A 49-year-old Brantford woman has died following a Monday morning fire at a Buchanan Crescent home.
The woman, who resided in the home, was transported to hospital where she was pronounced deceased, a spokesperson for the Brantford Police Service said in a statement released Monday night (May 5).
Police and the Office of the Ontario Fire Marshal are investigating the incident as a criminal investigation. Three other adults also in the home at the time of the fire were transported to hospital for treatment, the spokesperson said.
Brantford Fire Deputy Chief Dwayne Armstrong said the call was received at 7:42 a.m., and firefighters reported smoke was visible upon their arrival at 4-F Buchanan Cr. Brantford police and Brant Brantford paramedics also responded to the fire.
Later in the morning, several police officers were still at the scene including the forensic identification unit.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Brantford Police Service at 519-756-7050 and reference Incident # 25-16880. Anonymous information can be provided by contacting Brant- Brantford Crime Stoppers at 519-750-8477 or 1-800-222-8477. Alternatively, a web tip may be submitted at: https://www.crimestoppersbb.com/submit-a-tip/
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KitchenerNewsPolice launch criminal investigation into fatal fire in BrantfordBy Hannah SchmidtPublished: May 05, 2025 at 12:43PM EDT
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Brantford firefighters say one person was sent to hospital Monday morning after a fire at a home in Brantford
Brantford Fire Services told CHCH News they received reports of the fire at around 7:42 a.m
Neighbours told CHCH News they saw smoke and flames pouring from the window of a townhouse on Buchanan Crescent in north Brantford at the height of the fire
it smelled like burning rubber,” said Chad Gauthier
someone who lives in the complex where the fire occurred
“It just looked like smoke and then when I came around the corner and I seen it – it just started coming out
Four feet of flames – three feet of flames.”
Gauthier said another man had tried to run into the unit to help
One of his neighbours said firefighters had kicked in the door to get inside the burning home and brought out a woman in a blanket
“I see smoke coming through that window
kick off the door and go inside and come back out with a lady inside of a blanket,” said Brandon Thomas
The Brantford Fire Department said that only one person was taken to hospital
Neighbours describe the person to be a well-like middle-aged woman
she always said ‘hi’,” said Thomas
The Office of the Fire Marshall has been contacted and will be conducting an investigation into the circumstances of the fire
There is no released information on the cause of the fire
It is not known if the fire is suspicious at this time
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Fans of comic books, anime, horror, and video games often travel far to attend conventions, but soon they can attend one close to home.
The inaugural Brantford Comic Con will be held on Saturday, May 10 at the Branlyn Community Centre and will be headlined by actor/podcaster Ming Chen from the AMC TV series Comic Book Men, along with AEW wrestler Danhaussen, and voice actor Frederick B. Owens from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Brantford artist and letterer Andrew Thomas will be a featured guest and will have a booth to view and purchase his comics and original artwork. Having taken part in many conventions in larger cities, he gave some input to organizers of the Brantford show.
“You’ll be greeted by people in costume, see cosplay characters, you might find comic books in back-issue bins, or you may find a local crafter or artists that makes hand-made good,” Thomas explained. “We have a nice wrestling presence too, and there will be a prop of the captain’s chair from the original Star Trek series, and 501st Legion members dressed as characters from Star Wars movies.”
He said that events like this are an opportunity for up-and-coming artists to network and get advice.
“Many connections I’ve made in the past have helped me grow as a creator,” he observed. “I wouldn’t be where I am now without those connections.”
Thomas met up with film director Kevin Smith years ago and now provides artwork and lettering for Smith’s new series of comic books called Quick Stops, and Maskerade, and the upcoming July release of Smith’s cross-over project Jay and Bob Meets Archie.
Steve McGinnis, a Brantford artist whose work focuses on a horror theme, will also be a featured guest at the show.
He has done work on movies such as the Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Terrifier 2, is currently working on Circus of the Dead 2, and has written and illustrated three graphic novels with a slasher theme called Rise of the Harvester.
“I love doing the cons because I’m still a giant nerd,” McGinnis shared. “I love wrestling, comics, movies, and to see people there that are as passionate as myself is really nice. I love it.”
Thomas noted that title sponsorship by The Crew Real Estate has been invaluable, along with support with local retailers such as CaptCan Comics.
“We want to make this inaugural event the best it can be,” he shared. “The support (wanting) us to succeed has been overwhelming.”
Brantford Comic Con runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 10 at the Branlyn Community Centre, 238 Brantwood Park Road in Brantford.
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Nine-year-old Spencer Stevenson pointed to his father’s name on a long banner listing several thousand people who have received care at Stedman Community Hospice since it opened in 2004.
His three-year-old brother, Brodie, not tall enough to get a clear view, craned his neck to see.
Andrew Stevenson, known as Drew, died last August after a three-year battle with colon cancer.
“We called him our rock star because he was so great the whole time,” Amy Stevenson said of her husband.
Drew didn’t connect with the hospice until near the end of his life, but his boys now participate in art therapy classes as part of the outreach services offered by the facility. It’s a way for them to “paint and draw about their emotions.”
“For Brodie, cancer has been a part of his life from when he was a month old,” said Stevenson, who brought her sons on a chilly Sunday morning to the Hike or Bike for Hospice, one of the facility’s biggest fundraisers.
About 125 cyclists and 525 hikers participated in the event, expected to raise more than $200,000 for things like frontline nursing care, food, and new beds and lifts.
They walked a one-kilometre route in the neighbourhood of the Grey Street hospice and St. Joseph’s Lifecare Centre. Cyclists started a bit earlier, riding five, 10 and 20 kilometres and finishing in time to join hikers for lunch on the St. Joseph’s grounds.
Over the past 21 years, the event has raised more than $3.2 million.
“We have an incredibly generous community,” said Julie Powell, president and CEO of St. Joseph’s Lifecare Foundation. “We wouldn’t be able to have all the programs and services we offer without community support.”
Most participants in the 21st annual Hike or Bike used markers to fill in space on the backs of their red T-shirts with the name of a lost loved one, many of whom spent their last days in hospice care.
New this year was a memorial mural where people were encouraged to post “photos and words that tell the stories of those who have died,” said Kari Vansickle, hospice director.
Claudette O’Garro used a Sharpie to write a message on a paper butterfly next to a photo of her husband, Steve St. Clair O’Garro, who died in 2016.
“It’s the best place,” Claudelle, who raised about $2,000 with her team called Steve’s Angels, said of the hospice. “I couldn’t have asked for a better place for Steve to end his life. Everyone is treated with love.”
A large group calling themselves Bert’s Big Red Machine, clad in red ball caps to honour Bert Barker, a loyal Cincinnati Reds fan who spent a month in hospice care before his death in December 2023, raised more than $11,000.
The Barker family, including Sonja, Bert’s wife of 57 years; daughter Heather; son Aaron; and granddaughter Heather, were also the ambassadors of this year’s fundraiser.
“Coming to the hospice took away the burden of care so we could just focus on our time together,” said Heather. “He received the best care and so did we. It has become our calling so that other families can receive the same.”
The community’s financial support is essential, said Powell. It costs about $3.5 million annually to operate the hospice, with about $1.7 million coming from donors and the rest from the provincial government.
About 175 people come into care at the 10-bed hospice annually, with hundreds more using services provided through community outreach. VanSickle said the demand for services continues to grow as people live longer, are sicker when they seek care, and awareness of the services provided at Stedman increases.
“We will each carry with us the names and faces of those we’ve lost,” said VanSickle before the hikers started their walk. “We want to ensure no one faces their final journey alone.”
Grand River Community Health Centre has opened a new primary care access clinic for those without a family physician or nurse practitioner
“We recognize the growing need in our communities for accessible primary care,” Lynda Kohler
“This clinic is designed to support those who have been underserved
offering a broad range of health services in a compassionate
Services offered by the clinic include well-baby and child appointments
mental health counselling and management of non-urgent or chronic conditions
The clinic does not provide urgent or emergency care
Those in need of urgent or emergency care should access the emergency departments at Brantford General Hospital
Norfolk General Hospital in Simcoe or the Willett Urgent Care Centre in Paris
Kohler said the initiative is being led by the centre’s inter-professional primary care team established in 2024 with funding from Ontario Health
The clinic has limited capacity to roster clients
Access to primary health care is a major issue locally
provincially and nationally largely due to a shortage of health-care professionals including family physicians
city councillors were told in the fall that about 20 percent of city residents don’t have a family physician
They were also told the problem is expected to worsen as more physicians retire over the next couple of years
It’s estimated the community needs 14 to 16 full-time family physicians to meet local demands
information provided by Workforce Health Ontario in 2023
showed Norfolk County had fewer primary care physicians per 100,000 people than the provincial average and 17 percent of residents didn’t have a family doctor
It was also reported that more than 20 percent of primary care physicians were over 60 and 21 percent of Norfolk residents were patients of those aging doctors
The Ontario College of Physicians has said that if current trends continue
more than four million Ontarians could be without a family doctor by 2026
The centre offers a range of community outreach and health related programs including one that provides primary care to those who are homeless
The program includes outreach services and support to local shelters
The centre is one of 22 announced by the province in 2005 and opened its doors in 2009.
For more information call 226-388-4725 or send an email to IPCT-info@grchc.ca.
An Ontario Trillium Foundation grant of almost $200,000 allowed SOAR Community Services to make a difference in the lives of 182 local clients facing homelessness and/or struggling with mental health and addiction issues.
At a meeting on Friday, SOAR’s executive director Kim Baker told Milan Novakovic, executive director at the office of Brantford-Brant MPP Will Bouma, the funding has had a “transformative impact.”
The money was used by the agency to add case management to its Cornerstone Shelter program, connecting people with resources and navigating them to support services.
