Community and Public Services Committee - Minutes

Monday, September 16, 2024

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

Council Chamber, 2nd floor, City Hall

Present:

• E. Rutherford, 
• A. Salvador, 
• S. Hamilton, 
• A. Stevenson, 
• and A. Sohi 

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1.

Call to Order and Related Business

1.1

Call to Order and Land Acknowledgement

Councillor E. Rutherford called the meeting to order at 9:33 a.m., Monday, September 16, 2024, and acknowledged that Community and Public Services Committee meets on the traditional land of Treaty 6 Territory and 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 E. Rutherford 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 M. Janz, A. Knack, A. Paquette, K. Principe, J. Rice, K. Tang and J. Wright; and A. Karbashewski, G. Goodin and J. Shearer, Office of the City Clerk, were also in attendance.

1.3

Adoption of Agenda

• Moved by: S. Hamilton

  That the September 16, 2024, Community and Public Services Committee meeting agenda be adopted with the following change:

  Addition: 

  • 7.3 2025 / 2026 Community Safety and Well-Being Funding

  In Favour (5)

  S. Hamilton, A. Sohi, A. Salvador, E. Rutherford, and A. Stevenson

  Carried (5 to 0)

1.4

Approval of Minutes

• Moved by: A. Salvador

  That the minutes from the following meetings be approved:

  • June 17, 2024, Community and Public Services Committee 
  • July 2, 2024, Special Community and Public Services Committee

  In Favour (5)

  S. Hamilton, A. Sohi, A. Salvador, E. Rutherford, and A. Stevenson

  Carried (5 to 0)

1.5

Protocol Items

1.5.1

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day (A. Sohi)

Mayor A. Sohi, on behalf of Community and Public Services Committee, recognized September 30, 2024 as National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day, honoring the survivors who shared their stories so that we could understand the truth of this history.

1.5.2

Employee Recognition - National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (A. Sohi)

Mayor A. Sohi, on behalf of Community and Public Services Committee, recognized the contributions of staff who support the Root for Trees program.

2.

Items for Discussion and Related Business

2.1

Select Items for Debate

The following items were selected for debate: 7.1, 7.2 and 7.3.

2.2

Vote on Reports not Selected for Debate

• Moved by: E. Rutherford

  That the recommendation in the following report be approved: 

  • 5.1 Bylaw 20700 - Public Spaces Bylaw - Additional Information

  In Favour (5)

  S. Hamilton, A. Sohi, A. Salvador, E. Rutherford, and A. Stevenson

  Carried (5 to 0)

2.3

Requests to Speak

• Moved by: E. Rutherford

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

  • 7.1 Indigenous Framework and Reconciliation Update - 2023/2024 Update

  1. 1. C. Cardinal 
     2. K. Bell

  • 7.2 Options to Address the Retail Sale of Knives

  1. 1. N. Desalgne
     2. E. Estrada, Alberta Avenue Business Association
     3. A. Bolstad
     4. C. Morin, Arts on the Ave

  • 7.3 2025 / 2026 Community Safety and Well-Being Funding

  1. 1. L. Kardosh, REACH Edmonton Council for Safer Communities
     2. R. Morris, Trans Rights Yeg
     3. E. Westfal, Fyrefly Institute for Gender & Sexual Diversity
     4. C. Wyness, Pride Centre of Edmonton
     5. S. Spurvey, Queer and Trans Health Collective
     6. A. Marshall
     7. I. Waller

  In Favour (5)

  S. Hamilton, A. Sohi, A. Salvador, E. Rutherford, and A. Stevenson

  Carried (5 to 0)
• Moved by: E. Rutherford

  That Community and Public Services Committee hear from the following additional speakers:

  • 7.2 Options to Address the Retail Sale of Knives

  1. 1. R. Shuttleworth, Queen Mary Park Community League

  • 7.3 2025 / 2026 Community Safety and Well-Being Funding

  1. 1. N. Rheubottom, Alberta 2SLGBTQIA+ Chamber of Commerce

  In Favour (5)

  S. Hamilton, A. Sohi, A. Salvador, E. Rutherford, and A. Stevenson

  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

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

5.1

Bylaw 20700 - Public Spaces Bylaw - Additional Information

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 First Quarter 2025, Community and Public Services Committee, for the Employee and Legal Services report ELS02103rev, Bylaw 20700 - Public Spaces Bylaw - Additional Information, be approved.

Revised Due Date: First Quarter 2025, Community and Public Services Committee

6.

