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Well, that’s a wrap for 2021. Council and Staff had many more hits than misses in my opinion.

The coming year is an election year and it will be interesting to see who will be in the race and the key issues and platforms the hopefuls will be running on. At the very least I hope we are past this pandemic thing. Some of us are living it with our children and grandchildren, others will be talking about it with their children and grandchildren yet to be born.

It will also be interesting to see how the Seguin politicians position the potential property tax implications of the proposed new development in an election year.

I wish you all the best for 2022 and beyond.

Council Meeting Minutes, (Abridged)

Closed Session
b) personal matters about an identifiable individual, including municipal or local board employees, (Applicants to Bobby Orr Hall of Fame Exhibition Ad-hoc Advisory Committee);
e) litigation or potential litigation, including matters before administrative tribunals, affecting the municipality or local board, (Appeal to Ontario Land Tribunal of Rezoning Z21-05 McMurray & Gibson).

Questions of Staff
3.2.1 – In response to Councillor Keith’s inquiry regarding installation of the Cascade Street railing, Manager of Operations Vinni Bonazza reported that the foundations have been installed, and the contractor has completed fabrication of the steel uprights which should be installed by the end of the week, weather dependent. The railing should be installed approximately a week or so after installation of the steel uprights

3.2.2 – In response to Councillor McCann’s inquiry regarding lighting at Pine and Bowes Streets, as well as on Queen Street, Director of Public Works Mike Kearns reported that he is awaiting confirmation from the lighting contractor of the installation location for the intersection and will get pricing from the electrical installer for both locations to be included in the 2022 budget.

Correspondence
4.1 Norah Fountain, Executive Director, Muskoka Lakes Chamber Bord of Directors.
Support for Seguin Township’s Application for MZO
Filed

Deputations
5.1 – Christina Zardo, Manager, Municipal Solutions, Food Cycle Science.
Food Cycler
Christina Zardo, Manager of Municipal Solutions for Food Cycle Science, addressed Council from a prepared power point presentation on food waste diversion solutions designed especially for small and rural municipalities and made the following points:
– food waste accounts for almost half of household waste and contributes 56.6 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent of greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to climate change.
– the volume of food waste contributes to filling landfills; hauling and disposal services are a major cost factor and environmental contributor. Decomposition of food waste in the anaerobic environment of a landfill produces methane – 25 times more harmful than CO2.
– curbside green bins, a solution for larger cities with dense housing, may be cost prohibitive in smaller municipalities. Backyard composting is a good solution but may not work for all people for a variety of reasons.
– the food cycler – a small electrical kitchen appliance, can accept approximately 1 kg of organics including vegetable matter, dairy, poultry, bones and run an approximate 4 to 8-hour cycle resulting in about 100 grams of dry, sterile, odourless and nutrient rich soil amendment which can be used in gardening, landscaping, etc.
– as a semi-finalist in Stage 1 of Impact Canada’s Food Waste Challenge, Food Cycle Science (FCS) received $100,000 which is being used to support a 12-week pilot program to make the FoodCycler available at a subsidized rate for residents of a participating municipality.
– the municipal investment required of a municipality the size of Parry Sound to participate in the program is $100/unit for 100 participants ($10,000). After accounting for FCS and Impact Canada subsidies, the cost to the resident is $150 for this $500 retail priced appliance.
Ms. Zardo concluded with a request that the Town of Parry Sound consider participating in the pilot program, and confirmed a deadline of January 31st for response, honouring the pricing identified.
Direction for Staff Follow-up
Moved by Councillor McCann Seconded by Councillor Backman That staff provide a Report and Recommendation to the January 18th, 2022 Council meeting regarding participation in the Food Cycler Pilot Program as outlined in the December 21st Deputation by Christina Zardo of Municipal Solutions.
Carried

