NewsNow E-Edition September 14 2023

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Thursday, September 14, 2023

Vol. 12

Issue 20

www.wn3.ca

100% Niagara West owned & operated Circ: 29,006

Hemp on Kemp

Fair is ‘can’t miss’

fun!

Shooting for a big prize, Dennis Safruk takes aim at the balloons with Grandmother Cindy Safruk, Grady Whitty, Austin Safruk and Wendy Lague of Ace Amusements.

Grimsby considers OLT’s approval of hemp processing plant

By Mike Williscraft NewsNow

Grimsby Council has yet to decide if it will agree to dis-

agree with an Aug. 3 Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) decision which allows hemp processing at 29

Kemp Road West.

In its decision, the OLT agreed with the applicant and Grimsby’s assistant plan-

ner, Walter Basic, that the application fit the criteria as a minor variance and should be allowed.

The applicant’s appeal to OLT came as a result of Grimsby’s Committee of Adjustment’s rejecting of

the proposal noting the exact opposite.

The OLT decision arose at meetings

See HEMP, Page 3

What

Town of Grimsby Planning Department

Notice of Special Meeting of Council Review of the Grimsby Official Plan Creating a New Official Plan for the Town of Grimsby Have your say in Grimsby’s Future!

is an Official Plan?

The Grimsby Official Plan is a long range land use planning document that includes a vision, goals, and land use policy directions for the Town. It provides direction and contains land use policies to guide growth and change in Grimsby through to the year 2051. The Official Plan must comply with provincial policies and plans, and the Niagara Region Official Plan. The Plan provides direction for future development in the Town.

Why is Grimsby creating a new Official Plan?

The purpose of creating a new Official Plan is to assess and ensure that it is up to date with changes to Provincial and Regional plans and policies, and reflects and supports the stategic goals and prioirities of the community and Council.

Creating a New Official Plan

Grimsby’s Official Plan was approved by Council in 2009 and was intended to provide direction for the Town until 2031. Various amendments have been made to the Plan since that time. Significant changes in Provincial policy has occurred since 2009, and the Region updated their Plan in 2022. These changes require the Town to update the Grimbsy Official Plan. Resources have been allocated to develop a New Official Plan that is more user friendly, reflects the current comprehensive planning framework, and provides dirction for future development applications.

The New Official Plan

The completion date for the New Official Plan is anticipated by early 2025. The content will address where and how Grimsby will develop, opportunities for employment, transit and tranportation, protection of significant environmental systems and features, protection of agricultural lands and the agricultural economy, cultural heritage and address climate change.

Public Meeting

The public meeting to initiate the New Official Plan is being held under provision of Section 26 of the Planning Act.

Date: Tuesday, October 24, 2023

Time: 6:00 PM

Location: Council Chambers (Grimsby Town Hall, 160 Livingston Avenue)

This meeting can be attended in-person. If you do not wish to speak, this public meeting will be livestreamed at https://www.grimsby.ca/livestream/

Have Your Say

Public input on the development of a new Official Plan is welcomed and encouraged.

You can provide input by speaking at the special meeting of Council, future engagement events, on the Let’s Talk page for the Official Plan, or by emailing the Town at grimsbyop@grimsby.ca

The Town’s Let’s Talk Grimsby page at http://www.letstalkgrimsby.ca/officialplan will be updated with information about the process and currently includes a survey. You can also contact staff by calling Town Hall during normal business hours (8:30 to 4:30):

Terri Donia-Edwards, Supervisor of Planning

Lauren Burkhardt, Policy Planner

Town of Grimsby, Planning Department 160 Livingston Avenue, Grimsby, Ontario L3M 0J5

Telephone: (905) 945-9634 ext. 2192, Fax: (905) 945-5010

Email: grimsbyop@grimsby.ca

Grimsby approves $36 million Peach King Centre design

Grimsby Council approved a $36 million renovation design for the Peach King Centre at its Sept. 5 meeting.

This key advancement sets the blueprint for the site and building, marking an exciting step forward as a visual representation of what is to come for this highly anticipated project.

