The committee met at 0901 in committee room 1.

The Chair (Ms. Indira Naidoo-Harris): Good morning, everyone. The Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills will now come to order. There are two bills for consideration on the agenda this morning.

Boys and Girls Club of Niagara Act (Tax Relief), 2016

Consideration of the following bill:

Bill Pr45, An Act respecting the Boys and Girls Club of Niagara.

The Chair (Ms. Indira Naidoo-Harris): Since the applicants for the first one aren’t all here, let’s move to item 2, Bill Pr45, An Act respecting the Boys and Girls Club of Niagara. If we could ask the sponsor and applicant to please come up and take a seat. Could you please introduce yourselves, the sponsor and the applicant?

Mr. Wayne Gates: Good morning. Wayne Gates, and JoAnne Turner from the Boys and Girls Club.

The Chair (Ms. Indira Naidoo-Harris): Great. Do you have any comments to make?

Ms. JoAnne Turner: Yes, I do. I’ll try to be as brief as possible.

Good morning, Madam Chair and the members of the Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills. I’m JoAnne Turner, the executive director of the Boys and Girls Club of Niagara. On behalf of the club, I’d like to thank you for your consideration of the proposed Bill Pr45, Boys and Girls Club of Niagara Act (Tax Relief), 2016, which is before you today.

I would also like to thank Mr. Wayne Gates, our MPP from Niagara Falls; Mr. Jim Diodati, our Niagara Falls mayor; and members of the city of Niagara Falls council for their support in the development of this most important bill that could positively impact the children and youth and their families in the city of Niagara Falls for many years to come.

Our club is a not-for-profit charitable organization serving children and youth across the entire region of Niagara and, most prominently, in the city of Niagara Falls since 1960. Our signature programs are after-school programs where we send club buses out to neighbourhoods, we pick up children and youth, and we transport them to the club’s centre. Upon their arrival, we feed them supper—a hot meal—and they have access to a wide variety of activities, which includes swimming, computer and homework club, physical activity and social skills development programs. Then we transport them on our buses back to their neighbourhoods.

We do this with tremendous support from the city and community partners. We do it three times a week through the whole school year for a fee of $20 for the year. It’s not $20 a day or week, it’s $20 for the whole year, and it might surprise you that many of them don’t pay.

In addition, the organization in Niagara Falls has played an integral role in the delivery of municipal recreation programs. With annual funding from the city of Niagara Falls, the club provides over 3,000 swim lessons, gymnastics lessons, martial arts and camp programs for Niagara Falls children, youth and their families.

For 51 years, the programs were offered from a facility owned by the club located on municipally owned land. In 2011, the club, with significant support from the city, relocated the programs from the old building to a newly constructed facility at 8800 McLeod Road, which is the property that is in our bill today. That property was donated to the Boys and Girls Club by a donor, and the project was made possible through federal and provincial not-for-profit infrastructure grant funding. That funding was matched one third by the city of Niagara Falls and the Boys and Girls Club of Niagara through a capital campaign.

The collaboration with the city ensures that the facility is open to all residents of the city of Niagara Falls, not strictly those from low-income families. In 2014, the club and the city learned that as such, the property did not qualify for tax exemption through MPAC.

The imposed property taxes represent an onerous burden that would impact the collaboration with the municipality, the provision of the programs and services to the residents and the viability of the facility. It has presented an unforeseen and unique problem. For our community, we truly need a unique solution.

In consultation with our local leadership at both the municipal and provincial level, we believe that unique solution to be the bill that is before you today. With the support of the city of Niagara Falls, the Boys and Girls Club of Niagara is requesting that the municipality be empowered to exempt the specific land from taxation for municipal and school purposes, other than local improvement rates, beginning January 1, 2016, while the lands are used for the specific purpose; and to cancel the taxes for municipal and school purposes, other than local improvement rates, that were payable on the land from January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2015.

Your consideration of the materials submitted is most appreciated. On behalf of the club, I’d be pleased to provide further information if you need it. Thank you so much.

The Chair (Ms. Indira Naidoo-Harris): Does the sponsor have any comments that you’d like to add?

