Supporting Vaughan’s stormwater system

Annual charge will appear on bills between May and July

With nearly 345,000 residents in Vaughan, our stormwater infrastructure must be kept in a state of good repair to continue servicing our growing community. Maintenance of catch basins, storm sewers and stormwater management ponds is supported through the City of Vaughan’s annual stormwater charge. Depending on your billing cycle, the annual charge will appear on one of your Alectra Utilities invoices between May and July. 

The stormwater charge is not a new fee – it has appeared on utility bills since June 2017. Before this time, stormwater services were funded through property taxes and the wastewater fee. The charge is billed once annually and covers the entire calendar year.

The annual stormwater charge has helped fund numerous City programs and initiatives, including: 

• cleaning and clearing of the City’s catch basins.

• routine camera inspections of the City’s stormwater pipes.

• inspections of the City’s more than 150 stormwater management ponds and clean-out of select ponds.

• prevention of erosion and degradation of more than 150 kilometres of the natural creek system.

• proactive improvement and preventative repair of stormwater infrastructure.

What is stormwater?

Stormwater is rainwater and melted snow that runs off lawns, streets and other land surfaces. The natural cycle of this runoff is meant to be absorbed by the soil, plants and/or returned to the natural environment through groundwater or nearby water bodies.However, hard surfaces — such as pavement, driveways, sidewalks and roofs — especially in urban areas, can prevent stormwater runoff from naturally soaking into the ground, which can lead to flooding and erosion of water courses, such as rivers and streams. While not all properties in Vaughan immediately contribute to stormwater runoff entering the City’s infrastructure, the runoff from both urban and rural properties will eventually reach the City’s stormwater infrastructure or impact rivers and streams over time. 

That’s why the City works diligently throughout the year to maintain its vital stormwater infrastructure!

You can play a role in reducing stormwater pollution!

There are a few easy actions you can take to help our stormwater system stay clean and clear: 

• Put trash where it belongs and report litter or dumping.

• Never pour pool chemicals, paint, fats, oils, grease, food scraps or medication down drains or catch basins. Only rain can go down the drain!

• Try to wash your vehicle at a commercial car wash facility as they have traps and filters to prevent oils and dirt from reaching the City’s stormwater infrastructure.

• Dispose of toxic or hazardous products (such as motor oil, paints, solvents and others) at a York Region Waste Depot. The Vaughan location is at 130 McCleary Crt.

Stormwater Rate Study

The City is currently undertaking a Stormwater Rate Study to ensure our stormwater management system remains financially and environmentally sustainable both now and into the future. Through the Stormwater Rate Study, we will review the current rate structure to ensure it’s fair, equitable and financially viable for residents, businesses and property owners while achieving the funding necessary to provide reliable stormwater services to support Vaughan’s continued growth and to mitigate against significant weather events.

Through an online survey, pop-up events and a virtual meeting, we asked for your thoughts on the current rate structure and if property-specific characteristics would be beneficial for the City to consider in a future rate structure. Thank you to everyone who participated. Your input is valuable in helping inform the funding model to ensure our stormwater system can continue to safeguard the community, environment, property and water resources!

The study is anticipated to be completed in 2025. The findings of the study will then be presented at a future Committee of the Whole meeting for Council consideration.

Learn more about the Stormwater Rate Study. For more information on the City’s stormwater services, visit vaughan.ca/stormwater. 

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