GUELPH POLITICAST #406 – The Rest of 2023 at Council

Just because it’s February, it doesn’t mean that it’s too late to think about last year, at least in the realm of council business. We’ve only had a couple of meetings under our belts so far in 2024, and a lot of what’s been on the council agenda actually started in the latter part of last year, from the announcement of the housing symposium, to the 2024-2027 budget process, to Mayor Cam Guthrie’s announcement that he was looking to regulate encampments. Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #406 – The Rest of 2023 at Council”

GUELPH POLITICAST #405 – The State of the City 2023

Every year, the Guelph Chamber of Commerce hosts an event called the State of the City, and like its more famous counterpart south of the border, it’s a chance for the head of the city to lay out the challenges and priorities facing the Royal City for the next 12 months. Make no mistake, there are no shortage of challenges, but in order to unlock the future, you must first find the keys to the past. This week, we get those keys out of the drawer. Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #405 – The State of the City 2023”

GUELPH POLITICAST #404 – 2023: Year in Review

Although this is now technically 2024, we’re going to spend this week’s show having the last word about 2023. We plowed through a lot of news in last week’s clip show, but this week we will bring some much needed analysis: What will 2023 be remembered for? Who were the players? Who failed when it was their turn to play? And what’s going to happen next as we go into 2024? Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #404 – 2023: Year in Review”

GUELPH POLITICAST #403 – 2023: The Lousy Clip Show

On this holiday week, you’re probably listening to a lot of reruns and year-end recaps on your podcast feed, and that’s why Guelph Politico is demonstrating its incredible efficiency by combining both things into one podcast. This week, we will review the 2023 soundbites that made the news in Guelph; the announcements, the arguments and the silliness that helped define the last 365 days in the Royal City. Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #403 – 2023: The Lousy Clip Show”

GUELPH POLITICAST #402 – Christmas With Mark

It’s time for our annual fireside chat with a prominent member of the Guelph community, and since we’re run the gamut of local political leaders over the last few years, we turn to the new head of the hospital. It’s a massive challenge, but in keeping with the spirit of the season, and the need to help people who can’t help themselves, we’re going spend Christmas week with the president and CEO of Guelph General Hospital, Mark Walton. Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #402 – Christmas With Mark”

GUELPH POLITICAST #401 – How the Greenbelt Was Won

There was a lot to complain about when it comes to the Ontario provincial government in 2023, but complaints were always the loudest when it came to the decision to open the Greenbelt to development. Thousands and thousands of Ontarians were unified in their desire to make the Greenbelt whole again, and then the strangest thing of all happened, they won. Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #401 – How the Greenbelt Was Won”

GUELPH POLITICAST #400 – The Last Man on the Mercury

It makes sense to take some time now to talk about the media picture here in Guelph, and across Canada. While the Government of Canada reached a deal last week with Alphabet, the parent company of Google, to help fund the Online News Act there are still a lot of people in the news business who are going to be laid off at the end of the month including staff at the Guelph Mercury Tribune. But one person remains… Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #400 – The Last Man on the Mercury”

GUELPH POLITICAST #399 – It’s Not Too Late to Get Your Flu Shot

This is the last week of November. December begins on Friday, and then winter arrives three weeks after. You’re probably thinking about Christmas, but you should probably also be thinking about cold and flu season. We’re about to hit our peak with the flu, especially with all that holiday socializing coming soon, so do you have your flu shot? It’s okay if you don’t because this is the perfect time to get it! Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #399 – It’s Not Too Late to Get Your Flu Shot”

GUELPH POLITICAST #398 – Doctors Wanted

By the numbers $43,335 per year for two years is probably the smallest ask of this budget cycle, but the work that money will fund is actually pretty important: Attracting new doctors to Guelph and Wellington. For many of us that live here, Guelph is a destination that sells itself, but the competition for a small number of new doctors is fierce and Guelph-Wellington is one of the last municipalities to have a formal plan to get them. Is it too late for us to get in the game? Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #398 – Doctors Wanted”

GUELPH POLITICAST #397 – Fixing the Digital Divide

Ever wonder what your life would be like if you didn’t have easy access to a digital device. How would you get the news? How would you sign up for your COVID-19 booster? How would people reach you? For many of us, crossing the digital divide is easy, but for other people in our community it’s hard to cross that Rubicon, and now there’s a group in Guelph that is dedicated to helping people build a bridge. Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #397 – Fixing the Digital Divide”