Grey County Committee of the Whole Meeting Transcript — April 23, 2026

00:00:14 Speaker 01: Okay, so I'd like to call to order this committee, the whole meeting of April twenty third, twenty twenty six. At this point in time, I'll put out a declaration of interest. Are there any declarations of interests that anybody would like to express? Seeing. Seen no hands go up. We will carry on business arising. Oh, sorry, Councillor Carlton. My apologies for not paying attention. I would like to call item six up. Okay. Right.

00:01:26 Speaker 01: So I've got the nod from Councillor Carlton that I'll carry on. Monster question that I'll carry on until we get to that agenda item. Okay, good. Thank you. Any business arising from the minutes? Seeing no hands, we will move on to our delegation. We have one delegation this this morning that I always look forward to. This annual update coming from Kate Burns Gallagher, who represents, who will be representing the Western Ontario Wardens Caucus, providing us with an update of priorities and achievements and our directions towards the next year.

00:01:53 Speaker 01: So. we welcome you, Ms. Burns Gallagher. It's great to see you. I absolutely love working with you. I'm very pleased to be the the chair of the conference committee this this year, and I think you're going to have some great news to share with with everyone here. So welcome, and if you have any difficulty with the technology, there's lots of help behind you that'll step up and help. There we go. Wonderful.

00:02:19 Speaker 01: Thank you so much, Warren, for the incredibly kind introduction. and through you to Kanyon Council, it's a pleasure to be here today to bring an update on the Western Ontario Warrens Caucus, our progress on our strategic priorities, and some achievements that we've accomplished in the past year. So let's make sure I can get this going. There we go. So just a quick overview of who we are. So we are the 15 upper and single-tier municipalities across Western Ontario. So west of the GTA, more than 300 communities, 1.6 million residents, and over 250 thousand businesses, and we are 90% rural, and that's really the glue that binds our region together: is that rural, small community focus.

00:02:52 Speaker 01: And although we are 90% rural, we are the economic engine of this province. When we look at manufacturing, agriculture, energy production, tourism, and our supply chain sectors, we are driving the economy of this province, and our strength really is in our collective voice and the collaboration across our 15 members. So, what do we do at our core? The WOWC or WOWC, as we call ourselves, exists to advance our strategic shared initiatives and regional priorities. So, we're looking at those priorities that impact all 15 of our counties collectively, but are also unique and niche to Western Ontario. We provide a unified voice to government. I like to say we're the dating. service between Western Ontario and the provincial and federal government, and we conduct research and analysis to inform solutions and build partnerships that really expand the capacity of our 15 counties. Our work is always consistent, nonpartisan, and grounded in evidence. So our mission is to advocate with a unified voice. We want to all be singing from that same song sheet to advance common needs and opportunities through collaboration. and evidence-based solutions, ensuring a prosperous and connected future for Western Ontario.

00:03:55 Speaker 01: The mission is the foundation for everything that we do: our advocacy, our research, our partnership building, and our member support.

00:04:07 Speaker 01: Our new strategic plan, which was approved last January, so this is our 2025-2027 plan, centers around four major goals. The first is being a voice for the residents. First is being a voice for the region, so that consistent, coordinated advocacy. The second is as an information source, providing members with insights, data, and research. Third is being an asset for our counties, so those shared regional initiatives, tools, and capacity building. And last is being a value partner to government. We want that proactive engagement that positions the WOWC as a collaborative problem solver. So this strategy. So this structure really provides the caucus for measurable outcomes and sharper advocacy. So looking at those goals, the first one, the voice for the region, and what our strategic priorities are under that. First up, I'm sure no surprise to this group is that infrastructure development and funding. So we are advocating for continued and predictable infrastructure funding, investment in transportation connectivity, recreation. Connectivity, recognition of Western Ontario's economic impact to the provincial GDP, and policies that support long-term sustainable asset management. Without adequate infrastructure, we cannot support our population growth, attract investment, or expand the workforce. I know later today you'll be talking about Bill 98 and the Canada Ontario Partnership Build Fund. And on May 4th, we have a meeting with Minister McCarthy to understand a little bit better about what that fund means for. rural Ontario, Western Ontario, for our counties particularly. How can our counties tap into that funding? So we're going to be asking those hard questions on May fourth of the minister. Our second priority is housing affordability and availability. Our advocacy focus here is securing sustained infrastructure investment. You can't have housing without infrastructure; they're intricately linked to one another. Recognizing the unique rural development models, we are. building housing in Western Ontario at a great rate. I have the data and the research that shows in Western Ontario we are building the housing, and so in order to keep that momentum going, we need the infrastructure investment supporting attainable and workforce housing.

00:06:11 Speaker 01: We know that we need affordable housing as well. It's not just McMansions, but it's affordable housing as well, and encouraging flexible tools that reflect rural realities. So simply put, infrastructure and housing to bad. Structure and housing capacity need to be aligned if we expect rural communities to grow. Our third priority is workforce development and preservation. So under this, we're pushing for workforce housing solutions in order to attract a workforce. We need housing to support those individuals, training partnerships with colleges, universities, and industry, broadband and transportation connectivity, making sure that people connect to the internet, and then that transportation to connect them to their workplace. and lastly, policy tools that help employers recruit and retain talent. A strong workforce is the engine that really drives our economic competitiveness. And last but not least, mental health services and supports. Many of you may have seen AMO's report at the beginning of the year indicating that homelessness is increasing more quickly at a rapid pace in northern and rural communities. And so, we are ensuring that we are advocating for dedicated funding. for rural mental health and addiction supports, particularly under the homelessness prevention program funding, expanded wraparound service models, relief from unsupported social service costs—we know those costs are increasing—and the burdens coming to the property taxpayer, which is our counties and our municipalities, and long-term sustainable funding rather than crisis response.

00:08:00 Speaker 01: Let's look at the root cause of the issues and support those root causes. This issue touches every. community and requires coordinated provincial and federal leadership. Moving from our priorities into our goals, once again, we want to be that information source. So, how we've been doing that? We've been looking at key initiatives. We have our workforce development program that was implemented in 2022. We have housing and infrastructure data, where we've been working with the Rural Ontario Institute on the Rural Housing and Information System. We also have regional analytic tools. and we have partnerships with post-secondary school institutions, including Western, University of Guelph, University of Waterloo, and we also are pursuing funding with the Trade Impacted Communities Program as well.

00:08:48 Speaker 02: And we're hopeful to hear shortly on a regional project through that initiative.

00:08:56 Speaker 02: When it comes to being an asset for our counties, we've provided many things. I've mentioned the workforce strategy; those. rural housing system research, the trade impacted communities, but what we also do is bring people together, and we are incredibly fortunate that Warren Matrasov also serves as the chair of our Western Ontario Municipal Conference. This will be our third year in bringing this conference back, and only our second year it was sold out. This conference brings together provincial ministers, folks from across the municipal sector, whether it's elected officials. staff, or stakeholders that are involved with the municipalities, and it's a real opportunity to bring people together to have discussions.

00:09:40 Speaker 02: And we are very solutions-focused, so our program is really about providing solutions to the problems that we're seeing in our municipalities. And last but not least, we also have our fall funders forum, which we'll be excited to be bringing to Gray County this fall, which brings together all of the ministries that have funding programs from Ministry of Tourism. to Labor and Immigration to Economic Development, and it's open to anyone who can tap into those resources.

00:10:08 Speaker 02: And we've had great success last year. We had over 300 individuals tap into those programs over six counties last fall.

00:10:17 Speaker 02: So one of our other goals there is about being a value partner of government, and how do we do that? We do that through building strong relationships and being consistently at the table. whether it's through ministerial meetings, pre-budget submissions, we were also invited this year. Our chair attended the tabling of the budget for 2026, and we also provided comments in advance and quotes in advance to the Ministry of Finance. We also provide ERO submissions, informal working relationships. We we have regular touch-ins with staff or touch bases, I should say, with staff every other month, both with the Ministry of. Municipal Affairs and Housing and Rural Affairs, we also have attended other things such as the Federal Rural Development Roundtable and Federal Building Communities Stronger Engagement, and we've also participated in several other events provincially as well. And to note here is that we have our Queens Park Day coming up on May fourth, so this will be our second Queens Park Day. And what happens is our Executive Board Chair, our Vice Chair, our Secretary. and our treasurer will have a series of meetings. And this year, I'm pleased to say that we will be meeting with the premier on May 4th and raising some concerns. Particularly, our focus will be on transit with the premier this year. And then we will also be meeting with the minister of transportation, rural affairs, municipal affairs, and housing. Who else do we have? We've got a list of about six, and I'm drawing a blank. I should write them all down today. However, we have a fulsome day, and then. in the evening we have a reception where we'll be inviting staff, deputy ministers, ministers, and MPPs to join us to talk about what's happening in Western Ontario. So it's a really great event, and one of the things we will be talking about is the letter we sent this week to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing on Bill 100. That is the bill talking about regional governance and directly affects Simcoe County, one of our member organizations, with the appointment of a board.

00:12:20 Speaker 02: With the appointment of a warden, there is an incredible concern about having an appointed warden with strong executive powers within the county structure. So we have sent that letter, and I understand it's been circulated to county council. And we would gratefully accept support from Graves County for support of that letter. All right. So as we look to 2026 and beyond, our path forward, we really are continuing. to advocate with clarity and purpose. We have one touch point a quarter with our provincial partners at Roma, our Queens Park Day at AMO, and at our conference. We continue with our regional research with enhancing those post-secondary partnerships. We have data-informed advocacy. We come to the table with that data, with that information. It's not just storytelling or hyperbole. We come to the table with data. and being backed by that data. Last but not least, we're advancing solutions and not just asking for support. We're coming to the table with solutions, and that's incredibly important. So thank you so much for your continued leadership and collaboration. The strength of this organization comes from those that sit around the table, and we appreciate Gray County continuing to be a member of the WOWC and being an active partner in the organization as well.

00:13:30 Speaker 02: So happy to answer any questions. Thank you. Okay. Thank you very much, Ms. Burns Gallagher, and we will open it to the committee as a whole in case they have questions for you or comments on any of what you've presented in terms of that annual update. And the with the issue of your ask about supporting the letter, yes, everyone has had a chance to see it. The clerk has prepared a possible recommended motion, so we'll get to that after everybody's had a chance to ask you questions. So with that, any. questions or comments for? We'll begin with Councillor Nielsen. Thank you very much, Ward Matrosov. Not so much a question, but more of a comment. It is great to see Wausi and Amo and Roma and the arguments and the work being presented to the province unified in that voice, right? Roma and Amo have many of the same priorities and what we're trying to work with the province on, be it infrastructure, housing, mental. health issues, and so the more voices that we have, as they get compiled upon each other, hopefully we'll break through the armor of the province and get them to make some considerations for what we're talking about. The biggest one in my eyes being that predictable, consistent infrastructure funding for rural Ontario, where the vast land base versus the number of houses that we can property tax funds the whole municipal government is a big challenge. So I really. commend and appreciate the work that WOWC is doing, and just want to say thanks. Thank you, and we do have good representation with with the other organizations.

00:15:14 Speaker 02: As Councillor Nielsen has mentioned, he he helps represent Councillor McKay as well with Good Roads, and also Barbara Dobreen, Councillor Dobreen as well. So we do recognize the value of of the networking and resonating the voice, making those messages come across, and sharing the different perspectives. that each organization has, but with the same intent and the same goal in mind.

00:15:39 Speaker 02: Other questions or comments, Councillor Ackrill? Thank you, Madam Warden, and thanks for the update and the presentation.

00:16:00 Speaker 02: I know our wardens who have said on Western wardens over the last four years, three and a half years—we're not quite to four yet—have. Have kept us well informed of the great work that WOWC has been doing. Be your comment on the province appointing a warden.

00:16:24 Speaker 02: That'll be the end of the Western Ontario Warden's Caucus, will it not? Because that is the spot that is set for elected officials. I'm not just. I'm just aghast that to think that upper tiers, counties, that the province has this grandiose idea that they'll be appointing, and am I in conspiracy to say, well, pretty soon it'll be just an appointment, and there will be no elected officials that the province will be appointing.

00:17:03 Speaker 02: How far is this going to go, and our demise and the end of democracy? itself on representation of the people. Just a comment. If you want to comment further on it, go ahead, Kate. Would you like to share any response? There we go.

00:17:25 Speaker 03: Thank you, Warren Three, as a councillor, and thank you as well for escorting me in this morning. I appreciated it. So, yes, we started off with. strong mayor's powers for Toronto and Ottawa, and now we have strong mayor's powers for over 200 municipalities. So that tells you something. You can you can read the tea leaves there. So this is an appointment warden with strong executive powers in Simcoe County.

00:17:54 Speaker 03: We have been told by the ministry that this is for regions, and they have no intent to expand this beyond the regions. That is what we have been. told. So once again, there are tea leaves to be read there as well.

00:18:08 Speaker 03: Hence, why we have written this letter, because we want to ensure that there is consultation. We want to ensure that there is work done ahead of anything else that happens. And we are going to be very strong on this piece of legislation. We are tracking right now when it goes to standing committee, so that we can also appear in person in standing. So appear in person in standing committee on this piece of legislation. One of the things that we have discussed is now that it is appointed, it's part of the legislation. But what we would like to see is that the warden is chosen from the elected, so from the existing people that are elected. That warden is appointed from the elected. That's what we would like to see, and so that's some of the advocacy that we're doing as part of the legislative requirements and regulations coming out of this bill. Thank you.

00:19:03 Speaker 03: Okay, and I'm just going to also make sure that those who are following along and understanding and and the the acronym of the Western Ontario Warden's Caucus, it wouldn't work the way it does without the participation of our CAOs. So we really do this some partnership. CAO Schertzler and I both attend these meetings together. Then there's an alternate meeting where the CAOs actually get together on their own and continue to further the cause. So so. yes, it's very interesting as we're looking at those those appointed the our current elected roles and what it means. One of our own counties is is part of that that dialogue, and what kind of shape of work we would continue to do.

00:19:35 Speaker 03: But I do want to make sure that it's understood that it's not just me; it's also CAO Shirtsir who steps up and and contributes on behalf of County Council. So, with that, over to you.

00:19:55 Speaker 03: Thank you, Warden, and and it's not just the Warden. and the CEO, we have members of our senior staff as well sitting on some of the working groups as part of WOWC as well. And so we're definitely, as Kate indicated, very, very much involved with WOWC. Back to Bill 100, as as Kate indicated, the the letter from WOWC I think just just was released yesterday. I think it was in terms of timing, and we anticipate that the province will be making a decision on Bill 100 probably in the next few days.

00:21:04 Speaker 03: We we've heard that prior to. the potentially the May first, which is of course when nominations start opening for for municipal elections, is what we were potentially hearing. So, hence the timing in terms of trying to bring this forward to council. If if there's an if there's a desire to again have a motion to support the letter that Wowce is is put forward, as as Councillor Echo has indicated, I think the sentiment from from the Wowce group was that this is the. thin edge of the wedge potentially, and so although Kate indicated that the initial discussions are that the that this will be just applied to regions, we've seen some of that further roll out for other other changes.

00:21:07 Speaker 03: So, so that's why we're bringing this forward to you, recognizing that the timing is is is likely tight.

00:21:29 Speaker 02: To if if Council wanted to lend support to to Wow C's letter, there is a motion again that the Warren is indicated that's been prepared if. if council is interested in entertaining that. Thank you. We're going to go to a comment from Councillor Bourdon. Thank you, Madam Wardens, and echoing Councillor Nielsen's comments in regards to the support for the rural development realities. I was just wondering if there's any more information, like when we talk about infrastructure capacity to support growth and funding, in regards to the you know the lowering of DC charges and the pressures that the municipality is being put on. Policy of being put on, is that part of the of the priority too?

00:22:05 Speaker 02: Is is it one of the pillars as we as we move forward as a group? Wonderful, thank you. One through to the councillor. Yes, so we are looking at particularly Bill ninety eight as well with the reduction in DCs related to the Canada Ontario partnership bill. So we have had discussions at our last caucus meeting, and we'll be meeting. with our CAOs next Friday to further understand the impacts. And pardon me, we have also brought together our finance directors of finance in the next few weeks to look at the impacts of that. Great, thank you. Okay, anything else, Councillor Katner? Thank you, Warden Matrasovs.

00:23:04 Speaker 02: I think we need to give some consideration. to what our response would be if, in fact, Mr. Ford decides to appoint the the chairperson for for county councils.

00:23:36 Speaker 02: I mean to say that we once it's I I don't know how you back up or how you stop it once once it's out of the bag, sort of thing. And I think that we need to stress. That we need a strategy so that if this is what comes forward, our move is X, Y, or Z. Because this is the thin edge of the wedge, as has been said, and and it is our sort of base democracy. After that's gone, there's not much left, as we've seen south of the border.

00:23:45 Speaker 02: Where it's coming top down, whereas this is working up from the bottom, but it's it's draconian, and because the the point is, we won't even know who the the premier appoints.

00:24:28 Speaker 02: It'll be a friend of his. Thank you. Okay. Thank you. Any other comments? Okay. So, Madam Clerk, if you want to make sure that the recommended motion is is on the screen.

00:24:37 Speaker 02: It it has and the letter has been circulated to council members. Madam Clerk, perhaps you could just share with them. Should this resolution go forward, how will people be able to see the letter? Be able to follow what the decision that we're contemplating is today.

00:25:08 Speaker 02: Thank you, and through you, due to the timing of the of the letter, it wasn't able to be included in today's agenda, but we can for the public. For the public's awareness, included on the agenda for May Fourteenth. For information, just to complete the loop. Thank you. Okay, so the recommended motion is that Grey County Council supports the correspondence from the Western Ontario Warden's Caucus to the province regarding the proposed legislative changes in Bill One Hundred, the Better Regional Governance Act, Twenty Twenty Six, and that the resolution of support be sent.

00:25:51 Speaker 02: to the MPPs of Grey Bruce Owen Sound and Simcoe Grey and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, and that the notice and that the notice provisions be waived due to the time constraint, as the clerk has mentioned. I see it moved by the deputy warden, seconded by Councillor Dobrine. It's now on the floor for discussion. Any discussion? Yes, Councillor Dobrine.

00:26:09 Speaker 02: Thank you, and through you, Warden, and thank you, Kate, for the the. great presentation and update, and for the letter, I I reflect upon the fact that the province created lower municipalities to deliver the services and infrastructure and government on behalf of the province, and it just seems that the province right now is chipping away at that foundation.

00:26:18 Speaker 02: So I'm happy to put for to second the motion.

