News

Environment Canada has issued a Freezing Rain Warning. The forecast for our region currently calls for an extended period of freezing rain with ice accumulation up to 20mm, mixed with periods of ice pellets and snow starting and continuing until Monday afternoon.  Please continue to  monitor alerts and forecasts issued by Environment Canada.
As per Regulation 239/02 Minimum Maintenance Standards of the Municipal Act 2001, The City of Pembroke is declaring a significant weather event affecting all roads within the City boundaries, due to the forecast for significant freezing rain, ice pellets and snow.
This declaration of a significant weather event is not notice of a reduced level of service or a road closure.  It is to notify the public that due to the current or forecasted conditions, caution is to be observed when travelling on roads maintained by the City of Pembroke.  It may take longer than usual to bring the roads and sidewalks back to optimal conditions.
The City of Pembroke Operations Department would like to remind residents:

• Winter parking restrictions are in effect.  Please keep cars parked in driveways during this event and after the rain/freezing rain stops, so as not to impede snow plowing operations.  Offending vehicles will be ticketed and/or towed at the owner’s expense without notice.
• Please ensure that garbage and recycling bins are kept 5 to 6 feet back into driveways so that they are not hit or knocked over by the plowing operations.  Plows will not be able to move over for garbage or recycling containers left in the roadway, as they must maintain roadway width.
• This is a long duration event with a significant amount of rain/freezing rain.  Please have patience, and if possible stay off the roads during and immediately following the event so that City staff can efficiently clear the streets and sidewalks.
• The City Operations department asks residents to have patience during and after this event.  Staff will be working diligently to keep main roads salted and then the focus will shift to opening residential streets as soon as possible.  With the volume of rain/freezing rain forecasted, it will take longer than normal to clear all City streets.

Starting January 1, 2026, Ontario will transition to an enhanced recycling system.

City of Pembroke residents will have expanded recycling options starting January 1, 2026, as part of Ontario's Enhanced Recycling System. 

At this time, there will be no changes to your collection schedule.

Further details will be provided in the coming weeks via Circular Materials who is the new administrator of Ontario’s common collection system. They are a national not-for-profit organization building efficient and effective recycling systems where materials are collected, recycled, and returned to producers to use as recycled content in new packaging and products.

As the new administrator, Circular Materials will be the new point of contact for any concerns or questions regarding the new recycling program. They can be reached by:

Email: customerservice@circularmaterials.ca

Phone: 1-877-667-2626

Notice is hereby given that the City of Pembroke is hosting a public budget meeting Tuesday, January 13 from 6-8 p.m. This meeting will be held in Council Chambers at City Hall located at 1 Pembroke St. E. and is open to the public.

City of Pembroke residents looking to provide comments or ask questions regarding the City’s 2026 operating and capital budgets can do so by:

• Submitting questions or comments online
• The online form will remain open until 8 a.m. on Friday, January 9
• Questions and comments received will be reviewed and addressed during the public meeting. 
• Speaking in person at the public meeting
• Residents wanting to be included on the speakers’ list should contact the Clerk by email at pembroke@pembroke.ca prior to 12 p.m. Friday, January 9

Your feedback will help Council and staff understand satisfaction with City services and budget priorities. Community feedback is one factor, along with legislative requirements, policies, objectives, resource availability, and financial constraints.

This 2026 public budget meeting will be available on the City’s YouTube channel.

The City of Pembroke is seeking competitive proposals from qualified firms to provide engineering services for the Design and Contract Administration for landscaping design and build for Trailhead Hub located at 11 Albert Street, Pembroke Ontario.

Complete proposal documents in electronic PDF version, may be obtained through email request to purchasing@pembroke.ca. Proposal sets will be available for distribution beginning on December 18, 2025, during regular office hours (7:30am to 4:00pm).

Four (4) hard copies of the proposal clearly marked as to contents or emailed PDF copy with signature to purchasing@pembroke.ca by 2:00:59 PM, Local Time, Thursday, January 15th, 2026.

All questions relating to this proposal request will be received in writing up to and no later than 12:00 p.m. local time on Thursday, January 8, 2026.

The City reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals. The lowest or any proposal will not necessarily be accepted.

Ms. Marsha Hawthorne

Purchasing Manager/Deputy Treasurer

City of Pembroke

Operations Department

460 River Road

Pembroke, Ontario K8A 1A1

Purchasing@pembroke.ca

Telephone: (613) 735-6821, ext. 1408

Following two days of deliberations by the City of Pembroke Finance and Administration Committee, Council has advanced the 2026 Budget, balancing service delivery and infrastructure investment with affordability for residents. 

Under Ontario’s Strong Mayor budget process, the budget will be finalized after the mayoral veto/override period on Thursday, January 22, 2026.

Pembroke is the only single‑tier municipality in Renfrew County. The City tax rate includes both City services as well as the County of Renfrew and other shared services. In nearby lower‑tier municipalities (such as Laurentian Valley and Petawawa), the County/shared services are billed as a separate tax rate.

As amended by Council at the December 16 Council meeting, the 2026 budget is advancing with a total tax levy increase after assessment growth of 6.99%. This includes a levy stabilization reduction of 0.9% to improve affordability to residents. Broken down, the County of Renfrew and shared services portion is 2.36%, and the City portion (comparable to neighbours) is 4.63%.

For the average residential property owner, municipal property taxes are projected to increase by about $238 in 2026 (about $20 per month), split as follows:

·        $68 for capital infrastructure projects (roads, sidewalks, parks, and recreation facilities)

·        $65 for operating costs to maintain core services (fire, roads, parks) and to promote economic development

·        $25 for increased OPP policing costs

• About $80 for the County of Renfrew levy and other shared services (paramedic services, homes for the aged, the local health unit, and other social services)

“Committee and staff worked to fund the services residents rely on, invest in our roads and facilities, and recognize affordability pressures facing households,” says Mayor Ron Gervais.

Managing the City’s infrastructure funding gap remains a priority. The community currently utilizes more than $11 million per year in roads, sidewalks, bridges, storm sewer, parks, fleet, and facilities annually with sustainable funding at $7 million. This $4 million funding gap is creating a backlog of projects that will need to be managed in future years. In 2026, the asset management plan will review the annual 2% infrastructure levy to determine if it is sufficient to meet community service expectations while keeping property taxes affordable year-to-year.

Key 2026 infrastructure projects include:

·        Dehumidifier installation at the Kinsmen Pool

·        New ice pad surface at the Pembroke and Area Community Centre (PACC), addressing its critical condition with planning to be undertaken in 2026 and construction expected at the end of the hockey season in March 2027

·        Continued major construction on Isabella Street

• Road resurfacing on portions of Angus Campbell, First Avenue, Forced Road, International Drive, Townline, and William Street

“We continue to make responsible, incremental progress on our infrastructure needs while keeping the City portion of the levy increase affordable, similar to neighbouring municipalities,” says Deputy Mayor and Finance and Administration Chair Brian Abdallah.

For local user-pay services, the waste management collection fee is increasing from $158 to $180.50 in 2026, following more than five years without a fee change. For water and sewer rates, the average residential customer is estimated to pay about $94 more in 2026 (about $7.87 per month) to maintain safe drinking water, wastewater treatment, and system renewal.

Under Ontario’s Strong Mayor legislation, the mayor may veto Council budget amendments within a prescribed period, and Council may override a veto with a two‑thirds vote. In accordance with this process, Pembroke’s 2026 Budget will be finalized on Thursday, January 22, 2026, following the conclusion of the mayoral veto/override window.

Residents seeking additional information about the 2026 Budget may attend a public meeting on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, at 6 p.m. Attendance is available in person at City Hall (1 Pembroke St. E.), with live streaming provided on the City’s YouTube channel.

The City of Pembroke is asking for resident and property owner feedback to help our budget planning.

