Last year, over $385,000 in grants and in-kind donations were distributed by the City of Timmins to local businesses, property owners, and volunteer organizations. Approximately $258,000 was handed out under the City’s Downtown Community Improvement Plan, and over $128,000 was handed out to support non-profit and volunteer organizations. Applications for 2024 are now being accepted.
The City’s Downtown Community Improvement Plan allows the municipality to support the use, reuse and restoration of buildings, land, and infrastructure through municipal incentive programs, like grants and tax rebates. The Downtown Community Improvement Plan targets specific downtown areas and can assist with building or façade improvements. New businesses in a designated downtown area can apply for a parking fee and transit grant to support employees with a 50% reduction for parking passes or transit passes for a period of one-year. Grant opportunities can help reduce costs related to City planning and building fees. Maximum grant amounts and eligibility varies for each grant and tax rebate.
In late 2023, City Council also approved expanding the Safety Improvement Grant to include all businesses in Timmins. Now, local business owners in commercial, industrial, institutional, or rural zones, and legally non-conforming commercial, industrial, or institutional businesses (excluding home-based businesses) on residentially zoned properties, can apply for a safety improvement grant to add safety features, such as security cameras and fencing, to their business property. The same amendments now allow business owners to continue to apply for a safety improvement grant, for multiple projects, up to a maximum grant amount of 75% of costs or $7,500.
Local non-profit and volunteer groups may be eligible for grants or in-kind donations through the City’s Grants to Organizations and Groups fund. Grants can be issued to cover general operating expenses, or costs related to a special event that is of cultural, social, or recreational significance. In-kind donations of municipal property or facilities, like arena rentals, can help groups reduce the cost of hosting festivals or events in accessible municipal spaces.
Application forms, eligibility requirements, and details for each grant, tax rebate, or in-kind donation opportunity are available on the City’s website at Timmins.ca.
Amanda Dyer
The City of Timmins is issuing an extreme cold weather alert for Monday, January 22, 2024. Temperatures are expected to drop to -28 overnight (inclusive of wind chill) Risk of frost bite.
Exposure to extreme cold temperatures can cause serious and sometimes even life-threatening health problems. Protection from extreme cold conditions includes avoiding wind exposure, dressing in warm layers, and covering exposed skin.
People requiring emergency shelter can attend the location at 316 Spruce St. S. for assistance.
Amanda Dyer
Mayor Michelle Boileau is heading to Toronto for the annual Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) conference beginning Sunday. This year, the City’s focus is on housing development, highway repairs, and repayment of the Golden Manor redevelopment project.
More than 1,600 participants from as many as 300 municipalities will participate in the conference, Sunday, January 21 to Tuesday, January 23, which gives local leaders and representatives the opportunity to highlight the unique challenges facing rural communities.
Timmins’ delegation will meet with Associate Minister Vijay Thanigasalam from the Ministry of Transportation, to make a case for Hwy. 67 (Municipal Rd.). The rural highway has been a hot topic for Timmins and the Town of Iroquois Falls, with the cost of necessary rehabilitation requiring provincial help. The ask will be for reconstruction funding and a strategy moving forward for maintenance.
Mayor Boileau will also speak to Council’s goal of seeing “more homes built faster” in a discussion with Parliamentary Assistant for Municipal Affairs & Housing, the Honourable Matthew Rae. The City is seeking support to secure funding for subdivision development in Timmins. In order to stimulate new residential and intensified housing builds, the City is exploring the cost of development, including required infrastructure and feasibility.
A meeting is also scheduled with Ontario’s Minister of Long-Term Care, the Honourable Stan Cho, to discuss a strategy to offset some of the capital costs of the Golden Manor redevelopment and reduce construction costs for taxpayers.
This year’s ROMA theme is Closer to Home, which is a nod to ROMA’s recent focus on access to primary healthcare services in rural Ontario, but also fits with Timmins’ focus on creating a sustainable range of housing options for residents, and re-energizing needed assets and infrastructure, right here at home in Timmins. Mayor Boileau and the Timmins’ delegation are prepared to make a case for the provincial funding and support that Timmins needs now.
