Mayor calls special meeting on water-taking: November 7 at 7 p.m.
Guelph, Ont., October 5, 2016– Mayor Cam Guthrie has scheduled a special 7 p.m. start time for citizens to speak about water-taking permits at the November 7th Committee of the Whole meeting, after City Council approved a referral on this matter on September 26th.
The Premier of Ontario has announced that the Province will be reviewing its water-taking permit process, and Council has committed to sharing local feedback with them.
“As a Council, we know that residents have thoughts and concerns about water-taking in and around our city. That’s why I decided to schedule a 7 p.m. start time dedicated to this issue. People can now attend after school or work and have their voices heard in a focused and deliberate way,” said Mayor Guthrie.
The Committee of the Whole will address all other items on its agenda from 2 to 5:30 p.m., as regularly scheduled. The water-taking item will be considered beginning at 7 p.m. There will be two staff reports on the matter: a technical report from Water Services, and a report on the Province’s policy review process from Intergovernmental Affairs. The balance of the meeting will be an opportunity for delegations to speak to the Committee of the Whole for five minutes each.
Delegates are strongly encouraged to submit written versions of their remarks to clerks@guelph.ca, which will assist City staff in forwarding local viewpoints to the Province.
Those interested in delegating to the Committee must register by 10 a.m. Friday, November 4 by submitting an online delegation form; by e-mailing clerks@guelph.ca; or by calling the City Clerk’s department at 519-837-5603 or TTY 519-826-9771. Delegation requests can also be made in person to the ServiceGuelph counter at City Hall. More information about Council’s delegation process can be found at guelph.ca/delegations.
“Though water-taking permits fall under Provincial jurisdiction, and the City of Guelph does not play a direct role, we recognize the need for local voices to be heard in the Province’s policy review,” said Barbara Swartzentruber, Executive Director of Policy, Intergovernmental Affairs, and Open Government.
For more information:
Mayor Cam Guthrie
519-837-5643
mayor@guelph.ca
Barbara Swartzentruber
Executive Director
Intergovernmental Relations, Policy and Open Government
Office of the Chief Administrative Officer
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 extension 3066
Barbara.Swartzentruber@guelph.ca