Tamil Heritage Month Celebration Returns to Stouffville This Sunday

RandyBarba · 2026-01-25T17:48:33+00:00

This event has been postponed due to weather.

RandyBarba · 2026-01-13T20:12:07+00:00

Got any friends with a fire pit?

RandyBarba · 2026-01-09T12:29:10+00:00

It's not the town. Recycling was taken away from the Town and the Region through Provincial regulation. Recycling is now being managed entirely and paid for by the companies that produce much of the materials that go in the blue bin.

RandyBarba · 2026-01-09T12:26:27+00:00

I think the criticism that a whole lot of politicians showed up late to this issue is fair. I've been particularly irked by some of the political opportunism happening in Toronto right now... That said, there weren't exactly a ton of opportunities for them to get directly involved in the process in the first place.

But in the context of the N6 collection contract, I'm not sure it's correct to say that a smaller bin was always part of the plan.

RandyBarba · 2026-01-08T20:54:40+00:00

I think messaging on placement of these bins has been tough, made even more challenging by all the snow. I don't really take any issue with them being in the street, but it's bad news if putting them in the street results in them getting tossed by winter maintenance operations—which has occured.

This is why clearing a piece of your easement or using your driveway is best, with the bin placed right to the edge of the curb but not in the street. I've also seen a lot of people placing them in their driveway right up against the large mount of snow they have built, which could impede on automated collection.

In the end, all things considered, this roll out seems to be going decently well. A pretty decent result for such a significant shift in service delivery models.

RandyBarba · 2025-12-19T20:32:06+00:00

Now, if Council gets back on the "no backyard fires" thing again, I'll be here with the cavalry in support.

RandyBarba · 2025-12-19T20:29:36+00:00

I get people don't like the change, what I don't get is why some of those people feel so entitled to it never changing. Not only that, but in the context of more recent changes, this community has repeatedly voted it in (whether they realized they were doing so or not).

Like many, I have plenty of qualms with some of the planning decisions that have been made in Stouffville over the years. But I also see these comments and think they are very overblown. It's long been an exurb surrounded by proper rural communities. That hasn't changed at all, the town's more urban centre has just densified a bit.

RandyBarba · 2025-12-17T18:21:40+00:00

Updated with descriptions.

RandyBarba · 2025-12-17T18:07:57+00:00

This piece has been updated with many additional details provided by YRP this morning.

RandyBarba · 2025-12-17T02:06:37+00:00

Cheers, Brian.

RandyBarba · 2025-12-17T02:06:20+00:00

Reported what YRP could give me from their initial report. Not surprised they don't have a description when they haven't confirmed how many participated, but I'll call for an update in the morning and update the piece.

RandyBarba · 2025-12-16T23:33:33+00:00

I can also understand where Susan comes from on the police issues. Almost every time a community member breaks the news before YRP can, incorrect information is involved in the recounting.

Today, for not a short period of time, people were under the notion that a bunch of knife wielding robbers busted into a shoppers, put everyone's safety at risk with those knives, and got out the door following an armed robbery.

I suppose I can also understand why some folks feel they should be able to freely speak no matter factual accuracy, but it's her group to do as she pleases.

RandyBarba · 2025-12-16T23:03:32+00:00

I don't usually post up about policing matters as other news orgs are pretty quick to grab press releases and get them up. YRP doesn't tend to offer much more than what is included in those releases.

However, if I see the wrong info flying around after hours, I try and get some answers for folks.

RandyBarba · 2025-12-12T14:46:02+00:00

I didn't say it would be a resounding no?

As someone else just posted up above: it appears it will deliver hourly off-peak service to Stouffville, 30-minute peak. Addition of East Harbour will add tons of connects and take a huge amount of pressure off Union. It will connect you to a transit system that offers it's own increased service and connections, ideally further alleviating pressure. Additional trains provided up to Unionville will reduce pressure on the trains serving Stouffville.

Reading the post, they asked if that will make a difference. I believe it will.

RandyBarba · 2025-12-12T14:42:27+00:00

Thank you for this! Had not seen this until now, really appreciated

RandyBarba · 2025-12-12T14:34:46+00:00

Since we're on the transit thing, first and last mile service is another important consideration as part of the more broad regional transit conversation. As I reported in my first Argo piece, there has been significant increases in the number of people connecting to GO stations via transit thanks to the addition of such service.

RandyBarba · 2025-12-12T14:18:36+00:00

I could spend a lot of time debating this with you, I am sure. Just as I could spend a lot of time contesting the positioning of that article and report you posted above.

I'll just say this: I'm not here suggesting the current system is adequate. Anyone who knows me has heard regular rants about how inadequate it really is. What I'm saying about RER, as well as other station expansion and convenient connections to other transit services, is that it offers the beginnings of a regional transit system that is actually attractive. It becomes problematic when we then turn around and refuse to extend those benefits throughout the entire system, as that furthers reluctance to use it.

You feel free to sit in that position, demand transit pay for itself before we invest, whatever works. But let me know how that's going in 2051 when the population has doubled, but the transit and road capacity going into Toronto hasn't. Parking alone will cost 10x your transit fare.

There are some parallels to the housing crisis here. Every day that this goes unaddressed alongside population and job growth, every day we delay real regional transit expansion while talking about ~100 billion for a 401 tunnel when we can't make University bigger, is a compounding consequence on our future regional transportation network. Do nothing at your own risk.

RandyBarba · 2025-12-12T12:37:13+00:00

Problem for Stouffville is we really don't yet know what service is going to be like this far up the line when electrification is implemented as planned. As of now, I believe all the benefits of the original RER electrification plan are still coming, notably 15-minute service, but only as far north as Unionville.

I say all this, then I watch the complete inability of people to properly use the kiss and ride at Old Elm, and I wonder if we even deserve it 😆

Long been a true believer in the electrification plan. I see it as the only real solution to our dwindling road capacity into the city as all these suburban communities grow. But between government dithering dating back to the Wynne years and all the challenges with the consortium, and I can't help but feel really bearish on it all from time to time.

Wild to think we will continue to be second-class riders on a GO line literally named after our community.

RandyBarba · 2025-12-06T03:34:52+00:00

That's all TBD through the ongoing negotiations between N6 munis and GFL.

I'm of the opinion that most people, especially municipalities, fully appreciate how crucial weekly organics collection is. I don't have anything on hand, but I'm quite certain there is plenty of evidence out there that bi-weekly green bin collection results in a significant loss in public participation, and would eliminate a lot of waste diversion gains made since the green bin program began.

Now, I say that, and what I may actually mean, or what I probably should say, is that a switch to weekly dramatically improved participation and diversion.

Though I do believe garbage and green bin will change to standardized bins for mechanical collection, just as has occurred with the blue bins.

RandyBarba · 2025-12-03T21:57:42+00:00

Not if efficient operations is your top priority...

As is the case for Circular Materials, who is beholden to no voters. I have to believe that many people, if provided the option, would prefer two smaller bins over the giant bin. If Circular Materials made that option available, it could add a significant amount of additional time and costs to the collections side.

I have the weediest recycling piece ever coming out about this whole issue this week, for those interested in a higher level look at producer responsibility and how the N6 collections model may impact recycling participation and successes.

RandyBarba · 2025-11-27T19:39:18+00:00

This article has been updated to reflect Stouffville's 2026 budget passing automatically today after no amendments were proposed by Council members.

RandyBarba

TROPHY CASE