Utility Committee Minutes

Friday, November 08, 2024

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, 
• and K. Tang 

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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 9:34 a.m., Friday, November 8, 2024, 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 A. Knack, J. Rice and J. Wright; and E. Norton, M. Moussa and B. Tyson, Office of the City Clerk, were also in attendance.

1.3

Adoption of Agenda

• Moved by: A. Paquette

  That the November 8, 2024, Utility Committee meeting agenda be adopted with the following changes:

  Addition:

  • 9.1 Contractual Update #2
    (Private pursuant to sections 24 and 25 of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act)

  Replacement attachment:

  • 7.3 Bylaw 20959 - EPCOR Distribution and Transmission Inc. Electric Distribution System Franchise Agreement 
    - Attachment 2
  
  

  In Favour (7)

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

  
  
  
  Carried (7 to 0)

1.4

Approval of Minutes

• Moved by: M. Janz

  That the October 11, 2024, Utility Committee meeting minutes be approved.

  
  

  In Favour (7)

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

  
  
  
  Carried (7 to 0)

1.5

Protocol Items

1.5.1

Indigenous Veterans Day (T. Cartmell)

Councillor T. Cartmell, on behalf of Utility Committee, recognized Friday as Indigenous Veterans Day, a day to celebrate the contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Metis soldiers who proudly served during the First and Second World Wars, as well as those who continue to serve to this day.

1.5.2

Nebula Academy (T. Cartmell)

Councillor T. Cartmell, on behalf of Utility Committee, welcomed the Grade 7, 8 and 9 class from Nebula Academy in Ward Métis and their teacher, J. Maxim.

2.

Items for Discussion and Related Business

2.1

Select Items for Debate

The following items were selected for debate: 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.6, 7.7 and 9.1.

2.2

Vote on Reports not Selected for Debate

• Moved by: K. Tang

  That the recommendation in the following report be approved:

  • 7.5 Waste Services Climate Action Plan
  
  

  In Favour (7)

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

  
  
  
  Carried (7 to 0)

2.3

Requests to Speak

There were no Requests to Speak. 

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

Blatchford Renewable Energy Utility 2025 Rate Filing and Fall 2024 Supplemental Budget Adjustment

Items 7.1 and 7.2 were dealt with together.

The following members of Administration’s delegation made a presentation:

• C. Felske, Integrated Infrastructure Services
• S. Cheung, Financial and Corporate Services

J. Beckett, Utilities Advisor, made a presentation.

The following members of Administration’s delegation answered questions: 

• C. Felske, Integrated Infrastructure Services
• S. Cheung, Financial and Corporate Services
• H. Rai, Financial and Corporate Services
• T. Lumsden, Integrated Infrastructure Services

• Moved by: A. Stevenson

  The Utility Committee recommend to City Council - Budget:

  1. That the Blatchford Renewable Energy Utility 2025 Rate Filing, as outlined in Attachment 1 of the November 8, 2024, Financial and Corporate Services report FCS02679, be approved.
  2. That the 2025-2026 Blatchford Renewable Energy Utility Operating Budget, as originally approved in the November 25, 2022, Financial and Corporate Services report FCS01479, be adjusted as follows:
  1. 2025 expenditure budget be decreased by $243,100, and 2025 revenue budget be decreased by $318,200. 
  2. 2026 expenditure budget be decreased by $325,900, and 2026 revenue budget be decreased by $1,215,700.  
  
  

  In Favour (7)

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

  
  
  
  Carried (7 to 0)

7.2

Bylaw 20962 - To Amend Bylaw 17943 Blatchford Renewable Energy Utility, Amendment No. 6

Items 7.1 and 7.2 were dealt with together (see item 7.1).

• Moved by: A. Stevenson

  That Utility Committee recommend to City Council - Budget: 

  That Bylaw 20962 be given the appropriate readings.

