Economic Standing Policy Committee finishes week of deliberations
Poll
Independent
The Economic Standing Policy Committee of city council adjourned on Friday after five days of deliberations leaving $31 million unallocated for the next elected council to make use of after this fall’s municipal election.
While most initiatives funded in this upcoming 2022-2031 Capital Improvement Program cycle were modest and relatively inexpensive to fund, there were a few which stood out as having a larger impact on the city in the years to come.
The recommendation that city council fund from the CIP a green bin program was approved by Economic SPC over the next fours years for about $3.5 million per year ($14 million in total) to cover operating costs, but it will also trigger a $10.6 million investment in a new organics sorting facility through City borrowing, and eventually a $7 per month additional utility charge by 2023 for every residential dwelling in the city.
The Economic Standing Policy Committee of city council Capital Improvement Project deliberations for the 2022-2032 cycle continued on Day Four Thursday with several significant initiatives recommended for approval.
A majority of SPC members chose to go electric by recommending the funding of the replacement of the current diesel City bus fleet with electric buses over the next 10 years. The total cost of the replacement program would be $19.4 million between 2022-2025, with a total cost of $37 million needed over the next ten years. This cost would include the buses themselves and all charging infrastructure needed to keep them running.
SPC members were reassured by City transit staff that the federal government will likely be approving significant grants to municipalities to help encourage the electric bus change in order to help meet Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions commitments.
The Economic Standing Policy Committee of city council Capital Improvement Project deliberations for the 2022-2032 cycle continued on Day Four Thursday with several significant initiatives recommended for approval. A majority of SPC members chose to go electric by recommending the funding of the replacement of the current diesel City bus fleet with electric buses over the next 10 years. The total cost of the replacement program would be $19.4 million between 2022-2025, with a total cost of $37 million needed over the next ten years. This cost would include the buses themselves and all charging infrastructure needed to keep them running. SPC members were reassured by City transit staff that the federal government will likely be approving significant grants to municipalities to help encourage the electric bus change in order to help meet Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions commitments.
Economic Standing Policy Committee finishes day three of deliberations
Poll
Yes
The Economic Standing Policy Committee forged ahead with some heavy lifting on some proposed community capital projects during its third day of deliberations. Despite the early exit of Coun. Joe Mauro, remaining committee members recommended that funding be approved for Fire Station No. 3 relocation to 16 Avenue South by a unanimous vote after Coun. Jeffrey Coffman proposed instead of allocating the $28.5 million originally requested for the move in the 2022-2031 CIP cycle that $4.8 million be spent on purchasing property for the site and for completion of a functional study on the newly proposed fire hall.
Economic Standing Policy Committee finishes second day of deliberations
Poll
Yes
The Economic Standing Policy Committee of city council passed an omnibus measure which approved most projects left over under the C (Transportation Projects), E (Environmental Utilities) and F (Electric Utility) Sections of the Capital Improvement Program investment proposals for 2022-2031 cycle Tuesday morning, and was able to successfully to get a start on considerations in Section D (Community Projects) in the afternoon. Before moving on to D Section council debated and unanimously passed a motion by Coun. Jeffrey Carlson, who is acting as vice-chair of Economic SPC, to put aside $10 million in CIP funding as a reserve against future needs or if additional federal or provincial grant opportunities become available in the next four years which require matching funds from the City instead of allocating all available CIP funds.