City Council meeting overview package for December 1, 2025

- Dec 02, 2025

Peterborough, ON - City Council held a City Council meeting and a General Committee meeting in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 500 George St. N., on Monday, December 1, 2025.

During the City Council meeting, Council approved a presentation and associated recommendations on Actions to Date Toward Truth and Reconciliation.

Council did not approve a by-law to assume a power from the Board of Management for the Central Area Downtown Business Improvement Area, which was a matter under consideration on the Council meeting agenda.

During the General Committee meeting, Council endorsed the following items:

Council did not endorse the following items during the General Committee meeting:

Council meetings are livestreamed at peterborough.ca/WatchCouncil. Agendas and recordings of meetings are posted at peterborough.ca/agendas.

Items endorsed by City Council's General Committee will proceed to the regular Council meeting on December 8 to be considered for approval.

Council meeting agenda General Committee agenda

To speak as a registered delegation at a Council meeting or during a Public Meeting under the Planning Act, individuals must register no later than 11 a.m. on the day of the meeting. To register, complete the online application at peterborough.ca/delegation, or phone 705-742-7777 ext. 1820.

Before the public portion of the meeting, Council held a closed session meeting to consider four items as permitted under the Municipal Act, 2001, including:

  • Section 239(2)(c) A proposed or pending acquisition or disposition of land by the municipality - Property Lease
  • Section 239(2)(f) Advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege, including communications necessary for that purpose - Lease
  • Section 239(2)(c) A proposed or pending acquisition or disposition of land by the municipality - Agreement
  • Section 239(2)(c) A proposed or pending acquisition or disposition of land by the municipality - Land Acquisition

Actions to Date Toward Truth and Reconciliation

Council approved a presentation on Actions to Date Toward Truth and Reconciliation and recommendations on actions, including:

  • That Council direct staff to deliver Indigenous Cultural Competency training as a priority for all members of Council and City staff, in collaboration with local First Nations, with a target completion date by the end of 2026.
  • That Council direct staff to review and report back on the City’s signage and naming policy to enable the respectful incorporation of Indigenous names for public assets and spaces, in consultation with Indigenous partners.
  • That Council direct staff to report annually on updates related to the City’s commitment to Reconciliation, Equity, Accessibility, Diversity, and Inclusion (READI) with further recommendations and next steps.

The City's actions to date towards reconciliation are in four main pillars:

  • Relationships and Partnerships
  • Education, Awareness, and Cultural Competency
  • Policies, Programs, and Service Delivery
  • Recognition, Representation, and Commemoration

The pillars  closely align with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC’s) Calls to Actions as well as similar work that is undertaken by other municipalities. While municipalities are not fully responsible for all 94 Calls to Action, several directly apply to local governments and many can be advanced through partnerships and local initiatives.

Examples of actions to date include:

