Purchasing and Risk

Purchasing and Risk Management

The Purchasing and Risk Management section of the Corporate Services Department is responsible for procurement of goods and services, sale of surplus goods, insurance, claims and risk management. 

Purchasing

Purchasing is responsible for the procurement of all materials, supplies and contracts required by the Township and administer all Requests for Tender and Requests for Proposals on the Township's behalf. The Township follows strict by-laws and regulations for purchasing goods and services. Please read the details of these regulations.

Purchasing By-law

View the Township of Centre Wellington's Purchasing By-law

Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005

This legislation places a legal obligation on the Township of Centre Wellington to provide accessibility for Ontarians with disabilities with respect to goods, services, facilities, accommodation, employment, building, structures and premises.

Under the AODA, the following Ontario Regulations establish the accessibility standards the Township of Centre Wellington is required to meet as a public service provider.

  • Accessibility Standards for Customer Service (Ontario Regulation 429/07)
  • Integrated Accessibility Standards (Ontario Regulation 191/11)

The Township of Centre Wellington is committed to creating and maintaining an accessible community under this Act. All procurement authorities of the Township of Centre Wellington shall incorporate, where appropriate, accessibility criteria and features when procuring or acquiring goods, services or facilities.

Code of Ethics
  1. Open and honest dealing with everyone who is involved in the purchasing process.
  2. Fair and impartial award recommendations for all contracts and tenders.
  3. An irreproachable standard of personal integrity on the part of all those designated as purchasing agents for this agency.
  4. Co-operation with other public agencies in order to obtain the best possible value for every tax dollar.
  5. Continuous development of purchasing skills and knowledge.

We are participating members in the following associations and subscribe to their codes of ethics:

  • Ontario Public Buyers Association (OPBA)
  • Guelph Co-operative Purchasing Group
  • Cooperative Purchasing Group of Waterloo Region (CPGWR)
  • National Institute of Governmental Purchasing (NIGP)

Notice of Participation with Buying Groups

Public notice as required by the Canadian Free Trade Agreement. The Township of Centre Wellington intends to participate in one or more procurements conducted by the following cooperative buying group:

For further information and access to relevant information and notices, please review the websites below.

Guelph Cooperative Purchasing Group 

Local Authority Services (LAS) 

Ontario Education Collaborative Marketplace (OECM) 

Kinetic GPO

View our Bids & Tenders webpage

Risk Management

Risk Management is responsible for the placement and administration of all Township insurance coverage, assisting other departments in mitigating claims risk, approving third party insurance certificates and the handling of all third party liability claims made against the Township relating to personal injury or property damage.

Facility Rental & User Insurance

Under construction – stay tuned
 Insurance Requirements

Under construction - stay tuned

Claims

This information is intended is an informal guide to help you with the claims process. This is NOT a substitute for legal advice. If you have questions of a legal nature you should consult a lawyer. The Township of Centre Wellington accepts no liability arising from the information published here.

Making a Claim

If you incurred costs for which you believe the Township may be responsible, you must follow the process outlined below to have your claim considered. In some situations you are required to place the Township on notice within 10 days of the incident.

According to the Municipal Act,

  1. notification of a claim must be in writing
  2. anyone with a claim arising from an incident that occurred on a highway or bridge (including but not limited to a sidewalk, boulevard, or roadway) must submit their claim, detailing the location of the incident and the injury complained of, within 10 days after the injury occurred
  3. failure to give notice may be a bar to recovery.

To ensure your claim meets the notice requirement, please forward your claim to the following address within the 10-day period.

Regular mail:

The Corporation of the Township of Centre Wellington

1 MacDonald Square, Elora, ON N0B 1S0

Attention: Purchasing & Risk Management

Email us

Fax: 519-846-2074

Note: Payment for property damage or bodily injury is contingent upon the Township being found legally liable.

We suggest that in all cases of damage you contact your insurance company or broker. If your insurer believes the Township is responsible for your damage, they will seek compensation on your behalf as stipulated in your insurance policy. Depending on the situation you may be eligible for more compensation from your insurer than you can recover from the Township.

Claim Reporting Process

Prepare your notice of claim in writing and ensure that it contains at minimum the following information.

  1. Name, mailing address, email address and telephone number of the person making the claim.
  2. Date and approximate time of incident/accident.
  3. Exact location of accident/incident.
  4. A brief description of what happened.
  5. The name of any contractor involved (if known/applicable).

NOTE – Failure to provide an exact location will delay the processing of your claim.

Response Time

Upon receipt of your claim information by the Purchasing & Risk Management Division you will receive confirmation of your claim. Purchasing & Risk Management will initiate an investigation based on the information provided. The claim may be referred to an independent insurance adjuster in order for the adjuster to conduct the investigation into the facts and circumstances of the incident and to determine whether the Township is legally liable for your claim.

Due to the uniqueness of each claim, the timeline of a decision of a claim will vary.

In the interim, common law requires you to mitigate your damages. If you have any questions about the claims notification process, please email Sandi Wiles or call 519-846-9691 Ext. 219.

In cases of extreme storm events such as heavy rain, snowstorms or windstorms, a higher volume of claims received by the Township may extend the time it takes to process insurance claims. You should contact your own insurer about your loss. Repairs may be expedited by making a claim through your insurance company.

County of Wellington/Ministry of Transportation of Ontario

You may want to confirm jurisdiction over the road you were travelling before submitting a claim. Submitting your claim to the correct road authority first will save you time in getting a response.

For claims involving the County of Wellington, for example, vehicle damage on a regional, please contact the County of Wellington, Purchasing & Risk Management Division, at 519-837-2060.

For claims involving the Ministry of Transportation, for example, vehicle damage on Highway 6 (with the exception of the connecting link) , please contact the MTO Risk Management Department at 416-314-3445.

What should you consider when making a claim?

Any damage to your property can be upsetting and disruptive; however, it is important to know that the Township of Centre Wellington is not your insurer.

If you have automobile or property insurance, we suggest that you consult your insurance company or broker first for advice on how to deal with your loss. Your insurance coverage may be more extensive than what you can recover from the Township.

Compensation

The Township will not be held responsible for your costs unless you can provide evidence that the Township committed a negligent act or omission which resulted in injury or damage. Like most Canadian municipalities, the Township of Centre Wellington only compensates when it is legally liable for the damage sustained. This approach helps to reduce costs for the taxpaying public, who ultimately bear the cost of these claims.

Damage to Township property

Whenever damage to Township property is caused by a third party, the Township will seek recovery of the related costs from the responsible party (example – damage to property such as street lights, hydrants, guard rails, etc.)

Frequently asked questions

Looking for more information?  View our Frequently asked Questions document.

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