1:42:20] awareness campaigns to county

[1:42:21] staff with full compliance on

[1:42:23] all training requirements.

[1:42:26] on the service side, our team

[1:42:28] supported more than 1100 users,

[1:42:30]

[1:42:30] over 800 devices and 17

[1:42:33] locations, resolving more than

[1:42:36] 6400

[1:42:36] 6400 requests in 2025, most

[1:42:39] within eight business hours.

[1:42:42] he also modernized how the

[1:42:44] county works.

[1:42:46] the microsoft 365 rollout

[1:42:51] including 5.6 million emails and

[1:42:52] files to the file.

[1:42:54] including -- improving security,

[1:42:56] enabling

[1:42:56] enabling synchronous

[1:42:57] collaboration and cutting

[1:42:58] approximately 144 hours of annual

[1:43:02] annual management.

[1:43:03] in the fall, it invites a ten week

[1:43:06] week competition based project

[1:43:08] between

[1:43:08] between departments, removed

[1:43:10] more than 787000 outdated

[1:43:14] records, freeing up over two

[1:43:15] terabytes of storage.

[1:43:17] and behind the scenes, it kept

[1:43:20] 21

[1:43:20] 21 council meetings running,

[1:43:22] mostly smoothly.

[1:43:23] supported emergency and

[1:43:24] community events and

[1:43:25] reestablished regular

[1:43:26] collaboration with the regional

[1:43:28]

[1:43:28] municipal partners.

[1:43:29] I would be remiss not to

[1:43:31] acknowledge the technical

[1:43:32] difficulties we have experienced

[1:43:33] over

[1:43:33] over the last few months and I

[1:43:36] want you to know we are working

[1:43:37] towards long term solutions for

[1:43:39]

[1:43:39] our 2027 budget.

[1:43:41] looking ahead, our biggest challenge

[1:43:43] challenge isn't a single threat,

[1:43:44]

[1:43:44] it is pace and scope.

[1:43:46] artificial intelligence is moving

[1:43:48] moving faster than governance

[1:43:49] can keep up, and only about a third of

[1:43:52] third of our workforce currently

[1:43:53] received cybersecurity awareness

[1:43:55]

[1:43:55] training.

[1:43:55] we are planning to address these

[1:43:57] gaps in the 2027 budget as well.

[1:44:00]

[1:44:00] the information you will find in

[1:44:02] the appendix helps summarize the

[1:44:04]

[1:44:04] future vision of the I.t.

[1:44:06] organization for the county.

[1:44:08] it lays out a path from where it

[1:44:10]

[1:44:10] sits today, centrally setting

[1:44:12] security and systems standards

[1:44:15]

[1:44:15] while selection and

[1:44:16] administration stays primarily

[1:44:18] in each department.

[1:44:20] towards a fully centralized

[1:44:22] model, one set of standards, one

[1:44:24] set of systems and one department

[1:44:27] department accountable for

[1:44:27] security, performance and

[1:44:29] governance end-to-end, allowing

[1:44:31] our

[1:44:31] our systems to become less de

[1:44:33] optimized and more optimized.

[1:44:35] all of this was delivered by a

[1:44:38] lean team of ten.

[1:44:41] finally, thank you to our network

[1:44:44] network administrator and our

[1:44:45] interim city manager for doing

[1:44:47] much of the legwork on this

[1:44:49] report.

[1:44:49] I thank you for your time and the

[1:44:52] the opportunity to share this

[1:44:52] with you and I'm happy to take

[1:44:54]

[1:44:54] any questions.

[1:44:55] >> thank you daryl.

[1:44:57] any questions?

[1:45:00] >> I don't really have a question

[1:45:05] question but a statement.

[1:45:06] I was expecting a really long

[1:45:08] presentation, because there was

[1:45:09] a

[1:45:09] a lot of attachments.

[1:45:10] so great presentation, it was very

[1:45:12] very informative. Seeing

[1:45:14] seeing some of those numbers are

[1:45:15] very

[1:45:15] very staggering.

[1:45:17] you guys really have a hold on

[1:45:19] that

[1:45:19] that department, congratulations

[1:45:20] to you

[1:45:20] to you and the team. >> thank you

[1:45:21] >> thank you very much.

[1:45:23] >> expecting it to be a lot more

[1:45:25] boring, you did a great job.

[1:45:27] >> I will keep that in mind. >>

[1:45:30] >> seriously.

[1:45:30] I go back to what councillor meloche

[1:45:33] meloche said, really interesting

[1:45:34]

[1:45:34] information.

[1:45:34] really, when I thought it came

[1:45:36] up before I read it, I thought

[1:45:38] this

[1:45:38] this is a yawning, but it

[1:45:40] wasn't.

[1:45:40] this is interesting, thank you

[1:45:42]

[1:45:42] for that.

[1:45:43] and kudos to your department. >> thank you

[1:45:45] >> thank you very much.

[1:45:46] I'm happy to hear it wasn't bad.

[1:45:49]

[1:45:49] [laughs]

[1:45:49] >> so with that, anyone else? There

[1:45:54] there is a recommendation that

[1:45:55] council receive the report as

[1:45:57] information.

[1:45:57] moved by councillor prue,

[1:46:01] seconded by councillor shipley.

[1:46:03] any discussion?

[1:46:04] I will ask you to vote

[1:46:05] electronically please.

[1:46:08] thank you for the thumbs up councillor

[1:46:17] councillor mcnamara.

[1:46:19] next we have the residential

[1:46:38] services homes report we have our

[1:46:46] our manager of community

[1:46:47] services, over to you.

[1:46:51] >> good evening warden and

[1:46:57] members of county council.

[1:46:58] the purpose of my report this

[1:47:01] evening is to seek county council

[1:47:03] council approval to enter into

[1:47:05] a

[1:47:05] service agreement with a group

[1:47:11]

[1:47:11] that intends to purchase one of their

[1:47:15] their service homes providers.

[1:47:17]

[1:47:17] new beginnings rest home is

[1:47:19] located in leamington and is

[1:47:21] currently operating as a

[1:47:23] residential services home and a

[1:47:25] retirement home.

[1:47:27] they provide residential care to

[1:47:29] a

[1:47:29] a total of 45 residents, 36 of

[1:47:33] whom are subsidized by the

[1:47:35] county.

