06 - March 24, 2026 County Council Minutes000-
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ElginCounty
Elgin County Council
Regular Council Meeting
Minutes
March 24, 2026, 9:00 a.m.
Council Chambers
450 Sunset Drive
St. Thomas ON
Members Present: Warden Dominique Giguere
Deputy Warden Grant Jones
Councillor Ed Ketchabaw
Councillor Mark Widner
Councillor Jack Couckuyt
Councillor Andrew Sloan
Councillor Todd Noble
Councillor Mike Hentz
Councillor Richard Leatham
Staff Present: Blaine Parkin, Chief Administrative Officer/Clerk
Nicholas Loeb, Director of Legal Services
Brian Masschaele, Director of Community & Cultural Services
Jennifer Ford, Director of Financial Services/Treasurer
Peter Dutchak, Director of Engineering Services
Mat Vaughan, Director of Planning and Development
Holly Hurley, Director of People & Culture
Joe Anne Holloway, Director of Homes and Seniors Services
Carolyn Krahn, Manager of Economic Development, Tourism &
Strategic Initiatives
Katherine Thompson, Manager of Administrative
Services/Deputy Clerk
Jenna Fentie, Legislative Services Coordinator
Stefanie Heide, Legislative Services Coordinator
1. Meeting Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 9:00 a.m. with Warden Giguere in the chair.
2. Approval of Agenda
Moved by: Councillor Hentz
Seconded by: Councillor Noble
RESOLVED THAT the agenda for the March 24, 2026 County Council Meeting
be approved as presented.
Motion Carried.
3. Introductions, Recognitions, Memorials
None.
4. Adoption of Minutes
Moved by: Deputy Warden Jones
Seconded by: Councillor Leatham
RESOLVED THAT the minutes of the meeting held on March 10, 2026 be
adopted.
Motion Carried.
5. Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest and the General Nature Thereof
None.
6. Presenting Petitions, Presentations and Delegations
6.1 Mary Lou Tanner, Senior Partner, NPG Planning Solutions - Update
on Hospital Lands Development
Mary Lou Tanner, Senior Partner, NPG Planning Solutions, presented the
update on the Central Elgin Hospital Lands Development.
Moved by: Councillor Noble
Seconded by: Deputy Warden Jones
RESOLVED THAT the presentation from Mary Lou Tanner, Senior Partner
of NPG Planning Solutions, be received and filed.
Motion Carried.
6.2 Danielle Nielsen, Acting Director of St. Thomas - Elgin Social
Services, and Brandon Sloan, Housing Accelerator Fund Coordinator
- Draft St. Thomas - Elgin 10 Year Housing and Homelessness Plan
2026-2036
Danielle Nielsen, Acting Director of St. Thomas - Elgin Social Services,
and Brandon Sloan, Housing Accelerator Fund Coordinator, presented the
Draft St. Thomas - Elgin 10 Year Housing and Homelessness Plan 2026-
2036.
Moved by: Councillor Widner
Seconded by: Councillor Sloan
RESOLVED THAT the presentation from St. Thomas - Elgin Social
Services be received and filed.
Motion Carried.
6.3 Gary De Bock, Member of the Public - Bill 21, Protect Our Food Act
Gary De Bock, a member of the public, presented his concerns on Bill 21,
Protect Our Food Act.
Moved by: Councillor Noble
Seconded by: Councillor Sloan
RESOLVED THAT the delegation from Gary De Bock, member of the
public, regarding Bill 21, Protect Our Food Act, be received and filed.
Motion Carried.
7. Motion to Adopt Recommendations from the Committee of the Whole
7.1 Warden Giguere -ADM 26-11 - Recommendations from Committee of
the Whole — March 10, 2026
Councillor Couckuyt left the Council Chambers at 9:44 a.m. and returned
to the Chambers at 9:46 a.m. Councillor Couckuyt did not participate in
the vote for item 7.1 Recommendations from Committee of the Whole.
Moved by: Deputy Warden Jones
Seconded by: Councillor Hentz
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RESOLVED THAT items CW26-25-CW26-28 from the Committee of the
Whole meeting dated March 10, 2026, and the recommendations therein
be adopted.
Motion Carried.
8. Committee Recommendations
None.
9. Reports for Information and Immediate Consideration
None.
10. Council Correspondence
Moved by: Deputy Warden Jones
Seconded by: Councillor Hentz
RESOLVED THAT Correspondence Item 10.1 be received and filed.
Motion Carried.
