Matthew Bowlby

The meeting commenced with a land acknowledgment. Key discussions involved approving the agenda, which included an amendment to consider the Parks Master Plan report immediately after the delegation on the same topic. The committee received minutes from several prior meetings across various subcommittees. A delegation presented the Grimbsy Parks Master Plan, which serves as a 10-year guiding document based on extensive community consultation, including surveys and open houses. The presentation detailed recommendations across several categories: park planning policy (addressing land versus cash-in-lieu fees and POPs guidelines), environmentally centered planning (urban forest management and shoreline planning), accessibility and safety (audits and amenity upgrades), park activation (indoor programs moving outdoors and expanding recreational opportunities), and park classification/distribution (updating classification tables and service level monitoring). The delegation also presented an implementation strategy detailing 125 recommendations over 10 years with an estimated cost of $28 million, emphasizing that approval of the plan does not commit these funds. Committee members inquired about the sufficiency of public consultation numbers and the allocation of parkland space for high-density areas like the future GO station.

The meeting held a public consultation regarding a building fee review. A consultant presented a study proposing a 19% increase in building permit fees to achieve full cost recovery for operations, citing the need for increased revenue to sustain building permit reserve funds and account for inflationary costs. A representative from the West End Homebuilders Association voiced concerns regarding the proposed fee hike, noting the current economic downturn in residential construction and arguing that the increase would disproportionately affect everyday residents rather than developers.

The committee discussed the implementation of a council leave of absence policy and reviewed updates to the election sign bylaw, including permit fees and sign size requirements. Additionally, the clerk’s division provided a report on 2025 accomplishments, highlighting improvements in procedural bylaws, marriage license services, and records modernization. Finally, the committee reviewed a proposal for the annual holiday closure of town hall administration for December 31st.

The meeting commenced with a land acknowledgement. Key discussions involved approving the agenda and receiving the minutes from the December 9th, 2025 meeting. Verbal updates covered Heritage Week plans, which include daily social media features, highlighting projects and special places, and the launch of the new mapping of Grimsby's heritage sites in partnership with several local organizations. Updates were also provided on the Heritage Property Grant program, including signing agreements with this year's six successful applicants and closing out last year's grants, as well as progress on the new tax incentive program, which received approximately 30 applications. Furthermore, the committee received an update regarding the Niagara Region's deferral of contribution to the incentive program until the 2027 budget discussion. Resolutions were passed to receive the verbal updates on Heritage Week, Education and Outreach, and Heritage Property Incentives. A major item discussed was the recommendation to permit demolition for the property at 425 Main Street West following a significant fire, as the structure no longer met the criteria for designation under Ontario Regulation 906 and the property was recommended for removal from the municipal heritage register. Additionally, a heritage permit application for retroactive approval concerning the installation of an outdoor wooden structure and a TV enclosure at the designated property at 16 Ontario Street was reviewed, with staff concluding the works were reversible and supported adaptive reuse.

The keynote presentation outlines the Town of Grimsby's strategy for economic development, emphasizing quality of life as a core competitive advantage. It highlights ten key factors contributing to this, including education, natural assets, volunteerism, a vibrant cultural scene, connectivity, safety, housing options, a healthy community, environmental stewardship, and transparent leadership. The strategy focuses on attracting and retaining businesses, creating jobs, increasing non-residential tax assessment, and diversifying municipal revenue through strategic partnerships and a local, results-driven approach, ultimately aiming for long-term prosperity and a sustainable quality of life.