Quote:
Any time we are able to speak directly with provincial officials, it is an opportunity to focus on solutions to our most pressing concerns, which could have swift and positive impact on the City. Our requests to the province are specific and strategic. We also benefit from being part of a rural collective voice. There is strength in numbers, and the ROMA conference is a space where rural municipalities can come together and work to create sustainable and thriving communities. ~ Mayor Michelle Boileau
Amanda Dyer
Night Time Snow Removal 9:00 pm to 7:00 am
From January 20 to January 26, 2024, the Public Works Department wishes to inform the public that crews will be doing night time snow removal in the areas listed below.
Sunday January 21, Starting 9:00 pm:
Timmins: Connecting Link – Algonquin (Carium to 655)
Monday January 22, Starting 9:00 pm:
Timmins: Connecting Link – Algonquin (655 to Spruce)
Tuesday January 23, Starting 9:00 pm:
Timmins: Connecting Link – Algonquin (Spruce to Theriault)
Wednesday January 24, Starting 9:00 pm:
Timmins: Connecting Link - Algonquin / Riverside
Daytime Snow Removal 7:30 am to 4:00 pm
From January 22 to January 26, 2024, the Public Works Department wishes to inform the public that crews will be doing snow removal in the areas listed below.
Monday January 22, Starting 7:30 am:
Timmins South: Southern, Columbus, Montgomery
South Porcupine: Essa, Broadway, O’Brian
Tuesday January 23, Starting 7:30 am:
Timmins North: Birch (Fifth to Ninth), Maple (Fifth to Ninth), Elm (Fifth to Ninth)
South Porcupine: Cecil, William, Front, Huot
Wednesday January 24, Starting 7:30 am:
Timmins South: Wendy, Way, Kent.
South Porcupine: Moore, Strachan, Quebec
Thursday January 25, Starting 7:30 am:
Timmins South: Windsor, Middleton, Bannerman
Schumacher: Fourth, Veterans, Ponderosa, Brundy, Ennis
Friday January 26, Starting 7:30 am:
Timmins: Churches and Storefronts
South Porcupine: Churches and storefronts
Note on the Plan:
The above plan or parts of the plan may be changed at any time and/or delayed if a winter storm is in effect or related to mechanical issues. The snow removal crew will change to a snow plowing operation. Those streets that may not be completed will be completed on the next available snow removal shift.
Illegal placement of Snow from Residential Property onto Sidewalk and Road:
A reminder that City BYLAW 1993-4162 does not allow a person to place snow from a person’s property and place onto the road or sidewalk.
Posted No Parking Signs Advising Winter Maintenance:
Public Works would like to remind residents that yellow No Parking Signs will be posted to notify that Winter Maintenance will be taking place for daytime operations. Vehicles not complying with these No Parking signs will be ticketed and towed to allow for Snow Removal Crew to advance.
Winter Parking Ban:
A reminder that the Winter Parking Ban is effect and parking on the street is not permitted on any day, between the hours of 11:30 pm to 7:30 am, from November 1 through April 30.
Winter Cart Placement:
If garbage collection is scheduled in your area on the following days, please place your bins by the curb in the morning, not overnight. This will help crews do a more thorough clean-up of the streets.
Priority Sequence for Snow Removal Operations:
Day Operation:
Snow removal is never done in the area where Sanitation is taken place.
High density residential areas (Older Section of City: one-ways, narrow streets);
Low density residential areas
Night Operation:
Highway sections;
High density commercial sections;
Main Arterial Routes.
Safety:
A reminder to respect safety signage as the safety of workers is very important.
We thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
Public Works
Becky Cashmore
The City of Timmins’ extreme cold weather alert will continue for Friday, January 19 and Saturday, January 20, 2024. Temperatures are expected to drop to -27 overnight (inclusive of wind chill) through Saturday. An Extreme Cold Warning has also been issued by Environment Canada. Elevated risk of frost bite and hypothermia.
