OPENING MEDITATION Councillor Mufandaedza will read the Opening Meditation. We are honoured to be on Chief Drygeese Territory. We are grateful for our city, for our homes, for our neighbours, and for our freedom. We are grateful for the opportunity we have to meet here and to serve our fellow citizens. May we bring both the strength of our convictions, and the willingness to listen and learn, to our discussions. May we consider the needs and aspirations of all our fellow citizens in our decisions. And may we always represent our constituents with dignity, integrity, and honesty.
ADOPTION OF MINUTES FROM PREVIOUS MEETING(S) 3. Minutes of Council for the regular meeting of Monday, January 13, 2020 are presented for adoption. 4. Councillor Mufandaedza moves, Councillor ____________ seconds, That Minutes of Council for the regular meeting of Monday, January 13, 2020 be presented for adoption.
11. Governance and Priorities Committee Report for January 13, 2020. 12. Councillor Mufandaedza moves, Councillor ____________ seconds, That the following resolutions be presented for adoption by Council and forwarded to the NWT Association of Communities in response to its call for resolutions: 1. Resolution regarding the Lifespan of Resolution; 2. Resolution regarding the Building Code Act; 3. Resolution regarding Presumptive Coverage for Work?Related Psychological Injury (including PTSD); 4. Resolution regarding Reducing Alcohol?Related Harms and Costs in the NWT; 5. Resolution regarding Support for Federal Mandate; 6. Resolution regarding the Review and Amendment of the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Property Tax Relief Act, R.S.N.W.T. 1988, c.50 (Supp.), as amended; and 7. That the following resolutions be reaffirmed: RA?19?13?02 Review and Amendment of the Property Assessment and Taxation Act, R.S.N.W.T. 1988, c.P?10, as amended and the Grants?In?Lieu of Property Taxes Policy 21.09; and RA-19-18-15 Review and Amendment of the Property Assessment and Taxation Act, R.S.N.W.T. 1988, c.P-10, as amended, to allow electronic delivery methods for notices. As follows: Lifespan of Resolution WHEREAS, many issues confronting community governments require actions by levels of government other than the municipal level. Sometimes these issues are common to many municipalities. It is by way of resolutions that Municipal Members bring their concerns to the NWTAC for consideration at the Annual General Meeting. Resolutions endorsed by members of the NWTAC are an effective way to bring important issues to the attention of Territorial or Federal Governments or national agencies such as the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM). WHEREAS, the NWTAC currently has 90 resolutions. WHEREAS, it is difficult for other orders of government to prioritize the NWTAC’s resolutions when there are so many. WHEREAS, in having a lifespan on resolutions means community governments will need to consider whether they want to bring the resolution back in four years time, or whether it’s no longer a pressing priority. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT each resolution, once approved at an AGM, has an effective lifespan of four years. Building Code Act Whereas, at this time, the Northwest Territories (NWT) is the only jurisdiction within Canada without a regulatory building regime framework. Compared to our sister territories, the Yukon Territory and Nunavut, the NWT does not have any legislation that regulates construction in detail. The Yukon Territory has a Building Standards Act and Nunavut has a Building Code Act. The NWT does not have similar legislation, leading to an absence of clear building?related responsibilities for municipalities. Whereas, through the Cities, Towns, and Villages (CTV) Act, CTV’s can choose to adopt by-laws to regulate the safety, health and welfare of people and the protection of people and property. Pursuant to this, the City of Yellowknife has chosen to create the Building By?law, that regulates local construction; however, the CTV Act does not formally define the building?related responsibilities and interconnection between the function of the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) and tax based municipalities. Whereas, a Building Code Act is different than a Fire Prevention Act (FPA), and work on a Building Code Act should not be tied to the completion of the FPA review and update. Both Yukon and Nunavut have legislation regarding building codes and fire prevention. Whereas, individuals and developers are often frustrated because they need to deal with multiple regulatory offices for building plans, electrical permits, construction, inspections and occupancy. By having a Building Code Act, the clarity on who is the ultimate authority and how regulatory requirements are interpreted would improve the terms for development considerably. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT that the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) establish a comprehensive building regime for the purpose of providing regulatory clarity throughout the Northwest Territories. Presumptive Coverage for Work?Related Psychological Injury (including PTSD) WHEREAS, Nunavut, Northwest Territories (NWT) and Quebec are the only jurisdictions in Canada without presumptive coverage for workrelated psychological injury (including PTSD). WHEREAS, in all jurisdictions with a PTSD presumption, the legislation states that, for eligible workers diagnosed with PTSD, their condition will be presumed to be related to their employment, unless the contrary is proven. