Schreiner disappointed no mention of new Guelph hospital in budget
21This is why we need a member of the legislature from a major party. Having a fringe representative, with no pull, no influence and no voice has let us down again. We have only the voters in Guelph to blame.
13- Fergusone
OPINION: 'Downtown Guelph isn't failing, it's asking us to show up'
30Sorry, but 90% of the woes Downtown are directly the fault of Council and staff. 125 parking spots were removed when they moved the buses and built the new city hall. Another 300 were taken away they decided to put the new library in the Baker St. lot. 4 businesses and a 3-story apartment building were demoed at the north end of Wyndham so that the new condo dwellers could have a better view of the Diana restaurant. The new un-used parking building on Wilson could have and should have been built on city-owned land on Neeve St.And moving the buses from the square was the beginning of the end because now no one hops off to shop, they just use their transfer to get onto the next bus and go right homeRents are massively and greedily high, but leaving the City out of the equation is being defensive and perhaps even verges on being either woefully naive or even being disingenuous.
3- Dis-a-Ray
OPINION: 'Downtown Guelph isn't failing, it's asking us to show up'
29I leased an office downtown from 2015–2020. In that time, property taxes rose 170% - and parking costs shot up - that’s on the City of Guelph, not the landlord. So I bought a building, because of Guelph’s “bird policy” I paid $16,000 extra to install dotted glass on the windows. These aren’t landlord issues - they're city-imposed costs on those trying to invest. Commercial leases don’t have residential protections, nor should they. They're negotiated contracts, reviewed legally. You know what you're signing.This is another idealistic narrative missing real data and feasibility - meanwhile business owners face rising costs and safety concerns. And coming from a councillor who once justified a by-law variance simply because "they were there first," we need more than sentiment - we need sound policy.Being “rooted in community” means little when people don’t feel secure. It’s time to stop sugarcoating challenges and start holding everyone - including council - accountable.
2- Adam Cloet
OPINION: 'Downtown Guelph isn't failing, it's asking us to show up'
20Take a look at small town like St. Jacobs where the summer months are filled with visitors (primarily women) who are spending their money at the nice shops while also enjoying lunch the lunch venues. There are a lot of owners who live in the new condo's downtown that would certainly prefer their money stay in Guelph but instead their enjoying the safety and variety of stores in the surrounding cities. Removing "Tent City" was a good start. I take my visitors to either Elora or St. Jacobs.
6- K Laird
OPINION: 'Downtown Guelph isn't failing, it's asking us to show up'
17And if you aren't downtown to shop, you aren't welcome, as Councilor Klassen has made very clear. Who represents the people who can't afford dinner out and a couple of new hardcovers?
7- Aerin Milley Smith
Schreiner disappointed no mention of new Guelph hospital in budget
14Guelph needs a new hospital. Facilities are severely outdated. Would probably help the cause if Government MPP held riding.
9- Lester Green
OPINION: 'Downtown Guelph isn't failing, it's asking us to show up'
20Spot on @ k Laird. You put your finger on what draws people towards the rustic charm and welcoming ambience of the streets, shops and environs of small towns like Elora, St. Jacobs Niagara on the Lake, downtown Oakville etc etc just to name a few of the successful quaint downtowns in Ontario. Perhaps the secret to their success is what they don't have - - what these desirable small town venues don't have is a plethora of fast food joints, weed vendors and more bar stools than parking spaces all geared to drawing herds of late night party line ups and the trouble that follows. The people who care about the downtown are understandably drawn to the safety, charm and pleasantry of those thriving small towns that have found the solution to the downtown problems Guelph has been lamenting for decades.
3- Michael from Guelph
City lawyer: waiving fees for student housing a 'windfall' for developer at taxpayer expense
2I do not understand how it's costing us any money. The land is vacant, we will create housing for 500 students, construction jobs and ongoing revenue for local business. How is this costing us money. If it was a regular apartment or condo, then yes, fees apply. But this is a specific student residential project, restricted to students, and desperately required.Give the development the green light and stop playing politics.