“This holistic approach has fostered a pathway out of the shelter system, empowering people to build a stable and hopeful future,” said Baker.
The money was also used to extend counselling services through a mental health clinician.
“Many individuals who accessed our time-limited crisis services were in desperate need of longer-term support to stabilize and improve their mental health,” said Baker. “This ongoing mental health counselling significantly reduced the reliance on emergency services, providing people with the tools and support needed to manage crises more effectively and maintain their well-being.
“In a community where free mental health counselling is not readily accessible, this grant helped us fill an important gap, offering vital support to those who might otherwise go without.”
SOAR has been providing support in Brantford and Brant and Haldimand counties for more than 55 years. They offer services related to employment, housing, justice, mental health and addictions.
Each year, the agency provides services to about 11,000 people.
Last year, the Ontario Trillium Foundation invested nearly $105 million into 732 community projects and partnerships across the province.
Bus riders in Brantford can now use their mobile devices to pay their fares.
Brantford Transit on Monday (May 5) announced that BT Connect, a cashless way of purchasing transit fares, is now available for download.
After downloading the app, riders can purchase adult fares with their phones and scan the barcode on their mobile devices on bus validators to pay.
Those eligible for senior fares need to visit the Brantford Transit Terminal sales kiosk with supporting documentation for verification. Upon verification, eligible seniors will also be able to pay for their rides using their mobile devices.
Transit officials say reduced fare options for children, students and Canadian National Institute for the Blind riders will be available through the app starting May 20. Those who qualify need to visit the terminal with supporting documentation starting May 20 to verify their eligibility.
An account-based app, BT Connect is available on both Android and iOS platforms. The full range of existing fare options such as pay-as-you-go single fares and monthly passes are available.
The app also includes trip planning tools, route maps and schedules to help riders navigate the system more efficiently. It is free to download and use with no additional fees for credit card transactions.
Physical BT Connect cards will be available at the terminal for those who prefer not to use the app.
Meanwhile, Brantford Transit is discontinuing the sale of current fare products such as the B-Card on June 2. However, existing fare products will continue to be accepted for payment until further notice.
Transit officials say further details about the full transition to the new fare system will be announced in the coming months.
Details about the BT Connect app can be found at www.brantford.ca/en/transportation/brantford-transit.aspx .
For more information or support creating your BT Connect mobile app account, email BTConnect@brantford.ca.
For questions about converting existing fare products or verifying eligibility for reduced fare categories contact Brantford Transit Customer Service at 519-753-3847.
Volunteers are vital to communities and to cash-strapped organizations that may not be able to operate programs without them.
But Statistics Canada data from 2022 shows volunteerism may not be bouncing back to pre-pandemic levels. Sixty-seven per cent of organizations reported a shortage of new volunteers. The volunteer base of seniors, Canada’s most dedicated group in terms of hours committed, were also among the most vulnerable to COVID-19 and many haven’t returned to their roles.
“Organizations are always in need of volunteers,” said Kari Astles, president of Brant Regional Association of Volunteer Administrators (BRAVA), “Some programs don’t exist without volunteers. For some, it makes the program better.”
More than 20 local agencies were represented on Saturday at a volunteer fair hosted by BRAVA and the City of Brantford at the TB Costain/SC Johnson Community Centre. The aim was to connect those willing to donate their time to organizations that are meaningful to them.
A steady stream of visitors of all ages filed into the community centre, chatting with reps set up at tables and filling small bags with swag and literature from organizations of interest.
Since 1988, BRAVA has been promoting and supporting volunteerism in Brantford and the County of Brant via educational workshops, special events, promotion of volunteer opportunities, and by providing a network in which volunteer administrators are able to share ideas and best practices.
Astles said people have different motivations for volunteering. Retired seniors like to keep busy and connected to their communities; teens need to acquire volunteer hours to graduate from high school; some want to learn new skills they can add to their resume.
Astles said newcomers to the community, including international post-secondary students, often donate their time to get “the Canadian experience.”
Abigail Beck brought Leo, a young standard poodle in training to be a support dog for Autism Dog Services, to the fair to help draw potential volunteers to their booth.
Beck, who recently graduated from the University of Guelph with a degree in animal biology, is a puppy raiser for the organization.
“I started volunteering because I’ve always loved dogs and I’m hoping to become a vet,” she said. “But seeing the dogs interact with the kids is the best part.”
Heather Smith, coordinator for the VON’s volunteer program, said they are hoping to bolster their current roster of about 25 volunteers, which has fallen from around 70 pre-pandemic.
The shortfall means there are currently 37 senior clients on a waitlist to be part of the visiting program, which involves clients and volunteers getting together for weekly or biweekly chats over coffee, taking a walk, or whatever else they enjoy.
“We match people based on their interests,” said Smith. “Sometimes volunteers want to live in the same neighbourhood as their match, or we could have someone who says their match must love the Toronto Maple Leafs and they’ll drive anywhere to meet with them.
“But we wouldn’t exist without volunteers.”
Jessica Powless, fundraising and events manager at Brantford’s Nova Vita, which operates a 33-bed emergency shelter, outreach support and counselling services to those experiencing abuse, said the agency is also rebuilding its volunteer base after covid.
They offer a range of opportunities based on volunteers’ interests and abilities. They can teach a yoga class, give residents cooking lessons, do some bookkeeping or childcare or serve on the agency’s board of directors.
“We can use as many volunteers as I can get,” said Powless. “It’s very rewarding. People can see the impact they’re making.”
Brant United Way is committing $650,000 to support 30 charitable programs in Brantford, Brant County and Six Nations.
The funding announcement was made during an April 22 community celebration lunch that brought together representatives from dozens of non-profit organizations.
“It’s such a pleasure to bring so many incredible organizations together in one room,” Cheryl Wiacek, director of development at Brant United Way, said. “Beyond the funding, this event is a chance to connect, share ideas, and celebrate the work being done across our communities.”
Programs that will share in the funding provide critical needs including food security, supports for victims of crime, workshops for families experiencing discord, children’s literacy and recreation programs, youth mentorship, mental health programs and supports for seniors.
Each program was selected through a review process to ensure the greatest possible impact, Beth Noble Luciani, the agency’s executive director, said in a statement.
“We don’t decide which programs receive funding,” Luciani said. “It’s an open, democratic process.
“Our donors, volunteers and dozens of community members review the applications and determine which programs should be funded.”
In addition to funding community programs, Brant United Way invests in its own initiatives and programs. The agency will later this fall announce “emerging needs” funding which is reserved for urgent issues and challenges that arise during the year.
The agency announced earlier this month that it had raised $970,000, which is $20,000 more than its set goal.
“Last year was our first ever grant luncheon and we hope to make this an annual event.” Wiacek said. “Thanks to our sponsors, we can take a moment to acknowledge the impact of these amazing programs without any added costs.”
The April 22 luncheon was sponsored by Mitsui High Tech, Dudley Lambert Law Firm, Wilfrid Laurier University, and Oak House Benefits.
Some of the organizations received funding for more than one program such as Red Cross which received funding for its Meals On Wheels program and its transportation program. Meals On Wheels delivers food to seniors while the transportation program delivers people to medical appointments.
The local sports community lost a role model and trailblazer in women’s sports late last month with the passing of Beverly Beaver.
Article contentBeaver, a Six Nations resident, passed away on April 19 at the age of 77.
A multi-talented athlete, Beaver was inducted into the Brantford and Area Sports Hall of Recognition for her contributions in softball, although she was also a high-level hockey player and bowler.
Born on October 22, 1947, Beaver may not have chosen softball as much as it chose her.
“Ever since I can remember as a child, I liked sports,” Beaver told Rick Mannen in an interview for the Brantford and Area Sports Hall of Recognition.
“My older brothers were into sports. They’d like to play fastball, softball and hockey. I was born a sports person, I guess.”
Beaver considered her brothers as mentors, not only wanting to do what they did but also playing alongside them. However, her most well-known accomplishments came from playing women’s sports.
One of Beaver’s sister-in-laws played fastball for the Ohsweken Mohawks and Beaver was invited to a tryout. She made the team and was greatly influence by coach Mel Squire Hill who would take her to and from games since Beaver didn’t have transportation.
In 1973, playing for the Mohawks, Beaver and her teammates were invited to play in a provincial elimination tournament in Milverton. A senior B team, they were facing senior A squads.
“I thought we did pretty well,” Beaver told Mannen.
“We made it right to the finals and if we had won the tournament we would have represented Ontario in the Canadian championship, which was held in British Columbia.”
Beaver made it to British Columbia in 1979 for the Canadian Native Championship. She didn’t play with the Mohawks at the event but the team she was on won the championship and she was named the best pitcher, top hitter and most valuable player of the tournament.
The following year she played in the National Indian Activities Association women’s softball tournament in Oklahoma and once again Beaver was on the championship team while earning MVP honours.
Competing as an athlete from 1961 to 1994, Beaver won the regional Tom Longboat Award for Southern Ontario in 1967 and the National Tom Longboat Award in 1980.
As a hockey player, she suited up for the Brantford Lady Blues, who won the Ontario Ladies Hockey League championship in 1990. During her time playing hockey she won multiple MVPs and scoring championships.
Some of her artifacts were displayed at the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2018 for its diversity exhibit.
Beaver, a fantastic bowler who earned a high triple score at the Ontario Indian Bowling Championship in 1973, was a proud member of the Indigenous community who was pleased to be recognized by the hall of recognition in 1995.
“That was a real great honour to be selected from Six Nations and Brantford,” she told Mannen.
She was the wife of the late George Beaver and mother to the late George Jr. and Pam.
Visit https://tinyurl.com/msk4557 for the complete Mannen interview with Beaver.
Seven people have been charged after members of the Six Nations Police Drug Enforcement Unit conducted a cocaine trafficking investigation.
