HOW TO MAKE A COMPLAINT

The Township of Lanark Highlands has procedures for receiving and handling complaints from citizens who are dissatisfied with service, actions or lack of action by a Township department or staff member. We recommend you first speak directly with the service area where you have an issue, in person or by telephone or by email. Most complaints are received verbally and can be resolved promptly by the department in charge of the service.

If you are not satisfied with how your verbal complaint is handled you can submit a written complaint by completing this form and emailing it to

Municipal Complaint Form

COMPLAINANT CONTACT DETAILS

Full Name *

Email address *

(considered the most prompt way we can communicate with you)

Street Address *

Town *

Province *

Postal Code *

COMPLAINT TYPE

Access of Services

Facilities

Outcome of Existing Complaint

Processes or Procedures

Programs

Staff Conduct

Timeliness of Services

Other

SUMMARY OF COMPLAINT

Please record information on what happened, who was involved, dates, and times. Be as detailed as possible. *

Service area/location of problem *

Staff persons involved (if known and applicable)

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RESOLUTION

How do you suggest the complaint be resolved? *

Signature *

Date *

Submit

Name

TIMELINE

The Clerk will contact you to acknowledge this complaint in the next 1 to 5 business days after receiving this completed form. The Clerk will forward the complaint on to the Investigating Staff Employee who will respond within 30 days of receipt of this complaint. If this is not possible, you will be contacted and given a reason why this timeline is being adjusted.

NOTICE OF COLLECTION

The personal information you choose to provide on this form is collected under the authority of the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act {MFIPPA}. The information you provide will be used to investigate the complaint and may be used for contact purposes but is otherwise considered confidential. Questions about this collection can be directed to the

Clerk's Department,
Township of Lanark Highlands,
75 George Street,
Lanark, ON KOG lKO

Mayoral powers under the Municipal Act (as applicable to the Reeve)

Under Part VI.1 of the Municipal Act, the Reeve has the following special powers and duties as the head of City Council:

• Appointing the municipality’s Chief Administrative Officer.*
• Hiring certain municipal department heads and establishing and reorganizing departments.*
• Creating committees of Council, assigning their functions and appointing the chairs and vice-chairs of committees of Council.*
• Proposing the municipal budget, which would be subject to Council amendments and a Mayoral veto and Council override process.
• Vetoing certain bylaws if the Reeve is of the opinion that all or part of the by-law could potentially interfere with a provincial priority.
• Bringing forward matters for Council consideration if the Reeve is of the opinion that considering the matter could potentially advance a provincial priority.

*The Reeve may choose to delegate these specific powers and duties.

The Reeve is required to exercise these powers in writing and make them available to the public, subject to the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. A public listing of Mayoral Decisions and Directions is available in the chart below.

Mayoral decisions and directions

2025

The Enbridge Community Engagement Team, in collaboration with Stantec will be holding a second virtual Information Session for the Lanark and Balderson Community Expansion project. The information will be presented in both English and French to ensure accessibility for all. (see attached documents)

Virtual Public Information Session (online): April 2 to April 16, 2025

Lanark and Balderson Community Expansion Project

Thank you to the 254 residents and property owners who participated in the 2025 Budget Survey. Your feedback plays a vital role in shaping decisions and helping Council understand what matters most to our community.

Community Engagement

Survey participants represented all wards and a wide range of age groups, with strong participation from both younger and older residents.

Key Findings

• Top Priorities: Fire and emergency services, road and infrastructure quality, and police protection stood out as the top concerns.
• Community Needs: Residents emphasized the importance of safe, sustainable communities, healthy living, and efficient municipal services.
• Feedback Themes: Many respondents raised concerns about road conditions, highlighting the need for improved maintenance and infrastructure upgrades.

Next Steps

Survey results are shared with Council as a separate element alongside the draft budget which will be presented at the COW meeting on 8 April 2025.  They serve as an important tool in guiding budget decisions to ensure that 2025 allocations reflect the priorities and needs of our community.

Read the Full Results

Update: February 14/2025

Due to another major winter storm forecasted for the Family Day long weekend, the Significant Weather Event declared on February 12, 2025 will remain in effect until further notice.

Residents can anticipate 20-30+ cm of snow starting Saturday afternoon into Sunday night, with heavy hourly snowfall rates, and poor visibility. 

Stay safe!

In accordance with Ontario Regulation 239/02, Minimum Maintenance Standards for Municipal Highways,

The Township of Lanark Highlands is declaring a Significant Weather Event effective from Wednesday, February 12, 2025, at approximately 10:00pm.

This declaration suspends the standard timelines required for Lanark Highlands to meet their winter maintenance objectives until the significant weather event has ended.

The Lanark Highlands Public Works Department will continue to focus on resident safety, but please note that it may take longer than usual to clear Township roadways.

Residents are encouraged to avoid any unnecessary travel for the duration of the significant weather event. The Township will update residents once the declaration has ended.

For up to date weather information, visit the Environment and Natural Resources Weather page

The Township of Lanark Highlands recently held an Open House for the Sheridan Rapids Bridge Replacement - Please visit the link below for more information.

COUNTY OF LANARK

TAKE NOTICE that the County of Lanark and the following municipalities within the County of Lanark intend to pass a by-law under the authority of the Municipal Act, 2001 and Ontario Regulation 586/06: Local Improvement Charges – Priority Lien Status, to implement the Better Homes Lanark (BHL) program.

• Town of Perth
• Municipality of Mississippi Mills
• Township of Beckwith
• Township of Drummond North Elmsley
• Township of Lanark Highlands
• Township of Montague
• Township of Tay Valley

Purpose of the By-law

The proposed by-law will enable the residents of the County of Lanark within the participating local municipalities to participate in the Better Homes Lanark program, which assists homeowners in financing energy efficiency and renewable energy upgrades, such as:

• Insulation improvements,
• Installation of high-efficiency heating or cooling systems,
• Solar panel installations, and
• Other eligible home retrofits.

Financing for these upgrades will be provided through Local Improvement Charges (LICs) applied to property tax bills, ensuring repayment over time.

Eligibility

The program is voluntary and available to all residential property owners in the participating local municipalities who meet the eligibility criteria. Participation requires an agreement between the property owner and the local municipality, who agree to the LICs being charged against their property.

Details of the Local Improvement Charges

1. Financing will be repaid through an additional charge on participating properties' tax bills.
2. The charge will include the principal amount and applicable interest.
3. Repayment terms will be determined by the agreement between the property owner and the program administrator.

Adoption Dates:

The Better Homes Lanark Bylaw will be duly adopted at their respective municipalities on the following dates:

Additional Information

For more information about the proposed By-law or the Better Homes Lanark program, please contact:

County of Lanark, 613-267-4200

Elizabeth Boldt, Climate Environmental Coordinator - x 3105

Jasmin Ralph, Clerk - x1502

Joan Pratt, Business Manager - x 3110

PLEASE NOTE that the Township of Lanark Highlands will no longer be offering the purchase of Burn Permits at remote locations. Burn Permits will only be available to purchase online via our website or in person from the Township office.