The Owen Sound Police Service Board's call for council to act on downtown "social disorder" ran into resistance from council itself on June 15, and exposed how far apart the city’s decision-makers are on what the problem even is. The deputy mayor and a councillor challenged the premise that the River District is in crisis. Mayor Ian Boddy’s answer was that the region is already doing everything it can.

The special meeting, held before council’s regular sitting, opened with a statistics presentation from Police Chief Craig Ambrose and closed with a divided discussion of the police board’s letter.

What it surfaced was disagreement not only over solutions but over the problem itself: the board described disorder, the chief described scarcity, and a councillor called the “crisis” a moral panic. Answering a letter about conditions downtown, Boddy replied with what the county spends on housing, and his conclusion that “we’re not that bad.”

What the numbers show

Ambrose walked council through computer-aided dispatch data covering 2023 through the end of May 2026.

Citywide, total calls have held roughly steady, between about 18,700 and 19,000 a year. The growth is concentrated downtown. In the first five months of 2026, River District calls rose 17% over the same period last year, while citywide calls rose about 5%. The River District — downtown’s commercial core along the river — now accounts for 30% of all calls, up from a 27-to-29% band over the previous three years.

Proactive work — foot patrols, community service, traffic enforcement and bar checks — fell from 789 such calls in the first five months of 2023 to 391 in 2025, recovering to 460 this year. Its share of downtown activity dropped from 37% to 20%.

Reactive calls climbed from 1,325 to 1,870 over the same windows and now make up 80% of downtown activity, up from 63% in 2023. Ambrose tied the proactive decline to a shortage of available officers, though police later told council the service is back to full strength and will increase its downtown presence.

The package flagged steep increases in some categories: weapons calls up 320% and suicide-related calls up 200% in the first five months of the year. Those rest on small numbers — weapons calls rose from five to 21, suicide-related calls from seven to 21 — so single incidents move the percentages sharply. Assault calls, on a larger base, rose 133%.

Ambrose was careful about what the data represents. The counts are dispatched events, not founded crimes or charges, and the figures do not record what caused any call.

What the numbers don’t show

The service does not track calls by geography as a matter of routine; staff produced the River District breakdown by hand, plotting dispatch coordinates within a downtown boundary year by year. Ambrose said OSPS is buying new analytics software.

Pressed on where the people generating downtown calls come from, Ambrose said officers record names, dates of birth and current addresses, but the service does not compile statistics by origin. Someone unable to meet their needs elsewhere, he said, becomes a resident of Owen Sound. He could not say what share come from outside the city.

That question — who the downtown system is serving — ran through the rest of the meeting without being answered.

A difficult conversation

Between the data and the board’s letter came the meeting’s most substantive stretch — a long exchange in which councillors and the chief worked through why downtown’s problems resist a policing answer.

Ambrose set the terms. The discussion was not really about homelessness, or mental health, or any one group, he said, but about a perception of safety, and about residents asking police to solve problems police cannot solve.

“We’re not the right people to deal with a lot of the social issues,” he told council, “but we’re the ones that get called” — the responders who pick up the pieces, often after hours, when no other service is available, to keep a situation from escalating.

Councillors took that further. Coun. Jon Farmer, pointing to his professional background in the field, noted that much of the chief’s own list — attempted suicide, mental-health calls, domestic disputes — reads as symptoms of social distress, and asked whether rising rents and a strained economy were pushing up call volumes in ways the data cannot parse. The chief said the service does not track calls to that level of cause.

The frustration running through the exchange was not a lack of talk but a lack of results.

Ambrose said the service already sits at every relevant table — Violence Prevention, Community Safety and Well-being, weekly county calls — and can phone Grey County’s housing staff directly.

“I just don’t think anybody has what they need to make each sector work appropriately,” he said. He wanted “something concrete” to come forward “instead of having this conversation every six months.”

A pilot meant to divert non-police calls — the Neighbourhood Response Team, run by Safe ‘N Sound and Grey County — had come and gone over the winter without a signed agreement or, in his reading of the numbers, any measurable change. Both Ambrose and Coun. Melanie Middlebro agreed that the trial run had probably taken place at the wrong time of year, but that’s when the funding was available.

Coun. Carol Merton located the problem differently. The fix, she argued, was a wider table: the same people having the same discussion had produced the present situation, and those who most need to be in the room — people with lived experience, and the agencies working directly with them — were not there.

“Nothing about us without us,” she said, citing the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness.

The two readings sat in tension. Merton saw a convening problem; Ambrose had just described being at every table already, every week, with nothing to show for it. The tables he named were the institutional ones — committees, county staff, fellow chiefs — which may be Merton’s point.

Whether a wider table with more people at it would break the pattern or simply add more complexity, the meeting did not resolve.

The Police Board’s ask

The meeting's central document was a June 10 letter from board chair John Thomson, conveying a motion the board passed May 27. The board is the civilian body that oversees the police service, separate from both council and the chief's day-to-day operations.

Moved by board member M. Dickson and seconded by B. O’Leary, it asks council to “take action on concerns raised by the River District, Police Service Board, Council and Municipal residents regarding loitering and other social disorder matters” in the city, particularly downtown.

The letter traces the concern to a March 2025 board meeting, where members discussed shoppers feeling unsafe and business owners locking their doors during the day to control who comes in — conditions it says continue today.

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It attributes the rise in calls to “disorderly behaviour, public visibility of substance abuse, threats, and assaults,” and points council to a tool already in force, Nuisance By-law No. 2024-026.

The letter also restates Ambrose’s position that policing alone cannot fix the problem, and that a response needs the city, Grey County, the police service and community agencies working together.

The letter is more definite about cause than the chief was willing to be. It names disorder, substance use, threats and assaults as the reasons calls have climbed — the same causal link Ambrose told council the dispatch data cannot establish.

The same downtown, read differently

What followed the letter was not one response but three.

Boddy, who also sits on Grey County council, repeated what he stated at a higher-tier meeting recently: that the region is already doing the work. He described the homelessness funding as provincial money that passes through the county, most of it spent in Owen Sound, with no option to bank what goes unspent.

Grey County spends more per capita on housing and homelessness than any other upper-tier municipality in the province “by a long shot,” he said, and council had raised that spending by 1%. He compared Owen Sound favourably to Ottawa, London, Toronto and Edmonton: “We’re not that bad.”

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The mayor’s defence rests on what the county spends. The board’s letter and the police data both speak to whether conditions are improving — and both indicate they are not: the letter says the problem first raised in March 2025 continues today, and Ambrose told council there is still no treatment bed available when someone is ready for one.

Per-capita spending, and a favourable comparison to bigger cities, measure neither.

Coun. Jon Farmer rejected the framing outright. The premise that more officers downtown would reduce harm “is not actually borne out,” he said, drawing on a background in domestic-violence response: police presence does not stop bad things from happening.

He pointed to his own experience — a car rolling through a stop sign in front of his child’s stroller while an officer stood across the street, unable to identify the vehicle — to argue that the recurring threat to his family’s safety downtown over five years has been reckless driving, not the population the board describes.

Farmer called the crisis narrative a moral panic “not informed by curiosity or data,” coming mostly from people he does not encounter on his daily trips downtown, and said it was not true that board members’ personal views represent everyone who lives, works and visits the area.

He described a bustling River District — new businesses, weekend crowds, concerts, a tour bus of Bruce Trail Club hikers — that he said the board’s discussion ignored.

Much of his critique went to whether the board grasped the file it had weighed in on: he said members referred to a pilot program by the wrong name without acknowledging it was a Safe ‘N Sound and Grey County collaboration, and had not engaged with Grey County’s draft housing and homelessness response plan, published in February, despite counting former county councillors among their members.

In his sharpest language, he called the board’s approach “an authoritarian fantasy” that assumes “we can just punish people into wellness,” and said real leadership means relationship-building, not “pointing the finger at other organizations.”

No police board member spoke to the motion during the discussion or responded to the councillors’ criticisms; the letter stood as the board’s position.

Deputy Mayor Scott Greig, a downtown business owner for 20 years, echoed much of Farmer’s critique while drawing a different conclusion.

