AGENDA - General Committee - 20230117Town of Aurora
General Committee
Meeting Agenda
Date:Tuesday, January 17, 2023
Time:7 p.m.
Location:Council Chambers, Aurora Town Hall
Meetings are available to the public in person and via live stream on the Town’s YouTube channel.
To participate, please visit aurora.ca/participation.
Pages
1.Call to Order
2.Land Acknowledgement
3.Approval of the Agenda
4.Declarations of Pecuniary Interest and General Nature Thereof
5.Community Presentations
6.Delegations
6.1 Steve Hall and John Reich, Aurora Barbarians Rugby Football Club; Re:
Development of new all-weather field at Sheppard's Bush - Collaboration
1
7.Consent Agenda
7.1 Correspondence from Regional Clerk; Re: Regional Council Decision -
Proposed Amendments to the Greenbelt and Oak Ridges Moraine Plans
29
That the correspondence regarding Regional Council Decision -
Proposed Amendments to the Greenbelt and Oak Ridges
Moraine Plans be received for information.
1.
8.Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes
9.Consideration of Items Requiring Discussion (Regular Agenda)
9.1 CS23-001 - Committee Structure Review and Updated Policy for Ad
Hoc/Advisory Committees and Local Boards
41
That Report No. CS23-001 be received; and1.
That Attachment 1, the policy for Ad Hoc/Advisory Committees
and Local Boards be approved; and
2.
That the following Advisory Committees be created:3.
Community Advisory Committee•
Community Recognition Review Advisory Committee•
Environmental Advisory Committee•
Finance Advisory Committee (Council members only)•
Mayor's Golf Classic Funds Committee; and•
That staff be directed to advertise for members of the Advisory
and Statutory Boards and Committees with the exception of the
Finance Advisory Committee; and
4.
That the attached Terms of Reference for all Statutory and
discretionary Committees be approved.
5.
9.2 PDS23-001 - Secondary Suites in Residential Homes Building Inspection
Strategies and Proposed Policies
100
That Report No. PDS23-001 be received for information.1.
9.3 CMS23-001 - Recreation and Culture Grant and Sponsorship of
Community Events and Programs Policy Refresh
124
That Report No. CMS23-001 be received; and1.
That the merger of the Recreation and Culture Grant and the
Sponsorship of Community Events and Programs into a single
Community Support Grant Program be approved; and
2.
That staff be directed to return with a Grant Policy for the new
Community Support Grant Program.
3.
9.4 FIN23-001 - Debt Management Policy 134
That Report No. FIN23-001 be received; and1.
That the presented Debt Management Policy for the Town be
approved.
2.
10.Notices of Motion
10.1 Councillor Gilliland; Re: Feasibility of Snow Windrow Removal
Assistance Program
152
11.Regional Report
12.New Business
13.Public Service Announcements
14.Closed Session
15.Adjournment
100 John West Way
Aurora, Ontario
L4G 6J1
(905) 727-3123
aurora.ca
Delegation Request
This request and any written submissions or background information for consideration by either Council or
Committees of Council is being submitted to Legislative Services.
Council or Committee *
General Committee
Council or Committee Meeting Date *
2023-01-17
Subject *
Development of new all weather field at Sheppard's Bush- Collabaration
Full Name of Spokesperson and Name of Group or Person(s) being Represented (if applicable) *
Steve Hall, John Reich -Aurora Barbarians Rugby Football Club
Brief Summary of Issue or Purpose of Delegation *
The construction of a second all-weather turf field with flood lights within the Sheppard’s Bush property
suitable for high-level rugby (5th generation turf) marked for rugby and other activities as deemed useful
by Parks & Rec.This would be augmented with limited bleacher seating and the erection of a (modular)
building that would replace the existing washrooms and storage structure and add change rooms and
showers for both the club and other permit holders.
Our financial commitment to the development would be substantial including all costs associated with
the building and bleacher seating
Have you been in contact with a Town staff or Council member regarding your matter of interest?
*
Yes No
Full name of the Town staff or Council
member with whom you spoke
Robin McDougall, John Firman
Date you spoke with Town staff or a Council
member
2022-7-27
Page 1 of 152
Aurora Barbarians Rugby Football ClubField and Facility Partnership ProposalPresented to:Aurora Town Council January 17, 2023Page 2 of 152
Aurora Barbarians Rugby Football Club (“ABRFC”) Barbarians rugby has been a part of the Aurora sport community for over 20 years - over 5,000 enrollments in that time.We are the “Big Tent Sport” open to all ages and genders and the ABRFC is one of the largest and most diverse rugby organizations in Canada Our game is featured for men and women in both the Olympic and Paralympic Games. We have won Provincial championships in every age-grade and gender category. We are Proud to call Aurora home and will always strive to build our club from within town boundaries while welcoming any participant looking for a healthy, inclusive environment to learn, enjoy and excel at, the great sport of rugby.We have a warm relationship with the Town of Aurora’s Parks & Recreation Department. Rugby Ontario and the Barbarians have been members and shareholders at Fletcher’s Fields We support a Rugby Ontario initiative to decentralize rugby and encourage regional growth. In 2021 a decision was taken by the shareholders of Fletcher’s Fields to accept an offer for the facility.This provides a unique opportunity to return to our constituency and invest in Aurora. We are committed to establishing a larger presence in Aurora, expanding our house leagues, enjoining new participants in rugby activities. This proposal supports recommendations from the 2016 Parks and Recreation Master Plan. Page 3 of 152
ABRFC Partnership proposal initial thoughtsConstruction of a 2nd all-weather turf field with flood lights within the Sheppard’s Bush property suitable for high-level rugby (5th generation turf) The new field will be marked for rugby and other activities as deemed useful by Parks & Rec. Erection of a (modular) “green” building that would replace the existing washrooms and storage structure at SBAdd male and female changerooms A public meeting space and a private area to showcase the history of the rugby club and be an administration office for the BarbariansFinancial commitment would be substantial including: -all costs associated with the replacement building. -capital contribution to field development commensurate with ABRFC’s share of seasonal use [TBD]. Return our current field allocations to the Town’s inventory and replace them with access to the adjacent turf field and grass areas at Sheppard’s Bush - subject to the Town’s permit policies. Our use of the fields, including the new turf, is subject to payment of standard permitting fees. Care and cleaning of the new building would be shared as determined by Parks & Rec.Promote sport tourism using rugby festivals as an attraction. The Barbarians have previously sponsored rugby festivals at Fletcher’s Fields that attracted upwards of 2,000 participants over a weekend. Arrangement with the Town would extend for multiple years. Page 4 of 152
Proposed Memorandum of UnderstandingABRFC is proposing a partnership with Town of Aurora and to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding/Agreement based on the following:1. Provide a donation for construction of a second all-weather turf field with flood lights within the Sheppard’s Bush Property. 2. Donation amount relative to projected ABRFC use – up to $1,000,000.3. Cover costs of modular “green” building to provide change rooms, new washroom facilities and meeting space open year-round. Currently budgeted at $750,000.4. ABRFC would be provided priority access to the new field based on an agreed schedule with Parks & Rec and access to other fields at Sheppard’s Bush as per the regular permitting process and schedule provided.5. ABRFC would continue to pay for all field use as per the Town’s current fee schedule.6. Maintenance of the turf facility would be provided by the Town. ABRFC would provide any specific rugby equipment required and maintain and furnish its reserved areas. The field and non-reserved areas of the building would be shared and made available to other permit holders.7. The agreement would establish a long-term relationship with an extended term and annual operating reviews. Termination of the field usage agreement would require an acceptable notice period and compensation to ABRFC.Page 5 of 152
View of proposed new Field and Pavilion EExisting view of Sheppard’s BushPage 6 of 152
Conceptual view of the facilitycontemplates solar panels and green roof Page 7 of 152
Supporting Town planningThis proposal would support the following recommendations from the 2016 Parks and Recreation Master Plan.¾#2 “Existing municipal facilities should be evaluated for ways to improve comfort and facilitate opportunities for informal interactions and socialization to take place.. among all residents”¾#11 “Multi purpose program rooms…should be evaluated for improvement to increase their appeal and flexibility that expands usage.”¾#17 “Establish a sports field complex containing a minimum of three lit full-size rectangular fields and supported by appropriate facilities oriented to further the player and/or spectator experience. One of these fields should be designed as a ‘multi-use’ field capable of accommodating field sports beyond soccer.”¾#18” Construct one outdoor artificial turf field at Stewart Burnett Park, as per current municipal plans, to service a broad range of field sports while providing the Town with flexibility to accommodate future needs. Any additional artificial turf fields beyond this one should be subject to confirmation through municipal business planning exercises as per current practice.”¾#19 “Continue to work with … suitable partners to provide rectangular sports fields on non-municipal lands. Any adjustment to the supply of non-municipal fields should be considered and appropriately reconciled by the Town of Aurora using existing and/or future parks, and potentially through field capacity improvements such as lighting and/or artificial turf”The proposal would also help address stakeholder feedback from the current Master Plan development meetings and Town Objectives¾Provide more multi sport field facilities to accommodate the growing and varied sport group activities.¾Increase availability of washrooms and changerooms at the field locations to accommodate the growth in female and youth sport groups ¾Promote sport tourism with the ability to host major provincial and national tournaments at a multi field location.¾Promote use of public transit and access to Town establishments with the St Max and Sheppard bush locations and GO train access.Page 8 of 152
Aurora Barbarians Rugby Football ClubField and Facility Partnership ProposalPresented to:Robin McDougall, Director, Community Services ,John Firman, Manager of Business Support, Community Services Page 9 of 152
ABRFC Partnership proposal The Barbarians rugby club has been a part of the Aurora sport community for over 20 years. During that time, we have served countless families and enrolled over 5,000 members. The club has established itself as one of the largest and most diverse rugby organizations in Canada offering programs to boys and girls and men and women from ages 6 to 66 in junior, senior and masters competitions. We offer both elite and house programs and have won acclaim winning Provincial championships in every age-grade and gender category. We are proud to call Aurora home and will always strive to build our club from within town boundaries while welcoming any participant looking for a healthy, inclusive environment to learn, enjoy and excel at, the great sport of rugby.We have enjoyed a warm relationship with the Town of Aurora’s field permitting authority – now Parks and Recreation – and benefitted from field allocations made to the club for practice and training grounds, initially at Dr. G.W. Williams HS and progressing through Sheppard’s Bush, St. Maximillian Kolbe, Ecole Renaissance and one-off uses of various ball diamonds and soccer fields equipped with lights. As our programs have grown, we have maxed out on space and the Town’s permitting team has done all in its power to enhance our capacity. We are truly grateful.While thriving on this relationship for practice facilities, The Barbarians have also been members and shareholders at Fletcher’s Fields, a six-field facility located near Woodbine and 19th Avenue. This affiliation has eased the pressure for finding suitable field space to accommodate as many as fifteen league fixtures (home games) typically on Saturdays and Sundays and at times occupying field space from 9:00AM to 6:00PM. In the post covid world and the changing demographic of rugby culture, a decision was taken by a majority of the shareholders of Fletcher’s Fields to sell the facility and pay out a pro-rata share to all stakeholders, giving each the opportunity to return to their constituency and regenerate local interest. The Aurora Barbarians are committed to establishing a larger presence in our community, expanding our house leagues, enjoining new participants in rugby activities that can be either contact or non-contact and suitable for persons of all abilities. We are the “Big Tent Sport” and honored to see our game featured for men and women in both the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Our opportunity is to engage with the Town of Aurora Parks & Recreation Department to invest funds from the Barbarians’ share of the sale proceeds into the development of sport fields that will enhance the inventory for the Town and serve the club’s growing needs for practices -and games. We also envision a meeting place that can be shared with the community and serve as a “clubhouse” for the Barbarians.This will include adding badly needed changerooms and washrooms to the town’s multisport rectangular fields.This type of arrangement has been successful in other communities in the GTHA including the Beaches , Oakville, Markham, Brampton and Burlington where the rugby clubs and the municipality promote rugby and other field activities as a way to a healthier, inclusive community. “Page 10 of 152
ABRFC Partnership proposal Our initial thoughts contemplate the construction of a second all-weather turf field with flood lights within the Sheppard’s Bush property suitable for high-level rugby (5th generation turf) marked for rugby and other activities as deemed useful by Parks & Rec. This would be augmented with limited bleacher seating and the erection of a (modular) building that would replace the existing washrooms and storage structure and add changerooms and showers for both the club and other permit holders. A meeting space available to the Town for permitting and a private area to showcase the history of the rugby club and be an administration office for the Barbarians would also be situated in the replacement building.Our financial commitment to the development would be substantial including all costs associated with the building and bleacher seating. Depending on the ultimate budget for the field and lights we would offer a capital contribution relative to our share of seasonal use TBD. We would also need access to the adjacent turf field and grass fields at Sheppard’s Bush to facilitate the expanded house league activities. We would return our current field allocations at St. Max and Renaissance to the Town’s inventory. All club use of the fields, including the new turf, would of course be subject to payment of standard permitting fees. Care and cleaning of the new building would be shared as determined by Parks and Rec.Our further aspiration is to see this revitalized facility used to promote sport tourism within the Town using rugby festivals as an attraction that brings participants and their families to the Aurora community and bolster the local economy. The Barbarians have previously sponsored rugby festivals at Fletcher’s Fields that attracted upwards of 2,000 participants over a weekend. We would hope for an arrangement with the Town that would extend for years to come with opportunities to renew. Should the Town need to terminate the partnership, compensation to the club would be offered. “Page 11 of 152
Proposed Memorandum of UnderstandingABRFC is proposing a partnership with Town of Aurora and to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding/Agreement based on the following:1. Provide a donation from its endowment fund to the Town ( as a qualified donee) for the purpose of constructing a second all-weather turf field with flood lights within the Sheppard’s Bush property. The field would be suitable for high-level rugby (5th generation turf) marked for rugby (IRB) and other activities as deemed useful by Parks & Rec. The amount of this donation would be based on the estimatednew usage requirements being provided. The initial donation would be commensurate with our share of the field use, and we are currently estimating this at $660,000.2. Provide a donation from its endowment fund to cover the costs of the construction of a (modular) building, that would replace the existing washrooms and storage structure and add changerooms and showers for both the club and other permit holders. The building would include 6 Player Changing rooms and increased washroom capacity. The building would also include a 2ndfloor public gathering space available to the Town for permitting and a private area and administration office for ABRFC. A Roof top deck could also be added. The estimated cost of this construction would be funded from a donation of $750,000.3. ABRFC would be provided priority access to the new field based on an agreed schedule with Parks & Rec and occasional access to the 3 other fields at Sheppard’s Bush as per the regular permitting process and schedule provided.4. ABRFC would continue to pay for all field use as per the Towns most current fee schedule to have access to the fields and facility from April to October. 5. Maintenance of the fields and facilities would be provided by the Town. ABRFC would provide any specific rugby equipment required and maintain and furnish its reserved areas. The field and building would be shared and suitable for other permit holder activities.6. The agreement would establish a long-term relationship with rolling 10-year terms and annual operating reviews. Termination of the field usage agreement would require an acceptable notice period and compensation to ABRFC, including for the modular structure costs (or allowing a relocation of the modular structure).Page 12 of 152
Supporting Town planningThis proposal would support the following recommendations from the 2016 Parks and Recreation Master Plan.¾#2 “Existing municipal facilities should be evaluated for ways to improve comfort and facilitate opportunities for informal interactions and socialization to take place.. among all residents”¾#11 “Multi purpose program rooms…should be evaluated for improvement to increase their appeal and flexibility that expands usage.”¾#17 “Establish a sports field complex containing a minimum of three lit full-size rectangular fields and supported by appropriate facilities oriented to further the player and/or spectator experience. One of these fields should be designed as a ‘multi-use’ field capable of accommodating field sports beyond soccer.”¾#18” Construct one outdoor artificial turf field at Stewart Burnett Park, as per current municipal plans, to service a broad range of field sports while providing the Town with flexibility to accommodate future needs. Any additional artificial turf fields beyond this one should be subject to confirmation through municipal business planning exercises as per current practice.”¾#19 “Continue to work with … suitable partners to provide rectangular sports fields on non-municipal lands. Any adjustment to the supply of non-municipal fields should be considered and appropriately reconciled by the Town of Aurora using existing and/or future parks, and potentially through field capacity improvements such as lighting and/or artificial turf”The proposal would also help address stakeholder feedback from the current Master Plan development meetings and Town Objectives¾Provide more multi sport field facilities to accommodate the growing and varied sport group activities.¾Increase availability of washrooms and changerooms at the field locations to accommodate the growth in female and youth sport groups ¾Promote sport tourism with the ability to host major provincial and national tournaments at a multi field location.¾Promote use of public transit and access to Town establishments with the Sheppard’s Bush location and GO train access.Page 13 of 152
Increased field availability for Town(ABRFC proposed usage schedule)Monthly april may june july augocttotal per fieldCurrent permits w/o# of fields prime hrs per fieldapplied field hrs mthly mthly mthly mthly mthly mthly 2ST max turftues 6-10seniors1 162016201616 4 108Thurs 6-10seniors1 162016201616 4 1080grasstues 6-730junior1 3 6 7.5 6 1.5 24thurs 6-730 1 3 6 7.5 6 1.5 24renaissancetues 6-830sr women 1 5 10 12.5 10 2.5 40wed 6-830 1 5 10 12.5 10 2.5 40thurs 6-830 1 5 10 12.5 10 2.5 40sat 9-12mixed 1 6 12 15 12 3 48sun 9-12mixed 1 6 12 15 12 3 48total HRs by week32 73 98 122.5 98 48.5 8 480New usuage planned turf mon 6-8junior148108232wed 6-8 1 4 8 10 8 2 32sat 2-6games sr men 1 12 8 8 8 16 52sat 10-2games sr women 188121139FESTIVAL (4)Satuday 9 AM - 5 PM 4 32 64 964 fields Sunday9 AM - 3 PM 4 24 48 722 TournamentsSatuday 9 AM - 5 PM 4 32 324 fields Sunday9 AM - 3 PM 4 24 24new total HRs by week28 144 152 147 20 491total ABRFC usuage 32 101 242 274.5 245 68.5 8 971Available prime time hrs mon 4-10 1 6 6tue 4-10 3 6 18wed 4-10 2 6 12thurs 4-10 3 6 18Fri 4-10 6 0sat 8-10 4 14 56sun 8-10 4 14 56total Prime hrs available 166 664 830 664 830 664 664 166 4482total ABRFC usuage %5% 12% 36% 33% 37% 10% 5% 22%•New field would provide an est. 58 prime hrs of availability per week.•Abrfc would be requesting an additional 15 prime hrs a week to their current 17 hrs of use.•This would provide the town with an additional 43 hrsavailability to permit Page 14 of 152
Arial view of proposed new Field and Pavilion EExisting view Page 15 of 152
Perspective view of concept facilityPage 16 of 152
Draft facility layout schematicExiting Turf FieldLower Level10' 10' 10' 10' 10' 10' 10'5" corridor/ / shower area5" \ \ \Women's WR Visitor PremierIndustrial Parkway5" change room change room change room Men's 3 Men's 2 Men's 15" Women's 1 Women's 2 Women's 3 change room change room change room5" Premier Visitor Men's WR / / /5" shower area \ \corridorUpper LevelStairs IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIStairs IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII5"5" 20x305" 30x30 Public Room 20x305" Club Space OPEN DECK5" Men's WR Women's WR5"10' 10' 10' 10' 10'Page 17 of 152
RRugby facility examples Page 18 of 152
RRugby facility examples Page 19 of 152
Appendices ABRFC corporate statusABRFC ExecutiveHistoryAbout usRecent accomplishments Rugby demographics Fletchers' fields news release Page 20 of 152
Appendices Aurora Barbarians was incorporated under the Corporations Act by Letters Patent as a corporation without share capital on January 29, 2003, following the Toronto Barbarians and the Aurora Rugby Football Club amalgamating. The Letters Patent state that the corporation “shall be carried on without the purpose of gain for its members, and any profits or other accretions to the corporation shall be used in promoting its objects.” ABRFC Executive Co-Presidents- Steve Hall, Khalil Ajram VP/ Register/ COVID Director - Connor Libby Treasurer- Khalil Ajram Secretary/ COVID Officer- Gianluca PerfettiDirector of Junior programs/Community- Keith ScottMedical/ Safety Director - Dr. Karen Chrobak Director at Large- Neil MacDougall Past-President/Planning Committee Chair- John ReichPage 21 of 152
HistoryTThe Aurora Barbarians RFC (Barbs) are celebrating there 70th anniversary. The Club began as two separate rugby clubs: The Toronto Barbarians and the Aurora Rugby Club. The club officially became the Aurora Barbarians in 2002 when the two clubs successful merged.The Aurora Barbarians philosophy is “A Club for All” and have focused on developing and leading Junior, Minor and Women’s programs to consistently rank among the largest membership clubs in Canada.The Aurora Rugby Club was constituted in 1998, developing from the original Aurora Yorkswhich were formed in 1961 by John .T. P. Brown, a member of the Ontario Rugby Hall of Fame and a past president of the Ontario Rugby Union.In 1949 rugby was resurrected in post-war Ontario by a group of British expatriates who banded together to form the Wanderers RFC. The following year, the group launched an intensive recruiting drive for players and drawing together a total of 80 would-be participants, set up three additional teams based in Toronto including the BarbariansThe club lead the development of junior rugby in the 70s and purchased a share of Fletcher’s Fieldsduringthistime.Theclubwereattheforefrontofthere-developmentofFletcher’sFieldsin the early 90’s, which lead to the construction of a stadium which brought International rugby matches to the GTA.On the pitch, the club fielded a number of strong championship Senior Men's and Youth teams in the 50’s 60’s,70’s and 80’s. After the merger in 2002, the Aurora Barbarians enjoyed a string of success at the Senior Men's level. The club captured five straight league championships, three McCormick Club Championships and made at total of seven McCormick Cup appearances from 2006-2013.The Senior Women were a similar dominant group with three OWL championships from 2012 to 2016. The club has also seen success from their U-18 Boys and Girls program having won numerous Provincial ChampionshipsThe Barbs have strong old Boy's network of “Black Sheep” supporters. There were notable tours in the 60s and 70’s to USA and Caribbean destinations; in the 80’s to Vancouver, California and Chicago; in the 90s and 2000’s to Las Vegas and NY.14Page 22 of 152
