Warden's Luncheon

Warden Hilda MacDonald delivered this speech at the annual Warden's Luncheon hosted by the Windsor Essex Chamber of Commerce on April 16, 2026 at the Ciociaro Club.

---

 

Good afternoon everyone,

It is truly an honour to stand before you today, surrounded by colleagues, partners, friends—and the people who make our region such a diverse, dynamic and special place. Political, business and labour leaders, volunteers and civic minded community boosters.  The depth and breadth of the talent and passion in this room is truly inspirational.

Thank you to the Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce for bringing us together once again.  Thank you for your regional support.

Thank you to Libro Credit Union for your sponsorship of this event and for your support of so many vital organizations throughout our local municipalities.

Thank you of course to our municipal partners, our federal and provincial representatives, MPs and MPPs.

For the next few moments, you are going to have to bear with me as I get a bit sentimental about the past four years.

This will be the last Warden’s luncheon I will be speaking at as Warden of Essex County.

For that reason, I would like to thank some of the people I have had the pleasure to work with.

I would like to thank the county administrative team for their support, their patience and their camaraderie. It has been a pleasure to serve alongside.

Thank you CAO Sandra, Directors David, Kyla, Melissa, Allan, Darrel, Natasha and Danielle and Chief Justin. Thank you to Kate, Crystal and Kaitlyn who keep the Warden and council on the right path.

To staff, those who are here and those who are serving our residents right now, thank you for your friendliness, your acceptance and your exemplary service to the people we serve. I would like to name all of you…but time does not permit.

To county councillors, Prue, Gibb, Bondy, Shepley, Rogers, DeYong, Bailey, Walstedt, Meloche, Akpata, Verbeke and McNamara.  Thank you for your service. A special thanks to Deputy Warden Bachetti for your willingness to stand in and stand with me.

It is difficult enough to lead a municipality.  In this role, we are asked to carry another load. Thank you to all of you for accepting that burden and carrying it for four years. You have worked hard.  It is appreciated.

To my home team, my CAO Peter Neufeld, directors and staff. Thank you for holding me up, straightening me out and sharing the load.

My Leamington council is a great team of colleagues. We work well together. Our discussions and debates are what governing is all about.  Thank you for your leadership and your respect. I appreciate it.

I would be remiss in not mentioning our City of Windsor council counterparts.

Ours is a complicated relationship. If you come from a perfect family or if you are an only child, you might not understand.

Siblings often disagree, argue, fight for attention or think of themselves as better or smarter, but in the end, we are there for each other. Such is our relationship.

Thank you Mayor Dilkens, Councillors Agostino, Fathers, Francis, Gignac, Kaschak, Marignani, both McKenzies, Morrison and Sleiman. We appreciate your willingness to collaborate.

We’ve been through a lot together. We stood shoulder to shoulder through COVID. Through floods.  Through ice storms and wicked winds that toppled hydro poles and trees.

Through economic uncertainty —and now renewed global tensions.

Every time, this region has done the same thing. When it matters most, we come together.

Right now, Essex County is standing at the edge of an extraordinary time— historic growth and limitless potential built on more than two centuries of innovation, ingenuity , good governance and hard work.

The Gordie Howe International Bridge. The new regional hospital. The battery plant.

These are not just major projects.

They are historic investments that will reshape our economy, our communities and our future for decades to come.

The bridge alone is expected to generate more then $1 billion in annual trade. The towers stand 220 metres tall, making them equivalent in height to a 70 story building and with a main span of 853 metres or a bit over a half a mile. It is now a defining feature of our skyline that can be seen from 47 km away! On a clear day, you can see that bridge all the way from my hometown of Leamington.

The impact of these projects will echo for generations and are already rippling across our communities.

Growth pressures are accelerating as development moves east toward the battery plant and the hospital corridor.

New industrial lands are opening to support job creation and economic diversification. The County’s new Industrial Grant Matching Program aims to accelerate that growth while work is underway for a Regional Employment Lands Strategy.

