‘Lousy’ spin job
Dear Editor:
RE: Council passes budget with 3.8% tax hike, Dec. 18.
Once again, another municipality is out of touch with reality. The Town of Erin is doing a lousy job of spinning the proposed property tax increase of 3.8 per cent.
Unless you work in the public sector, I don’t know of too many people that can look forward to a 3.8% pay increase. We moved to this town 14 years ago and were told that the high property taxes were due to a lack of a commercial tax base and too much reliance on the residential taxpayers. And yet, 14 years later, all that has been done is adding more residential and more taxes.
CAO Rob Adams justifies the increase to “prepare for growth and infrastructure that continues to be built.” If that’s the case, we can do without the growth. He also justifies the increase because it “is in keeping with range of similar municipalities.” That is a poor benchmark to judge your fiscal responsibility on.
Adams goes on to compare the cost to a cup of coffee per day. Does he realize the price of coffee has increased 77% this past year? His comment is actually very condescending.
Councillor Cathy Aylard made a very valid point when she said it’s hard to understand this increase when there are no new hires and no new added services. She is not the only one uncomfortable with this budget.
Stephen Charbonneau,
Erin
*Editor’s note: According to the latest Statistics Canada data, coffee prices rose by about 28% this year and by about 74% since 2020.
‘Money pits’
Dear Editor:
RE: Centre Wellington council approves 3.7% tax increase in 2026, Dec. 11.
If Mayor Shawn Watters and his council think a 3.7% increase in taxes – plus the county and education taxes, plus water and sewer charges – is a modest increase, ask a family of four or five struggling to put food on their table, clothes on their back, roof over their head, a car and gas to get to work.
I guess if you are on the Sunshine List they are probably right.
There are several money pits mentioned in this article, including the new operations centre and the Belwood Hall, which will need everything replaced due to dry rot and termites.
The next thing this council and mayor will do is give themselves an increase in pay.
J. Alexander,
Fergus
‘Setting an example’
Dear Editor:
RE: Protection, joy, peace, Dec. 18.
I think we can speak for everyone in the Jewish community in saying that Anne and Ian Jones’ letter two weeks ago about sending prayers to their Jewish friends and neighbours was very much appreciated.
We thank you for reaching out to us; it means a lot.
I hope that one day we can live a world where religion unites us rather than divides us.
Thank you for setting an example for us all.
Barbara Cooper and Marty Papernick,
East Garafraxa
Something to consider
Dear Editor:
RE: Council approves paid parking bylaw but argues for more exemptions per household, Dec. 18.
I just wanted to weigh in a bit on the discussion going forward about the village of Elora and paid parking.
In the past we had firsthand experience with this – not in Elora obviously but on the beautiful Bruce Peninsula, and more specifically in the village of Lions Head and Tobermory.
It might be helpful for Centre Wellington officials to contact council on the Northern Bruce Peninsula and get it right from the horse’s mouth, so to speak.
As we were summer residents there, but not municipal taxpayers, we did not qualify for free parking. Thus it often was simpler to head south and shop in Wiarton where parking was open to all.
Perhaps an idea to consider?
Liz Hughes,
Puslinch
Tractors, tots, toys
Dear Editor:
When you believe like a child, the true spirit of kind men, magic and care become the Christmas experience.
This was the tone in our small town on Dec. 21, when the community parade went through Alma. Children of all ages knew the spirit of Christmas was here on a green tractor the size of a house, carrying Santa on his way to the North Pole.
None of this would happen without the dedicated volunteers of the Alma Optimist Club, the agricultural community and local businesses.
A special thanks to the Wellington OPP, who ensured that this event was safe for all the participants and spectators. Our paramedic team and their “little helpers” provided treats and the dairy farmers gave nutritional milk to all.
With the turn of a farm tractor’s wheel, Santa disappeared – but not from our hearts.
Jim de Bock,
Chair of Alma Optimist Parade
‘Should be ashamed’
Dear Editor:
It is with sadness that I read online about the cancelling of the Christmas Market that has been held at the sportsplex in Fergus for the past few years.
This event brings many locals and visitors to our area and is always well attended. This cancellation does not help the many entrepreneurs who rely on local venues to sell their handmade – and, may I add, Canadian – goods.
When we should be supporting “buying local,” to have this market cancelled for the sake of sports leaves me to wonder why. Can sports not take a break for two days to let another group use the facility that we are all paying for?
Not everyone plays sports and I for one want to support other great things this community has to offer. Whoever made this decision should be ashamed.
We have enough scrooges in our lives at this time of year. Bah, humbug to them.
