Barbara Boo

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OPINION: Policy is fine, but traffic calming starts at home

GuelphToday

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Bring back the Speed Cameras. Bring back the traffic cops. Put the money collected toward health care and homelessness. Vote out the current Ontario PC party. Can’t get away with driving too fast, Mr. Premier Ford? Why not try a private jet on for size using taxpayers dollars? The people are telling you, the party is over, Doug.

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Orillia, former Guelph deputy CAO reach confidential settlement

GuelphToday

14

“Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” (Lord Action, British Historian, 1887)Where is the accountability for this abuse of “Strong Mayor’s Power” in rescinding the hiring decision in the first place?

Royal City Mission to cut hours in half amid cuts to expected funding

GuelphToday

13

Cutting support for valid social enterprises that assist those in need, essentially throwing people out in the street in January is wrong. The City of Guelph needs to get its priorities straight and reinstate the funding for Royal City Mission which is an essential service.

Potential 'golden opportunity' for Guelph Tiny Homes Coalition

GuelphToday

6

At first, “Tiny homes” sounded like a better answer than tents. But, what about heating, lighting, plumbing? Security, real privacy, sense of community? The diversion of resources to this stop-gap measure which is not sustainable is a mistake. Instead, please put the resources toward sustainable buildings, shelters as necessary, and permanent housing options along with health supports, including mental health and addiction recovery.

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Guelph’s planned daytime shelter scrapped due to construction delays

GuelphToday

8

It’s Wintertime, people! And, Winter comes every year, as City planners well know. There are people out on the street. Every day this is delayed, there will be people suffering, if not dying. Maybe open the grand Lobby of City Hall till this is resolved.

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Conservation authorities to be consolidated under new provincial agency

GuelphToday

7

When, oh when, is the next Provincial Election?!?!

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OPINION: If city hall is open for business, it should be open for questions

GuelphToday

8

Adam Donaldson’s article is well worth the reading time. The local examples he cites are relevant to us all. Fact-checked Local journalism, which gathers information from a variety of sources and attributes the facts presented to those sources is important to democracy and responsible government. Without a free press to ask the questions and demand answers from government officials, we have despotism. Government officials must make themselves available to answer to the public. This includes those who are elected and those who head the bureaucracy since they, too, are paid with taxpayer dollars. It’s that simple. Unfortunately, there are times when people in power may grow to think they are above reproach and should not be called to answer for their recommendations and their decisions which affect us all. Many thanks to the journalists who rise to the challenge of asking the important questions and bringing the information to light for people to evaluate for themselves.

Departing deputy CAO 'bewildered' by Orillia termination before even starting

GuelphToday

8

According to the Government of Ontario: “Strong mayor powers offer tools to help heads of council cut red tape and speed up the delivery of key shared municipal-provincial priorities such as housing, transit and infrastructure in their municipalities.” (June 16, 2023, Municipal Affairs and Housing)As such, these extraordinary powers are intended to assist in solving big problems that are connected to Provincial priorities not Local personnel decisions. For the Mayor of Orillia to lean so heavily on the scale as to rescind what was, by all accounts, a rigorous and completed hiring decision is way out of bounds. It does not pass the “smell test”. The Mayor of Orillia, his decision, the people involved, and the actions leading up to the decision should be thoroughly investigated. And the results of the investigation should be made public.

Royal City Mission to cut hours in half amid cuts to expected funding

GuelphToday

8

Incredible. But somehow not under the current City administration. Here is City Council getting priorities wrong again! Affecting people experiencing homelessness in January! Let’s look at a few examples: - Playground structure downtown, moving the Family Fountain… or help for the truly disenfranchised? - Bollards, Bumps and that are installed and removed seasonally (every year!) or basic snow removal keeping the streets clear for everyone’s safety? - Another feasibility study or core support for people in need? - Redundant signage being put up everywhere or food for the hungry. Come on people!

Axel or Kilo? Help name the Guelph Police Service's new police dog

GuelphToday

5

This dog should already have a name! What kind of training program forgets to name him?

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Celebrated Guelph author Thomas King discovers he is not Indigenous

GuelphToday

1

Respectfully, How can they be so sure? And Thomas King, not unlike Buffy St. Marie, has done so much good work! Not cultural appropriation if that’s how you were raised. All kinds of people seem to be able to “identify as _______” these days. These people really thought they knew themselves. Who are others to say differently?

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OPINION: Policy is fine, but traffic calming starts at home

GuelphToday

5

And, the money did not come from Ford. It came from taxpayers! Politicians need to stop taking credit for giving people their own money back. And, we have to stop letting them take the credit.

Five parks identified in city’s homelessness response

GuelphToday

4

Surely the brain trust at City of Guelph — staff and councillors — can pool or draw from other wasted city resources, research best practices, and come up with better ways to use emergency funding for mental health, addiction and homelessness. People need: Shelter. Water. Food. Dignity. Treatment for Mental Health and Addiction as may be necessary. Let’s think WAY harder about how to put those dollars to work more impactfully instead of frittering money away on garbage receptacles and porta-potties in community green spaces. What is they say about doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result?

ICYMI: 'I am sorry': Mayor Guthrie backpedals, orders bike lanes plowed

GuelphToday

65 people? Is that all it takes? No one wants to see anyone injured. But, the bike lanes with all the cement and random “bollards” etc. are the problem. The full roadways could be plowed for everyone without those experimental measures that make the roads more dangerous for everyone, pushing drivers and cyclists out into the opposite lane when turning…. Then, weather-permitting, the roads are available to motorists as well as cyclists so long as everyone obeys the rules of the road.

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AI author to take part in Eden Mills Writers' Festival panel

GuelphToday

1

Are we ostriches, sticking our heads in the sand? AI is happening. Let’s discuss. 1&

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Input sought on staff-recommended St. George’s Square re-design

GuelphToday

At least they seem to have let go of the terrible traffic circle idea!

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City parking strategy to look at paid on-street parking downtown

GuelphToday

2

Another study to create a strategy… or “consider authorizing the strategy’s creation”. What kind of bureaucratic double-speak is this? And Request for proposals? They must be kidding. City staff are paid well to do this kind of work. Let’s get at it, council and staff, if such a “strategy” is even necessary. No more outside contract boondoggles funded by taxpayers. No accountability. No actionable results. Not to mention a that Downtown businesses are already stressed. And the City can’t even enforce the current parking rules.

City seeks to connect residents and builders for affordable housing plan

GuelphToday

1

We don’t need another housing strategy, or planning session, or public consultation, we need to get on with it! No more “reno-victions”. Affordable housing should be part of every new development approval, courtesy of those who stand to gain the most from further development — developers!

City seeks public input on three playground replacement plans

GuelphToday

One thought on priorities: Reallocate funds to help homeless people before replacing perfectly adequate playground structures. Then, city parks can return to their intended purpose of being community recreation spaces rather than turning into campgrounds.

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City seeks public input as staff draft vacant home tax rules

GuelphToday

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The City of Toronto reportedly has about 6,000 vacant homes, compared to an estimated 50 in Guelph. Toronto’s vacant homes tax is now 3%. Do the math, people. Even at the higher tax rate of 4%, administration costs of such a vacancy tax in Guelph will far outweigh revenues. Highly doubtful that there would be any surplus to contribute to the City’s “Affordable Housing Reserve Fund”. Even if the City staff can invade people’s privacy and enforce this proposed tax, it will not appreciably improve the housing stock with only 50 potential units, which themselves are not likely affordable. The City should focus on more effective housing policies to directly help people who need assistance. Government overreach into people’s lives must be stopped.