Special City Council - Minutes

Monday, January 15, 2024

1:30 P.m. - 3:30 P.m.

Council Chamber, 2nd floor, City Hall

Present:

• A. Sohi, 
• T. Cartmell, 
• S. Hamilton, 
• M. Janz, 
• A. Knack, 
• A. Paquette, 
• K. Principe, 
• J. Rice, 
• E. Rutherford, 
• A. Salvador, 
• A. Stevenson, 
• K. Tang, 
• and J. Wright 

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1.

Call to Order and Related Business

1.1

Call to Order and Land Acknowledgement

Mayor A. Sohi called the meeting to order at 1:34 p.m., Monday, January 15, 2024, and acknowledged that City Council meets on the traditional land of Treaty 6 Territory and Métis Homelands. The Chair also acknowledged the diverse Indigenous peoples whose ancestors' footsteps have marked this territory for centuries such as: Cree, Dene, Saulteaux, Blackfoot, Nakota Sioux, as well as Métis and Inuit, and now settlers from around the world.

*Clerk's note: The January 15, 2024, Special City Council meeting was held over two days: January 15, 2024 and January 16, 2024.

1.2

Roll Call

Mayor A. Sohi conducted roll call and confirmed the attendance of Members of City Council.

A. Corbould, City Manager; and A. Giesbrecht, City Clerk, K. Stolarz, Deputy City Clerk, B. Tyson, T. Orbell, C. Martin and A. Karbashewski, Office of the City Clerk, were also in attendance.

1.3

Adoption of Agenda

• Moved by: S. Hamilton
  Seconded by: J. Rice

  That the January 15, 2024, Special City Council meeting agenda be adopted.

  In Favour (13)

  A. Knack, S. Hamilton, A. Paquette, T. Cartmell, A. Sohi, A. Salvador, M. Janz, J. Rice, K. Tang, E. Rutherford, A. Stevenson, J. Wright, and K. Principe

  Carried (13 to 0)
• Moved by: T. Cartmell
  Seconded by: J. Rice
  • That City Council, on behalf of Community and Public Services Committee, lay over the the January 15, 2024, City Operations report CO02130 to the February 5, 2024, Community and Public Services Committee meeting, and that the January 15, 2024, Community and Public Services meeting be adjourned.
  • That City Council, on behalf of Urban Planning Committee, postpone the December 5, 2023, Urban Planning and Economy report UPE01333 and the December 5, 2023, City Operations report CO01552 to the February 6, 2024, Urban Planning Committee, and that the January 16, 2024, Urban Planning Committee meeting be cancelled.
  • That the Orders of the Day for the January 15, 2024, Special City Council meeting, be changed as follows:

  Continuation on Tuesday, January 16, 2024

  • • Call to Order - 1:30 p.m.
    • Recess - 3:30 p.m. to 3:45 p.m
    • Adjournment - 5 p.m

  In Favour (9)	A. Knack, S. Hamilton, A. Paquette, T. Cartmell, A. Sohi, M. Janz, J. Rice, K. Tang, and K. Principe
  Opposed (4)	A. Salvador, E. Rutherford, A. Stevenson, and J. Wright

  Carried (9 to 4)

1.4

Protocol Items

1.4.1

Soraya Hafez School (A. Sohi)

Mayor A. Sohi, on behalf of City Council, welcomed the Grade 5 class from Soraya Hafez School in Ward Dene and their teacher, M. Hermary.

2.

Items for Discussion and Related Business

2.1

Select Items for Debate

The following item was selected for debate: 3.1.

2.2

Requests to Speak

Requests to Speak were not considered.

2.3

Requests for Specific Time on Agenda

There were no requests for items to be dealt with at a specific time on the agenda.

2.4

Vote on Bylaws not Selected for Debate

There were no Bylaws on the agenda.

3.

Public Reports

3.1

Housing and Homelessness - Verbal report

Mayor A. Sohi made a presentation and answered questions.

The following members of Administration's delegation answered questions:

• M. Plouffe, Chief People Officer and City Solicitor
• A. Corbould, City Manager
• J. Flaman, Deputy City Manager, Community Services

K. Stolarz, Deputy City Clerk, answered questions.

The following members of the Mayor's Office delegation answered questions:

• L. Holmes, Mayor's Office
• H. Frost, Mayor's Office

• Moved by: A. Sohi
  Seconded by: J. Wright
  1. That Attachment 1 be added to the January 15, 2024, Mayor’s Office report MO02326.
  2. That the City of Edmonton declare a housing and houselessness emergency.
  3. That the Mayor, on behalf of City Council, invite the Government of Canada, Government of Alberta and Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations for a meeting to discuss collaborative solutions to the emergency, including those as identified in Attachment 1 of the January 15, 2024, Mayor’s Office report MO02326.
  4. That Administration:
     1. establish a task force, led by Mayor, City Manager and an appointed member of Council, consisting of community leaders with a mandate to mobilize all sectors to create vision and raise capital that can be deployed to complement social service mechanisms, and
     2. allocate $3.5 million from the Community Safety and Well-being Reserve unallocated funding to act as seed money to fund innovative solutions and attract additional sources of funding through the task force.
  5. That Administration provide a verbal report with a list of immediate actions that Administration can take, including but not limited to options such as the provision of City-owned land to service providers able to immediately increase the number of Indigenous-led transitional spaces in Edmonton, and existing recommended actions that can be expedited.

