Saturday, October 18, 2025

Editorial

Farmers’ Market’s 10th Season Has Arrived

Stephen Vance, Editor The Meaford Farmers' Market kicks off its 10th season on Friday, June 3 at the Rotary Harbour Pavilion, and this little market has come a long way over the past decade. It's no secret that I have a soft spot for farmers' markets, and particularly our market here in Meaford. Though I'm not a farmer, nor a food...

It’s Time For Manufacturers to Take Their Share of Responsibility For Waste

Stephen Vance, Editor The province of Ontario has a lofty but necessary goal of 70 percent waste diversion, and while many communities (like Meaford) have now found their way to the 55 to 60 percent diversion rate, the extra push required to reach 70 will likely need to come from product manufacturers themselves. Sure, we can all find additional opportunities in...

Approach of Coming Infrastructure Nightmare Gaining Speed

Stephen Vance, Editor I'm sometimes criticized for spending too much time ringing the infrastructure alarm bell, but I remain convinced that the 'infrastructure nightmare' I've often referred to is not only coming our way, it is already here, and the latest update on the state of Meaford's bridge infrastructure is yet another example of that fact. As council learned this week,...

Does Meaford Need More Off-Leash Parks?

Stephen Vance, Editor When I first moved to Meaford nearly 11 years ago, one of the first things I noticed about the community was the number of dogs – they seemed to be everywhere I looked. Having moved here from a much larger urban centre, I wasn't used to seeing so many canines, and I confess I had a fleeting...

No, I Wasn’t Condoning Crime, or Making Excuses For Criminals…

Stephen Vance, Editor It seems my editorial last week got some folks out of sorts – at least that's what I gather from some of the comments I saw on social media websites over the weekend. Now, I don't mind being called an idiot, I'm not overly bothered by being called a bleeding-heart socialist, as one Twitterer (is that what they...

What is Driving Recent Increases in Criminal Activity?

Stephen Vance, Editor This community has been rightly concerned over the past week about the report of a home invasion style incident that took place in broad daylight last weekend. According to police, last Saturday, shortly after lunch time, two men entered a home on Miller Street through an unlocked door and demanded cash from the homeowners.One of the victims was...

Proposed Assisted Dying Law Another Sign of a Maturing Canada

Stephen Vance, Editor We may be a young nation by worldly standards, but compared to our neighbours to the south, Canada is pretty mature when it comes to social issues, and the proposed doctor-assisted dying bill announced last week is yet another example. Yes, the bill is the result of a Supreme Court ruling that struck down a ban on assisted...

Join us For Another Memorial Park Clean-up on April 24

Stephen Vance, Editor After a long, cold, then warm, snowy, then not, winter, the first hints of true Spring weather appear to be just around the corner. The snow that accumulated over the past few months is nearly gone, revealing lawns and sidewalks – and of course, more trash than any of us would like to see.For some reason we...

Annual Community Awards a Celebration of Some of the Reasons We Love Living Here

Stephen Vance, Editor This weekend Meaford's businesses, organizations, and community-minded residents will be showcased at the annual Community Awards hosted by the Meaford Chamber of Commerce. The event will also feature the awarding of the Rotary Club's annual Citizen of the Year (and new this year, the Jr. Citizen of the Year).Generally I'm not a very big fan of awards...

Why do People Still Drink and Drive?

Stephen Vance, Editor On Tuesday of this week the sentence for a drunk driver who got behind the wheel of his vehicle - killing a grandfather and his three grandchildren - was handed down: ten years. Ten years for ripping the lives away from four of his fellow citizens, and seriously injuring the grandmother and great-grandmother of those three children....