Committee - Community Services

"THAT the Community Services Committee approves the minutes of the: 1. Community Services Committee meeting held on March 18, 2026; and 2. Closed Session Community Services Committee meeting held on March 18, 2026."

"THAT in consideration of Staff Report CR-26-039 respecting the 2025 Community Services Fees and Charges Update, the Community Services Committee recommends that City Council receive the report for information purposes."

"THAT in consideration of Staff Report CM-26-017 respecting the Economic Health Report Card, the Community Services Committee recommends that City Council receive the report for information purposes."

"WHEREAS older buildings have inherent sustainability and provide economic, environmental and social benefits for Ontario communities; AND WHEREAS re-use of existing buildings reduces the need for increased infrastructure that accompanies new builds such as sewer and water services, new roads and sidewalks; AND WHEREAS re-use of existing building can reduce construction waste and extend the life expectancy of landfills; AND WHEREAS keeping older buildings helps a community remain visually richer and enhances identity while building its tourism brand and appeal; AND WHEREAS creating a new, application-based, matching grant program of $10M/year, modelled on an existing Alberta program would incentivize owners and smaller developers to keep, fix and reuse heritage buildings to create new housing; AND WHEREAS such a grant program would provide an alternative to the Ontario heritage property tax relief program, which has limited impact on developers and reduces municipal revenues; AND WHEREAS such a grant program would provide a simpler and more direct way for heritage building owners to fund renovations or conservation; AND WHEREAS Ontario developers surveyed by the National Trust for Canada in 2014 ranked a heritage-revolving fund as their top incentive to encourage heritage development if:  the grants are simple to apply for and to administer; and,  the fund is large enough to meet at least 33% of the demand so that applicants have a reasonable chance of recovering the cost a

"THAT in consideration of correspondence provided for information purposes listed on the April 21, 2026 Community Services Committee agenda, the Community Services Committee recommends that City Council receive Items 11.a and 11.c for information purposes."