The Corporation of the City of Kawartha Lakes

Minutes

Environmental Advisory Committee Meeting

CKLEAC2024-001

Thursday, February 01, 2024

2:30 P.m. - 4:30 P.m.

Electronic Participation Meeting

Members:

• Councillor Pat Warren
• Grant Barker
• Virginia Colling
• Jamie Morris
• Deborah Pearson
• David Ryrie
• Barry Snider

Accessible formats and communication supports are available upon request. The City of Kawartha Lakes is committed to accessibility for persons with disabilities. Please contact [email protected] if you have an accessible accommodation request.

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1.

Call to Order

In attendance:  Councillor Pat Warren, Grant Barker, Virginia Colling, Jamie Morris, Deborah Pearson, David Ryrie, Barry Snider, Josh Feltham, Fleming College, Ola Pasternak, Landowner & Community Support, Kawartha Region Conservation Authority

Staff in attendance: Mark Jull, Policy Supervisor, Max Faulhammer, Planner II, Nancy Ord, Administrative Assistant,

 

M. Jull called the meeting to order at 2:35 p.m. with welcome and introductions.

1.1

Appointment of Chair

M. Jull called upon the members to put forward a nomination for the position of Chair of the Environmental Advisory Committee.

Councillor Warren nominated Deborah Pearson who agreed to let her name stand for the nomination.

M. Jull called on nominations for a second and third time and hearing none and seeing none, indicated nominations for Chair were closed. Deborah Pearson indicated her wish to let her name stand for the position of Chair.

M. Jull declared that Deborah Pearson is appointed by acclamation as Chair of the Environmental Advisory Committee and invited her to assume the position of Chair, to conduct the meeting and continue with the appointment of a Vice Chair.

1.2

Appointment of Vice Chair

Chair Pearson called upon the members to put forward a nomination for the position of Vice Chair of the Environmental Advisory Committee.

J. Morris nominated Ginny Colling who then agreed to let her name stand for the nomination.

The Chair called on nominations for a second and third time and hearing none and seeing none, indicated nominations for Vice Chair were closed.  Ginny Colling indicated her wish to let her name stand for the position of Vice Chair.

Chair Pearson declared Ginny Colling as appointed by acclamation as Vice Chair of the Environmental Advisory Committee and that the Vice Chair would assume the role of Chair in the absence of the Chair.

2.

Administrative Business

2.1

Adoption of Agenda

• EAC2024.001
  Moved By D. Ryrie
  Seconded By J. Morris

  That the Agenda be amended to add sub-section 6.3 Strategic Plan and sub-section 6.4 Bobcaygeon Gas Plant Expansion to Section 6.0 New or Other Business.

  Carried

2.2

Declaration of Pecuniary Interest

There were no declarations of pecuniary interest disclosed.

2.3

Adoption of Minutes of December 7, 2023 CKLEAC meeting

• EAC2024.002
  Moved By J. Morris
  Seconded By V. Colling

  That the minutes of the December 7, 2023 CKLEAC meeting be adopted as presented.

  Carried

3.

Deputations/Presentations

There were no deputations or presentations.

4.

Correspondence

No correspondence was presented.

5.

Action Item Updates

5.1

CKLEAC Work Plan Updates by Project Team Leaders

The Chair referred to draft copies of the 2023 Year End Review and 2024 Work Plans for Pollinator Action Committee.  Follow-up discussion revised the Work Plan relating to work underway with the Environmental Services Division for:

• a new project to naturalize the Lindsay Cell,
• alternative capping procedures using pollinator seed mixes.

Compliments were extended to the achievements of the Pollinator Committee with special mention of volunteers.

Bird Friendly Committee

J. Morris indicated all 2023 goals had been met in addition to seven bird conservation workshops and information dissemination at four events.

J. Morris referred to work underway by Bird Team Coalition members and Planning Staff to meet the March 1, 2024 deadline for completion of Nature Canada’s challenging application process for Bird Friendly City Certification. Additional strategies referred to threat reduction, habitat enhancement and education at the elementary school age level.

Actions required included:

• The Mayor or Council proclaiming support for World Migratory Bird Day on May 11^th focusing this year on decreasing populations of insects and their importance for migratory birds.

