AGENDA - General Committee - 20191119
General Committee
Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
7 p.m.
Council Chambers
Aurora Town Hall
Public Release
November 12, 2019
Town of Aurora
General Committee
Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
7 p.m., Council Chambers
Councillor Humfryes in the Chair
1. Approval of the Agenda
2. Declarations of Pecuniary Interest and General Nature Thereof
3. Community Presentations
(a) Allan N. Ebedes, President and CEO, Excellence Canada
Re: Excellence Canada Silver Certification
4. Delegations
5. Consent Agenda
Items listed under the Consent Agenda are considered routine or no longer require
further discussion and are enacted in one motion. The exception to this rule is that
a Member may request that one or more items be pulled for discussion and voted
on separately.
Recommended:
That the following Consent Agenda item C1 be approved:
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019 Page 2 of 6
C1. FS19-034 – Q3 2019 Sole/Single Source Report
(Information Report dated November 5, 2019, included on agenda per Member of
Council request)
Recommended:
1. That Report No. FS19-034 be received for information.
6. Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes
Recommended:
That the following Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes items, A1 to A3 inclusive,
be received for information:
A1. Community Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes of October 10, 2019
Recommended:
1. That the Community Advisory Committee meeting minutes of October 10,
2019, be received for information.
A2 . Community Recognition Review Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes
of November 4, 2019
Recommended:
1. That the Community Recognition Review Advisory Committee meeting
minutes of November 4, 2019, be received for information.
A3 . Heritage Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes of November 4, 2019
Recommended:
1. That the Heritage Advisory Committee meeting minutes of November 4,
2019, be received for information.
7. Consideration of Items Requiring Discussion (Regular Agenda)
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019 Page 3 of 6
R1. CS19-035 – Technology Strategic Plan
Presentation to be provided by Ben Perry, Perry Group Consulting Ltd.
Recommended:
1. That Report No. CS19-035 be received; and
2. That the Technology Strategic Plan be endorsed and included in the
2020 to 2022 three-year Operating Budget for final approval of funding;
and
3. That this report satisfies Council’s conditional budget approval for the
following Capital Projects related to the Technology Strategic Plan:
(a) Capital Project No. 14075 – Business Process Automation and Data
Integration; and
(b) Capital Project No. 13023 – Access Aurora Telephony Project; and
(c) Capital Project No. 14076 – Digital Education Program; and
(d) Capital Project No. 14073 – Information Technology Strategic Plan
Implementation.
R2. CS19-037 – Procedure By-law Review
Recommended:
1. That Report No. CS19-037 be received; and
2. That the proposed Procedure By-law (Attachment No. 1) be presented at
the December 10, 2019 Council meeting for enactment effective as of
January 1, 2020; and
3. That the 2020 Meeting Schedule (Attachment No. 2) be approved.
R3. FS19-033 – Prudent Investor Option Analysis
Presentation to be provided by Keith Taylor, Investment Manager, ONE
Investment.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019 Page 4 of 6
Recommended:
1. That Report No. FS19-033 be received; and
2. That staff be directed to work with ONE Investment to bring information
to the Financial Advisory Committee relating to the implementation of a
Prudent Investor regime, including any Investment Policy Statement and
agreement requirements associated with the establishment of a Joint
Investment Board for its review and comment; and
3. That staff be directed to bring any resultant recommendations to Council
for consideration.
R4. CMS19-027 – Aurora Museum & Archives Museum Plan Status Report
Presentation to be provided by Shawna White, Curator, Aurora Museum &
Archives.
Recommended:
1. That Report No. CMS19-027 be received for information.
R5. FS19-038 – 2019 Year-End Surplus/Deficit Financial Control By-law
Recommended:
1. That Report No. FS19-038 be received; and
2. That a by-law be enacted to authorize the Treasurer and the Chief
Administrative Officer to make the following year-end financial
adjustments:
(a) To allocate any 2019 Operating Fund surplus or deficit as set out in
Report No. FS19-038; and
(b) To allocate any 2019 surplus or alternatively fund any deficit in the
Water, Wastewater, or Stormwater budgets to or from the
appropriate related reserve accounts; and
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019 Page 5 of 6
3. That the Treasurer and Chief Administrative Officer report to Council
after the year-end surplus/deficit control adjustments and allocations
have been completed.
R6. PDS19-026 – Proposed Site Alteration By-law
Recommended:
1. That Report No. PDS19-026 be received; and
2. That the Site Alteration By-law be enacted at a future Council meeting;
and
3. That Schedule ‘B’ of the 2020 Fees and Charges By-law be amended to
replace the Topsoil Preservation Permit fee with a Site Alteration Permit
fee and a Site Alteration Permit Renewal fee at the first opportunity to do
so upon approval of the Site Alteration By-law.
R7. PDS19-099 – Mitigation Tactics to Prevent Illegal Demolition of Listed
Heritage Buildings
Recommended:
1. That Report No. PDS19-099 be received; and
2. That an amendment to Fee By-law Number 6147-19 be presented to
Council to allow the Building Division to collect a deposit in the amount of
$10,000 when an owner applies for a demolition permit for a listed
heritage property; and
3. That the deposit only be returned to the owner after the requirements of
the Ontario Heritage Act have been completed in respect of the proposed
demolition.
R8. CMS19-029 – Aurora’s Community Recognition Awards
Recommended:
1. That Report No. CMS19-029 be received; and
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019 Page 6 of 6
2. That the addition of a Senior Volunteer Award be approved as part of
Aurora’s Community Recognition Awards program.
8. Notices of Motion
9. New Business
10. Closed Session
11. Adjournment
Town of Aurora
Information Report No. FS19-034
Subject: Q3 2019 Sole / Single Source Report
Prepared by: Anna Ruberto, Procurement Manager
Department: Finance
Date: November 5, 2019
In accordance with the Procedure By-law, any Member of Council may
request that this Information Report be placed on an upcoming
General Committee or Council meeting agenda for discussion.
Executive Summary
Sole / single source awards are non-competitive Procurement processes that are
approved as per the requirements listed within the Town of Aurora Procurement By-law
Number 6076-18. As per this By-law all sole / single source contract awards over
$50,000 require approval and execution by the CAO. Awards of sole / single source
contracts over $100,000 require Council approval and execution by the Mayor and
Town Clerk. Pursuant to provisions 13.5 and 13.6 of the by-law, the Procurement
Manager shall prepare a quarterly report of all sole source and single source purchases
not requiring Council approval, excluding Low Value Procurements (i.e. less than
$10,000). This report will:
• Present a list of all sole and single source contracts valued at $10,000 to
$100,000 that were awarded and executed in Q3 of 2019
Background
A Sole Source Purchase may be utilized for the Procurement of Goods, Services, or
Construction when there is only one source that is able to meet the requirements of the
Procurement, which may be due to their unique ability or skill, possession of proprietary
technology, copyright, patent or other intellectual property.
A Single Source Purchase is a method of procurement used after soliciting and
negotiation with only one contractor when there is more than one potential source
available for such procurement. Provision 13.6 (a) provides for circumstances in which
such a procurement is permissible, such as in situations where a certain vendor needs
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item C1
Page 1 of 5
November 5, 2019 Page 2 of 5 Report No. FS19-034
to be retained for reasons of standardization or compatibility with existing products,
where a purchase is made pursuant to a co-operative bid put out by another
government agency or where a contract is required due to a contract termination or
expiry, for a short interim period to meet immediate recurring business requirements.
Analysis
Sole and Single Source contracts valued at $10,000 to $100,000 awarded and
executed in Q2 of 2019
Within Q3 2019, there were five (5) awards made for a total award amount of
$147,238.42 (excluding HST). There was one (1) sole source award for Operational
Services (Parks Division); four (4) single source awards for Community Services
(Facilities Divisions) and Operational Services (Parks, Water and Roads Divisions).
TABLE 1: Q3 2019 SOLE / SINGLE SOURCE AWARDS
SUPPLIER
NAME
DEPART-
MENT DIVISION
SOLE
OR
SINGLE
SOURCE
$ AMOUNT
(excl. HST)
PROCUREMENT
BY-LAW
REFERENCE
DESCRIPTION
1 ORIN CORP.
Operational
Services
Parks
Sole
Source
$ 34,125.00
Sole: Only one
source able to meet
the requirements
Provision and
planting of trees
for the TACC
Park
development in
2C subdivision.
2
ELEVATOR
ONE INC.
Community
Services
Facilities
Single
Source
$ 40,000.00
Single: (i) for
reasons of
standardization
Elevator
services for
three (3) sites:
ACC, AFLC and
Library.
3
ALLAN FYFE
EQUIPMENT
Operational
Services
Parks Single
Source
$ 25,440.00
Single: (vii) in the
absence of any
Bids in response to
a Solicitation for
Bids made in
accordance with
the by-law
Provision of
Forestry rental
equipment.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item C1
Page 2 of 5
November 5, 2019 Page 3 of 5 Report No. FS19-034
4
FLOWPOINT
ENVIRONM
ENTAL
SYSTEMS
Operational
Services
Water Single
Source
$ 24,973.42
Single (ii) where
compatibility with
an existing product,
equipment is a
paramount
consideration
Vandalism of
bulk water
station
necessitated
the replacement
of the access
terminal, solar
controller and
batteries in
order for the
bulk water
station to be
operable.
5
MEAD
ELECTRIC
INC.
Operational
Services
Roads Single
Source
$ 22,700.00 Single (iv) where
due to a Contract,
expiry a Service is
Purchased for a
short interim period
to meet immediate
recurring business
requirements,
during which period
a Procurement
process is initiated
for the longer term
supply of such
Good or Service
Interim
contractor for
street light
maintenance
and repair as
prior contractor
was terminated.
New contractor
(Black &
MacDonald)
commenced
September 4,
2019.
Advisory Committee Review
None
Legal Considerations
Pursuant to provisions 13.5 and 13.6 of the by-law, the Procurement Manager shall
prepare a quarterly report of all sole source and single source purchases not requiring
Council approval, excluding Low Value Procurements (i.e. less than $10,000). This
report satisfies these provisions.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item C1
Page 3 of 5
November 5, 2019 Page 4 of 5 Report No. FS19-034
Financial Implications
Expenses as per the above list of awarded sole and single source contracts which
represent a financial obligation to the Town of $147,238.42.
Communications Considerations
This report will be posted to the Town’s website.
Link to Strategic Plan
Regular reporting to Council on the Town’s awarded sole and single source contracts
contributes to achieving the Strategic Plan guiding principle of “Leadership in Corporate
Management” and improves transparency and accountability to the community.
Alternative(s) to the Recommendation
None
Conclusions
The by-law requirements to provide a quarterly report for all Sole and Single Source
procurements, not requiring Council approval, has been fulfilled.
Attachments
None
Previous Reports
None
Pre-submission Review
Agenda Management Team review on October 16, 2019
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item C1
Page 4 of 5
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item C1
Page 5 of 5
Town of Aurora
Community Advisory Committee
Meeting Minutes
Date: Thursday, October 10, 2019
Time and Location: 7 p.m., Holland Room, Aurora Town Hall
Committee Members: Sera Weiss (Chair), Barry Bridgeford, Councillor Rachel
Gilliland, Balpreet Grewal, Janet Mitchell, Jennifer Sault,
Laura Thanasse
Members Absent: Chris Gordon, Denis Heng (Vice Chair), Chris MacEachern
Other Attendees: Techa van Leeuwen, Director of Corporate Services, John
Firman, Manager, Business Support, Sara Tienkamp, Parks
and Fleet Manager, Lisa Warth, Manager, Recreation, Linda
Bottos, Council/Committee Coordinator
The Chair called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m.
The Chair welcomed new Committee member Laura Thanasse.
1. Approval of the Agenda
Moved by Jennifer Sault
Seconded by Janet Mitchell
That the agenda as circulated by Legislative Services, including the following
additional item, be approved:
• Delegation (a) Marion Howell, Resident; Re: Item 2 – CAC19-003 – Future Off-
Leash Dog Park Locations
Carried
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item A1
Page 1 of 5
Community Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes
Thursday, October 10, 2019 Page 2 of 5
2. Declarations of Pecuniary Interest and General Nature Thereof
There were no declarations of pecuniary interest under the Municipal Conflict of
Interest Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. M.50.
3. Receipt of the Minutes
Community Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes of June 20, 2019
Moved by Balpreet Grewal
Seconded by Barry Bridgeford
That the Community Advisory Committee meeting minutes of June 20, 2019, be
received for information.
Carried
4. Delegations
(a) Marion Howell, Resident
Re: Item 2 – CAC19-003 – Future Off-Leash Dog Park Locations
Ms. Howell, on behalf of residents in her neighbourhood, expressed support
for the staff report recommendation.
Moved by Barry Bridgeford
Seconded by Laura Thanasse
That the comments of the delegation be received and referred to Item 2.
Carried
5. Matters for Consideration
1. CAC19-002 – 276 and 310 Hartwell Way – Non-Programmed Park Design
Staff provided an overview of the staff report and two preliminary design
concepts for a natural, non-programmed park at the north end of the
Community Wildlife Park. The Committee and staff discussed various aspects
of the proposed park features including dog park size, naturalized playground
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item A1
Page 2 of 5
Community Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes
Thursday, October 10, 2019 Page 3 of 5
options, the structure and management of community gardens, parking, and
concerns regarding the setback/barrier to residential rear yards and coyote
presence in the area. The Committee inquired about the public consultation
process respecting the proposed community gardens and staff provided
clarification. The Committee suggested including accommodation for green
vehicles, an open space between the dog park and children’s play area so that
the two amenities are not adjacent, a water feature in the dog park, and
portable toilets.
Moved by Jennifer Sault
Seconded by Laura Thanasse
1. That Report No. CAC19-002 be received; and
2. That the comments and suggestions regarding Report No. CAC19-002 –
276 and 310 Hartwell Way – Non-Programmed Park Design be received
and referred to staff for consideration and action as appropriate.
Carried
2. CAC19-003 – Future Off-Leash Dog Park Locations
Staff provided an overview of the staff report and concept plan for a leash-free
dog park at a future Highland Gate subdivision, noting that the identified
possible off-leash dog park locations are based on residents’ feedback.
The Committee and staff discussed various aspects of the potential land within
Phase 2 of the Highland Gate Development including options for surface
material, a path around the dog park, water feature, smaller-dog or passive-
dog area, plantings and trees within the park, and agility training-type facilities.
The Committee and staff discussed various aspects of the potential Hydro One
Corridor Lands including options for fencing, plantings, providing a buffer
between the potential dog park and residential rear yards, interactive/agility
training features including the repurposing of tunnel slides from playgrounds,
parking, and maintenance vehicle access. Staff noted that Hydro One’s criteria
regarding conductivity in the area would need to be considered.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item A1
Page 3 of 5
Community Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes
Thursday, October 10, 2019 Page 4 of 5
Moved by Laura Thanasse
Seconded by Barry Bridgeford
1. That Report No. CAC19-003 be received; and
2. That the comments and suggestions regarding Report No. CAC19-003 –
Future Off-Leash Dog Park Locations be received and referred to staff for
consideration and action as appropriate.
Carried
6. Informational Items
3. Memorandum from Manager, Business Support
Re: Outdoor Sports Field Development Strategy
Staff provided an overview of the memorandum providing an update on the
development of a strategy to address the short-term and long-term needs for
outdoor sports fields, noting that the consultant’s report would be brought
forward to Council by the year-end. The Committee inquired about the
opportunity to include washrooms and a play area at sports fields, and noted
the need to protect the Town’s tree canopy.
Moved by Balpreet Grewal
Seconded by Laura Thanasse
Recommended:
1. That the memorandum regarding Outdoor Sports Field Development
Strategy be received for information.
Carried
4. Memorandum from Manager, Recreation
Re: Aquatic Facility Feasibility Study – Update
Staff provided an overview of the memorandum including preliminary findings
of the study and possible design options. The Committee discussed and
inquired about various aspects including the potential for expansion of existing
facilities, parking, tree removal and replacement, building to last and climate
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item A1
Page 4 of 5
Community Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes
Thursday, October 10, 2019 Page 5 of 5
resiliency, multi-level versus sprawling facility, and diving provisions.
Moved by Barry Bridgeford
Seconded by Janet Mitchell
Recommended:
1. That the memorandum regarding Aquatic Facility Feasibility Study –
Update be received for information.
Carried
5. Memorandum from Deputy Town Clerk
Re: Advisory Committee Chair Rotation
Staff provided a brief overview of the memorandum and it was agreed that the
election of the Committee’s Chair and Vice Chair for the year 2020 would be
addressed at the next Committee meeting.
Moved by Jennifer Sault
Seconded by Laura Thanasse
Recommended:
1. That the memorandum regarding Advisory Committee Chair Rotation be
received for information.
Carried
7. Adjournment
Moved by Balpreet Grewal
Seconded by Barry Bridgeford
That the meeting be adjourned at 8:35 p.m.
Carried
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item A1
Page 5 of 5
Town of Aurora
Community Recognition Review
Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes
Date: Monday, November 4, 2019
Time and Location: 11 a.m., Leksand Room, Aurora Town Hall
Committee Members: Erin Cerenzia (Chair), Brian North (Vice Chair), Diane
Buchanan, Paul Martin, Elaine Martini, Jo-anne Spitzer, and
Mayor Tom Mrakas
Members Absent: None
Other Attendees: Shelley Ware, Supervisor, Special Events, and Ishita Soneji,
Council/Committee Coordinator
The Chair called the meeting to order at 11:05 a.m.
1. Approval of the Agenda
Moved by Jo-anne Spitzer
Seconded by Diane Buchanan
That the agenda as circulated by Legislative Services be approved.
Carried
2. Declarations of Pecuniary Interest and General Nature Thereof
There were no declarations of pecuniary interest under the Municipal Conflict of
Interest Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. M.50.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item A2
Page 1 of 3
Community Recognition Review Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes
Thursday, November 4, 2019 Page 2 of 3
3. Receipt of the Minutes
Community Recognition Review Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes of July
25, 2019
Moved by Elaine Martini
Seconded by Jo-anne Spitzer
That the Community Recognition Review Advisory Committee meeting minutes of
July 25, 2019, be received for information.
Carried
4. Delegations
None
5. Matters for Consideration
1. Round Table Discussion
Re: 2020 Awards Event – Award Categories Review
Staff distributed the draft 2020 Community Recognition Awards Categories &
Criteria form and provided details of the discussions held at a working group
meeting in September 2019 to consider the suitability of current award categories
and other options, including the addition of the Senior Award category.
The Committee and staff reviewed the proposed 2020 awards criteria form, made
suggestions to the award descriptions and eligibility criteria for various categories
where necessary, and discussed about the addition of the Senior Award category. It
was determined that the addition of the Senior Award would be a pronounced
addition and would complement the purpose of the award program.
Staff noted that the a report regarding the addition of the new category and the
proposed 2020 Community Recognition Awards Categories & Criteria form will be
brought to the November 19, 2019 General Committee meeting for Council’s
consideration.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item A2
Page 2 of 3
Community Recognition Review Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes
Thursday, November 4, 2019 Page 3 of 3
Moved by Brian North
Seconded by Paul Martin
1. That the Round Table Discussion regarding the 2020 Awards Event – Award
Categories Review be received and the comments of the Committee be
referred to staff for consideration and action as appropriate.
Carried
6. Informational Items
2. Memorandum from Deputy Town Clerk
Re: Advisory Committee Chair Rotation
The Committee sought clarification on when the new Chair and Vice-Chair would be
appointed, and staff provided a response noting that the new appointments would
be carried out at the first Committee meeting in 2020.
Moved by Brian North
Seconded by Elaine Martini
1. That the memorandum regarding Advisory Committee Chair Rotation be
received for information.
Carried
7. Adjournment
Moved by Paul Martin
Seconded by Diane Buchanan
That the meeting be adjourned at 11:44 a.m.
Carried
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item A2
Page 3 of 3
Town of Aurora
Heritage Advisory Committee
Meeting Minutes
Date: Monday, November 4, 2019
Time and Location: 7 p.m., Holland Room, Aurora Town Hall
Committee Members: Neil Asselin, John Green, Matthew Kinsella, Bob McRoberts
(Vice Chair), Hoda Soliman, Mayor Tom Mrakas (ex-officio)
Members Absent: Jeff Lanthier, Councillor Sandra Humfryes
Other Attendees: Carlson Tsang, Planner, Linda Bottos, Council/Committee
Coordinator
The Vice Chair called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m.
The Vice Chair welcomed new staff member Carlson Tsang, Planner, to the Committee.
1. Approval of the Agenda
Moved by John Green
Seconded by Neil Asselin
That the agenda as circulated by Legislative Services be approved.
Carried
2. Declarations of Pecuniary Interest and General Nature Thereof
There were no declarations of pecuniary interest under the Municipal Conflict of
Interest Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. M.50.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item A3
Page 1 of 5
Heritage Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes
Monday, November 4, 2019 Page 2 of 5
3. Receipt of the Minutes
Heritage Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes of June 3, 2019
Moved by Matthew Kinsella
Seconded by Neil Asselin
That the Heritage Advisory Committee meeting minutes of June 3, 2019, be
received for information.
Carried
4. Delegations
None
5. Matters for Consideration
1. HAC19-005 – Doors Open Aurora 2019 – Event Summary Report
Staff provided a brief overview of the report highlighting the event attendance,
visitor survey results, and advertising, and noted that the 2020 event estimated
costs are not expected to increase above the expenditures of the 2019 event.
The Committee inquired about the possibility of holding the Doors Open
Aurora 2020 event in the fall instead of the summer, and suggestions were
offered toward improving the impact of event promotion efforts through social
media.
Moved by Neil Asselin
Seconded by Matthew Kinsella
1. That Report No. HAC19-005 be received; and
2. That the Heritage Advisory Committee extend a thank you to the following
individuals and groups for their support of Doors Open Aurora 2019:
(a) All site owners/operators;
(b) All volunteers and site staff;
(c) The Auroran newspaper; and
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item A3
Page 2 of 5
Heritage Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes
Monday, November 4, 2019 Page 3 of 5
(d) The Mayor, Members of Council, and supporting Town staff.
Carried
2. HAC19-006 – Mitigation Tactics to Prevent Illegal Demolition of Listed
Heritage Buildings
Staff provided a brief overview of the report and the two proposed strategies to
prevent unlawful demolition of listed heritage buildings.
The Committee inquired about the proposed $10,000 security deposit on
demolition permit applications and suggested that a higher amount, possibly
determined by property category and a sliding scale, may be more effective in
discouraging illegal demolition. The Committee further inquired about current
punitive measures and suggested a property freeze option. Staff provided
clarification regarding provisions under the Planning Act and emphasized the
need for a comprehensive review of the Town’s Register of Properties of
Cultural Heritage Value or Interest toward identifying those listed properties
that may be eligible for designation and increased protection under the Ontario
Heritage Act. The Committee further suggested that incentives could be
offered to those who comply with the process. It was agreed that any collected
monies should be allocated to the Town’s Heritage Reserve fund.
Moved by Matthew Kinsella
Seconded by Hoda Soliman
1. That Report No. HAC19-006 be received; and
2. That the comments and suggestions regarding Mitigation Tactics to
Prevent Illegal Demolition of Listed Heritage Buildings be received and
referred to staff for consideration and action as appropriate.
Carried
6. Informational Items
3. HAC19-004 – Approval of Heritage Permit HPA-19-05 under Delegated
Authority
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item A3
Page 3 of 5
Heritage Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes
Monday, November 4, 2019 Page 4 of 5
Staff provided a brief overview of the report and approved application to allow
the construction of a second-level deck at the rear of a heritage building known
as The Parteger House at 220 Old Yonge Street.
The Committee noted the 2016 Heritage designation of the property and
expressed concerns regarding the planned alteration of the bunker roof under
the proposed deck, as well as the projection of the deck beyond the south
walls of the house. Staff agreed to contact the Building Division regarding the
application status and request that the owner consider working with staff in
adjusting the plans. Staff further agreed to request additional deck plan
information, including baluster and railing details, and provide a future update
to the Committee.
Main motion as amended
Moved by Matthew Kinsella
Seconded by Hoda Soliman
1. That Report No. HAC19-004 be received; and
2. That the comments and suggestions regarding Report No. HAC19-
004 – Approval of Heritage Permit HPA-19-05 under Delegated
Authority be received and referred to staff for consideration and
action as appropriate.
Carried as amended
4. Memorandum from Deputy Town Clerk
Re: Advisory Committee Chair Rotation
Staff provided a brief overview of the memorandum. The Committee agreed to
address this matter at the next meeting in December 2019.
Moved by Neil Asselin
Seconded by John Green
1. That the memorandum regarding Advisory Committee Chair Rotation be
received for information.
Carried
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item A3
Page 4 of 5
Heritage Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes
Monday, November 4, 2019 Page 5 of 5
7. Adjournment
Moved by Neil Asselin
Seconded by Matthew Kinsella
That the meeting be adjourned at 7:56 p.m.
Carried
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item A3
Page 5 of 5
Town of Aurora
General Committee Report No. CS19-035
Subject: Technology Strategic Plan
Prepared by: Techa van Leeuwen, Director of Corporate Services
Department: Corporate Services
Date: November 19, 2019
Recommendation
1. That Report No. CS19-035 be received; and
2. That the Technology Strategic Plan be endorsed and included in the 2020 to
2022 three year Operating Budget for final approval of funding; and
3. That this report satisfies Council’s conditional budget approval for the
following Capital Projects related to the Technology Strategic Plan
(a) Capital Project No. 14075 – Business Process Automation and Data
Integration; and
(b) Capital Project No. 13023 – Access Aurora Telephony Project; and
(c) Capital Project No. 14076 – Digital Education Program; and
(d) Capital Project No. 14073 – Information Technology Strategic Plan
Implementation.
Executive Summary
The purpose of this report is to provide Council the Town’s Technology Strategic Plan
as presented by Perry Group Consulting Ltd.
• To be an efficient Municipality it is critical to have effective, integrated technology
underpinning and powering the organization.
• A new technology vision has been developed for the Town focused on five core
areas.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 1 of 87
November 19, 2019 Page 2 of 8 Report No. CS19-035
• The plan recommends a new centralized IT organization with changes to IT
roles, the move of existing roles from other parts of the organization and the
creation of new roles.
• A series of Major Projects have been identified and the success of these projects
is reliant on the implementation of the Strategic Plan
• Implementation of the Strategic Plan will commence in January of 2020 with
transformational change occurring over the next several years
Background
In 2018 the Town retained Perry Group Consulting Ltd to update the Town’s Information
Technology (IT) Strategic Plan. The previous IT Strat Plan was created in 2009 and
required a review.
The Perry Group conducted an all staff survey and facilitated a number of interviews
and workshops with key stakeholders to assess the current state of technology within
the organization. The Perry Group’s standardized Municipal Technology Architecture
(MTA) was the basis for evaluating the Town’s technology environment. The MTA is a
municipal IT model that has been developed with Ontario municipalities over the last 10
years and is based on four technology layers, being infrastructure, business solutions,
integration and data, and customer facing.
The results of the current state assessment identified that technology is not working well
at the Town and not delivering the expected outcomes particularly in the business
solutions layer.
Analysis
To be an efficient Municipality it is critical to have effective, integrated technology
underpinning and powering the organization.
Customer and staff expectations are influenced by their experience with technology. In
order to provide high quality customer service, operational efficiency and maximum
productivity we must leverage technology to modernize our business solutions, create
efficiencies through digitalization, improve service delivery and create optimization
through the collection and analysis of data.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 2 of 87
November 19, 2019 Page 3 of 8 Report No. CS19-035
A new technology vision has been developed for the Town focused on five core
areas.
The plan establishes a new technology vision and mandate for the Town which is to
lead the Town’s effective and innovative use of technology to become a progressive
municipality that delivers exceptional and modern digital services. This vision is an
extension of the Town’s newly developed Vision and Mission of being a progressive
community with small town charm and delivering exceptional services that make people
proud to call Aurora home.
The technology vision is based around 5 core areas of focus being:
1. Offering great, digital services for customers that allow them to interact with the
Town using their laptop, desktop, tablet or smartphone
2. Digitizing and simplifying the Town’s business processes to support process
efficiency and underpin digital customer service
3. Providing mobile tools for the Town’s mobile workforce
4. Providing staff with a modern workplace environment – modern and secure tools
that help teams collaborate and be productive
5. Becoming a data-driven organization – an organization that uses data from its
digitized processes to analyze and optimize efficiency and cost-effectiveness
The plan recommends a new centralized IT organization with changes to IT roles,
the move of existing roles from other parts of the organization and the creation of
new roles.
The plan recommends IT be organized into three functional teams being Project
Services, Business Solutions and Infrastructure and Service Desk. Each of these teams
will be led by a supervisor who will report to the Manager of IT. Existing staff across the
organization have been mapped into positions within the new organization. The
Supervisor, Project Services and Supervisor, Business Solutions are new positions
requested in the 2020 Operating Budget. These positions are critical to the success of
the plan as they will be directly responsible for their areas of expertise and will create
capacity for the Manager of IT to be more of a strategic advisor and business partner
improving the Towns ability to implement technology enabled change. The new IT
structure is identified below.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 3 of 87
November 19, 2019 Page 4 of 8 Report No. CS19-035
The services and functions of each section are outlined below. The new structure aligns
complementary functions together and addresses skills and capacity gaps. The largest
gap being in the business solutions domain. It should be noted that the Program
Manager, Records is shown as a dotted line as this position will continue to report to the
Town Clerk due to legislated requirements specified in the Municipal Act and Freedom
of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. It has been identified that this position will
be involved in business automation initiatives and will work in partnership with the
Business Solutions team.
Project Services
• Project management and portfolio management
Business Solutions
• Solutions planning and evolution
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 4 of 87
November 19, 2019 Page 5 of 8 Report No. CS19-035
• Systems implementation, configuration, administration and support
• Applications security
• Solutions development
Infrastructure and Service Desk
• Technical and device management support
• User account management
• Asset management
• Productivity software support
• License management
• Inventory and procurement
• Service catalogue and operational communications
A series of Major Projects have been identified and the success of these projects
is reliant on the implementation of the Strategic Plan
There are several major projects and initiatives that have been identified in the plan,
many of which are currently underway but do not have the proper resources assigned to
them for a successful execution. These projects include;
• The implementation of a modernized digital work place including modern
messaging capabilities, collaborative workspaces, online/digital meetings and
upgrades to meeting rooms to accommodate remote working
• Implementation of key business solutions projects including HRIS workforce
management solution, implementation of digital plan and e-permitting through
Cityview, CRM enhancements and optimization, Maximo expansion for asset
management and a financial information system replacement
• Expansion of business intelligence tools and programs to expand the use of
data and analytics
• Optimizing the Town’s website with the availability of digital services
Implementation of the Strategic Plan will commence in January of 2020 with
transformational change occurring over the next several years
The new IT organization will take effect in January of 2020 and the new IT team will
commence the implementation of the Strategic Plan. The plan provides a five year road
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 5 of 87
November 19, 2019 Page 6 of 8 Report No. CS19-035
map that will lead the organization through transformational change with a focus on
modernization and innovation. The plan also contains success measures that will be
tracked and reported on as part of an annual Technology Strategic progress report.
Some measures may not be available in the first year of implementation as process
changes will be required to gather the required data but will over the course of the
strategy become available.
Advisory Committee Review
Not applicable
Legal Considerations
Not applicable
Financial Implications
The Technology Strategic Plan includes a very comprehensive detailed work plan for
the next 5 years based on the categories of governance, organization, IT services,
infrastructure, technology integration, business solution and customer facing. A
successful implementation and execution of the Technology Strategic Plan is reliant on
the appropriate resources and funding being assigned. The 2020 to 2022 three year
budget does take into consideration the Technology Strategic Plan and has been
presented in both the Capital and Operating Corporate Services budgets.
The 2020 to 2022 three year operating budget includes 2 new positions in 2020, one
position in 2021 and one position in 2022 with a focus in the business solutions/analyst
domain as well as funding for a third party managed security services contract.
Operating budget request is approximately $275,000 for 2020, $110,000 for 2021 and
$110,000 for 2022.
The implementation of the plan also includes a number Capital Investments which have
been reflected in the 2020 capital budget for a total of $411,200. There are four capital
projects directly related to the Strat Plan being automation and data integration, digital
education, telephony assessment and studies and other that include a number of
initiatives such as Security strategy, Planning Process redesign, Maximo fit-gap review,
Office 365 cost benefit analysis and other. These Capital Projects received conditional
approval at the October 5, 2019 Capital Budget meeting pending the approval of the
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 6 of 87
November 19, 2019 Page 7 of 8 Report No. CS19-035
Strategic Plan. Staff is recommending approval of the Strategic Plan and the Capital
Projects that support the implementation of the Plan.
Communications Considerations
Internal communications have occurred with affected staff. A communication plan will be
a key component of a change management strategy that will be developed to ensure
successful transitioning through transformational change.
Link to Strategic Plan
The Technology Strategic Plan supports the Corporate Strategic Plan in many ways
particularly in the goal of Supporting an Exception Quality of Life for All and the
supporting objectives of maintain and expand infrastructure to support growth through
technology, develop a strategy to expand e-services, continue to pursue initiatives to
drive efficiency and potential cost saving, regularly examine the Town’s municipal
structure and resource allocation to maintain flexibility and respond to rapid changes
within the community.
Alternative(s) to the Recommendation
1. Council could choose not to endorse the plan. This would allow the current state to
continue and may negatively impact our ability to provide exceptional services.
2. Council provide direction.
Conclusions
In order for the Town to fulfill our Mission which is to Deliver Exceptional Services that
Make People Proud to call Aurora Home, we must modernize our services and our work
environment to be more effective and efficient with a focus on meeting community
expectations. The Technology Strategic Plan is a comprehensive document with a solid
multi-year work plan for success. The plan does identify the need for additional
resources and funding to implement, execute and deliver the recommendations of the
plan. The 2020 to 2022 three year operating and capital budgets do include all costs
associated the implementation of the Plan.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 7 of 87
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 8 of 87
Attachment #1
1
Technology Strategic Plan
Final Report
September 9, 2019
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 9 of 87
Attachment #1
2
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 10 of 87
Attachment #1
3
Table of Contents
Table of Contents..........................................................................................................3
Executive Summary......................................................................................................4
1. Introduction and Background...........................................................................8
1.1 The Importance of Technology to Municipalities ..................................................8
1.2 The Importance of Technology Strategy ..............................................................9
1.3 Town Vision, Mission and Values.........................................................................9
1.4 Acknowledgements............................................................................................10
2. Current State Assessment ..............................................................................11
2.1 Introducing the Municipal Technology Architecture............................................11
2.2 Technology Assessment Results .......................................................................12
2.3 IT Service & Management Practices Assessment Results.................................14
2.4 What does the Current State Assessment tell us?.............................................17
3. Setting the Vision for Success........................................................................18
3.1 Key Solutions and Capabilities...........................................................................18
3.2 An Effective Technology Delivery Model............................................................23
4. Mobilizing to Achieve the Vision.....................................................................26
4.1 New IT: Establish a New IT Delivery Model – Better Together...........................26
4.2 Clearly Defined Business Unit Responsibilities..................................................35
4.3 A Revitalized IT Governance Model...................................................................38
4.4 A New Approach to Information Security............................................................41
4.5 Improvements to IT Services and IT Service Management................................42
5. Major Technology Projects .............................................................................45
5.1 Infrastructure Projects........................................................................................45
5.2 Business Solution Projects.................................................................................49
5.3 Integration and Data Projects.............................................................................52
5.4 Customer Facing Projects..................................................................................53
6. The Workplan....................................................................................................54
6.1 Implementation Phases......................................................................................54
6.2 Work Plan...........................................................................................................56
6.3 Success Measures.............................................................................................70
7. Summary of Recommendations......................................................................72
7.1 Key Recommendations......................................................................................72
Appendix 1: Glossary of Terms .................................................................................74
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 11 of 87
Attachment #1
4
Executive Summary
The explosion of the internet and the smartphone over the last decade has changed
customer and staff expectations.
Customer expectations of service are now heavily influenced by their interactions with
Netflix, Amazon, Indigo, their bank or their grocery store. People can pay taxes, renew
their health card and buy their vehicle license sticker online. Increasingly they expect to
be able to interact with their Town in the same way.
Staff too are influenced in the same way and expect to be able to use simple and easy
to use tools at work to collaborate, to share information and to get work done - where
and when they need to.
Quite simply, it is impossible in 2019 to be an effective and efficient municipality without
effective, integrated technology underpinning and powering the organization. High-
quality customer service, operational efficiency, and staff productivity depend upon it.
Perry Group Consulting was engaged to develop a future-looking Technology Strategy
for the Town. This is intended to be a corporate-wide look at how the Town can
leverage technology to be a better, more effective organization - not an IT Division plan.
Good strategy comes from fully understanding the current situation and developing
clear actions to address key challenges and opportunities and move forward. So, we
began with a current state assessment.
The results of the current state assessment suggest that the technology situation at the
Town is unsatisfactory. We found:
x An isolated IT Division focused upon technology infrastructure and a control
mindset, with business units working around rather than with the team, resulting
in disjointed management of technologies;
x Key gaps in technology resources, skills and capacity;
x Existing business solutions that are significantly under-utilized;
x A series of failed or stalled business-technology projects;
x An overall lack of organizational excitement around technology and the potential
of technology.
This strategy makes clear recommendations about how the Town should address this
situation.
First, we have articulated a vision of where the Town should be aiming to make
significant improvements - a common vision that everyone in the Town must get behind.
The technology vision is based around five core areas of focus:
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 12 of 87
Attachment #1
5
1) Offering great, digital services for customers that allow them to interact with the
Town using their laptop, tablet or smartphone;
2) Digitizing and simplifying the Town’s business processes to support process
efficiency and underpin digital customer service;
3) Providing mobile tools for the Town’s mobile workforce;
4) Providing staff with a modern workplace environment - modern and secure tools
that help teams collaborate and be productive;
5) Becoming a data-driven organization – an organization that uses data from its
digitized processes to analyse and optimize efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
In support of these five core areas, a set of success measures have been identified to
allow the Town to monitor progress in each area over the next five years.
Next, we have outlined what needs to be done to achieve the vision. The key
recommendations focus on the way that the Town organizes and makes technology
decisions, how it operates and manages its technology - and they represent a
significant change. They are as follows:
1) The Town must reset and establish a new technology delivery model, founded
upon partnership and built through collaboration, co-operation, and coordination.
This means:
a) A new, elevated role and mandate for the IT Division - with a particular
expansion of the role to focus on Business Solutions;
b) Stronger IT leadership, with IT leadership involvement with ELT;
c) A reorganized IT Division, with three teams and the addition of two new
supervisors (as requested in 2019 budget) to run three new teams in IT;
i) Infrastructure and service desk;
ii) Business solutions, GIS and data;
iii) Project services.
d) Moving GIS and business solutions management resources that are currently
based in business units into the IT Division;
e) Progressively adding new resources to the IT Division over the next three
years to address gaps in capacity and capability in Solutions Analyst and
Business Analyst roles.
2) In parallel with changes to the IT organization, the Town must clearly define
business units’ roles with regard to technology. This means that:
a) Directors and Managers in business units must become more open to and
comfortable with technology so that they can lead business transformation
powered by technology - a digital education program is planned;
b) Business units must take stronger ownership of transformation powered by
technology, responsibility for the design of business processes and services,
must lead change management and adoption efforts and be Directly
Responsible for overall project and product success;
c) Communications will take the lead for the web and digital program and
strategy but will work in partnership with IT, Customer Service and other
stakeholders to deliver the program;
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 13 of 87
Attachment #1
6
d) IT will work closely with a network of digital savvy staff throughout the
organization to design, and test IT services that better meet the needs and
expectations of tech savvy staff.
3) The Town must implement a revitalized IT Governance Model to transparently
align, coordinate and prioritize ALL work in the technology domain (technology,
solutions, data and integration and web and digital).
4) The Town should reset its current approach to information security to ensure that
there is an appropriate balance of usability with risk management. It is
recommended that the Town work with a third-party service to achieve this goal.
5) The IT Division should implement a series of improvements to IT service delivery
to improve the quality and consistency of its services.
A series of major projects and initiatives are also identified, these include:
x The implementation of a modernized digital workplace environment,including:
o Updates to modernize email and messaging capabilities, and the
telephony environment;
o Project and collaboration workspaces;
o Collaborative document sharing and editing;
o Online / digital meetings;
o Simpler remote working;
o modernization of board and meeting rooms.
x Implementation of a series of key business solutions (process digitization)
projects, including:
o Human Resource Information System (HRIS) / Workforce Management
solution;
o CityView expansion to implement the digital plan and build vision;
o Maximo expansion / re-implementation to support Asset and Work
Management needs;
o Customer Relationship Management (CRM) enhancements;
o Financial system replacement;
x Major expanded adoption of mobile working for field staff - built around CityView,
GIS, Maximo and CRM;
x Major expansion of the GIS and Business Intelligence programs to expand the
use of data, analytics;
x Expansion / full leverage of the CRM system as a corporate-wide case
management solution;
x New Town website and growth in the availability of digital services;
x Introduction of new digital services, such as online permitting, planning, licensing.
Finally, we have outlined a staged approach to implementation which identifies three
discrete phases. These are:
x Phase 1 - New IT: First, before anything else can be achieved, the Town must
reset the technology management model and establish a more collaborative
environment.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 14 of 87
Attachment #1
7
x Phase 2 - Process Digitization and Mobilization: Next, the Town must focus on
digitization of its core business processes (HR, Planning, Permitting, Asset and
Work Management, Finance) taking the opportunity to streamline and simplify
aging paper-based processes.
x Phase 3 - Optimization through Data and Digital Services: Then, building upon
the digitization of processes, the Town can focus on offering new digital services
and using the data from process digitization to become a data-driven
organization.
The phases unfold according to the following timeline.
2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Phase 1: New IT
Phase 2: Process Modernization
Phase 3: Optimization & Digital
The Town’s Vision and Mission talk to being a progressive community with small town
charm and delivering exceptional services that make people proud to call Aurora home.
Without addressing the issues identified by this strategy - the Town cannot deliver
exceptional services and cannot meet community (or staff) expectations and thus
cannot reasonably claim to be a progressive organization. Simply put, the Town’s Vision
and Mission are dependent upon and cannot be achieved without a more effective
approach to technology and digital.
It is acknowledged that the recommendations presented here represent a major
organizational and cultural shift, away from silos to a more coordinated and corporate
approach. It is also acknowledged that such change can be difficult and hard to accept
for management and staff that have found ways to make things work in the current
model. It is a major leap of faith to ask for a commitment to a new model - without
assurances that the new model will be successful.
However, the recommendations are based upon similar models and strategies from
leading digitally minded municipalities that are proven to be successful.
With the essential and necessary commitment and support from Council and ELT, and
with a revitalized excitement about technology built around a new technology
partnership, we believe the proposed strategy can be successful in Aurora too.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 15 of 87
Attachment #1
8
1.Introduction and Background
1.1 The Importance of Technology to Municipalities
Why is Technology, and thus this Technology Strategic Plan, so important to the Town?
Of course, the Town is dependent upon technology. Technology is central to the Town’s
ability to deliver services as diverse as collecting taxes, dispatching animal services
staff, handling customer enquiries, and managing recreation program registrations. All
of these services today rely on technology to operate effectively.
While email and smartphones
keep every part of the
organization connected and
communicating, it is the business
solutions such as ActiveNet that
allow managers and staff to
optimize program registration
processes, or Vadim that handles
budgets and financial reporting.
Technology can play a major role
in connecting separate parts of the
organization – whether across
departments, or from customer
service agent to road or parks
crew. Using common, integrated
systems should ensure that
inquiries flow from front counters
to the department and to appropriate field staff for resolution.
Moving forward, technologies should support the “no wrong door” customer services
approach – allowing customers to choose the channel (smartphone, web, telephone,
face-to-face) through which they interact with the Town. Common systems (as
illustrated in Figure 1) should create a consistent view of the customer for customer
service agents and frontline, back office and field staff and allow for simple dashboards
and data analytics to support Management and Council in the monitoring and oversight
of service quality.
These tools working together can enable the Town to maximize its operational
efficiency.
Looking to the future, it is anticipated that the importance of technology will only
continue to grow, and grow increasingly rapidly, in importance. More and more
customers will expect to use their computers and smart devices to interact with the
Town, to make an inquiry, report a problem or apply for permissions. Increasingly
Figure 1: Connecting Customers and Staff Using Common
Technology
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 16 of 87
Attachment #1
9
sensors will be used to monitor critical infrastructure throughout the Town and notify
staff where problems are anticipated or have occurred.
Successfully managing the introduction and operation of these new technologies –
allowing the Town to deliver improved services, with less – is a critical organizational
capability for the Town.
1.2 The Importance of Technology Strategy
So, given this ever-increasing importance of technology and its role in delivering
municipal services, the Technology Strategy is a crucial piece of work.
It should help the Town (ask, and)answer, important questions about its technology:
Ɣ Is the Information Technology environment properly managed, maintained,
secured, and able to support the needs of the Town?
Ɣ Is the IT service cost effective?
