2025 Council Highlights - May 26

Council Meeting - May 26, 2025

Announcements

Mayor Clarke:
- Mayor Clarke noted that the Simcoe County Conference took place on May 22, 2025, at Casino Rama, with close to 150 participants from County municipalities. Mayor Clarke received a lot of positive feedback about the quality of the deputations and workshops. Several Township of Ramara staff presented during the conference.
- On May 23, 2025, Mayor Clarke attended Lakehead University - Orillia campus for the Province of Ontario's announcement of the new Orillia Soldiers' Memorial Hospital location and provincial funding for initial planning. Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital (OSMH) and Lakehead University have announced a partnership to explore the construction of a new hospital on the university’s campus located on University Avenue in Orillia. A parcel of land on the south side of the campus has been identified as the preferred location, pending government approval and further planning.
Councillor Bell:
- Councillor Bell thanked the Ramara Historical Society for the monthly Guest Speaker Night held on May 15, 2025, where the McCarthy family spoke about the history of tile drainage and their four generations of McCarthy Land Improvement business in Ramara and area.
- Councillor Bell also attended the Province of Ontario announcement at the Lakehead University - Orillia campus about the new OSMH location, and noted that the word "synergy" was used throughout the presentations and she concurred with the word based on personal experience involving a university and hospital working together.
- Councillor Bell noted that on the day of the meeting, May 26, 2025, the Couchiching Family Health Team was hosting a Spring Wellness Fair from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- Councillor Bell noted that on June 1, 2025, the Orillia Soldiers' Memorial Foundation is holding the Soldiers' Ride, a cycling and fundraising event supporting enhanced patient care at OSMH.
- Councillor Bell noted that on June 3, 2025, the Couchiching Ontario Health Team is holding a Caregiver Appreciation Event. The event takes place at Creative Nomad Studios in Orillia from noon to 4 p.m. and is an opportunity to network, including presentations from the Helping Hands organization, Ontario Caregiver Organization, and more.
Councillor Fisher:
- Councillor Fisher also attended the Simcoe County Conference on May 22, 2025. She noted that the conference was very well attended and praised the speakers.
- Councillor Fisher noted that coming up on June 3, 2025, the Rooted in Ramara Committee is meeting outside of its regular meeting date and having a work day to plant vegetables and prepare the gardens. Volunteers are welcome to come to the Ramara Centre on June 3 to help with the work and learn more about the committee's initiatives.

Deputations

Yashin and Yashar Rahnavard, representing 1963271 Ontario Inc., gave a deputation to Council regarding a site-specific exemption request for 1207 Black Beach Lane for short-term rental accommodations. The request asked to remove the requirement for a property to be 300 m away from any other STRA-licensed location.

Council received the deputation as information.

Committee of the Whole

Below are highlights of what Committee of the Whole recommended at its meeting held on Monday, May 26, 2025. These are subject to ratification by Council at its next meeting on June 2, 2025, unless pulled for ratification on the same day.

Council Referral Reports

Proposed Delegation Topics for AMO 2025 Conference

Committee of the Whole supported receiving a report regarding proposed delegation topics for the Association of Municipalities Ontario (AMO) 2025 Conference, taking place from Aug. 17 to 20, 2025.
Committee of the Whole supported approved delegation requests to be submitted regarding the following topics by the deadline of May 30, 2025:
- Ice Storm 2025 Emergency Relief Funding
- Health and Safety Water Stream Grant Opportunity
- Expansion of Natural Gas

Planning Services Tender Award

Committee of the Whole supported receiving a report regarding a Planning Services Tender Award and contracting with DM Wills Associates for planning services for the Township, beginning on May 27, 2025, including advising the successful bidders.

Department Reports

Recommendation Report: Township of Ramara Official Plan

Committee of the Whole supported receiving a report regarding the Township of Ramara's Official Plan 2025 and forwarding the Official Plan 2025 to the June 2, 2025, Council meeting for adoption.

The Planning Act requires municipalities to regularly review their Official Plans to reflect updates to legislation, provincial plans and policies, and regional government plans. The purpose of the proposed new Official Plan is to update and replace the existing Township of Ramara Official Plan (2003). An Official Plan provides a long-term policy framework for making land-use planning decisions, managing resources, protecting the environment, and setting a structure for guiding growth and development.

Read the Draft Official Plan 2025

Recommendation Report: Part Lot Control Exemption, Lot 4 Plan 51M-451 (99 Simcoe Rd.)