Grimsby received a $16 million-plus provincial infrastructure grant to support the project.

The design reflects the culmination of months of development and refinement to maximize the functionality, user experience, and value for the

residents of Grimsby. Not only will the new facility provide enhanced indoor amenities for recreation, the exterior site will be reimagined to enhance green space, walking paths, and improve pedestrian access and enjoyment.

“This milestone marks a critical step forward in the PKC Expansion and Renovation and reflects Town Council’s ongoing commitment to enhancing the wellbeing of our community,” said Mayor Jeff Jordan.

Key features will include:

• New indoor sport and recreation space:

Featuring a double gymnasium, walking track, fitness centre and fitness studio;

• New and enhanced community spaces: Attractive lobby and passive spaces, multipurpose rooms, youth area and reflection room;

• Enhanced green spaces: Redevelopment of the PKC and Town Hall site to expand access to green space through walking trails and parking reconfigurations, and;

• Renovations and Accessibility Improvements: Investments in west pad change rooms and improved indoor and outdoor site accessibility.

The PKC Expansion and Renovation was initiated following the 2019 Parks, Recreation and Culture Master Plan that outlined the growing needs for

community recreation space in Grimsby.

Construction is expected to begin in the Spring of 2024 with a target completion date of Summer

2025. More information about the project, including designs, renderings, and a resident survey are available now at: grimsby.ca/pkcexpansion

Overal layout of the Peach King centre footprint.

HEMP

From Page 1 consecutive nights last week - Tuesday’s council meeting and Wednesday’s Planning Committee meeting.

At council, resident Donna Latchford presented new research which Basic said could provide the basis for an appeal of the OLT decision as a special circumstance.

“After reading the decision, it became clear it was not well written with many misinterpretations and errors which make the decision invalid,” said Latchford.

“The decision ignored important parts of the Town’s Official Plan and Zoning Bylaw and was not based on solid legal grounds.”

Key among Latchford’s contention was the OLT officer’s contention that cannabis and hemp are, somehow, different plants.

“The biggest error by the OLT was not understanding the legal definition of cannabis and hemp. The OLT treated these as two entirely different plants which they are not. These terms are defined by the federal government in the

Cannabis Act and the industrial hemp regulations, which are part of the Cannabis Act,” said Latchford.

“In short, Health Canada simply states industrial hemp is a cannabis plant that has low concentration of THC.”

She noted, if that simple fact based in law had held true, the matter would have been immediately settled.

“A cannabis plant, in our Official Plan, says it can’t be grown here. It doesn’t have the setbacks and all the other regulations for the Official Plan,” said Latchford.

“By treating them as different plants, the OLT attempted to override the federal definitions and base their decisions on that error of law and they ended up making an illegal decision. Only the federal government can alter these definitions, not the Province, not the OLT and not the Town of Grimsby.”

Members of council reserved comment for the following night when a staff report on the Kemp Road application was slated to come to the Planning

Committee.

At the Tuesday, Sept. 7 planning committee meeting, the staff report – which gave an overview of the situation was received for information by the committee.

Mayor Jeff Jordan, who chairs planning, suggested the committee waive a procedural bylaw to allow unregistered delegations to speak at the session as several had shown up.

In his own comments, Jordan agreed fully with Latchford’s assessment from the previous night.

“Taking nomenclature, the way nomenclature works is cannabis can be hemp, but hemp is definitively cannabis. That is something that is irrefutable in my opinion,” said Jordan, citing his studies at University of Guelph.

Planning laymember Ian Potter started the meeting’s question period on the OLT decision by noting confusion with several points and suggesting nuances of some wording could lead to larger, ongoing issues.

“I encourage staff to look at the nuances in

those words. To me, it’s subject to variations in interpretations,” said Potter, explaining a Catch 22 in the decision which allows hemp processing but not to its leaves.

“If I have hemp material coming in, and I am allowed to process the stalks, to process the stalks, so I would need to remove the leaves but I am not allowed to remove the leaves because I am processing the leaves then. So, I am not sure what is actually being processed at the plant.”

