The following is a recap of the City of St. John's Regular Council Meeting on August 12, 2025, which provides an overview of Council decisions. All related documents for the decisions outlined below and the full agenda from the meeting are available by visiting the button below.

Council Meeting Video, Agenda & Documents

Provincial Wildfire Update

At the meeting, the mayor forwent the go-around to focus on the ongoing wildfire situation, especially its impact on residents of CBS, Paradise, and St. John’s. He urged Galway and Southlands residents to prepare for possible evacuation, follow official updates, and stay informed as conditions can change quickly. He commended firefighters and first responders for their efforts, thanked staff and the Canada Games community, emphasized public safety, and reminded people to avoid the affected area.

Wildfire updates can be found at StJohns.ca/Alerts.

View Alerts

Public Electric Vehicle Charging Network New Installations and Rates

The City of St. John’s is updating its timeline and rates for public EV charging stations. Currently, Level 2 chargers are available at six sites. With federal ZEVIP funding, 26 faster Level 2 chargers (up to 19.2 kW) will be installed between 2025–2027 at priority locations including Newtown Road Tennis Club, Cavendish Square, Kenmount Terrace Community Centre, and Quidi Vidi Lake, along with several others.

Revised rates:

• Existing Level 2 (6.2–7.2 kW): $2.00/hour (up from $1.50)

• New faster Level 2 (16.6–19.2 kW): $4.50/hour

Fees cover electricity, maintenance, monitoring, and a reserve for replacements. Rates remain below market averages in other provinces and still offer significant savings over gasoline. Charger and parking fees will be paid via the City’s PayByPhone app.

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Planning Applications and Information:

A planning application is a formal request to amend the Envision St. John's Municipal Plan and/or City’s Envision St. John’s Development Regulations. This would include applications to rezone or change the text in the Municipal Plan or Development Regulations. An amendment can be initiated by city staff, City Council, or a property owner.

Active applications can be viewed on the Planning St. John's webpage, which allows the public to learn more about planning applications, track progress, give feedback and ask questions and view upcoming public meetings all in one place.

The following planning applications were reviewed at the meeting:

Appointment: Arts and Culture Advisory Committee

Council approved the appointment of Caroline Godin (Soundbone Traditional Arts Foundation) to the Arts and Culture Advisory Committee, filling an existing vacancy in the Cultural, Indigenous, and Intangible Cultural Heritage Organization category. This follows a May call for members, which received four applications reviewed by staff.

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Petition: 222 LeMarchant Road

Residents near 222 LeMarchant Road submitted a petition requesting a meeting with Council to discuss the proposed 99-unit housing development at that location and share their concerns. Councillor Ravencroft presented the petition at the meeting.

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Permits Issued

Council was provided with a list of Development Permits and Building Permits issued since the last council meeting for their information.

• Development Permit List
• Building Permit List

Weekly Payment Vouchers

Council approved the weekly payment vouchers for the weeks ending July 30 and August 6.