  Due Date: Feb 27, 2024, Urban Planning Committee.

• Amendment:

  Moved by: T. Cartmell
  Seconded by: A. Paquette

  That the Due Date for Part 5 be changed from "February 27, 2024, Urban Planning Committee" to "January 30, 2024, City Council".

  In Favour (12)	A. Knack, S. Hamilton, T. Cartmell, A. Sohi, A. Salvador, M. Janz, J. Rice, K. Tang, E. Rutherford, A. Stevenson, J. Wright, and K. Principe
  Opposed (1)	A. Paquette

  Carried (12 to 1)

• Motion as Amended:

  Moved by: A. Sohi
  Seconded by: J. Wright
  1. That Attachment 1 be added to the January 15, 2024, Mayor’s Office report MO02326.
  2. That the City of Edmonton declare a housing and houselessness emergency
  3. That the Mayor, on behalf of City Council, invite the Government of Canada, Government of Alberta and Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations for a meeting to discuss collaborative solutions to the emergency, including those as identified in Attachment 1 of the January 15, 2024, Mayor’s Office report MO02326.
  4. That Administration establish a task force, led by Mayor, City Manager and an appointed member of Council, consisting of community leaders with a mandate to mobilize all sectors, expedite red tape reduction related to housing and houselessness, and allocate $3.5 million from the Community Safety and Well-being Reserve unallocated funding to act as seed money to fund innovative solutions and attract additional sources of funding.
  5. That Administration provide a report with a list of immediate actions that Administration can take, including but not limited to options such as the provision of City-owned land to service providers able to immediately increase the number of Indigenous-led transitional spaces in Edmonton, and existing recommended actions that can be expedited.

  Due Date: January 30, 2024, City Council
• Moved by: K. Principe
  Seconded by: J. Wright

  That City Council meet in private pursuant to section 27 (privileged information) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act for the discussion of item 3.1.

  In Favour (8)	A. Knack, S. Hamilton, A. Paquette, T. Cartmell, J. Rice, K. Tang, A. Stevenson, and K. Principe
  Opposed (5)	A. Sohi, A. Salvador, M. Janz, E. Rutherford, and J. Wright

  Carried (8 to 5)

  City Council met in private at 4 p.m., Monday, January 15, 2024.

  The following members of Administration's delegation answered questions:

  • M. Plouffe, Chief People Officer and City Solicitor
  • M. Gunther, Employee and Legal Services
  • A. Corbould, City Manager

  The following member of the delegation answered questions:

  • H. Frost, Mayor's office

  K. Stolarz, Deputy City Clerk, and A. Giesbrecht, City Clerk, answered questions.

  
  
• Moved by: A. Salvador
  Seconded by: T. Cartmell

  That City Council meet in public.

  In Favour (13)

  A. Knack, S. Hamilton, A. Paquette, T. Cartmell, A. Sohi, A. Salvador, M. Janz, J. Rice, K. Tang, E. Rutherford, A. Stevenson, J. Wright, and K. Principe

  Carried (13 to 0)

  City Council met in public at 5:14 p.m., Monday, January 15, 2024.

  
  

• Motion as Amended:

  Moved by: A. Sohi
  Seconded by: J. Wright
  1. That Attachment 1 be added to the January 15, 2024, Mayor’s Office report MO02326.
  2. That the City of Edmonton declare a housing and houselessness emergency
  3. That the Mayor, on behalf of City Council, invite the Government of Canada, Government of Alberta and Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations for a meeting to discuss collaborative solutions to the emergency, including those as identified in Attachment 1 of the January 15, 2024, Mayor’s Office report MO02326.
  4. That Administration establish a task force, led by Mayor, City Manager and an appointed member of Council, consisting of community leaders with a mandate to mobilize all sectors, expedite red tape reduction related to housing and houselessness, and allocate $3.5 million from the Community Safety and Well-being Reserve unallocated funding to act as seed money to fund innovative solutions and attract additional sources of funding.
  5. That Administration provide a report with a list of immediate actions that Administration can take, including but not limited to options such as the provision of City-owned land to service providers able to immediately increase the number of Indigenous-led transitional spaces in Edmonton, and existing recommended actions that can be expedited.