00:26:40 Speaker 02: May the fourth be with you, on to at your meeting, and hopefully we can show our support in a in time. I was wondering if we could also include Roma in the circulation and Minister Thompson, Minister of Rural Affairs. Okay, Madam Clerk, it's been moved and and seconded, but is that just? Can I consider that? just a non-substantive change, just to add to the list? I think we've done that before, where we've added to the list of circulation. Okay. So unless there's any opposition to Roma as well as to Minister Thompson, I am not seeing any opposition. So we will make sure that that's added. And anything else? No, I don't see any further comments. Any any hands raised? So I'll call the question. All those. in favor? Excellent. And I can can see that that was unanimous. All right. Well, thank you very much, Ms. Burns Gallagher. I hope you might be able to stay long enough for the break, so that informally members of our council can have a chance to chat with you because you have driven a long way, and we appreciate you coming up for that. And I know that you and I are going to be we're going to be in the throes of doing things together over the next the next month. So I look forward to seeing you again, but. this is an opportunity for you to engage with our other county councilor members.

00:27:41 Speaker 02: Okay, so with that, then we will go to the determination of items for separate discussion. Councillor Carlton, thank you.

00:27:57 Speaker 02: So I am wearing a pin today that says it's okay not to be okay. Apparently, it's fitting today. I would like to pull item six out. Thank you. Item six F. Any other items on the consent agenda? Looking around the room, no line. Okay, I'm not seeing any further. So, the recommended motion is that staff be authorized to take action. Oh, sorry, that the following consent agenda items. Consent agenda items. We're all having a day. It was a long drive back. from Bruce Power yesterday. That the following consent agenda items be received, and that staff be authorized to take the actions necessary to give effect to the recommendations in the staff reports, and that the correspondence be supported or received for information as recommended in the consent agenda. We have pulled just the one item. May I ask a mover and a seconder? Got it. Moved by Councillor Kevney, seconded by Councillor Nielsen. Any discussion? All those in favor? That. motion is carried. So we'll return to item 6F with with committee the whole's permission a little earlier than we usually do because we'd like to be able to tidy that up before we go into closed session. So we'll we'll bring it up a little bit further into the agenda than usual. And we are at 10 to 11. So let's keep going through. For let's see what we can cover before our break. If we could look at item 7A, then we are now on the items for direction and discussion. And the first one. is the Joint Municipal Services minutes that were dated from April 16, 2026, and we will have the Manager Communications, Rob Patton, will be ready to elaborate further on the the the examples of the platform.

00:29:10 Speaker 02: So that will be coming, but let's look at getting this motion on the floor first. It's recommended that the Joint Municipal Services Committee meeting minutes dated April 16, 2026, be adopted as presented, and the following resolution resolutions contained therein. be endorsed. There are four of them that are listed that have been provided and published within our agenda. So, with that, I will look for a mover and a seconder. Moved by Councillor Body, seconded by Councillor Dickert. It's now on the floor for discussion. So, welcome, Manager Hatton. Thank you very much, Madam Warden, Warden, and good morning, County Council.

00:30:21 Speaker 02: Last week, the Joint Municipal Services Committee met and. there was only one item on the agenda, and that was the single source purchase of a digital engagement platform. And the one that we were looking at is Social Point. To begin that discussion, I gave an overview of our report, which highlighted the benefits of online digital engagement, how that can improve public participation, how it makes engagement more accessible, as well as more equitable for those who maybe can't participate in the more traditional ways.

00:30:54 Speaker 02: that we tend to engage, I did provide some rationale for how we got to where we are, which was looking at the Social Point platform.

00:31:04 Speaker 02: Over the course of 2025, we had a lot of meetings with local member municipalities to discuss this concept of a digital engagement hub that would be a kind of one-window place for residents of Gray County to engage with both their local municipality as well as the upper tier.

00:31:17 Speaker 02: the county municipality, on one platform, where they would only need one login. Should they choose to even create an account, they could access the the different projects and initiatives that are relevant and interesting to them.

00:31:37 Speaker 02: At the meeting, we did have Mike McInerney from Social Point there in person to do the demonstration with us. Mike's been a really great resource. He just actually lives nearby, right here in the city of Owen Sound, so it was. great that we could have him in person because he does have a very large territory covering most of North America. Actually, Mike showed off the platform's capabilities and went over a lot of examples of the tools. I'm going to try to show some of those highlights today, but I don't have access to all of the to the backend portions of it to show you this morning. So I will just try to keep with some relevant local examples to go over with you. and I don't have nearly as many tabs open as Mike had. I think he had about 150. I think when he was going through his examples. So, if it's all right with you, Madam Warden, I'll just direct Counsel's attention up to the screen. And the what we have here is an example of move this over is an example of a regional hub. So this is the Engage Waterloo landing page. So. for residents of the Waterloo region, this is the place that they would go, and this is how they can access engagement for all of the all of the local municipalities.

00:32:52 Speaker 02: So, you can see the Waterloo region itself is the first one there, but we also have Cambridge, Kitchener, Wellesley, City of Waterloo, Wilmont, and Woolwich that are on there.

00:33:00 Speaker 02: So, this is the hub site that can allow the residents to navigate around. each municipality does have full control over what is on their site, and that includes kind of the look, feel, and branding.

00:33:23 Speaker 02: So, if I click on the Engage Cambridge site here, you'll see that it's using their their branding colors, and by default, we just have their their projects listed here. And if you go back to the main hub page and you click on City of Kitchener, for example, you do see that it while the layout is somewhat similar, it's got their own unique branding so that each municipality can maintain their own look and feel, and they control the projects that are available for their specific sites.

00:34:05 Speaker 02: So, just to show you an example of some projects, so if we are on the main hub page, let's say that you're interested in a specific topic, so you can click into the categories, take a look at the examples that are here.

00:34:39 Speaker 02: Let's go with health and well-being. and you can do a search. Just give it a moment when it's going through all the sites. It takes a little bit of a while time to to do that. So we're doing. Oh, sorry, I did all places, but if I'll change that to all places.

00:35:02 Speaker 02: So if you're just interested in health and well-being, you can search across all opportunities within the region, or in our case, it would be across the county. So you have different projects here. We click. on one of them. You can see a bit of how a project page can be laid out. There's a lot of flexibility for what we can do with these, but you can generally have a summary of the project itself, the important links, frequently asked questions. On this particular engagement, the way that they are getting feedback from the public is just two simple contact boxes here to make it easy. You can see information about the dates when these. topics are were being discussed, and I really like the way that they allow you to embed different widgets on the page to really any relevant relevant media you can block right into the page to make the page a little bit more exciting for people that are going there. But they don't have to click off and go to YouTube to watch a recording of a public meeting or an information session. You can have all of that right in one place. Just to scroll down a little bit further here. They also have this the ability to set up a who's listening section.

00:35:43 Speaker 02: So this lets the public know specifically who is leading the project and how they can directly reach out to them if they have specific questions that aren't being answered on the platform as well. So that's one example. If we go back, let's instead this time do we search by all categories. Now I'm actually. more interested in what's in my community. So let's say we're in Kitchener here.

00:36:13 Speaker 02: All categories and Vision Zero. We'll click on that one here. So this is another project page. You can see right away that this one's set up a little bit differently. How they've walked it out. So they have their PSA videos right up here at the top that support the campaign.

00:36:31 Speaker 02: They have the lifecycle or project timeline along the right-hand side of the. page, which quickly shows anyone that's checking in on this project where they are in this phase, and then towards the bottom they have the various ways that you can engage with this one.

00:36:40 Speaker 02: So they have updates, which is just news about the project, surveys.

00:36:54 Speaker 02: These are currently closed, but this is where any built-in survey right on the site would be added. And then they have something that's pretty interesting here, and this is an an example of what the ID An example of what the ideas dashboard is. So this allows the public to submit their own comments and ideas right on the project page. So this is something that can really supplement and enhance kind of the the conversations that I think we're trying to steer away from our social media environments like Facebook, where the conversations tend to not be so healthy anymore. And we can have them on here on the platform, the Social Point platform. It is AI moderated, but it also is for like some of the obvious like obscenities that you would expect not to appear on a government website.

00:37:34 Speaker 02: But it also has twenty four seven live human moderation.

00:37:46 Speaker 02: So when something gets submitted, it goes quickly through a review process to make sure that it is appropriate and that would also mean being relevant to the topic that's that's on here. We don't need these turning into a kijiji page on one of our projects. So then, maybe I'll just show one more on the region site here. So, what maybe a smaller municipality might look like. So, if we were to look at Woolwich. All right, wastewater treatment plant. Let's go. So they're using it to provide some just more informational details. It looks like on. this project, they're having a summary of the project.

00:38:15 Speaker 02: They're including the public meeting.

00:38:35 Speaker 02: Again, they're using the lifecycle to let people know where they are in the process, and then they have the comment section and a Q and A. So they are using the survey feature right now. Pops up. It's very easy to use. It's fully accessible.

00:38:53 Speaker 02: The entire site exceeds the web accessibility standards that we are required to meet as. municipalities, and you can see that you can build and customize in your your surveys here.

00:39:05 Speaker 02: And there is some logic in the surveys, so if to prevent people from submitting without responses, those types of examples. So everything that I've shown you so far, I've done as a member of the public that was not interested in providing my personal information to register and. To register an account. The second site I'm going to show you might look a little familiar to some of you. It's the Connect Gray Highlands website. So Gray Highlands is currently a member of the Social Point platform.

00:39:50 Speaker 02: So I just thought I would show you their site here, and what I'm going to do is show you what the experience looks like for someone who does choose to register for the platform. So if you log in. It doesn't change anything right off the the bat here, but we look at the. I went into the zoning project here, so you can see how they have everything blocked out. But a couple of features that I just wanted to focus on here was the sharing. So, for any resident that comes to this page that thinks, "Hey, I I want to tell my neighbors about this.

00:40:18 Speaker 02: I want to tell other folks about this," it's really easy for them to share the materials out either to social media or by email. it's also going to be nice for my team and your communications teams to use a platform like this because you can build your page and then you don't need to redo all the work to put it on the social platforms because we do still need to tell people about the engagements.

00:40:42 Speaker 02: But if you click the share link, it's going to automatically post across, and you can put your own summary in there. But it's going to make that very easy to help spread the word. about the open engagements. The other piece I wanted to show you was the ability to follow projects.

00:40:59 Speaker 02: So if someone is very interested in one very specific project, they can essentially sign up for updates. It's very easy. When they're logged in, they just click follow the project. This will send them an email that says you're now following the project.

00:41:14 Speaker 02: Any time that this project page gets updated, if a new report gets added to it, if they add an additional engagement. opportunity. A very simple email is going to notify the individual that they can go back to the page to see the new updates. And each individual will have their own profile, and like I said, they would only need one for both the local municipal level and the county level. And this would allow them to change what their what projects they want to follow, and they can also set their interests. So those categories that I showed you. on the initial pages, they can subscribe for updates when new projects are added within those categories, or they can select which municipalities they're interested in getting updates updates for. And then again, that'll send those email notifications to them to let them know. And we do know that email is effective.

00:41:52 Speaker 02: When we did our communication strategy a few years ago, that was the number one way that residents do still want to hear from their local government at that time. So, so that was. the main things that I did want to go over in the demonstration. Here, there are several other tools available that I didn't touch on outside of the scope of projects. Like, like I said, you can use it to display news.

00:42:33 Speaker 02: You can you you can set up forums to talk about specific topics. You can have Q and A's. There's built in tools to support the municipal budgeting process that a lot of clients do like to. use. That's something your municipality or the county may want to consider doing as well. But that is the very, very high-level overview.

00:43:23 Speaker 02: But I would certainly be open to answering any questions if anyone has them. Okay, thank you very much. An excellent local example from Gray Highlands. So thank you for sharing both. With that, any questions from committee? The whole members or comments? We'll begin with the deputy warden, then we'll go to Councillor Keaveny. Then we'll go to Councilor Kevany. Thank you, Madam Warden, and thank you, Rob, for the overview of the program. So, I guess my question is, and it looks very encompassing, very informative, very easy to use.

00:43:40 Speaker 02: Why or how is this different than social media, webpage, any other normal way of communicating with the community? Is this just another addition, or is this instead of something?

00:43:50 Speaker 02: Because I. see a lot of work here for a staff member to keep this updated and and fluid. Can you answer? Help me with some of that, please. Thank you. Absolutely. So it's it is a bit of a combination. So it is an enhance. It's not going to replace our municipal websites.

00:44:03 Speaker 02: It's it's certainly going to complement what we already have, and it's going to complement. our existing engagement practices that we do. Public meetings aren't going to go away.

00:44:16 Speaker 02: We know we're required to have those, and we do know that they're they they are effective for some topics, and they have their place. But these tools will really give us ways to get more information out of the public. We can get more details from a wider subsection of people who do want to engage with us.

00:44:39 Speaker 02: Who maybe some of those. people don't want to be on social media, but they will use a platform like this. Maybe some people are on social media, but they're hesitant to engage on pages just because of some of the potential risk that comes with that, because of the behavior of other community members. So I think that that's very important.

00:45:00 Speaker 02: What I see is the biggest benefit of a platform like this is that we're really going to hear from a more diverse audience than what we tend. to hear from right now, because when we have meetings set up the way that we do, we're usually hearing from the same few groups and demographics that are able to participate at those times. Our candidate information session last night from six to nine. Well, that's a bad example. That's a different thing.

00:45:30 Speaker 02: But if we have an information session from six to nine, that's probably not going to work for a lot of parents. who have young kids that they got to feed, they got to get them to bed. It's not going to work for a shift worker that's going in for an overnight at the hospital. This is going to allow those people who maybe don't currently have a voice currently to to engage on the topics that we have.

00:45:39 Speaker 02: As far as more work for our team, I don't know that there's going to be a whole lot. There will be some. What where.

00:46:02 Speaker 02: What we're we're told from in my conversations with Mike with Social Point, and what I hear from my colleagues across Ontario that I reached out to to get some feedback from, were a little bit different. It does require some investment of time, but it it is very much worth it because they've all seen a a large increase in public participation when they moved to this platform, and that in. And that includes those who didn't have a platform initially, or those who have migrated over from another service. They did see an increase as well in social point.

00:46:44 Speaker 02: Okay, and I think you can add to not only is it an alternative that a user may consider a safer place to be because they because there are negative interactions on other social media platforms, but also for the accuracy of information because it's so easy these days to put things up on Facebook or.

00:46:53 Speaker 02: and and make it sound like it's official. And if you want to go right to the source, this will be the source.

00:47:11 Speaker 02: Okay, so we're going to go over to Councillor Kevney, and then I see Councillor Nielsen's hand up. Go ahead, Councillor Kevney. Thank you, Madam Warden, and good morning, everyone. And I just wanted to add, as a member of the Shared Services Committee, that we really had a thorough discussion about this at that session, and a very thorough presentation from.

00:47:32 Speaker 02: from Mike, and I I really like this for a lot of reasons because it is almost a one stop shop for information, and has been said but can't be emphasized enough the positivity of this site and getting away from the negativity of Facebook and a lot a lot of people are stepping away these days some from social media so now there would be a site where they could go to to get information and to participate, and I think it's easy for users and I really. like that. In a community with a lot of seniors, it's it it looks like it's very easy for people to use, and it covers everything from the projects that we've talked about to community calendars. We didn't look at that section, but there's a lot of information in there about communities.

00:48:10 Speaker 02: But what I think I was particularly impressed with that came nearly into the presentation was the accessibility features. And I don't know, Rob, if you're able to show any of those to council, but I was just really pleased to see how comprehensive those features were. Comprehensive those features where so I think this really is an all-encompassing site that is a great addition to our current websites and can be easily accessed from a website homepage and that will really be well received I think by our residents. Thank you. Through you, Warden, I don't have accessibility features up on the two sites that I did have. open here, but certainly I do agree with you.

00:49:00 Speaker 02: There was a lot in there that goes above and beyond just the contrast and font sizes that you would typically see as like a basic tool. They had built-in tools to support users with dyslexia and and a whole lot of other features. So it it certainly was something that I think will again just improve the overall accessibility of how we engage. with with our public. Okay, and and is there a feature where you can highlight text and hear it read out as well? Is that part of the the suite of offerings? Yes, that is included in there. Yeah. Okay, over to Councillor Nielsen. Thank you very much, Warden Matrosov. Just kind of, I wonder, I take a chance to respond to Councillor Mill, if I may. I think one of the fantastic points. of this is when we have, like, respectfully, residents' interests are self-interests, right? So if they have something that they're interested in, they will reach out and try to do the research to find it. The zoning bylaw that's going on through Grey Highlands right now, that was showcased just here by Rob, shows that that's a project that affects a lot of different residents. We sent 2,000 letters in, so there's many residents that are now being flocked to the Connect Grey Highlands page because that's where we're given giving them the directions. Once they're there, they're seeing the sweep of other things that exist, and I think that that's going to have a rebounding effect as it goes forward when other projects get up or coming and seeing the zoning bylaw allows them to see. Oh, I didn't realize Greyhounds was also doing X or Y, and suddenly they're getting that information. Whereas scrolling down the plethora of Facebook posts, trying to find that one municipal post that was about something they noticed or a comment that gets made on a Facebook.

00:50:18 Speaker 02: page that creates either false information to what Ward Microsoft spoke to, or trying to direct somebody to the right information. There does give a sense of factual evidence and building upon their interest base, and I think that's what we're kind of seeing in Gray Highlands is that more community members are kind of commenting to me in the last few months about the Connect Gray Highlands because of that ability.

00:51:15 Speaker 02: They've gone there for a specific reason, and now they're seeing that there's a lot more there. than they thought was available in your hands. Okay. Thank you for that comment. Anything else? Yes, Councilor Gray. Thank you very much for the overview. I just have one question, Rob. If I flip back to the report provided to the committee, just have to find the line.

00:51:43 Speaker 02: There was two alternatives noted, and I just was unclear in the. recommendation as to what one was being pursued. It was a let's see the recommendation. There was an additional option that the county pursue it all at this time on behalf of the lower tier municipalities, or the previous recommend. It was noted in the paragraph that it was a recommendation to move forward, but it would be more challenging for lower tier municipalities. to come on board, maybe in the future.

00:52:23 Speaker 02: What what direction was it? Because I just was not clear in the minutes there what what we were doing. Through you, Warden. So at at this time, the recommendation is to move forward with the platform for the county, and then to have the municipalities work towards coming on board as it works for them to make that transition. Okay, thank you.

00:53:13 Speaker 02: So, I think, given this challenge, it would be recommended that Gray County move forward with Social Point initially, with the intention of building towards a regional platform over time, as more municipal partners choose to purchase the platform. That's what we're okay.

