Transition House raised concerns at this weeks council meeting about potential impacts from new licensing rules for emergency care in the Town of Cobourg.
During a delegation to council on Wednesday, board secretary Alison Lester said the current wording in the proposed bylaw amendment could unintentionally leave the shelter vulnerable to losing its licence.
The amendment to By-law 018-2024 sets a cap of two emergency care establishment licences in the town. While Transition House and Cornerstone Family Violence Prevention Centre are the only two currently operating, the bylaw requires that both the property owner and the operator hold licences – a technicality that could mean Transition House, located at 310 Division St., needs two separate licences, as the County of Northumberland owns the building.
“If the amendment in its current form passes, there will be three licences issued by the town, and the language doesn’t give the director any discretion to issue further licences in these circumstances,” said Lester.
She proposed a simple fix.
“I would propose that this could be achieved by changing the language to state that there can be no more than two emergency care establishments versus no more than two emergency care licences.”
Mayor Lucas Cleveland responded that according to the County, only two licences are required – one for each facility – and Transition House’s two pieces of paper count as one licence.
Town clerk Brent Larmer confirmed the interpretation before council passed the bylaw without any amendments.
Still, Lester said written confirmation would help ensure their shelter isn’t put at risk.
“That was our concern… now if that is the position they’re taking and they’re going to stand by it, then that’s great – and we’ll hang our hat on that.”
(Written by: Joseph Goden)
