Council Preview
By John Swartz
Orillia council meets at 2 p.m., Monday, June 29. The meeting starts with two deputations, one from the Orillia Public Library Board, and another from a group called Mountain Movers.
The library board will report on its 2025 budget and accomplishments during the fiscal year. Statistical highlights include there are 19K cardholders, which it must be noted is free to every citizen of Orillia, which indicates the library is the most underutilized service in town and reflects the current trend in society of rejecting learning.
That said, 280K items were borrowed, which is closely mirrored by the same amount of website visits. This is balanced by 204K visits to the library and 41K took advantage of library programs.
The library established a young writer’s program in 2025, and provided charging facilities during the ice storm. The library also rejoined Information Orillia’s board.
The board estimates for every dollar the City invests in the library there is $7.70 of economic benefit to the community.
The next deputation is an odd one. Paisley Shakell of Mountain Movers; Kenny Crisp of Home Hardware; and Trisha Grignon of Teen Challenge, will be presenting information about a drug rehab program and asking for a $40K grant.
The organization has a London address and operates a number of centers across Canada. The deputation documentation points specifically to a Women’s Centre, which appears to located in King City.
It should also be noted the organization states up front they are a Christian organization and their annual report has religious statements plastered all over the many pages. Their revenue breakdown shows only 9% comes from churches. Program activities for those enrolled involves a significant amount of religious activity.
This raises the question of why should the City financially support a program, noble as it is, which is not located here, and should the City get involved with a religious group that makes religion a prominent feature of what they do? The deputation document states the financial request is a one-time thing.
SUNonline/Orillia views this as very different from Couchiching Jubilee House, which was started by four churches in town, but did not not make religion a focal point, in fact barely mentioned it and instead focused on the act of helping women and children. Most people wouldn’t even know the church background to the service.
Behind Closed Doors
After the deputations and public forum council has 6 items listed for discussion in camera. One is regarding the collective agreement with the Orillia Professional Fire Fighters Association. Next is about something called Living Wage Employer, which has a public report (below). Two reports are about land sales in the Horne Business Park. Another is about a lease opportunity, but there is no indication if the City is leasing land to someone or from someone. Last is a report from the CAO regarding Lakehead University’s expansion plans as they relate to Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital.
Reports
Mayor Don McIsaac and councillor Tim Lauer have a report asking council to change council procedure. Currently deputations are not allowed during the summer or in December and they make a case this should not be. The report also states the clerk decides which requests get time before council, and again this should not be, or at least with some clearly and narrowly outlined criteria for disallowing a deputation – but that is not the objective of the report.
The only reason for not allowing deputations at those times of the year is typically already lengthy agendas, and often there are complicated items that require immediate action and adding time to the meeting takes time from consideration for other things.
On the other hand, people asking for deputations frequently have time sensitive requests and making people wait to make their cases may not be productive either.
What Is This?
Councillor Whitney Smith has a report asking council to endorse asking the province to change legislation regarding donations of wild game meat to charitable organizations (food banks). This is coming from an organization called Hunters for the Hungry, which is American and part of the NRA. there are some Canadian associations with different names, which might have been a better reference.
One could be relieved to know this is not a harebrained RFK Jr. style hallucination that roadkill should not be wasted. It is recognition that hunter often get more than they can reasonably use and excess meat should be allowed to be processed through licensed facilities for donation to charities. The report states other jurisdictions make such allowances.
How Does This Work For Us?
Recently council asked staff to report on various aspects of the move by Lakehead University to give land to Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital. This is also a subject in close session. The report was not included in the agenda documents as of time of writing, but there is a note there will be a report available on Monday. One issue, which may be addressed, is the City donated the land to the university for education purposes, and some people question how the university can in turn over the land to the hospital. Note, the City gave the land to the university and there has been no indication if the land is being donated or sold to the hospital.
It seems, in light of the assumption the hospital will be asking for cash from the City and having a public donation campaign, the value of the land, if donated by the university, should be deducted from the City’s contribution.
A Measure Of Worth
Councillor Janet-Lynne Durnford asked for a report on an initiative to make Orillia a living wage employer. This is also a subject on the closed session agenda.
The concept has already been adopted by the City of St. Catharines, the County of Huron, the Municipality of North Perth, Prince Edward County and the Region of Waterloo.
One might reasonably think, ‘doesn’t everyone who works for the City already make more than what is considered a living wage?’ There are many seasonal staff who may not. The idea is to create policy that all employees of the City earn a decent wage. But it also extends to ensuring those who have contracts with the City pay their employees fairly.
The report states the living wage in Simcoe County is calculated to be $24.60/hour.
The City has 15 permanent part-time employees and if their rate was increased to the living wage it would add $15K to the budget – if council goes with the simplest option. However, if this is extended to contracted and casual employees, of which there are 500, then the cost goes up by $650K. This would cause increases to keep spreads for those higher on the salary grid by an additional $300K if a second option is chosen.
A third option would also require all employees of contractors/suppliers doing business with the City to pay higher wages. The City has a little more than 1,000 contractors.
Of course the last option is to receive the report and do nothing.
How Slow?
In March councillors Jeff Czetwerzuk and Jay Fallis asked for a report about making 40kph the defacto speed limit in Orillia. Staff say maybe do a pilot project first. They suggest a trial in the West Ridge at a cost of $75K to the 2027 budget.
Reduced speed would only apply to local roads and not to main roads. Staff show approximately half the roads in the West Ridge would have reduced speeds.
Ouch
A cost to convert the City’s bus fleet to electric power looks like it will be out of reach since staff estimate the current $11 million budget to replace buses over next few years as the fleet ages would jump to $26 million.
It’s not just the buses, charging them is a cost factor since each route would also need a remote charging station in addition to stations in the bus compound.
Staff have numbers for a pilot to buy one bus and related charging costs, but that is still add almost $3 million to the budget.
Motions
Councillors Czetwerzuk and Fallis have an enquiry motion for staff to report as part of the 2027 budget on the feasibility and costs to pave pathways and parking lot, and provide snow removal for the pathways at Carmichael Park.
Council meetings are open to the public. The link to the meeting was not posted by time of publication, but will be found here when it is.
(Photos by Swartz – SUNonline/Orillia)