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT, the GNWT work with relevant stakeholders, including community governments, to update legislation to have presumptive coverage for work-related psychological injury (including PTSD). Reducing Alcohol-Related Harms and Costs in the NWT WHEREAS, the Provincial and Territorial Canadian Alcohol Policy Evaluation Project (CAPE) is a rigorous assessment of the extent to which evidence-based alcohol policies have been implemented in all 13 jurisdictions in Canada. WHEREAS, a comprehensive alcohol policy framework was developed, containing gold standard best practices across 11 different policy domains. WHEREAS, the types of alcohol policies being evaluated at the provincial and territorial level include those with direct evidence of effectiveness as a means of reducing population level consumption of alcohol and/or related harms such as: pricing and taxation; physical availability of alcohol; impaired driving countermeasures; marketing and advertising controls; minimum legal drinking age laws; screening, brief intervention and referral programs; and liquor law enforcement. WHEREAS, they also assess evidence?based strategies that more indirectly facilitate implementation of the direct policies mentioned above. These strategies include: control systems for the distribution and sale of alcohol; provincial and territorial alcohol strategies; monitoring and reporting of alcohol related harms; and health and safety messaging. WHEREAS, the NWT scored 33% in 2017 in regards to implementing gold standard best practices to reduce alcohol related harm, which is 12% below the average of 45% for the rest of Canada. WHEREAS, as identified in the GNWT’s Mental Health and Addictions Strategic Framework, alcohol and drug use is very costly to our system. Between 2008/09 and 2010/11, on an annual average basis, 429 NWT patients were hospitalized 615 times with one or more alcohol or drug related issues, resulting in 3,250 bed days at an estimated cost of $7.5 million to the territorial health system. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT, the Government of the Northwest Territories develop an alcohol strategy with evidence?based gold standard best practices to address alcohol related harm in the Northwest Territories. Support for Federal Mandate WHEREAS, the Federal government has identified a range of priorities for their upcoming term. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT, the NWTAC lobby to ensure the Federal government follows through with their mandate including the following items: 1. Require that all provinces and territories identify and approve all of their long-term infrastructure priorities within the next two years and according to the signed bilateral agreements. Funds that are not designated for specific approved projects by the end of 2021 will be reinvested directly in communities through a top up of the federal Gas Tax Fund. 2. Implement the Arctic and Northern Policy Framework to create a future where Northern and Arctic people are thriving, strong and safe. 3. Give consideration to the recommendations to come from the Task Force on post-secondary education in Canada’s Arctic and Northern regions as announced in Budget 2019 as appropriate and relevant to the federal government and Indigenous communities in order to establish a robust system of post?secondary education in the North. 4. Support territorial planning for hydroelectricity projects. 5. Enhance the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency’s economic development programming with a focus on IDEANorth to allow the Agency to support a wider range of initiatives, including the development of foundational economic infrastructure such as roads and visitor centres. 6. Continue to implement the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action and the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls’ Calls for Justice in partnership with First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples. 7. Provide more accessible and affordable childcare including the creation of a national secretariat that will lay the groundwork for a pan?Canadian childcare system. 8. Continue to build and renovate housing through the National Housing Strategy. 9. Address critical infrastructure needs in Indigenous communities, including the development of a distinctions-based urban Indigenous housing strategy. 10. Implement the plan to ban harmful single?use plastic products and take steps toward eliminating plastic pollution in Canada. This includes working with provinces and territories to develop national targets, standards and regulations that will make companies that manufacture plastic products or sell items with plastic packaging responsible for collecting and recycling them. 11. Continue to advance Canada’s first-ever National Action Plan on Post-Traumatic Stress Injuries for first responders. 12. Support the transition of Indigenous communities from reliance on diesel-fueled power to clean, renewable and reliable energy by 2030. 