Statement: Facts about OPA 13 and the wastewater treatment plant

Date: Mar 21, 2022

Facts about the Official Plan Amendment and the wastewater treatment plant construction, timeline and funding

ERIN, ON: Please find below some facts around the Official Plan Amendment and the wastewater treatment plant construction, timeline and funding.

The Official Plan Amendment (OPA 13) Review and the tender award for the wastewater treatment plant are two separate items.

With regards to the wastewater treatment plant:

  1. As per the Municipal Act, where a municipality provides services such as water and wastewater, adjacent properties are required to connect to it.
  2. The timing, execution and payment terms of any municipal wastewater lines for existing property owners within the urban boundary is yet to be determined.
  3. This will be brought to Council at a later date.
  4. Information on potential costs to existing individual property owners within the urban boundary can be found here. 
  5. The wastewater treatment plant and the main trunk sewers are being fully funded through financial agreements with the development community.
  6. The legal agreements with the developers, which have been public and available online since last fall, clearly state that the developers are fully responsible for any and all potential cost overruns for the construction of the plant and the main trunk lines.
  7. All NEW developments will be connected immediately to the system as it is built, while the timing of the connections for existing properties within the urban boundary will depend on the construction schedule of the plant and funding from higher levels of government.
  8. A full timeframe for completion of the plant and the trunk lines will be available once the bids are received and the tender is closed. It is anticipated that a 24-month construction window for the plant will be required for it to be completed.

The Town of Erin is aware of the financial impact on property owners who will be required to connect to the wastewater system and continues to work hard and advocate for funding by the higher levels of government.

With regards to OPA 13

  1. The Official Plan Amendment Review Report is NOT as yet scheduled for Council.
  2. Section 3.6.4 Extension of Services, of the current Town of Erin Official Plan that was approved in 2004, includes: “Where, and as, local municipal services become available along property boundaries, adjacent owners shall connect to municipal services and decommission any existing wells. Adjacent owners may be subject to service area charges.”
  3. Municipal services include water, wastewater and storm sewers.
  4. The amendment proposed by staff is to include “and septic tanks” after the words “any existing wells”.
  5. Residents will have every opportunity to provide their comments on the amendments.
  6. All written or oral submissions to the Clerk will be notified in a manner consistent with the Municipal Planning Act.
  7. Council’s decision will come only after full consideration of the matter, including public input. When Council makes a decision, should any resident disagree with the decision, the Planning Act provides them with an opportunity to appeal this application to the Ontario Land Tribunal.