Dufferin County Council met on March 26, 2026 for a Council meeting. For the full Council meeting agenda and minutes, please see the County’s Meeting Agendas and Minutes page.

Here are the highlights of the March 26 meeting:

• Dufferin County’s Director of Health and Human Services shared details of the accreditation achieved by Dufferin Oaks Long Term Care Home
• Dufferin Chief of Paramedic Services provided a report on 2025 response times
• Dufferin County’s Director of Community Development and Tourism reported on a new Building Services Agreement
• Dufferin County to award a change order to AECOM to complete the Zoning By-Law amendment for the new Southern Operations Centre land
• Dufferin County directed to proceed with the Full Corridor-Wide Schedule C Municipal Class Environmental Assessment, including segments of Dufferin Road 109, Riddell Road, and the South Arterial Road portion of Dufferin Road 109
• County Council receive report on the Zina Street Courthouse renovation status update and options analysis, direct staff to work with involved stakeholders to review needs and work with Mettko to defer original scopes of work to fully explore and understand options

Dufferin Oaks and Dufferin County Community Support Services (DCCSS) completed the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) Accreditation program in December 2025. Dufferin Oaks was provided with a three-year Accreditation, which is the highest award possible.

The Accreditation process included staff from Dufferin Oaks, DCCSS, People and Equity, Finance and IT. Staff, residents, clients, family members, contractors and other stakeholders were key members throughout the survey. In addition to team interviews during the survey, over 800 documents were reviewed by the surveyors. There were several strengths identified in the report, with areas for improvement that the County will include its Quality Improvement Plan to be submitted to CARF.

Once accredited, the Ministry of Long-Term Care provides $0.41 per resident day for each year the home maintains accreditation. For Dufferin Oaks, this equates to $23,944 per year in dedicated funding to support ongoing quality and operational excellence.

Paramedic Services are required to report Response Time to the Ontario Ministry of Health every year no later than March 31 for the prior year.

For 2025, Dufferin County Paramedic Service exceeded all targeted response times.

Dufferin County’s Director of Community Development and Tourism reported on new building services agreements. The County currently provides building services to six municipalities within Dufferin. Under the Building Code Act, upper-tier and lower-tier municipalities may enter into agreements for the enforcement of the Act. The existing agreements between the County and these municipalities are now outdated, with five of the six agreements dating back to the 1980s and the Town of Mono’s agreement executed in 2001.

To address this, the County is offering each municipality an updated service agreement that modernizes and standardizes terms, clarifies roles and responsibilities, and establishes a consistent long-term service model.

The Building Services Agreement presented to Council reflects a comprehensive and collaborative effort between Dufferin County and the municipalities it currently serves. The agreement supports legislative compliance, operational efficiency, and long-term service continuity. Council’s consideration of this agreement represents an opportunity to formalize a shared services model that strengthens local capacity while ensuring high-quality, consistent enforcement of the Building Code Act.

Dufferin County is planning a new Operations Centre in the southern part of the County. The facility will support road operations, winter maintenance, and fleet services. It will also improve response times and service coverage as the region grows.

The preferred property is a 10-acre parcel on Dufferin Road 11, just north of Dufferin Road 109, in the Township of Amaranth. The property is currently zoned Industrial; therefore, the County must obtain a Zoning By-law Amendment from Amaranth Township before development can proceed.

Many studies are also required to support the future design of the Operations Centre. With Council approval to retain AECOM through the contract change order, the County will:

• Maintain project continuity
• Use the consultant’s existing knowledge
• Avoid duplication of work
• Move forward with the Zoning By-law Amendment submission quickly

Once planning approvals are obtained, the County will procure detailed design through a competitive public process. This approach follows County purchasing policies and allows qualified firms to compete for the work.

County Council directed County staff to proceed with the Full Corridor-Wide Schedule C Municipal Class Environmental Assessment, including segments of Dufferin Road 109, Riddell Road, and the South Arterial Road portion of Dufferin Road 109.

The Dufferin Road 109 corridor—including Riddell Road and the South Arterial Road – is a key regional transportation route supporting mobility, goods movement, and economic activity. Previous studies of this corridor identify the need for corridor widening, intersection improvements, and a westbound truck climbing lane.

Council approved staffs’ recommendation to proceed with the full Schedule C Municipal Class Environmental Assessment, recognizing that the inclusion of Riddell Road will require coordination with the Town of Orangeville.

Dufferin County’s Chief Administrative Officer and Director of Public Works/County Engineer provided a report to Council on the renovation design project underway at 55 Zina Street. The courthouse renovation design project is underway to address accessibility, modernization and space needs. Mettko was awarded the contract.

Multiple stakeholders are experiencing increasing space pressures at this location due to court growth, additional judges and demand for support services. Courtroom 103 is fully booked through 2027, limiting near-term changes.

The current courthouse single point of entry, including full security screening, has introduced operational challenges for the County. Residents seeking County services must now pass through the same screening process as court users and navigate a lengthier and more complicated internal route, resulting in reduced visibility and accessibility of County services, increased confusion for visitors unfamiliar with courthouse procedures and operational inefficiencies for front-facing County staff.

Council directed staff working with Mettko to defer the original scopes of work associated with the Zina Street renovation project until such time that the preferred options have been fully explored and understood.

About Dufferin County Council

Dufferin County Council consists of 15 members representing each of the eight municipalities in Dufferin. Council meeting processes are set out in the County’s Procedural By-Law.

Dufferin County Council and Committee meetings can be watched live on the County’s website.

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MEDIA CONTACT:
Megan Ball, Manager of Communications
mball@dufferincounty.ca