Coun. Reg Freake agreed the OLT did not clear up anything in its findings.

“It is a little bit confusing in here (the OLT report) no question about it. You can process something, but you can’t process something. It’s going to take almost forensic monitoring – if I might put it that way – to ensure that what they’re doing in this particular processing facility (is permitted). The nuance is confusing,” said Freake, asking how activities at the site will be monitored.

“There is a lot still here that needs to be clarified and we can’t

send this back to OLT, is that correct? The decision is made, it’s done?”

Walter Basic explained to the committee that there is an avenue to pursue, should council opt for it.

“There are opportunities for a review of the decision. There was a 30-day deadline for an automatic review upon request, but special circumstances can be considered like was presented at the council meeting last night,” said Basic, referring to new research conducted by Latchford cited at the council meeting the preceding night.

“Barring that, we will be seeking clarification with the applicant. The way it sits, that’s a zoning interpretation. We’ll need an interpretation of how that’s worded. We’ll want to consult with our legal representatives and determine if there are areas of conflict.

He summarized.

“I think we would want to identify what the concerns are, consult with our legal representative and then he can report back to council and then council can make a decision on what the next steps

going forward should be,” Basic said.

Latchford was back for a second night in a row and noted for the committee that “industrial hemp has some exemptions, but it is still a cannabis plant. It’s like saying a motor vehicle dealership doesn’t include pickup trucks.”

“Our Official Plan has regulations for where it (cannabis) can be grown. This is not the appropriate area.”

Freake said many components don’t add up.

I still don’t think this is following all the rules, all the bylaws and the qualifications of the descriptions of the plants and so on,” said Freake, summing up by agreeing with Basic’s earlier comment about rounding up concerns, any new information, residents’ ongoing concerns and running them by legal counsel to see if any action can be taken with OLT due to special circumstance.

The committee approved a motion to gather public concerns as well as those of council and seek legal opinion about a possible appeal.

Grimsby Arts Walk back in downtown core

Grimsby Arts Walk was introduced in 2022 as an inaugural eventpart of Grimsby’s centennial celebrations.

Next week, it returns for a second run.

Saturday, Sept. 23 the arts and culture event will be hosted over multiple sites in downton Grimsby.

From 10 a.m.-4 p.m., visitors can interact with a variety of artists and artisans at:

• Grimsby Public Art Gallery;

• Nelles Manor Museum;

• Grimsby Museum and;

• In Coronation Park. Coronation Park will host local art vendors as well as performanc-

es by the award-winning artist Nicole JoyFraser, an interactive drum circle and live music all day.

The event will include live mural painting at the art gallery, performances by the Hamilton Aerial Group at the Museum and the Lakeside Pumphouse Artists’ Association at Nelles Manor.

For more information on scheduling and details visit:

grimsbyartswalk.ca/ Call for Artists! Grimsby Art Walk welcomes artists and artisans working in all mediums; painting, photography, sculpture, glass, woodturning, textiles, jewellery and more, with formal or informal training to apply. Interested artists should submit recent work. Established and emerging artists welcome. Apply today: grimsbyartswalk.ca

Are you looking for news from Town Hall?

Do you have questions about your community?

As Councillors for Ward 2, we would love to hear about what matters most to you in your ward and in Lincoln. We will provide a short presentation, and a few members of senior staff will also be in attendance to help answer any questions you may have.

Councillor Tony Brunet

tbrunet@lincoln.ca

905-563-2799 ext. 303

Councillor JD Pachereva jdpachereva@lincoln.ca 905-563-2799 ext. 306

Facilitator announcement cancelled pending review

By Mike Williscraft NewsNow

The roster of provincial facilitators to be charged with reviewing municipal infrastructures in six regions across Ontario has been withheld pending a review.

The announcement of the facilitators was

to be made Monday, by Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Paul Calandra, but now a hold has been placed on the initiative.

Just a couple of weeks ago, then housing minister Steve Clark announced Monday’s timing at the AMO (Association of Municipalities of Ontario) conference.