Ɣ What are the Town’s future business needs?
Ɣ Is the technology environment, and our resources and management practices
equipped to meet current and future business needs?
Amongst the many opportunities that the Town is bombarded with, the strategy must
help the Town determine its priorities and identify the key initiatives and activities that
will support the Town’s strategic goals and objectives.
It is important to note that this is a Corporate Technology Strategic Plan, not an IT
Division plan. It looks at how the whole corporation can leverage technology to deliver
improved services and customer experiences, efficiency and productivity.
1.3 Town Vision, Mission and Values
The Town’s newly developed Vision, Mission and Values are:
Vision:
Our vision is a progressive community with small town charm
Where:
x Our work culture attracts and retains passionate employees
x A thriving downtown and our diverse neighbourhoods create a sense of vibrancy
x Business growth and innovation are embraced while the environment and our
heritage are protected
Mission:
Our mission is to deliver exceptional services that make people proud to call Aurora
home
Values:
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 17 of 87
Attachment #1
10
x We respectfully challenge each other in the pursuit of excellence
x We consider the big picture and each other when making decisions
x We trust employees to do the right thing
x We treat each other as valued customers
x We take risks, learn from our mistakes and celebrate our successes
The Strategy has been developed in alignment with the Town’s Vision, Mission and
Value statements which indicate a desire to be a progressive organization and
community that embraces innovation, delivers exceptional services to the community,
pursues excellence and considers the big picture.
We have highlighted the parts of the Vision, Mission and Values that we see apply
directly to technology.
1.4 Acknowledgements
Perry Group would like to acknowledge the cooperation of the management and staff of
the Town of Aurora throughout this project.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 18 of 87
Attachment #1
11
2.Current State Assessment
Before developing any future looking strategy, it is important to take stock of the current
situation; where are we today? How far away is where we are from where we need or
want to be?
This section briefly describes a) the current state of the Town’s technology systems,
and b) the Town’s current approach to managing its technology. It summarizes the
consulting team’s assessment and observations.
2.1 Introducing the Municipal Technology Architecture
Perry Group’s standardized Municipal Technology Architecture (MTA) shown in Figure 2
below was the basis for evaluating the Town’s technology environment.
Figure 2: Municipal Technology Architecture
This is a generalized, conceptual municipal IT model, developed with Ontario
municipalities over the last 10 years. The MTA introduces several key concepts that are
important for the Town at this time, including:
x There are 4 main technology layers (labeled in Figure 1 as: infrastructure,
business solutions, integration and data, customer facing). Each requires
discrete IT skill sets to be managed effectively. For instance, while technology
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 19 of 87
Attachment #1
12
infrastructure management is deeply technical, project management around
business solutions projects requires project experience, change management
and soft skills. An IT organization needs a breadth of skills in various domains to
effectively manage the complete environment.
x The Infrastructure layer is the foundation for the entire technology environment.
Infrastructure must be robust and reliable because it provides the basis for all
other layers. Unreliable or inaccessible infrastructure undermines all the
technology that sits above it.
x Appropriate policies, security, data protection and disaster recovery provisions
should be in place. In an ideal situation, the IT team will also need appropriate
tools to help manage the environment including: a helpdesk request tracking
system, a set of systems management solutions and automation tools (e.g.
remote support, patch management, mobile device management) to simplify IT
management tasks, increase productivity of IT staff and to enable employee self-
service (e.g. password resets).
x A municipality should limit the number of corporate business solutions platforms
it runs to reduce process and information silos. These business solutions provide
the foundations for automated and streamlined business processes. They will
gather data to drive analytics capabilities and underpin the effective delivery of
online services.
x Business solutions should be integrated allowing for data to be automatically
passed between solutions (using integration technologies), thus reducing data
duplication and errors, and ensuring auditability.
x The IT architecture should build from the bottom up – Infrastructure first, then
business systems and so on.
These are some of the basic tenets that a well architected technology environment will
operate under.
2.2 Technology Assessment Results
Perry Group reviewed the Town’s technology against the MTA. The MTA diagram in
Figure 3 colour codes the results of the review.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 20 of 87
Attachment #1
13
Figure 3: MTA Assessment Results Visualization
The key points of the assessment identified that:
x The Infrastructure layer is reasonably well managed; survey responses suggest
that the Town’s technology is both reliable and robust. However, key exceptions
to this were noted, particularly around remote and mobile working (connectivity,
security and device provisioning) – which are areas that require improvement.
Additionally, risks were identified with the current lack of policies and procedures
around the management of the infrastructure. Frustration also with the current
approach to IT security were flagged, and a more detailed review conducted by
an independent security expert suggests a need for a revised approach to IT
security (which is discussed in more detail later in this document). A formal IT
Disaster Recovery strategy that includes business impact analysis’ and risk
assessments should also be a priority.
x In the Major Business Solutions layer, while most departments have a
business solution in place, many of these solutions are significantly under-
utilized. There are some clear issues in the business solutions area; the HRIS
system is moving into its third iteration in as many years, Finance systems are in
need of overhaul. Maximo is significantly underutilized despite major investment
over the last decade and there are opportunities to utilize CityView more broadly
in planning, and engineering. The Town’s Records Management System
(Laserfiche) is in the midst of being rolled out – but has taken a long time to
reach partial adoption. Some other systems (e.g. parking) require replacement
and/or upgrades.
x To date the Town has undertaken limited work in the Integration and Data layer.
While, this is understandable, given that it is generally recommended that
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 21 of 87
Attachment #1
14
municipalities build upward in the MTA and there is much work to do in the
business layer - this represents a significant future opportunity. GIS is a bright
spot, delivering good value internally, and representing some key recent wins
(mobile field data collection and inspections, for example) but progress has been
significantly inhibited in moving forward with some aspects of the GIS strategy
commissioned in 2012 (in part as a result of GIS and IT teams being separated).
There is limited integration between business solutions. There are no corporate
Business Intelligence (BI) tools in place that would bring together information
from disparate systems, there is limited data driven decision making in evidence
at the Town.
x In the Customer Facing layer the Town has implemented a corporate CRM,
although capabilities are currently underutilized, and plans are in place to
enhance the use of the CRM. The Town’s web technology is currently shared
with Newmarket – a website replacement project is planned. A handful of online
services are available including (pet licensing, parking tickets, program
registration and where’s my plow). Again, there are significant opportunities to
offer additional digital services – such as permitting and planning online.
The key takeaways from the assessment are that:
x The Town’s technology infrastructure, whilst reliable, must become more flexible
and user-centric, enabling rather than providing barriers to staff working in the
office, field or remotely;
x The Town’s security approach must be revised to more effectively balance a
secure environment while supporting collaboration and creative use of
technology;
x There is a history of major business solutions being under-utilized and not
realizing the expected benefits – the success rate of business solution projects
needs to be significantly improved;
x There are some very large potential corporate-wide business solutions projects
ahead (HR, CRM, ECM, CityView, Maximo and Finance) that must be well -
delivered and corporately embraced to be successful – cross-corporate projects
are the most complex and rely most heavily on dedicated resources and effective
collaboration and coordination;
x Data and integration are significant areas of opportunity for the Town, and GIS
should become one of the prime platforms for the Town;
x The Town must expand its CRM solution and fully integrate these capabilities
into the Town’s website;
x There are a wide variety of opportunities to deliver digital services.
2.3 IT Service & Management Practices Assessment
Results
Next, we looked at the current state of IT services and the IT management approach at
the Town.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 22 of 87
Attachment #1
15
The modern expectation for an IT service is that the IT organization (the leadership and
team) works as a partner with business unit leaders to help them identify, design and
implement technology solutions to clearly defined business problems. The role of IT
leadership is to act as a strategic advisor to leadership and to help business units and
the organization as a whole understand what is possible with technology and how to
successfully implement technologies that improve service quality, efficiency and
productivity of staff.
The graphic below provides a summary of where the Town’s current IT services are
currently assessed.
Figure 4: Current IT Management Assessment
Based on the assessment, IT is too re-active and frequently forced into fire-fighting
mode. A number of best-practice ITSM processes have not been put in place. There is
a lack of clear long-term plans for technology infrastructure and solutions.
In its current mode of operation, IT is largely viewed by business units as a service
supplier, a support service – not a strategic partner.
Business units often come forward with the technology that they want to purchase or
have already purchased – not the business problem that they are trying to solve. In this
mode, IT is often forced to be more reactive than it should be, with IT frequently finding
out about business-led technology initiatives too late to influence or shape the direction.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 23 of 87
Attachment #1
16
For various reasons, some teams actively avoid working with the IT team.
In respect to the MTA, it is noted that the IT Team’s focus is largely upon the
Infrastructure layer (the bottom layer in the architecture), with various business units
taking the lead around their specific Business Solutions, for GIS and for Web and Digital
services. Without the broader context about how the various technologies at the Town
should work together business units each solve for their individual challenges – which
does not result in a cohesive or integrated set of systems across the Town.
The mandate, roles and responsibilities of the IT Division is limited. This has, we
believe, lead to a control mindset that is the only way for the IT Division to extend
influence, which further contributes to business unit’s unwillingness to work with the
team. This is a vicious cycle that must be broken.
2.3.1 Technology Resourcing
The current organization chart for the IT Division points to some of the factors that
contribute to the current situation.
Figure 5: Current IT Organization Structure
The key issues are that:
1) The organization structure is flat, there is no effective ‘IT Management team’ –
with most of the team reporting directly to the IT Manager. This keeps the IT
Manager role focused more on operational, not strategic, activities;
2) There are no business solutions specialists in the IT team; meaning that there is
no one with specific responsibility for helping business units implement and
evolve business solutions capabilities. Note that the Database Administrator
(DBA) partially fulfills some of this role. Application Support Specialists are
incorrectly titled – with these roles largely fulfilling Service Desk Analyst
(helpdesk) roles;
3) There is only 1 business analyst position – insufficient capacity to assist business
units in understanding business problems and scoping out business
transformation projects;
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 24 of 87
Attachment #1
17
4) Roles and responsibilities of team members in IT are somewhat blurred – for
instance a technical specialist has moved into the Project team, while retaining
many Infrastructure management responsibilities.
As we have noted, outside of the IT team there are a number of technology resources:
1) GIS technical resources for the Town are based in Planning and Development –
not in the IT team (given the technical nature of these roles, they should be within
the IT Division);
2) Maximo and GIS technician resources are based in Engineering;
3) CityView application expertise is in the Building Division;
4) The Clerk’s Office is leading the work around Laserfiche and Records
Management, which is expanding from records management into forms
digitization, workflow and other capabilities.
5) Web and digital leadership and management is in the Communications team.
Responsibility for technologies, their planning and management, is simply too disjointed
to be effective. It is clear the Town has not organized its IT resources to effectively fulfill
the “Well-Managed” mandate (as shown in Figure 4) – which should be the target state.
2.4 What does the Current State Assessment tell us?
The current approach to technology is not working especially well and is not delivering
the expected outcomes – projects are stalling, some are being repeated, many are not
achieving expected outcomes, particularly in the Business Solutions layer.
Overall, we note that there is a general lack of excitement around technology and the
potential that technology presents to improve services and efficiency.
Relationships between the IT division and business units are not strong and there is a
lack of collaboration and coordination between groups and IT for various reasons. The
IT Division’s security posture is seen as a key inhibitor – but is in some respects
inevitable as a result of the desire to retain some control.
Management and staff in business units are frustrated with IT services (<70%
satisfaction) and there is a general level of disappointment in the lack of progress
around technology. IT management and staff are also frustrated with the current
situation – often playing catchup with business units.
Revisiting the Town’s Vision and Mission statements, it is clear that the current situation
is impeding the Town’s Vision; to be progressive, to attract and retain passionate
employees,to be innovative as well as undermining its Mission to deliver exceptional
services that make people product to call Aurora home.
Given the importance of technology to municipal efficiency and effectiveness – the
Town needs a major change – and that’s what this strategy recommends.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 25 of 87
Attachment #1
18
3.Setting the Vision for Success
So, if the current situation is not optimal; what would success look like? What would a
modernized Town of Aurora fully leveraging digital technology look like?
3.1 Key Solutions and Capabilities
In our envisioned future, the Town’s workforce and community should be fully
empowered by modern technology, digital solutions and capabilities. This means a
focus in the following areas.
3.1.1 Digital Services for Customers
The Town is in the customer service business and its goal as a service provider is to
provide easy to use, simple services. In today’s world, residents used to banking and
buying products and services online, also expect to be able to access government
services from their smartphone or their tablet any time and from anywhere.
So, in future customers should be able to visit the Town’s website to easily and quickly:
x Report a problem and track its resolution (receiving updates along the way);
x Make a booking (e.g. recreation programs, facilities and rooms, inspections,
event);
x Make a purchase (e.g. parking exemption, garbage tag)
x Make payments and manage accounts (e.g. pay an invoice, pay a ticket, set
up a direct deposit, review a tax account, request a tax certificate);
x Submit applications & drawings and track the application progress (e.g.
Development Applications, Permits, Licences, etc.);
x Submit forms (e.g. grants, delegations, etc.).
We expect that increasingly the community will use digital services as the best and
preferred way to interact with the Town.
This doesn’t take away from the important role of Access Aurora and the face-to-face
and telephone-based services that they offer. The Town will continue to offer choices to
customers to interact using their channel of choice. The expansion in digital services
reflects the fact that there are many in the Town (92% of Canadians have access to the
Internet at home, 76% have a smartphone) who simply prefer to interact using the
smartphone or the web.
An Illustration of the Digital Plan and Build Process
Let’s imagine how a Digital service for Planning and Building would work.
Kevin is building a new home on a lot in Town. He goes to the Town’s website to
review what is required before he starts. An easy to use wizard steps him through the
process and he realizes he needs a minor variance before he can begin the build.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 26 of 87
Attachment #1
19
Kevin starts a minor variance application online, fills the form to supply the Town with
the required information, attaches drawings of his proposal from his architect, and
pays for the application with his credit card before clicking submit.
Town Planning staff receive notification of the application, they validate that the
correct details have been provided and start a series of workflows which allocates
tasks to Town staff required to review the application.
Details of the application are automatically published on the Town’s website and
those that subscribe are notified of its receipt.
Kevin is emailed a copy of a sign that must be printed and shown onsite. The sign has
simple details of the application and a QR code that allows anyone passing by who is
interested in finding out about the application to scan the code and be directed to
more details of the application on the Town’s website.
A few days later, Kevin uses his smartphone to check in on his application and sees
that it is due to be discussed at the next Committee of Adjustment (COA) meeting. He
wants to be there, so he adds it to his calendar.
The COA approves Kevin’s application and he is good to go.
Next Kevin needs a building permit for his new build.
He logs back into his Town account on the website and initiates a building permit
application - using the information that he previously submitted for his minor variance
application. He adds additional drawings and required information to complete the
permit application, again pays for and submits his application.
This time Building staff are notified of the permit application and they begin the
process of reviewing the permit application. They use the same system as the
planning team so they can easily review the details of the minor variance request.
Once all reviews and tasks are completed satisfactorily the Town issues the building
permit - emailing a permit to be printed by Kevin and posted at site - this too has a QR
code on it.
A month goes by and Kevin’s contractor is now on site and has completed the
footings work. They require an inspection of this work before they can proceed. The
contractor uses his smartphone to login to the Town’s website and book the next
available inspection.
Stephanie, the building inspector for that area is notified of a new inspection the next
day. The following day she heads to site and conducts the inspection. She uses her
connected tablet to review the details of the application and record the results of the
inspection, completing a checklist of tasks, taking photos and making notes. At the
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 27 of 87
Attachment #1
20
completion of the inspection she marks the inspection as completed, with a pass. The
system automatically emails Kevin and his contractor the results of the inspection and
work on site can proceed.
Although this presents a stylized and simplified example, this is the actual way that
Plan and Build services in some municipalities across Canada and in many
municipalities across the world work. This is the vision for the way services at the
Town could and should work.
3.1.2 Digitized End-to-End Business Processes supported by Fully
Utilized Business Solutions
However, before the Town can deliver truly great end-to-end digital services as the
Digital Planning and Building example above back office processes must be digitized so
that staff manage workflows digitally.
What do we mean by Digitized Processes?
Well designed, standardized and digitized processes are the foundation of a well-run
municipality, and Business Solutions enable the operation of digitized processes.
A process is a series of steps taken in order to achieve a particular goal or objective.
Processes codify the way that the Town handles a permit or a request, a complaint or
a license, issues bills and receives payment for taxes or grant applications - ensuring
that each request is handled the same way.
In the best case, processes are designed to be efficient and to take advantage of
modern capabilities. Technology-based business solutions enable processes to be
digitized, automated and enable staff and management to manage processes at
scale, for example, to process tens of thousands of recreation program and summer
camp bookings, or thousands of permit applications each year.
Today, too many of the Town’s processes are paper based and manual, or run using
Excel, which acts as an anchor upon the Town’s operational efficiency, inhibiting
productivity and hampering the ability to deliver improved services and experiences.
When processes are digitized into robust business solutions, all necessary
transaction processing - workflows, tasks, notifications, quality checks and validations
and approvals - can be carried out digitally, using a computer, and can happen
anywhere (in the office, at a work-site, in a truck at the side of the road, or from
home).
Offline steps (manual interventions such as checking a paper file or getting a physical
signature) are largely reduced to the point of elimination.
Business solutions are shared across departments and divisions so that tasks
initiated or completed in one area can automatically trigger a task in another, such as
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 28 of 87
Attachment #1
21
a change in a permit status (in Building) which could trigger the processing of a pre-
approved payment (in Finance). In such a situation, payments can be processed
faster, improving Town cashflows.
The digital process chain provides complete visibility of the process throughout the
Town – authorized staff can easily check on the status, review previous actions or find
out required information, without needing to search for a paper file. Systems manage
the routing and workflow of processes, including escalating items to senior staff and
management when exceptions are encountered, or where performance falls below
defined levels of service.
Digitization allows management to track team and workgroup processes and monitor
Key Performance Indicators that provide insights to improve process effectiveness, or
to support more effective allocation of Town resources.
Today, too many of the Town’s processes are run using paper and pen or excel
spreadsheets – and not in digitized systems (timesheets are filled on paper, permit
applicants come in to Town Hall with reams of paper, other licences and permits require
applicants to download a paper form, fill in the details and bring the form and paper into
the Town).
Many of the Town’s business solutions require major work (or replacement) if they are
to be fully leveraged and utilized to digitize core work processes. Thus, the Town must
focus upon, as a priority, the end-to-end digitization and systematization of its key
processes.
End-to-end digitized business process work is needed in numerous areas, including:
x Workforce management, timesheets and staff scheduling (New HR System);
x Managing a planning application from end-to-end (CityView);
x Managing a business licence from end-to-end (CityView);
x Customer complaints / request management end-to-end (Dynamics);
x Plan and manage asset lifecycle (including reactive and planned maintenance
events) (Maximo);
x Expense management, digital invoicing (New Finance System).
3.1.3 Mobile Tools for the Mobile Workforce
Just as a FedEx ® or UPS ® driver uses a mobile device to track delivery of your parcel
and get your signature, Town staff that work out of the office should have access to
similar technologies to collect data, track work orders, complete inspections, access
asset history, view drawings and to conduct surveys.
Mobile and field staff will be connected into the digitized business processes discussed
above. Using mobile technologies (including connectivity and security, devices, and
business solutions) to access the Town’s information while mobile. This will allow a
customer request (about a downed sign, for instance) to be directed to a field crew and
their completion can be tracked by back and front office staff.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 29 of 87
Attachment #1
22
Mobile Increases Customer Responsiveness and Satisfaction
A stop sign has been knocked over. A passing customer takes a photo of the downed
sign and sends a request to the Town for a repair. The notification is received,
automatically categorized, geo-located and recorded in the City’s customer request
management and dispatched to the Town’s work management system (Maximo) for
resolution. The work management system automatically dispatches a request to the
nearest crew in the area who receive it on a laptop in their work vehicle. As an
emergency work order, they head to the site and erect a temporary stop sign. A
couple of days later, the sign crew visits the site and replaces the stop sign. They take
a picture of the fixed sign and the customer receives a notification on her smartphone
that the issue has been resolved.
3.1.4 A Modern Workplace
If the Town is to be a more modern, digital organization, then it must also make
available simple and easy collaboration capabilities for staff –enabling staff to do their
best work by using the tools best suited to the job. This will include:
x Increased use of mobile friendly devices – laptops, tablets – providing individuals
and teams with choices of devices that best meet their needs;
x Digital meetings – real time meeting notes, improved and broader adoption of
web meetings, screen sharing;
x Shared project collaboration spaces helping internal teams work together, track
projects, assign tasks, share document, but also enabling improved collaboration
with partners, vendors, and the community;
x Team messaging and chat – helping co-workers connect and interact in real
time;
x Improved document collaboration, versioning, co-editing;
x Easier presentations in Town meeting and board rooms;
x Simpler solutions for and increased adoption of remote and flexible working –
enabling staff to work from the office, from a partner’s office space, from the side
of the road, from a coffee shop or from home.
3.1.5 Data Driven
As the Town increasingly digitizes its processes and uses business solutions to manage
its workflows and work assignments it will collect more data about the services it
provides, the way staff work, the impact of policy decisions. Thus, Council and the
Town’s leadership, management and staff will use data to make decisions that help
optimize resource use and reduce service delivery costs and complexity.
So, moving forward the Town should expect to
x Use data, analytics and dashboards to inform decision making and to help
optimize our application of resources;
x Embed GIS / spatial understanding into all of the Town’s processes.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 30 of 87
Attachment #1
23
Using Data to Optimize for Community Benefit
City Fire officials in London were determined to reduce residential fires in the City.
They turn for help to data collected over the years on residential fires. Spatial analysis
identifies a number of hot spots in the City with a higher propensity for residential
fires. The combination of this insight with data about the type, severity and cause of
fires and other demographic and socio-economic data, allows Fire officials to identify
important characteristics of fires in these hot spots – such as unattended cooking and
smoking. This information helps the Fire department target its resources more
effectively – with concentrated communications and advertising, fire prevention
education and inspections – the City achieves a 10% reduction in residential fires,
significantly reducing loss of life and property in the City.
These are the five core areas of opportunity for the Town to pursue.
New bleeding edge and emerging technologies such as Augmented Reality (AR),
Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Blockchain should at this time be avoided; instead the Town
should focus on the foundations, upon getting the basics right – which means getting
the right infrastructure, business solutions, mobile and digital capabilities in place.
3.2 An Effective Technology Delivery Model
Alongside these five areas of focus, the Town’s approach to managing technology
should also be markedly different.
An agreed and shared set of principles, guidelines and frameworks will help leadership
set priorities and directions. Council, leadership and workforce are committed to a
shared set of business and service driven technology priorities – involving compromise
and putting the corporate and customer benefit ahead of individual team needs.
3.2.1 Technology Delivery Model – “The Partnership”
A strong, well-functioning IT team that operates at the “Well-Managed” level (see Figure
6) is one of the aspects that is key to successfully implementing the solutions and
capabilities laid out above. Establishing an IT team that has the resources and
capability to meet this mandate is key to changing the siloed approach that
predominates.
But, strong business leadership and partnership between IT and the business units is
the true key to success, so building an environment in which business units and IT
actively co-operate and collaborate will be central to the Town’s ability to change the
story.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 31 of 87
Attachment #1
24
Figure 6: Target IT Service Level
In this envisioned future the IT team operates as a true strategic partner and advisor to
business units, where strong business relationships between IT and business units
have been established and nurtured.
These relationships are built upon a foundation of trust and confidence between
business units and the IT team. To build that foundation, high performing, flexible, and
secure infrastructure that meets the organizations needs is in place. The technology
and Town’s policy environment and working practices support the modern, mobile and
friction free collaboration environment envisioned, while maintaining the balance of
security and risk mitigation.
Business leaders have a solid understanding of the importance of technology and how
to leverage digital technologies to improve their business operations. Business leaders
are responsible for leading technology assisted or driven business change and
transformation within their business units, with responsibility and clear ownership of
their own business processes – but they do so in active partnership with the IT team.
There is a clear understanding about roles and responsibilities and service expectations
– who does what, and how it is done; but there is also a flexibility and willingness to
work together, a confident way of operating that is less concerned about lines between
teams and more focused on achieving the best outcomes.
There is a collaborative spirit within the organization working on technology, working to
common goals that underpins the way teams work together. There is an excitement
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 32 of 87
Attachment #1
25
about the potential that technology offers and a confidence in the Town’s ability to
achieve those results.
This is the future that is envisioned for Aurora, and the direction in which the
Technology Strategy must take the Town.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 33 of 87
Attachment #1
26
4.Mobilizing to Achieve the Vision
So, to achieve the envisioned future outlined in Section 3 and to successfully implement
the major initiatives which will be discussed further in section 5, what changes in
approach are needed at the Town? What strategies must the Town put in place?
4.1 New IT: Establish a New IT Delivery Model – Better
Together
First and foremost, the Town must establish a better model for delivering technology
and technology enabled business change.
4.1.1 New Role and Mandate for the IT Division
As expressed in section 3, the
goal should be for the town to
establish an IT function that can
perform at the Well-Managed
level.
This means that the IT Division
must transition from its current
role at the periphery as a
supporting service focused upon
IT infrastructure to one that is a
strong Partner Player (as
illustrated in Figure 7).
The suggested new mandate for IT, which reflects the Town’s vision, is to lead the
Town’s effective and innovative use of technology to become a progressive
municipality that delivers exceptional and modern digital services.
Technology in this context includes technology infrastructure, business solutions, data
and integrations, and customer facing digital solutions and services.
The IT Division must become a group that is actively involved with business units in
identifying and implementing ways to improve and transform their services, processes
and operations to drive efficiency and customer service improvements.
Looking to the future, business solutions will be the key area of focus for the Town.
Today, the IT Division has limited involvement in this space.
At the centre of the changes recommended within this strategy, is that the IT Division
should be revitalized with a broader mandate. The Town must re-position the IT Division
to become more actively involved in the selection of business solutions, and their
implementation, evolution and support. Resources with expertise in business analysis,
Figure 7: IT Service Delivery Progression
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 34 of 87
Attachment #1
27
business solutions management and project management should be added to the IT
team to support this expanded remit.
4.1.2 Stronger IT Leadership
To support the new mandate, the IT Division needs to play a larger more prominent role
in the organization.
First, it is recommended that the IT Manager, while continuing to report to the Corporate
Services Director, become an active full-time member of ELT - ensuring that technology
and digital is continuously well represented and an active part of the ongoing
conversation at the leadership team about all strategic matters at the Town.
Secondly, the IT Manager needs to shift focus onto strategic technology matters and
enabling and driving business transformation. A definition of roles and responsibilities
that emphasizes the strategic nature of the IT Manager role has been identified. The
scope of this role includes the following functions:
Role/Team Functions
Manager of IT x IT strategy & planning
x IT service management
x IT financial management
x IT Business
Relationship
Management
x IT performance metrics
x IT policy & standards
x Risk & Compliance
management
x Vendor & contract
management
x Strategic
communications
x Corporate technology
training & education
Figure 8: IT Manager Responsibilities
The expectation is for the Town’s IT leader to begin to operate as a strategic advisor to
Council, the CAO and the Town’s leadership in matters of technology, acting in a CIO-
like role, proactively identifying opportunities to use technology to improve the
operation, efficiency and effectiveness of the Town, and helping business leaders
successfully implement technology enabled change.
The role must provide strategic leadership and direction to the IT team, setting the
strategic direction and priorities, challenging and mentoring staff to achieve key
objectives, and building a collaborative and partnership approach to getting things done.
4.1.3 Three Teams in IT
In supporting the IT Manager, the shift to strategic focus, and the recommended
broader mandate for the IT Division, it is recommended that the IT team establish a
three-team structure.
This is intended to allow the Town to build an IT leadership team to support the IT
Manager, allow for career development for staff and allow for succession planning at the
management level. The Supervisors should ideally be able to hit the ground running
with the necessary skills, technical and soft, to be able to manage different types of
situations that arise between IT and the business.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 35 of 87
Attachment #1
28
The proposed three teams within the IT Division align complementary functions together
and address skills and capacity gaps. The recommended teams are:
x Infrastructure and Service Desk: focused upon helpdesk / support services and
technology infrastructure (e.g. network, storage, devices) management;
x Business Solutions, GIS and Data: focused upon evolving and leveraging
business solutions (e.g. Maximo, Vadim, CityView), GIS and data services in an
integrated way to improve service delivery and drive business efficiencies;
x Project Services: focused upon helping business units consider and evaluate
opportunities for technology-driven business improvement, the development of
business cases and the project management of business-technology
opportunities and supporting governance and the active management of the
technology project portfolio 1.
The table below identifies in more detail the recommended functions that each group
would be responsible for.
1 The Project Services team would work closely with the Corporate PMO to support and operationalize
corporate project management standards for the technology portfolio
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 36 of 87
Attachment #1
29
Role/Team Functions
IT Project Services x Project management
x Portfolio management
x PM standards &
templates
x Resource management
x Capacity management
x Portfolio reporting
Business Solutions,
GIS, Data
Business Solutions
x Solutions planning &
evolution
x Systems implementation
x Systems configuration
x Systems administration
x Systems support
x Applications security
x Enterprise applications
x SaaS solutions
x Solutions development
GIS
x GIS architecture
x GIS technology design
x GIS technology
architecture
x GIS operations
x GIS support
x GIS data analytics
Web
x Web/digital/app
architecture
x Web & digital solution
development
x Web CMS
administration/integration
Data
x Database management
x Data governance
program leadership
x Data architecture
x Data standards
x Data quality
x Business Intelligence
framework
x Business Intelligence
solutions delivery
x Data warehouse
management
x Master data
management
x Data reporting
Infrastructure and
Service Desk
Service Desk
x 1st level technical
support
x Knowledge base
management
x User account
management (AD,
systems)
x Productivity software
support
x Device management &
support
x Software access
provision
x Software package
development
x Mobility support
x Asset management
x License management
x Inventory
x Procurement
x A/V support
x Service catalogue
x Operational
communications
Infrastructure
x 2nd and 3rd level
technical support
x Network (WAN, LAN, Wi-
Fi) planning,
maintenance and
support
x Telephony, mail,
messaging, unified
communications
x File and print
infrastructure
x Computing services,
remote access
x Data Centre &
infrastructure
management, including
patch management
x Infrastructure lifecycle
and capacity planning
x Info security operations
(firewall, IPS, a/v,
malware, spam)
x Backup and restore
management
x DR operation
x Service / performance
monitoring
x Windows Deployment
Service (packaging for
deployment)
Security/Risk
x Risk Management
program (execution)
x Security program
(execution)
x DR & Business
Continuity program
Figure 9: IT Division - Team Functional Responsibilities
4.1.4 Centralize Key Technology Resources
For some time at the Town there has been a debate about how to resource technology;
should technology resources be embedded into business units or should they be based
in IT?
Without a formal model in place at the Town, an ad-hoc approach has led to a number
of technology resources operating outside of the IT Division - that we recommend going
forward should be part of IT.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 37 of 87
Attachment #1
30
Unequivocally, this strategy recommends that a more centralized approach to IT
resourcing is the most effective, efficient and right approach for an organization the size
of Aurora.
Simply put, with the limited number of resources that Aurora can allocate to technology,
having them working together adds more value than separation can. Furthermore, the
current resource distribution we see at the Town is a response to dissatisfaction with
core services – not a designed or optimal model. We recommend that the Town should
treat the root cause (improving core IT services), not address the symptom (by adding
to the distribution of technology resources).
Thus, adoption of the ‘new model for IT’ should involve a redistribution of IT functions
and roles that are currently managed outside of IT (e.g. GIS, Business Solutions
management) into the IT Division, which will, we believe, greatly enhance the chances
of success for the IT Strategic Plan.
Bringing these services and staff into IT brings with it a number of benefits, including:
x Immediately establishes a strong business solutions team, with good experience
of implementing integrated solutions;
x Enables staff currently outside of IT to be provided with the permissions and
privileges to perform required functions;
x Creates improved collaboration between existing teams creating opportunities for
innovation and integration;
x Allows for the alignment of GIS and Data Management activities (an emerging
trend in the industry).
Furthermore, it represents a great opportunity to those team members joining IT, in that
they can influence and shape the future direction of the Business Solutions team.
4.1.5 Fill Resource Gaps in the IT Division – Solutions Analysts
As noted in the current state assessment (Section 3), the Town has no dedicated
Solutions specialists or Analysts in the IT Division.
The Town clearly has a significant number of projects ahead, many of which are in the
business solutions domain. Each of these projects require Solutions Analyst resources
to support systems configuration during the project, and for support after solution
implementation. Thus, the addition of Solutions Analysts staged over the next few years
is recommended. This will allow the Town to manage business solutions effectively and
provide support for new features, reporting and other capabilities.
4.1.6 IT Organization Changes
A number of changes are recommended to existing IT roles, the creation of new roles
and the move of existing roles from other parts of the organization. Figure 10 identifies
the recommended changes.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 38 of 87
Attachment #1
31
Year Organizational Change Budget Impact
2020 x Repurpose Service Desk supervisor to
Supervisor Infrastructure Service Desk
x Create new Supervisor Business Solutions
x Create new Supervisor Project Services
x Move GIS, WAMS roles into IT Division
x Changes to existing IT Division roles to
align with proposed structure (e.g. Service
Desk Analyst, Infrastructure Analyst,
PM/BA, conversion of BSA role to
Infrastructure Analyst)
x No budget impacts
x c/f 2019 budget
requests 2
x No budget impacts
x TBC
2021 x Add one Solutions Analyst
x Add one Solutions Analyst
x 100k
2022 x Add one Solutions Analyst or Business
Analyst
x 100k
2023 To be determined after mid-point review of
resource requirements
TBD
Figure 10: IT Organization Changes
The changes noted above translate into the following target IT organization structure
shown in Figure 11. This shows a target organization for 2022.
2 A small budget uplift may be required, positions requested in budget were not supervisor positions.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 39 of 87
Attachment #1
32
Figure 11: Target IT Organization Structure
4.1.7 Resource Augmentation and External Expertise
The reality of modern IT, particularly with small municipal teams, is that maintaining the
necessary skills and capacity to plan, implement and manage all the Town’s
increasingly complex technical environment and burgeoning project demands in-house
is impractical. To do so would mean hiring an unfeasible number of additional IT staff.
Smart IT organizations approach this challenge by relying on a team of in-house IT staff
with strong internal connections and understanding of the organization’s business
needs (business partners), who in turn work with a network of trusted partners, vendors
and solution providers to deliver the required services.
Similar to the way that the Town approaches road building and road maintenance;
relying on construction firms with road building expertise - the emphasis is on "getting
projects done", or “project throughput” rather than on IT staff necessarily implementing
the technology themselves.
This is a hybrid model of IT service delivery, that combines internal IT and business
skills with market-based expertise and services. Ultimately it means that the IT Division,
the IT Manager and Supervisors begin to work as coordinators or orchestrators of
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 40 of 87
Attachment #1
33
Technology service delivery – which will be executed by a combination of internal staff
and external providers.
The Town’s goal is to increase speed, agility and project throughput by using the right
mix of resources and skills for the job at hand. Several approaches are common in
municipalities for augmenting internal IT resources, including:
Capital Funding Contract Staff Positions
Projects are proven to be successful when staff can be dedicated to the project – not
working off the side of their desk. To achieve this level of dedicated attention to projects
municipalities commonly use contracting for short term staff (1 or 2-year contracts).
Costs for staffing contracts are ‘bundled’ into the total capital cost of the project. Thus,
when projects are approved the appropriate staffing to execute the project is also
approved.
Contract staff may be used directly on the project but are more typically hired to backfill
IT or subject matter experts in business units, freeing up internal staff to work on
projects. This allows the Town to retain the accrued project learning and expertise, and
to offer development opportunities to internal staff. It is recommended that the Town
pursue this strategy.
Vendor of Record (VOR) – IT Resources on-Demand
Because of the regular need to bring in additional IT and subject matter business
resources to support project activity, numerous municipalities (e.g. Richmond Hill,
Guelph, Mississauga, Halton Hills) have embraced a “Roster” or “Vendor of Record”
(VOR) model. In this approach, the Town would have an arrangement with one or more
firms that can supply experienced Project Manager, Business Analysts, network or
security specialists, GIS experts and other technical resources to the Town, on-demand
at pre-set rates.
Funding for VOR resources are then included as part of a project capital request and
this can enable the Town to quickly ramp up resources to lead major projects such as
ERP, Work Management or CRM. This can be provided as an option to a business unit
that wants to accelerate a project and has funding available to leverage external
resources to aid this acceleration.
Service Providers: Out-Task Some IT Services
While wholesale IT out-sourcing is extremely uncommon in the municipal sector due in
part to the complexity of municipal business, the Town should adopt selective out-
tasking as a strategy to augment internal resources – reducing the need to add new IT
staff – particularly in the infrastructure area where services are more commoditized.
The IT Division should be the orchestrator of IT service provision, matching the needs of
the organization to service delivery – either provided internally by IT staff or by 3rd party
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 41 of 87
Attachment #1
34
expertise. Who provides the service, should be transparent to Town management and
staff.
It has been initially recommended that the Town out-task security operations. We would
suggest that other options be considered in due course.
Use External Expertise to Plan, Design and Set Strategies
Setting strategies before tackling projects is critically important to successful outcomes
(measure twice, cut once). Fully exploring possibilities before diving in is essential. In
this area, there is clear value in engaging experts in the right measure, at the right time.
Consultants with deep domain experience and with experience in developing strategy
and implementing solutions can help to guide the Town in developing plans that
properly leverage systems’ capabilities to address business challenges. The Strategy
recommends several budget allocations to engage consulting resources to do just this.
Leverage Co-Op and Intern Programs
Another method that municipalities frequently use to expand capacity to deliver, and to
inject new ideas into the organization is through co-op and intern programs. The Town
has ‘dabbled’ in a co-op placement in the client services area previously and should
consider this approach in all areas of IT. Co-op and intern programs in Client services,
Business Solutions, GIS and Data, and digital domains are areas that could be
particularly suited to this approach.
4.1.8 Importance of Agile, Multidisciplinary Teams
It is important to remember that projects, initiatives and solutions are developed and
delivered by teams – not by Steering Committees. Thus, it is important that the Town
build effective product and project teams that combine business subject matter experts,
project management, business analysis, and technical expertise, alongside frontline
users of systems to support the execution of projects and product enhancements.
Co-locating teams and ensuring that teams meet frequently (daily huddles,
retrospectives) are demonstrated to improve team cohesion and project outcomes.
More modern ‘Agile’ approaches to project management are also being used effectively
by many organizations including municipalities to speed delivery and improve project
outcomes 3.
Agile
Agile is an iterative approach to project management and solution development that
helps teams deliver value faster and with fewer headaches. Instead of going all in on
a big bang launch, agile teams deliver work in small, but usable, increments.
3 https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/apply-agile-methodology-nonsoftware-enterprise-projects-9273
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 42 of 87
Attachment #1
35
Requirements, plans, and results are evaluated continuously, so teams have a natural
mechanism for rapid response to change.
We would encourage the Town to incorporate Agile techniques into its project
management toolkit (working with the corporate PMO) and use these to inform the way
it approaches projects. Specifically, applying the minimum viable product approach,
using an iterative solution delivery approach – breaking larger deliverables into shorter
sprints, actively involving the user, showing concepts not explaining concepts, and co-
locating project teams are key factors that the Town should be utilizing.
Some projects are well suited to Waterfall approaches, while others are well suited to
Agile approaches.
Figure 12: Contrasting Agile and Waterfall Methodologies
The IT Projects Supervisor (working with the corporate PMO) should play a lead role in
establishing the methodologies applied, training teams and team members, and
assisting management and staff in applying the methodologies consistently to manage
projects.
4.2 Clearly Defined Business Unit Responsibilities
While we have, in this section, focused first on establishing the New IT model, the role
of Directors, Managers and staff in Business Units is equally important to success.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 43 of 87
Attachment #1
36
4.2.1 Increased Business Leadership Tech Savvy
To become a more tech savvy municipality that appropriately leverages technology, the
current and future leaders of the Town need to understand technology, the potential of
digital and how to successfully implement technology and digital enabled change.
This does not mean that leadership must understand at a technical level the details of
the technologies, it also doesn’t mean “being good with computers”; more that they
have a good conceptual understanding about what it means to be a digital organization,
and how to be successful implementing digital and technology driven change and
capabilities.
A digital/technology education program should be instituted at the Town to help leaders
and managers fully understand and embrace the potential of technology.
4.2.2 Business Leadership for Business Transformation
While the IT Manager and Division is responsible for helping business unit’s implement
technology driven change; technology and digital thinking needs to be at the heart of
business strategies for each business leader - technology cannot be an afterthought or
an add-on, it must be central to the achievement of business outcomes.
Furthermore, moving from paper-based to digitized processes involves persistent
organizational as well as technological change for each business unit and for IT. Such
change is a genuine transformation – work practices and processes change,
interactions with customers change, job roles and expectations change as a result of
the implementation. Active leadership from business leaders and managers is critical to
the success. Leading from the front and leading by doing are key. Leaders shouldn’t ask
staff to use systems, if they are unwilling to use the systems themselves.
When working on initiatives across multi-disciplinary teams, it can be difficult to know
who is accountable. Apple uses the term "Directly Responsible Individual" (DRI) to
refer to the one person with whom the buck stops on any given project, task or activity.
The Town can borrow this concept and terminology in technology program.
Every project should be assigned a DRI who is ultimately accountable for the success of
that project. So, for the implementation of the corporate HR system, while there are
numerous stakeholders throughout the organization, the DRI is indisputably the HR
Manager. Note that success of that initiative should not be measured simply by the
completion of the project or implementation of the solution, it is the achievement of the
desired business outcomes – reduced number of payroll errors, reduced time spent
processing timesheets, ability to easily and quickly generate workforce metrics
(headcount, vacancy rates, etc.) - that must be identified before the project starts.
The Directly Responsible Individual is responsible for providing the vision and
leadership for the project. The DRI has a very active/proactive role to play - not as a
figurehead sponsor of a project, but as someone that is guiding and evangelizing the
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 44 of 87
Attachment #1
37
realization of the business capabilities as well as eliminating the barriers that impede
their achievement.
4.2.3 Business Unit Roles and Responsibilities
Of course, while the IT Division responsibilities have been defined, business unit roles
and responsibilities have also been more clearly defined as shown in Figure 13 below.
Role/Team Functions
Business Units • Business vision
• Project accountability,
leadership and
resourcing
• Business process
ownership, design and
re-design
• Leading adoption,
training and change
management programs
• Systems power users
and SME’s
• Understanding of
systems capabilities
(and developing
capabilities)
• Aligning solutions to
business needs
• Data stewardship, data
management and data
editing activities
• Simple solution
configuration & end-user
work flow configuration
• Data analysis, analytics
and reporting
• GIS exploitation /
utilization
• Participation in vendor
relationship
management in
partnership with IT
• Coding & software
development, IT
infrastructure
procurement and
management should
not as a rule occur in
departments
Figure 13: Business Unit Roles and Responsibilities
Business vision and leadership, alongside project accountability have been discussed in
earlier sections.
The key additional points here are:
x Ownership of business processes;
x Responsibility of the business unit for training;
x Responsibility of the business unit for successful adoption of new business-
technologies;
x Staff and teams in business units will and should be actively involved in
advancing solutions and products in use in their areas;
x Self-service for staff in terms of managing and editing data, creating and running
reports, visualizing and analysing data.
It is also important to note that as part of the centralization of IT resources, there are
some activities that are anticipated to only happen within the IT Division – including
software development and technology infrastructure procurement.
4.2.4 Web and Digital Roles and Responsibilities
In addition to these general recommendations about roles and responsibilities, in the
web and digital space there are specific recommendations.
The Communications team will lead work around the web strategy, the (hosted) web
platform, branding, look and feel, information architecture, web content governance, and
social media management.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 45 of 87
Attachment #1
38
Role/Team Functions
Web & Digital
(Business Side)
• Web strategy
• User research
• UX standards/design
• Web CMS use / operation
• Web content governance
• Web content creation / posting / editing
Figure 14: Communications Roles and Responsibilities
The IT Division should retain technical responsibility for domain management and thus
the Communications team should actively work with the IT Division – the importance of
business solutions integration for the delivery of end-to-end digital services for instance,
highlights the importance of this working relationship.
Given the importance of integration between Customer Service (Access Aurora),
Customer Experience (Corporate Services), IT and Digital Services (Communications)
and that different groups are leading in each area it is recommended that a Web and
Digital Steering Committee be struck to coordinate and align activities in this domain.
4.2.5 Digital Savvy Network
While we have focused on the IT team, there are many staff at the Town, outside of IT,
who are digital and tech savvy – people who have grown up with or who have grown
comfortable using and working with technology, and thus are constantly looking for
ways to apply technology to their day-to-day work.
