King Township Council Meeting - June 1, 2026
- JA
- Jun 5
- 12 min read
Council’s June 1 meeting covered several major issues, including King’s year-end financial results, proposed changes to Development Charges and the latest Asset Management Progress Report. While the Township’s finances remain stable overall, the reports identified important questions about infrastructure funding, road conditions, Zancor operating costs and the rising cost of growth-related projects.
Quick Links Mayor's Comments
Mayor's Comments
Congratulations to all the volunteers, sponsors and board of the Schomberg Agricultural Fair on another successful event. Friday night's Demolition Derby had record ticket sales!
The province introduced legislation that would enable municipalities to apply Administrative Monetary Penalties, or AMPs, for contraventions of municipal zoning bylaws under the Planning Act. The proposed authority would extend beyond trucking-related activities and could apply to illegal land uses such as unauthorized outdoor storage of materials, construction equipment, and derelict vehicles. Bill 119 did not pass before the Legislature adjourned for the summer. The House is scheduled to resume at the end of October, after which the bill must still complete the legislative process and receive Royal Assent before the changes can take effect.
Nobleton and Schomberg libraries now have new hours. The Nobleton branch will now close at 5 p.m. on Tuesdays and will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Fridays. The Schomberg branch will now close at 5 p.m. on Thursdays and will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Fridays.
June is Recreation month and highlights the role recreation plays in building healthy connected communities. Throughout June, King is offering a wide range of free and low-cost activities for residents of all ages and abilities. Highlights include guided hikes, outdoor yoga, swims, skates, cultural exhibits and environmental events. Learn more here.
June is also Pride month and the King Heritage & Cultural Centre is marking the season with a vibrant lineup of exhibitions and activities that celebrate diversity, creativity and self-expression. Learn more here.
June is also Seniors month and in celebration, King is offering its seniors a special giveaway – one of three King Connections 55+ Memberships! To enter, email seniors@king.ca with your name and contact information (email or phone) by June 29. Winners will be announced on June 30.
King MOU with York University
King and York University will be entering into a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding to formalize and strengthen the existing partnership.
At a high level, this partnership enables the Township to:
Access applied research and faculty expertise to inform decisions and advance municipal priorities
Leverage student talent through placements and projects, expanding capacity and pipeline
Expand staff training and professional development through access to specialized programs
Support economic development initiatives with academic insight and partnership opportunities
Advance priority and emerging initiatives with targeted, flexible collaboration
Deliver joint community engagement and education initiatives that extend our reach and impact
Community & Home Assistance for Seniors
In honour of Seniors’ Month, Community & Home Assistance for Seniors (CHATS) made a presentation to Council about the important work it does across York Region and South Simcoe.
CHATS is a not-for-profit organization that provides compassionate, community-centred care and support to older adults and their caregivers. Its services help seniors remain active, connected and independent while continuing to live in their own homes and communities for as long as possible. Programs include transportation to medical appointments and community programs, Meals on Wheels and group dining, adult day programs and wellness activities, home support and safety services, caregiver respite, and opportunities for social connection and community engagement.
CHATS is a tremendous asset to York Region, providing services that are not available in every municipality. Its programs help reduce isolation, support physical and emotional wellbeing, and provide practical assistance to both seniors and caregivers. This work is made possible through the combined efforts of staff, volunteers, donors, caregivers and community partners. Residents can support CHATS by volunteering their time, making a donation or helping spread the word about its programs. CHATS will also be introducing a new fitness program in Nobleton during July and August.
Learn more about CHATS, its services and volunteer opportunities at https://chats.on.ca/.
Year End Financial Statements & Variance Report
King finished 2025 with an operating deficit of $141,438. Council approved covering the shortfall through the Tax Rate Stabilization Reserve Fund, which had a balance of approximately $1.27 million before the transfer.
The largest departmental deficit was in Community Services, which finished approximately $1.36 million over budget. Contributing factors included increased staffing and overtime, higher compensation costs for volunteer firefighters due to increased call volumes and rate adjustments, facility repairs, and higher-than-expected utility costs.
