Transcript: Special Council - 21 Sep 2026

Okay. Good afternoon everyone and welcome to our special council meeting of Monday September 21st. I would like to begin by recognizing that this meeting is being held on the beautiful territories of the SK and Shannon nations. Council, I'll look for a motion, please, under 3.1 that the agenda for the September 21st, 2026 special meeting of council to be adopted as presented. Please move by councelor Baitman, seconded by councelor St. Pierre. All those in favor, that's unanimous. Thank you. Uh public question and comments. Uh so is there any members of the public separate from uh one of our reports under 5.2 I think that would like to address council at this time?

No, we're good. Thank you very much. Thank you for attending. And so that'll take us our first report is 5.1 the Brule Drive Culver Replacement Tender Award. Over to staff, please. Your worship. Uh this is a construction project that we've had in the works for the past year. It's a removal and replacement of an existing dual culvert uh system with new culverts in order to maintain our storm water drainage flow in that area. Per questions though. Okay, there's quite a thorough report. I'm going to read the recommendation in and that is that council award the Brule Drive Culver Replacement Project contract to Lubet Construction Limited in the amount of $15,621.58 excluding GST. Moved by Councelor St.

Pierre and seconded by Betos. Councelor St. Pierre, any comments or questions? Uh, unless there's something that's not in the report, it looks pretty straightforward. Uh, thank you staff for your work. Uh, seems pretty slam dunk. It's the lowest bid. It's a good bid that was complete. So, that's it. Councelor Bos. Thank you, Worship. No, I have no concerns over this. Staff has done their due diligence and uh got the the best price, best bang for the buck. So, I'm okay. Anything councelor Baitman? Yeah. So, I'm just curious here. I had a look at the uh procurement uh purchasing policy today and I see uh not just the lowest price is of course um a direction within the principles. So the ideas of social impact, community economic impact, environmental impact, source of supply, disposal value, warranty, bitter experience, references, bitter capacity and other relevant costs. So in this age of austerity um are you are you thinking lowest cost as a a first priority or tell me more on your decision process viewership through the counselor. Yes.

All that is listed in the purchasing policy not necessarily always part of the evaluation criteria because it is basically project specific. Generally with construction ones, uh our main concern because of what they are is cost, schedule, uh past performance. Uh this one was based primarily off of low lowest cost. Uh though we did check references and people who are going to be involved in it and items like that, but the determining factor was cost. Thank you for that. I I did want to just note that uh at UBCM on Friday, the premier noted uh he's put a challenge out to local governments. Please look at amending your procurement policies and bylaws in light of the BIBC program and um just putting that out there. We we seem to have an excellent uh uh purchasing policy as it is um and yet that challenge is being put out there in light of our current environment.

I think our policy is also looking to advance local first. So I think we're local governments are always ahead of the game on that. But appreciate the highlight. And I'll also just add that this is within or under the it was in the budget already for the financial plan and uh it comes in a little bit less. So that's good news too. So thank you for staff for having a solid forecast. So, we're not trying to find funds that are out of budget, but uh on within or below, which is great. We're all good. Okay, I'll call the question. All those in favor, please. None opposed. That's unanimous. Uh the next one was is sorry. Uh the permissive tax exemption application from work link. So, council may be aware that this came to us at our previous meeting and we had some additional questions that we had asked. So I understand that work link is here to present. So I'd like to invite you to please come forward now and introduce yourselves. And whenever

you're ready just uh turn on the microphones so that we can all hear you. Thank you very much. Good afternoon mayor and council. Thanks for the opportunity to speak to you today. Um I'm Scott Graph. I am the new executive director at worklink Employment Society and this is my colleague Danielle Carta and currently Danielle is our work BC contract manager. Um today I wanted to explain how the what the loss of the work BC contract means what will continue in suit beyond March of 2027 and how the permissive tax exemption would help preserve these community services. Uh, worklink um is not simply a workb contractor, although that is a huge source of our funding. We're a local charitable organization with deep roots and souk.

