🏛️ Faraday Township Council Deep Dive: Inaugural Inauguration, Infrastructure Dollars & Local Real Estate Impact! 🌲✨
Welcome to your ultimate public service briefing on local municipal decision-making! As a resident, waterfront owner, or buyer in the Kawarthas and North Hastings, keeping an eye on town hall agendas is the single best way to protect your property values, lifestyle, and wallet.
Today we are diving into the official proceedings from the Township of Faraday—reviewing key approved items from the October 7, 2026 Regular Council Meeting and breaking down the critical upcoming items on the November 16, 2026 Council Agenda.
Let's translate these municipal updates into plain, actionable English! ✍️🏡
📜 Summary of Approved Decisions (From October 7, 2026 Meeting Minutes)
Here is the breakdown of official actions and resolutions passed during Faraday's last regular meeting:
🚗 Rally of the Tall Pines Approved: Permission was granted to use approximately 1.5 km of Old Hastings Road on November 21, 2026. Rally staff must maintain contact with the property owner, carry $5 million in liability insurance, and repair any road/property damage.
🌊 Shoreline Road Allowance Sales (In Principle):
Approved in principle for Jeffrey Bennett along Lucerne Lake (Lot 21 RCP 2281) to proceed to the municipal solicitor.
Approved in principle for Danijel Turkalj along Siddon Lake (Lot 51 RCP 2116) to proceed to the municipal solicitor.
🚛 Fleet Surplus Sale: Declared the 2005 Ford Sterling tandem truck as surplus upon delivery of the new tandem truck, directing staff to advertise it on GovDeals with a minimum reserve bid.
⚖️ Tax Appeals Delegated: Passed By-law 54-2026 to formally delegate tax appeal applications directly to the Assessment Review Board.
🏬 Rezoning Enacted: Passed By-law 55-2026, amending Zoning By-law 21-2012 to rezone specific lands from Rural (RU) to Commercial (C-17).
🛡️ Advocacy for Corridor & OPP Safety: Officially supported joint advocacy for Highway 28 safety improvements alongside Douro-Dummer and North Kawartha, while urging the Province to establish a sustainable, transparent multi-year framework for OPP municipal policing cost increases.
🏛️ TOPIC 1: Inaugural Council & Declaration of Office
📋 What's on the Table (November 16 Agenda)
The November 16 meeting marks the official Inaugural Meeting for the new term of Faraday Council. The Clerk will open with the Declaration of Office for incoming members: Mayor John O'Donnell, Deputy-Mayor Michael Brooks, and Councillors Amanda Stone, Dawn Switzer, and David Tenthorey. Mayor O'Donnell will also be appointed as alternate representative for Hastings County Council under By-law 57-2026.
🔥 The Controversy / Big News
A council transition sets the tone for local governance, tax rates, and development policies for the next four years. With outgoing Mayor Dennis Purcell and former council members stepping down, residents are watching closely to see how the fresh table addresses pressing rural issues.
🌲 Local Highlands Lifestyle Perspective
Strong local representation ensures our rural voice is heard at the upper-tier Hastings County level on crucial services like land ambulance, housing, and road maintenance.
🏠 Real Estate & Property Impact
Property Impact: Leadership stability directly affects municipal planning timelines, zoning amendments, and tax rate predictability—all essential factors when pricing or selling rural properties.
🚨 TOPIC 2: OPP 2027 Municipal Policing Cost Hikes
📋 Staff Report & Draft Motions
In her CAO/Clerk-Treasurer Report, Bernice Crocker documented that Faraday’s estimated 2027 OPP policing costs will hit $534,533.00. This represents a sharp $52,972.00 increase (an 11% surge) over 2026.
🔥 The Controversy / Big News
An 11% single-year jump in policing costs places significant strain on a small rural tax base. While the Province capped 2027 increases at 11%, Council previously voted to lobby the Province for a predictable, transparent, cost-shared framework so rural property owners aren't burdened with unfunded provincial mandates.
🌲 Local Kawartha Lifestyle Perspective
When fixed municipal overhead like policing expands rapidly, local councils are forced to balance municipal budgets carefully to protect core community services like snowplowing, emergency management, and waste management.