Ev Robson,
Fergus
‘Repugnant’
Dear Editor:
RE: Province gives green light to controversial ‘Hidden Quarry’ after 13-year saga, Dec. 11.
The largest reason that the fight against the Hidden Quarry was lost is because Guelph/Eramosa council abandoned the people fighting against the quarry by not calling a case and presenting evidence at the hearing.
The Ontario Land Tribunal would have better understood by the township’s presence at the hearing the significance of the problems with the quarry.
On top of that, the additional resources that a township case would have brought to bear would have meant a more thorough investigation and presentation of those problems.
So for the mayor to suggest that the matter was outside of the township’s control is inaccurate and repugnant. They could have helped, but chose not to.
The comments of Greg Sweetnam from James Dick Construction, the owner of the quarry, that quarries across the province haven’t proved a problem over hundreds of years flies in the face of the 2023 Ontario Auditor General’s damming report concerning the lack of compliance with the site plans of aggregate operators and the lack of enforcement by the Provincial Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry.
The Auditor General’s report found significant failures in oversight, inspection and enforcement, leading to widespread non-compliance, environmental risks (dust, noise, water) and delayed rehabilitation with municipalities and communities bearing the brunt of negative impacts.
Guelph/Eramosa council’s deplorable performance with regards to the Hidden Quarry serves as an important lesson for any community group fighting a development proposal in the township. For instance, the transport establishment that has been proposed on Highway 7.
At what had to be one of the largest public meetings ever held in the township, the community group opposed to the application did an excellent job of demonstrating why the application should be denied.
With a municipal election approaching in the fall of 2026, the community needs to make sure that, not only are the candidates opposed to such a bad proposal, but that they will not, once again, abandon the people if the matter gets referred to the Ontario Land Tribunal, and instead fight for what is right.
Dan Kennaley,
Rockwood
*Editor’s note: Guelph/Eramosa Township did appear as a party at the Ontario Land Tribunal hearing, represented by a lawyer. The township also provided $70,000 to the Concerned Residents Coalition (CRC), which was used for CRC witnesses at the hearing.
‘Nobody listening’
Dear Editor:
Each day I’m hearing about artificial intelligence (AI). The more hear about it the more worried I become.
Since the spring our newly elected government is seemingly full bore on this, including naming a minister of it (Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation Evan Solomon) who I only know as a somewhat unable hold job in news reporting.
What I’m hearing is that old familiar song that the greater good outweighs any downside. Based on past experiences, that tune terrifies me.
I have heard that in some cases, AI appears to have removed some uncertainty in surgery, improving doctors’ decisions for better outcomes. But in other examples, a “smart” car could kill people in a collision. Another negative example is “productivity,” which should be raising alarms because a large corporation in the U.S. (Amazon) has laid off 14,000 and boasted the move was in part due to improvements in AI.
My wife and I used to watch Person of Interest, a very sci-fi TV show about an ex CIA operative who surveilled people all over the world from a computer monitor using facial recognition. Well today, its not science fiction, but again some politicians say its use is for the greater good. In fact, Europe has used this for years and has had problems with mistaken identity, which can become a permanent issue for the falsely accused.
I am afraid that nobody is listening.
Another idea that has been floated is a push for global currency, which so far, thank God, people and governments in the west are not embracing. But what happens when our prime minister gains a majority, are we going be bulldozed to this?
Doak McCraney,
Guelph
‘Special strangers’
Dear Editor:
I would like to extend a huge thank-you to three very special strangers that touched my life the week of Dec. 18.
The young lady in Zehrs who went to find the miniature marshmallows without being asked, the young man who helped me out when he saw me struggling to open the hood of my car at the Elora arena, and then the lady at Giant Tiger who saw me struggle to take down a sweater that was way above my head.
To each and everyone of you: thank you, you made an old lady feel extra special.
Marje Gray,
Fergus
‘Wonderful reminder’
Dear Editor:
RE: Charity seeks council’s support for affordable housing project in Drayton, Dec. 25.
We were greatly encouraged to read about LYNC (Love Your Neighbour Community), which was entirely new to us, and its affordable housing project plan for Drayton.
We particularly appreciated Borris Emanuel’s response to councillor Michael Martin’s legitimate question (“What’s in it for you?”), which was “doing what God has called us to do – which is really to care for our neighbours.”
This was a wonderful reminder for us to read on Christmas day. Kudos to LYNC and all those engaged in this project. Thank you for reporting on this project and we look forward to reading more about it in the Wellington Advertiser as the project unfolds.
Sharon McLean and Bruce Bos,
Guelph/Eramosa