Council Highlights – April 14, 2026

Last night’s Council meeting started with two public meetings about planning. The first dealt with a change to the Affordable Housing Community Improvement Plan to add the Housing First Land Sale Program. This program would let the Municipality sell its own land for a lower price, but only if the land is used to build affordable housing. The second public meeting was about a zoning change for land at the corner of Adelaide and McDermott streets in Almonte. On February 24, 2026, Council made an agreement with Lanark Community Alliance to build affordable housing on this land. The zoning change would allow more types of homes, such as stacked townhouses and low-rise apartments. Both matters will come back to Council at a future meeting for more discussion.

Council approved several recommendations from the Safe and Active School Review. All five school zones in the Municipality were included in the review, which was done by Parsons Corporation. As part of the 2026 Budget, Council set aside $150,000 for safety improvements on school routes. In 2026, the following safety upgrades will be made on Paterson Street:

• Midblock pavement markings
• Extending the sidewalk where gaps exist
• A raised crosswalk at the current pedestrian crossover (PXO)
• A raised intersection at Paterson Street and Tatra Drive
• A new PXO at the intersection of Paterson Street and Tatra Drive

Other recommendations in the report will be looked at during future municipal budgets. Residents will be invited to share their feedback on upcoming traffic calming projects through a public engagement process this spring. More details will be available soon.

Council reviewed the building condition reports in Phase 1 of the Municipal Space Needs Assessment. They accepted this information and told staff to move ahead with a Request for Proposal for Phase 2 of the project. Phase 2 will look at the gap between the space the Municipality has now and the space it will need in the future.

Council approved Official Plan Amendment 28 – Rural Villages and Rural Vitality. This project started in 2024 to update the Official Plan so it better reflects the Municipality’s current and future needs. The goal is to manage growth in rural areas and villages while protecting their unique rural character. The changes include adding new sections for each village, with descriptions of their character and policies to guide future development. There are also new policies for agricultural systems and agricultural impact assessments. Council also asked staff to look at the village boundaries for Pakenham, Clayton, Blakeney and Appleton. They want staff to review the rules for creating rural residential lots, communal servicing, and Additional Residential Units and how these affect farmland, as well. Council will also consider rules for building new rural subdivisions outside village areas as part of the review. 

Council proclaimed the month of May as Museum Month in the Municipality of Mississippi Mills. This recognizes the important role our community museums play in protecting local history, culture and identity. The month celebrates the Mill of Kintail Museum, the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum and the North Lanark Regional Museum – each one sharing unique stories about our community’s past. May 18 is also International Museum Day.

The 2026 prioritized list of projects for hard surface renewals was endorsed by Council. These projects will go out to tender and be awarded based on priority and the funding available, following the Hard Surface Renewal Policy. The 2026 budget for this work is $2.78M. 

Council passed a resolution formally opposing the proposed ALTO high-speed rail project in its current form. This was done due to how the project could affect Mississippi Mills’ infrastructure, homes, farms, municipal trails and environmentally sensitive areas. The resolution also states that communities and residents in Eastern Ontario need more detailed information about how the project could affect them. A copy of the resolution, along with Mayor Lowry’s March 30 letter of opposition to Lanark – Frontenac MP Scott Reid, staff’s technical comments and relevant MM2048 policies, will be sent to the Right Honourable Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada; The Honourable Steve MacKinnon, Minister of Transportation; Martin Imbleau, President and CEO of ALTO; members of the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus; and Premier Doug Ford. 

Committee of the Whole also discussed the following items, which will be brought forward for approval at a future Council meeting:

• The 2026 tender for dust suppressant to Da-Lee Dust Control Ltd.
• Award of contract for the County Road 29 watermain extension and Almonte Street intersection rehabilitation to Orin Contractors Corporation for $1,933,759.25.
• Award of the 2026 micro-surfacing program to Miller Paving Limited for $616,940.10, plus HST.
• The recommendation report for the zoning by-law amendment for Frank Fisher Crescent.
• A new recreation club capital recovery fund to help with maintenance, renovations and/or capital costs was referred to a special meeting.
• Staff recommendations for the second intake of the 2026 Community Impact Grant Program.
• Proposed changes to the Debt Policy.
• The 2026-2030 workplan for Community Services Master Plan projects.
• Quarterly reports from the Clerks Department and Childcare Services.

Upcoming Meetings:

• Hybrid Council Meeting – Tuesday, April 28, 2026, 6 p.m. Committee of the Whole to follow Council.
• Hybrid Council Meeting – Tuesday, May 12, 2026, 6 p.m. Committee of the Whole to follow Council.