Regional Municipality of Waterloo
Council
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

Council will consider a motion to go into Closed Session at the start of the meeting. The Open Session will resume following Closed at approximately 7:00 p.m.

1.
Call to Order

 

2.
Land Acknowledgement

 

3.
Motion to go into Closed Session

 
  • Recommended Motion:

    That a closed meeting of the Council be held on March 20, 2024 at 5:05 p.m., in accordance with Section 239 of the “Municipal Act, 2001”, for the purposes of considering the following subject matters:

    1. Potential litigation related to identified risks.
    2. Security of the technological property of the municipality.
    3. * Personal matters about an identifiable individual. 

4.
Motion to Reconvene into Open Session

 
  • Recommended Motion:

    That Council reconvene into Open Session.

5.
Declarations of Pecuniary Interest under the “Municipal Conflict of Interest Act”

 

6.
Presentations

 

7.
Petitions

 

8.
Delegations

 

8.1
Temesgen Weldemihret, Tesfamichael Ymesghen, and Haben Tesfay, Erican Foundation

This item has attachments. 
1.8.1 - Temesgen Weldemihret Written Comments.pdf

Re: Eritrean Regime supporters

8.2
Muhammad Aftab Nazir, Kitchener

 

Re: Hardships and problems being faced by international students in the Region of Waterloo 

8.3
Sean Campbell, Union Co-operative

 

Re: The preservation of existing affordable housing

8.4
Aaron Stauch, Kitchener

 

Re: The creation of a Property Tax Exemption Program for Affordable Housing 

8.5
Kae Elgie, Waterloo

 

Re: in support of item 12.2.2 (5) "That the Regional Municipality of Waterloo take the following action with respect to the creation of a Property Tax Exemption Program for Affordable Housing as set out in report CSD-HOU-24-004 dated March 5, 2024."

9.
Minutes of Previous Meetings

 
  • Recommended Motion:

    That the following minutes be approved.

10.
Communications

 

11.
Motion to Go Into Committee of the Whole to Consider Reports

 
  • Recommended Motion:

    That Council go into Committee of the Whole to consider reports.

12.
Reports

 

12.1
Finance Reports

 

12.2
Committee Reports

 

12.2.1
Planning and Works Committee Summary - March 5, 2024

This item has attachments. 
1.PW Summary - March 5, 2024.pdf
  • Recommended Motion:

    That the following recommendations from the Planning and Works Committee be approved:

    1. That the Regional Municipality of Waterloo endorse the following items as outlined in report EES-WAS-24-003 dated March 5, 2024:
      1. the 2023 Drinking Water Summary Report;
      2. the 2023 Management Review of the Drinking Water Quality Management System (DWQMS) (included in Drinking Water Summary Report); and
      3. the 2023 infrastructure maintenance plan update (included in Drinking Water Summary Report).
    2. That the Regional Municipality of Waterloo create a new full time equivalent position for a Regulatory and Program Assistant in the Water Operations team within the Water and Wastewater Services Division as outlined in report EES-WAS-24-004, dated March 5, 2024.

12.2.2
Community and Health Services Committee Summary - March 5, 2024

This item has attachments. 
1.CHS Summary - March 5, 2024.pdf
  • Recommended Motion:

    That the following recommendations from the Community and Health Services Committee be approved:

    1. That the Regional Municipality of Waterloo approve an increase of $1,542,836 to the 2024 Homelessness and Supportive Housing Operating Budget expenditure and federal subsidy with no net property tax levy impact as outlined in report COR-CFN-24-001 dated March 5, 2024.
    2. That the Regional Municipality of Waterloo take the following action for preserving existing affordable housing in the private market and facilitating the transition of private market rentals into long-term affordable housing through acquisition as outlined in CSD-HOU-24-003, dated March 5, 2024:
      1. Direct staff to explore the creation of a Multi-Unit Rental Acquisition Program to preserve existing affordable housing in the private market and facilitate the transition of private market rentals into long-term affordable housing; and
        1. For staff to bring forward any recommendations to the Regional Council for consideration;
      2. Direct staff to work with the area municipalities to explore the creation of right of first refusal policy and identification of affordable housing at risk of loss; and
      3. Direct staff to work with area municipalities to assemble a Waterloo Region Housing Needs Assessment to inform a targeted affordable housing acquisition strategy.
    3. That the Regional Municipality of Waterloo take the following action with respect to rental housing protections and tenant displacement as outlined in CSD-HOU-24-003, dated March 5, 2024:
      1. Direct staff to work with the area municipalities to explore the creation of renovation, conversion, and demolition rental housing protection policies;
      2. Direct staff to engage with service providers who support tenants at risk of or are currently experiencing displacement to:
        1. Identify gaps in support of displaced tenants and for tenants at risk of experiencing eviction caused by renovation, demolition, or conversion;
        2. Develop potential solutions to fill gaps; and
        3. Bring forward gaps and potential solutions to the Regional Council for consideration.
    4. That the Regional Municipality of Waterloo take the following action with respect to advocating for the preservation of existing affordable housing as outlined in CSD-HOU-24-003, dated March 5, 2024:
      1. Request that the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario establish acquisition programs that would support the acquisitions and renovations/conversions for all types of private market residential properties and other properties, to create new permanent affordable and supportive homes.
    5. That the Regional Municipality of Waterloo take the following action with respect to the creation of a Property Tax Exemption Program for Affordable Housing as set out in report CSD-HOU-24-004 dated March 5, 2024:
      1. Repeal By-law Number 02-035, attached as Appendix “A”, and replace with By-Law Number 24-***, attached as Appendix “B” for the purposes of updating the by-law to allow Council to exempt regional and education property taxes for municipal housing facilities and also for general house-keeping amendments, which has been prepared in a form satisfactory to the Regional Solicitor;
      2. Approve the Property Tax Exemption for Affordable Housing Program (“Program”) and guidelines for applications made to the Region for properties eligible for the Program attached as Appendix “C”;
      3. Authorize the Commissioner of Community Services to negotiate and execute on behalf of the Region, agreements with housing providers for the Program, to the satisfaction of the Regional Solicitor;
      4. Direct staff to:
        1. Develop an application process with intake occurring in Q2 of 2024 for the 2025 taxation year;
        2. Review the uptake and application of the Program to determine property tax impacts due to class shifts, communicating these in advance of 2025 budget process;
      5. Direct staff to work with interested area municipalities within Waterloo Region to exempt the lower tier portion of property taxes for eligible properties under the Program; and
      6. Advocate to the Government of Ontario to amend eligibility for the Ontario Trillium Benefit to allow Ontario residents living in housing deemed affordable by the municipality where the resident resides, to access property tax credits through the Ontario Trillium Benefit, irrespective of property tax exemption.