00:53:22 Speaker 02: If you could, I'm I'm always hesitant to spend money mid-year from reserves. I see the one-time funding reserve as a slush fund. Sometimes this is the general reserve.

00:53:32 Speaker 02: Could there just be comment about what's the balance in the general reserve at this time? What's it about? Because it's not in the report in terms of some context to the general reserve. If you could just provide that as well, thanks. We're just going to wait a moment to hear from Director Spicer. And if I could, Madam Chair, I just would note while we're waiting for that answer, one thing that did strike me is two part, two things in this. report.

00:54:14 Speaker 02: We, as a council, in the line item or departmentally, we ran a thirty thousand seven hundred dollar deficit. I think during the year two thousand twenty-five, this committee had just the one report.

00:54:24 Speaker 02: Took about an hour, and I'm just wondering strategically, maybe as a corporation, if if our committees might incorporate more material. You know, I'm just noting that.

00:54:47 Speaker 02: At the same time, I'm reading that we ran. a deficit of thirty thousand dollars as a council here, inclusive of all their meetings and activities. So that jumped out at me as as well. Through you, Madam Warden, at the end of 2025, the one-time funding reserve had a balance of six point nine million dollars in it. The report notes this is the general reserve, though. Just wondering about some context of the general reserve. That's a typo in the report.

00:54:56 Speaker 02: It should say the one-time funding reserve.

00:55:20 Speaker 02: When we discussed this as part of budget deliberations in the communications budget, social pinpoint was recommended in the budget, and it was going to be funded from the one-time funding reserve. So that's why the report actually recommends that we. Recommends though we we do what we said we would have done if we had passed this during the budget process. It's just a typo in the report. Okay, thank you. That's noted. We'll go to Councillor Dobrin. Thank you, Madam Warden, and thank you, Rob. The originally, I believe, it was a sixty thousand dollar estimate, and in the minutes, it shows thirty six thousand five hundred. Is that? because it's mid-year? What is the annual cost to the county in order to have this platform?

00:55:58 Speaker 02: And if the lower-tier municipalities wish to come on, what would be the cost to each of them to piggyback onto the county through U. Warden? So the annual cost would be the thirty-six five hundred. So that would be the annual renewal. It would just come to.

00:56:10 Speaker 02: Renewal, it would just come due at whatever point in the year it is that we we were to be getting on board. The cost to each local municipality does range. These platforms they bill based on size of population, but we do know from our previous quotes that we would be seeing a reduction in those initial prices of upwards to fifteen percent as more. municipalities come on, that's kind of the carrot on the stick, I guess, that they're that they're offering.

00:56:39 Speaker 02: The specific pricing for municipalities it ranged when I did have that quote anywhere from I think eight thousand for the the smaller municipalities up to I wish I had it in front of me, but I think it was about thirteen thousand five hundred for the city being the largest municipality. Thank you for that. And just a follow up, then, since our neighbor Gray Highlands is already on the platform, what benefit would they be? Would they receive any benefit to coming in under the county?

00:57:50 Speaker 02: I'm not even sure if that is a possibility, or if another municipality has decided to proceed with another platform, you know, migrating over at. some point through U Ward, and so these are some of the conversations that did already happen last year, and some meetings with the CAOs as well as the local municipal staff about how we would get to a digital engagement hub.

00:58:30 Speaker 02: Knowing that we do have a couple of municipalities who are using a a different platform, and like you said, we have Grey Highlands who is using this one, and what we would need to do. is have, I think, just a bit of a project group that involves the staff from the interested municipalities, so that we could have a plan for what our our vision of the hub site looks like, so that we could, as we individually build our sites now that they're ready to go, when we do want to connect those pieces in a couple of years or next year, whenever that comes to be, it'll have to get discussed at the local level. Okay, thank. you. With that, I don't see any further hands. We do have the motion on the floor. It's been moved and seconded. The clerk has has adjusted the accuracy of the third statement that reads now that the purchase be funded from the one-time funding reserve and the annual renewal be included in the 2027 communications operations budget. Okay, so with that, I'll call the question. All those in favor? Okay, and that motion is carried. Thank you. very much.

00:58:54 Speaker 02: Okay, so at this point in time, we are going to call our break, and before we come back, carry on business until twelve thirty lunch. So, Madam Clerk, if we're back at eleven thirty, okay, so we'll call a break until eleven thirty. Thank you very much. Okay. There we go. Go. Okay. Perfect. There we go. If I can just please invite our committee, the whole members back, and our staff back to their seats. Over there, just to say, glasses, no. Okay, we're good to go from the break. Yes, excellent. All right, thank you very much, everyone.

01:13:53 Speaker 02: We are now at item seven B, and it's recommended that PDR CW seventeen twenty six regarding the University of Guelph student project entitled "Best Practices in Rural Event Venues" be received, and that staff be directed to use.

01:14:07 Speaker 02: the student report as a resource to inform future planning policy recommendations, and that the student that the student report be shared with member municipalities across Gray County. May I ask for a mover and a seconder? That it moved by Councillor Nielsen and seconded by Councillor Pringle. It's now on the floor for discussion.

01:14:25 Speaker 02: So, with that, I would like to invite Intermediate Planner Cassandra Dillman to come and introduce the students and the project. Perfect. Thank you. Just wanted to get that slideshow up there for them. Oh, hey. So we're here, as you mentioned. as a follow-up to a project that I mentioned earlier this year in February. So, planning staff partnered with a team of students at the University of Gulf.

01:15:13 Speaker 02: They're completing their masters in rural planning to help us with a project called best practices in rural event venues. So, it's an issue that continues to generate interest across the county, and we do get a lot of inquiries. So, this work was not intended to revisit that question. Visit that question of whether or not rule event venues should be permitted. Instead, the students looked at how they can be regulated effectively and consistently. And a key goal of this work is to take on some of that in-depth research that goes into creating policy.

01:15:49 Speaker 02: So it's been a pleasure working with this team since January, and I'm pleased to introduce these three students: Nagin, Ashley, and Bailey. And they will be here to present their. findings and their report. Thank you. so much, Cassandra, for the introduction and good morning, Council Committee. To briefly introduce our project, we focus on rural event venues in Gray County, such as wedding venues and agritourism spaces.

01:16:47 Speaker 02: The purpose of this project was to understand how these uses are currently being regulated, identify any gaps or challenges, and develop practical recommendations to improve the policy. framework moving forward, we approach this by looking at other municipalities, analyzing case studies, identifying key issues, and building recommendations based on those findings.

01:17:17 Speaker 02: Okay, so as part of our research, we looked at Haldimand County as well as Essa townships. With that said, a lot of them across Ontario are all very similar in their approaches. So, event venues are not permitted as of right. They all require a site-specific zoning amendment.

01:17:41 Speaker 02: Other than how, like home operations and spaces that would accommodate farm uses, but it must be demonstrated that is low impact and compatible.

01:17:55 Speaker 02: with the agricultural surroundings, and they must be able to demonstrate that there's balances between economic diversification and that it doesn't negatively affect the agricultural land that we so very much cherish in these areas.

01:18:15 Speaker 02: So, this case study looks at Ivy Ridge Wedding Venues in Essa Township, which is a good example of a well-functioning rural event venue. The venue operates on their site a specific zoning by law amendment since these types of uses are not permitted as of right. What's important here is the scale is clearly controlled. There are limits on the number of guests and parking, and overnight accommodations are not permitted. The location also plays a key role. It is situated within a rural event cluster and surrounded by agricultural uses, which helps minimize conflicts. with nearby properties. Overall, this example shows how clear regulations combined with appropriate location will allow rural event venues to operate successfully, while remaining compatible with surrounding uses. In contrast, our next case study, the post and beam in Teeswater, highlights some of the challenges that can arise with rural event venues. Although it is also operates, it also operates under a site-specific Also operates on the site a specific zoning amendment. It is located within a rural residential area with nearby homes, which creates compatibility concerns. There are operational limits in place, such as restriction on guest numbers and hours of operation. However, the business has expanded over time to include accommodations and additional services under bed and breakfast operation. So at this point, it's not really clear if what's happening on site lines up with what was originally. approved, and overall, this shows how these type of issues can come up when things are unclearly set up from the beginning.

01:20:02 Speaker 02: Okay, so we'll jump to key issues and challenges that we have seen from the various case studies, because we did also look at some within the area. So we looked at Spicatory as well as the Highland Estates projects. So we pulled out some. So we've pulled out some key issues and challenges from these projects. So what we found was that clear definitions are required to dictate what a rule event space is and what parameters they can operate in. So very clearly stating what is permitted and what is not permitted, which includes the small versus large. So what would constitute a small venue? What will constitute a large venue, and how would those differ?

01:20:38 Speaker 02: And what the regulations would be for either clear thresholds? So, are bed and breakfasts are permitted? Can you have accommodations? How many cars can you have on site? Those type of ideas. Land use compatibility. So, talking about which areas would be ideal for rule event spaces. What areas would not be so? obviously within a well-built housing community. Probably doing a rural event space would not be ideal, but out where it's more rural, less neighbors, it could be considered there. Ancillary uses, so having other things implemented into it. So having like a brewery, or are you going to do weddings? Are you going to do family reunions? Those types of things. So putting. in those guidelines of how else that space can be used. Site servicing always becomes an issue. Does the site have the capacity for the venue that they're proposing? Will septic have to be increased? Do they have sufficient water? Will they have to bring in porta potties? Those types of things need to be very clearly defined. Obviously, protection of prime agriculture is very important. We don't want to lose any farmland to rural event spaces that won't contribute back to our food sources. So making sure that it is clear in what municipalities, what areas are not going to be permitted based on the soil conditions in that area. And then the planning structure. So given that Gray County is the upper tier, and then there's the member communities. Each community. is going to be slightly different because you all are kind of unique in what you offer. So just taking that into account, that every member community will not be a copying paste of each other, and then always enforcement. Enforcement becomes the challenging part. We know businesses grow; that's a natural progression. So how do you manage that when businesses start? to want to add bed and breakfast. Do you plan for worst case scenario?

01:23:15 Speaker 02: They start small and they can build up to what they envision as their dream, or do you plan for what they want to do today and then handle each growth as a different application? So, with that said, I will pass it to Bailey to talk about the recommendations. Perfect. Thanks, Ashley. So now we'll take a look at our reports recommendations. So we broke it down into our recommendations for the county official plan, the local official plans, and the local zoning bylaws.

01:23:49 Speaker 02: At the county official plan level, we have recommended that rural event venues should be permitted within rural and agricultural lands as either an on-farm diversified use or as a site-specific zoning bylaw amendment with supporting. studies, depending on the extent of the proposal. The county should also maintain definitions for what a rural event venue is and what a rural event cluster is.

01:24:17 Speaker 02: In the county official plan, there is already a list of technical and supporting studies, but this list could be standardized into a required and supplementary list specifically geared to these rural event venues. Lastly, the county OP should require. that all local municipalities adopt policies and procedures for dealing with rule event venues. At the local official plan level, we recommended carrying forward the language that requires all rule event venues to proceed through the site-specific zoning bylaw amendment process. We also invite municipalities to consider what type of venues are ideal. for their locality. This can be relate to related to size, scale, intensity, servicing requirements. Set forward. Again, at this point, is important to consider that definitions and processes are clear and frequently updated to match the progressing industry. At the zoning bylaw level, we recommended that rule event venues. again are not permitted as of right within any land use designations, but that they should proceed through that site specific zoning bylaw amendment.

01:25:43 Speaker 02: So, looking at the amendment itself, so at the local official, we provided a list of recommendations to consider, including within the site specific zoning bylaw amendment for any given proposal.

01:26:00 Speaker 02: so this list should include the type of rule event venue, including a definition if it doesn't already fit into the predefined definitions. The portion of the property that will be used as part of this rule event venue, because sometimes on larger parcels it's not the entire area.

01:26:19 Speaker 02: The type of events and the maximum number of events that should be held each year, as well as a number, the maximum number of occupants at each event. This site-specific zoning bylaw amendment should also include whether the event space will be used, utilizing other as a right zoning permissions. So, in many cases, this is usually the bed and breakfast or hotel provisions, and it should outline a specification on the number of rooms present and where they are located within the property. Additional studies that will be required before. lifting a holding provision.

01:26:58 Speaker 02: So this is anything from our required or supplementary list, which may include noise assessments or traffic impact assessment, should also be considered at this stage. And if you've not already had a chance to review our report, it is available online as attached to the agenda. And I just want to take a moment to thank everyone for supporting us with this project, including Cassandra, Becky, Deeksha. Sandra, Becky, Deeksha, and the rest of the county staff. Okay, hold on. We can only do one microphone at a time. So, so at this point in time, I will open it to the committee, the whole members that wish to ask questions. Thank you very much. And it was an interesting read. I appreciate you submitting it to us so that we can contemplate it. And I was able to read it with both my hat as the mayor of the Blue Mountains. as well as as my warden hat, on to look at the different perspectives that you considered.

01:27:36 Speaker 02: So I thought you you looked for the right kind of information to put into one particular report and give us those recommendations that you have. So with that, then I'll put it out to committee the whole members if they have any questions. Councillor Nielsen. Thank you very much, Warden Matrasov. I had a chance during the break to talk to the students and really did appreciate the. information they brought forward. Something that I did didn't want to have you leave without a question. So a lot of the recommendations in here suggest utilizing site-specific and specific zoning applications in order to move forward with these kind of projects.

01:28:24 Speaker 02: I do appreciate the report suggesting that as of right, maybe a bit of a challenge in terms of understanding because the broad spectrum of what event spaces could be from small micro, you know, fifteen twenty people gatherings. to larger spaces that might have a hundred plus people for a wedding. But my question for you is: Is there limitations that the municipalities or the county can put into a site specific zoning application that might leave windows for you know challenges with enforcement and such?

01:29:11 Speaker 02: I mean, you have number of people attending, number of times the unit is happening, but whether it comes to noise, are is are we allowed to? within a zoning application, specify decibel levels of noise? Are we allowed to be that specific, or is there limitations within that? Here comes Planner Dilman is going to support you in in in that answer. So, great, thank you, thank you for that question. I think. I think that's really a challenge in in most zoning bylaws. I think some of that more specific you were looking at maybe noise. Some of that can be addressed through a site plan control agreement as well.

01:30:08 Speaker 02: So a noise study might identify that a building should be enclosed and that it should have air conditioning. and that it should have certain types of mitigation measures for the number of people that are inside of it. And then you might sort of take some of that and put it and embed it into the site plan control agreement, so that you can be a little bit more specific within the zoning bylaw itself.

01:30:36 Speaker 02: It can be challenging to go beyond the things where that building is located on the. property, those setbacks—what the definition is—it can be a little bit hard to go beyond that within the zoning bylaw itself. Okay, we'll go to Councillor McQueen. Well, just thank you and thank you for your presentation.

01:31:01 Speaker 02: Just to follow up on that, I don't know if you've used Grey Highlands as some of your test pilot things, because there's been a few items that have popped up in Grey Highlands. Sorry, but I guess one of the points is is trying to find that. balance and saturation of event spaces because you know I know that even we have our Airbnb license so we have a certain saturation level that we try not to go past. But I think the balancing part of that is is also the municipality has rental spaces as well, and you start to create all these other sites that takes away from your sites.

01:31:19 Speaker 02: So it's trying to find that balance, and I think the other thing is is Deputy Mayor Nielsen said that you know noise is a big one. Noise at eleven o'clock at night is even a bigger one, and all that kind of stuff. And and and carrying on that, we we find that a little bit with Airbnbs as well. So, I think there has to be a bit of a balance, and and and I think the size of the property as well. You know, where it's tight, you know, proximity to other residents in a residential area, traffic sometimes coming, parking, you know, all those different things. But again, the bottom line is is where's the balance that takes away from your municipal rented spaces as well. so I'll leave it at that. Okay, thank you. We're going to go to Director Taylor. Has a comment. Thank you, Madam Warden, and and thank you to Council for your questions and and to the student team for this wonderful report. I just like to say that the student team was asked to focus on on some of our planning tools, but as municipalities, you do have other bylaws and permitting processes that can augment your planning tools. So many of our municipalities would have a noise bylaw that can speak to specifics and hours of noise in your municipality, and you might have an exemption process under your noise bylaw.

01:32:22 Speaker 02: And some municipalities also implement special permit licensing in that regard. And so the planning tools, the zoning, and the site plan, and not to lead into our Bill 98 later, are evolving. But there's lots of other tools in our toolkit that collectively, we as counties and municipalities. can use to to make sure these these event spaces don't have undue impact on neighborhoods or the community.

01:33:17 Speaker 02: Okay, thank you very much, Director Taylor. We're going to go over now to the Deputy Warden. Thank you, Madam Warden, and and thank you, ladies, for the report, Bill Griffin's. I struggle sometimes with the thought that you know we want to create these venues out in the rural areas. Rural Ontario is not Disneyland, although I know a lot of people from the GTA think there's nothing out here but trees and rocks. People work out here, they live out here. This is our home. There are multitudes of facilities in our rural communities, urban communities. Now there's legions, there's Lions Clubs, there's Optimist Halls, there's community facilities that we, as a community, own arenas and different places like that. In different places like that, in my mind, you're just you're encouraging conflict out in the rural areas if you encourage these venues because of noise, light, traffic, you name it. There's all kinds of impacts on rural and agriculture. I'm thinking mainly. So I I appreciate the report and I think you touched on all the good points that need to be considered. And if we're really serious and we consider those points truthfully, we want no part of this. At least I don't.

01:34:21 Speaker 02: So I'm just saying thank you very much again for your for your efforts, ladies. Thank you. We'll go to Councillor Dobrin. Thank you, Madam Warden, and thank you very much. I did read it with great interest, and to the Deputy Warden's point, great concern as well. We our our halls and all of those are struggling at the same time. but you know, I I live in the rural area, and I and I know that our farmers and our dairy farmers specifically, they're you know unless they're robotic, they're up at five a.m.

01:35:05 Speaker 02: And we if we allow them, and we regulate them, which is great, we also create the enforcement issue when we have limited enforcement. bylaw staffing—it's complaint-based. How do we manage the enforcement aspect when you know facilities get approved and then you know they're approved for 100 people, but then 105 show up, and while we didn't get it, wasn't complained about, and then well, we'll allow 110, and and you know when it gets to a point where it it gets out of hand, and then there's a complaint.

01:35:50 Speaker 02: and then you have to try and pull it all back. So I have to echo the concerns, and certainly to pursue that on an individual case-by-case basis. I appreciate that it's not as of right, and we have to look at all those studies that correspond to it. Yeah, it's. I'm not sure how to get into the weeds, or I'm certainly not going to today, but we'll. we'll be exploring it and more. And this report will be most helpful. Thank you. Yeah. Just before we go over to staff, yes, and and some excellent feedback because that is what I hope is the next stage of your project is to receive feedback and think about you know what what might be another area to explore, etc.

