Updated Jan 2

WORLD CLASS EXPERTS AVAILABLE AT U. OF WATERLOO - JUST DOWN THE ROAD

By 1991 and earlier the Waterloo Centre for Groundwater Research was world renowned.  Despite that none of the so called "experts", consultants or other "suits" ever mentioned that incredible source of knowledge to Woolwich/Elmira citizens attending public UPAC meetings. Our esteemed and long compromised Ontario Ministry of Environment never mentioned or suggested the tremendous value in asking neutral and unbiased in house groundwater experts for information or advice. Instead all our authorities pretended that bought and paid for client driven consultants (Dames & Moore, CRA) were somehow obligated by engineering or public interest principles to speak truth to those paying their invoices. As Steve Quigley of CRA once stated " We are obligated only to the best interests of our clients.".  

I have been reviewing technical DNAPL reports likely for the fiftieth time over the last 36 years. I was introduced to Drs. J. Cherry and B. Parker at the University of Waterloo in January 2007 as CPAC's "DNAPL expert", probably by Susan Bryant. I quickly clarified to the two real experts (Cherry & Parker)  that I was CPAC's amateur DNAPL expert only. Various further DNAPL literature written by these two doctors was distributed to the four of us attending (McLean, Bryant, Ruland & myself) and it was all barely glanced at and handed to me. I offered to read it quickly over the next few days and pass it along to the other three. That offer was never requested or acted upon by any of them to my surprise. 

This meeting and the strong and very clear advice from Doctors Cherry and Parker was never taken to CPAC or discussed at any public meeting. If it was done privately I was not so advised. This was the beginning of the end for me as far as Bryant, McLean and Ruland were concerned. Nevertheless I was still trusting enough to go to Susan and Wilf with my findings later in 2007 on the inappropriate off-site well that Conestoga Rovers (CRA) wanted to use as one half of a monitoring pair of wells (1 on-site and 1 off-site) in order to ensure that shutting down pumping wells on-site for the later ATS (Ammonia Treatment System) would not cause a loss of hydraulic containment (It did.).

Do current Woolwich councillors truly believe that  the methods and procedures to clean up the Elmira Aquifers will not be exposed particularly after 2028 as second rate if not downright incompetent? Do you believe that the knowingly "cheapest and least effective method" of hydraulic containment, despite constant endorsement by almost all past councils, will not be publicly and savagely excoriated? If indeed, as has been arbitrarily removed from public discussion, it turns out that DDT and Dioxins  have migrated off the Uniroyal site westwards as well as downstream (eastwards) via the Canagagigue Creek that there won't be a scandal resulting in a public inquiry of some sort?  The westward migration may very well have been via the DNAPL mobilizing DDT and Dioxins and carrying them along to the Nutrite property as well as by the Howard St. Water Tower (OW57-32 (R). 

DNAPL DENIERS may have saved the responsible polluting companies and the Ontario M.O.E. hundreds of millions of dollars in cleanup costs but what about the health costs past, present and future? Do you want to drink Elmira water again not knowing the truth about what is still in it? 

The Youth Impact Project (YIP) is a collaboration between the Children and Youth Planning Table of Waterloo Region (CYPT) and Smart Waterloo Region Innovation Lab (SWRIL). The Youth Impact Project looks to fund youth who are addressing local challenges which are identified through the 2023 Youth Impact Survey results. The funded projects include a focus on supporting youth mental and physical health, increasing feelings of belonging, and responding to climate change and food insecurity.

In 2024, over 100 youth from 15 local organisations pitched their ideas to a panel of nine youth. The Youth Decision-Making Panel (“The Dragons”) decided which projects would receive funding to make their idea a reality. In 2025, CYPT and SWRIL accepted youth applications online, and a team of three youth decided which projects received funding.

JAMHacks is a student-led hackathon that allows high school students across Canada the opportunity to explore STEM. JAMHacks will offer workshops, mentorships, team building activities, and more that guide participants through ideation, coding, and navigating challenges in a team environment. JAMHacks is committed to levelling the playing field and empowering under-represented groups in STEM.

Applications for the 2025 Youth Impact Project are now closed and 17 youth projects across Waterloo Region received funding. Stay tuned in the coming weeks as we announce the other 7 projects!

Last but not least, we are grateful to our funders United Way Waterloo Region Communities and Region of Waterloo for making the Youth Impact Project possible.

The post 2025 Youth Impact Project Showcase: JAMHacks appeared first on Children and Youth Planning Table.

• What: Day of Action outside Centra Industries ♦
• When: 1:00pm on Saturday 3 January 2026
• Where: outside Centra Industries
• Location: 24 Cherry Blossom Road, Cambridge, Ontario Map
• Online: nfpwr.my.canva.site/
• Contact: waterlooforpalestine@gmail.com

Canada is still complicit in genocide, and Waterloo Region is still arming Israel.

It’s time to act.

Join us as we bring our collective power into 2026. Bring a neighbour. Bring your voice. Liberation is not a moment, it is a practice we return to again and again, year after year.

No more F-35s in our backyards!

Parking: Do not park at Centra Industries. Instead, find parking on Saltsman Drive or nearby businesses that are closed, while avoiding any ‘No Trespassing’ signs.

What to bring: Bring your Palestine flags, posters, signs, megaphones, drums, and anything to make noise. Since we’re meeting in January, be sure to wear warm, comfortable clothing!

• Marshals will be wearing vests. You can ask them any questions you may have!
• Do not interact with agitators, police, or media. We have trained members assigned to deal with each.
• We will not be interacting with the facility or employees. Our goal is to raise awareness about this manufacturer, not to provoke workers and take away from our message.

F-35 components made at Centra Industries travel to the assembly line in Fort Worth, Texas, where the F-35s are assembled and then purchased by Israel. Centra Industries is only one of several companies in Waterloo Region contributing weapons to Israel’s genocidal arsenal, but we’re focusing on them because of the exceptionally deadly nature of the F-35 warplane.

Since being elected, Cambridge MP Connie Cody has remained silent on the presence of Centra Industries in her riding and on Bill C-233 (the No More Loopholes Act), which would close the U.S. Loophole. To learn more about the proposed bill, see the ♦Arms Embargo Now website.

♦

KITCHENER - The Kitchener Panthers are proud to announce the signing of former Miami Marlins farmhand Elian Serrata.

The right-handed pitcher from the Dominican Republic is expected to be part of Kitchener's starting rotation in 2026.

He first signed on with the Marlins in 2022 on a minor league deal, and spent the first three seasons in the Dominican Summer League. 

There, he picked up an 8-2 record, a 4.06 ERA in 62 innings as a reliever, striking out 85 batters to 34 walks.

In 2025, he made the move up to Florida, where he played in both the Florida State League with Miami's single-A affiliate in Jupiter, as well as the Florida Complex League.

Serrata jumped onto Kitchener's radar at a recent team tryout in the Dominican Republic.

"I'm very excited to add Elian to our starting rotation," said general manager Shanif Hirani.

