City Council Preview – What’s on the Agenda for the September 14 Meeting?

September’s planning meeting will be a busy one with three statutory public meetings; two will amend projects already approved, and the last one is for another new high rise development along Gordon Street. One of these projects has already gotten huge attention from delegates, and you can probably figure out which one. Continue reading “City Council Preview – What’s on the Agenda for the September 14 Meeting?”

COVID Assessment Clinic On the Move Again

For the second time since March, and the start of the pandemic, the COVID-19 Assessment Clinic established by Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health, and administered by the Guelph Family Health Team, will be moving. Starting next week, those in need of a COVID-19 test will have to make their way to the south end to find out if they have the virus. Continue reading “COVID Assessment Clinic On the Move Again”

The Month at Council: Planning Decisions, COVID Money, and Paused Procedures

It was an unusual month at city council, because August meetings of city council are themselves unusual. At the three meetings, we heard two planning decisions, the latest (and last?) COVID response meeting, and a very long regular meeting, which generated more than its share of friction. Here’s the recap of our once in a blue moon August month at city council. Continue reading “The Month at Council: Planning Decisions, COVID Money, and Paused Procedures”

Committee of the Whole Preview – What’s on the Agenda for the September 8 Meeting?

For the first time since March, council will gather as Committee of the Whole, although they will continue to meet in the virtual format we’ve all gotten used to because of the pandemic. For this month, we will get items from Public Services and Infrastructure, Development and Enterprise with three interesting reports about three different areas of City business. Continue reading “Committee of the Whole Preview – What’s on the Agenda for the September 8 Meeting?”

GUELPH POLITICAST #235 – The Council Year So Far

Normally there are no August city council meetings, but as we all know in 2020 what’s normal got up, walked out of the room, and threw itself down the stairs. Having three city council meetings in August is unusual, but it’s hardly the most unusual thing about this political year, and to make sense of everything that’s happened at council so far in 2020, we’re going to do a recap. Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #235 – The Council Year So Far”

LIVE BLOG: City Council Meeting for August 24, 2020

It’s jam-packed meeting for this last meeting in a very unusual series of August meetings. You can click here for the amended agenda from City Hall, and you can click here for the Politico preview. For the complete blow-by-blow of today’s council meeting, you can follow along on Twitter, or follow the tweets below. You can also watch the City’s own live-stream of the meeting here. Continue reading “LIVE BLOG: City Council Meeting for August 24, 2020”

Guelph Stays AA+ Despite the Financial Fallout of the Pandemic

For the eighth year in a row, the City of Guelph has secured a AA+ rating from the Standard & Poors global rating agency. This good economic news comes in the midst of a fiscal year where Guelph has been hit with the negative effects of COVID-19 and the economic problems created by the pandemic, and although Guelph is not alone in these conditions, it seems again we’re doing better than some of the others. Continue reading “Guelph Stays AA+ Despite the Financial Fallout of the Pandemic”

At AMO, Ford is Optimistic While the City of Guelph Comes with a Wish List

The annual conference of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) kicked off Monday in an unusual way: remotely. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, representatives from many of Ontario’s 444 municipalities will not be descending on Ottawa this week, but will instead be meeting via teleconference, and the effects of the pandemic will definitely be a big part of the conversations. Continue reading “At AMO, Ford is Optimistic While the City of Guelph Comes with a Wish List”

Cities Finally Get Details on Emergency Funds, Guelph to Get $12 Million

Months of advocacy finally paid off for the City of Guelph and other municipalities in Ontario on Wednesday with the announcement of the first phase of emergency operating funds. Just in time for Guelph city council’s monthly COVID-19 response meeting, Mayor Cam Guthrie shared the news that Guelph’s share of $1.6 billion in funding under the Safe Start Agreement is $12 million. Continue reading “Cities Finally Get Details on Emergency Funds, Guelph to Get $12 Million”

LIVE BLOG: City Council Meeting for August 12, 2020

This could be the last COVID-19 response meeting… For now. You can click here for the amended agenda from City Hall, and you can click here and here for the Politico preview. For the complete blow-by-blow of today’s council meeting, you can follow along on Twitter, or follow the tweets below. You can also watch the City’s own live-stream of the meeting here. Continue reading “LIVE BLOG: City Council Meeting for August 12, 2020”