Council Highlights - May 2024

Work is progressing on the Town’s Parks and Recreation Master Plan. On May 6, Council received the draft plan for information and directed Town staff to proceed with the last phase of community consultation, which is gathering feedback on the draft plan. A final version of the plan will be brought to Council for adoption in fall 2024. Once complete, the plan will guide decision-making related to Whitby’s parks and recreation services through to 2031. Whitby is expected to experience population growth of 25 per cent during that period, particularly in West Whitby and Brooklin. The Parks and Recreation Master Plan will provide a road map to prioritize and address community needs and guide future decisions. The plan will focus primarily on parks, open spaces, and recreation programming, services, and facilities, including the marina. Consultation is open until June 21, residents can visit connectwhitby.ca to share feedback.

Council has directed Town staff to bring forward a revised Procedure By-law, that provides improved formatting, structure, and ease of reference and includes “substantive revisions” based on feedback from Council members. Revisions will include a requirement for Council members to provide the Town clerk with the topics of proposed motions 10 days in advance of meetings, and a defined meeting adjournment time of 11 p.m., with matters not considered before adjournment deferred to the next applicable meeting. Changes will also include a registration deadline for delegates of 8 a.m. on the day of a meeting; and hearing of delegates only at Committee of the Whole meetings -- unless a matter is being considered at a regular Council meeting that was not previously considered at Committee of the Whole, or if the staff recommendation is altered by Council at Committee of the Whole.

Council has approved a new Municipal Accommodation Tax (MAT) for Whitby as a way of generating revenue to support local tourism initiatives. A MAT is a local tax levied by municipalities on accommodations such as hotels and motels. Short-term rentals such as VRBO, cabins, and Airbnb will be phased into Whitby’s MAT once the Town’s Short-Term Rental By-law is approved. More than 50 municipalities in Ontario currently have a MAT. The common rate amongst major cities and towns across Ontario is four per cent, which is also what Whitby will charge. The Ontario Restaurant Hotel Motel Association will collect the MAT from accommodation providers and remit it to the Town, starting July 1, 2024. A Whitby MAT webpage will be created with information and frequently asked questions for accommodation providers and visitors. A Town report notes that the MAT “will allow for new strategic projects that support tourism, increase visitor spending, and strengthen the local economy without impacting the property tax-funded budget.”