City of Kingston
Council Meeting
Revised Agenda

That Council approve an additional  Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) contribution of $1,500,000 to be delegated to HAF programs by the Chief Financial Officer & City Treasurer, for continued investment in Housing Accelerator Fund programs and affordable housing creation.

That Council approve the recommendations of the Rural Economic and Community Development Working Group for the allocation of funds from the Samsung Community Benefit Program Fund for:

1. Up to $10,000 for the implementation of a marketing and communication plan to improve engagement with rural Kingston residents and businesses.
2. Up to $25,000 for the introduction of pilot project titled the Rural Kingston Community Fund Program that would provide $5,000 grants to support rural organizations and partnerships to create or enhance events, cultural activities, recreational products, and beautification projects and that Council delegates to the working group the evaluation and approval of projects to be funded.
3. Up to $100,000 to support Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority community initiatives to be allocated under the direction of the Rural Economic and Community Development Working Group.

Option 1:

That Council direct staff to advance work on the divestment of the City owned property at 900 Division Street to Limestone City Co-operative Housing Inc. utilizing one or a combination of the following options while protecting the City of Kingston’s interest:

1. Lease
2. Sale at a nominal rate (re: $1)
3. Sale at a negotiated price with a City of Kingston backed Vender Take back Mortgage
4. Sale at a market rate; and

That Council direct staff to report back with information on the proposed transfer/conveyance mechanism.

Option 2:

That Council direct staff to declare 900 Division Street surplus and advertise on the open market with the intent of reallocating revenues to an affordable housing project located in another area of the city; and

That Council direct staff to report back with information once the property has been sold and which affordable housing project(s) are to be supported with this additional funding.

That Council approve the 2025 tax ratios as follows:

1. the residential property class be set at 1.00;
2. the new multi-residential property class be set at 1.00;
3. the multi-residential property class be set at 1.70;
4. the commercial property class be set at 1.98;
5. the industrial property class be set at 2.63;
6. the pipeline property class be set at 1.1728;
7. the farm property class be set at 0.20; and
8. the managed forests property class be set at 0.25.

That the By-Law, attached as Exhibit A to Report Number AP-25-006, be presented to Council in order to establish the 2025 tax ratios.

That City of Kingston By-Law Number 2007-136, "A By-Law to Provide for Maintaining Land in a Clean and Clear Condition”, as amended, be further amended, as per Exhibit A to Report Number EITP-25-008; and

That City of Kingston By-Law Number 2005-100, “A By-Law for Prescribing Standards for the Maintenance and Occupancy of Property Within the City of Kingston”, as amended, be further amended, as per Exhibit B to Report Number EITP-25-008; and

That City of Kingston By-Law Number 2014-5, “A By-Law to Provide for and Regulate a Solid Waste Management System for The Corporation of the City of Kingston”, as amended, be further amended, as per Exhibit C to Report Number EITP-25-008; and

That City of Kingston By-Law Number 2025-6, “A By-Law to Establish Fees and Charges to Be Collected by The Corporation of the City of Kingston”, as amended, be further amended as per Exhibit D to Report Number EITP-25-008;

That staff report back to the Environment, Infrastructure and Transportation Policies Committee before Q4 2025 outlining the possible operating arrangements for a recycling drop off depot post 2025; and

That Council authorize the Director of Public Works & Solid Waste to approve any agreements and other documents related to the funding and services required for the services related to Circular Materials Ontario, in a form satisfactory to the Director of Legal Services.

That the new construction at 222 Old Kiln Crescent (formally 411 Wellington Street), Lot 22, be approved in accordance with the details described in the application (File Number P18-116-2024), which was deemed complete on January 14, 2025, with said application to include the construction of a one-and-a-half-storey dwelling and a detached garage accessed by a driveway; and

That the approval of the application be subject to the conditions outlined in Exhibit A to Report Number HP-25-006.

That the following member be appointed to the Heritage Properties Working Group:

• Ann Stevens

That By-Law Number 2010-217, City of Kingston Site Plan Control By-Law, be repealed in its entirety; and

That the Site Plan Control Guidelines document dated December 2009 be repealed in its entirety; and

That the new Site Plan Control By-Law be presented to Council for all three readings, as per Exhibit A (Draft Site Plan Control By-Law) to Report Number PC-25-004; and

That the new Site Plan Control Guidelines included as Exhibit B (Draft Site Plan Control Guidelines) to Report Number PC-25-004 be approved by Council for use in the review of Site Plan Control applications.

Whereas in 2017 senior officials from VIA Rail Canada asked communities along the Quebec-Windsor Corridor for their endorsement of VIA’s proposed High Frequency Rail (HFR) project to support VIA’s advocacy efforts with the federal government; and

Whereas the City supported VIA’s HFR project with the understanding that although Kingston would not be a stop on the proposed line, it would become a VIA Rail Regional Hub in Eastern Ontario with increased service and more trains starting and ending in Kingston; and

Whereas under VIA Rail’s Regional Hub Model smaller communities in Eastern Ontario would also benefit from additional service to support their towns and cities; and

Whereas on February 19, 2025 VIA Rail Canada and the federal government announced that they were no longer planning a VIA HFR but a new High Speed Rail project that would completely bypass Kingston; and

Whereas as one of the five busiest VIA stations in the country, VIA’s change of direction disproportionately impacts the residents of Kingston and Eastern Ontario who have been pushing for years for more convenient and reliable train service; and

Whereas VIA Rail’s recent decision to fundamentally change their plans for rail expansion after securing Kingston’s endorsement is a breach of trust that undermines eight years of working with our community in a collaborative way;

