Imagine waking up to a letter that demands almost $14,000 from you, a decade after some work was done on your street. This is the reality for residents of a quiet neighborhood in Breslau, Ontario.
A Shocking Bill
Kayla Jager, a resident of Woolwich Street, was left in complete disbelief when she received the letter. She, along with her neighbors, had no idea they would be facing such a hefty bill for water and sewer work completed in 2016. The letter, dated October 27, 2025, outlined that each of the 25 properties along four streets would be charged $13,950.19, totaling $348,754.75 for the project.
“I’m at a loss,” Jager expressed to CBC News. “I’m hoping for a miracle because I can’t afford a lawyer, and I don’t know where else to turn.”
A Decade-Old Dispute
The story behind this bill is a decade-long saga. In 2014, a majority of residents voted in favor of extending water and sewer services to their homes. However, a dispute with the construction company delayed the work, and it wasn’t until 2016 that the project was completed. The township then engaged in litigation, which dragged on until 2024. Now, residents are being billed for the work, and the township admits it could have handled the communication better.
“It was a miss,” said Jared Puppe, the director of infrastructure services for the Township of Woolwich. “There’s no excuse for it.”
Options and Hardship Cases
Residents have until December 12, 2025, to pay the bill, or they can opt to add it to their tax bill, paying annual installments of $1,286.25 for the next 20 years. Puppe encourages residents to contact the township’s finance department to discuss their payment options, especially those facing financial hardship.
“Council can consider hardship cases,” Puppe explained. “Those residents should reach out to the finance department to discuss their individual situations and determine the next steps.”
A Lesson for the Future
The township has extended the deadline for residents to pay the charges in full to May 2026. Puppe assures that regular communication with affected residents will be a priority in the future to avoid similar situations.
“People could have been saving up had they known,” he said. “And new residents would have been aware of the situation when they moved in.”
And this is the part most people miss: while the township admits its mistake, the residents are left to navigate a complex web of municipal laws and insurance policies to protect their interests.
What do you think? Is this a fair outcome, or should the township bear more responsibility? Share your thoughts in the comments!