Worklink respectfully acknowledges the First Nations on whose traditional territories our offices and regional services are located. In Souk, we are especially mindful of the Souk and Shanu nations and the relationships we continue to build through this region. A little bit about us. Worklink has had a permanent presence in Souk since 20 2008, 18 years of local service. Although employment services are central to our history, our mandate is broader. community development, employer services, human resources support, and regional economic development. We also serve Port Renfruit and neighboring First Nations communities. We're a registered charity governed by the volunteer board of directors with funding from several federal and provincial services.

Um, these numbers demonstrate the scale of WorkLink's local contributions. We've helped more than 5700 or sorry, we've helped more than 5,700 unemployed souk area residents work towards their employment and training goals since 2008. Our job fairs here have connected more than 700 job seekers with local employment opportunities. Each year we engage more than 23 employers and community organizations through programs, events, and partnerships. Workb has provided most of our operating revenue, but not the entirety of work link. Approximately 30.6% or 1.22 million of our revenue comes from outside of work BC. That diversified work includes federally funded youth programming, the Port Renfruit Visitors Center, In Motion and Momentum, Blade Runners Development and Community Space, and Shoreline Business Services. Some of these funds are restricted to specific programs and cannot be used to pay general property or facility costs.

We want to be transparent. Our current workb contract ends on March 31st, 2027 and worklink was not invited to the next stage of the procurement process. The provincial government has not yet announced the future service provider. So we cannot speak on behalf of how future workblink will continue as an organization and we intend to maintain services and community benefits in souk. Our future model will be smaller, more diversified, and based on a combination of existing programs, community assets, partnerships, and new funding. The TA tax exemption would reduce an unavoidable fixed cost during this transition. It would not replace the work VC contract. Sorry, there wouldn't start is a fedally funded program for young people aged 15 to 30 who play face barriers to employment. It combines employability training, workplace certifications, individualized support, and direct connections with employers.

Since 2015, approximately 180 souk youth have participated through start. The program has achieved an average employment success rate in souk of 73%. We expect to serve at least 25 additional souk by 2028 through our program. Um our local reach also includes the Edward Mil Community School job fair where we engaged more than 30 employers and approximately 400 students. Those employer relationships along with our connections through the sooth job fair and tourism Vancouver Island remain with worklink beyond the workb contract. We are also in the final approval stages for a soukbased bladeunners pilot beginning in January of 2027. The program would support at risk youth through skills training, employment preparation and connections to employers. Our projected model is four co four cohorts per year for three years with approximately 10 to 12 participants for each cohort. That could mean 40 to 48 young people served annually. If approved, the pilot is planned for delivery exclusively from the souk center. Because approval is still being finalized, these are projected outcomes rather than confirmed commitments.

The Souk facility is already a shared community asset, not simply a workb. More than six community partners actively use the facility for meetings, client appointments, donation distribution, and other services. We estimate approximately 100 partner client visits annually and around 550 vehicles using our overflow parking. That parking capacity also supports neighboring churches and community organizations during services, meetings, and events. Residents also use our computers, printing, scanning, phones, and assistance with online applications. People come to us for help navigating employment, benefits, education, housing, and other community services. Worklink has demonstrated it can turn regional relationships into tangible investment and economic opportunities. We engage more than 35 employers and organizations annually. Since 2020, our work has helped generate more than $700,000 in investments for the Port Renfruit region. Our memorandum of understanding with patchid dot has supported leadership in regional planning. That work is now transitioning and we are approaching the next stage respectfully.

Shoreline Business Services brings together worklink, the district of Sou and the Sou Chamber to support entrepreneurship, investment, attraction, and business growth throughout the region. We're working to expand Shorelen, sorry, Shoreline into a stronger regional business support service. The feasibility work has been completed. Shoreline has been incorporated and the Souk Chamber is an important partner in its development. The goal is to help local entrepreneurs and business access advice, partnerships, financing, and growth opportunities. Discussions are underway with organizations such as Future Prreneur Canada, Van City, and the Business Development Bank of Canada. We're also exploring Pacific Hand through its rural economic diversification programming through the Souk and Port Renfruit Chambers.