The first year of operations at the Zancor Centre produced mixed financial results. Ice rentals performed really well, generating approximately $235,000 more than budgeted. RecPass participation also increased significantly, growing from approximately 500 to 1,600 memberships.
Aquatics, however, represented a significant challenge. Programming revenue was approximately $385,000 below budget because programs operated at an average fill rate of approximately 30 per cent, rather than the 70 per cent assumed in the budget.
Zancor’s largest cost pressure was utilities. Hydro expenses reached approximately $823,000, more than double the budget of $372,300. Staff identified two contributing factors. First, two ice pads operated throughout the summer to assess demand and test the facility’s programming capacity in the first year of operation. While the additional ice rentals generated revenue, it was not enough to offset the related operating costs. Second, Hydro One introduced a new electricity rate structure for buildings of this size, resulting in higher-than-anticipated utility expenses. Staff are exploring alternative programming models and fixed-rate electricity contracts to help reduce these costs in future years.
Approximately $842,000 was withdrawn from the Recreation Facilities Opening Reserve in 2025. This included $362,000 to offset the Zancor Centre’s operating shortfall and approximately $480,000 to offset the aquatics programming deficit. Approximately $919,000 remained in the reserve at the end of 2025.
The low balance in the Parks and Recreation Development Charges reserve may also require the Township to issue a debenture of up to $5 million. Staff explained that spending from the reserve has outpaced DC collections over several years. The expanded scope of the Zancor Centre required additional DC funding in order for construction to proceed. Any debt would serve as interim financing until future DC collections are available to repay it.
Public Works recorded a deficit of approximately $639,000, primarily because severe winter weather increased spending on salt, sand and contracted winter-maintenance services. These costs were partially offset by savings from vacant positions and lower waste-collection tonnage.
Growth Management Services reported the largest favourable variance, finishing approximately $1.55 million better than budgeted. This was largely due to higher revenues from subdivision agreements, development applications and building permits.
Legal costs were approximately $551,000 higher than expected. A transfer of $207,000 from the Legal Reserve Fund helped offset that pressure, leaving approximately $370,000 in the reserve at year end.
King’s financial statements were audited by KPMG LLP, Chartered Professional Accountants, which issued a clean, unqualified audit opinion. This means the auditors concluded that the financial statements fairly presented the Township’s financial position and results in accordance with applicable Canadian public-sector accounting standards.
King’s $141,438 deficit for 2025 is relatively small compared with its total operating budget. However, the results identify several areas that will require close attention, particularly the operating assumptions for the Zancor Centre, aquatics participation, utility costs, emergency-service expenses, winter maintenance, legal fees and the reliance on reserve funds to offset first-year recreation-facility shortfalls.
Updated Development Charges Study
King is preparing to adopt a new Development Charges Bylaw that will determine how much developers contribute toward the infrastructure required to support future growth. Development Charges (DCs) help pay for growth-related infrastructure such as roads, fire facilities, parks, recreation centres, libraries, water and wastewater systems. The principle is that growth should pay for the additional municipal services it requires, rather than placing the full cost on existing taxpayers.
King released its original DC Background Study in October 2025. This latest update reflects provincial legislative changes, revised project costs, changes to the Township’s capital program and updated reserve balances. Council is expected to consider the final study and bylaw on June 15.
DCs increasing from October proposal For a new single or semi-detached home, the proposed Township-wide DC has increased from $39,715 in the October study to $43,070 in the new addendum. In a comparison with surrounding municipalities, King City and Schomberg DCs are roughly in the middle while Nobleton is on the higher end because it is subject to a separate York Region area-specific wastewater DC.
It’s worth noting, however, that as compared to the average purchase price of a single detached home, King's new DC rate represents a smaller percentage of the purchase price than in many other municipalities.
