Industrial association supports DC bylaw

An association representing local industries does not share concerns that Niagara’s new development charges bylaw could stifle economic growth.

After being assured that the new development charges bylaw being considered by Niagara Region council Thursday night would continue to waive fees for new and expanding industrial facilities in a timely manner, Niagara Industrial Association Chair Domenic Ursini said his organization supports the policy.

Ursini said the Region’s previous bylaw, which expired on Aug. 31, “fostered a lot of development, be it both new development as well as expansions.”

“We are confident, through our conversations with industrial manufacturers, that without that, their decision to expand or their decision to come to Niagara would have been largely limited and in many respects they probably wouldn’t have pursued it,” Ursini said.

The new bylaw, he added, “basically calls for the continuation of the waiving of industrial development charges.”

As a result, he’s hopeful that new and expanding industries will essentially pay “zero development charges” on future projects they undertake.

Although a new development charges bylaw was already approved on July 20, councillors considered a report at the Oct. 5 meeting asking them to repeal that bylaw and replace it with a new one.

That report was prepared after the City of Welland launched an Ontario Municipal Board appeal, pointing out that the Region failed to provide written notice of the passing of the bylaw within a 20-day time period, required under the Ontario Development Charges Act.

While Welland claimed that the error rendered the previously approved bylaw unenforceable, Niagara senior staff at the time said it would be up to the OMB to determine that.

The waivers will get done in the beginning stages of a development, and there will be no hindrance on any developer wanting to come to Niagara, or looking to expand.” Niagara Industrial Association Chair Domenic Ursini

The new bylaw has been a point of contention for south Niagara communities led by the City of Welland, concerned that it would stifle economic development efforts.

Ursini said the Association also expressed concerns about the new bylaw, initially, regarding the requirement for council approval of industrial development charge waivers that exceed a $1-million cap.

“What we certainly want to do is ensure that any developer coming into Niagara, and or existing companies looking to expand wouldn’t want any hindrances, and more so, we don’t want lapses in time. Quite frankly to an industrial person or any entrepreneur, time is money,” he said.

Ursini, however, said the Association has since been given assurances from Niagara’s senior staff that requests for waivers would be considered in a timely manner.

“The waivers will get done in the beginning stages of a development, and there will be no hindrance on any developer wanting to come to Niagara, or looking to expand,” Ursini said.

And based on past experience, Ursini wasn’t concerned that council could vote against providing waivers to industries.

“In the past, council has always approved them,” he said. “So again, we have confidence that would be the case moving forward.”