Grey County County Council Meeting Transcript — April 23, 2026

00:00:12 Speaker 01: Good morning, County Council. I'd like to call to order this meeting of April twenty third, 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.

00:00:49 Speaker 02: 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. God keep our land, glorious and free. O Canada. we stand on guard for thee. Thank you, Madam Clerk.

00:01:30 Speaker 02: Could you please conduct our roll call?

00:01:51 Speaker 03: Councillor Mackie sends his regrets today. Councillor McKay, Councillor Carleton, Councillor Pringle, Councillor McQueen. Councillor Nielsen, Councillor Patterson, Councillor Dickert, Councillor Kentner, Councillor Kieveny, Councillor Body, Councillor Gregg.

00:02:16 Speaker 03: Councillor Gregg is an attendee. Councillor Milm, Councillor Debrine. Word Matrosovs. Councillor Barnieng. Councillor Eccles.

00:02:31 Speaker 01: Councillor Hutchinson, we have all members and attendants today, with the exception of Councillor Mackie. 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 to the Chippewas of Nawash and the Chippewas of Saugeen, known collectively.

00:02:56 Speaker 01: Sagin, known collectively as the Sagin Ojibwe Nation, traditional keepers of these lands and waters since time immemorial.

00:03:08 Speaker 01: In our south lies the traditional territories of the Six Nations of the Grand River Haudenosaunee. We are dedicated to honoring Indigenous history and culture, and committed to moving forward in the spirit of truth, reconciliation, friendship, and collaboration with all First Nations, Métis, and Inuit people.

00:03:37 Speaker 01: With that, we can move on to item number five. It is recommended that the minutes of the County Council meeting and committee, the whole meeting dated April 9, 2026, and the resolutions contained therein, be adopted as presented. May I ask for a mover and a seconder? Move by Councillor Hutchinson, seconded by Councillor Carlton. Any discussion? Seeing no hands. All those in favor? that motion is carried.

00:04:04 Speaker 01: We do not have any closed meeting matters to attend to here, nor reports, so that allows us to move on to our bylaws.

00:04:05 Speaker 01: It's recommended that bylaw fifty-two seventy-eight twenty-six, and fifty-two seventy-nine twenty-six, and fifty-two eighty twenty-six be introduced and taken as read a first, second, and third time.

00:04:06 Speaker 01: Finally passed, signed by the warden and the clerk, sealed with the seal of the corporation, and engrossed into the bylaw book.

00:04:07 Speaker 01: The first one is a bylaw.

00:04:08 Speaker 01: to amend bylaw fifty eighty twenty, being a bylaw to authorize the transfer of certain lands in the municipality of Grey Highlands for the construction of the New Markdale Hospital.

00:04:09 Speaker 01: The second one is a bylaw to establish a tax policy and levy taxes for the upper tier for purposes of the year twenty twenty six, and the last one is a bylaw to confirm all the actions and proceedings of council.

00:04:11 Speaker 01: May I ask for a mover and a second?

00:04:12 Speaker 01: Moved by Councillor Dicker, seconded by Councillor McQueen.

00:04:12 Speaker 01: Any?

00:04:12 Speaker 01: discussion?

00:04:12 Speaker 01: All those in favour, and that motion is carried.

00:04:12 Speaker 01: News and celebrations.

00:04:13 Speaker 01: Well, first off, before we move into our our our community news and celebrations, let's just begin with the fact that this is Volunteer Week.

00:05:16 Speaker 01: This week is Volunteer Week, and we'd like to take a moment to acknowledge the many volunteers across our region who give their time and care to so many important initiatives and projects that. make our communities great places to live and be involved.

00:05:34 Speaker 01: Specifically, we'd like to focus on Gray County. That we are grateful to have the support of several dedicated volunteer teams who support our services. For example, last year at Gray Roots, nearly 100 volunteers contributed to a staggering 3,500 volunteer hours services of volunteer hours of service. that is truly an impressive number, but simply listing the hours fails to capture the true impact that these volunteers have each year.

00:06:10 Speaker 01: Many of our Gray Roots volunteers are highly specialized, bringing a unique skill set and vast experience to work to the work that they do at Gray Roots. Yes, our volunteers are smiling, that greet visitors to the Morriston Village in the summer, but they have also devoted. There, there are also a team full of devoted researchers, skilled tradespeople, creative crafters, and dedicated and a dedicated support team behind so much of what Gray Roots offers to the public.

