12.27.25
by

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Calvin and Hobbes“Sometimes the best Christmas present is remembering what you’ve already got.” – Cathy Guisewite

And always remember that you have no idea how one conversation, one word of encouragement or one expression of love might change someone’s life.

Sincere wishes for a happy and healthy 2026.

City Scope will return on Jan. 3 of the new year.

 

 

 

 

city_scope_logo-cmyk

 

12.20.25
by

‘We must reflect the city’s positive working relationship’ with the Doug Ford government and certainly not appear to be critical – The watering down of support for the region’s conservation authorities

It was clearly evident that half of the members of city council are loath to ruffle the feathers of upper-tier government officials.
This relates to a matter discussed during Monday’s (Dec. 15) council meeting, dealing with the province’s move to consolidate Ontario’s 37 conservation authorities into seven regional authorities.
Under the consolidation, much of southwestern Ontario would fall into the Lake Erie Regional Conservation Authority (see map below), which would cover southwestern Ontario watersheds draining into Lake Erie, including the Thames, Grand, and Sydenham systems, supporting agriculture, industry, and shoreline communities.

Continue reading →

12.13.25
by

Joy Dawdy’s swimming lessons earn a reprieve; however, some conditions will apply

The days of treading water for the owner of 21 Philip Street are over, at least for the time being.
At Monday’s meeting of city council (Dec. 8), members unanimously agreed to direct staff to design a temporary bylaw, allowing Dawdy to continue offering swimming lessons in her backyard pool, likely for a period of three years.
Something she has done for more than three decades.
Staff were not recommending Official Plan and zoning bylaw amendments in a report to council from Michelle Knieriem, Manager of Planning Services.
She concluded, “Staff understand and appreciate that the swimming lessons provided by the applicant are valued by many members of the community. While this value is noted, staff recommend refusal of the Official Plan and Zoning Bylaw Amendment applications due to issues of compatibility.

Continue reading →

12.06.25
by

Some tinkering with the proposed 2026 property tax levy, but the result is still a hike in the range of six per cent for St. Thomas ratepayers

Round 2 of 2026 city budget deliberations is on tap for Monday’s (Dec.8) council meeting.
Several amendments are being presented by the city’s Director of Finance, Adam Boylan; however, they will not lower the projected six per cent hike to the municipal property tax levy next year.
A major consideration is the rescoping of the Emslie Field grandstand project.
Boylan notes city staff are exploring a ‘fresh start’ approach that would entail demolition of the grandstand, to be replaced by “modern, accessible amenities at a significantly reduced cost.”
These would include new, concrete bleacher pads, accessible bleachers, a barrier-free ramp, equipment storage, replacement player benches and protective netting.
The approximate price tag is $600,000, well below the original estimate of $1.2 million to fully rehabilitate the grandstand.

Continue reading →

11.29.25
by

2026 proposed St. Thomas budget: ‘Funding constraints in recent years have limited the city’s ability to follow its own asset preservation strategies’ – St. Thomas Director of Financial Services Adam Boylan

Members of city council get their first look at the 2026 draft budget on Monday, and first impressions are somewhat concerning.
However, most enlightening are the numerous cautionary notes documented by Adam Boylan, Director of Financial Services.
Although there is a long way to go before we have finalized operating and capital budgets, the preliminary hike to the municipal property tax rate is in the six per cent range.
The 2026 Draft Budget proposes almost $79.5 million in tax-related spending, an increase from the city’s 2025 levy of just under $73 million.
This represents a proposed municipal levy increase of approximately 8.9 per cent.
Assessment growth for 2026 is estimated at 2.8 per cent. When combined with the levy requirement, this results in an estimated municipal tax rate increase of just over six per cent.

Continue reading →

11.22.25
by

‘St. Thomas is exactly where we need to be’ – Vianode CEO Burkhard Straube in announcing a $3.2 billion investment in the city

With the Yarmouth Yards industrial park serving as a backdrop, Ontario Premier Doug Ford called Thursday’s (Nov. 20) announcement of a $3.2 billion investment by Norwegian firm Vianode a historic milestone for southwestern Ontario and a major win for workers.
The ceremonial ground-breaking was on the site of what will become a state-of-the-art synthetic anode graphite manufacturing facility that will initially result in 300 new, good-paying jobs.
Anode graphite is a critical component in electric vehicle batteries, nuclear reactors, semiconductors, aerospace and defence systems, steelmaking and other strategic industries.

Continue reading →

11.15.25
by

Federal funding will enable St. Thomas and Elgin to confront an ‘all-hands-on-deck’ opioid crisis

At an announcement on Wednesday afternoon at the city’s social services hub at 230 Talbot Street, St. Thomas was the recipient of over $640,000 in funding to tackle what was referred to as “an all-hands-on-deck” opioid crisis.
The investment, over two years through Health Canada’s Emergency Treatment fund, will support community-led initiatives that expand access to mental health, substance use, and addiction services.
It will also enhance local service capacity and improve culturally safe support for those most affected.
Deanna Huggett, Executive Director of the Elgin Ontario Health Team, stressed the funding builds on an already existing “strong foundation to further reduce barriers to care.”

Continue reading →

11.08.25
by

‘We cut out the noise, focus on the signal’ – PowerCo hiring blitz is underway

It was an invite-only event with a twist.
Thursday evening (Nov. 6), PowerCo held a Shopfloor Hiring Network Event designed to connect local talent in industrial electrician, millwright and industrial automation roles with their gigafactory team.
Those attending had the opportunity to meet company leadership, explore career opportunities and get an up-close look at what it would be like to be an employee at what is to become the largest such factory in Canada.
As the evening started to wind down, we spoke with Shuja Qadri, manager of talent acquisition, who observed, “Considering this was an invite-only RSVP event that we wanted to look at based on skill set and experiences, we actually had over 65 people turn up for the event.”

Continue reading →

11.01.25
by

‘Vianode’s decision to invest here is a testament to our city’s talent, innovation, and commitment to a sustainable future.’ – St. Thomas Mayor Joe Preston

It has been a banner week for St. Thomas. While Trump’s tariff temper tantrum continues to cast economic uncertainty across the country, the former Railway Capital of Canada is forging ahead as the EV Battery Capital of Canada.
Earlier this week, we had confirmation from PowerCo that work was proceeding on a trio of major buildings at the Yarmouth Yards industrial park. Foundation and formwork are underway on the first cell production building within the massive facility.
More on that announcement in the following item.
Meantime, on Friday afternoon (Oct. 31) came the announcement that Norwegian company Vianode, a global leader in sustainable battery materials, will build its first North American facility at Yarmouth Yards in St. Thomas. This multi-billion-dollar investment marks a major step forward for Canada’s clean energy and critical minerals strategy.

Continue reading →