🛡️Peterborough County Council Deep-Dive & Regional Market Impact Report

Welcome back to Shield & Shoreline, your trusted source for municipal policy, council decisions, zoning updates, and real estate market briefings across Peterborough, Hastings, and Haliburton counties. 🌲🏡

Whether you are looking to build, buy, or invest in our vibrant waterfront and rural communities, staying ahead of local municipal decisions is the best way to protect your property values and lifestyle. Below is an extensive breakdown of the major updates, debates, and policy decisions from the Peterborough County Council meetings! 📜👇

🛑 The Big News & Local Controversies: What You Need to Know

• The Lily Lake Solar Farm Zoning Clash (Selwyn Township): Under Ontario's framework and the new 2026 County OP, large-scale ground-mounted solar is prohibited in prime agricultural land. PUI requested OPA No. 90 to allow repowering for its 10MW facility. Public feedback raised concerns regarding anti-reflective glare and historical notification under the old Green Energy Act. Staff’s policy ensures the site must revert to pure agriculture once solar operations cease.

• Agricultural Severance Rights (Douro-Dummer): OPA No. 86 redesignates lands previously marked Extractive Industrial to site-specific Agriculture, allowing two specific building lots. This demonstrates how detailed technical reviews (archaeological and aggregate mapping updates) can resolve planning restrictions.

The OPP Cost Hike Cap: The 11% cap on 2027 OPP policing costs is prompting  strong municipal pushback across Ontario. Small rural municipalities face severe budget pressures, forcing tough decisions between tax adjustments or deferred road repairs.

🏛️Comprehensive Breakdown of Council Agenda Topics 

1. ☀️ The Lily Lake Solar Farm Debate: Selwyn Township (OPA No. 90)

• What Happened: Peterborough Utilities Inc. (PUI) applied for a site-specific Official Plan Amendment (OPA No. 90) for a 307-acre property at 394 Lily Lake Road in Selwyn Township. The 10-megawatt solar farm—in operation since 2011 and powering roughly 1,500 homes—is nearing the end of its 20-year IESO contract.

• The Catch & Controversy: Under Ontario’s new Provincial Planning Statement (PPS) and the newly approved 2026 County Official Plan, ground-mounted solar farms are strictly prohibited on prime agricultural lands. PUI requested a site-specific policy to allow for contract renewals, repowering, and equipment upgrades. Nearby residents voiced sharp concerns at the public meeting regarding anti-reflective glare, historical lack of notice under the old Green Energy Act, and potential expansions.

• Staff Recommendation & Action: Staff confirmed no physical expansion is occurring and recommended approval. The amendment specifies that once the solar operation permanently ceases, the land must be fully decommissioned and returned exclusively to agricultural use.

2. 🌾 Agricultural Severances Approved: Douro Eighth Line (OPA No. 86)

• What Happened: An application on behalf of Paul Leahy for a 76-acre parcel at 147 Douro Eighth Line in Douro-Dummer Township requested a site-specific amendment to allow two residential lot severances (Files B-73-26 and B-74-26).

• The Controversy: The property was previously flagged as Extractive Industrial (pits/aggregates). While updated provincial mapping confirmed no aggregate resources exist on-site, the new 2026 County OP designates the property as "Agriculture"—a classification that severely restricts residential lot creation.

• Staff Recommendation & Action: Supported by Douro-Dummer Township Council and cleared by a Stage 1 & 2 Archaeological Assessment (requested by Curve Lake First Nation), staff recommended approving the site-specific policy to permit the two specific residential lots.

3. 🚨 2027 OPP Municipal Policing Cost Spike

• What Happened: Ontario municipalities policed by the OPP received notice from the Solicitor General that 2027 policing cost increases will be capped at 11% year-over-year.

• Why It Matters: Multiple Ontario municipalities—including Springwater, Essex, South Huron, and Wawa—have filed formal resolutions highlighting that an 11% single-year hike puts tremendous strain on property taxpayers. Small rural townships have limited revenue tools, forcing councils to choose between tax increases or cutting local road and infrastructure maintenance.

4. 🦿 Paramedic Emergency Procurement Costs

• What Happened: Corporate Services brought forward Report FIN 2026-23 regarding emergency procurement cost implications for the Peterborough County-City Paramedics.

• Staff Recommendation: Staff recommended that the County’s portion of these emergency procurement costs be fully offset by any 2026 operating surplus.

5. 🛡️ Brand New "Reasonable Behaviour Policy" (CORP-25)

• What Happened: Legislative Services presented Report CPS 2026-38 recommending the formal adoption of Policy CORP-25.

• Why It Matters: To protect municipal staff, services, and facilities, the County has established clear, legally defensible protocols to address unreasonable, frivolous, or vexatious conduct. Restrictions can range from limiting contact methods to issuing formal Trespass to Property Notices.

6. 🚜 Presentation by Denise Humphries – County Plowman's Association (Item 7.a)

• Overview & Content: Denise Humphries from the County Plowman's Association is presenting an update on local agricultural traditions, plowing matches, and rural heritage support across the County.

• Staff Recommendation: Presentation for Council's information.

• Property Impact: Celebrates and protects the deep-rooted agricultural culture of Peterborough County, sustaining rural heritage values across our farming communities.

🏛️ ROMA Conference Delegations (Report CAO 2026-17) (Item 8.e)

• Overview & Content: Presented by Karla Sampson, Sr. Executive Assistant to the CAO / Special Projects Lead. Outlines proposed provincial delegation requests for the upcoming ROMA 2027 Conference, including:

  1. Ministry of Health: Funding for Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) hybrid operating rooms.

  2. Ministry of Transportation: Highway 28 safety enhancements and County Road 10 pre-planning.

  3. Ministry of Finance: MPAC property reassessment timelines.

• Staff Recommendation: Receive Report CAO 2026-17 and advise the Warden and CAO of any additional delegation requests by November 16.

• Property Impact: Direct provincial lobbying for regional road safety upgrades, healthcare infrastructure, and fair tax assessments directly supports property values and resident well-being.

8. 🦆 Restricted Acts After Election Day – "Lame Duck Period" (Report CPS 2026-39) (Item 8.f)

• Overview & Content: Presented by Marissa Martin, Deputy Clerk. Advises Council that under Section 275 of the Municipal Act, 2001, County Council enters a restricted "lame duck" period from October 26, 2026, through December 2, 2026, because less than 75% of incumbents are returning. Council previously passed By-law 2026-01 on February 4, 2026, delegating limited authority to the CAO to maintain business continuity.

• Staff Recommendation: Receive Report CPS 2026-39 for information.

• Property Impact: Guarantees administrative continuity for municipal operations, permits, and services through the election transition.

9. 🛡️ Reasonable Behaviour Policy (Report CPS 2026-38) (Item 8.g)

• Overview & Content: Presented by Sam Begin, Administrative Services Assistant, Legislative Services. Proposes adoption of Policy CORP-25 (Reasonable Behaviour Policy) to handle unreasonable, frivolous, or vexatious behavior directed toward County staff or facilities. The policy outlines definitions, warnings, contact restrictions, appeal processes to the Clerk/CAO, and procedures for issuing Trespass to Property Notices.

• Staff Recommendation: Receive Report CPS 2026-38 and adopt Policy CORP-25.

• Property Impact: Protects municipal staff and public facilities, ensuring public services remain safe and efficient.

📈 The Real Estate Impact: What It Means for Buyers & Sellers

• Agricultural & Rural Severances: The approval of OPA No. 86 demonstrates that while the new 2026 Official Plan tightens rules around prime agricultural land, grandfathered applications and site-specific amendments can still unlock residential building lots in rural Douro-Dummer. If you hold rural acreage with development potential, navigating municipal zoning early is critical.

• Clean Energy & Proximity: Establishing clear decommissioning boundaries for the Lily Lake Solar Farm protects long-term property values and land use in Smith Ward. Upgraded anti-reflective solar technology also helps maintain surrounding residential appeal.

• Municipal Tax Base Pressures: Rising OPP policing costs across rural Ontario will likely place upward pressure on municipal property tax levies over the next two years. Buyers evaluating rural home affordability should keep localized municipal tax trends in mind.

🌲 The Local Perspective: Preserving the Kawarthas & Highlands Lifestyle

• Waterfront & Wetland Protection: Both planning applications (Lily Lake and Douro Eighth Line) maintain strict 30-metre environmental setbacks from local watercourses and Provincially Significant Wetlands (PSWs) monitored by Otonabee Conservation. Protecting our local watersheds ensures our lakes remain healthy for boating, fishing, and swimming.

• First Nations Heritage: Active collaboration with Curve Lake First Nation on archaeological reviews preserves the deep cultural heritage of the Kawarthas before any ground is broken.

• Infrastructure Safety Advocacy: Peterborough County is actively preparing ministerial delegations for the upcoming ROMA 2027 Conference to lobby the Ministry of Transportation for crucial safety upgrades along Highway 28 and pre-planning on County Road 10.

📋 Comprehensive Meeting Minutes Summary (Oct 14 & Oct 15, 2026)

To keep you fully informed, here is a complete review of the official actions ratified from the previous Council sessions:

• Affordability & Housing: Council officially authorized By-law 2026-40 for an affordable housing loan agreement with Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region under the Open Door Affordable Housing Program.

• International Twinning: Warden Bonnie Clark and Mayor Taras Kuchma formally signed a historical Twinning Agreement between Peterborough County and Drohobych Urban Hromada, Ukraine.

• Key Appointments: By-laws 2026-37, 2026-38, and 2026-39 were officially passed, appointing Michelle Fisheras Treasurer, Dan Sutherland as Deputy Treasurer, and Kari Stevenson as Deputy CAO.

• Tourism & Community: Celebrated the massive success of the Norwood Fair (38,962 attendees) and launched the "Fall in Love with the Kawarthas" campaign featured on Toronto's Gardiner Expressway.

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