He defended Grey County staff, saying it was “absolutely not true” that they were failing residents, and called out criticism of them he said had been aired at the May 27 police board meeting.

He stressed the people at the centre of the issue “are not criminals” and that the city is not criminalizing homelessness. But he also backed stronger bylaw enforcement and municipal resources to respond to disorder and cleanup — citing loaded grocery carts left on a steep riverbank, and people impaired downtown whose safety, he said, was at risk — and supported the city’s review of other municipalities’ bylaws.

Greig framed the problem as long-standing and regional. People come to Owen Sound for the services it provides as the area’s hub, he said, recounting encounters over many years with people who told him they were from elsewhere.

“It’s taken a generation to get to where we are now,” he said. “It will take a generation to get out of this mess.”

Greig also raised a process question that went largely unanswered. He said he had not seen formal documentation of the board’s concerns beyond the minutes, and asked twice whether anything formal had been filed.

Ambrose responded that the service attends River District meetings and that officers had met for hours with downtown business owners and Downtown Improvement Area members about specific concerns — what he considered formal concerns — but would not say who he met with.

What stands in the way

Beneath the disagreement over the problem, a set of concrete obstacles surfaced, and on most of these, the room agreed.

The supports aren’t there when people are ready for them.

There is no treatment or detox bed waiting at the moment someone decides to act, the chief said, and a missed window may not reopen. Merton argued the evidence favours a housing-first approach — a roof first, wraparound supports after — but the system to deliver it is not in place.

No one clearly owns the fix.

Housing and homelessness are Grey County’s mandate as the provincial service manager; bylaw enforcement is the city’s; the money is the province’s. The board asked the city to act, the mayor answered with what the county spends, and the meeting’s reflex was to send the problem up a level — a councillor floated a joint city-county-police delegation to press the province at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference.

Police are stretched, and there is often no one else to call.

Proactive patrols fell by half between 2023 and 2025, court-security duty pulls officers off the street, and prevention has given way to response. For the low-level disorder, welfare checks and cleanup that fall below a police matter, no non-police municipal service exists to respond, so it lands on police anyway. The chief warned that community safety and well-being work flounders where no one is assigned to it full time, and said no program in Grey or Bruce County is funded as well as it could be.

The tools are missing, or constrained.

The chief said he first raised the need for bylaw tools — the kind other municipalities use for licensing, shelters and communal living — with a city manager around 2019, and that the gap persists. Where enforcement is possible, the law limits it: court rulings, including out of Waterloo region, bar municipalities from clearing encampments without offering people somewhere to go, and there is nowhere to send them.

Enforcement doesn’t reliably lead anywhere.

After stepping back from charging simple drug possession, police have resumed making arrests, the chief said, but few charges are advancing through the courts. And a small group of people are charged again and again — arrested, released under supervision, and back generating calls — without the cycle breaking.

The data has blind spots.

Police cannot say where the people generating downtown calls come from, do not track calls by geography as a matter of routine, and do not separate the repeat callers from the totals, so the numbers cannot show how much of the rise is new people in distress and how much is the same people in crisis again.

People fall through every gap at once.

Greig described roughly 15 people he sees downtown regularly over a period of years who have been barred from one service after another, with nowhere formal to send them. Farmer pointed to a United Way report tracing a pipeline from incarceration to homelessness, with people released without identification, without a bank card, dropped into Owen Sound on a Friday evening.

What’s coming

City Manager Tim Simmonds said the chief brought him a Cobourg bylaw about six or seven weeks ago, and that staff — bylaw, the chief, the deputy chief and others — met to review it.

A report on River District actions is coming to council, he said, with bylaw updates expected in July touching the business licensing and property standards bylaws.

Police, meanwhile, said enforcement of the existing nuisance bylaw is largely complaint-driven, and that with the service back to full strength, officers will be downtown more.

Council voted to receive the board's letter — a procedural step that directs no action. The board had asked the city to act; council's formal answer was to file the request.

What it did not produce was agreement on the question underneath it: whether downtown Owen Sound is in crisis, slowly improving, or living through a structural problem no single order of government can fix and, if so, whose job it is to try.

See both reports and the full discussion here on the City’s website.

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Two people were taken to hospital — one later transferred to a Toronto burn unit — after a fire in an Owen Sound apartment on Wednesday night, which the city’s fire service has attributed to unattended cooking.

Though Owen Sound Fire and Emergency Services said they responded to reports of smoke coming from a unit, with Owen Sound Police Service and Grey County Paramedic Services assisting, they did not indicate where in the city the report occurred.

Numerous local social media users reported a large emergency services presence on Wednesday evening at a 4th Ave E apartment building near St. Mary’s Hill.

Owen Sound Fire said that crews found the apartment full of smoke and the fire already out when they arrived.

Eleven firefighters responded. Crews ventilated the unit to clear the smoke and helped paramedics treat the patients at the scene.

Both occupants suffered burn injuries and were taken to hospital. One was later released; the other was transferred to a Toronto hospital’s burn unit for specialized care, the fire service said. It did not provide an update on that patient’s condition.

The fire service estimated damage at about $10,000 and said an investigation determined the cause was unattended cooking.

Owen Sound Fire and Emergency Services used the incident to remind residents not to leave cooking unattended and to stay in the kitchen while food is on the heat. If a fire starts in a pot or pan, the service advises sliding a lid over it to smother the flames and shutting off the burner when it is safe to do so — and never moving a burning pot or putting water on a grease fire, which can spread it.

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In today’s letter to the editor, resident Jim Hutton responds to the recent news that the most recent round of arbitration means firefighter wages and benefits will soon total $5.5 million annually.

The City’s reliance on an affordability argument is a losing strategy, he says. Hutton is advocating for a real, actionable plan to implement a composite department.

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Public Notice

• 3rd Ave E between 11th St E & 12th St E will be closed for paving on June 18/26 from 8:00am to 5:00pm, no through access - Grey County

• Notice of Temporary Parking Restrictions and Road Closure on Bayfield Street - Municipality of Meaford

• Georgian Bluffs is grading gravel roads and applying calcium chloride dust suppressant across the Township over the next two weeks.

Keep Reading

Today’s edition includes details of a proposed 128-unit apartment build proposed for the East Court Residences subdivision, a new alert from Public Health, national recognition for local mental health care, a change in how a former City councilor will be honoured, fines for a Georgian Bluffs roofing contractor after a workplace fall, and a lot more.

Miranda Miller
Editor

Local News

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SUBMITTED

What Could You Make in Four Days? A folding table? A handcrafted pen? Lifelong skills?

Intersections Wood Collaborative is inviting youth ages 13–18 to join its Summer Youth Woodworking Program. A series of four hands-on workshop sessions run every other week in July and August at the non-profit wood-working shop in Owen Sound.

Each four-day session runs Monday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is limited to five participants, allowing youth to work closely with experienced instructors in a safe and supportive workshop environment.

Open houses for parents/guardians and potential participants to check out the shop and see samples of what they might make and the equipment on which they will learn:

• 5-7 PM Thursday June 18

• and 5-7 PM Tuesday June 23

Registration is $225 per session and includes instruction, materials, lunch, and all completed projects. Registration is currently open at Summer Youth Program 2026 – Intersections Wood Collaborative or by contacting Program Facilitator Madison Mulasmajic at madison@intersectionswoodcollaborative.org.

Organizers are encouraging interested parents/guardians to register an interested teen before the end of June. A minimum number of participants is needed for each session to run.

This summer’s sessions include:

July 6–9: Build an Adjustable Phone Stand: Learn woodworking fundamentals while creating an adjustable phone stand.

July 27–30: Build a Folding Table & CNC Phone/Key Tray: Explore power tools and get hands-on experience with the CNC router, a computer-controlled machine capable of creating precise designs and custom projects.

August 10–13: Introduction to Woodturning: Discover the skill of woodturning on the lathe while crafting a variety of objects, including a pen, a vase, and a spinning top, and learning an art practiced by the founder of the Collaborative.

August 24–27: Build a Small Box & Phone Amplifier: Combine craftsmanship and creativity while building useful projects designed to showcase traditional woodworking techniques.

