Latest news with #WaterlooRegion
CTV News
2 days ago
- Climate
- CTV News
Heat and humidity warning continues
Environment Canada is warning of a scorching start to the work week. A multi-day heat event continues for much of southwestern Ontario, including Waterloo Region, Guelph, Brantford, Six Nations of the Grand River, Woodstock, Ingersoll and Tavistock. Monday will be the hottest, with daytime temperatures reaching 30 to 33 degrees Celsius. With the humidex, it could feel closer to 38 or 42. Overnight temperatures, meanwhile, are only expected to drop to 19 or 21 degrees Celsius. Environment Canada said the steamy conditions will continue into Tuesday, while Wednesday will bring an end to the heat event. Signs of heat illness Heat illness is a serious concern when the mercury rises, especially in older adults, infants, young children, pregnant people, those with physical or mental illnesses, people with mobility issues, those who work outside and the homeless community. Symptoms of heat exhaustion include: Headache Nausea or vomiting Dizziness or fainting Extreme thirst Dark urine and decreased urination Intense fatigue Confusion or lack of coordination Skin rash Muscle cramps Heavy sweating Rapid breathing and heartbeat Heat stroke, meanwhile, is considered a medical emergency. Those symptoms include: High body temperature Very hot, red skin Confusion or change in consciousness Dizziness or fainting If someone is experiencing heat stroke, experts advise moving them to a cool place, giving them water and placing ice packs on their body. Call 911 immediately. Beating the heat The key to avoiding heat illness is to plan ahead. Here are a few things to keep in mind: Know the weather forecast before going outside Modify your plans according to the weather Drink plenty of cool liquids, especially water, even before you feel thirsty Avoid drinks that are high in sugar, caffeine or alcohol Wear loose-fitting, light-coloured clothing made of breathable fabric Seek shade Avoid sun exposure if you can Take breaks as needed Avoid using your oven Take a cool shower or bath Take a break by spending a few hours in a cool place Close blinds and shades, Turn on air conditioning or use a fan Cooling centres The best way to get relief from the heat and humidity is to seek out a designated cooling centre. The Region of Waterloo has locations listed on their website. They include libraries, community centres, museums and regional offices, as well as public swimming pools and splash pads. Guelph also has a list air-conditioned libraries and facilities open to the public, including the locations of splash pads and swimming pools in the community. A list of cooling centres, pools and splashpads in Brantford can be found here. Protecting your pets Leaving pets inside a hot vehicle, even for a few minutes, could be dangerous. Dogs can experience heatstroke, which could lead to organ failure and, ultimately, death. Signs of an overheated pet include: Excessive panting Drooling Vomiting Collapsing Lethargy Tongue can appear red or hang out of their mouth If your pet is suffering from the heat, it's a good idea to gradually cool them down. Experts suggest using a cool blanket or towel that is wet. Avoid using ice. Owners should keep pets at home when the temperature climbs but if they need to go outside, keep them off the pavement as much as possible, only go for a short walk, or take them out in the morning or evening when it's cooler.
CTV News
3 days ago
- Climate
- CTV News
Cambridge's Gaslight District brings winter vibes to summer heatwave
As a heatwave continues to grip Waterloo Region, the Gaslight District in Cambridge offered residents a cool escape Sunday with a unique event that brought a taste of winter to the heart of summer. The one-day-only event, dubbed Frozen Heatwave, transformed the popular downtown area into a snowy-themed celebration, complete with synthetic ice skating, complimentary skate rentals and classic winter films playing on the big screen. In a social media post, organizers said the goal was to bring 'all the fun of cold weather, with none of the frostbite.' The free event drew families and residents looking for a refreshing way to beat the heat. Frozen Heatwave wraps up at 6 p.m.
CTV News
22-07-2025
- Health
- CTV News
Dead bird in Waterloo Region tests positive for West Nile virus
Public Health is keeping a close eye on mosquitoes in Waterloo Region after a bird tested positive for the West Nile virus. CTV's Colton Wiens explains how.
