December 24, 2020

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Elmira, Ontario, Canada | observerxtra.com | Volume 25 | Issue 52

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Living Here | 19

THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT The Elmira home of Gloria Lillico is typically bedecked inside with all things Christmas. Given the situation this year, she opted to concentrate on the outdoor display at her Cardinal Street address.

Damon MacLean

Elmira PSW is the region’s first recipient of COVID-19 vaccine Damon MacLean Observer Staff

A FRONTLINE WORKER FROM A long-term care facility in Elmira was the first person in Waterloo Region to be vaccinated for COVID-19. Siham Ibrahim, a personal support worker at Chartwell Elmira Long-Term Care Resi-

dence, received the shot Tuesday at Grand River Hospital.

Ten staff members were among the initial group vaccinated at the region’s first COVID-19 immunization clinic.

“I take care of our wonderful residents, our seniors. And I just felt that this decision was just one

more thing to protect them and make sure that I’m doing my best to be there for them and provide the help that they needed, and to overcome the health issues that are already happening,” said Ibrahim after being vaccinated.

The first shipment of Pfizer’s vaccine arrived at the hospital Monday,

where its arrival was greeted by the region’s recently created vaccination taskforce. Waterloo Regional Police deputy chief Shirley Hilton, who heads the group, said the team received 2,400 doses of the vaccine.

“Regular clinics will then run through December and into January and

those receiving the vaccine will be by appointment only,” she said.

The initial doses have been earmarked for healthcare workers and others on the frontlines such as those at long-term carehomes.

“We prioritized homes based on their level of Siham Ibrahim

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THE OBSERVER | Thursday, December 24, 2020

2 | COMMUNITY NEWS

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THE OBSERVER | Thursday, December 24, 2020 | 3

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Budget times ahead

From the archives

Enjoying a Christmas interlude, Woolwich council will be back at it early in the new year, with a series of special meetings to discuss the township’s 2021 budget. The public sessions will be held Jan. 5, 7, 12 and 14, each starting at 6 p.m. in council chambers, with the proceedings streamed via the township’s YouTube channel.

The average homeowner will fork out another $53 next year thanks to tax hikes by the Region of Waterloo. Council last week approved a 2.74% increase for the 2018 budget, 2.27% for regional services and 0.47% for police services. Money will be funnelled into the as-yet-operational light rail scheme and integration with other transit lines.

From the Dec. 21, 2017 edition of The Observer

Woolwich and Wellesley to benefit from Safe Restart funds Sean Heeger Observer Staff

ADDITIONAL PROVINCIAL FUNDING WILL HELP local municipalities cope with the coronavirus pandemic, helping to offset lost revenues and cover additional expenses related to the crisis. Woolwich Township will be getting $233,000, while Wellesley can expect

$86,000 as part of the latest iteration of the Safe Restart Agreement.

The funding was announced last week by Kitchener-Conestoga MPP Mike Harris.

“This is really part of a total investment in the region of $20,821,000, so almost $21 million provided to our seven area municipalities.

This iteration is really to

help… give them some budget certainty moving into 2021. Everybody’s in the process right now of putting together their 2021 budgets, most will be almost done at this point, so this will help them alleviate any shortfalls,” said Harris. “The nice thing with this is it means that they won’t have to find efficiencies or look at providing different

services to make up for what could have potentially been a budget shortfall. Obviously, the big thing is we don’t want to see taxes have to get raised exponentially, so every little bit helps.”

This funding is part of a $695-million investment across the province to help all municipalities as they form their 2021 budgets.

In the first round, Harris

says Wellesley Township received $204,100 while Woolwich Township received $550,500. That was part of about $43 million coming to Waterloo Region municipalities overall to help with critical services related to COVID19.

He says funding like this is to help municipalities put their best foot forward as we move through the

pandemic and it reflects “the reality that’s happening here in the province.”

In Woolwich Township, director of finance Richard Petherick welcomed the additional monies.

“We were not expecting that this was going to happen, but we’re very pleased with this announcement. I think it goes to show how much → RESTART 4

Province-wide lockdown goes into effect Dec. 26 Damon Maclean Observer Staff

A Newton man faces charges after the pickup truck he was driving failed to stop for a stop sign and collided with another vehicle at Boomer Line and Herrgott Road near St. Clements early Monday morning. Three people were injured, one seriously. Joe Merlihan

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FAR FROM BEING A TIME to run out and spend your Christmas money, Boxing Day will be the start of a 28-day lockdown across Ontario.

Premier Doug Ford made the long-expected announcement Monday afternoon in response to the growing number of COVID-19 cases.

The lockdown that begins December 26 will run until January 23, subject to an extension if conditions warrant it.

Under the new rules, small businesses will be shut down; social gatherings outlawed unless, with your immediate household; discount and box stores will be reduced to 25 per cent of capacity; indoor dining will be prohibited at restaurants, and indoor access to shopping malls restricted to pick-up only.

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“We’re asking all Ontarians to stay at home and only leave when absolutely necessary, such as work, groceries, prescriptions or medical appointments,” said Ford in a statement, noting the province-wide measure helps counter the practice of people living in lockdown areas such as the GTA travelling to other locations for shopping and recreational options.

Originally planned for December 24, the lockdown was pushed back a couple of days to allow small businesses time to prepare before the holidays. To help ease the burden, the province also announced new funding for small businesses.

“I know how much our businesses are struggling. That’s why we have directed our finance minister to review our existing business support programs, we will be launching the new Ontario small business support grant, which will provide a minimum of $10,000 and up to $20,000 to be eligible →LOCKDOWN 4

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THE OBSERVER | Thursday, December 24, 2020

4 | COMMUNITY NEWS

LOCKDOWN: Putting a smack down on the coronavirus in the region →FROM 3

small business owners to help them through this challenging time. That’s up to $20,000 to help hundreds of thousands of businesses across the province. And they will decide where those funds are needed most,” said Ford.

While schools are formally part of the lockdown, there will be changes to the schedule, he added.

“I want to be clear: schools are not part of the problem of COVID in our communities. But out of an abundance of caution, school closures over the winter break will be extended,” said Ford, noting the extended break will last until January 11, after which children will attend class remotely until January 25, when they can go back to in-person learning.

“Community transmission is widespread and our health care system is under very heavy strain,” said Region of Waterloo medical officer of health Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang. “Shutdown will be very difficult and will present hardships for our community, especially through the holiday season. Please stay connected virtually and be mindful of feelings of isolation. If you or someone you know needs help, remember that local mental health support is available.”

A joint statement was issued by Kitchener-Conestoga MPP Mike Harris and Kitchener South-Hespeler MPP Amy Fee following the announcement.

“Since the beginning

of the pandemic, health and safety has been our government’s number one priority, which is why we are making this difficult decision to enter into a province-wide shutdown starting December 26. Waterloo Region has slowed the spread of COVID-19 before and we can do it again. We urge everyone to follow public health measures this Christmas and New Year.

While this is difficult news for our local small businesses, our government stands ready to provide them with the necessary supports to get through these difficult times. By working together and taking urgent action, we can protect our health care system and save lives.”

Also this week, the region received its first shipment of the Pfizer vaccine, with vaccinations beginning on December 22 for frontline workers in hospitals and long-term care homes.

“After an intense week of planning, today marks a significant step forward in roll-out of the COVID-19 immunization program,” Shirley Hilton, who’s heading the region’s vaccine taskforce, said in a release. “I cannot stress enough that the vaccination program will take time. Adherence to public guidelines is vital to ensure health of our community while we roll out the vaccine.”

Mass immunization of the general public is not expected until the third quarter of 2021.

Health officials call on residents to avoid gatherings over the holidays; region to step up enforcement Damon MacLean Observer Staff

THE NUMBER OF COVID-19 CASES on the rise and a lockdown imminent, the region is shifting away from an education-first approach in enforcing restrictions designed to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Public health officials are calling on residents to avoid gatherings over Christmas and the rest of the holidays, getting a jump on the limitations that come into force on Boxing Day. “We need to act now,” said medical officer of health Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang during the region’s pandemic briefing Tuesday.

It’s a message that reinforces an open letter signed by Wang and the medical officers of other jurisdictions that stresses the importance of avoiding gatherings.

At midweek, there were 598 active cases of COVID-19, 130 more than a week earlier, bringing

the cumulative total to 5,193.

The number of new cases each day this month now routinely pass the high-water mark of 71 last spring. Public health officials are currently monitoring outbreaks at 30 locations, including nine long-term care and retirement homes. There have now been 147 fatalities related to the pandemic, 10 more in the past week.

“We are headed in the wrong direction,” she said, adding “we cannot wait until the province-wide lockdown begins. Before we reduce our social interactions, we must avoid social gatherings under all circumstances, including holiday celebrations, workplace end-of-year celebrations, playdates, birthday parties, dinner parties, etc. Even with close family, friends or people that you trust.”

Wang noted rapid increases in the number of cases are already being reflected in rising hospitalization numbers, with ICU beds reaching capacity.

The numbers have forced the region’s three hospitals – Grand River, St. Mary’s

General and Cambridge Memorial – to make adjustments.

“We have reduced our surgeries to be able to create space, and to deal with some of the outbreaks that we’ve been dealing with internally,” said Grand River Hospital president Ron Gagnon, noting GRH had 19 people admitted with COVID-19.

“Our ICU has been teetering on maximum capacity to the point where we’ve actually established plans now of where we would be able to encroach into to provide more capacity, to provide ventilation for people who need it,” he said, predicting the anticipated rise of cases is guaranteed to happen even if people behave over the few days before the lockdown begins.

Regional Chair Karen Redman issued a warning to those planning to ignore the measures in place.

“I would like to say that the region and its enforcement partners, the Waterloo Regional Police Service, municipal bylaw and

public health inspectors, will continue to educate and enforce bylaws. This includes fines where necessary for as long as necessary to keep people safe over the holidays throughout the province-wide shutdown and beyond.”

Rigid enforcement is the policy now.

“We have every intention of following through with these. They’re very serious.

And it’s one of the reasons why, in my comments, I say, we will continue to use education and enforcement by our bylaw officers, our public health inspectors of Waterloo Regional Police, for as long as it takes until we’re out the other end.”

The region has issued numerous fines for violations of the local face covering bylaw and multiple charges for failing to comply with the Reopening of Ontario Act. Charges have ranged from nail salons opening when not being essential and restaurants failing to accommodate social distancing, as well as to private house parties.

RESTART: Unexpected cash from province keeps township coffers flush →FROM 3

this pandemic has stretched [resources], and we’re very thankful for the province to recognize that as this pandemic continues on it does have an impact to municipal operations and municipalities’ bottom lines,” he said.

The $233,000 will help

with losses that came from a lack of recreation revenues due to lockdowns.

Petherick said he expects some of the $550,500 from the first round to be left over as the township moves into 2021, noting Woolwich spent more than $100,000 on pandemic-related expenses, and that number continues to grow.

In Wellesley Township, treasurer Theresa Bisch says the $86,000 from the second round of funding will be used much in the same way.

“The township expects to use this funding to help offset lost revenue due to closures of our facilities, for PPE, additional cleaning supplies, addi-

tional staff time required for sanitizing our facilities and for equipment to allow as many office staff as possible to work remotely.

This funding will also help the township continue to deliver recreation services that are being provided at a reduced revenue and increased expense,” said Bisch.

“PROUDLY REMEMBERING OUR PAS T; CONFIDENTLY EMBRACING OUR FUTURE.”

Community Information Page

P.O. Box 158

24 Church St. W. Elmira, Ontario N3B 2Z6

NOTICE TO RESIDENTS Phone:

The Township office will be closed to walk-in public ortraffic as of December 26th,519-575-4400 as we enter 519-669-1647 877-969-0094 519-669-1820 www.woolwich.ca a provincewide shutdown. Please use online or phone where possible. There is a drop box located at the side of our building along Maple Street, which offers a contactless option for dropping off payments, building permits or documents.

Essential services, such as, but not limited to, winter control/snow clearance, watermains, municipal enforcement services, building inspections, cemetery services and planning approvals will continue.

To view current media releases or to stay informed the township’s response to COVID-19, visit: www. woolwich.ca/en/township-services/2019-novelcoronavirus.aspx Fax:

After Hours Emergency:

Notice of Licensing and Hearings Committee A Licensing and Hearings Committee will be held in January.

The final date and start time will be provided on the Region’s website. The purpose of the meeting is to consider: Changes to the current taxi license fares. a) Increase the per kilometer rate from $2.10 to $2.30; and b) Increase the waiting per hour rate from $31.20 to $35.00.

Standardize hours that retail business establishments can be open on holidays in the following 3 designated areas: a) Southworks Antiques; b) All businesses within St. Jacobs Business Improvement Area; and c) St Jacobs Farmers Market, Market Road Antiques, and Outlet Mall.

For further information about these changes please contact the Regional Clerk at the regionalclerk@regionofwaterloo.ca or Licensing and Enforcement services at RLicensingandRegulatory@regionofwaterloo.ca

2021 Regional Budget The next 2021 Regional Budget meeting will be held electronically on Tuesday, January 12, 2021 following Committee of the Whole; it is expected to begin at 1:00pm. Any updates to the scheduled start time will be provided on the meeting agenda posted on the Region’s website.

Final approval of the Region’s 2021 Operating Budget and Ten-Year Capital Program is scheduled for Wednesday, January 20, 2021 at 4:00pm.

You can watch any of the scheduled budget or Council meetings on the Region’s website at https://www. regionofwaterloo.ca/en/regional-government/livewebcast.aspx.

Please visit our website for more information on the Regional Budget including a copy of the budget schedule at https://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/regionalgovernment/budget-and-finance-archives.aspx .

Kris Fletcher Regional Clerk

Thursday, December 24, 2020 | THE OBSERVER

ↆ P O L I C E

COMMUNITY NEWS | 5

R E POR T

Ontario residents continue to be targeted by scammers claiming to be associated with OEB Since October, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) have received an increased number of complaints from homeowners who have been solicited by individuals claiming to be associated with the Ontario Energy Board (OEB).

Police note the OEB does not engage and is not involved in any type of sales activity.

Typically, the individuals will contact a homeowner by way of

DECEMBER 19 3:44 AM | Waterloo

telephone requesting to attend the residence in order to conduct a green energy assessment to qualify for a green energy rebate or Ontario Rebate Program for COVID-19 relief. Once in the home, the representative will use high-pressure sales tactics to have the homeowner purchase products and services in order to qualify for a rebate.

Door‐to‐door scams continue to pose a threat to Ontario consumers and

businesses. Consumers may find themselves in a situation where they purchase a product or sign up for a service contract they neither need nor want.

The OEB has received in excess of 710 complaints related to energy scams in 2020 from consumers across the province.

