Company chosen for diversity training; Sarnia city council notebook

Sarnia city council’s next round of diversity training is expected to be held in public, the city’s clerk says.

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That’s after training council received behind closed doors in 2021 went sidewayswith the then-trainer alleging “undisrupted, uncorrected and unabated hostility demonstrated by some members of council,” and possible code of conduct offenses for Couns. Bill Dennis and Terry Burrell for “hostile (pushback, making) the trainer (feel) threatened and intimidated.”

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Council voted 6-3 Monday for low-bidder EQU8 Strategy Inc. to deliver diversity, equity and inclusion training. The cost is $4,300.

“This session is intended to be provided in open session,” clerk Amy Burkhart said.

Coun. David Boushy, along with Dennis and Coun. George Vandenberg, voted against, with Boushy warning of division on council and in the community over the training.

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“Let us be kind to each other, respect each other and move on,” he said.

That would be a great approach, “but that doesn’t always happen,” said Chrissy McRoberts, who first made the motion in July for the training.

If there’s divided opinion about the training, “it’s a good chance to bring people together,” Bradley said, in response to Boushy.

Coun. George Vandenberg said he takes training every year and won’t take this training, because of the expense.

Bradley said the training won’t be mandatory.

Coun. Adam Kilner said he’s also taken similar training before “but people have (elected) me to this table and would like me to, in this venue, also demonstrate that I care about each and every one of our councilors, our citizens, our residents, ” he said.

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He noted there are “valid concerns” but said it’s important to understand the “stories” of racialized and Indigenous people in the community.

“How can I understand your story and what our norms should be, collectively, if we don’t actually have a venue to openly talk about that?” he asked.

Staff said they’d work with the chosen provider to schedule a date.

Debt not necessary to fund LAWSS: staff

Council approved $3.1 million for the Lambton Area Water Supply System for a reservoir rehabilitation projectbut likely won’t have to take on debt to finance it, city engineering and operations general manager David Jackson said.

“There is the option of us providing the funding up front … and then we can come back with different options for council that would avoid us taking on any debt,” he said.

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Sarnia uses about 60 per cent of the water from the system that provides water to the city, St. Clair Township, Plympton-Wyoming, Point Edward, Warwick Township and Lambton Shores.

Proportionately-sized requests were being made of all member municipalities since LAWSS doesn’t have enough in reserves to cover project costs, officials have said.

Housing pledge requests approved

HAS 1,000-unit housing pledge by 2031 — a provincially set target — was approved by council.

As part of the pledgecouncil also asked the province for support to achieve the target.

That includes long-term funding for growth-related infrastructure projects; compensation for development-charge exemptions under provincial legislation; more appropriate Ministry of Transportation standards, guidelines or alternative solutions that minimize the impact on development; regulations for “gentle intensification;” upfront infrastructure funding to mitigate development risk without development-charge timing guarantees; for the province to ensure provincial social services funding in two-tier systems is leading to new housing units; and to raise and maintain social assistance rates to provide stability.

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Coun. Bill Dennis said he thinks council should set it’s own 2,000-unit target.

Meeting the 1,000-unit target, and receiving provincial incentive money as a result, should be attainable given the city’s recent construction history, community services general manager Stacey Forfar said, noting city officials believe the tally includes development in 2023.

Habitat project approved

Council OK’d rezoning and official plan amendments for a tiny townhouse Habitat for Humanity project near Rainbow Park.

The build would include five, 36-square-meter (390-square-foot) units, as well as parking spaces at 236 Christina St. S., with aims to build in 2025, Habitat Sarnia/Lambton chief executive David Waters said .

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Bev MacDougall, a former city councilor, suggested the city should look into donating pieces of underused city parks throughout the city for similar developments in the future.

Taxi licensing switch prompts questions

City council approved some bylaw amendments Monday after agreeing in July to take over taxi licensing from city police.

Revenue is about $30 a license, Burkhart said, noting ride-sharing vehicles aren’t licensed but are regulated as shuttles under the city’s taxi bylaw.

“So, rates can’t exceed what taxis charge,” she said.

Council also passed a motion from Burrell for a report on whether police checks should be required for “shuttle service,” or ride-sharing operators.

McRoberts new acting mayor

McRoberts was appointed the next acting mayor as of Nov. 20, taking over from Dennis.

Dennis received the most votes among councilors in the 2022 electionand McRoberts was second.

Couns. Brian White and Boushy were third and fourth, and are in line to take on acting mayor duties, including chairing council meetings whenever Bradley is absent, in 2025 and 2026 respectively.

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