Council / Committee Meetings – Thursday, September 16, 2021

Municipal Innovation Council Update

The Municipal Innovation Council (MIC) has numerous projects underway that will positively impact the quality of life for visitors and residents of its participating member municipalities. Projects include implementing an advanced digital mapping solution for natural disaster mitigation and climate change impact monitoring, developing a Smart Beach infrastructure program that enhances swimmer safety along Lake Huron shoreline, developing shared IT service solutions amongst member municipalities, and advancing applied research projects focusing on downtown revitalization, municipal procurement, organizational development, municipal service analysis, and IT business analysis.

Subdivision in Port Elgin

The Planning and Development Committee approved a 50-lot residential Plan of Subdivision, known as the Woodlands Subdivision, on a 10.65-hectare parcel of land in Port Elgin. The proposal was brought forward by Snyder Development Corp Inc. and a Public Meeting was held on June 21, 2021. The subdivision is to be fully serviced by both municipal water and sewer, within Port Elgin’s built-up area. The subdivision will result in 60 new dwellings, ten of which will be secondary dwellings constructed within a single detached dwelling. By providing active transportation facilities and connecting to the Town’s broader recreational trail network, this subdivision is aligned with the County’s Connecting and Communities Guiding Principles.

Ag-land Severance on Bruce Road 23 near Kincardine

The Planning and Development Committee approved the severance of a 50 ha parcel on Bruce Road 23, north of Kincardine. The retained parcel is approximately 173.66 ha. The lands, located on the east side of Bruce Road 23 between Concession Road 5 and Concession Road 7, are owned by H J Sieber Farms Ltd.. Both the severed and retained parcels are vacant and will continue to be used for alfalfa hay production. The severance is strongly aligned with the County’s Agricultural Guiding Principle, as the severed and retained lots are of an appropriate size and farming will continue on the lands. There will be no loss of agricultural production resulting from the severance.

Plan the Bruce: Good Growth

The Planning and Development Committee endorsed the Plan the Bruce: Good Growth Discussion Paper as a foundation for developing policies in the new Official Plan. Recommended directions for growth management include managing the municipal servicing infrastructure, maintaining a distinct settlement area structure, planning for permanent and seasonal population growth, and develop a plan monitoring and evaluation framework. Residential themes include updating County-wide housing projections, defining a regional market area, and planning for residential intensification. Other non-residential themes focus on consistent employment area delineations, future employment lands development, well adapted employment lands, employment-supportive uses in employment areas, broad market choice on employment lands, intensification of employment lands within urban settlement areas, employment lands protection from conversion to non-employment uses, agriculture-related industrial and commercial uses on agricultural lands, mitigating land-use compatibility conflicts in urban employment areas, office development in downtowns, and a commercial land needs study that addresses the retail requirements and commercial structure. Explore more at Plan the Bruce.

Summer Company 2021

Summer Company is funded by the Province of Ontario and provides students between the ages of 15 to 29 the opportunity to start and run their own summer business. It inspires, supports, and empowers youth to create their own summer employment opportunity and a pathway to success. Participants receive business training, mentorship, and up to $3,000 to start and run a summer business in Bruce County. This year’s participants included: 

• Katie Franklin (Franklin’s Produce, Kincardine) - cultivates and sells fresh produce and flowers.
• Jonny Pickett (8 x 8 Beach Apparel, Wiarton) - designs and sells beach volleyball apparel.
• Leyah Smith (Black Excellence Art, Formosa) - designs and sells digital art printed on various gift items.
• Sadie Rhan (The Ordinary Orchid, Paisley) - designs and sells decorative stickers that are 100% recyclable. 

