Archives: News Articles

News Article Description

Premier Doug Ford – 2023 Good Roads Conference

Honourable Doug Ford to Address Municipal Conference

Good Roads Welcomes the Premier of Ontario to Address Municipal Officials During Annual Conference

April 14, 2023, Oakville, ON – Ontario’s Premier, Doug Ford, is set to address more than 1,500 attendees during the 2023 Good Roads Conference taking place at the Fairmont Royal York in downtown Toronto.

The annual conference brings together different levels of government from Ontario over four days focusing on municipal transportation, and infrastructure topics.  With over 80 sessions, a variety of speakers, study tours and a sold-out exhibitor hall, the Good Roads Conference is one of the most historic and largest municipal conferences in the province.

“The importance of this conference is the connectivity our roads give us in building sustainable and healthy communities. Safe roads are crucial to healthy communities and our elected officials working in conjunction with municipal staff, such as public works and engineering professionals is a perfect combination to create safer roads.” said Scott Butler, Executive Director, Good Roads. “Our conference is the gateway to connecting the right people and making safer solutions and infrastructure. Take for example our Rural Road Safety Initiative, where we are looking at the most dangerous intersections and creating road audits to improve the incident rate.” continued Mr. Butler.

Premier Doug Ford is scheduled to take the stage on Monday, April 17th at 9:00am. You must be registered to attend this event. For media passes, please contact Rachel Swiednicki.

Good Roads is a municipal association concerned with the advancement of roads and other infrastructure in Ontario. Based in Oakville, Ontario, we have been devoted to the cause of better roads since 1894. Originally known as the Ontario Good Roads Association (and still using that name corporately), we have more than 450 member governments, including most of Ontario’s municipalities and a growing number of First Nations, as well as dozens of affiliated corporate members in the transportation and infrastructure sectors. Our purpose, in part, is to connect our members to each other, to other levels of government, and to relevant companies in the private sector. Our members look to us for training, knowledge, political advocacy, and answers to their most pressing problems. Good Roads is resolutely independent.

-30-

Western Ontario Wardens Caucus Support Good Roads Safer Municipal Roads

The Western Ontario Wardens’ Caucus (WOWC) joined Good Roads (originally known as the Ontario Good Roads Association) in calling on the Province of Ontario to work collaboratively with municipalities across rural Ontario to make roads safer, as well as improve risk management, community connectivity, and economic development.

Given that the 15 members of the WOWC represent approximately 300 communities across rural Southwestern Ontario, the Caucus recently supported Good Roads’ Plan to Build Safer Rural Roads and Address Municipal Liability, specifically the request to work in conjunction with the Ontario Ministry of Transportation to design and administer a program to provide municipalities with access to a pool of funding to enhance road safety and to repair and upgrade targeted sections of rural roads deemed unsafe.

Click here for the full media release from the Western Ontario Wardens’ Caucus (WOWC)

Province Approves One Call Act Regulation

On April 14, 2022, the Getting Ontario Connected Act received Royal Assent, marking a major milestone in ensuring the safety of underground infrastructure in the province. The Act amended the Ontario Underground Infrastructure Notification System Act (One Call Act) to address the current challenges faced by the locate delivery system. The changes aimed to enhance governance and oversight of Ontario One Call and improve its compliance tools with the overall goal of delivering quicker utility locate deliveries.

Strengthening Compliance and Enforcement

One of the key changes introduced by the Getting Ontario Connected Act is the authority granted to Ontario One Call to issue administrative penalties against non-compliant members and excavators in the industry, including municipalities. To implement this regime, a new regulation was developed that outlines the details of the administrative monetary penalties. This is intended to strengthen Ontario One Call’s enforcement and compliance framework by providing an additional tool to promote compliance with the One Call Act.

Stakeholder Feedback and Final Approval

The Ministry considered stakeholder feedback received from consultations held via the Ontario Regulatory Registry and industry roundtables, including that of Good Roads and its members. Good Roads had raised concerns relating to penalties as well as implementation and the use of funds collected through fines. On January 30, 2023, the Minister approved and signed the regulation, which will take effect on April 1, 2023. The regulation along with the finalized administrative monetary penalties can be viewed here.

