TOWN OF COLLINGWOOD
REVISED AGENDA: Council - Committee of the Whole Meeting Agenda

Monday, January 27, 2025 at 2:00 P.m. - 8:00 P.m.

Council Chambers and by Videoconference

97 Hurontario Street, Collingwood ON

Sustainable, Connected, Vibrant
"Collingwood is an inclusive community that offers a healthy and active lifestyle in a beautiful waterfront setting, anchored by a responsible government, strong business and nonprofit networks, and an animated downtown"

This meeting can be viewed on Rogers TV at http://www.rogerstv.com/ or on the Town of Collingwood - Municipal Meeting YouTube channel for those not able to attend in person. 

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1.

Call of Council to Order

For more than 15,000 years, the First Nations walked upon, and cared for, the lands we now call home. Anishinaabek, Haudenosaunee, Ojibwe, and many others who were families, friends, and communities, the way we are today. The Town of Collingwood acknowledges the Lake Simcoe-Nottawasaga Treaty of 1818 and the relationship it establishes with the original inhabitants of Turtle Island. We acknowledge the reality of our shared history, and the current contributions of Indigenous people within our community. We seek to continue empowering expressions of pride amongst all of the diverse stakeholders in this area. We seek to do better, and to continue to recognize, learn, and grow, in friendship and community, Nation-to-Nation.

2.

Adoption of the Agenda

• Recommendation:

  THAT the content of the Council-Committee of the Whole Agenda for January 27, 2025 be adopted as amended:

  • Addition of Item 8.1 BL2025-007 Schedule A: 2025 Municipal Budget Book
  • Addition of Item 12.8 Declaration of Vacant Seat - Councillor

3.

Declarations of Pecuniary Interest

Note: In accordance with the Council Code of Conflict, Procedural By-law and the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act, Council members must file with the Clerk a written statement of the conflict, for inclusion on the Conflict of Interest Registry.

4.

Community Announcements

5.

Deputations

5.1

On-Street Parking and Speeding on Cranberry Trail East, Beth Turner and Nancy Dunbar

5.2

Firework Ban, George Rossiter

5.3

Shared Path Consultation Initiative, Carolyn King, David Stinson, Susan Robertson and Natalija Vojno

6.

Adoption of Minutes

6.1

Council Minutes

• Recommendation:

  THAT the minutes of the Council-Committee of the Whole meeting held January 13, 2025 (excluding Committee of the Whole recommendations) and the Council meeting held January 20, 2025, be approved as presented.

6.2

Business Arising from Previous Minutes

6.3

Approval of Committee of the Whole Recommendations

6.3.1

Committee of the Whole - January 13, 2025

• Recommendation:

  THAT the Committee of the Whole recommendations from its meeting held January 13, 2025 contained within the January 13, 2025, Council - Committee of the Whole minutes be hereby approved as presented.

  • T2025-01 2025 Municipal Budget Draft Four
  • P2025-01 Zoning By-law Update - Strategic Directions and Engagement Summary Report
  • C2025-01 Designation of Municipally Significant Events Policy
  • Reports/Minutes of Other Committees and Boards

7.

Staff Reports

7.1

CCS2024-07 Collective Agreement By-Law – International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (Water)

• Recommendation:

  THAT Staff Report CCS2024-07, Collective Agreement By-Law – International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (Water) be received.

8.

By-Laws

• Recommendation:

  THAT the following By-laws be hereby enacted and passed this 27th day of January, 2025.

8.1

By-law No. 2025-007, being a by-law to adopt the 2025 Budget.

8.2

By-law No. 2025-008, being a by-law to adopt the IBEW Local 636 Collective Agreement

9.

Departmental Updates

9.1

Automatic Speed Enforcement and Redlight Camera Presentation, Manager Leal

9.2

Investment Review, Director Graham

10.

Consent Agenda

General Consent Items: A general correspondence list can be viewed on the Town of Collingwood website at https://www.collingwood.ca/council-meetings. This Correspondence List includes items considered as bulk communications not specific to the Town of Collingwood and is of a general nature, and are not included in the Consent Agenda below.

• Recommendation:

  THAT Council herein receive the General Consent
  Agenda;

  AND FURTHER that the information and opinions provided in the General Consent Agenda Items are that of the author(s) and are not verified or approved as being correct. 

