Warden's Luncheon

Warden Hilda MacDonald delivered this speech at the annual Warden's Luncheon hosted by the Windsor Essex Chamber of Commerce on March 28, 2025.

I am filled with gratitude today to be standing here among friends. Thank you for coming and for sharing your thoughts while we were enjoying our meal. Thank you, Windsor-Essex Chamber of Commerce, for once again hosting this luncheon. Thank you, Libro Credit Union, for being the presenting sponsor and Lori for providing those kind words of introduction.

It is a real boost for me to see so many chamber members here today, as well as representatives from the City of Windsor and our provincial and federal partners. I am grateful and happy to have Essex County councillors and staff members here today. I am taking that as a show of support. Thank you.

I would be remiss not to mention my own councillors and staff from the Municipality of Leamington. Thank you for your encouragement.

Other municipal council members and staff that are here, welcome and thank you as well. Your attendance means a lot to myself and to your mayors and deputy mayors.

As leaders, we rely on our colleagues and our staff to hold us up, to encourage, to advise, to critique and to cheer us on. We cannot do our work without you. Our municipal careers, as well as our health and well-being, depend on our relationships with you. You are valued.

On a personal note, I also have my husband and sister here as my guests. My husband rarely attends any events I go to as mayor, to the point that many think he is a figment of my imagination or I am not married. But I am – 50 years to the same man.

And my sister is my best supporter. I know lots of you are vying for that position, but, sorry, it’s taken.

This room is filled with friends. We were there for each other during the COVID-19 pandemic, during major flooding events, during ice storms and during the 2008 financial crisis. The list goes on and on. One of the superpowers of this region is the strong support we show each other in times of trouble.

No matter what the political or economic climate, we can count on our friends. They may disagree with us and even do things that make us angry sometimes, but when the chips are down, they have our backs and we have theirs. They lift us up when we think the situation is hopeless and help us find a way forward. We are strong in our own right but stronger when we work together.

Right now, many of us may be re-evaluating our friendships in light of the trade disruption being forced upon us. We don’t have much control over this trade chaos, so I want to focus on the friends who are stepping up and how we can support each other.

Our federal and provincial partners are making Canada’s voice heard in Washington and across the United States. They are strengthening connections with our other trading partners. They are developing strategies and trying to support businesses that are being damaged by the impact of tariffs and uncertainty. The County of Essex is grateful because we know we have a lot on the line here – more than maybe any other region in Canada given our strategic border location.

Essex County Council has endorsed a resolution encouraging our federal and provincial partners to follow through on removing interprovincial trade barriers that hamper our ability to support Canadian businesses. We understand that this will be tricky, but we also know it can be done. Now is an ideal time to forge ahead. No matter what happens with the tariff threats, establishing strong east-west economic connections from coast to coast will serve to unite this country much like the transcontinental railway in the 19th Century.

Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens is leading our Border Mayors Alliance, which is marshalling municipalities across the country together to protect our economic and development interests. The mayors of all seven County of Essex municipalities, including myself as Mayor of Leamington, are on the alliance. We are all ready and willing to stand beside Mayor Dilkens and stand up for our region and country.

The chamber and Invest WindsorEssex are to be commended for heading up the Windsor-Essex Economic Trade Task Force. The County of Essex is part of this group, which is already providing businesses in our region with tools, resources and insights to navigate the risks of trade disruption.

Canadians, including those of us here in Essex County and Windsor, are showing our support by flying our flag with pride and choosing to spend our dollars at home, whether we shop in person or online. When we spend a dollar at a small local business, 66 cents stay here. If we spend that dollar at a multinational retailer, only 11 cents stay here, according to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business.

It’s vital that we continue supporting the local businesses that have long supported us – the ones that sponsor little league teams and so many worthwhile charitable causes while creating jobs that feed our families. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and the heartbeat of our communities.

So, what we buy and who we buy it from makes a difference. That’s why the County of Essex is examining the viability of a “buy Canadian” strategy, as are other government organizations across the country.

It is important to give each other this kind of financial and moral support as we navigate our way through uncertain times. The current trade chaos is waking us up to our weaknesses but also making us aware of new opportunities, empowering us to pull together to strengthen our Canadian connections.

