The hope is to save taxpayer dollars using the strength in numbers by taking part in a new service agreement involving Elliot Lake and four north shore municipalities.
Elliot Lake City Council approved the agreement and passed an enabling bylaw to put it into effect at its virtual meeting on Monday night.
It means the five municipalities will move forward to look at efficiencies under the umbrella of a provincial funding program.
Elliot Lake Special Projects Manager Steve Antunes said the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing launched a funding program called the Municipal Modernization Review Stream in spring of this year.
It is designed to help municipalities improve or streamline service delivery by banding together in a group.
Elliot Lake took the lead and applied on behalf of the city and the other local municipalities after appropriate consultation.
Antunes said the five will conduct the review by looking at bylaws and bylaw enforcement, IT, landfills, and building services.
The Transfer Payment Agreement by all five must be submitted by Sept. 20 and the final report completed by Jan. 31, 2022.
"This was very timely. The intake allows for third-party review. The eligibility criteria are very simple. Elliot Lake took the lead to submit the application," Antunes said.
Elliot Lake submitted an application on behalf of the city, the Township of Sables-Spanish River, the Town of Spanish, Municipality of Huron Shores and the Town of Blind River, in a service agreement.
The application was successful, providing up to half a million dollars in grant funding. Now a Request for Proposal for the review will be carried out.