The modern perception of North Simcoe could be in name only, as Tay Township councillors laid out their reasons to not join an invitation to a collaborative working group during their recent council meeting.
User fee increases at the North Simcoe Sports and Recreation Centre in Midland were first explored during the 2022 budget talks of the previous council, which met large opposition from the Midland Minor Hockey Association and other groups against the hike. Since then, the new term of Midland council looked at ways to offset the $1.8 million annual operation cost to run the facility, focusing on the implementation of non-resident user fees.
Non-resident user fees were also a concern with neighbouring Penetanguishene for its arena and public library for Tiny Township who hosts neither an arena nor public library and relies on external services for its residents.
Midland proposed a working group for the North Simcoe municipalities to come together and negotiate a resolution for NSSRC non-resident user fees, and the formal invitation was given to Tay Township council, as discussed in their meeting.
“I wanted to get direction,” said Mayor Ted Walker to council, “on whether or not we should be attending this meeting in consideration as to what we may have to offer, because I think our philosophy differs from the approach Midland is using.”
The result was a definitive no.
Coun. Gerard LaChapelle began by sharing that Tay had its own municipality to run, and despite being a part of the North Simcoe community, posited what would happen if the township began charging fees for use of its trail system.
“I have many reasons why I disagree with it (the non-resident fee),” said LaChapelle. “They created a situation; I don’t think we need to be part of their problem-solvers.”
Several times, Deputy Mayor Barry Norris impressed that he did not want to “go down the rabbit hole,” providing history and context from Tay’s perspective.
“The town of Midland was never the size it ever was,” said Norris. “Over time, there’s been annexed lands from Tay Township. Tay Township used to own the majority of the town of Midland along with Tay Point.
“The last amalgamation, we lost all of Tay Point. What you’re getting into is that taxation revenue, we lost. There was no compensation at that table. When one looks at it 30 years ago, the taxation that has been generated – granted, the town of Midland didn’t get the whole point – but I’ll tell you it offset quite a bit,” Norris noted.
Furthermore, Norris questioned what purpose Tay would have at the meeting.
“I’d be the first one there (to say): ‘sell it’. If you can’t afford it – if this is an albatross around the town of Midland – then sell it,” said Norris. “You can sell it to a non-profit organization; different things all kick into place, whether that’s (the Askennonia Seniors Centre)… you have a lot of individuals that are more than capable of ensuring that this will actually go through.
“We’ve taken down the fences; all I see is new stakes being driven back against the municipality,” he added.
The sentiment was shared by Coun. Paul Raymond who also said Midland created the turmoil.
“I also look at how all the municipalities have stopped working together on a lot of stuff. All the committees have slowly died off,” said Raymond. “I don’t know what kind of cooperation we could expect when everybody was pulling themselves out of some of the joint progress that’s been there for decades.”
LaChapelle added: “The previous group of mayors, I think they worked great together. But I think you see a divide now and I don’t know if that’s a good thing.”
Said Coun. Sandy Talbot: “I just wouldn't go. That’s a clear message and one that they really need to understand.”
After the talks had died down, Walker joked that both he and CAO Andrea Fay could clear their schedules for that evening. His lengthy response aligned with comments made by the other councillors, with Walker expressing sorrow for impacted user groups as “in the end, it’s them that’s going to suffer.”
No formal action was taken within the council meeting, but the direction to staff was made apparent.
“When we respond,” said Walker, “we’ll respond in writing and we will list our reasons why it would not be appropriate for us, with this council’s feeling on non-resident user fees, to participate in anything that is going to be discussed.”
Following the meeting, Walker told MidlandToday: “For us to go when we have a feeling as strongly as we do against user fees, we really wouldn’t be of any value or assistance to the town of Midland or the (working) group. So it’s being up front and honest.”
Tay council meets for committee of the whole meetings every second Wednesday of the month, and regular council meetings every fourth Wednesday of the month. Archives and livestreams of council meetings are available through the Tay Township YouTube channel.
