2025 Spring/Summer Newsletter
Mayor’s Message
As I write this, we are just emerging from a significant ice storm. Power was out in most parts of Mono and we experienced significant damage to trees on both private and public property. We owe a debt of gratitude to Hydro One and to town and county road crews who worked around the clock under difficult circumstances.
The cleanup continues. For a number of years, Mono has opened its old landfill site on the 3rd Line for residents to dispose of wood and brush. We chip everything before spreading on-site. The first dates are May 21, 24, 28 and 31. Check elsewhere in this newsletter or online for times and conditions.
Elsewhere in this newsletter, you will see we are having a Saturday morning Town Hall meeting on May 10. Hosted by the Mono Mulmur Citizens’ Coalition (MC2) the meeting at Town Hall will start at 9:30 a.m. and run until noon. There will be a guest speaker but lots of time for questions and debate.
Given the difficult budget discussions this year, I hope we can have a frank conversation at the Town Hall meeting about service levels and where we can economize. The budget process for 2026 will be equally challenging unless the Province gives us new tools to raise revenue without impacting property taxes or rethinks supports for municipalities. We need your ideas and support.
Finally, the campaign for road safety and tough sanctions against illegal land uses has received a huge boost from the formation of the Caledon Community Road Safety Advocacy group (CCRSA). They currently have 2,500 plus Facebook members. I am happy to work with the CCRSA and others to lobby the Province for badly needed changes to the Highway Traffic Act, fine levels, court process and Planning Act sanctions against such things as illegal transport trailer yards.
Your Voice Matters! Make It Heard at the Town Hall Meeting!
Join your Councillors and fellow residents for a Town Hall Meeting on Saturday, May 10th, 2025 at the Mono Town Hall Council Chambers (347209 Mono Centre Road) from 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM. The meeting will provide community members an opportunity to share concerns and to provide input on issues that matter most. This Town Hall Meeting is being hosted by the Mono Mulmur Citizens’ Coalition (MC2). Special Guest Speaker: Franz Hartmann, Coordinator, the Alliance for a Liveable Ontario.
Interim and Final Tax Billing Dates
Interim Tax Billing Date: May 21, 2025
Final Tax Billing Dates: August 20 & October 15, 2025
Discontinuation of X (Formerly Known as Twitter)
At its April 8, 2025 meeting, Council passed a resolution to terminate the Town’s X (formerly known as Twitter) account.
The Town will investigate alternative platforms. Any newly adopted platforms will be added to the newsletter and posted to the website.
Volunteer at the Mono Pollinator Garden!
The Mono Pollinator Garden (Hockley Road one km east of Hwy 10) will be starting its Garden Care Program in April. The program is run by local volunteers who meet Tuesday and Thursday mornings and Wednesday evenings at the garden.
New volunteers are very welcome. No experience is needed and we provide the gardening tools. It’s a chance to learn some gardening skills and make new friends. Take part as often as you are available.
Ready to volunteer?
Phone Public Works: 519-941-3599, ext. 225
Or find this volunteer opportunity on Volunteer Dufferin.
Is It Really ‘Flushable’? Your Actions Can Protect Your Wastewater System!
Many everyday items, even those labelled “flushable,” should never go down your toilet or drains. These products don’t break down as advertised, causing damage to your home plumbing, the town’s wastewater infrastructure, and the environment.
Flushing items like wipes, sanitary products, cotton swabs, dental floss, diapers, fats, oils, medications, or hazardous materials like paints and motor oil can:
- Block pipes, causing expensive repairs and potential flooding in your basement.
- Damage the town’s sewer system, leading to service interruptions.
- Negatively impact the wastewater treatment plant, by increasing costs and odours.
- Pollute the environment.
In fact, flushing anything beyond water, toilet paper, and human waste has already led to costly repairs and unpleasant odours, as these non-flushable items damage equipment and must be manually removed by operators.
The rule is simple: only flush toilet paper and human waste. Dispose of everything else in the trash! Let’s all do our part to keep Mono’s wastewater treatment plant running smoothly and protect our environment.
When in doubt, throw it out!
Headwater Streams Committee: Creating a Wetland on Your Property
The snow and then rain this year have certainly highlighted that Dufferin County specializes in helping us all feel connected to nature. One of the best parts about our area is our outdoor spaces. Our headwater streams and rivers are home to many species. The largest stream fish in our area is the native Brook Trout.
Brook Trout once thrived in our area, and could be found throughout Dufferin County streams and rivers. However, Brook Trout are very susceptible to poor water quality. In fact, when there are obstacles to stream flows like a pond or rockpiles/debris, it can starve the water of oxygen and make it warm up too much for Brook Trout to even swim through. These barriers affect how many Brook Trout can live here. Poor water quality causes the Brook Trout population to isolate in small sections where they find cold oxygenated water. Isolation is not healthy for any population of fish or wildlife. Like humans, Brook Trout and wildlife need to connect to survive.
