Minutes

City Council - Special Meeting

The Corporation of the City of Brampton

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Council Chambers - 4th Floor, City Hall - Webex Electronic Meeting
Members Present:
  • Mayor Patrick Brown
  • Regional Councillor R. Santos
  • Regional Councillor P. Vicente
  • City Councillor D. Whillans
  • Regional Councillor M. Palleschi
  • City Councillor J. Bowman
  • Regional Councillor M. Medeiros
  • City Councillor C. Williams
  • Regional Councillor P. Fortini
  • City Councillor H. Singh
  • Regional Councillor G. Dhillon
Staff Present:
  • David Barrick, Chief Administrative Officer
  • Richard Forward, Commissioner Planning, Building and Economic Development
  • Michael Davidson, Commissioner, Corporate Services
  • Alex Milojevic, General Manager, Transit
  • Bill Boyes, Fire Chief, Fire and Emergency Services
  • Clare Barnett, Director, Economic Developement & Culture
  • Mark Medeiros, Treasurer, Corporate Services
  • Peter Fay, City Clerk
  • Charlotte Gravlev, Deputy City Clerk
  • Terri Brenton, Legislative Coordinator
  • Yes

1.
Call to Order
 

Note: In consideration of the current COVID-19 public health orders prohibiting large public gatherings and requirements for physical distancing between persons, in-person attendance at this Council meeting was limited to Members of Council and essential City staff only. Physical distancing was maintained in Council Chambers at all times during the meeting.

The meeting was called to order at 7:04 p.m. and adjourned at 9:04 p.m.

As this meeting of Brampton City Council was conducted with electronic participation by Members of Council, the meeting started with the City Clerk calling the roll for attendance at the meeting, as follows:

Members present during roll call: Regional Councillor Dhillon, City Councillor Singh, Regional Councillor Fortini, City Councillor Williams, Regional Councillor Medeiros, City Councillor Bowman, Regional Councillor Palleschi, City Councillor Whillans, Regional Councillor Vicente, Regional Councillor Santos, Mayor Brown

Members absent during roll call: nil

 

Mayor Patrick Brown joined the meeting at 7:04 PM.
Regional Councillor R. Santos joined the meeting at 7:04 PM.
Regional Councillor P. Vicente joined the meeting at 7:04 PM.
City Councillor D. Whillans joined the meeting at 7:04 PM.
Regional Councillor M. Palleschi joined the meeting at 7:04 PM.
City Councillor J. Bowman joined the meeting at 7:04 PM.
Regional Councillor M. Medeiros joined the meeting at 7:04 PM.
City Councillor C. Williams joined the meeting at 7:04 PM.
Regional Councillor P. Fortini joined the meeting at 7:04 PM.
City Councillor H. Singh joined the meeting at 7:04 PM.
Regional Councillor G. Dhillon joined the meeting at 7:04 PM.
David Barrick, Chief Administrative Officer joined the meeting at 7:04 PM.
Richard Forward, Commissioner Planning, Building and Economic Development joined the meeting at 7:04 PM.
Michael Davidson, Commissioner, Corporate Services joined the meeting at 7:04 PM.
Alex Milojevic, General Manager, Transit joined the meeting at 7:04 PM.
Bill Boyes, Fire Chief, Fire and Emergency Services joined the meeting at 7:04 PM.
Clare Barnett, Director, Economic Developement & Culture joined the meeting at 7:04 PM.
Mark Medeiros, Treasurer, Corporate Services joined the meeting at 7:04 PM.
Peter Fay, City Clerk joined the meeting at 7:04 PM.
Charlotte Gravlev, Deputy City Clerk joined the meeting at 7:04 PM.
Terri Brenton, Legislative Coordinator joined the meeting at 7:04 PM.
Yes joined the meeting at 7:04 PM.

2.
Approval of Agenda
 

The following motion was considered.

  • C415-2020
    Moved byRegional Councillor Medeiros
    Seconded byCity Councillor Whillans

    That the agenda for the Special Council Meeting of November 11, 2020 be approved as published and circulated.

    Carried

3.
Declarations of Interest under the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act
 

Nil

4.
Delegations
 

4.1
Delegations from:
 

Dr. Lawrence Loh, Peel Medical Office of Health
Dr. Naveed Mohammad, William Osler Health System

Mayor Brown provided a brief overview of the situation, and introduced Drs Loh and Mohammad, who provided details of the pandemic response locally and measures to be taken, which included information on the following topics:

  • Dr. Mohammad:

    • Ongoing issue of resources – thanks to Mayor Brown for his advocacy.
    • Number of cases continues to rise – have seen corresponding number of patients seeking care at our health system.
    • Space requirements for patient isolation.
    • Number of positive and suspected cases at Brampton Civic. 
    • Impacts from ongoing flu season, managing a few outbreaks on the wards.
    • Increase in other patients for other illnesses – ambulance volumes up at both sites.
    • As an interim measure made proactive decision to partner with other hospitals in GTA and beyond - to date 25 patients have been transferred.
    • Have had to postpone non urgent surgeries – will be rescheduled as soon as possible - urgent and time sensitive surgeries will continue.
    • If need emergency care continue to call 911 or come to the nearest emergency department and care will be provided.
    • The measures indicated by Dr. Loh are critical in slowing the spread of the virus, and must be followed.