01:36:26 Speaker 02: But also remembering that this is a student report. This is this is this is not a staff report. We're not actually deciding on doing any changes. We're going to take it into consideration and use it as a layer of research. That requires certainly one of the key layers to me is that planners, as you embark into your careers, is if you haven't lived rural, then you need to connect to people that have lived rural because the class six gravel road that I live on, it's not meant to accommodate more traffic. So if all of a sudden somebody down the road. were to start that up, we'd have we'd have an an issue on a regular basis. The other thing that I've noticed over the twenty five years of living rurally too is it's not just noise; it's the way that noise travels in a rural environment.

01:37:20 Speaker 02: It's incredibly different than in an urban situation. So all those kind of things, like yay that you're at University of Guelph because you're surrounded by people that that are in you know embrace the rural aspect, which is why you're so interested in the programs. that that you're in, so with that we have a staff comment from Becky over there. Thank you. Yes, thanks everyone, and I just wanted to comment, just as a reminder of the the planning framework that we're working with at Gray County. So currently, these types of uses are permitted within our official plan, but only to the scale that is permitted for on farm diversified uses. So that's basically two percent of the size of the property, up to eight thousand. square meters. So basically, you would max out with a forty-hectare-sized property up to eight thousand square meters. And so that is less than a hectare, assuming it's a forty-hectare-sized property. And so that includes all of the parking, all of the servicing, any of the buildings, all of those types of uses would have to be on that very small footprint of an area.

01:38:16 Speaker 02: So our policies already right now are quite limited, and and those were brought about. kind of as a way to balance the number of requests that we're receiving.

01:38:40 Speaker 02: Those opportunities for farmers who are actively farming to diversify their own economic opportunities, if those are the types of uses that they're looking to add to their property. And oftentimes, you know, in the case of spice idery, those are making use of the actual outputs from the farm and integrating those within that event facility as well. So, I just wanted to speak to we really do have. quite a limited framework already, and so the assumption is anything above and beyond that OFDU framework would still require that additional county official plan amendment.

01:39:20 Speaker 02: So just wanted to point that out. Thank you. Okay, now we do have. We'll go back over to Councilor McQueen. We do have a hefty agenda today. So and and I'm also you know having been an adult adult educator, I can anticipate that they're probably looking to relax after. after this this moment of coming in and looking at eighteen mayors and deputy mayors around the table. So, with that, we'll go for a concluding comment from Councillor McQueen. Yeah, thank you, Madam Ward, for allowing me. Yeah, I think off farm diversity uses have a certain place, but it's also for the respect of the rural lands and the farmlands, and not standing in a canola field trying to get your picture taken and all that stuff. And last comment is, is most times you're having a get together and invite your neighbors. Together and bite your neighbors, it goes a lot better. Absolutely. Okay. So with that, we thank you for using your your educational experience as as an opportunity to be able to to explore something that is very relevant to us, and and by using actual Gray County examples, that has been very useful to us. We do appreciate that, and my thanks to Planner Dilman and and all of the staff members that were mentioned in your thanks. for supporting them on this educational journey. So, with that, relax.

01:40:21 Speaker 02: Okay, so we will move on then to item seven C. And oh, sorry, that's right. I forgot this was not a delegation, so we actually do have a motion that's on the. floor. It's been moved and seconded. I'll ask question now. All those in favor? All right, that motion is carried. Thank you. Moving on to item seven C, it's recommended that the council receive FRCW zero seven twenty six entitled "The Twenty Twenty Five Year End Transfers" and approve the recommendations as contained and estimated in the report, and that council approve any surplus deficit arising in the twenty twenty five budget.

01:41:29 Speaker 01: The 2025 budget being transferred to from the respective department reserve, and that that remaining unfunded capital costs as of December 31st, 2025, for the administrative building renovation, Chatsworth Paramedic Base, and Gray Gables roof, be funded by an unbudgeted transfer from the one-time funding reserve of four million one hundred and forty-four thousand one hundred and seventy-four to further.

01:42:09 Speaker 04: further to the resolution CW one eight seven two five, may I ask for a mover and a seconder? Move by Councillor Patterson, seconded by Councillor Dicker. Welcome, Manager Reid. Thank you.

01:42:24 Speaker 04: And through the Warden, before I get into the report, I just want to acknowledge the amount of work that goes into getting this report ready. This report and our annual audit are kind of our our final steps to tying out our financial. Steps to tying out our financials for the calendar year. Just to give council the idea, an idea of the scale of our accounting system.

01:43:01 Speaker 04: I have to run four separate PDFs to create a general ledger, which is a statement of all of our transactions that we send to our auditors because it's too big to go into one PDF. It ends up being about 5,000 pages. Our accounting system is made up of about 5,200 different accounts that all have to be reviewed and reconciled before they go to the auditors. Now, some of those are are quick. Now, some of those are quick and easy to check and balance, but some of them, such as grant accounts, can take hours for a single account.

01:43:11 Speaker 02: So, I just want to thank the analyst team, the officers, the accounting clerks, and senior management for all their work in reviewing the financial statements, making sure that that it's a final and clear picture that's being presented to you today and that's been provided to our auditors. And just as an update to council, our auditors started on site last week. Things are going along quite well.

01:43:32 Speaker 02: They're currently off site as some things are just easier to. test from their their home office when they have multiple screens, but the audit is progressing well, and we expect to bring back the financial statements, audited financial statements, in June. But the numbers contained within this report are the numbers that were provided to the auditors, and if there are any changes found throughout the audit, we'll make sure that we highlight that when that report comes back. So this report aims to accomplish four things. The first is provide council with a update on the year-end financial position, as far as surpluses and deficits go. The second is to actually to seek authority to perform the transfers to and from reserve that are required in order to balance the financial statements. Although we often talk about surpluses and deficits, municipalities actually don't run surpluses and deficits because we have to balance the books at year end, and that's done through either taking more money out of reserve if we're in a deficit, or transferring money to reserve if we're in a surplus. The third thing is seeking approval to transfer donations to a donation-specific reserve. If we've received donations in the year that were not utilized, we're asking permission to transfer them to reserve so that they can be used in future budgets for for their intended purpose, based on what the donation was received for. And lastly, we're seeking approval for the unbudgeted transfer, as in the motion, for 4.144 million dollars in order to pay off all of our. internal debentures, as council will remember, during the twenty twenty six budget deliberations, we staff recommended removing internal debt from our budget in order to reduce the levy.

01:45:13 Speaker 02: These three projects relate to major capital work that was done, and in the year that it was done, we took the financing strategy to repay ourselves over time with annual levy contributions. So there was an unfinanced capital outlay. Finance capital outlay at December thirty first, twenty twenty five.

01:45:30 Speaker 02: Staff believe that there was enough within the one time funding reserve that we could repay that amount or repay any unfinanced liabilities using the one time one time funding reserve, so that we would not have to continue to raise tax levy to repay those amounts. So this report seeks for the approval to do that, so that it does not have to be included in any future budgets. And I will note, as Mary Lou mentioned, the one time funding reserve after all of the transfers recommended. within this report is sitting at an estimated six point nine two four million dollars as of December thirty first, twenty twenty five. And the last thing I'll highlight is throughout the report you'll see the word projected a lot. Again, though, these are staff's finalized numbers, but we don't call them finalized until our auditors have signed off on them. So we use the word projected, but they are from staff's perspective pretty much final.

01:45:57 Speaker 02: Within the summary section of the report, we talk about the overall surplus of the county, which is current, which is projected to be one point eight million dollars. This is made up of a five hundred thousand dollar operating deficit and a two point three million dollar capital surplus.

01:46:38 Speaker 02: When we look at that number compared to our overall tax levy of seventy eight million three hundred sixty two thousand eight hundred dollars, that is about two point three two percent variance to the budget. However, I think it's important to note that the county has a lot of other revenue. sources other than levy. The total budgets with or the total expenditures within the 2025 budget is about 302 million dollars. 176 of this is related to the operating budget, and 100 and 100 sorry 176 is related to the operating budget, and 126 is related to the capital budget. Now that capital number is higher than an average year, as we have 51 million dollars in there for Rockwood redevelopment.

01:47:18 Speaker 02: But when you compare the surplus to that 300 million dollar gross budget, it's closer to a zero point six percent variance compared to the total expenditures within our budget. Then we, I'm outlining a lot of major impacts in the summary section of this report. I'm only going to touch on one here because I'll talk about them later in the report, and that's our our savings in salaries and benefits, specifically benefits. We renew our our group insurance benefit rates every. April, and so when we're making the budget, we have to make an assumption for what those benefit rates will renew at. We actually went out to market in 2025 for benefit rates and saw significant savings. So across the board, any department that has staff will see savings within their group benefit insurance premiums that are paid by the county.

01:47:52 Speaker 02: So when you're hearing staff and staffing and benefit surpluses, that is a component for every single department with staff. Next up is a chart that breaks down all of. the transfers to and from reserve and the overall surpluses by our four overall departments that we look at the county, which would be corporate services, planning community development, human services, and transportation. And unless there's any questions at this point, I'll just jump into corporate services. Okay, and indeed a lot of work has gone into this, so maybe we'll just pause at this point just to see if there are any questions on what you've presented thus far. okay.

01:48:50 Speaker 02: It looks like you're good to continue. Thank you. The corporate services department is projecting a overall surplus of one point two nine four million dollars. The majority of this is coming from the operating budget of one point two nine eight million, and there's a fifty three hundred dollar capital surplus. Within the corporate services is the administration department, which is made up of clerks, CAO, legal, finance, HR, communications, IT, and the general administration department. And the general administration departments, and overall, they are projecting a surplus of four hundred and eighty-one thousand dollars. Again, this is primarily related to operating savings. We're seen within salaries and benefits, as just discussed, but additionally, there were savings due to temporary staffing vacancies throughout the year across a lot of departments.

01:49:27 Speaker 02: But finance and communications, the CAO department and HR all saw temporary vacancies, which created surplus in the years as we were down staff. There were additional surpluses seen within HR and legal as we spent less on external legal fees than we expected. And staff are recommending that of that surplus, seventy-seven thousand seven hundred dollars be transferred to the council communications reserve. So that number comes from the communications specific surplus within that overall administration surplus.

01:50:06 Speaker 02: And the reason staff are recommending that is in twenty twenty six we're replacing the AV equipment for council chambers. and we want to ensure that there's enough money in that reserve to cover off the replacement. But additionally, in 2024, we did the same thing and took the council communications surplus and put it into into this. Sorry, the communication surplus and put it into this specific reserve because we knew that the price increased significantly. So this transfer will also help us in future budgets that we don't have to increase that annual contribution based on the increased pricing that we've seen. and then the remaining balance of this surplus would go to the one-time funding reserve. Additionally, in 2025, there's a net 279,500 surplus in investment income. This is not generated surplus, as our investment policy says that any income over one percent or any investment income over one percent is automatically transferred to the one-time funding reserve. But I do want to highlight it.

01:50:48 Speaker 02: There would have been a surplus of about 554,000, but in the year. staff made the accounting decision to write down one of our investments to its fair market value. It's an investment that we've held since 2013, and it's been below market value since 2021. And staff did not expect it to recover in any near future. So we wanted our books to represent the actual value of the investments we had. So there was a $274,000 write down on that investment, which nets against our overall investment income. Then within the administration. department, the IT department is projecting a small surplus due to higher than budgeted tower fee rentals.

01:51:28 Speaker 01: The Information Services Department, which is the which is a one point two million dollar budget that gets allocated out to all the departments based on their actual license counts and computer counts, is projecting a deficit of twenty seven thousand eight hundred dollars, and that's due to licensing costs coming in higher than budgeted. The assessment budget is projecting a. deficit of eighteen thousand four hundred dollars. These are our impact fees. The budget was built on the assumption of a two point five percent increase, and the actual increase was three point four percent.

01:52:11 Speaker 01: The council budget is projecting a deficit of thirty thousand seven hundred dollars, and this deficit is caused by higher than budgeted professional fees, conferences, and travels and meals. The property budget, which is this building as well as the adjoining or the the neighboring building that's rented by the Canadian Mental Health Association, is projecting capital and operating. Projecting a capital and operating deficit of seventy-five thousand nine hundred dollars.

01:52:39 Speaker 01: This is made up of a fifty-nine thousand two hundred dollar operating deficit, which is primarily driven by increased repairs and maintenance to our HVAC equipment, as well as our elevators and increased snow removal. There's a capital deficit of sixteen thousand seven hundred dollars due to overages within our HVAC control system upgrade that was in twenty twenty five, as well as some unbudgeted costs for the emergency roof repairs that were Root repairs that were outlined in CSR CW 1925. Now, those repairs that were approved in that report did not get done until last week and this week. Therefore, they will come in 2026. We expected them at the time of developing the budget to get done in 2025, so they were not re-budgeted for, and it will create a deficit in 2026.

01:53:02 Speaker 01: The provincial offences budget is projecting a 102 102 900 surplus, net of our cost share. with Bruce County, as this department is shared with Bruce County based on our census population, we saw pretty consistent ticket volumes, but a few large tickets really drove a surplus in in this department. I say it every time, but this is a hard department budget for the revenues based on significant variability on when tickets are laid and paid, and then also when one of those large ticket items are going to come in. We are seeing increased court court operating costs, as Amanda Fokas outlined in her annual report last month.

01:53:54 Speaker 01: And in order to combat this, we are increasing our collection efforts to try to continue to increase those revenues. Court security is projecting a deficit of $120,000. This was communicated through Report CAOR CW 1525, and it's due to a variety of reasons, including increased prisoner transport, as well as higher in court. higher in person court attendance. This deficit is proposed to be funded by the one-time money reserve. Taxation, another, which is our supplements and write-offs budget, is projecting a surplus of seven hundred eighty-five thousand dollars, which is made up of six hundred seventy-six thousand dollars of higher supplemental tax billings and a hundred and eight thousand less write-offs than what we had budgeted for. This is one that's hard to project, but internally we're talking about ways that maybe we can survey. lower tiers throughout the year to try to get a handle on on where these subsidy write-offs may be sitting, but again, they they can change significantly at the end of the year.

01:54:34 Speaker 01: The health unit, healthcare, and education funding, which is our payments to the health unit as well as our our five year commitment to Bright Shores, is projected to end the year on budget. The WSIB and weekly indemnity budget, which is our internal insurance budget for for WSIB and short term disability for specific Labor group is projecting to end the year with a surplus of ninety thousand five hundred dollars. This is a good news story as we saw a decrease in the number and duration of claims that were that came through this budget in twenty twenty four. Excuse me. Climate change is projecting an overall surplus of one hundred seven thousand five hundred dollars. Seventy six thousand three hundred of this relates to operating budget and is caused by staffing vacancies as well as us using unbudgeted grants to cover positions that were funded that were intended to be funded by levy.

01:55:58 Speaker 01: Additionally, staff secured a unbudgeted grant for ten thousand dollars from Enbridge. That was just due to general climate change initiatives that we were already doing. And the capital budget is projecting a surplus of thirty-one thousand two hundred dollars. This is due to lower than expected spending for the support for sustainable agriculture project as well as the climate change opportunity fund. Staff are recommending that the capital surplus and the ten thousand. dollar surplus from created by the energy grant be transferred to the energy audit reserve, and that the remaining surplus go to the general one time funding reserve. That is the end of corporate services. I can pause there and take a drink of water if that's okay. Yes, you do that, and I'll look around the room to see if there are any questions at this point. Okay, so when you're ready, go ahead and continue. Thank you. Next up, we have Planning and Community Development. The Planning Operating Budget is projecting a ninety-five thousand two hundred dollar deficit, which is driven by overages and salaries and benefits, as well as lower local and subdivision application fees. Similar to POA, this is a hard budget to budget, or this is hard to forecast and budget for these revenues, as there's significant variability on when these applications actually come in. Staff are proposing that these this deficit be funded by the surplus. By the surpluses within the civic addressing, agriculture, and forestry and trails department, and that the net balance is funded from the one-time funding reserve, which is projected to be forty-five thousand nine hundred dollars.

01:56:34 Speaker 01: The planning capital budget is projected to end the year on budget. These projects are funded from reserve and do not create surplus. The civic addressing department is projecting a surplus of eight thousand dollars due to less spending than less spending than expected on signage. The forestry and the agriculture department, sorry, is projecting a thirty thousand. three hundred dollar deficit. This is a result of increased billing for bylaw work from Great Salable Conservation Authority. The total billing from GSA GCSA was within our budgeted amount, but they spent more time on bylaw work, which is coded to agriculture, and less time on forestry and trails than what we had budgeted. So there's a deficit created in agriculture and an offsetting surplus created within forestry and trails. But it's still the same amount of levy between the two. These deficits within agriculture, though, are offset by savings from lower than budgeted spending on beaver and coyote pills. Their grants, sorry. The forestry trails budget, as mentioned, is in a large surplus, seventy-one thousand six hundred dollars, due to the the graceable issue mentioned before. Additionally, we received unbudgeted grants to put towards our buckthorn mitigation work that was already included in the budget. The economic development and tourism budget is projected to have a forty-one thousand dollar surplus, with a forty-one thousand seven hundred dollar operating surplus, which is due to temporary staffing vacancies, lower than budgeted benefit rates, and utilizing federal grants to fund a position that was budgeted to be funded from levy.

01:58:20 Speaker 05: These savings were offset slightly by increased snow removal costs at the Synthon campus. The economic development tourism capital budget is projecting a deficit of seven hundred dollars due to slightly higher than budgeted costs on the tourism website upgrade. project, community transportation is projecting a surplus of eighty-two thousand three hundred dollars.

