Highlights from the Sept. 3 Council Meeting

Thursday’s Council meeting got underway at 1:30 p.m. and began with a proclamation recognizing September 2026 as Terry Fox Month, ahead of the annual Terry Fox Run on Sept. 21, 2026.

The following items were also on the agenda:

Overview of Oxford County Official Plan

Oxford County Community Planning staff presented an overview of the County’s new Official Plan project. The Official Plan is a policy document that establishes the overall land use strategy for both the County and the eight area municipalities, including the City of Woodstock. The County is preparing a new Official Plan to guide how the community grows and develops over the next 20 to 30 years. Community Planning staff are currently gathering feedback from the public and area municipal councils to inform the vision for the new plan. Residents can provide input through an online survey until Sept. 25, 2026, or by submitting comments at any time throughout the process at www.oxfordcounty.ca/official-plan-engage.

Administrative Monetary Penalties

Council approved new bylaws to implement a system of Administrative Monetary Penalties (AMPs). AMPs are an emerging approach designed to streamline the bylaw enforcement process, reduce congestion in the courts, and provide a more local and accessible dispute resolution system. Currently, when a defendant receives a ticket for a parking or bylaw offence, they may request a trial heard by a Justice of the Peace in the Provincial Offences Court. The AMPs system transfers bylaw disputes from the courtroom to the municipality through the use of screening and hearings officers. Council directed staff to proceed with the next steps to contract screenings and hearings officers and change the Municipal Parking Tag Program. The system will come into effect in the first half of 2027.

North Woodstock Recreation Complex Schematic Design

Council approved a motion to incorporate a branch of the Woodstock Public Library as an additional element in the schematic designs for the North Woodstock Recreation Complex. The proposed recreation facility at Cowan Fields includes a twin-pad arena, indoor pool, gym and multi-purpose space. During the early stages of the design process, staff identified a library as a desirable addition to the facility, creating a central community hub where residents can exercise both body and mind. A building expansion study completed by Woodstock Public Library in 2021 also identified the need for more library space to support the city’s growing population and included a recommendation for a secondary branch. Following Council’s approval, staff will continue to work with architecture consultants to finalize the design schematics.

Notice of Motion — E-Scooters

Councillor Lauder put forward a notice of motion to invite the Woodstock Police Service to provide a presentation on electric kick-scooters and micromobility devices including legal status, public safety risks, enforcements challenges and local trends or concerns. The motion will be discussed at the Sept. 17, 2026, Council meeting.

For more information about the items above, or any of the other topics discussed during the council meeting, visit www.cityofwoodstock.ca/agendasandminutes. Council meetings are live streamed on the City’s YouTube channel and recordings of the meetings are also posted online following the meetings.