April Awareness Months 2024 delve into genocide education and support, honor veterans with spinal cord injuries, celebrate Scottish-American heritage, and recognize Arab American contributions while combating bigotry.
Good News: Project Blaze Returns！
Richmond Hill News
Richmond Hill Welcomes United Nations University: A Hub for Global Environmental Solutions
April 26, 2024
Richmond Hill proudly welcomes the United Nations University to its community, with the inauguration of the Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH) headquarters at City Hall. This renowned UN institution, dedicated to addressing global sustainability challenges, chose Richmond Hill for its commitment to sustainability, skilled workforce, and innovative partnerships.
The new headquarters will collaborate globally on water, environment, and health policies, fostering partnerships with academia, technology providers, and startups. Richmond Hill aims to leverage this collaboration to promote environmental awareness and innovation, positioning the city as a sustainability role model.
Quick Facts:
- Richmond Hill hosts over 4,500 companies and offers access to leading professional services and educational institutions.
- The city leads in environmental management with progressive strategies to combat climate change.
- Richmond Hill is part of Canada’s largest technology cluster and excels in key business sectors.
Quick Facts about UNU-INWEH:
- UNU-INWEH addresses pressing global water, environmental, and health issues, particularly in the Global South.
- It collaborates with UN member states and Canadian partners to advance research and policy outreach.
- Known as the UN Think Tank on Water, UNU-INWEH has been a leader in global water security since its establishment in 1996.
- In 2023, Professor Kaveh Madani, a renowned environmental scientist, was appointed as the Director of UNU-INWEH, furthering its global impact.
Richmond Hill’s Environmental Triumphs in 2023
Apr 25, 2024
Richmond Hill is dedicated to a greener future! In 2023, we made strides in environmental stewardship:
- Planted over 11,000 trees and shrubs, enhancing our green canopy
- Launched a Transportation Master Plan for pedestrian and cycling infrastructure
- Introduced two new community gardens for sustainable food growth
- Expanded recreational trails at David Dunlap Observatory Park
- Earned recognition as a Bird Friendly City and organized a Bird Team for public awareness
- Engaged 12,000 volunteers in park and street clean-ups
- Implemented energy-saving measures in City facilities
Join us in our efforts! Learn more at RichmondHill.ca/Greening.
Join Us for Earth Month in Richmond Hill: Family-Friendly Eco Activities Await!
Join us in celebrating Earth Month in Richmond Hill! Discover a range of family-friendly, eco-themed activities:
- April 11: Free Creating Bird Habitat Webinar
- April 17: Maximize Your Healthy Yard Gardening Workshop (free)
- April 19: Trees & Wildlife Workshop (free)
- April 19 to May 3: Clean up, Green Up Weeks (free)
- April 21: Earth Day Film & Family Fun (free)
- April 22 to May 20: Healthy Yards Plant & Garden Sale
For more details and registration, visit RichmondHill.ca/EarthMonth. Let’s make a difference together!
Richmond Hill’s 2024-2027 Strategic Plan Unveiled
Richmond Hill has launched its new Strategic Plan, outlining key priorities for the city’s growth and inclusivity. The plan focuses on three pillars:
- Growing a Livable, Sustainable Community: Managing growth, enhancing transportation, and promoting green spaces.
- Focusing on People: Supporting community engagement, inclusivity, and reconciliation efforts.
- Strengthening our Foundations: Prioritizing customer service, innovation, and financial sustainability.
Regular progress updates will be provided, with the full plan available at RichmondHill.ca/StrategicPlan.
Share Your Thoughts on Richmond Hill’s Festivals and Events!
Join the conversation on Richmond Hill’s festivals and events! Share your thoughts in a quick survey for a chance to win a $75 Visa gift card. Your input will shape the future of our city’s vibrant community gatherings. Take the survey at RichmondHill.ca/EventServices by April 23, 2024. Let’s create memorable experiences together!
Upgrading Humber Flats Stormwater Management Facility – Public Review 🌊🏡
Mar 25, 2024
Richmond Hill has finished studying how to upgrade Humber Flats Stormwater Management Facility, reducing flood risks for nearby homes. Here’s the plan:
- Replace old culvert under Humberland Drive with 3 new, wider ones.
- Clean and expand the wet pond for better stormwater treatment.
- Some regrading to retire old filter pads.