About UsTThe Aurora Barbarians Rugby Football Club (ABRFC) is the largest York region-based Rugby Club running programs for ages 6 to 66. We are proud members of Rugby Canada and Rugby Ontario.The Barbarians connect athletes from York Region, South Simcoe and North Toronto to run 15 different teams. Our teams compete across Ontario from May to October and travel annually to National and International tournaments. We are committed to developing and promoting healthy and active lifestyles. Our members attend over 25 local schools ,10 universities and 6 colleges across Ontario and Canada.ABRFC has over 350 members registered annually and an alumni base in the thousands. We consistently rank among the Top club membership levels in Ontario, and Canada. We currently have 1000’s of followers on our social media platforms.In2021,theBarbarianscelebratedour70thAnniversary.Ourgoalsaretokeepgrowingthegameof rugby in Aurora/York region while keeping the sport accessible and affordable to all potential members.ABRFC were pioneers in developing Youth and Women's programs and are now launching a Mixed abilities program in conjunction with Rugby Ontario and the Town of Aurora.Our notable Alumni have captioned Canadian National, Provincial and Professional teams and held leadership positions throughout the National and Provincial rugby communities.15Page 23 of 152
About UsTThe Aurora Barbarians Rugby Football Club was established in 2002, after a very successful merger of two strong clubs, Aurora RFC and the Toronto Barbarians RFC. We are a community-based club centered in Aurora, Ontario. We practice at St. Maximilian Kolbe CHS and play our home games at Fletcher’s Fields. The Club supports: 2 Senior Men’s teams 2 Senior Women’s teams Girls’ Junior teams at the U18, U16, U14 age groups Boys’ Junior teams at the 2 xU18, 2 xU16 and U14 age groups Co-ed teams at the U12 (modified contact), U10/U8 (flag) age groups.The Aurora Barbarians program focuses on fun and teamwork, all while working on fundamental movement skills and rugby specific skills. We accept new players at all age groups and encourage all players to remain with the club as they get older.In rugby, no matter the age, rarely can one player take over or control a game. Rugby is a true teamsport,thatneedseveryone’sparticipation,dedication,andteamworkinordertosucceedasa team.Each age group will work on age-appropriate skills, with the younger groups focused on fundamental movement skills, such as running and catching and passing. As you get older the focus becomes more on rugby specific skills, such as scrumming and rucking. No matter the team, teamwork will always be a big part of the program.16Page 24 of 152
Recent AccomplishmentsRRugby Ontario CupsOntario Women’s League 15’s Cup Champions 2016Ontario Women’s League 15’s Cup Champions 2015Ontario Women’s League 7’s Cup Champions 2015U-18 Girls Club Championship 2015U-18 Boys Club Championship 2013Ontario Women’s League 15’s Cup Champions 2012McCormick Cup Champions 2010McCormick Cup Champions 2009McCormick Cup Champions 2007Ontario Men’s Under-18 championship 2002Rugby Ontario LeaguesProvincial Club Champions 2016 (Womens1st XV)Provincial Club Champions 2013 (Womens1st XV)Provincial Club Champions 2012 (Womens1st XV)Provincial Club Champions 2010 (Mens1st XV)Provincial Club Champions 2009 (Mens1st XV)Provincial Club Champions 2008 (Mens1st XV)Provincial Club Champions 2007(Mens1st XV)Provincial Club Champions 2006 (Mens1st XV)Toronto Rugby UnionU-18 Boys 7’s Club Champions 2015U-18 Girls Club Champions 2015U-16 Girls Sevens Champions 2014U-18 Boys Club Champions 2013U-18 Girls Club Champions 2011U-18 Boys Club Champions 2005Notable AlumniChloe DanielsOliver AtkinsonNatalie BendavidTyson BeukeboomPaul CiuliniMarco Di GirolamoMackenzie HiggsLori JosephsonJack McRogersJacey MurphyDavid NielsonSteve ShortlyNolan OttNadia PopovAndrew QuattrinIan MacMillanJohn Hutchison17Page 25 of 152
Rugby Festivals, Sports TourismRugby Demographics •TThere were 12,000 registered players in Ontario in 2019•This included 6,800 Junior and Minor players•Made up of 4,100 Boys and 2,600 Girls•69 member clubs in Ontario•There are 26 provincial age grade teams (u15 to Sr men & women)•25,000+ High School Rugby players across Ontario•116,000+ youngsters introduced to Rugby since 2019 through Rookie Rugby•Over 86,000 reached in GTA and York region through Ontario Youth Outreach programs •Rookie rugby was offered by 24 clubs and over 659 events •Flag Rugby and Growing the Game workshops are supported by the Ontario Ministry •There were 24 Minor festivals run in 2018 in Ontario•In 2018 over 73 teams (U7,9.11) participated in festival at Fletchers fields.•ABRFC would partner with the Town of Aurora to run up to 4 major festivals across different age groups•We would anticipate over 2000 youth and family members to attend from across Ontario providing great exposure to Aurora and the local facilities.•York region and OFSAA also run annual tournaments that have been hosted by Fletcher fields and we would see these as being able to be hosted.•Rugby Ontario and Rugby Canada run age grade tournaments that would also be available to be hosted•Aurora Barbarians have provided 3 current Toronto Arrows players. We hosted a joint practice in 2021 and anticipate repeating and growing this cooperation in Aurora.Page 26 of 152
Rugby Fan Brand Loyalty Rugby Fan Profiles•117% of Canadians are Rugby fans •47% are 18 to 34 years old•30% growth in Rugby in Canada since 2010•55% of fans are considered affluent (> $100k)•33% are female •Source Rugby Ontario•86% of rugby fans are 2x times more attractive to sponsors than other sports fans due to their sponsorship behavioral responses and loyalty.•Rugby fans are 97% more willing to try new products •Rugby fans are 76% more likely to purchase a partner company's products or services than the general population or other sports fans.•Rugby fans are 22% more loyal than the general population•Data based on USA rugby fans source: Neilson/major league rugbyPage 27 of 152
“Sale of Fletcher’s Fields comes with historic boost to Canadian Rugby Foundation”“The money, which is going to the non-profit Canadian Rugby Foundation, comes from the $21.5-million sale of the eight-hectare Fletcher’s Fields rugby facility in Markham, north of Toronto, to the City of Markham.Established in 1966, Fletcher’s Fields features six rugby fields and has hosted Canada test matches against Argentina, England, Ireland, Japan, the U.S. and Wales as well as numerous Ontario championships. It is named after the late Denis Fletcher, a rugby enthusiast who helped grow the game in Ontario.Fletcher’s Fields Limited, which owned the facility, is comprised of six equal shareholders: Aurora Barbarians Rugby FootballClub, Markham Irish Canadian Rugby Club, Rugby Ontario, Nomads Rugby Football Club of Toronto, Toronto Saracens Rugby Football Club and Toronto Scottish Rugby Football Club.The $11.65-million donation will translate into six endowment funds, representing each of those shareholders. The remainder of the sale proceeds is being held back as the clubs determine their future venue and capital plans.The Foundation will administer the endowment funds, retaining some of the proceeds with the bulk of that revenue going back to the original shareholders. Fletcher’s Fields will continue hosting rugby and other sport competitions until October 2024 with shareholder clubs hoping to have new localized facilities ready for the 2025 season.”By Neil Davidson, The Canadian PressPage 28 of 152
From:Switzer, Barbara on behalf of Regional Clerk
Subject:Regional Council Decision - Proposed Amendments to the Greenbelt and Oak Ridges Moraine Plans
Date:December 20, 2022 4:10:24 PM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments
unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
On December 15, 2022 Regional Council made the following decision:
1. Council endorse this report and Attachment 1 as the Region’s response to the
Environmental Registry of Ontario posting 019-6216: Proposed Amendments to the
Greenbelt Plan and associated Environmental Registry of Ontario postings.
2. The Regional Clerk circulate this report to the local municipalities, local Members of
Provincial Parliament, Provincial Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Toronto
Region Conservation Authority, Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority and
the Association of Municipalities of Ontario.
The original staff report is available for your information at the following link.
Please contact Sandra Malcic, Director, Long Range Planning at 1-877-464-9675 ext.
75274 if you have any questions with respect to this matter.
Regards,
Christopher Raynor (he/him) | Regional Clerk, Regional Clerk’s Office, Corporate Services
Department
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Regional Municipality of York | 17250 Yonge Street | Newmarket, ON L3Y 6Z1
O: 1-877-464-9675 ext. 71300 | christopher.raynor@york.ca | york.ca
Our Mission: Working together to serve our thriving communities – today and tomorrow
Page 29 of 152
The Regional Municipality of York
Regional Council
Planning and Economic Development
December 15, 2022
Report of the Commissioner of Corporate Services and Chief Planner
Proposed Amendments to the Greenbelt and Oak Ridges Moraine Plans
1. Recommendations
1. Council endorse this report and Attachment 1 as the Region’s response to the
Environmental Registry of Ontario posting 019-6216: Proposed Amendments to the
Greenbelt Plan and associated Environmental Registry of Ontario postings.
2. The Regional Clerk circulate this report to the local municipalities, local Members of
Provincial Parliament, Provincial Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Toronto
Region Conservation Authority, Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority and the
Association of Municipalities of Ontario.
2. Summary
This report provides comments on the Province’s proposed amendments to the Greenbelt Plan
and Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan (the Plans) to provide opportunities to build
housing as part of the Provincial goal to build 1.5 million homes by 2031.
Key Points:
Province is proposing to remove or redesignate 2,995 hectares (7,400 acres) of the
Greenbelt and Oak Ridges Moraine, to be made available for housing in the short term
Within York Region, removals are contemplated in King, Vaughan, Whitchurch-
Stouffville and Markham, totalling 330 hectares (815 acres)
Area proposed in King is one site identified for the Southlake Regional Health Care
Centre expansion
These removals would become additional urban lands that go above and beyond what
has been identified to accommodate growth to 2051 and considered from a servicing
standpoint
There is adequate opportunity for housing in York Region to address the Province's
accelerated growth through intensification and expanded approved urban boundaries,
without the need for these amendments as was noted by the Provincial Housing
Affordability Task Force
Page 30 of 152
Proposed Amendments to the Greenbelt and Oak Ridges Moraine Plans 2
3. Background
Province has proposed to redesignate or remove 330 hectares of protected
Greenbelt land in York Region for urban development
On November 4, 2022, three proposals outlining proposed changes to the Greenbelt and Oak
Ridges Moraine Plans were posted on the Environment Registry of Ontario (ERO) website as
shown in Table 1. These proposals are redesignations or removals for 15 areas of land in the
Greenbelt and if approved, are estimated to include 50,000 homes in the Greater Golden
Horseshoe toward the Provincial target of 1.5 million homes by 2031.
Table 1
Greenbelt and Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plans Postings
ERO Posting # Title Commenting Due Date
019-6216
Proposed Amendments to the
Greenbelt Plan
December 4, 2022
019-6217
Proposed amendments to the
Greenbelt Area boundary
regulation
December 4, 2022
019-6218
Redesignation of land under
the Oak Ridges Moraine
Conservation Plan
December 4, 2022
The five areas in York Region, shown in Attachment 2, are within the Township of King, City of
Vaughan, Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville and City of Markham totaling 53 hectares of
redesignation and 277 hectares of removal. The purpose of redesignating or removing these
lands is to (i) build housing with construction beginning no later than 2025, (ii) achieve
“significant progress” on approvals by the end of 2023, and (iii) ensure landowners fund the
necessary infrastructure. If these conditions are not met, the lands would be returned to the
Greenbelt.
The proposals contain criteria that the Province used for the areas including offset
requirements, adjacency to existing settlement areas, location on the edge of the Greenbelt
boundary, servicing requirements and the lands having the ‘characteristics’ to enable housing to
be built in the near team. The last two criteria have the biggest impact to Regional interests of
infrastructure and growth management.
Page 31 of 152
Proposed Amendments to the Greenbelt and Oak Ridges Moraine Plans 3
York Region places significant emphasis on protection of natural systems through
the Greenlands System
The Region places significant emphasis on identification, protection, and enhancement of a
linked Greenlands System as a permanent legacy for residents. Established in 1994, there have
been a number of successes in protecting and securing the system through the planning
process and the Greening Strategy. Natural systems identified through the Oak Ridges Moraine
Conservation Plan, Greenbelt Plan and Lake Simcoe Protection Plan have expanded the
system by protecting significant natural areas. The proposed amendments impact this system
and would affect Regional Council’s woodland cover and greenspace targets under the
Region’s Vision and Strategic Plan goal to enhance and preserve greenspace.
Greenbelt and Oak Ridges Moraine Plan boundaries undergo a review every 10
years
The Greenbelt is legislated by the Greenbelt Act, 2005 and the Oak Ridges Moraine
Conservation Act, 2001, and their associated regulations. Policies for 10-year reviews are
applicable for both Plans, the last of which took place five years ago in 2017. At that time, the
Region was involved in receiving and evaluating submissions which resulted in minor
adjustments to the boundaries. Through the 2017 Coordinated Provincial Plan Review of
Provincial Plans, Council requested the Province stay the course by maintaining the integrity
and objectives of the Greenbelt Plan and the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan.
4. Analysis
York Region has an adequate approved land supply for housing
The Municipal Comprehensive Review (MCR) and approved Regional Official Plan provide
adequate urban land and servicing to accommodate the Province’s housing objectives.
Provincial approval of the Regional Official Plan (ROP) in November 2022 included the following
modifications which offer additional opportunities for housing than what Council adopted:
An additional 364 hectares of urban expansion in Whitchurch-Stouffville, King and
Markham
Four site specific ‘special provisions’ areas that increase maximum building heights and
density in Aurora, Markham and Vaughan
Two additional employment conversions in Vaughan
Other modifications that signal further urban use designations for two areas in the Oak
Ridges Moraine Plan to be approved by the Minister (not included in the current ERO
posting):
o The north-east corner of Teston Road and Dufferin Street in Vaughan
o The area surrounding the Richmond Hill Gormley GO station, through a future
major transit station area (MTSA) measuring approximately 800 metres from the
station
Page 32 of 152
Proposed Amendments to the Greenbelt and Oak Ridges Moraine Plans 4
The MCR included an extensive exercise to determine how to manage growth to 2051 including
a Provincially mandated land needs assessment. The proposed Greenbelt and Oak Ridges
Moraine Plan amendments through ERO posting 019-6216 would represent additional urban
lands beyond the ROP modifications. The Provincial Housing Affordability Task Force stated
Greenbelt lands were not required to address housing affordability in their February 2022 report.
These additional lands are not necessary to accommodate growth in York Region, nor do they
align with infrastructure planning or provide housing where services and amenities already exist.
Comments provided to the Province in time for Standing Committee consideration on the areas
proposed for removal are outlined in Attachment 1.
Amendments need to be assessed for infrastructure impacts that may not be
funded or planned
Wastewater servicing capacity in central and northern York Region is constrained until the
servicing solution proposed through the Supporting Growth and Housing in York and Durham
Regions Act, 2022 is in place. Development in areas within York and Durham Regions not
previously considered for servicing will directly impact the Duffin Creek Water Pollution Control
Plant. The proposed Greenbelt removals could increase the demand for wastewater servicing
and will need to be coordinated with the existing and planned infrastructure capabilities. There
may be pressure to amend currently planned serviced areas, or to expedite servicing for these
proposed areas as the timelines for development are accelerated. If the lands in northern York
Region are approved for urban development, adequate servicing would most likely only be
available beyond the required 2025 deliverable for housing.
Urban use of these lands and increased population targets were not considered as part of
Schedule 10 of Bill 23 dealing with northern York Region servicing. The cumulative impact of
developing the proposed sites along with growth approved through the ROP needs to be
considered to identify services and infrastructure needed to accommodate provincially planned
growth. Housing to achieve the Province’s goal is best suited to areas with existing or planned
services.
Indigenous perspectives and public feedback during the Municipal Comprehensive
Review have strong support for the Greenbelt and Oak Ridges Moraine areas
York Region engaged with First Nations and Indigenous communities to inform growth
management and infrastructure master plans. Through those consultations, First Nations and
Indigenous communities expressed the importance of protecting land and water for all living
beings, protection of the environment and landscape connectivity. They reiterated the
importance of protecting features in the Greenbelt and Oak Ridges Moraine given threats to the
headwaters, wetlands and watercourses in Ontario. This sentiment was echoed by residents
and other stakeholders.
Several local environmental groups have spoken out against the removals as some are within
the Greenbelt Natural Heritage System and represent a narrowing of some north/south
Page 33 of 152
Proposed Amendments to the Greenbelt and Oak Ridges Moraine Plans 5
environmental corridors. Amending the boundaries of these environmentally protected areas
outside of the regularly scheduled 10-year review is not recommended.
Province should provide enough time to engage meaningfully with all stakeholders
One of the proposed areas in the Township of King represents the largest land area proposed to
be redesignated and removed from the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation and Greenbelt Plans
respectively. This land area is one option for expansion of the Southlake Regional Health
Centre in Newmarket. The Township of King has passed a resolution supporting use of these
lands for expansion of the Southlake Regional Health Centre. York Region is supportive of the
hospital expansion and use of these lands if no existing urban lands are available.
Since creation of the Oak Ridges Moraine and Greenbelt Plans, the Province has consistently
maintained protection of Greenbelt and Oak Ridges Moraine lands providing certainty for the
Greenbelt area, for residents and the development industry. Protecting the Greenbelt was
further confirmed by the Provincial Housing Affordability Task Force who recommended against
removals to accommodate housing in February 2022. More recently, the Minister’s approval of
several GGH Official Plans provides for urban expansion (the largest in Hamilton and Halton
with 2,200 and 3,350 net hectares respectively) outside the Greenbelt and Oak Ridges Moraine
Plan areas that will now be available for housing. There have not been any studies or rationale
provided recommending these additional specific lands in the Greenbelt being required for
housing in the short term. The amendments were not planned or discussed with the Region or
local municipalities. Should these areas be removed, there will likely be additional requests to
remove other lands, and concern about long-term cohesive protection of the Greenbelt and Oak
Ridges Moraine.
5. Financial
A review of Regional services of water, wastewater, and transportation in the proposed areas
for adequate service levels would need to be evaluated. If the proposed amendments pass, and
servicing is not available in these areas, there may be costs associated with increased and
unplanned Regional infrastructure servicing.
6. Local Impact
Local municipalities play an important role in the development of communities. If the proposed
amendments are approved, local municipalities must update their Official Plans to conform to
the revised boundaries. Approval of new development applications in these areas would need to
align with the modified land use designations.
7. Conclusion
The Greenbelt provides an important role in the ecological health of the Region and beyond,
and offers agricultural and recreational opportunities for a high quality of life. The introduction of
Page 34 of 152
Proposed Amendments to the Greenbelt and Oak Ridges Moraine Plans 6
the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation and Greenbelt Plans provide a consistent approach and
framework to protect these areas for future generations.
Boundary amendments to the Greenbelt and Oak Ridges Moraine are not required for housing
in York Region as there is an adequate supply of land and intensification opportunity. The
Greenbelt was created for protection from urbanization. The Province should consult
meaningfully with partners including the Region, municipalities, and Conservation Authorities in
support of opportunities for housing while protecting the Greenbelt.
For more information on this report, please contact Sandra Malcic, Director, Long Range
Planning at 1-877-464-9675 ext. 75274. Accessible formats or communication supports are
available upon request.
Recommended by: Paul Freeman, MCIP, RPP
Chief Planner
Dino Basso
Commissioner of Corporate Services
Approved for Submission: Bruce Macgregor
Chief Administrative Officer
December 1, 2022
14368443
Attachment 1 – Letter to Kate Manson-Smith, MMAH
Attachment 2 – Provincial Proposals for Amendments
Page 35 of 152
The Regional Municipality of York | 17250 Yonge Street, Newmarket, Ontario L3Y 6Z1
1-877-464-9675 | york.ca
Corporate Services
Planning and Economic Development
November 18, 2022
Kate Manson-Smith
Deputy Minister
Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
777 Bay Street, 17th floor
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 2J3
RE: York Region Response – ERO 019-6216, Proposed Amendments to the
Greenbelt Plan, ERO 019-6217 Proposed Amendments to the Greenbelt Area
boundary regulation, and ERO 019-6218 Redesignation of land under the Oak
Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan
On November 4, 2022, the Province of Ontario released the above-noted environmental
registry postings proposing amendments to the Greenbelt Plan and the Oak Ridges
Moraine Conservation Plan.
This letter provides preliminary comments to the above noted registry postings. The
short consultation period, coupled with the recent municipal election prevented timely
Council endorsed comments and recommendations before the submission deadline of
December 4, 2022. York Region Council will consider these comments on December 8,
2022 and additional Council comments will be submitted to the Province.
The Province is proposing to redesignate or remove 330 hectares of the Greenbelt
lands in York Region for urban development
The Province is proposing redesignations or removals for 15 areas of land in the
Greenbelt in support of the Province’s goal to have1.5 million homes built in the next 10
years. If approved, these areas are estimated to include 50,000 homes toward the
target.
Five of the proposed areas are in York Region within the Township of King, City of
Vaughan, Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville and City of Markham totaling 53 hectares of
redesignation and 277 hectares of removal from the Greenbelt Plan. The purpose of
redesignating or removing these lands is to build housing with construction beginning no
later than 2025, with significant progress on approvals by the end of 2023, and
ATTACHMENT 1
Page 36 of 152
York Region Response – ERO 019-6216, Proposed Amendments to the Greenbelt Plan, ERO 019-6217
Proposed Amendments to the Greenbelt Area boundary regulation, and ERO 019-6218 Redesignation of
land under the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan
2
landowners funding the necessary infrastructure. If these conditions are not met, the
lands would be returned to the Greenbelt.
York Region has an adequate supply of housing through both intensification and
approved urban boundary expansions, without the need for the proposed
amendments
York Region Council’s adopted Regional Official Plan provides adequate urban land
and planned servicing to accommodate the Province’s housing objectives. Provincial
approval of the Regional Official Plan (ROP) in November 2022 included the following
modifications which will provide additional opportunities for housing:
• An additional 364 hectares of urban expansion in Whitchurch-Stouffville, King
and Markham
• Four site specific ‘special provisions’ areas that increase maximum building
heights and density in Aurora, Markham and Vaughan
• Two employment conversions in Vaughan
• Other modifications that signal further urban use designations in the Oak Ridges
Moraine Plan in Vaughan and Richmond Hill to be approved by the Minister
The proposed Greenbelt and Oak Ridges Moraine Plan amendments would represent
additional potential urban lands along with the ROP modifications. It is unclear why
these additional removals from the Greenbelt and Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation
Plan Area are being contemplated at this time, given the extensive MCR exercise to
determine how to manage growth, including delivery of critical infrastructure to 2051.