In 2019, the Canadian Anti‐Fraud Centre receive 1,641 complaints related to service scams affecting 863 Ontario

residents, for a loss of $2,878,898. Door‐to‐door scams reported to the Canadian Anti‐Fraud Centre include solicitations or a service scam involving the sale or maintenance of an appliance.

On March 1, 2018, Ontario banned unsolicited, door‐to‐door sales of certain household appliances to better protect consumers from aggressive and misleading contracting at home. The new rules

apply to air cleaners, air conditioners, air purifiers, duct cleaning services, furnaces, water filters, water heaters, water purifiers, water softeners, water treatment devices as well as bundles of these goods and services.

On January 1, 2017, Ontario banned energy retailers from signing up customers for an energy contract while at their homes to give consumers the ability to make choices about their energy supply at

their own pace and with better information.

If you believe you have become a victim of fraud, contact your local police service and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-4958501 (toll-free) or report online at www.antifraudcentre.ca. You can also call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or report the incident online at www. ontariocrimestoppers. ca.

damage, and the dog was transported to the vet.

driver was transported to hospital with minor injuries.

was transported to a local hospital, where she was pronounced deceased.

A passenger of the car was also transported to local hospital with minor injuries. The driver of the snowplow was not injured.

Anyone with information regarding this or any incident is asked to call the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or online at www.opp. ca/reporting. Should you wish to remain anonymous you can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or leave an anonymous online message at http://hc-cs.ca where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2,000.

gott Road near St. Clements. Preliminary findings showed that a grey Ford Ranger pickup truck failed to stop for a stop sign and then collided with a white Chevrolet Silverado. As a result of the collision, both drivers were transported to hospital with minor injuries.

The passenger from the Silverado was transported to an out-of-region hospital with serious injuries. As a result of the investigation, a 26-year-old Newton man

was charged with ‘careless driving causing bodily harm,’ ‘insecure load, ‘driver – failure to properly wear seat belt,’ and ‘stop sign – fail to stop.’ He is scheduled to appear in court in February. Anyone who may have witnessed the collision is asked to call Waterloo Regional Police Service’s Traffic Unit at 519-570-9777, ext.

8856 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

Regional Police responded to a report of a single-vehicle collision on Puddicombe Road in Wilmot Township. The driver of the vehicle was travelling south when they lost control, left the roadway and struck a hydro pole.

The driver suffered minor injuries and was transported to hospital. As a result of the investigation, a 17-year-old female was charged with ‘careless driving.’

2:21 PM |

9:32 AM | Waterloo

hicle collision brought police to Northfield Drive East in Woolwich Township. A vehicle was travelling north on Northfield Drive when the driver lost control of the vehicle, which left the roadway and struck a tree.

The vehicle was left with significant damage. The

Regional Police responded to a report that a dog was struck by the driver of a vehicle. The dog attempted to cross the street when it was struck by a vehicle travelling south on Nafziger Road in Wellesley Township. The vehicle suffered moderate

Police responded to a report of a single motor vehicle collision on Nafziger Road in Wilmot Township.

A vehicle was travelling north when the driver lost control and swerved to the left and left the roadway. The vehicle suffered significant damage. As a result of the investigation, an elderly male was charged with ‘careless driving.’

4:41 PM | A single-ve-

8:11 PM | Police carry-

ing out a RIDE program on Sawmill Road in Woolwich Township issued a three-day suspension to a driver after the driver provided a breath sample that allegedly was in the alert range. As a result, the driver was charged and issued a licence suspension.

8:30 PM | A 19-yearold Moorefield woman died after her car collided with a snowplow south of Mitchell. Perth County OPP determined that a car travelling westbound on Line 32 and a snowplow travelling northbound on Road 164 collided at the intersection, which is controlled by a stop sign in the east and west directions. The driver of the car

DECEMBER 21 7:00 AM | Emergency

services responded to a collision involving two vehicles in the area of Boomer Line and Herr-

VACCCINE: Frontline workers are the priority in local vaccine distribution →FROM 1

potential risk,” explained Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang, medical officer of health for Waterloo Region. “We do know, with the experience that we’ve had not only in Ontario, but in other jurisdictions that when you have long-term care homes that have a physical layout, the density is such that it’s hard to separate residents.”

Because of both the close proximity and the characteristics of the residents, there’s a higher risk of both spread and serious illness, making such facilities a natural place to start, officials says.

“We just wanted to proceed with those that had the highest potential risk,” said Wang.

Chartwell vice-president Sharon Ranalli welcomed the move to make longterm care homes a priority.

“We extend our gratitude to all levels of government for their expediency in making the vaccine

available to the front lines of long-term care and retirement residences. In today’s first vaccine of a Chartwell employee, and in the days to come as more receive it, the Region of Waterloo is giving all citizens hope that the fight against COVID-19 is achievable and will indeed save lives and protect our residents,” she said in a statement.

Grand River Hospital was one of 17 locations in the province chosen to receive the vaccine’s first shipments for logistical reasons such as high case counts and access to a freezer able to store the vaccine at minus-70 degrees Celsius.

Staff are not required to receive the vaccination, but Wang said it will be accessible to those who want it.

“It’s not mandatory, like other vaccines. But we highly, highly encourage everyone that’s offered the

vaccine to receive it. It’s safe. It’s effective.”

For GRH president Rob Gagnon, “This is an exciting point in the journey.

Over the course of the next couple of weeks, we will ramp up to doing 400 vaccinations a day through the clinic. And as you’ve heard, that will be focused on long-term care home staff as the first priority.

And then we’ll continue to follow the priorities established by the province and then augmented here by our task force as we receive more and more vaccines over time. I would anticipate that we will continue to learn from this clinic

and use that learning as we start to spread vaccines throughout the community in the months to follow,” he said.

Given the limited number of doses available and the priority to vaccinate frontline workers, Hilton noted there’s no point in residents calling the public health unit, local pharmacies or family doctors to inquire about the getting a shot.

“Vaccines will only be administered at one verified clinic, and at this point are by appointment only. The vaccine is not anticipated to be available to members of the general public until later into 2021.

Although a vaccine is an important step towards recovery, safe distribution to the general public will take time. Along with your patience, we ask the community that the community continues to follow the public health guidance,” she said.

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THE OBSERVER | Thursday, December 24, 2020 | 6

Opinion

When local news matters ... ... it matters where you get your local news.

Verbatim

The Monitor

“Awful is what we got. And so I think we really need to think about not ‘what do we need to be happy’ but ‘what do we need to do to not make it much, much worse.’”

Globally, at least 30 journalists were killed in 2020; 21 of those were singled out for murder in retaliation for their work, a jump from the previous year’s 10 murders, while others were killed in combat or crossfire or on another assignment that turned dangerous. Mexico, Afghanistan, and the Philippines had the most retaliatory killings.

Dr. Colin Furness, an epidemiologist and assistant professor at the University of Toronto, about doing what’s right over the holidays.

Online: observerxtra.com/about

Committee to Protect Journalists

OBSERVER EDITORIAL

A simpler Christmas that we can choose to enjoy

I

t may not look a lot like Christmas, but if you’ve been out doing any last-minute shopping you’ll know just how close we are to the big day. That increased level of stress is also a sure reminder, and an ironic juxtaposition to what should be the most enjoyable and relaxing time of year ... if not for the pandemic, of course.

Instead, we typically stress over what to buy, stress over going to the mall, stress over overspending, stress over dinner plans, stress over overeating … and on and on.

This year, we’re stressing over all the things we can’t do because of health concerns, which are yet another layer of worry, albeit one that’s been with us for most of the year.

Given the expenses associated with Christmas, it’s no surprise that money ranks right up there with big stresses of the season. In fact, a new poll finds that many of us say that our financial situation is causing them to feel more stress this year than last year – part of the economic woes associated with the pandemic.

That may be why a survey for the Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) found 29 per cent of Canadians plan to spend a bit less this holiday season, though the average will be up to $588, up $5 from last year at this time.

One holiday tradition certainly off the table is travelling to gather in larger groups. The same survey found we’re likely to avoid travel during the holiday season as one-third do not plan to spend anything on travel and an additional 38 per cent plan to spend less than $200. In terms of money spent entertaining, 13 per cent of respondents plan to spend nothing at all this year, a sizeable part of the 59 per cent of respondents who plan to spend less than $200.

Facts like that can easily put a damper on Christmas celebrations, much more so than the lack of snow on the ground. Some of us, like Bing Crosby, may be dreaming of that ‘White Christmas, ’ but that picture-postcard moment is likely to elude us this year.

Nonetheless, it’s still the season to be jolly. If it’s any consolation, snow is a rarity, if it ever shows up at all, in a good chunk of the world that celebrates the significance of December 25 – a white Christmas is only the stuff of movies and songs.

Best to look at the upside of Christmas, with all the joy and fellowship it brings. For many of us, Christmas is a collection of childhood memories augmented with idyllic pictures of Victorian scenes or images straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting. Or perhaps the vision runs to the mood evoked by such classics as It’s a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street or Holiday Inn. For those so blessed, Christmas was and is a carefree time.

The goal, after all, should be to recapture some of that zest, that anticipation and wonder that came with the Christmases of youth. At the same time, there is the need for an adult appreciation of what a timeout from the “real world” can mean for the soul.

It’s easy to get caught up in the shopping, the dinner preparations, the running around, and a host of other complications, but if there was ever a time for simplifying things and seeing the world through less-jaded eyes, it is now.

If the Christmas spirit is on the wane today, it’s because we let business, stress and political correctness intrude on the holiday – much as they do on our lives as we progress from childhood into adulthood.

Given the current situation, this year is a good opportunity to hit the reset on over-the-top holiday preparations – and the stress and financial turmoil that come with them – in favour of recalling simplicity of the season’s message, something many of us talk about but seldom act upon.

ANALYSIS ON CURRENT WORLD EVENTS

The Love Jihad isn’t really a problem in India

T

he ‘Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Ordinance’ was passed into law in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh on November 28, providing jail sentences of up to 10 years for Muslim men who marry Hindu women with the intention of converting them.

‘Love Jihad’ must be stopped at all costs, to preserve the Hindu majority in India.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi (occasionally known in the White House as ‘India Trump’) depends almost exclusively on Hindu votes to win elections, so anything that threatens to reduce the number of Hindu voters is obviously a problem for him. People with mathematical skills, however, may calculate that the threat isn’t really very big.

India’s population is one-and-a-third billion people (1,353,000,000 people, to be precise), and there are currently only 195 million Muslim Indians – 14 per cent of the whole.

For Muslims to become the majority by ‘love jihad’ will require Muslim men to marry at least 481 million Hindu girls.

There’s probably no more than 75 million Muslim men of marriageable age in India, and most of them are already

GWYNNE DYER

Global Outlook on World Affairs

married. According to Islam (and to Indian law), Muslim men can have up to four wives, but there’s still not enough Muslim men to marry all those Hindu women without exceeding four wives each.

Moreover, the conspirators behind the love jihad are condemning Muslim women in India to very crowded marriages, or alternatively no marriage at all. They clearly haven’t thought this through properly.

In the three weeks since the Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Ordinance was passed in Uttar Pradesh, no more than one mixed-religion couple per day has been arrested in the whole state. And around half the couples who were arrested have already been released by the courts after the female (Hindu) partner said there had been no compulsion.

(Hindu men married to Muslim women, of course, are exempt from the law.)

If the government can’t stop the ‘leakage’ caused by judges who fail to get into the spirit of

the thing, it’s definitely going to be slow. At that rate, it will take quite a while to create a Muslim majority in UP (pop. 235 million). A bit faster if Prime Minister Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) can bring the judges to heel, but still...

Four more BJP-ruled states are already planning to pass identical laws against ‘love jihad,’ but for the sake of argument let’s assume for a moment that they don’t work.

Those wicked Muslim boys go on marrying innocent Hindu girls. How long would it take for the ‘love jihad’ to create a Muslim-majority India?

I’m glad you asked. By my calculation, around 200,000 years, give or take a millennium or two. So the disloyal thought occurs that maybe the BJP’s goal in passing laws against an alleged Muslim ‘love jihad’ isn’t really to defend the majority status of the Hindu population and its own voting base.

Maybe it’s to stir up anti-Muslim hatred and paranoia and energise Hindu voters who are getting a bit disillusioned with the BJP. That’s not to say that Uttar Pradesh’s Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the part-time →DYER | 8

Thursday, December 24, 2020 | THE OBSERVER

OPINION | 7

It's been a tough year, but we've managed to celebrate Christmas through rougher patches

N

ostalgia is a powerful force, never more so than at Christmas.

This season is a time of traditions, a link to our past – some personal, like grandma’s recipe for stuffing, and others shared with many others, like watching A Charlie Brown Christmas (celebrating 55 years this yuletide season).

For me, it’s just not Christmas without Bing Crosby, along with fellow crooners such as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Andy Williams and Perry Como.

The movies, TV specials and, of course, the music, most of which predate my time but are indelibly linked to my Christmas.

Many of the classics – Holiday Inn is on my annual must-watch list – go back to the Second World War. Holiday Inn brought us “White Christmas,” and the era gave us such staples as “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “Let It Snow,” “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” and, perhaps most poignantly, “I’ll be Home for Christmas.”

That’s true this year, even though the pandemic has made it a decidedly different yuletide season.

That said, today’s woes are nothing like past privations.

Seventy-five years ago, soldiers were spending their final Christmas overseas, the war having ended earlier that year. On the home front, families eagerly awaiting the return of loved ones were still coping with shortages demanded by the war effort. Rationing had been a part of life for much of the war. Meat, butter and sugar were in short supply, along with gasoline. Even paper and other wood products were controlled – the artificial Christmas tree became more popular thanks to the need for

STEVE KANNON Editor's Point of View

lumber.

While we typically have an abundance of pretty much everything today – not everyone does, of course, as evidenced by the likes of Woolwich Community Service’s Christmas Goodwill program – that certainly wasn’t the case during the war years. Food production, in particular, was tremendously important.

Not only did Canada have to feed its troops overseas, it was part of the lifeline for Britain and other Allied countries as war created shortages and hardships in Europe. By the end of the war, it was estimated that Canadian exports accounted for 57 per cent of British wheat and flour

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the production of non-essential goods like chocolate bars and soft drinks, limitations on the number of tin can sizes that could be used from 116 to only nine standard sizes, as well as the removal of foods like carrots, beets, apples, pork and beans, and spaghetti from the list of foods that could be sold in cans. One effect was that Canadians were faced with an increasing number of novel food products.

The artificial sweetener saccharin became far more common in a range of packaged foods, and soybeans entered the Canadian diet in a number of different forms, whether as a substitute for salted peanuts and peanut butter or as a main ingredient in ‘chocolate’ bars.”

