City Council meeting overview package for March 23, 2026

Peterborough, ON - City Council will consider the following items during its General Committee meeting in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 500 George St. N., starting at 6 p.m. on Monday, March 23, 2026:

• Public Meeting under the Planning Act - To receive public submissions on the Draft Community Planning Permit By-law and to receive the report for information, with all comments referred back to staff for review before recommendations are presented to Council by June 30, 2026;
• Proceeding with the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment process for the Clonsilla Area Transportation Study;
• Authorizing the Commissioner of Community Services to enter into a Rent Supplement Agreement with Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services;
• Receiving a report for information on the 2025 Council Remuneration and Expense Statements;
• Approving a Commemorative Flag and Illumination Policy to establish a consistent protocol for commemorative flag raisings and illuminations to bring public awareness to occasions and events;
• Amendments to the Council Code of Conduct;
• Receiving a report for information on a closed meeting investigation conducted by the Office of the Ombudsman, which concluded that the meeting was properly closed pursuant to the Municipal Act, 2001;
• Approving a revised Portfolio Chairs By-law to be in effect on November 15, 2026, which is the first day of the next term of Council;
• Authorizing the Commissioner of Municipal Operations to initiate and advance amendments to the Peterborough Airport Zoning Regulations;
• Approving the Drinking Water Supply System 2025-2031 Financial Plan;
• Notice of Motion presented by Councillor Matt Crowley that Council urge the Government of Ontario and the Government of Canada to collaborate on a Guaranteed Basic Income for all Canadian residents and that the Province of Ontario reinstate a basic income pilot with a view to province-wide implementation;
• Notice of Motion presented by Councillor Kevin Duguay that Council formally expresses its full support for the inclusion of Peterborough as a designated station stop within the planning and development of the ALTO High-Speed Rail Project;
• Notice of Motion presented by Councillor Joy Lachica that By-law Number 20-073, the AMP System By-law for the City of Peterborough, be suspended for automobiles parked at non-functioning, (inability to receive coin, credit card or digital payment) parking meter zones and that those marked parking spaces be usable until those meters function; and
• Notice of Motion presented by Councillor Alex Bierk that the City pause the issuance of new administrative penalties under By-law 23-106 for unattributed/orphaned garbage on Boulevards until July 1, 2026 and staff consult with affected property and business owners and report back to Council with recommended amendments to improve clarity and fairness in enforcement.

Items endorsed by Council's General Committee will be considered by Council during its regular Council meeting on March 30, 2026.

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

Before the public portion of the meeting, Council will hold a closed session meeting starting at 5 p.m. to consider four items as permitted under the Municipal Act, 2001, including:

• Section 239(2)(e) litigation or potential litigation and (f) advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege - litigation
• Section 239(2)(e) litigation or potential litigation and (f) advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege - instructions
• Section 239(2)(e) litigation or potential litigation and (f) Advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege, including communications necessary for that purpose - actions
• Section 239(2)(f) advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege, including communications necessary for that purpose - signs

Draft Community Planning Permit By-law

Council will hold a Public Meeting under the Planning Act to receive public submissions on the Draft Community Planning Permit By-law and to receive the report for information, with all comments referred back to staff for review before recommendations are presented to Council by June 30, 2026.

In March 2025, Council directed staff to establish a city-wide CPP By-law as the primary implementation tool for the City’s Official Plan. This alternative framework/tool provided by the Planning Act is designed to streamline development approvals and provide greater land-use flexibility while ensuring conformity with the City’s long-term planning vision.

The City released the draft CPP By-law on January 19, 2026, for community engagement, review and input.

Since the draft by-law’s release in January 2026, the City has executed a comprehensive public engagement process with a range of engagement opportunities including four in-person open houses and one virtual open house, an online survey and targeted working sessions with the project Community Advisory Group and the Business and Property Owners Group. The City also held dedicated roundtable discussions with the William’s Treaty First Nations and Urban Indigenous communities, alongside strategic briefings with the Mayor and Councillors to inform and review the details of the draft By-law.

