Part 1: Committee Reviews Growth Funds, Equity Planning, and Tightening Water Capacity - 09/11/2025

Opening and September 11 Remembrance

The meeting was chaired by Councillor Phil St-Jean and opened with a formal acknowledgment of September 11, including a moment of silence to honour first responders and firefighters. Members of Prince Edward County Fire and Rescue were present in chambers. With the agenda confirmed and no declarations of pecuniary interest or public comments, committee moved directly into substantive items.

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2024 Development Charges Annual Treasurer’s Report

Director of Finance Aaron McNichol presented the required annual report on development charges, outlining how growth-related funds were collected, invested, and spent in 2024.

The general development charge reserve opened the year at $8.275 million, collected approximately $1.4 million in new charges, earned $364,000 in interest, and spent about $2 million on eligible growth-related capital projects. The year closed with a balance of roughly $8 million.

Wellington-specific water and wastewater development charges showed a much larger movement. The County collected $12.67 million, largely driven by the Caitlin Homes upfront financing agreement, earned approximately $89,800 in interest, and closed the year with about $13 million in reserve.

Discussion focused heavily on interest earnings versus borrowing costs, whether funds could be invested more effectively, and how development charge reserves will be applied during upcoming budget deliberations. Staff confirmed they are exploring higher-interest options and longer-term investment strategies tied to asset management timelines.

Councillors also raised unresolved questions about how long Wellington development charge funds can sit unused while private development timelines remain uncertain. The report was received and forwarded to the province as required.

2024 Parkland Reserve Fund Annual Report

McNichol then presented the Parkland Reserve Fund report, noting the County’s obligation to spend or commit at least 60 percent of collected parkland funds within a set timeframe. The fund opened 2024 at $872,000, collected $71,000, earned $43,000 in interest, and spent $37,000, closing at $950,000. After accounting for 2024 carry-forwards and 2025 commitments, approximately $385,000 remained uncommitted.

Committee discussion highlighted long-standing challenges with parkland legislation in a rural municipality. Several councillors noted that small ward-by-ward balances make meaningful projects difficult, raising questions about geographic rigidity, pooling funds, and whether the County’s existing allocation framework still makes sense. Staff acknowledged the complexity and confirmed that broader discussion is expected during the 2026 budget process, alongside the Parks and Recreation Master Plan.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Strategic Plan 2026–2028

Tabitha Keyes, representing Human Resources on the DEI Working Group, presented the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Strategic Plan.

The plan is structured as a three-year roadmap, beginning with an independent equity audit to establish a baseline before implementing further initiatives. Keyes emphasized that the audit is intended to avoid performative actions and instead focus on measurable, meaningful change.

Councillors spent significant time discussing transparency, trust, and lessons learned from the previous staff survey, including concerns that Council had not seen sufficient results or follow-up. The CAO confirmed that directors were given responsibility to address identified issues and described the survey as a baseline rather than a final assessment.

Discussion also touched on mentorship, recruitment beyond traditional pipelines, accountability, and how to avoid backlash or disengagement. Keyes stressed that the strategy is designed to be adaptive, targeted, and responsive rather than prescriptive. The plan was endorsed, with $25,000 directed for an equity audit in the 2026 budget and a requirement for annual reporting back to Council.

Updated Analysis of Water and Wastewater Uncommitted Capacity

The most anticipated item of the meeting was Report DS-56-2025, presented by CAO Adam Goheen, Director of Development Services Crystal Lanstra, and Manager of Engineering David MacPherson. Staff emphasized that this report is a point-in-time capacity assessment, not a growth plan.

It reflects current operating conditions, ministry calculation methods, and already-approved developments.

For Picton, staff reported approximately 1,010 wastewater units of remaining theoretical capacity, with about 700 units tied to active or imminent development applications, leaving roughly 300 units of flexibility.

For Wellington, remaining wastewater capacity was described as effectively near zero, with only a handful of units unallocated.

Staff explained that treatment plant “rated capacity” differs from real-world operational capacity, which has been stress-tested and adjusted downward to reflect actual performance. They also confirmed that draft approvals and finalized site plans are already included in the calculations.

Committee discussion focused on development timing, whether allocations are being held indefinitely, how growth triggers infrastructure expansion, and whether interim solutions such as modular wastewater plants could be considered. Staff confirmed that revised allocation policies are intended to introduce use-it-or-lose-it timelines to prevent capacity from being warehoused.

The report was received for information, setting the stage for upcoming policy and infrastructure decisions.

Three Key Takeaways

Growth is now constrained by infrastructure, not demand - Updated water and wastewater capacity numbers show that Wellington is effectively at its limit, while Picton has only modest remaining flexibility. Future development will depend less on approvals and more on when and how major infrastructure upgrades are funded and built.

Large reserve balances don’t mean spending is simple or imminent - Development charge and parkland reserves hold significant funds, but strict legislative rules, timing mismatches, and project readiness limit how quickly money can be deployed. Council signaled that these constraints will be a major focus during upcoming budget and asset management discussions.

Council is emphasizing accountability, data, and long-term planning - From the DEI equity audit to revised capacity allocation policies, the meeting reflected a shift toward clearer baselines, defined timelines, and measurable follow-through. The practical impacts of these changes will unfold over the next two budget cycles rather than through immediate decisions.

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Disclaimer: This article is based on a meeting with an approximate duration of 3:18:0019. 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.