"His experience, along with his power stuff on the mound, will be extremely valuable to our pitching staff."

============

ELIAN SERRATA

• Bats/Pitches: R/R
• Hometown: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (IMPORT)
• Birthdate: January 27, 2002
• Pronunciation: EL-ee-AWN sir-AH-tuh

• Average home prices in Kitchener-Waterloo declined 6% year-over-year in 2025 and are expected to remain relatively stable through early 2026 before easing modestly.
• Inventory increased significantly in 2025, shifting some negotiating power back toward buyers, particularly for homes that are overpriced or outdated.
• Sales activity is expected to improve modestly in 2026 as interest rates stabilize and buyer confidence begins to return.
• Demand remains strongest for single-detached homes and established neighbourhoods such as Beechwood, Westmount, and Colonial Acres.
• Employment stability will be the most important factor influencing housing demand and overall market performance in 2026.

As we head into 2026, the Kitchener-Waterloo real estate market is moving through a period of adjustment. Following several years of rapid price growth, rising interest rates, and affordability challenges, the market is beginning to stabilize. That said, local economic pressures continue to play a meaningful role in shaping buyer and seller behaviour.

In 2025, average residential sale prices across all property types declined by six per cent year-over-year, decreasing from $781,434 to $733,094. Sales activity also softened, with total transactions down 2.8 per cent, from 5,415 sales in 2024 to 5,264 in 2025.

At the same time, inventory levels rose notably. Active listings increased by 13.8 per cent, from 10,855 to 12,354. This increase in supply has created more balanced market conditions and provided buyers with greater choice and negotiating flexibility, particularly in segments where pricing expectations have not aligned with current market realities.

Looking ahead, average home prices in Kitchener-Waterloo are expected to remain relatively flat through the first half of 2026, with the potential for a modest decline of up to three per cent later in the year. This outlook reflects ongoing economic uncertainty, including employer downsizing, relocation of operations, and residents leaving the region in search of employment opportunities.

Housing performance in the region remains closely tied to employment conditions, inflation trends, and household income stability. As interest rates hold steady, sales activity is expected to increase modestly, drawing previously cautious buyers back into the market.

Despite broader market shifts, demand remains strong in select neighbourhoods. Beechwood, Westmount, and Colonial Acres continue to attract buyers due to their established communities, mature trees, larger lot sizes, and long-term livability. These neighbourhoods remain particularly appealing to families seeking stability and space.

Single-detached homes continue to be the most sought-after property type in the Kitchener-Waterloo market. Buyers are prioritizing privacy, functionality, and long-term value, especially in suburban and family-oriented areas. Limited supply in this segment is expected to support steady demand even as the overall market balances.

First-time buyers remain focused on affordability and turn-key properties, typically within the $500,000 to $600,000 price range. Rising rental costs continue to make saving for a down payment more challenging, even as the desire for homeownership remains strong.

Move-up and move-over buyers are generally searching in the $750,000 to $950,000 range and are often open to homes that require cosmetic updates in exchange for better locations, larger lots, or long-term potential.

Downsizers and retirees are prioritizing lower-maintenance homes in quieter neighbourhoods, with typical budgets around $600,000.

New-home construction continues across the region, particularly in planned subdivisions and walkable neighbourhood concepts designed for convenience. While many low-rise developments are progressing as expected, condominium projects are experiencing longer timelines and increased uncertainty, including delayed closings.

In the rental market, higher rents have not translated into increased investor confidence. Ongoing challenges related to the Landlord and Tenant Board, extended eviction timelines, and property risk are leading many investors to step back from the market despite strong tenant demand.

Looking ahead, 2026 is shaping up to be a strategic year for buyers in Kitchener-Waterloo. Increased inventory, more balanced pricing, and improved financing conditions offer opportunities for those taking a long-term approach.

Employment stability will remain the most critical factor supporting housing demand and overall market health. A strong local economy underpins buyer confidence, sustainable pricing, and long-term market resilience.

While technology continues to shape how buyers access information, local knowledge remains essential. Understanding neighbourhood dynamics, pricing nuances, and long-term value considerations plays a key role in making confident and informed real estate decisions in the Kitchener-Waterloo market.

The post Kitchener-Waterloo Housing Market Update & 2026 Outlook appeared first on Kitchener Waterloo Real Estate Agent - The Deutschmann Team.

HIDING DNAPL PRESENCE MAY HAVE DOOMED THE CLEANUP. WHEN WERE DIOXINS & DDT LAST TESTED FOR IN THE ELMIRA AQUIFERS? 

Certainly Susan Bryant has. She with assistance from Sylvia Berg certainly damaged the long term cleanup of the Uniroyal site and Elmira's groundwater by their defence of the M.O.E.s sweetheart DNAPL deal with Uniroyal and CRA. On December 10, 1993 the Ministry of Environment (M.O.E.) accepted  the Conestoga Rovers (CRA) DNAPL report on behalf of Uniroyal Chemical. That December 10/93 Ministry report was a sellout and was only possible because Uniroyal and the M.O.E. had a private, behind closed doors agreement from the two APTE co-ordinaters. Sylvia's vigorous defence of the Ministry's position AFTER she, I and Glenys had written and edited APTE's strong critique of the CRA DNAPL report was shocking and damning of her behaviour. Susan Bryant was in India at the time and failed to reverse APTE's new DNAPL position when she returned..

Wilf, myself , Susan Bryant and Pat McLean attended the January 2007 meeting at the University of Waterloo with Drs. John Cherry and Beth Parker. Both doctors advised that removal or destruction of sub surface DNAPL was important for any long term cleanup of soils and aquifers. Pat, Susan and Wilf never brought these world preeminent DNAPL experts advice back to CPAC (Chemtura Public Advisory Committee). They flatly refused when I pushed for a date that the new information would be presented to CPAC. I at that time had absolutely zero knowledge or belief that the three of them were bent beyond all recognition. Months later I was kicked out of CPAC on the red herring that I opposed the Ammonia Treatment System (ATS) which was a lie. I opposed ONE inappropriate and inaccurate off-site well proposed to be used as part of a monitoring pair determining on-site containment . Even that only occurred after I had shown my information and maps to Wilf who DID NOT object to the evidence I presented. In fact he later in a meeting with CRA and Chemtura, Dr. Regier and I and others tried to defend it but quickly folded when CRA simply said no. 

DNAPLS and Susan are a major reason why the Elmira Aquifers will not be clean by 2028. Free phase DNAPL has and maybe still is off of the former Uniroyal site at a number of locations including the Varnicolor Chemical site and by the Howard St. Water Tower (OW57-32 (R). Also very likely DNAPL left the Uniroyal site and flowed next door (westwards) onto the Nutrite property which may or may not also be affecting off-site pumping well W8 to this day. 

Woolwich councillors and regional councillors have made their peace with whatever stories and lies they have been told. Lies however do not break down DNAPLS. Real, honest remediation can do wonders especially if initiated early. Currently Lanxess Canada are allegedly looking at different remediation methods. Great idea although slamming the gate thirty-six years after the DNAPLS have departed the corral is a touch slow. 