Detailed design starts in 2025. Public review of findings and recommendations is open until April 26, 2024, on RichmondHill.ca/HumberFlatsEA. Check it out and share your thoughts! 🌊🏡
Get Your Free 2024 Lake Wilcox Parking Pass!
Starting April 1st, pay parking begins at Lake Wilcox Park until September 30th. Don’t miss out on your chance for a free 2024 parking permit for the park and Oak Ridges Community Centre. Last year’s permits have expired, so make sure to grab your new one at Parking.RichmondHill.ca to avoid a parking ticket.
For non-residents and those without permits, parking fees apply. Rates are $4 per hour at the Oak Ridges Community Centre, skate park, and north gravel lots, and $7 per hour at the main parking lot near the Lake Wilcox splash pad.
Lake Wilcox Park, a premier destination in Richmond Hill, offers stunning waterfront views and family-friendly amenities. Pay parking ensures visitors from outside the city contribute to park upkeep.
To ease traffic, consider carpooling during spring and summer. Weekend parking on nearby streets is restricted to residents and their guests with permits. Permit parking is also enforced seven days a week on certain streets.
For more info and to get your free permit, visit RichmondHill.ca/Parking or contact the Parking team at 905-771-8860 or Parking@RichmondHill.ca. Let’s keep Lake Wilcox Park accessible for everyone!
Revitalizing Richmond Hill’s Iconic Mill Pond Park: A Sustainable Transformation
Richmond Hill’s Mill Pond Park set for a vibrant transformation! Council greenlights sustainable upgrades, including new trails, amenities, and ecological enhancements. Highlights include a boardwalk, pedestrian bridge, meadow area, and improved facilities. Stay updated at RichmondHill.ca/MillPondProject.
Join us in giving Richmond Hill a spring cleaning!
We’re thrilled to invite all members of our community to participate in Clean Up, Green Up Weeks from April 19 to May 3. It’s an opportunity for us to come together and protect our natural environment by volunteering to tidy up our neighborhoods.
Residents, businesses, community groups, and schools are encouraged to join hands during this period to help clear away litter that has accumulated over the winter in parks, trails, boulevards, and other public spaces.
When you register your group, we’ll provide you with gloves, garbage and recycling bags, and ensure the collection of filled bags. Let’s work together to surpass last year’s achievements, where 12,000 volunteers cleaned up 145 streets and pathways, along with over 100 parks and natural areas in our community!
Let’s make 2024 another landmark year for our community by keeping Richmond Hill safe and clean for everyone. Register online at RichmondHill.ca/CleanUpWeeks before Sunday, April 7.
For more information, visit RichmondHill.ca/CleanUpWeeks. Together, let’s make a difference!
York Region News
King Road from Yonge Street to Bond Crescent in the City of Richmond Hill
Navigating Forward Together: Supporting Seniors in York Region
Apr 2, 2024
🌟 Exciting News! 🌟
York Regional Council just approved the 2024-2027 York Region Plan to Support Seniors: Navigating Forward Together. This plan builds on the success of our 2016 Seniors Strategy and outlines new actions to enhance the health and well-being of our diverse aging population.
Our focus areas:
- Keeping seniors healthier, longer
- Supporting seniors in age-friendly communities
- Connecting seniors to the right programs and services
- Improving coordination and planning services
Join us in ensuring seniors can age in the right place, with the right support. Visit york.ca/PlanForSeniors for more details! 🌟 #SupportingSeniors #NavigatingForward
Join the Centennial Celebration of York Regional Forest!
Celebrating 100 Years of York Regional Forest! Join us in a year-long festivity with free activities like exhibits, a photo contest, guided walks, and Family Day events. Embrace nature’s beauty and our commitment to conservation. Learn more at https://www.york.ca/newsroom/campaigns-projects/celebrating-100-years-york-regional-forest.
Provincial Regulatory Updates
Apr 18, 2024
2024 Federal Budget summary
On Tues Apr 16, the Federal Government unveiled Budget 2024: Fairness for every generation. This budget release included many of the pre-budget announcements made over the last few weeks in support of delivering housing, and to mobilize initiatives set out in the recently announced Canada’s Housing Plan as follows:
- a new $6 billion Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund to accelerate the construction and upgrading of critical housing infrastructure including water, wastewater, stormwater and solid waste infrastructure to support the construction of more homes.
- $1 billion of this amount is to be made available directly to municipalities to support urgent infrastructure needs that will directly create more housing.
