Category: Uncategorized

By: Matt Weigarden, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Tilbury Times Reporter

 

The Essex Region Conservation Authority is stepping up enforcement after a surge in reports of unauthorized motorized vehicle use on protected lands and trails across the region.

 

Officials say snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles and other motorized vehicles are strictly prohibited in all ERCA conservation areas and along the Greenway Trail System. The illegal activity, which has increased during evening and weekend hours this winter, poses risks to public safety and threatens the integrity of sensitive natural habitats.

 

“We have received increasing reports of this illegal use and will be actively patrolling and issuing tickets to unauthorized users,” said Kevin Money, director of conservation services. “Motorized vehicles are not permitted in our conservation areas or on our trail system under any circumstances.”

 

ERCA has committed to enhanced monitoring and enforcement measures, with violators facing fines and potential legal action under provincial conservation regulations. The authority emphasized that conservation lands are designated for non-motorized, passive recreation only. Permitted activities include walking, hiking, cycling — including winter fat biking — cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

 

Members of the public who witness unauthorized motorized vehicle activity are encouraged to contact their local police non-emergency line or email ERCA directly at parkwatch@erca.org.

 

Money said the authority is asking all visitors to respect posted signage and trail rules and to use conservation areas responsibly. “We ask all visitors to respect posted signage and trail rules and to use conservation areas and trails responsibly to ensure these natural areas can remain safe and protected,” he said.

 

The crackdown reflects growing concern about the impact of motorized vehicles on conservation lands, where fragile ecosystems can be damaged by unauthorized use. ERCA officials say the increased patrols are intended not only to enforce regulations but also to protect the long-term health of the region’s natural environment.

 

By: Pam Wright, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Chatham Voice

 

Chatham-Kent has spent thousands on specialized computer software for housing, but has yet to use it.

 

As part of a joint project with other southwestern Ontario municipalities, Chatham-Kent has forked out $78,400 over the last 11 years, amounting to an average of $7,126 per year.

 

But not all is lost, according to C-K corporate communications manager Eric Labadie. He said there’s still potential for the housing services team to utilize the technology.

 

“This enhanced software will be able to be integrated into our current system,” Labadie told The Voice in a recent interview. “In addition, we are paying a reduced rate for this property management system since we are part of this project.”

 

According to Labadie, Chatham-Kent completed user acceptance testing last November, calling it a “big step forward to the conclusion of the project”. 

 

However, he said that housing services will need to conduct an internal review of the final version of the software and compare it to other software on the market to determine which software is best for Chatham-Kent.

 

What Chatham-Kent has spent pales in comparison to the City of London, which doled out $1.3 million in the last decade. A total of $933,000 of that went to BSA Consulting hired in 2015 to handle software development.

 

Led by the City of London, the consortium of service managers includes Windsor, Hamilton, Waterloo, York, Halton, Ottawa and Chatham-Kent.

 

The idea for the custom software project began in December 2011, previously published reports state, with London taking the lead. Windsor, Hamilton, Waterloo, York, Halton and Ottawa are part of what’s called the Housing Collaborative Initiative (HCI), along with Chatham-Kent.

 

London’s spending on the HCI, which was largely untracked and unreported, has led to calls by that city’s councillors for better oversight and reporting on spending.

 

All told, the eight municipalities have spent more than $2.6 million on the project.

 

By: Michael Bennett, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Ridgetown Independent News

 

Bothwell area residents have until this Friday to provide their input for the future of Victoria Park.

 

A survey is live on the Let’s Talk Chatham-Kent website, seeking residents’ opinions on the renewal of the multi-use sports courts in Victoria Park.

 

Community input will help municipal officials better understand local needs and priorities, including preferred sports, design features, material durability, and integration with the surrounding park space.

 

The renewal plans for the multi-use sport courts will include removing the existing surfaces and installing new, durable court surfacing with appropriate line markings to support multiple sports.

 

The project may also address accessibility improvements, safety features, drainage, and upgrades to court amenities, such as fencing and site finishes.

 

Consideration will be given to integrating the courts with the surrounding park space to support safe, inclusive and multi-use recreational activity.

 

Input from the community, combined with municipal standards, will assist in developing a detailed design by a consultant, followed by a tender being issued, pending budget approval.

 

The survey is available online at www.letstalkchatham-kent.ca/victoria-park-sports-court

 

By: Michael Bennett, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Ridgetown Independent News

 

Several Ridgetown and East Kent organizations and facilities are recommended for funding from the 2026 Together CK Grant program.

