Council / Committee Meetings – Thursday, March 3, 2022

By-laws

Bruce County Council:

• adopted Amendment Number C-2021-023 to the County of Bruce Official Plan.
• authorized the execution of an Ontario Transfer Payment Agreement between Her Majesty the Queen in right of Ontario, as represented by the Minister of Long-Term Care and Bruce County for the provision of the Community Paramedicine Program.
• authorized the execution of a Lease Agreement between D.A.C. Checker Produce Ltd. and Bruce County for the Walkerton Paramedic Station.
• adopted estimates, tax ratios, and tax rates for the Year 2022.
• authorized the borrowing upon Amortizing Debentures in the principal amount of $1,687,665.36 towards the cost of the Exterior Insulated Finishing System for Long Term Care Homes.

Delegations

• Clean Energy Frontier Program 
  Jessica Linthorne, Director, Clean Energy Frontier Program, Nuclear Innovation Institute provided an overview of the Clean Energy Frontier Program and presented the Economic Impact Study. www.nuclearinnovationinstitute.ca/clean-energy-frontier
• Bruce Power Update 
  Mr. John Peevers, Director of Community, Media Relations & Economic Development, Bruce Power provided an update on safety, COVID-19 measures, reactor removal, steam generator replacement, visitor centre renovations, community funding, and more. www.brucepower.com  

Ontario Good Roads Conference Delegation

The Executive Committee approved the submission of the proposed Delegation for the 2022 Ontario Good Roads (OGRA) Conference. The request to the Minister will be that the Ontario Government investigate and report back on the potential to extend the Community Transportation Program with the goal of developing of a comprehensive Provincial Rural Transit program. Working in collaboration with rural municipalities, this program would capitalize on economies of scale, provincial contracts for fuel, and vehicle purchases. Through coordinating with Grey County, service could be offered to residents from the top of the peninsula the southern limits of both counties and include Saugeen Ojibway Nation. The service could offer connection through Huron and Wellington Counties to the Toronto Airport, London Hospital, and other services needed by our residents if it was planned and facilitated on a Provincial or large Regional scale. The Ontario Government will be asked to make inter-community transit in rural communities a priority in the next term to assist in addressing the housing, labour shortage, and environmental initiatives that are already priorities for Ontarians.

Bruce County Hospital Reserve Fund

The Corporate Services Committee approved the funding of the Bruce County Hospital Reserve Fund and subsequent consideration of funding requests, including the requests from the Saugeen Memorial Hospital Foundation and from the Saugeen Hospice, be referred to the 2023 budget discussions. There are up to 11 hospitals within 4 different health service organizations in and around Bruce County that regularly provide service to Bruce County residents. Recent Health Care Organization distribution funding includes $1,000,000 to Grey Bruce Health Services from 2014 to 2018, $100,000 to Wingham & District Hospital Foundation from 2016 to 2019, and $50,000 to Chapman House in 2017.

Lakeshore Hub Roof Replacement Update

The Corporate Services Committee approved that the scope of work for the Lakeshore Hub Roof Replacement be changed and a contractor be engaged to complete the roof repairs only and not repaint the roof. There has been a struggle to get bids for this project. Contractors expressed concerns about their busy schedules, the longevity of the painting application and being able to stand behind it if the product fails, and staff shortages for labourers and painters. The County is able to complete the required repairs at a cost of $29,500 within the existing budget, but the cost to paint the roof at $88,500 would require additional funds, and thus only the repairs are being recommended at this time.

2021 Budget Amendment for Pandemic Funding

The Corporate Services Committee approved that the 2021 budget be amended to account for the pandemic grant funding provided in 2021 and that the 2022 budget be amended to account for the unspent pandemic grant funding eligible to be carried forward into 2022. The County has continued to receive a number of pandemic-related grants throughout 2021. The grants provided additional funding for staff pay and other expenses related to ongoing restrictions and safety requirements. Where funding timelines permit, unspent funding will be carried forward to the 2022 budget for utilization on approved expenditures or to offset lost revenues in the year.

Assessment Audit Update

On February 8, 2021, the Corporate Services Committee approved the engaging of a consultant to provide an Assessment Roll Audit and Remediation Support for the 2021 and following taxation years. The Assessment Roll Audit and Remediation Support was to provide County-wide analysis and include separate lower-tier analyses of properties which may have been incorrectly assessed or may have an assessment that was appropriate in the past however subsequent changes to the property warranted a review. In 2021, the County engaged Municipal Tax Equity Consultants, Inc. (M.T.E.) which forwarded to the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (M.P.A.C.) requests to review 190 property assessments of which 79 resulted in changes, 35 resulted in no change and 76 are still pending. The 79 property assessments that were revised resulted in a net $128,534 in additional municipal revenue combined for the local municipalities and the County. Some of these updates will apply to more than one taxation year and some will only apply on a go-forward basis and are calculated on the assumption of an annualized revenue growth for a full year. The 254-page Assessment Roll Audit Report from the consultant was shared and reviewed with the local municipal Treasurers at an online meeting in April 2021 and the 2021 results report was shared in February 2022.

