Media Statement

This de-amalgamation issue has been simmering just beneath the
surface of public opinion for the past eight years. Amalgamation was first imposed on us by the provincial government back in 1999. The local citizenry had no direct say in the process.

They stole from us, …our local heritage..!!

Almost immediately there was a strong backlash against the
compulsory union which mandated the present-day Town of Essex.


An earlier de-amalgamation petition drive, which was also aimed at
restoring the pre-existing local municipal structure, was supported by most, including our present Mayor.

That initial effort, lacking effective organization, fizzled and eventually, with the hope that we would ‘Go Away’, began gathering dust on the shelves of the bureaucracy Ministry of Municipal Affairs & Housing in Queen’s Park.

In our current de-amalgamation effort, we here in Harrow &Colchester South are not an isolated example. Throughout Ontario,there is widespread dissatisfaction with this forced, dysfunctional approach to “Mega-Municipal” style of government.

The Provincial Government promises of streamlined, more efficient and
accountable local government, the provision of better services at
reduced costs, have proven to be nothing more than bureaucratic
fairytales. Anticipated transition costs to area taxpayers have far exceeded expectations.

The vast majority of the residents of Harrow & Colchester South,
independent of political party affiliation, are voicing their opinion of the present situation. …..They are dissatisfied and demanding change.

They believe that they have a democratic right to evaluate and, on their
own, decide on their future direction in terms of services and local
government structure.

We intend to investigate all our options. We intend to proceed steadily along a conventional course and to take such further and other actions as may be deemed necessary to help us realize our democratic rights.

We are not going to allow this effort to get lost in the limbo of the
bureaucratic maze in Queen’s Park. We fully intend to press forward,
relentlessly, to attain our rightful goals.

South Colchester - Harrow Action Committee