Bonwick gets NVCA fee break for airport project

By Sandy Agnew AWARE News Network

Following a deputation by Paul Bonwick (president and CEO of Compenso Communications, representing the Collingwood Airport Industrial Development) complaining about their high plan review fees, the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority (NVCA) board has thrown out their recently revised fee structure and given a break to the developer.

Bonwick told board members at their Nov 28 board meeting that the NVCA fees are exorbitantly higher than those of the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA).

Fees are charged by all Conservation Authorities (CA) to cover the costs of reviewing development plans to make sure they conform to provincial legislation for flood control and environmental protection.

Bonwick argued that the airport is a major economic driver for the Collingwood area and the development proposed could eventually provide as many as 400 full time jobs. He noted that Buttonville airport is to close in 2016 and suggested Collingwood airport needs to be ready to provide a location for aviation sector industries that will have to move.

A staff report shows that NVCA fees are lower than fees of the Credit Valley CA and Central Lake Ontario CA but higher than LSRCA and Grand River CA.

Pretty well all board members who spoke were in favour of the full cost recovery principle, however several members raised concerns about setting fees for individual applications instead of applying the fee schedule consistently for all applications.

Suggesting that a legal opinion be sought, Essa councilor Kevin White noted that this was a dangerous road to go down, to change fee the structure for individual developments. He was supported by Mary Brett, mayor-elect of Adjala-Tosorontio who had been on the committee that set the current fee structure. Melancthon mayor-elect Darren White referred to it as “cherry picking” fees for specific proponents. Bradford West Gwillimbury mayor-elect Rob Keffer pointed out that the land is currently zoned agriculture.

Interim CAO Gayle Wood proposed a compromise motion that the fee be set at $44,000 and that that costs would be tracked carefully and that any costs above the $44,000 would be charged to the developer.

How they voted

The motion carried 11-8. In favour: Brett, Khan, Bronee, Lloyd, Hawkins, Jebb, Coutanche, Benatto, Ritchie, Webster, Bifolchi.  Against: Keffer, K. White, Smith, McQueen, Lougheed, D. White, Marrs, Lancaster.

There was also a lengthy discussion at the meeting about the Terms of Reference for the four subcommittees proposed by the Efficiency Audit report. Mono Councillor Fred Nix, who was absent due to illness, sent in a three page list of concerns about the structure of these proposed committees. Link to Nix memo. In the end this item was deferred to the December 12 meeting – the last meeting of the current board – due to lack of time.

I should note that Simcoe County Council recently disbanded its separate committee structure, mainly because it resulted in debating the issues twice, once at committee and a second time at county council.