Regional Electric Vehicle Charging Network Strategy Update

The County of Wellington is coordinating a grant from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) to prepare a Regional Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station Network Strategy study that will seek to bridge the gap of charging infrastructure between Highway 401 and Lake Huron and Georgian Bay to the Bruce Peninsula. The municipal governments which are participating are: Bruce County, Wellington County, Perth County, Dufferin County, Huron County, Grey County, City of Guelph, City of Stratford, and the Town of St. Mary’s. The plan will use a ‘tourism lens’ to determine sites for potential stations that would promote rural tourism and reduce ‘range anxiety’ commonly associated with EV owners and long trips. On April 15, 2021, Corporate Services Committee approved the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding and provided $5,000 in funding towards the project. The FCM approved a grant to fund the project with the participating municipalities providing matching funding, an official announcement from FCM will be forthcoming. Stakeholders will be contacted in mid-late April when they have the opportunity to review the draft report and mapping. The final report will be ready later in 2022.

Cayley Street Complex Update

The Corporate Services Committee received an update on Bruce County’s Cayley Street Complex in Walkerton. The update noted that the primary buildings were first constructed on or about 1867 and there were additions made to the Courthouse and the Registry building in the 1960s. Three of the buildings are leased in full or part by various provincial departments. Each of the buildings, to some extent, have issues with accessibility, ventilation, or other items. Some buildings have two separate heating systems – radiators in the original construction sections and more modern heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) with ductwork in the newer sections. Reviews and discussions have occurred, or are underway, regarding the feasibility and costing to improve these areas of concern. Discussion is also underway regarding lease agreements and renewals.  

Service Agreement with The Meeting Place, Tobermory

The Human Services Committee approved that a by-law be introduced authorizing the execution of a Service Agreement between Bruce County and The Meeting Place, Tobermory, under the Community Homelessness Prevention Initiative (CHPI) funding allocation. Bruce County and The Meeting Place have been working closely to offer social services including housing support through the pandemic Social Service Relief Fund. The Meeting Place, through their Spark Initiative is exploring opportunities to increase long-term rental housing in Northern Bruce Peninsula. The 5-year Service Agreement will support The Meeting Place in their work while offering opportunities to flow County funding as it becomes available. Funding for The Meeting Place will be provided using Community Homelessness Prevention Initiative dollars.

Inclusive Community Grants Application (2022-23)

The Human Services Committee supported the Bruce County Seniors Home Sharing project and approved that Council’s endorsement be included with the submission to the Ontario Government for funding consideration under the Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility's Inclusive Community Grants Program. Bruce County Seniors Home Sharing project proposes to hire a consultant to explore options and opportunities in setting up a Seniors Home Sharing program here in Bruce County. A Senior Home Share program would bring together older home providers with individuals seeking an affordable place to live. In exchange for providing a private room in their home, seniors would receive household assistance or rent from their housemate, or a combination of the two. This would increase affordability and support for seniors. Those looking for rooms to rent could be students, work only part-time, have recently retired and now live on a fixed income, or others in need of affordable housing for a variety of reasons. The resulting consultant report would assess need, feasibility, costs, and present an action plan for next steps, based on industry best practices. Integral to the development of a home share program will be the inclusion of screening and support measures for the safety and security of all those involved. The funding request from the Inclusive Community Grants program for this project will be $60,000.

Additional Community Paramedic Vehicle Approved

The Paramedic Services Committee has approved that the Paramedic Services Department sole source an additional Tesla Model 3 AWD sedan due to the further expansion of our Community Paramedicine Program in the Saugeen Shores area. With the overwhelming response to the Community Paramedicine Program, Paramedic Services will be expanding the program into the Saugeen Shores area. On January 20, 2022, the Committee approved the sole source of two Tesla AWD Sedan’s for the Community Paramedicine Program due to availability and delivery timing issues of other electric vehicles impacted by supply chain issues that still currently exist. The price to purchase an additional Tesla Model 3 AWD sedan is $66,990 +HST.

COVID-19 Workplace Vaccine Policy

The Workplace Engagement Services Committee has approved to rescind the COVID-19 Workplace Vaccination Policy effective immediately in alignment with Provincial Government and Grey Bruce Public Health Guidelines. To date, the County has remained in alignment with Provincial Government and Public Health guidelines and will continue to encourage and support COVID-19 vaccinations. The province as of March 1, 2022, has lifted proof of vaccination requirements, and additionally, Public Health restrictions imposed due to COVID-19, will be substantially eased. Grey Bruce Public Health has modified their position regarding COVID-19 Vaccine policies and will not be recommending them in non-high-risk settings.


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