Council Meeting Highlights: March 25/April 2, 2024

March 25, 2024

Council Meeting – 7 pm

April 2, 2024

Special Council Meeting – 3 pm
A Special Council Meeting was held in accordance with Section 07.15 of the Procedure By-law and included only the remaining items of outstanding business that were not considered before the mandatory adjournment of the March 25, 2024 Council Meeting.

Cultural Advisory Committee (CAC) presents 2023 Year End Report and 2024 Work Plan

The CAC continued to contribute to the goals of the City’s Cultural Plan.

Some of the Committee’s achievements included:

• Reviewing, providing advice, and participating in plans and reports such as the Parks & Recreation – Ten Year Plan, the Community Safety & Well-Being (CSWB) Plan, and the Corporate Strategic Plan.
• Participating in the Community Tourism Steering Committee that assisted in the development of the draft 2023 Community Visitors Plan (authored by Central County Tourism).
• Attending the 2023 Cultural Fusion Fair that took place in Esplanade Park.
• Reviewing and providing endorsement of community and temporary public art projects.

See page 67/321 in the agenda for more details (Corr. 07-24).

Community Safety & Well-Being Advisory Committee (CSWBAC) presents 2023 Year End Report and 2024 Work Plan

The CSWBAC was established in 2023 and held a total of three committee meetings in their inaugural year.

Some of the Committee’s achievements included:  

• Creating the Community Safety & Well-Being Draft Plan, priorities, and action items.
• Reviewing, providing advice, and participating in the Parks & Recreation – Ten Year Plan, the Community Safety & Well-Being (CSWB) Plan, the Corporate Strategic Plan, and the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Strategy.
• Reviewing and providing endorsement of the following community safety and well-being initiatives:
  • Highway Traffic Act Amendments, Council Resolution #195/23
  • Incorporating Intimate Partner Violence in CSWB Draft Plan, Council Resolution #235/23
  • Dedicated Advocacy Resource Support (DARS) Shower Program Renewal
  • Vulnerable Sector Training, provided in partnership with Christian Faith Outreach Centre (CFOC)

In 2024, the Committee plans to form a Homelessness Subcommittee, which will identify key priorities, coordinate opportunities for stakeholder and community engagement, and provide community input on matters relating to homelessness and basic needs. This may include the development of related policies, supporting advocacy and communication initiatives, and providing advice on actions for consideration to the Community Safety & Well-Being Advisory Committee.  

See page 72 of 321 in the agenda for more details (Corr. 08-24).

Council approves all-way stop for intersection of Bainbridge Drive and Marshcourt Drive

Area residents have expressed safety concerns with the intersection of Bainbridge Drive and Marshcourt Drive with respect to vehicle volume, pedestrian safety, vehicle speed, and cut-through traffic.

Based on the results of the review, staff recommend an all-way stop be placed at the intersection of Bainbridge Drive and Marshcourt Drive to reduce vehicle conflicts and create a point where pedestrians can cross the road safely.

Read Report ENG 04-24 for details.

Staff provide update on Pickering Urban Agriculture Project

Staff provided information on actions undertaken to increase support and awareness of urban agriculture, and next steps that will be taken to further address urban agriculture in the City.

Short- and long-term actions include initiatives like exploring smaller community garden opportunities in existing parks, advancing gardening opportunities through the Pickering Museum Village and George Ashe Library & Community Centre, research planning mechanisms to support onsite urban agriculture through the development approval process, and more.

Urban agriculture increases residents’ access to healthy, affordable, fresh produce and City staff will continue to address this important sustainability matter.

Read Report SUS 03-24 for details.

Staff provide update on Integrated Sustainable Design Standards Implementation and Green Roof By-law

The Integrated Sustainable Design Standards (ISDS) and Checklist (adopted in 2022) established a new set of standards that allow the City to review development through a lens that includes modern green best practices and technology.

