Dear Residents,

On Saturday, March 29, a severe ice storm hit Brock Township, coating trees and power lines with ice. By Sunday, much of our community was in the dark.

The Brock Emergency Control Group met immediately to address the growing concerns over ongoing damage and widespread communication failures. To ensure a swift and coordinated response, a State of Emergency was declared in Brock Township on March 30, 2025.

With the help of The Region of Durham and local contractors, we immediately began clearing debris in efforts to make our streets, parks, and public spaces safe again. Elexicon and Hydro One crews continue to work tirelessly to restore power. The Region and Miller Waste System has provided Brock residents with large waste bins to help with household cleanup efforts. Township staff ensured that municipal facilities with energy were opened to the public as warming and charging stations.

I want to extend my deepest thanks to our Township staff for their dedication to our community, clean-up efforts and coordinated work to open warming stations and provide residents with essential information. I also want to thank the Elexicon and Hydro One crews for their around-the-clock attention to our power needs. Thank you to Nourish and Develop Foundation who provided our residents with a comfortable space and hot meals during the emergency, your efforts have not gone unnoticed. Finally, I wish to thank the residents of Brock who, through it all, showed their true spirit—neighbours helping neighbours, proving our resilience in the face of adversity. Thank you all for your incredible support.

In the coming weeks, the Township and Region will be reviewing our emergency response and investigating the widespread communications failure that impacted our ability to keep residents informed in the initial days of the emergency.

The Township will continue to share information regarding the ongoing response to the emergency on the township website and social media channels.

-Mayor Walter Schummer

State of Emergency Update

The Township will continue with the state of emergency in order to utilize contractors to assist our works crews in cleaning up the excessive tree debris.

Please see latest update on Township Emergency Operations.

Residential Property Brush Pick Up

All storm tree debris must be placed at the curb by

7:00 a.m. on April 14, 2025, for municipal pickup

Crews are continuing with residential brush collection in Beaverton, Cannington and Sunderland. This will be a one-time emergency pick up, so please put tree debris curbside as soon as possible, and by no later then 7:00 a.m. on Monday April 14th to ensure it can be processed by crews as they move throughout the Township. This will be a substantial undertaking and will take significant time to complete.

Once finished in the urban centres, brush collection will continue in the following areas: Beaches from Thorah Park Boulevard to Cedarhurst Road, Bolsover, Blackwater Gamebridge, Manilla, Port Bolster, Saginaw, Sonya, Vallentyne, Vroomanton, and Wilfrid.

To assist in safe and efficient collection, residents must place downed trees, brush and branches:

• On their front property, behind the sidewalk and off the roadway.
• Do not block sidewalks, roads, storm drains, or fire hydrants or hydro infrastructure.
• Please be mindful of sightlines for safety for pedestrians and vehicular traffic.
• Please do not mix any other materials in with the set out brush/branches.

Any brush placed curbside after the one-time emergency pick up has been completed by the Township, will be addressed by Durham Region Waste as seasonal leaf and yard waste collection on regularly scheduled pickup dates. Materials must follow the guidelines below:

• Brush must be securely tied in bundles up to one metre
• Four feet long and 76 centimetres (30 inches) wide.
• No branch should be more than 10 centimetres (4 inches) in diameter.

Please visit durham.ca/WMF for more information and your seasonal bi-weekly pick up schedule.

Parks and Playgrounds Closed

Brock parks and playgrounds are closed until further notice. Please do not access any parks or playgrounds currently due to safety concerns and clean up efforts.

Temporary Burn Permit Exemption for residents

The temporary Burn Permit Exemption for Brock residents remains in effect until Thursday April 17, 2025 to help residents with clearing downed brush and trees.

Brock residents can burn daily without a permit from 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM —as long as regular permit guidelines are followed. Visit the Brock Fire Department Facebook page guidelines.

Before you burn, you must email fire@brock.ca or call Fire Prevention at 705-432-2355 x.233 and leave a voicemail with:

• Your name
• Burn address
• Phone number

Burning outside of 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM still requires a permit.

