Kingston City Council - 21 Nov 2023

The Kingston City Council Meeting on 21 Nov 2023 discussed the following points. Details on the meeting can be found here

• City council meeting focused on proposed Community Standards Bylaw

• Delegations express concerns about downtown crisis, safety, harassment, and deteriorating conditions

• Some applaud bylaw's development, while others, including residents and legal representatives, raise discrimination concerns

• Human Rights Code invoked, emphasizing unintended consequences on individuals with disabilities

• Delegates call for comprehensive solutions, urging rejection of current bylaw and alternatives prioritizing community well-being

• Specific concerns raised about broad language, potential discrimination, and lack of public facilities in proposed bylaw

• Delegates suggest amendments, deferral for review, and alignment with human rights principles

• Discussion on proposed bylaw amendments, including "reasonable excuse" provision for public defecation

• Concerns about ambiguity, enforcement challenges, and commitment to providing more public washrooms expressed

• Staff and council members discuss amendments addressing concerns raised by the public

• Discussion on the implementation of a community standards bylaw, focusing on behavior in shared spaces

• Emphasis on imperfections, community input, collaboration with initiatives, and challenges faced by businesses

• Council members express support for bylaw, recognizing limitations in solving larger societal issues

• Municipal council meeting covering various agenda items, including committee appointments and emergency response plan

• Discussion on funding application for federal housing accelerator fund, urgency emphasized, and motion passed

• Motion to amend city's submission to Housing Accelerator Fund with proposed planning policy changes

• Discussion on proposed changes, questions about reliability of CMHC's deadline, building heights, and consequences

• Proposed amendment to increase maximum building height to eight stories to demonstrate commitment to housing crisis

• Discussion on housing policies, enforcement, illegal housing for migrant workers, workforce housing, and rezoning

• Mention of housing accelerator fund, four-unit constructions, and need for responsive housing solutions

• Emphasis on federal government's limited jurisdiction in housing matters and importance of funding initiatives

• Adjournment with note on Movember initiatives for men's mental health and passing of bylaws