In November, the Region of Waterloo released its 2026 preliminary budget plan, which includes major allocations for local initiatives such as the Ending Veteran Homelessness Initiative and a tree-planting project by the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB).  

The budget lists federal grants among its revenue sources—a sign that recent funding from Ottawa may help support key projects in the region.  

The 2026 budget draft proposes a 4.94 per cent increase in the regional tax levy, which would add around $96 per year to the average homeowner’s bill.  

Meanwhile, the City of Kitchener’s draft budget includes a 2.2 per cent property tax increase, plus utility rate hikes, bringing the total estimated impact for the average household to $117. These increases reflect rising operational costs across housing and homelessness services, transit, infrastructure maintenance and other essential programs.  

In 2025, the region spent $165.2 million on social housing and homelessness initiatives. Across 2024, total spending on affordable housing and homelessness programs reached $245 million, with roughly 23 per cent specifically dedicated to shelters and supportive housing. Without federal and provincial transfers, the Region of Waterloo warns that maintaining current service levels could require even higher taxes or cuts to critical programs.  

“Federal and municipal programs play a critical role in supporting housing and food security locally,” Ke Cao, assistant professor of Strategic Management at Wilfrid Laurier University, said. 

Cao also believes that only the governments can address the crisis we are facing.  

“I teach in business school, and I told my students that the role of government is very important because it handles the business of the whole society,” he said.  

The federal funding announced this year helps relieve some of this financial pressure. The contributions support the Ending Veteran Homelessness Initiative, addressing the gap in local housing services by providing support for veterans, along with other homelessness-response programs.   

This funding helps sustain shelters, outreach teams, and supportive housing while reducing strain on municipal budgets. Additional funds support long-term initiatives such as environmental and infrastructure projects, including the WRDSB’s tree-planting program, which contributes to urban canopy growth and climate resilience.  

According to the preliminary budget, the region plans to increase their spending in 2026 by $11.7 million for housing services and $2.7 million for homelessness-related programs. These increases reflect rising costs for housing and homelessness services, transit, infrastructure and other essential programs. Municipal leaders also welcomed federal contributions, noting that without them, residents would face significantly higher tax burdens and essential services could be reduced.  

“We’re happy to see the $6 billion over 10 years through the Direct Delivery Stream to support regionally significant projects,” Dorothy McCabe, mayor of Waterloo, said.  

In a 2024 public statement, McCabe warned that Waterloo is under structural financial pressure and stressed the need for stable, predictable funding instead of one-time grants to support long-term municipal priorities.   

Advocates, including the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, repeatedly called on Ottawa to expand multi-year funding streams to help municipalities meet growing demands without overburdening residents.  

Federal support combined with municipal budgeting decisions will determine whether services keep pace with community needs or whether tax increases and service pressures continue to rise.   

Although the latest funding provides relief to the Waterloo region community, regional leaders explained that ongoing collaboration between federal, provincial and municipal governments will be essential to sustain programs, stabilize communities and advance long-term priorities such as housing affordability and environmental resilience.  

The Waterloo Region’s annual budget process began on Oct. 22, and regional council plans to review the final 2026 budget on Dec. 16. For more information regarding the preliminary 2026 budgets, visit the Region of Waterloo’s Budget and Financial Statements page. 

Driving and walking are not the only ways to get around town in the winter. Cycling through the slush, snow and ice is an option that many locals are opting for both commuting and recreation.   

Krystal Li, a year-round bicycling commuter, said she chooses to ride through every season because she never felt motivated to own a car after moving to Kitchener.  

“I figured cycling would be easier than walking to a lot of places,” she said.  

In the winter, Li uses a commuter bike with winter tires. The commuter bike is a step-through model that allows riders to easily mount the bicycle verses stepping over a crossbar.  

“It’s more upright, so I feel safer when I’m cycling on snow,” she said.  

As with any winter sport, dressing for winter cycling is specific to each individual. Li said she wears a ski jacket and pants and brings a change of clothes for her workplace. Keeping dry is not only restricted to her clothing. Commuting to work means bringing her laptop, which she transports in a water-proof backpack.  

Li uses the Iron Horse and Spurline Trails in the summer and winter for her commute. She said the trails are maintained well, making it easy and safe to get to and from work.  

“I would go out of my way if that means I can stay on the trail for as long as possible. I hope more people try winter cycling to help encourage the city to maintain the trails,” she said.   

Fellow cyclist Rober Haskett is also an avid recreational winter cyclist. Like Li, Haskett has different bicycles for the summer and winter seasons, including a fat bike. These bicycles have extra-wide tires that run at low pressure to provide better traction and stability on snow and ice. He said the fat bike is his preferred choice for riding in deep snow.  

“As long as you’re paying attention to what you’re doing, riding in the winter is as easy as riding in the summertime. The biggest concern is figuring out what works for you to keep warm,” Haskett said.  

He said one of his friends could never keep his hands warm while cycling in the winter. That was until he discovered pogies, which are water and wind-resistant pockets that fit over a bicycle’s grips, gear shifters, and brake handles.   

“They’re basically an insulated bag that goes on top of your handlebars where your hands go. For me, I find that a pair of lobster claw style gloves work perfectly for me because my hands run hot,” he said.  

Beyond keeping warm and dry, maintaining your bicycle in the winter is another area cyclists need to keep in mind. Ryan McDonough, sales manager at McPhail’s Cycle and Sports, said he advises people to keep their main bicycle in storage for the winter and ride a bicycle that you do not mind getting damaged by water and road salt.  

“Winter is going to put wear and tear on your bike. The great thing about the Region is that they clear the trails. But they salt them heavily, so that will ruin anything that’s metal on the bike,” McDonough said.   

While Haskett said he prefers a fat-tire bike for winter riding, McDonough said a thin tire is his choice in slushy conditions. He said fat bikes were designed to be buoyant on surfaces like sand and dirt.  

“When it comes to slush, you end up sliding on it versus staying buoyant. A narrower tire will cut through the slush and get you down to the cement, which is where you want to be,” McDonough said.  

Whether you choose to ride a fat bike or an older bicycle with winter tires, Haskett said winter cycling can change your outlook on the season.  

“It’s so much fun, especially when you get a fresh snowfall in the evening. The snow is coming down and the trails are quiet. It’s a serene thing to experience,” Haskett said.

