WELLINGTON COUNTY – The number of local municipal employees paid over $100,000 per year went up by 16 per cent in 2025.

Their salaries are published by the province as part of the Public Sector Salary Disclosure List – more commonly known as the “sunshine list” – of all civil servants making more than $100,000.

Last year's list was published on March 27 and featured just over 400,000 names.

The top public sector earner in the area was again Dr. Nicola Mercer, medical officer of health and CEO of Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health (WDGPH), at $356,340.

Municipal employees

The County of Wellington and its lower-tier municipalities paid 268 employees at least $100,000 in 2025, an increase of 16 per cent from 2024 (231 people) and 60% since 2023 (168).

CAO Scott Wilson was once again the county’s highest-paid employee, with a salary of $330,030, a 7% increase from $309,163 in 2024 and an 11% jump from $297,107 in 2023.

Forty-three Centre Wellington employees are on the 2025 list, up from 41 in 2024 and 27 in 2023. The township’s highest paid employee last year was CAO Dan Wilson at $256,422.

Twenty Erin staff members made the list, a significant jump from nine in 2024. The highest paid employee was CAO Rob Adams, who was paid $250,648 in 2025, a 47% increase from 2024.

Mapleton paid 12 staffers over $100,000, up from nine in 2024, with the highest paid employee being CAO Manny Baron at $199,652.

Wellington North had nine employees on the list, unchanged from 2024. CAO Brooke Lambert was once again the township's highest paid employee at $180,850.

In Guelph/Eramosa, nine employees were paid over $100,000, with CAO Ian Roger receiving the most, at $216,658.

Minto had 12 people on the list, down from 13 in 2024, led by CAO Gregory Furtney at $177,074.

Eight Puslinch employees made the 2025 list, up two from 2024. The township's highest paid employee was CAO Courtenay Hoytfox at $183,315.

Health care

The number of North Wellington Health Care (NWHC) employees on the list increased from 40 in 2024 to 44 in 2025, but still down from 50 in 2023.

Salaries for employees of NWHC, which operates hospitals in Palmerston and Mount Forest, ranged from $102,000 to $178,286 for registered nurse clinical resource lead Michelle Goetz.

Groves Memorial Community Hospital in Centre Wellington has 80 employees listed, up from 61 in 2024. Topping the Groves list is president and CEO Angela Stanley, who earned a salary of $277,884, up 17% from 2024.

WDGPH has 47 employees listed, up from 35 in 2024, with salaries ranging from $100,046 to $356,340 for Mercer.

The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) has 22 staffers on the list, up from 19, with salaries ranging from $101,012 to $219,215.

Guelph-Wellington Paramedic Services (GWPS) employees are officially employed by the City of Guelph, but the area they serve includes Wellington County.  The 2025 GWPS list includes 128 names, four more than in 2024 and 26 more than in 2023.

The highest paid GWPS employee was general manager and chief Stephen Dewar, with a salary of $207,662.

Education

At the Upper Grand District School Board (UGDSB), 1,805 employees made the Sunshine List in 2025, down from 2,029 in 2024.

Eleven UGDSB employees’ salaries surpassed $200,000 – up from four in 2024:

• director of education Peter Sovran, $276,027;
• associate director Eystratia Giannopoulos, $257,339;
• associate director Brent McDonald, $228,779;
• technical support manager Sandro Buffone, $222,334;
• superintendent of student achievement Wendy Donaldson, $217,248;
• manager of application development Guangzhao Yang, $213,390;
• human rights equity and accessibility commissioner Alicia Ralph, $208,827;
• superintendent of people leadership and culture Deirdre Pyke, $207,981;
• chief information and security officer John Mccormick, $206,891;
• senior facilities manager Dilip Parmar, $206,815; and
• information, communication technology infrastructure manager Peter Scantland, $201,596.

At the Wellington Catholic District School Board (WCDSB), 410 employees earned over $100,000 in 2025, down from 463 in 2024.

Only one was paid over $200,000: director of education Michael Glazier at $229,452.

