Grey County County Council Meeting Transcript — February 26, 2026

00:00:07 SPEAKER_171: Good morning, County Council. I'd like to call to order this County Council meeting of February twenty six, twenty twenty six. At this point in time, as you are able, please join us in the standing and singing of "O Canada." our home and native land, true patriot love in all of us command.

00:00:44 SPEAKER_173: With glowing hearts, we see thee rise, the true North, strong and free, from far and wide, O Canada. we stand on guard for thee.

00:01:04 SPEAKER_173: God keep our land, glorious and free. O Canada, we stand on. guard for thee. Thank you, Madam Clerk.

00:01:25 SPEAKER_173: Could you please conduct our roll call?

00:01:44 SPEAKER_173: Councillor McKay, sorry, Councillor Mackie. Go on now. Thank you, Councillor McKay. Councillor Carlton. Councillor Pringle, present.

00:01:58 Scott Mackey: Councillor McQueen senses regrets today. Alternate Councillor Allwood, you. Councillor Nielsen. Councillor Patterson. Councillor Dicker, present. Councillor Kentner. Councillor Kieveny. Councillor Body. Councillor Gregg. Councillor Milne. Councillor Dobrine. You. Councillor Bordignon. Warden Matrosovs.

00:02:14 Scott Mackey: Councillor Eccles and Councillor Hutchinson.

00:02:28 Scott Mackey: We have all members in attendance today, with the exception of Councillor McQueen. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Let us begin by respectfully acknowledging that we are gathering on the traditional territory of the Anishinaabek Nation, the people of the Three Fires, known as the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi Nations, and further, we give thanks.

00:02:53 SPEAKER_171: to the Chippewas of Saugeen and the Chippewas of Nawash, known collectively as the Saugeen Ojibwe Nation, the traditional keepers of these lands and waters since time immemorial.

00:03:05 SPEAKER_171: In our south lies the traditional territories of the Six Nations of the Grand River and the Haudenosaunee. We are dedicated to honoring Indigenous history and culture, and committed to moving forward in the spirit of truth, reconciliation, and. friendship with all First Nations, Métis, and Inuit people.

00:03:30 SPEAKER_171: At this point in time, we would like to continue with the item five: adoption of the minutes.

00:03:31 SPEAKER_171: It's recommended that the minutes of County Council meeting and the committee of the whole meeting, dated February twelfth, twenty twenty-six, and the resolutions contained therein, be adopted as presented.

00:03:32 SPEAKER_171: May I ask for a mover and a seconder?

00:03:33 SPEAKER_171: Moved by Councillor Eccles, seconded by the Deputy Warden.

00:03:33 SPEAKER_171: Any discussion?

00:03:33 SPEAKER_171: All those in favor?

00:03:33 SPEAKER_171: And that motion is carried.

00:03:33 SPEAKER_171: Next, it's recommended that the closed session committee of the whole minutes dated February twelfth, twenty twenty six, be adopted as provided.

00:03:34 SPEAKER_171: Moved by Councilor Kevney, seconded by Councilor Hutchinson.

00:03:35 SPEAKER_171: All those in favor?

00:03:35 SPEAKER_171: That motion is carried.

00:03:35 SPEAKER_171: We do not have any closed session matters here on the council agenda this morning, nor reports, so that allows us to move on into.

00:03:36 SPEAKER_171: the bylaws.

00:03:36 SPEAKER_171: It's recommended that bylaw fifty-two sixty-nine twenty-six, and fifty-two seventy twenty-six, and fifty-two seventy-one twenty-six be introduced and taken as read a first, second, and third time.

00:03:37 SPEAKER_171: Finally passed, signed by the warden and the clerk, sealed with the seal of the corporation, and engrossed into the bylaw book.

00:03:38 SPEAKER_171: Fifty-two sixty-nine twenty-six being a bylaw to establish remuneration and expenses to be paid for county council, and twenty-two fifty-two.

