South Frontenac Council - Dec 2/25

Deputy Mayor

Councillor Pegrum was sworn in as deputy Mayor for the remainder of the term of Council.

Presentation to Council

Resident Jerri Jerreat made a presentation about climate concerns and the on-going need to plan for heatwaves, drought, fire and other related challenges to the Township. Her voice was soft, and not easy for those seated behind her to hear. She thanked the township for the steps they were already taking, and one of her main recommendations were that consideration be given to paying paramedics the same as firefighters: both groups are mostly volunteers, and subject to being called out at any time of night or day. Council received the presentation.

’26 is an Election Year

Mayor Vandewal reminded Council that this coming year will be an election year. He advised Council members to try to keep their Tuesday evenings open, even though they usually held only two meetings a month, so that they could be available on short notice if a third should become necessary.

High Speed Rail Project

Two presenters came on behalf of Alto, the proposed high speed rail line to be built connecting Quebec City and Toronto by way of Trois Rivière, Laval, Montreal, Ottawa, and Peterborough. Noting that Canada is the only country in the G7 that does not have a high speed rail, they spoke of frequency, convenience and reliability and even managed to suggest the project would contribute to reconciliation through Indigenous engagement.

Council’s reaction was strong; ’Why Peterborough?” asked Councillor Sleeth; “It’s a nice little town, but what would we get out of it?” Trueman noted that even if it stopped at Sharbot Lake, it could at least be of some use to this area. It was noted that Kingston had two universities, a huge hospital complex, a Canadian forces base, and was a popular tourism centre. Someone noted that the corridor would need to be quite wide, to accommodate the fenced-off double tracks, and the route chosen was not as heavily populated as the Frontenac area.

The presenters said the project was in its very early stages, and they would be coming back several times during the process.

Private Lane Upgrade Assistance

Deputy Mayor Pegrum asked if any year-end surplus to this program would be carried forward; the answer was that the surplus was returned to reserves; the annual allocation to this program is set at $100,000.

Survey Results re Budget

No significant shifts were seen from last years’ survey responses: Roads, fire protection and waste collection. Mayor Vandewal noted “It’s always about roads: nobody has ever spoken to me about fire services.” It was suggested that “affordable housing” needed to be more clearly defined.

CAO Fragnito promised further clarification of this; the 2026 budget is still being developed.

Notice of Motion

Councillor Leonard served a notice of motion to ask the Bank of Montreal to reconsider its intention to close its Verona branch, particularly in relation to the planned new housing project for the village