2025 Winter Newsletter

Mayor's Message

We can’t go on like this…

Like many municipalities, Mono has just gone through yet another  gruelling budget process. Right off the bat we faced unavoidable cost increases for policing and fire services that translated into a 4.3% property tax rate increase.

At the same time, inflation affecting such things as insurance, winter sand and salt, gravel resurfacing and equipment replacement ranges between 5% and 20%. Expenditures for Transportation Services (roads) are just under 60% of our total budget.

Conservation Authority (CA) levies have increased by almost 32% over the past four years. The municipal share of CA costs has climbed while the Province’s support has decreased to less than 1% of their budgets, this despite provincially mandated programs expected to be delivered. CA’s development permit fees, frozen by the Province, fall short of full cost recovery.

Development Charges come nowhere near offsetting the impact of new housing or commercial construction. The ‘sugar rush’ of DCs and additional assessment is quickly dissipated by the reality that, according to a respected former Deputy Minister of Municipal Affairs, every new house triggers $100,000 in infrastructure costs. Some of that infrastructure may already be in place but often it is not, especially in rural Ontario.

Finally, Provincial grants to Mono have decreased by $136,943 in just over three years. This is in stark contrast to how Toronto is treated where budgets are routinely struck anticipating and dependent upon Provincial and Federal government bailouts.

Property tax income accounts for around 33% of Toronto’s budget while in Mono it supports 70% of our budget. Toronto has the benefit of its own Land Transfer Tax, Municipal Accommodation Tax and Vacant Home Tax all yielding hundreds of millions of dollars annually while Mono and other municipalities are increasingly reliant on property tax as their main source of revenue. This is not sustainable.  

Apart from insisting on a fundamental rethink of how municipalities are funded, locally we must explore ways to increase our revenue from such things as fees, rentals and fines for Bylaw and Provincial Offence infractions. The latter requires Provincial help, especially to recover the billions of dollars owed to municipalities in unpaid Provincial Offence fines.

Provincial parties and their candidates in the forthcoming election should be asked what they will do to change the municipal/provincial relationship. The old bromides from Queen’s Park about a new relationship or deal with municipalities no longer cuts it. To start with, we need an admission the status quo no longer works. One time bailouts and patchwork solutions do not address systemic problems.

We need concrete solutions to municipal funding inequities and revenue sharing with the Province that places us on a fair and sustainable footing. Additional reliance on the property tax going forward is simply unacceptable.

Interim Tax Billing Dates

• February 19, 2025
• May 21, 2025

Winterfest

Save the Date

Date: Sunday, February 2, 2025

Location: Mono Community Centre

Time: 12 PM to 4 PM

Fun for the whole family!

Valentine's Euchre Tournament

Date & Time: February 28, 2025 from 6:30 PM to 10:00 PM (Note: dated updated from the print version of the newsletter)

Location: Mono Community Centre

Tickets: $25 per person (includes one drink ticket)

Food, drinks, prizes, and fun! (Participants must be 19 years of age and over)

Register online.

Snowshoe Lending Library

The Snowshoe Lending Library returns this winter!

Borrow a pair of snowshoes for the weekend to explore Mono's beauty!

For more information, visit the Snowshoe Lending Library webpage:

• Go to the Snowshoe Lending Library

Skating Rinks & Tobogganing

Get ready to take to the ice & hills!

Skating rinks will be located at Mono Centre, Mono College Park, and Purple Hill Park.

Have you tried tobogganing at Mono Community Centre? The tallest hill is an exhilarating descent! There are lower sections for anyone who wants a milder tobogganing experience. The light at the hill shuts off at 10 pm. Be safe! Helmets are recommended for both tobogganing & skating.

Senior SUPERSTARS!

Would you like to start a club, share an activity or hobby with others?

The Town of Mono is presently looking for seniors who would like to volunteer their talents with other seniors. Eg. Start a book club, chair yoga*, special interest talk groups, dancing*, knitting, crocheting, scrap booking, art, playing cards or board games, hiking*.

We will offer you the space to hold your activity, we will advertise it for you. You just need to be willing to share your expertise with others.  

Contact us if you are interested and we can explore these opportunities together!

Contact kim.heaton@townofmono.com • 519.941.3599,  ext. 227

*Please note:  Certain activities will require certified designation

2025 Youth Soccer Program

Mono Youth Soccer

Wednesday Evenings

June 11 to August 13

• Lil Cleats & Tykes: 5:30 to 6:30 PM
• Twisters & Cyclones: 6:45 to 7:45 PM

All Teams Are Co-Ed

• Lil Cleats, Ages 3 & 4 (born in 2021 & 2022)
• Tykes, Ages 5 & 6 (born in 2019 & 2020)
• Twisters, Ages 7 & 8 (born in 2017 & 2018)
• Cyclones, Ages 9 & 10 (Born in 2015 & 2016)