  • Re-established and strengthen relationships with local First Nations and urban Indigenous communities through considerate and meaningful dialogue.
  • Met with leadership from local First Nations (Curve Lake First Nation, Hiawatha First Nation, and Chippewas of Rama First Nation).
  • Engaged urban Indigenous organizations and supported the establishment of the Urban Indigenous Working Group.
  • Created a contact database of Indigenous partners for all City staff.
  • Delivered introductory training to all members of Council as part of their annual Council orientation.
  • Incorporated a brief version of cultural competency training into new hire orientation sessions.
  • Indigenous Cultural Competency training has been made available to all members of Council, City staff and the broader community; advertised both internally and externally for all.
  • Delivered Indigenous Competency training to partner agencies as requested.
  • Launched new monthly Lunch and Learn Series with the Advisor, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Get READI With Reem & Shelley to offer staff various READI topics for reflection and discussion with overwhelming participation.
  • Offered workshops and film screenings to staff on treaties, land acknowledgements, Indigenous governance, and Indigenous history.
  • Brief senior leadership on important and time-sensitive Indigenous issues as they arise.
  • People & Culture policies and procedures are viewed through a READI lens prior to completion.
  • Most recent rounds of bargaining with ATU, CUPE and PPFFA incorporated inclusive language throughout the Collective Agreements, which represent more than 80% of City staff complement.
  • Worked closely with the City’s Infrastructure, Planning and Growth Management Department and the Municipal Operations Department to develop standardized processes for Indigenous consultation related to their portfolios (Ongoing).
  • Co-chair the Quarterly First Nations meetings with the Manager, Government Relations & Corporate Strategy.
  • Developed a formal Reporting Vandalism, Property Damage, and Bias-Motivated Incidents procedure, a standardized City procedure to ensure any suspected hate-motivated graffiti is promptly reported, documented, and referred to police services for investigation.
  • Ongoing collaboration with service providers on housing, employment, healthcare, and cultural programming to advocate for and support the needs of urban Indigenous communities.
  • Ongoing incorporation of a READI lens in City funding applications and bids.
  • People & Culture representation on the City’s Senior Leadership Team to ensure staff reports are seen through an inclusion lens and bring important READI issues to the forefront.
  • Ongoing advisory to all levels of City staff, members of Council and outside agencies as requested.
  • Every Child Matters Memorial previously located at City Hall was respectfully laid to rest. A Memorial display has been installed in City Hall.
  • Creation of artwork in memory of the children that never made it home.
  • Partnered with the Urban Indigenous communities for the creation of the Red Dress on display at the Library, which has since been relocated to City Hall.
  • Organized a Red Dress Day memorial and flag-raising ceremony at City Hall honouring the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People.
  • Organized a Strawberry Ceremony at Millennium Park celebrating the National Indigenous Peoples Day.
  • Organized an Every Child Matters event at Armour Hill in collaboration with the Urban Indigenous Working Group, marking the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Thanks to this partnership, 2025 was the largest turnout in Peterborough history.
  • City representation at Pow Wows, round dances, traditional and community events at First Nations and conferences on Indigenous languages and cultures.
  • Incorporated Indigenous learning and education in the monthly People & Culture Newsletter.
  • Ongoing encouragement of all staff to begin meetings with meaningful Land Acknowledgements – a way for a non-indigenous people to show their respect and gratitude for the lands and waters, and to educate other non-indigenous people.
  • Represented the City at various community meetings and advised on community
    projects and initiatives.

By-law related to DBIA

Council did not approve a by-law to assume a power from the Board of Management for the Central Area Downtown Business Improvement Area.

The Draft Bylaw states:

Whereas:

  1. On February 21, 2017, Council approved the recommendations in closed session Report OCS17-003 and passed By-law 17-013 authorizing execution of a settlement agreement between the Board of Management for the Central Area Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA), The Corporation of the City of Peterborough (City) and another party to an appeal to the then Ontario Municipal Board against Official Plan Amendment Number 173 and Zoning By-law 16-053 (Settlement Agreement).
  2. Pursuant to the Settlement Agreement, the City makes 20 annual payments to the DBIA of $150,000 each for a total of $3,000,000.
  3. DBIA is a local board of the City.
  4. Pursuant to section 216 of the Municipal Act, 2001, S.O. 2001, c. 25, a municipality may change a local board including assuming a power or duty of the local board.

Now therefore, The Corporation of the City of Peterborough by the Council thereof hereby enacts as follows:

  1. The City hereby assumes the power of DBIA to receive from the City annual payments of $150,000 each pursuant to the Settlement Agreement.
  2. Any by-laws or resolutions of DBIA pertaining to the exercise of the assumed power are deemed to be repealed or amended to the extent necessary to permit the City to receive the said annual payments of $150,000 and to spend the proceeds thereof subject only to the City’s performance of DBIA’s obligations respecting such payments pursuant section 3 of the Settlement Agreement.
  3. This By-law is in effect when it is passed.

Draft Plan of Condominium

Council endorsed denying the request for Draft Plan of Condominium that would facilitate converting 700 Parkhill Rd. W. from a 128-unit rental complex to a condominium.

SIREG 700 Parkhill Inc. has purchased the property at 700 Parkhill Rd. W. that has 10, two-storey residential townhouse blocks with a total of 128 units.

SIREG 700 Parkhill Inc. is seeking to change the tenure of ownership to a plan of condominium. As required, Council would need to support the request by approving a Draft Plan of Condominium for the conversion to take place. The application does not propose any new buildings or structures.

Materials submitted with the application propose sale prices for the condominium units that would not meet the current threshold for “affordable ownership” as defined by the Province.

Presently, greater than 40% of units in the complex meet the Provincial threshold for affordable rental housing. While conversion to condominium ownership cannot force eviction of tenants and rents would continue as they are, over time it is expected that the units with affordable rents will transition to market value as tenants turnover.

SIREG 700 Parkhill Inc. (the Owner) proposes to convert the existing tenure from a single rental property into a private residential condominium ownership, whereby the Owner would then sell individual units to private investors that would then be rented out and continue to be managed by a property management/investment company on behalf of the investors.