Canadian food production and exports grew in leaps and bounds to meet

the demand, but there were still shortfalls domestically.

During that time, Canadians did without many things, even at Christmastime. The table was considerably lighter, and the tree more barren.

Everybody made do. It’s hard to imagine the same kind of thing happening today, however – a sense of entitlement doesn’t mix well with selflessness.

It’s hard to imagine many people today putting up with the kind of deprivation that was commonplace during the Second World War. Of course, many of those same people had just come through the Great Depression, so they knew a thing or two about going without. Still, it wasn’t just the lack of food and other goods, but plenty of willingness to chip in.

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consumption – down from its 1941 peak of 77 per cent – as well as 39 per cent of bacon, 15 per cent of eggs, 24 per cent of cheese, and 11 per cent of evaporated milk consumed in Britain, according to the heritage group Wartime Canada.

Research by the organization shows that the Wartime Prices and Trade Board, the federal agency responsible for overseeing and regulating Canada’s wartime command economy, established thousands of controls on the production and distribution of food in the country.

“These ranged from prohibitions on sliced bread and iced cake in bakeries to the establishment of meatless Tuesdays in restaurants and, between 1945 and 1947, meatless Fridays, as well. Other restrictions included reductions in

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“Canadians also enthusiastically rallied behind a range of officially sanctioned food-related wartime causes.

Thousands of school children, young adult girls, and adult women devoted their summers to low-paid agricultural labour on farms in Ontario and British Columbia as members of the Farm Cadet, Farmerette, or Women’s Land Brigades.

Created in response to shortages in agricultural labour, these components of the Farm Labour Service represented an impressive mobilization of patriotic enthusiasm to feed Canada’s soldiers and allies,” reports Wartime Canada.

How willing would we be to give up today’s comforts and conveniences to help others?

Not very, I would wager, but most have us have never known real adversity. It’s possible we’d rise to the occasion. Better still if we never find ourselves in a situation that puts us to the test.

With days of yore in mind – and Christmas traditions harkening back to the Victorian era and old carols aplenty do in fact take us back – it would do us good to reflect on our good fortune. I’m no ray of sunshine at the best of times, as anyone who reads this space can deduce, but this is the one time of year where looking back with wonder is possible.

The goal, then, is to recapture some of that zest, that anticipation and wonder that came with the Christmases of youth. At the same time, there is the need for an adult appreciation of what a timeout from the “real world” can mean for the soul.

It’s easy to get caught →KANNON | 8

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THE OBSERVER | Thursday, December 24, 2020

8 | OPINION LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Making an effort for Remembrance Day this year To the Editor, As a member of the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 469 in Elmira, I would like to thank all the Wellesley Township students who painted the memorial stones and placed them in the designated area before the services at the memorial cenotaph in Linwood on November 8.

A special thank you goes out to the Sparks, Brownies and Guides of St. Jacobs for their contribution of large handmade poppies as well. This idea came to me from two special ladies, Barb Nowak and Beth Schleuter, who, along with Beth’s daughter, were responsible for the three-foot tower of handmade poppies.

Joe Doherty LINWOOD

Small businesses deserve thanks for their efforts

To the Editor, As we have a glimpse of light at the end of the tunnel of the pandemic, I

have been brought to tears by the immense gratitude I feel for the exceptional service provided by local businesses.

Because of our circumstances, we have primarily relied on curbside pickup.

Despite most of us feeling a level of stress, these local businesses have continued to provide friendly, reliable and personal service.

The respect they have shown for their customers, by providing safe options tailored to individual needs, is commendable.

Did you know that in Ontario, approximately 97 per cent of businesses are in the “small” category? In Canada, small businesses generate more than a third of GDP. Locally, they contribute significantly to the tax base, which allows our communities to thrive.

They are our neighbours, our friends and family and create a feeling of “community.”

Thank you to everyone who has supported local businesses: retail – grocery and other – pharmacies, restaurants, the service industry, our local farmers/food producers.

Let’s show them our gratitude by shopping locally. It benefits us all.

Recreation programs a key part of our community To the Editor, I want to thank the staff at the Woolwich Memorial Centre who have gone to great lengths to keep programs running and to keep us safe.

I was so happy when the aquafit program started up again and I see the spirit of care, extra work and due diligence that all staff show on a daily basis, and they do it cheerfully.

It has made the world of difference, both physically and mentally, to all of us attending.

This facility and staff are one of the main reasons we wanted to move into this area four years ago. I know COVID-19 has and will present many challenges to the township council as they deliberate on budgets, and I hope they will consider this facility and its staff as a vital and necessary part of building a healthy community.

Please keep and enhance its budgets going forward.

Liz Samis

Monika Pieper Landoni

ELMIRA

ELMIRA

The fine art of tracking

O

ne of the early Christmas presents I received this year was a book on tracking. I should clarify for younger folks that when an older person speaks of tracking, they are not referring to the progress of Amazon parcels. No, they are actually discussing tracking an animal – which is a whole other thing.

Tracking is the art of following a set of footprints and associated clues until they lead you to the animal that made them.

People new to tracking tend to focus on the animal’s footprints. But the associated sign is really what helps you understand what you are tracking as well as the animal’s mindset.

I am by no means an expert tracker, but I do know that, if I was following grizzly bear tracks and noticed a lot of scat along the trail, I would assume that the bear was aggressive and in a bad mood.

Otherwise, why would the tracker ahead of me leave that much of a sign?

This is what tracking is all about, interpreting the clues.

The book I am referring to says that tracking, which was once solely the domain of hunters, is now becoming a hobby for

STEVE GALEA

Not-So-Great Outdoorsman

many non-hunters too.

But before the non-hunter in your life takes it up, I think it is only right to point out one important thing. Namely, there are not a lot of books written by non-hunting folks who were really good at tracking big, dangerous game animals.

That’s because tracking is a game of diminishing returns. The bigger and meaner the animal, the less likely the tracker returns.

I once met an unarmed tracker, who had successfully tracked two alligators right to their resting spot under the bank. He was not unarmed before then.

Don’t get me wrong, non-hunters should take up tracking because it does get them outside and leads them to a closer understanding of the animal and nature in general. They should just limit their efforts, however, to tracking animals they could best in a fair fight. And remember, a gang of four red squirrels is not something it is wise to underestimate.

Don’t ask how I know.

Besides, if you are just looking to build your skills

and have fun, tracking small game is better suited to both. Anyone can identify a deer, moose, caribou, elk or bear track but it takes a true expert to differentiate between a white-footed mouse and deer mouse track. Which is why when you run into a mouse track if you appear confident before you guess the answer, no one will challenge you.

Not to bash the book, but I did notice the author forgot to mention the most important part of tracking.

And that is the sound of a thoughtful “hmmm.”

If you know how to do this convincingly enough, you are halfway to being considered an expert.

For that sound gives the appearance that the tracker in question has analysed the length of stride, the track width, the imprint and accompanying sign and is now in the process of determining what animal left the prints and how long ago, right down to the exact minute.

All the good trackers I know also hold their chins or stroke their beards and utter “hmmm.”And, after that, they are free to pronounce exactly what type of mouse made the track.

Trust me, no one’s going to argue.

Merry Christmas.

KANNON: History has shown we can tough it out →FROM 7

Notice of Intention to Pass Fees and Charges By-Law The Region of Waterloo intends to pass a By-law to Establish Fees and Charges, which includes new fees and charges, as well as amendments and/or removal of existing fees and charges. Some of the changes included in the by-law are for transit services, waste management services, airport services, cultural services and paramedic services.

The by-law will be considered at the Regular Council Meeting, where the Final 2021 Budget approval will also occur, scheduled for: Wednesday, January 20, 2021 at 7:00 p.m.

Held electronically in the Council Chamber 2nd Floor, Administration Building 150 Frederick Street, Kitchener A copy of the proposed by-law will be available for review in the Council and Administrative Services Office, Region of Waterloo, 2nd Floor, 150 Frederick Street, Kitchener. If you have questions concerning the amendments, please email budgets@regionofwaterloo.ca.

If you wish to speak at the Council meeting regarding the proposed by-law, please register as a delegation with the Region’s Council and Administrative Services Division, using the Delegation form at https://forms.regionofwaterloo.ca/Counciland-Administrative-Services/Delegation-Registration or by calling 519-575-4400 by 4:30 p.m. on Monday, January 18, 2021.

This notice is in accordance with the “Municipal Act, 2001”, as amended.

Kris Fletcher, Director, Council and Administrative Services/Regional Clerk All comments and information received from individuals, stakeholder groups and agencies regarding this by-law are being collected to assist the Region of Waterloo in making a decision. Under the “Municipal Act”, personal information such as name, address, telephone number, and property location that may be included in a submission becomes part of the public record. Questions regarding the collection of this information should be referred to Council and Administrative Services.

up in the shopping, the dinner preparations, the running around, and a host of other complications, but if there was ever a time for simplifying things and seeing the world through less-jaded

eyes, it is now.

With the approaching offer of renewal that is the New Year, Christmas is, after all, the one time of the year where we can actually believe that peace on Earth and goodwill toward others might

actually be viable options – just like the message in all those carols we hear.

You can bet the refrain of better days ahead was heard regularly during those war years, when the hardships make ours pale in comparison.

DYER: India is essentially putting its democracy at risk →FROM 6

Hindu monk who passed the first of these laws, is not a religious extremist and a fanatical anti-Muslim bigot. Of course he is.

But there are more calculating people in the BJP who simply work out what will play best with Hindu voters.

The BJP won a landslide victory in last year’s national election thanks in large part to a fortuitous military confrontation with Pakistan at just the right time, but its economic performance has been poor and it has been losing state elections even in its traditional strongholds.

Unemployment is high, the BJP’s initial response

to the coronavirus was chaotic, and the farmers are starting to revolt. And, of course, the government lost a mini-war with China in the Himalayas last June. It’s definitely time for a morale-boosting hate campaign, and unfortunately a lot of people in northern India, especially higher-caste BJP supporters, quite enjoy hating Muslims.

Of all the populist leaders that have come to power in democratic countries in the past few years, Modi is by far the most dangerous – partly because he is cleverer and more disciplined than people like Donald Trump, Boris Johnson and Rodrigo Duterte, and

partly because India is the second-biggest country in the world.

Actually, Modi is more like Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan: also clever, also cynically manipulating religion even though he is genuinely a believer – and 17 years in power. Indian democracy has quite deep roots, but it probably wouldn’t survive seventeen years of Modi.

Indian journalist Tavleen Singh may have been right when she wrote recently in the Indian Express: “We seem in India to be regressing into a Hindu version of Pakistan.” After 73 years of democracy in India, that would be a very great pity.

THE OBSERVER | Thursday, December 24, 2020 | 9

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Shining a light on local enterprise, stoking the economic engines.

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Housing market vulnerable

Region gets housing funds

Strong price increases not supported by economic fundamentals mean Canada’s national housing market remains moderately vulnerable. With the weakening of other drivers of the housing market, overvaluation imbalances increased further or started to emerge in several markets in the third quarter of 2020.

Ottawa last week announced an $8.2 million grant to support 42 affordable modular housing units: 36 units of supportive housing at 1470 Block Line Rd. in Kitchener for women experiencing or at risk of homelessness, and six one-bedroom units located at 127-161 Bechtel Street in Cambridge for applicants on the community housing waitlist.

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)

Should temporary migrant workers become permanent citizens?

T

Elmira BIA members Jim Henwood of The Bargain Shop and Jon Clay of SOS Physiotherapy were joined by Woolwich Mayor Sandy Shantz to draw the five winners of the Support Local 2 Win Contest. The winners – Steve Aberle, Alyssa Almeida, Avril Green, Pam Hobbs and Ervin Gingrich – each received a $100 gift card to a downtown store.

he food processing industry – the country’s largest manufacturing employer – is warning everyone of a possible 25 per cent labour shortage over the next five years.

It’s a sobering figure, but far from a shock.

We’ve had many warnings, particularly earlier in 2020 when the pandemic hit and food security suddenly became an issue.

Employees off work with the COVID-19 virus added to the challenge food providers face trying to fill jobs at the best of times.

And we saw the lack-oflabour issue surface again over the past few weeks when the virus infected a Guelph meat packer.

So, what needs to happen over the next five years to make sure we

OWEN ROBERTS Food For Thought

remain fed despite labour shortages?

The first thing is automation and innovation.

Let’s face it, people won’t change, so the jobs must. No one wants to do labour-intensive food processing work that’s physically demanding, performed at close quarters (like meat packers) and generally regarded as undesirable.

Some of these jobs are prime candidates for automation… provided researchers, governments and companies can work together on some fundamental approaches to →ROBERTS 10

Federal government already has an eye on summer jobs Ottawa announces an expansion of the Canada Summer Jobs program in 2021, with the application intake process now open Sean Heeger Observer Staff

THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAS HAD a significant impact on people’s jobs this year as lockdowns forced the closure of many businesses and the retooling of many others to cope with the way things were moving forward. But those with jobs were not the only ones affected, as those who were in the midst of trying to find employment were also greatly impacted

by the goings-on around the province and across the country.

Those finishing school for the summer – or graduating and moving to the world of employment – had faced a significant barrier, as many employers were either not hiring, or they were competing with those who had lost their employment.

Luckily, there was help from the federal government as they once again ran the Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) program,

Babies of the

YEAR!20 20

helping provide 80,000 employment opportunities across the country in not-for-profit organizations, and with public and private sector employers.

The program is set to run again in 2021, this time, with 120,000 employment opportunities, an increase of 50 per cent, across all three sectors.

Kitchener-Conestoga MP Tim Louis welcomed the expansion, noting he’s personally always enjoyed working with students.

“I think it’s fantastic.

It’s a great opportunity for young Canadians to get paid work experience.

That’s what I like. It’s good for the youth and in our community, and it helps employers, and it’s good for the economy [at large] as well as the local economy,” said Louis.

“In so many instances, you need experience to enter a workforce, so this gives them (youth) a safe environment in their local community, probably with people that they know, to

get that experience [and] to get paid. And it gets their foot in the door, and that’s a big thing again that helps the employers subsidize and give people opportunities to share their own experience and grow their business.

“Ultimately, it’s helping our local economy. You can see these jobs staying in our own economy, and locally it makes a big difference.”

Louis says within the Kitchener-Conestoga area, more than 150 jobs

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were provided – about 130 within the townships, many of them in Woolwich. He says about $600,000 worth of funding was provided to employers who gave jobs to youth in the region.

Through CSJ, those aged 15 to 30 are provided with paid job opportunities while helping to provide key community services in regions across the country.

