Infrastructure Master Plan

Infrastructure Masterplan Project Update

The development of Loyalist Township's Infrastructure Masterplan is progressing well, and the formal Notice of Completion is expected to be issued in the second half of 2023. Infrastructure masterplans require more preparatory work for projects up front, but completion of them allows for more effortless execution of infrastructure projects. Because the projects have already been presented for public and agency consultations, alternate solutions have been evaluated, and much of the technical analysis has been explicitly completed for the road right-of-way, potable water, sanitary sewage, and stormwater systems. The project study period is 25 years. Township staff are currently completing numerous technical reviews and are awaiting the completion of the Amherstview West Secondary Plan, which will impact the infrastructure needs of the Township.

The issuance of the Notice of Completion represents a major milestone according to the requirements of the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (MCEA) process, which is approved under Ontario's Environmental Assessment Act. From the date of the Notice of Completion issuance, a draft Infrastructure Masterplan will be released concurrently. This starts a 30-day period for the public, agencies, and other stakeholders to comment and for the Township to make any necessary revisions.

Please watch for additional communications and a public engagement session after the Notice of Completion is issued during the second half of 2023. If you haven't, consider signing up for the project email list to receive the latest updates from Loyalist Township regarding the Infrastructure Masterplan.

What is an Infrastructure Master Plan?

The Infrastructure Master Plan (IMP) for Loyalist Township is a plan to address the core infrastructure, specifically road right of way, potable water, wastewater, and stormwater systems within the Township for the next 25 years. The IMP will be driven by five themes: growth, new legislation, new technology, addressing remedial issues, and adapting to climate change.

Background

The project formally commenced in May 2021. A formal Notice of Completion will be issued when the IMP report is available for public review. The Infrastructure Masterplan will have line-of-sight to several Township documents, including but not limited to the Strategic Plan, the Official Plan, the ResiLienT Loyalist Township Climate Action Plan, and the Amherstview West Secondary Plan; as well as the Asset Management Plan, which focuses on the replacement and renewal of Township infrastructure. The IMP, by design, compliments but does not overlap the infrastructure assets within the Township’s Asset Management Plan. Specifically, the life cycle maintenance and replacement of assets are not included in the IMP.

The Infrastructure Masterplan is being conducted according to the requirements of the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (MCEA) process, approved under Ontario’s Environmental Assessment Act.

What is the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (Class EA)?

Infrastructure Master Plans are conducted in accordance with the master planning process following the requirements of Phases 1 & 2 of the MCEA. Phases 1 & 2 include:

Phase 1: Identification of the problem or opportunity

Phase 2: Identification of the alternative solutions and selection of a preferred solution

In accordance with the MCEA process, the Township is required to confirm the need for the project by defining the problem and/or opportunity under consideration, identifying a preferred solution by evaluating all reasonable and feasible alternatives, assessing the potential impacts on the natural, social, and economic environment, and identifying reasonable measures to mitigate any potential adverse impacts.

Projected Project Timeline

Spring 2021 – Notice of Commencement and initiate public feedback

Summer 2021 – Technical research and focused public feedback
Fall 2021 – Continued community involvement and public feedback
2022, first half 2023 - Compilation of the technical memos and IMP document
Fall 2023 – Notice of Completion and Infrastructure Masterplan completion

Interim IMP Projects List

In their report to the Committee of the Whole on April 4, 2022, staff identified the following projects for potential inclusion into the Infrastructure Master Plan. The list of potential projects is a dynamic document. Public feedback will be collected prior to finalization.

How Can I Get Involved?

Public engagement will be an important component of the plan that provides insights into the needs of the community based on the personal experiences from those living in the community. The Infrastructure Master Plan will be developed over the course of project and will include multiple opportunities for public involvement and engagement. Some included:

Join the mailing list by completing the "Sign up for email notifications" section, below
Learn more by watching a recording of the Public Information Session, that was held on June 22, 2021. Read questions and answers from that session here.

If you have comments that you would like to submit pertaining to the Infrastructure Master Plan, please email them to us or submit them via this form:

Submit Infrastructure Master Plan Feedback Here

Please note that feedback collected during the IMP exercise will become part of the final report. The feedback published in the report will include the respondent's name and other identifying details.

Public Surveys

Thank you to everyone in the community who contributed to our Intercommunity Trails & Urban Sidewalks and Traffic Calming surveys, conducted in late fall 2021. The input received from the surveys and the follow-up analysis will be used by staff to evaluate the effectiveness of the Township’s current Traffic Calming Policy. The compiled data will become part of a report circulated broadly to the public as part of the development of the Infrastructure Master Plan.

In May 2022, staff provided a response to the feedback we have received with respect to traffic calming concerns. It outlines some of the steps being taken to approach traffic calming concerns, as well as identifying some locations that have deemed as priority areas for analysis for potential traffic calming measures.

