2026 Fall Newsletter

Letter from the Editor

It’s Your Town. Don’t Miss Your Chance to Impact Its Future.

It has been my great honour and privilege to work with staff and Council to put together the Town newsletter for the past 8 years. In that time, I have also become very well acquainted with the land, the roads, and so much of Mono’s natural beauty. What always astounds me is that you do not need to travel very far to discover why Mono is a special place. Travelling the roads, you will see the calm, rolling hills and you can experience the sudden, dramatic rise of the escarpment when hiking in Mono Cliffs.

Your voice matters. By voting, you help prioritize what makes Mono special to you, the reason why you chose Mono as your home, and what you hope for Mono’s future. Don’t pass up your opportunity to make a choice. Vote in the 2026 Municipal Election. Voting begins at 10 AM on October 16 and ends on Voting Day, October 26 at 8 PM. You can find out more about the election, including who is running, on page 2 or by visiting the 2026 Municipal Election page.

Internet and telephone voting is easy and convenient. It takes less than 5 minutes to complete and you can do it whether you are at home or on the go. All you need to do is go to the voting website and enter your unique PIN and date of birth, select your candidates: Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Councillors, and School Board Trustee depending on your school support, and cast your ballot!

Your vote not only counts for the next 4 years. The decisions made by your Council impact the entire Town and its residents beyond the 2026 to 2030 term and well into the future.

Make your voice heard and vote in the 2026 Municipal Election!

—Andrew Dahmer, B.A., B.Ed., Digital Content Specialist / Election Team Member

2027 Winterfest

Save the Date: February 6, 2027

Details coming soon!

Your Voice, Your Vote All Candidates Meeting

Saturday, September 26 at 10:00 A.M. at Hockley Community Hall (994174 Mono-Adjala Townline)

Presented by: MC² Mono Mulmur Citizens' Coalition

Concerned Citizens of Mono: All Candidates Meeting

Date & Time: Wednesday, October 7 from 7 to 9 P.M.

Location: Monora Park Pavilion (500 Monora Park Drive)

Upcoming Council Meetings: 

• September 22 at 9 AM
• October 6 at 9 AM
• November 10 at 9 AM
• December 1 at 9 AM (Inaugural Council Meeting)
• December 8 at 9 AM

Extra council meetings may be scheduled or meetings may need to be rescheduled. The most up-to-date meeting information is available online.

2027 Fire Permits

Put it in your calendar! 2026 fire permits expire on December 31. You must have a 2027 permit prior to lighting any fires in the New Year.

2027 applications will be available in December. Apply for a fire permit online.

2026 Municipal Election: VOTE!

Vote your way: at home or on the go! The 2026 Municipal Election will be the same voting process as in 2018 & 2022; you will be able to vote online or by phone.

How Will I Vote?

You will receive a Voter Instruction Letter that will have your PIN and instructions on how to vote online or by phone. If you did not get your letter by the start of the voting period on October 16, 2026, you can still vote. As long as you have ID showing proof of identity and residence (driver’s licence, Photo Card, etc.), you can be added to the voters list and receive your PIN. You can be added to the voters list at Town Hall (347209 Mono Centre Road) when the Voter Help Centre is open.

Voting Period

You can vote at any time starting at 10:00 A.M. on October 16 until 8:00 P.M. on October 26, 2026 (Voting Day).

Voter Help Centre:

During the following times, you may call Town Hall for voting assistance at 519.941.3599. You can also come into Town Hall during these times to use computers and vote online:

• October 16 — 10 AM to 4:30 PM
• October 19 to October 23 — 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM
• Voting Day (Monday, October 26) — 8:30 AM to 8 PM

All Candidates Meetings

1. Presented by: MC2 (Mono Mulmur Citizens’ Coalition). Date & Time: Saturday, September 26 at 10:00 A.M. Location: Hockley Community Hall (994174 Mono-Adjala Townline)
2. Presented by: Concerned Citizens of Mono (CCOM). Date & Time: Wednesday, October 7 from 7 to 9 P.M. Location: Monora Park Pavilion (500 Monora Park Drive)

Who’s Running?

For School Board Trustee candidates and to find links to candidate website and campaign information, visit the 2026 Municipal Election page.