The program offers more than just project-building. Participants will also be coached by passionate woodworkers who are eager to share their knowledge and experience with the next generation. Youth will learn practical skills, develop confidence using tools safely, solve design and construction challenges, and experience the satisfaction of creating something with their own hands. Participants take home everything they make.

“The program was created to give youth an opportunity to access tools, mentors, and skills they might not encounter otherwise,” says Norm Ragetlie. “Participants work directly with knowledgeable, skilled instructors and enthusiastic volunteers who enjoy sharing their knowledge, experience, and passion for the craft, many of whom have practiced these skills for decades.”

Past participants have provided positive feedback about the program, highlighting both the projects they created and the opportunity to learn in a welcoming workshop environment.

Whether a young person is interested in design, technology, skilled trades, building things with their hands, or simply trying something new, the Summer Youth Woodworking Program offers a chance to explore a craft that combines creativity, skill, and mentorship.

Text and images supplied by Intersections Wood Collaborative

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Dear Editor,

For more than two decades, the cost of providing fire protection in Owen Sound has risen far faster than population growth and, in many years, inflation. We recently learned that firefighter wages and benefits will soon total $5.5 million annually, placing growing pressure on this community of only 21,612 residents.

The recent arbitration decision—which also awarded $1.55 million in retroactive compensation and required the City to maintain its complement of 29 full-time firefighters—has brought a long-standing challenge into sharper focus.

From a taxpayer’s standpoint, the question is no longer whether change is needed, but how the City can achieve it responsibly while maintaining public safety. The City’s four-year effort to persuade an arbitrator that it could not afford the existing model was unlikely to succeed, given the long history of Ontario interest arbitrators rejecting municipal “ability-to-pay” arguments.

Instead of relying on a legal strategy with limited prospects, the City should have begun planning a gradual transition toward a composite fire service years ago.

Many municipalities across Ontario operate composite fire departments that combine career and paid‑on‑call firefighters. These systems show that it is possible to maintain strong public safety outcomes while improving financial sustainability.

Moving forward will require disciplined leadership, long-term planning, and a commitment to structural reform rather than temporary fixes.

Can Our Community Continue to Afford the Current Model?

Increasingly, the answer appears to be no.

Based on the City’s audited financial statements—the most accurate measure of actual spending—the cost of protective services rose from $13.2 million in 2011 to $20.8 million in 2024, an increase of 57.4 percent.

During the same period, Owen Sound’s population declined slightly from 21,688 to 21,612 residents, a decrease of 0.4 percent.

As a result, the cost of protective services per resident increased from approximately $607 in 2011 to $961 in 2024, a rise of 58.3 percent. These costs will climb further once the most recent arbitration award is fully implemented.

Audited financial statements are the only reliable measure of actual expenditures. Budgets reflect planned spending; audited statements reflect what taxpayers ultimately pay. Unfortunately, the City only releases these statements nearly two years after the year-end date, and its reporting does not separate police and fire costs, limiting the public’s ability to evaluate the cost of each service.

Greater transparency through separate reporting would improve accountability and public understanding.

Why the City’s Affordability Argument Was Unlikely to Succeed

Ontario’s interest arbitration system is designed to maintain compensation comparability among fire services across the province. Arbitrators typically place significant weight on:

• Wage settlements in comparable municipalities

• Historical compensation trends

• Recruitment and retention considerations, and

• Public safety requirements

Municipal affordability arguments have historically faced steep challenges. Unless a municipality is in severe financial distress, arbitrators have been reluctant to allow compensation levels to diverge significantly from comparable communities.

Owen Sound’s reliance on an affordability argument, therefore, faced major obstacles from the outset. The eventual outcome—a retroactive award and increased ongoing compensation—was predictable.

The lesson for taxpayers is clear: arbitration rarely produces structural change. Municipalities seeking long-term affordability must reform how services are delivered.

The Case for a Composite Fire Service

A composite fire service blends full-time and paid‑on‑call firefighters to deliver emergency services cost‑effectively while maintaining public safety. This model is widely used across Ontario and Canada, especially in municipalities similar in size to Owen Sound.

• Barrie reduced its full-time complement through attrition while expanding a robust part-time roster.

• Midland moved from a full-time model to a composite service over a decade, lowering costs and improving flexibility.

• St. Thomas implemented modern tiered medical response protocols, reducing call volume and avoiding unnecessary staffing increases.

• Stratford adopted shared services and civilianized non-emergency roles, reducing administrative overhead.

These municipalities did not wait for arbitration to solve their problems. They acted early, built long-term plans, and implemented reforms gradually and responsibly. Unlike Owen Sound, these communities recognize an important reality:

Modern fire departments respond to far fewer structure fires than they did decades ago. Much of today’s workload consists of medical assists, alarms, motor vehicle collisions, and public service calls.

This changing risk profile allows many communities to safely use a blended staffing model.

A Roadmap for Transition

Transitioning to a composite model cannot happen overnight. A successful shift would likely require five to ten years and should include the following steps:

Phase 1: Independent Review (Years 1–2)

• Commission an independent fire services review

• Conduct a comprehensive community risk assessment

• Analyze call volumes, response times, and staffing needs

• Identify opportunities for alternative service delivery

Phase 2: Build Paid‑on‑Call Capacity (Years 2–4)

• Recruit and train paid‑on‑call firefighters

• Establish clear performance standards

• Integrate paid‑on‑call personnel into operations and training

Phase 3: Attrition‑Based Reduction (Years 3–10)

• Reduce full‑time staffing through retirements rather than layoffs

• Evaluate vacancies before replacement

• Transition selected positions to paid‑on‑call staffing where appropriate

Phase 4: Negotiate Structural Reform (Future Collective Agreements)

Future negotiations should focus on:

• Greater staffing flexibility

• Cross‑staffing apparatus

• Expanded use of paid‑on‑call firefighters

• Alternative deployment models

Structural reform—not wage restraint—offers the best opportunity for long‑term affordability.

Protecting Public Safety While Protecting Taxpayers

This discussion is not a criticism of firefighters. They perform essential and often dangerous work on behalf of the community. The issue is ensuring that fire protection remains financially sustainable for future generations.

A service that becomes unaffordable ultimately pressures all other municipal priorities, including infrastructure, recreation, housing, and community services.

Public safety and fiscal responsibility are not competing values. A well‑designed composite model aims to achieve both.

Conclusion: A Call for Responsible Leadership

The recent arbitration decision was not a failure of firefighters or of the arbitration system. It highlighted the limits of relying on affordability arguments within a framework that places greater emphasis on comparability and public safety.

The path forward is clear. Owen Sound must begin the long-term work of transitioning toward a modern, evidence‑based composite fire service. Other municipalities have shown that such transitions can be implemented safely, gradually, and responsibly.

With strong leadership, transparent communication, and a commitment to fiscal sustainability, Owen Sound can do the same.

Taxpayers deserve nothing less.

Jim Hutton
Owen Sound

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Letters to the Editor do not necessarily reflect the opinions or beliefs of The Owen Sound Current and its editor or publisher.

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by Wanda Fitzgerald

Originally published in The Owen Sounder magazine

Creativity comes alive at the 4th Annual Owen Sound Community Artist Studio Tour, a celebration of local art, inspiration, and the vibrant creative spirit that continues to thrive throughout our region during the weekend of September 19-20 from 10am to 5pm.

Presented by the newly formed Owen Sound Art Council, the self-guided tour invites visitors to step inside the working studios and creative spaces of more than 30 local artists. From painting and woodworking to fused glass, pottery, photography, and book arts, the tour offers a rare opportunity to meet the artists behind the work and experience the creative process firsthand.

More than just an art event, the Studio Tour is about connection — connecting artists with community, visitors with local culture, and creativity with everyday life. Whether you are an avid collector, an emerging artist, or simply looking for a meaningful weekend outing, the tour offers something inspiring around every corner.

Best of all, the tour is completely free, making it an accessible and welcoming experience for everyone.