The Town should harness this energy, enthusiasm and knowledge by establishing (on a
volunteer basis) a Digital Savvy Network of staff. This will be an informal and fluid group
but will be an important contributor to pushing the IT Division to adopt new technology
faster and will be actively involved in identifying new technologies. The Town’s IT and
business leaders should get into the habit of asking: “What does the DSN think about
this idea?”, “Have the DSN been involved in testing this idea?”.
The goal is that this group of tech savvy people should become the IT Division’s best
friends and the IT team should actively cultivate their relationship with them.
The IT Division will work with this group to:
x Introduce and (beta) test new solutions and capabilities with the group, before
broader rollout;
x Seek feedback on IT services and solutions to identify opportunities to improve
the quality and experience of those services for tech savvy and all staff groups;
x Encourage (online and offline) discussion amongst the group on new service
ideas, opportunities and needs;
x Encourage them to evangelize new products and services with their peers in
departments.
4.3 A Revitalized IT Governance Model
IT Governance is intended to ensure that IT activities align with corporate goals and
objectives, that there is visibility into IT workloads and progress, and that services are
meeting expectations. The governance model should reinforce principles of
collaboration, open-ness and transparency and collective decision making.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 46 of 87
Attachment #1
39
The Town has been operating an Executive IT Steering Committee made up of ELT
members, but in recent years this has not been seen as effective. However, with a shift
to a more centralized IT model and with the intent to drive a significant transformation of
IT at the Town, the importance of effective IT governance increases.
Thus, it is recommended that the Town persevere with a revised Information and
Technology governance model designed to engage the right people at the right level,
promote collaboration and consensus building and ensure that technology activities are
aligned.
The table below identifies the recommended governance groups that should be put in
place at the Town. These groups will be responsible for strategic planning and direction,
standards and policies. This governance model will facilitate implementing and using
technology in a holistic manner across the organization.
Body Overview Suggested
Membership
Functions
ELT For IT-related items, this
group is responsible for
overall direction and
high-level monitoring of
IT activities across the
whole organization.
CAO,
Directors.
Comm, HR,
Legal, Clerk
Manager of IT
x Quarterly dedicated
meetings
x Review IT Portfolio
x Address key
technology decisions
x Review Strategic and
Operational KPIs
x Prioritize or
Reprioritize
Technology
Initiatives
Information &
Technology
Governance
Group (ITTG)
Manager level group.
This group is delegated
authority from ELT for
corporate leadership of
technology decision
making regarding
strategic directions,
identifying and
recommending
investment priorities to
ELT, policy and approval
of corporate IT
architectures and
standards.
Two (2)
members of
ELT (for
continuity),
select
Managers from
Business Units,
Manager of IT
x Investment priorities
x Strategic direction for
technologies
x Approval of
Technology
Standards
x Information Security
Standards
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 47 of 87
Attachment #1
40
Body Overview Suggested
Membership
Functions
Technology
Standards
Team (Virtual
Team)
Responsible for defining,
developing, and
recommending technical
and architectural
standards to IT
Management and the
Information and
Technology Governance
IT Leads,
Technology-
knowledgeable
Business Unit
staff
x Technology
standards
x Architecture
Standards
x Technology
Roadmaps
x Web Standards
x GIS Standards
x InfoSec standards
Steering /
Program
Committees
(e.g. CityView,
Maximo, GIS,
HR/Finance,
Information
Management)
Strategic working groups
responsible for setting
strategy and direction for
individual major systems
and/or platforms
Dependent
upon the
system and/or
platform
x Strategies
x Work Plans
x Alignment of projects
within a
system/platform
Project Teams Formed and disbanded
as needed to deliver
business-technology
projects.
Sponsor,
Project
Manager,
Business
Analyst,
Technology
Lead, and
Business Side
Subject Matter
Experts
x Project tasks to
ensure delivery
x Project monitoring
x Project Status
reports
Figure 15: Governance Model - Body Functions
A full description of the proposed governance model has been supplied separately to
the Town.
4.3.1 Updated Policies and Procedures
To support the direction setting, a policy framework that guides decision making and
technology is important. While policy is designed to set out the rules, it also makes it
simpler to make decisions because important decisions are codified in policy.
A comprehensive IT policy framework addresses the following topic areas:
1. IT Governance, Risk and Compliance;
2. Project and Change Management;
3. IT Procurement;
4. Service Availability – disaster recovery (DR), business continuity (BC);
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 48 of 87
Attachment #1
41
5. Acceptable Use – an email usage policy or computer usage policy;
6. Information Security – focus on managing and protecting and preserving
information (including personal information) belonging to the organization, which
is generated by those employees in the course and scope of their employment;
7. Information Management – focus on managing data, records and information
such as its retention and destruction.
Although the Town has some policies in place, it is recommended that a review of all
existing IT policies be performed, with the support of the IT Governance Committee, to
align with the reframed approach to technology.
Specific policy gaps must be addressed in the immediate term, with particular attention
in the areas of Acceptable Use, IT Security, and IT Governance policies. Given the
growing adoption of Cloud based solutions, a Cloud policy should also be developed.
New policy work should be developed through multi-disciplinary project teams
collaboratively preparing material – which will be brought forward through the
governance groups before being approved at ELT or Council as required.
4.3.2 Project Identification and Intake
Following existing IT and corporate PMO practices, it is recommended that the Town
continue with the existing Project Portfolio Management approach to selecting and
managing technology initiatives.
The key change is to ensure that ALL Town technology and digital activities (including
Web, Digital, GIS, Business Solutions, Technology Infrastructure, Smart City) become
subject to IT Governance.
The IT Division (IT Manager and IT Project Services Supervisor) will work with the ITGG
to coordinate the intake, evaluation and selection of technology projects and initiatives.
The Integrated Business Planning process that the Town is currently working on should
significantly help with coordination and alignment of work and workload.
It is recommended that business-technology projects should not be budgeted directly in
departmental budgets, without approval and direction of ITGG or ELT.
4.4 A New Approach to Information Security
As municipalities across the globe and in the GTA become subject to security attacks
on a more frequent basis, the security threat to the Town is of growing concern and
must be taken extremely seriously.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 49 of 87
Attachment #1
42
Figure 16: CBC Story about Municipal Cyber Attack
Meanwhile, Information Security at the Town is and has been a key point of contention
for some time. The Town’s security posture, as defined by the IT Division, focuses
heavily in a handful of specific areas and protections, while neglecting other important
areas. Realistically, the Town has too little capacity and time to apply to effective IT
security.
In too many situations staff work around strict security controls – undermining their
effectiveness. A more effective approach that balances education, and controls with
usability is needed.
This would involve a risk management approach to security, where an appropriate
partnership of stakeholders assesses the risk of their systems and data, and with the
help of IT, implements mitigations to reduce the risks of exposure or breach.
It is recommended that the Supervisor of Infrastructure and Service Desk take
responsibility for the Town’s security strategy and approach. Moving forward, in order to
secure sufficient capacity and expertise it is recommended that the Town work with a
third-party managed service to establish a suitable security management framework
and provide ongoing security services and advice.
4.5 Improvements to IT Services and IT Service
Management
IT Service Management (ITSM) is a term used to refer to the way that IT organizations
manage and deliver their IT services. It encompasses the processes and procedures
that the IT Division applies to its work to ensure that they are delivered in an efficient,
effective and repeatable manner.
A number of industry best practices (the best known and most widely applied is ITIL)
have emerged that prescribe methods of service delivery that are widely acknowledged
to result in high quality IT services.
While the IT Division has implemented a small subset of ITSM best practice processes
(e.g. helpdesk / service request process), the adoption of a number of additional best
practice processes and procedures are recommended.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 50 of 87
Attachment #1
43
4.5.1 IT Service Management Tools
Track-It! is the Town’s current IT service desk management platform. The potential of
using Track-It! has not been fulfilled at the Town, and there is an opportunity to utilize
this set of tools to improve IT Service Management. A plan should be developed within
IT, by the Supervisor of Infrastructure and Service Delivery to expand and ensure
consistency in the use of Track-It! across all of the Town’s IT Service Management
processes.
4.5.2 Incident and Problem Management Processes
Formalized Incident and Problem Management processes should be defined,
documented and introduced. Incident Management comes into play when a significant
issue happens, causing downtime or disruption to a key service. Problem Management
is performed when repeated instances of the same issue occur over a period of time.
4.5.3 Change Management
A set of Change Control and Management processes should be introduced. Currently,
significant changes are made to infrastructure and systems without a formal approval
process, no notification to clients and no centralized log of changes to help with
troubleshooting – should a change introduce a problem.
A full Change Management system should be put in place, with the following basic
steps followed:
x Change Control Board to be formed;
x A change window should be established (e.g. Wednesdays, 8 – 11 PM);
x Change Request submitted to Change Control Board;
x Change Control Board approves (or rejects);
x Change is logged;
x Change is tested in test environment;
x Notification is sent to organization or affected clients;
x Change is implemented and tested in production.
4.5.4 IT Asset Management
While the Help Desk team use the existing ITSM tool (Track-IT!) to manage assets such
as PCs and mobile phones, network equipment (servers, switches, etc.) are managed
separately. IT Asset Management (inventory and processes) should be consolidated
into a single Asset Management solution to provide management with a holistic view of
the entire environment.
4.5.5 Knowledge Management
An effective knowledge base can drastically cut service desk ticket volume. The Town's
Service Desk will not know the answer to every question that users ask, so it’s important
to have a place to look first for answers. If the answer is not in the knowledge base, they
can add it once they’ve found the solution or workaround. Once they do, they’ve saved
some time for co-workers when that question comes up in the future. For these reasons,
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 51 of 87
Attachment #1
44
knowledge management is an ITSM best practice that is essential for the Town to
embrace.
In addition to general knowledge for the user community, the Town's Service Desk
should centralize the technical knowledge base using ITIL best practices. The current
situation includes documents stored in disparate systems with no consistent format.
This could make it difficult for IT staff to locate a valuable piece of technical information
whilst dealing with an incident.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 52 of 87
Attachment #1
45
5.Major Technology Projects
What are the major technology projects that must be tackled to achieve our vision of
success? The projects identified are laid out in the order of the layers of the MTA, from
the bottom up: 1) Infrastructure, 2) Business Solutions, 3) Integration and Data and 4)
Customer Facing.
A detailed workplan in Section 6 maps out the recommended sequencing and
suggested timing of these initiatives.
5.1 Infrastructure Projects
The following projects are identified in order of priority.
Asset Lifecycle Maintenance
Just like any other asset the Town owns; roads bridges, and facilities, IT assets must be
maintained, upgraded and replaced. PC’s, tablets, phones, network equipment, servers
and storage have a lifecycle and must be regularly replaced. Neglecting this lifecycle
work results in technical debt which hampers the Town’s ability to be nimble and
responsive. Thus, significant effort each year is and should be applied to maintaining
existing infrastructure.
Office 365
It is recommended that the Town evaluate the move to Office 365 – Microsoft’s cloud-
based office system. Office 365 capabilities including broader access to Office products
(staff can install on various devices, including tablets and phones) as well as OneDrive,
SharePoint, and Microsoft Teams and other collaboration capabilities should also be
considered.
In the short term, it is recommended a series of pilot projects be pursued to test and
evaluate the capabilities – this is perfect opportunity for the IT team to work with the
Digital Savvy Network.
In the longer term, such a migration is undeniably a significant effort and in order to
determine the optimum approach for the organization, a formal planning and
cost/benefit analysis should be performed by a qualified third-party with the following
deliverables:
x The service provides an independent assessment of the Town’s readiness and
options for Office 365 adoption;
x Comprehensive discovery and requirements analysis to determine business
needs/drivers;
x Assessment of existing IT architecture, applications and workloads;
x Roadmap must include an integration plan with the Town’s infrastructure and
supporting services;
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 53 of 87
Attachment #1
46
x Engagement should be delivered by experienced, certified Office 365
consultants.
Cloud Policy and Review Framework, Readiness Assessment and Strategy
The Town is increasingly adopting and using cloud-based services for technology.
This is an industry paradigm that has gained steam in recent years, to the point where it
is becoming increasingly difficult in some areas (e.g. HR systems) to find vendors that
provide on-premise solutions. Many municipalities have moved to the cloud for email
services (Office365, G-Suite), or are in the planning stages.
It is recommended that the Town pursue cloud solutions as a strategic direction.
Thus, in the short term the Town will need to establish a clear policy and framework for
assessing that cloud solutions meet the Town’s security and privacy, resiliency and
continuity requirements.
In the medium term a Cloud Readiness assessment should be performed to identify
workloads and services that are considered to be good candidates for cloud migration,
and a roadmap for their migration.
Information Security Strategy
Once the Supervisor Infrastructure and Service Desk is hired, the Town should engage
a third-party security expert to assist with the development of a security strategy and
framework that acts as the launch-pad for an updated security program. It is
recommended that the Town consider a plan for the out-tasking of ongoing security
operations.
At a minimum, a continuously optimized security program should address:
x Security Posture Assessment Scores (CMMI Rating Scales for current & target);
x Security Remediation Action Items based on Capacity, Budget and Risk
Priorities;
x Security Ecosystem Map;
x Security Remediation Roadmaps;
x Vulnerability Assessment Reporting.
x Technical Vulnerability Assessments
x Sensitive Data Assessments
x Social Engineering Vulnerability Assessments
Mobility Strategy
Mobile working is a major opportunity for the Town – and a consistent approach, rather
than one off solutions for each business unit is required. There are already a number of
good examples of mobile working – in Building and Animal Services for instance.
Success in mobility is dependent upon various aspects, including:
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 54 of 87
Attachment #1
47
x Requirements - informed by frontline staff, the real users of the systems (not
managers as proxy);
x Business processes - clear, well understood business processes, journey
mapped and re-designed for a mobile enabled workforce;
x Business Solutions - solutions designed to be used in the field, by mobile
workers, enabling digital, real-time workflows, access to information needed;
x Connectivity - reliable connectivity (either always-on, or sync and go
connectivity);
x Security - realistic, easy to use ability to have a secure, reliable connection (e.g.
robust mobile-VPN, single sign on);
x Devices - suitable devices to work in the environments staff are actually working
in (e.g. temp ranges, glove-wearing, sun-glare, battery life, usability, business
solutions available on the platform);
x Support - defined model for mobile support (e.g. spares for swap out, availability
when support is needed - early morning);
x Management - commitment to effective change management;
x Education and training - building capabilities;
x Compliance - monitoring and assistance from management to ensure that team
members are using the solutions as designed;
x Enforcement - business management must hold staff accountable for using the
solutions.
In the short term, the IT Division will work with current and prospective users of mobile
working solutions to assess the current usability of mobile solutions, identify short- and
long-term actions that provide a clear suite of available solution options for mobile
working.
Remote Access
Extending the day by catching up in the evening, working on a report that needs
focused attention, working from a partner’s office or working in Starbucks ® are all
common occurrences. Increasingly staff are seeking more flexible working
arrangements and the Town’s technology should support these.
The IT Division has implemented remote working solutions (VPN), and over 90 staff
have the capability – but there are some frustrations with the service.
In the short term, the IT Division will work with users of current remote access services
to review the usability of existing remote and mobile working experiences and determine
what short and long-term actions are required to improve those user experiences.
Business Continuity/DR Strategy
Before any further investments are made in technology within the JOC datacenter, the
Town needs to develop a formal Business Continuity/DR strategy. The Supervisor of
Infrastructure and Service Desk should coordinate this work. This process will start with
corporate-wide business impact analysis’, risk assessments that identify threats and
vulnerabilities, and a Crisis Management strategy. The outputs from these activities will
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 55 of 87
Attachment #1
48
include recovery time objects for all business services and the technology they depend
on.
The strategy needs to include the following activities:
x Business Impact Analysis (BIA):
x This process should capture all departmental services/process with
formalized recovery time objectives and recovery point objectives;
x Upstream/downstream dependencies;
x IT service catalogue dependencies (e.g. applications);
x Third-party cloud providers (required to meet RTO).
x Risk Assessment:
x Evaluate the BIA assumptions using various threat scenarios;
x Analyze threats based upon the impact to the Town;
x Prioritize potential business disruptions based upon their severity, which is
determined by their impact on operations and the probability of
occurrence;
x Perform a "gap analysis" that compares the existing BCP to the policies
and procedures that should be implemented based on prioritized
disruptions identified and their resulting impact on the institution.
x Develop a Disaster Recovery Strategy:
x Use output from BIA and Risk Assessment;
x Identity critical assets;
x List possible disaster scenarios;
x Develop a technical plan to protect systems and data.
Data Assessment, Archiving Plan and SAN Replacement
The Town’s data storage volumes continue to grow exponentially, adding cost and
complexity to the technology environment. It is recommended that the Town undertake
a data assessment to determine the state of its storage, and to identify a recommended
future-looking data storage strategy that takes advantage of tiering and cloud services.
One of the largest impact activities in this area is to implement an archiving solution that
removes stale data from servers and moves the data to cheaper storage options.
Typically, without a clear strategy, over 70% of data stored on file shares has not been
accessed for over 3 years. Archiving moves the files offline to a cheaper storage option,
but in a transparent way to the user – so it looks like the file is still in the same place it
has always been. This has significant benefits for the management of backups and
disaster recovery capabilities.
Telephony / Unified Communications
The current Avaya VOIP solution is problematic and should be replaced. However,
simply moving to a new Avaya system may not be the best answer to this issue. Before
any decision is made on a replacement solution, a full Telephony and Unified
Communications Assessment should be performed.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 56 of 87
Attachment #1
49
This assessment should look at options outside Avaya, including cloud-based options,
and consider the impacts of the Town’s Office 365 strategy.
5.2 Business Solution Projects
As noted throughout this report, the Town has much work ahead on its business
solutions platforms – and that will be the foundation for customer facing digital services,
increased knowledge and analytics about service delivery and an expansion of mobile
working.
The initiatives are presented in priority order.
Corporate Workforce / HR Management System
One of the Town’s most important assets are its staff; they also represent one of the
largest costs, so effectively managing the workforce from onboarding to retirement
using digital processes rather than paper-based employee files is critical. The Town’s
current employee records are largely paper based and HR processes such as
recruitment and training tracking must be modernized.
Note that this solution is a corporate wide solution, not simply a “system for HR”, and
thus must meet the needs of the whole organization (leadership, management, staff
(part time, full time)).
The Town is currently in the procurement phase for a new Workforce Management
System. The initial implementation of the solution will address the following needs and
capabilities for the Town.
x Employee records;
x Time and attendance;
x Staff scheduling;
x Applicant Tracking and online recruiting;
x Learning Management.
We recommend that consideration be given to historic data digitization, and the need to
load prior employment history and records into the system, prior to go-live.
Additional features and capabilities will be implemented in due course over the coming
years. Features such as;
x Succession planning;
x People metrics and analytics;
x Licence tracking;
x Performance management;
x Absence management;
x Employee Self Service;
x Health and Safety.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 57 of 87
Attachment #1
50
Permits, Planning and Land System (CityView)
The Town has used CityView for planning, permitting and licensing for many years –
primarily in building services. CityView is a reasonable solution that is used broadly
across the municipal sector; and one that can support new processes and services in
planning, building and engineering.
Aligned with plans to enhance development and building services at the Town, a series
of enhancements to CityView are planned, including:
x Implementation of electronic plans review / markup;
x Electronic plans submission;
x Online building permit applications and tracking;
x Online inspection booking;
x A comprehensive review of the planning process and associated redesign of
CityView planning processes to support a revised ‘digital-first’ designed set of
planning processes;
x Planning online services;
x Engineering process integration into CityView.
Asset and Work Management Systems (Maximo)
The Town has, over the last decade, invested significantly in the Maximo solution (in
excess of $1.25 million) – a robust Asset and Work Management system used in
various municipalities, including Cambridge, Waterloo and York Region.
Despite this investment, the system has seen limited adoption which has faded over the
years to the point that today it is barely used. There are concerns from management
and staff that the Maximo solution is too complex, hard to use and adds unnecessary
overhead to operations.
The Town is required by legislation to have effective Asset Management processes and
practices and Maximo should be at the core of that. The Perry Group consulting team
believes that this Maximo is a strong solution, which at this stage is undermined by a
lack of management and staff commitment to adoption, a lack of mobile solutions and
various other factors.
Going forward, it is recommended that the Town commit to doubling down on Maximo.
From there a number of initiatives focused upon:
x Digitization of business processes (service requests, work orders, inspections,
condition assessment, preventative and reactive maintenance);
x Mobile solutions for field workers;
x Asset/Work Management and GIS two-way integration;
x Asset/Work Management and CRM two-way integration;
x Asset/Work Management and Inventory two-way integration;
x GIS based visualization of assets and asset performance.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 58 of 87
Attachment #1
51
Enterprise Content and Collaboration Management
The Town has invested in the Laserfiche system as its Records Management system
and has done some good work in modernizing the records retention bylaw and uniform
file plan. However, after many years of work, at this time the system is largely used for
the management of Town Clerk related record series such as bylaws and minutes
agreements and agendas.
Document Management features of Laserfiche are not used at this time and documents
are managed separately in network file shares (using an aligned filing structure), using
dated approaches to file access and collaboration. SharePoint is also used at the Town,
but in a fairly limited capacity. Laserfiche has workflow and forms capabilities, that are
being investigated but have not as yet been implemented.
A formal work plan is not in place; the situation is somewhat fragmented and the user
experience not where it needs to be.
The marketplace in this space is changing relatively quickly, Box, Dropbox and others
are presenting a somewhat updated view of what Enterprise Content Management for
corporations should look like. Microsoft’s strategy with Office 365, SharePoint and
Teams is also rapidly evolving.
It is recommended that a revitalized strategy around content management and
collaboration, that embraces modern modes of collaboration (co-editing documents,
versioning, mobile access, partner sharing) is required and recommended.
The Clerks team and IT teams should develop a strong working partnership, actively
working together to review and set the future direction in the context of the desired
Modern Workplace, and then jointly executing a work program that would meet the
needs of the modern workforce.
Financial System(s) Replacement (Vadim / iCity)
Financial systems are clearly critical to the effective operation of the Town and the
diligent management of budgets.
The Town’s Financial Systems (Vadim iCity, Vailtech) are reaching the point in the
lifecycle where replacement should be considered and planned for. Changes in the
commercial market place, which has resulted in a consolidation of solution options for
municipal Finance, mean that there are few viable solutions available to municipalities
the size of Aurora.
Replacement of the Finance system is both costly (City of Peterborough budgeted more
than $5 million for their replacement) and disruptive to the entire organization.
It is recommended that an independent consultant be retained by the Town to review in
more detail the current situation, evaluate the available options and assist the Town in
the development of a roadmap and business case for the future.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 59 of 87
Attachment #1
52
5.3 Integration and Data Projects
GIS Program
The priority for the Town in the Integration and Data layer is the GIS. The Geographic
Information System platform is one of the key systems that the Town operates. It is
estimated that over 80% of municipal business relates to a location (an address, an
asset or a service point), - thus the GIS system should support over 80% of the Town’s
business. The GIS technology environment must be modernized, and a series of
projects are planned, including:
x ArcGIS Online / Portal GIS Architecture design and implementation;
x FME server implementation;
x Maximo / GIS integration (including GIS Collector to Maximo);
x Expansion of the GIS Collector program as a mobile data collection / inspections
tool;
x Internal Self-Service GIS web apps – enabling democratization of GIS tools and
services across the Town;
x Geo-dashboards to allow for map-based visualization of data in core business
solutions (CRM, Maximo, CityView);
x Property report app;
x Geo-based drawing management solution;
x Public web mapping solutions and apps.
Integration Projects
A series of integration projects are also recommended, including:
x Maximo (or Asset Management solution) / GIS integration (including GIS
Collector to Maximo);
x CRM / GIS integration;
x CRM / Maximo (or Asset Management solution) integration;
x CityView / Digital Plans.
Business Intelligence Planning and Implementation
By understanding patterns or distributions of Access Aurora calls, or the varying
performance of teams, or the incidence of vehicle accidents the Town can identify
pointers that may suggest the need for policy or process changes or that may point to
factors that need to be better understood.
To become a data driven organization requires the ability to visualize, analyse and
interpret the data that the Town collects in the course of operating. Business
Intelligence tools allow data from various systems and sources to be collated and
combined into data warehouses and the data to be reported upon and analyzed - sliced
and diced to answer key business questions.
The Town’s GIS team have been working on data visualization and have good skills
around data management and visualization techniques. Industry trends see GIS teams
getting actively involved in Business Intelligence and data visualization. Thus, it is
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 60 of 87
Attachment #1
53
recommended that this team be tasked with working with business units to develop and
execute a BI plan and strategy that leverages existing solutions (GIS and PowerBI) as a
first step.
Information and Data Management Maturity Assessment and Strategy
To improve the Town’s overall information and data management practices in an
integrated fashion it is recommended that the Town’s technology and information
management teams work together to conduct an information and data management
maturity assessment and develop a future roadmap – this work should align with the
ECM work.
5.4 Customer Facing Projects
Website Replacement
This project is currently underway – led by the Communications Division. The project
will move the Town’s website to a hosted web platform (separating from the current
Newmarket partnership) and will see a redesign of the structure and look and feel of the
website. All content will be reviewed and recreated following a redesigned web style
guide to make content simpler and easier to understand and maintain. A suite of new
online services will be introduced with the new website, including online forms and
payments, newsletters, facility bookings, and tax certificate self-service.
CRM Expansion and Integration
The Town has a Customer Service Strategy, has established Access Aurora and has
implemented a core CRM solution (Dynamics). The Town is working on developing a
Customer Experience Plan which will guide
The Town will need to upgrade the CRM solution (determining whether to migrate to the
cloud-based Dynamics solution) and extend the use of the CRM across the Town.
Visualization of CRM
New Digital Services
Going forward a suite of new online services will be gradually introduced; these are
expected to include:
x An online knowledgebase;
x Live chat with Customer Service agents;
x Online service requests and request tracking (including CRM integration);
x Online building plans submission;
x Online building permit application and inspection booking;
x Online planning services.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 61 of 87
Attachment #1
54
6.The Workplan
The following section outlines the proposed initiatives, timing and budget impacts of the
recommendations.
6.1 Implementation Phases
Figure 17 outlines the recommended phasing of the Strategy.
2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Phase 1: New IT
Phase 2: Process Modernization
Phase 3: Optimization & Digital
Figure 17: Implementation Phases
6.1.1 Phase 1: Reset the Town’s Approach to Technology
Management: New IT
The Town must build the New IT Division, and then the team must quickly work to build
credibility. New IT needs to earn its way into becoming a partner to business units by
doing the basics right, working in a collaborative way, delivering enabling services,
building strong relationships and working with Governance to focus and demonstrate
progress. The Executive and Management of the Town must model and reinforce this
approach. Note that this is a pre-requisite to being successful with subsequent stages. If
this work is not done, or not done right, other work identified in Stage 2 and 3 is unlikely
to be successful or deliver anticipated benefits. Key activities include:
x Communicate effectively to all Town staff about the IT Strategy changes,
justification and expectations;
x Build the New IT Team;
o Formalize new mandate / roles and responsibilities;
o Hire to key roles (Supervisors, BA’s, SA’s);
o Move existing positions;
o Change the mindset / style / approach of IT – to be an enabling team.
x IT Manager to focus on IT relationship management and improving co-operation
and collaboration between business units and IT;
x Establish effective, transparent technology and digital governance that ties
together work in Tech, GIS, Solutions and Digital domains;
x Establish the foundations for a modernized work environment – based around
improved digital collaboration;
o Leverage tech savvy staff throughout the town by establishing a Digital
Savvy Network to provide input on IT needs and services, and to test new
capabilities;
o Pilot modern collaboration tools and solutions: e.g. Microsoft Teams –
plan for O365;
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 62 of 87
Attachment #1
55
o Implement short term fixes to improve mobile and remote working user
experience;
o Reset Town’s security approach to more effectively balance usability with
security;
x Deliver on Quick Win projects to demonstrate visible progress and momentum,
ensure a regular cadence of announcements around new services and solutions
(New Website, digital services, GIS platform, GIS and data visualization, full
network integration for tablet devices);
x Conduct strategic assessments and business cases around key topics (CRM,
Cloud, Mobility) – and set agreed directions;
x Implement IT service management improvements to improve consistency and
quality of IT services.
6.1.2 Phase 2: Business Process Modernization and Mobilization
Projects
Based on the establishment of a higher performing IT team, with new skills and
capabilities – particularly in the business solutions domain, the team can work with
Business units to advance the modernization and digitization of key Town processes.
Key activities will include:
x Workforce management (employee management processes);
x Financial management processes;
x Planning & Building processes;
x Asset and Work Management processes, including Mobile enablement;
x Service and case management processes (CRM) and integration to back office
and web;
x Modernized collaboration capabilities and Enterprise Content Management.
6.1.3 Phase 3: Optimization and Digital Services
As core processes become digitized, then the Town’s attention can shift more towards
process optimization; using data from the digitized processes to understand trends,
policy impacts, productivity and efficiency; using this data to inform service, process or
workforce changes. Furthermore, with back-office processes digitized, end-to-end
online services that allow customers to be able to transact with the Town on the web
can be implemented. Key activities will include:
x Ongoing process optimization / continuous improvement – based on data and
geo-analytics and visualization;
x Online permitting;
x Online planning;
x Online licensing;
x Expanded online forms and payments (including back end integration).
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 63 of 87
Attachment #1566.2 Work PlanThe following table outlines all recommended initiatives, suggested timeframes and potential budget impacts. Note that a number of initiatives are flagged as “Quick Wins” which the Town can begin work on in the immediate term.N/S = Not Started, I/P = In Progress, R= Recurring Operating Cost, * = Previously identified in 10-year capital budgeti= Identified in 2019 budgetCatPhaseQuick Win?InitiativeStat.DescriptionOp.Cap.20192020202120222023Gov 1 X Set up dedicated time with ELT for quarterly ELT IT briefingsN/S Quarterly briefings should be scheduled with ELT for the IT team to provide an update on Strategy progress- - XXXXXGov 1ITGG (Information Technology Governance Group)N/S Set up new ITGG with members selected, terms of reference created, meetings scheduled and operational- - XXXXXGov 1 X IT sign-off on all items related to technology going forward to ELT or CouncilN/S Establish IT review and sign-off on any technology recommendations going forward from business units to ELT or Council--XGov 1IT Strategy – IT Annual ReportN/S An annual report (starting in 2020) for ELT and Council to be provided by IT Manager, Director of Corporate Services and CAO to report on IT Strategy implementation progress and success measures identified for the strategy- - XXXXGov 1 X Review and agree technology intake processI/P Work with ITGG to agree technology (web, technology, business solution, GIS) project intake process to align with recommended approach and with multi-year business planning process--XGov 1Finance and HRIS Steering CommitteeN/S Establish a joint working team to oversee planned HR / Finance projects and the important integration between both and the planned evolution of solutions--XXGeneral Committee Meeting Agenda Tuesday, November 19, 2019 Item R1 Page 64 of 87
Attachment #157CatPhaseQuick Win?InitiativeStat.DescriptionOp.Cap.20192020202120222023Gov 1CityView Steering CommitteeN/S Establish a joint working team, initially with Building, Planning, Engineering and IT Division staff to coordinate the CityView workplan and priorities-- XGov 1Information and Data Management Steering CommitteeN/S Establish a joint working team, with Clerks, IT staff and business unit representatives to coordinate the Information and Data programs, with an initial focus on the ECM workplan and priorities-- XGov 1Asset/Work Management Steering CommitteeN/S Establish a joint working team, with PW, Parks, Engineering and AM and IT to coordinate the review and expansion of the asset and work management systems-- XGov 1GIS Steering CommitteeN/S Establish a joint working team to coordinate the GIS work plan--XGov 1Web and Digital Steering CommitteeN/S Establish a joint working team to coordinate the Web and Digital work plan--XGov 1Technology Standards TeamN/S Establish a team (likely staffed by IT supervisors and experts from within IT) to set / establish standards that are recommended forward to ITGG for endorsement.-- XGov 1Policy Framework N/S Review with ITGG the proposed policy framework and bring forward individual policies for approval and implementation--XGov 1Acceptable Use of Technology PolicyN/S Revise Acceptable Use policy, get approval and implement--XGov 1Information Security PolicyN/S Create updated Information Security Policy, get approval and implement-- XGov 1IT Governance Policy N/S A policy stating how technology decisions, standards are taken-- XGov 2Mobility Policy N/S Create after strategy is complete- -XGeneral Committee Meeting Agenda Tuesday, November 19, 2019 Item R1 Page 65 of 87
Attachment #158CatPhaseQuick Win?InitiativeStat.DescriptionOp.Cap.20192020202120222023GovCloud Computing PolicyN/S Create after assessment is complete - -XGov 1Privacy Policy N/S Could be included in InfoSec Policy but should be separate-- XGov 1Backups/Restores PolicyN/S Ensure policy and procedures are documented-- XGov 1Disaster Recovery PolicyN/S Create after strategy is complete- -XGov 1Information Security StrategyN/S Recommended by PGC and an independent security consultant- 20,000 XOrg 1Communicate IT Strategy to the corporationN/S IT Manager to work with Communications Division to develop a communications plan for the Technology Strategy--XXOrg 1IT Division – Staff Change Management Support PlanN/S Develop a Change Management Plan to assist in communicating to the organization and to staff impacted the planned organizational changes and supporting all through the changes- 10,000 XOrg 1Implement recommended organizational changes to IT DivisionN/S Implement recommended organizational changes with existing staff-TBDXXOrg 1 X Create and hire 2 new supervisor positionsiN/S Create a supervisory role for each of the 3 proposed teams by leveraging the existing supervisory position and hiring 2 new supervisors’ positionsc/f 2019budget request-XOrg 1 X Move existing positions into ITN/S Existing roles moved into the IT Division from existing teams (GIS, WAM) – to be part of the Business Solutions team. Dependent upon the hiring of the Business Solutions supervisor--XOrg 1Change management support / IT Division team buildingN/S External support to help facilitate team building within IT30,000 X X X X X
General Committee Meeting Agenda Tuesday, November 19, 2019 Item R1 Page 66 of 87
Attachment #159CatPhaseQuick Win?InitiativeStat.DescriptionOp.Cap.20192020202120222023Org 1 X IT Team Building N/S Work on developing a strong team mindset, ethos and approach within the new IT team- 10,000 per year for 3 yearsXXXOrg 1Hire Solutions Analyst N/S As per proposed strategy – to build out the solutions capabilities of the team90,000(R)-XOrg 1Hire Solutions Analyst N/S As per proposed strategy – to build out the solutions capabilities of the team90,000(R)-XOrg 1Implement Managed Security ServicesN/S Transition security responsibilities to Supervisor of Infrastructure and Service Desk and secure services of a Security Managed Services provider50,000(R)-XXOrg 2Hire Solutions Analyst or Business Analyst (role TBD depending upon requirements agreed at the time)N/S As per proposed strategy – to build out the solutions capabilities of the team90,000(R)-XOrg 2Capital funding for Contract Project ResourcesN/S Ensure that the practice of budgeting for required resourcing is built into capital project requests. Establish with HR the ability to contract in staff on 1 year or longer basis to support project deliveryTBD (as part of capital projects)- XXXXOrg 1Vendor of Record /RosterN/S For core services in which the Town will use external service providers to assist in delivery of programs (security, GIS,business solutions). It is suggested that the Town establish vendor of record or roster models (procurement vehicles) to support out-tasking work as required-TBD XXOrg 1Introduce Co-op / Intern ProgramN/S Develop a co-op and summer intern program to add capacity to the IT Division and to bring in digital native team members with energy30,000(R)- XXXX
General Committee Meeting Agenda Tuesday, November 19, 2019 Item R1 Page 67 of 87
Attachment #160CatPhaseQuick Win?InitiativeStat.DescriptionOp.Cap.20192020202120222023Org 1 X Digital Savvy Network N/S Establish a group (through identification and by actively seeking volunteers) to participate in a Digital Savvy group to advise and provide input on the modernization of IT services and solutions.0-XOrg 1 X Digital Education ProgramN/S Digital education program for leadership team to increase level of digital awareness and readiness for change- 25,000 X XITS1 X Agile Working and Project Teams N/S Adopt Agile (MVP, iterative, sprints, scrum) approach to projects and solutions work where suitable – requires training and education for teams around Agile methodologies- - XXXXXITS1 X IT Service Reviews N/S A regular (bi-monthly) review process with each Director and business unit leads led by the IT Manager to review work plans, IT service performance, issues and opportunities- - XXXXXITS1IT service management toolsN/S Determine plan for use / expansion of existing TrackIt! tool and expansion--XITS1 Incident and problem management processesN/S Formalize incident and problem management handling processes; digitize into TrackIt!-- XITS1 Change management processesN/S Implement a formalized change management process; digitize into TrackIt!-- XITS1 IT asset management N/S Standardize on the tool / tracking of all IT assets in TrackIt!-- XXITS1 Knowledge managementN/S Build and share a common knowledgebase with users-- XBus 2 X Electronic Plans Review - MarkupN/S Implement a consistent tool for handling markup of digital drawings to be adopted corporate wide. Project led by Building as a primary user, but to involve key 15,000(R)85,000 X X
General Committee Meeting Agenda Tuesday, November 19, 2019 Item R1 Page 68 of 87
Attachment #161CatPhaseQuick Win?InitiativeStat.DescriptionOp.Cap.20192020202120222023stakeholders, including Engineering, Planning, Fire, etc.Includes ability for applicants to submit digital plans electronically using the CityView portalBus 2CityView Upgrade * N/S CityView version upgrade- 10 Yr. Capital Budget92,100 XBus 2CityView: Online Building Permit Applications and TrackingN/S Ability for applicants to submit application and track application progress online, beginning first with simpler application types (decks, signs, etc.) before scaling up to larger, more complex application types10,000(R)50,000 X X XBus 3CityView: Online Inspection BookingN/S Ability for applicants to book inspections online(incl. in above costs)XBus 2Planning Process Review and RedesignReview and streamline planning processes from a Digital-First mindset75,000 XBus 2Implement new Planning Processes into CityViewN/S Implement changes in CityView digital process management to reflect changes to planning process20,000X XBus 2CityView: Engineering ProcessesN/S Integrate Engineering process management related to Development Approval (e.g. Lot Grading) into CityView to improve end-to-end process efficiency--XBus 3CityView: Planning OnlineN/S Ability to receive some applications online (e.g. Committee of Adjustment)(incl. in online buildingpermit costs)XXGeneral Committee Meeting Agenda Tuesday, November 19, 2019 Item R1 Page 69 of 87
Attachment #162CatPhaseQuick Win?InitiativeStat.DescriptionOp.Cap.20192020202120222023Bus 1 XHRMS – Phase 1iI/P Selection and implementation of core HRIS modules, including employee records, time and attendance, applicant tracking and learning management.TBD(R)In 2019 Budget250,000XXBus 2HRMS – Phase 2 & 3*N/S Subsequent HR project phases to implement additional HR Management system capabilitiesTBD(R)In 202010 Yr. Capital Plan50,000XXBus 2Maximo System Review and RoadmapN/S Undertake a review of the existing system with the intent developing and executing a go forward Strategy/Roadmap that identifies the timing and process for rolling out Maximo across the entire organization.- 25,000 X XBus 2Business Process Automation and StreamliningN/S Following the roadmap, work with teams to implement small incremental process enhancements leveraging the Town’s Asset and Work Management System (Maximo) – focusing on user experience and simplified mobile interactions- Est. 200,000XXXXXBus 2 X Maximo – GIS 2 Way integration and Collector to Maximo integrationN/S Enable 2-way data flow integration between Maximo and Town’s GIS. Enable the integration of data captured in solutions like Collector and 123 Survey to be passed between GIS and Maximo and pursue a hybrid GIS/Maximo approach that provides a simplified User Experience for field-based workers through GIS based solutions.- 10,000 XBus 2Maximo Mobile N/S Broadly rollout Maximo mobile (Maximo Everyplace) to support mobile Maximo use in a hybrid mode with GIS collector solution-TBD XXX
General Committee Meeting Agenda Tuesday, November 19, 2019 Item R1 Page 70 of 87
Attachment #163CatPhaseQuick Win?InitiativeStat.DescriptionOp.Cap.20192020202120222023Bus 2 X Maximo visualization of assets (GIS) and inspections (Collector)N/S Leverage ArcGIS Online based dashboards to visualize operational data spatially-- XBus 2ECM / Collaboration StrategyN/S Review current and future content collaboration and management needs in the context of existing solutions –Intranet (SharePoint), Laserfiche, File Shares, Kiteworks and future collaboration capabilities of modern solutions such as Microsoft Teams before determining future strategies in each of these areas. Work with the Digital Savvy Network and key players to determine an agreed cohesive path forward.- 30,000 XBus 2ECM Workplan ExecutionN/S Implement recommended plans with regard to Intranet, Collaboration environment, Laserfiche and File Shares as recommended by the strategyTBD(R)TBDX X XBus 2AIMS (Parking Replacement)iI/P Selection and implementation of a new parking management systemTBD(R)In 2019 budgetXXBus 2Finance System AssessmentI/P Engage consultant to support the review of replacement options for current Finance systems- 30,000XBus 2Finance System replacementN/S Potential implementation of new Finance systemTBD(R)$1 – 5millionXBus 2Payment handling and POS review and integration strategyN/S Review Payment handling and POS requirements and determine strategy for customer present and online payment processing, including systems integrationTBD(R)TBDX XBus 2Meeting Management Phase 2N/S Remaining functions to be rolled out as a follow on to the initial Meeting Management launchTBD(R)TBD X
General Committee Meeting Agenda Tuesday, November 19, 2019 Item R1 Page 71 of 87
Attachment #164CatPhaseQuick Win?InitiativeStat.DescriptionOp.Cap.20192020202120222023Infra1 Printer Fleet ReplacementiI/P RFP closed and rollout plannedIn 2019 budget(R)In 2019 budgetXInfra1 JOC Expansion * I/P Network expansion to support JOC expansion10 Yr capital budget 10,000XInfra1 Infrastructure upgrades and ever-greening program *Program of infrastructure upgrades and asset lifecycle management10 Yr capital budgetXXXXXInfra1 Evergreening of user devices - desktop, laptops, mobile devices *N/S Increase in the types of device choices available to management and staff, review lifecycle for devices (industry standard is 3-4 year lifecycle), increase focus on laptop or mobile device provisioning – target 75% of fleet to be laptop / tablet devices10 Yr capital budget4XXXXXInfra2 Access Aurora Telephony *N/S Upgrades to support Access Aurora telephony requirements10 Yr. capital 211,800XXInfra2 Telephony / Unified Communications AssessmentN/S A complete review of telephony and unified communications requirements is recommended – this should be in the context of potential O365 capabilities25,000XInfra2 Telephony / Unified Communications implementationN/S Implementation of telephony / UC strategyTBD10 Yr. Capital Budget85,000XXInfra1 Data assessment (including considering N/S The Town should review existing data to determine suitable strategies to 10,000 X410-year capital is currently under-funded to meet an industry standard lifecycleGeneral Committee Meeting Agenda Tuesday, November 19, 2019 Item R1 Page 72 of 87
Attachment #165CatPhaseQuick Win?InitiativeStat.DescriptionOp.Cap.20192020202120222023potential archiving solutions)optimizing storage requirements (e.g. consider archiving stale content over 2 or 3 years old)Infra1 File storage solution replacements (SAN, fileservers, archives) *N/S Based on data assessment results, the Town can determine a suitable future data storage solution100k (10 Yr. Capital Plan)XXInfra1 Mobility Strategy N/S IT Division to lead, with strong collaboration with mobile business units the establishment of the Town’s mobility strategy (devices, connectivity, security model, apps) 00 XInfra1 Remote working –user experience review and plan (short term)N/S Review of current User Experience with users and determine short term plan of action for improvements to user experienceTBD TBD X XInfra2 Remote working –user experience long term planLong term plans for improvements to remote working to support more active adoption of remote / home working at the TownTBD TBDX XInfra1 Board and meeting room technology *N/S Equipping boardrooms with TV’s and conference calling capabilities to support modern digital meetings-10 Yr Capital Budget (330,000) –30,000for 3 years5XXXInfra1 Town Hall Data Centre Monitoring SystemsN/S Implementing security camera, heat sensor and alerting system for Town Hall Data Centre- 10,000 X5Suggest significant reduction in 10-year capital budget (330,000) for equipping boardrooms with digital technology – scale down to TV, Clickshare and Audio Conference capable handset.General Committee Meeting Agenda Tuesday, November 19, 2019 Item R1 Page 73 of 87
Attachment #166CatPhaseQuick Win?InitiativeStat.DescriptionOp.Cap.20192020202120222023Infra1 Corporate Wi-Fi review and strategyConduct a review of currently available services, needed services and present options to leadership team for direction- 10,000 X XInfra2 Corporate Wi-Fi maintenance and expansion *N/S Maintenance and expansion of City’s private Wi-Fi network at City facilities.-10 Yr Capital Budget 20,500XXInfra2 Outdoor Wi-Fi I/P Extending Wi-Fi into parks, recreation areas and other civic facilities (TBD, dependent on Wi-Fi strategy)-TBD XXInfra1 Third-Party Security AssessmentN/S A full third-party security assessment should be conducted at least every 2 years25,000 (bi-annual)-XXXInfra1 Business Continuity/Disaster Recovery StrategyN/S The Town requires a formalized Business Continuity Plan and Disaster Recovery strategy before it implements any further DR technical capabilities- 25,000 XInfra2BC / DR implementationImplementation of DR capabilities based on BCP and DR plansTBD(R)TBD X XInfra1 X Office365 Pilot N/S Working with the IT Team and Digital Savvy Network to test Office365 capabilities (including Skype, SharePoint Online, OneDrive, Teams). Scope of pilot and phasing of pilot activities to be defined.- 20,000 X XInfra1 Office365 Cost/Benefit Analysis and planN/S To look at the costs and benefits of moving the Town as a whole to Office365- 20,000 XInfra2 Office365 Migration N/S Migration to Office365 (email, office products, teams, etc.)-TBD XInfra1 Cloud Policy and FrameworkN/S Establish the Town’s position and requirements for Cloud services- 20,000 X1Cloud Readiness assessment andStrategyAssess services that could be candidates for future migration to the XXGeneral Committee Meeting Agenda Tuesday, November 19, 2019 Item R1 Page 74 of 87
Attachment #167CatPhaseQuick Win?InitiativeStat.DescriptionOp.Cap.20192020202120222023cloud and develop a Roadmap and strategy for their migrationInt & D1XArcGIS Online / Portal GIS Architecture and implementationN/S Develop modern architecture for enterprise GIS (ArcGIS Portal and ArcGIS Online) that supports internal and external web mapping (and which addresses security requirements) and implement- 25,000 X XInt & D1 X FME Server implementationiN/S Implement FME server to support data conversion and spatial ETL activities- In 2019 budgetXXInt & D1XMaximo –GIS 2 Way integration and Collector to Maximo integrationN/S Extend the existing geo-integration to support 2-way data flow and configure a standardized integration that allows for data captured in Collector or Survey 123 solutions to flow into Maximo- 10,000 XInt & D1 Collector expansion programI/P Expansion of the use of Collector as an easy to use field-based solution for inspections and data capture- - XXXXXInt & D2 York Region Data FederationN/S Dependent upon the implementation of the modernized ArcGIS architecture, setup federated data sharing with York Region and neighbouring municipalities-- XInt & D2 Internal Web GIS –Self Service AppsN/S Using the modern ArcGIS Architecture configure a series of self-service GIS apps, enabling non-GIS staff to self-serve to mapping solutions. Examples include Planning Report, Planning App status map, - - XXXXInt & D1, 2, 3X Geo-dashboards for CRM, CityView and MaximoN/S Implement ArcGIS Online based dashboards to visualize operational data in core business systems spatially. This will involve the creation of spatial views from source databases to allow for visualization- - XXXXX
General Committee Meeting Agenda Tuesday, November 19, 2019 Item R1 Page 75 of 87
Attachment #168CatPhaseQuick Win?InitiativeStat.DescriptionOp.Cap.20192020202120222023Int & D1 X Property Report App N/SA search by address toolto find relevant information about a property (useful for staff and public)-- XInt & D3 Geo-based Drawing Management solutionN/S Implement town wide consistent geo-based drawing management solution for all town drawings-- XXInt & D2 Public Web Mapping solution(s)N/S Public facing web mapping capabilities (galleries, map embeds, storymaps, etc.), based on modern ArcGIS platform- - XXXXInt & D2 Information Management / Data Management Maturity Assessment and RoadmapN/S Conduct a review and determine the roadmap for data and information management practices- 50,000 XInt & D2 Business Intelligence StrategyN/S Develop a plan for the development of Business Intelligence and corporate reporting capabilities-- XInt & D3 BI solutions implementationN/S Implementation and evolution of BI and dashboarding solutionsTBD(R)TBD X X XCust 2CRM stabilization iI/P 2019 work plan for solidifying the current use of the CRM system in existing areas of use (--XCust 2 X CRM / GIS data visualizationN/S Self-service dashboards to support visualization, reporting and analysis of all CRM case types (e.g. animal services requests, sod complaints, etc.)--XXCust 2CRM Upgrade N/S Determine the upgrade path for Dynamics product (on premise vs. cloud) and implement upgradeTBD(R)TBD X XCust 2CRM expansion N/S Expansion of CRM into new business areas (e.g. transportation, communications, recreation)-- XXCust 2CRM Back Office Integration - EmailN/S Implementation of email integration to CRM to allow for the auto-creation of cases from email contacts with the town TBD(R)15,000XGeneral Committee Meeting Agenda Tuesday, November 19, 2019 Item R1 Page 76 of 87
Attachment #169CatPhaseQuick Win?InitiativeStat.DescriptionOp.Cap.20192020202120222023(e.g. info@aurora.caor animalservices@aurora.ca)Cust 2CRM Back Office Integration – Work & Asset ManagementN/S Implement an integration between CRM and work management system to reduce duplicate data entry, support mobile working and digitize end to end processTBD(R)10,000X XCust 3CRM Integration to WebsiteN/S Support ability to submit and track Service RequestsTBD(R)15,000X XCust 1 X Website redesign and relaunch – Phase 1iI/P Relaunch website on new platform, with new design and new digital services including forms, newsletters, online payments, In 2019 budget(R)In 2019 budgetXCust 2Ongoing web product evolution N/S Introduction of new digital services, including consideration of knowledgebase and Live Chat for customer service, increased personalization of the websiteTBD(R)TBD XXXCust 3Digital Services expansionN/S Expansion and integration of digital services requiring back office system integration (e.g. CityView portal)TBD(R)TBD XXXX
General Committee Meeting Agenda Tuesday, November 19, 2019 Item R1 Page 77 of 87
Attachment #1
70
6.3 Success Measures
The following Success Measures should be tracked and reported as part of an annual
Technology Strategic Plan progress report provided by the CAO, Director of Corporate
Services and the IT Manager to ELT and Council.
