A pilot program embedded in the provincial budget rolled out Tuesday (March 26) is going to have a direct impact on Central Elgin and Elgin county.
Elgin-Middlesex-London MPP Rob Flack explains what is behind the Site Preparation Pilot Program.
“What I’m really excited about is the province has set aside close to $100 million over three years through what is called the Site Preparation Pilot Program.
“It is to re-purpose surplus sites. And those sites include the former St. Thomas Psychiatric Hospital.
“So, we’re getting ready to develop that and put houses in and roofs over people’s heads.”
Other than serving as the backdrop for the odd movie, the former psych hospital has sat empty for years.
Opened in 1939, the psychiatric hospital was replaced in 2013 by the Southwest Centre for Forensic Mental Health located immediately to the north.
Monthly Archives: March 2024
A unanimous decision by the Southwestern Public Health Board of Directors takes the wind out of city council’s sails
How quickly the table can turn when you come face to face with an individual or group you have taken issue with.
Such was the case at the March 11 meeting of city council.
To set the scene, at the Feb. 2 meeting, Dan Sheridan, the city’s Director of Finance advised Southwestern Public Health had presented its 2024 levy to the city and it came at a 37 per cent increase over last year’s levy.
For this year, the city is obliged to pay just over $1.5 million, up from $1.1 million in 2023.
That revelation generated blowback from several council members.
Coun. Steve Peters wondered if there was an appeal process.
Coun. Gary Clarke took it a step further, “let’s vote no and see where it goes. This is an outrageous budget request.”
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Regional transit to become a reality for St. Thomas: ‘Our goal is to make sure that we can get individuals on to transit’ – Cindy Howard, Middlesex County
The two cities are but 20 minutes apart, but without public transit, getting from St. Thomas to south London without a personal vehicle can be a daunting challenge.
Yes, you can ride share or cab it to the Forest City at a hefty $50 to $60 one way.
It wasn’t always this way. Several operators have offered a service between the two centres including Aboutown Transportation, Grey Bruce Air Bus, the iconic Greyhound and best of all, the London & Port Stanley Railway.
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The St. Thomas Police Service CIRT unit is ‘another tool in our toolbox to make sure we provide and deliver on responsive services’ – Chief Marc Roskamp
Before being sworn in as St. Thomas Police Chief, Marc Roskamp left no doubt as to one of his priorities.
In a conversation with the deputy chief in November 2022, Roskamp stressed, “If we’re healthy on the inside, we will be healthy on the outside to deliver services to the community.”
He continued, “From a public safety perspective, I believe so strongly in the health of the community and its citizens. And one of my main priorities will also be to build up the resiliency of our members of the police family.
“In recent years, there has been a shift in police culture and some of that is the direct result of the dynamic nature of policing, the pandemic and the widespread social challenges that we have been facing.
“And this has changed the collective heart of policing in many ways and the wellness of officers.”
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Rapid development and expansion prove Element 5 is not out of its element after locating in St. Thomas
With little in the way of fanfare, Element 5 has become a significant regional success story less than four years after constructing its $50 million plant on 40 acres of land on Dennis Road in the city’s north end.
Even more impressive is the fact the company itself has been in existence for less than a decade.
It was founded in 2015 when it purchased a small cross-laminated timber (CLT)manufacturing company in Ripon, Quebec and began production.
Its St. Thomas facility, completed in 2020, is the most highly automated, state-of-the-art mass timber plant in North America.
It can annually produce 45,000 cubic metres of CLT and 5,000 cubic metres of glulam (glued-laminated timber).
A second shift was added in 2021 and last year, expansion of the existing plant began.
