Council Planning

0:26Good afternoon, folks having trouble getting in I'm on my phone right now, but the link will not.

0:34Be accepted by my iPad there might be others having challenges.

0:39Hi, councillor, it's Garrett here. Thanks for the heads up. We can get somebody to reach out for you to to support. Okay.

0:48Yeah, actually, if they wouldn't mind, give me give me have them give me a call because I wouldn't mind it on my iPad. Not on my show. Thanks.

0:56I'm going to sign off here. Thanks.

13:17Good afternoon just to my colleagues. Just wondering if everyone could turn on the cameras for me for just a moment.

13:25Just so I can make sure that we have quorum. Thank you, Leanne and Phil.

13:29Aaron, thank you. Yeah, we're good. We have quorum.

13:36So thank you very much and Christine. Thank you. I'd like to call the meeting officially to order.

13:42It is Tuesday, July 14th. It is three o'clock p.m. and good thing it's not three o'clock a.m. That would be very bad.

13:52And I will look to see right off the top a recommendation for us to move into a closed meeting.

14:00Now the closed meeting. I'll just read this out here is for an item 1242 to 1270 Gordon Street nine Valley Road, the Ontario Land Tribunal update.

14:11As per section 239 to E and F of the municipal act regarding litigation or potential litigation,

14:18including matters before administrative tribunals affecting the municipality or local board and advice that is subject to solicitor client privilege,

14:25including communications necessary for that purpose.

14:28And the other one is potential land acquisition.

14:31And that's as per section 239 to C and F and K of the municipal act regarding a proposed depending acquisition or disposition of land

14:41by the municipality or local board advice that is subject to solicitor client privilege,

14:46including communications necessary for that purpose and a position plan

14:51procedure criteria or instruction to be applied to any negotiations carried on or to be carried on by or on behalf of the

14:58municipality or local board. Those are the only two items. I did get regrets

15:04from councillor Gull or just for the beginning of the meeting. So maybe for the in camera portion might not be joining us.

15:11But that's all that was stated to me. And so with that, is there anyone that would be willing to move

15:18to go into close on those two items? I got boosted till and downer here.

15:23Thank you. And just before I do call the vote on those two items, is there any disclosure of pecuniary interest?

15:29Any general nature there for those two items?

15:33Don't hear or see anybody. Okay. So I'll call the vote. Is there anybody against moving into closed on those two items?

15:40No, I don't hear or see anybody. So that's unanimous. Thank you so much.

15:45And we are meeting in a

15:48the link the link for our friends online is the same.

15:51We're good. We'll be back out for a summary later. Thank you. Bye. Bye.

1:13:43Okay, everybody. I'd like to call the meeting to order.

1:13:50We are here is on Tuesday, July the 14th,

1:13:532026 and it is our planning meeting.

1:13:57And it is four o'clock. So thank you very much for joining. Just before I move into the rest of the agenda.

1:14:05As I normally do, we had an in camera meeting just before this meeting and it was on two items.

1:14:13And just from a high level summary point of view, we went in camera for two items, the first being

1:14:191242 to 1270 Gordon Street and nine Valley Road.

1:14:25And on that topic, we gave staff direction.

1:14:29And then on the second topic, it was potential land acquisition.

1:14:34And we also council also gave direction in regards to that matter as well. Okay. Just to make sure that those are stated.

1:14:40So with that out of the way, please stand if you're able as we

1:14:44recognize our national anthem.

1:14:46Great. Thank you everyone as we continue

1:16:18on with our our agenda. If we could just have a moment of silent reflection.

1:16:32Thank you. And for our territorial acknowledgement as we gather, let us take time to reflect on the privilege to live and work here in Guelph.

1:16:40A city that's built over rich indigenous histories and as guests here,

1:16:43we should reflect upon the responsibility to care for the land and the people who live here today and the generations to come.

1:16:50If our actions today can move us towards reconciliation, we should take pause

1:16:54and make those decisions with intention and with gratitude.

1:16:58This place we call Guelph is served as traditional lands and a place of refuge for many peoples over time,

1:17:04but more specifically the Anuannarok and the Hulna Shoni.

1:17:08This land is held as the treaty lands and the territory with the Mississauga,

1:17:12Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation.

1:17:14And Guelph also lies directly adjacent to the Haldeman track, which is part of a long established

1:17:20traditional hunting grounds for the six nations of the Grand River.

1:17:23Many First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people who have come from across Turtle Island

1:17:28call Guelph home today.

1:17:32Thank you. Is there any disclosure of pecuniary interest or any general nature there for the items in front of us?

1:17:39No? Okay. Thank you very much. And um,

1:17:42I'm good to go right into the consent agenda. Just everyone jumped their hands up in the air or let me know if you want something pulled, but

1:17:50there's 19 Dublin Street South with the notice of intention to designate along with seven

1:17:57Belsarok Place notice of intention to designate. Those are the only two under the consent. Does anyone need them pulled?

1:18:07No? Okay. Uh, Quran will move consent for me and and Klassen will second.

1:18:13Thank you. And I'll call the vote then. Is anyone against those two items?

1:18:16Nobody. So that's uh, unanimous. No, look everybody, I am if you could just let me jump in here for a moment.

1:18:26Um, we have, I'm good. If it's if it's okay with everybody, we have a very quick presentation

1:18:40and no delegations to the rental replacement bylaw. And I think in, I really do believe we're all sort of behind this

1:18:50issue. I think it's important to publicly state the presentation part. If you don't mind, I'd like to just jump to that part in the agenda.

1:18:57It makes sense to do that for our staff time too. So

1:19:00is um, is Kushla here?

1:19:03Oh, yes. Okay. That probably helps. So that's good.

1:19:06Okay. So I'm going to just jump to 6.3 very quickly. It's the public meeting and decision report for the proposed rental replacement bylaw and the enabling official plan amendment.

1:19:16We're just going to have a quick presentation and then we got the recommendations right in front of us here. Okay.

1:19:21So, kusha, if you don't mind coming down, clerks, if you could just get the

1:19:25presentation ready. Thank you.

1:19:27All right. Look at that. I had good evening. Uh, America three and members council, but it gets to be good afternoon. So, um,

1:19:56uh, this is a statutory public meeting and decision meeting for the official plan amendment.

1:20:01Uh, number 117 that would able the rental replacement bylaw.

1:20:06So, uh, really what the rental replacement bylaw is, is a new tool that would let the city protect existing

1:20:12affordable rental housing when someone applies to demolish or convert it, uh, to another use.

1:20:18Kushla, I'm very sorry to interrupt you. Yes.

1:20:22I just need to make sure of something

1:20:24before you continue. Sure. I need to confer with the clerk for a second.

1:21:01I'm just making sure about timing for something that I just remembered about. So I'm very sorry.

1:21:06I'm just going to confirm, Martha Krista,

1:21:08the public meeting notice that would have gone out said that this meeting started at four

1:21:13for all of the agenda items.

1:21:16And so we're okay here. I just want to make sure that is correct, but you will have to open up for a calling.

1:21:21No, I know that part. That's not a problem. I just wanted to make sure we weren't

1:21:25we weren't jumping something on that. So we're okay on that part.

1:21:28Kushla, I'm very sorry. I wanted to make sure that I was dotting all the i's and crossing all the t's there. So, um,

1:21:33I heard good afternoon. Start from there.

1:21:36Okay. I will go. Good afternoon, everybody.

1:21:40So yes, this is a statutory public meeting, a decision meeting, um, on official plan amendment number 117,

1:21:46which has to do with the rental replacement bylaw, um, as well as demolition control bylaw. Um, and really what the rental placement bylaw does is

1:21:54help us protect existing affordable housing. Um, when someone tries, uh, would like to apply to demolish it or to convert it to another

1:22:03house.

1:22:04So the purpose of the report generally, um, is that we're asking council to approve three connected items, the draft rental replacement.

1:22:14Um,

1:22:15the draft rental replacement bylaw itself, an official plan amendment known as opa 117 that gives us the policy footing to administer it

1:22:23and a companion, uh, amendment to our demolition control bylaw.

1:22:28The rental replacement bylaw is consistent, which is attachment one is consistent with the policy direction provided to staff

1:22:35at the june 10th committee of the whole meeting.

1:22:39The three pieces in this report move together. The official plan sets the policy direction

1:22:44and the two bylaws that are included in the report, uh, are the practical mechanisms that carry it out

1:22:51approving them as a package. It's what makes the entire framework, uh, enforceable.

1:23:01So the specific decision in front of you, um, is on the amendment is to approve, as I mentioned, the city initiated opa number

1:23:09117 so that staff have the clear policy authority to administer the rental replacement bylaw and everything that, um, follows builds on that single enabling step.

1:23:20So the first policy, um, proposed amendment is to policy 7.2.4

1:23:25in the official plan and really you could consider this almost the heart of the amendment.

1:23:30It states plainly that the city will act to retain, maintain and where units are demolished or converted replace rental housing.

1:23:38Um, it adds the text that you see on the screen and it ties together the tools that we already rely on, which are our condo condominium conversion policies,

1:23:47our demolition control under the planning act, our property standards bylaw for upkeep and would now add the, um,

1:23:54reference to the rental replacement bylaw alongside them.

1:23:57The goal of this is to simply, as I mentioned earlier, to keep our existing rental housing stock in good shape

1:24:03and to make sure that lost affordable rental units are replaced.

1:24:10The second proposed amendment is to policy is to add new wording to policy 7.2.5

1:24:17which deals with converting rental housing to another use.

1:24:20The new provision says that we are building, um, says that we're a building has six or more dwelling units and that's, um,

1:24:27it converting it away from rental must follow the rental replacement bylaw.

1:24:32That six unit threshold is deliberate and it is aligned with the municipal act and it focuses the rule on the sort of the

1:24:39larger buildings where the loss of affordable rental units might have the biggest impact on residents.

1:24:48The third proposed amendment is to OP policy 7.2.6 so that we track results, not just our intentions.

1:24:57It requires us to record the number and types of affordable rental units lost through demolition and conversion.

1:25:04Um, and that have actually been replaced.

1:25:07In practical terms, this gives council and the public a clear ongoing picture

1:25:12of whether the bylaw is doing its job and it also aligns with our commitments through our housing affordability strategy to report and monitor on this particular item.

1:25:24The fourth proposed amendment is to policy 10.14 which governs how we apply demolition control.

1:25:33Again, it's the addition of the text on the screen and it confirms that to preserve existing affordable rental housing,

1:25:39the city will use demolition control hand in hand with the rental replacement bylaw wherever it applies.

1:25:45And this makes sure that the two tools work together rather than in isolation.

1:25:50So an application to demolish rental units triggers the replacement requirements.

1:25:59The final change adds a formal definition of the rental replacement bylaw to the official plan's glossary.

1:26:07Part 12 glossary. The definition simply describes it as a municipal bylaw

1:26:12passed under the municipal act that lets the city regulate the demolition of rental properties and their conversion to other uses.

1:26:20So having a clear definition in the plan again removes any ambiguity

1:26:24about what the terms mean and as it's referenced throughout the policies of the official plan.

1:26:32And finally, this brings us to the recommendations in the report. There are five.

1:26:38The first is to approve the public meeting and decision report itself.

1:26:42The second is to approve the draft rental replacement bylaw included as attachment one.

1:26:47The third is to approve the draft official plan amendment bylaw.

1:26:52OPA 117 included as attachment two.

1:26:56The fourth recommendation is to approve the companion demolition control bylaw amendment included as attachment three.

1:27:06And the fifth and final recommendation confirms that under the planning act council has determined

1:27:11no further public notices required for these three instruments.

1:27:14Staff are recommending approval of all five and I'm happy to answer any questions.

1:27:20Great. What we'll do is we'll just I'll open it up now for anybody before questions. I'll open it up just to see if there's anybody

1:27:29in the room or for those online that would like to call in.

1:27:36Is there anybody in the room that wants to speak to this? No. Okay. So I'll just put a phone number up on the screen.

1:27:41And we'll just wait a couple minutes to see if anyone wants to call in on this. It's 519-837-5603.

1:27:50Again, that's 519-837-5603. And please just give us a few minutes as we wait to see if anyone wants to call in.

1:27:58And then we'll come right back to us. Okay.

1:28:00Yeah, we'll just we'll just wait. Councillor Allt and I think Councillor Katelyn wanting to move in second this.

1:28:10If that's okay with them. Yeah, thumbs up. So I think there's a lot of people that would be happy to move it. So

1:28:16we'll just wait for to see if there's anybody that wants to call in. Okay. I'm sorry. My volume.

1:28:21Are you guys having trouble hearing me? I see 50 of you. 50% of you say yes and 50% say no, which has been basically my whole 12 years of being mayor.

1:28:52That's how it feels. 50% are happy and 50% are.

1:28:55All right. So I will make sure that clerks are you okay maybe hitting the volume button there and we will project a little bit more.

1:29:03So thank you for letting us know. I'm going to call the meeting back to order here because no one has called in to speak to this item.

1:30:38If you just give me a 30 more seconds.

1:30:41Okay. There's no one that's called in and no one here. I do have Councillor Allt and Councillor Katelyn that was willing to both move in second.

1:31:12This, thank you very much for doing that.

1:31:14And Councillor Goller, you were just wanting to move it. So you're good to go. And is anyone else in the room at least good to go?

1:31:20Yes, I'm going to go to the screen now. Alt, would you like to go ahead?

1:31:24Yeah, if I could, I'd like to speak Mayor Guthrie. Is that all right?

1:31:29Yeah, go for it.

1:31:30Thank you very much. First of all, I apologize for not being there in person.

1:31:36I would have preferred to be there, but I hurt my back yesterday doing young people things, which I should learn not to do.

1:31:43But I wanted to thank Ms. or actually, I suppose it's actually Dr. Matthews and her team for the work that's been done on this.

1:31:53As I've been thinking about this more, I think that this is most fundamentally a significant element of consumer protection that we are offering.

1:32:03We have consumer protection for everything from bicycles to cars to food. And yet one of the most important things is housing security.

1:32:13So I appreciate that we are doing this and recognize that

1:32:19property owners who rent our myriad, this is not intended on hurting anyone. This is merely intended on recognizing that a large percentage of our property owners are not.

1:32:29And we as a city assume the responsibility of protecting those through protecting the supply and demand market. Thank you very much, Mayor Guthrie.

1:32:38Thanks, Councillor Allt. So with that, I think I would just say ditto, which makes it easy.

1:32:45And I'll call the vote then. Okay. Is anybody against these recommendations?

1:32:50And that's unanimous. So that's a big piece of policy work that I'm pretty proud of for this term of Council. So thank you to staff as well.

1:33:00And thank you for letting us jump on that at the beginning of the agenda. I appreciate it.

1:33:05So going back to the top of the agenda there, we are going to go under the public meeting option portion to hear the application.

1:33:13Under the planning act here. And the first one up is 266 to 280 Clear Road West, also 950 Southgate Drive, the proposed official plan amendment and zoning bylaw amendment.

1:33:23We're going to have a presentation from our senior planner, Anad Shah, is going to come up. Thank you.

1:33:31And then we'll move on to the next slide.

1:33:36A presentation from our senior planner, Anad Shah, is going to come up. Thank you.

1:33:42And then we'll get into some delegations after that.

1:33:46So Anand, thank you very much for coming up and I'll turn the microphone and presentation over to you.

1:33:52Thank you, Mayor Guthrie. Good afternoon, Mayor Guthrie, members of Council, members of public and city staff.

1:33:58My name is Anand Shah. I am a senior development planner at the city.

1:34:02Today I am presenting the application for an official plan amendment and zoning bylaw amendment for the lands

1:34:08municipally known as 266 and 280 Clear Road West and 950 Southgate Drive.

1:34:14This is a statutory public meeting under the planning act and no decision will be made this evening.

1:34:18The purpose of tonight's meeting is to provide information on the application and receive comments from council and the public for consideration as part of staff's ongoing review.

1:34:33The subject lands are located on the south side of Clear Road West and includes property 266, 280 Clear Road West and 950 Southgate Drive.

1:34:41The combined land area is approximately 35.5 hectares with approximately 8.5 hectares proposed for the development.

1:34:49The Clear Road West lands are currently vacant and as seen in the image, the approximately half of 950 Southgate Drive property is used for industrial and related purposes while other half contains natural vegetation.

1:35:02The surrounding area includes industrial uses to the west, Bishop McDonnell Catholic High School to the east and additional residential uses and NHS lands to the north.

1:35:15The application is proposing a mixed residential development consisting of 116 and 114 story apartment building, 15 blocks of back-to-back townhouses and 16 blocks of stacked townhouses.

1:35:27The proposal would result in a total of 940 residential dwelling units.

1:35:32A total of 1077 parking spaces are proposed through a combination of structured and surface parking.

1:35:38Access to the site is proposed from Clear Road West.

1:35:42A significant component of the proposal involves relocating the existing ecological linkage from the east side of the property to the west side, reducing the width from approximately 100 meters to 60 meters while also accommodating a proposed term water management unit.

1:35:57The site illustrates the overall site layout.

1:36:05The apartment buildings are proposed to the interior of the property away from Clear Road West with townhouse blocks distributed throughout the site.

1:36:14A six-story parking structure and surface parking areas are proposed.

1:36:18The western portion of the site area and to the south on this map contains the proposed ecological new ecological linkage and storm water management facilities.

1:36:27Staff will review the land use compatibility, viability of the ecological linkage swap, site design, access arrangements, building placement, open spaces and pedestrian connections through the application review process.

1:36:39Under the city's official plan, the lands are currently designated industrial and significant natural areas and natural areas.

1:36:51The surrounding context includes additional industrial designations, natural heritage areas, open space and parks, and residential neighborhoods.

1:37:00The application is requesting an official plan amendment to redesignate portion of the lands to high density residential and significant natural areas and natural areas.

1:37:12This amendment is intended to facilitate the proposed residential development while identifying lands for the proposed ecological linkage.

1:37:20The application is also requesting site-specific official plan policies including permission for townhouse-built forms in addition to currently permitted uses under high-density residential designation.

1:37:35Building height ranging from 3 to 16 stories, net residential densities ranging from a minimum of 100 to a maximum of 160 units per hectare, and a class 4 noise area designation in accordance with NPC 300 guidelines.

1:37:50Under the city's 2023 conference zoning bylaw, the lands are currently zoned part industrial and part natural heritage system.

1:38:08The re-zoning application proposes to zones 260 and 280 Clair Road West to a site-specific high-density residential 7 zoning with holding provision and natural heritage zoning.

1:38:20Lands on 950 Southgate Drive are proposed to remain industrial zoned with an expansion to current natural heritage system zoned lands.

1:38:33In addition to the proposed zone change, the application includes several site-specific zoning reliefs.

1:38:39This includes permitting various townhouse-built forms not currently permitted in the RH7 zone, increasing maximum density from 150 units per hectare to 154 units per hectare,

1:38:51increasing maximum building height from 10 to 16 stories, and removing maximum floor plate requirements for apartment buildings.

1:38:59Additionally, the site-specific policy includes eliminating prescribed step-back requirements, reducing common amenity area requirements from required 20 square meters per unit to 18.1 square meter per unit, and reducing parking requirements to a minimum of 1.1 space per dwelling unit.

1:39:22The application is also requesting a holding provision on the lands 266 and 280 Clair Road West.

1:39:31The purpose of the holding provision is to ensure that development does not proceed until specific conditions are satisfied.

1:39:37These conditions include completion of the required land exchange and establishment of lands intended for ecological linkage,

1:39:45and provision of commitment that at least 50% of proposed dwelling units will be maintained as affordable housing at levels exceeding the CMHC's definition of affordability.

1:40:03The rendering shown on the following few slides illustrates the applicant's current vision of the development from several vantage points.

1:40:09The images are conceptual and are intended to demonstrate the proposed build form, massing and relationship of the apartment building and townhouse units within the site and to immediate context.

1:40:19The first image is a view, a real view from the Clair Road West.

1:40:26This is an interior of the site, and the next one is overlooking at the site from a distance.

1:40:37Staff have identified several key issues that will form part of the review of this application.

1:40:49First is the employment land conversion.

1:40:53The proposal involves the conversion of approximately 4.65 hectares of designated employment lands to residential use.

1:41:01Due to a loss of approximately 9 hectares of employment lands at GID and another 2 hectares at 81 Royal Road,

1:41:09preserving employment lands for cities' long-term employment needs is essential.

1:41:13Staff will assess the proposed employment land conversion in respect to its conformity with provincial planning statement policies and official plan employment land policies and cities future employment land needs.

1:41:25Next is impact on the decision industrial uses.

1:41:29Staff will evaluate whether the proposed residential development could impact existing or future industrial operations in the surrounding areas and whether appropriate mitigation measures can address compatibility concerns.

1:41:41Due to the number and type of existing lawfully established industrial uses and the elevated receptor at the proposed development, source-based mitigation measures are not feasible.

1:41:51Hence, a class for noise classification is requested for this development.

1:41:58For the proposed development, in addition to noise mitigation measures such as noise wall, upgraded building construction and supplied ventilation and air conditioning system, several warning clauses may also be required.

1:42:10Next issue is ecological linkage conformity.

1:42:14The ecological linkage is proposed to be relocated and reduced in width.

1:42:18Furthermore, the stormwater management facility for the new development is proposed to be within the lands dedicated for the ecological linkage,

1:42:26which may require access to the linkage for maintenance purposes.

1:42:30Through the review process, staff will assess the proposal to ensure that the ecological function, overall connectivity and long-term integrity of the ecological linkage are maintained or enhanced.

1:42:42Next is private infrastructure on future city lands.

1:42:48The stormwater management facility for the proposed development are located within lands designated as ecological linkage and anticipated to be under city ownership.

1:42:56This raises concerns regarding occupiers' liability risk to the city.

1:43:00This matters will also be evaluated through staff review.

1:43:04Finally, staff will review all applicable policies and regulations including the provincial planning statement, the city city's official plan, development engineering manual and zoning bylaw for the overall site layout, build form, parking provisions and pedestrian connectivity.

1:43:19Furthermore, as the development is proposed to be affordable dwelling units, the policy review will also confirm that the proposed affordable housing model meets the city's official plan policies and provincial bulletin requirements.

1:43:33With this, I will conclude my presentation.

1:43:39The application remains under review.

1:43:41The staff will continue evaluating the proposal, technical studies, agency comments, public input received today and council feedback received today before bringing a recommendation report forward at a future council meeting.

1:43:51Residents wishing to stay informed or receive notice of future decisions regarding this application may contact the city clerk's office at clerk's at 12.ca.

1:44:01Thank you, Mayor Guthrie.

1:44:03I am available for any questions.

1:44:05Council may have now or after hearing delegation.

1:44:07Great.

1:44:09Thank you.

1:44:11You did a great job with the overview.

1:44:13What's in front of us?

1:44:15Thank you very much.

1:44:17We'll save questions maybe just after all the delegations.

1:44:19So thank you very much again.

1:44:21And speaking of delegations, here we go.

1:44:23So there's a lot of delegations.

1:44:26I did the math.

1:44:28If every single one of the delegations takes 10 minutes, which you're allowed to do, and there's no questions, we're here for two hours and 40 minutes.

1:44:38Okay.

1:44:40Which is fine.

1:44:42The way the process works, it's fine.

1:44:44But I just want to make sure everyone kind of knows that just to kind of settle in.

1:44:46And maybe this is your first time in the room, but I'm not sure what to do.

1:44:48So I'm not sure what to do.

1:44:50But I'm not sure what to do.

