EDITOR'S NOTE: This story has been amended to add comments received after publication by the County of Simcoe.
A consultant brought in by the County of Simcoe tasked with analyzing water and wastewater systems locally has concluded the region would benefit from regional water partnerships.
During Tuesday’s (Feb. 1) meeting of the county’s Regional Government Review Service Delivery Task Force, R.V. Anderson Associates Limited presented a draft report on the efficiency of water and wastewater services across Simcoe County.
The 113-page report is recommending the county should be creating regional task forces that could recommend further partnership opportunities, starting with task forces for the Midland area and South Simcoe, the latter of which would include South Georgian Bay municipalities including Collingwood.
“Simcoe County municipalities forecast more than $1.1 billion in capital expenditures over the next 10 years to meet short-term growth requirements,” noted Rika Law, project manager with R.V. Anderson Associates Limited, in her presentation to the task force. “Investigating opportunities for efficiencies will be required to maintain public and provincial support.”
According to the report, most municipalities across Simcoe County (only Tiny Township is excluded) should be planning for water and wastewater capacity increases. Current data estimates capacity increases county-wide will be 51 per cent for both water and wastewater.
While the report contemplates the possibility of one Simcoe County water utility, ultimately it doesn’t go so far as to recommend that option.
“Simcoe County pursuing a regional utility would likely be met with strong resistance from several local municipalities, however collaboration between them, the county and the province would increase the chance of successful partnerships,” said Law.
The four key recommendations out of the report are:
- Lobby for provincial support
- Establish regional water and wastewater utility task forces to advance formal partnerships
- Increase the county role and expertise to support water and wastewater planning. This could include hiring a county water and wastewater engineer or planner that could co-ordinate the task forces and be responsible for lobbying the provincial government
- Improve communication and collaboration between municipalities
The consultant is also recommending including stormwater management into the scope of the task forces.
When it comes to task forces, two specific areas are suggested to be prioritized:
- Midland Bay, which would include Midland, Penetanguishene, Tiny, and Tay
- South Simcoe, which would include Collingwood, Wasaga Beach, Clearview, Essa, New Tecumseth, Adjala-Tosorontio, Innisfil, Bradford West Gwillimbury and possibly Barrie
Cross-boundary servicing is already occurring for water supply between Collingwood and Blue Mountains, Collingwood and New Tecumseth, New Tecumseth and Clearview (New Lowell), New Tecumseth and Essa (Baxter), Innisfil and Bradford and Ramara and Severn.
Wastewater treatment servicing is being shared between Clearview and Wasaga Beach while both water supply and wastewater treatment are being shared between Midland and Tay.
Severn Township Deputy Mayor Jane Dunlop asked why Severn, Oro-Medonte and Ramara were left off the list of municipalities that are being recommended to form task forces.
“Orillia didn’t take part in this at all? They have water they can share,” said Dunlop.
Law said the City of Orillia was invited to participate in the compiling of the report, however they didn’t respond and the consultant never got a further chance to meet with them.
“It doesn’t necessarily mean they might not participate, it just means they weren’t able to come to the table for this project period,” she said.
After the meeting, Rob Elliott, general manager of engineering, planning and environment, clarified Law's comments.
“Staff from the county and the City of Orillia had ongoing discussions regarding the city’s input," said Elliott. "Both parties are committed to gathering further feedback through the consulting exercise for this review of water and wastewater.”
The county’s Regional Government Review Service Delivery Task Force was formed initially to come up with service efficiency suggestions for the regional governance review through the province, and continued their work after the province announced in October 2019 it would put the decision-making powers back into the hands of the municipalities instead of forcing top-down change.
A task force was struck to support the exercise and in January 2020, County of Simcoe council voted to hire third-party consultants to look into the possibility of streamlining fire services, land-use planning (Official Plans and zoning) and library services across the County of Simcoe. They also voted to use their own staff to investigate possible efficiencies in storm-water management, legal services, transit, water and wastewater.
Chair Nina Bifolchi said during Tuesday’s meeting that the task force will meet on a future date to discuss the recommendations and determine which they would be supporting to send to County of Simcoe council.
County of Simcoe chief administrative officer Mark Aitken said he would be sharing the report and presentation with CAOs in the 18 Simcoe County municipalities for their input as well.
To access the full report, click here.
At their meeting on Feb. 2, the task force voted in favour of receiving the report.
