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Council / Committee Meetings – Thursday, January 21, 2021

Explore highlights from Bruce County's Council & Committee Meetings. These meetings are held on Thursdays, twice monthly, beginning at 9:30 AM, unless otherwise posted. Meetings are video livestreamed and complete agendas and minutes are available for public review.

Economic Development Annual Report 2020

Bruce County published its 2020 Economic Development Annual Report, highlighting how the County supported businesses and built capacity with partners and communities in 2020 to advance objectives of the Bruce County Economic Development Strategic Plan. 2020 was a challenging year with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic forcing business closures and significantly impacting the local economy. While managing these unprecedented times, economic development programs have continued with a deep focus on business recovery and community support measures. 2020 highlights saw 382 businesses supported through $1,327,866 in grants from the Support the Bruce: Business Sustainability Fund, 77 jobs created through Business to Bruce support, 48 businesses started through Business to Bruce support, 510 business consultations with entrepreneurs, 811 entrepreneurs trained through Business to Bruce support, and 101 small businesses financially supported to modify operations during the pandemic (51 façade improvements, 36 patios and take-out windows, 28 new or expanded product lines and 19 e-commerce platforms).

Paisley Business to Bruce Strategy

Business to Bruce (BtoB) is a business attraction and support program, helping new and existing entrepreneurs build the life and business they want. It focuses on business recruitment and business enhancement by inspiring, attracting, and supporting entrepreneurs. Paisley's Business to Bruce strategy starts with recognizing that to attract new entrepreneurs, there is a need to engage current creative entrepreneurs and promote their accomplishments while newcomers/tourists are in town. The goal is to motivate others to want to know more. There are three key steps: 1) Recruit the existing creative business community, document how they express their talents and promote them, 2) Establish awareness of Paisley's invitation (Express Your Talents) in all communications to do with economic development, in tandem with tourism communications and timing, and 3) Be ready with BtoB tools to welcome interest, inform opportunities, and attract.

Parcel Severed to Address Encroachment Issue

The Planning and Development Committee has approved Consent Application B-2020-075, which will sever a triangle-shaped parcel of land 553 square metres in size from a 42.7-hectare lot owned by Escarpment Biosphere Conservancy and add it to 10 Eidt’s Circle in order to address an historic encroachment issue. The Canadian Auto Workers originally donated the lands just north of MacGregor Provincial Park to the Escarpment Biosphere Conservancy (EBC). The EBC have determined that the owners of 10 Eidt’s Circle have encroached onto their lands, cleared trees, and established a fire pit on part of the EBC lands. There are also two bunkies that do not meet Zoning setbacks. The EBC has agreed to sell a 553 square metre portion of land to be added to the 10 Eidt’s Circle residential lot to address the encroachment and meet Zoning setbacks.

One-foot Reserve Added to Part of Bruce Road 13

The Transportation and Environmental Services Committee has approved that a By-law be introduced to add the one-foot reserve described as Part 5, 3R-3016 to the public highway and forming part of Bruce Road 13. The purpose of this addition is so that a landowner can install a new entrance to the recently purchased vacant lot. The current shared entrance has a hydro pole and guide wires that impedes large construction vehicles. The landowner has acknowledged that they will assume the legal costs to register a By-law to establish the one-foot reserve as part of County road.

Transportation Initiatives

The Transportation and Environmental Services Committee has approved the Integrated Mobility Planning Committee (IMPC) be initiated following the Council approval of the Bruce County Master Transportation Plan, that the Director of Transportation and Environmental Services continue to investigate specialized transportation alternatives through the Master Transportation Plan, and that Bruce County secure consulting services to research alternative solutions to support existing transit initiatives including Saugeen Mobility and Regional Transit (SMART) and MovinGB. The Master Transportation Plan will be completed in the spring of 2021.

Bruce County Master Transportation Plan Progress Report

Bruce County’s Master Transportation Plan (MTP) is guided by the County’s strategic planning documents, including the Official Plan, Bruce County Economic Development Strategic Plan, the County’s Corporate Strategic Plan, and various action plans. The County’s Master Transportation Plan vision is that all individuals, families, and businesses across the County will have access to a safe and reliable transportation system that connects local communities and services. The MTP planning process has begun by undertaking environmental scans, data analysis, and document review, carrying out initial stakeholder and public consultation, identifying trends, needs and opportunities, and developing alternatives for the class Environmental assessment (EA) process. The next steps to complete the plan are: conduct additional public and stakeholder consultation, further define needs and opportunities, evaluate and further analyze the alternatives solutions and to recommend a preferred solution, provide recommendations for governance, policies, programs, projects, and transportation capacities at the County level, provide estimated order of magnitude cost for the recommendations, and present the plan to this Committee for approval in spring 2021.

