Quinte West Council will receive a Development Charges Study status update at its council meeting on Wednesday, June 5.
The City last undertook a review of its development charges in 2020. Provincial legislation requires the City to review its development charges every five years. In April 2023, the City engaged Watson & Associates Economists Ltd. to review the City’s current development charges. On June 5, Council will hear a presentation from Watson & Associates Economists Ltd. and will receive a draft Development Charges Study to review a proposed change in development charges for the City in the coming months.
Municipal development charges are one-time fees charged to property developers to cover the costs of building and maintaining infrastructure and services such as roads, water and sewer systems that serve new residential and non-residential properties.
“Development charges help ensure that growth funds the necessary new infrastructure in Quinte West”, says Chief Administrative Officer, David Clazie.
The proposed development charges will help strengthen the City’s ability to ensure that ‘growth pays for growth’ by:
- Preventing growth-related expenses from being passed on to existing taxpayers.
- Adequately funding new infrastructure projects despite rising construction costs and inflation.
- Maintaining the quality services that make Quinte West an attractive and sustainable place to live, work, and invest.
Timing and the next steps
- On June 5, Watson & Associates Economists Ltd. will present to Council with an update on the Development Charge Study.
- On June 14, the Development Charge Study will be published on the City of Quinte West’s website.
- The week of July 8, staff will have a stakeholder meeting at Quinte West City Hall to answer questions from developers.
- On July 17, a statutory public meeting will take place as part of the Council meeting.
- On August 14, the development charges By-law will be presented to Council for consideration and final approval.
Quinte West residents that wish to provide comments or address Council about the Development Charges Study can attend the study’s Statutory Public Meeting in person or virtually on July 17 and speak during the public input period. Public input can also be submitted in writing to clerk@quintewest.ca for distribution as correspondence to Council.
Council will have the opportunity to make a decision on the final Development Charges Study report at the Council Meeting on August 14.
Learn more about the City’s development charges study and learn more at quintewest.ca/DevelopmentCharges.