Essex Council Portal

The resident can reach out to the fire department so they can provide public education on the by-laws for backyard fires and/or open burns. They will provide information on what is and what is not permitted, and it will allow the fire team to have an understanding of potential violations. The fire team will also outline the best course of action for issuing a complaint during both emergency and non-emergency situations. 

The team can be reached at 519-776-7336 ext.1060.

• Fact Sheet: So, What's a Municipal Drain
• The Drainage Act & Roles of Council and Drainage Board

For the most up-to-date information on Water and Wastewater Billing, visit:
https://www.essex.ca/live/water-and-wastewater-billing/

The Colchester and County Road 50 Community Improvement Plan (CIP) is a sustainable community planning tool used by the Town of Essex to incentive commercial and agricultural property owners through programs, grants, and incentives. The CIP also:

• complement and assist private sector investment with the goal of achieving a complete community.
• stimulate private investment in commercial and value-added farm activities and the establishment of on-farm diversified and agriculture-related uses.

Is my project or property eligible for funding through the CIP? 

To determine whether your property is eligible, please contact the Manager, Economic Development.

Southwestern Integrated Fibre Technology (SWIFT) is a nonprofit broadband expansion project created to improve internet connectivity in underserved communities and rural areas across Southwestern Ontario. SWIFT subsidizes the construction of open-access high-speed networks to encourage service providers to expand broadband infrastructure in rural areas. 

Cogeco has received funding from SWIFT to expand broadband to over 1,500 homes in the Town of Essex. Construction is well underway on the primary fibre backbone and should be completed by the end of 2022. Cogeco would then be working on finalizing connectivity for all target premises which includes running the fibre service to all homes by June 2023. 

For more information on where Cogeco is expanding their service in the Town of Essex, please view the following map: https://swiftruralbroadband.ca/resources/our-service-map/

Why is my property not included in the broadband expansion project and what can I do to get connected?
Cogeco worked to try to include as many premises as possible within their projects. In areas of particularly low density, it becomes difficult to incorporate these homes into their project scopes, even with additional subsidy from SWIFT or other programs. Residents who fall outside of the SWIFT project areas may be included in other programs, including the recently announced AHSIP program from Infrastructure Ontario. Alternatively, residents can contact Cogeco once the project is completed to get a quote for connecting their individual premises to the network.

To file a complaint about a property standards matter, residents can submit a request to Report a Problem at

essex.ca/reportaproblem

Businesses in Colchester and along Country Road 50 East can apply for a Community Improvement Plan Grant by visiting: https://www.essex.ca/economic-development/business-resources/community-improvement-plan/

Requirements for applying for a building permit can be found at https://www.essex.ca/town-hall/applications-licences-and-permits/building-permits/

The member of the public can visit http://maps.essex.ca/, turn the Zoning By-law layer on, and right click on their property for more information.

For more detailed information or if the member of the public has further questions, they can set up an appointment with a member of our Planning Team at 519.776.7336 ext. 1128 or essexplanning@essex.ca. 

The Town offers several convenient methods to pay property taxes:

• Online with the new My Essex Portal;
• Pre-authorized payment plan (apply using the Pre-Authorized Debit Agreement for Property Taxes Enrollment Form);
• Online and telephone banking at your financial institution;
• Drop boxes located at the Harrow and Colchester South Community Centre (243 McAffee Street, Harrow) and Town Hall (33 Talbot Street South, Essex Centre)
• In person at Town Hall, 33 Talbot Street South, Essex 

For more information on property taxes, please visit the Town of Essex Property Tax page at www.essex.ca/Taxes and the Property Tax FAQ page at www.essex.ca/TaxFAQ

The Town of Essex rents ice pads, pools, sports fields, pavilions and picnic areas. We also offer a wide range of community and meeting rooms to suit a variety of occasions. From small meetings to large gatherings, we can accommodate your social and business needs.

To check availability of town facilities and sports fields, visit essexconnect.ca.

To book facilities for use, please complete the Request for Facilities form.

To book an ice pad, ball diamond, soccer field, pavilion or arena meeting room, call Parks and Facilities at 519-776-7336, ext. 1301.

To book a pool, community centre, gymnasium or community meeting room, call Recreation and Culture at 519-776-7336 ext 1052.

Permits are required if your fire will be bigger then 2ft x 2ft x 2ft – burn must be 21ft from the property line and 21ft from any combustible items, the maximum size of the fire must not exceed 3ft x 3ft and must be always supervised by someone over the age of 18, fire must only contain clean dry wood. Fire shall be out at sunset.

No a permit is not required for a cooking, camping or personal warmth fire, the fire must not be greater then 2ft x 2ft x 2ft, fire shall be 15ft from the property line and 10ft from combustible items.

When are the arenas open?

When ice is in, rinks are open from 7am to 11pm.  When there is no ice in the facilities, rinks are open during business hours, or when bookings in the facilities.

When are splash pads open?

We open splash pads at the Victoria Day holiday and close them around Thanksgiving (depending on the weather). 

When are multi-use courts open?

Dates are not defined as they are weather dependant, but usually we can expect late April/early May until mid-November.  Courts are available on a first come first serve basis with lighting at Harrow and Essex Centre Courts. Lights are on, in accordance with our Parks By-Law, until 10pm. 

When do you have outdoor washroom facilities at sports fields?

We have porta-johns available starting May first until the end of their seasons.  One porta-john is left at the Harrow Soccer Complex year round. 

When is the beach open?

The beach is open with regular maintenance starting on May 1^st each year with maintenance ending Thanksgiving Monday. 

When is the Harbour Open?

The Harbour is open with regular maintenance starting on May 1^st each year with maintenance ending Thanksgiving Monday.

The Town of Essex has a dedicated webpage with up-to-date information on third party utility providers. Residents can visit www.essex.ca/utilities and contact the appropriate provider for questions or concerns related to utilities in the Town of Essex.