Category Archives: Agri-business

04.04.26
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The updated model of care at St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital results in the loss of 26 PSWs

St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital is updating its model of care, which will result in the elimination of 26 full-time Personal Support Worker positions.

The announcement came on the same day that London Health Sciences Centre indicated more than 200 nursing positions will be eliminated through voluntary resignations or retirements over the next three to five years.

According to a hospital spokesperson, there will be no media release outlining the rationale behind the model of care changes or additional details on what these changes might look like.

The method of care update at STEGH is designed to better meet the needs of patients whose medical conditions have become increasingly complex.

The spokesperson advised in a text message that more patients now require frequent nursing assessments, complex medication management, and timely clinical interventions

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10.18.25
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‘So 37 years later, it’s my opportunity to pass that hat to somebody else’ – Steve Peters steps away from city council

An announcement out of left field, but, in the final analysis, likely inevitable.
Steve Peters stood up as Monday’s city council meeting drew to a close to announce he was walking away from municipal politics, effective immediately.
Ironically, this year is Peters’ 30th anniversary of holding elected office.
You can read his announcement to council below.
Peters wants to spend more time in his position as chair of the Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers, a position he was appointed to last year.
The organization represents 170 growers of over 4,300 acres of greenhouse vegetables.
“I’m a focused person, and I really want to focus on the greenhouse sector. We’ve got a lot of stuff on our plate.”

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02.22.25
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The second EML candidates forum hosted by the Elgin Federation of Agriculture generated plenty of food for thought

As was the case last week with the Chamber of Commerce candidates meeting at the CASO station, only four of the seven individuals seeking to represent Elgin-Middlesex-London at Queen’s Park were on hand this past Wednesday for a similar forum hosted by the Elgin Federation of Agriculture.
A near-capacity crowd filed into the Old Town Hall Theatre in Aylmer for the event.
Rob Flack of the Progressive Conservative Party is looking to win a second term and is being challenged by Doug Mactavish, Liberal Party; Amanda Stark, Green Party; Brian Figueiredo, New Blue Ontario Party; Stephen R. Campbell, None of the Above Party; and Cooper Labrie, Ontario Party.
Amanda Zavitz, the NDP candidate, was not present and announced the following day that she was dropping out of the race. More on that situation is in the item below.

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08.03.24
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‘It all comes down to giving back to the community’ – MP Karen Vecchio in announcing she will not seek re-election

MP Karen Vecchio called a week ago yesterday (Friday) wanting to talk.
It seems it had something to do with expiration dates, which caught my attention.
So, we agreed to meet in the myFM studio at which point she laid this one on us.
“I made my decision and that is to not run in the next election.
That would be the 45th election that we are expecting in October of 2025.
“And unfortunately, my name will not be on the ballot. And, next year when the federal election occurs, I will have been at it (sitting as an MP) for 10 years.
“I believe everybody has an expiry date and I know it’s time for me to be home.”
Now, there’s a world of difference between an expiry date and a best-before date and Vecchio has many productive years in front of her before reaching the latter time stamp.

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06.08.24
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Going from trying to get houses built to helping farmers produce food for those who will live in those houses, the impact of a cabinet shuffle on MPP Rob Flack

Editor’s note: City Scope has a new Facebook page at http://facebook.com/St.ThomasCityScope

 

You could say Rob Flack is going back to his roots.
His agricultural roots, that is.
Late Thursday afternoon in the Doug Ford cabinet shuffle, the Elgin-Middlesex-London MPP found himself part of the major shake-up, becoming Minister of Farming, Agriculture and Agribusiness.
He had been Associate Minister of Housing as a member of the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, a posting that was part of a cabinet shuffle last fall.
Flack was given a specific mandate on attainable housing and modular homes reporting to Paul Calandra, the new Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
It’s a return of sorts to his early days following his election in 2022.
Flack had been appointed one of two parliamentary assistants to Lisa Thompson, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs in July of that year.

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09.23.23
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MPP Rob Flack asserts his ‘experience and leadership’ earned him associate housing minister post

city_scope_logo-cmykAt the beginning of the month, Premier Doug Ford announced changes to his cabinet, precipitated by the resignation of Steve Clark who had served as Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
Paul Calandra was installed as the new Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing and Elgin-Middlesex-London MPP Rob Flack was promoted to Associate Minister of Housing with a mandate on attainable housing and modular homes.
Clark had been at the heart of the Greenbelt development scandal, in which it was found he had violated ethics outlines included in the Members’ Integrity Act.
We caught up with Flack a week after his appointment to discuss his new role, however, there have been substantial developments since then.
Specifically on Thursday, Ford pulled off a complete turnaround on his plan to open up protected Greenbelt lands for residential development.

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07.09.22
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‘There is a need to try and make sure our council represents a little bit more of the population that we see here’ – St. Thomas municipal council candidate Petrusia Hontar

She is taking a second run for a seat on city council in the fall municipal election.
And, Petrusia Hontar, project manager at St. Thomas-Elgin Local Immigration Partnership stresses she doesn’t have all the answers to all of the issues.
So, suggests Hontar, open up a dialogue with those individuals and groups who can provide insight.
“My answer is always going to be who can we bring to the table to be more informed on this decision?
“I think that is a really strong piece I am advocating for.”
Hontar finished 14th in a field of 19 candidates for councillor with 1,995 votes in 2018.
For Hontar, establishing a safe injection site was a priority in that campaign, along with more affordable housing in conjunction with a housing strategy.

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01.22.22
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‘We’ll get our running shoes on and get out on our listening and learning tour’ – EML PC nominee Rob Flack

city_scope_logo-cmykThere were several tire-kickers, apparently, but according to riding association president Bill Fehr, only one hopeful stepped forward with paperwork in hand.
That was Rob Flack of Dorchester. And so, in the June provincial vote, Flack will be the PC candidate representing Elgin-Middlesex-London.
We caught up with him yesterday morning (Jan. 21) on his way to work and delayed his arrival by a few minutes.
However when you are president and CEO of a large operation like Masterfeeds, who is going to complain.
Their mission statement is as follows, “As a leader in the Canadian animal nutrition industry, Masterfeeds will serve livestock and poultry producers with research-based and proven animal feeding solutions – supported by skilled employees, dealers and sales staff who are accountable to the ongoing success of our customers and stakeholders.”
The short version is catchy, “People advancing animal nutrition.”

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09.04.21
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A fully functional downtown CCTV system helps bring public safety further into focus

city_scope_logo-cmykThe evolution began in May of last year when city council endorsed Phase 1 of a project to install eight CCTV cameras along a two-kilometre stretch of Talbot Street, from CASO Crossing to St. George Street.
The locations were selected based on 2018/19 crime-mapping data and motor vehicle collision reporting information.
But, it is not meant to be a red-light camera system to document vehicles running traffic signals.
The CCTV program was pitched to council as “a proactive, local solution modelled on successful networks in other municipalities to enhance community well-being and assist the St. Thomas Police Service with solving crime.”
A report from the service concluded,” a safe, secure and vibrant downtown will provide a canvas for economic development.”
Last month, the entire system was brought on stream and is now in full operation, according to Insp. Steve Bogart, who oversees the CCTV operation.

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