Clark resigned over Labour Day weekend - amid uproar over land deals relating to opening up Greenbelt lands - and was replaced in the portfolio by Calandra.

In preparation of this process, Grimsby, Lincoln and West

Lincoln councils held their first tri-council meeting at West Niagara Agriculture Centre. This meeting was an education session to bring all the area’s elected officials up to speed on what was in play at the same discussion.

Now, the future of this process is in doubt.

Calandra said in a statement on social media there will be “an update on next steps by the end of September”.

He later added a comment that would ask the committee working on the regional review process to conduct more research on the

matter - going so far as to contact all the regions which are to be reviewed.

Grimsby Mayor Jeff Jordan said he was not sure what led to the decision to suspend the process but added that a purposeful approach to such important components of municipal structure is appreciated.

“There is nothing wrong with slowing the process if it needs to be slowed. It would be far better to conduct a more thorough review of what may be considered at the start and set things on a proper course from the start,” said Jordan.

Pioneer Days rolls this weekend

“This is an opportunity for the public to see the beautiful new changes to Jordan Village, and some of the upgrades to the museum site, including new roofs on the schoolhouse and Fry House, new courtyard with children’s space, and new exhibits: Hockey!, and Poppa Wilson: A Folk Art Story,” said Liliana Busnella, Lincoln’s manager of communications.

Pioneer Day is filled with folk arts and crafts demonstrations, music, dancing, and artisan vendors. Bring the whole family to experience the sights and sounds!

The event runs from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the museum, located at 3800 Main St., Jordan. There is no on-site parking available.

Parking at Jordan Fire Station: 3763

Nineteenth St, Jordan. Use the public parking lot so that Fire Service will not be impacted. Additional free parking and a shuttle bus will be provided from:

• Jordan Arena: 2767 Fourth Ave

• Jordan Immanuel United Reformed Church

• 2900 Fourth Ave, Jordan Station

Tickets: $5pp or $20/family (children under 4 are free). Tickets are available at the gate.

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Municipal

Tax (MAT) in Lincoln

Friday, Sept. 29 7 to 11 pm

Friday, September 15

Karaoke Night, Hosted by Matt Duncan, Solo or group participants welcome!

Grimsby Legion Supports YOUR Local Community

Why Implement a MAT Tax in Lincoln? As defined in the Tourism Strategy and Action Plan 2020-2025, Lincoln’s greatest opportunity for economic growth resides within its diverse tourism sector. With tourism on the rise, we face increased demands on our town’s resources, from public washrooms to emergency services. The MAT’s dual purpose is to fuel tourism growth while shifting the cost burden from residents to visitors, specifically those who opt for short-term overnight accommodations.

Public Information Centre: This project is in the early stages and the Town will begin seeking public input to help determine the MAT rate and other important details.

SEPT

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Friday, Sept. 22 7 to 11 pm

West Niagara Fair highlights rural roots

The 2023 West Niagara Fair was the agricultural event of the year with thousands flooding the fairgrounds for a weekend of fun.

From livestock judging and tractor pulls to sheep shearing, farmer Olympics, pie eating and the midway, the West Niagara Agricultural Society pulled out all the stops to showcase the community’s rural roots.

“More than 12,000 people came out for the fair,” WNAS president Annette VanMarrum said Monday. The fairboard’s mandate is to promote agriculture in the community.

“It couldn’t have happened without our super volunteers and sponsors who just made it a fantastic fair. We’re so thankful for everybody who helped us on the way.”

Farmer Don Reeder displays a colourful palette of organically grown produce.

(Right) Amelia, 13, and Jonah Michaud, 11, prepare Holsteins Daisy and Heleen for judging.

Photos, Story

By Joanne McDonald

Entrepreneurs Claire Nelson, 11, and Ryleigh Mcpherson-Woodham, 11, of Pretty in Pearls, Smithville.

Ellie Flemming, 12 months, takes home a red ribbon from the baby contest.

Six-year-old Zain Basic mastered the donut on a string to win the competition.

