Grey Highlands council gave cautious approval to an application by the Beaver Valley Ski Club to construct a private septic system on ski club property.

At its regular meeting Monday morning council passed a resolution stating that it had no objections to the Ski Club’s application to the Ministry of the Environment for a Certificate of Approval to build a private sewage treatment system on its property.

The system is intended to serve the Ski Club itself and possible new development that could come forward in the future.

Council’s resolution did not object to the application, but clearly stated that the municipality does not want to be forced to take over operations of the septic system in the future.

Members of council were clear they don’t want to see the system become a municipal operation in the future, but they acknowledged that the municipality has no say on such matters.

“How are we certain we won’t have to take it over some day?” asked Deputy Mayor Dave Fawcett.
Mayor Brian Mullin said the municipality has no guarantee that the province won’t in the future mandate that the system become a public operation.

“There’s no certainty. Under the legislation the province could pass it on to us,” said Mullin.

Members of council noted that as long as the Ski Club is running the system, there are no worries that the municipality will have to get involved. Their concerns were mainly focused on what could happen in the future.

Deputy Mayor Fawcett wanted to ensure that the system was designed properly.

“It’s important that it be designed to our standards in case we do ever have to assume it,” said Fawcett.

CAO Kelley Coulter said the system had to meet all provincial regulations and would be inspected by municipal staff.

Councillor Stewart Halliday wondered why members of councillors were concerned about the province forcing the municipality to take over the system.

“It’s a sophisticated septic system. Why would the municipality ever have to take it over?” Halliday asked.

Mayor Mullin said an order to take over the system wouldn’t just happen out of the blue. He said something major would have to change before such a provincial order occurred.

“It wouldn’t happen by chance. If it was abandoned or there is a bankruptcy then the province would mandate that the municipality take it over,” said Mullin.