On April 9, police executed 11 search warrants at two residences and motor vehicles on Chiefswood Road and 5th Line Road in Ohsweken.
Police seized suspected cocaine, fentanyl, currency, scales, drug packaging, a handgun and ammunition.
Two Ohsweken residents, age 20 and 19, have each been charged with two counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking; possession over $5,000; and weapons violations.
A 27-year-old Ohsweken resident is charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking and possession over $5,000.
A 51-year-old and a 44-year-old, both from Ohsweken, are charged with several firearm violations.
A 63-year-old from Ohsweken is charged with several firearm violations and three counts of breach of probation.
An 18-year-old Caledonia resident is charged with several firearm violations.
One of the accused was held in police custody pending a bail hearing. The other accused will attend court in Brantford at a future date.
Neil Pronk’s first taste of freedom was a chocolate bar.
“It was during the liberation, the Canadian army came in and started handing out all of these goodies to children,” Pronk recalled. “They came with chocolate bars, chewing gum and a few other delicacies.
“We had not had any of these luxuries for four or five years.”
Pronk was a youngster when the war broke out and the Nazis began their occupation of Holland. He was eight years old when it ended.
Born in The Hague, Pronk and his family lived in the North Sea coastal city until about 1942. At that time, the Nazis thought that if the Allied forces were going to invade Europe, the invasion would start at The Hague.
Families including Pronk’s were relocated inland and his family was sent to Rijssen near the German border.
“This was a farmer’s area and I mention this because in The Hague they went into a hunger period and many people died,” Neil said. “We were fortunate to move because the farmers there were able to feed us, not in a luxurious way but with the basic needs.
Pronk said one day his father was riding his bike into the city when, from a distance, he spotted a large group of men in the city square.
“My father thought it best to turnaround and it was a wise decision,” Pronk said. “The Dutch underground had killed a collaborator and the German authorities took revenge by rounding up 40 men and taking them to the city square where they were shot and killed.
“It was a terrible thing and had my father not turnaround, he might have been killed as well.”
Pronk said his father was once arrested and taken to a labour camp.
“We had no idea what was happening with him but one day I was on the balcony of our home and I remember seeing someone coming from the distance,” Pronk recalled. “As he came closer, I saw torn clothes and thought it was a beggar.
“But as he got closer, I could see it was Dad and I was so excited because Dad had come home.”
There was also the time he and his father were walking on a road when they saw German and British planes shooting at each other.
“It was a terrible fight but my dad did the right thing,” Pronk recalled. “He took me to a ditch on the side of the road and put me flat on my stomach.
“He covered me to protect me from the bullets.”
When the Canadian soldiers arrived as part of the liberation, people filled the streets and everyone was happy. The women would jump on the tanks and embrace the soldiers, Pronk said.
At some point, the tanks stopped and the soldiers jumped off and started giving treats to everyone.
Pronk’s wife Ricky also lived through occupation and liberation of Holland.
But her experience was different because her father had a farm and because she was so young.
“I was sheltered from what was happening in the cities,” Ricky said. “I was on a farm and I remember we had a big garden.
“People who were hungry, dozens of them, would come to the farm.”
Ricky recalled how her parents received a thank-you letter from a family grateful for the food they had been given.
There were a lot of young men in the area as well who were hiding from the German authorities to avoid being sent to labour camps, Ricky said.
“They didn’t want to go to the Nazi labour camps because they would be starved to death,” Ricky said. “I remember one young man who had escaped from a labour camp who found refuge with my parents because we lived in a secluded area.
“My father had connections to the (Dutch) underground and we knew when the Germans would be coming around looking for young men.”
Ricky said the young men would be sent to the woods to hide until the Germans left.
She also recalls a rocket that did not detonate landing in a nearby field. It was subsequently detonated which, Ricky said, was scary.
Ricky also remembers the arrival of Canadian soldiers.
“My husband and I had the same experience,” she said. “We lived on a farm and the Canadian tanks came and settled across the road.
“We weren’t supposed to go them at first but then we did and the Canadians were very generous.”
So generous, that her mother jokingly told her children, they couldn’t visit the Canadians anymore because they were getting too much chocolate.
The couple met in church after coming to Canada from Holland with their families.
The late Robert and Margaret Anes of Brantford also grew up in Holland during the Nazi occupation and the liberation by Canadian soldiers. Robert died in 2020 and Margaret died in 2021 but the couple shared their experience with The Expositor in 2005, the 60th Anniversary of the Liberation of Holland.
They endured what the Dutch call the Hunger Winter of 1944-45.
“Two of my sisters were already living in the country, one on a farm, the other in a small village surrounded by farms,” Robert told The Expositor to commemorate the anniversary. “We had been allowed to keep the ration cards, which gave us a little extra, but many people literally starved to death.
“I remember eating sugar beets and tulip bulbs, which do not do you much good, but filled an empty stomach.”
The hardship and Hunger Winter came to an end in May 1945.
“People hauled out national flags and were shouting, laughing and dancing in the streets. The nightmare had ended, we were free again,” Anes said. “A few days later, everyone stood at the edge of town to greet the Canadians who arrived in jeeps, trucks and weapon carriers.
“They were welcomed with cheers, flowers, and hugs and it must have been very heart warming for them as well.”
Private Walter Littell was one of the more than 100,000 Canadian soldiers who pushed back the German forces to liberate Holland.
“My dad never, ever talked about the war,” his son Mark Littell said. “They came home, they got married, had a family and got jobs.
“My dad was with the Irish Regiment and I don’t know a lot about his experience.”
Walter was living in Burford when he enlisted and was first sent to Italy. He was later moved to Holland. when the Canadian forces were pushing the Germans back. In Holland, Walter met Hendrikje Blaauw, the couple married and came to Burford where they raised a family.
Littell’s brother Frank was 17 when he travelled with their father Walter to Italy and Holland. They went to Naples and travelled through Italy by train – and included visits with people he had met or encountered during the war.
“We didn’t really talk too much about the war but I was able to see a little bit of what he had been through and learn about the countries that were liberated,” Frank said. “It was amazing to see how appreciative the Dutch people are of the Canadians who liberated them.”
Provincial lottery officials say they have a tentative answer to the $5-million question that’s gripped Southwestern Ontario: Who bought the uncashed seven-figure ticket that’s set to expire this weekend
It was April 17 when the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp
2024 Lotto 6/49 ticket to come forward before the one-year expiry date – this Sunday
“They did go validate the ticket at the retailer
and so we’re crossing our fingers to find out what the story is behind it,” OLG spokesperson Tony Bitonti said
Bitonti said he couldn’t speculate why someone might wait until the ticket was nearly expired to claim the $5-million prize
but said the provincial agency was “anxiously” waiting to hear the full story
“Whenever we hear about these unclaimed prizes
we want to put out as much information as possible to let people know that there’s something coming up
are verified through a process that determines if the ticket-holder is indeed the ticket buyer
This case could draw comparisons to that of Ray Sobeski
in 2004 claimed a $30-million lottery win just 12 days before the ticket expired and about three months after he was granted a divorce from Nynna Ionson
That resulted in a lengthy legal dispute between the two that ended in a confidential
He noted the biggest unclaimed lotto win in Canadian history was a $70-million prize from a June 28
The winning ticket was sold in Scarborough
on its website, including a winning Encore Lotto Max ticket sold in London for the Sept. 13, 2024 draw that won $100,000. The winning numbers were 4 7 9 0 2 5 9.
The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada
Two people are facing drug charges after members of the Six Nations Police Drug Enforcement Unit conducted a trafficking investigation.
Police conducted searches on a Mississauga Road residence and a vehicle located in Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation on May 2 during an investigation dubbed Project Roll the Dice.
Seized were about 58 grams of fentanyl, about 17 grams of cocaine, bulk currency, drug packaging, digital scales and cell phones.
A 31-year-old man from Mississaugas of the Credit has been charged with two counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking; and proceeds of crime under $5,000.
A 34-year-old woman from Ohsweken is charged with two counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking; proceeds of crime under $5,000; and breach of probation.
Norfolk OPP charge five people in separate incidents of intimate partner violence
Norfolk OPP say five people have been charged after separate investigations into incidents of intimate partner violence.
On April 27, police say two people were involved in an interaction, during which one person was verbally threatened, physically assaulted and had their property damaged. The victim sustained minor injuries.
A 22-year-old Norfolk County resident is charged with two counts of spousal assault; two counts of mischief under $5,000; two counts of failure to comply with release order; and uttering threats – cause death or bodily harm.
Also on April 27, police were called to another Norfolk County home where two people were involved in an altercation with one being physically assaulted. No injuries were reported.
A 49-year-old Norfolk County resident is charged with assault – spousal.
On April 29, police charged a 41-year-old Norfolk County resident with assault with a weapon and fail to comply with a probation order after two people were involved in an altercation. No injuries were reported.
On April 30, police were called about threats being uttered at a Norfolk County home.
Police say a one person threatened another individual and set fire to an object on the property. No injuries were reported.
A 31-year-old from Norfolk County is charged with uttering threats – damage property; arson – damage property; and six counts of fail to comply with probation order.
Later on April 30, police charged a 27-year-old from Norfolk with assault – spousal after two people were involved in an interaction at a county home. No injuries were reported.
If you or someone else requires assistance related to intimate partner violence, contact Victim Services of Haldimand-Norfolk-Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation at 1-800-264-6671. The OPP can be reached at 1-888-310-1122. In case of immediate danger, call 911.
Brantford Police Service hosts free Family Fun Day
Brantford Police Service will be celebrating the efforts of frontline officers, 9-1-1 communicators, police professionals and community partners during Police Week, May 11 to 17.
The theme for the week is Protecting Ontario, highlighting community partnerships and the role police members play in community safety.