Conservation

The Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) has 44 employees on the 2025 Sunshine List, seven more than in 2024 and 15 more than in 2023. 

CAO Samantha Lawson’s salary was $232,896 in 2025, up 11% from $208,902 in 2024. Other salaries ranged from $100,414 to $189,400.

At Credit Valley Conservation, 67 employees are listed, up from 54 in 2024. The top salary in 2025 was $197,664 for CAO Terri Leroux.

Policing

The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) has 7,698 employees on the 2025 Sunshine List, up 32% from 5,825 in 2024. Of these, 10 earn salaries exceeding $300,000.

The highest 2025 salary went to OPP commissioner Thomas Carrique at $468,523. Physician Andrew Reed brought home the second largest sum of $434,205.

Without knowing the name of every Wellington County OPP employee, it is next to impossible to discern how many are on the list.

Wellington OPP detachment commander Karen Medeiros was paid $212,257 in 2025.

Members of Parliament

Wellington-Halton Hills MPP Joseph Racinsky was paid $148,113 in 2025.

Perth-Wellington MPP Matthew Rae brought home $176,458 in 2025, compared to $133,217 the previous two years. Rae served part of the year as chief government whip.

Premier Doug Ford made $269,567 in 2025, when he received his first pay increase since 2020. The premier’s previous salary was $208,974.

Wellington-Halton Hills MP Michael Chong and Perth-Wellington MP John Nater are not included in the provincial Sunshine List because they are federal employees. 

MPs are paid about $210,000 annually, though members can be paid more for additional roles.

Social services

Five employees at Community Living Guelph Wellington made between $104,857 and $164,592 in 2025. 

The Children’s Aid Society of Guelph and Wellington has 22 employees on the 2025 Sunshine List, up from 18 in 2024, ranging from $100,000 to $203,163 for executive director Daria Allan-Ebron. 

To read/search the complete 2025 Public Sector Salary Disclosure List click here.

UW was one of six finalists in this years’ Innovation Competition hosted by the NHL and NHLPA. 

The third edition of this competition asked university and college students province-wide to come up with bold, practical ideas to address real world challenges facing hockey today. The final pitch day took place on March 25 where the teams presented to industry experts in the NHL, NHLPA and SAP. 

The hockey innovation competition this year was held in Ottawa. Although UW did not win, their hard work and drive should not be overlooked.

UW’s team, called RinkNext, was made up of fourth year statistics student Roy Luo, fourth year computer science student Max Tan, fourth year computer engineering student Carl Wang, and third year rec and sports business student Joey Zhang. Their idea is a scalable, Rink-as-a-Platform model that retrofits community arenas with heat recovery, multi-use conversation kits, and digital management to cut energy costs and expand year-round access.

A core goal for this team was to make the rink inclusive to everyone and they went on to work together to figure out how they would be able to do that.

Zhang came up with the idea of joining the hockey innovation competition. This idea stemmed from his experience as a junior hockey player. “I loved going to the rink. It was fun and I got to hang out with the guys and play ping pong. It wasn’t always about hockey,” he said. He brought the idea to his three friends, Luo, Tan, and Wang. He told them he wanted the rink to be inclusive to everyone and insisted they come up with an idea. 

Reflecting on the event and their presentation, Luo shared, “We did the best we could, so I’m very glad we were able to have fun and collaborate on such a meaningful project.” The team also showed massive appreciation for the opportunity to meet and talk with other professionals and executives in the hockey industry. 

“We all have high work loads, and the fact that we were able to manage it and overcome that was a very impressive feature we were able to push through,” Wang stated. The team agreed that the event was a good networking opportunity. 

When asked how the process of preparing and competing in this competition was and how competitive it was, Tan said, “It was wildly competitive. First we had to make a slideshow talking about our ideas and then do a presentation in the semi finals.” He also stated that it was quite the experience to compete with all six teams that came in from all across Ontario.

