Jul 23, 2026 · 24 min · 6 segments
Host Amy Stasiewicz recaps key highlights from the Quality of Life and Growth Standing Committee meetings. She is joined in the Minutes studio by Summer Stevenson, Project Manager with Development…
Amy StasiewiczHost
Summer StevensonGuest
Like all meetings, the night began with a land acknowledgement, and then right into the agenda.
First, there was a deputation about investing in professional crowd control barriers and storage infrastructure for the Thunder Bay Marina event grounds, specifically for Wake the Giant that happens every September.
The proposal is aimed at improving safety, crowd management, and event readiness for the many festivals and gatherings held at the waterfront.
This item was referred back to administration, and they'll come back in 2027 with more information.
The first report of administration is about a crossing guard location addition.
Administration is recommending a new school crossing guard be added at Bay Street beginning in September 2026.
The recommendation follows traffic studies that found the intersection meets the city's criteria for a crossing guard, with an average of 38 students crossing each day and a high number of interactions between pedestrians and vehicles during busy school times.
The study also identified concerns about some drivers not always yielding to people crossing the street, making the location a priority for additional safety measures.
The proposed crossing guard has received support from both Grand Morgan Public School and Corpus Christi Catholic School, as well as city traffic staff and the Thunder Bay Police Service.
The next report of administration is seeking support for a funding application to help restore the historic Hogarth Fountain in Waverly Park.
which has been out of service since 2017 due to significant water leaks and aging infrastructure.
The proposed project would modernize the fountain, restore the surrounding park space, and introduce a new feature called the Burnford Garden.
The garden would honor Thunder Bay's author Sheila Burnford, best known for The Incredible Journey, and would include a family-friendly walking experience inspired by the book and its northwestern Ontario setting.
City administration says adding the garden strengthens the project's tourism and economic benefits, helping align it with the goals of the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation, which is being asked to contribute half of the project's $2.6 million cost.
If funding is approved, design work would continue through 2026, with restoration and construction taking place in phases beginning in 2027.
In the end, Standing Committee endorsed and they will now go to Council for final approval.
City administration has begun reviewing a number of municipal tools that could help protect tenants and maintain housing quality.
The review will look at things like strengthening property standards, updating the city's minimum heat bylaw, exploring a potential vital services bylaw, and examining programs used in other communities to support tenants and preserve rental housing.
City staff say the goal is to ensure residents have access to safe and secure housing, while recognizing that most landlords already provide quality homes and contribute positively to the community.
The work is tied to Council's broader priorities around housing stability, healthy neighbourhoods and homelessness prevention.
Protecting existing rental housing and helping people remain safely housed are increasingly seen as important parts of addressing housing challenges before they lead to a crisis.
This report is for information only and no decisions are being made at this time.
Like all meetings, the night began with a land acknowledgement, and then right into the agenda.
First, there was a deputation about investing in professional crowd control barriers and storage infrastructure for the Thunder Bay Marina event grounds, specifically for Wake the Giant that happens every September.
The proposal is aimed at improving safety, crowd management, and event readiness for the many festivals and gatherings held at the waterfront.
This item was referred back to administration, and they'll come back in 2027 with more information.
The first report of administration is about a crossing guard location addition.
Administration is recommending a new school crossing guard be added at Bay Street beginning in September 2026.
The recommendation follows traffic studies that found the intersection meets the city's criteria for a crossing guard, with an average of 38 students crossing each day and a high number of interactions between pedestrians and vehicles during busy school times.
The study also identified concerns about some drivers not always yielding to people crossing the street, making the location a priority for additional safety measures.
The proposed crossing guard has received support from both Grand Morgan Public School and Corpus Christi Catholic School, as well as city traffic staff and the Thunder Bay Police Service.
The next report of administration is seeking support for a funding application to help restore the historic Hogarth Fountain in Waverly Park.
which has been out of service since 2017 due to significant water leaks and aging infrastructure.
The proposed project would modernize the fountain, restore the surrounding park space, and introduce a new feature called the Burnford Garden.
The garden would honor Thunder Bay's author Sheila Burnford, best known for The Incredible Journey, and would include a family-friendly walking experience inspired by the book and its northwestern Ontario setting.
City administration says adding the garden strengthens the project's tourism and economic benefits, helping align it with the goals of the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation, which is being asked to contribute half of the project's $2.6 million cost.
If funding is approved, design work would continue through 2026, with restoration and construction taking place in phases beginning in 2027.
In the end, Standing Committee endorsed and they will now go to Council for final approval.
City administration has begun reviewing a number of municipal tools that could help protect tenants and maintain housing quality.
The review will look at things like strengthening property standards, updating the city's minimum heat bylaw, exploring a potential vital services bylaw, and examining programs used in other communities to support tenants and preserve rental housing.
City staff say the goal is to ensure residents have access to safe and secure housing, while recognizing that most landlords already provide quality homes and contribute positively to the community.
The work is tied to Council's broader priorities around housing stability, healthy neighbourhoods and homelessness prevention.
Protecting existing rental housing and helping people remain safely housed are increasingly seen as important parts of addressing housing challenges before they lead to a crisis.
This report is for information only and no decisions are being made at this time.
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