Minutes

For the Community Services Meeting

Monday, December 06, 2021

4:30 P.m. - 7:30 P.m.

Tom Davies Square

Present (Mayor and Councillors)	Councillor McCausland, Councillor Kirwan, Councillor Lapierre, Councillor Sizer, Councillor McIntosh, and Councillor Leduc
City Officials	Steve Jacques, General Manager of Community Development, Tyler Campbell, Director of Children and Social Services, Aaron Archibald, Director of Long Term Care Services, Gail Spencer, Coordinator of Shelters & Homelessness, Danielle Derochie, Deputy City Clerk, Vickie Hartley, Clerk's Services Assistant, and Lisa Locken, Clerk's Services Assistant

Councillor McCausland, In the Chair

1.
Call to Order

The meeting commenced at 4:30 p.m.

2.
Roll Call

A roll call was conducted.

3.
Declarations of Pecuniary Interest and the General Nature Thereof

None declared.

4.
Members' Motions

4.1
Request for Parkland Rewilding Pilot Program

At 4:35 p.m., Councillor McCausland, vacated the chair.

Councillor Lapierre, In the Chair

The following resolution was presented:

CS2021-11
Moved ByCouncillor McCausland
Seconded ByCouncillor Sizer
WHEREAS the "Top 10 Opportunities" identified in the Core Service Review includes #9: Review Maintained Parkland Requirements;

AND WHEREAS Council directed staff to provide recommended minimum utilization rates and other similar criteria to support Council's further deliberations to rationalize facilities and review maintained parkland requirements;

AND WHEREAS many cities have programs for naturalization/rewilding of parkland that operate both in degraded areas in need of restoration/naturalization, and in relatively healthy areas that require the preservation and/or enhancement of existing ecosystems, with the goal of restoring, protecting, and enhancing areas and features of the natural environment within their parks systems;

AND WHEREAS the City's consultation for the Biodiversity Action Plan found that 38% of Sudburians identified wildlife habitat creation as the most desirable environmental action to be taken;

AND WHEREAS climate change is requiring communities to better support their resilient native plant species and protect local natural ecosystems;

AND WHEREAS the City's Strategic Plan 2019-2027 identifies one of our Values to be "Foresight - We act today in the interest of tomorrow", and Section 3.1 Support Ecological Sustainability states that the City should "Ensure appropriate and financially sustainable policies are developed to protect and enhance the natural environment";

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the City of Greater Sudbury directs staff to prepare a report with recommendations for a rewilding pilot program, along with next steps in terms of research, data collection and public consultation for a rewilding program that considers opportunities across the City's entire parkland portfolio, to be presented to the Community Services Committee in the second quarter of 2022.
CARRIED
At 5:11 p.m., Councillor Lapierre, vacated the chair.

Councillor McCausland, In the Chair