Newcastle Bond Head Ratepayers Association

The Municipality is seeking public comments before making a decision on a proposed Amendment to the COVID-19 Community Improvement Plan.

Proposal
The Municipality of Clarington is proposing to amend the COVID-19 Community Improvement Plan (CIP). The purpose and effect of the COVID-19 CIP Amendment are to revise the existing COVID-19 CIP, which Council adopted in October 2020. The proposed revisions would modify the COVID-19 CIP, including the Financial Incentive Program general eligibility and means test criteria to better support qualifying local businesses with COVID-19 -related improvements, in accordance with the goals of the CIP.

Property
The existing COVID-19 Community Improvement Project Area includes all lands within the Municipality of Clarington.

How to be informed
The draft of the revised COVID-19 CIP and additional information is available for review no later than May 18, 2021, at the Planning and Development Services Department and on our website at www.clarington.net/FinancialSupport.

Questions?
Please contact Sarah Allin at 905-623-3379, ext. 2419 or sallin@clarington.net.

How to provide comments
Our procedures have changed as we continue to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic. As mandated by Public Health and to maintain physical distancing, this meeting will take place virtually and can be viewed at www.clarington.net/calendar.

Date: Monday, June 7, 2021
Time: 7 p.m.
Place: Electronic Teams (Microsoft) using an online device or phone.

If you wish to speak at the public meeting, please pre-register, and you will be provided with further instructions.

You can pre-register by completing the online form at www.clarington.net/delegations or contact the Clerk’s Division at 905-623-3379 ext. 2109 or clerks@clarington.net by Friday, June 4, 2021, at 3:30 p.m.

If you are unable to participate electronically, please contact the Clerk’s Division, and we will do our best to accommodate you.

We encourage you to submit your written comments for Committee’s consideration to Sarah Allin at sallin@clarington.net or by mail or drop box to 40 Temperance Street, Bowmanville, ON  L1C 3A6 before the date of the public meeting.

File Number: PLN 37.6

Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act
The personal information you submit will become part of the public record and may be released to the public. Questions about the information we collect can be directed to the Clerk’s Division at 905-623-3379 ext. 2102.

Accessibility
If you have accessibility needs and require alternate formats of this document or other accommodations, please contact the Accessibility Coordinator at 905-623-3379 ext. 2131.

Appeal Requirements
If you do not speak at the public meeting or send your comments or concerns to the Municipality of Clarington before the by-law is passed: a) you will not be entitled to appeal the decision to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal; and b) you will not be able to participate at a hearing of an appeal before the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal, in the opinion of the Board or the Tribunal, there are reasonable grounds to do so.

Notice of Recommendation Report to the Planning and Development Committee
File Number: COPA2021-0001
Special Study Area 2 – Greenbelt Expansion

The Municipality has gathered feedback from the public regarding a Draft Official Plan Amendment (OPA) that would delete policy 13.3.12 and Section 17.3 Special Study Area 2 – Greenbelt Expansion from Clarington’s current Official Plan.

After extensive public input and the Statutory Public meeting on April 26, 2021, a recommendation report regarding Special Study Area 2 is scheduled for consideration at the upcoming Planning and Development Committee Meeting on May 17, 2021, at 7 p.m.

A copy of the Recommendation Report will be available on the afternoon of Thursday, May 13, 2021, by contacting Lisa Backus at 905-623-3379 ext. 2413 or visiting www.clarington.net/SpecialStudyArea2.

Planning and Development Committee Meeting 

Date: Monday, May 17, 2021
Time: 7 p.m. 
Place: Electronic Microsoft Teams meeting using an online device or phone

Our procedures have changed as we continue to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic. As mandated by Public Health and to maintain physical distancing, this meeting will take place virtually using an online device or phone and can be viewed at www.clarington.net/calendar.

To speak as a delegation at the Committee Meeting, fill out the delegation request form or contact the Clerk’s Division at 905-623-3379 by 4:15 p.m. on Friday, May 14, 2021.

