In this issue of Whitby Thrive…

☀️ Today’s Weather in Whitby 

🖥️ Global Acclaim for Durham's Digital and Community Advancements

 🛁 Durham Region to Face 7.4% Hike in Water and Sewer Rates Due to Bill 23

♻️ Get Ready to Recycle: Whitby's Festive Tree Collection Starts Soon

🚔 Whitby Uber Driver Charged with Sexual Assault: Public Cautioned

⛸️ Join the Community Fun: Gerdau Hosts No-Cost Holiday Events!

🏆 Whitby Area Holiday Trivia

 🔔 Got a Favourite Whitby Business? Nominate Them for a Feature in Our Community Newsletter!

 🥅 Maple Leafs Prospect Leads Canada in Upcoming IIHF Event

 📅 Whitby Events

Global Acclaim for Durham's Digital and Community Advancements

Durham Region has been honored as one of the top seven Intelligent Communities in the world in 2023 at the Intelligent Community Forum Summit. This prestigious recognition places Durham alongside leading cities from countries like Australia, Brazil, the USA, and Vietnam. The award highlights Durham's commitment to enhancing its community through various initiatives focused on connectivity, education, access, and energy planning, all aimed at fostering a better future for residents.

Key to Durham's success is its network of government programs, academic institutions, and community partners, all dedicated to embracing digital transformation. The Intelligent Communities Plan of Durham Region includes several innovative projects like the Regional Broadband Project, CityStudio Durham, the Canada Learning Bond outreach project, and the myDurham 311 Smart Home Device Voice Service project. Moreover, Durham offers robust digital support for small businesses and entrepreneurs, facilitating direct connections to customers through initiatives like the Downtowns of Durham.

Durham's thriving innovation ecosystem comprises talented individuals and partners who convert research and development into tangible economic benefits. The recognition as a top Intelligent Community is attributed to local achievements through collaborations like the Durham Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Forum, Durham Economic Task Force, Access IO, various educational institutions, and other partners. The community's innovation can be followed using the #IntelligentDurham hashtag across social media platforms like Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and LinkedIn.

For more information on Durham Region's ongoing initiatives in this arena, the public is invited to explore durham.ca/IntelligentCommunities.

Durham Region to Face 7.4% Hike in Water and Sewer Rates Due to Bill 23

In Durham Region, water and sewer rates are set to increase by 7.4% in 2024, largely due to the financial implications of Ontario's Bill 23. This legislation reduces the development charges collected from developers, resulting in a significant revenue loss for the region. This shortfall will lead to higher future rate increases, with predictions of double-digit hikes in the coming years. Source: Durham Region News.

Get Ready to Recycle: Whitby's Festive Tree Collection Starts Soon

The town of Whitby is set to start its Christmas tree collection from January 15th, offering residents a convenient way to dispose of their festive trees. To ensure a smooth collection process, residents are reminded to prepare their natural Christmas trees by:

• Removing all decorations, tinsel, wire, and stands.

• Cutting down trees longer than 3 meters (10 feet) in half.

To find out the specific collection day for their area, residents can refer to the waste collection calendar or use Whitby's Waste Buddy app. This service is part of the town's commitment to efficient waste management and recycling during the holiday season. For more details and guidelines on Christmas tree disposal and other recycling services, residents can visit Whitby's official garbage and recycling webpage. Read more.

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Whitby Uber Driver Charged with Sexual Assault: Public Cautioned

A man from Whitby has been charged with two counts of sexual assault following an incident involving a female passenger who was using Uber. The incident occurred on December 24, 2023, near Taunton Road and Garden Street in Whitby. The 32-year-old driver, identified as Anees Ashraf, allegedly assaulted the passenger while driving her home.

Ashraf was later released under certain conditions but concerns remain as he might still be offering rideshare services through other apps. Local investigators are coordinating with various transportation app companies to prevent further incidents and are urging potential victims or those with relevant information to come forward. The public can view Ashraf's image for identification purposes on the Durham Regional Police Service website and can anonymously report information to Durham Regional Crime Stoppers.

It is important to note that these charges have not yet been proven in court, and the information presented stems from an ongoing police investigation. Read more.

Join the Community Fun: Gerdau Hosts No-Cost Holiday Events!

Gerdau is generously sponsoring Free Holiday Swims and Public Skates, inviting the community to enjoy these festive activities at no cost. This opportunity is open to everyone on a first-come, first-served basis, allowing friends and families to come together and partake in the holiday spirit. Gerdau's sponsorship is a wonderful gesture of community support, ensuring these holiday events are accessible to all. See events below for more details!