00:03:39 SPEAKER_171: 20 to 527026, a bylaw to amend bylaw 509020, being a bylaw to update the fees and service charges charges for Grey County, and thirdly 527126, a bylaw to confirm all the actions and proceedings of Council.

00:05:03 SPEAKER_171: May I ask for a mover? Moved by Councillor McKay, seconded by Councillor Mackie. Any discussion? All those in favor? That motion is carried. News. and celebrations. First, we will go to Executive Director Parkin, who has some news regarding Lee Manor, and welcome. The lectern is yours. Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you, Committee.

00:05:32 SPEAKER_171: I wanted to let folks know about the program that the Ministry of Long Term Care has been funding.

00:05:40 SPEAKER_171: So, some calls for applications for this funding.

00:05:40 SPEAKER_171: came out in November, and many, many, many homes across the province applied.

00:05:41 SPEAKER_171: It's about nine million dollars over three years that the province is investing in what they're calling emotion-based care.

00:05:43 SPEAKER_171: And so, emotion-based care is a shift in thinking about how we provide care and long-term care.

00:05:45 SPEAKER_376: It's focused on the experience, the lived experience of the person versus a series of tasks.

00:05:46 SPEAKER_376: So, it's pretty exciting.

00:05:46 SPEAKER_376: I'm thrilled.

00:05:47 SPEAKER_376: that the ministry has recognized the importance of this work and is funding it.

00:05:48 SPEAKER_376: So, in the first round this year, they've elected, selected, I guess, 17 homes out of 626.

00:06:28 SPEAKER_376: So, Lee Manor was selected.

00:06:28 SPEAKER_376: So, we are beyond thrilled to have this opportunity.

00:06:29 SPEAKER_376: So, we're we're our proposal was about taking our color it your way framework, which is all about Work, which is all about resident-centered care—a person-centered approach to care, thinking about people as individuals—and we've been doing this work for a really long time at Gray County, and this is giving us the opportunity to just move it out in spades.

00:06:32 SPEAKER_376: So we have a very short period of time to spend the money.

00:06:33 SPEAKER_376: The money is all about focused on training of staff.

00:06:33 SPEAKER_376: So we're working really hard to to really expand our training with our staff.

00:06:34 SPEAKER_376: Our model will be—it's using some existing frameworks.

00:06:34 SPEAKER_376: You first, which is a non-registered staff, focus on holistic approach to care.

00:06:35 SPEAKER_376: Pieces model, which is a registered staff, focus on holistic approach to care, using BSO the behavior—sorry, Behavioral Supports Ontario model, gentle persuasive approaches.

00:06:36 SPEAKER_376: We're gonna.

00:06:36 SPEAKER_376: We're getting something.

00:06:36 SPEAKER_376: We're going to add Tippa Snow as well, which is a positive approach to care, as well as dementia ability.

00:07:45 SPEAKER_376: And all of those models look at a person as a holistic individual and what is meaningful and purposeful in their life, and how can we make that part of their experience in long-term care. So we're spending all this time in in March doing this training, and then really building the program after that. So we're really excited, thrilled. to be part of an elite group in the province this year, and only about forty-five homes over the next three years will participate.

00:08:11 SPEAKER_376: So we're really, really excited. So I want to share that with council, and happy to take questions. I'm sure I've forgotten something. So happy to take questions.

00:08:32 SPEAKER_171: That is indeed excellent news to start the morning.

00:08:33 SPEAKER_171: And above six hundred, that that is incredible.

00:08:33 SPEAKER_171: That that Grey County has come to the top, but it's because of the staff that go behind those applications and the commitment that you have to the programs.

00:08:34 SPEAKER_171: Your head, hearts, hands all go into the work that you do at Leamington and right across all the long-term care in Grey County.

00:08:36 SPEAKER_171: So, thank you very much for for participating in the leadership to get us to that funding point.

00:08:37 SPEAKER_171: And this will be an exciting program to be able to follow and celebrate along the way with the successes.

00:08:38 SPEAKER_171: So, thank you very much.

