Council / Committee Meetings – Thursday, October 7, 2021

By-laws

Bruce County Council:

• authorized the execution of a Service Agreement between Bruce County and the Municipality of South Bruce for the provision of Child Care Services.
• authorized the execution of an Ontario Transfer Payment Amending Agreement between Her Majesty the Queen in right of Ontario as represented by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing and Bruce County for the Canada-Ontario Community Housing Initiative (COCHI).
• authorized the execution of an Assignment and Assumption Agreement between Quixote One Wind Energy Corp, 2825411 Ontario Inc. and Bruce County.
• approved a by-law to regulate, control, and prohibit certain activity on public highways within the jurisdiction of Bruce County.

Delegations

• Grey Bruce Public Health www.publichealthgreybruce.on.ca
  Grey Bruce Public Health discussed the fourth wave and vaccination rates. Everyone is encouraged to prevent the spread of COVID-19 by avoiding crowds and exercising the 3 W’s - wash your hands, watch your distance (6 feet), and wear your face covering correctly.
• Georgian College
  MaryLynn West-Moynes (President) and Steve Lowe (Board of Governors) provided an update and recent economic impact data.

Museum & Cultural Centre Update

• The Newspaper Digitization Initiative is commencing with the assistance of the Municipal Modernization funding. The project will result in the digitization and online display of Bruce County newspapers up to 1929.
• The Archives & Research Room has re-opened to in-person researchers, by appointment.
• The Arthur Amos Shipwreck Research Collection was received in July 2021. This is the first research collection received as part of the Marine History and Underwater Archaeology Research Centre. 
• Alan Weinstein Art Donation: The first 11 items of the were received and are stored in a secure storage area. This space will be used to house the Collection until an expansion of the BCM&CC facility enables on-site storage. 
• Museum Munchkins: This four-part series is now underway with 12 children ages 18 months to 4 years registered in each session. Themes include an outdoor scavenger hunt, painting, crafts, and wildlife. 
• PA School’s Out Movies Days: Every PA Day (Sept. Oct. Nov.) two movies will be shown in the Bruce Power Theatre for students, families, and visitors. 
• World War I Travelling Trunk: Offered to schools, this trunk contains a uniform, replicas of artifacts and lessons on WWI history and is a great complement to the school curriculum.
• Museum in a Box: These monthly hands-on activity kits include challenges and instructional videos that take children on virtual tours of the Museum’s exhibits. Sponsored by Bruce Power, this successful program started in February and has average sales of 30 kits/month.
• Digital Education Centre: Updated with new content to offer teachers, home schoolers, and individuals an alternative to in-person field trips. 
• Ladies at the Lake, October 15 to 17: The Museum will be participating in the Southampton BIA’s Ladies at the Lake weekend and is encouraging a trip through the exhibits and participating in a Museum Selfie Contest.
• Museum After Hours Mixer, Behind the Veil, October 30: This year, guests will take a historic journey into Victorian Spiritualism and the Halloween season with tarot card readings, absinthe cocktail workshops, mediums, mystics, fire dancers and more. A vendor’s market and food truck will also be onsite. With only 100 tickets available as per Covid-19 capacity restrictions, this event is already more than half sold out. 
• Theatre Magic Night at the Museum, November 5: This year’s event doesn’t include a sleepover, but kids ages 8 to 12 will enjoy a night filled with professionally-led clowning workshops, improv clinics and other theatre-related activities.
• Trench Talks: History is a Fight, November 6: Local historian Mat Johnson’s interview with award-winning Canadian military history author Tim Cook will be streamed in the Bruce Power Theatre, followed by a Trench Talk in the Bruce Remembers exhibit. 
• Mid-Week Manifestations: Meditation & Mindfulness, November 10, 17, and 24: This three-part series is a personal development journey led by instructors who will take participants through a body and mind balancing meditation, teach them about developing personalized vision boards and how they provide focus and direction, and end with a presentation by Chakra House: “Being Aware of your Person Abilities, Evolution and your own Spiritual Practices.”
• A Tapestry of Voices, October 9 to December 31: Did you know that Canada is rich with languages, including over 60 aboriginal languages, Canada's two official languages (French and English), and more than 100 languages that immigrants have brought to our shores. This exhibit explores themes that touch the lives of speakers of every language in Canada.
• Thank you to all of our Museum volunteers, members, donors, sponsors, and partners.
• Follow along on Facebook @brucecountymuseum, on Twitter @brucemuseum, and on Instagram @brucecountymuseum for some great historical features and promotions.

