Council rejects updated bylaw

Duane Hicks

The town’s business licensing bylaw will remain status quo for now.
Town council last night voted 5-1 against a recommendation from the Planning and Development executive committee to approve an amended draft of the bylaw.
This means the current bylaw will remain in effect for the time being.
The updated version of the bylaw drew attention for stating liability insurance is required to obtain a business licence.
As well, some individuals raised issue with the fact professionals—or in fact, any type of business—should need a licence at all from the town.
“I found certain items in this draft to be somewhat confrontational, to say the least,” Coun. Ken Perry said during last night’s regular meeting.
“It’s discriminatory in some areas and restrictive in others, and I don’t wish to support it,” he added.
Coun. John Albanese said although he’s on the committee that approved the updated draft, he realizes community members still have concerns about the amendments and he wants to hear them.
For example, the Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce did a survey that indicated many of its members would like more input on any business licensing bylaw amendments, with some feeling it should not be changed at all.
“We have to listen to the people; they’re scraping the walls just to survive,” Coun. Albanese said.
“And I feel strongly this is going to put another restriction on the business sector of the Town of Fort Frances,” he added.
Coun. Albanese recalled that when he was president of the Chamber of Commerce 31 years ago, local businesses had problems even then.
Now it’s worse.
“We got no mill, we’ve got few businesses—I’d like to keep them happy if we can,” he remarked.
“That’s my take on approving the licensing.”
“I do believe that there is more work to be done,” Mayor Roy Avis said after the meeting.
“I don’t believe we’ve covered all of the areas totally,” he added, noting he still sees some discrepancies in the most up-to-date version of the bylaw, including the section on professionals.
“If you’re going to pass something, make sure it’s correct,” Mayor Avis stressed.
The only person who voted in favour of the amended bylaw was Coun. Wendy Brunetta, who also sits on the Planning and Development executive committee.
“I just want to clarify the motion before us is not whether we’re going to have a business licence or not,” she noted.
“It’s already there. It was passed 11 years ago.
“So the question before us tonight is whether we agree with the changes that have been brought forward,” she said.
“I know there’s still some people who feel that there should be additional changes.
“We have seen this bylaw now for over a month,” Coun. Brunetta added. “The administration’s been working on it for over 15 months.
“It can’t keep coming back and back,” she stressed.
“If it’s going to be sent back to committee, I will not vote for that.
“We are either accepting these changes that have been put before us tonight or we’re not,” Coun. Brunetta reasoned.
“And if we don’t accept the changes, the bylaw’s still there. It was passed 11 years ago,” she reiterated.
“I think the question that people are really asking, including the Chamber, is whether we should have a business bylaw or not, and that’s not the question before us tonight,” Coun. Brunetta said.