Letters to the Editor - Oct. 22

Continued frustration with online voting system

For 60 years I have lived and owned property in Uxbridge Township, and except for the years I was working out of country, I have voted in every election. This year the only way to vote was electronically. Younger friends set it up for us; my son voted and all was well. So I filled in my birthday and PIN, and immediately it came up saying I had already voted, which of course I hadn’t. Tried again, same result! I called the Township office. The clerk spent some time looking through as much as she could I expect but could come up with no other result.

I was angry and frustrated as I particularly wanted to vote in this election! So my vote was stolen; how is anyone’s guess, but it’s probably not the only one!

Pat Asling, Sandford

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Ditch the Switch - or not

Regarding Roger Varley's "Am I Wrong?" from Oct. 15, a provincial opinion poll has stated that the majority of Ontario residents prefer to remain on Daylight Savings Time year round.

The catch is that Ontario must remain in sync with Quebec and New York for business, trade, broadcasting and financial markets. I wonder what political backlash may happen if Ontario just went ahead and continued on Daylight Savings Time?

However, there are negative effects each time the clock "falls back," such as human and animals' circadian rhythm.

Personally, I am very concerned for the safety of children who will leave for and return from school in darkened skies.

Barbara Purdy, Uxbridge

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A lengthy letter with many pre-election questions

To the readers of this letter - if you do not understand or have concerns after reading, I urge you to call or email your Ward councillor for an explanation. Thank you for your time.

Question 1: Re: Uxbridge Downtown Revitalization. What is the Township’s total estimated cost of this project, including land, legal, consulting, etc.? How will the cost be funded? What is the impact to current and future tax rates? Who paid for the demolition costs? If the environmental testing indicates contamination of the lands, who is responsible for paying for the cleanup costs?

Based on what I have read, it is confusing and not clear on the funding of this project. Someone thought the project would be funded through development charges (DCs) rather than municipal tax levy which I don't believe is correct as the Township cannot use DCs to fund rehabilitation or redevelopment of land owned by One Horizon Inc. and the RRP (Regional Revitalization Program) states that “increased property tax revenues generated from the increased current value assessment of approved projects of the RRP will be used to replenish the RRP Reserve Fund.”

Another person thought that the estimated $7 million cost of land - the deed would be handed over to One Horizon Inc. for a purchase price of just $2.5 million and that the RRP would fund the multi-million-dollar land assembly shortfall. The RRP indicates that “eligible projects include new construction, additions to existing, redevelopment and brownfield redevelopment,” so I think it is, One Horizon Inc. who is eligible for and would be the recipient of the RRP funds. So, I think it is "us taxpayers" that will bear the “multi-million-dollar land assembly shortfall”?

Further, the RRP states, Uxbridge must provide a significant financial contribution to the project and it has to be greater than the Regional financial assistance. So what is the total value and the types of financial assistance that the Township is providing to One Horizon Inc.? Also the RRP states Regional staff will present recommendations regarding project selection to the Committee of the Whole and Regional Council. I searched for this public report, but could not find it, why? Was it done in camera?

Question 2: Regarding One Horizon Inc. (formerly Horizon General Contractors) It is owned and led by the Mirkopoulos family. Is One Horizon Inc. 100 per cent owned by the Mirkopoulos family, or are there other investors involved in addition? The Canada Business

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Letters, continued from page 4

Registry shows that One Horizon Inc. was incorporated on October 28, 2024, and that its registered office location is Uxbridge. However, prior to this, it appeared from their website that their office was located in Toronto for many years. The Building Permits appear to be issued on May 21, 2026, with the Agent/Payer being listed as Kyle Rainbow, One Horizon Inc., with an office location of 86 Brock St. W., in Uxbridge. If you recall, Kyle Rainbow was the Township of Uxbridge’s - Director of Development Services up until July 2024. The Demolition Permit shows the Township of Uxbridge listed as the Property Owner, as when the announcement was made, I understood the sale to be “conditional.” Is the sale still conditional or has it been finalized?

