City Council Meeting

Be it resolved that City Council approves the agenda as amended.

Be it resolved that City Council approves the minutes of the City of Temiskaming Shores Council and Committee of the Whole meetings (referenced below), as printed.

Be it resolved that the Council for the City of Temiskaming Shores agrees to deal with Communication Items 9 a) through 9 i), in accordance with the agenda references.

Be it resolved that the minutes from the various community and regional committees of Council (referenced below), be accepted for information.

Whereas the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS) Pension Fund serves over 1,000 employers and over half a million employees and retirees from diverse groups including: municipal governments, school boards, libraries, police and fire departments, children’s aid societies, and electricity distribution companies; and Whereas the long-standing jointly sponsored governance model with two corporate boards has provided stability, accountability, and fairness for both plan members and employers for more than two decades; and Whereas the Government of Ontario has passed legislative changes to OMERS’ governance structure through Bill 68; and Whereas these changes would replace the current OMERS Sponsors Corporation with a new Sponsors Council that would lose its corporate status and independent resources; and Whereas the proposed model could allow pension decisions affecting municipal employers and employees to be made without meaningful municipal oversight, increasing financial risk for municipalities and local taxpayers; and Whereas municipalities are already under significant financial strain and cannot absorb additional pension costs without consequences for property taxes or local services. Therefore be it resolved that City of Temiskaming Shores does not support the legislative changes to the OMERS Act contained in Bill 68 and requests that the Government of Ontario reconsider the advisability of proceeding with these changes; and Regular Council Meeting Minutes

Whereas the Municipality of North Grenville, Merrickville-Wolford Village OPP Detachment Board distributed a letter regarding enhanced school bus safety and the implementation of stop-arm camera systems, on January 2, 2025; and Whereas illegal passing of stopped school buses remains a serious and widespread issue throughout the province, occurring an estimated 30,000 times per day, and these violations place children at unacceptable risk and continue to result in preventable injuries and fatalities; and Whereas the “Let’s Remember Adam – Stop for the School Bus” campaign was launched in memory of Adam Ranger, a five-year-old child who tragically

Whereas Council of the Town of Englehart adopted a resolution regarding Provincial support of the Ontario Airport Capital Assistance Program, at their regular meeting on December 10, 2025; and Whereas small and regional airports in Ontario serve as critical infrastructure; facilitating essential public services including air ambulance operations, forest firefighting, search & rescue, and law enforcement activities, while also driving local and regional economic development; and Whereas many of these airports are ineligible for the federal Airports Capital Assistance Program (ACAP) due to eligibility constraints such as lacking year-round scheduled service, yet still require capital funding for safety-related infrastructure; and Whereas the Airport Management Council of Ontario (AMCO) has identified a persistent funding gap for non ACAP eligible community airports, estimating that approximately 85 such airports need $5.5 million annually to address critical airside infrastructure needs; and Whereas provinces including British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan have successfully managed permanent provincial capital-assistance programs; offering clear models for cost-sharing frameworks, eligible project criteria, and annual funding envelopes; and Whereas AMCO’s proposed Ontario Airport Capital Assistance Program (OACAP) envisions an annual operational budget of$8.5–10 million, with a 75% provincial / 25% Regular Council Meeting Minutes - March 17, 2026 owner cost-share, a $2 mi

Whereas LifeLabs has announced its intention to close its Greater Sudbury laboratory, and the transfer of medical specimen processing from Northern Ontario to laboratories in southern Ontario; and Regular Council Meeting Minutes - March 17, 2026 Whereas the Greater Sudbury laboratory provides essential diagnostic services to communities across Northern Ontario, including urban, rural, and remote municipalities, and plays a critical role in ensuring timely and reliable medical testing for Northern residents; and Whereas patients with chronic illness, newborns, long-term care residents, and individuals on time-sensitive medications depend on predictable laboratory turnaround times to support clinical decision-making; and Whereas transporting medical specimens long distances to southern Ontario increases the risk of delays, specimen degradation, and retesting, particularly during frequent winter highway closures—potentially jeopardizing patient outcomes; and Whereas Northern Ontario is already experiencing shortages of health-care professionals, and the closure of this laboratory further undermines regional workforce stability, training capacity, and recruitment and retention efforts. Therefore, be it resolved that Council of the City of Temiskaming Shores calls on the Province of Ontario and the Ministry of Health, to take immediate action to ensure that essential medical laboratory services remain accessible within Northern Ontario, including maintaining local laboratory proce

Whereas the Temiskaming Municipal Association (TMA) adopted a resolution and distributed a letter regarding urgent highway safety and driver training concerns in Regular Council Meeting Minutes - March 17, 2026 Northern Ontario; and Whereas Ontario’s highways are critical transportation corridors for our communities, and residents rely on them daily to travel to work, school, sports, and medical appointments; and Whereas Ontario’s highways are essential to commercial supply chains, emergency services, and the regional tourism economy, and for many rural and northern communities highways are the only viable link to essential services; and Whereas recent years incidents on Ontario highways have increased in frequency and severity, raising concerns among residents, first responders, and municipal officials; and Whereas these concerns have been reinforced by investigations into commercial driver training and licensing, including findings from the Office of the Auditor General of Ontario dating back to 2018; and Whereas there are ongoing concerns regarding the quality, consistency, and oversight of driver training and testing, especially for commercial motor vehicle operators; and Whereas the current reliance on third-party private testing companies raises questions regarding standardization, accountability, and public safety; and Whereas unsafe driving behaviours such as improper lane usage, inadequate winter driving skills, and poor defensive driving practices are being observed