12.3
Board of Health

 

12.3.1
Board of Health Update

 

For information.

13.
Other Matters Under Committee Of The Whole

 

14.
Motion for Committee of the Whole to Rise and Council Resume

 
  • Recommended Motion:

    That Committee of the Whole rise and Council resume.

15.
Motion To Adopt Proceedings of Committee of the Whole

 
  • Recommended Motion:

    That Council adopt the proceedings of Committee of the Whole.

16.
Motions

 

17.
Notice of Motion

 

17.1
Councillor D. Craig Notice of Motion

 
  • Recommended Motion:

    Whereas, there has been a reported 720 overdose deaths in the Region of Waterloo since 2018, 

    And whereas, a Region of Waterloo Feasibility Study (February 2018) found that there were an estimated 4000 users  in the Region with approximately 2000 users injecting drugs daily, 

    And whereas, 79% of people surveyed reported injecting drugs alone, increasing the risk of fatal overdoses,

    And whereas, inhalation is preferred among people without stable housing in Waterloo Region and is suspected in approximately half the deaths in Ontario,

    And whereas, a major conclusion of the Feasibility Report was that the stated figures were an underestimation,

    Therefore, be it resolved, that the Regional Municipality of Waterloo direct Public Health staff to provide a report, by the end of 2024 Q2, to increase awareness and understanding of the scope of the drug overdose and addictions issues in the Region of Waterloo 

    And that this report include:

    1. data on the current situation (e.g. how many are using, what are they using, where are they using);
    2. an overview of Public Health and Community Services activities in response; and
    3. an overview of the current federal, provincial and local initiatives to address problematic substance abuse. 

18.
Unfinished Business

 

19.
Other Business

 

20.
Questions

 

21.
Enactment of By-laws – First, Second & Third Readings

 
  • Recommended Motion:

    That the following by-laws be approved.

21.1
By-Law 24-006

 
  • Recommended Motion:

    That a By-law to Repeal By-Law 19-032, being a By-Law to appoint a Deputy Treasurer and to Repeal By-Law Number 15-005 (Cathy Deschamps) be read a first, second and third time, finally passed and numbered 24-006, be signed by the Regional Chair and Regional Clerk and sealed with the Regional Seal.

21.2
By-Law 24-007

 
  • Recommended Motion:

    That a By-law to Amend By-law 16-044, as amended, being a By-law to Licence, Regulate and Govern Brokers, Owners and Drivers of Taxi-Cabs within the Regional Municipality of Waterloo and to Repeal By-laws 04-069, 04-070 and 04-071, as amended (Maximum initial meter fare) be read a first, second and third time, finally passed and numbered 24-007, be signed by the Regional Chair and Regional Clerk and sealed with the Regional Seal.

21.3
By-Law 24-008

 
  • Recommended Motion:

    That a By-law to Provide for Municipal Housing Facilities and to Repeal By-Law 02-035 of The Regional Municipality of Waterloo, as amended, be read a first, second and third time, finally passed and numbered 24-008, be signed by the Regional Chair and Regional Clerk and sealed with the Regional Seal.

21.4
By-Law 24-009

 
  • Recommended Motion:

    That a By-law to Amend By-law 16-023, as amended, being a By-law to Regulate Traffic and Parking on Highways Under the Jurisdiction of the Regional Municipality of Waterloo (Lane Designation and Rates of Speed, Bleams and Fischer-Hallman Road, City of Kitchener), be read a first, second and third time, finally passed and numbered 24-009, be signed by the Regional Chair and Regional Clerk and sealed with the Regional Seal.

21.5
By-Law 24-010

 
  • Recommended Motion:

    That a By-law to Confirm the Proceedings of the Council of the Regional Municipality of Waterloo at this Meeting Held on March 20, 2024 be read a first, second and third time, finally passed and numbered 24-010, be signed by the Regional Chair and Regional Clerk and sealed with the Regional Seal.

22.
Adjourn

 
  • Recommended Motion:

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

No Item Selected