Kingston Official Plan Update & Integrated Mobility Plan​ Community Advisory Group - Terms of Reference​ (June 2024​)

About This Document

These Terms of Reference (ToR) outline the roles and responsibilities of the Kingston Official Plan Update & Integrated Mobility Plan Community Advisory Group (CAG) members and staff. This document will be reviewed during the first meeting and agreed upon by all CAG members. Any changes to the ToR will be made in consultation with the Project Team and CAG members.

Let’s Talk About Kingston’s Official Plan & Integrated Mobility Plan

Project Background

It’s an exciting time for Kingston! With a fresh strategic plan and continued growth on the horizon, it’s an increasingly desirable place to live. The update of the City of Kingston’s Official Plan (OP) and the development of a new Integrated Mobility Plan (IMP, formerly the Transportation Master Plan) have aligned to take place at the same time, creating an incredible opportunity for alignment at a policy level in planning for the City’s future.

The timing couldn’t be better. Though there are incredible opportunities ahead, Kingston faces challenges too. The City could see the population rise by as much as 32% by the year 2051, with planned growth of 220,000, and currently, population growth outpaces development. Council’s Strategic Plan highlights their focus on housing affordability, environmental stewardship and climate action, building an active, connected, caring and inclusive community and prioritizing innovation, entrepreneurship and economic growth. These projects have the potential to realize this vision laid out by Council.

City of Kingston Official Plan Update

An Official Plan (OP) is a policy document that guides the short-term and long-term development of your community. The City of Kingston is required to update the OP every five years in accordance with the requirements of the Planning Act, which is provincial legislation that sets out the ground rules for land use planning in Ontario. The OP plan will outline what can be built in the city, and where, acting as a guide for the next 25 years. Kingston is growing and the Official Plan will ensure that the city continues to be livable, diverse, equitable and prosperous.

This plan will be used as the basis of other plans and bylaws the City will develop and update, including the servicing plans, the zoning bylaw, parks plans, recreation plans, and more. They all build on the details in the Official Plan.

City of Kingston Integrated Mobility Plan

The Integrated Mobility Plan (IMP) focuses on how people will move throughout the city to get to where they need to go from now to 2051. The plan will lay out a blueprint for roads, frequent transit corridors, and active transportation infrastructure over the coming years. To accommodate the growth that is envisioned sustainably, equitably, and efficiently, our future transportation network will need to provide options for people of all ages and abilities.

The integrated mobility plan will follow a few months behind the Official Plan, allowing the two plans to be strategically aligned.

What is a Community Advisory Group?

A Community Advisory Group (CAG) is a panel of up to 25 community members who are selected to provide advice to the City of Kingston on a project based on their specific connection to a project, knowledge and/or experience.

The Kingston Official Plan Update & Integrated Mobility Plan Community Advisory Group (CAG) will help guide the City of Kingston in the development of these plans. CAG members may draw from their personal and/or professional experiences to provide local insights to shape these plans that will ultimately shape how Kingston will develop and grow in the years to come.

The selection process is data-driven, ensuring that the perspectives of historically marginalized communities, as well as those of future residents, are considered. The result is a CAG that has a diverse makeup, where the representation of equity-deserving communities is prioritized.

CAG members must live in the City of Kingston or represent a group or organization that is active in Kingston. CAG will be composed of 18 to 20 community members and 5 to 7 representatives of community groups or organizations that are active in Kingston.

Who is the Project Team?

The Kingston Official Plan Update & Integrated Mobility Plan CAG is a project collaboratively managed by the City of Kingston’s Growth & Development Services and Transportation & Transit Services, and the engagement consultant team at SAFFY.

SAFFY was hired by the City of Kingston to develop, facilitate and maintain the Kingston Official Plan Update & Integrated Mobility Plan CAG. SAFFY will be the CAG members’ main point of contact, although CAG members will engage with many Project Team members at committee meetings.

When specific projects are brought to the committee for feedback and deliberation, CAG members can expect to hear from City staff at Planning, Transportation & Transit, and other City divisions.

