Community and Public Services Committee Minutes

Monday, August 28, 2023

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

River Valley Room, 1st floor, City Hall

Present:

• K. Principe, 
• J. Rice, 
• A. Knack, 
• A. Paquette, 
• and A. Sohi 

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1.

Call to Order and Related Business

1.1

Call to Order and Land Acknowledgement

Councillor K. Principe called the meeting to order at 9:31 a.m., Monday, August 28, 2023, and acknowledged that Community and Public Services Committee 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.

1.2

Roll Call

Councillor K. Principe conducted roll call and confirmed the attendance of Members of Community and Public Services Committee.

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

Councillors T. Cartmell, M. Janz, E. Rutherford, A. Stevenson, K. Tang and J. Wright; A. Corbould, City Manager; and R. Yusuf, B. Webster and M. de Guzman, Office of the City Clerk, were also in attendance.

1.3

Adoption of Agenda

• Moved by: J. Rice

  That the August 28, 2023, Community and Public Services Committee meeting agenda be adopted with the following change:

  Postponement:  

  • 7.1 YMCA Childminding Service Agreement

  Due Date: October 10, 2023

  In Favour (5)

  A. Knack, A. Paquette, A. Sohi, J. Rice, and K. Principe

  Carried (5 to 0)

1.4

Approval of Minutes

• Moved by: A. Knack

  That the July 11, 2023, Community and Public Services Committee meeting minutes be approved.

  In Favour (5)

  A. Knack, A. Paquette, A. Sohi, J. Rice, and K. Principe

  Carried (5 to 0)

1.5

Protocol Items

There were no Protocol Items.

2.

Items for Discussion and Related Business

2.1

Select Items for Debate

The following items were selected for debate: 6.1 and 6.2.

2.2

Vote on Reports not Selected for Debate

• Moved by: A. Knack

  That the recommendations in the following reports be approved:

  • 5.1 Enhanced Encampment and Unsheltered Homelessness Response Plan - Recommended Next Steps
  • 5.2 Social Services Agencies for Houseless Persons (T. Cartmell)
  • 5.3 Edmonton's Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness - Lessons Learned

  In Favour (5)

  A. Knack, A. Paquette, A. Sohi, J. Rice, and K. Principe

  Carried (5 to 0)

2.3

Requests to Speak

• Moved by: A. Paquette

  That Community and Public Services Committee hear from the following speakers, in panels when appropriate: 

  • 6.1 Community Safety and Well-Being Strategy Implementation Update
    1. 1. S. Kim, Edmonton Arts Council
       2. L. Cunningham-Shpeley, Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues
       3. L. Perron, Community Safety and Well-Being Committee
       4. M. Gusul, MAPS Alberta Capital Region
       5. S. Pittman, United Way of the Alberta Capital Region
       6. M. Schulte Long, Youth Agency Collaborative and Youth Empowerment and Support Services
       7. C. Whiskeyjack
       8. D. Hunter, Edmonton John Howard Society
       9. B. Woldemariam, Centre for Race and Culture
       10. G. Puligandla, Canadian Mental Health Association - Edmonton Region
       11. O. Yaqub, Islamic Family and Social Services Association
       12. E. Onah, Africa Centre
       13. S. McGee, Homeward Trust Edmonton
  • 6.2 Current Status of City-enabled and City-provided Indigenous Business Supports (A. Paquette)
    1. 1. B. Hanewich, EndPovertyEdmonton (previously approved at the July 11, 2023, Community and Public Services Committee meeting)

  In Favour (5)

  A. Knack, A. Paquette, A. Sohi, J. Rice, and K. Principe

  Carried (5 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

3.1

Edmonton Enforcement Staffing (A. Knack)

Can Administration provide a report with the following information:

1. The present staffing levels for all enforcement staff, excluding the Edmonton Police Service (for instance, Municipal Enforcement Officers, Development Compliance, etc.)?
2. A comparison of staffing levels between Edmonton and Calgary?
3. What are the recommended staffing levels for each function to facilitate genuine proactive patrols throughout the city?   

Due Date: December 4, 2023, Community and Public Services Committee

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

5.1

Enhanced Encampment and Unsheltered Homelessness Response Plan - Recommended Next Steps

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

That the revised due date of October 30, 2023, Community and Public Services Committee, for the Community Services report CS01881, Enhanced Encampment and Unsheltered Homelessness Response Plan - Recommended Next Steps, be approved.

