Written By David Gomez, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
ADELAIDE METCALFE — Council approved a series of staff reports during its December 15 meeting, including a new Site Alteration by-law, the 2026 Fees and Charges by-law, the 2026 municipal budget and tax rate by-laws, and a tile loan rating by-law for a local agricultural property.
Councillors first considered the updated Site Alteration by-law, which Clerk and Manager of Legislative Services Michael Barnier said was revised following feedback received when the draft was initially presented on November 3. Barnier explained the by-law is intended to establish a consistent framework for regulating the removal of topsoil, placement of fill and alteration of land grades within the township.
“This isn’t anything to do with agricultural, not to affect anything under normal farm practice,” Barnier said, describing the by-law as “just another tool to use” where the municipality previously lacked regulatory authority. He noted the revisions included haul route considerations, a definition for peer review, updated inspection provisions and clauses to ensure cost recovery for third-party reviews. Additional language was also added to clarify that agricultural activities outside normal farm practices may require a permit.
With no questions from council, the Site Alteration by-law was approved unanimously.
Council then moved on to the 2026 Fees and Charges By-Law. Treasurer Johnny Pereira said the annual review is part of the township’s cost-recovery framework and aims to better align fees with the actual cost of services. “The goal is to align fees as much as possible with the true cost of services being provided,” Pereira said, adding that CPI, staff time and comparisons with neighbouring municipalities are considered.
Councillor Andrew Campbell questioned whether CPI-based increases fully reflect real equipment costs. Pereira acknowledged that achieving exact cost recovery can be difficult but said staff strive to stay aligned with neighbouring municipalities. Public Works Manager Coulter Cahill added that equipment charges are used infrequently and primarily for boundary road work or specific homeowner services. The by-law was approved following the discussion.
Furthermore, council approved the 2026 Draft Budget and Tax Rate by-laws. Pereira said the budget, previously presented at a special meeting on December 8, reflects a 5.08% tax rate increase and a total municipal budget of just over $9.8 million. No public feedback had been received at the time of approval.
During discussion, Councillor Garett Kingma commented on broader tax pressures, noting municipalities account for a relatively small portion of the overall tax burden. He described the budget as “future oriented,” saying it aims to support long-term growth and opportunities within the township.
Finally, council approved a tile loan rating by-law for Seldom Rest Family Farms Ltd., moving forward with a loan previously accepted by council in October under the provincial tile drainage program. Treasurer Johnny Pereira explained that the drainage work has been completed and inspected, and that the by-law authorizes the township to issue the loan through a debenture and set the annual repayment schedule. The loan will be repaid over time through the property tax system, with repayments forwarded to the province. With no questions from council, the by-law was approved unanimously.
