Coldest Night of the Year in North Perth celebrates success

United Way Perth-Huron and their North Perth Community Committee proudly announce results from the Coldest Night of the Year event in Listowel.

“We’re excited to share that we’ve raised $54,194 so far in support of local people experiencing hurt, hunger and homelessness,” said Lee Anne Andriessen, Chair of United Way’s North Perth Community Committee.

Social Research & Planning Council announces new living wage, Ontario government celebrates poverty wages

Living Wage Week in Ontario runs Nov. 6–12 and United Way Perth-Huron’s Social Research & Planning Council (SRPC) is announcing the new living wage of $22.75 an hour, up from $20.70 last year.

The Ontario government recently increased the minimum wage to $16.55 an hour on Oct. 1. The press release dated March 31, that preceded the increase claimed that “this 6.8 percent pay raise for low-income workers builds on the government’s steady and predictable increases every year to help families offset the rising cost of living.”

Six bands supporting Trans Youth will be raising funds in Barrie at Stonewall 2: Fundraiser Boogaloo on Oct. 15

Gay-Ass Productions is presenting Stonewall 2: Fundraiser Boogaloo at the Simcoe Hotel in Barrie on October 15. Money raised will support transgender youth through Trans Wellness Ontario. This organization provides counselling, resources and peer support for Trans Youth in Ontario at a time when anti-2SLGBTQIA rhetoric is on the rise.

Six bands are on the bill: Morel, Chachi On Acid, Earl Wyvern with Spare Parts, Mercy, Speed Humps, and Not So Gentle at the Simcoe Hotel, 31 Bayfield St. Barrie, On for $15. It’s 19+, and the doors open at 7 p.m. sharp. The bands will be playing shortly after, and it will run like clockwork.

Woodstein Media Podcast Episode 22: StreetWorks director Talia Storm on harm reduction, supervised consumption, safer supply

This episode spotlights harm reduction services provided by Positive Living Niagara.  Talia Storm, Director of StreetWorks Services, discusses supervised consumption, safer supply and other services that have saved lives during the toxic drug crisis. As Storm says, the staff at StreetWorks are just the passengers, and the individuals accessing the services are driving the car because harm reduction is an aspect of the treatment continuum that aims to empower and respect a person’s right to self-determination.

There were 36,442 apparent opioid toxicity deaths in Canada between January 2016 and December 2022.

A total of 7,328 apparent opioid toxicity deaths occurred in 2022. This is an average of 20 deaths per day. In 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, the average number of deaths per day was 10. The average number of deaths per day peaked at 22 in 2021. However, based on current national data, analyses show no significant decrease in trend, and rates remain high.

“Insulting Language” Dipping into Listowel Ontario’s cultural history

This is the second of three pieces of local media that dove into a strange incident that shook the foundations of Listowel, Ontario.

After the shit hit the fan following “Bandfest ’95,” the Listowel Youth Support Committee wrote an open letter to clarify their position, which was printed in the Wednesday, October 4, 1995, issue of the Listowel Banner.

In the letter, the committee established their innocuous involvement in the “distasteful” behaviour and that the needs of the many may have been in jeopardy because of the “actions of a few.”

“Almost obscene” Dipping into Listowel Ontario’s cultural history

This is the first of three pieces I am reprinting from local media that dove into a strange incident that shook the foundations of Listowel, Ontario. When this issue flared into a fervour of debate among the town council and local authorities, my father told me, “You are ahead of your time; this town is not ready for you yet.” It seems that this is still the case. Yet, I’m still here.  

Originally printed in the edition of the Listowel Banner on Wednesday, September 20, 1995, this story had no byline attributed to it.  Although the newspaper has gone through several ownership changes since then, it has been printed continuously since 1866, and back issues can be found at the archives housed in the Stratford Perth Museum.

Woodstein Media Podcast Episode 18: Sue Spahr discusses the Wishbone Animal Rights Lab and veganism  

“We come together with this common caring of respect for animals and our planet,” states Sue Spahr, one of the founders of the Wishbone Animal Rights Lab in Toronto, which opened its doors at the end of March.

This episode features a conversation with Spahr about the lab’s role as a hub for animal rights activists, a lending library of equipment and information and a studio for making animal-positive podcasts and videos.