You're good to go. >> Thank you. Call this meeting to order. This meeting of Ajax Council is being held virtually. Has also been livereamed and may be viewed online at ajox.ca/live. Friendly reminder to all participants, please activate your microphone um when recognized by the chair. To those making submissions as part of a public meeting or during question period, please ensure you clearly state your name. If you decide you no longer wish to speak to an item on the agenda, please leave the virtual meeting and continue watching the live stream on YouTube should you wish to do so. Going to start with the land acknowledgement. Like to begin this meeting by acknowledging the land on which we gather is situated within the traditional and treaty territory of the Missagas. More specifically, Missagas of Skugog Island First Nation signitories of the Gunshot Treaty of 1788 and the Williams Treaties of 1923. This land is and will continue to be home to the indigenous peoples. Let us acknowledge the mistakes and traumas of the past through authenticity and support truth and reconciliation. Let us engage and celebrate indigenous communities by being leaders of action and acknowledging the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommendations towards truth and reconciliation. Let us keep these principles close as we continue towards truth and reconciliation and as we move forward with kindness and respect as a community. Does any member of council have any disclosure of pecunary interests? I'm just going to ask to get my attention. Use the hand in the bottom bottom left of the blue of the red speaking bar for points of order or for um your interest please. Seeing none, moving on to the minutes and I'll just go by ward again if that's actually I'll just ask you to hit your hand button for a mover and second of the minutes please. Moved by councelor Lee, second by councelor Bower, that the following minutes of previous council meetings be adopted. The regular meeting of May 19th, 2026, the special meeting of May 21st, 2026, and the closed meeting of May 21st, 2026. Any questions, comments, errors, admissions on the minutes. Okay. Hearing seeing none, please open the vote. Thank you. And that carries. We are modifying the agenda because we have members of the in camera who are only available for a short time. So we're going to bring forward the in camera portion. So let me find the correct resolution for this. To the clerk, can you tell me what page it's on? Yes. Three, Mr. Chair. It's page seven. Uh, item 14.1, close session. >> No, the resolution I mean >> to go into close. >> Yeah, it's further down at probably about 15, I think. I'm no bylaws. I might have to get you to put it on the screen if I can't find it in the resolutions. >> Resolution 18. >> 18. Thank you. There we go. So to move into close session. Can I get a mover and a seconder, please? Moved by councelor Crawford, second by councelor Bower. That council convene to a close session pursuant to section 239 paragraph 2 of the municipal act 2001 as amended to discuss a trade secret or scientific, technical, commercial, financial or labor relation information supplied in confidence to the municipality or local board which if disclosed could reasonly be expected to prejudice significantly the competitive position or interfere significantly with the contractual or other negotiations of a person, group of persons or organization under section 2392i. I municipal act 2001 as amended and to discuss a trade secret or scientific technical commercial or financial information that belongs to the municipality or local board and has monetary value or potential monetary value under section 2392J of the municipal act 2001 as amended. Please open the vote to go in camera. Okay, that carries to the clerk. Please take us in Cameron. Okay, thank you everyone. We'll call this meeting back to order. To the clerk, can you put the motion on the screen, please? I will just read it for the record. Just the therefore one, the council support in principle partnering with Habitat for Humanity on an affordable housing development in Ajax. Two, that council delegate authority to the CAO or designate to determine whether the town's Conditional funding support should be allocated to one of the two properties under consideration based on proper due diligence and overall public interest. Three, that subject to the determination of a site in Ajax by the parties and negotiation of any necessary agreements to the satisfaction of the CEO or designate, council approved funding one up to $7 million to support land acquisition costs for the final selected site from the building faster fund and the housing accelerator fund and the strategic initiatives reserve. and two up to $2 million to support project advancement costs for the selected project including eligible pre-development due diligence, design, planning, engineering, legal, environmental service and costing, financing, municipal approvals, development management, infrastructure or other eligible project related costs from a future townhouse accelerator fund allocation and/or strategic initiatives fund. Four, that the release of any funding be conditional upon Habitat for Humanity satisfying the CEO or designate in their discretion with respect to the following. One, the site selection. Two, the proposed number type, tenure affordability level and duration of affordability for the affordable housing units to be delivered. Three, confirmation of the preliminary project budget. and four, Habitat for Humanity obtaining a satisfactory binding agreement for ownership for the final selected site example conditional agreement of purchase and sale. Number five, that subject to satisfaction of the conditions set out in this resolution and the applicable funding agreement or agreements, the director of finance be authorized to advance the approved funding for land acquisition to Habitat for Humanities Legal Council in trust by no later than Friday, July 31st, 2026 to facilitate closing by Tuesday, September 1st, 2026, or as soon as all closing conditions have been satisfied. And six, that subject to closing, that the CAO designate be authorized to enter into a transfer payment agreement for $2 million to prioritize and advance the development for the following milestones. One, 500,000 on October 1st, 2026. Two, 500,000 on December 1st, 2026. Three, 500,000 on February 1st, 27 2027. And four, 500,000 on April 1st, 2027. Uh seven, the council direct the CEO or designate to expedite the relevant approvals and consider the applicable the application of reductions or waiverss of municipal fees and charges where permitted and applicable to further support the achievement of project affordability and overall project outcomes. And finally, eight, that staff be authorized to take such further steps as may be necessary to implement this resolution, including confirming eligible funding sources, coordinating with provincial and federal funding programs, supporting applicable planning or development review processes, supporting fee tax and charge relief implementation where deemed possible and appropriate, and coordinate coordinating the public announcement with Habitat for Humanity. That is moved by myself, second by councelor Bower. Open it up to questions and then we can speak on the matter. It is on the floor. Councelor Crawford, you are the first in the speakers list. I just want to say I think this is an amazing project. I am fully supportive of this and uh I love the fact that we're using uh half funding uh to help with this project. This is exactly what funding should be used for. And so, not that we haven't used it, right? But, uh, I love the idea that this is fully associated with housing and, uh, a great use for for the funds. Thank you. >> Thank you, Councelor Henry. >> Thank you. I know we list two sites, Mr. Mayor, but for the record, I'd like to say that I do support um um >> Council Henry Council Henry. Council Henry. Councelor Henry, don't speak about the >> I'm not >> I I will not I'm not I'm not So what I wanted to say was that um um that Habitat for Humane has done a lot of good work all over the province and that in particular we have seen how it has helped families come out of the brig of financial struggle and go into some and better their lives and turn around. I've seen it personally in communities that I've worked in in former jobs. So, we're very excited to see this come to Ajax and what this will look like. Thank you. >> Thank you. And and I apologize if I misunderstood, but it sounded very much like you were going to be talking specifics there, which would not be very good. Um, we have a lot of groups that do great things in our community and I think um, not very many have well they all have great names but Habitat espec especially so Whoops. >> Am I back? >> Yes, you are. >> Oh, okay. Good. I'll I'll I'll start over because I think I froze right away and I'm I'm at town hall which is odd. Um there's a lot of great groups in the community that we work with that do great work and and um I think Habitat Humanity is one that that everybody recognizes is really really um stellar in that department as far as assisting people um gain access to housing that they normally may not be able to. It is, I think, an amazing opportunity for us to be able to to partner with them uh on this project. I think it's, as Councelor Crawford said, a great use of our half funding and our BFF funding to help move a project like this forward that's going to be able to provide that much needed uh assistance to so many people. I do want to take a moment just to to thank staff for this. Um staff started working on this. Reached out to Habitat back in April. Spent an incredible amount of time on this. Um I've had several meetings with them. Um a lot of work has gone into it to get us to this stage. And this is a project that hopefully can move very very quickly and get those shovels in the ground in an area um that is that is ready for this type of development and and again as I said much needed. It's been an incredibly tight time frame. staff have worked very closely with Habitat um to negotiate this this arrangement and and I wish we could speak further about it but but again this is in camera uh discussion and just for anybody watching council did have a very lengthy discussion about an hour and a half on all aspects of this um just can't be shared at this time. This has gone through the full process. this has gone undergone thorough thorough thorough discussion with with members of staff and and Habitat to bring it to the stage and and again staff driven and you've done an incredible job. So thank you um I think from all of us and I'll ask seeing nobody else on the speakers list for the clerk to open the vote please. And I will note that carries unanimously. Thank you everyone. So now getting back to our regular agenda and I uh go into question period to the clerk. Were there any questions posed by members of the public for question period? >> Three you Mr. Chair. No questions today. >> Okay. Thank you. uh our first delegation presentation, the board's commitment to engage with the community uh from Durham Regional Police. I understand Vice Chair Fiser u had another commitment and was unable to stay on the line and board member John Fehee is going to be doing this presentation. Is that correct? >> Yes, through you, Mr. Chair. We do have them on the line. So I would recommend John at this time if you could click the button at the bottom of your screen which is the head with the lines emanating from it. We can turn on your microphone. >> Okay. I'm going to turn on both John and executive director Bill Clancy. Um gentlemen, thank you for being here representing the board. I do apologize for the delay. Um but we we did have to go in camera first. My apologies. And you guys have been on the clock for quite a long time today since we all of us presented at Ashawa Council this morning at 9:30. So I'm not going to do this one. Over to board member Fahi to please uh do the presentation on behalf of Diggel. Please Bill, I believe you are sharing your screen. If so, you should have a popup asking you which screen you would like to share. You can select your presentation from that popup. just confirming that you can hear me, Bill. >> I can hear you, Jacqueline. I'm just uh picking it up here. One moment. Bear with me. >> No problem. Thank you. Bill, do you see your presentation as an option? >> No, I don't. But if it's in the PDF and uh it's not showing as one of the options. But here, if I can Um, to the clerk, can this be emailed to you and you can run the slideshow on our end? >> Uh, yes. We don't need We have a copy of it already. We can run the slideshow. >> Why don't we just run it on our end and and go ahead. Um, chair, uh, just, uh, in the interest of time, perhaps if the, uh, police board could just start the presentation and then the, uh, presentation catch up. I just want to be cognizant of the longing ahead of us. Well, um it's only six slides and having just given this this morning, I believe all of the information is outlined in the slides. So, yeah. Um Mr. Fe, if you want to go ahead or would you rather wait for the slides? There you go. Go ahead. When ready. Bill and John, I just want to ensure that you can hear us. Your presentation is showing on screen, but we cannot hear you if you've started to present. Do you mind testing your audio with me, Bill? >> I'm here, Jacine. I don't see Mr. Fahhee's camera on, but uh I can hear you just fine. >> Perfect. I can hear you as well. John, can you hear us? >> We can't hear or see you, John. >> Jeez, Bill, you might be given the presentation or me. >> However you like to proceed, Mr. Chair. I don't know if I have you emailed it to me. >> I can do that at the moment if you'd like. >> Why don't we do that? Because this is this is already going to be a long day and you guys have already waited quite a while. Get it to the top of my email. >> I've sent them, Mr. Chair. >> All right, hold on. All right. I don't have it yet. Okay, I just pulled up the ones you sent me on the 18th. We'll go from there. Okay. I'll I'll just Well, let's give John one more chance. He's still in the waiting room here. No, he's John, stop pressing your button. Okay. Uh board member Fahi, can can say something? Can we hear you? Okay, I'm just going to go ahead. So, slide one. Um, today we've got board members John Fehee and and executive director Bill Clancy. I'm not sure if Deputy Chief Yandel made it or not. I can't see you on screen, but or in the list, but um there may be some other members from DRPS here. I'm not sure if the chief is here either, but hit your button if you are. Pledge for us to present our annual community safety update today to Ajax Council. Next slide, please, Jacqueline. There we go. Uh just start a little bit of an opening of of what the board is comprised of. The police service board is composed of seven members from regional council. The appointees are myself, Asha Mayor Dan Carter, and regional counselor Willie Woo from Clarington. Karen Fischer is the regional council citizen appointee and the pro provincial appointments are member John Eker and John Fahhei and there's currently one provincial vacancy of the board. Next slide please. I'll start by providing a few key areas of focus for the board at the current time. First the 2024 to 2027 strategic plan is a foundation for policing priorities in our region. We're now in the third year of our plan which identifies three broad goals. number one, be a leader in modern and innovative policing. Number two, to enhance partnerships, and three, to build trust and confidence in the DRPS. We have performance measures to monitor progress with regular updates to the board, as well as a presentation from the service of one of the key areas of the plan at our regular monthly meetings. Second is DRPS leadership. Uh, as you may be aware, the board recently extended Chief Morera's term to 2032. This extension recognizes the chief's outstanding leadership during a period of significant growth and change. The board also re announced last week the selection of two new deputy chiefs, Ryan Connelly, who's been acting DRPS deputy chief for about the last year, and Churag Bat, who goes by Chi, uh, from York Regional Police. These appointments take effect on July 1st, 2026, and we're very excited about the leadership skill they will bring to our police service. Third, the long-term service and financing strategy for the DRPS. There's been significant investments in the DRPS in recent years, and we acknowledge the support received from regional council, especially in the higher area of staffing. In the last two years, we've added almost 300 officers to authorize strength. However, significant investment is also needed in our capital infrastructure. With the population growth and the demands upon the DRPS, we need to ensure that our police facilities are equipped to deliver moderate and effective services to the community and are safe and healthy workplaces for our members. We'll continue to work with the region to address the services financial and capital needs. And fourth, you're aware that last summer a report was issued by the provincial police oversight agency following a multi-year investigation into the board and the service. We're working with the Inspector General of Policing to implement the report's recommendations, and significant changes have occurred since the period covered by the report, and the board and the chief are fully committed to transparency, accountability, and the health and well-being of our members and the workplaces that they occupy. Next slide, please. As the board strives to maintain and strengthen public trust in the DRPS, we continue to increase our visibility and level of engagement with the community. Quarterly updates are provided to regional council and we're attending all the local municipal councils this spring and early summer. We've also had d we've also had dialogue with the chief and council of the missagas of Skugog Island First Nation and are aiming to meet local MPPPS to keep them informed about policing matters and to advocate for support in the area of community safety. The board's also making presentations to school boards and meeting other groups with a focus on youth. Board members continue to attend a wide range of events and fundraisers this year in support of local events and charities and these groups rely on donations from our community and the police service board will continue to be there to support them. The board also recently endorsed and is promoting the services launch of the community safety portal. This new online tool provides a wealth of information about crime and public safety in all communities across Durham. And the portal is accessible through drps.ca CA and the address uh should be right here at the bottom of this slide. By increasing visibility, transparency, and engagement, the board and the service are seeking to enhance community trust and confidence to drive even better public safety outcomes. Next slide, please. Uh regional results for 2025. Um the annual report will be released next week, but we do have some preliminary data that I can share today. There is little change in overall crime and crime rates in Durham region in 2025. The number of violent incidents went up by 1.5% and the number of property crimes decreased by 1%. And when population increases are factored in, the rates of both violent and property crime per 100,000 population went down, which is really positive news for our community and a trend we hope will continue. Um, with regards to road safety, we know this is very important priority in Durham. Collisions were marginally lower by 0.7% taking into account the increase of people and traffic. This is a very good outcome. Response times to emergencies is another area that has been a key area of focus for the DRPS. The medium response time in 2025 was about the same as the year before, but still almost one minute longer than the year before that. We expect to see more positive results in this area with the staffing investments that have made in recent years. Next slide, please. I want to draw your attention to a few particularly important accomplishments in the last year. First, there was a major decrease in autotheft down by a further 11% in 2025, which is almost 25% since 2023. Funding from the provincial government enabled the DRPS to establish a team dedicated exclusively to autotheft and this team has produced amazing results. Uh the second is compliance checks. The volume of checks conducted by officers has increased exponentially in recent years by 38% in 2025 alone. If you are an offender who's been released in Durham, the police are keeping an eye on you. And we're very proud of the provincial bail compliance dashboard that was created by the DRPS and Toronto Police, which has been expanded provincewide to share information about offenders on bail. Third, we've made significant progress under Chief Morera's leadership in diversity, equity, inclusion. Our youth and policing program continues to expand with over 200 students enrolled in 2025. This program is designed to equip young people with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to make a positive impact within their lives and communities and to enhance their understanding and appreciation of diversity. And we're also pleased that the percentage of new officers who are racialized or indigenous increased to 29% in 2025. Following an independent assessment of the DRPS, important investments are being made into building inclusive workspaces and practices through more in-depth education, training, and planning. Last slide. The board's committed to staying connected with the community. Our website includes a wealth of information including annual reports, the strategic plan and diversity plan, policies, budgets, and details about our meetings including agendas and minutes. Board meetings usually take place on the third Tuesday of the month at 8:30 a.m. at regional council chambers in Whitby. The calendar is on our website. We would welcome you and members of the public to be there in person or to watch the meeting online. And that concludes the presentation. Happy to answer any questions. John, you want to try again? See if I can hear you. No, he's gone again. Okay. Councelor Lee, I see you first in the speakers box. Uh, thank you, Chair. I know it's a long meeting, so I'll make this quick. Um, how would one connect with the Durham Region Police Service Board? So, I know like the elected officials, you, uh, Mayor Carter, region counselor Woo all have, you know, publicly available email addresses. Do board members have available DRPS or DRPS board email addresses? >> If you go to drps.ca, you will find all not not CA, sorry. And Bill, I might need you to help me on here of where the board members information is actually located because I'm not sure if it's on the regular site or a separate board page. >> So, if you go to policeboard.ca/board membership, it has your personal bios and the members, but like no actual email addresses for any of you. The reason I ask is, let me just finish the slide. The reason I ask is um so like you know we're very famous in the news right now, the $1 billion tenure um DRPS um financing strategy. And really it was the politicians um that took the brunt of that criticism of whether to you know whose fault it is when really the first gap the first step of this was um the police board um approving um this to come to regional council for financing. And it's it's just it's just one of these weird things where yeah, the elected officials on the board are known, but like these other civilian members or the appointees, they there's some there's some anonymity there where they get to not necessarily feel the brunt of the criticism of the constituency who's in charge of, you know, paying for this. So, I was wondering just is there is there an outlet outside of just the general DRPS board email where people we can filter emails to individuals being like, "Oh, yeah. I I also agree with you. Can you talk to these people? Yep. No, fair question. And I can say as chair of the board, people seem to have no issue at all reaching me. And kind of like being mayor kind of chair of this board, um I tend to get a lot of the complaints. So I don't think people have access have problems reaching us, but I do take your point of all the board members contact information should be available. Um executive director Clancy, can you speak to that? Are our email addresses and contact information available on our site or is this something that you know where could where could they be accessed? >> Oh, he left. Hold on. So, uh, Bill, don't press your button again once it's red. Just leave it. >> All of the correspondence to board members, uh, is coordinated through the executive assistance. So, her email address is alongo drps.ca. CA and any messages that are sent to the attention of board members are sent to her and then distributed to board members from that from that email. So we act in a in a similar way to how the clerks would if they were to receive emails for counselors uh they would then be distributed to counselors. So we serve essentially as that uh distributor liaison to the board. I can say, councelor Lee, like I don't personally have a a separate DRPS email. When I correspond, I'm corresponding from my Ajax email. Um, rightly or wrongly, maybe that's something we should look at. Um, but yeah, that they they don't have their own personal DRPS emails. >> Okay, that's fine. I appreciate you looking into that for me. Um, la last question is um, so there's a current investigation. Um I'm not going to go into the allegations, but um it's being overseen by a third party board. What is the name of the that investigative board? What's