Latest / North Shore News / October 29th, 2026

Transcript

October 29th, 2026 · North Shore News

0:07
Welcome to North Shore News and Interviews on
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Amherst Island Radio. Each week, we keep you
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updated on newsworthy events, happenings and
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conversations that we've had with people in the
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local community and beyond. Official results
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in Loyalist Township are in for the 2026 municipal
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election. The township's new council will include
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Mayor Jim Hagadorn, Deputy Mayor Paul Proderick,
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Councillor Lorna Willis representing Ward 1,
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Councillor Larry Laird for Ward 2. as well as
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counselors Jake Ennis, Ted McGrath, and Jennifer
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Shea, representing Ward 3. The English Public
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School Board Trustee with the Limestone District
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School Board will be Robin Hutchin, while the
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English Separate School Board Trustee with Algonquin
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and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board
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will be Jacqueline Fernandez. Vote counts showed
0:58
Mike Buderich falling behind Proderich's 2 ,389
1:01
votes with 2 ,181 for the Deputy Mayor position.
1:05
This included 136 who did not vote. Laird won
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Ward 2 with 576 votes compared to Carla Thompson's
1:12
466. There were five who did not. vote. Annis,
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McGrath, and Shea had the most votes in Ward
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3, with 1 ,326, 1 ,622, and 1 ,877 respectively.
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Lisa Ann Chatten had 889 votes, Brittany Grunig
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1 ,089, Will Hume 628, Carol Parks 885, and Mark
1:33
Sansom with 462. This included 133 who did not
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vote. The Township's official declaration of
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election results is available on the Township's
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website. For Amherst Island Radio, and the Local
1:44
Journalism Initiative. I'm Ted Evans. This is
1:48
North Shore News. Lenox and Addington County
1:59
Council approved the town of Greater Napanee's
2:01
latest official plan. Staff with Greater Napanee
2:04
conducted a review of the plan, and county staff
2:06
made adjustments to more closely align it with
2:09
the county's plan. Greater Napanee's review came
2:11
under Section 26 of the Planning Act, which establishes
2:14
the review process for municipalities and ensures
2:17
plans remain current and consistent with applicable
2:19
provincial planning requirements. Planning consultant
2:22
for the county, Nick McDonald, spoke about the
2:25
town's review process. I've reviewed the process
2:27
undertaken by the Town and they have fully complied
2:30
with the Planning Act in terms of the process
2:33
undertaken and the number of meetings that were
2:36
held of a statutory nature. In addition, they've
2:41
made efforts to consult with a number of agencies
2:44
and parties who have an interest in the matter
2:47
as well and I am satisfied that the consultation
2:50
process they have followed is appropriate. The
2:53
Town specifically identifies strategic growth
2:56
areas. And these are areas where growth and development
2:58
is to be directed. And the town has done that
3:02
in their official plan by identifying a number
3:04
of intensification areas and corridors where
3:07
growth is to be directed. McDonald detailed the
3:10
changes made to the town's original plan. The
3:12
first is to ensure that the official plan properly
3:16
reflects the planning period that is set out
3:19
in the county's plan. So the county's planning
3:21
period is up to 20 51. The nappany official plan
3:25
in a variety of places said that the plan applied
3:28
for 20 years or up to 2046. And there are a number
3:32
of modifications proposed to ensure that the
3:34
planning periods are in sync between both official
3:37
plans. Secondly, I determined that a number of
3:42
the definitions included within the official
3:44
plan were not entirely consistent with the provincial
3:48
planning statement, which was also updated in
3:51
2024. And so it's understandable. And so many
3:55
of the modifications involve updating the definitions
3:57
to ensure that they are entirely consistent with
4:01
the wording used in the provincial planning statement.
4:03
Lastly, there were a number of minor changes
4:08
needed to ensure that the policies of the County
4:12
Official Plan are fully implemented in the Town.
4:16
One of those was to ensure that the Dark Sky
4:18
policies that we have in the County's Official
4:21
Plan is properly implemented in the Town's Official
4:24
Plan. McDonald spoke about the Planning Act.
4:27
The Planning Act requires that all official plans
4:29
have to contain goals and objectives that set
4:33
out how a municipality is to change over time.
4:38
And I can confirm that the municipal that Napany's
4:41
official plan amendment does just that. In addition,
4:45
the Planning Act requires that all official plans
4:48
include policies that set out permissions for
4:52
additional residential units within. urban areas
4:55
and that is two additional units plus one permit
4:59
a primary principal unit on a property and those
5:02
policies have also been fully implemented as
5:06
well. Lastly, the Planning Act was recently amended
5:09
to permit schools in all designations within
5:14
urban areas and this is a change intended to
5:18
make it easier for new schools to be developed.
