The Paris Independent for Saturday February 12th, 2022

RANDOM ACT OF KINDNESS DAY– How will you participate? Page 7 HAPPY BIRTHDAY HIRAM CAPRON! Town’s founder born 225 years ago. Pages 8-9

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The Paris Independent Saturday, February 12, 2022

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HE SHOOTS, HE SCORES!

BLACK HISTORY IS CANADIAN HISTORY

Pages 3 - 4 In Sports

RINGETTE RETURNS TO THE ICE Pages 10 - 11

In Service

Meet the Lions Club of Paris Pages 14 - 16

Luke Cochrane scores a goal and celebrates during Thursday night’s home game against Ayr. Cochrane skated the distance of the ice to score, on an assist from Jax Ferguson. The Under 11 Pelton Transport team lost 8-3. Coach Chris Zarks says despite losing the first two playoff games of the season, the team is starting to gel and players have worked together to score seven goals in the last two games. “When they play their positions, pass the puck and do the simple things well, this team can play with anyone in their division.”

See more pictures inside on Page 13.

Photo by Michelle Malvaso

Are you ready to make a Move ? Contact me, Your Experienced Local Realtor!

County County Offices Offices Closed Closed

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February 12, 2022

COMMUNITY CALENDAR VIRTUAL COFFEE HOUR FOR SENIORSEvery Wednesday in January and February at 10 a.m. Register online at brantlibrary.ca/calendar TRIVIA NIGHT- Every Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.

Test your knowledge, invite the family!

Brantlibrary.ca/trivianight CELEBRATING BLACK INVENTORS AND INNOVATORS – February 16th at 7 pm via Zoom with Nikki Clarke as she shares why Black History is celebrated brantlibrary.ca/calendar

FAMILY FUN DAY- Saturday, February 19 from 13 p.m. at Five Oaks. Venture on a story walk, make a craft or learn to snowshoe! Register https://fiveoaks.venue360.me/public/events/homep age

Do You Have an Event to Share?

Email your non-profit event details to theparisindependent@gmail.com so we can share them in the community calendar.

Help us share community news and events!

Publisher Managing Editor Advertising Sales Photographer News Reporter News Reporter

Chris Whelan Casandra Turnbull Chris Whelan Michelle Malvaso Carolina Saenz Bailey Zimmer

STATEMENT We are a non profit organization made up of like minded volunteers from our community with the main purpose of providing our community of Paris and area with a trustworthy and reliable source of community news. Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of everything we publish, we regret any errors that may occur. We limit our liability to that of printing a retraction upon notification of such errors in the next available publication. Our mail and Email addresses are listed below:

Published Weekly on Saturday

PO BOX 99900 LA 012 395 STN MAIN PARIS, ON, CANADA N3L 0C3 Email: theparisindependent@gmail.com

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February 12, 2022

COMMUNITY NEWS

Black History is Canadian History

By Carolina Saenz February is Black History Month, a celebration to honour the legacy of Black Canadians and their communities.

This year’s theme “February and Forever: Celebrating Black History Today and Everyday,” focuses on recognizing the daily contributions that Black Canadians make to Canada. Regardless of cultural identity, ethnicity, or where you live, everyone is encouraged to learn more about and participate in Black History Month events. And with this being such an important learning opportunity for all, it comes as no surprise that the County of Brant Public Library is taking part by offering a special event for everyone to enjoy.

On February 16th at 7 p.m., the event “Black History Month: Celebrating Black Inventors and Innovators” will take place via Zoom. Registration for this free event is now available at brantlibrary.ca/calendar

County of Brant Library Outreach and Community Impact Coordinator Gary Jermy is excited to have Clarke present such a valuable program to the community. The Ontario Black History Society recommended Clarke not only for her vast Feature speaker Nikki Clarke will share why Black experience as a public speaker but also for her History is celebrated and the powerful impact insightful perspectives. innovations from Black inventors have made throughout the world. Clarke is the founder, “I feel her talk centred on Black Inventors and producer, and host of the multiple award-winning Innovators will be both insightful and easy to talk show, The Nikki Clarke Show on Afroglobal understand,” said Jermy. He continues by TV Network and on explaining that “[t]he main intent of the program is www.nikkiclarkenetwork.com. Clarke is also an to provide the opportunity to celebrate Black accomplished singer and songwriter, the History by learning about some inventors and Immediate Past President of the Ontario Black innovators who might not have the name History Society, as well as an ordained lay pastor recognition but have provided significant with over 25 years of experience as a community contributions to the advancement of society.” And activist. She is an honouree of the 100 to understand Canada in its current context, Jermy Accomplished Black Canadian Women in 2022 acknowledges the importance of learning about and an MBA Candidate at the Australian Institute Black history, just as Clarke says, “Black History is Canadian History.” of Business.

