December Report
- pproderick9
- 6 days ago
- 7 min read
December 1st Committee of Adjustment
December 4th Heritage Committee Meeting
December 8th Conservation Ontario
December 8th Amherst Island Town Hall
December 9th Council and Committee of the Whole Meeting
December 11th Conservation Ontario Special Session
December 1st Committee of Adjustment
The Committee reviewed two planning applications at its December 1, 2025 meeting.
1. 390 County Road 6 – Minor Variance Approved The property owner requested permission to increase the height of a proposed detached accessory building. The committee approved the request, allowing the building height to increase from 4.0 metres to 6.5 metres. The application met the required planning tests and was approved with conditions.
2. 9600 South Shore Road – Permission to Expand a Legal Non‑Conforming Dwelling The owners of this Amherst Island property applied for permission to expand their existing legal non‑conforming home. Approved the request with two conditions:
The expansion must match the location and layout shown in the submitted drawings.
The owners must obtain all necessary permits from the Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority before construction begins.
You can view the Committee of Adjustment meeting and view the full Committee of Adjustment Agenda Package at
December 4th Heritage Committee Meeting
Loyalist Township has received a request from Ivan MacKinnon to designate several farm parcels owned by the MacKinnon family as a cultural heritage property under Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act.
These lands, located just north of the Village of Bath, make up the historic Miller‑MacKinnon Farm. Together, the parcels total about 427 acres and include cultivated fields, small wooded areas, three homes, and numerous barns and outbuildings. The farm has been in continuous agricultural use since the late 1700s and early 1800s, contributing to its cultural and historical significance.
To support the request, the applicant submitted a Cultural Heritage Evaluation Brief outlining the heritage value of the property. Township staff have presented the request to the Committee who provided comment for the next step of the process.
December 8th Conservation Ontario
Council meets several times a year to review budgets, approve workplans, and receive updates on provincial policies that affect watershed management, flood protection, drinking water, and natural heritage across Ontario.
Key Items on the Agenda
Budget Update (as of Oct 31, 2025) Council will reviewed how Conservation Ontario is tracking financially this year and approved the latest budget status report.
2026 Meeting Schedule Council set next year’s meeting dates to support planning and coordination across all 36 Conservation Authorities.
Updated Agreement with Hydro One Council considered updates to the Memorandum of Understanding that guides how Conservation Authorities and Hydro One work together on planning and environmental matters.
Provincial Policy & Legislative Updates Staff will provided updates on recent provincial proposals related to planning, development, drainage, and environmental regulations. These updates help Conservation Authorities stay aligned with changing provincial direction.
Municipal Resolutions Council will received a summary of resolutions sent by municipalities across Ontario on issues related to conservation and watershed management.
Program Updates
Council received updates from several province‑wide programs, including:
Corporate Services
Policy & Planning
Business Development & Partnerships
Drinking Water Source Protection
Marketing & Communications
Information Management
These updates help ensure Conservation Authorities are sharing best practices and working consistently across the province.
December 8th Amherst Island Town Hall
I attended the Amherst Island Town Hall meeting held at the Amherst Island Fire Hall in Stella. These town halls are designed to:
Provide updates on municipal programs and projects
Offer residents a chance to suggest new ideas
Allow community members to ask questions directly to Council
The event was well attended and the major focus of the discussion was centred around the current state of the ferry and negotiations with the province.
December 9th Council and Committee of the Whole
Statutory Public Meeting
Loyalist Township held a statutory public meeting to review a zoning application for a property on South Shore Road. The applicant requested a change from the current Shoreline Residential (SR) Zone to a site‑specific Shoreline Residential Exception Twelve (SR‑12) Zone. After hearing the information and considering the application, Council approved the zoning change and passed By‑law 2025‑73 to put it into effect.
Council considered several community‑focused items:
Council supported the proposed Carbon Free Millhaven Battery Energy Storage project, a requirement for the company to move forward in the provincial approval process.
Council approved entering into a provincial grant agreement that will fund mental‑health training and supports for local public safety personnel.
Three local students — Megan Ashley, Samantha Colling, and Mairi Kennedy — were awarded the 2025 Ameriks Scholarship.
Council approved routine 2025 property tax write‑offs as permitted under provincial legislation.
A 10‑month repayment plan was approved for a resident’s utility bill at 339 Amherst Drive, provided payments are made on time and future bills are kept up to date.
Council supported part of Habitat for Humanity’s request for surplus Township land on Church Street in Bath to help advance an affordable homeownership project.
Council approved an easement agreement with Hydro One for work related to the property at 955 Stella 40 Foot Road.
Council adopted a new Council Remuneration Policy, removing a clause that would have reduced pay for missed meetings.
Council appointed Mayor Hegadorn, Councillor Proderick, and Councillor Willis to serve on the Committee of Adjustment for 2026.