🏠 Real Estate & Property Impact
Property Impact: Sharp increases in operational costs put upward pressure on municipal property tax bills, influencing overall holding costs for waterfront cottages and rural estates alike.
🏗️ TOPIC 3: Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program (MHIP) Application
📋 Staff Report & Recommendations
The CAO/Clerk-Treasurer Report outlines the new Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program (MHIP), which opened October 29 with a deadline of December 2, 2026. Designed for municipalities that do not collect Development Charges, MHIP features a 40% federal / 40% provincial / 20% municipal cost-share model. Faraday staff intend to apply to maintain the safety and reliability of existing road infrastructure.
🔥 The Controversy / Big News
Because this is a highly competitive grant application process, funding approval is not guaranteed. Securing 80% combined senior government funding is a major opportunity to complete critical roadwork without burdening local ratepayer reserves.
🌲 Local Highlands Lifestyle Perspective
Safe, reliable rural roads are the backbone of Highlands living—ensuring smooth school bus routes, reliable emergency service response times, and easy access to lakefront properties during harsh winter months.
🏠 Real Estate & Property Impact
Property Impact: Subsidized infrastructure upgrades preserve road quality without spike-inducing tax assessments, protecting long-term property values across municipal transit corridors.
🧱 TOPIC 4: Land Severance & Turnaround on Bierworth Road (Janice Sears Application)
📋 Planning Recommendation & Staff Conditions
Council will consider Hastings County Consent Application B50/26 for Janice Sears at 270 Bierworth Road (Part of Lots 7, 8 & 9, Concession 15). The proposal asks to sever a 9.3-hectare (23-acre) vacant parcel with frontage on Bierworth Road and Pine Drive, retaining 66.7 hectares (165 acres) containing a dwelling.
Staff Recommendations & Conditions:
Convey land across frontage for road widening.
Provide a surveyor's sketch proving a buildable envelope outside Minimum Distance Separation (MDS1) livestock setbacks.
Rezone severed lands to Rural Exception (RU-X) and retained lands to RU-XX to recognize deficient frontage on a publicly maintained road
Obtain a safe site entrance permit.
Construct a new turnaround at the terminus of Bierworth Road to the satisfaction of the Township.
Pay $400 under Section 51 of the Planning Act plus all outstanding municipal taxes.
🔥 The Controversy / Big News
Developing dead-end rural roads requires careful safety evaluation. Staff specifically noted strong support for the proposed turnaround because Bierworth Road currently lacks an adequate turnaround for emergency vehicles—meaning this private development will actively improve local fire and paramedic response capabilities!
🌲 Local Highlands Lifestyle Perspective
Expanding turnarounds keeps our rural emergency crews safe and equipped to reach remote acreage quickly.
🏠 Real Estate & Property Impact
Property Impact: Creating a 23-acre parcel brings new housing opportunities to Faraday, while mandatory road widenings and turnaround construction directly enhance accessibility and market value for neighbouring properties.
🛶 TOPIC 5: Lucerne Lake Lot Addition & Private Right-of-Way Rezoning (Snyder / Lalonde-Ranieri)
📋 Planning Recommendation & Staff Conditions
Council will review Consent Application B52/26 involving Andrew Snyder (subject lands at 78 Lucerne Lake Drive) and Delia Lalonde-Ranieri & Paul Ranieri (benefiting lands at 23 Lucerne Lake Drive). The application proposes to sever a 0.5-hectare (1.1-acre) parcel from a 23-hectare tract and attach it to an existing 0.2-hectare waterfront lot, creating a combined 0.6-hectare (1.6-acre) property.
Staff Recommendations & Conditions:
Rezone both severed and retained lands to Limited Service Residential (LSR) to recognize access via a private right-of-way.
Reserve a right-of-way over the severed lands to benefit the retained lands.
Complete full legal PIN consolidation/title merging.
Pay all municipal fees and taxes prior to deed endorsement.
🔥 The Controversy / Big News
While the property sits within a designated Deer Wintering Area (Stratum 2) significant wildlife habitat, planning staff noted that because this is a lot addition for recreational/storage use that creates no new development rights, it will not harm local winter deer habitat.