1:44:52I'm just not sure what to do.

1:44:54I'm just not sure what to do.

1:44:56I think it's fine.

1:44:58But I just want to make sure everyone kind of knows that just to kind of settle in.

1:45:00And maybe this is your first time in the room.

1:45:02But my colleagues and others will know that I've said this before and I don't mean it with any ill will in any way.

1:45:04But if the person ahead of you kind of said what you were thinking, you can say ditto.

1:45:08Okay, we got you.

1:45:10Okay.

1:45:12But we also recognize that you've probably taken the time to prepare to make sure your presentation is ready for us.

1:45:14And we want you to know that you've got the time for that.

1:45:17And we want you to make sure that we're not trying to cut you off either, of course.

1:45:19You have up to 10 minutes.

1:45:21Okay.

1:45:23After you're done, there will be an opportunity for myself or my colleagues to maybe ask a question if they have one.

1:45:25So just make sure you stick around for a moment before I kind of dismiss you and we go to the next person.

1:45:27You will hear a chime at the 9 minute and 30 second mark.

1:45:39Which is your heads up.

1:45:41You only got 30 seconds left.

1:45:43And at 10 minutes, your microphone gets turned off.

1:45:45And we don't want that.

1:45:47Okay.

1:45:49So make sure you wrap up.

1:45:51You got the warning.

1:45:53Make sure you wrap up.

1:45:55I think that's good.

1:45:57After the delegations that I have on the list are done, just like the last one, I have to ask to see if there's anybody else that wants to talk.

1:45:59Or if there's anybody else that wants to call in and talk.

1:46:01Before we even get to questions of us to be discussion.

1:46:03Things like that.

1:46:05And a reminder right off the top.

1:46:07We're not making any decisions tonight.

1:46:09We're not making any decisions tonight.

1:46:11We're not making any decisions tonight.

1:46:13Okay.

1:46:15This is just, this is the public meeting to hear about it.

1:46:17And we're receiving the application just to hear more about it.

1:46:19To get feedback.

1:46:21Okay.

1:46:23We're not making any decisions tonight.

1:46:25I think I've covered that off pretty good.

1:46:27So just be aware of time and be aware of how we're moving things through.

1:46:29Okay.

1:46:31So the first one is Hugh Handy.

1:46:33From the GSP group.

1:46:35He's coming down.

1:46:37And is Mike Lab here.

1:46:39And he's coming down.

1:46:42And is Mike Lab here.

1:46:44Okay.

1:46:46You're in the wings.

1:46:48Okay.

1:46:50Thank you very much Hugh.

1:46:52Whenever you know the rigmarole.

1:46:55You've been here before.

1:46:57So I'll turn it over to you when you're ready.

1:46:59Thank you.

1:47:01Members of council.

1:47:03Staff.

1:47:05Members of the public attending both in person and virtually.

1:47:07My name is Hugh Handy.

1:47:09And I'm a land use planner and vice president with GSP group.

1:47:12So I'm excited to be on behalf of the Ontario limited company.

1:47:17274 2707.

1:47:19The owners of the property.

1:47:21Home opportunities.

1:47:23And the T D L group.

1:47:25On the screen is the nature of the application.

1:47:28And the properties that Mr. Shaw has given you.

1:47:31An overview this evening.

1:47:33I also have with me this evening.

1:47:39Michael Whitmer.

1:47:41Who is in the front row.

1:47:43who is in the front row at a senior planner with our firm

1:47:47who's been working with me closely on the application.

1:47:50I have John Farley and Mike LeBae,

1:47:53both with home opportunities.

1:47:55You'll hear from Mike LeBae next

1:47:57in more detail on affordable housing,

1:47:59nature of the project.

1:48:01I also have Jake Houskins with Dillon,

1:48:03Counterpointing Engineering,

1:48:05our civil engineer on the project.

1:48:07I also have Sal Staly,

1:48:09who is with North-South Environmental,

1:48:11our natural heritage consultant.

1:48:14Also have a number of other consultants

1:48:17that are listed on the bottom

1:48:18that were part of the project team for this project.

1:48:23Also on the right, just so the public is aware,

1:48:26this is also all the documents are on the website

1:48:32for the municipality in terms of materials

1:48:34that have been submitted with the application.

1:48:40The site context, Mr. Nann has gone through in detail

1:48:45overall, it's about 35 hectares as he's indicated,

1:48:49frontage on Claire and Southgate Drive,

1:48:52two bus routes service the property.

1:48:55It's also in an area that's about 800 meters

1:48:59from the Claire Gordon intersection

1:49:03and the node that is there

1:49:04with commercial activities retail.

1:49:09It's also as part, which you'll hear in my presentation,

1:49:12is near employment and that is important as well,

1:49:15near parks, schools and other amenities

1:49:18that are part of the South End.

1:49:25The development proposal and this new community

1:49:29would be approximately 940 dwelling units

1:49:33and about 1,000 parking spaces

1:49:34and we'll have a significant affordable housing

1:49:37contribution as part of this.

1:49:39I've color coded the site plan that you saw

1:49:43with Mr. Shaw had provided previously

1:49:48and I'll just go over that in a bit of detail.

1:49:50Tower A is the yellow, that's the 16 story apartment tower.

1:49:55Tower B is in orange, it's a 14 story.

1:49:59The back to back townhouses are in purple

1:50:03on the diagram, stacked townhouses in blue.

1:50:08The parking structure is the pink on the diagram

1:50:13there is about 960 spaces in there, 89 spaces

1:50:18on surface parking lot and that would be closer

1:50:21to Claire Road as well as lay by parking

1:50:24on some of the internal roads.

1:50:27The ecological linkage is in tan

1:50:31and that is at the bottom of the diagram.

1:50:34So also two access roads in one at the south end of

1:50:38or sorry, at the bottom end of the drawing

1:50:40just north of the ecological, sorry,

1:50:43east of the ecological linkage is the main driveway

1:50:46and then an emergency access would be closer

1:50:49to Bishop Macdonnell.

1:50:54The development proposal as Mr. Shaw has indicated

1:50:59there's a gradual change in densities.

1:51:01So the lower density would be towards Claire Road

1:51:05and building up to the rear of the site

1:51:08where the buildings and parking structure

1:51:10would be providing a gradient of uses

1:51:13in the higher density near the rear of the site.

1:51:18This just in again tower A just for reference is a 16, 14

1:51:23and then the lower three and four story townhouses

1:51:28would be at the front of the site.

1:51:31Ecological linkage to the right.

1:51:37So the existing policy context has Mr. Shaw

1:51:41has gone over in some detail.

1:51:43I'll just give you maybe some of the highlights

1:51:45and then if there's questions

1:51:47I can take those through my delegation.

1:51:51But it's within the built up area.

1:51:53It's part of the employment areas and industrial.

1:51:56There's significant natural heritage areas

1:51:58and the ecological linkage.

1:52:01There's also as part of this,

1:52:03the zone is P1 conservation and urban reserve

1:52:08and as well in that's in the 95

1:52:11but we're also dealing with the 2023

1:52:13and how currently be industrial and NHS.

1:52:20The main issues or policy objectives

1:52:23as Mr. Shaw has indicated are really moving

1:52:27from the redesignation of employment to residential.

1:52:32And as you move across the screen

1:52:34you're removing it from employment,

1:52:37putting it into high density residential,

1:52:40moving the linkage then to the left of the screen.

1:52:43And that's kind of following along from left to right.

1:52:49There's a long history through OPA 80

1:52:52which this some of council will be aware of

1:52:55that this was discussed in this chamber

1:52:58moving through that process to designate to residential.

1:53:03And then ultimately this revert it back

1:53:06to the current designations.

1:53:08And hence the reason this application came forward

1:53:11to look at this in more detail.

1:53:15Number two, the official plan policies indicate

1:53:20that a policy can, you can move a linkage.

1:53:23You can reduce the size of that corridor

1:53:26but that also requires an EIS to look at

1:53:28the location and impacts.

1:53:36Like Mr. Anand has gone over this slide

1:53:38so I'll just skip over the site specific policies

1:53:41but there are a number of policies

1:53:42that we're looking to change.

1:53:46Zoning by law amendment will also add

1:53:51a number of site specific regulations.

1:53:55Some of those are noted or they are noted on the screen

1:54:00as part of our application.

1:54:05The zoning by law amendment also proposes a holding provision

1:54:11which Mr. Shaw has gone through,

1:54:15one of them related to the natural heritage system

1:54:18and the movement to the west of the site

1:54:22and then ensuring that there is 50% of the dwellings

1:54:26are affordable housing based on exceeding

1:54:30the CMHC's definition for affordable housing.

1:54:32And I just mentioned,

1:54:34Mike LeBae will be up next talking a little more to that.

1:54:40I wanted to touch on a few things

1:54:42as part of our delegation.

1:54:44Tywin Thomas is our economist on this project.

1:54:49He had a family celebration of life in the US

1:54:55and couldn't be here with us tonight.

1:54:58So I'm gonna try not to dance too far

1:55:00into what the economist does.

1:55:03But I think the important points here are that

1:55:06in terms of this site, we're housing and transportation.

1:55:11We feel that we'd create only about 15 jobs.

1:55:15If it was a full manufacturing use on the site,

1:55:19you might be getting up into 80 or 100 jobs.

1:55:24The city we know is updating its economic land strategy

1:55:29to comply with or conform with provincial legislation.

1:55:34Urban metrics has looked at things initially

1:55:38and feels and suggests that changes could result

1:55:40in the surplus of employment land.

1:55:42That's noted on the right of the second bullet.

1:55:46Key finding on this land, it would reduce obviously

1:55:52the estimated employment land for about five hectares.

1:55:56There's in our opinion, in our metrics opinion,

1:55:59there's no material impact to the city's ability

1:56:02to achieve its overall employment goal.

1:56:05And it has the potential obviously to,

1:56:09we're going to be looking and continue to look

1:56:13and work with staff on protecting the industries.

1:56:16That is all part of this application

1:56:19that it's geared to workforce housing

1:56:21to try and ensure that the businesses that are there

1:56:24and the importance of Denso, TDL,

1:56:27Linnemar, others are all part of that.

1:56:33There's hundreds of local jobs

1:56:35during the development phase of this.

1:56:37There's 470 affordable units.

1:56:41And there's almost 3.3 million per year

1:56:45in annual tax revenue.

1:56:50I touched on the environmental linkage,

1:56:52the importance of that to the site,

1:56:55to our city of connecting.

1:56:57That's it.

1:57:00Well, thank you.

1:57:01Yeah, thank you.

1:57:03Thank you.

1:57:04Thank you very much for your presentation.

1:57:06Just before you come off, Mike, if you don't mind,

1:57:09just hold back for a second.

1:57:11Any questions just to hear at this point

1:57:14or do you want to move on?

1:57:17We'll go to Councillor Caron.

1:57:20And then did you have a question too?

1:57:21Councillor Hauser, then I think I saw Councillor Allt.

1:57:23So those three, okay, go ahead.

1:57:26Thanks, I have a few questions

1:57:28and I'm not sure if you're the one I should address them to.

1:57:30So if they're not just say it's coming

1:57:31in a later presentation.

1:57:33You said you're representing the ownership group,

1:57:36the owner and TDL.

1:57:38So that's a bit of a mixed bag.

1:57:40So TDL is the adjacent industrial owner.

1:57:43What stake do they have in this application?

1:57:45Is it mostly the mitigation piece?

1:57:50Through your worship to the Councillor,

1:57:53as part of the bringing forward the application,

1:57:56we worked with city staff on some of the initial comments.

1:58:02It was in relation to the movement

1:58:04of the ecological linkage that we then had further discussions

1:58:07with TDL to bring their land in as part of that.

1:58:13The linkage then as part of this application

1:58:16would be relocated on TDL's land.

1:58:19And that is really the essence.

1:58:21So I appreciate the question of why TDL is involved.

1:58:27As well, I mean, the lines of communication

1:58:29have been opened with TDL for them

1:58:31to understand the application as well as part of it.

1:58:34But that's really the connection.

1:58:37On the aerial, I saw that there was kind of a piece

1:58:39of another piece of land, so that makes sense.

1:58:42A lot of the conversation in your presentation

1:58:44was about the provision of affordable housing.

1:58:47Did you anticipate, or is your ownership group

1:58:50and your client expecting that we would add a condition

1:58:55to the zoning, that it be affordable housing

1:58:59or a certain percentage?

1:59:00And the reason I ask that is that we have in our community

1:59:03a lot of concern about, I don't know what else to call it,

1:59:08but bait and switch, that you get land use zoning,

1:59:11and then it's repurposed or resold to another owner.

1:59:14And I just, I think that's a really good conversation

1:59:18to add to the first meeting under the Planning Act

1:59:22is whether or not that's a condition

1:59:23that your ownership client would be willing to put on title.

1:59:29Through your worship to the Councillor,

1:59:31that is what we've brought forward to ensure

1:59:34that there is no bait and switch,

1:59:37that we agree with the terms of that in order to provide

1:59:41Mr. LeBae will talk more to that by way of his presentation.

1:59:46Okay, great, thanks.

1:59:47And then I know you expect this, Mr. Handy,

1:59:50but I always ask a question about how this will help us

1:59:53achieve our community energy goals.

1:59:55Is that under your presentation

1:59:57or will there be someone else who will be addressing that?

2:00:01I'll maybe try to address that to the Councillor.

2:00:05In terms of this Kiwi Newton will be involved in the project.

2:00:10It's intense, I think there's a letter within your package

2:00:14talking about how they're building fabrication

2:00:20and we'll address that, but of course,

2:00:23and maybe I've answered this the same way

2:00:25through detailed design,

2:00:26we'll be looking to continue efforts to address that.

2:00:30Okay, thanks.

2:00:30And I know that's a site plan issue, Mr. Mayor,

2:00:33but I always ask a question

2:00:34and it's good to have that on the public record, so thanks.

2:00:38I wouldn't allow the meeting to go further

2:00:39if you hadn't asked that question.

2:00:41Yeah, no, no, sounds good.

2:00:42And then Hauser and then Alt.

2:00:46Thank you, through the mayor.

2:00:48I just wanted to ask a question about the ecological linkage.

2:00:52On your fifth slide, there's a picture

2:00:56of the rendering from Clair Road

2:00:58and the ecological linkage, this looks like green space.

2:01:03Will it be green space or will it be protected and fenced off?

2:01:06Like will they be able to use it

2:01:08or will it be completely protected?

2:01:12Through your worship to the counselor,

2:01:13it will be protected, it will be fenced off

2:01:18and will be revegetated or vegetated as well

2:01:22as part of that.

2:01:24I can have our, Sal, do you wanna come up and talk to detail?

2:01:29If allowable, just to make sure I'm,

2:01:36hopefully I haven't stepped off in the wrong direction,

2:01:38but thank you, Mr. Mayor.

2:01:46I'm Sal Spatali, Senior Colleges

2:01:47of North South Home environmental

2:01:49and did the environmental impact study

2:01:51for this application.

2:01:52So through you, Mr. Mayor.

2:01:54Yeah, so you already mentioned it would be fenced,

2:01:58naturally vegetated, some of it is,

2:02:00but it will be enhanced and restored

2:02:01in areas that are currently under agricultural production.

2:02:05And the intention is intended to be maintained

2:02:08as a wildlife corridor.

2:02:10And so we've considered the wildlife that might be using it,

2:02:13the vegetation that should be planted there

2:02:15and how it should function,

2:02:17recognizing it's being moved

2:02:20from what it's currently mapped as

2:02:21to the location to the west

2:02:23and recognizing it's also being narrowed

2:02:26from what was initially mapped

2:02:28in the official plan at 100 meters to 60 meters in width.

2:02:32And we did our study to look at if that was appropriate,

2:02:35how it would function to maintain the movement

2:02:38for wildlife through that corridor.

2:02:42If I may, will there be a fence across the road as well,

2:02:45or that would be open

2:02:46so they can cross?

2:02:48Through you, Mr. Mayor.

2:02:49Yes, it would be open.

2:02:50And there's also a note or a discussion

2:02:53in our environmental impact study

2:02:55that speaks to mitigation measures for wildlife movement.

2:02:59Majority wildlife we expect to use it are large

2:03:03to medium and small mammals.

2:03:05So we would be making recommendations for signage,

2:03:09possibly flashing lights at night,

2:03:11indicating that there's potential

2:03:13for deer movement across there,

2:03:14and recommendation for a small culvert

2:03:17under the road for smaller mammals.

2:03:20But it is intended to remain open

2:03:22to allow wildlife to move.

2:03:24Thank you very much.

2:03:27And just so you know, the signs aren't for the animals.

2:03:32It's not directional for them.

2:03:35Okay, could you just stick with me for a moment?

2:03:38I'm gonna go to Councillor Allt.

2:03:39But Councillor Downer, I think has a question

2:03:42that might involve you as well.

2:03:43So I'll go to Councillor Allt,

2:03:44then go to Councillor Downer.

2:03:46Okay, go ahead.

2:03:47Thank you, thank you, Mr. Mayor.

2:03:48Okay, I will go to you first,

2:03:50because you're at the microphone.

2:03:51No, it's okay.

2:03:52Councillor Allt is very accommodating.

2:03:53I know that already.

2:03:54So Councillor Downer, you go first,

2:03:56and then I'll go to Councillor Allt.

2:03:57Thank you for the accommodation.

2:03:59Yeah, I had a question around the linkage too.

2:04:02Now I noticed there's two questions I have.

2:04:04One, it's slightly offset from across the road.

2:04:07Is that gonna be a problem?

2:04:08It's not like currently where it is,

2:04:10it's completely right across.

2:04:12But now moving it puts it halfway

2:04:17where the other side is.

2:04:18Is that an issue in these issues?

2:04:20In these, and it's gonna develop?

2:04:21Through you, Mr. Mayor, to the Councillor.

2:04:24It will line up directly with what we're recommending,

2:04:29even on the other side, the north side of Claire Road.

2:04:32Again, it's mapped even on the north side of Claire Road

2:04:35towards the east of what is a natural area,

2:04:38or a naturally vegetated area.

2:04:40We're recommending it to be widened

2:04:42to entirely overlap with the linkage

2:04:45on the south side of the road.

2:04:46Okay, that helps.

2:04:47Now, so there's also one of the key issues

2:04:51and considerations in the slides we just saw

2:04:55was around the stormwater management

2:04:58being part of this linkage.

2:04:59Could you explain that?

2:05:01And I mean, there's a concern around that.

2:05:03Is that gonna be able to be worked out,

2:05:05or how is that gonna be working?

2:05:08Just in layman terms, please.

2:05:11Through you, Mr. Mayor, and myself not being

2:05:14the stormwater engineer, I'll also speak about it

2:05:17in layman terms, from my perspective as an ecologist.

2:05:20So our first priority in the linkage

2:05:24and its form and function was that it be maintained

2:05:27and enhanced to provide that function,

2:05:30recognizing that the policies permit

2:05:35or provide opportunities for stormwater management

2:05:37within linkages, again, so long as the form

2:05:40and function isn't impacted.

2:05:43And that's something that we're looking at,

2:05:45working with staff to make sure that that is the intent

2:05:49and that is achieved through the design.

2:05:51And of course, working with our engineer,

2:05:54a civil engineer to have that achieve those objectives.

2:05:59Thank you. And Councillor All please.

2:06:03And thank you, Mayor Guthrie.

2:06:04And I think my questions are probably

2:06:06for Mr. Vitale as well.

2:06:10My questions do focus primarily on the ecological linkage

2:06:15and I hope you will pardon my ignorance.

2:06:20I'm having some challenges understanding

2:06:23how an ecological linkage could be removed and then added.

2:06:29That strikes me as destroying an ecological linkage

2:06:33and then substituting it with something else.

2:06:35So I'm all in favor of the ecological linkage.

2:06:38I just want you to clarify, how do you do that?

2:06:42Yes, through you, Mr. Mayor.

2:06:43That's a great question.

2:06:45So the ecological linkage as it was mapped

2:06:49in the official plan was done at a relatively high level

2:06:53and it was done with no studies

2:06:55or scientific studies ground-true thing.

2:06:58It was done at a desktop high level

2:07:01to identify the need for that linkage through that area.

2:07:05Notwithstanding, there's part of it being farmed

2:07:09currently and in the past and its previous history.

2:07:12So through our study, we looked at that area,

2:07:16the vegetation and considered the wildlife

2:07:18that would be using it.

2:07:20So it's not that the linkage is being destroyed

2:07:23in terms of its current form or function.

2:07:26It's the movement of the linkage to the west side

2:07:29will still maintain that function.

2:07:31And as I mentioned, it's primarily for large mammals

2:07:34such as deer, possibly coyotes, raccoons, skunks, so on.

2:07:40So that function won't change.

2:07:42And through the vegetation that will be planted

2:07:45on the west side, it will be enhanced.

2:07:48Currently, it's a bit of a matrix of cultural meadow,

2:07:52agricultural land and thicket.

2:07:55The entirety of the linkage would be vegetated

2:07:59with native vegetation, trees, shrubs

2:08:02and other native grasses and wildflowers.

2:08:05So it did linkage isn't destroyed.

2:08:08And I would suggest that the linkage itself

2:08:11would be planted as a part of phasing

2:08:13to ensure that that function doesn't cease

2:08:17through any part of the development of the lands.

2:08:20It's maintained during that time.

2:08:23So there isn't a break in habitat connectivity

2:08:26during the construction of the,

2:08:28and the development of the lands.

2:08:30Okay, actually that raises another question for me.

2:08:33You used the word, I believe it was should

2:08:37or that you think it would.

2:08:40I'm gonna be a little emphatic here.

2:08:42It could not be, must be maintained.

2:08:47That's fair to say through you, Mr. Mayor.

2:08:50So you're suggesting that, yes, it must be maintained.

2:08:52The linkage in its form and function must be maintained.

2:08:55And that's the intent of the design

2:08:58and how it would be planted

2:08:59and how it would function for the future.

2:09:03Yeah, and I thank you for that.

2:09:05When I first got married, I actually lived in a farm

2:09:09on that property and actually did farm some of that land.

2:09:13So the next question is really important to me.

2:09:16There are a number of metal lakes in that area.

2:09:19And there's clearly a very vibrant aquifer

2:09:22that actually I think probably is part

2:09:26of the whole Puslench aquifer as well.

2:09:28You had made reference to storm water,

2:09:30but I'm actually concerned about groundwater.

2:09:33Can we address that or are you confident

2:09:36that that's not an issue that needs to be considered?

2:09:39Yes, through you, Mr. Mayor, I would suggest

2:09:41I'm not qualified to speak to groundwater.

2:09:45As an ecologist, I don't know if anybody on our team

2:09:48is here today that is qualified to speak to that.

2:09:52But yeah, unfortunately,

2:09:53I won't be able to answer that question for you.

2:09:55Okay, no, that's fine.

2:09:57I don't expect you to be able to answer everything.

2:10:01Last comment, actually, Mr. Vitale is for Mr. Handy.

2:10:05Thank you very much for making reference

2:10:08in Councillor Caron's concern about bait and switch.

2:10:12I'm just gonna follow up and expand that a little bit.

2:10:14Is there any potential for an irrevocable covenant on this?

2:10:23Through you, Mr. Mayor, to the Councillor.

2:10:27We can look at different forms to ensure

2:10:31I don't think our team is shying away

2:10:32from the fact that this is affordable housing

2:10:35to ensure that we deliver

2:10:38on what we're in front of you this evening.

2:10:40So if there is something that is palatable to staff,

2:10:46to your legal team, we're open to considering it.

