Brockville City Council Meeting Highlights from August 26th

Brockville – Brockville City Council meeting highlights from August 26th.

Electronic Voting Approved for 2026 Municipal Election:

2026 is a municipal election year. In accordance with the Municipal Elections Act, which regulates municipal elections in Ontario, Councils must pass a bylaw to allow for voting methods other than paper ballots. Since 2010, residents and property owners in the City have cast their ballot for the municipal council by Internet or telephone. Some benefits of electronic voting include improved access for persons with disabilities, fast and accurate results and election cost savings. The integrity of the electronic voting system is ensured through external auditing, encryption and secure authentication protocols and strict privacy standards. As in previous years, in-person kiosks will be set up for voters without Internet or telephone access or those who require any technical assistance.

Revised Community Grants Program:

Council has made revisions to the Community Grants Program following a successful first intake of applications earlier this year. In future intakes, the grant will be used to provide financial assistance in support of non-profit festivals and events held within the City and open to the public. A percentage of the total Municipal Accommodation Tax collected from overnight stays in the City will be used to fund this event. Other adjustments were made, including establishing a maximum grant allocation of $7,500 per applicant. Organizations that previously applied for an event fee waiver are encouraged to apply for this new grant opportunity. It is anticipated that approximately $60,000 will be available annually in two intakes in April and November.

Strategic Priorities Update:

At the recent meeting, staff provided an overview of the status of various Strategic Priorities set by Council earlier this term. As of June 2025, more than half of the 104 actions and associated steps have been completed or are on track to be completed by the end of the term. Particular accomplishments relate to improved customer relationship management, bolstered tourism efforts and increased housing development. Efforts are underway to beautify the downtown core and to increase green assets owned and operated by the City. The next status report will be provided to the General Committee in November.

Looking ahead:

– Planning and Development Meeting September 2, 2025, at 4:30 pm
– Public Planning Meeting September 2, 202,5, at 6:00 pm
– Council Meeting September 9, 202,5, at 5:30 pm
– General Committee Meeting September 16, 202,5, at 4:30 pm
– Council Meeting September 23, 202,5, at 5:30 pm