Fairgoers were pulling up a straw bale and enjoying the show.

Ten-year-old Edison Furry takes a break at the fair.

Ron Murre, first vice-president of the West Niagara Agricultural Society, is fed pie by WNAS president Annette VanMarrum.

Jersey ‘Baha’ named for her April 1, 2022 birthday, gets a close up trim from Matthew Roszell.

Sarah Bohlken rides tall in the saddle with her quarterhorse SunFrost Dunit.

Abby, 7, and William Funk, 10, take flight on the midway.

Arizona Tillman, 3, has her eye on the prize at the fish pond.

Roberts Road anything but a collector: letter writer

Dear Editor, Typically I agree with almost every article and opinion piece you write.

That is until your latest article against traffic calming measures in Grimsby that the mailman just dropped off.

As a retired police officer and resident on Roberts Rd. - yes, it’s a residential street with numerous driveways and no sidewalk plus several

other homes that back onto Roberts Rd. where the neighbours complain they can’t enjoy their own backyards due to the noise produced by speeding vehicles.

I urge you to read the letter to the editor in this same edition by Elisabeth Prior who makes the case for being pro-active rather than reactive.

Grimsby is all alone when compared to just about every other community in southern Ontario with a population over 10,000. Public Works, supported by a handful of council members year after year, make excuses why they don’t want to solve an identified problem. I went door to door and spoke to every resident except one who was away about our speeding and noise issues.

We all felt the same way including the Roberts resident you quoted who is actually my neighbour. He told me he misspoke in the article and didn’t mean to say we didn’t need or want our speed reduced to a 40 zone. He said he was simply trying to make the point that the police are doing very little to calm traffic these days. It may just be because they know so many motorists now rely on their Waze traffic app and know where the police are located. Enforcement

a few times a month won’t do a thing. I respectfully disagreed with my neighbour after he told me what he wrote and he quickly changed his tune.

Too much technology in vehicles, relying on vehicle safety features, phones even hands free is extremely distracting. Just take a drive while talking hands free for five minutes and then try to recall how many lights or stop signs you navigated or cyclists you passed or pedestrians that crossed the road.

You won’t be able to because your focus was on the conversation.

That’s why every community has taken traffic calming seriously. Beamsville after two children were run over and killed have quickly stepped up. We had a girl nearly killed on Livingston and a man run over 70 meters from my house in the crosswalk by Main and Roberts where a bad idea side entry into the gas station has resulted in so many near calls just in my five years living here.

If you go to Vineland, Beamsville or Stoney Creek and dozens of other communities the 40 zone with blue on the speed signs are highly effective. They work. Just go drive in those communities aided by some slight speed humps that allow

snow removal equipment to still do their work really do work. Children, pets and seniors are more safe because of them.

Grimsby more than most communities needs traffic calming measures more than any other community I travel to or through.

We are mostly a no sidewalk or one sidewalk community where pedestrians have to J-walk all the time just to get to a sidewalk.This is why, minus one, we ALL signed the petition.

I’m asking you to rethink your position as if you lived on Roberts Rd. (a one of a kind wide open 1/4 mile stretch downhill with the escarpment reverberations) and then tell me this is a collector road. It’s anything but.

Casablanca is a collector road, perhaps Bartlett.

The rest are residential areas or main core routes that need to be policed by both NRP and our elected representatives.

I wrote the mayor, Lianne Vardy and Don Howe prior to the last election and all three said they supported traffic calming measures in Grimsby including speed humps for Roberts Rd. What a surprise the mayor would vote against them recently. He won’t be getting my vote again. Fool me once!!

Mike Schutte Grimsby

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OBITUARIES

Rivers, Elizabeth Mildred (Millie)

Passed away peacefully at Aspira Lincoln Park Retirement Home in Grimsby on Friday, August 11, 2023. Millie was born and raised in Cobalt, Ont. where she thrived with her parents and 5 siblings during the heydays of the Silver Rush. Millie had worked at a couple of jobs before getting married, but her most cherished was that of Secretary at the Temiskaming Testing Lab. It is there where she met Vaughn Rivers who had recently graduated from the Haileybury School of Mines. Married life brought them to Geralton, Ont. and Saginaw Michigan. They returned to North Bay to raise their family. Millie will be forever missed by her daughters who adored her and remembered by everyone who had the good fortune to know her.

