Regular Council Highlights – June 24, 2025

Kawartha Lakes – The following are highlights from the Regular Council Meeting on June 24, 2025.  

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

The Regular Council minutes from May 20, 2025 were received and adopted. 

Housing and Homelessness System Planning Update 

Kawartha Lakes is working on the Housing and Homelessness Strategy to update our current 10-year plan. The strategy will be delivered in the fall, and will define strategic priorities, guide resource allocations, and include long-term financial plans that will support both operational and capital needs.  

The work is concentrating efforts where they are most needed: reducing homelessness and housing insecurity. One goal is to help people before they reach a crisis, by providing timely supports for those at risk of homelessness. 

Recent surveys and interviews show many people are struggling to find housing due to high rent, poor quality homes, and lack of support. Homelessness is becoming more visible, with people living in tents, cars, and overcrowded homes. The community is asking for real, lasting solutions, not short-term fixes. 

Although some housing factors are outside the control of the municipality, the strategy will focus on things that can be controlled. It can improve programs, services, and housing options. With better planning, policies, and support, Kawartha Lakes hopes to reduce homelessness over time and build a stronger, more stable housing system for everyone. The presentation was received as presented. 

2025 Asset Management Plan  

The 2025 Asset Management Plan helps the City of Kawartha Lakes take care of its roads, buildings, equipment, and other infrastructure. It follows rules set by the Province of Ontario and combines earlier plans into one complete document. This plan is important because it helps the municipality plan for repairs and upgrades in a smart, affordable way. It also makes sure the municipality stays eligible for over $13 million a year in government funding. To keep up with rising costs, the plan suggests increasing the municipality’s capital budget gradually over time. This plan will guide future budgets and be updated again in 2029. The report and presentation were received as written.  

Read the 2025 Asset Management Plan report. 

View the Kawartha Lakes Asset Management Plan presentation.  

Archaeological Management Plan 

The Kawartha Lakes Archaeological Management Plan (ArchMP) was developed to help the City of Kawartha Lakes meet its legislative obligations for identifying and protecting archaeological resources. Based on best practices from other Ontario municipalities, the plan includes an archaeological potential map and a policy direction report. Its main goals are to improve processes for the public and development community around archaeological assessments, fulfill legal requirements, and strengthen relationships and collaboration with Indigenous communities to protect archaeological resources. The project, led by Timmins Martelle Heritage Consultants Inc., began in early 2024 and involves broad consultation and policy development. Received as presented and will be brought to the September council meeting to be adopted. 

Committee of the Whole – June 3, 2025  

All recommendations from the Committee of the Whole meeting were adopted as printed in the minutes, save and except for Item 11.3.11. 

Item 11.3.11 - Concerns with Elements of Bill 5 

Councillor Ashmore wanted clarification as to whether Bill 5 is the same as the federal government’s Bill C-5 that was just passed earlier this month. Council clarified that Bill 5 is provincial and differs from the federal government’s Bill C-5. Motion to receive as printed and it passed with unanimous recorded vote. 

Planning Advisory Committee – June 4, 2025 

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

Tariffs Update 

Municipalities are currently constrained by the Discriminatory Business Practices Act and the common law duty to ensure fair, open, and transparent procurement. These principles are reinforced by federal and provincial trade agreements. 

Kawartha Lakes permits invitational procurement for purchases under $121,000, allowing preference for local or Canadian suppliers. There is potential to raise this threshold. 

Staff will monitor legislative changes and report back to Council with potential policy updates by the end of 2025. A full review of the municipality’s Purchasing Policy will be conducted by the end of December 2025, with proposed amendments aimed at reducing reliance on U.S. suppliers, to be presented to Council by year-end for approval. The motion was to approve as written and it passed.  

Read the Tariffs Update report.  

Municipal Disaster Recovery Assistance 

The City of Kawartha Lakes is applying to the provincial Municipal Disaster Recovery Assistance (MDRA) program to help cover the unexpected costs from the March 28 2025 ice storm. So far, the municipality has spent over $6.3 million on cleanup and emergency response, with another $10 to $15 million potentially expected. If approved, most of these costs could be covered by the province, depending on eligibility. Council has passed a resolution to request funding, and staff will submit an Expression of Interest in recovery funding by July 28, 2025. 

