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​FAQs​

Stormwater

When the rain falls, it hits rooftops, driveways, sidewalks, parking lots, roads and other hard surfaces within our community. These hard surfaces, unlike lawns, forests and natural areas, do not absorb any of the water, so the rain becomes runoff. The more intense the rain, the more runoff is produced. Left on its own, this runoff can flood streets and homes, put public safety at risk, damage private and public property, and cause harm to the environment.​

During the winter, snowfall can build up to significant amounts on the ground and remain in place until warmer weather arrives. When this happens, the snow melts and the melting water becomes runoff, and can cause similar problems as runoff from rainfall.​

Stormwater management is a way of managing runoff to reduce or prevent problems and allow our community to function normally during rain or snowmelt events. Stormwater management is a shared responsibility between the City of Brampton and the Conservation Authorities, which manage our rivers and streams.

Stormwater management is a shared responsibility between the homeowner, the City, and the Conservation Authorities (CVC and TRCA). Homeowners are responsible for stormwater on their properties. The City operates and maintains the municipal stormwater system to collect, transport and treat stormwater from properties. Conservation authorities are responsible for rivers and streams (or the City, depending on ownership of the river or stream corridor).

Do not skate, sled or walk on stormwater ponds

  • Keep children and pets off the ice.
  • Stay on designated trails when walking near the pond. 
  • Know where the lifesaving equipment is located.
  • Report any missing lifesaving equipment to 311. 

Obey the signs

  • Stay off stormwater ponds.
  • Stay away from the shorelines of stormwater ponds.
  • In case of emergency call 911.
  • Download the what3words free mobile app for iOS and Android to use in case of emergency. For more information visit the Brampton Fire and Emergency Services webpage.

The ice is thin and unsafe

  • There may be no visible ​signs of unsafe ice conditions.
  • Snow can hide holes and cracks in the ice.
  • The continuous flow of water and changing water levels can weaken and crack the ice. 

The City of Brampton has lots of community rinks available throughout the city. For more information visit the Outdoor Skating​ webpage.​​

Do not wade into, swim, fish, or boat in stormwater ponds at any time of the year.

  • Keep children and pets off the shoreline and out of the water.
  • Stay on designated trails when walking near the pond.
  • Know where to find the lifesaving equipment.
  • Report any missing lifesaving equipment to 311.

Obey the signs

  • Stay out of stormwater ponds.
  • Stay away from the shorelines of stormwater ponds.
  • In case of emergency call 911.
  • Download the what3words free mobile app for iOS and Android to use in case of emergency. For more information visit Brampton Fire and Emergency Services webpage.

Stormwater ponds are unsafe!

  • Water levels can rise very quickly during rainstorms.
  • Stormwater is polluted and not suitable for swimming, boating, or fishing.
  • Shorelines can be slippery and unstable.
The City of Brampton has swimming pools and splash pads available throughout the city. For more information visit our swimming webpage​. 

Stormwater Charge

The City currently has over $3.2B worth of stormwater infrastructure that protects public safety and property, reduces flooding and erosion and cleans our stormwater runoff before it is released into streams and ultimately into Lake Ontario. Each part of this system has a lifespan, and must be maintained in state of good repair, and replaced when at end of service. The estimated annual cost to provide for these programs and activities is $27.9 million per year. ​

The amount of your Stormwater Charge is based on the amount of runoff from your property. In general, the more hard surfaces you have on your property, the more runoff is produced.
 
The charge for an average single family detached home is $97.06 per year.​
 
Residential taxpayers contribute 80% of property taxes but are responsible for less than half the stormwater runoff. This means residential taxpayers were indirectly subsidising the cost of the stormwater system for other sectors under property tax funding. If the stormwater charge was collected through property taxes, the average residential homeowner would have to pay $132 per year towards stormwater. The new stormwater charge reduces the cost to that homeowner by 33% ($97.06 versus $132).

The City will assess each property using geospatial methods to determine the amount of hard surface on the property.​

The City has funded stormwater programs and activities through property taxes (residential and non-residential) in the past, but this has not been sufficient to fully fund all required programs and activities.​

The Stormwater Charge will appear as an additional charge on your Regional water bill. It will be listed as Stormwater Charge on the water bill and will show the number of billing units for the property, the daily rate being charged, the total number of days included in the bill cycle along with the total Stormwater Charge to be paid. ​ For more information on the charge calculation, click here​.

Every property in the City of Brampton, save for those exempt from municipal fees and charges by law, will have a stormwater charge assessed.​

​The increase is in line with general inflation adjustments as incorporated in the City’s 2026 budget and helps to ensure stormwater programs have the funding needed to maintain service levels and capital improvements. Learn more: www.brampton.ca/charge​.

​The City of Brampton’s stormwater charge rate will increase 2% as of April 1, 2026. Learn more: www.brampton.ca/charge​.

Property taxes are based on the assessed market value of a property and have no correlation with how much stormwater runoff comes from the property and is managed by the City's drainage system. The City has examined a number of ways to pay for stormwater, and concluded a stormwater charge is the fairest way and most equitable as it is a more-you-use, the more-you-pay approach.

Residential taxpayers contribute 80% of property taxes but are responsible for less than half the stormwater runoff. This means residential taxpayers were indirectly subsidising the cost of the stormwater system for other sectors under property tax funding. The average residential homeowner would have to pay $132 per year in their property taxes toward stormwater without the new dedicated charge in place. The stormwater charge reduces the cost to that homeowner by 33% ($97.06 versus $132).
 