While York Region supports expansion of Southlake Regional Health Centre,
existing urban land should be explored first
One of the proposed areas in the Township of King represents the largest land area
proposed to be redesignated and removed from the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation
Plan and Greenbelt Plan. This area is one option for expansion of the Southlake
Regional Health Centre in Newmarket. The Township of King has passed a Council
resolution to support the redesignation and removal of these lands to fast track the
approvals for construction of a hospital satellite building.
While York Region supports expansion of the hospital, we encourage consideration of
existing urban lands prior to Greenbelt removals. The 2022 York Region Official Plan
added significant new urban lands north of the Newmarket boundary and in close
Page 37 of 152
York Region Response – ERO 019-6216, Proposed Amendments to the Greenbelt Plan, ERO 019-6217
Proposed Amendments to the Greenbelt Area boundary regulation, and ERO 019-6218 Redesignation of
land under the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan
3
proximity to planned rapid transit and existing GO station, which should be considered
when choosing a location for expansion.
Locating residential development close to high traffic corridors such as a 400 series
highway is not optimal and may compromise planned adjacent employment areas
Greenbelt removals in Richmond Hill are proposed between Highway 404 and land
designated for employment uses. Housing in this location may not be appropriate from a
land use compatibility perspective, compromising delivery of the planned adjacent
employment lands. Additionally, there is strong evidence to support adverse health
impacts of traffic related air pollutants for people residing near highways and roadways.
Proposed Greenbelt land removals in Markham intrude on the continuous 600m
wide wildlife and ecological Little Rouge Corridor connection from the ORM to the
Rouge National Urban Park
Following significant work undertaken through the Rouge North Management Plan, the
Greenbelt Plan protected a 600 m wide corridor for the Little Rouge River as the main
connectivity corridor between Lake Ontario and the Oak Ridges Moraine via the Rouge
Park. This serves as a vital corridor for ecological and wildlife connectivity allowing
species sensitive to urban uses to move and migrate freely. Removal of the proposed
lands will create a narrow pinch point of less than 300 metres just west of the Rouge
Park that will adversely affect survival of species by fragmentating and degrading the
integrity of the corridor.
The Province should not be contemplating removal of Greenbelt lands in this vital
north/south ecological corridor.
Impact of all removals should be assessed from a transportation and wastewater
infrastructure perspective
Servicing capacity in central and northern York Region is constrained until the servicing
solution proposed through the Supporting Growth and Housing in York and Durham
Regions Act, 2022 is in place. Development in the proposed Greenbelt Plan removal
areas within York (Map 1) and Durham Regions (Map 6 and 7) have not been
considered for servicing that will directly impact the Duffin Creek Water Pollution Control
Plant. Proposed Greenbelt land designation changes will increase required capacity for
the proposed wastewater servicing solution and landowner servicing must be
coordinated with the Regional sewer and water system.
Page 38 of 152
York Region Response – ERO 019-6216, Proposed Amendments to the Greenbelt Plan, ERO 019-6217
Proposed Amendments to the Greenbelt Area boundary regulation, and ERO 019-6218 Redesignation of
land under the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan
4
The cumulative impact of developing the proposed sites along with growth approved
through the Regional Official Plan needs to be considered to identify infrastructure
needed to accommodate provincially planned growth. Presently, these areas have not
been contemplated for servicing in Water and Wastewater Master Plans but would
require servicing in the near future. Additional housing to achieve the Province’s goal is
better suited to areas with existing or planned services than outlying areas better suited
for protection by the Greenbelt Plan.
York Region urges the Province to extend the consultation period and meaningfully
engage with municipalities and stakeholders
As part of the Municipal Comprehensive Review, York Region engaged with First
Nations and Indigenous communities to inform growth management and infrastructure
master plans. Through these consultations, First Nations and Indigenous communities
expressed the importance of protecting land and water for all living beings, protection of
the environment and landscape connectivity. They reiterated the importance of
protecting the Greenbelt and Oak Ridges Moraine given threats to headwaters,
wetlands and watercourses in Ontario. This sentiment was echoed by residents and
other stakeholders.
York Region requests the Government of Ontario extend the commenting period on
proposed amendments to the Greenbelt and Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan
Areas to allow for collaboration with municipalities about opportunities for development
within existing approved urban areas, and solutions to accelerate housing development
without compromising the integrity of these Plans.
If you have questions regarding this response or would like to discuss these
recommendations, please contact Paul Freeman, Chief Planner, Planning and
Economic Development Branch at Paul.Freeman@york.ca.
Sincerely,
Paul Freeman, MCIP, RPP
Chief Planner
14371137
Page 39 of 152
++++%)427%)404%)400#×%&7%&48%&9%&48Town ofAuroraCity ofVaughanTown ofWhitchurch-StouffvilleTown ofNewmarketCity ofRichmondHillCity ofMarkhamTownshipof KingTown of EastGwillimburyTown ofGeorginaLake SimcoeCook'sBaySnakeIslandFox IslandGeorginaIslandNinth LineHerald Road8th Concession11th ConcessionReesor Road10th ConcessionHuntington RoadSmith BoulevardOld Shiloh RoadKeele StreetElgin Mills Road EastLake Ridge Road12th Concession15th Sideroad16th SideroadDufferin StreetKirby RoadFrog StreetKing-Vaughan RoadMorning Glory RoadKipling AvenueSnoddon RoadSt John's SideroadBlack River RoadDoane RoadYonge Street19th SideroadPollock RoadBethesda RoadVandorf SideroadGlenwoods Avenue18th Sideroad17th SideroadPark RoadVivian RoadDavis DriveDavis Drive WestBloomington RoadHighway 50Baseline RoadJane StreetNinth LineLangstaff RoadTeston Road14th AvenueRavenshoe RoadMount Albert RoadMajor Mackenzie DriveYork/Durham Line19th AvenueGreen Lane EastHighway 7H ig h w ay11Aurora RoadOld Homestead RoadStouffville RoadLeslie StreetWoodbine AvenueKing RoadRutherford RoadMcCowan RoadWarden AvenueKennedy RoadWeston RoadSteeles AvenueHighway 27Bathurst StreetCounty of SimcoeCity of TorontoRegion of Peel
Region of DurhamPefferlaw
SuttonSchombergNobletonKing CityMountAlbertBallantraeCommunity ofStouffvilleG:\Policy\P00 - Policy General\Haydi Wong\Requests\2022\64 - GB Mapping - Terri Cline\Spatial\Map 1_RegionalStructure_GB lands_Revision1.mxdProduced by: The Regional Municipality of YorkPlanning and Economic Development Branch, Corporate Services Department, 2022 Data: The Regional Municipality of York, The Regional Municipalities of Durham and Peel,County of Simcoe, City of TorontoQueen’s Printer for Ontario 2003-2022, Includes Greenbelt and Oak Ridges MoraineBoundaries and Water FeaturesBased on best available data and may contain minor errors or omissions.0246810Kilometres±Provincial Proposals for Amendmentsto the Greenbelt and Oak RidgesMoraine Conservation PlanProposed Greenbelt RemovalProposed ORM Redesignation19th AvenueMcCowan RdHighway 404Elgin Mills Rd EastMajor Mackenzie Rd EMcCowan RdHwy 48Pine Valley RdTeston RdDavis DrBathurst StRegional Centre+Towns and VillagesAgricultural SystemRegional Greenlands SystemSubject to Minister's Order February 3, 2015 andspecial provision policy 5.3.6Area within ORMCP conditional upon amendmentsto Ontario Regulation 140/0211Urban designations are conditional upon amendments to theORM designations prior to adoption of the ROP.Greenbelt PlanGreenbelt Plan BoundaryProvincial HighwaysMunicipal BoundariesOak Ridges Moraine Conservation PlanOak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan BoundaryExistingRegional Municipal BoundaryLocal Municipal BoundaryRegional CorridorUrban AreaKINGVAUGHANMARKHAMMARKHAM/WHITCHURCH-STOUFFVILLERICHMOND HILLBase map shown is Map 1 - Regional Structure from the Adopted Regional Official Plan (June 2022)$77$&+0(17Page 40 of 152
100 John West Way
Aurora, Ontario
L4G 6J1
(905) 727-3123
aurora.ca
Town of Aurora
General Committee Report
No. CS2 3 -001
Subject: Committee Structure Review and Updated Policy for Ad
Hoc/Advisory Committees and Local Boards
Prepared by: Jaclyn Grossi, Deputy Town Clerk
Department: Corporate Services
Date: January 17, 2023
Recommendation
1. That Report No. CS23-001 be received; and
2. That Attachment 1, the policy for Ad Hoc/Advisory Committees and Local Boards be
approved; and
3. That the following Advisory Committees be created:
Community Advisory Committee
Community Recognition Review Advisory Committee
Environmental Advisory Committee
Finance Advisory Committee (Council members only)
Mayor's Golf Classic Funds Committee; and
4. That Staff be directed to advertise for members of the Advisory and Statutory Boards
and Committees with the exception of the Finance Advisory Committee; and
5. That the attached Terms of Reference for all Statutory and discretionary Committees
be approved.
Executive Summary
This report seeks the adoption of a modified policy for the Town’s Ad Hoc/Advisory
Committees and Local Boards, and to review the Committee structure for the 2022-
2026 term. The following are the key points from the report;
Statutory Boards and Committees would continue operating in the same way as
the previous term with the proposed exception of separating the Committee of
Page 41 of 152
January 17, 2023 2 of 6 Report No. CS23-001
Adjustment from the Aurora Appeals Tribunal and Property Standards
Committee
The proposed Ad Hoc/Advisory committee structure would resemble the
previous term
Minor amendments to the Ad Hoc/Advisory Committee and Local Board policy
are proposed including an electronic participation section
Draft Terms of Reference for the proposed committees would be similar to the
previous term of Council with minor changes being recommended
Recruitment would begin in February 2023 for all positions on the Town’s various
Committees and Boards
Background
Establishing Ad Hoc/Advisory Committees and Local Boards provides Aurora residents
with an opportunity to contribute to their municipal government. Council may establish
discretionary advisory committees each term to operate in conjunction with their term
of Council, or they may establish Ad Hoc committees from time to time as deemed
appropriate to provide direction on a specific matter.
The Town of Aurora follows a municipal best practice of reviewing the committee
structure after each Council term to ensure that all boards and committees are
operating in a way that benefits members of Council in their decision-making process.
This review also provides a chance to assess whether the Committee Members are
finding value in their contributions on Boards and Committees.
Staff have completed the recruitment for the Aurora Public Library Board because it is
the Town’s only body that has a legislated timeline regarding when Members must be
appointed after an election, per the Public Libraries Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. P.44.
Analysis
Statutory Boards and Committees would continue operating in the same way as the
previous term with the proposed exception of separating the Committee of Adjustment
from the Aurora Appeals Tribunal and Property Standards Committee
Aurora has the following statutory Boards and Committees which operated effectively
and fulfilled their legislated requirements and duties:
Page 42 of 152
January 17, 2023 3 of 6 Report No. CS23-001
Accessibility Advisory Committee
Aurora Appeal Tribunal
Aurora Public Library Board
Committee of Adjustment
Heritage Advisory Committee
Property Standards Committee
For the 2018-2022 term, Members appointed to the Committee of Adjustment (COA)
were also appointed to the Aurora Appeals Tribunal (AAT) and the Property Standards
Committee (PSC). For the 2022-2026 term staff are recommending that COA be
separated from these two bodies because of their frequency of meetings, staff support
and subject matter.
COA meets on a standard monthly schedule while the two other bodies meet as
required when appeal requests are filed in relation to the Licensing By-law, Animal
Services By-law, Short-Term Rental By-law, or the Property Standards By-law and
associated orders. Although COA meetings may be cancelled when there are no agenda
items, only 3 meetings were cancelled last term (excluding meetings cancelled due to
the pandemic) resulting in 42 meetings. Alternatively, AAT met 11 times throughout the
past term and PSC met 5. Separating AAT and PSC from COA results in an opportunity
for additional Aurora residents to serve on a committee and provides all Members with
a more balanced and realistic commitment to meeting frequency throughout a term.
Both AAT and PSC are supported by Legislative Services while COA is supported by the
Planning and Development Services Department. Aligning the committee structure with
the staff support roles and the subject matter experts will create a stronger relationship
between members and staff.
The proposed Ad Hoc/Advisory committee structure would resemble the previous term
The Mayor plans to introduce a Roundtable on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity during
the 2022-2026 term. This format will build on the duties and functions of the Task Force
from last term and continue to develop strategies to eliminate racism and promote anti-
racism in our community and the Municipal Corporation. In an effort to not duplicate
efforts, staff are not recommending the continuation of the Task Force for this term.
Updates to s.283(7) of the Municipal Act, 2001 require staff to review Council
compensation and remuneration at least once during the four-year period
corresponding to the Council term of office. Staff are not recommending that the
Governance Review Ad-Hoc Committee continue at this time and will bring forward a
Page 43 of 152
January 17, 2023 4 of 6 Report No. CS23-001
recommendation for the creation of an Ad-Hoc Committee to assist with the review at a
later date.
Minor amendments to the Ad Hoc/Advisory Committee and Local Board policy are
proposed including an electronic participation section
The proposed Ad Hoc/Advisory Committee and Local Board policy includes section 12
being Electronic Participation, Recording, Broadcasting and/or Live Streaming Meetings
which has been introduced to align with successful practices throughout the 2018-2022
term. The policy has been updated to allow the continuation of hybrid meetings for
these bodies and define the parameters for Members to participate electronically. The
inclusion of hybrid meetings will allow residents to confidently apply for positions on
these bodies knowing that they will have the opportunity to participate virtually when
they prefer due to inclement weather, illness, safety, accessibility, and personal choice.
The remaining proposed revisions include minor amendments such as removing
gendered language to align with current diversity, equity, and inclusion best practices,
and transferring the policy into an updated corporate template.
Draft Terms of Reference for the proposed committees would be similar to the previous
term of Council with minor changes being recommended
The Terms of Reference for each recommended committee have been provided as
attachments to this report. As they were each revised at the beginning of the 2018-2022
term to align with the updated Ad Hoc/Advisory Committee and Local Board Policy at
that time, no major amendments are being proposed for this term. Minor housekeeping
amendments have been included to align with current practices.
Updates to the Municipal Act, 2001 in 2018 require all Local Boards of the Town to be
subject to the Code of Conduct for Local Boards – Non-Adjudicative and Adjudicative
(Schedule B to By-law 6115-19) as of March 1, 2019. All Members on Committees and
Boards for the 2022-2026 term will continue to be subject to this Code which is
enforced by the Town’s Integrity Commissioner.
Recruitment would begin in February 2023 for all positions on the Town’s various
Committees and Boards
Following Council’s approval of the committee structure for their 2022-2026 term, staff
will begin recruitment for all positions on the Ad Hoc/Advisory Committees and Local
Boards and the remaining Statutory Boards and Committees. Staff will prepare the
applications received for Council to complete appointments in March.
Page 44 of 152
January 17, 2023 5 of 6 Report No. CS23-001
Advisory Committee Review
Committee Members showed high engagement and satisfaction with their positions
during the 2018-2022 term
Staff elicited feedback from past Committee Members through a survey (Attachment 3)
at the end of the 2018-2022 term and found most responses indicated a high
satisfaction with their role as a Committee Member and that they would consider
another term if they were eligible. Although many respondents showed a strong
agreement that the duties and functions of their committee were clear, they also
recommended revisions to these components to improve their focus.
Legal Considerations
None.
Financial Implications
None.
Communications Considerations
Legislative Services staff will continue to work with Communications staff to ensure
that the advertisements for committee membership are posted in all locations including
print media and the Town’s social media platforms and website.
Climate Change Considerations
The recommendations from this report do not impact greenhouse gas emissions or
impact climate change adaptation.
Strategic Plan
The proposed Ad-Hoc/Advisory Committee and Local Boards policy supports
progressive corporate excellence and continuous improvement by implementing policy
and processes that reflect sound and accountable governance. As well as supporting
broad community outreach and engagement with partners, businesses, newcomers, and
community groups to ensure inclusiveness by affording residents the opportunity to
provide insight to Council.
Page 45 of 152
January 17, 2023 6 of 6 Report No. CS23-001
Alternative(s) to the Recommendation
1. That the policy for Ad Hoc/Advisory Committees and Local Boards from the 2018-
2022 term of Council, including the same committee structure from the term, be
adopted.
2. Council provides direction.
Conclusions
A balanced system of Ad Hoc/Advisory Committees and Local Boards helps foster
good governance in municipalities. Staff believe the recommendations in this report
help achieve good governance in Aurora by creating a system where citizens can
participate and help decide on policy directions in their community.
Attachments
Attachment 1 – 2018-2022 Policy for Ad Hoc/Advisory Committees and Local Boards
Attachment 2 – Proposed 2022-2026 Policy for Ad Hoc/Advisory Committees and Local
Boards
Attachment 3 – 2018-2022 Local Board and Committee Member Survey Responses
Attachment 4 – Proposed 2022-2026 Terms of Reference
Previous Reports
None.
Pre-submission Review
Agenda Management Team review on December 15, 2022
Approvals
Approved by Techa Van Leeuwen, Director, Corporate Services
Approved by Doug Nadorozny, Chief Administrative Officer
Page 46 of 152
100 John West Way
Aurora, Ontario
L4G 6J1
(905) 727-3123
aurora.ca
Town of Aurora
Ad Hoc/Advisory
Committees and Local
Boards Policy
Corporate Services
Contact: Town Clerk, Legislative Services
Approval Authority: Council
Effective: December 18, 2018
______________________________________________________________________________________
1.0 Purpose
Council for The Corporation of the Town of Aurora is required by provincial
legislation to establish certain local boards and committees. Additionally,
Council may establish Ad Hoc or Advisory Committees to provide opportunities
for members of the public to have input into the decisions of the Town. To
ensure effective and efficient operation of all local Boards and Committees this
policy establishes:
(a)The procedures to be followed in establishing Ad Hoc Committees,
Advisory Committees and Local Boards (not otherwise required by
provincial legislation).
(b)The procedures for recruiting and appointing members of the public to
serve on any Ad Hoc Committees, Advisory Committees and Local Boards,
including any Statutory Board or Committee.
(c)The procedural requirements, not provided for in the Procedure By-law
6228-19, as amended, necessary for the effective and efficient operations
of an Ad Hoc Committees, Advisory Committees and Local Boards,
including any Statutory Board or Committee.
2.0 Scope
2.1 This Policy applies to all Ad Hoc committees, Advisory Committees and
Local Boards established by Council for the Corporation of the Town of
Aurora, except for the Aurora Economic Development Corporation Board.
2.2 In respect to Statutory Board and Committees, this policy is intended to
supplement provincial legislation where applicable to such appointments.
2.3 In the event of conflict with provincial legislation, the provisions of the
provincial legislation shall prevail.
Attachment 1
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Page 2 of 11
2.4 This policy does not apply to a Compliance Audit Committee established
by Council under the provisions of subsection 88.37 of the Municipal
Elections Act, 1996, S.O. 1996, c.32, Sch, s.1(1), as amended.
2.5 This policy does not apply to any standing committees comprised of all
Council Members.
2.6 The Clerk is responsible for interpreting this policy and establishing any
forms which may be required by this policy.
3.0 Definitions
In this Policy, the following words have the following meanings:
CAO
The Chief Administrative Officer appointed by Council, or their designate
Clerk
The Town Clerk, or their designate
Council
The Council of The Corporation of the Town of Aurora
Council Members
Includes the Mayor or a Ward Councillor
Director
The person appointed by the CAO or Council as head of one of the Town’s
administrative departments, or their designate
Member
A person, including a Council Member, appointed to serve on a Committee
established under this policy and may include a Member of Council unless stated
otherwise.
Procedure By-law
The Town of Aurora Procedure By-law 6228-19, as amended, and any successor
procedure by-law adopted by Council; and,
Statutory Board or Committee
A committee or local board that Council is required by provincial legislative to
establish.
Any term not defined by this policy shall have the same meaning as it does in the
Procedure By-law.
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Page 3 of 11
4.0 Creation and Disposition of Committees
Ad Hoc Committees
4.1 Council may from time to time, by resolution, establish such Ad Hoc
Committees as it deems appropriate.
4.2 Ad Hoc Committees shall be discontinued by Council resolution when
their recommendations upon the specified initiative or matter have been
provided and further recommendations are no longer required.
Advisory Committees
4.3 Council shall by resolution, establish such Advisory Committees as it
deems appropriate to provide recommendations to such Directors as it
may designate on a specific initiative or matter.
Local Boards
4.4 Council may from time to time, by by-law, establish such Local Boards as
it deems appropriate to carry out those functions which Council may
lawfully authorize such Local Boards to perform, pursuant to the statute
authorizing the creation of the Local Boards.
4.5 Local Boards shall only be discontinued by Council By-law, provided such
Local Boards are not mandated by provincial legislation.
5.0 Terms of Reference
5.1 Ad Hoc and Advisory Committees may consider delegations,
correspondence, staff reports and matters for discussion in relation to
their Terms of Reference in order to provide advice or recommendations,
through staff, to General Committee.
5.2 Whenever possible, the Terms of Reference for a committee shall be
established by Council resolution concurrent with the creation of the Ad
Hoc or Advisory Committee. In circumstances where to do so is not
possible as a prelude to undertaking any other action, staff may be
directed to prepare a proposed Terms of Reference for approval
concurrent with the recruitment and first meeting(s) of the Committee.
6.0 Terms of Office
6.1 A Member, other than Council Members, shall not be considered for
reappointment to a Local Board or Committee after having served two (2)
consecutive terms on that Local Board or Committee.
6.2 A Member may serve any number of consecutive terms on different Local
Boards or Committees, subject to section 6.3 of this policy.
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6.3 A Member, other than Council Members, may not serve on more than one
(1) Local Boards or Committees at the same time. Council may choose to
appoint a Member, other than Council Members, to more than one (1)
committee by resolution, or by approving a Terms of Reference for a Local
Board or Committee that specifically includes one (1) or more Members
serving on another Local Board or Committee.
Resignation, Withdrawal or Removal from Office
6.4 Members may resign from office at any time by submitting a letter of
resignation to the Clerk and such resignation shall be effective upon
receipt of such letter by the Clerk. Normally resignations are tabled for the
information of Council at a subsequent Meeting.
6.5 Members may temporarily withdraw from office, upon the consent by
resolution of Council, for a period of time not to exceed three (3) months.
Such withdrawal shall be effective upon receipt of a notice of withdrawal
by the Clerk.
