The following decisions were made by City Council during the January 27, 2025, regular City Council meeting:
CONSENT AGENDA:
Citizen Appointments to Committees:
City Council approved the appointments of two citizen representatives onto the Housing and Homelessness Integration Committee for a two-year term. Learn more about this committee here: Housing and Homelessness Integration Committee
Tax and Fleet Borrowing Bylaws (first reading):
City Council passed first reading of the 2025 tax and fleet borrowing bylaws. Per the Municipal Government Act, these bylaws enable borrowing to occur when required. The timing of the borrowing will be done as required to fund actual expenditures related to the projects. Second and third reading will occur at a future meeting.
NOTICE OF MOTION:
Notice of Motion submitted by Councillor Dianne Wyntjes Re: Montfort Heights Concerns – Lighting and Trail Safety
City Council debated the Notice of Motion submitted by Councillor Wyntjes for improved lighting in the Montfort Heights area, and the motion was approved.
BYLAWS:
Traffic Bylaw and General Penalty Bylaw (second and third reading):
Council passed second and third readings of an updated Traffic Bylaw and subsequent amendments to the General Penalty Bylaw. The amendments are largely related to ticket pre-payment, use of street permits and penalties, as well as formatting of the overall bylaw. Two notable changes include:
- School and Playground Zone times: To enhance student safety in the morning, playground and school zone speed limits now begin at 7 a.m. instead of 8 a.m., effective immediately. Read more details here: Playground zone start times changing for increased safety
- Salt on Sidewalks: Removal of the provision prohibiting the use of salt on sidewalks as this provision is difficult to enforce even with a considerable effort on City staff; therefore, the provision is not affecting the placement of de-icing chemicals on sidewalks which are widely used across the city, including by The City itself.
Electric Utility Bylaw Amendment:
On September 27, 2024, the Province of Alberta renamed the Regulated Rate Option (RRO) Regulation to the Rate of Last Resort (ROLR) Regulation, stating that this name change better reflects the nature of the rate and reflects their ongoing consumer awareness initiatives. To ensure The City’s Electric Utility bylaw aligns with the updated regulation, administration requested all three readings to the Electric Utility Bylaw to happen today. All three reading were approved.
Short Term Operating – Borrowing Bylaw Amendment:
City Council approved an increase to the Short-Term Operating Borrowing limit from $30 million to $50.
- The increase in the borrowing bylaw is required for increases in credit facilities, which includes general line of credit and letters of credit. To increase the operating line of credit an amendment to the borrowing bylaw must be passed. This amended three year borrowing bylaw is for 2024 – 2027.
- Administration recommended amending the short-term operating borrowing bylaw by increasing the borrowing limit from $30 million to $50 million. This allows administration to increase the line of credit, specifically, from $22 million to $45 million.
- The City’s bank charges interest, but no fee to maintain or use a line of credit.
- The additional available credit is necessary to support larger than expected cash flow fluctuations.
Council approved all three readings today.