Development Charge Background Study

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Consultation has temporarily concluded. Additional feedback opportunities for this project are coming soon.

The Development Charge Background Study will help determine the additional capital related infrastructure the Town of Whitby requires based on the residential and non-residential growth forecast.

The Town of Whitby applies a Development Charge fee to new/repurposed development; the preparation of the study is legislatively required (at minimum every 5 years) under the Development Charges Act, 1997. The Town of Whitby completed its last Development Charge Study in 2016, and the Development Charge by-law was adopted by Council in 2017.

Development charges help the Town mitigate the additional growth-related costs from being be passed onto the taxpayer. Under legislative restrictions development charges cannot fully fund the cost of growth, however, the Town strives to ensure that growth-related development pays for the additional growth-related capital infrastructure needed, to the maximum amount allowable under legislation.

The information gathered through the Background Study will be used to calculate the amount of money that new development needs to pay through the Development Charges Fee in order to help cover new growth related infrastructure.

This study's focus is on Whitby's development charges, it does not include development charges applied by the Region of Durham or the School Board for new/repurposed development.

This study is being prepared in partnership with Hemson Consulting Ltd.

Please subscribe, in order to receive study news updates and notifications.

Development Charge By-Law Passed by Council

As of May 17, 2021, Council approved DC By-Law #7748-21, the updated development charge rates will come into effect as of June 1, 2021.

The Notice of Passing of a Development Charges By-Law #7748-21 will be published in the Whitby This Week newspaper on May 28, 2021 as per section 13(1) of the Development Charges Act, 1997, S.O. 1997, c.27. The full notice is available in the Documents section for review.

The Development Charge Background Study will help determine the additional capital related infrastructure the Town of Whitby requires based on the residential and non-residential growth forecast.

The Town of Whitby applies a Development Charge fee to new/repurposed development; the preparation of the study is legislatively required (at minimum every 5 years) under the Development Charges Act, 1997. The Town of Whitby completed its last Development Charge Study in 2016, and the Development Charge by-law was adopted by Council in 2017.

Development charges help the Town mitigate the additional growth-related costs from being be passed onto the taxpayer. Under legislative restrictions development charges cannot fully fund the cost of growth, however, the Town strives to ensure that growth-related development pays for the additional growth-related capital infrastructure needed, to the maximum amount allowable under legislation.

The information gathered through the Background Study will be used to calculate the amount of money that new development needs to pay through the Development Charges Fee in order to help cover new growth related infrastructure.

This study's focus is on Whitby's development charges, it does not include development charges applied by the Region of Durham or the School Board for new/repurposed development.

This study is being prepared in partnership with Hemson Consulting Ltd.

Please subscribe, in order to receive study news updates and notifications.

Development Charge By-Law Passed by Council

As of May 17, 2021, Council approved DC By-Law #7748-21, the updated development charge rates will come into effect as of June 1, 2021.

The Notice of Passing of a Development Charges By-Law #7748-21 will be published in the Whitby This Week newspaper on May 28, 2021 as per section 13(1) of the Development Charges Act, 1997, S.O. 1997, c.27. The full notice is available in the Documents section for review.

Consultation has temporarily concluded. Additional feedback opportunities for this project are coming soon.

  • Update on the Town of Whitby Development Charge Background Study

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    A new Development Charge Study update report is now available.

    Town staff are bringing forward a Development Charge Study update report to the Committee of the Whole meeting on November 23, 2020. Staff report CS 50-20 is an information report that will be used for the next public consultation period scheduled to start in December 2020.

  • Development Charge Study Stakeholder Consultation Period #1 is now open for comments / questions

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    Two draft sections of the Development Charge Background Study are now ready and are available for comments and questions. This includes the draft Town-wide Development Forecast and the draft Service Level History. This initial consultation period will be open until October 9, 2020.

    The public will have a second opportunity to comment on these sections when the entire draft study is released in 2021. Please refer to the presentation videos prepared by Hemson Consulting Ltd and staff report CS 33-20 for more information.

    The draft Town-wide Development Forecast provides the details of the development forecast that informs the Townʼs Development Charges Background Study. The forecast method and key assumptions are discussed and the results of the forecasts are presented in the following tables:

    Historical Development

    • Table 1 Historical Population, Occupied Dwellings & Employment Summary
    • Table 2 Historical Annual Housing Completions (CMHC)
    • Table 3 Historical Households by Period of Construction Showing Household Size
    • Table 4 Historical Place of Work Employment


    Forecast Development

    • Table 5 Population, Household & Employment Forecast Summary
    • Table 6 Forecast of Occupied Households by Unit Type
    • Table 7 Forecast Population in New Households by Unit Type
    • Table 8 Forecast of Place of Work Employment
    • Table 9 Non-Residential Space Forecast


    The draft Service Level History is a ten year inventory of Capital Assets for the various growth related services identified in the Development Charges Act, 1997. This historic service level is utilized in the calculation for the legislated service level cap which helps determine the maximum development charge rate the Town can charge.

  • The Development Charge Background Study Update is now Underway

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    The Town of Whitby in partnership with Hemson Consulting Ltd. is currently undertaking an update to is Development Charge Background Study and related by-law.

    The draft study is expected to be ready for public review in 2021, a statutory public meeting will follow once the draft study is released.

    Throughout the process Whitby will continue its past practice of stakeholder engagement on study components throughout the process. Stakeholder engagement is open to the Public. In Lieu of in-person meetings, the Connect Whitby website will be utilized, Consultant presentations/videos and Council reports will be posted for your review. Please subscribe to stay informed throughout the process.