Super User
COVID-19 Case Reported at COW Meeting
Please be advised that the Township was notified that a person attending the October 11, 2022 Committee of the Whole public meeting on the gun range rezoning proposal has since tested positive for Covid on October 13, 2022. The person reported that she had tested negative on both October 11th prior to coming to the meeting and October 12th. While attending the meeting, this person wore a mask and was sitting in the 2nd last row in Council Chambers.
For your safety and the safety of others, if you have any COVID-19 symptoms, please get tested.
Septic System Information
Sewage System Maintenance
How Can I Recognize If My Septic System is Having Problems?
Diagram of Sanitary Sewage in Foundation
This diagram depicts sanitary sewage effluent that is being picked up in the perimeter weeping tile surrounding the house and is being drained into the internal sump pit in the building. This may indicate a break in the pipe between the building and the tank, which would cause the sanitary sewage to leak into the foundation backfill and into the weeping tile.
Diagram of Blockage in Inlet Pipe
A cause of sanitary sewage backup into a building is blockage of the pipes in the sanitary sewage system. If the sewage is backing up into the building the septic tank must be opened and examined. If the liquid level in the tank is below the level of the inlet pipe then there is a blockage between the building and the inlet of the tank. A plumbing contractor can remove this type of blockage using a plumbing snake.
Diagram of Blockage in Outlet Pipe
If the level of sanitary sewage in the tank is above the inlet pipe, the blockage is on the outlet side of the tank and may be in the tile bed. A high level of sewage within the tank could also indicate that the entire leaching bed is saturated and that the ground can no longer absorb the liquid.
Diagram of Bio Mat
COVID-19 Impacts Perth Emergency Room Services
Smiths Falls, ON – In spite of our best efforts to preserve care in the Perth Emergency Department, COVID-19 has placed yet another burden on our fragile staffing situation. Today we learned of a COVID-19 outbreak impacting our Emergency Department Staff. This left the PSFDH team with no other option but to close the Perth Emergency Department effective Saturday, July 2 at 7 a.m. Available staff from the Perth Emergency Department will move to the Smiths Falls Site Emergency Department to support the anticipated increase in patients.
Residents in our catchment area can continue to access emergency care at the Smiths Falls Site located at 60 Cornelia Street West, Smiths Falls or the closest alternate emergency department.
At this time, this temporary emergency department closure will remain in effect until Thursday, July 7, 2022. As our staffing situation stabilizes, we will gradually reopen the Perth Emergency Department. Upon reopening, the Perth Emergency Department will open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
We have informed our regional partners such as ambulance services, partner hospitals and public health regarding the upcoming closures.
The Smiths Falls Site Emergency Department continues to be open 24 hrs/day, seven (7) days per week as the reduction to Emergency Department hours impacts only the Perth Emergency Department.
PSFDH team continues to support our staff, and work with them, through this challenging time to ensure safe care for patients and to ensure safe and healthy working conditions for staff and physicians.
The PSFDH team appreciates your understanding and patience and as our staffing complement stabilizes, we will communicate any changes. Updates will be shared via our hospital Facebook page and through local media channels.
Anyone requiring immediate medical help should call 911 and paramedics will get you to the nearest emergency department for care.
Read the full media release from Perth and Smiths Falls District Hospital
Hockey Registration is Now Open!
Tay Valley Hockey
Registration forms are available at the Municipal Office and online at https://www.tayvalleytwp.ca/Hockey/
2022-2023 sessions will begin:
- October 2nd, 2022 for U8 (ages 6-7) and U11 (ages 8-10)
- October 6th, 2022 for U14 (ages 11-13), U16 (ages 14-15) and U18 (ages 16-17)
Early Bird Registration is only $200.00 per player!
($225.00 after September 9, 2022)
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED - contact 613-267-5353 ext. 110
New weather stations to improve forecasts, flood warnings across Rideau Valley
A new network of industrial weather stations will advance the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority’s capacity to track local weather, model future floods and track local climate change impacts into the future.
The RVCA has installed 11 new all-season weather stations across the watershed. These will fill gaps in the current data network, expand RVCA’s list of tracked weather parameters and provide real-time weather data online for use by residents, municipalities, farmers, researchers and even local forecasters.