“Police Week is a meaningful opportunity to recognize the commitment, courage, and compassion our officers and police professionals bring to their work every day,” said Robin Matthews-Osmond, corporate communications manager for Brantford Police Service.
“It’s also a time to honour the powerful partnerships we’ve built with our community — because public safety isn’t just a police priority, it’s a shared responsibility. Together, we’re building a safer, stronger Brantford.”
To kick-off celebrations, along with Brantford-Brant Crime Stoppers, Ontario Provincial Police, and Six Nations Police, the Brantford Police Service is hosting a free Family Fun Day on Saturday from 10 a.m., to 2 p.m., at the Children’s Safety Village, located at 407 Elgin St. in Brantford.
The event will feature demonstrations, police vehicles and food.
Several dozen Indigenous youth from 14 northern, fly-in communities travelled by helicopters, planes, boats and long bus rides to gather in a large barn in Brant County.
Some smile. Others have intense looks of concentration. But one by one, they come out of their shells as they move to the music — an upbeat mix that sounds like a Girl Talk-Indigenous fusion.
They were here for a rigorous week of dance rehearsals with professional choreographers, which will culminate in Outside Looking In’s (OLI) 18th annual showcase on May 9 at Chrysalis in Toronto.
But the week isn’t just about dance — it will empower and help them envision a future beyond high school, OLI’s CEO Hope Sanderson told The Spectator.
Rihanna Mitchell is one of the 88 kids participating this year. Her group had its rehearsals in the morning. Then, group members scatter around tables in the cafeteria, working on homework. Someone plays a piano in the corner.
It’s the first year Mitchell’s Ojibwa First Nation is participating in the program. Poplar River — on the eastern edge of Lake Winnipeg in Manitoba — feels very far away for the Grade 12 student.
From where she lives, it’s a six-to-eight-hour drive on an ice road — a road constructed on a frozen water surface — or an hour-plus flight just to get to Winnipeg.
“Shy” is how she is feeling on day two of rehearsals.
Mitchell said she signed up to get the high school credit kids get for participating. But it’s tied to an 80 per cent attendance record and a pass.
With a “very high dropout rate on these remote reserves” it’s an incentive to stay in school, Sanderson said.
The program accepts kids beginning in Grade 7, and they can return year after year.
“Our role is to get them through high school, one credit at a time,” she said.
For many, the experience is so rewarding, they return as “future leaders.” They arrive early to take leadership training, and help lead the program in their communities and at rehearsals.
But the early days can be hard for many kids.
They’re far away from home (with chaperones from each community) and have to turn in their electronics.
Sanderson said it pushes the kids to interact with each other and take part in the camp activities on their down time.
“You’re going to play the piano, you’re going out to do archery. You’re not on your device,” she said.
The charity has mental-health counsellors on staff 12 hours a day, and the kids lean on each other.
“And that’s a beautiful thing to see, too.”
It connects them with people outside their communities — friends they keep in touch with electronically after, she said.
While Mitchell was excited to try the high ropes course at the Tim Hortons Foundation camp where they stayed last week, she’s feeling nervous for the upcoming performance.
Sanderson isn’t worried though — she’s seen many nervous and shy kids enter the week, leaving with a new-found confidence and belief in their abilities.
It shows them that they can get through new things that might feel scary at first.
“And that can translate to the next challenge,” whether it’s dance or something else. “It can be moving to the city. It can be moving out on their own for the first time, without the cultural supports,” she said.
“I think it’s really the building blocks for the rest of their lives.”
To learn more or buy tickets to the show, visit olishow.com.
Celeste Percy-Beauregard is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter based at the Hamilton Spectator. The initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
© 2025 BVM Sports. Best Version Media, LLC.
With a stellar season performance where he accumulated 98 points
following only nine players since 2010 in OHL scoring
2007—and a well-rounded game has sparked discussions about his potential impact in the NHL
despite questions about his ultimate ceiling as a player
While O’Brien showcases excellent playmaking and two-way capabilities
concerns linger regarding his overall ceiling in the NHL
Scouts question whether he can develop into a top-line center or remains a reliable middle-six option
competition from forwards with higher ceilings may influence their final decision as they aim to shape a competitive lineup
Jake O’Brien is an intriguing prospect worth pursuing
offering reliability and intelligence on the ice
but the Flyers must consider if they are willing to invest in a player with uncertain top-end potential
The summary of the linked article was generated with the assistance of artificial intelligence technology from OpenAI
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Brantford and Area Sports Hall of Recognition (Sports Hall)
in partnership with the Sports Hall Selection Committee and Alliance Board
announced the Class of 2025 inductees on Thursday
The following individuals will be honoured at the annual Sports Hall Induction Ceremony on Wednesday
2025 and will be showcased in the Sports Hall
located inside the Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre:
The 2025 Sports Hall Induction Ceremony will take place at the Best Western Brantford Hotel and Conference Centre on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. Those interested in attending are strongly encouraged to RSVP online by Monday June 2, 2025, to sportshall@brantford.ca
KitchenerNewsThree people hurt in crash near Brantford airportBy Shelby KnoxPublished: April 16, 2025 at 2:00PM EDT
KitchenerNewsOPP seek driver who hit four Brantford overpasses along Highway 403By Jennifer K. BakerPublished: May 01, 2025 at 1:06PM EDT
KitchenerNewsBrantford woman missing for more than a week locatedBy Shelby KnoxPublished: April 15, 2025 at 3:19PM EDT
Damage to highway overpasses from oversized truck loads continues to plague the Brantford area, as police are investigating after four bridges were struck Thursday morning.
Brant OPP received reports at about 10:39 a.m. on May 1, that a red tractor-trailer hauling an excavator was traveling eastbound on Highway 403 when overpasses at Paris Road, Ewing Drive, Tollgate Road, and King George Road were struck by the excavator. Pieces of concrete were reported to have fallen and hit the highway.
Ministry of Transportation crews are attending to assess damage to the bridges, and while the highway remains open to traffic motorists are asked to be cautious while driving through the area.
The transport truck was not located in the vicinity when officers arrived, and police are asking that anyone who has dashcam footage or witnessed the incident to contact Brant OPP at 1-888-310-1122.
Anonymous tips can be provided by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or online at crimestoppersbb.com where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2,000.
This incident marks the sixth time an over-height vehicle has struck highway overpasses in the Brantford Area.
On March 10, 2025 a tractor-trailer hauling an excavator in the westbound lanes of Highway 403 struck the Wayne Gretzky Parkway overpass, prompting lane closures on the bridge.
The same bridge was struck by oversized loads in December 2021, January 2022, and again on May 9, 2022 when a large concrete slab fell from the bridge to the highway.
A girder on the North Park Street bridge over Highway 403 was damaged on May 18, 2022, after being hit by a forklift being carried on a flatbed truck.
A new elementary school in West Brant is being named in honour of a Brantford woman who helped break down racial barriers in education 150 years ago.
The $34-million school, under construction at Shellard Lane and Strickland Avenue, will be named Blanche E. Williams Public School.
In the 1880s, Williams made headlines for being one of the first Black women in Canada to attend university with the same privileges as white students. She studied in Brantford at the educational institution now known as Brantford Collegiate Institute before being accepted to the University of Toronto.
“With education as the path to transformation, Blanche Williams interrupted racial barriers and showed us what’s possible,” said Liana Thompson, superintendent of education with the Grand Erie District School Board, said in a media release. “Naming our school after her is a celebration not only of her groundbreaking achievements, but her story inspires all of us to be courageous, strong and to persevere to achieve our dreams.”
The school board also announced a new elementary school in Caledonia, set to open in September, will be named Grand River Public School.
The Grand River holds cultural, historical and environmental importance in the community, and is part of the Haldimand Tract granted to the Six Nations of the Grand River under the Haldimand Proclamation of 1784.
“Each of these names reflects Grand Erie’s commitment to learning, well-being and belonging, and serves to remind us of our collective identity and aspirations as a community,” said school board chair Susan Gibson. “We’re grateful to everyone who took the time to share their ideas as part of this process and know these names will serve as symbols of our commitment to inclusivity and excellence in education.”
JoAnna Roberto, director of education, said “a name is the first chapter in the story of a school and the rest of that story will be reflected in the aspirations and bright futures of the students who pass through those doors.
“Thank you to the dedicated staff members who led this process, including Mark Fraser, future principal of Grand River Public School, and Dina Atanas, future principal of Blanche E. Williams Public School, and to the school communities for their enthusiastic participation.”
The process of determining a name for each school began last year, with suggestions – and an accompanying rationale – gathered from community members in the winter. Submissions for each school were then taken to a naming committee. The committee members reviewed submissions and sought input from staff, students and community members to narrow the list, and provided a recommendation to the superintendent overseeing each school, followed by the board of trustees’ approval.
The Blanche E. Williams school is scheduled to open in September 2026. The school board has partnered with the City of Brantford and the Brantford Public Library on the project, which will also include a library and gymnasium.
Conservative candidate Larry Brock is heading back to Ottawa for another term.
First elected in 2021 to represent the riding of Brantford-Brant, Brock was Monday elected to represent the new riding of Brantford-Brant South-Six Nations. As of Tuesday Brock had received 34,501 votes or just under 52.4 per cent of the ballots counted to win the riding for the Conservative Party of Canada.
Liberal candidate Joy O’Donnell, had received 27,032 votes or 41.1.9 per cent of the ballots counted as of Tuesday morning.
Of particular interest to many of those who follow local politics, Anne Gajerski-Cauley of the NDP received just 2,410 votes or 3.7 percent of the ballots cast. In past elections, the NDP garnered around 20 percent of the local vote.
Karleigh Csordas of the Green Party received 1,100 votes or 1.7 per cent of the ballots cast while Nicholas Xenos, of the People’s Party of Canada received 395 votes or less than one per cent of ballots cast. Independent candidate Mike Clancy received 148 votes (0.2 per cent), Leslie Bory, also an independent garnered 120 (0.2 per cent) while Clo Marie, another independent received 80 (0.1 per cent).
