Middlesex County Council Meeting Highlights – August 11, 2026
Council Highlights is an informal summary of selected actions taken by Middlesex County Council or Committee of the Whole at business meetings. The Council Highlights are not an official record of County Council proceedings. To view official agendas and minutes, please visit Council Meetings and Minutes.
Strategic Plan to Guide Future at Strathmere Lodge
The Committee of the Whole approved a new strategic plan for Strathmere Lodge that will guide the next five years of delivering resident-centred care, strengthening organizational sustainability, and preparing for the future. The new plan is the culmination of an extensive planning process that combined research, operational analysis, jurisdictional comparisons, and broad engagement with residents, families, staff, volunteers, leadership, and other interest holders. An updated organizational logo as well as vision, mission, and value statements will also be implemented with the new strategic plan.
To learn more, read the Strathmere Lodge Strategic Plan – 2026-2031 report.
Economic Development & Tourism- Q2-2026 Performance Report
The Committee of the Whole received the second quarterly performance report under the Economic Development and Tourism Strategic Plan (2026–2030). Approved by Council in March 2026, the plan focuses on investment attraction, business growth, workforce alignment, site readiness, and tourism development, and marks a shift to outcome-based measurement and reporting.
During Q2 2026, Middlesex County supported more than 1,000 investment inquiries and more than 900 regional investment attraction initiatives with partner organizations such as the Ontario Food Cluster, Ontario Manufacturing Community Alliance, Southwestern Ontario Marketing Alliance, and Invest Ontario. Business retention and expansion initiatives engaged 165 employers, identified six expansion opportunities and connected 22 businesses with provincial, federal, and regional support programs.
Workforce initiatives included the launch of the Workforce Navigator program, which helped six participants secure employment, increased collaboration with regional workforce partners and significant growth in the Work in Middlesex platform, where job seeker registrations surpassed 1,200 people. Tourism promotion expanded through the Find It Here in Middlesex County campaign, generating hundreds of thousands of digital impressions and supporting local tourism operators and events.
For detailed information, read the Economic Development & Tourism – Q2-2026 Performance Report.
Update on Renewed Woodlands Conservation By-Law after 18 months
County staff provided the Committee of the Whole with an update on the implementation of the Woodlands Conservation By-Law revised in January 2025. The by-law regulates the destruction or injuring of trees within woodlands on private property to prevent deforestation and promote good forestry practices. The 2025 changes introduced several administrative updates, including clearer application requirements, modernized forms, simplified fine provisions, and updated terminology. Since 2025, the County received and processed 144 Notices of Intent to harvest woodlands, which is consistent with historic rates.
Today, there are approximately 55,700 hectares (137,700 acres) of woodland within Middlesex County. Each year, about 2,000 acres of woodlands are selectively harvested, with timber valued at over $2 million, supporting both the local economy and long-term forest health.
For more information, read the Woodland Conservation By-Law Implementation Update report.
Five new Community Safety Zones on County Roads
County Council passed amendments to the Community Safety Zones By-Law to establish five new zones on County Roads. Community Safety Zones are typically located near places where people are more likely to be walking, cycling, or crossing the road, including schools, playgrounds, parks, and other community facilities.
All Community Safety Zones in Middlesex County are in effect 24 hours a day, seven days a week, year-round.
New zones include:
- Ilderton Road (County Road 16) near Valleyview Public School
- Poplar Hill Road (County Road 16) near Poplar Hill Park
- Medway Road (County Road 28) near Poplar Hill Park
- Gideon Drive (County Road 3) near Medway High School
- Ilderton Road (County Road 16) near Delaware Community Centre and Park
For more information, and a complete list of Community Safety Zones on Middlesex County Roads, visit the Community Safety Zones webpage.
Recommendations made by the Committee of the Whole at the August 11, 2026, meeting will be considered by County Council at its next regular meeting on September 8, 2026. The Legislative Services Department maintains the official record for all County government proceedings.
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