Shoreline has the potential to engage more than 250 businesses. Because Work Link serves both job seekers and businesses, we can connect workforce preparation directly with employer and economic development needs. Worklink is not asking council to preserve the organization exactly as it currently exists. We are asking council for help to preserve a strong local platform from which we can serve residents, connect regional partners, and attract new programs and investment. The souk facility, community relationships, accessible infrastructure, and experienced staff give us a significant head start. A permissive tax exemption would give us more flexibility to direct limited, unrestricted resources towards services, partnerships, and new program development. We respectfully ask council to view the exemption as an investment in maintaining community capacity during a significant transition.

We also welcome opportunities to work with the district on programs and funding streams that align with council's workforce and economic development priorities. The remaining slides provide additional evidence in detail. Our cumulative impact. This slide demonstrates work link has a long history of successfully managing public funds and delivering measurable results across the broader region. We assisted more than 24,000 people between 2008 and 2024. We have delivered more than 35 employment and training projects and supported over 134 employers and organizations. Visitor traffic has increased by 48.3% between 2022 and 2024. What continues beyond workb continues with federal funding through to 2028. We intend to retain the souk facility as a location for programs, public technology access, information, referrals, and community use. The Blade Runners pilot is in the final approval stage as I said uh with anticipated delivery beginning in January 2027. And worklink also retains its core capabilities, funding development, partnership building, program design, employer engagement, and regional coordination.

This slide identifies some of the organizations already benefiting from the facility. It's used for food distribution, community meetings, client appointments, mediation services, parking, and regional meetings. Westshore Community Corrections alone uses the space approximately 26 office days per year, serving an average of three to five clients per day. The public resource area provides technology and helps residents who may not have access to a computer, printer, phone, or reliable internet. Worklink staff also help residents understand forms and connect with the appropriate employment, income, housing, medical, education, and identification services. There's a link here of further reading. Um they include our annual report, regional tourism development information, port run through visitor center information, metrics, and information about start and blade runners. And we're happy to provide council with any additional financial program or outcome information as it requires.

Worklink has served Souk for 18 years and we're committed to remaining part of the community through this transition. And I believe that's the end of our presentation. Sorry, I know I went through that quickly, but I want to be mindful of council's time. Well, thank you very much for attending today and for providing all of the information in your presentation in advance. Uh, was there any questions that are unanswered for members of council at this time? Yes, go ahead, Councelor Meadows. Yes, thank you for that report. Uh I was looking at your financial statement and you've lumped in uh core funding federal and provincial. Can you tell me what that breaks down to? Uh regards to the federal provincial. How much did the feds put into your $3.5 million?

You said they lost you lost 36% of your comes from outside work uh BC. So I just wonder what the the dollar value is if you know it. I don't know. Just need to turn on the microphone though. Oh, sorry. I'm new to this. Um I don't off the top of my head, but I'm happy to get that information to you. Yeah, I think that that would I guess with me. I mean, wow. You've been that funding you lost in the province just guts you. I mean, I'm just stating the obvious, but uh I'm just wondering what what capacity like if the province is taking all these services away. Uh and we don't really know what they're going to bring in its place.

Well, no, they'll still be continuing them in souk. They just won't be run by us. Uh so there is a contract for the work BC services to continue to run in the west shore souk. um we don't know because they're not going to be back by us. So it will be the next organization. So I think that's something we wanted to kind of clarify is that work link as an organization will continue to serve the community. It just won't be through work VC services. Work VC services will continue to be in the community run by another organization. So, we're actually going to expand on service delivery to to the the community of Sue. Um, so we should be asking the province questions here going to be served because Yeah. So, unfortunately, we they're still in the the planning stage of that where they're competing for their for their contract. So, we don't have that knowledge, but it will be there will be services from the province, just not run by us.

Okay. It's a two-part application process. So, there's the RFQ, which is request for qualifications, and then once you've been approved for the RFQ, then you can you get the RFP, which is request for proposal. So, we didn't make it through the RFQ process. Interesting. Any any idea why not? Not at this point. Yeah, they will provide us with feedback, but not until the RFP process is completed. Another question is uh you alluded that you serve all the way out to Renfruit uh on the war surely all those places. Do they give you any First Nations? Did they give you any funding any of those groups?