Read the Municipal Disaster Recovery Assistance report.  

Pottinger Street Sidewalk Options 

The City of Kawartha Lakes reviewed a petition opposing new sidewalks as part of the Pottinger Street reconstruction in Lindsay. The original design included sidewalks on both sides of the street to improve pedestrian safety, especially for students walking to and from the nearby school. After the petition and feedback from local residents, staff came back with four options for Council to consider. Council determined that Option 2 – No Sidewalk on South Side, was the option that would be best for all parties. The motion was to receive the report as written and for staff to proceed with Option 2. A follow-up motion that the construction staging area close to Elgin Park be rehabilitated with gravel and for the costing and design of a parking lot at the Elgin Park entrance to be considered during the 2026 budget deliberations was passed. When complete, the gravel parking lot will be a safe place for parents to drop off their children at the nearby school.   

Read the Pottinger Street Sidewalk Options report.  

Post Transition Blue Box Service Update 

Starting January 1, 2026, the City of Kawartha Lakes will no longer provide curbside recycling collection to non-eligible sources like businesses and institutions, as required under provincial regulation changes. To help these groups continue recycling, the municipality partnered with the County of Peterborough to choose a new recycling service provider through a joint bidding process. Emterra Environmental was selected to offer drop-off depot recycling services for both residents and non-eligible users at municipal landfills. The municipality plans to charge a tipping fee for recycling brought to these depots starting in 2026, since provincial funding will no longer cover these services. A small amount may still be accepted for free. These changes aim to keep recycling options available while managing new costs. The municipality may consider curbside service for small businesses again in the future if provincial rules change. The motion was to receive as printed and it passed.  

Read the Post Transition Blue Box Services Update report.  

Petitions 

A petition regarding a request for the installation of a Three Way Stop at the intersection of Parkside Drive and Brock Street in Lindsay. The first page of the petition can be found here. A complete copy of the petition with 39 signatures is available at the Clerk's Office upon request. The petition was received, and staff are to report back to Council by September 30, 2025. 

A petition regarding a request for an increased frequency of yard waste collection in the City of Kawartha Lakes. The first page of the petition can be found here. A complete copy of the petition with 173 signatures is available at the Clerk's Office upon request. The petition was received, and staff are to report back to Council by December 30, 2025.  

A petition regarding a request for the installation of Children Playing Signs and Speed Bumps on Golden Mile Road in Lindsay. The first page of the petition can be found here. A complete copy of the petition with 47 signatures is available at the Clerk's Office upon request. The petition was received, and staff are to report back to Council by September 30, 2025. 

All petitions are hosted on our Jump In, Kawartha Lakes community engagement platform. Check out the Online Petitions Jump In page to see what petitions are currently open.  

Memorandums 

Mayor Elmslie brought the Memorandum Regarding an Absence of a Councillor to Council. The memo is a follow-up to the memo of March 4, 2025 that addressed Ward 6 Councillor Ron Ashmore’s extended absence from Council. Councillor Ashmore is in the process of returning to his full-time Council duties in an incremental manner. He’s already returned for the May 20 Regular Council Meeting and the June 3 Committee of the Whole meeting. He’s now set to resume his full schedule, including attending committee meetings and responding to Ward 6 residents. Welcome back Councillor Ashmore! The memo was received as printed and it passed. 

Next Council meeting  

Council will return for a Regular Council meeting on July 22, 2025 at 1pm. 

Please note that we have a reduced Council meeting schedule in July and August, with the next Committee of the Whole set for September 9, 2025. 

Public attendance in Council Chambers is welcome. Regular and Committee of the Whole meetings will be broadcast live on the City’s YouTube Channel and on Cogeco cable television. 

Please note that you can watch recordings of the City of Kawartha Lakes Regular Council Meetings on Cable Cable channel 26 and Rogers Ignite channel 548 at 1pm on the Sunday that follows the Tuesday meeting.  

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