Terms of Reference: Community Advisory Group Members

Purpose

The purpose of the Kingston Official Plan Update & Integrated Mobility Plan CAG is:

  • To act as an advisory body to the City on matters related to the Official Plan Update and Integrated Mobility Plan, at key decision points during the public consultation process for city-wide and project-specific considerations;
  • To represent the key impacted parties of Kingston and ensure the best interests of the community they represent are considered, and;
  • To ensure that the plans endeavour to make Kingston a welcoming, equitable and sustainable place for all to enjoy.

The role of the group is to provide guidance and advice on behalf of the community to the Project Team. The Kingston Official Plan Update & Integrated Mobility Plan CAG is not a decision-making body. The CAG is not responsible for the decisions made by the Project Team or City Council.

Meeting Details

The Project Team anticipates convening the Kingston Official Plan Update & Integrated Mobility Plan CAG for a minimum of three (3) meetings over the next two years, beginning in the summer of 2024.

  • Additional meetings may be called when additional consultation is required for the Kingston Official Plan Update & Integrated Mobility Plan.

  • The first Meetings will typically be held on weekday evenings, in an attempt to accommodate the schedules of a range of CAG participants.

  • Meetings will primarily be held virtually. A link to the meeting will be available in advance.

  • The first meeting will take place in person (location TBD) on Saturday, September 28 from 11am - 2pm.

Compensation

CAG members will be be compensated $225 upon completion of the project, at a rate of $75 per meeting for their participation, at the end of the project.

Conditions of Membership

Active participation and attendance of CAG meetings from all members is essential and CAG members attend meetings as representatives of their respective groups/organizations.

  • CAG members are required to abide by the Community Guidelines. Failure to do so may result in removal from the Kingston Official Plan Update & Integrated Mobility Plan CAG.

  • CAG members are required to abide by the Terms of Reference detailed in this document. Failure to do so may result in removal from the Kingston Official Plan Update & Integrated Mobility Plan CAG.

  • CAG members are expected to provide feedback to the Project Team based on the group they represent.

  • CAG members who are absent for 2 or more meetings may be removed from the Kingston Official Plan Update & Integrated Mobility Plan CAG.

  • If a CAG member is representative of a group/organization:

    • Only one member of each group/organization may be in attendance at each meeting.

    • If a CAG member cannot attend a meeting, they may send one representative from their group/organization in their place.

    • The organizations represented by CAG members will be shared publicly, on the project website and in other project communications.

Term Limits and Conditions

  • CAG members’ participation in the Kingston Official Plan Update & Integrated Mobility Plan CAG shall be for a minimum of two (2) years.

  • CAG members may end their participation in the Kingston Official Plan Update & Integrated Mobility Plan CAG at any time, including prior to the term limit of two (2) years. It is the responsibility of the CAG member to notify the Project Team of their intent to end their participation.

  • It is the responsibility of CAG members to remain in communication with the Project Team by replying to emails, responding to calendar invites, and through other modes of communication. Failure to respond to the Project Team’s communications for a period of 6 weeks or more may result in removal from the Kingston Official Plan Update & Integrated Mobility Plan CAG.

Conflict of Interest

A Conflict of Interest is defined in accordance with the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act, as any member having a financial interest with respect to the agenda item being reviewed — a financial interest that is larger than what would reasonably be assumed to exist for an average Kingstonian.

  • CAG members must declare any conflict of interest with respect to any agenda items being reviewed, and take direction from the Project Team about their participation in the review of any such agenda items.

  • If members are not sure about whether there is a conflict of interest, they are responsible for seeking clarification from the Project Team. Any declared conflicts will be recorded in the meeting summary.

  • CAG members are expected to be transparent with the Project Team and with other committee members about any personal, professional, civic or other roles they hold that may present a conflict of interest, regardless of whether they are formally representing those interests on the Kingston Official Plan Update & Integrated Mobility Plan CAG.

