Cathy Dobson/The Independent

A large development proposal for a key tract of vacant land near the Blue Water Bridge could drive further development in other parts of Lambton County, say local officials.

It could also more than double the population of the Village of Point Edward.

Southcoast Developments Ltd. held a virtual open house Nov. 19 to receive feedback on its plan to build 1,900 housing units, a hotel, 254 “campus of care” units and commercial development on the 16 acres formerly occupied by Holmes Foundry.

It’s an ambitious project that will take years and require the village to invest millions of dollars for new infrastructure, including an expansion of its sewage treatment plant.

For a municipality with a population of 1,937 and no growth for decades, the Southcoast proposal could bring significant change and a big boost to its tax base.

“Yes it’s daunting – and I know there are some people in the village that don’t want to see change – but we have the land and new housing is critical,” says Point Edward Mayor Bev Hand.

“I look at it as a big positive,” she said.  “If it’s done with mixed uses and the village’s input, it will be a great thing.”

The fact the concept drawings reflect multiple components – housing, long term care facilities, and commercial space – all separated from the rest of the village by Highway 402, means the Southcoast development would have less impact for those who don’t want so much change in their village, said Hand.

The property is in Point Edward and bordered by Sarnia to the south and the highway to the north.  For decades after Holmes Foundry closed in the 1980s, the lands were occupied by empty industrial buildings that attracted vagrants and crime. 

The property was also mired in legal disputes and remedial environmental work for about 30 years.
Finally, the tract was sold to Southcoast in 2022 for $5.75 million.  The company’s Tyler Pearson is originally from Lambton County. He is excited about the potential of the property.

He calls it a “marquee” site, the first thing you see when you enter Canada from the United States.
Matthew Slotwinski, CEO at the Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership, calls the Southcoast development proposal “a wonderful opportunity” for all of Lambton County.

“The reality is that the land is well positioned to be a driver of opportunity for residential, commercial, even light industrial use,” Slotwinski said.  “It’s a huge positive for Point Edward, Sarnia –  the entire county.”

He said other Lambton County municipalities have been able to tap into provincial grants to assist with sewage and wastewater infrastructure to accommodate large developments, and perhaps Point Edward can do the same.

Most recently, St. Clair Township was approved for $33 million to create waste water system capacity for 624 new housing units.

“Not only does the (Southcoast) proposal create housing opportunities, it will develop a prime piece of land that has high visibility and would be an incredible property tax opportunity,” said Slotwinski.
Preliminary estimates suggest that the village would receive $1.4 million annually in new property taxes if the entire Seacoast proposal is built.

That’s a big boost at a time when the cost of everything is going up, said Mayor Hand.

“It’s getting tougher and tougher to pay for things like insurance and policing,” she said.  “It’s increasingly difficult to cover all the costs of operating a municipality.

“We don’t want to raise taxes, so we are better off getting more people to live here so the tax burden can be shared by a larger population.

“Everybody benefits,” Hand said.

Trucks and work crews are currently on the former Holmes Foundry site doing further environmental work.

Another public meeting is scheduled Jan. 15 that will be hosted by the village and is required for an official plan amendment to accommodate Southcoast’s proposal.

While preliminary work on the larger project is ongoing, a ribbon of adjacent land along Front Street is also under construction.

It’s a separate project, not to be confused with the Southcoast proposal, according to Point Edward CEO Jim Burns.

The lands facing Front Street are owned by a local company that is building a one-storey office building with the possibility of a second office building in the future, he said.