2024-04-20 12:54
It’s being referenced as a historic settlement. An $80 million compensation package to the Municipality of Central Elgin for the hundreds of acres of land absorbed by St. Thomas for it… Read More
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St. Thomas, Ontario and beyond - the world of municipal politics
2024-04-13 12:55
The sun was shining on Monday’s (April 8) launch of the new regional transit service linking St. Thomas with London and Dorchester. But ironically, it was the brief blocking of the sun… Read More
2024-04-06 12:50
Southwestern Public Health is airing its concerns as the province moves to expand alcohol sales. The health unit wants to ensure “the province takes a stronger commitment to the health… Read More
2024-03-30 12:39
A pilot program embedded in the provincial budget rolled out Tuesday (March 26) is going to have a direct impact on Central Elgin and Elgin county. Elgin-Middlesex-London MPP Rob Flack expla… Read More
2024-03-23 12:58
How quickly the table can turn when you come face to face with an individual or group you have taken issue with. Such was the case at the March 11 meeting of city council. To set the scene… Read More
2024-03-16 12:56
The two cities are but 20 minutes apart, but without public transit, getting from St. Thomas to south London without a personal vehicle can be a daunting challenge. Yes, you can ride share o… Read More
2024-03-09 13:48
Before being sworn in as St. Thomas Police Chief, Marc Roskamp left no doubt as to one of his priorities.In a conversation with the deputy chief in November 2022, Roskamp stressed, “If… Read More
2024-03-02 13:53
With little in the way of fanfare, Element 5 has become a significant regional success story less than four years after constructing its $50 million plant on 40 acres of land on Dennis Road… Read More
2024-02-24 13:51
Proposed residential development on land currently owned by the Elgin County Railway Museum is an opportunity to revitalize that portion of downtown St. Thomas, stresses Doug Tarry. The St… Read More
2024-02-17 13:56
The St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce Lunch with the Mayors gathering is typically a non-controversial State of the Union-type event, more jovial than jousting. That all changed… Read More
2024-02-10 13:53
We got wind of this just over a week ago and the move was confirmed on Tuesday of this week. City Manager Sandra Datars Bere will assume the same post up the road in London, effective at the… Read More
2024-02-03 13:59
Southwold 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 productio… Read More
2024-01-27 13:46
There is no doubt work is progressing rapidly over at Yarmouth Yards, the home of the PowerCo/Volkswagen EV battery plant. You only have to view the well-produced videos released regularly a… Read More
2024-01-20 13:54
Construction began on Old St. Thomas Church in 1822 and was completed two years later, and so this year marks its 200th anniversary. We spoke with Steve Peters, who sits on the church restor… Read More
2024-01-13 13:54
St. Thomas was the recipient of another economic shot in the arm Thursday (Jan. 11) morning as announced by Filomena Tassi, the minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agen… Read More
2024-01-06 13:48
Prior to charging full steam into the Christmas/New Year’s holiday season, the provincial government announced $18 million in funding to help police services combat and prevent auto th… Read More
2023-12-23 13:42
Is it possible for industry and housing to co-exist in fairly close quarters? It’s a question that has been on the mind of Coun. Steve Peters and he brought it out into the open during… Read More
2023-12-16 13:49
Exactly 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, clothi… Read More
2023-12-09 13:11
Vicano Developments this week closed a deal to purchase 67 acres of industrial land on the southeast corner of Highbury Avenue and Ron McNeil Line, adjacent to the city’s new 1,500-acr… Read More
2023-12-02 13:49
City council begins 2024 budget deliberations on Monday (Dec. 4) and the adjusted tax levy comes in at a 3.76 per cent increase. Keep in mind this is a preliminary look at the budget and in… Read More
2023-11-25 13:54
