Monthly Archives: September 2026

09.26.26
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‘The St. Thomas gigafactory remains a cornerstone of our North American strategy’ – Joel Karlsberg, PowerCo Canada

Production at the massive PowerCo EV battery gigafactory in St. Thomas has been pushed back to sometime in 2029, although the move is not being categorized as a step back.
The original plan called for a 2027 opening, which was amended to the second quarter of 2028.
The information was included in a media release issued this week announcing that EllisDon Corporation will be the general contractor for the $7 billion megaproject in Yarmouth Yards industrial park.
Construction includes the production-building shell, mechanical, electrical and plumbing installations, energy and utility systems, and supporting site services. Approximately 60 EllisDon workers are on site. That number is expected to ramp up to roughly 1,300 workers at peak, alongside additional personnel supporting parallel project activities.

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09.19.26
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2026 municipal election: St. Thomas candidates’ night Sept. 16

St. Thomas residents had an opportunity to meet candidates hoping to lead the city and serve on council ahead of this fall’s municipal election.
The St. Thomas Kinsmen teamed up with the Columbus Club to host an All Candidates Night on Wednesday (Sept. 16).
Each of the candidates seeking one of eight spots on council was given two minutes to make their pitch to the overflow crowd at the Columbus Club.
Gibbs Alobwedge Diobe, Sandra Hamill and Malachi Male did not participate.
Each of the three mayoral candidates then had five minutes for their presentation.
The evening then moved into a meet-and-greet until 9 p.m.
St. Thomas Kinsmen member and Kin Canada District 1 Governor, Matt Sharpe, served as moderator.

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09.12.26
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Railway Lands Area Master Plan presents a dramatic view of the shape of things to come in St. Thomas

Two weeks ago, we documented the public meeting held at the CASO station to garner public input on the Preferred Master Plan for the railway lands downtown.
The plan will identify areas for development and redevelopment, permitted land uses, transportation and mobility connections, parks, public service/community uses, and infrastructure strategies.
All of this while recognizing the historical significance of the railway lands and the Downtown St. Thomas Heritage Conservation District to ensure an appropriate transition of new development to low-rise residential areas.
In part, this follows the recent sale of a parcel of land at the Elgin County Railway Museum to Doug Tarry Homes for a planned residential development.
You can read that item here.

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09.05.26
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Laying the groundwork for a future integrated transportation network linking St. Thomas with Aylmer

A new Highway 3 corridor appears to be on the radar and will improve connectivity between St. Thomas and Aylmer.
The Ontario Ministry of Transportation has retained Stantec Consulting Ltd. to undertake a Planning, Preliminary Design, and Class Environmental Assessment.
Stantec made a presentation to Elgin County council on Aug. 11.
The purpose of the study is to identify transportation improvements to Highway 3, including a new arterial road connecting to the St. Thomas Expressway extension, known as Technology Trail, to improve transportation connections between St. Thomas, including Yarmouth Yards, and communities to the east.

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