Timmins council will be talking about creating a new hotel tax, opening up the roads to snowmobilers, and more tonight.
The group meets at 6 p.m. in council chambers at city hall.
Here are some items to keep an eye on:
• Tourism Timmins' Guy Lamarche is giving a presentation on the municipal accommodation tax. Last year, staff recommended a four-per-cent tax on hotels, motels, cottages and other short-term accommodations, including Air BnBs, within the city. It wouldn’t apply to campsites and campgrounds, or university and college residences. It's estimated the program could generate about $1 million per year, with that money being being shared between the municpality and not-for-profits to promote tourism. You can view the presentation here.
• Ahead of municipal budget talks, the Timmins Chamber of Commerce is talking about its members priorities, and is urging "council to approach the 2019 budget with an eye on constraining costs in order to minimize potential tax increases." Chamber president Nancy Mageau and vice-president Val Venneri are slated to give the delegation. You can read it here.
• Staff is recommending a request for proposal (RFP) process for the Confederation recreation complex. Late last year, reps from Stella Nova Gymnastics, which is looking to start up again, asked council to renew the club's lease agreement for the complex, but the decision was deferred. Last month, Rock and Gold Gymnastics talked to council about using the facility. "Based on information received, and advice provided to council, it has been determined that the most appropriate method to decide the use of the Confederation Recreation Complex would be by a competitive process. Staff is recommending that a Request for Proposal be utilized to determine the most beneficial use for the city," reads the report on tonight's agenda.
• There is a motion to remove the median from the design of the Rae Hill Connecting Link. At the last meeting, Aecom's Valerie McGirr said based on their analysis the median barrier isn't warranted. The 2016 council asked for the road design with an 800-metre barrier, which at the time had a $1-million price tag. The estimated cost to do the work today, including rock removal and embankment widening, is $2.4 million.
• Council is expected to vote on an updated city bylaw to open up some city streets to snowmobiles. If council approves it, snowmobiles with an Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) permit will be allowed access on some streets in Schumacher, Gold Centre, Porcupine, South Porcupine, Mountjoy and Connaught. The trial period would be for the remainder of the 2018/19 snowmobile season.
The full council agenda is available here.