[1:47:35] the home is also registered with

[1:47:39] a

[1:47:39] a retirement home regulatory

[1:47:42] authority, which provides

[1:47:44] oversight of the private pay residents

[1:47:45] residents that are not supported

[1:47:47] and

[1:47:47] and subsidized by the county.

[1:47:50] in june of 2026 the county was

[1:47:53] advised

[1:47:53] advised that the current owner

[1:47:54] of new

[1:47:54] of new beginnings rest home had

[1:47:57] accepted a conditional offer

[1:48:01] from khanda nand inc., with two of the

[1:48:03] of the outstanding conditions

[1:48:05] being the rh a. Licensing and

[1:48:08] county approval.

[1:48:09] the buyer initiated a meeting with

[1:48:11] with the county stating its

[1:48:12] intent to purchase the property

[1:48:15] and

[1:48:15] and confirming its desire to continue

[1:48:17] continue operating the home as

[1:48:18] part of the residential services

[1:48:20]

[1:48:20] homes programme.

[1:48:22] the county met with a buyer on

[1:48:25] two

[1:48:25] two occasions to review the

[1:48:26] intentions and long term plan

[1:48:29] related to the purchase of the

[1:48:31]

[1:48:31] property.

[1:48:31] during these meetings it was

[1:48:33] confirmed that there will be no

[1:48:35] disruptions to the care provided

[1:48:39] to

[1:48:39] to the residents that live

[1:48:41] there.

[1:48:41] in addition, the buyer has confirmed

[1:48:44] confirmed that they will

[1:48:45] contract with the current owner

[1:48:49]

[1:48:49] to continue operating the home

[1:48:50]

[1:48:50] for a.

[1:48:50] of three months, to transition

[1:48:54]

[1:48:54] and to ensure current

[1:48:55] functioning and consistency and

[1:48:57] care to the residents.

[1:48:59] in addition, being that the home

[1:49:01]

[1:49:01] is a registered retirement home,

[1:49:03]

[1:49:03] the buyer had to meet various

[1:49:05] educational and staffing

[1:49:06] requirements in order to be approved

[1:49:08] approved for their license.

[1:49:10] they have been informed

[1:49:12] verbally, as of today, that they

[1:49:13] have met all requirements and

[1:49:17] are awaiting receipt of the

[1:49:18] official license.

[1:49:20] there are no financial impacts

[1:49:22] to

[1:49:22] to the community services budget

[1:49:23] to

[1:49:23] to enter into an agreement with

[1:49:24] the new owner once the sale of the

[1:49:26] the home is finalized.

[1:49:28] with that, I am happy to take

[1:49:31] any questions. >>

[1:49:32] >> thank you.

[1:49:32] questions?

[1:49:32] councillor shapley?

[1:49:35] >> thank you and through you

[1:49:36] madam warden.

[1:49:37] I'm just wondering?

[1:49:40] with this being a new company,

[1:49:41]

[1:49:41] they don't really have a new track record

[1:49:42] track record for you to fall

[1:49:43] back on. What

[1:49:46] what is the administration's confidence

[1:49:48] confidence level with them and

[1:49:53] --

[1:49:53] -- what else was there?

[1:49:54] I guess that's about it.

[1:49:59] they already said there would be

[1:50:01] no

[1:50:01] no interruptions for the

[1:50:02] residents.

[1:50:02] I'm just wondering if you can

[1:50:05] speak to any track record or anything

[1:50:08] anything to help you come to

[1:50:11] that. >>

[1:50:13] >> really good question.

[1:50:14] as I mentioned in my speaking

[1:50:15] notes, we had a few meetings with

[1:50:18] with the new owner to discuss

[1:50:21] their skills, their experience,

[1:50:22]

[1:50:22] what their plans are.

[1:50:25] and one thing I didn't include

[1:50:28] in my speaking notes, was that

[1:50:30]

[1:50:30] all three family members that

[1:50:31] will be heavily involved in

[1:50:32] operating the home have

[1:50:34] experience in working within or

[1:50:38]

[1:50:38] helping operate similar

[1:50:39] facilities in other regions.

[1:50:43] being specifically in

[1:50:45] saskatchewan and also the u.k.

[1:50:49]

[1:50:49] one of the owners is a

[1:50:51] pharmacist by trade, and his wife

[1:50:55] wife is a registered health care

[1:50:57]

[1:50:57] professional.

[1:50:57] and the daughter who hopes to

[1:51:01] eventually be the sole owner, is

[1:51:06] currently

[1:51:06] currently undertaking her nursing

[1:51:07] nursing degree at the local

[1:51:08] university.

[1:51:08] so we did our due diligence in

[1:51:15]

[1:51:15] vetting the expertise and the

[1:51:17] skills and experience of.

[1:51:19] the other thing we did is we

[1:51:21] reviewed our -- we always do this

[1:51:22] this if there is a new

[1:51:24] ownership, we review our

[1:51:26] programme standards.

[1:51:27] we will continue monitoring the

[1:51:29] home, usually when we have a new

[1:51:31]

[1:51:31] operator, we ensure that we

[1:51:34] continue our due diligence with

[1:51:36]

[1:51:36] regular visits and ensuring that

[1:51:37]

[1:51:37] all of our standards are being

[1:51:39]

[1:51:39] met.

[1:51:39] >> thank you for that, I'm glad

[1:51:41] to

[1:51:41] to hear it will remain open,

[1:51:43] thank you.

[1:51:44] >> anyone else?

[1:51:47] councillor meloche. >>

[1:51:48] >> in your report you do mention

[1:51:50] that there

[1:51:50] that there will be no

[1:51:51] disruptions to the care being

[1:51:53] provided to residents. But

[1:51:54] but then at the end of that

[1:51:55] paragraph, does mention that

[1:51:56] they are going to keep a portion

[1:51:58] of

[1:51:58] of the current staff.

[1:52:01] is that a reduction in service

[1:52:03] or why would we see such a

[1:52:04] change in staff.

[1:52:05] that is something that can

[1:52:07] disrupt obviously, the home.

[1:52:10] >> thank you for your question

[1:52:13] and

[1:52:13] and through you warden.

[1:52:14] any time there is a change in

[1:52:16] ownership, with one of our

[1:52:19] homes, the old owner has to lay

[1:52:22]

[1:52:22] off staff and the new owner has

[1:52:24] to

[1:52:24] to rehire the staff.