Figures provided by Elections Canada say 65,796 of 102,397 registered electors cast ballots in the federal election for a voter turnout of 64,26 per cent.
Brock, in his victory speech, thanked the volunteers and supporters who have worked tirelessly for him in 2021 between the two elections and over the past four weeks.
“I think the difference in this campaign is obvious,” Brock told reporters after his speech. “I have been campaigning since my last election.”
Brock said voters would often lament that the only time they saw politicians was during an election campaign when the politicians were looking for votes.
“That really resonated with me and I told them that if they put their trust in me, they would see me in between campaigns,” Brock said.
With the help of volunteers Brock would visit people throughout the community to introduce himself and make sure they knew he was their MP and the services provided by him and his office.
The hard work in between campaigns provided another major benefit for Brock and his team. It gave him the opportunity to meet many new Canadians especially members of the local Sikh and Hindu communities.
As the federal election rumours started to circulate, Brock and his supporters stepped up their game. When the election writ was dropped, Brock and local Conservatives were ready to hit the ground running.
Nationally, the Conservative Party was well ahead of the Liberals in the fall of 2024 and had every reason to believe they could form a majority government in the next federal election.
However, the election of Donald Trump as U.S. president had a huge impact on Canadian politics, Brock said.
“His (Trump’s) involvement changed the narrative of the provincial campaign and impacted federally as well,” Brock said. “The Liberals were dead in the water in December and January, they were on life support with a leader that was disliked by the majority of Canadians.”
Instead of thinking about what life has been like for the last 10 years, Canadians had something else to think and worry about, Brock said.
The Liberals were able to use Trump to change the narrative of the campaign to their advantage, Brock said.
Speaking to supporters, Brock thanked his wife Angela and their twin daughters – Jennie and Emma — for their support. He also thanked his supporters for all of their hard work including Phil Gillies, a former MPP who ran his campaign.
Brock vowed to hold the Liberal government to account and said he will always be the servant of the people he represents and that includes everyone in the community.
He has a record of community involvement which includes serving as chair of the board for Crossing All Bridges Learning Centre and president of St. Leonard’s Community Services, now known as SOAR Community Services.
Back in 2015, Brock was chair of the Brant United Way campaign with raised more than $1.6 million for local charities.
O’Donnell is a certified financial planner who started her own company – Grand Financial Planning, in 2005. She is the first vice-president of the Chamber of Commerce Brantford-Brant, a director of the Grand Erie Public Health Board and a member of the Rotary Club of Brantford. O’Donnell and her husband Joe have two sons – Quinn and Connor.
A business owner and first-time candidate who was encouraged to run by former Brant MP Jane Stewart, O’Donnell had a late start in the snap election.
But backed by local Liberal leaders including former Brantford-Brant MPP Dave Levac and former Brantford-Brant MP Lloyd St. Amand, O’Donnell was able to put together a strong campaign team to challenge Brock, an incumbent.
The campaign also received a boost from Liberal Leader and Prime Minister Mark Carney who visited Brantford. It was the most energetic and well-attended gathering of local liberals at the federal level since before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking to supporters after conceding defeat on election night, O’Donnell said the campaign was the start of the renewal of the Liberal party in Brantford.
Brant County residents can expect to see their water bills rise beginning July 1.
The municipality is proposing an increase of 4.8 per cent — which translates to around $6 extra per month for the average household using 180 cubic metres of water per year, the county said in a news release.
Residents pay a fixed monthly fee based on their meter size, plus a usage fee with four price tiers depending on volume used, according to the county website.
It’s known as the “humpback” rate model. The method “encourages conservation” while “promoting commercial and industrial development,” according to a Grand River Conservation Authority water management document.
In the summer months, the rate further increases for people using more than 45 cubic metres each month.
For county households, it accumulated to an average of $1,573 across 2024. (Residents can use the county’s calculator to get an idea of annual water costs.)
It’s around 5.6 per cent higher than other southwestern Ontario municipalities, a consultant told councillors in a presentation in April.
Even so, the consumer costs are “very comparable” to municipalities with “similar systems and population densities,” according to a report when rates were last reviewed in March 2021.
The county has five water and four wastewater systems, which are “more costly to operate and monitor than a municipality with one urban area to service,” according to the water and wastewater financial plan.
The system is aging and is expected to need a combined $63 million in upgrades or replacements over the coming years, the plan said.
These services are not funded through taxes, but directly by users — although the expansion of systems to support development are covered by development charges, according to EngageBrant, the county’s online engagement platform.
When developing rates, staff consider affordability for the user, water conservation, and “the required funding to maintain the infrastructure,” according to the report.
The county is taking feedback until Friday, May 9, in an online survey at EngageBrant.ca, by phone (519-442-7268) or in person at its main customer service locations.
Drama students at St. John’s College in Brantford have been learning about social issues while rehearsing for their presentation of 12 Angry Jurors.
Rehearsals got underway in late October 2024 for what was originally a 1954 teleplay called 12 Angry Men.
“Set against the historical backdrop of 1950s America, 12 Angry Jurors is an insightful exploration of societal attitudes from the era while still resonating deeply with the issues we face today,” explained drama teacher and director Krystan Tchegus. “The themes of justice, equity, human behaviour, and the struggle for truth are timeless and continue to offer valuable perspectives on contemporary challenges.
“The story of 12 Angry Jurors remains as relevant now as it was at its debut.”
The play delves into critical thinking, the dangers of prejudice and bias, group dynamics, civic responsibility and the influence of historical context on human behaviour.
“The students are learning, and we hope the audience will take something from it as well,” said the director.
About 30 students are involved in the production, including 24 actors who will share the roles of the 12 jurors so that each will take part in two of the four performances.
Cristina Rocchi portrays the angry and insistent Juror #3 who is convinced the accused boy is guilty.
“When Miss Techegus introduced the play to us, she talked about what is happening in our world right now and brought up how this kind of topic is very real in our society today,” she noted.
Rocchi – who appeared in the school’s productions of Clue in 2023, and Blues last year – said this current production relies more on the cast’s dialogue than the sets, lighting, and sound.
“It’s more of a challenge because you do have to be on stage for the whole 1.5 to 2 hours. You don’t get a break,” she said. “But at the same time, you’re with these people, you become a family and enjoy it. I’ll be sad once it’s over.”
Jacob Russell, who had the lead role in Blues last year, is the alternate actor for Juror #3.
“In terms of the script it’s pure dialogue constantly, and there’s tons of cues you have to know, little lines that are important that, if people don’t get them, it can cause issues with the rest of the play,” he shared. “As we work on it more and more it becomes better each time.”
St. John’s College presents 12 Angry Jurors from May 7 to 10 in the school’s cafeteria. Doors open at 7 p.m. with the curtain rising at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for students and seniors and can be purchased at the door, or in advance at the school’s main office at 80 Paris Road in Brantford.
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Brantford—Brant South—Six Nations 2025 federal election live results. Browse live results for all 343 ridings
222 of 222 polls are reporting as of 4:20 p.m. Follow our full coverage of the 2025 federal election
222 of 222 polls are reporting as of 4:20 p.m. Follow our full coverage of the 2025 federal election
is projected to be re-elected in Brantford—Brant South—Six Nations
is in second place with 27,032 votes (41.08%) and Anne Gajerski-Cauley
Brock has represented the riding since 2021
Brantford—Brant South—Six Nations used to be named Brantford—Brant
The riding’s boundaries were updated for the 2025 federal election
24,501 voters cast ballots at advance polls
Looking for another riding? Here are the full results for the 2025 federal election.
The Liberals have 169 races called in their favour. They have 8,535,128 votes and 43.69 per cent of the popular vote.
The Conservatives have 144 races called in their favour. They have 8,059,938 votes and 41.26 per cent of the popular vote.
The Bloc Québécois have 22 races called in their favour. They have 1,232,095 votes and 6.31 per cent of the popular vote.
The New Democrats have seven races called in their favour. They have 1,231,198 votes and 6.3 per cent of the popular vote.
The Greens have one race called in their favour. They have 243,471 votes and 1.25 per cent of the popular vote.
At Parliament’s dissolution, the Liberals held 152 seats, the Conservatives 120, the Bloc Québécois 33, the NDP 24 and the Greens two. There were three independents and four vacancies in the 338-seat Commons. Because of population increases, the Commons has grown by five ridings starting with this election.
This article was automatically generated using data provided by Canadian Press and will update as riding results become available.
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Postmedia newsrooms in Brantford and Simcoe provided live coverage of the federal election results for the ridings of Brantford-Brant South-Six Nations and Haldimand-Norfolk.
Conservative candidate Larry Brock won the new Brantford-Brant South-Six Nations riding, He previously held the Brantford-Brant riding. Conservative incumbent Leslyn Lewis was re-elected in Haldimand-Norfolk.
Candidates: Leslie Bory, Independent Larry Brock, Conservative (incumbent) Mike Clancy, Independent Karleigh Csordas, Green Party Anne Gajerski-Cauley, NDP Clo Marie, Independent Joy O’Donnell, Liberal Nicholas Xenos, People’s Party of Canada
Votes cast in 2021 in the former riding of Brantford-Brant: 66,096
Voter turnout in 2021: 59 per cent of 111,048 eligible voters.
Number of electors on voting list for 2025 election: 101,284
Candidates: Lily Eggink, Christian Heritage Party Henry Geissler, People’s Party of Canada Nathan Hawkins, Green Party Shannon Horner-Shepherd, NDP Leslyn Lewis, Conservative (incumbent) Colin Walsh, Liberal
Votes cast (excluding rejected ballots) in 2021: 62,505 Voter turnout in 2021: 67 per cent of 93,802 eligible voters. Number of electors on voting list for 2025 election: 98,868
Voters from Brantford and across Canada cast their ballots in the federal election on Monday. Below are the latest results updated for you in real time.
