The City of Timmins is participating in a mock emergency exercise at the Timmins Victor M. Power Airport on Wednesday, August 16, 2023. The exercise is a requirement by Transport Canada and is an important part of emergency planning and prevention.
This test of the airport’s emergency response will begin at 10:00 a.m. and include airport personnel and first responders from Timmins Police Service, the Timmins Fire Department, and Cochrane District EMS.
This is a controlled exercise. The Timmins Victor M. Power Airport will remain open and the simulation may be visible on an adjacent taxiway, inside the terminal building, or on approach to the airport. Staff have communicated with airlines and arriving passengers will be aware that this is only an exercise.
Only authorized personnel will be allowed into the exercise areas.
Amanda Dyer
City Council has chosen Mushkegowuk Fire Keeper Patrol to lead a pilot project for outreach services starting later this month.
The project is designed to provide an enhanced level of community outreach for people who are experiencing homelessness and sleeping outdoors. The $260,083 cost is being recovered from the City’s portion of the Municipal Accommodation Tax (MAT), with the Cochrane District Social Services Administration Board (CDSSAB) contributing $125,000 towards the project.
“This pilot project will fill a critical gap in outreach needed for unsheltered community members,” said Mayor Michelle Boileau. “Mushkegowuk Fire Keeper Patrol is a highly skilled team dedicated to connecting individuals with housing and well-being supports. The level of outreach provided is culturally-appropriate, bringing an Indigenous lens and perspective, with traditional culture values and teachings.”
The City’s outreach services connect individuals with housing and other wellbeing supports in order to move them off the street, out of encampments, or couch surfing into long-term
stable housing. The City recently formalized an encampment protocol to prioritize outreach as a first step to ensuring that individuals in encampments have access to safe, indoor spaces and essential supports.
Outreach services will be offered daily between 4:00 p.m. and 12:00 a.m., 365 days per year. This is a 12-month long pilot project.
Amanda Dyer
The City of Timmins has published a new open data dashboard to track progress of four safety and well-being priorities identified in the municipal Community Safety and Well-being Plan (the Plan)
The City’s Plan outlines a framework to provide a strategic end to homelessness, improve outcomes of mental health and addiction, increase youth engagement and belongingness, and encourage a shared effort to improve the health and welfare of all residents.
The data dashboard provides annual and quarterly updates for key indicators that measure the City’s progress towards each goal, including the number of people actively experiencing homelessness in Cochrane District, and annual paramedic calls and Emergency Dept. visits attributed to mental health and addictions.
“The City is actively working with over 40 service agencies and health care providers to improve community safety and well-being,” says Mayor Michelle Boileau. “There are measurable results from the actions and initiatives already underway. The dashboard provides the community with a snapshot of how we’re doing today and where we’re heading tomorrow.”
The data dashboard is the latest way that the City of Timmins is delivering results-based information to build transparency and accountability.
“It will take a collective effort to successfully deliver this plan, and that includes commitment from all levels of government, social services, business, industry, and individual community members,” adds Boileau. “We need everyone to see themselves as part of the strategy and the solution.
CLICK HERE to view the data dashboard.
Amanda Dyer
The Golden Manor’s redevelopment plans will move to construction phase following approval from City Council.
Council is excited to move forward in the best interest of current and future residents of the Golden Manor,” said Mayor Michelle Boileau. “We know that there will be an improved quality of life with increased resident room size, private washrooms, room for socializing and engagement. Council has worked hard to find a path forward to make this project feasible from a cost perspective.”
Total project cost is now estimated to be close to $110 million. Redevelopment will increase bed capacity from 173 to 192, which is crucial for a population currently underserved. This will allow more residents who are entering long-term care to be cared for within Timmins. This will further serve to reduce the impact on Timmins’ regional hospital and applicable health services, while improving the overall quality of life for residents.