5.2 – Brooke Harrison, Project Coordinator, Georgian Bay Forever
Report – Washing Machine Filters Reduce Microfibre Emissions: Evidence From a Community-Scale Pilot in Parry Sound, Ontario.
Brooke Harrison of Georgian Bay Forever (GBF), and Lisa Erdle of University of Toronto addressed Council from a prepared power point presentation regarding the report on washing machine filters reducing microfibre emissions, with the following comments:
– background to the study, resulting from the identification of microfibres in Georgian Bay sediment samples and fish, with GBF and University of Toronto partnering to do something about this.
– upon installing a filter in 97 households, being approximately 10% of the number of households in Parry Sound, the Study showed that microfibers were reduced in the Wastewater Treatment Plant effluent also by approximately 10%, providing the efficacy of filters in diverting microfibres and microplastics from entering the Bay.
Ms. Harrison concluded the presentation by requesting that Parry Sound consider passing a resolution supporting Bill 279, Environmental Protection Amendment Act which prohibits “the sale or offering for sale of washing machines that are not equipped with a specified microplastics filter and to provide for corresponding penalties in case of non-compliance with the requirement.”
Direction for Staff Follow-up
That Staff make a Report and Recommendation to the January 18th, 2022 Council meeting on the Georgian Bay Forever request for support of a Resolution making installation of microfibre filters on washing machines mandatory.
Carried

Ratification of Matters from Closed Agenda
7.1 Appointments to Bobby Orr Hall of Fame Exhibition Ad-hoc Advisory Committee.
Resolution
That Council hereby appoints the following individuals to the Bobby Orr Hall of Fame Exhibition Ad-Hoc Advisory Committee: Peter Conacher, Bill French, Dave Garagan, Lisa Ross, Lisa Tabobondung, Brock Tudhope.
Carried

Resolutions and Direction to Staff
9.1.1 – Appointment to Bobby Orr Hall of Fame Exhibition Ad-hoc Advisory Committee.
Resolution
That Council hereby appoints the following member of Council to the Bobby Orr Hall of Fame Exhibition Ad-Hoc Advisory Committee: Councillor Roger Burden.
Carried

9.1.2 – Community Net Metering.
Resolution
That Council approves the submission attached as Schedule A of the support letter to Lakeland Power to be sent to the Ministry of Energy, Renewable Integration and Distribution Energy Resources Branch regarding Community Net Metering for Town of Parry Sound to Meet Net-Zero Goal.
Carried

9.2.1 – Server Replacement – Tenders Approval.
Resolution
That Council accept the bid from RK Source IT Services for procurement of the Scale Computing server infrastructure in the amount of $103,416.17, including taxes, delivery.
Carried

9.2.2 – OGRA Delegation Request re: Winter Road Salt Transportation impact on Municipal Infrastructure.
Resolution
That Council direct Staff to submit a 2022 OGRA delegation request to the appropriate Minister(s) to outline the significant damage to the Town’s infrastructure and associated costs to the Town, as a result of transportation of road salt to support winter maintenance across Northeastern Ontario.
Carried

9.5.1 – Donation to Red Cross for British Columbia Emergency Aid.
Resolution
Whereas much of British Columbia has been subject to extreme flooding and mudslide events in 2021; and Whereas donations will be matched by the Government of Canada and the Government of British Columbia until December 26th, 2021; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Town of Parry Sound donate $500.00 to the Canadian Red Cross for the British Columbia Floods & Extreme Weather Appeal.
Carried

By-laws
10.1.2 – Winter Closure of Bicycle Lanes
By-law 2021 – 7207
Being a by-law to authorize seasonal closure of all bicycle lanes, being part of a highway under O. Reg 239/02, Minimum Maintenance Standards for Municipal Highways.
Passed, Signed and Sealed

10.4.1 – Procurement Policy and Electronic Submission through New Bidding System.
By-law 2021 – 7208
Being a by-law to define the purchasing policies and procedures for the Corporation of the Town of Parry Sound and to repeal by-law 2015 – 6495.
Passed, Signed and Sealed