One-Sentence Summary

Council heard digital engagement updates and route options from a River District presentation, approved a five-year agreement and adjusted storage funding for the Festival of Northern Lights report, and debated affordable housing metrics alongside site plan approvals for TD Bank and new townhouses before addressing trail delays and organizational changes affecting future permits.

Whole Meeting Summary

The River District Coordinator presented an annual salmon tour overview featuring new digital engagement tools, a partnership with RTO 7 for influencer content creation, and attendee discussion of a self-guided route starting at the West Side boat launch utilizing complimentary shuttle services. The committee considered a request from the Soggy and Ojibwe Nation to recognize a marker tree in Harrison Park for ecological restoration and cultural recognition, with staff recommending Council approval for funding an interpretive panel and ecological protection work while updating heritage attributes in the bylaw. The committee supported a five-year agreement with the Festival of Northern Lights covering years 25 to 29, allocating $65,000 from reserves for tree replacement and reducing annual storage funding to $20,000 while authorizing up to 920 staff hours for setup and maintenance. The Speaker 01 reported Owen Sound’s July and August 2025 statistics including ninety-seven permits, three hundred fifty-eight inspections, over one hundred million dollars in construction value, five hundred fifty-three residents, one hundred fifty-three units, the SkyDev project phase one of two hundred sixty-seven units at Bayshore Terrace, thirty new life leases, a Princess Auto expansion, and an affordable housing renovation. Council noted Amazon’s provision of correspondence and site plan documentation regarding the proposed warehouse distribution centre at 1875 16th Ave E intended for rerouting packages from large trucks to smaller delivery vehicles within the industrial park. Council discussed site plan approvals for TD Bank’s exterior ATM and accessible entrance at 901 2nd Ave E alongside a new 11-unit clustered townhouse development anticipated before year-end, while addressing questions regarding Bright Shores Hospital trail delays and debating data tracking for affordable housing components.

Most Newsworthy Items

• Site Plans for TD Bank and Bright Shores Hospital: Council discussed site plan approvals for TD Bank’s exterior ATM and accessible entrance at 901 2nd Ave E, alongside a new 11-unit clustered townhouse development on 9th Avenue East anticipated before year-end. A representative from Neighbourhoods North questioned delays to the Bright Shores Hospital trail due to a proposed shed that was subsequently cancelled. Staff confirmed the hospital plan is approved but noted organizational changes may affect future building permits without city knowledge. Council members debated tracking data on affordable housing components, renovations of existing rental stock like Rockview Terrace, and the health of the municipal housing spectrum beyond new unit counts. Discussions included whether to track renovation permits or rely on legislation and complaints regarding rent evictions and landlord practices, with references to the RentSafe program in Owen Sound.
• River District Coordinator Presents Salmon Tour Update: The River District Coordinator presented the annual salmon tour overview, highlighting new digital engagement tools like the Your Own Owen Sound app and social media events for Salmon Discovery Day on October 4th. The presentation detailed a partnership with RTO 7 to bring influencer Lily Harrison Park Cabin for overnight stays and content creation to showcase the city’s accessibility. Attendees discussed the self-guided tour route starting at the West Side boat launch, utilizing complimentary shuttle services and interactive app features that ping users near stops like the Farmers Market. Council members offered kudos for the team’s work and asked questions regarding influencer selection criteria and tour availability for those unable to attend the flagship event.
• Council Discusses Affordable Housing Needs and Developer Progress: Council members discussed the need to identify community housing needs, specifically for affordable and missing-middle housing, while noting that existing research by United Way may suffice. Staff indicated they are working with developers like Tres Flato and Red Hawk toward final subdivision approvals but lack resources for additional data collection on evictions or property standards. The committee considered whether to adopt a policy change regarding development charges or grants to support specific housing mechanisms.
• The Chief Building Official reported that Owen Sound issued 97 permits: The Chief Building Official reported that Owen Sound issued 97 permits and conducted 358 inspections during July and August, generating over $100 million in construction value.

Meeting Recap

5.a Presentation from the River District Coordinator Re Salmon Tour

The River District Coordinator presented an annual salmon tour overview featuring new digital engagement tools and a partnership with RTO 7 for influencer content creation. Attendees discussed a self-guided route starting at the West Side boat launch utilizing complimentary shuttle services and interactive app features. Council members offered kudos for the team’s work and asked questions regarding influencer selection criteria and tour availability.

River District Coordinator Presents Salmon Tour Update

The River District Coordinator presented the annual salmon tour overview, highlighting new digital engagement tools like the Your Own Owen Sound app and social media events for Salmon Discovery Day on October 4th. The presentation detailed a partnership with RTO 7 to bring influencer Lily Harrison Park Cabin for overnight stays and content creation to showcase the city’s accessibility. Attendees discussed the self-guided tour route starting at the West Side boat launch, utilizing complimentary shuttle services and interactive app features that ping users near stops like the Farmers Market. Council members offered kudos for the team’s work and asked questions regarding influencer selection criteria and tour availability for those unable to attend the flagship event.