♦

♦New Hours at The Hangout
Starting in the new year, The Hangout will be adjusting its hours to better serve your caffeine needs and sweet treat cravings.

Tuesdays: No change! We’ll still be open 8:30–11:00 AM, and Cobs Bread pick-up will continue as usual.

Thursdays: We’re shifting to a later café window and will now be open 11:00 AM–2:00 PM. Perfect for a mid-day coffee break or afternoon treat. Baking will take place Thursday mornings, so everything will be fresh from the oven when the café opens!

We’re excited for these new hours and hope they make it even easier to stop by and enjoy The Hangout.  See you there!

Click here for more info

♦♦ ♦

♦Skate Night Date Night
Wednesdays in January and February
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
FREE
Waterloo Public Square – 75 King St. S, Waterloo

Enjoy free skating on the outdoor ice rink at Waterloo Public Square. There will be music from a live DJ and free hot drinks from Hissing Goose Coffee Roasters each week. If you don’t have a pair of skates, there are free skate rentals from McPhail’s Cycle and Sport on Jan 12 and Feb 18 or rent a pair from your local library. Come out and have a blast this winter!

Click here for more info

♦Sunday Grind
Sundays January 11 to March 15
11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
FREE
Various Locations

Sunday Grind is a fresh new music series designed to bring people together over great coffee, local talent, and vibrant community vibes. Enjoy pop-up music lounges, featuring live sets from local DJs at a different café each week. The first drop-in will be Sunday, January 11 at Fresh Ground – 256 King St. E, featuring DJ Yazzy of Exclusive Vibez Music. Get a taste from all around Downtown Kitchener!

Click here for more info

♦Drag Bingo at AOK
Tuesday, January 6
8:00 PM – 10:00 PM
FREE
AOK Craft Beer + Arcade – 165 King St. W, Kitchener Unit B03 (Entrance off Halls Ln.)

Join two local drag artists on the first Tuesday of every month. Play for bragging rights and for a selection of prizes donated from local businesses. Bring some tip money for the performers and a winning spirit, and it is sure to be a fantastic night. Doors open at 7:30 PM. If you have been wanting to get more connected to the local queer community, this is a great place to start.

Click here for more info

♦

♦Parents for Community Living Groups
January to March
Various Days/Times
$25 per weekly session
Parents for Community Living – 544 Bridgeport Road E, Kitchener

Craft Group
Each Crafting Session offers a chance to create meaningful, hand-made crafts in a fun and inclusive environment. Participants work on a variety of projects that reflect their interests and creativity, with support available as needed.
Click here for more info

Boxing Fitness Group
An energizing and inclusive boxing workout designed for all abilities! This program uses mitts and pads for a fun, partner-based cardio session (equipment provided). You’ll learn a variety of boxing combinations to boost your heart rate, improve coordination, and build confidence—all while having a great time. Instructor Courtney is the owner of MoveMEANT for All. Courtney specializes in inclusive fitness training for individuals with different abilities.
Click here for more info

Forever Young Seniors Group
A welcoming, lively community group designed for individuals ages 45 and above. This weekly group is a chance to connect, move, and have fun with a wonderful mix of exercise classes, creative crafts, and social activities. Every week includes snacks and refreshments alongside engaging activities that bring people together in friendship and joy.
Click here for more info

The post December 31, 2025: What’s Happening in Your Neighbourhood? appeared first on KW Habilitation.

The post January 4-Month SALE appeared first on Grand River Rocks Climbing Gym.

The post January 4-Month SALE appeared first on Grand River Rocks Climbing Gym.

An SWT based API for managing users and issuing SWT tokens.

Go 4.3k Updated Mar 13, 2025

♦Kitchener GO Station, looking west on a bitterly cold December 8, 2025. Photo by me.

Winter set in early this season, with two big snows in November, and it looks like it intends to stay a while. We've had couple of beautiful, bright but bitterly cold days, but we've also had some hefty snow-squalls which ensured a White Christmas. That's fine. Now that we've had our white Christmas, I'm seriously looking forward to spring, though that seems a ways off.

What hasn't been welcome is the flu that has ripped through our family. The eldest child was the first to get it, and I felt it coming two weeks ago. Today, it lingers in Erin and the youngest child. We've been vaccinated, but this has been one of those years where the vaccination didn't quite match up with the flu strain that became dominant, clearly. Oh, well. Hopefully this virus is on its last legs with us. Fingers crossed.

This past month, I've had a few more podcast appearances to talk about my writing in general and The Night Girl in particular. To start with, I had the pleasure of sitting down (via Zoom) with Chris Clinard at Books4Guys, to talk about the themes of my work, including issues of identity, and the possibilities of my novel-in-progress, The Curator of Forgotten Things. I had a great time, and you can listen in on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, and Spotify, or directly from their website.

Another neat interview was on The Mind of Sai Marie, where we talked about my coming up from fan fiction as I embarked on my writer's journey. We got really deep into the themes of The Night Girl, and the questions were really challenging in the best way. Check it out here. Sai Marie also has a newsletter.

Then Aimee Ravichandran invited me on board Author Talk, with her co-hosts. As Americans in the middle of a cold wave, they spent a little time complaining before I noted that, as a Canadian, I had it worse, and I hated it too. We had a good time discussing urban fantasy for a good forty-five minutes. Check it out here on Spotify.

Finally, I apologize for letting mention of this podcast slip too late, but I had a great time talking to Kino Isaac, a South African podcaster, producer and creative entrepreneur, who was super engaging and got me talking about my love of Toronto, and even about watching Doctor Who on TV Ontario. Check out his podcast over on Spotify; he made 52 minutes go by super quick.

I would like to thank Ed Willett and his publicist Mickey Mikkelson for getting my name out there. I haven't had a chance to do this before with my previous books (excepting The Sun Runners and Tales from the Silence, which Ed also published and publicized), and I'm grateful for these fun opportunities.

♦In 1974, a bold idea took shape: the Fourth Dimension group home. It became Calgary’s very first shared living space for 12 people with spinal cord injuries—a place where individuals with disabilities could be seen in a new dimension, not defined by limitations but by possibility. From that dream, Accessible Housing was born.
Today, Accessible Housing continues to carry that vision forward. But like many nonprofits, they face growing challenges. As Calgary’s need for accessible, affordable housing rises, resources have not kept pace. Shifts in government funding, rising operating costs, and increasing demand have added pressure. The team works tirelessly to stretch every dollar and build strong partnerships, but sustainable, flexible funding is essential to expand programs and meet urgent community needs.

In 2024, Accessible Housing joined forces with Capacity Canada through the Design Collective program, led by Liz Dennis and Hugh Munro, and supported by the Lyle S. Hallman Foundation and Suncor Energy Foundation. This collaboration was transformative—helping Accessible Housing strengthen its workplace culture, refine its strategy, and ensure staff voices shape the organization’s future.

