SERVING MAPLETON AND MINTO
THE
COMMUNITY NEWS VOLUME 52 ISSUE 28
1 Year GIC - 2.30% 3 Year GIC - 2.40% 5 Year GIC - 2.60% Daily Interest 1.50%
638-3328
THURSDAY, JULY 11, 2019
www.jackfinancial.ca
Town pursues urban boundary expansion By Patrick Raftis MINTO – Pursing a 100acre extension of the urban boundary of Palmerston was among the recommendations agreed to by Minto council from a growth report presented on July 2. CAO Chris Harrow told council the province’s 2019 growth plan update indicates an expectation Minto will grow by 3,745 people by 2041. That translates into 1,330 new homes. “This is a housing unit creation rate of 53 per year, a figure met in 2017 and 2018, but well above historic levels in prior years,� notes a report from Triton Engineering senior planner Bill White. “The North Clifford Secondary Plan and West Palmerston Secondary Plan provide a mechanism to meet these growth targets.� Harrow stated, “If we go by that data right now we don’t have enough urban area in the town of Palmerston to accommodate that. We’re okay in the other two towns (Harriston and Clifford).� White’s report explains the new government opened consultations on the previous (2017) growth plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe Region shortly after last spring’s provincial election. “Most elements of the 2019 growth plan are the same as the 2017 document. The planning horizon is still to 2041,� White states in the report. “The policies still require municipalities plan for a range and mix of housing options, including second units, affordable housing and in particular higher density
Fishing derby - The Moorefield Optimist Club held its annual Fishing Derby Day on June 22 at Cosens Pond. Organizers offer “a huge thank you to Adam and Wendy Cosens and family for the use of their beautiful pond once again.� Approximately 60 youngsters attended the event “with many fish being caught and a whole lot of smiling faces� organizers note. ABOVE: From left is the youngest fisher Sheldon Groshaw (with mom Katy), boys’ biggest fish Hunter Claus, Optimist President Jeremy Culling, girls’ biggest fish Elizabeth Raynard, boys’ most fish caught Easton Vallance and girls’ most fish caught Rosslin Campbell (with dad Ryan). RIGHT: Hunter Claus caught the largest fish of the day, a 17-inch rainbow trout. Submitted photos
Urban expansion - The Town of Minto is pursuing expansion of the urban area of the town of Palmerston in order to accommodate future growth targets. Photo by Patrick Raftis housing. The 2019 growth plan prohibits growth in ‘new’ rural settlement areas where there is no municipal water or sewer services, but allows boundary expansions to meet growth targets set in the plan where existing or planned infrastructure is proposed. There are some new provisions in the 2019 Growth Plan that allow the boundary expansion in West Palmerston to proceed earlier than anticipated.� The 2019 growth plan specifies municipalities such as Minto in the “outer ring� of the Greater Golden Horseshoe that have excess lands designated for development, may now use some tools in the new plan to adjust the amount of land within their urban boundary. This new provision gives flexibility for rural municipalities like Minto to expand urban boundaries in a settlement area like Palmerston by decreasing the size of another settlement area. The Clifford Secondary Plan acknowledges that county growth targets can be met in the north end of the
community where the town installed trunk water and sewer infrastructure in 2018, but there is 165 acres of land inside the Clifford urban boundary that is not serviced and may not be needed to meet county growth targets. There is also excess settlement area designated in Teviotdale where there are no municipal services, White’s report points out. Harrow noted that inclusion in the Greater Golden Horseshoe area puts Minto at a disadvantage in terms of attracting development compared to neighbouring municipalities outside the designated zone. “Our neighbours in Huron County and Perth County aren’t part of the golden horseshoe, where we unfortunately are, so we’re held to different standards,� said Harrow. Council received the report and directed staff and Triton Engineering to meet with the county to further implement the North Clifford Secondary Plan and West Palmerston Secondary Plan as outlined in the report.
Third cannabis facility proposed for Palmerston Industrial Park MINTO – A zoning change that would bring the number of planned cannabis-growing operations in the Palmerston Industrial Park to three has been approved by town council. On July 2, Minto council passed a bylaw approving a zoning change for a property owned by Tucker Industries. The amendment permits the indoor cultivation of cannabis for commercial sale by a licensed producer, subject to approval and licensing by Health Canada under the
Cannabis Act or subsequent regulations. Tucker Industries Inc. is a custom machine builder with experience in the automotive, medical, mining, food production, postal and material handling industries. The company has been in operation in Minto since 2011 and at 135 Minto Road since early 2016. The company currently has eight full-time employees, including a mechanical designer, controls specialist, machinists and fabricators. The company has announced its intent to diver-
SHOWING JULY 12, 13 AND 14
ROCKETMAN
Friday & Saturday 8pm and Sunday 7pm RATED 14A AND 121 MINUTES
MAIN ST. W. PALMERSTON 519.343.3640 www.norgantheatre.com
sify into legal cannabis cultivation, processing and equipment industry through the formation of Mont Vert (MV) Technologies. The new venture will also be at 135 Minto Road, Palmerston. A report from Wellington County senior planner Michelle Innocente notes the subject property is approximately 1.35 hectares (3.34 acres). The applicant is planning to use the existing 975.5m2 (10,500 ft2) building on the property for the cannabis facility. However, the company states, “We do not intend to
reduce our existing operations due to this diversification. “As we approach final approval from Health Canada we intend to lease two additional separate facilities, ideally within the Town of Minto, to allow for the continuation of operations in our fabrication and custom machine building business. There will be no job losses,� Tucker Industries owner Jason Montgomery stated during a public meeting on the proposal. “We note that facility will be entirely indoors, and will
WEEKLY WAG
‘‘
By Patrick Raftis
“A computer once beat me at chess, but
it was no match for me at kick-boxing.� - Emo Phillips
include typical components associated with an industrial use such as shipping, receiving, loading, truck and employee traffic, deliveries, etc., which are appropriate in an industrial area,� the county report notes. “The inclusion of indoor cultivation is compatible in an industrial area and involves many of the same supportive activities.� The Tucker Industries operation will be the third proposed cannabis growing operation in the Palmerston Industrial Park. Montgomery explained
that, as of May 8, Health Canada is requiring all new applicants for such facilities to have a “fully built-out� facility at the time of application. He said this requirement could potentially speed up the approvals process for those with buildings in place. Montgomery also noted the planned facility will meet all security and zoning requirements. “First and foremost, the Town of Minto is our community,� he stated. “Our priority will be to impact the community positively with every decision we make.�
'5$<7216725$*( FRP ,QGLYLGXDO 6WRUDJH 8QLWV Individual Storage Units [ [ [ [
5x10 10x10 10x15 10x20
6HDVRQDO
Seasonal ERDWV FDUV 59V ODZQ WUDFWRUV VXPPHU ZLQWHU WLUH VWRUDJH boats, cars, RVs, lawn tractors, summer/winter tire storage