Council Meeting

THAT the draft agenda presented to Council and dated the 11th day of March, 2025 be adopted as prepared.

THAT the Minutes of the Regular Council Meeting of February 25th, 2025 be adopted as circulated.

THAT Council for the Municipality of East Ferris receives Report No. CLERK-2025-01 - 2026 Municipal Election Voting Methods; AND THAT for the 2026 Municipal Elections, the Clerk will continue to conduct the school board and municipal elections via traditional in-person paper ballots while offering more opportunities for in-person advanced voting. Deputy Mayor Rooyakkers requested a recorded vote.

THAT Council for the Municipality of East Ferris accepts the recommendation of the Director of Public Works and Engineering contained in Report No. R-2025-02 and awards Tender EF 2025-02 Various Partial Culvert Reline Work to Provincial Underground Services Inc. in the amount of $70,568.50 including HST.

THAT Council for the Municipality of East Ferris accepts the recommendation of the Director of Public Works and Engineering contained in Report No. R-2025-03 and awards RFQ 2025-03 – Dust Control and Road Stabilization Materials to Pollard Highway Products Ltd. in the amount of $61,808.18 including HST for the work required by the Municipality of East Ferris.

THAT Council for the Municipality of East Ferris accepts the recommendation of the Director of Public Works and Engineering contained in Report No. R-2025-04 and awards Tender EF 2025-04 Granular Materials to Evan Hughes Excavating in the amount of $153,630.99 including HST.

THAT Council for the Municipality of East Ferris accepts the recommendation of the Director of Public Works and Engineering contained in Report No. R-2025-05 and awards Tender EF 2025-05 Winter Sand to Miller Paving North Bay in the amount of $81,642.50 including HST.

THAT Council for the Municipality of East Ferris accepts the recommendation of the Director of Public Works and Engineering contained in Report No. R-2025-06 and awards Tender EF 2025-06 Granular Materials – Groulx Road to Evan Hughes Excavating in the amount of $42,977.86 including HST.

THAT Council for the Municipality of East Ferris accepts the recommendation of the Director of Public Works and Engineering contained in Report No. R-2025-07 and awards Tender EF 2025-07 Surface Treatment – Groulx Road to Duncor Enterprises Inc. in the amount of $308,894.54 including HST.

THAT Council for the Municipality of East Ferris accepts the recommendation of the Director of Public Works and Engineering contained in Report No. R-2025-08 and awards tender EF 2025-01 - Asphalt Paving - Village Road to Pioneer Construction Inc. in the amount of $209,228.70 including HST.

THAT Council for the Municipality of East Ferris accepts the recommendation of the Director of Public Works and Engineering contained in Report No. R-2025-09 and accepts the enclosed Reference Table – Equipment Rental 2025 derived from submissions received for RFQ EF 2025-09 Equipment Rental Rate List and that equipment rental needs be selected from the submitted rates based on the criteria stated in Report No. R-2025-09.

THAT Council for the Municipality of East Ferris accepts the recommendation of the Director of Public Works and Engineering contained in Report No. R-2025-10 and awards RFQ EF 2025-10 - Tandem Dump Trailer to DRD Distributing in the amount of $17,311.60 including HST.

THAT Council for the Municipality of East Ferris accepts the recommendation of the Director of Community Services contained in Report No. PLAN-2025-03 and approves the request to deem Lot 10 Plan M268 to no longer be a lot on a registered plan of subdivision.

WHEREAS Canada and the United States have a shared history of friendship, respect and neighbourly relations; AND WHEREAS Canada is a sovereign nation with a peaceful history of self­-governance dating to its Confederation in 1867; AND WHEREAS the Canadian identity is marked by a deep-rooted pride in its heritage and culture founded by French and British settlement, enriched by Indigenous culture and traditions and by more than a century and a half of multi­cultural immigration; AND WHEREAS Canada has significant global standing, consistently supporting its allies, including the United States, in global conflicts such as two world wars, and wars in Korea and Afghanistan; and in international coalitions and in being consistently recognized as among the top countries in the world for quality of life; AND WHEREAS newly elected President Donald Trump has suggested that with the use of economic force such as tariffs, Canada should become the 51st state of the United States; AND WHEREAS President Trump, has now imposed tariffs on imports from Canada that will have a significant detrimental impact on the economic stability in both countries; AND WHEREAS federal and provincial leaders are encouraging Canadians to buy Canadian, at the same time as it seeks to remove inter-provincial trade barriers within Canada; AND WHEREAS municipalities have significant purchasing power through capital and infrastructure programs and can assist in the effort to combat tariffs and support Canadian bus

