Council will be accepting public submissions on extending the temporary use permit (TUP) for the Pathways Shelter at 142 Tranquille Rd. at its April 21 meeting, following council’s approval to host the meeting in a larger space as it anticipates plenty of feedback.

The 44-bed shelter, which has been open since January 2025, has garnered opposition from nearby businesses, of which 86 percent oppose its continuation, according to a survey conducted by the North Shore Business Improvement Association.

Following the meeting in April, council will later consider extending the shelter’s permit for three years.

Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson is remaining steadfast that he is not in a conflict of interest over the permit application to extend the life of the shelter.

Hamer-Jackson is currently suing Joshua Knaak, a director of the company that owns the property upon which the shelter sits, over claims of defamation. The suit was launched in 2024.

Hamer-Jackson’s insistence that he is not in conflict is at odds with the findings of independent third-party investigator Reece Harding, who found the mayor “had a non-pecuniary conflict of interest as defined by both the code [of conduct] and the Community Charter.”

At council’s March 24 meeting, just before the item was addressed by council, the city’s corporate officer, Maria Mazzotta, sought clarification from the mayor about legal advice he claims to have received.

“I want to confirm with you one more time, as this presents risk to the corporation, over and above any risk to you, that the legal advice you have obtained applies to this particular matter,” she said.

The mayor said it does, but refused to prove he had sought and received a legal opinion on the matter. Last year, council had directed the mayor to provide evidence he had a legal opinion, requesting to see even a summary of the opinion the mayor had received.

Mazzotta said Hamer-Jackson has not done that.

“And therefore you have not fulfilled the Community Charter requirement that you reflect the will of council on this matter,” Mazzotta said. “Not only that, we have reason to believe that should you participate in any proceedings related to this TUP, the corporation will experience a legal challenge, which is costly, as you know.”

Couns. Mike O’Reilly and Katie Neustaeter both recused themselves over possible conflicts. O’Reilly said he had a business relationship with one of the proponents and Neustaeter said she had received information from someone other than the proponent after March 10, which she felt put her in conflict.

Hamer-Jackson said he is not suing any companies related to Knaak, but Knaak himself, repeatedly arguing that point.

Coun. Nancy Bepple tried to convince Hamer-Jackson to recuse himself in the interest of moving forward with the agenda item.

“I would urge you to listen to the corporate officer and consider excusing yourself on this matter,” Bepple said.

“In the end, you may not get what you want by sitting in this meeting. Say we make a decision and it goes in the direction you voted. If someone disagrees with that decision, … it can go to court and it can be overthrown.”

Hamer-Jackson interrupted other councillors and the corporate officer repeatedly and was asked repeatedly to return to council’s agenda. In the end, the mayor did not recuse himself and voted against staff’s recommendation to hold the meeting. His was the only vote against.

The April 21 council meeting will be held in the Kia Lounge at Sandman Centre at 3 p.m.