13. Create more opportunities for Indigenous businesses to succeed and grow by creating a new target to have at least 5 per cent of federal contracts awarded to businesses managed and led by Indigenous Peoples. 14. Build on the new Federal Tourism Growth Strategy that encourages tourism as an economic driver for the regions, including Indigenous tourism. This includes the creation of a Tourism Community Infrastructure Fund to invest $100 million in the local needs of communities that rely on tourism, over the next four years. 15. Lead work across government to move forward with the new Food Policy for Canada introduced in Budget 2019. This policy has four areas of near-term action, including: o Help Canadian communities access healthy food; o Make Canadian food the top choice at home and abroad; o Support food security in northern and Indigenous communities; and o Reduce food waste. REVIEW AND AMENDMENT OF THE SENIOR CITIZENS AND DISABLED PERSONS PROPERTY TAX RELIEF ACT, R.S.N.W.T. 1988,c.50(Supp.), as amended WHEREAS the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Property Tax Relief Act grants municipalities the authority to exempt the eligible property of a senior citizen or a disabled person from part of the property taxes; AND WHEREAS the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Property Tax Relief Act requires other property owners to be dependent on the senior or disabled owner in order for the relief to apply; AND WHEREAS the definition of dependent within the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Property Tax Relief Act is vague and allows for a wide range of diverse and potentially conflicting interpretations; AND WHEREAS the vagueness of this definition can create confusion and misunderstanding; AND WHEREAS this confusion and misunderstanding may inhibit fair and consistent application of the tax relief provisions; AND WHEREAS the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Property Tax Relief Act determines eligibility strictly on the basis of age and/or disability; AND WHEREAS the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Property Tax Relief Act does not provide any mechanism for municipalities to consider financial need when considering eligibility for property tax relief; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Northwest Territories Association of Communities urge the Government of the Northwest Territories to consider: (i) Amending the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Property Tax Relief Act to allow municipalities to determine how dependency is defined and determined in situations where not all owners are seniors and/or disabled; and (ii) Amending the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Property Tax Relief Act to allow municipalities to define and apply a financial means test to ensure that property tax relief is directed at property owners who need it. REVIEW AND AMENDMENT OF THE PROPERTY ASSESSMENT AND TAXATION ACT, R.S.N.W.T. 1988, c.P-10, as amended and the GRANTS-IN-LIEU OF PROPERTY TAXES POLICY 21.09 WHEREAS the Government of the Northwest Territories and the Commissioner are not liable to taxation pursuant to Section 73(2) of the Property Assessment and Taxation Act; AND WHEREAS the Government of the Northwest Territories makes grants in lieu of taxes pursuant to the Grants?In?Lieu of Property Taxes Policy 21.09 in recognition of the services it receives from municipal governments and to pay its share of the costs to municipalities where territorial property is located; AND WHEREAS the Government of the Northwest Territories does not pay Grants-In-Lieu of Property Taxes on property it leases to third parties; AND WHEREAS municipal governments cannot sell territorial property to recover unpaid taxes against defaulting tenants and are forced to take other measures, including making court applications, to recover unpaid taxes and such actions rarely allow a municipality to recoup the loss; AND WHEREAS the Government of Canada is exempt from taxation pursuant to Section 125 of the Constitution Act, 1867 but makes payments in lieu of property taxes to local governments; AND WHEREAS the Government of Canada recognized that the term "grant" for the payments made in lieu of property taxes did not reflect the value of the services provided by municipal levels of government to federal properties and proceeded to amend the name of the act to "Payments in Lieu of Taxes"; AND WHEREAS the Government of Canada recognized the difficulty encountered by municipal governments in recovering unpaid taxes against tenants of federal property and beginning in the 2000 tax year included a provision in the Property in Lieu of Taxes Act for municipalities to request a payment in lieu of taxes on federal property occupied by a defaulting tenant, after demonstrating that every reasonable attempt has been made to collect the taxes from the tenant without success; AND WHEREAS various provincial governments have recognized the difficulty encountered by municipal governments in recovering unpaid taxes against tenants of provincial property and have included provisions in the applicable legislation to allow municipal governments to request a payment in lieu of taxes if all reasonable attempts to collect the outstanding taxes have not been successful; AND WHEREAS there have been instances where municipal governments have not been able to collect unpaid property taxes from