FAQs

Stormwater is rain, melting snow, and ice that washes off driveways, parking lots, roads, ditches, yards, fields, rooftops, drains, and other surfaces.

Stormwater Management is the installation and application of infrastructure, naturally designed systems and ongoing operational programs to mitigate the impacts of stormwater to our communities and the natural environment.

The County’s stormwater management systems protect the health and safety of the public, property, as well as the environment by managing the quality and quantity of stormwater. Stormwater management also helps reduce the potential for flooding and erosion.

The County is responsible for managing stormwater within its jurisdiction, a program that includes planning, constructing, operating, and maintaining natural and engineered infrastructure. The County’s stormwater management systems include drains (catch basins), sewers, ditches, Stormwater Management ponds, watercourses, culverts and more! 

When stormwater isn’t managed, it contributes pollutants to our rivers and streams, damages and degrades infrastructure, leads to flooding, causes erosion and water safety issues, and can result in property damage.

There are many different pressures on stormwater systems such as urbanization, aging infrastructure, greater understanding of environmental impacts, and the impacts of increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. 

Without proper financing and preventative maintenance, there is potential for disruptive failures and costly repairs.

There are many different pressures on stormwater systems such as urbanization, aging infrastructure, greater understanding of environmental impacts, and the impacts of increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. 

Without proper financing and preventative maintenance, there is potential for disruptive failures and costly repairs.

The majority of stormwater funding comes from the County’s general tax levy. Currently stormwater management activities are primarily reactive, and the current funding model is insufficient to adequately fund a proactive preventative maintenance approach.

As the County takes on new projects to reduce flooding, improve water quality, and adapt to a changing climate, properties should contribute based on the load (or use) they place on the County’s stormwater systems.  

The County of Brant must develop a sustainable and equitable way to manage our stormwater systems and infrastructure. Council has approved staff to develop a Stormwater Utility Program due to; 

• New legislation (O. Reg. 588/17),
• The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) CLI-ECA regulatory requirements,
• Funding constraints,
• Aging infrastructure and ongoing operation and maintenance needs,
• Increased frequency of severe weather events.

Financing stormwater management through a dedicated user fee, also referred to as a utility, is becoming more common in Ontario and across North America. This is similar to how the County funds its water and wastewater programs. 

The range for stormwater user fees in Ontario is from about $60 to $230 per year for an average single-family detached home. It is proposed that all residential properties smaller than 0.4 ha (1 acre) and within specific settlement areas would have a $12/month ($144/year) fixed rate. Residential properties larger than 0.4 ha (1 acre) will be charged a calculated rate based on the fixed rate and the actual amount of impervious area (e.g. roof, paved, and gravel areas).

The proposed stormwater user fee for non-residential (Industrial, Commercial, Institutional and Multi-Residential) properties is a fixed rate of $21.34/month ($256.08/year) for properties equal to or less than 0.4 hectares (1 acre). Larger properties will be charged a calculated rate based on the fixed rate and the actual amount of impervious area (e.g. roof, paved, and gravel areas).

The recommendation for a Stormwater Utility Program for the County will be based on core guiding principles to ensure the most sustainable, equitable, affordable, and simple funding model is proposed. This principle-led approach will result in a variety of benefits, including:

• Stable and dedicated funding source that allows the County to address and mitigate stormwater related risks as needed.
• Fair and equitable fee that is shared amongst properties receiving benefit from the operation and maintenance of the systems and infrastructure. 
• Allows for long-range planning and large-scale capital renewal and improvements.
• A mechanism to ensure privately owned stormwater infrastructure within the primary settlement areas are properly maintained.

Areas that are participating in the Stormwater Utility Program are areas which contain stormwater management systems requiring operation, maintenance and eventually, improvements/replacements.

Enter your address below to see if your property is included in the Stormwater Utility Program area. 

The following property types are proposed to be exempt:

• Vacant (undeveloped) property
• Agricultural
• Cemeteries.

If approved, there would be a separate line item on the tax bill of the participating properties within the Stormwater Utility Program areas.  The funds collected would be dedicated to the Stormwater Utility Program.

While not all properties in the specific settlement areas have a storm sewer directly in front of their property, the County must operate and maintain the entire stormwater system, which includes primary and secondary systems. All property owners within the specified areas benefit from this operation and maintenance of the system.

A rebate program is being reviewed for Industrial, Commercial, Institutional, and Multi-Residential properties greater than 0.4 ha in size.