Township of Blandford-Blenheim Council Notes

Notes from the regular Council meeting, which was held on Wednesday, November 19, 2025.

Addition of Corporal Richard Ruscoe’s Name to the Drumbo Cenotaph

Joanna Taylor and Blake Hughes of the Drumbo & District Heritage Society approached Council about adding Corporal Richard Ruscoe’s Name to the Drumbo Cenotaph.

Ruscoe was a World War One soldier who served in the 168th Battalion (Manitoba Regiment) of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. 

Discharged on August 8, 1918 due to severe illness, Ruscoe died two months later at Euclid Hall Military Hospital in Toronto and was buried in Drumbo Cemetery.

After some discussion, the Council later approved the inscription. 

Correspondence

1. Niagara-on-the-Lake re: Endorse the Development of a Code of Conduct for Human Trafficking Prevention in Niagara Region

Township of Blandford-Blenheim Council supported Niagara-on-the-Lake’s resolution in regards to developing a code of conduct for human trafficking prevention in the Niagara region. 

With the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake officially recognizing that human trafficking in Niagara has serious impacts on the health and wellness of its residents and their families, as well as negative economic impacts on local businesses and the communities, the town officially endorsed Tools of Empowerment for Success (TOES) Niagara and Brock University’s mission to develop a code of conduct for the prevention of human trafficking in the Niagara region.

The Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake also committed to “reviewing and assessing the applicable local government sectoral guidelines and responsibilities outlined in The Code upon its finalization, with the intent to implement measures that align with Regional priorities and capacity.”

During the meeting, Councillor Tina Young said that while the issue may not directly impact Blandford-Blenheim, she thought it was important to support the work.

“They’re [Niagara-on-the-Lake] working to increase awareness, provide resources and education, and also prevention strategies in regards to human trafficking,” she said. “…Ontario has consistently recorded one of the highest rates of police-reported human trafficking among Canadian provinces, and approximately two thirds of human trafficking victims are under the age of 25, with the age of 13 being the average that someone’s recruited. I do think it’s important that the work they’re doing is increasing awareness and sparking some conversations, so that communities as a whole can have some of that safety.”

The correspondence was then received and Council unanimously voted to publicly support the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake’s motion.

2. Elect Respect Pledge

With many municipalities across the province supporting the Elect Respect campaign, which encourages local leaders to take action to promote civility and address the harassment of those who run and serve in public office, the Township of Blandford-Blenheim has now joined them.

During the meeting, Council voted in favour of supporting the principles of the Elect Respect pledge to:

• “Treat all persons with dignity and respect in public, private, and online spaces; 
• Reject and call out harassment, threats, unlawful discrimination, and personal abuse;
• Focus public debate on policies and ideas, rather than personal attacks or identity-based commentary;
• Build a culture of safety and inclusion, ensuring that individuals of all genders, identities, backgrounds, races, sexual orientations, ages, and abilities feel empowered to run for and serve in public office; 
• Call on relevant authorities to investigate and respond to threats or harassment directed at elected officials, in accordance with applicable laws;
• Model accountability and integrity by holding ourselves and one another to clear, transparent, and legally grounded standards of conduct; 
• Defend freedom of expression while actively opposing abuse and intimidation in all forms.”

A copy of the resolution will be sent to the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), Members of Provincial and Federal Parliament (MPPs and MPs), the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), the County of Oxford and all area municipalities within, Halton Elected Representatives (H.E.R.), and Canadian Association of Feminist Parliamentarians.

Speaking to the resolution, Young said while she feels lucky to feel supported in her role and to have respectful conversations, that’s not always the case for others. 

“When social media comes into play, we’ve seen that it can change things very quickly and result in a lot of negativity and disrespect. …When people aren’t treated with dignity and respect, it can limit conversations, and when I read about people not wanting to, or being deterred from, sitting at this table because they’ve witnessed some of the behaviour that happens out in the world, that’s kind of alarming for me,” she said. “We want people to feel that they can be an advocate for our community, and if they’re deterred from that because of the way other people are treated, or how they may be treated, that’s alarming. I just think it’s important that we show we value respectful interactions, and we want to encourage a community where people feel safe and empowered.”

After Councillors Nancy Demarest and Bruce Banbury, as well as Mayor Mark Peterson, made their own comments about the increase in harassment and how it could deter others from running for Council, the vote to adopt the pledge was unanimously carried. 

3. Suzy Birley re: Blandford-Blenheim Helping Hands Food Bank

Suzy Birley from the Blandford-Blenheim Helping Hands Food Bank recently requested the Township’s assistance in finding a stable, municipally owned space where food inventory can be stored.

