LaSalle agrees in principle to development charge cut

The sign on the LaSalle Landing property along Front Road in LaSalle

The Town of LaSalle is now among a number of local municipalities planning to cut development charges if they’re able to secure federal-provincial funding.

Council voted on Tuesday night to have administration submit their application for funding through the $8.8-billion ‘Canada-Ontario Development Charge Reduction Program’ to support municipalities in fast-tracking shovel ready housing-enabling infrastructure projects.

In the application, council must reduce development fees by 30 to 50 per cent, and if successful, the town could see up to 90 per cent of project costs covered through the grant. If the town is unsuccessful, the development charges will remain status quo.

In LaSalle, this funding would be used to help pay for two projects, including the Reaume District Housing Enable Infrastructure Project.

This project has an estimated cost of $50-million and would extend Reaume Road to align with Sandwich West Parkway and Ellis Street from Suzanne to Bouffard, including all lands and associated infrastructure - unlocking the potential to build 4,000-5,000 dwelling units.

The second project is the Sanitary Capacity Expansion with a price tag of $45-million.

This project would expand the conveyance and treatment capacity, unlocking sewage capacity for approximately 10,000 residents and the potential to build 3,000-4,000 dwelling units.

LaSalle mayor Crystal Meloche says the Reaume District is a large project for the town.

“That would unlock - in that area - over 600 acres in the Reaume District to build the potential of 4,000 to 5,000 dwelling units in the future, in the coming years. So, the project would have to start by 2030 and have to be completed by 2035, and that’s one that we’re comfortable with. We realize it would help with infrastructure in the community and getting people moved across the community a little bit easier.”

She says expanding the sanitary capacity isn’t as heavily needed compared to the Reaume District but is crucial long-term.

“Right now we have capacity for up to 65,000 people, so we still have a lot of growth available; we’d like to do a full build-out, which is 75,000 residents. So, not needed quite as much as maybe the Reaume one, but it also is important because we want to twin the main. So that is a project that’s also estimated at about $40-million to $45-million.”

Meloche says at the end of the day this program is about growth.

“I know that’s what the province and the federal government is trying to do is ensure that we have the housing available, and so that’s what we need to work towards. And that’s the whole intention of this program, and so we’re going to apply and hope to be able to take part in it. We would do our share if they could help fund some of the things to get us to where we need to be, so we’re excited.”

Municipalities have until June 19 to apply to the program. Successful municipalities will be notified by August 15.

Earlier this week, Kingsville council and Lakeshore council approved cutting DCs by 50 per cent.

Amherstburg and Tecumseh council are expected to meet next week to make a decision on the application process.