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STRATFORD VOLUME 5 • ISSUE 12
12 FREE
OCTOBER 31, 2025
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Youth are not ‘the future’ – they are ‘the now’
CONNOR LUCZKA
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
When Margaret Smart’s daughter was 14 years old, she would go to youth-led events and initiatives where adults would tell her and her peers, “You are the future.” “And she would come home and she would be livid,” Smart, the executive director of the Local Community Food Centre, told a crowd of teenagers at Stratford City Hall on Oct. 24. “She'd be so angry and she'd say, ‘I'm so sick and tired of you adults telling me I'm the future. I'm here now.’” Smart’s daughter is in her twenties now, but that sentiment was one shared by the youth of today that evening, when students from Stratford District Secondary School (SDSS), St. Michael’s Catholic Secondary School and Nancy Campbell Academy gathered in the auditorium of city hall to mark the 80th anniversary of the United Nations’ founding. They shared their experiences at their school’s respective model UN clubs, trying to make a difference in their community and, most importantly, why what they do matters now, not just in the future. “There’s far too much bad press about high school students,” St. Mike’s teacher Mark Boersen said that evening. “… ‘Oh, they just don’t care. Oh, they’re only worried about this and they’re not really worried about what happens in the real world.’ That’s not true. CONTINUED TO PAGE 2
(EMILY STEWART PHOTO) Happy Halloween! Rosetta Kraweic, Scarlet Heaton and Maayan Heaton smile at the camera during the Downtown Stratford BIA’s Halloween street event on Oct. 25. For more on the celebration, see our story on page 3.
3.09% tax increase projected in 2026 draft budget CONNOR LUCZKA
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The 2026 draft budget for the City of Stratford projects a 3.09 per cent tax increase – though that figure will likely change as deliberations get underway. “In 2025, Stratford experienced some ups and downs economically,” the budget overview included in the budget package reads. “While inflation dropped for many goods, some prices did rise. The city is still navigating the effects of new tariffs and ongoing labour
challenges but have made great strides in improving our city's asset management and planning with better data. “Looking ahead to 2026, we're sticking with our multi-year budget, aiming for long-term stability through 2029 with more stable property tax increases,” the overview continues. “The draft budget aims to maintain current service levels while keeping community needs in mind, balancing everything with a solid financial plan.” CONTINUED TO PAGE 2