tenants of territorial property and have not received any grant in lieu of taxes; and AND WHEREAS the purpose of the grants made in lieu of taxes is to deal equitably and fairly with municipalities; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Northwest Territories Association of Communities urge the Government of the Northwest Territories to consider: (i) amending the Property Assessment and Taxation Act and the Grants-In-Lieu of Property Tax Policy to allow municipal governments to request a payment in lieu of taxes if all reasonable attempts to collect the outstanding taxes have not been successful in accordance with what the federal and other provincial governments have already done; and (ii) changing the name of the Grants-In-Lieu of Property Tax Policy to the Payments-In-Lieu of Property Tax Policy to emphasize the territorial government's responsibility as a property owner to share in the cost of local government, rather than its generosity in making a payment which it is not legally obliged to make. REVIEW AND AMENDMENT OF THE PROPERTY ASSESSMENT AND TAXATION ACT, R.S.N.W.T. 1988,c.P-10, as amended WHEREAS the Property Assessment and Taxation Act requires the Senior Administrative Officer of a municipal taxation area to cause a notice of assessment to be mailed to each assessed owner of each property each year; AND WHEREAS the Property Assessment and Taxation Act requires the Senior Administrative Officer of a municipal taxation area to cause a notice of tax payable to be mailed to each assessed owner of each property each year; AND WHEREAS the Property Assessment and Taxation Act requires the Senior Administrative Officer of a municipal taxation area to cause other written documents relevant to the assessment and taxation processes to be mailed to assessed owners; AND WHEREAS the Property Assessment and Taxation Act currently requires the notice of assessment, notice of tax payable and other documents to be paper documents; AND WHEREAS the Property Assessment and Taxation Act currently requires the notice of assessment, notice of tax payable and other documents to be mailed to the address shown on the certified assessment roll; AND WHEREAS municipal governments have successfully adopted computerized methods to streamline the management of their assessment and taxation processes; AND WHEREAS these computerized methods are capable of producing electronic versions of a notice of assessment, a notice of tax payable, and other related documents in accordance with the regulations stipulated in the Property Assessment and Taxation Act; AND WHEREAS a growing number of property owners are increasingly managing their financial affairs using electronic means; AND WHEREAS many financial institutions and service providers successfully communicate with customers using solely electronic means; AND WHEREAS municipalities communicate extensively with citizens using electronic means; AND WHEREAS electronic distribution of information is more timely and more cost effective than paper distribution; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the NWTAC lobby the Government of the Northwest Territories to amend the Property Assessment and Taxation Act to allow municipalities the option of providing notices of assessment, notices of tax payable, and other documents relevant to the assessment and taxation processes electronically, using electronic delivery methods.
Councillor Mufandaedza moves, Councillor ____________ seconds, That Administration bring forward a memorandum to committee to develop a formal protocol/policy/procedure with respect to proclamations and flags.
NEW BUSINESS Councillor Morgan moves, Councillor _________ seconds, That pursuant to s.5 of Council Procedures By?law No. 4975, a motion to suspend with the requirements of Section 89(4) and Section 89(5) of the Council Procedures By?law regarding reconsideration of motions.
Councillor Morgan moves, Councillor _________ seconds, That Motion #0085-19 be reconsidered.
Councillor Morgan moves, Councillor ________ seconds, That Motion #0085-19 be amended as follows: That Council direct Administration to: 1. Pursue the Design-Build construction methodology for the development of the Aquatic Centre in addition to undertaking a Request for Proposal process to secure the services of a qualified Bridging Consultant to carry out the design aspects for the Aquatic Centre for Design?Build Request for Proposals for both the recommended concept in the Aquatic Centre Pre-Design Plan (52 meter lap pool) and a similar concept with a 25 meter lap pool; and 2. Proceed with the evaluations of the land adjacent to the Ruth Inch Memorial Pool and Fieldhouse sites including a transportation study, geotechnical evaluation and environmental assessment. ADJOURNMENT
OPENING MEDITATION Councillor Mufandaedza will read the Opening Meditation. We are honoured to be on Chief Drygeese Territory. We are grateful for our city, for our homes, for our neighbours, and for our freedom. We are grateful for the opportunity we have to meet here and to serve our fellow citizens. May we bring both the strength of our convictions, and the willingness to listen and learn, to our discussions. May we consider the needs and aspirations of all our fellow citizens in our decisions. And may we always represent our constituents with dignity, integrity, and honesty.
