For St. Thomas Police Chief Marc Roskamp, new provincial legislation designed to ensure safer streets and stronger communities is a step toward reducing illegal drug activity while also providing support for affected communities, promoting safety, and encouraging rehabilitation.Bill 10, the Protect Ontario Through Safer Streets and Stronger Communities Act, is a broad ‘justice-and-safety’ omnibus bill passed into law on June 5th of this year.
As noted on the Canadian Mental Health Association website, “An omnibus bill is one that introduces or amends multiple new or existing laws at once. Each new or existing law that Bill 10 impacts is addressed in a separate ‘Schedule’ of the Bill. Schedule 8 is a new law titled the Measures Respecting Premises with Illegal Drug Activity Act.”
The legislation was the subject of the June 8 meeting of the St. Thomas Police Services Board, with a recommendation that a report be forwarded to members of city council.
As such, it was discussed at the city council meeting this past Monday (July 14).
Bill 10 provides law enforcement with enhanced tools to address drug-related issues at specific locations, such as premises suspected of being used for illegal drug activities.
There are numerous key provisions, including increased powers for law enforcement agencies to access properties (residential, commercial or otherwise) suspected of being used for illegal drug activities such as manufacturing, distribution or trafficking.
It will be easier for officers to obtain search warrants when there is reasonable suspicion of illegal drug activity on a property.Authorities would be allowed to close a property temporarily while an investigation or legal process takes place.
If a property is found to be a hotspot for drug trafficking, production or other illegal activities, it may be declared unsafe.
Property owners may be ordered to evict individuals involved in drug-related activities.
Property owners, landlords and businesses may be required to report suspicious drug-related activity on their premises.
Law enforcement will be required to report the outcomes of investigations, including property closures, evictions, or legal proceedings related to drug activity, to ensure public accountability and transparency.
“The St. Thomas Police Service (STPS) welcomes these expanded authorities to keep St. Thomas safe from the harms of illicit drug trafficking.”
Law enforcement will collaborate with municipal governments, public health agencies and social services to address the broader implications of drug activity on neighbourhoods and communities.
Municipalities may be encouraged to develop community safety programs aimed at preventing drug-related activities in the first place.
The bill allocates funding for public education campaigns, which would target communities with high drug usage or trafficking concerns.
The legislation supports measures that provide help to individuals struggling with substance abuse, including access to treatment centres and rehab programs.
Law enforcement will focus on ‘hotspot’ areas where illegal drug activities are most prevalent. And police will carry out targeted operations designed to disrupt drug trafficking networks operating in these areas.
In certain cases, offenders may be offered access to restorative justice programs aimed at rehabilitation rather than solely punitive measures.
Additional resources will be made available to police services, including funding for specialized units focused on drug trafficking and enforcement.
Chief Roskamp advises, “The St. Thomas Police Service (STPS) welcomes these expanded authorities to keep St. Thomas safe from the harms of illicit drug trafficking.”
He adds, “The STPS is well-equipped with resources to operationally manage the provisions of the new legislation.”
CITY MAYOR CHALLENGES CN RAIL TO GET ON TRACK
St. Thomas Mayor Joe Preston is speaking out about long-standing concerns over the rough railroad crossing on First Avenue, just north of Redan Street, an issue that has sparked frustration with motorists.
Preston released a statement on Wednesday, and we spoke with him on Thursday about what he called blatant misinformation from CN.
He noted, “I’ve been on it (the railway crossing) a couple of times the last couple of days. And if you slow down considerably, it’s not as bad.”
However, he was quick to point out that we shouldn’t have to drive less than the speed limit on arterial roads to accommodate railroad crossings.
He continued, “We’ve been contacting CN for a long period of time to coordinate. We have to have their flag people and our road people there at the same time to fix it.
“Well, yesterday (Tuesday) morning, they sent out replies to St. Thomas citizens that said, this is simply a city issue. Please contact them.”