“Capacity Canada’s Design Collective program has been transformative for Accessible Housing, offering insights and recommendations that have strengthened our operational practices, enhanced staff wellbeing, and elevated our workplace culture and productivity. Special thanks to Liz Dennis and Hugh Munro for their exceptional guidance and insightful instruction.”
– Tolu Enaibe, Director of Programs, Accessible Housing

♦Together, they developed 34 recommendations to improve workplace culture, staff benefits, and organizational efficiency. Already, 21 have been implemented—bringing visible improvements in morale, productivity, and overall staff experience. With this momentum, Accessible Housing is better equipped to support the community and continue building inclusive spaces where everyone belongs.

This giving season please consider making a donation to Accessible Housing’s mission to create welcoming, accessible homes and stronger communities.
Every donation makes a difference—bringing safety, dignity, and belonging to those who need it most.
Please consider making a donation today!

The post A Legacy of Inclusion: Accessible Housing in Calgary appeared first on Capacity Canada.

Gross negligence is usually required for a screwup as severe and life shattering as that which occurred between Bishop St. and the Grand River. I've heard numbers of between 300 and 600 homes were affected by the TCE (trichlororethylene) plume from Bishop St. all the way to its' discharge point into the Grand River. 

Oddly enough it seems that the Chromium contamination has not been addressed which seems peculiar to me. In fact I believe it was the same Chromium vi that was the problem in California that the famous Erin Brockovich was involved with. GE were involved as they owned BorgWarner which occupied a site across the road from Northstar that had also used TCE. At the time of the discovery of the contamination the occupant of that site was known as Rozell who apparently had not been a part of the contamination.. 

Northstar Directors settled with the Ministry of Environment for 4.75 million dollars towards cleanup costs etc. A private. local lawsuit cost Northstar another 4 million dollars still peanuts considering the health damages alone that they had caused.

It seems probable that the outdoor sheds have mitigated some (most?) of the effects of TCE poisoning within the community's homes.  That said nothing can mitigate the permanent health damages from years of exposure prior to the mitigation being initiated. Far too many people have become sick and died prematurely. Yours truly spent an evening in Joyce Hipel's home with her son Tracy and others early on in the crisis. After departing I suffered from a TCE headache with only a couple of hours of exposure. She lived in it 24 hours a day and passed on in 2010. 

Our authorities are world class in minimizing other people's suffering. Their families do not forget.  

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The Youth Impact Project (YIP) is a collaboration between the Children and Youth Planning Table of Waterloo Region (CYPT) and Smart Waterloo Region Innovation Lab (SWRIL). The Youth Impact Project looks to fund youth who are addressing local challenges which are identified through the 2023 Youth Impact Survey results. The funded projects include a focus on supporting youth mental and physical health, increasing feelings of belonging, and responding to climate change and food insecurity.

In 2024, over 100 youth from 15 local organisations pitched their ideas to a panel of nine youth. The Youth Decision-Making Panel (“The Dragons”) decided which projects would receive funding to make their idea a reality. In 2025, CYPT and SWRIL are accepting youth applications online, and a team of three youth are deciding which projects will receive funding.

The Coil Care Project is a youth-led program that creates space to learn about natural haircare, shared lived experiences, and reclaiming pride in Black hair. The program is a culturally relevant space for healing and wellness through hair education, ritual, and community building. The Coil Care Project will include community educators, workshops, custom care kits, and creative storytelling spaces for healing.

Applications for the 2025 Youth Impact Project are now closed and 17 youth projects across Waterloo Region received funding. Stay tuned in the coming weeks as we announce the other 10 projects!

Last but not least, we are grateful to our funders United Way Waterloo Region Communities and Region of Waterloo for making the Youth Impact Project possible.

The post 2025 Youth Impact Project Showcase: The Coil Care Project appeared first on Children and Youth Planning Table.

It's always the same. No need for a health study because non health experts have already pre-determined the outcome using their physic powers combined with their political prowess. Politicians with their extensive training in generally nothing deem themselves experts in everything. Hence clearly no need for a health study. That could only bring bad news whereas without a health study we can assume the best case scenario. Problem therefore solved!

Next point. It's DNAPLS you twits! DNAPLS DNAPLS & more DNAPLS. Nothing screams DNAPLS like TCE (trichlororethylene). Despite this the word DNAPL is not in the Record's article, not even once. Instead there is some description by a lay person  about sub surface clay being responsible for pools of TCE.  This is a gross simplification that should have been clarified by either the Region or the Min. of Environment. However just like here in Elmira our dishonest and corrupt authorities never want to mention that word (DNAPL) for fear that curious citizens will look it up and learn the horrors and consequences of it.

  Clay or lack of clay does not produce pools or free phase DNAPLS. Excessive amounts of trichloroethylene spilled or dumped onto the ground produces these pools and flows of  essentially pure TCE below ground surface.  Yes either a depression in an area of lower permeability silt or clay whether within a permeable aquifer or within a basically less permeable clay or silt aquitard can capture and hold a pool of this undissolved (free phase) DNAPL TCE.  Depending upon the size of the depression and size of the pool of pure TCE, it can take decades to even centuries to fully dissolve into the groundwater flowing past it. 

Hence keep in mind that small quantities of TCE can dissolve into and move with groundwater. Yes these small quantities can exceed the Ontario drinking water standards (ODWS). I believe that both dissolved in groundwater TCE as well as free phase TCE can volatolize into toxic vapours which most certainly can be lethal at acute concentrations in the short term and or lethal at much lower concentrations over longer time frames. I might add that right this second I'm not 100% certain that both dissolved TCE and free phase TCE can volatolize into toxic vapours. These vapours can then migrate through foundation cracks or other openings (for household services such as gas, water, electric etc.) including floor drains etc.

Basically the Bishop St. community in Cambridge were sold a Bill of Goods when they were told that ten years of backyard garden sheds with activated carbon filters would be the end of their problems. DNAPLS literally can take decades to centuries to slowly dissolve. This is similar to the bull**it sold to Elmira residents  that thirty years of pump & treat technology would clean up our drinking water aquifers. Our authorities  are terrified to ever admit to their lack of oversight and supervision of well known polluting industries. They will never tell us how little oversight companies like Varnicolor, Uniroyal, Northstar Aerospace, Canadian  General  Tower etc. have received over many decades. 

It is even possible that recent K-W Record articles regarding Uniroyal/Elmira (Nov. 15/25) and this one in today's Record titled "It's not going away" are less about finally informing citizens and more about setting the stage for future public acceptance of a Lake Erie water pipeline to Waterloo Region. Funny how much the Region of Waterloo have talked up their wonderful groundwater and their world class staff and infrastructure for decades. Now we are hearing a different story. 