ADOPTION OF MINUTES FROM PREVIOUS MEETING(S) 3. Minutes of Council for the regular meeting of Monday, January 13, 2020 are presented for adoption. 4. Councillor Mufandaedza moves, Councillor ____________ seconds, That Minutes of Council for the regular meeting of Monday, January 13, 2020 be presented for adoption.
11. Governance and Priorities Committee Report for January 13, 2020. 12. Councillor Mufandaedza moves, Councillor ____________ seconds, That the following resolutions be presented for adoption by Council and forwarded to the NWT Association of Communities in response to its call for resolutions: 1. Resolution regarding the Lifespan of Resolution; 2. Resolution regarding the Building Code Act; 3. Resolution regarding Presumptive Coverage for Work?Related Psychological Injury (including PTSD); 4. Resolution regarding Reducing Alcohol?Related Harms and Costs in the NWT; 5. Resolution regarding Support for Federal Mandate; 6. Resolution regarding the Review and Amendment of the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Property Tax Relief Act, R.S.N.W.T. 1988, c.50 (Supp.), as amended; and 7. That the following resolutions be reaffirmed: RA?19?13?02 Review and Amendment of the Property Assessment and Taxation Act, R.S.N.W.T. 1988, c.P?10, as amended and the Grants?In?Lieu of Property Taxes Policy 21.09; and RA-19-18-15 Review and Amendment of the Property Assessment and Taxation Act, R.S.N.W.T. 1988, c.P-10, as amended, to allow electronic delivery methods for notices. As follows: Lifespan of Resolution WHEREAS, many issues confronting community governments require actions by levels of government other than the municipal level. Sometimes these issues are common to many municipalities. It is by way of resolutions that Municipal Members bring their concerns to the NWTAC for consideration at the Annual General Meeting. Resolutions endorsed by members of the NWTAC are an effective way to bring important issues to the attention of Territorial or Federal Governments or national agencies such as the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM). WHEREAS, the NWTAC currently has 90 resolutions. WHEREAS, it is difficult for other orders of government to prioritize the NWTAC’s resolutions when there are so many. WHEREAS, in having a lifespan on resolutions means community governments will need to consider whether they want to bring the resolution back in four years time, or whether it’s no longer a pressing priority. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT each resolution, once approved at an AGM, has an effective lifespan of four years. Building Code Act Whereas, at this time, the Northwest Territories (NWT) is the only jurisdiction within Canada without a regulatory building regime framework. Compared to our sister territories, the Yukon Territory and Nunavut, the NWT does not have any legislation that regulates construction in detail. The Yukon Territory has a Building Standards Act and Nunavut has a Building Code Act. The NWT does not have similar legislation, leading to an absence of clear building?related responsibilities for municipalities. Whereas, through the Cities, Towns, and Villages (CTV) Act, CTV’s can choose to adopt by-laws to regulate the safety, health and welfare of people and the protection of people and property. Pursuant to this, the City of Yellowknife has chosen to create the Building By?law, that regulates local construction; however, the CTV Act does not formally define the building?related responsibilities and interconnection between the function of the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) and tax based municipalities. Whereas, a Building Code Act is different than a Fire Prevention Act (FPA), and work on a Building Code Act should not be tied to the completion of the FPA review and update. Both Yukon and Nunavut have legislation regarding building codes and fire prevention. Whereas, individuals and developers are often frustrated because they need to deal with multiple regulatory offices for building plans, electrical permits, construction, inspections and occupancy. By having a Building Code Act, the clarity on who is the ultimate authority and how regulatory requirements are interpreted would improve the terms for development considerably. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT that the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) establish a comprehensive building regime for the purpose of providing regulatory clarity throughout the Northwest Territories. Presumptive Coverage for Work?Related Psychological Injury (including PTSD) WHEREAS, Nunavut, Northwest Territories (NWT) and Quebec are the only jurisdictions in Canada without presumptive coverage for workrelated psychological injury (including PTSD). WHEREAS, in all jurisdictions with a PTSD presumption, the legislation states that, for eligible workers diagnosed with PTSD, their condition will be presumed to be related to their employment, unless the contrary is proven. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT, the GNWT work with relevant stakeholders, including community governments, to update legislation to have presumptive coverage for work-related psychological injury (including PTSD). Reducing Alcohol-Related Harms and Costs in the NWT WHEREAS, the Provincial and Territorial Canadian Alcohol Policy Evaluation Project (CAPE) is a rigorous assessment of the extent to which evidence-based alcohol policies have been implemented in all 13 jurisdictions in Canada. WHEREAS, a comprehensive alcohol policy framework was developed, containing gold standard best practices across 11 different policy domains. WHEREAS, the types of alcohol policies being evaluated at the provincial and territorial level include those with direct evidence of effectiveness as a means of reducing population level consumption of alcohol and/or related harms such as: pricing and taxation; physical availability of alcohol; impaired driving countermeasures; marketing and advertising controls; minimum legal drinking age laws; screening, brief intervention and referral programs; and liquor law enforcement. WHEREAS, they also assess evidence?based strategies that more indirectly facilitate implementation of the direct policies mentioned above. These strategies include: control systems for the distribution and sale of alcohol; provincial and territorial alcohol strategies; monitoring and reporting of alcohol related harms; and health and safety messaging. WHEREAS, the NWT scored 33% in 2017 in regards to implementing gold standard best practices to reduce alcohol related harm, which is 12% below the average of 45% for the rest of Canada. WHEREAS, as identified in the GNWT’s Mental Health and Addictions Strategic Framework, alcohol and drug use is very costly to our system. Between 2008/09 and 2010/11, on an annual average basis, 429 NWT patients were hospitalized 615 times with one or more alcohol or drug related issues, resulting in 3,250 bed days at an estimated cost of $7.5 million to the territorial health system. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT, the Government of the Northwest Territories develop an alcohol strategy with evidence?based gold standard best practices to address alcohol related harm in the Northwest Territories. Support for Federal Mandate WHEREAS, the Federal government has identified a range of priorities for their upcoming term. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT, the NWTAC lobby to ensure the Federal government follows through with their mandate including the following items: 1. Require that all provinces and territories identify and approve all of their long-term infrastructure priorities within the next two years and according to the signed bilateral agreements. Funds that are not designated for specific approved projects by the end of 2021 will be reinvested directly in communities through a top up of the federal Gas Tax Fund. 2. Implement the Arctic and Northern Policy Framework to create a future where Northern and Arctic people are thriving, strong and safe. 3. Give consideration to the recommendations to come from the Task Force on post-secondary education in Canada’s Arctic and Northern regions as announced in Budget 2019 as appropriate and relevant to the federal government and Indigenous communities in order to establish a robust system of post?secondary education in the North. 4. Support territorial planning for hydroelectricity projects. 5. Enhance the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency’s economic development programming with a focus on IDEANorth to allow the Agency to support a wider range of initiatives, including the development of foundational economic infrastructure such as roads and visitor centres. 6. Continue to implement the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action and the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls’ Calls for Justice in partnership with First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples. 7. Provide more accessible and affordable childcare including the creation of a national secretariat that will lay the groundwork for a pan?Canadian childcare system. 8. Continue to build and renovate housing through the National Housing Strategy. 9. Address critical infrastructure needs in Indigenous communities, including the development of a distinctions-based urban Indigenous housing strategy. 10. Implement the plan to ban harmful single?use plastic products and take steps toward eliminating plastic pollution in Canada. This includes working with provinces and territories to develop national targets, standards and regulations that will make companies that manufacture plastic products or sell items with plastic packaging responsible for collecting and recycling them. 11. Continue to advance Canada’s first-ever National Action Plan on Post-Traumatic Stress Injuries for first responders. 12. Support the transition of Indigenous communities from reliance on diesel-fueled power to clean, renewable and reliable energy by 2030. 