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Report To: Council
Date of Meeting: December 15, 2025 Report Number: PDS-075-25
Authored By: Amanda Crompton, Principal Planner; Lisa Backus, Manager
Submitted By: Darryl Lyons, Deputy CAO, Planning and Infrastructure
Reviewed By: Mary-Anne Dempster, CAO
By-law Number: Resolution Number:
File Number: COPA2025-0005 (PLN 41.7)
Report Subject: Courtice Transit-Oriented Community Secondary Plan Recommendation
Report Addendum
Recommendations:
1.That Report PDS-066-25, and any related delegations or communication items, be
received;
2.That Report PDS-075-25, and any related delegations or communication items, be
received;
3.That Official Plan Amendment 144 attached to Report PDS-066-25 be amended by
deleting policies 4.5.2, 4.5.4 and 4.5.5 and replacing them with the following policies:
4.5.2 Where a district energy system is planned, new development within the Mixed
Use Core, including transit facilities and municipal buildings, are strongly
encouraged to be district energy ready, subject to the Municipality
establishing district energy ready guidelines.
4.5.4 New development outside the Mixed Use Core shall consider and may
integrate, where feasible, the district energy system. Should connection to the
district energy system not be feasible, new development shall consider the
use of other low carbon thermal energy technologies such as geo-exchange,
wastewater energy, and heat recovery from sources such as data centres and
industry to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
4.5.5 New development is strongly encouraged to integrate:
a)Decentralized on-site renewable energy generation such as solar
photovoltaic (PV) panels and energy storage, such as battery storage, to
manage peak electricity demand, reduce emissions, and strengthen
energy resilience; and
C-279-25
Municipality of Clarington Page 2
Report PDS-075-25
b) Backup power for protection from area-wide power outages, including in
residential buildings, as informed by guidelines developed by the
Municipality.
4. That Clarington Official Plan Amendment 144 and Durham Region Official Plan
Amendment 1, attached to Report PDS-066-25 and as amended by
Recommendation 2 in PDS-075-25, be adopted by Council;
5. That Clarington Official Plan Amendment 144 and Durham Region Official Plan
Amendment 1, attached to Report PDS-066-25 and as amended by
Recommendation 2 in PDS-075-25, be forwarded to the Minister of Municipal Affairs
and Housing for approval;
6. That upon adoption by Council, the Courtice Transit-Oriented Community Secondary
Plan be implemented by Staff as Council’s policy on land use and planning matters
and be implemented through the annual capital budgeting process;
7. That the Urban Design and Sustainability Guidelines appended to the Courtice
Transit-Oriented Secondary Plan be approved and be used by staff to guide
development applications and public projects;
8. That the Deputy CAO, Planning and Infrastructure Services be authorized to finalize
the Transportation Impact Study in support of the Secondary Plan ;
9. That the Deputy CAO, Planning and Infrastructure Services be authorized to execute
any agreements to implement the Secondary Plan once adopted by Council; and
10. That all interested parties listed in Report PDS-066-25 and PDS-075-25, be advised
of Council’s decision.
Municipality of Clarington Page 3
Report PDS-075-25
Report Overview
1. Summary of Requests
1.1 Following release of staff report PDS-066-25 recommending the adoption of Official
Plan Amendment 144 to the Clarington Official Plan and Amendment 1 to Clarington’s
Durham Region Official Plan staff received additional requests for policy modifications.
1.2 Correspondence dated December 3, 2025, from MMAH staff (Attachment 1), requests
revisions to Secondary Plan Policies 4.5.2 and 4.5.5 to enhance clarity and ensure the
application of appropriate construction standards.
1.3 A letter dated December 8, 2025, from the Landowner Group (Attachment 2), requests
minor modifications to Secondary Plan Policies 4.5.4 and 4.5.5 to introduce greater
flexibility and better reflect development feasibility considerations.
2. Staff Recommended Policy Modifications
2.1 As both MMAH staff and the Landowner Group requests pertain to Section 4.5 (Energy)
of the Secondary Plan, the requested policy modification were reviewed together.
2.2 Staff recommend policy modifications to the following three policies (4.5.2, 4.5.4 and
4.5.5). New text is shown in bold underline, and deleted text is shown with a
strikethrough.
Policy 4.5.2
2.3 MMAH staff recommended a revision to Policy 4.5.2 to change the language from a
potential requirement to encouragement. Staff do not object to the policy modification
but have added the word “strongly”.