If your property doesn’t meet burn requirements, collect debris for disposal or visit the transfer station.

Joint statement from the Township of Brock and Sunderland Lions Club on the

Sunderland Arena Project 

The Sunderland Arena Descope and Design Committee, consisting of staff, a member of Council and Sunderland Lions Club representatives, are excited to announce that after thoughtful collaboration, an agreement has been made on the design of the long-awaited Sunderland Memorial Arena project. The Committee has worked hard to ensure the grant requirements are satisfied while balancing innovation with practicality to bring this vision to life. The ice surface will be expanded to 78 feet by 190 feet including an addition to the north part of the building, four new dressing rooms with two being fully accessible along with improvements in the lobby to update washrooms and renovate two existing dressing rooms for use by referees or as needed.

This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to the residents and community organizations of Brock. We are grateful to our community partners and the residents of Brock for their support and patience throughout this planning process. The municipality is committed to supporting the residents and community organizations that utilize this space during the renovation process and will continue to share updates and timelines.

Together, we’re building something truly special in Brock and we can’t wait to share it with you!

All updates on this project can be found on the home page of our website www.townshipofbrock.ca

Mayor's Business Networking Event

The Township of Brock's Mayor and Council invite local businesses to a free networking event. This is an opportunity to provide business's with municipal and regional updates to help you better serve our community.

2025 Mayor's Networking Business Event

Wednesday April 16th at 5:00 p.m.

Rick MacLeish Memorial Community Centre

91 Elliot St. Cannington

Local business owners are encouraged to register online for the event, as well as provide suggestions for topics of discussion. Appetizers and light refreshments will be available for attendees to enjoy as the Mayor provides a brief presentation. Municipal and Regional staff will also be in attendance to answer any questions that you may have. 

Space is limited so register today!

The Township of Brock is pleased to announce the new Awards of Merit Event

On an annual basis, the Township will host this recognition event with awards being presented in the following categories to an individual, group or business whose achievements/services have brought recognition to our community and/or have added value and enriched the lives of our residents.

Categories

• Arts, Heritage and Culture Award
• Sports and Recreation Award
• Social Development Award
• Community Service Group or Club
• Volunteer of the Year Award
• Environment / Climate Change Champion

Nominations are now open until June 30^th.

Please visit our website fore more information on the categories and to nominate!

Committee Opportunity

Non-Profit Sector Advisory Committee

The Township of Brock is looking for passionate, community-minded individuals like yourself to join the Non-Profit Sector Advisory Committee (NPSAC). This committee plays a vital role in supporting and strengthening local non-profit organizations by:



• Discussing challenges and opportunities facing the non-profit sector community organizations in the Township of Brock.
• Networking and discussing opportunities for cross-collaboration between community organizations.
• Providing advice and recommendations for how Council can offer meaningful support to local organizations.

Submit your name for consideration today! Deadline is 4:30 p.m. on April 30, 2025. www.townshipofbrock.ca/en/news/committee-opportunity-non-profit-sector-advisory-committee.aspx

Join Us for the Township of Brock's Annual Golf Tournament

Exciting Sponsorship Opportunities Await You!!

The Township of Brock’s 26^th Annual Golf Tournament is just around the corner, and we are excited to invite you to be part of this fantastic event! This charity golf tournament at Cedarhurst Golf Club in Beaverton is happening on June 19, 2025. Over the past 25 years of this tournament, participants have raised almost $260,000 for this great cause. Whether you're an avid golfer or someone looking to support a great cause, this tournament promises a fun and memorable experience. Register today!

How to Get Involved

If you're interested in sponsoring this year's golf tournament, please reach out to our event team at golftournament@brock.ca or call 705-432-2355 ext. 238. We would love to discuss the various options and find the perfect fit for your business.

We look forward to partnering with you and making this year’s tournament the best one yet! 