the name of that? >> Uh if it's the one against the deputy chief, then it's called LEA, the law enforcement civilian >> um association, whatever it is. Yeah. >> Um is there an email that you know uh constituents, residents, um politicians could email to find out the status of that um current investigation? I doubt it, but I can tell you the status of that investigation. That investigation has been completed. Um, we've been reaching out to them ourselves a couple of times in the last 30 days. I think we've reached out to them twice and the answer is the same. It's been completed. It's with legal. It's under review and it has not been released to us yet. Um so just um the the release ultimately would come down to the police board first and then the police board any action would be taken um by the police board. Is that correct? >> Correct. And I can tell you it is very frustrating for us to have a high-ranking member of command off on paid leave. We still have to move forward um while this investigation takes place. I don't know why an investigation like this takes, you know, up to 6 months. It seems pretty simple, cut and dry to me, but it is the system and we have to follow the system. As soon as we get it, I will be convening a special board meeting and we will be having a discussion with the board and any uh decisions that come out of that will be um will be not the public will be notified. Absolutely. As well as >> appreciate that. Looking forward to those uh to those answers. Thank you, Chair. >> Yep. Uh councelor Henry, you're next. Thank you. Um, I have a few questions here. Just let me get to my notes here. >> Just just one second. Councelor Henry. Um, >> the report mentions >> Council Henry. One second. Um, John, can you try speak again? Have you figured your mic out? >> Don't press the red button again. Just you press the red button again. Go ahead, Council Henry. I'm good. >> Yeah, go ahead. >> Okay. Excellent. So, the report speaks to uh violent crimes and property crimes. Violent crimes at 1.5% plus and property crimes at a minus uh percentage. Now, I'm just trying to understand this. Does the rates decrease when the when they're adjusted for population? >> Uh no. Uh that that's why I said they those were positive figures because when you factor in population growth, the fact that those measurements stay fairly static means we're keeping up with the population growth. >> You know, you would expect to see those statistics being higher >> given population growth. >> Okay. And the the report speaks to um emergency emergency response time. I think it was 9.53 minutes, which seems unchanged from 2024, but almost one minute longer than 2023. Is that correct? >> Yes, those are the current statistics. And are those statistics uh regionwide or specific to municipalities? >> My understanding is those are regionwide. And I'll just explain that measure uh a little bit and I would prefer the chief to be here because he obviously the board is sort of the 20,000 foot oversight um of the organization as a whole. We set the strategic plan. we set the you know the the guard rails where the chief is the one in charge of the operation and the allocation of resources everything else the response time is one measure and I believe that is the measure of the um highest classified calls that we would get like the most urgent calls that we would get I believe um that's not a measure of all calls That is like the 911s. We got to get there in a hurry. That's the the time. Um, as as you would expect, if we Oh, I'm going to bring Deputy Chief Yandel in. I see her now. and she can probably answer this much much better but my my kind of layman's term is um that that has increased but we the fact that it is um over the last year maintained I think is a direct correlation to the 300 new officers that have come on board and the simple fact that given those extra bodies we can now respond faster and keep up and as long as we maintain that cop to pop type thing hopefully we can stay up with it keep up with it or maybe even reduce it. Um, Deputy Chief Yandel, are you there? Can you say something? Don't press your red button again. It's all you're already should be live. I can't see you or hear you. Okay, we'll try again if she comes back. Maybe the clerk, can you let her in? Um, one other thing I forgot to mention that affects the response time is the time on scene and clearance rates are taking longer. Sometimes these things are more and more in-depth and officers are having to stay on site longer to deal with a lot of these things and that's affecting the response times as well. Deputy Chief, are you are you here? Okay. is still having some some techni Mr. Mayor. I'm going to ask my next follow-up question and then if the deputy chief is there, I gladly take a response. Uh my next question uh mentions the presentation. Um addressing provincial oversight recommendations is in there. Um but what it doesn't explain is uh three things. What the recommendations were, whether they were all been completed, and any remaining risk. Okay. Um and I I've read that that report and obviously um the IG inspector general is our oversight body. So they are the ones reviewing the recommendations both the redacted and the unredacted of the 33 and making the decision on whether these are complete or not. So that is the measure that we're going to go by. My understanding is they were satisfied with and I don't have the wording in front of me. I I can pull it up and read it to you actually because it just came in not that long ago. Uh there it is from the inspector general. The inspector general policing Ryan Tesner leads the IOP sees merit and dear uh there it is. The inspector general is satisfied by the progress made by the servers and board thus far. Details about the implementation status of the OCPC recommendations will be made publicly available on the IOP's website in the coming weeks. So, that's what we've got and that's that's sort of the the script I have to stick to right now. Um, I know I spoke publicly at one of our things about our progress. Um, but it's the the IG is is the one who is overseeing us and and is making that determination. So, so far they are satisfied that the progress we have made and their oversight continues and we still are working towards achieving and we won't ever achieve all 33 recommendations because some do not fall under uh his oversight but all of the ones that do we we are still working towards. And at that time when you can speak to this further, will you be able to speak to if there's any remaining um risk? >> My personal belief is there's no risk. >> Um I would have much preferred, as I've said many, many times that this report came out unredacted and the the OCPC did their job, but they didn't. And so we've been dealing with this thing I inherited for the last year or so and we're still getting through it. As as we we complete them like like I'd mentioned in the statement, the the IG will be reporting on their site. >> Okay. Thank you. >> All right. Um, Deputy Chief, are you uh don't press don't press your red button, but try and speak. See if we can hear you. Okay. Still some technical difficulties. Uh, I'm not seeing any other members of council on the speakers list. So, I guess um, Executive Director Clansancy, Deputy Chief Yandel, uh, board member John Fahi, thank you for being here today. I apologize again for the delay. and getting you on here. >> Thank you, Mayor Collier. >> Our next presentation, equity, diversity, and inclusion strategic framework, Mary Carmen, Lara Velo, Velva. I get it. >> You got that right. You got that right. >> My Spanish kicking in. Okay. Equity, diversity, and inclusion advisor. >> Much good afternoon. Thank you through you, Mr. share. I am just going to share my screen. Just give me a moment here. Please let me know if you can see it. I think you can see it. So, um So, good afternoon everyone. I'm really happy to be here and I understand there are over 30 items in the agenda ahead of me. So, I'm going to try and be brief. Um, I'm very proud to present the draft EDI strategic framework this afternoon. Um, I just want to say that this work began uh last fall as we reflected on the significant equity related initiatives that were already taking place in the town. And while we recognized that there was important progress that was being made, it also became increasingly clear that we needed a framework to bring more coherence, consistency and accountability to the work. So I will be presenting uh the draft um in the next few slides. Um before the before discussing this framework itself, I just want to acknowledge um and want to thank uh members of council and the senior management team for their continued support of equity related work over the many years. As you can see here, I am referring to the previous documents that have become the foundation of the framework that I am presenting today from the diversity and community engagement plan that was published in 2010 to the diversity uh and community engagement plan that the second phase of it that was published later in 2017 and internally we had the workforce census uh and now uh the ED strategic framework. So, um, in no way, you know, we are claiming novelty. Uh, the town's commitment to equity, accessibility, anti-racism, and inclusion long predates my tenure here in the town. And this framework builds on on years of work that has been under undertaken by staff, by leadership, by advisory bodies and by community members. Um, so as I always say, you know, equity is a collective effort and this is approve of that. Um but what is distinct about this framework is its timing um and its development process and but what I mean by that is that uh every equity framework um or equity strategic plan uh equity document uh as you will is a product of its moment. It responds to evolving demographics, emerging challenges, changes in uh the cultural landscape, community priorities and leading and best practices in equity. So this framework reflects the realities of Ajax today and was developed in house which is another uh unique aspect of it. It was developed in house through a communityinformed process relying on internal institutional knowledge and allowing it to be grounded in the town's unique context, our experiences and our priorities. Another thing that is uh unique about this framework is that it centers reconciliation as a distinct responsibility. Throughout the development of the framework, we realized and through conversations with our indigenous advisory um circle and what with uh our indigenous partners, we realized that um there was a need to have a distinct uh section on reconciliation. We also recognized as equity practitioners that uh reconciliation is not the same as EDI and uh it requires its own um work and its own uh commitments and so we are working uh in consultation with MSFIN. We are very proud of the work that we are conducting and sort of the engagement that we are uh leading um with them and that um that this the section that uh that speaks to reconciliation work for the town is um in consultation with them. We already sent a draft to them. We received the draft with several recommendations and revisions. We are looking forward to working on those revisions in the coming days. Um in terms of our methodology um our strategic framework is informed by a mixed methods engagement um and it includes survey responses inerson consultation and pop-ups uh internal staff engagement um consultations with our advisories and review of past existing past and present existing sorry past and existing edi documents. Um the data was triangulated to identify consistent themes. Um so essentially what we did is we reviewed the the consultation notes, the survey responses and the engagement feedback from uh from the methods that I uh that I explained and uh we identify recurring patterns and themes and priorities. Then the findings were then compared across engagement methods um and participant groups uh to identify consistent themes, areas of divergence and and opportunities for action. Um, so what we heard from the community, one of the most important findings from the consultation process was that residents rarely spoke about equity as an abstract concept or as you know representation alone. Um, instead they spoke about their ability to access services, to navigate municipal systems, to participate in programs, to move safely through public spaces, and to obtain information when they needed it. So, um, in other words, residents experienced equity through access. Whether the issue was affordability, accessibility, transportation, recreation, communication, or community safety, participants consistently connected equity to the material conditions that shape everyday life. So, some of the key themes that emerged uh and I'm just going to go uh quickly over them. uh accessibility barriers in facilities, infrastructure, uh transportation, recreation, dig digital systems, affordability as a barrier to participation. We heard about the difficulty in accessing information and navigating town services, ongoing concerns regarding homo uh homophobia, transphobia, anti-blackness, and anti-Muslim racism amongst other forms of discrimination. Um there was a desire for more transparent communication, for more accountability and a need for meaningful engagement in uh and and meaningful engagement that can inform decision making processes. So as we reviewed the data, there were clear patterns that began to surface around accountability, decision making, uh service delivery, workforce experiences and community relationships. um these themes became the foundation of the framework uh five pillars and I'm just going to um quickly go over uh these pillars. The first one is leadership and accountability. So what we heard was the need for stronger reporting, yearly reporting uh transparency around that and measurable outcomes. The second pillar will be policy and decision making. Um so what we heard was uh the importance of considering equity earlier in planning policy uh policy development and resource allocation. So one example that was raised uh that I would like to share here um it was raised through our accessibility consultation was uh winter maintenance. So when roads are cleared before sidewalks and pathways uh are clear some residents lose access altogether. So this is an illustration of why accessibility and equity considerations need to be built into planning and operational decisions from the outset. Um another um another the third pillar is service delivery. So um residents identified and articulated the need to move from reactive accommodation to proactive accessibility and universal design. So here again we see the the the call for a reactive approach uh one that waits for uh sorry a reactive approach the critique to a reactive approach which which is the one that waits for residents to tell us that you know they couldn't participate um instead a proactive approach asks beforehand whether uh things like cost uh transportation language uh communication accessibility or other barriers may prevent some residents from accessing a service, a program or an opportunity. The next pillar will be work uh workforce equity and what we heard internally was the consistency for leadership support uh sorry consistent leadership leadership support equitable hiring practices and practical implementation. Um, so staff consistently told us that they value equity, that they know that their teams value equity, but often aren't sure how to apply equity principles. So, for instance, a manager may support equity in principle, but not know how to facilitate an accommodation or how to address, you know, recurring uh workplace concerns or how to create development opportunities uh equitably across their team. Um, so what we heard was that workforce equity is not just about hiring diverse talent, but it's also about ensuring that managers and supervisors have the tools to support and uh uh uh to support staff and accountability is needed to create those equitable um workplace experiences. The the fifth pillar is uh community engagement. So what we heard is the the need for ongoing relationships, meaningful relationship, meaningful participation and community informed decision uh making. Um so um one of the questions throughout um throughout the consultations, one of the questions that we heard consistently was um how will we know that we're making progress? So we are proposing a combination of quantitative and qualitative measures because we know that numbers alone cannot tell uh the whole story. On the quantitative side, we will look at indicators such as uh workforce census. Um we're planning to do uh our next workforce census in the coming couple of years. Um so looking at those findings uh participation trends accessibility related issues uh service utilization patterns and demographic data uh we know that the census um the census data will be that data will be available at some point uh next year. So uh looking forward to uh understanding how that data reflects the changes of the town. um and these help help us understand and identify patterns, gaps and areas of uh that require our attention. On the qualitative side, uh we will continue listening to what residents have to say to what staff and our advisory bodies are telling us uh their experiences navigating services, programs, facilities, and um engagement processes. uh because we know that these often reveal the barriers that uh sometimes data alone cannot capture. Um importantly we are trying to move beyond measuring activity alone which is again what I was alluding to at the beginning of my presentation. Um the question is not just or should not just be you know how many trainings were delivered or how many consultations were held but whether barriers are being reduced whether access is improving uh if residents and staff are experienc experiencing more equitable outcomes over time. Um so as part of this work we will continue developing tools including an equity impact assessment tool to help the per uh departments better understand how decisions affect different communities and where adjustments may be needed. Uh and actually the uh equity impact assessment tool was uh a recommendation that came through one of our consultations with one of our one of our advisories um because we know there's a need uh for measurable outcomes um and that emerged like I said consistently throughout our consultation process. um residents, advisor bodies and staff all emphasize that accountability and and is important and the need to understand whether our policies, our services and the decisions that we are making are actually reducing barriers and creating equitable conditions. Um, the equity impact assessment tool is intended to support that work by helping us move um by helping us um sorry by helping us move beyond um activities completed and um begin asking more substantive questions uh about impact about access and about outcomes. Um right now you across the board many municipalities can tell you how many people attended a consultation, how many permits were issued, how many grants were distributed, but how um but the questions that are much more harder to respond to are who is benefiting from from those programs, who is being left out, uh why and what can be done about it. So, the purpose of this tool is to help us ask those questions more consistently and build the evidence that's needed to make more informed um and equitable decisions. Um, I think that's it for me. Thank you very much. I'm going to stop sharing. Oh, >> thank you very much. We have um some questions. Councelor Henry, you're first. >> Uh, thank you, Mr. Mayor um uh Dr. Mary Karman, you have answered a lot of my questions already uh through your presentation. So I will ask two questions of you. Um what's next and how can we make it operational? And the second question which I think you've alluded to is how the proposed EDI framework will be integrated into the planning decisions going forward. example, accessibility, transparency, accountability, meaningful engagement, and reducing barriers. And you spoke about some of that. I believe uh when we talked about the roads, the clearing, the snow, different different things that you've mentioned, there are a lot of concerns for my ward has brought to me. So, unless you have more to add, I'll go back to what's next and how can we make it operational. >> Yeah, thank you so much. uh through the cherry uh to councelor Henry. Thanks for that question. Um so I guess let me let me start by saying that the framework is not intended to create a separate uh stream of work. The purpose is to strengthen how we how the existing work is being planned, deliver and evaluate it. So one of the um the uh next um tasks for me as a practitioner and as the advisor is to meet with each director and to discuss the framework to make sure that um they understand how to make meaning of it. I always say that say that equity is um is like a muscle that we need to exercise that we need to um you know um we need to reflect on it. we need to practice and then we need to repeat uh to strengthen that muscle. So my plan is to meet with each uh director um and discuss the framework make sure that they understand what it means share some of the data with them so that they can also hear what residents have to say and then respond to questions and make sure that um the the framework is a document to be read. And this is something I share with uh senior management when when I uh presented this to them. Um I am very grateful for the reception that uh that I know it's there and for the the uh commitment to engage with us as an EDI team to uh continue strengthening this work. And and one thing that I always say about um equity documents is that if we don't continuously consistently engage with them, if we don't read them, if we don't ask questions about them, they can become um you know digit they can collect digital dust if you will um because they they're not uh operationalized. So my goal is to meet with the directors to to present uh the framework. We're also planning to do a um an event to to share the the findings with the community to allow community to ask questions to make sure sure that we validate these findings with them. Um we're also waiting for uh MSFIN to um to finalize the reconciliation uh section of it. That section will also inform some of the pillars of of the framework as well. So um yeah in terms of next steps I think these are some of the next steps that I can share with you. >> So let me ask you one final thing. What does success look like a year from now, three years from now, five years from now? What does that look like to you? >> Yeah. So I think short-term success will mean that people are familiar with the framework that there's an awareness that these pillars exist that uh there is uh an interest in asking questions um once we develop the tool the equity tool um it will be a structured decision making tool uh that I hope that in you know three years from for from now will be something that is consistently used by staff that is a tool that no longer needs to be referred refer to as a document but more so as a habit that all of us now embrace and and practice. Um and I think success also will look like um having data. I think it's important that we collect data about um who um how our programs, services, policies are impacting positively or not the residents and what can be done about um you know the gaps that we find. Uh reporting is also really important. So I think if we can um sort of establish that uh reporting mechanism that's consistent that's the transparency that I think um is something I heard throughout the the consultation uh or the consultations that we did um transparency and consistency in reporting and accountability. So um I think um success would mean um in a few years or in five years would look like having ensuring that the communities the barriers that were identified by communities are no longer uh barriers and that um this this uh tool that I mentioned becomes a habit um that is consistently used in in how we in how we plan um and develop policy. Well, thank you for your report. You've um you you've come and presented at the Ajax accessibility committee as well and uh you've been a welcome addition to the town of Ajax and just a true delight to work with. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Um councelor Bower, you are next, but excuse me. I I'm going to bring the motion or sorry, the report forward for discussion item 8.1. Can I get a mover and a second or please get it on the floor? Moved by councelor Lee, second by councelor Bower. Just in order of what you appeared um that item 8.1 be brought forward. So that is now on the floor if you want to discuss the report with um Dr. Mary Karman as well. Councelor Bower, you are next. >> Thank you, Mayor Collier. Good afternoon, Dr. Villanova. It's very nice to see you and thank you for your excellent presentation. Um, my questions actually have been answered. Um, one of the slides, first of all, I I would I would like to say I appreciate the acknowledgement on slide three that centering reconciliation has a distinct responsibility and that it is not the same as EDI. So, I think that's very very important, very crucial. I thank you for for making that, you know, a prominent piece of information. And then there was a slide in your presentation that that I don't think was included in ours which is what my question was going to be. Uh in the report on page 34 of the agenda, it talked about um to support the implementation of the framework, there would be um development of assessment tools um assessment tools, evaluation matrices and review processes that can help departments consider the equity impacts of policies, programs, services, engagement activities and the resource allocation decisions So I was going to ask you to speak a little bit about that but I I believe that slide that that you made uh that you had talks about that. So is there anything uh and I didn't see it ahead of time so so that was going to be my question if you had any additional comments on that. >> Yeah thank you for that through the chair. Thank you for that uh council power. Um so one of the themes that emerged throughout the consultations with community as well as with um the internal consultation that we did uh with staff was with community. The question is how do we know that um you know the the programs and services and policies are responding to the needs of community and residents and that barriers are being removed. Um internally the question was how do we make decisions? Um, how do we um follow a a structured decision making tool or are there any the question was are there any uh equity matrix or matrices that can be used when we make decisions about for instance um you know um how is a community event plan when community um when different community members reach out to us uh in support for um you organizing community events. What is the matrix that guides those decisions and how is this matrix or structured um you know decision making tool if we will if we had one how will it be articulated um which questions will be um part of that process? Who will identify those questions? And so we externally we heard from community you know there is a lack of transparency in how decisions are made and internally we heard from staff we don't really have uh you know a structured decision making tool an equity equity grounded uh structured decision making tool that can guide us as we make those decisions. And so it was through that process and that analysis of data internally and externally that uh we recognized okay we need to identify uh a way of solving this problem and kind of uh addressing this gap and in one of the consultations uh with uh one of our advisories it was actually the anti-racist task force one of our members uh brought that up as an idea and um it just made sense you know we heard that from from community. We heard it from staff and then we got a solution offered by one of our advisory um committee members and this is how we decided that it was a good idea to to uh create this equity impact assessment tool is under development and um the one of the reasons why it's not included in the framework is as you can see from the trajectory of the story I'm telling you it came later in the in the process um and so I I didn't want to create something and rush the process and do something that I wasn't proud of that wasn't done with, you know, with rigor. And so I decided that I was going to just say we're working on it and uh and it's something that uh we will hopefully have ready within the next uh couple of months, maybe less. >> Yeah. Thank you so much. I appreciate all that information and it's wonderful to see the groups working together to come up to name what the issues are and then to come up with solutions. So I appreciate that work very much. Thank you. And that was that was the rest of my question. Thank you mayor. >> Question. >> You are welcome. Not seeing anybody else in the speakers list. Um Dr. Lara V. I said it wrong this time. My apologies. Thank you for your presentation today and for the report. Um, we have the motion on the floor. I'll just read it. Moved by council Lee, second by councelor uh Bower. That council approve in principle the drafts town the draft towns equity, diversity, and inclusion strategic framework attachment one. and that council direct public and strategic affairs to complete consultation on the town's land acknowledgement and finalize the town's equity, diversity, inclusion strategy framework. Seeing no other speakers in the speakers list, please open the vote. That carries. Okay. Thank you. Moving on to our next item. Item 5.3, presentation celebrating the 50th anniversary of the visit of the 8th HMS Ajax. We have Samantha Patterson, supervisor of government and council relations. Miss Patterson, please go ahead. >> Thank you and good afternoon. Um, see if my presentation is coming up on screen. There we go. Excellent. Uh, so thank you for the opportunity to talk about the town's recent celebration of the 50th anniversary of the HMS Ajax visit. I'll uh I'll start with a quick bit of history. During the Second World War, the federal government established Defense Industries Limited on what was then farmland. Thousands of workers arrived to support Canada's wartime effort, and this fast growing community needed a name that captured the spirit of the moment. The name Ajax was inspired by a defining early naval victory in World War II, the battle of the riverplate where the HMS Ajax, HMS Exit, and HMS Achilles engaged the German pocket battleship, the Gaff Graph Bay near Monteo, Uruguay. That action would become widely recognized as a symbol of courage and determination for a community born of wartime production and resilience. And the name Ajax was chosen to reflect that same resolve. The relationship between the town and the Royal Navy as well as the HMS Ajax and Veterans Association deepened in the decades that followed. And in 1963, Ajax Mayor William Parish attended the commissioning of the eighth Royal Navy vessel to carry the name Ajax and formally invited that ship to visit its Canadian namesake. It did take some time, but eventually on August 25th, 1976, the eighth HMS Ajax docked at the Ashawa Harbor, making it a long- aaited visit that became one of the town's most celebrated moments. So by celebrating this anniversary as we have over the decades since the visit in 1976, it's given us an opportunity to continue to strengthen our ties with the HMS Ajax and Riverplate Veterans Association to teach our community about the resiliency and the sacrifice which our community was founded on and to build civic pride and a stronger sense of community. To mark the 50th anniversary, 19 veterans of the 8th HMS Ajax returned to town with their families, making the anniversary a deeply personal and emotional experience. They engaged with residents. They attended ceremonies, and they took part in community events throughout the week. Hosting veterans highlighted the community's respect, our recognition, and the importance of preserving living history. On May 30th, the town and council, the veterans and their families, current and former elected officials, members of the Ashawa Legion Color Guard and Royal Canadian SeaCadet Corps Ajax came together for a special welcome event at the Ashawa port. This special gathering included a procession along the Ashawa Pier where the HMS Ajax landed 50 years ago, as well as a special presentation of Freedom of the Town pins to the veterans. This is in recognition of the freedom of the town that was given to the crew of the Ajax 50 years ago. This highlight uh this is the highest honor that can be bestowed on a visiting military unit. And in practice, what it did was to allow the crew to carry their weapons as they paraded Harwood Avenue with swords raised, bayonets fixed, and colors flying, marking a powerful ceremony of friendship, respect, and shared history. On June 1st, the town celebrated the official opening of the HMS Ajax pop-up exhibit at 25 Mil Street. The exhibit featured more than 40 rarelyseen artifacts and photos, including the uniform of Admiral Sir Henry Harwood, the Royal Navy officer famous for commanding the British squadron during the Battle of the River Plate in 1939, tools that were used at the DIL munitions plant, the original Freedom of the Town Proclamation from 1976, and items from the 8th HMS Ajax, including the bell, which is now rung at the start of Ajax Council meetings, silver menu holders, and a hat from one the crew. The exhibit was created by the commendable team at the Ajax Library. Over two weeks, more than 230 individuals came to the exhibit, including students from Lincoln Alexander Public School. I'd also like to mention that during their visit, the veterans did make several donations to the archives, and there are two standout uh standout items that I'd like to mention. One of them was the original daily logs that was made by the ship's crew of the eighth HMS Ajax to the fleet commander from the fall of 1976. And another was an original copy of the crew manifest or the muster list uh also from 1976. On June 2nd and 4th, the town hosted 12 street dedications and one street visit. As council knows, our street naming policy includes namings for veterans of the Battle of the Riverplate and was later updated to include the crew of the 8th HMS Ajax, which visit visited in 76. Residents from the neighborhood surrounding the streets were invited to join the celebrations and to meet the veterans for whom their streets were named. I'd like to recognize and thank Ajax Fire who hosted a fantastic outdoor barbecue for the vets on Tuesday amidst the street dedications, including a tour of the fire headquarters and an opportunity to see those vehicles. On June 3rd, a number of veterans visited Southwood Park Public School where they taught the students about life in the Navy and shared their first memories of Ajax. uh about 150 students participated in this very unique learning opportunity and we received tremendous feedback from the school following that assembly. On June 4th, the town and council are visiting veterans, members of the of the Ajax Legion, bomb girl Louise Johnson and others came together at Legion branch 322 to celebrate the week and the anniversary with pipers cloggers and a few special presentations commemorating the important relationship between the HMS Ajax and Battle of the Riverplate Veterans Association as well as the town with hopes that this special relationship will continue. There were a number of functions that occurred outside of the town's planning, including um the Legion's D-Day service on June 6th, as well as a very special invitation from Mayor Collier to participate and attend the uh Ajax Miris Gala later that same day. So, just a quick recap of the celebrations. We had 19 veterans of the 8th HMS Ajax and 35 family members and friends visit. We hosted 12 street dedications and one street visit and four town initiated events. There were 150 students who had the opportunity to learn about the HMS Ajax and naval life at the Southwood Park School assembly. And the HMS Ajax popup contained more than 40 rarelyseen artifacts and photos. And more than 230 people stopped by to learn more about the town's history. So just as I wrap up, I would like to acknowledge the planning and dedication of Jennifer Lurman, Nimra Khan, and Ashley Adams, who managed this week of events, as well as Ajax Library and their archivist for the creation of the incredible popup exhibit. I'd also like to add uh that through the celebrations, we are hosting a treasure hunt that will bring residents to a variety of meaningful and historic locations throughout the town for a chance to win a prize. That hunt is open until June 30th and you can find the first clue at ajax.ca/hmsjax50. Uh so thank you council for this opportunity to share what was an incredible event and learning opportunity for our community. >> Thank you, Miss Patterson, and um thank you for your presentation. It was a great opportunity to really promote the history of the town of Ajax with and and celebrate the 50th anniversary. I mean, there's still a lot of people that don't know that our streets are named after the sailors that served on HMS Ajax, Achilles, and Exit, for instance. Um, it's just a great opportunity to learn. And you beat me to it and thanking um thanking staff, thanking Jennifer and and Nimra and and Ashley and whoever else involved. I apologize if I was if I missed anybody. It was really really well done and it was recognized by the veterans very much. They said it's much of the feedback I got was it was their best trip ever and really I think went a long way in building that relationship with uh with our with our history. So, thank you to you and everyone else. Um I do have councelor Henry in speaker box. Councelor Henry. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor, I wanted to um reiterate what you had said. Um first of all, thank you to Jen and uh Nimra and Ashley for all their hard work because the events were incredible. Um I had a lot of people coming up to me in different locations um outside of the event and asking me um when they would get a chance to meet um the veterans association and how they could have a conversation with them. So there was a lot of interest I found uh from the community at large and I would suggest if they ever you know come back for a visit again that we open up maybe one more event more publicly because we could see how well it was attended at the Legion and how many folks came out to have a conversation with them. They're an incredible, for those who had an opportunity to have a conversation, an incredible uh group of folks that um not only talked about um the history of our town, but went back to the welcomings they've received. And uh one of them mentioned that they don't have this type of um um turnout back home like they do here when they come here and how Ajax just felt like a second home to them. So again, just want to thank everyone and ask that if we ever do this again, we make it a little bit more public so that folks have an opportunity to talk with them >> and through the chair to councelor Henry. Thank you for that feedback. We'll absolutely uh take it into consideration. Uh we did have some opportunities for the community to engage through the um street naming dedications and and like you mentioned to that Legion event, but uh any way we can um get the community more in touch with our our historic roots, uh we're happy to do so. >> Okay, seeing nobody else on the speakers list, thank you so much for your presentation today. >> The next item Item 5.4 public meeting Ajax GO station secondary plan final official plan amendment and zoning bylaw. Oh, am I frozen? Sorry, I think I froze for a second. Our next item on the agenda, item 5.4, public meeting, Ajax go stationary plan, final official plan amendment and zoning bylaw amendments. Director Romaneski. >> Uh, thank you, Chair. Um, before I before we get into this, I just wanted to inform council that they will also be re receiving further on in the agenda the go node report. Um, I wanted to also outline that this is a hash half initi initiative. uh uh and also through the adoption of this component of the OP review, this would achieve the completion of this initiative and this would be the last step for this particular component of the OP review. Um I will turn it over to Sean McCulla now and he will um take the next steps. >> Please go ahead. >> Thanks. Thanks Jeff. Um so the the staff report included with the council agenda package today outlines the process that the project has followed including consultation results and comments that were received. Now I just want to highlight today uh what is unique today uh is that there's two sets of bylaws that have been included in the agenda package. So the bylaws that were circulated with the notice of statutory public meeting on June 2nd earlier this month uh were prepared in alignment with the mayoral direction 01 uh 2026 and the transportation network presented on February 17th. Uh the June 2nd bylaws are attached as items 11.12 and 11.13 on today's council agenda. Now, since the release of the bylaws on June 2nd, staff continued to update the bylaws and have identified policies for consideration that respond to various stakeholder comments. So, as a result, updated bylaws are attached to the staff report before you today for your consideration. The additional matters and the other others are discussed both in section 2.6 of the staff report and the comments matrix included as attachment three to the report. So, if council adopts the official plan amendment today, it would be circulated to the province for review and approval. The zoning bylaw amendment would not come into effect until after the official plan amendment is approved by the province. Staff would continue to work with the province and would report back to council if any issues come up. And uh before I turn it over back over to you, Mr. Mayor, I will acknowledge that we do have Carolyn Murphy on the call today when we do get into the report later on. But with that, I'll turn it back over to you for the public meeting, Mr. Mayor. Thank you. >> Thank you. Just to the clerk, would it be appropriate for me to also bring item 8.5 forward to be dealt with at this point so we can ask questions on that as well? >> Yes, through you, Mr. Chair. I would facilitate the uh public meeting first to allow members of the public to talk and then following that I would bring forward the staff report. >> All right. Thank you. Uh, as this is a public meeting, is there any member of the public online to the clerk that wishes to speak on this matter? >> Through you, Mr. Chair, yes, we do have one member of the public registered today, John Albert. If I can ask that you please put yourself in the queue. The mayor will turn your mic on. >> Thank you, Mr. Albert. Um, can you just test your audio, please? >> Yes. Um, I'm hoping to share my screen as well. There was a >> I can hear you. Um, just don't press that red button at the bottom now. You're online. Go ahead and the clerk will talk you into sharing your screen. >> Okay. Good afternoon. My name is John Albert and I'm a registered professional planner at Innovative Planning Solutions. We act on behalf of Vendusen Realy Holdings in connection to the lands located at 425 Bailey Street West. We are here today regarding the draft official plan amendment to the go station secondary plan and specifically to request the future lane providing a secondary access to the subject lands to be confirmed on the secondary plan schedules. The subject lands are located on the southeast corner of Bailey Street West and Westview Road South. The property is made up of two parcels with a combined area of approximately 2.5 hectares. The land is currently occupied by a car dealership and are within the Ajax go major transit station area. The Ajax MTSA covers approximately 45 hectares and is an emerging urban center anchored by the Ajax GO station. The MTSA designation extends south from the GO station and highway 400 down to the subject lands. The secondary plan reflects the town's intent to pair transit investment with increased housing density in this part of Ajax. We are here today to just discuss the approved development concept for the subject lands that is a highdensity mixeduse community with 3,700 residential units across six towers ranging from 50 to 60 stories. The proposed development also includes approximately 1,400 square meters of retail gross floor area and 2,000 square meters of office gross floor area. Here is a background of the planning applications for this proposal. So, as you can see here, in 2024, an OPA and ZBA were per were submitted to to Ajax in order to permit the increased height on the subject property. Further in December on December 9th of 2024, there was a meril directive that overrode the OPA's ZBA process and was ultimately approved. As a condition of that application, a site plan was to be submitted within 12 months, which was also submitted and deemed complete to the town within the 12 month timeline. Further to the planning applications, the secondary Ajax go plan was provided and IPS had provided two letters on outstanding matters to address within the secondary plan. As you can see here, this is the figure that illustrates what we are requesting. As you can see in the red, there is a future proposed lane that extends off the property directly to the west of the subject lands that is required in order to accommodate the second phase of the proposed development. This lane, as you can see here on the bottom, as shown in red, is essential to support the existing permissions established through the official plan amendment and zoning bylaw amendment and serves as one of the three key accesses for the six tower highdensity mixeduse community that has significant access and servicing demands. Furthermore, in order for the approved development to align with the secondary plan framework within the approved development and connections are required for the full buildout of the development. We respectfully request that council direct staff to confirm this proposed future lane and modify schedules C1 and H of the draft Ajax GO secondary plan to include the future lane. aligning the secondary plan with the approved development permissions for 425 Bailey Street West through the official plan amendment and zoning bylaw. Thank you for your time and we'd be happy to answer any questions. Mr. Albert, not seeing anybody else in the speakers list, I'll ask a couple. So on December 9th, 2024, we approved the mayor's directive and allowed the official plan amendment and zoning bylaw amendment giving you 12 months to submit your site plan. Have you submitted that site plan? >> Yes, we have and it's been deemed complete as well. >> Okay. When did you submit that? >> Uh it was submitted in uh I believe November of 2025. >> Okay. Um, over the last week, have you had discussions with town staff about your proposal and request for a second access to the site? >> Uh, no, we have not. So, this was imagined as a part of the original proposal. Um, I can go back to the um >> No, no, but so you've not had any discussion or anybody from your office has not had any discussion with our staff about this? So we've submitted two letters meeting >> that secondary access as a whole. >> Okay. I had a meeting today at 12:00 where I discussed this with staff and I was told this was resolved and staff have been in communication with you or your department and you have come to a resolution where this is going to be dealt with through site plan and they're looking at you gaining access off of Fuller Road. Did that or did that not happen? >> That did not happen. >> So somebody is not telling me the truth. >> So we had actually So it's in the staff response uh to the public meeting but we have had no further discussions with staff. >> Okay. I've been advised that you have been advised that this matter will be dealt with through the site plan process which you have to go through and is not dealt with through the secondary plan and that the matter was resolved by all parties. So that you're telling me that is not the case? >> That is not the case. >> Interesting. Uh Mr. Romanowski, are you here? where >> uh so I think Mr. Albert has indicated that he's aware of the comments about access out to Fuller uh through our comments on possibly their site plan. Um we do not consider this to be a lane way. It would be a secondary driveway to the development. And we have policies in place through our MTSA or through this secondary plan that would consider uh or allow for the consideration of this driveway access out to Fuller. Comments have been received um by the town indicating that this secondary access out to Westing Road would not be a full movement access at all. Uh as Westny Road would be medianed probably down to Fuller Avenue as you're aware of kind of that that configuration of the the road through there >> and that punching out to Westnney would be too close to the the current major intersection of Bailey and Wesn. So, we identify that there's definitely a need for a secondary access because of the number of units, but that access would be better suited to go out to Fuller and through discussions with the adjoining property owners to the south. Those would be when those discussions happen. Um, so those are our comments on uh this driveway component that Mr. Albert's raising at this point in time. >> Okay. But who did those comments go to? Like would Mr. Albert have been aware of this prior to this meeting today? >> I believe so. I'll let Carolyn jump. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. Uh through the chair. Um just to clarify, some of these comments were initially communicated through the review of the site plan application for 20 for 425 Bailey Street West. So I think there may be some confusion in terms of when that communication started versus um kind of the tail end of it coming through by way of comments through the secondary plan exercise. Um however I can confirm um through speaking with my colleagues that communication has taken place and these comments were originally identified by the region of Durham through their review of the site plan application where they indicated that there would not be a full um movement access onto Westme road staff um as communicated further. We recognize and this echoes a lot of what um director Romanowski has already indicated. We recognize um the benefit of a secondary access. However, the access as shown uh through the presentation and comments received um would not be able to um provide that full movement and we would not consider that to be a laneway. And in terms of trying to address that further um through our staff report and the schedules to the uh official plan amendment, staff have identified a potential policy and future transportation connection symbol for council's consideration to help achieve uh a connection further down to Fuller Road. >> And this section of Western Road is still a local road. Where is this at as far as this being conveyed to the region at some point or do you not is that not still part of the discussion because it's a regional road up to Bailey? >> It's it's a regional road from Harwood all the way up to the town li. It's a regional road period. It's not a local road versus >> whatever. This is part of the like the tradeoff between Westy and Rosson Road and probably Mr. Meredith can speak about about that. U but I know there in order for that to happen yeah in order for that to happen there's still some improvements that the region needs to do to Wesn uh further south before the town would entertain that uh that swap. But it is a regional road and that's why the region's made that comment. Okay. >> Um through the chair to build off of that um as I mentioned that a coordinated the secondary access that we feel would be appropriate would really be one that is coordinated amongst the land owners u benefiting from this roadway. Um so I just wanted to share that that's helped inform the um the future transportation connection location that we've identified on the official plan amendment schedule. >> Okay. Thank you for that clarification. Uh, not seeing anybody else in the speaker's list. Mr. Albert, thank you for your delegation today. >> Thank you, Mor. >> Uh, to the clerk, was there any other member of the public which wanted to speak to this? >> Uh, through you, Mr. Chair. No, we had nobody else for this item today. >> Okay. Thank you. I'm going to bring the item 8.5 forward at this point. Just let me find it on my resolutions here. as this is um was a directive. I'll move it. Can I get a second here, please? Moved by councelor Lee. That the report dated June 22nd, 2026 entitled Ajax Go Station Secondary Plan Final Official Plan Amendment and zoning bylaw amendment be received for information. The council consider adoption of town initiated official plan amendment number 99 OPA26A6 included as attachment one to this report which implements mayor direction number 012026 and information presented to council on February 17, 2026 on EHS go station secondary plan and includes additional amendments for consideration as outlined in section 2.6 of this report to reflect feedback received through public and stakeholder consultation. Three, that council in accordance with section 26 paragraph 7 of the planning act determine and if satisfied declared through resolution that the official plan amendment is consistent with the provincial policy statement 2024 has regard to matters of provincial interest outlined in section two of the planning act and does not conflict with any provincial plan. And four, the council consider approval of town initiated zoning bylaw amendment Z1 11/26 included as attachment two to this report which implements mayoral direction number 012026 and information presented to council on February 17, 2026 on Ajax go stationary plan and includes additional amendments for consideration as outlined in section 2.6 of this report to reflect feedback received through public and stakeholder consultation. questions or comments on the motion, please? Hearing? Seeing none, I'll just speak to this quickly and and thank you to staff for all of your hard work on this. This was, as um Mr. McCulla mentioned, a halffunded um housing accelerator fund funded project. Um, this area is, as far as I'm concerned, incredibly significant to the town of Ajax and our future growth. And we need to be able to develop this area properly. We need to protect, which is what this secondary plan does, this area from being developed based on, I guess, situation and markets today and what would result in all likelihood as being significantly underdeveloped based on based on markets today, which we're seeing in other areas where we're seeing town homes in in areas of our downtown where we should be seeing high density intensification especially around this transit oriented area. So, uh I appreciate I appreciate this coming forward. Um I I think it's been a huge amount of work, but I think it is incredibly significant. Um happy to move it today and support it. Seeing nobody else uh in the speakers list, please open the vote. And that carries unanimously. Thank you everyone. Our next item is item 5.5 public meeting official plan amendment application OPA26- A7 and zoning bylaw amendment application Z1326 for 688 Taton Road West. Um, as this is a public meeting, is there anybody here to the clerk to speak on this matter >> through you, Mr. Chair? Yes, we do have one member of the public present for this item. >> Would it be appropriate for me to make my introduc introductory comments now or after the public after the member of the public has made their delegation? >> I would recommend that you start with your introductory comments and then call on Brian Bon. >> Okay. if you can cue him up, I'll go ahead. I just have some short comments uh on this as this is the mayor's direction. Um coming forward under strong mayor's tool. I just want to give some brief context to this because I was approached by the owners of these lands who's been using the property for outdoor events, primarily weddings, and was seeking to bring the zoning into alignment with the current use. The facility on site consists of a temporary structure used for events and gatherings, washroom facilities, ancillary buildings, associated amenity spaces, and a parking area. Today's item is intended to formalize those uses and ensure the zoning reflects what is occurring on the property. The applicant has been working with the TRCA through this process. I know we've all received their comments. it's incumbent on the applicant to to work with the TRCA and um address their concerns and this zoning is contingent on continuing to work with the conservation authority to satisfy these concerns. Um I believe the applicant is present. Um to the clerk, can you confirm? >> Three, Mr. Chair. Yes, I believe uh Jonathan is on today's meeting. >> Okay. So they will be available to answer questions by council. I will point out that um you know the the strong mayor's tool is just you know cuts time just to bring this forward. This is a little bit complex I I felt for committee of adjustment um given the other outstanding issues with TRCA and which else um I want to talk quickly about the provincial priority and and why I felt it was appropriate to use the tool. Um right now this is zoned residential is being used residential. um by reclassifying it. Um it's my hope that that we're we're creating more revenue for the town through commercial taxes rather than just residential taxes and being able to support local business as well. This business is operating there already. Um outside of the zoning, this just brings it all into compliance, which I felt was a a provincial priority. Um I'll open it up to the public first. We have um to the clerk. Is the member of the public here? >> Three. Mr. Chair, it looks like our member of the public has left today's meeting. So, we have no other requests for this item. >> Okay. Not seeing any. Uh going to ask, uh councelor Crawford to please go ahead. >> Um actually, uh it's not my word. Would the word counselors like to go before me? I'm totally fine with that. I'll come back in. >> I can postpone to council postpone you to councelor Lee. Councelor Lee, please go ahead. Uh okay was all good. Um so if they are not TR if TRCA continues to have these issues uh does that will that prohibit them to run the business as they want to right now in spite of our zoning? >> Um that's my understanding. I believe we're making this zoning putting a hold and making it contingent on satisfying the TRC requirements. I'm I don't have the motion in front of me or the zoning bylaw in front of me. I have to go confirm, but that's my understanding. >> Well, can I ask that question to the proponent then? I believe they're on. Um, so if you are unable to um get to the TRCA standards, would you want the zoning reverted back or are you committed to the zoning regardless? >> I don't believe the zoning goes ahead without >> Oh, right, right. It's contingent on Right. >> Mr. Beno Bencowski, is that the applicant or the applicant's representative? >> I believe so. Okay, let me bring them on. >> Mr. Mr. Chair, >> there we go. Uh oh, there you go. Okay. Oh, no. Once I once I identify you and your your thing at the bottom goes red, don't press it again. There you go. >> Correct. Mr. Audio. >> Yes. Are you able to hear me? >> I can hear you. Council Lee has questions. >> Good afternoon. Uh yes, uh through you, Mr. Chair. Correct, Mr. Lee. the the the permit is contingent on TRCA uh approval. So without TRCA approval, it would be null and void essentially. >> And then um because it's uh the zoning wouldn't change. Would you still be permitted to run the business as it is now or that requires a zoning change? >> Three, Mr. Chair, no, it all requires a zoning change. You would not without the TRCA, you would not be permitted to um to to operate the ultimate intended use. Sure. Um, and then from a timeline point of view then, how quickly do you think you can become TRCA compliant? >> Mr. Chair, we we just received the comments last week from the TRCA. We're working through them. Um, I I'm hoping obviously as as soon as possible. Uh, we would like to to get there. >> Okay. Uh, best of luck to you then. I mean, I have no issues, especially since it is um TRA contingent. So, yeah, best of luck to you to become compliant and get your business up and running. Thank you, Chair, >> Mr. Chair. Thank you. >> Thank you. Um, Jonathan, just stay on and uh, let me go to the next to Council Henry. >> Thank you. Um, I have some questions because I I wasn't aware of the TRCA report until Friday and it did flag a few things for me. So, if I'm understanding currently your operation, you're operating as an Airbnb and have been for some time. Correct. Three, >> Mr. Chair. The front dwelling, correct? Yes. So, do you live on site? >> Uh, through Madam Chair. No, I'm a planner. I'm a registered professional planner representing the owner. I'm not I am not the owner, but the owner. Sorry. >> Correct. Yes. That's okay, madam. Uh, yeah. Three, Mr. Chair. No, it is not um the principal residence of the owner of the property. >> That's what I thought. So, my concern is that the way that we've um gone through the OP review and the countryside designation, we've we've looked at this and said we do not want Airbnbs in this zoning, but yet this has been operating as a zoning for quite some time. And the uh Enchanted Woods Cottage for large gatherings um seems to be this is new information to me. I just received Friday. I did not have this information in my prior uh meeting with the mayor. So, I'm a little confused by this. And it looks like the TRCA is asking for um what is it here? They got a few things they're asking for, including an EP zoning, removal of structures, res restoration. Um none of this is fitting in line with the current use that they're using this as an Airbnb for. Uh Mr. Mr. Mayor, were you aware they were using this as an Airbnb? >> Uh, I was aware there's residential on the property, that the owner does not live on the property, and that sometimes those that attend the events have the option of um staying there and using it as, you know, preparation space if it's a wedding, those types of things. Yes. I wasn't aware that there was actually Airbnb, but I was aware that it was being used as part of the overall use of the property. >> And furthermore, from my from my research here, it does not look like the uh what's it called here? Give me one minute. It does not look like the municipal accommodation tax that we brought in in 2025 has been paid by this property owner for all of last year. So, there's there's a few things that are going on here, and I'm I'm a little concerned why we're bringing this forward now and not waiting until after the compliance has been made with the TRCA and bringing it back at that time and looking at it then instead of having a hold and contingency. I kind of like to see how this rolls out with uh the TRCA comments at this point. Like this is really new information that we just received on Friday and I didn't see it till late Friday evening. >> Well, councelor Henry, >> is there anything you'd like to say? >> I'm I'm answering. It's here now because I brought it here now. This is not new. This is something I discussed with a proponent last year. As you're well aware, we're coming up to an election where this is the last opportunity to bring something like this forward. So just for timing purposes, rather than wait till after the election and bump this for another year, that's why it's here today. Um whether or not they paid the Matt tax, that's something that I'm sure the consultant will take back to his client and as part of this um if they're not aware, I'm sure they will they will be made aware. But it is here today to be dealt with today. >> Then don't support it. Mr. Mayor, respectfully, we've never gone with a summer without a special meeting. I don't think this is the last opportunity. I'm sure there will be special meetings called throughout the summer. So, I guess what I'm saying is >> I I was looking at supporting it until until I saw this on Friday and thought, hey, this is a lot of new information. Um, I'd like the opportunity to have further discussion with the TRCA aside from the documentation that they've given. And uh, I'd like to see this come into check. I mean, if this is something you're saying your client can get into check in a relevantly small amount of time, why not do that through July and see us back here at the end of July, August, when the next meeting happens? I' I've explained why it's here today, Councelor Henry. Um, I got the TRC a comment same time as you did. I'm I'm comfortable that by having the holding provision on here that those are going to be satisied before anything moves ahead. And I was not going to put council in a position to have to deal with this sometime in the summer at a special meeting because we may or may not have one. I believe we also will have one because the financial sustainability plan was bumped from today's meeting. So there will be but I don't think any of us want to have a big long drawn out meeting in July or August if not absolutely necessary. So it's here today. Please ask your questions. >> I think we have two meetings coming up. One in July and one in August. Special meetings like ample opportunity to address this is what I'm saying. Um, yeah, I I I I might uh look at making amendment, but I'd like to hear from regional counselor Crawford first. >> Thank you, >> Council Pro. >> Thank you. I um I'm just curious, you mentioned something about residential. Is Airbnb considered to be residential? >> Oh, I don't know. Um, director metham still here. >> Yes. Through the chair, Airbnbs are charged as residential as there are people living in a home. >> Is there a time frame to which they live there? from through the chair from a tax perspective. I I mean through an airbnb registration, there would be a time limited um uh uh amount of time, but I'm not sure what that is at this point. Um typically short-term rentals are less than 28 days. Um I'm not sure what the rules are for Airbnbs uh exactly. Um but they are charged as residential properties. >> And is this not contrary to a bylaw that we had passed? I'm not sure if councelor Henry asked this or not. U did we not pass a bylaw that uh stipulated or is that only for neighborhoods? >> Did I freeze? Anybody talking? >> No, I I think she logged off. >> Oh. >> Oh, there you go. >> Mr. um through the chair to regional councelor Crawford. So just to clarify C are you talking about um the permissions for short-term rentals as per the zoning bylaw or are you talking about the um uh our bylaw for the municipal accommodation tax? >> Uh I think it was the zoning actually. >> Okay. Then for that I I may defer that question to Director Romanowski if that's okay. Director Roman asking, >> can you Yeah, sure. through the chair. Councelor Crawford, can you just ask the question again just so I make sure I I got it right. >> It's quite all right. Been a long day. Um, >> yeah, >> we're just getting started. >> Do we >> do we have a zoning uh that would prohibit uh short-term rentals? Uh I don't believe we do um currently. However, if this is considered today and approved today through this process, then I guess this component would become legal nonconforming uh in light of that >> because I'm quite sure that there was a situation in W 2 where there were Airbnbs in the neighborhood and I'm I was quite sure we did something, but I could be wrong. Anyway, >> I could ask Mr. McCulla to jump on and uh address this. I know he's more intimate with these discussions and how it relates to uh these types of um situations. So, I'll just log off so we can see everyone. >> Okay. >> Thanks, Jeff. So, through you, Mr. Chair. Uh so, the staff did make changes to the zoning bylaw that would prohibit uh short-term rentals in certain areas. This would be one of them. However, those changes will not take effect until this meeting. So those bylaws are at the end of the agenda today and so any existing Airbnbs would have been captured under the previous definitions and they could continue as a legal non-conforming use. >> Okay. Okay. I I hadn't heard that um Airbnbs were considered to be residential. That that's actually new to me. So all right. Thank you. Okay. Councelor Henry wants to come back in. I do, Mr. Mayor. I I would like to make an amendment to this, but I don't think I can. Am I allowed to because it's a mayor directive? >> I don't believe you can, but to the clerk. >> Uh through you, Mr. Chair. Uh no, there is no motion on the floor to make an amendment to. So, I would ask the counselor for clarification on uh what they were requesting. But uh as you stated, councelor Henry, this is a mayoral directive item. So, I would suggest that you let the mayor know what your intention is and if uh he would like to bring that forward as part of his MD, he's welcome to do so. >> Yeah. And I I did forget that the these will be dealt with under bylaws at the end. >> So, there is no motion on the floor right now. What is your proposed amendment? My proposed amendment would be to bring it back in um in one month's time when we will have our next meeting, our next scheduled unscheduled meeting for the summer and address it at that time. >> Yeah, I'm not my suggestion. Thank you. >> Thank you, councelor Bower. >> Thank you, Mayor Collier. I just would like to clarify for my own uh knowledge two two parts here. I think it was just uh stated that uh regard if this uh amendment passes the Airbnb component of this property would still stand and would be um I I forget what Mr. McCulla called it but non-conforming compliance >> legal non-conforming. So, so the Airbnb component is not really affected here. Is that correct? >> That's correct. >> Okay. And second, the proponent has said and we have said that anything that would would happen is all contingent on the proponent meeting the requirements of the TRCA. >> Correct. >> And if Okay, that's correct. And if that is not completed then it stays as is. Is that correct? >> Uh then the zoning just any OPA ZBA that we potentially would approve today would would not exist. It would just remain as the current zoning. >> Right. >> My understanding. >> Yeah. Until until the TRCA is satisfied. Um, this really is just a discussion we're having. >> Correct. >> Correct. >> Okay. And, um, Mr. Bencowski, I hope I said that right. You have said that on behalf of your client, they believe that they will be able to meet the requirements of TRCA within short order. Is that correct? >> Three, Mr. Chair. Short order. I I I don't believe one or two months would be that short order. most likely there there has to be an additional site visit by consultants um whenever you're organizing surveyors um hydrogeeological engineers TRCA with summer I I I I would be hesitant to say those take weeks just to organize everybody's schedule to match for a site visit type thing so but but the the um the hope would be to do it as quick as possible um to get the hold removed and and you know get get functioning properly on the property. >> Got it. So until all of that happens, whatever is currently happening on that property will remain as is. Is that correct? >> Three, Mr. Chair. Um, correct. Essentially. >> Okay. Okay. Thank you. So, so, um, yeah, and I agree with you. It is very difficult to gather everyone um, staff, surveyors, companies, whoever needs to be involved, including council. Um it is a presumption that uh it's easy to just gather over a meeting in the summer. So anyway, thank you. Those were my questions. Uh thank you, Mayor Collier. >> Thank you, Councelor Crawford for the second time. I did see you, but I put counselor Bower in first because she had Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. No, that's fine. I um my my question would be how do we know if the TRCA is happy at at some point like when do we get notification that everything has been uh done to the satisfaction of TRCA? >> I see Mr. Romanowski coming back. Go ahead. >> Through the chair to councelor Crawford. Well, because there'd be a holding on the property, we'd bring forward a bylaw to council to say that the H is being lifted. And that would effectively mean that the TRCA requirements have been satisfied because then we would be able to enter into the final site plan approval. >> Okay. So, you'll send us an email then letting us know. >> No, it'll come forward as a bylaw to council as we would have to it's a zone a lifting of an H is a zoning bylaw amendment. So, we would just even though it's delegated to me, we'd still bring a bylaw forward to council and council would see that. Typically, it just outlines these were the holding provisions, these are how they've been satisfied and now this zoning will come into effect. >> Okay. All right. Thank you. Thank you, uh, >> welcome >> uh, mayor for letting me back in. >> Seeing no uh, nobody else in the speakers list, thank you, Mr. Benowski for appearing today. And we will uh stick around for for a bit. We'll deal with this under bylaws later on in the meeting. >> Thank you. Our next item, item 5.7, another public meeting official plan amendment application OPA 26-88. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Uh item 5.6. Sorry, >> did I mess up? Item Oh, good. Item 5.6, public meeting, zoning bylaw amendment application Z1426 120 Robertson Drive. This is here as a direction of councel at um a meeting a month or so ago um and the OPA and ZBA for that um surplus declared land that um that we are selling. Council Tylermore. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Can you just speak very uh briefly about the uh I have some notes but um just very briefly about the heritage non-desation actually and also how portion of the east side of the property I believe it is won't be touched and the the purview of the actual development is actually to the west. Just if you could just speak a little bit to both those items please. I I'll do my best. So, first we we've been this is not the first time this has been before us. This has been before us about at least half a dozen times so far um since the first meeting several years ago where this and the Sundial Pavilion lands were declared surplus. These are lands that are underutilized by the town, but we still have to maintain them. Uh at the time council made a decision to market the lands and which we did. The Sundial Pavilion was sold. It is now a fully operating and successful daycare. And this particular building that we call the Hartrick House, 120 Robertson, was directed to be sold, which we did. Um, and part of our discussion was we didn't reszone it at that time because we weren't sure who was going to buy it and what we wanted to put there. So, we decided to wait until such time as it was purchased and we had an idea in this case, I think it's 11 single family homes. One thing that you and councelor Crawford felt very strongly about as the local and regional counselor for the area was that whatever goes here needs to be in fitting with the neighborhood. We don't want to be putting you know high density 10-story building in front of single family homes for instance. Um so uh I believe single family detached dwellings is fitting and we also discussed the the heritage or in this case non-heritage designation of the facility. Obviously if this was designated we would have to deal with this very differently but it's not there is no designation whatsoever. It does not appear on any registry. The only place this appears is in a list that the town keeps that because it was suggested by the heritage advisory committee. I understand the heritage advisory committee has been consulted throughout this process and um yeah there is no heritage designation on this property. It is this council's uh direction I believe as of our last meeting that this building be demolished. We don't want to see this falling into disrepair. We don't want to see um this become a a you know any type of squatters in there or anything like that. And the only way we can ensure that is to to sort of rate get rid of the building. And um my understanding is the we gave a 9-month um closing date on this. So, it will close in the fall and I'm hoping um goes to market in the spring as well as site plan and gets developed moving forward. So, that's just a quick recap of of how we got to here. And as I said, this was council direction to bring this forward as a town initiated rather than waiting another nine months for the property to close and then start the process which is going to take longer and is going to fall during the election period and that would bump until next year as well. So, in essence of time, it's here today. >> I I appreciate that. And if I may, I hope it's uh appropriate. I did receive uh from staff a few weeks ago uh something I think I I would like to read, if I may. The northern portion of the lands will be located outside of the development limits and will remain in public ownership for a long-term protection and preservation. Any existing trees located within that area will be preserved. And because there's a lot to talk about, and if I may just really really quickly, I know it's late. Um, within the designated development limits, existing trees will be preserved when feasible. However, it's reasonable expect some tree removal, but there's an expectation that those trees will be also preserved as well as they can within the development. So, I just wanted to read those for the record. >> That that is accurate. And when I was on site with the consultants and the arborist, I was told that these are not native trees. These are trees were planted at some point. Um these aren't, you know, trees that have been here for hundred years. These are trees that were planted somewhere along the way. Um but not not native. And just to put a bow on this, uh I think I can speak for well I'll let councelor Crawford do her own thing, but I can say that I'm very happy that it did come in at low density. It was something that we uh so asked for and I'm very happy that planning and our council colleagues accommodated that and uh happy to take this deal and I wanted to come back is uh yeah anyways I'll leave it there. Thank you very much mayor for the explanation. Just one thing, council Tyler, you didn't ask, but just we have our strategic initiatives fund where the um proceeds of surplus buildings goes and we use those funds for other things in the town um such as an item we dealt with earlier which was the habitat habitat for humanity proposal coming forward. So, it is important for us to identify buildings that are surplus that we still have to spend a lot of tax dollars to maintain um and can use those funds in a better way. Councelor Crawford, you're next. >> Thank you. Uh I I do want to say that uh Councelor Rob Tyler Morren and myself felt that this could be um an issue in the community and so we did instead of mailing out the notice, we did door knock on every single door uh on Robersonson and um uh I can't remember the street that it it abuts. Yeah. Yeah. And also on on McKay, like that little tiny street there. And there wasn't a single objection. uh to the building coming down and at that time we were under the impression it was going to be town houses and like high-end town houses. It's actually upgraded from that to single detach. So um you know we did do our due diligence and we did knock on every single door and we did give them um you know the information right in front of them. So we did do our due diligence on this piece. Thank you. >> Thank you for pointing that out. Um to the clerk, is there any member of the public that wishes to speak on this matter seeing as there's no members of council on the speaker's list? >> Through you, Mr. Chair. We do have uh seven individuals who have registered for this item today. So, we can start with Katherine. I believe they are present if they want to request to turn on their microphone. >> Okay. Um maybe we can get them all to just key the button at the bottom. So, I'll get a list here and to the clerk, you tell me what order to go in. >> Yes. So, you can turn on uh Zenule's microphone. I believe that Katherine is present uh with Zenule today. Uh but she will have her own five minutes to provide comments. >> Okay. Good afternoon. Uh thank you for appearing today. Please go ahead with your delegation. You have five minutes. Thank you. It's red. >> No, it's it's okay. It's okay. You can go ahead. >> Can you hear me? >> They don't hear me. It's not good. >> Yes, we can. You're good to go. >> We can hear you. And and leave that red that red thing on. Okay. >> Okay. Thank you, Mr. Mayor, and and council members. Um we do have concerns and none of us remember being knocked at our doors or informed of this in advance where we had a chance to give any public speaking to to this regard just to clarify that point from those of us present here and I've talked to other neighbors on our street who are not currently able to do the technical part of this and they have told us the same thing. So just to clarify that um our concerns are really related to the in particular the environment and ecological impacts of this the green space the animal and bird habitats the stream that's just down the hill from that uh tree line. And we have several questions regarding that like what analyses and studies have been done regarding the conservation efforts the impact of traffic and pollution effects and concerns about even contaminants from demolition of that building and we understand it was built in 1850s and it may have other things that have been over the years included such things like asbestous and so on. So there's also that with dust particulate and so on uh on our health impacts. We have a number of people here with heart and respiratory conditions on the street that will be speaking to that as well. Um I'm in particular I've had open heart surgery and it's very delletterious from that regard. Uh we also wondered about drainage sewer storm system impact given the extra housing and the impact on our property values as existing residents. Uh plan for preservation of trees. I know one of the members has just spoken to that addressed that a bit. We just like to know what the the magnitude of that is because the recent history of Roslin Road redevelopment in the past few years also had almost a hundred trees from what we understand that were removed during that process. So we've lost other ecological impacts and we've noticed a big impact on the street just from that alone in terms of snow piling up on on our porches against doorways. Like one one time last winter, I couldn't even open my front door because of it. We didn't have that problem before the tree cover was protective and and had been had not been removed yet. And the other question we had, I know these are a lot of little points. I'm just trying to get in my five minutes here. We were wondering why there was no public town hall meeting for this for the community because a lot of people we've spoken to on the street in preparation for this discussion um have a lot of concerns and they said no one contacted them. No one knocked at the door. They might have been at work, they might have been at school, whatever. Um, we appreciate this avenue at least, but this method seems not very conducive to incorporate concerns and collective um speaking opportunities in a more collaborative manner and it seems to be uh dividing us in that respect. Many people were already frustrated by the long wait today and they've already left the channel. They didn't they were here to speak and they didn't. um and it just makes it appear that nobody cares, nobody's interested, and nobody objected to this process. That is not the case, and we just didn't want that to be misconstrued um and interpreted in that manner. So, I don't know if someone could address some of those um concerns, address some of the analyses that have been done, and we have other members here who also want to speak at Zayn's residence. So, I appreciate the time and uh I I yield the floor and thank you for your time. >> Okay. Um can I get your name, please, ma'am? >> May I get your name? >> Katherine Perusa. Cuz thank you. I just saw Abid at the >> Perusea. Okay, Miss Pruza, I will um >> download >> I'll do my best to try and answer some of your questions because this is a mayor's directive that's brought forward. So, ultimately, it's on me to >> to do most of the talking here. So, I've made some notes. Um just part of what you talked about. So, um, the Toronto Regional Conservation Authority, the proponent, the purchaser of these lands, uh, well, first of all, I'll start with this has gone through quite a few processes as I I open with, you may have heard me discussing with council Tyler Moore and we've discussed this as a council several times and and some of these have been this is a public meeting today, but this has been been on our agenda several times and it's been discussed quite a bit online and a few other areas. So, um, it's unfortunate if you hadn't heard of it and missed the counselors knocking on the door, but I think they probably might have left some literature, but anyway, uh, we've done our best to try and get the word out, but in in absence of a local newspaper, it makes it difficult sometimes. Um, but we we do try. It's unfortunate that that maybe we didn't reach you at this time. I want to talk about the TRCA though because for the last year or so this has been in consultation with the conservation authority and I can assure you that the setback from the top of bank is significant. The current building is built right up almost to top of bank and is well within that setback area once that building is removed and that will go through the full site plan process. So the developer will have to provide studies for all of the things that you mentioned like the trees, asbestous, traffic, noise, rats, like all all the things that that you mentioned. Um all those things are addressed through the site plan process. Fencing, maintenance of the property, make sure you know dirt doesn't get tracked onto the road during the construction process. All these things will be dealt with through the site plan process um and and will be monitored through any construction process. I want to talk about the trees quickly though because um I know how long you've lived in that house because I used to be your neighbor there on Freeston and I remember when that area was a field and so there were trees taken down to build your house. >> Mhm. >> And the other houses in that neighborhood. So I mean it's just it it happens. But what we do here at the town is when trees are removed um we have a a and again this happens through site plan make sure the developer um there's compensation paid or more trees planted to make sure that that um loss is is um uh preserved that either trees are planted in other places or that that they are replaced with plantings on site. So that is something that is done. Same with parkland. You know, sometimes subdivisions have room for parks, sometimes they don't. If there isn't, we collect funding called cash in lu of parkland to be able to build a park somewhere else to accommodate hopefully close by. So, a lot of those things do happen um through the next process. Right now, we're just discussing the official plan amendment and zoning bylaw amendment because that particular piece of land is zoned right now. I believe it's country residential. Oh, sorry. I believe it's agricultural right now, which it certainly isn't agricultural, but I think >> I think that's the current zoning. So, all this meeting today is doing is is just aligning the official plan and the zoning with what is going to go there, which is, I believe, the seven or sorry, the 11 single family homes. but to everything that will come along with that like traffic and everything else. Those are all through a separate process and we'll um be um staff will go over all of those to make sure that they are all in conformity. I I hope that answers your questions. >> Uh yeah, it answers that part. But I mean when we moved in, we were told there would nothing ever be built there. that it was it was heritage property on that whole green space and nothing would ever be built there into forever. So, I don't know who got that idea, but that's what we were told when we moved. >> Well, that that's unfortunate because often and and that's not uncommon for developers to tell people a school site or something will never be developed. But unfortunately, it's not a heritage building. um they don't own the property and and to think that it's just going to stay as is not realistic. It's actually costing us money. It's costing you money as a taxpayer. Um and it it's just yeah, we we need to we need to do something with it. So, thank you. Thank you for being here today. Who is the next delegate? >> Three, Mr. Mayor. Uh it's actually an individual who I believe is also uh at this location. >> Okay. >> So we'll just restart the five minute timer for you here. >> Perfect. Good afternoon sir. Can I get your name please? >> Yeah my name is Kohhil Kana. My full name is Kohila Raja Kanil. >> Can Okay. Thank you very much. Um please go ahead. You have five minutes. Okay, thank you for giving an opportunity to talk to regarding this concern. Um, I have been living directly in front of the proposed development since uh 2001. One of the main reason my family purchased our home was because of the peaceful natural environment including the beautiful trees, green space and the sense of harmony that is the area is provided. At the time we bought a house actually the developer told me that actually this there is no construction is going to come. This is the land actually uh is uh you know natural meaning is actually you know you can enjoy your your family with you know rest of the life and over the year this environment has become an important part of our daily life and our well-being. I have a heart condition heart patient and the quiet natural surrounding have been extremely beneficial for my health helping to reduce the stress and provide a peaceful relaxation and recovery. I'm deeply concerned that have proposed construction will significantly impact our quality of life. The development may result in increased noise level of construction activities and the future trophy dust and air pollution affecting our residents health. Heavy construction vehicle creating a safe safety concern or pedestrian child children and their seniors. Increase traffic conjunction in our neighborhood. Reduce availability of parking space. Loss of major trees, green space and the wild habit. Negative impact of local bird and the other wild animals that's currently inhabit in this area. And um on top of things actually this you know she my neighbor has already mentioned to the lot of points actually I don't want to repeat again the same thing with the regarding my one actually I want to put something to you my family is also in the process of planning a wedding and construction activities during this period would create a significant challenge for my parking access and the accommodation family members and guest. And um I respectfully ask the town of Ajax carefully consider this long-term environmental, health, and community impact before approving this application. I kindly request that every effort be made to preserve as much as green space as many major trees as possible. And uh finally I wanted to thanks you. I appreciate the opportunity to share my concern and ask that me comment be included here. Thank you so much. I really appreciate your time you provide us. That's it. >> Okay. Uh thank you Mr. Hannah. I'll I'll try and answer some of your some of your concerns. Um, if you've lived there since 2001, you've seen some some significant changes in your area, like the rrooting of Rosland Road, the total reorientation of that interchange right in front of your house there at Rosland and Church, >> the widening of Rosen all the way through, about 5,000 houses built on the other side of Rosland Road in the A7 or A9 development area. So there's been a lot of development that's happened in that area in the last 25 years. I was your neighbor on Freeston in 2003 when when a lot of that was happening. So >> uh I'm pretty familiar with the area. >> Yeah. >> And there's been a lot of change. >> Um >> I know I know change is hard for people. Um but it is it is a fact of life unfortunately and it it it's temporary and and um you know and I say this with with all respect um we can't choose how our neighbors want to develop their house. We don't own that property. Um, I'm I'm trying to be as respectful to you and your neighbors across the road, but realistically or it's not realistic to expect that to just remain as is. Like, we need to do something with it. What we brought today is, I think, the most fitting thing that we could get within your neighborhood. I'm sure you would not be happy if I had, you know, 50 town homes on that land or a fourstory rental building or something like that, right? I think I think we brought you probably the best the best of the or sorry, I want to say the best of the worst, but that's not right. I mean, the most palatable option, I think, is what we brought before you. Um because again we we've sold the property. There's a there's an agreement of purchase and sale. What the owner wants to build there is up to them. So we're we're just sort of accommodating that. You talked about the birds and the trees and those. And as I said to your to your neighbor, Miss Perusa, um staff will will go through all those things during the site plan process. I know I I know they can't cut down the trees for instance during the months of August or se or the summer because of the bird migration and the nesting and so all those things are dealt with with staff at another time. Um but um yeah, we will do our absolute best to make this as um least intrusive as possible to you and your neighbors. If I know it might not help but we're going to do our best to make sure that this inconveniences you little as possible. >> Pardon? So my understanding is actually in in Canada there are plenty of land right. So little bit land actually in front of our house right meaning our house is naturally you know you know that environment is how natural is that actually if we going to kill that kind of natural how affecting our kids as well right my two kids are grown up from grade one here my son is graduated as a you know software engineer in the water he is living in California every month actually he wanted to come here believe it or not he's paying $1,000 of ticket because you know he love this place. My daughter is a biomedical engineer. She's grown up from here. The reason we going to die here without seeing with the seeing this kind of thing actually honestly is affecting us. Me or personally I'm telling other neighbor is their own opinion. I love this place. I wanted to die here. >> I'm telling you this is my own personal opinion. This is Mayor. I can give it to you something, right? >> I understand. Uh but realistically, I mean, and this is the same with every new development. >> Yeah, >> there's always going to be change. Like if if we thought that way, your house would not exist, right? If past councils thought that way, then maybe your neighbors are on the other side of the street didn't want your house built. Do you understand? We can't we can't do it that way. That's not the way it works. But thank you. >> Thank you for your delegation today. >> Okay. Is there uh someone else there that wishes to speak? >> Yes, through you, Mr. Chair. There is one more individual at that location. >> Okay. Good afternoon, sir. How are you today? >> Hello. Can you hear me? >> I can. May I get your name, >> sir? I'm I'm doing good, thanks. How are you? >> Sorry, I didn't catch your name. Uh my name is Zanul Abidin. So the name is >> the name. >> Okay. Got it. >> Minutes. Yeah. >> Okay. Please go ahead sir. >> Okay. So u before I start um so a lot of things I'll going to uh say. We'll we'll actually repeat what Katherine mentioned and Cohill mentioned but I'll going to do that anyways uh within my time. U so good afternoon mayor and uh the members of the council. Um, so my name is Daniel Abedin. I direct I live directly across the street from uh 120 Robertson Drive. Me and my family, we look at this building and the magnificent greenery it offers every single morning once we open the front door. So the reason we here today is because what you decide about this property uh it does not just affect a piece of land. It affect affects my family, my street, my neighborhood and the identity of this very town. So from my side of course I am most humbly asking you and the respected council to refuse this application. So before u well you know I go any further I want the council to understand who lives on this street. Um so I'm one of the newest neighbors I came here in back in 2022 but I have Katherine here. Cohill here has been living here for years. So my neighbors as we got introduced there there are lawyers here, engineers, business owners, registered nurses, IT directors, PhDs. There are people from all backgrounds, all professions. Um and the reason I'm bringing this up is because there these are the people who do not object to things just for you know protesting. They don't take these things lightly. Uh these are professionals who to their best of knowledge to regardless of their background to best of their abilities they try to understand what's going on and uh when something is doesn't look right u they they come up with the with the um opposition u cohill here his son has um you know he grew up in this street he spent 20 years here went to pickering high went to software engineering in waterlue you know, one of the most competitive programs in the in the country and you know, he he works for Google today in California. So this street, as he mentioned to me, as I talked with that boy built this this young man, this community, these trees, this neighborhood, this sense of belonging that we all are mentioning, this was the foundation beneath his feet while you know he became what who he is. So I want to ask the council that what kind of a street what kind of community do you want to be building for the next young person who grew up here. The next part I think I have just two minutes left. For decades you know that this town operated the building under the name uh of uh Ajax Kinsman Heritage Center. Right. The town itself opened its door to the public under doors open Ontario provincial program celebrating buildings of historical significance. Now I fully understand that this is not a designated heritage uh property but the town named it as a heritage center um even though non-desated the town celebrated it as a heritage center and the town invited all of us to take pride in it as a heritage center. I understand mayor uh my honorable mayor of when you say that you know if we look at it that way nothing can be built but there is a reason this was protected for the past 30 years otherwise when my house was built why wasn't this place of land taken away at the same time or when uh Katherine came here or when Cohill came here there was always this chance I mean no one you know would have said anything but there was a reason you protected this for so long um so the my point is, you know, right now the town has sold it to a developer who wants to tear it down, but I want the the town to remember this that they protected this once. 43 seconds left. So, I came here four years ago. I had to pay a premium price because of what was across the street, the trees, the open land, the historic building, the quiet character of this property. This was a deliberate choice. I had options to go somewhere else. But I made this choice made in reasonable reliance on what the town itself has always presented that land to be. I'll also have two members of my family with asthma. Uh when this building comes bound and the new construction kicks in, it will trigger months of demolition, excavation, and construction follow directly outside my front door. And this is not just an inconvenience. This is a medical emergency waiting to happen. I think my time is up. So, I'll stop here. >> Okay. Um, thank you for your your delegation. I have made some notes as I did with with your your neighbors. Um, my comments are going to be going to be similar. Um, you know, I I I've been doing this a long time. It's my 23rd year here on council. We brought forward literally probably a hundred developments over that time. And I've never once had anybody who is in the vicinity of a development come out in support of that development. That's just the way it is. And I understand and I'm I'm trying to say this with the utmost respect. Um it it just a home is is very very important and very very personal and you know obviously people are very very protective but it's not reasonable to expect um a property next to you that you don't own to be able to dictate what happens on that property. I'm sorry that um the developer told you what they told you. Um, but it's not uncommon at all. It happens almost every time in a development. They'll show a map and they'll show a school site and they'll show, you know, something else and they'll charge a premium and the developer gets that premium. We don't get that premium. We don't get anything from that. the developer gets that premium, but they don't actually know what's going to go there. Because the way it works in a school site, for instance, and I know this isn't a school site, but the way it works in a school site is people think they're going to always have this open space, but if the school board decides they're not going to build a school, there's not enough kids in that neighborhood to build a school, they turn around and sell that height, that site back to the developer, and the developer builds houses. And guess who the people call? They call me and complain. But but you know, it's unfortunate that developers do that, but it happens all the time. And it sounds like it happened again in this case. That developer had no knowledge or ownership of the site across the road or what that site was ever going to be used for. And that's really unfortunate that that they chose to take advantage of you and your neighbors or the original purchasers anyway who paid a premium. So um that is unfortunate and I can't change I can't change that. Yeah, please go ahead. >> Yeah. Um so I'm not like I as I told you I came here four years ago. So I have no knowledge of you know the not the developer like I'm not the first owner of the property. What I saw is that this is an agricultural piece of land and when these all these buildings were made there is a reason this was protected at that point in time and this has been protected. These houses were built back in 95. This is 2026. So it's more than 30 years. So there is a reason this was protected. So it's not I understand completely that it's not um you know like uh it's not on me what will be built there what the town decides there but there was a reason it was protected and it's not uncommon or it's not u uh I would say unwise to to understand that this is this is a protected piece of land and the town has has named it as a heritage center. I understand that this is non-desated heritage not in the heritage website. No, it it's not it's not >> something to the town. >> Sir, it's it's not heritage under any circumstances. That's that's a misunderstanding. There is no heritage. We've not designated it. It's not protected. It is not heritage at all. That's a misunderstanding. It it's it's not protected. is just a piece of surplus land that was conveyed to the town and we've owned it for 25 30 years I guess maybe longer I'm not sure it was actually leased out it was the Kinsman Club at one point and the Kinsman Club I'm not even sure if they're still around anymore in Ajax but at a point where um they could no longer maintain the building themselves They basically gave it to the town under the understanding that they could still use it, but we would maintain it. So now the kinsmen are gone and it's just a vacant building that is costing taxpayers money to maintain but is not being we don't have the programming or permitting for it. So we're looking for another option. Um, we have to be very very wary of of taxes and do everything we can to make the best use of of tax revenues and and maintaining an empty building unfortunately and empty land isn't to me a good use of the tax revenues in this case, but it it's not ever was a heritage. That property that's a little bit of the history um which you may or may not be aware of. So anyway, sir, um I appreciate your comments. We're we're not we're not really allowed to debate. I've allowed that a little bit today. Um I will say the same to you that I said to Mr. Kenna. Um, this council is going to do everything that we can to make sure this developer is as respectful as possible to you and your neighbors and causes as little disruption of your lives as possible. Um, I'm certainly hoping and I know this developer. I'm certainly hoping that the product is as nice as your houses on the other side of the street and um this gets done fairly quickly assuming this council supports it today and we we'll we'll go from there. Is there is there anyone else at your address that was making a delegation today? >> No, just the three of us. Thank you. >> Okay. Um thank you sir. I I appreciate you getting involved and and and bringing your comments into your neighbors as well. Thank you for being here today. