Regular Council Highlights - August 27, 2024

The meeting can be viewed in full on our YouTube Channel.

Regular Council Minutes from July 23, 2024 were received and adopted. 

Municipality welcomes three new Family Physicians  

The Kawartha Lakes Health Care Initiative (KLHCI) recently signed agreements with three new family doctors who will be joining our community: 

The Doctor Recruitment Reserve to support the Kawartha Lakes Health Care Initiative recruitment efforts was established by Council to support these Return of Service incentives. The Reserve provides funding to the KLHCI, to support the cost of Return of Service agreements with newly recruited physicians.  

Council has also created a new fund called the Primary Care Recruitment and Retention Reserve to support local health care programs and initiatives.  

At the request of KLHCI, Council approved the release of $270,000, of which $224,000 be funded from the Doctor Recruitment Reserve, and $46,000 be funded from the Primary Care Recruitment and Retention Reserve.  

To learn more, read the full Physician Recruitment Reserve Request Report. 

Highway 7 Sewage Pumping Station Environmental Assessment (EA) Completion Presentation 

All recommendations from the Planning Advisory Committee were adopted as printed in the minutes. 

Kawartha Lakes Paramedic Service new headquarters update

Construction of the future Kawartha Lakes Paramedic Service headquarters is anticipated to start in spring 2025. The location of the new HQ has yet to be revealed as the terms of agreement are being finalized. The project has a proposed $21.5 million budget for 2025. It will be in the 2026 budget too, and the amount will be shared when the agreement is finalized. 

The new HQ requires the installation of fibre optic cabling to best support the back-up 911 computer centre that will be included in the build. The costs to install the required fibre optic cabling is $1 million. Staff will apply to the 911 Next Generation Grant for funding that would help cover the cabling installation. If funding is not awarded, the project will proceed with the funding being adjusted in the 2025 Capital Budget.  

Read the Fibre Optic Cable Installation for the Future Paramedic Headquarters report. 

Amendments to the Heritage Applications Policy  

Council has updated the Heritage Applications Policy to match new provincial laws under Bill 139. This policy manages how the municipality deals with applications for changes to heritage properties, including religious buildings. 

Here are the main changes: 

These updates aim to make the rules clearer and speed up the processing of applications related to religious buildings, while staying in line with new provincial regulations. 

For more details, check out the Amendments to the Heritage Applications Policy. 

Council approves funding for the A. Sheila Boyd Foundation (Boyd Heritage Museum) 

Council approved the release of $11,865.18 to the A. Sheila Boyd Foundation (Boyd Heritage Museum) from the 2024 Economic Development Fund – Cultural Facilities Support Grant.  

The Cultural Facilities Operational Support Grant, a program of the Economic Development Fund, provides operational funding to Cultural Not-for-Profit organizations within Kawartha Lakes, who offer community cultural initiatives to residents and visitors. You can read more in Report - ED2024-037. 

The Economic Development Fund was created in 2024 to help non-profit organizations in Kawartha Lakes. It aims to support local economic growth and cultural activities that benefit both residents and visitors. 

The Cultural Facilities Operational Support Grant is part of this fund. It provides funding to non-profits in Kawartha Lakes that run cultural programs. These programs help promote arts, culture, and heritage in the community by offering learning opportunities and activities that celebrate local traditions. 

Visit our website to learn more about municipal business incentives and funding. 

Council Approves New Agreement for Child Care Access 

Council approved a new agreement that lets Kawartha Lakes residents use fee-subsidized child care services in the County of Simcoe, and vice versa. 

Sometimes, families who qualify for Child Care Fee Subsidies might have trouble finding care within Kawartha Lakes or Haliburton due to issues like limited space or the location of their work. 

This agreement will make it easier to manage child care services, increase the number of available licensed spaces for Kawartha Lakes residents, and help families get the care they need in the best location. 

For more details, check out the Cross Jurisdictional Child Care Report. 

To learn more about Child Care Services, visit the Children’s Services page. 

Request for Streetlight - Cottingham Road and Highway 7

The intersection of Highway 7 and Cottingham Road used to be illuminated by a private light on a hydro pole. The light has been turned off as the hydro bill was no longer being paid by the private resident. Staff were asked to investigate the options to illuminate the intersection again. Since the light falls under Ministry of Transportation (MTO) jurisdiction, full or partial illumination of the intersection would have to meet the MTO’s requirements, and it was estimated to cost a minimum of $40,000. The other option is to re-establish the lighting on the existing hydro pole. The cost to do so is estimated to be $3,000. 

The report was received, and staff were directed to re-establish the lighting at the intersection of Highway 7 and Cottingham Road by installing a new light fixture with consultation and approval from Hydro One. 

Read the Request for Streetlight – Cottingham Road and Highway 7 report. 

Brushing Program Overview 

In Kawartha Lakes, mechanical roadside brushing or “brushing”, is the management of trees, bushes and general overgrowth along the side of assumed public roads maintained by the municipality. Brushing is different from roadside mowing; mowing is the cutting of vegetation (grass, weeds) on the immediate shoulder of the road while brushing is the removal of shrubs, small trees and branches from larger trees that are growing within the road allowance up to the property line. 

Brushing takes place from January to April, and from late August to December with a break in between due to restrictions placed during migratory bird season. It has numerous benefits including protecting the road, improving sightlines for drivers, better snow storage in the winter, more efficient summer operations, less overall damage to equipment and a more pleasant appearance after regrowth occurs. 

In the past, we’ve received feedback from residents upset about appearance. It’s important to note that while the area may not be aesthetically pleasing right after brushing, within a few weeks the area begins to naturalize. Within six months to a year, the area will appear completely natural again.  

Learn more about the importance of brushing by reading the Brushing Program Overview council report. 

Petitions 

A petition regarding a request for a 40km/hr Community Area Speed Limit for the Community of Lorneville within the Hamlet Boundaries was received and referred to staff for a return report by December 31 2024. The first page of the petition can be found here. A complete copy of the petition with 23 signatures is available at the Clerk's Office upon request.

A petition regarding a request for the Asphalt Resurfacing and/or Reconstruction of Bury’s Green Road between Kawartha Lakes Road 121 and Kawartha Lakes Road 49 was received and forwarded for consideration in the 2025 budget process later this year. The first page of the petition can be found here. A complete copy of the petition with 38 signatures is available at the Clerk's Office upon request.

Heritage Designations

The following properties were designated as being of cultural heritage value or interest by Council: