This Month at Council: Pay Cheques, a New Tower, and an Official Plan Amendment

March closes like a lamb after a very busy month around the horseshoe. The real horseshoe. From the neverending debate over council compensation, to a very controversial new development project, to the latest iteration of the Official Plan, there’s a lot of ground to cover from last month’s four meetings. The recap of March at city council is below. Continue reading “This Month at Council: Pay Cheques, a New Tower, and an Official Plan Amendment”

Guthrie Plays Wordle With the State of the City at In-Person Event

The last time that the Guelph Chamber of Commerce held a State of the City event in-person, COVID-19 was still a topic of local conversation that started with, “Hey, did you hear about that thing happening in China?” More than two years later, Chamber members once again met inside the Delta Hotel and Conference to hear about the State of the City from Mayor Cam Guthrie. A state, he says, that’s all about the fundamentals now. Continue reading “Guthrie Plays Wordle With the State of the City at In-Person Event”

LIVE BLOG: Mayor’s State of the City for 2022

For the first time since 2020, Mayor Cam Guthrie will give an indoor speech to a room full of people. The occasion is the annual State of the City hosted by the Guelph Chamber of Commerce, and just in time for some post-pandemic analysis and an election year. What exactly is the State of Guelph in 2022? Let’s find out! For the complete blow-by-blow of today’s speech, you can follow along on Twitter, or follow the tweets below. Continue reading “LIVE BLOG: Mayor’s State of the City for 2022”

LIVE BLOG: City Council Meeting for March 30, 2022

Behold! The statutory planning meeting for the next Official Plan Amendment. 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 March 30, 2022”

Ontario Government Taking Fees Off Volunteer Police Checks

There is sometimes a cost to volunteering, specifically the police check some volunteer positions require. Criminal Record Checks and Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Checks are requested for some volunteer positions, and to get one of those from the local police service, it requires that volunteer pay out of pocket. Not any more though. The Government of Ontario announced Wednesday that basic volunteer police checks are now free of charge. Continue reading “Ontario Government Taking Fees Off Volunteer Police Checks”

LIVE BLOG: City Council Meeting for March 28, 2022

Council will reconsider committee business in the second-to-last meeting of the month. 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 March 28, 2022”

Committee of the Whole Preview – What’s on the Agenda for the April 4 Meeting?

It’s going to be a jam-packed Committee of the Whole meeting to kick off April, the cruellest month. From new solid waste master plan directions, to a new plan for parks, and a response to growing inflationary pressures on capital projects, there will be a lot of new policy discussions for everyone no matter what your municipal interest is. Continue reading “Committee of the Whole Preview – What’s on the Agenda for the April 4 Meeting?”

GUELPH POLITICAST #316 – Can You Archeologically Dig It?

There’s a lot of interest in the excavation of Baker Street. Maybe it’s the ghoulish quality of uncovering remains from an old graveyard, or maybe it’s because this is all literally happening on the main street, but a lot of eyes are on this big hole being dug in the old Baker Street lot. This week, we go inside that hole with the two men holding the shovels. Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #316 – Can You Archeologically Dig It?”

Transit Fare Strategy Feedback is Now Open Till April 10

Ever considered how much you pay to take the bus, or how much you would pay for the bus if you took it? Well, this will be a good time to share any thoughts you have about Guelph Transit’s fare system because the long-expected Fare Strategy has now come to the people for feedback. From now until April 10, the City of Guelph is asking for input on a variety of matters in regards to transit fares. Continue reading “Transit Fare Strategy Feedback is Now Open Till April 10”

LIVE BLOG: City Council Meeting for March 21, 2022

Signs and towers are the topics of this month’s planning meeting. You can click here for the amended agendas 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 March 21, 2022”