GORE BAY—Gore Bay Town Council has voted unanimously in favour of having town staff explore options for restructuring its municipal boundaries including gauging the province’s support and has directed that no new water service connections, extensions or users shall be permitted to the Town of Gore Bay water system that are not within the geographical boundaries of the town.
This despite concerns raised by a local resident at a council meeting September 22.
“The topic of amalgamation is very interesting to me,” stated resident Brad Wright. “I grew up in the centre of the crater (Valley East) which was an independent municipality prior to January 1, 2001. Since the amalgamation, many outlying communities such as Valley East saw a major decline in services and most communities were never the same. If Gore Bay continues this path of decrying a lack of tax base, the same amount of effort could be going into budget reductions. Looking outwards for solutions won’t change the outcome if spending continues as it is. Shifting the burden to outlying households with no services aside from transfer station and roads is not fair to those taxpayers. For example, if people from outside the municipality come and use our arena, they are most likely stopping at our stores and supporting local businesses. Occasional use of facilities is not a precursor to full taxation. Six years ago, council in Gore Bay voted in agreement with another township that forced amalgamation should not be mandated by the province.”
In his presentation, Mr. Wright questioned what the capacity of the town water and waste system in Gore Bay. “How close are we to the limit, 60 percent to limit, 70 percent etc. To expand on that today do we know with concrete data how many more homes or developments can be built in Gore Bay with the current system in place? Before more statements or lines in the sand are drawn this is critical to understand.”
Mr. Wright said, “it was about a year ago the statement of doubling the population of Gore Bay was discussed. Not sure what triggered this vision but if we are opening the door to development we cannot pick and choose the outcomes. Either you are pro-development or you are not. Demand for assisted living buildings would only increase in such a scenario and I have seen two actively pushed away. Development does not mean certain incomes only and it will only add to the demand on such facilities. I also want to add that with my experience of working in mining in many different communities across Canada that, working at a mine is usually a very well-paying job. That being said, I have witnessed it’s not just the poor who suffer from mental health challenges. If the assisted living proposal from two years ago was built and operating now it would have positively decreased our tax increase this past year.”
He pointed out, “A private business (WEST) came forward to council recently with a request to upgrade and expand waterline to a proposed waste management facility. Half of our costs for the transfer station are related to trucking waste the recycling to Espanola. If this facility is successful, it would drastically reduce the cost of waste in this municipality. No support was given, and it was publicly stated there was “no benefit to the town” which is not financially accurate. Not only would this facility reduce waste costs it could have reduced water bills or future increases to the entire town. The more water users on the system the lower the cost will be. Until the town has a firm understanding on water capacity you are putting undue pressure on the taxpayer.”
On the motion to cut off new water service connections and extensions outside of Gore Bay, Councillor Dan Osborne said, “we need to forward on this now. Right now, we don’t know what the water capacity is. Our plans are to grow the town and population, and with this is an increased need for water in town. And currently we only receive user fees each year for those on the water system outside of town.”
“I would have to say I support the motion with the knowledge that this is a motion of council and is something that could be changed at any time,” said Mayor Ron Lane. “Our goal is to grow our town and there is a need for more housing. We need to be satisfied the water capacity we have meets these needs. For those in Gordon if it wasn’t for water being provided through the town, they wouldn’t have any. We are not under any obligation to provide water service outside of the town.”
On the issue of exploring opportunities to improve the sustainability and delivery of municipal services, Councillor Osborne said, “it is the same thing for this issue. We need to explore every opportunity to increase our tax base. Our responsibility is to the taxpayers of Gore Bay.”
Mayor Lane stated, “I have been thinking a lot about this as well. I was thinking about the history of the town. It was a settlement in 1870, and the town grew to the point that in 1890 it was incorporated as a town by the province.”
