County Council meetings are broadcast live at www.oxfordcounty.ca/livestream. For agenda packages and past recordings of Council meetings, visit www.oxfordcounty.ca/council.
Emergency shelter update

County Council will receive an update on May 11 on the progress in delivering 24-hour, 7-day a week emergency shelter to Oxford’s homeless. Extended service hours at “The INN” are possible through County funding and partnerships with Old St. Paul’s Anglican Church and Operation Sharing. Agencies like the Mobile Health Bus, Canadian Mental Health Association, and Oxford County Community Health Centre have also started providing services on site at The INN. The report acknowledges the contributions of Old St. Paul’s Anglican Church in facilitating a $100,000 renovation project funded through the County’s Social Services Relief Fund (SSRF) allocation.

HS 2022-02 – Emergency Shelter Update

Agricultural policies updates

County Council is being asked to approve amendments to the County’s agricultural planning policies as part of Phase 1 of the Official Plan Review. Informed by extensive consultation with the provincial government, public and other stakeholders, the updated policies increase opportunities to establish agriculture-related uses and certain small businesses in the County’s agricultural area and to maintain rural populations where appropriate.

The agricultural policy updates are intended to ensure the County’s policies are aligned with current provincial direction while reflecting local objectives and considerations. Oxford County’s agricultural policies help ensure agricultural lands, which make up roughly 87% of Oxford’s total land area, are sustainably managed and protected for the long term.

CP 2022-162 – Phase 1 Official Plan Update - Agricultural Policies -Recommended Amendment

Municipal modernization fund update

County Council receives its quarterly update on the County’s 25 Municipal Modernization Fund projects next Council meeting. To date, the Government of Ontario has awarded Oxford County $1.78 million in funding, supplemented by $280,784 in County funding, to undertake independent, third-party efficiency reviews and to implement projects to modernize systems and operations that will achieve savings and efficiencies in the future.

The County’s Modernization Funding projects are expected to achieve $1.7 million in annual savings combined. Recently completed ones include staff scheduling software, an evaluation of GPS software for use in roads patrol and maintenance, a real-time data solution for Paramedic Services, and a Joint Service Delivery Review undertaken with the local area municipalities.

Under requirement by the Province, completed service reviews that were supported through Municipal Modernization Funds are posted on the County website.

CS 2022-15 Municipal Modernization Projects Update – Q1 2022

Other reports and presentations

• Delegation: Oxford County Poverty Support Program - Al Garland
• Delegation: Ontario Federation of Agriculture regarding farmland preservation in Oxford County
• Public meeting - Report CP 2022-185: Application for Official Plan Amendment OP 21-22-8 – Benito Fuschino
• PW 2022-27: Award – Oxford Road 59 (Vansittart Avenue) Intersection Improvements, City of Woodstock
• CS 2022-16: Lowrie Crescent Tillsonburg Project and 11th Line Woodstock Sanitary Fees – Internal Long-term Debt Issue
• CS 2022-17: Internal Long-term Debt Issue – Renewable Energy Project
• Council Workshop: Asset Management Plan Update (10:30 a.m. following Council meeting)

Questions or comments?

Council this Week highlights Council activities for the public, employees and community partners. Please send your questions and comments to communications@oxfordcounty.ca

Emergency shelter update, agricultural policies, modernization funding and more