It’s all about seeing cranes reaching up into the sky over St. Thomas. That was the observation of Mayor Joe Preston on Wednesday morning (Nov. 22) for the groundbreaking ceremony at t… Read More
2023-11-18 14:05
It’s being described as “a stunningly beautiful” facility.Not the language you expect to hear when describing a childcare centre.However, at the official ribbon-cutting Thu… Read More
2023-11-11 13:53
Since the announcement back in March of this year that Volkswagen had selected St. Thomas as the site of its first EV battery plant in North America, the majority of attention has centred on… Read More
2023-11-04 12:57
What do you feel are the two most important opportunities and two most important issues facing the City of St. Thomas? That was one of several questions posed to participants of three town h… Read More
2023-10-28 12:53
It’s not just a new park for St. Thomas, it’s an active community hub that will provide a much-needed recreational space in the city’s core. That was the promise back in Ju… Read More
2023-10-21 12:57
In November 2021, London District Catholic School Board trustee Bill Hall observed, “St. Anne’s is bursting with students.” He made the comments outside St. Anne’s Ca… Read More
2023-10-14 12:54
It’s being deemed a “groundbreaking” contract with its commitment to resources to support the wellness of uniform and civilian members of the St. Thomas Police Service. A c… Read More
2023-10-07 12:54
A couple of weeks ago we had a lengthy chat with the province’s new Associate Minister of Housing. That would be Elgin-Middlesex-London MPP Rob Flack and the interview was prior to Pre… Read More
2023-09-30 12:48
An exciting time over at The Station yesterday (Sept. 29) as Indwell officially opened their second supportive housing project on Queen Street in St. Thomas. But it went a step further as Sy… Read More
MPP Rob Flack Asserts His ‘experience And Leadership’ Earned Him Associate Housing Minister Post
2023-09-23 12:50
At 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… Read More
2023-09-16 13:03
At Monday’s (Sept. 18) council meeting, members will receive an update on the city’s Strategic Plan which covers the period 2021 through this year. The plan was originally adopte… Read More
2023-09-09 13:04
Preliminary design work is now underway on a massive infrastructure project between St. Thomas and Talbotville. The undertaking involves three stages: the twinning of Hwy. 3 through St. Thom… Read More
2023-09-02 13:02
Some days the news assignments are just so easygoing and a pleasure to undertake. They get you outdoors on a gorgeous late summer day when the task at hand seems more fun than work. Such was… Read More
2023-08-26 12:57
There is no denying St. Thomas Mayor Joe Preston is an upbeat kinda person, no matter the situation confronting him. It would be a safe bet to say he could be branded Jovial Joe without a wh… Read More
2023-08-19 12:59
I had the pleasure Thursday of joining members of city council over the lunch hour for a tour of The Station, Indwell’s 45-unit supportive housing project on Queen Street that is in th… Read More
2023-08-12 12:54
As part of the city’s ambitious housing strategy, members of council on Monday (Aug. 14) will be asked to approve an application for funding under the CMHC Housing Accelerator Fund pro… Read More
2023-08-05 12:56
While the economic news this spring and summer has been dominated by site preparation work for the Volkswagen/PowerCo EV battery plant in St. Thomas, YXU-1 is back in the news. You would be… Read More
2023-07-29 12:59
We are starting to get a little clearer picture of what is envisioned for the city’s new 1,500-acre industrial park with its first customer, the Volkswagen/Powerco EV battery plant. Th… Read More
2023-07-22 12:59
More information is trickling out concerning what prompted the dismantling of a large homeless encampment on the site of the former Victor Dana plant located behind Memorial Arena. City poli… Read More
2023-07-15 12:57
We learned this week that policing services at the Volkswagen EV battery plant scheduled to begin production in 2027 will be provided by an OPP tactical unit. The decision was made at a meet… Read More
2023-07-08 12:57
