Latest / North Shore News / October 25th, 2024

Transcript

October 25th, 2024 · North Shore News

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  Welcome to North Shore News and Interviews on Amherst Island Radio.
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  Each week we keep you updated on newsworthy events, happenings, and conversations that
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  we've had with people in the local community and beyond.
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  Staff at Loyalist Township have noted the success of their Family Physician Recruitment
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  Incentive Program. The program has brought three new doctors to the area in just over
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  a year. All three new physicians have joined the Loyalist Family Health Team in Amherst
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  View to replace three physicians who have retired. The success of the program means
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  its reserve fund is now spent and staff are now looking at other funding options, incentives,
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  and the potential of adding funds to the township's 2025 budget. Council received staff's report
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  at their meeting this week. C.A.O. Rebecca Murphy describes the success of the program
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  and where the township currently stands. We're in the position where we have early uptake of our
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  physician recruitment program. Originally the program was we thought it would take some time
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  before that that would happen and that we were going to have one physician a year and we actually
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  got three this year. Currently we have financial obligations to those three physicians into 2028
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  and that we do have interest from two others including a new physician who would potentially
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  take on all new unroster patients. To do that would be a significant increase in the operating
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  budget or alternate funding and staff are pointing out there's still the community grant available
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  council wishes to do that to fund this program. Murphy notes the potential of another physician
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  who might come to the area under the program. I have spoken with one gentleman who wants to set up
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  an independent clinic in Amherstview at the Amherstview pharmacy and it would be a new physician.
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  He has somebody in the wings a physician and asked all the questions about what's the incentive
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  program like could they join the health team you know I've put him in touch with the health team
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  and he was looking to do that this fall or early New Year and then I was also approached by another
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  doctor the Loyalist Family Health team who is retiring in 2025 and wishes to be able to offer
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  this incentive program to be able to get filled his retiring position. Murphy notes other options
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  that staff are looking at. There are alternate models however to incentive programs to individual
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  physicians that are developing in our region. Kingston has had such an individual incentive
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  program for a number of years and has spent over three million dollars and does did get 17 new
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  physicians but they also are providing incentive money to clinics to expand and they're also being
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  part of the new Midtown Health Home. This is a new model. Greater Napa Nea is also developing that
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  program it's really an extension of community health centers. Murphy went on to describe the
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  program in Napa Nea. They hope that through hiring physicians through a different model whereby the
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  administration is performed by a separate organization like the community health center
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  then the physicians are paid that way that they'll be able to roster all of the unrostered
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  residents in Napa Nea through doing that. Councillor Lorna Willis notes the need for
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  physicians in the area and the ongoing situation. It is a big problem in our township and in the
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  area in general and it's been unfortunate that the gains in Kingston and Napa Nea haven't helped
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  loyalist township people who are trying to find doctors. This is a provincial problem
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  and they should be funding it and this is a downloading to municipal taxpayers so
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  so that causes me concern. Mayor Jim Hagedorn spoke about taxes as well. It does really
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  bother me that this there's other levels of government that have already taxed for this
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  and we're being taxed for it again. Hagedorn went on to explain the potential of exploring
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  and expanding a health phone option in the area. There is a doctor or some doctors that
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  provide those services and the pharmacist in Bath actually has it and it doesn't matter if
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  you're rostered or not you can go there and it costs there are fees but I was looking I was thinking
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  that might be possibly an option too instead of rostering bringing in doctors it may be
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  we may be able to service more of our residents out of the
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  pharmacist with something like that that's another option that I've recently become more aware of
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  and so there may be options other than doctors which may be a little more financially viable
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  for the township. Hagedorn notes how a health phone option may operate. It's not a family doctor but
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  they can do all the requisitions for blood work and everything and give prescriptions and do a fair
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  bit of work it obviously if they were bad enough it would still be an emergency room trip.
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  Councillor Jake Ennis notes his support for a health phone model. I think that's probably
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  the way of the future and it's also to have an interdisciplinary clinic. I think it's also a
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  venue to access provincial funding if you can get a proposal together for your area.
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  So just to say that I would be supportive of loyalists continuing to look at that model
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  as an option in the future. Councillor Paul Proderick describes the importance of bringing
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  physicians to the area and funding initiatives such as their incentive program. We had two doctors
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  here and I don't know what it cost to get them through the to the process but I said to Councillor
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  Willis there's 45 years of doctors in loyalists so I think it's worth the investment and I know
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  it's you know it's the tax thing it's that but eventually we're at a crisis in this and I think
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  anytime we can get a doctor to serve our our populace especially these young doctors you hope
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  you know they're young families loyalists is a good place for them to be and I think it's worth
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  the investment and I guess the big question is where do we get the money to invest and I think
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  we have to do it. Councillor Carroll Parks notes her personal experience and why it's so important
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  to bring physicians to loyalist township. I'm the mother of a family doctor almost two years
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  I do use the pharmacy program it works well it is mostly covered by OHIP so there doesn't seem to be
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  any additional costs that I've experienced with that however my family doctor was originally from
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  Napoli and with the new doctors that are coming into Napoli I just kind of assume that because my
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  family doctor retired from Napoli that I would go on the waitlist for Napoli that's not the case.