Upcoming Regular Council Meetings

Council Meeting - April 14, 2025 - 10:00 a.m.

Council Meeting - April 28, 2025 - 6:00 p.m.

To view agendas or watch the livestream please visit the Meeting Calendar

Brock Libraries

Check out the Community Event Calendar!

Looking for something fun to do this month? Look no further than the Township of Brock Community Event Calendar. April has many exciting events for you to check out!

Organizations are encouraged to submit your event request for all upcoming events by visiting the Community Event Calendar

Central Counties Tourism Partnership Intake



The 2025/26 Central Counties Tourism Partnership Program has now launched. The second intake for applications are due on June 13. There are four streams of matched-funding support that are available (first intake completed in March, 2025) - Out of Region Marketing, Route Development, Destination Development, and Small Business Marketing - for eligible tourism-related projects occurring between April 1, 2025 and March 31, 2026, with a focus on growing the visitor economy within the regions of York, Durham and Headwaters. If you have not yet reached out to your region’s Industry Relations Manager to discuss your project, do not delay, as this is a requirement to apply - and to get the application link!

Ontario By Bike Certification for Tourism Businesses

Ontario By Bike certifies businesses and locations as bicycle friendly, helping them to tap into the growing cycle tourism market and attracting more cyclists to their locations. The goal is to create a network of businesses that together enhance our region`s cycle tourism product and collectively develops Ontario’s cycle tourism sector.

With the increasing popularity of cycle tourism activities, a strong focus on domestic travelling and local experiences, now is the perfect time to attract more cyclists and cycling visitors to your business.

In 2022, cycle tourists spent over $565 million in Ontario (Stats Canada). Cycle tourists spend more and stay longer on average, $537/trip vs. $421/trip (non-cyclists) and 4.2 nights vs. 2.9 night (non-cyclists).

For more information on our certification criteria and how to become certified, visit: www.ontariobybike.ca/addyourbusiness

Visit the Ontario By Bike website for more information on how to submit your business for bicycle friendly certification: www.ontariobybike.ca/addyourbusiness

For assistance with registration or any questions, please contact:

Email: info@ontariobybike.ca

Phone: 416-827-2774 / 1-800-701-2774

Durham U.S. Tariff Response

While Canada and the United States' trade relationship experiences a period of transformation, Durham Region's business support community is acting quickly to deepen our local economic strength. Invest Durham, with the Cities, Towns, and Townships, Chambers of Commerce and Boards of Trade and local post-secondary institutions have combined forces to support the impacted businesses and residents of Durham. The Durham Economic Task Force (DETF) is working closely with our federal, provincial, and local partners to support your business.

Visit our centralized landing page for information on who to contact, what support is available and response activities.

An information webinar, “Understanding the impacts of U.S. tariffs on Durham Region businesses,” was held on March 20. The recording is available on YouTube. 

Find resources, support and stay connected



Calling Lake Simcoe Area Farmers!

Lake Simcoe water quality has declined over the last decades from urban development, wastewater treatment plants, and landscape runoff. Researchers are looking for both urban and rural solutions that will improve the Lake and are hoping to better understand the challenges and opportunities of beneficial management practices (BMP) like permeable pavements, cover crops, and buffer strips, etc. in the watershed.

No one knows the land better than the farmers that work with it. The Conservation Authority is hosting a series of focus group workshops in April to hear about the recent history of the area, experiences farming and using on-farm BMPs, and other information to help point researchers in the right direction.

We hope you’ll join us in April for a light meal and discussion at one of three events we are offering around the Lake, or online!

Wed, April 16 1-4pm, Manilla Hall, Manilla

Wed, April 16 6-9pm, Edgar Community Hall, Shanty Bay

Thurs, April 17 1-4pm, E-G Sports Complex, Sharon

Tues, April 22 7-9pm, Online

Light meal included, please RSVP by clicking this link.

Or call LSRCA at 905-895-1281

The Township of Brock

1 Cameron Street E, Cannington ON L0E 1E0

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