Use of Funds

The regulation captures important details such as penalty amounts and the use of funds. The funds collected as administrative penalties serve several important purposes, including:

  1. Education and Awareness
    • To provide education to persons involved in the identification of underground infrastructure, including excavators, locators, and members of Ontario One Call. This education is critical in ensuring that everyone involved in the excavation process understands the importance of safe digging and the potential consequences of failing to do so.
  2. Promoting Safe Digging Practices
    • To raise public awareness of the need for safe digging and to promote safe digging practices. This can help reduce the number of incidents of damage to underground infrastructure, which can be costly and disruptive.
  3. Improving Timely Responses to Locate Requests
    • To support and improve timely responses to locate requests. This includes improving One Call’s mapping information systems, supporting and promoting the use of dedicated locators, encouraging more people to become locators, and carrying out research and consultations to support the locate request process.
  4. Funding Administration of the System of Administrative Penalties
    • To fund the administration of the system of administrative penalties. This includes the costs associated with implementing and enforcing the penalty regime, as well as any other administrative costs associated with One Call’s work in promoting safe digging practices.

Looking Ahead

Details pertaining to the administration and implementation of the system will be communicated by Ontario One Call in the near future. Good Roads will continue monitoring the issue and post updates as necessary.

Good Roads Welcomes Mayor of Hornepayne To Executive Board

Good Roads Welcomes Mayor of Hornepayne To Executive Board

Municipal Association Is Pleased to Have Mayor Cheryl Fort Win A Seat As Third Vice-President

November 30, 2022, Oakville, ON – At the November 24th meeting of the Good Roads Board of Directors (BOD) in Toronto, Ontario a vote was held for the position of Third Vice-President.

Cheryl Fort, Mayor of Hornepayne, was unanimously elected. Fort has been on the board since 2019.

“Helping Good Roads achieve their aspirations of improving municipal roads and infrastructure in Ontario aligns with the work I’d like to accomplish for all of Ontario. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as Third VP. It is my hope that we can continue to build bridges between municipalities and First Nation communities with the common goal of improving infrastructure, and in some cases creating it.” said Ms. Fort.

Ms. Fort is the first Indigenous Board member in Good Roads’ 128-year history.

“Local governments play an important role in the lives of all Ontarians. Cheryl is an important voice who reminds us of how municipalities can address northern and indigenous issues,” said Scott Butler, Good Roads’ Executive Director. “Cheryl’s leadership will be critical in meeting these challenges.” continued Butler.

Good Roads will be searching to fill three vacant board positions in the Spring of 2023.

To learn more about Good Roads and the role they play in our daily lives, visit www.GoodRoads.ca

Good Roads is a municipal association concerned with the advancement of roads and other infrastructure in Ontario. Based in Oakville, Ontario, we have been devoted to the cause of better roads since 1894. Originally known as the Ontario Good Roads Association (and still using that name corporately), we have more than 450 member governments, including most of Ontario’s municipalities and a growing number of First Nations, as well as dozens of affiliated corporate members in the transportation and infrastructure sectors. Our purpose, in part, is to connect our members to each other, to other levels of government, and to relevant companies in the private sector. Our members look to us for training, knowledge, political advocacy, and answers to their most pressing problems. Good Roads is resolutely independent.

 -30-

 

For more information, please contact:

Rachel Swiednicki

Manager, Communications and Marketing

Good Roads

1525 Cornwall Road, Unit 22

Oakville, ON L6J 0B2

905-630-0542

rachel@goodroads.ca

www.GoodRoads.ca

Call for Nominations to the 2023-2024 Good Roads Board of Directors

Download a nomination form here

Pursuant to Good Roads Policy B-008, the Nominating Committee of the 2022-2023 Good Roads Board of Directors will present a slate of 11 directors to attendees at the Annual Good Roads Conference taking place April 16 – April 19, 2023, at the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto, Ontario.

The Good Roads Board of Directors understands the strength that diversity provides and is committed to achieving equity and inclusion on its leadership team. Women and individuals from equity seeking groups are encouraged to apply.

The following directors will automatically serve on the 2022-2023 Board of Directors:

  • President: John Parsons – Division Manager, Road Operations, City of London;
  • First Vice-President: Antoine Boucher – Director of Public Works and Engineering, Municipality of East Ferris;
  • Second Vice-President: Cheryl Fort – Mayor, Township of Hornepayne; and
  • Immediate Past President: Paul Schoppmann – Municipality of-Charles.

The Nominating Committee will put forward a slate comprised from Good Roads’ municipal and First Nations membership. The slate will satisfy the geographic requirements prescribed in Section 12 of the Constitution as well as the criteria in Policy B-008.

