Realtors see a little help for buyers in federal budget

Local realtors welcomed the federal budget’s focus on housing but said it can’t do much to help people buy them while prices are so inflated. Steve Dickie, president of the Realtors Association of Grey Bruce Owen Sound, said the new tax-free savings plan to help new homeowners put together a down payment will help “a […]

Owen Sound police lay charges after driver speeds away — in reverse

A 22-year-old unlicensed driver faces criminal and provincial charges for what Owen Sound police described as a “careless and senseless act.” Police recognized an unlicensed driver driving in the area of 11th Street East and 3rd Avenue East just after 5 p.m. March 30 and pulled him over, an Owen Sound Police Service news release […]

Local Ukrainian relief efforts a mix of compassion and fun

Boxes of Ukrainian relief supplies packed in an Owen Sound church gym Friday will head to Toronto Wednesday on their way to Poland. There were dozens of boxes filled with socks, clothes and other essentials gathered as part of a community response initiated by Owen Sound resident Olga Gura. Another 30 boxes were coming from […]

Owen Sound treatment centre will be a provincial pilot

Ontario’s associate minister responsible for mental health and addictions said he’ll assess the success of a new treatment facility which he officially announced for Owen Sound Friday, with a view to opening similar centres elsewhere in Ontario. “This has been a vision that I’ve wanted to see implemented in the province long before coming to […]

Job seekers, employers mix and match at job fair Thursday

Ryan Preece visited a job fair in Owen Sound Thursday with hopes of finding more than just a job. He said he moved to Owen Sound from Kitchener because houses were cheaper by half two years ago. But COVID-19 concerns these past two years limited his job search. He has a job in security and […]

Firefighters put out electrical room fire at former Tenneco building

Fire caused extensive damage to electrical equipment in the main electrical room of the former Tenneco factory building Wednesday night but no one was hurt. The former Tenneco building, at 1800 17th Street East in Owen Sound, is partially occupied by the green hydrogen research and development firm, Hydrogen Optimized. Fire crews responded to a […]

Improvements coming to Putt ‘n Paddle in Harrison Park

The Putt ‘n Paddle, a Harrison Park landmark for years, will be upgraded over the life of a new lease agreement endorsed by city council Monday night. The miniature golf, paddle boat and canoe rental business has been operated by Chase, Roger and Cathy Amyot for years. This new 10-year agreement follows the their previous […]

Owen Sound starts long process toward taxing tourist stays

City council on Monday directed staff to begin stakeholder consultations toward establishing a municipal accommodation tax in Owen Sound. A report to the city’s community development, tourism and culture advisory committee on March 11, containing the recommendation to start consultations which council endorsed, aims to introduce the tax on Jan. 1, 2024. A four per […]

Scrutiny of city services and staffing to find savings begins

Consultants hired to provide an independent review of Owen Sound’s service delivery and staffing to find budget savings introduced themselves to city council Monday. By September, the consultancy MNP is to make final recommendations. “It’s not cookie-cutter,” consultant Steve Luckie told councillors during a virtual visit. The report will be “bespoke to the city of […]

Owen Sound election details set, voter’s list website is online

Owen Sound will vote by Internet and telephone again in the October municipal and school board elections. The voting will start Oct. 14 at 10 a.m. and run through election day, Monday, Oct. 24, at 8 p.m. Voters have a website, www.voterlookup.ca, where they can confirm or update their voter information, including their school board […]