Council Highlights - July 13, 2026
Stay-up-to-date with what’s happening at the Council table with the Town of Arnprior’s meetings in just a few minutes. Please note these summaries are not an official record of Council meetings. Official minutes are posted online once they are approved during a subsequent meeting. You can also access the meeting recording on the Town’s YouTube channel.
Delegations:
ontrac Employment Resource Services – Municipal Placement Project
Representatives from ontrac Employment Resource Services provided a presentation to Council, asking the Town to partner with ontrac on a practical way to help bridge the employment gap, experienced by their clients, with experience and references community members need to compete for future employment. Some of the clients they support are capable and motivated, but face barriers, such as limited current experience or lack of employer references, that can make the traditional hiring process difficult to navigate. They have developed a program called Prepare Achieve Connect Employ (PACE). PACE is a four week, 20-hour pre-employment program that involves group workshops, as well as independent learning/skills development. PACE graduates have prepared and achieved, and now they are looking to the Town of Arnprior to help connect and employ these individuals. A Municipal Placement Project can offer meaningful municipal experience with skill development and employer references to successful participants. Council expressed support for the proposal and staff will meet with ontrac staff to further discuss potential opportunities for placements.
Loomex – Fire Master Plan and Community Risk Assessment Project Introduction
Members of the Loomex Group have been retained to complete a Community Risk Assessment (CRA) and Fire Master Plan (FMP) for the Town of Arnprior. Every five years municipalities are required to conduct a CRA which identifies and examines which risks are most likely to occur within a community and which are most likely to have serious consequences. CRAs provide information that municipalities can use to make decisions about the fire protection services they need.
FMPs help a community meet the requirements of the Fire Protection and Prevention Act and other legislation; provide a clear picture of a community’s current and anticipated fire protection needs; recommend strategies to protect lives and property by enhancing public education, code enforcement, and fire suppression services; and help guide administrative, operational, and budgetary decisions about the distribution of fire protection resources and assets.
Watch for opportunities to provide input into these important documents.
Reports
WPCC Digester Cleanout and Roof Replacement Pre-Commitment
Staff provided a report to Council explaining that the two Digesters at the Water Pollution Control Centre, originally constructed in 2010 to improve solid waste treatment within the wastewater network, process solids from wastewater to make them more inert before they are disposed of in the Arnprior landfill. The digesters are building-sized pressurized cylindrical concrete tanks that are gas proofed from the interior. A clean out of the digesters, planned for 2027, will involve:
- Cleanout of built-up solids
- Inspection of concealed infrastructure
- Gas proofing repairs
- Replacement of roofing system
- Replacement of controls equipment
Council authorized staff to proceed to tender a defined scope of work for the WPCC Digester Cleanout and Roof Replacement through an open Request for Tender (RFT) process and pre-commit funds in the amount of $1,667,000 from the Wastewater Reserve Fund to be spent in 2027.
Off-leash Dog Park
The Town is about to commence work on the creation of a dog park at the McLean Avenue Park, scheduled to be completed by end of September. The General Manager Client Services/Treasurer provided Council with options to fund the annual operating costs of the dog park, anticipated at $4,280 per year. Council authorized the operating costs be included in future operating budgets as a general operating expense funded from the levy.
Council also approved a dog park policy. The purpose of the policy is to:
• Establish rules and expectations for the use of off-leash dog parks;
• Promote responsible dog ownership;
• Minimize risk to park users, dogs, and Town property; and
• Support consistent management and enforcement of off-leash dog park
operations.
Once open, Off-Leash Dog Park rules will be posted on signage at the site. The Town appreciates everyone’s efforts to keep the park clean and safe for all users.
Cricket Pitch Setup and Operations
The Director of Recreation provided Council with an update on efforts to secure an acceptable pitch for the local cricket club, the Ottawa Valley Strikers, after concerns were raised with respect to the semi-permanent pitch proposed to be installed at the Wayne Lavalle Ball Diamond earlier this spring. Council deferred making a decision on the use of a temporary pitch, pending further discussions with the club. This matter will be discussed at Council’s next regular meeting.
Municipal Grant Request – Arnprior & District NeighbourLink Fountain
Council approved a grant support request submitted by the Arnprior & District
NeighbourLink Fountain for $3,000.00 in support funding, as well as an in-kind support (single) request to waive the landfill voucher fees for 10 landfill vouchers and 5 mattress vouchers (approximate value of $500.00) for the Arnprior & District NeighbourLink Fountain.
By-laws
Council approved by-laws to:
By-law 7689-26 - amend the Water Use By-law to allow for watering of vegetable and fruit gardens, plots, and trees that are cultivated for the purposes of non-commercial personal or not-for-profit use.
By-law 7690-26 – Lift the holding symbol to allow for the construction of self storage units on a vacant property on Bev Shaw Parkway.
By-law 7691- 26 – Adopt the previously introduced Off-leash Dog Park Policy
Grant Requests
Council provided the following grants:
Arnprior Lions Club - request for waiving the Nick Smith Centre Community Hall rental fees on October 3, 2026, (value of approximately $470 plus HST) for their Arnprior Lions Club 80th Charter Anniversary Dinner.
Arnprior Regional Health Auxiliary - request for waiving the Arnprior & District Museum rental fees on October 20-22, and November 18-20, 2026, (value of approximately $1,500 plus HST) for their Annual Coat Sale and Annual Christmas Sale respectively.
Terry Fox Foundation - request for financial support to cover the fees of renting the facilities at the Arnprior & District High School as per the Renfrew County District School Board’s Community Use of Schools Policy (value of approximately $282.50).