SocietyPreview

Municipal

Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh Township Council

Governs Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh

Official website (acwtownship.ca) Report a problem with this page

Source: data.ontario.ca, checked (+1 more)
What it's for

An Ontario municipal council can provide any service or thing it considers necessary or desirable for the public, and passes by-laws on matters such as health and safety, animals, structures, business licensing and the municipality's economic, social and environmental well-being. In two-tier areas, the Act divides these powers between the upper-tier (county or region) and lower-tier councils.

Municipal Act, 2001, ss. 2, 8, 10 and 11 · Applies to every Ontario municipal council (Toronto has its own text)

What it can't do

A by-law has no effect to the extent it conflicts with a provincial or federal law, regulation or approval, including where it frustrates the purpose of that law.

Municipal Act, 2001, s. 14 · Applies to every Ontario municipal council (Toronto has its own text)

Who it answers to

Voters elect council every four years, on the fourth Monday in October. Council may appoint an Integrity Commissioner and an Ombudsman who report to it, and in municipalities the province designates, the head of council has special powers under Part VI.1 of the Act.

Municipal Elections Act, 1996, ss. 4 and 5; Municipal Act, 2001, ss. 223.3, 223.13 and 284.2 · Applies to every Ontario municipal council (Toronto has its own text)

Where its money comes from

Mostly property taxes, set each year by by-law as a tax rate for each property class, plus fees and charges for services and for the use of municipal property.

Municipal Act, 2001, ss. 311, 312 and 391 · Applies to every Ontario municipal council (Toronto has its own text)

Shares responsibility with

Shares responsibilities with the upper-tier or lower-tier council in two-tier areas, and with the province, which sets municipal powers and duties in the Municipal Act and many other Acts.

Municipal Act, 2001, ss. 2 and 11 · Applies to every Ontario municipal council (Toronto has its own text)

Next vote

Who sits on it

Sourced · checked

Sources for who sits on it

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What it can do

  • Property tax

    Levies property taxes on the assessed value of property for its own purposes, and collects the education tax and the upper tier's levy where they apply (Municipal Act, 2001 Part IX, Taxation).

  • Policing

    Is responsible for providing adequate and effective police services in its area, by its own police service, a joint arrangement, or the Ontario Provincial Police (Community Safety and Policing Act, 2019).

  • Emergency management

    Must develop and implement an emergency management program and adopt it by by-law (Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act s.2.1).

  • Fire protection

    Must establish a program that includes public education on fire safety and fire prevention, and provide the other fire protection services it decides are necessary (Fire Protection and Prevention Act, 1997 s.2(1)).

  • Building regulation

    Enforces the Ontario Building Code: appoints a chief building official and issues building permits (Building Code Act, 1992).

  • Land use planning and development

    Prepares an official plan and passes zoning by-laws, and decides local planning applications, under the Planning Act (official plans, s.17; zoning by-laws, s.34). In two-tier areas the upper tier may be the approval authority for plans of subdivision.

  • Business licensing

    May license, regulate and govern businesses (Municipal Act, 2001 s.11(3), Part IV Licences, s.150).

  • Parks and recreation

    May provide parks, recreation facilities, culture and heritage services (a sphere of jurisdiction under Municipal Act, 2001 s.11(3)).

  • Waste management

    May provide and regulate waste management, including garbage and recycling collection (a sphere of jurisdiction under Municipal Act, 2001 s.11(3)); disposal is often assigned to the upper tier in two-tier areas.

  • Public utilities

    May provide and regulate public utilities such as water, sewage, and electricity-related services (a sphere of jurisdiction under Municipal Act, 2001 s.11(3)); where there is an upper tier, some utility functions (e.g. regional water) are held there.

  • Roads

    Has jurisdiction over municipal highways and bridges, including parking and traffic on them, and must keep them in a state of repair (Municipal Act, 2001 s.11(3), s.44). Where there is an upper tier, the upper-tier council has the roads assigned to it.

  • Bylaws

    Passes by-laws in the spheres of jurisdiction in s.11(3) of the Municipal Act, 2001 (highways, other transportation, waste management, public utilities, culture/parks/recreation/heritage, drainage and flood control, structures including fences and signs, parking, animals, economic development, business licensing) and enforces them, including by offences and fines (s.425).

  • Municipal purposes

    Has the capacity, rights, powers and privileges of a natural person and broad authority to govern its affairs, to provide the services and things it considers necessary or desirable for the public, and to pass by-laws in the spheres of jurisdiction the Act lists (Municipal Act, 2001 s.8, s.9, s.11(1)).