Revised Due Date: October 30, 2023, Community and Public Services Committee

5.2

Social Services Agencies for Houseless Persons (T. Cartmell)

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

That the revised due date of December 4, 2023, Community and Public Services Committee, for the Community Services report CS01912, Social Services Agencies for Houseless Persons (T. Cartmell), be approved.

Revised Due Date: December 4, 2023, Community and Public Services Committee

5.3

Edmonton's Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness - Lessons Learned

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

That the revised due date of October 30, 2023, Community and Public Services Committee, for the Community Services report CS01661, Edmonton's Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness - Lessons Learned, be approved.

Revised Due Date: October 30, 2023, Community and Public Services Committee

6.

Unfinished Business

6.1

Community Safety and Well-Being Strategy Implementation Update

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

• A. Corbould, City Manager
• K. Coomber, Community Services
• I. Hoogenboom, Community Services
• J. Flaman, Deputy City Manager, Community Services

The following public speakers made presentations:

• S. Kim, Edmonton Arts Council
• L. Cunningham-Shpeley, Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues
• B. Woldemariam, Centre for Race and Culture

The following public speakers made presentations and answered questions:

• L. Perron, Community Safety and Well-Being Committee
• M. Gusul, MAPS Alberta Capital Region
• S. Pittman, United Way of the Alberta Capital Region
• M. Schulte Long, Youth Agency Collaborative and Youth Empowerment and Support Services
• C. Whiskeyjack
• D. Hunter, Edmonton John Howard Society
• G. Puligandla, Canadian Mental Health Association
• O. Yaqub, Islamic Family and Social Services Association
• E. Onah, Africa Centre
• S. McGee, Homeward Trust Edmonton

The following members of Administration's delegation answered questions:

• K. Coomber, Community Services
• A. Corbould, City Manager
• I. Hoogenboom, Community Services
• J. Flaman, Deputy City Manager, Community Services

• Moved by: J. Rice

  That the July 4, 2023, Community Services report CS01919, be received for information.

  Not put to vote

  
  
• Moved by: A. Sohi

  That Community and Public Services Committee recommend to City Council:

  1. That the Mayor, on behalf of City Council, with the assistance of Administration, engage with the Edmonton Police Commission to identify shared priorities for joint advocacy to the Government of Alberta and the Government of Canada for addressing the long term systemic issues to support public safety in Edmonton.
  2. That Administration engage community organizations working in the Community Safety and Wellbeing ecosystem as outlined in the July 4, 2023, Community Services report CS01919, to advance advocacy on shared priorities to the Government of Alberta and Government of Canada.
  3. That Administration engage with funders of Community Safety and Wellbeing initiatives (Government of Alberta, City of Edmonton, Government of Canada, United Way, Community Foundation and others)  to discuss strategies to coordinate funding programs, remove unnecessary red tape in funding models and align outcomes of funding programs.

  In Favour (5)

  A. Knack, A. Paquette, A. Sohi, J. Rice, and K. Principe

  Carried (5 to 0)

• The following member of Administration's delegation answered questions:

  • J. Flaman, Deputy City Manager, Community Services
  Moved by: A. Knack

  That Community and Public Services Committee recommend to City Council:
  
  That Administration provide a report with the development of a violence prevention action plan, in collaboration with partners, as part of the broader Community Safety and Well-Being strategy, highlighting key priorities, including but not limited to youth and neighbourhood prevention, and related funding requirement, and provide a memo midway as an update on this work.

  In Favour (5)

  A. Knack, A. Paquette, A. Sohi, J. Rice, and K. Principe

  Carried (5 to 0)

6.2

Current Status of City-enabled and City-provided Indigenous Business Supports (A. Paquette)

The following members of Administration's delegation answered questions:

• A. Laliberte, Urban Planning and Economy
• J. Smid, Financial and Corporate Services
• J. Ferner, Urban Planning and Economy

• Moved by: A. Paquette

  That the July 11, 2023, Urban Planning and Economy report UPE01844, be received for information.

  In Favour (5)

  A. Knack, A. Paquette, A. Sohi, J. Rice, and K. Principe

  Carried (5 to 0)

7.

Public Reports

7.1

YMCA Childminding Service Agreement

This item was postponed to the October 10, 2023, Community and Public Services Committee meeting (see item 1.3).

8.

Responses to Councillor Inquiries

There were no Responses to Councillor Inquiries on the agenda.

9.

Private Reports

There were no Private Reports on the agenda.

10.

Motions Pending

There were no Motions Pending on the agenda.

11.

Notices of Motion and Motions without Customary Notice

Councillor K. Principe asked whether there were any Notices of Motion. There were none.

12.

Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 3:59 p.m., Monday, August 28, 2023.