Employers are provided a subsidy up to 75 per cent →SUMMER JOBS 10

Last Name, First Name

Birth Date | Town Parents Names

TOWNSHIP OF

WELLESLEY

THE OBSERVER | Thursday, December 24, 2020

10 | B U S I N E S S

ROBERTS: We're dependent on migrant workers, who'll do the agri-food jobs that others don't want to do →FROM 9

TOWNSHIP OF

WELLESLEY WELLESLEY TOWNSHIP OF

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING DEVELOPMENT CHARGES Take Notice that on Tuesday, January 19, 2021, the Council of the Township of Wellesley will hold a public meeting pursuant to Section 12 of The Development Charges Act, 1997, as amended, to present and obtain public input on the municipality’s proposed amended development charges (D.C.) by-law and underlying background study.

All interested parties are invited to attend the Public Meeting of Council and any person who attends the meeting may make representations relating to the proposed D.C. by-law and background study. The meeting is to be held: Tuesday, January 19 6:45 p.m.

Via Zoom In order that sufficient information is made available to the public, the background study is being made available on-line at the Township’s website (www.wellesley.ca) on December 23, 2020. Copies of the proposed D.C. bylaw and the background study are also being made available as of December 23, 2020 from the Municipal Clerk at the municipal office, located at 4639 Lobsinger Line, Crosshill, ON. Interested persons may express their comments at the public meeting or in writing, addressed to the Municipal Clerk, at 4639 Lobsinger Line, R.R. #1 St Clements, ON N0B 2M0, prior to January 19th, 2021 and such written submissions will be placed before Council for the meeting.

Phone : 519-699-4611 x 3946 Fax : 519-699-4540 Email: gkosch@wellesley.ca

more than eight in 10 Canadians would support (40 per cent) or somewhat support (41 per cent) providing a way for temporary migrant workers to remain in Canada.

They say that although temporary foreign workers pay into the same benefits as domestic workers, in some situations they have difficulty accessing these benefits, due in part to the precarious nature of their immigration status.

“We need more concrete and equitable improvements to our migrant worker program,” says Omidvar. “Since the workers are essential to our well-being and safety, then the safest, prudent and the most humane way forward is to provide them with more permanent residency options.”

Adds Black: “The pandemic has highlighted the fact that temporary migrant workers and seasonal agricultural workers are essential to Canada.

We are calling on the Government of Canada to look for pathways to permanency for essential workers, should they so desire.”

This presents a fascinating picture of the future, a

replacing manual labour.

That takes time and investment. Meanwhile, someone has to do those jobs, and in Canada and in other wealthy nations, those roles are increasingly filled by international workers. Canadians and Canadian farmers are highly dependent on these temporary migrant workers; they account for 17 per cent of the total employment in the sector.

And further to the sobering reality of labour shortages, when the imported workforce was curtailed in the spring because international workers were held back from travel in their home countries, near panic struck the agri-food sector that depends on them. Crops went unplanted and, later, unharvested.

But what if those international workers, whose status in our country is temporary, became permanent?

Local senator Rob Black wonders if that’s the way forward. In the fall he teamed up with Senator Ratna Omidvar to take Canadians’ pulse on this matter. They found that

new era where temporary workers become permanent citizens and a legal pipeline is created that allows them to do so.

It also raises some important questions.

For example, will international workers that become permanent still be a reliable labour force?

And what happens to the families of those once-temporary workers? Often the workers send home their wages to keep the families afloat.

Will those families also be welcomed here by the Canadian government?

Will their home countries support such a program?

Not to mention the biggest question: do temporary workers want to live permanently in Canada? I’m sure some of them do. If that’s the case, they’ll need the government’s support. But if they’d prefer to spend the late fall, winter and early spring in their home countries, will a temporary program still be in place?

Whatever the case, we need action to address the labour situation, and senators Black and Omidvar deserve kudos for trying to help.

ARRIVE ALIVE! DON'T RISK THE LIVES OF OTHERS SHARING THE ROAD. BEFORE YOU DRINK HAVE A PLAN TO GET HOME SAFE. Impaired Driving Laws Driving impaired or with more than 80 milligrams of alcohol in 100 milliliters of blood (.08) is an offence under the Criminal Code. Even if your blood alcohol concentration is less than .08, you can still be charged with impaired driving under the Criminal Code.

You will receive an immediate 90-day administrative driver’s licence suspension if your blood-alcohol concentration is more than .08, or if you fail or refuse to provide a breath or bodily fluid sample, perform a physical co-ordination test or submit to an evaluation. You will also be subject to an immediate sevenday vehicle impoundment.

If you register a BAC from .05 to .08 (known as the “warn range”), you will receive an immediate driver’s licence suspension. For a first occurrence, you will be suspended for three days. For a second occurrence in a five-year period, you will be immediately suspended for seven days and you must undergo a remedial alcohol-education program. For a third or subsequent time in a five year period, you will be immediately suspended for 30 days and you must undergo a remedial alcohol-treatment program and have an ignition interlock condition placed on your licence for six months.

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B U S I N E S S | 11

2020

Snicky the snowman was made by Emma (2) and her mommy and daddy from St. Clements.

SUMMER JOBS: Feds have increased by 50% the number of jobs that will be offered under the program →FROM 9

of the provincial minimum wage, while not-forprofit employers are provided a 100 per cent subsidy.

Looking towards the 2021 program, Louis says he hopes with the increase in jobs and already having navigated through a pandemic, more jobs will be supported and exist for interested youth.

“What 2020 has taught us is that we have to treat things in the shorter term we can’t predict as far as we thought we could. Last year I think

OWNSHIP OF

it was more disruptive because it seemed like the program had started to be subscribed [to] before the pandemic hit, so we had to make some adjustments on the fly. This year we’ve got that full year ahead, some experience of how things worked, so I hope that serves Canada and the government, and my office we can figure out – and employers can figure out – a way that we can maximize the benefits this year. I hope that this year [there] will be less hiccups, because we were going in knowing that

ESLEY

we’ve done a pandemic,” Louis added.

Employers interested in participating in the program are now able to apply. Applications for all employers will be accepted until Jan. 29, 2021.

Those who may have questions about the program are encouraged

by Louis to reach out to him at his office and have a discussion on their needs and how best they may fit into the program.

Employment under the program will end by Feb. 26, 2022.

Snow creation made by Maddie (5) and Dylan (6) Brooks from Heidleberg. The creation is unnamed but was given Canada Mittens, a Hat and a hockey stick, because Canadians love hockey.

Rent soft water starting at

$9.95

mth

*for first three months

.com 519.744.2248

427 Gage Ave • Kitchener

TOWNSHIP OF

WELLESLEY NOTICE TO THE RESIDENTS OF THE TOWNSHIP OF WELLESLEY Intention to Adopt a Budget TAKE NOTICE that the Council of the Township of Wellesley, after having reviewed the draft municipal budget for the year 2021, intends to pass a By-law with the intent to adopt a budget pursuant to Section 290 of the Municipal Act, 2001, as amended.

The passage of the By-law to implement the adoption of the budget will be given consideration at the regularly scheduled meeting on January 5, 2021, commencing at 6:45pm via Zoom and YouTube.

Should you wish to address Council or if you require further details or information, please contact Grace Kosch, Clerk, Township of Wellesley at (519) 699-3946 or email: gkosch@wellesley.ca

Holiday Hours December 24

Closing at 6 p.m.

Boxing Day December 26, 9-5pm Re-opening December 27 at 8am

December 31

Closing at 6 p.m.

Re-opening January 2 at 8am

MAKE A CAREER CHANGE IN 2021 We’re looking for great people that want to join in the fun!

www.rigarus.com Email to: hradmin@rigarus.com Located in Elmira, Ontario

We Deliver!

315 Arthur St. S. PHONE: 519-669-5403

THE OBSERVER | Thursday, December 24, 2020 | 12

Rural Connections

A harvest of local farming innovation.

Connect to the land.

Phone: 519-669-5790 ext 103 Report it: observerxtra.com/tips

Kudos for FCC

Strong farm exports

Farm Credit Canada (FCC) has been recognized as one of Canada’s best employers, part of Kincentric’s Best Employers global certification program that measures and recognizes leading employers. To achieve this recognition, FCC was assessed on four measures: employee engagement, organizational agility, engaging leadership and talent focus.

Farmers and food businesses across Canada are expected to post another record year for agri-food exports, despite the pandemic.

Indications are that Canada is on track to surpass last year’s record of $67 billion in agriculture and agri-food exports, significant progress towards Ottawa’s goal of $75 billion by 2025.

Canadian farmers rally to support local agriculture

OFA commentary

A season reminder to support local

CANADA’S DAIRY, POULTRY AND EGG farmers are joining forces to support local agriculture through their joint Canadian Comfort campaign.

The four-week campaign, which launched earlier this month, encourages Canadians to buy and cook with locally produced ingredients this winter season.

As more Canadians have been cooking at home in recent months, the appetite for feel-good comfort food and sustainably sourced, wholesome Canadian products has only increased. In light of this trend, Dairy Farmers of Canada, Chicken Farmers of Canada, Turkey Farmers of Canada, Egg Farmers of Canada and Canadian Hatching Egg Producers are teaming up to help consumers better understand the value of high-quality local agricultural products produced right here in Canada.

From an iconic cheese master to a former celebrity chef, four handpicked social media influencers from across the country will help drive awareness for this initiative by sharing online how they cook their favourite recipes at home using → GOING LOCAL 13

THIS YEAR HAS BEEN A whirlwind of hurdles and challenges, oftentimes with rules and regulations changing by the hour.

The holiday season is another reminder that the pandemic continues to change life as we know it. In true farmer fashion, no obstacle can hinder your values of community, kindness and generosity.

There is no doubt that every single one of you has helped your neighbours in some way during these challenging times.

The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) has been overwhelmed by the tremendous acts of kindness from Ontario’s farm sector that have flooded social media platforms, newspapers and news outlets this past year.

For Food Freedom Day 2020, the Kent Federation of Agriculture, with the financial support of many local farm suppliers, were able to process and deliver 3,000 pounds of ground pork to the Salvation Army and local food banks.

Collectively, our sector has selflessly donated to food banks, hospitals, community members in need, and has been a beacon of positivity in difficult times.

As we close this chap-

Farmers' markets are a key part of supporting local agriculture.

Let’s talk Research, Barley opportunites, Genes that fit your farm® Research pays off and we aren’t done yet!

Cribit Seeds works hard in partnership with SeCan to find the best varieties to fit your farm

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ter on a fantastic year of giving, we have one more ask of Ontario’s farming community. Our ask is that you continue to support your community by purchasing locally this holiday season. Supporting local can make a world of difference to your fellow entrepreneurs. Supporting local goes full circle by also supporting the agriculture sector.

Celebrate the strength and resilience of Ontario’s agri-food sector by filling your holiday plates with nutritious, local, affordable produce and meats. If possible, purchase directly from your local grower and producer or look for the Foodland Ontario logo when shopping at the grocery store. Source freshly baked goods from the local bakery, spirits from local wineries and meats from the local butcher.

When decorating for the holidays, consider purchasing your evergreen arrangements and poinsettias from your local greenhouse or florist. Visit your local tree farmer if looking for a live Christmas tree to brighten up your home.

When getting in the → COMMENTARY 13

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Thursday, December 24, 2020 | THE OBSERVER

R U R A L C O N N E C T I O N S | 13

COMMENTARY: GOING LOCAL: Producers launch Canadian Comfort campaign to help counter today's pressures Now more than → FROM 12 they choose for themwhenever possible and president of Dairy Farmof producing more of ever it's important Canadian selves and their families,” share their culinary ers of Canada our food within our own dairy, chicken, says Benoît Fontaine, creations on social media Farmers’ contribution to make an effort turkey and eggs. Through borders. According to a chair of Chicken Farmers using the hashtag #Canato both the economy and recent study from Leger, weekly videos posted on to shop locally of Canada dianComfort. the farm-to-fork ecosysmore than 74 per cent of Instagram and Facebook, → FROM 12

giving spirit, look to locally-owned stores for unique and personal gifts for your loved ones. Your region likely boasts many woodworkers and artisans available to make custom pieces. Give the gift of local food with a gift certificate to your favourite restaurant or farm store.

The provincial government has emphasized that supporting local will be instrumental for Ontario’s post-pandemic economic recovery. With the creation of the Ontario Made (www. supportontariomade.ca) website, consumers can browse 750,000 products proudly made in our province. Products range from clothing, food, beverage, accessories, home, garden, technology and more.

Earlier this month, the province launched the “Support Local” Holiday Campaign to encourage Ontarians to support local businesses this holiday season. The campaign urges consumers to order takeout from a local restaurant, shop online, use curbside pickup, buy gift cards and shop locally, and to do so safely by wearing a mask. The goal of the campaign is to help small businesses regain revenues lost due to COVID-19 and help main streets stay local.

Personally, I am overwhelmed by the support and encouragement our family farm has received from the local community throughout COVID-19.

Our family-owned farm produces feed for our hog and layer operation, processes our pork and grades and sells our eggs to consumers at the farm gate. We want to thank all Ontarians who made the conscious decision to support local. Ontario’s farming families can’t thank you enough for your kindness, patience, support, and word of mouth that brought new patrons through our doors.

Every farmer is an entrepreneur. We know the risks and rewards of owning and operating our own businesses and are grateful for the customers who support us. This is a perfect season to pay it forward. ↆ Louis Roesch is a director with the Ontario Federation of Agriculture.

these influencers will showcase their mastery of the quarantine kitchen with locally produced ingredients.

From the dedication of farmers to the stringent production standards focused on animal care, food quality and sustainable practices, more and more Canadians are recognizing the value

consumers deliberately buy Canadian products.

“Canadians rely on local farmers for nutritious and high-quality agricultural products. We are proud to work with our partners to encourage Canadians to continue supporting local agriculture during this unprecedented holiday season,” says Pierre Lampron,

“Canadians want Canadian dairy, poultry and egg products, and for good reason! Our farmers deliver on consumers’ expectations for excellence in quality, food safety, animal care, and sustainability. Farmers are proud to help Canadians, now and always, to find comfort, value, and nutrition in the products

tem are instrumental to the livelihood of rural communities, which in turn are an integral part of our national identity.

To help support Canadian agriculture and, in turn, the more than 365,000 jobs supported

by Canada’s supply-managed sectors, we are encouraging Canadians to buy local ingredients

Dairy Farmers of Canada, Chicken Farmers of Canada, Turkey Farmers of Canada, Egg Farmers of Canada and Canadian Hatching Egg Producers are the voice of farmers in Canada’s dairy, poultry and egg sectors.

They act as a stabilizing force in rural Canada, contributing $31 billion to the GDP.

WHERE TIRES ARE

A SPECIALTY

NOT A SIDELINE!

