Engineering plans continue to protect Lake Erie shoreline

Essex County Civic Centre.

By Fred Groves

The Lake Erie shoreline from Amherstburg to Port Alma is in the developing stages of getting some much-needed protection.

At the recent Essex County council meeting, manager of planning services Rebecca Belanger outlined the Pelee Coastal Resilience Plan.

In 2023, the county received $1 million from the federal government’s Natural Resources Canada Climate Resilience Coastal Communities Program. The Pelee Plan is the first of its kind on the Great Lakes system.

Combined with another $420,000 from local municipalities and conservation authorities, either financially or in-kind contributions, the plan is in the engineering development phase.

“With all the crazy weather we have been having, this is good work and definitely a priority,” said Essex Mayor Sherry Bondy.

In her presentation to council, Belanger said this will allow communities and ecosystems to bounce back from damaging storms. 

“People seem to want to develop along the south of Lake Erie, particularly in the municipality of Essex. I’d like to see development south of County Road 50 halted. It is a flood plain,” noted Bondy.

For Amherstburg, it could mean creating a barrier curb for to protect flooding into drains and pumps at the pumping station.

It is not known what the cost of the work will be and Belanger said that $150,000, $50,000 for the next three years has been approved coming out of the rate stabilization reserves. The federal government grant expires in 2027.

“There is no funding yet for implementation. We are conducting preliminary engineering designs to support all our municipalities,” said Belanger.

Tecumseh Mayor Gary McNamara said his municipality and neighbouring Lakeshore have already done some of their own studies and want to know how those areas will fit into the current plan the county is working on.

Belanger said that the county had applied for grants to do studies on the Lake St. Clair north side of the county but were unsuccessful.

“What we are learning along the south shore we do intend to share with all seven municipalities and if there are more grant opportunities we will absolutely consider how to include work in the north.”

Ontario is in the midst of amalgamating its conservation authorities and those organizations play a large role in coastal protection. 

Tecumseh Deputy Mayor Joe Bachetti wanted to know how they would be part of the plan.

“My concern is you could have a new conservation board from here to wherever that might not feel this is an important project.”

The Pelee Coastal Resilience Plan would see improvements to the harbours in Kingsville, and Wheatley as well as extensive work at the tip of Point Pelee.

“That looks like an enormous area,” said Amherstburg Mayor Michael Prue when talking about the work to be done at Point Pelee. “How will that be costed? That will cost more than a million dollars just to put the boulders down.”

Belanger agreed with the cost estimate, Warden Hilda MacDonald added that since the work is being done in a national park, Parks Canada should be involved.

Engineering plans continue to protect Lake Erie shoreline

By Fred Groves