Note that some measures may not be available in 2019, because additional work or
process changes will be required to gather required data, but over the course of the
strategy these measures will become available.
ID Measure Description How to Measure
IT Services
1 Staff satisfaction with IT
services
Monitor levels of satisfaction with IT
services, expecting to see increased
levels of satisfaction with services
associated with corresponding changes
to services and approach.
Annual IT Survey &
ITSM Service
Request closure
surveys
2 Management satisfaction with
IT services (survey)
Same as above Annual IT Survey
3 # of technology projects
completed
Intent is to track throughput of projects.
The goal is to increase the number of
projects being delivered along with
increasing the quality of delivery
IT Portfolio
Management
4 # of education / training
sessions
Track the number of digital / education
units delivered / received by staff
New HR / IT
processes
Process Digitization
5 % of internal processes that
are digitized by business unit
Intent is to monitor the proportion of
business processes per business unit
that have been completely digitized
Build inventory and
maintain
assessment of
services and
processes that are
digitized
6 # of employee self-service
transactions (HRIS; Finance
Systems)
Intent is to monitor uptake of self-
service transactions in the HR and
Finance systems.
Reporting from
systems to identify
self-service vs. HR
administrated
processes
7 # of self-service mapping
sessions
Intent is to monitor the adoption of self-
service mapping and data analytics
Reporting from GIS
systems
Mobile Working
8 # of mobile enabled staff Intent to monitor and demonstrate
growth in the mobile working group
IT Asset Reporting
9 % of mobile workers that are
actively using mobile
technology
Intent to monitor active use of tools by
mobile workers
IT Asset and
Business Solutions
Reporting
Digital Services
10 # of online / digital services
offered by the Town
Intent is to monitor the expansion of
online services
Manual track of the
number of online
services available
11 % of Town Services offered
that are Digital/Online
Intent is to monitor growth in digital /
online service availability as a
proportion of the total service portfolio
Build inventory of
Town services and
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 78 of 87
Attachment #1
71
ID Measure Description How to Measure
compare to digital
offering
12 # of Online Transactions per
quarter
Intent is to monitor overall uptake of the
digital service channel
Web and individual
service reporting
Modern Collaboration Tools
13 Staff Satisfaction with
Collaboration capabilities
Intent is to monitor staff satisfaction
with new/modern collaboration
capabilities provided
Annual Survey
14 # of Digital Meeting sessions Intent is to monitor uptake of modern
‘digital meeting’ capabilities
Gross reporting on
the number of digital
meeting sessions
per quarter / annual
15 % of device fleet that is a
laptop or tablet vs. desktop
Intent is to monitor the availability to
staff of modern, mobile collaboration
capabilities
IT Asset Reporting
16 % of staff that are equipped to
work from home
Intent is to monitor availability of flexible
working options
IT Asset Reporting
17 # of staff days worked at
home per quarter
Intent is to monitor uptake of flexible
working options
May require new
reporting in
timesheets to gather
information
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 79 of 87
Attachment #1
72
7.Summary of Recommendations
7.1 Key Recommendations
The Town’s CAO, Director of Corporate Services and Executive team must:
1) Recognize the current situation identified by the current state assessment and
acknowledge the need to urgently address long-standing deficiencies
2) Credibly sponsor, lead and reinforce the implementation of the organizational,
process and cultural changes recommended within this strategy
The key recommendations are that:
3) The Town must reset and establish a new technology delivery model, built
around partnership and founded upon collaboration, co-operation, and
coordination. This means:
a. A new, elevated role and mandate for the IT Division - with a particular
expansion of the role to focus on Business Solutions;
b. Stronger IT leadership, with IT leadership involvement at ELT;
c. A re-organized IT Division made up of 3 teams each managed by a
supervisor (two new supervisors positions as requested in the 2019
budget and one existing supervisor position);
d. Moving GIS and business solutions management resources (WAM) that
are currently based in business units into the IT Division;
e. Progressively adding new resources to the IT Division over the next three
years to address gaps in capacity and capability in Solutions Analyst and
Business Analyst roles.
4) In parallel with changes to the IT organization, the Town must clearly define
business units’ roles with regard to technology. This means that:
a. Directors and Managers in business units must become more tech-savvy
so that they can lead business transformation powered by technology - a
digital education program is planned;
b. Business units must take stronger ownership of transformation powered
by technology, responsibility for the design of business processes and
services, must lead change management and adoption efforts and be
Directly Responsible for overall project and product success;
c. Communications will take the lead for the web and digital program and
strategy but will work in partnership with IT, Customer Service and other
stakeholders to deliver the program.
5) The Town must implement a revitalized IT Governance Model to transparently
align, coordinate and prioritize ALL work in the technology domain (technology,
solutions, data and integration and web and digital);
6) The Town should reset its current approach to information security to ensure that
there is an appropriate balance of usability with risk management. It is
recommended that the Town work with a third-party service to achieve this goal;
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 80 of 87
Attachment #1
73
7) The IT Division should implement a series of improvements to IT service delivery
to improve the quality and consistency of services.
A series of major projects and initiatives are identified, these include:
8) The implementation of a modernized digital workplace environment, including
a. Updates to email and messaging;
b. Telephony and communication;
c. Project workspaces;
d. Collaborative document sharing and editing;
e. Online / web meetings;
f. Simpler remote and mobile working;
g. Modernization of board and meeting rooms.
9) Implementation of a series of key business solutions (process digitization)
projects, including:
a. HRIS / Workforce Management solution;
b. CityView expansion to implement the digital plan and build vision;
c. Maximo expansion / re-implementation to support Asset and Work
Management needs;
d. CRM enhancements;
e. Financial system replacement.
10)Major expanded adoption of mobile working for field staff - built around CityView,
GIS, Maximo and CRM;
11)Major expansion of the GIS and Business Intelligence programs to expand the
use of data, analytics;
12)Expansion / full leverage of the CRM system as a corporate-wide case
management solution;
13)New Town website and growth in the availability of digital services;
14)Introduction of new digital services, such as online permitting, planning, licensing.
Finally, a staged implementation is recommended:
15)The Town should adopt a staged approach to implementation which identifies
three discrete phases.
a. Phase 1 - New IT: First, before anything else can be achieved, the Town
must reset the technology management model and establish a more
collaborative environment;
b. Phase 2 - Process Digitization and Mobilization: Next, the Town must
focus on digitization of its core business processes (HR, Planning,
Permitting, Asset and Work Management, Finance) taking the opportunity
to streamline and simplify aging paper-based processes;
c. Phase 3 - Optimization through Data and Digital Services: Building upon
the digitization of processes, the Town can focus on offering new digital
services and using the data from process digitization to become a data-
driven organization.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 81 of 87
Attachment #1
74
Appendix 1: Glossary of Terms
While this report is written in as plain language as possible, a handful of technical terms and
acronyms are used. This glossary is provided to help the reader understand the terms used.
Agile:Agile is an iterative approach to project management and solution development
Back-Office: An office or department where work is carried out to support the business of an
organization, rather than being customer focused.
BI (Business Intelligence):This refers to technologies, applications and practices for the
collection, integration, analysis and reporting of business information, and is designed to
support better business decision-making.
BIA:Business Impact Assessment – an assessment that considers the potential impact of a
disaster situation or loss of service on business operations
CityView: The Town’s Permits, Planning and Licensing solution
Cloud: A general term for systems and data that are not located on the organization’s premises.
Access to these systems and data is achieved through the Internet.
CRM: Customer Relationship Management system – a generic system for case management
that can be used for handling customer enquiries
Digital: This term refers to a mindset, mode of operating, and delivery of services that takes
advantage of modern technologies (web, app, social, mobile, data). These deliver improved
experiences, business efficiencies and insights.
Digitized: This term means the automation of manual and paper-based processes, enabled by
the digitization of information and workflows. Moving from an analog (often paper based)
process to a computerized process.
DR/BC (Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity):A set of policies, procedures and practices
that are designed to assist an organization recover from a significant IT failure
ECM: Enterprise Content Management system – designed to provide document and record
management capabilities
ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning):A system that is designed to address business
requirements across the whole organization (JD Edwards for example)
GIS (Geographical Information Systems):Systems designed to capture and report on all
types of geographical data, including spatial data.
HRMS:Human Resources Management System – corporate wide system for managing the
workforce
Infrastructure Architecture:The hardware, software and other systems that comprise an
organization’s technology assets used to deliver IT services.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 82 of 87
Attachment #1
75
ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library): A set of detailed practices for
delivering IT services
ITSM (Information Technology Service Management): The standards and processes used to
define how IT delivers services.
Maximo: The Town’s Work and Asset Management system
MTA: Municipal Technology Architecture – Perry Group’s generalized architecture used for
assessing municipal technology environments
PMO (Project Management Office):A group that defines and maintains project management
standards for an organization. (PMO-Lite is a less onerous version that still allows standards but
is not as formal)
PPM (Project Portfolio Management):The centralized management of all projects, potential
and existing, to facilitate resource management, project delivery and status reporting.
SAN (Storage Area Network): A dedicated high-speed device that interconnects and presents
shared pools of storage devices to multiple servers.
Vadim (iCity): The Town’s Finance system
VOIP: Voice over Internet Protocol – modern telephony systems sharing computer networks
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 83 of 87
Town of Aurora
Capital Projects
Project
Department
Version Year
14075 Business Process Automation and Data Integration
Corporate Services
Final Approved Budget 2020
Description
TARGET START DATE AND END DATE: Use format Q4 2017 - Q1 2018
Project conditionally approved as per Budget Committee on October 5, 2019
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
Provide a brief overview of the project and include the key goals, objectives and performance measures.
To secure the necessary funding to implement the business process automation and data integration workplan projects as
identified in the 5 year Technology Strategic Plan.
PROJECT JUSTIFICATION/CAPITAL SERVICE LEVEL IMPACT:
Provide the reasons the project should be approved and what will be the impact of the project to service levels.
The Town must focus on digitization of its core business processes (HR, Planning, Permitting, Asset and Work Management,
Finance) taking the opportunity to streamline, modernize and simplify aging traditional paper-based processes. This step is
critical and once completed will allow for greater access to services and improve service levels by providing end-to-end digital
services.
PROJECT BENEFITS:
Explain the benefits of the project which could include Citizen/Client, compliance, financial, internal, learning & growth or utility benefits.
When processes are digitized into robust business solutions, all necessary transaction processing like workflows, tasks,
notifications, quality checks and validation and approvals can be carried out digitally and can happen anywhere. Once
completed, digitized end-to-end business processes will provide for an easy to use online digital alternative for citizens to
leverage and will improve internal collaboration and visibility of processes throughout the Town.
IMPACT TO THE ORGANIZATION IF THE PROJECT WAS NOT APPROVED:
Please provide an explanation of what the outcomes would be if the project was not approved.
Digitization of our core business processes is essential for providing improved end-to-end digital services for our residents. If
not approved, we would maintain the status quo as it pertains to our current processes and would restrict the ability to deliver
exceptional services and therefore not meet the Town's Mission or Vision of a being a progressive community.
Budget
Future202520232022202120202024Total
Expenditures
Estimated Expenditures
CONTRACTS 105,000 145,500 50,000300,500
300,500 105,000 145,500 50,000
300,500 105,000 145,500 50,000Expenditures Total
Funding
Infrastructure Sustainability Reserves
COMPUTER RELATED EQUIP R&R 105,000 145,500 50,000300,500
300,500 105,000 145,500 50,000
300,500 105,000 145,500 50,000Funding Total
Total Over (Under) Funded
Attachment #2
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 84 of 87
Town of Aurora
Capital Projects
Project
Department
Version Year
13023 Access Aurora Telephony Project
Corporate Services
Final Approved Budget 2020
Description
TARGET START DATE AND END DATE: Use format Q4 2017 - Q1 2018
Conditionally approved as per Budget Committee on October 5, 2019.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
Provide a brief overview of the project and include the key goals, objectives and performance measures.
To conduct a full telephony and unified communications assessment. This review would include: analysis of the current phone
vectors (approximately 30+) to determine redundancy and to develop a road map for future desired state that includes the
ability to populate and integrate data from our telephony system within the Access Aurora call centre. This assessment will
examine all available solutions, including cloud-based options and consider the impacts of the Town's Office 365 strategy.
PROJECT JUSTIFICATION/CAPITAL SERVICE LEVEL IMPACT:
Provide the reasons the project should be approved and what will be the impact of the project to service levels.
A complete review of telephony and unified communication requirements has been recommended to support the changing
needs of our residents and to leverage technology modernization. This project would include leveraging business process
improvements as an outcome of the assessment that would improve service delivery and efficiency for our Access Aurora call
centre and other staff.
PROJECT BENEFITS:
Explain the benefits of the project which could include Citizen/Client, compliance, financial, internal, learning & growth or utility benefits.
If the town is to be more modern, digital organization allows simple and easy collaboration for staff by enabling staff to do their
best work using the tools best suited to the job. This includes team messaging and chat, allowing co-workers to connect and
interact in real time. The goal to provide a modernized digital telephony environment serving the needs of our residents and
staff.
IMPACT TO THE ORGANIZATION IF THE PROJECT WAS NOT APPROVED:
Please provide an explanation of what the outcomes would be if the project was not approved.
If not approved, status quo would remain and improvements to our services would not be achieved. This would hamper the
workplace modernization and service improvement efforts identified in the Technology Strategic Plan.
Budget
Future202520232022202120202024Total
Expenditures
Estimated Expenditures
CONSULTING 51,20051,200
CONTRACTS 160,600160,600
211,800 51,200 160,600
211,800 51,200 160,600Expenditures Total
Funding
Other Funding Sources
GROWTH & NEW RES CONT'N 51,200 160,600211,800
211,800 51,200 160,600
211,800 51,200 160,600Funding Total
Total Over (Under) Funded
Attachment #3
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 85 of 87
Town of Aurora
Capital Projects
Project
Department
Version Year
14076 Digital Education Program
Corporate Services
Final Approved Budget 2020
Description
TARGET START DATE AND END DATE: Use format Q4 2017 - Q1 2018
Conditionally approved as per Budget Committee on October 5, 2019.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
Provide a brief overview of the project and include the key goals, objectives and performance measures.
To become a more tech savvy organization that appropriately leverages technology, the leaders of the Town need to
understand technology, the potential of digital and how to successfully implement technology and digital enabled change. This
program will benefit staff by raising the technology threshold as it pertains to implementing digital and technology driven
change. Technology and digital thinking needs to be at the heart of business strategies for each business leader.
PROJECT JUSTIFICATION/CAPITAL SERVICE LEVEL IMPACT:
Provide the reasons the project should be approved and what will be the impact of the project to service levels.
To be an effective and efficient municipality, it is imperative that we have effective, integrated technology underpinning and
powering the organization. High quality customer service, operational efficiency and staff productivity depend on it.
Moving from paper-based to digitized processes involves persistent organization as well as technological change for each
business unit. This transformation allows work practices and processes to change, customer interaction to change, job roles and
expectations change as a result of the implementation.
PROJECT BENEFITS:
Explain the benefits of the project which could include Citizen/Client, compliance, financial, internal, learning & growth or utility benefits.
To provide management and senior leaders a digital education training program emphasizing digital awareness and readiness for
digital organizational transformational change. This will provide leadership with foundational knowledge on core digital topics, to
fully understand and embrace the potential of technology aligning the leadership and preparing for the upcoming digital process
transformation.
IMPACT TO THE ORGANIZATION IF THE PROJECT WAS NOT APPROVED:
Please provide an explanation of what the outcomes would be if the project was not approved.
This program was recommended by the Technology consultants as part of the overall Technology Strategic Plan
implementation. If not approved, changes cannot be made that will enable change.
Budget
Future202520232022202120202024Total
Expenditures
Estimated Expenditures
CONTRACTS 25,00025,000
25,000 25,000
25,000 25,000Expenditures Total
Funding
Other Funding Sources
GROWTH & NEW RES CONT'N 25,00025,000
25,000 25,000
25,000 25,000Funding Total
Total Over (Under) Funded
Attachment #4
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 86 of 87
Town of Aurora
Capital Projects
Project
Department
Version Year
14073 Information Technology Strategic Plan Implementation - Studies and Other
Corporate Services
Final Approved Budget 2020
Description
TARGET START DATE AND END DATE: Use format Q4 2017 - Q1 2018
Conditionally approved as per Budget Committee on October 5, 2019
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
Provide a brief overview of the project and include the key goals, objectives and performance measures.
To secure the necessary funding to implement the studies and other workplan items as identified in the 5 year Technology
Strategic Plan
PROJECT JUSTIFICATION/CAPITAL SERVICE LEVEL IMPACT:
Provide the reasons the project should be approved and what will be the impact of the project to service levels.
The impact of this project on the Corporation is significant. Implementation of the 5 year Technology Strategic Plan will set the
direction for the Town for the next 5 years and will support enhancing service levels for our citizens.
PROJECT BENEFITS:
Explain the benefits of the project which could include Citizen/Client, compliance, financial, internal, learning & growth or utility benefits.
The implementation of the 5 year Technology Strategic Plan will provide the Town with the suitable plan, processes, people and
technology to achieve goals and objectives of the business units today and in the future. Many of these identified projects
and plans will help support the culture change from small town to big town and shift the emphasis to digitization of processes
and services to better serve the residents and businesses of Aurora.
IMPACT TO THE ORGANIZATION IF THE PROJECT WAS NOT APPROVED:
Please provide an explanation of what the outcomes would be if the project was not approved.
Maintaining status quo will not provide the framework needed to advance our business to meet the requirements of our citizens.
Changes are needed now to work smarter and more efficiently and to provide staff with the tools and technology for
implementing these changes.
Budget
Future202520232022202120202024Total
Expenditures
Estimated Expenditures
CONTRACTS 230,000 100,000330,000
330,000 230,000 100,000
330,000 230,000 100,000Expenditures Total
Funding
Other Funding Sources
STUDIES & OTHER RES CONT'N 230,000 100,000330,000
330,000 230,000 100,000
330,000 230,000 100,000Funding Total
Total Over (Under) Funded
Attachment #5
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R1
Page 87 of 87
Town of Aurora
General Committee Report No. CS19-037
Subject: Procedure By-law Review
Prepared by: Samantha Yew, Deputy Town Clerk
Department: Corporate Services
Date: November 19, 2019
Recommendation
1. That Report No. CS19-037 be received; and
2. That the proposed Procedure By-law (Attachment No. 1) be presented at the
December 10, 2019 Council meeting for enactment effective as of January 1,
2020; and
3. That the 2020 Meeting Schedule (Attachment No. 2) be approved.
Executive Summary
The purpose of this report is to provide a summary of proposed ame ndments to By-law
No. 6068-18, the Procedure By-law, and seek approval of the 2020 Meeting Schedule.
Council has provided feedback and recommendations on the Procedure By-law
Staff are proposing amendments to the Procedure By-law that focus on enhancing
meeting efficiency and best practices.
Approval of a 2020 Meeting Schedule is required as per the Procedure By-law.
Background
The Municipal Act, 2001 (the “Act”) requires Council to pass a by-law to govern its rules
of procedure for Council and Committee meetings. Council’s current Procedure By-law
has been in effect as of May 1, 2018.
This review satisfies the requirement of Section 52 of the By-law, which states that a
review must take place within the first six months of the second year of each Term of
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 1 of 62
November 19, 2019 Page 2 of 6 Report No. CS19-037
Council. The purpose of the review is to evaluate the effectiveness of the current
Procedure By-law and propose amendments to further enhance and ensure it is
keeping within the guiding principles of the initial By-law review:
Aurora Town Council is the decision-making body of the Corporation;
Public and stakeholder input is a valued part of the decision -making process
Council’s decision-making process should be:
▪ Open and transparent;
▪ Conducted in an environment which is respectful of all participants;
▪ Balance debate with the need to make recommendations and decisions in a
timely manner;
Procedural rules should facilitate and not hinder the business of Council; and
Procedural rules should comply with Robert’s Rules of Order and should be written
in plain language.
Analysis
Council has provided feedback and recommendations on the Procedure By-law
Suggestions have been made to the CAO and Town Clerk on an ongoing basis since
the beginning of the current Term of Council. The following suggestions were captured,
and may be added to the final draft Procedure By-law by amending the staff
recommendation of this report.
Section 8 – Chair of the Meeting
That provision (c) be amended so that the Mayor is added to the General Committee
Chair Rotation
Section 22 – Speaking Times
That a provision be added to allow the author of a Motion for Which Notice has Been
Given ten minutes to speak to introduce the Motion.
Section 34 – Notice of Motion
That a provision be added requiring a seconder for any Notice of Motion at the time it is
submitted to the Town Clerk.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 2 of 62
November 19, 2019 Page 3 of 6 Report No. CS19-037
Staff are proposing amendments to the Procedure By-law that focus on
enhancing meeting efficiency and best practices.
Staff are recommending the following changes to the Procedure By-law. In addition to
these suggestions, staff are also proposing minor housekeeping changes to capture
current practices. They have been incorporated into Attachment 1 – Draft Procedure By-
law as Track Changes.
Section 19 – Meetings
a) That the Schedule of Meetings be amended as follows:
General Committee meetings will be generally be held on the first and
third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m.;
Planning meetings will generally be held on the second Tuesday of the
month at 7 p.m.; and
Council meetings will generally be held on the fourth Tuesday of the
month at 7 p.m.
Staff recommend reducing the number of Council meetings by one, recognizing the
efficiency of the current Council. In 2017, Council meetings averaged 3 hours and 15
minutes. In 2019, Council meetings are averaging 1 hour and 51 minutes. Considering
this trend, staff are confident that all matters from two General Committee meetings and
can be considered at one Council meeting.
Section 32 – Delegations at Meetings of Council and General Committee
b) That provisions be added for delegations at Council Public Planning meetings
Staff have identified the following areas of improvement that could be changed to
improve the current public planning process:
● Staff and applicants are often put on the spot and can be engaged in a ‘back and
forth’ with residents;
● The ‘public portion’ question and answer session could be more efficient as
members of the public are invited to speak multiple times for a maximum of five
minutes each time; and
To address these areas of improvement, staff propose limiting the number of times a
member of the public can speak to two rounds. This change will make meetings more
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 3 of 62
November 19, 2019 Page 4 of 6 Report No. CS19-037
efficient and discourage back and forth debate between members of the public and
applicants. Further to this, staff recommend that staff and the applicant respond to
public comments and questions after the second round of speaking only. Any questions
requiring a detailed answer will be addressed in a future staff report.
Section 34 – Notice of Motion
c) That provisions be added regarding Closed Session Notices of Motion
Staff recommend adding provisions regarding confidential Notices of Motion, as Council
Closed Session meetings are generally held on an as-needed basis. In order to ensure
confidential Notices of Motion are dealt with in a timely manner, staff propose
distributing confidential Notices of Motion as part of a General Committee or Council
agenda under the Closed Session section, with the understanding that they will be
discussed the following week (or at a time agreed to by the author and Town Clerk) in a
Council Closed Session meeting.
Section 36 - New Business
d) That Members may speak for no more than three minutes on New Business
Staff suggest limiting the amount of time spent on New Business to promote meeting
efficiency and to align with best practices. As per the existing provisions in the
Procedure By-law, Members are encouraged to raise operational matters prior to the
meeting with staff, and are discouraged from raising substantive policy matters under
New Business. Adhering to a three minute time limit enforces these provisions while
allowing for brief update requests and simple questions to staff.
Approval of a 2020 Meeting Schedule is required as per the Procedure By-law
Section 19 of the Procedure By-law establishes rules for the timing of Standing
Committee and Council meetings. The proposed 2020 Meeting Schedule (Attachment
No. 2) reflects the proposed meeting schedule changes outlined in this report and was
developed using past meeting schedule practices.
The Aurora Cultural Centre Board, Aurora Public Library Board, Aurora Economic
Development Board, and Joint Council Committee will continue to be scheduled as
outlined in their respective Terms of Reference or by-law. The February, May, and
August Committee of Adjustment meetings are proposed one week ahead of their
normal meeting date (second week of the month) to accommodate application
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 4 of 62
November 19, 2019 Page 5 of 6 Report No. CS19-037
processing deadlines. The Finance Advisory Committee will continue to meet before
Planning Committee, which will now take place on the third Tuesday of each month.
Budget Committee meetings will be brought forward for Council approval in a future
report.
Advisory Committee Review
None
Legal Considerations
None
Financial Implications
None
Communications Considerations
Upon Council approval of the Procedure By-law amendments, staff will communicate
the changes on the Town webpage. The 2020 Meeting Schedule will be posted to the
Town website.
Link to Strategic Plan
The proposed Procedure By-law Changes and 2020 Meeting Schedule supports
Progressive corporate excellence and continuous improvement by implementing
policy and processes that reflect sound and accountable governance.
Alternative(s) to the Recommendation
1. Council may choose to not amend the Procedure By-law.
2. Council may choose to approve an alternative Meeting Schedule.
3. Council may choose to provide direction on amendments they deem appropriate.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 5 of 62
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 6 of 62
Attachment No 1. Draft Procedure By-law
Contents
1. Definitions ....................................................................................... 3
2. Purpose and Application ................................................................ 6
3. Principles of the Procedure By-law ............................................... 6
4. Interpreting the Procedure By-law ................................................. 7
5. Suspension of Rules ....................................................................... 7
6. Standing Committees ..................................................................... 8
7. Committees ..................................................................................... 9
8. Chair of Meeting .............................................................................. 9
9. Duties of the Chair .......................................................................... 9
10. Members of Council and Committees ......................................... 11
11. Breach of Rules ............................................................................. 12
12. Right of Public Input and Notice .................................................. 13
13. Members of the Public .................................................................. 13
14. Preparation of Agendas ................................................................ 14
15. Availability of Agendas ................................................................. 14
16. Additional Items and Corrections ................................................ 15
17. Reports of Council and General Committee ............................... 16
18. Information Reports ...................................................................... 16
19. Meetings ........................................................................................ 16
20. Notice of Meetings ........................................................................ 18
21. Closed Session ............................................................................. 20
22. Speaking Order and Limit ............................................................. 23
23. Rules of Debate ............................................................................. 23
24. Order of Business – General Committee ..................................... 23
25. Order of Business – Council ........................................................ 24
26. Order of Business - Other ............................................................ 25
27. Record of Meetings ....................................................................... 25
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 7 of 62
By-law Number XXX-19 Page 2 of 44
28. Changes in Order of Agenda ........................................................ 26
29. Open Forum ................................................................................... 26
30. Declarations of Pecuniary Interest............................................... 26
31. Staff and Community Presentations ............................................ 27
32. Delegations at Meetings of Council and General Committee .... 28
33. Consent Agenda ............................................................................ 30
34. Notice of Motion ............................................................................ 31
35. Regional Report ............................................................................ 31
36. New Business ................................................................................ 32
37. Public Service Announcements ................................................... 32
38. By-laws .......................................................................................... 32
39. Adjournment .................................................................................. 33
40. Correspondence ............................................................................ 34
41. Petitions ......................................................................................... 34
42. Motions from Other Municipalities ............................................... 34
43. Motions – Impact on Corporate Resources ................................. 35
44. Procedures Concerning Motions ................................................. 35
45. Voting ............................................................................................. 40
46. Reconsideration of a Matter ......................................................... 41
47. Point of Order ................................................................................ 42
48. Point of Personal Privilege ........................................................... 42
49. Public Record ................................................................................ 43
50. Administrative Authority of Clerk ................................................ 43
51. Recording, Broadcasting and/or Live Streaming Meetings ....... 44
52. Review of Procedure By-law ........................................................ 44
53. Severability .................................................................................... 44
54. Enactment ...................................................................................... 44
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 8 of 62
By-law Number XXX-19 Page 3 of 44
The Corporation of the Town of Aurora
By-law Number XXX-19
Being a By-law to govern the proceedings of
Council and Committee meetings of the Town
of Aurora.
Whereas subsection 238 (2) of the Municipal Act, 2001 requires every Council and local
board to adopt a Procedure by-law for governing the calling, place and proceedings of
Meetings;
Whereas subsection 11 (2) of the Municipal Act, 2001 provides that upper and lower tier
municipalities may pass by-laws respecting accountability and transparency of the
municipality and its operations and of its local boards and their operations; and,
Whereas it is Council’s desire to follow a process of municipal governance that reflects
an open, transparent government;
Whereas Council, in the interest of good governance, recognizes a Procedure By-law as
a hallmark of accountability and transparency; and,
Whereas Council considers it necessary to enact a by-law in this regard and to repeal
Procedural By-law Number 5920-16, as amended;
Therefore Council hereby enacts as follows:
1. Definitions
In this Procedure By-law:
a) “CAO” means the Chief Administrative Officer of the Town or his/her
designate;
b) “Chair” means the presiding officer at a meeting of Council or a
Committee;
c) “Clerk” means the Clerk of the Town or his/her designate;
d) “Closed Session” means a Meeting, or part of a Meeting of Council or a
Committee, which is closed to the public as permitted by the Municipal
Act, 2001;
e) “Code of Ethics” means the “Code of Ethics”, a declaration of the
principles of good conduct and ethics.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 9 of 62
By-law Number XXX-19 Page 4 of 44
f) “Committee” means any Standing Committee of Council or an advisory
or special Committee established by Council from time to time;
g) “Confirming By-law” means a by-law passed for the purpose of giving
effect to a previous decision or proceeding of Council;
h) “Council” means the Members of Council of the Town of Aurora;
i) “Delegation” means an address to Council or a Committee at the
request of a person wishing to speak;
j) “Deputy Mayor” means the Councillor who received the highest number
of votes in the last regular election;
k) “Director” means a Director of the Town or his/her designate or
successor in title;
l) “Emergency Weather Event” means an emergency weather event as
defined by Town Policy No. HR-23 – Facility Closure – Inclement
Weather/Power Failure – as may be amended from time to time;
m) “Friendly Amendment” means an amendment to the Motion under
debate with the consent of the mover and seconder only, and without
the requirement for an amending Motion to be made;
n) “Frivolous” means without merit or substance or is trivial;
o) “Head” means the individual or body determined to be head under the
Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, 1990
p) “Inaugural Meeting” means the first Meeting of Council after a regular
election;
q) “Local Board” means a local board defined by the Municipal Act, 2001;
r) “Mayor” means the Mayor of the Town;
s) “Meeting” means any regular, special or other Meeting of Council or a
Committee and includes a Workshop;
t) “Member” means any individual elected to Council or a person
appointed by Council to a Committee;
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 10 of 62
By-law Number XXX-19 Page 5 of 44
u) “Motion” means a proposal moved by a Member, and seconded by
another Member, to adopt, amend, or otherwise deal with a matter
before Council or a Committee;
v) “Municipal Act, 2001” means the Municipal Act, 2001, S.O. 2001, c.25,
as amended;
w) “Municipal Conflict of Interest Act” means the Municipal Conflict of
Interest Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. M.50, as amended;
x) “Municipality” means The Corporation of the Town of Aurora;
y) “Notice” means written notice, except where legislation, by-law or policy
of the Town provides for another form and manner of notice;
z) “Offending Member” means a Member who has been found by the
Chair or by Council or by a Committee to have disobeyed a rule in this
Procedure By-law or a Chair’s ruling;
aa) “Open Forum” means the time period that is fifteen (15) minutes prior to
the scheduled General Committee Meeting, during which any individual
may address General Committee to make informal inquiries or to
comment on matters of municipal business;
bb) “Point of Order” means a Motion raised by a Member drawing attention
to an infraction of this Procedure By-law;
cc) “Point of Personal Privilege” means a Motion raised by a Member which
concerns the health, safety, rights, or integrity of the Member, the
Council, a Committee, Staff or anyone present at a Meeting;
dd) “Procedural Matter” means a matter or Motion of a procedural nature;
ee) “Public Planning Meeting” means a Meeting held pursuant to the
Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. P.13, as amended, or other statute;
ff) “Quorum” means the number of Members required for the legal conduct
of the business of Council or a Committee.
gg) “Resolution” means the decision of Council on any Motion;
hh) “"Recorded Vote” means
ii) “Robert’s Rules of Order” means the most current edition of Robert’s
Rules of Order, Newly Revised;
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 11 of 62
By-law Number XXX-19 Page 6 of 44
jj) “Rules of Procedure” means the rules and regulations contained in this
Procedure By-law and that govern the proceedings of Council and its
Committees;
kk) “Special Meeting” means
ll) “Staff” means an employee(s) of the Town;
mm) “Standing Committee” means a Committee established by Council and
consisting solely of all Members of Council;
nn) “Town” means The Corporation of The Town of Aurora;
oo) “Town Hall” means the municipal offices located at 100 John West
Way, Aurora, Ontario;
pp) “Vexatious” means without merit and pursued in a manner that is
malicious or intended to embarrass or harass the recipient or others;
qq) “Workshop” means a Meeting of Council or Committee for the purpose
of discussing issues in an informal venue.
2. Purpose and Application
a) This By-law shall be known as the Procedure By-law and establishes
the rules of procedure for Council and Committee Meetings.
3. Principles of the Procedure By-law
a) The principles of openness, transparency and accountability to the
public guide the Town’s decision-making process. In the context of
Council and Committee proceedings, this is accomplished by:
i) Ensuring the decision-making process is understood by the
public and other stakeholders;
ii) Providing access to information and opportunities for input by the
public and other stakeholders consistent with the requirements of
this Procedure By-law and other statutory requirements;
iii) Exercising and respecting individual and collective roles and
responsibilities provided for in this Procedure By-law and other
statutory requirements.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 12 of 62
By-law Number XXX-19 Page 7 of 44
b) The protection of basic rights by recognizing the right of the majority to
decide, the minority to be heard and individuals to have the opportunity
to participate.
c) The principles of parliamentary law governing Council and Committee
Meetings include:
i) Every Member has the right to one vote, unless prevented by
law;
ii) Each Member has the right to be heard on a matter, unless
prevented by law;
iii) Each Member has the right to information to help make
decisions, unless prevented by law;
iv) Each Member has the right to an efficient meeting;
v) Each Member has the right to be treated with respect and
courtesy;
vi) Each Member represents the public and will first and foremost
consider the well-being and interests of the Municipality.
4. Interpreting the Procedure By-law
a) In the event of conflict between this Procedure By-law and legislation,
the provisions of the legislation prevail.
b) If there is a conflict between two or more rules in this Procedure By-law,
or if there is no specific rule on a matter, the Chair will rule. In making a
ruling, the Chair may consult the Clerk, rely on previous rulings and
practices, or refer to Robert's Rules of Order.
5. Suspension of Rules
a) Rules of Procedure provided for in this Procedure By-law may be
suspended by a two-thirds majority vote of Council or a Committee, with
the exception of the following circumstances:
i) Where required by law;
ii) Contractual agreements binding the Town;
iii) Quorum requirements.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 13 of 62
By-law Number XXX-19 Page 8 of 44
b) A Motion to suspend the Rules of Procedure required by this Procedure
By-law shall not be debatable or amendable.
6. Standing Committees
a) General Committee
i) The General Committee shall be comprised of all Members of
Council.
ii) The General Committee may consider delegations, Community
presentations, correspondence, staff reports and matters which
may require more elaboration and discussion than would be
appropriate in a Council Meeting and such other matters as
Council may determine. Recommendations from General
Committee will be considered by Council.
b) Audit Committee
i) The Audit Committee shall be comprised of all Members of
Council.
ii) The Audit Committee shall:
(a) Review audited financial statements;
(b) Review significant management letter comments and
related recommendations;
(c) Review the appointment of auditors; and
(d) Make recommendations regarding the above to Council.
iii) The Committee’s mandate shall include operational reviews.
iv) Meetings will be held at the call of the Chair. Agendas will be
distributed to Members of Council at least forty-eight (48) hours
prior to the Meeting.
c) Budget Committee
i) The Budget Committee will be comprised of all Members of
Council.
ii) The Budget Committee shall make recommendations to Council
on approval of the Town’s annual operating and capital budgets.
iii) The Budget Committee has delegated authority to:
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 14 of 62
By-law Number XXX-19 Page 9 of 44
(a) Approve the Meeting minutes of the Budget Committee;
(b) Direct staff to bring forward information to the Budget
Committee as needed, and defer matters to a future
General Committee or Budget Committee meeting; and
(c) Direct staff to prepare and bring forward for Council’s
consideration a report summarizing Committee
recommendations on the annual capital and operating
budgets.
7. Budget Committee Meetings will be held as outlined in the Meeting
Schedule, as approved by Council.Committees
a) When not provided for in the Committees’ Terms of Reference or the
Town Policy for Ad Hoc/Advisory Committees and Local Boards, the
Rules of Procedure set out in this Procedure By-law shall govern all
Meetings of all Committees, including any ad hoc, Advisory
Committees, or Local Boards.
8. Chair of Meeting
a) The Chair is the presiding officer at a Meeting of Council or a
Committee.
b) The Chair of a Meeting of Council, Audit Committee, Budget Committee
Standing Committee Meeting, a Closed Session or a Workshop
Meeting is the Mayor. In the absence of the Mayor, the Deputy Mayor is
Chair.
c) The Chair of a Meeting of General Committee shall be rotated among
the Members of Council, excluding the Mayor, every two (2)
consecutive meetings, in descending order of votes received by the
Members in the last regular election.
d) In the absence of the person appointed as Chair, the Members shall
appoint one of their Members as Chair for the purpose of that Meeting.
e) The Chair and any Vice Chairs of other Committees are appointed in
accordance with the Town’s Policy for Ad Hoc/Advisory Committees
and Local Boards, or their Terms of Reference.
9. Duties of the Chair
a) The Chair is responsible for, where applicable:
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 15 of 62
By-law Number XXX-19 Page 10 of 44
i) Carrying out the roles and responsibilities of his/her role as
described in the Municipal Act, 2001;
ii) Chairing the Meeting in an objective manner in accordance with
this Procedure By-law;
iii) Enforcing the Rules of Procedure in this Procedure By-law;
iv) Enforcing order and good behaviour of all Members at all times;
v) Announcing the business before Council or a Committee and the
order in which it is to be considered;
vi) Receiving, stating and framing all Motions presented to clarify
their intent as moved;
vii) Ruling on whether a Motion is in order;
viii) Protecting Council or a Committee from a Motion that is
obviously Frivolous or tending to cause delay by refusing to
acknowledge the Motion;
ix) Providing information to Members on any matter related to the
business of Council or a Committee;
x) Deciding to acknowledge, and ruling on, whether a Point of
Order or Point of Personal Privilege is in order subject to an
appeal by any Member to the Council or a Committee on any
question of order in respect to business before the Council or a
Committee, and giving the facts, circumstances and reasons for
the ruling;
xi) Calling a vote on the question of sustaining the ruling of the
Chair, and announcing the results of the vote, if there is an
appeal to the ruling of the Chair. In this regard, the Chair may
provide further explanation of the ruling prior to calling the vote;
xii) Recessing a Meeting for a brief, specified time to consult the
Clerk, the CAO or other staff person if necessary;
xiii) Recessing the Meeting for a specified time if there is a threat or
imminent threat to the health or safety of any person, or if there
is a possibility of public disorder;
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 16 of 62
By-law Number XXX-19 Page 11 of 44
xiv) Ensuring that Members take a health break by announcing a
minimum ten (10) minute recess after two (2) hours have passed
since the last break;
xv) Ensuring that all Members who wish to speak on a Motion have
spoken;
xvi) Ensuring clarity, where required, by reading, or requesting the
Clerk, recording secretary or other appropriate person to read
Motions before voting;
xvii) Putting all Motions to a vote and announcing results;
xviii) Voting on all matters unless the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act
prohibits it;
xix) Declining to put to a vote any Motion which contravenes this
Procedure By-law;
xx) Calling Members to order;
xxi) Adjourning the Meeting when the business of the Meeting has
concluded; and,
xxii) Signing all by-laws, Resolutions, and minutes when required.
