Finance and Economic Development Committee

That the Rules of Procedure be suspended, due to the potential need to finalize agreements over the summer and the fact that the next meeting of the Finance and Economic Development Committee is in September, to consider the following motion:

WHEREAS 2017 marks the 150th anniversary of Confederation, representing a major milestone in Canada’s history as well as an opportunity for the Nation’s Capital to mark the occasion and be the epicentre of celebrations; and WHEREAS Ottawa 2017 will deliver 12 months of events, immersive experiences and celebrations complementary to federal government plans and to recurring annual festivals, events and attractions in Canada’s Capital; and WHEREAS these activities are expected to attract hundreds of thousands of residents and visitors over the course of the year, and have a significant economic impact to the City of Ottawa; and WHEREAS, in order to be successful, a number of the aforementioned activities will require access to City properties (including parking spaces) and services, which may be subject to fees and charges, such as those related to encroachment; and WHEREAS, to ensure the success of some Ottawa 2017 events, it would be in the interest of the City to provide the waiver or amendment of encroachment fees or other access to City parking spaces, where feasible and reasonable to do so, in a timely fashion; and WHEREAS, on May 13, 2015, Council delegated authority to the City Manager to enter into the necessary service agreements and ancillary contracts with Celebrations Ottawa Inc. required to support the Ottawa 2017 celebrations, to be reported back to Committee and Council on a semi-annual basis, and staff is recommending extending this delegation as the most effic