Hello Neighbour,
I hope you and yours are enjoying a safe, healthy and warm Family Day. This update is a bit longer because the provincial stay at home order ends tomorrow, so I'm letting you know which City services are changing now that we're entering the 'red' level. I'm also covering this week's Special Council Meeting on Voting Systems, and a couple of other relevant municipal issues. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns about these or other municipal issues.
ALSO - Please note that because of the forecasted snowfall, the City has announced that there will be a residential plow-out starting at 6am tomorrow (Tuesday February 16) so please move your parked cars off the roads!
Table of Contents:
- Guelph's Response to the End of Stay At Home Order - Tuesday February 16th
- Special Council Meeting on Voting Systems and Alternative Voting Methods for the 2022 Municipal Election - Wednesday February 17 @ 6pm
- Prudent Investor Standard - Monday February 22 @ 5pm
- Inter-Regional Transportation Planning Update
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1. Guelph's Response to the End of Stay At Home Order - Starting Tuesday February 16th
This past Friday Feb. 12th, the Province announced that as of Tuesday the 16th, Guelph will move out of shut down into level red/control in Ontario’s COVID-19 response framework: keeping Ontario safe and open. This means we can begin to reopen some City facilities with strict screening measures in place.
I know these updates about COVID-19 can be confusing. The Province says we’re reopening more businesses to get more people back to work, while health officials warn us about more contagious variants, and tell us to stay home. So it’s up to us to make good decisions to protect ourselves, our families and our community.
This is what the City is reopening this week:
City recreation centres open February 18
Drop-in programs, pool and ice rentals start February 18. Customers must register for drop-in programs, and may do so up to 72 hours in advance. Guelph Transit bus passes, City gift cards, large waste item tickets, and waste cart exchanges will also be available starting February 18.
Registration for spring recreation programs begins on March 3. Programs are scheduled to start April 4. The City will issue refunds if programs are cancelled due to low enrollment or COVID-19.
Visit guelph.ca/recreation for guidelines, schedules and registration information.
Outdoor rinks, parks, playgrounds and trails
At level red, up to 25 people can use Guelph’s fenced dog parks, and outdoor skating rinks. Users should wear masks, stay at least two metres away from people they don’t live with, and bring hand sanitizer.
Team sports are not permitted at level red. People can use hockey sticks, pucks, and low pond-style nets provided by the City on community ice rinks provided they’re not used for team sports or games. To reduce the risk of injury, the City of Guelph does not permit full-sized hockey nets on community rinks, and skating is not permitted on storm ponds.
Visit guelph.ca/parks for more information.
City Hall and Provincial Offences Court
Service counters remain open to the public. Visit guelph.ca for online services.
Guelph Farmers’ Market
The Guelph Farmers’ Market is open on Saturday mornings. Up to 75 people can shop indoors.
Visit guelph.ca/farmersmarket for a list of vendors and shopping guidelines.
Shop local. Shop safe. #guelphshops
For a directory of local shops and services visit guelph.ca/guelphshops. Share photos and stories about your favourites using #guelphshops
Guelph libraries open
The Scottsdale branch will continue offering curbside pickup service only, all other branches are open from in-person service, browsing, and computer use. Visit guelphpl.ca for details.
Guelph Museums reopen February 16
Guelph Museums will reopen with a maximum of 10 visitors allowed indoors. Museum visits must be scheduled in advance at guelphmuseums.ca.
Guelph Transit
Guelph Transit service continues on a 30-minute schedule, Monday to Saturday. Sunday is regular service. Essential trips only. Masks are required.
River Run Centre and Sleeman Centre
The River Run Centre and Sleeman Centre remain closed to the public. Visit riverrun.ca for digital performances.
Provincial COVID-19 guidelines as of February 16
Highlights of provincial regulations are included below. For a full list of COVID-19 guidelines at level red visit covid-19.ontario.ca
Gathering and close contact at level red
Stay at least two metres away from people you don’t live with. Do not visit any other household or allow visitors in your home. If you live alone, you can have close contact with one other household. Please remember that the province eliminated 'social bubbles' in the fall, and they have not been brought back.
Events and social gatherings:
- Indoors 5 people
- Outside 25 people
Only go out for essential reasons, such as:
- work
- school
- groceries
- pharmacy
- health care
- helping vulnerable people
- exercise and physical activity
Work remotely, where possible.