Staff provided Council with an update on the implementation plan and actions completed to date. For example, since January 1, 2023, the City Development Department has applied the ISDS Checklists to the application review process for the following developments: Low-Rise Residential (less than four storeys with a minimum of five dwelling units) and Mid to High-Rise Residential & Non-Residential (four storeys and above, including industrial, commercial, and institutional developments). A complete planning application requires the submission of a Sustainability Report and a completed ISDS Checklist.

At this time, staff do not recommend establishing a Green Roof By-law. Read  Report SUS 04-24 for details.

Pickering Anti-Black Racism Taskforce (PABRT) presents 2023 Year End Report and 2024 Work Plan

PABRT’s accomplishments in 2023 included contributions to Black History Month celebrations, community workshops, community education and events, and community engagement.

Specifically, taskforce initiatives included, but were not limited to, the following:

• The 16th Annual Durham Black History Month Celebration
• Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Strategy Community Working Group – In-person work shops
• Community BBQ – in celebration of International Day for People of African Descent
• Strategic visioning around the anti-Black racism initiatives and impacts in the community

The Report also outlined PABRT-led signature events for 2024, including the 2024 Black Joy Holiday Market event, and provided staff with the authority to issue a park permit for the use of Esplanade Park for the 2nd Annual Community BBQ in celebration of the International Day for People of African Descent.

Read Report CAO 02-24 for details.

City proposes amendments to Procedure By-law 8019/23 (the by-law that governs the proceedings of Council, any of its Committees, the conduct of its Members, and the calling of Meetings)

These amendments were recommended to provide flexibility as it pertains to electronic participation; the ability to respond to circumstances that may arise where the imminent safety, or overall well-being of Members, staff, and/or the public are at risk; and, to ensure that all meeting attendees feel safe and welcome in the City’s meeting spaces. In addition to these changes, there was also a recommendation to remove the “Question Period” from Council Meeting agendas which had not been used since its implementation.

Under the proposed new provisions, should a safety concern arise, the City Clerk, in consultation with the Chief Administrative Officer, Corporate Security Specialist, and the Mayor, would be able to determine if the meeting should be held electronically. If the determination to meet electronically is made prior to the publication of an agenda, the agenda will reflect that it is an electronic meeting so that all Members, staff, the public, and any other interested parties, are aware of where and how the meeting will be held.

This will fulfill the City’s meeting notice obligations under the Municipal Act. On the rare occasion where a safety concern arises after the publication of a Committee or Council agenda, and there is a need to move to a fully electronic meeting format, a Service Disruption Notice will be issued to notify the public and all meeting participants.

Read Report CLK 01-24 for details.

Treasurer presents 2023 Remuneration and Expenses of Members of Council and Council Appointees to Boards, Agencies and Committees

The purpose of this report was to ensure compliance with Section 284(1) of the Municipal Act 2001 (the “Act”) which states in part that the Treasurer of every municipality shall, in each year, submit to the Council of the municipality, an itemized statement (the “Statement”) of the remuneration and expenses paid to each Member of Council. The statement must also include remuneration and expenses paid to any other person who has been appointed by Council to serve as a member of any body.

Read Report FIN 05-24 for details.

Council approves staff to initiate designation of 301 Kingston Road under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act

The owner of 301 Kingston Road submitted a demolition permit application which triggered a 60-day countdown for Council to either permit the demolition of the building or to initiate designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act.

Staff considered the property at 301 Kingston Road to be worthy of designation under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act as the property met four of the nine criteria and is valued as a rare example of a Georgian house in the City of Pickering, dating to the mid-1800s. Although altered, the house retains its physical attributes, including its scale, massing, and orientation towards Kingston Road, and is the only surviving two-storey Georgian house in the City of Pickering. The timber-frame construction of the house is unique in the City, with only two known examples surviving.

Staff will instruct the owner to obtain the required building and heritage permits to secure and stabilize the building at 301 Kingston Road and continue to work with staff to rebuild the existing building to its pre-2021 condition.

Read Report PLN 10-24 for details.