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.
Tag Archives: City Scope
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.
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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.
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‘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.
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‘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.”
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‘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.
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‘The dream of home ownership cannot be extinguished, it has to stay alive in this province’ – Rob Flack, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing
This week, the provincial government introduced the Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, 2025, that, if passed, would build “a more prosperous, resilient and competitive economy by fighting costly delays and regulatory burdens that slow the delivery of homes, roads, and infrastructure that communities need.”The legislation would cut red tape, thereby getting shovels in the ground faster, added Rob Flack, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
“With tariffs and economic uncertainty taking aim at our economy, we’re working with municipal leaders and homebuilders to get shovels in the ground faster so we can build more homes and keep workers on the job,” noted Flack.
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‘Our communities feel abandoned by the very institutions meant to protect them.’ – St. Thomas Police Chief Marc Roskamp
“In communities plagued by chronic criminality, safety seems to have become a privilege instead of a fundamental right.”A compelling observation from St. Thomas Police Chief Marc Roskamp.
It was not spoken at city hall during a council meeting; instead, it was delivered Thursday afternoon via video conferencing to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights at their meeting in the Wellington Building in Ottawa.
Elgin-St. Thomas-London South MP Andrew Lawton sits on the committee, as does Brantford-Brant Conservative MP Larry Brock, who visited St. Thomas in July for a roundtable discussion to examine the evolving challenges impacting public safety in St. Thomas and Aylmer.
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Project Tiny Hope move-in day is Oct. 1: ‘The first phase of residents living, growing and creating the community we always dreamed of’
On June 27 of last year, construction began on the first tiny home to populate 21 Kains Street, where, eventually, 40 such homes and other amenities will provide safe, affordable housing in a downtown neighbourhood community.A community of more than just housing, it’s a new beginning.
The Project Tiny Hope partnership includes the YWCA St. Thomas-Elgin, Doug Tarry Homes and Sanctuary Homes.
The community will be a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom rental units to accommodate adults, youth and families.
And 15 months later, the countdown to move-in day is underway for the residents who will call Project Tiny Hope their new home.
