Potholes and Repairs

What is a pothole?

A pot hole is a type of failure in a road surface that typically is caused by a combination of traffic and water saturating the soil material under the road.

On a paved road during a freeze thaw cycle, the water will expand causing the road to crack. This then allows more water to enter the base material causing further loss of material. Eventually, the asphalt layer over these divots collapses, creating potholes. Similarly, a gravel road may become saturated with water and as vehicles travel over the surface the finer materials in the gravel are lost allowing a pot hole to develop.

Who is responsible for repairing potholes?

The responsibility to ensure roads are in a good state of repair is Tay Township's. Roads are classified (Class 1 to 5) based on traffic volumes and speed. Each class of road has a specified number of days in which to make repairs. 

To report a pothole in need of repair, please reach out to the Operational Services Department, (email aroper@tay.ca call 705-534-7248 x230 or visit our Municipal Office) with the following information:

• Name of street
• Direction and lane (i.e., northbound, right lane)
• Address of the closest building to pothole
• Cross street information, if available
• Size of pothole

Submitting a pothole claim

When making a claim against the Township for pothole damages, it is important to note that the Township will not be responsible for your property damage if it has met the Provincial "Minimum Maintenance Standards for Municipal Highways" (MMS), Ontario Regulation 239/02: MINIMUM MAINTENANCE STANDARDS FOR MUNICIPAL HIGHWAYS, as amended by Ontario Regulation 366/18.

You are required to submit a claim within 10 days of the date of the incident. You can print and fill out this form and return it to the Drop Box located outside the front doors of our Municipal Office located at 450 Park Street, Victoria Harbour.

What if your claim is denied? 

If records show that MMS service levels were met, your claim will be denied. The Township will outline the results of the investigation in a letter and provide you with the report that justifies the denial.

It is important to know that the majority of property damage claims made against the Township of Tay are denied as the Township regularly meets or exceeds the standard levels of service.