Compass Kitchener Advisory Committee

Committee Minutes

Wednesday, April 02, 2025 at 4:00 P.m. - 5:30 P.m.

Schmalz Room - Second Floor City Hall

City of Kitchener

200 King Street W, Kitchener, ON N2G 4G7

Present

• T. Glover, Chair
• J. Young, Vice Chair
• J. Stephens-Wells , Member
• C. Abarca, Member
• K. Brabazon, Member
• L. Thompson, Member
• L. Terry, Member
• L. Trumper, Member
• S. Kandala, Member
• R. Gill, Member

Staff:

• S. Sweazey, Senior Policy Advisor
• A. Remillard, Committee Administrator
• V. Raab, General Manager, Corporate Services
• R. Voros, Natural Areas Project Manager, Infrastructure Services
• M. Love, Director, Strategy and Corporate Performance, Office of the CAO

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1.

Commencement

2.

Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest and the General Nature Thereof

3.

Delegations

4.

Discussion Items

4.1

Advancing Truth and Reconciliation Presentation

V. Raab provided a verbal summary of Advancing Truth and Reconciliation to Compass Kitchener members and explained how the action item cannot be time bound and measured in traditional Western ways. For that reason, the strategic action item has evolved from being a measurable action item to a commitment to and progress on Truth and Reconciliation by the city and demonstrating our commitment through various projects and actions. R. Voros provided a summary of such an action – the Wiijindamaan project - and  provided a short 8-minute video presentation on it.

 

V. Raab and R. Voros received questions from Compass Kitchener members around the funding source of the Wiijindamaan project, and the type of engagement the city has underaken W.Raab and R. Voros shared the involvement of city staff members in trying to expand awareness of the project with nearby neighbourhoods, however stressed that the City of Kitchener is not spearheading this program, but rather is a partner in its implementation, providing in-kind deliverables.

 

4.2

Project Presentation Debrief and Evaluation

T. Glover requested a volunteer to take notes for the report. C. Abarca volunteered to take notes.

T. Glover indicated that they will collect comments and thoughts with respect to each project presentation and during the next meeting, members can start drafting the report.

Compass Kitchener members shared their comments on the Accelerating Business Approvals project presentation. One comment was that they were done quite well. J. Young suggested they keep the focus of the evaluation on the precise terms of what the project was.

Members of Compass Kitchener also shared their comments on the Advancing Truth and Reconciliation project presentation. T. Glover commented there's a role Compass Kitchener can play in using the report card, to offer recommendations about how the city can share news of the good work it is doing without jeopardizing the trust it has built with Indigenous communities. Another comment was about the framework to evaluate being a western metric and that not everything fits into western processes/ideals. J. Young suggested possibly creating a different metric for this unique project and deciding on whether to do so  at the next meeting.

4.3

Review Previous Minutes

The March 5, 2025 meeting minutes were reviewed.

5.

Information Items

5.1

All Advisory Committee Workshop Agenda

M. Love shared the April 9, All Advisory Committee meeting agenda with the Compass Kitchener members. She explained the roles of the facilitators as well as the break-out sessions and asked T. Glover if he would speak on behalf of Compass Kitchener.

T. Glover agreed to do an introduction and closing remarks.

6.

Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 5:33 pm.