On Nov. 4, 2025, Circular Materials released new details on the changes to curbside recycling in Waterloo Region. Circular Materials is the national not-for-profit which took over responsibility for managing recycling in the province in March 2024.  

The changes are part of Ontario’s new recycling regulation that moves recycling programs to an extended producer responsibility (EPR) model. The new recycling program officially starts on Jan. 1, 2026 and is funded and operated by producers of packaging and paper products.  

“The program takes the costs of and operational responsibility for blue box recycling away from taxpayers and municipalities. This means that residents will no longer be paying for recycling services as this cost will be borne by producers,” Jennifer Kerr, Director of Community and Media Relations at Circular Materials, said.  

Under current recycling programs, each municipality decides what materials can be placed in blue bins. The change introduces a unified materials list that is the same across the province.   

The new list includes previously unaccepted items, including hot and cold beverage cups, toothpaste tubes, black plastic containers and frozen juice containers. The complete list of materials is available on the Circular Materials website.   

“The unified material list and new materials included are a great example of how extended producer responsibility advances innovation and improves environmental outcomes,” Kerr said.  

March 2026 brings additional changes to curbside recycling. Recycling collection will shift to a bi-weekly, four-day schedule running Tuesday to Friday. To accommodate the change, Circular Materials is delivering two additional blue boxes to residents starting in January 2026.  

“The new bi-weekly recycling schedule will alternate with the new bi-weekly garbage and organics collection schedule which is managed by the Region of Waterloo,” Kerr said.   

While Circular Materials manages the program, each community is serviced by a different collection contractor. Miller Waste currently provides curbside collection in Cambridge, Kitchener, and Waterloo.   

Starting on Mar. 3, 2026, Miller Waste will provide collection service across all Waterloo Region communities, including North Dumfries, Wellesley, Wilmot and Woolwich. Contact information for local collection services, along with the most up-to-date recycling details, is available at circularmaterials.ca/waterlooregion.  

The move from municipally operated programs to a province-wide program is a major change. Kerr said the feedback from residents has mainly been on clarifying what the changes are.   

“We appreciate residents’ and communities’ continued engagement and participation in recycling through this transition. Resident participation is vital to increasing recycling rates and advancing a more sustainable future,” Kerr said. 

On Nov. 23, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at hosted the 43rd World Religions Conference (WRC) at the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics, becoming a hub for dialogue, reflection and education, drawing on religious scholars, community leaders and students to explore the pressing social challenge of combating hate.  

The conference brings voices together from major world religions, Indigenous faiths and non-religious perspectives to foster understanding and encourage harmonious living.   

This year, representatives from Sikhism, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Indigenous traditions and Humanism shared how their teachings and lived experiences can help confront prejudice. Nabeela Rana, WRC organizer and member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at, highlighted the conference’s neutrality and inclusivity.  

“Every year, there are more people coming, and every year we see more interest because of the nature of this conference…we’re giving eight faiths or philosophies a chance to speak,” Rana said.  

The event participants explained that hate, whether it’s personal or systematic, thrives on fear and ignorance. Upkar Singh, a community worker and leader representing the Sikh perspective, explained that hate stems from fear, while love and understanding unite communities. He cited historical examples of courage and compassion, such as the sacrifice of the ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, for the freedom of other traditions, and Guru Nanak’s teachings of nirbhau (without fear), nirvair (without hatred).  

“By carrying that same fearlessness, only then can we stand against hate, united and strong,” Singh said.  

Shiv Talwar, president of the Spiritual Heritage Education Network and Hindu representative at the WRC, said spiritual practices transform individuals from within to overcome hatred.  

“If we want to stop hate, we have to even change our biochemistry…our love is biochemistry driven. Our hate is also biochemistry driven too,” he said.   

Mindfulness, breathwork, and contemplative practices were presented as tools to cultivate empathy and awareness.  

Farhan Iqbal, an Imam from the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, highlighted Islam’s emphasis on conviction and peaceful engagement, recalling the Prophet Muhammad’s resilience in the face of threats.  

“[O]ver time, God granted [the Prophet] conviction and the yaqeen, the strength of belief to convey [His] message,” Iqbal said.  

He urged attendees to engage with understanding and dialogue.  

Father Toby Collins, a pastor from St. Mary Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows Roman Catholic Church, offered a Christian perspective, emphasizing the idea of transforming hate and prejudice through love and forgiveness. He draws on biblical teachings and encourages attendees to pray for those who caused harm, underscoring the power of community and the need to protect joy while serving other people within our community.  

“When we pray for other people …there becomes an opportunity to grow an awareness of what we really need, where we can find it, and we can move better towards forgiveness,” Collins said.  

Jay Judkowitz, president of Temple Shalom, a Reform Jewish synagogue, highlighted teachings on community and teshuva, the process of repentance and restitution.   

“While we are commanded to do teshuva, we are also supposed to accept it,” Judkowitz said. “If you just keep punishing people, the world’s never going to improve.”  

Similarly, Mitra Barua, an assistant professor of Asian Studies and a Buddhist Scholar in Residence at the Martin Luther University College, said Buddhist traditions emphasized introspection and mindful reflection to prevent hatred from taking root.  

“Buddha guided leaders to examine their own greed, delusion, and aversion before taking harmful action, encouraging individuals to find answers within themselves,” he said.  

Clarence Cachagee, founder of the Crow Shield Lodge, a Mishkegowak Chapleau Cree, and the Indigenous speaker at the conference, explained that Indigenous teachings emphasized the sacred connection between the land, ancestors, and prayer. Cachagee shared that prayer, tobacco, and drums are central to maintaining harmony and grounding oneself in community.  

“Our drum, when we play our drums, it’s a form of prayer…all of those things come from the land, from home,” Cachagee said.  

Finally, Sassan Sanei, A philosopher representing Humanist perspectives during the conference, highlighted that moral responsibility does not require formal religious structures.  

“We don’t need a formal structure or organizational hierarchy…we just need to know what’s right and what’s wrong,” Sanei said.  

He emphasized empathy, compassion, and reason as guiding principles for confronting hate.  

Throughout the conference, recurring themes emerged: fear and ignorance which fuel division, but courage, compassion, introspection, and community build bridges. Faith and philosophy, whether religious or secular, provide tools to recognize hate, transform behavior and foster understanding.  

As Rana noted, interfaith engagement represents a path forward for societies seeking unity amid diversity.  