While residents vote for their local members of parliament, it was Liberal Leader Mark Carney and the Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre who were vying to become the next prime minister.
The majority of polls closed at 9:30 p.m., in Ontario, and at 10:30 p.m. Postmedia’s decision desk projected a Liberal win.
The maps and other graphics below show results as they were counted. Zoom in to find your riding, zoom out to see results from across the country. Refresh your browser for the latest updates.
“There is no health without mental health.”
Those words come from Lill Petrella of the local branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association.
“The importance of mental health isn’t always given a priority in our busy lives,” Petrella, the agency’s team lead for health promotion, said. “So many of us usually race through our commitments and get stressed out.
“We need to take a breath and realize that there is no health without mental health and learn to practise self care.”
Petrella said national Canadian Mental Health Week (May 5 to 11) is an opportunity for people to learn more about the issues impacting them and how they can be addressed.
“These are certainly scary times,” Petrella said. “Our lives have been turned upside down with fears surrounding Canada’s future and rising costs related to tariffs.
“There’s so much uncertainty in our lives right now and feeling anxious is completely understandable.”
Those feelings make this year’s mental health week especially important, Petrella said.
“The week serves as a reminder that whatever is is going on in our lives, in our country, in our worlds, we still need to take a step back from it all and protect our mental health,” Petrella said.
The theme of this year’s week is Unmasking Mental Health. It is an acknowledgement that many people feel they have to hide their struggles to avoid judgment or misunderstanding.
By “unmasking” people are encouraged to share their experiences, foster open conversations and create a supportive environment where vulnerability is seen as strength.
Mental health week begins with flag raising ceremonies at Harmony Square at 10 a.m in Brantford; 11 a.m. at 66 Grand River S. N. in Paris and at 50 Colborne St. S. in Simcoe at 12:30 p.m.
Other events include a Mental Health and Wellness Expo at 275 Ramsey Dr., Dunnville from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on May 7 and a Six Nations Mental Health Fair on May 8 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Veterans’ Park, 1799 4th Line, Ohsweken.
The week also includes a ‘How to support someone in an abusive relationship’ webinar from noon to 1 p.m. on May 6.
“We’re hoping that by offering a variety of activities, people will come out and help remove the stigma of talking about mental health and find out more about what our communities have to offer as far as mental health supports,” Christina Ferrell, intensive child and family service program manager, at Woodview Mental Health and Autism Services, said. “I love that this week promotes collaboration within the community.
“Our committee of community partners work together for months preparing events, with our communities in mind..”
Ferrell is encouraging people to check in with each other during mental health week.
“We know that these trying times are affecting everyone of all ages,” Ferrell said. “Meet others with patience and compassion because we never know what someone else is struggling with.
“Get familiar with the supports and services that exist in the communities, and share that information.
For a complete list of local mental health week events visit .www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=656110540391888&set=a.180859951250285
To learn more about masking and unmasking in a mental health context visit https://cmha.ca/mental-health-week/toolkits/ .
KitchenerNewsComplaint leads to closure of illegal cannabis store in BrantfordBy Shelby KnoxPublished: April 14, 2025 at 5:04PM EDT
If advance polls are any indication, local voter turnout could be a record-breaker for the federal election.
Voters in Brantford-Brant South-Six Nations and Flamborough-Glanbrook-Brant North will elect new members of Parliament on Monday.
A record 7.3 million Canadians took advantage of advance polls and cast their ballots over the Easter long weekend, according to Elections Canada.
That’s a 25 per cent increase from the 5.8 million electors who voted in advance during the 2021 federal election.
More than two million people, some waiting hours in line, voted on the first day of advance polls alone, a single-day record, according to Elections Canada.
Ontario recorded 2.8 million advance votes, up from 2.2 million in 2021.
In Brantford-Brant South-Six Nations, 24,501 residents marked ballots in advance polls held April 18 to 21. And in Flamborough-Glanbrook-Brant North, 26,369 early votes were cast.
Elections Canada recorded 20,570 advance votes cast in the former riding of Brantford-Brant in the 2021 federal election.
Candidates seeking to represent the new riding of Brantford-Brant South-Six Nations in the next Parliament are: Leslie Bory, independent; Larry Brock, Conservative Party of Canada; Mike Clancy, independent; Karleigh Csordas, Green Party of Canada; Anne Gajerski-Cauley, New Democratic Party of Canada; Clo Marie, independent; Joy O’Donnell, Liberal Party of Canada; and Nicholas Xenos, People’s Party of Canada.
The riding, created following federal electoral redistribution in 2022, includes all of Brantford, parts of the County of Brant, Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and Six Nations of the Grand River. It has a population of about 121,511 and 98,250 electors.
Brock, elected in 2021 to represent the former riding of Brantford-Brant, is campaigning to represent the new riding.
Running in Flamborough-Glanbrook-Brant North, also created after federal electoral distribution, which takes in part of Brant County, including Paris and St. George, are: Nikita Mahood of the People’s Party; Dan Muys, Conservative Party; Anita Payne, Green Party; Chuck Phillips, Liberal Party; and Peter Werhun, New Democratic Party.
The electoral riding has a population of 103,836, including 83,089 electors.
Election Day voting is done at your assigned polling station. Polls open Monday at 9:30 a.m. and close at 9:30 p.m. To find your polling station, check your voter information card sent by mail or find it at elections.ca. Those not registered to vote can still register at your assigned polling station.
To vote, take your voter card and ID that includes your address.
Liberal leader Mark Carney vowed to build more homes that cost less during a campaign stop in Brantford on Friday.
“If you put your trust in us we are going to build this country like it’s never been built,” Carney said.
Acknowledging the young people in the crowd, Carney said a Liberal government would build millions of homes that are 20 to 30 per cent cheaper than homes are right now.
“And we’re not just going to build those homes, we’re going to build a new industry that uses Canadian lumber in Canada, that uses Canadian technology in Canada,” Carney said during a visit to Sassy Britches Brewing Co on Sherwood Drive.
The Liberal leader also promised to build a “new energy superpower” in clean energy.
The Liberal leader visited Brantford to support regional Liberal candidates including Joy O’Donnell, who is running in Brantford – Brant South – Six Nations, Colin Walsh in Haldimand-Norfolk and David Hilderley in Oxford among others.
Although it’s difficult to say with any certainty how many people attended the rally, Liberal organizers said 900 people registered for the event.
Most in the crowd said there was at least 1,000 people at the event. It was the largest gathering of local Liberal supporters since former Liberal leader Justin Trudeau held a rally in support of Danielle Takacs at Mercasa Little Italy Eatery on Henry Street in October 2019.
The crowd, likely well over 1,000 people, was just as boisterous and eager to get a photo with the Liberal leader as those who attended Trudeau’s 2019 visit.
O’Donnell spoke several different languages – English, French and Indigenous — to welcome Carney to the podium.
“We all know this as the Rope Factory but in 1901, this was the creative and innovative operation of the largest twine factory in the British Commonwealth,” O’Donnell said of the location. “We have always been creative and innovative and were once the fourth largest manufacturing community in Canada “
O’Donnell told Carney that Brantford has been a manufacturing centre for generations.
“I want you to know that we are ready to build a new economy with you,” O’Donnell said..
After acknowledging a couple of guests including Amos Key, an Indigenous educator and advocate, and Claire Sault, elected Chief of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, Carney began his formal speech with a question.
“Who is ready to stand up for Canada?” Carney asked eliciting a loud cheer from the audience. “I know we have seven candidates here but who else is ready to help the Liberal party win the most consequential of our time?”
Carney said Canada is in the middle of the toughest crisis it has ever faced.
“America, more specifically, Donald Trump wants to break us so America can own us,” Carney said. “They want our resources, they want our water, they want our country.
“But Canada is not America, it is not for sale.”
Carney said Canadians have a choice in this election – come together as a nation or everyone for themselves.
“We see what’s happening in the U.S.,” Carney said. “Negativity, the politics of anger, it’s going to make them weaker, it’s going to pull them apart.”
Someone in the audience, in response yelled out “elbows up” which caught Carney’s attention.
“Oh boy, you’ve got me going on hockey now,” Carney said. “We did not ask for this fight but when somebody drops their gloves, Canadians know what to do.”
The Liberal leader said experience has taught him that when you are in a crisis, you must plan for the worst.
Hope is not a strategy and the fact America is a threat to our country and we have to treat it that way, Carney said.
The second thing you need to understand about dealing with a crisis is that it requires a plan that brings people together to work for a better country, he said.
The Liberal leader said the third component is thinking big and acting bigger.
“What better place to think big and act bigger and think about renewing our economy, as Joy just said, than Brantford,” Carney said.
Carney is the first party leader to visit Brantford in this election campaign.
The other candidates running in Brantford-Brant South-Six Nations include Larry Brock, Conservative Party; Karleigh Csordas, Green Party; Anne Gajurski-Cauley of the NDP; Nicholas Xenos, of the People’s Party of Canada; and independents Mike Clancy, Clo Marie and Leslie Bory.
A program to encourage development of under-utilized properties is paying dividends in the form of two new rental apartment buildings, Brantford city councillors were told Tuesday.
Daniel Bragagnolo of Ninco Developments Inc. said the city’s greyfields community improvement program helped make a multi-unit rental project at 30 Galileo Boulevard possible.
“After more than fours of planning, engagement and perseverance, we’re proud to share that construction is underway on a project that will bring more than 300 much-needed rental units to the community,” Bragagnolo said. “Fifty six of those units are projected to be below market rent, a commitment we made because we understand how critical accessible housing is in today’s market
“Projects likes this don’t happen in isolation, they rely on collaboration between developers, municipalities and all levels of government.”