5:21
And as a result of that particular planning act
5:24
requirement, a minor modification is required
5:27
to the Napany official plan to ensure that that
5:30
is also the case. McDonald said the plan will
5:33
come into full effect after a 20 day appeal period.
5:36
There will be a 20 -day appeal period and if
5:40
no appeals are received within that time, the
5:43
official plan amendment comes into full force
5:46
and effect and our job is done as a county in
5:49
terms of ensuring that all local official plans
5:52
are up -to -date, conform with the county official
5:55
plan and are consistent with the provincial planning
5:57
statement. With respect to appeal rights, the
5:59
province has been quite busy making it harder
6:02
for folks to appeal official plans and certain
6:05
types of the development applications. So the
6:08
list of folks that could potentially appeal official
6:11
plan amendment number 53 is quite narrow, but
6:15
that potential does exist. McDonald spoke about
6:18
the county's role in the review process. While
6:21
Napanee and Loyalist Township both have the ability
6:24
to amend the Official Plan whenever they desire
6:28
to respond to development applications and so
6:31
on, whenever either of those communities and
6:34
in fact any of the communities, the lower tier
6:37
municipalities in the county, wish to update
6:39
their official plan, the county becomes the approval
6:42
authority for that update instead of the Ministry
6:46
of Municipal Affairs and Housing. And this is
6:48
as a result of a number of changes made to the
6:51
Planning Act over the last 10 to 15 years. The
6:55
official plan update carried out by the town
6:57
was carried out pursuant to section 26 of the
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Planning Act and that section requires that official
7:05
plans be updated on a regular basis to ensure
7:08
consistency with the provincial planning statement
7:11
and conformity with the upper tier official plan.
7:15
For Amherst Island Radio and the Local Journalism
7:18
Initiative, I'm Ted Evans. This is North Shore
7:21
News. Department directors at Lenox and Addington
7:33
County have provided council with the final six
7:35
-month update for their strategic action plans.
7:38
Staff have prepared a document for the incoming
7:40
council to provide an overview of the past four
7:42
years of strategic work by the current council.
7:45
The plan noted that council will maintain its
7:47
long -term commitment of investing in capital
7:49
infrastructure and increase its current commitment
7:51
of investing an annual 2 % county budget levy
7:54
increase. Council will also remain dedicated
7:57
to addressing the shortage of safe and affordable
7:59
housing by investing in a housing needs assessment
8:01
to effectively guide affordable housing solutions.
8:04
The county is hoping to work with local municipalities
8:06
to develop two to three shovel -ready affordable
8:08
housing projects. CAO Brenda Orchard spoke about
8:12
the work staff has done. Strategic plan is one
8:14
thing, but action plans are important because
8:17
that's where the rubber meets the road. The staff
8:20
spent the summer creating detailed action plans.
8:23
And then we brought them back to council in the
8:25
fall to say, did we understand you correctly?
8:27
Because you can have some strategic plan statements
8:30
that are flowery with words, but what does it
8:32
really mean? And we share those action plans
8:36
with council to say, did we get it right? Did
8:38
we go too far? Did we not go too far enough?
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and we had our action plans blessed by council.
8:45
Every six months we bring it back to say here's
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our updates. We try to color code it green if
8:50
it's done, red if it's stopped, or yellow if
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it's stalled for some reason. Deputy Warden Tony
8:55
Fritz noted the work that's been done over the
8:58
last four years. Going through that four years
9:00
it's been a great experience I think for us all
9:04
working together, the council and staff. and
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I see an awful lot of these little green symbol
9:11
that says tasks completed on there and and some
9:13
a lot of green so you can only say that it looks
9:18
like there's some great progress has been made
9:20
in four years. Warden Jim Hagedorn commended
9:22
the work of staff. That's a huge amount of success
9:25
I believe for the county which staff have worked
9:30
very diligently to achieve. The next strategic
9:33
planning exercise will take place with the new
9:35
council in April 2027. For Amherst Island Radio
9:39
and the Local Journalism Initiative, I'm Ted
9:41
Evans. This is North Shore News. water sourcing
10:15
and ground as agricultural and transpo manager
10:19
of growth and in town of Greater Napan explains
10:23
the reasoning beh The reasoning for this wa and
10:29
looked at the project that increasing the size
10:34
o would probably show bette ISO and likely have
10:40
a hig Nob speaks about the proposed changes.
