"Lord Mayor Zalepa has now formally endorsed the move to chop council, dump our elected rep to the region, accept an unelected super-chair and submit to a voting scheme that would mute our voice. Your voice," writes Garth Turner.
"Doug Ford’s government is taking a page out of Trump’s playbook to introduce equally ill-advised legislation with dire future impacts on provincial and local levels," writes Brian Marshall.
"Whoever came up with the design for the hospital gown? Or did it evolve naturally over the years? Seriously, it must have been the brainchild of a highly unqualified committee," writes Ross Robinson.
"As decisions are made about the future of 176 Wellington, I hope there is room to consider what it could mean for young people in this community to have a place that reflects their potential," writes Andorlie Hillstrom.
"The town and the Shaw have grown together, welcoming first tens of thousands and then hundreds of thousands of patrons every year, helping this little corner of Ontario become one of the most cherished destinations in Canada," write Tim Jennings and Tim Caroll from the Shaw Festival.
"So the town has launched a race for business survival. Not only do we risk displacing people and houses with hotels and tourists, but life is a whole lot tougher — and more expensive — for the guys already in the hospitality biz," writes Garth Turner.
"Take responsibility for your actions: it might hurt financially, but the wisdom of obeying the speed limit near a school (whether kids are present or if it's late at night) seems like something right out of Driver Ed 101," writes Kevin MacLean.
The clear-cutting of a forest in Virgil this year to make way for development is "only a single, relatively small, local example of the potential devastation which could, and likely will, be visited upon the landscape of this province should the Ford government’s Bill 5 be passed into law," writes Brian Marshall.
Joanne Young covers topics such as when to prune early spring blooming shrubs, how often gardeners should fertilize their lawns and whether or not ants are responsibile for opening up peony buds.
"The people can be consulted but not, on the whole, trusted, and all the participation must be, implicitly, for the change. A sort of Manufacturing Consent Lite," writes Jeremy Langton.
"This bill redefines 'habitat' in a way that weakens protections for endangered species. Imagine saying an animal’s home doesn’t count anymore because it’s not where it nests, even if it feeds or migrates there," writes Wayne Gates. "That’s not science — that’s politics. And that’s dangerous."
"The scale, massing and, as mentioned earlier, the height of the proposed design are acceptable, particularly given the break-up of the building’s faces into smaller staggered elements," writes Brian Marshall.
"While we understand this may come as a disappointment to many in our community, we remain committed to our mission and are pleased to confirm that the much-loved Healing Cycle Ride will proceed as planned," writes Bonnie Bagnulo, executive director of NOTL Community Palliative Care Service.
"The longevity of a plant is partially determined by how well a plant has been pruned over the years. Most evergreens need pruning yearly to stay within the size and scale of most landscapes," writes Joanne Young.
"Apartment units should be reserved for long-term tenants, not thrown into the online tourist pool. And no place with a pool or a hot tub should be granted a short-term rental licence, since that’s just a recipe for neighbourhood noise, disruption and mayhem," writes Garth Turner.
"My memory tells me it has been 58 years since their last Stanley Cup Parade in 1967. Apparently, that’s the longest winless streak going. But, it would serve no purpose to bring this up again, so I won’t write anything more about it," writes Ross Robinson.
"Curtailing or controlling some of the objectionable projects that people have protested about — with more such developments coming — will be difficult," writes Kevin MacLean. "Because we're not just fighting developers, we're fighting provincial mandates."
"Why did citizens have to protest outside town hall last year with signs and slurs just to be heard? And why wasn’t the mayor there the other night when the largest political mob in modern NOTL history packed the community centre, fully 500 days before a vote?" writes Garth Turner.
"Our proposal includes Wellness Estates NOTL, an adult condominium community designed to help residents age in place through integrated health services," writes Nick Vaccaro.
"Some visionaries imagine that tiny devices might be adopted for treating cancer and vascular disease," writes Dr. William Brown. "That’s forward-thinking very much in line with Feynman’s vision for what was possible in 1984."
The lord mayor "certainly has the right," to use "strong mayor powers," writes Michael Fox. "However, he could go some way to restore confidence that democracy, at times on life support in NOTL, is actually still alive."
"I’ve read every letter on this subject in all of the local newspapers without finding a single numeric alternative to our findings. There’s been plenty of time and opportunity," writes Kenn Moody.
Brian Marshall details the introduction of Bill 17, the Protect Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act, introduced this spring, which, Marshall writes, contains provisions around development and home construction that are helpful, and others that present serious concerns.
"Whether you live in a bustling city apartment, a suburban home or out in the country, container gardening allows you to create vibrant, green spaces with minimal fuss," writes Joanne Young.
"As a seasoned sign guy, I believe the bylaw should be amended to include only residential and not commercial properties. Each eligible resident gets a single vote. Many commercial properties or building sites were covered with signage and, dare I say, over-signage," writes Ken I'Anson, who helped with putting up candidate signs around NOTL during the 2025 federal election.
"We’re in the early stages of the biggest political fight most of us have ever seen in this country; if we’re going to win, we need to listen to each other and pull together," writes David Israelson.
Describing the newly introduced Bill 5, Brian Marshall writes, "Quite simply, the proposed legislation seeks to gut environmental protection, continuing Ford’s earlier assaults in 2020 and 2022."
"We can do better in NOTL and there are resources to help us figure out how. This would be a step towards a more positive, cost-effective way of encouraging appropriate development in the current environment of flawed, broad-brush provincial directives," writes Chrys Kaloudis, former urban design committee member.
