Council Meeting Agenda

Full Video - please note the live stream visuals were cutting in and out, but the audio is available.

NOTE: Many agenda items were not discussed before Council timed out. They will be addressed at a special council meeting on March 28.

YMCA Tri-Party Agreement

The City of Welland is entering a tri-party agreement alongside the Town of Pelham and the Niagara Centre YMCA. Over the last 10 years, the sustainability of the Niagara Centre YMCA has been tested. Moving out of the pandemic, the YMCA is operating at approximately 64 per cent compared to pre-pandemic levels and continues to see a forward-moving trend.

Entering into this agreement benefits the City of Welland in areas such as:

• Continuation and access-for-all to a multitude of highly-valued programs and services provided by the YMCA for all Welland residents, and
• Continued access for Welland residents to the only indoor and year-round aquatics facility within the City of Welland, and
• Continuation of support of the City's initial capital investment made in 2002/03.

The tri-party contribution agreement is prefaced on the expectation that the YMCA will return to a self-sustainable operation over time and structured over a five-year term (April 1, 2023 - April 1, 2028) with declining annual contributions made by Welland as the YMCA begins to find further efficiencies, return to a more robust membership level, and increase revenues.

*To be absorbed by the YMCA

The first year (2023) of funding is sourced from the Operating Surplus Reserve Account. The subsequent years of the five-year term (2024, 2025, 2026, 2027) are placed into the base operating budget at the time of budget preparation.

Maple Park Pool Accessibility Ramp Grant Award

The City of Welland's application to the Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF) small projects stream to fund the construction of an accessible ramp at Maple Park Pool for the maximum funding allotment of $100,000 was successful.

Removing barriers for persons with disabilities remains a priority for the City. A ramp at Maple Park Pool is necessary to enable all Welland residents to enjoy what the facility has to offer.

The City accepted the grant funding provided by the Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF) to fully fund the Maple Park pool ramp's construction..

Council Meeting Video

Full Agenda

Downtown Cultural and Heritage District

Resident of Welland, James Takeo, took to the microphone on Tuesday night to support downtown cultural and heritage districts. Cultural Districts are designed areas within a city or town that are recognized for their unique cultural assets and resources.

In addition, Takeo referenced economic, educational, social, and environmental benefits. As Take’s presentation mentions, cultural districts are an important asset to any community, providing economic, social, and educational benefits. By investing in, supporting, and developing these areas, we can help preserve and promote our cultural heritage while creating vibrant and thriving communities. Downtown Welland has a concentration of cultural and heritage assets that can be promoted, developed, and encouraged for the benefit of the area and for the community of Welland.

Council directed staff to come back with a report.

Health Care Committee dissolving but not disappearing

The purpose of the Health Care Committee was to represent the best interest of the residents of Welland as it related to the Niagara Health System Hospital Improvement Plan, introduced in 2008.

The Committee was inactive during the 2018-2022 term of Council, and with the NHS Hospital Improvement Plan concluded, the requirement for the committee is no longer required.

Staff will come back with a report outlining what a new healthcare focus committee be presented to Council by no later than the end of April 2023.

Civic Square Urban Park Redevelopment

The Civic Square Urban Park redevelopment concept was approved by Council to be considered in the 2024 budget process.

On January 31, 2023, Council referred a report back to staff to provide an update to Council requesting more information, summarizing updating costs, clear financial strategy, and clarification of historical information.

The proposed project is for a full development of the outdoor space at Civic Square, the outdoor space to be transformed into a highly functional, four-season, urban park to be used for recreation and beautifying the downtown. The total cost of the project is estimated at $1.46M.

Council Meeting Video

Full Agenda

Concerts on the Canal back for 2023

The City of Welland is pleased to welcome the Welland Downtown Business Association (WDBIA) as its partner for the much-loved Concerts on the Canal series.

The WDBIA will host eight concerts in 2023. The concerts fall within the City’s events operating budget; the City has allotted $40,000 to the concert series plus $25,000 for City-provided services for 2023.

Proceeding with the partnership with the WDBIA allows eight well-delivered concerts for the 2023 season. The Concerts on the Canal is a well-attended and significant series for the City of Welland and neighbouring community members throughout the summer. As an important economic development driver for the City of Welland, the series draws residents and visitors to the downtown core, where they can enjoy an evening with dinner and a concert.

