Latest news with #Stouffville
Hamilton Spectator
4 days ago
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Stouffville Council Votes In Favour of Greater Housing Flexibility in Oak Ridges Moraine, Greenbelt
● In a 4-3 Council vote, Stouffville will ask the Province to permit up to two Additional Residential Units (ARUs) on all rural properties within the Oak Ridges Moraine (ORM) and Greenbelt. ● The Town will also push for broader local planning authority and flexibility for minor amendments to the Provincial conservation plans. ● A formal process for settlement area expansion into the ORM Countryside areas is also being requested. ● The recommendations were put forward in a report from Town Staff covered in an article last week. ● While some residents support ARUs as a multi-generational housing and affordability solution, critics fear 'green sprawl' and increased speculation. ● The Greenbelt Foundation and York Region Federation of Agriculture warned the broader planning changes could erode conservation efforts ● Save the Oak Ridges Moraine Coalition emphasized the importance of not rushing such decisions, saying they should be left to a formal 10-year review anticipated in 2027. Following a narrow 4-3 Council vote on June 4, Stouffville will formally ask the Ontario government to permit up to two Additional Residential Units (ARUs) on rural properties within the Oak Ridges Moraine and Greenbelt, including areas where they are currently prohibited. The recommendations aim to bring conservation plans in line with Ontario's 2024 Provincial Planning Statement, which permits up to two ARUs on agricultural lands outside the ORM and Greenbelt areas. The Town is also seeking broader decision-making authority over land-use matters within the protected zones. Councillors Sue Sherban, Keith Acton, and Rick Upton voted against submitting the recommendations to the Province, while Mayor Iain Lovatt and Councillors Hugo Kroon, Richard Bartley, and Maurice Smith supported it. The Push for Rural ARUs Town Staff argue that expanded ARU permissions would support multi-generational living, create secondary income opportunities, boost housing supply, and improve affordability. They have also asked the Province to issue guidance that ensures any resulting development maintains rural character and environmental protections. Mayor Lovatt referenced the Town's efforts to expand ARU permissions throughout the municipality's serviced settlement areas during the meeting, but he noted many rural residents have been denied ARU approvals due to conservation policies. 'We're trying to address real-life issues that our residents bring to us,' he said. Those frustrations were echoed in several presentations to Council from rural property owners. 'Our family purchased land in this area in 1997, prior to the implementation of the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan (ORMCP),' said deputant Michelle Johnson. 'The restrictions imposed…have significantly limited our ability to utilize our property in a way that would allow us to live affordably.' Johnson said ARUs could also help families like hers support adult children struggling with housing costs while offering aging parents the ability to remain on their land and connected to their communities. 'An ARU could generate income through rental opportunities, which would be beneficial in our retirement years,' she said. 'ARUs are not a form of major development and do not have a significant impact on the environment or community…They offer a practical solution for families like ours to utilize their properties in ways that are both sustainable and responsible.' Councillor Sherban expressed empathy but warned of long-term consequences. She argued that further small-scale permissions could open the door to broader land fragmentation and speculative development. 'It seems so minuscule what you're asking,' she said. 'But if this keeps on—one more ARU, one more ARU—it's opening that door. And where do we stop?' Sherban added that she did not want to be remembered as someone who helped launch unchecked rural development rather than someone who tried to prevent it. ' Sometimes somebody has to say no,' she said. Expanding Local Planning Powers In addition to the ARU request, Staff recommended Council ask the Province to grant municipalities more authority over local planning within the conservation areas, including a process for minor amendments to ORMCP and Greenbelt Plan policies. They also suggested procedures for redesignating prime agricultural land as rural, broader permissions for small-scale commercial, industrial, and institutional uses, and the ability to build public service facilities such as parks, fire stations, and community centres within protected areas. Staff further requested guidance for expanding settlement areas into the Oak Ridges Moraine Countryside Area. 'The Provincial plans are overly restrictive and do not provide sufficient flexibility to address local circumstances as well as the Town's planning objectives,' said Randall Roth, a Senior Policy Planner with the Town. The York Region Federation of Agriculture (YRFA), a nonprofit representing more than 600 farm operations, supported the ARU recommendations but opposed the broader planning changes. In their view, such changes would have a 'detrimental effect' on agriculture within the municipality. 'The Oak Ridges Moraine and Greenbelt are significant agricultural and environmental resources. They must remain intact and protected in their entirety for future generations,' said YRFA Secretary and Treasurer Kim Empringham. 'Allowing local municipal amendments, redesignation of prime agricultural areas, small scale commercial, industrial, and institutional uses, public service facilities, and parks will result in the death of the ORM by a thousand cuts.' 'Settlement area expansions will speed up this demise,' she added. 