Council’s approval comes just in time to meet the Ministry of Long-Term Care (MLTC) top-up funding of $35 per bed, per day, per year for 25 years. First phase of construction will start this month with a new parking lot. Project completion is not expected until spring of 2026.
“City and Council have worked hard to lobby upper levels of government for support,” adds Boileau. We’ve received close to $50 million in additional funding, which is significant.
Amanda Dyer
The following municipal services will be closed or unavailable on the Monday, August 07, 2023 Civic Holiday:
- Service Timmins and the Provincial Offences Centre will be closed
- There will be no household waste and recycling collection on Monday, August 07. Monday’s collection will be completed on Tuesday, August 08.
- Deloro Landfill will be closed
- There will be no Timmins Transit services on August 07
- The Timmins Museum: NEC will be closed
- Both branches of the Timmins Public Library will be closed
For more information about municipal services visit www.timmins.ca or call Service Timmins at 705-264-1331.
Amanda Dyer
NOTICE OF COMPLETE APPLICATION AND PUBLIC MEETING RE: PROPOSED ZONING BY-LAW AMENDMENT
TAKE NOTICE that the Council of the Corporation of the City of Timmins will hold a public meeting on Wednesday, August 9, 2023, at 3:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers, City of Timmins, 220 Algonquin Boulevard East, Timmins, Ontario, to gather public input regarding a proposed Zoning By-law Amendment under Section 34 of the Planning Act, R.S.O 1990, c. P. 13, as amended.
Applicant: Maurice Poirier (Agent: Nicholas Monette)
Location: Concession 5, South Part of Lot 12, BG Registered Plan 6R5670, Part 2, Parcel 13434WT, Tisdale Township, City of Timmins (1570 MacLean Drive)
THE PURPOSE AND EFFECT of the proposed Zoning By-law Amendment is to rezone the subject lands currently zoned Rural (RD-RU) to Rural (RD-RU) SP6.186 to permit all uses in the Rural zone and allow two phases of development being:
1) Phase 1 – the redevelopment of an existing 297.29 square metre (3,200 square feet) building into a service shop for heavy machinery; and
2) Phase 2 – the development of a 297.29 square metre (3,200 square feet) dome structure, with a building height of 6.7 metres (22 feet), to be utilized as a storage facility
ANY PERSON may attend the public meeting and/or make written or verbal representation either in support of or in opposition to the proposed Zoning By-law Amendment.
If a person or public body would otherwise have an ability to appeal the decision of Council of the City of Timmins to the Ontario Land Tribunal but the person or public body does not make oral submissions at a public meeting or make written submissions to the City of Timmins before the by-law is passed, the person or public body is not entitled to appeal the decision.
If a person or public body does not make oral submissions at a public meeting, or make written submissions to the City of Timmins before the by-law is passed, the person or public body may not be added as a party to the hearing of an appeal before the Ontario Land Tribunal unless, in the opinion of the Tribunal, there are reasonable grounds to do so.
If you wish to be notified of the decision of the City of Timmins on the proposed zoning by-law amendment, you must make a written request to Steph Palmateer, City Clerk, City of Timmins, 220 Algonquin Boulevard East, Timmins, Ontario, P4N 1B3.
For more information about this matter, including information about appeal rights, contact the Planning Division, City of Timmins, 220 Algonquin Boulevard East, Timmins, Ontario, P4N 1B3, telephone number 705-360-2624 or via email.
Dated at the City of Timmins this 18th day of July, 2023.
David St.Onge
File No. Z-2023-03
5627 010-111-14900
NOTICE OF COMPLETE APPLICATION AND PUBLIC MEETING RE: PROPOSED ZONING BY-LAW AMENDMENT
TAKE NOTICE that the Council of the Corporation of the City of Timmins will hold a public meeting on Wednesday, August 9, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers, City of Timmins, 220 Algonquin Boulevard East, Timmins, Ontario, to gather public input regarding a proposed Zoning By-law Amendment under Section 34 of the Planning Act, R.S.O 1990, c. P. 13, as amended.