List of Candidates, Organized by Office:

Candidates for Mayor (3 Candidates, 1 to be elected):

• John CREELMAN
• Melinda DAVIE
• Emerson PENDELTON

Candidates for DEPUTY MAYOR (2 candidates, 1 to be elected):

• Laura CAMPBELL
• Fred NIX

Candidates for COUNCILLOR (6 candidates, 3 to be elected):

• Elaine CAPES
• Patrick HENDLEY
• Ralph T MANKTELOW
• Bradley MAYER-HARMAN
• Christine SINCLAIR
• Christine WALKER

Order Your Trees & Seedlings: 2026/2027

The Town’s annual Tree and Seedling Program will open for orders on December 1^st, 2026.  You can place orders online by visiting townofmono.com/shop and can pay by credit card or PayPal. For those who prefer to order in person, paper order forms will be available at the front desk at Town Hall. The deadline to submit all orders is February 12, 2027.

All 2026/2027 Tree & Seedling Program orders will have discounted prices, thanks to a Council-approved subsidy aimed at making the program more affordable and supporting our climate action efforts.

Please note that all tree and seedling orders are for pickup only at the Public Works Garage. Delivery is not available.

If you have any questions, please contact Public Works at PublicWorks@townofmono.com.

Paperless Billing & Pre-Authorized Payment Plan

Go paperless in 2026! Receiving your bills by email is available for tax, water, and waste water bills. To register your account, please email the Tax & Water Department at cathy.crawford@townofmono.com

Please include your:

• Account number
• Name
• Email address

Avoid late penalties by setting up a pre-authorized payment plan. Setting it up is easy and you can choose to pay by installment dates or choose monthly payments. Set up your plan online.

2026 Fall 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:

• Wed. September 23 from 8 am – 1 pm
• Sat. September 26 from 8 am – 3 pm
• Wed. September 30 from 8 am – 1 pm
• Sat. October 3 from 8 am – 3 pm

Accepted materials: tree and brush debris only (no garbage & no leaves in bags). Alternatively, residents can follow the guidelines of the Dufferin County Leaf and Yard Waste Program.

Qigong Classes

Calm your mind and strengthen your body through Qigong.

10-week program September 8^th to November 12^th.

Tuesdays: 9:30 A.M. to 10:30 A.M.

Thursdays: 6:00 P.M to 7:00 P.M.

Location: Mono Community Centre

$50 for Mono residents. $62.50 for non-residents.

Suitable for adults of all fitness levels, Qigong is an ancient Chinese practice that combines gentle movements, controlled breathing, and focused awareness to promote physical and mental well-being. Performed either standing or seated, this low-impact exercise helps improve balance, flexibility, and energy flow — offering a holistic path to health and vitality.

More information and registration is available on the Qigong page.

Intermediate Tai Chi Classes

Classes are with Happy Chi Academy, Mono.

10-week program: September 8^th to November 10^th.

Tuesdays: 10:45 A.M. to 11:45 A.M.

Location: Mono Community Centre

$90 for Mono residents. $112.50 for non-residents.

This intermediate class focuses on practising and refining the Yang Style 17-move Tai Chi and learning additional movements beyond the 17, while improving flow. A seires of ancient Chinese movements which emphasize balance, flexibility, and relaxation at a gentle, controlled pace, supporting both mental and physical well-being.

Registration and more information is available on the Tai Chi: Beginner & Intermediate page.

Beginner Tai Chi Classes

Classes are with Happy Chi Academy, Mono.

10-week program: September 10^th to November 12^th.

Thursdays: 12:00 P.M. to 1:00 P.M.

Location: Mono Community Centre

$90 for Mono residents. $112.50 for non-residents.

This beginner class introduces the fundamentals of Yang Style Tai Chi in a safe, supportive environment. You'll learn basic movements, improve balance and coordination, and reduce stress while building strength, flexibility, and inner calm.

Registration and more information is available on the Tai Chi: Beginner & Intermediate page.

Yoga

Yoga is with Go Yoga Orangeville.

Gentle Flow Yoga

September 28 to November 9.

Mondays 9:30 A.M. to 10:30 A.M.

Wednesdays 7:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M.

Mondays & Wednesdays: $120 for residents. $150 for non residents.

Mondays only: $65 for residents. $81.25 for non residents.

Wednesdays only: $65 for residents. $81.25 for non residents.

Location: Mono Community Centre

Please note: there will not be a class on October 12^th

Slow down in body and breath through mindful movement. Gentle Flow will help to increase flexibility and strength in body, mind and heart.

Register online for Yoga.

Guitar Circle

Learning guitar or looking to brush up on your skills?

Guided by a skilled instructor, participants learn fundamental guitar skills, gradually transforming from novice strummers to confident players.

October 1 to December 3, 2026. No class on October 15 & November 26.

Location: Monora Park Pavilion

Resident fee: $40. Non-resident fee: $50.