“The World Religions Conference continues to offer a platform for dialogue, reflection and education, calling on attendees to build a society rooted in compassion, understanding and the shared effort to combat hate,” Rana said.

By bringing together diverse voices, the WRC demonstrated that understanding and empathy are essential tools in the fight against hate.  

Winter is here and residents at 100 Victoria St. North (100Vic) need supplies to get them through the season. Going into the harshest weather of the year, residents need the support of their community now more than ever. Here are a list of things residents need and details on how to donate.   

Urgently  

• Four person tents  

• Tarps  

• Wooden pallets  

• Sleeping bags  

• Blankets  

• Hygiene products  

Needed daily   

• Water  

• Juice  

• Single serve snacks (granola bars)  

• Home cooked meals  

• Clothes  

• Hats  

• Nail clippers and files  

• Pest repellent  

Amazon Wishlist 

• Glad black garbage bags  

• Rubbermaid 6-pack heavy duty durable totes  

• 8-liter plastic storage boxes  

• Evian natural spring water, 12 bottles  

• 36 Pack AAA batteries  

• 48 Pack AA batteries  

• Polarized sunglasses   

• Banana Boat sunscreen  

• Butane refill  

• Sunheavy duty double-sided dust barriers  

• Rain tarps  

• Paracord bracelet rope   

• Awning repair tape  

• Permanent all-weather duct tape  

How to drop off donations  

There is a parking lot adjacent to the encampment. Once at the encampment, the donation table is near the Sandbag House in the middle of camp. There will be a Fight-Back member on-site near the donation table.   

Other options for drop-offs  

Donations can be dropped off at the encampment at any time. For large or heavy donations, reach out to fightback.kw@proton.me to arrange a drop-off. If you are unable to make it to the encampment, pick-ups can be arranged for donations. 

ELORA – The township did not receive a provincial grant to help with upgrades to the multi-use pad at Bissell Park, so the contentious issue returned to council on Dec. 2.

Had the grant application been successful, the project would have included a new outdoor refrigerated multi-use surface, with mechanical and storage buildings, at a cost of $4 million.

The grant, from the Community Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Fund, would have covered half the cost.

But without it, the project scope has to be reduced, said manager of buildings and property Kasey Beirnes.

He sought direction from council on how to proceed.

• Wilton hopes council will reconsider decision on Bissell Park multi-use pad
• Plans underway for new multi-use surface in Bissell Park
• Centre Wellington council upholds decision on Bissell Park pad
• Committee recommends Bissell Park improvements should proceed; council gets final word May 17
• Township hopes to receive provincial grant to help fund multi-use pad at Bissell Park

With a limited budget and a tricky location, given that the pad is constructed on a slope, Beirnes said there are really two options:

• replace like-for-like, meaning replace the pad, boards, lighting and basketball nets, and construct an accessible pathway; or
• all the above, plus add refrigeration lines and a recirculation pump, which would allow for a refrigerated ice surface if funding became available in the future.

When the matter came to council in October 2024, it was a close vote in favour of “option two” at the time: the refrigerated ice option.

Council also agreed to a $700,000 top-up to the existing funds for the project at that time.

But on Dec. 2, the old arguments for and against the refrigerated option reared their heads again.

Councillors Bronwynne Wilton and Barb Evoy spoke against it, noting refrigeration systems cause heat and that’s not good in light of climate change.

Councillor Lisa MacDonald wanted to forge ahead with the refrigerated option and councillor Jennifer Adams saw benefit in installing the basic infrastructure “so we can future-proof” the rink, she said.

Councillor Dennis Craddock said volunteers are becoming scarce for maintaining outdoor rinks and this rink would fall to staff to maintain once it’s refrigerated.

Beirnes said neither option would make the ice pad refrigerated. Option two would only lay the infrastructure for future refrigeration and option one would likely mean the pad would never be refrigerated.

In the meantime, the pad could be used all the ways it is currently, including volunteers flooding the pad for winter skating when weather allows.

Beirnes was seeking permission to engage a consultant to complete detailed engineering design and permitting, to have the project ready to go to tender in the spring.

After paying the consultant, there is $1,002,805 set aside for the project.

Option one is expected to cost $660,000 and option two would cost $990,000, though costs for both scenarios would be fine tuned and brought up to date by the consultant.

In the end, council approved the recommendation to hire a consultant to cost out both options and return to council for a final decision.

The post It’s back to the drawing board for multi-use pad at Bissell Park appeared first on Wellington Advertiser.

Ontario legislature passed the Bill 33, known as the Supporting Children and Students Act, 2025 on Nov.19, bringing in major changes to how school boards, children’s aid societies, and post-secondary institutions are governed  

The newly passed controversial bill is a piece of legislation that introduces significant changes to the oversight of school boards and post-secondary institutions in Ontario, giving the Minister of Education expanded powers to intervene in local decision-making.   

Under this bill, Paul Calandra, Ontario’s minister of education, can take over school boards, mandate collaboration with local police to implement school resource officer programs where available and even remove school board trustees.  

The government framed it as a necessary intervention to put school boards back on track, strengthen school safety and allow students to succeed. Calandra took over five school boards using earlier versions of these powers, citing financial mismanagement. He has now signalled that more boards are in his sights under Bill 33.  

While the government has framed the bill as necessary for accountability, critics in the post-secondary sector say it increases provincial control without addressing core funding issues.   

“Bill 33 hands the Minister more levers to pull and hands universities more paperwork for their already overworked staff,” Bruce Gillespie, president of Wilfrid Laurier University Faculty Association (WLUFA), said.   

“It does not fix the basic problem, which is that Ontario’s universities are being asked to do more and more with less and less public funding,” he said.

Gillespie also raised concerns about the impact on post-secondary institutions. Bill 33 adds compliance requirements and administrative workload for universities without increasing provincial operating funding.   

He warned that these new obligations could destabilize student-funded services, such as mental health support, transit and campus media, which directly affect students’ well-being and faculty’s ability to deliver quality education.  

Equity-based admissions initiatives are also at risk.  

“Equity-based admissions do not lower standards. They recognize that grades are produced inside unequal systems,” Gillespie said.   

“Bill 33 gives the government new tools to second-guess those efforts from Queen’s Park, which is exactly the opposite of what we need if we want campuses to reflect the diversity of Ontario,” he said.  