00:08:38 SPEAKER_171: I think we'll we'll wait on any questions and until the the next appropriation.

00:08:39 SPEAKER_171: Until the the next appropriate moment in the agenda, but thank you so much.

00:08:39 SPEAKER_171: That that is very meaningful news to hear.

00:08:40 SPEAKER_171: Thank you.

00:08:40 SPEAKER_171: Okay, and at that point in time, this point in time, I'd like to open it up to council if they have any news and celebrations from their home municipalities, or elsewhere.

00:08:42 SPEAKER_171: Councillor Kibany.

00:09:08 SPEAKER_171: Thank you, Madam Warden, and good morning, everyone. I wanted to share this because it might be of interest to some of the other lower tiers, but. as everyone knows, we've talked a lot here at County Council about the state of local primary care. And thanks to our Deputy CAO Niall Lobbly and to the Shared Services Committee, I wanted to take a moment and share what we approved this week in Meaford.

00:09:51 SPEAKER_237: So we have established a family physician recruitment and retention incentive program that will provide a range of options for potential new doctors.

00:09:52 SPEAKER_237: So a fulsome call will go out to the community shortly, and this is designed to request financial support from the community for this program.

00:09:54 SPEAKER_237: And the municipality will provide charitable receipts for anyone who donates to this initiative.

00:09:56 SPEAKER_237: And we've already received two donations, so we're off to a good start.

00:09:57 SPEAKER_237: And those will assist a new doctor coming to Meaford.

00:09:57 SPEAKER_237: So this is a way to involve the community, and we're approaching it that way rather than putting it in as a budget line.

00:09:59 SPEAKER_237: and I also just wanted to quietly share that this week, Dr.

00:10:35 SPEAKER_237: Christina Allen passed, and she was a participant in the Experimental Acres program this past year. So, just wanted to acknowledge her. Thank you.

00:10:46 SPEAKER_237: Thank you very much, Councillor Kibany. And we'll go to Councillor Carlton. Thank you, Wardman Matrousovs. On March seventh, the Inter Township Fire Department and Gravers OPP. are doing their second Polar Plunge for Special Olympics Ontario, and that will be from one to three in Shallow Lake.

00:11:06 SPEAKER_177: And at one o'clock, they start with a hockey game, police versus fire, should be an interesting game, and then follow that with the Polar Plunge. So we look forward to that again. Thank you, and we'll go to Councillor Bourneau.

00:11:27 SPEAKER_192: Thank you, thank you, Madam Mayor. Thank you, Madam Warden, and good morning, County Council. Similar to to Meaford, primary care is an issue, of course, in the Blue Mountains. I think we have a real score from our physician recruitment was telling us about 47, which is which is the highest in Grey County, reflecting care and with vaccinations and immunizations being forefront right now.

00:12:13 SPEAKER_192: I'm pleased to announce, you know, with the help of you know the with the Cao's office here with Grey Bruce Health, our acting CAO, we've managed to arrange a vaccination clinic in the Town Hall Chambers next Friday.

00:12:16 SPEAKER_192: So it's just allowing more access for people for vaccination instead of driving from the far east, you know, coming over to to this to the area.

00:12:18 SPEAKER_192: And all sound abouts a consideration.

00:12:19 SPEAKER_192: So just I just wanted to applaud, you know, the help here at Grey County as well as the local level, and of course Grey Bruce Health, Grey Bruce Health for turning around so quickly to get a vaccination clinic up and running next.

00:12:22 SPEAKER_192: Friday at Council Chambers.

00:12:23 SPEAKER_192: Thank you.

00:12:42 SPEAKER_171: And looking around the chamber for other news and celebrations. Looking online. Okay, I think we've concluded that portion. Then thank you very much, everyone. With that, we'll look for a motion to adjourn. Moved by Councilor Patterson and seconded by seconded by Councilor Nielsen. Thank you. All those in favor? Okay. Thank you. This council is adjourned. We'll give a moment for the technology switch over. For the technology to switch over for committee of the whole.