The way ward funds are allocated in Chatham-Kent could be changing next term because of a trimmed down composition of Council.
A staff report, which went to Council on Monday night, recommends putting the $75,000 in annual surplus funds from the Hydro One Councillor Ward Funding Program into a reserve to help cover the lifecycle needs of culture and recreation projects funded through Councillor Ward Funding.
A hybrid approach to allocating Hydro One Councillor Ward Funding is also being recommended that would be implemented in January 2027 to support strategic investments in master plans for culture and recreation.
The six-year split would be $285,000 allocated annually to support projects in culture and recreation and $190,000 allocated annually to mayor an councillor-supported community culture and recreation projects managed through an annual intake process.
Councillor Anthony Ceccacci brought forward a motion that would divide the funds for rural councillors. Councillors for wards 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 would be given equal shares of the fund.
However, Councillor Aaron Hall brought forward a motion referring the allocation of the funds to the next term of council. His motion passed 16 to 1.
A 10-year Community Support Agreement was signed in 2022 between Chatham-Kent and Hydro One to provide funds for recreational and cultural assets across the municipality. The total amount currently allocated annually to Ward Funding is $550,000.
Each councillor currently gets $25,000 a year for ward projects, but with three fewer councillors starting next term, the surplus is $75,000 a year.
“In the event that a Councillor is not re-elected and has not used all of their funds at the end of their term, the funds will be placed in a reserve which will serve to support ongoing maintenance efforts of these new capital assets,” wrote Administration in the report.
As of October, 2025, half of an available $2.2 million of councillor ward funds had not been allocated.
