Cornwall meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

Cornwall council and committee meetings this week were procedural, with no substantive decisions

Over the past two weeks, Cornwall's council and advisory committees held several meetings, but none resulted in substantive decisions or public hearings. The only meeting with listed agenda items was the Arts and Culture Advisory Committee, which received staff reports for information only.

Recent meetings

Most meetings this period were limited to procedural matters, with no specific items for discussion or decision. Minutes have not yet been published for any of these meetings.

• **Regular Meeting of Council (Aug. 10):** Agenda contained only procedural boilerplate, with no substantive items.
• **Committee of Adjustment (Aug. 12):** No rezonings, variances, or public hearings were listed; the agenda was procedural only.
• **Planning Advisory and Hearing Committee (Aug. 17):** No substantive items, contracts, or public hearings were listed.
• **Special Meeting of Council (Aug. 20):** Agenda contained no listed items or decisions.
• **Age Friendly Community Committee (Aug. 21):** Agenda was procedural only, with no specific topics.

Arts and Culture Advisory Committee (Aug. 18)

The Arts and Culture Advisory Committee was the only body with a substantive agenda. Members adopted the agenda and the minutes from June 16, 2026, and received two staff reports for information only:

• Arts and Culture Department Update, Report 2026-56-Parks, Recreation, Arts Culture
• Recognition Wall report, Report 2026-55-Parks, Recreation, Arts & Culture

No binding decisions were made. The committee set its next meeting for September 22, 2026.

Coming up

Two upcoming meetings are scheduled in the next two weeks, but their agendas currently list no substantive items.

• **Committee of Adjustment (Aug. 26):** Agenda contains only procedural boilerplate; no public hearings or decisions are listed.
• **Cornwall Police Service Board (Sept. 3):** Agenda is procedural only, with no specific items for discussion or decision.

Residents seeking details on these meetings should consult the official agendas posted by the city. No minutes are yet available for the recent meetings, so further information may be limited until those are published.

Council agenda includes $7.3M water intake design contract

The most consequential item on a recent Cornwall City Council agenda was a $7.29 million contract for design of a secondary raw water intake. The special meeting of Council on July 27 also included a new Municipal Grants Program, medical recruitment agreements, and a motion to study pedestrian safety improvements. Minutes for this and other recent meetings have not yet been published, so outcomes are not known.

Special Meeting of Council (July 27)

The agenda included:

• Award of RFP 26-P04 to EVB Engineering for $7,288,205.07 for secondary raw water intake design.
• Approval of a Municipal Grants Program Policy with four funding streams: Community Events, Community Funding, Signature Events, and Senior Social Connection Grant.
• By-laws authorizing medical recruitment agreements with Dr. Paul Ojebode and Dr. Anissa Chirico.
• A motion to investigate a pedestrian crosswalk and amber flashing warning system on York Street near St. Joseph's Villa.
• A by-law to ratify the collective agreement between the City and CUPE 3251.

Other Recent Meetings

Municipal Accessibility Advisory Committee (July 27) – The committee reviewed the 2026 Elections Accessibility Plan, discussed accessibility considerations for special events, and reviewed By-Law 2025-048.

Recreation and Parks Advisory Committee (July 28) – The committee considered endorsement of a Build Communities Fund grant application for Parkwood Estates Park. It also received an infrastructure update on playground replacements, maintenance, and vandalism impacts.

Committee of Adjustment (July 29) – The agenda contained only procedural boilerplate and no substantive items for discussion or decision.

Coming Up

• **Regular Meeting of Council (August 10)** – Agenda contains no substantive items.
• **Committee of Adjustment (August 12)** – Agenda limited to procedural matters.
• **Planning Advisory and Hearing Committee (August 17)** – No specific agenda items listed.

All upcoming agendas are subject to change. Residents can access official agendas and minutes on the City of Cornwall website.

Cornwall council set to consider $7.29M water intake contract; planning committee reviews two zoning amendments

Cornwall's busiest stretch of summer meetings centered on a proposed $7.29 million water infrastructure contract and two zoning amendments for central-city properties, though no meeting minutes have been published yet — all items below come from agendas only.

