General

By virtue of the power vested in me

I Do Hereby Declare

March, 2026

as

Amyloidosis Awareness Month

in the City of Pembroke.

Whereas March is Amyloidosis Awareness Month, a month dedicated to raising awareness, funding research, and supporting those living with amyloidosis and their loved ones; and

Whereas Amyloidosis is a group of diseases that occurs when an abnormal protein, known as amyloid, builds up in the tissues and organs of the body.  Left untreated, the disease can result in organ failure and can be fatal; and

Whereas Amyloidosis can mimic the signs and symptoms of more common medical conditions and the disease can be challenging to diagnose; and

Whereas Amyloidosis often affects people who are older or middle aged; however, younger people have been diagnosed with this disease; and

Whereas some of the signs and symptoms of amyloidosis can include shortness of breath, weight loss, fatigue, swelling in the ankles and legs, numbness in the hands and feet, foamy urine, carpal tunnel syndrome, bruising around the eyes, and an enlarged tongue; and

Whereas early diagnosis can lead to better outcomes for both patients and their families; and

Whereas raising awareness about all the amyloidosis diseases, including hereditary and non-hereditary forms of the disease, can contribute to the building of healthier communities across Canada.

Therefore, be it resolved that I, Ron Gervais, Mayor of the City of Pembroke, do hereby proclaim March 2026, as “Amyloidosis Awareness Month” in the City of Pembroke.

Dated in the Mayor’s Office this 3rd day of March 2026

Ron Gervais

Mayor, City of Pembroke

Please be advised that a Special Council Meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday, March 3, at 5:30 p.m. in Council Chambers.  Part of the meeting will be closed to the public to discuss advice a strategic partnership application – Royal Canadian Legion Branch #72, as per Section 239(2)(i) of the Municipal Act. 

The City of Pembroke is receiving $28.7 million in provincial funding to make important upgrades to the water system and support future growth.

Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke MPP Billy Denault announced the funding on behalf of Premier Doug Ford and Acting Minister of Infrastructure Todd McCarthy at Pembroke’s water treatment plant today, as part of a total of $38.6 million in projects across the riding being funded through the Province’s Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program’s Health and Safety Water Stream.

It is believed to be the single largest grant the City of Pembroke has ever received.

“[This investment] will go a long way toward maintaining critical infrastructure across our riding,” MPP Denault said. “Through ongoing advocacy with our municipal partners, these investments in water and wastewater systems will protect existing homes and help unlock future growth.”

Pembroke’s project will expand the existing water storage reservoir, build a new trunk watermain connecting the City with the Township of Laurentian Valley, and complete the design of a new water tower. This work addresses an existing water storage deficit, protecting current homes by reducing related risks, as well as allows for future growth through development in both Pembroke and Laurentian Valley.

“Water is critical to all communities, and we are thrilled this funding will support the City of Pembroke to protect the drinking water network for years to come, as well as allow for future growth both here and in Laurentian Valley,” said Mayor Ron Gervais. “[Today] proves that municipalities and the Province working together can achieve great things for all our residents and businesses.”

The project will cost about $39.4 million. The Province’s grant covers 73% of the cost with the remaining being covered by the City of Pembroke and the Township of Laurentian Valley using the Water Services Agreement the municipalities share.

“In order to have new infrastructure and in order to have new subdivisions, which we're trying to do, we need support from the Province,” said Township of Laurentian Valley Mayor Steve Bennett. “Today shows that support big time. It's great that we can all proceed with the safety of having a new reservoir, having a new trunk line, and that we can move on for development, not only Laurentian Valley, but the City of Pembroke, [too].”

The project must be completed by March 31, 2029. Work will start in the spring of 2026.

City of Pembroke Council and staff have taken several recent opportunities to advocate for our community’s needs with the Province of Ontario.

In December, the City took part in the Eastern Ontario Mayors’ Caucus Day of Advocacy at Queen’s Park. This group represents the separated (single-tier) municipalities of Eastern Ontario. Early this month, the City had a submission in the Provincial pre-budget consultations with the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs, which was held in Pembroke. And, last week, the City attended the Rural Ontario Municipal Association Conference.

