Council Meeting Highlights – August 15, 2023

August 17, 2023
Town News
  • Blake Keyes was appointed as the Town’s new Chief Building Official (CBO) and Terry Willing was appointed as a Casual Building Inspector for the Town of Gananoque.  Mayor Beddows recognized Mr. Willing’s years of exemplary service with the Town as the former CBO.
  • Dr. Linna Li, Medical Officer of Health appeared before Council to introduce herself and provide updates on the Lanark, Leeds & Grenville Health Unit. 
  • Steve Donachey, CAO from TLTI, provided background on the Physician Recruitment Working Group. The Group is made up of representatives from Gananoque (Dr. Brian Hart, Mayor Beddows, and Deputy Mayor Leakey), and the Township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands (Councillor Jamison and Deputy Mayor Fodey); Council passed a motion to direct Town Staff to collaborate with TLTI to implement a Physician Attraction Incentive Program for the purposes of attracting family physicians to Gananoque. Funding for the incentive program is to be pro-rated for 2023 from the date of implementation, and set aside the criteria from the Community Grants program to draw $40,000, if needed, for the balance of the 2023 budget year. Funding for this program going forward, up to $80,000 annually, is to be included and briefed as an element of the 2024 budget deliberation process.
  • Anne Weir, from the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville appeared before Council and presented a PowerPoint presentation entitled “Leeds Grenville Economic Development Overview”.
  • Council passed a By-law to approve a Purchase and Sale Agreement to acquire vacant lands fronting on the north side of the St. Lawrence River.
  • Council authorized the Mayor and Clerk to sign a 5-year agreement with Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority (CRCA), to continue with the Town participating the Watershed Monitoring and Land Stewardship portion of category #3 activities at a cost of $492 annually.
  • The Capital Matters Pending Report was received for information. 
  • The 2023 Second Quarter Operating Income Statement was received for information. 
  • Council amended the General Fees and Rates By-law to increase user fees by 10% for the 2023/2024 Ice Season. To assist user groups with the increase, Council has pre-approved a one-time Community Grant to each user group that applies to provide a 7% grant towards their new annual fee. 
  • Council authorized staff to apply to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) for the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF).
  • Mayor Beddows put forth a Motion to provide the Town with an official definition of Affordable Housing. The motion was postponed.
  • A By-law was passed to enact a Transfer Payment Agreement (TPA) with the Minister Of Tourism, Culture And Sport to receive a one-time funding of up to $5,000, through the Experience Ontario 2023 Program, To assist in Gananoque’s 2023 Festival Of Lights