City to formalize process for unsolicited partnership proposals after stadium controversy

By Christena Lawrie, CFRC's Broadcast Journalist and Local Journalism Initiative Reporter.

Council has voted to explore creating a formal process for handling unsolicited partnership proposals.

Currently, the City has no standardized framework for evaluating these proposals, instead bringing them directly to Council on a case-by-case basis. While that flexibility has enabled innovative, well-received projects, such as the Inclusive Playground, councillors say it has also created confusion for proponents and the public around how decisions are made.

The issue gained urgency following last year’s proposed soccer stadium at the Memorial Centre, which sparked escalating community concerns and tense debate before being withdrawn.

Councillors broadly supported the move, emphasizing fairness and consistency, while also cautioning against limiting flexibility for future opportunities.

City staff will report back by the end of 2026 with options for a formalized approach to reviewing unsolicited partnership proposals.

Listen to the full story here.