Summary of Awarded Tenders – Q3 2021

According to the requirements of the Bruce County Purchasing and Procurement Policy, a “Request for Tender” is issued for goods and services estimated to exceed $75,000. Tenders with no bids received will be re-tendered, sometimes with a Scope change if required. The following list summarizes the Tenders awarded between July 1 and September 30, 2021 by all Departments:

• Museum Generator - Yake Electric - $185,900 
• Delivery of Road Salt - Bill Trelford Trucking Ltd. - Ranges $5.25- $13.00/tonne 
• Supply of Winter Sand - Ed Karcher Construction, Walker Aggregates (HSC Ltd.) - Ranges $11.95- $19.00/tonne

Summary of Purchasing Policy Suspension Approvals – Q3 2021

According to the requirements of the Bruce County Purchasing and Procurement Policy, the approved Purchasing Policy Suspensions will be communicated to Committee. The following list summarizes the approved purchases between July 1 and September 30, 2021, by all Departments:

• (2) two Stryker Power Loads complete with installs into ambulances - Stryker Canada - $54,748
• Maintenance Management Software & Implementation - PSD - $4,800 
• Application Technician Services and Planning Review Services (Extension of Services) - MHBC Planning - Not to exceed $150,000 
• Stakeholder Engagement and Toolkit Development - SHS Consulting - $62,755 
• Planning Modernization Project #1 - Process Enhancement - Cityworks - $58,570

Outline of Multi-Year Capital Project Format for Budget

Over the past year, Bruce County has been taking steps to move towards a multi-year budgeting process for both Operating and Capital budgets. As efforts to move this initiative forward continue, there are opportunities to more accurately present the timing of cashflows in our capital budgeting process, and thus allow for better alignment with available funding sources. Going forward capital project expenditures will be budgeted in the year they are expected to occur. This approach allows cashflow and timing of funding to be taken into consideration when planning the initiative. This ultimately provides more options around how to fund projects and reduces the need to depend on debt. This alignment of cashflows will also support better alignment of the budget with the actual project work that can be completed in each year, and prevents delaying important capital work. Finally, the approach reduces the discrepancies in the annual financial statements that previously resulted from the timing of budget projects and will give a more accurate representation of how the County performed against the intended spending.

Bruce County’s Cultural Action Plan

The Executive Committee endorsed Bruce County’s Cultural Action Plan as the County’s strategic cultural planning tool. Staff have been directed to begin implementing the recommendations described within the Cultural Action Plan, in conjunction with Indigenous communities, cultural institutions, stakeholders, and government partners. Year 1 actions include designating a point person for culture-related questions and communications, writing reference letters for support funding, building an interactive Culture Map that also includes local producers and historic markets, negotiating step-by-step Indigenous engagement protocols for cultural planning, cross-promoting Indigenous cultural events, making space available to the Museum and Libraries for workshops, holding a virtual symposium about cultural planning successes, and holding biannual cultural planning meetings. 

Bruce County Community Grant Requests 2022

The Executive Committee approved to increase the allocation to Community Grants to $20,000 as part of the budget deliberation process, to support additional projects. In 2017, the County adopted a Community Grant Policy which provides a framework for handling financial requests received from non-agriculture related organizations. The Policy enables the County to set the amount to support community groups on an annual basis through budget deliberations. The County annually supports numerous agricultural organizations by way of an “Agriculture Grant” through the Planning and Development Department. In 2021, $48,150 in grants were provided to these organizations. These funds largely support fall fairs and horticultural societies across the County. The budget for community grants was approved at $10,000 for each of the years 2019, 2020, and 2021. A review of the 2022 requests received has identified five eligible projects with funding requests totaling $28,500.

Smart Beach – Municipal Innovation Council

On June 24, the Municipal Innovation Council (MIC) agreed to become the lead partner and provide funding support for a 3-year beach safety program that includes remote sensing and public education regarding water hazards. Bruce County was identified as the best fit as the host organization given the projects genesis, scope, and plans to scale out beyond the year one pilot in Kincardine. As part of this role, the County has also agreed to hold MIC funds for the duration of the project (into 2024) - recognizing the MIC pilot period is set to end in December 2022. With increased traffic on Bruce County beaches and continued risks to beach goers such a rip currents, municipal staff have a duty to develop solutions with partners that can enhance safety while allowing visitors and residents alike to continue to enjoy our waterfront. A “Smart Beach” system includes the use of cameras to capture real-time data regarding the volume of beach goers and where they chose to locate on a beach, the identification of rip currents, and analysis of the risks to beach goers given the location of rip currents. Cameras capture imagery (with anonymity of beach goers assured), and artificial intelligence is used to report valuable data that will be further analyzed. 