The establishment of a city-wide CPP By-law is a key strategic commitment within the City’s Housing Pledge for the provincial Building Faster Fund (BFF) and the Action Plan for the federal Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF). By consolidating multiple approval streams into a single system, the CPP process is designed to significantly streamline development approval timelines and accelerate the supply of housing. 

The city-wide CPP By-law will supersede and replace the existing Comprehensive Zoning By-law. It establishes modernized development and redevelopment standards designed to implement the vision and objectives of the City’s Official Plan.

Clonsilla Area Transportation Study

Council will consider proceeding with the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment process for the Clonsilla Area Transportation Study.

The Clonsilla Area Transportation Study has been initiated to address existing and emerging transportation challenges within the Clonsilla Avenue corridor and surrounding area. 

Clonsilla Avenue is a key urban corridor within the City, serving multiple transportation functions including local and through vehicular traffic, transit operations, pedestrian movement, and cycling. The corridor also provides access to residential neighbourhoods, institutional uses, and community facilities.

Over time, changes in land use, traffic patterns, safety concerns, and policy direction have highlighted the need for a comprehensive, integrated transportation review of the corridor and the surrounding area. 

The Clonsilla Area Transportation Study is being carried out in two phases.

1. The initial pre-planning phase, referenced as the Study Design (Part A), is intended to establish the study scope and geographic area, identify the transportation problems and opportunities to be addressed, and determine a set of reasonable alternatives to be examined in the subsequent planning phase; and
2. The subsequent planning phase, referred to as the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (EA) Study (Part B). 

Council endorsement of the Study Design Report does not approve any specific design or construction works; rather, it authorizes staff to proceed with the next phases of the Class EA, which will involve the development and evaluation of alternative solutions and designs, continued public and agency consultation, and identification of a preferred solution.

Traffic volume analysis confirms that Clonsilla Avenue is one of the City’s busiest arterial corridors, carrying more than 25,000 vehicles per day west of Goodfellow Road. Intersection analysis indicates that most intersections currently operate within acceptable urban levels of service; however, several individual movements are operating at capacity, particularly during peak periods. These conditions result in longer delays, queuing, and localized congestion, especially where high through volumes interact with significant turning movements.

A review of collision data for the period 2018 to 2023 identifies safety as a primary concern within the study area. During this period, approximately 1,256 collisions were recorded, representing about 13 per cent of all collisions city-wide.

Commemorative Flag and Illumination Policy

Council approving a Commemorative Flag and Illumination Policy to establish a consistent protocol for commemorative flag raisings and illuminations at City facilities - primarily at City Hall for flag raisings and at City Hall and the Centennial Fountain for commemorative illuminations.

The Policy will establish a consistent protocol for commemorative flag raisings and illuminations to bring public awareness to occasions and events that:

• Reflect the cultural diversity of the community, promote inclusion, and foster a sense of belonging for all;
• Advance and support the spirit of reconciliation with Indigenous peoples;
• Recognize the importance of significant dates and occasions, and acknowledge the contributions of local non-profit or charitable organizations or initiatives; and
• Support public awareness campaigns that promote health, safety, and wellbeing and encourage community participation and civic pride.

Commemorative flag raisings will be eligible if they:

• Are directly related to municipal programming or by way of a relevant funding or partnership agreement with the City; or
• Correspond with commemorative or awareness periods as established by the Ontario Government or the Government of Canada as identified on the following provincial and federal websites:
  • https://www.ontario.ca/page/ontarios-celebrations-and-commemorations
  • https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/important-commemorative-days.html

Commemorative lighting displays will be eligible if they satisfy the criteria for commemorative flag raisings as established by the Policy or if they:

• Recognize or bring awareness to the work of a non-profit or charitable organization or local initiative that promotes health, safety, and wellbeing or fosters cultural diversity, inclusion, and belonging in the City of Peterborough.

