Regional Municipality of Waterloo
Strategic Planning and Budget Committee
Addendum Agenda

Meeting #:
Date:
Regular Session:
-
Location:
Council Chambers

Should you require an alternative format please contact the Regional Clerk at Tel.: 519-575-4400, TTY: 519-575-4605, or regionalclerk@regionofwaterloo.ca


The Strategic Planning and Budget Committee will begin immediately following the Special Council meeting. 
  • Recommended Motion:

    Whereas the Region of Waterloo council passed the following resolution on February 22, 2023:

    Whereas the Police Budget is the single largest line in the Region of Waterloos operating budget; 

    Whereas the Police Services Act gives the Police Board exclusive authority to decide the detailed composition of the Budget and the Region of Waterloo can only either accept or reject the Police budget in its entirety; 

    And Whereas this budgeting arrangement is best managed between the Board and the Council on a collaborative basis; 

    Whereas the community needs an opportunity to provide input before the budget is finalized; 

    And Whereas it was until recently the practice that the Board and Chief would present their budget to Council prior to the Boards final budget approval; 

    And Whereas this new practice works counter to the preferred collaborative approach; 

    Therefore Be it resolved that the Region of Waterloo Council respectfully request that the Waterloo Regional Police Service Chief of Police: 

      1. return to its past practice and present its draft annual budget to Regional Council, area municipalities, and to the community to allow time for both the Regional Council and the community to review and to provide comments prior to the Waterloo Regional Police Service Board finalizing its annual budget; and
      2. ensure that a community engagement process be included in the development of the annual budget prior to presenting its draft annual budget to Regional Council.

    And whereas the Waterloo Region Police Services Board and the Waterloo Regional Police Service Chief of Police have not provided the Region of Waterloo Council with any formal response to the resolution;

    And whereas the Police Services Board and the Waterloo Regional Police Service Chief of Police have not arranged to present a draft annual budget to Regional Council to allow time for Regional Council to review and to provide comments prior to the Waterloo Regional Police Service Board finalizing its annual budget, but instead intend to provide the Region of Waterloo council with an approved budget on November 22, 2023;

    THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Region of Waterloo council express its dissatisfaction and disappointment in the lack of a formal response, and no attempt to accommodate the wishes of Region of Waterloo council, from the Waterloo Region Police Services Board and the Waterloo Region Police Service Chief of Police, as expressed in the Region of Waterloo resolution of February 22, 2023; and

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Waterloo Region Police Service Board and the Waterloo Regional Police Service Chief of Police make arrangements for a presentation of the draft budget to the Region of Waterloo council prior to the finalization of the Police Services Budget and its presentation to Region of Waterloo council on November 22, 2023.

  • Recommended Motion:

    WHEREAS the Regional Municipality of Waterloo delivers a variety of programs and services including; Children’s Services; and

    WHEREAS Municipalities have the power to provide grants under the Municipal Act. The Region of Waterloo has been providing grant funding since its inception in 1972. Grants are an important tool for municipalities to foster partnerships in the community; and 

    WHEREAS according to the 2021 Canadian Census, 101, 370 children aged 0 to 14 were counted in the region. Representing approximately 17.3% of the total population. In comparison for Canada the proportion of children was 16.3% in 2023; and

    WHEREAS children and youth wellbeing and belonging are increasingly becoming a growing concern in our region; and

    WHEREAS 1 in 2 youths do not feel like a valued member of our community; and

    WHEREAS the well-being of children and youth has been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic; and 

    WHEREAS only 64.1% report a strong sense of belonging to their community, and only 26.3% report positive mental health and these stats are 15, and 54 percentage points lower than pre-pandemic levels, respectively; and

    WHEREAS there is an increasing need to fill gaps that support children and youth in the community as their wellbeing and sense of belonging is an integral part of our community, and building upstream community safety; and

    WHEREAS the region does not currently have a grant program that is specifically targeted to meeting the specific future needs of Children and Youth; and 

    WHEREAS the Police Services Act does not have any parameters on both establishing reserves with respect to the allocation of any Police surplus at the end of a fiscal year;
    Therefore, be it resolved: 

    1. That the Regional Municipality of Waterloo establish a Child and Youth Well-being reserve fund; and
    2. That the Regional Municipality of Waterloo provide the first $500,000 of any Police Services Operating Budget surplus in any given year beginning in 2023 to the Child and Youth Well-Being Reserve; and
    3. That staff be directed to develop and submit to Council a proposed terms of reference for the allocation of funds from Child and Youth Well-being Reserve to support ongoing efforts in the region to address the increasing essential needs of children and youth; and
    4. This work will be in alignment to the priorities named by the pan-regional collaborative of the adults and young people that come together in the Children and Youth Planning Table and Smart Waterloo Region Innovation Lab collaborative.
  • Recommended Motion:

    WHEREAS accessibility, collegiality and respect are priorities shared by all of Council; and
    WHEREAS Council values the expert advice and analysis from Regional staff,  particularly on technical or financial matters; and 
    WHEREAS Council should have adequate time to deliberate and consider changes to policy and budgeting; and
    WHEREAS residents and media deserve adequate time for input, consideration and transparency; 
    THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT:

    • A motion to amend the final budget will be subject to notice and must be submitted in writing to the Clerk no later than Wednesday, November 29, 2023;
    • All motions to amend the final budget that are received by the Clerk by the deadline will be published in the agenda;
    • A motion to amend the final budget can be further amended during the final budget meeting without requiring notice, provided that any amendments are relevant and continue to relate to the same issue which was the subject matter of the original motion to amend the final budget; and
    • Any motion to amend the final budget that is not received by the Clerk by the deadline may be introduced at the meeting on December 13, 2023 provided that:
      • it is submitted to the clerk in writing; and
      • the Strategic Plan and Budget Committee, without debate, dispenses with notice on the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the members present and voting.

11.

 
  • Recommended Motion:

    That the meeting adjourn at x:xx x.m.