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COMMUNITY NEWS “Tying into a broader theme of diversity, equality, and inclusion, this program falls under my goal of ensuring that the opportunity to learn about and hear different cultural viewpoints is available to our community.”

Black History Month serve as an urgent reminder that we haven’t yet reached full equality and it’s vital that we continue to educate and learn from our history if we ever want to grow into a more accepting society. “Tying into a broader theme of diversity, equality, and inclusion, this program falls under my goal of ensuring that the opportunity to learn about and hear different cultural viewpoints is available to our community,” adds Jermy. And in a growing city like Paris, furthering our knowledge and understanding of different cultures and experiences is especially valuable. “In the future we’re hoping to provide a bit more a local take on Black history as well. There’s a local anti-racism advocacy group called Unite Against Hate who I

have been in touch with about potential programming, for example. An actual program couldn’t happen this year due to scheduling, but they were kind enough to create a poster highlighting a few local historical locations tying into black history, which we do have posted in our branches”, concludes Jermy.

With free programming available right at the local public library, accessible from the comfort of your own home, there is no excuse to not participate in this year’s Black History Month. Register for the program, grab one of the recommended books, and share with friends and family. Learning more about each other and widening our worldview is beneficial to us all.

Addressing racism in healthcare is important From the Brant Community Healthcare System: Muriel Yankey, RN, grew up in Brantford. She grew used to being the only Black student in her class until she moved to more-diverse Toronto to pursue her BScN at York. She did her co-op at BCHS, and knew that this was where she wanted to start her career. She’s now been a nurse here for 5 years, on the B8 Medical floor.

To Muriel, Black History Month means everything. It’s about expressing and celebrating culture, educating other people on the historical and present issues faced by the Black community, and making sure that people understand the power

of language.

Her advice for Black youth pursuing a career in healthcare is to just go for it. Don’t let anyone stop you! There might be people trying to drag you down, but there are even more people cheering you on as you pursue your goals. Especially in communities like Brantford that are growing in size and diversity – it’s so valuable to see representation in the healthcare workforce.

In her words: “If I were a patient, I would want to have a healthcare worker who is my colour caring for me and advocating for me. In order to get there, it’s important to address racism in the healthcare

system. Not only in the way that patients are treated, but also healthcare workers.

Black healthcare workers need to know that they are supported, and the public needs education on how to provide that support. This will improve outcomes for everyone.”

Muriel Yankey, a BCHS nurse

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February 12, 2022

COMMUNITY NEWS More parks to spring up in Paris neighbourhoods

By Casandra Turnbull Another park is planned for Paris’ north end. Residents still have time to submit feedback before construction begins this spring.

The Woodslee Linear Park is a rectangular stretch of land that will connect pedestrians from Hartley Ave to Woodslee Ave. The passive space gives area residents a safe place to walk, explore and enjoy the outdoors. It will feature a 3m wide asphalt park pathway the meanders from one entrance to the other, shaded by coniferous and deciduous trees, flower beds and existing vegetation. The county plans to plant approximately 50 new trees - some Spruce trees, some ornamental trees, and some shade trees (Native to North America), confirmed Kathy Ballantyne, Director of Parks and Facilities for the County of Brant.

There will be five separate pod areas spread out throughout the park: the entry pergola, the Zen Garden (which includes bench seating), an all-ages bench swing, play area with seating and the entry plaza/gathering space.

An additional space on the northeast side of the park is reserved for future park expansion plans if residential development to the east is approved. The total budget for the project is $200,000 and is

paid for by development fees.

Feedback will remain open on EngageBrant until February 20th, said Ballantyne. The county expects to tender the work soon and start construction this spring.

