02 26 2025 Council Meeting MinutesTownship
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Wednesday, February 26, 2025
The Township of Oro-Medonte
Council Meeting Minutes
Electronic Hybrid Meeting
2022-2026 Council
Present: Mayor Randy Greenlaw
Deputy Mayor Peter Lavoie
Councillor Lori Hutcheson
Councillor John Bard
Councillor David Clark
Councillor Richard Schell
Councillor Robert Young
3:00 p.m.
Staff Shawn Binns, Chief Administrative Officer; Yvonne Aubichon, Clerk;
Present: Donna Hewitt, Director, Corporate Services; Brent Spagnol, Director,
Development Services; Michelle Jakobi, Director, Environmental
Services; George Vadeboncoeur, Manager, Planning, Special Projects;
Curtis Shelswell, Manager, Municipal Law; Garry McCartney, Chief
Building Official; Jenny Legget, Manager, Communications & Public
Relations; Janette Teeter, Supervisor, Clerk's Services/Deputy Clerk;
Ryan Hill, Information Technology Help Desk Technician (IT)
All Council and staff participated via Zoom platform.
1. Call to Order - Reading of Land Acknowledgement:
Mayor Greenlaw assumed the Chair at the above noted time and called the meeting to order
followed by the reading of the Land Acknowledgement.
The Township of Oro-Medonte acknowledges that we are situated on the traditional land of
the Anishnaabek (A- nish- in- aa- beh) people, and ancestral territory of the Huron-Wendat.
The Anishnaabek include the Odawa [Oh-DAH-wah], Ojibwe [0-jib-we] and Pottawatomi
[boh-tah-WAH-toh-mee] nations, collectively known as the Three Fires Confederacy. It
continues today as the home for diverse Indigenous Peoples including the historic Metis
Community in Penetanguishene.
The Anishnaabek people continue to have an enduring relationship with this land, specifically
the Chippewas of Rama First Nation, the Chippewa Tri-Council and the Williams Treaties
First Nations. The Huron-Wendat Nation also continues to pay respect and protect their
ancestors and heritage on this land. We honour the Indigenous history and culture that has
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Council Meeting Minutes — Wednesday, February 26, 2025.
thrived for millennia in this territory and the Treaties that bind us together as partners in the
spirit of a shared sustainable and prosperous future. We are all Treaty People. Our
commitment begins with acknowledging the Truth so that we can move forward together
towards Reconciliation.
2. Adoption of Agenda:
a) Motion to Adopt the Agenda.
Motion No. C250226-1
Moved by Clark, Seconded by Schell
Be it resolved that the agenda for the Council meeting of Wednesday, February 26,
2025 be received and adopted, as amended, to add as Item 13
b) Deputy Mayor Lavoie re: A Motion Regarding the Barrie Boundary Adjustment
Provincial Facilitation.
Carried.
Motion No. C250226-2
Moved by Hutcheson, Seconded by Young
Be it resolved that Rule 14.20a), as per the Procedural By-law No. 2023-043, be suspended
in order to allow the meeting to proceed past the 4 hour adjournment requirement, if
necessary.
Carried.
3. Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest:
Councillor Schell declared a conflict of interest on Item 11 b) DS2025-023, George
Vadeboncoeur, Manager, Planning, Special Projects re: Draft Short Term Rental
Accommodation and Bed and Breakfast Establishments Licensing By-law. Councillor Schell
submitted the following: I do not wish to take part as I own and operate an STR
establishment in the Township.
4. Closed Session Items:
None.
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Council Meeting Minutes — Wednesday, February 26, 2025.
5. Minutes of Council and Committees:
a) Minutes of Special Council meeting held on Thursday, February 6, 2025.
b) Minutes of Council meeting held on Wednesday, February 12, 2025.
Motion No. C250226-3
Moved by Young, Seconded by Clark
Be it resolved that the draft
a) Minutes of the Special Council meeting held on Thursday, February 6, 2025;
b) Minutes of the Council meeting held on Wednesday, February 12, 2025
be received and adopted as printed and circulated.
Carried.
6. Recognition of Achievements and Introduction(s):
None.
7. Public Meetings:
None.
8. Deputations/Presentations:
None.
9. Identification From the Public of an Agenda Item of Interest:
None.
10. Open Forum:
One (1) individual provided comments with respect to Item 13b).
One (1) individual provided comments with respect to Item 14d).
A housekeeping matter was addressed at this time to approve the addendum item to be
passed during the adoption of the agenda motion.