10:46
The site would increase modestly from an occupied
10:51
footprint of 80 acres to 95 acres. The agricultural
10:55
impact assessment that was completed contemplated
10:58
up to 100. acres of land for such use. So there's
11:04
no change in the findings of the agricultural
11:06
impact assessment that was supplied and reviewed
11:09
and concurred with previously under the 500 megawatt
11:13
proposal. But however, HydroStor's proposal is
11:17
to add effectively a fifth powertrain. NOBES
11:20
went on to describe the new proposal. Previously,
11:22
it was four powertrains oriented in a north south
11:26
fashion. The proposal now is to relocate those
11:31
power trains in an east -west fashion and push
11:33
them as far south on the property as possible.
11:36
So while adding additional capacity and potential
11:39
noise generating equipment, it's actually pushed
11:42
it back further from the sensitive receptors
11:44
in the vicinity and results in a very small net
11:49
decrease in off -site noise levels. Relocating
11:53
further south and adding that additional train
11:55
really ultimately doesn't result in a change
11:59
of the anticipated noise levels from the development
12:02
itself. Council received correspondents at their
12:05
September 22nd meeting expressing concern regarding
12:07
the potential noise effects associated with existing
12:10
and proposed energy infrastructure in the southern
12:12
area of the municipality. Nob spoke about noise
12:15
levels including ambient noises from other sites.
12:17
It will ultimately be assessed and reviewed.
12:22
The issue that the Ministry sees is They recognize
12:27
that noise or they measure that noise, but they
12:31
might not have the ability to require that development
12:34
over there to make a change to better this development
12:36
over here, because that development over there
12:39
is compliant as well. Councillor Michael Shank
12:41
spoke about the response to concerns about the
12:43
noise. What I can see and what I've read and
12:46
what HydroStore has done, they have moved it
12:49
back as far as they can possibly move it back
12:51
in that property and They've mitigated any of
12:53
the sound decibels that you could, you know,
12:57
that might come back. But there's a site plan
12:59
agreement anyway that goes afterwards and that'll
13:02
all be dealt with at that time. I think they've
13:04
covered pretty well everything that you could
13:06
have covered. The proposal ultimately comes along
13:12
with an increase to the community benefits fund
13:15
that was proposed by HarderStore. This would
13:19
result in an increase from approximately $1 million
13:23
annually to $1 .3 million annually since the
13:27
commitment of $2 ,000 per megawatt of project
13:30
capacity would be provided to the town through
13:34
community benefits funds. And previously, as
13:37
proposed by HydroStor and agreed to by Council,
13:40
between any project award by the ISO and commissioning,
13:44
$100 ,000 annually be provided to the town to
13:47
assist with review and implementation or general
13:52
use by the municipality as the town sees, as
13:55
council sees fit. For Amherst Island Radio and
13:57
the Local Journalism Initiative, I'm Ted Evans.
14:01
This is North Shore News. Greater Napanee Council
14:12
decided against adding Springside Park and the
14:15
new in -town trails to the town's sensitive use
14:17
area. The matter was brought to Council in September
14:20
by Councilor Bill Martin who said the town should
14:22
act immediately. Martin noted the designation
14:25
in other areas. Our beautiful Springside Park
14:28
down there is visited by so many visitors every
14:31
day and I know that's for a fact. I've been down
14:34
there seven days a week. Twice a day I try to
14:36
get down there and monitor what's going on and
14:39
I do agree that Conservation Park needs a designation
14:43
of sensitive use area. And I also agree, Lions
14:46
Park did. But what's happened is the problem
14:49
hasn't been solved. It's been moved from Conservation
14:53
Park down to Springside Park. Martin explained
14:56
his stance. People shouldn't have to live like
14:59
that. And I'm not suggesting that we are mean
15:02
to the homeless people in the encampments, because
15:06
I'd like to give them help. But as we all know,
15:10
the province, the county, wherever you want to
15:13
go, the federal government, they've got to downstream
15:17
some resources to us because we can't do it.