Needless to say, Preston was a little hot under the collar and issued a release of his dealing with the facts in the hope of undertaking repairs in a timely fashion.
“And so sure enough, communication is now taking place with CN about getting it done next week.
“You know, we’ve had railways for over 150 years. You’d think we’d figure out how to make cars and railways meet. And you would think that our cooperation with the largest railway in our country would also be better.”
“We shouldn’t have to be rude to get it. We should be working cooperatively in good communication to make it happen.”
You have to look no further than years of debate on a fix for the Barwick Street bridge or CN’s failure to reconnect the gap in the former London & Port Stanley rail line.
We asked Preston about the nature of the work required.
“Well, you know, obviously we have to get it down to two lanes, fix the two lanes that aren’t open, then reverse that and do it.
“But in talking to some of the other railway people around town, they said, well, when they fixed it last time, we told them it would only last six months because of the method they used for repair.
“So we’re trying to ask them, can we get a more permanent repair like the one they did on Centennial? It looks like it’s a much more permanent repair for the amount of traffic that goes over it.
“You know, we’ve had railways for over 150 years. You’d think we’d figure out how to make cars and railways meet. And you would think that our cooperation with the largest railway in our country would also be better.
“Certainly, we’ll depend more on them when PowerCo gets working. So we can’t get to a point where we’re disagreeing with each other. We’ve got to be at a point where there’s full cooperation and communication.
“Some of my frustration in the past and some of my frustration this week is that government relations at CN does not know what operations at CN do, and operations at CN don’t know what other departments at CN do.
“So we sometimes have to keep reaching out to reach the person who can actually solve our issue.
“I was mad yesterday that CN sent out erroneous, I’ll say, information to citizens of St. Thomas. I call it lies, but they sent out erroneous information saying this is a complete city issue.
“Immediately after we put on a release, they said, yeah, you’re absolutely right. That shouldn’t have gone out. Yeah, okay. Then why didn’t you call us ahead of time and say we’re going to start telling people this?”
Here is the full transcript of Preston’s statement from Wednesday.
To the residents of St. Thomas,
As your Mayor, I want to take a moment to speak directly with you about something that’s been frustrating many in our community for far too long -the condition of the railway crossing on First Ave.
I’ve heard from residents, I’ve seen the complaints, and I’ve driven over it myself. I know it’s an issue, and I want you to know the City is not ignoring it. Let’s clear the tracks on this one: maintaining the rail crossing is a shared responsibility. CN Rail is responsible for everything within the rail line itself, while the City maintains the roadway surrounding the tracks. In order to complete the necessary repairs, both parties need to work together, and that’s exactly what we’re aiming to do.
Unfortunately, a resident recently reached out to CN Rail and was incorrectly told that the City is responsible for this repair. That’s simply not true, and I understand how frustrating it is to get mixed messages.
Here’s what you should know:
Back in 2023, we tendered and awarded a paving contract to address the crossing. We were ready to go. However, CN Rail has not yet provided the flagging support required to ensure that the work can be done safely on active rail infrastructure. Without that, we can’t legally or safely move forward. Our staff have been persistent and proactive – reaching out to CN Rail regularly, coordinating logistics, and pushing to get this done. But progress has been slow, and that’s frustrating for all of us.
We know this has been an ongoing concern for years, and believe me, it’s not for lack of trying on the City’s part. We’re doing everything we can, and we’ll continue to push until we can deliver the fix residents deserve. St. Thomas is proud to be #TheRailwayCity. Our history is rooted in rail, and our relationship with CN Rail is a critical one. We value that relationship, and we believe in working together.
When we have something concrete to share – a confirmed date or timeline– the City will keep you informed. Until then, please know that we hear you, we’re working on it, and we won’t stop pushing for a solution.
ADVANCING REDEVELOPMENT OF THE CITY’S RAILWAY LANDS
Last week, we teased about new design concepts for the Elgin County Railway Museum being unveiled, and they were unveiled mid-week at the CASO station.
