SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The owner of a downtown bed and breakfast has asked city council why she must pay for a business licence when dozens of unregulated guest homes do not.

Faith Embleton, who operates Embleton House on 52 Avenue, said there are 11 licensed bed and breakfast operators in Yellowknife and some 60 to 80 unlicensed and unregulated bed and breakfast sites and other guest rooms in the city. Some of them are advertised on the Internet site Airbnb. Airbnb provides a place where anybody can list a room in their home or their whole home to travelers.

"Rules are not followed when it comes to fire safety, cleanliness and the number of people that are in a given place," Embleton told councillors about the issue. "They don't care about you and your safety. They don't care about the guests. It's every man for himself. It's the wild west."

Embleton seemed to find a supporter in Coun. Niels Konge, who agreed the city needs to level the playing field.

"In this changing world of Airbnb and Uber taxis, this new style of business, we need to look at how we regulate that," Konge said.

"As I said to Faith, if we can't regulate them, then why would you be regulated?"

According to Mayor Mark Heyck, there is no definitive direction on how the city will look into Embleton's concerns at this point.

"Council could pass a motion at an upcoming meeting to direct staff to bring forward a memo containing research and analysis as to our legal framework and ability to regulate these online bookings as well as information on how other municipalities are addressing the issue," Heyck stated in an e-mail.

Council hears pitch to improve to improve emergency services

Yellowknife-based Advanced Medical Solutions is seeking a contact with the city to improve and enhance its emergency services and medical education.

Councillors listened to a presentation Monday by company president Sean Ivens on what his company has to offer.

"We've noticed the articles in the paper recently about the challenges that the Yellowknife Fire Department is having with retention and workload. We've been a partner with the fire department for a number of years in an education role," Ivens said.

Earlier this year, the company got the contract to provide ground ambulance service in Inuvik. Advanced Medical Solutions has also worked with the community of Behchoko to enhance its emergency services.

A report delivered to city council last month by Calgary's Behr Consultants indicated that the fire department is struggling to retain firefighters, is overworked and in some cases under trained. The report called for significant increases in the number of firefighters and dispatchers employed by the city.

Councillors get first look at capital plan

City of Yellowknife staff unveiled an ambitious development plan to city councillors for the first time at Monday's Municipal Services Committee meeting.

The Capital Plan was presented to councillors by Milan Nguyen, from the planning and development department. It essentially covers the area around Frame Lake, including Bristol Pit, development on the west side of Fame Lake, a proposal to resurrect McNiven Beach on the McMahon Frame Lake Trail, enhancing Somba K'e Park beside city hall and the ceremonial circle behind Joint Task Force (North) headquarters.

Coun. Niels Konge wanted to know what was meant by higher quality architectural and green design, which is what the plan calls for in developing the west side of the lake.

Jeff Humble, city director of planning and development said that exactly what that means will be developed in the next stages of the plan. Nguyen said the plans can only happen with the co-operation of others, including the territorial government, Yellowknives Dene, the city's heritage society, the legislative assembly, the Department of National Defence and the RCMP.

City council will discuss and debate the plan in the New Year, said Mayor Mark Heyck

There is no cost estimate for the improvements at this time.

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