By-law 71-2020 Temporary Road Closing

Construction and Alteration of Entranceways/Accesses to township roads requires the issuance of an access permit and/or permission from the Public Works Superintendent.  An Entrance Permit fee of $120 is required at time of request as well as a Refundable Deposit cheque of $339.00 which will be returned when final inspection has been completed and approved.

Entrance Policy Permit Form

All excavations across or under township roads or road allowances must be authorized by the Public Works Superintendent or Lead Hands before such work commences.

Drainage of properties are not allowed to outlet onto Road Allowances.

THE CORPORATION OF THE TOWNSHIP OF ASHFIELD-COLBORNE-WAWANOSH POLICIES & PROCEDURES MANUAL

SECTION: Public Works

POLICY: Fence Repair

COVERAGE: Township

Policy Statement:

General Damages: The Township of Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh will not be responsible for any damages to a property owners fence deemed to be located on Township road allowance.

Snow Removal: Private fence lines that are damaged by snow impact from Township equipment will be the property owners responsibility to repair. If there is sufficient evidence that the Township equipment came in direct contact with the fence, then the Township shall be liable for damages at the discretion of Council.

Construction: Private fence lines that restrict road construction or maintenance projects may be temporarily removed by the public works department as long as the property owner is in agreement. Said fence shall be restored to its original state upon completion of the road construction or maintenance project.

Date of Issuance: September 2002

Property owners laneways will be not be maintained by the township.

Deposit of snow on roadway

No person shall deposit snow or ice on a roadway without permission in writing so to do from the Ministry or the road authority responsible for the maintenance of the road.  
Highway Traffic Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 181.

Abandoned vehicles left on township road allowances shall be towed away at the owner’s expense.

View the Abandoned Vehicles By-Law.

Please be advised that the Township of Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh plow operators have the authority to call tow trucks to remove vehicles interfering with Winter Maintenance.

View the Winter Maintenance Services By-Law.

Manure, rockpiles, brush or debris will not be permitted on the road or road allowance. If not removed within a limited time period, the township will arrange for removal and the property owner involved will be billed for the cost.

Mailboxes are to be installed at least 1 meter off the shoulder of the road. Damage caused by snow coming off of township equipment will be the property owners responsibility. If there is sufficient evidence that the township equipment came in direct contact with the mailbox, the township shall be liable for damages at the discretion of the Public Works Superintendent.

Unassumed Road Maintenance Work

An Annual Letter of Request and Understanding must be filled out and signed for each road maintenance request and then be approved by the Public Works Superintendent. The work carried out is on a cost recovery basis. 

Print an Annual Letter of Request Form or fill out the online form.

Please submit online form, fax, mail, email or hand deliver copies back. Letters of Request and Understanding for annual road maintenance must be received by April 1st each year.

Lakefront Association Unassumed Roads- Road Grant 

In October 2012, Council adopted a Roads Grant policy for the Township. The intention of the grant is to assist private associations with the maintenance and repairs of unassumed roads and it is understood the Township is not responsible for assuming the road. Under this policy, 30% of the total eligible expenses to a maximum of $800.00 per kilometer are eligible for recovery. 

This grant will be paid to the lakefront association upon submission of a form, provided by the Township, with the invoices attached and proof that the invoices have been paid. Only one cheque will be issued to each lakefront association annually. The submission forms must be received no later that November 30th. Any eligible work done in December of a current year will be paid with the grant for the following year. 

Roads Grant Policy

Roads Grant Form

Municipal Development and Servicing Guidelines

Municipal Consent is the municipality's authorization for a utility to occupy a specific location within the Municipal Right-Of-Way (ROW). Municipal Consent’s are only issued to companies or persons who have the authority to construct, operate and maintain their infrastructure within the ROW. The Municipal Consent Form must be completed prior to any work beginning. 

Questions? Contact the Public Works Superintendent at pws@acwtownship.ca or (519) 524-4669 ext. 209. 

Municipal Consent Form 

This policy established the proper procedure for repairs to lawns damaged by winter plowing operations on road allowances in Township hamlets and villages. For more information view Road Allowance Repair Policy | By-Law 05-2022

To view the current water rates please refer to By-Laws under Treasury.

• Benmiller Annual Report 2023
• Century Heights Annual Report 2023
• Dungannon Annual Report 2023
• Huron Sands Annual Report 2023
• Lakeshore Annual Report 2023
• Lucknow Annual Report 2023

Operational Plan

5 Year Plan

What is fluoride? 

Fluoride is a mineral that protects teeth against tooth decay. Many communities in Canada add fluoride to the local water supply. In some parts of Huron County fluoride is found naturally in well water. People also get fluoride from food and dental products like toothpaste or mouthwash. Over the years the amount of fluoride that we take in from all these sources has been rising.

For more information: Fluoride Factsheet 2022

Fluoride Water Quality Letter- Benmiller

Fluoride Water Quality Letter- Century Heights

Fluoride Water Quality Letter- Huron Sands 

Landowners in an area requiring drainage can sign a Petition for Drainage, which will set in motion a project to create a new municipal drain. This falls under Section 4 of the Drainage Act.

To download a copy of a Petition Form for a new drain- Section 4.

The most common application is one that falls under Section 74 of the Drainage Act, which is your basic Maintenance & Repair work. This usually includes work such as cleanouts, removal of beavers/dams, repairing/replacing tile and generally repairing the existing drain in a way that does not detract from the drain's original construction.

To download a copy of a Notice of Drain Maintenance and/or Repair  - Section 74. 

If an existing drain requires significant repair and as a result the repair includes changing the original drain's infrastructure in a way that is different from the original engineered plans, an application should be filed under Section 78 - Repair & Improvement. Examples of this include widening, lengthening, deepening a drain, etc.

To download a copy of a Notice of Request for Drain Improvement for an existing drain - Section 78.

Installing tile drainage is a very common land improvement practice among farmers in Ontario. Corrugated plastic tubing, clay and concrete drain tile are installed beneath the surface of agricultural land to drain excess water from the crop root zone. The benefits of tile drainage for crop productivity, farm efficiency and even for reducing environmental impacts have been studied and are generally well known to farmers.

The Tile Drainage Act provides for loans to agricultural property owners to help finance these projects. OMAFRA has prepared a Fact Sheet about the Tile Loan Program. Tile Loan Application Forms are also available through OMAFRA or at the Municipal Office.

The program in a nutshell

Landowners in Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh planning to install a tile drainage system on their agricultural land are eligible for a tile loan under this program.

• All tile loans have 10-year terms, and repayments are made annually with your property tax instalments.
• Landowners are eligible for a loan of up to 75% of the value of the tile drainage work, up to $50,000
• The provincial government sets the program interest rate. This rate is fixed for the full term of the loan, regardless of changes in market interest rates.

The application process is quite simple. The Application must be submitted to Council. Once Council approves the application, the owner arranges to have the work completed by a licensed tile drainage contractor (for more information see the OMAFRA Factsheet Agricultural Drainage Licensing.

The Municipality collects the loan repayments from the owner and remits them to OMAFRA. Defaulted payments are rare but are treated in the same manner as unpaid taxes. The loan can be repaid in full at any time. Contact the Treasurer, to find out the amount still owing at the time of your proposed payout date.