CTV News
21-07-2025
- General
- CTV News
Marginalized communities learning to swim through special program in Kitchener
Members of marginalized communities are learning a valuable and potentially lifesaving skill in Kitchener. Afropolitan Canada is hosting their third annual swimming program for BIPOC families in Waterloo Region. Over the course of eight weeks, participants meet up at pools throughout the city to address what the organization calls 'systemic inequities in access to swimming education.' 'The main purpose of this particular program was to help our community,' Rosina Amoah Agyapong, program coordinator, said. '[We] teach them about the basic swimming skills and also teach them how to prevent drowning and to be able to engage in the confidence level through swimming.' According to a 2024 survey by the Lifesaving Society, a charitable organization centred on preventing water-related injuries and drowning, most newcomers to Canada believe learning to swim is a necessary life skill, but half of all immigrants described themselves as a weak or non-swimmer. Many parents cited cost and a lack of time as barriers to enrolling their children in swim programs. Afropolitan Canada, with support from the City of Kitchener and Jumpstart, is trying to address part of that problem by offering low cost, and in some cases free, lessons. Classes focus on basic water survival skills such as treading water, surface swimming and self-rescue techniques. 'It's a roll into the water, 50-meter swim and one-metre of treading water,' Alex Geisel, Kitchener's Aquatics Supervisor, explained. 'Knowing that we're surrounded by water in southwestern Ontario and the access that we have, just making sure that everyone is aware and has those abilities to stay safe and enjoy their time, not just the in summer, but [all] year,' Geisel said. Demand has been steadily growing since the initiative's inception. In 2023, 93 people signed up for the program and, in 2024, that number grew to 178. This year, the program welcomed 197 participants while more than 250 people were on a waitlist. 'There is a lot of urgency in the area for people who aren't able to swim,' said Afropolitan Canada board chair Kayla Stephenson. 'The purpose is for us to be able to learn if we are in the water, that if we're in trouble, to be able to survive,' Stephen said. 'They do get a certificate at the end of the program and they're able to come back and learn further skills and advance their skills in the years to come.' For some families, learning new skills brings a wave of relief. 'It's reassuring,' Debbie Henry, a participant and parent, said. 'Less fear. Because kids want to be kids. They want to have fun. They're going to run poolside and if they jump in, they know how to surface, they know what to do to stay afloat. I think it's important for everyone to have swimming lessons, to be able to survive. I think it's a basic skill.' Henry has been learning alongside her children.'It's been great! I'm learning whip kick, eggbeater and all different types of survival swimming techniques. It's been good. And for my kids as well – they're building their confidence in the pool.' Organizers said they are trying to find more funding to expand the program in the years to come.
CBC
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
These 3 community groups say new grant funding will help bring people in Waterloo region together
Noah Vella of One Big Gay Disco says receiving their first grant ever "just opens up the future for us." The disco is a queer event series Vella founded. He says it's "devoted to channeling the uplifting, liberating and revolutionary energy of disco and house music into the cultural lens landscape" of Kitchener-Waterloo. He says he loves the music "but also the the energy that it carries." "We work with drag artists, we work with DJs, we do creative sets. It's really just a a pulse of creative queer energy," Vella said. One Big Gay Disco is one of 84 groups to receive grant money through the Waterloo Region Community Foundation. The grants were separated into three streams: Community, arts and racial equity. Eric Avner, president and CEO of the Waterloo Region Community Foundation, says as Waterloo region grows, the smaller community groups that hold important neighbourhood events and offer services need support just as much as larger organizations. "I think what we were realizing is, there's an opportunity to be a better community, one that's more sustainable and more equitable and more connected," Avner said. "What we're trying to do with the community foundation is realizing that while we're investing in all this physical infrastructure, we have bigger city, we can be investing in a social infrastructure to enable people to connect more with each other." The funding, Avner explained, comes from the community with donors who have helped the foundation set up an endowment fund so they can continue to provide grants to various organizations. CBC K-W's The Morning Edition with host Craig Norris recently highlighted three of the 84 organizations that received funding, one from each stream. One Big Gay Disco One Big Gay Disco received funding through the arts stream. Started by