Bragagnolo, speaking at an April 15 committee-of-the-whole meeting, said the city’s greyfield program enables developers like Ninco a way of offering meaningful affordability. It also send a strong signal that Brantford is serious about being part of the housing solution.
The Galileo Boulevard project includes two seven-storey apartment buildings at Galileo and West Street. Plans call for one building to have 188 units with a portion of those being below market rent as well as a commercial unit.
The second building will have 128 rental units at market rent.
The city adopted the greyfields community improvement program in 2021 as way to encourage development of properties deemed to be under-utilized.
The property at Galileo Boulevard and West Street is about 1.83 hectares (4.52 acres). Over the past 50 years, it has been used for a service garage, automobile scrapyard and two ponds on the property were found to contain construction debris.
There is also documentation to say that two historic landfills operated in the vicinity of the property.
The greyfield program includes a property tax increment grant (TIG) to support the development of greyfields or under-utilized sites.
Under the greyfield program, the city rebates a percentage of the municipal portion of the increase in property taxes that come from a redevelopment project. The project was introduced by the city in 2021.
To be eligible, the project must include new buildings or substantial additions to existing buildings that add new residential units.
As well, the new units must result in an increase in the assessed value of the property.
The grant from the city to the developer is provided through an annual tax rebate for up to 10 years.
Ninco applied for a tax increment grant and councillors recommended approval of a $5,100,593 grant for the Galileo Boulevard project.
The grant application is expected to be approved by council at its April 29 meeting.
Mayor Kevin Davis said the greyfield program is a “win, win, win.”
The program helps redevelop an under-utilized property and increases the number of rental units in the city. The project will also increase the assessed value of the property which means more property taxes for the city once the project is completed, Davis said.
Figures provided by the city say the value of the property will increase significantly once construction of the two buildings is finished. Moreover, the amount of property tax money the city collects will also increase substantially to about $752,000 annually from just over $13,500 a year.
“I’m really pleased to see this development coming forward,” Davis said. “The greyfields program was created to develop under-utilized properties.
“But more importantly, the focus of the program is on the creation of multi-unit residential buildings, a portion of which are affordable housing.”
Davis said the development is being done during an economic downturn.
“Frankly, without this graduated tax rebate program, I’m pretty confident we wouldn’t be seeing this development,” Davis said. “We wouldn’t be seeing 316 new units or the economic impact this build will have on the local economy.”
A structure fire early Sunday morning is being treated as suspicious.
Crews were dispatched at 7:36 a.m. to a boarded-up house at 342 West Street.
“First arriving units noted heavy flames and smoke showing from all sides of the two-storey building,” said Deputy Fire Chief Scott Pipe. “Crews managed to get the fire under control quickly and completed a thorough search of the building.”
The house is located on the west side of the street adjacent to the plaza at Galileo Blvd.
Pipe said there were no injuries to firefighters or civilians.
Brantford Police had West Street closed to through traffic from Galileo Blvd. to Charing Cross St., while Harris Avenue was also closed.
KitchenerNewsBrantford man killed in crash involving gravel truck near HamiltonBy Shelby KnoxUpdated: March 24, 2025 at 6:07PM EDT
The intimate partner violence epidemic was one of several issues raised during a Brantford-Brant South-Six Nations candidates debate on Monday.
Liberal candidate Joy O’Donnell, Green Party candidate Karleigh Csordas, Anne Gajerski-Cauley of the New Democrats and Conservative candidate Larry Brock participated in the exchange. It was held by the Chamber of Commerce Brantford-Brant in partnership with Rogers TV.
“A Conservative government will create a new criminal offence, assault of an intimate partner which will carry tougher, mandatory sentences for abusers,” Brock, a former assistant crown attorney, said. “We will end the crime of passion loophole.
“There will be no more downgrading of intimate partner murder to manslaughter based on emotional excuses.”
“The murder of a partner, one’s own child will be treated as first-degree murder.”
O’Donnell said a Liberal government will strengthen the Criminal Code to deal with those who commit intimate partner violence.
Eliminating intimate partner violence can be done through education and the various support systems available in the community, O’Donnell said.
Those who have witnessed intimate partner violence also need to be helped to ensure they don’t grow up and repeat the scenario,” O”Donnell said. “We have to work with the social services programs that are available in the community and make sure people learn to treat each other with respect.”
Csordas said women and children are in a tough spot when it comes to the epidemic of gender-based violence because life is becoming unaffordable.
“One single person cannot move out on her own,” Csordas said. “The federal government has not built affordable housing since the 1970s.
“We have to make sure that support is there so they (women) don’t continue to be trapped in the same system.”
Gajerski-Cauley said she doesn’t see how getting tough with perpetrators is going to solve the problem when many instances of intimate partner violence go unreported.
“Women probably feel that it is not worth it to go through the criminal justice system to get justice,” Gajerski-Cauley said.
Many women don’t want to get re-traumatized, she said.
“We need to provide adequate and full government funding for homes for victims and women in crisis,” Gajerski-Cauley said.
Candidates were also asked what their party would do to address the affordable housing crisis.
A Liberal government would provide $35 billion in financing for home builders for construction affordable homes and build 500,000 new homes in a year, O’Donnell said.
As well, a Liberal government would eliminate the GST for first-time home buyers and reduce the red tape to make sure new homes get built.
“We need to get shovels in the ground immediately,” Brock said. “There are too many bureaucratic delays holding us back.”
A Conservative government would provide incentives to municipalities to speed up construction and reduce the red tape paralyzing the housing market.
A Conservative government would scrap the GST on new homes under $1.3 million, saving home buyers $65,000 on the purchase and reduce mortgage payments by approximately $3,000 annually, Brock said.
Gajerski-Cauley said Liberal and Conservative governments over the past several decades have failed to invest in affordable housing.
An NDP government would build non-profit housing for those who would like to get into the housing market but can’t afford it.
Csordas said first time home buyers are not purchasing shiny new builds. They’re buying fixer uppers and scraping every penny possible to get into the market.
A Green Party government will launch the largest public housing program since the 1970s using Canadian materials and creating local jobs, Csordas said.
The debate will be televised on Rogers TV cable channel 20 on April 16 at 5 p.m., April 17 at 1 p.m. and April 21 at 10 p.m.
It will also be available on the Rogers website at www.rogerstv.com and its You Tube page at www.youtube.com/rogerstvofficial .
Other candidates running in Brantford Brant South Six Nations include independents Leslie Bory, Mike Clancy and Clo Marie and Nicholas Xenos, of the People’s Party of Canada.
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City of Brantford is joining communities across Canada in recognizing Emergency Preparedness Week
Following this year’s theme of “Be prepared
Know the risks,” the City is encouraging residents to consider potential risks from extreme weather
as well as disruptions to utilities and information technology
As part of Emergency Preparedness Week, the City of Brantford and Brantford Fire Department is offering residents a chance to win a vehicle emergency kit (valued at $100). Visit the City of Brantford’s Instagram page on Monday
2025 and correctly answer the emergency preparedness trivia question for a chance to win
All correct responses will be entered into a random draw
The winner will be announced on the City’s Instagram page on Monday
The prize must be picked up with valid ID at the City’s Number 1 Fire Hall
“Emergency Preparedness Week is a great time for residents to sit down and prepare for different types of potential emergencies,” said Kris Lutzi
Community Emergency Management Coordinator for the City of Brantford
assembling an emergency kit and protecting their home from the elements.”
To better prepare yourself during emergencies
A new joint-use elementary school at the corner of MacLachlan Avenue and Whitehorn Crescent in Caledonia is expected to help relieve enrolment pressures within both the public and Catholic boards
school board officials and politicians took part in a ceremonial groundbreaking in Caledonia in May 2024 to mark the start of construction on the new joint-use facility
distinctive waterway inspired selection committee
A trailblazer in education and a waterway synonymous with Haldimand County and Six Nations of the Grand River have inspired the names of two public elementary schools currently under construction in the Grand Erie District School Board
Grand River Public School is set to open this September in a newer subdivision on the edge of Caledonia
The $33-million elementary school and 49-space child-care centre at the corner of MacLachlan Avenue and Whithorn Crescent is a joint project between Grand Erie and the Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board
The Catholic half of the 76,000-square-foot complex will be named Pope Francis Catholic Elementary School and welcome 305 students this fall
while Grand River Public School will have space for approximately 440 pupils
The new building will alleviate enrolment pressure at nearby schools in both boards
“By naming the school after the Grand River, the board aligns with these rich educational opportunities and encourages students to explore and appreciate this important watershed,” she said.
In Brantford, a school scheduled to open in September 2026 will pay tribute to Blanche E. Williams, a Brantford resident who made headlines in the 1880s for being one of the first Black women in Canada to study at university with the same privileges as white students.
“With education as the path to transformation, Blanche Williams interrupted racial barriers and showed us what’s possible,” superintendent of education Liana Thompson said of Williams, an alumna of Brantford Collegiate Institute.
“Her story inspires all of us to be courageous (and) strong and to persevere to achieve our dreams,” Thompson said.
The $34-million Blanche E. Williams Public School is currently under construction at Shellard Lane and Strickland Avenue in West Brant.
The names for both schools came out of a public consultation process. Trustees finalized the names at the April 28 school board meeting.
Canada’s 45th federal election will be held on April 28, with voters in 343 electoral districts (ridings), including the newly-created Brantford-Brant South-Six Nations, marking their ballots and sending representatives to Ottawa.
This will be the first election to use a new 343-seat electoral map based on the 2021 Canadian census.
The current seat count in Parliament is 152 for the Liberal Party, followed by the Progressive Conservatives with 120, the Bloc Quebecois with 33, the NDP with 24, Independent with three, and the Green Party with two.
