Supporting local in the face of American trade penalties, harmonizing zoning bylaws in the Holland Marsh between Bradford and King, a new plan promoting diversity, equity and inclusion on the local police board, plus more are all on the agenda for Bradford West Gwillimbury’s regular council meeting set for 7 p.m. Tuesday evening in the Zima Room at the BWG Public Library.
Bradford bracing for American tariffs
In response to American tariffs on Canadian products, a report from Vanessa Morum, manager of legal, risk management and procurement, recommends the town update its purchasing policy to support local, regional and other non-American businesses.
For any goods or services costing less than $133,800, or construction costing less than $334,400, Morum recommends only purchasing from Canadian suppliers, unless there are no domestic options available.
For purchases above those amounts, Morum explained open competitive procurement is mandatory under the Canadian Free Trade Agreement, but recommended creating criteria to give preference to Canadian and non-American suppliers.
The two sectors set to have the most significant impact on the town include manufacturing and construction, according to Morum.
“Increased costs for heavy equipment and construction projects place an unnecessary strain on town finances and, ultimately, the taxpayer,” she said in her report.
In response to tariff threats from the U.S. government, Mayor James Leduc requested the staff report during the Feb. 4 council meeting, and since then Morum noted some tariffs and sanctions have been imposed while others continue to be threatened, in a situation that changes on a near-daily basis.
While Morum acknowledged in the report that the imposition of tariffs will have an impact on town finances, she cautioned the extent of that impact remains unknown.
While the purchasing process for “the majority of large-ticket items” expected to be subject to tariffs is already complete, Morum warned that major construction projects such as the Bond Head fire station and new civic centre aren’t expected to go to tender until later this year.
Bringing harmony to the Holland Marsh
A report from Jennifer Best, director of growth services, recommends council approve a draft plan with King Township to better align the zoning bylaws of the two towns when it comes to the Holland Marsh, of which they both share large portions.
That’s intended to alleviate concerns for farmers in the marsh, some of whom have properties straddling both towns and as a result need to navigate two separate sets of regulations in order to make changes, such as adding housing for temporary workers, greenhouses or other on-farm uses like markets, restaurants, wineries and bakeries.
In order to bring those regulations in line, councils from both towns would need to direct staff to engage in detailed comparisons of the respective zoning bylaws, public consultations and public meetings for the necessary zoning bylaw amendments.
In her report, Best estimated that work could take three or four years, and as planning staff are already working at or near capacity, she expects the town may need to hire planning co-op students to help.
The current cost for a four-month term is currently about $15,000, with no such funding currently included in the 2025 budget, according to the report.
Meanwhile, a committee including councillors and planning staff from both towns, the Holland Marsh drainage superintendent and members of the Holland Marsh Growers’ Association (HMGA) met in both January and March of this year to create the draft plan.
That follows council’s decision from Sept. 6, 2022, to work with the HMGA on addressing the issue and creating the plan.
Community diversity plan
A report from the town’s chief administrative officer, Geoff McKnight, proposes a new municipal diversity plan.
That’s intended to guide appointments to the Bradford West Gwillimbury/Innisfil Police Services Board and comes as part of a new requirement under the Community Safety and Policing Act, which came into effect on April 1 last year.
Of the five people who sit on the board, one is appointed from the towns for a one-year term, and the new plan is set to apply to those appointments, which are required to be considered through the lens of equity, inclusion and diversity.
The plan also requires a multifaceted approach be taken to promote the opportunity to a broad and diverse pool of applicants.
In addition to other training, the plan requires board members to successfully complete training with respect to human rights and systemic racism, plus diversity and Indigenous training.
McKnight explained that staff from both towns worked on the new plan to provide a set of principals for appointing board members as well as creating the protocol for reviewing the plan itself.
Innisfil council is set to consider the plan at its March 26 meeting, and any modifications to the plan endorsed by Bradford’s committee of the whole or Innisfil council are expected to be presented to Bradford council for final adoption at its April 1 meeting.