Rideau Lakes Township ordered to intervene as Maple Grove Park faces new crisis — a failed sewage system

Less than 18 months after Maple Grove Park residents endured a 26-hour loss of water and power that left vulnerable tenants scrambling for basic necessities, the aging park in the Elgin area is again facing a new health and infrastructure crisis — this time involving a failed sewage system leaking onto the property.

The year-round mobile home park, home to 19 units, has long relied on three on-site subsurface sewage systems, all approved decades ago under a now-repealed section of the Environmental Protection Act.

This is not the first time Maple Grove residents have faced hazardous living conditions. In June 2024, tenants told Brockvilleist they felt abandoned after a prolonged outage cut off water, power, and air conditioning, which led to sewage backing up.

Well over a year later, on Nov. 18, 2025, the ministry director issued an access order to the owner of the site – 2677041 Ontario Inc. – to require that they provide the Township of Rideau Lakes with access to the property for inspection.

According to a newly released director’s order issued last week, one of those systems has now failed outright. The Township is now being mandated to step in and manage the situation after the park’s owner, 2677041 Ontario Inc., failed to take necessary corrective action.

The exception summary reads, “A director’s report was issued to the Township of Rideau Lakes to monitor the sewage level in a septic tank at the Maple Grove Mobile Home Park and to retain a sewage hauler to pump out the septic tank when required, until a longer-term solution is implemented, to prevent further discharge of sewage to the environment and to protect human health.”

According to the report, ministry staff say they discovered “wet and spongy areas” near the sewage works, along with black, foul-smelling material on the ground. “A licensed sewage system installer assessed the disposal bed of the sewage works and confirmed it requires replacement,” reads the report.

“Also, tenants have reported sewage smells in their homes. Based on this information, it appears that the sewage system has failed, and sewage is, or has the potential to, discharge to the environment and cause an adverse effect, impair surface water and groundwater, and impact public health.”

Officials warn the failing system is already discharging — or is at imminent risk of discharging — untreated sewage into the surrounding environment, threatening groundwater, nearby surface water, and the park’s drinking-water well, which sits roughly 20 metres from the failed bed.

Sewage backing up into homes is also a big concern.

The ministry noted it has repeatedly attempted to compel the owner to address the failing system, including issuing a Provincial Officer’s Order in June 2025. While the owner did arrange occasional pump-outs, ministry records show they were too infrequent to prevent sewage discharge. The most recent pump-outs took place Oct. 18 and Nov. 12.

“The sewage hauler has indicated that based on the usage, the tanks should be emptied once a week. Without weekly pump outs, sewage discharges to the environment without undergoing proper treatment/dispersion and/or backs up into the homes of tenants,” outlines the report.

The report concluded that the owner has since stopped responding altogether, and given the escalating risk, the ministry exercised its authority under the Ontario Water Resources Act on Nov. 18, issuing two orders:

• Rideau Lakes Township must monitor septic-tank levels and retain a hauler to pump out the system as needed until a long-term fix is in place.
• The property owner must allow township staff and contractors access to the site.

In an ’emergency exception, the ministry bypassed the normal 45-day public comment period, citing an urgent threat to public health and the environment.

In response to a request for comment from Brockvilleist, Shellee Fournier Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) for the Township of Rideau Lakes, confirmed that they have been in touch with property owner, 2677041 Ontario Inc., via email since the the order was issued, but she did not elaborate on the contents of that communication.

Fournier also confirmed that the sewage Works No. 2’s septic tank and pump chamber are being inspected daily by the Township and pumped as required. “The findings and the volume of sewage pumped from the system are being reported back the Ministry,” the CAO explained.

When asked if residents of Maple Grove are being directly updated or advised by the township regarding next steps, Fournier replied, “We are still early on, sorting out the details of this order but we plan to.”

She continued, “It is my understanding that the Ministry has a contact/spokesperson for the Park residents that they have been in communication with. Councillor Bulloch has indicated that he plans to go to the park and visit with the residents one on one.” 

The property’s owner could not be reached for comment, despite multiple attempts by Brockvilleist. 

Brockvilleist will continue to monitor this situation and provide further coverage if it becomes available.