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Council Meeting Minutes — Wednesday, February 26, 2025.
11. Reports of Municipal Officers for Action:
a) DS2025-029, George Vadeboncoeur, Manager, Planning, Special Projects re: Georgian
Communities Proposed Funding Application under the Federal Government Canada
Housing Infrastructure Fund.
Motion No. C250226-4
Moved by Schell, Seconded by Bard
Be it resolved
1. That DS2025-029, George Vadeboncoeur, Manager, Planning, Special Projects re:
Georgian Communities Proposed Funding Application under the Federal Government
Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund be received and adopted.
2. That the PowerPoint presentation provided by Jay Beech, Georgian Communities, be
received.
3. That Council formally endorse the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund Application
prepared by Georgian Communities with the assistance of Township Staff for
infrastructure grant funding related to the development of the Craighurst Community.
4. That Council approve the Township of Oro-Medonte being the "Lead Applicant" when
filing the application.
5. That Council authorize staff to work with Georgian Communities in the submission of the
application.
Carried.
b) DS2025-023, George Vadeboncoeur, Manager, Planning, Special Projects re: Draft
Short Term Rental Accommodation and Bed and Breakfast Establishments Licensing
By-law
Councillor Schell declared a conflict of interest on Item 11 b) DS2025-023, George
Vadeboncoeur, Manager, Planning, Special Projects re: Draft Short Term Rental
Accommodation and Bed and Breakfast Establishments Licensing By-law. Councillor
Schell submitted the following: I do not wish to take part as I own and operate an STR
establishment in the Township. Councillor Schell was not present during the
discussion or vote on the item.
Paul Dray and Karen Landry from Paul Dray & Associates; and Samantha White from
Granicus provided additional comments.
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Council Meeting Minutes — Wednesday, February 26, 2025.
Motion No. C250226-5
Moved by Lavoie, Seconded by Hutcheson
Be it resolved
1. That DS2025-023, George Vadeboncoeur, Manager, Planning, Special Projects re:
Draft Short Term Rental Accommodation and Bed and Breakfast Establishments
Licensing By-law be received and adopted.
2. That Council table the revised draft Short Term Rental Accommodation and Bed
and Breakfast Establishments Licensing By-law for public review and comment.
3. That an information/consultation session on the draft Licensing By-law be held on
Monday, March 24, 2025 and an engagement program be launched to receive
public comments on the draft By-law.
4. That staff report back to Council on the comments received through the community
engagement program and recommended next steps.
Carried.
Motion No. C250226-6
Moved by Lavoie, Seconded by Young
Be it resolved that staff report back with respect to the one-year contract with Granicus.
Carried.
c) CS2025-02, Yvonne Aubichon, Clerk re: Council Composition and Ward Boundary
Review.
Motion No. C250226-7
Moved by Bard, Seconded by Clark
Be it resolved
1. That CS2025-02, Yvonne Aubichon, Clerk re: Council Composition and Ward Boundary
Review be received.
2. That Report CS2025-02 be deferred pending the result of the County Council
Composition review, and
3. That subsequent to the County Council Composition review, staff report back at the April
23, 2025 Council meeting.
Carried.
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Council Meeting Minutes — Wednesday, February 26, 2025.
12. Reports of Municipal Officers for Information Only:
a) DS2025-016, Garry McCartney, Chief Building Official re: 2024 Ontario Building Code
Updates.
b) DS2025-017, Garry McCartney, Chief Building Official re: Building Division Status
Updates.
c) DS2025-019, Curtis Shelswell, Manager, Municipal Law re: Municipal Law Activity
Report (October and November 2024).
Motion No. C250226-8
Moved by Schell, Seconded by Lavoie
Be it resolved that the reports, as listed under Item #12, Reports of Municipal Officers for
Information Only, be received:
a) DS2025-016, Garry McCartney, Chief Building Official re: 2024 Ontario Building Code
Updates;
b) DS2025-017, Garry McCartney, Chief Building Official re: Building Division Status
Updates;
c) DS2025-019, Curtis Shelswell, Manager, Municipal Law re: Municipal Law Activity
Report (October and November 2024).
Carried.
13. Reports and Announcements of Members of Council:
a) Updates from Council Representatives — County of Simcoe and Township Partners and
Agencies.
The following members of Council provided updates: Mayor Greenlaw, Councillors
Hutcheson, Bard, Clark, Schell and Young.