[1:52:27] so their plan is to keep a large

[1:52:31]

[1:52:31] portion of the staff and then rehire

[1:52:34] rehire to fill the gaps the

[1:52:37] level of staffing will not

[1:52:41] change and in fact one of the

[1:52:42] requirements for the hra is for

[1:52:46]

[1:52:46] them to hire a manager of the

[1:52:50] home that had extensive

[1:52:52] expertise in running retirement

[1:52:55]

[1:52:55] homes or in working within a

[1:52:56] retirement home environment.

[1:52:59] they had very extensive questions

[1:53:04] questions and the process was very

[1:53:06] very thorough for them to

[1:53:09] approve who would be managing the

[1:53:11] the home as well.

[1:53:13] so we verified the level of

[1:53:15] service, that is the standard

[1:53:16] with our programme standards.

[1:53:19] so they are not going to be able

[1:53:21]

[1:53:21] to reduce that.

[1:53:24] and we hope that the more staff

[1:53:27]

[1:53:27] they can keep, the better for

[1:53:29] consistency of care and for the

[1:53:31]

[1:53:31] residents.

[1:53:31] but that remains to be seen of who

[1:53:35] who the actual staff will be at

[1:53:37] the end.

[1:53:40] >> thank you.

[1:53:42] natasha?

[1:53:42] >> through you warden, I might

[1:53:45] just

[1:53:45] just add for comfort of council

[1:53:47]

[1:53:47] and those listening to night, that while

[1:53:51] that while it is not the same,

[1:53:52]

[1:53:52] it is similar to expectations you may

[1:53:53] you may see in long term care.

[1:53:55]

[1:53:55] in that they are a regulated

[1:53:57] organization and are specific to

[1:53:59] ontario

[1:53:59] ontario as a form of quality of

[1:54:00] care, staffing, medication

[1:54:02] administration, policies,

[1:54:04] practices, best practice

[1:54:05] guidelines.

[1:54:05] they are in compliance with what

[1:54:08]

[1:54:08] we would expect to see in a

[1:54:11] regulated health environment,

[1:54:12] just wanted to add that,

[1:54:14] thank you. >> thank you.

[1:54:15] thank you. >> thank you.

[1:54:15] no one else?

[1:54:18] then there is a recommendation

[1:54:19]

[1:54:19] that council receive the report

[1:54:21] as information

[1:54:21] as information and that council

[1:54:22] authorizes the warden and clerk

[1:54:24]

[1:54:24] to execute a service agreement

[1:54:28]

[1:54:28] with khanda nand inc. At 106

[1:54:31] talbot street leamington as part

[1:54:33] of

[1:54:33] of the county's residential

[1:54:34] services homes programme upon

[1:54:35] completion of the purchase of

[1:54:37] that property.

[1:54:38] moved by councillor meloche,

[1:54:41] seconded by deputy warden.

[1:54:43] any further discussion?

[1:54:45] I will ask you to vote

[1:54:46] electronically please.

[1:54:49] and again, councillor

[1:54:57] mcnamara, thumbs up?

[1:54:58] thank you.

[1:55:01] and that is carried, thank you

[1:55:08] .

[1:55:08] next we have the 2026 build

[1:55:11] communities strong fund,

[1:55:13] community stream funding

[1:55:14] allocation.

[1:55:14] for that report we have melissa

[1:55:17]

[1:55:17] ryan, our director of financial

[1:55:19] services and our treasurer.

[1:55:20] melissa?

[1:55:20] >> thank you warden.

[1:55:22] through uinta county council.

[1:55:24] this report deals with the

[1:55:25] allocation of funding received

[1:55:26] through

[1:55:26] through the building communities

[1:55:28]

[1:55:28] strong fund or bcsf.

[1:55:30] so members of council will know

[1:55:31] this programme by its previous

[1:55:32]

[1:55:32] name, which was the canada

[1:55:34] community building fund.

[1:55:37] the name was changed by the

[1:55:38] programme and the funding

[1:55:39] continues in the same way.

[1:55:40] consistent with council's historical

[1:55:42] historical approach,

[1:55:42] administration is recommending

[1:55:43] that the county retain 20% or

[1:55:46] just over 2.5 million of the regional

[1:55:48] regional allocation and to

[1:55:50] distribute 80% or just under 3.8 million to

[1:55:53] 3.8 million to the seven local

[1:55:54] municipalities located based on

[1:55:57] the 2021 census data as shown in

[1:55:58] appendix a, attached to the

[1:56:00] report.

[1:56:00] so the funding continues to

[1:56:03] support eligible community

[1:56:04] infrastructure projects across

[1:56:05]

[1:56:05] the county and local

[1:56:06] municipalities.

[1:56:06] the allocation remains unchanged

[1:56:11]

[1:56:11] to 2025 but looking ahead, the

[1:56:14]

[1:56:14] county has received future

[1:56:16] allocations in both 2027 and 2028 as

[1:56:19] 2028 as anticipated. And

[1:56:21] and with that I will take any

[1:56:23] questions. >> speaker-09:

[1:56:24] >> speaker-09: thank you

[1:56:24] melissa, questions for our

[1:56:26] treasurer?

[1:56:26] >> thank you warden question, why

[1:56:33] why is it still based on the 2020

[1:56:36] 2020 census?

[1:56:36] will that kick in next year

[1:56:37] annually? Or

[1:56:37] or do they anticipate when the

[1:56:39]

[1:56:39] updated census numbers will come

[1:56:41]

[1:56:41] out?

[1:56:41] >> that's just historically what

[1:56:45] we have used here.

[1:56:49] so we have used that when we do

[1:56:52] this

[1:56:52] this report to council again, to

[1:56:53]

[1:56:53] make the choice.

[1:56:54] >> very good, thank you.

[1:56:57] >> no further questions, then there

[1:56:59] there is a recommendation that

[1:57:00]

[1:57:00] council approve the report and

[1:57:03] the

[1:57:03] the accompanying bylaw

[1:57:05] number 2026-30 at the

[1:57:07] appropriate time.

[1:57:09] moved by councillor rogers

[1:57:11] seconded by councillor gibb.

[1:57:14] and thumbs up from councillor

[1:57:23] mcnamara.

[1:57:23] and that is carried.

[1:57:32] next we have the establishment

[1:57:37]

[1:57:37] of a state of good repair, life

[1:57:39]

[1:57:39] cycle reserve, again coming back

[1:57:40] to our treasurer.

