Budget Spotlight #6 - Development Services and Engineering

From August to December, the Municipality will publish bi-weekly articles to inform residents and provide insight into the roles of each Municipal department and how your tax dollars are being spent.

As they are released, all Spotlight topics can be found here: https://www.mississippimills.ca/en/municipal-hall/budget-spotlights.aspx.

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The Mississippi Mills Development Services and Engineering department consists of building, planning and engineering.

In 2022, the department experienced an unprecedented number of development applications – a 60% increase since 2018. So far in 2023, that busy trend has continued with four subdivision applications, proposing hundreds of new residential lots to be developed in the coming years, and 250 building permit applications received.

The Municipality also launched the Affordable Housing Grant Program under a Memorandum of Understanding with Lanark County, who will administer the program on behalf of Mississippi Mills. The program provides funding in the form of a 15-year forgivable loan. Maximum funding is based on the cost of approved work items, up to $25,000, with an additional $10,000 for units built in Mississippi Mills. 

The MM2048 initiative was launched in 2023, under which seven Municipal projects are being undertaken through a coordinated approach. It was developed with a vision of setting a consistent course for our community well into the future. They include: Planning policy updates, Transportation Master Plan, Water & Waste Water Master Plan, Solid Waste Management Strategy, Community Services Master Plan, Development Charges Background Study and Economic Development Strategic Plan.

The Municipality submitted a grant application to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s Housing Accelerator Fund in the hopes of receiving grant funds to help assist with the many projects that need to be undertaken to accommodate future growth.

2024 PROJECTS

Proposed capital projects in the draft 2024 budget for Development Services and Engineering, include:

• $540,000 – To assess and design a Northern Watermain River Crossing (Carss Street across the river to Strathburn Street) through a process called a Class Environmental Assessment and Design.

• $300,000 – To assess and design an expansion to Gemmills Bay Pumping Station (Class Environmental Assessment and Design).

• $250,000 – Many other improvements and upgrades to our Municipal road network and to the Municipality’s infrastructure system (Waste/Wastewater Infrastructure Environmental Assessment and Design).  

• $60,000 – To assess and design the watermain upgrades within County Road 29 from Well 6 (located near the fire station) to Wylie (Class Environmental Assessment and Design).

• $40,000 – To begin the planning policy project called Rural Villages and Vitality to update the Municipality’s rural policies (Official Plan Amendment 28).

• $15,000 – To undertake a study to develop specific development policies (called a Secondary Plan) and a Public Realm Plan for the Downtown Almonte area.

• $10,000 – To update the Municipality’s Heritage Register List to ensure that the heritage assets in our community are protected.

Click the links below for more information:

• Building and Renovating –  https://www.mississippimills.ca/en/build-and-invest/building-and-renovating.aspx.

• Planning and Land Use – https://www.mississippimills.ca/en/build-and-invest/planning-and-land-use.aspx?_mid_=76816" target="_blank".

• MM2048 – https://www.mississippimills.ca/en/mm2048.aspx.