Hewitt’s Creek Drain

The Town of Innisfil is improving a portion of the Hewitt’s Creek Drain. Created in 1901 as an Award Drain and incorporated as a municipal drain in 1934, this municipal drain collects water from more than 600 hectares within the Town and directs it towards Lake Simcoe.

Municipal drains are formed through partnerships between the municipality and landowners, who share costs and maintenance as per the Ontario Drainage Act.

Public meeting 

In a Notice of Public Meeting mailed to people with property in the watershed, we encouraged residents to attend a public meeting in June 2022 to discuss this drain improvement project.

Project stages

Discover the various project stages that will lead to the implementation of the necessary improvements to the municipal drain. View our staff report to Council, recommending the improvements.

Step one: Engineer's Report

In 2022, the Town appointed consultant R.J. Burnside to prepare an Engineer's Report outlining all the aspects on the proposed improvement project, including, but not limited to:

• Allowances payable to owners directly affected by the works;
• Estimate of the cost of the improvement work
  • Estimated cost sharing amounts for all property owners within the watershed
• Maps of the area
• Drawings of the proposed improvements

As the consultant prepares the report, landowners will continue to receive notifications on the project stages. View the Town's Staff Report outlining the appointment of R. J. Burnside to undertake the work.

Once complete, the Engineer will file the Final Engineer’s Report with the Town Clerk and Council will confirm their intent to proceed with the drainage works. View our staff report to Council, recommending the intent to proceed.

Step two: Provisional By-law passed

Town Council will adopt a provisional by-law accepting the Engineer's Report. View our staff report to Council, provisionally adopting the Engineer’s Report.

Step three: Appeals are heard

Three separate bodies may hear appeals to the Engineer's Report based on the type of appeal brought forward. These include:

• Court of Revision (municipal level review)
  • Hears appeals to the assessment values found in the report
• Tribunal (provincial level tribunal)
  • Hears appeals to the Court of Revision's decision
  • Hears appeals to the technical aspects of the report
• Drainage Referee (provincial level court)
  • Hears appeals to the Tribunal's decision regarding technical aspects of the report
  • Hears appeals to the legal aspects of the project

Step four: Final approval of the Engineer's Report

After all appeals have been addressed appropriately, Town Council must give the report final approval in order to authorize construction. This occurs via final reading of the project's by-law.

Step five: Tendering and construction of the project

As indicated in the Engineer’s Report, this project is being undertaken by the County of Simcoe. The County will be tendering and constructing the project according to the design outlined in the Engineer’s Report.

Step six: Post-construction activities

After construction is finished, the Town will work to complete the project by:

• Amending the by-law to reflect actual costs
• Registering the by-law

Council will make a decision about the manner and timeframe that property owners will have to remit payment for the project.

Step seven: Final appeal

If property owners find the work done by the contractor to be unsatisfactory, they can make appeals to the Tribunal.

Project documents

You can review project documents for detailed information.