  
  

  In Favour (7)

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

  
  
  
  Carried (7 to 0)

7.3

Bylaw 20959 - EPCOR Distribution and Transmission Inc. Electric Distribution System Franchise Agreement

The following members of Administration’s delegation made a presentation:

• H. Rai, Financial and Corporate Services
• S. Cheung, Financial and Corporate Services

J. Beckett, Utilities Advisor, made a presentation.

The following members of Administration’s delegation answered questions: 

• H. Rai, Financial and Corporate Services
• S. Cheung, Financial and Corporate Services
• J. MacDougall-March, Employee and Legal Services

J. Beckett, Utilities Advisor, answered questions.

The following member of the delegation answered questions:

• J. Addison, EPCOR

• Moved by: K. Tang

  That Schedule A, section 5(a) of Bylaw 20959 be amended by deleting and replacing “fifteen and one half percent (15.5%)” with “seventeen and sixty-five hundredths percent (17.65%)”.

  
  

  In Favour (6)

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

  
  
  
  Carried (6 to 0)
• Moved by: A. Stevenson

  That Utility Committee recommend to the November 13/14, 2024, City Council:

  That Bylaw 20959, as amended, be given the appropriate readings.

  
  

  In Favour (6)

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

  
  
  
  Carried (6 to 0)

7.4

Extended Producer Responsibility Update

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

• Moved by: K. Tang

  That the November 8, 2024, City Operations report CO02676, be received for information.

  
  

  In Favour (6)

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

  
  
  
  Carried (6 to 0)

7.5

Waste Services Climate Action Plan

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

That Utility Committee recommend to City Council - Budget:

1. That the business case for the Waste Services Climate Action Plan, as set out in Attachment 1 of the November 8, 2024, City Operations report CO02507, be approved.
2. That Attachment 1 of the November 8, 2024, City Operations report CO02507 remain private pursuant to sections 16 (disclosure harmful to business interests of a third party), 24 (advice from officials) and 25 (disclosure harmful to economic and other interests of a public body) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

7.6

Waste Services 2025 Rate Filing

Items 7.6 and 7.7 were dealt with together.

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

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

The following member of Administration’s delegation made a presentation and answered questions:

• D. Jubinville, City Operations

J. Beckett, Utilities Advisor, answered questions.

• Moved by: K. Tang

  That Utility Committee recommend to City Council - Budget:

  1. That the 2025 Waste Services Utility Rate Filing, as set out in Attachment 1 of the November 8, 2024, City Operations report CO02415, be approved.
  2. That the funding source adjustments in the Waste Containers (CM-81-2005) and Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Energy Transition Portfolio (CM-81-2049) capital profiles, as outlined in Attachment 2 of the November 8, 2024, City Operations report CO02415, be approved.
  
  

  In Favour (6)

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

  
  
  
  Carried (6 to 0)

7.7

Bylaw 20990 - Waste Services Bylaw 20363, Amendment No. 2

Items 7.6 and 7.7 were dealt with together (see item 7.6).

• Moved by: K. Tang

  That Utility Committee recommend to City Council - Budget: 

  That Bylaw 20990 be given the appropriate readings.

  
  

  In Favour (6)

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

  
  
  
  Carried (6 to 0)

8.

Responses to Councillor Inquiries

There were no Responses to Councillor Inquiries on the agenda.

9.

Private Reports

9.1

Contractual Update #2

• Moved by: K. Tang

  That Utility Committee meet in private pursuant to sections 24 (advice from officials) and 25 (disclosure harmful to economic and other interests of a public body) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act for the discussion of item 9.1.

  
  

  In Favour (6)

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

  
  
  
  Carried (6 to 0)

  Utility Committee met in private at 11:36 a.m., Friday, November 8, 2024.

  The following member of the delegation made a presentation and
  answered questions:

  • N. Jacobsen, Office of the City Clerk

  The following member of Administration's delegation answered questions:

  • S. Cheung, Financial and Corporate Services 
  
  
• Moved by: K. Tang

  That Utility Committee meet in public.

  
  

  In Favour (6)

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

  
  
  
  Carried (6 to 0)

  Utility Committee met in public at 11:41 a.m., Friday, November 8, 2024.

  
  
• Moved by: A. Stevenson
  1. That Option 2, as outlined in Attachment 1 of the November 8, 2024, Office of the City Clerk report OCC02747, be approved.
  2. That the November 8, 2024, Office of the City Clerk report OCC02747 remain private pursuant to sections 24 (advice from officials) and 25 (disclosure harmful to economic and other interests of a public body) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
  
  

  In Favour (6)

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

  
  
  
  Carried (6 to 0)

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 2:25 p.m., Friday, November 8, 2024.