To explore participating artists, plan your route, download a map and learn more about the artists, visit Owen Sound Community Artist Studio Tour at www.osstudiotour.ca. You can also follow the tour on Facebook and Instagram for artist features, updates, and behind-the-scenes glimpses into the creative community of Owen Sound.

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Brightshores Health System’s Wellness and Recovery Centre in Owen Sound has won a national award for its approach to mental health and addiction care.

The Canadian College of Health Leaders named the centre the recipient of its 2026 national Award of Excellence in Mental Health and Addictions Quality Improvement, presented June 14 at the college’s Honouring Health Leadership event in Montreal.

According to the college, the award recognizes a hospital, health program or leader demonstrating sustained, evidence-informed quality improvement in mental health and addictions.

It carries an etched-glass trophy, paid travel for one representative to attend, a $7,500 grant for continued quality-improvement work, and $1,000 toward sharing best practices.

The centre opened in June 2024 in a repurposed former elementary school. Brightshores describes it as the first model of its kind in Ontario to combine supportive housing with integrated treatment for people with complex mental health and addiction needs under one roof, offering crisis support, addictions treatment, daily drop-in clinics and both short- and longer-term programming. When it opened, Brightshores described the facility as having 45 beds.

Brightshores credits the centre with measurable gains, including fewer emergency department visits within 30 days of discharge, improved housing stability and stronger engagement in treatment.

Owen Sound Current previously reported figures the health system provided showing 30-day ED visits for mental health and addiction care falling from 410 in 2022 to 52 in fiscal 2024 and four so far in fiscal 2025. Brightshores has described those returns as a subset of visits tied specifically to mental health and addiction care and has linked the decline to the centre’s model.

The college said the centre reflects “evidence-based innovation, measurable outcomes, and lasting system transformation.” Brightshores says protocols and pathways developed at the centre have informed provincial system improvements and been shared with more than 50 organizations.

“This recognition reflects the dedication of our staff, physicians, peer workers, donors, community partners, clients and families,” said Beth Morris, Brightshores’ vice-president of clinical programs and quality and chief nursing executive.

The centre opened amid significant attention, drawing Premier Doug Ford and Deputy Premier and Health Minister Sylvia Jones to its June 2024 ribbon-cutting.

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Andpet Realty Limited wants to build an eight-storey, 128-unit rental apartment building on the last vacant block of the East Court Residences subdivision on Owen Sound’s east side — a proposal that hinges on the City permitting a building more than twice as tall as its rules now allow on the site.

City council voted Monday to direct staff to keep processing the rezoning application, Zoning By-law Amendment No. 58, following a public meeting at council chambers. The vote does not approve the development.

It advances the file toward a staff recommendation report scheduled for July 13, the point at which council is expected to decide whether to approve, change or refuse the rezoning.

The site at 1201 15th Avenue East — formerly addressed as 1111 15th Avenue East — sits just southwest of existing retirement and long-term care facilities. It is Block 6 of the East Court Residences subdivision, a development that also includes a retirement residence and a mix of single and semi-detached homes, near East Ridge Community School and Georgian College.

Council set the framework for the subdivision in 2019 and gave it final approval in 2020, when the block was expected to hold about 120 dwelling units. Apartment use is already permitted on the property.

That history matters: the application is not about whether housing belongs on the block, but about the building’s height, density and a proposed shared-amenity use. The land is currently zoned General Residential (R5), which caps apartment buildings at 12 metres.

A pending citywide zoning update would change the base zone to Medium Density Residential and lift the cap to 14 metres, still well short of the 28 metres requested. The developer is asking for site-specific zoning that would allow:

• a maximum height of eight storeys or 28 metres, whichever is greater;

• a floor space index of 1.4, up from the 1.0 now permitted;

• a “community lifestyle facility” as an added permitted use, with reduced parking for it;

• a 20-metre setback along the western property line for any part of the building above six storeys; and

• certain accessory structures in the front yard, set back at least 10 metres from the lot line.

The proposed density — about 127 units per hectare on roughly one hectare — falls within a site-specific limit of 130 units per hectare already set for the area, so no Official Plan amendment is required, according to the staff report by senior planner Margaret Potter.

The “community lifestyle facility” refers to shared spaces the developer proposes to offer to area residents, including a potential indoor woodworking space and an outdoor pickleball court.

The zoning by-law lists such facilities under institutional uses, which is why they must be added as a permitted use on the residential site.

The apartments are proposed as one- and two-bedroom units with balconies, served by 160 parking spaces: 78 at surface level and 82 underground.

According to the Planning Justification Report the applicant submitted through Baker Planning Group, the owner intends the building as rental housing, with at least 10% of units meeting the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s definition of affordable. That figure is the applicant’s stated intent; the staff report does not treat it as a binding condition.

The block presents a notable grade change, as 10th Street East runs about nine metres above the planned main entrance, and the plan includes a retaining wall along that street and two two-way driveways onto 15th Avenue East.

Supporting studies filed with the application include an urban design brief, a sun-shading study, a traffic opinion letter and a flight path letter; the staff report says those materials will be assessed in the July recommendation report.

Monday’s report was a technical one. It describes the proposal and the policies that apply, but does not recommend for or against the rezoning. Staff say public input from the meeting will be considered in the recommendation report due July 13.

Should council approve the rezoning, site plan approval would follow as a staff-delegated process. Development charges would apply at the building permit stage, with a possible discount for affordable units.

For more information, see the Council package from Monday’s meeting.

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As far as hobbies go, gardening is generally a peaceful endeavour. But it’s not entirely without risk.

As her most recent column, master gardener Jennifer Deeks shares the first in a series on staying safe while beautifying your outdoor space.

Public Notice

• 3rd Ave E between 11th St E & 12th St E in Owen Sound will be closed for paving on June 18/26 from 8:00am to 5:00pm with no through access - Grey County

• Notice of Temporary Parking Restrictions and Road Closure on Bayfield Street - Municipality of Meaford

• Georgian Bluffs is grading gravel roads and applying calcium chloride dust suppressant across the Township over the next two weeks.

Keep Reading

Today’s edition with over a dozen pieces includes a chance to see the Canadian Forces Snowbirds in flight, award winners at the 128th Grey & Simcoe Foresters annual review, BWDSB awards of excellence winners, updates on the MS Chi-Cheemaun schedule, a look ahead at the Grey Bruce Youth Film Festival, reports from police in the region, and a lot more.

Miranda Miller
Editor

Local News

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COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTION

Most of us would not categorize gardening as an extreme sport, but there is definitely the potential for danger. This article is the first in a series that will focus on garden safety, including environmental risks, mechanical and ergonomic concerns, and managing insect threats and allergic reactions.

Sunburn and Heatstroke

Ontario’s potent summer combination of hot temperatures and high humidity makes it hard for our bodies to make good use of sweating to stay cool. Heavy garden work, even during moderate temperatures, should be punctuated by lots of hydration and rest breaks.

Heat illness appears as heat exhaustion (headache, muscle cramps, dizziness, and reduced urination) followed by heat stroke (loss of consciousness, disorientation, hot flushed skin, and no sweating). Heat exhaustion requires that you stop work, move to a cool area, and rest and rehydrate. If someone is suffering from heat stroke, they need to be moved to a shady area and seek medical attention – including calling 911 if necessary.

To prevent heat illness, drink fluids steadily before you feel thirsty. For normal low to moderate intensity activity, plain water is sufficient. If you are doing high intensity work over a long period – for example, removing heavy sod — then replenishing electrolytes using coconut water or sports drinks may be more appropriate.

The Centre for Disease Control recommends replacing fluids at a rate of 8 ounces (1 cup) of water every 15 to 20 minutes.

Sunburn is uncomfortable, but developing skin cancer from cumulative UV damage is the larger concern. Both milder repeated burns and less frequent but severe burns significantly elevate the risk of melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and basal carcinoma (Skin Cancer Foundation).

Liberal and repeated applications of high SPF sunscreen throughout the day will help prevent damage to exposed skin. Don’t forget to protect your ears, along your hair part, and that little spot on your lower back where your shirt rides up!

A wide brimmed hat does double duty in reducing sun and heat exposure and loose fitting long-sleeved, light-coloured clothing, is helpful. It’s important to remember than even on a cloudy day, UV rays that you can’t see are still penetrating skin.