In her correspondence, Birley noted that the food bank has traditionally been housed in privately owned residential spaces.

“While these arrangements have been greatly appreciated, they have proven to be unstable over time,” she wrote. “In the past two years alone, the food bank has been required to relocate due to property sales and changes in private ownership. A temporary space was secured recently; however, the current location is also uncertain, as the property owners are considering future changes.”

Birley stressed that the food bank was not asking the Township to operate, fund or manage the operation, but to simply consider providing a suitable space for storage. 

“The food bank really needs a permanent home for this. Their intention is never to have a retail space where people show up, it’s really just a place to store the food so that Suzy and her volunteers can manage the inventory,” said Demarest. “We do have underutilized space in the Township, and I don’t think it’s a big stretch to think of at least a couple places where we can set up a dedicated area for the food bank. …We have such a viable food bank, it gets so much support and I’d hate to see something happen just because we didn’t have a place to store food.”

Council later received the request and directed staff to work with Birley to find a suitable location.

Staff Reports

Building Department monthly report for October

The report, prepared by Ray Belanger, Chief Building Official, provided the following update in regards to the activities of the Township’s Building Department.

In October, the building department issued a total of 13 building permits, totaling to a construction value of $1,646,614.

Protective Services Department monthly report for October

The report, prepared by Drew Davidson, Director of Protective Services, provided the following update in regards to the activities of the Township’s Protective Services Department.

Davidson said October was a busy and productive month for the local fire departments, some of the highlights including:

• The recruitment of four new volunteers firefighters, three at Bright Fire Station #84 and one at Drumbo Fire Station #82.
• Hosting open houses and visiting schools to promote fire safety and community awareness during Fire Prevention Week.
• Continuing construction work on Princeton Fire Station #81. Underground services have been completed, grading is nearly finished and the framing is underway.
• Partaking in regional collaboration with the Office of the Fire Marshal to plan for 2026 training opportunities.
• Applying to host the Mobile Live Fire Training Unit in May 2026.

Community Services Reports

Trevor Baer, Blandford-Blenheim’s Director of Community Services, came to council with the following two reports:

1. Facility Booking Policy for the Township of Blandford-Blenheim.

Township staff have been working on establishing a Facility Booking Policy to ensure that the booking process for community halls, arenas, ball diamonds, pavilions, and other outdoor spaces is transparent, consistent, and fair to all users. 

“Currently, the Township requires groups and individuals booking township-owned facilities to enter into a Rental Agreement. Events with alcohol present are required to submit specific documentation such as proof of special occasion permit from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, Smart Serve Certificates, and event liability insurance,” said Baer. “Renters that indicate through the Rental Agreement that no alcohol will be present are currently not required to provide any further documentation. The Township Fees and Charges By-law set out the rates for each facility. A booking fee of 30 per cent of the total booking cost is currently collected in order to secure the booking.”

The policy will also provide clear guidance to staff and the public on how facility use is prioritized, scheduled, and managed.

Key components of the policy includes: 

• “Booking Priorities – Returning user groups will receive first right of refusal prior to opening bookings to the public. 
• Application Process – All bookings must be submitted through the Township’s designated booking system or approved form. 
• Payment and Insurance Requirements –  Clear timelines for deposits, payments, and proof of insurance. 
• Cancellations and Refunds – Standardized procedures for cancellations initiated by either the Township or the renter. 
• Use of Outdoor Spaces – Guidelines for pavilion, park, and sports field bookings, including coordination with local leagues and community events.

Staff later unanimously approved the new policy.

2. Princeton Park Fencing

Back in August, Council discussed options surrounding a request from two Princeton home owners living adjacent to Princeton Park in regards to addressing persistent trespassing.

“Issues reported include children entering yards and safety/security concerns due to the high-traffic nature of the park near the pavilion and washroom building,” said Baer. “Both parties expressed interest in a cost-sharing agreement if a boundary fence could be installed to define and secure the edge of the park. …While the Township is not liable for incidents occurring on private property, awareness of ongoing trespassing can create reputational and legal exposure if the Township takes no steps to address it. Installing signage or a boundary fence are both considered reasonable mitigation approaches.”

During the most recent meeting, Baer came forward with multiple options, and after some lengthy discussions, Council ultimately decided to go with the shared-cost wood fence option.

The total cost will be around $8,000 and the Township will contribute to 50 per cent of the cost. While it was noted that the owner could opt for a different type of fence, the municipality’s contribution is capped at $4,000. The Township’s contribution will be included in the 2026 operating budget and funded through general taxation.

Kimberly De Jong’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative.The funding allows her to report rural and agricultural stories from Blandford-Blenheim and Brant County. Reach her at kimberly.dejong@brantbeacon.ca.