2:10:50Unless somebody's, that's fine, okay.

2:10:54Councillor Allt, is that good for you then?

2:10:57That's absolutely fine.

2:10:58Thank you very much.

2:10:59Maybe Mr. Vitale.

2:11:01Oh, thank you.

2:11:02And maybe in regards to the ground water or groundwater issue,

2:11:07did you want someone to come up for that at this point?

2:11:09Yeah, might as well since Councillor Allt brought it up.

2:11:12Might as well just have the answer come right away.

2:11:15Does it make sense to flow that way, no pun intended.

2:11:17We brought Jake to the meeting,

2:11:18so we're glad to have him speak.

2:11:20So go right ahead.

2:11:21Hi, I'm Jake Howkins, the civil engineer on the file.

2:11:24And a lot of the soils on this site

2:11:26are sand and odorless gravel.

2:11:29So it has really high porosity.

2:11:31So the intent from a stormwater management perspective

2:11:34is to implement low impact development measures

2:11:37to make sure that the groundwater gets recharged.

2:11:40There is no designated stormwater outlet on the site.

2:11:43So by that nature, we have to find a way

2:11:45for the flows to get back into the ground.

2:11:47So the game plan for this development

2:11:49is to have the 100 year runoff from the site infiltrated

2:11:53and percolated back into the ground water table.

2:11:57Thank you very much.

2:11:58Great, thank you for answering that right away.

2:12:00That's great.

2:12:01Okay, is there any further questions for Hugh at this time?

2:12:05No, okay.

2:12:06Thanks a lot, Hugh, appreciate it.

2:12:07And Mike, you're coming up next

2:12:09from Home Opportunities Nonprofit Corporation.

2:12:12And then Jeremiah Vanderland is going to be,

2:12:15oh, it's going to be joining us by video.

2:12:17So Mike, I'll turn it over to you whenever you're ready, okay?

2:12:23And Mike, actually anybody that comes up here,

2:12:26Mike, just a foot over from your right hand,

2:12:31there's a little white button.

2:12:33Yep, if you hit that button up,

2:12:35it will move that desk up for you

2:12:37and make the microphone come closer to your, yes, yes.

2:12:42Can I sit on the desk when I do it?

2:12:44Yeah, so just to make sure

2:12:46that the microphone's picking up everything,

2:12:47I'm just cautious of the making sure everyone can hear.

2:12:50So for those of you that are coming,

2:12:52a little taller, a little smaller,

2:12:54there's that button there,

2:12:55you can make it go up and down

2:12:56so that the microphone is close to your voice, okay?

2:12:58So over to you, Mike, thank you.

2:13:01Hey, Mr. Mayor, Councillors, members of the public,

2:13:05my name is Mike LaBe,

2:13:07I am President of Home Opportunities Nonprofit Corporation,

2:13:11and I have a very strong interest

2:13:12in the bait and switch comments that have been made

2:13:15because we only do affordable housing,

2:13:18and so that's a great interest to us.

2:13:21The H designation requires us to prove

2:13:24that it's going to be affordable housing

2:13:25before a building permit can be issued,

2:13:27and that gives us very strong control

2:13:30to make sure we get what we want out of the piece of land.

2:13:35I want to mention that this is my second turn

2:13:39back in front of council.

2:13:41Last time I was here, council approved,

2:13:43changing this land from employment to residential

2:13:46in support of what the province had done previously,

2:13:49so we're just deja vu

2:13:50in terms of what we're talking about today.

2:13:53There was a question about, oh yes, let me, is that it?

2:14:00Which button is it?

2:14:02This one.

2:14:04It's not listening to me.

2:14:05It is, okay, sorry.

2:14:07So Home Opportunities,

2:14:09and this is me bragging about how long I've been around.

2:14:13I have been working since 1979,

2:14:19working with groups of people forming non-profit corporations

2:14:22and helping them build their own homes.

2:14:24That's effectively been my job for all of those years,

2:14:28and some of the people I worked with back in the 80s

2:14:31are still with me today,

2:14:33so we have a long history dedicated

2:14:35to doing this kind of housing,

2:14:36and it's something that effectively,

2:14:39because we've got such a strong solution at this point in time,

2:14:42has stolen my retirement from me, but I'm not complaining.

2:14:45So I've been doing this for 47 years.

2:14:4730 of those years is creating opportunities

2:14:51to use home ownership as the solution to affordable housing,

2:14:55and we have worked on, as a group, over 10,000 units,

2:15:00and 200 projects, including two in Guelph itself,

2:15:04Montford, Condos and Market Commons.

2:15:08At the current pipeline we're working on

2:15:09nearly 7,000 units in 12 different communities,

2:15:12because if you're the only solution, you get a lot of attention.

2:15:14So we're really proud to be here in Guelph,

2:15:17and are looking forward to being able to do

2:15:20a large, significant project for this community.

2:15:26How does it work?

2:15:28And we don't intend to stay unique,

2:15:30but right now we are unique,

2:15:32because we've used home ownership as a mechanism

2:15:35of allowing people a chance to get into housing,

2:15:38virtually no matter their income.

2:15:40As long as they have a steady income,

2:15:42we can provide housing for them,

2:15:43because what we're in essence doing

2:15:45is adjusting the size of the mortgage

2:15:47to allow their income to match the carrying costs.

2:15:51And so that's the mechanism that we use,

2:15:53but I've given a couple of examples here,

2:15:56because this is what we've run into over the years,

2:15:57is you can take a parent with two kids

2:16:00who can only, at $85,000, afford a two-bedroom rental.

2:16:04But because we're able to adjust the carrying costs,

2:16:07we can get them into a proper three-bedroom townhouse,

2:16:09which will change the circumstances

2:16:11for their lives quite significantly.

2:16:14We are proud of targeting 3% of our units

2:16:17to people on minimum wage.

2:16:18They are, of course, our studio units,

2:16:20but if you can start in your 20s with an ownership,

2:16:23some people in this room have been able to do that,

2:16:25if you can start in your 20s,

2:16:26it changes your trajectory of your entire life.

2:16:29And that's one of the things that is important to us,

2:16:32since those owners are our clients.

2:16:35We're working on their behalf.

2:16:37Seniors, at some point in time,

2:16:39they get tired of taking care of their home.

2:16:40It's nice to be able to go to a place

2:16:42where they can protect their equity

2:16:43and continue to live in a community

2:16:45that will watch out for them.

2:16:46One of our projects, I do have enough time,

2:16:50we actually had a case where people moved in,

2:16:52after they'd been in for six months,

2:16:54a woman fell and broke her hip.

2:16:56And within a week, her neighbors had taken her

2:16:58out of the hospital and were taking care of her

2:17:00until she was back on our feet and moving from there.

2:17:02So that's the type of community

2:17:03that we love to be able to build.

2:17:10So what we've started to do with the communities we go to

2:17:13is we go first to the Economic Development Department,

2:17:16because one of the biggest impediments

2:17:19to economic development these days is affordable housing.

2:17:22There's 5,000 empty jobs across Southern Ontario

2:17:25because of the lack of affordable housing.

2:17:27So for us, we want to provide the housing

2:17:30for those workers that give them a chance

2:17:33to live and reside in Guelph.

2:17:36And somebody who lives close to work,

2:17:38who doesn't have to commute,

2:17:39is a more productive worker.

2:17:41A more productive worker means that your industry

2:17:43is more productive.

2:17:44More productive industry can protect itself

2:17:47against the vagaries of people to the South.

2:17:51And so it's something that's useful

2:17:53and valuable to the community.

2:17:55And it's quite significant in Guelph.

2:17:58In all, Linnamar, who'll be speaking later,

2:18:0110,000 employees, 50% of them

2:18:04are actually commuting into town.

2:18:08And to do that is quite a significant task

2:18:11when the snowstorms hit.

2:18:13And you find that a few people can't make it

2:18:15and your production line is affected.

2:18:18We are open to the idea of having industries say to us,

2:18:23we will ask you to set aside 25 units

2:18:25so we can offer those units as an attraction

2:18:27to bring industry to town.

2:18:29We're open to doing that

2:18:30with your Economic Development Department as well.

2:18:32We can be a tool to making this city stronger.

2:18:39So deliverables, 940 units,

2:18:42all of which will qualify as affordable housing

2:18:44because we have a range of affordability,

2:18:46but all of them will receive some degree of help

2:18:49towards their down payments so they can become owners.

2:18:5210% of those will meet the Guelph Provincial definition

2:18:56of price that units are sold for.

2:19:00The 30% includes 10% will meet the CMHC's definition

2:19:05of affordability, which is based on the incomes

2:19:07that carry a certain rent,

2:19:0980% of the average rent level in Guelph.

2:19:12This is an important job growth opportunity for Kiwi Newton

2:19:15because it's a new company in the residential

2:19:18that we want to help expand

2:19:19into a significant producer of 1,000 units a year.

2:19:24We're hoping to be done within 12 to 18 months

2:19:29and we'll be contributing to the city's targets

2:19:32for your housing targets, both in terms of numbers

2:19:35and in terms of the target for affordability.

2:19:38We're gonna be supporting local employers

2:19:40and attracting new ones.

2:19:43And the work that we do is intending to do these 940 units

2:19:48which will lead to another 940 units

2:19:51will lead to another 940 units

2:19:52because as an organization that doesn't need grants

2:19:55and subsidies, we can start to provide all of the housing

2:19:58that you need as long as we get the leg up

2:20:00that the first project starts for us.

2:20:08Oh, good.

2:20:09I've given you two minutes and 55 seconds to ask questions.

2:20:14Well, thank you, Mike.

2:20:15Thank you for your presentation.

2:20:16We appreciate you being here.

2:20:17Is there any follow up from Mike at this point?

2:20:20Okay, I'm sorry, Councillor Hauser

2:20:22and then Councillor Downer.

2:20:25Thank you very much.

2:20:26Through the mayor, can you explain a little bit about,

2:20:29so when somebody purchases a property

2:20:32to keep it in the affordable realm,

2:20:34they are not allowed to sell it for like an exorbitant profit

2:20:38but can you explain that part for me?

2:20:41Yes, thank you for the question through you,

2:20:43Mr. Mayor to the Councillor.

2:20:45That is an intriguing question that I do like to answer.

2:20:50So the way that we work is that you come in

2:20:54and you purchase a home like anybody else would.

2:20:57You sign an agreement of purchase and sale.

2:21:00We adjust your mortgage so that you can afford to carry it

2:21:03and then you carry it like any other owner

2:21:06and a portion of the home that you carry

2:21:08is what you make your money on.

2:21:09The portion you don't carry, we make that money on

2:21:12and we reserve and use it to be able

2:21:15to help someone else afterwards.

2:21:16This is a pay it forward idea.

2:21:18Because it's a pay it forward idea,

2:21:20we don't need grants and subsidies.

2:21:22If you need grants and subsidies,

2:21:23you can only produce a few units

2:21:24and you can't solve the problem.

2:21:26So the idea is to pay it forward constantly

2:21:29as people sell to help more people.

2:21:31And every time we get a sale,

2:21:32we can build two to three more units.

2:21:34So we actually expand the solution

2:21:36by virtue of not restricting what people do with their homes.

2:21:40Thank you very much.

2:21:44Thank you through you, Mr. Mayor.

2:21:46So I just wanna, this may be,

2:21:50there are some places in Guelphs

2:21:51where this has to do with the impacts

2:21:53on the adjacent industrial uses

2:21:55that some of your residents may experience,

2:21:58some noise or anything.

2:22:00Sometimes there is something untitled that can be put on.

2:22:02I'm not quite sure what it is.

2:22:04They do it in, I think with housing

2:22:06that was built around the Dole Lime area,

2:22:09I had to have it untitled as a warning to say

2:22:12that they acknowledge, not even a warning,

2:22:14it's just acknowledging the existence

2:22:16of the site or being close to industry.

2:22:21Will that be happening as well?

2:22:23Because you're right adjacent to it?

2:22:25Correct, that we've done quite a number of projects

2:22:28close to industries because we've built

2:22:30in the city of Toronto.

2:22:31And what we do is put in the condo documents,

2:22:34the warning clause, so it gets passed on

2:22:37from owner to owner as the condo docs are passed on.

2:22:40And that's already been something that's been discussed

2:22:42with staff and something that we're quite committed to

2:22:44because we want people to understand.

2:22:46Now having said that, the buildings are designed

2:22:49so that inside the units you're not affected by.

2:22:53But the warning is still there because when you open

2:22:55your unit, your windows, there's industry there.

2:23:01Great, oh and Councillor Goller is our final, go ahead.

2:23:05Thank you through your worship, too, Mr. Lef.

2:23:07Thank you so much for being here today.

2:23:10Could, would you be the right person to talk

2:23:11about the time-lapse for the project

2:23:14and when the units might be expected to be available

2:23:16for our Guelph employees?

2:23:20Sure, and to some degree you can also pose

2:23:24the question to Kiwi Newton, who'll be our contractor.

2:23:27But what our expectation is, we,

2:23:32given support from council, we're hoping

2:23:35to be under construction within a year.

2:23:38We, I'd like it to be preferably a late fall of next year

2:23:43because certain types of servicing work can do best

2:23:45when the ground is frozen.

2:23:48And because of the Kiwi Newton system,

2:23:50which is a prefabricated penalized system,

2:23:52it can build faster than you normally would.

2:23:54So we're hoping for an 18 month construction period

2:23:57before the first people start moving in.

2:24:00Now that will certainly be the case

2:24:01with the townhouses, with our wood construction,

2:24:03but with the apartments, it's a challenge for them

2:24:06to see if they can do it in 18 months,

2:24:08but certainly 24 months, that will be pretty well done.

2:24:11Okay, okay.

2:24:12Thank you, thank you very much.

2:24:13Thank you, Worship.

2:24:15Great, seeing nothing further, thanks Mike, appreciate it.

2:24:19Moving right along, Jeremiah Vanderland from Kiwi Newton

2:24:23is going to be joining us, believe by video.

2:24:29Hello everyone, I'm hoping you can hear me right now.

2:24:33Yes, we can, it's Mayor Guthrie,

2:24:36thanks a lot, Jeremiah, for joining us, we appreciate it.

2:24:39And I don't know if you heard at the beginning,

2:24:41but you have no more than 10 minutes, okay?

2:24:43So, and then once you're done,

2:24:45just stick on the screen there,

2:24:46if anyone has a follow up question, okay?

2:24:49But please go right ahead.

2:24:51Thank you, there should be some slides that are coming up.

2:24:53So I'll just, I'll start talking

2:24:55and those should join on the screen in a minute or two.

2:24:58But good afternoon, everyone.

2:24:59My name is Jeremiah Vanderland

2:25:01and I am speaking on behalf of Kiwi Newton,

2:25:03who is the planned builder for this project.

2:25:06So Kiwi Newton is a Guelph-based design builder

2:25:10in advanced construction manufacturer

2:25:12with more than 30 years of experience

2:25:14delivering residential, industrial, commercial

2:25:17and institutional projects.

2:25:19Kiwi brings together capabilities

2:25:21that are often divided among numerous companies

2:25:25and we employ people with skills in design, engineering,

2:25:29construction management, project management,

2:25:31manufacturing, mechanical, electrical

2:25:34and onsite construction.

2:25:36Go to the next slide.

2:25:38Kiwi's mission is to provide high quality,

2:25:41affordable and sustainable construction at scale.

2:25:45Now, each part of this mission is important.

2:25:47High quality means creating buildings

2:25:50that are durable, comfortable, energy efficient

2:25:53and intended for long-term use.

2:25:55Affordable means improving both the cost

2:25:58of constructing the building

2:25:59and the ongoing cost of living in it.

2:26:02Sustainable means reducing energy consumption,

2:26:06waste and emissions while creating buildings

2:26:08with long service lives.

2:26:10And then lastly, at scale,

2:26:12means moving beyond isolated projects

2:26:14and developing the facilities, employees, production systems

2:26:18and repeatable building designs required

2:26:20to produce a meaningful volume of housing.

2:26:23Canada cannot solve its housing shortage

2:26:25by treating every new building

2:26:27as a completely unique prototype.

2:26:29The industry needs more repeatable systems

2:26:32that serve architectural flexibility

2:26:34while improving productivity, quality

2:26:37and cost predictability.

2:26:39Next slide.

2:26:41So the question is, how do we do that?

2:26:43Well, our strategy is built upon three principles.

2:26:46First, we think like an automotive company.

2:26:48We employ an in-house team for planning, design,

2:26:50engineering, manufacturing and construction.

2:26:53This allows us to make sure that the design works optimally

2:26:57for manufacturing the components

2:26:59and assembling them on site.

2:27:00Second, we leverage process standardization

2:27:03with design flexibility.

2:27:05We know that the more we can standardize our processes,

2:27:08the more efficient we can become

2:27:09and the more affordable and high quality the end result can be.

2:27:13Standardization does not mean

2:27:14that every building needs to look the same.

2:27:16We can standardize the underlying systems

2:27:19while still allowing flexibility in the building's design.

2:27:22Third, once a process has been standardized,

2:27:25automation can be designed around it.

2:27:27We have invested in equipment to increase our productivity

2:27:30for manufacturing, shipping, assembling

2:27:32and finishing buildings.

2:27:34With this strategy, we are able to produce buildings

2:27:37that are high quality, affordable,

2:27:39while also being extremely energy efficient.

2:27:42This is how we reduce cost, not by lowering quality,

2:27:46but by improving the process.

2:27:48Next slide.

2:27:50QEI has made significant investments in Guelph

2:27:52to support this approach.

2:27:54QEI is recently working on phase 205

2:27:56of our expansion plans.

2:27:58Once phase two is complete,

2:28:00QEI will be able to produce roughly 760 housing units

2:28:03per year and future phases increase that

2:28:06to 1,875 housing units per year.

2:28:10Now these capacity figures

2:28:12are not simply long-term aspirations.

2:28:15QEI is actively investing in the floor space,

2:28:18equipment, technology and work space, workforce,

2:28:21required to make them happen.

2:28:24This capacity, this production of housing units

2:28:27doesn't happen by accident.

2:28:29It requires equipment, robotics, engineering,

2:28:32training, logistics, steel fabrication,

2:28:34precast fabrication, skilled people

2:28:37and a predictable pipeline of projects.

2:28:41That is why Clair Road is important.

2:28:43It helps put local housing manufacturing capacity to work

2:28:47so that we can increase our capacity.

2:28:50Next slide.

2:28:51QEI's investment in housing capacity

2:28:53has been recognized and supported

2:28:55by the Province of Ontario and the federal government.

2:28:58The province has seen what QEI is building in Guelph

2:29:00and is supporting our expansion

2:29:02through the Southwestern Ontario Development Fund.

2:29:05That support is helping us expand our facilities

2:29:07at advanced manufacturing equipment,

2:29:10improve production processes

2:29:11and increase our residential construction capacity.

2:29:15The federal government has also recognized

2:29:17the potential of this approach.

2:29:18QEI is a lead partner in the initiatives

2:29:21supported through NGEN's advanced manufacturing

2:29:24home building challenge,

2:29:25alongside the Linnemar Innovation Hub

2:29:28and home opportunities.

2:29:30QEI contributes the building system,

2:29:32design build expertise in manufacturing capacity.

2:29:35Linnemar contributes advanced manufacturing

2:29:38and automation expertise.

2:29:40Home opportunities contributes

2:29:41the attainable home ownership model.

2:29:44The province sees the value in what QEI is doing.

2:29:46The federal government sees the value

2:29:48in what QEI is building.

2:29:50And the development at Claire Road

2:29:52gives Guelph the opportunity to help put that investment,

2:29:55support and manufacturing capacity

2:29:58to work here in our own community.

2:30:01Next slide.

2:30:02Now I want to be very clear on quality.

2:30:05Cost effective housing should not mean low quality housing.

2:30:09Affordable housing should not be disposable housing.

2:30:13The QEI Precast System is based

2:30:15on durable concrete walls and floor panels.

2:30:19It is designed for long-term performance,

2:30:21energy efficiency, acoustic separation,

2:30:24fire resistance and reduced operating costs.

2:30:27Affordability is not just the purchase price.

2:30:29A home also has to be affordable to heat,

2:30:32cool, maintain and operate over time.

2:30:36Next slide.

2:30:37Our Kingston Housing Study demonstrates this.

2:30:40The project uses the same QEI Precast System

2:30:43with energy modeling showing a 61.5% reduction

2:30:47in energy use intensity compared

2:30:50with the applicable National Energy Code baseline.

2:30:53Next slide.

2:30:54It also reduces the greenhouse gas intensity

2:30:57by 83% compared to normal construction.

2:31:01So the goal is not simply to build homes cheaper.

2:31:04The goal is to build homes better,

2:31:07more predictably and more efficiently.

2:31:09That is what QEI Newton does.

2:31:11Next slide.

2:31:13The other point that I want to make

2:31:15is about the construction economy in a larger sense.

2:31:18It is very difficult to make new housing projects work

2:31:21right now.

2:31:22Construction costs, financing costs, municipal costs

2:31:25and buyer affordability are all putting pressure

2:31:28on housing projects.

2:31:29The construction industry is not simply holding back

2:31:32an unlimited supply of easy to build projects.

2:31:35It is searching for viable ways

2:31:37to get housing into construction.

2:31:39The Home Opportunities Model provides a credible path forward

2:31:43at a time when many conventional projects

2:31:46are struggling to proceed.

2:31:48Now, I want to be very careful with my tone here.

2:31:51I don't want my tone to come across

2:31:53as arrogant, overconfident, biased

2:31:55or suffering from tunnel vision.

2:31:57I want this to come across as a genuine plea,

2:32:01a genuine piece of advice from someone

2:32:03who sees the construction industry

2:32:05across all of Ontario right now.

2:32:08Council should not assume that if this project is delayed

2:32:10or lost, that another developer will automatically

2:32:13arrive with a replacement project offering

2:32:16the same combination of attainable home ownership,

2:32:19local manufacturing and employment,

2:32:21high quality construction, strong energy performance,

2:32:24a committed nonprofit partner, and a realistic path

2:32:28towards construction.

2:32:30Next slide.

2:32:32Kiwi is a Guelph employer.

2:32:34This project would help Guelph employers

2:32:35attract and retain talent because housing availability

2:32:39is an economic development issue.

2:32:42Kiwi was recently recognized as the 2026 Guelph Today

2:32:45Economic Development Community Builder.

2:32:47That recognition came as a result of our commitment

2:32:50to invest in our Guelph office, manufacturing, expansion,

2:32:55expansion and high value local jobs.

2:32:58The development at Clare Road would build directly

2:33:00on that investment.

2:33:02And for Guelph, it is a chance to show

2:33:03that housing targets can be supported by local innovation,

2:33:07local employment, and real construction capacity.

2:33:10This is an opportunity to build housing in Guelph,

2:33:13using Guelph expertise, Guelph employees,

2:33:16and Guelph manufacturing capacity.

2:33:18Next slide.

2:33:19And so finally, Kiwi Newton respectfully

2:33:21asked Council to consider this application positively

2:33:24and support the development as it advances

2:33:26through the planning process.

2:33:28This is a rare alignment of housing need,

2:33:31local capacity, committed partners,

2:33:33and a model designed to move homes forward.

2:33:36Let's make this happen together.

2:33:38Thank you.

2:33:39That's all I got.

2:33:42All right.

2:33:43Thank you, Jeremiah.

2:33:44We appreciate that.

2:33:45And we appreciate you taking the time.

2:33:46Councillor Allt has a quick question for you.

