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Overcrowded Comfie Cat Shelter in danger of being 'shut down'

OrilliaMatters

15

Time to make it official with city council; there is bound to be a city councillor interested in making a low-cost spay and neuter clinic an option in Orillia with a deputation or motion. https://www.orillia.ca/en/city-hall/correspondencetocouncil.aspx#Direct-Response-PolicyAbsolutely bylaw can find time to pursue this over other areas and there is animal control as well. Putting some extra time up front will benefit us all in the long term. Partnerships with new SRRP/youth shelter and Lighthouse shelter; volunteers can be had from there and would be a great plus on their resumes as well as they can tie in some bonuses/perks for youth in terms of incentives for doing extra; snacks, movie tickets, clothes, bikes from police seizures, donations from businesses.

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Nearly a year later, first-time homebuyer pays squatters to leave

OrilliaMatters

2

I did hear about this kind of thing happening locally recently. A landlord wanting to pay someone a $1,000 to leave. The thing is even if all the addicts and smokers and alcoholics were to quit and had the money/the sobriety there still wouldn't be enough places to rent. So back peddle a bit and understand/support basic shelter for everyone; even if it is living rough in the bush until people are feeling ready for support. Otherwise tenants, in the case I mentioned, are overwhelmed by people coming over/couch surfing/using because there is simply nowhere else to go. And this is also a case for supervised consumption sites; stop slamming the poor/tenants since the rich are just better at hiding it AND have a place to use safely.

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Officials celebrate county's 'essential' community hub in Orillia

OrilliaMatters

13

what does that mean? "stalling"...it's government that has been stalling especially the province. All kinds of things are held up by jill dunlop's government; we should be so much further ahead with OUR tax dollars. Why are we fundraising for hospital equipment, having city-wide garage sales for affordable housing, having to beg for AC and clean air in schools? Why are we begging for things that are rightfully ours and "thanking" dunlop today for a drop in the bucket?

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COLUMN: Goal is not to 'make homelessness more comfortable'

OrilliaMatters

8

Living "rough" or outdoors is hardly comfortable. Yet the supply of tents and sleeping bags/mats through Lighthouse Outreach is inconsistent. Could there be an unlimited supply of tents and an exchange program for dirty/wet sleeping bags to be laundered? Home Hardware has been so good to the community...maybe a supply of tents at cost and A BIG "SHOUT" OUT to them for all they do!Liquidation nation also!

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Downtown merchants call for free holiday parking to be reinstated

OrilliaMatters

11

Downtown pays a higher tax levy for location; so they do subsdize/pay for parking in a sense. The roads have already been made, get paved every few years with tax dollars, get plowed. Many residents enjoy free parking in front of their homes so why not downtown?

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Downtown merchants call for free holiday parking to be reinstated

OrilliaMatters

9

yes everyone really does enjoy free parking on the street in front or at the side of their homes. Merchants pay higher taxes for location; they are already paying for it.

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'Terrible idea': Smith rails against pitch for tiny homes, car living

OrilliaMatters

7

How about we choose to spend our money on our most marginalized instead of the perks for the rich; like shuttles to the boat launch, porta-toilets at Collins Boat launch, empty/leased and groomed parking lots?

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'We apologize': Why your local Shoppers Drug Mart was closed Monday

OrilliaMatters

11

it's boycot Loblaws, Shopper's, Zehrs month btw send a message to the corporation that continues to make huge profits but cries foul that they are "suffering" with inflation.Remember during covid they raised wages for staff; "hero pay"? Those incentives have been pulled back.Over 700 people died in a factory that collapsed in Bangladesh; those workers were making "joe fresh" clothes. The workers that survived are not receiving proper disability benefits even though it wouldn't be that much money by Canadian standards. Remember the price fixing of bread? Wonder why you wait so long to have prescriptions filled? It's so that you go "shopping" while you wait. Collectively we can send a message; they could do better and still make profits

City of Orillia has 87 employees on 2024 Sunshine List

OrilliaMatters

11

yes! and how many more people could be hired to operate snowplows, do the actual practical stuff by trimming down some of those salaries/less higher up positions.

