Stormwater Management Funding Assessment

Stormwater Management:
Stormwater management is also a form of wastewater treatment, whereby rain water and snowmelt runs off across dirty roads and properties, makes its way through the storm sewer system and into a stormwater pond to settle out contaminants before being released to our creeks and drinking water source, Lake Ontario.

Background Information:
In May 2022, Cobourg Council passed a motion to introduce a dedicated funding source for residential stormwater usage, similar to the full cost recovery system that is in place for water and wastewater assets in Cobourg.

The Town has funded stormwater infrastructure needs through property taxes in the past, but this has not been sufficient to fully fund all required maintenance and capital programs. Having a stable funding source for critical infrastructure such as water and wastewater ensures that operating and capital budgets are funded adequately to keep our residents and environment safe and healthy.

The funding structure will distribute fees proportionately among properties that produce more stormwater runoff. In Cobourg, approximately 32% of stormwater runoff is generated by residential properties and 68% is generated by non-residential properties. New stormwater rates will be based on the type and size of the property, therefore, allowing the Town to apply a more equitable distribution of fees, while also ensuring residential taxpayers are not indirectly subsidizing the cost of the stormwater system for other sectors under property tax funding.

Informative Frequently Asked Questions
Be sure to read this Frequently Asked Questions document for more information.

How Annual Rates are Calculated:
Annual rates are calculated per hectare of property. For low density properties (average single detached home) the rate per year is $904.72. To calculate each individual property annual fee, the Town of Cobourg uses the following calculation:

If you require any of the information in an accessible format, please contact the Communications Department at communications@cobourg.ca.