2:33:50Thank you very, very much, Mr. Vanderlaan.

2:33:53I truly appreciate your passion

2:33:55and also I would say compassion

2:33:58for those that are in the housing market

2:34:01of which you have described.

2:34:03I'll also point out that I'm 100% fully supportive

2:34:07of your pitch for the IKEA model of home building.

2:34:12I'm just looking for a key and then I might join you.

2:34:16But I do have a couple of questions

2:34:18that might be a bit hard ballin' if they are.

2:34:20There's no malice intended.

2:34:23First of all, the timeframe from shovel

2:34:26in the ground to occupancy.

2:34:28What are we looking at in terms of specifics?

2:34:32Yes, great question.

2:34:34So it definitely depends on what kind of building

2:34:36we're constructing.

2:34:37So there's two different towers

2:34:40that are being considered there.

2:34:42I would say that largest tower is about 18 months.

2:34:44So shovel ground to occupancy is about 18 months.

2:34:48Thank you.

2:34:49Now theoretically, and I'm only gonna ask you theoretically

2:34:53because I'm sure you're not able

2:34:55to give me the hard numbers on this.

2:34:57What percentage below market value are we looking at

2:35:01for these units because you sold me, okay?

2:35:06And I'm hearing that it's affordable.

2:35:08So now I just need to know 10%, 15%,

2:35:12100% below market value.

2:35:14What are we looking at?

2:35:15Yeah, I'm gonna assume you're talking

2:35:17about construction costs there.

2:35:18Yes.

2:35:19So on construction costs, we find we're anywhere

2:35:21from 10 to 20% less than kind of industry average

2:35:25on construction costs per square foot.

2:35:28And thank you and thank you Kiwi Newton.

2:35:32I am keen on Kiwi Newton and maybe I'll have you come

2:35:36to one of my breakfast one day

2:35:37to pitch people on this as well.

2:35:38Thanks very much.

2:35:39Thank you.

2:35:41Just make sure he pays for your breakfast, Jeremiah.

2:35:44For sure.

2:35:45Wait a minute.

2:35:45Councillor Corrine has a question for you as well.

2:35:50Thank you.

2:35:51Thank you.

2:35:52Your energy efficiency numbers were incredible.

2:35:56Very impressive.

2:35:57Are they related to the form of energy

2:35:59and the, or you're using renewable sources

2:36:02or is it just the building envelope

2:36:06and the design and engineering piece?

2:36:11Great question.

2:36:12So those numbers are related to the design

2:36:15and engineering of our building system

2:36:17that can be further increased by renewables.

2:36:22So the project is considering a large solar array

2:36:26for the property as well,

2:36:27but the roughly 60% reduction in energy usage,

2:36:31that can be done with basically it's our air tightness,

2:36:34our strong insulation details, our strong window details,

2:36:39and really just the detailing of the system itself.

2:36:43Great.

2:36:44Thanks very much.

2:36:46Great, Jeremiah.

2:36:47That is all the questions we have.

2:36:49We'll let you get back to building more homes.

2:36:51Awesome. Thank you.

2:36:53Thank you very much.

2:36:54All right, Sean Scott is up next from Lindemar.

2:36:58Thanks Sean for coming.

2:37:00And is Valerie Vanerwijk here?

2:37:05I'm sorry, I don't have my glasses on.

2:37:06Is Valerie here?

2:37:07Oh, okay, I'm sorry.

2:37:09Yeah, you're in the wings, okay?

2:37:10Thank you.

2:37:11So Sean, thanks a lot for waiting and it's over to you.

2:37:14Okay, thank you.

2:37:15Excellent.

2:37:16Thank you, Mr. Mayor, councillors, city staff.

2:37:18Appreciate your time.

2:37:20I wanna bring greetings on behalf of the

2:37:22almost 10,000 employees from Lindemar to you today.

2:37:26I've been a resident of Guelph proudly since 1995

2:37:31and I've been employed at Lindemar for 30 years

2:37:34and I've seen the tremendous growth the organizations had

2:37:38and the incredible impact that it's had on the community.

2:37:42And of course that the employees have had

2:37:44on the success of Lindemar.

2:37:46I'd like to thank home opportunities

2:37:48and our community partners for bringing attention

2:37:51to your attention, one of the most important issues

2:37:53facing working families today, which is affordable housing.

2:37:57At Lindemar, we see firsthand how affordable housing

2:37:59affects our employees, how it affects our business,

2:38:02and the overall health of our community.

2:38:05Many of our employees are highly skilled individuals

2:38:07contribute every day to manufacturing, to innovation,

2:38:11and to economic growth, yet an increasing number

2:38:13of workers face housing that they can't afford,

2:38:18face finding housing that, sorry,

2:38:21yet an increasing number of workers find housing

2:38:24they cannot afford housing in the community that they live.

2:38:29Across Canada, housing costs have risen faster

2:38:32than incomes in many communities,

2:38:34making it hard for workers to live near their jobs.

2:38:37Recent research from CMHC has shown

2:38:40that high housing costs are reducing labor mobility

2:38:44and making it more difficult for employers

2:38:46to attract and retain talent.

2:38:50Research shows, and we believe that when employees

2:38:52can afford to live in the same community

2:38:55where they work, everyone benefits.

2:38:57Employees have shared with us their desire

2:38:59to spend less time commuting, more time with their families,

2:39:04and they experience the financial stress

2:39:06of turning on the TV every day, seeing the news,

2:39:09and the impact of the increase of gas prices on their lives

2:39:14as well as everyday essentials.

2:39:16They want to ensure a better quality of life

2:39:18for themselves and their family.

2:39:21Research shows that stable housing is linked

2:39:23to improved well-being, stronger community engagement,

2:39:27and greater economic opportunity.

2:39:30Littemar and all employers will benefit

2:39:33from more affordable housing as well.

2:39:35Affordable housing supports workforce stability.

2:39:40It improves recruitment and retention.

2:39:43It helps reduce our turnover costs.

2:39:45It helps organizations reign competitive

2:39:47in attracting skilled employees.

2:39:50The more of our employees who can live locally,

2:39:52the more that can support local businesses

2:39:55that can volunteer in communities,

2:39:57that can participate in civic life,

2:39:59and help create more vibrant neighborhoods.

2:40:03Therefore, we know affordable housing

2:40:04is not just a social issue.

2:40:06It's an economic development issue,

2:40:08and for us, it's a workforce issue.

2:40:12I want to thank you for listening this afternoon.

2:40:14I want to thank you for the work you're doing,

2:40:16building stronger communities,

2:40:18a community where everyone can live, work,

2:40:20and thrive in the same place.

2:40:23Thanks for your time and for investing

2:40:25in the prosperity of the region.

2:40:29Thank you so much, Sean.

2:40:32We really appreciate it.

2:40:33On behalf of Littemar, being here today, thank you.

2:40:36And is there any follow-up questions for Sean?

2:40:39There isn't, so thank you very much.

2:40:42And Valerie, Valerie's coming up here.

2:40:46On behalf of the Indigenous Skills

2:40:47Employment Apprenticeship and Development.

2:40:50So thank you, Valerie.

2:40:53And is Lainey here?

2:40:56Okay, you're in the wings, okay?

2:40:58Over to you, Valerie, thank you.

2:41:02Good afternoon, your worship counselors, Chimi Gwech.

2:41:07Willaylin, for having me here today to speak with you.

2:41:09My name is Valerie Van Der Waik,

2:41:11and I am a McMaw First Nations woman.

2:41:14My family originated from what is now known

2:41:16as Halifax, Nova Scotia,

2:41:18and Black Point, Rustigouche County, in New Brunswick.

2:41:21I currently reside in the traditional territory

2:41:24of the Haudenosaunee people of the Longhouse,

2:41:26Six Nations of the Grand River, in Haldeman County,

2:41:30inside the Haldeman tract.

2:41:32I am forever grateful to the Six Nations

2:41:35of the Grand River and the Mississaugas of credit

2:41:38for their stewardship of the land,

2:41:40where I am allowed to live and raise my family.

2:41:44I come here today representing

2:41:46Indigenous Skills, Employment, Apprenticeship,

2:41:48and Development, and I'm just gonna take

2:41:49a couple of minutes, I have no slides,

2:41:51I wrote nothing down,

2:41:52and I'm just gonna wing it for everybody.

2:41:55We are a national not-for-profit organization

2:41:58whose mandate is to ensure equitable access

2:42:01and opportunity for Indigenous people

2:42:03and their communities to access employment, training,

2:42:07and apprenticeship in the skilled trades,

2:42:09along with economic development and social enterprise.

2:42:14So we cover all sectors of training through funding

2:42:17and grant monies that we receive through partners

2:42:20and the building trades corporations,

2:42:22through other community groups,

2:42:24and it covers all spectrums of opportunities

2:42:27for employment and training.

2:42:30When I was first approached by home opportunities

2:42:35and the inquiry that they were making

2:42:37with regards to those pieces that are so important

2:42:40for ICEDE, as we call it,

2:42:44I'm reminded, again, as a First Nations woman,

2:42:48of the Crown's duty to consult under sections 25 and 35

2:42:52of the Constitution Act of 1982.

2:42:55I am reminded of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission

2:42:58called to action number 92, asking business

2:43:01to stand up and do their part in reconciliation

2:43:04with the First Nations people of this country

2:43:06across the land.

2:43:08I am reminded of the United Nations Declaration

2:43:11on the Rights of Indigenous People and the Act

2:43:13that followed it here in Canada when it was adopted.

2:43:17And my opportunity to work with Mike LeBae

2:43:21has shown me that with the right intentions,

2:43:24with proper consultation, these partnerships

2:43:27can be formed, relationships built,

2:43:30and obstacles overcome before they even begin.

2:43:34It's been my sincere pleasure to work with this consortium,

2:43:37ensuring that the Mississaugas of Credit First Nation

2:43:40and the Six Nations of the Grand River

2:43:42both had their voices heard with this group of individuals.

2:43:48A large portion of Indigenous people live off reserve,

2:43:51the vast majority, simply because housing, space,

2:43:54affordability, multi-generational families living together,

2:43:59overcrowding, leading to increased illness, disease,

2:44:03poor water quality, I could go on,

2:44:05but I only have six minutes left.

2:44:07So these opportunities in working in partnership

2:44:11with this consortium affords Indigenous people

2:44:14living off reserve the exact same opportunity

2:44:17as anyone else to enter into affordable home ownership

2:44:20based on their income, which is not something

2:44:25that many of them have the opportunity

2:44:26to attain living on reserve.

2:44:29So we're very proud of the fact

2:44:31that we've been able to facilitate these discussions

2:44:34and that we've been able to forge forward

2:44:36with the partnership and understanding and clear support

2:44:39from both of these nations as is so important,

2:44:42considering where we're looking at putting this development.

2:44:46I'm gonna share with you a personal story.

2:44:49My husband passed away a year and a half ago.

2:44:53Five years prior to his passing,

2:44:55he worked for Jaros Manufacturing here in Guelph

2:44:59as a project manager and manufacturing engineering technologist

2:45:04throughout the pandemic, throughout everything.

2:45:07We live in Kyuga, Ontario.

2:45:10His commute was an hour and a half here

2:45:13and sometimes two hours home, depending on traffic.

2:45:17Many's the time I wanted to relocate to Guelph

2:45:20to take that load off of him so that he could give back

2:45:23to his family the three to four hours

2:45:25that he was spending commuting.

2:45:27Unfortunately for us, we were unable to afford a home in Guelph.

2:45:34So a large portion of his time was spent commuting

2:45:37instead of spending it with his son, his daughter and myself.

2:45:41We're grateful to Jaros Manufacturing for providing us

2:45:44with an income that allowed us to maintain our lifestyle

2:45:47in Kyuga.

2:45:49So I would ask Council to please put forward

2:45:52your best and foremost consideration on the impact

2:45:55that developments like this can do to change the lives

2:45:58of individuals who want to live, work and flourish in Guelph.

2:46:04Jimmy Gwetch, Will Allen.

2:46:07Well, thank you so much and thank you for sharing that story.

2:46:10It's difficult to do, but we appreciate that very much.

2:46:13And thank you for coming to make the presentation.

2:46:16Is there a follow-up at all at this time?

2:46:19There isn't, but on behalf of Council again,

2:46:21thank you very, very much.

2:46:24Let's go to Lainey.

2:46:26I think that's next.

2:46:28And then is Viren here?

2:46:32Okay, you're in the wings.

2:46:33Okay, Viren.

2:46:39All right, thank you very much for coming.

2:46:40I'll turn it over to you.

2:46:41Okay.

2:46:44Good afternoon, Mayor, Council members and everyone else here.

2:46:48This is my first time in this chambers.

2:46:51So I'm relying on you to educate me on the way this goes.

2:46:57My name is Lainey Hales and I'm an immigrant to Guelph.

2:47:02I came 30 something years ago

2:47:05as an immigrant international student,

2:47:08University of Guelph.

2:47:10And I have left and lived overseas and came back.

2:47:13I work here.

2:47:15I am an adult educator.

2:47:16I raised a teenager here.

2:47:19And I have been a volunteer.

2:47:22I've coached basketball, worked with or volunteered

2:47:26with the Guelph Museum and various other organizations,

2:47:30Black History Society, Black Heritage Society.

2:47:33But I just recently graduated from Wilfred Laurier.

2:47:38I just completed a master's degree

2:47:40in clinical psychotherapy.

2:47:42And I'm looking for work in Guelph.

2:47:44I've been doing a lot of commuting back and forth.

2:47:48But I am a long-term and a long-time renter in Guelph.

2:47:53I have never owned a house in Guelph.

2:47:56And I have been living in Guelph for a total of 15 years now.

2:48:01So I'm very grateful to Guelph.

2:48:05I have a history here.

2:48:06My father came here as a university student in 1957.

2:48:10And my brother sister were born here as well.

2:48:13But I'm here to support the call for affordable housing

2:48:18projects in Guelph for working people,

2:48:22for working families particularly.

2:48:25I have three points I would like to share with you.

2:48:29First and foremost, and I think this goes,

2:48:32and I hope this goes without saying,

2:48:35everyone deserves the security and dignity

2:48:41of a safe, affordable home and community.

2:48:47Working educated, single-headed households like mine,

2:48:54we are forced to spend a significant amount of our income

2:49:00and time to meet a basic need called shelter.

2:49:09We already service for-profit landlords, rich bankers,

2:49:14mortgage corporations, which may not even necessarily

2:49:16be in Guelph.

2:49:18So my question to you is, will you really

2:49:22consider what's being presented here

2:49:24and serve working citizens, local citizens like us?

2:49:31Second, Guelph working residents,

2:49:34we need a range of housing alternatives

2:49:38in various geographic areas.

2:49:42Restrictive boundaries and the stigma

2:49:44of subsidized housing projects, also known as hoods

2:49:49in my vernacular.

2:49:52It deters working individuals and families, like myself,

2:49:56from finding a stable place to call home.

2:50:01So my plea to you is, would you consider releasing spaces

2:50:06that encourage us to live locally?

2:50:09Because that way we can live and work

2:50:13more in a more productive and satisfactory life locally.

2:50:22Third, your Guelph territorial acknowledgement

2:50:26states that we are guests here.

2:50:31And we have the responsibility to care for the land, the people

2:50:37who live here now and generations to come.

2:50:40I appreciate it here, that in the territorial acknowledgement.

2:50:46And I'm wondering, don't you think it ab- who's us

2:50:49to now make intentional, sustainable decisions

2:50:54regarding land stewardship and local humanity?

2:51:01Please make good on reconciliation rhetoric

2:51:07and move towards making land access more equitable.

2:51:14So overall, basically what I'm asking for

2:51:17is to choose compassion and ethical decision making

2:51:22and your decisions in considering what we're

2:51:25talking about today.

2:51:27I'm asking for investment.

2:51:30Invest in solutions that center people in a dignified

2:51:38and for mutual benefit.

2:51:41Allow affordable access to land so it

2:51:47can meet our basic housing needs and maximize housing

2:51:51opportunities.

2:51:54Let's show that our city is not backed

2:51:57by single focus, high level establishment parties

2:52:06and welcomes residents of all types and backgrounds,

2:52:10all types of backgrounds and income levels.

2:52:14I also want to mention that as an adult educator,

2:52:17I teach immigrants and refugees mostly in the kitchen

2:52:21or waterloo area.

2:52:22But I've also been an educator at University of Guelph

2:52:25and in the community here, Action Read downtown Guelph.

2:52:29A lot of my students, or majority of them,

2:52:33are actually refugees and immigrants or low income.

2:52:37And a lot of them work at Linnimar, Eritrean students,

2:52:41particularly.

2:52:43And they're commuting from kitchen or waterloo.

2:52:46So I see them and I hear them and they speak to me

2:52:48about what wealth means to them.

2:52:51And for me, I'm speaking for citizens.

2:52:56I'm working.

2:52:57I'm actually educated as I mentioned.

2:53:00But I'm constantly wondering, can I stay in Guelph?

2:53:04I really have roots in Guelph from my family, as I mentioned.

2:53:09But I am constantly debating whether I can stay here.

2:53:14And whether the work that I'm constantly commuting to or school

2:53:18in kitchen or waterloo is worth it for me to stay here.

2:53:21But I have my feet here.

2:53:23I want to be here.

2:53:25I made a choice to come back to Guelph at my more advanced age.

2:53:30So my plea is to ask you to really consider these points

2:53:37and to think about the others, people who are like myself

2:53:42and working people, people who work very hard.

2:53:45Thank you for this opportunity.

2:53:48Well, thank you very much.

2:53:50Was it difficult your first time here?

2:53:52We make it pretty comfortable, right?

2:53:54Oh, you mean right now here?

2:53:56It was pretty easy, right?

2:53:57It's a little chilly in this place.

2:53:58Oh, OK.

2:53:59Other than the temperature.

2:54:03Yeah.

2:54:04It was pretty good.

2:54:05All right.

2:54:05It was pretty good.

2:54:06I like that.

2:54:07Well, you did great for your first time, OK?

2:54:09Just want to make sure everyone's always comfortable here.

2:54:11So it's good.

2:54:13This is community, right?

2:54:14So is there any questions by anyone?

2:54:16OK.

2:54:16Counselor Bousatil has a question.

2:54:20Through the mayor, thank you very much for your presentation,

2:54:22Laney.

2:54:25Resonates very much with me.

2:54:26I often talked about my dental hygienist that drives all the way

2:54:29in from Shelburne, same kind of situation,

2:54:32affordability here local.

2:54:33But in your delegation, you talked to you,

2:54:36you urged us to think about a range of housing.

2:54:39And you made reference to subsidized public kind

2:54:42of community housing.

2:54:44And so I'm asking you in your on the ground kind of experience,

2:54:49if this kind of a model creates space for some of the residents

2:54:53who are in paying market rent in community housing,

2:54:58social housing, public housing to move.

2:55:01Because when you talk about a range of housing,

2:55:04we desperately need more public housing.

2:55:07So when you think about your range,

2:55:10is there that possibility to create a movement in that parking

2:55:14lot where we're kind of stuck?

2:55:17When you say, if I may ask, when you say a range,

2:55:21you're talking about the same location?

2:55:25So in the city of Guelph, yes.

2:55:28A range, you talked about a range of housing.

2:55:31OK, so it can be both ways.

2:55:33It can be various locations, which I refer to.

2:55:37I'm also talking about diversity in one area.

2:55:41There is more things that connect us

2:55:43than there are differences if we actually are connected.

2:55:48Somebody had referred to, I can't remember who it was,

2:55:51helping people in the community.

2:55:53So when I talk about a range, you get one type.

2:55:57Yeah, you can have one type of income in one place that kind

2:56:00of creates a stigma, as I mentioned.

2:56:05But you're talking about in the same location.

2:56:08That's a very good thing.

2:56:09But I was also referring to different locations in Guelph

2:56:15for diversifying the city of Guelph, different place.

2:56:20So you're not thinking of the inner city?

2:56:24Thank you.

2:56:25Answer your question.

2:56:25Perfect, thank you.

2:56:27Great, and seeing nothing further,

2:56:29thank you again for joining us.

2:56:30We appreciate it.

2:56:31We'll see you back here another time, hopefully.

2:56:34OK, Viren, come on forward.

2:56:37Just as Viren is getting ready, I

2:56:40am just wanting to make sure from a, come on forward.

2:56:42Yeah, as an agenda management, I want

2:56:45to make sure everyone's kind of hearing me out on this.

2:56:48We have one, two, three, four, five, six.

2:56:52We have seven at a minimum of more people

2:56:57that are signed up for delegating.

2:56:59Then I have to open it up to the floor.

2:57:01Then I have to open it up for people to call in.

2:57:06And I'm just going to be really upfront with everybody here.

2:57:08Council has to take a break.

2:57:11OK, we have to have a break.

2:57:13So when I look at the agenda, and I

2:57:16look at all the other stuff that's on our agenda,

2:57:20I just want to say that the next agenda item

2:57:26is the Ward Heritage Conservation District.

2:57:30And we have a presentation and then one delegation.

2:57:34And we have the Urban Design Master Plan

2:57:38for Duke Street Midtown Village.

2:57:42I would not be surprised that we don't even

2:57:46start the Ward Heritage Conservation District

2:57:54until like 7.30 a quarter to 8.

2:57:59So the reason why I'm saying that is so that if there are people

2:58:02here that are waiting around for that agenda item,

2:58:07you're going to be waiting around a couple more hours.

2:58:10If you are here in this room for the Urban Design Master Plan

2:58:16and there's a lot of delegations that are signed up for that,

2:58:19like that could be 8.15.

2:58:24So I'm just trying to make sure everyone is hearing what it is

2:58:27in case you want to go for a coffee or something like that.

2:58:29Come back later.

2:58:31So please just be aware of time, everybody,

2:58:33as we continue on in our agenda.

2:58:35And we are going to go through the delegations, which

2:58:37is another hour at least.

2:58:41And then we're going to take a half an hour break after that.

2:58:44So right now, Viren, thanks for letting me interrupt you.

2:58:47And you have the floor.

2:58:49OK, go right ahead.

2:58:54Hello, counselor.

2:58:55And hello, everyone.

2:58:57My name is Viren.

2:58:58And I'm working for a Lena Mar in the Gulf.

2:59:01I live in a Woodstock.

2:59:04And I travel about an hour each way to work every day.

2:59:10While I enjoy my job, commuting has its challenges.

2:59:16I spend around two hours a day on the road, which takes time away

2:59:26from my family, exercise, and work.

2:59:30Community activities.

2:59:41The cost of gas, vehicle maintenance, and repairs

2:59:45adds up quickly.

2:59:49Weather can make commuting even more difficult.

2:59:55Winter storms, snow, ice, and poor road conditions

2:59:59can make travel unsafe and cost delays.

3:00:03In December 2025, severe weather closed highway 401

3:00:06between Woodstock and Gulf, preventing me from getting

3:00:10to work.

3:00:11Another winter storm on January 15, 2026

3:00:15also made travel unsafe.

3:00:19This disruption affect many workers

3:00:21who commute from nearby communities.

3:00:24The main reason I live in Woodstock is affordability.

3:00:30Housing there is more within my budget than housing in a Gulf.

3:00:35Like many families, I choose to live

3:00:38where I could afford a stable home.

3:00:41If more affordable housing were available in a Gulf,

3:00:46I would seriously consider moving here.

3:00:49Living closer to work would reduce commuting time and cost,

3:00:53give me more time with my family.

3:00:58I know many other workers face the same situation.