The most memorable moments of the event for the four friends wasn’t anything revolving around them, but the chance to meet with the other teams and see what other ideas they came up with. “It’s pretty nice to see everyone approach the same problem from a very multifaceted and variety of perspectives,” Luo said.

The team showed hope for the ideas that were in the competition to get implemented in some way in the near future, believing that many of the concepts presented had real potential to improve the hockey experience and make rinks more accessible, efficient, and inclusive for communities across the region. The choice of implementing these ideas is solely the NHL’s, “The competition is to present an idea that wins either innovation or implementability, which one is more feasible and it’s more for the NHL to gather ideas,” Wang stated.

The winners were announced on March 27: The Guelph team won the Changemaker Award, St. Clair College and Queen’s University won the Innovator Award. For winning, the team members received scholarship grants, a VIP NHL ticket experience, and networking opportunities with the NHL, SAP, Ottawa Senators and participating colleges and universities. 

Fashion for Change (FC) presented Through the Pages on March 21, a magnificent display of fashion, dance, and storytelling that reinterprets classic tales into movement and design. The audience had the opportunity to see an ambitious production that brought beloved classic literary works from across time to the stage, running twice at 3-7:30 p.m. at the Humanities Theatre in Hagey Hall. 

The host of this show, FC, is a non-profit organization run by students from the Waterloo region. Through their dedication to sustainable fashion practice and artistic expression, FC makes a meaningful impact by raising funds for charities.

The inspiration for this year’s theme was the storybooks that many of us read as children. FC’s assistant artistic director, Christina Yoon, said the artistic director envisioned a show that travels through time, revisiting childhood stories while also imagining the future. This intention was delivered through the immersive experience where each unique collection was smoothly transitioned between one another continuously. “Each scene felt like turning the page of a book, bringing different narratives, emotions, and worlds to life on the runway,” Yoon said. 

The production required months of meticulous coordination, beginning with theme ideation, and extending through model pairing, collection development, and technical preparation. After the theme’s finalization, directors, models, designers, choreographers, and other teams met weekly in the lead-up to the event to create a unique narrative that would become scenes within the show. Yoon expressed, “By the time show day arrived, everything came together, the garments, the storytelling, and the collaboration of the entire team, bringing the concept fully to life.”

In the finale of the show, Yoon conveyed a message about identity and perseverance. As a finale collection designer, she shared her insights gained after classic story research. “Many characters struggle with identity and with understanding who they truly are. They are often shaped by the expectations and narratives placed upon them by society. That idea resonated with me because it reflects something we often experience in real life. From that realization, the key message for my collection emerged: ‘Who am I?’ and “Follow your dream,’” Yoon said. This narrative of perseverance reflected throughout the show’s broader creative direction. The team hoped that the audience would take courage to “never give up on their dreams,” recognizing that “throughout life, many people are told what they should pursue or who they should become,” Yoon said.

Through the Pages served as a reminder that everyone has their own stories to write, dreams to follow, and the ability to shape their own narratives even when the pages ahead seem uncertain. Meanwhile, FC ensured that this artistic expression would result in meaningful support for those in need through the ticket sales and fundraising initiatives.

The audience at this years’ FC show.

WUSA held its Annual Members’ Meeting on March 25, convening to discuss and vote on notions impacting the UW undergraduate community. The session lasted for four hours.

The meeting began with routine business items before moving on to the additional motions presented below. Attendees approved the previous meeting’s minutes, ratified elected representatives from the general election, approved 2024-2025 fiscal year financial statements, and reappointed the firm Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) as WUSA’s financial auditors for the upcoming 2026-2027 year.

Following said items, here are the motions presented and voting results:

Amendments to Corporate Social Responsibility Policy to Strengthen Commitment to Palestinian Human Rights: Passed

Vote Tally: 172 for (79 per cent), 43 against (20 per cent), 2 abstain (1 per cent)

The approved changes to the policy codify WUSA’s stated commitment to avoiding businesses directly or indirectly contributing to Israel’s ongoing genocide against Palestinians.

