Frontenac Townships partner to deliver On-site Sewage System Services

As of January 1st, 2021, the Township of South Frontenac began delivery of Part 8 On-site Sewage System Services on behalf of the other three Frontenac Townships (North Frontenac, Central Frontenac, and Frontenac Islands). This change comes as Kingston Frontenac Lennox and Addington Public Health (KFL&A Public Health) ceased providing Part 8 services to area municipalities at the end of 2020.

“South Frontenac is pleased to be able to assist our Frontenac neighbours in delivering this important service at a time of growth for all our communities. This is another example of the close partnerships that the Frontenac Townships have been developing over the past few years,” said South Frontenac Mayor, Ron Vandewal. “These types of coordinated efforts allow us to provide a more efficient and flexible service for our residents and building community.”

Last year South Frontenac elected to take on its own Part 8 On-Site Sewage System Services from KFL&A Public Health at the end of the current service agreement in order to streamline its building services and better manage the Township’s increasing development pressures, according to a release from the Township of South Frontenac, dated Monday, Jan, 11, 2021. With a number of qualified inspectors, South Frontenac began delivering its own Part 8 services in late 2020.

In order to accommodate Part 8 demands within all four Townships, South Frontenac say they recently recruited a new Part 8 Specialist whose time will be devoted almost exclusively to Part 8 services in the other three Frontenac Townships.

“We are extremely pleased to announce the hiring of Matthew Doyle into this new Part 8 Specialist role,” said Tom Berriault, Chief Building Official (CBO) for South Frontenac. “Mr. Doyle joins us from KFL&A Public Health, where he spent over 10 years providing Part 8 On-site Sewage System Services to the Frontenac Townships. His extensive experience and familiarity with our region will allow for a smooth transition in South Frontenac’s delivery of this service.”

Matthew Doyle will assume his role as the Part 8 Specialist on Monday, Jan. 18, 2021.

The Township’s delivery of Part 8 services will consist of all services previously offered by KFL&A Public Health, including:

• Administering the permit application and inspection process;
• Reviewing Planning Act applications including consents, minor variances, and zoning amendments, to provide comments from a Part 8 On-Site Sewage System perspective;
• Conducting inspections of lands and sewage systems in response to complaints or suspected non-compliance.

“We’ve worked hard to increase the capacity of South Frontenac’s Building Department over the past year,” continued Berriault. “By having the entire department qualified in Part 8, and with the addition of Mr. Doyle, South Frontenac will have the capacity and flexibility to respond to the needs of residents across the Frontenacs,” explained Mr. Berriault.

“With KFL&A Public Health no longer providing Part 8 services, it made sense for us to partner rather than everyone going it alone,” said Central Frontenac Mayor, Frances Smith.

Mayor of North Frontenac, Ron Higgins added, “Our close working relationship with South Frontenac, coupled with their central location and increased capacity made them a natural choice to deliver this service.”

For inquiries related to Part 8 On-Site Sewage System permits or related services, residents of Frontenac County are encouraged to contact the South Frontenac Building Department via email at [email protected] or by phone at 613-376-3027 ext. 2226, in the same way they would have contacted KFL&A Public Health previously.

With the growing move towards online services and given the challenges of the recent pandemic, South Frontenac is encouraging applications be submitted electronically via email to [email protected]. Upon receipt of applications, South Frontenac Building staff will contact applicants regarding completeness of applications and inspection scheduling. Applications are available on the “Building” page of the South Frontenac website at: https://www.southfrontenac.net/building/

For those who cannot submit by email, hard copies of Part 8 applications can be submitted to South Frontenac through any of the four Frontenac Township offices via on-site drop boxes at each location, and in-person following the provincial shut-down when offices reopen. Please note Frontenac Islands’ offices remain open to the public at this time.

While electronic payment options will be available in the near future according to the release, payment of Part 8 permit fees can currently be made via cheque through the mail, via Township on-site drop boxes or in person using debit, cheque or cash once Township Offices reopen to the public.