Contact(s)
The City of Orillia is currently completing several major projects to improve services for citizens and businesses in Orillia.
Centennial Drive Area Improvements |
A Municipal Class Environmental Assessment is being completed for the Centennial Drive Area. The initial scope of study included the re-alignment of Centennial Drive /Canice Street from Brant Street to Elgin Street and the extension of Coldwater Street from Front Street to Centennial Drive. The scope was expanded to include:
For detailed information regarding this project, please visit the Centennial Drive Area Improvements project page. |
Community Investment with Hydro One |
Council at a Special Meeting of Council held August 15, 2016, signed agreements with Hydro One that will see 36 acres of the 42-acre Horne Business Park in West Orillia used for an Advanced Technology Hub. The opportunity includes the acquisition of the Orillia Power Distribution Corporation by Hydro One. The development is anticipated to inject approximately $200 to $300-million in near-term economic impact on the community, including the construction of three facilities, the creation of a significant number of highly-skilled, knowledge-based jobs, and fibre optics upgrades within the City. For detailed information regarding this project, please visit the Community Investment with Hydro One project page. |
Downtown Tomorrow Community Improvement Plan |
The Downtown Tomorrow Community Improvement Plan (DTCIP) launched on January 1, 2017. This program seeks to encourage growth in Downtown Orillia, and in 2019 includes the provision of $200,000 in grants to offset costs of development in the downtown core for projects such as façade improvements, signage, feasibility studies, building improvements and the creation of residential units. Over time, the DTCIP is expected to increase tax assessment, employment opportunities and housing options in the City's core as part of a longer term plan to revitalize the downtown and link it more closely to Orillia's waterfront. A Community Improvement Plan (CIP) is a tool authorized by the Planning Act and Municipal Act which allows municipalities to offer financial incentives such as grants and loans to property owners and business tenants in order to encourage downtown, neighbourhood and community revitalization. For detailed information regarding this project, please visit the Downtown Tomorrow CIP project page. |
Front Street Reconstruction |
The project will address the deteriorated condition of the roadway and provide improvements to existing servicing infrastructure. The project also involves relocating the existing trunk sanitary sewer from the waterfront to Front St. as well as upgrading the traffic infrastructure and boulevard amenities. Construction will occur in two phases, Phase 1 - Front Street from Queen Street to Colborne Street East and Phase 2 - Front Street from Colborne Street East to Neywash Street and Neywash Street from Front Street to Laclie Street. For detailed information regarding this project, please visit the Front Street Reconstruction project page. |
Inch Farm Arterial Road |
The project involves the establishment of a new arterial road including all underground and aboveground infrastructure to support the greenfield development of approximately 6.64 hectares of vacant industrial employment lands, east of Uhthoff Line and adjacent to Highway 11 extending north to the City limits. Development of the arterial road and associated infrastructure also requires consideration for servicing of adjacent existing and proposed residential and commercial properties on Murphy Road, Uhthoff Line and in Severn Township. For detailed information regarding this project, please visit the Inch Farm Arterial Road project page. |
Orillia Recreation Centre |
The Orillia Recreation Centre provides a blend of leisure, sport, fitness and recreational amenities for individuals and families, as well as competitive sport venues for groups and organizations and includes the following amenities:
For detailed information regarding this project, please visit the Orillia Recreation Centre project page. |
Stormwater Sub-Basins 10, 11 and 12 |
Through the Stormwater Master Plan completed in 2016, it has been recommended that the stormwater outfalls at the end of Tecumseth, Neywash and Coldwater Streets be retrofitted with stormwater management (SWM) facilities for quality and quantity control, in addition to consideration of smaller projects within the catchment areas. A combined SWM facility was proposed as a feasible alternative. For detailed information regarding this project, please visit the Stormwater Sub-Basins 10, 11 and 12 project page. |
Wastewater System Master Plan |
The Orillia Wastewater System must continue to meet the needs of the community in the most economical and sustainable manner, in full compliance with regulations, and with minimal impact on the natural environment. As such, the existing systems will be reviewed to identify and define their condition, compliance and performance-related issues that might affect the ability of the systems to meet future needs. As a result, this master servicing study will address:
For detailed information regarding this project, please visit the Orillia Wastewater System Master Plan project page. |
Wastewater Tertiary Treatment Facility |
The City of Orillia will be completing significant upgrades to its Wastewater Treatment Centre (WWTC) to reduce the amount of phosphorus entering into Lake Simcoe. As required by the Lake Simcoe Protection Act, new compliance limits for phosphorus entering Lake Simcoe came into effect in June 2015. Tertiary treatment and process optimization at the WWTC are required to ensure the City's annual average of phosphorus can be achieved with consistency under increased flow and higher total phosphorus concentrations. The project involves design and construction of a new cloth media tertiary filtration process, complete with a hydraulic lift station, cloth media filters and buildings to house the individual processes. Appurtenances associated with these processes include: chemical dosing system, and HVAC systems, piping, electrical, controls and instrumentation equipment to facilitate phosphorus removal. The WWTC upgrade will include the retrofit of the aeration process equipment, as well as the construction of a new blower building for optimization of the WWTC processes, including automation, energy efficiency and ammonia nitrogen removal. For detailed information regarding this project, please visit the Wastewater Tertiary Treatment Facility project page. |
Water Master System Master Plan Update |
The City of Orillia has retained the services of the Tatham Engineering Limited to undertake an Update to the City’s Water Master System Master Plan (2015). The main objectives of the project are to:
For details information regarding this project, please visit the Water Master System Master Plan Update project page. |
Waterfront Redevelopment Project |
In 2012, the City adopted the Downtown Tomorrow Plan, which set out a long term vision to better connect the downtown core and waterfront area. In 2016, the City acquired 70 Front Street North, an underutilized parcel of land which contained a large commercial plaza, with the intent to extend Coldwater Street to Centennial Drive and facilitate redevelopment of the southern portion of the plaza. As a shared vision between the City and the developer is crucial to the success of this project, the 9.75-acre site will be sold through two phases. The first phase is the Request for Qualifications (RFQ), which determines a shortlist of qualified proponents who share Council’s vision. The second phase is the Request for Proposals (RFP), which invites the shortlisted proponents to submit their detailed redevelopment proposal for the site. For detailed information regarding this project, please visit the Waterfront Redevelopment project page. |
West Orillia Road Improvements |
In July 2016, the City entered into an agreement with the Ministry of Transportation to undertake various roadworks in the West Orillia area. Those roadworks are required to accommodate existing and future traffic in the area as development occurs. The full project includes the following work: • The addition and widening of Highway 11 southbound exit ramps at Coldwater Road (2016) For detailed information regarding this project, please visit the West Orillia Road Improvements project page. |
West Street South Widening |
The City is undertaking a Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (MCEA) to consider options for the widening of West Street South to support the connection between downtown Orillia and Highway 12 and to meet the needs of anticipated population and employment growth and traffic demands, including active transportation. After the preferred option is selected, detailed design will be completed through 2021, with construction anticipated in 2022. For detailed information regarding this project, please visit the West Street South Widening project page. |