Leaving Kingston Not That Far Fetched

Jeff Green | Nov 27, 2013

The secession talk from two members of Kingston City Council was never really more than talk, and chances are that talk has now come to an end.

It does raise an interesting idea, however.

One of the wards involved, Countryside Ward, would be a viable addition to Frontenac County, which it was part of until it was annexed to Kingston in 1998 with municipal amalgamation. Countryside could become the second largest township in Frontenac County,

But the simplest and perhaps most viable option, would be for Countryside to join South Frontenac Township. This would save the cost and headache of setting up a new township office, a new council, new bylaws, a works department, official plans, etc. - all the costly trappings of a township.

No one on South Frontenac Council, much less Mayor Gary Davison, has jumped into the debate about the future of the two renegade Kingston City councilors and their wards. South Frontenac has never looked at expansion as an option, and it is not about to press the issue and upset the politicians in the City of Kingston

However, when you look at it, Countryside ward could just as easily extend Frontenac County south to the 401 as it expands Kingston to the north of the 401.

Social services and land ambulance are already integrated between the city and the county so there would be no change there. Moreover, Frontenac County's administrative offices and largest piece of infrastructure, the Fairmount Home, are in fact located in Countryside ward, and wouldn't it be nice if those assets magically moved back into the county.

There is no city bus service in Countryside ward, no city water and sewer services except in two small subdivisions, and no other city-owned infrastructure to speak of.

But if there would be little for Countryside residents to lose by leaving Kingston, what would there be to gain?

Quite a bit, actually, in property tax savings.

In 2013, a South Frontenac resident living in a home valued at $200,000 paid about $1,900 in municipal tax. A Countryside resident living in a home valued at $200,000 paid about $2,700.

Essentially with little or no difference in municipal services, Countryside residents pay over 40% more in taxes than South Frontenac residents.

If I were going door-to-door in Countryside ward, requesting that people sign a petition asking Kingston city council to call a referendum on secession, I would use the following slogan: "Let’s leave Kingston and save money".

Thus far, only two lonely ward politicians are talking secession, and without a large and vocal groundswell of support by residents, it is hard to imagine that Kingston city councilors, who are not taking the secession talk very well, will do anything but ignore it.

But on paper at least, the idea of Countryside ward joining South Frontenac would be relatively simple. Aside from changing the back and forth flow of money between municipalities, nothing would change on the ground.