Fw: Cottage Rentals in NOTG Marcel & Angela Lounsbury To: Hdowd 2014

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Fw: cottage rentals in NOTG Marcel & Angela Lounsbury to: hdowd 2014-03-31 02:52 PM Hide Details From: Marcel & Angela Lounsbury To:

Hello Councilors We are writing you because unfortunately we will not be able to attend the meeting on April 7th as we will be away.First off I want to thank Jamie King for standing up and acknowledging there was a mistake made when the task force was not met with before this all was going on to council.We appreciate that very much.

For the cottage rental debate I want you to know we have lived here for about 6 years we have 3 boys who play hockey,soccer and swim for the Town of Niagara on the Lake we are part of a this town as much as possible

I did some research and I am not sure how much or if any of the council members have done yet on this matter.

In the license/bylaw notice I read all homes are are to be single detached dwelling units. As per definition this means free standing home that is structurally separated from neighboring homes, also no more than 3 bedrooms and all need to have at least 2 parking spaces. on the notice on the Niagara on the Lake website there is a list of homes looking to be licensed as

50 Cole cres 69 Niag on the Green Blvd 381 Wright cres 46 young 48 young

well first issue is 46/48 Young Cres are semis which means according to your outlines these 2 addresses are not single detached dwellings.

Next I typed in Niagara on the Green rentals on internet well a few popped up on different websites (homeaway.com,www.executiverentalnetwork.com;www.flipkey.com etc) homes are listed as *Holiday Rental House -52 Stevens Dr 6 bedrooms,sleeps 12 managed by Homeaway Stays *Niagara on the Green 2 -76 Young Cres 4 bedroom,31/2 bath sleeps 8 mike and Kristine listed as owners Niagara on the Green 3 -69 NOTG Blvd 6 bedroom,3 bath sleeps 12 www.flipkey.com *Niagara on the Green 4- ( not sure of address) 5 bedroom 3 bath sleeps 12 owner Mike listed on www.cottagecountry.com *Niagara on the Green 5 - 25 Stevens Dr 5 bedroom 4 bath sleeps 10 Managed by Homeaway Stays It's your Getaway Home listing #7562- 50 Cole Cres 7 bedrooms 4 plus baths www.cottagecountry.com

So looking at the above list it looks like 4 of the 5 houses requesting do not fall into the guidelines already ??? Is this not something that should have been looked into even before you considered the process?? and what about the houses that have been running without a license even request ?? and the ones marked with an * are homes that have not requested licensing and are I assume way under fire/safety standards

My questions/concerns 1. who is going to monitor these homes? is someone being hired or is there someone on town staff that will come and inspect these homes for safety regulations and # of bedrooms etc ?? 2.who will control the cars these people bring with them when it is rented to large parties/groups

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3.Coach buses running on side of the street with the fumes going into our homes with windows open

I feel like council was just trying to jump the gun at passing this and not really looking at the big picture!! We have already had to deal with student rentals which unfortunately alot of which are not monitored,maintained by absentee landlords and some cause risk to the students who are crammed in them. These are not going to B&B's where someone is there to monitor check in of the guests and keep fire regulations in mind,keep noise levels respectful nothing these are just homes being used for girls night getaways,parties, golf trips people who are not looking to be part of our neighborhood or community they are there to party and vacation and sometimes be very disrespectful to the families/homes around them because so what they are there for just a few days they won't be seeing us again so who cares if they are disruptive. The cottage rentals is just another way the student rental landlords are trying to make money during the April-Sept season when students are not in the houses in some cases.

All we ask is you give this a thought of the long term damage this will cause again to a new area of Niagara on the Lake that is being treated like the ugly step sister of Old Town.Yes we have this brand new mall coming in but is that what this is about more money for the Town or really can we stop and think what this will do to the community. If this area ends up being all rentals to students and cottage rental businesses people will start to leave NOTL and move elsewhere where there is less hassles. I love my home and my neighborhood we have some really great neighbors and I can tell you people are already saying enough is enough if this goes through we are out of here.We just want to enjoy the area and be done with all these new rental/money making plans think Cottage rentals do not fit in this neighborhood .