 

A total of 66 applicants were selected to share in the $375,000 available in this year’s funding.

 

The Together CK Grant review committee presented their report to Council at Monday night’s meeting for approval.

 

Grants are provided in three categories –  Community Projects, Community Events and Significant Events.

 

The review committee recommended five local applicants for approval in the Community Projects category.

 

The Ridgetown & District Horticultural Society was approved to receive $8,022 for its community garden restructuring and optimization project.

 

The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 243 was recommended for $6,775 for its ‘Renewing The Heart of Br. 243’ project.

 

The Erie Street United Church is looking at a $2,622 grant for air conditioners in its community hall.

 

The Duart Community Hall was recommended for an $8,022 grant for its stage and storage product.

 

The Friends of the Bothwell Catholic Cemetery is poised to receive $4,438 for its walking with history project.

 

The review committee recommended funding for 22 Community Projects.

 

Four local events were among the 39 successful candidates for Community Events’ funding, pending the Council’s final approval at Monday’s meeting.

 

The East Kent Celebrates Committee is recommended for a $4,522 grant for its summer concert series.

 

The Ridgetown & Area Adult Activity Centre can expect a $4,050 grant for its 5W’s event.

 

The Ridgetown BIA is recommended to receive a $4,022 grant for its Canada Day Weekend celebration.

 

The Bothwell Royal Canadian Legion Branch 252 is recommended to receive $3,522 for its 100th anniversary celebration.

 

The review committee approved five organizations to receive major funding under the Significant Event category.

 

The Thamesville Threshing Festival Inc. is one of the organizations poised to receive funding, as the review committee is recommending $20,022 for its 2026 event, with the theme

 

‘Honouring The Past, Measuring The Future,’ scheduled for June 19-20 in Ferguson Park.

 

Chatham-Kent Crowfest is recommended for a $22,522 grant, while the Dresden Sidestreets Youth Centre (Dresden Night Market), Historic Downtown Chatham BIA (Retrofest) and Wallaceburg Antique Motor & Boating Outing are all in line for $20,022 in funding.

 

A total of 80 applications were submitted for the 2026 Together CK grant program during the intake period of Oct. 27 to Nov. 30, 2025.

 

A total of 13 applications were deemed ineligible under the Together CK Guidelines.

 

One organization withdrew their application from funding consideration.

 

Nine applicants to the Significant Event stream were reassigned to the Community Events category.

 

Since the program was launched 25 years ago, Together CK has supported 443 events and 548 projects.

 

By: Michael Bennett, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Ridgetown Independent News

 

The ownership group of the former Salvation Army Thrift Store is seeking assistance from the municipality in its plans to renovate the downtown property.

 

Main-Ridge Inc. plans to redevelop the former thrift store into a mix of business and residential units.

 

The owners will find out at Monday night’s Chatham-Kent Council meeting (February 23) if their request for assistance through the Community Improvement Plan, Property Tax Increment Equivalent Grant Agreement is approved.

 

Administration is recommending that Council approve providing an annual grant equivalent to 100% of the increase in municipal property taxes resulting from the development of a Mixed-Use Commercial/Residential Use in a Downtown Area for five years.

 

Main-Ridge Inc. plans to redevelop the existing buildings at 14 and 18 Main Street East into three businesses and nine residential units.

 

Three commercial units and two residential units are planned for the ground floor, with an additional seven residential units on the second floor.

 

The total construction value is estimated at $1,300,000.

 

The Community Improvement Plan is included in the Plan to Support the Chatham-Kent Growth Strategy and the 2023-2027 Council Strategic Priorities.

 

The CIP was created to enable market-driven investment to address targeted needs throughout Chatham-Kent, including rental and affordable housing, commercial and employment growth.

 

The Property Tax Increment Equivalent Program provides economic incentive for the development, redevelopment, adaptive reuse or rehabilitation of properties in the CIP areas.

 

The PTIEP provides an incentive to reduce the tax increase when a property is developed, redeveloped or rehabilitated.

 

According to the report to Council provided by the municipality’s Development Services Planning Services, this program applies to commercial uses, employment uses, mixed-use commercial/residential buildings, major rental housing developments, and affordable housing developments.

 

Main-Ridge Inc.’s project is eligible under the CIP for a grant equal to 100% of the new municipal property taxes levied related to the development for five years.

