Stratford City Council
Regular Council Open Session
AGENDA

Meeting #:

4775th

Date:

Monday, July 14, 2025

Time:

7:00 P.m. - 9:00 P.m.

Location:

Council Chamber, City Hall

Council Present:

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

Staff Present:

• Adam Betteridge - Interim Chief Administrative Officer, 
• Kim McElroy - Director of Social Services and Interim Director of Human Resources, 
• Tim Wolfe - Director of Community Services, 
• Taylor Crinklaw - Director of Infrastructure Services, 
• Karmen Krueger - Director of Corporate Services, 
• Neil Anderson - Director of Emergency Services/Fire Chief, 
• Audrey Pascual - Deputy Clerk, 
• and Victoria Trotter - Council Committee Coordinator 

To watch the Council meeting live, please click the following link: https://video.isilive.ca/stratford/live.html

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.

---

1.

Call to Order:

Mayor Ritsma, Chair presiding, to call the Council meeting to order.

Councillor Burbach has provided regrets for this meeting. 

Land Acknowledgment

Moment of Silent Reflection

Singing of O Canada

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 of Pecuniary Interest

 

 

3.

Adoption of the Minutes:

• Motion by

  THAT the Minutes of the Regular Meeting of Council of The Corporation of the City of Stratford dated June 23, 2025, be adopted as printed.

4.

Adoption of the Addendum/Addenda to the Agenda:

• Motion by

  ​THAT the Addendum/Addenda to the Regular Agenda of Council and Standing Committees dated July 14, 2025, be added to the Agenda as printed.

5.

Report of the Committee of the Whole In-Camera Session:

5.1

Committee of the Whole In-camera Session - July 14, 2025

The July 14, 2025, Committee of the Whole In-camera Session has been cancelled.

6.

Hearings of Deputations and Presentations:

6.1

Adjournment to Public Meetings Under the Planning Act:

• Motion by

  THAT the Council meeting adjourn to public meetings under the Planning Act to hear from members of the public with respect to the following planning applications:

  • Zone Change Application Z04-25 for 225 Oak Street; and 
  • Zone Change Application Z03-24 for 105 Wright Boulevard;

  and to reconvene following the public meetings. 

7.

Orders of the Day:

7.1

Resolution -  Grand Trunk Revitalization Update and Superstructure Scenario Considerations (COU25-084)

Joani Gerber, CEO of investStratford and Emily Robson, Strategic Initiatives Lead, to introduce the report on behalf of the City.

Following the presentation on behalf of the City, Dan Mathieson, Chair, and Melanie Hare, Committee Member, from the Ad Hoc Grand Trunk Renewal Committee to speak to the Ad-Hoc Committee's recommendation. Joe Svec and Rock Wang, from SVEC Group will then present the developed scenarios.

• Motion by

  THAT Dan Mathieson, Melanie Hare, Joe Svec and Rock Wang, be heard.

• Motion by

  Staff Recommendation: THAT the Grand Trunk Site Update report and attachments be received for information;

  AND THAT in keeping with the recommendations of the Ad Hoc Committee, staff and the consulting group be directed to include SCENARIO TWO (KEEP PART) of the Superstructure in Phases three through six of the workplan, bringing back the findings for Council consideration, including, but not limited to: site configuration and land use mix, capital and lifecycle cost implications, market viability and private sector delivery models, phasing and implementation strategies, impacts on value generation, infrastructure needs, and community benefit. 

7.2

Resolution - Community Improvement Plan (COU25-086)

Kendra Fry, investStratford Housing Specialist, will present the report. 

• Motion by

  Staff Recommendation: THAT Council direct the public process outlined in section 17 of the Planning Act be initiated to consider the proposed Tax Increment Equivalency Grant Community Improvement Plan;

  AND THAT a Public Meeting be scheduled on Thursday, August 14, 2025, or on an alternative date as deemed appropriate. 

7.3

Resolution - Community Safety and Well-Being Plan Charting the Next Chapter: Empowering Safe and Connected Communities-2025-2035 (COU25-083)

Greg Skinner, Police Chief, Stratford Police Services and Kim McElroy, Director of Social Services and Interim Director of Human Resources, City of Stratford, will present the report and the Plan.

• Motion by

  Staff Recommendation: THAT The Community Safety and Well-Being Plan: Charting the Next Chapter: Empowering Safe and Connected Communities 2025-2035, be received, adopted, and endorsed by Stratford City Council;

  AND THAT The Community Safety and Well-Being Plan: Charting the Next Chapter: Empowering Safe and Connected Communities be forwarded to the Ministry of the Solicitor General, as required by the Community Safety and Policing Act, 1990.

7.4

Resolution - Extension of Lease of 270 Water Street and Municipal Parking Lot at Queen Street and Lakeside Drive

• Motion by

  Staff Recommendation: THAT the lease for the building at 270 Water Street be extended for a period of one (1) additional year to December 31, 2026;

  AND THAT the lease for the municipal parking lot at Queen Street and Lakeside Drive be extended for a period of one (1) additional year to December 31, 2026.