The primary purpose of the stormwater charge is to rebalance how stormwater is paid for.

The City will provide opportunities to reduce or eliminate the stormwater charge for low-income or disabled persons, veterans’ organizations and places of worship.​

A stormwater charge is only assessed if there is hard surface on your property, and the hard surfaces together must be more than 23.4 square meters (250 square feet). Otherwise there is no charge.​

There will be a process for a property owner to demonstrate that their property does not use any part of the municipal system, which includes rivers and streams, and to apply for a technical exemption.​

The stormwater charges are being collected via the water bill, which is administered by the Region of Peel which provides the same service to the City of Mississauga. If payments of the charges on the water bill are deferred by the Region, the stormwater charges would be deferred as well.​

The City will provide a means for the public to verify their charge is correct, and a process to resolve any discrepancies. More information on this will be provided before the first bills are sent out.​

Yes, for multi-family and non-residential properties that implement stormwater measures that reduce the stress on the City’s system, there will be an opportunity to apply for a stormwater charge reduction of up to 50%.​

The money collected from stormwater charges will be used for operations, maintenance, monitoring, rehabilitation and replacement, capital investments to increase capacity, and asset management programs and activities to keep our stormwater system working well. This will include items such as cleaning catchbasins, repairing and replacing storm sewers, cleaning our stormwater ponds, and maintaining creeks and river banks.​

There are almost 180,000 residential properties in Brampton. To monitor the requirements for a residential program would require additional staff and resources, and ultimately increase the stormwater charges payable by the property owner. It was important to balance the cost of implementing and managing the stormwater charge program with the increased monitoring and compliance requirements that would be necessary to offer a residential credit program. Hence there is no program at this moment to provide stormwater credits or reductions in the stormwater charge for residential properties.​

Unless all the water that results from rain falling on your property is retained on the property, there will be runoff that is managed by the City’s stormwater drainage system. The City’s stormwater drainage system includes roads, sewers, overland flow routes, and the rivers and creeks as well, which are the ultimate receivers for the stormwater runoff. The overflow from rain barrels, as well as the water that runs off your driveway or other hard surfaces on your property, flows on the surface and makes its way to the city's stormwater drainage system via overland flow, sewer flow or draining from lots backing onto valley systems.​

Unless all the water that results from rain falling on your property is retained on the property, there will be runoff that is managed by the City’s stormwater drainage system. The City’s stormwater drainage system includes roads, sewers, overland flow routes, and the rivers and creeks as well, which are the ultimate receivers for the stormwater runoff. The overflow from rain barrels, as well as the water than runs off your driveway or other hard surfaces on your property, flows on the surface and makes its way to the city stormwater drainage system via overland flow, sewer flow or draining from lots backing onto valley systems.​

The septic system does not manage stormwater runoff. It treats sanitary sewage from your property (e.g., toilets, showers and sink drains, etc.). Stormwater runoff is managed separately, and the stormwater charge still applies. 

Visit the Stormwater web portal at: http://www.brampton.ca/stormwater​

There are almost 180,000 residential properties in the City of Brampton and it is impractical to individually measure and continuously track all impervious surfaces on such a large number of properties. The City has grouped single-family residential homes into 5 categories, ranging from extra-small to extra large. Each category covers a range of roof sizes, and 2 properties in the same category could differ in size and amount of impervious surfaces, but pay the same amount as they are in the same category.​​

The well provides your drinking water supply, and does not deal with stormwater runoff. You will still have to pay the stormwater charge.​

Unless all the water that results from rain falling on your property is retained on the property, there will be runoff that is managed by the City’s stormwater drainage system. The City’s stormwater drainage system includes roads, sewers, overland flow routes, and the rivers and creeks as well, which are the ultimate receivers for the stormwater runoff. The overflow from rain barrels, as well as the water than runs off your driveway or other hard surfaces on your property, flows on the surface and makes its way to the city stormwater drainage system via overland flow, sewer flow or draining from lots backing onto valley systems.​

There are almost 180,000 residential properties in the City of Brampton and it is impractical to individually measure and continuously track all impervious surfaces on such a large number of properties. The City has grouped single-family residential homes into 5 categories, ranging from extra-small to extra large. Each category covers a range of roof sizes, and 2 properties in the same category could differ in size and amount of impervious surfaces, but pay the same amount as they are in the same category.​​

For detached single family residential properties, the assessment is based on the size of the roof as that is the only permanent structure on the property. Other hard surfaces such as patios and decks can vary from year to year, and are not permanent in nature. The roof area is measured from high-resolution aerial imagery, and an adjustment is made to the roof measurement to account for the driveway, patio or other hard surface on the property.​​

For detached single family residential properties, the assessment is based on the size of the roof as that is the only permanent structure on the property. The City has grouped single-family residential homes into 5 categories, ranging from extra-small to extra large. Each category covers a range of roof sizes, and 2 properties in the same category could differ in size and amount of impervious surfaces, but pay the same amount as they are in the same category.

The number of people that occupy the dwelling does not affect the amount of the stormwater charge.

Contact Environment and Development Engineering

Planning, Building and Growth Management
2 Wellington St W, Brampton​
905.874.2000

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