Exposure to extreme cold temperatures can cause serious and sometimes even life-threatening health problems. Protection from extreme cold conditions includes avoiding wind exposure, dressing in warm layers, and covering exposed skin.
People requiring emergency shelter can attend the location at 316 Spruce St. S. for assistance.
Amanda Dyer
The City’s 2023 waste diversion stats are in.
Last year, approximately 6,902,755 pounds of recyclable material was diverted from our landfills through collection programs and curbside recycling.
Over 6 million of that was collected at the curb through the residential recycling program.
Last year, residents and businesses help the City divert:
- Scrap Metal: 344,406 lbs
- Electronics: 128,507 lbs
- Hazardous Waste: 54,432 lbs
- Recycling Collected at the Curb: 6,372,940 lbs
- Textiles & Houseware: 9,470 lbs
Diverting waste means less garbage in the landfill, which lengthens its life-cycle and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Recycling existing material also means less new material needs to be produced, cutting down on industrial pollution.
Learn more about the City’s waste and recycling services at: https://www.timmins.ca/our_services/waste_recycling_services
Amanda Dyer
The City of Timmins’ extreme cold weather alert will continue for Thursday, January 18, 2024. Temperatures are expected to drop to -32 overnight (inclusive of wind chill). Risk of frostbite.
Exposure to extreme cold temperatures can cause serious and sometimes even life-threatening health problems, such as frostbite and hypothermia. Protection from extreme cold conditions includes avoiding wind exposure, dressing in warm layers, and covering exposed skin.
People requiring emergency shelter can attend the location at 316 Spruce St. S. for assistance.
Amanda Dyer
2024 will be a year of modernization for Timmins Transit. The City’s public transportation system will be updated with four (4) new conventional buses, a new fare box system, and the introduction of a microtransit pilot project for riders in Porcupine and South Porcupine.
At last night’s council meeting, council approved the purchase of 4 news buses, covered in part by the City’s Investing in Canadian Infrastructure Program (ICIP) funding. The new buses will replace others at the end of their useful life under Transit’s asset management plan.
The same funding stream will also allow for the purchase of new fare boxes. Council’s approval for twenty-five (25) fare boxes will not only improve Transit’s data collection on routes and ridership, but will give riders the option of modern electronic payment methods, like paying with debit, credit, smart phones, or reloadable bus passes. The City intends to cover our portion of fare box replacement with provincial gas tax funding, which means the update will have no impact on residents’ property tax bill.
The purchases support Timmins Transit’s plan to move to a microtransit system, beginning with a pilot project in February for users in the east end of the City.
Microtransit is an emerging public transportation system that connects people in low-density areas to existing transit. The City’s current transit system is fixed route; designed to move a large number of people in conventional buses from one place to another. A microtransit system is a smaller, shared transit option that runs on-demand using smaller-scale vehicles, like the City’s current para-transit buses. At last night’s council meeting, Timmins Transit’s current para-transit system was re-branded Timmins On-Demand and the user fees for para-transit riders were updated to prepare for the introduction of microtransit.
In February, the City will begin testing microtransit for riders in Porcupine and South Porcupine. Through a new Timmins On-Demand app, currently in development, residents who live outside of main bus routes or at a distance from a fixed transit stop, can request a ride. One of the City’s smaller para-transit buses will pick that person up and transport them to the nearest fixed stop along the main bus route. Microtransit connects more people to public transportation and makes better use of current transit resources.
Current clients of the para-transit service will now be able to request service on-demand as well, through the app, and without the need for advanced booking. More information on Timmins On-Demand, how to download and use the new app, and what areas are included in the pilot project will be available soon. In the meantime, Transit staff and management are working hard to update and improve the current transit system to one that is modern, efficient, and convenient for all residents.
