AUGUSTA O N T A R I O A COMMUNITY OF OPPORTUNITY WWW.AUGUSTA.CA
AUGUSTA, ON A COMMUNIT OF OPPORTU AT A GLANCE AUGUSTA TOWNSHIP, ONTARIO WHAT: A growing rural community in Eastern Ontario, with much to offer WHERE: The United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, Ontario, Canada WEBSITE: www.augusta.ca WELCOMING ECONOMIC EXPANSION WITH AN EYE TO TRADITION 1 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 07
TY UNITY A hidden gem in Eastern Ontario, Augusta Township is working to redefine its identity, thoughtfully preserving its rural charm while welcoming development and economic opportunity. Located between the city of Brockville and the town of Prescott, this growing community has a prime location on Ontario’s busiest corridor, and is becoming a vibrant place to visit, live and invest. 2 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 07
“We have the best logistical location for industry in Ontario,” boasts Mayor Jeff Shaver. “We are 10 kilometers from the Port of Johnstown. We have the country’s main rail running through our industrial park. We are close to two international airports. We are next to the 401 and 416 highways, and we’re in between two bridges to the U.S. For those reasons, we have had many inquiries from global companies looking to come into our location over the last two years.” BUILDING COMMUNITY AND PLANNING FOR GROWTH Augusta’s personality shines through its series of small settlement areas, each with their own distinct character, shaped by the generations of families who have called the township home. “One small little settlement may have a Labor Day parade, another one may have a Canada Day Parade, and another one’s known for something else. So, it’s really a good mix of the community,” describes Mayor Shaver. These communities are equipped with recreation facilities and a community survey has identified the importance of these spaces to Augusta’s 7,500 residents. To support this, the township has made major investments into revitalizing them over the past two years, with the help of a $2.9 million Canada Community Revitalization Fund (CCRF) grant. Mayor Shaver recounts, “We invested that into the recreation halls and parks. Of course, right at that time, pickleball caught on, so we put in a few of those courts too. Our residents wanted to see more recreation and enjoy it, and we accomplished that.” In an effort to showcase what makes the area special, the township’s Economic Development and Tourism Committee is working on an interactive map that will help guide visitors to key points of interest in the community. “They have been working really hard on marketing Augusta and what we have to offer, so that we can get tourists to come to our area, experience the community and some of the sightseeing opportunities we have here,” CAO, Shannon Geraghty shares. “Hopefully they will go back and tell their families and friends how beautiful this area is and look at relocating.” INNOVATIVE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT With the goal of providing diverse housing options, Augusta Township has welcomed CABN, a Canadian housing technology company, who plan to develop a 67-unit, net-zero, micro grid community. “We’re excited about that, because a lot of people are moving from the GTA, or from Ottawa and Montreal, 3 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 07 AUGUSTA, ON
With no existing municipal water and sewer services, Augusta partnered with Prescott and neighboring South Grenville municipalities to successfully secure a $24 million grant through the Housing Enabling Water and Sewer Fund. The funding will allow the township to extend services from Prescott to the Merwin Lane development area, an initiative that has already attracted interest from multiple housing developers. and they’re coming to municipalities like us,” says Shaver. “We have that slower pace of life. We have the river, which is great, all sorts of historical things, Limerick Forest, and every sport you can think of.” Augusta is also undertaking water and sewer projects to support future residential development. “The only way the township can grow is through expanding our settlement areas,” the mayor explains. 4 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 07
“We call that area Riverside Heights, and that’s about half a kilometer from the town of Prescott,” Shaver reports.“Right now, we are estimating about 2000 homes for that area. We’ve got three different developers wanting in and they’re going ahead.” INFRASTRUCTURE, INDUSTRIAL EXPANSION AND BUSINESS ATTRACTION As the township works to ensure that critical infrastructure is in place, the Augusta Industrial Park is attracting interest from companies across North America.“We’ve got four players now that are interested in coming to our industrial park, which is great,” expands Mayor Shaver. “ In the meantime, we need more power, more gas, and any water we can get. I’m a firm believer in ‘If you build it, they will come.’” Recent developments include the establishment of 5 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 07 AUGUSTA, ON