4.5.2 Where a district energy system is planned, new development within the Mixed Use
Core, including transit facilities and municipal buildings, are strongly encouraged may
Municipality of Clarington Page 4
Report PDS-075-25
be required to be district energy ready, subject to the Municipality establishing district
energy ready guidelines.
2.4 Through recent discussions with the MMAH and the Region of Durham, it was
concluded that Municipality may require new development to connect to an established
district energy system, as outlined in Policy 4.5.1 of the Secondary Plan, but not to one
that is only planned. Where the system is still in the planning phase, the Municipality will
instead strongly encourage that new development be designed as district energy-ready,
in accordance with forthcoming guidelines to be prepared by the Municipality. While the
proposed revision softens the language, the policy’s original intent is maintained.
Policy 4.5.4
2.5 The Landowner Group has requested the following policy modification. Staff do not
object to the modification as the inclusion of “may” does not change the intent of the
policy, which remains to encourage new development to consider and integrate the
district energy system where feasible.
4.5.4 New development outside the Mixed Use Core shall consider and may integrate,
where feasible, the district energy system. Should connection to the district energy
system not be feasible, new development shall consider the use of other low carbon
thermal energy technologies such as geo-exchange, wastewater energy, and heat
recovery from sources such as data centres and industry to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions.
Policy 4.5.5
2.6 Both the MMAH and the Landowner Group requested changes to Policy 4.5.5. The
revision proposed by the MMAH meets the Landowner Group’s objective by clarifying
that the policy is intended to encourage, rather than mandate, integration of on -site
renewable energy generation, energy storage and backup power. Staff do not object to
the requested policy modification.
4.5.5 New development shall consider and is strongly encouraged to integrate where
feasible:
a) Decentralized on-site renewable energy generation such as solar photovoltaic (PV)
panels and energy storage, such as battery storage, to manage peak electricity
demand, reduce emissions, and strengthen energy resilience; and
b) Backup power for protection from area-wide power outages, including in residential
buildings, as informed by guidelines developed by the Municipality.
Municipality of Clarington Page 5
Report PDS-075-25
3. Financial Considerations
See Staff Report PDS-066-25.
4. Strategic Plan
See Staff Report PDS-066-25.
5. Climate Change
See Staff Report PDS-066-25.
6. Concurrence
Not Applicable.
7. Conclusion
It is recommended that the Secondary Plan , attached to staff report PDS-066-25, be
amended as outlined in this report, reflecting feedback received from MMAH staff and
the Landowners Group. These revisions aim to improve clarity, provide greater flexibility
where appropriate, and ensure the application of construction standards.
Staff Contact: Amanda Crompton, Principal Planner, 905-623-3379 ext. 2444 or
acrompton@clarington.net; Lisa Backus, Manager of Community Planning, 905-623-
3379 ext. 2419 or lbackus@clarington.net.
Attachments:
Attachment 1 – MMAH Staff Comments
Attachment 2 – Landowner Group Comments
Interested Parties:
List of Interested Parties available from Department.
Provincial One-Window Comment Table DRAFT MATTER
Clarington Courtice Transit Oriented Community
MMAH File: 18-OP-259206
Date: December 3, 2025
Revisions Suggested to Implement the Planning Act, Provincial Planning Statement. 2024 and Provincial Plans
Item OP Policy
Number
Or reference
schedule
Comments/Concerns Policy
Basis/Rationale
Reference to
Planning Act,
PPS or
Provincial Plan
Section or
Policy
Related Provincial
Ministries
Proposed Revision
1 4.5.2 This policy is unclear about how the
municipality would determine if certain
buildings are “required” to be district
energy ready. Furthermore, it creates a
construction standard for a building,
which cannot be required of private
development or non-municipal
development.
Building Code
Act 35(1)
MMAH Where a district energy system is planned, new development
within the Mixed Use Core, including transit facilities and
municipal buildings, may be required will be encouraged to be
district energy ready, subject to the Municipality establishing
district energy ready guidelines
2 4.5.5
We note that this policy is unclear with
respect to who would determine if
decentralized on-site renewable energy
is “feasible”, or what basis they would
make this determination. The
municipality cannot mandate standards
for the construction/demolition of
buildings, and the determination on
feasibility seems subjective.
Building Code
Act 35(1)
MMAH New development shall consider and is strongly encouraged
to integrate where feasible:
a)Decentralized on-site renewable energy generation such as
solar photovoltaic (PV) panels and energy storage, such as
battery storage, to manage peak electricity demand, reduce
emissions, and strengthen energy resilience.
