Last night’s council meeting was brief but had three good outcomes. Council approved :
- Staff’s recommendation to cancel the penalty for the September/October water bills.
- The Township’s Water Ontario Regulation Financial Plan.
- My motion, seconded by Mayor Pellegrini, asking the province to strengthen enforcement against illegal land use.
QUICK LINKS Mayor’s Comments
Mayor’s Comments
• The official opening of the Zancor Centre on Sunday, January 26 was a great success! Thanks to everyone for being a part of it including staff from all departments who were on hand to support the event. The building was packed with residents coming to see the new facility and enjoy the Mayor’s annual pancake breakfast. A special thank you to the King City Lion’s who did an outstanding job of feeding the largest crowd ever, and to all the community groups who had booth’s open during the day.
• King Township’s Fire Chief Jim Wall will retire at the end of this month after almost four decades as a firefighter. Chief Wall has served King Township with distinction for 16 years, including the last 12 years as Fire Chief of King Fire and Emergency Services. His career, spanning 39 years, has been marked by unwavering commitment to citizen care and community service.
Starting as a volunteer in Schomberg in 1986, Chief Wall became King’s first full-time Deputy Chief in 2008 and Fire Chief in 2012. Under his leadership, King Fire and Emergency has become one of Ontario's most highly regarded volunteer fire services.
In addition to personally attending thousands of calls, he provided inspired leadership during a large industrial fire in Schomberg in 2019 and at King Township’s COVID-19 vaccination clinic.
Please join in the celebration of his remarkable career on Saturday February 1 from 1pm to 4pm.
Water & Wastewater Billing Penalty Write-off
The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) went on strike November 15th, 2024. As a result, the Township was unable to mail the P5 (September – October) Water and Wastewater bills on time. While staff made significant effort to advertise the due dates and promote e-billing, the Township received only half the water and wastewater customer payments before the December 18th, 2024, due date. The federal government ordered CUPW back to work December 17th, 2024, and the P5 bills were put in the mail December 19th, 2024 (two days after the scheduled due date).
The Township changed from a quarterly to bi-monthly billing schedule in 2024. Staff suspect that many customers did not realize that there were new due dates and therefore, may not have thought to make efforts to obtain their P5 water and wastewater bill to pay the amount owing.
The number of property owners that missed the due date was higher than previous periods. In 2024 the average penalty was applied to 700 accounts, totalling $18,000 per period. The penalty for the P5 period applies to 2600 accounts and totals $63,490. Staff suspect that the main factor behind the increase in non-payment is due to the timing of the mail interruption, coupled with the new billing structure (i.e. from quarterly to bi-monthly). 2024 was the first year the Township issued a bill in November and had a due date in December. As such, some property owners may not have noticed the bill had not come in the mail or that there was a change in due date to December.
Waiving the 5% penalty equates to lost revenues of $63,490. The budget anticipates the collection of average late penalties of $18,000. The budgetary impact of waiving the P5 late fees will need to be offset by a transfer from the water and wastewater reserve fund.
King Township Water Financial Plan
The Township has already completed financial planning through the Township’s Rate Forecast. The forecast was designed to address “full cost” principles and reflect the guiding principles toward sustainable financial planning. As a result of employing this process, the Township’s Rate Forecast provides the basis for a financial plan for the Township’s water system by including:
• A detailed assessment of current and future capital needs including an analysis of potential funding sources;
• An analysis of operating costs in order to determine how they will be impacted by evolving infrastructure needs and system growth;
• An analysis of required water rates that ensure revenues are equitable and sufficient to meet system needs; and
• A public process that involves consultation with the main stakeholders including the Township’s staff, Council, the general public (specifically the users of the system) and others, with the aim of gaining input and collaboration on the sustainability of the water financial plan.
It is noted that the financial plan does not include capital expenditures that are anticipated to be funded from development charges (D.C.) revenues. The Township is currently undertaking a D.C. process to update the growth-related capital for future consideration.
The Financial Plan indicates that for 2025, the Township’s water system will be in a net financial asset position of approximately $2.6 million. The Township’s net financial asset position is projected to decrease to approximately $1.3 million by the end of the forecast (2032).
The Financial plan shows the ratio of expenses to revenues remaining relatively stable from 81% in 2025 to 82% by 2032. As a result, an annual surplus position is forecasted for each year, ultimately reaching an annual surplus of approximately $1.8 million by the end of the forecast period. It is important to note that an annual surplus is beneficial to ensure funding is available for non-expense costs such as tangible capital asset acquisitions, reserve fund transfers and debt principal payments.
All analysis and recommendations within the Financial Plan align and support the approved 2025 Water and Wastewater Rates and the Township’s long term financial planning.
Township of King Resolution – Strengthening Enforcement Against Illegal Land Use
Moved by: Councillor Anstey and Seconded by: Mayor Pellegrini
King Township, along with several other municipalities in Ontario, is facing significant challenges from illegal land use, which causes environmental degradation and disrupts proper land planning. Examples include the establishment of contractor yards and trucking depots on agriculturally zoned land, as well as other unauthorized activities incompatible with zoning regulations. Despite King Township's proactive efforts to address this issue, it is urging the Provincial government to take stronger action by increasing fines, enhancing cost-recovery tools, and streamlining the enforcement process to ensure timely resolution and effective deterrence.
FINES - Under the current system, individuals can be fined a maximum to of $25,000 for the first offence and a maximum of $10,000 for each day the offence continues. Corporations face a maximum fine of $50,000 for a first offence and $25,000 per day for subsequent offences.