Hope this sheds a bit more light on the big picture Marcel & Angela Lounsbury 170 Cole Cres 9056878038

Angela Lounsbury Scentsy Consultant website https://alounsbury.scentsy.ca

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Leigh & Judy Mackey 69 Keith Cres. Niagara on the lake, ON L0S 1J0

Town of Niagara on the lake Administrative Offices Council Chambers 1593 Four Mile Creek Rd. Virgil, ON L0S 1T0

March 28, 2014

RE: NOTG RESIDENT OPPOSAL - OFFICIAL PLAN AMENDMENT NO. 55

Attn: Holly Dowd

As new homeowners in the “Niagara on the Green” community, it has been brought to our attention that there could be a zoning by-law amendment to implement Official Plan Amendment No. 55, which permits Cottage Rentals to be located anywhere in town where Bed & Breakfasts are currently permitted. We were not aware of any Bed & Breakfast in this residential subdivision when we purchased our home in November of 2013.

We purchased our home in this area for several reasons. We are happy to be part of a “residential” community that has a mixture of residents from young families to retired people. The Niagara region has much to offer, making this area desirable to us. Our decision to purchase here was well thought out and we understand that there are by-laws in place to protect the “residential” community which ensures that the homeowners of NOTG can enjoy a peaceful living environment. Our desire & expectation for “quiet enjoyment” of our home is our basic right, as it is for every homeowner; allowing cottage rentals would violate this basic right for all residents.

It would be unacceptable to go ahead and approve this by-law amendment as it would allow constant disturbances directly causing negative affects on health and state of well being of innocent & unsuspecting homeowners.

We as community minded tax paying residents, strongly oppose this proposed amendment. We strongly support and are behind our body of community representatives who also oppose this by-law amendment.

Sincerely,

Leigh & Judy Mackey

Mike Halliday

381 Wright Cres.

Niagara on the Lake, On

L0S 1J0

COTTAGE RENTAL SUPPORT LETTER

ATTN :Town Clerk - Holly Dowd, Aaron Butler John Hendricks, Whom ever else it may concern please forward.

My Name is Mike Halliday, I have a 3 bedroom house at 381 Wright Cres in Niagara On The Green. I would like to show my support for the upcoming zoning change for cottage rentals at Niagara on the Green. I would like to note that I am a commercial real estate agent in the Niagara Region and I have been involved in rental properties and real estate for close to twenty years. Without this change I have the option to rent my house out as a student property, however I would prefer to use the house as a vacation property because I have pride of ownership and have spent a lot of money on the up keep, renovations and appearance of my property. It has been my experience that student rentals in the area can be diminishing to the overall appearance of the community and I do not wish to add to that element. Short term rentals mean that I can visit my property between every rental to clean, and maintain my property to the high standards of my community. It should be noted that this type of rental promotes constant upkeep and maintenance of the property so that people will return or refer my property to other potential renters.

Some other points:

•increased property values.

•investment dollars will command higher property values. Higher demand = higher prices

•Student rentals vs. Cottage Rentals. Cottage rental owners take better care of homes.

•Cottage proposal addresses parking concerns within the licensing criteria so the matter has been addressed

•No absentee landlords as care of homes is required for upkeep

•cottage rental attracts a more mature renter vs. student rental •Opportunity for community to showcase a well cared for and well respected community

•Cottage rentals makes a positive argument for a community of acceptance that welcomes positive change, investment and growth

•Glendale deserves parity with Old Town.

•Cottage rental has already been in existence. 70 Young Cresent has been licenced since 2011.

Niagara on the Green is an ideal community for cottage rentals because it is centrally located in the region allowing tourists to travel to Niagara Falls, Ft. Erie, the U.S. and Niagara on the Lake with relative ease. We also have a Golf course, White Oaks, Niagara College, Wineries, and now the building of the new open concept mega mall, all of which draw tourists from all over the globe. Our little town is getting clogged with tourists and the cottage community allows us to accommodate these demands outside of Old town which can only provide so many rentals, and while old town is a major attraction it should be noted that Niagara on the Lake is constantly growing to expand beyond those borders and we should be growing to accommodate these demands.

