Commonly called a “COW”, Committee of the Whole meetings are less formal than typical Council meetings to allow for a more thorough discussion of complex subjects. During these meetings, motions do not require a seconder and anyone can speak to the same topic as many times as they like. Motions passed at a COW are not finalized until, and unless, Council adopts the report from the COW at the next regular meeting.
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Pay Parking and Boat Launch: This year the Village will be self-managing pay parking. The pay parking season runs from May 15 – September 15. The COW provided feedback on the daily hours for pay parking, pay parking rates, infraction ticket rates, boat launch pass rates, time limits, EV charging rates and options for a resident’s parking pass. The COW was supportive of contributing net pay parking revenue into a Tourism Infrastructure Reserve to support the ongoing maintenance of tourism amenities. Staff will be presenting updated bylaws at an upcoming Regular Council Meeting taking into consideration Council's direction, public feedback, and the parking master plan.
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Draft 2026 Budget: An initial draft of the budget was presented. Full details are available on our project page here. A motion was passed to set the tax multiplier rate to 2.84 for the business class and 3.75 for the recreational class. The tax multiplier for businesses and recreational properties is relative to the residential class baseline multiplier of 1. This determines the ratio by which the total taxes to be raised will be distributed between the residential, business and recreational classes. The COW provided additional feedback on the budget, requesting that $150,0000 from the general reserve be used for road and sidewalk projects in 2026. Contributions to the Road and Sidewalk reserve will also be increased by $50,000. The next steps for the budget are to bring a draft financial plan bylaw to the February 17, 2026 Council meeting and then move onto a public open house. Stay tuned for more details! In the meantime, help shape the budget by taking a short survey.
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Food Trucks/Mobile Food Vendors: Information was presented on how other municipalities regulate Food Trucks and/or Mobile Food Vendors. The COW requested that staff draft a bylaw which would permit mobile food vendors on private property for events that are not open to the public, and on a case-by-case basis for Village-sanctioned events. The COW also asked that consideration be given to an exclusion zone, where such vendors would not be permitted.
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E-Bikes and E-Scooters: The COW reviewed information on various e-devices. E-Bikes are permitted on roads in the Village, but not on trails, beaches, or parks. The use of E-Scooters, E-Hover Boards, E-Unicycles and Golf Carts are currently prohibited in the Village under the Motor Vehicle Act. The Village will be working on a communication plan, with a focus on clearer signage and increased public awareness. We will also be conducting a survey in the future to gather community feedback on the use of these types of transportation.