Timing your garden work for early morning and late evening will allow you to miss the most intense sun and the hottest temperatures. I encourage you to enjoy a little siesta and get back at it when it cools off.

Storms

Storms are another predictable summer hazard when high heat and humidity cause unstable atmospheric conditions. While storm fatalities are rare, approximately 180 Canadians are struck by lightning each year (Health Canada Statistics).

When a storm approaches, be prepared to go indoors. Sheltering under a tree or porch is still a dangerous situation and if you are really stuck, a vehicle with the windows rolled up is the next best choice. When venturing back out into the garden following a storm, remain alert for hazards such as downed power lines or damaged tree limbs that are at risk of falling.

While gardening is generally a low-risk activity, it is still outdoors and physical, and comes with its own set of dangers to be managed and mitigated.

Are there other hazards you’ve noticed or experienced? Share yours in the comments

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Thank you to sponsors of The Owen Sound Current Writers’ Fund, who make these community contributions possible. Contributions from the community do not necessarily reflect the opinions or beliefs of The Owen Sound Current and its editor or publisher.

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The 42 Grey and Simcoe Foresters Royal Canadian Army Cadets proudly conducted their 128th Annual Ceremonial Review on June 9^th, 2026, celebrating another successful training year focused on leadership, citizenship, and physical fitness.

The Annual Ceremonial Review is the highlight of the cadet training year, showcasing the accomplishments, dedication, and growth of cadets. Family members, community supporters, and distinguished guests were in attendance to witness the parade and awards ceremony.

This year’s Reviewing Officer was Intertownship Fire Chief Jeff Gautreau, who inspected the corps and addressed cadets, recognizing their commitment and achievements throughout the year.

Awards Presented

A number of prestigious awards were presented to deserving cadets in recognition of their performance and contributions:

• The Lieutenant Ross McGauley Award for Best First Year Cadet, recognizes a Green Star cadet who has embraced the cadet program and excelled in all areas. This year’s recipient is Lance Corporal Lily Schuitema.

• The Captain Ed Stevens CD Award for Best Second Year Cadet, recognizes a Red Star cadet who has actively participated and excelled throughout the training year. This year’s recipient is Lance Corporal Jordyn Prange.

• The Captain Ken Yates CD Memorial Award for Best Third Year Cadet, recognizes a Silver Star cadet who has demonstrated excellence in all aspects of the program. This year’s recipient is Corporal Muhammad Khan.

• The Paul King Memorial Award for Most Improved Cadet, recognizes a cadet who has made significant improvements throughout the year. This year’s recipient is awarded to Warrant Officer Broady Chartrand.

• The Lieutenant Colonel James Boyle Memorial Award for outstanding service to the Corps and community, is awarded to Master Corporal Carter Rosebaum.

• The Grey and Simcoe Foresters Award for best dress and deportment, is awarded to Mater Warrant Officer Logan Carter.

• The Major Ed Martin, CD, MMM Award for top marksmanship, is awarded to Sergeant Cydney Stanislow.

• The Commanding Officer’s Award, recognizes consistent effort and strong commitment to the program. This year’s recipient is Corporal Labiba Asif.

• The Royal Canadian Legion Medal of Excellence, recognizes exemplary citizenship, leadership, and community involvement. This year’s recipient is Sergeant Cydney Stanislow.

• The Lord Strathcona Medal, is one of the highest awards a cadet can receive for dress, deportment, community involvement, teamwork and leadership, is awarded to Sergeant Paige Johnson.

• The Murray Whetung Community Service Award, recognizes exceptional citizenship and community involvement. This year’s recipient is Corporal Lillian Murray.

• The Army Cadet Service Medal, recognizes four and five years of honourable service. Throughout this year the following cadets have received this medal: Chief Warrant Officer Ethan Lang received his 5-year bar. Master Warrant Officer Logan Carter and Warrant Officer Alexandra Weaver received their 4-year service medal.

The corps extends its sincere appreciation to families, volunteers, the Army Cadet League, Royal Canadian Legion branches, and community partners for their ongoing support.

Text and photos submitted by Captain Krista Linthorne, CD
Commanding Officer

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SUBMITTED

An annual school year-end tradition marked the final Regular Meeting of the Board of 2025-2026 on Tuesday, June 16, as Bluewater District School Board (BWDSB) trustees handed out the Awards of Excellence.

Nominated by individuals within their school communities, recipients are community members who have made outstanding contributions to support student success, exemplifying BWDSB’s mission and values in action.

This year’s award winners were recognized for a range of contributions, including initiatives that foster student well-being and engagement, nutrition program involvement, classroom help, school council participation, event and fundraiser coordination, and support for inclusive athletics.

Family members, staff, and other supporters were on hand at the BWDSB Education Centre to observe as trustees took turns reading nominations and handing out certificates.

While formally recognizing all those who make meaningful contributions to our local education system is impossible, the Awards of Excellence program provides an important opportunity to acknowledge the exceptional efforts of individuals within each ‘family of schools’ in BWDSB.

The nomination process highlights the strong culture of appreciation and collaboration across our schools, where recognition contributes to fostering engagement and reinforcing alignment with board priorities.

Congratulations to the 2025-2026 Awards of Excellence recipients:

• Bruce Peninsula District School / Peninsula Shores District School Family of Schools: Connie Tackaberry

• Georgian Bay Community School Family of Schools: Theresa Quinn

• Grey Highlands Secondary School Family of Schools: Erin Goodyear

• John Diefenbaker Senior School Family of Schools: Paul Neuman

• Kincardine District Senior School Family of Schools: Brandon Kushnir

• Owen Sound District Secondary School Family of Schools: Melissa Davy

• Saugeen District Senior School Family of Schools: Katherine Reynolds-Tew

• Walkerton District Community School Family of Schools: Amanda Inglis

Submitted by Bluewater District School Board

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The Canadian Forces Snowbirds say they will fly over Owen Sound on Wednesday, June 17, around 7 p.m., passing over the city on a return flight from Hamilton to Barrie.

In a social media post, the aerobatic team framed the flypast as a salute to Owen Sound as the hometown of William Avery “Billy” Bishop, the First World War fighter ace and Victoria Cross recipient born in the city in 1894.

Residents across Owen Sound may see and hear the aircraft overhead, the team says. The formation will fly no lower than 500 feet above the highest obstacle along its route, according to the post.

The Snowbirds note the flypast depends on weather and flying conditions, and say flypasts are planned and controlled for public safety. The team says people can follow its lead aircraft, call sign SNBD1, on flight-tracking apps.

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In this fifth column in his limited series ‘Our Town,’ David McLeish examines some of the policies meant to protect Owen Sound’s downtown — and why they haven’t.

From the City’s incorporation and provincial planning policy to downtown investments, eastside retail development, and the City’s Official Plan, there are a lot of moving parts.

Take a look:

Public Notice

• Notice of Temporary Parking Restrictions and Road Closure on Bayfield Street - Municipality of Meaford

• Georgian Bluffs is grading gravel roads and applying calcium chloride dust suppressant across the Township over the next two weeks.

• Closed for repairs: Concession 2 Bridge in Chatsworth Township located at fire number 395953 Conc 2, starting June 22, 2026 through to October 30, 2026. No through access.

• There is road construction work planned for Bruce Road 19 from June 15 to 25, 2026.

Keep Reading

Today’s edition includes a City staff report on progress in the River District, a look ahead at the 164th Owen Sound Emancipation Festival, recent reports from Saugeen Shores Police, highlights and key decisions from Grey County Council, minor field lacrosse scores and more — over a dozen local news stories for the most complete look across the region.

Miranda Miller
Editor

Local News

Read more

Owen Sound council voted June 15 to receive the third in a series of staff reports on the River District, accepting City Manager Tim Simmonds’ update for information.

The report, CM-26-021, catalogues a year of City work in the downtown district since a July 2025 stakeholder meeting and sets out a slate of bylaw changes, enforcement measures and a new shelter expected over the coming months.

Much of the report tracks a shift toward what staff call proactive bylaw enforcement. Council approved enforcement of that kind in the River District in September 2025.

