February 12, 2024
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.
January 22, 2024
Council approved a new Acting Fire Chief appointment and updated the associated by-law governing that position, replacing the previous 2020 framework. The meeting also included a routine tender award for fuel replacement at the Egan Yard Farm. The rest of the session consisted of standard procedural confirmations of previous meeting minutes and agendas.
January 8, 2024
Council approved the 2024 interim tax levy and updated municipal parking enforcement by-laws, the substantive decisions of the meeting. The rest of the session consisted of routine procedural matters including confirmation of the agenda, approval of previous meeting minutes, and formal numbering of the January 8 proceedings as By-law 9/2024.
December 18, 2023
Council finalized a police services agreement with the Municipality of Oliver Paipoonge and handled administrative matters related to the 2024 Ontario Winter Games. The meeting was primarily procedural, with council confirming minutes from recent meetings and approving routine by-laws.
December 11, 2023
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.
November 27, 2023
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.
November 20, 2023
Council cleared the way for development on a Riverdale Road property by removing a holding symbol restriction and passed a bylaw updating who enforces parking violations in the city. They also established procedures for how an acting mayor will operate if the mayor is absent. A confidential contract matter was approved but details weren't disclosed to the public.
November 6, 2023
Council approved a single source contract for improvements to Fort William Gardens without going through competitive bidding, accepting the Community Services department's recommendation to skip the usual procurement process. The meeting was otherwise procedural, with council confirming the agenda and formally ratifying its decisions by by-law.
October 30, 2023
This was a procedural meeting focused on routine administrative approvals. Council confirmed meeting minutes from October and ward meetings in McKellar and Northwood, and passed By-law 319/2023 amending an earlier city regulation, though the specific changes were not detailed in the available information. No major policy decisions or spending were discussed.
October 16, 2023
Thunder Bay City Council approved an urban skate plaza at Dease Park with detailed design work to follow, incorporating public art and heritage elements plus street improvements on Dease Street. The council also voted to close eight outdoor ice rinks starting in December 2023 and downgrade three others to unstaffed boarded rinks, with administration to report back on cost savings and usage data to determine if further closures are needed.
September 25, 2023
This was an entirely procedural meeting where Council confirmed agendas, approved previous meeting minutes, and passed a housekeeping by-law to formally record the day's decisions. No substantive policy changes or new initiatives were discussed.
September 11, 2023
Council approved a new Police Services Board appointment, secured funding for the Northcore Streetscape Project from the province, and awarded a tender to purchase tandem trucks for the city fleet. All three items passed without opposition, though specific details about the board appointee, streetscape scope, and truck costs were not provided in the agenda materials.
August 28, 2023
Council approved a new City Treasurer appointment and passed five by-laws that included installing new street lights on Central Avenue, removing planning restrictions on Mapleward Road, and designating site plan control areas for two properties. The meeting was largely procedural, with council confirming previous meeting minutes and approving routine administrative and departmental updates. No major contentious issues or significant policy changes beyond these infrastructure and planning adjustments were raised.
August 14, 2023
Council approved four key resolutions including continued refurbishment of the ice plant at the Tournament Centre using reserve funds and an application for federal housing acceleration funding. They also updated parking enforcement officer appointments and made changes to municipal law governing who can enforce parking bylaws in the city. The meeting was primarily procedural, with council confirming various meeting minutes and approving standard administrative matters.
July 24, 2023
Thunder Bay council adopted a revamped strategic plan called "Maamawe, Growing Together" that restructures city priorities around housing and population growth through 2027, splitting the old prosperity and sustainability pillar into two separate pillars with a new "Growth" pillar focused explicitly on housing development. The council also approved an application to the federal Housing Accelerator Fund, which could bring funding to accelerate housing projects and boost affordable home supply in the city. These moves signal the city is making housing expansion a central strategic priority over the next four years.
July 17, 2023
Council delayed decisions on five budget items totaling $902,100—including the sister cities program, Neebing Arena, outdoor rinks, and the heritage program—sending them back to staff for community consultation before August 28. The council also removed $293,800 in planned transit route improvements from the 2024 budget and approved $512,900 in other budget amendments. Three by-laws passed covering traffic regulations, parking enforcement, and a subdivision agreement with DiGregorio Developments.
June 26, 2023
Council approved financing for capital projects through a provincial partnership, updated its tax credit program for low-income residents, and greenlit improvements including a new playground at Vickers Park and multi-use trails maintenance. The meeting was primarily procedural, with most decisions being routine administrative approvals and bylaw confirmations covering organizational matters like appointing an acting city treasurer.
June 5, 2023
Council approved the 2023 tax rates and made several routine administrative decisions, including appointing members to city committees and boards and amending bylaws covering special services fees, sign regulations, and parking enforcement. The council deferred a proposed bylaw amendment to allow for stakeholder consultation, with administration required to report back by September 18. A portion of Brighton Avenue was also closed by bylaw approval. The meeting was largely procedural, with no major policy changes or contentious votes.
May 15, 2023
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.
May 15, 2023
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.
May 1, 2023
Council approved a sewer and watermain contract for 2023 repairs and upgrades as recommended by Infrastructure & Operations. The rest of the meeting was routine administrative business including confirmation of prior meeting minutes and adoption of by-law 153/2023 to formalize the proceedings.
April 24, 2023
Thunder Bay City Council approved upgrades to its SAP financial management system through a consulting services contract and software licensing deal, alongside five bylaw amendments that touched on planning requirements, municipal fees, library governance, city appointments, and a facility designation at Sleeping Giant Parkway. The council also confirmed minutes from previous meetings held in February, March, and earlier in April.
April 24, 2023
Council approved a significant upgrade to the city's SAP financial management system through hiring a consulting firm and purchasing new software licenses, aiming to modernize how Thunder Bay tracks its finances. The meeting also saw passage of five by-law amendments addressing planning requirements, municipal service fees, library board structure, departmental officer appointments, and the designation of a city facility as a capital asset. The remaining motions were routine procedural confirmations of meeting minutes and agendas.
April 3, 2023
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.
March 27, 2023
Council directed staff to compile a list of city-owned properties, including parks, that could be sold to raise revenue, with a report due by September 18, 2023—a 9-3 vote that signals the city is exploring asset sales to address budget pressures. Council also approved updated municipal fees and charges that will increase what residents and businesses pay for various city services. The meeting was otherwise procedural, with council confirming agendas and approving meeting minutes from earlier sessions.