15:20
The town will not be reviewing their encampment
15:22
by -law until next term. Members of staff and
15:25
council noted two ongoing appeals in Ontario
15:27
in which the outcomes will have impacts provincially
15:30
and locally. Manager of Legislative Services
15:32
and Municipal Clerk Jessica Walters spoke about
15:35
encampments in the area. Overall in 2026 we were
15:38
seeing higher numbers than we saw in 2025, which
15:42
was higher numbers than we saw in 2024. We continue
15:45
to see our largest spike in August and then a
15:48
slow decline through the winter. We expect that
15:52
we will probably see our December numbers higher
15:55
again this year than last year just based on
15:59
the larger unhoused population that we have in
16:01
our community compared to last year. But we are
16:04
still seeing that same trend where our numbers
16:06
peak in August and then start to go down as the
16:10
weather turns cooler. We also know that With
16:14
the warming center opening on November 1st, we
16:16
will see a change in how encampments are located
16:19
in the community when that happens as well. The
16:23
case law in Canada regarding unhoused individuals'
16:26
right to shelter is still in a bit of a holding
16:30
state. There are two appeals outstanding that
16:33
have the potential to impact our ability to enforce
16:37
encampments on... public property. There was
16:40
a case in Hamilton where the outcome of that
16:43
case was to determine that Hamilton could ban
16:46
daytime camping in their parks, although they
16:49
had to permit overnight camping. That decision
16:52
was appealed. The appeal has been heard. A decision
16:55
has not yet been rendered. Waterloo earlier this
16:58
year had a case where the finding was that the
17:00
city could not or the region could not clear
17:03
an encampment because they had not provided any
17:06
alternate place for those individuals to go.
17:09
That decision is being appealed by the region
17:12
and the province has requested intervener status.
17:15
No date has been set yet for that hearing so
17:18
we don't know when to expect the outcome of that
17:22
decision but we do expect that that decision
17:24
will have a significant impact on how we approach
17:27
encampments. At this point, we know that we can
17:29
expect either change or clarity, but we don't
17:34
have a timeline for when we can expect that,
17:37
which does make it challenging to try to determine
17:40
what our position should be in the interim. Mayor
17:42
Terry Richardson spoke about the appeals and
17:44
their impact. The Superior Court decision in
17:47
Hamilton has been heard by the Ontario Court
17:50
of Appeal. And so we're just waiting on a decision
17:53
which could come tomorrow, could come next week,
17:56
could come next year. The decision with respect
17:59
to the Waterloo Region matter was accepted. The
18:03
province of Ontario has partnered up with Waterloo
18:06
Regional to, for better lack of word and policing
18:09
terms, take a run at the Superior Court decision
18:13
that's outstanding in Waterloo. We're knee deep
18:17
into case law or knee deep int from other levels
18:21
of govern way to put it. But with re decisions
18:25
here in the no in order to add possibly respect
18:33
to the homeless If there is not enough shelter
18:39
in a community, the courts have deemed that individuals
18:42
have a constitutional right, a charter right,
18:44
to shelter themselves. And Napanee has no shelter
18:48
space at the moment. Also key in the case for
18:52
the city of Hamilton was that the bar to require
18:57
enough shelter for everyone when those numbers
18:59
are continually changing and growing was an unreasonable
19:01
bar to set. and that the judge deemed that it
19:05
was an infringement on property rights to allow
19:07
no management of park space at all. And I would
19:10
say what they found was a compromise position
19:15
where people have the right to shelter themselves
19:17
at night, but they don't have the right to live
19:20
there continually. I think there's a lot of eyes
19:23
on that, both of those case laws, because that
19:26
could dramatically change the reality as we know
19:28
it. Grant went on to speak about widespread effects.
19:31
With respect to Kingston or other municipalities,
19:34
I think it's also important to note that any
19:38
court case decision that happens for municipalities
19:41
doesn't just apply to that municipality, it applies
19:43
to every municipality. So people tend to be quite
19:47
careful about the steps they're taking. There's
19:51
a lot of preparation and making any changes.
19:54
And there's also the awareness that any step
19:59
we take is going to impact our neighbors. There
20:04
is both what the court allows and what a municipality
20:07
is able to do. So should the case law be upheld
20:12
where it prevented daytime camping, we could,
20:15
in essence, be able to ask people to move along
20:17
from public spaces and return in the evening.
20:21
What I can tell you is in Hamilton, the ability
20:24
to do that was a massive, massive undertaking.
20:30
A huge resource was required to do that. So I
20:36
would say that the solution that we've come up
20:40
with in terms of distances and conservation part
20:44
being off limits is within our resource areas.
20:48
And should we decide to move in a different direction,
20:51
I would need to have a resource conversation.
20:53
Martin spoke about complaints he's received.
20:55
I also have the residents up on Palace Road to
20:59
think about and their rights. They pay taxes.
21:03
The residents up on up on the hill from Springside
21:05
Park all along Palace Road from Highway 2 over
21:11
to Centre Street. There's an area in through
21:13
there and Bracken Street area is right there
21:16
too. I get numerous calls from there and I certainly
21:19
don't blame them. And part of my job is understanding
21:24
what's going on and for them to contact me as
21:27
well. I mean, our bylaw doesn't work at night
21:29
and OPP doesn't administer our bylaws. The problems
21:35
happen at night, loud music, profane language,
21:39
under control fires. The problem is, once everybody's
21:43
back is turned, the fireman's back is turned,
21:44
our bylaws back are turned. The activity that
21:47
goes on at night is not fair to the residents
21:49
up top of that hill. It's not fair to visitors
21:52
that come to our park. Martin went on to note
21:54
the importance of Springside Park. We've got
21:57
residents in this area that used to take their
22:00
children down to the park. They used to walk
22:02
their dog down the park. People jogged there.
