We’ve lived in Owen Sound a long time—through good times and bad. COVID hit us hard, and we’re recovering slower than our neighbours. We asked why: we pay some of the highest taxes in Ontario, have some of the lowest household incomes, and the City spends big on HR—yet we’re not seeing progress on the basics: housing with primary care, real mental-health help, a cleaner, more welcoming downtown, and smart economic growth. If we’re hiring people with the right skills, what’s blocking results? When we worked for pay, we performed—or we got a review. It’s time for a public performance check-up and a simple report card. With an election year ahead, there’s still time to meet the next leaders, set clear goals, and expect delivery. Dignity, purpose, a dash of humour—let’s get Owen Sound moving again.

Why this matters Walk downtown on a cold evening and you can feel it: too many dark windows, too few places to warm up, no public washrooms, not enough signs that someone’s looking out for all of us. Even City Hall—beautiful as it is—doesn’t always feel like the welcoming front porch of our town. With winter coming, we don’t need speeches. We need basics you can see. That’s what the Omnibus is about. It’s a simple way to start doing the obvious things together, right away: open public washrooms 24/7, keep 2nd Avenue and our downtown streets and back alleys safe, clean and well-lit, help move attainable homes from planning to move-in-ready, and make it easier to find a doctor and wraparound primary care. Nothing fancy—just the small, steady work that makes a place feel like home. It also means no more “someone will look into it.” By establishing a Community-led Vision 2050 Leadership Team - with shared leadership and decisionmaking, each priority will have a team to take the lead— in addtion to the Mayor, the co-lead may be an expert partner from the Ontario Health Team, Indigenous Health Care Services, SOS, Four Counties Labour Planning Board, Bruce Power, Public Health, YMCA, United Way, O’Share, or another local group.  Priority teams will report every 3–4 months about what worked, what didn't, what changed and what’s next. If something slips, we say so and fix it. You’ll be able to see the whole thing on a simple public report-card page, and you can add ideas or offer a hand. And when your tax bill arrives, you’ll see a plain-language snapshot: what you paid, what you got, and the difference it made— including photos and written in plain language. As for our “unfixable” tough problems—they can be fixed. Not every time. Not for everyone. But more often than not. Because most of us know someone, or have been that someone, who’s had a rough patch—lost a job, savings, family, or a loved one. Too many of them are just kids who grew up here. When life tilted, the support every kid needs just wasn’t there. A city-plus-community partnership lets us line up care, housing, and day-to-day support so fewer people end up in the ER just to stay warm, and so families, seniors, and small businesses can feel proud of downtown again. This isn’t about being loud. It’s about a city being both kind and practical. Keeping the lights on downtown, keeping the streets clean and welcoming, making it easy to find help, and easier to know our neighbours and watch out for each other. Before the snow flies, let’s get the bus rolling.

Across British Columbia, farmers are facing unnecessary barriers because local governments are misclassifying agritourism accommodations. The Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) and Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) clearly recognize agritourism as a permitted farm use. Yet, in the Thompson‑Nicola Regional District (TNRD), seasonal, off‑grid farm‑stay units are being misclassified as “single family dwellings.” This misclassification threatens the viability of agritourism businesses, undermines provincial policy, and penalizes farms that are operating in good faith under ALR/ALC guidelines. Agritourism is not just about farm stays — it’s about: • Strengthening rural economies. • Supporting local food systems. • Providing authentic educational and cultural experiences. • Building bridges between farms and communities. When local governments undermine agritourism, they undermine the resilience of farming itself. Join Us We urge the TNRD Board to reject punitive measures and instead work with farmers, chambers, and tourism groups to create policies that support agritourism across the region. 👉 Sign this petition to stand with BC farmers and protect the future of agritourism.