00:06:42 Speaker 01: And across our three long-term care homes, dozens of volunteers help to color it for our residents.

00:06:43 Speaker 01: Thanks to their dedication, residents can enjoy a wide range of meaningful programs and experiences throughout the year.

00:06:45 Speaker 01: Our volunteers also support special events, activities, and celebrations that make our long-term care homes feel vibrant and connected.

00:06:47 Speaker 01: We are equally grateful for the dedication of our designated care providers, whose ongoing support, ongoing involvement, plays an important role in the well-being of their loved ones.

00:06:49 Speaker 01: I also want to shout out and thanks to our partners at Greybrews Makers, within Sydenham Campus, and recognize their amazing volunteers and.

00:06:51 Speaker 01: again, such a unique skill set that they bring to that table.

00:07:33 Speaker 01: In 2025, more than 1,500 hours were logged at that campus to support those operations.

00:07:34 Speaker 01: And I know that we have several several active staff who, outside of work, volunteer their time and give back to causes in their own home communities.

00:07:35 Speaker 01: And many of us here, all around the table, do the same thing, regardless of what level of involvement you have, we thank each and all of our volunteers across Gray County.

00:07:37 Speaker 01: And I've only had a chance to focus on the formal volunteer hours there too.

00:07:38 Speaker 01: I also want to make sure that we also consider this week all those quiet volunteers who don't call themselves that, who just go out and do, those who shovel a the shovel a walkway for a neighbor, those who go to visit someone who otherwise wouldn't have a visitor, all those important ways that people reach.

00:07:41 Speaker 01: out and say, "I see a way where I can help, and I would like to step up." Our thanks on behalf of all of County Council to everyone who does those small and big steps within our community.

00:08:29 Speaker 01: And speaking of volunteers, many active volunteers were out in our communities because it was also Earth Day yesterday.

00:08:30 Speaker 01: But really, Earth Day activities happen all through the month of April, in particularly during this last week.

00:08:30 Speaker 01: so we were very many were very busy busy yesterday.

00:08:31 Speaker 01: I know in the town Blue Mountains we had a great showing, probably more volunteers showing up for our Climate Action Now Network gathering than we've had before in previous years.

00:08:32 Speaker 01: And I know that there are similar events that have been happening across all of our communities.

00:08:32 Speaker 01: Several events happened through the county where communities are involved in climate and climate initiatives and environments.

00:08:33 Speaker 01: And again, just those people who just pick up a garbage bag.

00:08:33 Speaker 01: and walk down a laneway and make sure they're picking up what they see from the spring.

00:08:34 Speaker 01: So whether they're involved in a formal program or just lending a hand, we appreciate it all.

00:08:34 Speaker 01: Earth Day is a time for all of us to pause and reflect on the role that we play in climate action.

00:08:35 Speaker 01: And we are very fortunate to live in a place that is surrounded by so much beauty, pristine waters, beautiful lands that need our stewardship and protection.

00:08:36 Speaker 01: Gray County has made a commitment to climate action.

00:08:36 Speaker 01: Going through our Going Green and Gray program, we have set targets reducing greenhouse gas emissions in our operations and in the community.

00:08:37 Speaker 01: And I encourage everyone watching today, watching the meeting today, to set a time, set aside some time to learn more about that plan.

00:08:37 Speaker 01: Go to the website, click on some of the actual actions that are happening in there, and see how it fits within your life and within your community.

00:08:38 Speaker 01: Going Green and Gray can be found at our website.

00:08:38 Speaker 01: by going to gray.ca/slash/climate-action.

00:08:39 Speaker 01: So with that, I would like to move out and ask if there are council members that would like to share other news and celebrations.

00:10:44 Speaker 01: We'll begin with Councilor Body. Well, maybe that one works.

00:10:54 Speaker 04: Yesterday in the city of Onsan, we recognized Earth Day by. recognizing a tree at Harrison Park, and it's not just any tree; it's an Indigenous marker tree. So it's going to be 175 years old plus. Had a nice ceremony with about 200 people and lots of kids. And following our land acknowledgement, where we want to recognize Indigenous culture and heritage or history—I think history is the word—I learned after from a guy named Pat Lavalley. who's Patrick Lavalley, who's an expert on these trees.

