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:
  • Chief Administrative Officer, David Barrick
  • 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
 

The meeting was called to order at 12:02 p.m. and recessed at 1:12 p.m.  Council moved into Closed Session at 1:22 p.m. and recessed at 1:54 p.m.  Council reconvened in Open Session at 2:01 p.m. and adjourned at 2:16 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: 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, and Mayor Brown 

Members absent during roll call: Regional Councillor Dhillon

2.
Approval of Agenda
 

Mayor Brown outlined the purpose of this Special Meeting to consider a COVID-19 Vaccination Policy and related Closed Session business.

Council discussion took place with respect to dealing with Closed Session Item 8.1 in Open Session.

The following motion was considered.

  • C290-2021
    Moved byCity Councillor Whillans
    Seconded byRegional Councillor Vicente

    That the agenda for the Special Council Meeting of September 1, 2021 be approved as amended to move Item 8.1 to the public portion of the agenda.

    Carried

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

Nil

4.
Delegations
 

4.1
Delegations re. COVID-19 Vaccination Policy:
 

1. Frank Vani, President, Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1573, and

2. Fabio Gazzola, President, Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 831

On behalf of the membership of the Amalgamation Transit Union (ATU) Local 1573, Frank Vani, President, outlined comments, questions and concerns, and expressed opposition to a mandatory vaccination policy for City employees. 

Mr. Vani outlined his reasons for opposition to a mandatory policy, and responded to questions of clarification from Council.

On behalf of the membership of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 831, Fabio Gazzola, President,  outlined comments, questions and concerns, and expressed opposition to a mandatory vaccination policy for City employees.  

Mr. Gazzola outlined his reasons for opposition to a mandatory policy, and responded to questions of clarification from Council.

Council clarified for the delegations that any discussion in Closed Session at this meeting would be about direct negotiations and not on the vaccination policy.

The following motion was considered.

  • C291-2021
    Moved byRegional Councillor Santos
    Seconded byCity Councillor Whillans

    That the following delegations re. COVID-19 Vaccination Policy, to the Special Council Meeting of September 1, 2021, be received:

    1. Frank Vani, President, Amalgamation Transit Union (ATU) Local 1573,

    2. Fabio Gazzola, President, Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 831

    Carried

5.
Reports from Corporate Officials
 

Nil

6.
Business Related to COVID-19
 

6.1
Discussion Item at the Request of Mayor Brown re. COVID-19 Vaccination Policy
 

Mayor Brown outlined consideration of a COVID-19 vaccination policy by the City of Toronto, City of Mississauga and the Region of Peel.  He noted that, while the vaccination policy will be a Human Resources policy, it is important for Council to have a discussion on this matter and provide input.

Mayor Brown also noted that an announcement about vaccinations is expected to be made by the Province of Ontario at 1:00 p.m. on this date (September 1, 2021), and that the Province's policy would help inform the City's direction on this matter.

6.2
Correspondence (dated August 25, 2021) from Dr. Lawrence Loh, Medical Officer of Health, Regional Municipality of Peel re. Strong recommendation for all businesses to address employee vaccination in your COVID-19 workplace safety plan
This item has attachments. 

1.2021 08 25 Ltr Rec Safety Plan Vaccination.pdf

Items 6.3, 6.4 and 6.5 were brought forward and dealt with at this time.

The following motion was considered.

  • C292-2021
    Moved byRegional Councillor Santos
    Seconded byCity Councillor Whillans

    1. That the correspondence (dated August 25, 2021) from Dr. Lawrence Loh, Medical Officer of Health, Regional Municipality of Peel re. Strong recommendation for all businesses to address employee vaccination in your COVID-19 workplace safety plan, to the Special Council Meeting of September 1, 2021, be received;

    2. That the correspondence (dated August 31, 2021) from Janice Baker, Chief Administrative Officer, Regional Municipality of Peel re. Region of Peel Employee Vaccination Policy, to the Special Council Meeting of September 1, 2021, be received; 

    3. That the correspondence (dated August 20, 2021) from Frank Vani, President, Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1573, re. Mandatory Vaccination Policy, to the Special Council Meeting of September 1, 2021, be received; and,

    4. That the correspondence (dated August 31, 2021) from Dr. Naveed Mohammad, President and CEO, William Osler Health System, re. COVID-19 Vaccination Policy, to the Council Meeting of September 1, 2021, be received.

    Carried

6.3
Correspondence (dated August 31, 2021) from Janice Baker, Chief Administrative Officer, Regional Municipality of Peel re. Region of Peel Employee Vaccination Policy
This item has attachments. 