3:01:02More affordable housing in a Gulf would help people

3:01:06live closer to their jobs, improve their quality of lives,

3:01:11and strengthen the community.

3:01:13Thank you for considering the experiences of people like me

3:01:17who would welcome the opportunity to live and work

3:01:23in the same community.

3:01:25Thank you, sir.

3:01:26Thank you.

3:01:27Thank you very much.

3:01:28We appreciate your presentation and your thoughts on it, too.

3:01:31Let me just see if there's a follow-up question

3:01:34from Councillor Goller.

3:01:36Thank you and through your workshop, too, Mr. O'Chara.

3:01:38Thank you very much for presenting today.

3:01:40Could you all let me know how long have you been looking

3:01:43to move and live in Gulf?

3:01:45Almost from last two years.

3:01:47Last two years, yeah.

3:01:48OK, I appreciate that.

3:01:50Thank you very much for presenting.

3:01:51Thank you.

3:01:53Seeing nothing further, we appreciate your point of view.

3:01:56Thank you very much.

3:01:57Appreciate it.

3:01:58OK, Terry, you already are in the wings.

3:02:02We appreciate that.

3:02:03Marva, you're here, right?

3:02:04You're in the wings now.

3:02:05OK, Terry, thanks for joining us.

3:02:08Go right ahead.

3:02:09Hello, everyone.

3:02:10My name is Terry Jarvis.

3:02:13I'm a retiree living in Ward 6, and I'm also

3:02:17an active volunteer in our great Gulf community,

3:02:20especially through my Rotary Club.

3:02:23I love this city, but like many of us,

3:02:26I worry about our lack of affordable housing.

3:02:29So I'm here tonight to speak from the heart,

3:02:31and I have just three brief points.

3:02:35The first is that I see there's a near impossibility

3:02:39for many young people to get onto the home owner's

3:02:42bit ladder.

3:02:44Secondly, without affordable housing,

3:02:47many talented employees often cannot come to nor stay

3:02:51in Gulf, which also places stress on businesses and employers

3:02:56that need their local talent to be living nearby.

3:02:59Furthermore, a point not mentioned so far

3:03:02is that I believe there are many older folks on fixed incomes

3:03:07who also need affordable housing and would

3:03:10love to downsize, perhaps, and live independently

3:03:14in a multi-generational neighborhood near shops.

3:03:18We have before us a really remarkable opportunity here

3:03:22that has been spelled out.

3:03:24And so I have today just a simple request to the city.

3:03:28Please prioritize this rezoning so

3:03:31that an amazing project can move forward

3:03:34and make a lot more affordable housing available in Guelph

3:03:38sooner rather than later.

3:03:40Thank you.

3:03:42Well, thank you, Terry.

3:03:43Thanks for hanging around for that.

3:03:45And is there any follow-up for Terry at all?

3:03:49There is not.

3:03:49Thank you very much.

3:03:52Oh, I'm sorry, Terry.

3:03:53I do need you to stick around.

3:03:55I did not see Councillor Chew's hand go up.

3:03:57So please stick around.

3:03:59Councillor Chew, over to you.

3:04:02Thank you, through you, Mr. Mayor.

3:04:03Just a very quick question.

3:04:05Terry, would you mind sharing where you live?

3:04:08I'm just curious to see if you live in proximity

3:04:10to this project.

3:04:11And if that played any influence in your support

3:04:15for this project?

3:04:17No.

3:04:17I'm going to just interject.

3:04:21That's not relevant, where people

3:04:23live anyone that can come up and speak their mind on something

3:04:27doesn't matter about location.

3:04:30So, Terry, I don't think I will leave it up to you

3:04:34to answer that question.

3:04:35But it's not something that's normally needed to be answered.

3:04:39OK, so I'll leave it to you.

3:04:40Mayor Dr, you may rephrase that question.

3:04:43Sure.

3:04:44OK.

3:04:46I'm just curious what your experience is in this area.

3:04:51And if that's influenced your support for this project?

3:04:56I speak really as a concerned and compassionate citizen

3:05:00worried for others.

3:05:05Perfect.

3:05:05Thank you.

3:05:06Councillor, are you OK then?

3:05:07You still have the floor if you have a floor up.

3:05:09Yeah, that's fine.

3:05:09Thank you.

3:05:10OK.

3:05:11Thank you, Terry.

3:05:13Marva, come on down.

3:05:17Mike, I think I saw you here.

3:05:18You're in the front row, right, Mike?

3:05:20Yep, you're in the wings, Mike.

3:05:22Marva, over to you.

3:05:23Thank you for joining us.

3:05:33Thank you, Your Worship.

3:05:35Members of Council and members of the community,

3:05:40the Home Opportunities team, I first

3:05:43met John Farley, who made a presentation to our Rotary Club

3:05:50probably about two and a half years ago

3:05:53about this incredible opportunity for our community.

3:05:57And so I am thinking that we're a little bit behind in terms

3:06:00of the delivery of the presentation that you made,

3:06:04that we were also excited about many community members.

3:06:08As the mayor has said, my name is Marva Bailey Wisdom,

3:06:11and I am a proud Guelphite since 1985.

3:06:16As that's 41 years ago, I moved here to Guelph.

3:06:20And at the time, I think I was 25 years old.

3:06:22Don't do the math, whatever you do.

3:06:26But we were able to afford to purchase a home then.

3:06:30And I know now that would be really

3:06:33impossible for a 25-year-old to move to Guelph

3:06:36and purchase a home.

3:06:38Like many in this room, I love my community.

3:06:41And together, we work to make it a welcoming place where we all

3:06:47can strive, we can thrive, and we certainly can flourish.

3:06:52This evening, I will share the whys

3:06:54and the promise of Guelph very briefly.

3:06:57And I do urge Council to consider

3:07:00the designating with, of course, staff,

3:07:04appropriating industrial or employment lands

3:07:07for affordable residential housing.

3:07:10The benefits are significant, and Guelph

3:07:12can become a model for other Canadian communities.

3:07:17And listening to Guelphites, some of the promises

3:07:21includes what I heard.

3:07:24I was very honored to be a member of Guelph's community

3:07:29plan, an external lead advisor to the plan, which

3:07:34was 2018 and 2019.

3:07:37And in the plan, it talks about the plan becoming

3:07:44Guelph's foundational vision for the city's strategic plan

3:07:48and that it has guided many of the city's master plans.

3:07:52Its vision is one that I believe this proposal directly

3:07:55supports.

3:07:57The community plan has several planks, including housing,

3:08:02including affordable housing.

3:08:05And it tells us that we love where we live.

3:08:08That's what a lot of things that we heard in the community,

3:08:12that we value green walkable neighborhoods where people

3:08:16are connected and can remain in their communities as they age.

3:08:20The recreation center that is going to be in the south

3:08:23and certainly the emergency services that are there,

3:08:28shopping, the green spaces, it is uniquely

3:08:31situated for families and for individuals who need housing now.

3:08:38We want to preserve our unique Guelphiness,

3:08:40they continue to say, while accommodating growth.

3:08:44And most importantly, the community plan

3:08:46recognize that Guelph needs more housing that

3:08:50is affordable, accessible, and suitable for people

3:08:53of all incomes, ages, and circumstances.

3:08:56Why did I share that?

3:08:58It's because I want to remind us that we have asked

3:09:01the community already, like we have been out there,

3:09:05having these deep, deep conversations.

3:09:07And we have said, we hear you and we

3:09:10want to cast forward 10, 15, 20 years from now

3:09:14and casting forward as to what you need and what you

3:09:17wish to see.

3:09:20And the housing vision is very synergistic with this proposal,

3:09:26that everyone has a safe home that meets their needs,

3:09:29that affordable housing choices are available throughout the city,

3:09:33that accessible housing options are expanded,

3:09:35and that young people can afford to stay in Guelph

3:09:38and new residents can choose to make Guelph their home,

3:09:41that people feel safe and supported in their homes

3:09:44and neighborhoods.

3:09:45And you can find that on GoToCityOfGuelph Community

3:09:48Plan website.

3:09:50This proposal advances those goals.

3:09:52So what are we hearing today is hardly new.

3:09:56And it is, again, reemphasizing.

3:09:58I'm also a fellow with the Enveronix Institute for Survey

3:10:01Research, and I want to share a little bit of findings

3:10:04in the 2024 Confederation of Tomorrow survey.

3:10:08The survey found that affordable housing

3:10:10has become one of Canada's most pressing public policy issues.

3:10:14More than 6,000 Canadians were surveyed,

3:10:17and the results were clear.

3:10:18Canadians are much more likely to disapprove

3:10:21than approve of how governments at all levels

3:10:24are addressing the supply of affordable housing.

3:10:2751% disapprove of the federal government's performance.

3:10:3149% disapprove of the provincial government's performance.

3:10:35And municipal governments came in at 42% disapproval.

3:10:40And after listening here tonight,

3:10:42this is the opportunity to take action.

3:10:45Guelph leads in so many areas.

3:10:47We have an incredible community.

3:10:50And I believe we can lead in this area as well.

3:10:53In closing, Council does have this opportunity

3:10:56to make home ownership possible for the people who

3:10:59keep Guelph running.

3:11:00Our workers, our young families, first-time buyers, seniors

3:11:04looking to downsize while remaining in the community

3:11:07they love.

3:11:08Converting appropriate industrial or employment

3:11:10lands to support affordable home ownership

3:11:13is more than a land-use decision.

3:11:16It's an investment in Guelph's future.

3:11:18It strengthens our workforce.

3:11:20This proposal is consistent with the vision of the Guelph

3:11:23community plan, a city where everyone has access

3:11:26to safe, affordable, and suitable housing,

3:11:30and imagine 940 new affordable housing.

3:11:35So I respectfully ask Council to support this proposal

3:11:38and approve the necessary planning changes

3:11:41to allow affordable residential housing on these lands.

3:11:45Together, we can ensure that Guelph remains a city where

3:11:48people not only work but also afford to build a life, raise

3:11:52a family, and afford a home.

3:11:55Thank you for your time.

3:11:56Thank you for your consideration, your service.

3:11:59Thank you for listening and leaning

3:12:01into your caring and compassionate community.

3:12:07Great.

3:12:07Thank you, Marva.

3:12:08Thank you so much for coming.

3:12:09We appreciate it.

3:12:11Is there any follow-up for Marva's presentation?

3:12:15There is not.

3:12:16Thank you.

3:12:17Thank you very much.

3:12:19Mike Dharman, come on forward.

3:12:22And is Amina here?

3:12:26OK, perfect.

3:12:26You're going to be in the wings, OK?

3:12:29So Mike, over to you.

3:12:31Good afternoon, Mayor Guthrie, Councillors and city staff.

3:12:34My name is Mike Dharman, and I'm co-chair of GCAT, the Guelph

3:12:37Community for Active Transportation.

3:12:40I will admit that I was unfamiliar with this development

3:12:42site as it's surrounded by natural heritage, industry,

3:12:46a school, and a recreation center.

3:12:48So I decided to bike to it on a site visit.

3:12:51Looking at the drawings on a laptop or phone

3:12:53simply doesn't work for me.

3:12:54I need to get a feel of the property

3:12:57by actually walking around it and seeing it in context

3:13:00to its surroundings.

3:13:01I found the sign for the application on Claire Road West

3:13:04by the water tower and got my bearings.

3:13:06Unfortunately, the site is inaccessible from Southgate Drive

3:13:09area due to the prevalence of major fence

3:13:12off industrial sites.

3:13:13So I continued my ride back to Claire Road and Poppy Drive

3:13:16and explored the property from the rear of Bishop MacDonald

3:13:20High School and the South End Recreation Center.

3:13:23What immediately struck me was the thought

3:13:26that this development is an ideal opportunity

3:13:28to actually allow people to live almost directly

3:13:31beside where they would work, live, play, and shop.

3:13:35The second thought that came to my mind

3:13:37was actually how quiet it was compared to other places

3:13:40in the city, even with major industries so close by.

3:13:44It seemed far quieter than living near an arterial road.

3:13:47Adding high density residential seemed

3:13:50like an ideal mixed use opportunity,

3:13:52and especially for much needed affordable housing

3:13:55for employees of adjacent businesses and industry.

3:13:58Zoning was created for many reasons in the past

3:14:00that were justified at the time.

3:14:02The housing crisis justifies rethinking rigid zoning,

3:14:06industrial zoning.

3:14:07Ontario faces a severe housing shortage.

3:14:10Large areas of urban land remains reserved exclusively

3:14:13for industrial uses, even where industrial activity

3:14:16has inclined or changed.

3:14:18Preventing any residential development on these lands

3:14:21reduces the supply available for housing.

3:14:25Allowing residential uses on appropriate industrial sites

3:14:28like this one could increase housing supply

3:14:30without expanding city boundaries.

3:14:33Many industrial areas are no longer heavily industrial,

3:14:36and modern industry often consists of warehouses,

3:14:38distribution centers, technology firms,

3:14:41research facilities, and small scale manufacturing.

3:14:45These uses frequently generate far less noise

3:14:48and pollution than traditional factories.

3:14:51Along Southgate, this is almost exactly the case.

3:14:54Perhaps the strongest argument to re-designate these lands

3:14:57comes from industrial, from these lands

3:15:02from industrial to residential,

3:15:03comes from the local industry sector itself.

3:15:06Reading through the correspondence from industry

3:15:08supporters like Kiwi Newton, Lenomar, and Denso,

3:15:11it struck me that this is a unique combined economic

3:15:14development, employment, and affordable housing

3:15:17development opportunity all in one.

3:15:20This is an opportunity that far exceeds keeping the site

3:15:22only for employment lands and may only ultimately

3:15:25include a similar industry that employs fewer employees.

3:15:29Kiwi Newton's analysis perhaps is the strongest.

3:15:32They have the capability of producing low-cost,

3:15:34prefabricated, factory-built, energy-efficient,

3:15:38affordable, modular housing building systems.

3:15:42This development will offer a built example showcasing

3:15:45how it can be done in other communities at scale

3:15:48and potentially lead to the expansion of their facilities

3:15:51employing many more workers.

3:15:53The technology for the robotics part may come from Lenomar,

3:15:57which will further increase employment opportunities

3:15:59for both companies.

3:16:01And ultimately, houses built will help all of them

3:16:04to retain and get new employees.

3:16:06By enabling employees to live close to where they work,

3:16:09shop, and play, reduces their housing

3:16:11and transportation expenses, and the money stays local.

3:16:14This is a win-win opportunity for Guelph.

3:16:17Regarding our GCAT vision for active transportation

3:16:19and future planning application steps,

3:16:22GCAT respectfully asked Council to direct the applicant

3:16:25to work with city staff, the Wellington Catholic School

3:16:27Board, Bishop McDonald, Catholic School,

3:16:31and neighboring landowners to explore direct pedestrian

3:16:34and cycling connections from this development

3:16:36nearby destinations.

3:16:39In conclusion, I hope Council ultimately

3:16:44agrees to support redesignating these lands.

3:16:48This is such a unique opportunity

3:16:50to showcase a solution to deal with the affordability issues

3:16:52of housing in our area.

3:16:55It will foster economic development, boost employment,

3:16:58and provide a community where people can live close

3:17:00to where they work, shop, and play.

3:17:02It really is a unique opportunity

3:17:05to show how it can be done in Guelph

3:17:07and showcase how it can be done in other cities.

3:17:10Thanks.

3:17:11Great, Mike.

3:17:12Thank you very much.

3:17:13Any follow-up from Mike Kedall?

3:17:16Councillor Caron.

3:17:17Thank you.

3:17:18Mr. Darman, I know this is a land use planning meeting

3:17:22for this particular site,

3:17:23but I am curious about accessibility

3:17:25from the trail system,

3:17:27because I tried to follow where you might have come from

3:17:31to the north along the Claire Ferolds perimeter trail

3:17:35or along the South Creek trail that you described.

3:17:38I'm just wondering if you came from the downtown area,

3:17:41where did you get spit out?

3:17:44Well, I spat out actually on Claire Road

3:17:46off an existing trail,

3:17:48somewhere near the water tower.

3:17:50I'm actually not that familiar with that and Guelph.

3:17:52I've been there a few times,

3:17:53but I actually did actually take the whole trail system

3:17:56mostly to there, actually, believe it or not.

3:17:58Okay, so the water tower is very close to this site.

3:18:03Yep, it was very close.

3:18:04So there was an exit for you to use?

3:18:07Yeah, there was actually.

3:18:08Yeah, it was very close, actually.

3:18:09Yeah, in fact, once I left it, I was trying to remember

3:18:12where I got back on, it was just basically up the road,

3:18:15back on the trail system again.

3:18:17Okay, that's helpful, thank you.

3:18:20Great, nothing further.

3:18:21Thanks, Mike.

3:18:22Thank you.

3:18:23And Amina's coming down.

3:18:24Thank you for being ready.

3:18:26Barbara Mann, I see you.

3:18:28Barbara, yep, you're in the wings.

3:18:31Welcome Amina, it's over to you whenever you're ready, okay?

3:18:38Hi, my name is Amina Sarkar,

3:18:43and I'm a new resident at Guelph.

3:18:46I just heard about this meeting a couple of days ago

3:18:51and I thought I can pass up a chance

3:18:55to put in my two cents

3:18:58to get a project, a development like this, into Guelph.

3:19:03I know a lot about it because as I worked

3:19:07with this type of model

3:19:14for over 12 years and in six developments,

3:19:19I don't have any presentation or anything like that,

3:19:25so I'm just gonna begin.

3:19:31I love Guelph, I've been here a couple of years now

3:19:34and I love the people, people are so polite,

3:19:39drivers are so polite, I came in from Toronto.

3:19:43I love Toronto, but it's quite nice here.

3:19:46I'll drive as a polite, people stop and are friendly,

3:19:53and I think it's my home now,

3:19:56so I'd like to settle here,

3:19:59and I'd like to see a lot of people get into home ownership

3:20:03the way this model's worked.

3:20:08I worked in many, during my career,

3:20:13I worked in engineering and construction,

3:20:17I worked in accounting, I worked in banking,

3:20:21the federal government, I worked in Montreal,

3:20:24I was educated in Montreal,

3:20:27I lived and worked in Toronto, in Vancouver,

3:20:30and back to Toronto,

3:20:34and I discovered option for homes,

3:20:38I discovered this model,

3:20:39and I was just so impressed with it

3:20:42because I myself as a single woman and a single mom,

3:20:47my dream was home ownership,

3:20:49and I did get into it, but it was so difficult.

3:20:52So when I saw option for home,

3:20:56I thought, oh my God, have I been,

3:20:59this could have helped me,

3:21:01but anyway, I did not buy an option for homes

3:21:06because I'd already been into home ownership,

3:21:10but again, like I'm saying, it was not easy.

3:21:13I knew if I had gotten an option for homes,

3:21:17I would have, you know, it's geared to income,

3:21:23so it would have been so much better.

3:21:25Anyway, when I discovered it,

3:21:28I thought what a wonderful thing

3:21:31that people can actually get help

3:21:36because I never got help.

3:21:39You know, I had to do it on my own,

3:21:42and here people can get help,

3:21:44and I thought this is something I can do to also help.

3:21:48So I got in using all my experience and skills,

3:21:53and I helped, I worked on six,

3:21:58yeah, I think it's six developments in Toronto,

3:22:03and I helped hundreds of people get into home ownership.

3:22:08By, you know, people who didn't think they can own a house,

3:22:20own a property,

3:22:21and we were able to get them into home ownership.

3:22:27I remember my first,

3:22:34the first development I worked on,

3:22:39it was a young man, and he made about,

3:22:42I don't know, 25,000, 30,000 at the time,

3:22:47but he had very good credit, and he had a study job.

3:22:55He got himself, we got him a studio,

3:22:59and he, you know, a couple of years after he came back

3:23:04and he sold that, he had put down about $10,000

3:23:09when he came back the second time to buy another place,

3:23:12he had about $50,000 in equity,

3:23:15so he was able to get himself a bigger place.

3:23:20And there were so many families who were able to

3:23:27get into homes, and not just homes.

3:23:34One of my first projects was in an area of Toronto

3:23:38called a junction, and when we started,

3:23:41before we started, and the place was really down,

3:23:45and businesses were going out,

3:23:49there were lots of old Victorian homes,

3:23:52it's sort of like in the North part of Hyde Park

3:23:55and Blow Area.

3:23:57It was really, nobody wanted to be around it,

3:24:01and I thought it was a big risk that options

3:24:06were gonna develop there.

3:24:09And once the place was built,

3:24:11I can't remember how many units,

3:24:14but there were hundreds of units,

3:24:17the place became so vibrant.

3:24:20There were so many restaurants and artists around,

3:24:25and so many people moved in.

3:24:28Actually, it was written up in the New York Times

3:24:32that it was one of the most upcoming places

3:24:35in North America, and I think a lot of it had to do

3:24:39with our development there.

3:24:42So yeah, there was another project we did

3:24:47at Bathurst and Lawrence, where there's a very strong

3:24:51Jewish community, and we catered to that.

3:24:54We had a special elevator for the Sabbath,

3:25:00and so many others.

3:25:02What can I say?

3:25:03I love Guelph to have this.

3:25:05I have nothing to gain from this,

3:25:08except Guelph is now my home,

3:25:12and I'd like to see a lot more people come.

3:25:15Like I say, I love Guelph.

3:25:17I don't like the property tax compared to Toronto.

3:25:22And I figure the more people I can get into Guelph,

3:25:27and the more businesses develop into Guelph,

3:25:31I guess it's the reason our taxes are so much higher

3:25:35compared to Toronto.

3:25:36We need a lot more people and a lot more businesses

3:25:39to pay taxes.

3:25:41So I think properties like this would really help that a lot.

3:25:47And another thing is dealing with the customers one and one,

3:25:53I would have, they would first come in

3:25:56and I'd explain everything to them.

3:25:59Like I mean, it could take an hour or two hours.

3:26:03I'd explain what a mortgage is,

3:26:05because they were all lingered.

3:26:07At some time people don't really understand.

3:26:10I'd explain what's a fixed rate and what's a variable rate,

3:26:17and we would get through, you know,

3:26:21go through their preliminary data,

3:26:25and we'd figure out, okay, can you afford this,

3:26:28how much can you get a mortgage?

3:26:32And if they wanted to move forward,

3:26:34we'd go ahead and fill out the forms with them

3:26:37and find out from the bank how much they can afford.

3:26:41And depending on what they can afford,

3:26:43then we stepped in and helped them with the rest.

3:26:46So it could be affordable and comfortable,

3:26:50because I'll tell you, for me, it was not comfortable.

3:26:54It was a lot of strain.

3:26:57But I worked it out.

3:26:59And thank God now I am mortgage free.

3:27:03At this time of my life.

3:27:05So I'd like to see people go get help like that.

3:27:10There's so much more I can see, but anyway,

3:27:13I think you all get to just afford it.

3:27:15I hope it works out and we can get this going.

3:27:20Thank you.

3:27:21Okay, thank you very much, Amina.

3:27:23Thank you for sticking around for your presentation.

3:27:26Let me just ask my colleagues

3:27:27if there's any follow up for you.

3:27:29There is not.

3:27:31So thank you very much.

3:27:32You're welcome.

3:27:33Thank you.

3:27:34And Barbara Mann is coming down.

3:27:36Scott, I saw you sitting there as well.

3:27:38So you're in the wings.

3:27:39Go ahead, Barbara, whenever you're ready.

3:27:41Hello, everybody.

3:27:42Thank you for having me, staff.

3:27:44Thank you for all the hard work that you've put into this.