The proposed condominium conversion represents the development of a new housing option within previously developed area, however it does not provide any new housing stock. It is unknown at this time if this application would provide for the provision of housing that is affordable to low and moderate household incomes.

The City's Official Plan reflects that the City will discourage the conversion of rental housing units to condominium when the vacancy rate for rental accommodation is below 3 per cent, and the City may approve a conversion of rental housing to condominium if the conversion results in the creation of affordable home ownership or accessible housing.

Planning application - 736 Maryland Ave.

Council endorsed amending the Zoning By-law to facilitate the development of a 42-unit, six-storey apartment building on the property at 736 Maryland Ave.

2697811 Ontario Corporation (Kawartha Commons Cohousing) has purchased the property at 736 Maryland Ave. and is seeking to develop the lands. The property is on the north side of Maryland Avenue between Clonsilla Avenue and High Street.

The proposed amendment is consistent with the Provincial Planning Statement and conforms to the City’s Official Plan.

If the proposed Zoning By-law Amendment is approved, the proposed development will be subject to site plan approval prior to any construction taking place.

Planning application - 689 Towerhill Rd.

Council endorsed an application to amend the Official Plan and Zoning Bylaw and for a proposed Draft Plan of Subdivision at 689 Towerhill Rd.

The planning application approvals would facilitate the construction of up to six residential apartment buildings, up to seven storeys in height, with a total of about 612 apartment dwellings and establish a collector road network for the area south of Towerhill Road between Fairbairn Street and Chemong Road.

The property is a large, undeveloped parcel of land south of Towerhill Road between Fairbairn Street and Chemong Road. The proposed Plan of Subdivision would create road connections between McCrea Drive, Hillview Drive and Deline Street. 

It is the opinion of City staff that the proposed Official Plan Amendment is consistent with the Provincial Planning Statement. It is the opinion of staff that the proposed Zoning By-law Amendment is consistent with the Provincial Planning Statement and conforms to the City’s Official Plan.

Documents:

Quarterly financial report

Council endorsed the September 30, 2025 Quarterly Financial Update Report (unaudited) and associated recommendations.

The report includes a summary and supporting details of expenditures and revenues for the operating budget forecast to December 1, 2025 and a summary of expenditures and revenues for the capital budget.

A few highlights from the report:

  • The Tax Levy revenues at 100% of budget and includes the 2025 final tax billing.
  • Investment Income is projected to be $1,200,000 higher than budgeted at the end of 2025 because there are more funds available to invest in the General Fund than anticipated when the budget was set.
  • Provincial Offences revenues are projected to fall below budget at $1,600,000 compared to a budget of $1,874,000. The volume of charges filed by the police and the revenue from other courts are both down compared to budget. The main revenue source is from roadside police tickets.
  • Transit fare revenues are forecast to exceed the budget by close to $200,000 at year end. Year to date, September 30, 2025, the two main drivers are an increase in the adult ridership of 53,900 trips or 19% over the 2024 levels and an increase in high school student ridership of 7,400 trips or 24% over the 2024 levels.
  • Revenue from parking is projected to be approximately $300,000 lower than the $2,175,000 budget due to reduced revenues at King Street and Simcoe Street parking garages. With more people working remotely, less are commuting into the downtown core. There is also lower demand for on-street parking in the downtown.
  • Landfill tipping revenue year-end estimate is $3.7 million, well below the $5.198 million budgeted. Although City revenues are lower, there is great value in preserving landfill space and increasing the asset’s life, deferring the significant investment required to increase the landfill’s capacity.

As part of the quarterly financial report, Council will consider a recommendation to transfer money from various existing projects to fund $1 million for a stormwater management project for the municipal snow storage facility at the Wastewater Treatment Plant on Kennedy Road.

Heritage designation - 390-392 George St. N.

Council endorsed a recommendation from the Peterborough Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee that 390-392 George St. N. be designated as a heritage property under the Ontario Heritage Act.

390-392 George Street North yields cultural heritage value as a historic commercial building in Peterborough’s downtown core. It displays a high degree of craftmanship in its decorative elements such as the cornice and window hoods. It has direct association with two prominent businesspeople in Peterborough’s history, James Stevenson and William Cluxton. Stevenson was a politician who served ten terms as mayor and two terms as member of parliament for Peterborough West. Cluxton was a prominent businessman who also served as member of parliament for Peterborough West. It yields further associative value through its longtime tenant’s chemist Herbert Edmison and clothier Thomas C. Elliot. Elliot operated a department store out of both addresses from 1908-1920 and installed Peterborough’s first hydraulic elevator in a commercial establishment. 390-392 George Street North is an important building within Peterborough’s downtown core as a continuation of the historic commercial row. It is visually, historically and functionally linked to its surroundings as an Italianate-style commercial building with ground floor storefronts.