Continuation Where a Member Is Retired
6.6 It is intended that all Local Boards and Committees shall have the
membership as set forth in the Terms of Reference for that
Committee/Board. Where a Member resigns or is removed from office,
Council shall determine within two (2) months whether to select a new
Member or amend the Terms of Reference respecting the membership of
that entity.
Attendance
6.7 Members are expected to attend all Meetings. Should an appointee be
absent for three (3) consecutive meetings, as reflected in the minutes of
the Local Boards and Committees, Council may, with or without a
recommendation from the Local Boards and Committees, resolve to
remove said Member from office.
Remuneration
6.8 Generally, Members who sit on Local Boards and Committees do not
receive compensation; however, remuneration may be established at the
discretion of Council. If Council decides by resolution to grant
remuneration to Members who sit on Local Boards and Committees, the
Terms of Reference for that Local Board or Committee shall be amended
by the Clerk to reflect the change.
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Page 5 of 11
7.0 Membership
7.1 The Mayor (or Deputy Mayor when acting in the place of the Mayor) shall
be an ex-officio Member of all Ad Hoc and Advisory Committees and
Local Boards as may be established from time to time. Ex-officio Member
may take part in Committee discussions but may not take part in the vote
unless that Member is counted in order to form a quorum.
7.2 The Members for each Local Board shall be appointed from time to time
by resolution.
7.3 Council shall appoint by resolution all the Members to its Ad Hoc and
Advisory Committees and such persons may be Council Members, or
members of the public as Council determines may be of assistance to its
Ad Hoc and Advisory Committees.
7.4 Council Members who are not Members shall be entitled to attend all
Advisory Committee Meetings, and shall be entitled to speak at a
Committee Meeting upon requesting recognition from the Chair, but shall
not be entitled to vote. This privilege shall not be extended to any Closed
Session portion of the meeting or Statutory Committees or Boards such
as the Committee of Adjustment or the Library Board.
Advertising
7.5 All vacancies for Local Boards and Committees shall be advertised in the
local media and any manner determined by the Clerk.
Application Form
7.6 All applications shall be submitted on a form established by the Clerk.
Such applications shall be considered public documents however, they will
be redacted in accordance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and
Protection of Privacy Act, 1990 (MFIPPA).
Selection Process
7.7 After a vacancy has been advertised, the Clerk shall provide Council with
all applications received to date in relation to that office.
7.8 Where an applicant is clearly disqualified from a particular office by virtue
of this Policy or other applicable law, the Clerk is authorized not to provide
such applications to Council.
7.9 The selection of applicants shall be confirmed in an open Council Meeting.
Nonetheless, given that aspects of the selection process may touch upon
matters of a personal nature, Council shall review applications for office in
a Closed Session Meeting prior to confirming appointments at an open
Council Meeting, once staff confirm that member has accepted the
appointment.
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Page 6 of 11
7.10 In consideration of applications, Council may review any materials it
wishes, including the applications, any references, conduct interviews with
applicants and/or solicit recommendations from existing Local Boards
and Committees.
7.11 Applicants will be selected based upon suitability, in the opinion of
Council, to perform the tasks required by the office. Council shall avoid
making an appointment which would create a conflict of interest or a
perception of a conflict of interest relative to the activities of the Local
Boards and Committees and the affiliation, profession or occupation of
the appointee. Council shall have regard for legislation which may restrict
or impinge upon Council's latitude with respect to Local Boards and
Committees appointments.
Qualifications
7.12 All Members of Local Boards and Committees must at all times during
their term of office be a resident within the municipality, or an owner of
land within the municipality, or a tenant for the purposes of business tax
as shown on the last revised Assessment Rolls for the municipality.
7.13 No person who is an "employee" within the meaning of Town
Administration Procedure No. 1 may be appointed by Council to Local
Boards and Committees. Employees should give consideration, prior to
accepting appointments from other bodies empowered to appoint
Members to Local Boards and Committees, as to whether a potential for
conflict may exist.
Training
7.14 The Clerk will provide Members of Local Boards and Committees with
information or training on their respective roles and duties.
8.0 Chair
8.1 The Chair and Vice Chair of the Advisory Committees shall be appointed
by a vote of the members at the first meeting and shall have such
responsibilities and powers as are provided for the Chair in Procedure By-
law, as amended from time to time.
8.1.1 To select a Chair and Vice Chair, the Clerk or other assigned staff person
will call on Members two (2) times to move a motion to nominate a
Member as Chair, which must be duly seconded. The Committee will vote
on the motions in order in which they are made until a majority vote
affirms the selection of the Chair.
8.1.2 The Chair and Vice Chair shall be elected at the first meeting of every
calendar year for a one-year term.
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Page 7 of 11
8.1.3 Citizen members may only serve as Chair and/or Vice Chair for a total of
two years of the term of the Committee.
8.2 The Chair of each Local Board and the term of the Chair shall be
determined by the Members of the Local Board except to the extent that
provincial legislation or a Council By-law relating specifically to that Local
Board provides otherwise.
8.3 In the absence of the Chair and Vice Chair, the Members shall elect one of
their Members as Chair for the purposes of that Meeting.
8.4 The Chair shall provide leadership and direction to the Committee or Local
Board.
8.5 The Chair shall direct the affairs of the Committee or Local Board in
accordance with the provisions of this Policy, applicable by-laws and
procedures of the Town and provincial legislation.
8.6 The Chair shall ensure that Committees and Local Boards respect the
authority of Council, and shall not permit debate of issues for which
Council has made a final determination unless authorized to do so by
Council.
9.0 Quorum
9.1 A quorum for Ad Hoc and Advisory Committees shall require the
attendance of a majority of the Members who may have been appointed.
9.2 Except to the extent that provincial legislation or a Council By-law relating
specifically to that Local Board provides otherwise, a quorum for the Local
Boards shall require the attendance of a majority of the Local Boards
Members who may have been appointed.
10.0 Staff Support
10.1 The duties of the Staff Liaison to each Ad Hoc or Advisory Committee or
Local Board shall be carried out by staff as appointed by the CAO, and
each Staff Liaison shall continue under the supervision of their respective
Director, if applicable.
10.2 The duties of the Committee Coordinator for each Advisory Committee
shall be carried out by staff as directed by the Clerk.
10.3 The Committee Coordinator shall prepare an agenda and attachments at
the direction of the appropriate Director and shall make such materials
available to all Council Members, to the Members, to the CAO and the
Clerk.
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Page 8 of 11
10.4 The Committee Coordinator shall provide notice of the meeting to the
public in accordance with the provisions in Section 15(c) of the Procedure
By-law or any other applicable provincial legislation.
10.5 Where materials are provided for the Committee’s consideration that were
not previously circulated with the agenda and attachments, the Committee
Coordinator shall make such materials available to all Council Members,
the CAO and the Clerk as soon as is practicable after the Committee
Meeting by electronic mail and by posting materials on the Town’s
webpage.
10.6 The duties of Committee Coordinator shall not include circulation of
correspondence arising from adoption of the Ad Hoc or Advisory
Committee recommendations by Council, since that function will be
provided by the Clerk.
10.7 It shall also be open to the CAO to provide the Ad Hoc Committee with
staff technical support should the matters to be considered by the
Committee require such expertise and, in such cases, the role of the
Committee Coordinator may be separated or consolidated with the role of
the technical support person.
10.8 The Committee Coordinator of an Ad Hoc Committee or Advisory
Committee shall prepare and provide draft minutes of all Committee’s
Meetings to the Clerk.
10.9 The Secretary/Committee Coordinator of a Local Board shall prepare
minutes of the Local Board’s Meetings to be provided for the information
of General Committee, if so directed by the Chair of the Local Board, or
shall prepare an informal minutes of the Board’s Meetings to form part of
the files retained by the Town, subject to applicable provincial legislation.
11.0 Open Meetings and Notice of Meetings
11.1 The Committee Coordinator shall give notice of all Meetings by circulating
the agenda and attachments to all Council Members, the Committee
Members, the CAO, and the Clerk, and by posting the agenda on the Town
website with alternate formats available if requested.
11.2 Any Meeting of Ad Hoc and Advisory Committees and Local Boards may
be cancelled or rescheduled subject to the approval of the Chair and Staff
Liaison, and proper notice of the change shall be circulated to all Members
and posted on the Town’s website as per the Procedure By-law.
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Page 9 of 11
11.3 Where a Meeting is called upon with less than twenty-four (24) hours
advance notice, it shall be the responsibility of the Chair and the
Committee Coordinator to make reasonable efforts to provide notice to
those concerned, as per the Procedure By-law.
11.4 All Meetings of Ad Hoc and Advisory Committees and Local Boards shall
be open to the public, except as provided for in the Procedure By-law, and
Committee/Board Members shall observe all provisions respecting Closed
Session Meetings in this Policy. Materials supplied for Closed Session
consideration must previously have been circulated to all Members of
Council, the CAO and the Clerk, taking due care to ensure the
confidentiality of such materials, and the materials shall be collected
and/or destroyed at the end of the Closed Session meeting.
12.0 Electronic Participation, Recording, Broadcasting and/or Live
Streaming Meetings
12.1 Meetings of Ad Hoc and Advisory Committees and Local Boards
appointed by Council may be held at the Aurora Town Hall or other
accessible Town-owned facility at a time and date established by the
Committee at the beginning of the year/term, unless it is in the public
interest to temporarily convene a Meeting at another location within the
Town of Aurora.
12.2 Any member may participate electronically in a Meeting that is open to the
public or in Closed Session.
12.3 Any Member who is participating electronically in a Meeting shall be
counted in determining whether or not a Quorum is present at any point in
time during the Meeting, and shall have the same rights and
responsibilities as if they were in physical attendance, including the right
to vote.
12.4 Electronic participation in a Meeting shall be conducted by way of
electronic means, including, but not limited to, audio teleconference, video
teleconference, or by means of the internet, following instructions
provided by the Clerk in order to ensure that a Meeting may proceed in the
most transparent and successful manner under the current timelines and
circumstances.
12.5 Meetings of Ad Hoc and Advisory Committees and Local Boards
appointed by Council shall be audio and/or visually recorded, broadcast
and/or live streamed publicly by the Town, with the exception of Meetings
closed to the public provided for in the Closed Session section of the
Procedure By-law.
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Page 10 of 11
12.6 The approved minutes of a Meeting will form the official record of the
Meeting. Any audio, video, or other record of the Meeting shall not be
considered an official record.
13.0 Procedures and Rules of Debate
13.1 Procedures and rules of debate as set out in the Procedure By-law shall
apply in the conduct of all Ad Hoc and Advisory Committee Meetings.
13.2 It is intended that the conduct of all Local Board Meetings shall be formal,
and the Meeting shall incorporate all statutory requirements in relation to
that Local Board.
13.3 The order of business shall include disclosures of interest.
13.4 The Ad Hoc or Advisory Committee shall have authority to hear
Delegations and to consider staff reports and correspondence in addition
to topics for general discussion within the mandate of the Committee’s
Terms of Reference.
13.5 Debate on any matter shall proceed formally under the direction of the
Chair, and that Committee/Board Members may speak to any issue no
more than twice.
13.6 Members shall refrain from criticizing staff or decisions of Council.
13.7 No vote taken at an Ad Hoc or Advisory Committee Meeting shall be a
recorded vote.
13.8 The Chair shall have authority to determine the conduct of Members in
accordance with Section 9 of the Procedure By-law.
14.0 Reporting
14.1 No discussion or recommendation of an Ad Hoc, Advisory Committee or
Local Board shall constitute an act of Council.
14.2 The Clerk or Committee Coordinator will circulate the draft minutes
referred to in section 10.9 of this policy to Members for comment. The
Clerk will consider any comments received and prepare final Minutes
which will be deemed approved by the Committee.
14.3 Minutes of all Ad Hoc, Advisory Committee or Local Board meetings,
including any recommendations contained therein, shall be provided to
General Committee or Council for information purposes only. The receipt
of minutes from Ad Hoc Committees, Advisory Committees or Local
Board by Council does not constitute endorsement by the Town of any
recommendations or actions contained therein.
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14.4 Committees will be asked to provide comments on initiatives that staff
intend to bring forward to Council. The comments received during
committee meetings will be provided to Council via the Advisory
Committee Review section of staff reports.
14.5 Where an Ad Hoc, Advisory Committee or Local Board has adopted a
recommendation, the CAO or Director may reference any such
recommendation in their reports to General Committee or Council.
14.6 Each Local Board shall report to the entity set forth in its enabling
provincial legislation or the Council By-law enacted in relation to that
Board.
15.0 References
• Town of Aurora’s Procedure By-law, as amended
• Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, 1990 (MFIPPA)
16.0 Review Timeline
This policy will be reviewed following each normal Municipal Election, and as required
before.
Page 57 of 152
100 John West Way
Aurora, Ontario
L4G 6J1
(905) 727-3123
aurora.ca
Town of Aurora
Ad Hoc/Advisory
Committees and Local
Boards Policy
Corporate Services
Contact: Town Clerk, Legislative Services
Approval Authority: Council
Effective: December 18, 2018
______________________________________________________________________________________
1.0 Purpose
Council for The Corporation of the Town of Aurora is required by provincial
legislation to establish certain local boards and committees. Additionally,
Council may establish Ad Hoc or Advisory Committees to provide opportunities
for members of the public to have input into the decisions of the Town. To
ensure effective and efficient operation of all local Boards and Committees this
policy establishes:
(a)The procedures to be followed in establishing Ad Hoc Committees,
Advisory Committees and Local Boards (not otherwise required by
provincial legislation).
(b)The procedures for recruiting and appointing members of the public to
serve on any Ad Hoc Committees, Advisory Committees and Local Boards,
including any Statutory Board or Committee.
(c)The procedural requirements, not provided for in the Procedure By-law
6228-196068-18, as amended, necessary for the effective and efficient
operations of an Ad Hoc Committees, Advisory Committees and Local
Boards, including any Statutory Board or Committee.
2.0 ApplicationScope
2.1 This Policy applies to all Ad Hoc committees, Advisory Committees and
Local Boards established by Council for the Corporation of the Town of
Aurora, except for the Aurora Economic Development Corporation Board.
2.2 In respect to Statutory Board and Committees, this policy is intended to
supplement provincial legislation where applicable to such appointments.
2.3 In the event of conflict with provincial legislation, the provisions of the
provincial legislation shall prevail.
Attachment 2
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Page 2 of 12
2.4 This policy does not apply to a Compliance Audit Committee established
by Council under the provisions of subsection 81.1(1)8.37 of the Municipal
Elections Act, 1996, S.O. 1996, c.32, Sch, s.1(1), as amended.
2.5 This policy does not apply to any standing committees comprised of all
Council Members.
2.6 The Clerk is responsible for interpreting this policy and establishing any
forms which may be required by this policy.
3.0 Definitions
In this Policy, the following words have the following meanings:
“C.A.O.CAO
The Chief Administrative Officer appointed by Council, or their designate
Clerk
The Town Clerk, or his or hertheir designate
Council
The Council of The Corporation of the Town of Aurora
Council Members
Includes the Mayor or a Ward Councillor
Director
The person appointed by the C.A.O.CAO or Council as head of one of the Town’s
administrative departments, or his or hertheir designate
Member
A person, including a Council Member, appointed to serve on a Committee
established under this policy and may include a Member of Council unless stated
otherwise.
Procedure By-law
The Town of Aurora Procedure By-law 6068-18228-19, as amended, and any
successor procedure by-law adopted by Council; and,
Statutory Board or Committee
A committee or local board that Council is required by provincial legislative to
establish.
Any term not defined by this policy shall have the same meaning as it does in the
Procedure By-law.
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Page 3 of 12
4.0 Creation and Disposition of Committees
Ad Hoc Committees
4.1 Council may from time to time, by resolution, establish such Ad Hoc
Committees as it deems appropriate.
4.2 Ad Hoc Committees shall be discontinued by Council resolution when
their recommendations upon the specified initiative or matter have been
provided and further recommendations are no longer required.
Advisory Committees
4.3 Council shall by resolution, establish such Advisory Committees as it
deems appropriate to provide recommendations to such Directors as it
may designate on a specific initiative or matter.
Local Boards
4.4 Council may from time to time, by by-law, establish such Local Boards as
it deems appropriate to carry out those functions which Council may
lawfully authorize such Local Boards to perform, pursuant to the statute
authorizing the creation of the Local Boards.
4.5 Local Boards shall only be discontinued by Council By-law, provided such
Local Boards are not mandated by provincial legislation.
5.0 Terms of Reference
5.1 Ad Hoc and Advisory Committees may consider delegations,
correspondence, staff reports and matters for discussion in relation to
their Terms of Reference in order to provide advice or recommendations,
through staff, to General Committee.
5.2 Whenever possible, the Terms of Reference for a committee shall be
established by Council resolution concurrent with the creation of the Ad
Hoc or Advisory Committee. In circumstances where to do so is not
possible as a prelude to undertaking any other action, staff may be
directed to prepare a proposed Terms of Reference for approval
concurrent with the recruitment and first meeting(s) of the Committee.
2.1 The Terms of Reference for a Local Board shall be provided in the Council
By-law establishing the Local Boards or subsequent amendments thereto
within the jurisdiction of Council and in the provincial legislation
authorizing creation of the Local Boards.
6.0 Terms of Office
6.1 A Member, other than Council Members, shall not be considered for
reappointment to a Local Board or Committee after having served two (2)
consecutive terms on that Local Board or Committee.
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Page 4 of 12
6.2 A Member may serve any number of consecutive terms on different Local
Boards or Committees, subject to section 6.3 of this policy.
6.3 A Member, other than Council Members, may not serve on more than one
(1) Local Boards or Committees at the same time. Council may choose to
appoint a Member, other than Council Members, to more than one (1)
committee by resolution, or by approving a Terms of Reference for a Local
Board or Committee that specifically includes one (1) or more Members
serving on another Local Board or Committee.
Resignation, Withdrawal or Removal from Office
6.4 Members may resign from office at any time by submitting a letter of
resignation to the Clerk and such resignation shall be effective upon
receipt of such letter by the Clerk. Normally resignations are tabled for the
information of Council at a subsequent Meeting.
6.5 Members may temporarily withdraw from office, upon the consent by
resolution of Council, for a period of time not to exceed three (3) months.
Such withdrawal shall be effective upon receipt of a notice of withdrawal
by the Clerk.
Continuation Where a Member Is Retired
6.6 It is intended that all Local Boards and Committees shall have the
membership as set forth in the Terms of Reference for that
Committee/Board. Where a Member resigns or is removed from office,
Council shall determine within two (2) months whether to select a new
Member or amend the Terms of Reference respecting the membership of
that entity.
Attendance
6.7 Members are expected to attend all Meetings. Should an appointee be
absent for three (3) consecutive meetings, as reflected in the minutes of
the Local Boards and Committees, Council may, with or without a
recommendation from the Local Boards and Committees, resolve to
remove said Member from office.
Remuneration
6.8 Generally, Members who sit on Local Boards and Committees do not
receive compensation; however, remuneration may be established at the
discretion of Council. If Council decides by resolution to grant
remuneration to Members who sit on Local Boards and Committees, the
Terms of Reference for that Local Board or Committee shall be amended
by the Clerk to reflect the change.
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7.0 Membership
7.1 The Mayor (or Deputy Mayor when acting in the place and stead of the
Mayor) shall be an ex-officio Member of all Ad Hoc and Advisory
Committees and Local Boards as may be established from time to time.
Ex-officio Member may take part in Committee discussions but may not
take part in the vote unless that Member is counted in order to form a
quorum.
7.2 The Members for each Local Board shall be appointed from time to time
by by-law or resolution.
7.3 Council shall appoint by resolution all of the Members to its Ad Hoc and
Advisory Committees and such persons may be such Council Members, or
members of the public as Council determines may be of assistance to its
Ad Hoc and Advisory Committees.
7.4 Council Members who are not Members shall be entitled to attend all
Advisory Committee Meetings, and shall be entitled to speak at a
Committee Meeting upon requesting recognition from the Chair, but shall
not be entitled to vote. This privilege shall not be extended to any Closed
Session portion of the meeting or Statutory Committees or Boards such
as the Committee of Adjustment or the Library Board.
Advertising
7.5 All vacancies for Local Boards and Committees shall be advertised in the
local media and any manner determined by the Clerk.
Application Form
7.6 All applications shall be submitted on a form established by the Clerk.
Such applications shall be considered public documents however, they will
be redacted in accordance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and
Protection of Privacy Act, 1990 (MFIPPA).
Selection Process
7.7 After a vacancy has been advertised, the Clerk shall provide Council with
all applications received to date in relation to that office.
7.8 Where an applicant is clearly disqualified from a particular office by virtue
of this Policy or other applicable law, the Clerk is authorized not to provide
such applications to Council.
7.9 The selection of applicants shall be confirmed in an open Council Meeting.
Nonetheless, given that aspects of the selection process may touch upon
matters of a personal nature, Council shall review applications for office in
a Closed Session Meeting prior to confirming appointments at an open
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Page 6 of 12
Council Meeting, once staff confirm that member has accepted the
appointment.
7.10 In consideration of applications, Council may review any materials it
wishes, including the applications, any references, conduct interviews with
applicants and/or solicit recommendations from existing Local Boards
and Committees.
7.11 Applicants will be selected based upon suitability, in the opinion of
Council, to perform the tasks required by the office. Council shall avoid
making an appointment which would create a conflict of interest or a
perception of a conflict of interest relative to the activities of the Local
Boards and Committees and the affiliation, profession or occupation of
the appointee. Council shall have regard for legislation which may restrict
or impinge upon Council's latitude with respect to Local Boards and
Committees appointments.
Qualifications
7.12 All Members of Local Boards and Committees must at all times during
their term of office be a resident within the municipality, or an owner of
land within the municipality, or a tenant for the purposes of business tax
as shown on the last revised Assessment Rolls for the municipality.
7.13 No person who is an "employee" within the meaning of Town
Administration Procedure No. 1 may be appointed by Council to Local
Boards and Committees. Employees should give consideration, prior to
accepting appointments from other bodies empowered to appoint
Members to Local Boards and Committees, as to whether a potential for
conflict may exist.
Declaration of Office
2.2 Upon selection by Council and prior to undertaking any activity associated
with the Local Boards and Committees, all appointees shall complete a
Authorization Form to Release Personal Information approved by the
Clerk. The format of the required documents shall be approved by the
Clerk.
Training
7.14 The Clerk will provide Members of Local Boards and Committees with
information or training on their respective roles and duties.
Page 63 of 152
Page 7 of 12
8.0 Chair
8.1 The Chair and Vice Chair of the Advisory Committees shall be appointed
by a vote of the members at the first meeting and shall have such
responsibilities and powers as are provided for the Chair in Procedure By-
law, as amended from time to time.