- $5 billion of this amount is for agreements with provinces and territories to support long-term priorities. Provinces have until Jan 1 2025 to secure an agreement for this funding, and can only access it if they commit to key actions that increase housing supply, including:
- Require municipalities to broadly adopt four units as-of-right and allow more “missing middle” homes, including duplexes, triplexes, townhouses, and other multi-unit apartments (note for now, the province has indicated that they will not be implementing this requirement)
- Implement a three-year freeze on increasing development charges from April 2, 2024, levels for municipalities with a population greater than 300,000 (e.g. the DC freeze would not apply to RH)
- Adopt forthcoming changes to the National Building Code to support more accessible, affordable, and climate-friendly housing options.
- Require as-of-right construction for the government’s upcoming Housing Design Catalogue.
- Implement measures from the Home Buyers’ Bill of Rights and Renters’ Bill of Rights.
- A $400M top-up to the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) to allow more municipalities to cut red tape, fast-track home construction, and invest in affordable housing
- Launching the Canada Builds program to partner with provinces and territories to build more rental housing, leveraging the Apartment Construction Loan Program which is receiving a $15B top-up and undergoing reforms to increase access to the program and an additional $1B for the Affordable Housing Fund to build affordable housing, establishing a permanent Rapid Housing Initiative funding stream (previous rounds of this fund have been administered by York Region).
- Launching a new $1.5B Canada Rental Protection Fund to provide loans and grants to partner with the private and charitable sectors to acquire and preserve affordable rental units
- $600M for a suite of measures to make it easier and cheaper to build homes faster, including the launch of a Housing Design Catalogue to standardize up to 50 home blueprints.
- $1.1B over three years to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to extend the Interim Housing Assistance Program.
- $20 million for Statistics Canada and CMHC to modernize and enhance the collection of housing data, including municipal-level data on housing starts and completions.
- A new Public Lands for Homes Plan to unlock home on publicly owned lands
- An additional $1.3B over four years to Infrastructure Canada for Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy
- This includes $250 million to address the urgent issue of encampments and unsheltered homelessness in our communities
- Consideration of a new tax on residentially zoned vacant land (with consultations planned for later this year)
Additional notable budget measures relevant to Richmond Hill include:
- $500M over five years to support more projects through the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program
- $607.9M over two years to top up the Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles program
- $15M over two years to support community sport programming and reduce barriers to participation
- Increasing the inclusion rate on capital gains realized annually from one-half to two-thirds for all capital gains realized by corporations and trusts (and above $250K for individuals)
- An additional $62.9M over 3 years for the Local Food Infrastructure Fund to support community organizations across Canada to invest in local food infrastructure, with priority to be given to Indigenous and Black communities, along with other equity-deserving groups.
The Municipal Finance Officers’ Association (MFOA) has released a very informative summary, and OBCM and FCM have also released statements.
Apr 15, 2024
Open for Comment
- The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing has released a proposal to Ontario Regulation 73/23: Municipal Planning Data Reporting. The proposed amendments would include the following:
- Expand the list of municipalities to which the regulation applies
- Improve the quality, completeness, and utility of the information required to be reported and
- Require municipalities to make public a summary of the data reported.
For more information on the proposal and to participate in the consultation process, please visit the Environmental Registry of Ontario. Public review will end on May 10, 2024.
- The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing is seeking feedback on an updated proposed Provincial Planning Statement (PPS) that incorporates feedback received through the previous consultation from 2023. The updated proposed PPS consists of policies grouped under five pillars:
- Generate increased Housing Supply
- Make land available for development
- Provide infrastructure to support development
- Balance housing with resources
- Implementation
For more information on the proposal and to participate in the consultation process, please visit the Environmental Registry of Ontario. Public consultation will end on May 12, 2024.
- The Ministry for the Environment, Conservation and Parks has proposed a new Environmental Compliance Approval for stormwater management works serving Apotex Inc., located in Richmond Hill. For more information and to participate in the consultation process, please visit the Environmental Registry of Ontario. Public consultation will end on May 27, 2024.
- The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing has proposed changes to the Planning Act, City of Toronto Act and Municipal Act through Bill 185, Cutting Red Tape to Build More Homes Act. For more information and to participate in the consultation process, please visit the Environmental Registry of Ontario. Public review will end on May 10, 2024.
