Waterloo Bookfest – 1pm-7pm Saturday 9 September 2023 at Waterloo Public Square

Waterloo Bookfest | Book sale. Local authors. Live readings. | Saturday September 9 (2023) 1pm - 7 pm | Waterloo Public Square | Calling all authors! Do you want to participate in BookFest 2023? Apply by July 15 | www.kwwritersalliance.com/2023-2 (illustration of a pile of colourful books on a graduated blue-pink background)Grand River Writers & KW Writer’s Alliance are hosting Bookfest 2023.

Featuring dozens of authors across numerous genres in fiction and non-fiction, as well as performances by local storytellers.

Schedule

  • 1pm – 4pm Author Readings
  • 4pm – 6pm Storyteller performances
  • 6pm – 7pm Q&As with Katie Mack and E.K. Johnston

What: Waterloo Bookfest 2023
When: 1:00pm – 7:00pm Saturday 9 September 2023
Where: Waterloo Public Square
Location: 75 King Street South, Waterloo Map
Website: https://kwwritersalliance.com/bookfest/2023-2/

CKMS 102.7 FM Radio Waterloo | Community Connections (black and purple lettering on a teal background)Listen to an interview with Bookfest organizer Vanessa Ricci-Thode on CKMS-FM 102.7 Radio Waterloo, 3:00pm on Friday 1 September 2023

Waterloo Bookfest | Local authors. Live readings. | Saturday September 9th (2023) | 1pm - 7pm | Waterloo Public Square (black letters on a graduated green-orange background, with a line drawing of an open book)

Greenbelt Rally – Kitchener – 4pm on Friday 8 September 2023 at Bingemans Park

Hands Off The Greenbelt! | handsoffthegreenbelt.caEnvironmental Defence is planning a rally on Friday, 8 September 2023 at Bingemans Park in Kitchener. Doug Ford will be attending a fundraising event at 5:00pm so plan to assemble at 4:00pm

What: Greenbelt Rally
When: 4:00pm on Friday 8 September 2023
Where: Entrance to Bingemans Park
Location: Shirley Drive and Bingemans Park Drive Map
Website: https://environmentaldefence.ca/handsoffthegreenbelt/#rallies

We will meet at the entrance to Bingemans Park on Shirley Avenue.

All the unions, teachers, nurses, political parties, health coalition, and environmental groups are most welcome to come with their signs to share the local concerns.

Save Ontario’s Farms, Forests and Wetlands

Rally Against the Big Sprawl: 2pm Sat 29 July 2023 in Waterloo Park

When: 2:00pm to 4:00pm on Saturday 29 July 2023
Where: Waterloo Park
Rally Location: University Ave between Westmount and Seagram Map 1
Picnic Location: The Bandshell Map 2
Website: https://stopsprawlwr.wixsite.com/rally
Email: nvecoboosters@gmail.com

Rally Against the Big Sprawl | Saturday, July 29, 2023 | Rally 2-3pm * Picnic 3-4pm | University Ave. W., between Westmount and Seagram | Waterloo Park, Waterloo | www.50by30WR.ca * nvecoboosters@gmail.com

In the midst of our affordable housing and environmental crises, the Provincial government is removing land protection legislation to enable the construction of inefficient and expensive detached houses on precious farmland, the Greenbelt, and other natural spaces. This housing is not affordable for most people nor is it usually accessible by public transit.

Furthering the devastation of Bill 23, the Ontario government has already overridden the successful and strongly supported sustainable Waterloo Region and Hamilton Official Plans, forcing thousands of acres of additional unnecessary farmland loss. Now the province has proposed allowing every farm and rural property across Ontario three severances with up to 12 building lots and homes on each and every farm — forever devastating our agricultural system, impairing our ability to produce food, and threatening our groundwater aquifers.

The province is proposing full-throttle sprawl that undermines sustainable, transit-supportive, affordable communities. They want to cut policies requiring efficient growth and eliminate policies protecting environmentally sensitive areas and wetlands. The government even wants to delete the Provincial definition of “affordable housing.”

The facts are that municipalities already have enough land allocated to build over 2 million homes.

Focusing only on housing supply without considering affordability or sustainability will not fix the Page 1housing crisis. There is no need to force unsustainable boundary expansions, destroy irreplaceable farmland, remove environmental lands from the Greenbelt, and threaten our water supplies.