8.1.1 To select a Chair and Vice Chair, the Clerk or other assigned staff person
will call on Members two (2) times to move a motion to nominate a
Member as Chair, which must be duly seconded. The Committee will vote
on the motions in order in which they are made until a majority vote
affirms the selection of the Chair.
8.1.2 The Chair and Vice Chair shall be elected at the first meeting of every
calendar year for a one-year term.
8.1.3 Citizen members may only serve as Chair and/or Vice Chair for a total of
two years of the term of the Committee.
8.2 The Chair of each Local Board and the term of the Chair shall be
determined by the Members of the Local Board except to the extent that
provincial legislation or a Council By-law relating specifically to that Local
Board provides otherwise.
8.3 In the absence of the Chair and Vice Chair, the Members shall elect one of
their Members as Chair for the purposes of that Meeting.
8.4 The Chair shall provide leadership and direction to the Committee or Local
Board.
8.5 The Chair shall direct the affairs of the Committee or Local Board in
accordance with the provisions of this Policy, applicable by-laws and
procedures of the Town and provincial legislation.
8.6 The Chair shall ensure that Committees and Local Boards respect the
authority of Council, and shall not permit debate of issues for which
Council has made a final determination unless authorized to do so by
Council.
9.0 Quorum
9.1 A quorum for Ad Hoc and Advisory Committees shall require the
attendance of a majority of the Members who may have been appointed.
9.2 Except to the extent that provincial legislation or a Council By-law relating
specifically to that Local Board provides otherwise, a quorum for the Local
Boards shall require the attendance of a majority of the Local Boards
Members who may have been appointed.
Page 64 of 152
Page 8 of 12
10.0 Staff Support
10.1 The duties of the Staff Liaison to each Ad Hoc or Advisory Committee or
Local Board shall be carried out by staff as appointed by the C.A.O.CAO in
consultation with the Chair, and each Staff Liaison shall continue under
the supervision of their respective Director, if applicable.
10.2 The duties of the Committee Coordinator for each Advisory Committee
shall be carried out by staff as directed by the Clerk.
10.3 Where the staff person appointed by the C.A.O.CAO is unavailable, the
Committee or Local Board Members shall appoint a person as Secretary
for the purposes of that Meeting.
10.410.3 The Committee Coordinator shall prepare an agenda and
attachments at the direction of the appropriate Director and shall make
such materials available to all Council Members, to the Members, to the
C.A.O.CAO and the Clerk.
10.510.4 The Committee Coordinator shall provide notice of the meeting to
the public in accordance with the provisions in Section 15(cf) of the
Procedure By-law or any other applicable provincial legislation.
10.610.5 Where materials are provided for the Committee’s consideration
that were not previously circulated with the agenda and attachments, the
Committee Coordinator shall make such materials available to all Council
Members, the C.A.O.CAO and the Clerk as soon as is practicable after the
Committee Meeting by placing a copy of such materials in the internal
mail system of the Town or by electronic mail, and by posting materials on
the Town’s webpage.
10.710.6 The duties of Committee Coordinator shall not include circulation
of correspondence arising from adoption of the Ad Hoc or Advisory
Committee recommendations by Council, since that function will be
provided by the Clerk.
10.810.7 It shall also be open to the C.A.O.CAO to provide the Ad Hoc
Committee with staff technical support should the matters to be
considered by the Committee require such expertise and, in such cases,
the role of the Committee Coordinator may be separated or consolidated
with the role of the technical support person.
10.910.8 The Committee Coordinator of an Ad Hoc Committee or Advisory
Committee shall prepare and provide draft minutes of all Committee’s
Meetings to the Clerk.
Page 65 of 152
Page 9 of 12
10.1010.9 The Secretary/Committee Coordinator of a Local Board shall
prepare minutes of the Local Board’s Meetings to be provided for the
information of General Committee, if so directed by the Chair of the Local
Board, or shall prepare an informal minutes of the Board’s Meetings to
form part of the files retained by the Town, subject to applicable provincial
legislation.
11.0 Open Meetings and Notice of Meetings
11.1 The Committee Coordinator shall give notice of all Meetings by making
available for pick-up a copy of the Agenda and Attachments to all Council
Members, to the Committee Members, to the C.A.O., to the Clerk, and the
Agenda shall be posted on the Town website. circulating the agenda and
attachments to all Council Members, the Committee Members, the CAO,
and the Clerk, and by posting the agenda on the Town website with
alternate formats available if requested.
11.2 Any Meeting of Ad Hoc and Advisory Committees and Local Boards may
be cancelled or rescheduled subject to the approval of the Chair and Staff
Liaison, and proper notice of the change shall be circulated to all Members
and posted on the Town’s website as per the Procedure By-law.
11.3 Where a Meeting is called upon with less than twenty-four (24) hours
advance notice, it shall be the responsibility of the Chair and the
Committee Coordinator to make reasonable efforts to provide notice to
those concerned, as per the Procedure By-law.
11.4 All Meetings of Ad Hoc and Advisory Committees and Local Boards shall
be open to the public, except as provided for in the Procedure By-law, and
Committee/Board Members shall observe all provisions respecting Closed
Session Meetings in this Policy. Materials supplied for Closed Session
consideration must previously have been circulated to all Members of
Council, the C.A.O. CAO and the Clerk, taking due care to ensure the
confidentiality of such materials, and the materials shall be collected
and/or destroyed at the end of the Closed Session meeting.
12.0 Electronic Participation, Recording, Broadcasting and/or Live
Streaming Meetings
12.1 Meetings of Ad Hoc and Advisory Committees and Local Boards
appointed by Council may be held at the Aurora Town Hall or other
accessible Town-owned facility at a time and date established by the
Committee at the beginning of the year/term, unless it is in the public
interest to temporarily convene a Meeting at another location within the
Town of Aurora.
Page 66 of 152
Page 10 of 12
12.2 Any member may participate electronically in a Meeting that is open to the
public or in Closed Session.
12.3 Any Member who is participating electronically in a Meeting shall be
counted in determining whether or not a Quorum is present at any point in
time during the Meeting, and shall have the same rights and
responsibilities as if they were in physical attendance, including the right
to vote.
12.4 Electronic participation in a Meeting shall be conducted by way of
electronic means, including, but not limited to, audio teleconference, video
teleconference, or by means of the internet, following instructions
provided by the Clerk in order to ensure that a Meeting may proceed in the
most transparent and successful manner under the current timelines and
circumstances.
12.5 Meetings of Ad Hoc and Advisory Committees and Local Boards
appointed by Council shall be audio and/or visually recorded, broadcast
and/or live streamed publicly by the Town, with the exception of Meetings
closed to the public provided for in the Closed Session section of the
Procedure By-law.
12.6 The approved minutes of a Meeting will form the official record of the
Meeting. Any audio, video, or other record of the Meeting shall not be
considered an official record.
12.013.0 Procedures and Rules of Debate
12.113.1 Procedures and rules of debate as set out in the Procedure By-law
shall apply in the conduct of all Ad Hoc and Advisory Committee Meetings.
12.213.2 It is intended that the conduct of all Local Board Meetings shall be
formal, and the Meeting shall incorporate all statutory requirements in
relation to that Local Board.
12.313.3 The order of business shall include disclosures of interest.
12.413.4 The Ad Hoc or Advisory Committee shall have authority to hear
Delegations and to consider staff reports and correspondence in addition
to topics for general discussion within the mandate of the Committee’s
Terms of Reference.
12.513.5 Debate on any matter shall proceed formally under the direction of the
Chair, and that Committee/Board Members may speak to any issue no
more than twice.
12.613.6 Members shall refrain from criticizing staff or decisions of Council.
Page 67 of 152
Page 11 of 12
12.713.7 No vote taken at an Ad Hoc or Advisory Committee Meeting shall be a
recorded vote.
12.813.8 The Chair shall have authority to determine the conduct of Members in
accordance with Section 910 of the Procedure By-law.
13.014.0 Reporting
13.114.1 No discussion or recommendation of an Ad Hoc, Advisory Committee
or Local Board shall constitute an act of Council.
13.214.2 The Clerk or Committee Coordinator will circulate the draft minutes
referred to in section 10.9 of this policy to Members for comment. The
Clerk will consider any comments received and prepare final Minutes
which will be deemed approved by the Committee.
13.314.3 Minutes of all Ad Hoc, Advisory Committee or Local Board meetings,
including any recommendations contained therein, shall be provided to
General Committee or Council for information purposes only. The receipt
of minutes from Ad Hoc Committees, Advisory Committees or Local
Board by Council does not constitute endorsement by the Town of any
recommendations or actions contained therein.
13.414.4 Committees will be asked to provide comments on initiatives that
staff intend to bring forward to Council. The comments received during
committee meetings will be provided to Council via the Advisory
Committee Review section of staff reports.All Committee
recommendations shall proceed to an Agenda Management Team
Meeting where Senior Staff will decide whether the recommendation
should proceed to Council to be enacted or whether Council could benefit
from a further report from staff before making a decision.
13.514.5 Where an Ad Hoc, Advisory Committee or Local Board has adopted a
recommendation, the C.A.O.CAO or Director may reference any such
recommendation in his or hertheir reports to General Committee or
Council.
14.6 Each Local Board shall report to the entity set forth in its enabling
provincial legislation or the Council By-law enacted in relation to that
Board.
15.0 References
• Town of Aurora’s Procedure By-law, as amended
• Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, 1990 (MFIPPA)
Page 68 of 152
Page 12 of 12
16.0 Review Timeline
This policy will be reviewed following each normal Municipal Election, and as required
before.
Page 69 of 152
2018-2022 Local Board and Committee Member
Survey
1.Which Local Board or Committee ("Committee") did you serve on for 2018-2022 term?
34
Responses
Closed
Status
Accessibility Advisory Committee 4
Anti-Black Racism and Anti-Raci…2
Aurora Appeal Tribunal 2
Community Advisory Committee 8
Community Recognition Review…3
Environmental Advisory Commit…3
Heritage Advisory Committee 3
Mayor's Golf Classic Funds Com…4
Property Standards Committee 5
Attachment 3
Page 70 of 152
2.Please rate your level of agreement with the following statement: The duties and
functions of my Committee are clear. (1 = strongly disagree, 5 = strongly agree)
4.28
Average Rating
3.Would you recommend any amendments to the duties and functions of the Committee
you served on?
Yes 14
No 19
Other 5
"Other" responses included comments
regarding the opportunity to advise both
Council and Staff, rotating Chairs, and
expanding duties to include additional
volunteer recognition selections.
Page 71 of 152
4.How satisifed are you with your role as a Committee Member? (1 = very unsatisfied, 5 =
very satisfied)
4.12
Average Rating
5.Do you require any additional training as it relates to your role as a Committee Member?
Yes 4
No 28
Other 2
"Other" responses included comments regarding training to include legislation/by-law
specific training and adjudication training.
Page 72 of 152
6.Would you recommend that the Town continue to offer electronic meetings for
Committees?
7.If you are eligible, would you consider another term as a Committee Member in the
future?
8.Would you refer another person to serve as a Member on one of Aurora's Committees?
Yes 24
No 4
Other 4
Yes 29
No 2
Other 3
Yes 18
No 14
Other 2
"Other" responses included comments supporting electronic meetings when
necessary due to Public Health advice and a combination of in-person and electronic
meetings.
"Other" responses included comments regarding trying a new Committee or Board,
stepping down to allow others to have an opportunity, and changes in the decision
making process.
"Other" responses included comments outlining that they would recommend
another person if they were willing.
Page 73 of 152
100 John West Way
Aurora, Ontario
L4G 6J1
(905) 727-3123
aurora.ca
Town of Aurora
Accessibility Advisory Committee
Terms of Reference
Purpose
The purpose of the Accessibility Advisory Committee is to encourage and facilitate
accessibility on behalf of all persons with disabilities by promoting public awareness
and sensitivity; encouraging co-operation among all service and interest groups to
ensure an inclusive community for all persons; identifying and documenting relevant
issues and concerns; improving access to housing, transportation, education,
recreation, and employment which are all qualities of a five-star community; improving
communication among all levels of government and service agencies to make
recommendations regarding policy, procedure and legislation; to educate and champion
needs that arise based on the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (2005); and
recognizing that the needs of all persons, including persons with disabilities, are
constantly changing.
Membership
The Committee shall be comprised of six (6) members, encompassing:
•Six (6) citizen members, the majority of whom shall be persons with a disability
and the minority of whom shall be citizen volunteers, parents of a child with a
disability, or professionals from the stakeholder community.
One (1) member of Council shall be appointed as Council liaison to the Committee and
that such member shall be “ex-officio”.
Term
The Committee shall be appointed for a two-year term, with the option of a further two-
year term, and will be concurrent with the term of Council.
Remuneration
The Committee member shall be compensated for his/her expenses as provided by the
current legislation. The remuneration practice should take into consideration that
people with disabilities might have additional expenses related to travel, disability
accommodations and attending meetings in general. This may include, for example,
sign language interpretation for individuals who are deaf, specialized transportation and
support care and/or attendant services for Committee meetings.
Attachment 4
Page 74 of 152
Accessibility Advisory Committee
Terms of Reference Page 2 of 3
Duties and Functions
The Committee assists Council by advising, reviewing, and making comments and
recommendations of interest to/for people with disabilities and dealing with community
issues relevant to persons with disabilities.
Some of the items to be reviewed by the Committee include:
•Providing advice to Council each year regarding the preparation, implementation
and effectiveness of the annual municipal Accessibility Plan and making
recommendations on the outstanding accessible project list or items based on
Council’s funding allocation for accessibility;
•Providing advice to Council and staff for compliance purposes as per the
Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (2005);
•Establishing guidelines pertaining to accessibility, that staff may consider in the
review of site plans and subdivision agreements (i.e., building accessibility, curb
cuts on roadways, audible traffic signals, etc.);
•Commenting on selected designated accessible parking, including: ensuring that
it is as convenient to the entrance as possible, ensuring that it is properly
identified and signed as designated accessible parking, reviewing the total
number of designated accessible parking spots in relation to the total number of
parking spaces in new development (1:30 ratio), reviewing ways to improve the
placement of existing designated parking within the municipality, suggesting
ways to increase, wherever possible, on both public and private lands, the
number of designated accessible parking spaces within the municipality;
•Commenting on the accessibility for persons with disabilities to a building,
structure, or premises or part of a building, structure or premises that the
municipality purchases, contracts or significantly renovates or for which a new
lease is entered into;
•Commenting on the proposed and existing by-laws, services, practices, programs
and policies of the municipality and how they relate to the general public,
including persons with disabilities;
•Commenting on how the needs of persons with disabilities can be better served
through the municipality’s purchasing of goods and services;
Page 75 of 152
Accessibility Advisory Committee
Terms of Reference Page 3 of 3
•Monitoring federal and provincial government directives and regulations and
advising Council regarding same;
•Conducting research on accessibility issues; and
•Liaising with other municipalities, York Region and local stakeholder groups on
accessibility and disability issues/interests.
Reporting
The Committee shall advise staff on initiatives and matters that will go before General
Committee and Council for approval.
Meeting Time and Location
The Accessibility Advisory Committee meets on the second Wednesday of each month
at 7 p.m., or at a time as agreed to by the Committee, with the exception of July and
August. Meeting agendas are available for members the week before the meeting. The
location is usually an accessible meeting room at the Aurora Town Hall.
Staff Support
Legislative Services staff provides administrative support services to the Committee.
Additional staff such as the Accessibility Advisor (when/where available) and Senior
Building Inspector shall also attend as required, to be determined by agenda items.
Other staff representatives will attend Committee meetings when/if required and if the
issues are relevant to the Accessibility Advisory Committee (i.e., Facilities Manager for
updates on physical access improvements within Town facilities, updates on annual
accessibility plan items, Human Resources staff regarding recruitment policy, etc.).
Page 76 of 152
100 John West Way
Aurora, Ontario
L4G 6J1
(905) 727-3123
aurora.ca
Town of Aurora
Aurora Appeal Tribunal
Terms of Reference
Purpose
The Aurora Appeal Tribunal is appointed by Council to conduct quasi-judicial hearings in
respect to appeals pertaining to the Town’s Licensing By-law and Animal Control By-law.
Membership
The Tribunal shall be comprised of five (5) members of the public and are Members of
the Property Standards Committee.
Term
The Tribunal shall be appointed for a four-year term and will remain in office until a new
Committee has been appointed by Council.
Remuneration
None.
Duties and Functions
To conduct hearings and perform the duties assigned to the Aurora Appeal Tribunal
under By-law 5558-13, as amended, being a By-law to create the Aurora Appeal Tribunal
and establish its Rules of Procedure.
Reporting
None.
Meeting Time and Location
The Tribunal will meet on an as-required basis, as appeals are received.
Staff Support
Legislative Services staff provides administrative support services to the Committee.
Page 77 of 152
100 John West Way
Aurora, Ontario
L4G 6J1
(905) 727-3123
aurora.ca
Town of Aurora
Aurora Public Library Board
Terms of Reference
Purpose
The purpose of the Board is to oversee the planning and policy decisions related to the
Aurora Public Library service.
Membership
The Board shall be comprised of seven (7) members, including two (2) Members of
Council and five (5) Members of the public who are:
•At least eighteen years of age;
•A Canadian citizen;
•A resident of Aurora; and
•Not employed by the Town of Aurora or by the Aurora Public Library.
Term
The Board shall be appointed for a four-year term, and will remain in office until a new
Board has been appointed by Council.
Remuneration
None.
Duties and Functions
Strategic Planning
•Identify needs and approve appropriate plans to ensure that Aurora Public Library
services are responsive to changing community circumstances and are
accessible to all.
Policy Development
•Determine and adopt written policies to govern the services and operations of
the Library.
Advocacy
•Ensure that the important and essential role of the Library in the community is
communicated clearly;
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Aurora Public Library Board
Terms of Reference Page 2 of 2
•Ensure that its value and contribution are understood and appreciated by all key
stakeholders;
•Actively promote Library services in the community.
Financial management:
•Ensure that community needs for Library services are met in a cost-effective
manner;
•Develop and recommend to Town Council required operating and capital
budgets.
Reporting
Not applicable.
Meeting Time and Location
The Board meets on the third Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Aurora Public
Library.
Staff Support
The Library provides technical and administrative support services to the Board.
Page 79 of 152
100 John West Way
Aurora, Ontario
L4G 6J1
(905) 727-3123
aurora.ca
Town of Aurora
Community Advisory Committee
Terms of Reference
Purpose
The Community Advisory Committee is formed to support and advise Town staff in
various issues that affect the Town of Aurora as a whole.
The mandate of the Committee is meant to be broad and include matters and initiatives
outside the jurisdiction of other, narrower-mandated committees.
Membership
The Committee will be composed of up to ten (10) members, as follows:
•One (1) member of Council; and
•Up to nine (9) citizen members selected by Council.
In making its citizen appointments, Council will look for members of the public with
different and diverse backgrounds to support the types of items that the Committee will
consider.
Term
The 2022-2026 Term of Council.
Remuneration
None.
Duties and Functions
•To support and advise Town staff on initiatives and matters relating to the
Community Services department of the Town, including Recreation, Facilities and
Cultural Services;
•To support and advise Town staff on initiatives and matters relating to the
Operational Services department of the Town, including Parks and Infrastructure
Operations; and
•To support and advise Town staff on initiatives and matters relating to the Planning
and Development Services department of the Town, including Trails, Traffic and
Engineering.
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Community Advisory Committee
Terms of Reference Page 2 of 2
Reporting
The Committee shall advise staff on initiatives and matters that will go before General
Committee and Council for approval.
Meeting Time and Location
The Committee will meet on the third Thursday of every second month at 7 p.m., with
the exception of July and August. Additional meetings of the Committee may be called
by the Chair to address urgent matters.
Staff Support
Staff Liaisons will consist of staff from the Community Services, Operational Services,
and Planning and Development Services departments, depending on which items are on
a given agenda.
The Legislative Services division will provide administrative support services to the
Committee.
Page 81 of 152
100 John West Way
Aurora, Ontario
L4G 6J1
(905) 727-3123
aurora.ca
Town of Aurora
Committee of Adjustment
Terms of Reference
Purpose
The Committee considers the merits of applications for land severances and minor
variances to land, buildings or structures, in accordance with the Planning Act.
Membership
The Committee shall be comprised of five (5) Members of the public.
Term
The Committee shall be appointed for a four-year term and will remain in office until a
new Committee has been appointed by Council
Remuneration
Chair -
Members -
$125.00 per meeting
$120.00 per meeting.
Duties and Functions
The Committee shall:
Some of the items to be reviewed by the Committee include:
•Meet in a public forum to hear applications for severances and minor variances;
•Listen to presentations by the applicant, Town Staff and any other interested
parties;
•Receive written submissions and Staff reports;
•Render a decision on applications that are placed before the Committee,
including imposing any conditions of approval that it deems desirable.
Reporting
Not applicable.
Meeting Time and Location
The Committee meets on the second Thursday of each month at 7 p.m.
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Committee of Adjustment
Terms of Reference Page 2 of 2
Staff Support
The Planning and Development Services Department provides technical and
administration support services to the Committee.
Page 83 of 152
100 John West Way
Aurora, Ontario
L4G 6J1
(905) 727-3123
aurora.ca
Town of Aurora
Community Recognition Review
Advisory Committee
Terms of Reference
Purpose
The Community Recognition Review Advisory Committee is formed to support Town staff in
various aspects of the annual Community Recognition Awards event.
Membership
The Committee shall be comprised of seven (7) members, as follows:
•One (1) member of Council; and
•Six (6) citizen members selected by Council.
In making its citizen appointments, Council will give preference to applicants who have
experience in the volunteer sector and/or Community Recognition Awards.
Term
The 2022-2026 Term of Council.
Remuneration
None.
Duties and Functions
•Support Town staff in the delivery of the Community Recognition Awards by supporting
community participation through the nomination process and sponsorship
opportunities;
•Advise staff on opportunities to continuously improve the Community Recognition
Awards; and
•Appoint an independent Selection Committee, which has the delegated authority to
formally approve the recipients of the Community Recognition Awards.
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Community Recognition Review Advisory Committee
Terms of Reference Page 2 of 2
Reporting
When necessary, the Committee shall report through the staff liaison to General Committee.
Meeting Time and Location
The Committee will meet on an as-required basis to address various aspects of the
Community Recognition Awards at the call of the Chair.
Staff Support
The Chief Administrative Officer will appoint one or more appropriate staff liaisons to
provide technical support to the Committee.