01:59:22 Speaker 05: This surplus is the result of us submitting our final report for the GTR program, which ran from twenty nineteen to twenty twenty five. As we were going along with this program, we were doing annual submissions, and we were putting in Gray County contributions based on what we expected we would need, what we had in our our Would need what we had in our budgets for levy and transfers from reserve, based on what we were expected to need to get the program through the entire five six years of the grant. Costs ended up being lower in in the last two years, so we actually didn't have to put that money into the budget, or we actually didn't have to put that money into the grant program in those earlier years. And the ministry allowed us to basically, they allowed us to request those funds be returned to us, so we increased our grant revenue in twenty twenty five above what our actual expenditure. Above what our actual expenditures were, but it was really them repaying costs that we funded in previous years that they should have funded by grant. In addition to this surplus, this budget did not need to access any of the one hundred seventy-eight thousand dollars that was budgeted to come from one-time funding to continue community transit for the GTR program to March thirty-first, as well as the the planning and continuation of certain GTR routes after April first, as approved in the budget. Gray Roots is projecting a surplus of sixty-two thousand one hundred dollars, with the operating budget projecting a surplus of eighty-six thousand one hundred. This surplus is driven primarily by higher than budgeted admission revenue. We had a few really popular exhibits in twenty twenty-five, which saw increased traffic and revenue. Additionally, there were temporary staffing vacancies as a result of doing a village lean pilot project, as well as benefit savings, and we didn't. use our funding that was allocated to the Community Cultural Initiatives Fund in 2025, as we wanted to carry those funds into 2026 to better align with the proposed Indigenous Advisory Circle project timelines. Grayroots Capital is projecting a deficit of 24,000 due to higher than anticipated costs for the air handling unit, archive upgrades, and theater upgrades. There is a donation that can be put towards the archive upgrades that's currently sitting in the operating budget. So again. you see a an offsetting surplus within operating, and then an offsetting deficit within capital, but they net against each other. Human services, the Ontario Works Department is projecting a surplus of sixty one thousand six hundred dollars. The surplus is primarily the result of lower than budgeted expenditures for our non-shareable costs with the province. These relate to funerals for non-social assistance recipients. Additionally, within the Ontario Works Department, Ontario Works Administration Department, we saw save.

02:01:48 Speaker 05: Department, we saw savings for for staffing and benefits, but these costs are fund fifty fifty with the province, so they do not create a hundred percent surplus. Early learning and child care saw a surplus of three hundred and forty four thousand two hundred dollars.

02:02:20 Speaker 05: A good chunk of this surplus is related to the change into the new Sea Wealth program that was not known at the time of developing our twenty twenty five budget. We don't get those transfer payment agreements usually to the beginning of the year, and it result. Year and it resulted in a lower than budgeted municipal contribution for these programs. Additionally, it was a bit of a transition year as we received the funding and we're working on rolling it out. But the funding was for the whole year, but we only had, you know, for some daycare providers, maybe eleven to ten months of expenditures for them, as it took time to get them enrolled in the system. And then the ministry also completed a review of the 2022 and 2023 submission, which resulted in in funds being returned. to the to the county that were not expected, and that created an additional surplus. Staff are recommending that we take this surplus and put it into the early on center capital reserve CSR CW zero seven two six, outlining that the early on handover project came in over budget or is coming in over budget, and recommended that we utilize twenty twenty five surplus to help fund the over two thousand twenty six. Housing is projecting an overall surplus of five hundred and forty thousand. eight hundred dollars, four hundred thousand of this relates to the operating budget, and one hundred and seventy-five of that four hundred relates to the county-owned housing properties. There's lots of ins and outs within this department, but the big ones are a two hundred fifty thousand dollars surplus in our tenant rents due to changes in tenant circumstances, resulting in higher rents, as well as a continued trend of seeing lower vacancy rates within within our buildings, which is attributable to to quicker and less turnover.

02:04:00 Speaker 05: between tenants. We also saw surpluses in salaries and benefits as there was temporary staffing vacancies throughout the year. But some of these savings are offset by increased contracted services. As if we have a a custodian who's off, we will bring in a a contracted custodian to maintain that building. Those surpluses are offset by a two hundred twenty one thousand dollar as but deficit in snow removal. Significant overages as we have to start hauling away snow as. winter gets gets more extreme. It creates significant overages within this budget. Within the operating surplus is two hundred and twenty five two hundred and twenty five thousand dollars for the not for profit housing budget.

02:04:31 Speaker 05: This is a result of our annual funding reconciliations coming in and funds being returned to the the county based on less than expected spending from the not not for profit providers. Additionally, in twenty twenty five, we continue to have agreements and mortgages ending, resulting in lower subsidy being required to the providers. The housing capital budget is projecting a surplus of one hundred thirty-nine thousand eight hundred dollars. This surplus is the result of three capital projects not being completed in twenty twenty-five that were funded by levy, but that is offset by overages related to a hundred thousand dollar deductible being required at the housing unit at two forty-eight Seventh Avenue East. This is a separate claim from. the fire. When they were doing remediation work for the fire, they actually found damages in the building that were not related to the fire, resulting in a second claim being filed, resulting in another hundred thousand dollars being required to be put up by this budget. Additionally, in 2025, we demolished Rose Lane in Dundalk. We expected that project to be completed in 2024, so we did not rebudget for it, so it created a deficit in 2025. Staff recommending that the net surplus here be transferred to the Housing Capital Budget. to help fund future capital needs in this department. Long-term care. There's a recurring theme throughout all of them. We had a arbitrated settlement that went back multiple years. Come in in 2025. When we are out of agreement with our collective agreements, staff make their best estimate for what we think any retro pay will be for the current year, and we accrue those on our books. The arbitrated settlement ended up being higher. than what we expected, resulting in a deficit in 2025. However, because we technically underaccreded in 2023 and 2024, it created a surplus in these lines in those budgets. Those surpluses would have been transferred into the the home specific capital reserves. So now we're suggesting that the deficit in the current year be funded by those reserves as well. So it's really a timing difference on those. Gregables is projecting a overall deficit of 368. Deficit of three hundred sixty-eight thousand dollars, which is made up of an operating deficit of five hundred thousand, as mentioned above, relating to current year and retroactive wage costs.

02:07:00 Speaker 05: Additionally, there were higher costs for legal, association fees, utilities, food, and waste removal. As well, they also saw reduced tenant revenue. These costs, though, were offset by a capital surplus of one hundred thirty-five thousand dollars. As staff were able to utilize comprehensive minor capital funding that was not known at the time of filing the budget. Staffing the budget. Lee Manor is projecting an overall deficit of seven hundred and three thousand dollars. This is made up of a seven hundred eighteen thousand operating deficit. Same thing, retroactive wages. Additionally, there were deficits in legal fees, computer purchases, training, medical supplies, physician on-call costs, and staffing due to higher acuity of our residents.

02:07:24 Speaker 05: This is offset by a fourteen thousand eight hundred dollar surplus in capital due to some slight savings. in their capital projects. Rockwood Terrace is in a surplus of four hundred and sixty-nine thousand dollars, which is made up of a three hundred thirty-seven thousand two hundred dollar operating budget surplus and a one hundred thirty-one thousand eight hundred dollar capital surplus. This building, as we are getting closer and closer to the new Rockwood redevelopment, they are only doing repairs that are absolutely needed, so they're seeing savings within their maintenance budgets and capital budgets as if work. does not need to be completed, and it can get us through the next couple of years, it is not being completed. Long-term care redevelopment.

02:08:23 Speaker 05: When this budget was developed, we expected to spend approximately fifty-one million dollars in twenty twenty-five, which was to be funded by unused provincial grants, levy, and a construction loan through Infrastructure Ontario. Due to some timing differences, we only spent twenty-two point one million dollars. So we utilized up the the grant that we had. We used our levy. and we're left with ten point six million dollars. That's currently sitting as unfunded, and will be rolled into the construction loan that we'll take out in twenty twenty six. However, this does not create a surplus or deficit in twenty twenty five. Paramedic services is projecting a overall deficit of sixty six hundred dollars with an operating surplus of ninety four thousand eight hundred dollars. The surplus is primarily driven by increased CPLTC grant that was received in the year that wasn't known at the time of. developing the budget. Additionally, we saw savings in salaries and benefits due to lower than budgeted lost time, lower enrollment in Omer's, reduced benefit rates. So these savings were taken, and we significantly reduced the amount that we took out of reserve in order to smooth the deployment review. So the the plan is built to kind of increase the levy each year. So in the earlier years, we're we're taking from reserve to kind of smooth that out. In this budget, though, we didn't have to take as much as we planned out of reserve.

02:09:24 Speaker 05: These savings, though, were offset by increased medical supplies and medication costs, which is a result of continued increased call volumes and the increased cost of these supplies and medications. The capital budget has a the paramedic capital budget has a deficit of one hundred and one thousand dollars, which is related to the overages for our duty supervisor vehicles. This was a project in twenty twenty four, but the project happens in two steps. where we purchase the vehicle and then we send it away to be converted. We purchased the vehicles, two supervisor trucks, in 2024, and we expected to get the conversion done in 2024, so we didn't re-budget. But the actual conversion cost came in 2025, creating a deficit. And staff are recommending that this deficit be funded from the Paramedic Services General Equipment Reserve. I can stop there before we get into conversion. Okay. Any questions there? No. Okay, I I see people are smiling because you you have earned the honorary position of Director Taylor being just before lunch. So so please go ahead. Transportation Services is projecting an overall surplus of forty two thousand eight hundred dollars. This is made up of an operating deficit of one point nine six million dollars. The primary driver here was the winter. budget being significantly over budget? Being the last, being the worst budgeted winter that we've had in the last five years. When we went back and looked, winter has a significant impact on this budget and can vary significantly based on how much snow and how long the winter lasts.

02:10:50 Speaker 05: Increased snow means increased time for our staff as they're out plowing our roads and our mechanics are working more to maintain the vehicles.

02:11:33 Speaker 06: It also results in significant increases for actual. Can increases for actual stock materials like sand and salt. Additionally, in the capital section, I'm going to talk about tandems that we have on delay. But we currently have five tandems that were supposed to be replaced in 2023, 2024, and 2025 that have not been replaced. So we have assets that are beyond their useful life, and therefore we're seeing increased breakdowns and maintenance required on those vehicles. And the reason we haven't received them is is supply chain delays that are out of our control. Additionally, we saw overages in our building maintenance costs as our sand storage buildings and our facilities saw some damages due to ice damming and significant winter in 2025. However, this large operating deficit is offset by an overall surplus of two million dollars eight thousand in capital. The major roads and bridge construction budget is projecting to have a surplus of three point one million dollars.

02:12:17 Speaker 06: This budget has 3.3 million dollars worth of expenditures in it, so this represents a 9.5 percent surplus. Early in the year, we knew this budget was going to be in a surplus position as tenders came back very competitively with surpluses that would have been communicated to council as they're almost all over 500 thousand dollars. However, when those numbers come back to council, we also include a five or sorry a 10 percent contingency on those awarded amounts, which are meant to cover off any change orders or asphalt index price adjustments. We did not see a lot of those in 2025, which created significant savings. So I attribute that to good work from Pat's engineering team for for having the tenders built well, that that changes were not needed, as well as his contract administration team for you know staying on top of the contractors and making sure ensuring the quantities were were correct. But additionally, the asphalt index is something that's completely out of our control, and it just ended up being a good year 2025. where we didn't see a significant increase. There, there are also additional savings within the major capital project for non-project specific costs, such as minor capital, bridge design, structure investigations, land acquisitions, and traffic signal upgrades. These are annual budgets that are done on an as-needed basis. And 2025 just happened to be a year where where not as much work was required, so it created surpluses. All budgeted projects were completed in 2025, with the exception of gray road. 19 and 21 intersection upgrades, Structure 90164 and Structure 90363, they have all been re-budgeted for 2026 and onward, and therefore they do not create a deficit. However, staff are asking that we take the $378,000 of levy funds for the Gray Road 19 and 21 project and transfer them into a project-specific reserve so that they can be utilized in the 2027 capital budget.

02:13:50 Speaker 06: The other two projects were funded entirely from development charges and. our own reserves, and therefore do not create a surplus as they weren't completed. Facilities and depots is projecting a deficit of one point five million dollars, which is attributable to the Chatsworth Stand storage building collapsing and being rebuilt in twenty twenty five.

02:14:00 Speaker 06: It was planned to be replaced, I believe, in twenty twenty six or twenty twenty seven, but it went down in twenty twenty five, so we had to replace it right away, and that entire amount creates a deficit as it wasn't budgeted for. The machinery and equipment capital budget is projecting a surplus. of three hundred sixty-five thousand dollars, which is a timing difference. We had sold a grade all, which was intended to fund the purchase of a new rubber tire excavator. The excavator came in twenty twenty-four, but we didn't end up selling the grade all until twenty twenty-five, so it created a deficit in twenty twenty-four and an offsetting surplus in twenty twenty in twenty twenty-four. As mentioned, currently we have we had five tandems in this budget. Two of them were ordered in twenty twenty-three. One was in order in twenty twenty-four. One was ordered in 2024, and two were ordered in 2025. We did not receive any this year, so they have all been re-budgeted for next year. Additionally, there was a payloader ordered in late 2025 that was expected to be received, so we did not re-budget for it. So that payloader will will create a deficit in 2026. Lastly, our two electric haftons that were in the budget for 2025, we received one of them before the end of the year, but we did not receive the other. However, we did know that there was a delay on this, so we did re-budget for it, so it will not create a surplus or a deficit. Last part of the report is our donations to being transferred to reserve. Just outlining the amounts that we received throughout the year in donations throughout the homes and requesting that that staff have the authority to transfer these directly to a home-specific donation reserve. Thank you.

02:16:13 Speaker 06: Okay, take another sip of water, and thank you very much. And the report that that you did submit is very detailed. so we we have all we had a chance to review all of that. Keep in mind too that our recommended motion, that's on the floor, moved and seconded, is to receive. Is to receive. We're just taking this in for information. So, if you have any further detailed questions from either what you read or heard this morning, I'll look for hands. Okay, we'll go to Councillor Greg. Few quick questions. Thanks for the Folsom report, Garrett. Some report, Garrett, kind of information in there. A couple quick questions. Approximately five hundred thousand dollars in an operating deficit position from last year, and that's that benefits from enhanced supplements. So, fair to say, we're about one point three million dollars, approximately, in a deficit for our actual operating expenses. How would that compare to the last few years prior? Would you? have an idea on some context there through the warden? That operating deficit is really driven by transportation. I could say in previous year the operating budget was in a surplus, but but that was really driven by increased long term care funding that we didn't know.

02:16:32 Speaker 07: So sometimes a few one or two departments that have unexpected budget items can really drive that surplus or deficit. The one point. The 1.9 million dollar operating deficit with the transportation again is the the worst that we've had in the last five years.

02:17:26 Speaker 07: I believe they were in a modest surplus last year.

02:17:56 Speaker 02: Again, though, this is just a budget that that is going to swing significantly based on based on the weather that we see, and it's really pulling the overall operating position of the county down. As you said, supplemental billings were were 785 thousand dollars, so we're in a 1.3 million dollar Three million dollar debt or operating deficit without them, but if you take out the transportation operating deficit, the rest of the county is in about six hundred thousand dollar operating surplus. I was going to say thanks, Derek. Okay, second question here. I have it just.

02:18:26 Speaker 02: I didn't want to interject through your presentation, but quick question: the planning staffing costs being higher and development fees, development in the general. context, we charge. We look for revenue recovery for some of those services provided. Were planning staffing costs higher, or is it a net planning staffing cost where what we projected them to be, they just did not benefit from as much revenue being applied against our expected planning staffing costs. And if staffing costs were higher in the planning department, I'm wondering what drove that. when we weren't not seeing as much development activity?

02:19:07 Speaker 02: If if I were to respond to that, I think we'd have to go into closed as far as what drove that that staffing overages within the planning department. Okay. Last question I have noted would be the housing overage that we have. Can it be? placed in the reserve, similar some and use the communications seventy-seven thousand as an example, where I guess I did kind of have a question there too. I think it was twenty thousand dollars every year, maybe that we put towards audiovisual. Is it just anticipated that that twenty thousand becomes forty thousand, or were we going to expend more this year, consuming that seventy-seven thousand and? it would be a very small incremental. Now, I'm going to use that as an example for the housing. How much more do we have to step up to meet that one percent of levy contribution for housing? Can that overage be placed in a reserve, and we draw upon that until we've met that one percent levy contribution for housing? Yes. So the communications one is. the seventy-seven thousand dollars is not intended to all be used in twenty twenty-six. However, we would, if we didn't do this transfer, it's expected that we would deplete what's in that reserve currently for that project in twenty twenty-six. Then we would have to start planning to replace that equipment eventually, which is now more expensive than what we had thought it was going to be.

02:20:35 Speaker 02: So I don't have the exact number in front of me, but if it was twenty thousand dollars and now we think it's going to be forty, we would then have to increase our transfers to reserve. Where what staff are recommending is we put that surplus into that reserve, so we're starting at a slightly higher balance, so we don't have to increase that reserve transfer right away, so that we're ready to replace that that equipment in the next life cycle. The way the recommendation is written now for transfers for the housing surplus is that it goes into the housing general building reserve or general capital reserve, so it would be applied against housing's ten-year capital plan. We look at what needs to happen or what staff want to complete over the next. ten years, and then look at what we have available to us in reserves. And then we evaluate: okay, what do we need to increase our levy by each year in order to meet those needs? And then that becomes our our budget. That's basically what we think we we we can accomplish. I think you're talking more towards the Affordable Housing Fund Reserve, which is a separate reserve that is meant to be funded entirely by levy. And currently, the budgets you write are working to catch up as the the contribution to reserve did not. did not meet the did not increase as much as the levy. It increased over the last three years. So I suppose it could be you could take some of that surplus and transfer it into the affordable housing reserve instead of the capital reserve. However, I believe the intent of that reserve is still to get up to that one percent. And and I believe the way we have our budget built right now is that we'd be we'd be there by twenty twenty six. Okay, thanks for that. I just know right now we're looking at anywhere from what seven to ten percent in a budget increase for 2027, which is totally not something that would be acceptable to whoever is sitting around this table when it comes that time. And I'm certainly looking at any opportunity that we've already taken those funds from the taxpayer. That's why it's a surplus, and I'm just looking. for any opportunity that we can have those funds placed somewhere where they could be protected, drawn against, and mitigate that all those escalations or those drivers to that 27 increase. The other question I have, I just when it comes back, I'll use the conservation authority as an example. A very, very, very small, tiny budget, but our twos and frums, the reserve. And froms the reserve, we can see the reserve balances as as part of that report. Is it something that staff can incorporate, like a third column there, so that we would be aware and give us a little more context about what our reserve balances are? Because I do feel like just what we have here, we're still operating a little bit in the in a vacuum of information or context, and I would greatly benefit by having it.

02:22:53 Speaker 02: That by having it provided, what is our reserve place with each one of those? So, just comment for me in terms of maybe what could be included in future reporting for for my benefit. Yeah, I think that's for sure doable. We currently the projected reserve balances at the budget time are included in the budget package, and those are available on our on our open. book page, but I think we definitely could provide after these transfers. Here's where each reserve is sitting. I know Sue is currently on her work plan this year is to have an updated reserve policy. So I don't want to speak for her, but potentially we include back in that policy also how those reserves get reported back to council and how frequently.