2025 Scheduled Council Meetings

• Tue. Jan. 14 9 am
• Tue. Jan. 28 9 am
• Tue. Feb. 11 9 am
• Tue. Feb. 25 9 am
• Tue. Mar. 11 9 am
• Tue.Mar. 25 9 am
• Tue. Apr. 8 9 am
• Tue. Apr. 22 9 am
• Tue. May 13 9 am
• Tue. May 27 9 am
• Tue. Jun. 10  9 am
• Tue. Jun. 24 9 am
• Tue. Jul. 15 9 am
• Tue. Aug. 26 9 am
• Tue. Sep. 9 9 am
• Tue. Sep. 23 9 am
• Tue. Oct. 14 9 am
• Tue. Oct. 28 9 am
• Wed. Nov. 12 9 am
• Tue. Nov. 18 9 am
• Tue. Nov. 25 9 am
• Tue. Dec. 9 9 am

Town Hall Meeting:

Stay tuned!

Confirm these dates, view agendas, read minutes, watch live & recorded meetings, and more at mono.civicweb.net

Heritage Update

The Town of Mono Heritage Advisory Committee is delighted to announce the recent designation by Mono Council of two properties, under The Ontario Heritage Act. These properties, the Fletcher House and The Hockley Community Centre and Church, are key representatives of pioneer life as it developed in the early years of Mono Township.

The plain wooden Hockley Church and adjacent Community Centre are reminders of how important such buildings were in enhancing the difficult and lonely lives of settlers in the 1800’s, providing communal places to gather for religious services and other community events. The church, originally located on the 6th Line of Mono was sawed into four parts and carefully moved by people and horse to Hockley Village in 1887. Regular services were held in the church until 2016. The Community Centre originally served as the Orange Lodge in Hockley Village.

The Fletcher home is an excellent example of a farm property of the same era. Lovingly restored and maintained, it demonstrates the changes that occurred in a rural home and related outbuildings as a pioneer family became more settled and prosperous.

Pictures of both of these sites and other designated properties can be found in the “Heritage Hallway” at the Town Hall (the hallway leading to Council chambers).

Do you proudly live in a home of historic or cultural significance? Do you have an interest in the architectural and cultural preservation of our lovely Town of Mono? More information about the Mono Heritage Advisory Committee is available online. Or, drop by our booth at Mono Winterfest.

Photos

The three photos in this section are credited to Femke Randeraad.

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 / 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. Fill out the Pre-Authorized Payment form online.

Order Your Trees Today!

The online tree shop is now open and ready to take orders!

Visit townofmono.com/shop to browse our selection and place your order.  You can conveniently pay by credit card or PayPal. For those who prefer, paper order forms are also available at the front desk of Town Hall.

Important Dates:

• Order Deadline: Monday, February 17, 2025, or while supplies last.
• Pickup: May 1–3, 2025 at the Public Works Operations Garage (Please note, orders will only be available for pickup at this location).

Have questions? Reach out to Sylvia at sylvia.medeiros@townofmono.com or call 519.941.3599, ext. 251

Exciting News:

We’re thrilled to announce that all orders for the 2025 Tree/Seedling Program will receive a climate change subsidy, approved by Council. This subsidy aims to make the program more affordable and accessible for all residents, while helping us strengthen our community’s efforts to combat climate change through the planting of new trees.

We look forward to your participation in this green initiative!

2025 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

1. Wed. May 21 from 8 am – 1 pm
2. Sat. May 24 from 8 am – 3 pm
3. Wed. May 28 from 8 am – 1 pm
4. Sat. May 31 from 8 am – 3 pm

Fall

1. Sat. Sep. 20 from 8 am – 3 pm
2. Wed. Sep. 24 from 8 am – 1 pm
3. Sat. Sep. 27 from 8 am – 3 pm
4. Wed. Oct. 1 from 8 am – 1 pm

Tree and Brush Debris Only (No Garbage & No Leaves in Bags)

Alternatively, residents can follow the guidelines of the County of Dufferin Leaf and Yard Waste Program.

Smoke / Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Working smoke alarms give you and your family the precious time you need to escape a fire. Please remember to test your smoke / carbon monoxide detectors every month by using the test button. If you do not hear a sound, make sure the battery is installed correctly and test again. If you still do not hear a sound, try replacing the battery with a new one. Smoke /carbon monoxide detectors should have the battery changed every 6 months. The detectors need to be replaced every 10 years. Check the date on yours and replace if it has expired.

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Noise Bylaw: Survey Results

The results of the Noise Bylaw Survey were received by Council during the September 27, 2024 meeting. The survey collected a total of 418 responses, 41 of which were duplicate or ineligible submissions, resulting in a total of 377 eligible records.

Council will review the proposed Noise Bylaw further and revisit the survey at a future meeting. You can subscribe to receive notifications when a Council agenda has been published online.

You can view the Noise Bylaw Survey Results report online.

Public Works:  Winter Parking, Mailboxes, and Fire Hydrants

Winter parking restrictions came into effect November 15 and there is no parking permitted on any Town road or highway between the hours of 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. until April 15.

