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The City of St. Thomas is undergoing its Official Plan Review, and it's one of the most significant planning processes the city has seen in years.
Mike from the St. Thomas Economic Development Corporation sits down with Senior Planner Kevin McClure to break down what the Official Plan actually is, why it matters to residents and businesses alike, and what to expect from this review cycle. From employment lands and residential growth to transportation, heritage, and green space, the Official Plan touches every corner of how a city functions and evolves. With St. Thomas experiencing rapid growth and major legislative changes at the provincial level, the upcoming review is expected to bring substantial updates, all aimed at producing a more accessible, forward-looking document that plans through 2051. The process kicks off May 28th at Memorial Arena, 6 to 8 p.m. Expect public workshops, focused topic sessions in the coming months, and real opportunities to shape the city's long-term direction. St. Thomas residents, business owners, and community members are all encouraged to attend and participate.
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St. Thomas is getting a major boost to its rental housing supply, and we went straight to the source to find out what's coming.
Mike from St. Thomas Economic Development sat down with Carrie O'Brien, Planner at Drewlo Holdings, at the corner of Elm and Wilson to talk about one of the most significant residential projects in the city's recent history. On a 20-acre brownfield site that once served as a rail terminal, Drewlo is proposing six purpose-built rental buildings with 1,800 to 2,000 units. Before a single unit could be planned, the team had to address the site's complex history, excavate remnant foundations, crush the material for on-site reuse, and complete all required environmental remediation. Carrie breaks down why purpose-built rental matters for overall housing affordability, how this kind of development creates movement across the entire housing continuum, and what it means for retirees looking to downsize and first-time families looking to get into the market. She also shares what attracted Drewlo, a London-based family company, to St. Thomas, including the city's Community Improvement Program (CIP), which helped make brownfield redevelopment financially viable by offsetting development charges and parkland contributions. Groundbreaking on the first building could come as early as later this year. We took a detour into the woods this week and found something worth stopping for. Sarah from St. Thomas Economic Development wandered into the south forest at Yarmouth Yards and connected with Meredith from the City of St. Thomas Industrial Development Team, who shared what's been in the works: a 1.5-kilometre natural trail winding through one of two protected woodlots on site. The trail links to the 12 kilometres of paved recreational paths throughout Yarmouth Yards and will eventually connect to the broader St. Thomas trail network via a multi-use path along South Edgeware Road.
The forest itself isn't just a trail corridor. Conservation work is already underway for bats, birds, and sensitive plant species like trilliums, and both woodlots are protected in perpetuity. If you're looking for a place to step away from the screen and into the trees, this is it. Rebecca from the City of St. Thomas checked in with Tegan from PowerCo, whose team brought out 20 volunteers to help clear and mark the trail as part of this city-led initiative. Three public trailheads mean this space is open to everyone in the community, whether you're walking, running, or cycling. And before we leave the woods entirely: a reminder that the Horton Farmers' Market opens for the 2026 season on Saturday, May 9th, from 8 a.m. to noon at 10 Manitoba Street in downtown St. Thomas. Follow along for updates from local businesses, community initiatives, and everything happening in the Railway City. Explore Railway City Start a Small Business, we can help |
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