18- Fergusone
OPINION: 'Downtown Guelph isn't failing, it's asking us to show up'
15stop raising taxes higher than the rate of inflation. saw the same thing happen in Brampton 25 years ago. all the small businesses could no longer afford to stay Downtown. same thing is happening here now.
4- Steve Spyderman
Staff call for vacant Ward 6 seat to be filled by council appointment, not by-election
13Leave it open. By the time it’s filled it will only be a year.
5- BH6
City lawyer: waiving fees for student housing a 'windfall' for developer at taxpayer expense
18There is absolutely no risk with student housing. It's close to the university as well as everything on Stone Road. They'll have every unit rented out within two or three days of it opening, and they'll be charging close to $1000 a month, if not more. It's literally a license to print money. Claiming that they can't go ahead if there are development fees is just a lie, they're just trying to get that much richer.
- Steven Muralt
Schreiner disappointed no mention of new Guelph hospital in budget
11Bring back the licence plate sticker…put the money towards building new hospitals…do not cancel tolls on province portion of highway 407……enough of the planning ahead 10 years for today’s needs…..
7- Ben There
City lawyer: waiving fees for student housing a 'windfall' for developer at taxpayer expense
17What a clear picture of the corruption that is plaguing development across Ontario. Give us a tax break OR ELSE. This development will print money for years. Pay the city, pay your taxes, or we add a vacant land tax.
- ZoeyRoss
City lawyer: waiving fees for student housing a 'windfall' for developer at taxpayer expense
So what is so wrong with a developer making money?They are taking 100% of the risk.PLUS at a time when housing is DESPARATLEY needed for students, this seems like a obvious win win.
17- Gary Roberts
At council, is the Golden Rule the only rule?
7I feel it's ironic for the author to previously criticize strong mayor powers as anti-democratic while also lamenting that public delegations can influence council decisions. These "rules" aren’t absolute - that’s why delegations exist. That’s democracy. And yes, property owners have rights too. The "nine heritage criteria" are subject to interpretation - council isn’t obligated to go with every staff recommendation - they ultimately take ownership of the decision over staff's recommendations when it comes to heritage designations. I'd be interested to see Donaldson explore what “deeply affordable, non-profit housing” actually means in a future piece. If net profit for builders is around 10–15%, is that enough of a discount to reach "deep affordability"? How much public funding would be required? How many units would we need to make a real impact?
10- Adam Cloet
OPINION: 'Downtown Guelph isn't failing, it's asking us to show up'
10There’s definitely a nexus between decades of provincial and local underinvestment and the state of cities. Unfortunately, this piece pivots to the false premise that city cores are intrinsically commercial playgrounds for the privileged. This has never been true. Not in Guelph or any other Canadian city. I assume that Councillor Klassen knows that the goal of sustaining small businesses is nowhere equal to the goal of including and sustaining all human life. Yet, that's essentially the premise of this article. Good intentions and nice sounding pleasantries about those in poverty mean nothing if your actions demonstrate a fundamental lack of understanding why it exists. I am appalled by the rhetoric from this and many other councillors. If your vision of an 'inclusive' downtown involves discouraging the presence of those don't have the money for artisinal soaps and Cafe lunches, then exclusion is actually your goal.
7- David Gibson
Heritage designation hits a snag for Gordon Street building
10More and More red tape. When does it stop?
6- Vince Klimkosz
Heritage designation hits a snag for Gordon Street building
12This looks like any other old industrial brick building, doesn't really have any unique features that would make it historic. The bricks and mortar look like they have been replaced piecemeal.
4- Steve Spyderman
City lawyer: waiving fees for student housing a 'windfall' for developer at taxpayer expense
16What risk? They will make millions and the city taxpayers will again pay the bill for the infrastructure development. The city has to stop letting developers dictate how we grow.
- [email protected]
Schreiner disappointed no mention of new Guelph hospital in budget
10Doug Ford is busy directing more money to his developer and police buddies.
6- Jboy
