Council expanded where alcohol is allowed in Thunder Bay, approving its use at Waverley Park and Tbaytel Multiplex under updated municipal policy. However, residents hoping for improved bus service this summer were disappointed when council rejected a proposal to adjust transit schedules and gradually restore service levels as staffing recovers. Council also rejected an amendment to allow ball pythons as pets, keeping the snakes prohibited under current animal regulations. In a separate decision, council approved a new operating agreement with Circular Materials to manage the recycling depot on Walsh Street.
Council rejected a request to cut the Police Services Board budget further, with the motion failing 6-7, meaning the force's 2026 spending plan will proceed without additional reductions. The council also updated the Fire Rescue by-law for the first time since 1984 and amended parking enforcement rules, both passing unanimously. A handful of routine administrative items including 311 customer service implementation and housing infrastructure funding were approved through the consent agenda.
Council adopted the Smart Growth Action Plan, committing to twice-yearly progress reports and advancing the Waterfront Trail development with any necessary bylaw changes to follow. They also approved $650,000 in combined loan and grant funding for the Thunder Bay Community Tennis Centre's new indoor facility and gave conditional approval to lease an ambulance base from Terrace Bay Township pending that municipality's council approval. In a notable rejection, council voted down a proposal requiring each councillor to hold at least one public townhall meeting annually, with eight councillors voting against the measure.
Council approved $2.5 million in additional funding for the Thunder Bay Art Gallery's new building, with payments split across two phases as the facility opens, using money from the Municipal Accommodation Tax and Renew Thunder Bay reserves. The city also rezoned 869 Golf Links Road from industrial to commercial use, permitting community development with a 23-meter height cap and mandatory landscaping requirements. Council named the new indoor turf facility at 480 Beverly Street the Tbaytel Multiplex under a 10-year naming rights agreement with the telecommunications company.
Council voted down a motion to remove a proposed 100-unit temporary shelter village from the city's Human Rights-Based Community Action Plan, with the proposal surviving a 2-10 defeat, meaning the shelter village will remain in the housing strategy. In other major decisions, Council approved removing the parking lot from the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium's lease to make it fully independent, adjusted the Art Gallery's lease deadlines, and designated the Chippewa Park Carousel as a heritage site. Council also gave administration the green light to move forward with directions on solid waste and recycling infrastructure that were discussed in a closed session.
Council rejected a temporary shelter village proposal for 114 Miles Street East that would have cost $125,000 annually, but then approved a different location at the Hillyard Site next to 8th Avenue instead, empowering the Director of Strategy & Engagement to move forward with operational details and agreements. The shift came after council took a break to have administration review alternatives, suggesting the Hillyard location addressed concerns that derailed the original plan. Council also approved a subdivision agreement with DiGregorio Developments Inc.
Council approved Kam River Heritage Park as the site for a temporary shelter village to address homelessness and gave staff authority to move the project forward, though they also asked staff to review alternative locations. A contentious debate over truck routes ended with Council approving new designation rules despite a failed motion that sought to delay implementation until the province improved safety at Oliver Road—the meeting stretched past midnight to complete the discussion. A proposed amendment to the user fee by-law was defeated, and Council confirmed all procedural minutes from recent meetings.
Thunder Bay City Council rejected the Thunder Bay Public Library's expansion plan on April 28, refusing a proposal that would have capped the city's funding contribution at $2.06 million for a new library space at Intercity Shopping Centre. Council also defeated a motion to delay the decision until May 5, voting 9-4 to move forward immediately. The rejection means the library expansion as proposed will not proceed, leaving the facility's future in question.
Thunder Bay City Council decisively rejected four separate proposals to restructure the council's composition, keeping the current 12-member setup with 8 ward councillors and 2 at-large members intact. After hours of debate that extended past midnight, council approved a temporary shelter village at 1111 Fort William Road (leased from the Lakehead Region Conservation Authority) rather than a Cumberland Street site, giving the Director of Strategy & Engagement authority to negotiate and operate the facility. Council also approved four zoning and development bylaws affecting properties around the city, including removing development restrictions at 211 Alton Road and authorizing a subdivision by DiGregorio Developments.
Council punted a decision on the Woodside Street lands, deferring it for two years until a report comes back by March 31, 2027. A motion to declare surplus property at 172 something failed to pass. The rest of the meeting involved routine approvals of previous meeting minutes and bylaw confirmations.
Council approved updates to the Corporate Policy Manual and confirmed procedural items from November meetings. However, a significant defeat came when councillors rejected a proposal to allocate one-time funding for waterfront development projects in the 2025 budget, along with a companion request to seek matching funds from provincial and federal governments—meaning the city's waterfront plans outlined in its 2024-2026 Action Plan will move forward without this budget support. Council also rejected a separate proposal to have Councillor Foulds' September memo reviewed during budget discussions on Infrastructure and Operations.
