FAQ
- Are there any regulations to aid with snow removal and alleviate safety concerns throughout the Township during the winter months.
- What is Giant Hogweed and what should I do with it?
- What does the Animal Control Officer do?
- I have a raccoon/ skunk hanging around my property, what can I do to get rid of it?
- How does the Noise By-Law pertain to me?
- Does the Township have any regulations regarding the waterfront and beachfront area?
- When am I permitted to have a family fireworks display?
- When am I permitted to water my lawn?
- I have a Property and can’t get here every week to maintain the lawn. When does this become an issue?
- Can I trim or cut trees down to make my property bigger or more enjoyable?
- Where may I ride my ATV in Huron-Kinloss?
- Can I have a campfire with my family?
- The Trails in our area need to be trimmed and cleaned up. Who should I contact?
- I would like to get married at the Point Clark Lighthouse. Who should I contact?
- Who do I contact to register my child for sports soccer/ baseball/ hockey in Ripley?
- What are the rental rates for your facilities?
- Who do I call to book the Point Clark Community Centre?
- How do I rent space for a meeting/banquet or family gathering?
- What happens when I call to report Algae along the lakeshore?
- Who do I call if there is Algae along the lakeshore?
- How do I get a building permit?
- Who do I contact about a municipal drain?
- Are we permitted to have a fireworks display at our family gathering?
- I want to burn brush and I live in a rural area.
- I want to have a bonfire and roast marshmallows. What are the regulations?
- I want to remove some trees on my property on the lakeshore. What do I do?
- I have a stray cat around my property. What do I do?
- What do I do if my dog goes missing or I find a stray dog?
- I built a new home last year, but my taxes do not seem to reflect this. What should I do?
- I am selling my property. How can I figure out how much taxes I owe?
- How are my property taxes calculated?
- What do I get for my taxes?
- Who do I contact with questions about my property assessment?
- What methods of payment are available for taxes?
- When are taxes due?
- I am researching family genealogy. Do you keep records?
- How do I book a marriage commissioner?
- Where do I apply for a marriage licence?
- How does my organization apply for a lottery licence?
- How do I get on the agenda as a delegation for a Council meeting?
- Who do I contact for a 9-1-1 address for my vacant property?
- I need my water shut off located. Who do I contact to make arrangements?
- I am installing a water softener. What are the grains of hardness for the water coming into my house/cottage?
- My water is coming out of the taps with a yellow or brownish colour. What do I do?
- My streetlight is out/recycling on and off. Who do I report it to?
- Does the Township pick up bagged leaves?
- Where do I take household hazardous waste items?
- The driver missed picking up my blue box/garbage. Who should I contact?
- Where can I purchase a blue box or green cone digester?
- Where can I purchase bag tags?
- Where is the Kinloss Landfill site?
- Where is the Huron Landfill site?
- What are the hours of operation for the Kinloss Landfill site?
- What are the hours of operation for the Huron Landfill site?
- What is a Municipal Drain?
According to the Township of Huron-Kinloss Parking Control By-Law 99-20, one must not be parked on a highway or a boulevard between November 1 and April 30, between the hours of 1:00 am and 6:00am., to ensure roadways get cleared of snow properly.
Also we have enacted By-Law 2011-136, the Prohibition of Snow Piling By-Law. This is to prevent snow and ice being deposited on area roadways, which causes an imminent safety concern. Fines may be issued if caught in violation of either of the aforementioned offences.
Giant Hogweed has now been classified as a noxious weed by OMAFRA/ provincial legislation. It is very hazardous to human health, if the stem oils come in contact with human skin it may cause severe burns. Depending on individual sensitivity, effects can last for months and skin can remain sensitive to UV light for years. If contact is suspected, immediately wash skin thoroughly with soap and water. Once irritation begins, seek medical advice.
Bruce County Weed Inspector, Ken Goldsmith, advised us of some household items one may use to aid in killing this weed. If you cut the weed off at the stem, it should be hollow. Then you can pour bleach, road salt, vinegar, or Round-Up into the hollow stem and surrounding area. Once cut, place the cut portion(s) in a garbage bag and let it bake in the sun to kill any seeds which may have started to bloom. If attempting this yourself be sure to use extreme caution and wear gloves, eyewear, long clothing etc. However, Giant hogweed is very difficult to eradicate. It is a long term project, possibly taking 5 to 10 years. If an established growth is found, it is recommended that a contractor be hired to remove the growth.