Down the road on Hartley Ave, construction is already underway for Dawdy Park, which will feature pickleball courts, a basketball court as well as a larger playground and community shed. It’s scheduled to be completed by June 2021.

Between these two parks and new trails proposed along Watt’s Pond Road, the goal is to enhance walkability and recreational opportunities for area residents.

Plans for the Watt’s Pond trails are still in early development stages and construction is not expected to start until 2023.

Costs for these projects are rolled into development fees for the subdivisions. In 2021, Paris saw the addition of several new parks: Summit Park, accessed from Lorne Card but facing Rest Acres Road, Juliet Wolverton Park, located between Row Lane and Arlington Parkway and Jay Wells Park on Scenic Ridge Gate (construction is expected to wrap up this spring). The grading for Mile Hill Meadows Park, located off Edgar Place, is underway and it should open this fall.

Additional parks are also proposed for the Paris Grand subdivision on Paris Links Road, the Nith Peninsula subdivision at Barker’s Bush, the Grandville Subdivision on the southwest side of Grandville Circle, and on Pottruff Road.

Details or previews for these projects will With a boom in residential be posted to EngageBrant when development, Paris residents can the development plans in those expect to see more greenspace neighbourhoods move further and park projects sprout up. along, Ballantyne advised.

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February 12, 2022

WINTER ACTIVE Enjoy an outdoor storybook walk The County of Brant and local Library is partnering up to offer residents a picturesque and engaging walk through the park!

Storybook walks are now available in two area parks: Mt. Pleasant Nature Park and the Janice Hunt Memorial Park in Burford. The stories will be changed throughout the year, and you can find out which stories will be featured by watching the County’s Facebook and Instagram feeds.

As of January 18, 2022, Mount Pleasant Park will feature Snow, by Cynthia Rylant. The story celebrates the beauty of snow and its happy effects on children. The Burford Park will feature Dashing through the Snow, A Canadian Jingle Bells by Helaine Becker and illustrated by Werner Zimmermann. This story looks at how things can go wrong when someone upsets Santa’s sleigh and everyone gets the wrong presents!

Bob stays winter active keeping his backyard ice rink clear of snow for his grandkids and family to enjoy. Bob has close to 20 years of experience creating and maintaining ice pads at both the Syl Apps Arena and Brant Sports Complex.

Photo submitted by Grace Williams

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February 12, 2022

COMMUNITY NEWS Spread a little kindness next week Random Act of Kindness Day Feb 17th: Youth Poster Contest, Kindness Hero Nominations and Sign Wars!

By Casandra Turnbull Random Act of Kindness Day is around the corner and there are several ways you can exercise kindness - and encourage others to do the same.

It only takes one minor act of kindness to positively impact someone else’s day. The last two years have undoubtedly triggered new struggles for many people. Sometimes all it takes is a small gesture to overturn someone’s bad day and inject a new sense of faith in humanity.

On February 17th individuals, organizations, schools and businesses nationwide will celebrate Random Act of Kindness Day. The Brant Community Foundation (BCF) is encouraging local youth to participate in the poster contest open to students from JK to Grade 12. This year’s theme is ‘It’s Cool to be Kind.’ Entries must include your name, grade, school, phone number and email address. The deadline for submissions is February 15th. You can email your entry to info@brantcf.ca

signs and share them on social media with the hashtag #BeKindAnytimeBCF. “We invite our local businesses, organizations, and municipalities to promote Random Act of Kindness Day by starting a Sign Wars. The local businesses in Brantford and Brant County have always been an extraordinary example of kindness and giving. We are hoping the Kindness Sign Wars will trigger a ripple effect of smiles and paying it forward throughout our communities,” according to information posted on the BCF website. The BCF formed a Kindness Day Committee in 2010 with two goals in mind: help reinforce the BCF vision of building a better community and to encourage the ‘pay it forward’ philosophy throughout the community.

And speaking of community members, if you know a local Kindness Hero, don’t be afraid to nominate them! Send a direct message to BCF through their social media accounts or by email to nominate someone who you feel makes a difference in the lives of others. The Kindness Day Committee will Area business owners who want to pay it forward select winners for the Kindness Hero Awards on can participate in the Sign Wars – Kindness Edition February 17th! which started on February 10th. Participating businesses are encouraged to take a picture of their

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February 12, 2022

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR TOWN’S FOUNDER HIRAM CAPRON an oath to the crown of England. In 1823, Capron passed through this area then known as The Forks of the Grand River where he met a man named William Holme.