Thank you for your time, and help with this matter.

March 31, 2014

The Town of Niagara on the Lake

Attn: Dowd

Re: Cottage Rentals in Niagara on the Green

Three years ago we moved from St. Catharine’s to Niagara on the Green with our three children.

This decision was made because the neighbourhood had what we thought was a sweet homey feel away from the hustle and bustle of traffic and congestion. We loved the cosiness and the community feel it had to offer.

After a few months we discovered that our neighbours (65 Cole Crescent) had decided to rent out their house as a summer cottage rental.

The next three summers here have now been a nightmare, with endless partying till all hours of the morning, in which we have repeatedly had to call the police, we have woken up to beer bottles on our driveway and front lawn, we have had vacationers children found in our garage stealing our basketballs, parking on the wrong side of the road and the opposite direction as well as consistent parking in front of the fire hydrant. (Thus creating a safety issue as Fire Apparatus would not be able to pass if there was an emergency) and most of all, a total disrespect from the owners and their renters towards others who live in the neighbourhood.

Home owners work hard to pay for and own a home in this area and should not have to put up with having to worry about constant riffraff. This is supposed to be a safe neighbourhood with community watch but how can that be if our town council turns our community into a resort! There are two Hotels in the area, White Oaks and the Hilton, vacationers can stay their!

We love our neighbourhood and I really do not want to see it deteriorate because of one terrible mistake, save our community and keep it a place that people want to be a part of.

Regards

Kim & Andrew Stuart

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AMO Breaking News - New Building Canada Fund Announced AMO Communications to: [email protected] 2014-03-28 05:37 PM Hide Details From: AMO Communications To: "[email protected]"

TO THE IMMEDIATE ATTENTION OF THE CLERK AND COUNCIL

March 28, 2014

New Building Canada Fund Announced

Agreement with Provincial Government Required to Allocate Funding in Ontario

Today, the Honourable Denis Lebel, federal Minister of Infrastructure, Communities and Intergovernmental Affairs, announced the New Building Canada Fund is "open for Business".

The New Building Canada Fund, a ten-year, $14 billion national fund first announced in the 2013 Budget, will support infrastructure over the next 10 years through:

A $4 billion National Infrastructure Component (NIC) for national projects;

Ontario will receive $2.7 billion of the Provincial/Territorial Infrastructure Component (PTIC) for regional and national projects

$270 million of the PTIC will be in the Small Communities Fund (SCF) for projects located in Ontario communities with populations 100,000 and under.

We know that these federal funding envelops generally require a 1/3 contribution from the three orders of government and that the New Building Canada Fund is back-end loaded so that the annual funding envelop gets larger several years out.

AMO understands that municipalities are eligible to apply for funding under all three funds depending on the project and its relation to the eligibility parameters. A guide to applying for NIC funding is available on the New Building Canada Plan web site.

At the same time, the federal government has announced today that it would be entering into discussions with the provinces and territories regarding the administration of the Small Communities Fund and would decide on projects for the PTIC funding jointly with the provinces and territories.

While the federal government has indicated that eligible proponents should contact their provincial ministries of infrastructure regarding PTIC and SCF projects, AMO expects that the Ontario Ministry of Infrastructure will announce additional details once discussions with the federal government have concluded. AMO is anxious to ensure the allocation for this year’s

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BCF funding flows to projects as quickly as possible. We believe this is a shared objective of the provincial and federal governments and therefore they will move quickly to deal with the administrative details.

AMO will update members on any new details as they become available.

AMO Contact: Craig Reid, Senior Advisor, E-mail [email protected] , 416.971.9856 ext. 334

PLEASE NOTE AMO Breaking News will be broadcast to the member municipality's council, administrator and clerk. Recipients of the AMO broadcasts are free to redistribute the AMO broadcasts to other municipal staff as required. We have decided to not add other staff to these broadcast lists in order to ensure accuracy and efficiency in the management of our various broadcast lists.

