Grey County's Urban Road Transfer Plan Raises Concerns at Owen Sound Council
Owen Sound Council discusses Grey County's urban road transfer plan, raising concerns over funding, infrastructure costs, and long-term responsibilities.
At its April 14 meeting, Owen Sound City Council discussed Grey County’s proposal to transfer ownership of approximately 15 kilometres of urban County roads within the city to the lower-tier municipality.
The discussion came as part of Deputy Mayor Scott Greig’s verbal update on County Council matters and focused on the potential implications of the proposed road transfers, which are part of a broader 10-year county-wide urban and rural road exchange plan. The proposed transfers are not yet finalized and would not take effect until fall 2026 at the earliest.
Owen Sound is among the most affected municipalities under the proposal, which would shift responsibility for several major road segments—including roadways, sidewalks, bridges, and other infrastructure—from the County to the City. The County has committed to providing transition funding over ten years, based on the proportional asset value of the transferred roads relative to the entire County road network.
Under the County’s proposal, Owen Sound would assume responsibility for approximately 14.94 kilometres of road and 11 signalized intersections—more than any other municipality involved.
The City’s share represents over 30% of all road length being transferred. In return, Owen Sound is expected to receive $7.26 million in transitional funding over the next decade. However, City staff have questioned whether that amount adequately reflects the complexity and cost of maintaining urban infrastructure.
Staff also flagged that the transition excludes previously committed County projects within the City, including a $10 million roundabout and signal installation on Grey Road 5 scheduled for 2027, which falls just outside the October 2026 transition cut-off date.
Director of Public Works and Engineering Lara Widdifield told Council there are several unresolved issues, including a lack of funding recognition for other planned infrastructure projects, such as reconstruction work on 8th Street East and intersection improvements on East Bayshore Road, already committed to by the County. She also noted that development charges previously collected from properties in Owen Sound do not appear to be accounted for separately in the funding model.
Staff further highlighted that the County’s formula is based on average replacement values across its predominantly rural road network. Urban roads—typically more complex and costly to maintain due to higher standards, traffic volumes, and integrated services—may not be adequately reflected. Bridges included in the transfers could further increase the City’s long-term capital burden.
Council members raised questions about funding transparency and whether the City could formally request more detailed, asset-specific financial data from the County. There was also interest in exploring whether the transition could be staged or adjusted to better reflect the City’s actual infrastructure costs.
Mayor Ian Boddy noted that no decision was being made at this time. He said County staff would first need to finalize a proposal, after which City staff would bring a report to Council for consideration once more information is available.
Grey County is expected to hold public information sessions before finalizing any agreements with lower-tier municipalities. Council indicated it would continue to monitor the process closely and ensure Owen Sound’s interests are clearly communicated as discussions progress.