Concerned groups and representatives from community, environmental, affordable housing, climate change, and agricultural organizations are planning a community rally this coming Saturday, July 29th starting at 2pm along University Avenue West in Waterloo, followed by speakers and a picnic at the nearby Bandshell in Waterloo Park. Confirmed speakers include Waterloo NDP MPP Catherine Fife, Green Party Candidate Aislinn Clancy, NDP Candidate Debbie Chapman, National Farmers Union President Jenn Pfenning, and representatives from Hold The Line and ACORN.

Citizens are urged to join the rally on Saturday at 2pm with creative signs at the corner of University and Seagram Drive in Waterloo and submit comments to the Environmental Registry of Ontario prior to the August 4th deadline to help ensure numerous improvements to the proposed PPS — most importantly the full and complete removal of any sort of rural severances — upholding the No Rural Severances Policy that the Region of Waterloo and other municipalities have had in place for decades.

In summary, our members and groups want to ensure a future with sustainable, affordable, transit-supported development in complete communities on already approved lands within our current urban boundaries across Ontario.

More Info

Learn more about the event at Stop the Sprawl Rally or www.50by30wr.ca

About:

Grand River Environmental Network (https://www.gren.ca) is a grassroots community group that is a proactive voice for the environment in the Grand River Watershed.

The Nith Valley EcoBoosters (www.nvecoboosters.com) is a not for profit, non-partisan volunteer group committed to achieving and supporting a long-term healthy environment in Wilmot and Wellesley Townships through education, action and collaboration.

Keep the Greenbelt Promise (www.greenbeltpromise.ca) is a network of grassroots organizations working together to stop development in the Greenbelt, on farmland, and in natural areas.

Media Inquiries:

VEFOFEST Popup + Jaqui NDS Tribute

Join UW Animal Rights Society for an evening of powerful music, speakers, poetry, art, estatic dance, food, & inspiring performances.

Instagram: @UWAnimalRights, @VEFOmusic

Saturday July 29th (2023) 4pm at University of Waterloo Arts Quad (Dana Porter Library) | VEFOFEST Popup + Jaqui NDS Tribute | Join us for an evening of powerful music, speakers, poetry, art, estatic dance, food, & inspiring performances. | @UWAnimalRights @VEFOmusic (black letters on a gradient purple-to-green background, with a clip art image of a leaping dancer, a staff of musical notes, and a ribbon microphone)

Enough Is Enough Expo and Rally, 10:00am to 11:30am, Saturday 3 June 2023

Enough is Enough (black and white letters in white and black speech bubbles on a pink background)The Waterloo Regional Labour Council and the Ontario Federation of Labour are organizing an Expo and Rally:

What: Enough Is Enough Expo
When: 10:00am to 11:30am, Saturday 3 June 2023
Where: Carl Zehr Square, Kitchener City Hall
Location: 100 King Street West, Kitchener Map
Website: http://wesayenough.ca/
Contact: Jeff Donkersgoed <jeffd@waterloolabour.ca>

The Waterloo Regional Labour Council (white letters on a blue background, under stylized letters WRCL shaped to look like two intertwining arms in solidarity)Waterloo Regional Labour Council has invited over 200 progressive community organizations, charities, social justice minded groups, coalitions, neighborhood associations, student groups, and unions from across the entire region to host a booth, with the intention of strengthening and building our community, sharing the terrific and important work that we do with each other and the general public, and to demand better from those in positions of power.

Enough is Enough | Expo | Assez C'est Assez (an illustrated info sheet with lots of text; see https://ofl.ca/enough-is-enough/ for the actual text)Enough Is Enough | Expo | Assez C'est Assez | June 3 / 3 Juin 10:00-11:30 | Carl Zehr Square at Kitchener City Hall | La place Carl Zehr de hôtel de ville de Kitchener | Visit wesayenough.ca (various cartoon-like illustrations of workers giving the power salute (clenched fist), some with speech bubbles saying "Enough is Enough" and "Assez c'est Assez", and logos/wordmarks for the Ontario Federation of Labour and the Waterloo Regional Labour Council)

Waterloo Region Health Coalition and Ontario Health Coalition Referendum on Hospital Privatization, Friday and Saturday, 26 and 27 May 2023

People’s Referendum to stop the privatization of Ontario’s public hospitals planned Friday & Saturday

Almost a thousand voting stations across Ontario will be staffed by thousands of volunteers in a massive effort to force the Ford government to respect democratic process and input on their hospital privatization plans.

A map listing all voting stations across the province is available online at https://publichospitalvote.ca/find-voting-station:

Google Map of Southern Ontario with colourful markers showing locations of polling stations for the referendum

On the website, you can zoom in for details, and a list by region is below the map. Media are invited to see the voting taking place at voting stations across Ontario.

