Minutes

Age-Friendly Brampton Advisory Committee

The Corporation of the City of Brampton

Tuesday, March 30, 2021

7:00 P.m. - 9:00 P.m.

Council Chambers - 4th Floor, City Hall

Members Present:

• Saad Ali (Co-Chair)
• Umar Javed
• Angela Johnson
• Elizabeth Pike
• Sonya Singh
• Vidhi Bhatt, Brampton Multicultural Youth Council
• Joelle Berube-Cheng, Peel Senior Link
• Sandra Fitzpatrick, Manager, Region of Peel Public Health
• Laura Tribble, Advisor, Region of Peel, Housing Services
• Peter Howarth (CARP)
• Myrna Adams, Brampton Seniors Council
• Alexa Roggeveen, Sheridan College, Social Service Worker, Gerontology
• Jyoti Shukla, Community Impact Manager, United Way
• City Councillor D. Whillans
• City Councillor J. Bowman
• City Councillor C. Williams

Members Absent:

• Bob Pesant (Co-Chair)
• Tony Brookes
• Sushil Ninawat
• Rodrigo Merio, Brampton Multicultural Community Centre

Staff Present:

• Andrew McNeill, Manager, Official Plan and Growth Management
• Daniella Balasal, Policy Planner
• Mirella Palermo, Planner
• Tristan Costa, Planner
• Bindu Shah, Planner
• Chandra Urquhart, Legislative Coordinator

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1.

Call to Order

The meeting was called to order at 7:04 p.m. and adjourned at 8:50 p.m.

2.

Approval of Agenda

• AFC005-2021

  That the Agenda for the Age-Friendly Brampton Advisory Committee Meeting of March 30, 2021 be approved as published and circulated.

  Carried

3.

Declarations of Interest under the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act

Nil

4.

Previous Minutes

4.1

Minutes - Age-Friendly Brampton Advisory Committee - January 26, 2021

The minutes were considered by Planning and Development Committee on February 22, 2021, and approved by Council on March 3, 2021. The minutes were provided for Committee’s information.

5.

Presentations\Delegations

5.1

Presentation by Bindu Shah, Planner, re: Overview of Housing Brampton

Bindu Shah, Planner, Planning, Building and Economic Development, provided a presentation entitled Overview of Housing Brampton, noting that the focus was on improving affordability, supply and choice of housing. The following was highlighted:

• Strategic directions
• Recommendations – Big Moves include
  • purpose built rental housing
  • attainable home ownership
• Age-Friendly strategy goals for youth and seniors
  • Promote the creation of affordable and accessible housing, along with a range of housing types and tenures
• Seniors housing study key recommendations
  • Culturally-sensitive seniors housing
• Proposed Official Plan Policies
  • range of seniors-oriented, accessible and adaptable housing – appropriate housing mix
• Proposed Incentives include
  • participation in Region of Peel’s Incentive Program
  • relief of Brampton’s planning application fees and fast tracking approvals

Committee discussion on this matter included the following:

• Explanation of the design of culturally-sensitive housing
• Consideration for a design of seniors housing that include day care facilities to encourage interaction between seniors and children
• Advantages and disadvantages of gated communities, such as, Rosedale Village
• Indication that seniors prefer to live in blended community to avoid isolation
• Examples from the Region of Peel of subdivisions that offer multi-residential zoning to accommodate seniors housing
• Suggestion that multi-generational housing and an integrated approach to seniors housing would be preferable with appropriate infrastructure provided
• Questions on policies with respect to selling dedicated senior housing
• Non-profit organizations may require City incentives to encourage development of affordable housing for seniors

The following motion was considered:

• AFC006-2021

  That the presentation by Bindu Shah, Planner, Planning, Building and Economic Development, to the Age-Friendly Brampton Advisory Committee meeting of March 30, 2021, re: Overview of Housing Brampton be received.

