Opinion
Urgent pothole repairs lead Norfolk council to adjust its budget surplus approach
:
Mike Jiggens • For the News Record
Apr 07, 2026 •
Mike Jiggens File
Norfolk County council’s recent choice to invest more than $1 million into repairing local roads comes with a caution from the municipality’s top administrator. This funding will be sourced from an anticipated surplus from the 2025 levy operating budget. Three years ago, the council approved a policy designating surplus funds for either a contingency reserve or to decrease the number of projects that would require debt financing.
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The CAO of Norfolk stated that approving these road repairs strays from their established policy aimed at creating financial stability.
However, addressing potholes caused by numerous freeze-thaw cycles during winter is something that must happen every spring. Ignoring these potholes is simply not an option due to the risks involved.
The winter of 2025-2026 presented unique challenges with extended periods of extreme cold, higher snowfall than in recent years, and occasional warm spells. This created ideal conditions for freeze-thaw cycles leading to numerous craters on our roads.
There’s nothing quite as unsettling as driving at a good speed and suddenly spotting a pothole ahead, leaving barely any time to react. Sometimes you just have to go through it if there’s no safe way around it. Hitting that pothole can jolt your vehicle and may cause serious damage like compromised suspension systems or bent rims if it’s deep enough.
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Potholes often receive temporary fixes in spring. They’re filled in and smoothed out but tend to reappear within a year. While this method is better than doing nothing and cheaper than completely upgrading the road, there are times when more thorough repairs are necessary instead of quick fixes.
I’ve encountered some potholes in other municipalities that could almost swallow an entire car whole. If you’re unfamiliar with where they are located, prepare for a rough ride.
Road construction is often considered one of Canada’s seasons; there’s some truth in that statement. The ongoing freeze-thaw cycles aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, meaning we’ll keep facing the aftermath each spring unless someone invents a road material immune to such damage.
A number of high-traffic roads in Norfolk County are now listed as needing significant repairs with costs ranging between $50,000 and over $250,000.
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These expenses can be steep; however, quick fixes alone won’t solve an ongoing issue. It’s unfair to those who rely on these critical routes every day.
The county’s public works manager mentioned that if better pricing occurs during bidding processes, there’s potential for expanding road project programs throughout the municipality.
Money certainly plays a key role when deciding how extensive repairs should be; however, safety remains paramount. Roads must be kept as safe as possible so drivers won’t constantly find themselves making trips to auto shops for pothole-related issues each year.
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