Utility Committee Minutes

Monday, May 06, 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 

---

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., Monday, May 6, 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.

Councillors A. Knack, J. Rice and J. Wright; and J. Abekah, J. Shearer and B. Tyson, Office of the City Clerk, were also in attendance.

1.3

Adoption of Agenda

• Moved by: A. Stevenson

  That the May 6, 2024, Utility Committee meeting agenda be adopted with the following changes:

  Addition:

  • 7.6 Fire Flow and Hydrant Requirements in Infill Development

  Deletion:

  • 7.3 EPCOR Water Services - Stormwater Rate Structure
  
  

  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 March 4, 2024, 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

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: 7.2, 7.4 and 7.6.

2.2

Vote on Reports not Selected for Debate

• Moved by: A. Salvador

  That the recommendations in the following reports be approved:

  • 7.1 EPCOR Water Services - Review of Consumption Deferral Accounts
  • 7.5 Waste Services Spring 2024 Supplemental Capital Budget Adjustment
  
  

  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 speakers, in panels when appropriate:

  • 7.6 Fire Flow and Hydrant Requirements in Infill Development

  1. 1. N. Rheubottom, Infill Development in Edmonton Association
     2. S. Ancel, EPCOR

  *Utility Committee approved to hear from S. Ancel, EPCOR, for item 7.6 Fire Flow and Hydrant Requirements in Infill Development. However, they were part of the delegation for items 7.2 and 7.4.

  
  

  In Favour (6)

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

  
  
  
  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

EPCOR Water Services - Review of Consumption Deferral Accounts

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

That the May 6, 2024, EPCOR Water Services Incorporated report EXT02461, be received for information.

7.2

EPCOR Water Services - Review of Performance Measures

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

• C. Piercey, EPCOR

J. Beckett, Utilities Advisor, made a presentation.

The following members of the delegation answered questions:

• S. Chaudhary, EPCOR
• S. Ancel, EPCOR

• Moved by: K. Tang

  That the May 6, 2024, EPCOR Water Services Incorporated report EXT02462, be received for information.

  
  

  In Favour (6)

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

  
  
  
  Carried (6 to 0)

7.3

EPCOR Water Services - Stormwater Rate Structure

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

7.4

EPCOR Water Services - PBR Timeline and Guiding Principles

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

• S. Chaudhary, EPCOR

J. Beckett, Utilities Advisor, made a presentation and answered questions.

The following member of the delegation answered questions:

• C. Piercey, EPCOR

• Moved by: K. Tang

  That Utility Committee recommend to City Council:

  That the regulatory schedule and guiding objectives, as set out in Attachment 1 of the May 6, 2024, EPCOR Water Services Incorporated report EXT02465, to assess the performance based regulation rates application to establish new rates for wastewater collection and wastewater treatment, effective April 1, 2025, be approved.

  
  

  In Favour (6)

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

  
  
  
  Carried (6 to 0)

7.5

Waste Services Spring 2024 Supplemental Capital Budget Adjustment

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:

That the four funding source adjustments in the Waste Services IIS Infrastructure Delivery (CM-81-2045), Waste Containers (CM-81-2005), Waste Services Facilities, Infrastructure and Process Equipment (CM-81-2047) and Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) Renewal (20-81-2020) capital profiles, as set out in Attachment 1 of the May 6, 2024, City Operations report CO02356, be approved.

7.6

Fire Flow and Hydrant Requirements in Infill Development

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

• J. Lallemand, Community Services

The following public speaker made a presentation:

• S. Ancel, EPCOR

The following public speaker made a presentation and answered questions.

• N. Rheubottom, Infill Development in Edmonton Association

The following members of Administration's delegation answered questions:

• T. Pawlyk, Urban Planning and Economy
• C. Bardas, Urban Planning and Economy

• Moved by: A. Stevenson

  That the May 6, 2024, Office of the City Manager report EFRS02341, be received for information.

  
  

  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

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

11.1

Blatchford Scope Change and Sale of Lands (T. Cartmell)

Councillor T. Cartmell stated that at the next regular meeting of City Council, the following motion would be moved: 

That Administration provide a report on:

1. reducing the scope and area of the Blatchford Energy Utility to the current footprint (Stages 1 to 5, Blatchford Market and Civic Plaza Areas);
2. reducing the area of the application of current Blatchford policies to the above reduced footprint of the Blatchford Energy Utility;
3. offering all remaining Blatchford land to private sector developers on a competitive basis to be developed in a manner similar to greenfield and large infill developments, including all current density and growth management policies that apply to such development, including the Edmonton Metropolitan Region Board, Regional Growth Plan and the City Plan; and
4. an updated analysis on the potential revenue that would be generated for the City for Edmonton from the aforementioned actions.

• Notice of Motion Given: May 6, 2024, Utility Committee

12.

Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 2:06 p.m., Monday, May 6, 2024.