Council Info is a summary of discussion and the major items presented at Council meetings. It is circulated immediately following each meeting. You are encouraged to quote from and copy this information. Please refer to the minutes for an official record of the meeting.

Regional Council approves the Community Energy Investment Strategy

The Region of Waterloo, in collaboration with the area municipalities and five local electric and natural gas utilities, and community input has developed a Community Energy Investment Strategy (CEIS). The purpose of the CEIS is to improve and sustain Waterloo Region’s economic competitiveness and quality of life through the coordination of targeted energy investments. The Strategy goals are to significantly improve the energy performance of buildings, enhance local energy generation and security, transition to a low-carbon transportation network and help to build a supportive and innovative culture for energy investments.  

Regional Council recommends revisions to Greenbelt expansion

In December 2017 the Ontario government released the public consultation document “Protecting Water for Future Generations Growing the Greenbelt in the Outer Ring” which identified lands that may be included in an expanded Greenbelt.  The lands identified included large areas within Waterloo Region. The Region of Waterloo through its Regional Official Plan (ROP) has a long history of protecting its natural features, ground water resources, prime agricultural areas and managing growth in strong and innovative ways.

Regional Council voted to oppose any extension of the Greenbelt into Waterloo Region unless it provides for the Region to maintain existing protections, be stronger than Greenbelt Plan policies particularly with respect to aggregate resources, and ensure the protection of ground water resources specifically as it relates to municipal drinking water supplies.

Further, the Region requested the Province commit to enhanced municipal consultation and the use of best available technical and municipal land use planning information, as well as allowing for current and ongoing municipal initiatives to be completed and respected prior to establishing final mapping associated with the proposed Greenbelt expansion.

Regional Council Approves Transit to North Dumfries

Subject to the Ministry of Transportation’s approval of a new five year Community Transportation grant, Regional Council has approved the introduction of transit services in the Township of North Dumfries. The service would operate from Monday to Friday as a commuter route connecting to the urban area during the morning and afternoon peak time periods and as a local flex route within Ayr connecting residents and key destinations during the midday. The service would use a smaller 19-seat vehicle which is fully accessible with low floor vehicles and bike racks. Selection of successful grant awards will happen in April/May of 2018 and transit service to North Dumfries would begin within a year of the grant being awarded.

Research funding grants to the University of Waterloo approved

The Region of Waterloo has been supporting three research initiatives with the University of Waterloo in the areas of drinking water research, environmental impacts from wastewater and in water and wastewater treatment. To continue with these research initiatives the Region will provide:

• funding of $75,000 per year from 2018 to 2022 to support the 6th term of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Chair in Drinking Water Research at the University of Waterloo
• funding of $50,000 per year from 2018 to 2020 to support the continued research on the recovery of fish endpoints in the Grand River in response to wastewater treatment process upgrades in the Department of Biology at the University of Waterloo
• funding of $100,000 per year from 2018 to 2022 to support the continued collaborative study of Water and Wastewater treatment innovation with the Water Science, Technology and Policy group in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Waterloo.

Study on supervised injection services

The Region will be hosting two special meetings of the Community Services Committee in March and April to gather public feedback on recommendations regarding supervised injection services as an intervention to prevent fatal opioid overdoses. Details of these meeting will be confirmed shortly. Ideally, the selected sites would be co-located with services that offer basic health care and access to treatment. Supervised injection services are legally-sanctioned, medically-supervised services where individuals can consume pre-obtained illicit drugs intravenously. These sites create a supportive environment for those suffering from addiction and are available worldwide, including in Canada.

Provincial funding for needle exchange program

Council approved provincial funding of $88,245 for Public Healthy and Emergency Services to support the purchase, distribution and disposal costs of needles and syringes. This funding will be used to offset the costs associated with the growing demand for needles and syringes. The funds will also cover costs associated with a local pilot project of needle recovery through a peer outreach model.

Funding will provide bariatric equipment

The Waterloo Wellington Local Health Integration Network has provided the Region with one-time funding of $50,000 for the purchase of bariatric equipment for use in Sunnyside Home, Waterloo Region Housing seniors’ buildings, supportive housing and emergency shelters. The funding will be used to purchase equipment such as walkers, transport wheelchairs, scooters, mobile ramps, beds and mattresses that have a larger width and higher weight capacity to accommodate bariatric residents, tenants and emergency shelter clients.

Rebate program aims to increase rental housing supply

As Service Manager for Housing, the Region will administer a Provincially-funded Development Charge Rebate Program on behalf of five area municipalities, if funding applications are approved. This program provides eligible municipalities with development charge grants to help with the creation of purpose-built market rent housing. The goal of this program is to increase the supply of rental housing in Waterloo Region.

Housing staff provide comments on inclusionary zoning

Region of Waterloo staff have provided additional comments to the province on draft regulations to implement sections of their Promoting Affordable Housing Act, specifically about how inclusionary zoning will be regulated. Inclusionary zoning will require that a percentage of new housing in a residential development are provided as affordable units (now and over time). Staff are recommending that the province enable (rather than mandate) municipalities to provide incentives, include rental housing, and give municipalities greater flexibility to allow developers to provide affordable housing off site.

Region launches citizen-focused website

The Region of Waterloo has launched a new, engaging and user-friendly website at www.regionofwaterloo.ca. The new site has updated information, improved accessibility, compatibility with mobile devices and social media connectivity. The website now includes Public Health and Emergency Services, and Community Services, who used to have separate sites. The site was developed with extensive community and staff input to help ensure it meets the needs of residents and visitors - many of whom use the website as a first point of access to Regional programs and services.

Tenders/Contracts:

The following tenders/contracts were approved by Council:

• $1,464,760.00 plus applicable taxes to Demers Ambulance Inc. for 10 Type III ambulances.
• $1,438,777.00 plus applicable taxes to Sona Constructor Inc. for Cambridge waste management administration building renovations.
• $366,765.00 to Quality Seeds Ltd. for supply of alternate daily cover for Waterloo landfill for a three year contract with an option to renew for two additional one year periods.

Next Council Meeting
Wed. March 28, 2018
7 p.m.

For more information, contact:

Bryan Stortz, Director, Corporate Communications, 519-575-4408
Regional Clerk’s Office, 519-575-4420