Pelham Town Council approved its 2025 capital budget during a marathon, four-and-a-half-hour meeting Wednesday, but other items were on the docket as well. One of them saw members elect Ward 2 Councillor Brian Eckhardt to the position of Deputy Mayor by a 4-3 vote in a secret ballot.
Ward 2’s other councillor, John Wink, who has served as Deputy Mayor for the past two years, apparently chose not to run again as only Eckhardt and Ward 1’s Wayne Olson either put forward their names or were nominated for the role.
Eckhardt cited his “excellent public speaking skills” among other things before edging out Olson in the vote. Eckhardt was nominated by Ward 3’s Shellee Niznik, while Olson received nomination support from Ward 3’s Bob Hildebrandt.
Eckhardt will take on the role of Deputy Mayor for two years beginning Jan. 29.
Wink, attending Wednesday’s meeting remotely and clearly sounding under the weather, jokingly asked Mayor Marvin Junkin if he would receive a “retirement party.”
“Yes, [but] you will have to fund it,” Junkin replied.
While the capital budget was approved despite councillors going line-by-line on some items and red-circling others, such as batting cage lighting at Centennial Park, a more contentious issue arose over council’s passage of revised development charges.
Controversial local developer Stephen Kaiser appeared remotely and took the Town to task for what many in the building industry across Ontario say are excessive municipal levies that reduce home affordability.
“It baffles me that all levels of government continue to comment and ask why housing is no longer affordable when they in fact are holding the smoking gun,” Kaiser said, before blasting Pelham directly.
“As recently as 2018, the development charge for a single-family home was $17,750. Today you are proposing to almost double that amount,” he said.
Kaiser was followed by Niagara Home Builders Association CEO Chuck McShane, who didn’t mince words either. Prefacing his remarks by telling council members not to take the comments personally, McShane said new home buyers shouldn’t be burdened for a municipality’s new infrastructure costs, and said that answers provided to him by the Town “were nothing but insulting and evasive.”
Junkin then interrupted McShane to point out that he had previously sat with the Mayor and staff to go over line items on how development charges are applied and spent.
McShane replied that there appeared to be no detailed explanation or consistency with the figures.
“We know that we have to pay D.C. charges, but we can’t foot the bill for the Town of Pelham,” he summarized.
Kaiser and McShane’s position is no longer a complaint limited to developers.
Economist Mike Moffatt, a housing expert who has built a large social media following writing about Canada’s continuing housing crisis, pointed out this week that development charges in the City of Toronto have increased 6,000 percent over the last 25 years.
Other culprits apply however: a developer in Niagara must pay fees to both the municipality and the Region, effectively doubling their bill. And Pelham Treasurer Teresa Quinlin said that inflation has continued to play a part in spiralling costs, saying that all public works projects have “gone up significantly” in price, work that the development charges are meant to pay for—roads, water lines, sewer lines—required by new developments, shifting these costs to the developers and buyers of new homes rather than putting them on the backs of taxpayers already living in a municipality.
It's also unclear how even a $35,000 development charge genuinely makes a meaningful impact on the "affordability" of a million dollar home, given that this represents only 3.5 percent of the sales price. By contrast, total real estate sales commissions are typically 5 percent of the sales price.
Capital Budget increase for 2025
Council approved a 4.84 percent increase in next year's Capital Budget, which includes a needed contribution to reserves that were essentially depleted by the East Fonthill development spree undertaken by the previous mayor and his councils starting a decade ago.
In 2025 Pelham is contributing 2 percent to its reserves, meaning that 2.84 percent is for the municipal corporation and its operations.
"The 2 percent is effectively voluntary savings," said Pelham CAO David Cribbs in response to a PelhamToday comment request.
"That is generally not the case for our neighbours," added Cribbs, referring to other Niagara municipalities.
He noted that Welland's 2025 bump is 3.95 percent, Port Colborne's is 6.45 percent, Fort Erie is at a proposed 5.16 percent, and Niagara Region has passed an 8.27 percent increase for next year. Niagara-on-the-Lake is currently talking about a whopping 14.4 percent increase, which is still in draft.