Applicant: Rainmaker Effects Inc. (Agent: Marc. R. Brazeau)
Location: Parcel B-4, M200C, Part of Block B BG, Registered Plan CR157, Part 5, City of Timmins (245 School Road)
THE PURPOSE AND EFFECT of the proposed Zoning By-law Amendment is to rezone the subject lands currently zoned Residential First Density (NA-R1) to Highway Commercial (EA-CH) SP6.185 to permit all uses in the Highway Commercial (EA-CH) zone with the following Special Provisions:
1) Reduce the north side yard setback requirement for an accessory structure from 3 metres (9.84 feet) to 1.2 metres (3.93 feet);
2) Reduce the west side setback requirement for an accessory structure from 7.5 metres 24.60 feet) to 0.60 metres (1.96 feet);
3) Increase the maximum lot coverage from 25% to 28.5%; and
4) Reduce the landscaping buffer requirement along the north property line from 3.0 metres (9.84 feet) to 0 metres (0 feet).
The applicant is proposing to convert the existing single detached residential dwelling into commercial office space and increase the size of the existing accessory structure (garage) from 77.67 square metres (836 square feet) to 120.40 square metres (1,296 square feet). This is to accommodate increasing work spaces and storage for the applicant’s existing professional office located at 876 Riverside Drive.
The applicant will be required to apply for further Planning Act approvals, being a deeming by-law to deem the subject lands with the property located at 876 Riverside Drive as one lot, and to amend Site Plan Control By-law No. 2001-5555.
ANY PERSON may attend the public meeting and/or make written or verbal representation either in support of or in opposition to the proposed Zoning By-law Amendment.
If a person or public body would otherwise have an ability to appeal the decision of Council of the City of Timmins to the Ontario Land Tribunal but the person or public body does not make oral submissions at a public meeting or make written submissions to the City of Timmins before the by-law is passed, the person or public body is not entitled to appeal the decision.
If a person or public body does not make oral submissions at a public meeting, or make written submissions to the City of Timmins before the by-law is passed, the person or public body may not be added as a party to the hearing of an appeal before the Ontario Land Tribunal unless, in the opinion of the Tribunal, there are reasonable grounds to do so.
If you wish to be notified of the decision of the City of Timmins on the proposed zoning by-law amendment, you must make a written request to Steph Palmateer, City Clerk, City of Timmins, 220 Algonquin Boulevard East, Timmins, Ontario, P4N 1B3.
For more information about this matter, including information about appeal rights, contact the Planning Division, City of Timmins, 220 Algonquin Boulevard East, Timmins, Ontario, P4N 1B3, telephone number 705-360-2624 or via email.
Dated at the City of Timmins this 18th day of July, 2023.
David St.Onge
City Council has approved the purchase of recreation software that will move swim registration back online. Registration has been managed in-person and by phone through Service Timmins since April 2022.
“We appreciated everyone’s patience as we worked to find a solution that would be compatible with existing City software, and give us the functionality we need in the Recreation Dept.,” says Lynne Grenon, Manager of Facilities and Recreation. “The goal is to have the new registration system up and running by the end of the year.”
The new software will allow registration and payments to be processed through one system for swimming, with opportunities to move more of Recreation’s booking and rental processes online in the future.
Find out more about the swimming facilities and programs offered by the City of Timmins at https://www.timmins.ca/our_services/recreation_services/swimming.
Amanda Dyer
Equipment updates and mechanical issues on the City's paint truck have caused a delay in the municipal line painting program this season. Staff in the City's Traffic Department have been working quickly to get the truck and paint system up and running. In the meantime, staff have been prioritizing painting of residential intersections, crosswalks, and stop blocks.