Carleton Mushroom’s $68 million facility, a significant investment in the local economy. Additionally, a Dutch company plans to construct 21-acres of greenhouses in the area, with each greenhouse valued at approximately $50 million.“Those are the sort of things that will help this township,” Shaver asserts. “And of course, when you bring companies in like that, you have support companies, which is great for the community.” Moving forward Augusta Township continues to make investments that accommodate both current industry and future growth. Geraghty details, “A lot of the companies that we have been dealing with in the past have really high electricity demands, so we’ve been working actively with the Minister of Energy and Mines and really trying to advocate to ensure that we’ve got the availability for power when companies want to relocate here.” In addition, a proposed on/off-ramp at Highway 401 will help to divert heavy truck traffic away from residential streets. Geraghty acknowledges the importance of these improvements in attracting new businesses to the area. “Time is money for these companies, and they can’t wait 2,3,4,5, years for infrastructure to be built,” he says. “It needs to be built now, and that’s how I’ve seen this council working. They’re not looking at today, they’re looking at setting themselves up for the future.” halpenny.com (613) 722-7626 | info@halpenny.com The trusted insurance broker for Augusta Township and municipalities across Ontario for over 80 years. 6 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 07
PRIORITIZING CONNECTIVITY AND EDUCATION Along with the beautiful surroundings, and a high quality of life, Augusta’s appeal to newcomers often comes down to the availability of reliable high-speed internet and access to local schooling. With this in mind, the township commissioned an independent IPT (Internet Performance Test) survey last year to map existing speeds across North Augusta, Maynard, Maitland, and other villages.Thanks to that data, and a council member with IT expertise, the township has secured commitments from Bell and Cogeco to roll out fibre to every corner of Augusta by the end of 2025, a benefit for both new developments and existing homes. In 2018, when Augusta faced the potential closure of its sole K–6 school, Shaver took up the cause. “I said, I’m going to push for school,” he recalls, noting that he has since led delegations before both the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) and Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA). “I think we’ve got to a point where we’re going to be successful. We’ll end up closing two 1950 schools, our own and Prescott’s, and building a brand new school.” REGIONAL PARTNERSHIPS Geraghty emphasizes that partnerships with neighboring municipalities have been vital to the township’s ability to provide quality services and amenities despite its small size. “We know that water and sewer is a big component of bringing residential housing in, and certainly housing is what gets people to relocate to Augusta,” he notes. “But we’re in between Brockville and Prescott, which has the arenas, the grocery stores and all of that. We’ve been very strong collaborators with our neighboring municipalities, to create opportunities for us to thrive together.” As part of these efforts, Augusta has donated $75,000 toward the walking track at Prescott’s new arena and contributed to the construction of a new water tower in the town. As the township continues to grow, collaborations with neighbouring municipalities and communities within the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville are important. “We’ve done a really good job on 7 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 07 AUGUSTA, ON
Jeff Shaver, Mayor Shannon Geraghty, CAO 8 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 07
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utilizing everybody’s skill set and abilities to improve our community,” underscores Geraghty. Augusta is also part of the St. Lawrence Economic Development Corridor, which consists of a consortium of six neighboring towns and townships. Represented by each mayor and a local business leader, the corridor meets monthly to exchange updates, explore projects and facilitate introductions to potential investors, including angel networks. “There’s been a lot of success with that here in this area,” remarks Mayor Shaver.“That’s how we build the whole community. It’s all about collaboration.” LOOKING AHEAD As Augusta Township moves forward into a bright future, the focus will remain on water and sewer infrastructure, housing growth, and the new school. “To me, they all go hand in hand,” says Geraghty. “As you build more housing, your capacity for schools is more important. In the next 18 to 24 months, I see Augusta making our mark.” With an ideal location and available land, Mayor Shaver has also prioritized raising the township’s profile.“Nobody knows who we are or where we are,” he remarks.“We are on the busiest highway in North America, and we’re not telling anybody we’re here.” “Hopefully, a sign will go up this year that says, ‘Welcome to Augusta Township, A community of opportunity.’ We’re logistically situated in a great place, but it’s been a secret. It’s time to get that open,” he concludes. PREFERRED VENDOR/PARTNER n Halpenny www.halpenny.com Halpenny Insurance Brokers has been the trusted insurance broker and partner of choice for municipalities in Eastern Ontario for over 80 years! Over 25 municipalities currently rely on Halpenny for their risk management solutions and extensive insurance advice. Our specialities include property, cyber, automobile, liability, employee benefits programs and group retirement services. 10 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 07
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