“In 1870, surveys were done to the town plot in Gore Bay, and by 1890 it included range lots all around it,” continued Mayor Lane. “Now 135 years later, the motion we are considering is to expand our boundaries for a second time. One-hundred and thirty-five years ago, there was no water or sewer services. We want to make Gore Bay affordable enough to have increase our population. It makes total sense. This is a motion we should support.”
Mayor Lane pointed out the motion includes gauging the province’s support. “We would need a ministry order to expand; the province has to approve (any boundary changes made) and provide a minister’s order. Right now, everything is preliminary and we will have to see where it goes.”
Earlier in his presentation to council Mr. Wright said, “First off, I want to thank council for allowing me to speak tonight. A lot has been discussed publicly the last few years in the media regarding Gore Bay’s future, its plans of expansion and neighbours. You may disagree with me after hearing me tonight, but I was compelled to speak to you and give you an alternative view.”
“Gore Bay was incorporated 135 years ago and has survived wars, economic depressions or recessions, and overall demographic shifts. I find it hard to believe in 2025 we can’t continue to be financially viable/independent as a municipality,” said Mr. Wright. He explained, “the 2025 town budget is $1,486,832 with 47.53 percent of that being levies outside of council’s control. This leaves $780K of spending controlled by council. Something as small as a marketing consultant of 20K can move the needle 2.5 percent. Or even in this meeting is a proposal for a planning consultant of $54K moves the needle 6.9 percent. This would equate to roughly 15 households taxation at the rate I pay annually. In addition to this the current annual burn rate of salaries and benefits is $423K. We have increased staff with minimal increase in taxation revenues.”
“In my opinion the reliance on consultants needs to be reduced and only used when critical,” said Mr. Wright. “Many of the projects I have worked on in minding involved engineering firms and I have learned they will gladly take your money and spit out a report. More time needs to be spent thinking about the question before going to external experts to ensure it is laser focused which will reduce costs and provide better outcomes.”
Mr. Wright stated, “Municipal governments are not the vehicle of expansion of sustainable development, private businesses are. Gore Bay can facilitate this by either being pro development or against it. Picking and choosing projects won’t help the taxpayer nor entice businesses to invest.”
“To summarize, I encourage council to consider the following: limit consultant spending; determine what the capacity of our water and sewer infrastructure is to determine which economic developments can take place; look internally for solutions prior to making demands of neighbouring municipalities or generous benefactors; and take a firm review of staffing levels roles/responsibilities.” He added, “I understand personally how being a municipal councilor or mayor is a thankless job. I thank you for your contributions and encourage you to consider what I have said tonight.”
Council passed the town motions, unanimously, one being that the town is currently investigating density in serviced areas within the Town of Gore Bay and provision of further water services outside the municipal boundaries may place undue burden; therefore be it resolved that the Town of Gore Bay council does hereby direct that no new water service connections, extensions or users shall be permitted to the Town of Gore Bay water system that are not within the geographical boundaries of the town of Gore Bay.”
The second motion reads in part, “whereas the Town of Gore Bay continues to explore opportunities to improve the sustainability and delivery of municipal services; therefore, be it resolved that the town of Gore Bay council hereby directs staff to explore options for restructuring municipal boundaries including gauging the province’s support. Further be it resolved that the report shall be ready to present to council at the December 8 council meeting.
The Ontario government website, ‘Municipal Restructuring’ shares how and why municipalities change their geographic boundaries. “Municipal restructuring is a process municipalities can use to change their geographical boundaries. The most common forms of municipal restructuring are: annexations and amalgamations. Annexations move jurisdiction for land from one municipality another. In Northern Ontario, annexation also refers to municipal boundary changes where territory without municipal organization comes under the jurisdiction of a neighbouring municipality. Amalgamations merge neighbouring municipalities into a new municipality.”
“Municipal restructuring can also include: establishing a municipality, dissolving a municipality, changing a municipality’s association with an upper-tier municipality, for example, when a lower-tier becomes a single-tier municipality.”
