County of Brant Council Minutes — January 30, 2024

Agenda

1. Approval of Agenda
2. Federated Women's Institutes of Canada / Adelaide Hunter Hoodless Homestead – Funding Request
3. Stedman Community Hospice and St. Joseph's Lifecare Centre – Funding Consideration
4. Alma Agnes Arouza & Dinesh Kumar Thiyagarajan – Awareness of Home-Based Dog Care
5. Adoption of Minutes from Previous Meetings
6. Draft Amended Terms of Reference – Joint City-County Shared Services Committee
7. Consent Items to be Received
8. City of Brantford – Social Services Resolutions – December 19, 2023
9. Planning and Development Committee Report – January 9, 2024
10. Government Relations Committee Report – January 15, 2024
11. Administration and Operations Committee Report – January 16, 2024
12. RPT-0121-24 – Appointment of Officers for Court of Revision – Harley Municipal Drain
13. Association of Municipalities of Ontario – Policy Update
14. Brant Waterways Foundation – Climate Change Action Plan Scope of Work
15. Resolution – Increasing Residential Units in Downtown Paris
16. Notice of Motion – Motion to Reconsider New Library and Bawcutt Centre Project Design Concept
17. Other Business – Hospital Funding Discussion
18. In Camera Session – Oakland Community Centre, Safe Zone Program, and Firefighter Remuneration
19. By-laws

Votes at a Glance

#	Motion	Result	Tally
1	Refer Federated Women's Institutes/Adelaide Hunter Hoodless Homestead $30,000 annual funding request to 2024 budget as decision package	Passed	unanimous
2	Refer Stedman Community Hospice and St. Joseph's Lifecare Centre $150,000 funding request to 2024 budget as decision package	Passed	unanimous
3	Receive delegation from Alma Arouza and Dinesh Thiyagarajan on home-based dog daycare and refer to staff	Passed	unanimous
4	Approve amended Terms of Reference for Joint City-County Shared Services Committee and forward to City of Brantford	Passed	unanimous
5	Approve Planning and Development Committee report of January 9, 2024 including Zoning By-Law Amendment ZBA1-24-BK for housekeeping purposes	Passed	unanimous
6	Approve Government Relations Committee report of January 15, 2024 including OGRA delegation requests to provincial ministries	Passed	unanimous
7	Approve Administration and Operations Committee report recommendations 1-7 and 9-10 of January 16, 2024	Passed	unanimous
8	Approve Administration and Operations Committee report recommendation 8 (Scotland/Oakland Master Environmental Servicing Plan and Community Master Plan)	Passed	unanimous
9	Appoint Cllr Garneau, Cllr Miller, and Cllr Coleman to Harley Drain Court of Revision and direct staff to report on permanent court of revision options	Passed	unanimous
10	Pass AMO resolution of support for provincial-municipal comprehensive social and economic prosperity review; direct staff and Government Relations Committee to act	Passed	unanimous
11	Refer Brant Waterways Foundation Climate Change Action Plan Scope of Work communication to staff	Passed	unanimous
12	Approve in principle increasing residential/commercial density in downtown Paris and direct staff to work with GRCA on special policy area residential units	Passed	8–2
13	Direct up to $75,000 for Oakland Community Centre upgrades, $2,000 for Safe Zone program, and firefighter honorarium/equipment funds in 2024 budget	Passed	unanimous

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Full Minutes

3. Approval of Agenda

Council approved the agenda for the January 30, 2024 meeting, including an addendum and one additional item under Other Business brought forward by Councillor Bell.

5.1. Federated Women's Institutes of Canada / Adelaide Hunter Hoodless Homestead – Funding Request

Representatives from the Federated Women's Institutes of Canada and the Adelaide Hunter Hoodless Homestead, a national historic site in Brant County, appeared before Council to request $30,000 in annual funding. They noted the homestead regularly runs at a deficit and discussed upcoming capital needs including an accessibility ramp and building upgrades. Council referred the $30,000 request to the 2024 budget as a decision package.

5.2. Stedman Community Hospice and St. Joseph's Lifecare Centre – Funding Consideration

Representatives from Stedman Community Hospice and St. Joseph's Lifecare Centre appeared before Council to request a combined $150,000 in funding for 2024 — $100,000 for the hospice and $50,000 for St. Joseph's to purchase sleeper recliners and establish a grief and bereavement support group. Council referred the full funding request to the 2024 budget as a decision package.

5.3. Alma Agnes Arouza & Dinesh Kumar Thiyagarajan – Awareness of Home-Based Dog Care

Two residents appeared before Council to highlight that the County's current licensing by-law makes home-based dog daycare illegal in Brant. They outlined the benefits of in-home dog boarding and asked Council to amend the by-law to allow more dogs in a home-care setting. The delegation was received and referred to staff for further review.

6. Adoption of Minutes from Previous Meetings

Council approved the minutes from the regular Council meeting of December 19, 2023 and the Special Council meeting of December 21, 2023.

8.1.1. Draft Amended Terms of Reference – Joint City-County Shared Services Committee

Council reviewed and approved the updated terms of reference for the Joint City-County Shared Services Committee, which guides how the County of Brant and City of Brantford share certain services. An amendment was made by unanimous consent to add the word 'equitably' to clause 11.a. The amended terms of reference will be forwarded to the City of Brantford for their approval.

