Announcements

The Guelph & Wellington Taskforce for the Elimination of Poverty has updated their Emergency Food Access Guides.  

In light of COVID-19, emergency food providers in Guelph and Wellington have adapted their services to meet need and keep people safe. To capture these changes, the Poverty Task Force has created the  COVID-19 emergency food access resources to support referrals to service and system navigation for individuals in need. To view these resources please click on the links below:  

Guelph Emergency Food Access (May 2020)

Wellington County Emergency Food Access (May 2020)

MAPLETON, ON - The County of Wellington held a grand opening ceremony today for a new EarlyON Child and Family Centre. The centre will officially open its doors to the public on Thursday, January 30.

EarlyON Child and Family Centres in Wellington are planned and managed by the County of Wellington’s Children’s Early Years Division. The County is the Consolidated Municipal Service Manager of Child Care and Early Years for Wellington and the City of Guelph. The funding for EarlyON Child and Family Centres is provided by the Government of Ontario.

“Our goal is to have accessible high quality services available across our service delivery area,” said Warden Kelly Linton. “The first EarlyON Centre opened in Wellington North in 2018. The County plans to have at least five EarlyON Centres in various locations across the County by 2021.”

EarlyON Child and Family Centres offer a free welcoming place for all parents and caregivers with young children to spend time participating in high-quality children’s programmes that support all areas of child development. It is place where parents and caregivers of children have access to information, workshops and links to other resources based on their individual needs. It is also a place for families, caregivers and children to connect with others and grow together.

“We believe supporting families and caregivers with young children is critical,” said Luisa Artuso, Director of the Children’s Early Division. “Doing so strengthens the most important relationships in a child’s life, and in turn, strengthens the child.”

The Mapleton EarlyON Child and Family Centre is located at 21 Wellington Street South in Drayton. It will be open a minimum of 30 hours over 6 days per week and will be operated by the Community Resource Centre of North and Centre Wellington. Existing EarlyON Child and Family mobile sites in Alma and Moorefield will continue to operate with no change in services.

“Research shows that the first five years of a child’s life are critical in their physical development, and in the development of their resilience and soft skills,” commented David Anderson, Social Services Committee Chair. “EarlyON programmes and services are really important for all children to have access to.”

For more information on EarlyON Child and Family Centres in Wellington County, visit: www.wellington.ca/earlyon

Le project du Système inclusif de services à la petite enfance: Vous avez un enfant d’âge préscolaire? Vous avez la possibilité de participer à une interview avec un chercheur ou une chercheuse pour parler de votre expérience liée à l’obtention de services de soutien pour votre enfants. Voici quelques-uns des services ciblés:

• Consultation en ressources
• Soutien en autism
• Orthophonie
• Soutien comportemental
• Physiothérapie
• Services de santé mentale
• Ergothérapie
• Soutien aux families autochtones
• Autres services de conseil ou d’évaluation concernant le développement et la croissance de votre enfant

Inclusive Early Childhood Care Services System Study - 17-01-2020

To thank you for your time, the study is offering a gift valued at $30. To learn more, see the IECSS Project flyer.

SWIFT Announces Wellington County High-Speed Broadband Expansion Plan 

20-01-2020

SWIFT Announces Wellington County High-Speed Broadband Expansion Plan

• SWIFT signs agreements with Cogeco Connexion Inc. (Cogeco Connexion), EH!tel Networks Inc. (EH!tel Networks) and North Frontenac Telephone Corporation Limited (NFTC) to support the expansion of broadband infrastructure in Wellington County.
• Nearly 2,900 households and businesses across 17 communities throughout the townships of Guelph Eramosa, Centre Wellington, Mapleton and Wellington North will soon have access to faster and better internet services.
• The broadband infrastructure expansion plan is valued at approximately $12 million.

SWIFT today announced it has awarded contracts to expand high-speed broadband services to nearly 2,900 homes and businesses in Wellington County throughout the townships of Guelph Eramosa, Centre Wellington, Mapleton, and Wellington North.

“Access to broadband services is essential in today’s digital world, that is why we are pleased to announce that many more residents in Wellington County will soon have greater access to reliable and affordable high-speed internet,” says David Mayberry, SWIFT Board Chair.  “SWIFT is committed to improving network coverage in rural communities across Southwestern Ontario and looks forward to continuing to expand broadband services within our region.”