3:27:46And a lot of your counselors may have come here

3:27:49not sure what your decision was gonna be on this.

3:27:52To be honest, it breaks my heart.

3:27:54Anytime we disrupt an ecosystem or we develop a green space.

3:27:59However, it's much easier to support a request such as

3:28:05is happening with 280 Claire Road

3:28:07when you know who's behind it

3:28:09and you know what's behind it.

3:28:13I'd rather do that than give over productive farm fields

3:28:15to mansions personally.

3:28:18I've listened carefully to the team.

3:28:21I've asked hard questions.

3:28:23I've read the information and I'm glad

3:28:25that it's home opportunities who's behind it

3:28:27because I too know a lot of people

3:28:29who were able to achieve home ownership

3:28:31through this model at 35 Mountford and five Gordon Street.

3:28:34So we already have it on site in Guelph.

3:28:38Second, I believe that the team has done their due diligence.

3:28:41Of course, now that I've got the ear

3:28:43of an environmentalist here,

3:28:44don't forget that farm fields and meadows

3:28:48provide small mammals which provide food for hawks

3:28:51and foxes.

3:28:52Don't forget that high buildings,

3:28:53putting light out on a corridor

3:28:55changes circadian rhythms of the mammals

3:28:57that you're trying to protect.

3:28:59But that's the only segue I'll have there

3:29:02because I know it's a model that's financially possible

3:29:05for people to achieve home ownership.

3:29:08I also know that Lion was the first person in Canada

3:29:11to offer employment lands and 25 foot housing lots

3:29:15along Alla Street to entice employment

3:29:18and employers in Guelph.

3:29:20This is not a new thing, but it's an important thing

3:29:23because as Leanne Karen knows from Smart Guelph,

3:29:27people used to live in Guelph

3:29:29because it was cheaper than Toronto and commute to Toronto.

3:29:32Now we've heard Viren say, and thank you for being here,

3:29:35as do two other people I know who work at different employers,

3:29:38they're commuting from Woodstock,

3:29:40but the request is the same thing.

3:29:42Everyone wants to live and work in the same place that they are.

3:29:47And I see that with this.

3:29:48I see what's being offered to us is multiple types of units.

3:29:53We have to talk about the actual accessibility

3:29:55in those units, but it's a chance for people to scale up

3:29:59and down depending on their time of life,

3:30:01where they're at in the same neighborhood.

3:30:03Imagine an old fashioned neighborhood.

3:30:05You walk to work, you walk to school,

3:30:08you cycle over to get your groceries,

3:30:10and you've got three quarters of it surrounded

3:30:13by your own green belt.

3:30:15What's wrong with that picture?

3:30:17As well, I think it's really important

3:30:20that we look at the idea of that density.

3:30:23It's not a huge space, but it's creating a ton of housing.

3:30:29So with that in mind, I think you've heard it

3:30:31from everybody else that there's pretty much an agreement

3:30:35that this is a one time thing that makes sense

3:30:38for our community.

3:30:39Thank you.

3:30:41Thank you Barbara for sticking around.

3:30:43Any questions for Barbara at this time?

3:30:46There is not, thank you very much.

3:30:48And to Scott, Frederick coming up next,

3:30:51and then Claire, Braden is going to join us by video

3:30:55after that, then we just have a couple more.

3:30:57So Scott, thanks for waiting and I'll turn it over to you.

3:31:01Yeah.

3:31:02So I have some familiarity with this area

3:31:06as I used to work just around the corner from it

3:31:09on Southgate for quite a few years.

3:31:12Previously to that I worked in the silicole culture field

3:31:16in BC, which is basically the business of recovering forests

3:31:20after some kind of disaster,

3:31:22which is usually clear cut logging.

3:31:26So I'm afraid I'm going to oppose this proposal

3:31:28on two grounds.

3:31:30Although there's a lot of merit in the proposal

3:31:32from the housing point of view,

3:31:34there's two values which are impaired by this proposal.

3:31:39The impairment of the existing important

3:31:41wildlife corridor and a reduction in employment lands.

3:31:46So I'm going to talk about the employment lands issue first.

3:31:50Welf is short of employment lands.

3:31:53The past conversion of employment lands to other uses

3:31:56is added to the existing employment land deficit.

3:31:59The case in point is the recent proposal

3:32:02for the Welf Innovation District

3:32:04with a proponent presented a plan with less employment lands

3:32:07than called for in the official plan.

3:32:10They stated, and I'm paraphrasing here,

3:32:13in effect that developing industrial properties

3:32:16was not their thing and a more appropriate place for it

3:32:19would be in the Southgate industrial park.

3:32:22So guess where that is?

3:32:23It's here.

3:32:25So basically it's like employment lands

3:32:27are like the hot potato that nobody wants to have.

3:32:32So the proponent for this project bought land

3:32:35that was zoned for employment

3:32:36and wants to convert it to housing.

3:32:39Why?

3:32:39Why not buy land zoned for housing and build it there?

3:32:44We hire professional planners at considerable expense

3:32:47to plan the entire city in accordance

3:32:49with provincial higher level plans and mandates.

3:32:52We should stick to our official plans more often.

3:32:56And now I'm going to talk about the wildlife corridor.

3:33:00I have a slide here.

3:33:01Oh, good.

3:33:04So this shows the location

3:33:06of currently existing wildlife corridors.

3:33:08The one on the table today is the one

3:33:10at the bottom of the photo

3:33:11and connects the wildlife protected areas

3:33:13in the Clear Maltby plan to Preservation Park,

3:33:16which is the big green blob in the center.

3:33:20The one at the top left crosses the handline corridor

3:33:24and connects Preservation Park to the Speed River corridor.

3:33:26So we have a continuous link

3:33:28between Speed River and Clear Maltby.

3:33:31The one at the upper right, or to the right, basically,

3:33:35crosses Gordon just south of Edinburgh.

3:33:38That path is still open, but it's effectively lost

3:33:41because a multi-story development has been proved

3:33:43for that site, which will effectively block that corridor.

3:33:47If a corridor is lost, it makes any remaining corridor

3:33:51much more important.

3:34:00So this shows the subject lands from the south

3:34:02with clear road behind.

3:34:06You can clearly see the overgrown planted strip

3:34:10in the rear, which is the current wildlife corridor.

3:34:25So in front is the recently cultivated field,

3:34:29which is proposed to be the new wildlife corridor.

3:34:31This is not ideal because right at the road crossing

3:34:36is a previously cultivated field,

3:34:40which is disturbed land with low biodiversity.

3:34:43Current corridor is a much better quality

3:34:44for a wildlife corridor.

3:34:46So at this point, it'd be good to review corridor sizes

3:34:49from the Ontario Technical Guide.

3:34:52Local corridors, less than 50 metres,

3:34:55best for small animals, mammals, amphibians and birds,

3:34:59moving between small, remnant patches of woods

3:35:02and wetlands and urban settings.

3:35:04I think we need more than that.

3:35:06The proposed corridor is 60 metres,

3:35:08also from the manual, regional and sub-regional corridors.

3:35:12Larger animals, such as deer, elk, or bears,

3:35:15require flat, wide corridors,

3:35:18often exceeding 350 metres to avoid

3:35:21the noise in presence of human development.

3:35:23Obviously two kilometres is out of the question,

3:35:26but bigger is better, and the de facto corridor

3:35:29that we have now is about 150 metres,

3:35:31which is probably not bad.

3:35:33Also to be effective, longer corridors need to be wider.

3:35:47So this is a planted tree in the current corridor.

3:35:50The ribbon on my shovel is about one metre from the ground,

3:35:54so this tree is about two metres high.

3:35:56In the background are some naturally regenerated woodland.

3:35:59Over a thousand trees have been planted by volunteers

3:36:02in the current wildlife corridor.

3:36:04No doubt it would be discouraging for them to learn

3:36:06that their work would be undone years later.

3:36:10This is valuable habitat for wildlife,

3:36:12a savanna with woodland patches.

3:36:14Dense woodland is good, openland is good,

3:36:17edges are good.

3:36:36So this is hard to see, the arrows point to a faint,

3:36:39wild life trail, so we know this corridor is used.

3:36:43And actually that's a slide for that.

3:36:54I'm trying to save some time by skipping that one.

3:37:01This is a copy of slide number two, which is a mistake.

3:37:05Okay, so it might seem that I'm arguing against myself

3:37:15but advocating for the employment land

3:37:17as an agent to be retained, but I'm not.

3:37:19Having a warehostered light manufacturing area

3:37:21would have less impact than a dense housing development.

3:37:24My previous workplace on Southgate

3:37:26was 30,000 square feet on eight acres,

3:37:30had about 30 employees.

3:37:32Our impact on the natural world was minimal.

3:37:35So the hierarchy of wants would be,

3:37:38leave the land unoccupied as is,

3:37:42or to retain the employment designation,

3:37:45which may mean that it is never developed

3:37:47or would have less impact if it is developed.

3:37:49And number three, if development proceeds,

3:37:53acquire some of the lands to rear some of the Southgate

3:37:57properties that join this proposed new corridor.

3:38:01So this slide shows somewhat messily in blue

3:38:05to the right, the current corridor.

3:38:07In blue to the left, the proposed corridor,

3:38:10and in green, there are some remnants of privately owned land

3:38:14that is adjacent to the current proposed corridor,

3:38:17but could be added if these lands are acquired

3:38:20for this purpose.

3:38:22This were done, the new corridor would be widened

3:38:24and enhanced.

3:38:27And in red, this looks like more wild land,

3:38:30but in fact, it is now a truck parking lot

3:38:32built after the photo.

3:38:33So this shows how easily a new wildlife corridor

3:38:36could be degraded if more lands are not acquired and added.

3:38:41So that concludes my presentation.

3:38:45Well, thank you, Scott, for sticking around for your,

3:38:48as of well in your opinions here.

3:38:49We appreciate that.

3:38:50And as our follow-up for Scott at this time,

3:38:52and Councillor Allt has a question.

3:38:55Thank you, Mayor Guthrie.

3:38:56It's a very quick one.

3:38:57I just didn't catch the width or a large animal corridor.

3:39:03Did you say beyond 350 meters, 50 meters, or 150 meters?

3:39:12For the small local one, it's less than 50.

3:39:15For regional and sub-regional, 302 kilometers.

3:39:21So, and I was saying, well, obviously,

3:39:23and the current one is 150.

3:39:26So we're on the low end there.

3:39:32So that's why I'm advocating to retain all of it, if possible.

3:39:35Councillor Allt, I'm so sorry to interrupt you.

3:39:38Councillor Allt just unfortunately muted by accident.

3:39:41He had a follow-up question for you, Scott.

3:39:43Go ahead.

3:39:44Apologies.

3:39:45The 350 then is for larger mammals.

3:39:49That's what I'm seeking clarification on,

3:39:52because I heard earlier that this would be a corridor

3:39:54for deer and coyote and others.

3:39:57And what I think I'm hearing from you

3:40:00is precisely the opposite.

3:40:04Yeah, yes, it says the manual,

3:40:10this is the Ontario Provincial Manual,

3:40:12says 300 for the large mammals.

3:40:19And we need the large mammals to move.

3:40:21They're moving there now with the corridor

3:40:24that they have now.

3:40:26My takeaway from the manual was bigger is better.

3:40:35So you want the largest one you could fit into that spot.

3:40:42Thank you very much.

3:40:45Okay, thank you, Councillor Allt.

3:40:47Nothing further, Scott.

3:40:48So thank you again for your presentation.

3:40:50Claire is gonna join us by video.

3:40:53And Everisto, am I saying your name right?

3:40:58Yes, okay, you are in the wings, okay?

3:41:01Claire, are you gonna join us by video?

3:41:04And Claire is also from the Guelph Community

3:41:07for Active Transportation Group.

3:41:10Hi, thank you, Mayor Guthrie.

3:41:11Just let me know if you cannot hear me.

3:41:14And good evening, Council.

3:41:15My name is Claire Braden.

3:41:17I'm a resident of Ward 3 in Guelph.

3:41:19I'm also an active transportation advocate.

3:41:22And I wanna offer my support for the plan

3:41:26to redesignate the land at 266 Clear Road West

3:41:29from industrial to high density residential.

3:41:32And I wanna talk about active transportation

3:41:34according to the city of Guelph's Vision Zero action plan.

3:41:38The most effective way to reduce vehicle collisions

3:41:41with pedestrians and cyclists

3:41:43is to reduce vehicle dependency

3:41:45by building affordable housing near amenities.

3:41:48This proposal is a great example of both.

3:41:51The parcel's proximity to the Southgate Drive Industrial Area,

3:41:54Bishop Mack High School,

3:41:56the Claire Gordon Commercial Corridor,

3:41:58and the Hamilton GO Bus Route,

3:42:00which by the way, services for universities.

3:42:03Hamilton, sorry, McMaster, Guelph, Laurier, and Waterloo

3:42:08provides the opportunity for residents to walk, ride,

3:42:11or take transit for everyday activities.

3:42:13We can gradually shift people away

3:42:15from expensive dangerous car trips to active healthy travel

3:42:19if we allow different land uses

3:42:21to mix in close proximity and to thrive.

3:42:24I was heartened and intrigued to read about the affordable

3:42:29and kind of the innovative lending model for this program

3:42:32and the affordability of it,

3:42:33but let's not downplay the natural affordability

3:42:37that comes simply by having residents,

3:42:41simply by the proximity between residents and amenities,

3:42:44the choice to be independent from car usage,

3:42:47even if it is intermittently independent,

3:42:50even if you're just, you're permitted

3:42:53to reduce your car usage to far less than before.

3:42:56It relieves you from a huge strain on your pocketbook

3:42:59because of the cost of gasoline,

3:43:02which is not going down anytime soon.

3:43:04That is a choice that few other Guelphites,

3:43:07including myself, are lucky enough to have.

3:43:10For example, my summer job is away from Guelph.

3:43:14It's an hour and a half drive from my house,

3:43:16and therefore I've had to move to Newmarket

3:43:19to save $90 per day 407 bill.

3:43:23And now I'm paying additional room and board in Newmarket

3:43:26just so that I can get to work.

3:43:27My colleagues in York region routinely complain

3:43:31about spending hours in highway 404 gridlock

3:43:34and the impacts that high gas prices

3:43:36are having on their pocketbooks.

3:43:38So being able to live within a 15 minute walk

3:43:41of jobs, groceries, and school is a luxury

3:43:43that many people would be delighted to have.

3:43:47I very much hope that council approves

3:43:48this official plan amendment and zoning by law amendment

3:43:52so that hundreds of people can get a foot on the housing ladder

3:43:54and a chance at safe active transportation.

3:43:57I also hope that future site plans will include pedestrian

3:44:00cut through pathways that make it easy for families

3:44:03and residents to access Bishop Mack,

3:44:05the South End Community Center and Southgate Drive.

3:44:08Thank you very much.

3:44:11Thank you, Claire.

3:44:13We appreciate you joining us.

3:44:14And is there any follow up for Claire from my colleagues?

3:44:18There is not, so thank you again.

3:44:22Everestow, come on up.

3:44:25And then our last one that is signed up is Hugh Whiteley,

3:44:29which will join us by video.

3:44:33And just a reminder, just because I've heard

3:44:35a couple of comments over the last couple hours,

3:44:39this is not a meeting where we are making a decision.

3:44:44We are only here to receive the application today.

3:44:49The option for approval is much later.

3:44:52Okay, so just making sure everyone hears that

3:44:54before we continue as a reminder.

3:44:56So, Everestow, thank you very much for joining us

3:44:59and I'll turn the mic over to you, okay?

3:45:01Okay.

3:45:03So, Macawley Tech Lock,

3:45:06Notokai, Varis, Ramos.

3:45:08So, I'm Lepana Pachi from my father's side

3:45:10and on my mother's side, I've been able to trace it back

3:45:13to the Nahuatl people in central Mexico.

3:45:15And so I was saying, good evening.

3:45:18And my name is.

3:45:20And so I did turn in a document for a statement,

3:45:26but listening to, there's lots of ditto

3:45:28and so I know we're very late

3:45:31or this has gone on for a very long time.

3:45:33But for me, the biggest thing when I look at things

3:45:37because I walk in many worlds

3:45:39and I look at things from different perspectives

3:45:41because of my teachings

3:45:44and the time that I spent here in Guelph.

3:45:46And so for me, the biggest thing

3:45:48from having when I met with them

3:45:50and then walking the land this weekend

3:45:52and seeing the actual property or what they're proposing,

3:45:56for me, it seems, it's a good,

3:45:59what it provides is an opportunity,

3:46:01an opportunity for people to have a choice

3:46:04and for them to be able to achieve housing

3:46:07and to achieve a lot of the other things

3:46:10that we've heard from the previous speakers,

3:46:12having a sense of community.

3:46:14This is adding 900 plus locations for people to live

3:46:19and maybe potentially work in the close area

3:46:21and be able to live and to have a sense of dignity

3:46:25and have a sense of being able to provide for themselves.

3:46:29And so for me, when I was considering

3:46:32the statement that I made

3:46:34and listening to everybody speak today,

3:46:36that's really the biggest thing that I wanted to highlight

3:46:38was it is my hope that when I understand

3:46:43that this is just a planning meeting,

3:46:45but when you as counselors and as leaders

3:46:48who are ultimately will have to make the decisions

3:46:50and to make the modification of our these amendments

3:46:53or to accept them, this understanding and thinking forward,

3:46:57what kind of opportunities does this present

3:47:00for the citizens of this city

3:47:02and potentially people who are coming in?

3:47:04Because over time, over my six years that I've been here

3:47:07and the building where I live,

3:47:09I see lots of people come and go

3:47:10because of the, they're not being able to afford

3:47:13to live in the apartment that they are in

3:47:16or because of where they work.

3:47:17They would love to live in Guelph

3:47:19because this is where their job is,

3:47:20but they're not able to stay here

3:47:22or because of they live in the apartment

3:47:24or where they live, it's not conducive

3:47:27for their families that's grown.

3:47:29And so it kind of makes me sad

3:47:31that there's not opportunities for people

3:47:33to be able to do those things, indigenous or not.

3:47:36And so when they first approached me to look at all of this,

3:47:41and they wanted that perspective,

3:47:42but I think this is, I don't wanna say it's,

3:47:45it is bigger than just looking at it

3:47:47from the perspective of indigenous people

3:47:50because we're all here.

3:47:51And so we need to look at it from that perspective

3:47:53of being able to speak up for maybe people

3:47:56who can't speak up and for also our neighbors.

3:47:59And so again, for me, it comes back to the original theme

3:48:02that I see here is just making an opportunity

3:48:06for people to be able to do the things

3:48:08that they would like to do either as singly

3:48:11like they explained of having like a studio apartment

3:48:13as somebody starting new in their life

3:48:15or somebody who's growing their family.

3:48:17And they're maybe they're going to college

3:48:20or university at Gual or maybe in Kamasuga.

3:48:23And so it gives them a good way forward.

3:48:26One of the things I did appreciate in the conversation

3:48:29with the people within was the fact

3:48:31that they thought about the corridor

3:48:34and about moving for the making that lane available

3:48:37for the animals.

3:48:39So for me, and trying to think when I walk the land

3:48:42and trying to understand like,

3:48:44if I were an animal, I wouldn't want to cross clear road

3:48:48because I would probably be afraid of getting hit

3:48:50or maybe the noise.

3:48:51And so I would naturally try and stay away from that area.

3:48:56But as they explained today,

3:48:58how that area would be separated.

3:48:59So then that would probably give them an opportunity

3:49:02for our animal relatives to have an opportunity

3:49:06to have somewhere to live and somewhere to be.

3:49:08That's not really accessible by the humans.

3:49:11And so I think that's quite important.

3:49:14The other thing when I, the other thing I liked

3:49:17when I walked on the land and looking at what they,

3:49:19what the information they provided from the slides

3:49:22and from the pictures they showed

3:49:23and trying to imagine what it would be.

3:49:26That corridor makes, as I made in my statement,

3:49:29it makes basically a natural sight line.

3:49:31It does give you a buffer from that industrial area.

3:49:34And so my hope would be eventually maybe between,

3:49:39as this progresses along,

3:49:40that there's discussion with the city and these developers

3:49:44and maybe some other community voices

3:49:46and maybe making sure that there's access,

3:49:48more access like to the Bishop Mac

3:49:51or maybe potentially more of those green spaces

3:49:54that are not part of that ecological corridor

3:49:58that would be available for the residents

3:50:00of not just this development,

3:50:01but I think that would be helpful

3:50:03for everybody else in that particular community area.

3:50:08So, Klazo Kamati, which means thank you and not a lot.

3:50:11And if there are any questions,

3:50:13be more than happy to answer for you.

3:50:16Great, thank you very much for coming and speaking to us.

3:50:20Is there any questions at all as a follow-up

3:50:22for my colleagues?

3:50:24There is not, but again, thank you very much.

3:50:27And last that is signed up here is Hugh Whiteley,

3:50:31who will now join us by video.

3:50:45First unmuting is, and then start the video.

3:50:55You certainly hear you.

3:50:57We're just waiting for the video to start if you wish.

3:51:07I'm trying to see where to accept the video.

3:51:11No problem, take your time if you wanna try to find it.

3:51:14And if not, we can hear you very clearly here.

3:51:16It's not a problem if you wanna just do it.

3:51:18Yeah, let's go ahead without finding the video.

3:51:22Okay, you go right ahead, thank you.

3:51:24Greetings, Mayor, Councillors and members of the public.

3:51:28My intention in addressing you today

3:51:30is to provide information on the planning issue,

3:51:34which the day is about,

3:51:36should the Boulder Pavement Reminent Glacial Spillway

3:51:41feature, which occupies 280 Clair Road West,

3:51:46be protected as a core greenway feature,

3:51:50as has been the city's intent from 1997 till 2024,

3:51:59or should this 8.5 hectare parkland,

3:52:03the same size space as the much contested

3:52:07Nisga Road property,

3:52:09should this 8.5 hectare parkland be converted

3:52:14to high density residential use?

3:52:18Since 1997 until 2024,

3:52:24the 8.5 hectare subject property was 7.1 hectares of it,

3:52:31protected P1 zone parkland.

3:52:35The remaining 1.4 hectares were urban reserve,

3:52:40ready for adding to the parkland.

3:52:44Currently, the 8.5 hectare property is partitioned

3:52:49from 2024, with 4.5 hectares of the natural heritage system

3:52:56zoning remaining, and four hectares zoned be industrial now.

3:53:04The proposal being considered for the development

3:53:08of this site, takes down the 8.5 hectare property,

3:53:14of open space currently, or until recently protected,

3:53:19and shrinks it to 2.5 hectares with outwash valley

3:53:25that has been preserved, now obliterated.

3:53:30The planning history of 280 Clair Road West

3:53:33has an important bearing on the decision

3:53:36made about the property.

3:53:39The Hanlon Creek Watershed Plan of 1993,

3:53:44and the South Guelph Secondary Plan of August, 1996,

3:53:50had the following description of the naturalized areas,

3:53:56which starts at the subject property on Clair Road,

3:54:00and extends over a kilometer to the exit onto Malteske

3:54:08and the Elkby.

3:54:09Here's what the Watershed Plan

3:54:12and the South Guelph Secondary Plan said

3:54:15about that strip of land.

3:54:18The provincially significant wetlands within this area,

3:54:24and the contiguous upland forest old field habitats,

3:54:29associated with the Hummocky Borene Topography,

3:54:34are core natural areas.

