Council Meeting

THAT the Regular Council Meeting held on December 11, 2023, be called to order at 5:00 p.m.

THAT a Closed Meeting of Council be held on December 11, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. in accordance with Sections 239 (2)(b)(d)(f)(h) and (i) to consider the following: Ministerial Orders - Section 239 (2)(f) Advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege, including communications necessary for that purpose; Confidential Information Supplied in Confidence from the Province of Ontario - Section 239 (2)(h) - Information explicitly supplied in confidence to the municipality or local board by Canada, a province or territory or a Crown agency of any item, and Section 239 (2)(i) - a trade secret or scientific, technical, commercial or financial or labour relations information, supplied in confidence to the municipality or local board, which, if disclosed, could reasonably be expected to prejudice significantly the competitive position or interfere significantly with the contractual or other negotiations of a person, group of persons, or organization; 2024 Wilmot Canada Day Event Task Force Applications - Section 239 (2)(b) - Personal matters about an identifiable individual, including municipal or local board employees; and, Salary Negotiations - Section 239 (2)(d) Labour relations or employee negotiations.

THAT Council reconvenes into Open Session at 7:05 p.m.

THAT the Agenda as presented for December 11, 2023 be adopted as amended.

THAT the Minutes of the November 27, 2023 Regular Council Meeting be adopted as presented.

THAT Consent Agenda Items 12.1, and 12.3 be approved.

THAT Report CS-2023-26, Video Streaming Agreement at Wilmot Recreation Complex be received for information; and THAT the Mayor and Clerk be authorized to execute an agreement with the New Hamburg Hockey Association and Wilmot Girls Hockey Association based on the Terms of Reference for the provision of Video Streaming at the Wilmot Recreation Complex.

THAT CS-2023-27, Wilmot Electronic Waste and Recycling be received for information.

THAT Report DS 2023-22 regarding the Tree Canopy Policy Framework prepared by Aboud & Associates Inc. be received for information purposes.

THAT Township Council endorse the recommended intersection improvements at Punkeydoodles Corners for implementation in 2024, as detailed in Report No. IS-2023-23, and further, THAT Township Council endorse the recommendation to amend the through highway designation and permanently close Huron Road from Punkeydoodles Avenue to Perth Road 101 as a result of the proposed intersection closure at Perth Road 101 & Huron Road, as outlined in Report No. IS-2023-23 and further, THAT Township Council formally request that the Region of Waterloo assume Wilmot's portion of Oxford Road 5 boundary obligation, including the financial obligations to repair the intersection of Perth Road 101 and Oxford Road 5 to address the inter-regional traffic issues, as well as future capital and operating costs for Oxford Road 5, as the road satisfies the Region’s criteria for transfer due to its volume, traffic types and primary use for inter-regional purposes; and further THAT the Council of the Township of Wilmot strongly calls upon to the Oxford County, Perth County, and Region of Waterloo, to immediately work together to collectively reduce speeds in and around the area of Punkeydoodles Corner; and further, THAT staff, explore further refinements with Oxford County, Perth County and the Region of Waterloo for further improvements including moving forward with a roundabout at Punkeydoodles Corner.

THAT Report COR-2023-79, Interim Financial Update with 2024 Budget Issues and Strategies, be received for information; and further THAT staff be directed to provide options for an air quality study in Petersburg and include it in the draft budget for Council's review.

THAT Report COR-2023-76, Reserve Fund Restructuring and By-Law Update, be received for information purposes; and THAT the attached Reserve Fund Management Policy be approved; and THAT the attached Reserve Fund By-law be approved to establish new and redistribute existing reserve funds.

THAT By-Laws as attached to this Agenda be read a first, second and third time, and finally passed in Open Council.

