The LocalSKIM for Tuesday, June 22
- St. Catharines will need to spend $15 million over the next 10 years upgrading its basketball courts, tennis courts and playgrounds or will need to close up to 87 facilities. The current level of funding for courts and playgrounds is not sufficient and some facilities are now in a state of disrepair. (St. Catharines Standard)
- An Environment Canada Senior Climatologist said that he expects a warmer than normal summer across southern Canada but not as hot as last summer, where the temperature in Niagara was about 1.5°C warmer than normal. (610 CKTB)
- A man who was allegedly yelling threats while holding a large knife outside Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s home on Monday was arrested by an OPP officer who was on site. (National Post)
- A “risk assessment tool” will soon be available to help fully vaccinated Canadians decide whether it is safe to take off their masks and whether physical distancing still needs to be observed. (Thorold News)
Photo: Unsplash/Feliphe SchiarolliDSBN Trustees pass $523 million budget
- District School Board of Niagara Trustees have passed the DSBN’s 2021/2022 budget totaling $522,650,999 – $22 million higher than the budget for the 2020/2021 school year.
- The average cost of education per student is expected to be $12,686 – a growth of 1.2 per cent, or $152 per student from 2020/2021.
- The budget for the next school year focuses on the continuation and expansion of academic programs and supports, while investing in COVID-19 recovery for students and staff.
- The additional $22 million is due in part to more students enrolling at DSBN schools during the upcoming school year as well as COVID-19 related funding.
The LocalSKIM for Monday, June 22
- A 30-storey condominium tower is being proposed for downtown St. Catharines on James Street where Gord’s Place and the Honest Lawyer was located. The location is beside the public library and the city will provide a slice of the library courtyard to the developer if the developer helps facilitate the development of a civic square on James Street. (St. Catharines Standard)
- The additional restrictions on Niagara restaurants could be lifted this week as the region’s cases per 100,000 residents and the virus’s reproductive rate have now fallen below the threshold set by Dr. Mustafa Hirji for lifting the additional restrictions. (St. Catharines Standard)
- The Delta variant continues to spread. Reported cases of the variant spiked 66 per cent last week and there is now over 2,000 confirmed cases with infections in all provinces and at least one territory. (CTV News)
- A drive-through Canada Day event will be held at the Thorold Community Arena on July 1 and will feature a display of the town’s largest fire truck, balloon animal artists and a photobooth. Registration is required. (Thorold News)