Once the City and the Berkley B1 Group signed the three-year agreement, the City issued the first payment installment of $43,000 to the Berkley group for the first planned event in 2019.

In 2019, around mid July, the president of the Berkley B1 Group called City Administration and indicated they were having challenges with some of their 2019 events held earlier in the summer in other cities. The high water levels experienced throughout the province were causing issues for participants of the tournament. Additionally, there was concern for the well-being of the fish as there had been challenges at earlier events. Wanting the event to be a success in its first year, the Berkley B1 Group informed the City they would postpone the 2019 event until later in the year so that they could better address the issues. They still planned to move forward with the 2020 and 2021 events as scheduled.

In August, the Berkley B1 group informed the City that they would like to cancel the 2019 event however they would still proceed with the 2020 and 2021 events.

After reviewing the agreement with the legal and finance departments, it was determined, that the best way to proceed was to amend the original agreement.

As a result, Council decided the following as per CR552/2019:

That CR 508/2018 BE AMENDED as follows:

That City Council APPROVE a total maximum contribution of $86,000 to act as the Host City of the Berkley B1 Fishing Championship for two years in 2020 and 2021 with funding to come from the Sports Tourism Event Bid capital project account (7121026) to cover a portion of the event cost for the Berkley B1 Fishing Championship to be expended as follows $43,000 in 2019 and $43,000 in 2021; and further,

That payment of the $43,000 in 2021 BE MADE only after completion of the terms and conditions of the 2020 event satisfactory to the Executive Director of Recreation & Culture; and further,

That City Council AUTHORIZE the Chief Administrative Officer and City Clerk to sign an amended agreement satisfactory in form to the City Solicitor, in financial content to the City Treasurer and in technical content to the Executive Director of Recreation & Culture.

Discussion:

The event organizers were planning for the 2020 event, however as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic, like most other events throughout the Ontario, the organizers are needing to cancel the event. At the time this report was written, the provincial guidelines still prohibit gatherings of this size. Without knowing when these restrictions will be lifted, the organizers have made the decision to cancel the 2020 event in order to comply with these provincial orders and for the safety of the participants, organizers, volunteers and spectators.