Commemorative flag and illumination displays contribute to reflecting the cultural diversity of the community, promoting inclusion, fostering a sense of belonging, and building civic pride.

The City does not currently have a City Council-approved Policy for considering commemorative flag and illumination display requests.

Council added a direction that results from the pilot project return to Council for consideration. Under the current practice, the City considers commemorative flag and illumination display requests based on criteria posted on the City’s website that were established through a review of practices in other municipalities; however, it is not a Council-approved direction.

Council Code of Conduct

Council will consider amendments to the Council Code of Conduct.

On January 19, 2026, Council approved the following direction:

City staff be directed to review and amend the Council Code of Conduct to explicitly prohibit the use of racial slurs – including but not limited to the N-word – regardless of context or circumstance, in alignment with the Integrity Commissioner’s findings and recommendations, with proposed amendments to be presented to Council within 60 days.

A recommended amendment to the Council Code of Conduct is presented for Council's consideration.

Portfolio Chairs By-law

Council will consider approving a revised Portfolio Chairs By-law to be in effect on November 15, 2026, which is the first day of the next term of Council.

Council had directed that staff review the Portfolio Chairs By-law and report to Council with any recommended amendments. Council’s direction followed its consideration of Integrity Commissioner’s Report 2024-05-CC (IC Report).

The Integrity Commissioner Report has opened the door to the risk of alleged confusion respecting the role of individual members of Council including respecting access to information from staff.

The recommended revisions to the Portfolio Chairs By-law include:

• Section 4 - Clarifies that the By-law does not delegate any authority except as set out in sections 9 and 12.
• Paragraph 6.l) - Five portfolios
• Section 7 - Ten Portfolio Chairs
• Section 8 - Council appoints Portfolio Chairs
• Section 9 and 12 - The authority delegated to Portfolio Chairs is scoped to sharing information

Airport Zoning Regulation Amendment

Council will consider authorizing the Commissioner of Municipal Operations to initiate and advance amendments to the Peterborough Airport Zoning Regulations.

To ensure the safe operation of aircraft at the Peterborough Regional Airport, and to ensure its long-term viability, the airspace surrounding the Airport needs to be free from obstacles in order to minimize hazards. Transport Canada, through the Aeronautics Act and its supporting regulations and standards, defines the airspace and limits the extent to which any object may project into that airspace through the enactment of Airport Zoning Regulations.

Amending an Airport Zoning Regulation is a federally regulated, multi-year process administered by Transport Canada under the Aeronautics Act and requires execution of a Commitment Agreement to formally initiate the process.

The existing Airport Zoning Regulations, enacted in 1994, provide airspace protection based on a primary runway length of 5,000 feet and do not reflect current or planned airfield configuration or long-term operational requirements.

The proposed amendments to the Airport Zoning Regulations would extend regulatory protection over the full characteristics of the 7,000-foot length primary runway, the secondary crosswind runway, and safeguard the Airport’s ability to maintain and enhance its level of service, including potential future non-precision and precision characteristics.

Drinking Water System Financial Plan

Council will consider approving the Drinking Water Supply System 2025-2031 Financial Plan.

This updated Financial Plan is required to be submitted to the Province to renew its municipal drinking water licence as part of the Municipal Drinking Water Licence Program, in accordance with Ontario Regulation 453/07.

The Financial Plan includes a statement of financial position, statement of operations and accumulated surplus, and statement of cash flow.

Water Services is fully funded by water revenues and as such, the Net Requirement from a taxation perspective is nil.

It is noted that the Riverview Park and Zoo continues to be funded by the water program and is currently representing 10% of the total cost of water related activities that are supported by rate revenues.

Documents associated with the Council report include:

• Drinking Water Supply System 2025-2031 Financial Plan
• Report MOWAT25-015
• Water Reserve Funded 10 Year Capital Plan
• Reserve and Rate Outcome with No Change to the Current Rate Structure