22:05
And now I'm getting comments like, well, we don't
22:08
go there anymore because we're scared. We're
22:11
intimidated. I'm afraid my child is going to
22:15
step on a discarded needle. And all I'm seeing
22:17
is Springside Park needs our attention. Springside
22:21
Park is just as important and even more important
22:24
than Conservation Park. There's a lot more visitors
22:27
to our park there daily than there is at Conservation
22:30
Park. And as far as the new trail is concerned,
22:32
I'm also concerned that encampments are going
22:36
to find that an easy area to encamp as well.
22:40
Councilor Bob Norrie shared his thoughts on Springside
22:42
Park. It has cleaned up a bit, but all summer.
22:45
I like Councillor Martin. I've been down there
22:47
a lot. People avoided going. I know my neighbours,
22:50
they have grandchildren. They didn't go down
22:52
there. They don't go down there. Wedding pictures,
22:55
all this. It's a tourist area, so it should just
22:57
be right off limits. I'm sorry, but it's too
22:59
important of an area, the beautiful area, and
23:01
the taxpayers should be allowed to use it with
23:03
their grandchildren. That's my feeling. Deputy
23:05
Mayor Brian Calver spoke about the park and not
23:07
rushing into a decision. Every day when I come
23:09
into town, every night before I leave town, and
23:12
if I have to come back in for something else,
23:14
we go there as well. I still do see people using
23:18
the park, but I agree we should soon be looking
23:23
at. I don't think we want to rush it. We've got
23:24
to get it right, but it has cleaned up a lot
23:28
more this year than other years. But I mean,
23:30
you go down there at any given time at lunchtime
23:32
and you have a hard time getting park to be able
23:34
to eat your lunch because there are people using
23:36
it. There are people walking it. Yes, people
23:39
are. Some people are saying they're afraid, but
23:42
I mean this is unfortunately the new world we're
23:45
in, but I think we do need to look at it. Would
23:48
it be great to get all of Springside Park clear?
23:50
Yes. We now have data. We know how much money
23:53
we've spent to clean up the messes and so on
23:56
and so forth to try to get more area clear. We
23:59
need to work, have more work done on our encampment
24:02
protocol, which is working. Seems we've had other
24:05
municipalities reaching out with what we've done
24:07
in the past. So I just don't want to rush into
24:10
it. I'd like staff to take their time and get
24:13
it right. Councillor Angela Hicks noted the activity
24:15
in Springside Park and recognized public concern.
24:18
I was down at Springside Park, couldn't get a
24:21
parking spot. I had a very unhappy granddaughter
24:24
in the back, so I sat and waited. and got that
24:28
situation sorted out. But as I was there, I sort
24:31
of looked around and I thought, what is everyone
24:34
talking about? There were people, there were
24:36
kids, there were people fishing, there was...
24:38
People walking up and down right next to the
24:41
falls. They were walking down the road. There
24:43
were kids over in the skateboard. The pizza truck
24:46
was busy. There was so many people out enjoying
24:49
the day and enjoying their community. It was
24:52
like I was in a different town. Like when I actually
24:55
stopped and thought about it, I thought I didn't
24:57
see any of this. I understand that the people
25:00
on Palace Road do have issues. The same issues
25:04
were experienced over in Conservation Park. People
25:07
that did not sleep for nights at a time slept
25:09
in shifts in absolute terror that their house
25:12
was going to burn down in the middle of the night
25:13
from uncontrolled fires. I understand, but I
25:18
don't think rushing this in two weeks is going
25:21
to help the situation either because then something
25:24
gets missed. Richardson spoke about the town's
25:27
current encampment bylaw. The encampment bylaw
25:30
that we have looked at the total of the community.
25:34
and we come up with some very viable ways to
25:38
protect the most sensitive areas of our community.
