The commissioner of the Ontario Hockey League will speak to Chatham-Kent Council later this month after some councillors raised concerns about not being invited to an earlier informational meeting about the league’s possible interest in the municipality.
Darrin Canniff said in a statement posted to social media Thursday that the commissioner will present during the council meeting scheduled for March 23 in open session, allowing councillors and residents to hear directly about the league’s vision.
“Hey CK, The OHL showing interest in Chatham-Kent is great news, without a doubt. Our community is growing and attractive to new businesses and new investments,” Canniff wrote.
Canniff said part of his role as mayor involves meeting with organizations interested in the municipality and that many of those discussions are preliminary.
“As Mayor, I am committed to meeting with community groups, businesses, developers, and anyone interested in learning more about our municipality. Part of my job as Mayor is to take meetings. These meetings are often exploratory and information gathering opportunities,” he wrote.
The mayor said the online meeting with the OHL included himself, some councillors and senior staff, and was meant to gather information about possible league expansion.
“The online meeting we had with the OHL was attended by myself, some Councillors, and senior staff. In this case, I chose Councillors who have in the past expressed interest in the OHL and in investing in Chatham-Kent’s future. There were no developers, local entrepreneurs, or private citizens in attendance. The online meeting was purely informational, with the OHL commissioner sharing their vision for the expansion of the league and how CK might fit into it. There were no decisions made, dollars spent, or dollars promised.”
Canniff acknowledged that council as a whole should have been informed sooner about the meeting.
“I agree with what I’ve been hearing from Councillors and from the community: following the meeting, I should have sent an email to all of Council explaining the meeting and providing next steps. For that, I certainly apologize; I got caught up in the excitement about this amazing opportunity and what it could mean for the future of our community.”
He said the upcoming presentation is intended to ensure all councillors receive the same information.
“I also agree that the Councillors who weren’t at the meeting need to hear about this exciting opportunity as well – straight from the source. That is why I’m happy to confirm that I’m arranging for the OHL commissioner to speak directly to Council and the community at our next meeting on March 23 in open session.”
Canniff encouraged residents to watch the meeting and hear about the possibility for themselves.
“I encourage everyone to watch the Council meeting on the 23rd to hear this presentation for yourselves and get excited as I am about this possibility for CK.”
Questions about the earlier meeting were raised during the March 9 council meeting by Rhonda Jubenville and Alysson Storey, who both said they were not aware the meeting had taken place.
“I know it’s preliminary information, but now I feel at a disadvantage if this comes to council. Some of my colleagues have received information that I have not received. Is this how we’re doing business in Chatham-Kent now? I’m caught off guard by all of this,” Jubenville said during the meeting.
Storey said she was “unpleasantly surprised” to learn that some councillors were invited while others were not.
“This is not OK.”
Several councillors later took to social media to share their views on the issue.
Brock McGregor said he attended the meeting and described it as an opportunity to hear from the league about potential expansion.
“Rumors of ‘backroom deals’ and ‘secret meetings’ make for catchy headlines and Facebook clicks, but the reality is far more straightforward—and far more positive—for Chatham-Kent,” McGregor wrote.
“Recently, I joined the Mayor and several colleagues for an online meeting with the OHL Commissioner. Our goal was simple: to listen. The Commissioner shared the league’s expansion plans and their recent experiences in cities like Brantford. To be absolutely clear: no deals were signed, no commitments were made, and no taxpayer dollars were pledged.”
Melissa Harrigan said she was invited to the virtual meeting on Feb. 24 and described it as an informational session.
“The meeting did not have a pre-circulated agenda, so more of a ‘meet and greet’ style approach. Bryan shared a presentation on the OHL, their impact in the community, for hockey communities, economics, and recreation more broadly,” she wrote, referring to OHL commissioner Bryan Crawford.
Harrigan added that she understands concerns raised by colleagues who were not informed of the meeting.
“I do very much appreciate the sentiments of some councillors who felt that they were not advised of the meeting or its outcomes.”
Amy Finn said she was frustrated to learn about the meeting through the media.
“(I’m) upset that I again found out from the Media, information that could have easily been passed on at some point prior to the meeting, or at least prior to a Media Forum being advised. It is (embarrassing) when being asked questions that you have no knowledge of – and you should.”
Meanwhile, Lauren Anderson said she does not expect to be included in every early-stage meeting but supports sharing more information with council.
“However, I (don’t) expect nor want to be included in every preliminary, exploratory, information gathering meeting that other councillors, the mayor, or administration has.”
Canniff said he is committed to improving communication with council moving forward as discussions about the potential opportunity continue.
