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PAGE U9 MD BOYS WIN SHAMROCK TITLEApril Thursday, 17, 2025 St. Marys Independent
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St. Marys Independent 36 Water St. S., St. Marys ON | 519.284.0041 | info@stmarysindependent.com | www.stmarysindy.com
Issue #1258
Thursday, April 17, 2025
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St. Marys DCVI student Carson Van Fleet wins Skills Ontario qualifier, will compete provincially
Golf course is opening soon!
EMILY STEWART
Mixed, Mens & Ladies leagues starting up in May.
Independent Reporter
nicipalities declined the enhanced mayoral powers, a total of 47 mayors in Ontario now have these strong mayor powers. “Heads of council are key partners in our efforts to build homes and infrastructure across the province,” said Ontario Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Rob Flack in a press release announcing the latest proposed expansion. “By extending strong mayor powers to these additional municipalities, we are providing mayors every tool at our disposal to empower them to get homes and infrastructure built faster. Mayors know
St. Marys will be represented at the Skills Ontario provincial competition for secondary students this May. Carson Van Fleet, a St. Marys District Collegiate and Vocational Institute (DCVI) student in Grade 12 placed first overall in the Skills Ontario welding competition qualifying round at Fanshawe College on April 5. Van Fleet earned the top prize for creating a windmill with open-roof plates and open corners. He will be heading to the Skills Ontario provincial competition at the Toronto Congress Centre on May 6. “It was a really good experience and I’m really happy with the way my project turned out,” said Van Fleet. He also participated in the competition when he was in Grade 11 last year. Van Fleet said the previous experience helped him during this year’s competition. “I was going into the competition knowing what I was looking for and how to prepare for it, whereas before I was just preparing for what I thought it could be, so it definitely helped this year knowing what I went through last year,” he said. Van Fleet said he will get ready for the provincial round by working on his strengths and improving techniques he’d like to boost. He said the Skills Ontario competitions are important for students. “It gets kids’ names out there and it shows
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CLEANING UP ALONG THE THAMES RIVER
Ontario government proposes expansion of strong mayor powers to 169 more municipalities, including St. Marys
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The Government of Ontario is continuing to bolster the unilateral decision-making powers of mayors across the province with a proposal to expand strong mayor powers to 169 additional municipalities effective May 1, including St. Marys. In 2022, through changes to the Municipal Act, strong mayor powers were first granted to the heads of councils in Toronto and Ottawa, and then to mayors in 48 additional municipalities in 2023. Though several mu-
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Volunteers Michael Csiki, Melissa Reinhardt and Lisa Csiki were busy on Saturday with the cleanup. See full story and photo on page 11.
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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