00:11:34 Speaker 04: I learned that there's another one in Harrison Park on the other side of the river that points, and this one points to where the Naywash Village used to be, which is sort of by the marina on top of the hill on the west side.

00:11:39 Speaker 04: He tells me that there's some all the way going to Colpoys Bay, where there was a a village at one time, and then around to the Naywash Shingaming now.

00:11:42 Speaker 04: That there's some all the way on.

00:11:43 Speaker 04: trails that we don't know about, and he's been able to find these trails.

00:12:18 Speaker 05: I was fascinated, so we're going to be staying in touch so I can learn more.

00:12:18 Speaker 05: And it was a it was a great day, and it's some of that history of those who have walked the same soils as us and been around like us, but for longer.

00:12:20 Speaker 05: And it was a it was a really neat learning experience.

00:12:20 Speaker 05: Thank you.

00:12:20 Speaker 05: We'll go to Councillor Nielsen.

00:12:20 Speaker 05: Thank you very much, Ward Matress.

00:12:21 Speaker 05: Thank you very much, Ward Matrosoff.

00:12:21 Speaker 05: Last night, Gray Highlands hosted a volunteer appreciation event, and it was well attended with volunteers from across the municipality.

00:12:22 Speaker 05: We had the healthy event in Priceville, but we had members from Rofflin, from Osprey, from Markdale, and all across.

00:12:23 Speaker 05: One of the fun things we've been doing the last couple of years, as our third annual volunteer appreciation event, is having our volunteer groups come in and make quilt patches, and so they sign or do a decal or a note.

00:12:24 Speaker 05: on a quilt patch, and then we've been creating a community quilt that hangs in the Gray Highlands Museum to showcase all the different volunteers across.

00:12:25 Speaker 05: So it's been a wonderful thing that we've kept building.

00:12:26 Speaker 05: And last night we did some more swatches to it.

00:12:26 Speaker 05: The other thing happening in Gray Highlands this weekend is the Gray Gray South Gray Chamber of Commerce Home and Garden Show happening at the Fulshearton Arena and Complex.

00:12:27 Speaker 05: It's a fantastic showcase.

00:13:20 Speaker 06: That the weather is changing, spring is coming, gardens are time is here. Gardens, or time is here, and so come on out and enjoy hopefully some nice weather this weekend and find some inspiration for your own home or garden. Thank you. Anyone else?

00:13:40 Speaker 06: We'll go to Councillor Dobrin.

00:13:40 Speaker 06: Thank you.

00:13:40 Speaker 06: Good morning, Warden and County Council and guests.

00:13:41 Speaker 06: I just wanted to mention that in keeping with Volunteer Week, keeping with recognizing our volunteers, and there are so many in.

00:13:42 Speaker 06: and around our communities that our local Junction Community Initiatives held its International Women's Day Gala on Saturday.

00:13:43 Speaker 06: Thank you to all those who attended and brought greetings.

00:13:44 Speaker 06: It was an opportunity to for volunteers to recognize other volunteers, and it wasn't just for Southgate.

00:13:45 Speaker 06: It recognized women and young women who are impacting their home communities.

00:13:46 Speaker 06: all across South Grey and extending all the way up to Owen Sound.

00:13:47 Speaker 06: So we were, it was a party of celebration and recognition.

00:13:47 Speaker 06: And I just wanted to to say that if we didn't have all of these volunteers bringing all these wonderful opportunities to gather, to connect, and to celebrate, it would it wouldn't be a true community.

00:14:53 Speaker 07: So thank you to all of our volunteers across our county.

00:14:54 Speaker 07: and the volunteers that made that amazing food as well.

00:14:55 Speaker 07: It's certainly part of the celebration.

00:14:55 Speaker 07: Others, we're going to go to Councillor Bordenon online, and then then we'll come back here to the circle.

00:14:57 Speaker 07: Thank you, Madam Warden, and through you and Good Morning, County Council.

00:14:59 Speaker 07: Keeping with Volunteer Week we did yesterday at the Blue Beaver Valley Community Center, I was honored to be able to to welcome all the attendees for our volunteer fair as well as our award recipients.

00:15:02 Speaker 07: What was nice is.

00:15:03 Speaker 07: Awards recipients.

00:15:45 Speaker 07: What was nice is that every year we also do a youth under 26, and seeing the amount of youth that was in the audience supporting their peers was was quite heartening to see that many people starting at a young age, right from the Blue Valley School all the way up to some of our seniors that were receiving awards.