A total of $7.5 million in provincial and federal funding has been awarded by SWIFT to support four broadband infrastructure projects across 15 underserved communities within Wellington County. The total value of the newly announced projects is approximately $12 million, including nearly $4.5 million in contributions from the service providers.  

“Reliable internet throughout Wellington County’s urban and rural communities is essential for both residents and businesses” says Kelly Linton, Wellington County Warden. “Wellington County is excited to move forward with this first phase of high-speed broadband expansion and we look forward to the improvements and opportunities that will result from the SWIFT initiative.”

“We have been working towards this action for some time now and it is great to see this next phase of infrastructure being built in our communities,” commented Councillor George Bridge, Economic Development Chair of the Western Ontario Wardens` Caucus and SWIFT Board Member. “SWIFT, and the results from this partnership will not only benefit residents but will also help our businesses be more competitive, innovative and connected both locally and internationally.”

SWIFT is making the investments through the New Building Canada Fund – Small Communities Fund (NBCF-SCF), a joint federal and provincial infrastructure funding program, and in partnership with its member municipalities. 

“The projects we are investing in today will provide families and businesses, particularly in rural communities, with access to faster and better broadband services,” says Barry Field, SWIFT Executive Director.  “Working collaboratively with our service providers and in partnership with government representatives, the newly announced projects will expand broadband infrastructure in underserved areas to improve the delivery of high-speed connectivity throughout the county.”

Cogeco Connexion is among the service providers that will receive funding from SWIFT for two fibre-optic broadband infrastructure projects.  The company has been awarded approximately $4.5 million to deploy fibre cabling along more than 112 kilometres of underserved roads in the Townships of Guelph Eramosa and Centre Wellington. The newly expanded fibre optic network will connect approximately 1,950 homes and businesses in the communities of Eden Mills, Brucedale, Centre Inn, Everton, Oustic, Simpson Corners, Shands, Spier, Pine Meadows, Maple Leaf and Belwood. Services will be available mid-2021 for the residents of Eden Mills with the remaining project areas expected to be up and running by late-2021. The total collective value of the fibre-to-the-home projects is estimated at $7.4 million.

“Wellington County is a priority for Cogeco Connexion and we are proud to have been selected by SWIFT to proceed with our proposed expansion in the townships of Guelph Eramosa and Centre Wellington,” said Antoine Shiu, Vice President, Business Solutions and Market Expansion at Cogeco Connexion. “Being community focused is deeply-entrenched in our core corporate values. As such, we are thrilled to fulfill the county’s vision for a powerful, reliable and affordable fibre network – as well as help meet the Government of Ontario’s objective of ensuring all people and businesses in the province have access to high-speed internet.”

$1.7 million in funding has also been awarded to EH!tel Networks to support a hybrid project which will use a combination of both fibre and wireless technologies to significantly expand broadband access to portions of Inverhaugh, Ponsonby and Ariss, providing high-speed connectivity to more than 670 residents.  The total project cost is approximately $2.6 million and will require the service provider to install fibre-optic lines along 33 kilometres of underserved roads within the Townships of Guelph Eramosa and Centre Wellington.  EH!tel Networks’ project is expected to be completed by mid-2021.  

“EH!tel Networks is excited and appreciative to have been selected by SWIFT to construct a fibre-to-the-home network in Ariss, Inverhaugh, and surrounding areas,” says Wendy Peeters, Sales Manager, EH!tel Networks. “We look forward to working with SWIFT and the community to provision exceptionally reliable internet speeds of up to 1Gbps, with IPTV and home phone.”

NFTC will also receive $1.3 million in funding to deploy fibre-cabling along more than 41 kilometers of underserviced roads in the Townships of Mapleton, Wellington North and Centre Wellington to deliver a fibre-to-the-home solution to eligible residents.  The total project cost is approximately $2 million and is expected to be up and running by the end of 2020 with direct fibre connections available to approximately 270 homes and businesses within the communities of Yatton, Creek Bank and Goldstone.

“As a telecommunications company serving rural Ontario for over 60 years, NFTC is proud to be partnering with SWIFT to provide fibre optic connectivity to underserved areas,” says Grant Roughley, Vice President, NFTC. “This project is part of NFTC’s on-going commitment to bring the world’s fastest communications technology to rural communities.”