[1:57:43] director of finance, melissa

[1:57:44] ryan.

[1:57:44] melissa?

[1:57:44] >> thank you warden, through

[1:57:47] uinta county council.

[1:57:49] this report establishes the

[1:57:51] framework needed before 2027 budget

[1:57:53] budget deliberations begin in

[1:57:55] december.

[1:57:55] so administration is

[1:57:57] recommending the creation of a

[1:57:58] dedicated state of good repair

[1:58:00]

[1:58:00] life cycle reserve for county

[1:58:02] roads, bridges and culverts.

[1:58:03] this does not require council to contribute

[1:58:05] contribute any new funding

[1:58:06] today.

[1:58:06] the reserve would be established

[1:58:08]

[1:58:08] with a zero balance so there is

[1:58:10] no

[1:58:10] no impact to the 2026 budget.

[1:58:12] historically, the county has levy funded

[1:58:14] levy funded the state of good

[1:58:15] repair work directly through the

[1:58:17]

[1:58:17] annual capital budget.

[1:58:18] going forward, the intent is to

[1:58:21]

[1:58:21] continue levy funding the work

[1:58:22] but

[1:58:22] but instead of allocating those

[1:58:23] dollars

[1:58:23] dollars to be spent in a single

[1:58:26]

[1:58:26] year, the funding would be

[1:58:27] transferred into this reserve

[1:58:28] and drawn from as eligible rehab

[1:58:31]

[1:58:31] projects moving forward.

[1:58:32] so if there are funds remaining

[1:58:34] at the

[1:58:34] at the end of the year, they would

[1:58:35] would stay in the reserve and be

[1:58:36] available to support future

[1:58:37] state of good repair needs.

[1:58:39] this gives the county more

[1:58:40] flexibility to manage timing, inflation

[1:58:42] inflation and larger rehab

[1:58:43] projects that might not fit neatly

[1:58:45] neatly within one budget year.

[1:58:47]

[1:58:47] it also provides flexibility if

[1:58:49] urgent state of repair projects

[1:58:51] arise

[1:58:51] arise during the year.

[1:58:52] particularly where there are safety

[1:58:53] safety concerns or where delaying

[1:58:55] delaying the work could lead to

[1:58:55] higher long term costs.

[1:58:57] so rather than relying only on

[1:59:01] the

[1:59:01] the dedicated source of funding

[1:59:02] to

[1:59:02] to respond to those needs --

[1:59:03] rather than relying on the funding

[1:59:05] funding available in a single

[1:59:06] budget year, the reserve gives

[1:59:08] us a little

[1:59:08] us a little bit more flexibility

[1:59:11]

[1:59:11] if there are reserve funds to

[1:59:14] use.

[1:59:14] overall creating the reserve improves

[1:59:16] improves transparency, it allows

[1:59:18] council

[1:59:18] council to see dedicated funding

[1:59:19] for

[1:59:19] for existing road infrastructure

[1:59:21]

[1:59:21] aspects it supports greater

[1:59:23] flexibility when urgent rehab

[1:59:25] needs arrive and helps ensure

[1:59:26] any unspent funds remain

[1:59:28] available for future roadway

[1:59:29] rehab, rather than being treated

[1:59:31]

[1:59:31] as a one year allocation.

[1:59:33] with that I'd be happy to answer

[1:59:34]

[1:59:34] any questions.

[1:59:35] >> thank you melissa.

[1:59:37] questions for the treasurer?

[1:59:39] seeing none, the recommendation

[1:59:41]

[1:59:41] is that council receive the

[1:59:43] report as information and that

[1:59:45] by law 2026-32 be approved at the

[1:59:47] the appropriate time.

[1:59:51] moved by councillor gibb,

[1:59:53] seconded by councillor prue.

[1:59:55] any discussion?

[1:59:57] then I will ask you to vote

[1:59:59] electronically. >>

[2:00:01] >> madam warden, if I may?

[2:00:03] I just want to add that this is

[2:00:08]

[2:00:08] great fiscal -- being fiscally

[2:00:11] responsible.

[2:00:11] it is a great opportunity for us

[2:00:14] to build proper reserves.

[2:00:16] because we need to be ready for the

[2:00:18] the unexpected.

[2:00:19] in particular when we see what

[2:00:21]

[2:00:21] is happening with that climate

[2:00:23] change

[2:00:23] change and so forth.

[2:00:24] so kudos to the administration

[2:00:26]

[2:00:26] for bringing this forward and I think

[2:00:29] think it is a well thought out

[2:00:31]

[2:00:31] practice and long coming.

[2:00:34] >> I take it you were in favour

[2:00:38] ?

[2:00:38] >> 110%. >>

[2:00:42] >> thank you.

[2:00:44] vote.

[2:00:56] vote.

[2:00:56] that's carried now, thank you.

[2:01:11]

[2:01:11] no matters of unfinished

[2:01:13] business.

[2:01:13] on to new business.

[2:01:15] I have the public reporting of

[2:01:16] the closed meeting.

[2:01:17] that is that council met in a

[2:01:19] closed meeting at 5:00 p.m. This

[2:01:20]

[2:01:20] evening as permitted and

[2:01:22] pursuant to section 2392f, the

[2:01:25] municipal act to receive

[2:01:26] information related to the

[2:01:27] report number 260805, legal

[2:01:33] advice regarding affordable

[2:01:35] housing.

[2:01:35] and also receive information

[2:01:43] related to a verbal report

[2:01:46] pertaining to 2974.2, bargaining

[2:01:49]

[2:01:49] update for august fifth.

[2:01:51] council was provided with legal

[2:01:52] advice and with information

[2:01:53] about the bargaining process.

[2:01:57] next we have governance review.

[2:02:01]

[2:02:01] warden and deputy warden

[2:02:03] election process.

[2:02:03] and at the july 15th, 2026

[2:02:06] regular meeting of council, councillor

[2:02:09] councillor shepley brought forth

[2:02:10] a

[2:02:10] a notice of motion.

[2:02:11] would you like to read your

[2:02:12] motion?

[2:02:12] >> sure.