The Headwater Streams Committee in partnership with NVCA has spent two years mapping the Brook Trout communities in the Upper Nottawasaga. Our work is really a health check up of the Nottawasaga River watershed. We hope our data will help educate and encourage landowners to remove online ponds* and obstructions that prevent water from flowing naturally along its route. Connecting and allowing the stream network to flow gives the Brook Trout population a chance to survive and thrive in our cold water streams.
Do you have questions about what you can do to improve the water quality of the stream on your property? Do you know of any barriers or blockages on your section? The Headwater Streams Committee wants to help you improve your stream and our local Brook Trout populations. You can reach us at
headwaterstreamscommittee@townofmono.com
Landfill Openings
The Town of Mono’s landfill site located at 795261 3rd Line (between Mono Centre Road and 25 Sideroad) will be open to residents on the following dates:
Spring
- Wednesday, May 21 from 8 am – 1 pm
- Saturday, May 24 from 8 am – 3 pm
- Wednesday, May 28 from 8 am – 1 pm
- Saturday, May 31 from 8 am – 3 pm
Fall
- Saturday, September 20 from 8 am – 3 pm
- Wednesday, September 24 from 8 am – 1 pm
- Saturday, September 27 from 8 am – 3 pm
- Wednesday, October 1 from 8 am – 1 pm
Materials Allowed
Only tree and brush debris are allowed. The landfill site is not open for garbage or leaves in bags.
Alternatively, residents can follow the guidelines of the Dufferin County Leaf and Yard Waste Program found online.
Upcoming Scheduled Council Meetings:
- Tue. May 13 at 9 am
- Tue. May 27 at 9 am
- Tue. Jun. 10 at 9 am
- Tue. Jun. 24 at 9 am
- Tue. Jul. 15 at 9 am
- Tue. Aug. 26 at 9 am
- Tue. Sep. 9 at 9 am
- Tue. Sep. 23 at 9 am
- Tue. Oct. 14 at 9 am
- Tue. Oct. 28 at 9 am
- Wed. Nov. 12 at 9 am
- Tue. Nov. 18 at 9 am
- Tue. Nov. 25 at 9 am
- Tue. Dec. 9 at 9 am
Confirm these dates, view agendas, read minutes, watch live & recorded meetings, and more online.
Sign up to receive notifications.
Town Hall Meeting:
May 10, 2025
Heritage Committee: We Can Explain... Registration or Designation?
The Ontario Heritage Act mandates that municipalities identify and conserve their community’s heritage assets. There are two main processes that support this mandate: registration and designation.
“Designation is a way for owners to express pride in the heritage value of their property, and for the community to protect and promote awareness of its local history.”
The Register: The Registry is an important tool that helps the Town identify and plan for its heritage resources. When a recommended addition to the Register of Significant Properties is approved by Council, the building is added to the register and made available online on the Town’s website.
Steps to Designation: Before a property can be designated, an in-depth research report detailing its history and itemizing its architecturally and culturally significant features is drafted and shared with Council and the public. This site-specific research provides the basis for each designation. Public notices of intent are given so that anyone who opposes the designation has an opportunity to voice their concerns.
Once these steps are complete, Council can pass a by-law designating the property under The Ontario Heritage Act. A bronze plaque is placed on the property, and specific steps are taken to ensure that if the property is sold, new owners will be aware of its designated status.
The mission of the Mono Heritage Advisory Committee is to share the stories and history that inspire pride in our town. Registration and Designation help us preserve our unique culture.
Looking for advice or to make a recommendation or restoring a heritage property (even a non-designated one)? Questions about Heritage Designation or property research?
Contact Heritage Advisory Committee at: heritagecommittee@townofmono.com for more information!
Dog Tag Renewal: April 1!
Please remember that it is time to renew your dog tags, if you haven’t already! Notices would have gone out by email and mail for any not received by April 1st. New dog tags are only issued for newly licenced dogs or in the event you need a replacement. For more information, visit the Dog Licensing section of the website.
Paperless Billing
Just a reminder that the Town is offering paperless billing for both Tax and Water bills.
To register your account, please email the Tax and or Water Department at cathy.crawford@townofmono.com and include your
- Account number
- Name
- Email address
Pre Authorized Payment Plan
Avoid late penalties by setting up a pre authorized payment plan. Setting it up is easy and you can choose to pay it by the installment dates or choose monthly payments.
Check out Shelburne Library's Library Kiosk!
Located inside of Shelburne's Foodland, you can use your library card to borrow books directly from our Kiosk!