If you cannot attend the Committee Meeting, you can register to speak as a delegation at the Council Meeting, which begins at 7 p.m. on May 25, 2021.

Questions?
Please contact Lisa Backus at lbackus@clarington.net or 905-623-3379 ext. 2413.

The Durham Environmental Advisory Committee (DEAC) has developed a new Resident’s Guide to Climate Resiliency with practical information on what we can do to build climate resiliency into our day-to-day lives, to contribute to a cleaner and healthier region.

The Guide consists of eight sections: Your Home, Food, Waste, Health and Wellness, Transportation, Water, Energy and Businesses. Each section highlights some of the choices we can make to play our part in improving climate resiliency.

Where: The Guide is available online at durham.ca/DEACguide.

Why: The Guide provides readers with general information on the impacts of climate change, how it affects us as residents of Durham Region and offers some suggestions on how we can respond through the choices we make in our homes and in our day-to-day lives.

Dear Friends and Neighbours,

Thank you for everything you are doing to help stop the spread of COVID-19 across our community. Unfortunately, we find ourselves at a very critical time during this third state of emergency and provincial Stay-at-Home Order.

Now, more than ever, we depend on a shared commitment to the provincial directives to get control of this virus.

Our hospitals are experiencing extreme pressure on critical care capacity. We are witnessing the highest case counts of COVID-19 in Ontario, widespread community transmission of the virus, and more critical care admissions than at any point during the pandemic. Closer to home, at Lakeridge Health, critical care and medical admissions in Durham Region are higher than at any point in Wave 1 or 2. Alarmingly, these admissions continue to rise.

But despite the strain of the pandemic, we are finding solutions. Our staff and physicians – who are also parents, partners, siblings, sons and daughters – show up every day to provide high quality and safe care with compassion and kindness. As a system, Ontario hospitals are working together to share resources and transfer patients between facilities, when required. Additionally, we are working with our local health partners to get as many Durham Region residents vaccinated as quickly as possible.

Ensuring our ability to provide Urgent and Emergency Care

The pandemic situation is evolving quickly, and Lakeridge Health is making real-time decisions to ensure the safety of patients, families, and staff.

At this time, emergency surgeries will continue, as well as prioritized non-emergency and time-sensitive surgeries, such as cancer surgeries. But we are curtailing all non-urgent and non-emergency services to protect our ability to provide urgent and emergency care. This ramp down also includes services such as X-rays, bloodwork, rehabilitation, and other outpatient procedures.

In doing so, we are creating more capacity in our hospitals – space and staff to serve the patients we currently have and those we expect to see in the weeks ahead.

We know the ramp down of non-urgent and non-emergency services will be disruptive for many people. However, we are assessing our capacity needs daily and are hopeful we can resume these services soon.

Book your Vaccine Appointment

The provincial Stay-At-Home Order requires everyone to stay at home except for essential purposes – trips to the grocery store or pharmacy, going to health care appointments, exercising outside, and going to school or work that cannot be done remotely. We urge you to follow these instructions.

We also ask that you receive the vaccine when eligible. Getting vaccinated is crucial to fighting this pandemic. For more information about who is eligible and how to book a vaccine appointment, visit durham.ca/vaccineappointment. More vaccine information can be found at durham.ca/covidvaccines.

Book a COVID-19 Test if Symptomatic

If there is a chance you have been exposed to COVID-19, please get tested without delay. If you or anyone in your household feels unwell, we urge you to immediately book a COVID-19 test at Covidswab.lh.ca.

Delaying a COVID-19 test increases the risk of unknowingly spreading the virus. Once you book your appointment, please isolate until you have your result. Again, you may inadvertently spread the virus before knowing your test results. Testing is easy, quick, and there are many testing locations in Durham to choose from – check locations at www.lh.ca.

Do not let your guard down

Please continue to follow public health guidelines, including consistently washing your hands, wearing a mask when outside your household, and practicing physical distancing. Together, our efforts made a difference during the earlier waves of the pandemic when we were successful in bending the curve.

We are counting on you and we know we can do it again!