[2:02:13] whereas the offices of warden

[2:02:17] and deputy warden are separate,

[2:02:18]

[2:02:18] leadership positions of county

[2:02:21]

[2:02:21] council, and whereas the selection

[2:02:23] selection process should be

[2:02:24] clear, fair and transparent for all

[2:02:25] all members of council, and

[2:02:27] whereas a member seeking

[2:02:29] election as warden should not

[2:02:30] also be eligible to seek

[2:02:32] election as deputy warden during

[2:02:33] the same election process.

[2:02:35] now therefore be it resolved that

[2:02:37] that administration be directed

[2:02:38]

[2:02:38] to bring forward as part of its

[2:02:40] procedural bylaw review and update

[2:02:43] update recommendations for council's

[2:02:45] council's consideration options

[2:02:46]

[2:02:46] for suggested amendments to

[2:02:49] section 3.1 of the county's

[2:02:52] procedure bylaw, to take effect

[2:02:53] prior to the inaugural meeting of

[2:02:55] of the next term of county

[2:02:56] council, and with one of the potential

[2:02:59] potential amendments reflecting

[2:03:01]

[2:03:01] the following.

[2:03:02] the nomination.

[2:03:03] for both warden and deputy warden

[2:03:05] warden closing before voting

[2:03:07] begins, a member of county

[2:03:08] council can stand for election

[2:03:10] for either warden or deputy

[2:03:11] warden but not both, and there

[2:03:14] shall

[2:03:14] shall be a single ballot for

[2:03:15] both the position of warden and

[2:03:17]

[2:03:17] deputy warden, such as the

[2:03:19] voting takes place at the same

[2:03:20] time

[2:03:20] time for both positions.

[2:03:23] number for, no member may be

[2:03:25] elected to the position of

[2:03:26] warden or deputy warden without

[2:03:28]

[2:03:28] securing major support from the

[2:03:30]

[2:03:30] members present.

[2:03:32] be it further resolved that this

[2:03:38]

[2:03:38] potential amendment be presented

[2:03:39]

[2:03:39] to council for approval as part

[2:03:41] of

[2:03:41] of the procedure bylaw amendment

[2:03:43] recommendations and a part of the

[2:03:44] the governance review report,

[2:03:45] prior to the inaugural meeting of the

[2:03:47] of the next term of council.

[2:03:49] >> moved by councillor shepley,

[2:03:51] looking

[2:03:51] looking for a second.

[2:03:55] councillor deyong?

[2:03:56] any discussion?

[2:03:59] councillor shepley?

[2:04:00] >> I will explain briefly my

[2:04:04] reasoning behind this notice of

[2:04:05] motion.

[2:04:05] this notice of motion is not

[2:04:07] about any individual, nor is it

[2:04:09]

[2:04:09] about any past election.

[2:04:10] it is about strengthening our

[2:04:12] process going forward and

[2:04:13] ensuring every candidate is

[2:04:14] treated fairly under the same

[2:04:15] set of rules.

[2:04:17] the position of warden and

[2:04:18] deputy warden are separate and

[2:04:20] important

[2:04:20] important leadership roles.

[2:04:21] each carry significant

[2:04:23] responsibilities and I believe

[2:04:26] each

[2:04:26] each deserves a candidate who has

[2:04:27] has made a clear commitment to

[2:04:29] seeking that office.

[2:04:30] I also believe that these are two distinct

[2:04:34] two distinct leadership

[2:04:35] positions and that candidates

[2:04:36] should enter the process having

[2:04:37]

[2:04:37] decided which office they wish

[2:04:39]

[2:04:39] to seek.

[2:04:40] running for one office and then

[2:04:42] if

[2:04:42] if unsuccessful immediately

[2:04:43] seeking the other can create the

[2:04:44] perception that the second

[2:04:47] office is simply the fallback

[2:04:49] position.

[2:04:49] I do not believe that is fair to

[2:04:50] the office of the deputy warden

[2:04:52]

[2:04:52] or those committed to seeking

[2:04:54] that position from the beginning

[2:04:57] beginning.

[2:04:57] I believe that creates an unfair

[2:05:07]

[2:05:07] playing field working for deputy

[2:05:09]

[2:05:09] warden for the outset.

[2:05:10] the purpose of this motion is

[2:05:12] simple.

[2:05:12] everyone should make the same

[2:05:13] commitment at the same time

[2:05:15] under the same rules.

[2:05:16] this motion doesn't change who

[2:05:18]

[2:05:18] can run, every eligible member

[2:05:20] still has the same opportunity

[2:05:21]

[2:05:21] to seek either office.

[2:05:23] what it changes is when the

[2:05:24] decision is made, every

[2:05:26] candidate would make that choice

[2:05:29] before

[2:05:29] before nominations close, rather

[2:05:30] than after another election has

[2:05:32]

[2:05:32] already taken place.

[2:05:34] I also believe this strengthens

[2:05:36]

[2:05:36] public confidence in the

[2:05:37] process, good governance isn't

[2:05:38] just

[2:05:38] just about doing the right thing,

[2:05:39] thing, it is also about avoiding

[2:05:43] processes

[2:05:43] processes that can create the

[2:05:44] assessment that some have

[2:05:46] opportunities that others do

[2:05:47] not.

[2:05:47] even if some would move from one

[2:05:50] race to another, the best

[2:05:51] intentions the public can still

[2:05:52] perceive it as getting two

[2:05:54] chances at leadership.

[2:05:55] what everyone else receives only

[2:05:57] one

[2:05:57] one opportunity.

[2:05:57] whether that perception is fair

[2:05:59] or not, it can affect the

[2:06:01] confidence in the process.

[2:06:02] by closing nominations for both

[2:06:04] positions at the same time,

[2:06:06] every candidate begins on equal

[2:06:08]

[2:06:08] footing.

[2:06:08] there is one nomination.

[2:06:10] , one opportunity to choose and one

[2:06:12] one set of rules that applies

[2:06:14] equally to everyone.

[2:06:17] that encourages candidates to make a

[2:06:19] make a thoughtful decision that

[2:06:20] makes an office they wish to

[2:06:22] serve.

[2:06:22] it changes when they choose.

[2:06:37] then we strengthen the integrity

[2:06:39] of

[2:06:39] of the process, reinforce public

[2:06:41]

[2:06:41] confidence in the election, for

[2:06:42] both the warden and deputy

[2:06:44] warden.

[2:06:44] the public expects leadership positions at

[2:06:46] positions at the county council

[2:06:50]

[2:06:50] beyond reproach.