These opportunities allow for one-on-one discussions with Provincial ministers, parliamentary assistants, and key staff, which can lead to stronger cases being made right to the decision makers. Often, these efforts are made in collaboration with regional partners such as the County of Renfrew and neighbouring municipalities. 

Themes of the recent advocacy include:

• Predictable and sustainable funding sources for municipalities, especially regarding asset management and aging infrastructure.
• Rising and unpredictable policing costs due to the OPP billing model, court security, prisoner transfer, and growing demands related to mental health, addictions, and homelessness.
• Extraordinary costs of fire apparatus and equipment/rising acquisition costs.
• MPAC assessment.
• Increased per-capita funding for domestic students attending college or university.
• Announced timelines for the stages of four-laning Highway 417/Highway 17 to Pembroke.
• Stagnant subdivision and how to spur development in rural Ontario.
• Fiscal pressures on municipalities due to a broken funding relationship and provincial underfunding of social and housing services.
• Sportsplex funding.

“The Province is a key partner, and it is very important for us to be in front of these key people to provide the reality and pressures of small municipalities such as Pembroke so that voice is brought to the table when the government is making decisions,” says Mayor Ron Gervais. “We will continue to advocate for Pembroke and our region and maintain our great relationship with MPP Denault to help ensure our growth and viability into the future.”

THE CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF PEMBROKE

 NOTICE OF PASSING

Adoption of an update to the City of Pembroke’s Community Improvement Plan

TAKE NOTICE that, in accordance with Section 28 of the Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990, as amended, the Municipal Council of the Corporation of the City of Pembroke passed By-law No. 2026-06 on the 20th day of January, 2026 updating the Community Improvement Plan.

AND TAKE NOTICE that any person, incorporated group of persons or agency may appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal in respect of the update made to Pembroke’s Community Improvement Plan by filing with the Clerk of the Corporation of the City of Pembroke not later than February 11, 2026 a Notice of Appeal setting out the objection to the update to the Community Improvement Plan and the reasons in support of the objection.

NOTE: The update to Pembroke’s Community Improvement Plan is exempt from approval by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing – the decision of Pembroke City Council is final if a Notice of Appeal is not received on or before the last day for filing a Notice of Appeal. Only individuals, corporations and public bodies may appeal a decision of Pembroke City Council to the Ontario Land Tribunal. A Notice of Appeal may not be filed by an unincorporated association or group. However, a Notice of Appeal may be filed in the name of an individual who is a member of the association or the group on its behalf. No person or public body shall be added as a party to the hearing of an appeal unless, before the decision was made, the person or public body made oral submissions at a public meeting or written submissions to Pembroke City Council or, in the opinion of the Ontario Land Tribunal, there are reasonable grounds to add the person or public body as a party.

THE PURPOSE AND EFFECT of the proposed updated Community Improvement Plan is to support and promote the continued revitalization, redevelopment, and enhancement of the City of Pembroke. The proposed Community Improvement Project Area and Community Improvement Plan will provide a set of financial incentive programs to support the revitalization, redevelopment, and enhancement of the City of Pembroke.

AN EXPLANATION of the proposed updated Community Improvement Plan is to provide financial incentive programs to support revitalization, redevelopment, and enhancement of the City of Pembroke. The Pembroke Community Improvement Plan applies to all lands within the Community Improvement Project Area, which encompasses the entirety of the City of Pembroke. The updated proposed Community Improvement Plan can be found on the City of Pembroke’s project webpage at engagepembroke.ca/CIPUpdate.

Dated at the City of Pembroke this 22^nd day of January, 2026

Victoria Charbonneau

Clerk

1 Pembroke Street East

Pembroke, ON  K8A 3J5

By virtue of the power vested in me

I Do Hereby Declare

February 1-7, 2026

as "White Cane Week"

in the City of Pembroke.

Whereas the first full week of February is celebrated as White Cane Week in Canada to promote the initiative of the Canadian Council of the Blind; and

Whereas the Pembroke White Cane Club, in association with the Canadian Council of the Blind aims to provide education and to raise awareness about vision loss and remind all Canadians that the traditional white cane is a symbol of independence – not dependence, and a lack of sight is not a lack of vision; and
Whereas White Cane Week has evolved to reflect the changing situations of the blind community and it has begun to emphasize the equal capabilities and talents of people who are blind and partially sighted and their significant contributions to the community and the work place; and

Whereas with the province’s aging population, all Ontarians need to be better informed about the effects of vision loss and work towards creating more supportive, inclusive communities.

