Development Charges Study – Community Engagement

The Municipality of Port Hope has engaged Watson & Associates Economists Ltd. (Watson), in collaboration with engineering consulting firm CIMA+, to conduct the Development Charges (D.C.) study process for 2024. Together with municipal staff, Watson has prepared a comprehensive D.C. analysis and developed policy recommendations. This D.C. background study, which includes the proposed D.C. by-laws, is now available to the public at myporthope.ca/development-charges. It provides thorough background information on the legislation, outlines the study's recommendations, and explains the basis for these recommendations.

Understanding Development Charges

Development charges are critical financial tools used to fund infrastructure projects essential for new developments in Port Hope. These projects include policing, transit, water, and wastewater services. The purpose of development charges is to offset the capital costs associated with both residential and non-residential growth within our community. Such costs include those not typically covered by subdivision construction, such as internal roads, water mains, sidewalks, and streetlights. The authority to impose these charges is granted under the Development Charges Act (D.C.A.).

The Need for Updating Development Charges

Port Hope currently enforces development charges as outlined in By-law 63/2019, which is applicable from 2019 to 2024 and is scheduled to expire this year. In anticipation of this expiry, the Municipality is actively engaged in a Background Study to update the development charges for the upcoming decade, from 2024 to 2034. This update is essential to continue supporting growth and infrastructure development effectively.

Have Your Say!

We invite all community members to engage with this process by visiting our Development Charges Community Engagement web page. This platform offers access to draft findings and serves as a venue to collect your valuable feedback. Please take the time to explore the documents, note the upcoming meeting dates, and utilize the important links provided. Once you have reviewed the necessary information, we encourage you to submit your feedback through the comment form available on the page.

Your input is essential in shaping the future of our community. We look forward to your participation and thank you for your continued involvement and support!

2024-05-13