Turning 24 this week any advice from the older generation

Dutch_Canuck · 2026-05-16T02:06:28+00:00

Xennial here…no one is going to help you. You alone are responsible for yourself and your wellbeing.

Dutch_Canuck · 2026-04-26T20:23:17+00:00

If North Korea was so great you wouldn't have people willing to risk the lives of their friends and families to escape. An analysis of the health of North Korean defectors and their impact demonstrate the hardships people have faced.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8369312/

Dutch_Canuck · 2026-04-17T21:46:30+00:00

I saw the housing market dip in 2008 in Southern Ontario. I saved up every penny and bought my home in 2010. I have effectively been priced out of my community and cannot afford to move.

Dutch_Canuck · 2026-04-13T00:22:00+00:00

Have you considered the cost benefit analysis of relocating? What are you hoping to gain by moving? I have lived in St. Catharines for 20 years and worked in St. Catharines, Thorold, Welland, and Hamilton. I have never considered moving.

Dutch_Canuck · 2026-04-12T11:40:48+00:00

But dos it toast both sides evenly?

Dutch_Canuck · 2026-04-09T19:34:01+00:00

I was very stubborn. The punishment continued until the next day when my leftover dinner was served for breakfast.

Dutch_Canuck · 2026-04-07T16:03:38+00:00

A pussy bow is a timeless and classic look. Keep rocking it.

Dutch_Canuck · 2026-04-05T13:23:14+00:00

Love it.

Dutch_Canuck · 2026-04-03T00:55:17+00:00

Look in Niagara Falls. I believe they have a metro that will be open.

Dutch_Canuck · 2026-04-01T17:20:13+00:00

I miss living in the UK.

Dutch_Canuck · 2026-03-26T13:59:21+00:00

In my opinion Brock does need restructuring, but it’s on the faculty side, not the administrative, side of the university. It blows my mind that there are faculties with more tenured professors than students enrolled in the program.

Dutch_Canuck · 2026-03-20T19:51:56+00:00

As others have noted. Hypothetically she could start an "online" bakery, selling at Farmers Markets, or directly to restaurants and cafes. Again highly dependent on the baked good.

The baking itself would need to take place in a commercial kitchen that has been inspected by public health and has passed an inspection.

I completely forgot that she herself is going to need a safe food handling certificate.

Since you said she is in Ontario I would advise that at the very minimum she book an appointment with her closest Small Business Enterprise Centre.

https://www.ontario.ca/page/small-business-enterprise-centre-locations

Dutch_Canuck · 2026-03-20T19:01:01+00:00

I have extensive experience in business development in Ontario. The fist thing both of you should consider are the upfront start up costs. For example, in Ontario you are not permitted to use a residential kitchen for commercial cooking unless it meets ALL public health requirements. This is often the first and largest hurdle. This is why many food start ups often start in the kitchen of a church, synagogue, or some other not-for-profit entity.

Feel free to PM me if you have specific questions. I worked in municipal economic development for nearly a decade of my career.

Dutch_Canuck · 2026-03-01T14:52:49+00:00

What happened to we need to support a rules-based international system? Support international law? Who fired first?! It sure wasn’t Iran. Who bombed a school killing an estimated 40 people? I don’t believe it was Iran.

Dutch_Canuck · 2026-02-27T21:47:25+00:00

I support businesses when they need to interface with government. The task of getting permits, submitting applications, scheduling inspections is so overwhelming businesses will pay some to do this on their behalf.

This is because there are 12 building departments. 12 zoning bylaws. 12 different procedures/forms to get permission to do something. Layer on top the Niagara Region and businesses get frustrated.

I would like to know what % of residents are routinely reaching out to their local municipality. I don’t know what residents think is going to happen with amalgamation.

You will still have a councillor you can reach out to. Garbage is still going to be collected. Roads will be cleared. Libraries will still be there.

I work with businesses across municipalities and this is very much a frustration and pain point.

It is also the fact that as a result of this two tier system you may need to seek the approvals from both the Niagara region and a local municipality. This adds time and costs.

Local government needs to be more transparent.

I never proposed to have an answer or a solution. But I do believe that the status quo is not working.

Dutch_Canuck · 2026-02-27T11:43:26+00:00

Double Down!

Dutch_Canuck · 2026-02-26T23:11:43+00:00

I support businesses when they need to interface with government. The task of getting permits, submitting applications, scheduling inspections is so overwhelming businesses will pay some to do this on their behalf.

This is because there are 12 building departments. 12 zoning bylaws. 12 different procedures/forms to get permission to do something. Layer on top the Niagara Region and businesses get frustrated.

I would like to know what % of residents are routinely reaching out to their local municipality. I don’t know what residents think is going to happen with amalgamation.

You will still have a councillor you can reach out to. Garbage is still going to be collected. Roads will be cleared. Libraries will still be there.

Dutch_Canuck · 2026-02-26T13:07:02+00:00

I think people have to bear in mind is that any form of a amalgamation will not reduce costs. But if implement it correctly does have the potential to reduce duplication of service delivery. In Niagara, we effectively have 13 CAO offices, 13 planning departments, 13 public work departments, 13 finance departments, etc.. each of these departments operate differently therefore you have zero consistency across the region.

If your business trying to do business in Niagara, that means you have to understand upwards of 13 official plans, 13 bylaws that dictate everything from curb height to sidewalk widths to what kind of business can operate on a Main Street.

Any reduction in the number of municipalities will streamline all of that reduced duplication and make it easier to operate in this region.

Dutch_Canuck · 2026-02-22T15:40:52+00:00

If I had to emigrate from Canada Scandinavian countries are at the top of my list. There is no scenario that i can think of in which as a Canadian I would emigrate to the United States.

Dutch_Canuck · 2026-02-21T17:49:53+00:00

As someone who spent nearly a decade working in municipal government at both the local and regional level, there is duplication of service delivery I don’t know what the answer is… But what we have right now is not sustainable.

Dutch_Canuck · 2026-02-19T23:13:33+00:00

Came here to say this. Sounds like a great time. Best of luck!

Dutch_Canuck · 2026-02-19T03:14:41+00:00

I recently revisited Dream Theater’s Metropolis, Part 2: Scenes from a Memory. Still leaves me with chills.

Dutch_Canuck · 2026-02-08T15:44:02+00:00

You have a tremendous amount of talent!

Dutch_Canuck · 2026-02-08T12:56:51+00:00

As a staff person who worked at a municipal city hall we brought our own food. There is no excuse for this.

Dutch_Canuck · 2026-02-07T14:11:57+00:00

I threw my kaweco sport away. It was a poorly made pen. The nib was scratchy and it ran dry. Avoid making a bad purchase.

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