ELORA – Taxpayers in Centre Wellington are facing a 7.38 per cent increase in the township portion of their property tax bill after council, as committee of the whole, spent two days whittling the budget down from the proposed 8.54% increase.
News
Support for doctor recruitment penciled in to future county budgets
GUELPH – Wellington County council is prepared to provide financial support for physician recruitment efforts by the Guelph Wellington Ontario Health Team (GWOHT).
Jury finds Michael Hurst guilty of sexual assaults in third trial
GUELPH – A jury has found Palmerston resident Michael Hurst guilty of sexually assaulting two more women in a trial that concluded on Dec. 7.
For 34 years Women in Crisis has been holding Dec. 6 vigil
GUELPH – On the evening of Dec. 6, about 50 people gathered in Marianne’s Park in Guelph to mark the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. It was a somber event to remember the 14 women who were killed in a mass shooting at Ecole Polytechnique in Montreal 1989.
Erin council moves reserve funds to reduce town’s 2024 tax increase to 3%
ERIN - A second iteration of Erin’s draft 2024 budget was presented to council during a special meeting held on Dec. 6. Council voted to use reserve dollars to reduce a proposed 5% tax increase.
Canada Food Price Report predicts increase of up to 4.5% next year
GUELPH – Canada’s Food Price Report predicts food prices will increase by 2.5 to 4.5% in 2024. The average family of four can expect to spend $700 more on food next year.
Minto council to provide support for battery energy storage project
MINTO – Minto council will extend support to a company planning to redevelop an energy storage facility in the Harriston Industrial Park.
All of Centre Wellington now eligible for community improvement grants
ELORA – All of Centre Wellington – downtowns, areas within the urban boundary, and rural areas – is now considered part of the township’s Community Improvement Plan (CIP) area and is therefore eligible for CIP grants. That was one of many updates to the CIP adopted by council on Nov. 27.
Council ponders parking issues in Fergus, Elora
CENTRE WELLINGTON – R.J. Burnside has not completed its study of parking in downtown Elora and Fergus, but councillors are concerned a parking structure was not suggested in an interim report presented on Nov. 27.
Hospitals, health teams launch website on care options for cold/flu, COVID-19, RSV
WELLINGTON COUNTY – Local health care providers are part of a group that has launched a new website to help residents "get the right care at the right time."
Guelph, Wellington organizations receive federal funding
WELLINGTON COUNTY – Guelph MP Lloyd Longfield, announced federal funding for 38 local organizations on Friday.
Elora, Fergus recognized as top Culture Days participants
CENTRE WELLINGTON – Elora and Fergus were recently recognized for being one of the top participating communities in this year’s Culture Days festival.
Two properties benefit from short-lived boundary expansion
CENTRE WELLINGTON – The province’s decision to expand the urban boundary of Centre Wellington in April threw the township and Wellington County into confusion. Its decision to reverse the expansion in October is having a similar result.
Strong interest in real Christmas trees keeping local farms busy
WELLINGTON COUNTY – The dreary weather that ushered in the first Saturday of December, officially “Christmas Tree Day” in Ontario, didn’t seem to slow business for local growers and retailers.
Rockwood Farmer’s parade of lights returns for 31st year
ROCKWOOD – The Rockwood Farmer’s Santa Claus Parade of Lights is returning for its 31st year on Dec. 14 at 7pm.