10. Members of Council and Committees
a) Members are responsible for, where applicable:
i) Carry out the responsibilities of the role of Council as described
in the Municipal Act, 2001, Municipal Conflict of Interest Act and
any other legislation;
ii) Attending scheduled Meetings;
iii) Carefully considering and making decisions about Meeting
business, including seeking information and advice from staff
prior to and during a Meeting;
iv) Voting on Motions put to a vote, unless the Municipal Conflict of
Interest Act prohibits it;
v) Respecting the Rules of Procedure in this Procedure By-law;
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 17 of 62
By-law Number XXX-19 Page 12 of 44
vi) Listening attentively, participating in a Meeting and not
interrupting, unless to raise a Point of Order or Point of Personal
Privilege;
vii) Remaining silent in their seats while Council or a Committee
votes and until the Chair announces the result of the vote;
viii) Refraining from using indecent, offensive or insulting language or
speak disrespectfully of any individual.
ix) Refraining from engaging in private conversation while in the
Meeting or using communication devices in any manner that
disrupts the Member speaking or interrupts the business of
Council;
x) Respecting and following the decisions of Council or a
Committee;
xi) Not disclosing any of the content of a Meeting that was closed to
the public or provide confidential documents or materials to
unauthorized individuals;
xii) Complying with the Chair’s rulings and Council’s decisions; and
xiii) Complying with the Council Code of Ethics.
11. Breach of Rules
a) If a Member disobeys a rule in this Procedure By-law or a Chair’s
ruling:
i) After the first occurrence, the Chair calls the Member to order.
ii) After the second occurrence, if the Member continues to disobey
this Procedure By-law or the Chair’s ruling, the Chair will
immediately order the Member to leave his/her seat and observe
the Meeting from the audience for the remainder of the Meeting.
iii) Any Member other than the Offending Member may appeal the
Chair’s ruling in ii), and Council or a Committee may overturn or
uphold the Chair’s ruling. Should the Chair’s ruling be
overturned, the Offending Member may return to his/her seat.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 18 of 62
By-law Number XXX-19 Page 13 of 44
iv) At the next available opportunity in the Meeting, the Chair will
offer the Offending Member the opportunity to apologize to
Council or a Committee. The apology will not include additional
comments or debate by the Offending Member or by Council or a
Committee.
v) After an apology is made by the Offending Member, Council or a
Committee may consent to allow the Offending Member to return
to the Meeting.
vi) Should, at any point, the Offending Member create a disturbance
while seated in the audience in accordance with subsection
10.b)ii), the Chair will order the Offending Member to leave the
Council chamber or meeting room.
vii) Council cannot appeal the Chair’s ruling in accordance with
subsection 10.b) vi).
viii) If the Offending Member refuses to leave his/her seat or leave
the Council chamber or meeting room as required in subsection
10.b)vi), the Chair may request the CAO to contact security or
the police for assistance.
12. Right of Public Input and Notice
a) The public has the right to have input and receive Notice on Council’s
decision-making process. The methods for doing so include: writing to
Council through the Clerk; submitting a petition; speaking at an Open
Forum; or speaking as a Delegation. The public will receive Notice in
accordance with the requirements of legislation, this Procedure By-law
and the Town’s Notice By-law.
b) Should an individual wish to be provided with further Notice related to a
matter of business before Council or Committee, he/she is required to
indicate this wish to the Clerk on the prescribed form, which is available
on the Town’s website or at the Town Hall.
13. Members of the Public
a) The Chair may expel or exclude any person who disrupts a Meeting,
and may request security and/or police assistance in doing so.
b) No persons, other than Members and Town staff, are permitted to
approach the area where Members and staff are seated.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 19 of 62
By-law Number XXX-19 Page 14 of 44
c) Attendees will submit all materials for Council or Committee through the
Clerk.
d) Attendees are responsible for:
i) Maintaining order and not heckling, or engaging in
conversations, displaying placards or props or any behavior that
may be considered disruptive;
ii) Speaking respectfully at all times;
iii) Using recording, broadcasting or streaming devices respectfully,
and should the Chair direct it, moving or ceasing to use
recording, broadcasting or streaming devices.
e) All communication devices shall be turned off or set to silent mode
during any meeting, with the exception of assistive devices for people
with disabilities.
14. Preparation of Agendas
a) The CAO and his/her staff are charged with providing guidance and
recommendations to Council or Committee related to municipal
business, and implementing the decisions of Council.
b) The CAO chairs a regularly scheduled internal meeting to review draft
agenda items in order to support the business of Council.
c) The Clerk provides an administrative process to support the approval,
preparation, Notice, publication and distribution/public access to
agendas and agenda items, following approval by the CAO and/or
Director.
15. Availability of Agendas
a) Council Meeting agendas are generally available to Members of
Council and the public on each Thursday preceding a Meeting.
b) General Committee Meeting agendas are generally available to
Members on the Monday that is eight (8) days preceding a General
Committee Meeting and are generally available to the public on the
following Tuesday.
c) Closed Session agendas will be provided to Council in accordance with
the publishing timeframes set out in Section 14 15 a) where required. Commented [YS1]: Housekeeping change
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 20 of 62
By-law Number XXX-19 Page 15 of 44
d) Council Public Planning Meeting agendas are generally available to
Members of Council and the public seven (7) days prior to the Meeting
date.
e) Special General Committee and Council, Workshop and emergency
Meeting agendas will be provided to Members in accordance with the
publishing timeframes set out in the Notice of Meetings section of this
Procedure By-law, where required.
f) Agendas for Committees, including Audit Committee and Budget
Committee and excluding General Committee, are generally available
seven (7) days prior to the meeting date.
16. Additional Items and Corrections
a) An additional item is any item that is to be added to a Council or
Committee agenda following publication of the original agenda.
b) Any corrections to the agendas of Council or Committee may be listed
on the additional items to be distributed, for information only.
c) Committees are required to consent to the introduction of additional
items by approving the agenda, as amended.
d) Requests for items to be added to the agenda as an additional item
shall have met at least one of the following conditions:
i) Government/agency deadlines;
ii) Legal implications;
iii) Contractual implications;
iv) Financial implications;
v) Council or General Committee direction; or
vi) As directed by the CAO.
e) Additional items to Council or General Committee Meeting agenda are
available on each Monday preceding the Meeting, and further additional
items may be provided up to and including the Meeting day.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 21 of 62
By-law Number XXX-19 Page 16 of 44
17. Reports of Council and General Committee
a) In accordance with established administrative protocols, reports
prepared by staff are submitted in writing to the Clerk and distributed
with the agenda for the applicable Meeting of Council or General
Committee.
b) Reports prepared by staff members contain information and
recommendations prepared in the context of their professional,
technical and administrative expertise independent of any particular
political, constituent or stakeholder interest.
18. Information Reports
a) An information report is prepared for the information of Council and
generally relates to a matter considered at Council or General
Committee, or is a matter of Town business.
b) An information report does not contain recommendations.
c) An Information Report may be requested by Council or General
Committee in the form of a motion.
d) Information reports are circulated directly to Council Members by email
and made available to the public on the Town’s website in accordance
with the timelines set out in the Availability of Agendas section of this
Procedure By-law. Information reports are not published on a General
Committee or Council agenda unless a Council Member makes such a
request to the Clerk.
e) Information Reports will be placed on an upcoming General Committee
agenda at the request of a Council Member. Where required due to
urgency or timing, information reports may be considered directly at
Council as an item.
19. Meetings
a) Meetings Open to the Public
i) All Meetings shall be open to the public except as provided for in
the Closed Session section of this Procedure By-law.
b) Inaugural Meeting
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 22 of 62
By-law Number XXX-19 Page 17 of 44
i) The first Meeting of a newly elected Council after a regular
municipal election shall be held on the first Tuesday in
December at 7 p.m. or such other date and time as determined
by the Clerk.
c) Approval of the Meeting Schedule
i) Prior to January 1st of every year, Council approves a Meeting
schedule of Council and Standing Committees for each calendar
year, which may be amended. The Meeting Schedule is made
available to the public on the Town’s website.
ii) The Meeting schedule of Committees is determined by its
Members, in accordance with each Committee’s Terms of
Reference and/or prescribed mandate.
d) Location of Meetings
i) Meetings shall take place at Town Hall, or at another location
within the municipality or adjacent to the municipality, as
authorized by the Mayor or by Council, or as provided for in the
Municipal Act, 2001 when Notice is given.
e) Schedule of Meetings
i) Meetings shall take place in accordance with the Meeting
Schedule as prepared by the Clerk and approved by Council.
ii) All Council Meetings will generally be held on the second and
fourth Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. and General Committee
Meetings will generally be held on the first and third Tuesday of
each month at 7 p.m. Where a Council Meeting day is a public or
civic holiday, Council will meet at the same hour on the
Wednesday immediately following the holiday.
iii) Unless otherwise determined by the Clerk, Council Closed
Session will be scheduled at 5:45 p.m. immediately prior to a
Council or General Committee Meeting, and will recess or
adjourn at least twenty (20) minutes prior to the scheduled time
of the meeting.
f) Public Planning Meetings
Commented [YS2]: Suggestion a)
Commented [YS3]: Suggestion a)
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 23 of 62
By-law Number XXX-19 Page 18 of 44
i) Council will meet on the fourth second TuesdayWednesday of
each month at 7 p.m. for a Council Meeting to consider
development-related applications and other matters that have
been submitted under the Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. P.13, as
amended.
g) Quorum
i) A majority of Members shall constitute a Quorum.
ii) As soon as there is a Quorum after the time appointed for
commencement of a Meeting, the Mayor or Chair will call the
Meeting to order. If a Quorum is not present 30 minutes after the
time appointed for commencement of a Meeting, the Clerk shall
indicate that no Quorum is present and the Meeting shall not
commence.
iii) If during the course of a Meeting, Quorum is lost, the Chair shall
declare that the Meeting shall be adjourned until the date of the
next scheduled Meeting. The agenda items are deemed to be
deferred to the next scheduled Meeting.
h) Late Arrival
i) If a Member arrives late at a Meeting, any prior discussion is not
reviewed without the consent of the Members present.
20. Notice of Meetings
a) General Provisions
i) The Clerk gives Notice of a Meeting by:
(a) Posting the annual approved schedule of Meetings; or
(b) Using the Town’s social media accounts and website; or
(c) Publishing Notice on the Town’s regular advertising page
in the local newspaper; or
(d) Providing the agenda to Members and the public; or
(e) All of the above.
ii) Every Notice of a Meeting shall indicate the date, time and place
of the Meeting, and the contact information for the Clerk’s office.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 24 of 62
By-law Number XXX-19 Page 19 of 44
iii) Nothing in this Procedure By-law shall prevent the Clerk from
using more extensive methods of Notice.
iv) Nothing in this Procedure By-law shall prevent the Clerk from
using longer timeframes for providing Notice.
b) Special Meetings of Council or General Committee
i) A special Meeting of Council or General Committee may be
called by the Mayor at any time. A special Meeting of Council or
General Committee is limited to business matters included in the
Notice of Meeting.
ii) Upon receipt of a written petition from a majority of the Members
of Council, the Clerk will summon a special Meeting of Council or
General Committee for the specific purpose and time identified in
the petition.
iii) In addition to the general Notice provisions in this Procedure By-
law, the Clerk shall give Notice of a special Meeting of Council or
General Committee by providing an agenda at least twenty-four
(24) hours prior to the Meeting or if the Meeting is to be
scheduled in less than twenty-four (24) hours, then by providing
an agenda at the first opportunity to do so.
c) Workshop Meetings
i) The Mayor and/or CAO may hold a W orkshop Meeting for
Members of Council to discuss issues in an informal venue. With
the exception of Procedural Matters, no Motions are passed.
ii) A record describing, in general terms, the Meeting and the
subject matter discussed is made at all Workshop Meetings and
placed on a future Council agenda to be received only for the
purposes of information.
iii) In addition to the general Notice provisions in this section of the
Procedure By-law, the Clerk shall give Notice of a Workshop
Meeting by providing an agenda at least twenty-four (24) hours
prior to the Meeting.
iv) Delegations shall not be permitted at Workshop Meetings.
d) Cancellation or Postponement of Meetings
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 25 of 62
By-law Number XXX-19 Page 20 of 44
i) A Meeting may be cancelled or postponed where it is known in
advance that Quorum will not be achieved, by Council
Resolution, in the event of an emergency or Emergency Weather
Event, or where the Meeting is no longer required, as deemed by
the CAO.
ii) Where possible, the Clerk shall give Notice of cancellations or
postponements of Meetings by:
(a) Providing Notice to each Member by email notification no
less than forty-eight (48) hours prior to the time set for the
Meeting; or
(b) Providing Notice to the public no less than 3 hours by:
Posting a Notice on the Town website;
Sending a Notice via the Town’s social media accounts;
Posting a Notice on the Town’s regular advertising page
in the local newspaper, if time permits; and
Where (c) cannot be achieved, posting a Notice at the
main entrance to Town Hall.
(c) Notwithstanding subsection 19.d) ii), in the case of an
emergency or an Emergency Weather Event, the Clerk
shall provide Notice to each Member and the public as
soon as practically possible.
iii) Meetings of Committees may be cancelled or postponed by the
Clerk, recording secretary, Chair or other assigned person where
Quorum cannot be achieved, by Committee resolution, or in the
event of an emergency or Emergency Weather Event.
e) Invalidation of Notice of Meeting
i) If a Meeting Notice is substantially given, but varies from the
form and manner provided in this Procedure By-law, the ability to
hold the Meeting and the actions taken at the Meeting are not
invalidated.
21. Closed Session
a) Matters of Closed Session
i) Council or a Committee may, by Resolution, close a Meeting or
part of a Meeting to the public in accordance with section 239 of
the Municipal Act, 2001.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 26 of 62
By-law Number XXX-19 Page 21 of 44
ii) Council or a Committee may also resolve into a Closed Session
to the public for the following purposes:
(a) An ongoing investigation respecting the Municipality, a
Local Board or a municipally-controlled corporation by the
Ombudsman appointed under the Ombudsman Act, an
Ombudsman referred to in subsection 223.13 (1) of the
Municipal Act, 2001, or the investigator referred to in
subsection 239.2 (1) of the Municipal Act, 2001.
b) Notice of Closed Session
i) Where a matter may be considered by Council or General
Committee for discussion in Closed Session, wherever possible,
written Notice by way of a published agenda will include:
(a) The fact that the Meeting will be closed to the public as
provided for in the Municipal Act, 2001; and
(b) The general nature of the matter to be considered at the
Closed Session.
c) A Motion to close a Meeting or part of a Meeting to the public shall state
the:
i) Intention to close the Meeting to the public; and
ii) General nature of the matter to be considered at the Closed
Session, and the grounds for closing the Meeting as set out in
the Municipal Act, 2001.
d) Voting during Closed Session
i) Only votes relating to procedural matters or direction to staff may
be taken during a Closed Session, unless otherwise authorized.
e) Upon completion of the Closed Session:
i) The Members shall immediately reconvene in open session;
ii) The Mayor shall report any outcomes on the Closed Session as
necessary; and,
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 27 of 62
By-law Number XXX-19 Page 22 of 44
iii) If applicable, the Members shall vote on any Resolution(s)
originating from the Closed Session.
f) Reporting Out and Confidentiality of Closed Session Discussions
i) Any required vote will occur following the Closed Session
discussion of a Council or Committee Meeting.
ii) Public General Committee and Council Closed Session
agendas, minutes or reports shall provide sufficient detail without
detrimentally affecting the confidentiality of the matter(s)
discussed in Closed Session and the position of the Municipality.
iii) Minutes of a Closed Session shall be presented for adoption at a
scheduled Meeting of Council that does not occur on the same
day.
iv) No Member shall disclose or discuss, through written, electronic
or verbal communication or any other means, to any individual or
corporate third party, any information that has been or will be
discussed at a Closed Session of Council or a Committee until
such time that Council or a Committee has determined or has
been advised by staff that the matter, or any part of the matter,
may be made public, subject to review by the head or designate
under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of
Privacy Act or if directed to do so by a court.
g) Openness and Transparency
i) The Clerk shall maintain an annual log of all reports and
Resolutions considered in Closed Session, conduct an annual
review with the CAO and staff to determine which items are no
longer sensitive and/or confidential. The Clerk shall prepare an
Annual Report of all Closed Session items approved for public
release, and shall post the report on the Town website. Items
identified for release shall qualify for ‘routine disclosure’ in
accordance with the Town’s freedom of information practices.
h) Closed Meeting Investigation
i) A person may request that an investigation be undertaken to
determine whether Council or Committee complied with the
requirements of the Municipal Act, 2001 and this Procedure By-
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 28 of 62
By-law Number XXX-19 Page 23 of 44
law in respect of a Meeting or part of a Meeting closed to the
public. A person may initiate such a request by submitting a
written request to the Town Clerk.
22. Speaking Order and Limit
a) The Chair shall maintain a list of Members who have requested to
speak or ask questions. The Chair shall designate Members to speak or
ask questions in the order in which they appear on the list. The Chair
shall give priority to Members who have not spoken to the matter
previously.
b) At Committee Meetings, Members are permitted to speak two (2) times
on a matter, the first time being for a maximum of ten (10) minutes, and
the second time being for a maximum of five (5) minutes; and
i) At Council Meetings, Members are permitted to speak two (2)
times on a matter for a maximum of five (5) minutes each time.
23. Rules of Debate
a) Members’ comments are relevant to the matter of business before
Council or a Committee. Members should avoid comments intended to
be statements or assertions.
b) Any Member may require a Motion or question under discussion to be
read at any time during the debate but not so as to interrupt the
Member speaking.
c) Members shall express themselves succinctly without repetition.
d) Questions may be asked only of:
i) The Chair;
ii) Staff;
iii) A previous speaker; and,
iv) A delegation.
24. Order of Business – General Committee
a) The order of business of General Committee is set out in the agenda,
as follows, where provided for:
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 29 of 62
By-law Number XXX-19 Page 24 of 44
i) Approval of the Agenda
ii) Declarations of Pecuniary Interest and General Nature Thereof
iii) Community Presentations
iv) Delegations
v) Consent Agenda
vi) Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes
vii) Consideration of Items Requiring Discussion (Regular Agenda)
viii) Notices of Motion
ix) New Business
x) Closed Session
xi) Adjournment
25. Order of Business – Council
a) The order of business for the Council is set out in the agenda as
follows, where provided for:
i) Approval of the Agenda
ii) Declarations of Pecuniary Interest and General Nature Thereof
iii) Community Presentations
iv) Delegations
v) Consent Agenda
vi) Standing Committee Reports
vii) Consideration of Items Requiring Discussion (Regular Agenda)
viii) Motions
ix) Regional Report
x) New Business
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 30 of 62
By-law Number XXX-19 Page 25 of 44
xi) Public Service Announcements
xii) By-laws
xiii) Closed Session
xiv) Confirming By-law
xv) Adjournment
26. Order of Business - Other
a) The order of business for any other meeting type is at the discretion of
the Clerk.
27. Record of Meetings
a) The Clerk records the minutes of Meetings of General Committee and
Council without note or comment. The minutes record:
i) The date, time and location of the Meeting;
ii) The name of the Chair and a record of the attendance at the
Meeting;
iii) The name and nature of presenters and Delegations; and
iv) All Resolutions, decisions and other proceedings of the Meeting;
b) Minutes of Committees, excluding standing Committees are submitted
to General Committee for receipt.
c) The receipt of Committee minutes, excluding standing Committee
minutes, by Council does not constitute endorsement by the Town of
any recommendations or actions contained in the minutes.
d) A General Committee report is submitted to the next regular Council
meeting for consideration of the recommendations to Council. The
report from General Committee that is presented to Council shall not
contain the mover or seconder on each item but rather shall only show
recommendations endorsed by the General Committee.
e) Minutes of each Meeting of Council are presented to the subsequent
regular Meeting of Council for approval. The approved minutes form the
official record of the Meeting.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 31 of 62
By-law Number XXX-19 Page 26 of 44
f) After the Council Meeting minutes have been approved by Council, they
shall be signed by the Mayor and Clerk.
g) Approved minutes of Council, including the report of the General
Committee, will be posted on the Town’s website as they become
available.
h) The Clerk shall ensure that the minutes of each Meeting are made
available to Members within a reasonable amount of time after the
holding of such Meeting.
28. Changes in Order of Agenda
a) The business of General Committee and Council is dealt with in the
order stated on the published agenda, unless Council consents to
changing the order.
29. Open Forum
a) Open Forum shall occur fifteen (15) minutes prior to the scheduled
General Committee Meeting, any individual may address General
Committee to make informal inquiries or to comment on matters of
municipal business. Persons speaking at the Open Forum are required
to sign the Open Forum Register held by the Clerk or recording
secretary prior to being permitted to address General Committee, and
shall be limited to a maximum of five (5) minutes each.
b) Open Forum will not be included in the Meeting minutes, and will not be
part of the live streaming of the Meeting.
c) Speakers at Open Forum shall not make detrimental, offensive or
insulting comments, or speak ill of, or malign the integrity of Staff, the
public, Council and Committee or other external public agencies.
Breach of this section will result in the Chair immediately ending the
speaker’s time to address the Committee.
30. Declarations of Pecuniary Interest
a) Members are required to make declarations of pecuniary interest in
accordance with the requirements of the Municipal Conflict of Interest
Act and/or other relevant legislation and shall refrain from speaking to
and voting on the matter. At a Meeting at which a Member discloses a
pecuniary interest, or as soon as possible afterwards, the Member shall
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 32 of 62
By-law Number XXX-19 Page 27 of 44
file a written statement of the interest and its general nature with the
Clerk or the secretary of the Committee or Local Board.
b) A public registry of all declarations of pecuniary interest will be
maintained by the Clerk in accordance with the Municipal Conflict of
Interest Act.
c) Where a Meeting is not open to the public, in addition to complying with
the requirements set out in the Closed Session section of this
Procedure By-law, the Member shall leave the Meeting or the part of
the Meeting during which the matter is under consideration.
d) Where the interest of a Member has not been disclosed by reason of
the Member’s absence from a particular Meeting, the Member shall
disclose the Member’s interest and otherwise comply at the first
Meeting of Council or Committee, as the case may be, attended by the
Member after the particular Meeting.
e) The Clerk shall record the particulars of any disclosure of pecuniary
interest and general nature thereof made by a Member, and this record
shall appear in the minutes of that Meeting.
31. Staff and Community Presentations
a) Staff Presentations
i) Staff presentations, if related to a report on the agenda shall
occur at the time the report is discussed. Presentations by Staff
at Meetings shall be a maximum of ten (10) minutes.
b) Community Presentations
i) Community Presentations may be made by third-parties invited
by staff to Council or General Committee on matters of interest
to the Town. Such presentations are received or presented by
the Chair.
ii) Requests to be added to the Community Presentations section
of an agenda shall be submitted to the Clerk at least three (3)
weeks prior to the Meeting date.
iii) Any accompanying materials must be submitted to the Clerk in
an electronic format at least three (3) business days prior to the
Meeting date.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 33 of 62
By-law Number XXX-19 Page 28 of 44
iv) Community Presentations may be up to five (5) minutes. The
consent of Council or General Committee is required to extend a
presentation beyond five (5) minutes.
v) The Clerk may limit the frequency and/or number of times a
group or individual may appear before General Committee or
Council.
32. Delegations at Meetings of Council and General Committee
a) General Provisions
i) Delegates shall be encouraged to appear at the appropriate
Committee first rather than Council.
ii) Anyone wishing to appear before General Committee or Council
shall register as a delegate by submitting the prescribed form to
the Clerk no later than 9 a.m. one (1) business day prior to the
scheduled Meeting date.
iii) Delegates shall advise the Clerk that the audio visual equipment
will be required and shall submit supporting material to the Clerk
for approval in an electronic format no later than 4:30 p.m. on the
Friday prior to the Meeting date.
iv) Delegates requesting specific financial assistance or services in-
kind from General Committee or Council shall be directed to a
Budget Committee meeting. Requests made outside the Budget
Committee Meeting must include a detailed written request to the
Clerk prior to the Meeting, which will be forwarded to the
appropriate department for review. A decision will not be made at
the Meeting where the Delegation is heard.
v) The Clerk shall give due consideration to the length of the
agenda and the number of Delegations and shall advise to the
requester the earliest possible date when his/her Delegation may
be accommodated. A limit of four (4) Delegations will be
considered at a Meeting of General Committee, and two (2)
Delegations will be considered at a Meeting of Council.
vi) The Clerk may limit the frequency and/or number of times a
group or individual may appear before General Committee or
Council.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 34 of 62
By-law Number XXX-19 Page 29 of 44
vii) Delegation requests received after the deadline or limit has been
reached will be acknowledged by the Clerk but not placed on an
agenda.
viii) Delegations at General Committee and Council Meetings shall
be on a subject that is within the jurisdiction or influence of local
government. Delegations at a Meeting of Council shall be related
to an item of business on the agenda.
ix) Delegations regarding active planning applications will not be
permitted at a Council Meeting
x) Delegates shall refrain from making statements or comments
that are, in the opinion of the Chair, frivolous or vexatious in
nature.
xi) Delegates who share the same position on a matter or are from
the same organization, are encouraged to speak in one
delegation.
xii) Delegates shall be restricted to a speaking limit of five (5)
minutes, regardless of whether they are representing an
organization, association or other group.
xiii) The consent of Council or General Committee is required to
grant a delegate one (1) extension of up to five (5) minutes at a
Council or General Committee Meeting, and to consider more
than two (2) Delegations at a Council Meeting.
xiv) Delegates who appear before General Committee are not
permitted to make a Delegation in relation to the same item at
the following Council Meeting, but may submit written material to
Members of Council through the Clerk’s Office.
b) Conduct of Delegates
i) Delegates shall not make detrimental, offensive or insulting
comments, or speak ill of, or malign the integrity of Staff, the
public, Council or Committee or other external public agencies.
ii) Delegates who contravene this section will not be permitted to
finish their delegation and will be asked by the Chair to take their
seat in the audience.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 35 of 62
By-law Number XXX-19 Page 30 of 44
c) Delegations at Council Meetings
i) Anyone wishing to speak on an item that is not on the Council
agenda shall be directed to appear at the Open Forum session
that precedes the General Committee Meetings. Alternatively,
the Delegation may be placed on a Committee agenda to
address an issue that is not on the Council agenda.
d) Delegations at Public Planning Meetings
i) Any person may speak on a matter on the agenda at a Public
Planning Meeting. The delegate shall not speak for more than
five (5) minutes, but may have an opportunity to speak more
than once on the agenda item.
ii) There will be a maximum of two rounds of speaking per item at
Planning Committee meetings.
i)iii) Staff will respond to queries, when appropriate, after the second
round of speaking. Any remaining queries will be addressed in a
future staff report.
33. Consent Agenda
a) Consent Agenda will include the following items that do not have
presentations or Delegations:
i) Receipt of the Minutes (i.e. Special Council, Workshop, Closed
Session) (Council Meeting agenda only);
ii) Procurement items that are within the approved budget;
iii) Communications addressed to Council;
iv) Information reports requested by Council through motions; and
v) Items as directed by the CAO or Clerk.
b) Questions of clarification may be asked by Members about any consent
item during the adoption of the Consent Agenda without requiring a
separate vote.
c) Members shall identify any items contained on the Consent Agenda
which they wish to speak to and the matter shall be extracted from the
Commented [YS4]: Suggestion b)
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 36 of 62
By-law Number XXX-19 Page 31 of 44
Consent Agenda to be dealt with separately under Consideration of
Items Requiring Discussion (Regular Agenda).
d) In the event that a Member declares a pecuniary interest on an item
that is included on the Consent Agenda, that item shall be considered
under Consideration of Items Requiring Discussion (Regular Agenda).
e) Items on the Consent Agenda or the balance of the items, as the case
may be, shall be adopted in one Motion.
34. Notice of Motion
a) A Member desiring to introduce a subject for discussion by Council will
provide the proposed Notice of Motion to the Clerk in writing for
inclusion in a regular agenda of General Committee by 12 p.m. on the
Wednesday prior to the meeting.
b) The Motions will may be included on the next Council agenda for
consideration and disposition.
b)c) Closed Session Notices of Motion may be published as part of a
General Committee or Council agenda to fulfil Notice provisions. The
subsequent Motion will be brought forward to the next scheduled
Council Closed Session meeting, or to a meeting agreed to by the
authoring Member and the Clerk.
c)d) The CAO or Staff may be requested to comment on the Motion raised
in this section, but no staff report will be prepared unless the Motion,
once adopted by Council, is referred to staff for a further report.
d)e) It is the duty of the Member to:
i) Prepare the proposed Motion in writing.
ii) Submit the proposed Motion, to the Clerk
iii) Ensure the content of the proposed Motion allows for it to be
published on a public agenda.
35. Regional Report
a) The representative of the Town on Regional Council will provide a
report at regular Meetings of Council on matters of interest to the Town,
when available.
Commented [YS5]: Housekeeping change – Only if the
Notice of Motion is not in order
Commented [YS6]: Suggestion c)
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 37 of 62
By-law Number XXX-19 Page 32 of 44
36. New Business
a) Any Member of Council or a Committee, at any Meeting, may present
and introduce any matter of new business during the New Business
portion of the Meeting, and shall have regard to the following
guidelines:
i) Members are encouraged to raise operational matters prior to
the Meeting through the CAO, Director or appropriate Staff;
ii) Members are discouraged from raising substantive policy
matters, in particular consideration of corporate policies or by-
laws; and,
iii) Members of Council are encouraged to raise announcements
and community events under the Public Service Announcements
portion of the Council agenda;. and,
iv) Members may speak for no more than three (3) minutes on New
Business, unless the consent of Council is granted.
37. Public Service Announcements
a) Members may speak for no more than three (3) minutes on public
service announcements and community events, unless the consent of
Council is granted.
38. By-laws
a) By-laws are considered by Council and approved by Motion.
b) Every by-law adopted by Council is done so under the seal of the Town
and signed by the Clerk and the Mayor.
c) All by-laws shall be given first, second and third readings in a single
Motion, unless a Member wishes to discuss the contents of a by-law, at
which time the subject by-law shall be removed from the Motion and
dealt with separately.
d) The following types of by-laws may be presented directly to Council
without an accompanying staff report:
i) Those directed to be presented directly to Council by General
Committee or Council;
Commented [YS7]: Suggestion d)
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 38 of 62
By-law Number XXX-19 Page 33 of 44
ii) The appointment of staff for statutory positions, by-law
inspection, municipal law enforcement and provincial offences
administration;
iii) Consolidation of by-laws or housekeeping amendments;
iv) General by-laws where the purpose and intent of the by-law has
been clearly authorized by a previous resolution;
v) A by-law to levy interim property taxes;
vi) A by-law to set tax rates in accordance with the approved
budget;
vii) Part-lot control by-laws;
viii) Assumption by-laws;
ix) A by-law to establish a public highway;
x) Minor amendments resulting from changes to provincial enabling
legislation; and,
xi) Other administrative by-laws deemed appropriate by the CAO.
e) Every Council Meeting shall be confirmed by by-law so that every
decision of Council at that Council Meeting and every Resolution of the
Meeting shall have the same force and effect as if each and every one
of them had been the subject matter of a separate by-law duly enacted.
f) All amendments to any by-law approved by Council shall be deemed to
be incorporated into the by-law and if the by-law proposing the
amendment is enacted by Council, the amendments shall be inserted
by the Clerk.
g) All by-laws, including the confirming by-law, shall be voted on prior to
Adjournment.
39. Adjournment
a) No item of business shall be considered at a Meeting of Council or
General Committee after 10:30 p.m. unless a majority of the Members
present enact a resolution to extend the hour. The Resolution must
include a proposed time for adjournment of the Meeting.
Commented [YS8]: Housekeeping change to reflect current
practices
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 39 of 62
By-law Number XXX-19 Page 34 of 44
40. Correspondence
a) Where correspondence is not requested to be included in a Council or
General Committee agenda, it is circulated by the Clerk to Members,
the CAO, Directors and applicable Staff for their information, and forms
a part of the Clerk’s records.
b) Where correspondence has been requested to be included on a
Council or General Committee Meeting agenda or on the request of a
Member to the Clerk, correspondence is placed on the General
Committee meeting agenda for consideration. Where required due to
urgency or timing, correspondence may be considered directly by
Council as an Additional Item.
c) The Council’s receipt of correspondence does not constitute
endorsement of the correspondence by the Town of any
recommendations it may contain or actions it may advocate.
41. Petitions
a) Petitions may be submitted to the Clerk and will include a minimum of
two (2) persons and their respective addresses unless otherwise
required by law, and a clear statement of the purpose for the petition.
b) If the petition meets the requirements of the Petition Policy and/or any
other related Town Policies, tThe request conveyed in the petition will
be considered by General Committee for disposition. Where required
due to urgency or timing, petitions may be considered directly by
Council.
c) Staff may prepare recommendations related to the matter for Council’s
consideration.
d) The Town is not accountable for the accuracy or reliability of petitions
that are submitted.
42. Motions from Other Municipalities
a) All requests for endorsement of resolutions from other municipalities will
be electronically circulated to Council and acknowledged by the Clerk,
with the advice that the Town does not take action on resolutions
received from other municipalities, but rather makes its position known
through the appropriate municipal association, or alternatively, directly
to the relevant Minister or government leader.
Commented [YS9]: Housekeeping change
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 40 of 62
By-law Number XXX-19 Page 35 of 44
b) A Member of Council may request that a resolution from another
municipality be added to a General Committee agenda for
consideration.
c) The Council’s receipt of resolutions from other municipalities does not
constitute endorsement by the Town of any recommendations or
actions they may contain.
43. Motions – Impact on Corporate Resources
a) The CAO will advise on the appropriate means of disposition for
matters that make an impact on administration.
b) Council is not required to pass a Motion that makes an impact on
corporate resources where a matter:
i) Has already been approved by Council;
ii) Is considered by the CAO to be minor in nature; and/or,
iii) Falls within existing service levels.
44. Procedures Concerning Motions
a) General Rules
i) Every Motion in any Meeting of Council or Committee requires a
mover and a seconder.
ii) When duly moved and seconded, every Motion, other than a
Motion to adjourn, recess, table or suspend the rules of this
Procedure By-law, is open for discussion.
iii) No debate is permitted on any Motion or amending Motion until it
has been properly seconded.
iv) A Member may move a Motion in order to initiate discussion and
debate, but vote in opposition to the Motion. A seconder of the
Motion may vote against the Motion.
v) A Motion or amending Motion may not be withdrawn without the
consent of the mover and seconder.
vi) The Chair of a Meeting of Council or a Committee will not move
or second a Motion.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 41 of 62
By-law Number XXX-19 Page 36 of 44
All Members of Council or a Committee will vote on all Motions
except in the instance where the Member refrains from voting on
an issue due to a declaration of a pecuniary interest in the matter
by the Member. If any Member does not vote, he/she will be
deemed as voting in the negative (except where prohibited from
voting by statute).
b) Motion under Debate
i) When a Motion is under debate, no other Motion may be
considered except for the following Motions, to be considered in
the listed order of priority:
(a) To adjourn;
(b) To recess;
(c) To table an item;
(d) To put the question to a vote or call the vote;
(e) To defer;
(f) To refer;
(g) To amend.
c) Motion to Adjourn
i) A Motion to adjourn means a Motion to end a Meeting.
ii) A Motion to adjourn is not debatable and shall always be in order
except when:
(a) Another Member is in possession of the floor;
(b) A vote has been called; or
(c) Members are voting.
iii) A Motion to adjourn is not amendable, except when moved to set
future time for adjourning.
iv) A Motion to adjourn shall take precedence over any other Motion
and shall be put immediately without debate.
d) Motion to Recess
i) A Motion to recess means to suspend a meeting for a specific
length of time.
ii) A Motion to recess when other business is before the Meeting:
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 42 of 62
By-law Number XXX-19 Page 37 of 44
(a) Specifies the length of time of the recess;
(b) Is debatable as to the length or timing of the recess; and
(c) Can only be amended with respect to the length of the
recess.
e) Motion to Table
i) A Motion to table means to postpone a matter without setting a
definite date for future discussion for a matter. A tabled Motion
that has not been decided on by Council during the term of
Council in which the Motion was introduced is deemed to have
been withdrawn.
ii) A Motion to table:
(a) Is not to be amended or debated; and
(b) Applies to the Motion and any amendments thereto under
debate at the time when the Motion to table was made.
iii) If the Motion to table carries, in the absence of any direction from
Council, the matter may not be discussed until the CAO, or a
Member through a Motion, brings it forward to a subsequent
Meeting.
f) Motion “To Put the Question to a Vote” or “To call the Vote”
i) A Motion “To Put the Question to a Vote” or “To call the Vote”
means to stop debate and immediately proceed to vote on the
Motion.
ii) Any Member may request the Chair “To Put the Question to a
Vote” or “To call the Vote” by presenting a Motion that the
question “now be put to a vote.” A Motion to put the question to
a vote must:
(a) Be seconded;
(b) Is not open to debate;
(c) Immediately put to a vote without debate;
(d) Requires a 2/3 majority vote to close debate.
g) Motion to Refer
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 43 of 62
By-law Number XXX-19 Page 38 of 44
i) A Motion to refer means to direct a matter under discussion by
Council or a Committee to Staff or another Committee for further
examination or review.
ii) A Motion to refer a matter under consideration to a Committee or
to Staff:
(a) Shall be debatable as to the rationale of referring, and
cannot go into the merits of the Motion or subject being
referred; and
(b) May be amended as to the Committee or group to whom it
is being referred, as to the time the Committee or Staff
reports back, and as to directions given to the Committee
or Staff; and
(c) Includes the terms on which the Motion is being referred
and the time at which the matter is to be returned; and
(d) Includes the reasons for the referral.
iii) This Motion may be delayed by the Chair in order to permit
Members on the speaking list to speak.
h) Motion to Defer
i) A Motion to defer means to postpone all discussion on a matter
until a future date or time, one which is established as part of the
Motion.
ii) A Motion to defer to a certain time or date:
(a) Is open to debate as to advisability of postponement and
cannot go into the merits of the Motion or subject being
postponed; and
(b) May be amended as to the time or date to which the
matter is to be deferred.
iii) This Motion may be delayed by the Chair in order to permit
Members on the speaking list to speak.
i) Motion to Amend
i) The purpose of this Motion is to modify a Motion. It cannot be
used to directly contradict or negate the effect of another Motion.
ii) A Motion to amend:
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 44 of 62
By-law Number XXX-19 Page 39 of 44
(a) Is open to debate; and,
(b) Is to be relevant to the main Motion; and
(c) Is applied to a Motion at one time, and that amendment
may be amended [by a secondary amendment], which
then cannot be amended.
iii) If a Motion to amend is not considered a Friendly Amendment,
then the Motion to amend:
(a) If more than one Motion, will be put to a vote in the
reverse order to that in which they were moved;
(b) Will be decided upon or withdrawn before the main Motion
is put to the vote;
(c) Will not be amended more than once, provided that
further amendments may be made to the main Motion;
and,
(d) Will not be directly contrary to the main Motion.
j) Motion Containing Two or More Matters
i) When the Motion under consideration concerns two (2) or more
matters, the Chair, upon the request of any Member, will direct
that the vote upon each matter be taken separately. Such
request may also be made by the Chair.
ii) A vote on the main Motion or the Motion, as amended, may be
split for the purpose of complying with the Municipal Conflict of
Interest Act, or at the discretion of the Chair.
k) Withdrawal of Motion
i) A request to withdraw a Motion:
(a) May only be made by the mover of the Motion;
(b) Requires consent of the seconder of the Motion; and,
(c) Is in order any time during the debate.
l) Adoption in a Single Motion
i) One or more items on an agenda may be adopted in a single
Motion.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 45 of 62
By-law Number XXX-19 Page 40 of 44
45. Voting
a) General Rules
i) After a Motion is finally put to a vote by the Chair, no Member
speaks to it nor will any other Motion be made until after the vote
is taken and the result has been declared.
ii) All Members of Council or a Committee will vote on all Motions.
Failure by any Member to announce his/her vote openly and
individually, including an “abstention,” is deemed to be a vote in
the negative.
iii) Each Member present and voting announces or indicates his/her
vote upon the Motion openly and individually, and no vote is
taken by ballot, or any other method of secret voting.
b) Majority Vote
i) A majority means more than half of the Members present, or:
(a) If 9 Members present: 5
(b) If 8 Members present: 5
(c)(a) If 7 Members present: 4
(d)(b) If 6 Members present: 4
(e)(c) If 5 Members present: 3
ii) Unless this Procedure By-law states otherwise, a matter passes
when a majority of Members present vote in the affirmative.
iii) Where required in this Procedure By-law, a two-thirds majority
means 2/3 of the Members present, or:
(a) 2/3 of 9: 6
(b) 2/3 of 8: 6
(c)(a) 2/3 of 7: 5
(d)(b) 2/3 of 6: 4
(c) 2/3 of 5: 4
(e)(d) 2/3 of 4: 3
c) Tie Vote
i) Any Motion on which there is a tie vote is deemed to be
defeated.
Commented [YS10]: Housekeeping change
Commented [YS11]: Housekeeping change
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 46 of 62
By-law Number XXX-19 Page 41 of 44
d) Recorded Vote
i) A recorded vote is only permitted at Council Meetings and will be
taken at the request of a Member prior to the commencement of
the vote being taken or immediately thereafter.
ii) A Member of Council’s failure to participate in a recorded vote
when he/she has not declared a pecuniary interest is deemed to
be a negative vote.
iii) A recorded vote at Council Meetings will be taken as set out in a)
or b) below:
(a) Each Member announces his/her vote openly, and the
Clerk records his/her vote in the minutes. Votes are called
in random order as determined by the Clerk.
(b) Each Member first indicates his/her vote by using an
electronic device. Each Member’s vote is then
electronically displayed on a screen, and the Clerk
announces the outcome of the vote and records each
Member’s vote in the minutes.
iv) Notwithstanding recorded votes, a record or notation of a
Member’s opposition to an issue is not recorded in any Meeting
minutes.
46. Reconsideration of a Matter
a) Council cannot reconsider a matter until six (6) months have passed
from the date of the matter’s original disposition by Council, except
upon a vote in the affirmative of two-thirds majority of the Members
present.
b) Decisions which contractually bind the Town shall not be reconsidered.
c) A Motion to reconsider shall be introduced by way of a Notice of Motion
and considered either at the next Council Meeting or at a special
Meeting called to reconsider the Motion unless the Council, without
debate, dispenses with the requirement for a Notice of Motion on a two-
thirds vote.
d) A Motion to reconsider is debatable, which debate will be restricted to
the rationale for reconsidering the matter, and no debate of the main
Motion shall be allowed until the Motion for reconsideration is carried.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 47 of 62
By-law Number XXX-19 Page 42 of 44
e) Once the reconsideration Motion has carried, the matter is reopened in
its entirety unless the reconsideration Motion specifies otherwise.
f) If the matter is reopened, all previous decisions of the Council remain in
force until the Council decides otherwise.
g) No Motion to reconsider may, itself, be the subject of a Motion to
reconsider.
h) Notwithstanding the time period set out in s. 46 (a), if a Council matter
was lost as a result of a tie vote due to an absent Member, the matter
may be reconsidered at the next Council meeting via a Motion to
reconsider carried by a majority of the Members present.
47. Point of Order
a) A Member may interrupt the person who has the floor to raise a Point of
Order when such Member feels that there has been:
i) A deviation or departure from this Procedure By-law; or
ii) A deviation from the matter under consideration and the current
discussion is not within the scope of the proposed Motion.
b) Upon hearing such Point of Order, the Chair decides and states his/her
ruling on the matter.
c) Upon hearing the Point of Order ruling, a Member only addresses the
Chair for the purpose of appealing the Chair’s decision to the Council or
a Committee.
d) If no Member appeals, the decision of the Chair is final.
e) If a Member appeals the Chair’s ruling to the Council or a Committee,
the Member has the right to state his/her case, the Chair has the right
to reply and the Council or Committee decides the question of whether
the decision of the Chair be sustained without further debate. The
decision of the majority of the Members who are present at the Meeting
is final.
