Grey County County Council Meeting Transcript — February 12, 2026

00:00:09 Speaker 01: Good morning, County Council. I would like to call to order this council meeting of February 12, 2026. Ahead of starting our normal business, I would like to acknowledge that, on behalf of Grey County, we extend our deepest condolences to the families, friends, and the entire community of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia.

00:00:31 Speaker 01: Following the tragedy earlier this week, we join communities across Canada in mourning this heartbreaking loss. Our hearts are with all those who are grieving, and we stand in solidarity with the students, the educators, the first responders, and the residents affected by this tragedy during this difficult time.

00:00:57 Speaker 01: At this point in time, I would like to invite everyone to please join us in the. singing of "O Canada." Ah, our home and native land, true patriot love in all of us. command with glowing hearts.

00:01:35 Speaker 02: We see thee rise, the true North, strong and free. From far and wide, O Canada, we stand on guard for thee. God keep our land, glorious and free. O Canada, we stand on guard for thee. Madam. Madam Clerk, could you please conduct a roll call this morning?

00:02:19 Speaker 02: Councillor Maggie, Councillor McKay, Councillor Carleton, Councillor Pringle, Councillor McQueen, Councillor Nielsen, Councillor Patterson, Councillor Dickert, Councillor Kentner, Councillor Keaveny, Councillor Body, Councillor Gregg, Councillor Milne, Councillor Debrine.

00:03:25 Speaker 01: Warden Matrousovs, Councillor Boardingale, present, Councillor Eccles, we may be expecting later this morning, and Councillor Hutchinson, present.

00:03:37 Speaker 01: We have all members in attendance today, with the exception of Councillor Eccles. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Let us begin by respectfully acknowledging that we are gathering on the traditional territory of the Nishnabek Nation, the people.

00:03:47 Speaker 01: known as the Three Fires, known as the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi nations, and further, we give thanks to the Chippewas of Saugeen and the Chippewas of Nawash, known collectively as the Saugeen Ojibwe Nation, the traditional keepers of these lands and waters since time immemorial.

00:03:48 Speaker 01: In our south lies the traditional territories of the Six Nations of the Grand River and the Haudenosaunee. We are dedicated to honoring Indigenous history and culture. and committed to moving forward in the spirit of truth and reconciliation and friendship with all First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples.

00:04:16 Speaker 01: So, this morning on our council agenda, we have the adoption of the minutes, item five a.

00:04:17 Speaker 01: It's recommended that the minutes of County Council meeting and the committee of the whole meeting dated January twenty second, twenty twenty six, and the resolutions contained there.

00:04:18 Speaker 01: And the resolutions contained therein be adopted as presented.

00:04:18 Speaker 01: May I ask for a mover and a seconder?

00:04:19 Speaker 01: Moved by Councillor Kavaney, seconded by Councillor Patterson.

00:04:19 Speaker 01: Any discussion?

00:04:19 Speaker 01: All those in favor?

00:04:19 Speaker 01: And that motion is carried.

00:04:19 Speaker 01: We do not have any closed session matters here for our council agenda nor reports.

00:04:20 Speaker 01: That allows us to move on to the bylaw.

00:04:20 Speaker 01: It is recommended that bylaw fifty two sixty eight twenty six be introduced and be taken as read.

00:04:21 Speaker 01: A first, second, and third time, finally passed, signed by the warden and the clerk, sealed with the seal of the corporation, and engrossed into the bylaw book.

00:04:22 Speaker 01: It is fifty-two, sixty-eight, twenty-six.

00:04:23 Speaker 01: A bylaw to confirm all actions and proceedings of council.

00:04:23 Speaker 01: May I ask for a mover and a seconder?

00:04:23 Speaker 01: Moved by Councillor Dobrin, seconded by the Deputy Warden.

00:04:24 Speaker 01: Any discussion?

00:04:24 Speaker 01: All those in favor?

00:04:24 Speaker 01: And that motion is carried.

00:04:24 Speaker 01: Thank you.

00:04:24 Speaker 01: And this morning we will move on to news and celebration.

