24/7 Emergency shelter, annual energy update, future changes to blue box recycling program and more

County Council meetings are broadcast live at www.oxfordcounty.ca/livestream. To download the full agenda or view past recordings of council meetings, visit www.oxfordcounty.ca/council.

24/7 Emergency shelter update

County Council receives an update next council meeting on 24-hour, 7-day a week emergency shelter service for people experiencing homelessness, addictions and mental health issues. Council had directed staff to explore how it could support round-the-clock emergency shelter in the community in November 2021, when the impacts of the pandemic, including access to services, were acutely affecting vulnerable citizens. Through 100% provincial funding support, 24/7 shelter services were phased in between January and October 2022 in partnership with Operation Sharing.

HS 2023-07– 24/7 Emergency Shelter Update

Annual energy update

Progress on Oxford County’s renewable energy commitment will be shared on April 26 through the 2022 Annual Energy Report. The report tracks progress across a number of operation-focused strategies to support the County’s 100% renewable energy goal and lower greenhouse gas emissions:

• the Energy Management Plan, first enacted in 2014 and required under provincial legislation, which focuses on energy conservation, renewable energy production, and greenhouse gas reductions across all County’s facilities;
• the Renewable Energy Action Plan, endorsed by Council in 2022, which sets out a 10-year plan to expand renewable energy usage through solar, geothermal, heat recovery, and wood pellet boiler technologies; and,
• the Green Fleet Plan, started in 2016, which targets greenhouse gas reductions by transitioning the County’s service vehicle fleet transition to lower carbon alternative fuels and energy sources.

Since 2015, the County has seen a 100% increase in annual renewable energy generation across its various facility sites, and converted 21% of the County’s in-service fleet (35 out of 167 vehicles) to green alternative fuels. While total GHG emissions from both facilities and fleet have only reduced by 1.3% from 2015 levels, the actual GHG intensity for facilities and fleet has decreased by up to 19.3% and 9.0% respectively, showing significant GHG emission avoidance during a time the County has expanded municipal services to accommodate community growth.

PW 2023-24 – 2022 Annual Energy Report

Presentation on future provincial changes to blue box program

An update on Ontario’s move to a full Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) model for blue box recycling is before Council on April 26. Under EPR, producers (product brand holders, manufacturers, commercial wholesaler, etc.) who create and/or utilize products and packaging will be responsible for the curbside collection and processing of these materials and for their end-of-life management, including recycling, reuse or disposal.

The update to Council will give background and context for the upcoming changes and outline what enhancements and potential impacts residents and businesses may notice once municipalities no longer run blue box programs. The presentation to Council also outlines next steps to building Oxford’s transition plan to prepare for this change. 

Moving all of Ontario’s current municipally run blue box programs to full EPR will take place over a three-year transition period between July 2023 and December 2025. Oxford County, including areas serviced in the City of Woodstock and Township of South-West Oxford under contract to the County, has been mandated for transition to the new program on December 31, 2025.  In transitioning the former municipal blue box program to producers, Oxford County is estimated to achieve a net program saving of approximately $2 million annually.

Presentation: Transitioning the Blue Box Program to Full Extended Producer Responsibility - Update

Other reports and presentations

• Delegation and proclamation: Oxford County Pride (Tami Murray, President) – Support for Diversity, Inclusion and Equity
• Delegation and proclamation: Smart Energy Oxford (Patrick Darby and Chris Marion, Co-Chairs) – 100% Renewable Energy by 2050
• Delegation and proclamation: MHBC Planning (Andrea Sinclair) – Applications for Official Plan Amendment and Plan of Subdivision OP 22-11-7; SB 22-01-7 Victoria Wood (Tillsonburg-West) GP Inc.
• PW 2023-25: Contract Award – Landfill Waste Compactor
• CS 2023-13: Development Charges Annual Report - 2022
• CS 2023-14: OILC Debenture Issue – Township of Zorra

Questions or comments?                                                                   

Council this Week highlights Council activities for the public, employees and community partners. Please send your questions and comments to communications@oxfordcounty.ca