In line with the Boycott Divest and Sanction (BDS) movement, WUSA will avoid contracts and purchases from businesses listed by the BDS National Committee as priority and organic boycott targets, like Dell, Intel, Domino’s Pizza, and McDonald’s. WUSA will also look for alternatives to suppliers listed as pressure targets, like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft.

Attendees voted overwhelmingly in favour of the motion, which had the highest voter turnout of the night at 217 total valid votes. Over 10 students joined the speaker queue, with three speaking before a student submitted a call to question for proceeding directly to voting.

Pay What You Can Funding: Passed

Vote Tally: 126 for (88 per cent), 10 against (7 per cent), 7 abstain (5 per cent)

The approved motion implements a $1 increase in membership fees per student per term to continue funding the Pay What You Can (PWYC) program, a service run by WUSA which provides free meals through the Bomber to students in need. A program status report will be presented at the 2027 annual members meeting to provide information on program impact and future scaling.

This motion had the second highest vote turnout of the night at 143 total votes after the Corporate Social Responsibility Policy motion.

Approval of Bylaw Changes and Fees related to Board Composition: Passed

Vote Tally: 28 for (49 per cent), 20 against (35 per cent), 9 abstain (16 per cent)

This motion increases membership fees by $ 0.70 per student, per term, to support board changes as part of WUSA’s Governance Reform Project.

The changes include a new VP role (Vice President, Student Experience) to take on duties related to campus life and internal advocacy. The VP would take on items previously in the President’s portfolio after previous feedback regarding unsustainable workload in presidential and vice presidential duties.

The motion also creates a new unified advocacy committee, which would include the WUSA president and vice presidents and multiple student representatives: eight undergraduate senators, six society faculty representatives, and three students appointed at-large. The new committee replaces the previous two-pathway advocacy model implemented before governance reform.

WUSA Accountability Act: Passed

Vote Tally: 54 for (83 per cent), 4 against (6 per cent), 7 abstain (11 percent)

Following the previously implemented public attendance and time trackers for WUSA directors, this motion expands tracking to include other student leaders, like Senators and other undergraduate members on WUSA and university committees. Information on attendance at senate and university committees will be made publicly available under WUSA’s executive director.

Increase in Officer Compensation: Passed

Vote Tally: 45 for (49 per cent), 33 against (36 per cent), 14 abstain (15 per cent)

The original motion called for a $0.21 increase in member fees per student to support a 9.5 per cent increase in the President’s salary and a five per cent increase in the Vice President’s salary to better reflect the workload undertaken in these positions. An amendment upped the fee increase to $0.31 to set the Vice President’s salary equal to the President’s at $ 66,282.50 per year.

The amendment was approved by a smaller margin (33 for, 28 against, 10 abstain) before the updated motion was passed.

Student Life Projects Endowment Funds Bylaws: Passed

Vote Tally: 47 for (73 per cent), 4 against (six per cent), 13 abstain (20 per cent)

The bylaws and constitution governing the Student Life Endowment Fund (SLEF) had not been updated since 2020 before WUSA’s restructuring. Changes to the bylaws regarding SLEF also required annual approval at WUSA Annual Members’ Meetings to approve bylaw changes. The approved amendments are intended to reform the SLEF Board, bring fund operation more in line with other student endowment funds and shift approval voting power to the SLEF Board rather than the annual members meetings.

Club Funding Increase: Passed

Vote Tally: 49 for (65 per cent), 16 against (21 per cent), 10 abstain (13 per cent)

This motion would add an increase of $1.39 to membership fees per student, per term, to support the $200 termly allotment for clubs.

Bylaw Changes: Passed

Vote Tally: 37 for (60 per cent), 3 against (5 per cent), 22 abstain (35 per cent)

This motion approves changes to the bylaws to further clarify procedures and address clerical issues in the text itself (i.e. references to the wrong section in the text, the use of the term “Non-Officer Directors” to better distinguish among directors who are elected officers). Other updates include codifying the removal process of officers, ensuring the Board has at least one director representing each faculty when replacing a non-officer director, clarifying procedures for removing officers, and filling vacant positions in the event that no candidates are elected to the President or VP positions.

