Population growth in County mostly in the south, study suggests

Craig Bakay | Mar 04, 2020

“Frontenac County is expected to grow to 33,000 by 2046 (it’s currently about 26,375),” Manager of community planning, County of Frontenac Megan Rueckwald told North Frontenac Council at its regular meeting last Friday in Plevna. “That’s slightly above the rate Kingston is expected to grow but below the province as a whole.

“And much of the growth will be in South Frontenac.

“Bedroom community is one way of describing it.”

However, she said, there are a lot of baby boomers retiring to a country lifestyle and job growth will likely be largely concentrated in the retail and tourism service sector.

“In the detailed North Frontenac projected data, there are a lot of empty nesters and seniors,” she said.

“Empty nesters are a commodity that should not be ignored,” said Coun. Fred Fowler.

Of the growth projections, North Frontenac is slated to grow by only 200 people.

“I just think the figure of 200 people is very low,” Fowler said. “But I do understand this is not a good area for a large business to set up — a cannabis grow-op maybe.”

“I don’t find it low,” said Coun. Wayne Good. “Just look around this table.

“In 26 years, none of us will be here.”

“I think a 30-yer span is hard for anybody to predict,” said Coun. John Inglis. “Corona virus, climate change, the price of housing in Ottawa or Toronto . . .”

“If you’re looking at 26 years, has anybody looking at a four-lane Number 7 or passenger rail as part of the projections?” said Coun. Fred Perry.

“What’s challenging about that is when would it happen,” said Rueckwald.

Joe Gallivan, director of planning and economic development, said his meetings with the Ministry of Transport suggested “they are in the process of updating their plans and as of a year ago, there was no plans for Central Frontenac or Sharbot Lake.

“However, VIA Rail does have a project manager,” he said.

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In his report to Council on potential communal services (water and septic) Gallivan said “this is a game changer but there’ a tough issue nobody’s been able to solve.

“We’ve had the engineering tech since 1995 but it’s a $1 million system that requires an additional $1 million replacement cost that has to be put up in case the system fails and private investors walk away at that.”

He said there is a similar system in place at Frontenac Shores on Lake Mississagagon.

“They have septic and they treat lake water and distripbute it,” he said. “But that’s a time share.”

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Filling in for Mayor Ron Higgins, Dep. Mayor Gerry Martin energetically banged the gavel to open the meeting, startling many in attendace.

“I’ve always want to do that,” he said.