Photo by B. Shakyaver
Bluewater Council was cautioned to reconsider opening a can of worms at their meeting on November 20th.
A routine update to the Development Charges rate sparked some debate among councilors who considered a proposed raise to be a possible deterrent to development in Bluewater.
The increase of 6.6% was proposed as a means to keep up with rising construction and labour costs.
Councilor Joey Groot raised concerns about potential limitless increases, but development Manager Aaron Stewardson emphasized that the currently proposed increases align with Provincial Bill 23, and is set by the construction index.
Deputy Mayor John Becker voiced apprehension about migration of businesses and residents to other areas due to the rising costs.
Stewardson cautioned council that any changes to the bylaw could automatically reset a mandatory claw back set by the province.
He said that council should not underestimate potential revenue loss that would be seen by being set back to the 80% cap.
Councilor Whetstone said that he supported the increase as a way of supporting and protecting residents from paying for infrastructure.
Walking on eggshells, it was decided that the existing bylaw be brought back for “educational purposes” to ensure that every councilor understood and consented to it’s current implementation. Mayor Paul Klopp said that it might be handy to make sure that everyone was on the same page.
Council was extremely careful to articulate that no changes be made to avoid the reduction in cost recovery.
Written by: B. Shakyaver