The Bayfield Safety Focus Group is pleased to report that Bluewater Council unanimously supported our delegation on July 13, 2026 and adopted a resolution requesting that the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) work collaboratively with the Municipality and the Bayfield Safety Focus Group to develop a 90-day Highway 21 Safety Pilot Project through Bayfield Village.

We sincerely thank the Council for its support and everyone in the community who attended the meeting, signed our petition, and continues to support this important safety initiative.

It is important to note that our proposal is separate from the MTO's current work at the Highway 21/Mill Road/Cameron Street intersection.

The MTO is presently evaluating long-term improvements to that intersection, including traffic signals, turning lanes and a pedestrian crossing.

Our proposal focuses on something different.

We are advocating for a temporary 90-day pilot project that would evaluate extending the 50 km/h speed limit throughout the Bayfield Settlement Area—from Jowett's Grove Road to Paul Bunyan Road—together with radar speed feedback signs and other temporary traffic-calming measures.   The purpose of the pilot is to collect real-world traffic data and determine whether these practical, lower-cost measures improve safety along the entire three-kilometre Highway 21 corridor through Bayfield.

These two initiatives are complementary, not competing. We support the MTO's ongoing intersection study while also advocating for immediate, measurable safety improvements throughout the village.

Over the coming months, the Bayfield Safety Focus Group will continue working with the Municipality of Bluewater, MTO, MPP Lisa Thompson, and Bayfield's many volunteer organizations to advance this collaborative pilot project.

How You Can Help
Community support will be important as discussions with the MTO continue.  We encourage Bayfield Ratepayers Association members to write a brief, respectful email to our MPP, Lisa Thompson, expressing your support for the proposed 90-day Highway 21 Safety Pilot Project.  Let her know why you believe this collaborative initiative is an important opportunity to gather real-world data and evaluate practical measures that could improve safety for residents, visitors and everyone travelling through Bayfield.  Every letter helps demonstrate the strong community support behind this initiative.

Together, we can continue building momentum toward making Highway 21 through Bayfield safer for everyone.

Municipal Staff conducted a review of the STR licensing By-law and reported on it at the June 15, 2026 Council meeting

The chart below shows the number of licenses issued each year from 2023 to 2026 as of May 31^st, 2026.

STR Complaints over this time are as follows:

Since the start of the program in mid-June 2023, one license was issued four demerit points.  One fine was issued to a licensed property for non-compliance with the permitted occupancy.  No licenses were revoked because of accumulation of by-law violations.  Several fines were issued for operation without a license.

The Municipality of Bluewater reduced all DCs by 45 per cent effective July 14, 2025.  The reduction has resulted in $366,814.56 being uncollected in DC’s as previously planned in the DC background study as a source of funding to date.  Since the reduction has been in place, 11 permits have been issued where DCs can be collected.  Had the reduction not been in place, $704,900 would have been collected.  With the reduction, $338,085.44 was collected, resulting in $366,814.56 going uncollected.  As the Municipality has no eligible projects for the Ontario government Development Charge Reduction Program (DCRP), this amount will continue to go uncollected, with no additional funding source being available to offset any of the lost DC revenue.

The Municipality has completed or is in the process of completing a significant number of projects that are either fully or partially identified to use DCs as a source of funding for the project.  This means that DC’s have been or are currently being used to fund these specific projects.  Due to this, Bluewater’s DC Reserve Fund account is in a negative position (as of June 2026), with the negative position expected to grow as projects continue and expenses for the projects within the DC background study need to be paid.  Interest on the overdrawn amounts is being incurred at a rate of 4.45%, which is subject to increase or decrease if Bank of Canada Prime rates are adjusted.

There will be a municipal election this fall on October 26, 2026.  Municipal elections are critical and have perhaps the largest impact on your day to day life.  We encourage you to pay close attention to the election process and plan to vote.

You only need to be a resident, owner or tenant of property in Ontario, be a Canadian citizen and 18 years of age or older to vote. Property owners can vote in every jurisdiction where they own property.  However, if your property is owned by a trust or corporation that entity is not eligible to vote.