WHEREAS across Canada volunteer firefighters provide essential fire and all hazard emergency services to their communities, and, WHEREAS many of these individuals receive some form of pay on call, an honorarium, or are given some funding to cover expenses, but do not draw a living wage from firefighting; and, WHEREAS without volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers, communities across Canada would have no fire and emergency response coverage; and, WHEREAS in 2013, the federal government initiated a tax credit recognizing these individuals by allowing volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers to claim a $3,000 tax credit if 200 hours of volunteer services were completed in a calendar year; and, WHEREAS the Member of Parliament for Courtenay–Alberni, Gord Johns, has introduced Private Members Bill C-310 An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer tax credit) to increase the annual claim amount permitted; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Council of the Corporation of the Township of Wilmot encourages the Government of Canada to support Bill C-310 and enact amendments to subsections 1118.06 (2) and 118.07 (2) of the Income Tax Act in order to increase the amount of the tax credits for volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer services from $3,000 to $10,000; and further, BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED THAT the Municipal Clerk be directed to send a copy of this resolution to the Member of Parliament

THAT Council receives the verbal report regarding: Confidential Information Supplied in Confidence from the Province of Ontario Section 239 (2)(h) - Information explicitly supplied in confidence to the municipality or local board by Canada, a province or territory or a Crown agency of any item, and Section 239 (2)(i) - a trade secret or scientific, technical, commercial or financial or labour relations information, supplied in confidence to the municipality or local board, which, if disclosed, could reasonably be expected to prejudice significantly the competitive position or interfere significantly with the contractual or other negotiations of a person, group of persons, or organization.

THAT the following individuals be appointed to the 2024 Wilmot Canada Day Event Task Force: Representatives from service organizations operating within the Township of Wilmot (i.e., service clubs): Mark Weber – New Hamburg Optimist Kristen Chiasson – Wilmot Agricultural Society Abbi Stevenson – New Hamburg Board of Trade Paul Mackie – Wilmot Lions-Lioness Club William Person – New Hamburg Legion Kathryn Gray – Optimist Club Wilmot Members from the community at large (e.g., business owners, community stakeholders, residents, etc.): Lou Divita Rochelle Unrau Marta Doucet

THAT the Confirmatory By-law, as attached to this agenda, be read a first, second and third time, and finally passed in Open Council.

THAT we do now adjourn to meet again at the call of the Mayor.

2 THAT the Regular Council Meeting held on December 11, 2023, be called to order at 5:00 p.m.

THAT a Closed Meeting of Council be held on December 11, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. in accordance with Sections 239 (2)(b)(d)(f)(h) and (i) to consider the following: 1. Ministerial Orders - Section 239 (2)(f) Advice that is subject to solicitor- client privilege, including communications necessary for that purpose; 2. Confidential Information Supplied in Confidence from the Province of Ontario - Section 239 (2)(h) - Information explicitly supplied in confidence to the municipality or local board by Canada, a province or territory or a Crown agency of any item, and Section 239 (2)(i) - a trade secret or scientific, technical, commercial or financial or labour relations information, supplied in confidence to the municipality or local board, which, if disclosed, could reasonably be expected to prejudice significantly the competitive position or interfere significantly with the contractual or other negotiations of a person, group of persons, or organization; 3. 2024 Wilmot Canada Day Event Task Force Applications - Section 239 (2)(b) - Personal matters about an identifiable individual, including municipal or local board employees; and, 4. Salary Negotiations - Section 239 (2)(d) Labour relations or employee negotiations.

6 THAT CS-2023-27, Wilmot Electronic Waste and Recycling be received for information.

THAT Council receives the verbal report regarding: 1. Confidential Information Supplied in Confidence from the Province of Ontario Section 239 (2)(h) - Information explicitly supplied in confidence to the municipality or local board by Canada, a province or territory or a Crown agency of any item, and Section 239 (2)(i) - a trade secret or scientific, technical, commercial or financial or labour relations information, supplied in confidence to the municipality or local board, which, if disclosed, could reasonably be expected to prejudice significantly the competitive position or interfere significantly with the contractual or other negotiations of a person, group of persons, or organization.

THAT the following individuals be appointed to the 2024 Wilmot Canada Day Event Task Force: Representatives from service organizations operating within the Township of Wilmot (i.e., service clubs): 1. Mark Weber – New Hamburg Optimist 2. Kristen Chiasson – Wilmot Agricultural Society 3. Abbi Stevenson – New Hamburg Board of Trade 4. Paul Mackie – Wilmot Lions-Lioness Club 5. William Person – New Hamburg Legion 6. Kathryn Gray – Optimist Club Wilmot 16 Members from the community at large (e.g., business owners, community stakeholders, residents, etc.): 1. Lou Divita 2. Rochelle Unrau 3. Marta Doucet