3:54:37These features represent a high constraint to development

3:54:41due to their important ecological features or functions,

3:54:46which include habitat for rare species,

3:54:49wildlife habitat and corridor functions,

3:54:53groundwater recharge and discharge function,

3:54:57and a buffer to sensitive wetland areas.

3:55:00And coming to the particular property

3:55:03we're talking about tonight,

3:55:05in addition to these features,

3:55:08a corridor linkage connection,

3:55:11which is a remnant glacial spillway old field thicket area

3:55:18connects the wetlands near Maltby

3:55:22with the main Hanlon Creek swamp to the north of Clair Road,

3:55:27as was illustrated by the preceding speaker.

3:55:32In 1996, during the preparation of the zoning bylaw

3:55:38for the newly acquired annexed land

3:55:41between Clair Road and Maltby,

3:55:44Denso came to Guelph and expressed an interest

3:55:49in purchasing industrial property for sale on Clair Road.

3:55:56In the resulting consultations between Denso, the city,

3:56:01and the landowner, it was determined

3:56:05that the eastern portion of the property

3:56:08Denso was interested in was a bolder pavement,

3:56:13remnant glacial spillway valley

3:56:17that had been identified as part of the city's core natural

3:56:21area in which the city was now to protect

3:56:26by adopting the ideal alternative

3:56:29when the Hanlon Creek watershed plan was approved

3:56:32by the city in April of 1994.

3:56:37So in order for the property to be sold to Denso,

3:56:41it was necessary for the city to complete the zoning

3:56:45for the property.

3:56:48The resulting discussions with the city included Denso

3:56:52and the property owner,

3:56:54and all three agreed that the property for sale

3:56:58would be divided into two parcels.

3:57:02A western four third 43 acre parcel

3:57:07would be created for Denso with the irregular

3:57:13eastern boundary of that property being what you see

3:57:16on the mapping of this property now,

3:57:20the surveyed top of slope of the western side

3:57:23of the Outwash Valley.

3:57:28This created 43 acre parcel

3:57:33would be zoned by the city as B12 industrial

3:57:38and was subsequently purchased by Denso

3:57:40and that's what they occupy today.

3:57:44The remainder of the property to the east

3:57:48which constituted the Outwash Valley feature

3:57:52was zoned P1 conservation

3:57:56and retained by the property owner.

3:58:00A small triangle of upland east of the eastern slope

3:58:06of this valley, which is now parcel three,

3:58:12would be zoned urban reserve

3:58:14and also retained by the property owner.

3:58:17So that was the situation in 1997.

3:58:23And as a protection of the Outwash Valley

3:58:29from possible future incursions by industrial use

3:58:36from the Denso property,

3:58:39the city took the unusual step of purchasing

3:58:44from the land owner,

3:58:46a six meter wide strip along the western edge

3:58:50of the Denso property.

3:58:54That should be the eastern edge of the Denso property

3:58:58to mark the permanent boundary for development.

3:59:03Nothing east of that was to be allowed.

3:59:09There is an intervening application of OPA 42

3:59:14that I don't have time to go into

3:59:16which reduced the protection

3:59:20for the property,

3:59:23but didn't change the intent of the city

3:59:27to have it protected.

3:59:29Where we stand today is that there's been first a proposal

3:59:34for the conversion of the industrial zone part,

3:59:38what is currently industrially zoned,

3:59:41part of 280 Clair West

3:59:44to a high density residential out to place in 23.

3:59:49The application has subsequently been withdrawn

3:59:53because it was found that it was just not feasible

3:59:57to put in head high density residential

4:00:02on just that property.

4:00:09And at that time staff correctly, in my opinion,

4:00:15opposed the idea of creating residential use

4:00:20on that part of the property

4:00:23because of the official plan prohibitions

4:00:27of intrusion of sensitive land use as residential is

4:00:36into an area with high major industrial facilities.

4:00:45Tonight we have a new proposal

4:00:48which in effect substitutes high density residential

4:00:57on the land previously retained as parkland.

4:01:08So my request to the city is,

4:01:12if you're going to remove 8.5 hectares

4:01:16of potential parkland,

4:01:20provide the justification for that in the report

4:01:24that comes back to council.

4:01:29Hello Hugh, it's Mayor Guthrie.

4:01:32Your 10 minutes is up.

4:01:34So I hope you're still with me.

4:01:36I just wanted to, I'm sorry to interrupt you

4:01:38but your 10 minutes is up.

4:01:40And I just wanted to ask my colleagues now

4:01:42to see if there's a follow up question for you

4:01:44before we let you go, okay?

4:01:45So to my colleagues, is there a follow up?

4:01:50Okay, there is not.

4:01:51So thank you very much Hugh for joining us.

4:01:57Okay, that's all of the delegations that have signed up

4:02:00and thank you very much to everybody

4:02:02who gave their opinions on this matter.

4:02:05Before I move into something,

4:02:07into the next sort of stages of our evening,

4:02:11I have to ask, is there anybody else in the room

4:02:14that would like to apply on this,

4:02:15would you like to speak on this?

4:02:19Okay, hands up for me as I put my glasses.

4:02:24Two.

4:02:26Okay, and can you please put the phone number up

4:02:29on the screen so I can see if there's anybody

4:02:31that wants to call in as well?

4:02:34I need to get a sort of a totality

4:02:36of how much more time we're allotting to this.

4:02:39So 519-837-5603.

4:02:45Again, it's 519-837-5603.

4:02:50We're gonna just wait a couple moments

4:02:52to see the totality of anybody else that wants to speak.

4:02:55And then we can make a decision there

4:02:57if we're taking the break now or after, okay?

4:03:00For those that have, I've seen some other people

4:03:03kind of come in in the last hour.

4:03:05Again, for agenda management,

4:03:07just in case there's people that have arrived

4:03:09for other items on the agenda.

4:03:12If you have arrived in regards

4:03:15to the Ward Heritage Conservation District Plan,

4:03:18which is next, or the Urban Design Master Plan,

4:03:28it would not surprise me if we do not start those issues

4:03:34until between a quarter to eight o'clock range, okay?

4:03:48So I'm just giving everyone a heads up

4:03:52because if you wanna go grab a coffee or something,

4:03:55you can take our orders too, if you wish, and staffs.

4:04:00Then then we can go from there.

4:04:02So again, we're just waiting to see

4:04:03if anyone else wanted to call in on this

4:04:06at 5198-375-603.

4:04:09Please give us a couple of minutes.

4:06:23Okay, everybody, thank you.

4:06:25I call the meeting back to order, please.

4:06:27So there's been no one else that has called in

4:06:30to give opinions on the receipt of this application.

4:06:34And we only have two people here in the room

4:06:37that has raised their hands.

4:06:39And so I think it would be beneficial

4:06:41for us to hear those two people out.

4:06:43And then we are done with the delegations.

4:06:45We are then going to take a half an hour break

4:06:49and then we will come back where council

4:06:51can throw some extra stuff at staff as a takeaway, okay?

4:06:55And then we'll move on to the other agenda items.

4:06:57So Laura, Muir, I know you, of course,

4:07:00and saw you put up your hand.

4:07:02You wanted to give your opinions on this, no problem,

4:07:04come on down.

4:07:05I saw someone else's hand and you're gonna be the last,

4:07:09you're gonna take us home, okay?

4:07:11You're gonna be the last one, okay?

4:07:13So Laura will be first and then I'll get your name

4:07:15when you come on up, okay?

4:07:20Thank you very much, Laura, over to you.

4:07:22Well, thank you, Mayor Guthrie and council members

4:07:25and members of the public for allowing me to speak today.

4:07:30I just wanted to say that 32 years ago,

4:07:32I stood before council and delegated

4:07:35after a long and extensive public process

4:07:38to protect the 21 most important areas

4:07:42of the Hand and Creek watershed in order to preserve it

4:07:44for ours and future generations.

4:07:47This area was one of them.

4:07:48And the question today is whether this land is suitable

4:07:52for the proposed use.

4:07:54Now, I'm here also to speak on behalf

4:07:56of the five endangered bat species

4:08:00and the species of special concern

4:08:02that live in the Meadow area.

4:08:03These are all areas owned by the city of Guelph currently.

4:08:07And so that's why I'm here to speak for them

4:08:09because in this world, right,

4:08:11what's happening on the planet right now

4:08:13are these animals are being squeezed

4:08:14into smaller and smaller areas.

4:08:16And the city had every intention of protecting them.

4:08:19Otherwise, why would they allow the public

4:08:21to go out and plant a thousand trees

4:08:23for a future forest on this land?

4:08:25Now, those trees are now going to be removed or bulldozed.

4:08:29They say they can transplant them,

4:08:31but I don't know how successful that's going to be.

4:08:34But I think, you know,

4:08:35that we had a commitment to protect this area.

4:08:38And I don't know why,

4:08:41how this whole development evolved on land

4:08:43that was supposed to be protected.

4:08:48So we also stand to lose eight hectares

4:08:50of conservation land or a park land,

4:08:52still zone P1 under appeal.

4:08:54I'm not sure what's happening with the appeal.

4:08:57And I think that, you know, we asked the GRCA,

4:09:02during the meeting, the NISCA meeting,

4:09:03we were told that we couldn't ask the GRCA

4:09:06to give up their development plans

4:09:08on their eight hectares of land.

4:09:10But here we are in the city of Guelph,

4:09:12allowing a developer to come forward

4:09:15and put in a proposal for land

4:09:16that we've protected for 32 years.

4:09:18So to me, this is not right.

4:09:25And the other point is, is where are these people,

4:09:27how are we going to connect these people

4:09:28to the nature of this land?

4:09:30If you go out there and walk, it is quite beautiful still.

4:09:33They're going to put up a chain link fence,

4:09:35and there's going to be no trail through the land

4:09:36to protect the ecological links.

4:09:38So these people are going to be living

4:09:40in a very high density area

4:09:42with no connection to this land

4:09:44until a trail is put in for the area farther to the north.

4:09:49South, sorry.

4:09:52And I wanted to know why only 50% of the units

4:09:55are affordable, why not 75 to 100%

4:09:58if affordable housing is so short in the city,

4:10:01why are we not allowed,

4:10:02why are they not proposing more affordable?

4:10:06I didn't see any, the walk score is 47,

4:10:10which is not a very good score.

4:10:12So it's not exactly accessible for people

4:10:14who have to take, who need to get to the grocery store

4:10:18at the corner of Clair Rd,

4:10:19unless they take the bus.

4:10:21And if you've ever carried your groceries on the bus,

4:10:23you know how difficult that can be.

4:10:25And I think, and the other point is,

4:10:28is that the major portion of the people

4:10:30who are going to be living in the studios, et cetera,

4:10:32are at the very back of the property.

4:10:33So that adds even more distance to the properties,

4:10:39to the amenity areas that people are talking about,

4:10:42you know, the stores and everything.

4:10:45And also I looked at the plans,

4:10:48the common space amenity areas have been decreased

4:10:52from what the city requires.

4:10:54I didn't see any, I didn't see any children's playground

4:10:58on the site plan.

4:11:01So where, and I don't know where the community gardens is,

4:11:04but they're going to have to be pretty big

4:11:05for 940 units if people want to have a garden

4:11:08on their property.

4:11:11And I did send in a lot of comments,

4:11:14and I want to thank staff for providing me

4:11:16some answers for them,

4:11:17but there's still some that I still didn't get answers

4:11:20for some hoping before this comes back to council again

4:11:22for approval that I will see some comments on those.

4:11:26But I think my major thing is, is here we are,

4:11:29we're putting in affordable housing,

4:11:30they're going to require a class classification for noise

4:11:35for people to sign a waiver when they buy their unit,

4:11:40that they're going to be living in an area

4:11:41where there's noise.

4:11:42Now this was only recently brought in

4:11:44by the province of Ontario,

4:11:46and it was facilitated to bring in areas for infill,

4:11:50where there were going to be existing industry

4:11:52and there was areas that could be infilled with housing.

4:11:55This is not the case, I don't believe in this,

4:11:57this is more of a greenfield area.

4:12:00And also the ambient noise levels in some of the,

4:12:03in the noise part city would have difficulty

4:12:05in some areas of the property attenuating the noise

4:12:08less than 50 decibels.

4:12:10Now the World Health Organization is already,

4:12:14we already know that noise levels over 50 decibels

4:12:16at a constant 50 decibels and over

4:12:19is very detrimental to your health.

4:12:20It can cause, it causes a low stress response

4:12:24that can bring, cause people to have hypertension

4:12:28and other health issues just from the constant background

4:12:31noise of what you're listening to.

4:12:33And this is even with the fixed windows

4:12:35in some of these, in the units I believe.

4:12:38So anyway, I'm not going to comment anymore.

4:12:42I sent all my comments in,

4:12:44and I think if you've read them, they're in the report,

4:12:46both sets of comments that I put in.

4:12:50And I believe for me, I oppose this development.

4:12:53I support affordable housing,

4:12:55but I don't believe this is the right place for it.

4:12:58And so that's all I have to say, thank you.

4:13:03And thank you very much, Laura.

4:13:04Is there anything for Laura?

4:13:06Any question as a follow up for my colleagues?

4:13:09There is not, thank you.

4:13:11And yep, come on forward, come on down.

4:13:20And if you could just state your name for the record,

4:13:23we would appreciate it, go right ahead.

4:13:25My name is Sandeep Kaur, S-A-N-D-E-E-P-K-A-U-R,

4:13:30Sandeep Kaur.

4:13:32Thank you very much, we appreciate it.

4:13:36Okay, I just wanted to make sure

4:13:37that wasn't an alarm going on.

4:13:39It's okay, it's a cleaning machine, I think.

4:13:41Okay, so we're good.

4:13:43You have up to 10 minutes if you need it, go right ahead.

4:13:46Good evening, everyone.

4:13:47My name is Sandeep Kaur, and I'm here today

4:13:49to share my story as someone who wants

4:13:52to build a future in Guelph.

4:13:54I started working at a lean-amar in December, 2022.

4:13:58And my husband also works at lean-amar.

4:14:00We both have full-time jobs, we work hard every day,

4:14:04and proud to contribute to the local economy

4:14:06and the community that we call home.

4:14:09For the past few years, we have been renting in Guelph.

4:14:12We choose to live here because it is a wonderful city

4:14:17with a strong sense of community, great opportunities,

4:14:19and a place where we can see ourselves, our family.

4:14:23We have built our lives here, made friends here,

4:14:25and become part of this community.

4:14:28Like many young families, our dream is simple.

4:14:30We want to own a modest home in the city,

4:14:33where we live and work.

4:14:35We are responsible with our finances.

4:14:38When we save, whenever we can,

4:14:41and we continue to plan for the future.

4:14:43However, despite having two full-time incomes,

4:14:46buying a home still feels out of reach.

4:14:49Every time we get closer to our saving goals,

4:14:52housing prices seems to rise even faster.

4:14:56As we plan to grow our family,

4:14:58this challenge becomes even more difficult.

4:15:00We think about the future often,

4:15:02having a safe and a stable home,

4:15:04a backyard for our children to play in,

4:15:06and the security that comes with knowing we stay in

4:15:09one community for a long time.

4:15:11These are the things many families hope for.

4:15:14Yet for us and many others in similar situations,

4:15:17they feel increasingly difficult to achieve.

4:15:20What makes this especially frustrating

4:15:22is that we are exactly the kind of people

4:15:25who want to stay and invest in wealth.

4:15:28So we work here, we shop here, pay taxes here,

4:15:31and contribute to the community every day.

4:15:33So we are not looking for luxury housing,

4:15:36we are simply hoping for a realistic opportunity

4:15:39to own a home and build a future in a city

4:15:42we already call home.

4:15:44I know my story is not unique.

4:15:46There are many hardworking families,

4:15:48young professionals, newcomers, and essential workers

4:15:52facing the same challenge.

4:15:53That is why affordable home ownership opportunities

4:15:57are so important.

4:15:59They can help families like mine stay in the Gulf

4:16:02and continue contributing to the community for years to come.

4:16:06Thank you for your time, for listening to my story,

4:16:08and for considering solutions that

4:16:10can help make home ownership more achievable for families

4:16:13like ours.

4:16:14Thank you so much.

4:16:16Thank you for reading and bringing that to our attention.

4:16:20Thank you very much.

4:16:21Thank you.

4:16:22And is there any questions as a follow up for this delegate?

4:16:26There is not.

4:16:27And you were the last.

4:16:29So thank you very much.

4:16:30We appreciate it.

4:16:32OK.

4:16:34I'm going to get a vibe from my colleagues.

4:16:38Before I make a decision, should I take the break right now?

4:16:45Or should we move to receive this and kind of bring this

4:16:51to a conclusion and then take the break?

4:16:54I'm seeing a lot of nods to bring this to a conclusion.

4:16:58So I'm going to go that way.

4:17:02But to bring it to a conclusion, I need all of you

4:17:07to very focus, including me.

4:17:09OK.

4:17:11We are here to receive an application.

4:17:14Councillor Allt has agreed to move that.

4:17:18Galler will second.

4:17:19Thank you.

4:17:22Please tell our staff anything that has not already

4:17:28been said as a takeaway.

4:17:31And I'm going to go around the room.

4:17:33If we need to take the time, we will do it to get it right.

4:17:35I'm not trying to rush it.

4:17:37But we don't need huge comments here or things like that.

4:17:41Like tell staff, and in a way, you're

4:17:45telling the proponents, too.

4:17:48You're telling them what you're feeling as a takeaway.

4:17:52But let's do it succinctly and let's get going

4:17:54to bring this to a conclusion.

4:17:57I'm going to go Cron and then Galler and then Hauser and then

4:18:02Ault.

4:18:02Let's stop there.

4:18:03I can't remember a pass for her.

4:18:05Thank you, Mayor Guthrie.

4:18:07I will be laser focused.

4:18:08I won't talk about site plan issues or brick color

4:18:11or anything like that.

4:18:14We are here to talk about land use planning.

4:18:16And I know that we cannot people's own.

4:18:19But we've raised some questions about, perhaps, conditions

4:18:25on land, adding clauses to deeds.

4:18:29And so I think we would need some legal advice from planning

4:18:33as part of the report back on whether we have any authority

4:18:36on that.

4:18:37And if so, whether there is any liability to the city,

4:18:42if there are adverse effects from noise, for example.

4:18:46And it would be good to know whether or not that is even

4:18:49a land use planning issue.

4:18:51Because so much of the delegation information

4:18:54that we've heard tonight is in support of the model

4:18:57and support of the affordability.

4:18:59I think that was very powerful.

4:19:01Stories that we heard through the delegations

4:19:04were extremely powerful in terms of what

4:19:08this potential project and opportunity can mean.

4:19:12So I have a better sense of where

4:19:14that falls within our land use planning authority when it comes

4:19:17back.

4:19:17Thanks.

4:19:19Thank you.

4:19:20And I'm sure many colleagues, including myself,

4:19:22would say did odor what you just said.

4:19:24So thank you.

4:19:26Sorry, Gowler, Hauser, and then Alt.

4:19:30Through you, Your Worship, to staff, one question.

4:19:33We are receiving this tonight.

4:19:34When can we expect this to come back to council?

4:19:43Through you, Mr. Mayor, to councillor,

4:19:46we are expecting to bring the report back in September.

4:19:50Thank you very much.

4:19:51I appreciate that.

4:19:52Thank you, Your Worship.

4:19:53Great.

4:19:53Thank you, Councillor Goller.

4:19:54And to Hauser, please.

4:19:56And then Alt.

4:19:57Thank you.

4:19:58And through the mayor, I was just concerned about some

4:20:02of the comments about the endangered species

4:20:04and wondering about if you can bring us some more information

4:20:08on that.

4:20:09And just what will be put in protection for them

4:20:12in the link.

4:20:15Thank you.

4:20:17To Alt, please.

4:20:18And then Bousatil.

4:20:19Thank you very much, Mayor Goller.

4:20:21Following up on my colleagues, clearly we

4:20:24are here to balance the issues of housing and ecology.

4:20:27And this is a significant challenge.

4:20:32With regards to the wildlife corridors,

4:20:34I would hope that staff will address the assurity of the corridor

4:20:37being protected as required by bylaws,

4:20:39and I think provincial statutes as well,

4:20:42to sustain its functionality and its connectivity.

4:20:45And the question specifically that I'd like to ask

4:20:48is, does the stormwater management plan protect

4:20:51that linkage, or does it potentially block it?

4:20:54Similarly, what will the effect of construction

4:20:56be on the wildlife corridor?

4:20:57Because it potentially could block it,

4:21:01impede it for some amount of time.

4:21:03As well on page 16 of the report,

4:21:07some references were made in point.

4:21:11Private infrastructure on future city lands

4:21:15raises a concern regarding potential impacts

4:21:18on ecological functionality, as well as occupiers liability

4:21:22risks to the city.

4:21:24I was wondering if staff could please flesh that out

4:21:28so that I know what it is that we are talking about

4:21:32beyond the obscure reference to occupiers risks to the city.

4:21:36I think we need some details.

4:21:38Perhaps that's even something that has to be done and closed,

4:21:41but I think it needs to come back at some point.

4:21:43Thank you.

4:21:44Great.

4:21:44And thank you.

4:21:45Over to Boositil actually has said that, I think, Councillor Allt,

4:21:50you've captured what her takeaway was as well.

4:21:53So thank you.

4:21:54Is there anybody else that would like staff to hear anything

4:21:58before I call the vote?

4:22:02There is not.

4:22:03So just from me, I would suggest that,

4:22:07and I'm just kind of taking an observation of the vibe

4:22:10in the room here, there seems to be a lot of support, I think,

4:22:13around where the project is going.

4:22:16And I believe where there's issues that my colleagues have raised

4:22:19are just around the technical side.

4:22:20Like it's the technical side of things.

4:22:22And I think the project proponents have actually

4:22:26addressed a lot of that within the detailed reports that

4:22:29are there.

4:22:30But working together to figure that out

4:22:33before it comes back in September would be just to have it

4:22:36really clear would be great for me and for us.

4:22:41And I just wondered, one quick question,

4:22:45is there a tunnel for animal linkage already under Claire

4:22:53Road going across that road there?

4:22:55Is there already a tunnel to help with that?

4:22:58Or is there not one there?

4:22:59I can't remember.

4:23:00Because I know on Eastview when we redid Eastview,

4:23:02we put those tunnels under Eastview.

4:23:05And people really liked that.

4:23:07In fact, you could watch a live video.

4:23:09Did you know that?

4:23:11Yes, there was turtles.

4:23:12And people were like, oh, there's

4:23:13teenage mutant ninja turtles going across the thing there.

4:23:16So is there already a tunnel for animals going across Claire

4:23:19to date?

4:23:24To the mayor?

4:23:24No, there is not.

4:23:25Well, there isn't.

4:23:26OK.

4:23:27Because if that's what's being proposed,

4:23:30that would actually be an enhancement to animals.

4:23:34It's not there now.

4:23:36So OK.

4:23:38And other than that, I'm looking forward

4:23:43to have this come back in September.

4:23:45That's great.

4:23:46So thank you.

4:23:47And we'll have a discussion and debate then.

4:23:51With that, I'm going to call the vote then.

4:23:53Is there anyone against receiving the application?

4:23:57Nobody.

4:23:58So that's unanimous for receipt.

4:24:00Thank you very much.

4:24:01Everyone take a breath.

4:24:03And we're good to end this.

4:24:05Now it's 7.10.

4:24:09We are going to come back here at 7.35.

4:24:16I'm calling it a 25 minute break.

4:24:18I'm already cutting five minutes.

