North Frontenac Reverses Course; Joins Municipal Services Corporation

Craig Bakay | Jun 21, 2023

In a 5-2 vote, North Frontenac Council decided to join the Frontenac Municipal Service Corporation at a special meeting June 20 in Plevna.

Coun. Wayne Good and Vernon Hermer voted against.

The Municipal Service Corporation (MSC) is a utilities corporation consisting of voting members North Frontenac, Central Frontenac, South Frontenac and Frontenac Islands. The County of Frontenac is not a voting member.

The idea is to provide communal services (water and sewer) for new developments that will allow for smaller lots (ie more units in the same amount of space; current lots must be two acres) and provide a single septic system and well for several homes in a given development.

This could be done without the MSC but would involve developers having to provide a bond in the event something goes wrong with the development. Under an MSC, no such bond is required from a developer as the MSC will assume all liability.

The cost for North Frontenac will be $97,294, over 5 years. Twenty per cent ($19,500) is required within 30 days of incorporation to be funded from the Contingency Reserve Fund. Council also commits to the remaining dollars to be funded from the CRF for future payments with a plan to replenish funds through the budget process during 2024 budget deliberations.

The grand total required to fund the MSC is $696,800 over 5 years, with Central Frontenac paying $119,067. South Frontenac paying $299,580, Frontenac Islands paying $41,360 and the County of Frontenac paying $139,360. The apportionment is determined by the weighted assessment on the date of incorporation.

The previous North Frontenac Council had voted 3-3 in a resolution to join the initial proposal of the MSC but a tie vote results in a resolution failing.

“We recognize that this was defeated by a previous Council and I’m not generally in favour of overturning a previous Council’s decision but that was before the Province passed Bill 23 (More Homes Built Faster Act).,” said Mayor Gerry Lichty.

“I’ve already made my decision,” said Coun. Wayne Good. “I don’t feel this will help our municipality because we’re so far off the beaten path, ie the 401 corridor, and we’re a tourist township and more of a retirement community.

“Retired people on a fixed income can’t afford more taxes.

“Plus, if the MSC goes under, we’ll (townships) be held responsible.”

“I’ve always been an advocate of building the tax base,” said Coun. Fred Fowler. “People in Toronto have homes that they can retire from selling them.

“We have a new development in Snow Road that’s a big part of the tax base in the area.

“People are coming here and we have to build our tax base.”

“There was a report done in 2016 that projected the growth for our area to be one-third of one per cent,” said Coun. Vernon Hermer. “There was a projection of 150 new single detached homes being built by 2046, all on two-acre lots outside of the settlement areas.

“The need may not exist by 2046.”

“We spend a lot of time talking about economic growth but then we make decisions that don’t allow for it,” said Coun. Stephanie Regent. “I’ve thought about it a lot and even if we don’t need it today, it’s inevitable.

“To me, it’s not about the MSC but what we’re going to leave our children in five or 10 years. We need to make some progress.”

“I came into this meeting uncertain but then I didn’t realize how emotional this was for some people,” said Dep. Mayor John Inglis. “The County wants us to join to help reduce the cost for other participants (but) it would create a bond for developers.

“Any new developments might be better off with a communal system.

“We have a history of a fractious relationship with the County but they have done some things for us. This will amount to a one-third of one per cent tax hike this year.”

“I see this as an opportunity to create some affordable housing,” said Coun. Roy Huetl.

“I would bet that 50 per cent of the residents living in North Frontenac could not afford their houses if they had to buy them today,” said Lichty.