Council Highlights - December 15, 2025

The Township of Huron-Kinloss Council Meeting was held in Council Chambers at 21 Queen Street in Ripley at 7:00 p.m. Highlights from the meeting include:

• Employee Service Recognition
• Comments on Conservation Authority Boundaries
• Traffic and Parking Enforcement Authority
• Westario Power Sale

The full agenda and supporting documents can be viewed on the Township of Huron-Kinloss website.

Council Celebrates Employee Service Milestones

Summary: Council celebrated staff members who reached significant years-of-service milestones.

Council received the Employee Years of Service Recognition 2025 Report and formally recognized employees who have dedicated 5, 10, and 30 years of service to The Township of Huron-Kinloss. These milestones represent more than just time spent on the job; they reflect a lasting commitment to the Huron-Kinloss community.

Through their years of service, these employees bring valuable local knowledge and experience to their roles, allowing them to meet the Township’s unique needs with confidence. Their continuity supports consistent daily operations and strong customer service.

Comments on Conservation Authority Boundaries

Summary: Council endorsed official comments to the Province regarding proposed changes to Conservation Authority boundaries to ensure local rural interests and environmental priorities are protected.

The Province has proposed consolidating Conservation Authorities into larger regional bodies. Because these organizations manage critical services like watersheds, flood control, and environmental permitting, Council reviewed and approved a formal submission to the Environmental Registry of Ontario (ERO) outlining the Township’s specific concerns.

The Township’s submission emphasizes three key priorities:

• Strong Rural Representation:
  • Ensuring smaller municipalities maintain a meaningful voice in governance and decision-making.
• Watershed-Specific Decisions:
  • Keeping boundaries aligned with natural watershed areas to preserve local environmental priorities.
• Accessible Permitting:
  • Ensuring digital permitting systems remain user-friendly for residents, particularly in areas with limited broadband access.

What does this mean for residents?

Conservation Authorities play a vital role in protecting water resources and managing flood risks. These proposed structural changes could impact permit timelines, the level of local input on environmental projects, and the overall cost of delivering these services to the community.

What’s next?

Staff will submit the approved comments to the Province before the December 22, 2025, deadline. Residents are also encouraged to share their feedback directly through the ERO Notice #025-1257.

Traffic and Parking Enforcement Authority

Summary: Council passed a by-law granting authority to specific staff members to enforce traffic and parking regulations, including the issuance of tickets.

Council approved the Traffic and Parking Specific Authority to Ticket By-law (2025-118) and the Plow Operators Specific Authority to Tow Amendment By-law (2025-119). These updates ensure that municipal officers and plow operators have the proper legal standing under the Highway Traffic Act and Provincial Offences Act to issue parking tickets and tow vehicles obstructing snow removal operations.

What’s happening?

• Council formally designated specific staff as By-law Enforcement Officers and Provincial Offences Officers for ticketing.
• Council also authorized plow operators to tow vehicles that obstruct snow removal operations.
• Both by-laws came into effect on December 15, 2025, supporting safe and efficient winter maintenance.
  

What does this mean for residents?

This change does not introduce new rules, but it ensures the Township has authorized personnel to maintain safe and accessible roads. While this authority covers all traffic and parking regulations year-round, it is particularly relevant during the winter season.

Residents are reminded that the Winter Parking By-law (No. 99-20) is currently in effect:

• Overnight Parking: To allow for safe and efficient snow removal, parking is prohibited on municipal roads from November 1 to April 30 between the hours of 1:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m.
• Enforcement: Vehicles found parked on roadways during these hours may be ticketed or towed.
• Safety: Keeping roads clear ensures that routes remain open for emergency services and morning traffic.

What’s next?

Officers will continue to monitor Township roadways for compliance with all parking regulation

Westario Power Sale

Summary: Council reaffirmed approval to proceed with the sale of Westario Power Inc. shares to ERTH Corporation. Westario Power provided Council with information to share regarding the transaction.

Westario Power Inc., a local electricity distributor jointly owned by nine municipalities, including Huron-Kinloss, is being sold. Following a competitive bid process, ERTH Corporation was selected as the preferred buyer. Council has approved the formal Share Purchase Agreement and authorized the Mayor and Clerk to execute the documents required to finalize the transaction.

For updates and details about the sale, please visit https://westario.com/ or follow them on Facebook.

Upcoming Meetings

The next Township of Huron-Kinloss Council and Committee of the Whole meetings are daytime meetings scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on Monday, January 12, 2025. The meetings will be held in Council Chambers at the Municipal Office, 21 Queen Street, Ripley.

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