The following vacancies need to be filled:

City of Toronto 1 Vacancy
The City of Toronto Zone consists of the City of Toronto.
South Central Zone 2 Vacancies
The South Central Zone consists of the municipalities within and First Nations adjacent to the Counties of Dufferin, Grey, Simcoe, and Wellington, and municipalities in and including the Regional Municipalities of Durham, Halton, Niagara, Peel and York, and the City of Hamilton.
Southeast Zone 1 Vacancy
The Southeast Zone consists of the municipalities within and First Nations adjacent to the Counties of Frontenac, Haliburton, Hastings, Lanark, Leeds and Grenville, Lennox and Addington, Northumberland, Peterborough, Prescott and Russell, Prince Edward, Renfrew, and Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry, and the Cities of Kawartha Lakes and Ottawa.
Southwest Zone 1 Vacancy
The Southwest Zone consists of the municipalities within and First Nations adjacent to the Counties of Brant, Bruce, Elgin, Essex, Haldimand, Huron, Lambton, Middlesex, Norfolk, Oxford, and Perth, the municipality of Chatham-Kent, and municipalities in and including the Regional Municipality of Waterloo.

Access the Good Roads Zone Map here.

There are no vacancies in the Northern Zone.

Those elected shall serve for a two-year term ending on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.

Any member of Council or a permanent full-time staff from a Good Roads member municipality or First Nation who is interested in being considered as a candidate for a position on the Board of Directors must complete the attached Nomination Consent form found below and submit it along with a résumé to the attention of Rick Harms, Chair of the Nominating Committee no later than 1700 h Eastern Time on Monday, January 16, 2023. Nominations can be emailed to info@goodroads.ca or mailed to Good Roads, 1525 Cornwall Road, Unit 22, Oakville, Ontario L6J 0B2.

The Nominating Committee will meet on January 18, 2023, to recommend a slate of directors to the membership. The Nominating Committee is comprised of the following directors:

  • Chair: Dave Burton, Immediate Past President
  • Vice Chair: Rick Harms, Past President
  • Members: Melissa Abercrombie, Good Roads Director; Chris Angelo, Good Roads Director; Antoine Boucher, Good Roads Second Vice-President

Questions regarding the nomination process or serving on the Board of Directors can be directed to Scott Butler at scott@goodroads.ca or 416-564-4319.

MTO Releases Guidelines on Administrative Penalties for Contraventions Captured by Automated Cameras

The Ministry of Transportation (MTO) has released program guidelines for the new regulation on Administrative Penalties for Vehicle-Based Contraventions Captured by Automated Cameras. Good Roads is pleased to see MTO move forward with this guidance as municipalities have been eager to move forward with the abilities granted through the regulation. The guidelines can be found here. Please contact MTO (roadsafety@ontario.ca) or Good Roads for further guidance.

County of Essex Named Innovative Service Delivery Winner

April 20, 2022, Oakville, ON – Congratulations to the County of Essex for winning the 2021 John Niedra Better Practices Competition, Innovative Service Delivery category. The award was announced during the 2022 Good Roads Conference in Toronto, April 10-13, 2022.

“The competition showcases the ingenuity of municipal employees and recognizes innovations and achievements that improve the efficiency of municipal transportation and public works services and operations.” said Scott Butler, Executive Director, Good Roads.

“Essex was recognized with the award for its durable pavement paint markings. The durability of thermoplastic paint markings can be significantly extended if they are made flush with the surrounding concrete pavement. In 2013, the County of Essex developed an internal construction process to provide special paint markings (arrows and yield blocks) that are maintenance-free and flush with the pavement surface. In 2021, the paint marking looks as good as new compared to other paint markings constructed on top of the finished surface. The county expects that they will last another fifteen (15) years. This innovative service has eliminated the need to re-paint the markings resulting in a savings of approximately $5,000 per marking.” said Dr. James Smith, Manager of Research and Technical Products.

Every year Good Roads recognizes municipal, First Nation and corporate member projects that help improve the quality of life of residents.

Good Roads is a municipal association concerned with the advancement of roads and other infrastructure in Ontario. Based in Oakville, Ontario, we have been devoted to the cause of better roads since 1894. Originally known as the Ontario Good Roads Association (and still using that name corporately), we have more than 450 member governments, including most of Ontario’s municipalities and a growing number of First Nations, as well as dozens of affiliated corporate members in the transportation and infrastructure sectors. Our purpose, in part, is to connect our members to each other, to other levels of government, and to relevant companies in the private sector. Our members look to us for training, knowledge, political advocacy, and answers to their most pressing problems. Good Roads is resolutely independent.

