During the September 24 regular council meeting, elected officials highlighted an urgent need to update Champlain Township’s asset management plan to maintain compliance with provincial requirements and preserve eligibility for major infrastructure grants.

Mayor Normand Riopel noted that Ontario municipalities must update their asset management frameworks every five years and requested a status report from administration.

According to the newly appointed Deputy Director of Infrastructure Ryan Alexander, the township’s current plan, adopted in 2019, is overdue.

«We are behind schedule on the asset management plan. I believe we did not meet the required deadline for 2025,» he said.

Mayor Riopel asked whether the delay jeopardizes pending grant applications for local capital works, specifically the Main Street project in Vankleek Hill. Alexander confirmed the risk.

«I believe it could affect that, and that’s why it’s our number one priority at the moment. We don’t want to be awarded a grant and then have it taken away for something as simple as that,» he added.

The mayor emphasized the township’s substantial investment in groundwork aimed at positioning the Main Street project for funding. In the 2026 budget, Champlain allocated more than $400,000 for engineering designs, technical assessments, and preliminary studies along Main Street, with a total of $938,000 earmarked for paving, resurfacing, and related road evaluations across Vankleek Hill.

Township staff are treating the document as an immediate priority, with the updated asset management plan scheduled for council review by the end of October 2026.