13. Create more opportunities for Indigenous businesses to succeed and grow by creating a new target to have at least 5 per cent of federal contracts awarded to businesses managed and led by Indigenous Peoples. 14. Build on the new Federal Tourism Growth Strategy that encourages tourism as an economic driver for the regions, including Indigenous tourism. This includes the creation of a Tourism Community Infrastructure Fund to invest $100 million in the local needs of communities that rely on tourism, over the next four years. 15. Lead work across government to move forward with the new Food Policy for Canada introduced in Budget 2019. This policy has four areas of near-term action, including: o Help Canadian communities access healthy food; o Make Canadian food the top choice at home and abroad; o Support food security in northern and Indigenous communities; and o Reduce food waste. REVIEW AND AMENDMENT OF THE SENIOR CITIZENS AND DISABLED PERSONS PROPERTY TAX RELIEF ACT, R.S.N.W.T. 1988,c.50(Supp.), as amended WHEREAS the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Property Tax Relief Act grants municipalities the authority to exempt the eligible property of a senior citizen or a disabled person from part of the property taxes; AND WHEREAS the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Property Tax Relief Act requires other property owners to be dependent on the senior or disabled owner in order for the relief to apply; AND WHEREAS the definition of dependent within the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Property Tax Relief Act is vague and allows for a wide range of diverse and potentially conflicting interpretations; AND WHEREAS the vagueness of this definition can create confusion and misunderstanding; AND WHEREAS this confusion and misunderstanding may inhibit fair and consistent application of the tax relief provisions; AND WHEREAS the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Property Tax Relief Act determines eligibility strictly on the basis of age and/or disability; AND WHEREAS the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Property Tax Relief Act does not provide any mechanism for municipalities to consider financial need when considering eligibility for property tax relief; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Northwest Territories Association of Communities urge the Government of the Northwest Territories to consider: (i) Amending the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Property Tax Relief Act to allow municipalities to determine how dependency is defined and determined in situations where not all owners are seniors and/or disabled; and (ii) Amending the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Property Tax Relief Act to allow municipalities to define and apply a financial means test to ensure that property tax relief is directed at property owners who need it. REVIEW AND AMENDMENT OF THE PROPERTY ASSESSMENT AND TAXATION ACT, R.S.N.W.T. 1988, c.P-10, as amended and the GRANTS-IN-LIEU OF PROPERTY TAXES POLICY 21.09 WHEREAS the Government of the Northwest Territories and the Commissioner are not liable to taxation pursuant to Section 73(2) of the Property Assessment and Taxation Act; AND WHEREAS the Government of the Northwest Territories makes grants in lieu of taxes pursuant to the Grants?In?Lieu of Property Taxes Policy 21.09 in recognition of the services it receives from municipal governments and to pay its share of the costs to municipalities where territorial property is located; AND WHEREAS the Government of the Northwest Territories does not pay Grants-In-Lieu of Property Taxes on property it leases to third parties; AND WHEREAS municipal governments cannot sell territorial property to recover unpaid taxes against defaulting tenants and are forced to take other measures, including making court applications, to recover unpaid taxes and such actions rarely allow a municipality to recoup the loss; AND WHEREAS the Government of Canada is exempt from taxation pursuant to Section 125 of the Constitution Act, 1867 but makes payments in lieu of property taxes to local governments; AND WHEREAS the Government of Canada recognized that the term "grant" for the payments made in lieu of property taxes did not reflect the value of the services provided by municipal levels of government to federal properties and proceeded to amend the name of the act to "Payments in Lieu of Taxes"; AND WHEREAS the Government of Canada recognized the difficulty encountered by municipal governments in recovering unpaid taxes against tenants of federal property and beginning in the 2000 tax year included a provision in the Property in Lieu of Taxes Act for municipalities to request a payment in lieu of taxes on federal property occupied by a defaulting tenant, after demonstrating that every reasonable attempt has been made to collect the taxes from the tenant without success; AND WHEREAS various provincial governments have recognized the difficulty encountered by municipal governments in recovering unpaid taxes against tenants of provincial property and have included provisions in the applicable