For more information, please contact:
Rachel Swiednicki
Manager, Communications and Marketing
Good Roads
1525 Cornwall Road, Unit 22
Oakville, ON L6J 0B2
P. 289-291-OGRA (6472) ext. 30
C. 905-630-0542

Town of Midland Wins Municipal Concrete Project Award

April 20, 2022, Oakville, ON – Congratulations to the Town of Town of Midland, Tatham Engineering and Arnott Construction for winning the Municipal Concrete Award. The award was sponsored by Concrete Ontario and presented during the 2022 Good Roads Conference, April 10-13 in Toronto.

“This award is meant to showcase the forward-thinking work that is being done by our municipal and corporate members in providing safe and innovative infrastructure to Ontarians.” said Scott Butler, Executive Director, Good Roads. “The award recognizes the successful collaboration between the municipalities and contractors for project excellence and innovation.” Said Dr. James Smith, Manager, Research and Technical Product, Good Roads.

“We are always astounded by the level of creativity and beauty that can be achieved using local construction materials when everyone on a project works collaboratively to implement durable and resilient construction solutions.” said Bart Kanters, President, Concrete Ontario.

The project stood out because of the unique concrete design streetscape and quality of workmanship. During the two-year reconstruction of the downtown core, the town incorporated the adjacent boulevards to enhance the streetscape and improve functionality and layout. The Projects Team’s selection of concrete material and finished helped achieve this goal. This included coloured concrete, custom concrete benches and curbs, and the use of concrete pavers in the promenade, street parking areas, and crosswalk areas. In addition, the project was completed on time and within budget while access to local businesses was maintained over the entire project.

Every year Good Roads recognizes municipal, First Nation and corporate member projects that help improve the quality of life of residents.

Good Roads is a municipal association concerned with the advancement of roads and other infrastructure in Ontario. Based in Oakville, Ontario, we have been devoted to the cause of better roads since 1894. Originally known as the Ontario Good Roads Association (and still using that name corporately), we have more than 450 member governments, including most of Ontario’s municipalities and a growing number of First Nations, as well as dozens of affiliated corporate members in the transportation and infrastructure sectors. Our purpose, in part, is to connect our members to each other, to other levels of government, and to relevant companies in the private sector. Our members look to us for training, knowledge, political advocacy, and answers to their most pressing problems. Good Roads is resolutely independent.

For more information, please contact:
Rachel Swiednicki
Manager, Communications and Marketing
Good Roads
1525 Cornwall Road, Unit 22
Oakville, ON L6J 0B2
P. 289-291-OGRA (6472) ext. 30
C. 905-630-0542

Regional Municipality of York Win Municipal Paving Award

April 20, 2022, Oakville, ON – Congratulations to the Regional Municipality of York and Brennan Paving and Construction Ltd for winning the 2021 Municipal Paving Award presented during the 2022 Good Roads Conference, April 10-13 in Toronto.

“The Fifth annual municipal paving award recognizes the successful collaboration between the municipalities and contractors for project excellence and innovation in terms of paving projects. York won for the work they did on Kennedy Road near a school crossing zone.” said Scott Butler, Executive Director, Good Roads.

“Several factors contributed to the Municipality of York winning, including the use of environment-friendly warm mix technology that allowed for lower production temperature, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, reduced fumes and orders, and faster re-opening to traffic, resulting in overall cost savings. The project was completed on time and on budget, but more importantly, they consulted with local stakeholders in the area and included AODA intersection improvements, along with paving operations that had to be done in high-traffic areas during peak times.” said Dr. James Smith, Manager of Research and Technical Products.

Every year Good Roads recognizes municipal, First Nation and corporate member projects that help improve the quality of life of residents.

Good Roads is a municipal association concerned with the advancement of roads and other infrastructure in Ontario. Based in Oakville, Ontario, we have been devoted to the cause of better roads since 1894. Originally known as the Ontario Good Roads Association (and still using that name corporately), we have more than 450 member governments, including most of Ontario’s municipalities and a growing number of First Nations, as well as dozens of affiliated corporate members in the transportation and infrastructure sectors. Our purpose, in part, is to connect our members to each other, to other levels of government, and to relevant companies in the private sector. Our members look to us for training, knowledge, political advocacy, and answers to their most pressing problems. Good Roads is resolutely independent.

For more information, please contact:
Rachel Swiednicki
Manager, Communications and Marketing
Good Roads
1525 Cornwall Road, Unit 22
Oakville, ON L6J 0B2
P. 289-291-OGRA (6472) ext. 30
C. 905-630-0542