If there ever was any doubt that organized crime is infiltrating small-town Ontario, it was evident Wednesday morning in London. At a media conference at the headquarters of the London Polic… Read More
2023-07-01 12:02
City Scope is taking a short break over the Canada Day long weekend but we will be back on diligent duty next week. After all, we need to know what lies ahead with the imminent opening of th… Read More
2023-06-24 12:49
Exactly three months ago Southwestern Public Health (SWPH) warned the rate of opioid-related harms has been on an upward trend in St. Thomas over the past several years. In 2021, the rate of… Read More
2023-06-17 12:49
The announcement from the city seemed harmless enough. Canda Day celebrations this year will culminate in a spectacular fireworks display. However, the light-up-the-sky show will take place… Read More
2023-06-10 13:04
Plenty of far-reaching discussions of late about the state of women’s sports in Canada. Most notably the salary discrepancy between the men’s and women’s national soccer te… Read More
2023-06-03 11:48
Exactly three years after the great concrete pour at Alma College, preparatory is underway for what will prove to be another record-breaking event. On June 27, 2020, close to 3,000 cubic met… Read More
2023-05-27 12:54
Seems the PM just can’t get enough of St. Thomas. For the second time in just over a month, Justin Trudeau dropped into the city Thursday afternoon for a quick lunch at Legends Tavern… Read More
2023-05-20 12:50
Following Monday’s (May 15) council session, there was a public meeting to deal with draft official plan and zoning bylaw amendments. Now normally these are pretty cut-and-dried affair… Read More
2023-05-13 12:47
In a deputation to city council this past Monday, members were updated on capacity issues at St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital. President and CEO Karen Davies stressed that ahead of the pand… Read More
2023-05-06 12:37
We hear disturbing stories about the doctor shortage in this province and across the country. According to recent statistics, 2.2 million Ontario residents do not have a family doctor. And i… Read More
2023-04-29 12:42
Based on the demonstrated success as a Built for Zero Canada community and the recent recognition of St. Thomas-Elgin as the second community in Canada to achieve functional zero veteran hom… Read More
2023-04-22 12:56
It’s been many decades since St. Thomas could hoist the banner, Railway Capital of Canada. Before the end of the decade, however, could the city become the EV Battery Capital of Canada… Read More
2023-04-15 11:40
St. Thomas-Elgin has reached a significant milestone in the fight against veterans’ homelessness. In a brief ceremony prior to Tuesday’s city council meeting (April 11), it was a… Read More
2023-04-08 12:56
We referred to them as the city’s forgotten apartments. A pair of decrepit hovels visible from the mayor’s office in city hall. The first thing you noticed was the gaping holes w… Read More
2023-04-01 12:56
He calls it great for St. Thomas. St. Thomas Fire Chief Dave Gregory likens it to winning the lottery. Of course, we talked about the announcement earlier this month that Volkswagen is comin… Read More
2023-03-25 12:57
It seemed only a matter of hours after the announcement Volkswagen was to locate its EV battery plant in St. Thomas that crews were on site felling thousands of trees in five wood lots acros… Read More
2023-03-18 12:48
After about a year’s worth of talks between Volkswagen, and the federal and provincial governments, the deal was made public this past Monday. The automaker announced it was locating a… Read More
2023-03-11 14:01
The Mayor’s Luncheon on Wednesday at St. Anne’s Centre could have been more appropriately billed as A Mayor’s Grilling. Featuring Southwold Mayor Grant Jones, Central Elgin… Read More
2023-03-04 14:31
Clarification: In an effort to establish the identity of the consulting company employed by the St. Thomas Police Service, Chief Marc Roskamp and I spoke this morning. The firm is Consilium… Read More
2023-02-25 13:56
It’s a tale of two municipalities and their respective leaders. St. Thomas Mayor Joe Preston is ecstatic. Central Elgin Mayor Andrew Sloan, on the other hand, is a lot more guarded. Th… Read More
2023-02-18 14:00
He is remembered as the consummate politician and a mentor to those considering tossing their hat in the political ring. Former Elgin MP and Southwold resident Ken Monteith died on Feb. 3 at… Read More
2023-02-11 13:50
In December of 2021, the partners involved in Project Tiny Hope – YWCA St. Thomas-Elgin, Doug Tarry Homes and Sanctuary Homes – requested $3 million in funding from the city for… Read More
2023-02-04 13:59
In November of last year, Danielle Neilson reminded city council that the solution to homelessness is housing and housing with supports. Neilson is the city’s Homelessness Prevention a… Read More
2023-01-28 13:53
The Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) conference wrapped up Tuesday in Toronto. The city sent a delegation to the event with Mayor Joe Preston, Coun. Gary Clarke and city manager Sa… Read More
2023-01-21 13:58
How’s that water bill of yours? Are you going to have to dip into your savings or line of credit to pay the latest bill? Some city residents have received much higher bills than normal… Read More
2023-01-14 13:56
The agenda for Monday’s (Jan. 16) council meeting reveals what should prove to be a no-punches-pulled deputation from C.J. Allen. He is the chair of the Good Vibes Community Associatio… Read More
2023-01-07 13:48
After a much-enjoyed two-week Christmas hiatus, City Scope returns eager to document what transpires in the new year and what got us to this point over the past 365 days.When looking back at… Read More
2022-12-17 14:02
The YWCA St.Thomas-Elgin has unveiled its case support for Project Tiny Hope, an affordable housing partnership with Doug Tarry Homes and Sanctuary Homes. Under the heading, “Now more… Read More
2022-12-10 13:47
The Inn, the city’s emergency shelter which opened back in January, has a new executive director.Brian Elliot, who came on board last month, was employed in the same role previously wi… Read More
2022-12-03 13:56
A coalition of hunger relief organizations in Ontario says 2022 marked the sixth straight year that food banks in the province saw an increase in users and visits. Feed Ontario says 587,000… Read More
2022-11-26 13:53
“It’s quite fun to be here . . . and it’s pretty exciting.” That was Mayor Joe Preston’s giddy reaction to Monday’s (Nov. 21) swearing-in procedure for th… Read More
2022-11-19 13:50
For the past four years, the St. Thomas Fire Department has faced the equivalent of an internal multi-alarm blaze.And, it is to be hoped with the announcement this week of Kyle Smith’s… Read More
2022-11-12 13:50
It was a critical talking point throughout this year’s municipal election campaign. But homelessness and, in particular, its impact on the downtown core has been a front-burner issue n… Read More
2022-11-05 12:44
The city’s new police chief – as of January next year – wants to ensure the St. Thomas Police Service continues to deliver services to the highest standards of integrity an… Read More
2022-10-29 12:49
After a nearly 35-year career with the St. Thomas Police Service – the last five at the helm – Chief Chris Herridge, this week announced he is retiring. “It is time for a n… Read More
2022-10-22 12:51
It’s a re-match of the 2018 mayoral campaign in St. Thomas, only this time around Heather Jackson is not the incumbent. She filed her nomination papers on Aug. 19, the final day to do… Read More
For Devon Church, What St. Thomas Municipal Council Needs Is A Candidate With ‘lived Experience’
2022-10-15 12:41
As he campaigns for a seat on city council, Devon Church confidently proclaims when elected, not if. Specifically, “When elected, I will be accountable, dedicated and propel council to… Read More
2022-10-08 12:51
She has yet to win a seat on city council and yet no candidate in the St. Thomas municipal election has more campaign experience than Rose Gibson. This is her sixth run for the roses and, on… Read More
2022-10-01 12:59
We live today in a house so divided. However, yesterday (Friday) over the noon hour at city hall, a hundred or so individuals were able to cast aside their differences and unite in what the… Read More
2022-09-24 12:45
She stresses you have to go for it. Even if that means initiating your charge four years ahead of schedule. Tara McCaulley had hoped to enter municipal politics in 2026, but now she is seeki… Read More