'YRFA would support ARUs on the ORM and the Greenbelt, but not the list of requests found in Part 3 of the motion.' Greenbelt Foundation CEO Edward McDonnell submitted a letter opposing all recommendations. The Foundation cited the 2022 Ontario Housing Affordability Task Force report , which stated Ontario has ample developable land and does not require ORM or Greenbelt lands to meet housing targets. A recent Foundation report also highlights rural housing case studies from Durham, Niagara, and Huron as examples of how complete rural communities can be built without compromising protected conservation areas. Council ultimately deferred the request for expanded commercial and institutional permissions but approved the remainder for submission to the Province. Town Looks to Expedite Implementation While facing a barrage of criticism for a contentious and contested social media campaign opposing the report and its recommendations, Save the Oak Ridges Moraine (STORM) Coalition Chair Robert Brown also addressed Council. He later told Bullet Point News that he was 'deeply disappointed' by the decision. Brown expressed concern over the potential consequences of fast-tracking the proposed changes through the upcoming Bill 17 legislative process, a path the Town has recommended to the Province. He believes the move would risk bypassing critical data collection and public consultation and suggested Stouffville should wait for the mandated 10-year review expected in 2027. 'That 10-year review process is the point where we collect new data, find out what has changed within the conservation areas over the last decade, and learn what impacts development patterns have had on the plan areas' ecology and hydrology,' Brown told us. He emphasized the importance of input from scientific and engineering communities, calling it 'reckless' for politicians to make such decisions in the absence of that data. 'That process also provides opportunity for public consultation, including with stakeholders like STORM, to be able to voice their opinions and have their say over the directions of the plan, identify pain points, and work them out mutually,' he added. Councillor Acton expressed a similar position during Council deliberations, saying he believes Stouffville is already doing its 'fair share' in delivering needed housing. In his view, there is no justification to rush implementation of the recommendations. ' In the next 18 months or less, the Province will do their review. At that point, all parties, the public, the municipality, whoever, will have an opportunity to make comments,' Acton said. ' I think it would be wise…to let the Province do their work and review on their timetable, and they will own that decision.' Brown also mentioned the importance of maintaining a top-down structure for Ontario's conservation plans, arguing that the approach is essential to achieving 'harmonized, ecological, and hydrological protections' across southern Ontario. 'That is how we protect vital agricultural and freshwater resources, mitigate climate change impacts, and maintain flood protections for communities like Stouffville,' he said. Councillor Kroon offered a contrasting perspective during the Council meeting, expressing a preference for local decision making over Provincial control. 'We know our municipality, and we know what is needed and what works much better than having the Province making… one-size-fits-all decisions,' he said. 'Stouffville is a unique town. We have unique solutions to our requirements, and we should be allowed to make those decisions,' Kroon added. The Threat of 'Green Sprawl' Brown characterized the ARU proposal as part of a growing wave of 'green sprawl,' where development creeps into environmentally sensitive areas under the guise of gentle density. While acknowledging a real need for more housing options, he pointed to the increasing number of 'palatial homes' across the Moraine and warned that the proposed changes would largely benefit wealthy landowners. 'They are the ones who have the money and resources to build ARUs. Furthermore, as we saw in the delegations, people are already talking about building ARUs as rental properties,' he said. 'We will have a whole new speculative rental market that will be highly desirable given its location on the ORM and Greenbelt. And when market speculation gets involved, we know there will be no affordable housing.' Brown acknowledged that STORM's social media messaging could have deployed a bit more nuance, but said he hopes the conversation will remain focused on the underlying policy implications. 'It is the narrow-sighted, 'no for the sake of no' responses to residents' actual, lived needs that is so frustrating,' Lovatt later told Bullet Point News. 'The ORMCP needs responsible reform, and the councillors who supported Staff's recommendations recognize that.' 'I can't look a resident in the eyes and tell them we're not going to review the policy because I'm worried about what might happen in another town,' he added. Lovatt also argued it's unreasonable to deny an ARU for aging parents when more damaging uses, such as large-scale aggregate extraction operation, are permitted under existing rules. 'I will never shy away from difficult files with the Province out of fear or 'what ifs,'' he said. 'I will advocate for fairness and generational equity, and let the Province make the final decision.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
CTV News
26-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Ontario announces record $30.3 billion in school funding, but teachers' unions say it's not enough
Ontario Minister of Education Paul Calandra, left, visits students in the classroom at École Catholique Pape-François school in Stouffville, Ont., Friday, May 2, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette The Ontario government says it will provide a record $30.3 billion in funding for schools next year, as the province's head of education promises to be 'relentless' in holding school boards accountable on their spending. 