Bruce County Council Highlights for September 3, 2026

Bruce County Council met on Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Bruce County logo. TEXT: Council Highlights

Bruce County Council Highlights for September 3, 2026

Bruce County Council met on Thursday, September 3, 2026. The complete agenda and video of the meeting are available on our Agendas and Minutes webpage. 

These are highlights of the meeting:

Quarterly Strategic Progress Report - Q2 2026

Council received the Q2 2026 Government Relations Quarterly Strategic Progress Report, which provides an update on the County's performance in three areas: strategic plan actions from the 2023-2026 Plan, departmental strategic priorities and departmental Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

Progress on the Strategic Plan remains strong. Of the 72 strategic actions, 63 (87.5 per cent) are either complete or on track. This includes six actions completed during the second quarter. Departments are also making steady progress with their own goals, with 90 per cent of departmental priorities reported as on track or complete.

Performance results are similarly positive, with 85 per cent of KPIs on track.

Age-Friendly Community Strategy Update

Council received an update on the development of Bruce County’s 2027-2031 Age-Friendly Community Strategy. This will help guide services and supports for older adults and caregivers. Feedback from community members, service providers, municipalities and the Age-Friendly Committee helped shape the strategy.

Community engagement identified five key priority areas: 

  • transportation and mobility;
  • housing and aging in place;
  • connection, participation and well-being;
  • navigation and access to services;
  • and leadership, collaboration and implementation.

Transportation emerged as the top concern, followed by the need for more housing options, better access to services and information, and greater opportunities for social connection. Participants also highlighted Bruce County’s strong community networks, volunteer base and existing services for older adults.

Staff are now using this feedback to prepare a draft strategy and implementation plan, for presentation to Council in October 2026.

Provincial Consultation on Data Centres

Council received a report on a provincial proposal to create a new framework for approving large data centres before they connect to Ontario’s electricity grid. The framework would assess projects based on economic benefits, data security and community impacts.

Staff recommend that the County support the framework and ask for clear requirements around municipal consultation, environmental performance and community benefits. The County also wants data centre developers to show how their projects will support local jobs, investment and infrastructure, and ensure that municipalities and existing electricity customers do not bear the costs of infrastructure upgrades needed to support data centres.

Council directed staff to submit the County’s comments to the Province, and add encouragement for the province to work with industry and municipalities to proactively identify potential locations for data centres. 

Reports

What’s Next?

The next Bruce County Council meeting is September 17, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.

For a complete schedule of Committee and Council meetings, along with agendas, recordings and minutes for meetings, please visit our Agendas and Minutes webpage.