Through the 2026 budget, council approved what the report describes as a “modified approach,” adding 24 enforcement hours a week — after the Service Review Implementation Ad Hoc Committee had recommended hiring both a bylaw enforcement supervisor and a part-time officer. The City filled the new position on June 8.

Bylaw officers began daily foot patrols in the downtown core on April 17, concentrating on the 300 block of 8th Street East, the 800 and 900 blocks of 2nd Avenue East and the 900 block of 1st Avenue East. They completed 42 patrols over the first 35 working days, the report states.

Officers laid three charges for untagged waste and improper disposal, and a May 26 waste audit produced four more charges, two cautions and two notice letters to businesses.

On May 13, officers worked with the fire department to return 12 abandoned shopping carts to retailers.

The report flags a larger regulatory push for July, when staff plan to bring council a package of bylaw amendments and new rules. According to the report, these include:

• limits on boarded buildings under the Property Standards Bylaw;

• waste rules clarifying property-owner responsibility and allowing the City to recover cleanup costs;

• Business Licensing conditions for “emergency care establishments,” which the report ties to health, safety and “neighbourhood compatibility”; and

• a new Vital Services Bylaw requiring landlords to maintain tenants’ access to heat, water and electricity.

On the social services side, the report reiterates that Safe ‘N Sound has secured 612 2nd Ave. E. for a year-round shelter offering up to 26 overnight beds, backed by $500,000 in federal funding through the Rural and Remote stream of Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy.

Staff are reviewing the proponent’s building permit application; the report gives no opening date. It lists SOS, Brightshores, M’Wikwedong and the Canadian Mental Health Association as planned service partners, with contributions from Grey County, the Community Foundation Grey Bruce and 100 Women Who Care Grey Bruce.

An earlier Neighbourhood Response Team pilot, run by Safe ‘N Sound and the Supportive Outreach Services program, placed social navigators in the district from November 2025 to March 31, 2026.

Among the physical projects, the City awarded the Farmers’ Market washroom renovation to MMA Construction in March. Construction was set to begin the week of June 15 and finish the week of July 13, after which the report says the accessible washroom will open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Separately, a River District business — unnamed in the report — has proposed running a second public washroom under a one-year pilot; staff say they will report back to council July 27 if the idea has merit.

A consultant contract to plan streetscape and at-grade infrastructure upgrades, funded by a Rural Ontario Development Program grant the City secured in December 2025, was expected to be awarded the week of June 15.

The report also records changes to waste service. Garbage collection in the district runs three days a week off-season and rises to five days a week through the summer. As of April 1, the City ended recycling collection for non-eligible businesses and moved residential recycling to a bi-weekly schedule under Circular Materials, part of Ontario’s shift to producer-funded recycling.

Several of the report’s assessments arrive without supporting figures. It states that the River District coordinator role, formalized early this year, “is having a positive impact,” but offers no measure of it.

It says public engagement “consistently reinforces” that a more active district “feels safer,” without pointing to data.

And while it describes the police service as “supported by significant City funding,” it gives no dollar amount. Staff put the City’s direct River District costs at “approximately $62,000” for March through May, while noting that figure excludes staff time.

The report also tells council that an “ongoing public narrative, particularly on social media,” at times reflects “unfounded assumptions, stereotypes, and, in some cases, discriminatory perspectives.”

The runway from here is concentrated in July. Staff plan to bring the bylaw package to council that month and, if warranted, the washroom-pilot report on July 27. The Farmers’ Market washroom is targeted for completion the week of July 13.

The City expects to finish updating the River District Action Plan, with public input, by the end of the third quarter, complete a GIS commercial-vacancy inventory over the summer, and roll out a business recruitment strategy in early 2027.

The report sets no timeline for the 612 2nd Ave. E. shelter beyond the building permit now under review.

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by Bonita Johnson DeMatteis

Originally published in The Owen Sounder magazine

Since 1862, descendants of former slaves who settled in this area have come back to celebrate Emancipation Day at the Owen Sound Emancipation Festival.

Held annually at Harrison Park, this event acknowledges Owen Sound as the Northern Terminus of the Underground Railroad, the route African American slaves used to escape from slavery to freedom. This year, the 164th annual, will highlight the theme of the North Star.

The Speaker’s Corner, will be held at 7:00pm, July 31st at Grey Roots Museum.

Saturday, August 1st, will start off with a freedom walk from Grey Roots to Harrison Park that will take walkers right to the Park’s Black History Cairn to open up the festivities. Throughout the day, the musical lineup will include Fyrefly Entertainment; Leevon Mahoney; DJ HungryLife with Rob Elder, Pete Devlin and Joel Morelli; and Switchback with Oliver Clark, Jacob Phalan, Dick Berenster, and Frank deMatteis.

On August 2nd, Inspirational Sunday will be held at the Legacy Hall at the British Methodist Episcopal (BME) Church, 256 11th Street West in Owen Sound, with music by david sereda and Bobby Dean Blackburn.

Also, in keeping with the Northern Star theme this year, a submission has been made to the City of Owen Sound proposing the renaming of Ryerson Park on 5th Avenue to Northern Star Thomas Green Park.

The proposal was submitted by Sibyl Lendore McQuilken, a lifelong Owen Sound resident, along with Pam Houston; both are descendants of the Thomas Green family. The name reflects generations of the family’s connection to the neighbourhood, including land ownership on 5th Avenue, leadership within the BME Church, and long-standing ties to Ryerson School.

The family was also known for quietly helping others in the community through faith, hospitality, and care. This legacy would reflect their enduring presence and continued contributions to this community.

The Emancipation Festival, a not-for-profit organization, is grateful for the support from government, community organizations, businesses, and individuals who contribute time and money to make these events possible.

For more event details and ways to get involved, visit www.emancipation.ca/events or connect with us on Facebook or Instagram.

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The previous Our Town column traced how Owen Sound's retail migrated from downtown to the big-box east side; this instalment turns to the land-use policies that were meant to keep it downtown — and why they couldn't.

“But Mousie, thou art no thy-lane, In proving foresight may be vain: The best laid schemes o’ Mice an’ Men Gang aft agley, An’ lea’e us nought but grief an’ pain, For promis’d joy!” Robert Burns 1785

Modern Translation: (”But mouse, you are not alone In proving foresight may be vain: The best-laid schemes of mice and men Go often awry, And leave us nothing but grief and pain, For promised joy!”)

From a planning perspective, the Province and the City of Owen Sound have enacted a plethora of legislation, regulations, policies, and plans that relate directly to the City’s downtown, now called The River District. One would expect that these documents would provide an abundance of clarity.

Sadly, they do and they don’t.

To start, legally, The Corporation of the City of Owen Sound is incorporated under the Municipal Act, 2001, and is therefore a ‘creature’ of the Province. The authority for land use decisions derives from the Government of Ontario’s Planning Act, which governs how land is developed. One of its primary purposes is to “promote sustainable economic development in a healthy natural environment.”

More specifically, Ontario accomplishes this governance through a variety of Regulations, especially the Provincial Planning Statement (PPS). This policy is intended to provide a “province-wide land use planning policy framework” that will, amongst other things, “support development, and increase the housing supply across the province” and “protect agricultural lands, the environment, public health and safety.”

The PPS provides the structure for the City’s Official Plan (OP), meaning that the City’s OP must be consistent with both the Planning Act and the PPS.

At first blush, these documents appear to say all the right words about the importance of Ontario’s downtowns.

As far back as 1997, the Provincial Planning Statement (PPS) noted the importance of “maintaining and, where possible, enhancing the vitality and viability of downtowns and mainstreets.” The importance of downtowns persisted until 2020, after which things changed.

In the 2024 PPS, the Province rolled downtowns up into “strategic growth areas” along with major transit station areas, lands in close proximity to publicly assisted postsecondary institutions, underutilized shopping malls and plazas, etc. In effect, they were no longer considered distinct from other parts of town.

Reflecting the PPS, the City’s OP has also emphasized its commitment to the Downtown/River District. The word “downtown” appeared 150 times in the 2006 OP, 148 times in the 2017 OP, and the “River District” was mentioned 91 times in the 2022 OP. The City’s latest OP still mentions the downtown 88 times.

