Image
Heather Wright Photo
Drivers on Petrolia Line west of Nauvoo Road try to avoid a mess of potholes on the road Monday.

April 6, 2025

Heather Wright/The Independent

Brooke-Alvinston councillors are wondering if Lambton County wants its road back.

The idea was floated by Councillor Craig Sanders who said the road is in rough shape and the
Brooke-Alvinston doesn’t have the cash to upgrade it.

This winter was hard on the chip-and-tar road. During February’s thaw and refreeze large
chunks of the road had deep holes with loose gravel thick enough to pull cars off course.

Sanders commended municipal staff for patching up the road, but says it needs more work.

The portion of the road in Middlesex County will be repaved next year making Petrolia Line a
“perfect road” from Corunna to Strathroy “except for that one section east of 79.

“I’m wondering if we can move forward into looking at the county taking it over next year,”
Sanders said.

The county did own the Brooke-Alvinston portion of Petrolia Line, says Mayor David Ferguson,
but it was downloaded to the municipality during the Mike Harris era. “I don’t know what the
reason was,” he added.

Sanders is concerned without help from Lambton, the patch of road may have to be returned
to gravel, since Brooke-Alvinston wouldn’t have the cash to repave it.

Council agreed to approach the county to see if it would take the road back.

Share This

Image
Front Page

Clark family invests in community they believe in

July 8, 2026

Cathy Dobson/The Independent The Clark family of Petrolia has donated nearly a quarter of a million dollars to three local groups they call the driving forces of their community. Together, two Clark family funds administered by the Sarnia Community Foundation are supporting the “Reaching New Heights” capital campaign at Victoria Playhouse Petrolia (VPP), the Bluewater Health Foundation’s fund to expand

Read More

Image
Front Page

Potential all-Canadian pipeline to Sarnia “fantastic” news

July 6, 2026

Cathy Dobson/Local Journalism Initiative & Heather Wright/The Independent The security of Sarnia-Lambton’s industrial future received a big boost with Monday’s announcement that a new proposed pipeline will be routed entirely through Canada from Alberta to Sarnia’s refineries. “What it means is Canadian feedstock (will be) moving to Canadian production through Canadian transmission, solely in Canada,” said Matthew Slotwinski, CEO of

Read More

Image
Front Page

Ontario, Alberta ink pipeline deal leading to Sarnia

July 6, 2026

500k – 800k barrels of oil per day could flow from Alberta to local refineries Heather Wright/The Independent Sarnia’s refineries could soon be getting a lot more Alberta oil. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced the route for the Northern Shield pipeline from Alberta to Sarnia’s refineries. Smith says the pipeline would move an additional 500,000 barrels of

Read More

Image
Front Page

Grand Bend lifeguards make 32 saves on Canada Day

July 5, 2026

Heather Wright/The Independent A Lambton Shores politician is praising the life guard crew after saving 32 people struggling in Lake Huron on Canada Day. Glenn Bailee, who represents Grand Bend on Lambton Shores council, says the combination of incredibly hot weather, a statutory holiday in the middle of the week, all kinds of people using personal watercraft plus a major

Read More