Sourced · checked

Sources for what it can do

  • Property tax ontario.ca · checked
  • Policing ontario.ca · checked
  • Emergency management ontario.ca · checked
  • Fire protection ontario.ca · checked
  • Building regulation ontario.ca · checked
  • Land use planning and development ontario.ca · checked
  • Business licensing ontario.ca · checked
  • Parks and recreation ontario.ca · checked
  • Waste management ontario.ca · checked
  • Public utilities ontario.ca · checked
  • Roads ontario.ca · checked
  • Bylaws ontario.ca · checked
  • Municipal purposes ontario.ca · checked
Report a problem

Sources

  • data.ontario.ca · checked Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, 2022 Municipal Election - Successful Candidate Data as of Voting Day and Municipal Data (2024-02-22): office titles, number of seats per office, council size, ward or at-large system For: Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh Township Council, Councillor, Mayor, Deputy Mayor
  • data.ontario.ca · checked Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, List of municipalities (CSV municipalities_-_en_2026-0526, updated 2026-06-03): name, status, tier, geographic area, website For: Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh Township Council
  • ontario.ca · checked Municipal Act, 2001, S.O. 2001, c. 25: Municipal Act, 2001, ss. 2, 8, 10 and 11. Statute text read 2026-10-12 (research:authority-explainers, ticket 405). For: What it's for
  • ontario.ca · checked Municipal Act, 2001, S.O. 2001, c. 25: Municipal Act, 2001, s. 14. Statute text read 2026-10-12 (research:authority-explainers, ticket 405). For: What it can't do
  • ontario.ca · checked Municipal Act, 2001, S.O. 2001, c. 25: Municipal Elections Act, 1996, ss. 4 and 5; Municipal Act, 2001, ss. 223.3, 223.13 and 284.2. Statute text read 2026-10-12 (research:authority-explainers, ticket 405). For: Who it answers to
  • ontario.ca · checked Municipal Elections Act, 1996, S.O. 1996, c. 32, Sched.: Municipal Elections Act, 1996, ss. 4 and 5; Municipal Act, 2001, ss. 223.3, 223.13 and 284.2. Statute text read 2026-10-12 (research:authority-explainers, ticket 405). For: Who it answers to
  • ontario.ca · checked Municipal Act, 2001, S.O. 2001, c. 25: Municipal Act, 2001, ss. 311, 312 and 391. Statute text read 2026-10-12 (research:authority-explainers, ticket 405). For: Where its money comes from
  • ontario.ca · checked Municipal Act, 2001, S.O. 2001, c. 25: Municipal Act, 2001, ss. 2 and 11. Statute text read 2026-10-12 (research:authority-explainers, ticket 405). For: Shares responsibility with
  • ontario.ca · checked Ontario statute named in the power description; section numbers only where confirmed on e-Laws/CanLII 2026-10-11. Tier: local For: Property tax, Business licensing, Parks and recreation, Waste management, Public utilities and 3 more
  • ontario.ca · checked Ontario statute named in the power description; section numbers only where confirmed on e-Laws/CanLII 2026-10-11. Tier: local For: Policing
  • ontario.ca · checked Ontario statute named in the power description; section numbers only where confirmed on e-Laws/CanLII 2026-10-11. Tier: local For: Emergency management
  • ontario.ca · checked Ontario statute named in the power description; section numbers only where confirmed on e-Laws/CanLII 2026-10-11. Tier: local For: Fire protection
  • ontario.ca · checked Ontario statute named in the power description; section numbers only where confirmed on e-Laws/CanLII 2026-10-11. Tier: local For: Building regulation
  • ontario.ca · checked Ontario statute named in the power description; section numbers only where confirmed on e-Laws/CanLII 2026-10-11. Tier: local For: Land use planning and development
  • ontario.ca · checked Municipal Act, 2001, S.O. 2001, c. 25, ss. 217-218 (council composition; head of council elected by general vote), as consolidated on e-Laws 2026-06-08 For: Councillor, Mayor, Deputy Mayor
  • acwtownship.ca · checked Municipality's official website names Glen McNeil as Mayor (page read 2026-10-11; elected in the 2022 regular election per the Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing) For: Glen McNeil as Mayor
  • huroncounty.ca · checked Huron County, Huron County Council page (Council Members Directory, 15 members from nine municipalities; Warden from the Warden's Office page), retrieved 2026-10-11 For: Bill Vanstone as Deputy Mayor
  • ontario.ca · checked Municipal Elections Act, 1996, ss. 4, 5, 6 and 31 (e-Laws consolidation current 2026-05-11): regular election 2026, voting day fourth Monday in October = 2026-10-26, nomination day third Friday in August = 2026-08-21 For: General election, October 26, 2026

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