Photos & Information Courtesy of At this time, most of the land the Paris Museum & Historical Society.

Born: February 12, 1796, Hiram Capron was born and raised in the town of Leicester, Vermont, USA to a family of farmers. Upon reaching adulthood, he briefly worked as an instructor at a ladies' academy before moving to New York to work for an iron-founder named Theophilus Short.

Short owned a number of iron blast furnaces in the area of Shortsville, and he employed Capron as a bookkeeper.

Some time later, about 1821, Capron began investigating establishing his own blast furnace and, with a few business associates, he purchased a plot of land in Norfolk County by Lake Erie known as Normandale and erected a new blast furnace in 1822. By 1823 the furnace was operational, and Capron was traveling the province selling ironware. At this time, he revoked his American citizenship in order to swear

Portrait by Robert R. Whale, c. 1852

clearing the land and dividing it into lots. He began leasing it to settlers in order to encourage the growth of a community.

He also undertook the development of Governor's Road, in order to permit trade and further enhance the growth of the village.

Capron began developing his land along the Nith and Grand Rivers into raceways to supply waterpower, which would eventually form the basis of the town's manufacturing industry. Paris was officially incorporated as a village in 1849, with a population of 1000, and its formal political structure was established at the beginning of 1850. As the head of the founding members, Capron was elected the first Reeve, and would serve another term in 1854; he also served a number of early terms as a councilor.

However, he did not pursue a career in politics and spent the rest of his life farming and managing the land and waterways that he owned and rented.

which now makes up Paris belonged to Holme; the region was mostly undeveloped but included a small plaster mill which likely indicated to Capron the area's economic value. While the two men conducted no business on this occasion, Capron was eventually able to buy the land from Holme after he received the proceeds from his portion of the sale of the blast furnace in Normandale. In 1829 he prepared to move to He died in Paris on September his new home. Once he had 10, 1872, after a period of ill moved to the Forks of the health.

Grand River, Capron set about Continued Page 9

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THE HIRAM CAPRON HOUSE: A COUNTY OF BRANT HISTORIC SITE

The Hiram Capron House, located at 8 Homestead Road, is situated on the southeast side where the road terminates. It is in the Town of Paris within the County of Brant, Ontario. The property consists of a two-storey plaster (stucco) building that was constructed in 1831. Photos: Paris Museum & Historical Society

The property was designated by the County of Brant in 1991 for its heritage value under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act (By-law 76-91).

The Hiram Capron House was built using a regional product that was readily available at the time - Plaster of Paris. The beams used to support the structure, logs with bark, are still in place in the house. The front door features a solid brass knocker with a mirror image tooled inscription, “Hiram Capron”, which has marked the significance of this house for over 190 years. Photo: John MacAlpine

The Hiram Capron House is characterized by simple architectural features reminiscent of Log House architectural style, including a gabled roof, small windows, and a large box-like appearance. Built with Plaster of Paris, the façade features 6 over 6 windows on the first-storey and dormer windows on the second-storey. Photo: John MacAlpine

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February 12, 2022

S P O RT S Ringette teams prepare for championship games in March and April

By Casandra Turnbull Ringette players of all ages were back on the ice this month, sharpening their skills as they prepare for the end of season championships held in March and April.

With no games at all last season, players were excited to face opponents again while developing their skills in this fast-paced game, said Jennifer Mayhew, vice president of The Paris Thunder Ringette Association. This year four regional teams will head to Hamilton in April for the championship games. There are two Provincial teams that will travel to Ottawa in March for the championships. Normally, teams qualify for the Provincial championships, based on how well they compete at tournaments held throughout the season. With very few tournaments offered this year, every provincial team qualifies and is traveling to Ottawa to contend for the title. Paris’ provincial teams are selected based on skill and experience exhibited during tryouts held at the start of the season. Paris also has two over 18 Open teams as well. In total there are approximately 184 players registered between all teams and learn to play programs offered by Paris Ringette.