“Our goal is to develop a watershed-wide model so we understand what’s happening in each part of the watershed,” said Brian Stratton, RVCA’s manager of engineering. “The new weather stations are a key piece in the development of a long-term model that can be used for hazard mapping, flood forecasting and tracking climate change trends.”
The industrial-strength stations – designed to withstand our coldest winters and hottest summers – will collect information on air temperature, dew point, relative humidity, air pressure, solar radiation, average wind speed and precipitation. The data is available through a new public portal on www.rvca.ca/weather-stations.
The addition of these stations will also improve Environment Canada’s ability to provide accurate weather forecasting for the region, as data from RVCA’s new stations will help corroborate what Environment Canada’s radar is predicting.
“It’s a nice relationship,” said RVCA’s hydrometric co-ordinator Justin Robert. “We’ve programmed these stations for our own purposes, but everyone in the watershed will benefit.”
Climate researchers will also rejoice – in 30 years, anyway.
“By recording the real time climate, it’s going to set us up for some extensive knowledge down the road,” Robert said. “These weather stations are going to give us this footprint of our weather into our future, and it will be invaluable information to really understand our watershed and what’s going on.”
To learn more about the RVCA's Flood Forecasting and Warning program, visit www.rvca.ca/watershed-conditions.
New weather stations are located in: Andrewsville, Bobs Lake, Frankville, Kars, Mansfield, Marlborough, Montague, Motts Mills, Rainbow Lake, Snowdons Corners and Westport. For more information contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
2022 Municipal Election Information Link
Council Highlights - February 8, 2022
Here are the highlights from the Township of Drummond/North Elmsley Council meeting held Tuesday, February 8, 2022.
2022 Budget Approved. The levy will increase by $135,228, a 3% increase over 2021. A property assessed for $300,000 will see an increase of approximately $20 on the tax bill.
The budget consists of an operating budget of $7,350,504 and a capital program of $2,615,000.
Capital program consists of the following projects.
- New Salt Shed for Drummond Centre
- Prestonvale Road (1.5 km) upgrade to payment
- Engineered design work for Poonamalie Side Road & Wayside Drive
- LED lights conversion and furnace replacement in Drummond/Port Elmsley Garages
- Administration Building – improvements to front lobby layout
- 6 Electronic Speed Signs
- Repairs to Ferguson’s Falls Halls
- Repairs to the Emergency Generator
- Streetlights on the Rideau Ferry Bridge
- Long Range Financial Plan
- Official Plan Review
- Public Works Departmental Operational Review
- Emergency Response Plan conversion to Incident Management System
Council Remuneration. Council passed a by-law to increase their remuneration by 2.25%. Last year, they voted not to increase their remuneration.
Joint and several liability. Council passed a resolution in support of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario efforts to have the province address the inequitableness of the joint and several liability regime. Municipalities are often seen as the insurer of last resort and have become focal points for litigation when other defendants do not have the means to pay. Insurance premiums have significantly increased for this reason.
Upcoming Meetings
- Council Meeting: February22, 2002 at 5:00 p.m.
- Committee of the Whole: February 22, 2022, following the Council meeting
Trails
A map of all these trails on our interactive map.
There are now two trails complete. The yellow trail is 0.7 kms and the blue trail is 2.7 kms. The trails wind through a mainly pine woodlot that was planted by our local Scout groups many years ago. Access to the trail is off the Code Road across from the Township’s Waste Disposal site. There is a small parking lot so vehicles can park on site and the two trails are clearly marked.
Expansion of the trail network will be proceeding in 2024 with a goal of establishing 8+ kilometers of trail that will pass through a variety of wooded and open areas for hiking, skiing, bird watching and educational activities.
Township Office is Reopening to the Public
The Municipal Officer will be reopening to the public on Monday, January 31st during regular business hours Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Physical distancing measures will be in place and access will be limited in the front lobby area.
If possible, please continue to make your tax payments online, at the bank or via the drop-box at the front door.
If you require an in-person appointment to meet with staff, please make an appointment in advance.
Self screening for Covid-19 prior to coming to the office, social distancing and mask wearing must be adhered to.