Monthly Archives: March 2026

03.28.26
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Honourary St. Thomas Police Cadet Wes Johnson is a powerful reminder ‘that true courage is often found in perseverance, hope, and the ability to inspire others’

In recognition of his courage, resilience and strength, 17-year-old Wes Johnson was welcomed into the St. Thomas Police Service family as an Honourary Cadet.

At a ceremony held Thursday (March 26) at the police station, Chief Marc Roskamp observed that the St. Thomas teen embodies the core value of policing: compassion and service to others.

Johnson was born with a congenital heart condition, explained Roskamp.

“Wes was born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS), a serious congenital heart condition. He has undergone multiple surgeries and ongoing treatments throughout his life.

“Despite these challenges, Wes continues to demonstrate remarkable determination, positivity and strength, inspiring all those around him.”

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03.21.26
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The road ahead for Railway City Transit: Ensuring you will be able to promptly get there from here

Less than 18 months after a consultant’s report called for an aggressive shift to sustainable travel modes in St. Thomas, the city is undertaking a ‘Railway City Transit Plan for Growth.’

Before delving into the latest exercise in putting the city’s transit system under the microscope, let’s recap some of the findings of the Transportation Master Plan refresh project compiled by Paradigm Transportation Solutions.

Kevin Jones of Paradigm recommended an aggressive shift in the operation of Railway City Transit that would see a six-fold increase in annual service hours involving 26 buses in service operating 17 hours every weekday.

These figures are based on a city population of 79,500, a couple of decades distant.

Jones went on to note, there is a “need to fund transit that provides an affordable alternative, enables access to all areas of the city and gives residents choice in how they travel.”

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03.14.26
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The future of the Elgin County Railway Museum: ‘Looking outside of what the building currently is, what could it be’

It was an evening not for decision-making but for sharing information.
A public information meeting to update the community on the current state of the Elgin County Railway Museum building and an exciting look at what the future could hold.
A well-attended session on Thursday at the CASO station to present an overview of the current condition of the building, with a discussion of the challenges and opportunities for the structure.
The takeaway was quite stark. The museum will be closed to the public for an extended period of time to allow the roof to be removed, along with the walls, to determine the structural integrity and undertake remedial action.
And then put all the pieces back together again.
Friday morning, we spoke with Scott Sleightholm, President of Railworks Coalition, to compare notes on what transpired the previous evening.

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03.07.26
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Provincial funding allows St. Thomas Police, in partnership with Changing Ways, to challenge the roots of gender-based violence

Rarely does a day go by that the St. Thomas Police Service media release does not contain at least one reference to domestic violence or intimate partner violence incidents. And the cases are increasing in frequency.

This led to the police service pursuing provincial funding to establish programs to not only assist victims of these crimes, but also to attend to those committing violent acts to avoid repeat occurrences.

Last month, the St. Thomas Police Service received $341,000 in provincial funding to support early intervention efforts to reduce intimate partner violence. The funds will also strengthen victim safety within the community.

The grant is courtesy of the Ontario Ministry of the Solicitor General’s Victim Support Grant Program.

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