8.2. Consent Items to be Received

Council received a package of informational items from various organizations and municipalities, including resolutions and meeting minutes from bodies such as the Grand River Conservation Authority, Long Point Region Conservation Authority, John Noble Home, County of Brant Public Library Board, and several municipalities. These items required no action beyond acknowledgment.

8.2.7. City of Brantford – Social Services Resolutions – December 19, 2023

This item was separated from the general consent package for discussion, specifically regarding a clause about a Housing Financial Plan that would be subject to both the County's and City of Brantford's budget processes. The County's CAO clarified there is no immediate request for 2024 budget funds, but noted that a framework for affordable housing funding will need to be developed. Council received the item as information.

9.1. Planning and Development Committee Report – January 9, 2024

Council approved the recommendations from the Planning and Development Committee meeting of January 9, 2024. This included directing staff to initiate a general housekeeping Zoning By-Law Amendment and approving the minutes of the November 2023 Agricultural Advisory Committee.

9.2. Government Relations Committee Report – January 15, 2024

Council approved the recommendations from the Government Relations Committee, directing staff to submit delegation requests at the upcoming Good Roads Association (OGRA) Annual Conference. Topics for provincial meetings include transportation delays affecting development, expanded infrastructure funding, broader inclusionary zoning, and funding for John Noble Home expansion.

9.3. Administration and Operations Committee Report – January 16, 2024

Council approved a wide-ranging set of recommendations from the Administration and Operations Committee, covering topics such as the Harley Municipal Drain provisional by-law, continued support for the Oakland Community Centre, a tax write-off totalling over $90,000, an added meeting to the 2024 Council calendar, opening Iarocci Boulevard to traffic, early tendering of capital projects and vehicle purchases, no changes to on-street permit parking, and a master planning study for the Scotland/Oakland area. Recommendation 8 regarding the Scotland/Oakland Master Environmental Servicing Plan was voted on separately after discussion about its impact on existing planning applications.

10.1. RPT-0121-24 – Appointment of Officers for Court of Revision – Harley Municipal Drain

Council appointed Councillors Garneau, Miller, and Coleman to sit on the Harley Drain Court of Revision, tentatively scheduled for February 27, 2024. Staff were also asked to report back on options for establishing a permanent court of revision, as several more drainage hearings are anticipated in the coming months.

11.1. Association of Municipalities of Ontario – Policy Update

Council received and endorsed an AMO initiative calling on the Province of Ontario to conduct a comprehensive social and economic prosperity review with municipalities. Council noted that provincial funding has not kept pace with the costs municipalities bear for provincially mandated services, and agreed to share its support publicly, engage local MPPs through the Government Relations Committee, and pass a formal resolution of support.

11.2. Brant Waterways Foundation – Climate Change Action Plan Scope of Work

Council received a communication from the Brant Waterways Foundation regarding a Climate Change Action Plan and referred it to staff for review and follow-up.

12.1. Resolution – Increasing Residential Units in Downtown Paris

Councillor Oakley brought forward a resolution to increase housing density in downtown Paris, noting that the current Special Policy Area in the Official Plan limits growth in the flood plain area. Council approved the resolution in principle (8 to 2), directing staff to work with the Grand River Conservation Authority to explore allowing more residential and commercial units in downtown Paris while balancing economic development and public safety, in coordination with the Downtown Paris Master Plan consultation process.

12.2. Notice of Motion – Motion to Reconsider New Library and Bawcutt Centre Project Design Concept

Councillor Bell gave notice that he intends to bring a motion to reconsider a previous Council decision regarding the New Library and Bawcutt Centre Project Design Concept at the Special Council meeting scheduled for February 1, 2024. A procedural point of order was raised by Councillor Chambers but Mayor Bailey ruled that the matter would be addressed at the February 1 meeting.

13. Other Business – Hospital Funding Discussion

Council discussed concerns that figures being reported in local media about the County's expected contribution to a new hospital build differed from what was presented in a recent delegation to Council. Council requested that the Brant Community Healthcare System return to provide updated and clarified funding figures.

14. In Camera Session – Oakland Community Centre, Safe Zone Program, and Firefighter Remuneration

Council met privately to discuss confidential matters including health and safety issues related to an identifiable individual, firefighter pay, and potential land acquisition involving 43 Simcoe Street and the Oakland Community Centre. Following the in-camera session, Council approved up to $75,000 to bring the Oakland Community Centre up to standard, $2,000 for the Safe Zone program, and added firefighter honorarium and equipment check funding to the 2024 budget.

15. By-laws

Council gave first, second, and third readings to several by-laws, including the Harley Drain provisional by-law (two readings only as a provisional measure), traffic amendments for Iarocci Boulevard (stop signs and a 50 km/h speed limit), authorization for the County to borrow money to meet 2024 expenditures, and the standard confirming by-law for the meeting's proceedings.

This post was automatically generated by BrantVotes from the official County of Brant council minutes. Always refer to the official minutes for authoritative records.