  Carried

5.2

Presentation by Mirella Palermo, Planner, re: Review of Current Housing Policy Projects

Mirella Palermo, Planner, provided a presentation on Current Housing Policy Projects with the focus on the Policy Reviews on the following initiatives:

• Supportive housing – key moves include
  • removal of the minimum separation restrictions on the number of housing units in a defined area
  • simplifying the registration process where housing forms are permitted ‘as-of-right'
• Lodging house – options for regulations include
  • allowing lodging houses in specific areas
  • adopting a city-wide approach through a tier system to limit the number of lodgers in a home
  • reviewing and enhancing compliance enforcement measures
• Student housing
  • meeting with post-secondary institutional
  • creation of a advisory committee
  • challenges encountered to capture the number of domestic/international students in the City and its relationship with lodging houses

Committee discussion on this matter included the following:

• Clarification that complaints received for registered lodging houses / groups home are and rarely received
• Indication that complaints appear to be from unregistered group homes / lodging houses that house students illegally
• List of registered group homes / lodging houses was available at the City Clerk’s Office
• Registered or licensed homes are mostly concentrated in the downtown along Queen Street /Main Street
• Comments that residents are unaware whether homes are licensed or registered
• Suggestion that student housing study include
  • tech solutions initiative broadened to include public sites that advertise rentals – available to both landlords and tenants
  • educational institutions be approached and requested to provide and supply housing for both domestic and international students
  • other levels of government be approached with respect to obtaining information on numbers for international students enrollment in Brampton
• Indication that a recommendation report will be presented to Planning and Development Committee in the next few months

The following motion was considered:

• AFC007-2021

  That the presentation by Mirella Palermo, Planner, to the Age-Friendly Brampton Advisory Committee meeting of March 30, 2021, re: Review of Current Housing Policy be received.

  Carried

6.

Reports / Updates

Nil

7.

Other/New Business / Information Items

7.1

Update by Daniella Balasal, Policy Planner, re: New Horizon’s Funding Application – “Staying Connected: A Video Resource for Seniors and Caregivers”

Daniella Balasal, Policy Planner, advised that through a Federal grant program, funding was provided to the City to develop a video resource that allows seniors and caregivers to connect to existing resources. Some engagement sessions will be offered and staff will seek members’ participation in the initiative. It is anticipated that the project will require a year for completion.

7.2

Update by Daniella Balasal, Policy Planner, re: Status – World Health Organization’s Age-Friendly Communities Designation for City of Brampton

Daniella Balasal, Policy Planner, announced that the City was successful in obtaining the Age-Friendly designation by the World Health Organization. She thanked members for input in achieving the designation.

In response to a question, Ms. Balasal noted that there were no additional benefits for the City other than to be recognized both at home and globally of the City’s strong commitment as an Age-Friendly community.

The following motion was considered:

• AFC008-2021

  That the update by Daniella Balasal, Policy Planner, to the Age-Friendly Brampton Advisory Committee meeting of March 30, 2021, re: World Health Organization’s Age-Friendly Communities Designation Certificate for City of Brampton be received. 

  Carried

7.3

Update by Daniella Balasal, Policy Planner, re: Final Age-Friendly Strategy Year 1 Progress Report

Daniella Balasal, Policy Planner, provided an update on the Final Age-Friendly Strategy Year 1 progress report which was presented to Council earlier this year.  She noted that the report identified the status of the 155 action items listed in the Age-Friendly Strategy and incorporated draft comments from Region Peel Housing and Public Health Services.  A progress report will be presented annually to Council.

Committee acknowledged the efforts and contribution of staff and Committee members on the success of the strategy.

 

7.4

Update by Andrew McNeill, Manager, Official Plan and Growth Management, and Tristan Costa, Planner, re: Memo - Brampton Plan Engagement 

Andrew McNeill, Manager, Official Plan and Growth Management, and Tristan Costa, Planner, provided an overview of the memo on the Brampton plan engagement and encouraged members to attend the City-wide workshop scheduled for April 10^th.

In response to a question, Committee was advised that the new Official Plan will include the design of roads and the nature of streets at a general level.

7.5

Update by City Clerk's Office, re: Resignation of Milagros Caballes, Member

Chandra Urquhart, Legislative Coordinator, advised that Milagros Caballes, member, has resigned from the Committee due to other commitments.

Committee acknowledged the resignation of Ms. Milagros.

The following motion was considered:

• AFC009-2021

  1.  That the Resignation of Milagros Caballes, Member, to the Age-Friendly Brampton Advisory Committee meeting of March 30, 2021 be accepted; and

  2.  That Ms. Caballes be thanked for her years of volunteering and contributions to the Committee. 

  Carried

8.

Correspondence

Nil

9.

Question Period

Nil

10.

Public Question Period

Nil

11.

Adjournment

The following motion was considered:

• AFC010-2021

  That the Age-Friendly Brampton Advisory Committee meeting of March 30, 2021 do now adjourn to meet again on May 25, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. 

  Carried