By: Sylene Argent, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Essex Free Press
The County of Essex was well represented – and so were County residents – at the Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) Conference in Toronto from January 18-20, County Warden/Leamington Mayor Hilda MacDonald said during the January 21 meeting.
ROMA is the rural voice of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), and the conference is a way for representatives of rural municipalities across the province to connect and even delegate to ministries about policy, concerns, important matters, or advocate for projects they hope to undertake with provincial assistance.
The County reps at the event were able to make a delegation before two provincial ministries during the conference.
MacDonald and CAO Sandra Zwiers met with officials from the Ministry of Transportation, calling for provincial support to build a grade-separated interchange at the County Road 22 and County Road 19 (Manning Road) intersection.
Information from the County notes Essex County is seeking $60M in the next Provincial Budget to expedite construction of the infrastructure project and is prepared to complement that provincial contribution with a $45M investment of its own.
Gridlock at this increasingly congested intersection, currently serviced by traffic signals, frustrates area residents, it adds.
“Improving the intersection would facilitate the construction of thousands of homes and promote commercial and industrial development, in turn creating jobs and diversifying our economy,” MacDonald explained, adding she and Zwiers both walked out of that meeting feeling like their presentation was well received. “We are more optimistic than ever that the Provincial Government will partner with us on this vital infrastructure project.”
MacDonald and Zwiers also joined Essex Windsor EMS Chief Justin Lammers to advocate to the Ministry of Health, Sylvia Jones, on the need to optimize the new priority dispatch system that is coming to Windsor-Essex in 2027.
The hope is to obtain funding to embed clinicians in the Windsor Central Ambulance Communications Centre during the rollout of the new 911 priority dispatch system.
“We felt we made a compelling case that embedding clinicians in the dispatch centre would improve triage accuracy, optimize resource deployment amid ever-increasing call volumes, and ensure residents get the right care in the right place at the right time,” MacDonald added.
In addition, Rebecca Belanger, Manager of Planning Services, was featured on an expert panel discussing policies and programs to protect rural land.
Belanger’s presentation focused on rural land use as it is highlighted in the County’s Official Plan (OP) – a roadmap document detailing how development will go for the next 30-years. Belanger drafted the document that was one of six recipients earning the Ontario Professional Planners Institute’s (OPPI) “PlanOn Vision Award of Excellence” at a gala back in September. It also went on to win the coveted “Project of the Year Award.”
She was asked to present on the panel on that basis, as they were aware of the project’s awards.
As part of her presentation, she covered the new policies in the New Official Plan regarding agricultural land protection, natural heritage, and natural hazards.
The majority of new housing and job creation is going to occur within existing settlement area boundaries, and that is going to hold the line on settlement (urban) areas to ensure development is not going into valuable farmland, she explained.
That is going to happen through intensification of existing settlement areas, and also looking at in-fill opportunities.
The Province has an expectation that when Official Plans are updated that intensification is a priority, and redeveloping existing sites where there is an opportunity, she explained.
Being able to put forward those new policies to other communities, and be able to participate in that panel, “was amazing,” Belanger said. “My hope was that there were things in my presentation that people in the audience could go away and utilize for their own purposes in their own Official Plan Review or their own policies and programs.”
The County’s New Official Plan is now in effect, as the Province gave it approval in August.
Now, the seven local municipalities will conduct their own Official Plan and settlement reviews and consider applying the policies as they are updated, and implementing intensification strategies.
There are also commitments as part of the County Official Plan that Belanger will draft two studies.
One is a greenhouse study that will look at issues and opportunities related to the industry and determine if the County needs any policy changes to accommodate that land use in the County. Belanger explained in her presentation that the greenhouse industry in Essex County spans over 4,000 acres of operations, which is the largest in Canada and second only to the Netherlands.
The other is a specialty cropland study, which will look at mapping such areas across the County so they can be protected. A consultant will be retained to help the County undertake that project.
She also updated the audience during the panel discussion on the County’s natural heritage work. Through the New Official Plan, natural heritage is identified as a natural heritage system, looking at linking all of the core natural heritage features and building the natural heritage system. The County has a target of reaching 15% natural area coverage.
“I will tell you, the people that attended…had lots of positive feedback,” MacDonald said of Belanger’s participation on the panel. “People complimented you on your information on your delivery. So, well done and thank you for making us proud.
“Her appearance on the expert panel is a testament to her incredible work and the calibre of employees that we have here at the County of Essex,” MacDonald added.