City Council Wrap-Up: March 25, 2025
Mar 26, 2025
Here is an overview of some key discussions and decisions from the City Council meeting on March 25.
Urban Forest Master Plan
Council approved the Urban Forest Master Plan, a long-term strategy for preserving, enhancing and sustainably managing the trees within urban areas. This includes trees in municipal parks and natural areas, along roadways, on public lands like schools or hospitals, and on private residential, commercial or industrial lands.
While highlighting Greater Sudbury’s historical deforestation and internationally renowned regreening efforts, staff explained that the city has a 33 per cent urban canopy cover, which compares favourably to other municipalities, with nearly 86 per cent of trees in good or very good health.
The vision for 2050 is to have a diverse and healthy urban forest that supports ecological and social well-being, and the master plan includes 15 key recommendations to get there. The Urban Forest Working Group has created an implementation strategy for the first year and will return with annual updates on the plan’s progress.
Read the report, master plan and implementation plan here.
New Tax Subclass for Multi-Residential Properties
As part of its 2024 budget, the Ontario government is allowing municipalities to offer a reduced municipal property tax rate for new multi-residential developments. This new tax subclass would provide a property tax discount of up to 35 per cent on the municipal portion of property taxes for new multi-residential developments (seven units or more), where units are built or converted from a non-residential use.
Council directed staff to proceed with implementing this new tax subclass, which supports both municipal and provincial goals to increase the availability of affordable housing options. The City has implemented a Housing Supply Strategy, an Affordable Housing Strategy and a moratorium on development charges for certain residential properties, and this initiative will complement those measures and further improve housing affordability and availability in our community.
Staff will now prepare the necessary by-law to adopt the new tax subclass with an initial reduction rate of zero per cent, with annual reviews to adjust the rate as needed.
Junction Creek Improvements
Historical flooding of Junction Creek, one of the city’s most significant watercourses, has occurred since the settlement of the original City of Sudbury. In 2019, the City received funding through the federal Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund (DMAF) for four projects to improve stormwater resiliency and reduce the impacts of flooding on critical infrastructure and essential services.
One of these projects is the Junction Creek Reconstruction and Reprofiling project, which will provide significant long-term benefits by addressing drainage issues and enhancing flood resiliency in the Flour Mill and Downtown areas. However, project costs have risen due to inflation, land acquisitions, market volatility and changes in regulatory requirements, and the bid prices came in over the allocated budget.
Council approved additional funding of $7.1 million to proceed with the project. This includes $3.5 million reallocated from another part of the DMAF Junction Creek project, $1.9 million reallocated from other drainage projects that came in under budget, under the Capital General Holding Reserve, and $1.7 million from the Water Rate Holding Reserve.
Enhanced Tax Deferral Program for Older Adult and Disabled Homeowners
Following direction from a Finance and Administration Committee meeting in March 2024, staff presented a report describing a potential enhanced property tax deferral program for older adult and disabled homeowners.
Council approved a resolution from Councillor Fortin directing staff to proceed with implementing an enhanced program. The program would allow eligible homeowners (those 65 or older, or those with disabilities) to defer a portion or the full amount of annual property tax bill from the year of application until such time as they sell or otherwise dispose of their home. These deferred amounts would attract interest for as long as they remain outstanding.
Staff will prepare the necessary by-laws and a further information report, along with communication materials to implement the program this calendar year.
Member’s Motion on Event Centre
Council rejected a motion from Councillor Leduc to cancel the current Request for Proposal for the Event Centre Venue Management Services, given the ongoing threat of U.S. tariffs, and re-issue it to encourage Canadian and non-U.S.-based companies to bid.
Read the member’s motion here.
Regulation of Shipping Containers
A report on the regulation of shipping containers was deferred to the April 29 Council meeting.
For more details on these and other items from this week’s meetings, visit www.greatersudbury.ca/meetings-agendas-and-minutes.