00:15:50 Speaker 07: So overall, it was very well received.

00:15:51 Speaker 07: Not just the the awards themselves, the entire volunteer fair very well attended.

00:15:52 Speaker 07: So keeping with Volunteer Week, it was great to see some recognition for people putting so many hours to help build our communities.

00:15:54 Speaker 07: Thank you.

00:15:54 Speaker 07: Excellent.

00:15:55 Speaker 07: Thank you, Councillor Ketner.

00:16:47 Speaker 08: Yes, just in in relation to your comment that how many different kind of volunteers there are, we we celebrate our volunteers in Meaford as well. But on Monday night coming, we have our Community Builder Award, and this is an award for someone who has actually contributed to the economic development of our municipality, and there's. a number of candidates, all worthy, and we're all excited to see who wins that award on Monday.

00:17:33 Speaker 08: Thank you. Any others? Looking around the room, we'll go to Councillor Eccles. Thank you, Madam Warden. And in West Grey, we celebrated the same thing on Tuesday evening, recognizing two individuals that have volunteered extensively within the community of West Grey. and one volunteer group, Durham Hospital Foundation, for their volunteerism and work tirelessly over the last two years to keep the Durham Hospital open and their success in doing that.

00:17:43 Speaker 08: So it's not just helping out. Volunteerism helps out in many different ways. So we were very grateful for that to do that on Tuesday, and. coming up on May twenty fourth, if you want to enjoy one of the most amazing cultural factors in culinary delight, the Newstead Lions Lobster Fest will be celebrating fifty years.

00:18:25 Speaker 01: So they're going a little above and beyond. I don't know whether that means in the celebration aspect or in the individual. people that are participating, because last year there was 1,200 meals that were served.

00:18:56 Speaker 01: No, it wasn't all lobster. There is crab and steak as well too. The reason I'm giving you this much advance notice is I was talking to some of the promoters and Lions Club members the other night, and they're well above 70 percent sold out.

00:19:10 Speaker 01: So, if you want to do that.

00:19:10 Speaker 01: get involved in that.

00:19:10 Speaker 01: Great evening at the Newsdead Community Center and Arena.

00:19:11 Speaker 01: And yes, there will be no roller skating that night on the floor.

00:19:11 Speaker 01: You don't need to worry about that part of it.

00:19:12 Speaker 01: Thank you.

00:19:12 Speaker 01: Thank you, and Councillor Bordignon.

00:19:12 Speaker 01: I can attest to the number of volunteer hours that goes behind a lobster fest because we do not have fifty years of history from the Town of Blue Mountain side of it, and I recognize how much.

00:19:14 Speaker 01: hard work goes into those events.

00:19:14 Speaker 01: So you have a a great organization out there.

00:19:14 Speaker 01: All right, any others?

00:19:14 Speaker 01: Okay, and I'll just conclude then.

00:19:15 Speaker 01: News and celebrations, just to recognize the fact too that last night I was invited by the board of directors of Bruce Power to come and celebrate the 25th anniversary of Bruce Power, and it was I was I attended there with Warden Charbonneau, and also Minister Thompson was there from Rural Affairs, and.

00:19:19 Speaker 01: it was very interesting to hear the presentation because they did a past, present, and forward-looking perspective, and to think of all the ebbs and flows of the history of the last twenty-five years, how it started, and then it looked like, then it looked like the economic development was going to pull out of its impact across our three counties until the fact that it turned around and things got turned back on again, and now we are relying on it as a source of green energy.

00:19:24 Speaker 01: So it is.

00:19:24 Speaker 01: very.

00:19:24 Speaker 01: It was very interesting to hear the perspective from all three presenters on that.

00:19:25 Speaker 01: And truly, we recognize through our clean energy frontier, we recognize how vital their presence is in our area.

00:19:26 Speaker 01: So, with that, then we will then move on to.

00:19:27 Speaker 01: We'll just look for a motion to adjourn.

00:19:27 Speaker 01: Move by Councillor Patterson, seconded by Councillor Nielsen.

00:19:28 Speaker 01: Any discussion?

00:19:28 Speaker 01: All those in favor?

00:19:28 Speaker 01: This portion is adjourned.

00:19:28 Speaker 01: We'll give a moment before we turn over to the Committee of the Whole.