DISCLAIMER These are final versions of AMO documents. AMO assumes no responsibility for any discrepancies that may have been transmitted with the electronic version. The printed versions of the documents stand as the official record.

file:///C:/Users/hdowd/AppData/Local/Temp/notes1607CC/~web4943.htm 2014-03-31 BREAKING NEWS

March 24, 2014

New Accountability and Transparency Act for Broader Public Sector with Proposed New Requirements to Be Imposed on Municipal Governments

Today the government introduced new accountability legislation which is broad in scope and deals with, among other matters: o Expanding Ontario Ombudsman’s role to municipalities, school boards, and publicly funded universities; the processes for each will be somewhat different. o Expanding the role of the Ontario Ombudsman after municipal local complaint processes are completed. o Establishing a Patient Ombudsman to help patients resolve complaints against public hospitals, long-term care homes, and Community Care Access Centres. o Providing Management Board of Cabinet the authority to obtain compensation information and regulatory authority to set compensation frameworks and undertake compliance audits applicable to executives of designated employers in the broader public sector (i.e., hospitals, universities, colleges, school boards, Hydro One and provincial hydro entities, Community Care Access Centres, and others if prescribed) and require organizations to post their business plans and other relevant financial documents. o Clarifying retention of emails and offences against wilful destruction, concealment, which is to apply to municipal governments as well through amendments to MFIPA. o Identifying expenses of MPPs including out of riding expenses to be posted and 90 day timeline for posting. o Changes to the Lobbyists Registration Act including additional investigation authority and increased penalties for non-compliance.

The Bill itself will not be available publicly until it is posted on the Legislature’s website, which usually takes 24 hours. It is a very large piece of legislation, amending numerous Acts.

At this point, we have few details to share about the proposed legislation. We do know that some of the details will fall to regulations, which means some questions may be challenging to get answers to in the short term. AMO is undertaking follow up meetings with Ministry of Government Services and Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing on an urgent basis.

On March 6, AMO shared with it members some early concerns when the Premier Wynne announced the high level direction within which she was proceeding. Since then, there has been no public information available other than that provided by the Ontario Ombudsman, who indicated then that he had input and had seen the draft legislation. Some of his previous commentary appears to be at odds with what the government shared today with AMO, particularly with respect to local boards.

200 University Ave., Suite 801 Toronto ON M5H 3C6 Canada | Tel: 416.971.9856 | Fax: 416.971.6191 | Toll-Free in Ontario: 1.877.426.6527 | [email protected] What’s new for Municipal Governments?

1. Oversight framework: • The government is proposing to maintain the closed meeting ‘default’ model and will apply this ‘default’ model to municipal services complaints by individuals. In other words, municipal governments will be required to have their own municipal ombudsman and if not, then the Office of the Ontario Ombudsman would have jurisdiction as it does for closed meetings.

• Even if there is a municipally appointed local ombudsman and closed meeting investigator, the Ontario Ombudsman would have the jurisdiction to investigate complaint(s) after a local ombudsman or closed meeting investigator process has been completed and reported. In practice, this could result in ‘double oversight’ and effectively means a previous investigation is not necessarily the last stop. The Municipal Act and the Toronto Act already require the function of these positions to be independent and impartial; to maintain confidentiality and have credible investigative process.

• In addition, we understand that the Ontario Ombudsman’s Office could initiate a broader systemic investigation on its own if it identified a broader systemic matter as a result of one or more local ombudsman’s complaint investigations or on its own.

2. Applicability to Local Boards: We are told that the current local board definition, including its exception (section 223.1 of the Municipal Act) will not be changed. In other words, police services boards, library boards, boards of health, boards of long-term care, and Children’s Aid Societies and municipal corporations created under S. 203 of the Municipal Act will not be included within the scope of any of investigators, including the Office of the Ontario Ombudsman. The Ontario Ombudsman has been suggesting publicly and to the media that his Office would have this jurisdiction.

AMO’s Early Commentary:

• AMO is disappointed that pre-consultation on this government’s policy objective did not occur and that the Province-AMO MOU process on this particular matter was marginalized.

