Halton 2017 operating and capital budget - responding to growth

NRU
Dec. 7, 2016
By Leah Wong

Halton Region is considering increases to its planning budget to better respond to intensification and continue to implement recently completed master plans.

Regional council will make the final decision on the 2017 operating and capital budget at its meeting next week. Staff has recommended council approve a $718.1-million gross operating budget, with a 1.9 per cent residential property tax increase.

Council is also considering a $4.1-billion 10-year capital program to fund new infrastructure ($2.2-billion) and to ensure the state-of-good-repair of existing infrastructure ($1.9-billion). Between 2016 and 2017 $0.4-billion was added to the capital program—finance commissioner Mark Scinocca told committee that the capital program will continue to grow as the region completes its master plans.

At its meeting last week planning and public works committee recommended that council approve the planning services department’s request for a $12.182-million net operating budget for 2017, up 14 per cent from the 2016 budget. Committee also supported planning services request for a $182.512-million 10-year capital program, with $22.384-million allocated in 2017.

Halton planning director Ron Glenn told planning and public works committee that the requested increase to the budget will allow the department to better respond to intensification, implement the waterfront master plans and undertake community planning initiatives. It includes a request for an additional intermediate planner to focus on intensification policies and projects.

Glenn said the planning service’s most significant budget increase is its request to add $1-million to support the implementation of the Burlington Beach, Burloak and Bronte Harbour waterfront master plans.

The planning budget also includes an increase to develop a regional program for community improvement plans, which was previously approved by council. Planning services has requested $75,000 for this program, which will establish regional financial incentives to encourage the redevelopment of CIP areas to better support the policies in the regional official plan.

Over the next two years Halton will advance to phase 2 of its regional official plan update. Scheduled for completion in 2020, Glenn said the update will allocate the region’s population and employment growth to 2041.

Staff will also continue to monitor the ongoing provincial reviews that relate to planning, including the coordinated review, and reviews of the Aggregate Resources Act, Ontario Municipal Board and Conservation Authorities Act.

Staff is keeping an eye on the results of the OMB review in hopes that it can reduce the region’s budget allocations for planning litigation. The $10-year capital budget has allocated $15.5-million for planning litigation to support pending or anticipated OMB and Joint Board hearings. For 2017 significant hearings are anticipated concerning the Hidden Quarry, CN Logistic Hub, Glen Abbey Golf Course lands and North Aldershot/Eagle Heights.

“I’m always optimistic that changes that may happen to the Ontario Municipal Board, might lessen our dependence on going to litigation and reduce the number [of hearings],” said Glenn. “Let’s be optimistic and hope that happens.”

The planning services department also leads the region’s community and corporate sustainability initiatives. Its 2017 budget includes $170,000 in funding to implement the Biodiversity Strategy for Regional Forests. Glenn said this is off set by revenues collected from long-term lease agreements related to the regional forests.

As about half of the region’s land is part of the natural heritage system Glenn said the department is also ramping up communications about how residents can live with, and add value to the system. He noted that council had previously committed $16,000 a year for five years as part of the memorandum of understanding for the Cootes to Escarpment EcoPark System, which is included in the 2017 budget.