However, courts often impose fines significantly lower than the maximum, which fails to act as an effective deterrent. This motion proposes increasing financial penalties, particularly for offences on environmentally sensitive land, to enhance deterrence.
COSTS - Currently, when courts find a defendant guilty, the imposed fines rarely cover all associated costs. As mentioned above, judges frequently issue fines well below the maximum, leaving taxpayers to shoulder the costs of investigating infractions and the significant legal expenses incurred during prosecution.
This motion seeks to allow municipalities to recover all enforcement-related costs through liens on the property. Not only would this safeguard taxpayers and serve as a strong deterrent, but it would also ensure municipalities can fully recoup the costs of protecting sensitive lands.
PROCESS - When illegal land use occurs and a municipality cannot compel the offender to comply, the defendant may be summoned to court. These cases are tried in Provincial Courts, where they can take up to two years to resolve—all while the illegal activity continues.
This motion calls on the province to expand the use of the Administrative Monetary Penalty System (AMPS). Municipalities already use AMPS to enforce various by-laws, and the motion requests that the province extend its application to offences under the Planning Act. AMPS offers a more efficient resolution process, which would reduce the burden on the already overloaded Provincial Courts while ensuring timely enforcement.
Member Motion from Councillor Anstey Re Strengthening Enforcement Against Illegal Land Use
Whereas the Township of King, as a rural community in Ontario, places a high priority on preserving its natural landscapes, agricultural heritage, and environmentally sensitive areas to ensure sustainable land-use planning and maintain its community integrity; and
Whereas illegal land use, including unauthorized development, unapproved land alterations, and other non-compliant activities, poses significant threats to the township’s agricultural viability, water quality, and ecosystem health, in addition to undermining public trust in land-use governance; and
Whereas municipalities often incur significant costs associated with investigating, enforcing, monitoring, and remediating illegal activities, which are difficult to recover under current legislative and legal frameworks; and
Whereas existing penalties under the Planning Act are insufficient to deter violations, as they do not adequately reflect the economic gains derived from illegal land use activities; and
Whereas the Township of King recognizes the need for enhanced collaboration between municipal and provincial authorities, including stronger legislative tools, increased resources for enforcement, and streamlined processes, to uphold the principles of responsible land stewardship and to protect public trust; and
Whereas empowering municipalities with more timely and additional proactive enforcement measures, such as immediate penalties for non-compliance, would address systemic delays and create a more efficient and effective framework for resolving land-use violations; and
Whereas municipalities currently face delays in halting illegal land use due to limited enforcement authority under the Planning Act; and
Whereas lengthy Provincial Offences Court proceedings currently hinder municipalities’ ability to address straightforward cases of non-compliance promptly and efficiently; and
Whereas granting municipalities the power to issue immediate and enforceable stop-work orders for illegal activities would enhance their ability to protect agricultural and environmentally sensitive lands promptly; and
Whereas providing municipalities with authority to impose immediate financial penalties for non-compliance would strengthen their capacity to enforce planning by-laws and deter ongoing violations;
Now therefore be it resolved that:
The Township of King urges the Government of Ontario to prioritize these legislative amendments to the Planning Act to safeguard Ontario’s agricultural lands, natural heritage, and community well-being:
a. Make fines proportionate to the economic gain derived from violations to eliminate financial incentives for illegal land use by amending Section 67 (Offences and Penalties) of the Planning Act to increase fines for individuals to $50,000 and corporations to $100,000, and include a $50,000 fine for each day the illegal land use continues. Apply escalating penalties for repeat offenders or for violations in areas of high environmental sensitivity (e.g., Greenbelt or conservation lands).
b. Allow municipalities to recover costs associated with investigating, enforcing, monitoring, and remediating illegal activities from violators by granting municipalities the ability to include all charges, fines, orders, notices, prohibitions, injunctions, and court-imposed fines as a lien against the property under the Municipal Act, 2001, which can be registered on title of a property under Section 128 of the Land Titles Act.
c. Empower enhanced enforcement by providing municipalities the ability to impose an Administrative Monetary Penalty System (AMPS) by changing the Planning Act. The intended outcome of this action would be to help avoid court proceedings and encourage compliance to avoid financial penalties. It would have the added benefit of helping to relieve the already-overburden Provincial Courts of Part III Offences and enable more efficient and timely resolution of land-use violations.
That the Township Clerk send a copy of this resolution to Premier Doug Ford, Hon. Paul Calandra, Minister of Municipal Affairs, Hon. Doug Downey, Minister of the Attorney General, all local area municipalities in York Region, including York Region itself, and to the Towns of Bradford West Gwillimbury and Caledon, for their information and support.
New Business
With the growing trend of importation of fill within the rural community, I’ve spoken with Growth Management Services staff, and have confirmed that they will be undertaking a review of the Site Alteration By-law during Q1/Q2 of this year.
The review will also incorporate any changes necessary to align with the Countryside Zoning By-law enacted in 2022, and updated provincial Excess Soils regulations since the Site Alteration By-law was enacted in 2021.
Staff are targeting to complete their review in May 2025 and report back to Council before the summer break.
The Dufferin Marsh is hosting the Annual Community Bonfire & Skate on February 8th from 2-5pm. Hotdogs, marshmallows, coffee, hot chocolate and outdoor fun.
The Great Backyard Bird Count will be held on February 15th at 9am. A brief introduction will be followed by a walk to look for birds. Meet at the Schomberg public Library.
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