Whitby Council Highlights -September 2026

Council has directed Town staff to review Whitby’s by-laws and report back on options to establish enhanced maintenance standards for dormant development sites.

The motion notes Whitby continues to experience significant development and redevelopment -- and that changing economic conditions may result in approved projects being delayed. Sites that remain dormant for long periods can negatively impact neighbouring properties through issues such as weeds and overgrowth, debris, graffiti, standing water, dust, erosion, and more. 

Council has also directed that staff consider inspection and enforcement mechanisms as part of the review, including whether dormant development sites should be proactively inspected as opposed to relying on complaints. 

At a Committee of the Whole meeting on Sept. 21, Council did not support a motion directing Town staff to establish a comprehensive data centre planning review for the Town of Whitby.

Instead, the matter has been referred to the next term of Council, with direction that the incoming Council be provided with an education and training session on the potential impact of data centres in Whitby. Town staff noted that, due to Whitby’s lack of electrical infrastructure, it is highly unlikely that Whitby would see any applications for a data centre before 2032.

Staff estimated the study being requested would cost approximately $100,000 and that the policy and regulatory framework around data centres in Ontario is evolving rapidly, meaning any study completed in the short term could become outdated.

Council has voted to formally request that Infrastructure Ontario conduct an additional public meeting on the proposed Transit-Oriented Community at the Whitby GO Station in fall 2026 or early 2027.

The mayor will send a letter outlining the request to Infrastructure Ontario, the Minister of Infrastructure, local members of provincial parliament, and Metrolinx. The proposal includes six towers with approximately 2,355 apartments, as well as a new park, retail and commercial spaces, public spaces, and direct connections to the Whitby GO Station and Durham Region Transit. It is one of eight Transit-Oriented Communities currently being proposed by the province along GO Transit and LRT networks.

Infrastructure Ontario hosted two public information sessions in July and collected feedback through an online survey that closed Aug. 21. 

Council has directed the Town’s Economic Development staff to prepare an interim report examining how the Town of Whitby can “proactively position itself to attract defence contractors, defence-related manufacturers, advanced manufacturers and companies within the Canadian defence and security supply chain.”

The motion notes that the report should identify specific actions Whitby could take to improve its competitiveness for defence-sector investment, including potential changes to municipal economic-development programs, site-readiness initiatives, investment marketing, workforce development, infrastructure planning, and intergovernmental advocacy.