Gillespie warns that preserving the authority of university Senates is critical under the new legislation. Senates play a key role in maintaining academic standards and research independence, and Gillespie argues that provincial intervention in admissions and research priorities could undermine academic freedom.  

This bill not only impacts post-secondary institutions, but also influences primary and secondary school boards, such as the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB).  

“With the passing of Bill 33, the WRDSB will continue to follow the direction and guidance of the Ministry of Education and comply with all provincial legislation,” Scott Miller, director of education at the WRDSB, said.   

“Our commitment to supporting student achievement and the well-being of all students remains the highest priority. We will continue to work closely and collaboratively with students, staff, parents, families, caregivers, and community partners to ensure that all decisions and actions reflect the needs and values of those in WRDSB schools and workplaces,” Miller said.  

He also said more information about Bill 33 and its changes to the school board will be made available on the WRDSB website.  

The government portrays Bill 33 as a measure to improve oversight and student success. Faculty, staff and student representatives across Ontario argue that the legislation prioritizes increased provincial control over the funding crisis, campus services and local governance, leaving many in the education community concerned about its long-term impact.  

On Nov. 19, 2025, the Waterloo Regional Council officially approved the 17-kilometre extension of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) route to Cambridge, directly connecting the tri-cities.   

The extension will involve new LRT stations in Sportsworld, Preston, Pinebush, Cambridge Centre Mall, Can-Amera Parkway, Delta Centre and Galt. Once  complete, trains are expected to run every seven minutes, with a roughly  29-minute trip from Fairway Station to downtown Galt.   

On Nov. 4, members of the Sustainability, Infrastructure and Development committee voted 15 to 1 in favour of full Stage 2 LRT extension, with Cambridge Mayor Jan Liggett the only member voting against.  

“The council’s decision represents a major step in delivering the original vision for rapid transit, which was a continuous connection from Waterloo to Kitchener to Cambridge,” Karen Redman, Chair of the Region of Waterloo regional council, said.  

“This will shape the future of Waterloo Region as a great place to live, work and play, and extend the benefits of Light Rail Transit to residents of Cambridge,” she said.  

Some Cambridge councillors, however, raised concerns about the project. Helen Schwery, the ward one Cambridge city councillor, argued the project should have been put to a referendum.   

“I am opposed to any large project that moves forward without proper and broad input from residents. […] The feedback I have heard, along with what other councillors and the mayor have heard, shows that many residents do not support this project,” Schwery said.  

While a major survey of Waterloo Region residents found that 78 per cent of the 2,500 respondents were in favour of extending the LRT to downtown Cambridge, Schwery also questioned the survey’s veracity.  

“The recent survey of 2,500 people carries limited weight, especially when only about half of the respondents were from Cambridge. A sample that small cannot reflect the views of a city our size,” Schwery said.  

She argued the project funds would be better spent improving transit connections to nearby cities, such as Guelph, Mississauga and Toronto.   

Other Cambridge councillors have a more favourable opinion of the expansion.  

“The LRT is an unparalleled social and economic development creation machine. It’s an unparalleled tool to revitalize a city and take it into the future,” Scott Hamilton, ward seven Cambridge city councillor, said.  

The impact of the LRT in Waterloo and Kitchener has been widely positive. According to the Waterloo Region Council, Stage 1 LRT led to $5.25 billion in development along the Central Transit Corridor, with more than 22,000 new homes built near the corridor between 2011 and 2024.   

Former councillor Rob Deutschmann previously noted that the LRT expansion could draw between $5 to 10 billion in private investment along the area, citing estimates from the  Cambridge Chamber of Commerce estimates.  

Plans for LRT extension to Cambridge goes back several years. LRT Stage 2 was officially announced in June 2019 but has since been subject to significant delays.   

In 2024, Manager of Rapid Transit Coordination Matthew O’Neil said in an interview with Mike Farwell that he expects construction to begin in 2032 at the earliest. Regional staff must first secure full project funding from both the provincial and federal governments.  

More details on the project can be found at the Engage Waterloo Region website.  

On Oct. 23, the Kitchener Fire Department implemented Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1), a fully digital upgrade to the traditional emergency network that improves reliability, accuracy and system resilience.  

Kitchener Fire is among the first fire Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) in Ontario to implement this new system.  

NG9-1-1 provides more precise caller location and phone number information, enhanced cybersecurity, expanded backup redundancy in the event of a system failure, and the capacity to support future digital technologies.  

Robert Gilmore, deputy fire chief for the City of Kitchener, said the upgrade represents a major shift in how the public connects with emergency services.  

“For three decades, our Emergency Communications Centre has served this community well, but NG9-1-1 will ensure we are ready for the next generation of challenges, with faster, smarter or more resilient service,” Gilmore said.  

Jamal Alam, the City of Kitchener’s Program Manager of Fire Systems and Projects, said the infrastructure behind 9-1-1 has fundamentally changed.  

With the switch to NG9-1-1, the department has replaced traditional telephones with computer-based softphones. Operators now use touchscreen monitors and digital keypads to handle calls, search contacts and access speed dials. The updated system displays caller location and call type and adds new phone lines and customer service features.  

The shift is part of a national transition mandated by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).  

All telecommunications providers must update their networks to NG9-1-1 voice services by Mar. 31, 2027. Across Canada, 226 PSAPs are required to migrate.  

“We’ve transitioned to an IP-based infrastructure that provides more reliable services and better interconnectivity between emergency services,” Alam said.  

“People calling 911 won’t notice a change, but the tools available to operators will help them serve the community more effectively,” he said.  

The Kitchener Fire Department looks forward to receiving fire or incident reporting from NG9-1-1. The data will allow the department to use advanced analytics to better understand their call volume and the types of incidents they are dispatching in the community.  

“With technology changing so rapidly, all emergency services need to understand and use these tools,” Alam said.  

“At the Kitchener Fire Department, aside from NG9-1-1, we are transitioning many forms from paper to digital. We continue to lead the way in implementing technology for our staff,” he said.  

Funding for NG9-1-1 transitions is available through the Ontario Ministry of the Solicitor General, which allows PSAPs to apply for grants to purchase equipment and support staffing costs for the project.  

“NG9-1-1 aside, we are fortunate to have funding available for new tools and upgrades,” Gilmore said.  

