December 2024

Mayor Andrea Matrosovs Acclaimed As Grey County Warden

The Town of The Blue Mountains Mayor Andrea Matrosovs will serve as Grey County Warden for 2025. Mayor Matrosovs was acclaimed by County Council on Tuesday, December 3. 

In her inaugural address, Matrosovs spoke of her passion toward shared goals and priorities for the County. “We will continue to work toward building communities for the future.” She added: “We have the opportunity at the County level to make a difference in lives of all ages and stages. To facilitate growing up, working, recreating, visiting, and aging in a place of choice here in the County because together we address housing, long-term care, early childhood care, emergency services and transportation infrastructure.”

The election of the Warden happens each December at County Council. Grey County Council elects one of its members to lead Council for the upcoming year. Matrosovs was nominated for the position by County Councillors Barbara Dobreen and Kevin Eccles.

Matrosovs is the third woman to be elected Warden and the third representative from the Town of The Blue Mountains to serve as County Warden, following Duncan McKinlay from 2012-13 and Rod Knott in 2001.

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Official Plan Final Draft Prepared

The Town is pleased to announce that a final draft of the Official Plan is now available. Staff will present the final draft and a recommendation report to the Committee of the Whole on December 10, 2024. Following their recommendations, Council may look to adopt the Official Plan draft at the Council Meeting on December 16, 2024. If adopted, the Official Plan will be sent to Grey County for final approval.

Beginning in 2021, The Official Plan Review has been a collaborative process, with community input gathered through workshops, drop-in sessions, and open houses. Once approved by the County, the Official Plan will serve as a critical document to guide all future land-use decisions in the Town.

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Sign Up For eBilling For Your Property Tax Or Utility Accounts Through Virtual Town Hall

The Town of The Blue Mountains Finance Department would like to remind residents that paperless billing is available for Town Property Tax or Utility accounts through the Virtual Town Hall service.

Choose paperless billing for:

• Instant Access: Receive your bills and statements directly in your inbox.
• Environmentally Friendly: Help reduce paper waste and contribute to a greener planet.
• Secure and Convenient: Manage your billing online with secure access to your account anytime, anywhere.

Users can also view account status, access current and prior bills and sign up for pre-authorized payment plans in Virtual Town Hall. 

Enroll by visiting Virtual Town Hall at https://vch.thebluemountains.ca/VCH/. Users will require their customer ID and name exactly as it appears on their property tax or utility bill. For additional assistance in activating an account, the Town has provided detailed instructions.

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Bay Street East Public Information Centre to be held on Tuesday, December 17

Public Information Centre (PIC) #2 regarding the Bay Street East Reconstruction project will be held virtually on Tuesday, December 17, 2024 beginning at 5:00 p.m. The meeting will include a public comment and question period.

All those interested in the project are invited to attend. Pre-registration is required. The presentation deck and meeting recording will be posted to this page following the meeting for review by any members of the public who are unable to attend the meeting.

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Municipal Accommodation Tax approved by Council

On Monday, November 25, 2024, the Town of The Blue Mountains Council approved the implementation of a Municipal Accommodation Tax (MAT). The MAT comes into effect on Monday, January 6, 2025 at a rate of four percent (4%).

A Municipal Accommodation Tax (MAT) is a fee collected on short-term and overnight accommodations. It is paid by visitors when they book a room with a local accommodation provider.

This is a mandatory tax that must be paid when the accommodation is paid for and the tax applies to all overnight stays of less than 30 days in the Town.

Revenue generated by the MAT will be used to support the local tourism industry. This includes investment in tourism-related infrastructure, enhanced tourism marketing and promotion, events and festivals, and tourism product development.

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Winter Trails Now Open

The winter trails at the Municipal Recreation Complex and the Georgian Trail are now open for public use and will be maintained throughout the winter season, weather permitting.

The Town asks that members of the public maintain a one-way traffic flow to allow space for both cross-country skiers and general usage. Please note that during the winter, the Recreation Complex is a paid parking location. Residents may register their licence plate online or at Town Hall to park for free. For more information regarding parking registration, visit the Town website. For more information on the trail loop, please view the trail map.

The Town will continue to groom the Georgian Trail throughout the winter season. The Georgian Trail is a multi-use trail for walking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, fat biking, and other eco-friendly activities. Due to limited space, there will not be set tracks for cross-country skiing on the Georgian Trail.

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Green Economy Hub Seeking Businesses to Join Pilot Cohort

The Town is collaborating with Green Economy Canada and the Collingwood Climate Action Team to help build a sustainable future for businesses and our community. Green Economy Canada and the Collingwood Climate Action Team are launching a Hub Pilot Project for Southern Georgian Bay.

Businesses who join the pilot project will become members of Green Economy Canada's network, where they will receive guidance on measuring their carbon footprint, setting reduction targets, developing reduction strategies and tracking their progress.

This pilot will help to evaluate the potential for establishing a Regional Hub to benefit a broader base of businesses and organizations across the region. 

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