No, but we also haven't asked for it either. Yeah. Unless it's specific program funding. So um while we're we're current actively recruiting for grants to to run programs um that will also be dependent on what kind of programs uh we would like to run. So we are applying for those grants um which gives us an opportunity again to create more programs to serve the client needs. Uh and but again we I'm still quite confused on what you'll be doing because th those core things that the province is being paying for they're going to come in another fashion which is you know nobody really knows why.

Uh and then so you're not going to be doing those things anymore. You're going to be doing some other things. I'm not quite clear what those other things are just yet. We're getting we still have funding for the youth programs. Okay. So that would be start which is active and then blade runners which we are in the final stages of implementing um and then we also are using our um building for other services in the community where great having your building and then like I said we are applying to expand our programs so like any other nonprofit or organization um building multiple programs will strengthen us and so that's where we're that we're in a rebuilding phase. We have a few programs and we will we're our goal is to build on those. It will take some time.

I'm going to go to another council member, councelor St. Pierre. Um, as it happens, I have experience with a similar model uh in the downtown east side and uh it's it's one of those all the eggs in one basket kind of thing. Uh these programs tend to actually have a number of different contracts. What's that? You directly I'm directly everyone needed for that. No, no. But you were you were curious how do you actually keep the lights on with one big contract gone? Uh generally the way to go about is to diversify your contracts. Just direct it to me. Okay. Uh in this particular case, what I'm seeing is uh a community asset where you have phones, printing, uh research, administrative support. Uh you have a certain amount of office space. So chances are, if I understand correctly, you're looking for partners to actually fill those office spaces with additional programming and help defy the costs, the operating costs. Is that correct?

Sort of. We're sorry. We are um currently engaging in partnerships with other nonprofits um and other organizations. So, one of them is um a federal grant we're working on, and I believe it's um with another nonprofit to deliver services um employment services for the capital region, but that would also include Souk as well. Um that's Blade Runners, right? No, actually, it's another This is another one. And this one is actually for adults. Um and then we're also looking at a seniors program where we're trying to engage with seniors um pairing seniors with youth mentors to develop technology or sorry not develop but to utilize technology. So um you know basically a support system but there is funding for that type of program uh to support our older adults.

So, um, you know, we've got a lot of applications out there, just unfortunately, there's not much I can report to council on in terms of what's actually come back. A lot of the procurements right now end in December. Okay. Yeah. Uh, your focus as an organization seems to be on economic development and employment, right? Correct. Mhm. Okay. So, you you'd continue working in that mostly in that area. Yeah, that's our wheelhouse. Okay. Yeah. Okay. Councelor Bman. Yeah. Thanks for that presentation. Um, and all the work since 2008. Is that correct? Yes. Okay. So, you have an office in Langford as well. Yes. So, how how are you are you approaching the city of Lanford for an exemption similar to this? Okay. Made any progress on that?

Okay. Good work. Good luck with that. Thank you. um our CED officer Gail Scott who you know well um she's spoken at at some length around shoreline and that that's a very critical piece of economic development for the community. Could you I know you showed a slide but actually you've answered it it's a work in progress and it will be based out of the church road office. That's correct. Okay. Okay. All right. I think that's all I've got. Did you have some questions, Councelor Pearson? Yes, I have a few. Go ahead. Um, okay. So, um, the tax exemption you're requesting is 90K, right? Wow. It's about 12,000. Okay. 12,000.

And so, the revenue shortfall you have as in here is 728K. Is that correct? Am I looking at the right spreadsheet here? That sounds about right. Um, you know, losing work BC will be a big hit for us. Absolutely. Okay. Um, so one and it's a question around so West Shore Community Corrections they use it uh you said a number of days and they pay for the space in there like do they are is this just given to them free or all of those users are they are they paid? No, some of them are. Um, but basically if they're one of our community partners, if they're a nonprofit organization, there's a number of criteria where we wave all the fees. Gotcha.