48. Point of Personal Privilege
a) A Member may rise at any time on a Point of Personal Privilege where
such Member feels that the health, safety, rights, or integrity of his/her
own person, the Council, a Committee Member, Staff or anyone
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 48 of 62
By-law Number XXX-19 Page 43 of 44
present at the Meeting has been called into question by another
Member or by anyone present at the Meeting.
b) Upon hearing such Point of Personal Privilege, the Chair decides and
states his/her ruling on the matter.
c) Where the Chair rules that a breach of privilege has taken place, he/she
demands that the offending Member or individual apologize and, failing
such apology, requires said Member or individual to vacate the Meeting
room for the duration of the Meeting.
d) With the exception of providing an apology, the Member addresses the
Chair for the purpose of appealing the Chair’s ruling of a breach of
privilege to the Council or a Committee.
e) If no Member appeals, the decision of the Chair is final.
f) If a Member appeals the Chair’s ruling to the Council or a Committee,
the Member has the right to state his/her case, the Chair has the right
to reply and the Council or Committee decides the question of whether
the decision of the Chair be sustained without further debate. The
decision of a majority of the Members who are present at the Meeting is
final.
49. Public Record
a) All communications that the Clerk receives about a matter on the
agenda of a public or open Meeting will form part of the public record.
Personal information and opinions in communications are part of the
public record unless the author of the communication requests the
removal of his/her personal information when submitting it, or where
confirmed by the Clerk.
50. Administrative Authority of Clerk
a) The Clerk is authorized to amend by-laws, minutes and other Council
and Committee documentation for technical, typographical or other
administrative errors and omissions for the purpose of ensuring an
accurate and complete record of proceedings.
b) The Clerk is authorized to create and amend an annotated version of
the Procedure By-law from time to time, to assist Members in complying
with the rules as enforced and interpreted.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 49 of 62
By-law Number XXX-19 Page 44 of 44
51. Recording, Broadcasting and/or Live Streaming Meetings
a) All Meetings with a Quorum of Members shall be audio and/or visually
recorded, broadcast and/or live streamed publically by the Town, with
the exception of Meetings closed to the public provided for in the
Closed Session section of this Procedure By-law.
b) All Meetings of Committee of Adjustment, Property Standards
Committee, and other quasi-judicial bodies or Committees of the Town
shall be audio and/or visually recorded, broadcast and/or live streamed
publically by the Town, with the exception of Meetings closed to the
public provided for in the Closed Session section of this Procedure By-
law.
c) Attendees using their own recording, broadcasting and/or streaming
devices are encouraged to inform the Clerk or recording secretary to
ensure attendees at the Meeting are notified through the Chair.
d) The approved minutes of a Meeting will form the official record of the
Meeting. Any audio, video, or other record of the Meeting shall not be
considered an official record.
52. Review of Procedure By-law
a) Council shall review this By-law within the first six (6) months of the
second year of each term of Council.
b) The Clerk shall bring forward housekeeping amendments, as required
or as directed by Council.
53. Severability
a) Each and every one of the provisions of this Procedure By-law is
severable and if any provisions of this Procedure By-law should, for any
reason, be declared invalid by any Court, it is the intention and desire of
Council that each and every one of the then remaining provisions of this
Procedure By-law shall remain in full force and effect.
54. Enactment
a) By-law Number XXX be and is hereby repealed.
b) This By-law shall come into full force and effect on DATE.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R2
Page 50 of 62
Attachment No. 2 – Proposed 2020 Meeting Schedule(CC) Council Chambers (HR) Holland Room (LR) Leksand Room Revision: DRAFT-Alternative January 2020 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 29 30 31 1 2 3 4 Town Hall Closed New Year’s Eve Town Hall Closed New Year’s Day Town Hall Closed School Christmas Break Ends 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 9:30 a.m. Joint Council Committee (Newmarket) 7 p.m. Aurora Cultural Centre Board 7 p.m. Committee of Adjustment (CC) 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 5:45 p.m. Council Closed Session (if required) (HR) 7 p.m. General Committee (CC) 7 p.m. Aurora Public Library Board 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 5:45 p.m. Finance Advisory Committee (HR) 7 p.m. Public Planning (CC) 26 27 28 29 30 31 5:45 p.m. Council Closed Session (if required) (HR) 7 p.m. Council (CC) General Committee Meeting Agenda Tuesday, November 19, 2019 Item R2 Page 51 of 62
Attachment No. 2 – Proposed 2020 Meeting Schedule(CC) Council Chambers (HR) Holland Room (LR) Leksand Room Revision: DRAFT-Alternative February 2020 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 7 p.m. Heritage Advisory Committee (HR) 5:45 p.m. Council Closed Session (if required) (HR) 7 p.m. General Committee (CC) 7 p.m. Committee of Adjustment (CC) * 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 5:45 p.m. Finance Advisory Committee (HR) 7 p.m. Public Planning (CC) 7 p.m. Accessibility Advisory Committee (HR) 7 p.m. Aurora Cultural Centre Board 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Family Day Town Hall Closed 5:45 p.m. Council Closed Session (if required) (HR) 7 p.m. General Committee (CC) 7 p.m. Aurora Public Library Board 7 p.m. Community Advisory Committee (HR) 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 5:45 p.m. Council Closed Session (if required) (HR) 7 p.m. Council (CC) General Committee Meeting Agenda Tuesday, November 19, 2019 Item R2 Page 52 of 62
Attachment No. 2 – Proposed 2020 Meeting Schedule(CC) Council Chambers (HR) Holland Room (LR) Leksand Room Revision: DRAFT-Alternative March 2020 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 9:30 a.m. Joint Council Committee (HR) 5:45 p.m. Council Closed Session (if required (HR) 7 p.m. General Committee (CC) 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 5:45 p.m. Finance Advisory Committee (HR) 7 p.m. Public Planning (CC) 6:30 p.m. Aurora Cultural Centre Board (Public Meeting) 7 p.m. Accessibility Advisory Committee (HR) 7 p.m. Committee of Adjustment (CC) 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 School Mid-Winter Break Begins 7 p.m. Aurora Public Library Board School Mid-Winter Break Ends 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 5:45 p.m. Council Closed Session (if required) (HR) 7 p.m. General Committee (CC) 29 30 31 5:45 p.m. Council Closed Session (if required) (HR) 7 p.m. Council (CC) General Committee Meeting Agenda Tuesday, November 19, 2019 Item R2 Page 53 of 62
Attachment No. 2 – Proposed 2020 Meeting Schedule(CC) Council Chambers (HR) Holland Room (LR) Leksand Room Revision: DRAFT-Alternative April 2020 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 7 p.m. Heritage Advisory Committee (HR) 5:45 p.m. Council Closed Session (if required (HR) 7 p.m. General Committee (CC) 7 p.m. Accessibility Advisory Committee (HR) 7 p.m. Aurora Cultural Centre Board 7 p.m. Committee of Adjustment (CC) Passover (First Day) Good Friday Town Hall Closed 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Easter Sunday Easter Monday 5:45 p.m. Finance Advisory Committee (HR) 7 p.m. Public Planning (CC) 7 p.m. Aurora Public Library Board 7 p.m. Community Advisory Committee (HR) Passover (Last Day) 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 5:45 p.m. Council Closed Session (if required (HR) 7 p.m. General Committee (CC) 26 27 28 29 30 5:45 p.m. Council Closed Session (if required) (HR) 7 p.m. Council (CC) Art ShowArt Show General Committee Meeting Agenda Tuesday, November 19, 2019 Item R2 Page 54 of 62
Attachment No. 2 – Proposed 2020 Meeting Schedule(CC) Council Chambers (HR) Holland Room (LR) Leksand Room Revision: DRAFT-Alternative May 2020 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 Art Show Art Show 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Art Show 9:30 a.m. Joint Council Committee (Newmarket) 5:45 p.m. Council Closed Session (if required) (HR) 7 p.m. General Committee (CC) 7 p.m. Committee of Adjustment (CC) * 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 5:45 p.m. Finance Advisory Committee (HR) 7 p.m. Public Planning (CC) 7 p.m. Accessibility Advisory Committee (HR) 7 p.m. Aurora Cultural Centre Board 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Victoria Day Town Hall Closed 5:45 p.m. Council Closed Session (if required) (HR) 7 p.m. General Committee (CC) 7 p.m. Aurora Public Library Board 24/31 25 26 27 28 29 30 5:45 p.m. Council Closed Session (if required) (HR) 7 p.m. Council (CC) General Committee Meeting Agenda Tuesday, November 19, 2019 Item R2 Page 55 of 62
Attachment No. 2 – Proposed 2020 Meeting Schedule(CC) Council Chambers (HR) Holland Room (LR) Leksand Room Revision: DRAFT-Alternative June 2020 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 p.m. Heritage Advisory Committee (HR) 5:45 p.m. Council Closed Session (if required) (HR) 7 p.m. General Committee (CC) FCM Conference Toronto FCM FCM 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 FCM 5:45 p.m. Finance Advisory Committee (HR) 7 p.m. Public Planning (CC) 6:30 p.m. Aurora Cultural Centre Board (Public Meeting) 7 p.m. Accessibility Advisory Committee (HR) 7 p.m. Committee of Adjustment (CC) 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 5:45 p.m. Council Closed Session (if required) (HR) 7 p.m. General Committee (CC) 7 p.m. Aurora Public Library Board 7 p.m. Community Advisory Committee (HR) 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 6:15 p.m. Audit Committee (CC) 7 p.m. Council (CC) 28 29 30 General Committee Meeting Agenda Tuesday, November 19, 2019 Item R2 Page 56 of 62
Attachment No. 2 – Proposed 2020 Meeting Schedule(CC) Council Chambers (HR) Holland Room (LR) Leksand Room Revision: DRAFT-Alternative July 2020 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 4 Canada Day Town Hall Closed 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 9:30 a.m. Joint Council Committee (HR) 5:45 p.m. Council Closed Session (if required) (HR) 7 p.m. General Committee (CC) 7 p.m. Aurora Cultural Centre Board 7 p.m. Committee of Adjustment (CC) 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 5:45 p.m. Council Closed Session (if required) (HR) 7 p.m. Council (CC) 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 General Committee Meeting Agenda Tuesday, November 19, 2019 Item R2 Page 57 of 62
Attachment No. 2 – Proposed 2020 Meeting Schedule(CC) Council Chambers (HR) Holland Room (LR) Leksand Room Revision: DRAFT-Alternative August 2020 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Civic Holiday Town Hall Closed 5:45 p.m. Council Closed Session (if required) (HR) 7 p.m. General Committee (CC) 7 p.m. Committee of Adjustment (CC) * 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 5:45 p.m. Council Closed Session (if required) (HR) 7 p.m. Council (CC) 7 p.m. Aurora Cultural Centre Board 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 AMO Conference Ottawa AMO AMO AMO 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 General Committee Meeting Agenda Tuesday, November 19, 2019 Item R2 Page 58 of 62
Attachment No. 2 – Proposed 2020 Meeting Schedule(CC) Council Chambers (HR) Holland Room (LR) Leksand Room Revision: DRAFT-Alternative September 2020 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 4 5 9:30 a.m. Joint Council Committee (Newmarket) 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Labour Day Town Hall Closed 5:45 p.m. Council Closed Session (if required) (HR) 7 p.m. General Committee (CC) 6:30 p.m. Aurora Cultural Centre Board (Public Meeting) 7 p.m. Accessibility Advisory Committee (HR) 7 p.m. Committee of Adjustment (CC) 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 7 p.m. Heritage Advisory Committee (HR) 5:45 p.m. Finance Advisory Committee (HR) 7 p.m. Public Planning (CC) 7 p.m. Aurora Public Library Board 7 p.m. Community Advisory Committee (HR) Rosh Hashanah 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 5:45 p.m. Council Closed Session (if required) (HR) 7 p.m. General Committee (CC) 27 28 29 30 Yom Kippur 5:45 p.m. Council Closed Session (if required) (HR) 7 p.m. Council (CC) General Committee Meeting Agenda Tuesday, November 19, 2019 Item R2 Page 59 of 62
Attachment No. 2 – Proposed 2020 Meeting Schedule(CC) Council Chambers (HR) Holland Room (LR) Leksand Room Revision: DRAFT-Alternative October 2020 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 5:45 p.m. Council Closed Session (if required) (HR) 7 p.m. General Committee (CC) 7 p.m. Committee of Adjustment (CC) 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Thanksgiving Day Town Hall Closed 5:45 p.m. Finance Advisory Committee (HR) 7 p.m. Public Planning (CC) 7 p.m. Accessibility Advisory Committee (HR) 7 p.m. Aurora Cultural Centre Board 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 5:45 p.m. Council Closed Session (if required) (HR) 7 p.m. General Committee (CC) 7 p.m. Aurora Public Library Board 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 5:45 p.m. Council Closed Session (if required) (HR) 7 p.m. Council (CC) General Committee Meeting Agenda Tuesday, November 19, 2019 Item R2 Page 60 of 62
Attachment No. 2 – Proposed 2020 Meeting Schedule(CC) Council Chambers (HR) Holland Room (LR) Leksand Room Revision: DRAFT-Alternative November 2020 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 7 p.m. Heritage Advisory Committee (HR) 9:30 a.m. Joint Council Committee (HR) 5:45 p.m. Council Closed Session (if required) (HR) 7 p.m. General Committee (CC) 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 5:45 p.m. Finance Advisory Committee (HR) 7 p.m. Public Planning (CC) 7 p.m. Accessibility Advisory Committee (HR) 7 p.m. Aurora Cultural Centre Board Remembrance Day 7 p.m. Committee of Adjustment (CC) 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 5:45 p.m. Council Closed Session (if required) (HR) 7 p.m. General Committee (CC) 7 p.m. Aurora Public Library Board 7 p.m. Community Advisory Committee (HR) 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 5:45 p.m. Council Closed Session (if required) (HR) 7 p.m. Council (CC) 29 30 General Committee Meeting Agenda Tuesday, November 19, 2019 Item R2 Page 61 of 62
Attachment No. 2 – Proposed 2020 Meeting Schedule(CC) Council Chambers (HR) Holland Room (LR) Leksand Room Revision: DRAFT-Alternative December 2020 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 4 5 5:45 p.m. Council Closed Session (if required) (HR) 7 p.m. General Committee (CC) 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 5:45 p.m. Finance Advisory Committee (HR) 7 p.m. Public Planning (CC) 6:30 p.m. Aurora Cultural Centre Board (Public Meeting) 7 p.m. Accessibility Advisory Committee (HR) 7 p.m. Aurora Public Library Board 7 p.m. Committee of Adjustment (CC) Hanukkah (First Day) 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 5:45 p.m. Council Closed Session (if required) (HR) 7 p.m. Council (CC) Hanukkah (Last Day) 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 School Christmas Break Begins Christmas Eve Christmas Day Town Hall Closed Boxing Day 27 28 29 30 31 New Year’s Eve General Committee Meeting Agenda Tuesday, November 19, 2019 Item R2 Page 62 of 62
Town of Aurora
General Committee Report No. FS19-033
Subject: Prudent Investor Option Analysis
Prepared by: Laura Sheardown, Financial Management Advisor
Department: Finance
Date: November 19, 2019
Recommendation
1. That Report No. FS19-033 be received; and
2. That staff be directed to work with ONE Investment to bring information to the
Financial Advisory Committee relating to the implementation of a Prudent
Investor regime, including any Investment Policy Statement and agreement
requirements associated with the establishment of a Joint Investment Board
for its review and comment; and
3. That staff be directed to bring any resultant recommendations to Council for
consideration.
Executive Summary
This report outlines:
• There are several benefits of investing under a Prudent Investor regime
• The Legal list of investment options differs significantly from the options available
as a Prudent Investor under ONE Fund
• The Town has two options available to it for the implementation of a Prudent
Investor regime
• There are risks and potential drawbacks of the Prudent Investor regime that
should be considered
• Should the Town decide to adopt a Prudent Investor Regime as a Founding
Municipality via the ONE Joint Investment Board, specific steps are required
Background
Investing under the Municipal Act, 2001 (Act) and O. Reg 438/97 (Regulation) is divided
into the prescribed list of securities which is more commonly referred to as the Legal
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R3
Page 1 of 7
November 19, 2019 Page 2 of 7 Report No. FS19-033
List (LL) and the recently added Prudent Investor (PI) regime. The LL restricts what
municipalities can invest in and how much they can invest in any one investment
vehicle. The new PI regime allows the municipality to access a wider variety of
investments, but also includes a new governance model. Under the PI regime, control
and management of the funds not required immediately by the municipality is given to a
municipal service board, Investment Board (IB) or a Joint Investment Board (JIB) to
invest on behalf of the municipality.
On October 8, 2019, Council directed staff to study and report back on the possible
benefits of transitioning the Town of Aurora to the PI regime.
Analysis
There are several benefits of investing under a Prudent Investor regime
The PI regime expands municipal investment opportunities. The restrictions built into
the LL leads quite often to an underlying concentration risk within the municipality’s
investment portfolio. Concentration risk arises when investments are made in closely
related securities (asset class, geographical location or sector). A PI regime offers a
much more diverse list of investment products and eliminates all geographical
limitations. A PI regime allows for the possible mitigation of the following risks:
Risk Adjusted Returns
Municipalities are stewards of public funds and the preservation of capital is a key
priority that needs to be carefully balanced with the need for returns. The Town of
Aurora’s budget is under pressure to maximize revenues while minimizing the need for
property tax increases. Currently, Aurora depends on more than $1.5M in annual
investment income to keep the tax levy down, plus the portion of investment income that
is used to ‘pay’ the reserves their annual interest allocation.
Diversification
By removing investment restrictions under the PI regime, the municipality is able to
better diversify its investments. By investing municipal funds in multiple markets, sectors
and products the municipality can better protect itself from losses incurred in one of its
investments. Under the PI, the Town of Aurora will be able to invest in:
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R3
Page 2 of 7
November 19, 2019 Page 3 of 7 Report No. FS19-033
- A broader array of investment products facilitating the development of a more
diversified investment portfolio;
- The Global markets as securities in equity and fixed income markets outside of
Canada are influenced by a different set of factors than Canadian securities; and
- Investments with greater returns by tolerating a higher level of risk over a small
portion of the investment portfolio and identifying investments that the portfolio
managers feel are undervalued and therefore represent a mispriced investment
opportunity.
The Legal List of investment options differs significantly from the options
available as a Prudent Investor under ONE Fund
ONE Investment’s PI offerings will be a mix of its current LL options and two new funds
that will only be available to PI investors – a Global Equity Fund and a Global Bond
Fund. Assuming that the PI offerings had been available for the past five years (2014-
2018), modelling calculations show that the PI approach would have increased a
municipality’s return by 2.69% over the LL approach. There is no guarantee of better
returns year-to-year through the PI approach, but over a longer period of time it should
prove to be beneficial.
The Town has two options available to it for the implementation of a Prudent
Investor regime
The Town of Aurora has two options for implementing the Prudent Investor regime:
- Establishing a Town of Aurora Investment Board
- Establishing a Joint Investment Board
Establishing a Town of Aurora Investment Board
Although the Town of Aurora qualifies under the Act to create its own IB, staff do not
recommend this option as the costs of establishing and running the IB would outweigh
any potential gains made through the wider range of investment powers. To date, the
City of Toronto is the only municipality to establish its own IB.
Establishing a Joint Investment Board
As noted in the previous report to Council, ONE Investment is the only organization
which is actively working to establish a JIB. Staff have been working with ONE
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R3
Page 3 of 7
November 19, 2019 Page 4 of 7 Report No. FS19-033
Investment staff and eight other municipalities, listed below, to become founding
members of the ONE Investment JIB. The other founding municipalities are:
- County of Essex
- Municipality of Clarington
- District of Muskoka
- Town of Huntsville
- City of Kenora
- Town of Whitby
- Town of Bracebridge
- Town of Innisfil
The costs of establishing and operating an individual IB are significant and would likely
more than offset any possible incremental returns that could be achieved through an IB.
By joining the ONE JIB, the Town of Aurora would benefit from the expertise and
oversight of an IB while sharing the costs among all participating municipalities that are
investing under its umbrella.
There are risks and potential drawbacks of the Prudent Investor regime that
should be considered
The new governance structure for the PI regime has some associated risks. A
municipality that passes a by-law to adopt the PI regime cannot revoke that by-law. This
means that if the Town of Aurora was to adopt the PI regime, it cannot go back to
investing money that is not immediately required in accordance with the LL unless a
regulation authorizing the municipality to do so is made by the Lieutenant Governor of
Ontario.
Additionally, a municipality must delegate its powers to invest money not immediately
required to an IB or JIB. As per the Regulation, Councillors and municipal staff cannot
be appointed as members of the IB or JIB, except for the municipal treasurers provided
that they do not make up more than 25% of the board.
This change in control is mitigated by the Investment Policy Statement (IPS), which
allows Council to define its objectives for return on investment, its risk tolerance and
need for liquidity. Council, or in the Town of Aurora’s situation the Finance Advisory
Committee, must review its IPS at least annually. Through the IPS, Council maintains its
strategic control over its investments.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R3
Page 4 of 7
November 19, 2019 Page 5 of 7 Report No. FS19-033
If Council decides to proceed with the PI regime, staff will determine how the Town
defines ‘money not required immediately’ and management of those funds would be
given to the IB or JIB for the purpose of investing. Any funds that do not fall within that
definition will remain under the control and management of the Town.
There are no guarantees of better returns by investing under the PI regime. A broader
array of investments will expose the Town to a wider range of risks and although this
approach has been successful in the past, there are no guarantees for the future.
Under the PI regime, the Town of Aurora will be giving up its management and control
over the investment of money not required immediately. The Town will have to rely on
the expertise, experience, good faith and diligence of ONE JIB and ONE Investment
staff. ONE investment is a non-profit corporation founded by LAS that has more than
25 years of experience in offering investment products and vehicles for the municipal
sector. ONE investment’s main purpose is to make available, and lower the cost of,
investment products and services in a manner consistent with the investment objectives
of municipalities and public sector bodies.
Staff believe that the individuals within the ONE JIB and ONE Investment are the right
ones for the job and that moving to the PI regime is the preferred course of action for
the Town of Aurora.
Should the Town decide to adopt a Prudent Investor Regime as a Founding
Municipality via the ONE Joint Investment Board, the following steps are required
The steps required to adopt the PI regime and enter into the ONE JIB as a founding
member will require multiple consultations with the Financial Advisory Committee to
help revise the Town of Aurora’s Investment Policy Statement in order to meet the PI
regime requirements.
Staff will also bring forward an authorizing by-law that will provide approval to create the
JIB as well as enter into an agreement as a founding member of the ONE JIB. Finance
staff will work with Legal Services as well as the Town Clerk in an effort to make this
process as straightforward and simple as possible.
Advisory Committee Review
Not applicable.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R3
Page 5 of 7
November 19, 2019 Page 6 of 7 Report No. FS19-033
Legal Considerations
Recent amendments to the Municipal Act, 2001 (Act) and changes to O. Reg. 438/97
(Regulation) provide eligible municipalities the option to invest money that it does not
require immediately according to the prudent investor standard.
Financial Implications
The prudent investor regime provides municipalities with a new and very different
approach to investing for municipalities although it is an approach that has been used
by trustees in Ontario for almost two decades. The successful implementation of a
prudent investor regime could provide municipalities with higher risk-adjusted returns
over the long-term. The prudent investor regime, however, can only be accessed
through an investment board or a joint investment board.
Other issues for consideration include the loss of control and management in respect of
the day-to-day investment decisions relating to cash that is not required immediately by
the Town; the fact that there is no guarantee of improved investment returns and that
the governance structure in the context of multiple municipalities is untested in Ontario.
Communications Considerations
There are no Communications considerations beyond posting this report to the Town
website.
Link to Strategic Plan
Investment of the surplus and reserve funds of the Town, contributes to achieving the
Strategic Plan guiding principle of ‘Leadership in Corporate Management’ and improves
transparency and accountability to the community.
Alternative(s) to the Recommendation
1. Council may choose to accept, amend or reject any or all of the recommendations
of this report.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R3
Page 6 of 7
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R3
Page 7 of 7
Town of Aurora
General Committee Report No. CMS19-027
Subject: Aurora Museum & Archives Museum Plan Status Report
Prepared by: Shawna White, Curator
Department: Community Services
Date: November 19, 2019
Recommendation
1. That Report No. CMS19-027 be received for information.
Executive Summary
This report provides information regarding the status of the Aurora Museum & Archives
implementation activities between 2015 and 2019, as outlined in its Museum Plan
(Building The Foundation).
• Summary of Key Areas that guide the plan for the Aurora Museum & Archives
• The Aurora Museum & Archives has been built on a solid foundation through the
successful implementation of the plan
Background
The Aurora Museum & Archives (AMA) re-opened to the public in June 2015 under
Town ownership after the collection was transferred from the Aurora Historical Society.
In preparation for the operation of this new entity, a plan was developed utilizing
recommendations contained within the Transfer Agreement, Collection Review, Town of
Aurora Strategic Plan and Cultural Master Plan. These documents provided the context
for the creation of a plan to guide the growth, development and use of the Aurora
collection.
Building The Foundation, outlined measurable goals and strategies. Originally designed
as a three-year working document, the plan was extended twice, firstly because of a
Town-wide funding freeze in year two and secondly, because of the upcoming Library
Square project. Work however, continues following the outlined strategies and
objectives, if not the expressed timelines.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R4
Page 1 of 19
November 19, 2019 Page 2 of 5 Report No. CMS19-027
Analysis
Summary of Key Areas that guide the plan for the Aurora Museum & Archives
The plan outlines four key areas that each contain an overarching goal, multiple
strategies and specific objectives related to those strategies. The four key areas are:
• Access: To increase access to the collection
• Collections Management: To maintain and develop the collection in accordance
with accepted museum standards and practice
• Conservation: Maintain and improve standards of curatorial custody,
preservation, and conservation of the collection
• Outreach: Connect, engage and inspire our community
The Aurora Museum & Archives has been built on a solid foundation through the
successful implementation of the plan
Since 2015, staff have successfully implemented almost all of the three-year plan’s
strategies and objectives. Of the plan’s 21 strategies, 16 have been implemented or are
in process. Attachment 1 and 2 provide a comprehensive overview of each of the
recommendations and how they have been implemented. The following is a summary
of those accomplishments from each key area:
Access
• To date, staff have produced 13 comprehensive exhibitions and 23 satellite
displays
• Online access to the collection has continuously increased by utilizing various
mediums, including: a dedicated website (auroramuseum.ca), an online
exhibition (Town Park: A Community Storybook) and an APP (On This Spot).
• Staff have completed 172 research requests from the public on a variety of topics
including family research and historical properties
• Staff have coordinated and created 181 weekly artifact spots and 67 weekly
history columns (Time Traveller’s Diary) for the local paper
• Strong partnerships with numerous community groups have been established to
deliver 22 high-quality programs and events
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R4
Page 2 of 19
November 19, 2019 Page 3 of 5 Report No. CMS19-027
Collections Management
• Proper documentation of AMA artifacts is an ongoing initiative and contains many
sub-projects, such as the review of gift binders, systematic database clean up,
transcribing card catalogues and eliminating the backlog of artifact processing
• The AMA has accepted 134 new donations, primarily composed of archival
material and photographs
• There have been two major collection re-organizations; the first was Small
Artifact Storage in 2015 and the second was Large Artifact Storage in 2017
Conservation
• Data loggers and additional environmental controls were purchased, and the
collection environment is regularly monitored
• Major collection re-organizations completed to address overcrowding issues and
ensure artifact stability
• Staff continue to actively re-house artifacts and archival materials into new
archival grade storage solutions
• Active infestation within the textile collection has been neutralized and re-housing
efforts continue
Outreach
• The AMA regularly participates in Doors Open Ontario and has welcomed 1,975
visitors during these annual events
• Student placements occur regularly and the AMA has hosted six high school co-
ops and six post-graduate internships
• The Volunteer Program at the AMA is robust with community members
contributing their time to a variety of areas, including artifacts, archives,
placements, exhibitions, research, Pet Cemetery and special events.
• From 2015 – August 30, 2019, volunteers contributed a total of 10,590 hours
o This equates to approximately 302 weeks (35 hr/wk) or 5.8 years
Advisory Committee Review
Not Applicable
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R4
Page 3 of 19
November 19, 2019 Page 4 of 5 Report No. CMS19-027
Legal Considerations
Not Applicable
Financial Implications
Staff have successfully delivered this plan to date within Council’s specified annual
funding increase thresholds and/or available growth funding. Staff anticipate that
sufficient funding will be available through the Library Square capital project as well as
the planned library square operating budget that will allow for the completion of the
remainder of this plan.
Communications Considerations
This report will be posted to the Town of Aurora website for the general public.
Link to Strategic Plan
The Museum Plan supports the following Strategic Plan goal of celebrating and
promoting our culture in its accomplishment in satisfying requirements in the following
key objectives within these goal statements:
• Expand opportunities and partnerships that contribute to the celebration of
culture in the community
• Actively promote and support a plan to revitalize the downtown that
includes culture
Alternative(s) to the Recommendation
1. Council may provide further direction.
Conclusions
The Museum has made significant progress on building the foundation of this new
municipal endeavor. Staff will continue their efforts to safeguard, document and share
the stories of Aurora with the larger community.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R4
Page 4 of 19
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R4
Page 5 of 19
THE FOUNDATION IS SOLIDLY BUILT
• Database Entries Updated
• Backlog of Pre-transfer Donations
GOAL: To Increase Access
to the Collection
ACCESS
GOAL: To Maintain and Develop
the Collection in Accordance
with Accepted Museum Standards
and Practice
COLLECTIONS MANAGEMENT
• GEOCACHE
• WEBSITE
• VIRTUAL
MUSEUM OF
CANADA
• HIDDEN
AURORA
• ON THIS SPOT
APP
RESEARCHREQUESTS
TIME TRAVELLER’S
DIARY COLUMNS
PARTNERSHIP
EVENTS
GOAL: Connect, Engage and
Inspire Our Community
OUTREACH
HIGH SCHOOL
COOP PLACEMENTS
NEW DONATIONS
Majority archival
photographs and
documents
POST-GRADUATE
INTERNSHIPS
• Stable Storage Environment – Improving
but ongoing equipment failure issues.
• Artifacts off the floor – Loss of off-site
storage.
• Education Program
for Schools
PEOPLE ATTENDEDDOORS OPEN
GOAL: Maintain and Improve
Standards of Curatorial Custody,
Preservation, and Conservation
of the Collection
CONSERVATION
Data loggers in place to monitor temperature
and humidity
* Full breakdown of all strategies and objectives contained within the
report Building the Foundation: Status of the Museum Plan.
Textile re-housing continues.
No more bugs in the textile collection!
Artifact re-housing continues – Storage
areas greatly improved. Additional shelving.
SNAPSHOT 2015 – 2019
New Collection
Software
Collections
Management Policy
All Collecting
Records Reviewed
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R4
Page 6 of 19
Attachment 2 – CMS19-027
Building the Foundation:
Status of the Museum Plan
September 30, 2019
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R4
Page 7 of 19
2
The Aurora Museum & Archives re-opened to the public in June 2015 under Town ownership after the collection
was transferred from the Aurora Historical Society. In preparation for the operation of this new entity, a plan
was developed utilizing recommendations contained within the Transfer Agreement, Collection Review, Town of
Aurora Strategic Plan and Cultural Master Plan. These documents provided the context for the creation of a plan
to guide the growth, development and use of the Aurora Collection.
Titled, Building The Foundation, this plan outlined measurable goals, strategies and objectives organized into
Four Key Areas:
x Access
x Collections Management
x Conservation
x Outreach
Originally designed as a three-year working document, the plan was extended twice, firstly because of a Town-
wide funding freeze in year two and secondly, because of the upcoming Library Square project. Work however,
continues following the outlined strategies and objectives, if not the expressed timelines.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R4
Page 8 of 19
3
Goals, Strategies and Status Overview
Goal Strategy Status
Access to Collection Reopen Museum Completed - 2015
Exhibition Plan Completed up to 2020
Exhibitions - Other venues Ongoing - displays at ASHoF and Town Hall
Online Presence Completed - website launched 2017
App - Town's History Completed - June 2018
Displays at APL On Hold - began in 2015; suspended in 2018
Collections
Management
All Collection Records Reviewed Completed - 2017
Acquisitions catalogued within 6
months
Completed – procedure in place for all new
acquisitions
All database entries updated Not Completed - dependant on new staff
Backlog items cleared Not Completed - dependant on new staff
Object Movement tracked in
database Completed – procedure in place for all artifacts
Conservation Stable Storage Environments Not Completed - ongoing issues with equipment
Artifact Re-Housing Plan Plan Completed - execution ongoing
Artifacts Off Floor Not Completed; loss of off site storage
Textile Re-Housing Plan Plan Completed - execution ongoing
Outreach Doors Open Site Completed – annual event
Youth Internships
Completed - new students accommodated when
possible
School Coop Placements
Completed – new students accommodated when
possible
Education Program for Schools Not Completed - dependant on resourcing
Volunteer Group Completed – new volunteers added
Explore Grants
Completed – new grant opportunities explored as
they arise
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R4
Page 9 of 19
4
Access
Goal: To Increase Access to the Collection
Strategy 1: Setup Office Space and Work Areas at 22 Church Street
By spring of 2015, the office space at 22 Church Street was fully setup and functional (Obj. 1A, 1B, 1C). Office
space was shared with Aurora Cultural Centre staff until the winter of 2017, at which point the Museum
received sole access. In exchange, a separate entrance door was installed in the Archive space and the Museum
gave up exclusive use of the Library Room on Mondays. Prior to this arrangement, Museum staff could only
access the Archive on Mondays, while they had access to the Library Room.
Strategy 2: Establish a Regular Schedule of Exhibitions
Prior to the first exhibition opening in June 2015, new display cases, modular walls and lighting were all
purchased for the exhibition space, known as the Aurora Room (Obj. 1D, 1E, 1F). A three-year exhibition
schedule was developed that prioritized partnership co-curation opportunities with community groups and post-
secondary institutions (Obj. 1G, 1H). In 2017, a second full time position was approved increasing the amount of
exhibition activity.
Exhibition Activity
Date Location Title Notes
2015 – June Aurora Room A Legacy of Sport Partnered with the Aurora
Sports Hall of Fame
2016 – March Aurora Room Built Culture: Memories of the
Precinct
Partnered with the University of
Toronto, students co-curated
the content
2016 – October Stronach Aurora
Recreation
Complex
Grand re-opening of the Aurora
Sports Hall of Fame
Collaboration with the Aurora
Sports Hall of Fame for the
grand re-opening of the Hall;
objects and photographs from
the museum collection are
featured prominently in the Hall.
2017 – June Aurora Room Aurora Canada’s Birthday Town
2017 – June Online Town Park: A Community
Storybook
Received VMC grant
2017 –
September
Town Park Making Peace Outdoor travelling exhibition
2017 – October Aurora Room The Plow in the Crest: How
Joseph Fleury and his Sons
Shaped Industry, Politics and
Community in Aurora
Partnered with the Fleury family
who co-curated the content
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R4
Page 10 of 19
5
2018 – April Aurora Room The Temple of Fame: Staging
Women’s Roles
Partnered with the University of
Toronto, students co-curated
the content
2018 – June Aurora Room Aurora United Church: 200 Years
at Yonge and Tyler, and the
Journey Continues …
Partnered with Aurora United
Church 200th Anniversary
Committee, who co-curated the
content
2018 – October Aurora Room Play Hard, Fight Hard: Sport and
the Canadian Military
Travelling exhibit
Received MAP grant
2019 – February Hillary House Freemasonry: A History Hidden
in Plain Sight
Travelling exhibit
Partnership with Aurora
Historical Society
2019 – March Aurora Room The Wardrobes of Aurora Partnered with the University of
Toronto, students co-curated
the content
2019 –
September
Aurora Room Swift and Bold: The Queen’s
York Rangers in Aurora
Partnership with the Queen’s
York Rangers Regimental
Museum and the Royal
Canadian Military Institute
Total 13
Strategy 3: Create an Online Presence for the Collection
Efforts to establish an online presence began in 2015 with the purchasing of digitization equipment including a
scanner and camera (Obj. 1J). Since then, staff have worked to digitize the archival collection and photograph
artifacts. The process of digitization ensures that a physical object/archival document has a corresponding digital
asset that can be leveraged in an online environment. To date, the Museum has launched an independent
website (Obj. 1K), developed three online programs that interpret sites throughout the Town (Obj. 1Q) and
curated one online exhibit (Obj. 1G). Staff contribute to the Town’s existing social media channels but do not
have access to independent accounts limiting our ability to engage digitally (Obj. 1L).
Online Activity
Date Project Description Notes
2015 – June Digitization Began an archival photo digitization project
2016 – March Geocache Developed a geocache to compliment the Built
Culture exhibition
Partnered with the
University of Toronto
2017 – June Website
launch
Designed and developed content for the
Museum’s website
2017 – June Online
Exhibit
Researched and developed an online exhibit
titled, Town Park: A Community Storybook
Received VMC grant
2017 – ongoing Social
Media
Contribute to the existing Town social media
channels as able
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R4
Page 11 of 19
6
2017 –
September
Hidden
Aurora
Develop content for an online scavenger hunt Partnered with Brainy
Games
2018 – June On This
Spot
Working with an established APP, launched 125
carefully restaged then and now images and
two self guided walking tours that interpret
sites throughout the Town
2019 -
September
Swift &
Bold
Created a documentary film on the history of
the Queen’s York Rangers that is available
through our website
Partnered with Mountain
Goat Film Company
Website Statistics – 2018
Month Unique Visitors Number of Visits Hits
Jan 2018 73 105 9,555
Feb 2018 86 110 8,359
Mar 2018 184 255 14,933
Apr 2018 189 269 15,590
May 2018 239 298 16,637
Jun 2018 323 410 15,956
Jul 2018* 2,143 2,274 12,909
Aug 2018 1,171 1,306 11,209
Sep 2018 851 1,010 10,922
Oct 2018 1,190 1,816 12,685
Nov 2018 1,043 1,730 11,986
Dec 2018 902 1,469 9,943
Total 8,394 11,052 150,684
*On This Spot launched in June 2018 which dramatically increased website visitation from an average of 182
unique visitors in January – June 2018, to an average of 1,050 unique visitors in July – December 2018 as a result
of marketing efforts.
Website Statistics – 2019
Month Unique Visitors Number of Visits Hits
Jan 2019 841 2,465 11,378
Feb 2019 619 1,600 12,702
Mar 2019 485 717 12,980
Apr 2019 635 964 8,655
May 2019 601 916 11,942
Jun 2019 294 415 8,921
Jul 2019 252 354 10,121
Total 3,727 7,431 76,699
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R4
Page 12 of 19
7
Strategy 4: Provide the Public with Monitored Access to the Archives
The Museum has extensive research files and receives regular requests from members of the public, community
groups, heritage professionals and other Town of Aurora departments. Any enquiries that are received by the
Aurora Historical Society are re-directed to Museum staff (Obj. 1N). In 2015, a Research Fee Schedule and
Archival Reproduction Policy were put in place. Prior to the office transition described under Strategy 1,
Mondays were established as a set day for research requests (Obj. 1M). This has since changed and the requests
are fulfilled in the order they come in. Research files pertaining to properties, families and thematic topics
continue to be updated as more information becomes available (Obj. 1O).
Research Requests
Year Number of Requests Total Number of Hours
2015 39 59
2016 57 103
2017 34 52
2018 28 113
2019* 14 18
Total 172 345
*as of August 30, 2019
Strategy 5: Look Beyond our Walls
Publish Content in the Local Newspaper
In 2016, staff connected with the Editor of the local paper and were given the opportunity to highlight items
from the collection on a weekly basis (Obj. 1P). This content is referred to as the “museum spot” and is created
each week in the form of an image of an artifact, archival photo, or museum project, with a short description. In
2018, the Museum was also given the opportunity to write a weekly history column for the same newspaper,
known as “Time Traveller’s Diary”. This column helps us further our mandate at no additional cost.
Published Content
Year Weekly Artifact Content
Archival Image or Image
of Artifact 125 Words
Weekly History Column
500 words
2016 47 n/a
2017 50 n/a
2018 49 34
2019* 35 33
Total 181 67
*as of August 30, 2019
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R4
Page 13 of 19
8
Joint Displays
In 2015, a rotating display partnership with Aurora Public Library was established (Obj. 1I, 1P). In 2018, the
library began renovations and the display program has been postponed until available exhibit infrastructure is
identified. In addition, an exhibit case was purchased in 2017 and placed on the main floor of Town Hall, which
provides additional display opportunities to promote various aspects of Aurora’s ongoing culture (Obj. 1P). The
Museum also cooperates with other heritage institutions and ensures that artifacts from the collection are
available for outgoing loans as requested.
Offsite Displays
Year Number of
Displays
Number of Artifacts
on Display
Location
2015 7 62 Aurora Public Library
2016 5 87 Aurora Public Library
2017 4 86 Aurora Public Library
2018 2 10 Aurora Public Library
5 45 Town Hall
2019* 3 30 Town Hall
Total 23 290
*as of August 30, 2019
Joint Programs and Events
The process of establishing partnerships to deliver programs and events is ongoing. Since 2015, staff have
successfully collaborated with numerous community groups to deliver quality programs to both residents and
visitors (Obj. 1P). Some Museum events occur annually, such as Doors Open Ontario (2015-2019) and the York
Region District School Board Heritage Fair (2017-2019), and others happen only once, such as Party in the Park
(2017) and Temple of Fame (2018).
Program and Event Activity
Year Total number Project name Partners
2015 2 52 Pick Me Up Aurora Heritage Authority, Aurora Sports Hall of
Fame, Boulevard Design, Sport Aurora
Doors Open Doors Open Ontario - TOA Planning Department
2016 3 Geocache University of Toronto
Doors Open Doors Open Ontario – TOA Planning Department
Town Park Story Sharing Aurora Public Library
2017 7 A Reflection on Vimy: 100
Years Later
Aurora Historical Society
Aurora Cultural Centre
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R4
Page 14 of 19
9
Feature Area of Aurora
Chamber Home Show
Aurora Chamber of Commerce
Aurora Historical Society
YRDSB Heritage Fair York Region District School Board
Party in the Park Rotary Club of Aurora
Virtual Museum of Canada
Doors Open Doors Open Ontario – TOA Planning Department
Hidden Aurora Brainy Games
Trailblazer Music Festival Jared Stafford
2018 6 Temple of Fame Aurora Chamber of Commerce
Aurora Cultural Centre
Aurora Sports Hall of Fame
Aurora Historical Society
MP Leonna Alleslev
YRDSB Heritage Fair York Region District School Board
On This Spot
Doors Open Doors Open Ontario – TOA Planning Department
Armistice: 100 Years of
Remembrance
Aurora Cultural Centre
Aurora Historical Society
Remembrance Day Cadet
Vigil
Queen’s York Rangers 2799 Army Aurora Cadet
Corps
Aurora Historical Society
2019 4 Queen’s York Rangers
Documentary
Mountain Goat Film Company
Queen’s York Rangers
Queen’s York Rangers Regimental Museum
Royal Canadian Military Institute
YRDSB Heritage Fair York Region District School Board
Doors Open Doors Open Ontario – TOA Planning Department
Remembrance Day Cadet
Vigil
Queen’s York Rangers 2799 Army Aurora Cadet
Corps; King Heritage and Cultural Centre
Total 22
Collections Management
Goal: To Maintain and Develop the Collection in Accordance with Accepted Museum
Standards and Practice
Strategy 1: Ensure that every artifact in the collection is properly documented
In 2015, collection software was purchased and is regularly used to maintain catalogue records, images and
information (Obj. 2A). After consultation with the Archives Association of Ontario it was determined that, the
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R4
Page 15 of 19
10
existing archival accession/cataloguing system would be maintained (Obj. 2C). In July 2018, a review of the gift
binders and systematic database clean up commenced and it is expected to be complete in 2021 (Obj. 2B, 2D).
In December 2018, a project focused on transcribing the card catalogues pertaining to the Walton Collection
was completed (Obj. 2B). Efforts to eliminate the backlog of item processing are ongoing as the museum
continues to collect material directly related to Aurora’s history and ongoing culture (Obj. 2E).
New Acquisitions
Year Number of
Donations
Approximate
Number of Artifacts
2015 26 840
2016 58 370
2017 27 210
2018 21 450
2019* 13 200
Total 134 2,070
*as of August 30, 2019
Strategy 2: Ensure that all relevant policies and procedures are in place
In 2015, the Mission and Mandate were developed (Obj. 2F) and subsequently published on the Town’s website.
A Collections Management Policy has been written (Obj. 2G). Currently, there are three outstanding policies and
procedures (Obj. 2H, 2I). This is due in part to the lack of existing staff time (Pest Management Plan, Disaster
Plan) and the absence of an educational programmer position (Education and Interpretation Policy).
Strategy 3: Maintain up-to-date location information for all objects in collection
There have been two major collection moves since the Museum re-opened. The first was a reorganization of
Small Artifact Storage, which took place in the summer of 2015. The second was a reorganization of Large
Artifact Storage, which took place in the summer of 2017. After each re-organization was complete, artifact
locations were updated (Obj. 2J, 2K). In 2015, a barcoding system was introduced and it continues to be
implemented (Obj. 2L).