Mr. Wayne Gates: I think JoAnne has covered it pretty well, other than that we all know the role that Boys and Girls Clubs play in all of our communities throughout the province of Ontario. The important part of this is that it’s supported by the city of Niagara Falls.

The Chair (Ms. Indira Naidoo-Harris): Are there any interested parties in attendance?

Any comments from government before we move to committee member comments? All right.

MPP McGarry.

Mrs. Kathryn McGarry: Thank you very much for the presentation today.

One quick question, just to clarify: Were this to proceed, then the city of Niagara Falls would just exempt the taxation while Boys and Girls Club of Niagara is resident on that property?

Ms. JoAnne Turner: That is likely correct. It does have to go back to council and have a full vote from council.

Mrs. Kathryn McGarry: Okay, thank you—and thank you for the work you do.

The Chair (Ms. Indira Naidoo-Harris): MPP Vernile.

Ms. Daiene Vernile: Thank you very much, Ms. Turner, for coming here today.

A quick question for you—I’m just curious about how your organization works. You said it’s $20 per year. That’s per child? How many children are part of this program every year?

Ms. JoAnne Turner: We have, complete, 12,000 members. For that particular program, we serve about 3,000 across the region.

Ms. Daiene Vernile: It sounds like a wonderful program, and you’re to be commended for the work that you’re doing. Thank you.

Ms. JoAnne Turner: Thank you.

The Chair (Ms. Indira Naidoo-Harris): MPP Walker.

Mr. Bill Walker: JoAnne, it’s a pleasure. I’m a former recreation director, so I’m very familiar with the work that you do in the community and I just want to say thank you very much. Go back to your board and those members who help you out and thank them, because it’s a great service that you provide in the community.

One quick question: What type of money are we talking that would be exempted on an annual basis?

Ms. JoAnne Turner: There are arrears right now that are $420,000. It’s debilitating. On an annual basis, it’s just under $80,000.

Mr. Bill Walker: Right. Interesting. Thank you very much.

The Chair (Ms. Indira Naidoo-Harris): Any further questions or comments from committee members? Okay. Are we ready to vote? All right, great.

What we’re looking at is Bill Pr45, An Act respecting the Boys and Girls Club of Niagara.

0910

Shall section 1 carry? Carried.

Shall section 2 carry? Carried.

Shall section 3 carry? Carried.

Shall section 4 carry? Carried.

Shall section 5 carry? Carried.

Shall the preamble carry? Carried.

Shall the title carry? Carried.

Shall the bill carry? Carried.

Shall I report the bill to the House? Carried.

Thank you very much for coming in.

Mr. Wayne Gates: Thanks very much. We appreciate it.

Ms. JoAnne Turner: Thank you very much.

1733387 Ontario Corp. Act, 2016

Consideration of the following bill:

Bill Pr44, An Act to revive 1733387 Ontario Corp.

The Chair (Ms. Indira Naidoo-Harris): Next up, if I can ask for the sponsor and the applicant for Bill Pr44, An Act to revive 1733387 Ontario Corp.

Mr. Han Dong: Good morning, Chair, and good morning committee members. How are you?

Interjections.

Mr. Han Dong: Great. It’s been a long time.

It’s my pleasure to sponsor this private bill, Bill Pr44. With me is Sharon Wang. She can speak to the committee with the details and give the reason why we are asking to revive 1733387 Ontario Corp. Feel free to ask questions. With that, I’ll turn it over to Sharon.

Ms. Sharon Wang: Good morning, everyone. Thank you for considering the bill this morning. My name is Sharon. I’m representing my mom. Her name is Liming—

Interjection.

Ms. Sharon Wang: Oh, I’m not speaking loudly enough? Is this good?

Mr. Han Dong: Great. You’re doing well.

Ms. Sharon Wang: My mother’s business, 1733387 Ontario Corp., was dissolved in January 2014, when her business was sold.

