Strategic Decisions by Council - February 10, 2025

Council Meeting Date: February 10, 2025 

Strategic Decisions from Council

 Consent Items 

Designation By-law - 525 Union Street East, Fergus
Designation By-law - 249 Garafraxa Street East, Fergus
Designation By-law - 6475 Second Line, West Garafraxa
Annual By-law Enforcement Report 2024
Annual Water Conservation Program Report
Drinking Water Annual Report and Summary Report for 2024
Quality Management System 2024 Annual Management Review Report


Bridge and Transportation Network: Preliminary Preferred Alternative for Bridges 2-WG, 3-E, 5-E and 7-E
Council endorsed Alternative 5 - Replacement of Bridges 2-WG, 5-E and 7-E and the removal without replacement of Bridge 3-E.

The existing bridges in the study are all narrow, single-lane structures that have exceeded their service life at an age of over 100 years. Structures 3-E, 5-E, and 7-E have been closed to vehicle traffic for numerous years due to their poor condition, decreased load-carrying capacity, and public safety concerns. Bridge 2-WG remains open; however, has a load limitation of 15 tonnes and is in relatively poor condition.

Alternative 5 has the following benefits:

• Provides improvements to emergency first response times
• Replaces the three bridges with the most benefit to:
• Travel times with agricultural equipment.
• Simplified routes for deliveries, buses, municipal services, etc.
• Commute time for residents to surrounding areas.
• Reduces the need for agricultural equipment to travel on arterial routes.
• Provides opportunities for use as emergency detour routes during closures of County Roads.
• Allows opportunities for environmental improvements at bridge replacement sites.
• The solution was generally supported by the local community based on feedback from public consultation.

The study findings will be considered through the annual budget process, and the budget and timing of associated bridge projects will be updated accordingly. The bridge replacement priority outlined in the study is as follows: Bridge 5-E is to be replaced first, followed by Bridge 2-WG, and finally Bridge 7-E. The timing of the removal and permanent closure of Bridge 3-E will also be evaluated through the annual budget process.

Report to Council

Fees and Charges By-law Amendment 
Council approved an amendment to the 2025 Fees & Charges by-law to address several housekeeping items and inclusions from the by-law passed in December 2024.  This by-law amendment ensures that the Township remains well-positioned to recover costs from end-users and beneficiaries of Township services and reduce dependence on the residential tax base.

For a description of the amendments, click here