But everyone in this room knows we live in a world where networks of commerce and personal ties can’t be confined inside national borders. Local companies can’t grow and compete without easy access to products that aren’t available in Canada. Larger corporations, which help drive the global economy, are rarely contained to one country.

A company that has its headquarters in one location may have operations in dozens of other countries and have thousands of employees of different nationalities. We have those companies here, including large employers like Stellantis, which employs thousands of residents from Windsor and all seven municipalities of Essex County.

Many of the products we use, from cars to smartphones to home appliances, have components from multiple countries. Even the agri-industry, which is a powerhouse in Essex County, relies heavily on large corporations that do business around the globe.

Just as we need a strong local business base, we can’t thrive without investments by multinational corporations. When they invest, we benefit not just from the jobs they create and the products they purchase but the know-how they bring. When our workforce absorbs their expertise, it becomes part of what makes Windsor-Essex a great place to invest.

“It’s better to have a friend before you need a friend,” as they say. So, let’s keep building bridges within Canada and around the world. Let’s keep making friends wherever we can. Let’s keep maintaining those bridges, because we can’t construct the road to a bright future without them.

We need to be flexible, but we also need to play the long game. We can’t let the current turmoil cloud our vision.

The County of Essex has set a solid financial foundation to maintain and enhance the services we provide, like regional roads, regional planning, trails and bike lanes for active transportation, a world-class paramedic service, libraries and support services for the most vulnerable.

We also have a vision of how we can reap the full benefits of the new hospital, the NextStar Energy battery plant and the Gordie Howe International Bridge. Those generational investments aren’t going away in the face of these tariff threats. Neither is their potential to create thousands of new jobs and diversify our economy.

Essex County is experiencing historic growth fueled by these investments. Our exceptional and affordable quality of life is also attracting newcomers to the county. Our population is expected to increase by as many as 3,900 residents a year – more than double the average of the previous 15 years. The county’s population could hit 315,000 over the next three decades. The number of jobs is likewise expected to grow, from 72,000 jobs to as many as 124,000 by 2051.

Our secret is getting out and people are flocking here like never before. We have a temperate climate, we are surrounded on three sides by water and all the views and recreational options it provides, we have incredible parks, natural spaces, golf courses and trails, and wineries, galleries and museums.

You can live in a quiet rural area in Essex County and be just minutes away from big city amenities in Windsor and Detroit. We have short commutes, long summers and stunning water views that just can’t be beat. You can buy a house in Essex County and have some money left over after making your mortgage payments.

Our updated Official Plan places an emphasis on ensuring we have a wide range of housing options that are affordable and attainable for Essex County residents.

There is also an emphasis on vibrant communities, where there is ample greenspace and parks and opportunities for cycling and walking, where there are vibrant town centres filled with a wide range of services and amenities.

We have seven unique municipalities in Essex County, each with their own histories, haunts and charms. There is an emphasis in our Official Plan on preserving that history and that heritage and all of our shared natural spaces.

Our natural area coverage in Essex County is about 9 per cent, partially because we have so much bountiful agricultural land. Our Official Plan supports the efforts of conservation authorities to increase that natural area coverage to 15 per cent.

Already, we are connecting the natural areas we have with trails, bike lanes and paved shoulders for residents and visitors to enjoy. The County Wide Active Transportation System (CWATS) network of bike trails and routes stretches more than 400 kilometres and will span some 1,000 kilometres within the next 15 years, connecting all local municipalities with trail networks in Windsor and Chatham-Kent.

I am not sure if you are aware, but the 2025 Ontario Bike Summit is being held in Windsor from May 27 to May 29.

The board chair of the Share the Road Cycling Coalition, which is hosting the summit, described our CWATS network as a “unique construct in Ontario that is contributing to the health and well-being of Essex County. Initiatives like this continue to be an inspiration to other regional governments and they happen as a consequence of political will and vision coupled with outstanding staff.”

We recently took another big step forward in connecting communities when County Council funded the Leamington to Windsor transit line. Council has also directed administration to establish a Regional Transit Working Group to engage all local municipalities regarding a regional transit system that would benefit us all. Transit Windsor already extends into LaSalle, Amherstburg, Tecumseh, Essex, Kingsville and Leamington, so the foundation for regional transit has been established.

