Municipal Development Corporation
The City of St. Catharines is looking for resident feedback on incorporating a Municipal Development Corporation (MDC) to help advance and unlock additional value to the community from its surplus real estate assets.
The MDC would serve as a strategic tool in delivering and implementing funding secured by the City from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s Housing Accelerator Fund. The City was awarded $25.7 million in January 2024 to implement initiatives and projects to boost the housing supply in St. Catharines. One of the initiatives identified within this funding was the establishment of an MDC.
The Municipal Development Corporation will be fully funded from this federal grant through to the end of 2027. There will be no impact to the City of St. Catharines levy for operational or staffing costs incurred by the Municipal Development Corporation during this period. At the conclusion of the Housing Accelerator Funding period, Council will determine whether the MDC is an initiative that should continue and if so, any funding required at the time would be allocated through the municipal budget approval process.
To oversee the use of these and other potential public funds, the MDC would be managed under the direction of dedicated staff and guided by a Board of Directors chaired by the Mayor, augmented by the support of a senior leadership team.
What is a Municipal Development Corporation?
The Municipal Development Corporation is a separate corporation wholly owned by the City of St. Catharines that can negotiate and partner with the private sector to maximize the value of the City’s property assets and enhance marketability and demand.
The mandate of the MDC would be to deliver projects that foster community renewal efforts by enabling the marketing and enhancement of surplus land assets within the City and or strategically acquiring properties poised for redevelopment.
Serving as the lead developer, the MDC will allow for more nimble public-private partnerships and the potential for improved negotiations with the private sector. This would increase the pace of discussions to address the urgency of local housing needs and support greater alignment with everyday business dealings, enhancing the marketability and demand for City-owned lands.
This investment in housing in St. Catharines and the creation of the MDC represent the opportunity for a bold municipal response to open the door to a more active position on development projects.
How will the MDC strengthen the role of the City?
The strategic mandate of the development corporation separates the roles of City staff as part of the MDC from their typical responsibilities. This split reduces any potential conflict between the statutory responsibility as the development approval authority and its role in proposing new developments.
This separation of applicant and approval authority is increasingly recognized as a best practice in municipal governance. It allows Council members to put their democratic mandate from their constituents first and hold applications put forward by the MDC to the same standard as those put forward by any other entity. It also allows the same review process for applications by relevant City staff.
At the same time, the MDC’s actions are determined by the priorities of Council and staff, increasing alignment between the applicant and approval body by increasing alignment in the interpretation of land use and zoning policies. Thus, the MDC's process of submitting applications and working through approvals with the City can be collaborative and efficient while retaining the democratic elements of consultation and the due diligence of the review process.
Fundamentally, creating the MDC acknowledges the untapped value within the scope of traditional municipal responsibilities and operations. Record high land and housing valuations in southern Ontario have allowed municipalities to unlock this value in various ways. Faced with challenges on multiple fronts, Ontario municipalities must be innovative in applying various potential solutions.
By strategically leveraging underutilized municipal assets, MDCs can catalyze sustainable urban growth and contribute to the community's well-being.
How can you participate?
Public Information Session
A public information session will be held where you can learn about the mandate of the Municipal Development Corporation, understand the goals of the City of St. Catharines, ask questions and share your thoughts. This is an open house-style event, please drop in.
Location: City Hall, 50 Church Street, 3rd Floor, Atrium Room
Date: Monday, May 6, 2024
Time: 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Comments and Questions
Staff welcome all comments and questions. Please use the question-and-answer tool found below to share any input or ask questions and a City staff member will respond.
Written Feedback
Comments can also be dropped off or mailed to City Hall:
Municipal Development Corporation Liaison, Economic Development
50 Church Street, PO Box 3012
St. Catharines, ON L2R 7C2
Comments and Questions
The City of St. Catharines is looking for feedback on establishing a Municipal Development Corporation. Please leave your comments and questions here and a City staff member will contact you.
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