[2:06:52] even if it works, improving

[2:06:54] confidence in the process is a

[2:06:55] worthwhile goal, thank you.

[2:06:58] >> thank you.

[2:07:00] comments, questions?

[2:07:02] councillor akpata?

[2:07:05] >> through you madam warden,

[2:07:06] love it, no issues, no problems.

[2:07:09]

[2:07:09] just one question and I want to make

[2:07:10] make sure I understand this.

[2:07:12] just me being me.

[2:07:13] without securing majority

[2:07:14] support from members present, I

[2:07:18] have a scenario where there is

[2:07:19] three of us

[2:07:19] three of us in a room, thus the

[2:07:22] majority of members present, no

[2:07:23] one

[2:07:23] one has called quorum, I just want

[2:07:24] want to make sure that -- is

[2:07:26] there any other bylaw or rule

[2:07:28] when I seek? Because

[2:07:29] because all of a sudden it is a

[2:07:30] majority of members present, to

[2:07:32]

[2:07:32] me that changes the voting and

[2:07:34]

[2:07:34] that changes the rule right off

[2:07:36] the bat.

[2:07:38] and I have a problem with that,

[2:07:39] I

[2:07:39] I can't support this.

[2:07:40] just looking for clarification

[2:07:43] .

[2:07:43] >> the way that this is worded

[2:07:46]

[2:07:46] is the majority of members

[2:07:48] present. We

[2:07:48] we would not have a meeting if

[2:07:51] there

[2:07:51] there was not a quorum of

[2:07:53] council.

[2:07:53] it is necessary to have the

[2:07:55] meeting, that is eight members

[2:07:59] .

[2:07:59] >> like I said, I always -- I.

[2:08:06] just want

[2:08:06] just want to make sure that the

[2:08:08] worst-case

[2:08:08] worst-case scenario wasn't

[2:08:09] something we would accidentally

[2:08:10]

[2:08:10] do, that's all.

[2:08:13] >> councillor meloche? >>

[2:08:15] >> that was actually my

[2:08:16] question.

[2:08:16] just with the wording because the

[2:08:18] the wording makes it sound like

[2:08:19] you have

[2:08:19] you have to have a majority

[2:08:20] support, not just the majority

[2:08:22] people in the room. I

[2:08:23] I want to make sure we are not

[2:08:24]

[2:08:24] putting in language that all of

[2:08:26] a sudden

[2:08:26] a sudden we get these results and it

[2:08:27] and it is not the majority of

[2:08:28] people who voted for that one

[2:08:30] person, therefore it doesn't

[2:08:31] count.

[2:08:31] that was my concern.

[2:08:33] because the way it was worded

[2:08:34] kind of leaves it -- I. Don't

[2:08:36] know if there is a way to clarify

[2:08:37] clarify it so it is clear, but

[2:08:38] that

[2:08:38] that was my thought.

[2:08:41] >> through you warden, the way

[2:08:43] that the motion is worded is

[2:08:45] that we present options for council.

[2:08:47] that we present options for council.

[2:08:47] so we do have a report in the works

[2:08:49] works that will be coming

[2:08:50] forward to council based on those

[2:08:53] those governance interviews that

[2:08:54] we did with each of your

[2:08:57] municipalities in members and

[2:08:58] alternates over the course of

[2:09:00] the past several months.

[2:09:01] through those conversations,

[2:09:03] there were several

[2:09:04] recommendations and opposing

[2:09:06] viewpoints, at times, however,

[2:09:09]

[2:09:09] we have come up with several

[2:09:11] recommendations that will be

[2:09:12] presented to council and we will

[2:09:13]

[2:09:13] work in some options to consider

[2:09:16]

[2:09:16] what councillor shepley has

[2:09:18] proposed here.

[2:09:19] if this motion carries, that is

[2:09:21] we do have other recommendations

[2:09:23]

[2:09:23] that are related to these

[2:09:25] things.

[2:09:25] but council will have

[2:09:27] consideration of those at that

[2:09:27]

[2:09:27] time of the report.

[2:09:31] >> councillor prue?

[2:09:33] >> just a question, does any

[2:09:36] other county council in ontario

[2:09:39] do as being suggested now?

[2:09:41] it has always been my

[2:09:43] observation that there is a second

[2:09:47] second round. It's

[2:09:47] it's not that this is a whole

[2:09:49] election, going back to the people

[2:09:50] people with a whole new ballot

[2:09:52]

[2:09:52] system and two weeks later to

[2:09:54] choose the second position.

[2:09:56] this is all of us sitting around

[2:09:58] a

[2:09:58] a table, choose one and then all

[2:09:59]

[2:09:59] of us sitting around the table

[2:10:00]

[2:10:00] and choosing two.

[2:10:03] can you tell me, does any other

[2:10:06] council do

[2:10:06] council do it the way that this

[2:10:07]

[2:10:07] is being suggested?

[2:10:10] >> through you warden, in

[2:10:12] response to councillors

[2:10:13] question, I have spoken to the

[2:10:15]

[2:10:15] clerks at the upper tier

[2:10:17] municipalities in ontario, we do

[2:10:19] meet

[2:10:19] meet routinely to discuss

[2:10:21] various things.

[2:10:21] but this subject has come up

[2:10:23] recently in other municipalities

[2:10:25]

[2:10:25] as well. And

[2:10:25] and through our conversations,

[2:10:26]

[2:10:26] again with those governments

[2:10:28] interviews, I did raise the

[2:10:29] question with the other clerks.

[2:10:31] if you can imagine, there are

[2:10:33] several dozen municipalities,

[2:10:35] there are several dozen ways

[2:10:36] that they do it.

[2:10:39] so some municipalities don't

[2:10:41] elect a deputy warden at all. It

[2:10:43] it is an appointed position by

[2:10:45] the elected warden.

[2:10:47] some municipalities do their

[2:10:49] inaugural meeting, elect the

[2:10:50] warden and at a later date,

[2:10:51] elect a deputy warden.

[2:10:54] some elect that same night, the way

[2:10:55] way that we do it and have done

[2:10:57] it

[2:10:57] it for many years.

[2:11:00] there is many ways to do this

[2:11:02] across the province in the upper

[2:11:04] tier

[2:11:04] tier municipalities and through the

[2:11:07] the analysis of those different

[2:11:08]

[2:11:08] ways to do it, I think that we

[2:11:10]

[2:11:10] have come up and based on the

[2:11:12] recommendation here, we have come

[2:11:13] come up with some solutions that

[2:11:15]

[2:11:15] will work if council has an appetite

[2:11:17] appetite to change from

[2:11:18] status quo.