Across the County, municipalities are preparing for a surge in housing demand that will touch every community. The framework for addressing these challenges is laid out in the recently developed Regional Affordable Housing Strategy. We must now turn our attention towards implementation.

Growth is no longer coming. It is here.

Growth does not take care of itself. It must be planned, supported and guided.

It is all laid out in the County’s award winning Official Plan , which envisions  safe, walkable communities with a wide range of housing options and opportunities from the fields and greenhouses of Leamington and Kingsville to the factories of Tecumseh and Lakeshore to the tourism sites, parks, trails and waterfronts of  Amherstburg, Essex and LaSalle.

Over the next 30 years, Essex County’s population is projected to grow between 268,00 and 315,00 people.

At the same time, employment is expected to grow from 72,000 jobs today to as many as 124,000 by 2051.

To support that new growth, we will need to build between 990 and 1,430 new homes every year.

Think about what that means.

Thousands of new residents.

Thousands of new jobs.

Thousands of new homes….every single year.

That isn’t incremental growth.  That is transformational growth.

We are already laying the groundwork.

The County, for the first time, is poised to implement development charges so that growth pays for growth, ensuring that existing residents do not bear that burden.

We took a strategic approach and are phasing those charges in over time to ensure that houses can be built with prices our residents can afford.

We recognize, understand and support that both provincial and federal governments have pledged to reduce municipal development charges in half to spur housing construction. We understand and support the HST tax vacation on new homes. It is encouraging to see the recognition that municipal DC charges need to be offset from upper levels of government and that incentives are needed.

On their website, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario says that they “ will be working with the province to develop an equitable, efficient and flexible program design that accounts for the diverse ways municipalities fund growth and use DCs.”

It’s only a few years ago that a local municipality that was advocating for infrastructure funding was told “DCs are your tool in the toolbox to fund your infrastructure. Use them.”

How the narrative has changed as the economy has changed.

In the County Road 42 and County Road 22 corridors, we are making major investments to increase access to the industrial and hospital lands….investments that will unlock the potential for residential lots and commercial opportunities. We have constructed two double lane roundabouts over the past two years and are widening the corridor from Lakeshore to Windsor.

We are also calling on the province to partner with us to construct an interchange at the vital intersection of County Road 22 and Manning Road. It is the priority plank in the County’s council approved Advocacy Strategy and we have made our pitch on multiple occasions to the Ministry of Transportation officials. 

Improving that intersection would facilitate more new home construction, promote commercial and industrial development and in turn, create jobs and diversify our economy.

Across our region, other residential and commercial developments are underway with lands being serviced to accommodate that growth.

Our local municipalities are investing in their downtown streetscapes, their waterfronts, becoming destination attractions for residents and tourists alike.

From the recently released Workforce Windsor Essex Community and Labour Market plan, it states that  “over the past five years Windsor Essex has experienced a structural shift in how it’s population is growing, with direct implications for workforce planning, service alignment and economic resilience.

While the region has long been characterized by population aging and retiree immigration, recent growth patterns point to a more workforce relevant demographic profile that is shaped by migration rather than natural increase.

Working aged residents have driven the majority of recent population growth with those aged 15-24 now accounting for a growing share of the population.

This includes meaningful growth among youth and young adults aged 15-24 whose population increased by 17% between 2020 and 2025.

While this cohort represents a modest proportion of the overall population (14% in 2025), the pace of growth signals a strengthening entry point into the labour market and a strong potential for labour force replenishment. “

This is actual data to support the growth expectations for the future for this region.

Thanks to the great work of Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island, people are coming to our region like never before, many of them locals and residents from other parts of Ontario and  Canada, choosing to avoid the United States and staycation closer to home or in country.

People that visit Essex County are often lured to stay by our temperate climate, our waterfront vistas and more affordable cost of living. Back in the day, people were born, raised and stayed in their communities.

Now many have come, visited and stayed, going from visitors to lifers and laying down roots.

This is what smart growth looks like.

Not just expansion, but revitalization and reinvention.

Not just new builds, but stronger, more connected communities.

But we would be naïve to talk about the opportunities before us without acknowledging the challenges.