With the paint truck now operational, a plan is in place to complete line painting of the city’s main arterial roads by the beginning of August, pending weather and further mechanical breakdowns. This includes the Connecting Link, Airport Rd., Laforest Rd., and Hwy. 67 (Municipal Rd.).
Residential and secondary roads will be completed by mid-September. The Traffic Dept. has 367 km’s of residential and secondary lines to paint. Some priority areas like Jubilee and Theriault Blvd. have already been completed. Updates on the location of line painting are provided daily on the City's official Facebook site.
Intersection painting along the Connecting Link will be completed by the end of July, pending an alternative traffic protection plan that will allow line painting to be carried out during the day. The Traffic Dept. is working on this plan now.
We appreciate your continued patience while we continue painting.
Amanda Dyer
The flags at Timmins City Hall will be lowered to half-mast on Thursday, July 6, 2023 to honour fallen paramedic Arjanan Sivasathiyarajah.
Sivasathiyarajah had been working as a paramedic in Kashechewan First Nation when he passed away earlier this week on a supply run to nearby Fort Albany First Nation by boat on the Albany River.
Mayor Michelle Boileau on behalf of Council and the City of Timmins offers her condolences to the family, friends, colleagues, and community impacted by this tragedy.
Amanda Dyer
The following municipal services will be closed or unavailable on Saturday, July 1 and/or Monday, July 3 in observance of Canada Day:
- Service Timmins will be closed on Monday, July 3
- Provincial Offences will be closed on Monday, July 3
- Residential waste and recycling collection that falls on Monday, July 3, 2023, will be collected on Tuesday, July 4. Deloro Landfill, Tisdale Transfer Site, and the German Township Landfill Site will be closed on Canada Day (Saturday, July 1, 2023)
- There will be no Timmins Transit services on Saturday, July 1
- The Timmins Museum: NEC will be closed on Saturday, July 1 and Monday, July 3
- Both branches of the Timmins Public Library will be closed on Saturday, July 1
- The Archie Dillon Sportsplex Pool will be closed Saturday, July 1
For more information about municipal services visit www.timmins.ca or call Service Timmins at 705-264-1331.
Amanda Dyer
The City's Canada Day in the Park will be a blast! The City of Timmins, Tourism Timmins, and the Timmins Community Park Association have a fun afternoon planned with a HUGE assortment of bouncy amusements. Slide down the 21 ft. dual lane mega slide. Race through the 32 ft. obstacle course. Check out the little builders playland, 3-point hoop, and dino bouncer!
Plus, splash around in the suds from our dual cannon foam party, grab a BBQ hotdog, and celebrate Canada in one of Timmins’ greatest green spaces.
You also have a chance to spend next hockey season with the NOJHL champions. The Timmins Rock have generously donated two season passes that will be raffled off during the event. Fill out a ballot during the day!
Festivities run 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 1 from Hollinger Park.
For updates on the Canada Day Fun and Fireworks, follow the City of Timmins, Timmins Tourism and Timmins Community Park Association on Facebook.
Amanda Dyer
Fort Albany First Nation has declared a state of emergency effective June 21, 2023, due to wildfires in close proximity of the community.
Timmins will host ten (10) elders from Fort Albany, who are being transferred via Ornge to Timmins and District Hospital and St. Mary’s Gardens. There has been no further request of support from Timmins at this time.
Fort Albany residents have begun to self-evacuate to Kashechewan First Nation and Moosonee. The communities of Val-Rita and Kapuskasing have been identified as evacuation host sites.
Amanda Dyer
Water use across the city of Timmins stays high as residents seek ways to cool off and keep hydrated. During the summer months, water usage typically goes up as pools are filled and sprinklers are turned on. The City’s outdoor water use by-law, By-law No. 2001-5542, goes into effect during the months of May, June, July and August to regulate external use of water.
External use of water is permitted on even calendar days for municipal addresses ending with numbers 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8. External water use is permitted on odd calendar dates for municipal addresses ending with numbers 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9.