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Council Meeting Minutes — Wednesday, February 26, 2025.
b) Deputy Mayor Lavoie re: A Motion Regarding the Barrie Boundary Adjustment Provincial
Facilitation.
Motion No. C250226-9
Moved by Lavoie, Seconded by Clark
Whereas, there are Parties participating in ongoing provincially facilitated municipal
boundary adjustment discussions that are in response to a request for lands by the City of
Barrie [the Request],
And Whereas, the Municipal Parties are; The County of Simcoe, the City of Barrie, the
Township of Springwater, and the Township of Oro-Medonte,
And Whereas, Hemson Consulting ("Hemson") was jointly retained by the parties to evaluate
the need for additional residential and employment lands at the boundaries of
Barrie/Springwater and Barrie/Oro-Medonte. Hemson has completed this task and produced
a report (Hemson Report),
And Whereas, there has been only one meeting to date involving all Parties,
And Whereas, the Facilitation process is significantly (approx. 60%) over -budget, due to
higher than anticipated consultant costs,
And Whereas, the Parties are unable to agree on the basic outcomes and findings of the
Hemson Report on the land need requirements of the municipal parties,
And Whereas, there has been no meaningful agreement between the Parties, in particular
for the need and base growth assumptions that justify the City of Barrie's request,
And Whereas, the Parties should determine the Terms of Reference amongst themselves,
And Whereas, after each Stage or Phase the City of Barrie Requests changes involving
inclusion of additional lands and conducting its own internal analysis outside of the
facilitation process,
And Whereas, it has been determined that the region requires more housing of all varieties
to meet expected demand,
And Whereas, it has been determined that additional employment lands are not required
during the planning period,
And Whereas, when parts of the City of Barrie requests are found to have no Professional
Planning justification, they continue to form part of the Facilitation due to a lack of agreement
and vision between the parties,
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Council Meeting Minutes — Wednesday, February 26, 2025.
And Whereas, based on the initial Request there has not been a full Professional Planning
analysis of the options to address the need for additional housing, including the need to
annex lands for any purpose,
And Whereas, there is no set commencement or conclusion or procedure to the facilitation
process,
And Whereas, there is a Provincial Mandate to build more homes faster,
And Whereas, the Province has indicated that it prefers a local solution to Municipal matters,
And Whereas, there appears to be a willingness to enter into negotiations to explore ways to
assist the Province in its Mandate and to simultaneously benefit the County's regional
development objectives,
Now Therefore, let it be known that the Township of Oro-Medonte supports the Provincial
Mandate,
And That, Council is willing henceforth to participate in ongoing discussions, regardless of
the constitution of those discussion, with the Parties to enable outcomes of mutual benefit
and aligned with the provincial mandate to build more homes faster and to protect and
expand jobs amidst a rapidly changing geo-political environment,
Be It Resolved That, in order to expedite an economical, mutually satisfactory outcome the
Council of the Township of Oro-Medonte recommends that all further discussions be held in
Open Sessions [the Sessions] with all Parties being present at each Session,
And Further That, as an alternative to the present manner of facilitation all Parties enter into
discussions in the Sessions in the manner described in the appended process [the Process]
as amended to their mutual agreement,
And Further That, once carried, this motion be delivered immediately to the Parties
requesting a decision as to whether they agree to such a format,
And Further That, if this motion is approved at Municipal Council it is to be delivered to the
Parties, the Provincial Land Development Facilitator and the Minister of Municipal Affairs and
Housing,
And Further That, this draft process be considered by the parties in the establishment of a
revised terms of reference,
And Further That, notwithstanding anything otherwise agreed to regarding the Process that
from the time of the commencement of the Sessions not more than six months shall
transpire. The Process is attached as Appendix A: The Process.
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Council Meeting Minutes — Wednesday, February 26, 2025.