We are a border region heavily dependent on international trade.

That has always been a unique characteristic. But it also means we face global pressures more than most.

Right now, we are facing renewed uncertainty from tariffs and shifting trade relationships.

Here in Essex County we have a lot at stake, from our manufacturing base, to our agricultural sector to cross border trade.  All have been under threat.

As a region, we are not standing still.

Our industries are diversifying.  We are strengthening regional partnerships. We are advocating for policies that support regional businesses.

The Windsor Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce and Invest Windsor Essex are our partners in in these efforts, providing resources to existing businesses and entrepreneurs, advocating for regional interests on an international scale and marketing our diverse and dynamic region to the rest of the world.

Thank you to these entities and their leadership for bringing us together and sharing our success story to the world.

Resilience is not about avoiding challenges. It is about meeting them head on and moving forward together.

At the same time, as a regional government, we must remain grounded in good governance.

For more than 225 years, the County of Essex has been providing exceptional service and solid governance to the residents of Southwestern Ontario.

We are composed of seven diverse and dynamic municipalities, each blessed with their own unique identities and history. They are all strong, but we are stronger when we work together, championing the interests of this region and collaborating in the best interests of the residents we serve.

Together we formulated the County’s first Strategic Plan.

For those that don’t know, strategic planning in municipal government is a council led process that defines a long term vision for a region. Basically it’s a road map that identifies and sets achievable goals over the term of council and beyond. It’s a living document that can and should change over time as councils, circumstances and priorities evolve.

Our vision is that the County of Essex strives to be a regional champion and trusted partner in delivering services for the success of our local communities and residents.

We will try to achieve that through meaningful partnerships, strong advocacy and informed decision making.

I am quite proud of the fact that this council set and implemented this plan. It is a memorable achievement.

Another historic achievement is the completion of our Road Rationalization Study and Implementation Plan.

For nearly three decades, the County has attempted to review and update it’s road network in support of a framework that serves the strategic movement of goods and services, not just for today, but also well into the future.

Then County championed numerous regional meetings to bring together subject matter experts in all of our county municipalities to work towards a model that was rooted in strong data, the realities of regional transportation patterns and the goal of equity, transparency and defensibility.

It was through the hard work of re-establishing trust and communication that we are pleased to report this complex project culminated in a council approved study and implementation plan that will see some roads shift between levels of government, all in achievement of a more effective and efficient regional road network.

The vision, mission and values of the Strategic Plan are reflected in the County’s 2026 budget—a fiscally responsible budget that maintains service levels while making significant investments in healthcare and infrastructure.

We are investing $113 million in our road network. Of that, $21 million to replace more than 30 km of road, as well as repair and replace two bridges and four culverts. 

More than $6 million will be going to expand our active transportation network.

All of this comes on the heels of the $98.1 million we invested in 2025 and the $88 million we invested in the year prior. Remembering that at the same time, our seven municipalities are investing millions in their own infrastructure.

We are investing in healthcare and our housing.

Our $7 million contribution to the Fanscy Hospital means we will have set aside by the end of the year, $65 million of our $100 million commitment.

We are continuing to fund the Homelessness Hub and Overnight Program in Leamington because unfortunately homelessness is no longer just a big city problem.

The hub is expected to finish the year with a 60% spike in visits and the overnight program receives an average of 18 visitors per night. 

This budget also adds eight full time paramedics and 2 new ambulances to the front line, while replacing 7 ambulances as well.

We are managing costs while we are investing in infrastructure.

We are maintaining strong infrastructure while we are investing.

We have a strong credit rating and we have healthy reserves.

We are making decisions that protect both today’s services and tomorrow’s sustainability.

Leadership is not just about ambition; it is about accountability.

But, as I said at the beginning, at the heart of everything we do, are the people.

The County of Essex is proud to be an employer of excellence.

During times of economic, political and social unrest, people generally feel more vulnerable.

The County leadership team has been focused on championing a culture of support, recognition and professional growth for all employees.

We want to be a municipality that attracts and retains the highest caliber professionals and provides each and everyone with a work environment where they can grow and thrive.