25:42
Again, is it perfect? Absolutely not. It's not
25:45
perfect. We know that. Is it the best we got
25:47
right now? Probably is, especially in the light
25:51
of much larger municipalities trying to sort
25:55
this matter out at the highest levels of court
25:58
in this province. We have spent an inordinate
26:01
amount of time coming up with a plan, albeit
26:06
not the best plan. The best plan would be have
26:10
nobody in our parks. But we've come up with something
26:12
that we feel is something that we're not going
26:15
to get challenged on. And as I say that somebody
26:18
will challenge us tomorrow. But I think it's
26:20
very defensible that the plan that we have, I
26:22
think, at least in my humble opinion, that the
26:26
direction that we're on in reviewing the sensitive
26:29
area matters. holistically for all of the community
26:33
as opposed to cherry picking certain areas. As
26:36
a municipality, I don't think we're in a hurry
26:39
to start to cherry pick certain things without
26:42
taking into account the community as a whole
26:45
as far as sense of use areas. The recorded vote
26:48
ended three to two, defeating the motion. The
26:51
motion on the floor is that staff do not wait
26:53
until winter or next term to review our encampment
26:56
bylaw and further we act immediately to add Springside
26:59
Park and our new in -town trail to the sensitive
27:01
use area. For two, Councillor Hicks? No. For
27:05
Councillor Norrie? Yes. Five, Councillor Martin?
27:09
Yes. Oliver? No. Mayor Richardson? No. That motion
27:14
is defeated. For Amherst Island Radio, and the
27:17
Local Journalism Initiative. I'm Ted Evans. This
27:21
is North Shore News. The town of Greater Nepany
27:32
will be revitalizing the Alcorn Francis Memorial
27:35
Soccer Field at 16 McPherson Drive. Staff noted
27:38
the field is a recreation asset that supports
27:40
youth and adult sport programming. The project
27:43
will cost nearly $275 ,000. Director of Parks,
27:47
Recreation and Culture Chris Brown noted concerns
27:49
and how staff are addressing them. The field
27:51
quality has been identified as a concern for
27:54
a number of years due to uneven playing conditions.
27:56
So to address these concerns, town staff met
27:59
with representatives from Belcon Design Builders
28:01
Limited, Willoughley Sod Farms and Kerr Sprinklers
28:04
to develop a rehabilitation strategy. The preferred
28:07
approach focuses on a complete renewal of the
28:10
primary planning surface and installation of
28:12
a permanent irrigation system to protect the
28:15
town's investment and support long -term turf
28:17
health. Brown explained the upgrades. The project
28:21
will upgrade approximately 9 ,000 square meters
28:23
of soccer field area and apron. It'll include
28:26
the relocation of three light posts to expand
28:29
the width of the planing surface, installation
28:32
of a new irrigation system, field grading, regrading,
28:35
and leveling, addition of sand and soil, removal
28:38
of the existing turf surface, installation of
28:42
new Kentucky bluegrass sod, temporary fencing
28:45
and site protection during the field establishment,
28:49
and the existing subsurface drainage system has
28:52
been reviewed and is considered functional and
28:54
will remain in place. Operationally, the project
28:59
team's objective is to complete this construction
29:02
during the fall of 2026 to allow for winter dormancy
29:06
and establishment resulting in a playable field
29:08
for spring of 2027. Additional considerations
29:12
include weather dependent construction activities
29:14
so the only thing that could potentially hold
29:17
us up is that weather which we can't predict
29:20
but everyone involved is super confident that
29:24
we can definitely get this project done in the
29:27
fall this year so that it's ready to play in
29:29
the spring. Brown spoke about the contract for
29:31
the work. Looking at the financial implications,
29:33
the work is being delivered through the Canoe
29:35
Procurement Group of Canada Job Order Contracting
29:38
Program with Belcon Design Builders Limited serving
29:41
as the primary contractor and project manager.
29:44
The total fixed -price work order is for $273
29:48
,416 plus applicable taxes. Additionally, Town
29:53
staff have separately procured the relocation
29:55
of the three light posts on the south side of
29:57
the field to ensure the playing surface is FIFA
30:00
regulation size. Bar electric will perform the
30:03
work for a total of $35 ,000. So the total project
30:06
cost comes to $308 ,416 plus applicable taxes.
30:11
The capital budget for this project in 2026 was
30:14
only $235 ,000 and therefore we have a shortfall
30:18
of $73 ,416 plus applicable taxes. Brown noted
30:22
future upgrades they'll be looking into as well.
30:24
We're looking to add enhancements like spectator
30:27
bleachers, pole padding, permanent fencing, additional
30:30
signage and some backstop netting to go along
30:33
with the improvements that we're making. in 2026.
30:36
Staff's intention is to bring these enhancements
30:38
to Council during our 2027 budget deliberations.