Restaurants and bars
Outdoor dining, take out, drive through, and delivery are permitted. Restaurants or bars can sell or serve alcohol 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and must close from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Up to 10 customers can dine indoors if there is least two metres between tables. Up to four people can sit at a table, and all seated customers must provide contact information.
Stores
- Supermarkets and other stores that primarily sell groceries, convenience stores must limit indoor shopping to 75% of capacity
- All other retail (includes discount and big box retailers, liquor stores, hardware stores, garden centres) must limit indoor shopping to 50% of capacity.
- Fitting rooms cannot be right next to each other.
- All customers must answer screening questions about COVID-19 symptoms and exposure before they come into malls.
To report a concern about a gathering or business
The City is educating people and businesses and responding to concerns.
Click here to report a COVID-19 concern online
Call 519-837-2529
Use the map app to report COVID-19 concerns
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2. Special Council Meeting on Voting Systems and Alternative Voting Methods for the 2022 Municipal Election - Wednesday February 17 @ 6pm
This Wednesday City Council is voting on a staff recommendation to use Vote Tabulator machines and Mail-In Ballots for the 2022 municipal and school board election.
While I had previously been in favour of adopting online voting at municipal elections, as a way to increase accessibility, now that I have learned more about the risks and technical limitations for safe and reliable online voting, I am leaning in favour of using mail-in ballots to increase accessibility, instead of online voting. If you're interested in this topic I would love to hear what your thoughts are on mail-in ballots, or online voting.
You're welcome to watch the meeting this Wednesday February 17 at 6pm. To contain the spread of COVID-19, City Council meetings are being held electronically and will be live streamed at guelph.ca/live.
To listen to this meeting over the phone, call 1-416-216-5643 and enter access code 179 131 1796.
Click here for this meeting agenda and to read the background information and reports.
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3. Prudent Investor Standard - Monday February 22 @ 5pm
This month's Council meeting on February 22nd has just two open items. The Internal Audit workplan for 2021, and a staff recommendation to diversify our investments and continue to explore the possibility of adopting the provincial Prudent Investor Standard and creating or joining an Investment Board.
Click here's for the meeting agenda and background reports.
As the City grows, we need to set more money aside for future large capital projects, like the South End Recreation Centre. This means that we have large sums of money which we are not going to use in the short-term, so we are updating how we invest those funds.
Ontario municipalities can only invest our reserve funds in a prescribed list of provincially approved investment vehicles that include government bonds and short term securities issued by Canadian banks. However, once municipalities have over $100 Million in reserves, we have the option to adopt the Prudent Investor Standard and either create a municipal Investment Board, or join a 'Joint Investment Board' with other municipalities.
By adopting the Prudent Investor Standard and creating (or joining) an Investment Board, we would gain access to Canadian and international equities, which have traditionally outperformed the investment vehicles we currently have access to - however there is increased risk and cost in paying for an Investment Board... also, once we opt-in to creating (or joining) an investment board, it's not easy to get out.
Here's what staff is currently recommending for our investment policy:
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In addition to recommending that we increase our portfolio of Government and Corporate Bonds, staff is recommending that up to 20% of our long-term assets be held in Canadian Equities, and that we revisit the question of creating or joining an Investment Board in two year's time.
Click here for more information on the Canadian Equity porfolio we would be able to invest in, if we approve staff's recommendation. That same company hosts the only Joint Investment Board currently available to us. For your reference, here are the 2020 Q4 investment reports for the member municipalities.
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4. Inter-Regional Transportation Planning Update
This past Friday Feb 12, City staff issued a short information report that covers many important transportation updates:
- New Ontario Provincial Highway 7
- Hanlon Expressway Feasibility Study
- Hanlon Expressway South Guelph Grade Separation Project
- New Ontario Provincial Highway 6
- Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO)/Metrolinx Greater Golden Horseshoe 2051 Regional Transportation Plan
- Metrolinx Rail & Other passenger rail
- National (CN) Rail switching activities
- County of Wellington transportation update
- Transit connections
I'll let you read the short report if you're interested in any of the above, but I thought you'd like to know that while the Province hasn't made any commitments or timelines for construction and completion of this project... construction on the new Highway 7 between Guelph and Kitchener could start sometime this year. I'll keep you posted as I hear more on this.
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That's it for this update. Do let me know if you have any questions for feedback on these or other municipal matters.
Sincerely,
Rodrigo
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