Appendix A: The Process
The Sessions be constituted in the following format:
• That all Parties be present at all Sessions,
• That the Sessions be live streamed,
• That the Sessions be mediated/facilitated by the same Facilitator who shall act as Chair of
the Sessions,
• That support services including record keeping be provided by the County,
• That the Sessions have an agenda,
• That the Sessions provide opportunity for Public input through observance of Meetings,
Deputations and Presentations as the Public wills,
• That the Sessions each be not less than one day in length,
• That the Parties be able to break out for caucus purposes during the Sessions in private,
• That there be no more than one week between the Sessions unless otherwise
unanimously agreed to,
• That the Parties present an initial issues list,
• That the Parties progress through the issues one -by -one until an agreement is reached,
• Agreement on an issue will be by vote,
• Each Party will have two votes to be made by an elected official of that Municipality or that
official's proxy,
• That the Sessions take no more than six months as calculated from the date of the first of
them,
That should the Parties reach or not reach agreement then they shall;
o If together in agreement [the Agreement], then document it and present it to the
Facilitator/Mediator within a month of the conclusion of the Sessions,
o Instruct the Facilitator/Mediator to present the Agreement to the Minister for disposal
of the matter at the Minister's discretion having consideration for the Agreement,
o If not in agreement, then, each Party shall document arguments with reasons and
evidence for their position using only materials from the Sessions [the Submissions],
o Complete the Submissions within one month of unsuccessful conclusion of the
Sessions,
o Present the Submissions to the Facilitator/Mediator,
o Thereafter the Submissions will be distributed by the Facilitator/Mediator to all Parties
as soon as is reasonably practical,
o Thereafter if they so chose each Party may document a rebuttal to any or all of the
Submissions [Rebuttals] and present their Rebuttals to the Facilitator/Mediator within
one month of the distribution of the Submissions,
o The Facilitator/Mediator shall take the Submissions and rebuttals to the Minister for
disposal of the matter at the Minister's discretion having consideration for the
Submissions and the Rebuttals.
• Finally, that the above -noted process take no longer than six months.
Unanimously Carried.
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Council Meeting Minutes — Wednesday, February 26, 2025.
14. Consent Agenda:
a) Minutes of OPP Detachment Board meeting held on January 9, 2025, Billing Summary
Report and Q4 Orillia Detachment Reports.
Staff Recommendation: Receive for Information Only.
b) Correspondence dated February 11, 2025 from Jonathan Scott, Chair, Nottawasaga
Valley Conservation Authority, re: Letter to Mayor and Council, Township of Oro-
Medonte.
Staff Recommendation: Receive for Information Only.
c) Correspondence dated February 12, 2025 from Orillia Public Library re: Township of
Oro-Medonte Statistics: January 2025.
Staff Recommendation: Receive for Information Only.
d) Township of Oro-Medonte, 2025 Citizen/Senior of the Year, Nominations Open,
Deadline, March 7, 2025 12:00 p.m. (Noon).
Staff Recommendation: Receive for Information Only.
Motion No. C250226-10
Moved by Young, Seconded by Bard
Be it resolved that the staff recommendations with respect to the items listed under "Consent
Agenda Correspondence" be adopted as printed with the exception of item 14d) which shall
be pulled to be voted on separately:
a) Minutes of OPP Detachment Board meeting held on January 9, 2025, Billing Summary
Report and Q4 Orillia Detachment Reports.
Received for Information Only.
b) Correspondence dated February 11, 2025 from Jonathan Scott, Chair, Nottawasaga
Valley Conservation Authority, re: Letter to Mayor and Council, Township of Oro-
Medonte.
Received for Information Only.
c) Correspondence dated February 12, 2025 from Orillia Public Library re: Township of
Oro-Medonte Statistics: January 2025.
Received for Information Only.
Carried.
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Council Meeting Minutes — Wednesday, February 26, 2025.
Motion No. C250226-11
Moved by Clark, Seconded by Hutcheson
d) Be it resolved that Item 14
1. Township of Oro-Medonte, 2025 Citizen/Senior of the Year, Nominations Open, Deadline,
March 7, 2025 12:00 p.m. (Noon) be received; and
2. That staff be directed to report back to Council with options regarding the Citizen/Senior
of the Year nomination and award process for 2026 and onward.
Carried.
15. Communications/Petitions:
None.
16. Notice of Motions:
None.
17. By -Laws:
None.
18. Closed Session Items:
None.
19. Confirmation By -Law:
a) 2025-022: Being a by-law to confirm the proceedings of the Council meeting held on
Wednesday, February 26, 2025.
Motion No. C250226-12
Moved by Hutcheson, Seconded by Schell
Be it resolved that By -Law No. 2025-022: Being a by-law to confirm the proceedings of the
Council meeting held on Wednesday, February 26, 2025 be read a first, second and third
time, passed, be engrossed by the Clerk, signed and sealed by the Mayor.
Carried.
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Council Meeting Minutes — Wednesday, February 26, 2025.
20. Adjournment:
a) Motion to Adjourn.
Motion No. C250226-13
Moved by Clark, Seconded by Lavoie
Be it resolved that we do now adjourn at 5:31 p.m.
Carried.
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