Heather Wright/The Independent

Plympton-Wyoming is backing Cargill’s call to ban housing development near its Sarnia elevators on the St. Clair River.

In late 2025, Cargill asked Ontario’s minister of municipal affairs to use a Ministerial Zoning Order to override plans for housing developments in the area. Tricar is planning a 14-storey apartment building and Point Edward has approved a 156-unit townhouse development.

The terminal has operated since 1927 where Sarnia borders Point Edward at the foot of Exmouth St. Southwestern Ontario farmers – including farmers in Lambton – rely on the terminal to transport grain and fertilizer to the global market.

Cargill’s letter to the minister said the terminal handles 35 per cent of Ontario’s export grain and is “critical” to the agricultural industry, trade and economy.

Noise, dust, odour and vibrations from Cargill’s operation would conflict with proposed residential development, the letter adds.

Officials in Sarnia and Point Edward were blindsided by the move, adding halting residential development 300 meters around the site goes against the province’s goal to build more housing. The MZO’s have been used as a tool to speed housing development, not stop it.

March 23, during a planning meeting, Deputy Mayor Netty McEwen backed Cargill’s calls for a residential housing ban.

“Once you put up a big, 14-storey residential apartment building or condo building… there’s going to be complaints,” McEwen says.

“Cargill is not a quiet little industry,

“Cargill is used by 35 per cent of the our farmers and we have many agriculture is our biggest industry, so let’s support Cargill.

McEwen added Enniskillen Mayor Kevin Marriott’s suggestion to move Cargill from the area was unrealistic.

“Can you imagine how much that would cost to move Cargill? And even if they do decide to move Cargill. Shouldn’t the municipalities that are going to benefit from that move be contributing to the cost of that?”

Councillor Bob Woolvett was the onlymember of council which questioned Cargill’s request.

He says there is a hotel next to the grain elevator and there doesn’t seem to be concern about that. Staff said the difference is people stay short periods of time at the hotel; condos or apartment dwellers would be there for the long term and that “increases sensitivity” to the industry’s practices.

Plympton-Wyoming council agreed to send a letter to the minister supporting Cargill’s request.