Growing Halton

NRU
Jan. 6, 2016
By Leah Wong

Halton Region council has approved an increased planning budget and staff complement to match its ambitious plans for 2016.

Last month council approved its 2016 operating and capitalbudget, which included a 14.6 per cent increase to the planningdepartment’s operating budget over last year.

“The increase is driven by strategic investments that we are recommending to council [in order] to deliver the ambitious program that council has approved,” legislative and planning services commissioner Mark Meneray said in his budget presentation.

Through its budget process council approved a 1.9 per cent residential property tax increase. The region’s 2016 operating budget is $687.2-million-up $33.2-million from 2015-and its capital budget is $332.5-million. The 2016 capital budget allocates $153.2-million for state-of-good-repair initiatives and $179.3-million for growth-related infrastructure.

The planning department’s operating budget request was for $10.688-million, up $1.364-million from 2015. Its budget also came with a request to add three new positions-environmental planner, senior project manager transportation and GIS technician-to its complement.

“We do not have sufficient resources in our transportation, environmental planning section and GIS area to continue to deliver and enhance our services to the people of Halton,” said Meneray of the staffing request.

Later this month staff is expected to present a work plan, consultation strategy and direction report for the five-year review of the region’s official plan to the Public Works and Planning Committee. The review will address provincial policy updates relating to the Greenbelt Plan, Growth Plan and the Provincial Policy Statement.

Meneray says the department will also continue to deliver on the regional biodiversity strategy for the regional forests, with monitoring and identification of plant species on the forest floor planned for 2016. By evaluating the ecological value of the forest he said the region can make progress on its plan to create a living laboratory, as discussed in the strategy.

For 2016 the planning services capital budget was approved at $17.69-million and council added $52.4-million to the 10-year planning services capital program-now valued at $169.14-million. This additional money is needed to implement the Burlington Beach Regional Waterfront Master Plan and add the Halton Heritage Centre into the region’s Museum Master Plan.

Phase one of the Burlington Beach implementation comprises improvements to Spencer Smith Park, The Living Shoreline, The Strand and Wind Beach, which accounts for $5.2-million of the 2016 capital budget. This includes Canada 150 projects, environmental protection, park upgrades and additional land acquisitions.

During the year staff will develop site selection criteria for the Halton Heritage Centre. In 2014 council approved the museum’s master plan, which transforms the Halton Region Museum into the Halton Heritage Centre. In its new format the centre will provide professional services in exhibit planning and design, public program development and artifact conservation-all in addition to continuing care of the region’s collection. Meneray said staff intends to report back later in the year to identify site opportunities for the centre, which is expected to be built in 2018.

The 10-year capital budget also allocates $17-million for planning litigation to address a number of pending or anticipated Ontario Municipal Board and joint board hearings. The department has allocated $3-million to planning litigation in 2016. The significant hearings coming up in 2016 concern a 2009 ROPA, Hidden Quarry, CN Logistic Hub and the Tremaine Secondary Plan in Burlington.