Local agencies are collaborating with community members to advocate for development that gives back to the community, through community benefits networks. Focusing on existing plans for development, these groups will work with developers and the municipality to map out community-defined needs and goals, and negotiate contracts to achieve them.

The strategy mirrors successful efforts by groups in other Ontario communities, working to achieve community visions for affordable housing, decent jobs and other investments.

PELC Executive Director Kathy Kennedy explains: “What they’ve done is created Community Benefits Agreements, where developers and government come together with the community and agree on investments into the community. It’s part of an overall attempt to build community wealth from planned developments. How do we leverage and build on what is already happening in PEC? How do we collectively benefit from developments? This is where we need to pull our community together to define what we want to see happen.”

Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs) are negotiated agreements between a private or public development and a coalition of community-based groups. Communities identify their needs and negotiate tangible outcomes. Benefits typically include jobs, training, apprenticeships, neighbourhood improvements and affordable housing.

PELC Project Coordinator Christine Durant notes there are numerous examples showing what communities have achieved, working with developers and their local municipalities:

• Through the work of Build a Better Fairview, a development in West Don Lands agreed to dedicate 20% of 6,000 rental units to affordable housing, with 5% dedicated to first-time homeowners;
• Toronto Community Benefits Network has secured decent jobs and apprenticeship opportunities for people experiencing barriers to employment through an agreement on the LRT;
• Ottawa Community Housing has entered a CBA with First Nations that incorporates access to education and employment, as well as affordable housing.

Community wealth building strategies differ from traditional approaches to reducing poverty by putting a focus on development, such as public infrastructure, Kennedy explains. “It’s looking at how community benefits can be realized from funding already allocated. Most agreements incorporate the interests of people who do not typically benefit from economic growth, such as young adults, newcomers and low-income communities.”

“Part of the work now is identifying the ‘what’ and the ‘how,’” adds Dominique Jones, Executive Director of the County Foundation. “How much affordable housing? What are our targets? What about quality jobs: what does that actually look like? How can developers play a role? What social services do we need, or need to be expanded, to meet our needs? How can developers and the municipality invest in our community in a way that everyone benefits?”

Jones notes a community-led vision for Prince Edward County has already started taking shape through Thrive PEC. In 2023, Thrive met with hundreds of County residents to imagine what PEC wants to be. Actions to reach this shared vision are guided by several pillars, including affordability, quality jobs, economic diversity, sustainable tourism, climate protection, arts and cultural heritage, community connections, social infrastructure, and social services.

Plans for new development in Prince Edward County – including upcoming projects by Base31, Cork and Vine, and VineRidge – may lead to more than 10,000 new homes and rental units, representing tremendous potential for impact.

“The first step is bringing together the community to define the asks,” Durant notes. “What do we want from developers?” Two new groups – the Prince Edward County Community Benefits Network, and a Macaulay Village Neighbourhood Association – are in the early stages of asking these questions.

Community conversations to gather public input will take place at the Picton Community Centre on Tuesday, January 23 from 2-4 pm, and at the Wellington & District Community Centre on January 30 from 6-8 pm. Additional conversations are being hosted by community agencies and groups throughout PEC; interested residents can sign up by contacting (613) 476-1811 ext. 105 or emailing inspire@pelc.ca.

History

CBAs emerged in the United States during the 1990s as money flowed back into the downtown cores of cities that had previously experienced high levels of unemployment and poverty. Many local governments operated on the assumption that the faster and more easily developers could proceed, the faster depressed areas would be rehabilitated. As a consequence, cities and states would often grant generous public subsidies or tax exemptions to such projects. Public backing of large, for-profit developments became, in some places, almost a matter of course. Leaders in the communities affected by these developments began to organize to leverage these public investments and extract more value from them. They believed the economic development process would be stronger if it were more democratic and delivered more community benefits. They formed coalitions that differed from what are known as NIMBY groups (Not In My Back Yard) who oppose large-scale development outright. By contrast, these coalitions see themselves as advocates for successful developments implemented through a more equitable and inclusive process. https://communitybenefitsagreements.ca/

About Thrive PEC
Thrive in Prince Edward County is a community-led process of discovery, asking the fundamental questions of: 1. What do we want our community to be in 10 years time? 2. How can people and local organizations and businesses in PEC come together to develop and action this collaborative vision?

About PELC
Prince Edward Learning Centre is a strong advocate of lifelong learning. We support individuals in Prince Edward County to reach their learning goals by providing programs that increase literacy and essential skills and offer educational and employment upgrading and training. We focus on community development, because we believe that collaboration and civic engagement are powerful tools that strengthen individuals and communities.