New Parkland Dedication By-law

Parkland Dedication 

The City of St. Catharines has begun work to establish a new Parkland Dedication By-law to replace its existing Parkland Dedication By-law, passed in 1974. The new By-law will be presented to Council on September 26, 2022, for consideration.

What is Parkland Dedication?

Parkland Dedication is a growth-funding tool available to municipalities under the Planning Act. It is a means by which land for parks purposes can be acquired and/or improved. Parkland Dedication may be provided in two ways: by either dedicating physical land to construct a park, or payment of money in lieu of dedicating land (payment-in-lieu).

The Planning Act sets out the rates for Parkland Dedication: 5% of the land being developed for residential and institutional uses; and 2% of the land for commercial and industrial uses. The Act also allows for an alternative residential rate of 1 hectare of land dedication for each 300 dwelling units; and the cash equivalent of 1 hectare of land for each 500 dwelling units as payment-in-lieu. The alternative rate results in a larger land dedication to the City for parks purposes (or a larger cash payment in lieu) than what would otherwise be received using the 5% rate, particularly in higher density residential developments. Sample calculations for the alternative rates can be found below:

What is the City’s current practice?

The City of St. Catharines currently requires 5% land dedication or payment-in-lieu for residential uses only. The City’s existing Parkland Dedication By-law does not address land dedication or payment-in-lieu for institutional, commercial, and industrial uses, nor the alternative residential rates described above. Parkland Dedication is collected through the site plan approval, draft plan of subdivision, and consent to sever processes.

What will change with the new Parkland Dedication By-law? 

The City of St. Catharines has engaged Watson & Associates Economics Ltd. to undertake a Parkland Dedication and Payment-in-lieu Analysis. The document quantifies the impacts of the various approaches the City may receive and purchase parkland. Its findings support the passage of a new By-law that will facilitate the acquisition of more land for parks than what is currently possible under the existing By-law.

The proposed new Parkland Dedication By-law will allow the City to require 5% land dedication or payment-in-lieu for residential and institutional uses, and 2% for commercial and industrial uses. It will also allow the City to impose alternative residential rates. As a result of these changes, the City will be able to acquire and improve more parkland.

Documents 

Read the Parkland Dedication and Payment-in-lieu Analysis to learn more.

View the new by-law: Parkland Dedication by-law - 2022-173