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Above: Under 12 B team players were happy to reunite and return to the ice, pictured prior to a practice held this week.

Above: Members of the U19 team during practice this week at the Brant Sports Complex.

Photos submitted by Jennifer Mayhew

The Paris Independent Continued from Page 10 The association has close to 50 years of history in Paris dating back to 1976 when it was formed.

“We have a lot of dedicated players within our organization, and we are proud of each and every one of them,” said Mayhew, as she reflected on the season so far. “They are always giving their all on the ice at each and every game. There is lots of talent within all the teams we have.”

Ringette, which was created in North Bay, Ontario in 1963, is now considered to be the fastest game on ice. It is played internationally in half a dozen other countries around the world.

Like hockey, Ringette is played with six players on the ice with an objective to score goals.

However, that is where the similarities end. Players pass a rubber ring with a straight stick, there is no intentional body contact and game time is split between two 20-minute periods.

“It’s a wonderful sport that teaches the true meaning of working as a team as it is a whole team effort that gets the ring down the ice,” said Mayhew, who is just transitioning into a presidential role with the organization this year. She encourages interested players to attend an open house event in the spring to learn more about the sport. “We will post on our website and social media accounts, so look out for those dates and how to sign up,” she said.

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News from the Friendliest House in Town!

Curlers in the house!

Members of the Paris Curling Club returned to league play this month. Pictured to the left are Bryan Kueneman, Joe Azzopardi and Brian Azzopardi during Tuesday Night Choose Your Own League.

Photo by Casandra Turnbull

The winners of the Paris Curling Club Afternoon Ladies John Hall Draw are from left to right: Frances Campbell, skip; Eleanor Dutkewich, vice and Brenda Baler, second. Missin g from the photo is Deb Rapelje, lead.

Special thankyou to John Hall of Paris for sponsoring the draw.

Submitted by Sue Hilhorst

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We have our 2022 Super Bowl reader poll winner!! Joan Hilker of Paris. Joan commented LA to Win on our post in the group “All Things Paris” on Facebook. We don’t know if the LA Rams will win the Super Bowl but one thing’s for sure - Joan and her family will be enjoying their victory with local snacks and Super Bowl merchandise from The Paris Independent News! Congratulations Joan!

Above: Joan Hilker accepting her prize package at her home in Paris Wednesday. Photo by Cindy Whelan

Did you know?

Reader Poll Results: 68% say Bengals For the WIN!

Super Bowl LV was the first time a participating team played in its home stadium? To avoid giving any team an advantage, locations are announced years in advance, so it was coincidence that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers played the championship game in their home stadium. Unfortunately, they didn’t get the full crowd affect because the stadium was only 30% full in accordance with public health guidelines.

Super Bowl got its name thanks to former Kansas City Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt who named it after his children’s toy called a Super Ball. Super Bowl wasn’t well received when it was first pitched, but it caught on through word of mouth and the media.

The average cost of a ticket to the 1967 Super Bowl was only $12!

The Pittsburgh Steelers were the first Super Bowl winners to visit the White House in 1980. The longstanding tradition was adopted by other sports leagues long before the NFL jumped on board with the tradition. The first MLB White House visit was documented in 1924. Interestingly enough, no sitting president has ever attended a Super Bowl game.

Since its inception in 1967, not a year has gone by without a Super Bowl.

There are 12 teams that have never won a Super Bowl: Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Chargers, Atlanta Falcons, Jacksonville Jaguars, Detroit Lions, Carolina Panthers, Houston Texans, Tennessee Titans and Minnesota Vikings.

Super Bowl LI played in 2017 was the first Super Bowl game to go into overtime. The Patriot overcame a 25-point deficit to push the game into overtime, ultimately winning 34-28 over the Atlanta Falcons.

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February 12, 2021

S P O RT S Wolfpack Playoff Hockey

Pictured above is assistant captain of the U13 team, Jared Biro, as he battles with a Twin Centres player Thursday evening. Paris won 2-0.

The Under 13 Paris Optimist Rep team defeated Twin Centres during playoff hockey this week. They lost earlier in the week to Delhi 4-2. Pictured above is Andrew Graham celebrating a goal. To the left is Noah Connolly making a save for Paris.

