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Opinion: Potholes trump policy as Norfolk taps surplus for road repairs

Pressing pothole fixes prompt Norfolk council to set aside its own budget-surplus policy

Norfolk County council’s recent decision to pour upwards of $1 million into the repair of some of its roads has come with a warning from the municipality’s top administrator. The funding will be drawn from an expected surplus from the 2025 levy operating budget. Three years ago, council approved a policy in which surplus money is earmarked for a contingency reserve or used to reduce the number of approved projects to be funded by debt.

Norfolk’s CAO has said greenlighting road repairs deviates from the policy meant to establish a solid financial base.

Opinion: Potholes trump policy as Norfolk taps surplus for road repairs Back to video

Nevertheless, the repair of potholes caused by a series of freeze-thaw cycles throughout the winter is a necessary evil each spring. Leaving potholes unattended simply can’t be done, no matter the associated cost. There are far too many risks involved.

The winter of 2025-2026 was a particularly challenging one with long stretches of frigid temperatures, more snow than we’ve experienced in recent years and occasional spells of mild weather. This created the perfect storm for the abundance of freeze-thaw cycles that have created the series of craters found in our roads.

It’s an unsettling feeling to be driving down a road at a healthy clip and spotting a pothole ahead, leaving barely enough reaction time to avoid it. Sometimes you’ve got to bite the bullet and plow through it if there’s no time to safely straddle or swerve around it. Making direct contact with the pothole is teeth-jarring, yet it’s potentially worse for the vehicle. It can lead to a compromised suspension system, misshaped tire rims or significant damage to the vehicle’s underbelly if the pothole is deep enough.

Potholes are often given a band-aid treatment in the spring. They’re filled in and smoothed over, but the problem presents itself again the following year. It’s better than nothing and is cheaper than the alternative, which is a complete upgrade of the road. Sometimes, a more extensive repair job is needed when a fill-it-and-forget-it solution won’t do.

I’ve seen potholes in some municipalities that can almost swallow an entire car. If you have no prior familiarity with these craters’ whereabouts, you’re in for an unpleasant adventure.

Road construction is often said to be one of Canada’s seasons. There is some truth in that. The cycles of winter freezing and thawing are never going to go away, and we’ll continue to face the springtime aftermath of road repairs unless, miraculously, some genius discovers a road-building material that is impervious to the damage of freezing and thawing.

Several roads in Norfolk County known for their high volumes of traffic have been placed on a list of arteries needing extensive repairs with costs ranging from $50,000 to more than $250,000.

These are pricey propositions, but quick fixes to a chronic problem simply won’t suffice. It’s not fair to those who depend upon these singled-out roads in their everyday travels.

The county’s manager of public works said the municipality’s road projects program could see expansion if better pricing is realized in the tender process.

Money is a vital consideration when it comes to road repairs and the extent to which they’re to be fixed, but safety is even more important. Roads must be maintained to be as safe as possible, and motorists will appreciate not having to bring their vehicles into auto shops for pothole-related repairs every year.

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