Media Release: April Council Meeting Summary (April 8, 2020)
Posted on 04/08/2020
Image of council table with words Council Meeting SummaryFor Immediate Release: April 8, 2020

The following items were discussed at the regular monthly meeting of the Stratford Town Council held virtually through Zoom on Wednesday, April 8, 2020.


Transit Mini Buses

Council approved the purchase of two mini buses at the December 2019 Regular Monthly Council Meeting however, to offer greater accessibility for transit riders and to include electronic fare boxes for improving ridership data, an increased amount is required to proceed. The Town of Stratford’s contribution to this project will be now be $18,080.52 (HST included) with the remaining expenses covered by the approved ICIP funding, the City of Charlottetown and the Town of Cornwall. The original amount approved in December for the Town’s contribution was $18,000 (HST included). This project will be expensed out of the 2020-2021 Capital Budget.

Line of Credit Increase Approved

A resolution was approved to extend the Town’s current line of credit from $750,000 to $1,250,000 to allow for a payout of an expense related to the construction of the Emergency Services Facility. The Town is currently waiting for the receipt of government funding towards the facility for energy efficiency (from gas tax funding) and the capital expenditure HST rebate (Municipal Capital Expenditure Grant) so this is a temporary cash flow requirement. The Town is well within its current borrowing limits for the Town of Stratford based on our total assessed tax base ($829,534,696 x 10% = $82,953,469) of which we are using $8,839,771 as of March 31, 2019.

Withdrawal of Solar Panel Project Stratford Town Centre

The Town of Stratford had previously allocated gas tax funding towards a solar panel project planned for the roof of Stratford Town Centre. After hiring engineers to review the structure of Stratford Town Centre to support the installation, the Town found out that solar panels were not feasible for the roof and would not be able to proceed with the project. Laid out within the conditions for gas tax funding if a project does not go ahead, all of the funds allocated to that project are to be paid back to the gas tax allocation required through resolution. The Town of Stratford has incurred $8,698 on this project which has been paid for outside of any funding.

Building Bylaw Amendment

Since the Town’s updated Building Bylaw, Bylaw #50 has been approved, the Province of PEI have proceeded to approve the Building Code Act Regulations. With the approval of the latest version of these Regulations, a couple of conflicts with our Building Bylaw #50 required correction, the primary one being the Province’s move to adopt the 2017 National Energy Code of Canada for Buildings.

Lease Agreement Renewal

Stratford Town Council approved a resolution to enter into a renewed lease agreement with Parkdale Holdings Ltd. for 3,215 square feet of space for the Stratford Public Library for a term of five years commencing April 1, 2020 at an annual rate of $16 per square foot of gross leaseable area.

Enforcement and Summary Proceedings Bylaw, Bylaw #49

As a result of the new Building Bylaw, Bylaw # 50 which was adopted in March 2020, Schedule A - the Municipal Offence Ticket and Schedule B – Out of Court Settlements, of the Enforcement and Summary Proceedings Bylaw, Bylaw #49, required a resolution, which was approved, to reflect the new Building Bylaw, Bylaw #50 within it.

Evelyn’s Park Approved

In accordance with the Town’s Commemorative Naming Policy a request was received from the family of the late Evelyn Meader to name a park on Saints Crescent in honour of her. Ms. Meader’s family donated a portion of the land owned by Ms. Meader before her death which more than tripled the size of the parkland. Ms. Meader was a dedicated community volunteer and nature lover who planted many trees on the property that was donated. Council approved a resolution that the park on Saints Crescent be named Evelyn’s Park to commemorate Evelyn Meader’s contributions to the community.

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For more information please contact:
Wendy Watts, Community & Business Engagement Manager
Phone: (902) 569-6921
Email: [email protected]

Printable version: Media Release - Stratford Town Council Meeting Summary (April 8, 2020)

Video Recording of Meeting

Agenda & Resolutions