On Thursday, June 26, Champlain Township council adopted a motion to recover Mill Creek Drain construction costs from affected property owners, The Nation municipality, and the United Counties of Prescott-Russell (UCPR). Construction costs for sections 1, 2, and 3 totalled $2,001,446.94 when work was completed in January 2025. Additional drain work is planned for the future.

Treasurer France Thauvette explained to council that more than $2 million has been spent on construction costs, with the township receiving $530,231.42 as part of an Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) grant. The outstanding $1,471,215.52 will need to be recovered by Champlain’s residents and partner municipalities involved in the work.

Champlain Township will shoulder $67,475.76 as a corporate entity, or 4.59 per cent. Township staff recommended levying charges against affected property owners to recover their share of $785,142.42, representing 55 per cent of total project costs.

The charges will range between $10 and $55,610 per assessed property and are based on the Ontario Drainage Act. Assessed costs are calculated in proportion to the benefit the property owner’s land receives from drainage works. This typically involves analyzing the acreage, land use type, and proximity to the drain.

For property owners with more than $5,000 owing as part of this levy, the township is looking to offer debentures or loans at terms of either five years for those owing between $5,000 and $10,000, and five or ten years for those owing more than $10,000.

This would not apply to owners with multiple affected properties unless an individual roll exceeds $5,000. These fees are due by December 31, 2025, and are subject to a monthly interest charge of 1.25 per cent on overdue amounts.

Thauvette explained that she is researching options for interested individuals who wish to make use of the debenture or loan offer and will present further recommendations to council at a later date.

Thauvette said that 438 properties were assessed in Champlain: 18 owing more than $10,000, 23 owing between $5,000 and $10,000, 76 owing between $1,000 and $5,000, and the remaining 319 properties owing less than $1,000.

Any assessed properties owing below $10 will have their fee covered by the township’s revenue.

The Nation municipality will be responsible for paying Champlain Township $575,522.36 (38 per cent of the total cost), while UCPR is responsible for $43,074.98 (2.93 per cent). Both municipalities must pay their invoice within 30 days of invoicing.

Councillor Paul Burroughs asked Thauvette if more work still needed to be done on the Mill Creek Drain.

Thauvette replied that future work still needed to be done; however, the costs associated with that work would be invoiced separately once completed.