• Quality Drainage Systems • Backhoe Service

We Stock Farm, Industrial, Truck, Passenger, and Even ATV and Lawn & Garden Tires.

A family tradition since 1921

Arthur, ON • 519-848-3113 • 877-669-1440 www.martindrainage.com

Call Us for Tires!

FARM • TRUCK • INDUSTRIAL • ON THE FARM SERVICE 371 Arthur St. S. Elmira, ON Monday - Friday Saturdays

8am - 5pm 8am - 12 noon

519-669-3232 www.oktireelmira.com

SPECIALIZING IN:

• FERTILIZER (Agricultural & Commercial) • SEED GRAINS & GRASS SEED • SOYBEANS • BAGGED PINE SHAVINGS • SOIL TESTING • LOCAL FREIGHT

Cell: 519-574-4141 | Office: 519-669-2045 | Fax: 519-669-3845

 Custom Machining & Repairs  Spline Cutting  Large Turning  Keying (Internal & External) CNC Turning & Milling

MACHINE & REPAIR INC.

Stop by Our Retail Store & Browse Through Our Selection of: New & used equipment: feeders, drinkers, cages, nests 6880 Line 86, RR#4 Elmira, ON N3B 2Z3

RYAN WEBER 519.669.2198 63 Union St., Elmira

Hours: Mon. – Fri. 8-5, Sat.8-3, Closed Sun. & Statutory Holidays

Egg supplies: cartons, flats, crates, candler, scale

519-669-2225

Trim The Tree

www.rytechmachine.ca

Whether you are brightening your neighborhood this Christmas season with lights in your tallest pine, or performing maintenance on a mature yard maple, Woolwich Rentals has the aerial lift you need to make light work of your most ambitious chore.

For a complete list of tools available visit woolwichrentals.ca

Tel. 519-664-2291 Fax 519-664-3491

80 Northside Drive, St. Jacobs, Ontario N0B 2N0

www.freyshatchery.com

20249-01

100 Union St. Elmira, ON 519-669-0524

THE OBSERVER | Thursday, December 24, 2020 | 14

Classifieds

Seven days.

One paper.

Email: ads@woolwichobserver.com

Farm Services

Now Hiring in Linwood

Small Town Grocery Store We are looking for a responsible individual with a strong work ethic and friendly, positive attitude to join our busy workplace. A part time continuing position of 3 to 4 full days per week is available at our grocery store.

We are closed Sundays.

DECOR-REST SOFA BED, FAIRLY NEW. $500. Maple fireplace unit. $400. 519-2060221.

Word ads continue on page 18

Ensure that your shoes and bags maintain their shape by stuffing them with crumpled newspaper after use.

ↆ R E A L

BROKERAGE

BRAD MARTIN Broker of Record, MVA Residential

43 Roberta St., Elmira

Obituary

CALL FOR YOUR

FREE MARKET EVALUATION

Page, Michael John Reaume

On Thursday December 10,2020.

The Hodgins and Joannette family lost their hero. Due to complications with pneumonia. Thomas (Tommy) was born April 30, 1939 in Kitchener Ontario to Kenneth Hodgins and Katherine Cybulski.

Predeceased by Julie Hodgins (Weber).

Brother to Ken, Doug, Brian, Beverly, Theresa, Phyllis and the late Margaret.

Partner to June Joannette and loving father to Kelly, Kevin (Cindy), Todd (Tracey). Proud PaPa to Summer, Aynslee and Thomas. Loving Uncle to many nieces and nephews and Godson Casey Hodgins. He was a lithographer for ove 40 years and has been retired for over 20 +years. He loved golfing, bowling and even the odd card game, But most of all hanging out with family.

Thomas will be missed forever. There will be a Celebration of Life in late 2021.

LOOKING FOR HUNTING OPPORTUNITIES, respectful and responsible hunter looking for permission on farms in the Woolwich, Elmira area. Will do predator control, help with chores, etc in exchange for property access. With Covid I want to avoid knocking on doors. I hunt with family only so no large groups coming out.

Thanks, Please call or text 519-239-5468.

SOLUT IO NS

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Love, Mom, Dad, Colin, Nicole, Jordan, Dobby, Molly & Mia

Obituary

Thomas (Tommy) Hodgins

Wanted

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss out on this 2+2 bdrm open concept bungalow! Spacious eat-in kitchen w/island & quartz counter tops. Bright great room w/hardwood, F.P. & walkout to patio. Vaulted ceiling in great room. Master suite w/ walkout to patio & hot tub, 4 pc ensuite & walk-in closet. 2nd bedroom or office. Main flr laundry. Finished basement w/huge rec room with F.P. & wet bar. 2 additional bedrooms & 3 pc bath. Hardwood flooring in rec room and lower bdrms. California shutters throughout. $799,900.00 MLS

Birthday

We celebrated our 65th Wedding anniversary on December 21st. and have been blessed with 5 children, 11 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren. We thank our friends and family for kind regards.

WATERLOO COUNTY CHRISTMAS HORSE Sale to be held at OLEX Saturday, January 2, 2021. Horses sell at 10 a.m. To consign or for more info call 519-5953307.

30+ YEARS OF EXPERIENCE YOU CAN RELY ON!

$15 per 20 words (30¢ per extra word)

Mildred & Leonard Frey

Horses

â&#x2020;&#x2020; P U Z Z L E

Commercial:

Happy Birthday Cassandra!

KILN DRIED CORN & CORN SCREENING Delivered by Einwechter. Minimum 15 ton lots. Call George Haffner Trucking 519-5744141 or 519-669-2045.

Office: 519-669-2772 | Cell: 519-741-6231 45 Arthur St. S., Elmira | www.thurrealestate.com

$9 per 20 words (20¢ per extra word)

AL B U M

Anniversary

ICE SALT & ICE MELT - ICE SALT COMES IN 20kg, Ice melt comes in 20kg bags. Call George Haffner Trucking, 519-574-4141 or 519-669-2045.

ESTATE

R.W. THUR REAL ESTATE LTD.

Residential:

FERTILIZER AND SEED GRAIN - AT COMPETItive pricing. Call George Haffner Trucking, 519-574-4141.

Contact us at 519-897-2600

â&#x2122;Ľ Shape keeper

All classified advertising is prepaid. Ads will be accepted in person, email, or phone during regular office hours. Deadline is Wednesdays by 10am. Order online at: observerxtra.com/classifieds.

â&#x2020;&#x2020; F A M I L Y

BAGGED PINE SHAVINGS AGRICULTURAL Spray Lime, 22.5kg. bag; feed grade lime, 25kg. Delivered. Call George Haffner Trucking, 519-574-4141 or 519-669-2045.

MATTRESS AND BOX SPRING, NEW, NEVER used, still in sealed bag. Sacrifice $195.

Delivery available $35.

519-635-8737.

Please call or email for display advertising quote for Help Wanted, Auctions, Real Estate, Public Notices and Obituaries.

Family Album Announcements pricing and info can be ordered online at: observerxtra.com/order-family-album.

Phone: 519-669-5790 ext 104

For Sale

Placing a classified ad

Please talk to our ad dept for pricing and to order a Pro Services Directory.

A bestseller every week.

Help Wanted

Advertising

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Passed away peacefully on Thursday, December 17, 2020 at Freeport Campus - Grand River Hospital, at the age of 56.

Beloved husband of Lori Page. Proud father of Amy (Jeremy), Mark (Sonya), and Holly (Steve). Devoted Pops of Parker, Cyrus, Clara, Avery and Ryder.

Son of Rick and Mary Page and Bob (2017) and Genie Reaume; son-in-law of Ken (2009) and Joyce (2019) Smith. Brother of Bill (Zilda) Page and brother-in-law of Steve (LeeAnn) Smith. Mike will be lovingly remembered by his many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews.

At Mikeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s request, cremation has taken place. There will be no memorial service at this time; a celebration of life will be held at a later date. As expressions of sympathy, donations to the Grand River Hospital Foundation - Hemodialysis unit, or a charity of your choice would be appreciated by the family. Thank you to the many doctors and nurses that helped with Mikeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s care; that wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always easy! To Dr. Rosenstein and Annette N. at Grand River Hospital and to Juliet, Fatima and Nicole at Freeport, your care and compassion was exceptional and we thank you. Of course, there are no words to express our gratitude for the love and support given to us by so very many friends, neighbours and family members who have helped us through this sad and difficult time. Thank you. â?&#x2013; www.dreisingerfuneralhome.com

Family Album Continues on page 18 Word Search Solution on page 18

Thursday, December 24, 2020 | THE OBSERVER

C L A S S I F I E D S | 15

“PROUDLY REMEMBERING OUR PAST; CONFIDENTLY EMBRACING OUR FUTURE.”

Community Information Page COMMITTEE OF ADJUSTMENT NOTICE OF HEARING MONDAY, January 18, 2021 at 4:30 P.M.

Pursuant to the Planning Act and Ontario Regulations 197/96 and 200/96 take notice that the Committee of Adjustment for the Township of Woolwich will meet for the purpose of hearing all persons interested in support of or opposition to any of the following applications as described below.

Please note this will be a virtual meeting only and public attendance at the Township offices will not be permitted. Below is information on how you can submit comments, view or participate in the meeting. You may also contact the Committee Secretary by sending an email to planning@woolwich.ca or by phone at 519-669-6040 if you have any questions.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE As in-person meetings are not an option at this time, you can view or participate in the meeting as follows: • view the Committee of Adjustment livestream on the Woolwich Township Youtube channel at the following link https://www.youtube.com/channel/ UCOnLlF3Srk2gLEBjkq8pIMQ OR • participate by REGISTERING with the Committee Secretary on or before 12 noon on Friday January 15th. To register please email planning@woolwich.ca or phone 519-669-6040. When registering you must provide your name, phone number, email and the application number you would like to comment on. Once you are registered the Committee Secretary will forward information on how to connect to the Zoom meeting (i.e. zoom Wi-Fi login or conference call number).

If you are unsure whether or not you would like to speak at the meeting but want to listen and have the option to comment on a particular application, please register with the Committee Secretary (see above information). You will not be required to speak if you do not want to.

WHY REGISTER By registering staff can ensure that you are permitted access to the virtual meeting, we know which application you are commenting on and, can call on you at the appropriate time to comment if you wish to do so. As it is virtual, registering will provide a level of security that is necessary to prevent unwanted guests from disrupting the meeting. Applicants and their consultants will be automatically registered and contacted accordingly by the Committee Secretary ahead of the meeting.

SUBMITTING COMMENTS If you would like to comment on a particular application, staff always recommend that you do so by: • submitting a letter by mail or delivering it to the Township office at 24 Church Street West, Elmira and placing it in the drop box on the Maple Street side of the building; or • submit an email to planning@woolwich.ca You can also contact the Township Planner at 519-669-6033 to discuss any comments / concerns however, this is not considered a formal comment.

The Committee will consider submissions for or against the applications. All submissions must be made no later than 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 12th (Note that this date is before the meeting). Any submissions received will be included in a comment package and presented at the meeting. This information is collected and maintained for the purpose of creating a record that is available to the general public at the Committee of Adjustment hearing. Please note that while the Committee may redact some personal information such as email addresses and phone numbers, your submissions will otherwise be made public in their entirety.

This notice has been sent to commenting agencies, and to owners of property located within 60 metres (200 feet) of the subject properties. If you wish to be notified of any last minute changes to the agenda (i.e. withdrawal of an application) you must contact the Committee Secretary at 519-669-6040 or 1-877-969-0094 (Ext. 6040) or by email to planning@woolwich.ca.

P.O. Box 158

24 Church St. W. Elmira, Ontario N3B 2Z6

Phone:

519-669-1647 or 877-969-0094 Fax: 519-669-1820

After Hours Emergency:

519-575-4400 www.woolwich.ca

APPLICATIONS MINOR VARIANCE APPLICATION A 1/2021 – Keith Shantz, 19 Snyder Avenue South, Elmira, ZONE / USE: Residential Mixed Medium Density (R-4) / dwelling and detached garage PROPOSAL: The applicant is requesting relief from Section 12.5 to reduce the required rear yard setback from 7.5 metres to approximately 1.7 metres in order to permit the construction of a 63 square metre attached garage to the rear of the dwelling. The property is located at the corner of Snyder Avenue South and James Street. The existing detached garage is proposed to be demolished.

MINOR VARIANCE APPLICATION A 2/2021 – Joshua Brubacher, 335 and 341 Hill Street ZONE / USE: Agricultural (A) / dwelling, livestock barn, storage sheds, garage and woodworking shop PROPOSAL: The applicant is requesting relief from the following: • Section 4.1.1 (a) to permit an expansion to a legal non-conforming use, being the woodworking shop; • Section 6.12.1 to permit the loading space to remain in the front yard versus being located to the rear of the building line; and • Section 6.13.4 to reduce the total number of required parking spaces from 8 to 5, including one barrier free space, for the woodworking operation; in order to permit the construction of a 264 square metre addition to the existing 267 square metre woodworking shop.

MINOR VARIANCE APPLICATION A 3/2021 – 2564960 Ontario Inc., 13 – 15 First Street East, Elmira ZONE / USE: General Industrial – Urban (M-2) and Open Space (O-2) with site specific regulations Section 26.1.266 / warehouse building (former bowling alley) PROPOSAL: The applicant is requesting relief from Section 6.13.1 (d) to reduce the required ingress / egress aisle width to a parking area from 6 metres to approximately 5.4 metres to permit the development of a parking area to the rear of the building. The applicant is proposing the construction of a 560 square metre warehouse addition to the rear of the building and a 220 square metre showroom / retail area addition to the front of the building.

NOTICE OF DECISION: Within 10 days of the meeting, a copy of each decision will be sent to owners, agents, those who submit written comments, and people who register for the meeting. If you wish to be notified of the decision of the Committee of Adjustment in respect to this application, you must submit a written request to the Committee Secretary or register ahead of the meeting. This will also entitle you to be advised of a possible Local Planning Appeal Tribunal.

APPEAL OF MINOR VARIANCE AND CONSENT APPLICATIONS: Anyone in opposition to a decision may appeal the decision to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal. The Tribunal may dismiss an appeal without holding a hearing if the appellant did not make oral or written submissions to the Committee of Adjustment before a decision was given or does not provide a reasonable explanation for having failed to make a submission to the Committee.

QUESTIONS / FURTHER INFORMATION Please feel free to reach out to Township Staff by phone or email to assist you should you have any questions. Contact the Committee Secretary at 519-669-6040 or 1-877969-0094 (Ext. 6040) or by email to planning@woolwich.ca

THE OBSERVER | Thursday, December 24, 2020

16 | C L A S S I F I E D S

“PROUDLY REMEMBERING OUR PAST; CONFIDENTLY EMBRACING OUR FUTURE.”

