THUNDER BAY – A proposal to waive rent for the Lakehead Transportation Museum has been firmly rejected by Thunder Bay’s city council.
The motion, put forward by Coun. Aldo Ruberto, would have saved the volunteer-run museum society the roughly $5,000 a year it currently pays the city to lease space adjacent to the Pool 6 dock, for five years retroactive to 2020.
The retiring at-large councillor said the gesture would recognize early challenges outside of the museum’s control and help it establish itself as an attraction at the waterfront – something he argued also brings major benefits to the city.
“They’re providing a tourist attraction, and they provided an anchor for the waterfront," he said at Monday's council meeting. "Now we see the art gallery going down there, we see Science North looking at it. The added value for the last couple of years, whether they made money or lost money, they were there doing something for the waterfront.”
City staff recommended against the move, however, saying it would violate an established policy offering a consistent 25 per cent discount, up to $25,000, to non-profits that lease or buy land from the city.
The 2002 policy is intended “to ensure equal treatment to Thunder Bay’s many deserving organizations,” staff wrote in a memo to council.
It’s been followed with few or no exceptions, staff have said, though some organizations with agreements that pre-date the policy receive greater discounts.
Groups that have received discounts under the policy include the George Jeffrey Children’s Centre, Boys & Girls Clubs of Thunder Bay, Matawa Non-Profit Housing, and Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services, staff said.
The city declined to share a full list of groups that receive the discount, saying it could contain confidential information, but said there were eight groups currently receiving discounts on leases under the policy, as well as 13 that received discounts on a land sale.
Ruberto argued while his proposal might break with that policy, it would benefit the city's efforts to develop the waterfront with little downside - and noted the city often supports non-profits in other ways.
“I don’t like to go against policy,” he said, "but I’m basing it on its own merits."
"We deal with things in black and white, but this is in the grey area... We’re helping a group that’s helping us."
No other councillors spoke to the motion Monday.
Only two of ruberto's colleagues, Couns. Mark Bentz and Peng You, joined him in voting for the proposal.
In an interview, Coun. Andrew Foulds emphasized the vote was not a reflection on the museum society's "phenomenal work" to preserve local history and attract people to the waterfront.
However, he said he was hesitant to approve an exception, saying there are dozens of non-profit groups in the city doing great work that benefits the public.
"We need to treat all of them fairly and equitably," he said. "Once you start making exceptions, potentially you start setting precedent."
Coun. Shelby Ch'ng agreed, saying making the exception could be a "slippery slope."
"The LTMS group is as worthy as any other non profit that rents from the city," said Coun. Brian Hamilton in a statement provided to TBnewswatch. "A policy is in place to support those groups with a discounted rent program which most utilize. For the sake of fairness and equity for all groups, I would invite every organization to use this channel."
The motion required a two-thirds majority to pass, as it would have reversed council’s 2020 vote to approve the current lease agreement with the museum society.
The society had unsuccessfully requested rent relief at that time, pointing to the impacts of COVID-19 and road construction that delayed its opening.
The society had welcomed Ruberto's motion, saying it would invest any savings back into operations and improvements, including potentially welcoming the historic James Whalen tug.
Note: This article has been updated with additional information from the City of Thunder Bay, and comment from Couns. Shelby Ch'ng and Brian Hamilton.