The OP continues to include objectives such as:

• “Maintain and enhance the viability and vitality of the River District Commercial and Harbour as the primary economic, commercial, financial, cultural, tourism and employment focus of the City and region.”

• “To maintain and promote the importance of the River District Commercial and Harbour as a focus of growth and investment and a key cultural and tourism resource in the City.”

Perhaps more importantly, the OP notes:

• “For any expansion to the East City Commercial designation or rezoning application in the East City Commercial designation for the uses listed in Section 3.5.1.1 a) and b) that are less than 465 square metres and greater than 1,400 square metres, the City shall require the following information and studies acceptable to the City:]

  A retail market analysis of the need for the proposed development and the impact of the proposed use on the commercial structure of the City and the County. Such a study shall confirm that:

  • Designated commercial property, suitable for the intended scale and type of development is not available within the River District Commercial area.

  • Available commercial property in the River District Commercial area is not economically viable for the intended scale and type of development.

  • The proposed increase in commercial floor space will not be premature by increasing the amount of commercial floor space in the City beyond the 5 year market demand.

  • The proposed development will not undermine the economic viability or planned function of a significant commercial component of the River District Commercial area or impair the function of a designated commercial district as identified in this Plan.”

Furthermore, the City has invested heavily in the downtown from the planning, program, and infrastructure perspectives. This includes plans such as:

• 2000 Owen Sound Harbour & Downtown Urban Design / Master Plan Strategy (which was considered “part of the Official Plan”)

• 2006 Retail and Commercial Policy Review

• 2015–2020 Strategic Plan

• 2018 Downtown River Precinct - Master Plan

• 2020 River District Action Plan

• 2020 Community Improvement Plan

• 2021–2023 Strategic Plan Refresh

• 2025 – Vision 2050

and programs including:

• Façade & Structural Improvement Grant Program

• Vacant Lands Tax Assistance Program

• Start-up Space Leasehold Improvement Grant Program

and infrastructure projects such as:

• Downtown River Precinct (DRP) initiative:

  • Phase 1 of the DRP was completed in 2019, with construction in the 800 block of 1st Avenue East (including the Farmers’ Market area).

  • Phase 2 of the DRP was completed in 2025, with the transformation of the 900 block of 1st Avenue East.

  • Future Phases 3 and 4 will focus on redeveloping the west side of the Sydenham River, 800 and 900 blocks.

Despite these strong commitments and actions, development of retail space on the east side has proceeded apace to the point that it has long since surpassed the downtown in terms of square footage.

The following chart illustrates the square feet of retail space in the downtown relative to the east side. As can be seen, by 1999, there was over 2.5 times more retail space on the east side relative to the downtown.

These changes did not happen without challenges and, at times, considerable consternation. Indeed, it is clear that City Council struggled to strike a balance between maintaining the downtown and meeting the demand for new development.

• In 2001, it took the Mayor to break a tie vote to permit the arrival of Home Depot to the City.

• The 2006 Retail and Commercial Policy Review determined that there was opportunity to provide further clarification and direction within the City’s Official Plan policies to help promote the Downtown area while balancing future development in other commercial nodes.

• In 2013, the Sun Times reported, “city council rejected most of a number of zoning requests by the developer including increasing by 57% the amount of retail and service floor space at Heritage Grove. Villarboit is in the process of reviewing their options including appealing council’s decision to the Ontario Municipal Board.”

At the end of the day, any sort of balance between the downtown and the east side has proved impossible.

It should also be noted that developers retain legal counsel and planners who can request amendments to the City’s OP and Zoning Bylaw or challenge decisions made by the City to the Ontario Land Tribunal (previously the Ontario Municipal Board). These matters can take months to resolve, involve significant amounts of staff time, necessitate the retention of external legal counsel, and cost the City over $100,000 per appeal.

In addition, when the Province updates the PPS, the City must ensure that local plans and policies are amended to reflect these changes. Most recently, at the March 23, 2026, Council Meeting, a report on the Comprehensive Update of the City of Owen Sound Official Plan 2021 and Zoning By-law stated:

“The City’s Official Plan includes goals, objectives and policies related to protecting the viability of the River District and Harbour and maintaining the River District as the City’s primary commercial node.

These policies related to the former Provincial Policy Statement, which included policy in section 1.7 that supported the maintenance and enhancement of downtowns and main streets.

The new Provincial Planning Statement, 2024, does not include this same policy. The City’s Official Plan can continue to include policy related to maintaining the River District, but it is no longer a provincial policy direction. The importance of the River District commercial node remains a relevant policy consideration.”

The report goes on to note, “that there was opportunity to provide further clarification and direction within the City’s Official Plan policies to help promote the Downtown area while balancing future development in other commercial nodes.”

It is nigh on impossible to consider the changes to Owen Sound’s downtown without recognizing that there are a plethora of factors other than government policies that affect businesses. Obviously, it goes beyond the scope of this article to dissect all of the things such as personal decisions, market forces, and the global economy that go into business decisions. Suffice to say that the evolution from:

downtown
to
downtown + shopping centre
to
downtown + shopping centre + big-box stores
to
downtown + shopping centre + big-box stores + online marketplaces/e-commerce platforms

coupled with

pandemic
+
inflation
+
elevated interest rates
+
escalating trade tensions

synergize to generate an exceptionally tangled web.

Finally, one must remember that the City is not an island. It is surrounded by three municipalities (Georgian Bluffs, Chatsworth, and Meaford), which are governed by separate councils who make decisions they consider in the best interests of their communities.

Given the proximity of the boundaries (e.g. Sunset Strip), transitions into these separate jurisdictions can be as simple as crossing an intersection, yet much more complex in practice.

For instance, as noted previously, the growth of retail businesses in Keppel Township, just outside the City’s western boundary, has contributed to changes in the City’s downtown.

Tune in for the next in our series, in which we’ll examine the demographics, age, and income ranges in Owen Sound have contributed to its reshaping over time.

Thank you to sponsors of The Owen Sound Current Writers’ Fund, who make these community contributions possible. Contributions from the community do not necessarily reflect the opinions or beliefs of The Owen Sound Current and its editor or publisher.

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In this series:

Four weeks into the Family Health Team strike, Dr. Bruce Stanners, who referred patients to the team daily, has taken the case straight to Health Minister Sylvia Jones.

In the letter below, he relays what some striking members have told him, including that they aren't sure they'll go back. Read it in full:

Public Notice

• The Municipality of Meaford is asking residents to conserve water following a power outage at the water treatment plant just after 5:10 a.m. on Sunday, June 14.

• Georgian Bluffs is grading gravel roads and applying calcium chloride dust suppressant across the Township over the next two weeks.

• Closed for repairs: Concession 2 Bridge in Chatsworth Township located at fire number 395953 Conc 2, starting June 22, 2026 through to October 30, 2026. No through access.

• There is road construction work planned for Bruce Road 19 from June 15 to 25, 2026.

Keep Reading

Today’s edition includes a report on the financial impact of the most recent City of Owen Sound fire arbitration, increased bear sightings this season, one local police force’s success with a “Wanted” program, a look at community events held this weekend, and a lot more.

Miranda Miller
Editor

Local News

Read more

Through an arbitration process that ran for more than four years, the City of Owen Sound argued it couldn’t afford to pay its firefighters more. The arbitrator awarded the increases regardless.

The binding decision, handed down March 9, set the contract for the City’s full-time firefighters from Jan. 1, 2019 through Dec. 31, 2026. City manager Tim Simmonds confirmed the City’s ability-to-pay argument was rejected in a June 13 email to the Owen Sound Current.

“With regard to the ability to pay, legal counsel on behalf of the City, made submissions on the City’s ability to pay that were not accepted by the Arbitrator,” he wrote.

The email, sent in response to Owen Sound Current’s questions in March about the binding award, also put figures to a decision the City had not costed publicly since the ruling came down. The award carries a one-time retroactive payout of about $1.55 million, Simmonds said.

