Council Connect-September 23, 2025

For Immediate Release
Tuesday, September 23, 2025

Council Connect: Highlights from September 23, 2025, meetings of Council

Public Council Meeting

Request to Consider Engineer’s Report – North 12th Concession Drain: The purpose of the meeting was for Council to hear public comments from any affected landowners on the proposed drainage works, as set out in the drainage report filed by Josh Warner of R. Dobbin Engineering Inc, dated June 10, 2025 for repair and improvement of the North 12^th Concession Drain. The report outlines necessary improvements including the replacement of deteriorated access culverts, future maintenance provisions, and the installation of buffer strips to align with best farming practices and the Town’s Official Plan. Regulatory compliance will be required under the Conversation Authorities Act, Fisheries Act and Endangered Species Act. Affected landowners will be notified of a Court of Revision scheduled for October 28, 2025. 

Regular Meeting of Council

Tecumseh Transit Service (TTS) January-June 2025 Status Report: Council received a report summarizing ridership and revenue figures for the Tecumseh Transit Service (TTS) from January-June 2025.  TTS is in its sixteenth year of operation, offering fixed route service Monday-Friday (35 stops) and on-demand service for Saturdays using an app or the Town’s call-in service. The report noted a slight decrease in both ridership and revenue compared to the same reporting period in 2024.  Peak periods for ridership were between 7:00-9:00am (18.5 % of total ridership) and 3:00-5:00pm (24.1% of total ridership) coinciding with commuting to and from work or school.  The bus stops at Tecumseh Mall, Zehrs grocery plaza, L’Essor High School, Food Basics grocery store plaza and Southfield Drive account for approximately 74% of all TTS boardings.  A Request for Proposals (RFP) is being issued to select a Transit Delivery and Maintenance Service provider for commencement in 2026 and a further Report will be provided to Council for appropriate approvals.

Request for Repair and Improvement to the Marshall Drain Appointment of Drainage Engineer: Council received a reporting recommending the appointment of Oliver Moir, P.Eng., of Dillon Consulting Limited as the Drainage Engineer to examine and prepare a report on the Marshall Drain under Section 78 of the Drainage Act. The request was initiated by a landowner to re-establish proper flow, address sediment accumulation and outdated infrastructure.  The Town has fulfilled the required 30-day notification to the Essex Region Conservation Authority and will conduct environmental assessments in line with federal and provincial legislation, including the Fisheries Act and Endangered Species Act. The appointed Drainage Engineer will produce a report that includes drawings, a construction schedule, and future maintenance provisions.

City of Windsor Truck Route Study: Council received a report outlining a comprehensive update to the City of Windsor’s truck transportation network, last reviewed in 1998. With significant industrial growth, including the NextStar Energy EV Battery Plant, the study presents a comprehensive and data-driven effort to modernize the City’s truck transportation network in alignment with current and future needs to support efficient movement of goods while minimizing community impact. The proposed Dual-Tier Truck Route Network (primary routes for heavy trucks and local routes for deliveries) balances connectivity and accommodates changing land development demand.  There are several intermunicipal truck route connections with the Town of Tecumseh on primary truck routes and local truck routes. A notable change includes the reclassification of Tecumseh Road to a local route due to the Town’s downtown parking initiative. More information about the study and the Dual-Tier Truck Route Network can be found here.

2024 Road Needs Study, Final Report: Council received the Town’s 2024 Road Needs Study Final Report, which assessed approximately 180 km of roads, excluding bridges and culverts. Collected data underwent significant quality control to ensure compliance with MTO guidelines. The results indicate an average Pavement Condition Index (PCI) for the Town’s road network of 74, with 35% of roads needing some form of rehabilitation or maintenance within the next five years. PCI combines the effects of both surface distresses and ride quality to establish an overall score for each roadway segment. The report recommends a five- year program focusing on reconstruction for roads with a PCI below 45, rehabilitation for PCI 45–55, and maintenance for PCI 55–70. The projected cost for this plan is $6.53 million, aiming to maintain an average PCI of 72, which exceeds the Town's goal of 70 as identified in the Asset Management Plan. The full report can be found here.

2024 Annual Report on Investment and Cash Management: Council received a report outlining the status and performance of the Town’s investment portfolio. As of December 31, 2024, the Town held $98.95 million in total investments, primarily in short-term bank balances earning 5.34%, outperforming comparable benchmarks. Medium-term investments returned 4.06%, aligning with market comparators. The Town also invested in Principal Protected Notes (PPNs), providing capital security with potential growth, and continued participation in the ONE Canadian Equity Portfolio, which achieved strong annualized returns, including 20.5% in 2024. Total investment income for 2024 was $5.33 million, continuing an upward trend over the past three years. All investments were confirmed to comply with the Town’s Investment Policy (#87) by the Director of Financial Services. 

Delegations Pursuant to the Twinning Agreement with Tecumseh, Michigan: Council received a report recommending authorization for delegations to attend Appleumpkin Festival on October 11^th, 2025 as part of an existing Twinning Agreement with Tecumseh Michigan.  On August 23rd, 2025, a delegation from the City of Tecumseh, MI visited the Tecumseh Corn and Music Festival at the invitation of the Optimist Club of St. Clair Beach. During the Town Hall visit, an invitation was extended to the Town of Tecumseh to visit the City of Tecumseh during the upcoming Appleumpkin Festival.  The Town is appreciative of the reciprocal invitation to experience the City of Tecumseh. Mayor McNamara, Councillor Dorner, Councillor Tonial, Councillor Houston and the Chief Administrative Officer plan to attend.  Council authorized the delegate attendance and approved associated costs of $925 to be funded from the Council Public Relations account.

