Making Richmond Hill Greener

Council received a progress update on the implementation of Richmond Hill’s Environment Strategy, Greening the Hill: Our Community, Our Future, which outlines the Town’s vision to become a more sustainable community. Last year (2017) marked the third year of the plan’s implementation, which included energy efficiency projects such as upgrades to the refrigeration plant at Elgin Barrow Arena and LED lighting retrofits at The Wave Pool and Richmond Green Sports Centre. In 2017, Richmond Hill also converted most of its outdoor lighting network to LED technology. Together, these projects represent significant reductions in annual energy consumption, costs and greenhouse gas emissions. Other 2017 highlights include approval of Richmond Hill’s first Community Garden Policy to guide the development of collective and allotment gardens on public lands; completion of the detailed design for the Elgin Mills Greenway restoration project; the start of restoration work in Beaver Woodland; as well as many annual public education and community stewardship initiatives. Implementation of the Environment Strategy will continue in 2018. Notable projects include completion of the LED conversion project for the Town’s outdoor lighting network; a proposal to advance climate change initiatives that includes the Community Energy and Emissions Plan; construction of the second phase of Richmond Hill’s portion of the Lake-to-Lake route; an update to the Sustainability Metrics for new development projects;  construction to restore the Elgin Mills Greenway; development of new community gardens; and initiation of new pilot projects for energy conservation and waste diversion. For more information, contact Patrick Lee, Director of Policy Planning at 905-771-2420 or Maria Flores, Manager of Sustainability at 905-771-5438. 

Coming Soon… Grants For Office Development and Downtown Revitalization

Council approved the Richmond Hill Office Development and Downtown Local Centre Community Improvement Plan (CIP). The CIP encourages new office development and re-development by providing grants to businesses and property owners located in the defined improvement area. The three grant programs include the Tax Increment Equivalent Grant, the Building Renovation Grant and the Façade Improvement, Landscape and Signage Grant. The Tax Increment Equivalent Grant supports the development of new office space that is 1,600 square meters or greater within the Town’s Centres and Corridors as well as the Newkirk and East Beaver Creek Business Parks through the return of portions of property taxes over a 10-year period. The Building Renovation Grant program will provide grants of up to $50,000 for building renovations resulting in the creation of new office space within the downtown area, Oak Ridges Local Centres and the Newkirk and Beaver Creek Business Parks. The Façade Improvement, Landscape and Signage Grant program will provide grants ranging in value from $2,500 to $32,500 for projects that are related to the revitalization of the Downtown Local Centre. Ensuring the availability of a range of office space to businesses will provide more opportunities for local employment that supports intensification and a live/work balance in Richmond Hill. It will also allow businesses to better tap into the highly educated workforce living in our town. The Town will begin accepting applications in summer 2018. For more information, visit RichmondHill.ca/CIP or contact Sybelle von Kursell, Manager of Planning Policy at 905-771-2472.

The next Committee of the Whole Meeting is scheduled for Monday, March 19, 2018 at 4:30 p.m. and the next Council Meeting is Monday, March 26, 2018 at 7:30 p.m. Both meetings will be held in Council Chambers.