30:46
The perimeter security is top of mind. Not too
30:51
long ago, I believe it was the holiday weekend
30:53
in September, we did have a truck drive up there
30:55
and rip a couple donuts. So not a big deal right
30:59
now because no one's playing on it. We are going
31:01
to rehabilitate that turf field but it will be
31:04
a massive deal once we invest in this field.
31:08
So we do want to put permanent fencing all the
31:10
way around the perimeter with lockable gates
31:12
so that the field can be opened and accessed
31:15
by people who are actually booking the space
31:17
to use it for the intended purposes. That's certainly
31:20
a high priority for sure and we are going to
31:22
put temporary fencing around the perimeter in
31:25
the meantime to ensure that the investment is
31:29
protected. Mayor Terry Richardson spoke about
31:31
the extra funding. This additional funds that
31:33
we're spending isn't affecting the taxpayer by
31:36
any stretch of imagination. It's funds that were
31:38
created or given to us in order to do the exact
31:41
same things that we're doing now, which is investing
31:42
in our infrastructure. Brown noted the additional
31:45
funding. This is exactly what the community benefit
31:48
fund is for, and so staff felt that this was
31:51
the best use to make sure we can get this project
31:54
over the finish line in 2026. Staff's goal is
31:57
to complete construction during the fall of 2026.
32:00
For Amherst Island Radio and the Local Journalism
32:03
Initiative, I'm Ted Evans. This is North Shore
32:06
News. Council and staff at Loyalist Township
32:18
are preparing for the 2026 fall term of their
32:20
2024 to 2027 strategic plan. Staff will continue
32:24
with planned initiatives and will have a final
32:26
report at the end of 2027. Objectives within
32:29
the plan followed strategic priorities such as
32:32
strong communities, organizational effectiveness,
32:35
balanced growth, as well as sustainable infrastructure
32:37
and services. CAO Rebecca Murphy spoke about
32:40
the term. This is the last report on the strategic
32:43
plan for this term of council. We're very pleased
32:46
with the progress that's been made with respect
32:48
to the initiatives that were set by council in
32:50
2024. And the strategic plan does go to the end
32:55
of 2027. So there's still another about another
32:57
year of things that are going on. For the most
33:00
part, everything is in progress or or planned
33:04
to be completed. Council should be very pleased.
33:08
There is a very long list of initiatives that
33:11
under that strategic plan that council and staff
33:14
set. And I'm pleased to say that we've accomplished
33:17
most of them there and looking forward to the
33:21
next strategic plan. So the plan would be for
33:24
the next term of council sometime next fall.
33:27
We would come back to council with an update
33:30
and look at. reviewing and revising our strategic
33:33
plan, if that's council's direction, and then
33:36
to set another set of initiatives for the next
33:39
term. Several initiatives may be ongoing into
33:41
2027, some of which may have impacts on future
33:44
operating budgets. Mayor Jim Hagedorn noted staff's
33:47
work. It was a very aggressive term along with
33:52
some pretty major projects. So it is good to
33:54
get all this work done and well done by staff.
33:57
Staff will be bringing a report back to Council
33:59
in early 2027 to get direction for their next
34:02
strategic plan. For Amherst Island Radio and
34:05
the Local Journalism Initiative, I'm Ted Evans.
34:08
This is North Shore News. Loyalist Township Council
34:20
agreed to support and circulate a letter calling
34:22
for the provincial government to increase the
34:24
municipal rebate for harmonized sales tax. The
34:27
initiative, Building Ontario Together, HST Reinvestment
34:30
for Municipal Infrastructure, was put together
34:32
and released by the Eastern Ontario Wardens'
34:35
Caucus. The group is asking the government of
34:37
Ontario to increase the municipal rebate for
34:39
the provincial portion of HST from 78 % to 100%.
34:43
This would eliminate the current 1 .76 unrecoverable
34:46
provincial HST cost taken on by municipalities.
34:50
They're hoping the provincial government will
34:51
recognize this measure as a fiscally responsible
34:54
investment that supports infrastructure renewal,
34:56
housing infrastructure, long -term asset management,
34:59
and essential municipal services, while reducing
35:01
pressure on local property taxpayers and businesses.
35:05
Staff's report noted unrecoverable provincial
35:07
HST represents millions of dollars annually that
35:09
could otherwise be reinvested into municipalities.
35:12
Returning the remaining provincial portion of
35:14
HST to municipalities would not increase taxes
35:17
for residents or businesses. Municipalities in
35:19
Ontario currently receive a 100 % rebate of the
35:22
federal 5 % portion of HST, but only a 78 % rebate
35:26
of Ontario's 8 % provincial portion. This results
35:29
in municipalities permanently absorbing the remaining
35:31
22 % of the provincial share. This is equivalent
35:34
to 1 .76 % of eligible municipal expenditures.