Are you on the Voters List?   Registertovoteon.ca

Click on ‘Register Now’ to check if you are on the list, update your information, add yourself to the voters list or remove yourself from the voters list.  You can also add additional properties.  You need: ID that shows your name and home address.

You can use this tool until August 12th. After that date, you must visit the Clerk at the Municipality of Bluewater to add you to the list until October 26th.  Call 519-236-4351 for information.

Here is a link to the Unofficial List of Candidates: https://www.municipalityofbluewater.ca/municipal-office/municipal-election/unofficial-list-of-candidates/

So far, there are only two positions where an election will be held   -  for Mayor and 1 for the Zurich Ward. There are 6 positions eligible to be acclaimed if there are no further nominations.  So potentially 67% to 77% of the 9 member Council will not be elected by Bluewater residents but will be declared elected by the Clerk.

Your BRA will be co-convening an all candidates meeting with the Bluewater Shoreline Residents Association at the Bayfield Community Centre on September 19^th at 10:00 a.m.  We recommend you plan to attend to meet the candidates and hear where they stand on key issues facing Bluewater.

The Bedrock Energy project which was first raised in 2023 is now back looking for support.  Since the Bedrock Energy Corp. (“Bedrock”) last presented, the project has advanced in two meaningful ways.

First, Bedrock has partnered with Capstone Infrastructure Corporation (“Capstone”) — an established Canadian independent power producer with 36 operating facilities and approximately 1.1 GW of capacity.  Capstone will act as the developer, owner, and operator, bringing the financing strength and operating track record needed to deliver a project of this scale.

Second, the IESO’s 2026 Long Lead-Time (LLT) RFP is now active, providing the project with a defined procurement pathway and timeline.

At a recent information session, it was explained that not all the money to be made would come from buying power low and selling it high, although that is part of it.  That is actually a small part of it.   The rest, and likely most, of the revenue would come from a contract between IESO and Bedrock/Capstone (JV) under which IESO pays Bedrock/Capstone “for Capacity”.  That is to have stored power on standby, regardless of whether any such Capacity is ever used.   That would only be in periods of peak demand, such as a very hot day in summer or very cold day in winter, or in case of a generation or distribution failure.  This makes the existence of a surplus, to be bought low, not a mandatory requirement for the project.  On the other hand, if Bruce Power plant and other generation projects meet peak demand, again, Bedrock’s “Capacity” would not be needed, but we would still be paying for it under the long term guarantee contract

The impetus for this project was said to be that IESO wants “Capacity” in the form of energy storage projects.

IESO is funded by Ontario electricity consumers through their hydro bills.  If Bedrock and Capstone are successful in obtaining an IESO contract, Ontario taxpayers would ultimately fund the electricity storage services provided by this project over the term of the contract.

It is important to note that the IESO would not finance the construction of the facility itself.  Bedrock  and Capstone would still need to secure the significant private financing required to construct what could become a major industrial development on approximately 130-200 acres of agricultural land in Bluewater.  Their proposal is expected to be submitted to the IESO on November 26, 2026.

The Bayfield Ratepayers Association remains firmly opposed to locating this industrial-scale project in close proximity to Bayfield.  We believe there are serious unanswered questions regarding the loss of productive farmland, potential impacts on the rural landscape, tourism, noise, groundwater, community character and the visual gateway to our historic village.  Until these issues are fully addressed through transparent, independent studies and meaningful public consultation, the BRA will continue to advocate strongly on behalf of our members and work closely with Bayfield Councilor Bill Whetstone, Bluewater council and other decision-makers to oppose this project proceeding in our community.

The BRA will be holding its Annual General Meeting on August 22, 2026 at 10:00 am. at the Bayfield Community Centre.  Topics at the meeting will be:

• Approval of 2025 Annual Meeting Minutes
• Financial report
• Election of Directors
• Bedrock Energy Update
• 2026 Municipal Election
• Bill Whetstone Deputy Mayor candidate
• Mike DeCorte Bayfield Ward candidate

We encourage you to attend and look forward to seeing you at the meeting.