Regular Council Meeting Highlights – December 9, 2025

Kawartha Lakes – The following are highlights from the Regular Council Meeting on December 9, 2025.

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

The Regular Council minutes from November 18, 2025 and the Special Council Meeting from November 25, 2025 were received and adopted.

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Committee of the Whole, November 4, 2025

The Minutes of the Committee of the Whole Meeting of November 4, 2025, were adopted as printed in the minutes.

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Planning Advisory Committee – December 3, 2025

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

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Outgoing Deputy Mayor’s Report

Deputy Mayor Charlie McDonald presented a report summarizing his work over the last two years, highlighting several key achievements. He thanked staff and Council for moving issues forward despite challenges.

McDonald championed the Short-Term Rental (STR) program, noting its success in being self-supporting and making the municipality safer for tourists and residents. He secured a grant of over $450,000 for the STR program, to be used over three years to improve response times from Municipal Law Enforcement and increase program efficiency.

A key priority during his time as Deputy Mayor was protecting stable housing. He worked to ensure residents had access to tools to fight renovictions and remain in their homes.

Deputy Mayor McDonald also discussed his experience on the Emergency Operations Centre during the March ice storm, where he gained firsthand knowledge of City-wide crisis management. The Emergency Response Team is now meeting to review what worked well and better prepare for any future large-scale events.

McDonald also led the Customer Service initiative to improve transparency and consistency in how the City handles resident requests. The initiative reviewed how service requests are handled over five different areas. It has been incorporated into Customer Service Standards.

Finally, as Budget Committee Chair, he oversaw historical investments in infrastructure and increased policing, while trying to control costs.

Deputy Mayor McDonald finished his report by thanking Mayor Elmslie for his leadership, and his fellow councillors for their trust in him for the past two years. He concluded that he couldn’t have accomplished what he did without their support.

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Tracy Richardson Acclaimed as Deputy Mayor for 2026

Beginning in January 2026, Ward 8 Councillor Tracy Richardson will take the position of Deputy Mayor for a 12-month term.

Deputy Mayor Elect Richardson is beginning her eighth year on Council. Her goals are my goal is to work collaboratively with every member of Council, respecting their diverse perspectives while focusing on shared priorities, and to maintain open communication with residents.

She plans to focus on strengthening community engagement through Customer Service. She will look to expand opportunities for residents to participate, share feedback, and see their ideas reflected in the work. As Deputy Mayor, she will also serve as chairperson of the Budget Committee, and help prepare for the next term of Council. 

“I want to begin by expressing my sincere gratitude to my colleagues on Council for your confidence and support,” said Richardson in her acceptance speech. “Serving alongside each of you has shown me the strength, dedication, and heart that drive our municipality forward, and how we work together across all wards. We should take a moment to recognize the achievements of this Council: despite challenging economic pressures, we have continued to move forward, support one another, and make thoughtful decisions together.”

Councilllor Richardson is committed to ensuring continuity and stability, and ready to step in whenever needed, to maintain steady leadership and keep collective priorities moving forward.

She also noted that next year brings a special milestone: the 25th anniversary of the City of Kawartha Lakes. She sees it as an opportunity to come together as a community, to showcase our civic pride, and to mark this important chapter in our history.

“This Council has accomplished much together, and I believe we can continue to make strong, thoughtful decisions for the people of Kawartha Lakes,” she said. She finished her speech by thanking Mayor Elmslie for his dedication and leadership, and Deputy Mayor McDonald for his service over the past two years as Deputy Mayor.

“Our municipality is full of opportunity, and the work we do together continues to create meaningful, lasting benefits for the communities we serve,” she concluded. “I am proud to be part of a team that cares deeply about our City and remains committed to the bigger picture.”

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Proposed Regionalization of Conservation Authorities

Mark Madricowski, the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of Kawartha Conservation, presented on two major provincial announcements affecting local Conservation Authorities (CAs).

The first, the Ontario Provincial Conservation Agency (OPCA), is now law and gives the province broad oversight to streamline CA policies and create consistent services.

The second proposal is the regional consolidation of all 36 CAs into seven large regional bodies. Mr. Madricowski explained that under this consolidation, Kawartha Lakes would lose its strong local voice on environmental issues, seeing its voting influence drop from 33% to about 4% on the regional board. He also noted that consolidation would likely cause increased costs and legal fees rather than saving money. He urged action before the December 22 deadline for public comments.

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New Director of Long-Term Care Announced

The new director of Long-Term Care services and Victoria Manor Administrator is Kyle Cotton. The Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) introduced during the meeting, noting that Mr. Cotton started on December 1st and brings many years of experience in long-term care from both municipal and for-profit operators.

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Memorandum Relating to Rent Control

Council supported a resolution opposing elements of provincial bill Protecting Tenants from Eviction (Bill 60, arguing that the proposed legislation makes evictions easier, reduces compensation for tenants, and does not adequately address the root causes of homelessness. The discussion emphasized that maintaining tenant security and stable housing is a primary goal. The memorandum was received as printed.

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Memorandum Regarding Opposition to Elements of Bill 68, Schedule 3 and Environmental Registry of Ontario Posting ERO 025-1257

Fighting Loss of Local Environmental Voice

A major concern raised during the meeting was the provincial proposal to consolidate all 36 Conservation Authorities (CAs) into seven large regional bodies. The presentation from Mark Madricowski, the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of Kawartha Conservation, noted that this regionalization could lead to a loss of local community voice on environmental decisions and reduce the effectiveness of local programs.