Unfinished Business

There was no Unfinished Business on the agenda.

7.

Public Reports

7.1

Indigenous Framework and Reconciliation Update - 2023/2024 Update

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

• J. Flaman, Deputy City Manager, Community Services
• A. Levey, Community Services
• S. Ebrahim, Office of the City Manager
• E. Karhioo-Saadeh, Employee and Legal Services

The following public speakers made presentations and answered questions:

• C. Cardinal
• K. Bell

The following members of Administration’s delegation answered questions:

• J. Flaman, Deputy City Manager, Community Services
• A. Levey, Community Services
• S. Ebrahim, Office of the City Manager
• E. Karhioo-Saadeh, Employee and Legal Services

• Moved by: A. Stevenson

  That the September 16, 2024, Community and Public Services report CS02266, be received for information.

  In Favour (5)

  S. Hamilton, A. Sohi, A. Salvador, E. Rutherford, and A. Stevenson

  Carried (5 to 0)

7.2

Options to Address the Retail Sale of Knives

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

• T. Pawlyk, Urban Planning and Economy 
• L. Peter, Urban Planning and Economy 

The following public speaker made a presentation:

• R. Shuttleworth, Queen Mary Park Community League

The following public speakers made presentations and answered questions:

• N. Desalgne
• E. Estrada, Alberta Avenue Business Association
• C. Morin, Arts on the Ave
• A. Bolstad

The following members of Administration’s delegation answered questions:

• C. Hodgson-Mousseau, Employee and Legal Services  
• L. Peter, Urban Planning and Economy 
• T. Pawlyk, Urban Planning and Economy
• M. Gunther, Employee and Legal Services
• A. Beard, Urban Planning and Economy

The following members of the delegation answered questions:

• M. Keef, Edmonton Police Service 
• A. Brooks, Edmonton Police Service 

• Moved by: A. Salvador
  1. That Administration prepare amendments to Bylaw 20002 - Business Licence Bylaw to prohibit the sale of knives at businesses with the convenience store category, as set out in Option 1 of the September 16, 2024, Urban Planning and Economy report UPE02456.
     
     
  2. That Administration advance Option 4 as set out in the September 16, 2024, Urban Planning and Economy report UPE02456, advocating to the Government of Canada for stronger regulations on the sale and possession of knives and to the Government of Alberta to fund support programs and help address the root causes of knife violence.

  Not put to vote

  Councillors E. Rutherford and S. Hamilton requested the September 16, 2024, Urban Planning and Economy report UPE02456 be requisitioned to City Council without a Committee Recommendation.

  
  

7.3

2025 / 2026 Community Safety and Well-Being Funding

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

• J. Flaman, Deputy City Manager, Community Services
• C. Pelletier, Community Services
• K. Coomber, Community Services

The following public speakers made presentations:

• E. Westfal, Fyrefly Institute for Gender & Sexual Diversity
• A. Marshall
• I. Waller
• N. Rheubottom, Alberta 2SLGBTQIA+ Chamber of Commerce

The following public speakers made presentations and answered questions:

• L. Kardosh, REACH Edmonton Council for Safer Communities
• R. Morris, Trans Rights Yeg
• C. Wyness, Pride Centre of Edmonton

The following members of Administration’s delegation answered questions:

• C. Pelletier, Community Services
• C. Hawrelak, Community Services
• J. Flaman, Deputy City Manager, Community Services
• M. Cheung, Community Services
• A. Levey, Community Services
• K. Coomber, Community Services
• I. Hoogenboom, Community Services

• Moved by: A. Sohi

  That Community and Public Services Committee recommend to City Council:

  1. That the Social Development Branch 2025 and 2026 operating expenditure budget be increased by $2,000,000 on a multi-year basis to fund the Violence Prevention Action Plan Implementation, 2SLGBTQIA+ Safe Spaces Action Plan Implementation and Community Safety and Well-Being Grant Top-up with funding from the Community Safety and Well-being funds held within Financial Strategies.
  2. That the City Manager’s Office Branch 2025 and 2026 operating expenditure budget be increased by $300,000 on a multi-year basis for the Truth and Reconciliation Sponsorship Fund from the Community Safety and Well-being funds held within Financial Strategies.

  In Favour (5)

  S. Hamilton, A. Sohi, A. Salvador, E. Rutherford, and A. Stevenson

  Carried (5 to 0)

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 E. Rutherford, asked whether there were any Notices of Motion. There were none.

12.

Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 4:56 p.m., Monday, September 16, 2024.