🌲 Local Highlands Lifestyle Perspective
Lot additions allow seasonal and permanent lake residents to expand their yard space for storage garages, boats, and outdoor recreation without overcrowding fragile shorelines.
🏠 Real Estate & Property Impact
Property Impact: Rezoning to Limited Service Residential (LSR) properly aligns title access rights with mortgage lender requirements, boosting marketability for private-road waterfront properties.
🪦 TOPIC 6: Township Ownership Assumption of St. Mark's Cemetery
📋 Staff Report & Recommendation
Deputy Clerk Sheryl Scott submitted a formal report regarding St. Mark's Cemetery (51 Rabbit Trail Road). After two volunteer committee members passed away in 2025, St. Mark's United Church was left without operators. Under Section 60(7) of the Funeral, Burial and Cremation Services Act, staff recommend Council pass a resolution to formally accept the transfer of land ownership and assume operations as the cemetery operator.
🔥 The Controversy / Big News
Taking over operations requires municipal resources. However, funding will be covered by the remaining balance of the $5,000 Cemetery Reserve Fund set aside in the 2026 municipal budget.
🌲 Local Highlands Lifestyle Perspective
Preserving historical resting places is a vital duty that honours pioneer families and protects community heritage across North Hastings.
🏠 Real Estate & Property Impact
Property Impact: Orderly municipal assumption ensures adjacent rural properties will not face an abandoned or unmaintained neighbouring site, preserving neighbourhood aesthetic standards.
📺 TOPIC 7: Council Transparency — YouTube Live Streaming & Monthly Grant Reporting
📋 Proposed Resolutions (Notice of Motions)
Councillor Dawn Switzer introduced two prominent motions for Council's direction:
🎥 Official YouTube Channel (Motion 12.b): Directs staff to establish an official municipal YouTube channel to live-stream Council meetings starting January 1, 2027, maintaining archived recordings for public transparency.
💰 Monthly Grant Reporting (Motion 12.a): Directs staff to submit a monthly report detailing all available provincial/federal grant opportunities and actions taken to secure non-tax revenue.
🔥 The Controversy / Big News
Bringing town hall directly to residents' screens dramatically increases accountability! Seasonal cottagers and busy working families will no longer need to travel to the municipal office at 9:00 AM on a weekday to see how their tax dollars are spent.
🌲 Local Highlands Lifestyle Perspective
Live streaming empowers non-resident seasonal property owners to stay engaged with local decisions from anywhere in Ontario.
🏠 Real Estate & Property Impact
Property Impact: Transparent municipal governance and aggressive grant pursuit foster fiscal responsibility, helping keep property tax rates stable over the long term.
🪵 TOPIC 8: Community Partnerships & Support (WoodShare Community Inc.)
📋 Correspondence & Local Updates
Council received correspondence from WoodShare Community Inc. thanking Faraday Township for its 2026 financial support. Over the 2025-2026 winter season, 24 active volunteers logged 3,000+ km to process and deliver 107 face cords of emergency firewood to 75 struggling families across North Hastings (including Faraday). Additionally, WoodShare is scheduled to collect empty alcohol containers at the landfill during November to raise community funds.
🔥 The Controversy / Big News
Heating costs remain a critical concern during eastern Ontario winters. Volunteer-run safety nets provide essential emergency heating support for vulnerable rural households.
🌲 Local Highlands Lifestyle Perspective
This initiative reflects true North Hastings neighbour-helping-neighbour spirit.
🏠 Real Estate & Property Impact
Property Impact: Strong, compassionate community networks enhance overall community resilience and make rural living attractive and sustainable for all residents.
📲 Wrap-Up & Call to Action
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Questions about anything REAL ESTATE?? Call me for a consultation to help you get to the path of YOUR success….
📞 705-927-6236
👤 Brad Sinclair | Realtor® Re/Max Professionals North
📍 Might as well have the BEST to accomplish your goals.
Families love the Kawarthas/Highlands. Let’s find your place in it. 🌲🏠✨
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