[2:11:20] >> again, having had that

[2:11:23] answered, I'm not going to lose

[2:11:25] any

[2:11:25] any sleep over this, whether it

[2:11:26] goes one way or the other,

[2:11:28] really.

[2:11:28] but I guess I come from the

[2:11:31] union movement years and years

[2:11:33]

[2:11:33] ago.

[2:11:33] things were decided at

[2:11:35] convention.

[2:11:35] and it was absolutely

[2:11:38] commonplace to elect the

[2:11:40] president of the union and then

[2:11:43]

[2:11:43] to elect any number of executive

[2:11:46] officers, should be two or three

[2:11:47] or four, vice presidents.

[2:11:50] and people wouldn't just drop down.

[2:11:52] and people wouldn't just drop down.

[2:11:52] I don't ever remember anybody thinking

[2:11:54] thinking that was an unfair

[2:11:56] process.

[2:11:56] I don't see how it is an unfair

[2:12:01] process.

[2:12:01] I do see that some people will look

[2:12:03] look at it and say that's not

[2:12:05] fair because this person didn't

[2:12:09] win

[2:12:09] win when given a second chance,

[2:12:10] but

[2:12:10] but everybody can put their name

[2:12:12]

[2:12:12] in.

[2:12:12] so I don't know, I don't see the

[2:12:16] necessity for it.

[2:12:17] but as I said, I won't lose one

[2:12:20] minute of sleep if it passes.

[2:12:22] okay, thank you.

[2:12:25] >> deputy warden?

[2:12:28] >> thank you and through you

[2:12:29] warden, I want to thank councillor

[2:12:32] councillor shepley, his proposal

[2:12:35]

[2:12:35] is just making what we built

[2:12:36] around this table the next step

[2:12:41] .

[2:12:41] we are not mayors and deputy mayors, if

[2:12:44] mayors, if you look at who runs

[2:12:46]

[2:12:46] usually, deputy mayors don't

[2:12:49] even run for warden or deputy

[2:12:51] warden, that is the past

[2:12:52] practice. You

[2:12:52] you can look at the past 25, 30 years.

[2:12:57] you can look at the past 25, 30 years.

[2:12:57] it has always been the mayor's.

[2:12:59]

[2:12:59] so since we are making this step

[2:13:01]

[2:13:01] and we have made the steps, we

[2:13:02] are all county councillors.

[2:13:05] choosing to choose to run for warden

[2:13:06] warden is a different job from

[2:13:08]

[2:13:08] deputy warden.

[2:13:09] and the fact that you are

[2:13:10] choosing the warden the way the

[2:13:14] motion

[2:13:14] motion reads is fair.

[2:13:15] you will be busy, you have this

[2:13:18] level of deputy warden you fill

[2:13:19]

[2:13:19] in, that is a different role.

[2:13:23] so you choose, I think it is the

[2:13:25] democratic

[2:13:25] democratic way of moving forward

[2:13:26]

[2:13:26] with this council.

[2:13:27] we are all county councillors.

[2:13:30]

[2:13:30] it avoids -- if you're a deputy

[2:13:33] mayor, don't

[2:13:33] mayor, don't you dare run for

[2:13:34] deputy warden, it takes that away.

[2:13:35] deputy warden, it takes that away.

[2:13:35] I like the motion, it cleans it

[2:13:37] up

[2:13:37] up and it moves us forward as a

[2:13:39] unified council.

[2:13:40] and I will be supporting the

[2:13:41] motion.

[2:13:41] >> councillor bondi?

[2:13:45] >> thank you warden macdonald.

[2:13:46]

[2:13:46] I would be interested in seeing

[2:13:48] if any other municipalities have

[2:13:50]

[2:13:50] a two year mark where they allow

[2:13:53]

[2:13:53] council to have another election.

[2:13:55] council to have another election.

[2:13:55] that is something I heard this

[2:13:57]

[2:13:57] term.

[2:13:57] and the other thing -- it's too

[2:14:00] bad

[2:14:00] bad we don't engage the members

[2:14:01] of the

[2:14:01] of the public in some form

[2:14:02] because many of the members of

[2:14:04] the public would love to be

[2:14:05] engaged.

[2:14:05] I know that is not possible, but

[2:14:08] I'm just saying I wish the

[2:14:08] public could have a say in who

[2:14:10] would

[2:14:10] would be their warden.

[2:14:12] the other thing is, I did bring

[2:14:14] this up in my governance

[2:14:15] meeting, I don't really want to

[2:14:16] have

[2:14:16] have to write a name, because my handwriting

[2:14:18] handwriting is so atrocious that

[2:14:19] no matter who the scrutineers

[2:14:21] are, they will be able to tell

[2:14:22]

[2:14:22] who I voted for.

[2:14:25] so I would like a safeguard in

[2:14:27] place

[2:14:27] place so that my sloppy

[2:14:29] handwriting is confidential and

[2:14:33] at this

[2:14:33] at this point, I think we are

[2:14:34] just getting information to look at

[2:14:36] at changing our procedure bylaw

[2:14:37] and I will support the motion

[2:14:39] tonight, I hope that we get a

[2:14:40] lot more information off what other

[2:14:42] other towns are doing.

[2:14:43] there could be some other

[2:14:44] tweaks, some other best practices.

[2:14:46] tweaks, some other best practices.

[2:14:46] I like out-of-the-box thinking

[2:14:48]

[2:14:48] and I like transparency in elections.

[2:14:50] and I like transparency in elections.

[2:14:50] the one caution I have is say a

[2:14:54] warden is a trump and the deputy

[2:14:56] warden has their name in and they don't

[2:14:57] they don't want to work with

[2:14:58] that trump, so there is that

[2:15:01] caution of pairing a nonsuitable

[2:15:05]

[2:15:05] warden, deputy warden match.

[2:15:07] if they are kind of going in at

[2:15:08] the same time.

[2:15:10] that is something that I thought

[2:15:12] I

[2:15:12] I should bring up.

[2:15:13] but I look forward to furthering

[2:15:14] the

[2:15:14] the discussion and thank

[2:15:16] administration for working on

[2:15:17] this.

[2:15:17] >> anyone else?