The Legislative Services division will provide administrative support services to the
Committee.
Page 85 of 152
100 John West Way
Aurora, Ontario
L4G 6J1
(905) 727-3123
aurora.ca
Town of Aurora
Environmental Advisory Committee
Terms of Reference
Purpose
The Environmental Advisory Committee is established to address ongoing climate
change, adaptation and mitigation initiatives, energy conservation, environmental
matters, and to contribute comments on the development of the Climate Change
Adaptation Plan and toward implementation of the Community Energy Plan, the
Corporate Energy Conservation and Demand Management Plan, the Corporate
Environmental Action Plan, and York Region’s Climate Change Action Plan.
Membership
The Committee will be composed of up to ten (10) members, as follows:
•Two (2) members of Council; and
•Up to eight (8) citizen members selected by Council.
Term
The 2022-2026 Term of Council.
Remuneration
None.
Duties and Functions
•To act as a link between citizens and Town staff to facilitate the resolution of
environmental concerns and to assist in implementing projects that will enhance
our community environment.
•To support and advise Town staff on initiatives and matters relating to:
•environmental issues impacting Aurora;
•environmental policies, procedures and regulations;
•environmental education, outreach, public awareness, public consultation; and
•the promotion of green space, environmental restoration, environmental
rehabilitation and enhancement projects.
Reporting
The Committee shall advise staff on initiatives and matters that will go before General
Committee and Council for approval.
Page 86 of 152
Environmental Advisory Committee
Terms of Reference Page 2 of 2
Meeting Time and Location
The Committee will on the fourth Wednesday of every second month at 7 p.m., with the
exception of July and August. Additional meetings of the Committee may be called by
the Chair to address urgent matters.
Staff Support
Staff Liaisons will consist of staff from the Planning and Development Services
department. The Legislative Services division will provide administrative support
services to the Committee.
Page 87 of 152
100 John West Way
Aurora, Ontario
L4G 6J1
(905) 727-3123
aurora.ca
Town of Aurora
Finance Advisory Committee
Terms of Reference
Purpose
The primary function of the Finance Advisory Committee is to assist staff, Council and the
Corporation in fulfilling its fiscal responsibilities by reviewing and recommending on the long
range corporate financial planning process; capital planning initiatives and fiscal policy
matters.
The Committee mandate shall include proactive advance input into the annual budgeting
processes with a view to enhancing reporting and analysis mechanisms to ensure we are
delivering values programs and services in the most effective and efficient manner.
Membership
The Committee shall be composed of three (3) members of Council.
Term
The 2022-2026 Term of Council. The Committee shall hold office for a term of four years
concurrent with the term of Council.
Remuneration
None.
Duties and Functions
The Committee shall review and make recommendations to Council in the following areas:
•Long-range, corporate financial planning policy/process that would enhance the long-
term financial health of the Corporation;
•The annual capital and operating budget process and financial reporting process to
enhance:
o the higher level policy decision-making role of Council
Page 88 of 152
Finance Advisory Committee
Terms of Reference Page 2 of 2
o the existing reporting/analysis tools to assist Council’s decision-making
process
o the timing and extent of public participation in the process;
•The business practices of the organization, identifying opportunities that would increase
effectiveness and efficiencies;
•Fiscal policy matters;
•The annual performance measures report to the Province, noting the relative position of
Aurora with comparator municipalities in the designated categories; and
•Undertake other assignments as may be requested by Council from time to time.
Meeting Time and Location
The Financial Advisory Committee shall normally meet once per month, except for the
months of July and August, from 5:45 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. on the Tuesday of the Public
Planning meeting of that month.
Staff Support
The Technical support shall be provided by the Chief Administrative Officer and the Director
of Financial Services/Treasurer.
The Legislative Services division will provide administrative support services to the
Committee.
Page 89 of 152
100 John West Way
Aurora, Ontario
L4G 6J1
(905) 727-3123
aurora.ca
Town of Aurora
Heritage Advisory Committee
Terms of Reference
Purpose
The Heritage Advisory Committee shall advise staff (and assist Council) on all matters
relating to the conservation of buildings of historic or architectural value and on all
matters relating to the designation and preservation of heritage conservation districts in
accordance with the Ontario Heritage Act, and not on new planning and development,
except for new applications within the heritage resource area, as identified in the Town
of Aurora’s Official Plan and on all properties as defined in Parts IV and V of the Ontario
Heritage Act.
Membership
The Committee shall be comprised of seven (7) Members as follows:
•One (1) Member of Council;
•Four (4) citizen members selected by Council;
•One (1) Honorary citizen member; and
•One (1) member of the Aurora Historical Society.
Term
The 2022-2026 Term of Council.
Remuneration
None.
Duties and Functions
•To encourage heritage preservation in Aurora by examining, researching and
evaluating properties and areas that may deserve recognition and protection;
•To recommend to Staff the designation of architecturally significant properties or
districts under the Ontario Heritage Act;
•To promote heritage conservation within the Town through newsletters, guides,
exhibits and other educational material about notable buildings, streets, and districts
in the Town in order to raise community awareness;
•To compile data and other information on heritage buildings and features that may
have historical or architectural significance; and
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Heritage Advisory Committee
Terms of Reference Page 2 of 2
•To provide comment to Staff on proposed development applications and demolition
permits on properties within the heritage area, as identified within the Town of
Aurora’s Official Plan.
Reporting
The Committee shall advise staff on initiatives and matters that will go before General
Committee and Council for approval.
Meeting Time and Location
The Committee will meet on the first Monday of each month at 7 p.m. with the
exception of July, August and January. Additional meetings of the Committee may be
called by the Chair to address urgent matters.
Staff Support
The Planning and Development Services Department provides technical support
services, and the Legislative Services division provides administrative support services
to the Committee.
Other Staff representatives will attend Committee meetings on an as-required basis and
will provide technical assistance to the Committee.
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100 John West Way
Aurora, Ontario
L4G 6J1
(905) 727-3123
aurora.ca
Town of Aurora
Joint Council Committee – Central York
Fire Services
Terms of Reference
Purpose
A Joint Committee of the Municipal Councils of Aurora and Newmarket shall be formed
and constituted as of January 1, 2002 for the purposes of providing and administering
fire protection and preventative services for both municipalities in accordance with the
Consolidated Fire Services Agreement.
Although accountable to both the Council of the Town of Aurora and the Town of
Newmarket, it is the responsibility of Committee Members to make decisions which
shall favour neither municipality, but will provide an equal level of service to all of the
combined residents of both municipalities.
Membership
The Committee shall total six (6) Members, composed of three (3) Members of the
Municipal Council of Aurora and three (3) Members of the Municipal Council of
Newmarket, whose terms shall be concurrent with the term of the Councils which
appointed them. No Member shall be permitted or eligible for membership for more
than two (2) consecutive terms.
Quorum
In order to constitute a quorum, at least two (2) Members appointed by Newmarket and
two (2) Members appointed by Aurora shall be present at all times, and all matters shall
be decided by a majority vote of the Members attending, each of whom shall have one
(1) vote including the Chair. In the event of a tie, the matter shall be deemed to have
been denied or refused.
Majority
Any decision or recommendation of the Committee shall require the following:
a)The concurring vote of a majority of the Members present, and
b)A concurring vote from at least one representative of each municipality.
A tie vote is considered a defeated vote.
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Joint Council Committee – Central York Fire Services
Terms of Reference Page 2 of 5
Term
The appointment is for a term to be determined by Council and the Member will remain
in office until a new appointee has been appointed by Council.
Remuneration
None.
Duties and Functions
The Joint Council Committee for Central York Fire Services shall be delegated the
following responsibilities in fulfilling the mission statement:
1.Conduct planning for the provision of effective and efficient fire and
emergency services, in accordance with the Consolidated Fire Services
Agreement including fire suppression, fire prevention, fire safety, education,
communication, training of persons involved in the provision of fire protection
services, rescue and emergency services and delivery of all these services, in
a fiscally prudent manner within the municipalities;
2.Present and maintain a Fire & Emergency Services Master Plan to meet the
community needs and provide strategic direction for approval of the
Municipal Councils;
3.Recommend service levels, capital budgets, and operating budgets in
accordance with the consolidated Fire Services Agreement and the approved
Fire & Emergency Services Master Plan;
4.Administer the provision of fire services to the municipalities in accordance
with the approved plans and budgets including the provision and use of
facilities, equipment, human resources and programs;
5.Ensure that any agreements currently in effect relating to communications
services and mutual aid with other municipalities are maintained and properly
performed; and
6.Provide regular and proactive information to the Councils of the participating
municipalities on the operations of the consolidated fire services.
The Committee shall make recommendations in accordance with the Consolidated Fire
Services Agreement with respect to the service standards, namely:
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Joint Council Committee – Central York Fire Services
Terms of Reference Page 3 of 5
•Fire & Emergency Services Master Plan
•Annual capital and operating budgets
•Labour contracts and amendments
•Fire communication services and mutual aid agreements
•Purchases or contracts related to fire services
Notwithstanding the above-referenced responsibilities, the Town of Newmarket shall be
responsible for any negotiations and execution of agreements related to any labour
relation contracts and amendments thereto.
The Committee will be responsible for coordinating the Central York Fire Services, which
includes both full-time and volunteer firefighters. The Committee shall ensure the
efficient and proper delivery of fire and emergency services throughout the municipal
boundaries of Aurora and Newmarket in accordance with the Consolidated Fire Services
Agreement and service standards approved by the Council of both municipalities
including and extending to the following:
a)Establish a program in the municipalities, which must include public
education with respect to fire safety and certain components of fire
prevention;
b)Establish and maintain an annual fees for services schedule;
c)Engage in mutual aid relationships with adjacent Fire and Emergency
Services providers in York Region;
d)Provide a tiered response to emergency events in Aurora and
Newmarket;
e)Examine the feasibility of providing fire and emergency services to
other municipalities and the receipt of like services from other
municipalities, subject to the collective bargaining agreement;
f)Meet all obligations and responsibilities of Aurora and Newmarket
under the Fire Protection and Prevention Act, as amended, and any
regulations there under;
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Joint Council Committee – Central York Fire Services
Terms of Reference Page 4 of 5
g)Consider the recommendations of the Fire Marshal concerning the
operation of the department and delivery of service to Aurora and
Newmarket and report to the Municipal Council of the parties
concerning these recommendations;
h)From time to time as needed, participate in the process for the
recruitment of a Fire Chief;
i)Develop, with the Fire Chief, an ongoing communication process,
including a quarterly report between the Department and the Municipal
Councils;
j)Review departmental organization; and
k)Review such other matters as the Municipal Councils may determine.
Notwithstanding, the above-referenced functions, the Committee shall not interfere with
any of the Fire Chief’s statutory duties.
The Committee shall review and maintain a Master Fire and Emergency Services Plan
that would establish and harmonize service levels throughout Aurora and Newmarket
and standardize operating procedures for the department. The Committee shall be
responsible for providing at no time less than the current level of service in existence for
the delivery of fire and emergency services of each municipality, at the time of the
effective date of this agreement.
The Committee may meet with any other municipalities that are interested, with the
objective of expanding the service area of the Committee for the provision of fire and
emergency services beyond Aurora and Newmarket and consolidating Regional fire and
emergency services. Following such discussions, the Committee shall report to Aurora
and Newmarket concerning the proposed amendments to this agreement to implement
such arrangements..
Reporting
None.
Meeting Time and Location
The Committee meets on a monthly basis and the meetings in July and August are at
the call of the Chair of the Committee.
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Joint Council Committee – Central York Fire Services
Terms of Reference Page 5 of 5
Staff Support
Central York Fire Services staff will provide technical support to the Committee.
Corporate Services staff of the Town of Newmarket shall provide administrative support
to the Committee and the meetings shall be governed by the Town of Newmarket’s
Procedural By-law
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100 John West Way
Aurora, Ontario
L4G 6J1
(905) 727-3123
aurora.ca
Town of Aurora
Mayor’s Golf Classic Funds Committee
Terms of Reference
Purpose
The primary function of the Mayor’s Golf Classic Funds Committee is to oversee the
distribution of a Community Initiatives Fund generated from the annual Aurora Mayor’s
Charity Golf Classic.
Membership
The Committee shall be comprised of seven (7) representatives, from service clubs and
community organizations who provide a variety of services to those in need within the
boundaries of the Town of Aurora. Examples of organizations represented on the
application review committee Optimist Club, Rotary Club, Welcoming Arms, Salvation
Army, York Regional Police, United Way, CHATS, etc.).
•At least eighteen years of age;
•A Canadian citizen;
•Not employed by the Town of Aurora; and
•At least one (1) member with a background in Finance.
Term
The 2022-2026 Term of Council. The Committee shall be appointed for a term of four years
concurrent with the term of Council.
Remuneration
None.
Duties and Functions
Application for Funding
•Develop and make available a “grant application form” electronically to all groups or
individuals;
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Mayor’s Golf Classic Funds Committee
Terms of Reference Page 2 of 2
•Review and update, as required, the eligibility criteria for funding each term; and
•Intake and review applications against eligibility criteria.
Financial Support
•To determine the amount of financial support to not-for-profit community
groups and individual needs that otherwise have limited options to get
assistance from;
•To determine the amount of financial support to both individuals and
community groups to help them participate in or organize various activities
offered throughout the Town of Aurora;
•Funding to groups or individuals not to exceed $5,000 in a calendar year and
the approval is at the sole discretion of the Application Review and
Disbursement Committee;
•Committee members will be expected to declare a conflict of interest if their
organization has a funding application before the committee.
Reporting
•Aurora Town Council will be provided with a report of funding allocation on an
annual basis for information;
•Identifiable individuals receiving support will not be publically disclosed as per
the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA)
requirements.
Meeting Time and Location
Meetings of the Committee will be scheduled by the Legislative Services Division on an
as needed basis.
Staff Support
The Legislative Services division will provide administrative support services to the
Committee.
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100 John West Way
Aurora, Ontario
L4G 6J1
(905) 727-3123
aurora.ca
Town of Aurora
Property Standards Committee
Terms of Reference
Purpose
The Property Standards Committee is appointed by Council to sit and hear appeals of
any Orders to Comply issued by staff under the Town's Property Standards By-law
relating to the conditions of properties in Town.
Membership
The Tribunal shall be comprised of five (5) members of the public and are Members of
the Aurora Appeal Tribunal.
Term
The Committee shall be appointed for a four-year term and will remain in office until a
new Committee has been appointed by Council.
Remuneration
None.
Duties and Functions
To review and make recommendations relating to any appeals that may be filed in
relationship to the Property Standards By-law, as amended, and associated orders.
Reporting
None.
Meeting Time and Location
The Committee will meet on an as-required basis, as appeals are received.
Staff Support
Legislative Services staff provides administrative support services to the Committee.
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100 John West Way
Aurora, Ontario
L4G 6J1
(905) 727-3123
aurora.ca
Town of Aurora
General Committee Report
No. PDS2 3 -001
Subject: Secondary Suites in Residential Homes Building Inspection
Strategies and Proposed Policies
Prepared by: Wm. Jean – Manager Building Division/CBO
Department: Planning and Development Services
Date: January 17, 2023
Recommendation
1. That Report No. PDS23-001 be received for information.
Executive Summary
The purpose of this report is in response to Council’s request that staff be directed to
review the existing Secondary Suite Registration by-law and provide a report to Council
on possible improvements to ensure that existing and new secondary suites are
properly inspected and registered. This report provides the powers and duties of
various agencies and statistics over the past years on complaints and permits. It also
contains recommendations to increase the inspection effectiveness to ensure safe
dwelling units.
The Town of Aurora currently has a By-law requiring secondary suites be
registered with the Town
Creation of new secondary suites must comply with the Ontario Building Code
and the Electrical Safety Code
Existing registered secondary suites must comply with the Ontario Fire Code
The Building Division has developed a strategy to attempt to inspect and close
out any outstanding building permits for secondary suites
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January 17, 2023 2 of 9 Report No. PDS23-001
An information brochure to be provided to homeowners and interested parties
has been created
A policy on registering Orders at the Land Registry has been established
Homeowners will be educated on fire safety issues related to secondary suites
through a Pre-construction Building Inspection.
Background
On July 12, 2022, Councillor Gaertner tabled a Motion that staff, who have knowledge of
the historical and current problems enacting the Sections of By-law No. 5429-12 –
Registration of Second Suites required for safety, be directed to bring forward updates
to at the very least ensure that a house has a working hardwired fire alarm system and a
second means of emergency escape.
On December 6, 2022, Councillor Gilliland submitted a similar Motion that dealt with the
proactive inspection of property standards issues for existing residential rental units
such as apartments and including existing secondary suites.
This report deals mainly with strategies on dealing with new secondary suites or
secondary suites that do not have building permits. A future report will be forthcoming
on the Councillor’s Gilliland’s Motion regarding the implementation of a proactive
inspection program for all rental properties.
Analysis
The Town of Aurora currently has a By-law requiring secondary suites be registered with
the Town
The Strong Communities Through Affordable Housing Act, 2011 was adopted in
support of the Province’s Long Term Affordable Housing Strategy. The Act required
municipalities to implement Official Plan policies and prescriptive zoning regulations to
allow for the creation of second units within detached, semi-detached and townhouse
dwellings. In response to this Provincial legislation, Town Council passed Official Plan
and Zoning By-law amendments to facilitate the legal construction of secondary units
subject to specific criteria for eligibility. Together with these amendments, Town
Council enacted a Secondary Unit Registration By-law setting out requirements for legal
creation and registration of a secondary unit, including compliance with the Building
Code, Fire Code and the Electrical Safety Code.
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January 17, 2023 3 of 9 Report No. PDS23-001
The Secondary Unit Registration By-law No. 5221-10 initially came into effect on April
13, 2010. It was repealed on August 14, 2012 with the passing of By-law No. 5429-12,
which established new regulations for the registration of second suites (the
“Registration By-law”). The Registration program is beneficial to the Town to assist with
identification, tracking and addressing of all legal second units. It also ensures that the
newly created unit has been inspected for compliance with applicable Provincial
regulations to ensure the safety and well-being of the occupants in both dwelling units
and first responders who are required to enter the dwelling. In response to the passing
of Bill 23, More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022, the current Registration Bylaw will be
updated to include the provision for the additional 2 (two) units within a residential
property.
Creation of new secondary suites must comply with the Ontario Building Code and the
Electrical Safety Code.
The Building Code Act requires that a building permit be issued for the construction
required to change the use of a building from one dwelling unit to two dwelling units.
The Ontario Building Code is a set of construction regulations prescribed by the
Province of Ontario under the Building Code Act, 1992, as amended. The regulations set
out the minimum standards of construction in Ontario and are enforced by
municipalities through the appointment of a Chief Building Official and Building
Inspectors as are necessary to deliver the service within their jurisdiction. There are
forthcoming changes to the Ontario Building Code in the near future. However, there
are no anticipated changes to the Ontario Building Code that will affect new secondary
suites.
One of the mandatory requirements to complete registration is documented compliance
with the Electrical Safety Code. The Building Division, before finalizing a building permit
for a second suite, requires an inspection report from the Electrical Safety Authority
(“ESA”) or a written assessment report from a Licensed Electrical contractor.
Further, the Registration By-law requires a sign address be posted on the secondary unit
exterior with a “B” symbol after the numbering indicating the dwelling unit has a
secondary suite. This signage must be in place prior to the finalization of the building
permit.
Existing registered secondary suites must comply with the Ontario Fire Code
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January 17, 2023 4 of 9 Report No. PDS23-001
The Ontario Fire Code is very similar in nature to the Ontario Building Code from the
perspective that it is provincial legislation established under the statute, the Fire
Protection and Prevention Act, 1997. The Fire Code can be applied to a building after
completion of construction whereas the Building Code is only applicable during the
construction phase of a building. The application of the Fire Code to a secondary suite
is limited to suites that have been established prior to 1995 when secondary suites were
allowed, as of right, under the former Resident’s Right’s Act. If the secondary unit was
established before 1995, the Fire Department would conduct the inspections and any
required upgrades would be done through a building permit. Currently, there are 338
secondary suites registered with the Town.
The Building Division has developed a strategy to attempt to inspect and close out any
outstanding building permits for secondary suites
Year Secondary Suite
Complaints
2013 10
2014 12
2015 19
2016 19
2017 15
2018 24
2019 19
2020 11
2021 19
2022 (as of
August 1, 2022)
9
Total 157
The above chart shows the number of complaints received for the past 10 years
regarding secondary suites. The following are the results from the investigation on
these complaints:
1. Complaint was not valid – 76
2. The owner obtained a building permit after investigation and Orders issued– 42
3. The secondary unit was removed voluntarily by owner and verified by the Building
Inspector – 19
4. Complaint is still under investigation – 16 (6 in 2022)
5. Fire Department Retrofit on legal existing secondary unit – 4
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January 17, 2023 5 of 9 Report No. PDS23-001
The Building Division will continue the investigation on the 16 complaints still under
investigation.
Year Secondary Suite
Permits Issue
Secondary Suite
Permits -
Finalized
Secondary
Suite Permit
not finalized –
still under
Inspection
Secondary
Suite Permit
Issued – No
request for
Inspections
2013 13 12 1 0
2014 11 7 0 4
2015 2 2 0 0
2016 11 9 2 0
2017 16 11 4 1
2018 18 15 1 2
2019 12 7 2 3
2020 15 12 1 2
2021 16 6 6 4
2022 (as of
August 1,
2022)
14 2 4 8
Totals 128 83 21 24
The above chart shows the number of building permit applications received over the
past 10 years for secondary suites and the number that have been finalized and still not
finalized.
Finalized building permits indicate that the permit is closed, and all building code
regulations have been constructed or installed. Currently, there are 21 building permit
applications that are still under inspections and 24 building permits where the owner
has that have not requested any inspections. A final inspection of these outstanding
permits is required to verify all life safety systems are in place. Inspections are
conducted by Building Inspectors upon a request by the applicant.
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January 17, 2023 6 of 9 Report No. PDS23-001
24 building permits have been issued for secondary suites without any request for
inspections. This does not necessarily mean that construction has started without
inspections. It may mean that the applicant may have decided not to proceed.
The Building Division has developed a strategy to attempt to inspect and close out any
outstanding building permits for secondary suites where the applicant has not called a
final inspection or if no inspection has been requested. The Building Division will
contact the applicant through email to ascertain the status of the construction. This will
entail all building permits for secondary suites that have not been finalized or have
requested an inspection.
