General City News

The City of Owen Sound has teamed up with DocuPet, a world-leading pet profile and lost pet licensing platform, to bring City pet owners a modern, easy, and personalized way to license their pets. With customizable tags and 24/7 HomeSafe® lost pet services, this program keeps pets safe and identifiable and returns them home sooner. Plus, licenses now last a full year from the date of purchase, not the calendar year.

The City of Owen Sound will host the New Year’s Eve Family Celebration in partnership with the YMCA Bruce Grey Owen Sound once again on Tuesday, December 31, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Julie McArthur Regional Recreation Centre.  Admission is free, but donations are greatly appreciated at the door.

Due to the impact of current and forecast weather conditions on the City’s road and sidewalk infrastructure, the City of Owen Sound has declared a Significant Weather Event that will remain in effect until further notice.

The declaration of a significant weather event is not a notice of a reduced level of service or a road closure. It is intended to notify the public that caution must be observed when travelling on city-maintained roads. Restoring the roads to optimal conditions may take longer than usual.

Only essential travel is advised. Travel on municipal roads and sidewalks maintained by the City of Owen Sound requires extra caution during a declared Significant Weather Event. All municipal streets and sidewalks are in a “state of repair” until an end to the significant weather event is announced.

Due to the impact of current and forecast weather conditions on the City’s road and sidewalk infrastructure, the City of Owen Sound has declared a Significant Weather Event that will remain in effect until further notice.

Every year on December 6, the City of Owen Sound recognizes the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.  Flags at all City facilities (excluding City Hall’s community flagpole) are currently lowered to half-mast until the end of day, in honour of this day of significance.

This year marks 35 years since the murder of 14 young women at Polytechnique Montréal (December 6, 1989). This act of violent misogyny shook our country and led the Federal Government to designate December 6 as The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.

Owen Sound’s 2025 Waste Management Calendar is now available online at OwenSound.ca/Waste. Due to the ongoing Canada Post strike, printed waste calendars will not be delivered this year. However, beginning December 16, paper copies will be available for pick-up at City Hall, the Owen Sound Transit Terminal, and the Owen Sound and North Grey Union Library. Additional locations for calendar pick-up may also be available; please visit the Waste Management website for an up-to-date list at OwenSound.ca/Waste.

The City of Owen Sound has released its draft 2025 Operating budget for Council deliberation at Monday’s meeting.  The budget outlines the City’s commitment to balance the costs of providing important services while ensuring long-term fiscal responsibility.  The budget also continues to address and reduce the gap between Owen Sound’s property tax rate and the average residential tax rate in Grey County.  The 2025 draft budget proposes a property tax rate increase of 2.65% which works out to just less than $10 per month for the average home.