Before we unlock the future we must first find the keys to the past. As we await the return of city council in their first meeting of the fall after Labour Day, we’re going to take a few moments to remember all the work that council did in the first seven months this year. There were some laughs, some friction, and more than a couple of marathon meetings. In this new edition of the podcast we go back in time! Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #286 – The Year at Council So Far…”
For over a year now, the City of Guelph, like a lot of organizations, has been struggling to catch up to demands for social justice and equity. Starting Monday morning, the City started to institutionalize that struggle by putting someone in charge of trying to undo systemic inequalities. For years, Sara Sayyed has been one of the faces of the Guelph Muslim Society, and now she’s the face of equity efforts at City Hall. Continue reading “Sayyed Hired to Lead City of Guelph on Anti-Racism Initiatives”
This week is the annual Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference, which typically takes place live and in-person in Ottawa, but for the second year in a row the whole thing is being held virtually. As usual, the Premier of Ontario kicked things off with a speech, and Doug Ford began AMO 2021 on a positive note touting Ontario’s success overcoming COVID-19 thanks to strong provincial/municipal relations. Continue reading “Ford Kicks Off AMO Touting Ontario as COVID Success Story”
Back in June, after 30 years and months of debate, Guelph City Council approved an adjusted six-ward map that will go into effect for the 2022 Municipal Election. But now there’s a wrinkle in the form of an appeal, one Guelph resident has applied to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) to contest the new ward boundary map, which might delay it’s implementation before next year’s local election. Continue reading “At Least One Appeal Filed Over Guelph’s New Ward Boundary Map”
Attracting big business is a big business in its own right, and Mayor Cam Guthrie and the City of Guelph mean business in their campaign to attract the new Moderna facility to Guelph. Guelph’s corporate side has launched a full court press to convince Moderna to come here, and some of the arguments should be fairly persuasive. But will it work? Continue reading “City, Mayor Launch Charm Offensive to Attract Moderna Facility”
The City of Guelph, and it’s various partners and agencies, put out a lot of information on a weekly basis, and while it all ends up on the City’s website somewhere, wouldn’t it be easier to just scroll through it all on one easy-to-read article on Guelph Politico here…? Continue reading “CITY PAGES: Activation, Childcare Need, and Committee Members Still Wanted”
There’s still a lot of summer left, so what are we supposed to do with some of our extra down time? How about enjoying some local paths and trails for a nice hike? It’s never not a good time to take a walk and enjoy the natural splendor of the Guelph area, but a warm day, a cool breeze, a clear trail, and a sensible pair of shoes is not a bad way to pass some time, and no one knows that better than the current head of the local hiking club. Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #285 – Take a Hike!”
As more people are get vaccinated, and as the economy continues to re-open, there’s a detail that needs to be addressed: We’re still technically in a state of emergency here in Guelph. In March last year, Mayor Cam Guthrie declared that emergency in the City right as that first wave of COVID-19 started peaking. We’ve now made it through two subsequent waves, so is the day coming with the emergency is over? Continue reading “Yes, We’re Still in a State of Emergency. No, We Don’t Know For How Much Longer.”
How do you know you’re being as efficient with energy as you possibly can? For most of us, when it comes to our own homes, if we’re paying $200 less on our hydro bill then it’s possible it’s because we’re more energy efficient. But that’s not very scientific, is it? The City of Guelph is getting some assistance on creating a rigorous measurement of the their energy saving efforts, and it comes with the assistance of the Federal government. Continue reading “City Gets Federal Money to Standardize Energy Management”
Before summer break, there were some long hours ahead for Guelph City Council. One special meeting reviewed the findings of the service rationalization report, and another special meeting reviewed the Baker District Urban Master Plan. In between, council sorted out the issues with the new sign bylaw and ended the decades long quandary about the Dolime Quarry. Here’s the second council recap for July. Continue reading “This Month at Council Part 2: Service Reviews, Sign Resolution, and Baker Plans”