Council approved up to $5 million in infrastructure funding for a Temporary Village Initiative from the Renew Thunder Bay Reserve Fund, plus $1.5 million annually for operations, though administration still needs to analyze two proposed sites and report back with final costs and location recommendations. In a notable rejection, councillors voted down a Human Rights-Based Community Action Plan that would have been sent to federal and provincial housing ministers, with the motion failing 5-3. Council also approved the 2025 budget meeting schedule, with the capital budget to be presented to Committee of the Whole on November 4 and November 25, and selected Option 3 for community engagement on both operating and capital budgets.
Thunder Bay City Council took action on nuclear waste transport, formally requesting the Nuclear Waste Management Organization keep used nuclear fuel stored near its source rather than shipping it through the city, and asked federal and provincial officials to review the city's hazardous materials routes. Council rejected a proposal to delay advocacy on nuclear safety principles pending more information, choosing instead to move forward with the Proximity Principle discussion. The council also confirmed routine administrative items including meeting minutes and by-laws from the session.
Council appointed a new City Manager and Fire Chief while rejecting a proposal to sell three small parkette properties at Holly Crescent, Thistle Crescent, and Thornloe Drive. A decision on selling two other vacant city properties at 172 and 168 Street was pushed to January 2025 for further consideration. The rejections suggest council wants more time to evaluate how best to manage the city's surplus real estate.
Council approved a $42.7 million indoor turf sports facility after a confusing sequence where they first defeated the proposal, then passed it moments later—the final version commits the city to designing and building the facility through a design-build process with ongoing operating costs starting in 2026. Council also delayed a decision on an infrastructure and engineering report until June 24, with the vote narrowly passing 10-3 in favor of the postponement. Three routine resolutions covering a contract, cemetery by-law amendment, and lease agreement were also ratified.
Council remained deadlocked over a Hillcourt Estates land sale, with multiple tie votes preventing progress on whether to move forward or delay the project, ultimately deferring the decision to March 2025 and extending the general land sales deadline to March 31, 2026. In other business, council approved seven routine administrative by-laws covering fee updates, procurement rule changes, and staff reorganization adjustments, and confirmed minutes from earlier meetings.
Council approved Thunder Bay's 2024 budgets totaling $389.5 million in operating expenses and $79.9 million in capital projects, covering water, wastewater, solid waste, and waterfront services. In a rare defeat, councillors rejected a proposal to push back Victoria Parkade repairs by a year and shift $1.03 million in funding to 2025, meaning the work will proceed as originally scheduled. Council also approved golf course fee increases ranging from 1.72% to 5.26% for 2024, and authorized recruitment for a new City Manager while establishing a Housing Task Force to tackle local housing challenges.
Council directed staff to study how to repave roads in Chippewa Park using Municipal Accommodation Tax funds, with a report due January 22, 2024. A bid to remove tax language from carousel funding discussions was rejected, keeping that funding option on the table. Council also ordered updates to city IT and privacy policies by March 25, 2024, and approved routine administrative matters including a new Deputy City Treasurer appointment and a lane closure at 377 Second Avenue.
Council capped a proposed Multi-use Indoor Sports Facility at $30 million and directed staff to redesign the project to meet that limit, excluding field size reductions but exploring cuts to amenities and environmental standards—Stantec Architecture will study alternatives and report back by March 24, 2024. Council also approved a $38 million budget amendment for a major facility project with a switch to Ontario Building Code standards and required a business plan review by March 25, 2024. A motion to delay financing decisions for Soccer Northwest Ontario's indoor sports facility failed, and a proposal to shorten the Integrity Commissioner's response timeline from 30 to 15 days ended in a 6-6 tie and was defeated.
Council approved the creation of Municipal Law Enforcement Officer positions to enforce parking by-laws across Thunder Bay, formalizing a new enforcement capability. A motion involving a sidewalk and pedestrian contract failed to pass, suggesting disagreement over that infrastructure project. The rest of the meeting consisted of routine approvals including minutes confirmations and by-law formalities.
Council rejected a proposal to exclude Frederica Street West from a planned sidewalk and pedestrian crossover construction project, meaning the work will proceed as originally planned between Stanley and James Street South. The city also updated its investment policy for municipal funds, authorized parking enforcement officers to enforce parking rules across Thunder Bay, and approved additional implementation services tied to a 2022 financial report.
Council spent most of the meeting wrestling with the Thunder Bay Public Library Board's composition, ultimately approving changes that will expand it to nine members with additions of one city councillor and one citizen representative—the bylaw will be finalized April 24th. The Library Board overhaul came after defeating a separate proposal to add school board representatives, with Council opting instead for citizen appointments. Council also approved an updated Work Life Initiatives policy covering work-from-home arrangements and instructed staff to report back on workplace safety risks for remote workers by late June. In other business, Council ratified a contract with Northcore for streetscape renewal work on Court Street and Red River Road.
Thunder Bay Council approved a tight 2023 budget that cuts $1 million in spending through service reductions across multiple departments. The city will delay the Jumbo Gardens Community Centre closure to December, reduce indoor pool hours at two facilities, defer leaf and yard waste pickup expansion to 2024, and cut $25,000 from police services while slashing the Police Services Board honorarium budget by $44,000. Council also directed administration to find an additional $1 million in cuts to offset a one-time withdrawal from the reserve fund, with proposals due by December 18.