School begins on Wednesday, but unlike the original plan just a week ago, students across Ontario are going back to school at home, and on their computers. On Tuesday night, the Program Committee of the Upper Grand District School Board had to deviate slightly from their previously released agenda to deal with the numerous changes to education created by the Ontario government over the holiday break. Continue reading “School Board Adjusts to the New Face of the Pandemic”
Yesterday’s announcement from the Government of Ontario about the latest COVID-19 prevention measures was not the news that anyone wanted to hear. The reaction from Ontario’s opposition parties and various advocacy groups were as unimpressed with the news about a new (semi)lockdown as almost everyone was given the near universally agreement that Premier Doug Ford made a bad call, or at least a late one, on Monday. Continue reading “Near Unanimous Derision for Latest COVID Response From ON Gov”
Almost 24 hours ago, the Government of Ontario announced a series of new restrictions on public gatherings, as well as capacity limits and new closures. On Monday night, the City of Guelph announced how they’re responding; which facilities are closing, which programs are cancelled, and what will be left for the so-called time-limited pause in the provincial re-opening? Continue reading “City Announces How They’re Responding to New Provincial Restrictions”
Remember the Province’s second step in their Roadmap to Reopen? The last time we were down to step two was last July, but Omicron has forced another step backward in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Premier Doug Ford announced on Monday that Ontario will be returning to step two as a “time-limited measure needed to preserve capacity,” and that includes no in-person school for until at least the middle of the month. Continue reading “Ontario Kicks Off 2022 With “Time-Limited” Measures to Stop Omicron”
There are 137,000 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 gong 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: Break In Damage, Crypto Scam, and Christmas Busts”
Perhaps it was inevitable, but with the rapid increase of COVID-19 cases expected to have an equal impact on the number of COVID patients in hospital ICUs, our local hospital network has decided to hit the pause button on non-urgent procedures, at least on a temporary basis. For the first two weeks of 2022, Guelph General Hospital plus Grad River Hospital, Cambridge Memorial, St. Mary’s, North Wellington Healthcare, and Grove’s Memorial are going urgent only. Continue reading “Local Hospitals Temporarily Suspending Non-Urgent Procedures”
Yesterday’s announcement from Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore outlined the next phase of the pandemic fight: Kids are going back to in-person school next Wednesday, not everyone will be able to be tested now, capacity limits at large indoor settings will be reduced further, and fourth doses are coming to long-term care residents. Not everyone was pleased with the new directions though, or thinks they go far enough. Continue reading “Lots of Criticism for Ontario’s New Year Pandemic Planning”
A small group of anti-mask protestors gathered at the children’s library on the second floor of the main Guelph Public Library on Thursday afternoon. The demonstration was phrased as just a regular day at the library, but the sight of eight police officers, half-a-dozen unmasked people, and a peanut gallery of a couple of reporters was anything but ordinary. Despite the high drama, the incident was largely over after 30 minutes. Continue reading “Anti-Maskers Hold Library Protest, Prompting a Police Response”
It’s a new year at city council, and the last year for this current term. To kick-off 2022, Committee of the Whole will have a laid back meeting with two items before the horseshoe, a presentation from the administrative head of the City, and a presentation about the city’s short-term economic future. Let’s enjoy the lack of controversy (presumably) while it lasts… Continue reading “Committee of the Whole Preview – What’s on the Agenda for the January 10 Meeting?”
On the same day that new restrictions went into effect for long-term care homes, the Chief Medical Officer of Health for Ontario unloaded a bunch of new information for the rest of the province to absorb. In brief, kids are going back to in-person school next Wednesday, not everyone will be able to be tested now, capacity limits at large indoor settings will be reduced further, and fourth doses are coming to long-term care residents Continue reading “Moore Announces Return to School Delay, New Testing Measures, and New Capacity Limits”
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