Special Meeting of Council — July 27

The most consequential agenda of the period belonged to a special council meeting. Council was scheduled to consider awarding RFP 26-P04 to EVB Engineering for $7,288,205.07 to design a secondary raw water intake. The agenda also listed several other items:

• Adoption of a new Municipal Grants Program Policy with four funding streams: Community Events, Community Funding, Signature Events, and Senior Social Connection Grant.
• By-laws authorizing medical recruitment agreements with Dr. Paul Ojebode and Dr. Anissa Chirico.
• A motion to investigate a pedestrian crosswalk and amber flashing warning system on York Street near St. Joseph's Villa.
• A by-law to ratify a collective agreement between the City and CUPE 3251.

Because minutes have not been published, it is not yet confirmed which of these items passed, were amended, or were deferred.

Planning Advisory and Hearing Committee — July 20

The committee held a statutory public meeting on two land-use applications:

• **Official Plan Amendment No. 10 & Zoning By-law Amendment Z-03-26** for 510–520 Second Street East.
• **Zoning By-law Amendment Z-04-26** for the former hospital parking lot at the southeast corner of Third Street East and Marlborough Street.

Staff presented reports on both applications, and the public was invited to submit oral or written comments. The agenda states no decision would be made at this meeting; the matters were to be referred back to staff for further recommendation reports.

Recreation and Parks Advisory Committee — July 28

The committee was scheduled to review an endorsement of a Build Communities Fund grant application for Parkwood Estates Park. The agenda also included an infrastructure update covering playground replacements, maintenance, and vandalism impacts.

Municipal Accessibility Advisory Committee — July 27

This committee was set to review the 2026 Elections Accessibility Plan, discuss accessibility considerations for special events, and review By-Law 2025-048.

Meetings with no listed business

Several committee agendas during this period contained only procedural boilerplate with no substantive items:

• Planning Advisory and Hearing Committee (July 20, separate from the public meeting above)
• Committee of Adjustment (July 22 and July 29)
• Environment and Climate Change Committee (July 24)

Coming up

• **Regular Meeting of Council** — August 10. Agenda lists no substantive items.
• **Committee of Adjustment** — August 12. Procedural agenda only.
• **Planning Advisory and Hearing Committee** — August 17. No specific items listed.

All three upcoming agendas currently contain only procedural boilerplate. Residents should check the City of Cornwall's official agenda portal for updates, as items may be added before meeting dates.

Cornwall council weighs water rate plans, Sunday transit; police board eyes new chief, Axon contract

Cornwall city council and the police board held meetings last week with a range of items on their agendas, from water rate funding options to a new police chief. Minutes have not yet been published, so outcomes of votes are not yet available.

Council considers water rate scenarios, Sunday transit

At its June 22 regular meeting, council reviewed two funding scenarios for the 2027 water rate budget: an accelerated 10-year plan or a phased 20-year approach. The item appeared on the agenda as a decision point.

Council also looked at cancelling the septage receiving station design and construction project, with the funds to be returned to reserves. Another item directed staff to implement Sunday transit service, running from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. with hourly service.

A petition requesting a crosswalk on Second Street West was referred to the Road Safety Master Plan for further study, and council considered approving a temporary closure of Pitt Street on Oct. 17 for a United Way event.

Police board swears in new chief, reviews contracts

The Cornwall Police Service Board met June 25. The agenda included the swearing-in of Hugh Stevenson as Chief Designate. The board also considered approval of a $172,489.98 annual invoice from Axon Public Safety Canada Inc.

Other items on the board's agenda were the appointments of Meg Sommerville and Michael Green as special constables (community safety officers), along with receipt of the 2026 Use of Force Training Audit report and the 2025-2026 RIDE Grant Report.

Closed session on land, HR set for July 6

Council will hold a special closed meeting July 6 to discuss a proposed land acquisition and an HR update, both under exemptions in the Municipal Act. The open portion of the meeting is limited to adopting the agenda and, if needed, a by-law to authorize an agreement.

July 13 regular council meeting is procedural only

The regular council meeting scheduled for July 13 contains no substantive items for discussion or decision, according to the published agenda.

Coming up

• **July 6, 2026** – Special Meeting of Council (closed session). Open portion includes adopting agenda and authorizing by-law.
• **July 13, 2026** – Regular Meeting of Council (procedural only). No substantive items on the agenda.

Both meetings will be held at city hall. Agendas and any subsequent minutes are available on the city's website.