Lease Renewal – Gateway Haven

The Long Term Care Homes Committee of Management approved a one-year lease agreement between Bruce County and Home and Community Support Services Grey/Bruce, for rental space at Gateway Haven. The lease has been in effect since July 8, 2004 for approximately 2,016 square feet at $15.97 per square foot or about $2,680 per month. The County was approached by Home and Community Support Services Grey/Bruce to request a reduction in their monthly cost for the leased space to $12.50 per square foot or about $2,100 per month due to the cost pressures they have faced due to the COVID 19 pandemic. This allows them to put those savings directly to offsetting administrative and PPE costs of operating the programs related to COVID. The use of the space at Gateway Haven has enabled Home and Community Support Services Grey/Bruce to provide community-based services that support independence and enhance the quality of daily life for seniors, adults, and their families which is accessible for the residents of the peninsula. Supporting the continued use of this space, at a reduced rate, is supportive of the County’s and specifically Gateway’s, role as a community service provider and partner. Alternative sources of funding will be explored to make up for the shortfall.

County Long Term Care Homes In Full Compliance

Brucelea Haven (Walkerton) and Gateway Haven (Wiarton) Long Term Care Homes are in full compliance with the Long Term Care Homes Act and all associated regulations. The homes conduct regular audits and the Administrators and management teams have continued to monitor the Homes’ status. The County’s LTC pandemic response continues to be the priority focus for both homes. The Ontario Government has mandated vaccination policies for all long term care homes and staff must adhere to mandatory vaccination by November 15. Non-compliance will result in unpaid leave. Long term care homes must also implement a randomized testing protocol. Over 95% of all residents at both homes have received second vaccine doses. Residents who wished to have their third dose received it in September. Family and Residents Councils are active in both homes. These councils provide an opportunity for both family and residents to have direct discussions with each other and with homes staff. Resident engagement continues, including bus outings, tractor show, chicken dinner, and a street naming celebration. There are 138 residents at Brucelea Haven, with a waitlist of 146, and there are 95 residents at Gateway Haven, with a waitlist of 146. Recruitment of new staff continues to be a challenge and approved recruitment programs (signing bonus and referral bonus) have been implemented. Hannah Churchill was appointed the Director of Nursing at Brucelea Haven and the County is currently recruiting an Administrator for Brucelea Haven. 

Workplace Engagement Services Policies

• The Workplace Engagement Services Committee approved the 2021 legislative annual review of the Health & Safety, Workplace Violence Prevention, and Workplace Harassment policies with no changes to the policies.
• The Workplace Engagement Services Committee approved that the Pandemic Recruitment, Pandemic Flex Hours, and Pandemic Alternate Work Location policies will remain in effect until March 31, 2022. 

Vaccine Policy

The Workplace Engagement Services Committee approved a COVID-19 Vaccination Policy for County staff, council, volunteers, students, contractors, and consultants. The policy will require these individuals to provide proof of being fully vaccinated, or proof of a medical exemption, and/or complete an education program and undergo regular testing. This policy complements other workplace health and safety measures in place in Bruce County, including daily health screening, mandatory masking, physical distancing, hand hygiene, and enhanced cleaning. The County continues to adapt the workplace to address changes in pandemic requirements and ensure precautions are in place that safeguard staff. The Grey Bruce Medical Officer of Health recommended that employers develop a workplace vaccination policy to protect their workers and the public from COVID-19. 

2022 Canadian Triage Acuity Scale (CTAS) Response Time Performance Plan

The Paramedic Services Committee approved the 2022 Canadian Triage Acuity Scale (CTAS) Response Time Performance Plan Report. The County’s CTAS Response Time Performance Plan sets targets based on the Canadian Triage Acuity Scale (CTAS) and is one of the service’s key performance indicators. CTAS is an assessment tool used since 1998 in hospital emergency departments to determine the severity of a patient’s condition. The scores are as follows: Level 1 - Resuscitation Level, 2 - Emergent Level, 3 – Urgent, Level 4 - Less Urgent (Semi urgent), and Level 5 - Non-Urgent. It is used in Paramedic Services after an assessment is made by a paramedic on scene based on the actual patient condition. This method of reporting also gives the municipality the flexibility to set a plan based on needs rather than having to only report on a plan that was dictated by the Province.

This publication identifies highlights from recent Bruce County Council and Committee meetings. Bruce County’s Office of the CAO maintains complete agendas and minutes from all Council and Committee meetings, which can be reviewed at www.brucecounty.on.ca/government/agendas-and-minutes