Well now this is almost a synopsis if you will if the last year or so.  Starting with dioxin contaminated milk we now know that it has been contaminated since the 1960s. This information comes from government records of the day discovered by university researchers . Then from Susan Bryant we learn the truth (?)  on November 15/25 that she lied to me back in the 1990s about dioxins tested for and found in milk from cows along the downstream Canagagigue Creek. Based on this information and more I have to strongly suspect that our milk sourced from these farms still has dioxins in it. Thank You Regional Health Unit as well as Woolwich Township. Apparently poisoning Old Order Mennonite farmers and the general public is O.K. whereas depriving them of their milk quotas is not!

The Varnicolor Chemical site was so grossly contaminated with solvents that the light ones  were floating on top of the water table. These were inadvertently discovered by Digger Dave Holmes around 1989.  Varnicolor's owner publicly stated that Digger Dave "was full of shit" when he reported that either at a public meeting or to authorities. The light solvents are referred to as LNAPLS for Light Non Aqueous Phase Liquids and the heavier ones as DNAPLS or Dense Non Aqueous Phase Liquids. Varnicolor Chemical had both and all of them ended up in the Elmira drinking water aquifers although it took 35 years for authorities to admit only that many of the heavier, chlorinated solvents descended deep enough to enter the Municipal Upper drinking water Aquifer.

Jesse Wright at a June 2025 TRAC meeting advised that chlorinated solvents (chlorobenzene) were found at several industrial/commercial locations in and around First St. and Howard Ave. This may have been done in order to explain the admission of former DNAPLS present beside the Howard Ave. water tower in Elmira throughout the 1990s and later. That second admission came from the Minutes of s September 2024 TRAC meeting in which Allan Deal (GHD) attempted to slickly avoid admitting anything about chlorobenzene DNAPLS  ever being on the Varnicolor site.  Same with NDMA. Varnicolor was protected by the authorities from blame over ruining our drinking water aquifers for decades until they finally admitted multiple chlorinated solvents from Varnicolor did contribute to those ruined aquifers.

Joe Ricker (not GHD probably WSP)  made disingenuous statements as well as deflective statements suggesting that our aquifers couldn't be cleaned by 2028 due to "ASYMPTOTIC " principles. My opinion is that he is full of shi*.  Asymptotic principles may be a real thing but his description sounded and smelled like bulls*i*. I believe that he misapplied a real mathematical principle for the self-serving benefit of his client (Lanxess) and himself.

At long last the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) are appropriately getting dragged through the mud in which they have frolicked for so long. Their behaviour towards both Caroline Burjowski and trustee Mike Ramsay has been disgusting. What is nearly as disgusting in my opinion is that our courts take so *ucking long to hear cases and render intelligent opinions. Yes by the way just for the record all their opinions are NOT always intelligent. That said they are going to have to really stretch their credibility to be able to find loopholes or legal machinations that would let the WRDSB off the legal hook that in their arrogance and willingness to spend taxpayers money to the last nickel; that they have put themselves upon.

Pathetic appeal bodies I believe are mainly to give mostly powerless citizens some hope that somewhere there is justice. Of course here in Canada and possibly the United States we have the very best judicial systems in the world THAT MONEY CAN BUY. Otherwise they suck. OMB now OLT (Ontario Land Tribunal), EAB now ERT (Environmental Review Tribunal, Integrity Commissioners, Ombudsmen and on and on. The system is corrupt and every now and then a politician or other big shot gets his fingers wrapped for some minor offence just to give the rest of us some hope yet again that the entire system isn't corrupt from start to bottom. It is but there are worse systems around the world which is one hell of a pathetic compliment to our systems.

♦

KITCHENER - The Kitchener Panthers are proud to announce the signing of outfielder and Indy ball MVP Rafael "Raffi" Gross.

Gross is coming off a stellar year with the Portland Mavericks in the four-team Mavericks Independent Baseball League, where he was named the league MVP in 2025.

He hit for a .299 average, including eight home runs, 36 RBI and stole 22 bases in 48 games. Gross also won a gold glove award.

In 2024, he hit .269 in 12 games for Baton Rouge in the Texas Collegiate League and also played for Texas Southern University.

Gross is a USA Baseball 16U national team development program alumni.

"Raffi adds a young and dynamic outfielder to the mix for us," said general manager Shanif Hirani.

"He adds an element of speed on both sides of the ball and provides us with versatility in the outfield."

============

RAFAEL "RAFFI" GROSS

• Bats/Pitches: R/R
• Hometown: Winnipeg, MB
• Birthdate: April 27, 2003
• Pronunciation: RAH-fee GROW-ss

♦This photo, entitled Tim Hortons Drive Thru, was taken by Ann Baekken, and is used in accordance with their Creative Commons license.

If there's a fair argument that sometimes Canadians are too patient, maybe it comes in the drive-thrus of Tim Horton's on Christmas morning.

This Christmas, I wanted to treat the kids to some Timbits. Now, you might think, "but, James: it's Christmas morning. Isn't everything closed?" But I know for a fact that some Tim Horton's stay open, even through the darkest Christmas night, so I head out. And the neighbourhood Tims (a small building that exists primarily as a drive-thru) seems busy. Cars are lining up down the street. So, I pull in behind them, with my music playing on my stereo, and I settle in towait.

There's something about a queue, and I don't think this is just a Canadian thing. We see a line-up of people or cars patiently waiting for something, and a part of our mind just thinks: I've got to get in on that action! So we join the line-up and wait. The spent cost fallacy comes in pretty quick. Sure, you might be able to get faster service if you go elsewhere, but then all the time you spent in the line here will have been wasted. What a tragedy! Just hang on for another minute. Things will move then and I'll get my prize, surely!

Ten minutes later...

Ten minutes later, I sense that something is wrong. We're not moving, at all. That this line isn't now miles long is largely due to people rage-quitting behind me. I was anticipating delays because, maybe, they staffed this small outlet with a single worker to handle orders, do cash, cook, pour coffee and clean (possibly in defiance of the Geneva Convention), but no. This is different.

It takes me pulling out of the line and driving past the front door of this Tim Horton's outlet to see that, indeed, this place is closed on Christmas day. Now, to be fair: this front door is out of sight of the cars lining up for the drive-thru. Further investigations later shows that other closed Tim Horton's have their holiday hours posted not only on their front door but also beside their drive-thru order stand. This one doesn't. Somebody has forgotten, and a very orderly chaos is reigning.

It actually takes some honking and yelling at the line-up to convince these people that this Tim Horton's they're lining up for is closed and they should be on their way. Those that leave seem grateful.

I then found the one Tim Horton's in the neighbourhood that was open, and it is packed. Cars are stretching down the street, just like the closed Tim Horton's I've left, but I can see workers working inside. Parking my car and getting out gets me into the pedestrian line, which still takes me twenty minutes to get my coffee and Timbits, but oh, well. It's Christmas. Everybody is mostly cheerful.

And as I pass the closed Tim Horton's in my neighbourhood, the cars are still lining up, for nothing.

Good for the Record (& Terry Pender) in publishing this story describing the opinions of Barbara Robinson, civil engineer, and former chief engineer for the City of  Kitchener. The title of the story is "Waterloo Region water supply source of angst and debate". She has let it be known clearly that the Region (RMOW) are asleep at the switch in not having expert staff in regards to sanitary sewers within the Region.

