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Smiths Falls, ON · all Smiths Falls meetings

Smiths Falls meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

Plain-English weekly recaps written from official meeting records. 3 weeks available.

Weeks

Week of 2026-08-03

Smiths Falls council agendas included backyard hens bylaw, climate plan, and 2025 financial statements

Smiths Falls council and committee agendas from late July listed several consequential items for residents, including a bylaw permitting backyard hens, a final draft Climate Action Plan, and the town's 2025 financial statements. Minutes have not yet been published for any of the three meetings, so outcomes — including whether bylaws passed — are not yet confirmed in the public record.

Backyard hens bylaw on July 20 agenda

The Regular Meeting of Council scheduled for July 20, 2026 included Bylaw 10711-2026, which would permit the keeping of backyard hens within the Town of Smiths Falls. The same agenda listed Bylaw 10712-2026 to confirm the proceedings of Council on June 1, 15, and 29, 2026.

Other items on the July 20 agenda were approval of that meeting's agenda as circulated, approval of minutes from the June 29, 2026 special council meeting, and receipt and adoption of Consent Report 08-2026 items.

Because minutes are not yet published, the town's record does not confirm whether the backyard hens bylaw was passed or how council voted.

Committee of the Whole reviewed climate plan and finances on July 27

The Committee of the Whole meeting on July 27, 2026 was scheduled to discuss a final draft of the Climate Action Plan (Report 2026-101) and a presentation of the 2025 Financial Statements by Baker Tilly.

The committee agenda also listed a Procurement Policy Amendment for Buy Ontario Compliance (Report 2026-104), an encroachment application for 12 Maple Avenue (Report 2026-102), and a Memorandum of Understanding extension with Carebridge Community Support for 30 Robinson Ave (Report 2026-105).

Outcomes of these discussions are not yet available in published minutes.

Regular council meeting followed on July 27

A Regular Meeting of Council was also scheduled for July 27, 2026. The agenda noted that items may be added based on the outcome of the Committee of the Whole meeting held the same day.

Listed items included the 2025 Financial Statements, the Climate Action Plan dated July 2026, Bylaw 10713-2026 to amend the Procurement Policy, an encroachment agreement for a directory ground sign at 12 Maple Ave, and Bylaw 10715-2026 to extend a Memorandum of Understanding for 30 Robinson Ave.

As with the other meetings, minutes have not been published, so it is not confirmed which of these items were voted on or adopted.

What residents should know

The backyard hens bylaw, if passed, would change what residents may keep on their properties. The Climate Action Plan, if adopted, would set the town's environmental priorities. The 2025 Financial Statements, once formally received, provide the public accounting of town spending and reserves. The procurement policy amendment relates to Buy Ontario compliance, which affects how the town purchases goods and services. The encroachment items concern specific property matters at 12 Maple Avenue.

Residents seeking confirmed outcomes should watch for published minutes from the July 20 and July 27 meetings on the Town of Smiths Falls website.

Coming up

No upcoming meetings are listed in the next 14 days, according to the available agenda data. Residents should check the town's official calendar for any newly posted meetings.

Week of 2026-07-06

Smiths Falls council agendas outline heritage, infrastructure, and traffic signal items — no decisions recorded yet

Smiths Falls council committees set out a full slate of items for late June, including heritage property designations, a traffic signal improvement contract, and the Old Water Tower project. However, minutes have not yet been published for any of the three meetings on the agenda, so no decisions, votes, or dollar amounts are confirmed in the available record.

Committee of the Whole — June 22

The Committee of the Whole was scheduled to hear two delegations. MP Scott Reid was listed to speak on local infrastructure items including Alto, AED stations, the Chamber Street underpass, and railway crossing blockage. Police Chief Jodi Empey was listed to present the 2025 Annual Report.

Agenda items included:

Because minutes are not yet published, it is not known which items were discussed, amended, or advanced.

Committee of the Whole — June 29

A second Committee of the Whole meeting was scheduled the same day as the regular council meeting. The agenda listed a delegation by Lucie Bingley on accessibility and the Beckwith Street Bridge rehabilitation.

Agenda items included:

No vote tallies or contract award amounts are available in the agenda-only record.

Regular Meeting of Council — June 29

The regular council meeting was set to review several pending items, some of which could be added following a Special Committee of the Whole meeting. Listed items mirrored the earlier committee agenda:

Again, no minutes have been published, so no outcomes are confirmed.

What this means for residents

Several items on these agendas touch on visible parts of town: the Beckwith Street Bridge rehabilitation and accessibility, the Old Water Tower, downtown core design guidelines, and traffic signal improvements. Heritage property designations, if advanced, would affect specific properties listed in Report 2026-086. An OPP costing process, if pursued, could inform future policing decisions. Until minutes are published, residents should treat all of these as proposed or scheduled for discussion rather than decided.

Coming up

No upcoming meetings are listed in the next 14 days. Residents seeking confirmation of any June 22 or June 29 outcomes should watch for posted minutes from the Town of Smiths Falls.

Week of 2026-06-29

Smiths Falls Council Reviews Heritage Designations, Traffic Signal Contract and Bridge Accessibility

The Smiths Falls Committee of the Whole and Council reviewed a series of agendized items in late June, including a proposed contract for traffic signal improvements, heritage property designations, and a request for OPP costing. All meetings were conducted as agenda sessions; minutes have not yet been published, so no final decisions are recorded.

June 22 Committee of the Whole

MP Scott Reid addressed the committee on several local infrastructure issues, including Alto, AED stations, the Chamber Street underpass, and railway crossing blockages. Police Chief Jodi Empey presented the 2025 Annual Report.

Reports on the table included:

The meeting moved into a closed session to discuss litigation and personal matters.

June 29 Committee of the Whole and Council Meeting

On June 29, the Committee of the Whole heard a delegation from Lucie Bingley regarding accessibility improvements for the Beckwith Street Bridge rehabilitation project. The committee also discussed:

The same items were carried forward to the Regular Meeting of Council held later that day for possible action following the special committee meeting. No vote tallies are available as minutes are pending.

Coming up

No municipal meetings are scheduled in Smiths Falls for the next 14 days, according to the provided agenda data.

Generated from official meeting agendas and minutes — every underlying document is linked from the city page. Read the primary source before you rely on a detail.