Remembrance Day Information
I will be representing the Township at the Bath Legion Ceremony.
October 7th Committee of Adjustment
October 8th Training Tuesday
October 8th Council and Committee of the Whole Meeting
October 16th Classroom to Community
October 22nd Council and Committee of the Whole Meeting
October 23rd Babcock Mill Reading Garden Grand Opening
October 24th Town Hall Odessa
October 27th Trunk-or-Treat
October 29th W.J. Henderson Recreation Centre Renewal
October 29th Town Hall Wilton
October 30th Loyalist Ward Boundary Review
October 30th Tour Amherst Islander II
October 30th Town Hall Amherstview
October 7th Committee of Adjustment
The committee held Public meetings on the following applications and approved the applications as presented.
You can view the highlights from the Committee of the Adjustment meeting and view the full Meeting Agenda Package
October 8th Training Tuesday
Staff training takes place on a regular basis and I took part in this past months training on AI (Artificial Intelligence) lead by Councillor Willis. It was an eye opener for me and there were several take aways for me. The first being that AI is here and that it won't replace humans but we must adapt to the availability of it in our daily lives. Studies indicate it may reduce time on task as much as 80% and provide a 40% increase in output. I tried it by asking Chat AI to create a biography of myself using a few prompts and was amazed by the result.
October 8th Council and Committee of the Whole Meeting
To view the highlights from the Council and Committee of the Whole meeting go to the following link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9zFc15Zdpc
Items for Consideration Council approved the following items:
Staff will submit applications for the following Fall 2024 Funding Opportunities:
• Housing-Enabling Core Infrastructure Fund in partnership with Lennox and Addington County for the redevelopment of County Road 6 between Highway 33 and County Road 23.
• Community Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Fund Stream 1 for the W.J. Henderson Recreation Centre Renewal Project for the arena boards, glass, and pad only and to Stream 2 for the W.J. Henderson Recreation Centre Renewal Project in its entirety.
• Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund Round 2 for the Amherstview WPCP Peak Flow Equalization and Headworks Upgrades.
Items approved through the Consent Agenda
• Minutes of the September 24, 2024 W.J. Henderson Recreation Renewal Fundraising Committee Meeting
• Resignation of Jane Albert from the W.J. Henderson Recreation Centre Fundraising Committee •
Staff provided a comprehensive overview of the newly released Provincial Planning Statement (PPS) 2024, which is set to take effect on October 20, 2024. This report highlighted key changes from previous drafts of the PPS and outlined the overall modifications to the current policy framework. Once the 2024 PPS is in effect, all planning decisions shall be consistent with the policies.
By-Laws By-laws approved at this meeting can be located at the following link:
October 16th Classroom to Community
As part of Municipal Government Week students from our local grade five classes were invited for a day of exploration at the WJ. Students learned about various services that the municipal government provides as week as other community partners. Along with other members of council I took part in the Q & A session which was informative as well as entertaining at times.
October 22nd Council and Committee of the Whole Meeting
You can view the highlights from the Council and Committee of the Whole meeting and view the full Council Meeting Agenda Package https://loyalist.civicweb.net/Portal/MeetingInformation.aspx?Org=Cal&Id=1997
Presentations
• Mayor Hegadorn and Council welcomed Dr. Jenna Moodie and Dr. George Kitching.
• Dr. Robert Williams of Watson & Associates provided a presentation on Loyalist Township Council Composition and Ward Boundary Review Statutory
Public Meeting Council denied the Official Plan Amendment (D09-002-2022) and Zoning By-law Amendment (D14- 013-2022 application submitted by Brookland Fine Homes Limited for property addressed as 12-20 William Street in Odessa.
Council approved the Loyalist Estates Mixed Use Development Zoning By-law amendment. The proposed application applies land at the corner of Loyalist Boulevard and Church Street in Bath. .
Items for Consideration Council approved the following items:
• Update on the Family Physician Recruitment Incentive Program Three physicians have signed Return of Service Agreements with the Township with all joining the Loyalist Family Health Team in Amherstview to replace three physicians who have retired. Council directed staff on the incentive program for 2025 and possible budget funding models.
• Township's 2023 Year-end Financial Statements were audited by KPMG LLP. It provides a summary of financial results of operations for the year ended December 31, 2023.
• Council approved the removal of the part lot control provisions submitted by Kaitlin Corporation for the subdivision which fronts Gildersleeve Boulevard and Purdey Road in Phase 1 of the Aura by the Lake subdivision in the Village of Bath.
Committee of the Whole
• Refreshment Vehicle By-law Staff are reviewing the By-law and will bring forward to Council at the December 10 meeting.
• Hemson Consulting Ltd. provided an overview of the 2024 Water and Sewer Rate Study via a Powerpoint presentation. Hemson has been retained to prepare an updated financial plan for the Township’s drinking water license renewal. This plan is predicated on the analysis related to the updated 2024 rate study outlining the water and sewer user rates over a 10-year period from 2025-2034. The results from the rate study indicate that a typical household water bill would see a 5% average annual increase for water and sewer rates to meet capital and operating requirements, while accounting for the reserve fund policy. The 2025 water and sewer user rates by-law and financial plans will be presented at the November 12th Council meeting.
• The existing Capital Project Prioritization Policy identifies five key areas including: Safety, health, and legislative; Lifecycle Maintenance; Ongoing Programs; Growth; and New Initiatives. To implement the Policy, staff developed a procedure utilizing a weighted matrix approach entitled "Benefit Score Calculation". Staff identified several areas Council may wish to provide direction to staff for inclusion in the policy: service areas, project location, local economic improvement, environment and climate change initiatives.
