ERCA Approves 2025 Budget

The Essex Region Conservation Authority Board of Directors has unanimously approved its 2025 Budget.

Budget hghlights for the year include initiating management plans for the new Collavino Conservation Area and the CASO Greenway trail, planting at least 50,000 trees and creating two new wetlands to improve habitat and biodiversity. Water quality monitoring will continue at greenhouse-influenced streams and a region-wide nutrient reduction program will be implemented. Restoration of the historic horse barn at the John R. Park Homestead is anticipated, and the grand re-opening of the restored museum will be celebrated. A joint labour-management team will be engaged in a pay equity compliance review and the cloud migration of various information systems and data repositories will be completed early in the year.

The 2025 budget totals $12 million and will be funded with approximately $3.5 million in municipal cost apportionment, approximately $7.9 million in non-municipal sources, $223k from previous years’ revenues, and $587,000 in transfers from reserves. Of the municipal cost apportionment, $3,053,491 is required to fulfill the Authority’s mandatory obligations.

“The budget also reflects significant multi-year capital and water quality projects,” said Tim Byrne, ERCA CAO. “Grants exceeding $15 million over four years will fund the Hillman Marsh coastal erosion and restoration project, two Detroit River erosion and wetland protection and creation projects, Kingsville-Leamington nutrient research study and region-wide water quality improvement incentives to rural landowners.”