Feb 25 - Local News, Views & Notices

Plus: A rural reader asks voters to question whether Ford's PCs represent traditional conservative values

👋 Welcome to The Owen Sound Current, your source for what’s happening in and around Owen Sound. Thank you to our Sustaining Supporters for funding contributor stories and keeping public notices and letters open to all! Upgrade to a full subscription for original local reporting, event listings, curated stories, commenting privileges, and full archive access.

---

Work to remove excess snow from the downtown core begins Tuesday with rolling street closures. See under Public Notices for more.

We asked yesterday how many of you turned up to vote early ahead of Election Day, and 67% said you’d already cast your ballot!

No doubt, we have a conscientious and community-minded readership here at The Owen Sound Current. Advance turnout province-wide wasn’t nearly as impressive, as Elections Ontario reported just 6.1% of voters took advantage of early polling stations. That’s down quite a bit from the 9.9% who voted early in the 2022 provincial election.

The good news is that there’s still time.

I’ve heard and read some disheartened perspectives from friends and community members of every age and walk of life, wondering why they’d bother voting when it always seems to turn out the same for us here in Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound.

But here’s the thing; choosing not to vote is still a choice, and it’s the one that guarantees nothing changes.

Those who feel jaded or unheard have valid concerns. But I also see many people sharing their passion and encouragement, reminding us that voting isn’t just about winning or losing—it’s about showing up and being counted.

In some countries, people take holidays to vote, lining the streets with pride to show their support. I’ve been in Guatemala and El Salvador during elections, and it is truly incredible to witness. The energy is electric as people celebrate their right to vote, knowing how much it matters.

We don’t have that same level of spectacle here, but maybe we should. Voting isn’t just a duty; it’s a privilege.

So, make your plan for Thursday. Exercise your right to vote. Take a friend. Take a neighbour. Take the kids… even if they’re not old enough yet, let them see how it’s done. Normalize it. Celebrate it. 🎉

Get out your vote, and make sure those around you do, too. If you didn’t receive your voter card, use the online Voter Information Service to find your poll location.

That brings us to a timely contribution from a rural reader.

Opinion

After 35 years of unwavering PC support, are rural voters in Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound still getting the conservatism they believe in?

Joyce Hall of Markdale challenges voters to reflect on whether Doug Ford’s government truly upholds their values.

Public Notices

• Bluewater District School Board has given notice of a Special Regular Meeting of the Board to be held tonight, Tuesday, February 25, at 7:00 p.m. On the agenda: Trustee Vacancy.

• Excess snow removal begins downtown today, Tuesday, Feb. 25, at 7 a.m. Rolling road closures will occur block by block to improve safety and accessibility. See more.

• The Good Cheer Rink at Harrison Park will be closed beginning Monday, February 24, 2025, due to unseasonably warm weather and sunny conditions. It is intended to reopen on Wednesday, February 26, 2025. Learn more.

Local News

Keep reading for local events, our original reporting, and curated local news updates. Today, you’ll find key decisions from Owen Sound Council’s meeting last night, a report on a sizable grocery store theft, Coldest Night of the year results from four Grey-Bruce communities, and more.

If you can’t see the info below, you’re missing out. (Nope, it doesn’t all appear on the website.) Upgrade your subscription for full access.

~ Miranda Miller, Editor