1.20210831 Region of Peel Employee Vaccination Policy.pdf

Dealt with under Item 6.2 – Resolution C292-2021

6.4
Correspondence (dated August 20, 2021) from Frank Vani, President, Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1573, re. Mandatory Vaccination Policy
This item has attachments. 

1.ATU_Open letter re mandatory vaccines.pdf

Dealt with under Item 6.2 – Resolution C292-2021

6.5
Correspondence (dated August 31, 2021) from Dr. Naveed Mohammad, President and CEO, William Osler Health System, re. COVID-19 Vaccination Policy
This item has attachments. 

1.COVID-19 Vaccination Policy_Letter to Mayor and Council_Sept 1 2021.pdf

Dealt with under Item 6.2 – Resolution C292-2021

7.
Public Question Period
 

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.

8.
Closed Session
 

Council discussion took place with respect to the need for consideration of Item 8.1 in Closed Session.

The following motion was considered.

  • C293-2021
    Moved byRegional Councillor Palleschi
    Seconded byCity Councillor Bowman

    That Council proceed into Closed Sessions to discuss matters pertaining to the following:

    8.1.    Open Meeting exception under Section 239 (2) (d) of the Municipal Act, 2001:     
    Labour relations or employee negotiations - COVID-19 Vaccination Policy

    8.2.    Open Meeting exception under Section 239 (2) (f) of the Municipal Act, 2001:        
    Advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege, including communications necessary for that purpose - COVID-19 Vaccination Policy

    Carried

    Note: In Open Session, Peter Fay, City Clerk, reported on the status of matters 
    considered in Closed Session, as follows:

    Items 8.1 and 8.2 – Council considered these matters together in Closed Session, information was received, and no direction was given to staff.

    At the request of Council, staff provided preliminary information about the Provincial announcement on this date (September 1, 2021), and indicated additional details would be outlined in the related Provincial regulations, once released.


  • The following motion related to Items 8.1 and 8.2, moved by Regional Councillor Santos and seconded by Regional Councillor Medeiros, was introduced:

    THAT Council receives the input from the Region of Peel, Peel Public Health, the City’s Labour partners, and William Osler Health System, and endorses the ongoing development of an administrative plan as outlined by staff for the implementation of a COVID-19 vaccination policy/protocol (with testing alternative components) for City Employees that considers the proof-of-vaccination details released by the Province of Ontario on September 1, 2021.

    An amendment was proposed and accepted by the mover to add "consistent with the Provincially-announced vaccination policy," after "an administrative plan as outlined by staff".

    The motion, as amended, was considered as follows.

    C294-2021
    Moved byRegional Councillor Santos
    Seconded byRegional Councillor Medeiros

    THAT Council receives the input from the Region of Peel, Peel Public Health, the City’s Labour partners, and William Osler Health System, and endorses the ongoing development of an administrative plan as outlined by staff, consistent with the Provincially-announced vaccination policy, for the implementation of a COVID-19 vaccination policy/protocol (with testing alternative components) for City Employees that considers the proof-of-vaccination details released by the Province of Ontario on September 1, 2021.

    Yea (10)Regional Councillor Santos, Regional Councillor Vicente, Regional Councillor Palleschi, Regional Councillor Medeiros, Regional Councillor Fortini, City Councillor Whillans, City Councillor Bowman, City Councillor Williams, City Councillor Singh, and Mayor Patrick Brown
    Absent (1)Regional Councillor Dhillon
    Carried (10 to 0)

8.1
Open Meeting exception under Section 239 (2) (d) of the Municipal Act, 2001:
 

8.2
Open Meeting exception under Section 239 (2) (f) of the Municipal Act, 2001:
 

9.
Confirming By-law
 

9.1
By-law 182-2021 – To confirm the proceedings of Council at it Special Meeting held on September 1, 2021
This item has attachments. 

1.Confirming BL - special meetings.pdf

The following motion was considered.

  • C295-2021
    Moved byRegional Councillor Vicente
    Seconded byRegional Councillor Fortini

    That the following by-law before Council at its Special Meeting of September 1, 2021, 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 182-2021 – To confirm the proceedings of Council at its Special Meeting held on September 1, 2021

    Carried

10.
Adjournment
 

The following motion was considered.

  • C296-2021
    Moved byRegional Councillor Santos
    Seconded byRegional Councillor Medeiros

    That Council do now adjourn to meet again for a Regular Meeting of Council on Wednesday, September 15, 2021 at 9:30 a.m. or at the call of the Mayor.

    Carried
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