We need to look at more and better connections between County of Essex municipalities. Right now, someone from Amherstburg can get to Essex or Leamington by transit but they have to go through Windsor. I envision a day when the bus can travel in other directions, providing residents in the County more options and faster and more reliable service.

As our Official Plan states: “Transit broadens access to jobs, services, institutions, and communities. Transit supports residents aging in their home communities when a private vehicle is not an option.”

And transit is just one piece of the puzzle we are putting together. We are in the midst of our Transportation Master Plan review, which will be a visionary road map designed to encourage regional prosperity and the safe and efficient movement of people and goods for the next 30 years.

The county maintains 1,500 lane kilometres of road, 84 bridges and 126 large culverts. These roads are the crucial arteries on which our regional economy depends. We need to maintain that network while also planning for future growth, particularly around the new battery plant and hospital.

Our 2025 Budget includes a $98-million construction program, including $67 million for roadway expansion and $20 million to rehabilitate 33 kilometres of road.

Last year, we completed major projects like the construction of a roundabout at the intersection of County Road 42 and County Road 43. That project won the Good Roads 2024 Municipal Concrete Award for setting a high standard of workmanship and innovation while coming in on time and under Budget. It is just one example of the quality infrastructure we have always constructed here in Essex County.

We have more work to do this year in the County Road 42 corridor, including construction of a roundabout at the intersection with County Road 19.

Longer term, we want to improve the flow of traffic on County Road 22, which is the extension of the E.C. Row Expressway. We want to build interchanges where County Road 22 meets County Road 19 and where it meets Lesperance Road. We have lobbied the province for funding to assist with these projects and will continue to do so.

These interchanges are necessary to accommodate increased traffic associated with the battery plant, and they will unlock the potential to build thousands of new homes.

The County of Essex Strategic Plan calls for us to be a regional champion and a powerhouse in public and private investment attraction. If we are to succeed as a region, if we are to diversify our economy, leverage our strengths and build economic resiliency, we need to work together as a region for the benefit of all. Economic development transcends municipal borders.

The NextStar battery plant might be located in Windsor but the people who work there are going to live all over Essex County. And so are the people who work in all the secondary operations that spring up to service that multi-billion battery plant. And no doubt some of those secondary operations are going to set up shop in county municipalities.

Invest WindsorEssex has a regional focus but a global reach and our investment in them will pay dividends for this region for generations to come in the form of new investment, a diversified economy and quality jobs. It is also crucial to have the expertise and connections of Invest WindsorEssex at our fingertips in times like these.

We know we have to set the stage if we want more investment, so County of Essex planning staff is working on developing a Regional Employment Land Strategy and examining the potential for Community Improvement Plans to spur industrial, commercial and residential development. We are also working on a Regional Affordable Housing Strategy with the City of Windsor because we know the need for housing is great and growing. We are ready to meet the challenge with the support of our provincial and federal partners.

We have so many strengths. We have a history of agricultural and manufacturing excellence and ingenuity, we have a highly-skilled workforce and we have an enviable location at the nexus of the North American economy. We have only begun to leverage the full potential of the opportunity those strengths provide.

We have a rich history of agricultural excellence and ingenuity. We have one of the longest growing seasons in Canada and hard-working farmers who know how to get the most of our fertile soil. We have more than 4,500 acres of greenhouse operations, making Essex County the largest vegetable greenhouse cluster in North America and the second largest in the world.

Our Official Plan will create conditions that allow our agri-business industry to continue to flourish and grow. The plan also supports the continued growth of agri-tourism, particularly along the County Road 50 corridor, which has an abundance of wineries with water access and spectacular views.

The County of Essex is committed to setting a more bountiful and attractive table, so we don’t miss out on future opportunities and so our existing businesses and residents can thrive.

I have chosen Family Services Windsor-Essex as the charity to benefit from today’s luncheon because it does the work we need to do to ensure no one is left behind. It has done a stellar job of operating the County of Essex Homelessness Hub, and it provides important services to some of our most vulnerable residents.

That, my friends, is what we are doing to be ready for the future. The short-term may look challenging, but now is not the time for apathy and retreat. It is the time for joining hands, rolling up our sleeves, overcoming obstacles and strengthening the ties that will help us achieve our vision for this dynamic region.