Latest news with #WaterlooRegion
CTV News
a day ago
- CTV News
Kitchener woman and Cambridge man charged for series of vehicle break-ins
Map of vehicle break-ins in Waterloo between May 18 and June 8. (Source: Waterloo Regional Police) A 29-year-old Kitchener woman and a 36-year-old Cambridge man are facing a long list of charges connected to a series of vehicle break-ins over the last month in Waterloo. Waterloo Regional Police said nine vehicles were targeted in the Northdale area between May 18 and June 8. Cash, licence plates, personal identification and bank cards were stolen out vehicles that were parked on the street, in driveways or parking garages. On May 25, a vehicle was broken into at a parking garage on Regina Street North. The thieves took several debit and credit cards and then used the cards to buy items at unnamed stores in Waterloo. 'We encourage you, again, to remove these items from your vehicle,' Const. Brad Hickey said, in an interview earlier this week. 'Don't leave them in your parked vehicles if you can. And we also really encourage you, especially with the bank cards and credit cards. We encourage members of the public to be checking their bank statements, their online banking, just to ensure that there's no suspicious activity, or your credit cards and bank cards haven't been compromised and are being used.' The two people face a total of 13 charges: Break and Enter to commit indictable offence (theft) Mischief under $5,000 Possession of Stolen Property under $5,000 Theft of Credit Card (three counts) Use of Credit Card (three counts) Failure to comply with a Judicial Release Order (two counts) Failure to comply with a Probation Order (two counts) Both are being held in custody until a bail hearing. In a media release Thursday, police thanked the public for their assistance with the investigation.
CTV News
a day ago
- Health
- CTV News
Health units want summer camps to proactively monitor for measles
Huron Perth Public Health is urging summer day camps and programs to take precautions to prevent the spread of measles, while the Region of Waterloo is taking it one step further. If an infection is reported at a camp in Waterloo Region, the health unit said any 'children or staff who are not fully protected with two documented doses' of the measles vaccine will be sent home. The also won't be allowed to return for at least 21 days after any potential exposure, unless they provide proof of vaccination against the virus. The latest epidemiological summary from Public Health Ontario, updated on June 19, showed 110 measles infections were reported by Region of Waterloo Public Health between Oct. 18, 2024 and June 17, 2024. Over the last week, the total number of cases increased by 21. It is important to note, there may be a discrepancy between the region's total and the data shared by Public Health Ontario due to a lag in the reporting system and revised classification criteria. Huron Perth Public Health Huron Perth Public Health, meanwhile, only asked that camp providers prioritize the identification of measles symptoms, follow proper protocols and communicate with parents about the importance of measles. They also stressed 'understanding reporting requirements and procedures for managing cases and contacts.' 'Vaccination is important for camp participants as it is the best way to prevent the infection,' Dr. Miriam Klassen, the medical officer of health for Huron Perth, said in a media release. 'In addition, camp and program organizers must be prepared to respond effectively to potential measles cases to protect the community's health.' The latest epidemiological summary from Public Health Ontario showed 249 measles infections reported by Huron Perth Public Health between Oct. 18 and June 17, an increase of 14 in the last week. Again, the data may not line up with the local health unit's case counts due to reporting delays and changing classification. While the outbreak seems to have slowed down, public health officials said it is still important to take precautions. What to know about measles Measles is a highly contagious virus. The disease can spread through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes or breathes. Even brief exposure to measles can result in illness. Symptoms include a fever, runny nose, cough, red watery eyes, small white spots inside the mouth and a red blotchy rash. Other signs of measles include diarrhea, ear infections and pneumonia. In severe cases, measles can cause brain inflammation and death. It usually takes between seven and 21 days for symptoms to show up. Anyone who believes they may have been exposed to measles is asked to stay at home and avoid contact with others. If medical treatment is needed, people are urged to contact their health provider ahead of time to prevent the illness from spreading to other patients.
CTV News
a day ago
- Climate
- CTV News
ADVERTISEMENT Kitchener Watch Rain is here to stay Residents in Waterloo Region will have to carry around their umbrellas a little longer. CTV's Alexandra Pinto has the forecast.
Kitchener Watch Residents in Waterloo Region will have to carry around their umbrellas a little longer. CTV's Alexandra Pinto has the forecast.