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  It's specific to where you live so I think as loyalist township we need to start to encourage
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  those doctors to come into our community because we're sandwiched between Napoli and Kingston.
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  Murphy touched on why funding such programs is so important. I think it would be a bit of a shame
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  if there were new physicians that that may come but we don't have incentives unless they go elsewhere.
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  The original reserve fund for the program was established in May 2023 and included $100,000
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  to be paid over five years in return for five years of practice in Loyalist with a roster of at
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  least 1200 patients. For Amherst Island Radio and the Local Journalism Initiative I'm Ted Evans.
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  This is North Shore News.
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  After hearing concerns from William Street residents Loyalist Township Council denied staff's
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  recommendation to approve applications for an official plan amendment and zoning bylaw amendment
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  related to a proposed 45-unit development in Odessa. The meeting took place on Tuesday the 22nd.
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  Brooklyn Fine Homes has been looking into the development since 2022. They're looking to build
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  three four-story dwellings consisting of 15 units each. From the pre-consultation meeting on January
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  11th 2022 followed by multiple open houses to obtain input from the public concerns have mainly
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  been related to traffic safety issues aged water and sewer infrastructure parking proximity to the
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  401 and emergency service access. The proposed amendment to the official plan was to redesign
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  the property from commercial and low density residential to medium density residential. The
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  zoning bylaw amendment would have been to address a number of site specific performance standards
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  to facilitate the development. Council ultimately voted against the motion and put forth another
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  motion to deny the company's applications. Residents of William Street who attended the meeting
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  noted their opinions and concerns about the new development. From the road widths to the off ramp
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  from the 401 to the hydro easement to the condition and the capacity of the road and the water and
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  sewer system this rezoning and development does not fit on this piece of land. If regular citizens
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  of the township can research and clearly demonstrate how this goes against established limits and
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  allowances it baffles me that anyone could possibly recommend to accept this proposal
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  with a clear conscience. This is the third time that I've made a presentation to
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  council on this proposal. The first time was with the previous council with a petition that was
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  presented and signed by all but two houses on William Street opposing the opposing the development.
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  The two houses not signed were because I couldn't reach the residents. I know they keep referring
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  to Odessa like Napa Nii which I don't think is a fair comparison. The official plan was developed
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  to protect areas by preventing incompatible uses. This is an incompatible use. What the builder is
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  proposing is urban sprawl in an area that is too small to accommodate is planned for the monetary
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  benefit of one or two individuals at the expense of the William Street residents who purchased
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  our homes because of the uniqueness and peacefulness of the neighborhood. We don't want it. Planning
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  supervisor James Griffin explains the decision made by staff to recommend approving the applications.
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  In regards to alternative locations this is the the location that's presented to us and we staff
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  can't direct private landowners to develop on on locations. We rather are provided applications
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  and we review them against the tests of the provincial policy statement and the official plan.
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  In this instance we have reviewed those thoroughly and and are confident that it meets the tests of
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  those of those policy documents. Councillor Paul Proderick was one of two councillors who showed
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  support for approving the applications. I feel for the residents with the concerns and I think
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  given I think the most the three things I heard were parking speed and access to highway two.
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  I'm just wondering if that's an issue that should be dealt with outside of this in terms of
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  no parking signs maybe it becomes a community safety zone upgrading the park and and so on
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  but I do think given that it's consistent with the PPS anybody has the right to appeal I believe
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  and I think when appeal this is a solid I guess application of that policy statement.
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  Councillor Mike Booderick also supported approving the applications. I know it is not
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  exactly what the people in the area are exactly looking for unfortunately the province has skewed
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  the mandate for housing to make sure that things get pushed forward and and this does fit everything
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  that they're asking for. The other four members of council didn't agree and the applications were
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  not approved. Councillor Lorna Welles explains her reasoning. I fully understand the need for more
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  housing I fully support the need for more housing and development in the township. I have a concern
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  that people in this community move to this community with a certain understanding they looked
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  at that piece of property and thought the most that would happen is a few houses maybe six
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  to turn that into 90 I think is unfair that's that's a very violent change to that very small
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  neighborhood. The the zoning the type of property I've lived in stacked townhouses that was the first
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  home I ever owned I I think that that's a great model for intensification but let's put it in
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  newer subdivisions that are being planned so that every all of the neighbors know what they're
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  dealing with when they buy their homes. I I just can't support it on William Street.