Whereas Council of the Town of/ Ville du Hearst adopted a resolution regarding the dirver licence reinstatement process for Northern Ontario, at their regular meeting on February 10, 2026; and Whereas for residents of Northern Ontario, where public transit options are limited or nonexistent, the loss of a driver's licence due to a medical condition or other circumstances can mean the loss of access to essential services, social connections, and the ability to live with autonomy, and Whereas the process of reinstating a driver's licence in northern communities often involves considerable logistical, financial and emotional challenges when compared to urban centers, which makes the process feel unfair and inequitable, and Whereas residents in Northern Ontario frequently face difficulty obtaining services in the French language, adding to existing barriers. Be it resolved that the Council of the City of Temiskaming Shores hereby supports the Town of Hearst’s call on the Province of Ontario and relevant agencies, to implement practical, supportive, and cost-effective measures to improve the accessibility and efficiency of the driver's licence reinstatement process for Northern Ontario residents, and That a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Minister of Transportation of Ontario, MPP- Timiskaming-Cochrane, the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities Regular Council Meeting Minutes - March 17, 2026 (FONOM), and the Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) for their

Whereas Council of the Municipality of Magnetawan adopted a resolution regarding affordable access to broadband, at their regular meeting on February 11, 2026; and Whereas reliable, high-speed internet access is essential infrastructure that supports economic development, housing construction, healthcare, education, municipal operations, and overall community well-being; and Whereas the Province of Ontario has recognized the importance of digital infrastructure through the Accelerating Access to Broadband for Ontario Act, 2021, which seeks to expand broadband access to all Ontarians, particularly in underserved and rural communities; and Whereas access to affordable high-speed internet isa necessary precondition to achieving provincial and federal housing, economic development, and population growth targets; and Whereas Bell Canada currently offers dedicated fibre internet services at the following indicative rates under a five (5) year term within a regulated area: 100 Mbps / 100 Mbps $1,010 per month, 500 Mbps / 500 Mbps $3,090 per month and 1 Gbps/ 1 Gbps $3,250 per month; and Whereas such pricing structures place dedicated fibre services beyond the financial reach of many municipalities, small businesses, housing developments, non-profit organizations, and community facilities; and Whereas unaffordable broadband infrastructure costs undermine the intent of provincial and federal legislation aimed at universal access to high-speed internet, including federal programs admin

Whereas Highways 11 and 17 form the backbone of the Trans-Canada Highway through Northern Ontario and are essential corridors for the movement of people, goods, and emergency services across Canada; and Whereas these highways support Northern Ontario’s resource economy, connect communities to health care and services, and carry significant national supply chains; and Whereas Northern Ontario continues to experience a troubling number of serious collisions and highway closures each year; and Whereas the tragic fatal collision near Smooth Rock Falls on March 7, 2026 involving four tractor-trailers and a passenger vehicle, resulted in the death of a Kapuskasing resident and marked the tenth highway fatality in Northern Ontario so far in 2026; and Regular Council Meeting Minutes - March 17, 2026 Whereas in April 2023, the Northern Ontario Transportation Task Force, co-chaired by representatives of FONOM and the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association (NOMA), delivered a comprehensive set of recommendations to the Province of Ontario aimed at improving safety, reliability, and economic connectivity across Northern Ontario’s transportation network; and Whereas Northern leaders, Indigenous partners, and transportation experts invested significant time and effort developing practical and achievable recommendations, many of which have yet to be fully implemented; and Whereas Northern Ontario residents should not have to accept a higher level of risk simply because they live, work,

Whereas World Tuberculosis Day is observed annually on March 24 to raise public awareness about the devastating health, social and economic consequences of Regular Council Meeting Minutes - March 17, 2026 tuberculosis (TB), and to step up efforts to end the global TB epidemic; and Whereas March 24 commemorates the day in 1882 when Robert Koch announced his discovery of the bacterium that causes tuberculosis, a breakthrough that paved the way for diagnosis and treatment; and Whereas Tuberculosis remains one of the world’s leading infectious diseases, with an estimated 10.7 million people falling ill with tuberculosis globally in 2024, and approximately 1.23 million deaths worldwide, according to the World Health Organization; and Whereas with global efforts to combat TB have saved an estimated 83 million lives since the year 2000; and Whereas the 2026 theme, “Yes! We can end TB!”, is a call to action and message of hope, emphasizing it is possible to turn the tide on the tuberculosis epidemic; and Whereas this March, the City of Temiskaming Shores joins Northeastern Public Health in raising awareness of TB, and encourages residents to learn more about tuberculosis prevention and treatment, and to support efforts to end tuberculosis. Therefore be it resolved that Council of the City of Temiskaming Shores hereby proclaims March 24, 2026, as World Tuberculosis Day in the City of Temiskaming Shores.

Be it resolved that Council for the City of Temiskaming Shores acknowledges receipt of Administrative Report PW-006-2026; and That Council directs staff to prepare the necessary by-law to enter into an agreement with Raeda Dynamics Inc. for the purchase of a new 32’ Conventional Transit Bus with surveillance option, in the amount of $ 567,000.00 plus applicable taxes, for consideration at the March 17, 2026, Regular Council meeting.

Be it resolved that the following By-laws (By-law No. 2026-014 to By-law No. 2026-020) be hereby introduced and given first, second and third and final reading, be signed by the Mayor and Clerk and the corporate seal affixed thereto.

Be it resolved that By-law No. 2026-021 being a by-law to confirm certain proceedings of Council of The Corporation of the City of Temiskaming Shores for its Regular meeting held on March 17, 2026, and at its Committee of the Whole Meeting held on March 3, 2026, be hereby introduced and given first, second, third and final reading; and be signed by the Mayor and Clerk and the Corporate Seal affixed thereto.

Be it resolved that Council hereby adjourns its meeting at 6:48 p.m.