Warden Touts Accessibility Fest-for-All, MPDS Switchover for EWEMS

Warden Hilda MacDonald in her opening remarks to Council extended the County’s condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of 25-year Sun Parlor Home employee Diane Rivait, who passed away earlier this week. Flags have been lowered in her honour at County of Essex buildings. Diane was a food-service worker known for her selflessness and for generously sharing her considerable culinary talents and will be deeply missed, the Warden said.

The Warden reminded everyone that the third annual Outdoor Accessibility Fest-for-All takes place on Friday, Sept. 11, at the Gosfield Communications Community Centre in Cottam, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This event is free and open to the public and designed to promote inclusion and accessibility for people of all ages and abilities – through activities, demonstrations, products, services and information.

“The first two (Fest-for-Alls) were fantastic, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back this year,” the Warden said.

Lastly, she reminded residents that we are only two weeks away from the September 16th switch to a new dispatching system for Essex-Windsor EMS.

The Medical Priority Dispatch System, or MPDS, is designed for one clear purpose, the Warden said: to ensure that people experiencing life-threatening emergencies receive help as quickly as possible. Residents can learn more about the new ambulance dispatching system at www.countyofessex.ca/MPDS.

WOWC Presentation Details Strategic Priorities

Kate Burns-Gallagher, Executive Director of the Western Ontario Wardens Caucus (WOWC), provided a presentation to Council regarding 2026-27 WOWC Strategic Priorities.

WOWC represents 15 Upper and Single-Tier Municipalities from Simcoe down to Essex, which represent 1.6 million residents and 250,000 businesses. Gallagher explained that WOWC’s top strategic priority is building a Canada-Ontario partnership based on sound infrastructure – as infrastructure drives growth, and growth without sound infrastructure creates economic barriers.

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TWEPI and IWE Integration Approved Following Presentation by CEO Gordon Orr

Gordon Orr, the CEO of both Invest WindsorEssex (IWE) and Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island (TWEPI), provided a presentation to Council that outlined a strategic roadmap for integrating the two organizations.

Uniting IWE and TWEPI under one parent structure, Orr said, would leverage the existing strengths of each to further unlock regional capability, while narrowing leadership to a single, skills-based board. Each organization would retain its distinct brand identity. Orr recommended that Council approve, in principle, the alignments already unanimously approved by both boards of directors (of TWEPI and IWE) regarding mutual governance, organizational structure and future phased integration.

Council subsequently voted to approve the recommendation.

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Council Takes Action on Three Correspondence Items

Council voted to receive multiple pieces of official correspondence and take action on three of them:

(1)  Various updates from the Association of Municipalities (AMO).

(2)  A news release from the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative announcing the addition of Councillor Crystal Meloche (the Mayor of LaSalle).

(3)  The Ontario Provincial Conservation Authority’s letter announcing names of Transition Committee members who will support implementation of regional conservation authority consolidation. This includes the eight members overseeing start-up of the Western Lake Erie Regional Conservation Authority, which will subsume the Essex Region Conservation Authority, Upper Thames C.A., Lower Thames C.A. and St. Clair Region C.A.

(4) The Western Lake Erie Regional Conservation Authority’s list of Guiding Principles for Transition.

(5) A letter from the Essex Region Conservation Authority (ERCA) advising local-tier and upper-tier municipalities about an email received from the Ministry of Environment Conservation and Parks (MECP) with notice of consultation available for comment on the Ontario Regulatory Registry and the Environmental Registry of Ontario at posting #026-0740 for a period of 45 days, closing on September 14, 2026. Council voted in favour of sending a letter of support to local MPPs.  The ministry is proposing a regulation that would establish a population-based method for determining the number of members each participating municipality appoints to the regional CA. The County is seeking clarity on the proposed levy apportionment for funding the new proposed CA, if the levy will be tied to the population as well, which could result in a significant increase to County taxpayers.

(6) A letter from Essex MP Chris Lewis to the Honourable Julie Dabrusin, Federal Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Nature, regarding severe weather notification, warning processes, and procedures pertaining to Essex County.

(7)  Resolutions from the Town of Penetanguishene and Municipality of South Huron, regarding the Heads and Beds Payment-in-Lieu of Taxes Program – Municipal Collaboration Opportunity.

(8) Resolution from the Township of Armour regarding Sustainable Ontario Public Library Funding. Council voted in favour of sending a letter of support to multiple bodies, including the premier’s office and the Western Ontario Wardens Caucus, regarding the stagnated funding provided by the province that has not increased since 1990 despite significant cost increase for the provision of library services.

(9) The Annual Report from the Windsor Essex Community Housing Corporation (WECHC). Council directed administration to provide City of Windsor administrators with their questions and concerns regarding social housing matters as there is no delegation scheduled to appear before the end of this Council’s term.

(10) Resolutions from the Town of Whitby, Town of The Blue Mountains, Township of Puslinch and Town of Ingersoll regarding the Review of the Ontario Land Tribunal and Enhancing Deference to Municipal Planning Decisions.

(11) TWEPI announcements regarding A Week of Celebrating Prohibition in Windsor!, Prohibition Week – Step Back In Time, and Keep You Informed.

(12) A letter from the Municipality of Wawa to the Province requesting immediate and sustained funding to strengthen Ontario’s hospital system.

Council Authorizes Study on High-Density (AI) Data Centres

Regarding Artificial Intelligence (AI), and the prospect some day of a High-Density Data Centre being built within the County, Council voted:

(1) to receive as information Administration’s report outlining the initial scope and regional framework for studying the matter;

(2) to endorse the Administrative comments and recommendations for correspondence to the Province of Ontario, as contained in Report Number 2026-0902-IPS-R10-RLB, Regional Planning Framework for Artificial Intelligence (AI) High-Density Data Centres, and authorize submission of any additional responses that may arise from any amending bills or related regulations;

(3) to authorize the Warden, on behalf of Essex County Council, to forward the report and a covering letter to the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) in (a) seeking consideration of the County’s feedback, (b) expressing support for AMO’s advocacy position to establish a trilateral siting strategy supporting the meaningful inclusion of municipalities in the evaluation and approval/denial for large-scale data centres, (c) requesting a delay in the Province’s finalizing of its Data Centre Playbook on the Environmental Registry of Ontario, to address identified concerns, including the necessary legal mechanisms for the protection of residents and the environment of host communities;

(4) and to authorize funding from the County’s Rate Stabilization Reserve of up to $150,000 for completion of a County-specific Study on the Framework for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and High-Density Data Centres.

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Recommendations Approved for Repeal, Replacement of County Procedure By-law, and Revisions of Various Policies

Council voted to approve recommendations for the repeal and replacement of the County’s Procedure By-law, and recommendations for revisions to the Delegation to Council Policy, Public Conduct Policy, Visitor Policy, and Trespass to Property Policy, as amended. All recommendations were based on previous feedback received from Council as part of the comprehensive governance review, undertaken by the Legislative and Legal Services Department in the second quarter of 2026.

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Closed Meeting Investigator Services Approved

Council voted to receive as information a report from Administration regarding the appointment of a Closed Meeting Investigator and directed Administration to engage with the Ombudsman for Closed Meeting Investigator Services.

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Private Water System Under County Road 20 to be Installed and Maintained

Council voted to receive as information a report on a Servicing, Encroachment, and Easement Agreement with Jack’s Organics and Southern Aqua related to the installation and maintenance of a private water system under County Road 20 at, or near, the property located at 265 Concession Road 3 North in Amherstburg – and also to authorize the Warden and the Clerk to execute the Servicing, Encroachment, and Easement Agreement with these two related corporations to do that work.

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County Projects Net Surplus of $2.32 million by End of Year

Council voted to receive as information a report from Administration on Financial Projected Results of Operations for 2026.

In accordance with established financial management practices, a mid-year projection of the Corporation’s operating and capital results was completed using year-to-date actuals and departmental forecasts. This projection assists in identifying trends and emerging financial issues and supports informed decision-making for the remainder of the fiscal year, said the report.

Based on January to June year-to-date activity, and discussions with the senior leadership team, the Corporation is projected to be in a net surplus position of approximately $2.32 million. This represents about 1.6% of the Corporation’s overall 2026 budget of $145.14 million.

Operationally, the Corporation is projected to be in a surplus position of about $2.03 million, while the capital programs project a surplus of $289,650. As the report also stated, although the projected surplus is favourable, it should be viewed in the context of the Corporation’s overall budget. The variance represents a relatively small portion of total budgeted activity and is primarily attributable to one-time or timing-related variances, including salary gapping, deferred projects and external agency funding adjustments. These favourable variances should not be interpreted as permanent base-budget savings for future budget years.

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Meals on Wheels Services Approved in Partnership with South Essex Community Council

Council voted to endorse Administration’s report on, and submission of, a proposal for Meals on Wheels services through South Essex Community Council (SECC), recognizing Sun Parlor Home's longstanding partnership in the delivery of the program, its experience and operational capacity to support service delivery, and the positive impact of the program has for residents within the community.

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Notice of Motion Introduced by Councillor Akpata

Councillor Michael Akpata introduced the following Notice of Motion:

“Whereas the County of Essex has an existing history and culture of deep routed French heritage; and,

“Whereas it has been acknowledged that French language, heritage, and culture were part of the trade negotiations with the United States; and,

“Whereas the current trade situation with the United States will directly affect border communities, whereby many of our residents are directly impacted by these cross-border issues through their employment, and livelihood.

“Now therefore be it resolved:

“That the County of Essex ensure that the concerns of our residents and other cross-border communities are brought to the Federal Government to consider as part of their future trade position discussions reminding them that their activities directly affect our community; and further,

“That the French language history of the County of Essex is also brought to the attention of the federal government to ensure that the unique language and culture of French Canadians is respected in any trade agreements that are brought into effect and how it will affect our community.”