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Uh to the clerk. >> Mr. Mayor, our next speaker today is Andy. Uh Andy, if you want to click the large button at the bottom of your screen that is ahead with lines emanating from it, it will put you in the request to speak. There you go, Mr. Mayor. >> Okay. Uh, let's take these ones out. >> Hello, sir. How are you doing? >> Oops. There you go. Uh, I can't see you. I can hear you. >> Oh, I don't know. The camera is not working too too well. >> Okay. >> Oh, there we go. >> There you go. Um, Mr. Nath, how do you see me? >> Uh, not N A U T H >> N. Okay. Thank you for being here. Please go ahead. You have five minutes. >> I got a question and I was listening to your previous talk with my neighbors. I just wanted to know, you said it wasn't a heritage center, but they still have the plaque that says it's a heritage center on the property and it says it's been there for since 1852. And I just want to clarify because with all this construction and all this mess that will be happening, it's not good for people's health and safety as well too. Cuz when they open the windows and stuff like that, the breeze will blow everything inside the home as well too. when people get accommodation for dust in their home and destroying their home as well. That's all I would like to discuss with you today because I find it very unfair that we got to see this development happening at our neighborhood too. >> Okay. Um did you are you finished, sir? >> Yep, I'm finished. Okay, I'm going to have um I guess Director Romanowski come on for a minute to try and answer your heritage question why there would be a plaque on this site or is Mr. Sachuk here or anybody? Mr. Ros, Mr. Ronki. >> Uh yeah, thank you chair. Um, I believe there's a plaque on the site because the council of the time, I think it was back in 96, identified they wanted a plaque put out on the property. I don't I don't think it wasn't through a designation or anything like that. It was a direction of council at the time to uh put that plaque out there. >> Okay. But just can you speak, Mr. to the you know there's there's a plaque but is there any provincial designation heritage or otherwise on that site or on that building? >> It's not a designated property under the Ontario Heritage Act. No. >> Okay. Um Councelor Henry, you had a point of order. One second here. on your point of order. >> Sorry, Mr. Mayor. I I didn't know Yeah, I didn't know when to ask this question, so I'm asking your direction. When do we get to ask um the delegations questions? >> Um actually, I forgot about that and the answer would be would be now. Please go ahead. >> Thank you. So, Mr. Is it not >> north? N A U T H >> Mr. No, the plaque that you're referring to, what does it say? >> I don't remember it off by heart, but it says it's been there from since 1852. >> Can I ask uh Director Romanowski a question? Romanowski? >> Um, go ahead. These are this is questions to the delegate but I'll allow the clarification. >> Thank you. I just want to clarify the plaque that the resident speaks to. So is is the the plaque was put there by the council of the day. You've already stated that it's not a provincial heritage place on the provincial list. Does the property hold heritage significance? Why is that plaque there? It's it's got to be there for more than just we felt like doing it. So why is that plaque there? And what's the the heritage significance of this property? Is it older than Canada? Like what are we saying here? I I'd have to look into how the plaque got on the property. My understanding was the council of the day uh wanted the plaque on the property and a plaque was erected on these lands. It must have been when the land transferred from one owner to the town. Yeah, I was around the house from the kingsmen, but I don't recall the >> But is it is the plaque stating that the house was built in 1852? >> I I >> I don't know >> to be honest, Councelor Henry. I I haven't I've noticed there was a plaque there in the one time that I attended the property probably about four years ago or 5 years ago when there was a meeting held there, but I didn't pay too much attention to the plaque, but I did see one was there. Uh it might be commemorating when the house was built, but it's not a designated heritage property under the Ontario Heritage Act. understanding that, but wouldn't that change the significance of the house if it was built in 1852? >> Councelor Henry, >> like I wasn't aware the plaque was there, so that's why I must question. >> Um, I'm going to bump this down until uh we get to the motion, the bylaw on the floor, okay? Because this isn't questions to the delegate. So, do you have any questions to the delegate? And if you don't save this one until we bring the matter forward for for decision. >> Sure. >> Okay. Did you have any anything further for Mr. N? I brought him back on. >> Thank you. I accidentally pressed the button by mistake. Uh no sir, that's about it. >> So I I'm not seeing any any other um questions from council. So I'm going to take you off and go to the next speaker. But thank you for being here today and we'll be making a decision on this later on in the bylaws section. >> No problem sir. You guys have a wonderful evening. >> Thank you. >> Um Mr. Rossi who's next. >> So next up we have uh Ha. I believe they are in the speakers queue. >> Ha. There we go. Good afternoon. Um please go ahead with your delegation. You'll have five minutes. Oh, we can't we can't hear you. You're on mute. I I can't hear you. Your microphone is muted >> through you, Mr. Chair. We do have one more uh public comment in the speakers queue. So if we want to do that um hia if you want to go to audio settings on the left hand side please ensure that your appropriate microphone is selected Mr. Mayor your microphone is off. I'm not sure >> no I was just uh do you want to just take five minutes and see if you can sort out um this resident's microphone? >> Not a problem. Yep. >> Okay, let's actually let's take 8 minutes. We'll be back here at 5:30 and hopefully we can we can hear you at that point. >> Thank you. order. Miss uh Chilabi, I hope I got that right. >> Yes. >> Is your microphone working? Good. You have five minutes. Please go ahead. >> Okay. Uh thanks so much. Uh good afternoon, mayor, members of council, town staff. Uh, as uh the mayor mentioned, my name is Hail Chalabi. I'm a resident on McKay Court, which is adjacent from the uh proposed development at 120 Robertson. I'm not going to repeat many of the comments already made by my neighbors, but I just wanted to add one extra note and comment. Um, I understand that the property has been used for several community related purposes. I know there was voting um around some time ago, community events I used to see all the time, banquet activities. Um I do not believe that these uh that these uses justify reszoning the property uh for residential development. The fact that the property may not have been used actively uh and used to its full potential should not automatically mean that the appropriate solution is to convert it into a residential subdivisions. Uh I do believe a few renovations to the property can make it a better use uh for both the town and the residents and it could be a solution instead of just uh converting it over. And that's my comment. >> Okay. Um while I appreciate your um suggestion, we the land was declared surplus going on almost two years ago and we've gone through a pretty extensive process, extensive process. uh and the land has been purchased and part of our agreement with the developer is that we will reszone the lands for what they want to build as part of our purchase agreement. So really what we see here today is based on what the they want to see as per our our agreement. Um, I I would not be appropriate for us to go back and and try and suggest that they modify their application to um to come back with something else. Unfortunately, I'm not sure if you're aware of that or not. >> Okay. >> Um, I think Councelor Crawford has a question. No, I just uh I wanted to clarify when I spoke earlier about us door knocking. Uh it would have been a year ago prior to the sale when this came up originally. Um like about a year ago now when we were even just thinking about it. Uh we Rob and I definitely did Roersonson and McKay. I'm not sure if you were there or not. I know that if we didn't get an answer, we left the flyer in the door. We uh to the first speaker, we absolutely did not uh knock on doors on Freeston. So, I just wanted to clarify how long ago it was. It wasn't like it was recent. It was like likely a year ago prior to the sale of the property. So, I just wanted to clarify that. That's all. >> I think councelor Crawford also it was before this council actually even made a decision on what we whether we were going to declare the property surplus or not. So, um, thank you for and I know that was part of your decision-making process. So, thank you for mentioning that. Uh, Miss Jalavi, thank you for for being here today. >> Thank you. >> Uh, is it Mr. Sullivan next? >> Yes, that's our last member of the public registered for this item. >> Okay, there you go. Mr. Sullivan, thank you for being here today. Please go ahead. you have uh five minutes. >> Okay. So, sorry, I'm just getting over a cold here. Um my first point is I spoke with the provincial heritage register and they have um the Hartrick House as a heritage site. Um I think the address they have might be wrong, but they have the Hartrick House. Um many residents here believe it to be a a heritage site as well. Um, I recently moved into the neighborhood and bought and my realtor looked into it and even said it was a heritage site. Um, um, so at some point something changed. You guys were talking about plaque earlier. Uh and then my other point is uh before this 5.5 on the agenda for 688, we're talking about changing that to an event center when this was an event center. So why are we wasting taxpayer money changing that to an event center when we have one not 5 km away? Kind of seems weird. um the tree canopy on the street. Uh we have premature trees and yes, you're talking about replanting them elsewhere, but they're not going to grow back instantly. The trees are 30 years old. Uh so how many mature trees are going to be lost? What efforts are we going to make to preserve as many as possible? The wording that I got in response on the emails was pretty vague on how they were going to uh protect the trees. Um and then density density compatibility on the street. Um the plan has 11 lots selected and if you look across the street it's in the space of about six lots. So yeah it's low density but will it will it preserve um the pattern on the on the other side of the street? What are the lots is going to be? Uh, what else do I have here? Um, yeah. So, basically, why wasn't retaining the building ever considered? Um, yeah, my request is in that council makes a decision right now. I request that councils ensure residents have access to the heritage, environmental, arborist, and planning information um so that we can understand why demolishing and putting 11 lots in that space is the best outcome for the city and for the members of this street. Um I wrote down some points while everybody was talking. Um so I'm just kind of reading through them here. Uh but yeah, they're basically just uh you said that streets change and people just kind of have to deal with it. Like the world changes, everything changes. And yes, that's true. Uh I think what we have a big issue with as well as the fact that a heritage site is being taken down, which you're saying isn't a heritage site, but why did the city put a plaque up saying it was a heritage site if it wasn't? But um like planning 11 houses in the space of six, it it just doesn't it just doesn't seem like it's going to flow with the current way the streets laid out. Um and I think this is just different than the city taking down a school and putting in houses because the school isn't being used anymore. Um the city put a sign up saying it was a heritage site. So this this is just very different than than that. Uh I think that's all my points. >> Okay, I'll try and um I'll try and address your questions. I'm also getting over a little thing, so my throat's a little rough. Um just I I really want to have a talk with whoever put this plaque there because, you know, putting a feel-good plaque up and misleading people I don't think is the right thing to do. that was put up by uh Lacak I think it is. Councelor Crawford sent me uh something on it. The uh and I'm trying to remember what Lacak is is a um was an acronym for, but my recollection is it's just a a community citizens group. I don't believe it could be, but I not don't recall it being a an actual committee of council or anybody with any kind of authority. It just, you know, if you read the plaque, I' I've got the thing here. I got a picture of it and read it. Um, I believe that house was wasn't even located there originally. That was on 65 acres of land that was gifted to the Hartrick's son and uh it was a stone building that was later moved to that site. So, um I I want I got to put that to bed. It's not a heritage site. If you go to the provincial heritage designation, it is not there. It's not a heritage site. So, it may be an old building. Somebody may have put a plaque up, but if it was, we wouldn't be having this conversation because we wouldn't be able to to do what what we're doing. Uh I I can't speak to what your agent told you. He got that information. I mean, that's that's just I can't speak to that. We've already dealt with the trees. Um, you talked about the number of lots. So, if this was a proposal for six lots, would you support it? >> I would support it more than 11. >> Okay. Just >> too vague in your sign. >> Pardon me. >> Your verbiage in your sign is too vague. It says that they're planning to do I can't remember exactly what it says, but we all know as soon as you hand them the keys, they're going to change it from 11 to 22. Right. >> That's not true because it's actually in the zoning bylaw. Um, and like I said to most of the people before you, it still has to go through site plan process. There's lots of checks and balances here to make sure that this is done right. And I've also said several times to your neighbors that that you know it's going to change. It's not realistic to think it's not, but we are going to do everything that we can to make sure that it's as unobtrusive as possible in your day-to-day lives. But yeah, it it is going to change. I just have another thing here I wanted to share. Um where it talked about um one of the people before you like we staff brought forward a report in 2024 outlining the underutilized town facilities and this one was the prime candidate. It was the number one like we should get rid of this property according to that report. One of your neighbors mentioned it was used for voting. Not since 2014, 12 years ago. We've actually done online voting since 2006. So just I I understand. But since then it's been some minor use for occasional summer camp and some private event bookings, but it's certainly not an event space as you alluded to. It's really been we had a couple of ward meetings there, but it's when we looked at this, we we looked at all buildings and what the programming is and which town buildings are underutilized and which ones are, you know, that cover themselves from a cost perspective. So, I I mean, I can't debate you, but I think that I've covered most of your points here. I see that council Tyler Morren has a question, so I'm going to open up the floor. say I'm willing to debate you on an email. Like we don't need to do it on a public forum. So I we can go back and forth on email. That's fine. >> Oh, Council Tyler Martin. >> Thank you, uh, Mr. Mayor for living and thank you, Mr. Sullivan, for coming here today. Really appreciate it. Um, I I just wanted to I have to watch it because I'm supposed to be asking you questions, but maybe just a little bit of leeway if we can, Mr. Mayor. Um, regional counselor Marilyn Crawford and I went out on March 20th, 2025. That was the actual day that we delivered the flyers. Uh we delivered flyers on Roersonson, McKe, Morning Crescent, and Horn Avenue is the area. So, I don't know if you live in any any of those houses, but and the >> Okay, so we did door knockock and if somebody wasn't home, we left the paper there, but but I'm not trying to do a gotcha. I want to tell you that there's a there's a justifiable confusion because we have to go back to Mr. Sachuk who works in planning and get really clear designation on the heritage designation confusion. I'm going to read to you. It's very simple. The Hartrick House that shows up in the search results. Okay. The William Hartrick House is at 22 Linton Avenue which is designated under both part four and part five of the Interial Heritage Act. >> But we generally refer to the property at 120 Robersonson Drive as a Hartrick Farm to avoid confusion. The property at 120 Robersonson Drive is not designated under the Heritage Act. So to confuse matters even worse, the Google AI results refer to both properties as one. So justifiably your real estate agent might have got that information confused, but I I did get that as a clarity because we were getting the same thing uh from other residents. So I just wanted to put those in there. Mr. Mayor. >> Okay. Councelor Henry, you had a question. >> Thank you. Oddly enough, I was about to say the same thing that councelor Tyler Moore did, uh, looking at the properties, um, and the significance significance of it. So, um, it's saying that while some records indicate it was built in 1843, um, a significant mortgage was taken out in the property in 1852. and it alludes to the property being uh the actual house, one of the the farmhouse versus the house, the movement of property. There's a few things in there that it's alluding to. So, I just I wanted to ask um Mr. Sullivan, uh you said you contacted a provincial body and that was uh recorded as heritage. What provincial body and was it the farmhouse or the house? I >> I forwarded the emails along actually to um the mayor, the clerk's office, a lot of a lot of people, but uh it was the provincial heritage register and they said there was confusion about it between 22 Delaney and the building called the Heritage House at 120 Robertson. Oh, so they even stated there was confusion. >> They weren't sure what what was going on, if they had the wrong address in the in the registry or not, or what was kind of they were looking for clarification, too, I think. >> Sorry, Mr. Sullivan. I've got your email here from >> You can understand our confusion. >> Couns Council Henry, one second. I've got your email here from June 15th from Courtney Kovichic at Ontario Heritage Trust. It very clearly says in here, uh, we've looked, I've reviewed our records in relation to 120 Robertson Drive in Ajax, and we do not have a record of this property being designated or a notice of intention to designate. And you sent me this. >> Yeah. So, keep reading. Further down, it says, but there's a um near the end of the email. I don't have it open right now, but she says >> there's one designated property in Ajax at 22 Avenue. >> And what does it say? It says under the name the Hartrick house. That's where the confusion is. >> Okay. Well, anyway, >> you can't bring it up. That up now. Does that >> make say that? >> Yeah. Sorry. What's what's your point of order counseling? >> Uh we are grossly off topic for debating >> back and forth. So I don't again like I understand we've given some latitude but like we shouldn't be pulling email >> just as I get it. I get it. I've been giving a lot of latitude here to res. >> Okay. Councelor Henry, did you have any further questions? >> Well the moment but thank you. >> No I just I want to thank you Mr. Sullivan because I think you actually helped clear something up without meaning to and I want to thank you for that cuz you kind of scared me there for a minute. So I think I'm good. Thank you. >> Okay, Mr. Sullivan, thank you for being here today and for your delegation. >> Thank you. >> Thanks. >> Um to the clerk, were there any other residents wanted to speak at the public meeting? >> Uh through you, Mr. Chair, no. We have no other registered uh comments for this. >> So, moving on to our next item 5.7 public meeting official plan amendment application OPA 26A88 and zoning bylaw amendment application Z526 253 and 255 Lake Driveway West. This is a mayor's directive just to do a a minor what I'll call a housekeeping item. Council will recall that back uh in November of 2021, we dealt with this. Um council approved zoning for this project which included an eight-story apartment building and a three-story stacked townhouse block. Uh as the applicant advanced through the site plan process, I identified that an additional floor on the apartment building would significantly improve the financial feasibility of the project. Um, added hype will also help support ongoing housing demand in Ajax. I probably you feel the same as me. I hope. I've hated seeing this site that we approved sitting for 5 years. Uh, I know it went to market for sales, then we've had a major change in the condo market. So, it the sales didn't really go ahead. Some of those that did purchase ended up backing out. Um, I ju I absolutely understand the challenges that are being felt by our development industry. Now, I'm being told that this additional floor, which will be stepped back, not even seen from the street, would make this project viable just through economy of scale. And so, the zoning before us today proposes a slight increase from 8 to nine stories. Uh, and I understand the applicant or the representative is present should any members of council had any questions regarding the proposed change. So, are there any questions on this uh, directive before us today? Councelor Bower. >> Thank you, Mayor Collier. I'm just looking for confirmation. So, it's one extra story. And are they remaining as condominiums or are they switching to rentals? >> No. My understanding is same as pretty much all other development that we have has switched to rental. The condo market just is is is really not good. Um and rather than just sitting and waiting till pre-sales happen, which could be any, you know, could take a long time, they they've decided to go ahead as a rental property. >> Okay. Thank you. And is there affordability um units being offered here? not in this one because this was already an approved OPA ZBA. Uh I don't want to say I don't feel I had a lot of leverage power in this one. This was just a matter of trying to get the proposal moving again. It's a very minor change. Um so if we can if we can help get this thing moving, great. But but really it's a supposed to be a very high-end building to a high-end market which is um in my opinion fitting within the neighborhood where it's located. And and so uh it was just felt that that that affordability component wasn't um relevant here for this particular inventory. >> Okay. And uh so we're just presuming then that renters will be able to afford the rent at these new buildings at these new apartments >> and it's townous too for rent too, right? >> Uh I'm not sure if the town houses will be for sale or for rent. Uh I haven't had that discussion. That's a question perhaps you can ask the proponent or their representative. >> Okay. Yeah, I can tell you there is a portion of the market, myself included, >> that that >> has chosen to rent in the past just because, you know, it didn't make sense to get into the market at that time or had investments that were doing much better elsewhere. So, you know, preferred to have my money tied up somewhere else. So, >> renters renters differ quite a bit for different reasons. In this case, being a very high-end building, I'd suggest yes, there there will be people that can afford to live there. Uh, and it will be more upscale. >> Understood. Thank you. And by approving this, if it's approved, when do we expect shovels will be in the ground and and this will be a finished project? Does it speed it up at all? And by how much? >> Another question for the proponents. Representative, >> I'll come to you first. >> Thank you. That's it for me. Thank you. >> Actually, um to the clerk, is the representative here and available at this point? >> They are available. And while I'm here, I'll just confirm that we have no members of the public uh requesting to speak for this item. >> Well, we're we're going to go to the public after council as well. >> Yeah. Uh Scott, I believe you're online if you want to click the button at the bottom of your screen. >> Oh, water. Okay, there we go. Nice to see you again. Uh, councelor Bower, can you key your mic again, please? There you go. Please ask your questions, Mr. Waterhouse. >> Okay. Thank you, Mayor Collier. Good afternoon, Mr. Waterhouse. Uh, thank you for waiting so long to finally get your turn. So, please explain um the switch over to uh condo to rental. How do you expect that to make this a faster completed project? And does that apply to the town houses as well as the apartment units? >> Yes. And thank you, Mr. Mayor and Councelor, can you hear me? Okay. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Perfect. Thank you. Um uh thank you, councelor. Yes. Um yeah, to your question, uh yeah, there has been a shift in market that the the mayor uh spoke about. Um, and obviously the idea now is to switch to the rental um, tenure of the of the units. Um, it's likely it would cover both the apartment and town houses, but um, the information I've got from your home developments is it not quite yet determined, but it's it's leaning that way. Um and I think your second question was about timing and >> certainly um if council uh is of mine to approve uh this application to add that additional story um they would have to um go back and just tidy up the site plan uh with staff. But the idea is if those approvals are granted um to finish up that site plan process and then get shovels in the ground um within the next 6 months ideally. So so that's certainly the the idea uh on behalf of the uh the applicant and the developer uh to try and bring um as Mr. as mayor said uh housing to the market uh and bring bring that housing to the market in a um uh difficult uh housing market that we see today. >> Sure. Absolutely. And can you please thank you for that answer and can you please remind me um how many units there will be total and what will be the breakdown in unit size bedroom size I guess number of bedrooms. Yeah. >> Yes. Uh thank you. the proposed uh unit count would be, I believe, 217 uh total dwelling units and that's across, if I've got my math correctly, across both the apartment building and the the townhouse building. So that's in in both buildings. Uh 2717 in total. Uh previously, I believe the unit count was 187. So there is obviously a um a slight increase in in total yield in that context. >> Okay. And do you know the breakdown onebedroom, twobedroom, threebedroom? >> I I don't in front of me. Um I know um I don't suspect it's changed from uh what was previously uh before. Um I can find it in one second here. um uh cuz they have gone through a a a specific site plan process with staff which is beyond a a a sort of zoning uh matter but I believe previously it was a mix of you know your onebedroom and your onebedroom plus dens and then twobedroom and twobedroom plus dens and then a few uh threebedroom. So it was weighted more to that one-bedroom, two-bedroom um mix uh with uh about a 6% I believe at the 3bedroom. Uh so it certainly across that whole spectrum of of bedroom uh configurations. >> Okay. So adding one floor so that increase from 187 units to 217. So adding one floor added 30 units. I I believe that's the the information if I have got my numbers correctly. Um I I might be off there, but I I believe that is the uh the math in front of me. >> I find that hard to believe. 30 extra units by one floor like by adding one floor or there I guess 187 may not be the correct number. >> Yeah, it is. And I mean, it probably comes back to that that mix of um of units. I know previously um I know there was I'm just looking at it here um on my screen, but I think it was or maybe I had the number. It might have been 172, but I know that um per per level uh there was about 20 uh 20 units previously on certain levels, but it came back back to that mix of um uh of bedrooms uh that were proposed which differed from floor to floor, I believe. >> Okay. Okay. All right. Um, so by adding this extra floor, is that going to make a difference in the amount of parking that will be in created? >> They would. Yes. And a good question. Certainly, um, what's before council isn't a a change to the proposed parking ratios that that you would have to provide per per unit. In that sense, >> certainly they have to look at um I said some slight updates or uh to the site plan to to accommodate to accommodate this, but um uh but no changes to the previously proposed parking ratios in terms of number of parking spaces per unit both from a resident perspective and a visitor perspective. >> Got it. All right. Okay. Thank you for this information. Those are my questions right now. Mayor Collier, thank you. Okay. Thank you. Um to the clerk, does any member of the public wish to speak to this item or ask questions to the um representative for the proponent >> through you, Mr. Chair? No, no members of the public for this item. >> Okay. So, that will conclude uh our public meeting on this. Thank you, Mr. Waterhouse, for being here. We'll be dealing with this item under bylaws later on in the agenda. >> Thank you. We have oh the item 5.8 the GGC financial statements and audit report has been I believe has that been withdrawn? >> Yes, correct Mr. Chair. >> Okay. So that concludes the um meetings and presentations. Moving on to uh there's no items of correspondence. Moving on to standing committee reports, community affairs and planning committee report. Just let me pull up my resolution sheet. Oops. Okay. Uh, can I get a mover in a seconder, please, for these? Oh, councelor Crawford, one second. Let me Did I miss you? Um, no. I was just wondering, uh, sorry, 58. Is there a delegation on 5.8? >> No, it was it's been withdrawn. >> Okay. Uh, are we at community and community affairs cap? Because I need to pull that. >> Okay. I want to pull that. That's all I want. >> Okay. We're going to get to that in just a second. So, uh, for community affairs and planning committee June 1st. Can I get a mover in a second, please? Moved by councelor Lee, second by councelor Tyler Morren, that the recommendations of the community affairs and planning committee meeting of June 1st, 2026 be adopted. Any polls? Councelor Crawford? >> Uh, yes. I need to pull um the actual uh comprehensive zoning bylaw review. The final >> uh I think it's 41. Just looking at it now. Is it 41? >> Yeah. And there's um an amend. Am I right? 41. >> Yes. Correct. >> Yes. Okay. >> I have an amendment for that. >> So, let's let's deal with that then. Go ahead with your amendment. >> Um, can you put that on the screen? >> Yes, we will, >> madame clerk. Thank you. And this is, I understand, to deal with a matter that was part of this and was removed and just putting it back in. This is not a major change. This is just a housekeeping for the most part to do with the uh the Peacock property. >> Yes. Yes. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Uh thank you. As seconded by uh councelor Lee that this motion to amend for point the I won't do all the numbers. zoning for our future comprehensive zoning review be amended to add the following. that the zoning schedule of bylaw 66 uh 2006 specify map 15 be amended to align with the exception of 67 with the environmental protection zoning boundary on 380 Kingston Road East and that the bylaw 63-206 be updated to amend exception 67 to add the storm water management facility as permitted use within the environmental protection zone subject to the approval of the conservation authority. >> Okay. >> So, that's my motion and I was contacted by um by the owner of the land uh to ask respectfully ask for that to be added back into there. >> Y I also had a similar conversation this morning. Council Lee, did you want to speak to this >> as a seconder? Uh, sorry. No. Uh, there's no way to say no to you outside of this, so I'm all good. >> Well, you could just turn your mic off. Okay. Uh, any any further comments on this? As I said, this is housekeeping. This is just putting back in something that was taken out. I did have a discussion about this at the mayor's meeting today with the director of uh of planning. So, um, was aware. Okay. Please open the vote on the amendment. Okay, that is carried. And on uh the community affairs and planning committee report 7.1 as amended. Comments hearing? Seeing none, please open the vote. And that carries. Uh, moving on to our next item. 7.2 general government committee report of June 15th. Can I get a mover in a second, please? Moved by councelor Bower, second by councelor Lee. that the recommendations from the GDC committee meeting of June 15th be adopted. Any polls? Any questions or comments? Okay, please open the vote. Okay. And that carries. We have already dealt with item 8.1 the draft equity diversity and inclusion strategic framework. Uh next is item 8.2 commemorative naming of Rotary Park bridge. Um director McCclardy is there any presentation from this or just the report? >> Just for it for council's consideration. >> Okay. I understand this report, well I know this report is a result of a motion that was moved by councelor Lee and second by councelor Bower I believe. Is that correct councelor Lee? >> I think it was flipped and I believe uh councelor Bower moved this if I'm not mistaken. >> So I'm assuming that councelor Bower wants to move this and you want to second it. >> Councelor Bower. >> Oh thank you Mayor Cer. Uh yes, I would be pleased to move this and maybe I can just ask staff if they'd like to comment on it with especially the proper annunciation of the name of the new of the bridge. >> Okay, Mrs. Brownidge. >> Thank you uh Mayor Collier through the chair to councelor Bower. Um yes, thank you councelor Bower for the question. Um staff uh following receipt of the motion uh engaged with uh our indigenous advisory circle um to identify an appropriate location uh with indigenous uh like feedback on the selection of the site. Um and the Rotary Park bridge was selected uh to honor indigenous heritage uh given its proximity to the water and uh the natural elements of the waterfront. Um so this as a as an initiative was was discussed and then from there um staff worked with uh Manogi um to uh which is the consultation arm of the Missagas of Skugog Island First Nation um to uh collectively um recommend a name uh to the town uh which was then considered by the internal commemorative naming committee per council's uh commemorative naming uh process. um and the name that was proposed uh which I will uh do my best uh to pronounce and I think that will be a key theme uh as we move forward with this should council uh adopt the recommendation today um is around education uh and how exactly uh to pronounce this and and what it means for folks that are that are interested. So um I will take a crack at it and it is uh zaga mikong ahou uh which yes um which means uh at the shore or on the lake shore and bridge uh so together it translates to bridge at the lake shore. Perfect, right? Perfect name. Thank you so much for that. And and you're absolutely right. The education component, which we did talk about at the time of this motion, is so crucial and critical for people to understand why it's important and and what we're doing. So, I really appreciate the work that was put into this and uh I'm happy to um move it and I love the name. It'll be fun uh to uh become an expert at the pronunciation of this name. Thank you. >> Okay, councelor Lee, you're next. >> Thank you, Chair. I just want to add um you know, we had just talked about the uh immense pride we had in the history of the HMS association. This is just reflecting the pride in the people that came before um even you know, Ajax was settled and the original settlers. And you know a lot of times we we do these land acknowledgements and um they're almost viewed as performative because like what is the action that we are tying um to um to honor the indigenous stewardship of our lands. This is a really simple, effective way, you know, it's a layup, so to speak, in terms of just, uh, acknowledging our indigenous roots, uh, paying homage to it and, you know, uh, educ educating the public on just, uh, the the what it means and what it, you know, the the pronunciation. These little small steps as a municipality we can take, um, to just show our respect to our indigenous neighbors. So, uh, just really really glad uh, the recommendation came through and, um, happy to support. Thank you. >> You're welcome. If there's no further, um, please open the vote. And that carries. Our next item is item 8.3, Ajac Public Library 20261, the library services 2026 spring update. Sarah Vasler, chief librarian and executive officer. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Miss Basler had to leave today's meeting due to a family commitment. Uh, but she's happy to take any questions by email following the meeting as necessary. >> Okay. Did any member of council want to make public comment or statement on this or just let me pull up the resolution actually just to see exactly what it is. Okay, it's a receive for information. So, can I get a mover in a second, please? Uh, so let me go here. Councelor Lee as the mover. Councelor Bower as a seconder. Council Lee, you wish to speak to it, please go ahead. And the motion is that the library service update be received for information. >> Yeah, I just want to draw um attention to just kind of some key statistics overall. You know, we're getting more inerson visits. We're getting more board materials. All those uh stats are trending upwards, which is great. Unfortunately, you know, we are also seeing um a huge uptick in incidents regarding, you know, emergency services and, you know, the the more negative side that we are seeing as a result of public libraries being public to the open to the public. So, you know, I know the town um our security is working closely with the library security who we just hired a new individual for and it's it's going to be an ongoing effort, but you know, like it's we I would very much love to kind of see this unified um approach to reducing um these kind of annual incidents um back to ideally 2022 levels or even beyond that because you know almost 300 issues in one year. that's almost uh trending towards an issue a day and that's not what our public um expects uh from um the safe haven that is our libraries. So I know we have you know a public consultation on our unsheltered community tomorrow. Um just I I I hope you know these these uh stats start trending downwards. Thank you chair. >> You are welcome. Any further comments? Please open the vote. That is carried. The FSP update has been withdrawn. The ghost stationary plan we have dealt with. Are there any regional council reports? Not seeing any. Okay. Um to the clerk, do I still need to do the resolution in absence of any regional counselor reports? >> Uh no, you're good to skip that one. >> Okay. So, we're not going to do the resolution to receive information. Um moving on to business arising from notice of motion, reduce speed limits on all interior roads to 40 km an hour. Council Henry, Councelor Tyler Moore. Councelor Henry, please go ahead. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, so this um came through um the road watch committee and it was discussed that Pickering had adopted something similar back in 2003 and it's been working well. There was discussions prior to uh the June 4th meeting about um road speeds being reduced to 40 kilometers and what that would look like on interior roads. Furthermore, the complaints that I've had up in the Castlefield, Sundial, and other areas of War II where residents have been asking for uh reduced speed limits and traffic warrant studies, um thinking that the speed limit there was already 40 and folks were going too fast. So, once discovered that that's actually the speed limit is 50, everyone that has um been sending emails has been saying, well, why isn't it 40? And this has been like accumulation of feedback over the last three to four uh sorry three to four years. So at this point when the discussion uh pivoted during the road watch meeting um it was discussed about what would that look like and what would be the cost involved in this. And at that point in time, we decided why don't we look at bringing forth a motion and seeing the responsible thing to do would be to see what the cost factors were associated with that and to move on from there. And uh that's what we're asking for today. Thank you. So I should just leave my mic on. Council Tyler Moore, >> we knew you were there. Um, this is just a threshold. I hope I hope that staff can look at this quickly. Uh, it it's the if there's nothing posted, we know right now it's 50 kilometers of residential streets. This would make it so that there's nothing. It's 40 km on on uh residential streets. So, all residential streets become 40. It's a better threshold. I've been working on traffic calming for eight years being on council. So, it's one of the most consistent irritants uh for residents and at the threshold meaning that if we do do traffic enforcement, which I know DRP are very busy with other things. However, uh you know, it's it's easier if it's 40 and somebody's going 58 as opposed to being 50 and going 58. Uh hopefully we can keep the cost very low. Uh maybe just signage that just states all residential streets are 40 and please be aware. So, uh, look forward to staff comments on this and, uh, everyone's support, please. Thank you. >> Um, I I I have a question to the mover in a second or if you guys want to key your your buttons, please, cuz and and either one of you can answer this or both, doesn't matter. But I mean, while I appreciate councelor Tyler Moore and you've been working on trying to reduce speeds for 8 years and councelor Henry four years, I guess my question to you is what effect have you seen outside of automatic speed enforcement that we don't have anymore that has been effective? Like by reducing speed limits to 40, >> it's going to cost us a lot of money in signs and staff time producing a report that I don't see doing anything above what we've already done. What do you expect to get out of this? >> Well, like I said, uh Oh, sorry, Councelor Henry, you're the mover. Do you want to speak first? >> I'm not chairing. I'm just being polite. >> No, no, you go ahead. >> Okay. So, um, >> that's okay. >> When I spoke to a resident the other day on, I don't want to make this too longwinded here. Like you say, it's not debate time. I spoke to a resident on Ravencross the other day and asked him if the stop signs that helped. And he said, "Yeah, it is better." So, it's just a question of when enforcement's done. For instance, on Bray, Bray isn't marked. So, it's automatically 50. 50 is incredibly fast on that street. Fletcher is 50. Should be 40. So, it's just more of a blanket. Maybe we're moving signs, but I'm not suggesting we need to put up a thousand new signs. You know, like when you come into a town, there's like those major signs saying, "Please be aware, all residential roads are 40 km." That kind of thing. I think most people think they're 40 anyways. They're mostly surprised that Griffith is 50. I remember councelor Crawford and I going on Griffiths up to 50. It's so fast. So again, it's just an ask for staff to look at this and come back to council, say, "Here's what it looks like." Uh it did help that the entire road watch committee uh sort of backed us on all this including uh members of the Durham police thought it was a good idea and again it's just a question uh that staff look into it but I can't stress enough I'm not trying to crank up a bill here just you know if we can keep it very simple >> I'm okay I appreciate that but I'm also very appreciative of of staff time and not wasting it and and asking staff to do a report in the dying days of this council with as as some of us are going out the door, but you know, nobody's guaranteed to be back. I I don't know. We we have our we ask our staff to do a lot. I think you guys know as well as I do that in absence of enforcement, this isn't going to slow people down. Um and and if even if we change speed limits to 40 across like we've already done that community safety zones and it doesn't really make a lick of difference honestly they're signed they even with automatic speed enforcement we got a ton of tickets tons of tickets and that's by putting up signs and posting them 40 and automatic speed uh sorry 40 kilometer zones and and community safety zones and fines doubled. didn't work. So, I I guess not a question. I I'm just I'm not going to support it because I don't think it's going to do anything. And I just think that that stop. >> So, Mr. Mayor, if I if I can if I >> Okay, you can take it as a question. Go ahead, Councelor Henry. >> Sorry, Mr. Mayor. I've got a leg. >> No, no. I just wanted uh councelor Tyler Mour had a chance to respond to you at the beginning and I didn't. I was waiting my turn. So, if you don't mind and I have a lag in the system. I don't know what's going on. Um but you asked about what we were hoping to accomplish. So, right now uh you know we have a lot of residential areas uh where it's 50 and folks think it's 40. And to the point of a lot of residents that I'm hearing from Sundial and Castlefield, you know, if if the speed is 50, folks are doing 60. If the speed is 40, folks are doing 50. That extra 10 kilometer change could save a life. God forbid somebody's hit. It could it could be the difference of being able to stop in time versus not being able to stop in time. um when we when we're looking at um the ASC uh cameras uh >> you know you're right they did make a difference >> they were >> and um >> as soon as they were taken away uh contacted me and said counselor can I have a list of all the streets where the cameras were can I have a list of all this and then DRPS went out and started doing that enforcement in those areas in lie of and an absence of the ASC machines. Council >> Henry aren't there clocking in. >> You know my other job, right? I know for a fact I did not >> prove it in an email. >> Okay. Anyway, uh I'm not going to support this. >> I will prove an email. >> Are you willing? Are you willing are you willing to put that on there? It >> It's my questions to you at this time. But let me ask you one last question. >> If this passes and staff comes back and says, "No, this won't make any difference." Will you accept that and let this go? >> I think we have to see what staff have to say about the cost. >> If if staff do the report and they come back and say, >> "But I mean this is >> I'm looking forward to reading the report." >> Okay. Just I'm asking you if staff come back and say no, this is not a good idea. >> We've given staff time, >> Mr. Mayor. We've given staff time to our um what do we call that? Um our our um restaurants of Ajax, our menu for this, for that, the other. Surely road safety deserves staff time. Surely >> I don't see the correlation, but fine. That's the end of my questions. Councelor Lee, >> should we get off now? >> Nope. Thank you, Chair. Um I'm of the same mindset as the mayor. Um because um like right now they're set at 50 and the issue ultimately is people are going 60 and that's way too fast. But without any sort of measures to actually like catch people going too fast then there's going to be no uh change of behavior. So in other words we could like ultimately at the end of the day why don't we make it 30 kilometers an hour which >> 30 is too slow. It's it's includes for for to catch it. We have no measures. >> Again, you know, like we hear all the time the police don't have the same resources, uh, you know, for >> so yeah, I mean, realistically, I don't see police on residential streets nearly as often as they used to be because they are busy doing other, you know, crime prevention measures, right? So, I guess ultimately if there's no punishment to um to speeding on residential streets or it's not as uh frequently tagged, then the concern is ultimately like who's who's watching people's speed? Who's punishing people from speeding? And then ultimately, the question is if we're that serious about road safety and we're getting a collective agreement from the town, let's drop it to 30 then and 30 km an hour. >> Can I reply, Mr. Mayor, really quickly? So, I have I'm a little more optimistic. I think human behavior, if they see a 40, they're going to go 46. But if they see a 50, uh, crank it up to 57. So, it's just behavior. Just trying to nudge people along to drive a