'I have been clear with school boards across the province that we expect every dollar to be spent on directly supporting students, parents and teachers,' Education Minister Paul Calandra said in a statement Friday. The 3.3 per cent increase over the 2024-2025 funding includes $16.5 billion to support classroom staff, $4.7 billion for librarians, guidance counsellors and mental health workers, as well as $3.9 billion for special education and $3 billion for operating costs such as maintaining, renovating and renewing school buildings. Spending at Ontario schools made headlines last month after Calandra announced the ministry was investigating three boards, including the public and Catholic boards in Toronto, over alleged financial mismanagement. The Ministry of Education also said it was taking over a board in London which spent nearly $40,000 on a leadership retreat and ordered a Brantford-area board to pay back $190,000 four trustees spent on a trip to Italy to buy art. Calandra, who took over the education file in March, has threatened to take over the Toronto District School Board as it faces a $58-million deficit. The province's biggest board has floated closing some of its pools to save money, which Calandra called an 'attack' on students and teachers. In response to the funding, the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF) and Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO), which collectively represent over 140,000 teachers provincewide, said the money doesn't go far enough. 'Despite repeated warnings from teachers, education workers, students, and their families, this government continues to ignore the real and urgent needs in our schools,' OSSTF president Karen Littlewood said in a statement, noting that over 40 per cent of school boards in Ontario are facing 'serious' deficits. Both unions also said that the $30.3 billion in funding does not address a $17-billion repair backlog. 'Despite claims of record spending, educators across Ontario continue to see the cumulative effects of chronic provincial underfunding: larger class sizes, fewer supports for students (especially those with disabilities), deteriorating school infrastructure, rising violence in schools, and increasing demands placed on under-resourced staff. This isn't record funding; it's systemic neglect,' ETFO said. In a statement to CTV News Toronto, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Education echoed Calandra's initial remarks. 'We expect all school boards across the province to spend every dollar of these funds directly on students, parents, and teachers. While we continue to make these significant investments, we will be relentless in holding school boards accountable for how they spend these funds.'
Hamilton Spectator
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
Lace Up, Stouffville: Summer Roller Skating Nights Coming to Memorial Park
● Stouffville is partnering with SUSO Skate Co. to host 12 free roller skating nights at the Memorial Park Multi-Use Trail this summer. ● Youth Roller Skate Nights will take place every Thursday from June 5 to August 21 and feature three timed skating sessions per evening. ● The program is aimed at promoting youth engagement, active living, and reducing screen time in a fun and social environment. ● Admission and skate rentals are free, with a live DJ and inclusive options for participants of varying abilities. ● The initiative is supported by the Town's new Youth Advisory Working Group and funded through the Whitchurch-Stouffville Legacy Fund. ● It also marks an effort from the Town to further activate the trail during non-winter months. For residents looking to make the most of their Thursday nights this summer, the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville is partnering with SUSO Skate Co. to bring free roller skating events to Memorial Park. Twelve Youth Roller Skate Nights are scheduled to run weekly from June 5 to August 21. Backed by the Town's new Youth Advisory Working Group and funded through the Whitchurch-Stouffville Legacy Fund, the program aims to transform the Multi-Use Trail into a lively, after-hours community hub. Admission and skate rentals will be free for all participants, and a DJ will be on-site to help set the tone. Each evening will feature three 45-minute skating blocks, beginning with an all-ages session from 7 to 7:45 p.m., followed by two sessions for youth in Grades 7 to 12 from 8 to 8:45 p.m. and 9 to 9:45 p.m. 'The project promotes social inclusion, active living, and community engagement, encouraging youth to connect, be active, and reduce screen time in a welcoming outdoor environment,' the Town's website explains . 'Inclusive options for individuals with varying abilities will also be available.' Registration for the four Thursdays in June is now open online , and SUSO advises attendees to register in advance and complete the required waiver. Doing so secures a pair of skates and ensures a smoother entry on event nights. SUSO Skate Co. specializes in hosting roller skating events in repurposed venues across the GTA. Known for activating underutilized urban spaces, the Toronto-based group supplies roller skates, music, and on-site support. To date, it has welcomed more than 50,000 skaters to its pop-up rinks. The new partnership also aligns with the Town's ongoing effort to further activate Memorial Park's trail in the summer months. It is typically open for walking and rollerblading when not frozen for winter skating. 'We're glad to see the Memorial Park Trail become a vibrant, all-season space that encourages both leisure and active living,' Rob Braid, Stouffville's Commissioner of Community Services, said in comments to Bullet Point News. 'This initiative is a great example of how youth-driven ideas can enhance our public spaces.' Bullet Point News also spoke with SUSO Co-Owner Henry O'Brien, who has spent the past year working with the Town to shape the concept. He said roller skating has seen a notable comeback since the COVID-19 pandemic, offering a low-impact, accessible activity that resonates with both newcomers and seasoned skaters. 'Stouffville said they wanted to increase the programming at the trail, and we've been in contact with them for quite a few months now,' O'Brien explained. 'Whether people are new skaters or old skaters, it's ideal for a fun, nostalgic evening out with the whole family.' While SUSO will operate more permanent summer pop-ups at Oshawa Centre and The Bentway in Toronto, the Stouffville events will be served by the company's mobile van. It will be SUSO's first recurring mobile program, with an estimated capacity of about 45 skaters per session, depending on available skate sizes. 'Our number one goal is to get young kids and youth off their digital devices and interacting with their friends and family in real life,' O'Brien added. 'We just want them to get outside and have some fun.'
