HEDDY SOROUR
From unexpected tax adjustments to long-overdue blasting rules, Carleton Place council has approved measures that will soon affect residents and contractors alike.
Additional tax notice coming to Carleton Place residents
Carleton Place residents will soon receive revised property tax notices to account for an adjustment in the County portion of their 2025 taxes.
A lower-tier municipality within the County did not enter its 2025 tax rate into the provincial Online Property Tax Analysis (OPTA) system until mid-June — much later than usual, according to Treasurer Trisa McConkey. As a result, the system defaulted to the 2024 rate, which did not reflect this year’s increase.
“This is the first time in my 11 years in municipal finance that I’ve seen this happen, and we now have a process in place so it won’t happen again,” McConkey said.
The oversight means Carleton Place residents were undercharged on the County portion of their taxes, creating a shortfall of about $252,000. For a residential property assessed at $400,000, the adjustment will add $48.36.
“Any amount of extra tax is crappy, quite frankly,” said Mayor Toby Randell. “It’s a large sum in total, but the individual impact is relatively small.”
Blasting bylaw gets first update in two decades
The Town of Carleton Place is updating its Blasting Regulation bylaw for the first time in 21 years.
In line with other municipalities, the town is adopting the provincial standards outlined in Ontario Provincial Standard Specification Municipal 120 (OPSS.MUNI 120). The new bylaw also includes fines for violations, which will be enforced through the Town’s Administrative Monetary Penalty System by the By-Law Enforcement team.
“It provides a comprehensive list of requirements for blasting that all contractors are familiar with,” said Guy Bourgon, director of Public Works, during the Aug. 12 committee of the whole meeting. “Whenever there is a transgression, I’ll be in communication with [By-Law Enforcement] to advise when it’s time to issue an offence notice. They’ll be relying on my expertise.”
Bourgon said that despite the outdated by-law, the town has been fortunate to work with two blasting companies during the recent construction boom. Both have followed provincial regulations, providing required documentation, records, vibration monitoring and other safety measures.