  • Online voting is also available for all Ontario residents at PublicHospitalVote.ca
  • Voting closes on Saturday, 27 May 2023 at midnight.
  • At time of writing, more than 160,000 votes have been received online and in advance polls.

Province-wide results will be announced outside Queen’s Park on Wednesday 31 May 2023 at 10:00am.

A massive pile of ballots from the people’s referendum will be brought in from across Ontario and piled in front of the Legislature to be delivered to the government.

Local health coalitions across the province will be counting ballots on Saturday evening 27 May 2023 or Sunday 28 May 2023, announcing results locally on Tuesday, 30 May 2023.

Waterloo Region:

  • Vote counting will take place at the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario-Waterloo Region Office 610 Wabanaki Drive, Kitchener, on Sunday 28 May 2023 from Noon to 5:00pm.
  • Vote results will be announced on Tuesday, 30 May 2023 at 8:30am outside the Main Entrance to Grand River Hospital, 835 King Street West, Kitchener.

Media contacts to view vote counting and receive local/province-wide results:

Natalie Mehra, Executive Director, Ontario Health Coalition

Jim Stewart, Chair, Waterloo Region Health Coalition

For other regions see Key Contacts for the Referendum to Stop Hospital Privatization on the Public Hospital Vote website.

#Nakba75 Rally in Waterloo Public Square, 1pm on Sun 14 May 2023

@palestinianyouthmovement writes:

‼️Kitchener-Waterloo‼️

Join us on the 75th anniversary of the Nakba as we rally in support of our people and our popular resistance. On 14 May 2023, we will meet at Waterloo Public Square in the center of Uptown Waterloo at 1:00 PM. This demonstration is suitable for all ages.

Nakba Day is a reminder and affirmation of the Palestinian people’s ongoing resistance, existence, and defiance of the 75-year-old zionist occupation that continues on our lands. As the zionist entity weakens and fragments from within, Palestinians are united and steadfast as ever in the pursuit of our ultimate goal. Generation after generation, the struggle continues, until full national liberation and return!

Wear your keffiyehs, bring your Palestinian flags, and be ready to raise your voices. We’ll see you 14 May 2023 at 1:00 PM at Waterloo Public Square!

From the river to the sea, Palestine will soon be free! 🇵🇸

.

‎‼️كيتشنر- واترلو‼️

انضمو إلينا في الذكرى ال٧٥ للنكبة الفلسطينة والمقاومة الفلسطينة ضد الاحتلال الصهيوني. سنجتمع بتاريخ ١٤/٥ في ساحة واترلو العامة (Waterloo Public Square) وسط ابتاون واترلو في تمام الساعة الواحدة ظهراً. هذه المظاهرة مناسبة لجميع الأعمار.

المظاهرات السنوية ليوم النكبة هي تذكير وتأكيد على واقع الشعب الفلسطيني الذي يواجه تطهير عرقي مستمر واحتلال عسكري همجي.

جيلاً بعد جيل، الشعب الفلسطيني يقاوم العدو الصهيوني حتى النصر والتحرير.

البسوا كوفياتكم واجلبو أعلامكم الفلسطينية إلى مظاهرة يوم النكبة في ١٤/٥. ندعوكم لتضموا أصواتكم لأصوات الفلسطينين في الشتات ومقاومة الإمبريالية والاستعمار الإسرائيلي الصهيوني.

من البحر إلى النهر، عاشت فلسطين حرة عربية! 🇵🇸

Nakba75 | Kitchener Waterloo Rally | May 14 | 1:00pm at the Waterloo Public Square (red and yellow text, also in Arabic, over a photo of people approaching a fire and smoke, one person carrying a Palestinian flag; there are coils of barbed wire in the foreground)

KW Vegfest at Waterloo Town Square, 11am on Saturday 13 May 2023

Caterina Lindman writes:

KW VegFest is back for its 6th year, with a pop-up event. Everyone is welcome!

Kitchener Waterloo VegFest | New Date! Mark your calendars! | Sat, May 13, 2023 | 11AM-3PM | Waterloo Town Square | **Food from around the world, and free samples**What: KW VegFest Spring Pop-Up
When: 11:00am to 3:00pm on Saturday, 13 May 2023
Where: Waterloo Public Square, 75 King Street South, Waterloo Map
Contact: caterina.lindman@gmail.com

Highlighting plant-based foods, we’ll have foods to buy and sample to help everyone see how delicious going plant-based for our health and for the planet’s health can be, and we’ll provide lots of info! People can drop by for free samples of plant-based cheeses, milks and sausages, and purchase their dinner from foods from across our beautiful planet, including Africa, Asia, Canada, Eastern Europe, and India!

