For two weeks, we’ve watched the global spread of the Omicron COVID-19 variant and wondered when it would be detected here. Wonder no longer. On Friday, Wellington-Dufferin-Gulph Public Health announced that they’ve detected the first local case of Omicron locally. Meanwhile, Queen’s Park announced Friday that they’re departing from original post-new year’s plans to wind down vaccine certification. Continue reading “As Omicron Arrives in Guelph, Ontario Changes Their Pandemic Plans”
It’s not often you pick up a copy of the Globe & Mail and see your sister and her family on the front page, but it’s also not everyday that a town somewhere in Ontario almost blows up. Around dinner time on August 26, two buildings in Wheatley’s downtown area exploded. The source, apparently, is a gas leak, but nobody’s sure and dozens of residents were relocated for safety. One of them was my sister. Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #301 – The Town That Dreaded Sundown”
The Dolime Quarry land will become a part of the City of Guelph on January 1, 2022. This announcement comes from Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Steve Clark who came to Guelph first thing on Monday morning to announce that he’s signing the Ministerial Zoning Order (MZO) that will rezone the quarry once it’s shut down. The struggle to secure the site is over, and the countdown to redevelopment begins. Continue reading “Clark Signs MZO to Make Dolime Residential, Becomes Part of Guelph January 1”
You may have heard there’s a housing crisis. Sky-high costs, especially in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, are making it harder and harder for all but the richest of the rich to be able to get the housing they need. This seems like a problem that the government could help solve. Or if not the government, then someone adjacent to the government like a provincial opposition leader and Member of Provincial Parliament. Continue reading “Schreiner Brings Forward a New Motion to Take on the Housing Crisis”
With Omicron nipping at our heels, the Government of Ontario announced on Thursday that eligibility for third shots, the booster dose, of the COVID-19 vaccine for people age 50 and over will be starting on Monday December 13. While the full effects of the new variant, both in terms of severity and contagiousness, are not yet known, the Chief Medical Officer of Health is recommending boosters to help build immunity just in case. Continue reading “Ontario Authorizes Booster Shots for People Age 50-Plus”
In King City today, the Ontario Energy Minister announced the installation of fast EV chargers along the province’s busiest highways at Onroute locations. Wednesday’s news is the latest instance where the Government of Ontario has embraced the EV movement, and comes less a month after Premier Doug Ford announced in Guelph new support for building a home-grown EV supply chain. Continue reading “Ontario Government Moves to Install EV Chargers Along Highways”
Less than 24 hours after announcing that the first two cases of the Omicron variant here in Ontario, Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore took to the media studio at Queen’s Park to talk about it. Since the announcement of the discovery of Omicron last week, the uncertainty has prompted a nearly thousand point dip in the Dow Jones, and a new round of travel restrictions, but Moore wants us all to stay cool. Continue reading “After 2 Cases Found, Moore Says Ontario is Ready for Omicron”
It seems like only yesterday (but it was actually February 2019) when Guelph MPP and Green Party of Ontario leader Mike Schreiner introduced his first private members bill. The Paris Galt Moraine Conservation Act made it past second reading, but when Premier Doug Ford prorogued the legislature this past summer, all bills in the works were cancelled. In fact, he’s daring the Ontario government to pass it. Continue reading “Schreiner Re-Introduces Private Members Legislation”
Saturday November 20 marks the annual commemoration of the Trans Day of Remembrance. Started in 1999 by transgender advocate Gwendolyn Ann Smith as way to remember and honour Rita Hester, a transgender woman who was killed in 1998, the day has grown to be a vigil for all trans people killed in violence. For living trans people though, the time is right to push the Ontario government for help on expanding access to healthcare. Continue reading “In Advance of Trans Remembrance Day, Groups Call Nonpartisan Support for Trans Health”
Premier Doug Ford was in Guelph on Wednesday morning to do something that was once considered anathema to his brand, support for the development of electric vehicles. At a Linamar facility in town, Ford and Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade Vic Fedeli announced the second phases of their auto strategy to support domestic production of EVs and EV parts. Continue reading “Ford Supports EVs in Guelph, Schreiner Not Impressed Though”
Guelph Politico 