To be honest, it's it's not a big source of revenue. Yeah. No, and it just you listed a lot of things there. So, just going to ask about that. Um, let me go back to my expenditures piece here. Taxes, property taxes, it shows 9841. So, the portion you that's what it shows on the spreadsheet here. Have I got the right one? I believe that's also includes the um our location in Langford. Oh, okay. Because you're looking at the uh I'm looking at your overall, right? So, yeah. Yeah. And and I Yeah. So our portion is $12,000 through the chair to staff uh through the mayor. The uh total tax levied this uh including the pro municipal portion, regional district, all other tax agencies all together is $25,800 of which $12,15 is the municipal portion.

Yep. Okay. So get 12k. Um, who owns the facility? I don't know if I ever been told that. Who actually owns the property? Oh, the Workling Employment Society does. Oh, Work Link. Okay. Mhm. Okay. No, I don't have any other questions. Okay. So, I'll invite our speakers, thank you very much for being here, to take your seats in the gallery. And then I'm going to put the motion on first that council to receive the report for information. Councelor St. Pierre and seconded by Betos. So speaking to it, go ahead, councelor St. Pierre. You don't want to. Okay. Okay. Anything further? Okay. So, I'm just going to make some comments here that um while this is to receive for information, the ask came to grant a permissive tax exemption. Uh should council be willing, I would look for someone to move that. our staff have already drafted a bylaw just as an anticipation of that potentially coming forward. Uh but I wanted to have us have a discussion around receiving and then we could look to see if uh there's

motivation to advance that um given the state of uncertainty regarding the provincial funding and I'm curious now if we do enter into a snap election how that changes everything um because then everything would be suspended until the next government forms. So, but I know our delegation may not be able to answer what happens next. Uh, but there is and will always be an opportunity to advocate. So regardless of a snap election, I think there is an advocacy piece potentially to our MLA around this because uh and I don't want to suggest that there because we know that this group that has been provided this service has not been invited to continue on. Uh that may be then that another suitbased organization is in the running. I don't know that but everything is in the dark right now.

Um the challenge would be where would they operate out of in an area that is central and accessible to the community of which workplace is built and that was the whole intention of them bu buying this property and building out site because it is on a transit route accessible parking all of that which makes the location uh ideal for the services that they offer. My concern would be that Langford will service souk from the Langford office and we've seen that trend occur with other uh services throughout the region. None that I can name at the moment but where our groups now are not receiving funding because the intention would go into the core. One that comes to mind is prenatal care.

There is no services available in Souk. Council and itself funded that so that we have an option for prenatal care in Souk. Otherwise, expected mothers would be expected to migrate downtown Victoria to receive the necessary care that they need. Majority don't and then we left sitting here. So, that is my advocacy. That's why I think it's important to have things based in suit. Uh why I feel I'm in support of giving the tax exemption. We're not there yet, but my reason for that is to look at the other pieces. There's meeting space available to nonprofit groups uh which is difficult to find at the best of times uh accessible meeting space uh in the event that the exemption isn't there while the speaker indicated it doesn't draw a lot of revenue they may need to look at it differently so it draws revenue like many other organizations in souk have had to do where the rentals are higher uh and they may need to do that uh the partnership

with uh the chamber is excellent in terms of finding those other economic development opportunities as well as the partnering that we saw there. So to me it's the case there is an extreme value in space uh which is significant and so that's why I feel that okay we'll receive this information but then I I would look to a member of council councelor Baitman already indicated that we examine and do implement the tax exemption uh for a year or two while all of this settles and then it can be revisited at a later date uh by the next council. for now. It'll at least give the group certainty and the ability to expand and reimagine uh as is indicated by the speakers and I also feel is desperately needed in these uncertain times. So, I'm going to dispense with the motion to receive. All those in favor of receipt and then I'll look to councelor Baitman in the microphone to Yeah. Okay. So, I'll I'll fire away.

