Minutes of Committee of the Whole Meeting

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Council Chambers
Guelph City Hall, 1 Carden Street
Council:
  • Mayor C. Guthrie
  • Councillor P. Allt
  • Councillor C. Billings
  • Councillor L. Busuttil
  • Councillor L. Caron
  • Councillor E. Caton
  • Councillor K. Chew
  • Councillor C. Downer
  • Councillor D. Gibson
  • Councillor R. Goller
  • Councillor C. Klassen
  • Councillor D. O'Rourke
  • Councillor M. Richardson
Staff:
  • S. Stewart, Chief Administrative Officer
  • C. Clack-Bush, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Public Services
  • J. Holmes, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Infrastructure, Development and Environment
  • T. Lee, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Corporate Services
  • S. O'Brien, Acting General Manager, Human Resources
  • A. Fischer, General Manager, Information Technology
  • D. McMahon, Acting General Manager City Clerk's Office/City Clerk
  • J. Slater, Manager, Information, Privacy and Elections/Deputy City Clerk
  • S. Osborn, Administrative Coordinator, City Clerk’s Office
  • E. Barber, Board and Committee Coordinator
  • G. Meades, Acting Manager, Legislative Services/Deputy Clerk
  • C. Murray-Sprague, Council and Committee Coordinator
  • J. Tang, Legislative Coordinator

1.
Call to Order - Mayor

 

Mayor Guthrie called the meeting to order (12:04 p.m.).

2.
Authority to move into closed meeting

 
  • Moved ByCouncillor Allt
    Seconded ByCouncillor Klassen

    That the Council of the City of Guelph now hold a meeting that is closed to the public, pursuant to The Municipal Act, section 239(2)(b) (d) (e) and (f) of the Municipal Act, personal matters about an identifiable individual, including municipal or local board employees; labour relations or employee negotiations; litigation or potential litigation, including matters before administrative tribunals, affecting the municipality or local board; advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege, including communications necessary for that purpose. 

    Carried

    The following items were considered:


2.1
Call to Order (closed meeting)

 

2.2
Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest and General Nature Thereof (closed items)

 

2.3
Service Rationalization Review – Centralization of Back-Office Support Functions - Follow Up Review

 

2.4
1859 Victoria Road South – Ontario Land Tribunal Update , 2024-181

 

3.
Closed Meeting Summary

 

Mayor Guthrie spoke regarding the matters discussed in closed session and identified the following:
Service Rationalization Review – Centralization of Back-Office Support Functions - Follow Up Review
Staff direction was given.
1859 Victoria Road South – Ontario Land Tribunal Update 
Staff direction was given. 

Council recessed at 1:31 p.m.

4.
Open Meeting - 2:00 p.m.

 

Mayor Guthrie called the open meeting to order (2:00 p.m.).

5.
Staff Recognitions

 

5.1
Leadership Academy Managers Supervisors Program

 

Chair Caron, recognized the following staff:
Jeff Beaton, Manager, Labour Relations and Customer Service
Viva Batista, Supervisor, IT Service Desk
Marcus Bell, Supervisor, Corporate Building Maintenance 
Evan Bonnah-Hawkes , Supervisor, Technical Services, River Run
Laura Catalano-Bragues, Supervisor, Scheduling, Service Planning
Kyle Gagne, Supervisor, Public Works
Stacey Hare, Program Manager, Customer Service and Customer Experience
Alex Jaworiwsky, Manager, Tourism and Destination Development
Luke Jefferson, Strategic Property Advisor
Ashley Kassian, Program Manager, Operations Admin
Jeremy Laur, Chief Building Official
Glen Lombard, Manager, Community Engagement 
Patty Pizziola, Recreation Supervisor, Bookings, Events and Promotions
Kristin Pressey, Supervisor, Compliance
Peggy Robertson, Manager, Fire Communications 
 

5.2
2023 Lean Green Belt (Wave 2) Graduates

 

Mayor Guthrie recognized the following staff:
Amarjit Singh, Business Analyst, ERP
Ashley Kassian, Program Manager, Operations Administration
Harjeet Sehgal, Operations Coordinator, Parks
Janet Gerrath, Project Manager, Information Technology
Jennifer Burch, Program Coordinator Technical Services
Mathew Walden, Water Operations Technician
Sharoon Patrick, Comp Maint Management Systems CMMS Specialist

6.
Service Area - Public Services 

 

Councillor Downer assumed the position of Chair. 

7.
Consent Agenda - Public Services 

 

7.1
Ontario Health – Multi-Sector Service Accountability Agreement, Declaration of Compliance, 2024-214

This item has attachments. 
1.Ontario Health – Multi-Sector Service Accountability Agreement, Declaration of Compliance - 2024-214.pdf
  • Moved ByCouncillor Allt
    Seconded ByCouncillor Richardson
    1. That the Mayor be authorized to sign the Declaration of Compliance for the Ontario Health Multi-Sector Service Accountability Agreement for the period of April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024.
    Voting in Favour: (13)Mayor Guthrie, Councillor Gibson, Councillor Goller, Councillor Allt, Councillor Downer, Councillor O'Rourke, Councillor Billings, Councillor Caron, Councillor Caton, Councillor Klassen, Councillor Richardson, Councillor Busuttil, and Councillor Chew
    Carried (13 to 0)

9.
Service Area - Corporate Services 

 

Councillor Caron assumed the position of Chair. 