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Contact:

Enquiries can be directed to:

Dave Thompson, Chief Engineer – Special Projects, 613-386-7351, ext. 118

Comments or concerns can be sent to us via email.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Infrastructure Master Plan?

The Infrastructure Master Plan (IMP) for Loyalist Township is a plan to address the needs of core infrastructure, specifically road right of way, potable water, wastewater, and stormwater systems within the Township for the next 25 years. The IMP will be driven by five themes: growth, new legislation, new technology, addressing remedial issues, and adapting to climate change.

How does the Infrastructure Master Plan relate to the Amherstview West Secondary Plan?

The Loyalist Township Infrastructure Master Plan will evaluate the core infrastructure required to address the Township’s future growth and change over the next thirty years (to 2041). The core infrastructure that will be studied under the IMP includes: transportation infrastructure such as roads, bridges, transit, and walkways, potable water systems, sanitary sewer systems, and storm water systems.
Part of the IMP will focus on the core infrastructure required to service the Amherstview West Secondary Plan study area. The work being undertaken for the Infrastructure Master Plan is independent from the Secondary Plan project.

Will future utility needs (i.e., power, phone, cell service) be included in the IMP? If not, where are those needs addressed?

Non-municipal utilities are not included in IMP. The Township is solely looking at municipally-owned infrastructure. The municipal projects subject to Environmental Assessment are listed within provincial regulations.

The Township doesn’t have a lot to do with external utilities, as they are regulated by federal legislation, other than the coordination role for infrastructure placed in the road allowances. Loyalist Township regularly coordinates with Enbridge, Bell, Hydro One, etc., to make sure services are in place for new developments, and that those companies are aware of what developments are upcoming so that their services can meet the consumer demand. The exception to this is the rural cell and internet coverage which continues to be an issue, however there are political efforts underway for this.

For communities relying on wells, are there plans to link those communities into the municipal water structure?

As part of the IMP, the Township will examine extensions of the municipal water system to facilitate planned development that will be occurring, but we are not generally looking at extending these municipal water systems into these areas currently serviced by wells. Loyalist’s Official Plan delineates the current urban boundary, and those are the areas we’ll look at servicing with municipal water services.

Are developments happening adjacent to the rural community to the urban one?

The Township must follow the Official Plan, and as of now there are no developments being considered which are located adjacent to any rural communities, other than Amherstview West Secondary Plan Area which extends westerly to Parrott’s Bay. Previously, Loyalist Township Council provided draft plan approval for the Babcock Mills development in Odessa, which is adjacent to the current westerly limits of the designated growth area for Odessa.

Is there additional storage being contemplated?

Water storage needs in all serviced communities is being evaluated based on the expected growth.

Will timing of plant upgrades include allocation for specific areas? Can triggers be established to expedite upgrades in high growth scenarios?

The Township doesn’t formally allocate capacity until Draft Plan Approval, however the Township can informally set some capacity aside. The development applications will need to go through the proper process as laid out in the Planning Act before that allocation is finalized. Land developers are encouraged to make sure the project team is aware of your plans, and the infrastructure placement will only be done in accordance with the Official Plan.

Loyalist Township has evaluated its existing infrastructure and current capacity for development in Bath, Odessa, and Amherstview, and determined that the Amherstview West area is best suited for development for several reasons related to municipal servicing and transportation considerations. This area is currently being evaluated in detail through the Secondary Plan process.

There are other pieces of infrastructure that are existing that will factor into some of these considerations for servicing in specific communities, like storage capacity and water and sewage pumping capacity. Part of this process is to make sure the development community is aware of this proposal and provide feedback for the Township’s consideration.

Loyalist Township has sent Notice of Commencement letters to all active local developers.

Will existing Secondary Plan areas be allocated capacity prior to proposed secondary plans and prior to draft plan approvals (i.e. Capacity for Odessa vs Amherstview West)?

Capacity is allocated from draft plan approval. Which projects get draft plan approval, is decided by Council. Staff are working on developing a policy for allocation of capacity, so that may answer some of these questions.

For proposed intersection upgrades, is there a team to address accessibility needs (i.e. for visually impaired, individuals with mobility challenges, etc.)?

Loyalist Township is obligated to meet Access for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) requirements and will be accepting comments from anyone regarding this topic. Many sidewalks at intersections don’t meet modern standards.

The Joint Accessibility Advisory Committee of Lennox and Addington has been sent formal Project Notification information regarding the Township’s Infrastructure Masterplan. It is expected that this group will participate in project evaluation.

As an example, it is important to note that roundabouts are great for traffic but have their own specific pedestrian issues, and modern signalized intersections have audible chimes for pedestrians.

So please send in any comments that you have for the location of any accessibility concerns that you may have. Transit accessibility concerns should be forwarded directly to Public Works.