It was this week three years ago when the City of Guelph announced that they were closing all their public facilities, when the University of Guelph started sending all students in residents home, when all Guelph students started online learning, and every business in town, except for the most essential, closed their doors. It was start of the first COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, and three years later we still have questions. Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #364 – COVID Questions Remain”
Have you ever stopped to think about all the waste generated in the last 30 months since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic? How many masks, gloves, wipes, syringes and containers we’ve thrown away? It’s an interesting question, and some scientists are trying to get answers about all this extra garbage we’ve created and the effect it’s having on our environment. Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #340 – The Post-Pandemic Plastic Problem”
In the fourth local debate of this election, five of the seven Guelph candidates faced off to discuss matters of economic equality, environmental protection, and the improvement of healthcare and education. Hosted by the Guelph Coalition for Social Justice, and its member groups and agencies, it was a blockbuster 120 minutes of ideas and discussion, but don’t call it a debate. Check out the Twitter recap and the video below. Continue reading “RECAP: #ONelxn Candidates Face Off in Virtual Discussion on Social Justice”
The COVID-19 pandemic is not over, and that’s why an important position has been filled at the top of the regional COVID response, the hospital lead. The position was vacated earlier this month, but it’s now been filled by none other than the Guelph General Hospital’s CEO Marianne Walker, who notes hospitals are still being challenged by both the number of patients with COVID, and the number of staff members who are also sick. Continue reading “Guelph General Prez Walker Now the COVID Lead for the Region”
Historically, women played a pretty big role in the brewing of beer. Starting in ancient times, brewing was fairly female-dominated, but that changed in western culture around the same time the brewing process became industrialized 150 years ago. In 2022, women are trying to reclaim their place atop the brewing world thanks to the proliferation of craft breweries, and one local woman is helping to lead the way. Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #320 – The Queen of Craft”
People are probably pretty aware that Ontario had to struggle to respond to the pandemic when COVID-19 broke out here in March 2020. With the pandemic in recline, it seems appropriate to start talking about the future, and the Government of Ontario announced Tuesday morning their “Plan to Stay Open”, a series of measures meant to make sure Ontario’s healthcare and procurement systems are ready for the next pandemic. Continue reading “Ontario Has a Plan to Stay Open Now, Plus a New Benefits Panel”
Ontario’s school students were supposed to be going back to in-person learning on Monday, but Mother Nature had other ideas. This probably came as a relief to parents, young people, teachers and other school staff who now have an extra day to psych themselves up, which makes you think again about the mental health cost of the COVID-19 pandemic. On Monday, Guelph MPP Mike Schreiner was thinking about it too. Continue reading “Schreiner Calls for “Significant” Mental Health Investment for Young People”
Yesterday’s announcement from Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore outlined the next phase of the pandemic fight: Kids are going back to in-person school next Wednesday, not everyone will be able to be tested now, capacity limits at large indoor settings will be reduced further, and fourth doses are coming to long-term care residents. Not everyone was pleased with the new directions though, or thinks they go far enough. Continue reading “Lots of Criticism for Ontario’s New Year Pandemic Planning”
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.”
Despite the enormous efforts being made to vaccinate everyone in the region, it’s not always easy for people to drop everything and show up at an appointed time and place to get a shot. Considering that many of these people are the ones who are most in need of a vaccine shot – people with health and mobility issues, and essential workers – it’s even more important they get one. Don’t worry, help may be coming to a neighbourhood near you. Continue reading “Guelph CHC Rolling Out Mobile Low-Barrier Vaccine Clinics”
Guelph Politico 