However, because the museum membership will not be updated until this coming week, the information is embargoed until July 22.
A key component of the development of the railway lands at the site is a Secondary Plan for the area, and a report was presented to city council this past Monday (July 14).
To recap, in 2024, a portion of the Elgin County Railway Museum lands and a portion of the adjacent city-owned lands were sold to Doug Tarry Limited for development purposes.
The report to council advised the need to ensure “certain desired community benefits, including trail and roadway connections, would be incorporated into any future development.”
Back in December of 2024, members of council expressed their desire to keep the development of the railway lands moving in a timely fashion and directed staff to seek stakeholder/property owner interest in initiating a Secondary Plan for this area.
The sale of the land to Doug Tarry Limited was not without controversy, both from within the museum membership and neighbouring property owners, led by Terry Mason (pictured above), who posted a petition opposed to the transaction.
In a conversation with him last year, he stressed, “This proposed construction goes against everything that ECRM stands for.
“The land should be used for its intended purpose – to educate and celebrate our deep, rich history in the rail industry. It is crucial that ECRM follows their mandate to preserve and protect all railway assets.”
In the meantime, Doug Tarry Limited has approached the city about expediting the completion of the Railway Lands Secondary Plan through a study co-led by the city and a privately-led team.
This team would be led by Bousfields Inc., and funded by Doug Tarry Limited, “with cost recovery tools to be discussed through the Secondary Planning process,” according to the report to council authored by Michelle Knieriem, Manager of Planning Services for the city.
According to their website, Toronto-based Bousfields Inc. is an interdisciplinary team of planners, urban designers and community engagement specialists.
In their presentation to city council, Boufields’ staff note, “The completion of a Secondary Plan is required to advance the redevelopment of St. Thomas’ Railway Lands and provides an opportunity to evaluate the growth potential of the larger east downtown area surrounding the Railway Lands.
“By considering this area comprehensively, the Secondary Planning process will lead to a cohesive vision for the broader community and provide specific guidance on the form and function of future development.
“By unlocking the redevelopment potential of well-situated lands within the study area, the Secondary Plan will support the revitalization and intensification of downtown St. Thomas and the advancement of much-needed housing in accordance with provincial planning directives and in response to anticipated growth pressures within the City of St. Thomas.”
City staff are proposing to hold a meeting with landowners in the study area this fall, introducing the study and outlining opportunities for participation and engagement.
According to the Railway Lands Area Secondary Plan: Proposed Study Area and Project Process, presented to council, the undertaking would be divided into three phases, with a proposed completion date of next spring.
Phase 1 would involve a background review and establishing the key principles, goals and objectives for the Secondary Plan.
Phase 2 would involve the review of options, testing and selection of a preferred plan.
Phase 3 would be the implementation phase, including council consideration of a city-initiated Official Plan Amendment to implement the Secondary Plan.
There would be multiple opportunities for landowner and community engagement throughout the process, and multiple reports to council providing information and seeking direction.
City staff and the privately-led team would collaborate throughout the study, with city staff taking the lead on public engagement and the Official Plan Amendment to implement the Secondary Plan.
Conversations dealing with the redevelopment of the railway lands began in the summer of 2021, when Doug Tarry sought to purchase eight acres of railway land immediately west of the museum at $300,000 per acre for a low-rise residential development that would front onto a new street to be created off Ross Street and north of Jonas Street.
Last year, Tarry observed, “Investing in our downtown by honouring our railway heritage while creating a sustainable future is part of Doug Tarry Limited’s continuing vision for our community engagement projects, such as our support of the elevated park and Project Tiny Hope.”
And Mayor Joe Preston added, “This is the start to the process, and we will touch it many times.
“This is the city being bold with the railway lands. What is the best thing we can do with the railway lands in downtown St. Thomas?”
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