There will be baklava, gourmet donuts, tropical juices, curries, pierogi, Korean bao, and Canadian favourites like mac and cheese.

KW VegFest’s Earth Day Pop-up is brought to you by Waterloo Region Climate Initiatives, with assistance from VegFund and the City of Waterloo. Music generously provided by vegan artist VEFO / (Mirror-image letters F, as though semaphores, at an angle in the form of a V, with leaves in the stems, all in varying shades of green)@vefovision. With such a small window of time left for us to turn things around for the planet, scientists tell us that turning our attention to the food we eat is essential, and VegFests across the planet celebrate and promote the benefits of plant-based living for everyone, and for our children’s future.

Here is the link to the Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/3445829798966896

With thanks, Mo Markham and Caterina Lindman for KW VegFest and Waterloo Region Climate Initiatives

P.S. If you are interested in helping out with VegFest for a few hours (eg. giving out pamphlets or free samples), please let Caterina know.

Peace Now! Stop the War, Stop NATO – Rally at 1pm on Sun 26 Feb 2023 in Waterloo Square

Please join Tamara Lorincz and Mary Groh on Sunday.

Peace Now! | Stop the War, Stop NATO! | International Weekend of Action February 23-26, 2023 | La Paix Maitenant! Arrêtez la Guerre, Arrêtez l'OTAN. | Frieden Jetz! Stoppt den Krieg, NATO Stoppen. | Sunday, February 26 1:00-200 p.m. | Waterloo Public Square | 75 King St, Waterloo (yellow, white and light blue text on a dark blue background, date, time and place on a yellow background, Russian and Ukranian text in light blue below date and place, logos for WILPF Canada and peaceandjusticenetwork.ca below that)
Poster for Peace Rally

Peace Now! Stop the War, Stop NATO

What: Peace Rally, NATO Protest
When: 1:00pm to 2:00pm on Sunday 26 February 2023
Where: Waterloo Public Square
Location: 75 King Street South, Waterloo, Ontario Map

Organized by the Voice of Women | La Voix Des Femmes (on stylized globe logo) | Canadian Voice Of Women For Peace (below logo)Canadian Voice of Women for Peace and WILPF (illustration of a dove with a laurel branch in its beak, overlaid on a "Female" symbol)WILPF Canada

Find other actions

Two Pickets for the Ontario Nurses’ Association, Thursday 23 Feb 2023

The Better Staffing Care Wages | ONA Ontario Nurses' Association (pink and white lettering on a black background. "Better" is tilted on its side so it's an adjective for all three of "Staffing", "Care", "Wages")Ontario Nurses’ Association, the Waterloo Region Health Coalition | Promoting Public Healthcare for all (a red umbrella covering black and red lettering)Waterloo Region Health Coalition and the (a yellow 5-sided shape over an orange parallelogram, separated by a diagonal space, all on a grey background)KW Council of Canadians are collaborating in support of all actions to counter the Ontario government health care policies.

Please join one or both of these pickets if you can.

Two Pickets

The Waterloo Region Health Coalition has confirmed that Thursday’s pickets are on, regardless of weather.

Where: St Mary’s General Hospital
Location: 911 Queen’s Boulevard, Kitchener Map 1
When: Thursday 23 February 2023, One Hour commencing at 11:00am until Noon
Contact:

Jennifer Cepukus,
ONA Local 139 Coordinator/Bargaining Unit President
Grand River Hospital local139@ona.org

Where: Grand River General Hospital
Location: 835 King Street West, Kitchener Map 2
When: Thursday 23 February 2023, One Hour commencing at 12:30pm until 1:30pm
Contact:

Deanna Dowsett,
ONA Local 55 Coordinator/Bargaining Unit President
local055@ona.org
   or
Stephanie Hamill
ONA Local 55 Vice President
St. Mary’s General Hospital
l55vpsmgh@ona.org

Please join us on the Picket Line to demonstrate to our Nurses just how much we value them

Lets all join in the Fight against the Privatization of our Public Health Care system

More information on pickets across Ontario: https://www.ona.org/bettercare/feb23/

Listen to CKMS 102.7 FM Radio Waterloo | Community Connections (black and purple lettering on a teal background)CKMS Community Connections for 20 February 2023 with Jim Stewart of the Waterloo Region Health Coalition.