Public school board cutting 15 custodial staff
26Our trustees need to put eyes on a typical elementary school washroom during the day, or take a stroll (or a slip and slide) through a meltwater drenched hallway after recess in the winter… just two small examples out of a hundred things these custodians and maintenance folks support. The province doesn’t give our boards much wiggle room on the base budget, I get that, but there still must be more creative options available here.
- Paul Nichols
Public school board cutting 15 custodial staff
25If anything, the Board should be hiring more custodial workers. The school board suggest an average of 3 custodians per school (both day and evening positions) when some of the schools have 1000+ students is ridiculous. I'm glad to see that their Union has their back. I wish the Office, Clerical, Technical Union would speak up publicly about the huge cuts and job shuffles going on at the OCT level right now.
- MarthaJ
Public school board cutting 15 custodial staff
24What a shame.perhaps they should be less heavy from the top down i stwad of taking away custodial jobs
- Patricia Bilton
Public school board cutting 15 custodial staff
24I’ll bet not one management person lost their job. And they’ll still want their staff sanctuary den kept clean.
- 1SPOOK
Public school board cutting 15 custodial staff
19Well, let’s just hope there are no outbreaks of contagious disease in the community come September that require the deep cleaning of frequently touched surfaces. This is what happens when funding decisions are made from afar by people who have no concept of what the inside of a school is like except for sterilized photo ops. Trustees have no real control, funding is dictated by the province on a per pupil basis and it’s only going to get more remote as trustees are even further defanged.
1- Arthur K
Public school board cutting 15 custodial staff
20Can “Guelph Today” please do an article about Management and Administration of the UGDSB covering salary levels, number of employees, and if there have been any cuts either in salaries or jobs there? I thought I read that they just gave themselves raises… Front line jobs, including custodial, educational assistants and teachers need to take priority over top-heavy Boards. If there need to be cuts, start there.
- Barbara Boo
OPINION: Apparently, the City of Guelph is right and you're wrong!
18This is the most thoughtful column you have written Adam. Part of the problem, is that very few members of council actually question staff, sure, they ask questions, except they aren't questioning the concept or factuality presented by staff, rather, asking questions for the sake of asking questions and getting air time. Most members of council aren't doing their due diligence, they are pandering to staff. I'll remind readers of the portrayal of this year's tax increase, where the "city services" 2026 tax increase claimed by staff, repeated ad nauseum by councillors and the media, was misinformation/disinformation/outright fabrication, a disgusting manipulation of the truth, for what purpose? In my opinion, it was nothing other than to minimize the tax increase when we had a 4 year increase of 38%. This problem won't change unless councillors are prepared to do their job and hold staff accountable rather than just collecting a pay cheque and commiserating about their pet projects.
2- H Mat
Rental replacement bylaw headed to council for final approval
11Ridiculous bylaw, this will drive potential landlords away from any rentals and likely lessen the availability of affordable ones! Not very well thought out......
6- John Smit
OPINION: Apparently, the City of Guelph is right and you're wrong!
3Look I hate to be the one to point this out but the author of this opinion piece has been a vocal opponent of the current mayor and council for a long time. Just look at his history of opinion pieces…all this dude ever writes about is how bad the mayor and council are. Me, I’m starting to wonder why this guy is so obsessed with the mayor and why he only writes about him and the council. Like surely there are other things to write about. It’s beyond weird it’s outright bizarre and creepy
14- usr_719263
Rental replacement bylaw headed to council for final approval
11Again, our elected council gets bullied by a bunch of do gooders and will drive landlords out of town
5- Paul Bb
OPINION: Apparently, the City of Guelph is right and you're wrong!
12Especially during Covid...right or wrong, people that were asking questions against the protocol were being shut down, period. No if and or buts. Even people with a well educated background were being fired or censored from government. The government appointed officials simply didn't want to hear it because they were "right" unequivocally. No discourse allowed. Trust the government? Not in this day and age. Thank you.
4- nick tasillo
OPINION: Apparently, the City of Guelph is right and you're wrong!
9Sorry. Nick, but there's no denying COVID programs and restrictions saved lives. That tsunami of junk science and anti-vax misinformation needed refutation and rejection. Why?Because there was no reliable empirical basis for verification. Stunned that anyone in 2026 still thinks otherwise.
7- Splurfy
OPINION: Apparently, the City of Guelph is right and you're wrong!
5Splurfy: You have no idea whether or not COVID restrictions saved lives. You can't be 5' 11" away from someone, but 6' away, you're considered safe?Hide behind plexiglass but pay and put your hands all over the debit machine. lol.Shut down outdoor parks, trails and all activity, yet promote fast food and alcohol. Your best defense against COVID wasn't listening to Trudeau name call and divide. It was about a strong immune system. Diet and exercise. The general public was played by the powers to be
11- Wildwill
Rental replacement bylaw headed to council for final approval
4Wow! 3 straight negative views. I wonder which ones have stable housing? Guelph's selfish attitudes showing again.
11- Doug Frank
Public school board cutting 15 custodial staff
14And just how many "Sunshine List" administrators are losing their jobs?
- Mike Baker
OPINION: Apparently, the City of Guelph is right and you're wrong!
13Canada Day was not a Stat for all. Many factory workers had to get up and find a different way to get to work. Can’t shut down mid week. From what I understand it was difficult They got the Friday off instead. Good post Adam.
1- MakeGuelphGreatAgain
Public school board cutting 15 custodial staff
13Looking to cut back on spending ? Start here ! Brent McDonald was appointed as the new Director of Education and CEO of the Upper Grand District School Board (UGDSB) on July 6, 2026. While his specific executive salary for this newly assumed top position has not been publicly released yet, his predecessor's salary was approximately $276,027
- Mike Cummings
UGDSB director of education/CEO announces retirement
12Stayed long enough to dismantle the Board - cutting teaching sections to teachers, cutting programs, fewer EAs, laying off many low-paid Office, Clerical, Technical, and Custodial front-line staff just last week, and running the finances into the ground. I'm sure we'll see him in the Ministry this fall.
- MarthaJ
Rental replacement bylaw headed to council for final approval
7Selfish? I think that's what those demanding other people house them at below market rent are doing. Why would anyone choose to invest in a rental property? There are safer ways to make a profit.
5- WendySmith
New scoreboard, digital ice logos part of overhaul at Sleeman Centre
1I always thought that hockey was interesting and exciting enough to be enjoyed without this sort of technological help. I guess it's not.
10- Tim Allman