The City of Pembroke is preparing to deliberate the 2026 Budget. Your feedback will help Council and staff understand satisfaction with City services and budget priorities. Community feedback is one factor for our budgeting, along with legislative requirements, policies, objectives, resource availability, and financial constraints.

Feedback is being gathered through a short 10-minute survey.

The survey closes January 4, 2026.

Overnight Thursday, November 20, the City of Pembroke experienced a major watermain break on a large diameter trunk watermain within Riverside Park between Riverside Drive and Trafalgar Road that feeds the distribution system.

Due to this break, properties between Trafalgar Road and 786 Pembroke St. W., on Pembroke Street West between George and Wilfred streets, and Miramichi Lodge were directly affected.

Water has been restored to the properties between George and Wilfred streets. Work is underway to restore water to the remaining properties except Miramichi Lodge by midnight. Temporary non-potable and fire suppression water service is expected to be up and running at Miramichi Lodge by this evening. The City will provide potable water to the home for the duration of the repair, which is expected to take two weeks.

Prior to the water being restored, potable water was supplied to the affected properties.

All water system users are asked to reduce their water consumption wherever and whenever possible during this time, but we understand people need to go about their daily lives. Consumption reduction is important to ensure stable water supply for all system users, as well as adequate fire suppression. The water is safe to consume.

Due to the specialized material and size of the pipe, and the specialized contractors to do the work, the repair is anticipated to take two weeks to complete. The City has procured the materials and contacted the contractor.

During this time, people may notice a reduction in water pressure or volume.

The next update will be provided by Monday morning on the City’s website pembroke.ca and our Facebook and Instagram platforms.

We appreciate this disruption can be inconvenient and stressful, and we greatly thank you for your cooperation during this time.

When it comes to challenging issues affecting our city, collaboration is key. This is exactly what is happening in Pembroke when it comes to mental health, addictions, and homelessness challenges, which are being seen across Ontario.

Pembroke is not unique in experiencing these challenges, especially as a hub of services and amenities. I understand some residents have concerns about things they are seeing around town or when these challenges affect people they love.

However, we are seeing progress on supporting people and tackling these issues due to collaborative initiatives from a wide range of Renfrew County services.

Our CAO recently brought a report to Council highlighting various stakeholders including the Mesa HART Hub, Renfrew County and District Drug Strategy, OPP community services and operations, Mental Health Court, and City by-law enforcement.

Since launching in the last year, the Mesa outreach team has connected with 160 people with complex mental health and/or substance use disorders who were not previously connected to any services.

The Drug Strategy’s data shows that suspected drug toxicity deaths have decreased from a historical high of 41 in 2023 to 29 in 2024 and 7 at the midway point of 2025. While any death related to a substance use medical emergency is one too many, there is cautious optimism that these new initiatives are having an impact.

From a policing standpoint, we are seeing support through the Mobile Crisis Rapid Response Team, where these officers are partnered with a clinician to intervene when people are in crisis, as well as provide resources to others to prevent them from getting to a place of crisis.

Recently, the Community Street Crime Unit also completed a drug trafficking project where 31 people were charged with trafficking controlled substances within the City of Pembroke. Firearms and drugs were removed from our community because of the actions of our police.

Thanks to efforts such as these, as well as all the ongoing work of the OPP, Pembroke’s by-law enforcement officers, Mesa, paramedics, and other service groups, these issues are being addressed.

There is still a lot of work to be done. But I believe these collaborative efforts are working and will be the way forward to make things better for all in our community.

As always, my door is open should ratepayers wish to meet with me to discuss municipal matters that affect them.

Mayor Ron Gervais

The City of Pembroke is thrilled to announce the launch of Ottawa River Transit, an innovative on-demand transit service, to enhance connectivity and convenience for residents.

Commencing operations on August 5, 2025, Ottawa River Transit (OTRC) represents a new era in public transportation within the city.