The purchaser of the business required financial assistance at the time of the purchase, and so $50,000 was loaned to the purchaser by my mother. Since then, we have discovered that the purchaser is not adhering to the terms of the loan, and my mother has been forced to take legal action to recoup her loan. However, her loan of $50,000 to the purchaser was attached to 1733387 Ontario Corp., and therefore she is requesting that the corporation be revived in order to continue with legal action.

That is the situation. Thank you for your time and consideration. I’ll be happy to answer any questions.

The Chair (Ms. Indira Naidoo-Harris): Thank you. Are there any other interested parties in attendance here today? Okay.

Any comments from government before we move to committee members? MPP Vernile?

Ms. Daiene Vernile: Can you tell us a little bit more about this business—some background on it?

Ms. Sharon Wang: It was a convenience store. It’s a part of the franchise International News, which is right across the street at 800 Bay Street. My mom had operated it for a number of years—I can’t remember how many years; I think four or five years—and then she decided to sell it. She sold it in 2013 to a purchaser through our agent.

Ms. Daiene Vernile: So she sold it to an individual?

Ms. Sharon Wang: Yes.

Ms. Daiene Vernile: Tell us about this $50,000 loan.

Ms. Sharon Wang: At the time of the purchase, the purchaser said they couldn’t afford the business and they required some financial assistance. At the time, our lawyer had said that it’s common practice to loan some money to the purchaser. The agreement was that the loan was to be repaid within one year of time, but it has been, I think, two years since the agreement was made and we haven’t gotten the money back. That is why legal action is being considered and the corporation needs to be revived.

Ms. Daiene Vernile: If she revives the company, what is going to be the impact on the purchaser?

Ms. Sharon Wang: I don’t think there will be any impact on the purchaser per se. I think it’s more that the entity needs to be revived in order for legal action to proceed. But I don’t think there will be any effect on the purchaser.

Ms. Daiene Vernile: Thank you.

The Chair (Ms. Indira Naidoo-Harris): Any further questions or comments from committee members? Are we ready to vote? All right.

We are now considering Bill Pr44, An Act to revive 1733387 Ontario Corp.

Shall section 1 carry? Carried.

Shall section 2 carry? Carried.

Shall section 3 carry? Carried.

Shall the preamble carry? Carried.

Shall the title carry? Carried.

Shall the bill carry? Carried.

Shall I report the bill to the House? Carried.

Thank you very much, and thank you for coming in today. That wraps up the business of the day.

The committee adjourned at 0915.

CONTENTS

Wednesday 1 June 2016

Boys and Girls Club of Niagara Act (Tax Relief), 2016, Bill Pr45, Mr. Gates T-131

Mr. Wayne Gates, MPP

Ms. JoAnne Turner

1733387 Ontario Corp. Act, 2016, Bill Pr44, Mr. Dong T-132

Mr. Han Dong, MPP

Ms. Sharon Wang

STANDING COMMITTEE ON REGULATIONS AND PRIVATE BILLS

Chair / Présidente

Ms. Indira Naidoo-Harris (Halton L)

Vice-Chair / Vice-Présidente

Mrs. Kathryn McGarry (Cambridge L)

Mr. Lorenzo Berardinetti (Scarborough Southwest / Scarborough-Sud-Ouest L)

Mr. Bob Delaney (Mississauga–Streetsville L)

Mr. Joe Dickson (Ajax–Pickering L)

Ms. Jennifer K. French (Oshawa ND)

Mrs. Amrit Mangat (Mississauga–Brampton South / Mississauga–Brampton-Sud L)

Mrs. Kathryn McGarry (Cambridge L)

Ms. Indira Naidoo-Harris (Halton L)

Mr. Bill Walker (Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound PC)

Mr. Jeff Yurek (Elgin–Middlesex–London PC)

Substitutions / Membres remplaçants

Mr. Yvan Baker (Etobicoke Centre / Etobicoke-Centre L)

Mr. John Vanthof (Timiskaming–Cochrane ND)

Ms. Daiene Vernile (Kitchener Centre / Kitchener-Centre L)

Clerk / Greffier

Mr. Christopher Tyrell

Staff / Personnel

Ms. Susan Klein, legislative counsel