2020-2021 Municipal Hazardous and Special Waste Collection Program

Bruce County generally manages sixteen Municipal Hazardous and Special Waste (MHSW) collection events throughout the County each year. In 2020 however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many of the early season events were cancelled. When the restrictions were eased in August, the County was able to hold 7 collection events at the larger centers with safety protocols in place. At the 7 collection events, 2,879 vehicles attended and approximately 95 tonne of MHSW materials were collected. The new Municipal Household Hazardous and Special Waste regulation is set to come into effect on July 1, 2021, which may significantly impact the operations of the County’s MHSW collection program. Given the unknown of the reduced funding module impact, it is the County’s intention to operate a County program in 2021 with 13 scheduled events and will work with the municipalities to set the 2021 collection event schedule.

Capital Projects Status Report January 2021

The 2021 capital budget for Bruce County’s Transportation and Environmental Services (TES) Department is $11,790,401. The delivery of the Capital programs (roads, bridges, fleet, equipment, facilities) is complete for 2020. The following is a list of TES capital projects for 2021:

  • Cold in Place Recycling Bruce Road BR 3 and BR 4 east of Walkerton ($2,027,722)
  • Micro Surfacing BR 2, 9, 19, and 29 ($864,870)
  • Widening and Rehabilitation BR 6 East Mildmay to Grey Road 10 ($150,000)
  • Cold in Place BR 8, from BR 14 to Sauble Beach ($518,000)
  • Pulverize, pave and safety improvement at intersection BR 8 and 13 ($31,100)
  • Replace Storm Sewer BR 15 Inverhuron ($35,000). Kincardine led project
  • Bruce Road 25 Improvements and Bruce Road 33 Realignment/New Construction. Phase 3 - BR 25 Bruce St to Goderich St ($5,433,843)
  • Bruce Road 25 Improvements and Bruce Road 33 Realignment/New Construction. Phase 4 - BR 33 - Ridge St to Hwy 21. ($100,000)
  • Roundabout at BR 23 and Concession 2 Kincardine ($1,845,000). Revised estimate and property purchase.
  • BR 6 Teeswater Property settlement ($20,000). Carry over from 2018
  • Signage in BR 12 Formosa (new funding) ($80,000)
  • KIPP Trail Kincardine, Financial Contribution ($70,000)
  • Reconstruction BR 30 Chesley ($46,000), carry over from 2020
  • Luminaires CR 2 and CR 3 intersection, Deferred from 2018 ($35,000), Carry over from 2018
  • Luminaires CR 8 and CR 14 intersection, Deferred from 2018 ($30,000)
  • Land Purchases at Hwy 9 and Bruce Road 1 (carry over) ($54,000)
  • West Ridge Development Kincardine Phase 1 (carry over contribution) ($30,000)
  • Replace Durham St Bridge, BR 4, Walkerton ($50,000)
  • Replace Steffler Bridge, BR 12 North of Belmore ($759,100)
  • Replace Culvert BR 86 west of BR 7 ($230,500)
  • Arran Township Shed Bridge, Invermay ($50,000). Pedestrian bridge design
  • Oswald Bridge Replacement, Environmental Monitoring, Additional scope in 2021 ($25,000). Additional environmental monitoring work required
  • Repair Blackwell Bridge BR 7 ($753,350). Revised estimate
  • Construction New McCurdy Bridge, Ongoing Environmental Monitoring ($12,000)
  • Replace Superstructure Reid Bridge, BR 6, West of Teeswater, Deferred from 2020. ($1,550,000)
  • Replace Teeswater River Bridge BR 3 Paisley ($200,000)
  • Repair Bridge BR 40 4 km west BR 3 On time ($207,000)
  • Repair Culvert BR 86 Lucknow east of Havelock St ($6,500)
  • Repair Saugeen River Bridge BR 4 West of Hanover ($75,000)
  • Road realignment BR 1 at Highway 9, Deferred from 2017 ($51,000). Finalizing property transfers.
  • West Ridge Development Phase 1 Road improvement, Deferred from 2017 ($30,000) Financial Contribution.
  • Repair Robinson Bridge B line BR 23, Defer to 2022 ($802,000). Revised estimates
  • Repair Superstructure Sweiger Bridge BR 10, Defer to 2022 ($203,111)
  • Repair Silver Creek BR at Durham St Walkerton, Defer to 2022 ($50,000)
  • Repair Culvert Br 86 2.4km east Hwy 21, Defer to 2022 ($50,000)

This publication identifies highlights from recent Bruce County Council and Committee meetings. Bruce County’s Office of the CAO maintains complete agendas and minutes from all Council and Committee meetings, which can be reviewed at www.brucecounty.on.ca/government/agendas-and-minutes

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