Whitby Council Highlights - June 2025

Council highlights gives an overview of important decisions, discussions, and agenda items from Whitby Council meetings. The goal is to give residents a snapshot of the meetings. More information, including Council meeting minutes, can be found at whitby.ca/CouncilCalendar

Annual report highlights housing trends in Whitby

Council has received the Town’s annual Housing Monitoring Report for information. The report provides an overview of housing activity in the Whitby between January 1, 2024 and December 31, 2024. It notes Whitby had an estimated population of 155,000 and 49,795 households as of December 2024. There were an estimated 27,020 dwelling units in the development pipeline at the end of 2024, and 11 plans of subdivision approved by Council in 2024, accounting for 10,923 units. This is over three times the next highest volume of units over the last 10 years, which was 3,178 in 2015. In 2024, there were also 288 permits issued for additional dwelling unites such as basement apartments. This trend is in part due to the Town’s incentives for additional dwelling units through the Housing Accelerator Fund, and a Whitby Council resolution permitting up to three additional dwelling units on a residential lot.

Council opts to remove two speed humps on Whitburn Street

On June 23, Council made the decision to remove two out of eight speed humps on Whitburn Street at a cost of $15,000. In 2022, the Town installed eight speed humps along Whitburn Street, between Rossland Road and Whitburn Park, in response to requests from residents for traffic calming. Members of Council have since received requests to remove some, or all of the speed humps. The Town gathered public feedback through a survey, which received a total of 548 responses. The greatest number of responses (42 per cent) indicated a preference to permanently remove the eight speed humps. However, a staff report notes “there was no firm majority received from either Whitburn Street residents or non-Whitburn Street residents."

New e-bike and e-scooter by-law approved by Council

Council has approved a new by-law governing the use of e-bikes and e-scooters in Whitby. The use of “micromobility modes of transportation” such as electric bikes and scooters is growing in popularity and Whitby’s Active Transportation Plan recommends that regulations be developed to support the safe use of these devices. Ontario launched an e-scooter pilot program on January 1, 2020, which will end on November 27, 2029. To allow e-scooters, local municipalities must opt-in to the pilot program and have a by-law specific to e-scooters in their jurisdictions. Community feedback on Whitby’s new by-law was gathered through public engagement completed in May 2024. The by-law treats e-bikes as a traditional bicycle under the Whitby Traffic By-law and permits them on Town roads, while e-scooters will only be allowed on Town roads with a speed limit of 50 km/hr or less. Both e-bikes and e-scooters will be allowed in bike lanes, and paved shoulders, as well as multi-use paths and park trails – only paved trails for e-scooters. Both will be prohibited on sidewalks.

Council commits to look at ways to educate community on hate, including Islamophobia

On June 23, Council endorsed a resolution that the Town of Whitby Council “condemn in the strongest terms possible the recent acts of Islamophobic vandalism and hate in all its forms and restate its commitment to an inclusive and welcoming town for all.” Council also expressed its support for the past National Summit on Islamophobia and committed to looking for ways to educate residents about Islamophobia and ways to combat all forms of hate through a coordinated public information campaign.

Commemorative dedication feature approved for waterfront

Council has approved a new commemorative dedication feature at the Whitby waterfront. Nautical themed plaques will be mounted along the Lions Promenade railing, providing residents with a unique way to commemorate a person, event, or moment while enhancing the visual and cultural identity of the waterfront. A Town report notes that there is demand for waterfront locations for commemorative dedication features. Over 70 benches and eight trees have been dedicated along Whitby’s waterfront and very few existing benches remain available. With more than 400 metres of railing available, the railing could accommodate over 2,000 plaques. Preliminary estimates indicate each fish plaque could be fabricated and installed for a fee of $500 to $750 to be paid by the purchaser. The fee would ensure all costs are fully recovered and sufficient funds are set aside to cover the cost of any future maintenance, repairs or replacements of plaques. By comparison, the most affordable bench dedication option is $2,782 for the dedication of an existing bench. The plaques do not require any capital investment.

Draft Traffic Calming Policy and Guidelines complete, final version to come forward to Council in the fall

A draft of Whitby’s new Traffic Calming Policy and Guidelines is now complete. Each year, the Town receives numerous requests from residents for traffic calming -- however, there is no formal policy to direct this work. Traffic calming features are currently being installed on 10 streets annually, based on community requests and input from ward councillors and Whitby Fire and Emergency Services. A Town report notes “the current approach of traffic calming has led to dissatisfaction among some residents regarding the placement of traffic calming measures with requests for removal for some locations.” Traffic calming includes physical measures like speed humps, speed cushions, in-road flexible bollards, raised crosswalks or raised intersections that alter driver behavior and make residential neighbourhood streets feel calmer and more livable. However, traffic calming measures may also come with drawbacks, such as increased emergency vehicle response times, longer transit operating times, and restricted or impeded access to neighbourhood areas. The draft policy includes information on criteria for traffic calming, the level of neighbourhood support required and how to consider removal and modification requests. Council voted June 23 to receive the proposed draft Traffic Calming Policy and Guidelines for information. Community feedback is being gathered until June 30 at https://connectwhitby.ca/trafficcalmingpolicy

Staff will then consider input received by Council and the community and bring forward a final policy and guidelines for Council approval in the fall.

Town staff to start marketing hotel and conference centre feasibility study

A new study has been completed on the feasibility of a hotel and conference centre in Whitby. Attracting a large-scale meeting and event venue to the town has been a longstanding need and is one of the action items in Whitby’s 2022-2026 Economic Development Strategy. In 2024, the Town engaged HVS Consulting and Valuation Services to conduct a feasibility study and market analysis. The study includes assessment of the local hospitality market, research on comparable facilities in Durham Region, supply and demand analysis of Whitby’s lodging market, and 10-year projections for demand and revenue for the optimal proposed development. The consultants reviewed site considerations and determined the ideal location for a hotel and conference centre is near the waterfront, while an extended stay hotel would be best situated in North Whitby. As a next step, Town staff will actively market the opportunity to potential investors in the hospitality sector and bring any recommendations to Council for approval. Council voted to receive the study for information and endorsed the associated marketing materials.

Council votes to keep recognition of Luther Vipond’s name, regardless of future use for Luther Vipond Memorial Arena and site

Council has voted to ensure that, regardless of the future community use identified for the Luther Vipond Memorial Arena and site, that the recognition of Luther Vipond and his name remain a key feature. Vipond (1914–1982) was a lifelong resident of Brooklin/Whitby and an accomplished lacrosse player who distinguished himself over a five-decade period as an athlete, coach, manager, executive, sponsor, mentor, and community builder. He was also a Second World War veteran who was among the 14,000 Canadians who landed on Normandy’s beaches on D–Day on June 6, 1944. Vipond was also among the volunteers who erected a new arena in Brooklin, and in 1954 assumed the role arena manager, a position he held until his retirement in 1979. To learn more about the Town’s community engagement on the future use of Luther Vipond Memorial Arena, visit: https://www.whitby.ca/en/news/help-shape-the-future-of-luther-vipond-memorial-arena.aspx

Council asks for staff report on protected zones around places such as schools, places of worship

Council has asked Town staff to prepare a report on creating protected access zones around locations such as places of worship and schools. Also known as "safe access zones" or "bubble zones," these areas limit protests or demonstrations within a specific radius. Several municipalities across Ontario have passed, or are considering, by-laws of this type. A report is expected to come back to Council sometime in the fall.