____________________________________________________________________________
Quotes:
“The City is actively working to improve Timmins Transit so that it’s reliable, convenient, and efficient for current and future riders. Public transportation can connect our residents with community support, employment opportunities, education, and more. During our series of ward meetings, we heard from residents in Porcupine, South Porcupine, and Schumacher who wanted better access to public transportation. We are fortunate to have an investment from both the federal and provincial governments that allows us to upgrade our buses, our fare systems, and explore solutions to expand transit access across the city.” ~ Mayor Michelle Boileau
“The changes being made to Timmins Transit this year will prepare us to serve a greater number of residents in the future. The addition of microtransit will expand the Transit system responsibly, with service based on demand. Payment options will be simplified. Access for para-transit customers will be faster and more convenient. It is a year of modernization, and Timmins Transit is happy to implement new systems and strategies that will make public transit a more viable transportation method for more people in our community.” ~ Ken Krcel, Director of Public Works and Environmental Services
Amanda Dyer
2024 will be a year of modernization for Timmins Transit. The City’s public transportation system will be updated with four (4) new conventional buses, a new fare box system, and the introduction of a microtransit pilot project for riders in Porcupine and South Porcupine.
At last night’s council meeting, council approved the purchase of 4 news buses, covered in part by the City’s Investing in Canadian Infrastructure Program (ICIP) funding. The new buses will replace others at the end of their useful life under Transit’s asset management plan.
The same funding stream will also allow for the purchase of new fare boxes. Council’s approval for twenty-five (25) fare boxes will not only improve Transit’s data collection on routes and ridership, but will give riders the option of modern electronic payment methods, like paying with debit, credit, smart phones, or reloadable bus passes. The City intends to cover our portion of fare box replacement with provincial gas tax funding, which means the update will have no impact on residents’ property tax bill.
The purchases support Timmins Transit’s plan to move to a microtransit system, beginning with a pilot project in February for users in the east end of the City.
Microtransit is an emerging public transportation system that connects people in low-density areas to existing transit. The City’s current transit system is fixed route; designed to move a large number of people in conventional buses from one place to another. A microtransit system is a smaller, shared transit option that runs on-demand using smaller-scale vehicles, like the City’s current para-transit buses. At last night’s council meeting, Timmins Transit’s current para-transit system was re-branded Timmins On-Demand and the user fees for para-transit riders were updated to prepare for the introduction of microtransit.
In February, the City will begin testing microtransit for riders in Porcupine and South Porcupine. Through a new Timmins On-Demand app, currently in development, residents who live outside of main bus routes or at a distance from a fixed transit stop, can request a ride. One of the City’s smaller para-transit buses will pick that person up and transport them to the nearest fixed stop along the main bus route. Microtransit connects more people to public transportation and makes better use of current transit resources.
Current clients of the para-transit service will now be able to request service on-demand as well, through the app, and without the need for advanced booking. More information on Timmins On-Demand, how to download and use the new app, and what areas are included in the pilot project will be available soon. In the meantime, Transit staff and management are working hard to update and improve the current transit system to one that is modern, efficient, and convenient for all residents.
____________________________________________________________________________
Quotes:
“The City is actively working to improve Timmins Transit so that it’s reliable, convenient, and efficient for current and future riders. Public transportation can connect our residents with community support, employment opportunities, education, and more. During our series of ward meetings, we heard from residents in Porcupine, South Porcupine, and Schumacher who wanted better access to public transportation. We are fortunate to have an investment from both the federal and provincial governments that allows us to upgrade our buses, our fare systems, and explore solutions to expand transit access across the city.” ~ Mayor Michelle Boileau
“The changes being made to Timmins Transit this year will prepare us to serve a greater number of residents in the future. The addition of microtransit will expand the Transit system responsibly, with service based on demand. Payment options will be simplified. Access for para-transit customers will be faster and more convenient. It is a year of modernization, and Timmins Transit is happy to implement new systems and strategies that will make public transit a more viable transportation method for more people in our community.” ~ Ken Krcel, Director of Public Works and Environmental Services
Amanda Dyer
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