Council Meeting Highlights: May 27, 2024

Special Council Meeting – 5 pm
City begins work on Official Plan Review

A special Meeting of Council was held for staff to present details about the Official Plan Review process, including a background paper, work plan, and timeline for review. 

The Background Paper outlines recent changes to Provincial legislation, policy, and plans; the Official Plan for the Regional Municipality of Durham; and Pickering initiatives.

The paper also provides information regarding Pickering’s recent growth trends and introduces elements that will be considered and reviewed during the Official Plan Review process.

An Official Plan is the Municipality’s primary, long range, comprehensive planning document, that provides the framework for land use decision-making in the City. It represents Council's vision, guided by community involvement, for growth and change within the City. The Planning Act, Section 26(1), requires that an Official Plan be reviewed every five years (or ten years after the approval of a new Official Plan).

An Official Plan Review is a significant process, consisting of a wide variety of components that will span a period of two years. Community engagement is key and staff will identify multiple opportunities and methods for community engagement to ensure that meaningful discussion and feedback from the public is considered throughout the project. Residents will be able to engage on a variety of important topics contained in the Official Plan, such as growth management, urban design, housing affordability, agriculture and rural areas, and more. Staff will be available throughout the process to receive feedback and questions.

Read Report PLN 14-24 for details.

Council Meeting – 7 pm
Accessibility Advisory Committee presents 2023 Year-End Report and 2024 Workplan

The Committee held nine meetings and continued to contribute to the goals of Pickering’s Five-Year Accessibility Plan, for 2021-2025, through activities related to training, awareness and education, consultation, and site plan reviews.

View Corr. 15-24 for details (available on page 76 of 135).

Waterfront Visionary Advisory Committee presents 2023 Year-End Report and 2024 Workplan

Council approved the establishment of this Committee and its Terms of Reference on March 27, 2023.

The Committee held three meetings last year and is involved with supporting matters related to Pickering’s waterfront, specifically best practices to preserve the nautical village marine theme, and the implementation/restoration of a waterfront that is environmentally sustainable and accessible.

View Corr. 16-24 for details (available on page 86 of 135).

Ontario Human Rights Commission

The Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) reviewed Council’s recent resolution (adopted by City Council at a Special Meeting held on April 2, 2024) and provided a response to the City of Pickering.

The OHRC believes that the Integrity Commissioner's investigation is adequate and that
the findings and recommendations in the Report are based on a proper human rights
analysis of the allegations. Further, the OHRC believes that something other than an
OHRC Public Interest Inquiry is the next practical step.

View Corr. 17-24- 72 for details (available on page 89 of 135).

Staff provide one-year update on Lobbyist Registry

The update provided details on activities related to implementation, user experience improvements, education and outreach, summary of Lobbyist Registry activity, profiles by lobbyist type, and more.

From May 1, 2023 to May 1, 2024, a total of 39 Lobbyist profiles were created resulting in six Voluntary Lobbyists, 16 Consultant Lobbyists, and 17 In-House Lobbyists. A total of 24 Lobbying activities were filed.

Staff do not recommend any changes to the Lobbyist Registry at this time given its continued success and the absence of any concerns or issues.

View Report CLK 03-24 for details.

Council approves consulting services for a new vehicle storage shed at the Operations Centre

This new 18-bay vehicle storage bay will be located at the Pickering Operations Centre at 1955 Clements Road.

The storage bay will help accommodate additional equipment needed to maintain required levels of service as the City continues to grow. It will also help protect expensive equipment like snow plows, vehicles, and equipment used for winter control and road maintenance against harsh weather conditions. 

The total gross project cost is $463,131.00 (HST included) for design and associated costs, and the total net project cost is $417,064.00 (net of HST rebate).

View Report OPS 07-24 for details.

Council endorses Community Visitor Plan

The Community Visitor Plan is the first tourism plan for the City of Pickering. It will serve as a guide to City staff, local business, tourism attractions and regional partners in welcoming visitors to Pickering and offering them an opportunity to enjoy all our city has to offer.

The Plan was developed in partnership with Central Counties Tourism and supported by Durham Tourism. 

The Plan (2024 – 2027) includes five core objectives: Enhance, Welcome, Develop, Distinguish, and Support; and includes 45 action items.

View Report CS 09-24 for details.

Council endorses the 2024-2034 Equity, Diversity and
Inclusion (EDI) Strategy

The City has formally identified EDI as an integral part of its strategic vision in its Corporate Strategic Plan.

Equity, diversity and inclusion are distinct but interrelated concepts that organizations and municipalities are increasingly embedding into their everyday operations to foster supportive and respectful environments for staff, residents, visitors and community members. These organizations are realizing that EDI does not create a situation in which one person or group can win something only by causing another person or group to lose it. In fact, all aspects of diversity can thrive in tandem, with societies and businesses being much stronger as a result of building an inclusive community for all.

As such, the five priority areas in the Strategy include:
Priority 1: Education and Awareness
Priority 2: Structure and Resources
Priority 3: Community Consultation and Engagement
Priority 4: Policies, Practices and Programs
Priority 5: Measurement and Accountability

Staff will prepare an annual work plan and specified timelines with identifiable and measurable goals and action items.

View HUR 01-24 for details.

Council endorses Community Safety & Well-Being Plan

Pickering, similar to other growing communities, has experienced increasing community safety needs that have been recognized by Council and residents.

While it remains an upper tier regional responsibility, it is recognized that lower tier municipalities play an instrumental role to help to facilitate community safety efforts. As such, Council directed Community Services staff to develop the City’s first ever Community Safety and Well-Being Plan.

The Plan Includes seven priority areas and sixty-one action items.

View CS 11-24 for details.

Council approves Growth Management Review Study

The Growth Management Review Study will inform the Pickering Official Plan policy framework on where and how population and employment growth will be accommodated to 2051. The Study is anticipated to be completed by the end of 2024.

The study will also further refine the Region’s growth management work, to examine how the population and employment allocations can be implemented at the local level.

View PLN 17-24 for details.

Council approves amendments to various provisions of Procedure By-law 8019/23

Amendments made to Procedure By-law 8019/23 (a by-law to govern the proceedings of Council, any of its Committees, the conduct of its Members, and the calling of Meetings), include:

Meeting Delegations, whether in-person or virtual, may only speak to an item on an agenda, and shall be limited to the following:

• residents of the City of Pickering
• an owner of a business in Pickering
• a Pickering taxpayer

Details are available on page 118 of 135 of the Agenda.