Part 1: Road Concerns, Statue Debate, and Infrastructure Decisions – 04/21/2026
- PECConnect
- Apr 21
- 4 min read
The County Council met on April 21, 2026, for a regular evening session that opened with procedural business before quickly moving into a series of public-facing discussions that drew strong participation. Mayor Steve Ferguson chaired the meeting, noting that part of the evening had already been spent in a closed session, which concluded without any reportable outcomes.
Once back in open session, the meeting shifted into announcements, community updates, and then into deputations, where the tone of the evening began to take shape. Early remarks from councillors highlighted upcoming motions, including concerns about heritage property insurance pressures, vacant storefronts in local business areas, and infrastructure projects like the planned rehabilitation of County Road 3. These early signals set the stage for what became a meeting focused heavily on infrastructure realities and community identity.
View the entire PEC Council meeting, or continue to speaker comments and councillor votes>
A Community Case Study on Road Conditions
The first major deputation came from resident Sam Mitchell, who spoke about the condition of rural roads, using Victoria Road as a case study. Mitchell described ongoing maintenance approaches as ineffective, arguing that repeated short-term fixes such as patching and surface treatments were costing more over time without addressing underlying structural issues.
He outlined how residents and local businesses were being affected, pointing to vehicle damage, safety concerns, and disruptions to agricultural activity. Mitchell also raised concerns about drainage changes caused by repeated gravel applications and questioned how current practices align with provincial maintenance standards.
Beyond criticism, the deputation included suggestions such as exploring alternative funding tools, improving transparency around road spending, and rethinking long-term infrastructure planning. Council members acknowledged the concerns, with discussion touching on the broader challenge of balancing limited municipal budgets with growing infrastructure needs.
A Divisive Discussion on Public Memory
The second major deputation shifted the conversation from infrastructure to cultural identity. Mark Johnson, representing a group focused on historical preservation, asked Council to consider reinstalling the Sir John A. Macdonald “Holding Court” statue in Picton.
Johnson framed the request as part of a broader effort to preserve Canadian history, arguing that removing statues limits public engagement with the past. He referenced similar conversations happening in other Ontario communities and suggested that time had passed since the statue’s removal, allowing for a more measured discussion.
Council members responded with questions about consultation, public safety, and community impact. Some raised concerns about whether Indigenous communities had been engaged, while others questioned whether reinstating the statue would reopen divisions that had already been addressed in earlier council decisions.
A motion was introduced to direct staff to explore the feasibility of returning the statue to public view. However, after discussion and a recorded vote, the motion did not pass, leaving the issue unresolved and effectively maintaining the current status quo.
Public Voices Shape the Conversation
Following the deputations, the meeting moved into public comments, where residents, community leaders, and stakeholders shared a wide range of perspectives. Speakers addressed both the road infrastructure concerns and the statue discussions, with many focusing on the broader implications for reconciliation, community identity, and economic development.
Some residents spoke in favour of preserving historical symbols in public spaces, while others emphasized the harm such symbols can cause and supported keeping them in educational or museum settings instead.
Business perspectives were also introduced, with concerns raised about the potential reputational and economic impacts of revisiting the statue issue at a time when the County is attracting increased tourism and investment.
The volume and intensity of public input underscored how deeply the issue resonates across the community, extending beyond council chambers into broader social and economic considerations.
Moving Back to Core Municipal Business
After a lengthy public comment period, Council returned to regular agenda items, including infrastructure decisions. One key approval was the awarding of a contract for the County Road 3 rehabilitation project, valued at just over $1.2 million.
Staff outlined that the project would include resurfacing, drainage improvements, and culvert replacements, continuing work from previous phases. Council discussion briefly touched on construction timing, traffic impacts, and engineering methods being used to extend the life of the roadway.
Additional updates included development services reporting and an advocacy request related to Ontario’s tire recycling system, reflecting the routine but important operational side of municipal governance that continued alongside the more high-profile discussions.
Key Takeaways
This meeting highlighted how everyday municipal issues can intersect with larger community conversations.
Road infrastructure remains a growing concern, especially in rural areas where residents are increasingly pushing for long-term solutions rather than repeated short-term fixes.
The discussion around the Macdonald statue showed that past decisions can resurface, particularly when tied to broader conversations about history, identity, and reconciliation. Even without a new direction from Council, the issue remains active in public discourse.
The meeting reinforced that public participation continues to play a major role in shaping council discussions. From infrastructure complaints to cultural discussions, resident input is clearly influencing how decisions are approached and communicated moving forward.
Disclaimer: This article is based on a meeting with an approximate duration of 04:28:07. Due to the length of the meeting, our team was not able to independently review the full recording in its entirety. As a result, we relied on software-generated transcription, automated summarization, and automated recognition of speakers and participants, which may not be entirely accurate. All transcriptions, summaries, and related content are prepared by our team in good faith and on a reasonable best-efforts basis. The content is provided for general informational purposes only and is intended to support public understanding of the topics discussed. While reasonable efforts have been made to present the information accurately, automated processes may result in errors, omissions, or unintended misinterpretations. This article does not constitute an official, certified, or verbatim record of the meeting, and it should not be relied upon as such. Readers are encouraged to consult original source materials, official minutes, or recordings where available for confirmation or clarification. Questions, requests for clarification, or suggested corrections may be submitted to hello@pecconnect.ca for review and consideration.
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