10.1

J. LaPlante re: Letter of Support for Red Light Cameras

10.2

Town of Aurora re: Request the Redistribution of the Provincial Land Transfer Tax and GST

Pulled from Correspondence List by Mayor Hamlin

10.3

W. Skol re: Collingwood's Street Patio Barriers

11.

County Report

County Council agendas and minutes can be found on the Simcoe County Council Portal (first meeting of the month).

12.

Motions

12.1

Order of Collingwood Policy, Councillor Jeffery

• Recommendation:

  WHEREAS the Town of Collingwood celebrates exceptional volunteers through the award of the Order of Collingwood and the Companion to the Order of Collingwood;

  AND WHEREAS it is possible for extraordinary volunteers to not be nominated until a significant number of years of service have been contributed that may potentially equate to the equivalent of contributions to qualify for the Order of Collingwood and for the Companion to the Order of Collingwood;

  THEREFORE IT BE RESOLVED THAT Council direct staff to review the Order of Collingwood/Companion to the Order policy to recommend, if feasible, an amendment that would allow in exceptional/extraordinary circumstances for the selection committee to award to a recipient the order and the companion to the order simultaneously or within less than a 5-year time elapse between said awards.

12.2

Maximize Ice Facility Availability, Councillor Jeffrey

• Recommendation:

  WHEREAS a value included in our Community Based Strategic Plan is that “we are courageous in making the decisions needed to support and better our community.”

  AND WHEREAS under the “Connected” Pillar it is our goal to promote Collingwood as a centre for healthy and active living, to determine future recreational programming and facility needs and explore creation of a Multi-Use Recreation Facility.

  AND WHEREAS it has been brought to Council’s attention that there is an urgent need for additional ice time to facilitate the growing sport for both boys and girls through the Collingwood Girls Hockey Association and Collingwood Minor Hockey.

  AND WHEREAS the Multi-Use Recreation Facility development is in the early stages, the completion of which will not be timely to meet the urgent demands for ice time.

  THEREFORE IT BE RESOLVED THAT Council direct staff to develop a plan to address the maximized facility availability and critical need for ice time for both boys and girls hockey, which plan will also include for Council consideration a capital plan for the enclosure of the outdoor ice rink as soon as practical including existing canteen and washrooms currently on-site and the addition of dressing rooms and minimal seating for viewing.

  AND THEREFORE IT BE FURTHER RESOLVED THAT Council direct staff to develop a plan to provide another alternative for outdoor skating for the public.

12.3

Support for Market Value Assessment Petition to MPAC, Councillor Baines

• Recommendation:

  WHEREAS the assessment cycle is an essential process for maintaining the fairness and predictability of property taxes in our province;

  AND WHEREAS the pause in the reassessment cycle has created uncertainty and instability in the property taxation system, impacting both residential and commercial property owners;

  AND WHEREAS the government has delayed an assessment update again in 2024, resulting in Ontario’s municipalities continuing to calculate property taxes using 2016 property values;

  AND WHEREAS both current and outdated assessments are inaccurate, increase volatility, and are not transparent;

  AND WHEREAS frequent and accurate reassessments are necessary to stabilize property taxes and provide predictability for property owners, residents, and businesses alike;

  AND WHEREAS the staff at the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation would benefit from further skill enhancement and training in assessments, recognizing the importance of ensuring accurate evaluations for 100% of our municipality;

  AND WHEREAS the pause in the reassessment cycle has created uncertainty and instability in the property taxation, impacting both residential and commercial property owners;

  AND WHEREAS the Government has announced a review of the property assessment and taxation system with a focus on fairness, equity, and economic competitiveness, and therefore further deferring new property assessment;

  NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Town of Collingwood hereby calls upon the Premier to promptly resume the assessment cycle to ensure the stability and predictability of property taxes while the Government conducts its review of the property assessment and taxation system, or respond with an alternative method for every municipality in Ontario to achieve fair taxation;

  AND FURTHER THAT all Municipalities in Ontario and their constituents are encouraged to apply pressure to the Premier, daily, weekly, and monthly, to resolve the situation before it causes undo stress to everyone in the Municipality;

  AND FINALLY THAT a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Premier, the relevant provincial authorities, the Association of Municipality in Ontario, the Rural Ontario Municipalities Association, the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities, and the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation, to make proper changes as quickly and efficiently as possible.