Advanced Group

For those who have the basics and want to continue building confidence and technique.

9:00 to 10:00 A.M.

Beginner Group

Perfect for those new to guitar or looking to build a strong foundation.

10:15 to 11:15 A.M.

Register for Guitar Circle, beginner group or advanced group online.

Harvest Euchre Tournament

This Euchre Tournament will be on Friday, October 16, 2026.

• Food,
• Drinks,
• Cash Prizes
• Fun

Cost: $25 per person and includes one drink ticket. You must be at least 19 years of age. Non-alcoholic drinks are available.

Location: Mono Community Centre (754483 Mono Centre Road).

Time: 6:30 pm to 10:00 pm.

Register for the Harvest Euchre Tournament online.

Mono's Children's Halloween Party

Wear your costume!

Crafts, snacks, entertainment and prizes.

October 25, 2026 from 3 to 5 P.M.

Location: Mono Community Centre

Costumes, candy, and Halloween fun await!

Registration and more information coming soon.

Monora Pumpkin Trail

November 1, 2026

Monora Park Trails (500 Monora Park Drive, Mono)

Care your pumpkin up on Halloween and drop-off the next day to light up the Monora trails!

Pumpkin drop-off: 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. Walk the pumpkin trail: 5:30 P.M. to 8:30 P.M.

3R's Christmas Bazaar

Seasonal Vendor Craft Fair

Shop local, find unique gifts, support our community.

Accepting vendor applications! Apply online.

Saturday, November 15, 2026

Location: Monora Park Pavilion

Winter Parking Restrictions, Public Works Notice

This winter, there are a few things to remember to help keep each other safe:

No parking on any Town road or highway between the hours of 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. starting November 15^th and running until April 15^th. Vehicles parked or left unattended on Town roads that interfere with snow removal equipment may be ticketed and towed.

During winter road and sidewalk maintenance, it is impossible not to block or deposit snow on private driveways. Owners are responsible for clearing the snow from their driveway entrances.

Please keep the area around your boulevard and fire hydrants clear. No person shall deposit snow or ice on a roadway without permission in writing so to do from the Ministry or the road authority responsible for the maintenance of the road.  R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 181.

Rural Mailboxes – Snow Clearance

The area in front of a rural mailbox must be kept clear of snow and ice (this is the homeowner’s responsibility). Take time to ensure your mailbox and post are secure.

Canada Post Community Mailboxes – Snow Clearance

Snow removal around these mailboxes is the responsibility of Canada Post. To request winter maintenance, please visit the Canada Post website.

Other Reminders

Ensure all basketball nets, hockey nets and other recreational belongings are off the roads and sidewalks to avoid damage to fleet or homeowner belongings. Only deposit snow on your own property.

Did you know?

You can now submit your Request or Inquiry through our NEW online CityWide Portal. Note: You do not have to create an account. You can select “Continue as Guest”.  When you get to the Request Type section, select “Transportation Services”.

Prevent Frozen Pipes!

When temperatures drop, water pipes can freeze, burst, and cause expensive damage. Here are a few easy steps to take to prevent frozen pipes:

• Keep areas with pipes warm (especially basements, garages, and cabinets)
• Insulate pipes near outside walls
• Seal drafts around doors, windows, and vents
• Keep garage doors closed if water lines run through them
• Open cupboard doors to let warm air reach pipes
• Watch for frost on pipes or low water pressure
• Homes with low occupancy or little water use freeze faster — run water regularly
• Let the cold tap drip slightly during extreme cold to keep water moving  
• Heading out of town? Leave the heat on and have someone check in while you’re away

Unflushable “Flushables”

Did you know that companies may label products as “flushable” but they will create serious problems for sewer lines and water treatment facilities?

Toilet paper is specifically manufactured to breakdown in water.  Products marketed as “flushable” do not breakdown as quickly or as well as toilet paper. This causes issues requiring costly maintenance to home plumbing or municipal infrastructure.

What Can I Do?

Only flush toilet paper and human waste. Everything else goes in the garbage.

Help protect our wastewater system!

Dog Tags

Cross dog tags off your 2027 to do list early! You can renew your dog tags as early as January 1st. Renew your dog tags online.

Home Solar Electrical Generation

Solar has been called humanity’s ultimate power source. ⁽¹⁾

A solar panel electrical system has three components: photovoltaic panels, structures that change sunlight directly into electricity, an inverter, and connections to the house and grid. The inverter is needed to convert direct current into 120V alternating current for home use.  A south facing rooftop location without any shading is ideal.  Alternately, in a rural area there may be room for ground mounting, either fixed racks, pole mount or a sun tracking installation. The weather will have a large effect on the amount of generation. Cloudy days produce only 20% as much electricity as sunny days.  On average, panels produce 40% of the electricity they do in the summer with the shorter and cloudy days of winter.