35:38
Mayor Jim Hagedorn speaks about the letter. So
35:40
this was something that has come through the
35:43
EOWC and as being warden of the county, I'm a
35:46
member of the EOWC. The HST that the municipality
35:50
collects, the federal portion we are able to
35:54
retain all of it. So the EOWC looked at it and
35:58
with all of the initiatives that are being taken
36:01
right now, as well as once we've done our infrastructure
36:06
assessments and master plans and the deficit.
36:10
that every municipality in Ontario is running
36:13
with trying to keep up with their infrastructure.
36:16
EOWC figured this was an easy catch, is just
36:20
if we could keep all of the provincial portion,
36:24
that would give us money back without actually
36:27
raising taxes at any level of government. Hagedorn
36:30
explained the intention of the letter and noted
36:32
their presentation to ministers. We presented
36:35
it at AMO to all the ministers that we met with.
36:39
both on the conservative side and on the other
36:43
sides. So both sides of the house, we presented
36:46
it to everyone that we had a delegation with
36:48
and we had, I believe it was something eight
36:51
or 10 delegations. So they're well aware of what
36:53
we're requesting. So now we're just putting it
36:56
out, looking for endorsement from all the municipalities,
37:00
basically saying that. You think this would be
37:02
a good idea? What we were saying to them is we
37:05
would expect that there would be a provision
37:07
to this funds to be reinvested in the infrastructure
37:11
within the municipality, not go into general
37:14
budget. So it would go towards like capital costs
37:17
or maintenance costs to maintain our infrastructure
37:20
in an acceptable manner. Councillor Paul Proderick
37:23
offered his thoughts on the initiative. Given
37:25
what I've read on the key asks from the Eastern
37:27
Ontario Caucus is we need sustainable funding.
37:30
And the government of Ontario is always looking
37:33
at reducing red tape. Here's a classic example
37:36
of all the red tape that would go to recover
37:39
1 .76 percent. It's got to be a savings everywhere
37:42
and a gain for all the municipalities. For Amherst
37:44
Island Radio and the Local Journalism Initiative,
37:47
I'm Ted Evans. This is North Shore News. Catarock
38:00
Way Conservation is looking to restore nearly
38:02
23 hectares of degraded meadow to functional
38:05
native grassland habitat at the south end of
38:07
Lemoyne Point Conservation Area. Previous monitoring
38:10
of the site identified nesting pairs of both
38:12
bobalink and eastern meadow lark. two native
38:14
bird species listed as threatened under the Federal
38:17
Species at Risk Act. However, extensive encroachment
38:20
by gray dogwood and other shrub species had reduced
38:23
habitat suitability. The project will look to
38:25
reestablish a structurally native grass and forb
38:28
community suitable for bobalink, eastern meadowlark,
38:30
and other native ground nesting grassland species
38:33
and pollinators. According to Cataraqui Conservation,
38:35
the restoration plan for this project has been
38:37
designed in accordance with the Migratory Birds
38:39
Convention Act and Species Conservation Act.
38:43
Long -term habitat function and ecological resilience,
38:46
ensuring the restored meadow develops the vegetation
38:48
structure and plant diversity required to support
38:51
breeding grassland birds. The timeline for the
38:53
project has been designed to have the least amount
38:55
of disturbance for species at risk. The project
38:57
will run until spring of 2027. The work has been
39:00
structured using an integrated pest management
39:02
approach. A range of available methodologies
39:05
have been combined to most effectively restore
39:07
the grassland habitat at the south end of Lemoyne
39:09
Point Conservation Area. The goal is to minimize
39:12
negative environmental impacts and use only the
39:14
minimum amount of chemical intervention necessary
39:16
to successfully remove gray dogwood and establish
39:18
the native grassland ecosystem. Certain activities
39:21
will require restricting access to the project
39:23
area and surrounding trail network. Restrictions
39:26
and closures will be limited to a few hours or
39:28
a few days. Closures will be posted on social
39:30
media and signage will be placed in parking areas
39:33
and trails to notify visitors. Cataract Way Conservation
39:36
notes the project will ultimately enhance biodiversity,
39:39
provide critical habitat to threatened species,
39:41
as well as improve the site's overall resilience
39:43
to climate change and invasive species. For Amherst
39:46
Island Radio and the Local Journalism Initiative,
39:49
I'm Ted Evans. This is North Shore News. This
39:54
has been North Shore News and Interviews. If
39:57
you have an idea for a story or want to create
40:00
stories for the show, consider joining our volunteer
40:04
team. Contact Amherst Island Radio for more details.