An information brochure to be provided to homeowners and interested parties has been
created
Attachment 1, a new Secondary Suites: Information Guide has been developed by the
Building Division and will be distributed to each building permit applicant. It will be also
posted on the Building Division’s website and be distributed to interested parties who
deal with the sale of dwelling units such as real estate firms. The purpose is to educate
homeowners, builders and all interested parties of the regulations of the Zoning By-law
and Provincial Codes.
The Building Code requires only that the permit be posted on site. It does not authorize
the inclusion of additional information on the permit placard.
A policy on registering Orders at the Land Registry has been established
It is proposed that any BCA orders be registered in the Land Registry Office as another
tool to help gain compliance. Many municipalities follow this practice and have had
success in gaining compliance. To offset any arising incremental costs from the
administration of this policy, the Town will charge an administrative fee for the cost of
associated title searches and registration/discharge fees.
When an Order is registered on title, the builder and homeowner will be notified.
Registration of Orders may affect any mortgaging/insurance coverage.
Homeowners will be educated on fire safety issues related to secondary suites through a
Pre-construction Building Inspection.
As part of the pre-construction process, a meeting with the building inspector and the
homeowner will be performed.
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January 17, 2023 7 of 9 Report No. PDS23-001
The purpose of this residential-specific inspection is to directly engage the homeowner
at the outset of the construction process on the Town’s expectations and
consequences of non-compliance regarding the construction activity. This is also an
opportunity to advise the homeowner of the requirement to call for a final inspection so
that the permit can be closed once construction has completed.
The Building Inspector is usually the main point of contact with the homeowner through
the construction process which facilitates direct personal dialogue. The interaction
between the Building Inspector and the property owner encourages the need for the
main life safety issues with the longer-term goal of mitigating against the potential need
for future enforcement action.
Advisory Committee Review
Not Applicable
Legal Considerations
Section 16 of the Ontario Building Code Act states that entry into a dwelling by a
Building Inspector can only be done by consent of the occupier or by a search
warrant. It is the principle of the “sanctity of the home”. It is the occupant’s legal rights
to deny entry. Based on this principle, a municipality cannot impose a fine through a
Bylaw if a person refuses entry into their home.
However, a Building Inspector can enter a building without a search warrant if he/she
believes there is an unsafe condition. In such a case it must be obvious from the
exterior that an unsafe structural condition exists. In the case of a secondary suite
legally registered or not one cannot make this determination.
A Building Inspector may file an Information to Obtain a Search Warrant through the
courts to gain entry to a dwelling. This methodology has not been used to date since
the statistics indicate that access to a dwelling has been gained voluntarily 94% of the
time. Also, for there to be success in obtaining such warrant from a Justice of the
Peace, there must be overwhelming evidence that there is a life safety issue.
Financial Implications
The implementation of any administration fee will help to offset any incremental costs
arising relating to the administration of this program.
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January 17, 2023 8 of 9 Report No. PDS23-001
Communications Considerations
Staff will inform interested parties of key information, including the Secondary Suites
Information Guide, on the Building Division’s webpage on aurora.ca.
Climate Change Considerations
This report does not impact the Town’s ability to adapt to a changing climate.
Link to Strategic Plan
This supports the Strategic Goal of Supporting Exceptional Quality of Life
Alternative(s) to the Recommendation
1. Council to provide direction
Conclusions
In order to ensure secondary units in the Town are created and legalized in compliance
with all regulatory requirements and in consideration of the upward trend of second unit
registrations as an affordable housing option, the Building Division will continue to
administer a Registration program and the Provincial compliance mandate. The
Building Division will implement a number of initiatives to educate homeowners on the
life safety issues involved with secondary suites.
On November 28, 2022, the Province passed Bill 23 which would allow for 3 residential
units as of right on a residential property. The proposed strategies and policies should
assist in building inspection enforcement of additional dwelling units.
Attachments
Attachment 1 – Secondary Suite Guide
Previous Reports
N/A
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January 17, 2023 9 of 9 Report No. PDS23-001
Pre-submission Review
Agenda Management Team review on December 15, 2022
Approvals
Approved by Marco Ramunno, Director, Planning and Development Services
Approved by Doug Nadorozny, Chief Administrative Officer
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100 John West Way
Aurora, Ontario
L4G 6J1
(905) 727-3123
aurora.ca
Town of Aurora
General Committee Report
No. CMS 2 3 -001
Subject: Recreation and Culture Grant and Sponsorship of Community Events
and Programs Policy Refresh
Prepared by: Lisa Warth, Manager of Recreation Services and Phillip Rose,
Manager of Cultural Services
Department: Community Services
Date: January 17, 2023
_
Recommendation
1. That Report No. CMS23-001 be received; and
2. That the merger of the Recreation and Culture Grant and the Sponsorship of
Community Events and Programs into a single Community Support Grant Program be
approved; and
3. That staff be directed to return with a Grant Policy for the new Community Support
Grant Program.
Executive Summary
This report details proposed changes to the Recreation and Culture Grant Program and
the Sponsorship of Community Events and Programs and seeks Council's approval to
merge the two funding programs into one streamlined grant program that is made
available to individuals, community groups, and local businesses that serve the Aurora
community.
The Recreation and Culture Grant Program and the Sponsorship of Community
Events and Programs have supported several local individuals, businesses, and
community organizations over the last several years.
Staff propose updating and merging the Recreation and Culture Grant Program
and Sponsorship of Community Events and Programs into a single grant program
to make it more accessible, impactful, and transparent.
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January 17, 2023 2 of 10 Report No. CMS23-001
If merged, the new program would be called the Community Support Grant
Program and would be administered by the Community Services Department
with support from Corporate Communications.
The combined total of the new Community Support Grant Program would
allow the Town to better assist organizations, businesses, and individuals in
becoming stronger community partners.
To ensure widespread awareness, staff will develop a multifaceted marketing
and communications plan to promote the new Community Support Grant
Program.
Staff will undertake several next steps to ensure the refreshed Grant Program is
ready to be launched in early 2023.
Background
Each year, Council allocates funds from the operating budget in support of the
Recreation and Culture Grant and the Sponsorship of Community Events and Programs.
Traditionally, these budget lines include $14,000 for the Recreation and Culture Grant
and $57,600 for the Sponsorship of Community Events and Programs.
The Community Services Department (CMS) administers the Recreation and Culture
Grant while Corporate Communications is responsible for the Sponsorship of
Community Events and Programs. Applications for both grants are processed
throughout the year and updates on the allocation of funds for the Recreation and
Culture Grant are presented to Council on a semi-annual basis.
On April 26, 2022, Council directed staff to provide an update on the Recreation and
Culture Grant Policy review. In preparing this update, staff identified various areas of the
grant program that could be improved. Staff also recognized that the Recreation and
Culture Grant Program and the Sponsorship of Community Events and Programs could
be more efficiently managed if they were merged into a single streamlined grant
program.
Analysis
The Recreation and Culture Grant Program and the Sponsorship of Community Events
and Programs have supported several local individuals, businesses, and community
organizations over the last several years.
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January 17, 2023 3 of 10 Report No. CMS23-001
Recreation and Culture Grant
The Recreation and Culture Grant was created for the purpose of providing temporary
financial assistance to community, culture, and recreation groups, as well as individuals
that need support for various initiatives. The grant is also intended to help organizations
become more stable, and therefore stronger community partners. Groups must have
either not-for-profit or charitable status, primarily serve Aurora residents in some
capacity, and represent Aurora provincially, nationally, or internationally. Individuals are
also eligible to apply.
The maximum funding amount available to each applicant is $1,000, and recipients are
limited to receiving funding for a maximum of three years within a five-year period.
Since 2010, 72 grants have been allocated to the following categories of recipients:
Recreation and Culture Grant recipient
category
Number of grants awarded
Sports 14
Individuals 10
School/School Club 7
Arts, Culture and Heritage 10
Charity 11
Cadet/Legion 3
Event 6
Other Community Group 11
To be approved for funding, applicants must submit a completed grant application that
includes an acceptable financial statement and a proposed budget for the current
budget year. Furthermore, they must indicate the purpose for which the funding is
required and justify said purpose. They must also demonstrate that they meet the
eligibility requirements stated above.
There is no set application deadline, so applicants can submit funding proposals
throughout the calendar year. Once received by the Community Services Department,
the applications are reviewed by the Director, who either approves or rejects funding
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January 17, 2023 4 of 10 Report No. CMS23-001
requests based on an evaluation of the applicant’s eligibility criteria and the merits of
the funding proposal. All applicants are informed in writing of the Town’s decision,
whether successful or not.
Sponsorship of Community Events and Programs
In 2019, Council approved Policy No. COMM-06 – Requests for Sponsorship, which was
revised in 2021. This Policy, administered by Corporate Communications, was created
to “assist community organizations and groups deliver services that are beneficial to
the residents of Aurora and serve to promote the business plan objectives of the
Town.”
The maximum funding amount is $10,000, but only applicants seeking more than $500
need to submit a written application form to be considered, and requests over $10,000
require special funding and must be approved by Council.
Since 2019, Corporate Communications has approved 17 funding requests from a range
of applicants, many of which fall under the same categories as the Recreation and
Culture Grant, including sports organizations, cultural groups, event organizers, school
groups, and charities and not-for-profits that serve Aurora residents.
To be approved for funding, applicants must submit a completed application form that
includes information on the following areas of interest:
Number of Aurora residents and/or businesses impacted
Reach and exposure of the Town brand
Economic impact
Community impact
Alignment with the Town’s Strategic Plan and mission, vision and values
Inclusivity, accessibility and diversity
Unlike the Recreation and Culture Grant, local businesses can apply to the Sponsorship
of Community Events and Programs, however, not-for-profit programs/services/events
are given higher priority during the evaluation process.
Once received, the applications are reviewed by the Manager of Corporate
Communications, who either approves or rejects funding requests based on an
evaluation of the applicant’s eligibility criteria and the merits of the funding proposal. All
applicants are informed in writing of the Town’s decision, whether successful or not.
Page 127 of 152
January 17, 2023 5 of 10 Report No. CMS23-001
Staff propose updating and merging the Recreation and Culture Grant Program and
Sponsorship of Community Events and Programs into a single grant program to make it
more accessible, impactful, and transparent.
Although the Recreation and Culture Grant and Sponsorship of Community Events and
Programs have proven successful in supporting the needs of organizations and
individuals providing culture, recreation and community-based initiatives, staff
recommend updating and merging these grant programs to enhance their impact and
appeal across the community and to streamline the application process.
Below is a list of updates that staff believe would significantly improve the refreshed
grant program:
Area of concern with current program Recommended Update
Grant applications are processed on a first-
come-first-served basis throughout the
calendar year.
Establish four intake deadlines annually
(January, April, July and October) to
encourage an even distribution of funds
across the calendar year and allow staff to
undertake targeted promotion during these
intake periods to increase exposure for the
grant.
Applicants can only receive funding for a
maximum of three years of a five-year
period.
All applications would be considered for
funding regardless of how many times they
have received funding in the past. This
would mean that applications are evaluated
based on merit rather than the frequency of
past funding, although this would be taken
into consideration during the selection
process.
The stated purpose of the grant is broadly
defined and therefore difficult to monitor
its effectiveness.
Staff recommend more clearly defining the
grant’s purpose, which, under the new
program, would be to:
Support the Town’s Strategic Plan –
applicants would need to choose
one (or more) of the pillars of the
Strategic Plan that it would support
and describe how.
Page 128 of 152
January 17, 2023 6 of 10 Report No. CMS23-001
Support the applicant’s stated
mission and mandate, in the case of
organizations that apply.
These requirements would help to ensure
the grant program is not only assisting
organizations to meet their mission and
build capacity, but they would also ensure
grant recipients are more clearly aligning
their initiatives with the Town’s overall
objectives as stated in the Strategic Plan.
Applications are accessed and approved by
the Director of Community Services (CMS)
or the Manager of Corporate
Communications.
Applications under the refreshed grant
program would be evaluated by a Staff
Evaluation Committee that would make
recommendations to the Director of CMS
regarding which applications to approve.
The Evaluation Committee would be
comprised of CMS staff and supported by
Communications staff based on the nature
of the funding request. The committee
would use a defined rubric to ensure
transparency and fairness when evaluating
applications. This would spread out the
workload among staff, reduce duplication,
and ensure multiple perspectives inform
the decision-making process.
The application process is not as user-
friendly as it could be.
Staff propose streamlining the grant
process by ensuring all forms are available
as fillable PDFs that can be easily
completed and submitted online. To assist
applicants in completing the requisite
forms, staff also propose hosting a virtual
information session prior to each intake
deadline to answer any questions from
applicants and add clarity to the process.
Page 129 of 152
January 17, 2023 7 of 10 Report No. CMS23-001
Recipients are not asked to submit a final
report that the Town can use to evaluate
how well the grant supported the initiative it
funded or the Town’s objectives.
The revised program would make a final
report mandatory for all successful
applicants. Staff would use the data from
these reports to better understand its
impact and overall success, which will be
reported to Council bi-annually.
If merged, the new program would be called the Community Support Grant Program and
would be administered by the Community Services Department with support from
Corporate Communications.
CMS staff have established partnerships and built relationships with various community
groups, businesses, and individual residents, many of which are frequent applicants of
either the Recreation and Culture Grant and/or the Sponsorship of Community Events
and Programs. Given these relationships, and the awareness CMS staff have of the
community, staff agree that CMS is better positioned and resourced to administer the
new Community Support Grant Program. Communications staff would assume a more
advisory and consultative capacity under the new grant program, especially as it relates
to the marketing and communication aspects of funding requests.
The combined total of the new Community Support Grant Program would allow the Town
to better assist organizations, businesses, and individuals in
becoming stronger community partners.
During the 2023 budget consultation process, staff will be requesting an increase to the
allocation of operating budget funds to the Recreation and Culture Grant from $14,000
to $30,000. When combined with the $57,600 allocated to the Sponsorship of
Community Events and Programs, this would bring the total annual grant amount to
$87,600.
This increased contribution would enhance the Town’s ability to invest in the important
work of various community groups, individuals, and businesses, and contribute to
achieving the Town’s Strategic Plan.
Under the new grant program, applicants would be eligible to receive up to $10,000,
which aligns with the current funding thresholds of the Sponsorship of Community
Events and Programs.
To ensure widespread awareness, staff will develop a multifaceted marketing and
communications plan to promote the new Community Support Grant Program.
Page 130 of 152
January 17, 2023 8 of 10 Report No. CMS23-001
Currently, information about the grant programs is shared on the Town’s website and
through word-of-mouth when Town staff hear from community groups seeking funding
for a specific initiative.
There is, however, no proactive plan to inform eligible parties of the grant program to
ensure it is maximized for community benefit. As part of the refreshed grant program,
staff will develop a detailed marketing and communications plan that coincides with the
four proposed intake deadlines to ensure the grant program is widely promoted, and
awareness of this funding opportunity grows. The plan will include print and digital ads,
newsletters, displays and signage, attendance at community events, virtual information
sessions, the Town website, social media and more.
Staff will undertake several next steps to ensure the refreshed grant program is ready to
be launched in early 2023.
With Council’s approval to move forward with the recommended updates and merger of
the two grant programs, staff will finalize all documents and processes necessary to
launch the refreshed grant program as soon as possible. Some of the documents
currently in draft form that are to be finalized include:
New Community Support Grant Program Administrative Policy
Updated Rubric against which all applications will be assessed
New Guidelines to assist applicants in preparing their application
Updated Application form
New Final Report form
New Marketing and Communications Plan as detailed above
New Legal agreement between the Town and the funding recipient
Staff will return with the Community Support Program Administrative Policy for
Council’s review and approval at a later date. Once launched, staff will update Council
on the allocation of funds on a semi-annual basis.
Advisory Committee Review
With the Advisory Committees paused during the election cycle and have not yet started
up again, consultation with the Community Advisory Committee was not possible.
Legal Considerations
Currently, an agreement is not entered into with an organization who receives a grant
under the Recreation and Culture Grant since the current amount of the grant is
minimal. An agreement is entered into with an organization who receives a sponsorship
Page 131 of 152
January 17, 2023 9 of 10 Report No. CMS23-001
grant, so that terms may be included relating to the use of the Town’s logo. Lastly, the
Town has a standard funding agreement for any Council approved funding to
organizations during the budget process.
If Council approves the refreshed grant program, staff will work on a standard
agreement to complement the program.
Financial Implications
The proposed 2023 operating budget includes $30,000 in support of the Culture and
Recreation grant program. A further $2,000 is included in this budget in support of the
John West Memorial Scholarship program, funded from the John West Memorial
Scholarship Award reserve.
This report outlines a proposal to merge the Recreation and Culture Grant Program and
the Sponsorship of Community Programs and Events. If approved, the combined total
would be $87,600 and managed through one account.
Communications
The Communications division will inform residents of the new grant by deploying a
multifaceted marketing and communications campaign.
Climate Change Considerations
The recommendations from this report do not impact greenhouse gas emissions or
impact climate change adaptation.
Link to Strategic Plan
The proposed Community Support Grant Program supports the following Strategic Plan
goals and key objectives:
Supporting an exceptional quality of life for all in its accomplishment in satisfying
requirements in the following key objectives within these goal statements:
Invest in sustainable infrastructure
Celebrating and promoting our culture
Encourage an active and healthy lifestyle
Strengthening the fabric of our community
Page 132 of 152
January 17, 2023 10 of 10 Report No. CMS23-001
Alternative(s) to the Recommendation
1. Council may provide further direction.
Conclusions
This report provides an overview of proposed changes to the Recreation and Culture
Grant Program and Sponsorship of Community Programs and Events, recommends that
the two grant programs be merged, and details the next steps staff will take to ensure
the refreshed grant program is ready to be launched as soon as possible.
Attachments
None
Previous Reports
PR11-021, Community and Cultural Grant, May 31, 2011
CAO19-001, Requests for Sponsorship Policy, January 22, 2019
Pre-submission Review
Agenda Management Team review on December 15, 2022.
Approvals
Approved by Robin McDougall, Director, Community Services Department
Approved by Doug Nadorozny, Chief Administrative Officer
Page 133 of 152
100 John West Way
Aurora, Ontario
L4G 6J1
(905) 727-3123
aurora.ca
Town of Aurora
General Committee Report
No. FIN23 -0 01
Subject: Debt Management Policy
Prepared by: Sandeep Dhillon, CPA CMA, Senior Financial Management Advisor
Department: Finance
Date: January 17, 2023
Recommendation
1. That Report No. FIN23-001 be received; and
2. That the presented debt management policy for the Town be approved.
Executive Summary
This report highlights the significance of a debt management policy for the town’s long-
term financial sustainability and financial management. The policy ensures that the
town maintains desired service levels and adapts to growth while maintaining moderate
fiscal impacts from year to year. Acquisition of debt and debentures can play a very
important role in the Town’s finances. Debt can provide liquidity to fund new assets,
infrastructure, and other capital projects when the asset is built in advance of growth.
The Town should continue to use debt wisely over the long-term and understand that
the prudent issuance of debt is an efficient use of available financial resources.
The debt management policy supports the fiscal strategy objective of financial
sustainability
Debt Management Policy outlines the guidelines and controls for the issuance of
debt
The policy ensures that that the debt financing is used responsibly
The debt policy recommends an annual repayment limit of 10 percent which is
lower than legislated
Page 134 of 152
January 17, 2023 2 of 8 Report No. FIN23-001
Debt will be monitored with annual reporting as part of the budget and debt
approval process
Background
Deft financing has been used to fund capital projects at the Town historically. In order
to use debt wisely, the Town had established best practices that have guided historical
debt management. These best practices include:
Debt will only be considered as an interim financing source for capital projects
when a funding source can be confidently assured for the repayment of the debt
being considered.
Debt could be considered when the asset is built in advance of growth.
Debt can only be considered when the annual carrying costs remain under the
provincially prescribed Annual Repayment Limit.
The Town has responsibly used both external and internal debt financing for several
years as an interim financing source for necessary Town capital asset creation which
has included indoor and outdoor recreation spaces, as well as library and cultural
infrastructure. In all instances, all debt obligations were repaid on time. The
development of the debt management policy is a recommended strategic action in the
fiscal strategy to ensure longer term prudent financial and debt management.
Analysis
The debt management policy supports the fiscal strategy objective of financial
sustainability
Issuing debt provides the flexibility to proceed with planned capital projects sooner than
waiting to collect the funding source for the project in a reserve. Debt management
pillar supports the capital planning and reserve management pillars of the fiscal
strategy by managing the timing difference between when a capital project is built and
when the funding for the project is received. Debt management also supports revenue
management as it provides Town the flexibility to borrow money at lower rate to finance
capital projects and earn higher rate on return on Town’s Capital asset reserve holdings.
Page 135 of 152
January 17, 2023 3 of 8 Report No. FIN23-001
Debt Management Policy outlines the guidelines and controls for the issuance of debt
The purpose of the Debt Management policy is to establish financial guidelines and
appropriate controls for the issuance and management of debt for the Town of Aurora.
This policy establishes objectives, standards of care, authorized financing instruments,
reporting requirements and responsibilities for the prudent financing of the Town’s
infrastructure needs.
The objectives of the policy are outlined below:
Adherence to Legislative Requirements
Long-term Debt Financing
Debt Financing Consideration Guidelines
Ensure Long-term Financial Flexibility and Sustainability
Aurora Debt Repayment Limit and Framework for Debt Management
Limit Financial Risk Exposure
Minimization of the Long-Term Cost of Financing
Suitable and Authorized Debt Financing Instruments
Financial Guarantees and Letters of Credit
Notice Period
Allocation of Excess Debt Financing to Capital Projects
The Town’s current debt obligation remains in a healthy position
The Town’s existing debt obligations are in a healthy position with all required funding
for repayment being identified and assured. Table 1 presents a summary of the Town’s
current debt obligations as of December 31, 2021.
All the debt in Table 1 has been acquired through infrastructure Ontario except the
SARC construction debt which was acquired through York Region. The average rate of
return on the Town’s reserve funds investment over the last three years is 2.9 percent
which is higher than the borrowing cost Town is paying on the debt through
Infrastructure Ontario. The total annual carrying costs of this debt is 2.1 percent
$1,899,800, representing a value that is well under the Town’s legislated annual debt
repayment limit of $23,130,500 (25% of own source revenue). When the approved short
to long term debt conversions of $10,000,000 and $8,200,000, respectively for the
Aurora Town Square and SARC Gymnasium projects are exercised the estimated total
annual debt carrying costs will grow to 2.7 percent, $2,928,000. This will reduce the
available room in the annual debt repayment limit to $20,202,500.