Kitchener Fire’s Dispatch Emergency Communications Centre provides call-taking and fire dispatch services for Kitchener, Cambridge, Waterloo, Woolwich, Wilmot, Wellesley, North Dumfries and Stratford.  

ELORA – Centre Wellington residents will see a 3.68 per cent increase on their property tax bill next year.

The 2026 budget, approved by council on Dec. 2, includes operating expenses of $60.6 million and capital projects totalling $35.7 million.

It adds 10.7 new staff members and increases user fees by 2.5%. That includes recreation programs, fees and permits, and water and wastewater fees. 

Last year’s tax increase was 3.49%. 

• Strong mayor powers change budget procedure in Centre Wellington
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CAO Dan Wilson said when staff began the budget process last spring, it was looking like a 7% increase in taxation.

He said staff pulled $670,000 worth of items from the list to reach 3.68%.

The township was also up against inflation (2%) and reductions in the OCIF ($215,701) and OMPF ($21,300) grants, which impact taxation, Wilson said.

But a couple of weeks ago, staff learned that insurance would not be increasing as much as presumed, leaving the township with a windfall of $43,000.

There was some discussion among councillors whether to use that to reduce the tax increase or put it in the asset management reserve.

In the end they applied the savings – about $3 per residence – to the tax bill.

So, the average home assessed at $387,226 will pay $1,578 to the township in 2026, an increase of about $56 over last year.

Combined with Wellington County and education taxes, the average household will pay $5,103 annually.

Treasurer Adam McNabb said staff had a strong public engagement strategy and offered many opportunities for residents to voice their opinions.

But the municipality received just 151 comments on the budget, “which is disappointing,” he said.

Council took a long look at the new hires and questioned their necessity, eventually voting to keep the new jobs in the budget.

Wilson said the new positions are required to meet legislative requirements, planning policies that are constantly changing, the growing population and geography of the township, and to add a few new services, such as trail maintenance.

Some of the big-ticket capital projects next year include:

• developing a new housing action plan;
• a new Fergus sportsplex site development study;
• major rehabilitation of bridge 1-E, on 7th Line in former Eramosa Township;
• full reconstruction of Smith Street, between David and Henderson streets, in Elora;
• water meter replacement program;
• construction of the new operations centre;
• Belwood Hall renovation;
• reconstruction of Colborne Street, from Beatty Line to 120 metres west of the Storybrook subdivision, and coordinating with the new alignment of Colborne Street internal to the subdivision;
• new roof at the Fergus sportsplex; and
• redesign and accessibility upgrades for Strathallan Park in Fergus.

Wilson also provided a list of work staff will undertake in 2026, such as:

• utilizing the 2025 Housing Needs Assessment to develop a housing action plan;
• administering and supporting the new paid parking program;
• implementing the administrative monetary penalty system (AMPS) for bylaw violations; and
• planning for and conducting the 2026 municipal election.

This was the first budget passed under the Strong Mayor Powers, so technically it was Mayor Shawn Watters’ budget.

But the process, at his direction, was much like in previous years, and neither council nor the mayor used veto powers.

Councillor Jennifer Adams thanked Watters for keeping the process open and for welcoming council discussion. 

“It could have been different, but it still felt like a group effort,” she said.

For his part, Watters thanked staff for their work and innovation in presenting a balanced, responsible budget.

“This is the most important thing we do all year long,” he said to council, noting how councillors had “lamented over the smallest things.

“But the budget process was fair and equitable … and demonstrates that we all truly care about this community.” 

The post Centre Wellington council approves 3.7% tax increase in 2026 appeared first on Wellington Advertiser.

As 2025 draws to a close and 2026 approaches, we are also entering a period of reflection brought on by endings and new beginnings, punctuated with the formation of goals and resolutions.   

There is a temptation to think that in the new year, you will change EVERYTHING and be BETTER.  

However, reflection is a process that must be approached with honesty, without judgment. We must consider what we are, separate from what we wish to have been. That will come later.   

Honestly consider what parts of your life are unsatisfactory. List as many as you want, but prioritize only one. If you are a more motivated person than I am, choose your top two or three, but not more. Too many areas of focus can become overwhelming.  

During this process, it might be tempting to give up—thinking only about what is bad can make your whole life feel worse than it is.  

Accept the dark thoughts and move on—they are useful only for understanding how you feel, not for getting you out of that feeling. If you’re sad, just cry about it.  

The focus for the moment is making that list.    

Now, go through your areas of focus and go into more detail about specific behaviours or facts of your situation that are bothering you the most.   

For example, at the beginning of this year, I looked into my finances and did not like what I saw. I broke it down into different categories, including debt repayment, savings and lower anxiety around paying bills. The unpredictability of my method of payment meant there were times I overspent, times where I didn’t have enough money to cover the bills that were due in the next week or times where I didn’t have enough money to do the activities I wanted to do.   

Once again, prioritize top one, two or three sub-areas of focus.   

There are two options for the next step. Option one is to create a very basic plan without too many details. For me, that meant creating a rudimentary budget that included all my bills and major expenses with dates. This does not have to be perfect—it’s a first draft so it’s meant to be edited. I also find it helpful to have a list of other task, like calling the bank.   

The second option is to have a breakdown. This is incredibly important—one of the most common causes of procrastination is avoidance of negative feelings, so we must feel them before we get started.  

I like to schedule my breakdowns for after I make a rough plan because then I have something to hold on to when I’m overwhelmed. If looking at my credit card balance makes me feel bad about letting it get to that point, then I know that the financial advisor will help me make a plan to pay it off.   

I’m still allowed to cry about it, though.   

You can have as many breakdowns as you want. Don’t feel bad about it because it’s not helpful—you’re working on solving the problem, feeling bad about feeling sad is superfluous and useless. Let go of that shame, move forward with the knowledge that even if you don’t meet your own standards, you will meet them and that is good enough.   

Throughout this process, remember to treat yourself with compassion. You may have made some mistakes, you might be disappointed in yourself, but remember: the way out of that is to make a plan and enact it. Forgive yourself for your mistakes, even if you knew better, there is no point to dwelling on the past, on what you wish you hadn’t done, beyond recognizing it to prevent it from happening again.   

Now, after identifying focus areas and making a rough plan and crying, you can make a resolution. Making them too early in the process risks making such broad resolutions that they are impossible to follow. Resolutions should be specific goals, ideally ones where you can measure the progress.  