Predeceased by husband Vaughn Rivers (1986). Loving mother of Linda (Mike) Wilson and Charlotte (d. John) Toal. Much loved Gramma of Jessica (Ryan), Caroline and Christine (Andrew Bland). Will be sadly missed by siblings Bev (Brian) Richards, June (Steve) Bond and Ken (Sharon) Richards. Predeceased by sisters Marjorie (Hugh) Knox and Francis (David) Watson. She will also be remembered and missed by her friends, nieces and nephews and her Lincoln Park Family.

Millie was the light of our lives and will be forever in our hearts.

Cremation has taken place.

A Celebration of Life will take place at Average Joes in North Bay, Ont., on Sunday October 15, 2023 from 1:30 till 4pm.

If desired, memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer Society or charity of choice.

Online condolences at www.tallmanfuenralhomes.ca

At the United Mennonite Home on Sunday September 10th, 2023, Cathy passed away peacefully in her 91st year, surrounded by her loving family. She will be dearly missed by her brother Anthony Easton (Sandra), her 3 daughter’s Patty Smith (Dave, deceased), Pam Mataseje (Erinie) and Cindy Cameron (Ian). Fondly known as “Grams” to her 4 granddaughter’s Julie, Peggy, Kaitlyn, and Miranda and 9 great grandchildren. Predeceased by her husband of 70 years William (Bill), Jack Easton, Mervin Easton, and Sylvia Campbell. Cathy and Bill were wellrespected fruit farmers of a Century Farm in the Niagara Region. Cathy’s happiest times were spent with family and friends up north enjoying the great outdoors.The family would like to thank the United Mennonite Home Meadow Lane staff for their caring and compassion. Donations in Cathy’s memory can be made to the United Mennonite Home, 4024 TwentyThird Street, Vineland, Ontario L0R 2C0.

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Directory

ANNOUNCEMENT ANNOUNCEMENT

NOTICE TO CLIENTS OF M. G. VANDEYAR THAT HE WILL BE RETIRING FROM THE PRACTICE OF LAW EFFECTIVE AS OF SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2023.

CLIENTS SHOULD CONTACT MONTY G. VANDEYAR BY PHONE AT: 905-563-8818 to obtain THEIR ORIGINAL WILLS OR POWERS OF ATTORNEY DOCUMENTS, CORPORATE PROPERTY AND RECORDS, other valuable property or documents, AND FUNDS HELD IN TRUST BY FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 29TH, 2023

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Grimsby: Plan the work, work the plan

I think the time has come for Grimsby to align itself with Zermatt, Switzerland. Perhaps a twinning with the Swiss Alps town is in order. Why?

The town is carless. Not careless, carless. One can take a train up into the mountains right to town or drive to Täsch and go by taxi or limo from there.

Then council would not have to waste any more time on this 40 kph consideration for all residential roads issue.

Yes, it has been noted in this space before and it will be again, roads need to be as safe as possible and if mitigation measures can be implemented to ensure that, great.

Fashionable donation

FORT is this year’s recipient of funds raised at Sewing With Stephanie’s annual fashion show. On hand for the presentation were (L to R) Liz Bond of FORT, Alexandra Wolaniuk, Lilah Copeland and Amna Hussain all from Sewing with Stephanie.

OLT hamstrings municipalities

Properly planned development in all municpalities is a good thing - properly planned being the key words there. Developers didn’t need the procedural boost laid out by the provincial government last year - the fine print has yet to be ironed out on much of it - and expanded powers of the Ontario Land Tribunal and its penchant for handing over win after win to those same developers does not help matters. That said, on top of the greased track set in place to lower costs and speed the process for developers, when nonsensicial decisions roll though the OLT it just throws gas on the fire. The application for a hemp processing on Kemp Road in Grimsby is one which cannot be construed as properly planned or conforming to Town guidelines. Yet, there is it, approved. At some point, proper planning must win the day.

