Middlesex County Council Meeting Highlights – July 14, 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.
MLPS Budget 2027 Focused on Meeting Rising Demand
County Council approved the Middlesex London Paramedic Service 2027 budget, which proposes an $81.4 million plan aimed at meeting rising demand for emergency response services. The draft budget was approved by the MLPS Authority Board at its June 23, 2026 meeting.
The proposed 2027 MLPS Budget reflects a continued commitment to maintaining a high-quality, sustainable paramedic service for residents of Middlesex County and the City of London while balancing affordability and responsible stewardship of public resources. The proposed 2027 MLPS Budget increase of 3.54% remains below previous long-range financial forecasts despite continued growth in call volumes, increasing service complexity, inflationary impacts, and broader healthcare system challenges. Provincial support for specialized programs and an efficient, integrated shared services approach are helping keep budget increases moderate while ensuring service reliability and system resilience over the next budget cycle.
For more information, read the MLPS 2027 Draft Budget report.
Licenced Child Care Spaces Increase Across Middlesex County
The Committee of the Whole received an update on the implementation of the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) program and other child care programming across Middlesex County. Over the past year, progress was made in improving affordability, creating new licensed child care spaces, and investing in initiatives that help maintain a stable, responsive, and locally informed system. Since 2021, the County has worked with local operators to increase the total number of licenced spaces across all local municipalities. In total, there has been an increase of 979 licensed spaces under the CWELCC program. County staff are also working to bolster child care options for school aged children, including collaborating with the City of London to temporarily increase funding to support the recruitment and retention of quality staff and increase the number of spaces available.
To learn more, read the Human Services – Children’s Services Update report.
Updated Forest Management Plan to guide the future of County-owned forests
The Committee of the Whole recommended approval of the renewed Forest Management Plan that will guide activities in County-owned forests for the next 30 years. The new Forest Management Plan will advance concrete actions that protect habitats, regenerate native species, monitor forest health, reduce invasive species, improve recreation infrastructure, expand research, and restore habitats. Community consultation showed strong support for a conservation-first approach, with residents and other interest-holders emphasizing biodiversity protection, recreation opportunities, and sustainable forest management. Staff will report back to County Council every five years to highlight key trends and emerging issues, recommend forest management actions, and to provide updates on the Forest Management Plan. For more information, read the Forest Management Plan (2026-2056) Consultation Summary and Recommended Final Plan report.
Expanded hours, other enhancements coming to Middlesex County Connect
The Committee of the Whole received a report outlining upcoming service enhancements coming to Middlesex County Connect, the County’s inter-community transit system, that aim to improve access, connectivity, and the rider experience. The changes are based on a comprehensive transit review completed in 2025, along with rider feedback, ridership data, and recommendations from the service provider. Updates taking effect on August 17, 2026, include new stop locations, schedule adjustments and expanded service hours, with annual service increasing by approximately 9.4 per cent, or 1,124 hours. Route enhancements include new stops in communities across the network, improved access to destinations such as Victoria Hospital and Fanshawe College’s St. Thomas campus, and increased weekend service on Route 4 between London, Strathroy, and Sarnia.
To learn more, read the Middlesex County Connect – 2026 Service Optimizations report. To see a full list of upcoming service changes, visit https://www.middlesex.ca/ct.
Recommendations made by the Committee of the Whole at the July 14, 2026, meeting will be considered by County Council at its next regular meeting on August 11, 2026. The Legislative Services Department maintains the official record for all County government proceedings.