- The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing is proposing regulatory changes under the Planning Act relating to the proposed Bill 185 Cutting Red Tape to Build More Homes Act. The proposal seeks feedback onspecific zoning by-law requirements and/or standards that are a barrier to the developments of ARUs. For more information and to participate in the consultation process, please visit Environmental Registry of Ontario. Public consultation will end on May 10, 2024.
- The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing has proposed changes to regulations under the Planning Act and the Developmental Charges Act in relation to Bill 185, Cutting Red Tape to Build More Homes Act. The proposed changes would modernize public notice requirements relating to DCs and CBCs, by enabling municipalities to give notice of a proposed new/amending by-law or passage of a by-law on a municipal website, if a local newspaper is not available. For more information and to participate in the consultation process, please visit the Environmental Registry of Ontario. Public consultation will end on May 27, 2024.
- The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing has proposed the following amendments to the Development Charges Act, 1997 in relation to Bill 185, Cutting Red Tape to Build More Homes Act: to repeal the five-year phase-in of development charges (DCs); reinstate studies as an eligible cost for DCs; reduce the timeframe for the DC freeze from two years to 18 months; and streamline the process for municipalities to extend existing DC by-laws. For more information and to participate in the consultation process, please visit the Environmental Registry of Ontario. Public consultation will end on May 10, 2024.
- The Ministry of Energy is proposing to amend the Ontario Energy Board Act, 1998 in relation to Bill 185, Cutting Red Tape to Build More Homes Act to authorize regulations to streamline and modernize leave-to-construct approvals for certain pipeline relocation or reconstruction projects to help facilitate key government commitments to build transit and housing faster. For more information and to participate in the consultation process, please visit the Environmental Registry of Ontario. Public consultation will end on May 11, 2024.
- The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing is proposing legislative amendments to the Municipal Act and City of Toronto Act to support municipal incentives for economic growth in relation to Bill 185, Cutting Red Tape to Build More Homes Act. The amendments aim to streamline the province’s process for granting exemptions to municipalities for providing direct or indirect assistance to any manufacturing, industrial or commercial businesses. For more information and to participate in the consultation process, please visit the Ontario’s Regulatory Registry. Public consultation will end on May 10, 2024.
Bulletin
- The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing has released a decision regarding feedback from a 2023 consultation on proposed policies for an integrated province-wide land use planning document. Based on feedback from the 2023 consultation, the province released an updated proposed Provincial Planning Statement, with new policies supporting increased intensification, scoping protections for employment areas, and promoting a range and mix of housing options. The updated proposed Provincial Planning Statement is currently open for public input until May 12, 2024.
- The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing has released a bulletin regarding Bill 185, the proposed Cutting Red Tape to Build More Homes Act. The government introduced Bill 185 as part of the ongoing commitment to cut red tape, speed up government processes and build at least 1.5 million homes by 2031.
Apr 9, 2024
Open for Comment
- The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry has released a proposal regarding provisions to section 28.1 of the Conservation Authorities Act. The provisions would enable the Minister to 1) issue an order to prevent a conservation authority from issuing a permit and decide on a permit application in the place of the conservation authority, and 2) review a conservation authority permit decision at the request of an applicant. For more information, or to submit a comment, please visit the hyperlink. Comments can be submitted until May 6.
- The Ministry of Labour, Training and Skill Development is seeking consultation on personal long-term illness leave under the Employment Standards Act (2000). The Ministry is seeking input on a potential new long-term job-protected leave of up to 27 weeks. This would align Ontario’s leave with the length of Federal Employment Insurance (EI) sickness benefits and provide Ontario workers the longest job-protected sick leave among the provinces. For more information, or to submit a comment, please visit the hyperlink. Comments can be submitted until May 6.
- The Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery is proposing amendments to the Electrical Safety Code regulation 164/99 under Part 3 of the Electricity Act (1998). If approved, the Electrical Safety Code regulation would be amended to adopt the updated Ontario Electrical Safety Code (OESC), which is updated every three years to reflect changes to the Canadian Electrical Code (CEC). For more information, or to submit a comment, please visit the hyperlink. Comments can be submitted until May 3.
Apr 1, 2024
Provincial:
On March 21, the Premier, Minister of Finance and Minister of Infrastructure made a pre-budget announcement in Richmond Hill, highlighting a new investment of $1.8B for municipalities to support infrastructure that will enable housing supply. Details on the funding opportunities are to be announced later in the year; SGR will monitor. More on the budget below.
