Strawberry Fields Eventually
See you in June!
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.
The Upper Grand District School Board has adopted a new data governance and security policy to govern digital safety for students and staff.
Two downtown developers are appealing the community planning permit system.
One city councillor is pulling a report about no longer using city hall as an overnight emergency shelter for further discussion.
Centre Wellington is looking to take the first step in creating a transit system with four routes.
Mayor Shawn Watters has a challenger in the race for Centre Wellington in the form of former councillor Neil Dunsmore.
A new report says that Waterloo Region only grew in population by 90 people last year, and the blame for stalled growth goes to less international student enrollment.
Politicians in St. Catharines are demanding that GM clean up and remediate their former site on Ontario Street as the building is on the brink of collapse.
The Ontario government’s latest omnibus bill will let the solicitor general set priorities for local police services, but they totally pinky swear that they’ll have no say in actual law enforcement.
Some provincial civil servants will be allowed to work from home on World Cup game days after an initial blanket denial from Queen’s Park.
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It looks like it’s going to be a good strawberry season for local providers, it’s just going to take some time to get them to you.
Oreofejesu Agunsoye from Compass Community Services was one of the 20 recipients of the Attorney General’s Victim Services Awards of Distinction this year.
A pilot was forced to make an emergency landing in his small plane in a field along Beatty Line outside of Fergus after an engine malfunction on Tuesday.
Margarette Rae Morrison Luckock, one of the first two women to ever sit in the Ontario Legislature, now has a plaque honouring her in Arthur, which she represented at Queen’s Park. Meanwhile in Mapleton, a mural commemorating the historic Black settlement there will be revealed in August.
Kitchener Centre MPP Aislinn Clancy is adding to the pressure on the Ontario government to pass Lydia’s Law and create more opportunities for justice for sexual assault survivors.
Waterloo Regional Police is telling residents to be aware of fake police who extorted a least one person in the area.
Despite concerns from neighbours, there’s a tentative agreement in place to bring the Brantford Municipal Airport into the boundaries of the city.
The Ontario government says they’re now concerned about the proliferation of online gambling ads just a couple of weeks after killing an opposition bill to ban them outright.
Ajax MPP Rob Cerjanec is now the fourth contender for Ontario Liberal leader.
Steve Guilbeault is resigning from the federal government this summer, blaming the need to take climate action in a new direction due to Canada’s “backsliding.”
Two new names of joined the race. Brendan Clark will be trying his had to become a councillor in Ward 4 again this election, while James Doran, the CEO of Innovation Guelph, is the fourth person to join the race in Ward 5.
See the full list of nominees so far here.
Committee of the Whole Meeting –Tuesday June 2, 2026 at 2 pm.
A busy committee meeting will include the community investment strategy, supporting staff members in the Canadian Forces reserve, the updated water use bylaw, and the EA for McQuillan’s Bridge. You can see the agenda on the City’s website here, and you have until next Friday at 10 am to delegate or write a correspondence on any of those agenda items.
Planning Meeting of City Council – Tuesday June 9, 2026 at 4 pm.
At the June planning meeting, council will tackle a new project in the south end, the redesignation of the Kortright Waterfowl Park as parkland, and something about an affordable housing and charitable hub. You can see the agenda on the City’s website here, and you have until next Friday at 10 am to delegate or write a correspondence on any of those agenda items.
Special Meeting of City Council – Tuesday June 10, 2026 at 4 pm.
Council will tackle the vacant home tax, the rental replacement and renoviction bylaws. You can see the agenda on the City’s website here, and you have until next Friday at 10 am to delegate or write a correspondence on any of those agenda items.
For more information on Guelph City Council meetings, from agendas to live-tweets to recaps, you can visit that page on Guelph Politico here.
The Guelph Public Library is collecting previously enjoyed tablets and laptops to improve digital equity in Guelph.
Abigail Adhanom is this year’s recipient of the Guelph Police Junior Citizen Award for demonstrating “strong protective instincts and composure under stress, far beyond her six years.”
Brent Butt, Men Without Hats, Matthew Good, and several bicentennial specials are among the offerings in the 2026/27 season at the River Run Centre.
Wellington County’s Market Box Series and Farmers’ Market Trail programs are both back for 2026.
Guelph Wellington Women in Crisis is hosting a screening of the 1991 classic Thelma & Louise at The Bookshelf on Saturday May 30 at 1 pm.
Guelph Pride will kick off with a flag raising at city hall on Thursday June 4 at noon. CMHA Waterloo Wellington has resources if anyone feels like they need a little support.
There will be open houses at the four Rural Women’s Support Program locations throughout the month of June.
The United Way’s Ultimate Burger Battle Crawl is back on Saturday June 20.
Art on the Street is back again for another year on Saturday June 20.
The 2025/26 class from Project SEARCH, a school-to-work training program for students with disabilities, will take place on Monday June 22 at 4 pm.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Guelph is looking for new recruits to joins their board of directors.
Mike Weickert has been named the interim executive director of HOPE House, and just in time to as registration begins on the annual Backpack Project on Monday June 1, which is one of the projects that they’re looking to fund with their Empowering Hope funding drive.
The Foundation of Guelph General Hospital has started their own drive to fund the replacement of nearly 400 I.V. pumps at Guelph General Hospital.
Over 30 University of Guelph research projects are being funded thanks to nearly $7 million in new investment from the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance.
Current “Have Your Say” opportunities: Downtown Infrastructure Renewal Program; Guelph Transit Future Ready Action Plan Update; Naming Places; Sloan Hill Park Design; and Victoria Road, Stone Road and McQuillan’s Bridge EA Study.
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!