Your actions and decisions over the next four weeks during the Stay-at-Home Order are critical and will directly impact the health of our community.

Thank you for listening and more importantly, for taking action. Lakeridge Health is working around the clock to save lives, offer comfort, and keep our community healthy and safe. Please support us by doing your part.

Best regards,

Cynthis Davis
President & CEO

Dr. Tony Stone
Chief of Staff

The Region of Durham will conduct its spring test of the nuclear alerting system on May 3 and 4. The system warns people in the unlikely event of an emergency at the nuclear generating stations in Clarington or Pickering.

The test will take place during daytime hours over two days:

On May 3, an auto dialer will call listed landline phone numbers within 10 kilometres of the nuclear generating stations. The calls will show as coming from 905-666-6291.

On May 4, the outdoor sirens will sound for up to one minute. The sirens are within three kilometres of the stations and will be heard by people who are outdoors and in that area.

Cell phone, radio and TV alerts will be tested by the Province of Ontario on May 5.

Learn how you will be alerted by looking up your address at durham.ca/AlertMap.

This is just a test, and you don’t need to do anything if you get an alert. In a real emergency, hearing the sirens means you should go indoors and tune into local media outlets or official government channels for instructions.

The next test is scheduled for fall 2021.

For more information, visit durham.ca/NuclearPreparedness, or call the nuclear alerting information line at 1-866-551-5373.

The Municipality is proposing to close and sell Given Road in Newcastle.  The portion of the road runs west of Rudell Road and north of King Ave. West in Newcastle.  The road will be sold to the adjacent property owners and the develop of the property.  The land will be redeveloped are part of the subdivision planned for the area.  ie. Where the trees have all be cut along King Ave across from the fire hall.

Virtual Public Meeting scheduled for Monday, March 29 at 7 PM via Clarington.net/calendar

To participate, register via clarington.net/delegations

Council approves a plot of land for Newcastle Community Garden

Newcastle will soon have a community garden. Council voted to establish a community garden on the open space located at 1780 Rudell Road, between the Diane Hamre Recreation Complex and St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Elementary School. The plot of land will accommodate approximately 70 individual garden beds. The Municipality will sign a memorandum of agreement with the local garden association, allowing those interested residents who do not have access to an outdoor space to grow vegetables and plant flowers.

The Newcastle Community Garden will join Clarington’s two existing gardens, the Bowmanville Garden Allotments located on Haines Street south of Highway 2, and the Liberty Allotment Gardens on Liberty Street south of Baseline Road in Bowmanville. More than 50 residents have expressed interest in establishing a garden in Newcastle.

For more information, read report PWD-014-21.

Building Division Update

Building permit activity in Clarington throughout 2020 was very strong and is currently maintaining a steady pace in 2021. The following tables provide a year-end update on the building permit activity for 2020 and include a comparison to 2019.

In 2020, 1,350 building permits were issued, with the residential sector the strongest.

Issued Permit Activity

* Residential – refers to the construction and permit activity as a result of new residential dwelling units, accessory structures (detached garage, sheds, etc.) and additions (decks, new additions to a home, etc.).

Staff Announcements

New Energy and Climate Change Response Coordinator

We are very excited to announce that Doran Hoge is staying permanently in his role as Energy and Climate Change Response Coordinator in Planning and Development Services.

Doran joined the Municipality on contract in April 2019, coordinating the development of the Clarington Corporate Climate Action Plan and championing the Inter-Departmental Climate Change Working Group. In addition to these responsibilities, Doran has worked with other departments and leveraged key partnership and funding opportunities to develop the Municipality’s electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure plan. Before arriving in Clarington, Doran worked as the Climate Change Programs Coordinator at the Region of Durham. Doran has a PhD in Environmental Sociology from the University of Guelph, and in December 2020, he completed his Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification.

In his role, Doran will adopt an integrated approach to prepare for and respond to the impacts of climate change and reduce the Corporation’s greenhouse gas footprint. He will continue to collaborate with the Interdepartmental Climate Change Working Group and staff across all departments to implement the Clarington Corporate Climate Action Plan (CCCAP). Doran will also coordinate the Municipality’s role in Regional community-scale climate actions.