Questions? Get in touch! frontdesk@shelburnelibrary.ca | 519-925-2168
Council Highlights: Be in the Loop!
Did you know that following every Council meeting, the recorded video is timestamped and a brief summary of the highlights from the meeting are sent out by email?
If you have been feeling out of the loop about what your town Council has been up to, subscribe to the highlights and be in the loop!
Public Works: Spring Message
Spring road maintenance will commence in April with road sweeping taking approximately 3 to 5 weeks to complete. Road grading will begin the first week of May in preparation for gravel resurfacing and the application of calcium for road stabilization / dust control and is expected to be completed before the end of June. All operations are weather permitting. Slow down, be patient, and obey all signage.
A friendly reminder to refrain from placing objects within the Town’s right-of-way such as sprinkler systems, landscaping, rocks etc. The Town will not be held responsible for any damages that may occur.
Please assess the condition of your mailbox and post and repair accordingly. Remember road occupancy permits are required prior to performing any work or activity on a road. You can find further information by visiting the Town’s website or by contacting Public Works at: PublicWorks@townofmono.com 519-941-3599, extension 225
Babysitting Course for Kids
Date: June 27, 2025
Time: 9 A.M. to 2 P.M.
Location: Monora Park Pavilion
Ages: 10 to 15
Cost: $60
Registration
Register for the Babysitting Course for Kids online.
Mono Melodies
Date: August 10, 2025
Time: 2 to 4 P.M.
Location: Monora Park Gazebo
Interested musicians send in a 1 to 2 minute audition tape to kim.heaton@townofmono.com by July 15 at 4:30 P.M.
Upcoming Conference, Wedding, or Event? Rent with Us!
Monora Park Pavilion
Get more details on Monora Park Pavilion.
Location: 500 Monora Park Drive, Mono
Mono Community Centre
Find out more about Mono Community Centre.
Location: 754483 Mono Centre Road, Mono
Home Alone Safety Course for Kids
Date: June 6, 2025
Time: 9 A.M. to 3 P.M.
Location: Monora Park Pavilion
Ages: 9 to 13
Cost: $50
Registration
Register for the Home Alone Safety Course online.
Tennis & Pickleball Courts
Court passes are available now!
Residents pay $30 per person/pass or $90 for a family membership for 3 and more people.
Non-residents pay $50 per person/pass or $150 for a family membership (3 or more people).
CDRC: Join Us at the Pool!
Join us at the CDRC Outdoor Pool and Day Camp this summer! Registration opens online Tuesday April 1, 2025, at 8:00 am! Visit the CDRC online for more information on upcoming recreation programs.
Location: 200 Fiddle Park Lane, Shelburne ON
Follow the CDRC on Facebook and Instagram @cdrcrecreation
Take the Survey: Discharge of Firearms Bylaw
A paper copy of the Discharge of Firearms Bylaw survey has been mailed out! The mailout is through the same Canada Post service used to distribute this newsletter. If you did not receive a copy of the survey, you may pick one up at Town Hall (347209 Mono Centre Road) or you may fill out the survey online.
The survey must be completed before May 16, 2025.
The data from the survey will be included in a report to Council that will be on the agenda of a future meeting. You can subscribe to receive emails when Council meeting agendas and minutes are published online.
Mono’s Climate Corner — Should We Stress?
How big a deal is climate change?
We know that since 1900, Canada has warmed about 2°C — double the global average.(1) We also know that Canada, and to some degree Mono, has been experiencing more extreme weather including hotter heat waves, reshaped winters, heat fueled wildfires, flooding and more intense rainstorms. We also know the amount of warming is increasing with every passing decade.(2)
How long will warming last?
The level of warming depends on the concentration of GHG (Green House Gases) in the atmosphere. How long these gases remain in the atmosphere depends on the longevity of the gases. Methane lasts for approximately 12 years, nitrous oxide (mainly farm related) lasts for about a century, and CO2 will last for at least a few centuries (3). Fortunately, some atmospheric CO2 is continuously being removed by plants — a valuable midterm benefit.(4) However, increased future levels of GHGs will be largely “permanent” — at least for a couple of centuries.
How long can you wait to act?
Despite future decreases in greenhouse gas emissions, any added emissions will continue to increase warming and its side effects. Until we get to net zero emissions — when GHGs added equals those removed from the atmosphere — the planet will continue to warm. Even when we get to net zero emissions, the increased global temperature will be permanent — at least for a few centuries.
Could federal, provincial and municipal governments be effective protectors of our planet?
Probably, but in the absence of a committed public, it would be political suicide to create strong climate change policies! A good start would be to individually achieve net zero emissions… and to clamour for government regulations to decrease GHG emissions. The Town of Mono recognized the impending climate issues and initiated a five-step Climate Change plan in 2022.
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