12.4

Endorsement of 'Ending Chronic Homelessness' Report, Councillor Doherty

• Recommendation:

  WHEREAS AMO has released an unprecedented, data-driven analysis of the state of homelessness in Ontario;

  AND WHEREAS the data quantifies the number of people experiencing homelessness at 81,500, an increase of 51% since 2016, and forecasts that this number could more than triple by 2035 without immediate action;

  AND WHEREAS the growth of populations experiencing homelessness is most pronounced in marginalized populations and children, and in Northern, rural and rural-urban mixed locations, like Collingwood/South Georgian Bay;

  AND WHEREAS the report identifies systemic failures that extend beyond just sufficient affordable housing, including deep gaps in the healthcare, mental health care, social welfare, education and justice systems;

  AND WHEREAS these systemic gaps in homelessness prevention and supports are a direct reflection of inadequate or misdirected funding;

  AND WHEREAS Ontario is the only province where responsibility for social housing has been downloaded to municipalities;

  AND WHEREAS municipal funding for housing and homelessness programmes has grown by 108% since 2016 to account for 51.5% of total reported funding across all three orders of government;

  AND WHEREAS Provincial funding for housing programmes saw a modest increase during this period, while federal contributions remained smaller in scale, both reflecting a declining share of expenditures relative to municipal investments;

  AND WHEREAS the report acknowledges that encampments are an urgent pressure across Ontario and outlines how targeted investments could prevent and resolve encampments over an 8-year period;

  AND WHEREAS the report further outlines how targeted investments and actions can be taken now and over the next 10 years to reverse the homelessness trajectory, offering sustainable solutions and a vision for a future where homelessness is rare, brief, and non-recurring;

  AND WHEREAS the benefits of decisive action will yield stronger and safer communities, improved quality of life, enhanced local economies and reduced costs;

  THEREFORE IT BE RESOLVED THAT the Town of Collingwood endorses the Ending Chronic Homelessness in Ontario Report, its findings and recommendations, and calls upon the provincial and federal governments to commit to increased funding for the full spectrum of homelessness reduction and prevention strategies as outlined in the report conclusions and recommendations.

12.5

Collingwood Blue's Contract Release, Councillor Ring

• Recommendation:

  WHEREAS Council received Staff and Legal advice regarding the release of tenancy agreements and applicability of Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA) matters as it relates to only specific provisions that should remain protected;

  BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council authorize the release of Blues Tenancy Agreement with the Town of Collingwood to the Hall of Fame Committee as requested, subject to appropriate application of MFIPPA. 

12.6

FCM Green Canopy Funding, Councillor Perry

• Recommendation:

  WHEREAS the Town of Collingwood has the following interest: to grow, manage, and protect our tree canopy to enhance biodiversity, and improve climate resilience and wellbeing; 

  AND WHEREAS Free Spirit Gardens is undertaking a project entitled Growing a Greener Collingwood;

  THEREFORE IT BE RESOLVED THAT the Town of Collingwood Council acknowledges that Free Spirit Gardens is applying for a funding opportunity from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Growing Canada’s Community Canopies initiative for Growing a Greener Collingwood, in partnership with the Town of Collingwood; 

  AND THAT Collingwood Council also recognizes that the lifetime contribution from the Growing Canada’s Community Canopies initiative will not exceed $10 million for tree planting within our municipality, inclusive of a maximum contribution of $1 million for infrastructure activity costs, and that if approved this project will be counted towards that limit.

12.7

Revised 2025 Meeting Calendar

• Recommendation:

  THAT Council endorse the revised 2025 Meeting Calendar.

