Council Meeting Summary: September 22 and October 6, 2026

- Sep 09, 2026

The following is a brief recap of the main issues and matters that Council dealt with at the meetings held on September 22, 2026, and October 6, 2026. Video recordings of the meetings will also be posted at Lakeshore.ca/TV.

These highlights are not official minutes of the meetings and are meant solely for the purpose of general communications. The approved minutes provide the only official record of Council proceedings and decisions.

October 6, 2026 Council Meeting Summary

Council:

Recognized the Board and Committee members for the 2022–2026 term.
Adopted Official Plan Amendment No. 23 (OPA-07-2026) to amend Schedule “C.1” Land Use (Rural Area) to remove the subject lands, legally described as Part of the North Part of Lot 1, Concession East of Ruscom River, Rochester, designated as Part 5 on Plan 12R14129, Lakeshore, from Site-Specific Policy Area 6.3.3.1. Council also directed Administration to forward OPA No. 23 to the County of Essex for final approval.
Approved Zoning By-law Amendment Application ZBA-10-2026 to rezone the subject lands, legally described as Part of the North Part of Lot 1, Concession East of Ruscom River, Rochester, designated as Part 5 on Plan 12R14129, Lakeshore, from the Hamlet Residential Exception 6, Holding Symbol 5 (HR-6(h5)) Zone to the Hamlet Residential Exception 13 (HR-13) Zone.
Deferred consideration of the Draft Plan of Subdivision and Condominium Application for Oriole Park by Cooper Estates Limited (SA-02-2024 and CA-01-2026), pending further consultation with the developer regarding concerns noted during the public meeting. The matter will be presented to Council no later than January 2027.
Received a presentation from the Essex County OPP Detachment Board-North regarding its 2025 Detachment Board Annual Report.
Received the following reports for information only:
Awarded the contract for Professional Services for the Comber Sideroad Watermain Replacement, Phase 2 to HRYCAY Consulting Engineers Inc. in the amount of $315,685.98, including applicable HST. Council also delegated authority to the Executive Director, Infrastructure Services to approve contracts, to a maximum of $270,000, for permits, geotechnical investigation, and subsurface utility engineering.
Approved the proposed amendment to add the Brownfield Redevelopment Program to the Lakeshore Community Improvement Plan for Housing and Main Streets and Rural Economic Development.
Approved the Memorandum of Understanding between the Municipality of Lakeshore and the Belle River Business Improvement Area Board of Management, and authorized the Mayor and Clerk to execute the agreement on behalf of the Municipality.
Directed the Interim Chief Financial Officer to reallocate $2,036,162 in Housing Enabling Funding that could not be used on sanitary infrastructure for Conveyance 3. The funding will be redirected to:
- Community Improvement Plan initiatives, including brownfields, heritage, and additional housing — $600,000
- A public-private partnership to build affordable housing with a private developer — $800,000
- A secondary plan for Wallace Woods — $125,000
- Additional planning staff and/or support — $311,162
- Development of a place-based economic strategy — $100,000
- Parks and Recreation initiatives to enhance public realm or infrastructure planning in new neighbourhoods — $100,000
Directed Administration to prepare an agreement with ADR Chambers Inc. for Integrity Commissioner services, substantially based on the successful proposal submitted in response to the Town of Amherstburg’s Request for Proposals No. 2026-014. Council also directed Administration to implement related updates to the Municipality’s Integrity Commissioner Complaint Management Protocol, forms, website content, and supporting documents.
Appointed Blaise Chevalier to the Court of Revision for the County Road No. 42 Drain.
Requested that the County of Essex, as part of its countywide study on the framework for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and high-density data centres, produce a Lakeshore-specific study respecting land-use planning policies. The study is intended to satisfy the requirements of an interim control by-law under Section 38(1) of the Planning Act.
Directed Administration to prepare a report and presentation to guide a Committee of the Whole discussion in the next term of Council regarding future investments and opportunities within Lakeshore’s regional parks. This work will include the implementation of Regional Parks Master Plan concepts, as well as concepts related to marina buildings and facilities.
Directed Administration to reduce the speed limit on Commercial Boulevard from 50 km/h to 40 km/h, update the traffic by-law accordingly, and update speed-limit signage along the route.
Adopted the following by-laws:
- By-law 58-2026, Being a By-law to Adopt OPA 23 to the Lakeshore Official Plan
- By-law 59-2026, Being a By-law to Amend By-law 2-2012, the Zoning By-law for the Municipality of Lakeshore (ZBA-10-2026)
- By-law 60-2026, Being a By-law to Amend the Community Improvement Plan for Housing and Main Streets and Rural Economic Development
- By-law 63-2026, Being a By-law to Establish an Interim Control By-law Respecting Artificial Intelligence (AI) Data Centres in the Municipality of Lakeshore
- By-law 64-2026, Being a By-law to Appoint an Integrity Commissioner and Execute Related Agreements
- By-law 65-2026, Being a By-law to Confirm the Proceedings of the September 22, 2026 Council Meeting

September 22, 2026 Council Meeting Summary

Council:

Received a presentation by Invest Windsor-Essex and Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island regarding an overview of programs and integration.
Received the Essex Region Conservation Authority – 2027 Draft Budget Consultation Notice for information only.
Awarded the tender for Sanitary and Storm CCTV Inspection and Flushing Services to Hurricane SMS Inc. in the amount of $398,278.46, including applicable HST; and approved the overage amount of $48,278.46 to be funded from the Wastewater I and I Maintenance budget.
Approved the assumption of developed roadways and municipal services for Admiral’s Cove (Phase 1A and 1B) and Serenity Bay subdivisions.
Approved the removal of the County-Wide Active Transportation System (CWATS) signed routes as described within the report; and approved a one-time cost for signage removal of $1,500, including applicable HST.
Directed Administration to:
- Proceed with detailed design, with an upset limit of $300,000, for Options 2 and 4 for the Atlas Tube Recreation Centre pickleball court redevelopment;
- Submit an application to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Green Municipal Fund, Capital Project: Construction of New Sustainable Municipal Buildings, for the eligible municipal building component contemplated in Option 4, subject to confirmation of program eligibility and all funding requirements;
- Submit an application to the Sport and Recreation Infrastructure grant, subject to confirmation of program eligibility and all funding requirements;
- Report back to Council following receipt of funding decisions, refined cost estimates and detailed design information, so that Council may determine the final size, scope and financing of the project; and
- Bring forward an updated naming rights policy in Q1 of 2027.
Directed Administration to begin preliminary project scoping for a new Official Plan for the Municipality to be initiated in 2027; and authorized Administration to reallocate $209,244 of approved unspent prior planning capital studies that have been budgeted to facilitate costs associated with initiating the project during 2027.
Directed Administration to bring back a report to rezone the property municipally known as 362 County Road 2 to add the use of “Automobile Repair Establishment” to the list of permissible uses allowed on the property.
Directed Administration to expand the criteria for the Automated External Defibrillator (AED) subsidy program to allow commercial businesses to apply for funding.
Directed Administration to defer the installation of no parking signage until resident communication is undertaken, and to bring back a report in the future with options on the parking program implementation.
Adopted the following by-laws:
- By-law 61-2026, Being a By-law for the Assumption of Developed Roads and Municipal Services in the Municipality of Lakeshore – Admiral’s Cove Phase 1A and 1B and Serenity Bay
- By-law 62-2026, Being a By-law to Confirm the Proceedings of the September 1 and September 8, 2026 Council Meetings