Congratulations, Doran.

Principal Planner – Development Review

Tracey Webster has accepted the recently approved Principal Planner position in the Development Review Branch.

Over the past four years, Tracey has been a co-lead on the comprehensive Zoning By-law Review Project – ZONE Clarington. To formulate the new Zoning By-law, Tracey has reviewed and analyzed Clarington’s existing Zoning By-laws, those from other municipalities, Official Plans and Provincial policy documents. Tracey was part of the team that created Zoning By-law 2005-109, which covers the Oak Ridges Moraine in Clarington and is the template for the new Zoning By-law. Tracey has more than 15 years of experience in Clarington’s Development Review Branch, processing major residential, industrial and institutional developments and minor variances. Tracey has been applying planning policies, analyzing studies and reports, and combining input from other departments and organizations to review the development applications. In some cases, Tracey had to negotiate with applicants and members of the public to find consensus, which was reflected in the ultimate recommendations made to Council.

Before joining Clarington, Tracey worked for the Town of Whitby and the City of Cambridge. She is a member of the Canadian Institute of Planners and Ontario Professional Planners Institute. Tracey has an Honours Degree in Geography from Trent University and is an Applications Specialist in Geographic Information Systems. Tracey has been advancing her education by taking a Project Management Foundations program. Tracey is a mentor to young planners, assisting them in achieving the requirements needed to obtain the Registered Professional Planners membership.

Congratulations, Tracey.

Planner I – Development Review

We are pleased to announce that Aibelle Babista has accepted the full-time Planner 1 position in the Development Review Branch. Aibelle graduated from the University of Waterloo, where she received a Bachelor of Environmental Science (Honours) in Planning and Urban Design degree.

Aibelle joined the Planning and Development Services Department as a summer student in May 2018 in the Special Projects Branch, researching policy and zoning projects. In August 2019, Aibelle accepted a contract Planner 1 position to assist with the Zoning By-law review and Neighbourhood Character Study. She has been providing support to Senior Planners in the Community Planning Branch, organizing numerous secondary plan meetings and review currently underway.

Congratulations, Aibelle.

Trees for Rural Roads – Application Deadline March 31, 2021

The Municipality of Clarington, Central Lake Ontario and Ganaraska Region Conservation Authorities, and other funding partners have teamed up to offer the Trees for Rural Roads program. This annual program was established in 2012, offering native trees free of charge to rural Clarington residents for planting along municipal roadways abutting private land. In addition to the environmental benefits, the program contributes to local historic preservation and community engagement through volunteerism. To date, more than 6,500 trees have been planted using this program.

The deadline to apply for the 2021 program is March 31, 2021.

The Municipality will continue to adhere to all Provincial Regulations and guidance from Durham Region Public Health. If the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic requires cancellation of the 2021 program, successful applicants will be pre-approved for participation in 2022. The health and safety of our residents and staff are our utmost priority.

Program guidelines and the 2021 application form are available at www.clarington.net/TreesForRuralRoads.

Questions? Contact Amy Burke at aburke@clarington.net or 905-623-3379 ext. 2423.

The municipality has decided to postpone the registration of winter activities.  The posting is a follows…

Due to COVID-19, we will be postponing our Winter Registration by a week. Residents will now be able to register on Wednesday, December 16, 2020, at 7 a.m. for all recreation, fitness and swimming lessons. You can register online at www.clarington.net/BeActive or call 905-987-5667 ext. 2552. We apologize for the inconvenience this delay may be causing, and we appreciate your continued support.

Clarington is making available activity kits for children this year.  You can register for your kits via the links below.

Register for New Year Celebration Activity Kits

Celebrate the New Year with your family and Clarington by picking up a free activity kit to join in the virtual party. Limited quantities are available on a first-come, first-serve basis with a limit of two kits per family. To register for your kit, choose your pickup location from the menu below and click the Eventbrite link to select your pickup timeslot.