We are seeking Amazing Stories

About our Local Area Businesses!

Help us celebrate our Community’s Achievements!

Got a Favourite Whitby Business? Nominate Them to be Featured in Whitby Thrive!

Whitby Thrive, your local community newsletter, is on the lookout for remarkable businesses to feature in our upcoming editions! We're calling on our readers to help us in this endeavour. If you know a local business in Whitby that deserves some recognition, we would love to hear from you. Nominate your favourite local business by sending us an email. This is a fantastic opportunity to shine a light on those businesses that make our community special. Don't miss the chance to help a local business get the spotlight it deserves!

Coming Soon!

What principle is celebrated on the second day of Kwanzaa?

• A. Umoja (Unity)

• B. Kujichagulia (Self-Determination)

• C. Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility)

• D. Imani (Faith)

Answer posted below.

Maple Leafs Prospect Leads Canada in Upcoming IIHF Event

Fraser Minten, a promising prospect of the Toronto Maple Leafs, has been appointed as the captain of the Canadian junior hockey team, a statement from Hockey Canada confirmed on Sunday. Minten's leadership role is further strengthened by the appointment of four alternate captains: Owen Beck from the Montreal Canadiens, Matthew Savoie of the Buffalo Sabres, Boston Bruins forward Matthew Poitras, and Maveric Lamoureux from the Arizona Coyotes.

Minten, who was selected in the second round (38th overall) by the Maple Leafs last year, briefly played for the NHL team at the start of this season. After participating in four games, he returned to the WHL, initially with the Kamloops Blazers and later with the Saskatoon Blades. In his current WHL season, Minten has scored five goals and made ten assists in 13 games.

Owen Beck, a significant player in the lineup, is the only member returning from Canada's gold medal-winning team last year. The team, under the guidance of coach Alan Letang from Renfrew, Ontario, is set to defend their title in the upcoming IIHF event, aiming for a third consecutive victory. Their campaign begins with a Group A match against Finland on Boxing Day.

In preparation, Canada played three pre-tournament games, securing victories against Denmark (8-0) and Switzerland (6-3), but narrowly lost to the United States in a 6-5 overtime decision. Source: City News.

December 27th

• Whitby Lights the Night

• Free Holiday Swim Sponsored by Gerdau - Whitby Civic - 2:30PM-4:30PM

• Free Holiday Skate Sponsored by Gerdau - Iroquois Park - 12:00PM-2:00PM

• Aladdin: A Magical Carpet Ride Pantomime - 2:00PM & 6:00PM

December 28th

• Whitby Lights the Night

• Free Holiday Swim Sponsored by Gerdau - Whitby Civic - 2:30PM-4:30PM

• Free Holiday Skate Sponsored by Gerdau - McKinney Centre - 1:00PM-3:00PM

• Brother Earth Live at Fionn Maccool's in Oshawa - 6:00PM

• Elliot Brown Live at Fionn Maccool’s in Oshawa - 7:00PM

• Aladdin: A Magical Carpet Ride Pantomime - 2:00PM & 6:00PM

December 29th

• Whitby Lights the Night

• Free Holiday Swim Sponsored by Gerdau - Whitby Civic - 2:30PM-4:30PM

• Free Holiday Skate Sponsored by Gerdau - Luther Vipond - 2:00PM-4:00PM

• Aladdin: A Magical Carpet Ride Pantomime - 2:00PM & 6:00PM

December 30th

• Whitby Lights the Night

• Aladdin: A Magical Carpet Ride Pantomime - 2:00PM & 6:00PM

December 31st

• Whitby Lights the Night

• Brother Earth Live at Fionn Maccool's in Oshawa - 7:00PM-2:00AM

• Aladdin: A Magical Carpet Ride Pantomime - 2:00PM

• New Year's Eve Free Public Skate Sponsored by CUPE Local 53 - 12:30PM-2:30pm

January 2nd

• Free Holiday Swim Sponsored by Gerdau - Whitby Civic - 2:30PM-4:30PM

January 3rd

• Free Holiday Swim Sponsored by Gerdau - Whitby Civic - 2:30PM-4:30PM

January 4th

• Free Holiday Swim Sponsored by Gerdau - Whitby Civic - 2:30PM-4:30PM

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