Part 2: Council Vote Keeps QE School Housing Plan Alive and Revisits Cold Creek - 11/26/2024

Mayor Steve Ferguson, Councillor Janice Maynard, Councillor Kate MacNaughton, Councillor Hirsch, Councillor Roberts, and Councillor Engelsdorfer supported moving forward in principle. They stressed that approval did not mean final design approval and that public consultation and studies were still required.

Their position directly affects residents needing housing, service agencies, seniors, workers, and families by keeping the project alive. It also signals to developers that the County is willing to partner on affordable housing.

© PEC Council (YouTube)

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

Opposition and Calls for Deferral

Councillor Phil St. Jean, Councillor Roy Pennell, Councillor Sam Grosso, and Councillor Harrison supported deferring the project. Their concerns focused on financial risk, traffic safety, school proximity, parking pressure, and budget uncertainty.

This position reflects concerns shared by nearby residents, especially parents and seniors worried about pedestrian safety and neighborhood character. A deferral would have delayed any housing delivery and reopened discussions about alternate uses for the site.

The deferral motion failed, meaning Council chose not to delay the project. This outcome keeps the redevelopment moving forward and avoids reopening the entire process from scratch.

Final Vote on the Main Motion

Council then voted on the main motion to endorse the project in principle and continue negotiations with the developer. The motion passed 9 to 4.

This decision means: No buildings are approved yet Traffic, servicing, and design studies are still required Public consultation will continue Affordable housing and the community hub remain on the table

Cold Creek Reconsideration and Long-Term C

Council voted to reconsider the Cold Creek subdivision and send it back to staff to work with the developer. This reduces the risk of a tribunal appeal and gives the County more leverage to address environmental and design concerns.

Long-Term Care Facility

Council unanimously approved awarding the long-term care construction contract, directly impacting seniors and families by keeping the project on schedule.

Overall Impact

This meeting showed a clear tension between urgency and caution. Council ultimately chose to keep major housing and infrastructure projects moving while acknowledging that details, safeguards, and community input still matter. Residents can expect more consultations, studies, and refinements, not immediate construction, but also not indefinite delay.

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Disclaimer: This article is based on a meeting with an approximate duration of 4:57:58. 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.