Port Hope Council’s September 16 meeting touched on everything from nuclear planning to housing and infrastructure.
Ontario Power Generation vice president Theresa Dekker presented a quarterly update on early planning for potential new nuclear generation at Wesleyville. Scott Cameron, general manager of the Port Hope Area Initiative, gave a quarterly update on cleanup work under the Historic Waste Program Management Office. Other delegations included a proposal from Peter deAuer about working with Viceroy Homes to produce pre-fabricated houses to ease local housing shortages, and Greg Burns of the Garden Hill Neighbourhood Group who raised water security and zoning concerns at 3852 Ganaraska Road. Council referred that matter to staff for review by October 19.
On the business agenda, council approved an affordable housing agreement with Wellings to secure a minimum of five affordable dwelling units at 60 Henderson Street. Members enacted a new civic address by-law designed to improve emergency response, re-endorsed the drinking water quality management system and updated the overall responsible operator policy to reflect new CUPE Local 749 compensation.
Council also pre-approved $275,000 in the 2026 Capital Budget for an addition to the rural roads office and awarded the contract to Dalren Limited for $559,680 net HST. Staff reported Port Hope Fire and Emergency Services had received a $25,000 Hydro One Energizing Life Community Fund grant to support its Community Wildland Fire Protection Plan.
Council approved the Asset Management Plan for all municipal infrastructure assets and received the second quarter financial report showing the municipality on track with its 2025 budget.
The next Committee of the Whole meeting is October 7 and the next regular council meeting is October 21.
(Written by: Joseph Goden)