little slower. That's what this is all about. Enforcement. Sure, that'd be great. Nobody respects police more than me when it comes to I shouldn't say retract that. You know what I mean? I I understand they've got bigger fish to fry. If we get to that point, great. But in the meantime, if somebody sees a 40, you know, maybe the person next door says only 40 here and they slow down a bit. That's all it is. So, and that blanket's a lot more safe. I don't think it's a huge ask. And I'm not >> But 30 is 35 is safer than 40 and 30 is not good. 30's in Clarington. That guy said he had to shut off his truck in order to >> But again, like but that's sorry like that people are going to feel the same way about 40. Like it's one thing to say I feel safer and I understand that. That's what our constituents say. But realistically, they made it 50 for a reason because of road widths and line of sight and everything. And again, I'm not trying to be combative. These are just kind of issues that are coming through my mind when you have emotion like this. I get it. It's a staff report, but I just until we have teeth behind no matter what speed we have, then I don't see behavior changing. But that's just my two cents. Teeth. Everyone's more the teeth. >> Yeah. Okay. So, I'll leave it at that. Uh, thank you chair for the questions. Okay, councelor Dice. >> Thank you, Chair. Thank you. I I agree. I you know, changing the speed limit is not going to solve the problem. This has been an issue is issue for a very very long time. And there's a a cost associated with that, too. And I think at this time when everybody's really struggling, it's it's not uh we don't need a make work project that's going to cost money and not work. So, um I agree with uh councelor Lee. Thank you. >> Okay. Any Oh, councelor Bar. >> Councelor Dy, we're we're not asking it to be changed. We're we're asking for the report. >> Okay. >> Councelor Bower, do you have questions to the mover and second or just want to speak to it? >> I have questions. >> Okay. Go ahead. >> Thank you, Mayor Collier. Thank you counselors Henry and Tyler Mo for bringing this forward. I do remember a conversation where at the road watch meeting it was discussed um with that group and specifically with um actions that they've taken in Pickering regarding the speed limits and there was some benefits that I think the two of you said um Pickering reported. So maybe can you talk to us about that because I don't see that anywhere in the motion? >> Councelor Henry, do you have a better memory of the details than I do other than the fact they did it and it worked? I also spoke to somebody in Lindsay. >> They did it and it worked. Meaning that apparently people slowed down. >> Sorry. Go ahead. I didn't mean to. Yes, my my understanding was that it did make it did make an improvement on the internal streets and that's why it was brought forward. And it's been done for like what 2003. It's been done over 20 years in Pickering. And of course, you're always going to have people speeding. That's we're we're never going to change that. What we're going to change is by how much they're speeding and at what's what rate. That that's more what we'll change. But it's more about the report and what comes back to us, what the cost of this would be, what this would look like. Right now, we're sitting in a sea of non-information. And we'd like to have some information. I have the staff report from Pickering from uh 2003, and I can send it to you, but I don't think that, you know, is what we're looking for to make the decision right now. We're looking for the Ajax version of that. >> Understood completely. I just remember the discussion where you mentioned or you just said it again now that there's been improvement in Pickering. So what what was that measure? What do you mean by Pickering said it works because it's improved here? What did they measure? >> Well, if I may hopefully will be included. >> I'm getting a cutout feed on my end. >> I heard what she said. So >> I'll drop off. I was just going to say councelor Bower that hopefully that kind of information will be sharpened. I think what what councelor Henry is saying is true. We're you know it's all about everybody's sort of theories and opinions. We want to go beyond that. We want to get a here's what it looks like. Here's what it will cost. I just hope that staff are listening when we say we want to try and keep this as simple as possible. Um and and go from there. We're not trying to rack up a huge bill. We're just trying to make the residential streets a little more reasonable and we're only asking staff to look at that, you know, and just >> No, thank you very much. Thank you, councelor Tyler Moore and I I agree with you that that's all that's being requested right now is the information and how much it would cost and what it would look like and the timing. So um and I think there is an emotional and mental connection between a driver and the sign of how fast they can drive >> as I do my own personal experience and you know we just recently had similar discussions for the residents on uh Range Road >> where uh and it was the exact same request. So, I'm happy to support your motion for report to come back with recommendations from staff knowing that at the the council at that time will decide to move forward or not. Yeah. So, >> and I I agree with with Mayor Collier. Uh sounds like I'm sure in the meeting now, but I agree with Mayor Collier that, you know, we have to look at the report. I don't want anything ridiculous. And the range roads perfect example. We wouldn't have even have to have done that because it would have already been 40 if it was just a blanket across all residential streets. >> No, thank you. I'll support you. Thank you. Those were my questions. >> Thanks, Mayor Collier, for the extra leeway. Appreciate it. >> See how easy I am to get along with. >> Um, okay, you guys can drop off. Thank you. Seeing nobody else in the speakers list, I will call the vote. and that carries. Moving on to the next item, sale of town owned lands adjacent to 14 Entro Boulevard. This is myself and councelor Crawford. Uh I'll just speak to it very quickly. This this is a a kind of a legacy piece. This has been before this council and one way or another council dies. You'll remember this going back as far as 2003 I think with with this landowner. It's a what I'll call surplus piece of property. And speaking with our director of operations, I mean the word ditch came up. Um it it it's it's something that we at the town have to maintain, but it's directly next door to this resident's property. Um I'd rather have them maintain it and pay for it than us. Um, and that, you know, we still will have access to the to the ditch and, uh, be able, if we ever need to clean it out, bring in an excavator, clean it out. But, you know, this to me is a bit of a reasonable request. This this person already maintains the property. It It's surplus as far as I'm concerned. Um, I did have pretty in-depth conversations with staff about this and said, "I want to put this to bed once and for all. It's been 23 years and um I didn't hear anything that made me change that opinion. So, uh that's why this is here before you. Um Council Crawford as a seconder, please go ahead. >> Thank you. Um, I just wanted to, yeah, as long as this motion basically says that we're we would still have access. You would figure out with staff and the owner that if we ever needed to access the culvert, I think it's a culvert. Um, and from my understanding from the owner, the town has never accessed the culvert. Didn't never needed to access a culvert to clean it out. But as long as we have access be able to have access to that and there's no change in the um in the use of the land at all for by the owner which I don't think he has any intention of doing um then uh we just need to figure this out. I think I we've been talking about this since I came on to council and I know it goes even before that and I'm six junior years here. So um thank you for bringing this forward. >> Sorry Jo, my mic was off. Councelor Dies, please go ahead. >> That's okay. Um so the land that's on the map here is the land that he basically has made his property, but it's still owned by the town. So, it's that green space with the rocks that he uses as part of his property because if I remember correctly, he built right up to as far as he could go and couldn't really get out his side door without having more property. >> Yeah, this is a property where basically there's a flat section and then it drops off to the ditch that I referred to. So the pro the piece that we're looking to sell to the resident who is going to pay for the the the R um whatever it's called what they need to sever property for the legals for every for all costs and buy the land and sign an agreement to give a um encroachment agreement with the town if we ever need to go in. It's just the top portion that yes is solded and maintained that the resident also uses for the beach cuz this is right down on the waterfront to do their retaining wall. So they have to use this piece of land also to access the retaining wall so it doesn't erode away. So yeah, that is the piece we're talking about. >> So we will have access still just in case we need to get down there. I think it was for flooding too if I remember correctly in intense storms but not sure. So there's that part of it. Do we know what the cost is for the owner to purchase this land or the >> uh I think the cost for the art plan and everything is more than the land itself but um who can speak to this Mr. Meredith maybe? >> Sure. Um mayor um to councelor Dice. So with respect to what we've requested is obviously there'd be a easement registered over top of the property which would allow us access to the waterfront. The owner would then be responsible for the appraisal fees, the survey fees which would include the preparation of an R plan and any legal fees associated with it. So So those are the the financial components that they'd be directly responsible for. Um there are there are some access issues that we currently have that have been created by the owner that would need to be resolved as part of the agreement as well. Currently we can't get down to the waterfront and we have had a need this year. Um so there are some issues that do need to be resolved as part of this agreement with respect to some of the boulders that have been placed there. But those are things we will deal with directly with with the owner um sort of over the coming months if council provides this direction. So, what type of issues would you need to correct in order to get access to the lake? Just curious. >> There's just some there's some additional stonework that's happened over the last couple of years that expend extended beyond where they were previously that prevent us from getting our backho down along the beachfront to maintain the the culbert. So, um, so there is a bit of an impediment and in its current state, we would have to have a contracted service come in and maintain it and and incur a cost that we wouldn't normally have to. >> So, is that outside the property line that I see where the rocks are on the on the shore? >> Yeah, you'll see photos of where it extends along the southernly boundary of the town's property um that is currently preventing us access to that area. Okay. Well, thank you very much for the information. I appreciate it. Okay. >> Seeing no one else in the speakers list, please go ahead and open the vote. Minister or clerk. Okay, carrots. Moving on to our next item, advocating for provincial regulatory modernization to enable access to federally authorized consumer grade hearing and assist of listening technology in Ontario. Councelor Henry, Councelor Crock, Councelor Henry, please go ahead. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Hopefully, you can hear me. I have a lag in the system. Um so this motion came um through the members of the accessibility committee and it was pointing out that currently right now the federal government allows for this and it's something that the province has not caught up to. So this is a very simple motion just an advocacy piece to the province asking them to please uh catch up to their federal counterparts and allow for this um uh type of device to be used here in Ontario. Uh, council a regional counselor Crawford, do you have anything to add to that? >> Thank you, Councelor Henry. I'll chair the meeting. Councelor Crawford, please go ahead. >> Thank you. Um, I I I had no idea actually how much hearing aids actually cost until my sister had to uh invest in them, and they are outrageous how expensive they are. So, if there's something that we can do or the province can do to have an over-the-counter hearing aid, not for extreme uh hearing loss, but something that could be done for somebody who is on the verge, that is more that is more accessible for for costing. I think we should try to be able to do as much as we can to encourage the province to allow for that. That's all. >> Thank you. hearing. Seeing no one else in the speakers list, please open the vote and that carries unanimously. Okay, that concludes the notices of motion. Moving on to bylaws. Let me find my sheet on this. Okay. So, we're going to do this in two stages. We're going to do first the items that are not brought forward through mayor's directive, which are just very routine bylaws. Can I get a mover in a second for bylaws 57-2026 to 70-2026 and 73 and 76 to 81 be approved? Moved by councelor Lee second by councelor Crawford that bylaws 57 to 70 73 76 to 81 be approved. Questions on any of the bylaws? Councelor Bower. >> Uh thank you Mayor Collier. Just a question about the very first one, the temporary use at 230 and 240 Bailey to open a uh car wash place. I just wanted um confirmation like or was there uh consultation or any information communicated to the residents who live right behind that area and what provisions will be put in place to make sure they're not bothered by I guess sound debris or whatever other risk to having a firewash that close. Please, >> I'll um open this up to Mr. Romanowski. Just want to let council know this came forward through Fieldgate. This is a property that I don't remember what was supposed to have been there, but this is a temporary use because it just doesn't make sense to have it there just now, but I believe it is zoned as a commercial portion. So, it's not going to be a surprise to the residents that this is a different commercial use, but it it definitely has been known as commercial portion. But, Mr. Mr. Romani, can you please speak to the notification to do with um uh this temporary use? >> Sure. We uh Yes. I I don't know why my camera is not working because I clicked it and you can't I'm here. I'm behind this black screen. >> I believe we can hear you. >> Okay. Um standard standard notice went out for the temporary use zoning which we would send out. We received no objections. We did receive some concerns from a few of the residents just around noise and light. All of which we responded back saying that we'll deal with that through the site plan. Uh for this site, the the the site does allow commercial type uses. Uh they were proposing initially a gas station at this site, but the the reason why we're doing the temporary use is because in the fullness of time, this property fieldgate also owns the property to the not the muffler shop, but the property to the east of the muffler shop as well. >> Yeah. >> So, in the fullness of time, the muffler shop may not continue business there. Fieldgate as I understand it may or may not have like a first right of refusal to buy that property when and if it comes for sale and they will be or want to uh develop that for residential purposes, highdensity residential in the future. So the thinking here was just to activate the site. Uh right now it's boarded up. It's a pile of dirt. There's graffiti all over the the walls there >> and uh it's a temporary use. So, it's temporary for a period of three years. Um if and when uh that comes to term, we bring that request back forward to council for their consideration. Uh similar to a bylaw like this. Um so that's basically it in a nutshell. Okay, >> we did get some comments and we can deal with the comments through the site plan review process. >> Perfect. Thank you, director. So, do you know when you that will be operational? Like how soon will that be there? >> I don't know. They've gone through precon through the chair to councelor Bower. They've gone through precon. So, um I imagine it'll probably be something that'll be built probably next year. I would imagine unless they're going to build it like right away, but we haven't got any permits or anything like that in uh to date to initiate that that development. >> Okay. Okay. Thank you very much. Uh that's it. Council Lee, >> very quickly chair, didn't we pass a motion prohibiting car washes and storage lockers to be permitted in Ajax? >> I believe it was gas stations and self storage facilities we removed as permitted uses, but again, Mr. Romanowski or maybe Mr. McCull. >> Yes, it was gas stations and yeah, through the charter council, Leo's gas stations and storage facilities. Uh, >> that's hilarious. I I I would have included car washes if I'd known, but what's done is done. Okay. Thank you, Jar. >> Well, Council Lee, you and I both drive electric cars, so they don't require gas, but they do require washing, so I can see that as a permitted use. Councelor Crawford. >> Uh my question is about another bylaw. Sorry. >> Okay. Uh well, I don't see anybody else on this one, so go ahead and speak to the other one. Turn your mic back on and I'll let you in. There you go. >> Sorry. My question is around uh bylaw 76 2026 removing uh campfire permits. So we're just saying now you're not allowed to have them. Is that right under the bylaw? >> I don't believe we're ever allowed to have them. >> Well, I didn't think so either. That's why I'm asking >> Cooper. >> Hi. You're correct. Regional counselor Crawford. Uh we haven't permitted them in a very long time, but the bylaw still had an outdated reference to allowing them at Greenwood, I believe. So, this is just um a cleanup that we're doing at the request of environmental services. >> Perfect. Thank you. That's all I need to know. Thank you. >> Okay. Anything further on the um I'll just call them the regular bylaws hearing seeing none. Please open the vote to the clerk. Okay. And those carry to the second ones which is bylaws 71 to 72 2026 which is the bylaws for 688 Taton and 74 to 75 2026 which is Lake Driveway West. Um questions or comments? Do we need to separate these? Is somebody supporting one, not the other? Or can we leave them together? Councelor Henry, >> I just want to ask about six um 688, right? 688. Taton, >> just a quick question. Um, so if this goes through today and they don't meet the requirements of TRCA, the H hold never gets released. Is that correct? >> That is correct. >> Sorry, I can't. Yeah, sorry. >> That's correct. >> Okay. So, it it doesn't get released, >> right? >> Okay. Can they come back to TRCA with a council approved um motion here today? Can they go to TRCA and use that as leverage to get out of doing the work that's been asked of them? >> No, not at all. Uh my understanding after reviewing this, the TRCA comments is this is a matter of encroachment. Just like 120 Robertson, the Hartrick House, the TRCA requires a six meter setback. Sorry, the MNRF requires a six meter set back from top of stable top of bank where TRCA uses 10. So they require a larger setback. I mean it's like what they did at 120 Robertson. I guess that's subject to negotiation and they ended up finding somewhere in the middle. I imagine what's going to have to happen here is they either find some compromise with TRCA or they have to move the building that is too close to stable top of bank to to qualif or to um address the TRCA's concern and in absence of that the TRCA is not going to give their approval and we're not going to remove the holding position the holding provision. So, but no, they can't use this as leverage. >> Okay. >> All right. That was my final question. Thanks. >> Okay, Councelor Crawford. >> Thank you. I really don't mean to be delayed this this meeting longer than it is now, but but I'm gonna >> um the the comment that uh was brought up about the Matt tax. Could we have um uh Miss Brownidge come in and just talk about that process especially specifically to Airbnbs. >> Yeah, please go ahead. >> Thank you. Through the chair to regional counselor Crawford. When council approved the municipal accommodation tax, um it was discussed that the enforcement of this would be phased. Um we focused initially on hotels and motel. Um but the bylaw did include uh short-term rentals as well. And the intention at that time uh was that staff would put together an enforcement strategy. Um as Airbnb and Verbbo do not release a list of active Airbnbs and Verbos in town. So, if you operate an Airbnb, you have to click an acknowledgement that the town does um collect a mat and that you are obligated to do so. Um, however, at this point in time, staff have not been proactively enforcing that. Um, and so the uptake in payments have been extremely low. Um however uh staff will be undertaking an enforcement strategy and working closely with um finance uh bylaw services to uh work on um how we will move forward and collect the the funds that are owed to us as the um and that's for all uh short-term rentals in town. >> Thank you very much for that clarification. I do appreciate it. Um on the um the lake driveway uh I think there was some concerns with the residents. Is there some kind of wetland or protective land behind that project? And I'm I'm not 100% sure. I'd had the question asked to me and just wondering if that will still be protected >> behind the Broadway piece. >> Yeah, this this backs on to Duffins Creek and Duffins Marsh and um falls under TRCA. So, they're going to have to satisfy any TRCA requirements and again that happens through site plan. >> Okay, perfect. That's those are my two questions. Thank you. >> Okay. Uh, we did not divide. So, can I get I'll move them. They're mayor's directives. Can I get a seconder, please? >> Second by councelor Lee. Um, please open the vote. And that carries. Uh that completes no um bylaws. I can't see why there would be since we don't really have any more meetings, but is there any notice of motion? Councelor Lee. >> Sorry, not that I have a notice of motion, but I uh don't we have a September meeting? >> Uh there is one schedule, but it's just a a bookmark. It's there. We had a meeting today. There's not a lot of of items. We're probably going to have a special meeting to deal with the financial sustainability plan that was bumped from today and a couple of other items sometime in July or August. I'm hoping that we can get them done in one meeting. It will be a a longer meeting, but I don't anticipate there being anything going forward to September. >> Are we following online somebody criticizing my comment? >> Uh, no, no, no, no. I I was I was earnestly asking. I just very curious. Thank you, >> Chair. Yeah, they that I I did ask the clerk that schedule is is put out as per our bylaw annually and and as you know, if there aren't sufficient um agenda items, they sometimes get bumped or the meeting gets canceled. Uh so, no notice of motion. Any new business or announcements? Councelor Lee. >> Thank you, Chair. These are real ones, don't worry. Um, first things first, on June 24th at 3M at the newly uh minted Derek Cornelius Square, uh we have the final World Cup uh group say uh game against I believe Switzerland where hopefully uh we're going to win our group and then sky's the limit from there. So I hope to see everyone there at 3 p.m. at Derek Cornelius Square. Um, the town of Ajax is having its first uh Canada Day event on July 1st at the newly minted Ajax fairgrounds uh starting at 2 PM to 10 pm. So hopefully we uh hop on a shuttle and uh come see the new fairgrounds and the Canada Day celebrations that the town always knocks out of the park. And finally, I do this every year uh on in three days. Happy birthday to my ex-girlfriend Amanda McInness. Thank you, Jerry. Jeez. Okay. Uh, councelor Bower, >> thank you. >> So, you know what? I I wasn't uh I was expecting that we would have meetings in September. And if it's not going to be the case, then this could be this will be my last official regular council meeting. So I would just like to say to my colleagues and to town staff that it and to the residents, it has been my honor to serve you and I thank you very much for this privilege. >> That's it. >> I considered a similar thing, but I'm very confident there is going to be one more probably special meeting. So you'll have that opportunity to for that. Councelor Bower, uh any further new business or announcements? Okay. Um, we've already dealt with the closed session brings us to our confirming bylaw. Let me just come down to this. There it is. Can I get a mover in a seconder for the confirming bylaw, please? Move by. Let's have somebody new. You guys are too quick on the draw. Move by counselor dies. Second by councelor Tyler Mren that bylaw 82-2026 being a bylaw to confirm the proceedings of the council of corporation of the town of Ajax at its regular meeting held on June 22nd 2026 be approved. Questions, comments? Please open the vote. That carries. And finally, moved by councelor Tyler Morren, second by councelor Crawford that the June 22nd, 2026 meeting of the council of the town of Hax be adjourned. Those in favor? I'm sure that carries except for councelor Lee. Uh I'll just take a moment just to say uh thank you everyone to staff. Yeah, there we go. And uh hope everybody has a very great and uh very safe summer. Enjoy the rest of your day.