8.a.1 Report CS-25-091 from the Manager of Parks and Open Space Re

The committee considered a request from the Soggy and Ojibwe Nation to recognize a marker tree in Harrison Park for ecological restoration and cultural recognition. Staff recommended Council approve the request, allocating up to $400 for a temporary interpretive panel and up to $10,000 from the parkland reserve for ecological protection work. The committee also agreed to update heritage attributes in the bylaw to include this tree as part of the 2026 work plan.

8.a.2 Report CS-25-094 from the Director of Community Services Re Agreement Renewal

Council approved a five-year agreement with the Festival of Northern Lights covering years 25 to 29, allocating $65,000 from reserves for tree replacement and reducing annual storage funding to $20,000. The resolution authorizes up to 920 staff hours for setup and maintenance while requiring the festival to supply its own equipment if city fleet resources are insufficient.

Report Proposes a Five-year Agreement (years 25 to 29) with the Festival

The report proposes a five-year agreement (years 25 to 29) with the Festival of Northern Lights, recommending a financial transfer of $20,000 annually for storage (reduced from the previous $40,000), a total staff allocation of 920 hours for setup, maintenance, and teardown without specific maximum hour caps for fleets, and an allocation of up to $65,000 for tree replacement. The agreement also stipulates that if city fleet resources are insufficient for display setup, the festival must supply its own equipment.

Council Carried a Recommendation to Allocate $65 000 from Reserves for Tree

The council carried a recommendation to allocate $65,000 from reserves for tree replacement and reduce the Festival of Northern Lights storage allocation from $40,000 to $20,000 to offset new offsite storage costs. The festival is noted as likely eligible for MAT tax assistance pending committee criteria.

11.a Memorandum from the Chief Building Official Re Development Update

The Speaker 01 reported that Owen Sound issued 97 permits and conducted 358 inspections during July and August, generating over $100 million in construction value. New residential activity included 553 residents across 153 units, with a notable groundbreaking for the SkyDev project’s first phase of 267 units at Bayshore Terrace. Additional developments featured thirty new life leases, a Princess Auto expansion allowing larger spaces for Winners and Homesense, and an affordable housing renovation at Rockview Apartments by Grey County. Planning applications year-to-date have essentially doubled compared to the same period last year, while site plan approvals are now staff-delegated.

11.c Site Plan DA-25-014 - 1875 16th Ave E - Speaker 02 noted Amazon’s construction of a warehouse distribution centre in the industrial park for rerouting packages from big trucks to smaller delivery vehicles.

11.f Site Plan - DA-25-014 - 901 2nd Ave E - TD

Council discussed site plan approvals for TD Bank’s exterior ATM and accessible entrance at 901 2nd Ave E alongside a new 11-unit clustered townhouse development on 9th Avenue East anticipated before year-end. A representative from Neighbourhoods North questioned delays to the Bright Shores Hospital trail due to a proposed shed that was subsequently cancelled, while staff confirmed the hospital plan is approved but noted organizational changes may affect future building permits without city knowledge. Council members debated tracking data on affordable housing components, renovations of existing rental stock like Rockview Terrace, and the health of the municipal housing spectrum beyond new unit counts, including discussions on whether to track renovation permits or rely on legislation regarding rent evictions and landlord practices with references to the RentSafe program in Owen Sound.

Site Plans for TD Bank and Bright Shores Hospital

Council discussed site plan approvals for TD Bank’s exterior ATM and accessible entrance at 901 2nd Ave E, alongside a new 11-unit clustered townhouse development on 9th Avenue East anticipated before year-end. A representative from Neighbourhoods North questioned delays to the Bright Shores Hospital trail due to a proposed shed that was subsequently cancelled. Staff confirmed the hospital plan is approved but noted organizational changes may affect future building permits without city knowledge. Council members debated tracking data on affordable housing components, renovations of existing rental stock like Rockview Terrace, and the health of the municipal housing spectrum beyond new unit counts. Discussions included whether to track renovation permits or rely on legislation and complaints regarding rent evictions and landlord practices, with references to the RentSafe program in Owen Sound.

Council Discusses Affordable Housing Needs and Developer Progress

Council members discussed the need to identify community housing needs, specifically for affordable and missing-middle housing, while noting that existing research by United Way may suffice. Staff indicated they are working with developers like Tres Flato and Red Hawk toward final subdivision approvals but lack resources for additional data collection on evictions or property standards. The committee considered whether to adopt a policy change regarding development charges or grants to support specific housing mechanisms.

Links

Read full transcript: https://helpos.ca/transcripts/owen-sound/committee-community-services/2025-09-17

Agenda page: https://helpos.ca/agendas/owen-sound/committee-community-services/2025-09-17

Official meeting page: https://pub-owensound.escribemeetings.com/MeetingsCalendarView.aspx/Meeting?Id=6e59ed01-f5a9-40aa-8cc7-8b8cdc733ce3

Original video: https://video.isilive.ca/owensound/New Encoder_CS_2025-09-17-05-30.mp4