As we’re entering this third calendar month under a state of quarantine, we’re starting to feel that it still might be a long time until we get back to what we consider normalcy. It might be a long time before we can sit comfortably again in a room filled with a few hundred people to hear the city’s mayor talk about a grand ambition for Guelph that has nothing to do with responding to a global pandemic. Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #219 – Better Days”
It’s a well-known secret that the COVID-19 pandemic is causing all kinds of complications on the bottom line of businesses and individuals, but it’s also causing streams of red ink for Canada’s cities too. The mayor’s of Ontario’s 29 biggest cities, the Large Urban Mayors’ Caucus of Ontario (LUMCO), are raising the alarm after a meeting today that they need higher levels of government to give them extra help to manage the fiscal blow from coronavirus. Continue reading “LUMCO Looks for Help to Cover COVID-19 Costs”
There’s been a lot of discussion about the historic moment we’re living in, but is anyone keeping track of that history and preserving it? As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, Guelph Museums is asking residents for any artifacts people might have that captures the experience. Whether it’s something digital like a photograph, or something physical like a homemade mask, the Museum might be interested in collecting it from you. Continue reading “Guelph Museums Wants Your COVID-19 Remembrances and Stuff”
As some jurisdictions in Canada look to re-open society from the COVID-19 quarantine lockdown, it seems like Ontario is looking to keep some aspects buttoned up for at least another month. The Government of Ontario announced this weekend that provincial parks, and all of Ontario’s public schools will be closed until May 31. Continue reading “Ontario Government Announces Schools and Parks will Remain Closed till 2019”
April 28 is the National Day of Mourning, a day where people are invited to remember those who were killed, or seriously injured on the job. Usually this involves people getting together to remember and memorialize, but this year, because of COVID-19, it’s forced a change of the usual plans for the occasion. This year, like with so many other events, the National Day of Mourning will be virtual. Continue reading “Like Everything Else, the National Day of Mourning is Going Digital”
These are scary times, and one would think that showing up at a medical clinic might give one a little bit of hope and safety. Yesterday though, the COVID-19 assessment centre saw a bit of tragedy of its own as a person reportedly passed away Friday morning at the clinic, which forced the temporary closure of the facility. Continue reading “Public Health Issues Statement on Death at Assessment Clinic”
May is usually the time where the weather is nice enough for people to finally start their gardening without fear of a late season snow fall, or frost. Of course, these are not usual times, and the idea of a community garden made the government a bit weary in these days when we’re supposed to socially distance ourselves. That is until now. Continue reading “Community Gardens are Now Essential in Ontario”
Yesterday, the City of Guelph announced that their buildings would be closed so long as the state of emergency is in effect. One lingering question from that news release is the status of future city council meetings, which were only cancelled up till the end of May, and now we know that there will soon be another future special council meeting, and there is the promise of more meetings to come after that. Continue reading “Next Council Meeting Set for May 11, New Council Meeting Schedule to Follow”
After almost seven years of pushing by the student advocacy group Fossil Free Guelph, the majority of the Board of Governors at the University of Guelph voted Wednesday to divest the institution’s endowment from companies that hold fossil fuel reserves. After a debate, and a few amendments, all but three board members followed the lead of Vice-President of Finance Don O’Leary, and voted to divest over the next five years. Continue reading “After Years of Advocacy, the U of G Board of Governors Approves Divestment”
From time to time, the Guelph Politicast likes to do a sit down with a member of City of Guelph staff to talk about their job in detail with all its day-to-day demands, challenges and rewards. This podcast is in the mode of one of those past explainers, but with a COVID-19 twist because what is possibly affecting City business more these days than the global pandemic? Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #218 – COVID Administrative Officer”