Arches saga
Councillor Bob Hildebrandt voiced concern about the structural integrity of the Fonthill arches following last month’s surprise closure due to stability issues. While the designer and engineer of the structure replaced two bolts which had shorn off due to wind or wear, Hildebrandt, a former engineer, said all bolts might need to be replaced.
Public Works Director Jason Marr assured council the arches are “safe in their current condition” but said that a staff report on the structure would be coming early in the New Year, which may include the recommendation to replace all bolts. He added that the arches should be inspected twice a year.
Olson joined Hildebrandt in questioning the situation.
“Our bigger concern is we don’t know what the root cause of [the November incident] was,” he said.
As PelhamToday reported late last month, not all observers are convinced that wind alone was the culprit.
Additional council news provided by the Town:
Watson & Associates – Recreation User Fee Review.
Council received a presentation from Sean-Michael Stephen of Watson & Associates Economists Ltd. regarding a user fee review for Parks and Recreation in Pelham. Fees are typically set to recover less than full costs and costs that are not funded by the user fees are then supported by the municipal tax levy. A full review and comparison to other municipalities and the rates for both resident and non-resident fees were highlighted.
2025 User Fee and Charges Report
Council received Report #2025-0275 – 2025 User Fees and Charges Report and approved the amended User Fees and Charges. Council directed staff to prepare and present the amended 2025 User Fees and Charges By-law for consideration at the next regular meeting of Council.
Pelham Summerfest
Council received a presentation from Pelham Summerfest working group chair Bea Clark. Pelham Summerfest received for the 8th time a Festivals and Events Ontario award. Pelham Summerfest had record crowds in 2024 with exceptional weather over all four days, with the opener on Thursday, Friday country night, Saturday street festival and Sunday in Peace Park. New for the 2024 event was the Pelham Street Games, which had oversized games that were sponsored by local businesses. Ontario Cultural Attractions fund, through a grant, supported the increased elements at the event and the redevelopment of the Pelham Summerfest website. The 2025 Pelham Summerfest will take place July 17-20. www.pelhamsummerfest.ca
Lincoln Pelham Public Library Fonthill Branch Renovations
Council received Report 2024-0283-Fonthill Branch Library Renovation for information and requested to defer the decision of the Fonthill Branch Library renovation. Council further directed Town staff to consult with the Lincoln Pelham Public Library Board for a more thorough understanding of priorities and requests at various price points and return to council with a follow-up report.
Town of Pelham Community Mural
Council receive Report #2024-0247 - Ontario Arts Council Mural Report, for information. In June 2024, the Town of Pelham was successful in securing funding from the Ontario Arts Council to support the development a heritage-themed collaborative art project. Multiple opportunities throughout the Christmas in Pelham events will be provided for residents to participate in the mural painting process through the paint-by-number panels. This heritage/agriculture-themed mural project offers a unique opportunity for the residents of Pelham to engage in the creation of public art that reflects the community’s history and values. Town staff have selected the north-facing exterior wall of the municipal building at 20 Pelham Town Square in Fonthill as the site for the mural installation. www.pelham.ca/muralpainting
Administrative Penalty By-law: 2024 Schedule “A” Update
Council received Report # 2024-0277 Administrative Penalty By-law 2024 Schedule “A” Update, for information and approved the proposed updated Schedule “A” to By-law No. 68-2023, being the Administrative Penalty Process By-law for Non-Parking By-laws. Council directed staff to prepare a by-law to amend By-law No. 68- 2023 to be finalized and presented to Council for consideration at the next regular meeting of Council.
Emergency Pelham Street Sanitary Spot Repairs Between Church Hill and Highway 20 East
Council received Report #2024-0272 – Pelham Street Sanitary Spot Repairs Between Church Hill and Highway 20 East, for information and approved an estimated budget of $100,000.00 funded from the Wastewater Reserve to complete the Emergency Repairs Sanitary Spot Repairs Between Church Hill and Highway 20 East project. Council approved the immediate procurement of goods and services for the emergency repair.
With files by Dave Burket.