Page 136 of 152
January 17, 2023 4 of 8 Report No. FIN23-001
Table 1
Debt Financing Summary
Length
and Rate
Outstanding
Principal End Date
Repayment
Funding
Source(s)
Short Term Financing: Construction Line of Credit
Aurora Town Square Open
1.12% 15,338,000
Substantial
project
completion
Multiple funding
sources, as per FIN20-
019.
SARC Gymnasium n/a
Substantial
project
completion
Long term debenture
financing.
Subtotal Short Term
Financing 15,338,000
Long Term Financing: Long-Term Debenture
Hallmark Baseball
Diamonds
20 years
2.65% 3,375,000 2041 Parks & Recreation
DCs
SARC Construction 20 years
4.49% 1,164,737 2025 Parks & Recreation
DCs
Aurora Sports Dome
Purchase & Retrofit
15 years
2.42% 1,600,000 2036
Aurora Sports Dome
annual operating
revenues
LED Streetlight
Conversion
10 years
2.29% 1,562,792 2026 Annual operating
budget utility savings
JOC Construction 10 years
2.85% 3,749,277 2023 Parks & Recreation
and Roads DCs
Subtotal Long Term
Financing 11,451,806
Total Debt Obligation 26,789,806
Page 137 of 152
January 17, 2023 5 of 8 Report No. FIN23-001
The policy ensures that that the debt financing is used responsibly
Debt financing is a useful tool; however, consideration should be given to when debt
should be acquired and when it should be not. For example, the borrowing cost on
construction line of credit for Aurora Town square is 2% lower than the annual rate of
return on hydro reserve funds. This results in a positive cash flow for the Town’s overall
financial management. Therefore, prior to the issuance of new capital debt financing,
consideration will be given to the impact on Town’s finances to achieve appropriate
balance between debt financing and other forms of funding.
The debt policy recommends an annual repayment limit of 10 percent which is lower than
legislated
The ARL is generally summarized as the maximum amount that a municipality in
Ontario can pay each year (without first going to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal) in
principal and interest payments for long-term debt and other long-term financial
commitments.
For most municipalities (not including Toronto and York Region) the ARL is set at 25
percent of their annual own- source revenues (such as property taxes, user fees and
investment income), less their annual existing long-term debt service costs and
payments for other long-term financial obligations. Municipalities may only exceed their
ARL with the prior approval of the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT). The Town’s
2022 ARL is $23,130,500 which has been calculated based on the data contained in the
2020 Financial Information Return.
Issuing debt to the level prescribed by the province is not sustainable for the Town of
Aurora. This policy sets a self-imposed ARL limit at 10% of own-source revenues. As per
the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Aurora’s 2022 annual debt repayment
cost is 2.1 percent of own-source revenue. When adding in the recent approvals of debt,
annual repayment cost increase to 2.7 percent.
Page 138 of 152
January 17, 2023 6 of 8 Report No. FIN23-001
Figure 1
ARL vs. Debt Repayment Forecast
The policy recommends a lower ARL limit because much of Aurora’s debt is funded
from development charges (DC). Typically, the development charge revenues are
collected over an extended period as the new developments are built. There is a risk of
stranded debt in the instances when debt is issued based on provincial ARL target of
25% and the DC revenue forecast is much lower than the projected annual debt
payments. Therefore, to be fiscally sustainable Town should not seek authority to
exceed an ARL of 10% and for development charge funded debt, a minimum balance of
one-year’s principal and interest costs shall be maintained in the combined total of all
DC reserves.
Figure 2
Annual debt repayments by funding source
Page 139 of 152
January 17, 2023 7 of 8 Report No. FIN23-001
Debt will be monitored with annual reporting as part of the budget and debt approval
process
Another important component for the debt management policy is reporting and
adherence to the policy. The implementation of the debt management policy principles
in acquiring new debt should be monitored through the annual budget report and will be
part of the reserve and debt management chapter of the budget binder.
Advisory Committee Review
Finance Advisory Committee reviewed the draft debt policy at its June 14th, 2022
meeting.
Legal Considerations
In accordance with Ontario Regulation 403/02: Debt and Financial Obligation Limits
filed under the Municipal Act, 2001, S.O. 2001, c. 25, the Town is subject to the Annual
Repayment Limit (ARL) of 25% of it’s own source revenues.
Financial Implications
There are no direct financial implications from this report. The financial implications will
be in the budget as the policy is applied.
Communications Considerations
The Town will use “inform” as the level of engagement for this report and policy. The
report will be placed on the Town’s website along with the Debt Management Policy.
Climate Change Considerations
The recommendations from this report does not impact greenhouse gas emissions or
impact climate change adaptation.
Link to Strategic Plan
Debt Management Policy supports all aspects of the strategic plan. Specifically, this
report supports the Plan principles of Leadership in Corporate and Financial
Management, Leveraging Partnerships, and Progressive Corporate Excellence and
Continuous Improvement.
Page 140 of 152
January 17, 2023 8 of 8 Report No. FIN23-001
Alternative(s) to the Recommendation
1. Council provide direction.
Conclusions
The debt policy provides the financial policy framework to ensure Aurora can set and
stay on a financially sustainable path. This is done through by ensuring that the Town’s
fiscal impact year-over-year is manageable and is well below the Town’s self-prescribed
annual repayment limit of 10%. The policy also ensures that the Debt management pillar
supports the fiscal strategy pillars of capital planning, reserve management and
revenue management by managing the timing difference between when a capital
project is built and when the funding for the project is received.
Attachments
Attachment 1 - Town of Aurora - Debt Management Policy
Previous Reports
FAC Memorandum, Debt Management Policy, June 14, 2021
Pre-submission Review
Agenda Management Team review on December 13, 2022
Approvals
Approved by Rachel Wainwright-van Kessel, Director, Finance
Approved by Doug Nadorozny, Chief Administrative Officer
Page 141 of 152
100 John West Way
Aurora, Ontario
L4G 6J1
(905) 727-3123
aurora.ca
Town of Aurora
Debt Management
Finance
Contact: Senior Financial Management Advisor, Finance
Approval Authority: Council
Effective: July 5, 2022
______________________________________________________________________________________
Background
Acquisition of debt and debentures can play a very important role in the Town’s
finances. Debt can provide liquidity to fund new assets and infrastructure and fund
other capital projects when the asset is built in advance of growth.
The fiscal strategy highlights that the debt financing can be used to manage the long-
term financial flexibility of the Town. Debt is a financing tool which can be used by the
Town to manage the timing difference between when a capital project is built and when
the funding for the project is received. The Town should continue to use debt wisely
over the long-term and understand that the prudent issuance of debt is an efficient use
of available financial resources.
Objective
The purpose of the Debt Management policy is to establish financial guidelines and
appropriate controls for the issuance and management of debt for the Town of Aurora.
This policy establishes objectives, standards of care, authorized financing instruments,
reporting requirements and responsibilities for the prudent financing of the Town’s
infrastructure needs.
Scope
This policy applies to the management of existing debt and all future debt financing that
may be issued or planned by the Town of Aurora.
Definitions
Amortizing Debentures: Debentures for which the total annual payment (principal and
interest) is approximately even throughout the life of the debenture issue.
Annual Repayment Limit: Maximum amount of annual debt servicing costs that the
Town can undertake or guarantee without seeking the approval of the Ontario Land
Tribunal. The annual amount is provided by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and
Housing and must be adjusted by the Treasurer in the prescribed manner prior to the
Attachment 1
Page 142 of 152
2
authorization by Council of a long-term debt or financial obligation. Ontario Regulation
403/02 filed under the Municipal Act, 2001, S.O. 2001, c. 25 (the Municipal Act, 2001 or
the Act), provides a formula which limits the annual debt services costs to an amount
equal to 25% of operating revenue (own sourced revenue which excludes development
charges).
Annual Debt Financing Charges: The estimated amount of operating budget funds, in a
respective year’s approved budget, required to meet that year’s share of mandatory
payments in respect of outstanding debentures such as principal and interest.
Asset Management Reserve Fund: The funds set aside for the ongoing maintenance,
renewal and replacement of existing costs of capital infrastructure, such as the
renovations of a town facilities or road reconstruction.
Borrowing By-law: This by-law authorizes the municipality to proceed with the
acquisition of a specified amount of debt subject to defined terms and conditions. Debt
cannot be sought without a borrowing by-law.
Capital Financing: A generic term for the financing of capital assets using debt.
Construction Financing: A form of debt financing in which the issuer does not pay any
principal and/or interest for a period as defined by the terms of agreement.
Debenture: A formal written obligation to repay specific sums in certain dates. In the
case of a municipality, debentures are typically unsecured.
Debt: Any obligation for the payment of money. For Ontario municipalities, debt would
normally consist of debentures as well as either notes or cash loans from financial
institutions but could also include loans from reserves. Debentures issued by
Infrastructure Ontario are also considered as debt.
Infrastructure Ontario (IO) or its successor organization: An entity established by the
province of Ontario to provide Ontario municipalities, universities, and hospitals access
to alternative financing and procurement service and to longer-term fixed rate loans for
the building and renewal of public infrastructure.
Installment Debentures: Debentures of which a portion of the principal matures each
year throughout the life of the debenture issue.
Internal Borrowing: Borrowing of funds between various accounts.
Lease Financing Agreements: A lease allowing for the provision Municipal Capital
Facilities if the lease may or will require payment by the corporation beyond the current
term of Council.
Page 143 of 152
3
Long-Term Debt: Any debt for which the repayment of any portion of the principal is due
beyond five years.
Own-Source Revenue: Revenue for the fiscal year such as tax levy, user rates and user
fees but exclude:
a) Grants
b) Proceeds from the sale of property
c) Contributions or net transfers from a Reserve Fund or Reserve
Project Financing: the term is used when debt is used to finance a project.
Reserve Fund: means a fund that is segregated and restricted to meet a specific
purpose. Monies set aside for a Reserve Fund(s) must be deposited into a separate
general ledger account and the interest earned on those investments must be added to
the Reserve Fund(s).
Short-Term Debt: Any debt for which the repayment of all the principal is due within one
to five years.
Term Debentures: Debentures that are comprised of a combination of installment and
sinking fund debentures.
The Town: Refers to the Corporation of the Town of Aurora.
Variable Interest Rate Loan: Loans that provide one or more variations in the rate of
interest payable on the principal during the term of the debenture.
Policy
Council may, where it is deemed to be in the best interest of its taxpayers, approve the
issuance of debt for the Town’s municipal business. Issuing debt provides the flexibility
to proceed with planned capital projects sooner than waiting to collect the funding
source for the project in a reserve. Debt issuance should be viewed in combination with
long-term capital planning and reserve management as outlined in the Town’s fiscal
strategy.
The purpose of the debt management policy is to ensure that the Town should continue
to manage debt well and stay within the provincial regulations for how much debt a
municipality should issue now and in the future.
The objectives of the debt management policy are outlined below:
Adherence to Legislative Requirements
Debt issuance at the Town will only be undertaken in compliance with the provision of
the Municipal Act, 2001, specifically Part XIII – Debt and Investment, as well as Ontario
Page 144 of 152
4
Regulation 403/02 (Debt and Financial Obligation Limits); Ontario Regulation 278/02
(Construction Financing); and Ontario Regulation 653/05 (Debt-Related Financial
Instruments and Financial Agreements) filed under the Act and as amended.
Debentures cannot be issued to finance current operations. The use of money received
can be applied only for the purposes which the debentures were issued or for
repayment of outstanding temporary borrowing.
Requirements include but are not limited to the following:
1. The term of the capital financing will not exceed the lesser of 40 years or the
useful life of the underlying asset
2. Long-term debt will only be issued for capital projects
3. The term of temporary or short-term debt for operating purposes will not exceed
the current fiscal year
4. Prior to entering into a lease financing agreement, an analysis will be prepared
that assesses the costs as well as the financial and other risks associated with
the proposed lease in relation to other methods of financing
In accordance with the Act where there is a two-tier government structure, debt must be
issued by the upper tier. Therefore, all external debt is issued by The Regional
Municipality of York (“York Region”) on the Town’s behalf. The Town is responsible for
budgeting the annual debt repayment obligations, transferring the debt payment to York
Region, and managing the proceeds of the debentures. The Town’s Council must pass a
borrowing by-law to initiate the acquisition of external debt through its upper tier
municipality.
The Town may also issue debt directly through Infrastructure Ontario, a crown agency
of the Province of Ontario, with approval of Aurora’s Council and York Region’s Council.
However, the debt must still be in York Region’s name as they ultimately make the
debenture payments and reimburse Infrastructure Ontario for the debt payments.
A borrowing by-law must be approved prior to the upper tier municipality acquiring any
debt on the Town’s behalf.
Long-Term Debt Financing for Eligible Capital Works
Debt financing is a useful tool, careful consideration should be given to when debt
should be used and when it should not be. The debt charges for the long-term debt
financing are to be funded from the same source(s) as the original funding source(s) of
the capital project, i.e., if the capital project was originally to be funded from
development charges in the capital budget, any associated debt financing charges
would be funded from the development charge revenue in the operating budget.
Page 145 of 152
5
Debt Financing Consideration Guidelines
Staff should use the following guidelines when considering debt financing for various
asset categories:
Asset Management (Repair & Replacement)
Debt should not be used, except for in instances when there is an incremental revenue
source, or savings, resulting from the capital investment which will fully fund the
resultant debt financing repayment. I.e., Asset management project costs fully funded
by user fee revenues. In most scenarios asset management requirements should only
be funded through existing cash reserves or grants.
Growth Management
Debt could be considered when the asset is built in advance of growth. When making
investments in municipal infrastructure there are often times when a significant
investment is made in advance of the growth it is planned to serve. Development
charges that are used to pay for many growth projects including recreational facilities
(indoor and outdoor), fire, library, water, wastewater and roads. However, these
development charge revenues are collected over an extended period as the new
developments are built. If the Town were to wait for the collection of these revenues
prior to the installation of growth infrastructure, these necessary services will not be
available in time for the arrival of the new growth. Issuing debt can be helpful in
managing the timing difference between when the project is built and when the
revenues are received.
Master, Strategic Plans and Studies
Debt financing shall not be used to fund the creation of studies and plans. Plans and
studies identify future capital and operating projects to support the community. While
some of the projects that are recommended in the study or plan may need to consider
debt financing, the plan or study itself shall not be funded from debt.
Qualifying Criteria for the use of Debt
New debt financing acquisition shall be limited to:
1. New infrastructure requirements
2. Capital programs/facilities which are self-supporting, or financed by a dedicated
revenue stream or expenditures savings
3. Projects where the cost of deferring expenditures exceed debt servicing costs
4. Projects which are intergenerational in nature (i.e., large projects with long-term
benefits to future generations and who will paying for the debt through their
property taxes)
5. Apart from land, the estimated useful life of the asset is greater than five years
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6. The project has been approved by Council as part of the capital budget (or other
finance document/report) which includes approved debt financing authority.
Ensure Long-Term Financial Flexibility and Sustainability
Debt financing is a useful tool, careful consideration should be given to when debt
should be used. Debt financing can support intergenerational equity by aligning the debt
repayment with the timing of new growth coming into the community that will benefit
from it.
Prior to the issuance of any new capital debt financing, consideration will be given to
the impact on future ratepayers to achieve an appropriate balance between debt
financing and other forms of funding.
To the extent practicable, regular and/or ongoing capital expenditures and the current
portion of future asset management costs will be recovered on a "pay-as-you-go" basis
through rates, tax levy, user fees and/or reserve fund monies. Adequate reserves must
be developed and maintained for all capital assets owned by the Town to ensure long-
term financial flexibility. However, where long-term debt financing is required, due
consideration will be given to all forms of debt financing including debentures,
construction financing, and lease financing agreements.
Aurora debt repayment limit and framework for debt management
The Annual Repayment Limit legislated by the province reflects a significant portion of
The Town’s revenues including development charges which are excluded from the
calculation. Issuing debt to the level prescribed by the province is not sustainable. This
policy sets The Town’s limit at 10% of own-source revenues. Within this limit, debt will
be managed in a manner consistent with the Town’s long-term planning, financial and
management objectives as follows:
1. To monitor and control the impact of debt servicing costs on the approved
annual budget of any given year, and in consideration of the impact on future
ratepayers, the annual approved capital budget will demonstrate a balanced
approach amongst all forms of funding and external debt financing. Annual debt
charges will be the priority draw on available capital funding (development
charge or tax funding as appropriate) each year.
2. For development charge funded debt, a minimum balance of one-year’s principal
and interest costs shall be maintained in development charge reserves with
interfund borrowing between development charge reserves permitted. This is to
minimize the risk of a downturn in annual development charge collections.
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3. New debt which will be funded by development charge funds shall not be
acquired if the consolidated development charge reserve balance is negative.
4. When the debt is fully repaid on an asset (excluding development charge funded
debt), the debt servicing cost in the operating should be converted to an asset
management reserve contribution to support future asset management needs.
Limit Financial Risk Exposure
The capital debt financing program will be managed in a manner to limit, where
practicable, financial risk exposure. As a result, long-term debt will only be acquired with
an interest rate that will be fixed over its term. Whereas variable interest rates can be
considered only for short-term debt.
Capital financing leases have different financial and other risks than traditional debt
that must be considered and, where practicable, mitigated prior to its use. For example,
contingent payment obligations for items such as, lease termination provisions,
equipment loss, equipment replacement options, guarantees and indemnities.
Minimization of the Long-Term Cost of Financing
The timing, type and term of debt financing for an approved capital project will be
determined to minimize the Town’s overall long-term cost of financing. Typically,
shorter term (less than five years) debt financing interest rates are lower than longer
term interest rates.
To minimize interest costs over time:
1. Construction financing methods will be considered in accordance with Section 405 of
the Act. In advance of the issuance of debentures, shorter term temporary borrowing
for capital projects is allowed. The use of rolling short-term financing may be used
for a debenture approved capital project.
2. Cost reduction factors which influence the timing and type of debt to be considered
include:
a) Timing of costs and revenues related to a project and any offsetting cost savings
attributable to a project
b) The optimal usage of overall town cash
c) Capital reserve fund levels, over minimum balances, and the availability of
surplus
d) Reserve fund monies
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Suitable and Authorized Debt Financing Instruments
Short-Term – One Year to Five Years
Financing of operational needs for a period of less than one year pending the receipt of
taxes and other revenues, or interim financing of up to five years for capital assets
pending long-term capital financing may be from one or more of the following sources:
1) Reserves and reserve funds may be used as the primary source of short-term
financing provided that interest is paid at the prevailing market rate. These may be
used for both interim and medium-term for a period of no greater than five-year
financing if deemed cost effective or otherwise necessary. However, reserves and
reserve funds are for a defined purpose and must be available when that purpose
occurs or requires them.
2) Infrastructure Ontario (or its successor organizations) short-term advances pending
issuance of long-term debentures.
3) Construction financing
May be used for a period up to five years during construction or rehabilitation of
certain facilities from which a revenue stream is expected to be generated (e.g.,
water plant) upon its completion.
Long-Term – Greater than Five Years
Debt financing of assets for a period of greater than five years may be from any of the
following sources:
1. Debentures (including those issued to IO or its successor organizations), which may
be in the following form or a combination thereof:
Installment Debenture
Term Debenture
Amortizing Debenture
2. Lease Financing Agreements (capital financing leases)
May be used when it provides material and measurable benefits compared with other
forms of financing.
3. Long-Term Bank Loans (Variable or floating rate)
These may be used if deemed cost effective or otherwise necessary.
Financial Guarantees and Letters of Credit
Financial guarantees and/or letters of credit provided by the Town, will be considered as
debt, and will be governed by this policy.
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Notice Period
The Town recognizes that, to ensure orderly placement of a debenture issue within
capital markets, York Region requires a lengthy notice period prior to the issuance. A
minimum of four to five months notice is required by York Region, excluding the time
required for local Council to approve a borrowing by-law. However, York Region typically
sends out an email communication twice a year to survey for any debenture
requirements as York Region typically issues debentures twice per year. This advanced
notice also allows York Region to work with the Town to ensure that the appropriate
borrowing by-law is obtained ahead of a scheduled debt issuance.
Allocation of Excess Debt Financing to Capital Projects
Any arising capital project excess debt financing can be used in three ways, noted in
order of priority:
1. Apply excess debt financing to another debt eligible capital project in addition to
the already approved debt authority;
2. Reduce Future Debt: Apply excess debt authority to a future debt eligible project
to replace part of the already approved debt authority, therefore reducing overall
debt financing required;
3. Reduce Debt Charges: use excess debt financing to reduce Debt charges.
Reporting
The Treasurer and Manager, Financial Management will provide an annual report to the
Council on the status of Town’s debt. Long-Term debt will be reaffirmed by Council as
part of the annual budget process.
Responsibilities
All Staff
To adhere to the debt management policy and its associated guidelines.
Finance
The Treasurer will have the overall responsibility for the capital financing program of the
Town. The Manager, Financial Management normally will have responsibility for
directing/implementing the activities of the capital financing program and the
establishment of procedures consistent with this policy.
The Treasurer and the Financial Management division is responsible for developing
recommendations and appropriate advice to Council on debt financing decisions and
administer any approved debt financing in conjunction with York Region.
Council
Council will have the authority to approve any new debt and the accompanying by-law
for the Town.
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Monitoring and Compliance
The implementation of the debt management policy principles in acquiring new debt
should be monitored through the annual report to the Council and at the time when a
new debt authority for capital financing is approved. The debt management policy
should ensure that the Town’s fiscal impact year-over-year is manageable and is well
below the Town’s self-prescribed annual repayment limit.
References/Codes
• Hyperlink to supporting legislation
• Hyperlink to related policies
• Hyperlink to process map/ info graphic/ any other supporting documentation
Review Timeline
This policy will be reviewed 2 years after the initial approval date by the Treasurer. If the
Treasurer recommends changes to the policy, they will be brought forward to Council
for approval.
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100 John West Way
Aurora, Ontario
L4G 6J1
(905) 727-3123
aurora.ca
Town of Aurora
Notice of Motion
Councillor’s Office
Re: Feasibility of a Snow Windrow Removal Assistance Program
To: Mayor and Members of Council
From: Councillor Rachel Gilliland
Date: January 17, 2023
Whereas a snow windrow is the pile of snow at the end of the driveway created by
snowplows when they clear the road that can be physically hazardous to some seniors
or be challenging for people with certain disabilities; and
Whereas many municipalities such as King, Markham, and Whitchurch-Stouffville have
developed a special application for a snow windrow removal assistance program to
address these unique circumstances;
1. Now Therefore Be It Hereby Resolved That staff report back with the feasibility of
introducing a special application for a snow windrow removal assistance program
showing various application parameters, future budget implications, and piloting
options.
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