About Chatham

The Municipality of Chatham-Kent (2006 population 108,177) is a city-status single-tier municipal government in Southern (Southwestern) Ontario, Canada. The municipality is mainly rural and agricultural, with industry in the larger urban areas.

Communities

Economy and Industry

Chatham-Kent has an increasingly diverse economy, with a base in the agricultural and automotive sectors. The municipality and senior levels of government are keen to promote continuing diversification.

Located in the “industrial heartland”, Chatham’s roots in the automotive sector go back to Gray-Dort Motors Ltd., one of Canada’s earliest automobile manufacturers. (Chatham was also the birthplace of Hank Chrysler, father of Walter P. Chrysler, founder of the Chrysler automobile company). Today, a heavy truck plant operated by Navistar International Corporation (NYSE symbol NAV) was one of the largest employers in the city. Established in 1912, the operation was threatened with closure in 2002, but remained open thanks to $65 million in government grants and a new collective agreement with the Canadian Auto Workers local representing the workers. Other auto industry plants in the municipality include AutoLiv Canada in Tilbury (airbags), Mahle in Tilbury (emissions controls and plastics).

Blenheim is home to RM Auctions, the world’s largest vintage automobile auction house and RM Restorations, the world’s largest vintage automobile restoration company. The nickname “The Classic Car Capital of Canada” comes from the company’s position in the industry and abundance of classic car events in the community.

Chatham-Kent is the headquarters for Pioneer Hi-Bred Limited (a division of DuPont), a major agricultural seed breeding and biotechnology company. Omstead Foods, founded in Wheatley in 1911 is now the largest fresh fish producer in Canada and second largest frozen vegetable processor. In 1996, Chatham became the home of Commercial Alcohols, which is the largest ethanol plant in Canada, and one of the largest in the world. It produces ethanol for industrial, medical, and beverage uses. In January 2005, the plant was named as one of Canada’s 50 best managed companies. There are plans to double the size of the current Chatham facility. The plant faced criticism in the past due to corn mash odour from its stack, but has installed technology to eliminate the problem. However, these efforts need to be readressed, due to the fact that this technology has been discovered to be faulty by many of the local residents.

There are many farms in the municipality, and a number of vineyards have been opened in the last few years.


Transportation

Road

Chatham-Kent is situated just off Highway 401 (also known as “Carnage Alley” because of a string of fatal accidents), connecting Montreal, Toronto, Kitchener-Waterloo, London, and Windsor, Ontario; and Detroit, Michigan via the Ambassador Bridge. Blenheim, Chatham and Wallaceburg are linked with Sarnia, Ontario and the Blue Water Bridge to the United States by Highway 40.

The sections of Highway 2 and Highway 3 (the Talbot Trail) in Chatham-Kent were downloaded by the province in 1998, becoming local roads 2 and 3, but they remain significant through routes and are still locally known by their old names.

The first gas station in Canada to sell E85 fuel to the public is located on Park Avenue East in Chatham.

Rail

Chatham station is served by VIA Rail passenger services between Toronto and Windsor, part of the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor with four trips in each direction daily, and the community is served by both the Canadian National Railway and the Canadian Pacific Railway for freight transportation.

Bus

Within Chatham public bus services are provided by CK Transit. Chatham-Kent has an intercity bus service, also provided by CK Transit, between all communities in the municipality except Blenheim.

In addition, Chatham-Kent also has intercity bus services, with Greyhound Canada services to and from Windsor, London and Toronto, and through Detroit, Michigan to Chicago, Illinois. These services stop at Thamesville, Chatham and Tilbury.

Air

There is a municipal airport located 14 km south east of Chatham featuring a 5,000-foot (1,500 m) paved, lighted runway, with refuelling facilities (Esso), tie-down services, pilot training and chartered flights. The nearest airports served by regional carriers are Windsor and London.

Click the link to view the most recent Chatham property tax rate.

Chatham-Kent Official Plan

Click the link to see the latest Chatham-Kent Official Plan.