Council

That, in accordance with subsection 2.4 of Niagara Region’s Procedural By-law, the rules of procedure, specifically Section 13 of the Procedural By-law, BE SUSPENDED to permit Sabrina Hill to appear before Council as a delegate respecting the motion regarding Proposed Provincial Cuts to Legal Aid Ontario Budget (Agenda Item 14.1). Two-thirds majority having been achieved, the Regional Chair declared the vote,

That the order of the agenda BE AMENDED to permit Sabrina Hill to be the first delegation and to move consideration of the motion respecting Proposed Provincial Cuts to Legal Aid Ontario Budget (Agenda Item 14.1) to immediately following the Delegations section (Agenda Item 9).

That Council Agenda CL 18-2019, BE ADOPTED, as amended.

WHEREAS the Niagara Community Legal Clinic is a not-for-profit agency providing access to justice and vital service to low-income Niagara citizens in civil law matters, including landlord-tenant disputes, Ontario Disability Support Payment (ODSP) appeals, pension appeals, workplace injury/WSIB compensation, consumer law protection, refugee assistance, migrant worker support, human rights law, power of attorney matters, and wills and estates for low-income seniors; WHEREAS the Niagara Community Legal Clinic is funded by Legal Aid Ontario, an arm’s-length agency of the Ministry of the Attorney General for Ontario, which (in addition to funding the province’s legal clinics) provides much-needed support to low-income people in matters of family law, refugee law, and criminal law; WHEREAS the two historic Niagara legal clinics – Justice Niagara, founded in 1978, and Niagara North Community Legal Assistance, founded in 1982 – merged on January 1, 2019, to form the Niagara Community Legal Clinic; WHEREAS Legal Aid funding saves money in the overall justice system budget, in light of the evidence that the cases of self-represented parties (i.e., parties without Legal Aid support) consume significantly greater amounts of expensive court time and/or tribunal time; and WHEREAS the Province cut approximately $70 million from the Legal Aid Ontario budget in 2019, with approximately $14.5 million of that being cut from the legal clinic system, and has indicated an intention to cut an addit

That Minutes CL 16-2019 being the Open Session minutes of the Regional Council meeting held on Thursday, September 19, 2019, BE ADOPTED.

That Correspondence Item CL-C 66-2019, being a memorandum from A.-M. Norio, Regional Clerk, dated October 17, 2019, respecting Standing Committee Appointment, BE RECEIVED and the following recommendation BE APPROVED: 1. That Councillor Fertich BE APPOINTED to the Planning and Economic Development Committee, effective immediately.

That Correspondence Item CL-C 67-2019, being a memorandum from D. Pasto, Risk Management Program Manager, dated October 17, 2019, respecting Advice to Council regarding Joint and Several Liability Reform, BE RECEIVED and the following recommendations BE APPROVED: 1. That The Regional Municipality of Niagara hereby ENDORSES the submission of the Association of Municipalities Ontario to the Attorney General of Ontario entitled “Towards a Reasonable Balance: Addressing growing municipal liability and insurance costs” dated October 1, 2019; and 2. That staff BE DIRECTED to forward the approved resolution to the Ministry of the Attorney General prior to November 1, 2019.

That Report COTW 8-2019 being the Open Session minutes of the Committee of the Whole meeting held on Thursday, October 3, 2019, BE RECEIVED and the recommendations contained therein BE APPROVED.

That Report PWC 10-2019 being the Open and Closed Session minutes of the Public Works Committee meeting held on Tuesday, October 8, 2019, BE RECEIVED and the recommendations contained therein BE APPROVED.

That Report PHSSC 10-2019 being the Open Session minutes of the Public Health & Social Services Committee meeting held on Tuesday, October 8, 2019, BE RECEIVED and the recommendations contained therein BE APPROVED.

That Report CSC 10-2019 being the Open and Closed Session minutes of the Corporate Services Committee meeting held on Wednesday, October 9, 2019, BE RECEIVED and the recommendations contained therein BE APPROVED.

That Report PEDC 10-2019 being the Open Session minutes of the Planning & Economic Development Committee meeting held on Wednesday, October 9, 2019, BE RECEIVED and the recommendations contained therein BE APPROVED.

That Report BRCOTW 7-2019 being the Open Session minutes of the Budget Review Committee of the Whole meeting held on Thursday, October 10, 2019, BE RECEIVED and the recommendations contained therein BE APPROVED.

That Confidential Memorandum CL-C 68-2019, being a memorandum from D. Gibbs, Director, Legal and Court Services, dated October 17, 2019, respecting A Matter Respecting Litigation and A Matter of Advice that is Subject to Solicitor – Client Privilege under s. 239(2) of the Municipal Act, 2001 – Application for Judicial Review – Niagara Home Builders’ Association, BE RECEIVED for information.

That the following Bills BE NOW READ and DO PASS: Bill 2019-76 - A by-law to approve the submission of an application to Ontario Infrastructure and Lands Corporation (“OILC”) for the long-term financing of certain capital work(s) of The Corporation of the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake and The Corporation of the Town of Lincoln through the issue of debentures by The Regional Municipality of Niagara (the “upper-tier municipality”); and to authorize the entering into of rate offer letter agreements pursuant to which the upper-tier municipality will issue debentures on behalf of each such lower-tier municipality to OILC. Bill 2019-77 - A by-law to provide for the adoption of amendment 13 to the Official Plan for the Niagara planning area to update the transportation policies and mapping. Bill 2019-78 - A by-law to approve the submission of an application to Ontario Infrastructure and Lands Corporation (“OILC”) for the long-term financing of certain capital work(s) of The Regional Municipality of Niagara (the “municipality”); and to authorize the entering into of a rate offer letter agreement pursuant to which the municipality will issue debentures to OILC. Bill 2019-79 - A by-law to define budget planning requirements for The Regional Municipality of Niagara. Bill 2019 -80 - A by-law to adopt, ratify and confirm the actions of Regional Council at its meeting held on October 17, 2019.