• The double oversight approach suggests that the government does not trust a municipal ombudsman or a closed meeting investigator to meet the Municipal Act’s or Toronto Act’s existing provisions for independence and impartiality, confidentiality, and a credible investigative process. There has been no evidence provided by the government that these systems are not functioning. • There are a great number of questions related to the proposed legislation and how it would be implemented that will need explanation (e.g., will there be timeframes or other conditions

for requesting a referral to the Ontario Ombudsman; what changes will be needed to administer the legislation provincially and locally). • The government must clarify the proposed authority of the Office of the Ontario Ombudsman and make sure that it is fully understood by all.

AMO Contact: Pat Vanini, Executive Director, E-mail [email protected] , 416.971.9856 ext. 316

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AMO Report to Members AMO Communications to: [email protected] 2014-03-28 06:39 PM Hide Details From: AMO Communications To: "[email protected]"

TO THE IMMEDIATE ATTENTION OF THE CLERK AND COUNCIL

March 28, 2014

AMO Report to Members

Highlights of the March 2014 Board Meeting

To keep members informed, AMO provides updates on important issues considered at regular AMO Board of Directors ’ meetings. Highlights of the March 2014 Board meeting include:

Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL)

CASL was approved at the end of November 2013. The law applies to all commercial electronic messages (CEM), which includes emails, texts, voice, sound and instant messaging. AMO and other organizations have until July 1, 2014 to ensure that they are in compliance. All municipal governments are urged to review CASL with their corporate lawyer for their own services and operations so that any needed changes are in place prior to July 1, 2014. Enforcement by the CRTC is compliant driven and fines for organizations are up to $10 million. Sending out any CEMs after July 1st will need either express or implied consent from the recipient. All CEMs must contain the senders contact information and an opt-out mechanism.

Contact: Nancy Plumridge, Director of Administration & Business Development, email: [email protected] Ext 324.

Energy Task Force Update: Energy Pricing

The Long Term Energy Plan and recent events make it clear that the rising energy costs are having a negative impact on economic development and households. The AMO Board will be corresponding with all three party leaders requesting they make reducing energy costs a priority. The letter will focus on getting more facts, improving governance of provincial level energy managers and deeper discussions on improved transmission, local generation, and the shoulder to shoulder delivery model. AMO members should continue to write their MPPs saying this is a vital issue for provincial action.

Contact: Cathie Brown, Senior Advisor, email: [email protected] , Ext. 342.

Aggregates: Standing Committee Report

Recently there was a Standing Committee review of the Aggregates Resources Act and a

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Ministry of Natural Resources response outlining their intended actions. AMO will follow up with the Minister of Natural Resources in support of improved information, communications and mapping, and better adherence to the planning process including all site plan amendments, when pits are reactivated and during rehabilitation. Members should be aware that potential fee increases will be considered by MNR in the near future.

Contact: Cathie Brown, Senior Advisor, email: [email protected] , Ext. 342.

End-of-Life Vehicle (ELV) Processing

The Board approved AMO’s response to the Ministry of the Environment’s discussion paper on proposed regulatory changes that would apply new environmental standards to ELV processing. AMO’s response will include issues regarding the enforcement of the new regulations, abandoned ELV sites, proper disposal of hazardous liquids during ELV processing and the need for further discussion between the Province and stakeholders on ELV processing.

Contact: Nicholas Ruder, Policy Advisor, email: [email protected] , Ext. 411.

Review of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act

The Board was provided an update on two recent developments concerning the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). First, the Province has commissioned an independent review to assess the effectiveness of the Act. Secondly, the Province is proposing changes to the Customer Service Standard. AMO will submit a response to provide input and feedback on both developments. AMO’s Barrier Free Access Working Group will meet in April to consider a response.

Contact: Michael Jacek, Senior Advisor, email: [email protected] , Ext. 329.

MEPCO Update

MEPCO Chair shared information on the 2013 investment return of 6.5% (gross), which resulted in a marginally improved funded status for the plan (from 85.6% to 88.2%) and a funding deficit of $8.6 billion. Given continuing funding uncertainty and historically high blended contribution rates (21.38%), MEPCO remains focused on measures that would get the plan out of deficit mode sooner and to keep contribution rates from increasing. At its March 17, 2014 meeting, the MEPCO Board discussed the OMERS investment strategy with the new OMERS OAC Board Chair, George Cooke and approved MEPCO’s 2014 Work Plan.

