Fonds F881 - Amherst Island Township fonds

The Township of Amherst Island, County of Lennox and Addington, Ontario, was incorporated effective January 1, 1850 under the terms of the Baldwin Act, Chapter 81, Canada Statutes, 1849. This act provided for the creation of municipal governments at the town, village and township levels and identified those which would automatically be granted municipal status when the act came into effect, January 1, 1850. Communities not named in the original act could petition the county council or legislative assembly for incorporation on reaching specified population levels An incorporated township, lower tier municipality, has a council consisting of an elected Reeve, Deputy Reeves, and councillors the number of which depend on the population of the township. Its responsibilities relate largely to the upkeep of the local road system and the delivery of services such as water and sewage. It has wide powers relating to the regulation of land and local administration through by-laws. It has the power to raise money through direct taxation on land and through the use of debentures Under the provisions of Bill 26, the Savings and Restructuring Act, 1996, the Township of Amherst Island was absorbed by the new Loyalist Township, effective January 1, 1998. Under this legislation the legislative assembly is authorized to make changes in municipal boundaries and status to increase the efficiency of local government and lower costs.