Vella, the idea has always been for the disco to also serve as a fundraiser for other organizations. Vella says that hasn't always been easy and they've mostly relied on ticket sales to pay performers and people working at the events. One Big Gay Disco receives community grant 3 days ago One Big Gay Disco is just one of 84 local groups benefiting from $1.7 million in grant funding from the Waterloo Region Community Foundation. One Big Gay Disco founder Noah Vella tells CBC K-W's Cameron Mahler about why it's important to fund events like his and what impact it's having in the community. "Having funding enables us to scale up the the work that we do as an organization, the fundraising that we do for local community efforts and the artists that we support, it just really opens up the possibility for us to genuinely continue this and make it a sustainable effort," he said. He says it's particularly important because the disco has already become an event that means a lot to so many people. "The fact that we encountered the success that we did kind of felt like a fluke because it is a distinctly queer event series and we weren't really sure if it would be received well, if we would be able to make it last," Vella said. "But spaces like this, when they do exist and when they are functional, it's really important that they keep going because sometimes these are some of the only spaces that marginalized communities, specifically trans communities, can feel like they have a space to truly be themselves." Alison Neighbourhood Community Centre The Alison Neighbourhood Community Centre offers programming to families in the Galt area of Cambridge and received grant funding through the community stream. Jamie Hatfield is the recreation manager at Alison Neighbourhood Community Centre and said those programs include after school, camps, recreation, newcomer and leadership development. Funding gives a boost to community groups in Waterloo region 5 days ago The Waterloo Region Community Foundation is supporting 84 local groups with $1.7 million-dollars in grants. Eric Avner, president and CEO of the Waterloo Region Community Foundation, and Jamie Hatfield, recreation manager at the Alison Neighbourhood Community Center, spoke to CBC about the grants and how they will help community groups in the region. "This funding specifically goes towards our breakfast club program, which is one of our most in demand programs," Hatfield said. The program runs every school day morning for students in the catchment area. The program is for students from junior kindergarten to Grade 6, but students up to Grade 12 also volunteer. "We provide a nutritious breakfast for them and we provide opportunities for them to maybe meet and make friends with kids that would go to a different school," Hatfield said. "There's a lot of interaction between different age groups, different schools, and our neighbourhood itself has quite a diverse makeup and there's a lot of newcomers to it. So they're getting to experience maybe connections with people they wouldn't get to meet otherwise." The program has 30 participants, but they are hoping to expand because there's a lengthy wait list, Hatfield said. Taste the Culture, Bite and Enlight Puneet Hayer is a planning committee member at Taste the Culture, Bite and Enlight, which is an event supported by the Wellesley Fall Fair and the Northeast Hope Agricultural Society. The event is held in November and it brings together people of different culture to celebrate and introduce people to others in their own community. Hayer says people are able to showcase their culture by sharing customs, traditions and food samples. WATCH | Taste the Culture cooks up 2nd annual event after WRCF grant: Taste the Culture cooks up second annual event after WRCF grant 1 day ago A total of 84 local groups will receive grants from the Waterloo Region Community Foundation, which distributed $1.7 million in funding. Taste the Culture: Bite and Enlight is one of those groups, and their goal is to highlight different communities through stories and food. Puneet Hayer, a planning committee member for the group, spoke to CBC K-W's John Dalusong about what they've got cooking for their second year. Hayer says the event last year was low key and grant funding will help them expand the number of people who can attend and cover the costs of the event. "Wellesley was a very monocultural society. Over the last few years, we've seen it changing from a monoculture to a multicultural society," Hayer said. "In order for [people] to be aware of the different cultures and also to dispel any negative stereotypes that may exist, it was identified ... that we need to know who all now calls Wellesley their home." Hayer says the first event last year got a lot of positive response. "People want to see this as an annual event. When they encouraged us to come forward and showcase the cultures, looking at people in their traditional attires, knowing about their customs, traditions and also tasting some food samples ... was given a very positive feedback," Hayer said. "It's a great way to bring people together. It was a very safe and secure environment while being entertaining at the same time."