Connectivity from the newly funded projects will deliver the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission’s (CRTC) set megabits per second upload and download rate of 50/10, and in most areas internet speed up to 1 gigabit per second. 
The projects are part of SWIFT’s $209 million Southwestern Ontario broadband expansion plan.

About SWIFT

Southwestern Integrated Fibre Technology (SWIFT) is a non-profit regional broadband project initiated by the Western Ontario Wardens’ Caucus to subsidize the construction of high-speed broadband networks across Southwestern Ontario, Caledon and the Niagara Region.

The project was approved for funding up to $127.4 million under the New Building Canada Fund – Small Communities Fund (NBCF-SCF), a joint federal and provincial infrastructure funding program, and leverages additional funding from municipal partners and private sector investors to bring the total project investment to $209 million to improve access to broadband services across the region. 

Media Contact:

Melissa O’Brien
Manager, Communications and Stakeholder Relations Southwestern Integrated Fibre Technology
melissa.obrien@swiftruralbroadband.ca  
226.256.1640

Cherchez-vous un docteur? 12-30-2019

Si vous cherchez un médecin de famille dans l’une des régions suivantes, veuillez communiquer avec le Réseau local d’intégration des services de santé (RLISS) de Waterloo Wellington :

• Kitchener-Waterloo (et les cantons environnants)

• Cambridge et North Dumfries

• Guelph et Puslinch

• Région rurale de Wellington

Vos informations seront utilisées à des fins de planification. Nous souhaitons également mettre les résidents en rapport avec des médecins de famille lorsque cela est possible.

Veuillez répondre à toutes les questions du sondage. Si vous préférez répondre par téléphone, veuillez composer le 1‑888‑883‑3313, poste 2005.

Are You Looking for a Family Doctor? 12-30-2019

If you’re looking for a family doctor in one of the following areas, the Waterloo Wellington Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) wants to hear from you:

 Ontario announces Needs-Based Autism Program - 12-17-2019

Ontario to Implement Needs-Based Autism Program In-Line with Advisory Panel's Advice.

Read the full press release.

The County of Wellington launches Ride Well - 12-02-2019

RIDE WELL is a county wide, demand based, public transit service available to all residents.

RIDE WELL™ is a public transit service that uses a rideshare model of operation. The County has partnered with a technology company (RideCo) to provide on-demand shared rides. RideCo's software optimizes the rides such that as many people with as few vehicles possible are getting to their destinations in a reliable way. It provides an alternative option to owning and using a personal vehicle in a rural setting and for those who cannot access vehicles for regular needs.

Quick Access Mental Health Clinics in Fergus and Mount Forest now permanent! 

06-17-2019

Family Counselling and Support Services for Guelph-Wellington is thrilled to announce that the current short term Quick Access Mental Health Clinics being offered in Fergus and Mount Forest are now a permanent service! This change is due to funding received from the Waterloo Wellington Local Health Integration Network (WWLHIN) as the provincial government has announced more funding for mental health and addictions! FCSSGW has offered a no appointment needed, Quick Access Clinic in Guelph for nearly 10 years with funding from the United Way Guelph Wellington Dufferin (UWGWD).

Our clinics, in Guelph and North Wellington, are seeing clients with an increasing level of complexity including self-harm and suicidal ideation. There is an increased rate of death by suicide in North Wellington (as compared to the rest of the province) and waitlists for mental health services. Quick Access Mental Health Clinics and Brief Therapy are evidence-based models proven to reduce client stress, anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation. FCSSGW has been working with these two models for decades. In Guelph, client complexity has been steadily increasing; as of two years ago 15-20% of clients were experiencing thoughts of self-harm (including suicidal ideation) and this figure has jumped to over 40%. Complexity percentages are slightly less in North Wellington.

Clinic times and locations will remain the same until further notice.

 Access to Intrepretation Services - 16-11-2018

View the Announcement by Waterloo Wellington LHIN & Kitchener-Waterloo Multicultural Centre. 

 Cannabis Information Campaign - 17-10-2018

Wellington Dufferin Guelph Public Health is pleased to announce the launch of its cannabis information campaign talkingaboutweed.ca this campaign features 4 short videos aimed at youth which focus on key health messages about cannabis.

HERE 4 KIDS - 31-12-2018