Contact: Bruce McLeod, MEPCO Staff, Email: [email protected] , Ext. 350.

LAS Update

LAS continues to provide value to the Ontario municipal sector. The LED Streetlight Retrofit Program has signed letters of intent with 33 municipalities with over 22,000 fixtures being upgraded. Natural gas prices are increasing significantly (40% or more) and are expected to remain high, whereas the LAS hedge price will remain at 15.9 cents/m3 until Oct 2014 which is 20% lower. The LAS electricity hedge price of 2.83 cents/kwh is 8% lower than the default government pricing. 190 municipalities are using LAS ’s Energy Planning Tool in order to

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develop energy reports (Reg. 397-11) due July 1st . The One Investment Program continues to offer great returns for the Bond, Universe Corporate Bond, and Equity Portfolios. The LAS Group Benefits Program has 33 members who have realized savings on average of 12%. This week ’s Asset Management Symposium was extremely successful with approximately 200 in attendance. LAS has partnered with MFOA to offer asset management training over the next three years as it has growing importance to Councils and infrastructure funding mechanisms.

Contact: Nancy Plumridge, President, email: [email protected] Ext 324; or Jason Hagan, Program Manager, email: [email protected] , Ext 320.

2014 AMO Urban Symposium

Only one week left to register for the upcoming 2014 AMO Urban Symposium "Connected Community" April 3 & 4, 2014 at the Waterloo Inn. Now in its seventh year of programming, this year's 1.5 day event will cover topics such as youth development, high-rise waste management, transit, child care, urban food and more. Visit the AMO website www.amo.on.ca for complete details on the event.

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12th Annual Pasta Dinner Fundraiser In Support of Respite Programs for Children with Special Needs

John Michaels Banquet Hall 1368 Uppers Road, Thorold

Sunday, May 4th, 2014 Doors Open at 4 pm Dinner at 5 pm

$20.00 per person $10.00 for children 6 -12yrs Children 5yrs and under free Prizes and Auction

Pre-order tickets by: calling 905-684-0235 or email [email protected]

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AMO Policy Update - Interest Arbitration Update AMO Communications to: [email protected] 2014-04-01 11:25 AM Hide Details From: AMO Communications To: "[email protected]"

TO THE IMMEDIATE ATTENTION OF THE CLERK AND COUNCIL

April 1, 2014 AMO’s INTEREST ARBITRATION UPDATE

As you will recall, in late November 2013, the Minister of Labour called on both municipal employers (through AMO and the Emergency Services Steering Committee) and employee associations (e.g. POA , OPPA, OPFFA) to come together and try to achieve an agreement on changes to the interest arbitration system. This was in response to the 2013 Throne Speech which stated, "As your government moves forward, Ontario's labour force will be treated fairly and with respect. It will sit down with its partners across all sectors to build a sustainable model for wage negotiation, respectful of both collective bargaining and a fair and transparent interest arbitration process, so that the brightness of our shared future is not clouded by the indisputable economic realities of our time".

Over the past several months, the employer and employee groups have met and exchanged proposals on what they believe interest arbitration legislation should look like. The employer group worked hard to find common ground and a meaningful solution to several matters, particularly capacity to pay.

Unfortunately, the parties have been unable to come to a consensus. Accordingly, it appears necessary to resume our efforts to seek necessary and meaningful legislative change through political advocacy. AMO and ESSC will continue to work together in these efforts. We appreciate the support of several local Chambers of Commerce, the Ontario Chamber itself along with others that seek changes to the interest arbitration system. AMO’s members are reminded of the various resources we have produced previously on this topic, including a video that in plain language describes the interest arbitration process and what is happening to costs.

