Local Improvements
Local improvements are construction projects intended to build or upgrade certain amenities within the City of Vaughan’s road allowance in existing communities.
They may include enhancements such as new street lighting, installing water and wastewater infrastructure (i.e., sanitary or storm sewers) or replacing roadside ditches with curbs and sewers (an improvement referred to as “urbanization”).
What is a Local Improvement Project?
In the city of Vaughan, the following are the most common types of local improvements that may be eligible for consideration under the Local Improvement Process:
- installing streetlights (i.e., if the street does not have streetlights)
- installing domestic watermains (i.e., in areas where homes are currently on well water)
- installing sanitary sewers (i.e., in areas where homes are currently on private septic systems)
- replacing roadside ditches with curbs, storm sewers and sewer inlets
- installing noise reducing fences
To qualify, the construction must be built on municipal lands or easements on title deeded to the City.
How can I request a local improvement in my neighbourhood?
Any property owner in Vaughan can request a local improvement on their street. If you wish to inquire about the possibility of a local improvement, please email the City’s Infrastructure Planning and Corporate Asset Management department at ipcam@vaughan.ca. They will investigate the feasibility of your request and help you with the formal process.
If the requested improvement is deemed feasible, the project owner requesting the improvement – the “project initiator’ – must complete a Demonstration of Interest form. This form will be provided by City staff upon request. The purpose of this form is to demonstrate sufficient neighbourhood support for the requested improvement. The project initiator must complete the form by collecting the signatures of neighbouring property owners who are impacted by, and would benefit from, the improvement and are in support of the project.
Once completed, the form must be submitted to the Infrastructure Planning and Corporate Asset Management department by email, at ipcam@vaughan.ca, or mail:
Infrastructure Planning and Corporate Asset Management
Vaughan City Hall
2141 Major Mackenzie Dr.
Vaughan, ON l6A 1T1
The Local Improvement Process
If the requested improvement is technically feasible and there is demonstrated interest from the local residents, the City will initiate the Local Improvement Process. The following outlines the steps involved once an initiation application is received:
Step 1: Determine cost estimates and share information with residents
Once a request is received, the City will further investigate the feasibility of installing the requested improvements and complete a preliminary cost estimate. The cost estimate is then shared with property owners via a letter or notice. The City may also host a public meeting for residents to ask questions if there is sufficient interest.
Step 2: Survey residents to determine the level of agreement
Once property owners have been informed of the cost estimates, the City will issue a formal survey to each property, asking whether they agree or disagree with paying for the requested local improvements.
If two-thirds of the property owners wish to proceed with the local improvements, City staff will put forward a budget request to Vaughan Council to secure funding for detailed design and construction.
If two-thirds of property owners agree and Council approves the project, all affected properties, even those who did not support it, will be required to pay for the improvements. Residents cannot opt-out.
If two-thirds agreement is not achieved, the Local Improvements Project is cancelled.
All property owners will be notified of the outcome of the survey.
Step 3: Revise the cost estimate and determine final community decision
Once the detailed design is complete, the City will provide the community with a revised estimate for the cost of work and the portion each resident would be required to pay. Then, another formal letter is issued, asking residents to sign a confirmation that they will pay their share of the costs. If two-thirds of the property owners confirm, Council will enact the necessary by-law to commence construction.
Step 4: Complete construction and collect payment
The construction contract will be publicly advertised in a competitive bid process and will be awarded to the lowest compliant bidder. Once construction of the local improvements is complete, final costs will be calculated.
The portion each property owner will be required to pay will be based on their assessed property value and will be charged as a levy on their property tax bill. Owners will have the option for a one-time payment on their tax bill, or they can spread the payments over 10 years with prime rate interest on their property tax.
The levy is attached to the property, so if a resident sells the property before then 10-year installment plan is completed, the new owner will be responsible for paying the outstanding amount.
Frequently asked questions about Local Improvement Projects
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Privately-owned utilities in the road allowance are not governed by the municipal Local Improvement Process. This includes utility alternations such as:
- installing natural gas lines.
- installing telecommunication lines.
- removing aerial power lines and burying them.
The cost to residents to deliver these improvements will depend on the utility company’s policy. The City does not subsidize such improvements.
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The Ontario Municipal Act, 2001 gives the City the authority to enact a by-law to collect each property owners’ share of the project cost.
Project costs include the cost of formal design and the cost of construction. The cost of the work is highly dependent on the area in question. For example, the cost of adding domestic watermains or sanitary sewers depends on the proximity of the nearest existing watermain or sewer connection and any obstacles or elevation changes in between.
In the case of sanitary sewer or watermain improvements, each property owner will be responsible for hiring a contractor to run a sewer or water line from their house to the property line. They must then pay the City to complete the final connection at the property line. Before that sewer or watermain connection can be completed, the homeowner must also decommission their septic system or well at their expense before the City will complete the connection to the new sewer or watermain. Once connected, property owners will begin incurring water and/or wastewater charges on their water bill.
The portion of the project costs each property owner will be required to pay will be based on their assessed property value and will be charged as a levy on their property tax bill. Owners will have the option for a one-time payment on their tax bill, or they can spread the payments over 10 years with prime rate interest on their property tax. The levy is attached to the property, so if a resident sells the property before then 10-year installment plan is completed, the new owner will be responsible for paying the outstanding amount.
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The installation of sewers, watermains, streetlighting and other amenities are paid for by the developer when they first constructed the building lots and homes. The developer’s costs for constructing those amenities are passed onto the home buyers in the property’s original purchase price. Additionally, property owners with watermain and sewer services pay ongoing water and wastewater charges to maintain them.
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At the time your area was developed, the nearest sanitary sewer or watermain may not have been close enough for the developer to connect to it in a cost-effective manner. Alternatively, at the time of construction, the City’s standard may not have included those services.
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If an application fails, it cannot be repeated for a minimum of two years (as per Legislation O. Reg. 586/06, 7(1). Furthermore, requests for a reapplication may be denied if the property ownership in the area has not changed enough to potentially produce a different result.