Strategy 4: Ensure compliance with Standards for Community Museums
Currently, the Museum is not compliant with the Standards for Community Museums due to portions of the
collection being stored in shared space (Large Artifacts) and the absence of three policies (Obj. 2M). Until the
larger issue of sole access to the collection storage areas is resolved, the Museum will remain non-compliant.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R4
Page 16 of 19
11
Conservation
Goal: Maintain and improve standards of curatorial custody, preservation, and conservation
of the collection
Strategy 1: Monitor and stabilize the environmental conditions in which the collection is stored and
exhibited
In 2015, data loggers were purchased and placed in collection storage and display areas (Obj. 3A). After
consultations with the Canadian Conservation Institute (Obj. 3B), additional environment controls were
incorporated, such as de-humidification units in Large Artifact Storage. Data loggers are read out at regular
intervals so that the collection environment can be monitored with accuracy.
Strategy 2: Improve the storage areas for the collection
Improving the storage for the collection continues to be a staff priority. In 2015, additional shelving for Large
Artifact Storage was purchased and installed (Obj. 3C). Additional storage drawers and shelves were purchased
and installed in Small Artifact Storage (Obj. 3C). In 2015 and 2016, large items were moved offsite and additional
storage spaces were secured (Obj. 3D), however this did not last as one building was demolished and the other
underwent extensive renovations in 2018. Efforts are ongoing to address overcrowding issues (Obj. 3E) in all of
the collection storage areas.
Strategy 3: Assess preventative and remedial conservation needs and take appropriate action
Staff continue to actively re-house artifacts and archival materials into new archival grade storage solutions (Obj.
3F). In 2015, a reorganization of Small Artifact Storage took place and in 2017, a reorganizing of Large Artifact
Storage was completed. Volunteers have been systematically working in the archive since 2015 inventorying, re-
housing and identifying items requiring attention. A large textile re-housing project began in 2016 and is ongoing
(Obj. 3G).
New Initiative - Pet Cemetery
In 2014, lands containing the historic Woodland Pet Cemetery were transferred to the Town. Since 2016, the
Aurora Museum & Archives has taken the lead on the conservation and restoration of the site. To date, 644
headstones have been revealed with a total of 454 restored.
Work will continue on the site with an expected completion date of 2021 when the site will be opened up to
visitors with the creation of a new trail system.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R4
Page 17 of 19
12
Outreach
Goal: Connect, Engage and Inspire our Community
Strategy 1: Plan open-door sessions
In 2105, an invitation for a behind the scenes tour was extended to Town Council and Staff (Obj. 4A). Invitations
to exhibitions and events are regularly sent to the Mayor and Members of Council and are included in the
Town’s internal newsletter (Obj. 4A). Since 2015, the Museum has participated as a site in the Doors Open
Ontario event (Obj. 4C). Programing that supports “A Night With the Collections” has not be completed due to
the lack of a programming position and physical space (Obj. 4C).
Strategy 2: Connect with the Youth of the Town
Since opening, the Museum has hosted high school coop students (Obj. 4D) from Aurora High School and Sir
William Mulock Secondary School. Staff have also formed relationships with post-graduate programs
representatives from the University of Toronto and Georgian College to create dynamic internship placements
(Obj. 4E). To date, the Museum has hosted six high school coop students and six post-graduate students. During
these placements, students had hands on experience with the collection and exhibition activities (Obj. 4F).
Without a programmer position, and additional space, the Museum is unable to develop and deliver educational
programs for school groups (Obj. 4G). Similarly, there is not a Junior Friends of the Museum Program (Obj. 4H)
due to the lack of a programmer position and physical space.
Student Placements
Year High School Coop* Post-Graduate Internships
2015 1
2016 1 1
2017 1 1
2018 3 2
2019 1 1
Total 6 6
* Counted during the semester within which they commence
Strategy 3: Connect with Local Residents
The volunteer program is robust and very active. Volunteer activity takes place across many areas of museum
operation (Obj. 4I, 4J, 4K). Files on potential donations are maintained, and community donors looking to gift
their items and documentary material (Obj. 4K), regularly contact the Museum.
Total Volunteers
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
8 27 14 30 36
*as of August 30, 2019
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R4
Page 18 of 19
13
Volunteer Hours and Area of Activity
Area of Volunteer Hours Total
hours for
the Year
Artifacts Archives COOP/
Internships
Exhibitions Research
Assistance
Pet
Cemetery
Events Year 2015 230 150 480 105 20 0 266 1251
2016 94 240 745 585 50 89 107 1910
2017 171 245 225 445 123 0 115 1844
2018 104 17 1662 740 129 49 2131 4832
2019* 6 72 567 432 25 138 63 1,303
Total hours
for the
category of
work
605 724 3,679 2,307 317 276 2,682 Total
2015 –
August
30, 2019
10,590
*as of August 30, 2019
Strategy 4: Build Community Resources to Ensure Sustainability
Each year, staff endeavour to have one project or exhibition supported by some level of external grant funding
(Obj. 4L). Sponsorship opportunities have not been explored due to the lack of staff time and competing
priorities (Obj. 4M). Outlined below, are projects that have received external grant support.
Government Grant Funding
Year Grant Project Type Project Title Amount
2016 Virtual Museum of
Canada
Exhibit
(online)
Online Exhibit
Town Park: A Community Storybook
$10,000
2017/2018 Building
Communities
Through Heritage
Event The Temple of Fame $18,900
2018/2019 Museum
Assistance
Program
Exhibit
(travelling)
Travelling Exhibition
Play Hard, Fight Hard
$3,500
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R4
Page 19 of 19
Town of Aurora
General Committee Report No. FS19-038
Subject: 2019 Year End Surplus/Deficit Financial Control Bylaw
Prepared by: Jason Gaertner, Manager, Financial Management
Department: Finance
Date: November 19, 2019
Recommendation
1. That Report No. FS19-038 be received; and
2. That a by-law be enacted to authorize the Treasurer and the Chief
Administrative Officer to make the following year-end financial adjustments
a) to allocate any 2019 Operating Fund surplus or deficit as set out in
Report No. FS19-038; and
b) to allocate any 2019 surplus or alternatively fund any deficit in the
Water, Wastewater, or Stormwater budgets to or from the appropriate
related reserve accounts; and
3. That the Treasurer and Chief Administrative Officer report to Council after
the year end surplus/deficit control adjustments and allocations have been
completed.
Executive Summary
This report proposes a surplus/deficit control by-law for the 2019 fiscal year end, similar
to the one used in past years; which will allow the Town to control its year end surplus
amounts through making specific allocations to various reserve funds. Should the town
finish the year in a deficit position, this by-law would also provide the necessary
authority to allocate additional funds from its rate stabilization reserve in order to
balance its operating budget. This report is an annual report to General
Committee/Council prior to year-end.
• The Town uses allocations to/from various reserve funds to mitigate the
unpredictable impacts of surpluses or deficits carried over from year-to-year
• The 2019 year-end tax levy and rate funded operating budgets are trending
toward a surplus
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R5
Page 1 of 6
November 19, 2019 Page 2 of 6 Report No. FS19-038
Background
Surpluses and deficits created by operating results for municipalities must carry into the
following budget years as set out in subsection 290(4) of the Municipal Act, 2001, S.O.
2001, c. 25, as amended (hereinafter the “Act”). Meaning any surpluses or deficits
from a previous fiscal year would need to be factored into the following year’s budget as
a revenue or expense, respectively.
Historically in an effort to manage the unpredictable impacts of a potential carry-over,
the Town has mitigated this risk through a surplus control by-law.
Analysis
The Town uses allocations to/from various reserve funds to mitigate the
unpredictable impacts of surpluses or deficits carried over from year-to-year
In an effort to mitigate the unpredictable impacts that carry-overs could have on long
range tax rates, budgets and budget pressures, the Town should control its year-end
surplus or short-fall amounts through making specific allocations to/from various reserve
funds as part of the year end accounting process. However, any such allocation must
be authorized by Council before the end of the fiscal year. Since the final results of the
calendar year are not known for some time, after the close of the year, a formula
approach to surplus allocations is necessary, followed by a detailed report back to
Council. Today’s report and by-law (to follow) will set this budget control approach in
place for the current year.
A number of municipalities utilize this same approach as it allows for the separation of
the disposition of surpluses or the funding of short-falls of one year from the following
year’s budget process. It greatly simplifies both the budget process and the year-end
reporting process, while also assisting with transparency to the community.
The 2019 year-end tax levy and rate funded operating budgets are trending
toward a surplus
As of the previous forecast review which took place at the end of August, the
corporation was on track to conclude the fiscal year with a surplus of $1.5 million from
its tax levy funded operations and a minor year end surplus was projected from the
Town’s rate funded operations. The Town’s next planned review and update of its
annual forecasted financial results will commence at the end of October which should
offer further clarity on what the Town’s final year end positon will be.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R5
Page 2 of 6
November 19, 2019 Page 3 of 6 Report No. FS19-038
Advisory Committee Review
Not applicable.
Legal Considerations
The Municipal Act, subsection 11(2) (3) allows the municipality to pass by-laws
respecting the financial management of the municipality and its local boards.
Financial Implications
2019 Surplus/Deficit Control
The Act requires that any surplus or deficit be carried forward into the following year’s
budget, unless otherwise controlled as proposed in this report. Using the controls, the
surplus or deficit will become zero, avoiding the need for any budget carry-forwards. In
the event that a surplus or deficit remains at year end, the following outlines the formula
for the disposition of these said balances:
i) Operating Budget
If a surplus in operating results for 2019, the following allocations are recommended:
a) Any unexpended portions of the 2019 operating budget funding allocations
provided from Reserves for specific expenditures are returned to their respective
funding sources. The 2019 budget funding allocations from such Reserves to
fund operating budget items were as follows:
Reserve Fund Amount
Services Related to a Highway DCs (Debt Payment) 375,300
Indoor Rec. Development Charges (Debt Payment) 320,500
Library Development Charges (Debt Payment) 289,500
Outdoor Recreation Development Charges 260,700
Roads & Related Repair & Replacement 253,300
Storm 223,300
Tax Stabilization 166,700
WSIB 105,000
Facilities Repair & Replacement 46,500
Water 42,000
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R5
Page 3 of 6
November 19, 2019 Page 4 of 6 Report No. FS19-038
Sanitary Sewer 40,200
Landscape Fee 14,000
Cash-in-Lieu Parkland 10,000
Recreation Sponsorship 10,000
Arts and Cultural 5,000
b) As required for Bill 124, a Building Permit Fees Reserve Fund was established in
which provisions for potential recessionary years may be made. Any surplus in
these activities is required by legislation to be allocated to the Building Permit
Fees Reserve Fund, while any deficit arising may be funded from this source.
The 2019 Budget included a $390,800 contribution to the building permit fees
reserve fund reflecting a budgeted permit revenue surplus driven by 2C lands
growth. Any budgetary surplus or deficit in the Building Services Division budget
is to be allocated to or funded from the Reserve Fund.
c) That any net Winter Control operations budget surplus be allocated to the Winter
Control reserve fund if the overall operating budget ends the year in a surplus.
Alternatively should a Winter Control operations net operating deficit occur that
cannot be accommodated within the overall operating budget, any remaining net
shortfall will be funded from the Winter Control reserve fund.
d) Any remaining surplus may be allocated toward approved carry-forwards to 2020,
if any.
e) Any remaining 2019 net operating surplus after approved carry-forwards will be
allocated in a ratio of 50 percent to the Town’s rate stabilization reserve and 50
percent to be allocated proportionately to the Town’s tax funded Repair &
Replacement reserves.
It is wise for a municipality to maintain reserves specifically intended to stabilize
or cushion annual tax rates from significant one-time or temporary pressures.
Such pressures could include the impacts from significant new service or facility
costs, market conditions affecting revenues, adverse weather or climate events,
or other factors. Staff recommend that the Town’s rate stabilization reserve’s
balance should not exceed a ceiling of approximately 10% of annual tax revenue,
which is a benchmark used by many municipalities. Once this reserve’s ceiling
has been reached any remaining eligible funds to be allocated will instead be re-
directed toward other town infrastructure reserves as required.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R5
Page 4 of 6
November 19, 2019 Page 5 of 6 Report No. FS19-038
Alternatively, should a net operating deficit occur in 2019, adjustments a), and b) above
are still required, with the remaining net shortfall to be funded from the tax rate
stabilization reserve.
ii) Water, Wastewater, Stormwater Budgets
It is recommended that any surplus or deficit in these budgets be allocated to or be
funded from the appropriate related reserve fund(s). This will assist in meeting the
requirements of Bill 175 which requires that water and wastewater costs relating to the
replacement of their infrastructure be fully recovered through their rates.
The adjustments authorized by the surplus control by-law are to have an effective date
of December 31, 2019, whether determined prior to or after that date.
Communications Considerations
Finance and Corporate Communications staff will work together to ensure that this
by-law is accessible via the Town’s website Link to Strategic Plan
Link to Strategic Plan
Outlining a strategic approach to managing year end surpluses and/or deficits, and
thereby avoiding the need to complicate the following year’s budget with such matters,
contributes to achieving the Strategic Plan guiding principle of “Leadership in Corporate
Management” and improves transparency and accountability to the community.
Alternative(s) to the Recommendation
1. Council could choose not to approve the Surplus/Deficit Control by-law and
address any year end results by way of budget amendment following early
budget approval
Conclusions
Staff are recommending that a by-law be adopted which will authorize the Director of
Finance – Treasurer and the Chief Administrative Officer to control the 2019 tax levy
funded operating surplus/deficit and the surpluses or deficits arising from Water,
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R5
Page 5 of 6
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R5
Page 6 of 6
Town of Aurora
General Committee Report No. PDS19-026
Subject: Proposed Site Alteration By-law
Prepared by: Glen McArthur, Municipal Engineer
Department: Planning and Development Services
Date: November 19, 2019
Recommendations
1. That Report No. PDS19-026 be received; and
2. That the Site Alteration By-law be enacted at a future Council meeting; and
3. That Schedule ‘B’ of the 2020 Fees and Charges By-law be amended to replace
the Topsoil Preservation Permit fee with a Site Alteration Permit fee and a Site
Alteration Permit Renewal fee at the first opportunity to do so upon approval
of the Site Alteration By-law.
Executive Summary
This report recommends repealing the Topsoil Preservation By-law and the Fill Control
By-law and replacing them with a new comprehensive Site Alteration By-law.
• The proposed Site Alteration By-law will regulate the removal of topsoil, the placing
or dumping of fill and the alteration of the grade of land in Aurora meets the
requirements of the Town’s Official Plan.
• The Engineering Division will administer the Site Alteration By-law streamlining the
permitting process, improving efficiency and providing better customer service.
• The proposed Site Alteration By-law will serve the same purpose and achieve similar
results as the existing Topsoil Preservation By-law and Fill Control By-law.
• At the first opportunity to do so, upon the approval of the Town’s proposed Site
Alteration By-law, Schedule ‘B’ of the 2020 Fees and Charges By-law will be
amended to replace the Topsoil Preservation Permit fee with a Site Alteration Permit
fee and a Site Alteration Permit Renewal fee. No fee increases are proposed.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R6
Page 1 of 25
November 19, 2019 Page 2 of 5 Report No. PDS19-026
Background
The Topsoil Preservation By-law was enacted in May, 1992. It permits the Town to
regulate or prohibit the removal of topsoil and to provide for the rehabilitation of lands
from which topsoil has been removed. It is currently administered by the Engineering
and Capital Delivery Division (Engineering Division).
The Fill Control By-law was enacted in December, 2005. It allows the Town to prohibit
and regulate the dumping of fill and the alteration of grades. The Fill Control By-law is
administered by the Building Division, with the Engineering Division being responsible
for the grading, erosion and sediment control and quality of fill review and inspection.
Over the years the Engineering Division has been reviewing Topsoil Preservation
Permit applications for compliance with both the Topsoil Preservation By-law and Fill
Control By-law before issuing a Topsoil Preservation Permit. This has made the
issuance of a Fill Control Permit redundant.
Since both current by-laws deal with site alteration, staff recommends that they be
replaced with one by-law, called the Site Alteration By-law, to be administered by the
Engineering Division.
Analysis
The proposed Site Alteration By-law to regulate the removal of topsoil, the
placing or dumping of fill and the alteration of the grade of land in the Town of
Aurora meets the requirements of Aurora’s Official Plan
Section 15.2.17 and 15.2.18 of the Town’s Official Plan directs Council to enact and
enforce a soil preservation by-law (Topsoil Preservation By-law) to regulate or prohibit
the removal of topsoil and to rehabilitate lands where topsoil removal is permissible; and
a Fill Control By-law to regulate or prohibit the placing or dumping of fill and alterations
to the grade of the land. Since the proposed Site Alteration By-law will serve the same
purpose as the two other by-laws, the requirements of the Official Plan are satisfied.
The Engineering Division will administer the Site Alteration By-law, streamlining
the permitting process, improving efficiency and providing better customer
service
By replacing the Topsoil Preservation By-law and the Fill Control By-law with the Site
Alteration By-law, only one by-law has to be administered. Issuance of a Topsoil
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R6
Page 2 of 25
November 19, 2019 Page 3 of 5 Report No. PDS19-026
Preservation Permit and of a Fill Control Permit will also be replaced with one Site
Alteration Permit. This will streamline the permitting process, will improve
administration efficiency and result in better customer service.
The Engineering Division will administer the Site Alteration By-law. The Engineering
Division is staffed with municipal engineers and contract administrators that currently
review plans and inspect works associated with the Topsoil Preservation By-law and the
Fill Control By-law. Therefore, the Engineering Division has the resources to administer
the Site Alteration By-law.
The By-law Services Division will provide the same level of support to the Engineering
Division in enforcing the Site Alteration By-law as they have done for the Topsoil
Preservation By-law and Fill Control By-law.
The Site Alteration By-law will serve the same purpose and achieve similar
results as the Topsoil Preservation By-law and Fill Control By-law
The Topsoil Preservation By-law and Fill Control By-law have been successful in
regulating site alterations within the Town. As such, staff have ensured that the
provisions within the Site Alteration By-law will serve the same purpose and achieve
similar results as the two previous by-laws.
At the first opportunity to do so, upon the approval of the Town’s proposed Site
Alteration By-law, Schedule ‘B’ of the 2020 Fees and Charges By-law will be
amended to replace the Topsoil Preservation Permit fee with a Site Alteration
Permit fee and a Site Alteration Permit Renewal fee
Permits issued by the Site Alteration By-law will be valid for a period of 180 days from
the date of issuance. The Director may renew the permit one or more times for an
additional 180 days each time, with a permit renewal fee provided by the applicant each
time as set out in the Fees and Charges By-law, as may be amended from time to time.
The Site Alteration Permit fee formula will be the same as the Topsoil Preservation
Permit fee formula. No permit fee increase is proposed. The Site Alteration Permit
renewal fee is proposed to be half the cost of the permit fee.
At the first opportunity to do so, upon the approval of the Town’s proposed Site
Alteration Bylaw and repealing of the Topsoil Preservation and Fill Control By-law,
Schedule ‘B’ of the Town’s current Fees and Charges By-law will be amended to
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R6
Page 3 of 25
November 19, 2019 Page 4 of 5 Report No. PDS19-026
replace the existing Topsoil Preservation Permit fee with a Site Alteration Permit and
Site Alteration Permit Renewal fee.
Advisory Committee Review
Not applicable.
Legal Considerations
The Site Alteration By-law has been reviewed by the Legal Services Division.
Financial Implications
Schedule ‘B’ of the 2020 Fees and Charges By-law will replace the Topsoil Preservation
Permit fee with a Site Alteration Permit fee and a Site Alteration Permit Renewal fee as
discussed herein.
Communications Considerations
After being enacted the proposed Site Alteration By-law will replace the Topsoil
Preservation By-law and the Fill Control By-law on the Town website.
Link to Strategic Plan
The proposed Site Alteration By-law supports the Strategic Plan goals of Supporting
and Exceptional Quality of Life for All and Supporting Environmental Stewardship
and Sustainability by regulating the removal of topsoil, the placing or dumping of fill
and the alteration of the grade of land in the Town of Aurora.
Alternative to the Recommendation
1. That Council provide direction.
Conclusions
It is recommended that the Town’s proposed Site Alteration By-law replace the Topsoil
Preservation By-law and the Fill Control By-law. In addition at the first opportunity to do
so, upon approval of the Town’s proposed Site Alteration By-law, Schedule ‘B’ of the
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R6
Page 4 of 25
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R6
Page 5 of 25
Attachment 1
The Corporation of the Town of Aurora
By-law Number XXXX-19
Being a By-law to regulate the removal of topsoil, the placing or
dumping of fill and the alteration of the grade of land
in the Town of Aurora.
Whereas Section 142 of the Municipal Act,2001, S.O. c. 25, as amended, authorizes
municipal councils to pass by-laws to regulate or prohibit the removal of topsoil, the
placing or dumping of fill, and the alteration of the grade of land;
And whereas a municipality may require that a permit be obtained for the removal of
topsoil, placing or dumping of fill and alteration of grade of land and prescribe the fees
for the permit and the circumstances under which a permit may be issued and the
conditions to such a permit;
And whereas a municipality may impose condition to a permit, including requiring the
preparation of plans acceptable to the municipality relating to grading, filling or
dumping, the removal of topsoil and rehabilitation;
And whereas the Council of The Corporation of the Town of Aurora deems it advisable
to exercise this authority and to provide for the rehabilitation of lands and to protect
water bodies and environmental protection zones where the removal of topsoil, or the
placing and dumping of fill or the alteration of grade of the land is permissible;
Now therefore the Council of The Corporation of the Town of Aurora hereby
enacts as follows:
Part I: Definitions and Interpretation
1.Definitions
1.1 In this by-law, the following words have the following meanings:
(a) “adjacent” means abutting or contiguous to;
(b) "adverse effect" means one or more of:
(i) impairment of the quality of the natural environment for any use
that can be made of it;
(ii) injury or damage to property or to plant or animal life;
(iii) harm or material discomfort to any person;
(iv) an adverse effect on the health of any person;
(v) impairment of the safety of any person;
(vi) rendering any property or plant or animal life unfit for human use;
(vii) loss of enjoyment of normal use of property; and
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R6
Page 6 of 25
By-law Number XXXX-19 Page 2 of 20
(viii) interference with the normal conduct of business;
(c) “agricultural uses” means:
(i) growing crops, including nursery and horticultural crops;
(ii) raising livestock and other animals, including poultry and fish, for
food and fur;
(iii) aquaculture; and
(iv) agro-forestry and maple syrup production;
(e) “applicant” means the person who applies for a permit under this by-law;
(f) “Areas of Natural or Scientific Interest” means areas that have been
identified by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry as having
earth/life science values related to protection, scientific study or education
using evaluation procedures established by the Ministry of Natural
Resources and Forestry, as amended from time to time;
(g) “authorized agent” means a person acting on behalf of the owner as
designated on the application for the permit;
(h) “Clerk” means the clerk of the Town as appointed pursuant to the
Municipal Act;
(i) "contaminant" means any solid, liquid, gas, odour, heat, sound, vibration,
radiation or combination of any of them resulting directly or indirectly from
human activities that causes or may cause an adverse effect;
(j) “Council” means the Council of The Corporation of the Town of Aurora;
(k) “development” means the construction of buildings or structures and
above or underground services such as roads, parking lots, paved
storage areas, watermains, storm and sanitary sewers, and similar
facilities, as well as general grading works on any lands;
(l) “Director” means the director responsible for the Engineering Division of
the Town or his/her designate;
(m) “drainage” means the movement of water to a place of disposal, whether
by way of natural characteristics of the ground surface or by an artificial
method;
(n) “dumping” means the depositing of material in a location other than
where the material was obtained and includes the movement and
depositing of material from one location on a property to another location
on the same property;
(o) “Environmental Protection Zone” means any area identified as an
Environmental Protection Zone in the Zoning By-law;
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R6
Page 7 of 25
By-law Number XXXX-19 Page 3 of 20
(p) “erosion” means the detachment and movement of soil, sediment or rock
fragments by water, wind, ice or gravity;
(q) “existing grade” means the elevation of the existing ground surface of
the lands upon which site alteration is proposed, except that where site
alteration has occurred in contravention of this by-law, existing grade shall
mean the ground surface of the lands as it existed prior to site alteration;
(r) “fill” means any type of imported or relocated material deposited or
placed, or proposed to be deposited or placed, on the site and includes,
but is not limited to, soil, stone, concrete, sod or turf either singly or in
combination;
(s) “finished grade” means the elevation of ground surface of lands upon
which fill has been placed or grade of land has been altered;
(t) “land disturbance” means any man-made change of the land surface
including removing vegetative cover, and/or excavating and/or filling
and/or grading;
(u) “Municipal Act” means the Municipal Act, 2001, S.O. 2001, C.25, as it
may be amended or replaced from time to time;
(v) “Municipal Law Enforcement Officer” means a person appointed by
Council as a Municipal Law Enforcement Officer;
(w) “Oak Ridges Moraine” means the lands identified as the Oak Ridges
Moraine Area under the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Act, 2001,
S.O. 2001, c. 3;
(x) “owner” means the legal registered owner of a site as shown by the
records of the applicable land registry office, or any successor of such
office;
(y) “permit” means permission or authorization given in writing by the
Director to perform work regulated by this by-law or part thereof;
(z) “permit holder” means the person to whom a permit is issued and
includes:
(i) the owner,
(ii) any person in possession or in charge, and
(iii) a lessee and a mortgagee in possession,
of the property for which a permit has been issued;
(aa) “person" includes a natural individual and their heirs, executors,
administrators or other legally appointed representatives, a corporation,
partnership or other form of business association;
(bb) "placing" means the distribution of material on lands to establish a
finished grade higher or lower than the existing grade and "place" in
relation to fill shall have the same meaning;
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R6
Page 8 of 25
By-law Number XXXX-19 Page 4 of 20
(cc) “Planning Act” means the Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990, c.13, as amended;
(dd) “ponding” means the accumulation of surface water in the area not
having drainage therefrom where the lack of drainage is caused by the
placing or dumping of fill or altering of the grade of land;
(ee) “proposed grade” means the proposed elevation of ground surface of
land upon which fill is proposed to be placed or upon which altering the
grade of land is proposed;
(ff) “Public Authority” means any commission, committee, school board,
department or agency of the Government of Canada, Province of Ontario,
The Regional Municipality of York, Lake Simcoe Region Conservation
Authority or the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority;
(gg) “qualified person” means a person who holds a license, limited license
or temporary license under the Professional Engineers Act, R.S.O. 1990,
c. P.28, as it may be amended from time to time, and/or any consultant
approved by the Director that possesses expert or special knowledge in
regards to matters contained within this by-law;
(hh) “refuse” means:
(i) any object or material that has been discarded by any person or
that is no longer in use or reasonably intended to be used by any
person having ownership or control over such object or material;
(ii) fill that contains:
1) toxic or hazardous materials;
2) glass;
3) "sewage" within the meaning of Town of Aurora Sewer Use
By-law as amended or successor legislation thereto; and
4) contaminants that do not meet the standards set out in
O.Reg. 153/04, as may be amended from time to time, with
respect to all contaminants in the fill;
(ii) “removal” means excavation or extraction of any fill which lowers the
existing grade, and includes soil stripping;
(jj) “retaining wall” means a concrete or concrete product wall or other
material designed to contain and support fill which has a finished grade
higher than that of adjacent lands;
(kk) “site” means the area of land altered or proposed to be altered within a
property, lot or parcel of land described in a deed or other document
legally capable of conveying land or shown as a lot or block on a
registered plan of subdivision;
(ll) “site alteration” means activities such as removal of topsoil from a site,
the placement or dumping of fill on a site, the alteration of the grade of
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R6
Page 9 of 25
By-law Number XXXX-19 Page 5 of 20
land within a site or excavation by any means including the removal of
vegetative cover, the compaction of soil or the creation of impervious
surfaces, or any combination of these activities that would change the
landform and natural vegetative characteristics of a site;
(mm) "site alteration plan" means a plan prepared by a qualified person on
behalf of an owner in connection with a site alteration permit pursuant to
this by-law;
(nn) “soil” means any material commonly known as earth, topsoil, loam,
subsoil, clay, sand or gravel or any combination thereof;
(oo) “soil stripping” means removing of soil or topsoil;
(pp) “swale” means a depression in the ground sloping to a place of disposal
of surface water for the purpose of providing a method of drainage;
(qq) “topsoil” means those horizons in a soil profile, commonly known as the
“O” and the “A” horizons, containing organic material and includes
deposits of partially decomposed organic matter such as peat;
(rr) “Town” means The Corporation of The Town of Aurora and/or the area
located within the geographical limits of the Town of Aurora, depending
on the context of the provision in which the term appears;
(ss) “Town Standards” means collectively the documents entitled the Town of
Aurora Site Alteration Standards and the Town of Aurora Design Criteria
Manual For Engineering Plans issued by the Director, as amended from
time to time or any successor thereof;
(tt) “Treasurer” means the treasurer of the Town as appointed pursuant to
the Municipal Act;
(uu) “watercourse” means a natural or man-made channel or swale in which
water flows, either continuously or intermittently with some degree of
regularity;
(vv) “wetland” means land such as a swamp, marsh, bog or fen;
(ww) "Zoning By-law" means the Zoning By-law of the Town of Aurora as
amended or successor legislation thereto.
2.Interpretation
2.1 The part and section headings contained throughout this document are for
reference purposes only and do not form a part of this by-law. This by-law is to
be interpreted without reference to such headings.
2.2 Where there is a conflict of the provisions between this by-law and any other by-
laws of the Town with respect to site alteration, the provisions of this by-law shall
prevail.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R6
Page 10 of 25
By-law Number XXXX-19 Page 6 of 20
3.Administration of this by-law
3.1 The Director is responsible for administering this by-law and shall be delegated
the authority to:
(a) receive applications and fees established under this by-law;
(b) enter into agreements on behalf of the Town pursuant to this by-law;
(c) issue, cancel, revoke or decline to issue, permits;
(d) establish, issue, revise and amend the Town Standards; and
(e) impose conditions on permits in accordance with this by-law, including any
or all of the conditions set out in Schedule “B”.
3.2 The Director and Municipal Law Enforcement Officers of the Town are hereby
delegated the authority to enforce this by-law, including the authority to conduct
inspections pursuant to this by-law, the Municipal Act, as amended, and any
other enacted applicable by-law or legislation.
3.3 The Director is authorized to delegate responsibilities for the administration and
enforcement of this by-law to any Town staff or external third parties deemed to
be qualified and appropriate by the Director for such purposes.
4.Application
4.1 The provisions of this by-law shall apply to all lands and premises within the
Town of Aurora.
4.2 Any site which has had previous or on-going land disturbances or development
prior to the passing of this by-law is subject to the conditions set forth in this by-
law.
Part II: Prohibitions and Exemptions
5.Prohibitions
5.1 No person shall:
(a) carry out or perform,
(b) cause to be carried out or performed, or
(c) permit to be carried out or performed,
any site alteration within the Town, except in compliance with this by-law.
5.2 Unless otherwise exempted under this by-law from the requirement to obtain a
permit, no person shall:
(a) carry out or perform,
(b) cause to be carried out or performed, or
(c) permit to be carried out or performed,
any site alteration within the Town unless a permit has been issued for the site
being altered and the site alteration is in compliance with the terms and
conditions of the permit.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R6
Page 11 of 25
By-law Number XXXX-19 Page 7 of 20
5.3 Where an agreement is entered into pursuant to this by-law with the Town, no
person shall:
(a) carry out or perform,
(b) cause to be carried out or performed, or
(c) permit to be carried out or performed,
any site alternation except in compliance with any applicable terms and
conditions of the agreement.
5.4 No person shall perform any site alteration on lands within the Town that is not
permitted by any applicable law or regulation as may be approved or amended
from time to time.
5.5 No person shall perform a site alteration on any land without the consent of the
owner of the land on which the site alteration is occurring or is to occur, unless it
is being done by or on behalf of the Town, a Public Authority, a Municipal Law
Enforcement Officer or the Director in exercising powers or duties under this by-
law or any other applicable legislation.
5.6 No person shall fail to comply with an order issued under this by-law.
5.7 No person shall perform any site alteration for the purpose of storing fill, where
such storage is not permitted pursuant to this by-law or the Zoning By-law.
5.8 No person shall perform any site alteration that will result in:
(a) soil erosion;
(b) the contamination of soil or groundwater;
(c) blockage of a storm drainage system;
(d) blockage of a natural drainage system or watercourse;
(e) siltation or pollution in a watercourse;
(f) flooding or ponding caused by a watercourse overflowing its banks;
(g) flooding or ponding on a neighbouring property or adverse effect on the
amenities adjacent to the site;
(h) a detrimental effect on any Environmental Protection Zone, Areas of
Natural or Scientific Interest, wetland or wetland complex;
(i) a contravention of O. Reg. 140/02, the Oak Ridges Moraine
Conservation Plan, the Zoning By-law or any other applicable law or
regulation; or
(j) any adverse effect to archeological or historically significant attribute or
property as defined and identified under the Ontario Heritage Act, R.S.O.
1990, c. O.18.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R6
Page 12 of 25
By-law Number XXXX-19 Page 8 of 20
5.9 No person shall perform any site alteration in the following circumstances:
(a) where the site alteration results in the change of any grade established by
a grading and drainage plan approved by the Town in relation to any
subdivision, rezoning, site plan or building permit approval, unless a
permit has been issued with respect to such site alteration;
(b) where the site alteration would not be in accordance with the Town’s
Private Tree Protection By-law, as amended or successor legislation
thereto;
(c) where the site alteration does not accord with the Town Standards and
accepted engineering and environmental principles;
(d) where the fill includes material from the demolition of any structure or
includes refuse;
(e) where the fill, placed or dumped, or to be placed or dumped, contains a
contaminant, or would cumulatively with other fill placed or to be placed
on any one site for which a permit or series of permits is issued or would
be issued, contain a contaminant in an amount, concentration or level in
excess of that prescribed by the regulations as may be enacted from time
to time under the Environmental Protection Act, R.S.O. 1990, C. E.19, as
amended;
(f) where the fill placed or dumped, or to be placed or dumped, contains any
of the following:
(i) refuse;
(ii) material from the demolition of any structure;
(iii) lumber, pressure treated or otherwise;
(iv) asphalt;
(v) scrap metal;
(vi) pulp and paper products;
(vii) ashes;
(viii) domestic or industrial waste; or
(ix) tires.
5.10 No person shall carry out any site alteration on any lands during any period in
which a wind warning for the area has been issued by Environment Canada,
except for mitigation measures designed to prevent adverse impacts on abutting
lands and the environment.
5.11 No person shall perform any site alteration unless:
(a) the drainage system for the lands is provided in accordance with this by-
law and all other applicable by-laws of the Town and the Director is
satisfied that provision has been made for drainage where such drainage
is not provided by natural gradients or a swale;
(b) the fill is placed or dumped or removed in such a manner, or the retaining
wall containing such fill is erected in such a manner, that no ponding or
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R6
Page 13 of 25
By-law Number XXXX-19 Page 9 of 20
alteration of existing flow is caused on abutting lands; and
(c) erosion and sediment control requirements are met as required by this by-
law.
6.Exemptions
6.1 The following activities, are exempted from the requirement to obtain a permit:
(a) any site alteration less than two hectares (2.0 ha) in size, provided that:
(i) no more than three-hundred millimetres (300 mm) of fill in depth is
placed on the lands;
(ii) the total amount of fill placed on the said lands does not exceed
fifty cubic metres (50 m3);
(iii) the elevation of the land within six-hundred millimetres (600 mm)
of any property line is not changed;
(iv) there is no change in the location, direction, elevation or
flowrate of any natural or artificial watercourse, open channel,
swale or ditch used to drain land;
(v) the site alteration activity will not in any way affect the land
drainage of abutting properties;
(vi) there is control of any sediment runoff; and
(vii) the person carrying out, performing or causing the site alternation,
or the owner of the property on which the site alteration is being
carried out or performed, can demonstrate on a balance of
probabilities that all the aforementioned requirements of this
paragraph (a) are being complied with in the course of carrying
out, performing or causing the site alteration;
(b) any site alteration where fill is placed or dumped in an excavation to the
elevation of existing and adjacent grade following the demolition or
removal of a building or structure.
(c) removal of topsoil as an incidental part of agricultural use, including such
removal as an incidental part of sod-farming, greenhouse operations and
nurseries for horticultural products, however, this exception does not
include the removal of topsoil for sale, exchange or other deposition;
(d) any site alteration carried out by a Public Authority.
6.2 This by-law does not apply to:
(a) the placing or dumping of fill, removal of topsoil or alteration of the grade of
land imposed after December 31, 2002 as a condition to the approval of a
site plan, a plan of subdivision or a consent under section 41, 51 or 53,
respectively, of the Planning Act or as a requirement of a site plan
agreement or subdivision agreement entered into under those sections;
(b) the placing or dumping of fill, removal of topsoil or alteration of the grade of
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R6
Page 14 of 25
By-law Number XXXX-19 Page 10 of 20
land imposed after December 31, 2002 as a condition to a development
permit authorized by regulation made under section 70.2 of the Planning
Act or as a requirement of an agreement entered into under that
regulation;
(c) the placing or dumping of fill, removal of topsoil or alteration of the grade of
land undertaken by a transmitter or distributor, as those terms are defined
in section 2 of the Electricity Act, 1998, for the purpose of constructing and
maintaining a transmission system or a distribution system, as those terms
are defined in that section;
(d) the placing or dumping of fill, removal of topsoil or alteration of the grade of
land undertaken on land described in a licence for a pit or quarry or a
permit for a wayside pit or wayside quarry issued under the Aggregate
Resources Act;
(e) the placing or dumping of fill, removal of topsoil or alteration of the grade of
land undertaken on land in order to lawfully establish and operate or
enlarge any pit or quarry on land,
(i) that has not been designated under the Aggregate Resources Act or
a predecessor of that Act, and
(ii) on which a pit or quarry is a permitted land use under a by-law
passed under section 34 of the Planning Act;
(f) the placing or dumping of fill, removal of topsoil or alteration of the grade of
land undertaken as an incidental part of drain construction under the
Drainage Act or the Tile Drainage Act;
(g) where a regulation under section 28 of the Conservation Authorities Act,
R.S.O. 1990, c. C.27, is in force respecting site alteration in a specified
area within the Town; or
(h) activities or matters undertaken by the Town or a local board of the Town.
Part III: Permits
7.Permit Requirements and Conditions
7.1 All permit applications must be completed in full, and all required
supporting documentation provided, prior to the issuance of a permit.
7.2 A permit shall only be issued after approval of the application by the Director or a
person appointed by the Director.
7.3 All permits shall be subject to the conditions as set out in Schedule “B” and any
other conditions imposed by the Director pursuant to this by-law.
7.4 To obtain a permit pursuant to this by-law, an applicant shall provide the
following:
(a) a completed application for a site alteration permit, duly signed by the
applicant and, if different from applicant, the owner of the property
subject to the application in a form as prescribed by the Director from
time to time;
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R6
Page 15 of 25
By-law Number XXXX-19 Page 11 of 20
(b) the application permit fee as established in the Town’s Fees and
Charges By-law, as it may be amended from time to time;
(c) securities as per Schedule "A" to this by-law;
(d) proof of insurance in an amount satisfactory to the Director from an
insurer licensed in the Province of Ontario;
(e) a site alteration plan, certified by a qualified person that:
(i) confirms the site alteration will prevent the impairment of water,
groundwater and soil quality as well as the off-site effects of soil
erosion and sedimentation;
(ii) confirms that the site alteration activities will be performed in
accordance with the most stringent of the following, unless
otherwise directed in writing by the Director:
1) Erosion and Sediment Control Guideline for Urban
Construction as prepared by the Greater Golden Horseshoe
Area Conservation Authorities dated December 2006, as
amended and updated from time to time or successor
thereto,
2) federal, provincial, Lake Simcoe Region Conservation
Authority, Toronto Region Conservation Authority and The
Regional Municipality of York Region standards;
3) Town Standards, and
4) any other applicable legislation that may apply,
(iii) will be prepared and submitted in accordance with the Town
Standards and to the Director’s satisfaction;
(f) confirmation that the applicant complies or will comply with the permit
conditions imposed by the Director or Council, as the case may be,
including any of the applicable conditions listed in Schedule “B”;
(g) confirmation that the appropriate archaeological assessments on lands
deemed to have moderate to high potentials for the discovery of
archaeological resources have been completed to the satisfaction of the
Ministry of Tourism Culture and Sport;
(h) if located on the Oak Ridges Moraine, confirmation that the site alteration
is in compliance with Ontario Regulation 140/02, the Oak Ridges Moraine
Conservation Plan, and the Town of Aurora Zoning By-law;
(i) any documentation requested by the Director, to be provided to the
Director’s satisfaction, demonstrating that all approvals applicable to the
site and the site alteration required by the Town or any other government
agency have been obtained;
(j) any additional information as required, in writing, by the Director;
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R6
Page 16 of 25
By-law Number XXXX-19 Page 12 of 20
7.5 The Director may, prior to the issuance of a permit, require the owner to enter
into an agreement, which may be registered on title to the subject lands,
containing such requirements as the Director considers necessary to ensure that
the site alteration is done in accordance with this by-law, the Town Standards
and proper engineering principles. Requirements contained in suchagreement
may include the owner posting with the Town the required security and where, in
the opinion of the Director extensive activities are proposed, certifications by a
qualified person, both prior to the issuance of a permit and upon completion of
the work.
8.Expiry, Renewal, Transfer, Revocation and Refusal of Permits
8.1 Permits issued pursuant to this by-law shall be valid for a period of one-hundred
and eighty (180) days from the date of issuance. The Director may renew the
permit one (1) or more times for an additional one-hundred and eighty (180) days
each time with a permit renewal fee provided by the applicant each time as set
out in the Town’s Fees and Charges By-Law, as it may be amended from time to
time. The Director may, at his/her discretion, impose additional and vary any
conditions imposed on a permit being renewed and require additional control
measures as a condition of the renewal.
8.2 A permit which is no longer valid or which has expired pursuant to this by-law,
may be renewed, at the discretion of the Director, upon making a written
application to the Director accompanied by payment of the permit renewal fee
along with any information, documentation, confirmation deemed required by the
Director at his/her discretion necessary to consider such an application. The
Director may, at his/her discretion, impose additional and vary any conditions
imposed on a permit being renewed in such a manner and require additional
control measures as a condition of the renewal.
8.3 If the title of the lands for which a permit has been issued is transferred while the
permit remains in effect, the permit shall be cancelled unless the new owner of
the lands, within thirty (30) days of the transfer, forthwith advises the Director of
such transfer and either:
(a) provides the Town with an undertaking to comply with all the
conditions under which the existing permit was issued and also
provides a letter of credit and/or a security deposit in accordance with
the requirements of Schedule “A” to this By- law; or
(b) applies for and obtains a new permit in accordance with the provisions
of this by-law;
8.4 Where a permit is issued based on mistaken, false or misleading information,
the Director may revoke the permit at any time, and the owner and the permit
holder shall ensure that all work that was the subject of the revoked permit
ceases.
8.5 A permit may be revoked by the Director under any of the following
circumstances:
(a) it was issued in error;
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R6
Page 17 of 25
By-law Number XXXX-19 Page 13 of 20
(b) the owner or permit holder requests, in writing, that it be revoked;
(c) the terms of an agreement under this by-law have not been complied
with;
(d) work authorized under the permit has not been commenced within
ninety (90) days after the date of issuance of the permit;
(e) the owner or permit holder fails to comply with the terms and conditions of
the permit;
(f) the owner fails to comply with the provisions of this by-law;
8.6 If a permit has expired, been cancelled or revoked after the work has
commenced and prior to the completion of the site alteration, the owner shall
forthwith restore the site to its original condition or to a condition satisfactory to
the Director that will prevent adverse impacts on abutting properties and the
environment.
8.7 Where the Director refuses to issue a permit, the applicant shall be informed in
writing of the refusal.
8.8 The issuance of a permit by the Director does not relieve the applicant of
the responsibilities of obtaining all other approvals which may be required from
the Town or from any level of government and agencies thereof or from the
compliance with any other by-law, legislation or regulation.
Part IV: Offences, Inspections and Powers of Entry
9.Power of Entry, Inspections, Prohibitions
9.1 A Municipal Law Enforcement Officer, or any other individual authorized to
enforce this by-law on behalf of the Town, may at any reasonable time enter
upon any land for the purpose of carrying out an inspection to determine whether
the following are being complied with:
(a) this by-law;
(b) any direction or order under this by-law;
(c) any condition on a permit issued under this by-law; or
(d) an order issued under section 431 of the Municipal Act.
9.2 Where an inspection is conducted pursuant to this section, a Municipal Law
Enforcement Officer, or any other individual authorized to enforce this by-law on
behalf of the Town, may:
(a) require the production for inspection of documents or things relevant to the
inspection;
(b) inspect and remove documents or things relevant to the inspection for the
purpose of making copies and extracts;
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R6
Page 18 of 25
By-law Number XXXX-19 Page 14 of 20
(c) require information from any person concerning a matter related to the
inspection; and
(d) alone or in conjunction with a person possessing special or expert
knowledge, make examinations or take tests, samples or photographs
necessary for the purpose of the inspection.