If we inadvertently dig into the sod or damage your mailbox, we will try to fix it in a timely fashion. Contact Public Works: 519.941.3599, ext. 225 PublicWorks@townofmono.com

Please keep fire hydrants free of vegetation, objects, snow, etc. to ensure fire services can keep you, your family, and neighbours safe.

More Tips:

• Use your whole yard for snow storage. Do not shovel snow or ice onto the road.
• When the roadways are being ploughed, it is impossible not to block or deposit snow on private driveways. It is the owner’s responsibility to clear the snow from the driveway entrances.

Your valued assistance helps to reduce snow removal costs. We endeavour to minimize costs in snow ploughing, sanding and salting the roads while maintaining safe road

conditions. Be a snow tire hero!

Upcoming Hot Topic: Discharge of Firearms Bylaw

Council gave first reading to a Discharge of Firearms Bylaw on December 10. The bylaw will be undergoing a thorough public engagement process, including an online survey.

The draft bylaw is not a replacement for federal or provincial law. It is intended to maximize wellbeing and address safety concerns predominantly in settlement areas and on smaller rural lots. The bylaw is meant to balance and respect the rights of firearm owners, while prioritizing safety, wellbeing, and security of the broader community.

You can review the draft bylaw and subscribe to receive email updates about the bylaw process (including when the online survey is available) by visiting the Hot Topic: Discharge of Fire Arms webpage.

Food Bank Challenge:  Thank You!

The Township of Melancthon challenged the Town of Mono among other municipalities to a Food Bank Challenge. The challenge ran from October 1 to November 29, 2024. The Town accepted donations at Town Hall and at select Town events.

In the spirit of the challenge, staff invited council to a food collection competition. Council collected a total of 358 lbs of food and donated money equivalent to 2,687 lbs of food for a grand total of 3,045 lbs. Staff donated 514 lbs of food and donated money equivalent to 175 lbs of food.

Residents and event attendees donated a whopping 2,112.5 lbs of food. Mono’s final count for the challenge against Melancthon was 5,846.5 lbs compared to Melancthon’s 5,632.84 lbs. Combined, that is a total of 11,479.34 lbs of food!

A huge thank you to residents and event attendees for their generous donations. Your support is very deeply appreciated. Council also deserves recognition for its very generous contribution. Donations are always needed throughout the year. Large and perishable donations are accepted Monday to Friday 9 am to 4:30 pm. For more information or to make a financial donation, visit orangevillefoodbank.org.

A Warm Welcome to the Shelburne & District Fire Department Chief

The Town of Mono gives a warm welcome to Mr. David Pratt who became the new Chief of the Shelburne and District Fire Department on September 23, 2024. The previous chief, Ralph Snyder, retired in August 2024.

Mono’s Climate Corner

How do we know that increased atmospheric levels of CO2 and other greenhouse gases are responsible for the earth’s recent warming?

With every warming cycle that we’ve had for at least the last million years, Carbon dioxide (CO2) levels have gone up and down in sync with rising and falling global temperatures.  Ice core samples from Antarctica have confirmed this relationship.  Atmospheric CO2 acts like a blanket to trap the heat of the sun. The science behind this relationship is found in the way that CO2 interacts with the sun’s energy.  When the sun’s rays strike the earth, some of them rebound back towards outer space as infra-red energy (IRE). Molecules of CO2 in the atmosphere soak up this IRE and return about half of it to earth as heat.  The more molecules of CO2 present in the atmosphere, the more heat is returned to earth.

The earth’s temperature has cycled up and down since the beginning of time. How do we know the current temperature increase is not just a part of a “natural cycle”?

For millions of years, temperature cycles have been the result of many causes including changes in the orbit of the earth and in the level of atmospheric CO2.  The biggest difference from the past is that the current warming cycle has been fast — at least 10× faster than ice-age-recovery warming, and since 1982 is more than three times as fast as in previous decades!  This rapid warming mirrors increased CO2 levels which are up by 50% since 1850 — a CO2 increase that is 500× faster than earth has ever previously experienced.

Where does CO2 come from? Can we decrease its loss to the atmosphere?

Most of it comes from human activities such as burning fossil fuels for transportation, heating buildings and generating electricity.  Natural sources come from the breathing of animals and deforestation. Importantly, atmospheric CO2 is decreased by all plants that take it up and store it in themselves.  A promising development is carbon capture and storages — an industrial process which buries CO2 deeply in the ground.

What is methane? Why is it important? And where does it come from?

Thirty percent of our greenhouse gas effect is due to methane in the atmosphere. It is the main ingredient in natural gas and is released during fracking, extraction, processing and gas transportation.  A large amount is also produced by the breakdown of vegetation in the process of rotting — particularly in old forests and swamps and a large amount is produced by cows belching. Molecule for molecule, Methane (CH4) is at least 14× as effective at heating the earth as is CO2. Fortunately, atmospheric methane breaks down quickly, leaving the atmosphere in about 12 years, whereas CO2 lasts for many hundreds of years!

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