More Homes Built Faster Act – Summary of keying amendments to the Land Use Planning System in Ontario

On Tuesday night, Council received an update from the City’s Policy Planning Supervisor, outlining Bill 23 and the changes to various legislation and how they impact Welland. Legislation impacted includes:

• Planning Act
• Development Charges Act
• Ontario Heritage Act
• Ontario Land Tribunal Act
• Conservation Authorities Act
• Municipal Act
• New Home Construction Licensing Act

The financial implications of Bill 23 will vary from municipality to municipality; however, the City of Welland aligns with most of the amendments in Bill 23, resulting in little change regarding the types of services levied through development charges and the types of developments with development charges or parkland dedication levied against them.

Procedural Bylaw updates

The current Procedural By-law was implemented in 2017, with additional approved amendments since, and now include:

Here are the items that have been approved to include within the procedural by-law update:

• THAT Welland City Council allows for delegations to appear at Council and/or General Committee meetings.
• THAT the July and August Council meetings dates be scheduled on the third Tuesday of the month.
• THAT the Procedural By-law be updated to allow five (5) minutes per delegations during Council and General Committee meetings.
• THAT the Procedural By-law be updated to include a curfew for Special Council and General Committee meetings.
• THAT Procedural By-law be updated to reflect that up to two (2) members of Council may bring forward a notice of motion.
• THAT the Procedural By-law include the Delegations to Council/General Committee Request Form.
• THAT the deadline to submit a Notice of Motion be 4:00 p.m. on the Tuesday of the week prior to a Council meeting.
• THAT Welland City Council include Notices of Motion on Special Council meeting agendas.
• THAT the updated Procedural By-law be presented at a Council Meeting for Council consideration no later than April 18, 2023.
• THAT Schedule B of the Procedural By-law be updated to include “Land Acknowledgement”.

There will be an additional meeting to consider further changes, and then the final procedural by-law with updates will be considered in April.

Full Agenda

Council Meeting Video

Budget 2023

Welland City Council approved the 2023 municipal budgets on February 7 at their regularly scheduled meeting, bringing forward a budget with a -3.05% tax decrease on the municipal tax levy.

The 2023 operating budgets total just over $107 million, comprised of the tax-supported operating budget of $71.4 million, the rate-supported operating budget for water and wastewater of $35.6 million, and the combined capital budgets of $42.8 million.

The 2023 tax-supported operating budget presents a -3.05% tax decrease (municipal portion) after assessment growth of 2.74% and includes over $31.1 million in capital projects this year.

2023 capital project budget highlights:

• $3 million for parks
• $9.7 million for roads
• $2.1 million for sidewalks
• $2.6 million for storm sewers
• $3.1 million for Fire Station 3

The 2023 water/wastewater budgets allow the city to provide sustainable water services, maintain current water infrastructure, and invest in replacing or building much-needed infrastructure. The proposed 2023 water/wastewater capital budget totals $11.6.

Water rate customers will experience the following changes in their 2023 water bills:

• Low residential water consumers (annual consumption of 100 cubic meters or less per year) will have a $48 annual increase.
• Average residential water consumers (annual consumption of less than 180 cubic meters per year) will have a $79 annual increase.
• The annual rebate for the Low-Income Senior Water/Wastewater Rebate Program increases from $372 to $420, effective January 1, 2023. The deadline to submit for the 2022 rebate is May 1, 2023.
• The eligible amount for the Special Assistance Program – Water/Wastewater increases from $600 to $648, effective January 1, 2023.

For more information on the City of Welland’s municipal budgets and reports, visit https://www.welland.ca/Finance/BudgetsFinancials.asp.

Investing in infrastructure

Infrastructure improvements on West Main Street are one step closer to beginning after Council approved report ENG-2023-02, approving the tender from Peters Excavating Inc. for $4.5 million.

To ensure the work and financial interests of the City are maintained throughout the project, Council also approved Kerry. T. Howe Engineering Limited to over these the construction, administration, inspections, and preparation of construction record drawings.

Committee appointments

Councillors Leo Van Vliet and Bryan Green were appointed to the Emergency Management Program Committee from Feb. 7, 2023, to November 14, 2026.

Councillor Graham Speck was appointed to the Welland/Pelham Chamber of Commerce from Feb. 7, 2023, to November 14, 2026.