The Animal Control Officer solely deals with dogs in the Township. Dog tags must be purchased for every dog residing in the Township. Kennels must be constructed and properly zoned for anyone whom wishes to harbor more than 3 dogs. Dogs found straying at large are picked up and easily retuned home if wearing a dog tag. If there is no identification attached to the dog it will go to the pound where it is kept for 3 business days and then adopted out. If the dog is claimed fees will result to cover expenses incurred while harboring the pet. All owners are expected to clean up after pets on all properties other than his/her own and must have control over their dog at all times or fines are imminent.
The Township of Huron-Kinloss does not deal with nuisance animals, we do not have the equipment or to expertise to handle such. We can provide the names of a few local trappers that will remove the animal for you, but it will be at your expense.
The time when general noise needs to be minimized is between the hours of 11:00pm one evening and 7:00am the next day (9:00am on Sundays). Every home owner should be mindful of neighbouring residents/properties at all times and not disturb the natural enjoyment of their properties.
If you are hosting a celebration or gathering, exemptions to the Noise By-law can be obtained through Council to avoid prosecution. You must apply in writing to council well in advance of the function. Contact the By-law Enforcement Officer for further details.
The Township of Huron-Kinloss has entered an Agreement with the Ministry of Natural Resources to help enforce posted regulations along the beachfront located in Huron-Kinloss. At many main beach access points there are signs with posted regulations regarding the beachfront. There are four enforceable regulations posted;
1. No Littering
2. No motorized vehicles permitted on the beach
3. Clean up after pets
4. No dune destruction or alteration
The Township of Huron-Kinloss By-law Enforcement Officer has been given permission by the Ministry to monitor beach activity using an ATV and to enforce said regulations.
According to our Noise Control By-Law 2005-101, the detonation of fireworks is prohibited in a residential area except in association with Victoria Day and/or Canada Day celebrations.
The Lawn Watering By-Law 2010-46 is in effect from June 1 to Sept. 15 annually. Lawn watering is permitted based on your house number. Even numbered houses may water on even numbered days, and odd numbered houses water on add days of the month. Watering is only permitted between the hours of 6:00am- 9:00am and 6:00pm- 9:00pm. With the exception of automated sprinkler systems, they are permitted to run between 4:00am and 7:00am on specified day.
Under the Urban Area Weed and Grass Cutting By-Law 2003-40 and/or the Property Standards
By-Law 99-124, grass and weeds must be cut and maintained not to exceed 20 cm in height. A warning will be issued and if not complied with in the time frame specified the work will be done by the Township and billed to the resident.
Help us protect our trees! A Tree Preservation By-Law was passed in 2011 that prohibits and regulates the destruction or injuring of any tree on your property(s). This By-law pertains to the properties along the Algonquin Bluff that runs parallel to the Lake Huron shoreline between the North and South boundaries of the Township. If you wish to make alterations to trees in this area you may apply for a permit. There is no cost to obtain the permit and an inspection of your property will be conducted. A permit is not required to prune tree branches in accordance with good arboriculture practice to maintain, improve, or protect tree health and the surrounding forest health. There are strict fines should tree cutting occur in the defined area without first having obtained a permit.
The All Terrain Vehicle Use By-Law 2008-44, permits riders to ride ATV’s on certain roadways between the hours of 6:00 am and 11:00pm. Operators and the vehicles must be properly licenced and follow all regulations under the Highway Traffic Act; including lower than posted speed limits. If the posted speed limit is less than 50 km/hr one may travel at a maximum of 20km/hr, posted speed limit is greater than 50km/hr one may travel up to 50km/hr.
ATV’s are not permitted on the beach, in any urban areas such as Ripley or Lucknow or in the area West of Lake Range Drive to Lake Huron except to obtain food, lodging or fuel. The OPP and the By-Law Enforcement Officer are working together to monitor non compliance.
The Open Air Burning By-Law 2001-2 regulates campfires. Permits are not required to have a recreational fire. However, the following requirements must be met; the fire must be no larger than 1 meter in diameter and height, must be used for warmth or cooking food, must not burn prohibited materials, must have a means of extinguishing the fire at hand, must be at least 3 meters away from any building or hedge etc. You should also be respectful of neighbouring properties in regards to the travel of smoke.
Please call the Department of Facilities and Recreation at 519-395-2909 or e-mail recreation@huronkinloss.com. We thank you for bringing this matter to our attention and we appreciate the call. Our trails are maintained on a rotating basis from Spring to Fall.