Yesterday, a report, "The Blue Line or the Bottom Line of Police Services in Canada" by Christian Leuprecht was released. Leuprecht was a panelist along with municipal and OPP representatives on the March 27th TVO segment, "Badges and Balancing Acts" . It focused on the ‘leap frog and me, too’ approach of interest arbitration as it relates to the cost of service. The public and media are also seeing this week the annual "Sunshine List" that shows public sector employees earning more than $100,000. As noted with the release of the Leuprecht report, of the 96,500 broader public sector employees who made the 2013 list, almost 75% were police, fire, and ambulance.

AMO ’s Board of Directors believes the time for legislative action to support the interests of property taxpayers and the financial well -being of municipal governments is now. Ontario

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communities cannot fund emergency services at the expense of other programs that also keep communities safe and strong. The Government of Ontario has a moral and practical responsibility to help ensure that emergency service costs are affordable and sustainable.

AMO Contact: Matthew Wilson, Senior Advisor, [email protected] , 416.971.9856 ext. 323.

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AMO Breaking News - Bill 69, The Prompt Payment Act Put Aside ; Government Announces Construction Liens Act Review AMO Communications to: [email protected] 2014-04-02 04:43 PM Hide Details From: AMO Communications To: "[email protected]"

TO THE IMMEDIATE ATTENTION OF THE CLERK AND COUNCIL

April 2, 2014

Bill 69, The Prompt Payment Act Put Aside ; Government Announces Construction Liens Act Review

Today, the Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills of the Ontario Legislative Assembly voted on a motion to set aside Bill 69, The Prompt Payment Act . Bill 69 was introduced in May 2013 by MPP Steven Del Duca to change the way payments were made under contracts in the construction industry. AMO and municipal governments across Ontario raised significant concerns with this legislation and AMO is optimistic that members of the committee will not bring the Bill back for further consideration.

At the Standing Committee, as well as prior to, municipal governments brought attention to the difficulty Bill 69 provisions would create for construction owners. Bill 69’s payment timelines, progress payment provisions and lack of recognition for payments tied to construction milestones would have created challenges for municipalities in the management of public funds in construction contracts.

AMO, joined with several other public and private sector owner organizations, said the Bill should not proceed and that a proper government policy review be conducted to deal with prompt payment issues so that the perspectives of all interested parties could be input. Linked to this discussion, the Attorney General of Ontario announced last Friday that it would begin a review of the Construction Liens Act , under an independent party and to begin in spring 2014. AMO is awaiting details on this review process.

In addition, AMO President Russ Powers received a recent letter from the Ontario General Contractors’ Association (OGCA) that explained its position on Bill 69, particularly apologizing to AMO for not reaching out to it and other construction owners when the issues in the Bill were under discussion within the construction industry. At Committee, it had also requested more time for examination of the issues and consultation with affected parties. Like AMO, OGCA has also called for more time for discussion and a more consultative process to discuss prompt payment issues instead of Bill 69.

We thank all the many municipal governments who sent letters on Bill 69 to the Standing Committee and all the political parties. It was very helpful. AMO will continue to work to ensure the interests and needs of our members are part of the future discussions regarding prompt payment for construction contracts.

AMO Contact: Craig Reid, Senior Advisor, [email protected] , 416.971.9856 ext. 334.

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file:///C:/Users/hdowd/AppData/Local/Temp/notes1607CC/~web4311.htm 2014-04-03 AMO Watch File - April 3, 2014 Page 1 of 3

AMO Watch File not displaying correctly? View the online version | Send to a friend Add [email protected] to your safe list

April 3, 2014

In This Issue - One Private Member Bill introduced that impacts municipalities. - Applications now accepted for Community Conservation Awards. - Ontario One Call Regulations filed - municipalities must join ON1Call by June 19. - Horse Racing Partnership Plan. - Mid-rise wood frame buildings. - Gas Tax reporting deadline. - Hot Topics at AMO Annual Conference. - The benefit of LAS Group Benefits. - Official launch of VoterLookup.ca. - Cavan Monaghan Healthy Kids Community Challenge letter. - Town of Caledon Green Supplier Fair. - Share the Road’s 6th Ontario Bike Summit - April 13-15, Toronto. - Resolutions from Front of Yonge, Timmins and West Lincoln. - Career opportunities with Accessibility Directorate of Ontario and Mississauga.

