Yellowknife

Special Governance & Priorities Committee

Council Meeting

Council will discuss disabling public comments on corporate social media accounts and prioritizing land acquisition at Frame Lake for housing and mixed-use development. The body is also reviewing the 2025 audited financial statements and establishing a new reserve policy for emergencies.

• Proposal to disable public commenting on all official corporate social media channels by July 1, 2026
• Declaration of Frame Lake land acquisition as a municipal development priority for housing and commercial use
• Adoption of 2025 Audited Financial Statements and maintaining a $15.0 million General Fund balance
• Introduction of By-law No. 5135 to regulate vacant buildings and By-law No. 5136 to update building fees
• Dissolution of the Homelessness Commission and the Mayor’s Task Force on Economic Development

Governance & Priorities Committee

The committee will decide whether to rezone two lots from Natural Area to Residential Central, adopt the 2025 audited financial statements, rescind the Employees’ Recreation Association bylaw, and dissolve the Homelessness Commission and Mayor’s Task Force on Economic Development. They will also consider resolutions on social media commenting and the Frame Lake Area.

• Rezone Lots 14, Block 145, Plan 864 and Lot 5, Block 148, Plan 863 from NA to RC-1
• Adopt 2025 audited financial statements
• Rescind Recreation Association By-law No. 5016
• Dissolve Homelessness Commission and Mayor’s Task Force on Economic Development
• Resolution on social media commenting on city accounts

The committee recommended rezoning portions of two lots from Natural Area to Residential Central to enable housing, and recommended accepting the 2025 audited financial statements. It also recommended rescinding the Employees’ Recreation Association bylaw and dissolving the Homelessness Commission and Mayor’s Task Force on Economic Development. A resolution was passed to disable public commenting on city social media accounts by July 1, 2026, and a resolution affirmed the Frame Lake area as a municipal development priority while protecting landmark features.

• Recommended rezoning Lots 14 & 5 from NA to RC-1 (By-law 5141) for Council adoption
• Recommended accepting 2025 audited financial statements and maintaining $15M General Fund balance
• Recommended rescinding Employees' Recreation Association By-law 5016
• Recommended dissolving Homelessness Commission and Mayor’s Task Force on Economic Development
• Passed resolution to disable public commenting on city social media effective July 1, 2026
• Passed resolution declaring Frame Lake land acquisition a priority with landmark protections

Special Council Meeting

Council unanimously adopted the Mill Rate Policy, approved rezoning of a lot near 222 Utsingi Drive from Nature Preservation to Kam Lake despite one oral objection, and approved a zoning amendment to allow a new hotel development. It also set the 2026 municipal and school tax levies by passing first and second readings of the respective bylaws.

• Adopted Mill Rate Policy (unanimous)
• Approved rezoning of Lot 84, Block 553 from NP to KL (By-law 5131, unanimous)
• Approved zoning amendment for new hotel building (By-law 5134, unanimous)
• Approved first and second reading of 2026 Municipal Tax Levy (By-law 5137, unanimous)
• Approved first and second reading of 2026 School Tax Levy (By-law 5138, unanimous)

Governance & Priorities Committee

The Governance & Priorities Committee recommended that By-law No. 5139, amending the Election Sign By-law No. 4968, be presented for adoption. They also reviewed the Emerging Issues Reserve Policy and returned it to Administration for revisions, including clarifying the definition of 'Emerging Issues' and adjusting the contribution rate. No other substantive decisions were made; the Integrity Commissioner report and student presentations were informational only.

• Recommended adoption of Election Sign By-law amendment (unanimous)
• Returned Emerging Issues Reserve Policy to Administration for revisions
• Amended agenda to include in camera item (unanimous)