Burlington tax hikes seem probable

I previously reported that Ward 1 Coun. Kelvin Galbraith was the subject of a conflict of interest complaint to the city’s integrity commissioner (IC). He has now been cleared.

Coincidentally, the only other councillor who has been subject to an IC complaint is Shawna Stolte. She breached confidentiality when, frustrated that the public had had no say on buying the Robert Bateman school property, she mused that it would likely cost over $50 million including renovations and was fined four days’ lost pay.

A report to the Dec. 8 Environment Committee, which will be webcast live, seeks immediate approval to proceed with Phase 1 renovations (of three) to the community centre on the Bateman site. This will allow tenants to move in, and start paying rent on 20-year leases in September 2024 — Brock University, a Burlington Library branch, Halton District School Board and TechPlace. City recreation programs involving the triple gym can begin.

The property cost $29.6 million, plus the swap of about two hectares (five acres) of land near Central High, including the football field and running track. Renovations for Phase 1 are expected to cost about $72.75 million. Future phases were not costed. Maybe there will be grants available.

Maybe estimated construction will cost more? So many maybes. Actual costs are the biggest unknown, and tenders won’t be called until March or April. Debentures for $45,900,000 are recommended, which would add 2.3 per cent to the tax bill annually for 15 years! Environmental and energy-saving components are stellar.

Monday the Corporate Services Committee discussed a report on the long-term (30-year) needs of the Roads, Parks and Forestry (RPF) and transit buildings. The RPF building was built in 1971, the transit building in 1978 on the same eight-hectare site. Both have expanded to the site’s capacity, so require additional land to accommodate city growth for the next 30 years. . Five options were presented, but the first need is land.

Much of the RPF fleet is electric, and electric buses are proposed in future, so both types of vehicles must be accommodated. Staff will investigate property leasing or purchase, apply for transit grants, present design considerations and costs, and report back in Q2 of 2023. Good long-term planning. An excellent recent policy is that all new capital projects are added into the city’s asset base with projected maintenance and asset replacement costs factored in.

On Tuesday the planning committee enthusiastically approved a three-storey veterinary clinic chain’s head office and teaching facility, affiliated with Guelph’s Ontario Veterinary College. It’s centrally located, on the site of the old Mother Tucker’s restaurant, just south of the QEW.

The committee also spent almost two hours on the city’s response to punitive recent housing legislation — Bills 23 and 109. Burlington has hired 21 staff to meet reduced time lines. Hamilton is hiring 26 and Toronto 150. Now staff poaching is occurring.

Planning changes shift many costs from developers to local taxpayers. Developers’ fees, like development charges and parkland requirements have been reduced, shifting costs to municipalities. Application fees will have to be refunded if unrealistic time frames aren’t met. City taxpayers end up paying. And it’s unlikely any affordable housing will result — just regular housing. Burlington already has several unbuilt approvals.

Developers are already mounting a campaign to foist more costs on to municipalities, claiming they have fat reserve funds, so reduce developers’ fees. Burlington’s reserves are already below targets, and earmarked for specific spending, like asset replacements. Ontario’s smart new approach to housing problems seems to be to sock it to local taxpayers.