CasualObserver
18660 
VIDEO: Minimum wage is going up, but it’s still nowhere near a living wage
55As wages go up, so does the cost of everything that is connected to Ontario wages.
16- CasualObserver
BREAKING: City declares another significant weather event
OrilliaMatters 8London, Toronto, Hamilton, and Ottawa are just a few of the municipalities in Ontario that have ordinances requiring homeowners to clear the sidewalk in front of their property. In London, Ontario, homeowners have until 10 am each day to clear ice and snow from their sidewalks or face fines. That might be an alternative solution for the council to consider, allowing them to better focus on roadways. I believe Orillia had this ordinance at one time.
13- CasualObserver
Poll: Home ownership becoming only for the rich, 4 of 5 readers fear
17Our house has doubled in price as well. I am wondering when MPAC will adjust the value of homes to justify tax increases. I wonder how many people will have to dump their homes because they can't afford the taxes.
- CasualObserver
'It's ridiculous': Rising fuel prices a pain at the pumps for locals
OrilliaMatters 9Onlooker - While it is true that the current rise is in prices is due to helping lift the heel of a terrorist regime off the people in Iran, our continued high prices in Canada are in fact the boondoggles of successive Liberal governments.
6- CasualObserver
'It's ridiculous': Rising fuel prices a pain at the pumps for locals
OrilliaMatters 9Insanity is blaming Trump for everything, when we have a Prime Minister promising to release our oil reserves to the world when Canada does not have oil reserves. Canadian's blame Trump, despite successive Liberal Governments having chosen to kill and drive away investment in Canadian oil and gas.
3- CasualObserver
'Disheartening': Retailers in Orillia facing bold, frequent thefts
OrilliaMatters 10The Supreme Court of Canada and the Federal Government are not exempt from blame.R. v. Pham, 2013 SCC 15 (Supreme Court of Canada) established that judges should consider the collateral immigration consequences of a sentence when determining a fit sentence for a non-citizen offender. This decision effectively creates a two-tier justice system.Bill C-75 (2019) is a key contributor to the "revolving door" in our justice system by "strengthening" the principle of restraint bail rules.
2- CasualObserver
'Significant changes': Lauer sounds alarm about future of church properties, pre-zoning issues
OrilliaMatters 4Canadians used to think what Stalin did in the Soviet Union was wrong. Canadians also used to object to what happened in Nazi Germany.“If approved, fourplexes, triplexes, townhouses, long-term care homes, and retirement homes will be permitted without recourse on any church property located in a stable neighbourhood – Jamieson, Skyline, Fittons, Douglas at Nottawasaga, Regent at James, Westmount, Coldwater Road are just some of the affected areas,” Lauer said.
7- CasualObserver
DELETED
Seasonal parking permit program recommended for west Orillia
OrilliaMatters 10Don't blame the builders because they are building homes for families. In the fall when I am out walking and I talk to International Students living in West Ridge, I am often asked if I have a room to rent because they house they are living in have ten or more students living in them. I would love to see MPAC do a door to door, as well as code enforcement.
- CasualObserver
New Orillia doctor opens walk-in clinic days after arriving in Canada
OrilliaMatters 4While I welcome any new doctor to the area because of the great need, this article does not mention that Dr Khaliq has verified his UK credentials with the Medical Council of Canada, which I think would be a crucial fact to report. However, I would expect that doctors in Orillia would raise the alarm if he is not yet licensed to practice in Canada.
6- CasualObserver
'Vindictive' ban by 'woke' local library follows book club remark
OrilliaMatters 7Interestingly, Psychology Today wrote in 2013 that "It is estimated that about 10 per cent of students [in the United States] will experience educator sexual misconduct by the time they graduate high school." The New York Post in 2022 wote, "Nearly 270 public educators were arrested on child sex-related crimes in the US in the first nine months of this year, ranging from grooming to raping underage students."There seems to be a need for these conversations, even at a library-hosted book club. Because library boards in Ontario are independent of the municipality and make their own policies, only funded and influenced by the municipality. If the library is only accountable to itself, as it seems, that is a problem the Province needs to correct fast.
2- CasualObserver
BREAKING: City declares another significant weather event
OrilliaMatters 7I was born in Orillia and have lived in the area most of my life. I remember one winter in the early 70s when I stood on a snowbank that was higher than the stop sign. When we lived just outside Orillia in Oro, our road went unplowed for 5 days because of the deep snow. The plow would get bogged down, back up and ram into the snow to get going again. I was annoyed that they had the road cleared so that we had to go to school. When we lived in town, we did not take the bus. We were taught to walk as close to the side of the road facing oncoming traffic and to cross the road if a plow was approaching. In the early 80s, I remember having to shovel a snow bank at the end of the driveway that was about 5 feet tall after one storm.