  • Dr. Loh:

    • Thank you to the entire Osler System for the support provided.
    • Support a tailored approach to ensuring the pandemic is brought under control.
    • Understand there are potential well-being health hazards and harms, but there are also hazards and harms to letting the virus spread out of control.
    • Mixing and interaction is what drives the infection.
    • Currently in situation of increasing cases and a definite second wave, essentially a Thanksgiving and Halloween surge.
    • Likely to get worse before it gets better. 
    • Situation now one of increasing cases, but also about tracing and hospital capacity, both of which are continually challenged - need to continue to be able to trace.
    • There are those deciding between getting tested and working.
    • Supporting workplaces to continue in safe manner.
    • Life celebrations – social gatherings continue to drive infection.
    • Faith and religious observance is important to life – asking to consider virtual worship, and attendance caps in places of worship.
    • Banquet halls to be closed as their sole purpose is bringing people together.
    • Need to limit close contact to our households, and focus on minimizing interaction to only the most essential.
    • If the whole community can come together and do their part, we can reach goal of bringing this back to something manageable.
    • If this gets out of control, have the example of western Europe to look to.
    • Currently at the threshold – if it gets out of control, will need to consider further closures.

Council discussion on this matter included the following:

  • Hospital triage systems and shortage of rooms for single occupants.
  • Transmission in schools - beyond a cohort is declared a school outbreak.
  • Current situation compared to first wave - more targeted measures.
  • Need to exercise control in household mixing - choices matter - move responsibly.
  • Discrepancy between Peel Public Health website numbers and those on the Ontario epidemiology site - provincial numbers not being reported in real time (drawn from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. on the same day versus 3:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. of the previous two days) - should match, leads to COVID-19 fatigue and raises the question of who to listen to and who has the right numbers.
  • Targeted approach, also need targeted communications.
  • Celebrate but don’t congregate - for next two to four weeks limit to only essential contacts, discretionary contact is a choice.
  • Also a need to ensure employers are taking precautions.

The following motion was considered.

  • C416-2020
    Moved byRegional Councillor Santos
    Seconded byCity Councillor Singh

    1. That the following delegations to the Special Council Meeting of November 11, 2020, be received:

    1. Dr. Lawrence Loh, Peel Medical Officer of Health, and
    2. Dr. Naveed Mohammad, William Osler Health System.

    2. That Brampton City Council support and endorse the “Enhanced Public Health Measures in Peel Region” issued under Ontario Regulation 263/20, dated November 8, 2020, by Dr. Lawrence Loh, Region of Peel Medical Officer of Health; and, 

    3. That staff ensure a comprehensive campaign is conducted asking Brampton residents not to gather for Diwali and Bandi Chhor Divas this weekend, or any other celebrations in the future as may be identified, due to COVID-19, as directed by the enhanced public health measures issued by the Peel Medical Officer of Health. 

    Yea (11)Regional Councillor Santos, Regional Councillor Vicente, Regional Councillor Palleschi, Regional Councillor Medeiros, Regional Councillor Fortini, Regional Councillor Dhillon, City Councillor Whillans, City Councillor Bowman, City Councillor Williams, City Councillor Singh, and Mayor Patrick Brown
    Carried (11 to 0)

    A recorded vote was requested and the motion carried as follows:


5.
Reports from Head of Council
 

5.1
Update from Mayor Brown re. COVID-19 Emergency
 

This item was considered as part of Delegation Item 4.1.

See also Resolution C416-2020.

6.
Public Question Period
 

15 Minute Limit (regarding any decision made under this section)

Members of the public were given the opportunity to submit questions via e-mail to the City Clerk’s Office regarding any decisions made at this meeting.

Peter Fay, City Clerk, confirmed that no questions were submitted regarding decisions made at this meeting.

7.
Confirming By-law
 

The following motion was considered.

  • C417-2020
    Moved byCity Councillor Whillans
    Seconded byRegional Councillor Fortini

    That the following by-law before Council at its Special Meeting of November 11, 2020, be given the required number of readings, taken as read, and signed by the Mayor and the City Clerk, and the Corporate Seal affixed thereto:


    By-law 220-2020 – To confirm the proceedings of Council at its Special Meeting held on November 11, 2020.

    Carried

8.
Adjournment
 

The following motion was considered.

  • C418-2020
    Moved byRegional Councillor Medeiros
    Seconded byRegional Councillor Palleschi

    That Council do now adjourn to meet again for a Regular Meeting of Council on Wednesday, November 25, 2020 at 9:30 a.m. or at the call of the Mayor.

    Carried
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