Author: Adam A. Donaldson

When he’s not the main/only contributor to Guelph Politico, Adam A. Donaldson also contributes to GuelphToday.com as their city hall columnist and co-hosts a political and current affairs show on CFRU 93.3 fm called “Open Sources Guelph" as well as the movie review show "End Credits."

City Council Preview – What’s on the Agenda for the October 30, 2024 Meeting?

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It’s the most wonderful time of year for the Excel spreadsheet and fiscal discipline crowd: Budget Time! As with last year, this is the mayor’s budget, and his fingerprints are all over it after a directive earlier this year to shave the 2025 increase down to something around four per cent. Did City of Guelph staff do it, and what all ended up shaved in the end. Your budget season begins with this council preview! Continue reading “City Council Preview – What’s on the Agenda for the October 30, 2024 Meeting?” →

RECAP: Transit Committee Stays the Course as Job Action Looms

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It was a relatively brief meeting of the Transit Advisory Committee this month, and that’s in-spite of the rather long shadow being cast by the potential for job action in the next few weeks. There was also some rather sad news about one member of the committee but otherwise it seemed like business as usual as Transit, like every other city department, heads into budget season. To get those and other details, check out the recap below…

Continue reading “RECAP: Transit Committee Stays the Course as Job Action Looms” →

RECAP: The AAC Tells Staff – Respectfully – That They’re the Captain Now!

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This month’s Accessibility Advisory Committee was delayed by two days, and if you think that wasn’t a topic of conversation, you are wrong! Still stinging from the lack of engagement before the passage of the Public Space Use Bylaw almost two months ago, the AAC had some notes about their relationship with staff, and they also had notes about the bylaw. For that, and all the rest of the agenda, check out the recap below… Continue reading “RECAP: The AAC Tells Staff – Respectfully – That They’re the Captain Now!” →

RECAP: Constituents Push Schreiner to Fix… Ontario at Town Hall

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Now less than a week before the end of the Ontario Legislature’s 20-week “summer” break, Guelph MPP and Green Party of Ontario leader Mike Schreiner held a town hall with a small group of constituents to hear about their priorities. It turns out though that everything is on the front burner. From housing to affordability, from healthcare to community living, and from hospitals to national urban parks, see what Mike had to say about these issues below… Continue reading “RECAP: Constituents Push Schreiner to Fix… Ontario at Town Hall” →

GUELPH POLITICAST #438 – The Fireworks Lobby (feat. Aleem Kanji)

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A number of Ontario municipalities including Brampton, Woodstock, Milton, and Halton Hills have banned fireworks outright, and several others including Kitchener are looking at new regulations. Here in Guelph, a new permitting system is on the table; City staff and some councillors think that this may be the best of both worlds, but others think it’s the worst, including members of the fireworks lobby! Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #438 – The Fireworks Lobby (feat. Aleem Kanji)” →

RECAP: Heritage Guelph Has Notes About Ward West

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There are three heritage conservation districts being studied right now in Guelph, one involves the Ontario Reformatory property, one involves Downtown Guelph, and then there’s the one that was the subject of this meeting. For the first time, the Ward West Heritage Conservation Distinct came to Heritage Guelph for their feedback and insight, and if you want to hear what that was, check out the recap below… Continue reading “RECAP: Heritage Guelph Has Notes About Ward West” →

This Week at Council: The Quest for Affordable Housing Continues

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This month’s planning meeting had only one immediate application, and it’s one of those projects that should be simple, and would be simple if the 2023 Comprehensive Zoning Bylaw amendment was in effect. Mostly though, this meeting was about the effort to create more affordable housing, first by exploring an affordable housing pilot project and then by discussing the new affordable housing strategy. For details, here’s the recap… Continue reading “This Week at Council: The Quest for Affordable Housing Continues” →

POLICE NOTES: New Extortion Scam, Stolen Classic Car, and Another Pedestrian Struck

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There are 145,000 stories in the Royal City, and this is some of them. Looking at a week’s worth of media releases from the Guelph Police Service, there’s a lot going on in our little city crime-wise speaking, so let’s run down some of the charges, issues, and requests for information from the Guelph Police Service over the last seven days. Continue reading “POLICE NOTES: New Extortion Scam, Stolen Classic Car, and Another Pedestrian Struck” →

MEETING PREVIEW: Accessibility Advisory Committee for October 15, 2024

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Don’t worry, the October Accessibility Advisory Committee has not been cancelled, it’s just been moved to another day of the week. This special Thursday meeting of the AAC will cover a lot of items under the housing file, from the Public Space Use Bylaw to housing affordability strategies. In other news, the committee will look at transit and then try to agree on a definition for a very important word. Continue reading “MEETING PREVIEW: Accessibility Advisory Committee for October 15, 2024” →

MEETING PREVIEW: Transit Advisory Committee Meeting for October 17, 2024

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This month’s Transit Advisory Committee Meeting will be on the light side, but there might be some interesting developments that might come up in the realm of member feedback or general transit updates. In terms of the one new item, there’s a matter of accessibility and integrating that into the current transit fare system. Mostly though, if you’re just a fan of transit news, this is your monthly appointment. Continue reading “MEETING PREVIEW: Transit Advisory Committee Meeting for October 17, 2024” →