By Tessa Swanton, Bruce Peninsula Press
At the March 24th Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula (NBP) council meeting, council approved both falconry and relocation services for 2025 as a means of deterring geese from the Lion’s Head Beach and surrounding areas. The total cost budgeted in 2025 for goose management is $54,000, $40,000 allocated for falconry services and $14,000 for relocation services. Falconry Services Inc. was employed in 2024 by NBP where trained hawks were used to deter geese; this method was somewhat successful.
Parks and Facilities Manager, Mark Coleman, stated that “from the input I’ve heard from Council this past year or two, peak spring and summer months are very important to tourism and the cleanliness of our waterfront and beach, but it is also a concern when there are a couple thousand birds there in the early fall.” Coleman suggested “maximum efforts for potential maximum results in terms of deterring geese.”
Relocation of the geese by Integrated Goose Management Services is planned to occur around the 10th to the 15th of June and falconry services are proposed for April through August. Nest and egg removal would occur in April. Staff will analyze the success of the combined falconry and relocation services at the end of the year prior to committing to continued services in 2026. Both companies suggest there will be a decline over a two-to-three-year period of maximum efforts to deter Canada geese.
Coleman advised that staff have recently submitted applications to the Canadian Wildlife Service for Migratory Bird Control Permits for use of falconry services, nest and egg removal and relocation services.
Council Increases Procurement (Purchasing) Policy Limits Due to Tariff Impacts
A report from the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), Peggy Van Mierlo-West, on March 24th addressed the impacts of recent tariff announcements on NBP. Tariffs may increase the cost of goods and services purchased by the Municipality, which poses challenges to finances and operations. The CAO report states that NBP may be faced with higher expenses for roadwork, construction materials used for infrastructure projects, capital upgrades, equipment, and municipal fleet vehicles. She further advised that tariff related trade restrictions could cause delays and disruptions to supply chains resulting in extended project timelines.
CAO Van Mierlo-West suggested collaborating with other municipalities to achieve bulk discounts and improve bargaining power, securing long-term contracts and price lock agreements with suppliers, and increasing the expenditure level thresholds within the Procurement Policy. Staff are proposing an increase of $20,000 across all expenditure levels (see table). The CAO report states, “it is recommended that thresholds be adjusted to ensure flexibility in purchasing” and this change “may be beneficial in allowing staff to maintain flexibility while purchasing more Canadian goods and services.”
The CAO indicated that anyone may bid on public tenders and the Municipality cannot legally restrict bids from the USA. However, wording can be incorporated into the Procurement Policy emphasizing that Canadian bids will be considered first and foremost. CAO Van Mierlo-West noted that municipal fleet vehicles are American made and some municipal software items are purchased from global companies although the suppliers are Canadian.
A letter from Patrick Brown, Mayor of Brampton, was included as correspondence on the Council agenda. Mayor Brown invited municipalities to join the “Stand for Canada” movement encouraging local governments to “ban US-owned companies from bidding on new municipal contracts.” Council supported the messaging despite being unsure if they could adhere to the initiative.
Some municipalities and counties are launching online Trade and Tariff Resource/Supports Hubs as a means of providing valuable information to the public as economic conditions continue to unfold. The hubs focus on key actions taken by the governments (supporting local businesses, advocacy, and prioritizing Canadian purchases) and list resources for shoppers and business owners.
Although the concept of restricting US businesses or subsidiaries from bidding on municipal/city contracts has great merit, it appears that municipalities are having difficulty fully implementing the policy change. The City of Toronto, Ontario’s largest municipality, has limited bids to Canadian companies under $353,000. A strong stance from the city has proved to be complex as staff are still working on their definition of US businesses. Banning US business bids may be noble symbolically, but fully implementing this policy change could result in cutting large municipal contracts and potentially costing taxpayers.
The updated Procurement Policy will be presented to Council on April 14th.
NBP Hires New Clerk
Northern Bruce Peninsula welcomed Alexandra Croce as the new Municipal Clerk. Croce comes from the Municipality of Meaford, where she was the Acting Clerk, with experience as a Council and Committee Coordinator and Real Estate Law Clerk. Croce grew up in Mississauga then moved to Owen Sound in 2020 to begin work as a Law Clerk. Croce studied sociology at the University of Guelph and the Law Clerk program at Seneca College. She is continuing to further her municipal knowledge by gaining certifications from the Association of Municipal Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario (AMCTO).
When asked what drew her to Northern Bruce Peninsula, Croce said that she really wanted to come to a smaller community. She “heard really good things in terms of work culture and environment, council and staff.” Croce was looking for a positive work environment and is eager to grow in her career. She expressed that she was impressed to see how NBP is implementing advanced programs, such as online records management and the short-term accommodation program. Croce is eager to sharpen her leadership skills and continue to build relationships with stakeholders.
As Municipal Clerk, Croce will be acting as a Statutory Officer of the Corporation with many duties being governed by Provincial Statutes, like the Municipal Elections Act and the Planning Act. The main responsibilities of the Municipal Clerk include maintaining municipal records, issuing licences, conducting elections, and acting as a liaison between the municipality and the public. Croce will also be managing municipal cemeteries, the By-law Department, and planning matters.