7.5

Resolution - Value-for-Money Audit of Anne Hathaway Day Care Centre (COU25-078)

• Motion by

  Staff Recommendation: THAT the report titled, “Value-for-Money Audit of Anne Hathaway Day Care Centre” (COU25-077), be received for information.

7.6

Resolution - Shelterlink Request to Waive Landfill Tipping Fees (COU25-079)

• Motion by

  Staff Recommendation: THAT Council authorizes landfill tipping fees for Shelterlink Youth Services to be waived for up to 5MT per year as requested.

7.7

Proclamation - Overdose Awareness Day

• Motion by

  THAT Stratford City Council hereby proclaims August 31, 2025 as Overdose Awareness Day to raise awareness of the tremendous burden addiction has on individuals, families and communities in the City of Stratford;

  AND THAT Stratford City Council authorizes the flying of the Overdose Awareness flag beginning on August 29, 2025 to raise awareness that Opioid use and overdose have reached crisis levels in all communities. 

7.8

Proclamation - Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

• Motion by

  THAT Stratford City Council hereby proclaims September as Childhood Cancer Awareness month to raise awareness that Childhood Cancer is the number one cause of death by disease of Canadian Children;

  AND THAT Stratford City Council authorizes the flying of the Childhood Cancer Awareness Gold Ribbon flag in support of those affected, to remember those who have passed and to bring hope for a future where Childhood Cancer is a Canadian child-health priority. 

8.

Business for Which Previous Notice Has Been Given:

None noted.

9.

Reports of the Standing Committees:

There are no Standing Committee reports to be considered at the July 14, 2025, meeting.

10.

Notice of Intent:

None noted.

11.

Reading of the By-laws:

​The following By-laws require First and Second Readings and Third and Final Readings and could be taken collectively upon unanimous vote of Council present:

• Motion by

  THAT By-laws 11.1 to 11.2 be taken collectively.

• Motion by

  THAT By-laws 11.1 to 11.2 be read a First and Second Time.

• Motion by

  THAT By-laws 11.1 to 11.2 be read a Third Time and Finally Passed. 

11.1

Lease Agreement Extension - 270 Water Street, Discovery Centre

To authorize the execution of an extension to the Lease Agreement with The Stratford Shakespearean Festival of Canada for the lease of certain lands at 270 Water Street, more commonly known as the Discovery Centre (former Teacher’s College), to December 31, 2026.

11.2

Lease Agreement Extension - Queen Street Parking Lot

To authorize the execution of an extension to the Lease Agreement with The Stratford Shakespearean Festival of Canada for the use of the Queen Street parking lot to December 31, 2026.

12.

Consent Agenda: CA-2025-083 to CA-2025-091

Council to advise if they wish to consider any items listed on the Consent Agenda.

13.

New Business:

14.

Adjournment to Standing Committees:

The next Regular Council meeting is July 28, 2025, in the Council Chamber, City Hall.

• Motion by

  THAT the Council meeting adjourn to convene into Standing Committees as follows:

  • Finance and Labour Relations Committee [7:05 p.m. or thereafter following the Regular Council meeting];
  • Infrastructure, Transportation and Safety Committee [7:10 p.m. or thereafter following the Regular Council meeting];

  and to Committee of the Whole if necessary, and to reconvene into Council.

15.

Council Reconvene:

15.1

Declarations of Pecuniary Interest made at Standing Committees

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 otherwise comply with the Act.

Declarations of Pecuniary Interest made at Standing Committee meetings held on July 14, 2025 with respect to the following Items and re-stated at the reconvene portion of the Council meeting:

Name, Item and General Nature of Pecuniary Interest

 

15.2

Committee Reports

15.2.1

Finance and Labour Relations Committee

• Motion by

  THAT Items 5.2 and 7.1 of the Finance and Labour Relations  Committee meeting dated July 14, 2025 be adopted as follows:

  5.2 Festival Hydro Inc. and Festival Hydro Services Inc. 2024 Audited Financial Statements and Dividend Declaration (FIN25-019)

  THAT the Festival Hydro Inc. audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2024, be received for information;

  THAT the Festival Hydro Services Inc. audited statements for the year ended December 31, 2024, be received for information;

  AND THAT Council, as the sold shareholder, declare a Top-Up Common Share Dividend in the amount of $147,478 for the year 2024, calculated in accordance with Festival Hydro's Dividend Policy, to be paid in the second quarter of 2025.

  7.1 Communities in Bloom Request for Reallocation of 2025 Budget Funds (FIN25-022)

  Direction to be provided following the Committee meeting.

15.3

Reading of the By-laws (reconvene):

The following By-law requires First and Second Readings and Third and Final Readings:

By-law 11.3 Confirmatory By-law

To confirm the proceedings of Council of The Corporation of the City of Stratford at its meeting held on July 14, 2025.

• Motion by

  THAT By-law 11.3 be read a First and Second Time. 

• Motion by

  THAT By-law 11.3 be read a Third Time and Finally Passed. 

15.4

Adjournment of Council Meeting

Meeting Start Time:
Meeting End Time:

• Motion by

  THAT the July 14, 2025, Regular Council meeting adjourn.