Chatham-Kent council has approved a tender award of $3,947,900 to Clarke Construction Inc. for the reconstruction of Elgin Street in Wallaceburg, between Forhan Street and Lorne Avenue.
Council approved the recommendation at its Aug. 10, 2026 meeting, along with a $30,000 contract amendment for contract administration and inspection services with WT Infrastructure Solutions Inc. The mayor and clerk were authorized to enter into the necessary agreements.
The project addresses long-standing issues with underground infrastructure in the area. According to a report from Edward Soldo, the municipality’s general manager of infrastructure and engineering services, Public Works has carried out numerous repairs to storm and sanitary sewers along the street, while the existing cast iron watermain, installed in the 1940s, has broken multiple times over the years. Repeated excavation and emergency repairs have left the roadway, curbs and sidewalks significantly deteriorated, prompting the municipality to prioritize the street for full reconstruction.
The work will involve removing the existing sanitary sewer, storm sewer and watermain, and installing new sewers connected to previously reconstructed sections of Elgin Street and Lorne Avenue. The aging watermain will be replaced and upsized, including service connections to the property line, and crews will restore the asphalt road surface, driveway approaches, curbs, gutters, sidewalks and boulevards.
The project is set to proceed in two phases, with the first beginning in September 2026 and continuing as weather permits. The second phase is expected to start in spring 2027, with overall completion targeted for August 2027.
The tender was advertised on the municipal website on June 22, 2026, and closed July 10, 2026, in accordance with the municipality’s purchasing bylaw. 22 potential bidders obtained contract documents, and three compliant submissions were received. Clarke Construction Inc. submitted the lowest bid at $3,947,900, ahead of Real Landscaping Plus Inc. at $6,216,767 and Major Construction (2010) Ltd. at $6,608,413.84.
Funding for the project, approved by council through the 2025 capital budget, will be split evenly between Chatham-Kent Public Utilities Commission reserves and municipal infrastructure reserves, and remains subject to PUC approval for the sanitary and watermain portions. The total recommended tender cost, after HST rebates, is $4,017,383.04, with an additional $30,528 allocated for consultant services. The tender includes a project contingency allowance of $600,000.
A virtual public information centre was held through the Let’s Talk Chatham-Kent web portal, and property owners in the project area received hand-delivered notifications. The municipality said further updates, including road closure notices, will be issued ahead of construction through its construction projects website and additional hand-delivered notices to residents.
