News Cultivation Finance
Oro-Medonte burns through legal budget fighting cannabis farms

By Wayne Doyle, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, BarrieToday.com

At the end of the first half of 2023, Oro-Medonte Township had already blown through its annual legal expense budget.

With an allocation of $428,900 for the year, the township finished the first half with legal expenses of $609,000. Reserves of $200,000 were included in the 2023 operating budget to cover deficit.

At a special meeting of council on March 20 to discuss the recalibration of the 2023-24 budget, council was made aware that legal costs in 2023 had run amok.

According to the legal expense summary presented to council, the township spent $1,094,210 on legal costs in 2023.

A week later, council was advised there was a clerical error that added approximately $125,000 to the final result.

Township officials said this week that the actual legal cost related to cannabis is $436,955 and not $555,435, as was presented March 20.

Backing out the clerical error of $118,480, the township spent $975,730 — more than double the original budgeted amount.

According to the summary prepared for council, the township spent $197,869 on legal costs associated with development services — including $187,572 on legal costs related to short-term rentals, $4,901 on Ontario Land Tribunal appeals and planning matters, and $5,396 on building and septic matters.

The budget allocation for development services was $120,000.

Under environmental services, the township spent $161,482 — including $155,026 on Zone 1 water and $6,456 to the Municipal Service Corporation.

The budget allocation for environmental services was $70,000.

Under shared services, the township spent a total of $490,312 — $436,955 on cannabis, $27,782 on general matters, $14,367 on human rights tribunal, and $11,208 on TRY recycling.

The budget allocation for shared services was $150,000.

“Legal challenges initiated by third parties associated with decisions of township council are outside of the municipality’s control,” Jenny Legget, communications and public relations officer for Oro-Medonte, wrote in an email to BarrieToday.

“Township council and staff are focused on reviewing all available options to address these challenges, with a goal of resolving issues in the most cost-effective way possible,” she added.

In the category of human resources, the township spent $80,917, which is more than double the original budget allocation of $40,000.

Asked to explain the variance, Legget said the township “does not share details pertaining to confidential HR and labour relations matters.”

BarrieToday also asked township officials to explain the legal fees associated with general matters, human rights tribunal and TRY recycling.

“Specific details regarding legal matters are discussed in closed session,” Legget wrote. “Therefore, the township is not in a position to provide specifics pertaining to any legal matter/case.”