Whitby Council Highlights - November 2025

Council has approved several changes to the Town’s waste collection by-law. The by-law will be updated to reflect changes to the Region of Durham’s green bin program that now allow pet-waste and diapers to be accepted. The update also reflects the transition of the Blue Box Recycling Program from the Region of Durham to Circular Materials, which is an organization that represents producers of the products and packaging. The Town has also recently implemented a plan to provide eligible private road developments with municipal waste collection as early as 2026.

After residents raised safety concerns about the intersection of Dryden Boulevard and Brookwood Boulevard due to poor visibility and vehicle speeds, crossing guard positions will be added to the Town’s 2026 Budget. The positions are conditional on the budget being approved.  

Council has approved amendments to the policy for naming Town property and facilities. A staff report notes the naming process for Des Newman WhitBEE Park highlighted that the current policy needs to be updated to enhance public engagement and transparency by requiring formal public consultation for the naming of significant Town facilities such as parks and community centres.

The new policy updates naming criteria to reflect best practices, including supporting Indigenous naming opportunities in alignment with the Town’s Truth and Reconciliation commitments.

Under the new policy, residents will be invited to submit name suggestions and Town staff will provide a shortlist of candidate names for public feedback. A final list of eligible names will subsequently be shared with the community for ranking, and results of the public engagement will be summarized in a staff report to Council for final consideration.

Council has directed Town staff to report back on how to incorporate the Ontario Housing Design Catalogue into Whitby’s building permit review and approval process. Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada released the catalogue to support municipalities, builders and homeowners in building more homes faster -- with a focus on gentle density and infill development. The catalogue includes seven models for Ontario housing projects including accessory dwelling units, fourplexes, sixplexes, and stacked townhouses. The designs prioritize energy efficiency, accessibility, and livability, and have been developed by local architects and engineers to comply with regional building codes. The catalogue draws inspiration from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s post-war housing design catalogue, first developed between the 1940s and 1970s. A copy of the motion will be sent to Whitby MP Ryan Turnbull, Whitby MPP Lorne Coe, the Region of Durham, and local Durham municipalities as well as Ontario’s Big City Mayors and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario.

Council has voted for the Town of Whitby to express “strong support” for a proposal from the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative to establish a Great Lakes Resilient Infrastructure Fund with the Government of Ontario. The fund would help municipalities adapt to the impacts of extreme weather and enhance stormwater and wastewater system resilience. The motion notes that a key action in Whitby’s Climate Emergency Response Plan is the construction of a flood berm between Hwy. 401 and adjacent residential properties to mitigate flood risks in the Michael Boulevard and Flemington Court area – and that this project that could potentially be supported by the Great Lakes Resilient Infrastructure Fund. 

Council is requesting that the provincial and federal governments partner to create a capital grant program for Royal Canadian Legion branches to support urgent capital repairs to their facilities. Many of the 388 Legion branches in southern Ontario require significant capital investment to continue to provide valuable community programming and social opportunities for their membership. This includes Royal Canadian Legion Branch 112 in Whitby, which requires a $15,000 repair to the roof of the building, which is not eligible for insurance coverage. A copy of the motion will be sent to Prime Minister Mark Carney, Premier Doug Ford, Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Finance, Francois-Phillippe Champagne, Minister of Finance and National Revenue, Jill McKnight, Minister of Veterans Affairs, the Region of Durham, and all Durham municipalities.