Dufferin County Council met on Thursday, August 27, 2026, for a Council meeting. For the full Council meeting agenda and minutes, please see the County’s Meeting Agendas and Minutes page.

Here are the highlights of the August 27 meeting:

• County Council proclaimed September 9, 2026 as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Awareness Day
• County Council supported the Town of Orangeville’s request for Dufferin County to undertake a comprehensive review of the advantages and disadvantages of data centre development proposals within Dufferin
• County Council voted to reconsider elimination of Condo Garbage Rebate Program
• County Council approved Governance Review Scope and Framework Task Force Terms of Reference and appointed members of Council to the Task Force
• County Council received report Community Homelessness Report 2025-2026 Approved
• County Council approved 2027 Market Rents of Dufferin County owned housing units be increased by the maximum level of 1.9% over the previous year
• County Council supported Municipal Finance Officers’ Association of Ontario’s letter to the Ministry of Infrastructure requesting that the doubling of the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund be made permanent in advance of the allocations for the 2027 calendar year

County Council proclaimed September 9, 2026 as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Awareness Day

County Council proclaimed September 9 Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Day in Dufferin. This day helps raise awareness of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder to improve prevention of FASD and diagnosis and support for individuals with FASD.

This year’s FASD Awareness Month theme is “Everyone Plays a Part: It Takes a Community”. This theme highlights the power of collective support in creating a society where individuals with FASD and their families can thrive.

County Council supported the Town of Orangeville’s request for Dufferin County to undertake a comprehensive review of the advantages and disadvantages of data centre development proposals within Dufferin

Josh MacEwen delegated to County Council to provide information and request action to protect the county’s growth capacity with regards to data centres.

Council supported the Town of Orangeville’s request that Dufferin County undertake a comprehensive review of the advantages and disadvantages of data centre development proposals within Dufferin. Planning staff are to prepare a Terms of Reference for this review, which will be brought forward for Council’s consideration and approval prior to proceeding.

County Council voted to reconsider elimination of Condo Garbage Rebate Program

Kim Jaspers-Fayer, Dufferin Condominium Corporations No. 3, 10, 14, 18, 19, 23, 25, 26 and 42, delegated to request Dufferin County continue the garbage rebate for condominiums that pay to dispose of their own solid waste.

County Council voted to dispense with notice as per Section 20.17 of the Procedural By-Law and to reconsider the motion to eliminate the Condo Garbage Rebate Program. Staff will explore options for Condominium Garbage collection and report back.

County Council approved Governance Review Scope and Framework Task Force Terms of Reference and appointed members of Council to the Task Force

County Council approved and appointed the following members of Council to the Governance Review Task Force:

• Councillor Creelman
• Councillor Gerrits
• Councillor Little
• Councillor White

Staff will report back the Task Force recommendations regarding the scope, framework, and process for the governance review to Council by September 24, 2026.

County Council received report “Community Homelessness Report 2025-2026 Approved”

Staff provided County Council with an update on the approval of Dufferin County’s 2025-2026 Community Homelessness Report (CHR) under the federal Reaching Home Program. This is a significant achievement for the County’s homelessness response system.

The Government of Canada’s Reaching Home Program is the federal homelessness strategy that provides funding to communities to support local efforts aimed at preventing and reducing homelessness. Dufferin County serves as the Community Entity for Reaching Home funding locally and is responsible for administering federal investments, coordinating community planning activities, and reporting on outcomes.

With the Reaching Home Program funding, the County has continued to strengthen its homelessness response system, including the implementation of Coordinated Access, By-Name List management, HIFIS data systems, outreach services, housing support programs, landlord engagement strategies, and transitional housing initiatives.

Approval of the CHR demonstrates that Dufferin County continues to maintain a high performing homelessness response system that meets all federal standards for coordinated access, data management and outcomes measurement. It also confirms the County’s eligibility to continue receiving and administering federal Reaching Home funding in support of local homelessness prevention and housing stability initiatives.

The CHR provided evidence of the County’s ongoing commitment to data-driven planning, system integration, collaboration, and community-wide efforts to reduce homelessness and chronic homelessness throughout Dufferin County.

County Council approved 2027 Market Rents of Dufferin County owned housing units be increased by the maximum level of 1.9% over the previous year

The Housing Services Act, 2011 requires community housing landlords to maintain leases of no more than one year and to clearly identify market rent, RGI rent (where applicable), and tenant charges. Dufferin County owns and manages 366 housing units, including 74 affordable housing units developed under the Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program, with rents set at approximately 80 per cent of Average Market Rent.

The Province of Ontario has established a 2027 Rent Increase Guideline of 1.9%, representing the maximum allowable rent increase without approval from the Landlord and Tenant Board. Historical rent increases have remained aligned with provincial guidelines, ranging from 0% during the 2021 provincial rent freeze to 2.5% in recent years, with the 2027 increase set at the lower rate of 1.9%.

The financial impact on tenants is expected to be minimal, as most County tenants receive Rent-Geared-to-Income assistance and relatively few households pay maximum market or affordable rents.

County Council approved that 2027 Market Rents of County owned housing units be increased by the maximum level of 1.9% over the previous year.

County Council supported Municipal Finance Officers’ Association of Ontario’s letter to the Ministry of Infrastructure requesting that the doubling of the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund be made permanent in advance of the allocations for the 2027 calendar year

Dufferin County received correspondence from the Municipal Finance Officers’ Association of Ontario (MFOA), dated June 25, 2026, requesting support to advocate for a permanent doubling of the Ontario Communities Infrastructure Fund. The MFOA indicated it has heard from its members and their municipalities concerns regarding the potential erosion of existing municipal infrastructure, and thus service levels, considering the ongoing focus on housing-enabling infrastructure by grant funding programs

Dufferin County expressed support for the MFOA’s letter to the Ministry of Infrastructure requesting that the doubling of the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund be made permanent in advance of the allocations for the 2027 calendar year, helping municipalities to continue building housing-enabling infrastructure while preserving the economic value provided by existing infrastructure.

About Dufferin County Council

Dufferin County Council consists of 15 members representing each of the eight municipalities in Dufferin. Council meeting processes are set out in the County’s Procedural By-Law.

Dufferin County Council and Committee meetings can be watched live on the County’s website.