Tecumseh Arena and Recreation Complex Facility Use Rules: Council received a report regarding Facility Use Rules for the Tecumseh Arena and Recreation Complex, developed in response to ongoing concerns about inappropriate behaviour and safety issues. These rules aim to improve supervision of youth, restrict access to non-permitted areas, regulate warm-up activities, and ensure respectful conduct, including music volume and content. The rules set expectations to protect both the facility and its users and align with Town policies, as well as policies established by governing provincial sport organizations such as the Ontario Hockey Federation and Skate Canada.  User groups were consulted during development and are responsible for sharing the rules with their members. Implementation will involve signage, staff training, and distribution of summary sheets, with minimal financial impact estimated at $1,000.  Council approved the report.

County Wide Active Transportation System (CWATS) and Municipal Partnership Program (MPP) Town of Tecumseh 2026 Proposed Projects: Council received a report outlining the Town’s proposed projects under the County Wide Active Transportation System (CWATS) and Municipal Partnership Program (MPP) for 2026. Proposed MPP projects include a series of initiatives aimed at enhancing active transportation, such as a children’s bike camp, senior-focused cycling events, bike valet services at major town festivals, and installation bike racks at Rocheleau Park, Poisson Park, Town Hall and the OPP Station. The total cost for these MPP projects is estimated at $14,900, split equally between the Town and County of Essex (COE). Additionally, the report details ongoing and upcoming CWATS infrastructure projects, such as bike lanes and multi-use trails along County Roads 42, 43, and 19.  Council endorsed the cost sharing-policy, and approved Administration to submit the MPP application.  The project costs will be referred to the 2026 budget process.

Rural Ontario Development (ROD) Funding Application Tecumseh Economic Development Strategy: Council received a report recommending endorsement to submit an application for funding through the Rural Ontario Development (ROD) Program to support the creation of a comprehensive Economic Development Strategy. The ROD Fund supports rural municipalities in building economic development capacity and implements strategies that achieve economic diversification, competitiveness and capacity building.  The proposed strategy will be developed in partnership with Invest WindsorEssex, the Windsor Essex Chamber of Commerce, Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island, and Workforce WindsorEssex, leveraging their expertise.  Funding from the Tax Rate Stabilization Reserve for the Town’s share of the strategy was approved in principle and referred to the 2026 Budget Process.  The full report can be found here.

2024 Development Charge Reserve Fund Statement: Council received a report providing the Town’s 2024 Development Charge Reserve Fund Statement, which outlines the financial status of development charge (DC) reserve funds as of December 31, 2024. The reserve fund balance amounted to $1,010,421, up from $671,987 in 2023.  A number of growth-related projects have been undertaken in the last several years and the DC reserve funds for many of the categories have been inadequate to fully fund these projects. Accordingly, overall, there is an unfunded balance of approximately $15M and it has been necessary to temporarily fund these works from other sources until DC fund revenue is collected. Interim financing for the unfinanced components of Roads, Recreation and Studies has been provided from reserves and taxation while Wastewater and Watermain unfinanced amounts have been provided from wastewater and water rates.  As amounts become available, balances are repaid to the original source. The 2024 Development Charge Reserve Fund Statement will be made available to the public on the Town’s website.  Council approved the report.

Municipal Waste Collection Services Program Update: Council received a report providing an update on the Municipal Waste Collection Services Program ahead of the current contract's expiry in December 2026. The Town is preparing to issue a new waste collection tender in Q4 2025, considering industry changes such as rising costs, service level adjustments, and new provincial mandates for food and organic waste diversion. Tecumseh must meet a 50% reduction target for organic waste by 2025, aligning with the Essex-Windsor Solid Waste Authority’s Green Bin Program launching in October 2025.  Administration will review cost saving measures for waste collection services and possible changes to levels of service for Council’s future consideration.  Service level changes may include biweekly garbage and yard waste collection, removal of grass clippings during the summer months, and discontinuation of certain large item pickups. Council received the report. Administration will return to Council at a later date with a report to award the tender for waste collection services, with options to contain costs through changes to level of service.

2025 Water Services Vehicle Tender Award: Council received a report recommending the purchase of a Water Services Vehicle be awarded to East Court Ford for $148,783, with a total project budget of $155,472 funded from the Fleet Lifecycle Reserve. This replacement is necessary due to the total loss of the previous vehicle (W04-22) in an April 2025 accident, for which the Town received $116,000 from its insurer. East Court Ford best met the Town’s specifications, including safety and seating requirements, without needing to upgrade. The cost increase from 2022 is attributed to a 27% rise in raw material prices and a 13% increase in labour costs. Council approved the report.

Next Regular Meeting: The next regular meeting of Council is October 14, 2025. The agenda and livestream will be available on the Town’s website. Follow the Town of Tecumseh on Facebook and X for news and the latest information.