Municipal Services

Dog tags are required for every dog no matter their size or whether they are penned, tied-up or "house dogs". Registration of your dog is processed at the municipal office in Algoma Mills. The annual fee for a dog license is $15.00 per dog. There is a special rate of $10.00 per dog for senior citizens. Dog tags are due on March 31st of the current year. After March 31st however, the required license fee will double. There is currently no fee required for house cats.

The Township's by-law requires that dogs be on a leash when off your property. Any dog that is found running loose within the Township will be transported to the dog pound in Blind River and will be subject to the following fee of $15.00 per dog / per day plus an administration fee of $25.00.If an animal is not claimed after three days it may be put down at the municipality's discretion with a fee charged per animal. This fee is at the animal owner's expense. For further inquiries, our Animal Control Officer, Rick Pelletier may be contacted at the municipal office during business hours.

The Township's Landfill Site is located at 5931 Highway 17 in Serpent River and our Operator, Gilles Gosselin, is on site Wednesdays and Sundays. The site hours are the following:

Summer Hours - June 1st to September 31st

Wednesdays from 4:00 to 7:00 pm

Sundays from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Winter Hours - October 1st to May 31st

Wednesdays from 2:00 to 5:00 pm

Sundays from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Recycling depot will be accessible at these times. Tipping fees are not required for light duty truck and small to medium trailers during normal operating hours. However, tipping fees apply after normal operating hours. For further inquiry please visit our tipping fees link or contact the municipal office during business hours.

The Township of The North Shore provides its residents living on public roads with a weekly curbside pickup service. The contractor, Municipal Waste and Recycling, collects between 6 am and 10 am every Friday. Residents are responsible to place the garbage at the curb in a sealed plastic bag, or a plastic or metal container with a securely fitting lid. Each bag or container cannot weigh more than 20 kg (44 lbs.).

Residents on private roads that are not easily accessed year round bring their garbage bag or container for pickup to the end of the private road where it intersects with the public road. These roads are:

Boundary Road	Oak Drive
Cedar Point Drive	Rue D’Eglise
Hill Street	South Ridge Road
Line Drive	Strawberry Hill-east and west
Mel Lake Road	Summit Trail
Ministry Road

Residents on Sunnyside Drive set out their garbage for collection where it intersects with their driveway. Residents on Lau Camp, Table Rock, Mud Bay Road, Air Service Road and Sheppard’s Lane have access to locked bins and are responsible to monitor these bins for abuse and report it to the township office. They are also responsible to keep the area around the bin tidy and free of rubbish. Commercial businesses receive once weekly bin pickup service. Any business requiring more frequent pickup, will arrange this with the contractor at its expense. They are encouraged to lock their bins to prevent unauthorized use and will be responsible to provide a key to the contractor.

In addition to a weekly curbside garbage collection, every second week curbside recycling collection is available. A current collection schedule, outlining accepted recycling materials, is available at the municipal office. Recycling bins for residential curbside are also available for pick up. Commercial businesses will also receive recycling bins to encourage participation. Council and township staff appreciates your cooperation regarding garbage collection and recycling and encourage residents to recycle, reduce and reuse as it has a positive effect on our costs and will increase the lifespan of our landfill site.

The Township's Building Inspector may be reached by calling the municipal office at 705-849-2213 or 705-461-1821. Building permits are required for any structure 100 square feet in size (10' X 10') or larger as well as re-roofing, siding and window replacement. Whether you are remodeling your home or building a new structure, a building permit, as per our by-law, is required. Call the municipal office to obtain a permit application before any work is done on your property or in your home. Download a permit application or visit the municipal office during regular business hours. Permit fees are based on the value of the project or a flat fee, depending on the job. Failure to obtain a building permit may result in a municipal order to remove all constructed work at your cost.

The volunteer Fire Department operates out of two fire stations located in Algoma Mills and Serpent River. The firefighters meet every Thursday of the month at Fire Station # 2, 5759 Highway 17, Serpent River at 7:00 pm. New recruits are enthusiastically welcomed!

The Department is equipped with one triple combination pumper, two tankers (9900L and 5400L), a First Response Emergency Van and other related equipment. There is a radio communication system utilizing pagers with 24-hour monitoring, contracted through the Elliot Lake Fire Department. A Mutual Aid agreement with adjacent municipalities is in effect and a fire protection agreement for the Islands and remote properties is in place with the Ministry of Natural Resources.

The Township owns and operates the water systems servicing the village of Serpent River and Pronto East Subdivision. Dug and drilled wells and lake or river sources supply all other areas of the Township. Current water rates are the following:

Wastewater is handled by individual septic systems in Spragge, Algoma Mills, and part of Serpent River. Residents of these communities are responsible for the periodic pump out and maintenance of their own septic systems. Servicing area residents for sewage disposal is the following : Four Seasons Septic (705-356-3444). In Pronto East Subdivision. a municipally maintained wastewater system services the 21 households.

The Township’s council chambers hall and kitchen are available for public use. A minimal fee is charged for profit activities. For non-profit activities no fee is required. Chairs, tables, picnic tables and benches may be rented for off-premise use. The ball field located at Pronto East may also be rented. A fee is applicable for non residents. To book the hall or for more information regarding other services available at the municipal office, please call the municipal office during business hours.

Our free Internet Access Site is located at the Municipal Office in Algoma Mills. The Community Access Program is a government program that allows all Canadians to have access to the Internet. Our CAP site is available for use from 9:00am to 4:30pm during normal office hours. There are two computers available for use at no charge. Everyone is welcome to come to conduct research, use the computer programs, or surf Internet.

Please feel free to drop in and visit our cap site. We do ask that an adult accompany anyone under 12 years of age.

Free library service is provided at the Blind River Public Library for our residents. The Blind River Public Library, 356-7616, is located at 8 Woodward Avenue in Blind River. Library hours are as follows: