The 1st Annual General Meeting of MIRANET took place on February 3, 2010.  Click here to view the Agenda.  Pictures and draft Minutes coming soon.

Mayor This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it was the guest speaker.  Click here to view a Summary of the Mayor's remarks.

Click to access the following Reports which were presented at the AGM:

• Secretary's Report (PPT): Building the Network and Future Plans
• Governance Subcommittee Report
• Clean Air Subcommittee Report
• Municipal Finance Subcommittee Report
• Insurance Liability Subcommittee Report

The following political representatives were in attendance:
Councillors This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it (Ward 1), This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it (Ward 5), This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it (Ward 6), This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it (Ward 8), This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it (Ward 9), This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it (Ward 10) and This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it (Ward 11); MPP This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it (Mississauga South); MP This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it (Mississauga-Streetsville); and This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Vice-Chair, Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board.

Senior staff from the City were also present: Commissioners This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it (Corporate Services), This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it (Transportation & Works) and This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it (Planning & Building); This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Director of Corporate Strategy; and This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Director of Strategic Initiatives.

We appreciate that all our invited guests who could attend took the time to come out and thereby show support for MIRANET's efforts.

Mississauga News article (Feb. 3, 2010): Group targets low voter turnout.  Excerpt: "The Mississauga Residents Associations Network (MIRANET) held its annual general meeting tonight, promising residents it will push to increase voter turnout for this year's municipal election ..."

BE SURE TO VOTE ON ELECTION DAY: Monday, October 25, 2010.

The Municipal Election in Mississauga is underway, with candidates able to register with the Clerk's Office as of January 4, 2010.  The City's official Vote 2010 website maintains the list of registered candidates and a record of the 2006 election results (the most recent election) along with the 2006 financial statements of the candidates.  Additional information about the election, including the voters' list and how and where to vote is all found at Vote 2010.

MIRANET will be tracking the issues during the 2010 municipal election campaign.  As stated in our Terms of Reference, "MIRANET is a non-partisan organization, and does not endorse any specific candidate seeking public office, nor any political party."

Mississauga News article (Feb. 4. 2010): City considers online vote.  Excerpt: "In a bid to boost voter turnout in municipal elections, which was a dismal 24.7 per cent in 2006, the City of Mississauga may allow residents to vote online.  That’s one recommendation councillors are mulling over to shed this city of its image as one of the most apathetic electorates in the GTA.  But councillors aren’t completely sold on the idea, one of 16 recommendations made by the City of Vaughan’s task force on democratic participation and renewal in its final report last September."

Mississauga News article (Feb. 3, 2010): Group targets low voter turnout.  Excerpt: "The Mississauga Residents Associations Network (MIRANET) held its annual general meeting tonight, promising residents it will push to increase voter turnout for this year's municipal election ..."

NOTE (1): A provincial review of the Ontario Municipal Elections Act, 1996 was undertaken in 2009, with reforms enacted on January 1, 2010.  Click here for the MIRANET background article which includes links to discussions of the changes, as well as MIRANET's input to the process.
•••> Click here to view the MIRANET submission (dated August 31, 2009).

Click here to view The Municipal Elections 2010 Guide which consolidates the enacted reforms.

NOTE (2): Click to view the November 2009 report of the City of Vaughan (Ontario) Task Force entitled: Task Force on Democratic Participation and Renewal: Final Report, as distributed to GTA municipalities and the the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO).  The Task Force was appointed in 2007 with a mandate to make recommendations for increasing voter turnout in Vaughan in the next municipal election.

MIRANET Liability Insurance Investigation Subcommittee: Report and Recommendation (Feb. 3, 2010).  Delivered by: Alex Banks, President - Sherway Homeowners RA, at the MIRANET 1st Annual General Meeting.

MOTION: "To mandate the Insurance Subcommittee to liaise with the City of Mississauga for the next step; to clarify and streamline the process for the Ratepayers Associations to apply for such affiliation status."  Passed unanimously -- MIRANET AGM (Feb. 3, 2010).

BACKGROUND

There is concern that RAs are taking risks in order to participate in the citizen engagement process as encouraged by (and to the benefit of) the municipality, without any kind of protection afforded (see information about SLAPPs, below).  In addition, many RAs hold public meetings or events for which protection against liability for physical injury is required.  The Subcommittee has investigated not-for-profit liability insurance issues and evaluated the best types of coverage to provide as well as the cost scenarios for our Members.  The Subcommittee has also fully explored the affiliate group program offered by the City to non-profit community groups.

The following RA reps comprise the MIRANET Insurance Subcommittee:

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , President - Sherway Homeowners RA (SHORA)
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Director - Sheridan Homelands RA (SHORA)
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Chair - Credit Reserve Association (CRA)
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , President - Erindale Village Association (EVA)

BACKGROUND on SLAPPS

The issue of Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) was first dealt with by Mississauga Council in August 2008, in response to concerns raised by citizen groups in the Port Credit area.

November 16, 2009: The City of Mississauga Policy Planning Division invited representatives of Residents' Associations to an information session on new planning tools and development incentives that the City is exploring for possible implementation in Mississauga as part of the Official Plan Review.  NEW: Click here to view the amalgamated feedback received to date, as distributed to residents' associations on January 20, 2010 by the City's consultant, GHK.

NEXT MEETING: One of the outcomes of the November 16, 2009 meeting was that attendees would like more time to reflect on the material and have a second meeting to address issues in more depth.  A follow-up meeting is planned for late February 2010.

RAs received the following presentations, and were asked to comment:

• Policy Planning Division presentation: Assessing Planning Tools to Support Growth Management & Good Planing (Stakeholder Consultation: Nov. 16, 2009)

• GHK consultant presentation: Assessing Planning Tools for Mississauga (Community Stakeholder Consultation: Nov. 16, 2009)

The specific tools being considered include density/height bonusing associated with certain development proposals, community improvement plans and the application of financial incentives to achieve certain preferred types of development.  In addition, planning staff presented the use of community infrastructure impact studies (which would be required as part of a development application) to determine the potential social impacts associated with a development proposal.

NOTE: For more information about these tools click to view the one-page background document provided by the City.