01 - January 24, 2025 Growth Planning Steering Committee Agenda PackageElgmCounty
Growth Planning Steering Committee
Orders of the Day
Friday, January 24, 2025, 2:00 p.m.
Council Chambers
450 Sunset Drive
St. Thomas ON
Note for Members of the Public:
Please click the link below to watch the Committee meeting:
https://www.facebook.com/ElginCounty
Accessible formats available upon request.
Pages
1. Call to Order
2. Election of Committee Chair and Vice Chair
3. Approval of the Agenda
4. Adoption of Minutes 2
5. Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest and the General Nature Thereof
6. Delegations
7. Reports/Briefings
7.1 Manager of Administrative Services/Deputy Clerk - Pre -Budget 5
Consultation Feedback for the 2025 Ontario Budget
8. Other Business
9. Correspondence
10. Closed Meeting
10.1 Closed Meeting Minutes - October 18, 2024
10.2 Sunset Provincial Lands
Municipal Act Section 239 (2) (c) a proposed or pending acquisition or
disposition of land by the municipality or local board; (h) information
explicitly supplied in confidence to the municipality or local board by
Canada, a province or territory or a Crown agency of any of them; and
(k) a position, plan, procedure, criteria or instruction to be applied to any
negotiations carried on or to be carried on by or on behalf of the
municipality or local board.
11. Motion to Rise and Report
12. Date of Next Meeting
13. Adjournment
Growth Planning Steering Committee
Minutes
October 18, 2024, 3:00 p.m.
Council Chambers
450 Sunset Drive
St. Thomas ON
Members Present: Warden Ed Ketchabaw, Chair (virtual)
Deputy Warden Grant Jones
Councillor Dominique Giguere
Councillor Todd Noble
Staff Present: Blaine Parkin, Chief Administrative Officer/Clerk
Nicholas Loeb, Director of Legal Services
Peter Dutchak, Director of Engineering Services
Mat Vaughan, Director of Planning and Development (virtual)
Carolyn Krahn, Manager of Economic Development, Tourism &
Strategic Initiatives
Jenna Fentie, Legislative Services Coordinator
Stefanie Heide, Legislative Services Coordinator
1. Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 3.00 p.m. with Warden Ketchabaw in the
chair.
2. Approval of the Agenda
Moved by: Deputy Warden Jones
Seconded by: Councillor Noble
RESOLVED THAT the agenda for the October 18, 2024 meeting of the Growth
Planning Steering Committee be approved as presented.
Motion Carried.
3. Adoption of Minutes
Moved by: Councillor Giguere
Seconded by: Deputy Warden Jones
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RESOLVED THAT the minutes of the meeting held on August 8, 2024 be
adopted.
Motion Carried.
4. Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest and the General Nature Thereof
None.
5. Delegations
None.
6. Reports/Briefings
None.
7. Other Business
None.
8. Correspondence
I101rem
9. Closed Meeting
Moved by: Deputy Warden Jones
Seconded by: Councillor Noble
RESOLVED THAT we do now proceed into closed meeting session in
accordance with the Municipal Act to discuss the following matters under
Municipal Act Section 239 (2):
Closed Meeting Item #1 - Closed Meeting Minutes - August 8, 2024
Closed Meeting Item #2 - Sunset Provincial Lands (verbal)
(h) information explicitly supplied in confidence to the municipality or local board
by Canada, a province or territory or a Crown agency of any of them.
Motion Carried.
9.1 Closed Meeting Minutes - August 8, 2024
9.2 Sunset Provincial Lands (verbal)
10. Motion to Rise and Report
Moved by: Councillor Giguere
Seconded by: Councillor Noble
RESOLVED THAT we do now rise and report.
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Page 3 of 10
Motion Carried.
Closed Meetina Item #1 - Closed Meetina Minutes - Auaust 8. 2024
Moved by: Deputy Warden Jones
Seconded by: Councillor Noble
RESOLVED THAT the August 8, 2024 Closed Meeting Minutes be adopted.
Motion Carried.
Closed Meeting Item #2 - Sunset Provincial Lands (verbal)
Moved by: Councillor Giguere
Seconded by: Councillor Noble
RESOLVED THAT staff proceed as directed.
Motion Carried.
11. Date of Next Meeting
The Growth Planning Steering Committee will meet again at the call of the Chair.
12. Adjournment
Moved by: Deputy Warden Jones
Seconded by: Councillor Giguere
RESOLVED THAT we do now adjourn at 3.37 p.m. to meet again at the call of
the Chair.
Motion Carried.
Blaine Parkin, Warden Grant Jones,
Chief Administrative Officer/Clerk. Chair.
