On October 24, eligible voters in Haldimand County will select who they want to represent them on Haldimand County Council in the 2022 municipal election.

Voting will take place between October 7 and 24 and residents are strongly encouraged to visit haldimandcounty.ca/election to confirm their voting eligibility and determine the voting option most convenient to them.

Voter List registration information

• Residents – especially those who have recently moved to or within Haldimand County – are strongly encouraged to check that they are on the voters’ list as the data for the list is provided by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation. A Voter List lookup tool is available on the County website.
• Voter Notification Letters have been sent in the mail to all eligible electors. If for some reason you do not receive a voter notification letter, you may add yourself to the Voter List online at haldimandcounty.ca/election by Friday, October 21 at 12 p.m.
• Residents who need assistance getting added to the Voter List may call the county at 905-318-5932 or e-mail election@haldimandcounty.on.ca.

Advance internet voting – October 7 at 12:01 a.m. to October 23 at 11:59 p.m.

• For the first time ever, internet voting will be offered for advance voting only beginning October 7 and ending on October 23 at 11:59 p.m.
• To vote online, residents will need to have their Voter Identification Number and PIN provided in their Voter Notification Letter. A link to the online voting portal will be available at haldimandcounty.ca/election beginning October 7.
• Eligible voters are strongly encouraged to vote online well in advance of the October 23 deadline. Eligible voters who require assistance voting online may call 905-318-5932 or e-mail election@haldimandcounty.on.ca.

Advance in-person voting – October 12 to October 15

• Advance polling stations will be open from October 12 – 15 and are a great way to avoid possible Election Day lineups.
• A list of advance polling locations and operating hours are available at haldimandcounty.ca/election
• Residents can vote at any advance polling station, regardless of their ward.

Election Day – October 24

• A list of Election Day voting locations is available at haldimandcounty.ca/election
• All polling stations are open from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m.
• Residents can vote at any Election Day voting location, regardless of their ward.

Other key details

• Residents who are unable to make it in person to vote or vote by internet may assign a proxy to vote on their behalf. Instructions and proxy assignment forms are available on the county website.
• In order to cast a ballot, residents must provide 1 piece of identification listing their name and qualifying address (e.g. driver’s licence, utility bill, mortgage statement, etc.). A list of acceptable ID is available on the county’s election website.
• A list of certified candidates and candidates’ contact information is available on the county’s election page.

For additional information about Haldimand County’s 2022 Municipal Election, visit haldimandcounty.ca/election or contact the Clerk’s office.

Key details and reminders will be shared through the County’s social channels regularly leading up to the election.

Haldimand County and staff from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing will be hosting a virtual Candidate Information Session for anyone interested in running as a candidate in the 2022 municipal or school board election.

The virtual session will take place on Wednesday, April 13, 2022 at 6:30 p.m. All are welcome and pre-registration is not required. Connection details will be shared at www.haldimandcounty.ca/election/ closer to the session.

As there have been many changes enacted to the Municipal Elections Act in recent years, this session will benefit newcomers to the municipal election process, third party advertisers as well as those who have participated in past elections. Topics covered at the session will include:

• Role of council
• Role of municipal staff
• Role of school board trustees
• Third party advertising
• Nominations
• Eligibility to run
• Candidate and third party advertiser duties
• General campaign rules and election finances
• Compliance audits and penalties

Election Day in Haldimand County is October 24, 2022. For more information on the 2022 municipal election, visit www.haldimandcounty.ca/election/ or e-mail election@haldimandcounty.on.ca.

On March 31, 2022, Haldimand County Council reviewed and approved the 2022 Tax-Supported Operating Budget. The budget results in a total levy requirement of $76,221,100, which equates to a residential tax impact of 2.29%.

Generally, the annual Tax-Supported Operating Budget pays for day to day operations of the County, including salaries, wages, utilities, insurance and services such as running arenas/programming, maintaining locals parks and cemeteries, providing emergency services (fire, police and ambulance), the collection of garbage and related activities.

“Despite significant financial challenges related to economic factors beyond the county’s control, staff have worked hard to develop a budget that is aligned with Council’s priorities and mindful of the challenges our ratepayers are facing,” said Mark Merritt, General Manager of Financial & Data Services.

Major factors that influenced the 2022 Tax-Supporting Budget include external financial pressures (higher costs of materials, supply chain issues, increased inflation), as well as increases to costs associated with insurance, policing and contracted services (e.g. winter maintenance).

CAO Craig Manley noted that while the Operating Budget initially represented a 7% increase for ratepayers, staff conducted a rigorous review of controllable costs and only brought forward new initiatives that would negatively impact standards of service or health and safety if they were not included.

Manley also emphasized the positive impact of increased assessment from growth in 2021 – nearly $2.0 million or 2.73% – that has helped alleviate the tax burden and achieve the final recommended tax increase for 2022.

“The 2022 Tax-Supported Operating Budget represents a financially sustainable plan that responsibly manages taxpayers’ hard-earned dollars while addressing current and emergent needs of our growing community,” said Haldimand County Mayor Ken Hewitt.