Attachment 1 to Report PDS-075-25
SPECIALIST IN LAND
MANAGEMENT + DEVELOPMENT
Page 1 of 2
8800 Dufferin St. Suite 104 T 905 660 7667
Vaughan Ontario L4K 0C5 DELTAURBAN.COM
December 8th, 2025
SENT VIA EMAIL: “clerks@clarington.net”
Municipality of Clarington
40 Temperance St
Bowmanville, ON, L1C 3A6
Attention: Mayor Foster and Members of Council:
RE: COURTICE TRANSIT-ORIENTED COMMUNITY SECONDARY PLAN (DECEMBER
2025) STAFF REPORT PDS-066-25
COURTICE TOC LANDOWNERS GROUP INC.
Dear Mayor Foster and Members of Council,
We are writing in our capacity as Group Manager on behalf of the registered landowners within the
Courtice Transit-Oriented Community Secondary Plan (“CTOCSP”) area who comprise the Courtice
TOC Landowners Group (the “Group”), being Tribute (King Street) Limited, Your Home Developments
(1200 Trulls) Inc., Brookfield Residential (Ontario) Limited, and 2610144 Ontario Limited.
The Group has actively participated throughout the development of the Secondary Plan and has
provided comments and supporting materials at several stages of the process. We appreciate the
significant effort and collaboration demonstrated by Municipal staff and the consulting team, and
we are generally satisfied with the direction of the current draft.
As the Secondary Plan proceeds to Committee, the Group respectfully requests the incorporation of
wording adjustments to policies 4.5.4 and 4.5.5, to more accurately reflect development feasibility
considerations. The proposed revisions are outlined below.
Current Wording
Policy 4.5.4 and 4.5.5 currently state:
4.5.4 - “New development outside the Mixed Use Core shall consider and integrate, where feasible,
the district energy system. Should connection to the district energy system not be feasible, new
development shall consider the use of other low carbon thermal energy technologies such as geo -
exchange, wastewater energy, and heat recovery from sources such as data centres and industry to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
4.5.5 - “New development shall consider and integrate where feasible:
a.Decentralized on-site renewable energy generation such as solar photovoltaic (PV) panels
and energy storage, such as battery storage, to manage peak electricity demand, reduce
emissions, and strengthen energy resilience; and
b.Backup power for protection from area-wide power outages, including in residential
buildings, as informed by guidelines developed by the Municipality.”
Attachment 2 to Report PDS-075-25
SPECIALIST IN LAND
MANAGEMENT + DEVELOPMENT
Page 2 of 2
8800 Dufferin St. Suite 104 T 905 660 7667
Vaughan Ontario L4K 0C5 DELTAURBAN.COM
Proposed Wording Changes
Policy 4.5.4 and 4.5.5 with revised language:
4.5.4 - “New development outside the Mixed Use Core shall consider and MAY integrate, where
feasible, the district energy system. Should connection to the district energy system not be
feasible, new development shall consider the use of other low carbon thermal energy
technologies such as geo-exchange, wastewater energy, and heat recovery from sources
such as data centres and industry to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
4.5.5 - “New development shall consider and MAY integrate where feasible:
a.Decentralized on-site renewable energy generation such as solar photovoltaic (PV) panels
and energy storage, such as battery storage, to manage peak electricity demand, reduce
emissions, and strengthen energy resilience; and
b.Backup power for protection from area-wide power outages, including in residential
buildings, as informed by guidelines developed by the Municipality.”
Upon incorporation of this change, we believe the majority of our concerns have been otherwise
addressed and are generally supportive of the plan being recommended for approval. Further, while
we are broadly supportive of the work undertaken to date, we respectfully reserve all rights to provide
further submissions and to file an appeal under the Planning Act should Council’s decision give rise
to matters requiring further review.
We acknowledge and sincerely appreciate the Municipality’s collaborative approach and the
opportunity to participate in this important planning exercise. Should you have any questions or
require additional information, please do not hesitate to contact the undersigned.
Yours very truly,
On Behalf of the Courtice TOC Landowners Group
Mustafa Ghassan, BES, M.Eng-CEM
Delta Urban Inc.
CC.Lisa Backus, MCIP, RPP Municipality of Clarington
Amanda Crompton, MCIP, RPP, Municipality of Clarington
Courtice TOC Landowners Group members