There are no facilities at the Point Clark Lighthouse to host an indoor ceremony or reception. It is acceptable to host a small intimate ceremony on the lawn of the lighthouse; however, we request that you don’t have seating or tents assembled on the property. Please call 519-395-2909 to make arrangements to have your wedding at the Point Clark Lighthouse.
Please call the Ripley Recreation Department at 519-395-2909.
Rates vary depending on the space you wish to use and purpose of your rental. Please see the Consolidated Fees By-law for current rates or call the Department of Facilities and Recreation at 519-395-2909.
The current caretakers for the Point Clark Community Centre, Roy and Sharon, can be reached at 519-395-0714.
Contact the Department of Facilities and Recreation at 519-395-2909 or recreation@huronkinloss.com to make arrangements for most facilities. If the space you are enquiring about is not looked after by the Department of Facilities and Recreation we will do our best to provide you with the correct contact information for the space you are interested in.
Once a report of Algae has been received the Department of Facilities and Recreation sends an employee to document the findings. If the accumulation meets Policy Requirements the Contracted Algae Harvester is contacted to arrange for clean up. If the accumulation does not meet Policy Requirements no action will be taken.
You call the Department of Facilities and Recreation 519-395-2909 to report the accumulation of algae along the lakeshore.
Building permit applications are available at the Township office in Ripley or download a permit from the Township website. The completed application is submitted to The Building Official at the Township Office. Allow two weeks for review.
All Municipal Drain questions should be directed to Grant Collins, the Drainage Superintendent. Please call the Township office at 519-395-3735 for contact information.
Fireworks are only permitted on Victoria Day and Canada Day unless an exemption from the Noise By-Law 2005-101 is received from Council. Written requests to Council for an exemption must be made at least three weeks in advance of the celebration. Send your request for exemption to clerk@huronkinloss.com or by mail to The Township of Huron-Kinloss, P. O. Box 130, Ripley, ON N0G 2R0.
Call the Township office at 519-395-3735 and report the date and time of burn and staff will notify the Fire Department of the proposed controlled burn. See By-law 2001-2 Open Air Burning for further details.
No fire can be more that 3 ft. by 3 ft. See By-law 2001-2 Open Air Burning for details.
Fill out an Application for Tree Removal Permit and submit to the Township office. You can do this by printing the form from the Township website and take or send by mail to the Township office at 21 Queen St., Ripley. Questions can be directed to Mike Fair at 519-395-2909. The application must be signed by the owner and the contractor, if applicable (must be known at the time of submission). An Officer will make a site visit to review the request.
The Township does not have a by-law regulating cats and, therefore, will not attend to the matter.
Call the By-law Enforcement Officer at 519-395-3844 and leave a message on the pager. The Officer will call you back to get information on the dog; e.g., licence number, colour & markings and pick up the dog, if necessary.
Contact the Township of Huron-Kinloss at 519-395-3735 and MPAC at 1-866-296-6722 to make sure your new building will be assessed as quickly as possible. Please be aware that assessments of new homes may take some time and the taxes will be calculated back to the date of occupancy. It is advised to put aside money yourself or you may make advanced payments to the Township of Huron-Kinloss. When you receive your notice of assessment from MPAC please ensure the information is correct. If there is any information you don’t agree with and you wish to do a Request for Reconsideration contact MPAC.
Normally you are responsible for any tax instalments that are due when you are the owner of the property and any tax instalments due after your sale date will be the responsibility of the new owner. However, you should check with your lawyer regarding your specific situation. If you are on Pre-Authorized Payment, please notify the office so that no payments are processed after you sell your property.
The interim taxes are calculated by taking the total previous year’s taxes and multiplying by 50% and then that amount is split between the 2 instalments due on the first business day of March and June.
The final taxes are calculated by multiplying your current year’s assessment by the current year’s tax rate plus any special charges that apply to your property then the interim taxes previously calculated are subtracted from this amount. The balance is then split between the 2 instalments due on the first business day of September and December.
The tax rate is the total tax rates from the County, Municipal and Education combined.
The Township of Huron-Kinloss uses tax dollars to provide or subsidize a variety of services including, but not limited to, road construction and maintenance, waste collection and disposal, recycling, street lighting, protection of persons and property (fire, police, by-law enforcement), recreation and leisure services (facilities, parks and programs). For more detailed information on the budget please visit the finance section of the website or contact the municipal Treasurer.
The Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) is responsible for placing a value on all properties in Ontario. For property assessment information, contact the MPAC office at 1-866-296-6722 or online following this link www.mpac.ca.