Doug Ford and his Conservative government are attacking two pillars of Ontario that impact every single one of us: healthcare and education. • Our healthcare system is being dismantled and privatized, putting profits before patients. This affects all of us — from our aging parents who need long-term care, to our children who need access to doctors, nurses, and emergency services. • Our education system is being cut and underfunded. Every child deserves the right to learn in a classroom with proper supports. Instead, Ford is blaming school boards for “overspending” while his government refuses to provide the funding students actually need. The federal government has done what it can, but healthcare and education are provincial responsibilities. The time is now to stop Doug Ford from privatizing the very systems that were created to give everyone — no matter their income — the chance to be healthy and to learn. We demand that Doug Ford and the Ontario Conservatives: 1. Stop healthcare privatization and invest in publicly funded, publicly delivered healthcare. 2. Fully fund Ontario’s public education system so that students, teachers, and families get the supports they need. This is about our future. Our healthcare and our schools are not for sale.

For months, the community has contributed ideas, surveys, and feedback to shape Vision 2050. The plan outlines a bold vision for housing, jobs, healthcare, safety, culture, and sustainability. But residents are growing frustrated with delays, reports, and endless meetings. It’s time to act. We believe Owen Sound can and must: • Finalize the plan at the Sept. 24, 2025 full-day working session with council, staff, and community leaders. • Approve the plan at the Oct. 6, 2025 Council meeting, and mandate a new Owen Sound Community Strategic Leadership Action Team to oversee its rollout. • Launch and communicate Vision 2050 at the Oct. 27, 2025 Council meeting, with a clear roadmap, evaluation plan, and public accountability. This three-step path is achievable, because the work is already done: the draft plan is strong, consultations are complete, and Owen Sound has the partners and expertise to succeed.  What’s missing is urgency. As Juha Kaakinen, architect of Finland’s housing strategy, reminded us: “You can’t KPI your way out of a crisis. Sometimes you just have to give a damn.” We urge Owen Sound City Council: Stop the hamster wheel. Stop planning. Start doing. Launch Vision 2050 this fall.

GardaWorld — a Canadian-based “private security company” — has million-dollar contracts to execute Trump's racist and inhumane immigration regime, which kidnaps people, tears families apart, and denies people due process. This includes staffing the infamous ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) facility "Alligator Alcatraz", which has been described as an "oversized kennel" where people are held without cause, don't see sunlight, and are denied basic rights. The Canadian government, meanwhile, is also quietly awarding federal contracts to GardaWorld — and has refused to commit to ending those contracts despite knowing the company’s role in these abuses. The Code of Ethics of GardaWorld states that the company: "GardaWorld fully supports the principles enshrined in the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights." And yet: • ICE and the U.S. government are currently being sued for a policy which allows ICE agents to arrest people for showing up to court and prevent them from pursuing their immigration cases • Reports from more than two dozen facilities across 16 states from 2017 to 2019, found "negligent" medical care (including mental health care), "unsafe and filthy" conditions, racist abuse of detainees, inappropriate pepper-spraying of mentally ill detainees and other problems that, in some cases, contributed to detainee deaths. And reports from 2017-2021 show the same patterns. • ICE detention lacks basic due process protections found in criminal detention • ICE and immigration detention are being used to deter use of First Amendment-protected free speech This is Maple-washing at its worst. A company using its Canadian identity and reputation to legitimize its work while contributing to a brutal system of detention and deportation. And yet, the Canadian government continues doing business with GardaWorld. That's OUR money the Canadian government is using through the public purse to fund and legitimize these abuses. Canada must take a stand. No more contracts. No more complicity. Sign the petition now to demand the Canadian Government end contracts with GardaWorld. 

This shamelessly greenwashed environmental and fiscal misadventure is an absolutely needless waste of taxpayer dollars when a far less costly and environmentally sustainable means of providing a more efficient and upgradable electrical storage facility can be done faster with a battery park on Saugeen/Ojibway land beside the Bruce Nuclear Power Plant in Tiverton Ontario.   Having to run a new high voltage transmission corridor from Bruce Nuclear Power plant to run pumps in Meaford is a flagrant abuse of funds and the environment when a battery park near the power source can be built and service our struggling electrical grid far sooner and for a fraction of the cost. 

