How We Fund

Development Charges Background Study

Development Charges (DCs) play an important part in how growth related infrastructure is financed. Each new house, commercial centre, educational facility, and/or industrial site requires infrastructure and servicing (e.g. watermains, sewers, stormwater ponds, fire stations, road improvements, etc.) in order to function efficiently and effectively. DCs are fees that are paid by new development to fund growth related infrastructure and services constructed throughout the Municipality.

In Ontario, the Provincial government regulates the setting of DC rates through the Development Charges Act (DCA). The purpose of DCs is to collect funds from new development to finance capital works supporting current and future growth.

At least every five years, as required by the DCA, the Municipality of Mississippi Mills conducts a DC Background Study to forecast the Municipality’s future residential and non-residential growth determining infrastructure needs and costs. This information is used to calculate the amount of money that new development needs to pay in order to support growth related infrastructure and services.