Stratford City Council
Committee of the Whole Open Session
AGENDA

Meeting #:

Date:

Tuesday, January 27, 2026

Time:

2:00 P.m. - 5:00 P.m.

Location:

Council Chamber, City Hall

Council Present:

• Mayor Ritsma - Chair Presiding, 
• Councillor Beatty, 
• Councillor Biehn, 
• Councillor Burbach, 
• Councillor Henderson, 
• Councillor McCabe, 
• Councillor Nijjar, 
• Councillor Sebben, 
• and Councillor Wordofa 

Staff Present:

• André Morin - Chief Administrative Officer, 
• Audrey Pascual - Deputy Clerk, 
• Kim McElroy - Director of Social Services, 
• Tim Wolfe - Director of Community Services, 
• Taylor Crinklaw - Director of Infrastructure Services, 
• Karmen Krueger - Director of Corporate Services, 
• Adam Betteridge - Director of Building and Planning Services, 
• Neil Anderson - Director of Emergency Services/Fire Chief, 
• Miranda Franken - Council Clerk Secretary, 
• Emily Robson - Corporate Initiatives Lead, 
• and Stuart Filson - Supervisor of Planning Policy & Placemaking  

To watch the Committee of the Whole Open meeting live, please click the following link: https://stratford-ca.zoom.us/j/84939374132?pwd=SSATZa1M5MQWdNfUM1ZFxIQqY8ZYG0.1

A video recording of the meeting will also be available through a link on the City's website https://calendar.stratford.ca/meetings following the meeting.

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1.

Call to Order:

​​Mayor Ritsma, Chair presiding, to call the Meeting to Order.

Councillor Hunter provided regrets for this meeting.

Respectful Conduct Statement

2.

Declarations of Pecuniary Interest and the General Nature Thereof:

​The Municipal Conflict of Interest Act requires any member of Council declaring a pecuniary interest and the general nature thereof, where the interest of a member of Council has not been disclosed by reason of the member’s absence from the meeting, to disclose the interest at the first open meeting attended by the member of Council and to otherwise comply with the Act.

Name, Item and General Nature Thereof

3.

Grand Trunk Workshop:

This workshop will provide Council with background on factors influencing a typical municipal development pathway, using project examples similar to the Grand Trunk site. Members of Council can ask questions of staff and guest subject matter experts, and discuss elements of municipal development. No decisions will be made at this meeting.

3.1

Welcome and Purpose of Meeting

André Morin, Chief Administrative Officer and Emily Robson, Corporate Initiatives Lead, City of Stratford

3.2

Development Process Overview

Introduction: Joani Gerber, Chief Executive Officer for investStratford

Speakers: Joe Svec & Rock Wang of Svec Group

Resources:

• Feasibility 101: Pro forma and policy in Toronto and the GTA

3.3

How Cities Define Desired Outcomes for Major Sites and Balance Community Benefit, Feasibility, and Risk

Introduction: Adam Betteridge, Director of Building and Planning Services, City of Stratford

Speaker: Melanie Hare, Partner with Urban Strategies

3.4

City of Kitchener Land Development Practices

Introduction: Emily Robson, Corporate Initiatives Lead, City of Stratford

Speaker: Cory Bluhm, Executive Director of Economic Development for the City of Kitchener

3.5

Typical Practices & Strategies in Brownfield Redevelopment

Introduction: Taylor Crinklaw, Director of Infrastructure Services, City of Stratford

Speaker: Marcus Hammoud, Project Manager and Environmental Scientist at WSP Canada.

Resources:

• Canadian Brownfield Network: What is a Brownfield?

3.6

Discussion, Key Takeaways and What's Next

André Morin, Chief Administrative Officer and Emily Robson, Corporate Initiatives Lead, City of Stratford

4.

Date of Next Workshop:

Thursday, February 26, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. in Council Chambers located at Stratford City Hall, 1 Wellington Street.

5.

Adjournment:

• ​THAT the January 27, 2026, Committee of the Whole Open Session Meeting adjourn.