The recent article in the globe and mail indicated that members of the NDP leadership are looking to require $150,000 entry fee and $1.5 million spending limit for the upcoming NDP leadership race. This would require prospective NDP leaders to spend their time extracting more money from NDP members. There is no evidence this will improve the quality of the leader chosen or provide real value to NDP members. It will significantly narrow the field of prospects to choose from. When a leadership race is centered on earning votes rather than fundraising, the focus shifts to the quality of ideas, vision, and genuine connection with the public. When fundraising ability becomes the main metric, candidates are often judged by their access to wealth and influential networks rather than their competence or responsiveness to the needs of everyday citizens. This approach risks sidelining talented leaders who might not have the same financial backing but possess the moral authority, innovative thinking, and grassroots appeal necessary to drive meaningful change. Choosing leaders based on votes ensures that the race reflects the true will of the people, emphasizing policy substance and community trust over the sway of dollars.  Furthermore, making the leadership race about vote-earning rather than fundraising reinforces the democratic principles upon which the NDP is founded. A campaign that prioritizes genuine voter support over financial prowess helps purge the undue influence of big-money interests, paving the way for a leadership that is more attuned to the concerns and aspirations of its members. This approach not only elevates honest, effective leadership but also restores public confidence in a process that should be a contest of ideas and commitment to progress. It positions the party to better serve its constituents, signaling a renewed dedication to meaningful change over monetary influence. I propose an alternative: using centralized, party-funded platforms to drive our fundraising efforts. Rather than evaluating candidates solely on their individual fundraising prowess, we can assess their ability to mobilize and manage our party’s resources. This model levels the playing field, encouraging broader participation, especially from candidates who may not have deep pre-existing donor networks, while ensuring that any surplus funds are retained within the party for future needs. By transforming the leadership race into a collective fundraising event, we not only simplify the financial landscape but also strengthen our party's unity and resource base. This change would allow us to focus on finding the best leader to deliver results while optimizing our financial resources for long-term success. Stand for a NDP leader who can win hearts, not wallets - Sign now to ensure our NDP leadership race is defined by earned votes—not by the power of fundraising! 

Canadians are tired of our broken voting system. After Trudeau broke his promise of reforming our electoral system in 2015, apathy and cynicism towards our democracy has grown. If Canada is to weather the challenges that come our way, we must strengthen our democracy by making our voting systems more fair through proportional representation. As our new Prime Minister, Mark Carney has an opportunity to deliver on this broken promise!  Proportional representation would ensure majority governments have the support of the majority of voters. Political parties and politicians would be incentivized to work across party lines in order to enact durable policies in the interest of all Canadians.  Proportional representation would end strategic voting. Instead of voting against the candidate they dislike, Canadians would be free to make an affirmative choice for the candidate that most reflects their values.  Proportional representation would ensure all voters have meaningful representation. Conservatives in urban centres, Liberals in the West, and progressives in rural areas would finally have representatives in Parliament that reflect their values.  Proportional representation would encourage a political culture of collaboration. Instead of rewarding partisan attacks, proportional representation would elevate politicians who can unite the public and work across party lines to form policy.  Around the world, proportional representation succeeds when two or more parties negotiate and compromise to make it happen. A non-partisan, independent Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform would be a good way to provide feedback to Parliament about how to make Canada's electoral system more proportional. Tell Prime Minister Mark Carney that we need proportional representation to make every vote count! 

Read our LETTER to the BC Special Committee on Democratic and Electoral Reform.