In collaboration with Mobility Transportation Specialists (MTS), ORTC brings a modern and adaptable transit solution to the residents of Pembroke. MTS will be responsible for providing top-notch vehicles, professional drivers, and efficient customer service. MTS has partnered with Blaise Transit, who will provide an advanced transit technology platform for scheduling, managing bookings, and real-time ride tracking, enhancing overall user experience and service efficiency. Both Canadian companies, MTS and Blaise Transit are experienced in working together to launch new and innovative transit services in growing communities such as Pembroke.

“As City Council lead for Pembroke’s Ottawa River Transit project, it is both an honour and a source of pride to serve in this role,” says Deputy Mayor Brian Abdallah. “After years of dedicated, community-wide collaboration, I am thrilled to see this transformative three-year pilot project come to fruition.”

Mayor Ron Gervais adds, “This pilot project will provide the City the necessary information to determine if a community such as ours can offer a transit service in a sustainable and fiscally responsible way.”

The transit service will use three new Dodge ProMasters, equipped to accommodate up to eight passengers. Two of these vehicles will be in regular operation during peak service hours, with an additional unit on standby as a backup to ensure uninterrupted service.

As an initiative partly funded by City of Pembroke property taxes, ORTC will operate exclusively within city limits, offering an affordable fare of $5 per ride.

“Reliable and accessible transit is essential to student success,” says Algonquin College Pembroke Campus Dean Angela Rintoul. “The launch of Ottawa River Transit marks a significant step forward in connecting our students—and the broader community—to educational and employment opportunities. We’re excited to see this investment in mobility, inclusion, and regional growth take shape right here in Pembroke."

ORTC will debut with summer service hours as follows:

• Monday to Wednesday: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Thursday and Friday: 7 am. to 10 p.m.
• Saturday: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

After Labour Day, ORTC will extend service until 10 p.m. from Monday to Friday. There will be no service on Sundays and statutory holidays.

Operating on a "stop-to-stop" model, ORTC will serve numerous virtual stops throughout the city. Passengers can anticipate an up-to five-minute walk to their designated stops, with exact details provided upon booking.

“The PBIA is thrilled to see the launch of the new on-demand transit service,” says Pembroke Business Improvement Area Executive Director Bethea Summers. “This initiative will make it easier for more people to shop and dine in our vibrant downtown. It will be especially beneficial for the many employees working in the downtown core, providing them with a convenient transportation option. Additionally, visitors staying at nearby hotels will now have an accessible and affordable way to experience all that downtown Pembroke has to offer.”

To use the ORTC service, you simply “book, ride, and go”. Riders can conveniently book a trip, up to seven days in advance, three ways:

• By smartphone with the Blaise Transit app: For the most interactive experience, riders are encouraged to use the Blaise Transit app, where they can also receive real-time updates and notifications.
• By computer through the Blaise web booking portal: Accessible via any computer for users who prefer web-based interactions.
• On the phone with the ORTC Customer Service: A dedicated line at 613-631-1766 is available for direct assistance in booking rides.

To best ensure a smooth ride, riders should be at their stop at least five minutes before the scheduled time, as the bus does not wait for late arrivals. Riders have the option to book their trip based on either departure or arrival time. If a rider has an appointment, book by arrival time to make sure on-time arrival at the destination.

"We congratulate the City of Pembroke for bringing this project to life,” says Sophie Leblanc, Blaise's Head of Business Development. “ORTC will help increase access to healthcare, education, jobs, social activities, and the like for all residents. Blaise Transit is proud to be the technology partner in this initiative, and we're excited to see it grow over the coming years."

ORTC is committed to excellence and values rider feedback. Riders are encouraged to rate their experience and leave valuable comments through the Blaise Transit app, helping to continually refine and enhance the service. In addition, the City is planning a formal six-month review and survey of residents to ensure this new service meets the community’s needs.

Organized as an initial three-year pilot project, the City of Pembroke invites all residents to experience the future of city transit with Ottawa River Transit. Join us in our mission to make public transportation more efficient, accessible, and user-friendly.