'Poverty' lawyer says homelessness here to stay 'in large numbers'

OrilliaMatters

5

There's an important battle to be had in Orillia. People were illegally removed from city property behind Giant Tiger on June 14, 2023. It's roll number #435201010411100; anyone can go to city hall and ask to have a look at the roll books. At the time, city was stalling on who owned the property.There may have been people on the surrounding private property but without access to the internet, etc it would be difficult to know which part is the city owned part. People could have been told and helped to move there. Their belongings at the time were removed, taken, bulldozed; Victim Services were not interested in any compensation.People have lived there since and have been visited by bylaw and police; ford is spending far too much money on criminalizing poverty and homelessness instead of taking the relatively inexpensive steps to invest in tiny homes.

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City of Orillia has 87 employees on 2024 Sunshine List

OrilliaMatters

10

It is difficult to imagine that some people would command such salaries; what is it about their qualifications that make them solely able to that job? How is it possible that Ontario power staff earn that kind of money, profiteering over our payments; there is no skill set that deserves that kind of salary.Happy to see youth centre director on that list but just barely; anyone that actually works face to face with people deserves this...imagine how many "Kevins" could be hired from the salary of a "power generator" and how we would all be better off.

Downtown merchants call for free holiday parking to be reinstated

OrilliaMatters

7

Downtown is already paying for it; it was a long-standing program for many years and there is a noticeable loss in sales according to Watson. Surrounding municipalities like Bracebridge, Midland, Gravenhurst have some free parking all year round. There isn't anything stopping bylaw from enforcing it after a 3 hour limit and/or less bylaw would cut costs too. There is money to be had in other ways.

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City push for treatment services, harm reduction marred by provincial announcement

OrilliaMatters

3

Where are you [email protected]?Does it take someone you know to get you to care? Here she is then...https://www.orilliamatters.com/local-news/beloved-local-equestrian-coach-had-everything-and-lost-it-to-drugs-8348667

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'Terrible idea': Smith rails against pitch for tiny homes, car living

OrilliaMatters

8

What are her ideas to help the situation? Leave people unhoused?

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'Very unfortunate' situation prompts Ford to launch audit of child welfare system

OrilliaMatters

8

gee i wonder if not cuting autism services funding/programming and just about everything else re: education / mental health/ healthcare /childcare might have helped 🙄

Which Orillia area convenience stores will sell booze this fall?

OrilliaMatters

4

there are studies showing the increase as well as in crime with little mom-and-pop shops not being able to handle the crime/behaviour; we are so doomed

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High fees stop ice cream truck vendor from rolling into Orillia

OrilliaMatters

7

Where is the consideration for "bricks and mortar" either? $3 an hour to park in front of Cool Cones on Mississaga st. At least there you wouldn't have to stay long but the parking rates downtown don't make it feasible to shop and stroll downtown either!

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'Poverty' lawyer says homelessness here to stay 'in large numbers'

OrilliaMatters

4

Yes, go out and look D.W., talk to people, hang out at the library, check-in with Info Orillia and see how many people pick up their mail there and need to use it as an address. Go to St James at lunch time on Weds. and Sunday mornings. Check out the line up at the Salvation Army truck on Friday nights in city parking lot 1 across from Timmie's on Colbourne. Do it before you speak it.

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City of Orillia has 87 employees on 2024 Sunshine List

OrilliaMatters

7

I wonder is there is any comparaison with sunshine salaries vs. population they represent? Does Orillia have an inordinate number of city staff per capita? Which city is getting more "bang for the buck"?

Officials celebrate county's 'essential' community hub in Orillia

OrilliaMatters

4

what does that mean? "stalling"...it's government that has been stalling especially the province. All kinds of things are held up by jill dunlop's government; we should be so much further ahead with OUR tax dollars. Why are we fundraising for hospital equipment, having city-wide garage sales for affordable housing, having to beg for AC and clean air in schools? Why are we begging for things that are rightfully ours and "thanking" dunlop today for a drop in the bucket?

3