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STRATFORD VOLUME 5 • ISSUE 25
24 FREE
FEBRUARY 6, 2026
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Stratford has a new year shuttle bus shuffle
CONNOR LUCZKA
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Just days after popular bus service Onexbus announced the ceasing of its Stratford line, another private organization announced a new stop for the Festival City, filling in a gap that had just erupted. FlixBus, a fast-growing intercity bus service, announced a new stop in Stratford on Feb. 3. The new line connects Stratford to Toronto, Hamilton, Guelph and Kitchener, offering access to the Greater Toronto Area. In an announcement from the company, Stratford’s position as an educational hub (with Conestoga College, UWaterloo and the Stratford Chefs School) as well as its arts and tourism draws were highlighted as the onus for expansion. “This launch marks just the start of our continued expansion across Canada in 2026,” said Karina Frayter, head of communications for Flix North America, in a media release. “By adding Stratford into (our growing) network, we’re improving year-round, car-free access to a major cultural and education hub while creating more convenient travel options for both residents and visitors.” Onexbus had been offering a similar service for about two years, first announcing its service in late 2023. At the time it was meant to fill the gap left by the ending of the pilot Go Train service that same year. When asked CONTINUED TO PAGE 3
(CONNOR LUCZKA PHOTO)
Protesters listen as members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE)’s Ontario Council of Hospital Unions (OCHU) decry the funding deficits of Ontario’s hospitals.
Unions seeks $3.2 billion to fix healthcare deficits, secure long-term funding CONNOR LUCZKA Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
As snow began to blanket Stratford and area, members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE)’s Ontario Council of Hospital Unions (OCHU) held a rally outside of Perth-Wellington MPP Matthew Rae’s office. Kevin Cook, first vice-president of OCHU-CUPE, said they were there for one simple reason. “We care,” Cook told the rally members, who numbered just over a dozen. “We care about our patients, we care about our co-workers and we care about the future of pub-
lic health care.” More specifically, the Feb. 3 rally was in opposition to media reports that hospitals should expect annual funding increases of two per cent, half of what the sector has received in recent years and a third of what is needed to cover rising costs. In a mid-January release, Anthony Dale, president and CEO of the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA), warned its members that “there are no easy choices ahead.” “Unfortunately, many hospitals are also grappling with significant challenges,” said Dale. “Many are projecting CONTINUED TO PAGE 2