Township of the Archipelago Ward 4 Update, March 2023
It is our pleasure to submit this report to the Ward 4 Associations.* Here are a few of
the things we have been working on this season.
Woods Bay / Gates OLT Hearing
On Feb 28 we finally received the decision of the Ontario Land Tribunal on the Woods
Bay severance application. The OLT approved the proposal to create 4 new lots on the
subject lands. Staff and Council will be reviewing the decision and determining what any
next steps may be.
Pointe au Baril Land Purchase
In line with the Township of The Archipelago’s strategic priorities and goals, the TOA
has purchased 38 acres of land in the Village of Pointe au Baril Station. The purchase
of these lands is to assist the residents of the Village with the provision of attainable and
entry level housing.
While the Township is excited by this opportunity, there are many steps that have to be
taken prior to development. The Township will initiate the required studies to ensure that
the development of building lots on the site can occur in an environmentally appropriate
manner.
The Township does not intend to build homes. The purpose of this project is twofold:
first, to create lots for sale which will lead to the construction of homes to service the
community; and second, to zone the lands to ensure that the types and sizes of houses
will address the community’s housing needs. We expect this process to take a couple of
years.
Tale of a Thousand Turtles
The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) announced the winners of the 2022
Sustainable Community Awards. The Township of The Archipelago was awarded the
Natural Asset Management award for its Tale of a Thousand Turtles project on
Skerryvore Road.
See the press release here: https://fcm.ca/en/news-media/news-release/fcm-
announces-the-winners-the-2022-sustainable-communities-awards
Deerhorn Conference 2023
We are pleased to report that planning is underway for the 2023 Deerhorn Conference,
an important event giving the TOA community an opportunity to provide feedback on
our Strategic Plan and to make suggestions for future directions. The Conference will be
in September; we will share the details as we have them.
Underused Housing Tax (UHT)
The "Recent News” section of the TOA's main web page has been updated to include a
message regarding the UHT, to provide information to non-residents regarding their
Canadian tax obligations. (If you are a non-resident please note the filing deadline of
April 30.)
Floating Cottages – Public Comments Open
The Ontario Government is proposing amendments to regulations under the Public
Lands Act. The key proposed amendments relate to camping on water over public lands
and are intended to reduce the environmental and social impacts of floating
accommodations and long camping stays.
Have your say! The comment period for the proposal closes April 11.
https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-6590
FoodCycler Program
We are delighted to announce a partnership with Food Cycle Science to subsidize the
purchase price of FoodCycler food waste diversion products. 100 units (a mix of the
large and small units, for $300 and $150 plus HST, respectively) will be available. If
demand exceeds this supply, the Township may order more.
Residents wishing to purchase a unit must pay at the municipal office by cash, debit, or
cheque (no credit cards) on a first come first serve basis, limited to one unit per
residential kitchen. The program is open to residents only, and pickup can take place
when payment is made.
The Township Office is open M-F 8:30am to 4:30pm (closed daily from noon to 1pm).
Residents will be given a tracking sheet to report on their usage for the first 12 weeks to
help the TOA to estimate how much waste is being diverted from our transfer stations
and landfill.
See foodcycler.com for more information on the product.
* Dave Ashley, Rick Zanussi and Alice Barton will be providing updates on a quarterly
basis. If you want to know what the Township is doing more up-to-the-minute, we
recommend you (a) connect to the TOA on social media (Facebook & Twitter), (b)
register for the TOA’s E-Newsletter; and/or (c) for the real nitty gritty, Committee &
Council agendas & minutes are posted on the Township web site. Also, each of us is
available if you want to contact us directly.
Council is meeting this week so if you'd like an update on any of the above please feel
free to reach out. NB we have new e-mail addresses (in the CC line above).
Sans Souci and Copperhead Association