April 8 Meeting Highlights

Grey County Council met virtually on April 8, 2021 at 9:30 a.m. for the regular session of council. The meeting was immediately followed by a session of committee of the whole. A recording of the meetings can be found on Grey County’s YouTube Channel.

County Council

• Council approved the minutes of the March 25 County Council and Committee of the Whole meetings.  Council   Committee
• Council accepted the minutes of the March 19 Long-Term Care Redevelopment Task Force meeting and the recruitment of Project Management Services for the complex project.  Minutes
• Council received the March 5 Board of Health minutes and the March 26 Board Report. Dr. Arra provided a verbal report of how the COVID-19 situation has changed over the past month. He noted Phase 1 of the vaccination plan is now complete and provided an update on vaccination happening through the hubs, pharmacies and now through primary care practitioners.  Report  Minutes
• County Council unanimously passed a motion expressing support of the Grey Bruce Public Health and the Medical Officer of Health for the local response to COVID-19. Councillors spoke to the positive impact Public Health efforts have had on community wellness and the responsiveness of the Medical Officer of Health 24 hours a day over the past year.  

Committee of the Whole

• Courtney Miller, Manager of the Grey County Business Enterprise Centre, provided an overview of activities from the past year. Despite the pandemic, the centre consulted with 74 new and 49 existing businesses, offering guidance and mentorship, grants, and other support. A Recovery Program was also offered to in 2020 to provide qualifying newer small businesses with grants to help them prepare to reopen and modify their business model. Looking ahead, the Summer Company and the Starter Company Plus programs will provide students and entrepreneurs with grants and training opportunities.  Presentation
• Council heard a presentation from Peter Friese of Municipal Tax Equity Consultants Inc. about County Tax Policy updates. Peter explained growth, reassessment, policy and levy changes and what Council needs to consider when making changes to tax policies. Presentation
• Staff presented the 2021 property tax policies for Council’s consideration. The policies propose ending a discount for vacant commercial and industrial lands and maintaining the same rates for all other property classes.  Council deferred their decision to the next meeting on April 22.  Report
• Consultants from Public Sector Digest provided a detail presentation on asset management. Asset management plans and strategies help councils make decisions and plan responsibly for the replacement of assets like buildings, vehicles, equipment and more. Each asset is assigned a condition rating is estimated lifespan. The consultants commended Grey County for all of the proactive work that has been done to draft an Asset Management Strategy. Presentation
• Council approved the first ever Grey County Asset Management Strategy. Recommendations of the strategy will be implemented each year, subject to annual budget approval.  Report  Asset Management Video
• Council endorsed the Local Immigration Partnership Settlement Strategy. This strategy is part of the economic development plan aimed at attracting newcomers to our area and keeping them here to be a part of our community and our local workforce. The Grey Bruce Local Immigration Partnership is a federally funded initiative launched last summer in collaboration with Bruce County. A Partnership Council has been established and supports the development of community-based planning to support the needs of newcomers.  Report
• Grey County has a Transportation Master Plan that outlines strategies and goals to improve the County and local municipal road system in Grey. It also recognized the unique considerations of shared responsibility for County Roads that are also main streets in settlement areas, known as connecting links. The plan contemplated potential road transfer and road exchanges between the upper and lower tier. Staff continue to assess potential action plans and will prepare for a workshop with municipal staff and councillors this spring to discuss possibilities. Public consultations will follow.  Report  Presentation
• Grey County will sign a Declaration of Mutual Commitment and Friendship with the M’Wikwedong Indigenous Friendship Centre. This declaration is another step towards truth and reconciliation by committing to work with the friendship centre to identify ways to improve the quality of life of Indigenous people living off-reserve and in urban settings. This work has been supported by both the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) and the AMO Indigenous Relations Task Force.    Report

The Clerk’s Department maintains the official record for Grey County. This publication is intended to provide meeting highlights only. For official records, please refer to the meeting minutes, or contact the Clerk’s Department at 1-800-567-4739.