May 9 Meeting Highlights

Grey County Council met on May 9, 2024, in the Council Chamber and virtually on Zoom. The meeting was immediately followed by a session of Committee of the Whole. Recordings of the meetings can be found on Grey County’s YouTube Channel.

County Council

• Council accepted the minutes of the April 25 County Council and Committee of the Whole meetings.  Council  Committee

Committee of the Whole

• Council heard a presentation from Grey County resident Jeremy Wentworth-Stanley regarding the proposed pump storage facility in the Municipality of Meaford. Mr. Wentworth-Stanley spoke to the economics of the proposed facility and shared his concerns with the financial feasibility of the project.
• Council received a progress report on the operating plan for Grey Roots Museum and Archives. 2023 was a very good year for Grey Roots with visitation and event participation fully rebounding to pre-pandemic levels, an increase of more than 44% over 2022. Council received the report which highlighted statistics for the year, updates on projects and partnerships, and what to expect in 2024.  Report
• Through Bill 185, the Province of Ontario is proposing changes to The Planning Act, Municipal Act, and Development Charges Act in an effort to accelerate the creation of housing. The Province is also proposing changes to the Provincial Policy Statement. County planning staff spoke to the positive aspects of the proposed changes as well as areas of concern. Staff noted concern with potential impacts to public appeal rights, settlement area boundaries, and new regulations on bonusing (giving advantages to private parties). County staff will forward comments to the Province and will share them with County advisory committees and local municipalities.  Report  
• Council discussed battery energy storage systems, technologies, and the needs of Ontario’s electricity system. They recognized the importance of energy storage and highlighted areas of concern for Grey County and rural municipalities. Concerns include fire safety and emergency plans, impact on agriculture and environmental lands, and a lack of policy regulating battery storage systems in communities. Grey County will send a letter to the Province asking for an Energy Land Use Police Guideline to be created.  Report  
• Council confirmed support for the current policy for recognizing community awareness campaigns at the local municipal level.
• Council discussed the Grey Road 19 and 21 roundabout project and the need to relocate and upgrade a 20-year-old water boosting station at the site. The scope of the project has changed in the past two years. Grey County will take steps to renegotiate a memorandum of understanding with the Town of The Blue Mountains for cost sharing of the project.  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.