On January 13, 2026, Elgin County Council met in the Council Chambers in St. Thomas and published a “From the Council Chambers” highlights package summarizing decisions on local roads, long-term care and the county’s 2026 budget. The highlights are part of the county’s ongoing effort to keep residents informed about how tax dollars are allocated to services and community projects.
The meeting falls in the final year of the county’s 2024–2026 Strategic Plan, which emphasizes addressing aging infrastructure and managing regional growth. County documents project a strategic draw of approximately $8.2 million from capital reserves (noted as a 2026–2027 need) to help manage growth-related infrastructure demands and to help keep property tax increases lower for residents.
The session also noted the first full year of implementation of the Transportation Master Plan — a 30-year, multimodal plan (horizon 2054) that guides investment in roads, bridges, active transportation and transit. Council received updates on the Terrace Lodge redevelopment, including move-in timelines and operational/occupancy matters related to the project. (Specific new staffing plans for Terrace Lodge were not documented in the available highlights and are therefore unverified in this summary.)
Residents can find full details in the county’s 2026 Proposed Business Plan & Budget on the engageelgin platform and by viewing the meeting agenda and video recording on the Elgin County meeting portal. The highlights package is intended to provide a quick summary of resolutions, timelines and decisions that may affect local commutes, infrastructure projects and long-term care services.