In the wake of the Lapu-Lapu Day tragedy in Vancouver, communities across Canada are grieving, searching for answers—and demanding action. The violence that struck that day turned a place of celebration into a scene of fear, grief, and heartbreak. And in the days that followed, we kept hearing the same thing: “Filipinos are resilient.” Yes, we are. We’ve always shown strength in the face of hardship. But resilience should not be the price of being ignored. It is not a replacement for safety, justice, or investment in our communities. We are tired of being praised for surviving while systems fail to protect us. We want prevention, not just recovery. Dignity, not just sympathy. Concrete action, not just comforting words.That’s why we’re speaking up. That’s why we’re asking you to join us. We are calling on the Prime Minister to take urgent, national action to address the systemic gaps this tragedy has exposed. Add your name now—and share this widely. Rally everyone you know to sign this petition. Every signature helps move this forward. We are calling for: 1. A National Roundtable 2. Stronger mental health intervention 3. Safer public event protocols 4. Community-led safety and trauma support CLICK HERE TO READ THE LETTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER. Sign this petition to demand that the Government of Canada: • Act on these policy priorities in Budget 2025 • Collaborate meaningfully with Filipino and other racialized communities • Stop glorifying resilience and start building safety THIS PETITION IS SUPPORTED BY: •  Filipino Canadian Social & Community Workers Network (FCSCWN) •  Filipino-Canadian Civic Action Network (FCCAN) • Tech2Step Network Canada BRING YOUR ORGANISATION INTO THIS MOVEMENT: We invite societies, grassroots networks, coalitions, cultural organizations, centres, councils, associations, and not-for-profits—especially those supporting racialized, immigrant, and visible minority communities across Canada—to join our calls to action. Allies are welcome too. Please complete this form. Together, let’s ensure no community is left to grieve alone or rebuild unsupported. Let’s demand action—now.

Dear members of the Special Committee on Democratic and Electoral Reform, We are a group of high-school youth that are part of Foundry’s Agenda Gap program. Our mission is to empower youth in Abbotsford and across B.C. by advocating for stronger political representation and policies that support youth mental health and well-being. We believe young people should have a direct voice in shaping the decisions that impact their communities and personal lives. Through activism and education, we work toward a future where youth leadership and advocacy drive a more just, equitable, and inclusive society. We are writing to you today because in 2019 the NDP passed a policy convention resolution to extend the right to vote to 16 and 17 year olds. That year, the BC Green Party and Union of Municipalities unanimously supported a call to lower the provincial voting age as well. Yet, despite the current political climate and its threats to democracy, and the fact that Young New Democrats have party leadership voting rights, 16 and 17 year old youth remain disenfranchised from voting. This is a longstanding request whose time is overdue. It is aligned with NDP values of supporting youth engagement and addressing the needs of diverse Canadians.  Youth represent one fifth of Canada’s population, with 674,500 youth under the age of 18 in British Columbia alone. Increasingly, youth are leading social movements and getting involved in their communities. Further, young people aged 16 to 17 can decide to work an unrestricted amount of hours, pay taxes, join the armed forces, become emancipated, get married, consent to sex, leave school, and drive. Young people contribute greatly to their communities and Canadian society as a whole. For example, our economic contributions as a large part of the labour force are deeply impactful upon sustaining our collective future. Further, we know that youth who vote are both passionate and knowledgeable about current affairs. In alignment with Canada’s obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, young people deserve the right that voting affords to participate in political life and influence the decisions and policies that affect them.  As documented in the recent Lowering the Voting Age: UNICEF Canada Policy Brief (2024),  a number of countries around the world, such as Austria, Belgium and Scotland, have empowered youth aged 16-18 with the right to vote. Research reveals there are no downsides to youth participation. In fact, such changes increase and broaden civic and political engagement by also increasing parent voting engagement. Extending voting rights to youth after they turn 16 also resulted in participation over a longer term, strengthening their democratic processes.  Canadians are confronting a multitude of challenges affecting our wellbeing, such as financial and social inequality, climate change, and threats to democracy. Considering these challenges alongside the decline in voter engagement, this request is timely as youth will bring a fresh perspective, new solutions, diverse opinions, and increased political representation. Lowering the voting age to 16 will ultimately strengthen participation, representation, and democracy itself.  Thank you, in advance, for your action on this critical issue.  Sincerely, Agenda Gap Youth