This is the motion published in our last agenda. Thank you. Uh so that council instructs staff to bring forward a bylaw amending bylaw 930 adding worklinks property. Just hold on that. I think our staff member is already thank you your worship. So cons uh through you to council considering the timelines involved as well as this bylaw would need to be adopted by the end of October. uh we are required to give statutory notice uh in two editions of the local newspaper and so that means the timelines are quite tight and so predicting that as an issue we did attach a draft potential bylaw number 953 as attachment six in your agenda package on on this item. [gasps] So if council would like to uh move forward with that I would recommend that the motion be that council provide three readings to bylaw 953 2026. So then the motion you would read then would can we have it on the screen please? That the motion would be that council uh give first, second and third reading

to the permissive tax exemption amendment bylaw number 953. That would be what is moved by councelor Baitman and seconded by councelor St. Pierre. But let's just pause and get it on the screen. Oh, it's on the screen. I can't see it. That council give first, second, and third reading to permissive tax exemption by us. So, yeah, that is correct. Okay. Clarifying question from councelor Boss. Yeah, I think uh I heard briefly that we're talking about for one year only. This this would give it for a by how many years? I'll ask staff to clarify that please. Um sir worship councor Bettos the bylaw I believe goes to 2030 um what is required on an annual basis from anybody in the bylaw is to confirm with the district what has happened with their organization has anything changed. So, there is an annual check-in process.

However, they would be exempted for till 2030 um unless council directed us to do something differently. Um pending an annual review, an annual confirmation that nothing in their current business has changed that would warrant council to reconsider their eligibility. Okay. I guess the worship uh maybe I can make a friendly amendment and uh to do it for for one year only and then we can see it in particular one year whatever counts sitting here. Okay. So just make the amendment then. So there will be an amendment to provide this relief for one year the uh permissive tax exemption for just one for one year. I'll just ask our staff would that be in order.

Uh that's what we're just confirming if this would be needing a different bylaw if you can have two deadlines in the same bylaw. So just give us a second here. Okay, just hold for a sec. And my reasoning be do I motivate now or just wait till we know that this uh your worship? Um so the the existing permissive tax exemption bylaw runs to um for four year for the next four years as has been noted. So it certainly would be possible for council to uh adopt a new separate permissive tax exemption bylaw which only have applied to this property and only applied for the next year. Um, but we would be looking to do that as a new separate bylaw, not amending 930 because then you'd be having multiple deadlines in the same bylaw, which would get very complicated.

So, if that is the will of council, then I would request about a 15-minute recess while we draft that new bylaw for you. Okay. So, yeah, I was wondering, so that would be out of order. So, we can't amend it. It's not a friendly amendment. So in this case, um I'm going to go to the mover uh to speak on the motion. That was councelor Baitman. Well, um we we've certainly heard today um unfortunate that uh work BC has in its wisdom has is doing what it's doing. Um ideally that those services will continue here in souk. Um, work link clearly is carrying on with a set of really substantial uh, programs for youth, first nations, uh, all those who wish to use the facility, drop in, um, get their resumes done. You know, it's and particularly uh, the shoreline business group. I'm looking at our strategic plan for 2024-27 under community economic development.

explicitly states work with groups like work work link BC and the chamber or the two organizations cited in the plan and um the now actions that uh continuing to unfold are are the kind of actions that are unfolding at worklink BC and have since uh was it 2023 you opened in that location 2024 thereabouts so yeah I think 12,000 a year whether it's for one year for five years. I think um sounds like at an annual review process a future council can um as I know they will they'll be looking at permissive tax exemptions with a very very fine eye. Um so absolutely. Yeah. Clearly I'm in favor of this. Okay. Is the move seconder councelor St.

Pierre microphone. Uh I'm in favor of the uh tax exemption as it reads. Uh I suspect that it's going to take some time to actually sort out their finances and that 5 years is not unreasonable. Also, as it happens, I was looking at the list of tax exemptions and we have other service providers like uh the super family resource and so on and so forth that have a very similar model basically one building a lot of services and critical service to the community. So, they get an exemption period. And I suspect that with what's being offered here, an exemption might be in order anyway. Uh, as it happens because they also provide overflow parking, third spaces for people to have meetings, all the rest of those things. They're providing also the type of services that we expect, for example, churches to be able to provide.

