The City of Timmins would like to advise that an extreme cold weather alert has been issued for Monday, January 9, 2023. Temperatures are expected to drop to -25 (inclusive of windchill) overnight.
People in need of emergency shelter are asked to attend the Living Space location (316 Spruce St. S.). Living Space Outreach Workers will conduct street-level outreach with the goal of connecting people who are sleeping outside with shelter and/or support; if you know of someone in need of shelter please contact 705-531-7233 for assistance.
Amanda Dyer
A by-law is a rule or law that is put in place by the City of Timmins to ensure that our community remains safe and orderly. The City of Timmins Enforcement Services Division is responsible for enforcing our by-laws. Staff enforce by-laws by investigating complaints and responding to the concerns of citizens.
Each month, we'll explore a different by-law and what it means for you. This month, we're looking at the City's Snow By-law 1993-4162
It’s a Snow Day!
Living in the North, we are familiar with snow. Talk about “snow storage” and “snow removal” and “snow plowing” takes over any discussion of potholes for at least 5 months of the year. At some point during the winter, where to pile all that snow from your driveway and entry way can become a real concern. The urge to push it away from your property, onto or across the road, may become great … but don’t do it!
Did you know that depositing snow from your property onto the road is against the law? Section 181 of the Highway Traffic Act forbids a person from pushing or piling snow onto the roadway. The City of Timmins has doubled-down with our own Snow By-law that forbids a property owner from depositing snow on municipal highways including streets, roads, laneways, and sidewalks.
Snow way!
“Why would pushing snow onto the road be an issue? After all, the City has plows to take care of it.”
We do have plows … and graders, loaders, and sanders with underride plows and a Public Works Department that is tasked with maintaining our roads as per the province’s Minimum Maintenance Standards … and that’s where the snow by-law comes in. When you deposit snow onto a road or street, you create an additional driving hazard for motorists. In essence, you’re undermining the City’s maintenance efforts.
The snow by-law also prohibits people from piling snow on your property beside a road or sidewalk in a way that obstructs the sidewalk or road and / or impedes sight lines for motorists and pedestrians. Plan to store the snow from your driveway or entryway in an area on your property that leaves the road and sidewalk clear.
Snow Removal
Residents who push snow from their own property onto a city road or sidewalk would be in violation of By-law 1993-4162 and could be fined under the Provincial Offences Act by a member of our municipal Enforcement Services team.
Since snow storage can become an issue, the City offers use of its Spruce St. snow dump location free of charge to residents using a a half ton truck and trailer only (anything larger will require a permit) to remove snow.
If you have concerns about snow being incorrectly deposited on the street or road in your neighborhood, you can call Service Timmins at 705-264-1331.
Click here to learn more about the City’s Snow By-law 1993-4162.
Amanda Dyer
City Council has approved the 2023 water and wastewater budget as outlined by the City’s 10-year financial plan for water and wastewater services (water, sewer, storm). The increase is approximately 4.3% or $56 more for the average household.
The 10-year financial plan was approved in 2021 to address a deficit in the water and wastewater budget with nominal increases set over a number of years. City Council also approved an increase to the “Low Income Utility Assistance Credit.” Eligible homeowners can now receive up to $150 off their utility fees and can apply anytime within the calendar year. So far in 2022, the City has issued $15,655 in rebates. Deadline for the 2022 credit is December 30, 2022.
The budget includes plans to use the City’s recent $2.9 million Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund (OCIF) and Canada Community-Building Fund (CCBF) allocations for capital projects to rehabilitate or replace existing water infrastructure. It’s also important to note that the $2.1 million budgeted for water and wastewater infrastructure replacement as part of Connecting Link construction includes the money needed for work in 2023 and the unspent portion reserved from 2022 construction that ended short of Mountjoy St.
The water and wastewater budget is separate from the general 2023 budget or 2023 tax levy because revenues are sourced from user fees and not property tax. Council will begin tax levy discussions in early 2023, which is typical in a municipal election year as incoming council is familiarized with City programs and services.
