The Staff Follow-up Report.pdf

The city's vision is to be the best place in Canada to raise a child, promote innovation, engage citizens, and provide diverse economic opportunities. The mission is to provide quality public service that contributes to a healthy, safe, and prosperous community in a sustainable manner. The city's values include accountability, cost consciousness, equity, excellence, honesty, innovation, leadership, respect, and teamwork.

An internal audit in 2014 found 684 potentially unlicensed businesses, which could result in a potential revenue source of $130,000. However, an investigation by licensing staff identified that only 27 locations were not licensed, with potential lost revenue of $3,613.

The discrepancy between the internal audit report and the licensing staff investigation was due to the internal audit comparing outdated data from May 2013 and not reviewing whether the business required a license under the Licensing By-law.

A Licencing and Permits Officer was assigned to review the audited list of unlicensed businesses and found that 277 businesses were licensed after May 2013, 152 did not require a license, 34 had a license pending, 191 were no longer operating, 26 were under enforcement, and 4 had duplicate addresses.

The review found that all but 27 addresses were active within Licensing, and since completion of the review, three properties have been licensed, three properties were closed, and the remaining 21 are under investigation or pending.

The city has implemented regular meetings with representation from Fire, Public Health, Planning, and Building Departments/Divisions to notify the Licensing Division of any businesses found that should require a license. Internal audits by the Licensing Division are now completed regularly, and officers have initiated proactive work to locate new businesses operating without licenses.

The city is also working on developing a common address database and reviewing business license fees to achieve full cost recovery in accordance with the provisions of the Municipal Act, 2001.