Bruce County Official Plan Project Update

Over the last few months, through work on the Plan the Bruce project, Council has received Interim Reports and endorsed Discussion Papers around several of the new Official Plan’s Guiding Principles. The Guiding Principles in progress focus on Homes, Communities, Good Growth, Agriculture, Natural Legacy, Business, Heritage, and Connecting (which builds on the Transportation Master Plan). The work to advance the Guiding Principles has been building a solid foundation for the new Official Plan. With the recent awarding of the Official Plan consulting assignment to the consulting firm WSP Canada Ltd. (WSP), the initial project management and detailed workplan design for the Official Plan has begun. The workplan targets a new Official Plan to be submitted for County Council to consider adoption in mid-2022. Explore more at Plan the Bruce.

Wind Project Agreement

The Transportation & Environmental Services Committee approved the Assignment and Assumption Agreement between Quixote One Wind Energy Corp, 2825411 Ontario Inc., and Bruce County. On February 5, 2015, Bruce County and Quixote One Wind Energy Corp executed a Road Use Agreement. Now, Quixote One Wind Energy Corp intends to sell their Wind Project north of Kincardine to 2825411 Ontario Inc. The Assignment and Assumption Agreement transfers Quixote’s contractual rights and obligations to 2825411 Ontario Inc. This project consists of one wind turbine with above ground transmission lines and one access on the County Road right of way.

Capital Projects Status Report – September 2021

The 2021 capital budget for the Transportation and Environmental Services Department (TES) is $11,790,401. Approximatively $3,250,000 is expected to be carried forward from previous years capital budgets. The following lists provide a status update of the TES capital projects for 2021:

• Cold in Place Recycling BR 3 and BR 4 east of Walkerton ($2,313,336) – completed.
• Micro Surfacing BR 2, 9, 19 and 29, West Road ($1,176,699) – completed.
• Widening and Rehabilitation BR 6East Mildmay to Grey Road 10 ($150,000) 
• Cold in Place BR8, from BR 14 to Sauble Beach - Culvert replacements only, paving deferred to 2022 ($205,708) 
• Pulverize, pave, and safety improvement at intersection BR 8 and 13 ($31,100) 
• Replace Storm Sewer BR 15 Inverhuron ($35,000) 
• BR 25 Improvements and BR 33 Realignment/New Construction. Phase 3 - BR 25 Bruce St to Goderich St. - Roundabout deferred to Phase 4 ($5,433,843) 
• BR 25 Improvements and BR 33 Realignment/New Construction. Phase 4 - BR 33 - Ridge St to Hwy 21 ($710,000)
• BR 6 Teeswater Property settlement ($20,000) 
• New Signage BR 12 Formosa ($33,000) 
• KIPP Trail Kincardine, Financial Contribution ($70,000)
• Reconstruction BR 30 Chesley ($46,000) – completed.
• Rehabilitate and Reconstruct West Road ($150,000) 
• Luminaires BR 2 and BR 3 intersection ($35,000)
• Luminaires BR 8 and BR 14 intersection ($30,000) 
• Land Purchases at Hwy 9 and BR 1 ($54,000) 
• West Ridge Development Kincardine Phase 1 ($10,000) 
• Replace Durham St Bridge, BR 4, Walkerton ($50,000) 
• Replace Steffler Bridge, BR 12 North of Belmore ($742,979) 
• Replace Culvert BR 86 west of BR 7 ($230,500)
• Arran Township Shed Bridge, Invermay ($78,000) 
• Oswald Bridge Replacement ($25,000) – completed.
• Repair Blackwell Bridge BR 23 ($742,000) – completed.
• Construction New McCurdy Bridge ($12,000) – completed.
• Replace Superstructure Reid Bridge, BR 6, West of Teeswater ($1,290,000) 
• Replace Teeswater River Bridge BR 3 Paisley ($340,000) 
• Repair Culvert BR 86 Lucknow east of Havelock St ($6,500) 
• Repair Saugeen River Bridge BR 4 West of Hanover, financial contribution only ($364,000)
• Resurface the Rail Trail between Walkerton and Mildmay ($100,000) – completed.

The Transportation & Environmental Services Committee approved that a letter be drafted and sent to Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation to expedite work at the intersection of Highway 9 and Bruce Road 3 in Brockton.

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