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ElginCounty
Report to Growth Planning Steering Committee
From: Katherine Thompson, Manager of Administrative Services/Deputy Clerk
Date: January 24, 2025
Subject: Pre -Budget Consultation Feedback for the 2025 Ontario Budget
Recommendation(s):
THAT the Growth Planning Steering Committee review the attached draft feedback
document and provide any necessary revisions, and
THAT the final draft feedback be recommended to County Council for approval at the
January 28, 2025 meeting.
Introduction:
The Ministry of Finance is currently undertaking pre -budget consultations for the 2025
Ontario Budget. As part of this process, the Honourable Peter Bethlenfalvy will be
hosting a breakfast and pre -budget consultation in St. Thomas on January 28, 2025.
Councillors are invited to attend this event, and as a result, the County Council meeting
scheduled for that day has been moved to 10.00 a.m. to accommodate those who wish
to participate in the breakfast.
However, due to the timing of the consultations coinciding with the Council meeting,
Councillors will be unable to attend the consultation portion of the session in person. In
light of this, it was recommended that staff draft a feedback document to be reviewed by
the Growth Planning Steering Committee before being presented to County Council on
January 28, 2025.
Background and Discussion:
County Council provided the following direction for the pre -budget consultation:
Address the Increased Need for Infrastructure Funding: Acknowledging the growing
demand for infrastructure development and maintenance across the region, Council has
highlighted the need for additional funding to support these projects.
Request for Full Refund of Provincial HST Portion: Council has requested that the
provincial portion of the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) be refunded in full, which would
ease financial burdens on the municipality.
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Assessment Roll Update: County Council has pointed out that the assessment roll has
not been updated in nearly a decade. Council has expressed the need for an updated
roll to reflect the current values and ensure fair and accurate assessments for municipal
taxation.
Staff has utilized information from Elgin County's most recent submission to the Ministry
of Finance, incorporating updated data and specific concerns from the region. The draft
correspondence addresses the key issues identified by Council and is designed to
reflect the County's needs and priorities for the upcoming budget. The draft document is
attached for the Growth Planning Steering Committee's review and input.
Next Steps:
Committee Review: The Growth Planning Steering Committee is asked to review the
attached draft feedback document and provide any comments or recommendations for
revisions.
Council Approval: Following the Committee's review and feedback, staff will prepare a
final draft for Council's approval on January 28, 2025, during the regular meeting of
Council.
Submission: Once Council has provided additional feedback and approved the final
document, staff will ensure that the submission is made to the Ministry of Finance by the
February 3, 2025, deadline.
Financial Implications:
None.
Alignment with Strategic Priorities:
Serving Elgin
Growing Elgin
Investing in Elgin
❑ Ensuring alignment of
❑ Planning for and
® Ensuring we have the
current programs and
facilitating commercial,
necessary tools,
services with community
industrial, residential, and
resources, and
need.
agricultural growth.
infrastructure to deliver
programs and services
❑ Exploring different ways
❑ Fostering a healthy
now and in the future.
of addressing community
environment.
need.
❑ Delivering mandated
❑ Enhancing quality of
programs and services
® Engaging with our
place.
efficiently and effectively.
community and other
stakeholders.
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Local Municipal Partner Impact:
1"M
Communication Requirements:
Once the Growth Planning Steering Committee has provided feedback on this
document, it will be presented to County Council for their approval. After this approval is
received, staff will ensure that this feedback is submitted by the deadline of February 3,
2025.
Conclusion:
The pre -budget consultation process presents an important opportunity for the County
to raise key issues with the provincial government ahead of the 2025 Ontario Budget.
By addressing infrastructure needs, requesting a full refund on the provincial portion of
the GST, and seeking an updated assessment roll, the County is advocating for
necessary supports to ensure the continued growth and sustainability of local services.
The feedback document attached reflects the Council's priorities, and once finalized, it
will be submitted to the Ministry by the required deadline.
All of which is Respectfully Submitted Approved for Submission
Katherine Thompson Blaine Parkin
Manager of Administrative Services/Deputy Clerk Chief Administrative Officer/Clerk
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2025 Provincial Pre -Budget Consultation Feedback
Draft
The County of Elgin is grateful for the opportunity to participate in the 2025 Pre -Budget
Consultation process. Elgin County consists of seven local municipalities: the
Municipality of West Elgin, the Municipality of Dutton-Dunwich, the Township of
Southwold, the Municipality of Central Elgin, the Township of Malahide, the Town of
Aylmer, and the Municipality of Bayham, collectively serving a population of
approximately 52,000 residents.
The County of Elgin would like to express its gratitude to the Province for the recent
allocation of $77 million in financial relief to municipalities served by the Ontario
Provincial Police (OPP). This funding is greatly appreciated as it helps offset the rising
costs of OPP services. Additionally, we are thankful for the increased support provided
to municipalities through the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund, which plays a vital
role in strengthening our local infrastructure.