Council voted in favor of a motion that opposes this regional consolidation, emphasizing that local matters are best handled by local experts who know the land and water in the region. By passing this resolution, Council formally recorded its position in opposition to the mandatory regional consolidation, reinforcing the stance taken by almost every municipality or Conservation Authority they had consulted.

Council explicitly encouraged the public to engage with the provincial consultation process before the deadline. Councillor Warren specifically asked everyone to go onto the Environmental Registry of Ontario posting (025-1257) and "have their say" by the deadline of December 22, 2025.

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Consent Matters

Proposed Active Transportation Stakeholder Engagement Options

Council approved the creation of a new Active Transportation Advisory Committee. This committee will work to facilitate annual conversations regarding work that is being done by agency representatives involved with Active Transportation, prioritize projects and initiatives pursue, inform budget discussions and capital planning, and coordinate programming efforts.

The report was approved and adopted by Council. Read the full report.

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Renaming of Pinewood Park - Community Engagement Results

Council received the report with the community engagement results establishing support for the renaming of Pinewood Park in Pontypool. Council endorsed the recommendation in the report to rename the park as Richardson Park. Subject to any significant objections raised from affected stakeholders in the final notice period, a by-law to rename Pinewood Park is to be prepared, approved, and adopted by Council at the January 27, 2026 Regular Council Meeting.

Read the report on the results of the Community Engagement.

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Roads Task Force Recommendations to Council

Councillor Perry outlined the intent of the Roads Task Force recommendations, noting that residents are most concerned with the condition of their own roads rather than the technical details of the Five-Year Roads Plan. He explained that the Task Force aimed to clarify and streamline how roads outside the plan can be brought forward through a transparent and consistent process. Recommendation 1 establishes a roadmap for Councillors to advocate for constituent concerns, balancing engineering data with residents’ lived experience, with memos reserved for exceptional circumstances.

Additional recommendations include: considering pulverization for roads that have exceeded their lifecycle; improving public understanding of provincial “minimum maintenance standards”; distinguishing between a roads “plan” and “strategy”, opting to use the latter to emphasize adaptability; reviewing road-related policies such as petitions and deputations; and ensuring Councillors have on-site access to the most current roads database.

Councillor Perry amended the motion, requesting that staff not only review and consider the recommendations but also implement them where practical and feasible and report back to Council by the end of Q2 2026 on progress. Council supported the report and the amended motion. Read the report.

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Lindsay Legacy C.H.E.S.T. Fund 2026 Allocation

Council approved $444,028.65 in funding through the Lindsay Legacy C.H.E.S.T. Fund, supporting ten local organizations and projects. Funding will be drawn from the Lindsay Legacy C.H.E.S.T. Fund Reserve and allocated to:

• Lindsay Legion
• Ampere
• Women’s Resources
• Kawartha Lakes Concert Band
• Lindsay Curling Club
• A Place Called Home
• United Way Haliburton Kawartha Lakes
• Lindsay Downtown BIA
• The Lindsay Gallery
• John Howard Society of the Kawarthas.

Read the report.

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Bobcaygeon Legacy C.H.E.S.T. Fund 2026 Allocation

Council approved $89,178.42 in funding through the Bobcaygeon Legacy C.H.E.S.T. Fund, supporting local community groups and events. Funding will be drawn from the Bobcaygeon Legacy C.H.E.S.T. Fund Reserve and allocated to:

• Bobcaygeon Canada Day
• Bobcaygeon Minor Ball (sponsored by Kawartha Works Community Co-op)
• Bobcaygeon Music Council Inc.
• Bobcaygeon Skating Club
• The 150th Committee (sponsored by Kawartha Works Community Co-op)
• Globus Theatre
• Impact 32 (sponsored by Kawartha Works Community Co-op)
• The Kinette Club of Bobcaygeon
• The Kawartha Region Arts and Heritage Society
• The Ontario Open Fiddle & Step Dance Contest
• The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 239

Read the report.

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Development Charges Calculation and Payment Agreements

Council discussed Development Charges (DCs), which are fees developers pay to the City to help cover the costs of new pipes, roads, and other essential public services. Council approved six agreements with local developers to "lock in" their DC rates for new subdivision projects. By locking in these rates for up to two years, developers gain certainty, which is expected to speed up the construction of new housing.

This move helps Kawartha Lakes meet its goals for building more homes and ensures that the costs for major infrastructure projects, which could total $1.2 billion over the next decade, are covered by the developers, not local taxpayers. Staff were commended for completing this work quickly and supporting the development community.

Council approved the recommendations as presented in the report. Read the report.

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Roads Operations Council Policy Review

Council received the Roads Operations Policy Review (RD2025-007), which confirms that no changes are recommended to the City’s existing roads-related Council policies. Staff advised that current policies governing winter maintenance for roads and sidewalks, the assumption of private and unassumed roads, and the seasonal level of service for unassumed roads remain accurate and effective. Updates will be considered in the future once the province finalizes upcoming revisions to Ontario’s Minimum Maintenance Standards. Read the report.

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Next Council Meeting

Council will return for Committee of the Whole on January 13, 2026 at 1pm.

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 Xfinity channel 548 at 1pm on the Sunday that follows the Tuesday meeting.