Committee of the Whole
The Committee received an overview of proposed updates to the Township’s Privacy, Records, and Information Management policies. After reviewing the material, the Committee supported moving the new Information and Records Management By-law forward for Council approval at a future meeting. The Committee also endorsed the updated Protection of Privacy Policy and Access to Records Policy.
Consent Agenda
Council approved several routine items as part of the Consent Agenda:
The 2025 Annual Reports for the Heritage, Tourism & Culture Division and the Recreation, Parks & Facilities Division were received.
Minutes from the November 25, 2025 Council and Committee of the Whole meeting were confirmed.
Minutes from the November 18 and November 26, 2025 Committee of the Whole Budget Meetings were confirmed.
Council approved the updated Planning Tariff of Fees By-law.
You can view the highlights from the Council and Committee of the Whole meeting and view the full Council Meeting Agenda Package at
December 11th Conservation Ontario Special Session
This meeting was held to finalize Conservation Ontario's response to Proposed boundaries for the regional consolidation of Ontario’s conservation authorities (ERO#025-1257). The following point are a very brief summary of the report.
Modernize the current 36‑CA system using legislation, technology, and compliance tools instead of forced consolidation.
Show evidence that the proposed new regional boundaries can still deliver core watershed management responsibilities effectively.
Create a joint implementation working group with AMO, Conservation Ontario, municipalities, and experts to evaluate options.
Use a longer, phased implementation timeline to avoid disruption and allow governance, funding, and service frameworks to be properly addressed.
Develop a clear, collaborative transition plan to maintain service standards, communication, and permitting continuity.
Ensure the Province fully funds all transition costs associated with any consolidation.
Develop staff‑retention strategies with CA leadership to preserve expertise and minimize service disruption.
Provide formal provincial communication to CA staff reinforcing their importance and supporting stability during any transition.
Measure and monitor the real impacts of consolidation on development timelines and outcomes.
Identify municipalities that rely heavily on CA expertise to ensure these services are protected under any new structure.
Review which approvals could be delivered faster at the local level on a fee‑for‑service basis to reduce provincial bottlenecks.
Update provincial policies and standards with AMO, Conservation Ontario, and municipalities to ensure consistent implementation across Ontario.
Provide stable, multi‑year provincial funding for floodplain mapping, monitoring, and hazard‑mitigation infrastructure.
Develop an integrated digital platform that connects CA expertise across regions to improve watershed programming.
Ensure any modernization maintains strong local input, local expertise, and meaningful municipal involvement.
Use subregional budgeting approaches to protect local programs, reserves, and watershed‑level service delivery.
Fund the new Ontario Provincial Conservation Agency through the Province—not municipal levies—to maintain accountability and fairness.
Next Council and Committee of the Whole Meetings
January 13, 2026 at 6:00 p.m.
January 27, 2026 at 6:00 p.m.
February 10, 2026 at 6:00 p.m.
Want to share an idea or opinion with Council? Share your ideas or opinions with Loyalist Township Council by emailing clerk@loyalist.ca The official record of Council is contained in the Council minutes, available on the CivicWeb Portal. Please refer any further questions to the Clerk’s Division clerk@loyalist.ca
Engage Loyalist is a place to learn about and give feedback about Township projects and initiatives. Go to https://engage.loyalist.ca to participate.
For more information about transit including routes and schedules go to the following link
Lennox & County Council agendas and minutes can be found at https://lennoxandaddington.civicweb.net
Our county representatives are Mayor Hedagorn and Deputy Mayor Townend who can be contacted for County issues.
CamSafe
Registering your camera with CamSafe allows the OPP to locate cameras that may be of assistance in addressing a crime instead of going door to door in a neighbourhood looking for info. This is a totally volunteer program which is available to all residents and no cost and can be withdrawn from at anytime. For further information go to https://camsafe.ca/
Loyalist Township uses the CodeRED notification system to help us get important messages to you quickly when an emergency is happening. CodeRED is a notification system you can sign up for. When you subscribe you will get alerts about emergencies and other important situations happening near you. We can deliver alerts to you by phone, text, email, or TDD for the hearing impaired, depending on what you choose. To sign up go tp the following link.
Check out the following link to find to stay update with consultations going on in Loyalist and sign up for email information.
https://www.loyalist.ca/en/living-in-loyalist/public-consultation.aspx
For information on the Cataraqui Conservation Authority and its programs go to the following link https://cataraquiconservation.ca/
On air with CJAI 101.3 Amherst Island Radio in the 8:00am-10:00am time slot on Tuesday Morning from the Bath Studio. Spinning some tunes interspersed with some local talk. If you know of any potential guests in the area who may wish to join me drop me a line! On the internet at cjai.ca
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