02:24:26 Speaker 02: But as far as attaching that report to, we have to provide it to the auditors anyway, a detail of all of our reserves. So attaching that to the report could be done as well. Yeah, I think that'd be a benefit because I certainly have, and Brian's probably looking over my left shoulder. He sees that I have the budget open at different times in the meeting today. It's a lot of work with if I have to go back and and pursue that. So I'm just wondering, any opportunities to provide that in a little more upfront manner would be, I think, helpful. Thanks. Okay. Any other questions? Not seeing any further questions. Again, thank you for sharing the information in advance in writing through the report, as well as elaborating today for the verbal explanations. So, with that, I'll call the question. All those in favor? And that motion is passed. Thank you very much. So, it is indeed lunchtime, and we would like to reconvene at one thirty. We do have Director Taylor is lined up to present the next report, along with Director Hoy, and he's at a conference right now, so we're trying to be. specific on timing.

02:25:07 Speaker 02: So, if we could all be back in our seats and ready to go at one thirty, that would be fantastic. Thank you. Okay, thank you very much, committee. The whole members, we are back from lunch. and we are picking up on item seven D. I will read out the motion and look for a mover and seconder, and then we have three of our senior management team ready to respond and talk about it. It's recommended that report PDRCW eighteen twenty six be received regarding Bill ninety eight, the Building Homes and Improvement Transportation Infrastructure Act twenty twenty six, and related environmental registry and regulatory registry postings, and that this. that report PDR CW eighteen twenty six be forwarded to the province as the county of Grey's comments on the proposed legislative and policy updates as posted on the environmental registry through postings zero two six three hundred three hundred one three hundred two three hundred four three hundred five three hundred nine three ten three eleven three twelve three thirteen three fourteen three fifteen I think that's supposed to be three sixteen and there's oh sorry oh nine oh one nine eighty three sixteen oh one nine eighty twenty and regulatory registry posting twenty six and twenty six m m a h zero zero nine and that this report be shared with members of provincial part parliament Vickers and Saunderson and the county's planning the county's planning and economic development advisory committee.

02:26:36 Speaker 02: the agricultural advisory committee, and member municipalities of Grey County, and that Grey County support the correspondence received from the Municipal Engineers Association regarding its comments on the Ontario Regulatory Registry twenty-six MT zero zero zero zero zero three, and that county staff submit such support and comments to the province, and that staff be authorized to proceed prior to county council approval, as per Section twenty-six point six. Per section twenty six point six b of our procedural bylaw fifty one thirty four twenty two. After all that, somebody is going to move this for me. May I ask for a mover, please? Okay, we've got it moved by Councillor Nielsen and seconded by Councillor Hutchinson. So it is now on the floor, and we're going to begin with Director Taylor. Then we'll hear from Director Foy and Director Myers as well. Director Taylor, thank you for joining us. Great, thank you, Madam Warden. Morton, I will just share my screen here. Just a second. Can you confirm just that you can see those the screen there? Yes, we can, and we can hear you clearly. Excellent, wonderful. Thank you very much for your time this afternoon. Sorry, I can't be there to join you in person, and thank you for reading out that incredibly wordy motion. It's almost as wordy as the report itself. So I'll try to touch on some of the highlights here, alongside my colleagues, Director Hoy and Director Myers. As as you've said, this really has been a team effort. Sometimes with these provincial legislative changes and ERO postings, there's not a lot of time to respond. So everybody from the CEO and Deputy CEO to Legal Services, Transit, NDTC, SAF, Transportation Services, Finance, Planning, and Ecology have all played a big part in this in this report, including working nights and weekends to try to get it done in time for council's preparation. So thank you to to all of our colleagues in that regard. So with that, we'll just go on. So on March 30th, the province introduced. Thirtieth, the province introduced Bill ninety eight, which is labeled as the Building Homes and Improving Infrastructure Act. I can report that Bill ninety eight has has now received second reading and has been referred to standing committee. Similar to some of the other legislative changes we've talked about in in recent years, this bill is proposing to to change a number of acts, including the Planning Act, the Development Charges Act, the Municipal Act, the Building Code Act, the Metro Links Act, and and so on and so forth. There's a lot to respond here, and I know it is a wordy report, but but we really wanted to give council a summary of of what some of the changes are and where some of those impacts could could touch the county or the member municipalities. And similar to what we heard from from Kate at WOWC this morning, there's been a lot of collaboration. We met with municipal planners on this to to talk about some of the impacts, and we talked about the different departments. We also met with the planning subject matter experts group at. WOWC to try to get a handle on exactly what's being proposed here and what the impacts are. As with other legislative changes, there's some some that we see as as positive and some that maybe more challenging, and others we simply don't know the impacts just yet. With respect to some of the changes and the regulatory changes being made, there are a number of threads they're picking up on from from previous consultations, including Bill 60 and and some of the earlier legislative changes. So some of this. is is now passing the regulations that were promised in in previous legislative updates in that regard. So with that, I'll get into some of the changes themselves. Two of the postings relate to standardizing official plans, and and this is something that had been sort of teased in in one of the earlier consultations. But more specifically, they've got one posting that's speaking to prescribing a table of contents for municipal tier and single tier official. plans, such that every municipality across the province would have the same twelve land use designations. They would also have the same schedules in their official plan and and the same sort of headings throughout the table of contents and in the plan. There's another posting where the province is looking at how to deal with upper tier official plans or secondary plans in that regard. And so in in Gray's boat in Gray's case, along with our member municipalities. we really need to understand both postings to know how they're going to impact the county and member municipalities. Certainly, we do already what we can to try to reduce duplication between the county plan and your own municipal official plans, and and we'd like to pursue that going forward. Nope, it looks like maybe frozen. Okay, and Director Taylor, if you can hear us, I will just let you know that you are frozen. Sometimes you can still hear audio from your side. Municipal official plans in that regard, and so there's two different dates. One is for the fast-growing municipalities, but none of our Gray County municipalities are in that fast-growing list, so they're all under this January 1st, 2029 date.

02:32:51 Speaker 02: We're not clear from the information that's been released whether this is a thou shalt have your official plans updated by that date. Dated by that date, or whether that's if you're doing a regular update after January first, 2029, that's when you need to consider the updates. So, as staff, we see some merit in in terms of some sort of standardization and clarification, and it would assist developers that are working across multiple different municipalities. We certainly don't think a one size fits all approach will will cover everybody here. So, while there could be some standardization, perhaps in the mapping or even some of the the heading. Some of the the headings, we do think there needs to be that ability for municipalities to still have autonomy in in setting their own policies in that regard that are best for their municipality.

02:33:37 Speaker 02: I think we we talk in the report that one of the designations would be a neighborhood designation, and certainly a neighborhood designation in Hanover may be very different than a neighborhood designation in say the city of Ottawa. The other thing that we'd we'd note here is that if municipalities are all having to update their official plans and particularly for those municipalities that have just gone through a major update or a new official plan, the hope would would be that there could be some flexibility on the timing, and perhaps the province could could offer some implementation funding. The other strain it's going to place on the planning system is on approval authorities.

02:34:13 Speaker 08: So for for counties across the province who have their official plans approved by the province, and for for the county itself who approves member municipal official plans, you know if they're all sort of coming do. You know, if they're all sort of coming due at the same date, it could be challenging to get those all done in an expeditious fashion. One of the other changes the province is looking at is is prescribing what municipalities can require in terms of studies and reports as part of a complete application. And so, the province through the ERO posting has released two lists of studies. One is a core list, and so that would include things like a a servicing study or or planning justification report.

02:34:39 Speaker 08: And the other is contingent studies, and so those. contingent studies are the ones that wouldn't necessarily be required on all applications, but might be required for certain applications, such as a hazard assessment or a noise study. In that regard, with respect to the staff considerations here, staff would note that since 2025, the province has required municipalities going through an official plan amendment process to to get ministerial approval on new official plans, which speak to complete applications.

02:35:20 Speaker 08: So. the one hope here is that if the province prescribes the list, then we wouldn't be caught in that sort of limbo any further of needing that ministerial approval. We've offered some suggestions in the report on on maybe some additional studies that could be added to the list, and and maybe there's one or two that could go from the the contingent list to the the core list just because we see them coming up more and more frequently on on applications. With that, we'll move on to the next.

02:35:49 Speaker 08: One of the other changes the province is looking at, which is interesting, is is they're looking at prescribing a mandatory minimum lot size for service residential land. So this would be residential land on water and sewer services. And what they proposed right now is 175 square meters across the province, or roughly 1,880 square feet. In looking at Grey's municipal zoning bylaws, we don't have any municipalities that would allow for a lot size. quite this small. The smallest we had is certain townhouse lots could be in and around 200 square meters, but certainly 175 square meters is a challenge.

02:36:23 Speaker 08: And they further released some verbiage to state that where municipal or municipal zoning bylaw has minimum frontage or depth requirements that would make this standard in make the standard not feasible, then those those Minimum depth and frontage would be inapplicable in that regard.

02:36:50 Speaker 08: They've made it clear that developers could still choose to create larger lots, but municipalities shall allow for at a minimum a residential lot size of this of the size. Staff support this idea in in principle, but do have some concerns.

02:37:05 Speaker 08: And this is another one where maybe a broad brush, one size fits all approach doesn't work for the entire province, particularly in those communities like we we have in Grey County.

02:37:20 Speaker 08: Like we we have in Gray County, where you get a significant amount of snowfall, and in most cases don't have transit or certainly don't have a higher order transit, and therefore people are more dependent on on personal automobiles than perhaps some of these communities need a slightly larger size in that regard. We'd also note that particularly in some of our established neighborhoods, if if people were to start intensifying in this nature, it might have an impact on existing infrastructure, including servicing.

02:37:47 Speaker 08: and stormwater, if we're seeing more impervious surfaces, and it also might have an impact on on people's ability to have a an additional residential unit, whether as a detached unit or or say a basement apartment. In that regard, so the ask back to the province here is: could we look at some stratification here? Maybe 175 meters is is perfect for Toronto, but maybe in in rural Ontario and particularly where we get more snow, maybe we need a slightly larger. minimum lot size to be considered in that regard. With respect to the next sort of bucket of changes, if you will, they're proposing to change the Water and Wastewater Public Corporations Act as well as the Safe Drinking Water Act. And I must admit, particularly that first piece of legislation is not one I'm intimately familiar with. So I'm so thankful that we have both municipal staff and our own legal services team that can help us understand the impact of these these changes.

02:38:40 Speaker 01: In effect. the changes to the Water and Wastewater Public Corporations Act would be looking at making sure that such corporations maintain are maintained in public ownership and and that they can't have private ownership shareholders in that regard. More specifically, they're looking at these corporations. The shareholders could be federal, provincial, municipal, or an agent of any of those of the. Those of any of those levels of government. So one of the key considerations here, from a staff perspective, would be you know who can be prescribed as an agent, and and I think there's a public interest in in making sure that these water and wastewater systems remain in public ownership, and and there is public policy setting the the rates and infrastructure expansions in that regard. So we'd be keen to to understand that. There was also a concern raised by a number of member municipal staff. about the impact of these changes and whether or not through these changes the province could prescribe municipalities to to need to service some other neighbors and expand beyond their own municipal boundaries in that regard. The province, in a separate posting, is gauging interest on any municipalities that might be interested in adopting a water and wastewater public corporation model, and so they've invited municipalities to to submit their their interest or intent in that regard. with respect to the changes to the Safe Drinking Water Act, the province is looking at further enabling the use of communal services, whether be water or wastewater.

02:39:50 Speaker 01: In this regard, so they're noting that criteria could be prescribed, where if those criteria were met, municipalities would be required to give consent to such communal systems. And communal systems might not be a topic that you're all intimately familiar with.

02:40:33 Speaker 01: The the ability to use communal servicing exists right now, but prior to to a new development setting up communal servicing, it's asked to to enter into a responsibility agreement with the host municipality. And essentially, what that responsibility agreement would do would be to cover that water or wastewater system. Should should something ever happen, and and the developer can't afford to to operate that system anymore, so needless to say, municipalities are. reluctant to sign such responsibility agreements for fear of of becoming the future operator of such systems, particularly where such systems aren't built to a a municipal standard in that regard.

02:40:58 Speaker 01: So, staff do have concerns.

02:41:17 Speaker 01: Certainly, we support the the notion of communal servicing, but we can't do so at the financial risk of our municipalities. In the municipal staff discussions, there was also note to say that that we wouldn't want to see these. communal systems being used to to to justify disparate development all of our countryside. Certainly, if they're they're needed for our smaller settlement areas, that might be a good fit. But these shouldn't be used as a tool to further develop our our agricultural areas, for example. With that, I'll move on to the next change. So the provinces noted in in their materials that the site plan control process is is onerous and takes too long, and so they've.

02:42:00 Speaker 09: proposed five potential solutions that could that could help ease this this blockage in you in the system, if you will. That the provinces stated the first would be to simply remove site plan control, which yes, it would it would clear that blockage, but it's it's not one that staff can recommend in that regard. And that was particularly echoed by by our municipal partners, who are the ones that are approving site plan control, and it's it's a necessary tool to implement some councils' decisions in that regard. Another one they're looking at is to require a maximum of three circulations before a mandatory meeting is triggered to resolve issues. So typically, a developer submits their technical studies for a site plan application. In some cases, those studies are sufficient, and and they proceed right to their approval.

02:42:40 Speaker 09: In some cases, say municipal engineering has feedback, they send it back to the proponent's engineer, and you can get caught sort of in in that churn of going back and forth between between different technical experts.

02:42:50 Speaker 09: So the province. is saying there needs to be a cap on the number of of times it can be reissued or circulated in that regard, and then after that cap, you would need to have sort of a resolution meeting in that regard.

02:43:17 Speaker 09: They've also also proposed that you could scope site plan even further and really focus on just those health and safety issues, and and anything that's not health and safety issues simply wouldn't be a part of site plan. And then for those health and safety issues, you could use certified professionals. and municipalities would be required to accept such studies as they are, so to speak. Certainly, there's elements of that. Can site plan be further scope? Yeah, probably can.

02:43:26 Speaker 09: Should we, you know, should municipalities be required just to accept certain studies? That would be challenging, and particularly where impacts municipal infrastructure. You know, municipalities still need some level of oversight there.

02:43:51 Speaker 09: The fourth one is a municipal arbitration process. or site plan review panel that would be operated by the municipality? You know, there's there's there's certain merits in this solution, but the general feeling amongst municipal staff was this could add another layer and just delay things even further. Particularly if it was prescribed that you automatically enter into arbitration once you get beyond a certain point, because it could be that you're already nearing a decision, and and and the arbitration sort of resets the clock, if you will. And the fourth or the fifth one, sorry. would be to require municipalities to have different levels of site plan approval. And I'll say in gray, this is largely already done. So if I think about our rural communities that might be entering into a site plan for an iron farm, metal workshop, that's a fairly simplified process. Versus in one of our bigger communities, if we suddenly had a new, you know, big box store come to town, then that's that's a more onerous site plan process.

02:44:29 Speaker 09: So staff see merit in some of these, particularly elements of of item three and item five, and to a lesser extent item two. but but we certainly can't support all of these options. The other thing we'd note in talking to municipal staff is is this seems to be an issue that's very much geography specific, and so there are some municipalities outside of gray that that do take quite a long time to approve their site plans. In some cases, in excess of a year.

02:45:20 Speaker 09: Quite often, a lot of our site plans that are municipalities in gray do get done within the prescribed timeframe of sixty days. The other things. staff noted as a challenge here is there are certain provincial ministries at times that are required to give their blessing to to certain site plans in some geographies, and some of those municipal some of those ministries have a ten week turnaround for their initial comments. And so, when our our timeline to process site plans is sixty days, that you know ten week timeline isn't isn't congruous in that regard. So certainly, there's there's ways we can all sharpen our pencils and improve processes.

02:45:48 Speaker 10: and hopefully the province would sit down as a partner with some of their ministries and and and look to do the same. With respect to the next category of changes, these are ones that we worked very closely with with our climate staff on, and and Linda couldn't be here today, but she was instrumental in in helping write the section of the report, prepare the section of the presentation.

02:46:38 Speaker 10: So the province is further made it clear that they do not support any level of green development standard or enhance Development standard or enhanced development standard, and and we'll say message received on that one. The province has made that very clear over the past couple legislative changes, and and Gray has has pivoted our three county green development program to a fully voluntary recognition program in that regard.

02:46:48 Speaker 10: But they are looking at further changes that could impact both site plan control and also the types of conditions that could be put on a plan of subdivision or a consent in that regard to further limit. the types of sustainable design elements that could be included in that regard, and and there's a certain degree here of uncertainty based on the fact that certain terms aren't aren't defined. So sustainable design or sustainability in that regard isn't isn't defined. And in order to understand what that means, we'd really need a definition. The province's own media briefing has spoken to landscaping and foliage requirements, soil composition, ornamental and design.

02:47:24 Speaker 10: Position, ornamental, and design considerations would all be prohibited, and and certainly some of those wouldn't impact gray or member municipalities in a whole whole big way. But some of the landscaping and the environmental considerations could have very real impacts, and it could make it very difficult to to implement the recommendations of environmental studies and and and carry those out in that regard. So we do have some concerns here. They're also proposing a change in the. They're also proposing a change, and this is the last bullet on the slide, where they're removing a section in the Planning Act that requires municipalities to have climate change policies in their official plan.

02:48:03 Speaker 10: But at the same point, have also made it clear that the provincial planning statement requires climate change policies. So you know the end result on municipalities is is the same. We still need climate policies at the local level. It's just they're not saying it in both the Act and the provincial planning statement. They're just saying it in the provincial planning. statement. If these if these falsies were to pass in that regard, and so with that, I am going to turn it over to Director Hoy, who can take us through the harmonization of municipal road standards. Thank you, Director Taylor. Okay, thank you.

02:48:56 Speaker 10: First, I want to thank Scott and his team for putting this report together. They did a lot of work on it, and they were very good to work with us. So I'll be repeating a lot of what he says, you know, about the folly of a kind of one size fits all system. A one-size-fits-all system. So, just on page sixteen of the report, or item sixteen, page twenty, it's about the harmonization of road standards. So, almost all municipalities use OPSS and OPSE—the provincial standards right now—and then we will include special provisions as well for certain things that we might want to see, or things that we experienced over the years that we might want that aren't necessarily in the standard specification.

02:49:29 Speaker 10: So, just to give you a little example, one thing is. all our culverts will have a delineator marker at the end in blue that we can find. It's got to be enough height that it won't get lost in the ditch and that type of thing. Well, maybe Windsor doesn't need that, maybe, or you know, we all have our own little things that we like, and this would kind of take away our our version of doing that.