Here’s a look at the riding of Brantford-Brant South-Six Nations
To vote, electors must be registered at their current address. Electors can register at the polls just before they vote but are encouraged to register or check their registration early to help ensure they get a voter information card and make the voting process easier. To check if you’re registered go to ereg.elections.ca/en/ereg/index
Before election day, Elections Canada mails personalized voter information cards to electors about where and when to vote. The card can be used as proof of address when voting. It must be used with another piece of accepted ID to prove identity.
KitchenerNewsPolice seek missing woman, 27, last seen in BrantfordBy Sidra JafriPublished: April 21, 2025 at 12:56PM EDT
Conservative incumbent Larry Brock was proclaimed the winner of the Brantford—Brant South—Six Nations riding in Monday’s federal election.
Incumbent MP wins re-election in redrawn Brantford riding.
“You are all my masters,” Conservative MP Larry Brock told supporters at the Brantford Polish Hall after winning Brantford—Brant South—Six Nations.
“I work for you; I am your public servant,” the incumbent candidate said, noting he was addressing “everyone in this riding, whether you voted Conservative, Liberal, NDP or otherwise.”
It was anyone’s guess who would take the riding as numbers started filtering in on Monday night.
Brock has held the riding since 2021, while fellow Conservative Phil McColeman was MP from 2008 to 2021.
But Liberal rookie Joy O’Donnell made it a tight race.
“We knocked it out of the park when you consider we only had really three weeks of the campaign to work,” O’Donnell told The Spectator on Monday night.
Brock’s team, on the other hand, started “gathering data, looking for where our support was, trying to land the signs” as soon as election rumours started to circulate in the fall.
“So as we got closer and closer to the eventual dropping of the race itself, I had already knocked on over 10,000 doors,” Brock told reporters after his victory.
Some supporters he picked up along the way included new Canadians; like the Sikh, Hindu, Telugu communities, he said.
“I made a lot of good connections there, and continue to foster good relations,” helping with immigration and passport issues.
Brock also beat out Anne Gajerski-Cauley (NDP) and Karleigh Csordas (Green) to represent the riding, which includes the City of Brantford, parts of Brant County and Six Nations of the Grand River.
The Conservative had the endorsement of Brantford Mayor Kevin Davis, who called the former Crown attorney for Brant “one of the hardest working elected officials I’ve ever seen” in a Facebook video earlier this month.
In a boundary change, the riding picked up western Brant County communities like Harley, Hatchley, Muir, New Durham and Cathcart, which were previously part of the Oxford riding. It also lost some communities — like Paris — to the updated riding of Flamborough—Glanbrook—Brant North.
The riding has a population of 121,511 and 102,397 registered voters, according to Elections Canada.
BROCK, Larry (Conservative): 34,360 (52.6%)
O’DONNELL, Joy (Liberal): 26,747 (40.9%)
XENOS, Nicholas (People’s Party): 392 (0.6%)
Aperol spritzes weren’t on the agenda when four Catholic trustees visited Italy over the summer — but they did indulge in mojitos, beer, Baileys and whisky, albeit not on the taxpayer’s dime.
The elected representatives of Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board (BHNCDSB) racked up $127,000 in travel and art costs on the publicly funded trip — plus nearly $63,000 more in legal costs managing the aftermath — prompting a ministry review.
The report released last week gives insight into where things went wrong, but also how the trustees spent taxpayer dollars which they have since vowed to repay.
On July 8, then-chair Rick Petrella and fellow trustees Bill Chopp, Mark Watson and Dan Dignard boarded a Lufthansa airlines flight bound for Munich, business-class tickets in hand.
Their flights averaged around $3,500 per person, each way.
On arrival July 9, they picked up their ride, a grey Volvo XC90, and checked into “deluxe” and “superior” category rooms in the Westin Grand Munich.
That first night, they ate chicken wings and nachos, Chopp told reviewer Aaron Shull.
Dinner was included in the $6,700 two-night hotel bill, so it’s “unclear” how the $219 receipt Petrella submitted for “dinner at hotel and parking” fits, Shull said.
An Oktoberfest hall was their destination for the night — they took an Uber and stayed for an hour and a half, but did not expense their “rounds of beer,” the trustees told Shull.
On July 10, the trustees toured downtown Munich and the churches and ate the dinner included with their stay.
The next morning, they checked out, driving the 270 kilometres to Ortisei, a “resort area,” where they would stay for three nights, at a cost of nearly $8,400.
One bill submitted from that time included 27 alcoholic beverages, including Campari sodas, rum, scotch whisky, Baileys, mojitos, beer, wine and digestifs (like amaro or grappa).
While the expense wasn’t claimed, Shull noted it as “relevant” since the trip was described as “professional.”
It was February 2024 when Petrella reached out to the Saint Pio Foundation to ask about getting a life-sized statue of St. Padre Pio for the new high school being built in Brantford.
Over the following months, Petrella had an ongoing email exchange with Guido Goller, a “master sculptor” at the Giuseppe Stuflesser workshop, according to LinkedIn.
The workshop made a St. Padre Pio sculpture for the All Saints Roman Catholic Church in Etobicoke, according to its website.
When the trustees visited on July 12, it’s “somewhat unclear” how long they spent at the sculptor’s workshop. The accounts varied from “approximately an hour and a half” to “the full day, with a break for lunch,” Shull wrote.
That night, the group dined at Ristorante Anna Stuben, a Michelin-starred spot at Relais & Châteaux-associated Hotel Gardena Grodnerhof.
There, the trustees indulged in four-course menus with wine pairings. Petrella was reimbursed for the total cost of just over $1,600 for all four of them.
The next day, they explored Ortisei “as tourists.” Some took the cable car “to enjoy the views of the surrounding Dolomite mountains” and “strolled around afterward, browsing through the local shops and boutiques.”
The trustees expensed four dinners at the Hotel Angelo Engel that night, to the tune of around $360.
The next day, they drove back to Munich, and paid $1,182 to stay at the Hilton Airport hotel for the night.
On July 15, they returned to Canada and took a $316 limo from the airport to the board office in Brantford.
A portion from each trustee’s biweekly honorarium payment is being deducted to repay their trip expenses, as they vowed to do after people expressed outrage over the travel.
Of the $12,666 they each owe, as of March 6, the trustees have repaid $2,102 (Petrella), $1,072 (Dignard) and $2,262 (Chopp). Watson has repaid $1,216 of the $12,370 he agreed to, the report said.
At this rate, it will be August 2028 before all have settled up — long after their current term ends with the next municipal election scheduled for October 2026, Shull noted.
The trustees believed they could cover the nearly $70,000 spent on art through donations.
However, Shull didn’t find evidence to confirm any donations, raising questions about “the feasibility” and “whether public funds may eventually be required.”
Education Minister Paul Calandra has given the board 30 days to repay the province for the trustee travel expenses, art and artifacts.
“To be clear, I expect immediate action in Brant, and if I am not satisfied I will take additional steps,” he said at a news conference on April 25.
Calandra called out other boards he has his eye on.
He put Thames Valley District School Board under supervision after senior board officials took a $40,000 retreat at Toronto’s SkyDome hotel amid a “multimillion-dollar budget deficit.”
The “structural deficits over multiple years” at Thames Valley didn’t show “any clear path back to a balanced budget, differentiating its situation from Brant’s,” and preventing the board from the same fate, he told reporters.
However, if BHNCDSB doesn’t “fully implement” the province’s recommendations “and report back to me very quickly that they have done so,” he will take “further actions” to ensure “maximum accountability.”
A spokesperson for the board said last week it had “just received” the report and will be “taking time to examine” it.
“As always, the board will co-operate with the minister and the Ministry of Education. The board will review the recommendations contained within the report, and once we have thoroughly examined it, we will be able to share additional information,” the statement continued.
No buts about it there are a lot of butts in Brantford.
“If you go to a parking lot anywhere in the city you will see piles of cigarette butts up against the curb,” Jennifer Brooks said Saturday. “One that really stands out in my mind is the (Wayne) Gretzky centre.
“The centre itself isn’t littered with discarded cigarette butts but the parking lot is.”
Smoking isn’t allowed on city property and there are a lot of no smoking signs. Yet, if you look down on the ground in the parking lot you will immediately see discarded cigarette butts, Brooks said.
A member of Brantford’s Green Team, Brooks was the coordinator of a butt blitz in the city’s downtown on Saturday. More than 10 volunteers wearing protective gloves spent two hours looking for and picking up butts.
Finding discarded cigarette butts was an easy task. All one had to do was look at the edge of a curb on Dalhousie Street or along the edge of the Harmony Square Rink.
If each cigarette butt was a loonie, the volunteers would have collected more than $10,000 for two hours of work.
Since 2021, volunteers have picked up more than 130,000 discarded cigarette butts.
“For some reason, people don’t perceive cigarette butts as litter,” Brooks said. “But they are and more than that, they are toxic.
“They contain chemicals and if you put throw one into a planter or on the ground, you are contaminating the soil.”
Brooks said people need to understand that throwing their cigarette butt on the ground isn’t a harmless act.
Moreover, there are ways to dispose of cigarette butts responsibly and safely. A Google search will provide a couple of options including using portable or pocket ashtrays. Some areas, including Brantford, have specialized bins for cigarette disposal.
A bin on Dalhousie Street, across from the Sanderson Centre close to the Harmony Square exit was overflowing with cigarette butts on Saturday.
Cigarettes can also be put into trash cans so long as they have been extinguished and not put directly on top of a flammable surface.
Brantford’s Green Team helps divert waste into recycling at major events including the city’s Canada Day celebration. The team joined with A Greener Future, a Canada-wide organization, to participate in Saturday’s blitz.
The butts collected will be sent to Terracycle where they will be cleaned and broken down by materials before being used to make new products.