[2:15:21] in that case then, I will ask

[2:15:25] you to vote electronically.

[2:15:28] councillor mcnamara?

[2:15:33] in favour?

[2:15:36] and that is carried, thank you

[2:15:47] .

[2:15:47] any other matters of new business

[2:15:48] business to bring forward this

[2:15:50]

[2:15:50] evening?

[2:15:50] councillor deyong?

[2:15:55] >> thank you warden.

[2:15:56] it has come to my attention that there

[2:15:58] there is a safety concern at the

[2:16:00]

[2:16:00] intersection of the provincial

[2:16:01]

[2:16:01] highway number 3 and county road

[2:16:04] 29.

[2:16:04] I did contact administration,

[2:16:07] thank you for jumping on it

[2:16:07] right away.

[2:16:08] there were three accidents this

[2:16:10]

[2:16:10] week.

[2:16:10] and comments on my social media

[2:16:12]

[2:16:12] are accurate, there were several

[2:16:13]

[2:16:13] close calls.

[2:16:14] I'm just wondering if

[2:16:15] administration has any update and

[2:16:17] and if there is anything you can

[2:16:18] tell us tonight about that.

[2:16:21] >> marissa?

[2:16:22] >> through you madam warden,

[2:16:25] yes.

[2:16:25] thank you councillor for the question.

[2:16:27] thank you councillor for the question.

[2:16:27] we have connected with the

[2:16:29] ministry of transportation and

[2:16:30] shared our concerns.

[2:16:32] they have responded back and

[2:16:34] acknowledged this and they have

[2:16:36] committed that

[2:16:36] committed that they are

[2:16:36] undertaking a review of the

[2:16:37] traffic patterns and signal

[2:16:38] timings and will provide us an

[2:16:40]

[2:16:40] update back when they have

[2:16:41] completed that review.

[2:16:43] >> thank you.

[2:16:44] maybe when you are conversing

[2:16:46] with them, people are saying

[2:16:48] that this similar issue is at other

[2:16:50] other intersections, they are

[2:16:50] just not as busy.

[2:16:51] maybe they are not having

[2:16:53] accidents but they are still

[2:16:53] having close calls.

[2:16:55] maybe they can take a look -- they

[2:16:56] they are so wide now, with a road

[2:16:59] road closure.

[2:17:01] with a review of three or four

[2:17:02] and that stretch could happen,

[2:17:04]

[2:17:04] thank you.

[2:17:04] >> through you madam warden, certainly

[2:17:06] certainly they have noted that.

[2:17:07]

[2:17:07] because so many intersections are

[2:17:09] are closed and there are changes

[2:17:10] during

[2:17:10] during construction, they will

[2:17:11]

[2:17:11] be under review, we will certainly

[2:17:13] certainly follow up with that.

[2:17:15]

[2:17:15] >> anyone else?

[2:17:16] new business?

[2:17:17] seeing none, onto adoption of

[2:17:19] bylaws. There

[2:17:19] there are four bylaws for council's

[2:17:21] council's consideration this evening.

[2:17:23] council's consideration this evening.

[2:17:23] they will be read by the county

[2:17:25]

[2:17:25] clerk.

[2:17:25] >> thank you warden.

[2:17:29] bylaw number 2026-21 being a

[2:17:31] bylaw to authorize the execution

[2:17:33] of an

[2:17:33] of an agreement between the

[2:17:34] corporation of the county of

[2:17:37] essex and khanda nand inc.

[2:17:42] bylaw number 2026-30 being a

[2:17:45] bylaw to authorize the

[2:17:46] allocation of funds to the lower

[2:17:47] tier

[2:17:47] tier municipalities in the

[2:17:48] county of essex, being the towns

[2:17:50] of

[2:17:50] of amherstburg, essex,

[2:17:51] kingsville, lasalle, tecumseh in the

[2:17:53] the municipalities of lakeshore

[2:17:53] and

[2:17:53] and leamington in accordance

[2:17:54] with section 5.3 of the

[2:17:56] agreement with the association

[2:17:58] of

[2:17:58] of municipalities of ontario, building

[2:17:59] building community strong fund.

[2:18:00]

[2:18:00] bylaw number 2026-32 being a

[2:18:02] bylaw to establish the state of

[2:18:03] good repair life cycle reserve.

[2:18:06]

[2:18:06] bylaw number 2026-33 being a

[2:18:08] bylaw to confirm the proceedings

[2:18:10] of the

[2:18:10] of the council of the

[2:18:11] corporation of the county of

[2:18:12] essex, regular and closed

[2:18:13] meetings for august fifth, 2026.

[2:18:17]

[2:18:17] >> thank you kate. There

[2:18:18] there is a recommendation that

[2:18:20]

[2:18:20] bylaws 2026-21, 2026-30, 2026-32

[2:18:27]

[2:18:27] and 2026-33 be given three

[2:18:29] readings, and having been ready

[2:18:30]

[2:18:30] first, second and third time, be

[2:18:32]

[2:18:32] finally passed and enacted.

[2:18:34] moved by councillor shepley,

[2:18:38] seconded by councillor

[2:18:39] wallerstedt.

[2:18:39] any discussion?

[2:18:41] I will ask you to vote

[2:18:43] electronically please.

[2:18:46] >> and gary is in favour?

[2:19:02] >> and that is carried.

[2:19:07] I see gary gave us a thumbs up

[2:19:10] .

[2:19:10] notices of motions to be

[2:19:13] introduced for august fifth, 2026.

[2:19:17] introduced for august fifth, 2026.

[2:19:17] none?

[2:19:17] thank you!

[2:19:23] all matters of business have

[2:19:25] been addressed, and it was a

[2:19:28] really good meeting, thank you

[2:19:30] everyone.

[2:19:30] with that, the recommendation is

[2:19:33]

[2:19:33] essex county council meeting for

[2:19:34] august fifth, 2026 be adjourned

[2:19:38] at

[2:19:38] at 8:30 p.m.

[2:19:40] moved by councillor deyong --

[2:19:42] thank you councillor

[2:19:43] macnamara.

[2:19:43] anybody want to discuss the

[2:19:46] motion?

[2:19:46] seeing none all in favour by a

[2:19:49] show of hands?

[2:19:50] that carries unanimously,

[2:19:51] thank you, good night!

Essex County Council - Regular Meeting

Agenda

Transcript