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From the Council Chambers – May 27, 2025

From the Council Chambers - May 27, 2025

Elgin County Council met earlier this week for both their Council Meeting and Committee of the Whole Meeting. Here are some key takeaways:

Council Meeting – Council meetings focus on urgent matters, final approvals, and updates for public information.

Hospice of Elgin Shares Vision for Compassionate End-of-Life Care

Representatives from the Hospice of Elgin shared an update with Council, highlighting the critical need for end-of-life care services in Elgin County.

Brenda Fleming, Executive Director; Robert Furneaux, Board Chair; and Barry Fitzgerald, Community Volunteer, spoke about the growing demand for hospice services and the importance of supporting patients and families through their final days. Their presentation emphasized that no one should face the end of their life alone and that hospice care plays a vital role in easing pain and offering comfort.

Impact on Elgin County Taxpayers:

Council received the presentation for information, recognizing the important role Hospice of Elgin plays in supporting the community without additional financial impact to taxpayers at this time.

County Prepares Delegation Requests for AMO Conference 2025

Council approved two delegation requests for submission to the 2025 Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) Conference taking place in Ottawa this August.

The first request addresses concerns with the Ministry of Transportation’s DriveON Inspection System, highlighting the additional costs municipalities are facing due to the program.

The second request, directed to the Ministry of Health, advocates for increased funding for Community Health Centres. This request builds on previous advocacy efforts focused on rural health care and physician recruitment.

Impact on Elgin County Taxpayers:

These delegation requests support Elgin’s ongoing advocacy efforts to secure sustainable funding for essential services, ensuring taxpayer dollars are used effectively while meeting the needs of the community.

For the full Council Agenda, click here.

Committee of the Whole Meeting (COTW) – COTW meetings are held directly following Council and focus on detailed discussions and reviewing reports. Decisions on the following matters will be finalized at the May 13th Council Meeting:

Review Underway for Elgincentives Community Improvement Program

The County’s Elgincentives Community Improvement Plan (CIP) has reached its 10-year milestone, prompting a comprehensive review of the program’s effectiveness, economic impact, and alignment with community needs. Since 2015, Elgincentives has supported nearly 290 projects, distributing over $1.5 million in grants and leveraging $9.4 million in private sector investment.

The review identified opportunities to strengthen the program by:

Now that the review has been completed, the Committee of the Whole approved next steps to move forward with the development of a revised program.

Impact on Elgin County Taxpayers:

Elgincentives supports community revitalization and private investment, creating economic opportunities without additional cost to taxpayers at this time.

Proposed Directional Signage Program Aims to Support Tourism in Elgin County

A report presented to Committee of the Whole outlines a proposed agreement between Elgin County and Canadian Tourism Oriented Directional Signage (TODS) Limited that would allow tourism businesses in Elgin to install directional signage along County roads.

These TODS signs, also known as Trail Blazer signs, provide wayfinding information for drivers, helping visitors locate local attractions and businesses. The agreement would enable local tourism vendors to purchase signage through Canadian TODS Limited and have it installed along key County roads.

Elgin County would collect a $150 administrative approval fee per intersection where signage is installed. There would be no additional costs to the County.

Impact on Elgin County Taxpayers:

This agreement would support local tourism and economic development by making it easier for visitors to find and access attractions and businesses across Elgin County, with no cost to taxpayers.

Speed Limit Reduction Proposed for St. George Street to Improve Safety

An amendment to the County’s Reduced Speed Zone By-Law has been proposed to establish a 30 km/h speed limit on St. George Street (County Road 26) from 50 metres north of Independent Street to 50 metres northwest of Hydro Road, covering a distance of approximately 460 metres.

This recommendation follows a review of traffic conditions and safety concerns along this section of St. George Street, where recent road reconstruction introduced new features such as barrier curbs, sidewalks, and steel beam guiderail for pedestrian safety. The current 50 km/h speed limit does not provide sufficient sight distance in some areas, particularly near the CN Rail crossing and Cowan Park access points.

Traffic studies show that the 85th percentile speed is 38 km/h and the average speed is 33 km/h, indicating drivers are already travelling below the posted limit. The proposed 30 km/h limit would help ensure safer conditions for both pedestrians and motorists.

Impact on Elgin County Taxpayers:

The cost of new signage will be covered by the St. George Street reconstruction project budget, with no additional financial impact on taxpayers.

For the full Committee of the Whole Agenda, click here.