If I had started the year with, “I must have better finances,” that would not have led to any improvement because that is not actionable. However, my goal was, instead, to make a budget that I stick to. I made that budget, sometimes stuck to it and sometimes did not. I tweaked it a lot in the beginning to better fit my lifestyle and also to meet certain goals, such as paying off my credit card by the end of the year. In order to pay off the credit card, I had to take certain steps: I made an appointment at the bank, learned what interest meant for me, what actual amount I would be paying off, how much I must pay out of each paycheque and how to understand my credit score. I went on to make a schedule to make sure my bills are actually paid (I don’t always stick to it, but it’s there and I adhere to it as closely as I can) and to track my credit score on an app.   

Emotions are a major part of this process. Of course, there is the breakdown mentioned earlier, but success in these specific goals has a great emotional impact. When I don’t feel good about something, even if it isn’t related to my finances, I can look at my banking app to see that the amount of money I owe has gone down. A couple months ago, as I was going through a particularly rough time, I took a screenshot of the graph portraying my credit score rising and made it my phone’s wallpaper. Even though my stressors at the time were not at all related to finances, it helped me continue maintaining faith in myself because there was evidence that I am a good person and that I am reliable and competent.   

These goals are incredibly personal. I am nothing if not an oversharer, so my support group knew everything—what my budget looked like, what I cried about, what the bank people said. You may not be as open, but having an accountability group is incredibly helpful, especially where everyone has their own goals that they are working toward. Don’t be afraid to share with your friends and also strangers you meet on the street that you are on a self-improvement arc; who knows, they might end up helping you or you them.    

A year later, as I look forward to 2026, I am able to build off those previous resolutions. I am reflecting on what is still unsatisfactory, but also on what I have changed and how I have grown. Although I had many breakdowns this year, I haven’t had any while I make these resolutions (so far).   

Remember, this is a marathon. Have compassion for yourself; be honest with what you need to change, but don’t dwell on your shortcomings such that they remain and you never break those cycles. If you are working toward being better, you are already good enough.   

And if you’re sad about something, cry about it and then move on.   

Happy New Year! 

MOUNT FOREST – Business owners and residents gathered at the Mount Forest sportsplex on Monday night to discuss what’s behind a recent spate of break-ins, vandalism and theft in the town.

The most blatant crimes — namely break-ins to downtown businesses — have been confined to the Main Street corridor.

In October, five businesses were broken into, including two retailers, two restaurants and a thrift store. As of Dec. 2, no arrests have been made.

The same month a vehicle was vandalized, a bank window smashed, and an empty Birmingham Street West residence broken into.

Police charged a 16-year-old Mount Forest youth, who cannot be named by law, with two counts of mischief for the vandalism.

Police also charged a 33-year-old Arthur woman and a 49-year-old Mount Forest man with breaking into the empty residence.

Those are just the publicized incidents. The OPP has said more than 30 residential and commercial break-ins occurred in Mount Forest between July and November.

• ‘People are getting nervous, scared’: business owners decry break-in spree

Wellington OPP Staff Sergeant Corrie Trewartha told the Dec. 1 gathering of roughly 70 people, and another 75 viewing an online stream, the stores were broken into by people after whatever money they could find.

“Front doors were smashed, cameras were tampered with, it was financially-motivated crime; cash register, tip jar and donation boxes were targeted,” Trewartha said.

Most of the break-ins happened between midnight and 4am, with Wednesday being the most active day, according to OPP data.

“We are in a season of economic challenge,” the staff sergeant said.

Economic downturns give rise to an increase in petty offences, such as thefts and mischief, Trewartha suggested, as people with unmet needs find other ways to support themselves.

“We know, this room knows, that we lack community supports for a number of these folks,” she said.

Addressing the room, a resident said it’s a “very small group of people that’s brought us all here out tonight.

“How come we can’t deal with this small group of people as a town?”

Affected business owners have told the Advertiser they believe a handful of local people are responsible for the vast share of recent crimes.

Trewartha blamed the courts for handcuffing police.

When someone is charged and released from custody, they’re either given a notice to appear in court to answer to the charges, or released with bail conditions.

“Sometimes we will arrest them in the morning and they will be released in the afternoon back into the community, and sometimes that cycle does go on again and again,” Trewartha said.

Factors behind a local spate of break-ins, thefts and vandalism are complex and often tied to economic circumstances and a lack of social supports, residents and business owners heard at a Dec. 1 town hall meeting at the Mount Forest sportsplex.

Bail is a constitutionally protected right under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms – “reasonable bail” must be granted unless there are compelling reasons not to – so Canadians generally aren’t kept behind bars at the whim of the state.

As their case trudges through the courts, the presumption of innocence remains unless proven otherwise.

But the challenge for police, the room heard, is a pervasive cycle of catch-and-release, leaving cops “on a hamster wheel” of rearresting chronic offenders left without local supports.

Trewartha said police officers are limited in what they can do, but organizations such as the Ontario and Canadian police chief associations are lobbying the government to restrict who gets bail.

Vehicle and foot patrols have increased in downtown Mount Forest in response to the October spree, though Trewartha twice said resources are limited.

How often police frequent downtown “ebbs and flows” with call volume, she said.

A free security audit, performed by OPP volunteer auxiliary members, was recommended to business owners, along with a suggestion to embrace the principles of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design.

A woman urged the room to advocate for more social services in the community.

“These folks can only do so much on their end, we do not want to criminalize our neighbours,” she said.

“I’m going to guess that a lot of these people that committed some of these crimes are locals, as much as we want to think they’re others.”

She added, “We don’t want to criminalize poverty, we don’t want to criminalize mental health, we don’t want to criminalize addiction.”

Without in-town supports, she said to applause, “we’re not going to solve the problem.”

Following the spring closure of Stonehenge’s Main Street Rapid Access Addiction Medicine (RAAM) clinic, Trewartha suggested there was a “direct correlation” to a spike in crime.

But Mount Forest, and Wellington County as a whole, Trewartha emphasized, remain “very safe.”

Since October, OPP statistics suggest a decrease in break-ins, thefts and vandalism in Mount Forest.

A town hall meeting was held on Dec. 1 at the Mount Forest sportsplex about a recent crime spree in Mount Forest.

Mayor Andy Lennox urged residents to “please engage” local politicians at all levels of government, saying more voices will help advance the issue beyond the community.