All photos by Michelle Malvaso

Pictured above, U11 player Xavier Cormier controlled the middle of the ice during Thursday’s loss to Ayr. Cormier is the top scorer for the U11 team, coming off a hat trick in Delhi earlier this week. To the left, Jared Rossi and Jax Ferguson were on the hunt all game. Jared celebrated his 11th birthday by scoring Paris’ first goal of the evening. It also put him in a two-way tie for the most points so far this season.

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February 12, 2022

S E RV I C E C L U B S HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW YOUR SERVICE CLUBS? Meet The Lions Club as they take you down a historical walk that highlights how they’ve served Paris residents for over 90 years. The Paris Independent will feature their story over the next three weeks, so stay tuned!

CHANT OF THE JUNGLE

By Lion Diane McHutchion The year 1931 saw the Great Depression affect every walk of life in Canada, from large cities to small towns like Paris. Unemployment rose to 32%, low incomes were the norm, and our inadequate social welfare system made life almost unbearable for many people.

Despite all these challenges and with the sponsorship of the Brantford Lions Club, a group of community minded individuals formed the Paris Lions Club. Our first Club consisted of 31 members. These first members consisted mostly of businessmen, but also included doctors, a dentist, a high school principal, a lawyer and a minister. The first meeting was held at the Arlington Hotel on March 16, 1931.

From an article in The Paris Star, dated July 25th, 1935, one reads that the most ambitious program for civic improvement in Paris was the creation of Lions Park. Because of the planning and organization done by the Paris Lions Club, children had a properly supervised and modern playground. A wading pool was later installed, built to accommodate 350 children at one time.

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The final deed of land occupied by this park was given to the Mayor of Paris on September 11, 1935.

This land was originally purchased by the Lions Club from the Capron Estate.

Even though the Lions Park Project was a major undertaking for the Club, it did not interfere with the regular work of the Club.

This included aiding underprivileged children, whether it be vision testing, furnishing eyeglasses, eyecare, tonsil and other operations, supplying milk where needed, plus bringing cheer at Christmas, and generally adding to the health and happiness for those in need during the 1930s....a decade of incredible economic stress and uncertainty.

Above: Lions Park postcard circa 1935. The Lions Club orchestrated the installation of a playground first (behind pool area) and later installed the wading pool that could accommodate 350 children. Below: A family enjoys a cold beverage at Lions Park, circa 1950s. Seventy years later families still enjoy picnics and swims at Lions Park.

The Second World War saw 1 in 10 Canadians enlisted in full time service in the armed services. This included approximately 450 citizens from the Paris area, Sadly, 38 young Paris men did not return to their families.

The Lions Club of Paris stepped up to contribute to the health and well-being of the citizens of Paris right through the war years. These contributions included providing eyeglasses and eye surgery, dental surgery, tonsil operations, almost 32,000 pints of milk, gallons of cod liver oil, sending boys and girls to camp, and sports expenditures. Our Club focused on children during these years, knowing that a mother and/or

father were either serving overseas or working away from home. Right here in Paris, a group of children, called the Coney Island Club (ages 6-15) held a bazaar and raised an amazing $72.00. This small group, after much discussion, decided to donate this money to

the Paris Lions Club after they heard that our Club was giving much thought to the creating of a swimming pool in Lions Park.

This truly speaks to the community support for Lions Park and our Lions Club!

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Lions International motto ‘We Serve’ adopted during the war years To demonstrate that the Paris Lions Club also contributed to efforts beyond Paris, documents show that our Club collected and donated money to the Food for Britain Campaign, the Red Cross Relief Fund, and Flood Assistance.

the summer of 1956.

The International Lions Club motto “We Serve” was well demonstrated during the war years. As much as Canadian men and women were serving Canada overseas, the Paris Lions Club served by taking care of those here at home.

Another big, and just as important project for the Paris Lions Club, was financially assisting with the Willett Hospital’s latest addition, namely the new nurse’s residence. The Willett Hospital, built in 1922, had a 16-bed capacity. Because of the growing needs of our community, extensions were added and by 1951, this small self-sustaining cottage hospital (one of the few in Ontario) boasted a 60-bed capacity.