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  Councillor Jake Ennis notes the amount of opposition from residents. I think in general
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  the I have concerns about its compatibility. I acknowledge the the applicant's
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  proposal and staff's analysis. I still don't find it to be 100 compatible with Loyola's official
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  plan policies around medium density and the requirements for gaining a medium density
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  designation in this particular location and and I also think we have to acknowledge
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  the amount of resident opposition to the proposal. We get lots of proposals. There's zero
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  opposition. We get lots of proposals. There's a handful in my experience we've got a lot that
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  there's this much opposition so just like to acknowledge that as well. Deputy Mayor Nathan
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  Town and explained to Council why he couldn't support approving the applications. I think it's
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  worth saying that this is an example of what happens when the provincial response to the need
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  for housing lets the market decide because this is what happens you get for profit developers
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  who determine what we need and you get provincial legislation that essentially gives them carte
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  blanche. I mean the proponents representative basically told us we had to do this because
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  it conforms to what our targets are and what we're being you know told to do by the province and to
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  a certain extent that's true but I think for at face value to what my colleagues said this is
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  an example of a development that I would argue we don't necessarily need in terms of the housing
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  that it is. It's certainly not what I would consider affordable and it's not wanted by the
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  community and it's just an unfortunate situation in my mind but for the reasons that my colleagues
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  stated I too will not be supporting. Since 2022 the company has undertaken a number of studies and
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  reports in relation to the land and development this includes a geotechnical report, a noise impact
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  study, a stormwater management report, a hydrogeological assessment, a photometric plan,
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  topographical survey and site plans, an overall site and architectural plans. A formal pre-consultation
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  meeting was held on January 11th 2022. A public open house was held on September 8th 2022 followed
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  by statutory public meetings on October 11th 2022 and December 11th 2023. At that time it was decided
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  that once comments from the township department's agencies and public had been addressed an official
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  recommendation would be brought forth to council. Various revisions have been made to the proposal
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  since it was initially proposed to address public staff and agency feedback. If a site plan control
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  application is not approved for the development by October 22nd 2026 the allocation will be made
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  available to other properties. For Amherst Island Radio and the Local Journalism Initiative I'm
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  Ted Evans. This is North Shore News. Recommendations from Loyalist Township's Community Grant Committee
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  were accepted by council at their meeting this week. The partners in Mission Food Bank will be
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  receiving the largest of the grants at $50,000. The Amherst Island Recreation Association will be
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  receiving just over $2,500. Lennox and Addington Resources for Children was approved in the amount
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  of $2,000. The first Amherst View Bath Scouts Group and the Loyalist Skating Club of Amherst
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  View also will be receiving grants. The denied applications included the Cataraqui Region
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  Conservation Authority looking for $60,000. Councillor Lorna Willis explains why the application
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  was denied. Basically the discussion with the committee was they didn't think that it fell
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  within the realm of what the grants are intended for. This was also the case for a $3,000 request
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  from the Ernestown Barracuda Swim Club. Willis describes why their request didn't fit the requirements.
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  Primarily because the speakers that they're bringing in it's not a public event it's only a private
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  event and the policy doesn't allow for private events. Willis notes why the committee chose
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  not to back Kingston Get's Active for a $9,700 request. The bulk of the money was being paid to
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  a person who was being contracted to do work for them and it's always a fine line because one of
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  the considerations in the grant policy is it's not to provide wages or salaries and so it was
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  determined by the committee that we didn't believe it really fit within the guidelines of the policy.
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  Councillor Paul Proderick put forth the recommendation with Councillor Willis
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  seconding and a unanimous vote from council. I just make a motion at the minutes of the
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  October 15th 2024 community grant committee be received and that the recommendations as given
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  by the committee be accepted. Seconded by Councillor Willis. Any further comments from the mover?
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  No, sir. Seconder? Other members call the question all in favour? Motion is passed.
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  For Amherst Island Radio and the Local Journalism Initiative, I'm Ted Evans. This is North Shore News.
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  I'm Sarah Bridge with Kinksness News and here are the top headlines that you need to know.
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  Citing government policy decisions negatively impacting enrollment,
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  St. Lawrence College has eliminated more than 30 positions according to college officials.
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  The roles that were eliminated were a mix of administrative and support staff positions.
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  The world junior's ice hockey championships will be hosted in Canada for the 19th time with the
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  tournament returning to Ottawa after last being hosted there in 2009. The road to the world juniors
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  will travel through Kingston on Saturday December 21st for a matchup at Slush Puppy Place featuring
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  Team USA and Team Slovakia. This weekend sailors from Naval Reserve divisions across Ontario will
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  descend on Kingston to participate in the annual Small Boat Exercise Rideau Guard. More than 150
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  Canadian Navy sailors from across Ontario will undertake practical training both on and off the
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  water. On the afternoon of Thursday October 24th, those in the area of County Road 2 and West Durham
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  Streets in Odessa had their day disrupted after a natural gas leak was identified at that intersection.
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  As a safety precaution, residents within 100 metres of the poppin' store are being asked to
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  evacuate the area. Two new programs aimed at providing KFLNA residents with better access to
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  the services they need to keep families strong and healthy are being initiated in the region.
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  A mobile dental clinic and an infant feeding clinic have both been initiated. With Halloween
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  fast approaching, many residents in the Kingston area are celebrating with fantastically decorated
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  yards and gardens. To share in the Halloween spirit at different locations across the city,
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  a full list can be viewed at kinksanist.com. This has been North Shore News and Interviews.
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  If you have an idea for a story or want to create stories for the show, consider joining our 100%
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