Heritage designation - 394 George St. N.

Council endorsed a recommendation from the Peterborough Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee that 394 George St. N. be designated as a heritage property under the Ontario Heritage Act.

394 George Street North has cultural heritage value as a historic Italianate commercial building in Peterborough’s downtown core. It yields historic value through its associations with William Cluxton, a prominent businessperson who funded the building’s construction. In addition to his business interests, Cluxton was a member of parliament for Peterborough West from 1872-1874. 394 George Street North also has direct associations with Peterborough’s Chinese Canadian community. The Hum family, one of the first Chinese families to move to Peterborough, operated a restaurant at this address in the 1920s.

394 George Street North also has important contextual value as a continuation of the three-storey row of commercial buildings that characterizes Peterborough’s downtown core. It shares decorative elements with its neighbour, 392 George Street North, connecting it physically, historically and functionally to its surroundings.

Heritage designation - 368 George St. N./140-142 Simcoe St.

Council endorsed a recommendation from the Peterborough Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee that 368 George St. N./140-142 Simcoe St. be designated as heritage properties under the Ontario Heritage Act.

368 George Street North/140-142 Simcoe Street has cultural heritage value as a landmark late-Victorian commercial building in Peterborough’s downtown core. Like most commercial buildings in the core, it is an example of the Italianate style, though uniquely has elements of the Romanesque Revival style. This combination of styles allows the building to seamlessly continue the commercial core, while standing as a landmark property. The building’s massing and large expanses of windows showcase the progress made in building technology in the Victorian era.

The building was constructed in 1893-1894 to house the Peterborough Hardware Company. It is the work of prominent local architect John E. Belcher. The brickwork was done by local contractor J. J. Hartley. It has strong associative value as the long-time home of the Peterborough Hardware Company from its time of completion until 1936. The company was founded by prominent local business and politicians, including R. B. McKee, R. S. Davidson, R. H. Fortye, and Harry Phelan.

Heritage designation - 387 George St. S.

Council did not endorse a recommendation from the Peterborough Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee that 387 George St. S. be designated as a heritage property under the Ontario Heritage Act.

387 George Street South is a landmark industrial building in Peterborough’s south end. It is one of few surviving industrial buildings in this area, which was once the industrial centre of the city. Built in 1910-1911 for the Canadian Chicle Company, it showcases key features of Edwardian industrial buildings such as symmetry, evenly spaced windows, and tapered pilasters, allowing space of advertisement and signage.

It has strong historical associations with past occupants including the Canadian Chicle Company, Western Clock (Westclox) Company and the Canadian Crayon Company. A relatively small structure for a factory, these companies all soon outgrew the building and moved to larger premises. One of the founders of the Canadian Chicle Company, Senator Frank P. O’Connor, later went on to found Laura Secord Chocolates.

Organic waste collection program

Council endorsed implementation of Phase 2 of the City's Organic Green Bin Collection Program and proceeding with Stage 1 of Phase 2, which would include restaurants with City garbage collection.

The City of Peterborough launched Phase 1 of the Organic Green Bin Program in October 2023 for single-detached households.

A Phase 2 expansion is the City’s next step and will target multi-residential properties, restaurants, and small commercial sites. Projected implementation through a staged rollout:

  • Stage 1 – Restaurants with City garbage collection – 2026-2027
  • Stage 2 – Multi-residential with City garbage collection – 2028-2030
  • Stage 3 – Multi-residential with private garbage collection – post 2030
  • Stage 4 – City-wide organics policy framework – post 2030

Organic green bin collection in commercial and multi-residential areas is complex and not common in most municipalities. Stage 1 is expected to encounter challenges, and the program will be evaluated throughout implementation and may be adjusted or discontinued based on the results.

The estimated budgetary impact for Phase 2 implementation is $1.9 million in capital and operating costs that will be proposed in future budget requests. The program is expected to require an estimated $420,000 in annual operating funding once fully launched.

The full implementation of Phase 2 is expected to divert an additional 965 tonnes of organic waste annually. This reduces City collected garbage by 18% and lowers greenhouse gas emissions by 304 tCO₂e by 2030. Combined with Phase 1, the program is projected to reduce Corporate Sector emissions by approximately 33% from 2011 levels.