Her claim, which makes sense to me, is that there are massive inflows of clean water into the sanitary sewers all of which require treatment prior to discharge to the Grand River, Canagagigue Creek, Speed River etc. Here in Woolwich Township which I fondly call Dogpatch there has been an ongoing battle allegedly against  I & I otherwise known as Inflow & Infiltration. The problem of course here is that all the spokespersons and governance bodies are so used to lying to the public that who knows if what they say is truthful or mere wishful thinking. 

We have been told by them that large parts of the Birdland subdivision had their roof eavetroughs  connected to the sanitary sewers. Allegedly this has caused, especially during wet weather, massive inflows of clean water to the Elmira Sewage Treatment Plant . Again allegedly we are advised that there was (is?) an ongoing program to disconnect these roof drains (i,e, eavetroughs) from the subsurface sanitary sewer pipes. 

If this is for real then kudos to our local engineering department and councillors who invested in that program.  Now Barbara Robinson has also suggested that some catchbasins in the Region have been incorrectly connected to sanitary sewer pipes versus to storm sewer pipes. I can certainly understand how bad that would be as far as exacerbating high flows into the Sewage Treatment Plants (STP).  Other problems include laterals running from homes to the sanitary sewers buried underneath roadways. If there are leaks in those laterals then again rainwater or high shallow groundwater (i.e. water table0 could also infiltrate into the laterals this preventing it recharging local aquifers and overloading STPs.

Wouldn't that be ironic if Dogpatch (Woolwich) were actually ahead of the curve on these issues? Unfortunately it wouldn't make the Region (RMOW) look very smart if they are actually lagging behind Dogpatch.

On the first Tuesday of every month, we’ll announce a new Fearless Female, including a video interview of them sharing their business story. Want to be featured as a Fearless Female?

Contact Memberships for more details. The Fearless Female Program would not be possible without our Title Sponsor, Scotiabank.

To learn a little more about the Scotiabank Women Initiative, and why they’ve chosen to sponsor this program, see the video below.

♦

The Fearless Female we’re featuring for the month of December is Sandra Hepditch, Co-Owner and CMO of Fo’Cheezy Food Trucks.

Sandra Hepditch owns a fleet of five award- winning Fo’Cheezy food trucks along with her partner, Sandor. After nearly 25 years in corporate marketing and business development she made the transition to her dream job as an entrepreneur.  An education in English and experience in the service industry gave her the background to push the boundaries in this space over the past three years. 

Sandra is candid about the challenges and rewards of her life as she shares what it’s like to make big life changes while surviving breast cancer and living with mental health issues. Her resilience and integrity drive her to give back to her surrounding community with a genuine generosity. All of this with a large dose of gratitude make Sandra our ideal December Fearless Female.  

To learn more about Sandra’s journey as a Fearless Female, watch the interview below (or read the written format).

Tell us more about Fo’Cheezy

So, Fo’Cheezy has been around for around 13 years. I joined in 2023, and the work I do with Fo’Cheezy is really a jack of all trades, but what I love about it is that I get to do things that are interesting to me. So, I get to do all the HR, all the staffing, and the training. I look after some of the accounting, which I do not love.

I would rather spend money than track money, but I also get to do a lot of philanthropy. So, a big part of what we do is give money away to celebrate our success and to share with the community because it is important to us, and I get to choose where we put that money every year.

Tell us more about your career path

That is an interesting question. What inspired me to get into sales and marketing is that I have always been a storyteller. So, I took an English degree back in Halifax at St. Mary’s University, and I always loved stories and what motivates people. And I have always loved the heart of the matter of what goes into people’s happiness and things like that and been connected to people. So, from there, I got into insurance, and there is a lot of storytelling in marketing and in lifestyle insurance and telling people stories and protecting what you love and those kinds of things.

From there, I went into the technical side of things. So, website building and user experience, which I loved. And then I found out that I was a great writer. So I really, there’s lots of things I’m not good at, but I can write, which I like because it comes in handy when you’re doing all different kinds of things like social media, everything down to, from Instagram all the way through to writing blogs for LinkedIn.

How did all those experiences prepare you for leadership?

I learned about leadership at a young age because I always worked in service. So, I worked selling coffee, I worked delivering newspapers. I have always worked; I worked as a babysitter. Then I worked as a camp counselor and a staff director at a camp. And I learned a lot about leadership and leading through example by leading other people.

I was naturally drawn to leadership. From there, I have always just raised my hand when it became opportunities. I like to take risks, and I am a little bit bossy and a little bit opinionated. So, it made it easy to take leadership roles. I think that the biggest call for me to leadership is the inspiration and just the value I get out of seeing other people succeed. I really see other people’s success as my own success.

Tell us about some of the highlights in your career so far

This is a tough one because I don’t really collect awards per se. I am looking more at how my team does. So, I have worked with a number of teams where we have been nominated for CEO Awards of Excellence in the retirement space when I worked in insurance.

I worked with teams who delivered beautiful websites on time or advisors’ tools that we used in the financial industry. And I think from there, I took that out to Fo’Cheezy in a way that I wanted us to be recognized for what we were doing. So, when we were so honored to be nominated for awards with the Chamber, I really put my heart and soul into that into sharing our story and what sets us apart. And not because we wanted to win Employer of the Year or Small Business of the Year, but also because we wanted our staff to be recognized for what they do. We really put staff first because if we put our staff first then our customers come first.

How did you and Sandor feel about winning the Employer of the Year Award at the 2025 Chamber’s Small Business Awards

I think for Sandor, it was a very emotional reward for him. He has put his heart and soul into Fo’Cheezy. I was lucky to join it while the bus was already moving if you will. But for him, he has put his heart and soul into it. He has run cafes; he has worked at Fo’Cheezy 364 days a year. He is tried and failed and all those different things. And that is all part of it.

But he felt a certain pride when the community recognized that Fo’Cheezy is a leader in space. And I think for me, it felt like a good coming home, because it was very easy for me to write about why Fo’Cheezy was a great business, because I did not start the business. If I had to write about why Fo’Cheezy is a great business from my own perspective, it is easy, but not about myself per se.

What are some of the challenges that you have faced so far?

Some of the challenges I face as a business leader are that I do not always like to follow rules. I do not color inside the lines. All those cliches, the square peg in a round hole. Working for corporate was difficult for me. I did not always want to have a boss.

So, running my own company is perfectly ideal with Sandor as a partner, because we’re both really strong in our own sets of skills, and we can kind of stay in our own lane and do what works. And we got that as advice from other couples who run their own businesses together. Other challenges I face as a leader, aside from having a hard time following orders from other people, are just learning quickly enough. That makes it difficult sometimes, especially when you run your own business. You must learn about bylaws. You must learn about accounting. You must learn how do you deal with difficult staff members. How do you scale and grow? So, we are hoping to have a franchise soon. That is a whole different world for me that we are stepping into a new space. So, we have to learn all the legal aspects of that.