 

The company is required to agree with the municipality, which details the benefits and obligations of participating in the program.

 

By: Pam Wright, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Chatham Voice

 

Prompted by this winter’s brutal temperatures, the Municipality of Chatham-Kent is looking at offering warming centres outside of Chatham.

 

At the Feb. 9 meeting, Chatham-Kent council approved a motion from South Kent Coun. Anthony Ceccacci, directing staff to probe the issue and return with a report later this year.

 

Currently, Hope Haven on Wellington Street in downtown Chatham is C-K’s lone warming centre. And while transportation is provided for those in outlying communities to travel to Hope Haven, officials said that approach is not very effective.

 

According to Ceccacci, his motion is pro-active.

 

“We’ve had a true Canadian winter this year and in rural communities, there’s no place for these people to go and they can end up in business and commercial areas, like vestibules and bank entrances,” the councillor said.

 

“It would be good to see something done before it becomes a concern in the smaller communities.” 

 

Reach Out Chatham-Kent (R.O.C.K.) Missions executive director Renee Geniole concurred.

 

“I want to thank Coun. Ceccacci for recognizing the very real need for warming centres in our rural communities in the winter months,” Geniole said in a deputation to council. 

 

According to Geniole, transportation “sounds like a simple answer on paper but it often creates more barriers” than it solves. 

 

“If we want to support residents outside of Chatham, we need broader community-based supports,” she added, as she shared some information about Wallaceburg.

 

Geniole said the number of people living outdoors has steadily increased over the last year, with daily numbers at the drop-in centre in the Burg ranging from 50 to 75 people.

 

“We know a significant portion of those people are experiencing houselessness,” she said. 

 

By: Pam Wright, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Chatham Voice

 

A change in how local special needs resourcing (SNR) is delivered locally will see the loss of 39 jobs at Linck Child, Youth and Family Supports.

 

A media release from the Municipality of Chatham-Kent stated a “design change” to modernize the way SNR is delivered has led to the cancellation of the SNR contract with Linck, leading to the loss 24 full-time, six contract and nine casual positions.

 

“Shocked and disappointed,” is how Linck executive director Terri Thomas-Vanos described the reaction of employees upon hearing the news.

 

She said staff were more concerned about their young clients than themselves.

 

“The thing that I am most proud of, is that the very first question they asked is, ‘How will this affect the kids?’” Thomas-Vanos told The Voice. “I’ll always remember this as one of my most proud moments.”

 

In addition, Thomas-Vanos said the cuts will lead to the loss of a “network of knowledge” relating to assisting children with special needs.

 

In a press release, municipal officials said Chatham-Kent is “changing the way it funds and provides support in line with other municipalities in the province. The change in contract allows for a different provision of services, which will continue to be focused on inclusion in the classroom while strengthening the education and capacity building components.”

 

Under the current model, Linck staff travel to various child-care centres and schools to assist children and youth. In the proposed model, licensed child-care centres will hire employees directly to provide enhanced support services. 

 

Josh Myers, director of childcare & early years for Chatham-Kent, said the decision is a “response to the growing and changing pressure on the child-care sector” the current model cannot meet.

 

“This sector continues to experience new and growing challenges post-pandemic in addition to the unforeseen challenges that the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) program has created,” Myers said.  “The need for services is growing and so the municipality has chosen to move in a new direction that better utilizes the child-care workforce by heavily focusing on their capacity to provide inclusive environments for all children.

 

“It is, however, recognized that some children will continue to need more intensive supports, and by funding child-care centers directly, we can increase the amount of direct supports available in the community,” he added.

 

 The release also states that “inclusion coaches” will be hired to work alongside educators and supervisors, noting they will provide mentorship and strategies to educators to support children without the need for referrals.

 

In rare and complex cases, additional specialized supports, including external professionals, may be co-ordinated through the child-care operator, the release said.

 

“The current SNR model was created with positive intent, but is unable to meet the growing and new challenges that the child-care sector is experiencing,” the release added. “The sector has undergone considerable changes post-Covid and more recently the implementation of the Canada Wide Early Learning and Child Care program.”

 

The municipality wants parents and caregivers to know Chatham-Kent is working with Linck on the transition, noting they will be consulted in the process.

 

In her comments, Thomas-Vanos concluded that “everyone” involved wants the same thing, which is to provide high-quality services to children and teens who may need extra help.

 

The Linck staffing changes are slated to take place in mid-April. The agency currently operates with just under 200 employees.