Category Archives: Education

08.23.25
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Contracts awarded and work set to begin at the massive PowerCo gigafactory – ‘We plan to be relevant for a very long time’

Within weeks, construction will begin on what is to become the largest EV battery manufacturing plant in Canada.
PowerCo, a Volkswagen subsidiary, announced Thursday the awarding of two major contracts for structural steel and foundation work for the $7 billion gigafactory at the Yarmouth Yards industrial park in St. Thomas.
Meredith Gibbons, Chief Procurement Officer for PowerCo Canada, called the announcement a major milestone.
“We’ve been very busy working hard to get this thing up and running. Today’s major milestone for the St. Thomas gigafactory is the announcement of our two major contracts: structural steelwork to SteelCon and the concrete foundation work to Magil Construction.”

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06.07.25
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The return of School Resource Officers – ‘It’s important for youth to connect with police officers as people’

As part of the Supporting Children and Students Act, introduced by the Ford government at the end of last month, is a provision whereby public school boards would be required to implement School Resource Officer (SRO) programs in areas where they are offered by local police services.
This is to take effect in the fall.
In 2021, the Thames Valley District School Board hit the pause button on the School Resource Officer program board-wide.
That prompted Dave Jenkins, chair of the Elgin Group Police Services Board, to advocate for a return of the SRO program.

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04.05.25
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‘You have to put your constituency first, always’ and that in a nutshell explains the lack of endorsement from former MP Karen Vecchio

If you’ve known Karen Vecchio for even the shortest time she served as MP for Elgin-Middlesex-London (EML), you would have sensed that community comes first.
She was elected by members of the community to serve all members of the community.
EML PC MPP Rob Flack summed it up best at Vecchio’s retirement party last month.
One of the attributes that Flack most admires in Vecchio is that she is ecumenical.
“Not in the religious sense, but in terms of working across party lines, working across issues throughout this community that maybe have no partisan or political colours.

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02.01.25
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A ‘very pleasant surprise’ in the form of a second Catholic high school for St. Thomas

A $1.3 billion investment by the province for new schools is welcome news for St. Thomas.
Included in Monday’s (Jan. 27) announcement was word that the city would get a second London District Catholic School Board high school, thanks to $41 million in funding.
The Ontario government is investing the funds to build 30 new schools and 15 school expansions across the province, creating more than 25,000 new student spaces and more than 1,600 new, licensed childcare spaces.
The Ministry of Education’s Capital Priorities program provides school boards across the province with an opportunity to identify their most urgent and pressing pupil accommodation needs.

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01.04.25
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St. Thomas teacher Ruth Brown rides the Polar Express into retirement

With a lull in the action at St. Thomas city hall and with most area municipal governments, what better time to present a heartwarming story about the power of believing, especially at Christmas time?
Early in December, a note was sent to the myFM newsroom about a full-day kindergarten teacher at John Wise Public School in St. Thomas who was just days away from retirement, following a lengthy career.
It’s a retirement story with an inspirational difference. Teacher Ruth Brown planned to retire only after fulfilling a long-time dream that neatly wrapped up a popular Christmas storybook, her love of teaching students in kindergarten and her pending last day in the classroom into one fairytale that came to life.

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11.23.24
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‘The future is more like emergency housing or more supportive housing, not emergency shelters’ – Danielle Neilson, City of St. Thomas

A reiteration at the city council meeting this past Monday (Nov. 18) that The INN is not the answer to homelessness, it is strictly an emergency shelter.
The point was driven home – again – by Danielle Neilson, the city’s Manager of Housing Stability Services during a discussion of The INN’s ongoing operating budget.
It generated a bevy of questions from council members, kicked off by Coun. Steve Peters requesting clarification on the financial role of ElginCountyy.
“In our role as the social service provider and the housing provider on behalf of the County of Elgin, if at budget time we approve this, I take it there will be a share of those costs provided by the county?
Neilson responded in the affirmative.
“I am happy to confirm that there will be cost sharing between St. Thomas and the county, subject to the budget being approved.”

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06.15.24
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A key partnership aims to address the lack of affordable housing in St. Thomas

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

They have become the second largest housing provider in Elgin county by continuing to build affordable housing units. Something they have done over the past four decades.
And now, Eastwood Housing Corporation and Doug Tarry Homes are partnering to expand the stock of affordable and safe housing in St. Thomas.
According to St. Thomas Elgin Social Services, the wait time to access social housing is anywhere from two to nine years.
Highview Hideaway, to rise at 220 Highview Drive, will ease that backlog somewhat through the addition of 82 affordable housing units.
Jon McCurry, Eastwood’s Director of Operations details the scope of Eastwood’s existing projects.
“There are 325 units across Elgin county. There are 11 properties, one of which is in Aylmer (Elkview Gardens). That is our newest acquisition.

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02.03.24
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‘Snapshots’, another theatrical chapter in the history of Southwold Township

city_scope_logo-cmykSouthwold Township history comes alive again this spring with a collection of one-act plays and original songs presented at the Keystone Complex in Shedden.
Entitled Snapshots, the production focuses on the Second World War and the RCAF Bombing and Gunnery School near Fingal.
Written by Len Cuthbert, one of the plays mirrors the philosophy of long-time area resident Lorne Spicer, one of the founders of the Rosy Rhubarb Festival, a member of the Elgin Stewardship Council and the St. Thomas Field Naturalists.
He believed life is the train, not the station which is the title of one of the productions, notes Cuthbert.

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12.16.23
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Celebrating the ninth anniversary of the Grace Cafe . . . a bittersweet moment for founder Ginny Trepanier

city_scope_logo-cmykExactly one year ago, the Grace Cafe celebrated its eighth anniversary with a full house of guests.

That’s what founder and CEO Ginny Trepanier calls those who drop in for food, clothing, comfort and company.

And last Saturday (Dec. 9), on the ninth anniversary, she had this announcement.

“We are coming into a change and I am leaving the cafe and Don (husband Don Trepanier) is stepping down from The Annex, but we have got solid people, Lori (Graves) and Mike (Toth) to take over and run things.

“We have volunteers who are wonderful.”

It was a bittersweet moment for Trepanier. Continue reading →