Open Council

Budget Basket offers lower prices - but has ties to a Russian billionaire family sanctioned by Ukraine and Poland - Open Council Shoppers may save at Belleville’s new Budget Basket, which plans to expand to Kingston and Peterborough, but its ownership is tied to a Russian family sanctioned by Ukraine and Poland. First reported ...

Budget Basket in Belleville had the best unit price for 51% of the 56 products compared to local major grocery chains.

opencouncil.ca/budget-basket/

Only 34% of Belleville's food/organic waste is diverted from landfills, well under the 50% benchmark set by the Ontario government. Rural households placed around 50% more food waste in the garbage per households compared to urban households.
https://opencouncil.ca/belleville-waste-audit/

Thanks for sharing Martin. Where did you find this clip? I'd like to add it to the page.

Trudeau government to give out $4.7B in pre-election rebate payments November 21, 2024 - The Trudeau federal government announced the Working Canadians Rebate which would pay $250 to 18.7 million Canadians who worked in 2023 and

The Trudeau government will send $250 to the 18.7 million Canadians who made less than $150,000 in 2023 in early spring 2025 - shortly after Doug Ford's $200 payment to every taxpayer in Ontario.
opencouncil.ca/federal-gove...

Trudeau/NDP government provides 5% GST tax break pause for 2 months on select products November 21, 2024 - The federal Liberal government with the support of the NDP is pausing the 5% Goods and Services Tax (GST)/Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) for 2 m

The Trudeau government supported by the NDP is pausing GST/HST for 2 months starting December 14, 2024 to February 15, 2025 on certain categories of products including alcohol and video games.
opencouncil.ca/federal-gove...

Ford government bans ranked choice voting by municipalities In 2014, the Wynne government mandate letters ordered the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing to give municipalities the option of using ranked ballots in

In 2016, the Wynne government gave municipalities the option to use ranked ballots.
London used ranked ballots in the 2018 election, and other municipalities made moves to switch.
In 2020, the Ford government banned the use of ranked ballots.
opencouncil.ca/ranked-ballo...

Ford government spending $525-675M on Therme Spa to get up to $380-580M in value back if it is successful for 95 years: analysis What is the Therme Spa project? In 2017, the Wynne government issued a Request for Proposals for Ontario Place redevelopment and a bid from Therme Group was

Based on our calculations, the Ford government plans to invest $525-675M now to receive $580M back in present value, plus an estimated $128M in GDP and 800 jobs, assuming 3% discount rate, business operates for the full 95 years and grows by 3% per year.
opencouncil.ca/theme-spa-on...

Doug Ford orders LCBO to give paper bag contract to an Ontario company after it had already been awarded to a Quebec company Timeline October 22, 2024 - LCBO says it will re-do the procurement process as soon as possible LCBO recognizes direction received from the provincial go

Apr 8 - Premier Ford orders LCBO to reintroduce paper bags
Oct 9 - LCBO awards $10.9M contract to Rosenbloom Groupe Inc. of Quebec
Oct 22 - Premier Ford orders LCBO to redo the process and give the contract to an Ontario company instead
opencouncil.ca/lcbo-paper-b...

Ford's government pays $225M to Molson and Labatt to allow lobbyists' clients to sell beer 1.5 years ahead of schedule On September 22, 2015 the Ontario Liberal government entered into 10-year Master Framework Agreement (MFA) effective January 1, 2016 that gave the Beer Store -

Ford's government decided it couldn't wait another year and a half for the agreement to expire, choosing instead to pay out $225M to Molson and Labatt to break the 10 year long Beer Store contract 1 year, 7 months, and 9 days early on May 23, 2024.
opencouncil.ca/ford-governm...

YourTV Quinte hides election coverage during election day On September 12, 2024 the NDP, Green Party, and Liberal candidates for the 2024 Bay of Quinte by-election debated for the second time. The debate was pre-rec

On September 12, 2024 the NDP, Green Party, and Liberal candidates for the 2024 Bay of Quinte by-election debated for the second time. The debate was pre-recorded and hosted by YourTV (Cogeco 4/700) studios in downtown Belleville.
opencouncil.ca/yourtv-quint...

Belleville residential intensification project to support missing middle housing On September 9, 2024 Belleville Council agreed in principal pending a public consultation to re-apply to the federal Housing Accelerator Fund for $16.8M to add

Belleville Council agreed in principal pending a public consultation to re-apply to the federal Housing Accelerator Fund for $16.8M that would add an estimated 460 additional units over 3 years by allowing 4 unit dwellings on urban residential lots.
opencouncil.ca/belleville-m...

Belleville to re-apply to Housing Accelerator Fund after denial, agrees in principle to 4 units as-of-right pending public consultation Belleville applied to the first round of the $4 billion federal Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) for up to $22.3M to build an estimated 875 housing units, but was

Council agreed in principal pending a public consultation to re-apply to the federal Housing Accelerator Fund for $16.8M to add an estimated 460 additional units over 3 years. This time, they'll allow 4 units as-of-right on an urban residential lot.
opencouncil.ca/belleville-h...

Proportional representation case before Ontario Supreme Court Various political parties in Canada have supported electoral reform while not in power and during election campaigns, only to back away from the promise of refo

For over 100 years, Canadian political parties have supported electoral reform while not in power and during election campaigns, only to back away from the promise of reform once elected, when proportional representation is no longer in the short-term self-interest of
opencouncil.ca/electoral-re...

Belleville requests feedback on allowing “Missing middle” housing options, including four-unit dwellings on urban serviced residential parcels of land.
forms.belleville.ca/Engineering/...

