|
2025 has been anything but quiet at Yarmouth Yards.
In this update, we’re taking a look back at the major milestones achieved this year across St. Thomas’ largest industrial development project—and why each one matters for the future of our community. From the start of major construction to critical infrastructure coming online, it’s been a year defined by momentum. In this video, you’ll hear about: 🎉PowerCo officially breaking ground, with foundations already in place and construction moving steadily forward 🎉The announcement and groundbreaking of Vianode, adding another significant investment to Yarmouth Yards 🎉Completion and commissioning of the new water booster station, supporting high-pressure industrial water and broader city needs 🎉Ongoing Highway 3 expansion work led by the Ministry of Transportation 🎉The internal road and servicing network reaching approximately 70% completion 🎉Stormwater management ponds—northwest, southeast, and the Uber Pond—now substantially complete (Learn more about Stormwater Management in St. Thomas) 🎉The completed rail spur and bridge, and the start of the new shunting yard 🎉Progress on key wastewater infrastructure, including the YSPS pumping station 🎉We also take a moment to recognize the many partners, contractors, engineers, and public agencies whose work has helped move these projects forward. If you’d like to see more behind-the-scenes construction footage from PowerCo, be sure to check out the updates shared by PowerCo Canada on LinkedIn and other channels. Thanks for following along as St. Thomas continues to grow with purpose. Stay tuned—we’ll be back on site soon with more progress reports
0 Comments
🎄 Season’s Greetings from City Hall 🎄 From all of us at the City of St. Thomas and the From the Beehive team, we clearly and warmly wish St. Thomasians—and everyone who tunes in—a joyful holiday season.
This special episode brings together City Manager Lisa Higgs and members of City of St. Thomas staff from across departments for a light-hearted rendition of Jingle Bells inside City Hall. It’s a simple moment of fun, shared by the people who work hard every day to keep our community running. As the year comes to a close, we want to say thank you for your engagement, your patience, your pride in this community, and the many ways you help make St. Thomas a place where people care for one another. However you celebrate, or if this season is simply a time to pause and reset, we hope it brings moments of warmth, rest, and connection. Here’s to the season ahead—and to continuing to build a strong, welcoming St. Thomas together in the year to come. The holidays are coming, and Santa has made a special stop at St. Thomas City Hall—straight from Level 3—for a festive edition of From the Beehive! In this holiday episode, Mike is joined by two very special guests: Douglas (D. Fer), the official Christmas tree of the City of St. Thomas, and City Manager Lisa Higgs, for a warm, lighthearted, and informative conversation about leadership, community, and what's ahead for our city.
Lisa shares what the role of City Manager or CAO really means, what brought her back home to St. Thomas, and how her personal connection to the community shapes her work. From childhood memories on the north side to steering City Council's long-term vision, this is a chance to get to know the person helping guide the city forward. 🎁 In this episode, you'll hear about: ✅What the City Manager does and how Council's vision becomes action ✅The City’s Strategic Plan, A Brighter Future, and why it matters ✅The two key pillars guiding City operations:
✅What's coming next as City Council continues to review the plan with community input Want to read up on the City of St. Thomas' Brighter Future? Find it here. Wrapped in a bit of holiday humour and seasonal cheer, this episode is both a reflection on the year behind us and a hopeful look toward 2026 and beyond. 👍 If you enjoyed this update, please like, subscribe, and follow along for more From the Beehive episodes highlighting the people, projects, and plans shaping St. Thomas. Welcome back to another infrastructure update from St. Thomas Economic Development!
🚧In this episode, Mike chats with Patrick Anckaert about the future of the Woodworth Pumping Station—a vital piece of the city’s wastewater system that has served the community for more than 50 years. Built in the early 1970s, the existing station was originally introduced when Highway 3 cut through gravity sewer flows. Now, with the general population's growth paired with development underway at Yarmouth Yards, we’re preparing for a modern, more powerful, and more flexible pumping station to support the city’s expanding needs and technological improvements that will enhance functionality and make the city a better neighbour. Here’s what the new station—planned to begin construction in spring 2026 and wrap up in 2028—will bring to St. Thomas: ✅Significantly increased capacity to future-proof for population and economic growth. ✅Three force mains for improved operational flexibility: The new system will be able to direct flows to the Pollution Control Plant on Sunset or the Dalewood station, which is under development. ✅Built-in screenings: A major upgrade to protect sewer infrastructure by capturing debris—like those “non-flushable” flushable wipes. (Please don't flush them, though.) ✅ Odour control system: A first for this station, helping improve conditions for nearby neighbourhoods. ✅Natural gas backup generator: Ensuring the station can continue operating even during power outages. Big thanks to our partners—Hydro One / Entegrus, MTO, and consulting engineers JLR—for their expertise and collaboration as we move through design and into construction. This upgrade is all about future-proofing: building today for the St. Thomas of tomorrow. See you next week! 👋  Municipal infrastructure incorporates three types of water: domestic, storm, and waste.
Domestic water is the water that comes from our taps and is used for drinking, cooking, cleaning, etc. This is otherwise known as potable water. In St. Thomas, the source of the potable water is Lake Erie. The water is suctioned out of the lake and treated to remove sediment, minerals, and bacteria. That water travels to St. Thomas via a pipeline, is then pumped again, and distributed through watermains that travel under streets across the city. The domestic water in St. Thomas is plentiful, safe, and consistent. The domestic water industry in Ontario is frequently tested and highly regulated to ensure public safety. Please find more details about our drinking water quality here: Consultant Resources - City of St. Thomas 🚧Installing the Box Culvert Connection to the Uber Pond!
We're back at the Yarmouth Yards Industrial Park with another on-site update! Today, Mike is joined by Meredith Woodhouse from the City of St. Thomas for a behind-the-scenes look at one of the most important pieces of infrastructure underway — the connection between the Uber Pond stormwater management system and the Norman Drain. This sunny day took us to the far southeast corner of the site, where crews are preparing the outlet structure that will eventually guide stormwater safely from the pond to its natural drainage path. Meredith walks us through: 🟦 How the box culverts work — giant 1.8m x 2.4m concrete sections that fit together like Lego to form the underground channel. 🟩 Why does excavation go four metres down to match the correct elevation for water flow? 🚆 What's involved in going under the CN rail line, including coordinating permits, a full rail closure, and a 24-hour construction window to safely excavate and install the culvert. 💧 How this infrastructure supports the long-term success of the Yarmouth Yards development. Every completed piece moves this industrial park one step closer to welcoming new investment, jobs, and opportunities to St. Thomas. |
Categories
All
Archives
January 2026
|
RSS Feed