Consent Agenda
• 2025 Budget - Public Engagement Update
• Minutes of the October 8, 2024 meeting of Council and Committee of the Whole
• Minutes of the September 24, 2024 W.J. Henderson Recreation Renewal Fundraising Committee
• Cemetery Price List By-law for the Corporation of Loyalist Township
• Minutes of the October 15, 2024 Community Grant Committee and approved the following Community Grants: Name of Applicant Amount Partners in Mission Foodbank $50,000 Amherst Island Recreation Association $2,565 Lennox and Addington Resources for Children $2,000 Amherstview Bath Scouts Group $5,239.75 and in-kind services of $1,486.14 Loyalist Skating Club of Amherstview $2,597.87 and in-kind services of $1,401.13
By-Laws By-laws approved at this meeting can be located at the following link: 2024 By-laws
Council Want to share an idea or opinion with Council? Share your ideas or opinions with Loyalist Township Council by emailing clerk@loyalist.ca This document can be made available in other accessible formats and upon request. Want more? The official record of Council is contained in the Council minutes, available on the CivicWeb Portal. Please refer any further questions to the Clerk’s Division clerk@loyalist.ca
October 23rd Babcock Mill Reading Garden Grand Opening
I attended the culmination of the student work from the past two years'. As a former educator I am always excited to see student engagement in th ecommunity. Odessa Public School's Grade 6/7 class participated in the Imagining My Sustainable Community (IMSC) program. Led by No. 9, this award-winning workshop empowered students to design sustainable communities, aligning with the ResiLienT Loyalist Township Climate Action Plan. For a more detailed outline of the program and the resulting reading garden go to the following link.
October 27th Trunk-or-Treat
Approximately 3,500 people attended the Third Annual Trunk or Treat extravaganza. Support from various community groups included 37 different vehicles representing business, community organizations and families. It was an accessible event open to all. If you want to plan ahead circle October 25th, 2025 for next years event.
October 29th WJ Henderson Recreation Centre Renewal Fundraising Committee
Fundraising Consultant, George Stanois of BNP Goldie Canada gave an update of the Timeline and the procedures and methods for the fundraising committee. A donation page has opened for those who may wish to support the project and can be found at https://www.wjrenewal.ca/donate
October 30th Loyalist Ward Boundary Review
Loyalist Township is undertaking a comprehensive review of the Township's Council composition (number of Councillors) and ward boundaries. A ward is a geographical division of a city or township for administrative or political purposes. A ward boundary review is a task conducted on behalf of a municipality to assess whether the present electoral structure and wards constitute an effective, equitable and democratic system of representation and, if not, to propose alternatives. I had an opportunity to sit down with representatives of Watson & Associates Economists Ltd. to discuss the review and look forward to receiving their report to council expected in the new year. I would encourage everyone to take part in the review which can be found at the following link.
October 30th Tour Amherst Islander II
A few random shots the tour that ferry staff gave to council members who wished to get a better understanding of the operations. A very smooth ride up top with a vast array of technology to guide the ship.
October 24th, 29th & 30th Community Town Halls
In the interest of transparency and accountability, Loyalist Township holds Community Town Hall meetings in communities throughout the Township on a bi-annual basis. These informal meetings provide community members with an opportunity to get updates on municipal programs and projects, suggest new ideas, and ask questions of Council. I was able to attend all the meetings in Ward Three, hearing the presentations and community concerns. Some of the topics covered included:
Ward Boundary Review
2025 Municipal Budget
Link to Loyalist Link
To get more information go to Engage Loyalist at https://engage.loyalist.ca/
I was unable to attend this months meeting as I was attending the Amherstview Town Hall at the same time. Cataraqui Conservation information can be found at
This pilot program began on November 4, 2024 and aims to enhance transportation options for residents of additional communities in the Township including Bath, Odessa, and the Amherst Island Ferry Terminal in Millhaven. The service will also provide a vital public transportation link to workplaces in the Taylor-Kidd Industrial Park and the Loyalist East Business Park. We hope that the community takes advantage of this option allowing it to become a permanent fixture in the community. Schedules and bus route information can be found at
Engage Loyalist is a place to learn about and give feedback about Township projects and initiatives. Go to https://engage.loyalist.ca to participate.
Lennox & County Council agendas and minutes can be found at
Our county representatives are Mayor Hedagorn and Deputy Mayor Townend who can be contacted for County issues.
CamSafe Launch
A reminder that the OPP launched CamSafe the security camera program in our township. Registering your camera with CamSafe allows the OPP to locate cameras that may be of assistance instead of going door to door in a neighbourhood looking for info. This is a totally volunteer program which is available to all residents and no cost and can be withdrawn from at anytime. . For further information go to https://www.loyalist.ca/en/news/camsafe-program-launches-in-loyalist-township.aspx or https://camsafe.ca/
Loyalist Township uses the CodeRED notification system to help us get important messages to you quickly when an emergency is happening. CodeRED is a notification system you can sign up for. When you subscribe you will get alerts about emergencies and other important situations happening near you. We can deliver alerts to you by phone, text, email, or TDD for the hearing impaired, depending on what you choose. To sign up go tp the following link.
Check out the following link to find to stay update with consultations going on in Loyalist and sign up for email information.
On air with CJAI 101.3 Amherst Island Radio in the noon-2:00pm time slot on Thursdays. Spinning some tunes interspersed with some local talk. If you know of any potential guests in the area who may wish to join me drop me a line! On the internet at cjai.ca
Good man Paul! Glad to see that you are still doing your bit for the community. Some great photos! :)