Through culture transformation, town hall meetings, various corporate recognition events and daily positive interactions, we recognize that policies and budgets only transform into action when the team feels empowered and supported.

From paramedics to engineers, from long term care staff to planners and administrators, our people deliver the services that keep this region running.

Nowhere is this more evident than at Essex-Windsor EMS.

As call volumes increase and our population grows, we are investing in training, leadership and equipment in line with the service’s Master Plan to ensure our paramedics can continue to deliver life saving care when it matters most.

We are also taking proactive steps to make our communities safer.

Through EMS, we are expanding access to automated external defibrillators — AEDs, across the County.

AEDs are being loaned out to the public. All weather AEDs are being installed at outdoor sites in every municipality.

We are also mapping the locations so they can be accessed quickly in an emergency.

When someone experiences a cardiac arrest, every second counts. This initiative ensures that help is not just coming….it’s already there.

While we build for the future, we must never forget our responsibility to care for the most vulnerable in our community.

The Sun Parlour a home is more than a facility, it is home to more than 200 residents, supported by hundreds of dedicated staff.

The home is a place where dignity, compassion and quality of life matter every single day.

As our population ages, that responsibility will grow.

We are committed to ensuring that care remains at the heart of what we do.

When it comes to solving the homelessness and housing crisis, we can look for solutions in our recently developed Regional Affordable  Housing Strategy.

The strategy concluded that housing affordability remains one of the most urgent challenges facing households in the region.

Nearly 9000 households in the County are paying more than 30 percent of their monthly income on housing and that figure exceeds 50 percent for about 3000 households.

There are nearly 10,000 applicants on the centralized wait list for an affordable unit. We need to build more than 15,000 housing units over the next decade and of those, 2,250 need to be affordable.

The numbers are staggering. The stories of struggle behind those numbers are heart wrenching.

We have a plan and we have the political will to address it in partnership with the private sector and the senior levels of government.

Municipalities feel the effects of housing issues most acutely, but the responsibility for housing falls squarely with the provincial and federal governments.

That is why securing increased provincial and federal funding for affordable and supportive housing developments is one of the pillars of the County’s advocacy strategy.

The property tax base cannot solve this problem. We need our upper levels of government partners at the table. We need their support for the infrastructure required for those new homes we have been talking about, but we also need the revitalization and expansion of social housing in our region.

Our advocacy strategy also calls for improved healthcare and paramedic services modernization; advancing environmental stewardship in the Great Lakes basin and promoting economic development and trade stability in the face of global trade tensions.

In regards to changes to the Conservation Act, our local Essex Regional Conservation Authority has asked the province to reconsider the watershed boundary scale; retention of participation for lower tier municipalities and more robust conversation with subject matter experts and stakeholders.  A reasonable ask in my opinion.

We can’t achieve our strategic objectives in isolation. We need support from the partners in this room and from the decision makers in Queen’s Park and on Parliament Hill.

Everyone in this room has a role to play in what comes next….whether you are building, investing, hiring, leading, growing or learning. 

From students to Senators, from mechanics to Members of Parliament, the story of Essex County is your story too.

That’s why advocacy is so important. Send those letters, send those emails, make those phone calls. That’s the reason why the County will continue fighting for the interests of our region.

That brings me to what I believe is our greatest strength.

Team Essex County.  Seven municipalities   One region working together.

From Amherstburg to Tecumseh; from Lakeshore to Leamington; from Essex to Kingsville to LaSalle.

Every community is  contributing to our shared success and economic development transcends municipal borders.

So where does that leave us?  We are facing challenges…yes.

But we are also facing historic opportunity.

We have the projects, the plans and the partnerships.

I will leave you with another data driven observation from the Workforce Windsor Essex Labor Market plan….” Windsor Essex has shown that it can grow, adapt and compete. Our labour force remains engaged, our employers remain innovative.

The future of Windsor Essex will be shaped by how well we move forward together”.

Essex County will  be there as a strong regional partner to do just that….we will move forward together.

That has been our past. It is our present and it will be our future.

Thank you.