00:04:25 Speaker 01: We'll move on to news and celebrations first.

00:04:25 Speaker 01: I'll look to Director Taylor.

00:04:25 Speaker 01: Do you have an introduction you'd like to make this morning?

00:05:42 Speaker 03: So, good morning, Madam Warden, members of council, and those that might be tuning in.

00:05:43 Speaker 03: I'm pleased today to introduce you to Satnam Heyhar, who is in the back here.

00:05:44 Speaker 03: Satnam is a student with the University of Waterloo Master's Planning Program, so she's getting her master's in planning.

00:05:45 Speaker 03: Already has an undergraduate.

00:05:45 Speaker 03: in planning, and as part of the course curriculum for that master's program, they are are asked to shadow a planner for the day.

00:05:46 Speaker 03: And so, when the professor reached out, she asked if if we would consider hosting a student and and if we could show them an exciting day in planning.

00:05:47 Speaker 03: Oxymorons aside, I I know county council will will be will be a great learning experience for Satnam today.

00:05:48 Speaker 03: And then we have some further activities planned this afternoon where she gets to meet with some of our other planners and and and see a little bit.

00:05:49 Speaker 03: more about planning in action.

00:05:49 Speaker 03: So we've talked provincially and nationally about the the shortage of planners.

00:05:50 Speaker 03: So it's so encouraging to see people like Satnam getting into planning and and being able to ride this opportunity to to see council in action, but also explain a little bit more about planning.

00:05:51 Speaker 03: So thank you for your indulgence, thank you for your indulgence, council, and look forward to a good meeting.

00:05:52 Speaker 03: Thank you very much.

00:06:57 Speaker 01: Yes, so we'll we'll look forward to your.

00:06:58 Speaker 01: return just before lunch and just to just to explain the the real lay of the land.

00:07:00 Speaker 01: But it is wonderful actually that you're here today and you are in good hands with this planning department.

00:07:02 Speaker 01: You will learn a lot by working working alongside them for the day.

00:07:03 Speaker 01: So I think this will be an excellent opportunity.

00:07:04 Speaker 01: And with that, I would like to look to Director Myers, who has a special announcement to make sure that we are we are following the the national pastime at the moment.

00:07:07 Speaker 01: Director Myers.

00:08:00 Speaker 04: Thank you so much, Warren.

00:08:01 Speaker 04: Good morning, County Council.

00:08:01 Speaker 04: We have an excellent picture to share with you of a very excited bunch of staff at Gray Roots because we are thrilled to be offering Olympic viewing parties in the Thomas Weldon Theater throughout the games.

00:08:04 Speaker 04: Visitors can drop in during operating hours to cheer on Canada's athletes while enjoying the big screen experience.

00:08:06 Speaker 04: These gatherings are open to everyone.

00:08:06 Speaker 04: They are completely free of charge, and a promise of fun, welcoming atmosphere.

00:08:07 Speaker 04: to enjoy the games.

00:08:07 Speaker 04: So they are during our operating hours, ten to five, Tuesday to Saturday, until February twenty-first, with a special family day viewing party on Monday the sixteenth.

00:08:10 Speaker 04: So everybody is welcome to come cheer on our Canadian athletes.

00:08:30 Speaker 04: Excellent, wonderful family activity as well. All right. So with that, I'd like to open up news and celebrations to our county council members, and we'll begin with Councillor Nielsen. Thank you very much, Ward Matrasov. This week. Microsoft. This weekend being Family Day, I'm sure there are festivities across the land of Gray County, but in particular in Markdale, our Markdale Recreation Committee is hosting an Olympic-themed celebration for Family Day, including a guest Olympian is coming to speak on the Saturday morning.

00:08:46 Speaker 05: So it's an exciting time. Come on out to Markdale if you have your time. If you're not too busy at your own celebrations, we'll be celebrating the Olympics and everything to do that is family-oriented.

00:08:56 Speaker 05: Thank you, and we'll go to Councillor Kevney.