Outdoor recreational water use for small pools or children's sprinklers is allowed at all municipal addresses during those four months; however, a person MUST be present. This can be revoked during emergency periods to ensure adequate water pressure for safety and water supply.
We encourage users to be mindful of their needs and that of our community and above all stay hydrated, stay in the shade and stay safe.
Amanda Dyer
Effective immediately, the Timmins Fire Department has issued a city-wide fire ban. This is due to a lack of precipitation and extreme dry conditions. The fire ban is in effect until further notice and includes all areas within the City limits. The fire ban means that no burning or open flame is allowed. All burning permits have been suspended and Service Timmins has ceased issuing burning permits at this time.
This means:
• No campfires
• No burning in outdoor fireplaces
• No burning in outdoor fire pits
• No incinerator burning
• No brush or slash pile burning
Any person setting an open-air fire will be responsible and liable for costs and possibly fined. For more information, please call the Timmins Fire Department at 705-360-2626.
Amanda Dyer
The last Kashechewan First Nation evacuees left Timmins today after more than five weeks sheltering from a precautionary evacuation due to flooding on the Albany River.
As a result, Timmins is ending the State of Emergency declared on April 14, which allowed the City to access additional resources and provincial aid.
Timmins’ ability to respond quickly and effectively to help aid evacuees is due to Stronger Together, a team of local and First Nation leads whose preparedness comes from the cooperation of community partners, First Nation partnerships, and local service agencies and first responders.
“Through Stronger Together’s mobilization efforts, we were able to provide evacuees with a number of services and social supports,” says Fire Chief and Emergency Management Coordinator Berny Stansa. “It is a time of emergency and it does take the coordinated response of a community to pull this off. We’re happy that our Kashechewan guests are now able to return home.”
With the last flight departed for Kashechewan, the Stronger Together team will begin to reflect on the last month’s operations and experiences.
“Our team members and First Nation leads will meet and participate in a sharing circle,” says Stronger Together’s Ryan Verreault. “It’s a cultural activity that allows us to debrief and share experiences, both good and bad, to identify areas of improvement for next time.”
The likelihood of a “next time” is almost certain, but the City of Timmins and Stronger Together are ready to assist with a model of evacuation management designed to strengthen the City’s First Nation partnerships and empower First Nation communities to take an active role throughout the evacuation process.
Amanda Dyer
The following municipal services will be closed or unavailable over the Victoria Day Long Weekend (May 20-22):
- Service Timmins and the Provincial Offences Centre will be closed on Victoria Day (Monday, May 22)
- There will be no household waste and recycling collection on Victoria Day. Monday’s collection will be completed on Tuesday, May 23
- Deloro Landfill will be closed on Victoria Day
- There will be no Timmins Transit services on Victoria Day
- The Timmins Museum: NEC will be closed on Victoria Day
- Both branches of the Timmins Public Library will be closed on Victoria Day
- The Archie Dillon Sportsplex Pool will be closed on Victoria Day
For more information about municipal services visit www.timmins.ca or call Service Timmins at 705-264-1331.
Amanda Dyer
Council’s $4 million dollar increase to the City’s “grind and pave” budget means that roads like Riverpark and Vimy have been added to this year’s asphalt contract. The City has agreed to spend $5.7 million with Miller Paving Ltd. to complete asphalt repair on 9 kilometres of roadway; 5 kilometres of surface treatment on rural roads; pulverizing and surface treatment of Government Rd. N.; pavement restoration of three municipal parking lots; paving of the Timmins Cemetery expansion; and, asphalt restoration along Crawford St. N. following the installation of new watermain.
The original plan, which called for approximately 4 kilometres of full-width road rehabilitation, was expanded with the added investment to include roads that were under some public scrutiny.