It also sets the annual cost of fire-service pay and benefits at about $5.5 million — what the City spends on fire personnel, not the full fire department budget.

“These costs are funded through taxation,” Simmonds wrote.

What the City now confirms

The retroactive payout — about $1.55 million, covering Jan. 1, 2019 to March 14, 2026 — is a one-time cost the City funded without drawing on reserves.

“Money had been set aside each year in the budget,” Simmonds wrote. “Those monies that were accrued each year, covered the retroactive payments and no additional reserve money was required.”

That confirms a claim a City director made at a May committee meeting: that the City had accrued enough to fully cover the back pay. Until now, the only public figure was in a May 7 corporate services report, which put 2026 fire services budget pressure at roughly $90,000 and described the retroactive payments as still being calculated.

The $5.5 million Simmonds cited is the annual pay-and-benefit cost under the awarded rates, not the cost of the increase. The award’s ongoing cost shows up as new budget pressure: about $93,500 for the remainder of 2026, roughly $66,000 of it from higher benefit costs, supervisory pay differentials and increased OMERS pension contributions.

That pressure carries into the 2027 budget.

Award terms already on the record

The March 9 decision set wages and benefits for the 29-member full-time bargaining unit, including 26 suppression firefighters, from Jan. 1, 2019 to Dec. 31, 2026.

The top-rate base salary for a first-class firefighter rises from $99,821 in 2019 to $121,099 in 2026 — a cumulative 21.3% over the seven years, with an increase in each year of the agreement.

Those yearly increases are retroactive: the City must pay the difference between what firefighters actually earned each year and the newly awarded rates, back to 2019. Firefighters move up a salary grid by years of service before reaching the top rate, so not all earn that figure.

The award also raised psychological services coverage to $4,000 a year, set a line-of-duty death benefit at twice salary, established parental leave top-ups at 75% of salary, and set supervisory pay differentials at 119% of base.

Where it sits in the budget

The $5.5 million is compensation alone — fire-service wages and benefits — and the largest single piece of the City's fire spending, though not the whole of it.

The fire services levy requirement for 2026 is about $6.2 million, roughly 15.9% of the City’s $39-million municipal levy. Wages and benefits make up the majority of fire service costs.

How the decision was made

Fire-sector contract disputes that can’t be settled at the bargaining table go to binding interest arbitration under the Fire Protection and Prevention Act, 1997 — a process that takes the outcome out of council’s hands. The province rewrote the criteria arbitrators must weigh in 2018.

Bill 57 no longer requires an arbitrator to treat a municipality’s “ability to pay” as a distinct criterion, replacing it with factors that include the economic health of the municipality and the interest and welfare of the community.

Municipalities had sought that change. Through the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, they welcomed it as putting local fiscal circumstances more clearly within an arbitrator's decision-making, though AMO also cautioned that the amendments do not guarantee arbitration outcomes.

Ontario has 437 fire departments — 32 career/full-time, 210 composite, and 195 volunteer/part-time. Owen Sound is one of the 32 career/full-time departments. With about 21,600 residents, Owen Sound is among the smaller Ontario municipalities to run a fully career fire department.

The City went in looking to cut

The affordability submission was not the City’s only attempt to hold down fire costs. Owen Sound entered the arbitration seeking to reduce its full-time firefighter complement over time through attrition. That staffing question was resolved in a separate 2025 arbitration decision and was not revisited in the final wage-and-benefit award.

In February 2024, former councillor John Tamming asked council in writing for the City’s proposed staffing reduction, the projected annual savings and a cost estimate. Simmonds declined to answer most of it, citing the live arbitration.

“I’d reserve any comment or response to a number of those questions at this particular time,” he said at the time.

The Owen Sound Current asked the City for its analysis of its ability to pay in March 2026. Simmonds confirmed only that the City's submissions on the point were rejected; the analysis itself was not provided.

The Current also asked for the cost of the benefit enhancements, the supervisory pay differentials and the pension impact to be itemized. Simmonds gave a single combined figure — about $66,000 — without breaking it down.

The report stays closed

The staff report setting out the financial implications of the award went to a closed council session on labour relations, and the City is not releasing it.

“As the report went to a Closed Session meeting as it related to Labour Relations, we will not be sharing the report,” Simmonds wrote.

The Municipal Act permits councils to close meetings to discuss labour relations. It does not require the City to keep the report confidential. The City has decided not to release it.

Several questions remain. The City has not itemized the $66,000 in benefit, differential and pension costs, provided a year-by-year breakdown of the retroactive pay, or said whether the $1.55 million is net of an interim award the arbitrator issued in 2021. Nor has it confirmed whether the $5.5-million annual figure covers the full fire service — the budget's salary line includes the chief and deputy — or the 29-member bargaining unit alone.

The City has also not disclosed the legal costs of this arbitration. The previous round, covering 2015 to 2018, cost about $980,000 in retroactive pay and $220,000 in legal fees.

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR

To the editor: The following letter was emailed to the Honourable Sylvia Jones, Ontario’s Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, on June 13, 2026, with hard copy to follow. It was copied to JP Harnick, OPSEU; Marit Stiles, Leader NDP; and John Fraser, Interim Leader Liberal Party.

Honourable Minister,

I am writing this letter to you and am sending a separate copy of it to JP Hornick, leader of the OPSEU.

I am writing to express my sincere concerns about health care in this community. Members of the Owen Sound Family Health Team are now entering the fourth week of their strike against the Ministry of Health.

This community is now having to experience the second strike affecting the Owen Sound Family Health Centre in recent years. The first was in 2018 and involved nurses, support staff and custodians striking against the 22 primary care doctors.

When patients attempted to visit the facility during the strike there were confrontations between strikers and community members. The strike lasted over three months, and it has had ongoing effects on the lives of many people, including doctors, nurses, support workers and members of the community in general.

There were huge changes in the staff that continued working after the strike. Unfortunately it seems the Ministry of Health, which is responsible for funding the doctors, who have to pay for all of the support staff that assist them from their own income, and OPSEU have had no visible apparent ongoing concern about how our part of the health care system has been functioning since that strike ended.

Now we are faced with a strike by members of the Owen Sound Family Health Team against the Ministry of Health. Members of this Team include nurses, social workers, dieticians, an occupational therapist, and a pharmacist.

They provide services that include palliative care services and navigation, enhanced support for frail elderly, memory care including specialized clinics and memory testing, smoking cessation, cancer screening, diabetic foot care, mental health counselling which is the only no-fee individualized counselling services in Owen Sound, nutrition support for chronic diseases and eating disorders, pain management support, medication reviews after patients are discharged from hospital, fall prevention assessments and education, enhanced supports for medially complex and marginalized patients and pre-natal and newborn care for patients not attached with a primary care provider.

The physicians of the Owen Sound Medical Associates and the Georgian Bay Practice Associates normally work very closely with members of the FHT. I used to refer patients to the above mentioned programs daily and I frequently consulted with the pharmacist for clarity on pharmaceutical issues.

The members of the FHT who are striking have been picketing daily since May 25th. They have marched outside of the office of Mr Paul Vickers MPP for Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound, outside of the Owen Sound City Hall, and on one of the bridges in Owen Sound that carries a great deal of vehicular traffic. They have apparently attempted to contact Mr Vickers through his office in order to meet with him to discuss their situation, but they have been told consistently by his staff that he is unavailable.

I want to express my personal and professional gratitude to the members of the FHT who I have worked with and who unfortunately are currently on strike. The have not been paid now for 3 weeks and in talking to several of the individuals, they are finding it difficult to consider resuming to work with the FHT when similar positions in the hospital for example, pay much better in salaries and benefits. Along with this, some FHT members have indicated that they are unclear about what the union’s plan or intentions are.

I hope that a resolution to their strike and contract issues will come soon. Many people are being negatively affected by this and it would help to restore health care in this community to an acceptable level and perhaps stimulate a goal to working toward greater health care in an area of Ontario that has the largest proportion of aging citizens.

Bruce Stanners MD, FCFP, Dip Sport Med

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Letters to the Editor do not necessarily reflect the opinions or beliefs of The Owen Sound Current and its editor or publisher.

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