At least, I must say, the Notice of Motion which came to council last week and will be dealt with at its Sept. 18 meeting asks consideration of the 40 kph limit as part of the 2024 budget process as opposed to immediately enacting it as before.

So that’s an improvement. That will give staff an opportunity to assess some of the accident data submitted as part of the NoM - which included the accident on Ridge Road in February 2022 which was actually a murder and another incident on Livingston at Brierwood which had nothing to do with speed.

Accurate information is a major part of the reason NoM’s are needed in

the first place, instead of an elected official just showing up at council, new motion in hand, and tabling it for approval with no research, staff input or council members having an appropriate amount of time to digest the information.

An example, the NoM for reducing all residential road speed limits to 40 kph includes the line, “Despite various measures in place, the current speed limit of 50 km/h on certain roads remains a matter of concern due to escalating accidents, injuries, and fatalities”.

Are numbers escalating?

Could very well be, but accidents cited and which ones are relevant to the speeding issue also needs to be part of this assessment.

Part of the council discussion last week was asking staff to monitor Garden Drive traffic in the coming weeks. Why? Because of the kneejerk reaction to concerns on Roberts Road, a collector

road, NOT considered a residential road, which got a 40 kph limit approved singularly for it, off the cuff, with no justification other than a handful of residents wanted traffic slowed.

I get the intent, but the whole process was wrong. Not unlike another matter council chose to waive procedure on and act immediately when Coun. Jennifer Korstanje put forward a Notice of Motion asking the federal government to implement a guaranteed livable income

The NoM asks, in part, the Town “encourage these same municipalities to join us in advocating on behalf of our communities” based on a series of data points offered.

The problem there wasalthough the intent of the NoM is wholly valid and well-intended, by pushing through a motion which was ill-prepared council was put in a position of quickly jockeying, thinking on its feet and with offthe-cuff input from staff.

That is not a way for a municipality to conduct business.

Of course a living wage premise is a great idea, but as was pointed out by Coun. Delight Davoli, how does Grimsby ask others to lobby and consider implementing a living wage program, when Grimsby has not even reviewed it or implemented such a program. Cart before the horse is not a good look.

MIKE WILLISCRAFT

Traffic flow problems highly predictable: reader

Dear Editor, I always look forward to reading your editorials.

Just finished reading your editorial of the new high school and your comments were spot on.

We moved to Beamsville five years ago and I remember taking my wife to Ridgeview Garden Centre a few months later and learning that the property

had been sold and a new regional high school would be built on the property.

I remember thinking to my self - what a dumb decision. Why would they build a school on such a busy main highway as Hwy. 8DUH?

Meanwhile, as time

went on, the building began and trucks were coming and going from Hwy. 8

I mentioned to my wife - I hope this is just a temporary service entrance.

Nope - I guess, if they were stupid enough to put the school on Hwy. 8, they were stupid enough to place the main entrance there as well.

I think the initial

problems you mentioned are just the tip of the iceberg and it will continue to grow into major issues for years to come.

Perhaps these planners and decision makers need to be taught some lessons of their own in common senseLOL.

Keep up the good work!

Tom Taylor Beamsville

WNSS development needs public review: writer

Dear Editor,

As a taxpayer it is really tough to see the repeated mismanagement on so many fronts from the DSBN.

I just don’t get how these people keep their jobs.

I saw earlier the director of education is retiring this year. He may have already. Could that be due to what will eventually come out about the new West Niagara school?

So many issues with the GSS wind up. Site problems

and cost overruns at the new site. Now the traffic flow issues with no forethought. It just keeps coming at us.

I hope the provin-

cial government will call for a full and public review of this project from the multi-million-dollar soil remediation fiasco right up to the

current lack of planning (with Niagara Region) for proper access/exits, crosswalk and basic safety measures.

Dave Kelly, Grimsby

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