In the last 20 years the decrease in cost of solar systems is amazing!  Currently, the total cost of a solar panel systems is 30-40% of the cost in 2010.  Most notably, over the last 15 years the price of panels has decreased from approximately $12/watt to $ 3/watt installed.  Panel costs have leveled out over the last few years. ⁽²⁾

Panel warranties are for 25-30 years but many panels continue to function quite well for much longer.  Panels lose approximately 0.5% efficiency per year; after 25 years, panels will produce 85-90% as much as they did when new.  Inverters last 10-20 years and lithium batteries, depending on the cycling frequency, last about 10 years.  

Typically, a lot of home electrical generation is not used at the time of production.  The solution to the “extra” electricity is to pair the panels with a battery system or use net metering.  A battery system can lift self-consumption rates from a typical 30–50% range to 70–90%, although having batteries adds $8,000–$25,000 before incentives.  With net metering, up to 12 KW excess electricity from the solar system can be exported to the grid and earns credits that are applied to future bills. This means that at night and in the winter, you use credits that were produced when the panels were receiving sunlight.

The size of a typical residential installation is 5–15 Kw.  Depending on your electrical usage and the size of your system, you can save $1,000–$3,000 per year in electrical bills.  Payback of up-front costs will be 10+ years, after which your electricity generation is practically free for a couple of decades.

The solar system’s total carbon footprint (its life cycle assessment) includes raw material mining and refining, panel and inverter manufacturing, panel use and eventual disposal. The biggest part of this carbon footprint is the mining and purifying of the silicon for the panels. This carbon footprint will be offset by the panel’s electrical generation in 2–4 years. ⁽³⁾

Re-cycling a solar panel currently costs more than sending it to landfill and recycling capability is very limited in Canada.  Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) agreements which shift recycling responsibility to the solar panel producer will likely be the next evolution in solar recycling in Canada.  

In Ontario there is a Home Renovation Savings Program (HRSP) which provides up to $5,000 toward the solar system and an additional $5,000 towards batteries.  In addition, all solar systems are exempt from property taxes.  However, grants are not available if you use net metering. ⁽⁴⁾

The concerns related to a solar system are the high upfront costs, the need for a sun exposed location and currently the lack of panel recycling.  Although the financial payback is far in the future, solar panels are an excellent long-term investment.

References

1. Elon Musk
2. Solar X. How Much Do Solar Panels Cost in Ontario in 2026? https://solar-x.ca/blog/solar-panels-cost-ontario-2026
3. Solar.com. What is the Carbon Footprint of Solar Panels? https://www.solar.com/learn/what-is-the-carbon-footprint-of-solar-panels/
4. Home Renovation Savings. The benefits of solar. https://www.homerenovationsavings.ca/without-assessment/solar

Green Fest

Building our Climate Resilient Future

Green Solutions That Save You Money

• EVs & Test Drives
• E-Bikes
• Green HVAC Systems
• Solar Power
• Home Improvement Consultations

Expert Perspectives

• Green Technologies: EVs, heat pumps & solar
• Climate Resiliency: International Solutions for climate change resiliency
• Our Relationship with the Natural World: An Indigenous perspective
• Naturalizing Your Garden

Meet Local Farmers

• Alternative & regenerative farming
• Fresh produce

Family Activities

Games and fun for the whole family

Date & Time:

Sunday, October 18, 2026 from 1:00 to 4:00 PM

Location:

Monora Park Pavilion (500 Monora Park Drive, Mono ON)

Finding a Family Doctor

Access Primary Care Dufferin & Caledon is a program led by The Hills of Headwaters Collaborative Ontario Health Team, created in collaboration with local care partners across our community.

It offers a centralized tool to help Dufferin & Caledon residents find and connect with a family doctor or nurse practitioner, bringing care closer to home.

Learn more on The Hills of the Headwaters Collaborative Ontario Health Team website.

Where Can I Get Rid of These?

Did you know the Dufferin Transfer station operated by Green For Life (GFL) is open for you to drop off a lot of items?

Accepted Items:

• Appliances
• Bulky items
• Construction & demolition material
• Electronic waste
• Household garbage
• Recyclables
• Scrap metal
• Yard waste

Fees apply. Dufferin Transfer is located at 473051 Dufferin Road 11,  Amaranth. For hours & more information, visit the Orangeville: Dufferin Transfer Station website.