Several methods are available:
• In person, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 21 Queen St., Ripley (Cash, cheque, Interac)
• After hours drop box, 21 Queen St., Ripley (cheques only)
• By mail to P. O. Box 130, Ripley, ON N0G 2R0 (allow sufficient transit time)
• Pre-authorized Payment (sign-up form available on website)
• Telephone/internet banking & Teller/ABM payments at the following institutions (contact your branch): Royal Bank, Bank of Montreal, Scotia Bank, CIBC, TD-Canada Trust, Credit Union Central, Tel Pay.
Taxes are due quarterly on the first business day of March, June, September & December. Payments not received by the due date are subject to penalty of 1.25% per month.
There have been several history books written for the communities of Huron-Kinloss which may be accessed at the libraries. The Bruce County Archives is another resource at www.brucemuseum.ca.
Visit our marriage commissioner site to view the profiles of the four marriage commissioners contracted by the Township and complete the on-line booking form. The selected marriage commissioner will contact you directly. Call the Clerk’s office at 519-395-3735 or e-mail us at deputyclerk@huronkinloss.com if you need further information.
A marriage licence may be obtained from the Township office. The cost is $100 and the licence is valid for three months from date of issue. For an application form and further information click here and see Downloads on the right hand side of page.
The Township is responsible for issuing Municipal licences for raffles and break open ticket lotteries. Call the Clerk‘s office at 519-395-3735 to ensure your organization is eligible and for more detailed information. Click here for applications.
Please contact the Clerk at 519-395-3735 or e-mail clerk@huronkinloss.com with a written request containing the nature of your item. All requests and correspondence for Council must be received by 1:00 p.m. the Thursday prior to the meeting.
Please contact the Public Works Department at pwadmin@huronkinloss.com with your legal description/roll number, name and telephone number.
Water locates are performed by Veolia Water Canada with a minimum 48 hours notice. Please email pwadmin@huronkinloss.com or call our office at 519-395-3735 with your location and contact telephone number.
Our ground water well supplies provide naturally hard water. The Lakeshore Well Supply system varies from 21 to 44 grains of hardness depending on the location. The Lucknow, Ripley and Whitechurch Well Supply systems range from 14 – 18 grains of hardness.
If you are experiencing discoloured water, please flush your system by opening an outside tap and running for at least 20 minutes or until the water clears. If it does not clear, call our office at 519-395-3735 during regular business hours, or the emergency line at 1-866-299-5199 for after hour calls.
Please report streetlight issues to the Public Works Department at pwadmin@huronkinloss.com.
The Public Works Department conducts an annual leaf pick up of bagged leaves in Ripley and the Lakeshore in early November. Leaves and brush may be disposed of free of charge at the Huron Landfill year round, and the Kinloss Landfill from April through October.
The County of Bruce hosts several Household Hazardous Waste events each year. For a complete schedule of dates and times please visit their website at: http://www.brucecounty.on.ca.
For missed blue box or garbage pick up, please call Bruce Area Solid Waste Recycling at 1-800-794-9770.
Blue boxes and green cone digesters may be purchased at the Huron Landfill site or the Municipal Office during regular hours of operation.
Bag tags may be purchased at the Municipal Office, Village Flower Shop, Huron Landfill site, MacAdams, Amberley General Store, Lucknow Village Market, Hamilton Fuels, Pine River Cheese, Holyrood General Store, Kincardine Pizza & Variety, Hi-Way Variety, Zehrs, Kincardine Home Hardware, Kwik K, Sobey’s, Lighthouse Variety & Gifts and Wingham ValuMart.
The Kinloss Landfill site is located at 690 Kairshea Avenue, east of Bruce Rd. 1.
The Huron Landfill site is located at 2087 Concession 6 E (between Bruce Road 7 and Highway 21).
The Kinloss Landfill site is open Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. starting the first Saturday in April until the last Saturday in October.
The Huron Landfill site is open Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. year round.
It is a drain requested by landowners in an affected area. An engineer designs it and oversees the construction of it and the benefitting landowners pay for the cost of constructing the drain. The municipality is responsible for future maintenance of the drain with those costs also being assessed to the benefiting landowners. It is regulated by Provincial Legislation.
Contact Us
Phone: 519-395-3735
Fax: 519-395-4107
Email: info@huronkinloss.com
Address:
21 Queen Street, P.O. Box 130, Ripley ON N0G 2R0
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