Part 2: Housing Pressures, Farmland Protection, Infrastructure Funding, and Community Projects - 05/23/2023

The meeting was chaired by Mayor Steve Ferguson, who guided proceedings, read proclamations, and moderated discussion throughout the evening. All wards were represented, with councillors participating both in debate and in formal votes. Councillor David Harrison declared a pecuniary interest on a zoning bylaw related to property owned by his son and stepped away from discussion and voting on that item, as required.

Senior staff present included Chief Administrative Officer Marcia Wallace, Municipal Clerk Catalina Blumenberg, and department directors who answered technical questions during deliberations.

© PEC Council (YouTube)

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

Federal Housing and Infrastructure Discussion

Ryan Williams MP, representing Bay of Quinte, addressed Council and took questions from multiple councillors. Phil St. Jean asked how the County Housing Corporation could better connect with federal programs and how residents could be trained to fill local jobs.

Bill Roberts pressed Williams on County Road 49, calling it a safety and infrastructure priority and asking how senior governments could be brought to the table faster. Janice Maynard raised concerns about long term care capacity, emphasizing that housing needs extend from youth to seniors. Roy Pennell focused on the loss of farmland, warning that housing growth must not undermine food production. Kate MacNaughton asked about direct federal funding to municipalities and whether bypassing provinces was realistic.

No vote was taken on this item. Council formally received the presentation, signalling support for continued coordination with federal representatives.

Farmland Protection and Bill 97

The strongest unified vote of the evening came after a deputation from John Thompson, President of the Prince Edward Federation of Agriculture.

Following discussion, John Hirsch introduced a motion supporting farm organizations opposition to Bill 97 and the proposed provincial planning changes. Janice Maynard requested a recorded vote.

Every councillor present voted in favour, including Mayor Steve Ferguson, Councillors St.-Jean, Bill Roberts, Phil Prinzen, Brad Nieman, Corey Engelsdorfer, Roy Pennell, Sam Grosso, Kate MacNaughton, Chris Braney, John Hirsch, and David Harrison.

The motion passed unanimously, directing that the County position be included in a formal letter to the Province.

Macaulay Village Shade Structure

Representatives from the Prince Edward Learning Centre asked Council to designate a shade structure project at Macaulay Village Heritage Park as a project of community interest.

© Prince Edward County

Kate MacNaughton moved the key approval motion, which allowed fundraising and volunteer labour through the United Way Day of Caring. Phil Prinzen seconded. Council voted in favour, approving both the project designation and a partnership agreement with the County. No recorded opposition was noted.

Community Grants Program

Council approved the 2023 Community Grants Program recommendations following a presentation from Dominique Jones of the County Foundation.

The motion was moved by Councillor Phil Prinzen and seconded by Councillor Kate MacNaughton. Council voted in favour, approving grants over five thousand dollars, extending in kind redemption timelines, and directing a program review later in the year.

Roads Equipment and Single Axle Truck Purchase

One of the more debated votes concerned the purchase of a single axle dump truck with winter implements.

Phil St.-Jean, David Harrison, and Roy Pennell expressed concern about cost pressures, reserves, and whether equipment replacement timelines should be reconsidered. Janice Maynard supported the purchase, citing inflation and the need for reliable winter maintenance.Staff explained that the truck had been approved in the capital budget and that long delivery times were affecting pricing.

The motion passed, approving additional funds from reserves and awarding the tender to Premier Truck Group.

Picton Library Stormwater Infrastructure

Council next voted on funding for stormwater drainage infrastructure tied to the Picton Library expansion.

Bill Roberts emphasized that the library was not asking for more money due to mismanagement and that the work protected the library, the Regent Theatre, and The Armoury. Questions were raised by Janice Maynard and David Harrison about cost sharing and scope. Staff clarified that the work was required on municipal land and coordinated with ongoing construction.

Council voted in favour, approving cash flow funding for the stormwater work.

Planning Decision and Agricultural Land Severance

The most divided vote of the night occurred during reconsideration of a Planning and Development Committee decision involving a severance at 2983 County Road 8.

Kate MacNaughton pulled the item, arguing it set a precedent for farmland loss. She moved a motion to deny the consent and zoning amendment, seconded by John Hirsch, and requested a recorded vote.

Voting in favour of denial were Kate MacNaughton, Janice Maynard, Phil Prinzen, Bill Roberts, Phil St. Jean, Roy Pennell, Corey Engelsdorfer, John Hirsch, and Steve Ferguson.

Voting against denial were Chris Braney, Sam Grosso, and Brad Nieman. The result was a six-six tie, meaning the motion to deny failed, and the earlier Planning Committee decision stood. This exchange highlighted internal tension between strict farmland protection and case by case planning judgment.

How This Affects Residents

For farmers and rural landowners, Council clear opposition to Bill 97 signals strong local resistance to policies that weaken agricultural land protections.

For Picton residents, funding for library stormwater work helps protect heritage buildings and nearby properties from flooding impacts.

For Macaulay Village, the approved shade structure supports community use of the park and reflects long standing efforts to address service gaps.

For road users across the County, approving the new dump truck supports winter maintenance reliability, even as cost concerns remain. And for North Marysburgh residents, the split planning vote shows how closely contested severance decisions can be, with long term implications for land use patterns and future applications in rural areas.

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Disclaimer: This article is based on a meeting with an approximate duration of 2:29:32. 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.