The full long-term financial plan for water and wastewater available on the City of Timmins website under Our Services > Water and Sewer. The application form for the Low Income Utility Assistance Credit is also available online at Timmins.ca
Amanda Dyer
The City of Timmins would like to advise that an extreme cold weather alert has been issued for Tuesday, December 13, 2022. Temperatures are expected to drop to -24 (inclusive of windchill) overnight and to -27 early morning December 14, 2022.
People in need of emergency shelter are asked to attend the Living Space location (316 Spruce St. S.). Living Space Outreach Workers will conduct street-level outreach with the goal of connecting people who are sleeping outside with shelter and/or support; if you know of someone in need of shelter please contact 705-531-7233 for assistance.
Amanda Dyer
Holiday hours for municipal services and facilities.
City Hall / Service Timmins / Provincial Offenses
December 23: City Hall and Service Timmins will close at 2:30 p.m.
December 24-27: CLOSED
December 30: City Hall and Service Timmins will close at 3:30 p.m.
January 2: CLOSED
Timmins Transit:
December 24: Regular Timmins Transit service runs until 6:00 p.m. After 6:00 p.m., there is no Transit service.
December 25: No Timmins Transit service
December 26: Timmins Transit Sunday service
December 31: Regular Timmins Transit service
January 1: No Timmins Transit service
Waste and Recycling Collection and Landfill Hours.
Christmas Day falls on a weekend, therefore residential waste and recycling will be unaffected. Residential waste and recycling collection that falls on Boxing Day (Monday, December 26, 2022) will be collected on Tuesday, December 27, 2022.
Residential waste and recycling collection that falls on Monday, January 3, 2023 will be collected on Tuesday, January 04, 2023.
Please ensure your waste and recycling is at the curb by 7:30 a.m. and left out if not collected by 4:00 p.m. as collection times may vary without notice.
Deloro Landfill Site:
December 23-24: Open 8:00 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.
December 25-26: CLOSED
December 27-28: Regular Hours
December 30-31: Open 8:00 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.
January 1-2: CLOSED
The Tisdale Transfer Site and German Twp. Landfill will also be closed on December 25-26, 2022 and January 1-2, 2023.
Archie Dillon Sportsplex Pool:
Closed December 24, 25, 26 and January 1, 2023.
Timmins Museum: National Exhibition Centre
December 24-27: CLOSED
December 28-30: Open Noon to 4:00 p.m.
December 31: CLOSED
January 1 and 2: CLOSED
Timmins Public Library – Main Branch:
December 23: Open 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
December 24-27: CLOSED
December 28 and 29: Open 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
December 30: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
December 31 – January 2: CLOSED
Timmins Public Library - C.M. Shields Centennial Branch:
December 23: Open 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
December 24-27: CLOSED
December 28 and 29: Open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
December 30: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
December 31 – January 2: CLOSED
Timmins Cemetery Office:
Regular hours for The Timmins Cemetery Office are 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. during the winter. The office will be closed December 26-27, 2022 and January 2, 2023.
Amanda Dyer
The City of Timmins would like to advise that an extreme cold weather alert has been issued for Monday, December 12, 2022. Temperatures are expected to drop to -31 (inclusive of windchill) overnight into early morning December 13, 2022 with a risk of frostbite.
People in need of emergency shelter are asked to attend the Living Space location (316 Spruce St. S.). Living Space Outreach Workers will conduct street-level outreach with the goal of connecting people who are sleeping outside with shelter and/or support; if you know of someone in need of shelter please contact 705-531-7233 for assistance.
Amanda Dyer
Timmins Transit is set to receive $233,039 from the provincial government as part of Ontario’s commitment to safe and reliable transit services. Phase 4 of the federal-provincial Safe Restart Agreement will provide a total of $505 million across the province for municipal transit systems.
The funds can be used to offset costs related to COVID-19 in 2022, including revenue loss, operating expenses, and priority projects. Since the start of the pandemic, Timmins Transit has relied on provincial and federal grants to help cover operating costs.