Community Information Page NOTICE OF REFUSAL OF A ZONING BY-LAW AMENDMENT AND ANIMAL CONTROL BY-LAW AMENDMENT REGARDING BACKYARD CHICKEN COOPS IN RESIDENTIAL ZONES TAKE NOTICE that on the 15th day of December, 2020 the Council of the Township of Woolwich made a decision to refuse a general amendment to Comprehensive Zoning By-law 55-86, as amended, under Section 34 of the Planning Act and in accordance with the Planning Act, R.S.O., 1990, as amended and an amendment to Animal Control By-law 31-2018, under Sections 8(3) and 11(3) of the Municipal Act and in accordance with the Municipal Act, 2001, S.O. 2001, c.25.. to consider backyard chicken coops on residential zoned lands in the Township.

The Amendments to allow chickens in residential areas were refused for the following reasons: • costs; • impacts to the farming community; • compatibility issues; • health risks; and • a long list of regulations to allow chickens as pets in very limited areas.

If you require further information regarding this matter, contact Jeremy Vink, Manager of Planning at the Township of Woolwich Development Services office at 519-669-1647 or toll free 1-877-969-0094, ext. 6037.

Any person or agency may make an appeal to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal by filing with the Clerk of the Township of Woolwich no later than 4:30 pm on January 13, 2021 an appellant form which can be found at http://elto.gov.on.ca/tribunals/lpat/forms/ or from the municipality. Only individuals, corporations and public bodies may appeal a Zoning By-law to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal. A notice of appeal may not be filed by an unincorporated association or group. However, a notice of appeal may be filed in the name of an individual who is a member of the association or the group on its behalf. The Notice of Appeal must set out the reasons for the appeal and must be accompanied by the fee required by the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal.

At such time when an appeal is filed with the Clerk of the Corporation of the Township of Woolwich the appellant shall also submit the required fee of $500.00 payable to the Township of Woolwich.

DATED at the Township of Woolwich this 24th day of December 2020.

Val Hummel, Clerk 519-669-1647 / 1-877-969-0094 Ext. 6005

NOTICE OF THE PASSING OF A ZONING BY-LAW AMENDMENT BY THE CORPORATION OF THE TOWNSHIP OF WOOLWICH (General Amendment to Comprehensive Zoning By-law 55-86, as amended. Temporary Use Zoning Approval for Restaurant Patios) TAKE NOTICE that the Council of the Corporation of the Township of Woolwich passed By-law Number 87-2020 on the 15th day of December, 2020 under Section 39 of the Planning Act, 1990 as amended, and in accordance with Ontario Regulation 345/20 to permit restaurant patios for a maximum of three years.

A copy of the By-law is available on the Township webpage by navigating to Ongoing Planning Items / Proposed Temporary Use Zoning Approval for Restaurant Patios or by contacting Planning staff by email at planning@woolwich.ca or by phone 519-669-6040 to arrange to obtain a copy.

EXPLANATORY NOTE In July of this year the Province issued Ontario Regulation 345/20 giving municipalities authority to pass Temporary Use By-laws, under Section 39 of the Planning Act, to permit restaurant patios, without undertaking the full public zoning process outlined in the Planning Act.

P.O. Box 158

24 Church St. W. Elmira, Ontario N3B 2Z6

Phone:

519-669-1647 or 877-969-0094 Fax: 519-669-1820

After Hours Emergency:

519-575-4400 www.woolwich.ca

The proposed Temporary Use Zoning By-law will allow restaurants, or places where the dispensing of refreshments has been permitted, to have patios and patio enclosures in any yard and with reduced parking requirements for a maximum of three years.

If you require further information regarding this matter, contact Jeremy Vink, Manager of Planning at the Township of Woolwich Development Services office at 519-669-1647 or toll free 1-877-969-0094, ext. 6037.

DATED at the Township of Woolwich this 24th day of December 2020.

Val Hummel, Clerk 519-669-1647 / 1-877-969-0094 Ext. 6005

COVID-19 Woolwich Township Update

Township Office

The Township office will be closed to walk-in public traffic as of December 26th, as we enter a provincewide shutdown. Please use online or phone where possible. There is a drop box located at the side of our building along Maple Street, which offers a contactless option for dropping off payments, building permits or documents.

For current information on facilities and services, please see Woolwich.ca or call 519-6691647. For health information, call Region of Waterloo Public Health 519-575-4400.

To view current media releases or to stay informed the township’s response to COVID-19, visit: www.woolwich.ca/en/township-services/2019-novel-coronavirus.aspx

Council Meetings – Remote For registration, help or alternative participation options, call 519-669-6004.

Recreation programs and facilities The Township of Woolwich recreation facilities are closed and all rentals and programs within these facilities are cancelled pending continued monitoring of provincial regulations. Please read below for information for updates: • WMC Memberships - Current memberships will once again be extended for the length of the closure.

• New registration and rental bookings - Registration for winter programs and requests for new bookings have been put on hold until further notice.

Residents are encouraged to stay active by getting outside and enjoying our many parks and trails or visiting our website at www.woolwich.ca/stayactive for games, virtual fitness and other activities to keep you engaged this winter.

Local Business Resources Ontario will enter a Provincewide Shutdown on December 26th at 12:01am. This shutdown will last 28 days for southern Ontario. You can find more detailed information about how this shutdown impacts businesses online or by calling the Stop the Spread Line at 1-888-444-3659.

The Provincial Government is launching a new grant program to support small businesses, called the Ontario Small Business Support Grant. Through this grant, small businesses that are required to close or restrict services under the Provincewide Shutdown will be able to apply for this one-time grant of $10,000 - $20,000. More details about the grant will be announced in January.

Visit www.shoplocalwoolwich.ca to buy gift cards and to list your business! For business support call 519-669-6020 or email: EconomicDevelopment@woolwich.ca.

Regional Face Mask By-law Face coverings are required in transit, taxis, ride sharing and enclosed public places. Children under five and people with certain medical conditions or disabilities are exempt. Please be kind to those unable to wear a face covering. To make a complaint, call 519-575-4400.

Public Health Information We, as a community need to be vigilant to stop the spread of COVID-19; it is now more important than ever to: • Only go out for essential purposes • Limit social interactions to only your household • Wash your hands often • Wear a face covering • Get tested if you have symptoms Learn about the time-limited restrictions and public health and workplace safety measures during the provincewide shutdown by visiting: www.ontario.ca/page/covid-19-provincewide-shutdown

Thursday, December 24, 2020 | THE OBSERVER

ↆ L O C A L

C L A S S I F I E D S | 17

PR O F E SS I ONAL

SERVICES

ↆ GENERAL SERVICES

CALL TO BOOK! TODAY.

MarCrest Backhoe www.biobobs.com

5196695557 Visit our website! countrymilebl.com Elmira, ON

Maynard Martin

or call today!

519-648-3004

or

2512 Kressler Road RR1 St. Clements, ON N0B 2M0

800-232-6396

22 Church St. W., Elmira

519-669-5537

Tel. 519-699-0507

ↆ GENERAL SERVICES

STORE HOURS: MON - SAT 8-6, SUN 12-5

ↆ AUTOMOTIVE SERVICES

St. Jacobs Property Maintenance

Various sizes & rates

CLEAN • DRY • SECURE

519-669-4964

100 SOUTH FIELD DRIVE, ELMIRA

& LANDSCAPE CONSTRUCTION

Residential Commercial Snow Driveway Removal & De-icing Blowing Tel: 519-503-5296 - Elmira Only

www.stjacobspropertymaintenance.ca

Reach local people at the right time every week.

THOMPSON’S

TIRE

Call

• Window & Screen Repairs • Glass & Plexi Cutting • Key Cutting • Knife & Scissor Sharpening • Lawnmower Blade Sharpening • Paint Colour Matching • Interior Design Consultation • Bike Repair

Septic Installations · Tile Repairs Small Footings · Silo Footings

Visit our website

VAN, MINIBUS & WHEELCHAIR LIFT BUS TRANSPORTATION “Specializing in small group charters”

IN-STORE SERVICES

WHERE TIRES ARE A

SPECIALTY, NOT A SIDE LINE.

Farm • Auto • Truck Industrial On-The-Farm Service 35 Howard Ave., Elmira

519-669-3232

Auto Tech Inc. Providing the latest technology to repair your vehicle with accuracy and confidence.

Advertise your professional services to Woolwich, Wellesley and beyond.

519-669-4400 30 ORIOLE PKWY. E., ELMIRA

ↆ HOME IMPROVEMENT

AMOS INC

R O O F I N G

• Specializing in residential re-roofs • Repairs • Churches A Family owned and operated business serving KW, Elmira and surrounding area for over 35 years.

WORKMANSHIP GUARANTEED

CALL JAYME FOR YOUR FREE ESTIMATE.

John Schaefer Painting FREE ESTIMATES Interior/exterior Painting, Wallpapering & Plaster | drywall Repairs

519.501.2405 | 519.698.2114

519-503-6033 (CELL)

In Business since 1973 • Fully Insured

36 Hampton St., Elmira

519-669-2251

Reach local people at the right time every week.

Advertise your professional services to Woolwich, Wellesley and beyond.

- Design and build -

AGRICULTURAL | RESIDENTIAL FRAMING • ROOFING RENOVATIONS • EAVESTROUGHS

Driveways • Sidewalks • Curbs Patios • Finished Floors • Retaining Walls • Steps • Decorative/Stamped and Coloured Concrete www.marwilconcrete.ca

Wayne Martin | 519-504-2016 darwayconstruction@icloud.com | Alma, ON

519-577-0370

COMMERCIAL • RESIDENTIAL

“25 years in Business”

ↆ HOME IMPROVEMENT

ST. JACOBS

GLASS SYSTEMS INC. 1553 King St. N., St. Jacobs, ON N0B 2N0

• Residential • Commercial • Industrial

CONSTRUCTION INC.

• Store Fronts • Thermopanes • Mirrors • Screen Repair • Replacement Windows • Shower Enclosures • Sash Repair

Randy Weber

ECRA/ESA Licence # 7000605

www.rwelectricltd.com TEL:

18 Kingfisher Dr., Elmira | 519.669.1462

(519) 569-0772 • Commercial & Industrial General Contracting • Specializing in Concrete Work & Excavation • Retaining Walls

519-664-1202 / 519-778-6104 FAX: 519 664-2759 • 24 Hour Emergency Service

info@trappconstruction.ca www.trappconstruction.ca

• • • •

Stamped Coloured Concrete Demolition Bin Service Machine Bases

Concrete Breaking & Removal

ↆ HOME IMPROVEMENT Since 1998

•Final grading •Lawn repair & complete seeding well equipped for large stoney areas •Spike Aerator/Overseeding •Natural & Interlocking Stone •Retaining Walls, Walks & Patios •Help for Top Water & Drainage issue

Murray & Daniel Shantz

ALMA, ONTARIO | PHONE: 519.846.5427

DESIGN CENTRE

• FLOORING • Custom KITCHENS • BATHROOM VANITIES • SICO Paint • Custom WINDOW BLINDS

KITCHEN, BATH & WINDOW FASHIONS

Blinds, shades, drapery & more • Custom cabinetry made in Canada Free In-home consultations • Our experienced designer will help you work within your personal taste and budget

Call someone you can trust - your local Home Hardware Popular Brands Available

BLANCO, MAAX, MIROLAN, STEEL QUEEN

www.LetUsFloorYou.ca

Hours: M-F 8:00 - 5:00 & Sat 9:00 - 3:00

Evenings By Appointment

1011 Industrial Cres. Unit #2 | TEL: 519.699.5411

Tel:

22 Church St. W., Elmira 519-669-5537 or 1-844-866-5537

STORE HOURS: MON-SAT 8-6, SUN 12-5

THE OBSERVER | Thursday, December 24, 2020

18 | C L A S S I F I E D S

ↆ F A M I L Y Death Notices

A LB UM Obituary

Obituary

Obituary

TURZANSKI, B A R B A R A (JASKIEWICZ) -

1926 - 2020 Passed away peacefully on Wednesday, December 16, 2020 at Derbecker's Heritage House in St. Jacobs.

DOLL, OLGA (MUTTY) - Passed

away peacefully on Tuesday, December 15, 2020 at Chartwell Elmira LTC at the age of 92.

MARTIN, EL AM H. - Peacefully on

Sunday, December 20, 2020 at his home at David M. Martins of Val Gagne, Elam H. Martin, formerly of St. Clements, at the age of 86.

Word ads continued from pg 14 Wanted WANTED: 1 ACRE FOR RENT FOR MARKET garden. Please contact Najla at 416-399-9249.

Rentals HOUSE FOR RENT/ LEASE. 4 BEDROOM home in St. Jacobs, available immediately. $2300/mth + utilities.

Must be willing to sign lease. Email: richard@ fredeconstruction.ca

2 Bedroom Drayton AVAILABLE FEBRUA R Y 1 S T, $ 9 0 0 monthly plus water heat and hydro. In unit laundry. Appliances included. Call Mildred Frey 519-741-6970 to view.

Trades & Services RON'S DRYWALL AND RENOVATIONS. OVER 35 years experience.

Please call 519-4967539 or email ron. spncr@gmail.com

Personals SECOND STRONGEST ADDICTION? CAUSES 30% of suicides. * loses houses, loses spouses. Gamblers Anonymous meeting, Rockway Centre, 1405 King St. E., Kitchener.

Mondays 6:45 p.m. "except holidays".

Doll, Olga (Mutty) Elizabeth (Bette) Jane Pauli (nee Dillon) passed away peacefully at Sunrise of Erin Mills, on December 19th, 2020.

Born on February 25th, 1928 in Elmira, Ontario, she was in her 93rd year.

Bette, as she loved to be called, had a great zest for life and was a life-long artist, writer, journalist, painter, photographer (frequent exhibitions), publicist, volunteer and gardener (featured on Mississauga Garden Tour). She won many awards for all her volunteer contributions and achievements, including various Civic Awards and the prestigious Laurie Pallet Patron of the Arts award. She orchestrated the World Premier Exhibition of artist David Chan. Bette was a member of the Catholic Women’s League, Cloverleaf Garden Club (past President), Mississauga Sumi-e Society (founding President), Mississauga Arts Council (Director), Mississauga Writer’s Workshop (founding Director), Visual Arts Mississauga (Director), Trillium Hospital Community Advisory Panel and Probus. One of Bette’s proudest accomplishments was her involvement in the Mississauga Friendship Association (founding Director) where she was instrumental in the twinning of the Cities of Mississauga, Ontario and Kariya, Japan. She mastered the art of the Japanese Tea Ceremony which required her to learn to speak Japanese. She had fun speaking many languages with people she met during her travels around the world.

