In late August, representatives from Cobourg attended the Association of Ontario Municipalities (AMO) Conference in Ottawa and at the recent Council meeting on September 25, Deputy Mayor Nicole Beatty reported on their activity there. A highlight was a meeting with three ministers to present concerns and requests for funding. See Resources below to download Nicole’s “speaking notes” but I will summarize – it looks like there are a number of major Capital projects coming up plus Cobourg is expecting (hoping?) that there will be financial help from the Province. We already heard about the $25M for water and sewer infrastructure as announced by Premier Doug Ford when he visited but there’s more. In addition, an unnamed source (probably the Federal Government) is offering $5M for Harbour repairs conditional on the Town committing to the remaining $14.5M.
AMO Conference
Town of Cobourg Attendees
- Deputy Mayor Nicole Beatty
- Councillor Brian Darling
- Councillor Randy Barber
- CAO Tracey Vaughan
- Manager, Office of the CAO Chris Challenger
Ministers met – 15 minutes each
- Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Paul Calandra
- Minister of Sport, Neil Lumsden
- Minister of Infrastructure, Kinga Surma.
Subjects discussed
Download Nicole’s speaking notes for more detail.
Minister of Infrastructure, Kinga Surma
- Thanks for $25 million Housing-Enabling Water Systems grant
- In 2023 in Cobourg, construction began on 398 new residential units, resulting in a 4.1% increase in our housing stock.
- King Street West Reconstruction: Total cost: $4.7 million. Request: $4.475 million from Infrastructure Ontario.
- King Street West Culvert & William Street Bridge Rehabilitation: Total cost: $4.4 million. Request: $2.645 million due to inflationary costs.
- Stormwater Management Infrastructure Subsidy: In 2023, the Town of Cobourg implemented a 10 year, 1.6M annual asset management plan. Increased user fees have been challenging for the town’s small population, so financial support from the Province is needed to prevent critical infrastructure failure and ensure long-term stability.
- Brookside Property Sanitary Servicing Study: The Town of Cobourg recommends that IO consider conducting a sanitary flow study for the former Brookside Youth Detention Centre site. A sanitary flow study would be beneficial to Infrastructure Ontario to demonstrate sanitary capacity to a prospective buyer. [Later in the meeting, Council approved paying for this.]
Minister of Sport, Neil Lumsden
- Centennial Pool: The Town of Cobourg has identified $1.6 million in the 2025 budget and requested $2 million from the Ministry of Sport.
- Pickleball Courts: The total estimated cost of this project is $600,000. Council has committed $125,000 in Capital funding, however, has proclaimed the remaining funds must come from fundraising or community grants. During their delegation to Minister Lumsden, Council requested $475,000 from the Ministry of Sport.
- Harbour: The Town of Cobourg has committed $6.7 million in capital for the rehabilitation of the harbour. In their meeting with Minster Lumsden, Council requested $450,000 for expanded training and small-craft storage areas as well as $2.5 million to renew and expand the marina, sailing and canoe facilities.
Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Paul Calandra
- Housing and Homelessness Challenges: As the hub for social services in Northumberland County, Cobourg is facing an increasing demand on local resources, such as fire, police, and by-law enforcement. Between September 2023 and June 2024, these unbudgeted costs amounted to $223,993, excluding management and legal costs related to the homeless encampment located on the Brookside Property. We continue to stress to the Province that alternative funding models are needed to ensure lower tier Municipalities are fairly compensated for the costs they incur.
- Innovative Approaches: Cobourg has been proactive in developing solutions to these challenges. For example, our Emergency Care Establishment By-law (ECE), introduced in 2024, addresses community safety concerns and improves protections for those using emergency care facilities. Additionally, the Parks By-law bans camping in municipal parks to maintain public safety and proper park usage.
- Funding and Collaboration: We request that the Province consider providing financial assistance to lower-tier municipalities in recognition of the impact of social services on lower tier municipalities. Additionally, we encourage the Province to explore alternative models for providing shelter support to better address the complex needs of our communities through revenue sharing between local Municipalities and established service managers
Summary
As well as the $25M already granted, by my count, the Town is asking for grants of $12.8M. In addition to the meetings with ministers, the Cobourg representatives also attended education sessions.
I believe this is the first time we have had a public report from Council on what happened when they attended an AMO conference. Brownie points to Nicole.
Grant for Harbour Repairs
At the Community Services, Protection, and Economic Development Standing Committee meeting on October 2nd, Director Brian Geerts reported that an unnamed “government agency” has offered a grant to Cobourg of $5M for Harbour repairs on condition that Cobourg commit to the remaining $14.5M. Director Geerts indicated that he would be asking for this. Additional grants are possible but as yet there is no sign of anything. His request was supported but will need to be ratified at the regular Council meeting on October 23rd.
Resources
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It’s hilarious hearing people speak ill of the marina. Every inch of it was an industrial wasteland that boaters and yacht club members brought back from the depths. There isn’t a millimeter of land that was ever “natural” since whenever. I like the approach the clubs have towards including sailors and canoe enthusiasts to join and enjoy the waterfront we have currently.
Agreed! Would people rather it revert back to the barren, polluted mess it was?