Therefore Be It Resolved That the City of Kingston formally withdraw its support for the VIA Rail High Speed Rail proposal and request VIA to honour their original commitment to Kingston for a Regional Hub that will improve service and train frequency; and

That the City develop an advocacy approach in collaboration with Eastern Ontario Communities and others cities along the Quebec – Windsor corridor that will be negatively impacted by VIA’s change of direction; and

That City Council request representatives from VIA Rail Canada to appear before Council to explain the change in their proposal and next steps for increased rail service in Kingston; and

That a copy of this motion be sent to Mario Peloquin, President and CEO of VIA Rail Canada, Martin Imbleau, President of VIA Rail HFR, The Honourable Anita Anand, M.P., P.C., Minister of Transport and Internal Trade, Mark Gerretsen, M.P. Kingston and the Islands, the Greater Kingston Chamber of Commerce, Tourism Kingston, Kingston Economic Development, Queen’s University, CFB Kingston, St. Lawrence College, Kingston Health Sciences Centre, the Downtown Kingston BIA, the Ontario Big City Mayors' Caucus, the Eastern Ontario Mayors' Caucus, the Eastern Ontario Wardens' Caucus, Josh Morgan, Mayor of London, Stephanie LaCoste, Mayor of Drummondville and other municipalities along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor impacted by this announcement. 

Whereas the Kingston Penitentiary is Canada's oldest penitentiary, a historically significant site that has played a central role in the region’s heritage and cultural identity; and

Whereas Kingston Penitentiary has become a major tourist attraction, drawing visitors from across Canada and around the world, and contributing significantly to the local economy through tourism, including guided tours, film productions, and concerts held on the site; and

Whereas the Kingston Penitentiary serves as an important economic driver for the Kingston region, supporting local businesses, providing employment opportunities, and promoting the city as a prominent cultural and heritage destination; and

Whereas the federal government has included Kingston Penitentiary in its inventory of properties available for housing development;

Therefore Be It Resolved That the Council request that the federal government remove Kingston Penitentiary from the inventory of properties designated for housing development and request that the federal government continue discussions with the City of Kingston about a long-term lease or a transfer of the property to Parks Canada, ensuring that the property remains a heritage site under federal stewardship; and

That Council request that the federal government consider other options within the Kingston urban boundary, such as federally owned properties totaling at least 340 hectares of fairly unencumbered land, as potential sites for housing redevelopment, ensuring that any future development prioritizes areas that will not compromise Kingston’s heritage and economic assets; and

That Council direct staff to proceed with the municipal heritage designation process for the Kingston Penitentiary property, in recognition of its historic significance, its role as a major tourist attraction, and its ongoing contribution to the local economy; and

That Council strongly advocate for the preservation of Kingston Penitentiary as a key cultural and economic asset that continues to benefit both the community and the broader region through tourism, education, and historical appreciation; and

That a copy of this motion be sent to The Honourable David J. McGuinty, M.P., P.C., Minister of Public Safety, The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, M.P., P.C., Minister of Environment and Climate Change, the Honourable Pascale St-Onge, M.P., P.C., Minister of Canadian Heritage, the Honourable Nate Erskine-Smith, M.P., P.C., Minister of Housing, Infrastructure & Communities, Mark Gerretsen, M.P., Kingston and the Islands, and Ron Hallman, President & Chief Executive Officer Parks Canada Agency.  

Whereas the theme for International Women’s Day 2025 is “Accelerate Action,” focusing on the importance of taking swift and decisive steps to achieve gender equality, calling for increased momentum and urgency in addressing the systemic barriers and biases that women face, both in personal and professional spheres; and

Whereas according to data from the World Economic Forum, at the current rate of progress it will take until the year 2158, which is roughly five generations from now, to reach full gender parity; and

Whereas gender equality is enshrined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms specifically Section 15 and Section 28, which is part of the Constitution of Canada, along with federal legislation of Canadian Labour Code Part II, Gender Budgeting Act, and the Employment Equity Act; and

Whereas gender equality means that women with intersecting identities, men, and gender diverse people are able to participate fully in all aspects of Canadian life, contributing to an inclusive and democratic society, and recognizes the disproportionate impact of racism, colonialism, ableism, homophobia and transphobia have on women and gender diverse people; and

Whereas women represent over 50% of the population across the country but, according to 2023 research conducted by the Canadian Municipal Barometer at the University of Calgary on behalf of Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Canadian Women in Local Leadership (CanWILL) program, only 31% of municipal elected representatives are women; and

Whereas women, particularly Indigenous, Black, racialized and trans women, are disproportionately targeted by violence and harassment and the problem is ubiquitous throughout Canadian politics; and

Whereas Council voted to support Private Member’s Bill 5, Stopping Harassment and Abuse by Local Leaders Act in 2022; and

Whereas Council voted on May 2, 2023, to support the call of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario for the Government of Ontario to introduce legislation to strengthen municipal Codes of Conduct; and

Whereas “allyship” refers to the actions, behaviors, and practices that leaders take to support, amplify, and advocate with others, especially with individuals who don't belong to the same social identity groups as themselves; and

Whereas a “bystander” is someone who observes a situation where someone else needs help but doesn't get involved;

Therefore Be It Resolved That Council direct staff to facilitate Bystander Intervention Training workshops, following the completion of foundational IIDEA (Indigenization, Inclusion, Equity, Diversity, Accessibility) training, to be made available to City Council members, City staff, and the broader community by Q1 2026; and

That the Members of Parliament and Members of Provincial Parliament for Kingston and the Islands and Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston be invited to participate in a training workshop; and

That staff share information with the Kingston community regarding the ability for residents to attend these workshops.