WHEREAS every year approximately 200,000 to 300,000 used cars are sold and exported into the United States; AND WHEREAS the burgeoning North American trade war will drive up the prices of new cars by thousands of dollars, sparking a major consumer shift toward the used vehicle market; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Council for the Municipality of East Ferris requests the federal government examine how to restrict the sale of used vehicles to the USA from Canada or entirely in this period of increased need for vehicles; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to MP Anthony Rota and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM).

THAT Council of the Municipality of East Ferris supports the Northern Highway Safety Plan proposed by MPP Guy Bourgouin, MPP Lisa Vaugeois and MPP John Vanthof; AND THAT a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Minster of Transportation, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, and the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM) and Good Roads.

THAT the Council for the Municipality of East Ferris defers the request from the Knights of Columbus local #6664 to staff to examine the feasibility and costs involved of installing a monument at the East Ferris Memorial Park in commemoration of the Knights of Columbus' 50th Anniversary; AND THAT this item be brought back to a future meeting.

THAT Council approve the Correspondence and Information as circulated with the agenda of March 11th, 2025.

WHEREAS Section 284 of the Municipal Act, 2001, S.O., c.25, as amended, requires that the Treasurer of a Municipality shall in each year on or before March 31 st provide to the Council of the municipality an itemized statement on remuneration and expenses paid in the previous year; BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED that Council for the Municipality of East Ferris accepts the 2024 Statement of Remuneration and Expenses itemized for each Member of Council and Member of Local Boards and Committees, as submitted.

THAT the Council for the Municipality of East Ferris directs the CAO to circulate the resolution passed by the Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula in regards to cellular towers in rural communities and their associated maintenance to determine whether there are backups available in the Municipality.

THAT Council approve the general accounts for the Municipality of East Ferris as indicated in the cheque register(s) dated March 11th, 2025 in the amount of $494,447.20.

WHEREAS Council for the Municipality of East Ferris deems it expedient to pass three readings of the following by-law at this session; BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED THAT a By-law to confirm the proceedings of Council from February 25th, 2025 to March 11th, 2025, BE READ a first, second and third time, passed and numbered 2025-17; AND THAT said by-law be signed by the Mayor and Clerk and sealed with the Seal of the Corporation.

THAT we do now adjourn at 6:50 p.m. and meet again on March 25th, 2025.

THAT Council for the Municipality of East Ferris receives Report No. CLERK- 2025-01 - 2026 Municipal Election Voting Methods; AND THAT for the 2026 Municipal Elections, the Clerk will continue to conduct the school board and municipal elections via traditional in-person paper ballots while offering more opportunities for in-person advanced voting. Deputy Mayor Rooyakkers requested a recorded vote. For (3): Councillor Kelly, Councillor Trahan, and Councillor Champagne Against (2): Mayor Rochefort, and Deputy Mayor Rooyakkers

WHEREAS Canada and the United States have a shared history of friendship, respect and neighbourly relations; AND WHEREAS Canada is a sovereign nation with a peaceful history of self-- governance dating to its Confederation in 1867; AND WHEREAS the Canadian identity is marked by a deep-rooted pride in its heritage and culture founded by French and British settlement, enriched by Indigenous culture and traditions and by more than a century and a half of multi-cultural immigration; AND WHEREAS Canada has significant global standing, consistently supporting its allies, including the United States, in global conflicts such as two world wars, and wars in Korea and Afghanistan; and in international coalitions and in being consistently recognized as among the top countries in the world for quality of life; AND WHEREAS newly elected President Donald Trump has suggested that with the use of economic force such as tariffs, Canada should become the 51st state of the United States; AND WHEREAS President Trump, has now imposed tariffs on imports from Canada that will have a significant detrimental impact on the economic stability in both countries; AND WHEREAS federal and provincial leaders are encouraging Canadians to buy Canadian, at the same time as it seeks to remove inter-provincial trade barriers within Canada; AND WHEREAS municipalities have significant purchasing power through capital and infrastructure programs and can assist in the effort to combat tariffs and support Canadian bu