CTV News
2 days ago
- General
- CTV News
Frustrations with extended care registration persist despite promise by school boards
A Kitchener parent tells CTV's Heather Senoran about the problems she faced when registering for extended childcare programs. Despite promises that this year would be different, some parents said they had trouble registering their children for before and after school childcare programs. In 2024, technical problems plagued the system used for the Waterloo Region District School Board and Waterloo Catholic District School Board's extended care programs. The boards said earlier this year that changes had been made to avoid those past problems, including staggering registration dates by school. However, Ashley Todorowski, a parent in Kitchener, said her issues began as soon as she tried to register her 8-year-old son in fulltime before and after school care with the Waterloo Catholic District School Board. 'Once I tried to get to the registration page, the page wouldn't load for me. I tried about three times, and then I had to leave for work,' Todorowski said. When she finally got on, she said she only got after school childcare but that option doesn't provide her with enough support as a single parent working fulltime. 'I can't really work around the fact that the school starts at 9:15 a.m., but my work starts at 8 a.m. It's really unfortunate because I don't have anybody else in the household that can assist me in any way,' she said. Todorowski feels the system needs to change. 'There are so many parents suffering and stressed out, and the childcare that is promoted as accessible should be accessible,' she said. Changes to the registration process The Catholic board said they've made big strides since last year's fiasco, when parents from both boards registered all at once with OneList. There was a technical glitch, impacting the roughly 7,000 families who fought for available spots. '[It] ended up overwhelming the system and it did cause some system crashes,' Lema Salaymeh, spokesperson for the Waterloo Catholic District School Board, said. 'In order to avoid having a similar situation happen this year, we wanted to stagger it alphabetically.' Schools were sorted alphabetically, and registration began for the first batch on Monday and continues until Friday. Salaymeh said, as of Wednesday afternoon, over 500 students had been enrolled and 10 programs had already reached max capacity. 'While sometimes there is a demand for the program and the space, there might not be the staffing. We are juggling a lot of different factors before we can expand the program,' Salaymeh said. OneHSN, the company that manages the registration system for the Extended Day Program for both school boards, told CTV News they remain committed to supporting all families. 'The system has remained stable throughout, and the staggered school-by-school approach has helped to ensure a smooth experience for families. Minor issues were addressed quickly,' Darryl Buck, CEO of OneHSN, said in a statement. As of last year, parents were required to re-enroll their children each year, even if their child was previously in a program. 'By allowing it to reset every year, we give everyone a chance to access extended day programing,' Salaymeh said. What about the waitlist? The Catholic board said anyone who didn't get the spot they wanted can still join a waitlist. According to Salaymeh, the waitlist is continuously being updated and people are often removed from the list. 'As of right now, there's 121 people on the waitlist, but until we finish registration this week, they won't be able to let everyone know until the dust settles,' said Salaymeh. The board also noted that after registration ends it will be looking at making more room for more families. 'We're going to be reevaluating and assessing our capacity to see if there is an opportunity to expand the program,' she said. There were also some parents who registered for any school they could, trying to cheat their way into a spot. The school board encourages parents to avoid doing that and to wait for their school's specific registration day.
CTV News
3 days ago
- CTV News
Cambridge council defers fireworks decision
As the debate about fireworks rages on, one council said they need more time to decide what kind of regulations they want to impose. The discussion came before Cambridge council Tuesday night. As in other jurisdictions, councillors considered reducing the number of hours that fireworks could be lawfully set off, banning the sale of fireworks within the city and increasing fines for people who defy the bylaw. The concerns brought before council mirrored what has been presented at other council meetings throughout Waterloo Region: noise, environmental impacts and safety. A recent incident on Victoria Day was specifically mentioned. In that case, fireworks were stolen from a convenience store at the intersection of St. Andrews Street and Southwood Drive. The suspects then threw rocks and shot fireworks at several people in a parking lot before leaving the area. Minor injuries were reported. Several delegates, including people who sell fireworks, spoke to council, urging them not to implement a sales ban in the city. They noted people can still buy fireworks outside of the city and bring them home or order them online. 'The problem isn't fireworks,' Aleem Kanji, chief advocacy officer with the Canadian National Fireworks Association, said. 'It's illegal use and limited enforcement capacity as we heard from staff. A sales ban does not solve that.' However, some delegates did not get to have their say as council deferred the decision until the city has updated its noise bylaw. That change is expected to happen later this summer. In the meantime, city staff have been asked to draft a proposed bylaw for council to consider.
