Regular Council Meeting Highlights – November 18, 2025

Kawartha Lakes – The following are highlights from the Regular Council Meeting on November 18, 2025.

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

The Regular Council minutes from October 21, 2025 and the Special Council Meeting from November 12, 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 – November 5, 2025

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

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Consent Matters

2026 Municipal Election Update and Schedule

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

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Parks and Recreation Strategic Plan – Final

The plan was received by Council and finalized. Read the report.

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Development Charges Background Study and Associated By-Law

Kawartha Lakes is updating its development charges, which are fees paid by developers to help cover the cost of new roads, water systems, and other services needed when the area grows. A new study and by-law have been completed to replace the older 2019 version. Staff worked with experts, held public meetings, and gathered feedback to make sure the updated charges are fair and reflect the community’s needs.

Development charges are important because they ensure that growth pays for itself rather than putting extra financial pressure on current residents. Without these charges, Kawartha Lakes would need to raise property taxes and water-wastewater fees, possibly by large amounts, to cover the cost of building new infrastructure. The report explains that construction costs have gone up a lot in recent years, and new planning requirements mean Kawartha Lakes needs more major projects than before. Because of this, keeping development charges up to date is necessary to maintain services and support future housing.

The report also warns that giving discounts or exemptions on development charges could lead to higher costs for taxpayers later. In the past, exemptions for commercial and industrial projects resulted in millions of dollars in lost revenue that residents must now replace. To avoid this, staff recommend moving forward with the updated charges without adding new discounts. They explain that timely implementation is essential for meeting the city’s housing goals and keeping its finances sustainable.

The Development Charges Background Study and report were accepted as presented, and the bylaw will be brought to Council.

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Greening the City's Fleet – Update

Council received an update on the municipality’s fleet-greening efforts, including the ongoing rollout of hydrogen technology. Questions were raised about the effectiveness of hydrogen for different vehicle types, with staff confirming that the greatest emissions reductions will come from applying it to transit vehicles, heavy trucks, and construction equipment. Council also discussed broader fleet-greening options such as EVs and charging infrastructure, along with considerations like technician training, maintenance requirements, and available grants.

The report was received and referred to the Environmental Advisory Committee for further consultation and a report back by the third quarter of 2026. 

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Memorandums

Councillor Richardson brought the memorandum regarding Licensing for Driving School Operators and Instructors, which asks that staff report back in Q2, 2026 on bylaw enforcement options regarding driving school operators and promoting safe routes around the City of Kawartha Lakes that have less impact on local residents.  

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Councillor Warren brought the memorandum regarding Salt Management, which supports a resolution from the Town of Georgina. The resolution urges the Provincial Government to develop a single set of provincially endorsed standard Best Management Practices for snow and ice management, and to fund the creation of an expert stakeholder advisory committee to advise the province and municipalities on actions to protect freshwater ecosystems and drinking water from the impacts of salt.

Councillor Warren’s memo also asked that a copy of this resolution be sent to the Minister of the Environment, Conservation, and Parks, the Minister of Health, and the Association of the Municipalities of Ontario.

The memo was received and carried.

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Next Council Meeting

Council will return for the next Council Meeting on December 9, 2025 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.