“Vimy Ave. and Riverpark Rd. are welcome additions to the list,” says Scott Tam, Director of Growth and Infrastructure. “We’ve worked with feedback from City Council and from local residents to expedite repairs to a number of streets throughout the city. Riverpark Rd. needs rehabilitation after water infrastructure work over the winter and Vimy Ave. has served as a detour route, with increased traffic, for the last two seasons of Connecting Link construction.”
The City bases its “grind and pave” priorities on feedback from internal departments like Public Works and from a 2019 Roads Needs Study, which has ranked roads based on a Pavement Condition Index (PCI).
“The amount of roadway that can be completed is largely dependent on budget and cost drivers like labour and material costs,” adds Tam. “During this year’s budget deliberations, it was identified that asphalt prices had increased by 27.5% and nearly doubled asphalt prices for municipalities in the GTA. Council’s commitment to investing in the yearly roads program is necessary to maintain our road network.”
Sections of Vipond Rd., Goldmine Rd., Victoria Ave, Wilson Ave., Park Ave., and MacLean Dr. have also been added to the list, which is available online at: https://www.timmins.ca/our_services/engineering/capital_works/2023_capital_works.
Amanda Dyer
City Council has provided direction on the City’s annual residential Spring Clean-up Program. Tipping fees at the Deloro Landfill Site will be waived between Monday, May 29 and Friday, June 9, 2023 and the “Spring” Clean-up program will be postponed until a later date. Public Works has been asked to carry out the clean-up and is expected to present an implementation plan to City Council.
The City’s annual program allows residents to set out bulky waste curbside over a specified period in late May or early June. The City will now waive residential tipping fees at the Deloro Landfill site over a similar time period starting May 29, but Council was clear that the program is a core service and canceling it isn’t an option.
“The City did receive two outside tenders to complete work,” says Ken Krcel, Director of Public Works and Environmental Services. “The tender received, that followed the scope of work required, was 609% higher than last year’s contract. Public Works will now be responsible for delivering the program and will provide Council with a plan on when this will be done and how it will work in conjunction with regular waste and recycling collection.”
Residents who have already placed bulk waste curbside are asked to remove it. No waste is to be placed curbside without confirmation of the program and applicable collection dates.
“Moving the clean-up to later in the year is actually a benefit to City road maintenance operations,” adds Krcel. “This will allow us to work on street sweeping and line painting without the additional hazard of bulky curbside waste.”
Amanda Dyer
The City of Timmins Traffic Department is providing an update on line painting for bike lanes and traffic disruptions on Theriault Blvd. and Jubilee Ave. The City will begin line painting of the centre turn lane lines on Jubilee Ave. by the end of the month, followed by the centre yellow dividing line on Theriault Blvd., and the white skip dividing lines and bike lanes. Once the bike lane solid white lines are painted, traffic crews will paint the bike symbols within the bike lanes.
Bike lanes installed in the conflict zones on Theriault Blvd. and Jubilee (areas where vehicles cross, merge with, or diverge from a lane of traffic) will have the bike lane dividing lines and bike symbols painted white. Public Works has decided to pause on reinstalling the green thermoplastic surface at this time. The Traffic Dept. is currently researching alternative pavement marking products that will work best with our weather, road maintenance activities, and road conditions. The white bike lane lines and symbols comply with the provincial standards in the Ontario Traffic Manual – Book 18 – Cycling Facilities.
The City’s road stripe painting truck is currently undergoing annual maintenance ahead of a busy season. Line painting is dependent the completion of street sweeping, weather, temperature and humidity to ensure the paint adheres to the road surface and dries quickly. Line painting operations are a seasonal task. The line paint we use between May 1 and October 15 is required to be water-based to protect the environment and public health from the effects of air pollution by reducing Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) emissions.
The City of Timmins appreciates your patience and cooperation as crews work around the city to maintain our roads and active transportation network. For more information on the use of bike lanes and cycling in Timmins, visit: https://www.timmins.ca/cycling/bike_lanes.
Amanda Dyer
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