Recycling collection

Council endorsed amending the lease and operating agreement for the Material Recovery Facility to include collection of recyclables from non-eligible sources effective January 1, 2026.

Industrial, commercial, and institutional properties are considered non-eligible sources through the provincial recycling collection program under the provincial blue box regulation (O.Reg. 391/21).

On October 1, 2025, the City received letters from Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) indicating that Circular Materials (CM) will not provide an option for municipalities to collect and process non-eligible source recyclables.

Staff met with Emterra Environmental to review the current agreement and explore options. Emterra provided recommendations to maintain regulatory compliance and support ongoing recycling services for non-eligible businesses.

The current cost of non-eligible recycling collection service is approximately $172,000 annually, or $2.47 per unit per week. Under the proposed amendments, the cost is approximately $100,000 annually, or $3.78 per unit per week. All costs associated with the amended service will be accommodated within existing recycling budget.

Drinking water system reporting requirements

Council endorsed a report respecting water system meeting frequency and Council's role as a result of the dissolution of Peterborough Utilities Commission.

A priority of management of the water system is to ensure that all staff and Council members have the level of understanding and confidence necessary to trust that the water system operations and reporting activities are meeting all regulatory requirements, and that the water production and distribution is safe and compliant with regulatory requirements that define what safe drinking water is, and how it is provided to the community

Several upper tier and lower tier municipalities that have direct water system oversight were contacted to assess the level of Council engagement and the type of information provided to Council. This survey included timing of meetings, planned vs by exception reporting, and Council’s approach to engagement.

The results indicate that there can be up to four routine reporting cycles annually that meet the requirements of the regulations and that satisfy Councils obligations to meet a Duty of Care level of understanding of the state of the water system. These communications include:

  • Annual Drinking Water Report (Section 11 of the Safe Drinking Water Act)
  • DWQMS Management Review Results to Council (DWQMS Requirement)
  • Asset Management Progress/Update (O. Reg. 588/17)
  • Financial Plan (O. Reg. 453/07)
  • Annual Budget, Capital plan, and Rate Forecast
  • Exception Reporting to Council

In researching Public Utility Commission management structure in Ontario, there are only three remaining being the Windsor Utilities Commission (WUC), the Chatham-Kent Public Utilities Commission (CKU), and the Public Utilities Commission of the City of Sault St. Marie (SSMU). Many that were in existence prior to this has either dissolved or restructured as part of a municipal department or into a Local Distribution Corporation (often in the case of electricity distribution).

2026 Water System Financial Plan

Council endorsed a report for information that outlines financial, rate and performance information on the Peterborough water system in comparison to municipal benchmark data, and that identifies steps to be explored in 2026 for future budget and financial planning direction.

Direct operational oversight was assumed by the City on April 1, 2025, as part of the changes that were completed between the City of Peterborough and the Peterborough Utilities Commission (PUC). 

Notice of Motion re: Procedural By-law

Council did not endorse a Notice of Motion on amendments to Section 21 of Council's Procedural By-law related to Call the Vote motions.

The motion reads:

Amendment to Procedural By-law – Clarifying and Safeguarding the Use of “Call the Vote”

Whereas Section 21 of the City of Peterborough’s Procedural By-law permits a motion to “call the vote,” which, if carried, ends all debate and forces an immediate vote on the matter under discussion;

And whereas the current provisions do not require a supermajority to pass, nor do they guarantee that all Members of Council have had the opportunity to speak;

And whereas misuse of this motion can suppress fair and democratic debate, and similar procedural by-laws in other Ontario municipalities have added safeguards to ensure its fair use;

Therefore, be it resolved that the following amendments to Section 21 – Call the Vote of the City of Peterborough’s Procedural By-law be adopted and take effect immediately:

Amendments to Section 21 – Call the Vote

  1. Opportunity to Speak - A motion to “call the vote” shall not be in order until all Members of Council who wish to speak to the motion have had the opportunity to do so once.
  2. Two-Thirds Majority Required - A motion to “call the vote” shall require a two-thirds majority of Members present and voting in order to pass.
  3. Restriction During Amendments - A motion to “call the vote” shall not be in order while an amendment to the main motion is under discussion, except for the purpose of calling the vote on the amendment itself.
  4. Non-Debatable - A motion to “call the vote” shall not be debatable or amendable.

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