The study assumes significant growth King is required to accommodate the population forecast that was approved by the province in the York Region Official Plan. Where this growth will occur was captured in King’s new Growth Management strategy which will be incorporated into the new Official Plan that will be approved by the next council. The DC calculations are based on King adding the following by 2051:
20,370 residents
7,907 residential units
3.65 million sq ft of non-residential development
4,718 jobs
These forecasts matter because DCs are collected as development occurs. If growth is slower than forecast, the Township may collect money more slowly than expected, potentially delaying projects or leaving DC reserve deficits outstanding for longer.
Provincial Policy Changes and DCs - Bill 60 requires certain land acquisition costs to be treated as separate DC classes. Previously, land costs were included within categories such as roads, parks and recreation, water and wastewater. Those costs have now been removed from the original service calculations and placed into separate land categories. - Bill 17 changes the payment date for many residential DCs from building-permit issuance to the earlier of occupancy approval or first occupancy. The Province has also removed the municipality’s ability to charge interest on legislated instalments for certain rental and institutional developments. These changes do not directly alter the calculated amount charged for a new home, but they may affect municipal cash flow. This could create additional financing costs or pressure on taxpayers if DC collections do not arrive when the infrastructure is required.
New Projects - A project worth $9.79 million has been added to in 2041 to widen the 10th concession south of King Rd to four lanes to accommodate transport related to the future Employment Land. - A project worth $32 million has been added to urbanize the south/east quadrant of King & Keele. Staff explained that this will include road reconstruction, new curb lines, stormwater infrastructure, sidewalk, and boulevards. This area is being planned to support increased development and transit use. - The gross capital cost for the new Joint Operations Centre increased from $18.2m to $23.3m (+27%) excluding the land. The facility area increased from 75,000 sq ft to 165,500 sq ft to account for future growth and requirements to maintain existing operational service levels. This project is still in early stages, Council just approved the land acquisition (read this post for more) but has not yet approved a detailed project budget showing the full cost or how the project will be divided among services.
- The new land category includes approximately $15.57 million for road right-of-way purchases. After deductions, approximately $11.68 million is identified as recoverable through DCs.
Asset Management Progress Report
Last year, King approved its Asset Management Plan, as required by the province. The Plan defines service level targets and outlines a long-term financial strategy to maintain, rehabilitate and eventually replace the infrastructure residents rely on.
The estimated replacement cost of King’s infrastructure has increased from $1.36 billion in 2025 to approximately $1.43 billion in 2026. Most of that increase was caused by inflation, which added approximately $60.2 million to the estimated replacement value in a single year.
The $1.43 billion figure represents what it would cost to replace all of King’s infrastructure at current prices. It does not mean the Township must keep that entire amount in reserves. The goal of asset management is to invest enough each year to maintain assets throughout their useful lives and avoid much larger repair and replacement costs in the future.
To begin addressing the infrastructure funding gap identified in the Asset Management Plan, Council approved a dedicated 1.99% tax increase last year. The strategy is intended to gradually close the gap over a 15-year period.
In the 2026 approved budget, Council allocated $13.8 million toward tax-funded capital needs, up from $13.2 million in 2025. However, the updated Asset Management Progress Report estimates that sustainable lifecycle funding now requires $18.5 million annually, leaving an infrastructure funding gap of approximately $4.7 million per year.
The largest asset categories are:
Tax-funded facilities: approximately $481 million
Transportation infrastructure: approximately $399 million
Stormwater infrastructure: approximately $171 million
Water infrastructure: approximately $166 million
Wastewater infrastructure: approximately $136 million
Fleet and equipment: approximately $41 million
Parks and forestry assets: approximately $33 million
Roads
After King's 34 tax-funded facilities, roads and related services are the second-largest asset category and one of the most important concerns. King maintains approximately 325km of roads of which 236km of high-class bituminous roads (HCB/fully paved), 32km of low-class bituminous roads (LCB/tar and chip), and 58km of gravel roads.
The report shows that approximately 90% of King’s HCB roads are rated in good or very good condition. The condition of the LCB roads is considerably weaker. Only about 40% are rated good or very good, while approximately 55% are rated fair and a smaller portion are rated poor.
This is not surprising when the average age of HCB roads is approximately 13.5 years, compared with 22.1 years for LCB roads.