The Paris Lions Club of the 1950s saw its membership rise to 60 dedicated people. The Club's biggest fundraising project was the publication of “The Chant of the Jungle”, printed

by The Paris Star. In this publication, local businesses partnered with our Club to create “Super Shopping Days”, with a percentage of every dollar spent going to our Club. One of these businesses, John M. Hall, is still in existence today!

In addition to supporting the Willett Hospital, the Paris Lions continued to support various individuals with financial assistance for surgeries, purchasing eyeglasses, and contributing food and basic necessities, especially at Christmas time. The needs of local children were, as in previous decades, of utmost importance to the Paris Lions Club. Whether it was health issues, food, sports or just a letter from Santa, our Club members were there to fill all these needs!

The funds raised through this venture went to maintaining and improving facilities at Lions Park.

Our Club also planned on helping to complete the creation of the swimming pool for Lions Park in time for the Paris Centennial Celebration during

The 1950s saw real population growth in Paris, plus even more dedicated Lions ready to give back to our community. “We Serve” has been a constant with our Paris Lions Club!

Support The Lions Club, Support Your Community The first draw for Catch the Ace closes on February 15th. Get your tickets here: https://parislionscatcht heace.ca

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February 12, 2022

H E A RT H E A LT H

Information provided by Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada’s Heart Failure Report 2022: Falling Short – How Canada is Failing People with Heart Failure and How We Can Change That

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H E A RT H E A LT H

February 12, 2022

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February 12, 2022

COMMUNITY NEWS Changes proposed to Vehicle for Hire by-law

By Casandra Turnbull The County of Brant is updating its Vehicle for Hire By-Law in a bid to keep up with everchanging transportation methods in today’s society. The proposed changes are required to ensure public safety, consumer protection and to expand the quality and availability of services available for residents. The proposed by-law, which provides a single, streamlined by-law to regulate all vehicles for hire in the county, was presented in mid December at the administration and Operations Committee meeting. Public consultation and input are only open until 11:59 pm on February 19th.

To prepare the draft, council directed county staff to launch a public industry stakeholder consultation in March of 2020. Feedback was collected from not only members of the public, but also from the broader vehicle for hire industry- taxi companies and transportation network companies such as Uber and Lyft. The results of consultation process, coupled with recommendations from County staff, resulted in the following high-level changes to the existing by-law: 1. The Draft VFH By-law recognizes transportation network companies as private vehicle for hire brokerages. This form of brokerage will permit passengers to book a ride via a smartphone application. Passengers using the application are notified of the cost of the ride prior to hiring the vehicle. By dispatching the driver to the pick-up location, the passenger is agreeing to the proposed rate.

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The Paris Independent Continued from Page 19 2.The Draft VFH By-law standardizes and harmonizes the expiration date for all Licences.

All Licences will expire annually on March 31st.

Applicants applying for a renewal licence will be required to apply for the renewal at least five (5) business days prior to the expiry date. Renewals will be sent out at least sixty (60) days prior to the expiry date.

3. Criminal Record Checks will continue to be required for all drivers. The Criminal Record Checks will be submitted directly to the County by taxicab and limousine drivers with their applications for a driver’s licence and through the broker for TNC drivers.

4. The current Taxicab By-law does not prescribe a service age limit for vehicles. The Draft VFH By-law proposes a maximum service age limit of ten (10) years for all licensed vehicles. This age limit is consistent with TNCs which already set age limits for their vehicles. The age limit would ensure that newer vehicles are servicing the community to better protect passengers. The Draft VFH By-law provides a transition period until April 1 st, 2024 for vehicles which are already licensed.

5. During the consultation process, it was proposed that the County eliminate the requirement for physical taxicab meters in favor of newer technology. Accordingly, the Draft VFH By-law proposes to eliminate the requirement for physical taxicab meters. Where an owner opts to use a physical taxicab meter, the oversight and testing provisions remain in place. Owners are allowed to use new technology-based taxicab meters if the technology is approved by the Licensing Administrator. This approach provides flexibility for those taxicabs which will transition to the newer technology.

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6. The County is lifting the requirement for brokers to lease a property in the County of Brant to operate an office or dispatch centre. This provision was seen as a burden and disadvantage to local companies trying to compete with other private service providers who dispatch through smart phone applications rather than a physical office space.

