2024 BUDGETS

The Municipal budget can be found here:  Operating and Capital Budget 2024

2024 DRAFT WATER & SEWER BUDGET

The DRAFT Municipal budget for 2024 can be found here: DRAFT 2024 Water & Sewer Budget Document

2023 BUDGETS

The Municipal budget can be found here: Operating and Capital Budget 2023

The Municipal budget for Water and Wastewater can be found here: Water and Wastewater Budget 2023

ASSET MANAGEMENT PLAN

The Township of Montague's Asset Management Plan can be found here.

The Finance/Treasury Department provides the following services:

• prepares and compiles annual departmental budgets in conjunction with department heads
• budget monitoring
• long-term financial planning
• investment management
• develops policies to improve overall operation of data management
• regulatory financial reporting and report preparation for upper levels of government
• internal financial reporting
• coordination of all audit functions
• corporate bank liaison
• capital financing and debenturing
• provides financial information, analysis and guidance to Council, public and departments regarding financial matters
• property tax billing and collection including tax registrations
• payroll/HR administration
• insurance administration
• utility billing and collection
• general accounts receivable, billing and collection
• general accounts payable
• supervision of accounting and internal controls for all departments
• front line reception/revenue collection

FINANCIAL REPORTING

The Finance Department is responsible to ensure compliance with a variety of legislated reporting requirements. Some of the required reports include the annual Financial Information Returns, annual Financial Statements, etc. 2023's Annual Financial Statements and FIRs can be found by clicking here: 2023 Township of Montague Financial Statements  Interested in previous years? Email  to receive a copy.

Surplus Equipment

The Township's Surplus equipment is posted on GovDeals when available. Please check back for future postings.

The Township of Montague’s Road Needs Study summarizes road system surveys conducted during the fall of 2019. All of the roads under the Township's jurisdiction were included in this survey. The road network in Montague Township includes loose top, surface treated and asphalt roads with varying traffic volumes throughout. Presented in this report is a recommended Ten Year Capital Program and a Loose Top Maintenance Program for the Township’s roads. These programs have been developed based on the historical capital spending and are intended to be a tool for Municipal Staff and Council during decision making processes.

To view this study, please click here

Municipal Consents / Work in Right-of-Way

Please follow this link for a municipal consent: https://twpofmontague.permits.transnomis.com/MCEO/TWPM

Once the consent has been approved, please complete the work in ROW permit: https://twpofmontague.permits.transnomis.com/WREO/TWPM

Winter Maintenance

The Public Works department Township has a Winter Maintenance Policy that sets out the standards and expectations for road conditions during the winter season.  To view this policy, please click here. 

Noxious Weeds

The Public Works department documents all noxious weeds on road allowances throughout the Township. If you have a concern that noxious weeds, located on the Township's road allowance, are negatively impacting agriculture or horticulture, please contact the Public Works Department to assess. The County of Lanark has further information on their website regarding noxious weeds, please click here. 

For 2024, the road side noxious weeds program will be spraying the following areas: Wild Parsnip Spraying Locations 2024 

Public Notice of Spraying 2024

PLEASE NOTE: PINERY ROAD WILL BE BOOM SPRAYED INSTEAD OF SPOT SPRAYED. THIS CHANGE IS EFEFCTIVE JUNE 19, 2024.

Grading and Shouldering

Grading of roads is dependent upon the impact the weather and traffic has upon the condition of the roadway. You cannot grade when the road is wet or about to receive heavy rain.

The first grading is usually light, which removes pot holes. The late spring grading shapes the road and prepares it for calcium chloride applications. Calcium Chloride is applied to freshly graveled roads and newly graded roads from May to June. This activity reduces the dust generated from traffic and helps maintain the graded shape of the road in the summer months.

Shouldering is conducted as required to ensure good drainage of water from the roadway.

A By-Law to regulate the keeping and control of animals, or any class thereof, the animal identification system, licencing and the restraint of dogs and certain other aspects of animal control within the Corporation of the Township of Montague.

 Animal Control By-Law Number 4004-2023

A by-law to provide for the collection of household garbage and recycling materials in the Township of Montague

 Waste Collection and Disposal By-Law Number 4046-2024

A by-law to regulate the setting and maintaining of Open Air Burning for the Corporation of the Township of Montague.

 Open Air Burning By-Law Number 3635-2018

Property Standards By-Law No. 2801-2004 /   Amended Property Standard By-Law 3995-2023 

A by-law to provide standards for the maintenance and occupancy of Urban and Rural property within the Township of Montague

A by-law to regulate the height, description and location of fences in the Township of Montague

 Fence By-Law Number 1197-80

A by-law to regulate pool enclosures within the Township of Montague

 Pool By-Law Number 3010-2008

This policy is intended to enable the Township to promptly and effectively address program and service delivery concerns raised by members of the public. The policy will assist the Township in providing excellent service to the public, and contribute to continuous improvement of operations.

Customer Service Policy

The Township of Montague is committed to providing service in a manner that respects the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. We are also committed to giving people with disabilities the same opportunity to access our goods and services and allow them to benefit from the same services, in the same place and in a similar way as other customers.

Customer Service Standards- Accessibility

In order to ensure the consistent, fair and equitable treatment of all donation requests, this policy has been developed to establish eligibility criteria and guidelines to administer such solicitations. All requests for a donation must be made through the application process as outlined in this policy. Individual departments or employees have no authority to approve/grant donations requests.

  Donation/Grant Policy

A full list of Building Fees can be viewed in the by-law here: Building Fees 2024.