How does expanding boat storage, parking and marina operations help with the naturalization of this area? If you take a walk on the “protected” Nature Park you’ll see how it’s currently being used as a dumping ground (sludge, yard waste, glass, junk, invasive species). Fragile plants, wetlands and sand dunes being used by nesting birds, turtles and other wildlife are being destroyed by heavy machinery.
Actually in a survey done for the Park Master Plan for Cobourg, the activities most people participate in ( or would like to) were walking (63%), Nature Hiking (48%) and Nature Observation/Bird Watching (37%). Boat storage didn’t appear anywhere on the list. Since 2001 (when bulldozing stopped), the Headland has become naturalized and what botanists call an “old field” and is home to 235 plant species and an important natural habitat for migratory birds due to its location on the shores of Lake Ontario. Its value as an ecosystem needs to be considered whenever there’s talk of expansion of the marina, boat storage, parking and other commercial uses.
How do we go about and un-become the ‘hub for social services in Northumberland County”?
We don’t have the resources or capacity nor the public will to be the nursemaid for the county. This needs to be revisited NOW and other towns must share the load.
Also interesting is that the Cobourg delegation did not bring up Cobourg not being the central hub for the County and that housing for these individuals needs to be shared with other towns. The delegation just asked for more funding.
What I read from that is that Leadership do not oppose Cobourg being the central hub for the County.
What exactly does “$2.5 million to renew and expand the marina, sailing and canoe facilities” mean? A larger storage area on prime waterfront? Expansion of the parking lot? More slips? Considerable resources (in both extensive community consultations and money) were invested in Engage Cobourg’s Waterfront Plan, confirming the community’s vision for Cobourg’s waterfront included preserving the natural state of the Headland & Nature Park and improving connectivity creating a “waterfront district” for all users including pedestrians. Has it been mothballed?
Could it mean a resuscitation of the boat lift? Pray no.
Cobourg is an important safe harbour and destination for mariners simply because there isn’t one for many miles. Budget reports show the marina and campground pay their operating costs and add surplus money above that number to the towns coffers which is paid by those who pay to use the facilties. I’ll assume the yearly surplus generated is used where the town needs it most and not stuffed in an underwear drawer somewhere to be saved for harbour repair!!! Where would you suggest boat owners that pay to use a full service marina keep their boat’s? Take them home for the winter? Leave them in the ice? Shut town streets down to move them inland?? A marina has boat’s in the water during summer and boat’s stored nearby during winter. Check out other distant marina facilties and see for yourself. The yacht club is self help and self funded at no cost to tax payors. They offer sailing programs for youth and adults as well as many keel boat’s that race love introducing people to sailing as a crew. Canoe club does the same thing! That’s engaging Cobourg waterfront for citizens right? Some hard fact’s for you before I sign off. 25 years ago the “headland” or break wall as it’s known to pretty much everybody was not there. before the “headland” was extended by man there was a 1000 car tire raft off the center pier to make the harbour water calm. The sand dunes are created by man as sand meets current at the harbour mouth. Where condos now stand and “natural” parks lay there was Big oil silo farms, coal piles. The polluted, industrial wasteland harbour would still be there if town folk of old, boaters and sailors had not made the harbour what it today. Do not be a person to jump in after the hard work has been done and blow steam about what Cobourg waterfront should be! after all. The birds didn’t make the change. Coburgers did!
snaggle,
You are correct that Cobourg provides a “safe” harbour. A quick look at a map will tell you this. It is a natural stopping point for boats travelling between Toronto/Whitby to Belleville/Kingston.
The marina and the campground (VPC) are both Town departmental business units. As you note, they are both self sufficient. The marina’s surplus is transferred to the marina reserve and funds capital repairs and additions.
The Cobourg marina is appropriately sized for the market. About 8 years ago, an attempt was made to enlarge (almost double) the marina into the west harbour. Resident action stopped this, thereby avoiding the plight of the Trenton marina, which is half empty (in spite of discounted fees) and requires a taxpayer subsidy in excess of $1M per year.
The VPC generally has a surplus in the $125K-$175K range, most of which the Town has taken to offset general costs (reduce the tax levy) rather than growing the VPC reserve. The VPC now needs significant infrastructure upgrades (water, sewer, electrical, pad leveling), estimated to cost upwards of $1M. The VPC reserve is insufficient to fund these upgrades.
So what is your solution Bryan?
The planned and supposedly “necessary” upgrades for the VPC won’t be recovered from fees for years or even decades. Why not use the land for upscale condos + shopping/dining?
“A sanitary flow study would be beneficial to Infrastructure Ontario to demonstrate sanitary capacity to a prospective buyer. [Later in the meeting, Council approved paying for this.]”….
How does our Committee ask for money and end up agreeing to pay for it ourselves?
Why are WE paying for this sanitary study at Brookside?
I wonder if we get any money for the Waterfront, will it be spent on the Waterfront or will it go unaccounted for, again?
Since Council doesn’t exactly have a great track record on spending money wisely, I wish the Province would wait until the next election before giving us a cent.
Finally,,some progress at the marina
Thank you,,thank you. Thank you
Did the mayor not attend? Where was the rest of council? AMO is one of the most important meetings to attend and educate and liaise with other communities and government officials.
There would be no need to have all councillors attend.
Add $40M for the proposed Nagle Road Alignment.