  Due Date: January 30, 2024, City Council

  The following member of Administration's delegation answered questions:

  • A. Corbould, City Manager

  Members of City Council requested that the motion be split for voting purposes.

  
  

• Part 1 of Motion, put:

  Moved by: A. Sohi
  Seconded by: J. Wright

  1. That Attachment 1 be added to the January 15, 2024, Mayor’s Office report MO02326.

  In Favour (13)

  A. Knack, S. Hamilton, A. Paquette, T. Cartmell, A. Sohi, A. Salvador, M. Janz, J. Rice, K. Tang, E. Rutherford, A. Stevenson, J. Wright, and K. Principe

  Carried (13 to 0)

• Part 2 of Motion, put:

  Moved by: A. Sohi
  Seconded by: J. Wright

  2. That the City of Edmonton declare a housing and houselessness emergency.

  In Favour (9)	A. Knack, A. Sohi, A. Salvador, M. Janz, J. Rice, K. Tang, E. Rutherford, A. Stevenson, and J. Wright
  Opposed (4)	S. Hamilton, A. Paquette, T. Cartmell, and K. Principe

  Carried (9 to 4)

• Part 3 of Motion, put:

  Moved by: A. Sohi
  Seconded by: J. Wright

  3. That the Mayor, on behalf of City Council, invite the Government of Canada, Government of Alberta and Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations for a meeting to discuss collaborative solutions to the emergency, including those as identified in Attachment 1 of the January 15, 2024, Mayor’s Office report MO02326.

  In Favour (13)

  A. Knack, S. Hamilton, A. Paquette, T. Cartmell, A. Sohi, A. Salvador, M. Janz, J. Rice, K. Tang, E. Rutherford, A. Stevenson, J. Wright, and K. Principe

  Carried (13 to 0)

• Part 4 of Motion, put:

  Moved by: A. Sohi
  Seconded by: J. Wright

  4. That Administration establish a task force, led by Mayor, City Manager and an appointed member of Council, consisting of community leaders with a mandate to mobilize all sectors, expedite red tape reduction related to housing and houselessness, and allocate $3.5 million from the Community Safety and Well-being Reserve unallocated funding to act as seed money to fund innovative solutions and attract additional sources of funding.

  In Favour (13)

  A. Knack, S. Hamilton, A. Paquette, T. Cartmell, A. Sohi, A. Salvador, M. Janz, J. Rice, K. Tang, E. Rutherford, A. Stevenson, J. Wright, and K. Principe

  Carried (13 to 0)

• Part 5 of Motion, put:

  Moved by: A. Sohi
  Seconded by: J. Wright

  Actions to Respond to Housing and Houselessness Emergency

  5. That Administration provide a report with a list of immediate actions that Administration can take, including but not limited to options such as the provision of City-owned land to service providers able to immediately increase the number of Indigenous-led transitional spaces in Edmonton, and existing recommended actions that can be expedited.

  Due Date: January 30, 2024, City Council

  In Favour (13)

  A. Knack, S. Hamilton, A. Paquette, T. Cartmell, A. Sohi, A. Salvador, M. Janz, J. Rice, K. Tang, E. Rutherford, A. Stevenson, J. Wright, and K. Principe

  Carried (13 to 0)

• Summary of Council's Decision on item 3.1:

  Moved by: A. Sohi
  Seconded by: J. Wright
  1. That Attachment 1 be added to the January 15, 2024, Mayor’s Office report MO02326.
  2. That the City of Edmonton declare a housing and houselessness emergency
  3. That the Mayor, on behalf of City Council, invite the Government of Canada, Government of Alberta and Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations for a meeting to discuss collaborative solutions to the emergency, including those as identified in Attachment 1 of the January 15, 2024, Mayor’s Office report MO02326.
  4. That Administration establish a task force, led by Mayor, City Manager and an appointed member of Council, consisting of community leaders with a mandate to mobilize all sectors, expedite red tape reduction related to housing and houselessness, and allocate $3.5 million from the Community Safety and Well-being Reserve unallocated funding to act as seed money to fund innovative solutions and attract additional sources of funding.    
     
     Actions to Respond to Housing and Houselessness Emergency
  5. That Administration provide a report with a list of immediate actions that Administration can take, including but not limited to options such as the provision of City-owned land to service providers able to immediately increase the number of Indigenous-led transitional spaces in Edmonton, and existing recommended actions that can be expedited.

  Due Date: January 30, 2024, City Council

4.

Bylaws

There were no Bylaws on the agenda.

5.

Private Reports

There were no Private Reports on the agenda.

6.

Motions Pending

There were no Motions Pending on the agenda.

7.

Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 2:46 p.m., Tuesday, January 16, 2024.