LOCAL HEADLINES

Stratford’s first official cricket pitch opened Monday, Aug. 25, and while the day began with light rain, by the time the first ball was bowled, the sun was shining on spectators.

Over the next few days, Stratford residents will notice a sharp increase in Lake Victoria’s water-levels – just in time for the city’s 28th Rotary Dragon Boat Festival on Sept. 13.

Stratford city council approved the tentative 2026 budget deliberation schedule, after a special council meeting on Aug. 13.

For the entirety of what will be his 40-year career at the Stratford Festival, and even before that as a young actor who chose to dedicate his life to the stage, Antoni Cimolino has been enraptured by the magic of theatre.

If the first public open house for the City of Stratford’s new 10-Year Housing and Homelessness Plan proved anything, its that solving the national housing crisis locally will take all heads working together.

CONNOR LUCZKA, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Stratford city council will remain as 11 members for the next term, after a move to...

Over seven days of racing in Germany, Stratford youth showed the world what dragon boat racing means to the Festival City.

After news broke July 24 that a sluice gate at the RT Orr Dam in Stratford had become stuck open due to debris, local businesses responded in the most Stratford way possible: they banded together to “help fill Lake Victoria” with a heartfelt and humorous social media movement now known as the Save the Avon Bucket Challenge.

Construction is officially underway at the site of the new 288-bed peopleCare long-term care home on Vivian Line 37 in Stratford, following a groundbreaking ceremony held on July 17.

The well-loved restaurant the Common, located at 80 Wellington St., is asking for community support following a fire that caused significant smoke damage throughout the space.

As Perth-Wellington MPP Matthew Rae said, pound-for-pound, the Stratford Festival punches above its weight – which is why the Province of Ontario has awarded $250,000 to the local theatre company in one-time funding.

SKARB Inc., an innovative building materials company, is pleased to announce it has received a minor variance approval from the City of Stratford, paving the way for a new 30,000 square foot industrial manufacturing warehouse at 9 Humber St.

Justine Styles told Stratford city council on June 23 that she came to Stratford for a reprieve – a reprieve from abuse and hopelessness.

John Kastner, the former general manager of the Stratford Perth Museum, called the decision the ad hoc Grand Trunk renewal (GTR) committee made at its June 16 meeting an important one for the Festival City.

The Forever Young Festival on June 20 turned back the clock at Market Square with a celebration of seniors that featured music, movement and a strong sense of community spirit. 

In a first-of-its-kind event, students from all three Stratford high schools, Stratford District Secondary School (SDSS), St. Michael Catholic Secondary School and Nancy Campbell Academy, gathered to participate in a collaborative United Nations simulation, aimed at fostering global thinking, diplomatic skills and leadership among youth.

Bill 5, the Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, passed its third reading and received royal assent at the Ontario legislature this month. Although much of the discourse surrounding it has been focused on communities in northern Ontario, some in Stratford believe that it has far reaching consequences – and that Stratford citizens should be concerned.

A new report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, with the support of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), recommends that Ontario significantly boost hospital funding, phase out for-profit staffing agencies, and invest in preventative health care.

“It isn’t a feel-good story, but that’s how much things cost,” consultant Joe Svec said after hitting the ad hoc Grand Trunk renewal committee with a price tag between $43 million and $126 million.

With tension rising between Canada and the U.S., many locals are planning to stay put this summer. To help boost local tourism, CBC’s The Current has put together a list of the top 10 travel destinations in Canada – and Stratford made the list.