00:09:34 Speaker 05: Good morning, Madam Warden, and everyone who's present here at County Council. I wanted to share that something very important is happening in Meaford today. At five o'clock at Meaford Hall, we will have a presentation from IAC, that is the Impact Assessment Agency for Canada. they will have representatives there from federal ministries, oceans and fisheries, the environment, and Indigenous affairs.

00:10:13 Speaker 06: And this presentation will give us an initial understanding of the next phase of the TC Energy approval process.

00:10:14 Speaker 06: They will be filing sometime later in February, early March, and that will kick off the assessments.

00:10:16 Speaker 06: So it's an opportunity to start to understand what that next phase is going to look like.

00:10:17 Speaker 06: So.

00:10:17 Speaker 06: This is going to look like so.

00:10:18 Speaker 06: That's Mefford Hall, five o'clock.

00:10:18 Speaker 06: You can attend in person or online, and it's a very long email to register online.

00:10:19 Speaker 06: So I won't read that out.

00:10:20 Speaker 06: The easiest thing to do would be to go to Mefford.ca, our own website, and that will give you all of the information if you wanted to register to attend that session online.

00:10:22 Speaker 06: Thank you very much.

00:10:23 Speaker 06: Thank you.

00:10:54 Speaker 06: And looking around the room, we'll go to Councillor McQueen.

00:10:55 Speaker 06: Thank you, Madam.

00:10:55 Speaker 06: Warden, and I guess everybody was listening to the news a week ago.

00:10:56 Speaker 06: That's going to be an early spring, according to the groundhog.

00:10:57 Speaker 06: Time will tell.

00:10:57 Speaker 06: But on a sobering note, I do want to take this opportunity to, on behalf of County Council, maybe I'll can chime in with regards to our road staff.

00:11:00 Speaker 06: The wonderful, wonderful job that they've been doing this winter.

00:11:01 Speaker 06: It's been a tough winter.

00:11:01 Speaker 06: It's been a long winter.

00:11:01 Speaker 06: It's been a cold winter, and I know there was just an article on the radio just recently how.

00:11:03 Speaker 06: there's been a huge increase of abuse to our operators, like just across the board.

00:11:07 Speaker 06: So I think we should take this time to give our our outdoor road staff the road an applause. Thank you, indeed.

00:11:23 Speaker 06: And I'll look around the room. We'll go to Councilor Hutchinson online next. Thank you, Madam Warman, Madam Ward, and thank you for giving me the opportunity to share this great news.

00:11:38 Speaker 07: Last night, I attended a Durham Lions dinner on behalf of the Durham Hospital Foundation, and it gives us great pleasure to announce that they made a pledge of $100,000 to go towards the Durham Hospital new X-ray suite that we've been campaigning for since start last year.

00:11:42 Speaker 07: So we've got a long hill to climb, but a big shout out to them, and really appreciate their focus on serving our community.

00:11:44 Speaker 07: Thank you.

00:11:44 Speaker 07: Thank you, and we'll go to Councillor Dobry.

00:11:45 Speaker 07: Good morning, Warden, Council, and those watching.

00:11:45 Speaker 07: I just wanted to mention that tonight the Southgate Community First Housing Committee is holding an information session at the Royal Canadian Legion on Proton Street from six thirty to eight thirty.

00:12:29 Speaker 01: the and then on Family Day on Monday, the Dundalk Old Town Hall Committee is holding a pre-ski and refreshments from one till three, and the Holstein Optimists are hosting a family skate and other activities in Holstein from one to four.

00:12:33 Speaker 01: Excellent, lots of activities for Family Day around the county.

00:12:34 Speaker 01: And looking online, looking around the room, not.

00:12:35 Speaker 01: seen any further hands, so we will move on then, and I will look for a motion to adjourn.

00:12:37 Speaker 01: Got moved by Councillor Dicker, seconded by Councillor McKay.

00:12:37 Speaker 01: Any discussion?

00:12:38 Speaker 01: All those in favor.

00:12:38 Speaker 01: And this council meeting is adjourned.

00:12:38 Speaker 01: We'll give a moment for technology to switch over before.