The bylaw changes also formally establish that election results are to be ratified by vote during the Annual Members Meeting following the election.

Improving Student Advocacy Access Through LSPIRG Membership: Passed

Vote Tally: 70 for (74 per cent), 20 against (21 per cent), 5 abstain (5 per cent)

This motion allows UW students membership and equitable representation in the Laurier Students’ Public Interest Research Group (LSPIRG), a non-profit organization based in WLU that assists in advocacy, grassroots activism, community research and public education on social issues. Following approval, the Board of Directors will begin the process of working out a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with LSPIRG.

The motion also allows an optional incidental fee, maximum $4.50 per student per term, to be charged as membership dues for students at the main Waterloo and Kitchener campuses through a new LSPIRG-UW branch of the organization.

Members voted to approve a salary increase for the Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA) officers, including the president, vice president of stakeholder relations and vice president of student experience.

The president and vice presidents’ annual compensation will now be $66,282.50, a 9.5 per cent increase from the president’s compensation last year. 

The final vote, decided in an annual members meeting on March 25, passed with 45 yes votes (48.9 per cent), 33 no votes (33.87 per cent) and 14 abstentions (15.21 per cent). An amendment was brought forward by 2025-2026 director and former vice president, Arya Razmjoo, to raise the student per term increase by 10 cents (from $0.21 to $0.31). This amendment passed with 33 members voting yes, 28 voting no, and 10 abstaining. 

“Current pay, which is around $60,000 a year, does not actually reflect the workload and expectations of the role,” said 2025-2026 director Skylar Duggan when introducing the motion. “These are full-time, quite high responsibility positions, and they’re not just part-time student jobs as many of us believe.”

He added that this was intended to maintain the quality and accessibility of these roles. The board of directors had previously discussed changes in compensation in relation to the commitment required of these positions.

“We went on for a while about current co-op pay and whether or not that even matches what the full-time salary would be for the officers,” Duggan said. “If compensation doesn’t reflect these demands – so the increased cost of living – we risk limiting who can realistically take on these positions, really reducing the competitiveness – you might not want to run if you can just make more as a coop student.”

Incoming director Jacob Lewis pointed out that this past WUSA general election was not competitive: two of the three officer positions (president and vice president of stakeholder relations) had only one candidate in the running, and only two people ran for vice president of student experience.

Incumbent director Muhammad Abbas Kanji also questioned whether more should be implemented to accurately reflect the workload, given the fact that there are now two vice president roles (government stakeholder relations and student experience). 

“We’re making two separate changes right now – we’re adding more capacity by adding a new vice president role, and at the same time, we’re also increasing the pay with the assumption that workload is high,” Kanji said.

Kanji added that the formula that was used to calculate co-op rates skewed higher than average, noting that it was based on the top paid performing faculties (math and engineering), fifth year co-op rates, and U.S. co-op rates. 

At last year’s annual member’s meeting, members voted to allow the board to confer and establish a new pay based on officer workload.

The increase will come into effect at the start of the 2026-2027 governance year in May.

FERGUS – A call about someone with a gun at a Fergus high school on March 27 turned out to be "unfounded."

Wellington OPP stated in a news release that police responded to a "report of an individual attending Centre Wellington District High School in Fergus with a firearm" at around 10:30am.

Police located the person, deemed they did not have a gun and left the school.

"There is no threat to public safety," Wellington OPP spokesperson Carly McKeown stated in an email.

*This story has been updated from a previous version that referenced information provided by the Upper Grand District School Board about an unrelated incident at the school the same day.

GUELPH – Two individuals have been recognized by the county for making “outstanding” contributions to economic development in the region. 

The 2025 George Bridge Economic Development Influencer Awards were presented at a March 26 county council meeting.

Carl Gray was recognized as Community Economic Development Influencer of the Year and Marina Mato as Rising Economic Development Influencer of the Year.

