County Council Highlights for April 1, 2026

Warden Praises County’s Cherished Tartan Tradition

Warden Hilda MacDonald in her opening remarks to Council Wednesday night explained why the County of Essex’s beloved County Tartan was on display in Chambers, and why Councillors wore tartan pins. It’s because this coming Monday is Tartan Day in Canada.

The County’s version was designed by Edyth Bakes and is registered with the Canadian government as well as with the Museum of Tartans in Scotland. The County tartan’s colours represent sunshine and the golden harvest (yellow); fertile fields (green); tomatoes and other crops such as apples (red); our wide-open skies and our spectacular waterways (blue); and the automotive industry (black).

“We love our tartan traditions,” the Warden said.

Also, the Warden reminded anyone considering running in a local municipal election in Essex County to attend, either in person or remotely via Zoom, a Regional Pre-Election Candidate Information Session at the County Administration Building next Wednesday, April 8 from 6 to 9 p.m. Learn more and register!

Finally, the Warden bid farewell to the County’s Director of Infrastructure & Planning Services, Allan Botham. He has decided to return to the Municipality of Leamington as Manager of Engineering Services, a position he held for 14 years prior to his four-year, four-month stay with the County.

“Allan has left impressive, long-standing marks within his department and on the County Road network,” the Warden said.

Letters of Support sent on LaSalle, Oro Medonte, Perry Resolutions

Council voted to receive six pieces of correspondence and approved motions to send official County letters of support for three municipal resolutions: The Town of LaSalle’s resolution calling on the provincial government to enact legislation known as Finlay’s Law that would upgrade pediatric health care; the Township of Oro Medonte’s resolution calling on the Ontario Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development for measures that would strengthen protections for road workers; and the Township of Perry’s resolution that the Government of Canada ensure continued, affordable postal access for libraries and interlibrary loan services.

Council Approves CWATS Infrastructure Responsibilities

Council voted to receive as information a report on County Wide Active Transportation System (CWATS) infrastructure, and furthermore:

(1)   Approved that the County assumes ownership of all CWATS infrastructure within the County right-of-way (ROW) following initial installation (effective March 1, 2027);

(2)   Approved that the County is responsible for the lifecycle replacement of all CWATS infrastructure located within the County ROW, with initial installation costs continuing to follow the approved CWATS cost-sharing framework;

(3)   Approved a shared maintenance model, whereby Local Municipal Partners (LMPs) are responsible for day-to-day and seasonal maintenance of CWATS facilities on County Roads that are separated from the travelled portion of the roadway, and whereby the County is responsible for day-to-day and seasonal maintenance of on-street CWATS infrastructure on County Roads;

(4)   Approved that County Administration be directed to negotiate and execute Memorandums of Understanding with each LMP to define levels of service, operational standards, and implementational timelines.

Read the report!

Council Receives Report on Specialty Crop Area Study

Council voted to receive as information a report on the scope of work for the forthcoming regional Specialty Crop Area Study, and to consider the likely budget variance required to conduct the same. The objectives of the regional specialty crop area study are outlined in the report, along with the intended implementation.

Read the report!

Council Approves Road Rationalization Study

Council voted to approve the 2026 Road Rationalization Study. It will serve as the guiding framework for jurisdictional changes to the County Road Network. In approving the Study, Council:

• approved the proposed multiyear transfer plan, including all roads, bridges and culverts identified for transfer to or from Local Municipal Partners, County Connecting Link additions and deletions;
• authorized Administration to implement the transfers in accordance with the phased Implementation Plan, ensuring that all assets are delivered in a state of good repair, or with agreed-upon settlements where appropriate;
• approved funding of any monetary settlements for assets not in a state of good repair, and the rehabilitation of incoming/outgoing County roads, through the County’s annual State of Good Repair (SOGR) levy, consistent with the Financial Implications section of this report;
• and directed Administration to update all County Connecting Link agreements with Local Municipal Partners using the modernized template, ensuring consistency, transparency and alignment with the approved Study.

A total of 42.8 km of existing County and local roads are recommended for change, as follows:

ROAD                                    SEGMENT                                         COMMENT

Read the Road Rationalization Study!

Read the Recommended Implementation Timeline!

Read the report, which Council voted to receive as information, that serves as a consolidated summary of the Road Rationalization Study to date!

Administration Directed to Assume Oversight of Poverty Programs

Council voted to receive as information a report updating changes to the administration of the Pathway to Potential (P2P) Poverty Reduction Strategy, resulting from the City of Windsor’s 2026 budget decisions, and to direct Administration to assume oversight of the Affordable Pass Program (APP) and Recreation Assistance Program (RAP), effective July 1, 2026.

Read the report!