10.1 Resolution from the Regional Municipality of York re: Circular
Materials Ontario
10.2 Flag Raising Request from the YWCA St. Thomas Elgin Local
Immigration Partnership (STELIP) for Welcoming Week 2026
Moved by: Councillor Widner
Seconded by: Councillor Ketchabaw
RESOLVED THAT the flag raising, proclamation, and building lighting
request from the YWCA St. Thomas Elgin Local Immigration Partnership
(STELIP) for Welcoming Week 2026 be approved for September 22, 2026.
Motion Carried.
10.3 Flag Raising Request from Childcan for Childhood Cancer
Awareness Month 2026
Moved by: Deputy Warden Jones
Seconded by: Councillor Leatham
RESOLVED THAT the flag raising, proclamation, and building lighting
request from Childcan for Childhood CancerAwareness Month 2026 be
approved for September 8, 2026.
Motion Carried.
10.4 Proclamation and Building Lighting Request from Epilepsy
Southwestern Ontario
Moved by: Councillor Noble
Seconded by: Councillor Leatham
RESOLVED THAT March 26, 2026 be proclaimed Epilepsy Awareness
Day in the County of Elgin and that the Elgin County Administration
Building be lit in recognition of this day.
Motion Carried.
11. Statements/Inquiries by Members
11.1 Councillor Ketchabaw - North Shore Resilience Project Open Houses
Councillor Ketchabaw welcomed all to attend the upcoming North Shore
Resilience Open Houses on March 24, 2026, at the Birds Canada Event
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Room in Port Rowan, at the Port Stanley Arena on March 25, 2026, from
2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. and from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m., and at the Rodney
Community Centre on March 26, 2026, from 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. and
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
12. Closed Meeting Items
Moved by: Councillor Hentz
Seconded by: Councillor Noble
RESOLVED THAT we do now proceed into closed meeting session in
accordance with the Municipal Act to discuss the following matters under
Municipal Act Section 239 (2):
Closed Meetinq Item #1 - Closed Meeting Minutes - March 10, 2026
Closed Meeting Item #2 - Human Resources Matter (verbal)
(b) personal matters about an identifiable individual, including municipal or local
board employees
Motion Carried.
12.1 Closed Meeting Minutes - March 10, 2026
12.2 Chief Administrative Officer/Clerk Human Resources Matter (verbal)
13. Motion to Rise and Report
Moved by: Deputy Warden Jones
Seconded by: Councillor Leatham
RESOLVED THAT we do now rise and report.
Motion Carried.
Closed Meeting Item #1 - Closed Meeting Minutes - March 10 2026
Moved by: Councillor Widner
Seconded by: Councillor Sloan
RESOLVED THAT the March 10, 2026 closed meeting minutes be adopted.
Motion Carried.
Closed Meeting Item #2 - Human Resources Matter (verbal)
Moved by: Councillor Noble
Seconded by: Councillor Hentz
RESOLVED THAT the confidential report from the Chief Administrative
Officer/Clerk be received and filed; and
THAT staff proceed as directed.
Motion Carried.
14. Consideration of By -Laws
14.1 By -Law No. 26-13 County Road System
BEING a By -Law Adopting a Plan of County Road Improvement and
Establishing a County Road System in the County of Elgin and to Repeal
By -Laws 10-10, 17-27, 17-28, 17-29 and 17-30.
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Moved by: Deputy Warden Jones
Seconded by: Councillor Sloan
RESOLVED THAT By -Law No. 26-13 be now read a first, second, and
third time and finally passed.
Motion Carried.
14.2 By -Law No. 26-14 Reduced Load Limits
BEING a By -Law to Authorize Reduced Load Limits on County of Elgin
Roads, and to Repeal By -Law 98-10.
Moved by: Councillor Hentz
Seconded by: Councillor Leatham
RESOLVED THAT By -Law No. 26-14 be now read a first, second, and
third time and finally passed.
Motion Carried.
14.3 By -Law No. 26-15 Confirmation
BEING a By -Law to Confirm Proceedings of the Municipal Council of the
Corporation of the County of Elgin at the March 24, 2026 Meeting.
Moved by: Councillor Couckuyt
Seconded by: Councillor Sloan
RESOLVED THAT By -Law No. 26-15 be now read a first, second, and
third time and finally passed.
Motion Carried.
15. Adjournment
Moved by: Councillor Widner
Seconded by: Councillor Sloan
RESOLVED THAT we do now adjourn at 10:55 a.m. to meet again on April 14,
2026 at 9:00 a.m.
Motion Carried.
Chief Administrative Officer/Clerk.
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Dominique Gi uere,
Warden.
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