Stormwater Rate

The Town retained Civica Infrastructure Inc. (Civica) to conduct a Stormwater Rate Study to support the Town’s comprehensive program to deliver the Stormwater Master Plan recommendations. The purpose of the rate study is to assess the long-term funding needs of the master plan and recommend strategies to generate the necessary funding through the evaluation of multiple methods such as a separate rate charge levied against properties. At the Feb. 28 Council meeting, Civica presented to Council their initial finding regarding the need for the Town to raise additional revenues to fund annual expenditures related to ongoing stormwater maintenance and infrastructure replacement. 

Read the complete study from Civica - April 19, 2024.

A Public Information Centre took place on March 18, 2024. View the presentation. 

Stormwater is water that comes from rain and melted snow that flows over property and into the storm drains.  Along the way, the stormwater picks up debris and pollutants from rooftops and paved surfaces that enter the storm drains and watercourses. The disruption to the natural hydrologic water cycle also means the stormwater runs off quickly into storm drains and sewer systems, and then to our lakes and rivers, which can lead to flooding, and other environmentally damaging effects. For further information, please visit georgina.ca/Stormwater.

Stormwater management is an essential system that protects the health and safety of the public and the environment by managing the quality and quantity of stormwater. Stormwater management also helps reduce the potential for flooding and erosion, and ensures our environment is healthy. 

A stormwater charge is a reliable and sustainable approach to ensuring a community’s environmental and growth concerns may be handled in a financially responsible way. It is a charge levied by the municipalities on property owners to help maintain aging infrastructure, ongoing maintenance, and develop new ways of facilitating planned growth.  

The Town of Georgina is a growing community and is responsible for the maintenance and operation of stormwater within its jurisdiction. The Town’s stormwater management system includes catch basins, sewers, ditches, ponds, culverts and many more assets that all require a sufficient funding source to be maintained, repaired and/or replaced. A stormwater charge will help fund the Town's stormwater management services and help address major challenges with climate change and aging infrastructure. 

The Town has initiated several steps in support of updating its Comprehensive Stormwater Management Master Plan to deliver long-term projects to manage the impact of climate change and achieve alignment with the policies of the Lake Simcoe Protection plan (LSPP) and the Lake Simcoe Phosphorous Reduction Strategy. Lake Simcoe has experienced a wide range of pressures affecting the watershed, including excessive nutrients, pollutants, invasive species, impacts of climate change and increasing human activities. The impact of climate change is projected to influence the frequency, extent and magnitude of existing water quality problems. 

Excessive phosphorous has been the most significant cause of the water quality impairment in Lake Simcoe. As an essential plant nutrient, phosphorous can help to support a healthy aquatic ecosystem. However, when phosphorous levels are too high, this leads to the excessive growth of plants and algae in the lake, which contributes to degraded water quality and low levels of oxygen in the lake, harming aquatic life. The primary sources of excess phosphorous to Lake Simcoe include stormwater runoff from urban areas, effluent from sewage treatment plants, landuse in rural, agricultural, urban and shoreline areas, septic systems, and the atmospheric deposition of phosphorous in airborne dust, which is causes by wind erosion of exposed soil. 

A stormwater charge will help fund the Town's stormwater management services and help address major challenges with climate change and aging infrastructure. Stormwater management practices help minimize the impact of polluted runoff flowing into lakes and streams and reduce the strain that stormwater places on municipal infrastructure.

The Town’s Strategic Plan represents a commitment to our community, with a mission to promote a high quality of life for our community through the delivery of exceptional services, inclusive engagement, and a commitment to support a thriving economy and sustainable environment. The stormwater charge will help to proactively manage infrastructure and assets to ensure service continuity, and ensure continued financial sustainability and accountability. Georgina is committed to creating a vibrant, healthy and safe community for all. A stormwater charge promotes and ensures responsible growth and long-term planning.

With an increasing number of new businesses and net employment growth, Georgina strives to diversify the local community. A stormwater charge supports the increasing demand on the community from commercial and industrial buildings that produce more stormwater runoff. 

A stormwater charge supports Georgina’s resilience through environmental sustainability and climate mitigation and adaptation. By funding the Georgina’s stormwater management services, the Town can help address major challenges with climate change and aging infrastructure. Stormwater management practices help minimize the impact of polluted runoff flowing into lakes and streams and reduce the strain that stormwater places on municipal infrastructure.

A stormwater charge is used to fund stormwater management programs,  stormwater infrastructure replacement, and ongoing stormwater maintenance. 

The water/wastewater charge is used to fund the maintenance of water and wastewater infrastructure and is separate from the stormwater infrastructure. 

Other municipalities in Ontario and York Region such as Aurora, Markham, Newmarket, Richmond Hill, Stouffville, Vaughan and King are just a few examples of municipalities that have a stormwater management fee/charge.