Utility Committee - Minutes

Friday, March 14, 2025

9:30 A.m. - 5:00 P.m.

Council Chamber, 2nd floor, City Hall

Present:

• T. Cartmell, 
• A. Paquette, 
• M. Janz, 
• A. Salvador, 
• A. Stevenson, 
• K. Tang, 
• and A. Sohi 

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1.

Call to Order and Related Business

1.1

Call to Order and Land Acknowledgement

Councillor T. Cartmell called the meeting to order at 9:32 a.m., Friday, March 14, 2025, and acknowledged that Utility Committee meets on the traditional land of Treaty 6 Territory and the Métis homeland. 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.

1.2

Roll Call

Councillor T. Cartmell conducted roll call and confirmed the attendance of Members of Utility Committee.

Mayor A. Sohi is a Committee Member pursuant to section 15(3), Council Committees Bylaw 18156.

Councillors S. Hamilton, A. Knack, E. Rutherford and J. Wright; and E. Norton, G. Goodin and J. Taves, Office of the City Clerk, were also in attendance.

1.3

Adoption of Agenda

• Moved by: A. Stevenson

  That the March 14, 2025, Utility Committee meeting agenda be adopted with the following changes:

  Additions:

  • 7.1 Coronation Eco Station Expansion
  • 7.3 Air Products Franchise Fee Considerations

  Deletion: 

  • 9.1 Blatchford Renewable Energy Utility Funding Opportunity

  In Favour (6)

  A. Paquette, T. Cartmell, A. Salvador, M. Janz, K. Tang, and A. Stevenson

  Carried (6 to 0)

1.4

Approval of Minutes

• Moved by: A. Salvador

  That the January 27, 2025, Utility Committee meeting minutes be approved.

  In Favour (6)

  A. Paquette, T. Cartmell, A. Salvador, M. Janz, K. Tang, and A. Stevenson

  Carried (6 to 0)

1.5

Protocol Items

1.5.1

Dr. Margaret-Ann Amour School (T. Cartmell)

Councillor T. Cartmell, on behalf of Utility Committee, welcomed the Grade 6 classes from Dr. Margaret-Ann Amour School in Ward pihêsiwin and their teachers, A. Gentile and K. Los.

2.

Items for Discussion and Related Business

2.1

Select Items for Debate

The following items were selected for debate: 7.1 and 7.3.

2.2

Vote on Reports not Selected for Debate

• Moved by: A. Salvador

  That the recommendation in the following report be approved:

  • 7.2 Christmas Tree Collection

  In Favour (6)

  A. Paquette, T. Cartmell, A. Salvador, M. Janz, K. Tang, and A. Stevenson

  Carried (6 to 0)

2.3

Requests to Speak

• Moved by: T. Cartmell

  That Utility Committee hear from the following speaker:

  • 7.3 Air Products Franchise Fee Considerations

  1. 1. I. Murray, Air Products

  In Favour (6)

  A. Paquette, T. Cartmell, A. Salvador, M. Janz, K. Tang, and A. Stevenson

  Carried (6 to 0)

2.4

Requests for Specific Time on Agenda

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

3.

Councillor Inquiries

There were no Councillor Inquiries.

4.

Reports to be Dealt with at a Different Meeting

There were no Reports to be Dealt with at a Different Meeting.

5.

Requests to Reschedule Reports

There were no Requests to Reschedule Reports.

6.

Unfinished Business

There was no Unfinished Business on the agenda.

7.

Public Reports

7.1

Coronation Eco Station Expansion

The following members of Administration's delegation made a presentation and answered questions:

• C. McKeown, Acting Deputy City Manager, City Operations
• D. Jubinville, City Operations

The following members of Administration's delegation answered questions:

• C. Fowler, City Operations
• K. Berezowski, City Operations

J. Beckett, Utilities Advisor, answered questions.

• Moved by: T. Cartmell

  That Utility Committee recommend to City Council:

  That the business case for the Coronation Eco Station Expansion, as set out in Attachment 1 of the March 14, 2025, City Operations report CO02802, be approved.

  In Favour (6)

  A. Paquette, T. Cartmell, A. Salvador, M. Janz, K. Tang, and A. Stevenson

  Carried (6 to 0)

7.2

Christmas Tree Collection

This item was not selected for debate and was dealt with as part of item  2.2. The following motion carried:  

That the March 14, 2025, City Operations report CO02913, be received for information.

7.3

Air Products Franchise Fee Considerations

The following member of Administration's delegation made a presentation:

• H. Rai, Financial and Corporate Services

The following public speaker made a presentation and answered questions: 

• I. Murray, Air Products

The following members of the delegation answered questions:

• S. Chaudhary, EPCOR
• C. Bonneville, EPCOR

J. Beckett, Utilities Advisor, answered questions.

The following members of Administration’s delegation answered questions:

• H. Rai, Financial and Corporate Services
• T. Esch, Employee and Legal Services
• A. Laliberte, Urban Planning and Economy 

• Moved by: T. Cartmell

  Water Services Franchise Agreement - Amendment Options

  That Administration:

  1. Work with EPCOR to develop principles of narrowly defined classes of non-residential rates that consider shared infrastructure, multiple jurisdictions and partner utilities;
  2. Work with EPCOR to develop a narrowly defined new class of non-residential rate that considers shared infrastructure, multiple jurisdictions and partner utilities; and
  3. Provide a report on options including advantages and disadvantages to amend the franchise fee agreement to potentially apply a different fee to revenues, costs or other financial parameters, to ratepayers in this newly developed class.

  Due Date: September 2, 2025, Utility Committee

  In Favour (7)

  A. Paquette, T. Cartmell, A. Sohi, A. Salvador, M. Janz, K. Tang, and A. Stevenson

  Carried (7 to 0)

8.

Responses to Councillor Inquiries

There were no Responses to Councillor Inquiries on the agenda.

9.

Private Reports

9.1

Blatchford Renewable Energy Utility Funding Opportunity

This item was deleted from the agenda (see item 1.3).

10.

Motions Pending

There were no Motions Pending on the agenda.

11.

Notices of Motion and Motions without Customary Notice

Councillor T. Cartmell asked whether there were any Notices of Motion. There were none.

12.

Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 11:53 a.m., Friday, March 14, 2025.