Motorists will be able to park for free for up to four hours in two Downtown Whitby lots this summer, after Council approved a pilot program running June 1 to Sept. 30, 2026.
The pilot applies to Municipal Lot #6 on Perry Street and Municipal Lot #5 on Colborne Street, according to the Town of Whitby's council highlights for May.
Town staff have been directed to compare usage rates at the free lots with other downtown lots, gather feedback from businesses, residents and visitors, and report back by the end of 2026 with recommendations on whether to continue the program.
The motion notes downtown businesses face ongoing economic pressures and benefit from measures that improve accessibility and customer convenience.
Strategic plan nears completion
Council also received the final results of Whitby's 2023–2026 Community Strategic Plan, which was approved in 2023 after community consultation that shaped 62 action items.
Of those items, 52 will be fully completed and the remaining 10 are tracking to be an average of 75 per cent complete by the end of the year, the report states.
"Overall, the results achieved through the 2023–2026 Community Strategic Plan reflect strong leadership, organizational alignment, and ongoing collaboration with the community, demonstrating the power of a clear plan, sustained focus, and shared commitment to Whitby's future," the report says.
The plan delivered outcomes in community safety, recreation facilities, housing, climate action, economic development and customer service modernization.
Lakeridge Health update
Lakeridge Health President and CEO Cynthia Davis told Council's May 11 Committee of the Whole meeting that the hospital network has achieved about $20 million in savings over three years by finding efficiencies, with no service impacts.
Davis said Lakeridge Health has eliminated agency nursing, hired more nurses and now has one of the lowest vacancy rates in the province. Emergency department stays dropped 36 per cent over the past year, and ambulance offload times were cut in half, from 42 minutes to 21 minutes.
The hospital's family medicine program with Queen's University is in its third year, with 60 students training to become family doctors. At full capacity, it will have 120 students — something Davis said will make a "tremendous" difference in access to family physicians in Durham.
New charge on high-density development
Council approved a Community Benefits Charge strategy and a new by-law that takes effect in January 2027, along with a dedicated reserve fund.
The charge applies to developments of five or more storeys with at least ten residential units, capped at four per cent of land value — a rate consistent with most GTA municipalities. It is expected to generate $2.6 to $3.1 million between 2027 and 2036 to fund parks, recreation facilities, cultural spaces, parking infrastructure and the Town's future hospital contribution.
Other decisions
Council expanded the recently approved Hotel and Conference Centre Attraction Program to allow up to two enrolled applicants for each of its two opportunities, after applications for both were approved within the first week of intake that opened April 27.
Council also appointed Boghosian + Allen LLP as integrity commissioner for the 2026–2030 term, aligning with the Region of Durham's selection following a joint procurement process. The firm already serves 13 Ontario municipalities.
Staff were also directed to study transferable parking permits and a loading permit program for business owners, review dog ownership limits in the Responsible Pet Ownership By-law, assess a pilot to speed up minor building permit approvals, and look at options to restrict personal watercraft along the Whitby waterfront.
Council will also ask the Region of Durham to install courtesy signs discouraging truck drivers from using engine brakes along Thickson Road and other regional roads with residential frontage.
