Notice: Passing of Bylaw 2026-07 - Submission of Question on the Ballot

TAKE NOTICE that the Council of the Town of Wasaga Beach enacted By-law 2026-07 on February 12^th, 2026, for the purpose of submitting the following one (1) question to the electors of the Town of Wasaga Beach at the 2026 Municipal Election:

“Are you in favour of moving to a ward system?” 

The only permitted answers to the question are “yes” or “no”.

The Staff Report regarding the Question on the Ballot was brought forward to the December 11^th, 2025, Council meeting.  A copy of the report and By-law 2026-07 can be found on the Town’s engagement page engagewasaga.ca.

Pursuant to subsection 8.2(1) of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, the results of a question authorized by the proposed by-law are binding on the Town if:

1. at least 50% of the eligible electors in the Town vote on the question; and
2. more than 50% of the votes on the question are in favour of those results.

Pursuant to subsection 8.3(1) of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, the results of a question authorized by the proposed by-law are binding on the Town:

1. if an affirmative answer received the majority of the votes, the Town shall do everything in its power to implement the results of the question in a timely manner; and
2. if a negative answer received the majority of the votes, the Town shall not do anything within its jurisdiction to implement the matter which was the subject of the question for a period of four years following voting day.

The anticipated cost of implementing the results of the question, if the binding result is in the affirmative, would be approximately $80,000, as a Consultant would be recommended by Staff to facilitate the Ward review.  If the Ward system was chosen, the Town would be divided into a number of wards for voting purposes in the 2030 Municipal Election.  Each ward would have a particular number of Councillor(s) dependent on the results of the Ward review.  Eligible electors would only be able to vote for their specific Ward Councillor(s) and not Councillor(s) running in the other wards.  The position of Mayor would continue to be at large meaning all eligible electors can vote for this position.

If the binding result is in the negative, Council would not be able to give further consideration to the Ward system until after the 2030 Municipal Election.

Appeal Process

Pursuant to subsection 8.1 (6) of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing and any other person or entity may appeal to the Chief Elector Officer of the Province of Ontario on the grounds that a question is not:

1. clear, concise and neutral; or
2. capable of being answered in the affirmative or the negative, as the only permitted answers to the question are “yes” or “no”

If you intend to appeal the question, a Notice of Appeal must be filed with the Clerk.  The last day for filing a Notice of Appeal is March 5, 2026, which is twenty (20) days after the publication of this Notice.  A Notice of Appeal must set out the objections and the reasons in support of the objections.

Dated:  February 13, 2026                                        

Nicole Rubli
General Manager, Legislative & Development Services/Clerk
30 Lewis Street
Wasaga Beach  ON L9Z 1A1
election@wasagabeach.com
(705) 429-3844 ext. 2223

Sandra Watts
Director of Strategic Communications & Intergovernmental Affairs
Email Sandra