Welcome to the Guelph Politico Tip Sheet, a thrice-a-week newsletter meant to “tip” you off about some of the important stuff going on in the Royal City. It arrives directly in your inbox on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
In late breaking news on Friday, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor were reportedly on their way back to Canada several hours after Meng Wanzhou was released after reaching a deal with the U.S. Justice Department.
A report to Wellington County’s social services committee points to some systemic issues in the delivery of paramedic services that are forcing county residents to wait longer for an ambulance than their counterparts in Guelph.
Hundreds of University of Guelph staged a walkout and marched to rally against sexual and gender-based violence on Thursday.
The mayor, the medical officer of health and the president of the University of Guelph co-signed a letter asking students to take it easy with parties and large gatherings during this Homecoming weekend.
There was just one call on the first day of the province-wide vaccine certification program, a man refused to show proof of vaccination at a Stone Road restaurant, and the police were called.
In other police news, four people were arrested in a home invasion at an east end apartment last week in what they’re calling a “targeted incident.”
Th Ontario Human Rights Commission has declared that vaccine hesitancy is not a protected class under the Human Rights Code.
The total active case count in Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph continues to cool off from 201 earlier this week and on Friday it came back down to 147 with the addition of 17 new cases. The 7-day rate of confirmed cases is down to 42.9 per 100,000 now, and the test positivity rate is just 3.1 per cent.
Going into the last weekend if September, 82.1 per cent of people 12 and over in the region have been fully vaccinated while 86.7 have received one dose. In Guelph alone, 87.5 per cent of the eligible population is fully vaccinated and 92.2 per cent have one dose.
In the rest of Ontario on Friday, there were 727 new cases of COVID-19, which is a slight bump from 677 on Thursday. Once again, the vast majority of new cases are in people that are not fully vaccinated, or whose vaccination status is unknown, and once again the total number of active cases has inched up sit that we’re presently a 6,518 cases province-wide.
The Politico Tip Sheet is open for anyone to subscribe, so if you know a friend or associate that might like to receive this newsletter, send it to them, and get them to click on the button below:
Canada’s conference of Catholic Bishops offered a formal apology for the systemic abuses and loss of life in Canada’s residential school system, and pledged to aid in the search for unmarked graves.
Medical Officer of Health Dr. Nicola Mercer has expanded the proof-of-vaccine requirements at sports and rec facilities to include anyone who supports indoor organized sports, and not just the select staff and players outlined in the original provincial order.
People living along the Grand River below Caledonia, and in low-lying areas near the river in Haldimand County have been advised that flooding might still be in issue even as waters in the lower Nith River, and the upper watershed have peaked and are now starting to recede.
The Guelph Public Library Board of Directors has passed a budget that eliminates late fees starting January 1, 2022.
On the Global Climate Strike Day, Guelpites marched from Market Square in front of City Hall to the Blue Triton plant in Aberfoyle.
Former Kitchener South-Hespeler MP Marwan Tabbara was given three years probation after pleading guilty to two counts of assault and one of being unlawfully in a dwelling house.
The City of Guelph and Guelph Museums have announced events for next week’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, and the month-long celebration of Culture Days.
Sadly, the Guelph Santa Claus Parade is cancelled for another year.
Regular Meeting of City Council – September 27, 6:30 pm.
Council will ratify decisions made at Committee of the Whole and will select the five members of the City Council Remuneration and Support Advisory Committee. You can see the Politico preview here, and you have until Friday September 24 at 10 am to register with the clerks office as a delegate or to send a correspondence.
Committee of the Whole Meeting – October 4, 2021.
Committee will review the new public petitions policy for council. They’ll hear updates to real estate assets, and environmental policies, plus they’ll hear again the appeal of the property owners at 649 Scottsdale who really want to remove those trees. You can see the agenda on the City’s website here, and you have until Friday October 1 at 10 am to register with the clerks office as a delegate or to send a correspondence.
Planning Meeting of City Council – (Tuesday) October 12*, 6:30 pm.
The agenda for this meeting will be posted on the City of Guelph’s website on Thursday September 30. (*This meeting is delayed a day because of the Thanksgiving holiday.)
Workshop Meeting of City Council – October 18, 6 pm.
The agenda for this meeting will be posted on the City of Guelph’s website on Thursday October 7.
Special Meeting of City Council – October 20, 6 pm.
The agenda for this meeting will be posted on the City of Guelph’s website on Thursday October 7.
For more information on Guelph City Council meetings, from agendas to live-tweets to recaps, you can visit that page on Guelph Politico here.
This weekend at the Mustang Drive-In, check out an interesting trilogy of flicks including the rebooted Candyman, the superhero flick The Suicide Squad, and Clint Eastwood’s newest Cry Macho.
The Bookshelf Cinema is back in business, and this week they’re showing the King Arthur inspired The Green Knight, and the sort of sci-fi relationship drama I’m Your Man.
This next tour in this year’s virtual Doors Open Guelph program is Douglas Street, and it’s available today!
The Ghost Walk of Guelph will be hosting another tour tonight, and next Friday!
The Towards Truth speaker event takes place on Monday September 27 at the River Run Centre and broadcast live online.
Tuesday Food Trucks in Exhibition Park is here for one last Tuesday this week from 4:30 to 8 pm.
The Upper Grand District School Board will hold its monthly meeting on Tuesday September 28 at 7 pm.
The Public Art Advisory Committee meets virtually at 5 pm on Tuesday September 28, while the Water Conservation and Efficiency Public Advisory will get together online later at 7 pm.
The University of Guelph is hosting a ceremony with Indigenous Elders on Johnston Green for the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation on Thursday September 30 at noon.
The Natural Heritage Advisory Committee meets on Webex on Thursday September 30 at 6:30 pm.
The Towards Truth film festival will take place from Thursday September 30 to Sunday October 3 at the Bookshelf Cinema.
Have a nice weekend. Order a Pizza I Dunno!
And finally, feel free to reach out to me by email at adamadonaldson [at] gmail [dot] com, or find me on Facebook, Twitter, and, of course, GuelphPolitico.ca!