By Tessa Swanton (Townson),
Bruce Peninsula Press
The Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula (MNBP) Council reviewed the 2026 Operating Budget at their Special Council Meeting on February 9th.
Emerald Ash Borer Generates $50,000 Increase in Tree Trimming and Removal Budget
Public Works (PW) Manager, Troy Cameron, indicated that the tree trimming and removal operating budget will be increased by $50,000 in 2026 to accommodate the added demand for cutting trees affected by the Emerald Ash Borer, a destructive invasive beetle that attacks ash trees. PW staff currently remove trees within their training capacity, but qualified contractors are hired for more “complex removals.” He mentioned that distressed ash trees are dying towards the top, creating an unsafe work environment where it is safer to operate an excavator with a specialized head for cutting. “We can’t keep up with just our contractors and our other staff,” Cameron revealed. He estimated the head attachment to cost around $150,000 up to $250,000 for a machine outfitted with more accessories. “In the future if this continues and we can’t get contractors, this might be something we might have to look at,” he said.
Gradual Increase in Loose Top Gravel Road Maintenance
In terms of operating costs for loose top gravel maintenance on roads, Cameron noted that the “cost of gravel really rose a few years ago,” and he’s anticipating another 5-10% increase this year and a 5% increase for dust suppressant costs. The department remains consistent with around 20,000 tons of gravel placed on gravel roads in MNBP. He emphasized that the Roads Needs Study recommends about $1.1million dollars set aside annually for gravel roads. The Municipality has $750,000 allocated for 2026, a steady increase over the past five years; $650,000 was budgeted in 2025 and $451,347 was spent.
Contracting Waste to be Directed to Eastnor Landfill with Closure of St. Edmunds Site Approaching
Landfill budget discussions led to talks on the upcoming closure of the St. Edmunds landfill which was said to be one year away. Cameron addressed an end of the year closure with advertisements distributed in the summer and early fall indicating how activities will change around the MNBP landfill sites. The St. Edmunds Landfill site will impose a different tipping fee structure, only accepting household waste and recycling, while construction materials and commercial waste will be redirected to the Lindsay and Eastnor sites. He noted that the Chi-Cheemaun ferry dumps a large truck load of waste three instances per week, which will now be diverted to an alternate site.
Three Positions to Support the St. Edmunds Museum for 2026 Season
Mark Coleman, Parks and Facilities Manager, proposed the addition of a seasonal Museum Attendant position to be stationed at the St. Edmunds Museum. If approved, the museum will have three staff supporting its operations including a full-time Museum and Recreation Programmer and Museum Summer Student. Several volunteers, committee, and municipal staff also assist with operation, planning, and maintenance of the site.
The Museum houses a schoolhouse building, two log cabins, and outdoor fixtures. The Museum Committee requested funding to preserve the rudder and buoy on site along with site landscaping and purchase of new tent canopies. The Museum is open on weekends in May, June, September, and October and 7 days a week in July and August. A net operating cost of $30,350 is budgeted for 2026.
Slight Decrease in Number of New STAs Likely Due to Economic Struggles
The short-term accommodation (STA) operating budget was reviewed by Lindsay Forbes, Deputy Clerk. Forbes informed Council of a decrease in the number of new STAs being registered, likely due to the economy experiencing slower economic growth. “A lot of people are selling or trying to sell their second properties,” she said. STA and municipal accommodation tax (MAT) revenues remain steady. Registration fees for 2025 totaled $284,000 and MAT revenues at $634,321. She advised that the number of active STAs in the Municipality is around 368-370. However, staff are contacting property owners asking them to renew their licences for the upcoming season, if they wish, which will likely result in approximately 380 active STA licences. Forbes does not anticipate exceeding the cap of 400 STA licences this season.
$280,000 Budgeted for Demolition of Old Tobermory Daycare Building
A capital expenditure of $280,000 for the parking lot improvement project at 3 Centennial Drive was questioned by Council. Coleman presented that $80,000 will cover demolition and cleanup costs of the old Tobermory daycare structure and the remaining budget will fund construction of a new gravel parking lot and potential shuttle service plan for Tobermory on busy weekends. Additionally, a small washroom facility is proposed to service the parking lot. Mayor McIver requested that staff investigate allocating the funds from another area (not the Parks and Facilities reserve) as the project is serving tourism. “I just think that maybe a couple hundred thousand is taking a lot out of our facilities reserve for that purpose,” voiced the mayor.
Councillor Todd Dowd stated, “Maybe we should discuss if we want to have a parking lot of that size at that location that relies on a shuttle bus…maybe we need to look at alternate locations if we can eliminate a shuttle bus…I know on some busy weekends in Tobermory they’ve tried shuttle buses in the past and they haven’t always worked…just something to consider.”
Chief Administrative Officer Peggy Van Mierlo-West clarified that “The intent was that once the parking lot was open to have the shuttle system working at the same time because there really isn’t an option besides the electric bikes for people to get to the downtown core without some form of vehicle.”
Concerns with Decreasing Capital Reserves
The meeting’s end shifted to concern from Mayor McIver and Deputy Mayor Rod Anderson with the shrinking MNBP financial reserves.
The budget presentation reflects $5,632,249 spent from reserves to fund capital projects in 2026 and $1,907,326 contributed back to reserves with a projected ending 2026 reserve balance of $13,585,404.04.
The deputy mayor articulated, “I know you’re [mayor] concerned about the slow erosion of our reserves without rebuilding them.”
The mayor voiced, “There’s projects every year that’s coming from NBP Capital and that’s fine as long as you have enough money going back in to take care of these capital projects…capital projects are necessary if you’re going to keep up with what’s required to keep them in decent shape.”