“I’m very honoured and happy to be at a position to accomplish something people see worthy of being recognized,” Gray told the Advertiser. 

He is the co-founder of the not-for-profit corporation Trade Tracks Skilled Trades Showcase.

“It’s recognition for what Trade Tracks is doing more than for me personally,” he said.

Trade Tracks is an annual two-day skilled trades showcase that connects youth and job seekers with employers, apprenticeship programs and hands-on exposure to careers in the trades.

“We’re trying to build a link between young people and the local economy to connect them with employers and great opportunities that are in the county,” Gray said.

The corporation was created four years ago by co-founder Peter Robertson, who took a step back a year later, when Gray arrived.

Asked what inspired him, Robertson said, “I took the university route when I was coming out of high school and that was a mistake.”

He noted what he wanted to do “wasn’t what the guidance department thought I should do.”

Robertson said he has regret his decision since joining university in 1965. He left without finishing his program and joined the agriculture industry.

“Over the years. I’ve found I should have taken the trade route [but] the thing was to go to university,” he explained.

Warden Chris White spoke highly of the Trade Tracks showcase, stating, “It’s not just another career fair.

"This event is engaging and provides students with hands-on exposure.”

The next Trade Tracks showcase is set to return to the Centre Wellington Community Sportsplex May 22 and 23.

During the council meeting White said the economic development awards are named after former warden George Bridge, who was “absolutely integral in getting the economic development committee off the ground.

Also a former Minto mayor, Bridge has been appointed chair of the economic development committee of the Western Ontario Wardens’ Caucus.

“We’re very appreciative of his long years of service,” White said of Bridge, who posed with the winners during the award presentations.

The Rising Economic Development Influencer Award won by Mato recognizes an individual new to the economic development scene.

Mato, the Town of Erin's economic developer officer, accepted her award stating, “I’m honoured as well as proud. 

“I’ve been very lucky to have encountered some great ... leaders that lead by example.”

Spring is in the air, and with it comes one of the season’s most exciting family traditions — the Spring Egg-Stravaganza 2026! Taking place over two weekends, March 28–29 and April 3–5, Erin Hill Acres invites families to celebrate Easter with a memorable day outdoors.

The Big Bunny has been hard at work hiding colourful eggs across the farm, and children up to age 10 are invited to join the scramble for delicious chocolate treats. Families can enjoy a fun, organized, and stress-free experience.

But the egg hunt is just the beginning.

Visitors can capture special moments with the Easter Bunny, enjoy lively entertainment with D.J. Frances, and spend the day exploring everything the farm has to offer.

From meeting friendly animals — including Highland cows, alpacas, pygmy goats, lambs, ponies, deer, and donkeys — to wagon rides through scenic fields and forests, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

Families are encouraged to take their time, relax by the firepits, and soak in the fresh country air. It’s the perfect opportunity to bring grandparents, relatives, and friends together for a shared springtime experience.

Food lovers won’t be disappointed either. The on-site Courtyard Café will be serving up baked goods, muffins, cookies, and hot drinks, while heartier options include burgers, hot dogs, Great Gramma’s mac & cheese, and bar service. Guests can also pre-order the farm’s popular wood-fired pizza when booking their tickets.

 Important Event Details:

All tickets must be purchased online in advance, as none will be available at the door. Admission is required for everyone entering the farm, including adults and non-participating children, while infants and toddlers under 4 who are not participating in the scramble can attend for free.

Each child scramble admission includes one scheduled egg hunt. This is a rain-or-shine event. Dress appropriately for farm conditions with  weather-appropriate gear, and, of course bring big smiles!

Don’t miss your chance to make lasting Easter memories at the Spring Egg-Stravaganza 2026!

BOOK YOUR TICKETS TODAY:

If you have recently found your usual study spot in the Science Teaching Complex (STC) rearranged or blocked off entirely, you are not alone. Over the past month, students have had to navigate shifting seating layouts and temporary restrictions across floors, raising questions about what exactly is happening inside one of the campus’s busiest academic buildings.