And while it is exciting and it’s easy to learn because you are consuming all of this information at a rapid pace. So that can be a challenge.

Can you tell us more about franchising?

We are such a franchise as of May this year, and we are expanding our territory with this franchise. I can tell you the person is someone who we know and absolutely adore, who has been working with Sandor for over 12 years. So, she knows Fo’Cheezy inside and out, and she is a good food trucker. So, it will be great to see her do her thing.

We will support her in the business side, but she has all the passion all looked after. So, we are really excited about where she’s going to take it.

If you could go back in time, is there anything you’d do differently?

If I was going to do things differently in my career, I would have stopped running at the corporate wall. I really tried to be a corporate person for years and years. And I think that trying to be a corporate person for somebody with my personality and character is difficult. I find that when I can manage my own hours and do my own things, it’s much easier.

So, I’m open about the fact that I have bipolar disorder, which means that I have good days and bad days. And working at a desk job nine to five, because working remotely was not an option necessarily when I was in corporate, can be very difficult. When you have a bad day and you have to go to the office, you have got a mask, you’ve got to push down what you’re feeling and that kind of stuff.

Now I can have a bad day, work from home, get things done. And as soon as I’m feeling better, I can jump back into things.

How is your mental health journey going now?

Things are great.

I mean, when you have bipolar disorder, you kind of have the choice to manage it in your own way with sleep and diet and those things. So, I do a combination of both. And for the most part, it’s good.

I definitely still have bad days. I think a lot of people, if they’re honest about their mental health, have bad days from time to time. I think we’re living in tough times and it’s hard to always be up and perfect and going.

It’s something that I am open about because I think people, it disarms them and it opens them up and it allows them to be human in their own experience and their lived experiences with me. So even when it comes to my staff, for example, when they have bad days or if someone’s suffering from depression or is wondering what they’re going to do with their life, because not everyone who works with us is working obviously on a food truck for the rest of their lives. So they’re coming up against some tough questions.

It makes me more compassionate. It makes me more empathetic, understanding, and approachable, I think.

What methods and strategies have you used to grow your business?

That’s a great question for me because I always look at what I’m doing as part of a greater community of expertise.

So, what I try to do is lean on the right people, lean on the experts and then get out of their way and let them do the thing at which they are best. So, we get help with our social media from somebody who loves food and does a beautiful job. We lean on organizations like the Chamber and mentors and even people like Lisa (Lisa McDonald, Sales Rep for the KW Chamber), who are there with all the next opportunities.

They see things that we do not necessarily see because we are heads down in work. So that has helped me both personally and professionally. I think that the Chamber has helped us professionally be seen more as an actual company, as an organization that is offering value as opposed to just a one-off food truck that nobody is really paying attention to.

But the truth is that food trucks are a real thing. They are huge and they are happening. And in other cities, they are everywhere. There are food truck parks. It’s kind of the golden age of food trucks and the food is fantastic. It is a lot of mom-and-pop shops.

So, you are really supporting locals when you’re supporting food trucks. So, it’s nice to see that we’ve gotten help from the Chamber and other groups.

How do you define success?

Personally, I define success by seeing how I’m impacting others. It’s really that simple for me. If I’m not leaving the world a better place than when I started, I’m not interested in that success. Sandor and I are on a good balance because he is a very balanced person in terms of growth and financial and those kinds of things.

He’s very driven to be successful and be sustainable. And for me, I like to be a little bit on the softer side and look at things like how we are impacting the community, the lives of our people who work for us and those kinds of things. And that’s why we’ve done things like introducing benefits to our staff who’ve never had access to benefits before a lot of them.

We support their mental health in many ways through counseling and professional development and other things like that. And we know we’re successful at the end of the day because we have a good team that’s like a family and they stick together even outside of work. And that makes us really happy.

What core values have you integrated into Fo’Cheezy?

The core values that guide me as a leader are really around honesty and integrity. I think it is important for us, especially in times like these and as business owners, to be honest with each other, with the customer, with the staff, with the team itself and that integrity. So, for example, we may get asked to do what we call a gig and something better may come along shortly after.

We will always stick with the first thing we were asked to do. And if we gave our word, we will be there. That is a huge thing for us. It’s not always the easiest thing. It’s not always the best thing in terms of our financials down the road, but our integrity ensures that if we say we are going to be somewhere and we are going to do something, we do it. And we ask the same of our staff.

Tell us about your breast cancer survival journey

One interesting thing about me that I’m also very open about is that I am a breast cancer survivor. I was diagnosed when I was in university at 29 years old, which was quite devastating at the time. I was a single woman living in Halifax and I was surprised to say the least, but it’s been in its own strange way, a gift because it has taught me resilience. And it’s also taught me that sometimes you do not need to learn some of the hard lessons. Life is hard enough. You don’t need to get cancer to learn those lessons, but it’s helped me understand other people and helps them see light through their own illness.

I think a lot of us are living with different things and carrying different weight. And it’s really, it’s been one of the gifts of my life in an odd way.

What strategies do you use to recruit talent and build teams?

For us, building a strong team means investing in people early and often. And we invest in them by getting them their first aid qualifications. We invest in them by training them extensively, cross-training them. We like to see them work with us over a period of years.

So, for example, we will invest in someone who’s a high school student and has never had a job and they’ll learn how to do different things on the truck. So, they’ll learn customer service. They’ll learn team management, team playing, and how to clean. They’ll learn all these different things and then they’ll learn first aid. They’ll eventually learn how to drive the truck if they want to, those kinds of things. We have helped people financially.

We’ve helped people on our team, got off to school and came back and supported them in their hours and that kind of stuff.

Does Fo’Cheezy set up shop anywhere?

Fo’Cheezy doesn’t set up shop anywhere. What we do is operate mobile 100%. So, we do a lot of corporate stuff for the winter. We do some Christmas markets at this time of year and maybe a couple of times we’ll go to a few of the food truck spots that are set aside specifically for us by the train station in Waterloo, for example, or there’s one just over here on Auto Street. So, that we may set up as a very ad hoc pop-up sort of situation.

But our drivers are amazing. Our staff are amazing in the way that they can drive the food truck and get through different weather situations. One of our favorite customers is in Listowel. And so sometimes we drive there in the snow with this giant food truck, which is like a wind tunnel, causes like a wind tunnel on the highway. It can be quite something. We drive to different areas with the food trucks, but mostly we stay within the region.

What are some of the advantages of setting up your business in Waterloo Region?

To me, the advantages of working and leading in Waterloo region are really about the amazing economy, the diversity of the population. We love being a part of all the festivals and the cultural events that go on. We love the student population.

That is fantastic for us. We are at college, at universities. It gives us access to an influx of clients where we would not necessarily have. So, we will be at the university in the winter where we would sort of be sitting at home quietly because the students are still coming out. Or does it give us access to staff during a time when we really need them, which is in the summertime, right? From mid-April to the end of September. So, for us, Waterloo Region is our home. It’s where we both grew up. We both went away and did other things, came back and just found our place again. And because the area is growing and it’s so interesting a place to be, we are excited to be here and raise our family here.