4:24:20When we come back, we will jump to the Ward Heritage

4:24:28Conservation District, the draft plan.

4:24:32And guidelines.

4:24:33OK.

4:24:34And that's another receive only.

4:24:35OK.

4:24:36Just so everyone knows.

4:24:38No decisions on that one either.

4:24:40Then we get into decision mode.

4:24:44And we'll do the Urban Design Master Plan after that.

4:24:47And also we have the growth management presentation too.

4:24:53So 7.35.

4:24:57See you all then.

4:24:57Thank you.

4:48:14To my colleagues online, if you can hear me,

4:48:16this is your one minute warning.

4:48:18OK.

4:49:10And to my colleagues online, this is your 30 second warning.

4:49:46OK.

4:49:47I am calling the meeting back to order.

4:49:49Thank you very much for waiting through the first item there.

4:49:53And we are now to the Ward Heritage Conservation District.

4:49:58It is the draft plan and guidelines.

4:50:01We have a couple of presentations here from both Jack

4:50:05and Rebecca.

4:50:06I don't have my glasses on.

4:50:08Rebecca, where are you?

4:50:10Hello.

4:50:11Thank you.

4:50:12So I will turn it over to you to hit us with that presentation.

4:50:17We have one delegation after that.

4:50:20So go right ahead, Jack.

4:50:21Thank you.

4:50:22Good evening, Mayor Guthrie, members of council

4:50:25and members of the public who have joined us

4:50:26to discuss the draft Ward Heritage Conservation District

4:50:29plan.

4:50:31Recognizing that you have a long meeting tonight,

4:50:33I will try and conserve your time as carefully

4:50:35as I can serve heritage.

4:50:38Tonight presents an opportunity for council

4:50:42and members of the public to provide feedback on the draft

4:50:45Ward HCD plan.

4:50:48I will be presenting alongside Rebecca Shara, cultural heritage

4:50:51manager with ASI, and project manager for the Ward HCD

4:50:55project.

4:50:57To provide a brief recap, in 2023,

4:51:00council directed staff to initiate a heritage district

4:51:03study for the western portion of the Ward neighborhood.

4:51:07Heritage conservation districts are a proven strategy

4:51:10for conserving community character,

4:51:12while making room for needed growth and change.

4:51:16Last June, council approved the proposed boundary

4:51:19for the district and directed staff

4:51:20to begin work on the Heritage Conservation District

4:51:23plan that would guide conservation and development

4:51:26in the Ward HCD.

4:51:29From the beginning, we envisioned this district

4:51:32to be shaped by the community within its borders.

4:51:35We hosted three very well attended public open houses.

4:51:39We received valuable feedback and advice.

4:51:43What we heard, loud and clear, was

4:51:46the desire to have heritage buildings and landscapes protected

4:51:50from loss without restricting change or property owners

4:51:53ability to be creative.

4:51:56Similarly, we consulted development stakeholders

4:51:59whose feedback was critical to developing a plan that balances

4:52:02conservation with flexibility.

4:52:06It is appropriate that we are presenting this plan

4:52:08the same evening as the Urban Design Master Plan

4:52:11for the Midtown Village.

4:52:13The two reports tell different parts of the same story,

4:52:16that heritage and development can go hand in hand.

4:52:21Preserving what makes a place special and accommodating

4:52:23growth are not mutually exclusive goals.

4:52:26They're both essential to building a city that

4:52:28is vibrant, resilient, and distinctive.

4:52:32Heritage district is a conversation

4:52:34between past, present, and future.

4:52:37It is about deciding what is worth carrying forward

4:52:39and how we can manage change without losing the character that

4:52:42makes a place special.

4:52:44In Planner Speak, we call this stewardship

4:52:48of the ward's unique cultural heritage resources

4:52:51and landscapes.

4:52:52A resident at one of our open houses

4:52:54had a more direct way of putting it.

4:52:57Keep the ward weird.

4:53:00After several hundred pages of reports, maps, inventories,

4:53:03studies, and policy recommendations,

4:53:06it was humbling to discover that the goal of this project

4:53:09could be summarized so concisely in just four words.

4:53:13I will now hand it over to Rebecca

4:53:14to tell you more about the Ward HCD District Plan.

4:53:30Thank you, Jack, and good evening.

4:53:37I'm Rebecca Sherra, Principal and Heritage Planner

4:53:39with ASI Heritage.

4:53:41I've been leading the Ward Conservation District Study

4:53:44and Plan since the work began in 2024.

4:53:48I am here with Uta Mayajim Batista, Principal

4:53:51and Urban Designer with O2 Planning and Design.

4:53:55We have prepared a short presentation tonight

4:53:57to walk through the Ward Conservation District Plan.

4:54:03I will start tonight with a quick refresh of what

4:54:07the plan is covering.

4:54:18Yes, I am.

4:54:24We go.

4:54:26I'm here.

4:54:27Thank you.

4:54:29So a formal heritage district in the ward

4:54:31is being recommended under the Ontario Heritage

4:54:33Act within the area shown here in front of you.

4:54:37The goal of this district is to establish a flexible, yet

4:54:40place sensitive framework to guide future development

4:54:44in the ward.

4:54:46The goal is not to freeze the place and time.

4:54:50Instead, this district plan presents a path forward

4:54:53for how it can continue to adapt while remaining special.

4:54:58This is a place with memories, with historic fabric,

4:55:02yet also very contemporary.

4:55:04And all of those elements are at their best

4:55:07when operating and mixing together.

4:55:10The plan responds to and celebrates

4:55:14this potent mix of elements that characterize

4:55:17this part of the ward, a place that

4:55:19is in a constant state of shaping, making, adapting,

4:55:23and celebrating.

4:55:27Almost a year ago, City Council directed staff

4:55:30to begin preparing a planning document for the Ward Heritage

4:55:33District.

4:55:36It covers the west side of the ward area,

4:55:39where development happened earliest and in a distinct way.

4:55:43It was shaped by its location on the speed and Aramosa Rivers.

4:55:48The confluence between them would have likely

4:55:50been an important meeting place for Indigenous communities

4:55:53long before the area was intensified in the late 1800s

4:55:59and early 1900s.

4:56:01Its riverside location encouraged industry and rail

4:56:04to emerge here and also laid a blueprint

4:56:07for any regular and curious arrangement of streets and blocks.

4:56:12Its low lying and wetlands kept the land affordable,

4:56:16and between the 1880s and 1930s when the area built up.

4:56:19The buildings and streetscapes that emerged

4:56:22reflect the lives and traditions of the communities

4:56:24of newcomers that arrived here, making it their new home.

4:56:32The district plan for the ward has

4:56:33been developed based on this kind of understanding

4:56:36of this place.

4:56:38That understanding has involved looking at the history

4:56:40and features of the area, how it was developed,

4:56:43and how it has changed, and the patterns that

4:56:45are on display here today.

4:56:47This understanding also takes into account

4:56:49what the area is intended to become based on the cities

4:56:53and provinces land use planning vision and goals.

4:56:56It also reflects what we have heard

4:56:58from talking to the public, people who live here,

4:57:01people who own property here, people who want to build

4:57:04and develop here, people who work here, paint here,

4:57:08walk here, visit here.

4:57:11We have also talked to the Mississaugas of the New Credit

4:57:14and Six Nations of the Grand River

4:57:15and a project specific working group and the city's Heritage

4:57:18Advisory Committee.

4:57:23The ward neighborhood may not be a conventional or obvious

4:57:27candidate for a heritage conservation district.

4:57:3040 years ago, when districts started

4:57:32to be protected in Ontario, they tended

4:57:34to focus on areas of sameness or high-end architecture,

4:57:38impressive examples of grand buildings built

4:57:41by people of means or streets lined

4:57:44with nearly identical buildings.

4:57:4640 years later, though, districts and approaches

4:57:49to heritage conservation are far more reflective

4:57:53and insightful.

4:57:55Heritage is not a beauty contest.

4:57:57It's about understanding places that

4:57:59are part of our collective history and contemporary communities

4:58:03and how those layers can survive as they continue to evolve

4:58:07and thrive through this century and beyond.

4:58:10This historically working class area

4:58:12contains a number of large late 19th and 20th century

4:58:16industrial buildings located along the Speed River

4:58:19and around a series of rail lines that were introduced

4:58:21to the neighborhood.

4:58:26These industrial buildings are surrounded

4:58:28by tightly packed workers' housing,

4:58:30built following simple designs and using modest materials.

4:58:37The neighborhood has long been home to newcomers

4:58:40and immigrant populations, with a particularly large population

4:58:45of Italian immigrants who brought their traditions

4:58:47and ways of life to the community.

4:58:52Many of the buildings here have been altered and adapted

4:58:55over time as people converted parts of their homes

4:58:58into shops and storefronts.

4:59:00These conversions were an important part

4:59:02of the local economy and vital to the resilience and self-sufficiency

4:59:05of the community.

4:59:08These changes left physical traces throughout the neighborhood

4:59:11that today communicate its evolution.

4:59:14There is no question that this area is of cultural heritage value

4:59:18and meets the requirements for designation

4:59:20under the Ontario Heritage Act.

4:59:25Over the last year, this project has had a robust engagement

4:59:28program.

4:59:29Virtual public engagement activities ran in the winter,

4:59:32and we shared preliminary work with a project working group

4:59:36and the Heritage Advisory Committee at the same time.

4:59:39In the spring, we had a public open house

4:59:41to share draft policies and guidelines

4:59:44at the Italian-Canadian Centre.

4:59:46One-on-one communications with interested stakeholders

4:59:49and the Mississaugas of the Credit

4:59:51and Six Nations of the Grand happened in the spring as well.

4:59:55We are now here today having the statutory public meeting

4:59:58of council.

4:59:59A draft version of the plan was released in its entirety

5:00:02in June, and I'd like to now share a bit of what we heard

5:00:06through these rich and engaging sessions.

5:00:12We heard through the engagement program

5:00:14that this is an area with important community anchors.

5:00:17This map shows some specific features and sites

5:00:21that the community hopes are still there in 2050.

5:00:24Some are institutional buildings and sites

5:00:27like churches and schools, places that have served

5:00:29the community for decades.

5:00:31Others are places like the intersection of Arthur, Ontario,

5:00:36and Manitoba Street.

5:00:38Some are contemporary or of the more recent past,

5:00:41like the Two Rivers Community Garden or the Ukrainian Church,

5:00:45while others are from the 1800s like the Spring Mill Distillery.

5:00:52At March, the Italian-Canadian Centre,

5:00:54our understanding of this place continued to be refined.

5:00:57We talked with people and discussed sample policies

5:01:00and guidelines for the district.

5:01:02We heard from kids, parents, people who live in the ward,

5:01:05and people who do business here about the features that

5:01:08should be stewarded as the area moves forward.

5:01:13In summary, through the process, we

5:01:15heard recurring themes about what is important to steward

5:01:19as the community continues to adapt and evolve.

5:01:22Freedom of self-expression was emphasized.

5:01:25We also heard that retention of a unique mix of historic buildings

5:01:29was important and also an emphasis on a commitment

5:01:33to a strong public realm network supporting walkability

5:01:36and human connections.

5:01:39And it is with all of this input and knowledge

5:01:41that we have crafted a district plan that

5:01:44responds to what we have heard.

5:02:01The district plan for the ward is not a cookie-cutter type

5:02:05of conservation plan.

5:02:07It is different than the usual heritage document.

5:02:11It documents what we have learned about this place,

5:02:14its unique and curious patterns of built forms and streetscapes

5:02:17and what we have heard.

5:02:19It presents a highly permissive and flexible policy framework

5:02:23and set of guidelines.

5:02:25And this is exactly part of the ward's cultural and built

5:02:28form DNA, historically and today.

5:02:31The plan allows for and encourages

5:02:33people to continue adapting and altering

5:02:36their buildings and properties.

5:02:38It recognizes that streetscapes and the public realm

5:02:41can help promote walkability and pedestrian experiences.

5:02:45The plan presents policies that consider

5:02:47how private property meets shared public space.

5:02:51The plan recognizes the historical and contemporary

5:02:54importance of commercial building

5:02:56typologies within the district and continuing

5:02:59this important historical pattern of small businesses.

5:03:03Finally, the plan serves as a record in and of itself,

5:03:07documenting this working class area

5:03:09where newcomers establish themselves and build communities.

5:03:13The plan creates a framework for stewarding the buildings

5:03:15and telling their stories and also a path

5:03:18for continuing to tell those stories

5:03:20even when the bricks and mortar are no longer there.

5:03:26In the plan document, you will see

5:03:28that properties within the boundary

5:03:29have been categorized into contributing properties.

5:03:33These are the properties that reflect

5:03:36or express the district's heritage values,

5:03:39most date to the 1880 to 1930 period.

5:03:42Others are much earlier from the 1850s to 1870s

5:03:47while others are later, like the Ukrainian church.

5:03:51Others go back to time immemorial, such as the rivers.

5:03:56Many are house-formed buildings,

5:03:59also included our churches, schools,

5:04:02former sites of industry, as well as homes

5:04:05that operated cottage industries inside their walls.

5:04:09Also included our gateways, such as the hundred steps

5:04:12or places, such as the intersection of Arthur,

5:04:14Ontario, Manitoba, and Allison here on street.

5:04:22As required under the Ontario Heritage Act,

5:04:24the plan presents a process for heritage permitting

5:04:27within the proposed district.

5:04:29Dependent on the kinds of activities proposed,

5:04:32activities can fall into one of four categories.

5:04:36Activities can either be exempt

5:04:39or considered a minor activity

5:04:41or considered a major activity,

5:04:43and then the fourth category includes new constructions

5:04:47and or demolition activities.

5:04:50Exempt activities require nothing more

5:04:53than is otherwise required under the building code.

5:04:56Minor, major, and new construction

5:04:59or demolition activities require a heritage permit process.

5:05:04Permits for minor activities are approved at the staff level.

5:05:09Major or new construction or demolition permits

5:05:12are also approved at the staff level

5:05:14with input from the Heritage Advisory Committee.

5:05:17There is no cost for heritage permits,

5:05:20and if there is a recommendation from staff

5:05:22to refuse a permit, the permit would then go to council

5:05:27to make a final decision,

5:05:28and property owners can appeal council decisions

5:05:31to the Ontario Land Tribunal.

5:05:36Many activities on contributing properties

5:05:39within the proposed district are exempt.

5:05:42Exempt activities include things like interior renovations

5:05:46or constructing an accessory dwelling unit

5:05:50that's not visible from the public right of way.

5:05:53Additions of elements such as dormers, for example,

5:05:56as well as repairs or replacements in kind.

5:06:00For example, existing, replacing existing siding

5:06:04with new siding, as well as additions of replacements

5:06:09or removals of porches.

5:06:10Those are all activities that would be exempt

5:06:12from a specific heritage permit.

5:06:15Other activities on contributing properties

5:06:18would require a minor heritage permit,

5:06:20which would be approved at the staff level.

5:06:24These kinds of minor activities involve things like

5:06:27adding new or extending parking pad areas,

5:06:31constructing an accessory dwelling unit

5:06:33that is visible from the public right of way,

5:06:36or even making additions at rears and sides

5:06:40of primary buildings on contributing properties,

5:06:43which in some cases may also be exempt

5:06:46from any heritage permit

5:06:47dependent on the scope of the addition.

5:06:50Other more substantial activities

5:06:52on contributing properties

5:06:54would require a major heritage permit,

5:06:56things like picking up an entire building

5:06:59and moving it to an entirely new property,

5:07:02or adding a full second story addition

5:07:06on a single story building,

5:07:08or making an addition that fully conceals

5:07:11the front facade of a contributing building.

5:07:15If a contributing building is proposed for demolition,

5:07:20a new construction or demolition permit would be required.

5:07:25For non-contributing properties,

5:07:27so those are all the properties

5:07:29that are considered to not express

5:07:30the heritage values of the district,

5:07:33the plan addresses two future permitting scenarios

5:07:36for those types of properties.

5:07:38So one would involve when a new building

5:07:41is proposed for construction in the district

5:07:44on a non-contributing property,

5:07:46a new construction heritage permit process

5:07:48would be required.

5:07:50Or in other cases,

5:07:52demolitions of non-contributing buildings

5:07:55would either be exempt

5:07:57or in some cases require a minor permit.

5:08:05The plan presents a series of policies

5:08:07and guidelines as well

5:08:08in chapters 10, 11, and 12 of the document.

5:08:12And it's very important to understand the difference

5:08:14between policies versus guidelines in the plan.

5:08:18Policies define the expectations for the district

5:08:21and use words like shall.

5:08:23These are mandatory.

5:08:25In contrast, guidelines provide practical

5:08:28how-to strategies to achieve policies.

5:08:32They are not mandatory

5:08:33and use words like should and encourage.

5:08:39I now want to walk through some sample policies

5:08:41and guidelines from the draft plan.

5:08:43And I'd like to show how policies differ from guidelines

5:08:47and also give a taste of their substance.

5:08:50Within the plan document itself,

5:08:52all policies are clearly identified in purple text

5:08:55and as numbered statements in chapters 10, 11, and 12.

5:09:00Guidelines are presented after policies

5:09:02and are in a lettered list.

5:09:05Here's an example of a policy

5:09:07and two guidelines for making additions

5:09:10on contributing properties.

5:09:12The policy states that additions to contributing properties

5:09:16that contain representative

5:09:17or unique residential building types

5:09:20shall be permitted at rears and sides.

5:09:24The plan provides a clear statement

5:09:27that side and rear additions to buildings

5:09:29are permitted in the district.

5:09:31Two text guidelines as you see here, A and B,

5:09:35and visual diagrams pair with this policy

5:09:38to help explain how one can achieve the policy

5:09:43while not introducing mandatory, rigid,

5:09:47and cookie cutter requirements.

5:09:49So for example, side and rear yard additions

5:09:52can exceed existing ridge lines of roofs in the district.

5:09:57And this is because in the ward,

5:09:59we are not interested in hiding additions and changes.

5:10:03Seeing additions is very much what this place is all about.

5:10:07And this kind of policy approach

5:10:09invites a wide range of different ways

5:10:11that a property owner can add density to their lot

5:10:14and a livable space to an existing building.

5:10:18Another guideline that pairs with this policy

5:10:21advises that full story additions are discouraged.

5:10:26But where contemplated,

5:10:28they should be set back from the primary facade.

5:10:31As part of our technical analysis

5:10:33of existing buildings and streets in the ward,

5:10:36we found that full story additions

5:10:38can often dramatically impact a contributing building,

5:10:43reducing the extent to which it's even recognizable

5:10:46as a sort of historic part of the place.

5:10:50So this kind of flexible wording provides guidance

5:10:53on how to do a full story addition, if necessary,

5:10:57without introducing strict requirements

5:10:59that would forever and always preclude them from happening.

5:11:05These policies were informed based on an understanding

5:11:08of what is here in the ward in its evolved form.

5:11:12Therefore, the policies welcome and invite additions

5:11:16that are added in highly visible ways,

5:11:18but in a manner that allows for the original building

5:11:22or the older building and its history of add-ons

5:11:26to be visible.

5:11:27In contrast, the photo on the right

5:11:30shows a former one-story building

5:11:32with full story addition added without any setback,

5:11:36which, as you can see,

5:11:37distorts some of its original form, scale,

5:11:40and understanding as a historical piece of the district.

5:11:44And therefore, this kind of approach

5:11:45to an addition is discouraged.

5:11:50I now want to walk through another sample policy,

5:11:54but this time for non-contributing properties.

5:11:56So a key thing to remember in a district

5:11:59is that it's concerned with guiding change

5:12:02on heritage properties, but also ensuring

5:12:05that new buildings add positively to the district

5:12:09and support its heritage values

5:12:11and the objectives of the district itself.

5:12:14Chapter 11 of the plan presents policies

5:12:18about how to introduce new buildings.

5:12:20In terms of building location and orientation,

5:12:23for example, the plan directs that new buildings

5:12:27shall have a varied street wall rhythm.

5:12:31The plan, again, is not interested

5:12:33in uniform setbacks and monotony.

5:12:38That is neither in the cultural DNA of this neighborhood

5:12:41nor an objective of the district.

5:12:43Therefore, the guidelines that support this policy

5:12:46advise property owners to take cues

5:12:48from elsewhere in the district, embracing creativity

5:12:52and site-specific solutions

5:12:54rather than matching existing adjacent properties.

5:13:02These examples clarify the difference

5:13:04between requirements, i.e. policies,

5:13:07that are presented in the plan versus guidance,

5:13:10those being the suggestions that property owners

5:13:13are recommended to consider when planning new buildings

5:13:16or alterations to existing ones.

5:13:19In summary, I want to wrap up

5:13:22with five key highlights for property owners

5:13:24as it's so important to have clarity about implications

5:13:28for property owners as we move closer

5:13:30to possible implementation of this plan.

5:13:34One, policies and guidelines of the plan

5:13:36apply to building exteriors

5:13:38and the primary buildings on the lot.

5:13:41Interiors are not impacted,

5:13:42neither are ancillary structures.

5:13:45Second, the plan does not require

5:13:48that contributing properties be restored

5:13:50to a previous period in time.

5:13:53Three, there are no fees

5:13:54for heritage permit applications.

5:13:57Four, the policies and guidelines presented in the plan,

5:14:01also working coordination with existing zoning bylaws

5:14:04and community planning permit systems.

5:14:06And finally, the plan is premised on welcoming

5:14:10building adaptations and new buildings and developments

5:14:14that are compatible with the area and fit its context.

5:14:18Such new construction may also be subject to other requirements

5:14:22such as site and area specific policies, secondary plans

5:14:26and or urban design master plans.

5:14:33We're here today sharing a complete draft of the HCD plan

5:14:37and based on feedback received today

5:14:39and since the plan was publicly released in June,

5:14:42our next steps will be to update the plan

5:14:45with the targeted release of the final plan in early August

5:14:49and with a formal recommendation to council

5:14:51for approval in September.

5:14:53Thank you.

5:14:57Well, thank you both very much.

5:14:58We do have one delegation.

5:15:00I'd like to go to Barbara Mann right away,

5:15:03please on this topic.

5:15:04So we'll come back to staff in a moment.

5:15:08Barbara Mann is here on behalf

5:15:10of the Ward Residence Association.

5:15:12And again, it's no more than 10 minutes, okay?

5:15:14There's a chime at the nine minute 30 second mark.

5:15:17I'll turn it over to you, Barbara.

5:15:18Thank you.

5:15:19It'll be a lot less than that.

5:15:20I just wanted to tell you what we've heard

5:15:22from the residents of this has been going on.

5:15:26Basically, there's been no full on opposition at all.

5:15:31Some people have said they want to designate

5:15:33because they're actually afraid

5:15:34of what could happen in the future,

5:15:36like road widening and things like that.

5:15:38Others have said that they don't understand it completely

5:15:42and they're afraid to designate,

5:15:44but that last part, thank you, was really helpful.

5:15:46We'll get that up on the website for them.

5:15:50And as an individual, I'm going to speak to that

5:15:53as soon as Kilmar got hold of the Wood site,

5:15:55we wanted the Ward to be a heritage district site.

5:15:59So it's really exciting for me as an individual

5:16:01to hear that this is a possibility coming now.

5:16:04So thank you for all the hard work

5:16:06that you guys put into that

5:16:07because we know it was a lot of hard work.

5:16:12Thank you, Barbara.

5:16:12Is there any questions for Barbara?

5:16:16There's 10 questions.

5:16:17You got to come back, notice, okay?

5:16:19Okay, that's it.