“We will be revisiting this issue at the council table,” the mayor said.

Leanne Clark, whose store Art Arrows was broken into last year, is responsible for the Dec. 1 town hall.

It was hosted by Wellington North Township and attended by township staff, municipal politicians, Wellington County OPP and Guelph-Wellington Crime Stoppers.

Clark stepped into the spotlight in response to the recent crime spree, hoping for siloed community groups to band together and address the problem, announcing the grassroots town hall on social media in November.

Before moving to Mount Forest from Oshawa in 2022 – she fell in love with the community’s quaintness and opened Art Arrows the same year – Clark had no connections here.

Seeing break-ins continue after her store was robbed of $2,500 in 2024 left her asking why.

She reached out to other communities, including North Bay, Bracebridge, Kingston and Peterborough, that have experienced similar challenges to find out what worked.

Outdoor security cameras, discussed several times at Monday’s meeting, was one of the first things those municipalities turned to, according to Clark.

But there’s dithering on cameras locally, as its unclear who would take responsibility and who would provide funding.

When Clark reached out to the other municipalities, she noted a recurring theme.

“Everybody had their own responsibilities and roles, but they also were all interacting and working together,” Clark said.

The town hall was a start, but more work is needed to get community groups focused on the status quo to put aside differences and get to work on safety and security, Clark said.

She’s hoping a suggestion of a January roundtable meeting between business groups, local government and law enforcement will come to fruition.

“If we work together, if we collaborate, we can really make changes happen, but that does require open-minded thinking and willingness,” Clark said.

The post Town hall meeting responds to Mount Forest crime spree appeared first on Wellington Advertiser.

WELLINGTON COUNTY – “Once you get that tree to knee-high, you’re okay,” said Derek Elliott, his voice booming with added emphasis, “You gotta get the trees to knee-high with the droughts.”

Not just droughts, but all extremes of weather, have become an increasingly undeniable reality afflicting the 418 Christmas tree growers across the province relying on the seasonal tradition.

Elliott, whose family has grown spruce and fir trees near Hillsburgh since 1983, said growing practices have changed in response to more noticeable droughts in recent years.

“Just five or six years ago, I went out to a field in July and we had lost half the crop,” Elliott said.

One of the largest operations in Wellington County, with upwards of 70,000 trees growing on 100 acres, the effect of such a loss is stark.

Each year, upwards of 4,000 seedlings are planted there, up from around 2,500 a couple years ago.

Derek Elliott of Elliott Tree Farm. Photo by Jordan Snobelen

Part of the increase is Elliott Tree Farms’ growing popularity, according to Elliott, with its refined agri-tourism experience (complete with a golden ticket granting admission to Santa’s cabin in the woods).

But Elliott is also planting more to account for seedlings being lost to more intense and prolonged heat.

For many growers, a drip irrigation system is either prohibitively expensive or impractical.

For Elliott, it’s both. He said it would make the price on a tree “pointless.”

Three to four years ago, Elliott trialed planting seedlings into a rye cover crop and found success, rolling the practice out across all newly planted acreage.

“You can walk out in the middle of a hot summer and open up (the rye) and there’s a beautiful little seedling, green as can be, sitting in there,” Elliott said.

A young evergreen sheltered among the stems of a rye cover crop. Photo by Jordan Snobelen

Rye, a hardy cereal grain, controls weeds and shades young seedlings, providing a chance for roots to sink into the sandy loam soil. Seedings are also planted with a root development fertilizer.

If they make it three years, the tree will reach knee height and have roots extending far enough into the mix of sand, silt and clay below to survive an extended drought, Elliott said.

A 50km drive northwest of Erin, at Bell’s Creek Tree Farm just outside Riverstown in Wellington North, Brad Royce has paused cut-your-own trees this season, and is relying on pre-cuts to give his 20-acre farm a chance to recover.

“I’m dealing with drought issues from 10 or 12 years ago, where I lost seedlings,” Royce said, adding, “It’s a long-term domino effect.”

A tree is felled in minutes but it takes seven to 10 years – and year-round labour – for it to reach the six to eight feet needed to catch someone’s eye.

Brad Royce stands with pre-cut trees last season at Bell’s Creek Tree Farm just outside Riverstown in Wellington North. Submitted photo

According to Royce, last year was a brief reprieve between a “horrible” 2023 and this year’s dry spell. This year was the first time in two decades Royce saw a late-summer die-off.

“It’s the very first time I’ve seen trees that drop dead like that, turned brown, and died in August and September,” Royce said, adding most of the victims were from a stressed 2023 crop. “As seedlings, they just never put down proper roots.”

Alison McCrindle said it’s a familiar refrain.

“We were fortunate this season compared to probably the majority of other farmers in the province,” McCrindle said. “I’ve talked to farmers who had thousands of seedlings lost.”

McCrindle, along with her husband Joe Wareham, has been a tree grower since 1997. In 2002, they opened Chickadee Christmas Trees in Puslinch, where they grow fir, spruce and pine varieties.

They had just enough rainfall to get by and not suffer losses seen elsewhere, but next year could be a different story.

Joe Wareham shearing a tree at Chickadee Christmas Trees in the summer. Submitted photo

Temperature swings and how long they last are more intense and unpredictable in McCrindle’s experience, and she said springtimes have shortened as fall seasons have grown.

For nearly 30 years, they’ve relied on the calendar to know when certain things need to happen on the farm.

Now, they’re using “growing degree days” – a calculation based on a collection of temperatures.

“We can then calculate those degree days and say, ‘this is when we need to be looking for balsam twig aphid,’ for instance,” McCrindle explained.

Climate scientist Kelsey Leonard said tree growers are having to adapt to more extreme heat, intense and prolonged rains, and more insect and pest pressures.

Leonard founded the Christmas Tree Lab at the University of Waterloo, where she’s an assistant professor, to help growers weather coming storms.

Chickadee Christmas Trees is one of around 30 farms from Windsor to Ottawa contributing to a 2023-25 benchmark study to be released by Leonard’s lab.

“It’s basically a snapshot in time that allows us to track, based on growers’ scientific knowledge, the natural phenomena that they’re experiencing … and their growing activities,” Leonard explained.

The industry is adapting on its own. At Chickadee, McCrindle and Wareham are experimenting with mulch to hold moisture at the foot of young trees, but Leonard said growers need robust supports, like those of Europe and the U.S.

