Council Highlights – August 25, 2026

Kawartha Lakes – Council met on August 25, 2026 for its Regular Council Meeting. 

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

Council approves Heritage Designation Strategy

Council approved a new Heritage Designation Strategy to provide a clearer and more consistent approach to identifying and protecting heritage properties across Kawartha Lakes. Heritage designation has taken place locally since the late 1970s but lacked one overall strategy to guide which properties should be considered. The new strategy was developed with input from the Municipal Heritage Committee and the public, including engagement sessions and a Jump In survey that received 138 responses. 

The strategy has four priority areas, including identifying priorities for designation, increasing public engagement and education, building capacity, and supporting heritage property owners. The City currently has 141 individually designated heritage properties and, with existing staff capacity, can complete approximately six to 10 designations each year. Council received the presentation and approved the Heritage Designation Strategy outlined in Report ED2026-020. 

2026 Operating Budget update 

Council received the second-quarter variance report for the 2026 tax-supported operating budget. Based on results to June 30, the City is currently forecasting a year-end deficit of approximately $10.7 million, although staff cautioned that the final amount could be lower as revenues and expenses do not occur evenly throughout the year. 

Some of the largest pressures include: 

• winter road maintenance
• fuel and fleet costs
• additional firefighter training requirements 

Winter control alone is currently forecasting a deficit of about $4 million, with the final result depending heavily on weather conditions during the rest of the year. 

Staff are also continuing work on approximately $7.6 million in budget efficiencies as directed by Council. The variance report was received, with further financial monitoring and mitigation work to continue through the year. Staff also indicated the Audit Committee is expected to review the financial situation and mitigation strategies later this year. 

Read the Operating Budget Report or watch the meeting from 2:23:00 on YouTube. 

Strategic Plan shows 98 per cent of initiatives complete or on track 

As the current term of Council draws to a close, Council received a mid-year update on the City’s 2024 to 2027 Strategic Plan, along with a review of progress made during the current Council term. The City is tracking 219 initiatives requested by the current Council, with 133 complete and 81 on track. Together, approximately 98 per cent of initiatives are either complete or progressing as planned. 

Work highlighted in the update included:  

• affordable housing
• homelessness supports
• additional licensed child care spaces
• permanent funding for community paramedicine
• online permitting
• environmental initiatives
• modernization projects 

Five initiatives have not yet started, largely because they depend on funding, other projects, or future planning work. Staff will continue advancing the remaining priorities and will work with the incoming Council to confirm direction for the final year of the current Strategic Plan and begin preparing the next four-year plan. 

Read the Progress Report or watch the presentation on YouTube. 

Draft Regional Transit Master Plan looks at expanding service across Kawartha Lakes

Council reviewed the draft Regional Transit Master Plan, a proposed 10-year roadmap for expanding transportation options beyond the existing Lindsay Transit system. Recommendations include redesigning Lindsay routes to make them more efficient, introducing fixed-route connections between Lindsay, Bobcaygeon and Fenelon Falls, exploring a Lindsay-to-Peterborough connection and introducing microtransit to provide more flexible service across the municipality. 

The draft plan will continue through public and stakeholder review before returning to Council for final adoption before the second quarter of 2027. Council also directed that the draft be circulated to the Environmental Advisory Committee for review and comment. Some of the proposed improvements would require additional funding and will need to be considered through future budget discussions, including the 2027 budget process. 

Read the Draft City of Kawartha Lakes Regional Ten-Year Transit Master Plan. 

Council supports call for more provincial traffic calming funding

Council endorsed a resolution from the Municipality of Wawa asking the Province of Ontario to expand funding for traffic calming and speed reduction measures to all municipalities.  

Council supported Wawa’s request for a province-wide funding program that would give all municipalities access to additional traffic safety resources. The resolution will be forwarded to the Minister of Transportation, Minister of Finance and local MPP Laurie Scott. 

The resolutions were included in a memorandum about support for traffic calming measures and provincial funding to improve public safety. 

More from the Regular Council Meeting 

For more information on these and any other topics discussed during the Council meeting, check the meeting agenda or watch the meeting on YouTube.