According to Jonathan Hyde, associate director of infrastructure development and plant operations, the building’s skylight has been leaking for several years, leading to damage in the interior gypsum board beneath it. The project is classified as routine maintenance, meaning it does not require approval from the university senate.

While temporary fixes such as exterior sealant repairs were attempted, the problem persisted due to structural issues, including gaps in the transition seals between the skylight and the roof, blocked internal drainage, and incomplete secondary sealing.

To address this, the current project involves fully removing and replacing the sloped glazing system skylight. The new installation will include updated structural supports and improved sealing, specifically designed for the building’s conditions. Additional work includes installing scaffolding for safe access and repairing nearby interior finishes affected by the leaks.

Construction is expected to continue through the term, with completion anticipated by May 2026.

Stress is likely wearing most of us thin around this time! With final assignments weighing us down and the pressure to score good grades on exams lingering in the back of our mind, all that stress can leave you feeling exhausted. The fact is, if you truly want to succeed in your final evaluations this term, it also means managing stress so you can learn and study effectively. One way to beat the stress is to participate in even one fun activity this weekend. So, slow your grind a little and check out some fun events taking place below.

Spend some time at the UW Theatre of the Arts in ML this Friday or Saturday! The winter 2025 theatre production, The Nether, touches on pressing issues today, such as life online and potential implications of Virtual Reality (VR). The genre is science-fiction thriller, meaning this play is sure to get your mind off of any exam stress and instead enjoy yourself as you consider psychological and moral questions tied to potential downsides of such digital environments. Tickets are $10 for university students and $15.00 for the general public. Tickets can be purchased online on the UW The Nether website. You can watch the show this Friday, March 27 at 7 p.m. or on Saturday, March 28 at 7 p.m.

Interested in an event that’s free to attend, lowkey, and supportive of local students? Sunnyside Public School in Kitchener is hosting their second Annual Spring Craft Market full of refreshing finds and creative handmade gifts. Drop by this Saturday, March 28 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. to see what you can find!

Or, if you’re looking to get crafty yourself this weekend, join in on some crafting at the McCormick Branch in Waterloo to create habit punch cards, described as a creative way to track your goals. Make sure to register online on the Waterloo Public Library website events page. The event runs this Saturday, March 28 from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

ELORA – Developers will get a six-month break on development charges increases and the promise of more discussion, but development charges will still rise sharply in 2026.

Centre Wellington staff and consultant Watson and Associates have proposed an increase on single detached dwellings from $22,006 to $48,028.

Non-residential charges would increase from $11.71 per square foot to $14.73.

These include water and wastewater charges.

“It is a fairly substantial increase,” CAO Dan Wilson acknowledged at the March 23 council meeting. “But to be perfectly honest, this is the cost of growth.”

To a comment that the costs will only be passed on to the home buyer, thereby driving up the cost of buying a home, Wilson said, “If developers and home buyers don’t pay for it, taxpayers will."

The development charge (DC) background study considered:

• township growth projections to 2051 that have been established and approved by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing;
• the township's urban boundary has been updated to account for growth to 2051;
• construction costs have increased significantly (the non-residential building construction price index increased 42.3% from 2021 to 2025);
• many township growth and planning documents have been updated, including the Water and Wastewater Servicing Master Plan, Active Transportation and Mobility Plan, and Parks and Recreation Plan; and
• there have been numerous changes to the Development Charges Act, which made some costs ineligible from DCs, meaning the township has to cover the costs itself.

Wilson said staff have had good conversations with developers and in consideration of their concerns have proposed a six-month freeze on current DC rates to the end of September.

The township will then phase in rate increases starting October 1.   

Officials also proposed a partial DC exemption to encourage medium and high-density development in intensification areas.

Council heard from two developers at the meeting, who explained how the proposed increases would have a negative impact on their bottom line and would likely stall new builds.