Joe Wareham dumps mulch to hold moisture at the foot of a young tree at Chickadee Christmas Trees. Submitted photo

The lab recently released a policy brief about how the Christmas tree industry is affected by a changing climate, calling for government action, inclusion in crop insurance policies, giving growers a voice in policy development and noting emerging concerns around pests and diseases.

“It’s really about how do we support Christmas tree growers through climate resiliency and sustainability tools that allow for the industry to continue to be a part of our holiday traditions now and into the future across Canada,” Leonard said.

The lab is also working with Christmas Tree Farmers of Ontario (CTFO)around climate change.

“It is changing enough that we’re taking notice of it,” CTFO executive director Shirley Brennan said. “First seedlings were the hardest hit this year.”

Losses ranged from 10 to 30 per cent for pine and spruce varieties all the way to total losses for spring planting of heat-sensitive firs, according to Brennan.

Travis Robertson moves a pre-cut Christmas tree at Elliott Tree Farm. Photo by Jordan Snobelen

Some growers are now augmenting spring plantings with fall plantings, giving seedlings a chance to establish roots in the wet autumn weather before entering winter dormancy.

Whereas spring plantings are threatened by a hot dry summer, the risk for a fall crop is a harsh early frost that could kill new growth buds.

Growers are also experimenting with mulching around seedlings, hand-watering, cover cropping and changing field layouts – all to keep water in the ground.

“It’s a learning curve because the weather is changing, and how do we change and adapt,” Brennan said.

Christmas tree growers, Brennan added, are familiar with adapting to change.

When customers began asking for more tailored, thinner trees, there was an industry-wide shift away from the large, bushy trees of yesteryear.

“Now we’re looking at adapting to something that’s out of our control,” Brennan said.

The post Christmas tradition threatened by weather extremes: tree growers report harsher droughts appeared first on Wellington Advertiser.

Plans for a small townhouse development in the south end of St. Jacobs got a rough reception as the public weighed in during Tuesday night’s Woolwich council meeting.

From compatibility with the surrounding neighbourhood to traffic and sewage capacity, residents expressed concerns about the plan for 29 townhouse units on a 2.4-acre site at 1128 and 1134 Printery Rd.

Owner KSB Printery Road Inc. is seeking a zone change to allow higher-density development than the current zoning that allows single-family homes.

Standing on land her formerly enslaved ancestor had worked with his bare hands after fleeing to Canada via the Underground Railroad, singer Tracy Johnson couldn’t help but feel moved.

She was inspired by the deeds of Josephus Malott, who left the United States to seek his freedom in 1829, but also saddened by an injustice that followed.

“He cleared nearly 20 acres away, and he was never able to purchase his land,” she said of the site near Wallenstein known as the Queen’s Bush Settlement.

At Frey’s Hatchery, a steady chorus of peeping chicks can be heard if you step into the back of one of Ontario’s oldest family-run hatcheries.

Located on the outskirts of St. Jacobs, Frey’s Hatchery has long been part of the agricultural fabric of the community. Generations of local families have purchased chicks there each spring, whether to stock small barnyards or start their own coops.

The business, a testament to the enduring legacy of Martin A. Frey, was founded in 1946. For nearly 80 years, the St. Jacobs business has been nurturing birds that are as appealing as they are robust, a tradition that continues to this day.

The Region of Waterloo’s plan to shoehorn cycling lanes into the Arthur Street reconstruction project in downtown Elmira drew the ire of residents gathered last week for a public meeting.

The region’s proposal would remove more than a third of currently available on-street parking.

“Elmira is not Kitchener, it’s not Waterloo, we’re a distinct community, with its distinct needs,” said Elmira resident Bill Scott at the November 25 meeting held at Gale Presbyterian Church.

The long-awaited Scheifele Bridge replacement on Northfield Drive took a step closer after the Region of Waterloo announced it would remove trees this winter ahead of spring construction.

Both lanes of the Conestogo River crossing will continue operating while preparations take place to build a new $24-million span alongside the old one.

However, the region admitted that the project would likely slow journey times between Conestogo village and Waterloo.

The family is saddened to announce the peaceful passing of Lydia Weber at Highland Place, Kitchener, on Sunday, November 30, 2025 at the age of 101 years. Beloved wife of the late Wilhelm Weber (2016). Missed by many nieces, nephews and their families in Canada, United States and Germany. Predeceased by her parents Benjamin and Christine Gaessler, siblings Klara Gaessler, Anna (Jakob) Nittel, Regina (Hugo) Schoon, and Leopold (Maria) Gaessler. Lydia’s nieces and nephews have many fond memories of visiting their Tante Lydia, where they got to enjoy her scrumptious cooking and delicious baking. She was a longtime faithful member of St. Matthew’s Ev. Lutheran Church in Conestogo. Visitation will take place from 1-1:45 p.m. on Saturday, December 6, 2025 at St. Matthew’s Ev. Lutheran Church, 131 Flax Mill Dr., Conestogo with a funeral service to follow at 2 p.m. Interment in St. Matthew’s Cemetery. A reception will follow in the church hall. As expressions of sympathy, donations to St. Matthew’s Ev. Lutheran Church would be appreciated and may be made through the Dreisinger Funeral Home, Elmira. A special thank you to Marte, Cecelia, Norma, and Shihong from Highland Place for their care, compassion, and friendship to Lydia.

www.dreisingerfuneralhome.com

The EDSS senior football squad won the OFSAA Independent Bowl on November 24, defeating Sudbury’s Confederation Secondary School, 28-21.

Although the squad lost the CWOSSA finals, the fact that the Central Western Ontario Secondary Schools Association was hosting this year’s provincial competition meant two teams from the region qualified, clearing the way for the Lancers to fight another day.

“It was a pretty exciting game, for sure,” said head coach Steve Karn, adding EDSS hadn’t won an Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations championship in any team sport since 1960.

The Wellesley Applejacks extended their winning streak to five games after defeating the Hespeler Shamrocks 3-0 with the team’s first shutout win of the season.

The side, however, lost its grip on top spot in the PJHL South Doherty Division after the in-form Woodstock Navy Vets claimed a two-point lead, having played one more game.

Wellesley netminder Xavier Bussière’s flawless 32-save performance on the road on Sunday, however, kept the dream alive in what has become a very tight title hunt.