Provincial Matters One Private Member Bill, Bill 184, Labour Relations Amendment Act (Strike and Lock-Out Information), 2014 was introduced and received First Reading.

The Community Conservation Awards are presented to communities that demonstrate strong conservation related achievements and are open to all municipalities in Ontario. Apply by May 30, 2014.

Regulations under the Ontario Underground Infrastructure Notification System Act, 2012 have been approved. ON1Call can levy fines for non-compliance and require confirmation of locates. ON1Call’s by-law No. 2 sets the terms and conditions of membership.

The Plan came into effect on April 1 and will provide $500 million over five years to Ontario’s horse racing industry. The plan includes support for racehorse breeders, increasing purses and race dates across the province, and support for regional tracks.

The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing is proposing amendments to the Building Code that would permit the construction of up to six storey wood framed buildings. More information on the proposed approach can be found in the Ministry’s Regulatory Registry policy document.

Federal Matters Gas Tax reporting was due on March 31, 2014. Municipalities that have finished are one step closer to the new federal Gas Tax Fund Agreement. Haven’t completed reporting yet? Log-in now through AMO’s website.

Eye on AMO Events Continuing with AMO’s tradition of offering superior educational programming at the 2014 AMO Annual Conference, hot topics this year include policing, HR, infrastructure, energy and more. Learn about what's on the program and register today.

LAS

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Join the 33 municipalities that saved an average of 12% on their group benefits costs. The LAS Group Benefits Program offers significant value to municipalities of all sizes and coverage levels. Learn more and get your no -cost quotation today .

Municipal Matters* Municipal Property Assessment Corporation's VoterLookup.ca is a new online service that allows potential electors to confirm and update their information. MPAC piloted the service with nine municipal partners and two school boards to test the functionality and ease of use. The service will provide greater flexibility and an improved enumeration process.

The Township of Cavan Monaghan letter to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care requests that programs such as the Healthy Kids Community Challenge should be managed through the Health Unit and not local municipalities.

Are you a municipal staff person interested in green products and services? If yes, visit the Town of Caledon’s Green Supplier Fair on April 23, 2014. Pre -registration is required .

The 6th annual Ontario Bike Summit will focus on the theme “I Bike, I Vote,” and will focus on how communities can benefit by making cycling safer and more accessible.

The Township of Front of Yonge resolutions petition the Ministry of Environment to institute a deposit/return system for plastic water bottles and to ban the use of polystyrene foam peanuts.

The City of Timmins resolution requests the federal government direct Canada Post to maintain the current levels of postal service in Small, Rural and Northern Communities, and maintain residential door-to-door postal delivery.

The West Lincoln Township resolution requests the Province revoke the Renewable Energy Approval for the HAF Wind Energy Project and place an immediate moratorium on all IWT projects (current and future).

Career Opportunities Manager, Compliance Enforcement - Accessibility Directorate of Ontario (ADO) . Location: Toronto. Please apply online , by April 14, 2014, entering Job ID 63943 in the Job ID search field and following the instructions to submit your application online.

Fire Chief - City of Mississauga . To explore this opportunity further, please contact Amanda Bugatto at Odgers Berndtson’s Toronto office at 416.366.1990 or submit your resume and related information online .

About AMO AMO is a non-profit organization representing almost all of Ontario's 444 municipal governments. AMO supports strong and effective municipal government in Ontario and promotes the value of municipal government as a vital and essential component of Ontario's and Canada's political system. Follow @AMOPolicy on Twitter!

AMO Contacts AMO Watch File Team , Tel: 416.971.9856 Conferences/Events Policy and Funding Programs LAS Local Authority Services Limited MEPCO Municipal Employer Pension Centre of Ontario OMKN Ontario Municipal Knowledge Network Media Inquiries , Tel: 416.729.5425 Municipal Wire, Career/Employment and Council Resolution Distributions

*Disclaimer: The Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) is unable to provide any warranty regarding the accuracy or completeness of third-party submissions. Distribution of these items does not imply an endorsement of the views, information or services mentioned.

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