The good news is that Public Works plans to add a new section to the 2027 capital plan specifically addressing the maintenance of LCB roads. This should give Council a clearer picture of how much work is required and what level of annual funding will be needed to keep these roads from slipping from fair into poor condition.
Gravel-road Conversions
As part of the Asset Management Plan, King committed to converting all remaining gravel roads to paved surfaces by 2040.
A portion of the dedicated 1.99% asset-management tax increase is intended to support this commitment. Based on the figures previously presented to Council, approximately 0.13% of the levy is associated with gravel-road conversions, equivalent to about $4 annually for a property assessed at $1 million.
Historically, King has relied heavily on DCs to fund gravel-road conversions. However, development has slowed and the timing of future DC revenue is uncertain. An alternative funding strategy therefore needs to be considered. I have asked staff to provide a thorough review of the available options, including the potential use of debt, as part of the next budget process.
I'm certainly not a fan of taking on debt especially as we heard from the CFO that the interest costs that must be paid can be sifnificant, but waiting also has financial consequences. Construction costs have increased significantly, and gravel roads require ongoing grading, dust control and other maintenance while they remain unpaved. Council will need to compare the cost of borrowing now against the likely cost of delaying the work as part of the next budget cycle.
Fleet & Equipment
King’s fleet and equipment are valued at approximately $41.3 million. In 2025, about 28.7% of these assets had exceeded their expected service life while remaining in use. That figure improved to 22.1% in 2026 following vehicle and equipment replacements, disposals and inventory updates.
Approximately 75% of the fleet is now classified as being in good or very good condition. One limitation is that condition is still largely measured by age. Staff are moving toward assessments based on actual usage, mileage and physical performance, which should provide a more accurate picture.
Stormwater Infrastructure
Stormwater planning is not yet complete. King’s stormwater system is valued at approximately $171 million and includes:
95 kilometres of stormwater mains
23 stormwater management ponds
10 oil and grit separators
The report generally describes the stormwater system as being in very good condition based on age. However, the financial strategy for stormwater assets is not yet complete. Staff are continuing to refine the asset data and are expected to bring an updated stormwater financial plan to Council in 2027. Given the size of the system, the cost of future pond cleanouts and increasing pressure from severe weather, this is an area that will require close attention.
Overall, the report shows that King’s infrastructure is not in crisis. However, it also makes clear that maintaining current service levels will require sustained investment. Delaying necessary maintenance may reduce costs in the short term, but it can result in more extensive and expensive repairs later.
Notice of Intent to Designate 8580 19th Sideroad
The Lamont-Hall Swing Beam Barn at 8580 19th Sideroad is a rare, representative, and early example of a mid-19th-century swing-beam barn. Composed of two separate structures, it is believed that earlier portions of the barn were constructed in 1849.
Swing beam barns were a specialized barn type developed to support the wheat‑based
agricultural economy that dominated Upper Canada in the first half of the 19th century. Their
defining feature—the swing beam—spans the full width of the barn and is supported only at its ends, creating a wide, unobstructed threshing floor. This configuration allowed for efficient
hand‑threshing of grain using flails and the controlled movement of horses during harvest
operations. By the mid‑1800s, as agricultural practices shifted and dairy farming became more prominent, this barn type rapidly declined and was largely replaced by more compartmentalized barn forms.
The subject barn is particularly rare within both King Township and the Greater Toronto Area,
where the majority of swing beam barns were lost to replacement farming practices and later
urban development. The barn exhibits a number of uncommon and distinctive features,
including brush‑cut swing beams, hanging braces beneath the swing beams, a 34‑foot‑wide
frame, and an unusually high sidewall height of approximately 16.5 feet. The structure consists of two timber‑framed swing beam barns attached end‑to‑end, a configuration found in only a small proportion of documented examples.
The barn demonstrates a high degree of craftsmanship typical of early timber framing traditions, relying on mortise‑and‑tenon joinery with wooden pins, precision‑cut timbers, and carefully balanced structural systems. The survival of these features after nearly two centuries further underscores the exceptional quality of its construction and design.
Comments