Therefore, be it resolved that I, Ron Gervais, Mayor of the City of Pembroke do hereby proclaim the week of February 1-7, 2026 as White Cane Week in the City of Pembroke.

Dated in the Mayor’s Office this 20th day of January, 2026

Ron Gervais

Mayor, City of Pembroke

TAKE NOTICE THAT the audited financial statements of the Corporation of the City of Pembroke for the year ending December 31, 2024 were adopted at the regular meeting of Council held on December 16, 2025. 

Pursuant to subsection 295 (1) of the Municipal Act, 2001, S.O. 2001, c.25, the 2024 Audited Financial Statements are available on the City’s website at https://www.pembroke.ca/city-government/budget-and-financial-statements/ or a hard copy can be obtained at City Hall upon request at no cost.

Environment Canada has issued a Freezing Rain Warning. The forecast for our region currently calls for an extended period of freezing rain with ice accumulation up to 20mm, mixed with periods of ice pellets and snow starting and continuing until Monday afternoon.  Please continue to  monitor alerts and forecasts issued by Environment Canada.
As per Regulation 239/02 Minimum Maintenance Standards of the Municipal Act 2001, The City of Pembroke is declaring a significant weather event affecting all roads within the City boundaries, due to the forecast for significant freezing rain, ice pellets and snow.
This declaration of a significant weather event is not notice of a reduced level of service or a road closure.  It is to notify the public that due to the current or forecasted conditions, caution is to be observed when travelling on roads maintained by the City of Pembroke.  It may take longer than usual to bring the roads and sidewalks back to optimal conditions.
The City of Pembroke Operations Department would like to remind residents:

• Winter parking restrictions are in effect.  Please keep cars parked in driveways during this event and after the rain/freezing rain stops, so as not to impede snow plowing operations.  Offending vehicles will be ticketed and/or towed at the owner’s expense without notice.
• Please ensure that garbage and recycling bins are kept 5 to 6 feet back into driveways so that they are not hit or knocked over by the plowing operations.  Plows will not be able to move over for garbage or recycling containers left in the roadway, as they must maintain roadway width.
• This is a long duration event with a significant amount of rain/freezing rain.  Please have patience, and if possible stay off the roads during and immediately following the event so that City staff can efficiently clear the streets and sidewalks.
• The City Operations department asks residents to have patience during and after this event.  Staff will be working diligently to keep main roads salted and then the focus will shift to opening residential streets as soon as possible.  With the volume of rain/freezing rain forecasted, it will take longer than normal to clear all City streets.

Starting January 1, 2026, Ontario will transition to an enhanced recycling system.

City of Pembroke residents will have expanded recycling options starting January 1, 2026, as part of Ontario's Enhanced Recycling System. 

At this time, there will be no changes to your collection schedule.

Further details will be provided in the coming weeks via Circular Materials who is the new administrator of Ontario’s common collection system. They are a national not-for-profit organization building efficient and effective recycling systems where materials are collected, recycled, and returned to producers to use as recycled content in new packaging and products.

As the new administrator, Circular Materials will be the new point of contact for any concerns or questions regarding the new recycling program. They can be reached by:

Email: customerservice@circularmaterials.ca

Phone: 1-877-667-2626

Notice is hereby given that the City of Pembroke is hosting a public budget meeting Tuesday, January 13 from 6-8 p.m. This meeting will be held in Council Chambers at City Hall located at 1 Pembroke St. E. and is open to the public.

City of Pembroke residents looking to provide comments or ask questions regarding the City’s 2026 operating and capital budgets can do so by:

• Submitting questions or comments online
• The online form will remain open until 8 a.m. on Friday, January 9
• Questions and comments received will be reviewed and addressed during the public meeting. 
• Speaking in person at the public meeting
• Residents wanting to be included on the speakers’ list should contact the Clerk by email at pembroke@pembroke.ca prior to 12 p.m. Friday, January 9

Your feedback will help Council and staff understand satisfaction with City services and budget priorities. Community feedback is one factor, along with legislative requirements, policies, objectives, resource availability, and financial constraints.

This 2026 public budget meeting will be available on the City’s YouTube channel.