Over half of the spending approved in the 2026 County of Essex budget is focused on road improvements.
County Council approved the $145.1 million budget Wednesday, which includes $112.9 million as part of a road and infrastructure construction program.
The budget earmarks $21 million to repave 32.6 km of road spanning multiple municipalities.
Warden Hilda MacDonald says they're just trying to make the region easy to get around given the growth they're seeing.
"Oh my gosh, our roads are packed. Whether you're taking the back roads, you're taking the bypass, or you're taking the E.C. Row, we have to maintain the standards that people have come to expect. With the growth, we have to make sure it's easy to get to where you're going," he says.
Key projects on tap for 2026 include the $2.93 million rehabilitation of the Big Creek Bridge on County Road 42, the $1.83 million replacement of the Lonsberry Drain Culvert on County Road 50, and a $2.19 million replacement of the bridge over River Canard on County Road 12.
MacDonald says the roads are a lifeline for the region's economy.
"So many of our industries are using those roads to ship their product, and those roads are also used by the employees to get back and forth," she says. "Whether you're working at Erie Shores Healthcare or working at a hospital in the city, at a factory in Tecumseh, or at a greenhouse in Leamington, it has to be easy to get around."
The 2026 budget represents a levy increase of 2.25 per cent or $5.1 million, which equals approximately $44.02 per home assessed at $350,000.
MacDonald says they tried hard to keep the budget down with no extra frills.
"Certainly took some money out of reserves to do some of the projects, but again, we're trying to maintain rather than take away at this point in time," he says
Other spending priorities in the 2026 budget include $6.1 million in the County Wide Active Transportation System, including $4.1 million for the construction of about 17.8 km of paved shoulder projects that make county roads safer for cyclists, pedestrians, and motorists.
There is funding to add eight full-time paramedics and two new ambulances to the frontline to support two new 12-hour day shifts for Essex-Windsor EMS. It also includes the replacement of seven ambulances, one logistics vehicle, one administrative vehicle, personal protective equipment for frontline staff, and technology upgrades.
County Council also set aside an additional $7 million for the reserve funding for the new regional hospital. The county has committed itself to raising $100 million for the new hospital, and the reserve is forecast to be at $65 million by the end of 2026.