legislation to allow municipal governments to request a payment in lieu of taxes if all reasonable attempts to collect the outstanding taxes have not been successful; AND WHEREAS there have been instances where municipal governments have not been able to collect unpaid property taxes from tenants of territorial property and have not received any grant in lieu of taxes; and AND WHEREAS the purpose of the grants made in lieu of taxes is to deal equitably and fairly with municipalities; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Northwest Territories Association of Communities urge the Government of the Northwest Territories to consider: (i) amending the Property Assessment and Taxation Act and the Grants-In-Lieu of Property Tax Policy to allow municipal governments to request a payment in lieu of taxes if all reasonable attempts to collect the outstanding taxes have not been successful in accordance with what the federal and other provincial governments have already done; and (ii) changing the name of the Grants-In-Lieu of Property Tax Policy to the Payments-In-Lieu of Property Tax Policy to emphasize the territorial government's responsibility as a property owner to share in the cost of local government, rather than its generosity in making a payment which it is not legally obliged to make. REVIEW AND AMENDMENT OF THE PROPERTY ASSESSMENT AND TAXATION ACT, R.S.N.W.T. 1988,c.P-10, as amended WHEREAS the Property Assessment and Taxation Act requires the Senior Administrative Officer of a municipal taxation area to cause a notice of assessment to be mailed to each assessed owner of each property each year; AND WHEREAS the Property Assessment and Taxation Act requires the Senior Administrative Officer of a municipal taxation area to cause a notice of tax payable to be mailed to each assessed owner of each property each year; AND WHEREAS the Property Assessment and Taxation Act requires the Senior Administrative Officer of a municipal taxation area to cause other written documents relevant to the assessment and taxation processes to be mailed to assessed owners; AND WHEREAS the Property Assessment and Taxation Act currently requires the notice of assessment, notice of tax payable and other documents to be paper documents; AND WHEREAS the Property Assessment and Taxation Act currently requires the notice of assessment, notice of tax payable and other documents to be mailed to the address shown on the certified assessment roll; AND WHEREAS municipal governments have successfully adopted computerized methods to streamline the management of their assessment and taxation processes; AND WHEREAS these computerized methods are capable of producing electronic versions of a notice of assessment, a notice of tax payable, and other related documents in accordance with the regulations stipulated in the Property Assessment and Taxation Act; AND WHEREAS a growing number of property owners are increasingly managing their financial affairs using electronic means; AND WHEREAS many financial institutions and service providers successfully communicate with customers using solely electronic means; AND WHEREAS municipalities communicate extensively with citizens using electronic means; AND WHEREAS electronic distribution of information is more timely and more cost effective than paper distribution; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the NWTAC lobby the Government of the Northwest Territories to amend the Property Assessment and Taxation Act to allow municipalities the option of providing notices of assessment, notices of tax payable, and other documents relevant to the assessment and taxation processes electronically, using electronic delivery methods.
Councillor Mufandaedza moves, Councillor ____________ seconds, That Administration bring forward a memorandum to committee to develop a formal protocol/policy/procedure with respect to proclamations and flags.
NEW BUSINESS Councillor Morgan moves, Councillor _________ seconds, That pursuant to s.5 of Council Procedures By?law No. 4975, a motion to suspend with the requirements of Section 89(4) and Section 89(5) of the Council Procedures By?law regarding reconsideration of motions.
Councillor Morgan moves, Councillor _________ seconds, That Motion #0085-19 be reconsidered.
Councillor Morgan moves, Councillor ________ seconds, That Motion #0085-19 be amended as follows: That Council direct Administration to: 1. Pursue the Design-Build construction methodology for the development of the Aquatic Centre in addition to undertaking a Request for Proposal process to secure the services of a qualified Bridging Consultant to carry out the design aspects for the Aquatic Centre for Design?Build Request for Proposals for both the recommended concept in the Aquatic Centre Pre-Design Plan (52 meter lap pool) and a similar concept with a 25 meter lap pool; and 2. Proceed with the evaluations of the land adjacent to the Ruth Inch Memorial Pool and Fieldhouse sites including a transportation study, geotechnical evaluation and environmental assessment. ADJOURNMENT