During Bette’s lifetime, her family settled in many provinces throughout Canada. Bette & Bill raised 6 wonderful children and were extremely proud of their 8 grandchildren. Bette was young at heart, full of spontaneity and was the life of the party. She was famous for her “Bette” jokes and made everyone feel special. Bette took pride in all that she did and was a role model to many.

Cherished wife of William (Bill) Pauli (predeceased); Beloved mother of Susan Pauli (Tom Saunders), Michael Pauli, Ken Pauli (Heather), Caroline Ruddell (Tom), David Pauli (Marie), Kathy Banks (Dave); Loving grandmother to Pat, Stephanie, Michaela, Victoria, William (Kayla), Caitlin, Daniel, Michael; Survived by her dear sister, Elaine Forler and her in-laws, Grace McGregor (Grant), Joanne Dillon, Cecile Dillon, along with many nieces and nephews; Predeceased by her parents, Alma and Gerald Dillon, along with her sisters and brothers, Ruth O’Driscoll (Frank), Neil Dillon, Bernice Meyer (Harold), Tom Dillon, Michael Dillon, Connie McDonough (Terry) and brother-in-law Claude Forler; Predeceased by Ernie Gerow (second husband) and survived by his children Patti Stevenson (Ian), Danny Gerow (Lynda), Mickey Gerow (Alice), Lori Kapush (Kerry) and their families. She will be dearly missed by her children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews and her many friends.

Many thanks to the wonderful staff at Sunrise, Nurse Next Door and Acclaim Health for their compassion and their nurturing, loving care of our dear Mother.

Funeral will be held at Turner & Porter Neweduk-Erin Mills Chapel on Saturday, December 26th at 3pm EST and due to Covid restrictions will be limited to invited guests only. The service will be live streamed for those who wish to attend and will also be recorded for later viewing. For more details or to share your condolences and memories of Bette, please visit www.turnerporter.ca In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St Vincent de Paul or to local charities helping people challenged by Covid.

Memorial service will take place when we are able to meet again in person. ❖ www.turnerporter.ca

Family Album cont. from pg 14 More Puzzle Solutions on pg 14

Read, George

Passed away peacefully on Tuesday, December 15, 2020 at Chartwell Elmira LTC at the age of 92. Beloved wife of the late Willi Doll (2016). Dear mother of Peter and Lea of Fergus, Wilfred and Julie of Elmira. Loved Oma of Angela (Robert) and Carrie, and great-grandma of Tru and Ruby. She is survived by brothers Adolf (Hildegard), Friedrich (Erika), and Karl (Elizabeth) Kausch all of Germany. Predeceased by parents Karl and Pauline (Stehr) Kausch, sisters Amalie (Richard Deglau) of Connecticut, USA, Emma (Alex Deh), Martha (Adolf Petrite), Julie (Ewalt Norich), Annie (Alfred Genat), Lydia (Martin Groffner), and brother Johann (Dora Kausch) of Germany.

Mutty was born in Lithuania in 1928 and post war settled into West Germany, where she met and married Willi Doll.

Mutty immigrated to Canada with her husband Willi and three-year-old son Peter in 1954 on the MS Beaverbrae.

They worked off their passage on a farm in Philipsburg until they relocated to St. Clements and Hawkesville (where kleine Frosche came along) and finally putting roots down in Elmira around 1965. They made many wonderful lifetime friends along the way. Once they settled into Elmira, Mutty worked at the Great West Felt Co. She enjoyed the great outdoors with her family, camping, biking and trail walks. One of her greatest joys was spending time in the company of her granddaughters and granddogs. She was blessed with an amazing green thumb. Mutty was famous for her delicious rum soaked German tortes so beautifully decorated (a skill she learned from her younger brother Karl who worked at a bakery in Hamilton).

She loved to keep busy and became an avid knitter and crocheter; from afghans, scarves and cowlnecks to cozy homemade slippers. Family and friends often gathered around Mutty’s table for coffee and homemade cakes on a Sunday afternoon. Time at Mutty’s table was truly a warm cultural experience steeped in German tradition.

Good Food! Good Times! Ein Prosit!

A private family service was held on Saturday, December 19, 2020 at 1 p.m. and may be viewed on Mutty’s tribute page on the funeral home website. As expressions of sympathy donations to Grand River Regional Cancer Centre would be appreciated by the family.

Elizabeth (Bette) Jane Pauli (nee Dillon)

Peacefully passed away on Friday, December 18, 2020 at Chartwell Elmira LTC at the age of 91. Beloved husband of Beatrice “Bea” (Yantz) Read for almost 72 years. Loving dad to Glenn and Connie, Bonnie and Ray Kuntz, Ted and Cheryl.

Devoted “Pops” to Chad (Chikage), Craig (Jessie), Brandon (Sana’a), Mirrisa (Dan); Timothy (Stacey), Jamie (Laura), Jessica, Amanda (Brendon); Owen, Carmen, and his great-grandsons Josh, Jake, Henry and Casimir. Brother of Doug and Marilyn, Betty and Henry Sippel, Ron and Gayl, Grace Brent, and Sandra Trelenburg. Predeceased by his parents George and Magdalena (Gooding) Read, daughter Deborah (Larry Fernley), son James, brother-in-law Jack Brent, sisters Dorothy (Bob) Dickson and Muriel (Ron) Gatke. A special thank you to the second floor nurses and staff at Chartwell for the compassionate care given to George. Visitation was held on Monday, December 21, 2020 from 2-4 p.m. at the Dreisinger Funeral Home, Elmira. A funeral mass took place on Tuesday, December 22, 2020 at 11 a.m. at St. Teresa of Avila RC Church, 19 Flamingo Dr., Elmira. Cremation will follow the service. As expressions of sympathy, donations to Community Care Concepts would be appreciated. ❖ www.dreisingerfuneralhome.com

Obituary Martin, Elam H.

❖ www.dreisingerfuneralhome.com

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Peacefully on Sunday, December 20, 2020 at his home at David M. Martins of Val Gagne, Elam H. Martin, formerly of St. Clements, at the age of 86. Father of Rebecca and David B. Martin of RR 2, Kenilworth, Peter and Lena Martin of RR 1, Linwood, Ada and David M. Martin of Val Gagne, and Eva Martin of RR 2, Kenilworth. Also survived by 18 grandchildren and seven greatgrandchildren. Brother-in-law of Elam M.J. Martin of RR 3, Harriston, Esther (Mrs. Reuben) Martin of RR 1, Waterloo, Lauretta (Mrs. Clayton) Martin of Elmira, Ivan Sauder of RR 1, Waterloo, Louida (Mrs. Cleason) Sauder of RR 1, Priceville, and Aden and Lucinda Sauder of RR 1, St. Jacobs. Elam was the last surviving member of his family. Predeceased by his wife Salome (Sauder) Martin, parents Christian and Lydia Ann (Horst) Martin, stepmother Catherine (Martin) Martin, daughter Naomi Martin, one grandson; five brothers: Noah (Lydia) Martin, Henry Martin, Reuben Martin, Daniel (Ada) Martin, Clayton Martin, plus two in infancy; four sisters: Sarah (Urias) Martin, Emma (Abram) Weber, Lydia (Mrs. Elam) Martin, and Saloma (Amos) Brubacher. Viewing and funeral services were held on Tuesday, December 22, 2020 at the Taylor Mennonite Meeting House, Val Gagne. A public drive past viewing was held on Wednesday December 23, 2020 from 9 – 11:30 a.m. at the home of Amsey Bauman, 3225 Lobsinger Line, St. Clements. Burial and funeral service (by invitation) was held on Wednesday, December 23, 2020 at Conestoga Mennonite Meeting House where viewing began at 2 p.m. ❖ www.dreisingerfuneralhome.com

THE OBSERVER | Thursday, December 24, 2020 | 19

Living Here

It's about all of us.

Leading the way reporting about the people and places of home.

Phone: 519-669-5790 ext 103 Report it: observerxtra.com/tips

WDG is vaccine-ready

Child poverty unchanged

Dr. Nicola Mercer, medical officer of health for Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health, announced the department could begin vaccinating individuals within 24 hours of receiving the COVID-19 vaccine from the province. They’ve been preparing since July to deliver the COVID-19 vaccine, she noted.

Campaign 2000’s report for this year finds that prior to the pandemic, some 1,330,000 children in Canada lived in poverty. The child poverty rate declined less than half a percentage point between 2017-2018, to 18.2% from 18.6%, leaving nearly one in five children experiencing the long-term consequences that poverty and discrimination have on social, mental and physical health and well-being.

Santa pays a visit to the south part of Woolwich Township Diane Strickler AS WITH PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING else this year, the South Woolwich Optimist Club’s Santa Cruise was different this time around, though residents did get to see Santa in Maryhill, Bloomingdale and Breslau last Sunday.

The Maryhill fire truck could be heard as they escorted Santa Claus (aka Graham Snyder) through Maryhill. Following behind Santa were his elves picking up food items from the curb.

Santa made a slow tour through all the subdivisions in Maryhill with his elves. The procession then travelled into Bloomingdale and then on to Breslau.

This year, however, there were strict guidelines. People had to remain at least six feet apart at all times (with the exceptions of those from the same household).

Residents were asked to remain on their own property/driveway and if the home was not within the route to find a safe place to stand at least two or three metres from any other person.

Non-perishable food items being collected for the food bank were to be left at the end of the driveways along the roadside, with residents then keeping their distance as volunteers collected donations.

Lori Burmaster Zenker with one of the clues in the Christmas quest now underway in Elmira.

Sean Heeger

Take on the Elmira Christmas Quest Families encouraged to take part in holiday-themed scavenger hunt as an outlet this year Sean Heeger Observer Staff

WITH NOT MUCH TO DO right now and so many restrictions in place for the upcoming holidays, two local residents have come up with a fun activity in which families can take part. DJ Carroll and Lori Burmaster Zenker are no strangers to putting on fun activities and exciting displays within the community – Carroll with his dinosaur display and Zenker with Quarantine Quest.

Now, they have come

together to bring the Elmira Christmas Quest to town, giving families a safe activity to do over the next few weeks.

Their inspiration for the event was COVID-19 and everything that's been put in place as schools were ready to take a break and families started to spend time together at home.

Zenker says the whole quest takes a little knowledge of Elmira to play, but it is only about 30 minutes and gives participants a fun way to explore their community.

“It’s probably about a

half an hour little drive around town, they start out with the first clue… and then they go from clue to clue. Following kind of the story of the Night Before Christmas. And then each clue will lead them to the next section and then at each place where they find the next clue, I have a little activity they have to do like maybe build a snowman, or sing a song, or something like that. So, you have to [have] a kind of a basic knowledge of Elmira to play it, but I think they should be able to figure that out,”

said Zenker.

The unofficial end date to the hunt is December 28, but Zenker says it can really run until the clues are taken down.

So far, Carroll says he has seen a few people finish the quest already, and they have both heard a lot of great community response from people who are ready to participate.

While this hunt has just kicked off, Zenker says she is already considering creating another hunt to do during the winter.

“I would like to do another one after this

one’s done, like do another one in the middle of the winter when everybody’s bored. If we go into lockdown maybe we’ll do something like that – it’s fun. I personally love scavenger hunts and I love making them really detailed and stuff so I think there’s a lot more we could do.”

Carroll and Zenker – along with their families – ask participants to pay it forward and if they like the event, consider donating to a local foodbank, charity or doing some→ QUEST 24

Merry Christmas As we celebrate the birth of Christ, we wish all our customers, suppliers and friends safe holidays.

AD SPOT - NON PRINTING May you find reasons to be joyful and hopeful.

If you ever have any vehicle concerns throughout the holidays we are only a phone call away!

Two locations in Elmira to serve you better

20 Oriole Parkway E. | 47 Industrial Drive

Tel: (519) 669-1082

www.leroysautocare.net

THE OBSERVER | Thursday, December 24, 2020

20 | L I V I N G H E R E

ↆ C O M M U N I T Y

“A GOOD JOB DONE EVERY TIME”

Kleensweep Carpet Care

Rugs and Upholstery

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Truck & Trailer Maintenance Cardlock Fuel Management

COMMERCIAL 24 CARDLOCK FUEL DEPOT HOUR M&G MILLWRIGHTS LTD. • Design • Installation • Custom Fabrication

MATERIAL HANDLING & PROCESSING SYSTEMS

519.669.5105 1540 FLORADALE ROAD P.O. BOX 247, ELMIRA

www.mgmill.com

NANCY KOEBEL

Bus: 519.744.5433 Home: 519.747.4388

Freedom 55 Financial is a division of The Canada Life Assurance Company

E V E NTS

CAL ENDAR

WOOLWICH RESIDENTS SUPPORT FUND: RESPONDING TO FINANCIAL NEEDS

On April 4, 2020, Woolwich Mayor Sandy Shantz launched the Woolwich Residents Support Fund (WRSF) on behalf of Woolwich Township Council.

The WRSF will initially address the anticipated unprecedented needs that many Woolwich residents will experience due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the WRSF will continue to address ongoing needs experienced by Woolwich residents long after the pandemic has ended.

In general, the fund will provide one-time financial support to an applicant.

However, we realize that no two cases are the same. Unique situations may require further support that otherwise would not be accessible for the ongoing needs of the individual.

Prior to an applicant drawing from the WRSF, the Fund Review Committee will access other community services and funds that may be able to support and/or provide for the individual.

While eligibility practices and an application process are in place, it should be noted that in unique, complex, crisis and acute circumstances funds may be provided at the discretion of the Fund Review Committee, assuming the core criteria of the fund are met.

“What a great example of the barn-raising spirit that has always existed in Woolwich,” said Mayor Shantz about the Fund during her video announcement on what would have been the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival day.

Additional information: Access is available by contacting: 1. Community Care Concepts of Woolwich, Wellesley and Wilmot 2. Woolwich Community Services 3. Woolwich Counseling Centre 4. Woolwich Community Health Centre

Individual life insurance, mortgage insurance, business insurance, employee benefits programs, critical illness insurance, disability coverage,

Fund Administrator: Woolwich Community Services

RRSPs, RESPs, RRIFs, LIFs and Annuities.

Fund Review Committee: Kelly Christie – Executive Director, Woolwich Community Services Cathy Harrington – Executive Director, Community Care Concepts

652 Waterbury Lane, Waterloo 24-HOUR EMERGENCY SERVICE

TOTAL HOME ENERGY SYSTEMS

RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL

YOUR OIL, PROPANE, NATURAL GAS AND AIR CONDITIONING EXPERTS VERMONT Castings

11 HENRY ST. - UNIT 9, ST. JACOBS

519.664.2008

Woolwich

• Volunteer Opportunities • Projects & News • Sub-Committee updates

All Makes & Models

An a-maize-ing Christmas Eve meal

9 Church St. E., Elmira

519-669-8362 Email: elmiravacuum@gmail.com

Quality & Service you can trust.

21 Industrial Dr., Elmira 519.669.2884 | martinselmira.com

Education and Treatment

Your First Step to Better Hearing

519-669-9919 charlene@bauerhearing.com 25 Industrial Drive, Elmira

FRENCH CANADIANS EAT TOURTIERE ON Christmas Eve (you can find the recipe in the Observer archives). We used to have frozen pizza, as it was something quick to have before church, but something that’s very popular in Mexican culture is the posole, which might often be eaten as late as midnight.

“Posole” actually means maize or hominy (made from corn).

Corn is not only very essential in many North American Native cultures but was seen as being so sacred by the ancient Aztecs that it is part of their creation mythology, as they believe that people were derived and made from corn.

This soup was reserved for a special occasion as it would contain both corn and meat in the same dish.

The first layer is the green salsa, not the kind of green salsa that you find at the back of the fridge after six months, but the

SANYO CANADIAN

33 Industrial Dr., Elmira 519.669.1591

How can I help you?

519.514.6051

pmerlihan@woolwich.ca

www.merlihan.com

healthywoolwich.org

Recipes from the chef's table

kind that’s made from tomatillos, which gives some spice and smokiness.

The next is the corn itself adding some sweetness and then blending in either some cornmeal or if you can find the hominy to give it harmony it will add some body.

The idea is to then pour the soup into bowls and pass it around a big table filled with your loved ones (of course this year you’ll only have few other loved ones) and then to pass around bowls of raw garnishes that you can choose to put on top, which not only add some crunchiness but you’d be surprised how well they complement each other. Examples might be fresh herbs, green onion, lettuce, radish, avocado and cucumber.

It’s almost like a soup, salad and entree all at once!

▢ 1/2 cup pepita seeds

▢ 1 L chicken stock

▢ 1 jar “salsa verde”

▢ 1/4 cup hominy or

▢ 1 Tbsp. chili powder ▢ 1 tsp. ground cori-

Woolwich Township Ward 1 Councillor

CHEF DUFF

Chicken Posole Soup

▢ 2 cups corn

ↆ The Community Events Calendar is reserved for non-profit local events that are offered free to the public. Placement is not guaranteed. Registrations, corporate events, open houses and similar events do not qualify for free advertising. See complete policy online. All submissions are to be made online at observerxtra.com/event-listing/.

Healthy Communities

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MACHINE WORKS INCORPORATED

Donations to the WRSF may be mailed to Woolwich Community Services, 5 Memorial Ave., Elmira, ON N3B 2P6 or through the website on the WCS Donate page.

The place to get involved.

Vacuum Sales,

ander

cornmeal

▢ 1 Tbsp. Mexican oregano

▢ Salt, pepper

▢ 1 lb boneless chicken

▢ 1 bunch green onion

thighs

▢ 1 bunch cilantro

▢ 1/4 cup grapeseed oil

▢ 1-2 avocadoes

▢ 1 red onion chopped

▢ 1 bunch radishes

▢ 4 cloves garlic 1. Toast seeds slowly in pan until golden, add salsa and puree.

salsa, chicken, and additional seasoning and bring to a boil.

2. Cut chicken into small strips, toss in chili and sear in oil until nice colour and remove.

4. Simmer slowly until all flavours blend.

3. Sweat onions, garlic in pot in grapeseed oil, add stock,

5. Pour into bowls and garnish with chopped green onion, cilantro, radish and avocado.

ↆ Chef Bruce Duff is the operator of “Chef Duff at RiverSong” Banquet hall, Café and Culinary Centre just outside of St. Jacobs, which hosts private events, banquets, team building and cooking classes and also run breakfast and lunch in the café from Wed. – Sat; info@chefduff.ca.

Thursday, December 24, 2020 | THE OBSERVER

L I V I N G H E R E | 21

Treating gout involves lifestyle changes and medication

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: Years ago, I had gout in my toe, but I didn't need medication other than ibuprofen.

After it went away, I never had any other issues. But over the past few weeks, it has come back and is painful. Is there anything that I can do to reverse it at this point? What treatments are available?

ANSWER: Gout is a common form of inflammatory arthritis that can flare up quickly, causing intense pain. Successfully treating gout involves a combination of lifestyle changes and medication. Maintaining those changes over time can help keep gout at bay, and you may need to take medication long term too.

Gout develops as a result of urate crystals building up in a joint. Those needle-like crystals form when you have high levels of uric acid in your blood.

Your body produces uric acid as it breaks down purines – substances found naturally in the body, as well as in certain foods and beverages.

Normally, uric acid dissolves in your blood and passes through your kidneys into the urine. But in some cases, your body makes too much uric acid, or your kidneys flush out too little uric acid, and it builds up to form urate crystals.

Although gout can affect any joint, it most often occurs at the base of the big toe. Symptoms include significant joint pain, swelling, tenderness and redness. Gout symptoms usually develop quickly, and they can linger from

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▢ Mayo Clinic

Professional Clinical Health Advice

several days to several weeks.

There are steps you can take to ease gout symptoms and lower your risk of future flare-ups. First, assess your diet. To reduce your gout risk, eat fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk products. Get your protein mainly from low-fat dairy products, which may have a protective effect against gout. Limit the amount of meat, fish, seafood and poultry that you eat.

Second, drink plenty of fluids: 8 to 16 cups, or about 2 to 4 liters, of fluid daily, with at least half of that water. Limit or avoid alcohol, especially beer, which can increase the risk of gout.

Third, exercise regularly and maintain a healthy weight. If you're overweight, your body makes more uric acid, and your kidneys have a harder time eliminating it. But even though losing weight may decrease uric acid levels, avoid fasting or rapid weight loss. That may temporarily raise uric acid levels and worsen gout symptoms.

Gout treatment also involves medication. An acute gout attack often can be managed with overthe-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen. In severe cases, your health care provider may recommend a more powerful prescription NSAID, such as indomethacin or celecoxib.

Colchicine, a type of pain reliever that reduces gout pain, may be appropriate, too. Corticosteroid medications, such as prednisone, also may be used to control gout. Due to the potential for significant side effects, however, corticosteroids typically are recommended only for people who can't take NSAIDs or colchicine.

The overall goal of gout treatment is to reduce the level of uric acid in the blood to less than 6 milligrams per deciliter.

In people with long-standing, aggressive disease, the target is less than 5 milligrams per deciliter.

To achieve that, your health care provider may recommend a medication called allopurinol and adjust the dose over time until your blood uric acid level is at the goal. If you cannot tolerate allopurinol or if the allopurinol is not effective enough to achieve the blood uric acid goal, the medication febuxostat is an alternative. Once you've reached your goal blood uric acid level, you likely will need to continue taking allopurinol or febuxostat long term to prevent future gout attacks.

The specific type of gout medication that's right for you depends on your medical history and current health status. Your health care provider can work with you to decide what's best for your situation. ↆ Mayo Clinic Q & A is an educational resource and doesn’t replace regular medical care. E-mail a question to MayoClinicQ&A@mayo.edu. For more information, visit www. mayoclinic.org.

D IR ECTOR Y Worship: 9:30am

Christmas Combined service with St.Jacobs Mennonite Church

See www.elmiramennonite.ca.

58 Church St. W., Elmira • 519-669-5123

WOODSIDE

Join Us Online Each Sunday

woodsidechurch.ca/live

This Holiday Season ...

Shop LOCAL, Eat LOCAL, Read LOCAL

F

A make-ahead New Year's Day family breakfast

rench toast casserole is the perfect New Year's Day breakfast. It serves the whole family at once, can be dressed up with sweet or savory sides, and, with our recipe, can be prepped ahead of time and baked off when everyone wakes up.

But there's one problem with this sunny scenario: Most versions look and taste a lot like bread pudding – soft and squishy and nothing like conventional crisp-crusted French toast. And though they usually deliver decent flavour, most are too sweet, even before you pour on the syrup. We

▢ America's Test Kitchen Rigorously tested recipes that work.

wanted this to look and taste like breakfast, not dessert.

Our recipe uses sturdy potato bread instead of white bread or challah.

The robust slices are just big enough to fit cleanly in the dish and they soak up the egg mixture and bake into a tidy casserole that is easily divided into portions. We developed this recipe using Martin's Potato Bread, which has 16 slices per loaf, so you'll need to buy two loaves.

With other brands, it may also be necessary to trim the slices to fit six in a single layer.

We used the familiar flavourings – brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg – but in quantities that didn't overly sweeten the dish. And we call for a final sprinkle of toasted sliced almonds for a satisfying crunch.

We also made sure the casserole could be assembled and soaked in the custard overnight, so you can do the work the night before and reap the benefits in the morning. Good news for planners, procrastinators and late sleepers.

French Toast Casserole ▢ 1 tablespoon

unsalted butter, softened, plus 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

ground cinnamon

milk

▢ 1/2 teaspoon

▢ 6 large eggs

ground nutmeg

▢ 1/8 teaspoon salt

▢ 3/4 cup packed (5 1/4

▢ 18 slices potato

ounces) brown sugar

sandwich bread

▢ 1 tablespoon

▢ 2 1/2 cups whole

1. Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13-by 9-inch baking dish with softened butter.

Mix brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together in a bowl.

2. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of the brown sugar mixture evenly over bottom of the prepared dish. Place six bread slices (use bread heels here) in an even layer in the bottom of the dish.

Brush the bread with 1 1/2 tablespoons of melted butter and sprinkle with 3 tablespoons of the sugar mixture.

3. Place six bread slices

in a single layer over the first layer, brush with 1 1/2 tablespoons of melted butter, then sprinkle with 3 tablespoons of the sugar mixture. Place the remaining six bread slices over the previous layer and brush with 1 1/2 tablespoons of melted butter.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk the milk and eggs together until well combined. Pour the milk mixture over the bread and press lightly to submerge. Sprinkle with almonds and the remaining heaping 3 tablespoons of the sugar mixture.

5. Bake until the casserole is slightly puffed

▢ 1/4 cup sliced

almonds, toasted

▢ Confectioners' sugar

and golden brown and bubbling around the edges, about 30 minutes.

Transfer the casserole to a wire rack, brush with the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of melted butter, and let it cool for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar and serve.

Recipe notes: The assembled casserole, minus almonds and remaining heaping 3 tablespoons sugar mixture, can be covered and refrigerated for up to 12 hours. When ready to cook, sprinkle with almonds and sugar mixture and bake as directed in Step 5.

ↆ For 25 years, confident cooks in the know have relied on America's Test Kitchen for rigourously tested recipes developed by professional test cooks and vetted by 60,000 at-home recipe testers. See more online at www. amercastestkitchen.com

THE OBSERVER | Thursday, December 24, 2020

22 | L I V I N G H E R E

â&#x2020;&#x2020; X - W O R D The Observer Crossword looks to challenge you and get your brain firing on all synapes. This crossword is only published in The Observer handcrafted exclusively for our audience. Happy word-smithing!

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30. ___ green 32. Choir member 33. A head 35. Not classified 38. "Blue" or "White" river 39. "Rabbit food" 40. Bad looks 41. True - Third person present

Campbell

12. PC component 15. Digging,

ACROSS 1. Catchall abbr.

5. Calphalon product 8. "Scream" star

43. Hangup 44. Beanie

36. Itallian name meaning "beautiful" Babies, e.g.

37. Indo-Arayan language adjective 45. gathering blackberries 42. Pelvic bones 50. Bawl DOWN 44. Central section 1. Squandered of an entalature 51. Floral necklace 52. Bulbo-tuber 2. Phil Collins "_ 46. Desire __ __ tonight" 55. Another word 47. Restore for podium (Plural) 3. Gentlemens club 48. Acceptances 59. Roswell crash 4. Mint 49. The aunt of victim, supposedly your parent 5. Polyurethane laminate 61. Abstruse 53. Whipped egg whited and sugar 62. Spectacluar 6. "Wheel of entertainment Fortune" buy 54. Most spicey 64. Hindu garment 7. Place to dance 55. Behind an altar 65. Spelling of 8. Tablet 56. Inhabitant of "Beverly Hills 90210" 9. Shortens, in a way Oxford, England 66. Big time 10. Delivery vehicle 57. A guitar has 6 of them 67. Aug. follower 11. Work units 69. ___-tac-toe 12. ___ and the 58. Barber's job Chocolate Factory 70. Soul 59. Con 72. Knack 13. Storyteller 60. Break 74. Certain Arab 14. Camera holders 63. Mountain Sheep 76. Coal holder 17. ___ Beta Kappa 68. Deck (out) 77. Track gauge 20. Telekinesis, e.g. 71. Dangerous biters 81. Delay 25. ___ noir 73. Kind of approval 82. Contracted 28. Fraternity letters 75. informal magazine (plural) 83. Lions' prey 29. Unpolitly 84. Lt.'s inferior, 31. Test, as ore 78. 252 wine gallons in the Navy 34. Command 79. ___ gestae to a dog 85. Agitated state 80. Banned pesticide

â&#x2020;&#x2020; X - W O R D

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Tidings Tinsel Tradition Yuletide

Thursday, December 24, 2020 | THE OBSERVER

L I V I N G H E R E | 23

YOU ARE ESSENTIAL. , d e t n e d e c e r p n U n a u o Wishing y y r a n i d r o a r t x E , d e c n a t s i D y l l a i c o S ! s y a d i l o H y h t l a e H , y p Hap All our best for a prosperous and “normal” 2021 ahead for all of us.

Joe Merlihan, Steve Kannon, Damon MacLean, Cassandra Merlihan, Donna Rudy, Patrick Merlihan, Sean Heeger observerxtra.com

Please Stay Safe

Enjoy the company of your extended families from a distance this year. We’re in this together.

THE OBSERVER | Thursday, December 24, 2020

24 | T H E B A C K PA G E

QUEST: Organizers were looking for something to provide a little fun

DJ Carroll is one of the organizers of the Elmira Christmas Quest, Sean Heeger which has clues around town.

→ FROM 19

thing kind for someone else.

The first clue to the quest is: ‘Twas the days before Christmas and all through Elmira, Not a creature was stirring, not even a gorilla!

(Rearrange the letters in “ELMIRA” to find a street name in town. Go to that street and find the Giant Gorilla.)

(Actually a baboon but his nickname is Gorilla!!.)

Carroll says that both he and Zenker are asking all participants to adhere to safety protocols put out by public health and to respect the properties of businesses and residents as they go on the hunt for clues.

For more information, visit their Facebook page facebook.com/ events/726789784629336/.

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