7. The TNC’s business model includes dynamic and surge pricing. Accordingly, instead of prescribing fares, the County would be collecting a per trip charge. The Draft VFH By-law provides greater consumer protection as prior to accepting a ride, the customer is fully informed of the cost of the ride and is able to efficiently determine whether or not they would like to engage the service provided.

8. All Vehicles for Hire will be required to maintain a valid commercial policy protecting the public and passengers in the amount of $2M. Insurance requirements were vetted with the County’s Insurer to make sure that the County was properly protected.

To view the full recommendation, please review: https://engagebrant.ca/vehicle-for-hire-by-law You can submit your thoughts online through EngageBrant or by writing to the county’s licensing administrator at Julie.mckeen@brant.ca Once public consultation closes, the final Vehicle for Hire by-law will be presented for council’s consideration and final decision.

Click Here to Learn More!

The Paris Independent

21

February 12, 2022

F I N A N C I A L M AT T E R S Important dates to help you get ready for tax season Your Money Team

with

JANUARY 28 is RRSP contribution receipt - A statement of all RRSP contributions you made between March and December 2021.

Glenn Gaudet As you begin to get ready to prepare your 2021 tax return, we want to ensure you’re aware of important upcoming dates and deadlines, so you have everything you need to file your return with minimal hassle

MARCH 1st is the RRSP contribution deadline -The final date for your RRSP contributions to be eligible for the 2021 tax year is March 1, 2022. Refer to your Notice of Assessment (NOA) or access My Account information on the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) website for your total RRSP contribution limit for the 2021 tax year.

May 2 is Tax filing deadline for individuals - The deadline to file your 2021 personal income tax return is May 2, 2022, unless you're self-employed. However, the CRA encourages individuals who expect to receive benefits under the GST Credit or the Canada Child Benefit not to delay the filing of their tax return to ensure their entitlements for the 2022-23 benefit year are properly determined.

JUNE 15 is Tax filing deadline for self-employed individuals - The deadline to file your 2021 taxes is June 15, 2022, if you're self-employed.

FEBRUARY 25 is Tax slips for individual and corporate accounts (T3, T5, T4A, T5008) -These slips will be issued if you have earned any interest, dividends or capital gains in a Personal, Joint or Business account, depending on the investments you hold in those accounts.

FEBRUARY 25is RRSP, Spousal RRSP, RIF, Spousal RIF, LIF (T4RSP/T4RIF slips)- These slips confirm the amounts that have been withdrawn from these accounts and have been reported to the CRA.

MARCH 25 is RRSP contribution receipt, first 60 days of 2022 - This receipt confirms all RRSP contributions made during the first 60 days of 2022 (if applicable). These contributions are deductible on your 2021 tax return to the extent you have available RRSP contribution room.

Tax slips for equity securities (T3, T5) -These slips will be issued if you have earned any interest, dividends or capital gains from securities held in a Personal, Joint or Business account.

IMPORTANT REMINDERS2022 TFSA limit: $6,000; 2021 RRSP limit: 18% of income, to a maximum of $27,830; 2022 RRSP limit: 18% of income, to a maximum of $29,210

ADVISORY FEES - The advisory fee for your non-registered accounts may be deductible when calculating your taxable income. The fee for the 2021 calendar year will appear on you December 2021 client statement.

Glenn Gaudet is the lead advisor of a wealth advisory team helping families and business owners since 1993.

Glenn holds many designations including the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER ® designation, Elder Planning Counselor, Certified Professional Consultant on Aging and the Registered Retirement Counselor. With more than 60 years of combined experience, Gaudet Group Private Wealth Management is committed to making clients’ interests their top priority. Do you have questions you’d like Glenn to Answer? Email him at glenn.gaudet@igpwm.ca.

Investors Group Financial Services Inc.

Written and published by IG Wealth Management as a general source of information only, believed to be accurate as of the date of publishing. Not intended as a solicitation to buy or sell specific investments, or to provide tax, legal or investment advice. Seek advice on up to date withholding rules and rates and on your specific circumstances from an IG Wealth Management Consultant. Trademarks, including IG Wealth Management and IG Private Wealth Management are owned by IGM Financial Inc. and licensed to its subsidiary corporations.

The Paris Independent

22

February 12, 2022

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