By: Sylene Argent, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Essex Free Press
Council for the County of Essex deferred the final consideration of the proposed County Development Charges (DC) By-Law until January 21, 2026.
The local decision-makers moved to do so via recommendation from administration at the November 19 meeting.
This has been a file that has had the regional decision-makers split, with some expressing the need for it, while others noted now is not the time to add to the cost of new homes.
It was designed to impose fees on developers to pay for growth-related capital costs to new home or commercial builds for County services, such as EMS, Library, and County Roads.
Melissa Ryan, Director of Financial Services/Treasurer, told County Council the project consultant, Hemson Consulting Ltd., advised the County wait to consider passing the final adoption as Bill 60 – Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, 2025 – could impact some of the land cost included in the DC schedules, particularly with the roadway expansion program.
“We want to avoid passing a by-law that might need immediate amendments,” Ryan relayed to County Council.
The background study on the matter was completed on April 2. The County has a year to pass the by-law, so moving consideration to January is still keeping within that window.
The County of Essex’s very first Draft Development Charges By-Law was presented at the October1 meeting.
These fees are separate from DCs the seven local municipalities are already charging for their own services. The County has never had a DC charge.
The bulk of the cost in the Draft County DC By-Law are stemming from the Roadway Expansion Program that is tied to growth, Ryan previously explained.
The proposed County DC for a new single or semi-detached home would add $12,500 to such new builds. That would be once the phased-in rates are fully noticed in 2030.
The DCs for rows or other types of multiple-dwelling units is around $7,600, with other residential units sitting at $6,675.
The maximum DC fee for non-residential is $46.35 per square-meter, most of which is related to roads.
The Draft County DC By-Law proposed a four-year approach, starting in January of 2027. The idea is to start it then, with a 25% charge, which would grow by increments annually until it reaches 100% by 2030. Rates would be indexed annually to consider inflation.
Exemptions to the DC include for municipalities and school boards, industrial expansions, residential intensification, affordable housing, non-profit housing, rental housing based on number of bedrooms, and long-term care homes.
Non-statutory exemptions could include farm buildings, places of worship, hospitals, and institutional uses, including post-secondary.
County Council also approved Administration’s request to use up to $5000 from the Rate Stabilization Reserve to support any additional consultant work needed to update the rates and schedules, if Bill 60 does come into effect.