Ford Decision on Regional Chairs Doesn't Let Waterloo Off the Hook

On Friday, Premier Doug Ford announced that the Ontario government was cancelling the elections for regional chair in York, Peel, Niagara, and Muskoka. But wait a minute, there are already regional chairs established in Halton, Durham, and one more... Where was that regional chair, again? Oh yeah, Waterloo!

This Week in Press Releases - March 14-18, 2016

Every week, the City of Guelph and other groups send out notices to announce new events, imperatives, and information that you need to know. Here is this week in press releases.

GUELPH POLITICAST #31 - Michael Druker, TriTAG

Transit in Guelph is always a struggle. Every budget year, public transit somehow makes into the first round of cuts proposed; sometimes public pressure gets them taken off the table, and sometimes the fare goes up and holiday service is cut down to an hour. Still, looking at the transit situation throughout our general area, it's not all bad news. So this week, the Guelph Politicast will look to Waterloo Region, where not only is bus service expanding, but they're building a train down the main street.

Is Uber Coming to Waterloo Region? And Can Guelph be Too Far Behind?

If you've not heard of Uber, then you're missing something that crosses the new frontier of social media, mobile communications and on-demand service. A service in more than 200 cities and growing, Uber aims to connect people who need rides with people who have rides, be they licensed taxis, driving services or private citizens in their own car, and it seems that Kitchener may be the next branch office. Yesterday, Uber held two information sessions for potential drivers, and it's unclear how much interest was expressed. What's also unclear? Whether or not the Region of Waterloo will let it happen if the interest is, indeed, there.

Region Wants more GO to Get On

Not to sound either pessimistic or bitter, but how likely is the campaigning outlined below going to yield any real results? The following press release, which I received from the City of Kitchener's Director Corporate Communications & Marketing Laura Johnston, discusses a consultation meeting in the Tri-Cities today where local politicians met with provincial counterparts about expanding GO Transit service in the Toronto-Kitchener corridor, including two-way train service. But between the present mayors of Kitchener and Waterloo stepping down after this fall's election, and the strong possibility that the Liberal government will fall after presenting its budget, what are the chances, if any, that this proposal will bear any fruit?

Guelph From Space

Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield's been getting some great photography from his perch in orbit on the International Space Station, and yesterday, he posted a new photo of our neck of the woods on Twitter. The photo shows Guelph, Hamilton, Brantford and Waterloo Region at night. Unless I'm mistaken, Guelph is the one at the top left-hand corner. Gotta love that view, huh? Makes all the stuff we slug it out over in that little band of light seem kind of insignificant.