“Thanks to the continued hard work of staff, we have once again been able to meet the Council-approved tax increase target of 2% annually, a goal that was established in 2018 at the beginning of this Term,” Hewitt added.

Highlights of the 2022 Tax-Supported Operating Budget include:

• introducing new, permanent staffing resources to address organizational needs, respond to growth and meet service levels expected by residents (including up-staffing paramedic services to address response time standards);
• proceeding with the Council-approved reorganization of the IT division to prioritize the enhancement of public-facing services (i.e. on-line and self-serve tax information), increase efficiencies and strengthen cybersecurity;
• funding the continuation of successful economic development, tourism & culture-focused activities, including the successful Paddle Art Tour Haldimand (PATH) and Haldimand County Geocache Tour;
• maintaining the enhanced levels of portable washroom cleaning and facilities put in place at public parks when the pandemic started in support of tourism and increased community use, and;
• increasing funding for the proper asset management of existing social housing stock in the County and to financially support a new affordable housing build in Dunnville – a priority set by Council for this term.

On average, a residential property owner can expect their annual property taxes to be allocated as follows:

Four in-person public consultations are scheduled for April 4 and 5 as Haldimand County continues developing its long-term Community & Recreation Facilities Strategy. The drop-in sessions are scheduled as follows:

Monday, April 4; 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. at Cayuga Memorial Arena, McSorley Room
Monday, April 4; 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at Caledonia LIONS Community Centre
Tuesday, April 5; 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. at Jarvis Lions Community Centre
Tuesday, April 5; 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at Dunnville Community Lifespan Centre

All sessions will be hosted in keeping with pandemic-associated public health guidelines at that time.

“Haldimand County received 2,000 responses to the community survey about this initiative,” says Mayor Ken Hewitt, “which is likely the greatest response received to any public consultation we’ve done in recent years. This just confirms to Council the importance of this issue to residents and users of our community and recreation facilities and services.”

The Strategy — which focuses on facilities that support activities such as aquatics, sports, health, wellness, arts and culture — is being developed in consultation with Monteith Brown Planning Consultants of London, ON.

“Now that we’re able to host public engagement sessions again, we’re hoping residents who may not have had an opportunity to take the survey will come out to see what might be possible and share their thoughts,” adds Hewitt.

While the Strategy will be strongly informed by public input about recreation preferences, it will also include recommendations about financial feasibility of potential locations and types of facilities. This might include repurposing existing sites or facilities or entering into partnerships to address service and programming preferences and trends.

Find out more about the project on the County’s website or contact us at RecStrategy@HaldimandCounty.on.ca if you have questions or want to provide input into the process.

Haldimand County has raised the Ukrainian flag at its administration building to show support for the nation currently besieged by attacks from Russia.

The flag-raising request was initiated by Council in response to the events unfolding across Ukraine, and in support of community members who are personally impacted by these tragic circumstances.

“Haldimand County stands with Ukraine and wishes for a peaceful, hasty resolution. Our thoughts are with the people of Ukraine and their loved ones,” said Mayor Ken Hewitt.

On Thursday, October 28, 2021, members of Haldimand County Council and staff were presented with a $600,000 donation from Empire Communities, which will be used to construct the future Hagersville Library + Active Living Centre.

This significant donation is the first received for this project, which will see a community capital fundraising campaign launched before the end of 2021 to cover the balance of funds required for construction.

“We are extremely grateful for this generous contribution and investment in the vibrancy and quality of life in our county,” said Haldimand County Mayor Ken Hewitt.

“Blending in to and enhancing the larger community is something we strive for in every project we undertake. Supporting the Hagersville Library + Active Living Centre project is one way we can contribute and fulfill this commitment,” said Mark Tutton, Empire’s President of Low Rise.

Plans for this new, multi-purpose facility were introduced earlier this year during capital budget deliberations and approved by Council for construction in 2024.

As outlined in the project’s funding conditions, the community will need to raise approximately $1 million towards the combined Hagersville Library + Active Living Centre, comprising approximately 10% of the total anticipated project budget.

This condition is consistent with similar community/County partnership projects to construct major assets, including the Cayuga and Dunnville arenas. “This substantial donation will have long lasting impacts and is an important step forward in making this facility a reality,” said Ward 4 Councillor and community fundraising committee chair Tony Dalimonte.

Dalimonte noted that a large scale, community-driven fundraising campaign will likely kick off later this year.

A preliminary community open house regarding the Hagersville Library + Active Living Centre was held on October 20, 2021. Further opportunities to get involved and provide feedback will be announced as the project progresses.

For background information and additional details, visit www.haldimandcounty.ca/hagersvilleALC/.

Photographed above (Left to right):

Rob Phillips, President, Hagersville Chamber of Commerce

Paul Diette, CEO, Haldimand County Public Library

Doug Miller, committee member, Hagersville Library + Active Living Centre Project Capital Fundraising Committee

Tony Dalimonte, Ward 4 Councillor and community fundraising committee chair, Haldimand County

Mark Tutton, President of Low Rise, Empire

Stephen Armstrong, President, Armstrong Planning and Project Management

Dan Lawrence, Ward 3 Councillor, Haldimand County