First-Time Leak Forgiveness Program

Last night at Council, my motion to develop a First-Time Leak Forgiveness Program passed unanimously — great news for residents.

We’ve all heard the stories: a family opens their bill and finds hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars in unexpected charges because of an undetected leak. For many — especially those on fixed incomes — that kind of surprise isn’t just frustrating, it’s a real hardship. And frankly, no resident should be put in that position through no fault of their own.

As a Council, it’s our responsibility to step up and put solutions in place that protect residents. That’s exactly what this motion does.

Staff will now begin the work of developing a clear, fair, and compassionate first-time leak forgiveness policy, and will report back to Council with the full program design. They’ll also provide an update on the rollout of the new automated water meter system, which will give residents and staff the tools to catch leaks early — before bills skyrocket. This is about transparency, accountability, and building a system that actually works for people.

At the end of the day, this is about supporting homeowners and aligning Aurora with the best practices already used in other GTHA municipalities. It’s also about common sense — when something is clearly unfair, we fix it.

I look forward to seeing this program come back for final approval — another example of Leadership That Gets Things Done for our community. #LeadershipThatPutsPeopleFirst