So, uh, especially with an overflow for the church next door. So, it's uh, furthermore, as noted, there were no guarantee of any employment services in Souk. um because we don't know what the intentions of the province are. There are actually employment services being provided ongoing to start program for youth. Uh Blade Runners is an unemployment service. There may be another employment service for seniors. Uh these are all employment service. They would actually be here which means that they actually have people, staff and capacity to assist with employment services and it makes sense to have some of that in suit. Um, beyond that, because they have an acade focus and our strategic priority is acade, I think it makes sense for us to try and make sure that a program that was initiated by one of our staff, the shoreline business services, does have a place to rest and to open its doors. Um, all that together makes me think that the $12,000 a year is something that the relatively small price ticket to make sure that we maintain a bunch of

services, have more parking locally, um, have more spaces for groups to meet, so on and so forth. U, yeah. And since we're already paying in a similar way for similar service, that's what tax exemptions are for, feels like they fit the rubric of where tax exemption should be allowed. Okay. Councelor Pearson. Yeah. Can I ask a clarifying question through you? So, we're in committee of the whole. We're in special counsel. Oh, special coun. Sorry, never mind. I saw the notice here. Never mind. Never mind. I'm good. Um, it feels like 12,000 is an investment in this particular case as opposed, you know, all the I won't take the long sentence out. I'll just say it feels like an investment in our community. So, I'll support the motion.

Okay. Councelor Betts. Yeah, I'll support the motion with some reluctance and the reluctance is the locked into the fouryear. I understand it may not necessarily be locked in. Uh but now we're talking uh 48,000 and uh uh I first of all let you acknowledge the work that Work has done has been great. Uh I've seen it happen. I know they're a good neighbor. They do all those things right and I don't have a problem with it. What I do have a problem with is what's coming next. And uh you know I guess from the suit portion of it is whoever this new one is comes out and buys out work link and takes the building over whatever it is uh it might work. I don't know. The thing is I don't think they'd be anywhere near as generous as worklink is being. Uh so that I don't know. I just really have a hard time locking into four years on this when uh I've been hearing from a lot of people that

they're very concerned about their taxes in the future. And uh it's now not 12,000, it's 48,000. Uh but I I will take a leap in faith because uh I believe in what work has done and uh the dedication. I think you've got a tough road ahead of you and you're aware of that. So I'm not telling you something you don't know. So I will support the motion. Okay. Uh I am in full support of this. It is 12,000 a year. uh subject to change over time obviously uh but I appreciate the intent on the cumulative total uh however there is a need for for accessible space we know the location is excellent and there's uncertain times so I recognize that this is a taxit that the general population is picking up however it's great to see commercial space coming online in in in the vicinity as well and that's all the intention here. Uh I was surprised when we first received the report because to me when the new building came online that would have been the opportune time to have granted

it permissive tax. You know it it should have been in place already. But you've you've addressed that by coming here. Uh and I think the the timeline is reasonable because we will have new a new council here. There will be at a minimum just there's how many of us I can't add today. There's five of us here only two will be returning and everyone else will be new and that new council will have a lot to get orientated on in general. So right off the bat having to make a decision on permissive tax exemptions when you're still new trying to understand rules of order when government who's doing what. Some of you some have experience but potentially not all will. that even just the council dynamics and forming as a brand new council takes time to suddenly make a decision of this nature. This will be introduced to to staff to the the new council over time. Our staff meanwhile will be monitoring to ensure that everything is in alignment. We saw at a

different location where there was a tax exemption granted, it was bought up and converted into a for-profit entity. The tax exemption disappeared and we received the commercial taxes from then on. That same rule would apply if that worst case scenario happened and this turned into something else. But in the meantime, uh glad to see the discussion by council. I appreciate every one that's done. I wish you the very best. Maybe a customer in a few months. So on that I will call the question. All those in favor that's unanimous. Thank you very much for your time with us today. That in concludes our um any new business from members of council. So on that I will call for a motion to adjourn please by uh councelor St. Pierre and Baitman. All in favor that's unanimous.

The time is 1:44. Thank you.