New Stormwater Fee In Vaughan

Govaughan.ca
August 7, 2019
Fatima Baig

The City of Vaughan has started implementing a stormwater fee change which started this past June. Previously, this fee was collected from the waste, water and property tax fees.

According to the City of Vaughan website, “stormwater is rainwater and melted snow that runs off lawns, streets and other land surfaces. This runoff is supposed to be absorbed by plants and soils or make its way back to ponds and streams.”

The city explains that the increase in tough surfaces like paved areas block the runoff from absorbing into the ground. If not properly managed, stormwater can cause flooding and erosion. The City of Vaughan Environmental Services says the current stormwater system “reduces flood risk, control erosion and maintain water quality in local, natural waterways.” If storm water is not maintained, the city can face many issues.

Since this fee has been implemented, “work has begun to address 33 sites across the City, with the last sites being completed in 2028. It is estimated this project will directly impact 620 hectares of land within the City and almost 36,000 residents,” according to the City of Vaughan Environmental Services.

According to the City of Vaughan website, the fee will be calculated by determining the total land area of each resident’s property. The City of Vaughan Environmental Services said, “the method of calculation involves categorizing similar properties, determining the total land area of each category and applying the ‘runoff coefficient.’” Sites that have more paved areas will cost the city more as they produce more runoff. The costs for these services are divided by the number of properties in a category to calculate the flat rate per property. The average charge for residents living in detached homes is $50.