10.
Items for Discussion - Corporate Services 

 

10.1
2026 Municipal Election Alternative Voting Methods and Accessible Voting Service Enhancements, 2024-201, 2024-201

This item has attachments. 
1.2026 Municipal Election Alternative Voting Methods and Accessible Voting Service Enhancements - 2024-201.pdf
2.Attachment-1_Accessibility Advisory Committee engagement feedback and motion.pdf
3.Attachment-2_Municipal benchmarking and stakeholder engagement summary.pdf
4.Attachment-3_Alternative voting method evaluation and resourcing information.pdf
5.Attachment-4_Transit and parking benchmarking.pdf
6.Attachment-5_Presentation.pdf
7.Correspondence - Brenna Wilson.pdf
8.Correspondence - Susan Watson.pdf
9.Correspondence - Elizabeth Fontaine.pdf

Stephen O'Brien, Acting General Manager, Human Resources, introduced the presentation.  
Jenn Slater, Manager, Information, Privacy and Elections/Deputy City Clerk, presented the engagements that have been conducted over the past year. 
Lorelei Root, Chair, Accessibility Advisory Committee, presented the opinion of the Accessibility Advisory Committee. 

Councillor O'Rourke raised a Point Of Order, asking if questions were for Chair Root only.  Chair Caron stated questions could be asked of staff or Chair Root. 

The following delegates spoke:
Anordul Cameron
Susan Watson
Lin Gist
Brad Howcroft

The following delegate did not speak:
Meg Harding

Council recessed at 4:13 p.m.
Council reconvened at 4:21 p.m.

  • Motion
    Moved ByCouncillor Allt
    Seconded ByCouncillor O'Rourke
    1. That Council approve free Guelph Transit service and free parking at Market Parkade on Election Day to support access and remove barriers to voting for the 2026 municipal and school board election.
    2. That Council approve the use of vote tabulators in the 2026 municipal and school board election.
    3. That Council approve the use of vote by mail and vote from home as the alternative voting methods for the 2026 municipal and school board election.
  • Amendment to the Motion
    Moved ByCouncillor Caton
    Seconded ByCouncillor Goller

    4. That Guelph City Council directs the City Clerk’s Office to offer internet voting as an alternative voting method for the 2026 municipal and school board election subject to all security requirements and testing meeting the satisfaction of the City Clerk.

    Voting in Favour: (9)Mayor Guthrie, Councillor Gibson, Councillor Goller, Councillor Downer, Councillor Billings, Councillor Caron, Councillor Caton, Councillor Klassen, and Councillor Chew
    Voting Against: (4)Councillor Allt, Councillor O'Rourke, Councillor Richardson, and Councillor Busuttil
    Carried (9 to 4)
  • Amendment
    Moved ByCouncillor Downer
    Seconded ByMayor Guthrie
    1. That Council approve the use of Vote from Home as the alternative voting method for the 2026 municipal and school board elections. 
    Voting in Favour: (6)Mayor Guthrie, Councillor Gibson, Councillor Downer, Councillor Billings, Councillor Caron, and Councillor Chew
    Voting Against: (7)Councillor Goller, Councillor Allt, Councillor O'Rourke, Councillor Caton, Councillor Klassen, Councillor Richardson, and Councillor Busuttil
    Defeated (6 to 7)
  • Main Motion as Amended
    Moved ByCouncillor Allt
    Seconded ByCouncillor O'Rourke
    1. That Council approve free Guelph Transit service and free parking at Market Parkade on Election Day to support access and remove barriers to voting for the 2026 municipal and school board election.
    2. That Council approve the use of vote tabulators in the 2026 municipal and school board election.
    3. That Council approve the use of Vote by Mail and Vote from Home as the alternative voting method for the 2026 municipal and school board elections.
    4. That Guelph City Council directs the City Clerk’s Office to offer internet voting as an alternative voting method for the 2026 municipal and school board election subject to all security requirements and testing meeting the satisfaction of the City Clerk.

    Clause 4 was requested to be voted on separately. 


  • Moved ByCouncillor Allt
    Seconded ByCouncillor O'Rourke
    1. That Council approve free Guelph Transit service and free parking at Market Parkade on Election Day to support access and remove barriers to voting for the 2026 municipal and school board election.
    2. That Council approve the use of vote tabulators in the 2026 municipal and school board election.
    3. That Council approve the use of Vote by Mail and Vote from Home as the alternative voting method for the 2026 municipal and school board elections.

     

    Voting in Favour: (13)Mayor Guthrie, Councillor Gibson, Councillor Goller, Councillor Allt, Councillor Downer, Councillor O'Rourke, Councillor Billings, Councillor Caron, Councillor Caton, Councillor Klassen, Councillor Richardson, Councillor Busuttil, and Councillor Chew
    Carried (13 to 0)
  • Moved ByCouncillor Allt
    Seconded ByCouncillor O'Rourke

    4. That Guelph City Council directs the City Clerk’s Office to offer internet voting as an alternative voting method for the 2026 municipal and school board election subject to all security requirements and testing meeting the satisfaction of the City Clerk.

    Voting in Favour: (10)Mayor Guthrie, Councillor Gibson, Councillor Goller, Councillor Downer, Councillor O'Rourke, Councillor Billings, Councillor Caron, Councillor Caton, Councillor Klassen, and Councillor Chew
    Voting Against: (3)Councillor Allt, Councillor Richardson, and Councillor Busuttil
    Carried (10 to 3)

12.
Adjournment

 
  • Moved ByMayor Guthrie
    Seconded ByCouncillor Busuttil

    That the meeting be adjourned (5:25 p.m.).

    Carried (13 to 0)
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