12.8

Declaration of Vacant Seat - Councillor

• Recommendation:

  WHEREAS subsection 259(1)(d) the Municipal Act, 2001 provides that the office of a member of council of a municipality becomes vacant if the member resigned from his or her office and the resignation is effective under section 260 of the Act;

  AND WHEREAS notice of the resignation was provided in writing by Councillor Brandon Houston to the Clerk, received Thursday January 23, 2025 in accordance with section 260 of the Act with the notice stating the resignation to be effective immediately;

  AND WHEREAS section 262(1) of the Act provides that if the office of a council becomes vacant under section 259, the council shall at its next meeting declare the office to be vacant;

  THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT in accordance with section 262 of the Municipal Act, 2001, Council of the Town of Collingwood does hereby declare the office of one (1) Councillor, previously filled by Brandon Houston, to be vacant; 

  AND THAT Council direct staff to prepare a report that outlines the process and options available to fill the vacancy.

13.

Move into Committee of the Whole

Public engagement and discussion is encouraged under this section of the agenda with any recommendations being ratified at the next meeting. The public are able to address the Committee on any staff report following the presentation by staff and allowed 5 minutes to speak.

If you wish to participate virtually, please view the meeting using the following link: 

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87326201413?pwd=etqmOpgyAmZtrVvPg7KEssjHCQAoGA.1

Or Telephone: [phone] or 1-647-374-4685

Webinar ID: 873 2620 1413
Passcode: 804717

This link allows you to participate in the ZOOM Webinar as a participant. Please ensure you have good connectivity and audio functionality on the device (smartphone, laptop, tablet, etc.) you will be using. Depending on your device you may need to download the ZOOM App ahead of the meeting.

13.1

Motion to move into Committee of the Whole (Mayor Hamlin)

• Recommendation:

  THAT Council herein move into Committee the Whole Session.

13.2

Staff Reports

13.2.1

P2025-02 Affordable Housing Master Plan 2025 Workplan

• Recommendation:

  THAT Staff Report P2025-02, “Affordable Housing Master Plan 2025 Workplan” dated January 27, 2025, be received;  

  AND THAT the continued implementation of the costed and prioritized Affordable Housing Master Plan as outlined in Staff Report P2025-02 be supported.

13.2.2

P2025-03 Proposed Draft Plan of Subdivision Approval Extension Request Trails of Collingwood (391 High Street); Town File PLEDP2024338

• Recommendation:

  THAT Staff Report P2025-03, “Draft Plan of Subdivision Approval Extension Request – Trails of Collingwood (391 High Street, Town File PLEDP2024338)”, dated February 10, 2025, be received;  

  AND THAT in recognition of the housing crisis and the urgency at all levels of government to increase housing supply in the near term, the Request for Extension of Draft Approval for the Plan of Subdivision – Trails of Collingwood (PLEDP2024338), including amendments to the associated conditions of draft plan approval as appended to this Report, be approved for a period of three years with the expectation that the proponent will progress expeditiously toward registration.

13.2.3

C2025-02 Municipal Insurance Pool Implementation

• Recommendation:

  THAT Staff Report C2025-02, Municipal Insurance Pool Implementation, be received.

  AND THAT Council support joining the Simcoe County Municipal Insurance Pool, as proposed and authorize the execution of the requisite Subscribers Agreement.

13.3

Deputations (unregistered)

Unregistered deputations are provided 5 minutes to address Committee.

13.4

Reports/Minutes of Other Committees/Boards

• Recommendation:

  THAT the following minutes of Other Committees and Boards be received and the recommendations contained be approved:

  • Collingwood OPP Detachment Board Meeting - October 17, 2024
  • Collingwood and The Blue Mountains OPP Detachment Board Meeting - December 13, 2024 
  • Downtown Collingwood BIA Board of Management Meeting - December 12, 2024
  • Trails and Active Transportation Advisory Committee - December 12, 2024
  • Trails and Active Transportation Advisory Committee - January 16, 2025

13.5

Old or Deferred Business

13.6

Other Business

13.6.1

Elections of the Chair and Vice Chair - Committee of the Whole, Clerk Almas

13.7

Notice of Motions

13.8

Rise from Committee of the Whole

13.8.1

Motion to rise form Committee of the Whole (Councillor Ring)

• Recommendation:

  THAT Council herein rise from Committee of Whole and return to the regular Council meeting.

14.

Confirmatory By-Law

• Recommendation:

  THAT By-law No. 2025-009, being a by-law to confirm the proceedings of the regular meeting of Council held January 27, 2025, be enacted and passed this 27th day of January, 2025.

15.

Adjournment