“Providing accessible public transportation is a priority for the City of Timmins,” says Mayor Michelle Boileau. “This Safe Restart Funding speaks directly to where we are in terms of restarting and rebuilding transit services post pandemic. I want to thank both the provincial and federal governments for their continued support of transit services in Timmins.”
“We appreciate the provincial government’s support,” says Ken Krcel, Director of Public Works and Environmental Services. “This funding helps us continue to deliver safe and reliable public transportation. We anticipate that this funding will be used to cover any shortfall in revenue from 2022.”
Amanda Dyer
Mid-morning on a dairy farm in the heart of Timmins and Mayor Michelle Boileau and Councillor Rock Whissell are learning more about how Haasen Farms Ltd. operates. Not the Mayor’s normal Friday morning, but one that carries with it the opportunity for agricultural revival in Timmins and Northern Ontario.
On Friday, Mayor Boileau and Councillor Whissell joined Minister Lisa Thompson, Minister of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs, for a tour of four farming operations in Timmins and Matheson, part of a day long discussion hosted by Commerce Management and the Northeast Community Network (NeCN) as part of the Claybelt Agricultural Project. The project aims to enhance farm production in the north and highlight the tremendous potential for agriculture to become the third major pillar in the region’s economy. Timmins is part of a group of municipalities along the Hwy. 11 corridor who have invested in the project.
It was a small bit of history for Timmins, the first time a Minister of Agriculture has toured the area, more significantly with the Minister of Mines, and Timmins MPP, George Pirie. Collaboration across the regions economic pillars could be key to how quickly agriculture and farming joins mining and forestry as economic drivers for the area.
“We had an opportunity to talk about how Timmins’ economy can be diversified and flourish,” says Mayor Boileau. “It’s important for the City of Timmins to be front and centre in these discussions, to not only support our farming sector, but to emphasize the importance of stimulating agricultural development in a way that is sustainable and environmentally conscious.”
Timmins’ City Council received an update on the Claybelt Agricultural Project in July. The benefit to establishing agriculture in Timmins, aside from benefiting the economy, is the potential for job creation and food security. Ultimately, it’s part of future planning for our community and region.
“Our tour of Rubber Boot Farm highlighted how farming in the north has the capacity to support the environment,” adds Mayor Boileau. “Regenerative farming, working with nature and not against it, protects the land and delivers quality, nutritious food products. We have innovative farmers here, in our community, who are pushing the industry forward. We were happy to be able to show Minister Thompson what Timmins and the north has to offer.
For more information on the Claybelt Agricultural Project visit: https://bit.ly/3B1fpZe
Amanda Dyer
Timmins Transit bus fares will increase as of January 1, 2023. A single ride will go up 25 cents for all passengers, while the cost of monthly passes will see a nominal increase for all categories except students and children.
The price changes will bring current fares in line with the Transit User Fee by-law 2020-8488.
“In order for our rates to be realigned with the user fee by-law, the regular increase will be implemented for 2023,” says Ken Krcel, Director of Public Works and Environmental Services. “The alternative, continuing to freeze fare rates, would result in a significant increase at a future point in time.”
User fees are designed to offset the cost of operation and maintenance. Transit fares covered roughly 19% of operational costs in 2021, with the municipal tax base absorbing 68% of the cost to operate our public transit system. Timmins Transit continues to operate a modified schedule post pandemic based on ridership numbers. The schedule is designed to balance service, convenience, and cost.
“Ridership numbers have not bounced back from COVID-19,” adds Krcel. “We monitor them regularly and can act fast to adjust the schedule, if required. We have seen an increase in monthly bus pass sales, which we attribute to the start of the school year and the addition of the Northern College Express. It’s a step in the right direction.”
Passengers can track their bus online using https://tracker.timminstransit.ca/ or download the Timmins Transit app today from Google Play or App Store.
Amanda Dyer
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