Question 3: The current mayor posted on Facebook, “In 2026, the total tax bill increase of the Township's portion totals 1.26%.” It appears that the Township recently changed how they report tax rate increases, but it does not appear that this was clearly communicated to the public. In the past, the Uxbridge property tax rate increase was equal to (“Tax revenue” increase less ‘assessment growth’) and so for 2026 the Uxbridge property tax increase is just under 5.2% (assessment growth is unknown), 2025 was 5.4% (6.4% less 0.97%), 2024 was 5.8% (6.9% less 1.13%) and 2023 was 5.9% (7.7% less 1.8%).

Question 4: The Township of Uxbridge’s financial statements state that “salaries, wages and employee benefits’ in 2023 were $9.7 million and by 2025 this number had increased by $3.6 million to $13.3 million, which is a total increase of 37 per cent over two years. The Ontario Sunshine List (public service employees earning more than $100,000), indicates the Township having eight employees on the 2023 list and 21 employees on the 2025 list. Why the significant increase?

Question 5: Township of Uxbridge - the “Office of the CAO”, 2026 Budget, shows the mileage allowance increased by $14,500, from $4,620 in 2025 to $19,120 in 2026. Why the significant increase?

Question 6: Regarding the new pool, a staff report stated that “Report RC-20/25 (which I could not find) approved the new pool project in the amount of $16.8 million. I believe the 2026 Budget funding information regarding the new pool was not correct, as the Development Charges Act states that “municipalities must deduct grants, subsidies and other contributions, and the ‘benefit to existing’ share from total capital costs”. Based on the DC Background Study, I estimated the $17,200,000 (March 2026 Report) cost would be funded $7.7 million from grants, DCs of $3.3 million, donation of $2.0 million, while the remaining $4.2 million was unknown. However, I think the "unknown" became defined in August 2026, when council approved a sponsorship package, with a goal to generate between $4.5 million to $5 million (which is a very lofty goal). I am assuming that if the sponsorship goals are not met, then taxpayers could see future property tax increases. During the municipal All Candidates Forum, a resident raised a question on management of project costs and the current mayor indicated “the price is $16M…..but I’m saying just under $20M”, does this mean to expect cost overruns of up to 25 per cent and how will that extra cost be funded?

Question 7: The 2026 capital budget shows the $3.8 million cost of the New Animal Shelter is to be funded by “Other.” It's not 100% clear how the "Other" is being funded; however, I believe that funding sources are $1.92 million from donations and $0.94 million from each of Uxbridge (debenture) and Scugog; therefore, it appears that Uxbridge’s share of the funding commitment has increased from $540,000 to at least $942,500.

Question 8: Regarding the Township of Uxbridge's 2025 Asset Management Plan, a Staff Report recommended “that Council adopt the financing Strategy … increasing the annual capital contribution to the Asset Preservation Reserve from 2.0% to 3.1% …. to reduce the infrastructure deficit and meet the proposed levels of service as adopted.” However, council did not adopt this recommendation, as Staff Report stated that “The Township’s long term capital asset management funding gap [ie. the recommendation noted above] will need to be addressed in the next term of Council”. Why did the current council not address this additional required funding in the 2026 budget as most of the current members of Council are seeking re-election, so why push this decision to the next term of Council? Was this done to keep the tax rate in the year of election lower?

Question 9: Regarding Council Remuneration (Township of Uxbridge) for the term 2022 to 2026, Council approved themselves an increase in total remuneration (salary, committee fee and travel allowance) in the range of 21% to 37% (my estimate) in April 2024, and made it retroactive to the start of the term in 2022. During the April 2024 meeting, the current Mayor and a Ward councillor discussed that before May of 2026 they wanted staff to take a deep dive on Council Remuneration as a whole, looking with external sources on what the compensation piece should be for the next term of Council. However, I don't believe that Council remuneration for the term 2027 to 2030 has been approved and made public, why?

Donna Condon, Uxbridge