02:50:02 Speaker 10: So, Gray County has many municipalities. You all have your own contracts. You all have things in them that you look. for, things that have worked over the years, varying topography, soil conditions, just municipal preference. Some people like things a different way; they have a separate standard, and we are completely comfortable with that. And it makes sense. There's a new contract. Every job has a contract, and it has all the things in it. Whether it's read by a contractor or not is a is a different issue. But there's stuff in there. This is what I want. This is what's in the contract, and they bid on it, and we all just move forward. So, although. in theory it would be great to have just a contract construction contract, you just press a button and everything was the same. The province is just incredibly diverse, you know, from from Thunder Bay to here to Windsor. It's just there's so many different soil conditions and topography and all those types of things that it's just one of those things that is just no one knows exactly how this thing is going to work. So I'm just going to go over some of our main problems with it and municipal engineers. With it, and the municipal engineers have the same problem. And the first thing is, what is the problem you're solving? Like if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Everyone makes their contracts seems fine. We haven't heard a lot of people complaining about it, so I we don't really know what the issue is. We our contracts are fine; they're clear. We just leave it the way it is, and and just the general fact that I don't know how anyone could think that every contract in Ontario is going to be the same. Was going to be the same. Our, you know, Ontario is so diverse and beautiful and different. Why would we all be using the exact same construction methods or materials or the varying materials? And we, and you know, we look into that. Sometimes it's worth getting trap rock from up north. Sometimes it isn't, right? So it's all about judgment and and use for money and return of investment and those types of things. So our next thing is just because the government is not trying to force anything on us, they've also allowed. That was sarcastic, by the way. They've also allowed exemptions to this. So, although you're not really supposed to use special provisions, you can apply to use these special provision for through an exemption. Now, the the one person was at the was a speaker at the Good Roads Conference, and he was at one point the the only staff member doing this. Now he said there's three, but how three people are going to go over every tender construction tender in Ontario? That does not sound like a reduction in bureaucracy at all. I'm sure it won't come in a week. The response, unless it's a blanket no, maybe.

02:52:04 Speaker 10: So we don't really see how that's saving anything. We don't have to ask the province for certain things like that now. And then also they've added item four, a reporting mechanism, which of course is very vague. We don't know exactly what that means. But again, we don't have to report on that now. So I don't really see what problem you're fixing or or the reason for it. So we're you know, the Public Works people generally. You might have heard this from your staff as well. It just seems like kind of a poor solution to an unidentified problem. So we don't see the reason why it's going forward, but that's kind of where we're at. And thanks, Scott, again for all the work. Okay. So next, we're going to hear from Director Myers. I cannot top that. So I am here to talk to you about the proposed Fair Alignment and Seamless Transit Act and MetroLink's Act that are part of this. And what you'll note on the slide here and within the report is that the Fair Alignment and Seamless Transit Act provides the Ontario Ministry of Transportation potential new authority to set and regulate transit fares, including prices, discounts, transport policies, transit systems prescribed by regulation, require use of a. provincially approved unified fare payment system. They could establish geographic fare zones across participating transit systems and apply fare policies across municipal boundaries rather than limiting them to individual municipalities. And support provincially led fare and service integration for priority routes. These are all things that we are assessing currently through the. Let me get this right. Bruce Dufferin, Greg Wellington Regional Transit Study, but some of the comments that we have left in here as staff is that you know while the act does not appear to apply automatically to all transit systems, it does allow the province to provide or prescribe specific systems through regulation, and this authority could extend to rural and regional systems, but we just don't know that yet based on what we're reading, and that could include everything happening in Grey County and being considered through this regional transit study. So while the intent of the act is generally aligned with the direction being explored through this study, with particular respect to those systems. Particular respect to those seamless passenger experiences, moving towards common harmonized fare structures and integrating payment systems across jurisdictions.

02:54:29 Speaker 10: It's the change in where that governance potential exists that is a concern. So staff are really eager to understand the scope to which these new policies may apply, and if there are means to support service sustainability if they do come into effect. So we would raise concern that if municipalities are expected to remain financially responsible for service operations, but the problem. Operations, but the province now has the ability to prescribe the terms of the service, including fares.

02:55:11 Speaker 10: Then, what does that mean for us, especially in a rural context where we know that systems are characterized by lower ridership and higher cost per ride? So that's something that we're waiting to learn more about, but are including in these comments here. And then around the Metro Links Act, within this, two of our partners are actually within that Metro Links Act right now. Dockland and Wellington are both within. Gray and Bruce are both outside of, but. it provides that crown agency an assigned responsibility to provide leadership on regional transit planning coordination and integration, which is something that we're studying right now, and to support unified fare systems and service coordination, and to enter into agreement with municipalities and partners. So our question and our comment as staff around the MetroLink's Act is that we're seeking clarity to understand if these policies, expectations, and standards are to be more broadly applied. Will an equitable funding formula similar to that received? in the GTHA, be available to rural services. So that is a main question mark for all project partners around the study right now, and we're also curious to understand if a governance shift towards a provincial entity is is actually anticipated and what the speed would be for those proposed changes. As we're in the midst of finalizing a draft plan to bring forward to you, so those are some of the comments that we have right now. But it's a big question mark because we don't know if it applies to what is currently in place, what might be in place. and where those those questions end. So that is the end of my part of this report. Thank you. Okay. Oh, sorry, Madam Warden. I just have two more slides, if that's okay. Yes, absolutely. Go ahead, and then we'll take questions for any of the three of you. Thank you very much. Okay. Great. Thanks. Sorry to talk over you. So there's there's a number of other changes described in in the report. We won't won't go through them in in any great detail.

02:56:42 Speaker 10: Ah, just flagging a few. The province is updating their projection methodology guideline. So this is predominantly the guideline that would would impact things like the counties recently completed growth management strategy. We have reached out to Hempson, who did that study for us, just to see if there's any impacts on the counties' recently completed studies. There's some things that are that are definitely positive changes in terms of the province is looking at more and more electronic submissions available to approval authorities. So we we fully support that in that regard. There are some changes. that are going to impact municipalities, and these are picking up on past changes around parkland dedication requirements and the ability for the requirement for municipalities to have to accept parklands that are already encumbered and allowing for appeals to the Ontario Land Tribunal on parkland matters.

02:57:30 Speaker 10: So, when speaking with municipal municipal staff on this, there were a few things in there that they thought were decent in terms of there were some criteria on what types of land can be considered for parkland. and generally there was a lot of nodding heads on on on what could be considered there. But some of the encumbrances, the legal agreements that would come with that, as well as the appeals, certainly could have an impact on on municipal planning and parkland processes in that regard.

02:58:26 Speaker 01: The province is also looking at exempting non nonprofit retirement homes from the payment development charges. This is something that was generally supported. We don't see a lot of nonprofit retirement homes, but certainly with our aging population, it is something that we we likely need more of in that regard. And then finally, they're also looking at enhanced monitoring of minister zoning orders, existing minister zoning orders, and and potentially amending or or recalling some of those minister zoning orders.

02:58:51 Speaker 01: So in Gray County, the only two that were on that list were two in the Township of Southgate. County staff would note that in both those cases, the developer is working through planning applications on those. so they are looking to move forward, and particularly in one of the minister zoning order, it also impacts the township of South Gates' new access onto Highway Ten and and and the bypass road into their their Eco Parkway. In that regard, so certainly we see merit in in these existing minister zoning orders continuing to to proceed in that regard. With respect to some final comments, and and we might have made these exact same comments last last go round when. there was major legislative changes, you know the county, you know staff and council want to be a partner with the province in in implementing changes that will benefit all Ontarians and the provincial economy. Certainly, we know our there's county processes, some municipal processes that we could stand to improve, and we want to work towards continuous improvement and helping implement provincial initiatives. You know the province, this government has made itself very clear that that they'd like to see development proposals approved. in a more efficient manner, and we want to be there at the table as as partners in in helping that happen.

02:59:36 Speaker 01: That said, the scale of change and the number of changes to to planning, conservation authorities, development charges through through all these successive waves of of legislative and regulatory regulatory changes has been a lot.

02:59:53 Speaker 01: I had a very experienced developer call me the other day just to double check, you know, what was in place and what wasn't, and what legislation affected. his development, and what didn't, and everything else.

03:00:05 Speaker 01: And he said, "I used to be able to keep track of these things, but it just changes so quickly now. You know, I'm having to pause projects to to to relearn everything.

03:00:26 Speaker 01: And and so, county staff are just suggesting that the county consider submitting comments here to to say to the province, you know, we'd respectfully request a bit of a pause on future changes, just to allow municipalities and counties the ability to to implement the changes that have already been passed legislatively, and." then to start to work with the province to monitor monitor the efficacy of those changes, to really see where those those further tweaks that might be needed to the system. But just with the changes coming so fast and furious, and particularly with the the coming consolidation of conservation authorities, in some cases it can have the effect of actually slowing down development approvals because everyone's working to adjust their systems and and relearn legislative and regulatory tools. So we're just asking for a bit of a break to be. able to to catch up, if you will, and and again monitor those changes. And so, with that, my last slide was just the the motion that the warden already read out. So I will stop sharing my screen and turn it back to you, Madam Warden, for for any questions through council. Thank you. Yes, I don't think we have to read that out a second time. Okay. So with that, then it is open. If there are any questions or comments to be directed to any of the three directors involved.

03:01:19 Speaker 01: Okay, we'll begin with Councillor Dobrin.

03:01:34 Speaker 11: Thank you, Warden, and thank you, all of the departments that had to spend their time assessing yet another bill.

03:01:46 Speaker 11: And it's no wonder the Planning Department had deficits because they're spending all their time having to sift through all of these changes constantly in our. local municipalities as well. I I want to thank Scott for mentioning about snow removal and the or the inability or the placement of snow because I think we can all speak to the number of calls that new residents have made to us over this past winter, surprised by the amount of snow and there's nowhere to put it, and that's on.

03:02:22 Speaker 11: lots in the new developments that are probably twice or more the size of what 175 square meters.

03:03:16 Speaker 11: So, I the term "one size" does not fit all, and take a rural lens to things seems to have been lost. I don't really have a question. I just appreciate the fact that it was captured. The to the road standards to Mr. Hoy, again, rural roads—the the equipment that goes down our rural roads and bridges requires, you know, a certain amount of finesse to accommodate the the agricultural equipment in our rural streets and and villages.

03:03:25 Speaker 11: So, I mentioned to the deputy warden, is maybe we should have a convoy go down to. Queens Park with all the agricultural equipment and just drive by, you know, and and just show that it wouldn't work in Toronto and Toronto streets won't work in rural Ontario. And I guess my final comment is to Savannah with regard to the transit fare.

03:03:37 Speaker 11: Is I know that Smart is concerned about the specialized transit and how the standardized fares and Affairs and what could affect the ability to deliver that.

03:03:53 Speaker 11: I fashion that to, you know, conservation authorities receive about well less than three percent from the province to fund the the levy portion of or delivering the service, but they have a hundred percent of a say.

03:04:10 Speaker 11: So I'd like to see how this is all going to be funded in in the grand scheme of things, because our property taxpayers can't can't support it.

03:04:23 Speaker 11: Okay, thank you very much, Councillor Dobrin. Others, we'll go to Councillor Nielsen. Thank you very much, Gordon Matrasov. It's interesting seeing such an encompassing bill come forward, where we're touching on so many different departments and trying to play catch up. The concept of the road standardization came up a few. months back at either Amal or Roma, I can't remember which one. And a lot of what Director Hoy said today was my comments then to the staff. Like to have mandatory hot hot mix asphalt doesn't make sense to me when you go from Windsor, which will have a significantly less ebb and flow of freeze and thaw winters than you know Timmins will have. But we're all in Ontario, and we're saying here's here's your standard. So it is frustrating when. the province tries to do such broad ranging one size fits all. The one question I do have is for Director Taylor, if I may. And you know, when it comes to the OP prescribed standards, my question is: Is there any thought on staff side of a potential restriction to municipalities' ability to be more restrictive than the province?

03:05:21 Speaker 11: The province is dictating how an official plan is going to look. What is in it. The type of reports we can ask for, but at the same time, there are municipalities that are that are still currently, at least, allowed to be more restrictive. We just can't be less restrictive. And it seems to me like the further this province is going, the more our own individual voice is being eroded with a provincial standard that says this is what we're doing. Take it or leave it. Okay. Thank you. Any comments from? staff, Director Turner?

03:06:16 Speaker 11: Through you, Madam Morton, if I might, thank you for your comments and question, Councillor Nielsen. Certainly, the province has made it clear through this and and other changes they've been consulting on that they're looking for more standardization across the province and and both in official plans in applications. They're even consulting on you know should we all be using the same software and everything else in that regard. That's not part of these Bill 98 consultations. That's not part of these Bill ninety eight consultations, but there's further discussions going on, and so the current sort of framework is that the province sets the minimum standard. Municipalities are able to go beyond that minimum standard, provided they're not in conflict with what the province has set. And so, you know, there's always a bit of a judgment to apply. You know, what does it mean to be in conflict with versus when are we just you know being more more restrictive at our own community? And so the the province hasn't announced any changes to that broad. framework, but just based on the level of standardization, they seem to be seeking through these official plan changes and some of the other processes. You know, I'd hesitate to say that they're looking for municipalities and counties to maybe toe the line a little bit more than than in previous provincial governments or previous provincial legislative changes. But they haven't.

03:07:31 Speaker 11: They haven't said that that municipalities can't add in more detail in that regard. But that's just sort of my own reading. of the scenario, if you will.

03:07:43 Speaker 12: Okay, we'll go to Councillor McQueen. Thank you, Madam Warden. I think it is encouraging that the process with MZO's are going through more of a planning process. I think that's a positive thing because I know myself and our council was was sort of pressed up against that idea of using that as well in that subdivision. But I guess my other question is: Does that mean they're going to have to tear? McDonald's down? Okay, thank you very much. Other questions or comments? Looking around the room, looking online. Okay, I'm not seeing any further questions, so I think you've you've sufficed to provide us with all the information that we need. Thank you very much, Director Taylor, Director Myers, and Director Foy. With that, then I will call the question. All those in favor, and that motion is carried. Thank you very much. Okay, one more item before we return to the item that we had pulled from the consent agenda, and this item now is item seven E. To follow along, it's recommended that report ITRCW0226 be received, and that staff proceed with the purchasing hosted infrastructure services from Stage Two Data as a single source purchase totaling one hundred seventy-five thousand seven.

03:09:03 Speaker 12: 175,700, excluding HST, in the 2020 in 2026, plus a one-time implementation fee of 6,000, and that action be taken prior to County Council approval, as per Section 26.6B of the Procedural Bylaw.

03:09:21 Speaker 12: May I ask for a mover and a seconder? Moved by Councillor Dobrin, seconded by Councillor Eccles. It's now on the floor for discussion. And welcome, Director McEchern.

03:09:34 Speaker 12: Thank you, Madam Warden, and members of Council. So, over the past several months, I suppose I've talked a lot about Great County's data center and our server infrastructure. A little more than a year ago, it was in the context of price increases for maintaining our on-premise infrastructure and getting that renewed for another year, as we created a strategy and where we wanted to go with it. And more recently, I've I brought our our cloud strategy. to council and presented what we were thinking there. I would like to give just a couple of high high level points from those reports, just as background. So typically we plan on a five year recycle or lifespan for this equipment. That is driven in large part by the speed at which technology changes, but also communication from the vendor that that's how long they intend to support it. So typically when we're buying new infrastructure, it's because it's not getting updates or because the vendor doesn't want to relicense it. In this case, we have had extensions to our server hardware, and we've kept it for for eight years. Our capital budgets have, up until last year's budget, reflected our intention to replace this equipment with similar, essentially getting the latest version, the latest upgrades, and new equipment.

03:10:40 Speaker 12: Up until recently, when we compared using cloud-hosted infrastructure, so infrastructure that belongs to somebody else, and you pay to use their environment and just connect to it. We found that they were prohibitively expensive, or certainly more than than hosting your own or managing your own on site. There are benefits to using cloud hosted infrastructure in terms of somebody else is doing the installs, the upgrades, any break fix. There the after hours call support for the most part. If something goes down, but even bringing that you know. comparing it to to how we manage our our own infrastructure, it it was more costly over the past several years. However, the price of hardware and infrastructure has gone up, and they are broadly comparable now. So, given that, we reassessed cloud infrastructure, and then when we developed our our cloud strategy, it was all about developing the direction where we wanted the the county's IT to go, and defining some guidelines. that would help us choose technology that that would give us the most benefit.

03:12:00 Speaker 12: Again, at a high level, what we were looking for were data Canadian data residency for anything we were using that was critical. We were looking to get services that could provide more reliability and a better uptime than we can achieve managing managing our own data center. We certainly didn't want to compromise, and then it was cybersecurity controls that. The cyber security controls that we have with our own hardware and our own staff, and we really wanted to get a predictable financial model. So some services you pay for what you use; you can scale up and scale down based on how much it's being used. Or something like a web server where you have a lot more traffic, you might have a lot more use.

03:13:03 Speaker 12: So we just wanted to make sure that if we were planning year-over-year budgets and what we intended to use, that we knew with a high degree of accuracy what those costs are going to be. And finally, we wanted. to make sure that we were seeing a contract that that wasn't prohibitive if we wanted to change to a different vendor down the road. And so that would be costs to get your data out of those services. It would be multiple contracts that have staggered duration, so it's really hard to break it up and get your get your data back out. So when we started planning for the infrastructure replacement. We were doing a lot of planning since last year. We looked really closely at what's available in the Canadian market. Each of the big three companies have cloud footprints and what they call public clouds. That's Microsoft, Amazon, and Google. They all have a Canadian presence, but there's also a lot of companies that are still large. Those smaller than them, where you're basically doing sort of private sales one to one. So we were assessing companies that again can offer Canadian data residency to ensure Canadian data stays here, both for primary data center and for geographically separated backups.

03:13:45 Speaker 13: So if anything bad happens to your data center, you can have it running in another location that's probably not affected. Affected. The other thing we were looking for was ensuring that whatever we purchased was using the same technology, so our staff would be familiar with it. That way, we wouldn't have to worry about large learning curves. We wouldn't have to risk mistakes when we're setting things up in that environment. There's a high degree of comfort, and then again, we're not taking risk with cyber security because we have a high degree of confidence in what it is we're looking to to use. So we have found a company in our research that is available through OECM, the Ontario Education Collaborative Marketplace. I've talked about that before. So products and services sourced with a broad Source for the broader Ontario public sector, the company that we are looking to work with is Canadian-owned. They're called Stage Two Data, as is indicated in the report. They're hosting environments in Toronto and Vancouver.