- CasualObserver
'It's ridiculous': Rising fuel prices a pain at the pumps for locals
OrilliaMatters 7I believe B Bee may have misunderstood environmental organizations' (including Greenpeace Canada) claims that our continued need for Canadian oil and gas will stem from our ongoing reliance on plastics. This is against the Greta Thunberg's of the world who like to preach "Keep the oil in the ground".
- CasualObserver
'Throwing us over the edge': Orillia agency faces $15K deficit, needs support
OrilliaMatters 7The Orillia Pregnancy Resource Centre opened in December 1988. There is still a need in the community. Is the issue a matter of PR, or do people in the community have no appetite for opportunities to give back?
- CasualObserver
COLUMN: Death of Orillia college campus should rest heavy on Ford
OrilliaMatters 6The Ontario College system was created during the Baby Boom bulge. Post-bulge, institutions continued to expand. In the 1970s, College diploma trades programs reshaped trade apprenticeships, and later college programs trained students for minimum-wage jobs. I seem to recall the Orillia Campus being threatened with closure before, and I recall when the Simcoe Foundation folded, the money went to the Orillia Campus of Georgian College to maintain its presence. But it was not an eternal promise, backed with unlimited funding. Programs have long shifted between campuses.If I understand the decisions correctly, Provincial funding is an issue, and the Federal government reduced the number of International Students each province can get. Institutions treated these seats as a commodity by oversubscribing them to International Students to protect their enrollment from students who declined offers. Today, the vacated International Seat cannot be simply refilled with another student.
- CasualObserver
Council worried planned music fest won't hit the right notes
OrilliaMatters 4Burl's Creek sits on what used to be Barrie Raceway. Good road access, decades old parking and roadways on property. Sits between two police jurisdictions, Orillia and Barrie.There are two major concerns:1: Roadway to the field from townline road , “It’s barely a car width wide” Think emergency vehicle access such as ambulance or fire. (With planning, approvals, and money, that can be dealt with).3: Policing, "I sit on the police board, we know we don’t have any extra OPP officers”
1- CasualObserver
COLUMN: Goal is not to 'make homelessness more comfortable'
OrilliaMatters 2In walking the area trails, I have seen abandoned tents, sleeping bags, and clothing. I doubt the decision to abandon such things was a decision taken lightly. While I didn't pickup what was abandoned, it was obvious that repairs were in order and the most likely reason for abandonment.The Lighthouse Orillia does have a shower and laundry program, and this is from their website. I don't know the size of their laundry equipement, but sleeping bags can be washed and dried in the larger machines at laundromats. Laundering can help restore the insulating properties of the bag.The Lighthouse has one community shower and laundry roomcombined (with one small washer/dryer). A towel, hygiene productsand laundry soap is available if needed. Our laundry machines areoften in use, appointments are encouraged.Drop-in Mon- Fri, 9:00a - 12:00p
1- CasualObserver
New Hampton Inn and Suites hotel planned for Memorial Avenue
OrilliaMatters 3One summer, I parked behind the Swiss Chalet when there was a breeze coming from the southeast. That is not a pleasant smell coming from the dump and sewage plant.
- CasualObserver
New Hampton Inn and Suites hotel planned for Memorial Avenue
OrilliaMatters 2Brad, I think you are right...I would love to see a lot plan for how it will sit in relation to the Swiss Chalet and the Best Western. Currently, Best Western has 83 rooms and a conference room. The new hotel will have 112 rooms. At minimum, the Orillia by-laws will require the new hotel to have 1 to 1.25 spaces per room, and 1-2 handicap spaces per 25-50. Best Western must also allocate parking spaces for the conference center.I am not convinced there is sufficient land for both properties to operate as hotels. I am not even convinced there is enough property for a motel and a retirement home. I suspect there would be enough room for a motel and a nursing home. Residents in retirement homes can still drive their cars, but residents in nursing homes rarely drive or own a car. For a retirement or nursing home, the conference room would likely be converted into a dining area, further reducing the number of parking spaces required for the current Best Western.
1- CasualObserver
No penalties for NRK after unauthorized road work in Ramara
OrilliaMatters 3I agree with the basic premise of your concern, but it is not an apple-to-apple comparison.Home renovations, such as adding a deck requires building permits and inspections to help ensure the deck does not fail under load. Depending on the lot size, there may be restrictions on how large a deck may be. Basement renovations can impact your MPAC assessment, and this work requires building and electrical permits and inspections. Some plumbing changes require permits. I have heard of DIY home flippers claiming they drywall over an electrical junction box to hide it, even though it is illegal and a potential fire hazard. Sometimes permits and inspections save you from having a fire that the insurance company would be entitled to void your policy. Creating a basement apartment might violate the property's zoning.
- CasualObserver
Ford muses about allowing more malls to open on Family Day
OrilliaMatters 2If people want to work on Family Day, let the stores open. If people don't want to work on Family Day, make sure stores honour their workers' decisions.
1- CasualObserver
