THUNDER BAY – Thunder Bay’s city council put the stamp of approval on a new zoning bylaw Monday, approving an overhaul of the city’s land-use rules, after hearing largely positive feedback at a public meeting in March.
Councillors roundly rejected a proposal from Coun. Trevor Giertuga to limit ward and town hall meetings in the run-up to municipal elections, meanwhile, and Coun. Peng You announced he would take a leave from city council while he contested the provincial election, among other issues.
Couns. Ch’ng, McKinnon, Oliver, and Mayor Mauro were absent.
New zoning bylaw affirmed
Thunder Bay’s city council has put its seal of approval on a new zoning bylaw expected to accelerate urban infill.
The new bylaw earned unanimous approval from councillors won over by the potential upsides of opening up new affordable rental units and driving urban infill.
The bylaw, which will expand the ability to add additional units on most residential lots and backyard homes on many others, also drew a favourable response from business and environmental groups, though some residents raised concerns at a public meeting in March.
Bid to limit pre-election ward meetings fails
An attempt to bar city councillors from holding public meetings during the municipal election period found little support at city hall Monday.
Coun. Trevor Giertuga argued the exposure and chance for self-promotion offered by ward and town hall meetings provide incumbent councillors an unfair advantage.
His motion to forbid the meetings after the nomination period for the municipal election opens on May 2 was defeated on a 7-2 vote.
Most councillors said the existing policies, which allow meetings until the end of June, provided an appropriate balance.
Peng You takes leave from council during provincial election
Coun. Peng You will be absent from Thunder Bay’s city council for about a month in May and early June as he competes as a candidate in the June 2 provincial election.
The at-large councillor announced last year he would run under the Progressive Conservative banner in Thunder Bay-Superior North.
You has asked not to receive any pay during his leave, from May 1 to June 3, he said.
Neebing subdivision plan approved
City council approved a draft plan of subdivision for a new subdivision in the Neebing area Monday, opening the door for development of up to 69 lots. The plan was previously reviewed at a public meeting in March.
Council’s approval of the draft plan of subdivision is issued for a period of three years, subject to conditions like completion of traffic studies and stormwater management reports.
The single-family housing development will sit north of the South Neebing Community Centre, with the developer footing the cost for a new road entry from Highway 61. Future phases of development could involve a secondary access at Mountain Road.
The development proposal had been opposed by the Thunder Bay District Health Unit over environmental concerns related to sewage systems. Those concerns were addressed by slightly reducing density, putting a Hold symbol on three lots.
The health unit still disagrees in principle with building subdivisions like this one on split services, receiving city water but not hooked up to the sewage system, since it raises more environmental risks, said manager of environmental health Lee Sieswerda.
"[I]t is the worst way to service lots according to the Provincial Policy Statement, but it is legally permitted and still a part of the Official Plan for a small number of areas within city limits," he said in an email. "We will continue to work with the city to advocate for further improvements to the Official Plan in that regard."
City endorses Ontario Health Team application
The city will be one of 27 signatories to an expression of interest to form a City and District of Thunder Bay Ontario Health Team.
Ontario Health Teams were announced by the Ministry of Health in 2019 as a new way of organizing and delivering care, meant to better coordinate regional health care resources and improve patients’ connections with services.
The City and District of Thunder Bay OHT expression of interest proposes a focus on improving care for those experiencing mental health and addictions challenges.
City manager Norm Gale said it was too early to tell how the OHT would impact the city’s health-related services, like EMS and long-term care, but that made it all the more crucial to have a seat at the table.
“We need to be part of this team. If we’re not, decisions will be made for us without us,” he said.
Other OHTs have already been approved in the region, including All Nations Health Partners OHT (Kenora) and Rainy River District OHT (Rainy River, Emo, Atikokan and Fort Frances).
City close to meeting firefighter certification requirements
The City of Thunder Bay is already well on its way to meeting new mandatory minimum certification standards for Ontario firefighters, council heard Monday.
Thunder Bay Fire Rescue had already been working toward many of the new training benchmarks before the province announced the new regulations, said fire chief Greg Hankkio.
The city will be required to meet implementation dates of 2026 and 2028 for different parts of the new standards.
Any additional costs to meet the standards will be minimal, Hankkio said, and will have no impact in 2022. The Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs has advocated for the province to provide new grants to offset added costs.
