Part 2: Youth Transit Debate, Reserve Fund Questions, and Wetland Transfer Approved — 05/28/2025

This section takes a closer look at who spoke and what stood out during the May 28, 2026 Committee of the Whole meeting. It follows the flow of the discussion and highlights the key questions, concerns, and moments where councillors really dug into the details.

From how money is tracked to how youth are supported and how transit works across the County, there was a mix of topics that sparked real conversation. Not every discussion led to a big decision, but it gives a good sense of what’s on Council’s mind and what could come next.

© PEC Council (YouTube)

View the entire PEC Council Meeting; or view our recap.

Parkland Reserves and Rural Representation

The first significant discussion came during the annual parkland reserve report.

Councillor Janice Maynard questioned how reserve fund allocations were being categorized, particularly around Consecon and Ameliasburgh. Her concern centered on ensuring that historical ward boundaries and reserve allocations were being reflected correctly. Finance Director Arryn McNichol confirmed that staff had identified discrepancies in older records and would be updating the categorization while maintaining the accuracy of the overall reserve balances.

Councillor David Harrison then turned the conversation toward development trends, asking whether parkland collections were increasing or decreasing over time. McNichol reported that collections have declined in recent years while expenditures have gradually risen.

Although no changes were made to the reserve itself, the discussion highlighted an ongoing concern among some councillors about ensuring that money collected through development remains connected to the communities where growth occurs.

Development Charges Spark Questions About Fair Distribution

The development charge report generated another discussion about geography and fairness.

Councillor Janice Maynard asked whether the County tracks where development charges are collected and where they are ultimately spent. She noted that growth occurs in different parts of the County and suggested there may be value in understanding how those funds benefit the areas where they originate.

McNichol explained that such tracking is not currently included in the annual report but could potentially be explored in the future.

Mayor Steve Ferguson took a different approach, using the opportunity to publicly thank McNichol and the finance department for the quality and clarity of their financial reporting.

Meanwhile, Councillor Brad Nieman asked for clarification about how development charges are used. McNichol explained that they can only fund growth-related capital projects identified within the County's development charge background study.

The report was ultimately received without opposition.

Youth Engagement Strategy Creates the Most Discussion

The longest conversation of the afternoon centered on the proposed Youth Engagement Strategy.

Staff member Ashley Stewart introduced five draft pillars designed to guide future youth-focused initiatives, including mentoring, recreation opportunities, engagement, adult allies, and community partnerships.

Several councillors offered suggestions.

Councillor Sam Branderhorst questioned the effectiveness of a youth-focused mobile app being used in Kingston and asked whether there was data showing strong participation rates before the County committed resources to a similar approach.

Councillor Maynard focused heavily on youth who attend schools outside the County, particularly students travelling to Belleville and Trenton. She expressed concern that many proposed programs appeared centred on PECI students and could unintentionally leave out a significant portion of County youth.

Maynard also questioned the decision to define youth as ages 14 to 29, suggesting that the age range may be broader than originally envisioned.

Councillor Roberts encouraged staff to strengthen partnerships with organizations such as Highland Shores Children's Aid Society, the County Foundation, and youth-related programs supported through the OPP.

Chair Kate MacNaughton added her support for exploring youth-focused social media channels and expanded municipal co-op opportunities, noting positive experiences she had observed from students who had worked within municipal departments.

Transit Amendment Gains Support

The most significant decision of the meeting emerged from the transit discussion.

The original recommendation proposed free access to fixed-route County transit for high school students. However, Councillor Maynard argued that limiting the proposal to fixed routes could disadvantage youth living in more rural areas where fixed-route service is unavailable.

Transit staff explained that fixed routes were originally proposed because on-demand transit has limited capacity and must prioritize seniors and residents with disabilities.

After discussion, Committee supported an amendment that broadened the direction to staff and opened the door to examining wider transit access for high school students. The amendment passed, followed by approval of the main motion as amended.

Wetland Transfer Receives Approval

After returning from closed session, Committee approved a motion presented by Councillor Maynard and seconded by Councillor Hirsch authorizing the transfer of six surplus environmentally protected wetland parcels to the Hastings Prince Edward Land Trust for a nominal fee of $2. A seventh parcel will remain under County ownership for future tree planting initiatives tied to climate action goals.

The motion carried without recorded opposition.

What This Means for Locals

Councillors continue to push for clearer connections between where municipal funds are collected and where investments are made. While no policy changes occurred, those conversations suggest the issue remains on Council's radar.

The youth engagement strategy may become one of the County's most visible projects over the next year. Potential improvements could include expanded transit access, more youth-focused programming, stronger communication tools, additional mentorship opportunities, and greater recognition of youth contributions.

The wetland transfer represents another step toward long-term conservation and protection of sensitive natural lands while supporting local climate action initiatives.

The meeting showed Council balancing long-term financial stewardship, youth engagement, and environmental protection while continuing to debate how County-wide programs can serve both urban and rural residents fairly.

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Disclaimer: This article is based on a meeting with an approximate duration of 2:05:37. Due to the length of the meeting, our team was not able to independently review the full recording in its entirety. As a result, we relied on software-generated transcription, automated summarization, and automated recognition of speakers and participants, which may not be entirely accurate. All transcriptions, summaries, and related content are prepared by our team in good faith and on a reasonable best-efforts basis. The content is provided for general informational purposes only and is intended to support public understanding of the topics discussed. While reasonable efforts have been made to present the information accurately, automated processes may result in errors, omissions, or unintended misinterpretations. This article does not constitute an official, certified, or verbatim record of the meeting, and it should not be relied upon as such. Readers are encouraged to consult original source materials, official minutes, or recordings where available for confirmation or clarification. Questions, requests for clarification, or suggested corrections may be submitted to hello@pecconnect.ca for review and consideration.