2022-09-17 12:52
In a deputation last Monday (Sept. 12) to city council she stressed was devoid of “ill will, malintent or hidden agenda,” Hilary Vaughan hit one out of the park with her no-nonse… Read More
2022-09-10 13:12
At the end of last month, we featured a lengthy discussion with Elgin-Middlesex-London MP Karen Vecchio on a proposed boundary alignment for the riding she represents. Well, it’s comin… Read More
2022-09-03 12:50
A ceremony was held Wednesday morning on the steps of city hall to commemorate the third annual International Overdose Awareness Day. Later in the day, The Nameless, in partnership with Sout… Read More
2022-08-27 13:00
New electoral boundaries proposed by the Independent Electoral Boundaries Commission for Ontario could have a significant impact on the outcome of federal and provincial elections in both St… Read More
2022-08-20 12:37
It’s now a three-horse mayoral race in the Oct. 24 St. Thomas municipal vote. Joining Joe Preston is former mayor Heather Jackson and newcomer Gregg McCart, who admits it’s a dau… Read More
2022-08-13 12:42
He’s the owner of DeNeire’s Gallery of Fine Art in downtown St. Thomas and now Shawn DeNeire is plunging into the fine art of municipal politics. As of yesterday (Aug. 12), NeNei… Read More
2022-08-06 12:50
After pitching in with the Heather Jackson campaign team in the June provincial vote, Timothy Hedden is turning his attention to this fall’s municipal vote. This is his second run for… Read More
2022-07-30 12:53
As the calls for Hockey Canada to be held accountable regarding their handling of a growing number of sexual assault allegations escalate, one local MP says it is time to reform the culture… Read More
2022-07-23 12:55
“I think it’s very important that we keep in mind that the solution to homelessness is not an emergency shelter.“The solution to homelessness is housing and housing with su… Read More
2022-07-16 12:52
Discussion on the status and future of the city’s emergency shelter, The Inn, consumed more than an hour of Monday’s (July 11) council meeting. It resolved little but revealed mu… Read More
2022-07-09 12:43
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 doe… Read More
2022-07-02 12:46
It’s not a situation unique to St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital (STEGH) as facilities across the province are grappling with staffing challenges, inpatient overcapacity and stressed e… Read More
2022-06-25 13:01
Eugene Francois made a brief video court appearance yesterday (June 24) at the Elgin County Courthouse. He is facing 16 charges in relation to 10 victims who attended his Talbot Street resid… Read More
2022-06-18 13:01
He’s the longest-serving mayor/alderman/councillor currently in St. Thomas and earlier this month, Jeff Kohler declared his intention to seek another four-year term on city council.Koh… Read More
2022-06-11 12:22
St. Thomas this week upped the stakes in a bid to entice a large manufacturing operation to the city. On Wednesday the city, in partnership with St. Thomas Economic Development Corp., announ… Read More
2022-06-04 12:56
Less than an hour after the polls closed in Thursday’s provincial election, the takeaway from the campaign in Elgin-Middlesex-London presented itself. For the most part, the eight cand… Read More
2022-05-28 12:39
Hot on the heels of Joe Preston’s announcement he is seeking a second term as St. Thomas mayor, Steve Peters has made it known he too will pursue re-election. We caught up with Peters… Read More
2022-05-21 12:55
The question begs an answer. What exactly is going on with the city’s fire department? We are now working on the third St. Thomas fire chief in under a year, what gives? First, it was… Read More
2022-05-14 12:55
A ‘technical disruption’ that plagued Elgin county through April was confirmed yesterday (May 13) as “a cyber security incident” in a media release. The attack impact… Read More
2022-05-07 12:52
The first Elgin-Middlesex-London candidate forum for the June 2 provincial election was held this past Tuesday at the St. Thomas Public Library. Hosted by the Elgin-St. Thomas Coalition to E… Read More
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