The Province and the City of Ottawa have reached a ‘new deal,’ similar to the one announced with Toronto last November. The agreement includes up to $197 million over three years in operating funding and up to $346 million over 10 years in capital funding to Ottawa, including funding from the Build Faster Fund for housing enabling infrastructure, funding to Invest Ottawa for downtown development, funds for emergency shelters and homelessness prevention, repair, and upgrades of roads, include the assessment of potential Provincial ownership of some. In return. the City of Ottawa has agreed to open up municipal lands for housing development, strengthening the city’s vacant home tax, and others. Further background on the deal is available here.
OBCM’s response to the Ottawa deal includes a call for a review of the provincial-municipal fiscal framework for all municipalities in Ontario.
Bill 149, The Working for Workers Four Act, 2024 received Royal Assent on March 21. It amends the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997, which creates presumptions that apply to certain firefighters and fire investigators, to establish a presumption in respect of primary-site esophageal cancer.
Also related to labour policy, the Province announced an increase in minimum wage from $16.55 per hour to $17.20, effective October 1, 2024.
Bill 162, The Get It Done Act, 2024 remains in second reading stage and has not yet gone to Committee. If passed as written it will make changes the Region of York Official Plan, including deleting the Gormley GO Station as a Major Transit Station Area.
On March 26, the Minister of Finance introduced Bill 180, The Building a Better Ontario Act (Budget Measures), 2024 in the legislature, which includes:
- Investing $1 billion in the new Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program and increasing the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund to a total of $825 million to help municipalities repair and expand critical infrastructure. (See first item, announcement in Richmond Hill)
- A $200 million (over three years) Community Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Fund to strengthen communities across Ontario by investing in new and upgraded sport, recreation, and community facilities. SGR will monitor.
- Extending the temporary cuts to the gasoline tax rate by 5.7 cents per litre and the fuel (diesel) tax rate by 5.3 cents per litre until December 31, 2024.
- Investing $30 million over the next three years to launch the application-based Fire Protection Grant to provide municipal fire departments with funding for personal protective equipment and specialized decontamination tools to clean and sanitize firefighter gear and mitigate the long‐term effects of exposure to chemicals and other fire‐related contaminants. SGR will monitor.
- A commitment for a new provincial policy framework that sets out best practices for implementing a Vacant Home Tax. The framework will also encourage municipalities to set a higher Vacant Home Tax rate for foreign‐owned vacant homes.
- Municipal flexibility to offer a reduced municipal property tax rate on new multi‐residential rental properties.
The budget also highlighted continued work on the Yonge North Subway Extension: “In December 2023, the government issued an RFP for the Advance Tunnel Contract that includes work to design, build and finance the construction of tunnels. Early upgrade work at Finch Station, where the Yonge North Subway Extension will connect with existing Line 1 subway service, is now substantially complete. The upgrades set the stage for major construction of the subway extension to Richmond Hill and Markham.”
For more information, the following organizations have provided summaries/feedback on the budget:
Ontario Big City Mayors (OBCM)
Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO)
Municipal Finance Officers’ Association (MFOA)
Bill 177, The Test Your Smoke Alarm Day Act, 2024 was ordered for second reading. If passed it would proclaim September 28 of each year as Test Your Smoke Alarm Day.
Bill 183, The Chinese Heritage Month Act, 2024, was introduced in the Legislature. If passed, it would declare February Chinese Heritage Month in Ontario. It has been ordered for second reading.
Federal
The government announced that the Federal Budget will be introduced in the House of Commons on April 16. FCM has led the call for municipalities in pre-budget consultation, highlighting the need for a new tripartite deal for municipal funding, the critical need for infrastructure funding and a renewed agreement on the Canada Community Building Fund.
On March 18, MP Leah Taylor-Roy, Aurora-Oak Ridges-Richmond Hill highlighted the work of Richmond Hill’s Fire and Emergency Services in her statement about International Women’s Day in the House of Commons:
“From across York Region, women and our allies gathered at the LiUNA training centre in Richmond Hill, with our Liberal York Region MPs joined by our Minister for Women and Minister of Labour. There, we heard from amazing community members and women trailblazers in non-traditional roles. I thank LiUNA, the York Regional Police, the Central York firefighters, and the Richmond Hill firefighters, as well as Blue Door, ELLA at YSpace and CYRSS for making this a fantastic celebration. We all recognize the need to keep working together to advance gender equality. This year’s theme underscored this. We must invest in women to accelerate progress and we must not let regressive forces push us back.”