So, Was This a Short Week?
Also, Strong Mayor Powers are back on the menu.
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 Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Mayor Cam Guthrie has used his Strong Mayor Powers to accelerate a proposed nine-unit mixed use building on Waterloo Avenue. Meanwhile, another big plot of land is back on the real estate market long after council approved redevelopment.
Five people were seriously injured when two vehicles collided head-on outside Ariss late Tuesday night, including “a 16-year-old passenger who sustained life-altering injuries,” according to Wellington OPP.
A new medical tent set up at the homeless encampment at 100 Victoria Street in Kitchener has been set up as a stop gap to deal with the loss of the consumption and treatment site in that town.
Resources are strained as firefighters are facing 17 new fires in northern Ontario as of the evening of July 2, which brings the total number of active blazes to 46.
Ontario’s auditor general is apparently conducting investigations into special education and child care according to leaked internal documents.
Operations at Canadian airports have returned to normal after multiple (and false) bomb threats on Thursday.
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Guelph’s PDI Bulk wants the temporary traffic lights at the corner of Victoria an Florence to be made permanent in the name of safety for employees (and others presumably).
Heritage Hall’s place in local history has been enshrined in a new recognition from the Ontario Heritage Trust.
Weird crime of the week? Someone stole $2,000 worth of mice – the computer variety – from a store in Stone Road Mall.
Palmerston and District Hospital is in the process of installing the new MRI machine the community helped raise $8 million to buy.
The Township of Wellington North is launching the 2025 Business Retention and Expansion (BR+E) Project, which is designed to support the area’s downtown businesses.
The legislature is off for the summer, but Waterloo MPP Catherine Fife is still fighting to get her private member’s bill, passed which will enshrine the right for senior couples to remain together in long-term care.
The old Bay store at Conestoga Mall in Waterloo is one of the locations bought by BC billionaire Ruby Liu who has an eye to potentially re-develop the properties.
A new poll says Ontarians don’t like the idea of “special economic zones” but are willing to change their minds if it all works out.
Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario is being told that they have to do more to combat rising housing insurance rates as climate change becomes more of a threat.
Committee of the Whole Meeting – Tuesday July 8, 2025 at 2 pm.
A new administrative penalty system for red light cameras, plus accessible ramps, the future of St. George’s Square, and a possible bid for the 2027 Memorial Cup are on the agenda for the July committee meeting. You can see the agendas on the City’s website here, and you have until today at 10 am to register with the clerks’ office as a delegate or to send a correspondence.
Shareholder Meetings of City Council – Tuesday July 9, 2025 at 4 pm.
This is a closed meeting follow-up for Guelph Municipal Holdings Inc. You can see the agendas on the City’s website here.
Planning Meeting of City Council – Tuesday July 15, 2025 at 6 pm.
Once again, there’s a tonne of new heritage designations, plus a few objections. We will also get the latest Affordable Housing Monitoring Report, and we’ll get a decision about a proposed Elmira Road apartment. You can see the agendas on the City’s website here, and you have until next Friday at 10 am to register with the clerks’ office as a delegate or to send a correspondence.
Special Meeting of City Council – Wednesday July 16, 2025 at 2 pm.
On a special day and time, council will receive the Future Guelph Progress Report. You can see the agendas on the City’s website here, and you have until next Friday at 10 am to register with the clerks’ office as a delegate or to send a correspondence.
Regular Meeting of City Council – Tuesday July 22, 2025 at 6 pm.
The agenda for this meeting will be posted on the City’s website on Thursday July 10.
Special Meeting of City Council* – Tuesday July 22, 2025 at 4 pm.
The agenda for this meeting will be posted on the City’s website on Thursday July 10.
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 is the last meeting of city council before summer break.
The City’s Outside Water Use Program has now move to Level 1 Yellow, which means that there’s now lawn watering restrictions. You’re allowed to water from 7 to 9 am and 7 to 9 pm on alternating dates to reduce the burden on our community’s water system.
Art Not Shame will be presenting the Art for Social Change Workshop Series, a two-parter on Tuesday July 8 and Tuesday July 15 from 5 to 8 pm.
Glenn Marcus, who’s served as interim general manager of Guelph Transit since February, has now gotten the job permanently.
The University of Guelph has reappointed Dr. Mazyar Fallah as the Dean of the College of Biological Science.
Brian Martin has wrapped up his term as president of the Rotary Club of Guelph; Marva Bailey-Wisdom has now taken over.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Guelph are looking for volunteers for their TAG Day weekend fundraising campaign.
The 12th annual Tour de Guelph featured a record-breaking 850 riders last weekend, who ending up raising over $215,000.
Bishop Macdonell Catholic High School teacher Amberlea Daigneau won the Baillie Award for Excellence in Secondary School Teaching.
Current “Have Your Say” opportunities: Community Planning Permit System, Guelph’s Bicentennial, Moving You Forward, Official Plan Update: Phase 1, and York Road Reconstruction Phase 4.
Transit Detours/Notices:
REMINDER: Routes #1 Edinburgh College, #2 College Edinburgh and #15 College will be detoured from June 23 to December 19 due to construction on College Avenue.
Routes #3 Westmount, #10 Paisley, #11 Silvercreek, #12 Delhi, #13 Eastview and #20 Northwest Industrial will be detoured on Saturday July 12, from the beginning of service till 6 pm for The Great Downtown Guelph Garage Sale.
Upcoming Construction:
There will be lane reductions on Baker Street through to November for finishing work.
There will be lane reductions and/or shifts on Greengate Road, Valleyview Drive, and Sunset Road for the next four to six weeks as part of the annual downtown paving program.
Select fire hydrants in Guelph will have their old paint removed and re-painted over the next two months.
There will be lane reductions and/or shifts on Norfolk Street, Woolwich Street and Elizabeth Street for three weeks starting on Monday July 7 as part of the annual downtown paving program.
There will be bike lane shifts in the southbound lane on Victoria Road South just north of Arkell Road for one week starting on Tuesday July 8 to complete a sewer connection.
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!