Committee of the Whole supported receiving a report regarding an application for exemption to Part Lot Control in order to divide the lands known legally as Lot 4, Plan 51M-451, Mara, which is a whole lot in the Concord Woods Plan of Subdivision registered on Aug. 30, 1990 in Lagoon City. The property, known municipally as 99 Simcoe Rd., is an approximately 0.61 acre parcel of land, located on the south side of Simcoe Road, east of Laguna Parkway. Committee of the Whole also supported forwarding the draft Part Lot Control Exemption Bylaw to the June 2, 2025, Council meeting to be enacted.

Lakeshore Drive and Lagoon City Servicing

Committee of the Whole supported receiving a report regarding options for water and sewer servicing of Lakeshore Drive, , Concession Road 3, Maple Trail, Lone Birch Trail, Ridge Avenue, and portions of Simcoe Road, including the following:

Recommending that the Township enter into a contract with K.J. Excavating Inc. in the amount of $2,316,689, including non-recoverable HST, to install a low-pressure sanitary sewer on Maple Trail, Lone Birch Trail, Ridge Avenue, and Simcoe Road.
That Tatham Engineering provide construction administration in the amount of $210,000.
Approving a 15% contingency allowance in the amount of $372,993 for miscellaneous unforeseen expenditures.
That property owners receiving this upgrade to the collection system be required to pay for their appropriate share of the project costs.
That property owners must connect within a three-year period from substantial completion of the project.
That the Mayor and Clerk be authorized to sign the contract agreement on behalf of the Township.

This report will go to Council for consideration on June 2, 2025.

The report recommends awarding the tender for the Lagoon City Low-Pressure Sanitary Sewer Works servicing component — including Maple Trail, Lone Birch Trail, Ridge Avenue, and Simcoe Road.

The Lakeshore Drive Watermain Works component is not being advanced for tender at this time but remains under consideration for future development.

Residents are encouraged to share their feedback before the upcoming Council meeting:

Communicate with Council
Register to speak at Open Forum (by 9 a.m. on the meeting day – first come, first served)

View the full Lakeshore Drive and Lagoon City Servicing Report

Don’t miss your chance to participate before Council votes on June 2!

Final Tax Billing and Potential Canada Post Strike

Committee of the Whole supported receiving as information a report regarding potential impacts to tax bill mailing, related to Canada Post disruptions. Final tax bills for the Township of Ramara are payable on two installments: June 25, 2025, and Sept. 25, 2025. Active efforts are being made by staff to mail tax bills early.

⚠️Important note: Tax bills remain payable by the due date even if a bill is not received in the mail. The Township of Ramara offers several ways to help residents access tax bills and ensure timely payment, including signing up for a pre-authorized payment plan and paperless billing.

See alternative methods for paying property taxes, utility (water) bills, and invoices

Council

Below are highlights of what Council adopted at its meeting on Monday, May 26, 2025:

Council received a report regarding proposed delegation topics for the Association of Municipalities Ontario (AMO) 2025 Conference, taking place from Aug. 17 to 20, 2025, and approved delegation requests to be submitted regarding the following topics by the deadline of May 30, 2025:

Ice Storm 2025 Emergency Relief Funding
Health and Safety Water Stream Grant Opportunity
Expansion of Natural Gas

Council received a report regarding a Planning Services Tender Award and contracting with DM Wills Associates for planning services for the Township, beginning on May 27, 2025, including advising the successful bidders.
Council received as information the Ramara Public Library Quarterly Report for January to March 2025.

Correspondence

Council received and supported correspondence dated April 28, 2025, regarding a resolution about Salt Water Pollution from the Town of Stouffville.
Council received and supported correspondence regarding Opposition to Strong Mayor Powers from the following municipalities:

Town of Goderich
Town of Orangeville
Town of Shelburne
Town of Mattawa
Township of Springwater
Municipality of North Perth

Council received correspondence dated May 8, 2025, from the City of Quinte West regrading Opposition to Strong Mayor Powers.
Council received correspondence dated May 8, 2025, from the Township of Severn regarding Strong Mayor Powers.

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For More Information

For more details on any of these items, see the full meeting agenda or view the meeting on the Township of Ramara's YouTube channel.

The meeting highlights are prepared to give residents a timely update on decisions of Council. The Council meeting minutes are the official record of the meeting.