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Report To: General Government Committee
Date of Meeting: October 6, 2025 Report Number: FSD-032-25
Authored By: Mandy Chong, Manager, Procurement
Submitted By: Trevor Pinn, Deputy CAO/Treasurer, Finance and Technology
Reviewed By: Mary-Anne Dempster, CAO
By-law Number: Resolution Number:
File Number: RFP2025-13
Report Subject: Development of the Growth Management Study
Recommendations:
1.That Report FSD-032-25, and any related delegations or communication items, be
received;
2.That the proposal received from Watson & Associates Economists Ltd., being the
highest scoring proponent meeting all terms, conditions and specifications of
RFP2025-13 be awarded the contract for the development of the Municipality’s
Growth Management Study; and
3.That all interested parties listed in Report FSD-032-25, be advised of Council’s
decision.
Municipality of Clarington Page 2
Report FSD-032-25
Report Overview
To request authorization to award RFP2025 -13 – Growth management Study for the
Municipality.
1. Background
1.1 The Municipality of Clarington requires the assistance of a qualified consulting firm with
the skills, resources, and experience necessary to prepare a Growth Management
Study for the Municipality. The Study will be one of several technical studies that will
inform Clarington’s Official Plan Review to ensure the vision for the Municipality
continues to meet the community’s evolving needs as we plan for growth and
development to 2051.
1.2 Staff from Planning and Infrastructure Services and the CAO’s Office collaborated to
develop the specifications for this Request for Proposal (RFP).
1.3 RFP2025-13 was issued by the Procurement Services Division and advertised
electronically on the Municipality’s website. The RFP was structured on a two -envelope
system with price being an evaluated factor.
2. Analysis
2.1 The RFP closed August 22, 2025.
2.2 Thirteen companies downloaded the request for proposal, and two proposals were
received (refer to Attachment 1) by the stipulated closing date and time. Both proposals
received were determined to have met the mandatory items as contained within the
RFP. Both compliant proposals were distributed to the evaluation committee for review,
evaluation, and scoring.
2.3 The technical proposals were evaluated and scored independently by the members of
the evaluation committee in accordance with the established criteria as outlined in the
RFP. The evaluation committee was comprised of staff from the Planning and
Infrastructure Services Department and the CAO’s Office.
2.4 The RFP stipulated, among other things, that the proponents were to provide a
description of the Firm/Consulting team, key qualifications, firm profile, highlights of past
service and experience of team members with projects of similar size, nature and
complexity, and demonstrate their understanding of the Municipality’s requirements.
Municipality of Clarington Page 3
Report FSD-032-25
2.5 The evaluation committee met to review and agree upon the overall scores for each
proposal. Some of the areas on which the proposals were evaluated were as follows:
The Proponent’s understanding of the Municipality’s requirements;
Experience and qualifications of both the firm as well as the proposed team who
would be working on the project.
That the proposed team had the expertise in the fields required such as growth
management (population and employment forecasting and distribution, capital
planning ), intensification, employment land, land use planning and growth
management legislative framework within Ontario, macroeconomics as well as
microeconomics, etc.
The qualifications and experience record of the proposed Project Manager.
The Proponents methodology and understanding of the requirements for the
project.
A proposed work plan indicating the project method, schedule, Time-Task Matrix
showing an estimated overall timeline of the project.
2.6 Upon completion of the evaluation, both proposals met the established passing
threshold of 80 percent for Phase 2 - Technical Submission and moved to Phase 3 -
Pricing. The evaluation committee determined that the optional presentation from the
short-listed proponents would not be required.
2.7 The pricing envelopes for the short-listed proponents were opened and evaluated as
stipulated in the RFP document.
2.8 Upon completion of the evaluation scoring, the recommendation is to award the contract
for this work to the highest scoring proponent, Watson & Associates Economists Ltd.
2.9 Watson & Associates Economists Ltd. has completed work for the Municipality in the
past and reference checks were not completed.
3. Financial Considerations
3.1 The funding required for this contract award is up to $425,560.32 (Net HST Rebate).
The project will be funded from the following accounts , which are in the approved 2025
budget:
Description Account Number Amount
Official Plan Review Consulting 100-50-130-10529-7160 $425,560.32
Municipality of Clarington Page 4
Report FSD-032-25
4. Strategic Plan
The Growth Management Study will provide planning, demographic and
economic/financial guidance regarding how and where the Municipality can strategically
accommodate forecast population and employment growth. This work will support both
Priorities G.1.1 Expand Clarington’s commercial and industrial tax base, and G.2.1:
Prepare a new Official Plan that will guide community growth to 2051, in the Municipality
of Clarington’s Strategic Plan 2024-2027.
5. Climate Change
Not Applicable.
6. Concurrence
This report has been reviewed by the Deputy CAO, Planning and Infrastructure
Services and the Chief Administrative Officer who concur with the recommendations.
7. Conclusion
It is respectfully recommended that Watson & Associates Economists Ltd., being the
highest scoring proponent meeting all terms, conditions and specifications of RFP2025 -
13 be awarded the contract for the development of the Municipality’s Growth
Management Study.
Staff Contact: Mandy Chong, Manager, Procurement, PH: 905-623-3379 Ext. 2209 or
mchong@clarington.net.
Attachments:
Attachment 1 – Summary of Proposals Received
Interested Parties:
List of Interested Parties available from Department.
Municipality of Clarington Page 5
Report FSD-032-25
Attachment 1 to Report FSD-032-25 – Summary of Proposals Received
Municipality of Clarington
RFP2025-13– Growth Management Study
Summary of Proposals Received
Bidder Status
Hemson Consulting Ltd. Short-listed
Watson & Associates Economists Ltd. Short-listed