What inspires you?

I think I’m inspired by my family in so many ways because they are probably at the crux of everything that I do. Fo’Cheezy family is inspiring to me. My more intimate family and family that I’ve sort of created through friends and other things also inspire me.

I have three great kids. So, I have two boys, one eleven and one 13. And then I just had a baby this summer. So, she is three months old. And really, it is about seeing who they’re going to be and how positively they’re going to impact the world. Sandor is my second marriage. And I really believe getting married and having children is an act of hope. So, it is an easy time to be negative about the world and feel like things are not going to work out, but we choose to hope, and we sort of stay inspired by that. I must tell you; it is very easy to feel giddy about grilled cheese.

Like if you are serving grilled cheese, you’re serving people at a time when they’re with their families and those are our number one customers is family. So, we like to sort of stay focused on that.

What advice would you give to other women who are aspiring to get into a leadership role, or start a business?

I think for women, it’s hard because you’re told that you have to be a people pleaser. It is not popular to be terribly articulate or assertive. And I think, especially in the food space, it can still be that Chef Ramsay, old school kitchen mentality. So, my advice for people who want to do something like food trucking, for example, is to really stick with it and have confidence and lean on other people.

So, some of my favorite food truckers are strong women and they’re leading the way by running their own businesses on their own and really breaking the mold.

Other industries other than food trucking, my advice to women is really to stick together, to lean on each other, to use the resources on LinkedIn and in mentorship groups that are available to you, be in spaces where it’s safe to be a woman and to hear from other women what it’s like. I think to have your friend group is really important. That will, you know, your ride or die. I think you can have those in business as well. Someone who will tell you and hold you accountable if you need to check yourself or try taking another risk and it’s okay, they are there if you fail.

The queen fixing your crown, as it were. I think that is really important to find those people because positions of leadership can be very lonely. Positions of leadership can be a space, especially as a woman where if you are leading diverse teams, you can make unpopular decisions and you can go home at the end of the day depleted and second guessing yourself.

But if you have that crowd who will support you and say, you know, you’ve done the right thing and even when you haven’t done the right thing, I see where you were coming from, try again tomorrow, it’s okay. Those things are important to have women in your space.

What are your future goals and aspirations?

Our goals and aspirations for Fo’Cheeezy and for my career are really about seeing other people have the opportunity to work for themselves.

I think that giving people a leg up by working with them to franchise as opposed to other franchises where the price of admission is so high and so difficult. Because we are the type of people we are, we’re supportive. Sandor helps other food truckers all the time, whether it be somebody needs to borrow something or somebody’s having a technical problem, wants to know about a festival, should they go, how their square point of sale system could work, all of that kind of stuff.

We support our whole community. So, I’d like to see us do that franchise opportunity where we can help people who are small business owners really have the opportunity to get out there and not work for somebody else.

Another key area that we’re hoping to work on this year is to expand our geography and geographical impact. So right now, we really are in the Kitchener-Waterloo region, some Guelph, some Cambridge, a little bit in Woodstock, but we like to further out what we’re doing. And that is really for us, spreading out on a geographic front is really about sustainability. So, if it is slower sometimes in July and August, September/May and June are our busiest months.

So, in July and August, what we have been doing is driving out to Lake Huron, Port Elgin, Southampton, and some of those places and getting to know there at their festivals, which are great. And with everyone staying in Ontario more this summer than ever, we found that we had great success by just making a little bit of a further drive.

Where can viewers find out more about you and your business?

I am always available for a coffee or a glass of wine, and you can just reach me through Focheezy.ca. And I’m also on LinkedIn. I love to help people do things that take a step towards their dreams. I have also worked with people who make transitions in life, going from say corporate to a food truck was a huge step, right? So, I have a friend recently who just lost his job and what I have done is tried to help him and coach him on how to rethink his own personal brand so that he can get hired outside of his scope.

*This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

The post Fearless Female (December): Sandra Hepditch appeared first on Greater KW Chamber of Commerce.

♦Many people don’t realize how widespread chronic hunger is among children in our community. Even short periods without food—like weekends or school breaks—can have lasting impacts on a child’s development, learning, and emotional well-being.

Food4Kids Waterloo Region bridges this critical gap by providing nutritious food packages during weekends, holidays, and summer breaks—times when school meal programs aren’t available. When children are fed, they’re ready to learn, grow, and thrive. They feel supported, knowing someone cares.

Two years ago, the organization’s Board of Directors turned to Capacity Canada for help in recruiting new leadership. Together, we placed an interim leader and supported the search for a new Executive Director.♦ Earlier this year, Faune Lang stepped into that role, and with renewed vision and strategic support, the organization launched a bold plan to double the number of children served in Waterloo Region within three years.

“Together, we navigated the challenges of philanthropy and leadership with resilience and integrity. Capacity Canada’s knowledge and passion have inspired creative, strategic thinking that strengthens our mission; helping children and youth thrive. We are deeply grateful for the meaningful capacity they’ve built within our organization”.

– Faune Lang, Executive Director

• $30 provides a child with meals and snacks for a week
• $120 supports them for a month
• $1,400 ensures they’re nourished all summer long

Your gift today helps ensure no child in our community goes hungry. Thank you for making a difference.

The post Help Nourish Hope for Children in Waterloo Region  appeared first on Capacity Canada.

The damage is done thank you very much Waterloo Region Record and the NATIONAL NEWSMEDIA COUNCIL (NNMC).  The K-W Record story was published on November 15, 2025, nearly six weeks ago.  Absolutely zero of my complaints have been addressed much less even discussed by either the Record or the National NewsMedia Council. There has mostly been deafening silence from the Record who apparently would rather be known as insular and non-responsive to accurate technical corrections than be known as a human based organization who are not perfect but who do properly address complaints or clarifications of their work. Obviously my sympathy and concern for the fragile state of community newspapers is waning rapidly. 

The NNMC to date have been of zero assistance. They have not sent me any correspondence requesting the Record to step up and fulfill their public interest mandate in the community. They have shown me absolutely zero leadership or control of the situation. They have given me absolutely no indication that they are pushing the Record to at least discuss my complaints/clarifications with them. Nearly six weeks later and the public are still blissfully unaware of the inaccuracies and errors in the November 15/25 article by Terry Pender titled " The long cleanup of Elmira's water contamination crisis".

It appears that both the Record and the NNMC do not give a crap about honesty or accuracy just like the guilty parties supplying the Record with self-serving, false information. Shame on all of them. 

To the NNMC : your failure to address my complaint either in a timely fashion or at all is to your shame. Feel free to abuse due process by using this Blog posting as your excuse to now pretend that gosh/golly you were just about to jump in with both feet but this Blog posting has violated your own internal excuses/bullsh*t  and gives you reasons to do what you've been doing all along which is a big fat, slow nothing. Thank you for wasting my time.