Hamilton Spectator
02-05-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Stouffville Scraps Original Dome Deal, Signs New Partner for Ballantrae Sports Complex
● Stouffville has signed a new deal with Mentana Group for the long-awaited Ballantrae sports dome. ● The Town officially ended its agreement with Ballantrae Sports Group, the original proponent contracted to deliver the project. ● Mentana's updated plans feature a FIFA-sized soccer pitch, multi-use courts, and fitness facilities. ● Construction is expected to begin in late summer 2025, with the facility opening in 2026. ● The original project stalled for two years, leaving residents frustrated by the visible lack of progress and loss of parkland and two sports fields. ● The Town says the updated plan will help address community demand for indoor sports space and prioritizes local group access. After years of stalled progress and growing community frustration, Stouffville has scrapped its original deal and is moving forward with a new partner to deliver the long-awaited Ballantrae Multi-Sport Complex in Ballantrae Park. The Town formally announced the end of its agreement with Ballantrae Sports Group, the initial proponent contracted to build the facility. A new partnership with Mentana Group—a firm the Town credits with successful delivery of high-quality community sports and recreation infrastructure—was finalized today. Design work is now underway, and construction is expected to begin late this summer. Plans for the dome complex include a versatile layout capable of supporting a wide range of sports and community programming. The official opening is anticipated sometime in 2026, with a more detailed timeline expected in the coming months. 'At a high level, it will include a FIFA regulation soccer pitch which can be divided into smaller indoor turf fields, multi-use courts, fitness spaces, and amenities designed for all ages and abilities,' a recent Stouffville press release explains. New conceptual renderings reveal Mentana's vision for the 'Air Dome Sportszone,' which includes a restaurant, gym, and lobby with timber accents and large exterior and interior windows. 'We made a commitment to this community, and we have worked diligently to honour it,' Stouffville Mayor Iain Lovatt said in a Friday press release. 'After exhausting every option with the previous leaseholder, it became clear that a new direction was required to ensure the delivery of this much-needed facility.' The original project broke ground in April 2023, with hopes of opening that fall. First contemplated during the early days of Lovatt's first mayoral term, the development struggled to gain momentum and ultimately stalled. In the interim, the site saw the removal of an existing soccer field and baseball diamond, as well as the clearing of trees. A significant portion of Ballantrae Park has remained fenced off in anticipation of construction, exacerbating community frustration over the lack of visible progress. During an April 29, 2025, town hall meeting, one resident voiced concerns about the long-delayed project and diminishing access to youth sports facilities. 'What's the update on that?' she asked. 'With this, with Soccer City being sold, our kids have less and less opportunities to play these sports because the facilities are not available.' Lovatt acknowledged those concerns and pointed to the ongoing work with Mentana Group. 'We are very frustrated…with what's happened with the vision for the dome,' he said. 'Our goal is to see the dome come to completion. If for some reason it doesn't, we will be taking legal action against [Ballantrae Sports Group]. They would need to restore [the park] back to the way it was before.' While some community members have questioned the decision to replace public parkland with the privately operated sports dome, the Town continues to stress the need for expanded indoor sports infrastructure. 'Our sports organizations are growing, and they need additional facilities to expand their own programming. This is an efficient way of delivering that space,' Rob Braid, the Town's Commissioner of Community Services, told Bullet Point News. 'I think it's going to be a phenomenal addition to the community.' Braid noted that Mentana will not be charged for use of the land, but preferred, protected rates will be offered to local sports organizations. Some facility use will also be made available for Stouffville's recreation programming at no cost to the Town. Usage fees for other community bookings will be set by the dome's operators. As Stouffville takes a second swing at delivering the new community asset, all eyes will be on whether the new plan—and new partnership—can deliver where the previous one fell short.