03:14:59 Speaker 13: They are using the same software that we are using, and from the information that's available to us, they are competitively priced, and indeed, they have responded to competitive process with OCM. The issue we're encountering is that Stage Two. Is that state data services through OECM are not sold by them; they're resold through another vendor. Agreements with OECM are largely templated. You will have a master agreement. Both the buyer and the county, in this case, and the seller will have a master agreement with OECM, and then the county and then the sellers would have a customer supply agreement or a CSA that is largely templated. It's can be language by OECM. There's not a lot of room for negotiation. The CAL CSA would also include the specific terms and condition of what is being purchased. In this case, it is the specific services, the technology, how much of it, the duration of the contract, and things that are specific to technology, such as what is the uptime.

03:16:03 Speaker 13: If something breaks, how do you report it? What's the escalation procedures? So, despite starting the negotiations in. December, the county and the OECM vendor have not been able to reach terms that are mutually agreeable. This includes not just the specific terms and conditions of the CSA, which is templated. Sorry, it includes that. It's not just the specific terms and conditions, but the CSA, which should be templated. There's not a lot of room to negotiate on that at all. The county has reviewed the specific terms and conditions that Stage Two Data has. behind their products, which is the same that is what we're negotiating on in OECM, and both Stage Two Data and the county are in agreement on those terms. Their proposal is within the county's 2026 budget, which is 175,700 in 2026. So delays in resolving this contract have added risk to the county IT department's project portfolio. We do have a lot of infrastructure projects this year, and we're already. delayed. If we haven't completed this project and migrated to the new environment by July, then we're back into the situation that I reported on last summer, where we're looking at $60,000 thereabouts to relicense the on-premise infrastructure, which again is what we are trying to replace because it's beyond lifespan. Stage two data is willing to provide the same services at the same price as the current OECM agreement, and at terms that both parties agree to, and as as I. And as I stated, just to reiterate, even under the OECM agreement, it is Stage Two data that is providing the services to the county.

03:17:45 Speaker 13: So, in order to kind of get this project back on track and keep all our other projects online, we are seeking county approval to seek single-source procurement with Stage Two data. That is all. Okay, thank you. So, put it out to many of the whole members. Many of the hall members. If they have any questions, looking around the room, not seeing hands go up. Looks like you provided us with the information that we need. So I'll call the question. All those in favor? And that motion is carried. Thank you very much, Director McEfron. Okay, so we will now take a return to item six F. It's recommended that the AORs request for provincial legislation amendments. unsafe working conditions for Oro Madante and East Zorra Tavistock.

03:19:14 Speaker 13: It's recommended that the correspondence received from AORS Township of Oro Madante and East Zorra Tavistock regarding a request for provincial legislation amendments to improve the health and safety of municipal workers, including unsafe working conditions caused by interference, harassment, and dangerous actions towards municipal staff, be supported by the county.

03:19:23 Speaker 13: of Gray, and that this letter of support be sent to AMO for advocacy.

03:19:51 Speaker 13: So I'll need a mover and a seconder. So I've got it moved by Councillor Carleton, seconded by Councillor McKay. It's now on the floor for discussion. Councillor Carleton, you had requested that we open that we pull this, so I'll look to you first. Thank you, Warden. You will each have had one of these on your desk this morning. This came from an event that I attended. yesterday with Councillor McKay, Councillor Nielsen, and Councillor Eccles in Chesley, and the actual day of mourning is next Tuesday, April 28th, and it's held each year to remember and honor workers who have been injured on the job or worse, in some cases, killed on the job.

03:20:06 Speaker 13: And I understand that Hanover is having a special ceremony next week, and George and Bluffs is as well. The reason for pulling this is this event. has been to continue to emphasize the need to be proactive in protecting all workers on the job, and the Association of Ontario Road Supervisors are asking municipalities to support their request to the Honorable David Pichini with the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. And the request is for provincial legislation amendments that are based on health and safety concerns for staff working in our municipalities who are more frequently. being faced with abusive and aggressive behavior from members of the public?

03:20:44 Speaker 13: This can affect our roads crews, our bylaw enforcement, our building officials, staff in the front office, anyone who works directly with the public or in the public, and they are impacted by this inappropriate behavior.

03:21:23 Speaker 13: So, Councilor Georgian Bloss has already provided support for this. I would ask that Gray County also support this request and for member municipalities to maybe. take it back to their own council table if they haven't already, and just as a proactive way of ensuring that all employees of Gray County don't just have a safe place to work, but are able to go home safely at the end of every day. Thank you. Okay, thank you.

03:21:52 Speaker 13: Now, CEO, did you want to speak at all to the motion? Thank you, Warden, and thank you for those comments, Councilor Carts, and and and that's that's. why staff, when we saw the correspondents come through from AORs, we we were recommending support for for the correspondents.

03:22:01 Speaker 13: Unfortunately, some of our workers have have seen incidents over those years, and have seen escalation in terms of just folks just just not not being patient when there's things like construction projects going on, or or when there's situations where there's winter maintenance involved. So anything that we can do to again protect the health of Protect the health and safety of our staff. It's something that that I I support and and would and hope hope hope to see the support from councils. That's why we would recommend that this be supported. Okay.

03:22:10 Speaker 01: Well, thank you, Councillor Carleton, for taking the time to increase the public awareness about what this is about. Thank you very much. And I don't see. Oh, Councillor Greg, go ahead. Thank you. I would just note the day of mornings went on for a very long time, and it encompasses all workers, and everyone should have the ability and the right to be able to return home at the end of the workday without injury, without severe injury or and or death. That's that's fundamentally we would all agree on that, and that's what we all pursue. When I first saw this at our council, I did. read off a couple of these items that were acknowledged in the AORs examples: an individual throwing a large chunk of ice at an active piece of municipal equipment, while operating; a resident threatening to kill a sidewalk plow operator; man climbing onto a snowplow and refusing to get off until the operator agreed to blow his plow his road next; bite a voicemail left by a resident threatening to shoot a municipal plow driver with a shotgun. These are criminal acts. We have legislation already. in place to proceed with in recognizing these types of concerns. That's I don't think a lack of legislation is the preeminent problem in front of society right now. We've got more legislation than we ever have. So I I don't agree with this is criminal. Treat it as it currently exists and prosecute for the action. And prosecute for the actions. I don't think we need to pursue further. Ask for we we just went through an hour ago about more legislation coming from Queens Park is driving us nuts, and I'm not so sure it's fixing the problem.

03:23:37 Speaker 01: So I think it should be received for information. Yeah, I'll just I'll leave it at that. We already have the mechanisms in place to respond. it's an enforcement issue, and we need to ensure that the enforcement is there to enhance and guarantee the safety of not just all of our municipal workers here, but all workers. My son's been on the 401 working and drilling, and has seen these egregious actions by by people. But as a former governor of Minnesota stated once, you can't legislate against stupidity, and that's what my. concern is here.

03:24:46 Speaker 01: Just enforce and protect the people with the tools that are already in place. Okay, thank you. Is there any other comment? Okay, we'll go to Councillor McQueen and then to Councillor Carleton. Thank you, Madam Morgan, and good discussion. I think just in the general workplace, especially for new workers, is training. How many times have people had an accident that they haven't been properly trained? Now. They have improper training. Now, going to what you were saying, Constable Greg, with regards to dealing with the public, is probably proper training there as well and how to deal with that as well. But lack of training is is one recipe for accidents or or other things. So it's so important I know under the all all the different acts, proper training is even on the farm. We have people on the farm and that, but dealing with the public is is is one more step. But training and how to deal with that is so so important as well. I'm sure. As well, and I'm sure everybody, you know, but you know, people say, "Well, more training," but it's there for a reason. Thank you, and the refresher of training too, because the statistics are also out there too. That often more injuries occur from people have been working in a role for a long time. So to make sure that you always circle back to it as well, Councillor Carleton.

03:25:51 Speaker 01: Thank you, and I would agree that. there is legislation in place if something is a criminal act, but I think there is the mental impact on staff when they take verbal abuse, and that is not legislated.

03:26:22 Speaker 01: It happens, and we need to have something in place further to protect their mental health, prevent PTSD. There's so much more that needs to go into this than just charging somebody for an illegal act. I think. there's a lot more to this that needs to be done. Okay, thank you. All right, then I will call the question. Oh, sorry, Councillor Kettner. Thank you, Warden Matrasaws. I just think that it isn't quite right when the police decide what they will, what they will prosecute, what law they will enforce, and what law they're not going. to enforce.

03:27:09 Speaker 01: If we just leave it as it is, we're doing nothing. And I think that we have to make it clear that if nothing else, the police have to enforce the laws that are there and shouldn't be in a position to pick and choose which ones they're going to they're going to act on. Thank you. All right. No further hands. I'll call the question. All those in favor? That motion is carried. Okay, thank you.

03:27:37 Speaker 01: So we will now then move on to that. Takes care of everything except for the item that is in correlation with the closed session matter. So, CAO is going to introduce the topic, and then we will work our way through the process between open and closed session. Thank you, Warden.

03:28:00 Speaker 01: So on February twelfth, twenty twenty-six, County Council will recall receive. County Council recall receiving a report outlining the background and timelines for the application process for the appointment of Board of Health members. Throughout 2025, steps were taken by the province, the Board of Health, as well as Bruce County and Grey County, to establish a skills-based matrix that would be used to appoint board members. The matrix includes skills in a number of areas, including things like ethics and integrity, community engagement and responsiveness, strategic thinking and change management, risk management, public health knowledge, finance. and budget oversight, to name just a few.

03:28:49 Speaker 01: At the meeting held on February 12th, motions were passed, which had the effect of resetting the appointments and directed staff to start the application process for appointment of new full members using the skills-based matrix.

03:29:24 Speaker 14: Following direction from council, the application period was opened up to Grey County Council members. Applicant information has been initially compiled into a closed session package for council's review prior to appointing members in open session. As per previous information from the Chief Medical Officer of Health, board members do not need to have all the skills outlined in the matrix. The hope is that the board will collectively have all the competencies, and it's our understanding that additional training opportunities will also be provided to the board members. Terms of legislative requirements, the Health Protection and Promotion Act establishes boards of health and sets the general framework for the priorities of the board. Ontario Reg 5599. Reg 55990 establishes the Board of Health of Gray Bruce Health Unit shall have seven missile members, four which are to be appointed by this council.

03:29:39 Speaker 14: It's now recommended that Committee the whole now go into closed session to discuss legal considerations associated with the appointment process prior to appointing the the members in open session. Okay, thank you.

03:29:53 Speaker 14: So then, once we go into closed session and come back out, then we'll return to the motion that's listed in. the agenda as item 7F, so that means that we will go into item 8. It's recommended that the committee, the whole, does now go into closed session pursuant to section 2392 of the Municipal Act 2001 as amended to discuss advice subject to solicitor-client privilege, including communications necessary for that purpose, with regards to board of health appointments and number two, labor relations or employment.

03:31:08 Speaker 14: Relations or employee negotiations, which is regarding Opsu, may ask for a mover. And okay, got a move by Councillor Dicker, seconded by Councillor McQueen. All those in favor? Okay, we will switch it to closed. Take a break now. Good idea. If you need a five-minute break, but we are as soon as the room is cleared and we're set up, we'll go into closed.

03:31:34 Speaker 14: Okay, so I can report that we have we have come out of closed session, and that the committee, the whole, proceeded into closed session to discuss advice subject to solicitor-client privilege, including communications necessary for that purpose and labor relations or employee negotiations. No votes were taken during this session. Okay, so with that, then we're going to return then to item item 7F, and there is a recommended report. There is a recommended. motion on that has been published on the agenda.

03:31:56 Speaker 14: That we receive the report and appoint four members. Now, I will just first put the question out. Having, as council committee, the whole members have had a chance to review all the applications. I will put the question out with all those who did submit applications. If you are still willing to stand for appointment, Councillor Dicker. Thank you, Madam Warden. And I'm very pleased to see that there is a full list of candidates there. And considering I have, I already serve on three committees here in the county and three committees back in my home of Hanover, I would prefer to withdraw my name at this point in time.

03:33:03 Speaker 14: Okay, thank you very much, Councillor Dickerd. And seeing no further hands, we are ready to move forward. Then, CEO, do you want to come back and? let us know if you've completed everything you'd like to describe before I look for a mover and a seconder with the four names inserted into the motion. Great, thank you, Warden. And so, with Councillor Dickard's withdrawing his his application, there then before four remaining applicants that would be Councillor Councillor Greg, Councillor Nielsen, Councillor Debrine, and Councillor Keed.

03:33:15 Speaker 14: Green and Councillor Keaveny, and we'd be looking for then a motion to support the appointments of those four members to the Board of Health as per the skills-based matrix.

03:33:24 Speaker 14: Okay, so with those four names in in place, I'll just put the question to Councillor Nielsen, Keaveny, Dobreen, and Greg. You're willing to stand? I'm not seeing any objections.

03:33:41 Speaker 14: Okay, and the clerk is also this. harkens back to a little bit of history. The clerk is also adding to the motion that I'll look for a mover and a seconder, and that so the motion will read that the staff report CAOR CW 1326 regarding appointments to the board of health be received, and that the following four members be appointed to the board of health for the remainder of the 2022-2026 term: Councillors Nielsen, Keaveny, Dobreen, and Gregg, and that the previous motion appointing the warden as a fourth member of the health. board, be rescinded. These four individuals are not the warden, and and I will continue in a role in which I will be able to represent the county, along with Warden Charbonneau of Bruce County, to represent the county, without having to hang our hands up our our warden hats up in order to sit on the board, so that we can continue to work in partnership with the province as the two counties that that fulfill the funding requisites for the board of health.

03:34:31 Speaker 14: It's for the Board of Health, so I'm happy to continue in that role. And I'm my thanks to those who have put their names forth for this particular motion. So with that, I will look for a mover and a seconder. Oh, okay, I got to choose. We'll take the Deputy Warden moving and Councillor Eccles seconding. It's now on the floor for any discussion. Okay, I'm not seeing any hands up. And again, on behalf of all of Council, we appreciate those who are willing to put their names forth. Fourth, so I'll call the question. All those in favor, and that motion is carried unanimously. Thank you very much. Most appreciated as we walk through this process. All right, now we do have one more, one more item. Just a moment.

03:35:38 Speaker 14: Okay, so coming up to other business and notices, emotion. I just need to check, Councillor Dobrin. Is it a notice emotion that you're going to bring forward, or an other business item in terms of your nomination for Emo?

03:35:48 Speaker 14: We just need to know. But in terms of the timing, because if the timing is tight, we should we should address it in other business. If it's not, we can do it as a notice emotion. Okay. All right. And which Okay. All right. In which case, then I'll put a call out for any other business, Councillor McLean. Just quickly, the call came out for delegations for Amol. I don't know if there's any thoughts there. Maybe next meeting or whatever. I don't know. Through you, Warden. Yes, we're we'll be bringing forward a list of recommended delegations again, based on previous discussions with this council, based on discussions we've had with senior manager team as well as external partners and member municipalities.

03:36:07 Speaker 14: So we'll be. we're coving a list as we speak, and we'll be bringing that forward to the May fourteenth committee of the whole meeting for consideration. Okay. Any other business? No. Okay.

03:36:19 Speaker 14: Notice of motion, Councillor Debrine.

03:36:24 Speaker 14: Thank you, Ward Matrasovs, and to County Council. I'll be bringing a notice of motion to the next meeting, seeking council's reendorsement of my nomination for elect.

03:36:54 Speaker 14: For election to the Amo County Caucus, which will be held at the Amo Conference in August 2026. Okay, thank you. Any other notices? Motion. Okay, seeing none. Then it looks like we're ready to adjourn. May I ask for a mover and a seconder? Moved by Councilor McKay, seconded by Councilor McQueen. All those in favor? And this committee, the whole, is adjourned. Thank you very much, everyone.

03:36:54 Speaker 14: For election to the Amo County Caucus, which will be held at the Amo Conference in August 2026. Okay, thank you. Any other notices? Motion. Okay, seeing none. Then it looks like we're ready to adjourn. May I ask for a mover and a seconder? Moved by Councilor McKay, seconded by Councilor McQueen. All those in favor? And this committee, the whole, is adjourned. Thank you very much, everyone.

03:36:54 Speaker 14: For election to the Amo County Caucus, which will be held at the Amo Conference in August 2026. Okay, thank you. Any other notices? Motion. Okay, seeing none. Then it looks like we're ready to adjourn. May I ask for a mover and a seconder? Moved by Councilor McKay, seconded by Councilor McQueen. All those in favor? And this committee, the whole, is adjourned. Thank you very much, everyone.

03:36:54 Speaker 14: For election to the Amo County Caucus, which will be held at the Amo Conference in August 2026. Okay, thank you. Any other notices? Motion. Okay, seeing none. Then it looks like we're ready to adjourn. May I ask for a mover and a seconder? Moved by Councilor McKay, seconded by Councilor McQueen. All those in favor? And this committee, the whole, is adjourned. Thank you very much, everyone.

03:36:54 Speaker 14: For election to the Amo County Caucus, which will be held at the Amo Conference in August 2026. Okay, thank you. Any other notices? Motion. Okay, seeing none. Then it looks like we're ready to adjourn. May I ask for a mover and a seconder? Moved by Councilor McKay, seconded by Councilor McQueen. All those in favor? And this committee, the whole, is adjourned. Thank you very much, everyone.

03:36:54 Speaker 14: For election to the Amo County Caucus, which will be held at the Amo Conference in August 2026. Okay, thank you. Any other notices? Motion. Okay, seeing none. Then it looks like we're ready to adjourn. May I ask for a mover and a seconder? Moved by Councilor McKay, seconded by Councilor McQueen. All those in favor? And this committee, the whole, is adjourned. Thank you very much, everyone.

03:36:54 Speaker 14: For election to the Amo County Caucus, which will be held at the Amo Conference in August 2026. Okay, thank you. Any other notices? Motion. Okay, seeing none. Then it looks like we're ready to adjourn. May I ask for a mover and a seconder? Moved by Councilor McKay, seconded by Councilor McQueen. All those in favor? And this committee, the whole, is adjourned. Thank you very much, everyone.

03:36:54 Speaker 14: For election to the Amo County Caucus, which will be held at the Amo Conference in August 2026. Okay, thank you. Any other notices? Motion. Okay, seeing none. Then it looks like we're ready to adjourn. May I ask for a mover and a seconder? Moved by Councilor McKay, seconded by Councilor McQueen. All those in favor? And this committee, the whole, is adjourned. Thank you very much, everyone.