County Council Highlights for Dec. 6, 2023

Deputy Warden Applauds Staff and Residents for Volunteering and Giving

Deputy Warden Joe Bachetti in his opening remarks to council applauded Essex County residents for their generosity and staff for their fundraising efforts during the festive season.

He thanked Essex-Windsor EMS volunteers for raising over $16,000 for the Windsor Goodfellows and over $2,700 for the Windsor Cancer Centre Foundation last month.

He also noted that County of Essex staff and council members are currently in the midst of a food drive for the Essex Area Food Bank. Donations are being collected at the Civic Centre, Essex-Windsor EMS bases, Essex-Windsor Solid Waste Authority locations and Essex County Library branches. Sun Parlor Home will begin gathering donations for its food drive in mid-December.

“Thank you to everyone who is making kindness and caring a priority during this festive season,” Bachetti said.

Council Updated on Pathway to Potential Renewal Project

Pathway to Potential, the Windsor-Essex region’s poverty reduction strategy, is being fine-tuned to make it more focused and effective.

Its new strategy will seek to build on current poverty reduction efforts by increasing coordination, integration and alignment to address gaps and increase access and effectiveness, council was told in a presentation by representatives of the consulting firm that is assisting with the Pathway to Potential renewal project.

After consulting with stakeholders, it is being proposed that the Pathway to Potential strategy focus on:

• Developing neighbourhood strategies to coordinate access to and delivery of services, and funding lead agencies to execute them.
• Advancing regional programs and policies to address gaps identified through neighbourhood strategies (including current transit and recreation supports).
• Gathering and sharing data and insights from neighbourhood strategies and coordinating with other service providers to build capabilities.

It is expected that a final version of the strategy will be presented to council for approval in the spring of 2024.

Federal Funding being Sought to Improve Coastal Resiliency

Essex County is committing up to $200,000 to assist regional partners in accessing as much as $1.6 million in federal funding to assess and address risks along the shorelines of Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair.

Council made the commitment to the Essex Region Conservation Authority (ERCA) so it can apply for funding from the Climate-Resilient Coastal Communities Program. ERCA is seeking funding for the Lake St. Clair Resilience Plan (North Shore), which encompasses 44 km of shoreline within Essex County, and the Lake Erie Resilience Plan (South Shore), which covers 89 km of shoreline within Essex County.

The goal of the projects is to develop ways to protect public infrastructure, such as county and municipal roads, from flooding and other impacts of climate change. Adaptation methods would be tested as part of the projects, says a report to council.

The deadline to apply for the federal funding is Dec. 13, and the funds must be spent between April 2024 and December 2027.

County Maintains AAA Credit Rating with S&P

The County of Essex continues to maintain the highest credit rating available to it from Standard and Poor’s.

“The affirmation of the County’s AAA credit rating with a stable outlook will not only afford the County and our local municipal partners favourable interest rates but it will also communicate a clear picture of fiscal health and stability for the County of Essex in the marketplace,” says a report to council by Director, Financial Services/Treasurer Melissa Ryan.

Process for Expropriating Land Along County Road 43 Commenced

Council approved a by-law authorizing the County of Essex to expropriate, if necessary, land along County Road 43 required for improvements to the County Road 42 corridor in Tecumseh and Lakeshore.

The work includes improvements to County Road 43 from its intersection with County Road 42 north toward the City of Windsor limits.

While the county is continuing to negotiate with owners of the affected properties, it wants to begin work on the lands in the 2024 construction season. Starting the formal expropriation process is necessary, in case agreements can’t be reached, says a report to council by County Solicitor David Sundin.

Phase 1 construction of the County Road 42 improvements – starting just east of County Road 19 (Manning Road) and extending to the City of Windsor boundary – began in October 2022. Phase 2 will focus on the intersection with County Road 43 (Banwell Road). There is more information on the County Road 42 Reconstruction page.

$12.3 million in 2024 Road Rehab and Paved Shoulder Projects Approved

Council has approved $12.3 million for road rehabilitation and paved shoulder projects in advance of setting its 2024 Budget so work can be tendered in a timely way.

The funding is for the engineering and approvals for three bridge and two culvert rehabilitation projects, rehabilitation of six roads and the addition of paved shoulders as part of three of those road projects.

A total of $22 million in road rehabilitation work and $3.3 million in added paved shoulders is being proposed for 2024, says a report presented to council. This includes:

• Two bridge rehabilitation projects;
• Four culvert replacement projects;
• 14 road rehabilitation projects; and
• Addition of paved shoulders as part of six of the road projects.

The proposed program also includes $550,550 for repairs and preservation work to keep roads, bridges and culverts in good condition.