Development Charges are in addition to these fees - Township DC can be viewed here: Development Charges 2022 and County DC can be viewed here: Development Charges 2021

A building permit is required for any structure measuring more than 108 square feet (10 m²), including farm structures. All fees must be paid prior to commencement of any construction.

Building Permits are required for:

• any free standing structures over 100 sq. ft.
• additions to existing structures over 100 sq. ft.
• garages,
• decks,
• plumbing or alterations to plumbing
• both residential and commercial renovations/alterations
• accessory buildings,
• swimming pools, and
• the installation of a wood stove or outdoor furnace, and
• demolitions.

If you are thinking about a construction project, we recommend contact the building department in your early planning stages so we can help identify the steps for your consideration and this will avoid any potential costly delays and disappointments.

We wish to emphasize that the Building Department enforces the Ontario Building Code. Questions concerning Zoning or land use By-Laws should be directed to the Planning Department and any questions concerning property drainage and grading should be directed to the Public Works Department.

New Home? An entrance permit must be in place either from the Province, the County of Lanark or the Township of Montague Public Works Department prior to the issuance of a building permit. Final inspection of the entrance must be completed before occupancy is permitted in new construction projects.

Entrance Permits

Mailboxes installed on Township roadsides are permitted as a courtesy and are the responsibility of the property owner. Posts for mail boxes should be forty-two inches above the ground, with the front of the mailbox eight inches from the edge of the road or shoulder. Posts should be 4x4 inch wood posts or a two-inch thin wall steel pipe.

During the winter the Township will not clear entrance culverts that have become blocked as a result of improper snow disposal by the resident. Culverts that collapse, deteriorate or become unsuitable for proper drainage at any time must be replaced by the property owner at their own expense.

Roadside ditches are not a public utility; property owners do not have the right to outlet to roadside ditches. The Township reserves the right to remove or restrict any outlets to ditches that cause operational issues or damage to the drainage system. If you need to direct water to the Township’s ditches, it is recommended that you contact the Township’s Public Works Department before proceeding.

Existing entrances that are affected by the reconstruction/rehabilitation of a Township Road will be reinstated by the Township of Montague. If you are having your driveway re-paved, consider having the Public Works department check the condition of the entrance beforehand. If you are building a new home, your building permit cannot be issued until the Building Department receives confirmation that you have applied for an entrance through Public Works.

All land severances are governed by the Lanark County Land Division Committee (LCLDC). Applications for severances can be picked up at the Township Office, but must be submitted to the LCLDC in Perth. The Official Plan for the Township states that there can be a maximum of three severances from a property without a plan of subdivision.

Basic Requirements

Basic requirements for severances are:

• Property must be 1 acre and have 46 metres of frontage on a road for residential use on rural zoned properties
• Property must be 2 hectares for all other permitted uses on rural zoned properties.
• Other zones may have other requirements. The Official Plan for the Township states that there can be a maximum of three severances from a property without a plan of subdivision.

The Line Fences Act provides a procedure for the resolution of line fence disputes between owners of adjoining properties. The act does not deal with disputes about fences that are not on a boundary line.

When is the Line Fences Act Used

The Line Fences Act is applicable in the following two situations:

• No fence currently exists at the boundary between the two properties and one owner wants a new fence to be constructed to mark the boundary
• Where a line fence already exists, and one owner believes that it needs to be reconstructed or repaired

Fence Viewers

To solve this, property owners can request that the Township assign “fence-viewers” to resolve the dispute and issue a decision.  A fence-viewer can only address two situations:

• The appointment of responsibility for the fencing work between the two owners
• The description of the fence that is to be constructed or reconstructed on the boundary line, including the materials to be used

The Township of Montague encourages property owners to attempt to reach a peaceful solution before contacting the Township to help resolve the issue. However, if you are experiencing a dispute, please contact the Clerk to discuss the problem or receive further information. If a viewing is conducted, ALL costs are to be paid by one or both of the property owners.

Property tax billing occurs twice per year. Interim billing is sent out in March with instalment payments due at the end of March and June. Final billing is sent out in August with instalment payments due at the end of August and October.

Normally Interest, calculated at 1.25% each month, is added on the first day of each month on any tax arrears. Pay on time to avoid any late fees.

There is a $5 fee for a reprint of a tax bill, emails are free. Keep your final tax bill for income tax purposes.

Tax certificates and zoning certificates cost $50.

ATTENTION:  Sign up to receive your Tax Billings by email instead of by mail!  Simply fill out the Email Consent Form and return it to the township office.

How To Pay Your Tax Bill

Tax payments may be made in any of the following ways:

• cash, cheque or debt (no credit cards) in person at the Township office;
• drop box, located at the main door for those who cannot make it to the office during regular hours ‐ please do not leave cash
• mail a cheque or money order;
• at any Chartered bank, Internet or telephone banking – please allow 3 -5 days for the payment to reach us
• post-dated cheques
• pre-authorized payment plan consisting of 12 monthly payments being withdrawn on the last working day of each month.

Preauthorized Payment Plan for Property Tax and Utilities Payments

Application forms for automatic monthly withdrawals directly from your bank account are available for download or in person at the Township Office.

Internet & Telephone Banking Customers

When paying your tax bill by Internet or telephone banking, you must use an eight-digit portion of your 19-digit roll number located at the top left-hand corner of your tax bill.  Please use the following EXAMPLE to guide you:

09 01 000 (_ _ _  _ _ _ _ _) 0000

All eight digits located in the brackets must be used in order to ensure your account will be properly credited.

Unless paying in person, allow 3‐5 business days for your payment to reach us.

Note: There is a $5 fee for a reprint of a tax bill. Keep your final tax bill for income tax purposes.