U of G Students Approve New Deal on Student Bus Pass

Graduate and undergraduate students at the University of Guelph have voted in favour of getting back to normal in a very specific way for the next semester. The results of a mid-term referendum overwhelmingly endorsed a new contract between the Central Student Association, the Graduate Student Association, the City of Guelph and Guelph Transit to bring back the universal student bus pass (Upass) in January. Continue reading “U of G Students Approve New Deal on Student Bus Pass”

Guelph General Wants to See Proof of Vaccination for Visitors

It should be a force of habit by now, but Guelph General Hospital is joining the list of places where you will have to show proof vaccination if you want to pop by. Starting on November 9, the Hospital will be initiating a proof of vaccination requirement for many of the people visiting the hospital in what their management is calling an additional step to ensure the health and safety of staff and patients. Continue reading “Guelph General Wants to See Proof of Vaccination for Visitors”

Ontario Government Announces No More Capacity Limits on November 15

After a couple of weeks of pressure from restaurateurs and other business owners about the Government of Ontario’s seemingly random removal of capacity limits on cinemas and sports venues, it looks like all limits are coming to an end by the mid-point of next month. In a typical late Friday announcement, Premier Doug Ford said that more limits will be lifted on Monday with an eye to end all COVID-19 precautions by the end of March. Continue reading “Ontario Government Announces No More Capacity Limits on November 15”

9 Out of 10 Guelphites Now Vaccinated, as City Struggles With Unvaccinated Staff

On Wednesday, the residents of Guelph reached an important vaccine milestone: 9 out of every 10 eligible people in the city have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. By comparison, only 83 per cent of people born in 2009 and before in the whole of Ontario are fully vaccinated, which casts Guelph as pretty enthusiastically vaccinated locality in Canada. Unfortunately, not all of us are enthusiastic, even the ones that need to be. Continue reading “9 Out of 10 Guelphites Now Vaccinated, as City Struggles With Unvaccinated Staff”

Ontario QR Codes for Vaccine Proof Now Available

Like the soft launch of any one of a hundred different apps, the digital vaccine verification code started appearing on Google Play and the App Store on Friday morning. Yes Virginia, you can now carry your vaccine certification on your phone with a Government of Ontario-approved QR code, and just a few days ahead of the one-month anniversary of the Province’s vaccine certification program. Continue reading “Ontario QR Codes for Vaccine Proof Now Available”

The Flu is Back! Says WDG Public Health

It’s not the press release you might expect from the local Public Health unit, after all, why would you need a press release that announces the arrival of flu season? In COVID times though, the return of influenza is a moment because there was almost no flu last year. Still, as our region’s Medical Officer of Health said in a statement on Thursday, the flu’s return “isn’t unexpected.” Continue reading “The Flu is Back! Says WDG Public Health”

CITY PAGES: Eastview Plans, the Library Board, and New Task Force Home

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: Eastview Plans, the Library Board, and New Task Force Home”

Capacity Limits Lift Slightly, as Public Health Will Participate in Testing

Just in time for the Thanksgiving long weekend, there are now no capacity limits at movie theatres or concert venues! If you spend the holiday packing the house for a movie or your favourite band, then this going to be very good news. Also this week, our local public health unit has said that they’re joining the province’s plan to distribute rapid COVID-19 antigen tests. Continue reading “Capacity Limits Lift Slightly, as Public Health Will Participate in Testing”

Moore Says Thanksgiving, Halloween Can Proceed Like Semi-Normal

This time last year, the province had started to climb the slope of what ended up being the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. One year later, with much of the province being vaccinated, the advice is starkly different. Heading into the Thanksgiving long weekend, Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore is telling Ontarians that it’s okay to enjoy some of the usual festivities, but to take caution while doing so. Continue reading “Moore Says Thanksgiving, Halloween Can Proceed Like Semi-Normal”

Mayor’s Talk Covers Pandemic Exhaustion and Reasons for Hope

For the second time, Mayor Cam Guthrie marked World Mental Health Day with a Zoom event, and fittingly, the pandemic was the topic of conversation in this 22nd annual Mayor’s Talk on Mental Health. You might have been concerned that it was going to be kind of a bummer for those in attendance, but the talk was surprisingly hopeful because even though we’re all exhausted at this point in the pandemic, it should be noted that so is the virus. Continue reading “Mayor’s Talk Covers Pandemic Exhaustion and Reasons for Hope”