Joseph Puopolo of Polocorp said he appreciates the six-month freeze but is still concerned DCs, under the proposed plan, will be used to benefit existing residents when they should only be used to service growth.

He noted $36 million of infrastructure is needed to service the Fergus South Secondary Plan and that requires DCs to fund it. But DCs are only paid when applications are approved and none have come forward for Fergus South.

“If other development doesn’t happen, you can’t bring it online,” Puopolo said.

As well, the DC study does not include potential servicing for the lands outside the urban boundary with complete applications that are currently in front of the Ontario Land Tribunal.

Polocorp is one of four developers taking the township to the tribunal. Polocorp has two properties on Highway 6 just north of Fergus – one that falls inside the new boundary and one that remains outside the boundary.

“We appreciate the six-month extension for further discussion and to refine the numbers,” Puopolo said.

Joe Harris, first vice president of the Grand Highlands Home Builders’ Association, raised similar concerns.

“We want to deliver more housing in Centre Wellington … but (with) the magnitude of the proposed DCs, it will be hard to absorb that level of increase,” he said.

Council had a long discussion about the staff proposal and the concerns raised by developers.

In the end they approved:

• a six-month freeze on current DC rates to provide developers time to plan for increases;
• phased-in rate increases starting Oct. 1;
• a partial DC exemption to encourage medium- and high-density development in intensification areas; and
• an updated local service policy.

Passed away at home on Saturday, March 21, 2026 at the age of 84 years. Predeceased by her husband David DM Martin. Mother of Enos and Lydia of Holyrood, Eva Martin of Elmira, Jacob and Maryann Martin of Waterloo, Annie Martin at home, Thomas and Eva Martin of Arthur, Esther and John Bauman of Val Gagne, Reuben and Esther Martin of Waterloo, and Amsey and Elisabeth Martin of Lucknow. Remembered by 38 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren; three sisters Maryann (the late Amsey) Wideman, Lydian and Elias Weber, and Sarah and Ammon Martin; and sister-in-law Erla (the late Mervin) Martin. Also remembered by her in-laws Selina and Simon Martin, Velina (the late Sidney) Martin, Oziah and Emma Martin, and Ada (the late Joseph) Martin. Remembered by Daniel and Edna Martin and family at her home. Predeceased by her parents Enos and Hannah Martin, two brothers Mervin and Levi, and one brother Allen in infancy, one sister Velina (Ammon), and her in-laws Adeline and Levi Frey, Sarah and Seranus Weber, Melinda and Ivan Sauder, Annie Martin, Urias and Lucinda Martin, Ephraim and Annie Martin, Sidney Martin, Joseph and Erma Martin. Friends called at her home, 1404 Arthur St. N., Elmira, on Monday March 23, 2026 from 2-5 and 6-8 p.m., and on Tuesday, March 24, 2026 from 1-5 p.m. A funeral service was held at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, March 25, 2026 at the home, then to Elmira Mennonite Meeting House for further service and burial in the adjoining cemetery.

Development may be on hold given concerns about the region’s water supply, but that’s not a factor at a Floradale retirement residence where an expansion was approved this week by Woolwich council.

Parkview Non-Profit Manors Inc. will add 20 more units in the form of 10 semi-detached homes on the site of a 41-unit apartment building at 30 Florapine Rd. The site is on a private well and septic system, so municipal water woes aren’t an issue.

Instead, Parkview has received permission to expand the communal wastewater system on the 16.6-acre site to accommodate the expansion, senior planner Stephen Dykstra told councillors meeting Tuesday night.

Twin Centre Minor Hockey Association is raising funds with a 50/50 raffle to purchase more sets of rental hockey equipment for the youngest players on the Twin Centre Stars.

Currently, the group has 40 sets of equipment, which includes a hockey bag filled with a helmet, skates, shoulder pads, elbow pads, shin pads, hockey pants and a neck guard.

They are hoping to raise around $7,000 to add 20 more sets by next year, said the fundraising chair, Becky Shaw, noting one set costs around $350.