Special Council Meeting
Agenda

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Electronic Meeting

Due to COVID-19 and recommendations by Waterloo Region Public Health to exercise physical distancing, City Hall is open for select services. Members of the public are invited to participate in this meeting electronically by accessing the meeting live-stream video at kitchener.ca/watchnow.

 

While in-person delegation requests are not feasible at this time, members of the public are invited to submit written comments or participate electronically in the meeting by contacting delegation@kitchener.ca. Please refer to the delegations section on the agenda below for registration deadlines. Written comments will be circulated prior to the meeting and will form part of the public record.

 

*Accessible formats and communication supports are available upon request. If you require assistance to take part in a city meeting or event, please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994* 

 

Re: Special Council Meeting

Notice is hereby given that Mayor B. Vrbanovic has called a special meeting of City Council to be held electronically to consider the following:


The electronic meeting will begin with a Land Acknowledgement given by the Mayor.

Pursuant to Council’s Procedural By-law, delegations are permitted to address the Committee for a maximum of five (5) minutes. Delegates must register by 3:00 p.m. on November 8, 2021, in order to participate electronically.

Councillor P. Singh has given notice that he will introduce the following motion for consideration this date:

"WHEREAS the Covid-19 pandemic has been both a health crisis and an economic crisis; and,
 
WHEREAS the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), an agency of the Province of Ontario, regulates licensed establishments; and,
 
WHEREAS the requirements for temporary extension of a liquor licence sales and temporary patio extensions have been relaxed throughout the pandemic, including downloading of certain approvals to the municipality, and proved beneficial to business operators; and,

WHEREAS the Downtown Kitchener BIA has invested $600,000 into new downtown restaurant patios and the Belmont Village BIA invested in creating a new pedestrian-only patio experience; and,
 
WHEREAS the City of Kitchener has provided $100,000 in business recovery grants to support Kitchener restaurants in adapting their patios to respond to the pandemic; and,
 
WHEREAS the City of Kitchener has developed a seamless system for approving patio expansion during the pandemic, supporting more than 60 restaurant owners across the city; and,
 
WHEREAS the City of Kitchener would like to provide further opportunities for helping strengthen our economy, continue to support local businesses, and have successfully managed the new licensed-area extension approvals delegated to the municipality;
 
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the City of Kitchener strongly encourages the Province of Ontario to continue the relaxed regulations in perpetuity, including, but not limited to, the following: i) permitting extensions of licensed areas without requiring AGCO approval, subject to municipal authorization; and, ii) flexibility on the requirements for demarcation of the limits of a patio, such as not requiring a prescribed physical barrier;
 
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that should the AGCO propose to complete a comprehensive review of the temporary extension of a liquor licence sales and temporary patio extension regulations, The City of Kitchener wishes to volunteer to participate in any pilot programs that would allow the current  regulations that are in effect until 3:00 a.m. on January 1, 2022  to be maintained, as the City would like  to continue to show support to our local businesses;
 
THEREFORE BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Premier of Ontario, Tom Mungham, Chief Executive Officer, AGCO, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, Federation of Canadian Municipalities and all other municipalities in Ontario."

Note:  Any member of Council may question the appropriateness of a listed in-camera item.  This may be done during the special Council meeting or at the beginning of the in-camera session.

Council is asked to enact the following resolution to authorize an in-camera meeting:

"That an in-camera meeting of City Council be held immediately following the special council meeting this date to consider one land acquisition/disposition matter and one land acquisition/disposition and contractual/negotiation matter as authorized by Sections 239 (2) (c) (i) of the Municipal Act, 2001, respectively."

Items for Consideration:

No Item Selected