Town, developer move to mediate over planned Perth golf course development

The future of a proposed subdivision in Perth, Ont., remains unclear as the town and the developer work under the supervision of the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) to come to an agreement, while some local residents remain concerned about the scope of the project. 

Caivan, an Ottawa-based company, wants to build around 1,000 new homes in a mix of housing types at a historic golf course on Perth's western outskirts.

The project has touched off concerns about road access and whether the town's infrastructure can support such a big boost to its current population of about 6,500. 

Perth Mayor Judy Brown says it will help keep the community vibrant when tourists leave at the end of the summer, but the proposal has been caught in the gears of a third-party decision-maker for more than a year now. 

How did we get here?

Caivan asked the town in 2023 to amend a zoning bylaw, but the town did not reply within a timeline set out in Ontario's Planning Act.

So Caivan filed an appeal with the tribunal, which will now decide whether the zoning amendment will be granted following a public hearing. 

Earlier this month, Caivan asked the tribunal to put off a hearing scheduled for February so the company and the town can participate in mediation and, in the tribunal's words, "work on narrowing issues."

One of the town's planners noted in August 2023 the project didn't fit with its official plan, but added: "That's not to say it can't be. We just need to make some tweaks."

Affordable housing added

Caivan has tweaked parts of its proposal since that time. 

The total number of units could now max out at 1,069 — an increase that left a concerned community group called Perth Citizens for Sensible Development "a bit flabbergasted," said member Ramsey Hart, who's lived in the town for over 10 years.  

That increase is due in part to the addition of 75 affordable housing units to the mix, an element absent from the original proposal.

Ramsey said that number still isn't enough. 

Other changes Caivan has made include reducing the project's footprint by nearly two hectares; a minimum 15-metre setback from all provincially significant wetlands (the project is near Tay River); and an eventual second bridge over the river to address concerns about traffic. 

"As a result of these efforts, Caivan, the town, and [Lanark County] have agreed to utilize the mediation services offered by the OLT to assist the parties to try to close gaps on remaining issues," Caivan said in an emailed statement. 

The town also declined an interview.

Golf club temporarily closed

The owners of the Perth Golf Course sold the land to Caivan, whose development plan includes keeping the course. But it would be nine holes instead of 18.  

The club, opened in 1890, has temporarily closed amid Caivan's planning and is expected to reopen in 2027, according to the club's website.

It will boast a "new facility," according to the automatic reply to an email CBC sent to the club.   

John Thompson's family has golfed there for more than a century. The retiree tees up 70 times a year. 

"It is a very emotional gut punch to watch the golf course disappear," Thompson said via email. 

"I am hoping someone will come along ... and turn it into a year-round recreational facility with 18 holes of golf, pickleball, a wellness centre, restaurant, cross-country skiing and bike paths."