9.3 No person shall hinder or obstruct or attempt to hinder or obstruct the Town, its
employees, officers or agents from carrying out any powers or duties under this
by-law.
9.4 No person shall contravene any order or direction issued by the Town pursuant
to this by-law or the Municipal Act.
9.5 Where a Municipal Law Enforcement Officer, or any other individual authorized to
enforce this by-law on behalf of the Town, has reasonable grounds to believe
that an offence has been committed by any person, the authorized officer may
require the name, address and proof of identity of that person, and the person
shall supply the required information.
9.6 No person shall decline or neglect to give, produce or deliver any access,
information, document or other thing that is requested pursuant to this by-law by
a person authorized to enforce this by-law.
9.7 No person shall knowingly make, participate in, assent to or acquiesce in the
provision of false information in a statement, affidavit, application or other
document prepared, submitted or filed under this by-law.
10.Order
10.1 Where the Director or any Municipal Law Enforcement Officer is satisfied that a
contravention of this by-law or a permit has occurred, such Director or Municipal
Law Enforcement Officer may make an order requiring that the person who
caused or permitted such contravention, or the owner or occupier of the land on
which the contravention occurred, to discontinue the contravening activity and/or
to do work to correct the contravention.
10.2 An order pursuant to section 10.1 shall set out the following:
(a) the municipal address and/or the legal description of the land or premises
on which the contravention occurred;
(b)reasonable particulars of the contravention;
(c) what is required of the person subject to the order;
(d)the date by which there must be compliance with the order and/or, if any
work is ordered, the date by which any such work must be done;
(e) if any work is required to be done, a statement that if such work is not
done in compliance with the order and within a specified time period, the
Town will have the work done at the expense of the person directed or
required to do it; and
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R6
Page 19 of 25
By-law Number XXXX-19 Page 15 of 20
(f)information regarding the Town's contact person.
10.3 An order pursuant to section 10.1 shall be deemed to have been received upon:
(a) personal service of the order to the person being served;
(b) the day after posting a copy of the order on the land on which the
contravention took place; or
(c) the fifth (5
th) day after the order is sent by registered mail to the last known
address of the owner of the land on which the contravention took place or
the last known address of any other person in contravention of this by-law.
11.Remedial Action and Cost Recovery
11.1 Wherever this by-law or an order issued under this by-law directs or requires any
matter or thing to be done by any person within a specified time period, in default
of it being done by the person directed or required to do it, the action may be
taken under the direction of the Director or a Municipal Law Enforcement Officer
at that person’s expense and the Town may recover the costs incurred through a
legal action or by recovering the costs in the same manner as taxes.
11.2 For the purposes of taking remedial action under section 11.1, the Town, its staff
and/or its agents may enter, at any reasonable time, upon any lands on which a
default to carry out a required thing or matter occurred.
11.3 Where a person has carried out a site alteration contrary to this by-law, that
person, the owner of the lands on which such site alteration took place and, if a
permit has been issued, the permit holder shall each be jointly and severally
responsible for the restoration of the land to the grade as it existed prior to such
site alteration, or to the satisfaction of the Director.
11.4 Where a security has been provided to the Town with respect to a permit, the
Town may:
(a) draw upon or use such security to recover any costs incurred by the Town
to remedy or address any contravention of this by-law, any non-
compliance with an order issued pursuant to this by-law or any
contravention of any term or condition of a permit issued or agreement
entered into under this by-law;
(b) upon the failure by the permit holder to complete all or part of the works in
the time stipulated in the site alteration plan, draw the appropriate amount
from the securities deposited and use the funds to arrange for the
completion of the said works, or any part thereof;
(c) upon failure by the permit holder to install, repair, maintain or
decommission a specific part of the works as requested by the Town, draw
upon the securities deposited and use the funds to arrange for the
completion of the said works, or any part thereof;
(d) in the case of emergency repairs or clean-up, undertake the necessary
works at the expense of the permit holder and draw upon the securities to
pay for such works or reimburse itself for any resulting costs incurred by
the Town;
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R6
Page 20 of 25
By-law Number XXXX-19 Page 16 of 20
(e) upon failure of the permit holder to restore a site to a condition satisfactory
to the Director where the permit has expired, been cancelled or revoked
after the work has commenced and prior to completion of the site
alteration, draw upon or use such security to recover any costs incurred by
the Town to restore the site to the Director’s satisfaction.
12.Offence
12.1 Every Person who contravenes a provision of this by-law, including an order
issued under this by-law, is guilty of an offence. If a corporation has contravened
a provision of this by-law, including an order issued under this by-law, every
director and officer who knowingly concurred in such a contravention is guilty of
an offence.
12.2 Pursuant to subsection 429(2) of the Municipal Act, all contraventions of this by-
law or orders issued under this by-law are designated as multiple offences and
continuing offences. If a contravention of any provision of this by-law has not
been corrected, or an order issued under this by-law has not been complied
with, the contravention of such a provision or an order shall be deemed to be a
continuing offence for each day or part of a day that the contravention remains
uncorrected or an order not complied with. A multiple offence is an offence in
respect of two (2) or more acts or omissions each of which separately
constitutes an offence and is a contravention of the same provision of this by-
law.
13.Penalties
13.1 On conviction of an offence under this by-law, every person is liable to a fine in
accordance with the following rules pursuant to the Municipal Act:
(a) to a fine of not less than $500.00 and not more than $100,000.00;
(b) in the case of a continuing offence, for each day or part of a day that the
offence continues, the minimum fine shall be $500.00 and the maximum
fine shall be $10,000.00; despite paragraph (a), the total of all the daily
fines for an offence is not limited to $100,000;
(c) in the case of a multiple offence, for each offence included in the multiple
offence, the minimum fine shall be $500.00 and the maximum fine shall be
$10,000.00, despite paragraph (a), the total of all fines for each included
offence is not limited to $100,000.
13.2 In addition to fines under this section, a person convicted of an offence under this
by-law may be liable to a special fine in the amount of the economic advantage
or gain that such a person obtained from the contravention of this by-law.
Notwithstanding section 13.1, a special fine my exceed $100,000.
14.Presumption – Owner
14.1 An owner shall be presumed to have carried out or caused or permitted to be
carried out a site alteration that occurred on a site owned by such owner, or
contravened or caused or permitted the contravention of the terms or conditions
of a permit applicable to a site owned by such owner, as the case may be, which
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R6
Page 21 of 25
By-law Number XXXX-19 Page 17 of 20
presumption may be rebutted by evidence to the contrary on a balance of
probabilities.
15.Indemnity
15.1 Any person who conducts, causes or permits any site alteration, regardless of
whether compliant with the provisions of this by-law, shall be deemed to
undertake to, and shall, save harmless and indemnify the Town, its officers,
employees, servants or agents from any claims associated with any injury, loss or
damage to any person or property, as a result of any site alteration.
Part IX: General Provisions
16. If a court of competent jurisdiction declares any provision, or any part of a
provision, of this by-law to be invalid or to be of no force and effect, it is the
intention of the Town in enacting this by-law that such provision or part of a
provision shall be severable, and such a decision shall not affect the validity of
the remaining sections, subsections, clauses or phrases of this by-law.
17. The following Schedules attached to this by-law form and are part of this by-law;
(a) Schedule “A” - Security;
(b) Schedule “B” - Permit Conditions;
17. This by-law shall be referred to as the “Site Alteration By-law”.
18. By-law Number 3399-92, as amended, and By-law Number 4751-05.P, as
amended, be and are hereby repealed.
19. For the purpose of transition to this by-law, any permits issued pursuant to By-law
Number 3399-92 and By-law Number 4751-05.P prior to the effective date of this
by-law shall remain effective and be subject to the provisions of this by-law,
except that such a permit shall be subject to the terms and conditions imposed at
the time of issuance until otherwise amended pursuant to this by-law.
20. This by-law shall come into full force and effect on the date of final passage
hereof.
Enacted by Town of Aurora Council this XX day of XX, 2019.
___________________________________
Tom Mrakas, Mayor
___________________________________
Michael de Rond, Town Clerk
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R6
Page 22 of 25
By-law Number XXXX-19 Page 18 of 20
Schedule “A”
Security
1. The Director may at his/her discretion request an irrevocable letter of
credit/security deposit in favour of the Town to cover up to:
(a) one-hundred percent (100%) of the estimated cost of erosion and
sediment control measures and any other site management control
measures; and/or
(b) one-hundred percent (100%) of estimated cost to return the site to a
condition satisfactory to the Director in a manner that will prevent adverse
impacts on abutting properties and the environment.
In addition, the Director may, at his/her discretion, also request a security
deposit up to an amount determined by the Director necessary to cover potential
damages to roads and road maintenance measures due to site alteration works.
The letter of credit/security deposit shall be in a form acceptable to the Director
that may include, but not be limited to, the following requirements:
1.1 letter of credit/security deposit to remain in effect for the full duration of
the permit;
1.2 letter of credit/security deposit and its subsequent renewal forms to
contain a clause stating that thirty (30) days written notice must be given
to the Town prior to its expiry or cancellation;
1.3 in the event that the Town receives notice that a letter of credit/security
deposit is expiring and will not be renewed, or, if further or additional
securities are not provided within thirty (30) days, the Town to have a right
to draw on the current letter of credit/security deposit at its discretion;
1.4 any interest accruing on the realized security to belong to the Town and
not the permit holder.
2. The Director may release the permit holder’s security or the remaining amount of
any reduced security when:
2.1 the permit holder has provided adequate proof to the Director’s
satisfaction, which may require certification from a qualified person, that
the site condition is in accordance with this by-law and the site alteration
plan accompanying the permit; and
2.2 the Director is satisfied upon final inspection by the Town that the site
condition is in accordance with this by-law and the site alteration plan
accompanying the permit.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R6
Page 23 of 25
By-law Number XXXX-19 Page 19 of 20
Schedule “B”
Permit Conditions
1. Unless waived or otherwise amended by the Director or Council, all permit
holders under this by-law shall:
1.1 notify the Director within forty-eight (48) hours of commencing any land
disturbing activity;
1.2 notify the Director of the completion of any control measures, within forty-
eight (48) hours after installation;
1.3 obtain permission in writing from the Director prior to modifying the site
alteration plan;
1.4 install all site control measures, as identified in the approved site alteration
plan, prior to soil stripping; these measures shall be maintained by the
permit holder or subsequent landowner during the period of land
disturbance in a manner satisfactory to the Director to ensure adequate
compliance with the requirements of this by-law and to prevent damage as
a result of erosion, sedimentation or flooding;
1.5 repair any sedimentation or erosion damage to adjoining surfaces,
drainageways and watercourses resulting from land disturbing activities;
1.6 inspect the construction control measures at least once per week and after
each rainfall, which may be severe enough to cause erosion and sediment
drainage to adjoining properties, and complete repairs within forty-eight
(48) hours to the satisfaction of the Director;
1.7 allow employees of the Town, and/or any other person(s) working on
behalf of the Town, to enter the site for the purpose of inspecting for
compliance with the approved site alteration plan or for performing any
work necessary to bring the site into compliance with the approved site
alteration plan;
1.8 maintain a copy of the permit and the approved site alteration plan on the
site, as well as, a record of all inspections. Copies of all inspection reports
must be made available to the Town upon request;
1.9 be responsible for the activities of his/her agents, servants, employees,
contractors and subcontractors who may create a situation of non-
compliance of the permit;
1.10 provide additional information and construct additional control measures,
not identified in the site alteration plan, as deemed necessary by the
Director to ensure no erosion and sediment damage to the adjoining
properties from activities on the site;
1.11 not remove trees or other vegetation that is in contravention of the Town’s
Private Tree Protection By-law or Zoning By-law as amended or successor
legislation thereto or is in contravention of any other applicable law or
regulation.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R6
Page 24 of 25
By-law Number XXXX-19 Page 20 of 20
2. In addition to the above, the Director may prescribe conditions, amongst others,
with respect to the following:
2.1 the maximum height of fill to be placed or dumped in any area or areas of
any lands;
2.2 the maximum volume of fill to be placed or dumped in any area or areas of
any lands;
2.3 notwithstanding any other provision of this by-law, further limiting and
defining the quality or type or source of fill to be placed on any area or
areas of any lands;
2.4 limiting the days and time of day during which site alteration may take
place on any lands;
2.5 prescribing the maximum rise of slopes, expressed as a percentage or
ratio, for fill placed or dumped on any lands and the maximum time in
which those rises must be achieved;
2.6 prescribing a date by which the site alteration must be completed; and
2.7 site remediation measures, including topsoil, seeding, sodding and
installation of berms and landscaping, as are necessary to minimize the
visual impact of site alteration proposals.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R6
Page 25 of 25
Town of Aurora
General Committee Report No. PSD19-099
Subject: Mitigation Tactics to Prevent Illegal Demolition of Listed Heritage
Buildings
Prepared by: Carlson Tsang, Planner
Department: Planning and Development Services
Date: November 19, 2019
Recommendation
1. That Report No. PSD19-099 be received;
2. That an amendment to Fee By-law 6147-19 be presented to Council to allow
the Building Division to collect a deposit in the amount of $10,000 when an
owner applies for a demolition permit for a listed heritage property; and,
3. That the deposit only be returned to the owner after the requirements of the
Ontario Heritage Act have been completed in respect of the proposed
demolition.
Executive Summary
Staff were directed by Council at its meeting on May 14, 2019 to report an approach to
strengthen the protection of the Town’s listed heritage properties. The purpose of this
report is to discuss mitigation tactics that can be implemented by the Town to prevent
unlawful demolition of listed heritage buildings. Listed properties are more prone to
unlawful demolition because they are not subject to full protection under the Ontario
Heritage Act. Staff are proposing the following strategies:
• When owners apply for a permit to demolish a building on a listed property, the
Building Division would hold a deposit for $10,000 as security until Council
makes a decision on the application.
• Council approved a capital budget as part of the Town’s 2020 capital investment
plan which includes the procurement of consultant services to undertake a
comprehensive heritage assessment of all listed heritage properties in the
Town’s register. This project will assist the Town in identifying those listed
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R7
Page 1 of 7
November 19, 2019 Page 2 of 7 Report No. PDS19-099
properties of significant heritage value so they can be designated for increased
protection under the Ontario Heritage Act and the Town’s Heritage Property
Standard By-law.
Background
The Ontario Heritage Act gives municipalities the authority to maintain a register that
contains properties of significant heritage value. This record is known as the Register of
Properties of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest. Keeping a register allows a
municipality to keep track of its cultural heritage resources and appropriately plan for
their conservation. The Town of Aurora’s register currently contains 48 individually
designated properties, 148 properties within the Northeast Old Aurora Heritage
Conservation District, and 413 non-designated properties (commonly known as “Listed”)
that been identified as being of potential cultural heritage value or interest.
Existing Demolition Control Regulations for Heritage Properties
Under the Building Code Act, 1992, a permit is required to demolish an existing building
or structure greater than 10 m2 (107.63 ft2). The Chief Building Official will not issue a
permit unless the applicant complies with the Building Code Act, 1992 and specific
applicable laws including the following sections of the Ontario Heritage Act:
Section 34 and 42 of the Ontario Heritage Act with respect to the consent of the
Council for the demolition of a building on an individually designated property
(Part IV) or within a Heritage Conservation District (Part V)
Any building or structure on a designated property or within a Heritage Conservation
District shall not be demolished unless the owner receives written consent from Council.
The submission of a heritage application is required to initiate the process. A Heritage
Impact Assessment will be required to support the demolition. The application will be
considered by Council in consultation with the Heritage Advisory Committee. Council
must issue a decision within 90 days of receiving the request, or else Council will be
deemed to have consented to the demolition.
Section 27 (3) of the Ontario Heritage Act with respect to the permit given by
Council for the demolition of building on an listed property on the register.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R7
Page 2 of 7
November 19, 2019 Page 3 of 7 Report No. PDS19-099
Listed properties are subject to interim protection where owners are required to provide
the Town at least 60-day notice in writing of their intention to demolish or remove a
building or structure on the property. The notice period allows Council to determine, in
consultation with the Heritage Advisory Committee, whether the building is worthy of
designation based on the prescribed criteria outlined in the Ontario Heritage Act.
If Council deems the property not worthy of designation, the property will be removed
from the heritage register which enables the Building Division to issue a demolition
permit provided all the other requirements under the Building Code have been satisfied.
If Council determines that the property is worthy of designation, the demolition request
would be denied. Council would then begin the process under the Ontario Heritage Act
to designate the property for its long term protection.
Illegal Demolition of Heritage Buildings in Ontario
According to a study prepared by the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario, Community
Heritage Ontario and the Ontario Heritage Foundation, titled “The Loss of Heritage
Properties in Ontario”, Ontario communities continue to lose significant number of
heritage buildings. Since 1985, 433 buildings have been lost in a sample of 22
communities including Toronto, Richmond Hill and Waterloo. In these 22 communities,
designated buildings make up 13% of the lost heritage buildings, while listed buildings
make up 65% of the losses. Listed heritage properties are more prone to illegal
demolition because they are subject to less protection under the Ontario Heritage Act.
Many municipalities are beginning to acknowledge the situation and are taking
appropriate action to protect their heritage resources.
Analysis
When owners apply for a permit to demolish a building on a listed property, the
Town would hold a deposit as security until Council makes a decision on the
application.
Staff recommend that the Building Division collect a substantial deposit as a
requirement for a complete application when owners apply for a demolition permit
(including partial demolition) for a listed property. This would require amendments to
Schedule G of the Town’s By-law 6147-19 as it relates to fees for building permit
applications. Staff are proposing the deposit to be in the amount of $10,000 as this
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R7
Page 3 of 7
November 19, 2019 Page 4 of 7 Report No. PDS19-099
would be the approximate cost for a prosecution if someone contravened the heritage
Act by prematurely demolishing the structure.
The deposit would serve as security during the 60-day review period. If the building is
demolished before Council renders a decision on the demolition request, the deposit
would be forfeited to the Town. The money would be deposited to the Town’s Heritage
Reserve to fund the expenditures of heritage conservation programs.
If Council determines the property does not meet the Provincial criteria for heritage
designation and thereby approves the demolition request, the Building Division would
release the deposit to the Owner and issue the demolition permit. If Council determines
that the property is deemed worthy of heritage designation, the demolition request
would be denied and Staff would then begin the process to designate the property. The
deposit would be returned to the Owner after the designation process is complete in
accordance with the Ontario Heritage Act requirements.
Council approved a capital budget for the procurement of consultant services to
undertake a comprehensive heritage assessment of all listed heritage properties
in the Town’s register. This project will assist the Town in identifying those listed
properties of significant heritage value so they can be designated for increased
protection under the Ontario Heritage Act and the Town’s Heritage Property
Standard By-law.
A project was included in the approval 2020 capital budget for the procurement of
consultant services to undertake a comprehensive heritage assessment of all listed
heritage properties in the Town’s Register of Properties of Cultural Heritage Value or
Interest. This project will identify those properties that are worthy of designation for
greater degree of protection through the following:
• Heritage Designation By-law
A municipal by-law will be registered on title of the property to give effect to the
designation which provides strong protection against demolition and
unsympathetic alteration. The By-law will also identify the attributes or features
that contributes to the property’s cultural heritage value. Any alteration that is
likely to affect the property’s heritage attributes will require Council’s approval
through the heritage permit process in accordance with Section 29 of the Ontario
Heritage Act.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R7
Page 4 of 7
November 19, 2019 Page 5 of 7 Report No. PDS19-099
• Heritage Property Standard By-law 5489-13
Designated properties are protected by the Town’s Heritage Property Standard
By-law 5489-13, as authorized under Section 35.3 and 45.1 of the Ontario
Heritage Act. The By-law prescribes minimum standards to maintain the heritage
attributes of designated properties or properties situated in a Heritage
Conservation District.
The Town does not have permission under the Ontario Heritage Act to include
provisions in the Heritage Property Standard By-law to protect listed properties.
• Heritage Easement Agreement
The Ontario Heritage Act empowers municipalities to enter into easements with
owners of designated properties for increased protection of buildings of historic
or architectural value or interest. When an owner signs an easement, the owner
agrees to maintain the property to a recognized preservation standard. This
agreement is registered on title and allows the owner of the property to ensure its
preservation while retaining possession and use of the property. This protection
cannot be revoked except by mutual consent of both parties.
• Severe Penalty under the Ontario Heritage Act
Section 69 of the Ontario Heritage Act allows for imposition of a fine of up to
$1,000,000 for any person found illegally demolishing a building or structure on a
designated property. This amount recognizes that illegal demolition of designated
heritage resources is one of the most serious offences under the Ontario
Heritage Act. Provision is also made for municipalities to recover the cost of
restoring illegally altered buildings or structure on a designated property.
Advisory Committee Review
At the Heritage Advisory Committee meeting on November 4, 2019, the Committee
suggested that the amount of securities to be collected should vary based on the scale
of the proposal. Large-scale developments such as a residential apartment building
should be subject to a higher amount, while modest developments like a detached
dwelling should be subject to lesser amount.
The Committee also suggested a freeze be implemented as a penalty to prohibit any
redevelopment on a property that is subject to illegal demolition for a prescribed period
of time. However, it should be noted that the Town does not have the authority under
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R7
Page 5 of 7
November 19, 2019 Page 6 of 7 Report No. PDS19-099
the Building Code Act to not accept a building permit application or prevent the issuance
of a building permit if the owner has met all the requirements of Building Code.
Legal Considerations
Legal considerations are throughout the report.
Financial Implications
Capital Project No.81027 with a total budget of $100,000 was approved by Council as
part of the Town’s 2020 capital investment plan for the procurement of consultant
services to undertake a comprehensive heritage assessment of all listed heritage
properties in the Town’s register.
Communications Considerations
Information about the securities required for demolition permit will be captured in the
amendments to the Town’s Fee By-law 6147-19.
Future consideration by Council to pursue designation of properties under Part IV or V
of the Ontario Heritage Act will require the Town Clerk to publish and serve Council’s
Notice of Intention to Designate as per requirements of the Ontario Heritage Act,
including notice in the local newspaper.
Link to Strategic Plan
The conservation of heritage resources supports the Strategic Plan goal of Supporting
an Exceptional Quality of Life for All through its accomplishment in satisfying
requirements in objective Celebrating and Promoting our Culture.
Alternative(s) to the Recommendation
None.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R7
Page 6 of 7
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R7
Page 7 of 7
Town of Aurora
General Committee Report No. CMS19-029
Subject: Aurora’s Community Recognition Awards
Prepared by: Shelley Ware, Recreation Supervisor – Special Events
Department: Community Services
Date: November 19, 2019
Recommendation
1. That Report No. CMS19-029 be received; and
2. That the addition of a Senior Volunteer Award be approved as part of Aurora’s
Community Recognition Awards program.
Executive Summary
This report outlines the feasibility of adding a Senior Volunteer Award as a stand-alone
award category to Aurora’s Community Recognition Awards program. Considerations
include:
• Annual comprehensive program review ensures that the program reflects the
spirit of volunteerism in the Aurora community
• The addition of the Senior Volunteer Award would complement the existing
awards program
Background
Aurora’s Community Recognition Awards program has been a long-standing recognition
program, which celebrates and recognizes the importance of volunteering. Volunteers
are the heart of our community. This award program honors remarkable individuals,
groups or businesses that have enhanced our community and made Aurora a great
place to live, work and play.
The Community Recognition Review Advisory Committee (CRRAC) annually evaluates
and reviews the award categories. During the review process of the 2019 Awards
Ceremony, it was determined that the current award categories are still current and
celebrate the cross sections of volunteers who are contributing to the community
through the range of different award categories. However, a delegation from a local
resident was presented to the Committee suggesting the addition of a senior award.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R8
Page 1 of 10
November 19, 2019 Page 2 of 4 Report No. CMS19-029
Through this delegation and strategic consideration, the CRRAC sees the value of
adding a Senior Volunteer Award.
Analysis
Annual comprehensive program review ensures that the program reflects the
spirit of volunteerism in the Aurora community
The review and debriefing process are important elements of all events, and is done
annually. In reviewing the Community Recognition Awards program, staff did a
thorough regional review of similar award programs in other municipalities within the
Region. This information demonstrated that the current program is similar to other
municipalities but is also reflective of Aurora’s small town charm, supported by a strong
volunteer-centered community.
The addition of the Senior Volunteer Award would complement the existing
awards program
The awards currently being presented include the Years of Service, Youth Volunteer,
Green, Inclusivity, Community Leadership, Good Neighbour, Arts and Culture,
Community Safety, Good Business, and Citizen of the Year awards.
The proposed addition of the Senior Volunteer Award would be presented to a citizen
who is 55 years of age or older who, through their volunteer efforts, has made a significant
contribution to the community and has demonstrated their commitment to being a positive
leader today and in the future.
The senior population in Aurora is a growing one and they are very active and robust
within the community. Many contribute to Aurora in their own individual way and others
have a visible presence within the local charitable organizations.
Advisor y Committee Review
The CRRAC is in support of the Senior Volunteer Award being added to the program as
was discussed in the Committee meeting on Monday, November 4, 2019.
Legal Considerations
None
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R8
Page 2 of 10
November 19, 2019 Page 3 of 4 Report No. CMS19-029
Financial Implications
There is sufficient funding available within staff’s proposed multi-year operating budget
to cover the anticipated minor incremental costs arising from the addition of the new
Senior Volunteer Award.
Communications Considerations
The addition of the Senior Volunteer Award would be included in all Community
Recognition Awards moving forward. Communications would also be sent to the
Seniors’ Centre to advise them and encourage them to participate in the nomination
process.
Link to Strategic Plan
The addition of the Senior Volunteer Award as part of Aurora’s Community Recognition
Awards program would support Objective 3 of the Town’s Strategic Plan: Celebrating
and promoting our culture and Objective 5: Strengthening the fabric of our community.
Alternative(s) to the Recommendation
1. Council may choose to keep the existing award categories and not add the Senior
Volunteer Award.
Conclusions
Aurora’s Community Recognition Awards is a great way to celebrate and recognize the
Town’s local heroes who, through their volunteerism, have contributed to making Aurora
a great place to connect with, live and play in. The addition of the Senior Volunteer
Award would add value to this recognition program.
Attachments
Attachment 1 - Proposed 2020 Community Recognition Awards Nomination Form
Previous Reports
Not Applicable
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R8
Page 3 of 10
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R8
Page 4 of 10
DRAFTTOW N O F AURORA100 John West Way,
Box 1000,
Aurora, ON L4G 6J1
Phone: 905-726-4762
2020 Community Recognition Awards
Categories & Criteria
Page 1 of 6 2020 Community Recognition Awards Nominations
The Town of Aurora recognizes and honours volunteers who help create a community where individuals,
groups and businesses actively support the Town’s development and enhance the overall community.
Do you know an individual, corporation, or business that deserves to be recognized for their outstanding
contributions to our community? If so, please complete the nomination form below no later than Friday,
April 3, 2020. Nominators will need to provide responses to the questions specific to the award for which
they are submitting a nomination.
Winners will be recognized at the Community Recognition Awards Ceremony on Monday, May 25, 2020.
Volunteer Service Award
Awarded to individuals with 20 or more (25, 30, 35, 40) years of continuous service to the Aurora
community.
Criteria: Nomination form must be accompanied by a letter of reference verifying the years of continuous
service.
Please Note: To recognize service awards for 5, 10, or 15 years of continued service, please submit a
nomination form indicating the years of service, and the Mayor and Members of Council
would be happy to present these awards to the volunteers at your Annual General Meeting
(AGM).
Youth Volunteer Award
This award is presented to a citizen up to the age of 19 who, through their volunteer efforts, has made a
significant contribution to the community and has demonstrated their commitment to being a positive
leader today and in the future;
Please Note: 1) Nominee must be 19 years of age or younger and have volunteered on behalf of or within
the Town of Aurora for at least two (2) years.
2) Nominees must have volunteered above and beyond any Community Service requirement
hours and must not have completed their volunteer work as part of their employment.
Please provide answers to these questions about your nominee and attach to the nomination form:
• What kind of volunteer projects has the nominee been involved in?
• How has the nominee had a positive impact on the community?
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R8
Page 5 of 10
DRAFTTOW N O F AURORA100 John West Way,
Box 1000,
Aurora, ON L4G 6J1
Phone: 905-726-4762
2020 Community Recognition Awards
Categories & Criteria
Page 2 of 6 2020 Community Recognition Awards Nominations
Senior Volunteer Award
This award is presented to a citizen who is 55 years of age or older who, through their volunteer efforts,
has made a significant contribution to the community and has demonstrated their commitment to being a
positive leader today and in the future.
Please provide answers to these questions about your nominee and attach to the nomination form:
x What kind of volunteer projects has the nominee been involved in?
x How has the nominee had a positive impact on the community?
Green Award
Honouring an individual, business or community organization that supports the protection, preservation,
sustainability or conservation of our natural environment, this award celebrates those who share the Town’s
commitment to creating a greener community.
Please provide answers to these questions about your nominee and attach to the nomination form:
x What specific actions has the nominee taken to improve our natural environment?
x What kind of projects has the nominee been involved in that contribute towards a greener
community?
Arts and Culture Award
Inspired by the Johnsons family, this award is presented to an individual or group that has enhanced our
community through their support or promotion of culture, music, visual, performing, or the literary arts.
Please provide answers to these questions about your nominee and attach to the nomination form:
x How has the contributions of the nominee enhanced Aurora with their support of culture, music,
visual, performing or the literary arts?
x Why do you think the nominee should receive this award?
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R8
Page 6 of 10
DRAFTTOW N O F AURORA100 John West Way,
Box 1000,
Aurora, ON L4G 6J1
Phone: 905-726-4762
2020 Community Recognition Awards
Categories & Criteria
Page 3 of 6 2020 Community Recognition Awards Nominations
Community Leadership Award
This award is presented to an individual, youth, business, community organization, or not-for-profit
organization that has significantly enhanced the Town through their contribution, commitment, and
leadership in the areas of charitable giving, civic engagement, community events, or community spirit.
Please provide answers to these questions about your nominee and attach to the nomination form:
x How has the nominee distinguished themselves as a community leader?
x Why do you think the nominee should receive this award?
Good Business Award
This award is presented to an Aurora business that has shown its commitment to assisting Aurora’s
economic prosperity, corporate responsibility, and community involvement through its ongoing support of
charitable causes, events, or programs.
Please provide answers to these questions about your nominee and attach to the nomination form:
x What direct impact has the actions of the nominee had on charitable causes, events or programs in
the community?
x Please provide some examples of how the nominee has shown their commitment to corporate
responsibility and the community.
Inclusivity Award
This award is presented to an individual, group, or business which has contributed to making the Town of
Aurora a more accessible and/or inclusive place to live, work, and play for all people regardless of race,
national or ethnic origin, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, or disability.
Please provide answers to these questions about your nominee and attach to the nomination form:
• What initiatives taken by the nominee have contributed to making the Aurora community more
inclusive?
• Why do you think the nominee should receive this award?
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R8
Page 7 of 10
DRAFTTOW N O F AURORA100 John West Way,
Box 1000,
Aurora, ON L4G 6J1
Phone: 905-726-4762
2020 Community Recognition Awards
Categories & Criteria
Page 4 of 6 2020 Community Recognition Awards Nominations
Good Neighbour Award
Inspired by Frank Camenzuli, this award is presented to someone who embodies what it means to be a
good neighbour; this award recognizes and celebrates the simple acts of kindness and compassion that help
create connected and vibrant neighbourhoods.
Please Note: Nominees will not be considered for this award if their nomination involved monetary
compensation or fulfilling duties of their employment.
Please provide answers to these questions about your nominee and attach to the nomination form:
x How has the nominee demonstrated simple acts of kindness and compassion in your neighbourhood?
x Please provide examples of how the nominee has been a good neighbour.
Community Safety Award
Presented to an individual dedicated to the development, promotion or support of initiatives that improve
community safety, this award recognizes that safer communities only happen when individuals take action
to make a difference.
Please Note: This could be awarded to an employee who goes beyond the scope of their employment
duties.
Please provide answers to these questions about your nominee and attach to the nomination form:
x How has the nominee contributed to making our community safer?
x Why do you feel the nominee is deserving of this award?
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R8
Page 8 of 10
DRAFTTOW N O F AURORA100 John West Way,
Box 1000,
Aurora, ON L4G 6J1
Phone: 905-726-4762
2020 Community Recognition Awards
Categories & Criteria
Page 5 of 6 2020 Community Recognition Awards Nominations
Citizen of the Year Award
The Town of Aurora's Citizen of the Year Award is an annual award recognizing the exceptional
contributions made by a local citizen to our community.
The Citizen of the Year Award has been awarded by the Town of Aurora since 1970. This individual is
selected by the Office of the Mayor in consultation with a small group of dedicated community volunteers.
The award recipient has demonstrated all-round community involvement rather than specific activity or
contribution.
Criteria: 1) Nominee must be a citizen of the Town of Aurora who is at least 16 years of age, excluding
elected Members of Council or employees of the Town of Aurora.
2) Nominations may be made by an individual citizen, a group of citizens, and/or a Town
organization.
3) Nomination form must be accompanied by at least one (1) letter of no more than two (2)
pages, detailing the recent or ongoing activities or contributions of the nominee in the Town of
Aurora. These activities should demonstrate all-round community involvement rather than a
specific activity or contribution.
4) Independent letters of support are encouraged.
5) Special consideration may be given to nominees younger than 16 years of age, if the evaluation
group deems such a nomination applicable and the nominee meets all other criteria.
The evaluation group will give priority to nominations that recognize a nominee’s recent or ongoing
activities or contributions to the Town of Aurora. Special consideration may be given to posthumous
nominations or to nominees whose activities or contributions occurred more than three (3) years ago, if the
evaluation group deems such nominations applicable and the nominee meets all other criteria.
Nominations will be accepted until Friday, April 3, 2020. All nominations can be emailed to
sware@aurora.ca or mailed to:
Attention: 2020 Community Recognition Award Nomination
Town of Aurora
100 John West Way, Box 1000
Aurora, ON L4G 6J1
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R8
Page 9 of 10
DRAFTTOW N O F AURORA100 John West Way,
Box 1000,
Aurora, ON L4G 6J1
Phone: 905-726-4762
2020 Community Recognition Awards
Nomination Form
Page 6 of 6 2020 Community Recognition Awards Nominations
Please complete all fields of the 2020 Community Recognition Awards Nomination Form ensuring the
correct spelling of each name. Nominations will be accepted until Friday, April 3, 2020.
Date: _____________________________________________________
Nominator: _____________________________________________________
Organization (if applicable): _____________________________________________________
Address: _____________________________________________________
Postal Code: _____________________________________________________
Telephone: _____________________________________________________
Email Address: _____________________________________________________
Category:
տ Volunteer Service Award (5, 10, 15 years) տ Volunteer Service Award (20, 25, 30, 35, 40 years)
(Presented at the organization’s AGM)
տ Youth Volunteer Award տ Senior Volunteer Award
տ Green Award տ Arts and Culture Award
տ Community Leadership Award տ Good Business Award
տ Inclusivity Award տ Good Neighbour Award
տ Community Safety Award տ Citizen of the Year Award
Date: _____________________________________________________
I Nominate: _____________________________________________________
Address: _____________________________________________________
Postal Code: _____________________________________________________
Telephone: _____________________________________________________
Email Address: _____________________________________________________
Please attach only the answers required for the questions in the
specific award category of this nomination.
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Item R8
Page 10 of 10
Public Release
November 18, 2019
Town of Aurora
Additional Items to
General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
7 p.m., Council Chambers
• Revised General Committee Meeting Agenda Index
• Delegation (a) Amanda Dench, Resident representing Aurora Heights Public
School Parent Council
Re: Notice of Motion (a) Councillor Kim; Re: Capital Project – Sidewalk
Construction on Kitimat Crescent
• Delegation (b) Neil Asselin, Resident
Re: Item A3 – Heritage Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes of November 4,
2019; Sub-item 3 – HAC19-004 – Approval of Heritage Permit HPA-19-05
under Delegated Authority
• Notice of Motion (a) Councillor Kim
Re: Capital Project – Sidewalk Construction on Kitimat Crescent
Public Release
November 18, 2019
Town of Aurora
General Committee
Meeting Agenda (Revised)
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
7 p.m., Council Chambers
Councillor Humfryes in the Chair
1. Approval of the Agenda
2. Declarations of Pecuniary Interest and General Nature Thereof
3. Community Presentations
(a) Allan N. Ebedes, President and CEO, Excellence Canada
Re: Excellence Canada Silver Certification
4. Delegations
(a) Amanda Dench, Resident representing Aurora Heights Public School
Parent Council
Re: Notice of Motion (a) Councillor Kim; Re: Capital Project – Sidewalk
Construction on Kitimat Crescent
(Added Item)
(b) Neil Asselin, Resident
Re: Item A3 – Heritage Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes of
November 4, 2019; Sub-item 3 – HAC19 -004 – Approval of Heritage
Permit HPA-19-05 under Delegated Authority
(Added Item)
General Committee Meeting Agenda (Revised)
Tuesday, November 19, 2019 Page 2 of 6
5. Consent Agenda
Items listed under the Consent Agenda are considered routine or no longer require
further discussion and are enacted in one motion. The exception to this rule is that
a Member may request that one or more items be pulled for discussion and voted
on separately.
Recommended:
That the following Consent Agenda item C1 be approved:
C1. FS19-034 – Q3 2019 Sole/Single Source Report
(Information Report dated November 5, 2019, included on agenda per Member of
Council request)
Recommended:
1. That Report No. FS19-034 be received for information.
6. Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes
Recommended:
That the following Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes items, A1 to A3 inclusive,
be received:
A1. Community Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes of October 10, 2019
Recommended:
1. That the Community Advisory Committee meeting minutes of October 10,
2019, be received for information.
A2 . Community Recognition Review Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes
of November 4, 2019
Recommended:
1. That the Community Recognition Review Advisory Committee meeting
minutes of November 4, 2019, be received for information.
General Committee Meeting Agenda (Revised)
Tuesday, November 19, 2019 Page 3 of 6
A3 . Heritage Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes of November 4, 2019
Recommended:
1. That the Heritage Advisory Committee meeting minutes of November 4,
2019, be received for information.
7. Consideration of Items Requiring Discussion (Regular Agenda)
R1. CS19-035 – Technology Strategic Plan
Presentation to be provided by Ben Perry, Perry Group Consulting Ltd.
Recommended:
1. That Report No. CS19-035 be received; and
2. That the Technology Strategic Plan be endorsed and included in the
2020 to 2022 three-year Operating Budget for final approval of funding;
and
3. That this report satisfies Council’s conditional budget approval for the
following Capital Projects related to the Technology Strategic Plan:
(a) Capital Project No. 14075 – Business Process Automation and Data
Integration; and
(b) Capital Project No. 13023 – Access Aurora Telephony Project; and
(c) Capital Project No. 14076 – Digital Education Program; and
(d) Capital Project No. 14073 – Information Technology Strategic Plan
Implementation.
R2. CS19-037 – Procedure By-law Review
Recommended:
1. That Report No. CS19-037 be received; and
General Committee Meeting Agenda (Revised)
Tuesday, November 19, 2019 Page 4 of 6
2. That the proposed Procedure By-law (Attachment No. 1) be presented at
the December 10, 2019 Council meeting for enactment effective as of
January 1, 2020; and
3. That the 2020 Meeting Schedule (Attachment No. 2) be approved.
R3. FS19-033 – Prudent Investor Option Analysis
Presentation to be provided by Keith Taylor, Investment Manager, ONE
Investment.
Recommended:
1. That Report No. FS19-033 be received; and
2. That staff be directed to work with ONE Investment to bring information
to the Financial Advisory Committee relating to the implementation of a
Prudent Investor regime, including any Investment Policy Statement and
agreement requirements associated with the establishment of a Joint
Investment Board for its review and comment; and
3. That staff be directed to bring any resultant recommendations to Council
for consideration.
R4. CMS19-027 – Aurora Museum & Archives Museum Plan Status Report
Presentation to be provided by Shawna White, Curator, Aurora Museum &
Archives.
Recommended:
1. That Report No. CMS19-027 be received for information.
R5. FS19-038 – 2019 Year-End Surplus/Deficit Financial Control By-law
Recommended:
1. That Report No. FS19-038 be received; and
General Committee Meeting Agenda (Revised)
Tuesday, November 19, 2019 Page 5 of 6
2. That a by-law be enacted to authorize the Treasurer and the Chief
Administrative Officer to make the following year-end financial
adjustments:
(a) To allocate any 2019 Operating Fund surplus or deficit as set out in
Report No. FS19-038; and
(b) To allocate any 2019 surplus or alternatively fund any deficit in the
Water, Wastewater, or Stormwater budgets to or from the
appropriate related reserve accounts; and
3. That the Treasurer and Chief Administrative Officer report to Council
after the year-end surplus/deficit control adjustments and allocations
have been completed.
R6. PDS19-026 – Proposed Site Alteration By-law
Recommended:
1. That Report No. PDS19-026 be received; and
2. That the Site Alteration By-law be enacted at a future Council meeting;
and
3. That Schedule ‘B’ of the 2020 Fees and Charges By-law be amended to
replace the Topsoil Preservation Permit fee with a Site Alteration Permit
fee and a Site Alteration Permit Renewal fee at the first opportunity to do
so upon approval of the Site Alteration By-law.
R7. PDS19-099 – Mitigation Tactics to Prevent Illegal Demolition of Listed
Heritage Buildings
Recommended:
1. That Report No. PDS19-099 be received; and
2. That an amendment to Fee By-law Number 6147-19 be presented to
Council to allow the Building Division to collect a deposit in the amount of
$10,000 when an owner applies for a demolition permit for a listed
heritage property; and
General Committee Meeting Agenda (Revised)
Tuesday, November 19, 2019 Page 6 of 6
3. That the deposit only be returned to the owner after the requirements of
the Ontario Heritage Act have been completed in respect of the proposed
demolition.
R8. CMS19-029 – Aurora’s Community Recognition Awards
Recommended:
1. That Report No. CMS19-029 be received; and
2. That the addition of a Senior Volunteer Award be approved as part of
Aurora’s Community Recognition Awards program.
8. Notices of Motion
(a) Councillor Kim
Re: Capital Project – Sidewalk Construction on Kitimat Crescent
(Added Item)
9. New Business
10. Closed Session
11. Adjournment
Delegation Request
7KLV'HOHJDWLRQ5HTXHVWIRUPDQGDQ\ZULWWHQVXEPLVVLRQVRUEDFNJURXQGLQIRUPDWLRQ
IRUFRQVLGHUDWLRQE\HLWKHU&RXQFLORU&RPPLWWHHVRI&RXQFLOPXVWEHVXEPLWWHGWRWKH
&OHUN¶VRIILFHE\WKHIROORZLQJGHDGOLQH
D.m.2QH ()%XVLQHVVDay Prior to the Requested Meeting Date
Council/Committee Meeting DQGDate:
Subject:
Name of Spokesperson:
Name of Group or Person(s) being Represented (if applicable):
Brief Summary of Issue or Purpose of Delegation:
Please complete the following:
+DYH\RXEHHQLQFRQWDFWZLWKD7RZQVWDIIRU
&RXQFLOPHPEHUUHJDUGLQJ\RXUPDWWHURILQWHUHVW"<HV ܆܆1R ܆
,I\HVZLWKZKRP"'DWH
܆ ,DFNQRZOHGJHWKDWWKH3URFHGXUH%\ODZSHUPLWVILYH PLQXWHVIRU'HOHJDWLRQV
/HJLVODWLYH6HUYLFHV
&OHUNV#DXURUDFD
7RZQRI$XURUD
-RKQ:HVW:D\%R[
$XURUD21/*-
General Committee Meeting | November 19, 2019
Amanda Dench
Resident; Aurora Heights Public School Parent Council
Notices of Motion: Pedestrian Safety on Kitimat Crescent
✔
Additional Items to General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Delegation (a)
Page 1 of 1
Additional Items to General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Delegation (b)
Page 1 of 1
Notice of Motion Councillor Harold Kim
Date: November 19, 2019
To: Mayor and Members of Council
From: Councillor Kim
Re: Capital Project – Sidewalk Construction on Kitimat Crescent
Whereas the Town of Aurora’s Policy supports sidewalk construction where gaps exist
and Ontario Legislation requires municipalities to remove barriers to accessibility; and
Whereas sidewalks are essential infrastructure that offer a protected, dedicated space
for all pedestrians, especially the most vulnerable, and when visibility is poor (e.g.,
weather-related events, darkness); and
Whereas the Town has implemented the “Active and Safe Routes to School Program” in
2013;
1. Now Therefore Be It Hereby Resolved That Capital Project No. XXXXX – Sidewalk
Construction on Kitimat Crescent be approved; and
2. Be It Further Resolved That a total budget of $100,000 from the 2020 Capital
Budget be approved for Capital Project No. XXXXX to be funded from the Roads
Repair and Replacement reserve; and
3. Be It Further Resolved That the sidewalk be completed in time for the 2020/2021
school year.
Additional Items to General Committee Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Notice of Motion (a)
Page 1 of 1