J. Morris offered to compose the proclamation wording for the Chair to make the request to Mayor Elmslie.

• Projects requiring CKLEAC funding approval include:

• • $500 for World Migratory Bird Celebration event hosted by Fleming College on May 13, 2023 and including light refreshments.
  • $1,312.00 to include the City of Kawartha Lakes in the Bird Friendly Peterborough website for domain name coverage, revision of the website to incorporate Kawartha Lakes material and to provide an honorarium for the person working on the website.
  • $500 for bird conservation audits and treatment for the Bobcaygeon Library which has a number of windows and has been the site of three bird conservation events.

Transportation Committee:

D Ryrie provided a verbal summary of the 2024 Work Plan and 2023 goals achieved which resulted in the following CKLEAC discussion:

• Invitation be extended to the Director of Engineering to attend a future CKLEAC meeting and inform on changing design standards.

• Encouragement to expand municipal bus services to Bobcaygeon and Fenelon as part of the Transportation Master Plan.

• Incorporation of Active Transportation Master Plan recommendations into the Transportation Master Plan.

• EAC2024.003
  Moved By Councillor Warren
  Seconded By J. Morris

  That the Pollinator Action Committee 2023 Year End Review be approved.

  Carried
• EAC2024.004
  Moved By V. Colling
  Seconded By D. Ryrie

  That the Pollinator Action Committee 2024 Work Plan be approved.

  Carried
• EAC2024.005
  Moved By V. Colling
  Seconded By Councillor Warren

  That the 2023 Bird City Committee 2023 Year End Review be approved.

  Carried
• EAC2024.006
  Moved By D. Ryrie
  Seconded By Councillor Warren

  That the 2024 Bird City Committee 2024 Work Plan be approved.

  Carried
• EAC2024.007
  Moved By D. Ryrie
  Seconded By Councillor Warren

  That a total of $2,312.00 of CKLEAC 2024 budget allocation be allocated for the Bird Friendly Committee projects.

  Carried
• EAC2024.008
  Moved By J. Morris
  Seconded By D. Pearson

  That the Transportation Committee 2023 Year End Review be approved.

  Carried
• EAC2024.009
  Moved By D. Pearson
  Seconded By V. Colling

  That the Transportation Committee 2024 Work Plan be approved.

  Carried
• EAC2024.010
  Moved By V. Colling
  Seconded By J. Feltham

  That Juan Rojas, Director of Engineering and Corporate Assets be invited to attend the next CKLEAC meeting.

  Carried

6.

New or Other Business

6.1

Introduction of Mark Jull, Supervisor Policy Planning, Planning Division

M. Jull provided an overview of his background and position as Policy Supervisor in the Planning Division and indicated effort was underway to:

• Fill three vacancies for new members on CKLEAC.
• Proceed with the hiring and creation of an Environmental Planner position who would likely be the staff liaison with CKLEAC due to environmental expertise and experience.

6.2

CKLEAC's 2024 Work Plan

To reflect verbal revisions noted in Section 5.1 above, M. Jull requested CKLEAC members submit complete versions of their 2024 Work Plans to form the background to a Planning Staff report to Council to approve the 2024 Work Plans.

6.3

Strategic Plan

Detailed discussion occurred on the Draft Strategic Plan with CKLEAC members pointing to the need to ensure guiding principals of the Draft Strategic Plan incorporate environmental responsibility with fiscal responsibility and that CKLEAC recommendations focus on three areas:

• Give the environment a bigger profile in the Strategic Plan framework.
• Add the Healthy Environment Plan on lists of Master Plans and alter wording to indicate it should be updated.
• Make wording revisions to selected bullet points throughout.

Additional revisions to the draft Strategic Plan document and the motion to approve the revisions were made subsequent to the February 1, 2024 CKLEAC meeting by email.

• EAC2024.011
  Moved By J. Morris
  Seconded By V. Colling

  That the recommended revisions to the Draft 2024 - 2027 Strategic Plan be approved.

  Carried

6.4

Bobcaygeon Gas Plant Expansion Project

V. Colling requested this item be deferred to the next meeting to await potential Provincial action on the Ontario Energy Board’s decision to put Gas Plan expansions on hold until climate impacts are investigated.

7.

Next Meeting

Due to scheduling conflicts for some CKLEAC members, regular meetings were rescheduled for the third Thursday of each month and the next meeting will be March 21, 2024.

8.

Adjournment

• EAC2024.012
  Moved By V. Colling
  Seconded By J. Feltham

  That the meeting be adjourned at 4:18 p.m.

  Carried