Despite these positive contributions, Elgin, like many municipalities, faces the dual
challenge of addressing rising demands for municipal services while also managing the
urgent need for infrastructure renewal. In solidarity with municipalities across Ontario,
we advocate for enhanced provincial support through more effective funding
mechanisms.
Today, we respectfully urge the Minister of Finance to consider four specific changes to
provincial processes that would provide immediate relief and strengthen the financial
stability of municipalities across the province.
Infrastructure Funding:
Ontario's population has grown by 1.3 million people since 2021, which has created an
urgent need to expand public infrastructure to support this growth. Municipalities are
committed to helping the province meet its goal of building 1.5 million homes by 2031
but achieving this requires substantial investments in essential infrastructure such as
water systems, roads, transit, emergency services, and community facilities. To
address this, municipalities are planning over $250 billion in capital expenditures over
the next decade.
However, municipalities face significant challenges in funding these projects, as they
manage more infrastructure than other levels of government but have fewer resources.
Development charges, which have traditionally funded infrastructure needs, are now
under review due to affordability concerns in the housing market. Recent cuts to eligible
development charge expenses have limited municipalities' ability to recover
infrastructure costs. While Ontario municipalities acknowledge the need for alternative
funding models, they emphasize that relying solely on property taxes is not a
sustainable solution. New approaches to funding and financing infrastructure are
essential to manage the rapid growth and ensure that public services can meet the
needs of an expanding population.
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Elgin County appreciates the significant contributions of the Enabling Water Systems
Fund and is grateful for the infrastructure investments it will support in our region.
However, we respectfully request that funding applications from rural areas be
assessed using different criteria than applications from urban communities. This
distinction is necessary to account for the unique challenges and needs faced by rural
municipalities, ensuring that funding is allocated in a way that reflects these differences
and better supports our communities.
HST Rebates:
Under the current HST rules, municipal spending on tax rated goods and services must
remit the HST. The federal component of the HST is fully or 100% rebated to
municipalities, whereas only 78% of the provincial portion is rebated. Fully rebating the
provincial portion of the HST would result in administrative savings by reducing
quarterly compliance and streamline the HST Input Tax Credits for municipalities. To
appreciate the financial impact, for Elgin County with an annual budget of $100 million,
of which approximately $37.5 million is allocated annually to purchased services and
supplies including capital infrastructure, a fully rebated provincial portion of the HST
would have rebated an additional $657K in 2023. In addition to the cost savings from
reduced municipal administrative burdens, a fully rebated provincial portion of the HST
on tax rated goods for municipalities would improve municipal financing, permit the
redirection of additional HST rebated funds to municipal services and municipal
infrastructure.
Exempt Retail Sales Tax on Municipal Insurance Premiums:
Municipalities are grappling with ever increasing insurance premiums on an annual
basis. Increasing municipal budget requirements because of rising costs of insurance
premiums continue to place more financial burden on local ratepayers, all for no
perceived increase in service levels. Should the province eliminate the Retail Sales
Tax (provincial portion of the HST) on municipal insurance products, it would have
saved the County of Elgin $45.2K in 2023.
Return the Assessment Cycle:
Property valuation or assessment for property tax purposes was last updated in 2016.
The regularly scheduled 4-year return of the assessment roll in 2020 was postponed
due to the Global Pandemic. Ever since, the scheduled return continues to be
postponed, so that now we have a valuation or property assessment system based on
current market values that are nine years out of date. This continued postponement of
property assessment rolls has created an inaccurate valuation of all property values
relative to market value and preserved an unfair tax treatment of older properties
relative to properties with more recent builds - new residential development in 2024 has
assessment values discounted to reflect 2016 market values. In addition, the
postponement of returning the assessment roll continues to preserve unfair tax shift
scenarios among property classes, such as agriculture and industrial/commercial,
relative to residential, which should no longer be the case under current market
conditions.
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It is imperative that the province take steps to return the assessment roles which reflect
current market conditions in property valuation to eliminate unfair property tax burdens,
re -introduce equitable treatment among all property classes, and improve municipal
finance scenarios by accurately capturing the true value of new construction into the
property tax system.
The County of Elgin is grateful for the opportunity to participate in the 2025 Pre -Budget
Consultation process and sincerely thanks the Honourable Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister
of Finance, for his consideration of the concerns and recommendations raised by our
municipality. Elgin County remains hopeful that the provincial government will consider
our specific requests regarding infrastructure funding, HST rebates, insurance
premiums, and the timely return of updated property assessments. We look forward to
continued collaboration and are confident that, together, we can develop effective
solutions to support our communities' future prosperity.
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