Open survey: What practical life skills should be taught in Ontario schools? Tell the Ontario government here.
www.ontario.ca/form/survey-...

Mayor's Challenge to fund the Bridge has raised $20k so far The Bridge Integrated Care Centre known as "The Bridge" or "The Hub" is operated by Bridge Street United Church and opened in May 2021.It was initially mea

Here's how you can donate.
opencouncil.ca/the-bridge-b...

Submit questions for Bay of Quinte by-election virtual debate Sept. 10 September 6, 2024 - Submit debate questions herePlease note your question may not be quoted directly and may be combined with others.September 10, 2024

Submit debate questions before the virtual debate on September 10, 2024 at 7 pm (stream location TBA) for the upcoming by-election on September 19.
Please note your question may not be quoted directly and may be combined with others.
opencouncil.ca/bay-of-quint...

2024 Bay of Quinte by-election Sept. 19 A provincial by-election has been called for the electoral district of Bay of Quinte. Election day will take place on September 19, 2024 in Belleville, Quinte W

A provincial by-election has been called for the electoral district of Bay of Quinte. Election day will take place on September 19, 2024 in Belleville, Quinte West and Prince Edward County. Here is the complete list of candidates.
opencouncil.ca/election/202...

Tyler Allsopp – PC Candidate for MPP of Bay of Quinte Tyler Allsopp is running in the 2024 Bay of Quinte byelection as the candidate for the PC Party of Ontario, requesting an unpaid leave of absence from council.

Tyler Allsopp is running in the 2024 Bay of Quinte byelection as the candidate for the PC Party of Ontario.


Before being named the candidate, he was a councillor of the City of Belleville for Ward 1, requesting an unpaid leave of absence from council.
opencouncil.ca/representati...

Amanda Robertson - NDP Candidate for MPP of Bay of Quinte Amanda RobertsonAmanda Robertson is running in the 2024 Bay of Quinte byelection as the candidate for the Ontario New Democratic Party.Before

Amanda Robertson is running in the 2024 Bay of Quinte byelection as the candidate for the Ontario New Democratic Party.


Before being named, she was Vice-chair of Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board (HPEDSB) representing Belleville.
opencouncil.ca/representati...

Sean Kelly – Liberal Candidate for MPP of Bay of Quinte Sean Kelly is running as the candidate for the Liberal Party of Ontario in the 2024 Bay of Quinte byelection, requesting an unpaid leave of absence from council

Sean Kelly is running as the candidate for the Liberal Party of Ontario in the 2024 Bay of Quinte byelection, requesting an unpaid leave of absence from council.
opencouncil.ca/representati...

Lori Borthwick - Green Candidate for MPP of Bay of Quinte Lori Borthwick is running in the 2024 Bay of Quinte byelection as the candidate for the Green Party of Ontario.Born and raised in Sarnia, Borthwic

Lori Borthwick is running in the 2024 Bay of Quinte byelection as the candidate for the Green Party of Ontario.


Born and raised in Sarnia, Borthwick has called the Bay of Quinte home since 1989.
opencouncil.ca/representati...

Mark Snow - Libertarian Candidate for MPP of Bay of Quinte Mark Snow is running as the candidate for the Ontario Libertarian Party in the 2024 Bay of Quinte byelection.Snow is the Leader of the Ontario Libertar

Mark Snow is running as the candidate for the Ontario Libertarian Party in the 2024 Bay of Quinte byelection.
opencouncil.ca/representati...

Margaret Schuler - New Blue Party Candidate for MPP of Bay of Quinte Margaret Schuler is running as the candidate for the New Blue Party in the 2024 Bay of Quinte byelection.EducationProfessional education program c

Margaret Schuler is running as the candidate for the New Blue Party in the 2024 Bay of Quinte byelection.
opencouncil.ca/representati...

John Turmel - Independent Candidate for MPP of Bay of Quinte John Turmel, born on February 22, 1951, in Rouyn, Quebec, Canada, and resident of Brantford, Ontario is running as an independent candidate in the 2024 Bay

John Turmel, born on February 22, 1951, in Rouyn, Quebec, Canada, and resident of Brantford, Ontario is running as an independent candidate in the 2024 Bay of Quinte byelection.
opencouncil.ca/representati...

Ford government cancels wind farms, pays $231M in penalties, then orders more wind farms One of Doug Ford's first acts as premier of Ontario just days after taking office on June 29, 2018, was cancelling 759 renewable energy projects for a total of

2018: We’re cancelling 462.5 MW of “unnecessary and wasteful energy” energy projects
2023: We’re ordering 2,000 MW of renewable energy projects, “ensuring long-term affordability for Ontario’s ratepayers and businesses“
opencouncil.ca/wind-farms-c...

Ford government's Bill 165 overrides regulator, raises your Enbridge bill, increases gas use OR: How closely the 4th largest publicly-traded Canadian company works with the governmentSince 1998, the cost to install new natural gas connections to new

Since 1998, the cost to install new homes' natural gas connections has NOT been paid for Enbridge, housing developers or homebuyers.
Instead, system expansion is subsidized by existing natural gas customers' delivery fees over 40 years. #Enbridge #OEB
opencouncil.ca/bill-165-enb...

MPP Todd Smith joins Candu Energy after the company signed a 6-year, billion dollar deal with OPG under his tenure After being shuffled from Minister of Energy to Minister of Education, MPP Todd Smith received a lot of interesting offers from the energy sector and shortly th

After being shuffled from Minister of Energy to Minister of Education, MPP Todd Smith received a lot of interesting offers from the energy sector and shortly thereafter resigned as an elected official to accept the job offer from Candu Energy Inc.
opencouncil.ca/mpp-todd-smi...