Community Guidelines

As a member of the Kingston Official Plan Update & Integrated Mobility Plan CAG, you agree to abide by the City of Kingston’s Public Engagement Guidelines for Participation:

  • Be respectful of all participants;

  • Be open to all ideas;

  • Adhere to the established process and time frame;

  • Change process during a session only by group decision, if necessary;

  • Allow everyone the opportunity to speak;

  • Allow people to speak without interruption;

  • Try to include everyone; and

  • Turn cell phones off/mute.

Additional Community Guidelines may be introduced to ensure the CAG remains a safe, equitable and inclusive environment for all members to participate.

Building Consensus

As an advisory group, the CAG will operate using a consensus-based approach, where members seek general agreement on guidance and advice to the Project Team.

A consensus-based approach assumes that participants can openly discuss ideas, experiences, and viewpoints, and are willing to work together to develop common ground and minimize areas of disagreement to the best of their ability. Differing viewpoints and opinions will be documented in the CAG meeting notes.

Media Relations

As a member of the Kingston Official Plan Update & Integrated Mobility Plan CAG, you agree to:

  • CAG members may speak to the media about their individual perspective on the project.

  • As individual members’ opinions are not necessarily representative of the views of the entire CAG, in the event that members receive media inquiries about the Kingston Official Plan Update or Integrated Mobility Plan and/or the CAG, those inquiries should be referred to the City media relations by emailing communications@cityofkingston.ca.

  • Members should avoid speaking on behalf of the larger Community Advisory Group in any formal public setting, unless prior arrangements have been made with City staff.

Terms of Reference: Project Team

Meeting Governance

The Kingston Official Plan Update & Integrated Mobility Plan CAG meetings will be facilitated by SAFFY and members of the Project Team. The role of the facilitator is:

  • To facilitate the smooth and effective functioning of the Kingston Official Plan Update & Integrated Mobility Plan CAG.

  • To ensure the communication of project information to the Kingston Official Plan Update & Integrated Mobility Plan CAG.

  • To accurately capture feedback from Kingston Official Plan Update & Integrated Mobility Plan CAG members and report back to the City of Kingston’s Growth & Development Services and Transportation & Transit Services, and other relevant Project Team members.

Maintaining Membership

  • Quorum for meetings will not be required; however, if less than half of the members are able to attend a given meeting (indicated through an RSVP), the Project Team may reschedule the meeting to allow for broader participation.

  • The project Team is responsible for soliciting applications from relevant stakeholder groups and onboarding new members in a timely manner.

  • When members leave the Kingston Official Plan Update & Integrated Mobility Plan CAG (whether due to term limits or voluntary and/or involuntary resignation), the Project Team is responsible for ensuring timely replacement of their seats on the committee.

Our Commitments as a Project Team

As process stewards, we, City Project Team staff and SAFFY staff, commit to:

  • Providing fair and equal access to the public engagement process to all who are interested in participating.

  • Maintaining an atmosphere that is respectful of all participants and other staff members.

  • Ensuring that the project outcomes and/or staff recommendations are informed by participants’ concerns, interests and desires.

  • Being advocates for the integrity of the public process and ensuring it reflects as much as possible directions contained in the Council-approved "Kingston’s Turning Point: A Growth Plan for Land Use and Transportation.”

  • Undertaking and encouraging actions by other City staff that build trust and credibility for the process among all participants.

  • Providing the information participants need to meaningfully participate.

Procedures and Practices

  • The Project Team will set meeting agendas based on the needs of the Official Plan update and Integrated Mobility Plan.

  • The agenda and any supplementary background information will be shared approximately one (1) week before the meeting. Members are expected to review this material prior to each meeting.

  • The Project Team will use various tools and methods to facilitate conversation and gather feedback from members of the Kingston Official Plan Update & Integrated Mobility Plan CAG.

  • If CAG members require additional accommodation, support or training to meaningfully participate or use the tools or methods provided in the meeting, it is the responsibility of the CAG member to notify the Project Team, ideally with two weeks advance notice where possible.

  • The Project Team will be responsible for providing adequate support and resources to the CAG member to ensure their full participation.

  • Project Team will ensure notes are taken and a summary circulated to members for review following each of the meetings.

  • Meeting summaries will be posted to the project webpage after members have had the opportunity to review them.